On 22nd June 1984, Sir Richard Branson launched the first Virgin Atlantic flight and 25 years later, they are re-creating it.

The first flight departed from London Gatwick and arrived in Newark, New Jersey.

To celebrate the birthday, some passengers flying from Hong Kong to London today will receive free upgrades and many of the airline’s staff have dressed up in the best 1980’s attire to mark the occasion.

Celebrities, frequent travellers and Travel Trade VIP’s have all been invited by Sir Richard Branson to travel on the flight that is set to recreate the first ever Virgin Atlantic flight. Music and food on the flight will have an 80’s twist, the movie Airplane will be played as it was on the maiden flight and entertainers will ensure that everyone on board has a good time.

Virgin Atlantic has grown and grown over the years and now has a fleet of 38 aircraft travelling to 30 destinations worldwide. Now with over 8500 members of staff, Virgin Atlantic have become highly competitive and hugely successful.

Over 65 million people have flown with Virgin Atlantic since the launch in 1984 and this number is constantly increasing.

EasyJet have received a new aircraft at John Lennon Airport and have therefore added three new routes to their selection.

Naples, Dubrovnik and Bordeaux are now available from the airport thanks to the new Airbus 320. All routes began flying this week.

easyJet now offers a total of 21 routes from Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

The new aircraft means that easyJet have added Croatia to their list of countries that they serve and expanding the destinations they serve in France and Italy.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport is easyJet’s busiest base outside of London.

Ryanair are drawing up plans that will see passengers carrying their own bags to their aircraft and pay to use the aircrafts toilets. As if now, the airline is ready to charge passengers to use the toilet.

The airline believes that by asking passengers to carry their own bags to the aircraft, they will be able to cut costs as they won’t have to pay baggage handlers to do it. £10 is paid by each passenger for baggage handlers to take their abgs to their aircraft from them, but customers may be able to save that money if they agree to carry the bags themselves.

A main base for Ryanair is located at London Stansted Airport and a spokesman for them had this to say:

“I am struggling to understand this. They haven’t discussed this with us. There are security and practical considerations to be taken into account. For a start, they would have to work out where a passenger would pick up a bag after putting it through the screening process. Also there are aircraft moving around the tarmac. It is hard to imagine how a grandmother or somebody with impaired mobility would be able to cope.”

Passengers luggage has been an issue for Ryanair for a while and this may cause even more controversy.

Navy Divers from Brazil have begun recovering wreckage from the Air France jet that crashed into the Atantic Ocean on Monday (June 1st).

At the moment, 5km of water are being combed by Navy ships where jet fuel, aircraft seats and other parts of the wreckage have been spotted.

The A330 is thought to have hit severe storms four hours into its flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. 216 passengers and 16 crew members were said to be onboard the aircraft when it disappeared from the radar.

There is now no doubt in anyones mind that the wreckage is that of the A330 aircraft.

The black box flight recorder is needed as it could hold vital clues about what happened to the aircraft, however at this time of year, recovering it could be very difficult as it could be as far as 10 miles below the surface of the ocean.

There are many different views on why the aircraft came down, one being a lightening bolt causing a severe electrical failure and another being a bomb threat. Modern aircraft however are designed to be resistant to lightening, which has now caused a series of debates.

London Heathrow Airport is home to a brand new BMI lounge, which is situated above Gate 5 in Terminal 1.

The lounge includes free Wi-Fi access, conference rooms and a cafe.

Business class passengers, Diamond club passengers and Star Alliance Gold passengers will be able to use the lounge.

Several new routes have been added thanks to the airlines takeover of British Mediterranean Airways.

The upmarket lounge is being used to cater to the needs of passengers expecting more such as showers and meals.

British Airways has recently confirmed that they will be adding more flights to the Maldives and Sharm el Sheikh from London Gatwick Airport for those looking for a winter sun holiday.

From October 25th, BA are cutting the LGW-JFK route so the aircraft will be added to the winter sun fleet. Flights will occur 3 times a week direct.

The aircraft used will be a triple-cabin Boeing 777 meaning passengers can fly in a great deal of comfort.

This will be the first time that BA has flown to the Maldives and the new routes are expected to be very popular with customers.

On October 25th, almost a year after the route was introduced, British Airways are going to stop fliying between London Gatwick and New York JFK.

The decision comes as a review of the route found that the performance was not as good as had been expected when it was launched.

The aircraft will instead be used to support British Airways routes to Egypt, the Caribbean and the Maldives.

All business-class flights to JFK will now depart from London City Airport. British Airways will still serve New York JFK flights from Heathrow.

Luton Borough Council have rejected easyJet’s application to authorise pilots to conduct civil partnership and marriage cermonies while in the air.

EasyJet believed that due to the recession, there was a market for wedding ceremonies to be conducted in the air en route to the honeymoon destination.

Many people liked the idea of getting married at 30,000 feet but unfortunately the council scuppered these plans.

On the plus side, easyJet has stated that they would be happy to consider licensing easyJet’s Head Quarters at London Luton Airport so that people can still have an aviation themed wedding.

Air France has published a page on its website for both friends and relatives of passengers on board Flight 447.

The aircraft disappeared from radar screens on Monday morning after going through a storm. The aircraft was on route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

There were 216 passengers on board and 12 crew members. A search operation is currently underway in the Atlantic Ocean for the missing jet and its passengers, just off the coast of Brazil.

The numbers to be used by family and friends are:

+33 1 57 02 10 55

0800 800 812 in France

0800 881 20 20 in Brazil

London Stansted Airport has introduced a new passenger pick-up charge which travellers are branding a ‘rip-off’.

People coming to the airport by car currently have to use the 15-minute Pick-up Zone which is costing them £2.
People dropping holiday makers off at the airport also have to pay at least £2.50 to enter the Short Stay Car Park.
One irate traveller, Peter Coles, had this to say:
“”I am amazed that BAA Stansted is being allowed to rip off the general public when they collect anyone. At Stansted there is only one area that you can be collected by car or taxi minibus. It used to be free for the first 15 minutes then went to £1. And then this year it went to a charge of £2, just for the privilege of being collected.

I feel this is a complete rip-off and is both unreasonable and unjust.”