Travel news in brief
The latest travel news, from travel advice on Burma to the rise in low fare prices. The Foreign Office (www.fco.gov.uk) is warning against all but essential ...

Burma warning

The Foreign Office (www.fco.gov.uk) is warning against all but essential travel to Burma (Myanmar) following the military junta's response to pro-democracy demonstrations. Transindus, a specialist in Asia, has announced that it has cancelled its forthcoming trips to the country. Those booked to travel there are advised to contact their tour operator about cancellations and refunds.

Low fares rise

No-frills airlines increased their fares by an average of 10 per cent in the past year as they became more popular among business travellers.

The travel company HRG, formerly the Hogg Robinson Group, carried out a survey of flights booked and rates paid among 250,000 business travellers between May 2006 and June 2007. It concludes that the price rises were a response to a 33 per cent increase in the number of business travellers using no-frills carriers. One in eight now uses a budget airline.

The average cost of an economy seat on a major airline fell by five per cent over the same period.

Brum boost

Birmingham airport has announced plans to treble the number of passengers using the airport by 2030 - from 9.2 million to 27.2 million. However, it has shelved plans to build a second runway, electing instead to extend its existing runway in time for the London Olympics in 2012.

Question of the week

British Airways announced this week that it is to replace more than 30 of its long-haul fleet with 12 new Airbus A380s (below) and 24 Boeing Dreamliners at a cost of £8.2 billion.

Are you keen to fly on the giant A380, or do you think the extra passengers it carries will create more queues, baggage delays and hassle at airports?

Please post your views on our message boards.