Travel alerts for the week of December 4

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AIRLINES

British Airways checks planes for radiation British Airways last week got caught up in the U.K. government's ongoing investigation of the apparent murder by radioactive polonium of a former KGB agent who fell out of favor with the Russian government. Investigators found "very low traces of a radioactive substance" on two British Airways 767s, the company said. Both planes were taken out of service, and so was a third that was still being tested. Although it stressed that "the risk to public health is low," BA released a list of flights operated by those aircraft in recent weeks with the suggestion that British citizens who flew on them should call the National Health Service. It said non-U.K. nationals aboard those flights should contact their local doctors. To see a list of the affected flights -- mostly on intra-European routes -- go to www.BritishAirways.com; on the home page, look under "Latest News" and click on the headline "Forensic tests on three Boeing 767 aircraft." On the resulting page, click on the link indicated where it says "Flights affected are listed here."

• Does this development impact your decision to travel on British Airways flights?

Delta eyes "Shuttle-like" service between New York and Chicago

Delta Air Lines said last week it intends to double its presence in the New York-Chicago market this winter, adding more flights to its existing JFK-O'Hare schedule and launching multiple daily roundtrips between LaGuardia and Chicago's close-in Midway Airport, offering what it calls "a Delta Shuttle-like experience." Both changes will take effect February 15. Like the Delta Shuttle, the new flights from LaGuardia to Midway will depart from LaGuardia's Marine Air Terminal; they will be operated by Delta Connection/Shuttle America, with two-class, 70-seat regional jets, and will replace existing Delta service between LaGuardia and O'Hare. Delta Connection will operate seven daily roundtrips between LaGuardia and Midway, with departures every two hours. The first flight will leave New York at 6:45 a.m. and the last at 6:45 p.m. Meanwhile, Delta will also increase its schedule between O'Hare and JFK to five flights a day, operated by Delta Connection/Comair with 50 and 70-seat regional jets.

AirTran coming to Phoenix, Frontier to Hartford
Both AirTran and Frontier Airlines last week announced plans to enter key new markets this winter. AirTran said it will launch non-stop service between Phoenix and its Atlanta base on February 15, building its schedule to three daily roundtrips by March 6. AirTran said the decision to add Phoenix service came as a result of an online survey where it asked customers which new destination they would like to see the airline add to its network. Meanwhile, Denver-based Frontier Airlines said it will start new service March 2 between DEN and Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Conn. - the only non-stop service in that market. Frontier, which served Boston from Denver until 2002, said that the Hartford area was "the largest market from Denver to not have service in the last two years," since United gave up the route.

• Bottom line for flyers: Randy Petersen chats about what the Frontier/AirTran partnership spells for you.

Northwest flight attendants take strike bid to a higher court
Flight attendants at Northwest Airlines went back to court last week in a bid to win legal approval for the right to strike. The flight attendants' union has been threatening a possible walkout since Northwest last summer voided their contract and imposed its own wage and benefit cuts on members, who had voted down two tentative wage-reduction agreements that their leaders had reached with management. But a federal district judge ruled in September that flight attendants cannot strike while they remain in mediation with management over a new contract, even though Northwest is no longer honoring the old contract. The labor tension has eased, however, at Northwest Airlink partner Mesaba Airlines, where pilots, flight attendants and mechanics last week all ratified new agreements that cut the company's labor costs by 15 percent.

• What do you make of this strike?

INTERNATIONAL

Ryanair moves in on Aer Lingus takeover
Ryanair, the Ireland-based company that has grown into one of Europe's largest low-cost carriers, is moving in on a possible takeover of Aer Lingus. That airline, formerly owned by the government, was recently privatized, with its shares trading on public exchanges. Last week, according to wire reports, Ryanair spent $115 million to buy up 32 million Aer Lingus shares, boosting its stake in the company to more than 25 percent. It has made a tender offer for more. Press reports quoted Aer Lingus management as saying the company wants to remain independent, and noted that the government - which still holds 25 percent - and amployee groups are also opposed to a Ryanair takeover. Ryanair has said that if its bid is successful, it will keep operating Aer Lingus as a separate brand, but will slash costs.

Singapore's new long-range 777s feature cabin redesigns
Singapore Airlines last week took delivery of the first two of 19 777-300ERs (extended range) that it has ordered from Boeing. The new aircraft will bring with them a redesign of the first and business class cabins as they are deployed. For the U.S. market, the first new 777-300ER will start flying from San Francisco in January three times a week, expanding to daily service in March. The new first class seats will be 35 inches wide - the most spacious seats in the industry, the airline claims - and will recline fully flat for sleeping. Seats will have a 23-inch LCD screen "with a business panel equipped with USB ports, an in-seat, adaptor-free power supply and new active noise reduction headsets," a spokesman said. Business class seats will be 30 inches wide, and will also recline to a fully flat position. They'll be in a 1-2-1 configuration with privacy shells, and come equipped with a 15.4 inch LCD monitor with USB ports and in-seat power. The new generation of Singapore's Krisworld in-flight entertainment system will provide "more than 1,000 on-demand options that include movies, TV programs, interactive games, audio CDs and programming," the spokesman said.

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