easyJet taken to High Court by Stelios.

Low cost airline asked to focus on carrying passengers on planes.

The founder of low cost airline easyJet, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, is taking the airline to the High Court to clarify the terms of its branding agreement.

Stelios is a non-executive director of the airline he set up and still holds almost 16% of the shares. He wants to ensure that easyJet is sticking to the terms of the brand licence that was agreed in 2000. This states that no less than 75% of easyJet’s revenue must be derived from its core activity, which is defined as ‘transporting passengers in aeroplanes’. This is commonly known as the 75:25 rule.

The budget carrier’s charismatic founder is thought to be concerned about some of easyJet’s non-core activities such as selling co-branded credit cards, car hire and hotels. The sale of scratch cards on board and the percentage of these sales that goes to charity is also thought to be a concern.

Gatwick and Stansted airports could be sold.

Gatwick and Stansted airports could soon be up for sale if, as expected, the Competition Commission orders the break up of BAA’s airports monopoly this week.

Airport operator BAA seems to have already accepted that it will be forced to sell Gatwick airport, and possibly others as well.

As well as Gatwick and possibly Stansted airport, BAA could also be asked by the Competition Commission to dispose of one of its three Scottish airports – perhaps Glasgow or Edinburgh.

There is likely to be no shortage of interest from buyers in whatever airports are put up for sale. If Gatwick airport goes to auction, bidders could include Manchester Airport Group and a number of overseas groups such as the Australian airport operator Macquarie, GE-Credit Suisse Investment fund, and German company Hochtief.

Low cost airline Ryanair has already expressed an interest in putting money into Stansted airport.

Low cost airline Ryanair commits to cheap air fares.

Budget airline Ryanair has announced the end of low fares air travel and its replacement with a new era of lowest fares air travel.

The airline, which claims to be the largest low fares airline in Europe, says it will reduce fares by up to 5% this autumn and continues to guarantee no fuel surcharges ever.

Ryanair has also started a £5 seat sale for travel from September 1st to September 30th, but you’ll need to be quick – the sale ends at midnight on Sunday August 10th. The airline points out that the £5 fare is just half the UK APD tax rip-off imposed on passengers.

Most of the £5 fares, which include taxes and charges, are available from Stansted airport. Flights with £5 fares from Stansted include Barcelona Girona, Biarritz, Genoa, Marseille, Milan, Montpellier, Parma, Porto, Rimini, Stockholm and Turin.

A limited number of destinations are also available for £5 from other airports including Luton, Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.

Low fares airline adds new flights.

Low cost airline Ryanair is launching five new flights from the UK this winter, from Glasgow and Bournemouth airports.

Glasgow airport gets new flights to three of the major holiday hotspots in Europe. Flights to Malaga, Faro and Tenerife from Glasgow start on 27th October.

The other new flights from the UK are from the rapidly expanding Bournemouth airport. The new flights to Milan and Paris are likely to appeal to people seeking a city break as well as to business travellers.

Ryanair is also launching new flights in Europe. From Bremen airport there will be new flights to Fuerteventura, Gothenburg, Marrakesh and Tenerife.

Marseille airport in France gets new flights to the French cities of Brest and Lille, as well as to Agadir, Nador and Tangier in Morocco.