Airlines say air tax talks were a sham December 6, 2011 AIRLINES lined up to condemn the government’s stance on air travel yesterday, calling the government’s consultation on air passenger duty “a sham and a waste of taxpayers’ money”. The Treasury confirmed yesterday that the levy on passengers would jump by eight per cent in April, despite a massive lobbying effort by the airlines, who argue [...]
Ryanair to trial reserved seats April 19, 2011 RYANAIR is introducing pre-booked seating on some of its low-cost routes, charging passenger an extra £10 each way for the premium service. The system will be trialled on routes from Dublin to London Gatwick and Malaga from mid-May, with 24 seats with extra leg room available for pre-booking. Also yesterday rival airline EasyJet said it [...]
Virgin vows to fight on as BA wins BMI December 22, 2011 SIR RICHARD Branson was left fuming yesterday after British Airways parent IAG pipped Virgin Atlantic to a deal to buy BMI for £172.5m. Branson said IAG’s purchase of the loss-making airline “simply cuts consumer choice and screws the travelling public. “BA is already dominant at Heathrow and their removal of BMI just tightens their stranglehold [...]
It is now Time For Rupert to show his class January 26, 2012 ANYONE keeping an eye on the ante-post market for the RSA Chase in recent weeks will have observed that the layers seem to be bracing themselves for Grands Crus’ defection to the Gold Cup. The likes of Bobs Worth, Last Instalment and Join Together have shortened dramatically, while Grands Crus is out to as big [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 3, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES NEWS CORP LOSES HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES Beryl Cook is stepping down as head of human resources at News Corp, robbing James Murdoch of an ally in head office and becoming the latest figure to leave his father’s top team without being replaced in the office of the chairman. Ms Cook has worked [...]
Bach, Goethe…and you: a weekend in Leipzig December 18, 2011 YES, Germany is well-known for its conference facilities and, yes, for weekenders, we British love the down and dirty vibe of the new Berlin and the madness of Munich’s Oktoberfest, but much of the country has lain forgotten by visitors in recent years, yet it’s only a 90-minute flight away. In the east, the fall [...]
Ireland may sell Aer Lingus stake September 7, 2011 IRELAND is considering the sale of its 25 per cent stake in airline Aer Lingus as it no longer considers it a strategic asset, the transport minister said yesterday. The government’s stake would be worth €84m (£74m) at yesterday’s share price. “It’s certainly under consideration, it’s definitely one of the candidates,” Leo Varadkar said yesterday. [...]
Margaret Thatcher’s legacy is that no-one tries to scrap what the Iron Lady achieved January 5, 2012 THIS isn’t a review of The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher and on general release in cinemas this week [For this, see p. 18]. I’m sure it’s a fine film and I’ll see it once I can scrape together the money from my dwindling pension for a pair of tickets and some [...]
Margaret Thatcher’s legacy is that no-one tries to scrap what the Iron Lady achieved January 5, 2012 THIS isn’t a review of The Iron Lady, starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher and on general release in cinemas this week [For this, see p. 18]. I’m sure it’s a fine film and I’ll see it once I can scrape together the money from my dwindling pension for a pair of tickets and some [...]
Markets hit by Eurozone contagion fears November 7, 2011 Banks were the weakest link on the FTSE 100 this morning as the move towards a coalition government in Greece failed to impress wary investors. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, who attempted to call a referendum on a crucial European Union bailout plan, will stand down when the new government takes over. Eurozone ministers meet [...]