FLIGHTS TRAVEL TOURS HOTELS TOURISM

SAS’s cheap flights and free city cards

2006-04-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

(www.news.cheapflights.co.uk)

SAS Scandinavian Airlines has flights to cities in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland from £47 one-way with taxes.

The cities on offer include Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm from £47.

There are also flights to Gothenburg from £50 one-way with taxes, and to Helsinki from £72 one-way including taxes.

The airline is also offering the chance to win a city card. There are 50 up for grabs for Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo or Stockholm.

The cards offer free or discounted admission to museums, galleries and other attractions and free public transport for 24 hours.

To be in with a chance of winning a card, book a return flight to Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo or Stockholm before Sunday, April 30.

Travel between June 1 and September 30.

There is also a form to fill in here.

Stockton flights to Vegas may happen

2006-04-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

(www.recordnet.com)

STOCKTON - Allegiant Air, a low-fare airline specializing in leisure travel, soon could begin flying between Stockton Metropolitan Airport and Las Vegas, San Joaquin County officials said Tuesday.

The flights would be in addition to Aeromexico's plans to begin flying passenger jets between Stockton and Guadalajara, Mexico, later this year.

Few details about the domestic flights were available in advance of a media briefing planned Thursday morning at the airport, but Barry Rondinella, airport director, said Tuesday that the new service would be tailored for leisure travel between the two cities.

"People have been stopping me in the street and asking for service to Las Vegas for the entire five years I've been here, so I'm very pleased to be able to deliver that to them," he said in a telephone interview from San Diego, where he was attending a convention.

Stockton's airport has not offered scheduled airline service since 2003, when America West discontinued daily flights to Phoenix after a run of a little more than two years.

The travel-industry downturn after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as well as competition from other regional airports have made San Joaquin County's facility a hard sell to other commercial carriers.County Supervisor Victor Mow said the Las Vegas service could provide the seed for a blossoming of Stockton passenger service.

"Hopefully, this will be successful, and the folks in the business will see us as successful in the market, and we will be able to support service not only to Las Vegas but to other places as well," he said.

Supervisor Leroy Ornellas identified the new airline as Allegiant Air LLC, a low-fare, all-jet passenger airline base in Las Vegas.

It provides nonstop scheduled service from 32 U.S. airports to Las Vegas and from 15 domestic locations to Orlando, Fla.

A reporter's call to Allegiant corporate offices in Las Vegas was not returned Tuesday afternoon.

Ornellas called the announcement of new airline service in Stockton "exciting news."He speculated that the service could prove to be a strong draw.

"There's so much activity in Las Vegas, conventions and things of that nature, ... but now we need the community and the region to step up and support this airline," Ornellas said.Mow, noting that he had not been to the Nevada gambling mecca for some time, might be one of those supporters.

"I'd like to give this plane a try and check Las Vegas out," he said.

Contact reporter Reed Fujii at (209) 546-8253 or rfujii@recordnet.com

Tourism companies have problems organizing visits to Egypt

2006-04-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

(www.trend.az)

At present number of Azeri citizens willing to visit Egypt is almost zero, Trend reports with reference to Absheron Tour, BTI and Improtex travel agencies, due to the repetition of terrorist attacks occurred in Dahab city.

The companies’ representatives said chartering flights Azerbaijan-Egypt were organized in 2004, which resulted in ticket cost reduction to some $300-$500.

This year flights are cancelled and all wishing may take off to Egypt through Moscow, joining Russian groups.

«It takes much time and costs twice as much, which results in lack of willing to go to Egypt», - officials said.
Egypt’s Tourism minister Zukheir Garana said terrorist attacks in Dahab did not yet cause cancellation of tours.

There are 21 hotels and camping with 1,700 rooms in Dahab. About 100,000 tourists come here from abroad.

Three thundered in a special 1.5-km long pedestrian area of the city.

The area covers numerous shops, cafes and restaurants.

«Terrorists selected the very time when many tourists were walking around, alongside Egyptians that came to entertain themselves and make some shopping», - minister said.

British Airways Slashes Prices On European Flights

2006-04-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

(www.playfuls.com)

British Airways (BA) Thursday announced cuts in fares of up to 50 per cent to tackle stiff competition from low-cost airlines on short-haul European routes. Under the new scheme, BA is offering one-way tickets to 65 destinations from as little as 29 pounds (51 dollars) while maintaining "the same excellent standard of service," commercial director Martin George said.

"This is not a short-term gimmick, but a long-term commitment to our millions of customers to offer low fares every day of the year," George said.

There would be "no hidden extras" - often a feature of budget airlines, he added.

The price cuts were announced two days after BA increased its fuel surcharge on long-haul flights from 30 pounds to 35 pounds for a one-way ticket. It was the sixth rise since the fuel charge was introduced in May, 2004.

BA is offering 29 pounds one-way tickets from London to Prague, Geneva and Turin, while it costs 32 pounds to fly to Amsterdam and 39 pounds to travel to Venice or Barcelona.

The fares include all taxes and fuel surcharges, but there is a 15-pound charge for passengers who do not book online. Unlike the low-cost carriers, BA will not charge for food and drinks on its flights and there will be no extra levy for luggage.

BA offered the extra-incentive of scrapping all non-changeable economy tickets, meaning that passengers can alter their flights up to midnight the day before departure against a 30-pound administration fee.

"We operate in a very competitive market and are determined to be the first choice for air travellers who want low prices, flexibility and a superb flying experience", said George.

The changes were introduced under new BA chief executive Willie Walsh, who has already outlined plans to cut costs by 450 million pounds, including the loss of 600 management jobs and a further round of cuts in call centres and travel shops.

Airline confirms flights direct from D.M. to N.Y.

2006-04-05T09:24:00.000-07:00

(www.desmoinesregister.com)

Round-trips to the Big Apple are scheduled to begin June 15.

Direct flights from Des Moines to New York City's LaGuardia Airport will boost economic development, Iowa's senators said Tuesday.American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, confirmed Tuesday that it would begin the flights June15. Monday through Friday, the airline will operate one round-trip flight between the two cities, using 37-seat Embraer 135 regional jet aircraft. It will also offer a round-trip flight each weekend, with departure from Des Moines on Saturday and a return flight Sunday.

The flights will leave Des Moines at 6 a.m. and arrive in LaGuardia at 9:34 a.m. EDT each day except Sunday. The return flight leaves New York at 6 p.m. EDT and arrives in Des Moines at 8:02 p.m., each day except Saturday.Des Moines has not had a direct flight to New York since October 2003, when Continental Airlines stopped offering direct commuter jet service to Newark, N.J."This direct and daily flight to the Big Apple from the heart of Iowa will make trips more productive for businesses and more convenient for vacationers," Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Ia., said in a statement.Sen.

Tom Harkin, D-Ia., said, "Bringing new nonstop flights to New York City also improves our ability to attract new businesses and create high-paying jobs.

"Dave Jackson, a spokesman for American Eagle, said the carrier is making an effort to launch service into New York from cities that either do not now have flights, or are served by only one other airline.Last month, Delta Airlines said its Skywest affiliate would offer direct service between Des Moines and Salt Lake City starting June 8.Roy Criss, a spokesman for the Des Moines airport, said the Salt Lake City flight will link to other Delta flights that connect to the West Coast.

LaGuardia is the eighth- most popular destination for Des Moines travelers, Criss said, generating about 35,000 passengers yearly.

He said he expects that number to rise after direct service begins.Prices for the LaGuardia service, quoted on travel Web site Expedia, originally began at $224. But seats at that price were limited on such a small jet, and by Tuesday Expedia was quoting $333 for a June 19-20 flight to and from New York.

American offered a $253 fare on those same days on flights that connected through Chicago.

Air NZ doubles flights to London

2006-04-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

(www.smh.com.au)

WELLINGTON: National carrier Air New Zealand has announced plans to double its flight capacity to London, launching a second daily service between Auckland and London, via Hong Kong.

Air NZ also announced plans to offer a direct service to Shanghai three times a week from later this year.
But the news came as chief executive Rob Fyfe said the carrier may have to raise fares and make deeper cost cuts as jet fuel prices rise and fuel hedging contracts expire.

Jet fuel prices in Singapore rose to more than $US79 ($109) a barrel this week, nearing a six-month high. Airlines will respond to higher prices by increasing fares, aggressive cost cutting or removing capacity on unprofitable routes, Mr Fyfe told a conference in Sydney.

"If jet fuel prices stay at current levels then the benefits of our jet fuel hedging will start to run out this financial year" ending June 30, Mr Fyfe said. "Fares could increase."

In February Air NZ said it would slash 470 jobs in marketing, accounts and business support, extending cuts this year to 8 per cent of its 10,800 workforce to reduce costs.

The carrier has raised fares four times since May 2004 as fuel prices surged.

In three years the airline's fuel bill had increased about $NZ550 million, erasing the benefit of higher passenger numbers and cost savings, Mr Fyfe said. Pre-tax earnings this year are forecast to be $NZ140 million ($118.4 million), he said. Pre-tax earnings were $NZ235 million a year earlier.

Air NZ has hedged against a fall in the New Zealand dollar which would make its fuel and aircraft parts imports more expensive. It has more than three-quarters of its 2007 requirements hedged at US69c, he said.
The New Zealand dollar bought US61.1c yesterday in Wellington.

The carrier is "pleased" with the New Zealand dollar's 11 per cent decline this year, he said.

The new Auckland-London service, to be launched on October 28, would complement its existing Auckland-Los Angeles-London route.

"Demand for travel between the United Kingdom and New Zealand has grown significantly since we first launched a daily service in 1998," Air NZ's general manager for international airlines, Ed Sims, said.

Annual arrivals to New Zealand were increasing by over 10 per cent on average.

The new route would coincide with a 50 per cent increase in Air NZ's promotional spending in the United Kingdom and Europe.

During peak seasons Air NZ flights to London were 90-100 per cent full, Mr Sims said.

Air NZ would operate the route using newly refurbished Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

■Qantas and Air China have applied for a code-share arrangement on flights between Sydney and Beijing. The agreement will allow Air China to sell seats on Qantas flights.

In a letter of application to the International Air Services Commission, Qantas said the pair planned to begin code sharing from May 15.

US Airways to ax flights to Pittsburgh Greater Binghamton loses service for second time in 2 years

2006-03-25T15:52:00.000-08:00

(www.pressconnects.com)

TOWN OF MAINE - US Airways once again will eliminate flights between Greater Binghamton Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport on April 23, US Airways spokeswoman Valerie Wunder said.

The regional airports in Elmira and Ithaca also will lose their Pittsburgh flights, on April 23 and March 31, respectively, Wunder said.

"The markets just weren't supporting the service," said Wunder, who could not specify the average number of passengers who boarded Pittsburgh flights offered at each of the three airports. The information was not readily available, she said.

The Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport said on its Web site that Pittsburgh flights offered at that airport averaged about nine passengers per trip, filling only about 24 percent of a 37-seat aircraft.

This is the second time in two years that US Airways has cut Pittsburgh service in Greater Binghamton. The airline had dropped four daily flights to Pittsburgh in 2004 to focus on its Philadelphia hub, then reinstated two daily round-trip turboprop flights to Pittsburgh on Nov. 9, 2005.

"At times it appears that the market will support it, but it's turning out that that's not the case," Wunder said.

The Pittsburgh flights that will be cut in Greater Binghamton next month are turboprop flights leaving the Town of Maine airport at 6:30 a.m. and 3:05 p.m. and arriving at 2:41 and 9:47 p.m.
Wunder said she could not speculate whether the Pittsburgh service would return but that the airline is "always examining the market."

"These adjustments by the airlines are not uncommon, especially during difficult periods," said Carl Beardsley Jr., Broome County Commissioner of Aviation. "Fuel prices are very high. Both airlines and airports are feeling the pain."

US Airways, which has the largest market share at the Greater Binghamton Airport, struggled there in 2005. The airline suffered a 26.8 percent decline in passenger boardings last year, corresponding with its decision in 2004 to discontinue service to Pittsburgh.

That decline helped result in an 8.7 percent decrease in overall passenger traffic at the local airport in 2005.

"We talk to airlines on a weekly basis about diversifying their schedules and expanding their schedules here," Beardsley said. "Airlines as a whole though are in reduction mode."

US Airways will continue to offer 10 flights to and from its hub in Philadelphia - six of them on regional jets and the rest on turboprops, Beardsley said. Northwest Airlink, United Express and Delta Connection Comair also offer flights at the Greater Binghamton Airport. In total, there are nearly 30 daily flights offered at the airport.

"The fares have been excellent out of Binghamton, but we need people to use Binghamton. We use it or lose it," said Don Miller, president of Apple Travel in Johnson City. "Even though the frequency (of flights) is going to decrease, the number of seats will still be there."

The Cheap Flights Weekly Roundup

2006-03-25T15:50:00.000-08:00

(www.news.cheapflights.com)

New summer routes, spring discounts and knock-down nuptial travel all feature in this week's roundup.

