EasyJet has just launched two new routes from London Gatwick airport with daily flights to Murcia followed by the launch of flights from London Gatwick to Berlin´s Schoenefeld. The daily flights to Murcia start from £22.99 single (£40.98 return including tax) and the twice daily flight to Berlin Schoenefeld starts from £17.99 single (£30.98 return including tax).

A new technology, expected to be rolled out by late next year, will soon allow European air passengers to use their cell phones. This announcement was made early this week by Geneva-based technology firm OnAir. British carrier bmi (formerly British Midlands Airways) and Portugal´s state-owned TAP Air Portugal are to try OnAir voice and text service for cell phones in separate three-month trials, according to OnAir chief executive George Cooper.

Air Jamaica Express will cease operations on October 14 due to the high costs of fuel, ongoing turbulence in the aviation industry and a review of market conditions, “which signaled diminishing returns,” according to a statement released by the carrier last week. The airline connected Jamaica´s airports in Montego Bay, Kingston and Ocho Rios and also served Cuba, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic and the Cayman Islands.

aiRES is being jointly brought to the market through a business alliance between Cendant TDS and IBS Software Services. According to Cendant, Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet is the launch customer for the new airline reservation platform and is serving as a co-development partner to ensure that aiRES continues to offer industry leading features and functionality. Don Bell, executive vice president, WestJet said that aiRES´ open architecture and flexibility will allow WestJet to more effectively implement change and quickly respond to market conditions.

EasyJet will join the European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA) with effect from October 1, 2005. ELFAA was established in late 2003 as the voice of Europe´s low fare airlines. The nonprofit association tackles various issues of joint interest and protects the needs of low fare airlines and their customers. “For far too long our industry has been dominated by airline bodies that purport to represent the interests of all airlines and their users. In fact, the clubs of the traditional airlines have been responsible for helping to create an industry that works almost exclusively to the benefit of legacy airlines rather than customers,” said EasyJet´s CEO Ray Webster.

Lufthansa is strengthening its competitiveness in decentralized European air traffic on routes which do not pass through the Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich hubs, while bundling responsibilities and resources. The successful "Future European Operations" program is to be expanded through addition of major operational functions and integrated in a new organizational unit from October 1, 2005. Responsibility for the new unit will be assumed by Dr. Christoph Klingenberg, who has been in charge of the "Future European Operations" program since 2003.