Cheapflights' Weekly Round Up

This week saw a number of new international flights launched with services to Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean added. Savings and deals were revealed through a number of new sweepstakes and frequent-flyer promotions. Elsewhere, airlines started to address the sensitive issue of baggage with fees cut and new door-to-door services introduced.

Airline Sales and Deals
Southwest offers De la Hoya tickets
Southwest Airlines has announced a new package which includes the chance to buy tickets to the sold-out Oscar de la Hoya boxing match in Las Vegas.

Southwest named nation's favorite airline

Southwest Airlines has been named as the nation's favorite carrier in a new poll.

The airline came out top in nine categories of the Smarter Travel 2008 Readers Choice Awards.

Passengers voted Southwest the Best Value Domestic Airline. The airline took the title with 28.20 percent of the vote, ahead of JetBlue's 13.35 percent.

Continental, United and Delta made up the rest of the top five.

New flight possibility at Chicago O'Hare

New flights could be added at Chicago O'Hare International Airport after it was revealed that current flight cap rules will be lifted.

Mary Peters, Transportation Secretary, visited the airport this week and confirmed that flight caps will be removed from next Friday.

The flights caps were originally introduced in 2004 to cut delays and congestion – particularly on routes from Chicago to New York.

However, recent increased fuel prices have led several airlines to cut back on schedules which has eased delays.

New food-for-sale options on AA flights

American Airlines has announced new food-for-sale option for Economy passengers.

From tomorrow, flyers will be able to choose from a new selection of sandwiches on domestic flights, and flights to the Caribbean and Mexico.

The new menu will feature an Italian Deli Panini and a Roast Beef Ciabatta, alongside the Asian Chicken Wrap which has proved popular with customers.

All snacks will be priced at $6 each and available on flights that last for three hours or more and take-off after 10am.

Southwest offers De la Hoya tickets

Southwest Airlines has announced a new package which includes the chance to buy tickets to the sold-out Oscar de la Hoya boxing match in Las Vegas.

Passengers who book Las Vegas vacation packages at southwestvacation.com will have the option to purchase the limited-access tickets.

Customers will need to book flights and then two or more nights accommodation to gain access to the match tickets and will also need to use the promotional code: OSCAR500 or OSCAR750.

AA teams up with MasterCard for sweepstake

American Airlines has announced a new sweepstake in collaboration with MasterCard.

The American Airlines Travel Concierge sweepstakes is offering customers of AA.com the chance to win up to $50,000 in MasterCard gift cards.

A further prize of $25,000 in American Airlines gift cards is available alongside complimentary concierge services.

Passengers can register online at aa.com/promo from now until noon (EST) on December 31.

Is TSA on its way to liquidating nettlesome liquid rule?

Could be the Transportation Security Administration (Web site: www.tsa.gov) is on its way to getting rid of restrictions that limit the size of liquids you can carry on airplanes. TSA imposed the strictures in the wake of an aborted August 2006 plot by terrorists to blow up transatlantic airliners about from the United Kingdom to the United States. They were going to mix liquids on board the aircraft and use them as explosives.

Now, a TSA blog says the agency is using new technology, primarily something called "AT-X-ray" that can differentiate between liquids that pose a threat, and those that don't.

Here's what the TSA says about it in that blog: “We're deploying the best technology and training as fast as we can get it. The goal is to remove all restrictions on liquids when we have automated systems that can accurately separate threat from non-threat liquids.”

Condé Nast Traveler rates top ten U.S. airports

What's the best airport in the land? According to Condé Nast Traveler it's Portland International (PDX). The Oregon aerodrome came out on top when an independent firm polled more than 26,500 readers, readers who identified themselves as business travelers.

Rounding out the remaining ten-best airports:

2) Tampa (TPA)
3) Reagan Washington National (DCA)
4) Milwaukee (MKE)
5) Orlando (MCO)

AirTran links up with e-Rewards in A+ alliance

Here's a new way to rack up frequent flyer points. Discount airline AirTran has linked up with e-Rewards (Web site: www.e-rewardsresearch.com) in a deal that allows A+ Rewards members to earn credits. They do that by agreeing to answer questions from market researchers.

“Now, our members can earn additional A+ Rewards credits by simply sharing their thoughts,” says Tad Hutcheson, AirTran's vice president of marketing and sales.

E-Rewards president Bill Russo says his company provides market researchers “representative and high-quality consumer and business decision-maker online opinion panels.”

US Airways southern sojourn - Charlotte to Paris flights

It's been some seven years since US Airways has flown nonstop from Charlotte (CLT) to Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG).

The carrier axed the route after September 11, 2001. Soon, it plans to re-launch the service - this on a seasonal basis.

April 21, 2009 is the planned start date for nonstop Boeing 767 service. The flights are slated to run through October 2009, during the tourist season.