From spring, WizzAir will fly from Riga to London Luton (thrice-weekly), Oslo Torp (thrice-weekly) and Turku (twice-weekly).

“Wizz Air’s opening of the Riga market is a natural next step in the airline’s expansion in Central and Eastern Europe,” commented József Váradi, the company’s CEO.

“Important preconditions to our cooperation were the advantageous geographical position of Riga and our new tariff policy, which is one of the friendliest among the airports of the European capitals,” said Krisjanis Peters, Chairman of the Board at RIGA International Airport.

So one wonders, what about the losses reported by WizzAir?

WizzAir will add a third aircraft, an Airbus A320 to its fleet in Cluj Napoca that will fly to Pisa and Cuneo Torino. Timisoara will also benefit from a new flight to Forli Bologna, while Bucharest will receive a new route to Pisa.

Tickets start from 17 euro and can be purchased online or via the call center. Here are the new routes and the date when they’ll be made available:

• Cluj-Napoca – Pisa, starting from June 12, 2010
• Cluj-Napoca – Cuneo Torino, starting from June 12, 2010
• Bucharest – Pisa, starting from June 12, 2010
• Timisoara – Forli Bologna, starting from March 29, 2010

“We are very proud that in such a short time we have become the airline of choice of the Romanian passengers as well as those who travel to Romania. Being the largest airline in Romania is not only matter of prestige but also our level of commitment to growth and development to the benefit of the country and its passengers. We are confident that the third aircraft in Cluj-Napoca will further strengthen our positions on the market and add value to the local economy.” said György Abrán Chief Commercial Officer WizzAir.

With these new flights, WizzAir wants to consolidate its leader position in Romania. 1.4 million passengers flew with the company this year, an 85% increase since 2008.7XAS6D83V8JG

One way all inclusive fares start from as low as EUR 22.49 if you plan ahead. Flights can be booked on their website, wizzair.com or via the call centre.

Also, from mid-March, WizzAir’s flights to Dortmund, Liverpool, London Luton, Lübeck, and Stockholm Skavsta will increase in frequency, and three new routes will be opened: Gdansk-Bournemouth, Gdansk-Coventry, and Gdansk-Gothenburg.

Wizz Air operates six bases in Central and Eastern Europe, and is the leading low-cost carrier in Eastern Europe. The airline recently announced that their 12th base will be opened in Wroclaw in July 2010.

The cost for printing such a boarding ticket is £5 per person, per flight. If you’re checking in luggage, you’ll have to leave your it at the company’s “bag drop”, which will replace the classical check-in desks with personnel.

Anyone arriving without his or her boarding pass at the airport will be unable to fly or will have to pay £40 at the ticketing desk. According to a Ryanair spokesman, this new rule has been applied in an effort to improve passengers’ experience at the airport, thus reducing queues, and to continue offer low prices on their tickets.

He also said that this fee and other fees which have been implemented are optional and avoidable. Still, some find Ryanair’s fees expensive. James Fremantle, a spokesman for the Air Transport Users Council, asked the company to show more sympathy for its customers.

He added that, if passengers lose their boarding pass, a £40 fee for reissuing is steep. Also, the £5 online check-in fee cannot be considered optional, because it applies to all passengers.

Along with the removal of check-in desks at the airports, comes increase

luggage fees. Starting with Thursday, you will have to pay £30 instead of £20 for a single bag of 15kg maximum weight. The second flight will cost a whooping £70 per flight. Ryanair’s policy will also change next week and no longer allow children under 16 years of age to travel unaccompanied.

(via The Sidney Morning Herald)

The charge will be effective from October 7th. The smallest fee to be paid is £10 for people booking their seats on European economy flights, while the priciest seats will cost £60 on long haul trips in business class. Those wanting a seat near the emergency exit will have to pay £50, while a seat on long-haul economy or short flights in business class is £20.

British Airways says this measure will give customers more control over their seating. British Airways currently allows customers to select their seat for free 24 hours prior to their flight. If customers want to book ahead of time, they can do it before 10 and 4 days before take-off.

“Customers frequently request specific seats, but in the past we’ve only been able to confirm them 24 hours in advance or on the day. We know people want to secure them in advance and have real control over their flying experience. This will allow them to do that,” said a BA spokesman.

With this new fee and probably others that will follow, BA tries recover after £401m loss last year. Earlier this year, BA decided to no longer offer free meals on short flights and cut luggage allowances. (via BBC)