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Ryanair will allow passengers on some of its flights to use their mobile phones in-flight from July. Technology that directs mobile signals via a satellite will be fitted on 14 aircraft in a trial. Mobile use will remain banned on other flights because the signals interfere with aircraft control systems.

Birmingham Airport is to get a new air link into one of the most influential industrial cities in China. The ancient city of Guangzhou - now China's economic powerhouse - will join fast-growing Emirates' network on July 1.

CHANGZHOU, in eastern Jiangsu province, has started building a large cold storage warehouse with a storage space of 50,000 cubic metres.

EASTERN China's Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, which combines the ports of Ningbo and Zhoushan, saw its cargo throughput tonnage rise 16.6 per cent year on year to 126 million tonnes in the first quarter, surpassing Shanghai's throughput of 125 million tonnes and growth of 7.4 per cent, becoming the largest port in China, Logistics Week reported.

THE 12 member lines of the Canada Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement will impose additional fuel and currency surcharges from July 1 to US$904 (from $832) per TEU, from $1,130 (from $1,040) per FEU.

THE world's largest container shipping company, Maersk Line, has announced a general rate hike for export cargo from the United States and Canada, effective July 1.

OOCL is to restore the bunker surcharge for cargo from Mainland China (except south China) to US starting from July 1.

The Philippines largest supermarket chain is looking to expand its selection of imported food and beverage products.

Thailand plans to spend THB73 billion (NZ$2.85 billion) for its second phase expansion of the 19-month-old Suvarnabhumi Airport with 10 upgraded projects in the pipeline.

New Zealand firms focusing on security systems and technology are competing against others at the Security Summit in San Diego this week.

The 2008 OECD Survey of Germany has just been released with detailed commentary and recommendations on Germany's economic growth, fiscal framework, education outcomes, network industries and healthcare.

The global airline industry is taking many different measures to cut fuel costs and emissions, according to a report today. For example Japan Airlines has made its spoons lighter by two grams and American Airlines now only paints its signature red, white and blue stripes on the bare metal of the aircraft rather than on the entire fuselage. In the UK Virgin Atlantic is following a similar weight reduction strategy.

Newly established VLJ Consultancy Ltd has confirmed that Oxford Airport will be its client's headquarters for a fleet of new Embraer Phenom 100 Very Light Jets. The new private air charter and air taxi company, whose name will be announced at this year's Farnborough Air Show, will operate with the first Phenom 100 from May 2009.

Heathrow Airport guards stopped a man boarding a plane - for wearing a Transformers T-shirt showing a cartoon gun. Brad Jayakody, 30, was shocked when he was told to change his top if he wanted to catch his flight from Terminal 5.

A section of the A505 between Hitchin and Luton - an important route for traffic to Luton Airport - is to close at night for road works from tonight, the Comet reports.

BAA is heading for a battle with the holders of its 2bn junior debts over the terms on which they participate in its much-delayed £10bn refinancing, the Telegraph reports today. The junior creditors, which include hedge and vulture funds, have hired investment bank Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin and law firm Kirkland & Ellis to fight their corner. Both are renowned for their aggressive tactics in corporate restructurings, the newspaper reports.

Service levels at Heathrow Airport are 'a national embarrassment', Giovanni Bisignani, head of International Air Transport Association (Iata) has said today. He also criticised the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), saying it was allowing Heathrow to increase charges by 86% over the next five years. He said such increases could only happen in 'monopolyland'.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said airlines could report a collective loss of $2.3 billion this year as spiraling fuel costs and a slowing economy wipe out earnings. The airline industry's main trade group said the new outlook is based on oil at $107 a barrel, today at its annual meeting in Istanbul. With crude at $135, losses may widen to $6.1 billion.

Traditional full service airlines such as British Airways and Qantas could join their low-cost rivals in charging passengers for baggage check-in and food to cope with soaring oil prices, a leading industry executive told the Guardian today. The head of one of the world's biggest airline alliances, oneworld, whose members include BA and Qantas, said the group will consider changing membership rules in order to allow budget airline-style charges.

The Competition Commission has published a statement of the issues that it will be looking at as it examines the pricing plans put forward by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for Stansted Airport.