Airline companies now are adding extra fee, you have to pay for an extra blanket. Some will charge the 3rd bag you carry. If you purchase tickets according on the lowest fare, there is a big possibility that you will pay more potential fees.

Telephone bookings are quite expensive as much as $35.But if you book online it is free of charge.        Before free food and meals are provided, now you will pay for your meals.

Visit this site http://wiki.smartertravel.com/index.php/Airline_fees for the complete guide and chart.

American Airlines offers free companion ticket for the price of one on your next getaway if your trip is the United Kingdom or the Caribbean Sea.

Between now and December 31, 2008, customers who purchase a ticket on American Airlines and fly round trip from the United States to the United Kingdom will be rewarded a free companion ticket for future travel to the United Kingdom and the Caribbean start from January 15, 2009 and December 15, 2009.

You will just fly American Airlines round trip to the United Kingdom and select what accommodation you want to book, from First Class, Business Class and Economy Class, and you can earn free companion ticket for future travel.

Once you acquired the free companion ticket, you can choose to fly to the United Kingdom or enjoy some holidays in the Caribbean.

To participate in this offer, just book and travel on your qualifying ticket between September 18 and December 31, 2008. Register before your trip at http://www.aa.com/ offers using promotion code UKCMP. Be sure you are subscribed to at least one of American’s e-mail products as of Dec. 31, 2008, in order to receive your companion ticket.

If you’re not an AAdvantage member, it’s easy and free. Just go to http://www.aa.com/enroll.

Moscow – Russian investigator doesn’t believe that engine failure was the cause of plane crash in Russia last weekend that killed all 88 passengers. Both engines on the plane where working when it crashed when it is about to land on land in Perm, according to The Interstate Aviation Committee.

“There is no indication of an engine fire or the aircraft breaking up in the air” said the Interstate Aviation Committee which investigates the air crash. Earlier Russian transport initially blamed the incident on engine failure.

Before the crash, the jets pilot was disobeying orders to descend to the final approach instead taking the jets into higher altitudes.

Southwest Airlines official said that they will stop operations to and from Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans after 5:30 PM today because of the bad weather from Hurricane Gustav. It will plan to resume on September 3 but will depend on the available personnel.
Southwest Airlines encourages travelers to contact for reservations or travel advisories at (800) 435-9792.

Chicago – United Airlines said their company will cut about 1500 of its stewards and stewardesses or 10% of its total flight attendants, as part of its announced plan in cutting the costs after soaring high of gas prices.

Most carriers are affected by the weak US economy and the high fuel cost. Most the airline company will cut its capacity and increase the airfare that will begin later this year.

According to the United Airlines official, they will cut 7,000 jobs of their 55,000 personnel.

New York - Officials said that America’s airline industry will suffer at least 6 percent drop in passengers at the eight-day Labor Day holiday as gas prices continues to soar. Though the fuel prices have decrease last week, still it is 79 percent higher than last year.

Airlines had been cutting routes and stuff just to survive, while the airfare continues to rise and charge extra fees for bags.

“High energy prices across the economy, rising air fares and airline schedule cuts are the primary drivers of the overall reduction in passenger volumes expected for this Labor Day period,” the ATA Official said in a statement.

Houston – Airline officials say that a jetliner landed safely on takeoff from Houston after its tire blown up.

Northwest Airlines Flight 3492 was scheduled to fly to Minneapolis on Monday. Airport Official says the plane circled the airport so the control tower can check the damage from the ground. Which the some of the rubber was scattered on the runaway from the blown tire.

The jetliner returned to Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston safely and the passengers were rebooked.

Japan’s largest airline company will suspend flights about 12 domestic and 3 international routes. It also added five new domestic and four international routes while reducing some number of flights.

The additional fuel cost is expected to be at least 22 billion yen or $201 million this year.

Japan’s Airlines Corp now joins All Nippon Airways in reducing or halting some its services like routes to Guam and Taipei due the high cost of the fuel.

Taipei - Taiwan airlines will hike/lift air fare on international routes next month due to rising fuel price. Starting in July 15, Taiwan airlines on short-range international flights will increase or add US $5 to the surcharge, and for the long-range international flights will add US $13 to the surcharge.

The fuel price surcharge increased, around fourth in as many months. For short-haul international flights will doubles the surcharge from June of $2.50  and for long-haul international flights will doubles the surcharge of $6.50.

After the July 15 hike, Taiwan airlines’ fuel surcharge will be a total $37.50 for short-range international routes and $97.50 for long-range international flights, Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said.

Taiwan’s two leading airlines, China Airlines and Eva Air have both downsized operations, reducing international routes and cutting the number of flights, they faced with soaring fuel price.

The Air New Zealand (NZ) to lift ticket fourth (4th) time in the year 2008 due to rising of fuel costs.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Air New Zealand will increase domestic and international fares from middle of July, the airline said last Thursday, blaming its fourth fare hike since March 2008 on rising fuel prices.

Domestic fares and those to and from Australia will rise 3 percent (3%) from July 17, while the international fares to North America, Asia and the United Kingdom (UK) will increase by an average of 5 percent (5%). The jet fuel is now priced above $170 a barrel, the air line could not continue to absorb the rising cost, said Deputy Chief Executive Norm Thompson. The fare increases would only partly recover the rising cost.

Last month, the carrier raised fares on many routes by an average of 4 percent (4%) that followed two hikes of about 3 percent in domestic fares earlier in the year. Air New Zealand announced or had signaled earlier that further hikes in ticket prices were likely because of high oil prices.

In April, the airline lower fiscal year profit guidance and it no longer expected to better its last year (2007) compared to this year (2008) because of the impact of fuel prices. It set its new forecast for normalized earning before tax and unusual items at between $156 million - $171 million. It had previously expected to match the $205 million posted in 2007.