Over 200,000 Get Refunds in BA/Virgin Price-fixing Case

Bev Fearis, Travel Mole, 7/23/2009

Compensation is being paid to 170,000 UK passengers over the British Airways and Virgin Atlantic price-fixing cartel.

According to law firm Hausfeld & Co. LLP, which is handling the case, over 211,000 refunds in total have been processed for customers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Payment has been authorised in 133,000 of these cases.

Hausfeld partner Anthony Maton told the Dow Jones News this is the biggest take-up by UK consumers in a group action of this kind.

He said it sets a precedent for future consumer rights cases.

Hausfeld has negotiated a £73.5 million settlement with both airlines to compensate consumers overcharged for fuel surcharges on long-haul flights purchased between August 2004 and March 2006.

Refunds are between about £2 and £10 for each flight, equating to one-third of the surcharge.

Passengers have until December 31, 2010 to claim their refunds.

 

BA Drops OpenSkies Amsterdam-NY Route

AP, Boston Globe, 7/24/2009

British Airways PLC's premium subsidiary OpenSkies said Friday it is ending its service between Amsterdam and New York after a significant drop in demand, leaving the loss-making carrier running just one route between Paris and New York.

New York-based OpenSkies, which will stop services on the Amsterdam route from Aug. 16, attempted to downplay the closure, saying it was ready to begin expanding its network again as the market for air travel improves.

However, the news will underscore reports that British Airways is seeking to sell a majority stake in OpenSkies as the luxury affiliate struggles.

OpenSkies began operating just over a year ago, initially flying a Boeing 757 with only 82 roomy, leather-clad seats between Paris and New York.

It added Amsterdam toward the end of last year and had previously said it planned to four more jets serving other European cities by the end of 2009.

It said Friday it would now instead focus solely on the remaining original route. 

 

Doha Carrier to Raise European Frequencies

Phil Davies, Travel Mole, 7/29/2009

Qatar Airways is to raise the number of flights offered from four European cities this winter.

The airline is adding capacity to Madrid, Athens and Stockholm in addition to going double daily on the Doha-Paris route on October 25 from 11 flights a week.

The increased frequencies represent an almost 40% increase in frequency across the four cities.

Madrid will see an increase in the number of flights from four-a-week to a daily service from December 2.

Athens will see flights go up from daily to double daily by March 2010.

Stockholm will see its first frequency increase since flights to the Swedish capital were launched in November 2007.

The addition of an extra weekly flight every Thursday from October 25 follows demand and the availability of aircraft, the airline said.