Find a Travel Agent

I'm considering using a travel agent to plan our honeymoon in the Seychelles. How do we go about finding the right agent? We usually book our own travel, but it seems as if this might be the time to get some professional help.

Good travel agents are right up there with tax preparers, lawn services and computer geeks in the pantheon of Experts Who Can Make Life Easier. The key word being good. Just as with tax preparers and the rest, the best way to find one is by word of mouth from someone you trust. Ask well traveled friends, relatives and colleagues for recommendations. Barring that, the American Society of Travel Agents ASTA has a Find a Travel Agent feature on you can choose.

Study abroad with Rotary Club

Rotary District 7670 in Western North Carolina is seeking high school students interested in living and studying abroad during the 2010 11 school year.To qualify for the Rotary Youth Exchange Program candidates must be full time high school students between the ages of 15 and 18. They should be above average academically, articulate, leaders in their school and communities and have an interest in serving as cultural ambassadors.

Rotary Youth Exchange is sponsored and administered by Rotary International. Each year, more than 8,000 students participate throughout some 40 countries. Each student is sponsored and hosted by local rotary clubs.Over the years, Rotary District 7670 has placed students in countries around the globe including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Russia and Thailand.Students receive free board, lodging, tuition and travel opportunities. Each scholarship is valued at roughly $20,000 with a total cost of $3,000 to $5,000 to students.

bill designed to offer $80 million in grants to students

As many as a million American students could be studying abroad by 2020 if a bill designed to offer $80 million in grants to students, colleges andnongovernmental institutions is approved by the Senate.The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act is part of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011. A similar bill was approved by the House in 2007 but failed to win Senate approval. If passed by the Senate, the new program will have to be approved separately through the appropriations process in order to gain funding.
Ursula Oaks, director of media relations at the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers, an organization that promotes international education, said the legislation will be an educational opportunity for American students.When you think about college, you don’t necessarily think globally,she said. But this gives American students the opportunity to understand the world.

Oaks said, if passed, the bill will increase students studying abroad from 200,000 a year to one million in 10 years.Tanya Saunders, dean of the Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies, said she hopes the college will receive additional funds.If it’s funded, I’m hoping Ithaca College will be in a position to request funds to support study abroad for our students,she said.
Oaks said since the bill has not received funding yet, which institutions will receive funding, and how much they will receive, is unknown.

While the college does not set aside money specifically for study abroad programs, students are able to carry over their personal financial aid package to the affiliated programs of their choice, Saunders said. This helps lift the financial barrier that may otherwise prevent students from traveling abroad.Sophomore Sarah Stapperfenne said she is planning to study abroad next fall. The cost is her largest concern, especially with the exchange rate of the euro.I’m sure I would save money if I didn’t go abroad for a semester, she said. If the money from the bill were to come to Ithaca and if I were to receive any of it, that would definitely be really helpful because studying abroad will end up adding to my debt.

Rachel Cullenen, director of study abroad programs, said it should not cost much more for students to study abroad for a semester than to spend a semester at the college, especially if a student participates in an affiliated program. This estimate, she said, does not take into account extra individual expenses the student may accrue during the semester, such as personal travel
leisure activities.During the 2007-08 academic year, a total of 521 students at the college traveled abroad, including summer, fall and spring semesters. That number dropped to 481 students last year. Saunders said she thinks the 40-student decrease was caused by financial troubles.

This past summer, 105 students traveled abroad, which is a 30 student decrease from the previous summer. But Cullenen said there was actually an increase in students studying abroad this fall compared to last fall, with 130 students studying abroad this semester. This is a 12-student increase from last fall’s number of 118 students.Cullenen said the numbers of students traveling abroad in the spring are going to exceed any previous spring on record. Cullenen said 145 students applied for the London semester alone. Throughout her 10 years working at the college, she said she has never seen as many applications to the London Center as there are for this spring. There are actually more applicants than spots available in the program.

I don’t think the economy is having a tremendous impact, she said.Saunders said while she has seen students defer studying abroad for a year because of financial causes, there is still a large interest in studying abroad.Students are trying to figure out a way to make the dream of overseas study possible, she said. They’re not giving up the notion of overseas study, so that’s a good sign.

Sophomore Brianne Cordima was recently accepted to study in France for the spring semester with the affiliated program Institute for American Universities. She said she is glad her financial aid at the college will transfer to her program.There’s already so much to do while you’re studying abroad, so it definitely makes it a lot easier, she said.Cullenen said there are usually only one or two endowed scholarships for study abroad students, which are usually given to London Center or summer semester applicants. She said she hopes if the bill gets passed, it will give more students the opportunity to study abroad.If more funding becomes available, then that will open the door to study abroad for some students who perhaps think it’s not a financially viable possibility, she said.

SriLankan Airlines launched new flight to Dammam

SriLankan Airlines has launched another flight to Dammam, Saudi Arabia, offering now a total of four flights per week to its Dammam Colombo route, Arab News has reported. SriLankan has two flights from Riyadh and two from Jeddah.

Moroni Paris flights resume in january

Mouigni said the necessary authorisations were granted nearly a month ago and a mission from the French air company led by Gerard Etheve, the Managing Director of Air Austral, was received by the highest authorities in Comoros this week.

According to him, among the issues tackled during talks between Etheve and the Comoran side was the immediate lifting of the technical and operational constraints. There were no details.He said further that the Moroni Paris flights would operate every Tuesday with a stop over at Marseille and return the following day.

Air Pacific starting flights to India Fiji route next two years

Fiji’s international airline, Air Pacific is considering various options of starting a one stop flight service on India Fiji route in the next two years. Currently, working on a code share with Air India, Jet Airways and Cathay Pacific Airlines; the carrier is receiving recordable amount of Indian traffic to Fiji. Starting December 3, 2009; the airline is introducing twice weekly service on Hong Kong Fiji route which is expected to further boost the Indian traffic volume. The airline aims to offer connectivity for travellers from UK, Europe and Asian countries to Fiji, New Zealand and Australia through this service.

Talking about the Indian market and its future plans, Vivek Jain, Managing Director, Griffon Travels General Sales Agent for Air Pacific in India said, India is becoming an important market for major carriers across the world. Due to an increased awareness of destinations like Australia and New Zealand, Fiji is fast emerging as a destination for Indian travellers to explore. More and more Indian travellers wish to explore the island country despite having no direct air connections between both the countries. With this growth prospects, Air Pacific is considering plans to introduce a one-stop service or a direct flight between India and Fiji by 2011. But it all depends on the market conditions and the gap between demand and supply.

Jain further added, Currently, we are recording a growth of over 20-30 per cent from Indian market every year, but with the launch of Hong Kong Fiji service, we expect to grow about 100-150 per cent in next one year. He highlighted the visa on arrival service in Hong Kong and Fiji for Indian travellers, stating that it facilitated even last minute bookings. Mumbai based Beacon Holidays, which recently introduced an exclusive brochure on Fiji is confident about the rise in Indian traffic to Fiji in the coming years. Heena Munshaw, Managing Director, Beacon Holidays said, Day by day Indian travellers are becoming more experimental and adventurous in the way they holiday. The concept of holidaying in short haul destinations in an old story and Indians are now exploring destinations like Hawaii, Iceland, Ireland and Australia. Fiji is a destination for high end segments like FITs, honeymooners, families and incentives. If promoted to the right Indian travel suppliers at the right time, Fiji has the potential to become one of the most popular island destinations for Indian travellers.

PIA schedule flights

ISLAMABAD—More then 160,000 people would be dispatched to Saudi Arabia by total 385 flights of Pakistan International Airline PIA and Saudi Airline for performing Hajj this year.
In an exclusive chat with INP on Thursday, the spokesman of Ministry of Religious Affairs Raja Aftabul Islam said that at least 28,054 pilgrims had so far been reached Saudi Arabia by 73 flights for performing Hajj.