Jazz opens gateway to the North From July 3, Air Canada Jazz will begin a nonstop service between Edmonton and remote Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories.

Delta confirms summer schedule A bumper catalogue of new routes has been unveiled by Delta Air Lines for summer 2006 and includes 30 more destinations than June 2005.

American Airlines' wedding specials American is offering discounts of up to five per cent for groups of ten passengers or more traveling to a wedding. The Wedding Event Travel program is available to more than 550 destinations.

New Philly to Portland service US Airways this week announced plans for a new service between Philadelphia and Portland from June 1.

Expanded cheap seat schedule from WestJet Two new summertime routes from the Canadian low-cost operator this week including one that could become a permanent fixture in the company's schedule.

AA discounts Bermuda route American Airlines has put fares as low as $129 one-way on offer from Miami or New York and Bermuda.

Aeromexico expands From April 2, Aeromexico will be commencing new routes from Ontario, California to Aguascalientes, Leon/El Bajio and Morelia along with an introductory fare of $199.

AirTran prices plummet A system-wide sale has started on routes including some deep discounts with fares as low as $49.

Seoul OKs Increase in International Flights

2006-03-24T16:32:00.000-08:00

(www.times.hankooki.com)

SEOUL_ The South Korean government said Friday it has authorized a slight increase in international flights during the summer travel season.

The measure, covering the period March 26 to Oct. 28, will affect both South Korean flag carriers and foreign airlines operating out of the country, the Ministry of Construction and Transportation said.

Sixty foreign airlines are expected to fly in and out of South Korea, along with Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, during the period, it said.

Ministry officials said they have approved 1,795 flights on 254 routes per week for the six-month period. The total represents a drop of eight routes, compared to the previous season that ran from October 30 to March 25, but an increase of 66 flights.

The number of flights connecting South Korea with Japan and China will increase 2.8 percent to 405 and 4.9 percent to 426 per week, respectively. Demand for seats on these routes have been growing steadily over the years.

The number of weekly flights to the United States will rise from 311 to 333 and the number of European-bound flights will also go from 106 to 116, the officials said.

The number of flights to Oceania is to edge up by one to 27, while the number of Southeast Asia-bound flights will dip from 448 to 441 per week, they said.

Delta plans daily flights to Atlanta from NCCo

2006-03-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

(www.delawareonline.com)

Commercial service to be airport's first in six years

After a six-year absence, commercial flights will return to New Castle County Airport this summer when a division of Delta Airlines begins nonstop service to Atlanta, the company announced Thursday.

Atlantic Southeast Airlines will operate two daily flights starting June 29 to Delta's hub in Atlanta, one of the main connection points in the United States for air travelers.
Delta's interest surprised airport officials, who have not actively marketed the regional airfield to the commercial aviation industry for several years.

"I am surprised at the speed at which they made it happen," said Stephen D. Williams, director of airports for the Delaware River and Bay Authority, which operates the airport. Williams said he was contacted by Delta officials less than a month ago.

Delta spokeswoman Chris Kelly said the move to New Castle was part of a regional strategy to offer flights from more locations in the greater Philadelphia region. The company recently announced it will make one daily flight to Atlanta out of Atlantic City, N.J., and will add four daily flights to New York from Philadelphia, where it currently offers 17 flights to three U.S. cities.
People want access to flights close to their homes and from airports that are easy to get in and out of, Kelly said.

The No. 2 U.S. air carrier, which is based in Atlanta, filed for bankruptcy protection in September. It expects to emerge from Bankruptcy Court in the summer of 2007.

Airline observers are skeptical about Delta's chances of success in New Castle, simply because the airport is a 30-minute drive from Philadelphia International Airport.

David Rowell, who publishes the Internet magazine The Travel Insider, said Delta may be trying to create a marketing splash by becoming the only airline that can boast service to all 50 states.

"That is the underlying question," Rowell said. "Is this corporate jingoism or is this a valid commercial effort?"

Spokeswoman Gina Laughlin said the company would not have moved to New Castle if its market research did not show the airline can make money there. She declined to cite examples of the kind of market data that supports Delta's plans.

Track record less than lackluster

Commercial airlines have come and gone at New Castle Airport over the decades. Shuttle America pulled out in early 2000, less than two years after it began. Before that, the last commercial airline quit New Castle in 1991. Many of the major airlines, including United and U.S. Airways, had a presence at the airport in the 1980s, said airport spokesman Jim Salmon.

When Shuttle America arrived in 1998, the airport spent $350,000 upgrading the terminal, which faces U.S. 13 on the east side of the airport. Those improvements will now benefit Delta, Salmon said.

"The situation is almost turnkey," Salmon said.

Security has become a much greater concern since Shuttle left New Castle. Today, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration is in charge of screening passengers and bags for all commercial flights.

Williams said that TSA officials have done a preliminary inspection at the airport and found no major problems.

A screening checkpoint requires at least three people to operate the bomb-detection machines, X-ray devices and metal detectors passengers have come to expect at every commercial airport, said TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser.

Those devices currently don't exist at New Castle County Airport because it houses small-scale charter flights, corporate jets and private planes. Such operations are not required to subject passengers to as thorough a security screening as commercial companies.

Other tenants expect some grief

The other airport tenants will probably greet Delta's arrival with a groan, said Dirk Dinkeloo, owner of Aero Taxi, which runs a charter operation on the western end of the runway. Those smaller companies would not compete for customers with Delta, but would be affected indirectly by increased runway traffic and tighter overall security, he said.

"It makes operations on the airport a little more difficult for everybody else," Dinkeloo said.
Delta said it plans to open service with introductory round-trip fares to Atlanta for $258. The company is also offering special round-trip fares, starting at $158, to Orlando, Fla., New Orleans, Dallas, Houston and San Diego that connect through Atlanta.

Noise levels should not increase with Delta's flights because the company will be operating jets that are similar to the corporate jets that dominate the airport, Williams said.

The 40-seat Bombardier CRJ jets are all between six and seven years old and are among the quietest in the industry, said Laughlin, the Delta spokeswoman.

Space Travel Price No Longer Out of This World

2006-03-24T16:19:00.000-08:00

(www.latimes.com)

Private firms are developing rocket planes for commercial flights in 2007 or 2008.

If floating weightless and peering down on a shimmering-blue Earth sounds appealing, you might consider being a space tourist. As long as you've got a fat wallet.

Two years after the first privately financed space flight jump-started a sleepy industry, more than a dozen companies are developing rocket planes to ferry ordinary rich people out of the atmosphere. Several private companies will begin building their prototype vehicles this summer with plans to test fly them as early as next year.

If all goes well, the first tourist could hitch a galactic joy ride late next year or 2008 — pending approval by federal regulators. Unlike the Cold War space race between the United States and Soviet Union that sent satellites into orbit and astronauts to the moon, this competition is bankrolled by entrepreneurs whose competition could one day make a blast into space cheap enough for the average Joe. "This time, it's personal.

This space race is about getting 'us' into space," space historian Andrew Chaikin said. For now, commercial space travel remains an exclusive club. Over the last few years, three tourists have paid a reported $20 million each to ride aboard a Russian rocket to the orbiting international space station. The three spent about a week weightless and described the experience as "paradise" and "wondrous.

" Prospective prices for the next round of personal space flights aren't so astronomical — a seat aboard one of the yet-to-be-built commercial spaceships will fetch $100,000 to $250,000. Space entrepreneurs expect the price tag to drop once the market matures.

Tourists will get what they pay for. Instead of days in space, the commercial spaceships under development will reach only suborbital space, a region about 60 miles up that is generally considered the beginning of the rest of the universe.

Because the private spaceships lack the speed to go into orbit around Earth, the flights are essentially up and down experiences — lasting about two hours with up to five minutes of weightlessness.

It's more of a ride than those offered by several companies that use Boeing 727s to produce a half-minute of weightlessness through a series of maneuvers about 25,000 feet up. Those flights, which generally sell for about $3,000, never reach space. Here is a rundown of several companies that will start building their private spaceships this summer:

• The biggest name is Virgin Galactic, a space tourism firm founded by British billionaire Richard Branson. Branson has partnered with Burt Rutan, whose SpaceShipOne in 2004 became the first private manned craft to reach space, to build a fleet of suborbital commercial spaceships called SpaceShipTwo.

SpaceShipTwo is about the size of a corporate Gulfstream jet that can hold six tourists and two crew members. Like SpaceShipOne, it will be powered by a hybrid rocket motor and use a "feathering" technique to glide back to Earth.

The design of SpaceShipTwo is complete and construction is slated for this summer with test flights scheduled for late next year.

The project's $100-million first phase is financed by Branson's Virgin Group, Virgin Galactic President Will Whitehorn said.

• Oklahoma-based Rocketplane Kistler is one of Virgin Galactic's biggest competitors.

Rocketplane Kistler, whose main investor is American businessman George French, hopes to start test flights in January and fly commercially by summer 2007.

The company is building a souped-up, 42-foot-long suborbital Lear jet that can seat three passengers and a pilot. Unlike SpaceShipTwo, which would piggyback atop a mother ship to a certain altitude, the Rocketplane XP would take off and land like an airplane using turbojets and rockets.

• Space Adventures, a Virginia-based space travel agency best known for brokering three tourists to the international space station, is the latest entrant. Last month, Space Adventures announced a partnership with members of the Ansari family — the major funders of the $10-million X Prize won by SpaceShipOne — to develop Russian-designed suborbital rockets that would launch from a proposed spaceport in the United Arab Emirates by 2008.

pace tourism companies hope wary investors will provide financial backing once they can establish a safety record and prove there is sufficient demand. "It's changed from being a giggle factor to being heralded as a new business," said Geoff Sheerin, president and chief executive of Canada-based PlanetSpace.

• PlanetSpace, backed by American businessman Chirinjeev Kathuria, is building a 54-foot-long, three-seat suborbital rocket that would launch from somewhere in the Great Lakes region and reenter Earth by splashing into the water.

Futron, a Bethesda, Md.-based aerospace consulting firm, estimated that revenues in the space tourism industry could exceed $1 billion a year by 2021 with the greatest demand in suborbital flights in which passengers spend mere minutes in space. Before tourists can lift off, several federal hurdles must be cleared.

Federal regulations that will govern human space travel and spell out safety and training requirements are expected to be wrapped up this summer.

Iceland: Endless adventures come at a price

2006-03-24T16:15:00.000-08:00

(www.usatoday.com)

MYRDALS GLACIER, Iceland — Welcome to Iceland, a country that offers a bewildering range of adventures, from the peace and tranquility of a swim in the world-famous Blue Lagoon hot spring and a view of the Aurora Borealis, to the challenge of hiking and snowmobiling through its wild interior.

The country of 300,000 people, most of whom speak English, also is a nice retreat from the mayhem of big cities. Its capital, Reykjavik, is laidback, safe, clean and friendly, with a full range of nightclubs, restaurants, shops, museums and galleries.

Despite the name Iceland, the country isn't always as cold or dark as one might expect in the winter. Even in February, when we visited, the temperature was 45 degrees, far warmer than northern Europe, with sunlight from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

In fact, the weather has been so warm in recent winters that the ski slope located closest to Reykjavik often is closed for lack of snow.

Iceland's main drawback for tourists is the high price of food, liquor and travel within the country, thanks to high taxes, import quotas and the strong krona currency.

For instance, the 45-minute taxi ride from Keflavik International Airport to our hotel in Reykjavik cost us $116 the night we arrived.

Here's a typical entry in the guest book of the Hotel Odinsve from two tourists who had stayed there recently:

"Thank you very much for a very friendly stay. It's SO refreshing after the commuterdom of London. The few parts of Iceland we saw were magnificent. ... We'll definitely be back (after saving up a bit!)"

Our tour guide, Olafur B. Schram, said the high prices also affect the locals and that it is not unusual to see Icelanders dress up for dinner at McDonald's.

Iceland's mayor and tourist board recently complained about the effect of high prices on tourism, an important part of the nation's strong economy. But that hasn't curtailed a steady increase in visitors.

Iceland once was famous as an out-of-the-way stopover for cheap flights to Europe.

In fact, years ago, the country welcomed two historic events that helped put it on the map: the all-important summit between Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Reykjavik in 1986, and Bobby Fischer's 1972 world chess championship victory in the capital over Cold War rival Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.

But tourism is rising now. Many people seem to regard it as a cool place to visit, with artists ranging from the hip Bjork and Sigur Ros to the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra.

In 2005, 370,000 foreigners visited Iceland, more than the country's population. The top three points of origin were Britain, the United States and Germany.

"We really wanted to show our children the Northern Lights and the volcanoes and glaciers they learn about in school," said Junji Takei, 48, who traveled to Iceland from New York City, where he lives with his wife and two children, ages 9 and 6. "We also wanted to swim in the Blue Lagoon. Where else can someone do all that on a short flight from America?"

Sightseeing options here are endless, including thundering waterfalls, glaciers, lava craters, spouting geysers, caves, whale-watching. A national park not far from the capital includes a sight of the tectonic plates where Europe and the United States are slowly drifting apart at an average of 1.6 to 2 inches each year.

