Australian airline operator Qantas have revealed that having implemented premium economy classed seats in 2008 they are to roll out the scheme on further flights. With travellers from London already able to book this award winning service, Qantas flights to Frankfurt and Tokyo will now also offer the experience.

Fitting an additional 40 premium economy seats into two Boeing 747s, Qantas's new arrangements will primarily benefit those flying out of Australia to Japan and Germany. However, with many British tourists choosing to break flights between the UK and Down Under, not only to avoid excessive flying times but also to experience new destinations, many travellers could upgrade to the new conditions.

Already on flights between London and Melbourne, passengers can expect extended legroom and space, in addition to a full nine inches of seat recline. Seats are wider than those in economy, measuring 19.5 inches across, and have adjustable and cushioned headrests. Services also differ for those flying in premium economy, with travellers offered orange juice, water or even champagne before takeoff. Meanwhile a self service bar offers refreshments throughout the journey, whilst meals inspired by Australian chef Neil Perry and premium wines provide an added attraction.

The extended service means that those who prefer to fly with Qantas will be able to maintain their premium economy preference across an increased number of flights. And with the service winning the World's Best Premium Economy Seat in the Skytrax World Airlines Awards earlier this year, travellers can be assured of a luxurious experience.

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Glasgow airport has revealed that as of August, it will begin providing an additional route to Germany. Previously expressing an urgent need to improve its links to international locations, Glasgow's newest service will operate via Southampton to Germany's Frankfurt International airport.

Starting from the 1st August, the new route via Southampton will provide services to business travellers and holiday goers alike with up to six flights operating on the route per week. While direct flights from Scotland to Frankfurt (a popular destination for foreign business) only operate from Edinburgh with two services a day offered by Lufthansa, the new indirect route will likely prove extremely beneficial for those that live close to Glasgow wanting simple access to Frankfurt. Under low cost airline Flybe the service will provide a far cheaper option for travellers, an advantage which chief commercial officer Mike Rutter hopes will compensate for the extra two-hour journey time when compared to Edinburgh's direct flight. "We recognise the importance of providing a wide range of convenient and cost effective travel especially to key European hubs such as Frankfurt," Mr Rutter said, adding that whilst their service took longer, flight costs were overly cheaper.

The news comes after recent opinions of Glasgow airport highlighted the need for the area to become more of an important international hub. In addition to significant funding scheme to be used for the purpose of attracting international airlines the airport is also currently undergoing major improvement work.

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It has been revealed that United Airlines are currently investigating ways to cut their fuel consumption, a measure which will not only save the airline money but provide more environmentally friendly ways for green conscious travellers to fly. Gauging the benefits of fuel saving methods on long haul destinations in particular, the airline carrier piloted a United 777 from Germany to the U.S and back in a bid to test the economics of the strategy.

Reporting that the test flight between Frankfurt and Chicago was due to save approximately 940 gallons of fuel, it is an important step for both the financial viability of the airline industry and continued efforts to move towards a greener way of travelling around the world. Whilst flights have traditionally flown at a measured altitude, burning a considerable amount of fuel in an effort to stay on course, the new flights will move up and down in airspace up to 3,000 feet, drifting with currents and allowing fuel consumption to be kept to a minimum.

Whilst of vital importance for the airline industry who are facing severe cost cutting exercises, it also offers eco conscious travellers another option in flying. Until now those travellers concerned about the environmental impact can either opt out of flying large distances at all or take carbon offsetting schemes when available. However, with United Airlines now set to reduce their fuel consumption, British travellers flying to or from airports such as Bristol, Edinburgh or London Heathrow could opt to travel with the American firm for environmental reasons.

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The International Air Transport Association (Iata) has criticised European governments for their response to the eruption of a volcano in Iceland last week, which created a cloud of ash that has drifted south across the continent.

Almost all flights to and from the UK have been suspended since last Thursday (April 15th) and restrictions remain in place today at a number of major European travel hubs, including Frankfurt, Paris, Rome and Madrid.

Iata director general Giovanni Bisignani said governments had shown a "lack of leadership" and failed to carry out proper risk assessments or consultations.

He also pointed out that the European economy is suffering billions of dollars worth of lost business as a result of the aviation lockdown.

"Governments must place greater urgency and focus on how and when we can safely reopen Europe’s skies," Mr Bisignani added.

"This means decisions based on risk management, facts and utilising operational procedures that maintain safety."

The Iata director was commenting after the announcement that EU transport ministers are to take part in an emergency video conference to discuss how to resolve the crisis.

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Wizz Air has announced that it is extending its online check-in facility to several airports across Europe.