He said that the Hajj Operation to air lift the pilgrims was jointly started by PIA and Saudi Airline form October 21 and would be end on November 25.The Spokesman of the Ministry of Religious Affairs said that according to PIA schedule, at least 78 flights from Islamabad, 52 from Peshawar and 91 flights from Lahore would dispatch the pilgrims for Hajj, adding that 98 flights from Karachi, 31 from Quetta, 5 planes from Rahim Yar Khan and 2 flights from Sukkur would brought the pilgrims Saudi Arabia.Raja Aftabul Islam said that 19 flights from Faisalabad and 8 flights from Sialkot would reach the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for performing the Hajj 2009. PIA had already issued schedule of total 385 flights in this regard, he maintained.

Gulfstream adds more flights

Gulfstream International Airlines will add daily direct flights to Orlando and Tampa beginning Sunday, the carrier announced this afternoon in a move to provide nonstops previously offered by Delta Air Lines.Weekday nonstop service between Orlando and Tallahassee will increase from three round trips to four. The weekday direct flights between Tampa and Tallahassee will increase from four round trips to six, the airline said. Reduced service is offered on the weekend.

We just moved to try to fill all the demand we are seeing out there, said Mickey Bowman, Gulfstream’s vice president of corporate development. With Delta’s departure, we are trying to backfill because of that.The service is operated under Gulfstream’s Continental Connection affiliation with Continental Airlines. Under this arrangement, Gulfstream coordinates pricing and schedules with Continental, giving Gulfstream passengers seamless travel arrangements for ticketing and baggage transfers.

Delta announced in September that it would no longer offer direct flights from Tallahassee to Orlando or Tampa, effective Oct. 1. The airline still flies direct to Fort Lauderdale and to Atlanta, its southeastern hub. American Airlines’ American Eagle service has direct service to Miami from Tallahassee.

Secure alternative study experience abroad

When I decided to go to Trinity, it was a commitment to spend eight semesters in Hartford, on this campus, with my peers. So why, Trinity, did you seem so intent on sending me away for a semester?I am now a senior, and the window for going abroad has passed. Many of my friends went abroad, some for the whole year, most for a single semester. For the most part they contend that their time away was a great, life changing experience. I don't write this in an attempt to dispute that.

I did not go abroad, a conscious choice that I do not regret. There was nowhere that I desperately wanted to go, and I had commitments and opportunities here at Trinity that I would not have had were I away. One of the largest of those was serving as Editor in Chief of this newspaper. The places I could have spent time would not necessarily have contributed in a positive way to my major, and I don't have enough complaints about this campus to want to escape. In fact, going abroad would be completely counter to fixing any of the problems expressed here.

So I didn't go abroad. A choice I was free to make, and as I said, one that I do not regret. The issue that I see here is social pressure, perhaps encouraged by the school, that tells students that going abroad is not only an option, but something that you are supposed to do. Students are bombarded with information from the Office of International Programs OIP e-mail inboxes flooded, mailboxes stuffed, Trinity Exchange crowded, Abroad Fairs heavily publicized. A culture is created by the very successful OIP that makes going abroad seem like the absolute norm.

When I meet new people, regardless of their class year, one of the inevitable questions is Oh, you're a senior Did you go abroad? I tell them no, and they respond with Aw, I'm sorry. Why not? as if something had prevented me from fulfilling this necessary, formative obligation. I am then forced to explain, in what probably sounds like an excuse for hidden indiscretions, that I decided on my own to not go abroad, that I had things to do on campus. Professors and alumni often have similar responses when I tell them that I stayed on campus.

I have a few problems with the abroad programs as well, like that many of my friends described their programs as jokes that helped boost their GPA, and the fact that friends who come back from abroad incessantly talk about their experiences, ignorant to how annoying it is, but my individual qualms are not my point. My point is that I believe it is dangerous to create this culture, a culture that almost criminalizes those who make the conscious choice to spend eight full semesters here. I'm sure that abroad programs make money for the school, and having significant portions of the junior class off campus helps with housing, but I see no need to make it seem like the school wants students gone.

Make it seem like the school wants them to have rich abroad experiences? Absolutely. Make sure that students know this option is there? Without a doubt. Maybe, then, this is an appeal to the student culture more than to the administration or the OIP, though I would be cautious to say that the student sentiment would exist without the pressure from the powers that be. Students need to be aware that it is entirely an option, and that there are people who don't go study abroad.

I won't say that there aren't some bits of staying here that didn't sit so well with me. I missed my friends. It was, at times, discouraging hearing all their stories and seeing all their pictures while I suffered through a New England winter. Many of them did gain amazing cultural experiences, which is fantastic. But just as their time in Europe or Asia or South America or Africa or Australia or wherever they were was a crucial and formative time, so was mine in Hartford. Being here can be, and should be, just as engaging and rich a time as a semester abroad. But it is entirely up to the student, and can be done for four years

Study in Pakistan without registering

Press Secretary of the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair has said that the fact that students go to study abroad without registering according to regulations was a cause for concern.Mohamed Zuhair said this answering a question put forward by Miadhu Daily. He said that from the many Maldivian students studying in Pakistan, parents of about 200 of these students were inquiring about their children’s whereabouts. Zuhair said these 200 or so students went to study in Pakistan without registering and this makes it difficult to search them down.

Some of the names given by the parent’s, the name of the institution in which the students say they are going to study, are not even registered in Pakistan.said Zuhair.He said that government was planning of establishing a hotline in Foreign Ministry to assist Maldivian students in Pakistan. Zuhair said hopefully this hotline will begin its services tomorrow.

He also said that Maldivian parents are desperate to send their children to abroad to attain higher studies and in this hope they send their children even to Pakistan. Zuhair said that parent’s don’t think about checking just which institution their children are going for higher studies and some self proclaimed religious scholars in Maldives take advantage of this situation.

Zuhair further said that government was working to get hold of as many religious scholarships as possible from a government recognized institutions.Miadhu spoke to one student in Pakistan and this student said that the situation is Pakistan was very dangerous. The student further said, We are not sure if we will wake up when we sleep. We don’t know where the next terror target is going to be. We are stuck in a state of fear.

Study abroad programs

In response to last Thursday’s Study Abroad, please consider As a fellow BYU student, my heart goes out to you, and I want you to know that I also felt like there was no way I could afford to study abroad. Please don’t write off this unique opportunity for yourself! Upon investigation, I found out that I could afford some of the BYU study abroad programs, though I myself was very much an average student.

Consider these facts On average, a semester abroad with one of our programs is cheaper than a semester here in Provo when you add up all the living expenses. $8,000 is quite unrealistic to the actual program costs, and the majority of the programs are several thousand dollars cheaper than what you mentioned. If a full semester seems impossible, consider spring and summer terms! They are usually half the cost.

In addition to the usual study abroad options offered here at BYU, there are also internships and field studies that are usually the lowest costing programs, many of them located in developing countries where the cost of living is very low but the experience is life changing. All financial aid, student loans and scholarships you have apply to program costs. I, too, was an average BYU student, but found myself having a far from average experience with my study abroad opportunity. Where there is a will, there is a way. Good luck

Cheap flights to Manila

Cheap flights to Manila will let you know the different cultures, traditions, food and people of this unique city. Plan your holiday for this majestic destination, you will fall in love with this beautiful city.Manila is a bustling and a cosmopolitan city of Philippines and its capital city also. Manila in an enchanting tourist destination in South East Asia which offers various sightseeing, restaurants, parks, gardens, historical monuments and many more. It is situated at the mouth of the Pasig River on the eastern shores of the Luzon Island. It is most visited and a wonderful destination in Philippines.

