As we all know, the hike in the fuel prices led to hike in the domestic airlines prices. Thus, expensive tickets attracted fewer passengers. It is for the second month that the domestic airlines carried fewer passengers.

Singapore - Singapore Airlines has become the world's first carrier to implement an automated document check facility that simplifies the task of checking travel documents, SIA said on Wednesday.

Jointly developed by experts from 11 Star Alliance member carriers, the facility processes all visa, travel and immigration requirements of the countries in the customer's itinerary and eliminates time-consuming manual verification by staff.

The second biggest air carrier of India, SpiceJet has signed an agreement with Ross and Goldman Sachs of America.

Wilbur Ross and Goldman Sachs will invest around $100 million in Spice Jet as per new agreement. Earlier, it has decided to invest Rs 336 crore.

The American equity firm will invest the amount in two phases. The process is going on to get the fresh warrant approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong's flagship airline Cathay Pacific Tuesday announced it is cutting 10 flights a week to North America to offset soaring fuel costs.

The airline, which last week posted its first loss in five years, is cutting one of its daily flights to Los Angeles and reducing the number of weekly flights to Vancouver from 17 to 14 from next month.

Low cost carrier Spicejet has announced that its shareholders Royal Holding Services Limited, Istithmar and Ajay Singh and Goldman Sachs, in its capacity as a bondholder of the company have entered into definitive agreements with WL Ross & Co. LLC.

Under the arrangement, US-based private equity company and leveraged buyout specialist, WL Ross & Co LLC will invest $100 million (over Rs 420 crore) in the company for business requirements.

San Francisco  - Alaska Airlines was forced to cancel more than 40 flights as an ash cloud caused by an eruption of the Kasatochi volcano in the Aleutian Islands drifted into flight paths between Alaska and the contiguous US, the company said Monday.

The central Aleutian volcano erupted Thursday sending up huge plumes of ash, which began interfering with flights on Sunday as air currents pushed them into flight lines.

Numerous flights between Alaska and west coast destinations such as Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles were canceled, forcing thousands of travelers to spend the night at the airport.