People who find snowmobiling too risky, or unfriendly to the environment, can ride a dog sled through the pristine glaciers or ride horses through lower elevations. Icelandic horses, a small and docile breed brought to Iceland by Vikings in the 8th century, are ideal for beginners and are found at many stables on country farms in the south.

Snorkeling and scuba-diving also are available inland.

Tourists hoping to save money should choose from among a wide variety of group day tours from their hotels, which last as long 14 hours. Package tours also are available that include airfare and travel to and from the airport.

For a steeper price, visitors can hire private tour guides who have the off-road vehicles and know-how needed to plan customized trips. Car rental is another option, but many of Iceland's national parks are only reachable down unpaved roads that often cross deep, surging rivers with no bridges.

The most popular destination in Iceland by far is the Blue Lagoon. It is so close to Keflavic International Airport that some people visit during stopovers on their flights.

Located in a bare, harsh landscape of volcanic lava, the natural hot pool — equipped with changing rooms, showers and a restaurant — draws water from wells as deep as 6,600 feet. The water temperature stays at around 97 to 102 degrees.

It sprang to prominence when a worker at a nearby power plant who suffered from psoriasis began bathing in the lagoon and found his skin condition improved, apparently because of the unique mineral content of blue-green algae.

Like many other visitors, we felt relaxed and had a good night sleep after swimming in the Blue Lagoon and rubbing some of its white silica mud over our skin.

The only drawback was the price — $44 each for the entry fee and the bus ride from our hotel.
"Wow, we're staying here all day just got get our money's worth," Peter Rowan, 38, who works for a bank in London, said in the Blue Lagoon's restaurant. He and his wife, Natalie, were each limiting themselves to a sandwich and a cup of tea.

"This country is beautiful, the people are wonderful, but the prices stop you in your tracks," he said.

TRAVEL: A tour around some of the best deals on the market

2006-03-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

(www.tmcnet.com)

With recent research showing chimpanzees using "tool kits" to prepare their lunch, interest in observing these sophisticated animals in their natural habitat has surged.Home to about 1,000 chimpanzees, the Mahale Mountains National Park stands on the sandy shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Expert Africa's nine-day Colo-bus Safari costs from pounds 3,605pp from mid-May (based on two sharing) and includes four nights at Chada (offering remarkable game drive and walking safari opportunities), three nights at Greystoke, and two nights at the Mount Meru Game Lodge in the town of Arusha.

Included are all meals and activities, scheduled return international flights out to Dar es Salaam and back from Nairobi with BA, UK departure tax, all internal flights, transfers and park fees.Call Expert Africa on 020 8232 9777 or go to expertafrica.com for more details.

WORLD CUP WIDOWS

As this year's World Cup 2006 gains momentum, many UK women will be preparing themselves for that lonely time ahead.

Cheapflights.co.uk has put together special rates during June, catering especially for women looking to escape the footie frenzy.Put some va va voom back into your life and take your best friend to Paris for the weekend from only pounds 88 return from Heathrow.

Or try some serious retail therapy in New York from only pounds 351 return from Manchester.For more information go to cheapflights.co.uk.

TWO-IN-ONE

With so many beautiful locations, it's hard to choose one Greek island. Now you don't have to - experience more for your money on Greek Islands Club's two-centre holidays.

For example, try Paxos and Corfu. Paxos - enjoy Kapassa House, a pretty country cottage within walking distance of Loggos waterfront. Corfu - stay at Villa Elia in the small port of Nissaki with its friendly taver-nas and sandy beaches. From pounds 649pp (car hire on Corfu only).

All prices include flights, inter-island transfers, car hire on both islands (unless indicated otherwise), two weeks' self catering accommodation and maid service.To obtain a copy of GIC's 2006 brochure, call 020 8232 9780 or go to greekislandsclub.com.

FOUR FOR FOUR

Greaves Travel and Oberoi Group is offering a "pay for four nights get four nights free" deal at a selection of Oberoi hotels, including the five star award winning Oberoi Udaivilas and the Oberoi New Delhi.

This package means a saving of more than pounds 600pp and costs from just pounds 1,399pp based on two sharing and enjoying an eight-night itinerary staying at The Oberoi Udaivilas, the Oberoi New Delhi and a selection of other Oberoi hotels.

This price includes international and internal flights, transfers, accommodation and sightseeing.

For further information and bookings contact Greaves Travel on 0207 487 9111 or visit greavesindia.com.

DOWN UNDER DEALS

Austravel is offering a great deal to Brisbane from just pounds 1,050pp based on two sharing.

The package includes return flights from London Heathrow to Brisbane with Qantas, seven nights at the three star Mercure Hotel on a room-only basis and a tilt train to Hervey Bay for a two-night/three-day Kingfisher Bay Resort Adventure Package on Fraser Island.

The package includes accommodation, return tilt train and return flights including taxes. Book by March 26 for travel until April 5.For further details and reservations contact 0870 166 2070 or book flights, hotels and Australian visas online at a ustravel.com.

Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto A-I flights six times a week

2006-03-18T14:13:00.000-08:00

(www.tribuneindia.com)

Air-India will fly its Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto flight for six days a week from this coming May.

Looking at the response of this flight that operated thrice a week, Air-India has taken this decision, less than a year after it re-started flights from Amritsar.

Air-India will also introduce an Amritsar-Dubai flight through its subsidiary Air India Express this summer.

Disclosing this to The Tribune here today, the Chairman and Managing Director of Air-India, Mr V. Thulasidas, said Amritsar had emerged as a very important origin and destination for Punjabi population settled in Europe and the Americas.

It had been observed that nearly half the passenger traffic to Europe, US and Canada on Air-India preferred to travel from Amritsar.

But once Chandigarh gets an international airport, not many people would like to travel to Delhi. The Chandigarh Administration had already moved a proposal in this regard, he said.

He said Tuesday would be the only exception when Air-India will not fly its Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto flight from Amritsar.

The proposed Amritsar-Dubai flight will fly at least four times a week initially. After a year the situation will be reviewed and the frequency may be increased, he added.

Currently Air-India flies from and to 13 cities in India. There is a proposal to start international flights from two more cities.

Similarly, Air-India is working out modalities to fly to seven international destinations that include San Francisco, Washington, Houston or Dallas, Beijing, capitals of Mauritius and South Africa and Sydney (Australia). Two or three more destinations in Europe are also likely to be put on the Air-India map over the next two years, Mr. Thulasidas said.

Booking the perfect guide

2006-03-18T14:03:00.000-08:00

(www.theglobeandmail.com)

Anyone unfortunate enough to have been part of a sweating, shuffling mob of tourists being herded through a historic site or along an unfamiliar street by an impatient guide with a limited grasp of English is unlikely to look forward to an encore.

Large group tours, gathered together from a half dozen city hotels, are all too often made up of individuals of various ages, with varying interests and varying physical abilities — almost guaranteeing a watered-down experience for everyone concerned.

Not surprisingly then, a growing number of individuals, families and small groups with shared interests are opting to hire private guides for a more intimate and focused introduction to the attractions of a new destination. It's more expensive than the cost of an average bus tour, but far more efficient and rewarding.

In a letter of thanks to PersonalTours, a Toronto-based company offering custom-guided experiences, an Arizona couple complimented their escort and personal driver: "His knowledge of the [Toronto] area is second to none. He absolutely went out of his way, in every regard to ensure our enjoyment, which was at peak levels at all times."

So, how do you go about finding a personal guide or arranging for a more intimate introduction to a destination? Here are some suggestions:

Contact the tourism offices of a destination you plan to visit and ask them to recommend a guide. Many will have a list of local, licensed guides with specialties such as history, architecture, art and cuisine.

Contact organizations of professional guides. The Canadian Tour Guide Association of Toronto (416-410-8621; www.ctgaoftoronto.org), for example, lists 18 local guides with diverse language skills and specialties.

The concierge at better hotels will often have the names of local guides or tour companies that offer small-group and narrowly focused tours.

Look for groups that share your interests. Garden clubs, wine societies, museums and associations with interests that range from birding and cuisine to battlefields and operas often sponsor small-group tours or cruises led by expert guides. They can also connect you with people at your destination who share similar interests.

Some cities offer free tours by local volunteers, often retirees with detailed knowledge about their districts. In New York City, for example, some 400 Big Apple Greeters (212-669-8159; www.nycvisit.com) offer individuals or families neighbourhood tours by foot, subway and bus.

Academics' airline scraps flights

2006-03-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

(www.news.bbc.co.uk)

An airline has scrapped its commuter service for academics travelling between Cambridge and Oxford just five weeks after it was launched.

Sky Commuter launched the twice-daily shuttle service last month, claiming it would save commuters two hours compared with travelling by road or rail.

But the company stopped the 22-minute flights at the end of last week, saying the route was not "sustainable".

Passengers with advanced bookings will be given a full refund.

Less demand

A spokesman said: "It has become evident that the requirement for air travel on the route is not sustainable to even operate an eight-seat aircraft.

"Route studies compiled before the start of operation had indicated a stronger requirement for the service than has actually materialised.

"All passengers with current advance bookings will be informed in writing of the cancellation of the route and will receive a full refund back to their original credit cards."

The failure of the route comes after teenage entrepreneur Martin Halstead - dubbed the "baby Branson" - was forced to drop his planned service between the two cities.

AIR BERLIN LAUNCHES FLIGHTS FROM BELFAST

2006-03-16T15:22:00.000-08:00

(www.itnews.it)

BERLIN, Germany, Flights Will Begin 2 May between Belfast City Airport and Air Berlin's hub at London- Stansted, Opening up Eight New European Destinations to Travellers From Northern IrelandAir Berlin, Europe's third-largest low-cost airline, continued its European expansion by announcing today it will start flying from Belfast City Airport to seven destinations in Europe via its hub in London-Stansted.

There will be departures morning and evening each way during the week, and one flight each way on Saturday and Sunday.

With fast trains from Stansted to Liverpool Street station in London's financial district, and Air Berlin's superfast transfer system including full baggage transfer at London Stansted, the airline is targeting both business customers going to the City and holidaymakers transferring onto Europe, as well as the typical low-cost customer who appreciates Air Berlin's superior customer service.

The choice of Belfast City Airport will also enable short journey times into the city centre.This move will open up Air Berlin's onbound Europe-wide destinations from Stansted for the first time to passengers from Northern Ireland.

These include Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hanover, Leipzig, Munster/Osnabruck, Nuremberg, Paderborn and Vienna. The service is also likely to make a positive contribution to the tourism industry in Northern Ireland.

Flights from Belfast start at GBP19 one-way including all taxes and surcharges to London-Stansted, and from GBP29 to European destinations. Air Berlin flights are low-cost but full-service, offering customers free food and drinks, flight flexibility, air miles and baggage transfer for connecting passengers.

Flights can be booked in the Internet (airberlin.com), at travel agents or by telephone at the company's Service-Center (0870-738-88-80).

Presscontact: Angelika Schwaff Air Berlin Press Officer Tel.: +49-30-3434-1530 Fax: +49-30-3434-1509 E-Mail: Schwaff@airberlin.com

Zambia: Low cost flights to Johannesburg launched

2006-03-13T16:33:00.000-08:00

(www.andnetwork.com)

Johannesburg (AND) The Zambian Airways has launched the low cost flights from Lusaka to Johannesburg in partnership with Kulula Airline.

This follows after an agreement between the Zambian Airways and the air flight Kulula. The agreement is said to be a major milestone for companies, the public and commuters.

AND reported in January in an interview with Gidon Norvick, the Director of Kulula that the airline will offer five return flights a week between Johannesburg and Lusaka.

The cross border traders are expected to increase because of the flight differences by the Zambian Airline and South African Airway (SAA).

Zambian Airways has made an agreement with the Cross Border Traders Association (CBTA) to reserve about 50 seats to the traders on each flight. This is a strategy to encourage more traders to use the low cost flights than the long hour bus rides. The air travel journey will take only two hours as compared to the two day bus journey.

Gidon Norvick, Kulula’s director, said “Kulula in partnership with Zambian Airways has introduced a new route to Lusaka at about 98 US$, compared to the SAA fare of about 328 US$”.

The public will now have an affordable, convenient and cost effective way to voyage South Africa and forth.

SAA was the only airline operating between Johannesburg and Lusaka.

Bar on air travel from Baghdad

2006-03-13T16:26:00.000-08:00

(www.gulf-times.com)

BAGHDAD: A “security incident” at Baghdad airport prompted the US embassy to bar employees from using commercial flights yesterday.

Unconfirmed reports from private security contractors in the Iraqi capital said explosives had been found before they were loaded onto a commercial airline flight on Saturday.

But Iraq’s Transport Ministry flatly denied any such incident took place.The British-based firm that runs security at the airport said it would issue a statement later.

The airport is Baghdad’s main link with the outside world because of the dangers of road travel.

“As the result of a recent security incident at the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP), the US embassy is prohibiting outgoing travel by all US government employees on commercial airlines departing BIAP until further notice,” the embassy said in a consular notice distributed in Baghdad.An embassy spokeswoman declined further comment.