Flights to Manila will take you to the most amazing holiday destination in Philippines in South East Asia. As the internet is thundering from last few years, many of the travel consolidators from UK have emerged to help the travelers and holidaymakers with online booking of cheap flights to Manila. Manila is a unique city and a must-see destination that offers a variety of cultures and experiences you will surely love to reminisce.

Manila offers a bouncing nightlife, with an astounding array of bars, casinos, clubs, and discotheques. On a holiday in Manila you will find a spectrum of attractions, ranging from colonial edifices and historical and cultural sites to beautiful parks and interesting museum. A big budget is not necessary to relish Manilas finest.

You will get a wide range of cheap flights to Manila with various different airlines at an attractive price range. Cheap holiday packages to Manila are also available with some of the travel consolidators which include flights and accommodation. You will get the best deal of cheap airfares, flights and packages without hurting your pocket. People in this city are very friendly and hospitable by nature. This city has an excellent nightlife with various malls, historical monuments, architectural buildings and many more.

Your holidays in Manila would not be complete without taking a tour to museums in Manila which exhibit various collections of paintings. A good number of parks and gardens also form Manila's attractions. Manila is a venue to enjoy a great number of leisure activities. With cheap flights to Manila, you will experience a great vacation without hurting your pocket.

Chinese New Year, Fiesta of the Black Nazarene, Bailes de Los Arcos, Likhang Kamay, Senakulo are some of the major festivals in Manila. Historical sites includes Manila contains Intramuros and San Augustine Church. Intarmuros are also referred to as the walled city. It contains a good number of forts and dungeons. Sam Augustine church is the oldest church in the city. You can experience a wonderful vacation with cheap airfares and tickets.

Flight to Saint Lucia from New York

JetBlue began a new, nonstop flight to Saint Lucia from New York yesterday, with flights every Monday, Thursday and Sunday. To mark the new service, the airline is offering special fares from $129 each way through Friday for travel between Nov. 2 and February 8, 2010 except around the busy December holidays, or about $345 round trip, when taxes and fees are added in.

American, which has a competing flight to St. Lucia, is running sales to St. Thomas and St. Croix, with fares as low as $91 each way for travel Oct. 22 to Dec. 15, not including taxes and fees. Book by Nov. 3 to take advantage of the low rates.Today, JetBlue put more Caribbean destinations on sale, among them Aruba, Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten, with fares from $29 to $139 each way if booked by Oct. 30. And Air Tran is offering its own low one way fares in a sale that includes Aruba and San Juan.Watch for deals to Kingston, Jamaica, later this week when JetBlue will begin service there on Oct. 30.

AirAsia launch new flights

AirAsia X will boost its flights between Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne by one return flight each week as the popular route continues to flourishFrom February 3 2010, AirAsia will ramp up its frequencies to Melbourne from eleven to 12 flights weekly in response to increased passenger demand.AirAsia X GM Australia Darren Wright said despite the difficult economic climate, the Melbourne route continued to show strong growth for AirAsia.The Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne route has been particularly popular for us and it shows no signs of weakening any time soon,” he said.

This new service will give passengers better two way connectivity by reducing transit times when connecting to further destinations and beyond including London, China and the Middle East and other routes serviced by AirAsia’s growing network.The new flight will depart Melbourne every Wednesday at 1.25pm and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6.40pm same day, local time. The inbound flight departs Kuala Lumpur at 1.20am and arrives into Melbourne at 12.10pm, local time.

Coinciding with the extra flight, AirAsia in February will roll out its new Premium Class seating on the Airbus A330, replacing the existing XL Class and providing larger, reclining seats particularly attractive to long haul passengers flying with AirAsia to China, Europe and the Middle East.To celebrate the launch of the additional Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne flight, AirAsia is offering seats for sale from $119* ex Melbourne to Malaysia, on sale from 29 October until 1 November 2009 for travel between 3 February 2010 and 31 July 2010. Prices include airport taxes and reflect AirAsia’s decision to scrap administration fees.In further signs of growth for AirAsia X the airline is also adding an additional service to its Kuala Lumpur Gold Coast route taking frequency on that route to daily flights effective February 6, 2010.

Study abroad trip to New Zealand

Many students look forward to the chance to study abroad. These students aren't usually biology students, but J.D. Swanson, assistant professor of biology, would like to change that.Several weeks ago Swanson began planning a study abroad trip to New Zealand, where he grew up.The trip would be the first study abroad trip for the biology department and the first UCA-sponsored trip to the South Pacific, he said. The trip would be during the three weeks of May Intersession, as well as the weekends before and after. All 21 days in New Zealand would be on the northern island.

Swanson said New Zealand offers some learning opportunities that can't be found anywhere in the world.New Zealand has popped in and out of the ocean about seven times. It has a very different ecosystem than any other islands, he said.Swanson wants the students to study how New Zealand formed, the effects of the native Maori people on the island and how the colonization in the 16th century affected the ecosystem of the island.Swanson said New Zealand is also unique because there were originally no mammals on the island.

Swanson's itinerary for the trip would take students from the northern part of the island, along the coast and through the center of the northern island all the way to Wellington in the south, from where they would fly back at the end of the trip.Along the way we're going to have a lot of fun, Swanson said. New Zealand is a really unique place where you can surf in the morning, water ski later and snow ski even later in the same day, Swanson said.We're going to be able to do things like walk around on an active volcano and raft through caves to see wildlife, he said.

The itinerary also includes visiting university professors at the University of Victoria in Wellington.Swanson said he had several reasons for designing the trip.One reason for creating the course is that many students have never had the opportunity to travel to one of the most beautiful places in the world, he said.Although the trip is heavily focused on the biology in New Zealand, students from any major can attend, Swanson said. He's seen interest from geography, anthropology and film students.

Danielle McGhee, director of study abroad, said there were certain criteria students had to meet before they could go on the trip.Students must be of sophomore status 30 hours and have a 3.0 GPA. They must also complete the medical form on our application and make sure they are approved to go by a doctor, McGhee said.Swanson expects to take 30 students, but the final number depends on the size of the bus available in New Zealand. Swanson estimated the total cost to be around $4,000 per student.

Plane tickets are $1,200, all the on the ground stuff will be about $1,500 and the rest depends on what UCA charges for the course credit, Swanson said.students should have enough time planning the financial part of the trip.Deposits for the summer faculty led programs are due Dec. 1, but I will work with students on this through January. The deposit is $600. The rest of the money will be due in two increments during spring semester trip orientations, McGhee said.She also said students could receive assistance in financing the trip.

Students can receive Honors TAG money or load money from the UCA Office of Financial Aid. We also have a group on Facebook under 'study abroad' so students can join that to get updated information as it comes out, McGhee said.Biology students who plan to attend will likely receive three credit hours of upper division field study, and Swanson said he would negotiate with other departments for students who aren't biology majors.McGhee said prospective students had to meet the requirements to be enrolled in Swanson's course, or, if they don't want or need biology credit, they can work with other departments to obtain Independent Study credit or whatever they can work out with their department.

Football fans are booking flights to South Africa

This is according to ABTA The Travel Association spokesperson Sean Tipton, who explained that the country is a traditionally popular tourist destination thanks to people booking holidays there and others visiting friends and family.There's around about 650,000 [British tourists visiting South Africa] a year but with the World Cup, it is going to go through the roof next year, he said.

Mr Tipton went on to say that South Africa would be a favoured destination throughout the winter as warm temperatures arrive in the summer hemisphere.The demand for flights to South Africa is huge ahead of the month long tournament, which kicks off in Johannesburg on June 11th.Skyscanner recently revealed that some return flights from the UK had reached as much as £4,887 - although much cheaper flights could still be found by mixing and matching airlines or taking indirect routes. The International Currency Exchange said earlier this month that orders for the South African rand had increased by 441 percent over the past year.

