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Find out what's affecting the life of the globe-trotting business traveler. leaving jets on tarmacs and stranding passengers on Christmas Eve -- as the all-business class airline filed for bankruptcy protection. MAXjet took what it called a "drastic measure" because of soaring fuel prices and the deteriorating credit market. But analysts suggested competition from AMR Corp.'s American Airlines on one of MAXjet's key routes also played a big role. "High fuel prices were a contributing factor, but American's inauguration in October of (service between New York's John F.Kennedy International Airport and London's Stansted Airport) ... was the coup de grace," said Robert Mann, an airline consultant in Port Washington, New York. MAXjet launched in 2005 and offered "all-premium" flights between Stansted, New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. But it couldn't compete with deeper-pocketed American's frequent flyer program, "newer more efficient aircraft with upgraded business class seats, corporate contracts and overall 20 flights daily to three London airports," Mann said. startclickprintexclude--> Star Alliance expands Air China and Shanghai Airlines have joined the Star Alliance, bringing the number of member airlines to 19 and adding more than 40 new destinations on domestic routes alone. By joining the alliance, said a Star Alliance spokesman, business travelers will gain better connections into China and services will be improved with the opening of the new terminals at Beijing and Shanghai-Pudong. Team members can now collect and redeem frequent flyer air miles on the two airlines. The CEOs of the Star Alliance member airlines also voted to accept the application of Air India to become a future member of the alliance. Teams at Air India, Star Alliance and its member carriers will now be working on the integration process. Another new station for St Pancras Network Rail has opened its new $140 million domestic station within St Pancras International. Following the opening of the new station which features improved accessibility, longer and wider platforms, state-of-the-art information screens; and dedicated customer service staff, First Capital Connect trains will be able to call the station St Pancras International for the first time instead of King's Cross Thameslink. Passengers from outer London stations such as St Albans, Luton, Croydon and Brighton will now be able to connect directly with Eurostar services to Europe. New UK airport for easyJet EasyJet has begun its first daily flights from Birmingham with a service to Geneva. On 22 December the budget airline will also start flights to Grenoble. Birmingham is the 14th UK airport easyJet operates from, and the 79th in Europe. Bmi to Israel Bmi will commence a daily non-stop service from Heathrow to Tel Aviv on 13 March 2008. Economy fares start from £243.60 and business fares starting from £881.60 including taxes and charges. The route will be operated by an Airbus A320 in a two class configuration, with 20 seats in business and 108 in economy. The flight schedule has been specifically designed to offer passengers well-timed connections to bmi services to and from regional airports, including those in Scotland, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Durham Tees Valley and Belfast as well as Dublin in the Republic of Ireland The launch of services from Heathrow to Tel Aviv will grow the total number of destinations served by bmi from Heathrow next year to 41. Lufthansa taps growth in West Africa From April 2008 Lufthansa will fly between Frankfurt and the Angolan capital, Luanda. The non-stop route will be operated once a week by an Airbus 340-300 with 221 seats. Lufthansa's new service to Luanda will open up an important growth market on the West coast of Africa and provide connectivity to a region important for its petroleum and raw materials industry. Angola is Africa's second-largest exporter of petroleum after Nigeria and generates about 80 per cent of its national income from sales of crude oil. Many global oil companies are represented in Luanda, which has a population of about three million. |
