Air France-KLM and Delta Airlines started their joint venture in which they will operate transatlantic operations as one company. The two companies will share revenues and costs for routes between North and Latin America and Europe, Africa, the Middle East and India. It would give customers more choices, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and standardised services.

MasterCard is offering a buy 1 get 1 free campaign for its Gold, Titanium and Platinum MasterCard holders, which includes air ticket, car rental and accommodations through out South Africa. The campaigns are valid until December. Most interesting campaigns on travel are such as:

Cardholders buy an British Airways return economy class air ticket from Jo’burg or Cape Town to London and get a companion ticket free (excluding taxes); buy an domestic or regional business-class ticket and get the second ticket free (excluding taxes)

Cardholders buy one day Budget Rent-A-Car and get second day free.

Cardholders buy one night’s accommodation at a City Lodge and get the second night free; also buy one night’s accommodation at a Legend Lodges and get the second night free.

Emirates Airlines mad sale to several Europe and India destinations will be end today. Fares included taxes, are available from R3 991 to Europe and from R3 925 to India, ex Johannesburg only. So, be quick!

Mohammed Anuar Mat Piah, the area manager Central and Southern Africa, says the airlines has no intention to drop its service from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Bouenos Aires.

The route, twice weekly from Kuala Lumpur to Buenos Aires via Johannesburg and Cape Town has been service since 1995. Only about 40% of passengers are original from South Africa, remaining from China and others, says Anuar.

British Airways’ new premium lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 will open today, 11 May.

Business and first-class passengers and top tier Oneworld members travelling to Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Helsinki, Vienna and Malaga will have access to the 300-seat Galleries Club Lounge. Silla Maizey, BA’s customer director, said the lounge will “bring the glamour back to Terminal 3”. BA says there will be free Wi-Fi throughout, in addition to work and entertainment zones, plus a play area for children.

A second 250-seat lounge for customers travelling in first class will open later in the year, coinciding with flights to Sydney, Bangkok and Singapore transferring from Terminal 4.

SA Express Airways will launch daily flights to Maun, Botswana, from July 1. The flights leave Johannesburg at 10h15, arriving in Maun at 12h05 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The return flights leave Maun at 13h10, arriving in Johannesburg at 14h50 same day.

Flights leaves Johannesburg at 10h30 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Maun at 12h20. The return flights lease Maun at 13h10 same day, arriving in Johannesburg at 14h50. A CRJ 50 seats jet will used on the route.

Business and first-class passengers travelling with Emirates Airlines can have up to three free nights in a hotel in Dubai as part of a new offer.

The Middle Eastern carrier has struck a deal with luxury properties Jumeirah Emirates Tower, Park Hyatt Dubai and Atlantis, The Palm. The airline says the nights can be taken as a part of a holiday in Dubai or a stopover in the Middle East.

First-class passengers will be entitled to three complimentary nights, while business-class passengers can enjoy two free nights. The offer is valid on bookings until September 30.

Passengers boarding a Boeing Next-Generation 737 with the new 737 Boeing Sky Interior will instantly see and feel the difference. Soft blue cove lighting, curving architecture and larger window reveals offer a sense of spaciousness in the cabin and comfort for airline passengers.

Changes to the Next-Generation 737 are more than cosmetic: Boeing is targeting a 2 percent reduction in fuel consumption by 2011 through a combination of airframe and engine improvements. Airplane structural improvements will reduce drag on the airplane, reducing fuel use by about 1 percent. Boeing’s engine partner, CFM, is contributing the other 1 percent fuel savings through hardware changes to its engine.

Continental Airlines will make a Next-Generation 737-800 available to Boeing to flight test the performance improvements.

Emirates Airlines announced that the new free luggage weight allowance will be affected for all passengers with ticket issue on and after 4 May. The new luggage allowances will be increase to 30kg for economy class, 40kg for business class and 50kg for first class.

Singapore Airlines has introduced immigration fares from South Africa to Australia and New Zealand: from Johannesburg to Perth will be R8010; to Sydney will be R10000; to Auckland will be R11020.

A R700 add up fares for ex-Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Durban, East London, George and Port Elizabeth. Passengers who proof of immigration will be received an excess baggage allowance of 20kg.