Haj flights schedule issued

PESHAWAR The NWFP and Fata chapter of the Pakistan Haj Organisers Association (PHOA) has asked the government to issue schedule of flights for pilgrims intending to perform Haj through private tour operators.More than 80,000 pilgrims from Pakistan will perform Haj flights through private tour operators this year. The flights for the departure are to start after two days but the schedule has not been issued yet, said Muhammad Kamran Zeb, the chairman of Haj Tour Operators, at a news conference here Monday.

Kamran said the Saudi Airlines (SA) had refused to airlift pilgrims from Peshawar Airport owing to the poor law and order. He said the private Haj tour operators, who wanted to send their groups of pilgrims in early flights, had got visas of their groups from Saudi Embassy in time, but they could not offer positive response to their clients because of delay in issuance of flights schedule.

All group operators have been waiting for flights schedule. Unless and until the government issues the schedule, the other arrangements in Saudi Arabia for them cannot be finalised,he said. Senior Vice President Sanaullah and other members of the PHOA were also present.

Air India HAJ flights going to start

Air India will operate 137 special flights with B747-400, Airbus 310 and Airbus 330 aircraft to facilitate travel of Haj pilgrims to Jeddah and Madina, starting October 20, 2009. Air India, will additionally operate 117 hub and spoke flights to connect passengers to special Haj flights of Saudi Arabian Airlines and NAS Air.Air India, which will fly approximately 40,000 Haj pilgrims on these special flights, will also operate 30 extra section flights to meet the requirement of Haj pilgrims.

The Haj flights to Jeddah and Madina with its own aircraft will be operated by Air India from Kolkata, Nagpur, Guwahati, Jaipur, Indore, Aurangabad and Srinagar. The hub and spoke flights will be operated from Patna, Ranchi, Varanasi and Mangalore. Connections to Saudi Arabian flights will be from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai and to NAS Air flights from Delhi and Kozhikode. Haj flights will be operated from 19 stations out of India this year. The Phase I of the Haj operation to take pilgrims to Jeddah and Madina will be from October 20-November 21, 2009 and Phase II to bring them back will be from December 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010.

British Airways start new flights

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados Barbados is set to up the airlift ante as the island is about to boast 10 flights a week with British Airways from London Gatwick, scheduled to start this month on October 28, 2009.Petra Roach, BTA Vice President Marketing & Sales UK, said, We have a strong relationship with British Airways and welcome this increase in flights. It shows the confidence BA have in Barbados as a destination and we are delighted they continue to offer four cabins, including First, reflecting the breadth of visitors we attract

These flights, which will continue throughout 2010, will significantly increase British Airway’s capacity, while also allowing potential visitors to the island more flexibility on both the outbound and return flights.Barbados is the only Caribbean island to which British Airways flies a four cabin Boeing 777 aircraft with First Class, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller seats.

Haj flights going to start

THE Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has finalised arrangements for comfortable and safe travel of over 126,000 pilgrims to Jeddah and Madinah for which flights will start from October 21 till November 21st for performing of Haj-1430 A.H.

The return journey of the Hajis by PIA will begin on December 2, 2009 and will continue till Jan 2010. The PIA has, for the first time, formulated and prescribed Haj Service Manual under the guidance of Deputy Managing Director Salim Sayani.PIA MD Capt. Ejaz Haroon signed the first copy of the manual to make it a prescribed reference document for future Haj Operations and arrangements at the Haj Conference held at the PIA Training Center Auditorium.

Qatar Airways,operated two flights a week between Peshawar and Doha

PESHAWAR The sixth foreign airline operating flights to Peshawar has also suspended its operations due to security concerns.Qatar Airways, which operated two flights a week between Peshawar and Doha, the capital of Qatar, has decided not to fly to the Frontier metropolis. Its flights on the Doha-Peshawar-Doha route on October 17 and 22 have been cancelled and it appears that the operations to Peshawar would remain suspended for sometime.

Following rocket attacks on the Peshawar airport in mid August, five Gulf based airlines suspended their flights to Peshawar. These were Saudi Arabian Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Gulf Air, Air Arabia and Etihad Airways.Qatar Airways, however, continued to fly to Peshawar despite subsequent rocket attacks by militants on the airport. It isn’t known if heightened security concerns are the reason for suspension of Qatar Airways flights to Peshawar International Airport or some other factor has prompted the airline to make the decision.

It is possible that the start of a major military operation against the Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan TTP in South Waziristan is one of the reasons for suspending flights to Peshawar as the militants could retaliate by rocketing or bombing the airport. A military airbase is also located at the airport and is used by the Pakistan Air Force.Only three Pakistani airlines PIA, Air Blue and Shaheen now operate international flights to and from Peshawar. These airlines also use the Peshawar airport for domestic flights. All three airlines are reportedly making handsome profit from their overseas flights to and from Peshawar.

The absence of a five star hotel in Peshawar following the closure of Pearl Continental Hotel is another reason for the six foreign airlines not to fly to the city. The hotel suffered significant damage in a bomb explosion on June 9. There have been reports that the US government is keen to buy the property to set up its consulate and other offices in its premises.Air passengers from the NWFP are suffering due to the suspension of operations by the foreign airlines to Peshawar as they are now required to travel to Islamabad and other cities to catch flights. This involves spending more money and time.

Hallett encourages study abroad

When it comes to plants, botany professor Steve Hallett has seen it all.Hallett has taught botany at Purdue since 2001. He has traveled to almost every continent on the planet, and he encourages his students to do the same perhaps to a lesser degree.I think traveling always broadens people’s general understanding of different cultures, Hallett said. It makes it easier to recognize that you have to connect with different people in different ways. I think it’s one of the most important things you can do as an undergraduate student.

Since he is such a supporter of seeing the world, it’s only natural that Hallett would be involved in Purdue’s study abroad programs, and he is. In fact, Hallett accompanies students on two Maymester programs; China and Trinidad and Tobago.Both of the classes run out of the Botany department, so for the China trip we travel around the country by plane, train and boat, he said.
Ashley Hudson, a student who took the Trinidad and Tobago study abroad class in May, weighed in on the change in perspective she got from the experience.

I can’t put into words how beautiful it is on those two islands, Hudson said. My world view was certainly changed by this experience, as well as conservation of wildlife. You never fully understand the problems and warnings about endangered species until you stand beside a two ton leatherback turtle that’s lived longer than even your parents.Hudson also praised Hallett for his involvement in the program.

He absolutely made the trip, Hudson said. He was always up for trips, hikes, or other extra things we wanted to do. I don’t think I would have had nearly as much fun nor learned as much as I did if we had went with a different professor.Hallett has seen more of the world than just these three locations, however. Born in England, he moved to Canada after receiving his degree, then Australia, then finally to America.I worked at several crappy jobs before I was able to find work in Canada, he said.

I packed fluorescent tubing with a doctorate in England for a while before I got the offer. After I had been in Canada and Australia for about five years, I had to come to America so the kids could have an education. We were living out in the bush with no schools around.Hallett is both a professor and a researcher at Purdue. He is currently studying invasive plant species in America.

There are several plants that have been brought over here from other continents, and when they arrive, they behave badly, shall we say. The question is, why? Hallett said. The plant I’m currently focusing on is garlic mustard. This plant leaks out chemicals from its roots, and is native to Europe. Its competition in Europe is used to the chemicals, but plants in America are fairly ignorant to these chemicals and they don’t know what to do about it.The cure for ignorance, Hallett said, is travel.Mark Twain once said, ‘Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness.’ It’s both a question of how this culture is different from mine, and how my culture is viewed differently by others.