Transport Ministry spokesman Ahmed Moussawi said: “No explosives were found.

This report is untrue ... Nothing happened.”Iraqi Airways runs flights from Baghdad to a number of domestic and international destinations. Among the most popular routes for foreigners is a twice-daily link to the Jordanian capital Amman operated by Royal Jordanian Airlines.

Baghdad airport is surrounded by the main US military base in Iraq.

Explosives were once found on an airliner before take-off and a cargo jet was struck by a missile and narrowly avoided crashing.Planes landing and taking off perform a dizzying corkscrew manoeuvre to gain or lose height rapidly before leaving the boundaries of the airport in order to avoid missiles.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi militant group affiliated to Al Qaeda said yesterday it was behind Saturday’s killing of a senior editor for Iraq’s state television, said a statement posted on the Internet.

“Your brothers in the military wing of the Mujahideen Council assassinated on Saturday Amjad Hameed, the editor of Iraqiya ... which always broadcasts lies about jihad (holy war) to satisfy crusader masters,” said a statement posted on the Internet and attributed to the group.

It said the station was “the mouthpiece of the apostate government”.

Iraqiya’s editorial stance is close to the Shia-led government.

The authenticity of the statement could not be verified but it was posted on a Web site often used by militant groups.Gunmen assassinated Hameed along with his driver as they headed to work in Baghdad.

He was the second Iraqi journalist to be killed in a week.Iraqiya said Hameed, a father of three, had just left his house in central Baghdad when a car blocked his way and gunmen shot him in the head.

The assassination drew wide condemnation and renewed calls for journalists to be allowed to carry firearms for protection.

More than 70 foreign and Iraqi journalists have been reported killed since the US-led invasion in March 2003. –

Cheap flights to Europe in summer 2006

2006-03-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

(www.news.cheapflights.com)

Thinking about getting a cheap airfare to Europe this summer? Wondering where the bargains are and why prices seem to be a lot higher than last year? You are not alone.

Record demand for cheap flights, scandalously high prices for oil and little extra capacity on the usual routes this summer makes for, you guessed it, higher airfares.

The million dollar question, well actually the few hundred dollar question, is whether to buy now or wait for a juicy airfare sale closer to your chosen date of travel.

This is the classic cheap-flight seekers dilemma that happens each year, as regular as Groundhog Day. Here are some tips to figure it out:

- If you know when and where you want to fly during this summer peak season (July-August) then it may be best to bite the bullet and purchase.

- If you can be flexible, then fly in the shoulder season (April-May or September-October). This is not only a great way to get cheaper flights but Europe can be quieter, better value and, if you are lucky, the weather can be better too.

- Try flying on new routes for airlines. This can be a great way to bag a deal because it is harder for airlines to fill planes on new routes where they do not have recognition yet. I see that Delta Air Lines has launched a raft of routes to places across Europe including Barcelona, Kiev and Athens.

- Try flying to alternative destinations within Europe. Think more than just London and Paris. Sometimes you can get cheaper deals to other cities like Edinburgh, Birmingham or Manchester in the UK.

- Discounted international deals tend to come out about 90 days before departure.

Now, there are no guarantees, but if you are flexible with your destination then it might be worth hanging around to see what comes up (the risk is though that you will end up hanging around at home instead if prices don’t drop).

- Try specialists to Europe who may offer discounted fares and have specialist advice (1800 Fly Europe, O’Connors, or UK Air).

- Perhaps try a stopover in London with a friend (to save on the hotel bill) and fly on from there. London is a terrific low-cost hub, particularly from Luton and Stansted airports.

However, don’t try to connect flights in London because the travel times between the airports will be worse than the savings you make.

- One option I have tried is to fly via Ireland with Aer Lingus. They have modeled their airline on the low-cost model with cheap fares and plenty of onward options through Europe. Dublin Airport is small so transfers are not too painful.

- If you see a cheap flight … bag it!

Tourism and Travel

2006-03-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

(www.inbusinesslasvegas.com)

Southwest making Hawaiian getaway easier for frequent fliers

Members of Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards frequent flier program got the news they've been waiting for — that they soon will be able to cash in the awards they earn for trips to Hawaii.
The Dallas-based airline, the busiest carrier at McCarran International Airport, announced last week that it is expanding its relationship with ATA, an Indianapolis-based code-share partner with which Southwest is working.

ATA recently emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and the companies wasted no time getting the word out on how the new ATA is going to offer something Southwest customers have wanted for a long time.

The plan for cashing in Rapid Rewards awards for trips to Hawaii on ATA won't be rolled out until the third quarter.

But in the meantime, Southwest is making it easier to fly ATA and is giving customers credit for some of the trips they take with the partner.

Southwest, which currently sells some tickets in which part of the trip is flown on ATA and the other part on Southwest, now will sell some exclusively ATA flights on its southwest.com Internet site. The only exclusively ATA flight involving Las Vegas are routes between the city and Honolulu.

Customers who buy tickets on ATA through Southwest will have the choice of earning points on the ATA Travel Awards program or on Southwest's Rapid Rewards. Passengers going to Hawaii will get two Rapid Rewards credits for every one-way trip to and from there.

Southwest's frequent flier program is different from those offered by most airlines. Participants collect credits for each one-way flight, regardless of its length. Free trips are awarded for every 16 credits collected within a two-year period. That means a participant can get a free ticket after eight round trips.

While loyal Southwest customers — and there are a lot of them in Las Vegas because of the presence the airline has here — are happy about being able to fly to Hawaii on Rapid Rewards credits, there are a couple of downsides to the deal.

Southwest already has announced that it will take two awards to get a free ticket on ATA to Hawaii. So, instead of eight round trips on Southwest, it would take 16 for the free Hawaii ticket.

And, although Southwest hasn't announced details of the plan just yet, it already has noted that free Hawaii tickets may be hard to come by.

The company's recent release said, "Hawaii is a popular destination for ATA. Seats for customers traveling on an award will be very limited and demand from Rapid Rewards members will likely exceed the available supply. Members who plan ahead and are flexible with their travel dates will have the best chance of securing reservations."

Maybe it was just a coincidence, but Southwest and ATA chose to announce the expanded partnership the day before rival US Airways began offering a series of new flights to Hawaii. Among the new US Airways routes is a nonstop round trip between Las Vegas and Maui and connecting service via Phoenix four times a week to Kauai and and three times a week to Kona, Hawaii.

In other news:

Wright cease-fire: A new flurry of stories speculating about Southwest moving its corporate headquarters from Dallas were in circulation last week, but they remain as groundless as the first wave, which included speculation about Las Vegas being a potential candidate for a new home.

The latest batch of stories included Phoenix, Tucson and Albuquerque taking a swing at landing the airline, which some suggested would leave Dallas if the airline continued to be hogtied by the restrictions of the Wright Amendment, which limits flights from Dallas' Love Field, Southwest's headquarters.

The latest on the Wright Amendment fight, incidentally, is that there appears to be a cease-fire in the hostilities pitting Southwest against Dallas-based American Airlines and Love Field versus Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

The bid to find a compromise agreeable to all parties has been turned over to the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, which hope to have a proposal in place by October.

Nevada has an interest in the fight, since Southwest can't operate nonstop flights between Love Field and Las Vegas or Reno as a result of Wright Amendment restrictions and Sen. John Ensign last year introduced legislation that would repeal the Wright Amendment.

Nevada Passage wide open: Persons interested in participating in the Nevada Commission on Tourism's Nevada Passage Wide Open competitions May 6-7 in Winnemucca can now register online or by calling a toll-free number.

The competition is a spin-off of "Nevada Passage," the made-for-TV competition in which 20 athletes in two-person teams are pitted against each other in outdoor adventure competitions in settings across the state.

The Wide Open competitions will include mountain bike racing on the Bloody Shins Trail, kayaking on the Humboldt River and an offroad footrace to the summit of Winnemucca Mountain. There also are three competitions for all-terrain vehicles, including an ATV pull, sand drag races and a rodeo skills event over an obstacle course.

Entry fees range from $15 to $25 per event, with a discount for participating in all three in either category.

Sign-up information is available at www.nevadapassage.com or by calling (877) 751-8880.

Amadeus-Sabre Deal Good for Travel Agents, Corporate Travel Managers

2006-03-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

(www.prnewswire.com)

WASHINGTON -- The Business Travel Coalition (BTC)and the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) strongly support the just-announced agreement between the Amadeus and Sabre global distribution systems(GDSs) to provide customer-responsive, backup content access to one anothershould a major airline totally withdraw from one GDS. BTC and ASTA encourageother GDSs to consider protecting their customers' interests in a comparablemanner.

This forward-thinking agreement gives travel agents, on behalf of theircustomers, the ability to complete bookings on an airline that might notparticipate in one of the GDSs but continues to participate in the other. EachGDS would promptly assume a backup role when requested to do so by the othersystem.

The intent of this agreement is to ensure that agents and thetravelers they serve have continued broad and uninterrupted access to airlineinventory to help avoid service disruptions.

Rich Products Corporation Travel Administrator and BTC Member Jean Covellistated, "A corporation losing the complete inventory of a major airline wouldface a significant and costly short-term business continuity crisis.

In such ascenario, a corporation would be forced into a highly inefficient processrequiring employees shop for and purchase air travel services through avariety of alternative distribution channels to their travel agency-of-record.

A corporation could potentially need to switch to a new travel agency -- acostly and disruptive process. Overall administrative, process and purchasingcosts would likely increase dramatically."

ASTA president and CEO Kathryn W. Sudeikis, CTC observed, "Travel agenciesmust be able to fully service their corporate and leisure customers and wouldincur additional costs and business uncertainty issues if, for example,American Airlines were to withdraw all content.

We appreciate that Americanwants to lower its costs, but American is not the only party whose interestsare involved here.

The reality is that consumer costs would rise and confusionwould increase if a major airline were to withdraw from a GDS. There are noknown alternatives that provide equivalent services. We wholeheartedly supportthe efforts of Sabre and Amadeus to create a deterrent to any airline effortto bludgeon other commercial interests into submitting to their position."

According to ASTA and the Coalition, the GDS content backup agreementrepresents an effective solution to a potential nightmare scenario that couldadversely impact corporations fielding thousands of business travelers as wellas leisure travelers trying to make vacation plans.

The potential for awholesale withdrawal of a major airline from one of these GDSs is a problemthat has worried the corporate travel manager and travel agency communitiesfor some time.

"The Amadeus-Sabre agreement is responsible policy as it protects theintegrity of the distribution system and the interests of the end-customer.

This policy is fully consistent with other time-tested formal and informalcustomer protection and enhancement compacts in the travel industry rangingfrom accommodating passengers of canceled flights or of bankrupt airlines tocode sharing among carriers," said BTC chairman Kevin Mitchell.

With airlines entering into global alliances with the express purpose ofcoordinating marketing strategies and asserting joint market power againstother interests, it is entirely fitting that the GDSs should seek this form ofmutual assistance on behalf of their customers.

ASTA and BTC encourage other GDSs and distribution system participants tolikewise seek ways to take uncertainty and attendant-associated costs out ofthe process for travel agencies and corporate buyers of commercial airtransportation services. We commend these GDS companies for launching a newprogram that puts the interests of consumers first.

ABOUT ASTA - The mission of the American Society of Travel Agents and itsaffiliated organizations is to enhance the professionalism and profitabilityof members worldwide through effective representation in industry andgovernment affairs, education and training, and by identifying and meeting theneeds of the traveling public. The Society is the world's largest and mostinfluential travel trade association with over 20,000 members in 140countries.

ABOUT BTC - Founded in 1994, the mission of the Business Travel Coalitionis to lower the long-term cost structure of business travel. BTC seeks tobring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so thatcustomers can influence issues of strategic importance to them.

Travel Wise, Travel Well

2006-03-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

(www.thestreet.com)

Thinking about a spring-fling getaway? As you plan your travels, remember that saving money is sometimes the ultimate expression of "The Good Life."

Traveling on the cheap doesn't necessarily mean you'll be hitchhiking alongside beatniks and college kids. Many tried and true cost-saving methods can be used to simplify the dizzying array of travel options.

These methods not only save money -- they also can lead to far more satisfying experiences for the adventurous tourist, according to Arthur Frommer, the longtime travel guru whose name now adorns over 300 guidebooks.

Appearing with his daughter Pauline, Frommer offered a slew of tips for travelers from all walks of life at the third annual New York Times Travel Show in Manhattan last month.

Travelers spend the bulk of their money on three main ingredients: transportation, accommodations and sustenance. In each of these areas, the Frommers offered up some tricks from their trade.

In lining up plane tickets to get to faraway places, many deskbound vacation seekers have become indoctrinated into using popular airfare search engines like Travelocity.com, Orbitz.com and Expedia.com. But in some ways, the quality of these search engines has become the victim of their success.

