Airfare rises: money-saving tips and positive thinking

The newly released Air Travel Price index, compiled by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, show that airline ticket prices are on the rise by 9.1 per cent year-over-year for the fourth quarter 2005 (see Index: Airfares climb to 5-year high).

In all likelihood this is a trend that will continue. Airfare prices are under pressure from a triple whammy of factors:

- Oil, oil, and oil. You’ve read all about that, right? Its price is going up.
- A strong economy and confidence in flying means insatiable demand.
- Airlines are determined to get profitable and have been cutting capacity.

Sadly, this is a price-rising formula that doesn’t look like abating any time soon. Ok, what can you actually do? Basically, your best bet is to book early and there are summer seat sales on right now to help encourage you to do so.

The Cheap Flights Weekly Round Up

There are plenty of new routes and discounted fares around this week:

Free Vacation Express seats through May Vacation Express is celebrating its 17th birthday by giving away free round-trip tickets to a variety of destinations next month.

US Airways slashes fares to New York US Airways is cutting the price of its fares between New York and Charlotte, NC, with the announcement that it has competition for the market in the form of new arrival, JetBlue.

ATA switches to Oakland, offers new Hawaii service

Oakland International Airport is host to an expansion of services to the Hawaiian Islands by ATA Airlines, which began yesterday (Thursday, April 27).

ATA is offering customers several new nonstop flights, including twice-daily departures to Honolulu, a daily service to Maui, and the only nonstop service between the U.S. mainland and Hilo.

The airline will switch its northern Californian operations across the Bay, from San Francisco to Oakland, as part of its change of service.

Support our troops: give up that first-class seat - Jerry Chandler lets fly

You can’t drive anywhere in America these days without seeing a bright “Support Our Troops” ribbon affixed to the back of a car. A nice sentiment, but how many of us actually follow up by doing something tangible, something concrete?

Here’s a way. It works. It will make the day for some young soldier, and it will make you feel a lot better too. You don’t have to support the war to do it. All you have to support is the sacrifices - and they are unremitting - of the people who risk life and limb in that war.

If you’re in first class, and see a soldier, sailor, Marine, or Air Force person in uniform heading to the back of the plane, ring the flight attendant call button. Tell the flight attendant you want to give up your seat to one of those young men or women and swap places. Chances are you’ll get no argument from the crew. They’ll be happy to accommodate.

Monroe Airport lands a fourth airline

The eastern Louisiana city of Monroe (MLU), the place Delta Air Lines was born, is about to land a fourth air carrier.

American Eagle is set to launch three nonstop flights from Monroe Regional Airport to American’s Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) hub on June 15. Saab 340 propjets, with 34-seats, will be the aircraft of choice on the route.

The three daily westbound Monroe to Dallas nonstops depart at Monroe at 7:00am, 11:00am, and 5:07pm. They arrive at American’s Dallas/Fort Worth megahub at 8:40am, 12:27pm, and 6:45pm respectively.

Scheduled flights to return to Santa Rosa

It has been almost five years since Santa Rosa, California, had scheduled airline service. The month was October, and the year was 2001. September 11 prompted airlines to ax flights to small cities across the country. Santa Rosa and immediate air access to the nearby wine country of northern California were casualties.

Now, there is word that commuter/regional airline Horizon Air will start flying to Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport on March 20, 2007. This is a long way off, but the payoff for travelers who want quick access to the wine country may be worth the wait.

AirTran expands fleet

Customers of AirTran Airways are set to enjoy the comfort of 24 new Boeing 737s after the airline decided to exercise purchase options for the jets.

Fourteen new aircraft will become part of the AirTran fleet in 2008, while a further ten will be added in 2010 as part of the carrier's expansion order of 100 aircraft placed in 2003.

"The Boeing 737 has set a new standard for commercial jet transport," said Joe Leonard, Chairman and CEO of the airline, "allowing us to increase efficiency and enhance our service for the consumer.

Phoenix control tower given seal of approval

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given its backing to a construction project that will improve passenger safety at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

The FAA has branded the new control tower at the country's fifth-busiest airport "a great job", reports The Arizona Republic.

The $83 million project was commissioned because the shorter tower currently being used has blind spots that could have caused accidents, Warren Meehan, the FAA's air-traffic manager at the airport, told the paper.

Aeromexico to offer seasonal flights from Texas

Aeromexico has announced that it will offer up to three seasonal nonstop flights per week from San Antonio to Mexico City in May and weekly flights through August.

Not only will the nonstop flights offer travelers more vacation options, but they will be able to make connections to more than 40 destinations served by the airline.

ATA launches new California-Honolulu route

A new connection to Hawaii starts today (Friday, April 28) from Ontario International Airport (ONT) in California.

ATA Airlines will operate a daily, nonstop flight to Honolulu from Ontario, using the ever-popular Boeing 737 as part of its "enhanced West Coast and Hawaii flying program".

The airline will also offer connections to the smaller Hawaiian islands of Maui and Hilo, via Oakland.