British Airways starts London flights

British Airways will open a daily, non stop route from London's Heathrow Airport to Las Vegas beginning October 25.Prices will begin at around $900 for a roundtrip ticket, depending on day of travel.Despite its popularity with British gamblers, Las Vegas has very few direct flights from the UK even though the UK is the number one international market overseas for visitors to the city, according to UK website Weak Holidays. British travelers looking to go to Vegas usually have to transfer in Frankfurt, it added.Virgin Atlantic currently offers daily, nonstop flights between London's smaller Gatwick International and Las Vegas, beginning at around $831.

Flights to Chicago

Passengers at Dayton International Airport will be able to choose from more flights to Chicago and Denver next year.Beginning in February, United Express will begin daily non stop service to Denver International Airport. United Express is a subsidiary of United Airlines.

American Eagle Airlines, a sister company of American Airlines, will provide three daily nonstop flights to Chicago O’Hare International Airport beginning in April.These additional departures will provide our customers more flexibility in scheduling their travel, said Iftikhar Ahmad, director of aviation, in a statement.

Passenger boardings at the Dayton International Airport climbed almost 2.5 percent last year, helping boost the facility to No. 76 among 2,248 U.S. airports.About 1.45 million passengers boarded in Dayton last year, according to a preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration. That number is up from 1.41 million in 2007.

Kingfisher Airlines starts flights from Singapore to Mumbai

Kingfisher Airlines, India’s only five star airline, has started operating daily non stop flights from Singapore to Mumbai. The flights on this new route are operated using brand new Airbus A330-200 aircraft.The airline has also started daily operations between Hong Kong and Mumbai operating the Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The launch of flights from India to Singapore and Hong Kong marks the first time that Kingfisher Airlines will be flying to Southeast Asia.

Kingfisher Airlines flight IT 071 will take off from Mumbai at 10:55 pm and arrive at Hong Kong at 8:05 am, local time. The return flight IT 072 will take off from Hong Kong at 2:05 pm, local time and arrive in Mumbai at 5:50 pm. Similarly, Kingfisher Airlines flight IT 029 will take off from Mumbai at 11:05 pm and arrive at Singapore at 7:05 am, local time. The return flight IT 030 will take off from Singapore at 10:15 am and arrive in Mumbai at 1:05 pm local time.

The start of Kingfisher Airlines’ operations signals the airline’s confidence in the traffic growth potential between Singapore and India. India is Singapore’s fourth largest source of tourist arrivals by air. In 2008, there were 2.5 million passenger movements between India and Singapore.

Commenting on the launch of this new international route, Atul Kumria, Regional Director North America, Kingfisher Airlines Limited, said, am happy to announce daily non stop flights from Singapore and Hong Kong to Mumbai. We are internationally known for our award winning service and a truly five star, world class flying experience.

Flights to Kinshasa

The Angolan Airlines (TAAG) might resume flights to the city of Kinshasa, DRC, admitted on Wednesday in Luanda the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, George Chicoty.

The official said so moments after arriving in the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo , where he led an important delegation sent to that central African country by the President of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos.I believe that TAAG will resume its flights soon. The relations with DRC are normal and there are conditions for us to continue socialising together and in the best way, he affirmed.

On October 09 the Angolan government instructed TAAG to suspend its flights to DRC due to the expulsion of Angolan citizens by authorities of that country.According to George Chicoty, at the end of the discussions, the governments of both countries immediately called off the expulsion of citizens from the two nations who are living legally and peacefully in each state.

Airline Baboo starts weekly flights to Geneva

Swiss airline Baboo is to start the first international service from Oxford airport when it starts weekly flights to Geneva in December.The first Saturday flight departs Geneva at 12.20pm and lands in Oxford at 1.20pm. The return flights leaves Oxford at 2.05pm and touches down in the Swiss capital at 5pm.The service is to be operated with the Bombardier Q400 aircraft pictured.

Fares start from £78 one way, including taxes and charges. It is the first international service to be operated from London Oxford.Steve Jones, the airport’s managing director, said We are delighted to introduce Geneva as our first international scheduled service and see this as a major turning point in the future of the airport. We are a niche facility bringing bespoke destinations within a stone’s throw of the Oxford and Thames Valley market.

Baboo is a highly regarded Swiss regional carrier, their Q400 fleet is perfectly suited to niche markets like ours and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the airline.The carrier's chief executive, Jacques Bankir, said Baboo is a Geneva based niche carrier with an excellent reputation for service to exclusive destinations such as St Tropez, Biarritz or Venice. From the end of October, it also launches a twice daily prime time schedule between London City and Geneva.

Airline will introduce flights to Dusseldorf from London

The route is currently operated by the airline to Belfast International Airport, although the service will switch to Belfast City on January 7th.Paul Simmons, easyJet's regional general manager for the UK, said that the carrier is very committed to Northern Ireland because of its status as the province's principle airline.

The decision to move the route to Belfast City is a result of the airline's plans to assess if easyJet passengers find a benefit in flying to an airport closer to the city of Belfast when travelling on shorter routes, he explained.Mr Simmons went on to say that the majority of easyJet's Northern Ireland routes will be remaining at Belfast International, where it operates five aircraft to 19 separate destinations.Elsewhere, the airline will introduce daily flights to Dusseldorf from London Gatwick on February 2nd.It will also launch daily flights to the German city from Rome Fuminchino a day earlier.

Southwest Airlines add, flights at BNA

Nashville International Airport’s largest carrier, Southwest Airlines, is cutting its direct flights to Ontario but adding multiple flights in March to other destinations, the airport said Wednesday.
Southwest has added one flight each to Chicago Midway, Jacksonville and Tampa between March 14 and May 7 but has eliminated direct service to Ontario and cut one flight to Phoenix. The airline also has added a Saturday flight to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando during that same time frame.

Delta Air Lines has increased its service to Memphis International Airport to four flights from three.The airport said Midwest Express flights now are being handled at the Frontier Airlines ticket counter. Midwest Express provides three nonstop daily flights to Milwaukee.Nashville International is served by 12 carriers with 375 flights arriving and departing each day.

GlobalPost launch new Study Abroad program

BOSTON Every year more than a quarter of a million American college students head out to see the world through a study abroad program.These programs, which are growing steadily every year, introduce young people to new cultures, new languages, new ways of thinking and a new sense of perspective on their own country.

GlobalPost believes the next generation of foreign correspondents will likely emerge out of this group of students who seek to learn study abroad.And so, GlobalPost is proud to launch a new Study Abroad page which will draw on these students to provide reported stories, essays, blogs, photo galleries and videos. They will form what we are calling the GlobalPost Student Correspondent Corps.

This team is made up of more than 70 young people who have demonstrated an interest in student journalism or who have a facility for story telling and a desire to try their hand at being a foreign correspondent.We sorted through literally hundreds of applications from American students over the last few months to pull together this Student Correspondent Corps and we are excited to see them head out on their journeys to every corner of the world to become eyes and ears for GlobalPost and for you our visitors to the site.

They will not cover big stories or hard news. We’ll leave that to our team of 75 GlobalPost correspondents in more than 50 countries who make up a stellar team of professional, seasoned journalists. But these student correspondents will be reporters-in-training who will seek out stories that provide us a student perspective about life and culture in the countries in which they are studying.

They hail from campuses across the country, including Tufts, Boston University, Harvard University, University of Missouri, University of Wisconsin, University of Texas, Northwestern, Duke, New York University, Swarthmore, and many others.

Flights to Greek islands

GNTO director in the UK and Ireland Sofia Panayiotaki explained that UK holidaymakers seem to prefer Corfu if they head to the Ionian Islands, while Rhodes is the favoured Aegean destination.Crete, which is located south east of Greece, is also one of the region's most popular holiday islands, she added.