Due to the web of relationships they've developed with various carriers, "these companies are being paid to give preferential treatment" to certain airlines, Frommer observed.
An Orbitz spokesman denied this, saying the company never gives preferential treatment to any particular airlines.

Furthermore, some search engines don't include fares offered by cut-rate airlines like JetBlue Airways (JBLU:Nasdaq - commentary - research - Cramer's Take), Southwest Airlines (LUV:NYSE - commentary - research - Cramer's Take) and Spirit Airlines, which offer cheap flights to a growing number of destinations. Sometimes, the discount flyers get short shrift because it's time-consuming to visit each of their sites individually to search for fares.

Enter the aggregators, including SideStep.com, Mobissimo.com and Kayak.com.

"These are the new brand of travel sites on the Internet," Frommer said. "They don't sell fares. They just aggregate information about all the fares available, so they're just advising you on what the airlines are offering.

Everyone should become familiar with them."

When traveling to Europe, Frommer recommends flying through London and connecting to your final destination from there for the best value. London is usually the cheapest flight destination in Europe from the U.S., and there are a number of cut-rate carriers offering flights to other Euro hot spots. CheapestFlights.co.uk is a good place to find connections.

Also, BMIbaby.com and EuroFlyUSA.com are good places to find cheap European air-travel options.

Another way to find deals is to explore U.S. travel firms that specialize in connecting immigrant communities with their country of origin. These companies usually come from within the community, so they often offer customers an inside track on travel options. For example, the Nippon Travel Agency specializes in travel to Japan.

Also, CheapFlights.com offers discounted fares to Amsterdam, Bangkok, Cancun, Delhi, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, San Juan, Tokyo and Toronto.

Travelers who are willing to pick up and go at the last minute can find deals at sites like Moment's-Notice.com for a Caribbean cruise or package-deal vacation in Mexico or the Bahamas. Frommer said Moment's Notice Travel will book people at any Club Med for $85 per night a person if they're willing to depart within seven weeks.

For a last-minute weekend getaway, log on to Site59.com, where New Yorkers could recently score a three-day trip to Los Angeles for $359 per person. That price includes the flight, hotel stay, taxes and other fees. Trips are available to and from a wide variety of U.S. cities and international destinations like Europe, South America, Mexico, Central America, Canada and the Caribbean.

Hang Your Hat

Once you've got your transport nailed down, the second hurdle is finding an affordable place to stay. Most people think immediately of hotels, but nice hotel rooms have become staggeringly expensive at tourist destinations.

Frommer recommends finding an authentic bed & breakfast-- not the kind of small, pricey inn that is commonly referred to as a "B&B." He's talking about the sort of private home that takes in travelers, for a small fee, to stay in an extra room.

It may sound invasive and awkward, but for a sociable person looking for a genuine cultural experience, this is the kind of option that can greatly enrich a travel experience.

"Sometimes, you actually become part of a person's family [at a real B&B] ," said Pauline Frommer. "This is the kind of incredibly personal and unique experience in a place that you just don't get at a fancy hotel chain."

The authentic B&B experience can introduce people to foods, local customs, events and sight-seeing destinations that they would otherwise miss. It can also result in a lasting friendship.

While private homes that take in travelers can be hard to find, they are prevalent in many places.

For an Internet search for B&Bs, try Venere.com. Sometimes the best way to find one is to ask around after you arrive at your destination. Frommer said that in most European cities and towns you can actually present yourself at a local tourism board and request a list of B&Bs.
"That's the way you can truly become a travel genius," Frommer said.

Another way to avoid the hotel scene is to rent a house. This often motivates travelers to use an eat-in kitchen, which can be a money-saver, and it's perfect for families and larger groups. For finding vacation rentals, try VRVO.com. Or, Frommer recommended just typing the name of a city followed by "vacation homes" into Google.

It often yields a long list of possibilities.

Another option is to orchestrate a house swap with another homeowner, whereby both parties can switch places and get free lodging.

The rise of the Internet and a booming real estate market has turned house-swapping into a regular pastime for many homeowners. Sites like InterVac.com and HomeExchange.com have flourished into worldwide networks for house swappers.

Meanwhile, youth hostels have grown to be much less youthful in recent years. Aside from spring break and the summer holiday, hostels have become a haven for middle-aged baby boomers. They're cheap and they're open to all. The same goes for monasteries and convents. No religious beliefs are required to stay in many of these places, and they often open a peephole into a world of peace, beauty and culture that you wouldn't otherwise see.

In New York City, for example, travelers can stay at The House of the Redeemer on the Upper East Side for $75 per night for a single or $100 for a double. A quick Internet search can yield other such religious-affiliated lodgings for similar prices all over the world. Just keep the noise level down and the libations at the local tavern, where an entirely different cultural experience is inevitably available.

Women travelers can visit WomenWelcomeWomen.org.uk to find B&Bs and other travel networks that are available worldwide.

And if you must resort to a hotel stay, there are a few Web sites for travel in Europe that contain hidden gems, including VisitLondon.com and EuroCheapo.com.

And Be Merry

Once you have lodging, the next step is obvious: You need food and drink. Frommer offered two pieces of advice. First, when you go to restaurants as a couple, buy one entree and share it. In many parts of the world, diners are regularly served in excess, and budgeting travelers can exploit that by turning the house specialty into a two-for-one (there are some high-end restaurants, however, where this is not an option). Secondly, large groups should visit the local delicatessens and buy ingredients for a park-bench picnic.

"Buy fresh breads, specialty meats and local cheeses," Frommer advised. "You'll usually end up with a great meal and a chance to enjoy the scenery."

For dining options and other cultural pastimes, guidebooks like Frommer's offer an excellent reference, but he recommends doing other kinds of reading as well in the lead-up to your trip.
"Books of cultural explanation and history are as important a resource as any to liven up your trip and increase your satisfaction," he said.

One final tip: as you get your plans together, avoid packing too many events into the schedule. Leave some time for fate to guide you where it may, and remember that, despite rising prices in the most desirable destinations, the world remains your oyster.

JetBlue adds Long Beach flights out of Sacramento

2006-03-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

(www.sacbee.com)

JetBlue Airways said Tuesday that it will add a second nonstop flight between Sacramento and New York for the summer season beginning June 1, and will launch three daily nonstops between Sacramento and the airline's hub in Long Beach on May 3.

The Long Beach service includes two morning flights and one evening flight. No other airline currently serves that route.

JetBlue, which has developed a loyal following for its in-flight television and low fares, dropped a nonstop flight between Sacramento and Washington, D.C., in December, citing insufficient passenger loads.

But its Sacramento-New York route is apparently generating enough interest to warrant a second flight during the busy summer travel months.

JetBlue's announcement comes one day after Aloha Airlines announced it would add a flight six days a week between Sacramento and Orange County starting May 1.

Travel light to keep costs down

2006-03-07T15:28:00.000-08:00

(www.news.cheapflights.co.uk)

Flybe started charging passengers for checking-in their bags and suitcases last month, and on March 16 Ryanair will be doing the same.

You can be sure other low-cost airlines will be watching how these new charges work out, and if they are a success expect them to become the norm rather than the exception.

Flybe's scheme works by asking those with checked-in luggage to pay £2 per item if they book in advance, or £4 if they don't.

Bosses at the airline say it is only fair that those with just hand luggage should benefit and not have to support fellow travellers who have to check-in large bags and suitcases.

The airline will also rollout an online check-in service very soon that allows people to bypass the queues and which Flybe claims will save them money, and so result in cheaper flights.

Ryanair will charge those carrying hold luggage an extra £2.50 or £5.00 per bag per flight, depending on whether people have pre-booked or not.

And in a bid to persuade more passengers to carry only hand-baggage, all passengers without hold luggage will be able to check-in online when Ryanair starts their service later this month.

However, holidaymakers going away for two weeks in the sun, or families with young children who need baby items, toys and books, will not welcome these extra costs.

Problems may also arise at check-in itself where alongside confirming ticket details, looking over passports and issuing boarding passes, staff will have to take payments for bags placed in the hold.

And if everyone starts taking hand luggage on the plane will boarding a jet take longer as people struggle to place items in overhead lockers?

If you don't want to pay any extra for putting bags in the hold then the easiest thing to do is not fly with Flybe or Ryanair - but that may not be possible.

Obviously booking in advance will save you some money, but remember the charge is per bag so look to use a relatively large bag and pack things tightly.

But be aware of weight limits on baggage being checked-in, for Flybe it is 25kg, on Ryanair it is 20kg and they don't allow you to share allowances between people.

One of the best ways to save space when packing is to think long and hard about what you want to take.

Write a list and double check if you really need three pairs of jeans, four sets of shoes and a travel kettle.

Accor reshuffles hotels portfolio ahead of results

2006-03-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

(www.today.reuters.com)

PARIS.- French hotels group Accor SA said on Monday it would sell 82 hotel buildings in Europe and the United States as part of its strategy of focusing on management of its properties.

Accor, which is due to present its 2005 results on Wednesday, sold six of its "Sofitel" brand hotels in the United states to a joint venture comprising itself, GEM Realty Capital and Whitehall Street Global Real Estate Partnership 2005 for $370 million.

It said it would hold a 25 percent stake in the joint venture, which could provide "opportunities to expand under management contracts the Sofitel network in North America".

Accor also announced the sale of 71 "Novotel", "Mercure" and "Ibis" hotel buildings in France and Belgium to Fonciere des Murs for 583 million euros ($700.9 million). The deal also included 5 health spa institutes in France.

Accor said it would continue to manage the French and Belgian hotels for at least 12 years, renewable up to 60 years.

Under the agreement with Fonciere, Accor will pay rent equal on average to 14 percent of revenues with no minimum guaranteed.

It said the agreement should reduce earnings volatility.

Travel notes

2006-03-06T15:18:00.000-08:00

(www.freep.com)

THEME PARKS: 'Jaws' ride is back

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Universal Orlando has reopened its "Jaws" adventure ride, after using it only occasionally since last year.

The theme park refurbished the ride before reopening it in February. Since September, park officials had opened the ride only for after-hours events and holiday crowds.

The ride is based on the best-selling 1974 novel "Jaws" by the late Peter Benchley and the 1975 blockbuster movie by Steven Spielberg.

Universal closed the ride shortly after opening it in 1990 because of mechanical difficulties. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1993.
The "Jaws" ride will remain open at least through the end of summer, Schroder said.

GUIDES: Sunday's best, worldwide

Quick, what's the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon in New York? Or Madrid? St. Petersburg? Istanbul?

National Geographic has just published "The 10 Best of Everything: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers" by globe-trotting writers Nathaniel and Andrew Lande ($19.95).

The book lists the father-and-son team's 10 favorites in many categories, from the best U.S. national parks to the best steak houses around the world. But the most appealing section of the book may well be "The 10 Best Things to Do on a Sunday Afternoon."

In Rome, the Landes recommend the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme's collection of Greek and Roman statuary, mosaics and frescoes, visiting an outdoor cafe in the La Pace neighborhood, touring the Catacombs of San Callisto, checking out the Pasta Museum and lunching at the Roman Garden in the Hotel d'Inghilterra.

In London, the Landes believe a perfect Sunday should include tea at Claridge's, a matinee at the Palace Theatre, a stroll around fashionable Chelsea, visits to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew and the National Gallery, and a boat ride on the Thames.

In New York, the Landes' must-sees include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Frick Collection, a walk in Central Park and a boat ride past the Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island.

TOURS: Disney's new adventures

You probably won't run into Mickey Mouse in Costa Rica, but Disney is offering guided tours there and to six other destinations this year.

Adventures by Disney started last year with trips to Hawaii and Wyoming. This year the company is adding tours to London, Paris, Italy and the Canadian Rockies in addition to Costa Rica.

The cost ranges from $2,699 to $3,699 per person, including accommodations, excursions and some meals but not airfare from home.

The trips last seven or eight days. Most trips welcome families with children ages 8 and up, but a few are for adults ages 18 and up.

TRAVEL CONSULTANTS: BEST PEOPLE REQUIRED!

2006-02-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

(www.etravelblackboard.com)

One of the county’s largest online travel companies is growing again and we need you NOW!! HELP…. We can’t stop growing!

Our national telephone and Internet centre is based in Perth, Western Australia and is the busiest travel sales and reservations centre in Australia.
Our booking centre is open 24 hours EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.

Who are we looking for ?

No matter what age you are, you have been travelling the world for the last few years and now want to get back on the financial ladder and share your passion for travel….or….you have been working in a normal high street travel agent for a couple of years and have realised what a dead end boring job it is... Or... you have been working for a wholesaler as an order taker and are fed up with being a robot... or... you have been working for other travel Internet call centres and are fed up with false promises, sale targets and caps on earnings!

Our sales team are the biggest earners in the Industry and several have earned well over $70,000.

These earnings do not come on a plate, you must be passionate about travel and have a first class work ethic. If you have these abilities and you want to better your self, economically and socially, then we are waiting to talk to you.

WARNING

Your life will change, we are not only the hardest working, biggest earners, most professional travel company in the land, we are also renowned for being social monsters.

