CSA reports good year
2004 has been a good year for CSA Czech Airlines in the UK with two new routes opening between Prague and Gatwick and Glasgow, Mr Bohuslav Santrucek, the airline's outgoing director for the UK, said.
He said the national carrier now had 83 flights a week from seven British airports and a further 13 would be added in 2005. This compared with the 26 a week when he arrived in 2000.
Mr Santrucek said he was returning to the Prague head office to take up the post of vice president sales and marketing. His successor in London as UK director will be Tomas Kaufman who for the past two and a half years has been CSA's sales manager for north England in Manchester.
Traffic up
Three of Europe's biggest airlines, Air France-KLM, BA and SAS all reported rises in passenger traffic for November. AF-KLM said its figures were up 4.2% year-on-year, although its load factor was down 0.4% to 75.7%.
BA reported a rise on 1.7% compared with November 2003 but said capacity had been “impacted” by 2% because of a reduced schedule. It said its overall load factor rose by 0.9 points to 70.6 per cent.
SAS, heading for a fourth tear of losses, said passenger traffic rose 2.9% last month from a year earlier. The flag carrier of Sweden, Norway and Denmark said its passenger load factor fell 1% to 58% in November.
Taxi
A new UK company, Taxis Abroad has started a new online car service for passengers arriving at key European cities. Myles Gleeson, general manager of the company said private cabs, limousines or mini-buses could be booked online to take passengers from airports to meetings or hotels.
He said he hoped to expand the service to more European cities in the coming year.