Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, which has just been voted "Airline of the Year" at the British Travel Awards, is planning an upgrade to its first class seating.

According to the Business Traveller website, changes will include a new suite-style product, improved business class seats, and a focus on service in economy.

These upgrades aim to position Etihad Airways as a premium luxury brand. Etihad's executive vice-president of marketing Peter Baumgartner said that the new first class seats would offer "privacy on demand" with a "single seat cabin" as well as the option of a double cabin suite.

For traveller reviews of Etihad Airways, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

9,950 frequent fliers and travel professionals took part in this year's Zagat Airline Survey, rating 85 major world airlines. There was a 30-Point scale in place and here's who came out on top.

To submit your own airline review click here and share your thoughts:

• Best Large US Domestic Airline (Premium Seating): Continental Airlines

• Best Large US Domestic Airline (Economy Seating): JetBlue Airways

• Best International Airline(Premium Seating): Singapore Airlines

• Best Airline Website: Southwest Airlines

• Best In-Flight Entertainment(US Domestic) JetBlue Airways

• Best In-Flight Entertainment(International): Virgin Atlantic Airways

• Best Consumer On-Time Estimate (US Domestic Only): Southwest Airlines

• Best Midsized US Domestic Airline (Premium Seating): Virgin America

• Best Midsized US Domestic Airline (Economy Seating): Midwest Airlines

• Best International Airline (Economy Seating): Singapore Airlines

• Best Frequent Flier Program: Southwest Airlines

• Best Value for Money(Domestic): Southwest Airlines

• Best Value for Money(International): Continental Airlines

• Best Luggage Policy (Domestic Only): Southwest Airlines

Get 40% off an annual Zagat subscription with this code: AFF40OCT

Photo: Singapore Airlines SQ1 Cabin Crew by Premshree Pillai via Flickr (Creative Commons).

If you're travelling over San Francisco with Virgin America on 22 November you could be in for a celebration. The California-based airline is teaming up with YouTube on Sunday for the beta launch of its Gogo in-flight WiFi service.

Virgin America plans to stream a live video feed from the plane to an audience at the first YouTube Live event to show off the service. Guest will then be taken to the inaugural event at at Fort Mason Center's Herbst Pavilion in San Francisco.

The Gogo service will launch on a single Virgin America plane on 24 November and will be available to all passengers. The carrier plans to extent its WiFi offering to its entire fleet by Q2 2009.

For more information about Virgin America click here. To search for flights to and from San Francisco visit iloho's visual flight search function.

Photo: Virgin America Winglet by Kaptain Krispy Kreme via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Great news for travel lovers in the UK and Asia suffering from the credit crunch; Air Asia X, the Malaysian long-haul low-cost carrier, has confirmed that it plans to start flights between the UK and it's Kuala Lumpur hub in early 2009.

According to ABTN, Tim Claydon, the airline's commercial adviser, made the statement at the World Travel Market in London and said an official announcement will be made in the coming weeks.

He added: "We have said we will be coming into the UK by early 2009."

The carrier is expected to fly to either Manchester or Stansted.

Air Asia flies from Kuala Lumpur across Asia, to destinations including Bangkok, Langkawi, Siem Reap, Hong Kong and Hanoi. The carrier also flies from KL to Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth in Australia.

To search for flights between the UK and Kuala Lumpur click here.

Photo by Christophe RAMOS via Flickr (Creative Commons).

If you're flying in the States over the holiday period go low-cost. America's budget carriers topped the rankings of U.S. airlines for being on-time and handling luggage. Bigger airlines such as American Airlines brought up the rear, according to a new study on airline quality.

Hawaiian Airlines was rated best (with 92%) in Wichita State University's report at being on-time for the January - June period. AirTran Airways triumphed at handling baggage, and Southwest Airlines had the fewest customer complaints, at one for every 300,000 customers.

American Airlines was the worst in on-time performance, at just 63%. United Airlines had the highest rate of customer complaints, seven times more than Southwest).

American Eagle was the worst baggage handler, mishandling luggage more than three times as often as AirTran.

Click here to read more report findings. For more information on airline ratings and to write your own flight review click here.

Photo: Hawaiian Airlines Kioea Boeing 767-3G5 by Cubbie_n_Vegas via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Christmas has come early for Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers flying over the festive period. Until 10pm (GMT) on 25 November the carrier is offering up to 70% off its usual fares.

Return fares include:

• London - JFK: £1,204
• London - LA / San Francisco: £1,704
• London - Barbados: £1,383
• London - Delhi / Mumbai: £1,400
• London - Hong Kong: £2,003
• London - Cape Town / Johannesburg: £2,117

Sale prices do not include a chauffeur driven car to the airport.

