Regional airline Flybe has rewarded Scottish namesakes with free return flights in its latest competition.

Flybe launched a search to find the Scottish namesakes to commemorate its first ever branded flight from Glasgow with its franchise partner Loganair.

Flybe-branded aircraft fly from Glasgow airport to eight destinations around Scotland – Benbecula, Kirkwall, Sumburgh, Stornaway, Barra, Tiree, Islay and Campbeltown.

In its competition the airline wanted to find anyone with the same name, or a creative derivation, as these destinations. Flybe was delighted to be contacted by the real Kirk Wall, from Hampshire.

Also found in the namesakes search were Tiree (Rodden from Inverness), Islay (McVean from Dunbartonshire) and a certain Sam Burrows (Sumburgh) from Northamptonshire.

Bristol International airport is hoping to encourage more high spending US tourists to the region.

Continental Airlines operates daily flights from Bristol airport to New York, with fares from £269 return including taxes and charges. Now a team from Bristol International airport and Destination Bristol is visiting Continental Airlines’ call centres in Florida, Houston and Salt Lake City to try to attract more US visitors.

The team will present to thousands of Continental Airlines staff who advise customers on their travel plans. They will position Bristol airport as a convenient gateway to the UK for American tourists by focusing on the airport’s proximity to world-famous attractions and events. These include Bath, the Cotswolds, Stonehenge and the 2010 Ryder Cup golf.

Passengers at Luton airport now have the option of a fast track through airport security.

Luton airport says its new security priority lane is a “fast and efficient option for those passengers looking to take the quickest possible route through to security”.

Airlines have welcomed the Competition Commission’s decision that BAA must sell three airports.

The CC has ruled that airports operator BAA must sell Stansted airport and either Glasgow or Edinburgh airport in addition to Gatwick.

The Stansted Airline Consultative Committee (ACC), which represents airlines at Stansted, says it looks forward to working with new owners to develop traffic at Stansted.

The High Court has rejected an appeal by the Stop Stansted Expansion group about the government’s decision to expand Stansted airport.

Last October the government ruled that capacity at Stansted could increase from 241,000 flights a year to 264,000, and passenger numbers from 25 million to 35 million.

The Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) lobby group mounted a legal challenge, but this has now been overturned. The SSE questioned the government’s decision that CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions and the noise impact on local residents caused by expansion could be disregarded.

SSE’s legal challenge was supported by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), Woodland Trust, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Aviation Environment Federation, HACAN Clear Skies [Heathrow], ReStoreUK, Ramblers Association, and the World Development Movement.