Brussels/Vienna - The European Commission on Wednesday launched a probe into claims that Germany's Lufthansa may not be paying enough for Austrian Airlines in its bid to create Europe's largest carrier.
In a statement, the European Union executive in Brussels expressed "doubts that the price to be paid by Lufthansa reflects the market price for what is being sold."
Vienna - Ailing low-cost carrier SkyEurope reported Tuesday that passenger numbers dropped by 23.5 per cent in January, compared with the same month of the previous year.
The Slovakia-based airline, which is listed on the Vienna stock exchange, has said it would reduce capacity by some 19 per cent during the winter months of 2009.
SkyEurope's operating losses more than doubled to 56.1 million euros (72.8 million dollars) in the 2007/08 business year running until September, according to preliminary figures published last November.
There is some bad news for domestic air travelers. In a latest move major Airlines (Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines) including low-cost carriers have withdrawn all promotional fares and increased basic fares by around Rs 2,000 on several sectors from Tuesday.
The companies have decided to stop the low-fare advance purchase (APEX) schemes, quoting that the airfares would now be decided by the market.
Paris - The two main airports of the French capital Paris were closed late Monday after the national weather service forecast the arrival of a storm packing heavy rains and winds of more than 100 kilometres per hour (kph).
The ban imposed by the French Civil Aviation Agency (DGAC) on flights landing at and taking off from Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports was to be enforced at 1900 GMT and remain in effect until at least 0900 GMT Tuesday.
New York - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented Monday the keys to the city to the five-member crew of US Airways Flight 1549 that crashed in the Hudson River last month without endangering the lives of the 150 passengers.
Bloomberg presented the keys at a City Hall ceremony, calling the crew "five real American heroes."
"That day could have been one of our most tragic, but became one of our most triumphant," Bloomberg said.
Brussels/Vienna - The European Commission on Wednesday launched a probe into claims that Germany's Lufthansa may not be paying enough for Austrian Airlines in its bid to create Europe's largest carrier.
Vienna - Ailing low-cost carrier SkyEurope reported Tuesday that passenger numbers dropped by 23.5 per cent in January, compared with the same month of the previous year.
There is some bad news for domestic air travelers. In a latest move major Airlines (Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines) including low-cost carriers have withdrawn all promotional fares and increased basic fares by around Rs 2,000 on several sectors from Tuesday.
Paris - The two main airports of the French capital Paris were closed late Monday after the national weather service forecast the arrival of a storm packing heavy rains and winds of more than 100 kilometres per hour (kph).
New York - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented Monday the keys to the city to the five-member crew of US Airways Flight 1549 that crashed in the Hudson River last month without endangering the lives of the 150 passengers.
