BAA-owned airports gave mixed messages about the popularity of flying in the south of the country last month, the Press Association reports.

Heathrow remained the country's busiest airport in April, carrying some 5.8 million passengers; fractionally up on April 2011, while numbers at Southampton and Stansted dipped.

Attitudes to fuel consumption and driving have changed due to the ever-spiralling cost of petrol and diesel, a new survey has found.

A poll of 1,000 business drivers carried out by fleet management firm, ALD Automotive, has discovered that the majority of motorists actively find ways in which to reduce their fuel expenses, fleetworldgroup.co.uk reports. Though it's perhaps an unsurprising revelation, given the average price of petrol was this week given as 142.42p per litre and 147.84p for diesel.

Portsmouth's International Port is on the lookout for Olympic escapees this summer.

According to the Portsmouth News, port officials are eyeing up beleaguered Londoners who fear that they'll experience only the worst of what the Games have to offer this summer.

BMW drivers could be on the lookout for business car hire deals as the manufacturer has recalled 1.3 million vehicles.

German manufacturer BMW has announced it is recalling some of its 5 and 6 series models after it was reported that a problem with the battery could, in extreme cases, result in a fire, BBC News reports.

Outspoken Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has lambasted the government for its lacklustre approach in solving the airline capacity crisis in the South.

O'Leary, chief executive of the budget airline, has insisted that the only way to move forward with a viable aviation policy is to increase the number of runways at greater London's existing international airports - Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

Travel businesses have been urged to embrace mobile booking systems to offer their wares or else they risk being left behind.

John Howell, managing director of travel software specialist Multicom told Travolution.co.uk that customers no longer need just information about travel products and options from their phones, but also the functionality to book through them.

He argued that consumers are "generally are becoming far more comfortable and confident with shopping through their mobile device," and that companies who don't offer this functionality could be pushed out of the market.

The debate about which sex is better at parking could soon be over, as a new study firmly awards a victory into the hands of women.

Even though women take longer to park, the study found that women are much better than their counterparts at both finding a space, and positioning the vehicle best inside it.

The research even took scores of the quality of parking, says the Mail Online. With women scoring an average of 13.4 out of 20, and men just 12.3, it suggests that it might be best to let women do the driving - no matter what the vehicle.

The winner of a EuroMillions haul has suggested one of his first purchases could be a Range Rover Sport.

Gareth and Catherine Bull, from Mansfield, won more than £40 million on the continental lottery at the weekend. Since then, the couple has been weighing up what to do with the cash, according to Chad.co.uk.

They want to give some of their money to charity and loved ones, but Mr Bull has earmarked some of the funds to get himself a Range Rover Sport. Those who aren't lucky enough to have one big shouldn't be too jealous though, as they can easily ride the off-roader by using 4x4 hire services.

Proposals to place a new airport in the London Thames Estuary are beginning to win favour at Number 10, according to sources close to the prime minster.

The Daily Telegraph says that David Cameron is expected to provisionally support the development of a new airport - which is due to be build on recovered land - when the proposal goes into official consultation in March.

Supporters of the scheme, which include London Mayor Boris Johnson, argue that a new inner city airport would serve as a great alternative to creating new runways at Heathrow or Gatwick. Plans for the these have previously been vetoed by government.

Hundreds of thousands of Brits are expected to travel to London to celebrate the end of 2011 tomorrow.

According to The Guardian, more than a quarter of a million people are expected to crowd in and around the Southbank area to view the firework display which traditionally ushers in the new year.

Thousands more have booked tickets to commemorate the beginning of 2012 in one of the capital's many nightclubs.

The demand for services at regional airports is set to grow significantly as the number of passengers passing through airports outside London explodes.

A leaked government document from the Department of Transport (DfT) suggests that passenger numbers could double in some parts of the country, following decisions that prevent the expansion of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

Citing the leak, Telegraph.co.uk reports that the the number of passengers using the country's airports will rise from 372?million a year in 2008 to 540?million in 2050.

As a result of the increase in passengers, airports will undoubtedly have a greater need to increase the amount of shops, cafés and hotels that they offer to passengers. The demand for ancillary transport services, like business car hire, is also likely to grow.

Drivers are warned that Britain's roads will swell today and tomorrow, as Christmas travellers hit the tarmac in their droves for the holidays.

BBC News reports that the AA expects there to be around 18 million cars taking to the roads over the Christmas getaway. Journey times could double, it said and buses will replace trains in some areas.

Airport owner BAA meanwhile offered another warning; one which may be particularly of use to international arrivals who have arranged prestige car hire. Heathrow Airport is expecting around 205,000 people coming in and out of the airport over today and tomorrow.

Hong Kong Airlines is to target Gatwick's corporate passengers with all-new business class flights between London and Hong Kong.

Offering two different tiers of business class, Classic and Premier, the carrier hopes to emulate the success of club class services provided by other airlines, such as British Airways.

Gerard Clarke, Hong Kong Airlines' UK country manager, told Air and Business Travel News that the airline has two very distinctive clientèle in mind for the service.

The importance of Britain's busiest airport has been highlighted in a passenger survey from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

In 2010 more than half of all passengers passing through Heathrow Airport were foreign residents (58 per cent). That figure was just 55 per cent in 2007 and has been rising steadily since, found the CAA.

The importance of Britain's busiest airport has been highlighted in a passenger survey from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

In 2010 more than half of all passengers passing through Heathrow Airport were foreign residents (58 per cent). That figure was just 55 per cent in 2007 and has been rising steadily since, found the CAA.

However, the popularity of connecting flights at the international airport has dropped slightly. Last year, 36 per cent of Heathrow passengers were connecting passengers, down from 38 per cent in 2009. Yet there were still more connecting passengers last year compared to 2008 and 2007, at 35 per cent and 34 per cent respectively.

While the airport may still be among the top airports for business travellers, providing exclusive club classes, waiting rooms and prestige car hire, Heathrow wasn't actually the most business-centric airport. That accolade went to London City airport, with 63 per cent of its passengers saying that they were doing so for the purposes of business. The Press Association reports that this is a seven per cent increase on last year.

Business travel spending is on the rise, according to travel and expense management company Concur.

It found that all travel sectors experienced a boost, with air travel growing by an impressive 9.3 per cent year-on-year. Accommodation spending was also up, as hotels yielded a 5.6 per cent growth.

Although slight, business car hire rates also rose by 0.3 per cent, while other forms of ground transportation and entertainment rose this quarter; by 5.9 per cent and 4.9 per cent respectively.