Our web site is one of the most visited in Australia at www.bestflights.com.au. Please send your resume to jobs@bestflights.com.au or by snail mail to 299 Vincent Street, Leederville, WA 6007.

Singapore Airlines starts flights to Abu Dhabi

2006-02-28T13:38:00.000-08:00

(www.traveldailynews.com)

From 1 March 2006 Singapore Airlines will commence a three times weekly service to Abu Dhabi, offering customers the convenience of a direct flight between Singapore and the federal capital of United Arab Emirates.“Abu Dhabi is Singapore Airlines’ second destination in the UAE, after Dubai.

This service will benefit business and leisure travelers who want direct and convenient links between Singapore, South East Asia and South West Pacific and the Gulf region,” said Mr Huang Cheng Eng, Singapore Airlines’ Executive Vice President, Marketing and the Regions.

Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven Emirates that comprise the UAE. An exporter of oil since the 1960s, Abu Dhabi is a modern and prosperous state and in recent times, this Emirate has emerged as a major financial hub in the Middle East, while also enhancing its reputation as a leading Middle Eastern tourist destination.

Singapore Airlines will be the only airline operating between Abu Dhabi and Singapore.

This new service compliments existing flights to Dubai and will continue on to Jeddah on Saudi Arabia.With the introduction of Singapore Airlines service to Moscow via Dubai, also on 1 March 2006, the re-routing of the three-times-weekly Jeddah flights via Abu Dhabi will see Singapore Airlines serve the UAE thirteen times weekly: ten times to Dubai and three times to Abu Dhabi.

Take Advantage of United's Low Fares and Discover Your New Favorite Part of the World

2006-01-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

United and Lufthansa Offer Fares to Cities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa
and India
CHICAGO, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Beginning today through
Feb. 7, 2006, customers have an opportunity to buy low-fare tickets on United
Airlines and Lufthansa to more than 300 international destinations in Europe,
the Middle East, Africa and India. Customers can book their travel either at
http://united.com or http://lufthansa-usa.com or by calling United
Reservations at 1-800-UNITED1 (1-800-864-8331).
Sample fares on United and Lufthansa are each way based on required
roundtrip purchase by Feb. 7, 2006. Fares below are valid for travel from
Jan. 31, 2006, through March 31, 2006. Sample fares are valid for travel on
select off-peak days; see below or visit http://united.com or
http://lufthansa-usa.com :
Europe:
-- $172 - Chicago - London*
-- $252 - Chicago - Paris*
-- $286 - Chicago - Warsaw*
-- $268 - Los Angeles - Amsterdam*
-- $180 - New York City - Frankfurt*
-- $334 - San Francisco - Rome*
-- $304 - Seattle - Brussels *
-- $172 - Washington, D.C. - London*
-- $226 - Washington, D.C. - Munich*
-- $218 - Washington, D.C. - Zurich*
Middle East, Africa and India:
-- $564 - Chicago - Jeddah*
-- $741 - Chicago - New Delhi*
-- $640 - Los Angeles - Addis Ababa*
-- $396 - Los Angeles - Cairo*
-- $474 - New York City - Accra*
-- $322 - New York City - Tel Aviv*
-- $376 - San Francisco - Casablanca*
-- $416 - San Francisco - Dubai*
-- $550 - Washington, D.C.- Johannesburg*
* For the fares above, service is provided by United Airlines, Ted(SM) or
Lufthansa, except where noted. Portions of this service may be operated by
the following carriers doing business as United Express(R) or as codeshare
partners: Adria Airways, Air Dolomiti, Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation,
Augsburg Airways, Austrian Airlines, Air One, bmi, Chautauqua Airlines(R),
Cimber Air, Contact Air, Croatia Airlines, Czech Airlines, Eurowings, LOT
Polish Airlines, Lufthansa CityLine, Mesa Airlines, Republic Airlines(R), SAS
Scandanavian Airlines, Shuttle America, SkyWest(R), South African Airlines,
Spanair, Swiss International Airlines, TAP Air Portugal and Trans States
Airlines.
Customers will earn 1,000 bonus miles every time they purchase qualifying
travel at http://united.com , which also offers the guaranteed lowest United
fares. Customers can also earn 500 bonus miles each time they check in for a
United flight using EasyCheck-in Online** at http://united.com by June 30,
2006. Both of these bonus mile offers enable customers to earn an additional
2,000 miles per flight. See fare facts below for additional details.
About Lufthansa
From its Frankfurt and Munich hubs, Lufthansa provides one of the most
extensive global networks of any major airline, serving 355 cities in more
than 90 countries worldwide, including 19 North American gateways. For
further information visit http://lufthansa-usa.com or call Lufthansa
reservations at 800-645-3880.
About United
United Airlines (OTC Bulletin Board: UALAQ) operates more than 3,400
flights a day on United, United Express and Ted to more than 200 U.S. domestic
and international destinations from its hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C. With key global air rights in the
Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Latin America, United is one of the largest
international carriers based in the United States. United is also a founding
member of Star Alliance, which provides connections for our customers to 790
destinations in 138 countries worldwide. United's 57,000 employees reside in
every U.S. state and in many countries around the world. News releases and
other information about United can be found at the company's Web site at
http://united.com .
FARE FACTS: Fares above are each way based on required roundtrip purchase
for United Economy(R) travel on United Airlines(R), Ted(SM), United Express(R)
carriers, and Economy Class on Lufthansa. Tickets purchased through United
reservation offices are $10 per ticket higher and tickets purchased at airport
ticket counters are $15 per ticket higher. Fares purchased through other
distribution channels may also be higher. When purchasing from United, always
go to http://united.com to find United's lowest fares. Seats are limited and
may not be available on all flights/dates. Purchase Requirements: Tickets
must be purchased at least 7 days in advance and ticketed within 72 hours of
making reservations, but no later than 2/7/06. Sale fares apply to U.S.
point-of-sale only. Reservations and ticket purchases on united.com or
lufthansa-usa.com must be completed simultaneously. Travel Days/Dates: Fares
are valid Monday through Thursday with travel commencing between 1/31/06 and
3/31/06. Fares for other days of the week are higher. Blackout Dates: Fares
do not have blackout dates. Min./Max. Stay: A Saturday night minimum stay is
required. The maximum stay is 30 days. Additional Taxes/Fees: Fares do not
include the September 11th Security Fee of up to $10 maximum per roundtrip or
Passenger Facility Charges of up to $18, which may be collected depending on
the itinerary. All international fares are subject to U.S. arrival and
departure taxes and agricultural, immigrations and customs fees of up to $41.
For travel to some countries, additional airport, transportation, embarkation,
security, duty, and passenger service taxes/surcharges of up to $140 will
apply depending on destination. For return travel from some countries, fares
do not include airport and/or departure taxes of up to $36, which may be
collected by the foreign government. Itinerary Changes -- United: Tickets are
non-refundable, but the return portion may be changed for a fee of $200,
provided the new itinerary is within the parameters of this offer, minimum and
maximum stay requirements are met, and the origin and destination are not
changed. If the reservation is cancelled before the ticketed departure date,
the itinerary may be rebooked up to one year from the original ticket issue
date for a service charge of $200. If a reservation if not cancelled before
the ticketed departure date, the ticket has no value. Itinerary Changes --
Lufthansa: Tickets are non-refundable, but the return portion may be changed
for a $200 fee, provided the new itinerary is within the parameters of the
offer, minimum and maximum stay requirements are met, and the origin and
destination are not changed. Other Conditions: Fares, fees and taxes are
subject to change without notice. Lower fares may be available to select
destinations. Fares are based on the most direct routing to each destination.
Additional transfers and select routings may increase the fare. Other
restrictions may apply.
**EasyCheck-In Online Terms and Conditions
EasyCheck-In Online Bonus Miles Terms and Conditions Promotional period
valid November 15, 2005 through June 30, 2006.
United.com EasyCheck-In online requirements: Check in between 1 and 24
hours prior to your scheduled departure. Travel on a United, Ted or United
Express flight. Travel within the U.S including Alaska, Hawaii, San Juan,
Puerto Rico, or St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
EasyCheck-In Online restrictions: International (inbound and outbound);
Certain flights with special service requests like wheelchair, unaccompanied
minor, oxygen, firearm, etc.; Tickets with E-ticket mismatch; Tickets with
Service charges due; Groups /passenger on a group ticket; IROP tickets.
Other Conditions: Combinable with other offers. Offer may be earned 10
times up to a maximum of 5,000 miles. No registration is required. Offer valid
for travel on paid tickets only and cannot be earned for travel on award
tickets. Valid on United, United Express and Ted flights.
Bonus valid for checking in on united.com only. Must check in using
Mileage Plus Number. Bonus not valid for check in outside of domestic
united.com site. Bonus is in addition to paid flight miles and any applicable
elite and class-of-service bonuses. Flights must be credited to the Mileage
Plus account in order to qualify. 1,000 mile booking bonus offer: E-Fares and
award travel are not eligible for the 1,000 mile booking bonus offer. Bonus
miles will be awarded to the passenger booking the flight(s). The passenger
booking the flight shall be the united.com registered user logged into the Web
site. Mileage Plus membership number must be provided at the time of purchase
in order to receive the bonus miles awarded in connection with this offer.
Round-trip travel required. A roundtrip is defined as travel from an origin
city to a destination city with return travel beginning in the outbound
destination city back to the first origin city with all segments on United(R),
Ted(R), or United Express(R). One-way and open-jaw itineraries do not
qualify, nor do United-marketed code-share flights operated by other carriers.
Qualifying flights must be posted to the Mileage Plus account to qualify for
this bonus. Bonus miles do not count toward Elite status. Miles accrued,
awards issued and bonus offers are subject to the rules of the United Mileage
Plus Program. Taxes and fees related to award travel are the responsibility of
the passenger. Offer valid for residents of US only. Offer subject to change
without notice. Other restrictions may apply.
Worldwide Press Office
Days: 847.700.5538
Evenings/Weekends: 847.700.4088
SOURCE United AirlinesWeb Site: http://www.united.com http://lufthansa-usa.com

Sensenbrenner's travel scrutinized

2006-01-24T21:04:00.000-08:00

Republican took 5 privately funded trips last year
BY FREDERIC J. FROMMER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, who has been one of the most active congressional travelers for years, took five privately funded trips last year totaling $39,000, an Associated Press review has found.
Soon, Sensenbrenner may be forced to scale back as Congress considers banning such trips.
Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., led all members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation in both frequency of trips and costs. Another Republican, Rep. Paul Ryan, was second with four trips totaling $23,000.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., has proposed banning all privately funded travel in response to the Jack Abramoff scandal. Abramoff, a lobbyist convicted of felony charges related to congressional influence peddling, provided gifts, expensive meals and golf trips to lawmakers.
Sensenbrenner, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, traveled to Europe, Japan and Las Vegas, and twice to San Francisco last year, congressional records show.
Two trade associations that have business before his committee — the National Cable & Telecommunications Association and the National Association of Broadcasters — paid to fly Sensenbrenner and his wife to speak to their groups. He met with the cable group in San Francisco and the broadcasters in Las Vegas.
Sensenbrenner declined an interview request last week, but his spokesman, Raj Bharwani, defended the travel.
"He is of the opinion that when he takes privately funded travel, that doesn't mean he's being unduly influenced," Bharwani said. Bharwani said that Sensenbrenner came out against a proposed digital conversion deadline favored by the broadcasting industry because of the extra cost to consumers.
"He's not a yes man," Bharwani said. "The purpose of these meetings is to have a dialogue." He added that Sensenbrenner gets prior approval from the House ethics committee for the trips.
"There is a difference between junkets — people playing golf — and his trips," Bharwani said. "He doesn't play golf. His trips are packed with meetings."
Sensenbrenner is opposed to a ban on privately funded travel, Bharwani said.
In February, Sensenbrenner and his wife traveled to Paris; Stuttgart, Germany; and Liechtenstein to participate in congressional roundtables on economic, monetary, trade and foreign policy issues. The International Management and Development Institute, which promotes dialogue between business and government leaders, picked up the $16,200 tab.
Last fall, the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission spent $11,400 to cover the couple's travel expenses to Tokyo, where Sensenbrenner met with members of the Japanese parliament.
Sensenbrenner also traveled to San Francisco to give a speech to his alma mater, Stanford University.
Last year's pace was not unusual for Sensenbrenner. In a report in April, Political Money Line, which tracks money in politics, found that Sensenbrenner took $168,000 worth of privately funded trips since 2000 — more than any other lawmaker.
Larry Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, said trade associations pay for members to attend their events so they can lobby them.
"If they put you up in a nice hotel, that gives rise to the appearance of buying influence with a member," he added.
Ryan, meanwhile, said he opposes a ban on privately funded travel but would support a ban on trips paid for by corporations.
"I just think there you're skirting the line, and that's where a trip could move from educational to pleasure," he said of corporate-funded travel. "And these trips should not be about pleasure, but about policy, substance and education."
Ryan's trips were paid for by the Heritage Foundation, the Club for Growth, the Claremont Institute for Statesmanship and Political Philosophy, and the America Israel Educational Foundation.
"I'm concerned about a total ban because some of these are fantastic educational trips that make us better members of Congress," he said. "We need to ban the lobbying junkets — the golf course in Scotland — and I think we should have the ethics committee pre-approve trips."
Ryan's most expensive trip was to Israel, funded by the America Israel Educational Foundation at a cost of nearly $15,000.
"I learned more about the Middle East peace process in a few days than I could have going to 100 congressional hearings on the topic," Ryan said, adding that he met with both Palestinian and Israeli leaders. "Given that I have to vote on these foreign policy issues repeatedly each year, I think it made me a better decision-maker."
Four members of the delegation took no privately funded trips last year: Republican Rep. Mark Green, Democratic Rep. David Obey, and the state's two Democratic senators, Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold.
Feingold, a longtime advocate of curtailing the influence of special interests on Congress, said last week he supports a complete ban on privately funded travel, "with the possible limited exceptions for certain charitable groups that don't lobby."
"If a trip is worth taking, members of Congress