The service will be available to travellers catching flights to Gdansk and Warsaw from Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

Wizz Air operates services to Budapest, Krakow, Prague, Riga and several other destinations from Luton Airport, all of which will now benefit from the availability of web check-in.

The airline will also be offering the facility on its flights from European cities such as Brussels, Eindhoven, Frankfurt and Paris.

Passengers can check in online at any time between seven days and three hours before their flight is scheduled to depart.

While the web service is free, Wizz Air announced that it will be introducing an airport check-in fee from April 1st.

The carrier is reportedly the largest low-cost airline in central and eastern Europe, with over 7.8 million passengers in 2009.

It uses a fleet of 28 Airbus A320 aircraft to offer links to its 11 bases in Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and other countries.

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Fans of the world-famous performance group Cirque du Soleil will be able to see the company’s show Varekai at various cities around Europe next year.

As it celebrates its 25th birthday, Cirque du Soleil will launch a special Varekai tour starting at the Royal Albert Hall in London from January 5th to February 13th.

Set in a magical forest at the summit of a volcano, the show follows the character of a young man as he embarks on an extraordinary journey.

Audiences will be entertained by clowns, jugglers, Georgian dancers, balancing acts, trapeze artists and more in the production.

After its run in London, Varekai will head to the Trafford Centre in Manchester from February 25th to March 21st before travelling to Germany.

Performances will be presented in Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt between April and June.

Cirque du Soleil will also be introducing a brand new show next year, which will open in April and visit the cities of Montreal and Quebec in Canada.

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British skiers are searching for flights which will take them "off the beaten track" and ensure they find cheaper deals, a snow sports club has said.

According to the Ski Club of Great Britain, although tour operators have found the recession tough, people working in the industry are positive with many believing business will improve during the winter.

The price of many holidays for Brits has gone up due to fluctuations in the value of the pound against the euro, the organisation explained.

Vanessa Fisher, spokesperson for the Ski Club of Great Britain, said: "Resorts that are slightly off the beaten track are going to be popular as they are slightly cheaper.

"We’re finding that resorts which are further down the valley like Sainte-Foy [in the French Alps] for example which is down the valley from Val d’Isere [are popular]."

She added that these locations are what many skiers looking for a cheaper deal are after.

Previous research from the club revealed that France holds 43 per cent of the UK’s snow sports market.

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Brits looking to enjoy a skiing break during the winter can take advantage of a range of flights to the Pyrenees, a representative from a French airport has claimed.

Chantal Pitin, head of leisure traffic development at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, said that chartered flights run from a number of locations across the UK including Bristol, Edinburgh and London.

Last winter was an especially good season for skiers due to the amount of snow which fell, meaning many holidaymakers "enjoyed their stay there", she explained.

Ms Pitin explained: "It’s special because you have snow as well as the sun.

"We are in the south of France and what is different about the resort is that they are little resorts, family resorts, so the atmosphere is very different from the Alps."

Statistics from New in Midi-Pyrenees revealed that the mountain destination is the sixth most popular region in France for tourists.

The destination represents 4.5 per cent of France’s international tourism market.

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People are still booking flights to France this winter as they embark on a skiing or snowboarding holiday.

This is according to Tim Holmes, organiser of the Metro Ski and Snowboard Show, who said that the "passion" that skiers and snowboarders have for their sports would override any financial concerns stemming from the economic downturn.

"We had a great snow season last year and everyone involved in skiing and snowboarding do it because it is a passion," he commented.

"So it is not the first thing they will give up as a consequence of a slight economic misfortune."

Mr Holmes went on to say that people are more likely to instead give up on going away twice in the same year or going on a particularly long break.

According to the Ski Club of Great Britain, France is continuing to dominate Britain’s snow sports market with 43 per cent of the market share.

This figure has remained broadly static since the 2007-08 season.

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Lufthansa has announced that it will reintroduce an inflight internet service next year.

The carrier will be making the FlyNet facility available to its passengers, providing the option of sending text messages and transferring data from mobile phones and smartphones during flights.

Lufthansa has teamed up with Panasonic to offer the service and aims to equip a substantial portion of its long-range fleet with the internet facilities in the first year of operations.

Wolfgang Mayrhuber, chief executive and chairman of the airline, said: "In terms of communications, Lufthansa customers can look forward to a top-tier inflight service.

"On long-haul routes, we offer business travellers, in particular, a range of communications options on a par with those available at powerful hotspots or upmarket hotels."

Paul Margis of Panasonic said that the company was "thrilled" to be working with Lufthansa, which will be the launch customer for the new exConnect broadband service.

From its hub in Frankfurt, Lufthansa operates flights to London, Sao Paulo, San Francisco and many other destinations.

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