Referring to the appeal of the islands, Ms Panayiotaki said You can find exactly what you want, beautiful landscape, beautiful hotels, beautiful scenery, very hospitable people and at the same time, very good prices.She also suggested that more Brits were booking flights to Skiathos and then travelling by boat to Skopelos following the success of the Mamma Mia! movie.It was recently revealed that the number of overseas tourists arriving at all Greek airports declined by 8.6 percent in the first seven months of this year.

cheap flights to Spain

Cheap flights to Spain could be an option for those looking for budget holidays, judging by the comments of an expert.Kate Kenward, executive director at the Association of Independent Tour Operators, suggested that now could be the best time to research trips to European destinations.

Commenting on the attractions held by the continent, she said that Europe will always be popular for Brits.Ms Kenward added that travellers who missed out on last minute deals over the summer may want to ensure they book early to avoid disappointment.Moreover, travellers may want to take advantage of currency fluctuations and get better value for their money.

Among the most popular Spanish destinations holidaymakers could consider are Barcelona, Menorca and Almeria.In addition to taking advantage of the country's sunshine, travellers may also wish to sample the various gastronomic options on offer from traditional paella and seafood to chorizo and gazpacho.

Qatar Airways has launched flights to Amritsar

The festival of lights falls on October 17 and the inaugural flight on October 12 took passengers to the city to celebrate the annual festival.The airline is operating the route four times a week non-stop from Qatar’s capital city using a two class Airbus A320, with 12 seats in business class and 132 seats in economy.

During the next few weeks, the holiday destination of Goa will be added to the carrier’s schedule from October 25, and flights to Melbourne, Australia are due to start on December 6.These are exciting times for Qatar Airways with three route launches in less than two months, which demonstrates the robust growth we are still experiencing,” said CEO Akbar Al Baker.

Qatar Airways currently operates 60 flights a week between Doha and India daily non-stop services to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Trivandrum, Cochin and Kozhikode. The addition of Goa will take Qatar Airways’ Indian capacity up to 64 flights a week.

Discount for Flights

We’ve been paying a lot of attention to LAN Airlines lately because of their cheap flights to South America and the Caribbean. This time, Miami travelers are reaping the benefits of cheap flights.The airline has discounted fares to Punta Cana, Buenos Aires and other destinations when you depart from Miami. Traveling and book-by dates vary by city, so it’s a good idea to check the fine print for your specific destination.We searched for a flight between Miami and Punta Cana for mid-November travel. With taxes, the total round-trip flight is $338. In a wider search, the cheapest flight we found was $426 roundtrip on American Airlines.

Fares are round-trip, but don’t included taxes and fees.
Miami to Bogota from $208, No book-by date
Miami to Punta Cana from $209; No book-by date
Miami to Lima from $298, Purchase by today, Oct. 12
Miami to Buenos Aires from $759; Purchase by Nov. 15.
Miami to Santiago from $869; Purchase by Nov. 15

British Airways increases flights to Uganda

British Airways has announced plans to start daily flights between Heathrow Airport and Entebbe International Airport to increase its share on transporting passengers flight from Uganda to Europe and vice versa.The company says it has effective this week started five return flights every week from Heathrow to Entebbe and will be able to make it daily in the next 18 months.

British Airways which has been offering three flights every week has been facing stiff competition from Brussels Airlines and KLM which have become leading carriers for travelers from Uganda to European countries and vice versa.As evidence of its intent to respond to the mounting competition on the Heathrow Entebbe route, British airways has changed its flight schedule so that it leaves Uganda in the evening and arrives in London at 6am, as many travelers have been demanding.

BA has been departing Entebbe flights early in the morning and arriving in Heathrow at 7pm, which made passengers spend the most productive time of the day travelling.The company has also announced that starting this week, it will offer a promotional fare between Entebbe and London, starting at $525 about 1 million shillings.

Oman Air has launched flights to Paris from Muscat.

The national carrier of Oman introduced the route on Friday October 9th, which will operate four times a week.Peter Hill, Oman Air's chief executive officer, said the carrier is really excited about the prospects of the route, which is likely to appeal to both business and leisure passengers.

Our new fleet of Airbus A330s is the last word in luxury, coupled with the latest on board technology, assuring that our customers' high expectations will be met, he commented.Mr Hill went on to say that Paris is one of the airline's prime target markets and that the new direct link will prove very popular.

The flights to Paris are part of Oman Air's route expansion programme, which coincides with the nation's ambition of reinventing itself as an upmarket leisure destination.Usama bin Karim Al Haremi, of the carrier's corporate communications and media department, said earlier this month that this could be achieved thanks to Oman's natural beauty and glorious history.

IES Abroad has Launched Go Green Initiative at its international Study Abroad Centers

As part of its commitment to a greener planet, IES Abroad, one of the United States largest third party providers of study abroad experiences, has launched a Go Green Initiative at its international study abroad centers and headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.

The initiative not only preserves natural resources and reduces waste, it alsooffers study abroad students the ability to offset their travel carbon footprint.IES Abroad is also introducing environmentally themed programs, courses and field study excursions to its curriculum. Since international travel emits a significant amount of carbon dioxide, IES Abroad urges students to purchase a carbon offset. Through this non-profit collaboration, IES Abroad students can fund project ssuch as wind farms in Texas or reforestation in Nicaragua to balance out theemissions they cannot reduce. A carbon calculator is provided to determine thecarbon footprint for individual air travel and other modes of transportation.

One new program offering for fall 2010, the Freiburg Environmental Studies &Sustainability Program, will take place in the eco-capital of Germany Freiburg.U.S. students will explore topics in environmental studies, forestry, and sustain ability classes will be integrated with German and international students at the Albert Ludwigs Universitaet. Students will live in asustainably designed university residence hall in an eco friendly neighborhood and take part in field study trips to pristine alpine areas.

Other courses at IES Abroad Centers in Barcelona, Spain,Beijing, China, BuenosAires, Argentina and Quito, Ecuador will focus on the environment and sustain ability. The IES Abroad Quito Summer Environmental Studies Program, for example, will allow students to explore the richness of Ecuador`s ecology and discuss a range of issues related to environmental management and conservation.Students take field study trips to the Galápagos Islands and the Amazon rain forest as part of the program.

IES Abroad, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2010, is a global,not for profit organization offering study abroad programs to more than 5,000 US college students each year who participate in 90 programs at more than 30 international locations. IES Abroad offers programs in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand and South America.

Students go abroad to study

The Indian Himalaya study abroad program is gearing up to accept applications for its summer 2010 course.Last summer was the first time the University offered the program, but faculty leader Keith Bosak, assistant professor of Nature Based Tourism and Recreation, has lead similar trips at other universities since 2005. The majority of the trip takes place in the Nanda Devi Biosphere, a strictly controlled national park in the mountainous Garhwal region of the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. The park is made up of two core zones off limits to people and is surrounded by a 3,100 square-mile buffer zone in which there are villages.

The Nanda Devi Biosphere is 1.5 million acres, roughly, and it’s one of the last great wilderness areas in the Himalayas, Bosak said.The biosphere region was formed by the Indian government in 1982 along strictly controlled guidelines. Only a few scientific expeditions have entered the core areas in the last few years. Even in the populated buffer zones traditional livelihoods became more difficult when most traditional livestock grazing and plant gathering was banned, Bosak said.

What you have here is a group of people who, because of the conservation measures and polices in the Nanda Devi biosphere reserve, had their sort of traditional livelihoods taken away,Bosak said.The locals in the region agreed to focus their economic efforts on sustainable tourism, Bosak said. The core classes of the trip will equally emphasize the environment with the development of sustainable tourism and economies in the region, he said.The main goal is to introduce students to environment and development in the Himalaya, Bosak said.

