This week's news in brief: Ryanair, BA and Avis, Deloitte on UK hotels, Amadeus and Air France, and Heathrow Express
Ryanair threatens to abandon Dusseldorf-Weeze
Ryanair has said it will close its Dusseldorf-Weeze base if a court injunction is not overturned, resulting in the loss of 2.5 million passengers and 2,500 jobs.
The Irish low cost carrier said the decision by the OVG Court in Munster restricted the airport's operating hours.
Ryanair said it had stopped accepting bookings on all affected flights while it and the airport's lawyers review the court's decision.
The base will close if the restrictions are not lifted by April 29, Ryanair confirmed.
Ryanair currently bases six aircraft at Dusseldorf-Weeze.
Ryanair's deputy ceo Michael Cawley called the restrictions "unworkable, unfair and unnecessary."
He added: "We will announce a plan to withdraw our base at Dusseldorf Weeze as it will be impossible to operate our schedule with these restrictions in place."
www.ryanair.com www.airport-weeze.de
BA and Avis sign exclusive deal
British Airways and Avis car rental have signed a five year exclusive partnership deal.
The global agreement allows all BA's customers to benefit from rental deals with Avis, not just the airline's Executive Club members.
BA and Avis said customers will benefit from cost saving promotions, an Avis Preferred membership programme.
For booking with Avis BA's Executive Club will continue to receive additional flyer mile rewards unavailable to non-members.
BA said customers can rent cars using all its booking channels, including its main website.
www.ba.com www.avis.com
UK hotels suffer in Q1
The UK hotel industry suffered a sharp decline in leisure and corporate travel during the first quarter of 2009, consultancy firm Deloitte said.
Overall, the UK's cities experienced a 9% decline in revenue per available room (revPAR) year-on-year. Rooms generated £5 less revPAR on average over the three months ending March 31.
But Deloitte said the monthly decline was "less extreme" in March, down 5.2% compared to a 10.8% drop in February.
London's revPAR decline was lower than the UK average at 8.1%. Occupancy in the capital fell 4.8% while room rates dropped 3.5% to £113.
Hotels at Gatwick airport and Heathrow airport were the worst hit by 23.5% and 21.9% declines in revPAR respectively.
"Reduced consumer and business spending stemming from the global economic downturn continues to challenge the hotel industry and this will be the story until at least the final quarter of 2009," said Deloitte's hospitality managing partner Marvin Rust.
www.deloitte.com
Amadeus and Air France trial mobile boarding technology
Air France, Amadeus and IER have launched trials of a new mobile boarding system at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport called Pass and Fly.
Members of the airport's Club Airport Premier (CAP) passenger programme will trial the technology until October 30.
Members of AF's frequent flyer programme travelling between Nice and Paris Orly will also trial the system.
Passengers with Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled mobile phones will be able to ‘swipe' their phone over Pass and Fly readers rather than produce documents, even when the device is switched off.
Amadeus, which developed the software, claim it is the first time NFC, a short-range, wireless technology, has been used as a boarding solution.
IER, a provider of access control equipment, supplied the NFC booths and readers.
www.airfrance.com www.amadeus.com
Heathrow Express targets customers in the air
Heathrow Express claims it is the first train operator to offer transfer tickets to passengers on flights between New York and London Heathrow.
Heathrow Express and GuestLogix, an on-board airline retailer, have signed a "unique" deal to distribute the train tickets via a "Mobile Virtual Store" currently being rolled out.
But neither Heathrow Express nor GuestLogix could confirm which airlines they will be working with.
Heathrow Express, a member of the Airport Express alliance along with Gatwick Express, said the technology would be used by "leading carriers representing over 90% of the passenger trips taken annually in North America."
www.heathrowexpress.com www.guestlogix.com