A bizarre row has broken out between Easyjet and Air France over the rights to operate the Paris to Ajaccio (Corsica) route.

It appears that Easyjet might have jumped the gun by selling tickets on the route without realising that it is protected by a "Public Service Obligation" (PSO). A PSO is used to ensure that lifeline and key routes continue to be operated, and it is common for the airline to be granted a monopoly on the route to ensure its economic viability.

The Paris-Ajaccio route has long been protected by a PSO and operated by Air France. Whilst there are certainly fair questions as to whether it deserves this status, it is surprising that Easyjet have sold tickets on the route without being sure of the implications of the PSO. Easyjet passengers who have purchased tickets can require the airline to reroute them, with the likely result that Easyjet will have to fund passengers' travel on an Air France service.

Two of the largest budget carriers in Europe have today announced 125 flight cancellations due to industrial action in France. Ryanair have cancelled at least 83 flights and Easyjet 44 flights.

It is likely that other carriers will also suffer delays and cancellations to services into and out of France.

Both Easyjet and Ryanair have published information on their websites regarding your rights in such situations. You should note, however, that this information is incomplete. Under European law you have two additional rights that may suit you dependent upon your circumstances:

Heavy snow and wintry conditions have seen the cancellation of over 60 flights by the low cost carrier Easyjet today.

Hardest hit were flights from Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Weather at Liverpool Airport this afternoon has dipped below legal operating limits, although passengers are being advised to check in as usual in the hope that conditions will improve.

Glasgow Airport reopened this afternoon at 4pm, with 2 international flights being diverted into Belfast earlier in the day. Edinburgh Airport opened just after 9am having been closed overnight by blizzard conditions.

The low cost carrier Easyjet has opened its online check service following a successful trial between London Stansted and Edinburgh.

A few weeks Easyjet quietly launched a trial service allowing passengers flying between London and Edinburgh the option to check in online, print a boarding pass and present themselves at the boarding gate just 15 minutes before the scheduled departure. Passengers arriving after the 15 minute deadline may be refused travel.

A Hertfordshire businessman who caused a full scale security alert at Inverness Airport has been jailed for two months.

Whilst awaiting take off at Inverness Airport, passenger Peter Aldred told a stewardess that the bag he was carrying contained a bomb. The captain alerted the authorities, and police and trained negotiators attended the Easyjet plane.

Passengers travelling from Glasgow Airport have a choice of four new destinations following expansion by the low cost airline Easyjet.

Travellers to Spain will be able to fly direct to Alicante, Malaga and Palma, whilst a daily connection to Berlin will be available from May.

The Luton based low cost airline Easyjet has announced passenger statistics for the month of January 2006 which show a slight reduction in the load factor based upon the same month last year.

Overall passenger numbers were up to 2.3million against 2.1million for January 2005. The passenger load factor, the percentage of seats sold on a given flight, dipped slightly to 74.2% from 76.4%.

Flights to and from London's Luton Airport are expected to return to normal today following an incident yesterday where a private jet overshot the runway.

Yesterday lunchtime, a Challenger 600 jet on a private flight from Germany, overshot the runway becoming stuck in mud.

The airfield was closed for several hours whilst air accident investigators attended and the plane was removed. No-one is reported to have been injured.

Low cost airline Flyglobespan is to stop services on its Glasgow and Edinburgh to London routes, and will not move ahead with a planned link between Edinburgh and Bournemouth.

The surprise announcement has been blamed on poor ticket sales and a need for the airline to concentrate on its European routes out of Stansted. Flights will continue to be operated through to the end of February.

The Scotsman newspaper reports that hundreds of customers have been left high and dry and simply had their fares returned, being advised to make alternative arrangements.