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The average domestic airfare at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport rose 9.1 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

British Airways' decision to scrap its international services out of Manchester has been heavily criticised by a local MP. Coming as the airline's final international flight left the airport bound for New York, the MP for Blackely, Graham Stringer, argued that BA no longer has the right to be named as the UK's national carrier, due to its London-focus. Indeed, the only services the airline now offers from regional airports across the UK are to London's Gatwick Airport and Heathrow Airport, a situation that has been put down to falling passenger numbers and increased competition on all routes by BA bosses. Stringer, who was formerly chairman of the Manchester Airport board, argued: "BA cannot claim to be our national carrier any more. "It is a sad decision that represents commercial failure. They now carry fewer passengers than Ryanair."Despite this latest development, passengers flying out of Manchester are still able to benefit from transatlantic services operated by both Delta and Co

German national carrier Lufthansa has finalised a deal for bmi in the latest major takeover in the global aviation industry. Under the terms of the £314 million agreement, Lufthansa will increase its controlling stake in BMI to 80 per cent, with the UK airline's chairman Sir Michael Bishop set to relinquish his majority stake as his carrier struggles to cope with increasingly tough economic conditions. Furthermore, despite having just reported a 75 per cent fall in its profits for the latest quarter, it is also expected that Lufthansa will look to acquire the remaining 20 per cent of BMI from struggling Scandinavian Airlines (SAS).At the same time, Virgin Atlantic has signalled its intention to form a major new partnership with the Lufthansa group of airlines, a development that would create europe's biggest carrier should it go through. "Everyone has speculated that it would make sense for Virgin Atlantic and BMI to combine their long-haul and short-haul networks," Steve Ridgway, Virg

Hawaiian Airlines parent Hawaiian Holdings reported third-quarter net income of $6 million, down 69.4% from $19.6 million in the year-ago quarter, explaining that improvements in inter-island and transpacific revenue were "offset by the high cost of fuel."

Kenya Airways reported a KES736 million ($8.5 million) profit in its fiscal first semester ended Sept. 30, down 62.7% from the KES1.97 billion earned in the year-ago period, as fuel prices rose and it managed only "paltry" passenger growth owing to the tourism decline caused by the violence that followed last December's elections.

Delta Air Lines yesterday began the 12- to 24-month process of integrating Northwest Airlines, now a wholly owned subsidiary of DL, with the flying public likely to begin noticing changes in the first half of 2009.

China Southern Airlines yesterday reported an CNY810 million ($118 million) net loss for the third quarter, joining "big three" rivals Air China and China Eastern Airlines deep in the red.