Travel agency comes out against in-flight mobiles

2006-01-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

It may come as surprising news to the many who spend countless hours crossing back and forth across the Tasman, trapped in time zone issues that shrink some business days to a handful of hours, but a major corporate travel agency says neither we nor our Australian counterparts want mobile network connectivity on flights.That's especially surprising since it is the data functions -- email, in particular -- that differentiate business needs from those of consumers when it comes to mobile phones and staying (inter)connected with that data stream is often critical. If there's a handy way to get your email on a flight -- and respond -- there won't be many corporate customers up in arms about the possibility.Increasingly, taking that four (or 24) hour flight doesn't have to mean stepping out of the loop -- even though most airlines implementing the services charge a pretty penny for the option. That's because new technology being installed on some forward-looking carriers means connectivity -- for mobiles, laptops and other information shuttling tools -- is possible anywhere in the air. But, says FCm Travel Solutions, we don't want it and "we're happy to be able to leave [our] mobile phones switched off when flying." Or, at least, there is "no clamour from New Zealand corporates" to install the technology -- and so no competitive advantage for airlines to install it. It's exactly the same story in Australia, where the travel agency's commercial director for Asia Pacific said he did not "see any business advantage for an airline in Australia in offering mid-air mobile use." Here, Travel Solutions general manager Christian Casbolt said feedback from the company’s customers from both sides of the Tasman had been largely against mobiles in the air. That negative message was so orchestrated on both sides of the Tasman, in fact, it reads like a campaign against implementing the service. In both cases, Travel Solutions highlighted all the negatives -- potential risks to avionics and passenger vexation over intrusive behaviour highest among them -- and none of the positives (e.g., being able to sell your shares mid-flight, so you don't land a bankrupt). On both sides of the Tasman the agency also ran up a "privacy" red flag, claiming business people would be reluctant to speak on mobile phones while a competitor was potentially sitting nearby. That's true in cafes and on site visits as well, however, and it usually means the parties to a private call "take it outside" -- or, more wisely, to an isolated area of the aircraft. What's most troubling about the anti-phone lobby is that it is largely based on concerns about voice in a way that hasn't kept up with the technologies many corporate customers use every day. In-flight broadband is a highly requested feature among passengers on long haul flights, for example -- and any number of voice over internet protocol services, like Skype, allow users to make and receive phone calls using broadband. It's likely a moot point, however. Carriers are implementing services to allow passengers to establish connectivity in the air and what one has, all others will eventually have -- and the distinctions between small and medium form factors (e.g., phones and laptops) will come very quickly to be seen as highly arbitrary. Safety concerns, high on many minds after years of listening to dire warnings from cabin crew about avionic interference from mobiles, will be soothed by the presence of "pico cells" on board, allowing mobiles to operate at such low power levels they pose no threat. Similar devices enable broadband already, and do a very good job -- with a few latency issues in some applications. One option that's being widely tipped are "no call" zones on aircraft -- sections where mobile phone use would be prohibited. Presumably, laptop users will be prohibited in those areas from using VoIP, as well.However they do it, airlines (and travel representatives) would do better to plan for it now than simply imagine there's no interest in having it on board.

New Hotel Coming to Reading A Good Chance Story

2006-01-20T01:29:00.000-08:00

The Sovereign Center in downtown Reading could be getting some high priced company.Two and a half million dollars in federal money has been committed to the Hotel and Convention Center project in Reading.WFMZ's Joel D. Smith is live outside the Sovereign Center with the details.Rob, its money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and it was made official this week.With this 2.5 million dollars and some other funds, the Hotel and Convention Center which would be right here is just about paid for, but it won't get built until there's enough money for what else needs to go here, a parking garage with maybe 1 thousand spaces.But local leaders are optimistic, soon enough it will all happen.Jon ScottIts a great plan and great project and would be a great asset for the entire region.ReporterThey are talking big and thinking bigger at Berks Economic Partnership.They envision a new Hotel and Convention Center anchoring Reading's part of a Penn Street overhaul, stretching all the way to Wyomissing.It would surely attract new conventions, but the 200 additional rooms are needed for existing ones as well.During last summer's Jehovah's Witness Convention, the Sovereign Center was packed, and hotel options were few and far between.Mayor Tom McMahonThere was 6 thousand people a night coming in and sometimes more than that over the weekend.They're staying in rooms all over the county and beyond.This will help make us more attractive.ReporterA developer is said to be ready to go once the city finds the rest of the money for the project.It could come from the state, or other sources, and the total is about ten million dollars.Al Boscov is spearheading the efforts.Al BoscovWhat happened yesterday with the grant and the loan is a small step in what we have to do, but we're going to keep working on it, so hopefully we'll have a lovely hotel and garage, but we can't do one without the other.Getting that extra money is the key, but if it happens within the next 3 months, this project could really fast track.Best case scenario, they break ground here by the end of the year, and finish it by 2007.In Reading, Joel D. Smith, 69 News Berks Edition.

Hilton May Sell Some Hotels

2006-01-20T01:15:00.000-08:00

Hilton Hotels (HLT:NYSE - commentary - research - Cramer's Take) has discussed the possibility of selling some recently acquired hotels to a buyout group, according to a published report Thursday.
Reuters said the company has talked with firms including Blackstone Group about a potential sale. Hilton Hotels, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., would continue to manage the properties under a long-term contract, the report, which cited an unnamed person, indicated.

Last month, Hilton Hotels said it would buy the lodging assets of the U.K.'s Hilton Group in a $5.71 billion deal to reunite the Hilton brand. Hilton International, a division of the Hilton Group, owns the rights to the Hilton brand outside the U.S. Hilton Hotels spun off Hilton International in 1964, but the companies have had a marketing arrangement since 1997.
Shares of Hilton Hotels were gaining 31 cents to $24.87.

Sayaji Hotels board issues shares on preferential basis

2006-01-20T01:14:00.000-08:00

Sayaji Hotels (Q, N,C,F)* Ltd`s board of directors have approved and consider to offer, issue and allot on a preferential basis of 64 lakh equity shares of Rs 10 each for cash at a premium of Rs 40 per share issued to promoters and strategic investors. The board has also considered and approved the offer, issue and allotment on a preferential basis of 10 lakh convertible warrants to the promoter or associates each warrant convertible any time before the expiry of 18 months, from its allotment into 1 fully paid up equity share of the company, at an exercise price which in not lower than the minimum price specified as per clause 13.1.1.1 of Chapter XIII of SEBI Guidelines but not higher than Rs 50 per warrants, and the issue of fresh equity shares on the conversion of the warrants, on such terms and conditions, subject to the approval of the shareholders of the company. The board of directors has further considered and agreed to convene an extra ordinary general meeting of the company for obtaining the consent of the shareholders with respect to the aforementioned allotment of equity shares and convertible warrants. Shares of Sayaji Hotels were last traded on BSE at Rs 61.4, up by 9.94 per cent.

06 Transaero to Build Hotels in St.-Petersburg

2006-01-20T01:13:00.000-08:00

SANKT-PETERSBURG, January 20. /FIS/. The airline is set to significantly develop the network of long-distance flights from St.-Petersburg. It intends to open over 20 new flights, including such destinations as the Caribbean, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Canada, USA, China, and Thailand. Besides, Transaero plans to take part in the implementation of St.-Petersburg's hotel infrastructure development program in 2006-2009 by building up several hotels of the capacity of 100-150 rooms each.

Travel Security: The Risks of Public Transportation

2006-01-20T01:12:00.001-08:00

Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a seven-part series on personal security for international travelers.Travelers who rely on public transportation to move around some areas of the world risk losing their wallets or purses -- if not their lives -- to criminal or terrorist elements. Recent history has shown that buses, taxis and even subways can be extremely dangerous. When at all possible, then, travelers are better off using private transportation, or at least exercising the utmost caution while even in the vicinity of public transport -- as the Jan. 19 suicide bombing near the Old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv, Israel, proved. By far, the most common threat to passengers on buses and at bus stations is petty crime such as pickpocketing. Bus stations and the buses themselves can -- and often do -- make excellent terrorist targets, however. Although apparently not the main site of the Jan. 19 attack, three previous attacks have occurred in the vicinity of Tel Aviv's Old Central Bus Station since 2000. In Baghdad, bus stations also are frequently targeted by suicide bombers. Buses are one of the favored militant targets because they present not only the opportunity to kill or maim a large number of people, but also because they allow the bomber to target a specific demographic group, such as Shia heading to a shrine south of Baghdad or Israeli soldiers waiting at a bus station in Tel Aviv. These are basic targeting criteria for militants.Taxis also present a significant degree of risk in many countries, where visitors have been robbed or abducted while in a taxi from the local airport or while riding around city streets. In many cases taxi drivers actually belong to criminal gangs who use the driver to deliver unwitting passengers to armed accomplices waiting nearby. From there, the visitor can become the victim of an "express kidnapping," in which he is forced to withdraw money from his bank account using his ATM card. In other scenarios, the driver might fake having engine problems or simply stop at a traffic light to give accomplices in a following car an opportunity to enter the cab and rob the passenger. In cities such as Mexico City and Bogota, Colombia, foreigners should never hail a taxi on the street, and should never share a cab with a person other than the driver, including the driver's so-called "brother," or "son," or "cousin," as this often is a prelude to a criminal attack. Furthermore, taxis are not well regulated in many cities, meaning "independent" drivers -- some not using taxi meters -- roam around the streets looking for potential passengers. In parts of the former Soviet Union, including Moscow, people hailing a taxi have had private cars stop to offer rides. In most of the world's more developed countries it is against the law to ride in a taxi that is not accredited or certified by the government -- and those who use such services put themselves at risk not only of falling victim to crime but being caught acting illegally. In India, authorities took steps to safeguard cab riders -- and preserve the country's tourism industry -- following attacks against passengers, including the rape and killing of a female Australian tourist by a New Delhi taxi driver in March 2004. In addition, the Indian Tourism Ministry established a special taxi service for women. Of course, this is no guarantee that all taxis in the country are safe. In China, on the other hand, the Beijing airport operates regulated and well-secured taxi lines, and the taxi companies provide a card and pamphlet (in poor English) to call to complain if the service is unsatisfactory.In many cities worldwide, international travelers often prefer to use the subway or metro system, finding it cheaper, faster, less language-dependent and more reliable than taxis or buses. The threat of petty crime and terrorist attack, however, is no less significant on this mode of transportation. To mitigate these threats, hiring a private car service often is the best way to go -- and reputable cars for hire can be reserved in advance through hotels or reliable local sources such as business contacts. Many hotels also have exclusive arrangements with accredited taxi companies. In many cities, especially ones in the developing world, business visitors often are met at the airport by company vehicles with drivers who sometimes double as armed security escorts. As a precaution, waiting drivers should not hold out a sign with the passenger or company's name on it at the airport, as it could attract kidnappers or extortionists who know companies will pay ransoms. Detailed and customized information about specific threats to travelers overseas can be obtained by utilizing a private security consulting firm. In addition, consular information sheets provided by the U.S. State Department and similar services provided by the British and Australian foreign ministries list common crime and/or transportation problems for particular countries.

