IN THE AIR

MBNA has launched two credit cards with UK carrier BMI, offering reward points for flights. The BMI American Express card offers 1.5 destination miles for every €1.35 spent, plus new members spending €340 earn enough bonus miles for a return flight to Europe. The BMI Plus American Express card offers two destinations miles for every €1.35 spent, plus new card members earn 24,000 bonus miles when they spend €340. Bookings made through flybmi.com will earn double destinations miles. The airline, which already operates to more than 50 destinations, will from this month fly to Cologne and Tel Aviv. A year ago it began a twice-daily daily service to Moscow which, witheconomy fares from €260 return and business class from €2,470, has become one of its most popular routes. www.flybmi.com

British Airways plans to launch its new US-EU subsidiary airline OpenSkies, with daily flights across the Atlantic. The airline will launch in June with one Boeing 757 aircraft that will operate from New York to either Brussels or Paris Charles de Gaulle airports. A second aircraft will be added to the fleet later this year to fly to the other EU destination. The plan is to operate six 757s by the end of 2009, all of which will be sourced from the current British Airways fleet. The aircraft will carry up to 82 passengers in three onboard cabins: business, premium economy and economy. The airline has been named OpenSkies to celebrate the first major step in 60 years towards a liberalised US-EU aviation market which means flights can operate between any US and EU destinations. OpenSkies’ business class cabin has 24 seats that convert into full-length flat beds. There will be 28 premium economy seats with a 132cm seat pitch and 30 economy seats. The 757s will have winglets retro-fitted on the aircraft to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions.

Qatar Airways will increase its presence in the UK and Europe this summer and will also become the first Gulf carrier to serve Guangzhou, gateway to southern China. From 30 March, there will also be a fourth daily flight from Heathrow to Doha. Qatar Airways will boost its European network withextra services out of major cities including Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Paris, Berlin and Milan. Flights to Guangzhou commence 31 March. Services will be operated five times a week by two-class A330s. Outside of Asia, there are only a limited number of international flights serving Guangzhou. In the case of Europe, services are limited to Air France, China Southern and Lufthansa. There are no direct flights from the UK.