Departure dates for most sale flights stretch to 31 December which means intrepid New Year revellers can cash in.

Cape Town flights can be taken as late as 28 March 2009 - perfect for an Easter getaway.

For more information visit: Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Sale.

Photo by J L Sanchez via Flickr (Creative Commons).

After months of speculation, the new budget airline backed by Emirates has been given a name: FlyDubai.

The new low cost carrier's first flight is due to take off in mid-2009. The airline will focus on regional flights within the Gulf region and other surrounding countries.

According to a report by Business Traveller, the airline is being assisted by Emirates during its set-up period, but once launched, its operations will be "entirely separate from Emirates Airline and Group".

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman of the new low cost airline, said: "FlyDubai is a simple, yet powerful, call to action. It makes an immediate link to our core business, which is providing no-frills flights to bring people to and from Dubai. The name also carries a strong association with the city of Dubai, itself a brand synonymous with excellence, reliability and an international, pro-business approach."

The brand identity and livery for FlyDubai will be unveiled in the coming months.

Keen to join the Mile High club, but lack the cash for one of Singapore Airline's double bed suites? One blogger at Melbourne's The Age has come up with four ways to get your wings.

Here's a summary of the suggestions:

The Richard Branson Method

Splash the cash on private jets and charter flights.

The Commercial Couple

Grab your partner, wait for the lights to dim and head to the back of the plane.

The One-Flight Stand

You win the check-in lottery and sit next to a hottie with the hots for you.

Going First Class

The way to go if you do have cash to splash. Private cabins.

no mile high club by spcoon via Flickr (Creative Commons)

We're very excited to announce the launch of our new flight search and comparison function today.

If you've ever wanted to know who has the flattest beds in business, longed for an in-flight massage or wondered whether a first class goody bag is worth the premiere price tag it's time to put your mind at rest.

We aim to offer the best possible information about what airlines are really offering and to provide you with up-to-date data and users' insights to help you make the best travel decisions possible.

You can check out airlines' in-flight services, what food and drink they offer, luggage allowances, frequent flier services and check-in options. You can also see how other travellers rate carriers' customer service, comfort, food and drink, in-flight entertainment, cabin atmosphere and value for money. All the information is class specific.

Have a look in the "recent reviews" section here to see what people are saying about some of the flights they've taken.

You can search for direct and non-direct flights in any class of travel. Once your search results appear you just tick the boxes next to the flights you're interested in to see how they match up side-by-side.

If you've taken flights that you'd like to rant, rave or ramble about, please visit http://www.iloho.com/flight-search and share your experiences.

If you have any questions or comments please email us at info@iloho.com; we'd love to hear what you think of these new improvements!

Oasis Hong Kong Airline's CEO, Stephen Miller, told a press conference this afternoon that Oasis has suspended its flights and that liquidators will seek new investors.

Miller said: "It is with great regret that Oasis Hong Kong Airlines has today voluntarily applied to the Hong Kong courts to appoint a liquidator."

The airline shut down today, 18 months after its launch in 2006. It is the fourth airline in two weeks to cease operations.

It is not yet clear how many passengers will be affected. All flights on Oasis departing from Hong Kong have been cancelled. Passengers holding tickets are advised to contact a hotline.

The fate of the airline's 700 employees has not been confirmed.

Budget carrier, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines, is said to be ceasing operations from today. According to reports, the airline has suffered heavy losses since it began flights in October 2006.

"We have no comment for the time being," Oasis CEO Stephen Miller told Reuters.

The Hong Kong Economic Times today quotes unidentified sources saying that the airline has accumulated losses of about HK$1 billion (US$128 million) during two years of operation as it struggled to grab a slice of the market.

There's nothing like cabin crew in a tizz, and a raunchy soap has got Thai flight attendants worked up into a real lather.

"The Air Hostess War", which broadcast its first three episodes last week, centres around the lives of a group of air stewardesses, one of whom has an affair with a married pilot. The show's romantic intrigues lead to catfights amongst the cabin crew and steamy sex scenes during stopovers.

Thailand's flight attendants are in uproar. They think "The Air Hostess War" portrays them as being too sexy, and that it is insulting and damaging. "It's all about sex and air hostesses beating each other up in the cabin because of love and jealousy. This kind of thing never happens," said Noppadol Thaungthong, a Thai Airways flight attendant.

I can hear men all over the globe sighing in despair.

The trade union representing air crew is asking the culture ministry and the TV station that broadcasts the show to take it off the air. Apparently it might put young people off becoming flight attendants. "Footballers Wives" didn't deter British girls from WAG-dom, why should this be any different? There's a whole essay on cultural differences in that last statement.