Students are assigned daily readings followed by field instruction on those readings and a writing assignment on combined readings and instruction, he said. The core packet is roughly 600 pages, Bosak said.Participants will receive six upper division credits for the program in two separate classes cross listed by the College of Forestry and the recreation management and geography programs. Both the credits count for either graduate or undergraduate study. Last year, 12 students went on the trip, 10 from UM and two others from Maryland and North Carolina State.

You probably can’t brace yourself for the culture shock when you land in New Delhi, said UM natural resources senior Logan Miller, who took the trip last year. But by the time you get to the mountains, you’ll forget all about it.The trip this year runs from May 18 through June 10. At $3395, the fee covers all tuition and program costs, but not airfare to India.

In addition to sending students to study in the Nandi Devi Biosphere Reserve, the organizers run an outdoor gear donation program called Gear for Garhwal. Eric Legvold, executive director of the Nature-Link Institute, which leads the trip, organized the donation drive. Last spring, the program allowed people in Missoula to drop off used gear at various locations around town. It was then brought to the guides of Mountain Shepherds eco tourism company.

Making around $5 a day, the porters and guides don’t have the budget to buy the alpine mountaineering equipment necessary to run the organization, Legvold said. By bringing donated clothing and equipment to the guide service, the study abroad program gives something back to the community, he said. Legvold said the donation drive, which will run again this spring beginning in March, raised around $20,000 worth of gear.It’s great to see your favorite porter wearing $1500 worth of Patagonia gear, Legvold said.

Environmental geography senior Dan Lowrie, who went on the trip last year, said the most valuable part of the trip was learning directly from locals about what they needed from the environment and how to get it in a sustainable way.It was very positive both in a cultural mindset and educational, he said. It would be worth a good six months in education in three weeks

College of Business allows students to study abroad

Even in the most challenging economic climates, students at SFA are showing increasing interest in study abroad programs offered on campus.In addition to their culture based curricula, many of the programs are going hybrid, weaving course study and cultural insights together, allowing students an experience that would normally be considered an extra curricular adornment to the cap, gown and diploma.

The Rusche College of Business' Wall to Wall Business travel program is one such program. It allows SFA students to travel from country to country, exploring places of trade and policy while learning first hand the ins and outs of international transactions.The course is a two part program, offered to juniors and senior, that begins with spring enrolment in GBU 475 European Business Capitals and ends in a trip held during the May Mester of summer 2010.

The business course is a three hour credit course designed to expose students to the business and government environments of European business. Emphasis is placed on international trade, finance and regulation within the European Union as well as the companies, landmarks, and architecture that students will tour.The program also offers a crash course in basic French that allows students to become acquainted with the language predominately spoken on the trip.

Dr. Keaton Grubbs, associate professor of legal studies in the department of general business, is the instructor for GBU 475.The course is based heavily in business and trade, but the program is for all majors, he said.Enrollment requires a 2.5 GPA or higher and a personal interview with the instructor. Grubbs emphasized the importance of the course and explained, Just because students pay for the class, it doesn't mean they are buying an A in the course.The trip itself is a 14-day excursion through Belgium, France and England, exploring the culture and business customs in each country.

Doubles Scholarships for Students

STAMFORD, Conn. BUSINESS WIRE The American Institute For Foreign Study today announced it will offer $600,000 in study abroad scholarships, more than doubling last year’s total. In addition, AIFS will reduce fees on many of its programs, beginning with the 2010/2011 academic year.

AIFS is committed to helping students participate in the life changing experience of studying abroad, said AIFS President and CEO William L. Gertz. While the economy has affected many students’ ability to study abroad, the opportunity to travel to foreign countries and learn different cultures is more important now than ever before. And it truly makes for a more well rounded education for college students, explained Gertz. By reducing AIFS’ fees and doubling scholarship dollars, we will help many students fulfill their dream of living and learning overseas.

AIFS has also assumed a leadership position to further ensure that all students are able to take advantage of international education opportunities by earmarking nearly one third of the $600,000 in available funds towards diversification of study abroad participants. Traditionally underrepresented students can apply for diversity scholarships such as the AIFS HACU Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Scholarship or the AIFS-NAFEO National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education Scholarship.

In 2008, the number of students studying abroad reached an all time high after a decade of unprecedented growth nearly 150 percent over 10 years according to the Institute of International Education. A 2009 survey by the Forum on Education Abroad reports that 58 percent of private U.S. colleges and universities had experienced a drop in participation in their study abroad programs, citing the economy.

AIFS was able to lower fees for many of its programs, including nearly $1,000 off selected European locations, the most popular choices by students. In addition, AIFS continues to offer guaranteed rates, immune to currency fluctuations and the strength of the U.S. dollar.AIFS’ comprehensive programs include housing, meals, transcripts, insurance and a rich variety of built-in cultural activities and excursions.

As a leader in cultural exchange, AIFS sends more than 5,000 students abroad each year. Since its founding in 1964, AIFS has been committed to providing students with the safest, most enjoyable and highest quality educational programs. AIFS celebrates a proud history of providing opportunities to the international education community. Over one million people from more than 500 colleges and universities have participated in AIFS programs.

New Study Abroad Web site launed

With a record number of international exchange students this year, the University of Wiscsonsin La Crosse already has a well recognized study abroad program.Now, the launch of a new website is making it easier for UW-L students to travel to other universities.

The website includes different links to information that will help students, faculty and alumni plan study abroad trips. It also allows students to share their study abroad experiences.We're always trying to do more for internationalization. Not only sending our students out to other countires, but hosting students from other countires here and so this marks the next step in the process, said Chancellor Joe Gow.

Lufthansa launch additional flights to Nigeria

The German Airline, Lufthansa, on Monday said it would start flights 14 times a week into three destinations in Nigeria from Oct. 25.Herbert Reichle, the airline's Managing Director for West Africa, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos.

He also announced the resumption of flight services to Port Harcourt which was stopped when the airport was closed in 2006, saying the daily flight schedule from Lagos would remain the same.

Jet2 will launch flights to Split and Dubrovnik

Jet2 has announced four new routes that will be launched from Manchester Airport next year, which it claims will make it the biggest scheduled leisure airline based at the hub.The carrier will launch flights to Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia, Reus in Spain and Prague in the Czech Republic.

Launching between April 1st and May 25th, the new services will bring the total number of routes provided by Jet2 from Manchester Airport to 28.Extra aircraft will be based at the gateway in the north-west, meaning 140,000 additional seats will be available to travellers over the summer period.

Philip Meeson, chief executive of Jet2, said Next summer will see us fly up to 140,000 extra passengers to fantastic destinations across Europe and northern Africa, ensuring that people living in and around the region have an unprecedented choice of holiday destinations.We have carefully planned our schedule and flight times to suit our passengers' needs, giving them the option to take short breaks or longer holidays of seven, ten or 14 days.The airline also confirmed recently that it will be launching new flights to Faro and Dubrovnik from Edinburgh Airport next summer.

Frontier Airlines add New Flights

DENVER A discount airline that flies out of Dayton to Denver announced an increase in seasonal flights.There are four new flights to resort destinations. They are all based out of Denver and will fly to Cancun, Cozemel, Porta Vallarta and Los Cabos.

Tickets for the flights are currently on sale.Frontier Airlines operates daily flights from Dayton International Airport to Denver.

American Airlines launch W. Virginia flights

American Airlines regional affiliate American Eagle said on Tuesday it will begin nonstop jet service between Yeager Airport in Charleston, W.Va., and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) on Tuesday.

The Fort Worth-based airline is offering two daily flights between the airports in a move that is designed to provide an airline network that can contribute to economic growth in the West Virginia area, American Airlines said in a statement.American Eagle will provide the new flights using 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jets.

