Airbus axes A380
It was feted as the future of long-haul travel, but now Airbus is to cease production of its A380 superjumbo in 2021. The company said it had decided to shelve the double-decker after Emirates cut its order. Just 234 have been delivered — far short of the 1,200 Airbus predicted it would sell when the plane was launched in 2005. Fans shouldn’t despair: A380s remain in service with 14 carriers, including BA and Qantas.
Ryanair: never knowingly undersold
Ryanair is introducing a John Lewis-style price promise to refund the difference — with a £5 credit — if you find a lower fare within three hours of booking, as well as free changes to reservations within 48 hours. It has also unveiled a frequent-flyer programme offering reserved seats, fast-track airport access and priority boarding for £199 a year.
Cold-call flight alert
Watchdog Action Fraud is warning of a new scam in which cybercriminals are cold-calling travellers to offer discounted flights after phishing contact details from websites. “Intelligence suggests they know the victim has been searching for flights online,” says Action Fraud.