Hotels reporting fewer guests 20 January 2006

2006-01-20T01:12:00.000-08:00

Hotels and motels are starting to feel the pinch from falling tourist numbers.
Figures issued yesterday by Statistics New Zealand revealed that short-term guest nights were 2.6 million, 1 per cent lower in November than the same time the previous year.
Ten of the 12 regions recorded fewer guest nights compared to the previous November.
The only regions to report an increase in total guest nights were Wellington, up 13,000 or 7 per cent; and Otago, up 13,000 or 4 per cent.
Canterbury reported the largest absolute decrease, down 30,000 or 6 per cent.
New Zealand Hotel Council chairman Steve Kirkpatrick said the council's own figures showed a bleaker picture.
Hotel Council figures showed hotel occupancy was down 5 per cent in Queenstown and Auckland in November compared to last year and Wellington was down 4 per cent.
"We've been saying for a while the bubble has deflated and that things are heading down."
Mr Kirkpatrick put the tail-off down to the strength of the dollar, making New Zealand more expensive for overseas visitors, the cost of long-haul travel and cheap short-haul flights enticing Kiwis overseas.
"We need the dollar to come down, we need it to look more favourable from a yen and a US dollar perspective."
Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive Tim Cossar put Wellington's success down to its investment in promoting the city in Australia and New Zealand.
But Mr Cossar warned 2006 could be tighter.
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"This past holiday season was tough for a lot of Wellington hoteliers . . .
"We can't rest on our laurels."
Figures from Statistics New Zealand made public last month showed short-term visitor arrivals fell 3 per cent (by 5900) in November this year compared to November last year.
Mr Kirkpatrick said New Zealand's long-running 100 per cent Pure New Zealand marketing campaign had been successful but suggested it might now need reinvigorating.
Tourism New Zealand, which markets the nation overseas, also needed a budget increase to keep up with the competition from other countries, he said.
Yesterday's figures revealed that three of the five types of accommodation reported fewer guest nights in November 2005.
The largest absolute fall was in
motels, down 34,000 or 4 per cent; followed by caravan parks/camping grounds, down 23,000 or 5 per cent.
Hotels had the largest absolute
rise, with guest nights up 26,000 or 3 per cent.
Accommodation capacity was 7 per cent higher in November 2005 than November 2004.

Four Star and Five Star Hotels Now Offered by Four Corners Hotels

2006-01-20T01:11:00.000-08:00

Luxury is the name of the game when travelers stay at one for the four star hotels and five star hotels around the world now being offered by Four Corners Hotels a leading travel company.
Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) January 20, 2006 -- Four star hotels and five star hotels are now being offered by Four Corners Hotels, one of the world's leading hotel providers. These luxury hotels offer vacationers and business travelers another option when they book their hotel, in the city of their choice, through Four Corners. These hotels are offered at the same discounted prices as their budget hotels representing true value along with the utmost in comfort. “Our service is based around ease of use for our clients,” said Dylan Downhill, one of the founders of Four Corners Hotels. “We have one of the largest databases of hotels around the world and they are all deeply discounted. This represents true value for our customers.” Five-star hotels are international luxury hotels, where quality is the name of the game. These luxurious hotels offer first-class accommodation, high standards of services and an extensive list of facilities. Five star hotels can range in size from large to boutique hotels. When travelers refer to five-star hotels in the United States it means that they have been awarded five-star status by Mobil Travel Guide inspectors. Four-star hotels come close to the same level of luxury but may lack some specific technical requirements such as the size of the bathroom.Four Corners Hotels makes it easy to book a hotel. On their newly designed website you can quickly search for a hotel by destination, airport, hotel name, or specific type of hotel.For example, if travelers are looking for a hotel in London they can do a search by city http://www.fourcornershotels.com/index.php/GB--London which results in a list of 127 hotels. However a specific search for four star hotels http://www.fourcornershotels.com/Hotels_4_Star.php/GB--London narrows the search to 40 hotels. And undertaking a search for five star hotels http://www.fourcornershotels.com/Hotels_5_Star.php/GB--London results in 10 luxury hotels.Four Corners Hotels makes it easy for the traveler. They offer all types of hotels from luxurious to budget. These hotels are offered in cities around the world including Europe and the USA. They are a popular choice amongst travelers because they represent true value which is reflected in both price and quality. Their destinations include European cities such as London, Dublin, Rome, Prague, Amsterdam and Barcelona and US cities including New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Phoenix.About Four Corners Hotels:Four Corners Hotels provides hotel deals for popular destinations including discounted reservations at first class hotels worldwide. Four Corners Hotels is a world wide hotel reservation system. For more information, visit http://www.fourcornershotels.com

Cheap flights add to charm of European cities in winter

2006-01-20T01:09:00.000-08:00

Early on a Monday morning in February some years ago, my wife and I went to the Louvre in Paris. We were practically the only people there. I stood four inches away from the Mona Lisa and quietly peered at its details. Only as the day wore on were we joined by a reasonable number of others, almost all of them Parisians, not tourists.
February marks the depth of the low season to Europe, not simply in terms of American tourists, but for visitors from other nations as well. You fly there from the United States (at least from the East Coast) for prices that can sometimes be as little as the round-trip shuttle fare between New York and Boston. You pay modest rates for hotels, and are welcomed and appreciated by waiters, guides, taxi drivers and hotel clerks.
Instead of enduring sky-high prices in the tropics and jam-packed planes to warmer destinations, why not schedule a February week in London, Paris or Prague? Although Europe can suffer an occasional heavy storm or bout of frigid winter blasts, its normal temperatures are rarely as bad as it gets in Chicago or Minneapolis.
As I write these words, many of the trans-Atlantic carriers have announced a sales price for February of $286 round-trip between New York and London, with corresponding low fares from other U.S. cities. Although that sale carries a deadline date for booking that will have passed by the time you read this, you can bet that several of the lesser trans-Atlantic carriers and even some majors will be using behind-the-scenes airfare consolidators and search engines to continue offering prices around the $286 level when people call to book in late January or early February. The past several winters have seen rock-bottom February airfares to Europe from nearly everywhere in the United States, and there is simply no reason to expect a different policy for February 2006.
While trans-Atlantic airfares are currently cheap, air-and-land packages to Europe are an even greater value. For February travel dates, the top low-cost tour operator to major European capitals, Go-Today.com, is offering round-trip air from New York and six nights accommodations for $399 to London, $449 to Paris, $499 to Rome or Madrid -- with rates of only $100 to $220 more from Los Angeles or San Francisco. While there's a deadline for booking these packages, the long history of Go-Today.com gives an almost certain assurance that when the deadline is reached, Go-Today.com will likely announce a new deadline a few weeks in the future. February is a month when no one in travel wants to turn down business.
Though London, Paris, Madrid and Rome should account for most of the trans-Atlantic February package sales, the cities of central Europe are also bargains at that time (and mercifully uncrowded). Paul Laifer Tours of Parsippany, N.J. (800-346-6314, www.laifertours.com), has already announced reduced rates as low as $499 per person for round-trip air between New York (or Toronto or Montreal) and Prague, and three nights at the Charles Hotel, with inexpensive add-ons from other U.S. cities. And here, there is no booking deadline at all for February departures. The same arrangements are $519 to Budapest, using the Starlight Suites hotel.
For only airfares in February, use Web sites such as 1800flyeurope.com, priceline.com, airlineconsolidator.com or one of a host of others. With the slightest effort, you can spend a fascinating week in Europe at a time when most of its facilities and attractions are wide open.
Arthur Frommer is a syndicated columnist.

New Travel Cards Approved for Border Crossing

2006-01-20T01:07:00.000-08:00

Traveling to and from Mexico and Canada might get easier by the end of this year under a new proposal announced recently by the Bush Administration.
On Tuesday U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said plans are being made to introduce new inexpensive travel cards for border land crossings.
And so far, the new idea is getting a thumbs up in the Valley, unlike a previous proposed travel visa plan that drew sharp criticism on both sides of the border."Well we're excited because it's obvious that they've been listening to what we've been saying," said Cynthia Sakulenzki, President and CEO of the McAllen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
"You know, that we've got problems and that's it's going to have a negative economic effect here in the Rio Grande Valley and all along the border area."
Sakulenzki says she is on a DHS advisory committee and has offered feedback to government officials about concerns that are unique to our region.
She says the new PASS card, or e-passport, will resemble a driver's license. It will be offered at half the cost of a passport, which normally costs $97 to $120.
And according to Chertoff, it will allow U.S. Custom's inspectors to quickly verify citizenship and help eliminate fraud.
At the Hidalgo/Reynosa port of entry, use of illegal documents is a big problem.
"We have a wide variety of documents that people use," said David Moreno, a chief immigration officer for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, stationed there. "And some of them are genuine, some of them are altered, meaning either that some part of the document has been altered, the photo, identification or so forth. And then some are completely counterfeit."
Moreno told us he couldn't comment about the proposed PASS card yet.
Meanwhile, Sakulenzki says the government is still trying to iron out the "kinks" with the card. She says temporary cards are being considered for winter visitors and spring breakers.
And the availability of the PASS cards are still being talked about.
Travelers we spoke with think the card is a positive move. Martha Alicia Estrada, a frequent border crosser, says it's for the safety of all travelers.
Sakulenzki doesn't believe the move would harm our economy and she believes travelers may as well get used to it when it happens.
"It's just a fact of life. I think 9/11 changed a lot of things. And I think it's just a fact of life. It's just part of the security that we need for this country and it's just going to be all over the world," she said.
This new move by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will affect about 23 million Americans, many who cross the border weekly..
Even though they will be available by the end of the year, they will not be required until the end of 2007.

AMERICA WEST: Where Would America Travel for Fifty Cents?

2006-01-20T01:06:00.000-08:00

Thousands Vote Online to Select Destinations for the US Airways Dividend World Mastercard 50 Cent Airfare Promotion - First Week's Destinations Announced: 50 Cent Fares to Rome, Miami, Las Vegas, Hawaii and Los Angeles US Airways (NYSE: LCC) and Barclays (NYSE: BCS) kicked off a first-of-its-kind program that has Americans voting online for their favorite travel destinations then offering them a chance to purchase 50 cent flights to the most popular destinations. Since launching the program on January 3, 2006, thousands of Americans have cast their votes at www.50centflights.com. Most surprisingly, Americans professed their crush on Italy by voting Rome as the top destination. On Wednesday, February 1, whether it's anticipation for the Olympics or the need for a food fix, anyone who has already signed up for a US Airways Dividend World MasterCard from Barclays will be eligible to earn a 50 cent flight on US Airways. February 1 is only the beginning. Cardholders who are Miami sun worshippers, Vegas card sharks, Hawaiian surfers or Los Angeles wannabees also have the chance to purchase 50 cent fares during the first five business days of February. Additional destinations will be announced for each business day throughout the entire month of February and will be available on a first come-first serve basis. While Rome is winning by a landslide over number two destination Las Vegas, the locations least voted are just as interesting: Salina, Kansas; Ontario, California; and Salisbury, Maryland all have received only one vote to date. The top five US destinations rank as follows:1. Las Vegas, Nevada2. Orlando, Florida3. Los Angeles, California4. Honolulu, Hawaii5. Phoenix, ArizonaThe top five International destinations rank as follows:1. Rome, Italy2. Paris, France3. Venice, Italy4. London, England5. Dublin, IrelandTo cast their votes and sign up for the card, consumers can visit www.50centflights.com. In addition to this unique promotion, the US Airways Dividend World MasterCard is offering benefits not found in comparable frequent flier card offerings. The card, issued by Barclays, gives new card members an opportunity to earn a roundtrip ticket on US Airways immediately by awarding 15,000 bonus miles upon activation and up to 10,000 bonus miles for balance transfers. The US Airways Dividend Miles World MasterCard also features a 0% interest rate for the first six months on balance transfers and no annual fee for the first two years. Additionally cardholders earn 50% more miles during their first year using the card -- three miles for every dollar spent on US Airways purchases and 1.5 miles for all other purchases. About US Airways US Airways and America West's recent merger creates the fifth largest domestic airline employing nearly 35,000 aviation professionals. US Airways, US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express operate approximately 4,000 flights per day and serve more than 225 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. This press release and additional information on US Airways can be found at www.usairways.com or www.americawest.com. US Airways is a member of the Star Alliance(R) network, which was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers global reach and a smooth travel experience. The Star Alliance network has been voted Best Airline Alliance by Skytrax in 2003 and 2005. The other members are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, TAP Portugal, THAI, United, and VARIG Brazilian Airlines. South African Airways and SWISS will be integrated during the first half of 2006. Overall, the member carriers offer more than 15,000 daily flights to 790 destinations in 138 countries. (LCCG) About Barclays Barclays PLC is one of the world's largest global financial services providers primarily offering banking, investment banking and investment management services. Present in over 60 countries, Barclays is a leading provider of global services to over 20 million customers and employs more than 110,500 people worldwide. With over 300 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays Plc has six major divisions: -- Barclaycard is one of the largest global credit card companies with14.9 million credit card customers around the world.-- Barclays' UK Banking delivers banking products and services to morethan 14 million personal customers and 762,000 businesses in the UK.-- Barclays Capital is a leading global investment bank which provideslarge corporate, institutional and government clients with solutions totheir financing and risk management needs.-- Barclays Global Investors, a leading provider of investment managementproducts and services is one of the world's largest asset managers.-- Barclays Wealth Management has over £74 billion of customer funds undermanagement.-- International Retail and Commercial Banking -- Barclays provides arange of banking services, including current accounts, savings,investments, mortgages and loans, as well as services to corporatecustomers across Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Africa and the MiddleEast. Barclays operates over 800 international branches under its ownname. It is also responsible for Barclays stake in FirstCaribbeanInternational Bank and Barclays majority stake in Absa, South Africa'slargest retail bank, with over seven million customers.