WestJet Airlines will launch new flights

WestJet Airlines will launch new, nonstop flights seasonal service between Alberta, Canada, and Honolulu and Maui next spring.WestJet will fly between Calgary and Honolulu once a week from March 7 to April 25, and between Calgary and Maui from March 6 to May 1.Service between Edmonton and Kahului, Maui, will run March 5 through April 30.

Calgarians love to travel to Hawaii, but of course right now it means a stop in Vancouver, said Bob Cummings, WestJet’s vice president for guest experience and marketing. Based on demand for the service during this period, we hope to offer it again as part of our 2010-2011 winter schedule.

How they want to study abroad

Everybody talks about how they want to study abroad, but only a few of us actually do it. However, there’s no reason why anyone should pass up the opportunity.I should note, please spare the, Which abroad are you gonna study jokes. They weren’t funny the first time, and they don’t get better the second or third time.

Every University of California campus has an amazingly simple and useful set of programs to visit almost anywhere in the world. Most students may never have the chance to spend quality time in these countries once they graduate. Sure, we can take senior trips to Europe or go on surf trips to Central America, but how many chances will we have to spend four months to a year in Asia, Africa or Australia? Furthermore, it counts towards your degree

Last fall, I spent a semester in South Africa. I went with the Education Abroad Program (EAP) to Durban, South Africa, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. I’ll be graduating this spring, and I may never get a chance to go to another country for such a long time again. To all the other UC Irvine students who are wondering whether or not they should study abroad, my answer is firmly and unequivocally.

Here’s how to get started. First, visit UCI’s Center for International Education. This is your gateway to everything you need to know about going abroad. You many notice the big rectangle on your left that says, Want to go abroad? START HERE. Follow this advice. From here you can check out either the EAP or International Opportunities Programs (IOP).The difference between the two is simple. EAP is a UC-wide study abroad program, and the classes you take overseas will show up on your UC transcript without much work on your part. It’s the easiest way to study abroad and have your classes count toward your major. The only problem with EAP is that there are a limited number of programs. Some students only have a semester to spare, and if they want to be working toward their major abroad, then EAP may require that they go for a whole year. It is also possible that a program may not exist for their major in a country they want to visit. My advice is to check out the EAP programs and try to find one that works for you. If you come up with nothing, move on to IOP.

The IOP section of the Web site gives you a ton of resources for other study abroad programs. If you go this route, your classes won’t automatically show up on your UC transcript and they’re usually Pass/No Pass. I’ll let you in on a little secret: Most universities in the world grade much easier than the University of California. After my EAP semester, I found myself with 24 UC credits that’s two full time quarters of straight As. I even had my first A+. But like I said, if EAP doesn’t work for you, definitely check out IOP. It’s better than hanging out in Irvine for your whole college career.

Try not to worry about money either. I’m a financial aid recipient with virtually no income, and for my semester abroad, I got a substantial boost in grant money. Financial aid decisions for EAP students are based on the same criteria as if they were going to UCI the whole time. However, UC EAP has its own scholarship money, so students who are already receiving financial aid have an extra stockpile of free money waiting for them. The CIE Web site has lots of other scholarships you can apply for, as well.

Studying abroad is also a great career move. UC students are often disappointed to find out that there is no set formula for getting a job like there is for getting into a good college. When you’re looking for a job, you need to find ways to make yourself stand out amongst your competitors. So if your parents are nervous about you partying in another country for a few months when you should be concentrating on your future, you can tell them that your time abroad will help you down the road. Just make sure you go to class sometimes, spend time writing papers and studying for tests when they do come along, and everything should be fine.If you’re thinking about studying abroad, all I can say is just do it. Get on the Web site.

UBD's Study Abroad Programme Beneficial

Bandar Seri Begawan Final year students who took part in the Study Abroad Programme organised by Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) said that they received a lot of benefits from the programme and encouraged others to apply.Norhazemah Kalong 23 who is doing a Bachelor's Degree in Geography, was in Thailand for 28 days and said that she learnt a lot during her time there.

She said When I was in Thailand, I actually learnt about tourism such as hotel and crisis management, even though I don't study these subjects.By attending a lot of cultural visits, she said that learning other people's way of life and experience has changed her.I am more confident in myself than I was before, and my advice to students is that they should at least try to apply for the programme because it will make you think outside the box and you will get to experience what you can't find in textbooks, she said.

Md Akhimullah Abu Bakar 22 a Maths and Chemistry Bachelor student participated in a lot of activities whilst he was in Korea. He said that the programme offered him the opportunity to learn from Korea's best practises, especially in terms of energy conservation.One thing that Brunei can improve on is its facilities when it comes to energy conservation. For example, everywhere I see in Korea everyone is saving electricity all over the place and I think that Brunei should be practising it here, he said.

Being the leader of the Bruneian delegation, he said that they participated in a lot of activities when they were in Korea such as exposing Bruneian culture through performances as well as the Asian Food Festival.We gave them a traditional performance and introduced them to Laila rice that was complimented with pais udang marinated prawn with spices grilled in Nyirik leaf, sago pudding and bamboo shoot cooked with coconut milk, he said.He added 'The Koreans really enjoyed the pais udang because it was quite spicy.

Md Akhimullah said that students should join this programme because not only will they learn a new culture and gain new friends, but they get to be ambassadors of their country by exposing their customs to an entirely different culture.Md Aziman Nasir, 22, majoring in Public Policy and Administration, was in Japan for a one year study programme. He said that the teaching methods there were almost similar to Brunei and that they also participated in projects that showcased Bruneian culture. You also make wonderful friends there. I spent a lot of time with my foreign friends from France and Israel, he said.

He explained that the programme is only available for students in certain faculties and that one of the criteria required the student to maintain a Grade C average in their first year as well as active participation in activities in UBD.I was active in my first and second year, so that helped quite a lot in the selection process, he said.Second year student Maisarah Khairunnisa Abdul Halim, doing a Bachelor of Science in Education, said that there was an attraction to apply for the study abroad programme. She said although Japan was not her first priority, she has heard of their outstanding marine facilities.

I hear Japan has great facilities when it comes to marine studies, like a huge aquarium to do their research. I want to pursue Marine Biology in the future and I think this could help me, she said.She added that the students she talked to about the programme have been very helpful and informative.

Travel agent for Spain and Morocco

It's a question I get often. Readers who rely on my annual list of top travel specialists to pick the perfect travel planner for a specific destination want to know: When you're combining two countries in one trip, which travel agent is the right one to use? This time, reader Dave Nader wants to know which one person or two people to use for a trip to Madrid and Marrakech:

Hi Wendy. I have a question for you. First, some background. I have been a Conde Nast Traveler subscriber for many years. I have used two of your travel specialists to plan trips for my family over the past two summers.You can read the rest of Dave's question, as well as my answer, after the jump.This year, Jill Siegel planned a trip for us that included Buenos Aires, Rio, and the Amazon. Jill is terrific. Every element of our trip was planned exceptionally well. She arranged private guides for most of our outings and all of them were outstanding. She suggested itineraries that would be difficult to top. As you know, Jill lived in Rio for several years, and her personal insights were extremely helpful. She stayed in touch with us throughout the trip to be sure all was going smoothly.

Last summer, Lynette Wilson planned a trip to Australia and New Zealand for us. Lynette was also terrific. Her accommodation suggestions were perfect. In Sydney, she recommended a short stay luxury apartment building overlooking the harbor that I would have never found and that was great and amazingly reasonable for a big three bedroom apartment. All of her itinerary suggestions were also great, and the guides she arranged were exceptional.

Using travel agents and guides has been a new thing for us. We have traveled all over Europe on many visits. For all of those trips, I made all arrangements and acted as our family tour guide or, as our daughter, Jen, likes to say, follow Dad the big duck. Using your experts the past two years has been terrific and I don't expect Dad the tour guide will ever suffice again.

One of your suggestions this year is, Don't hire a travel specialist for single components of a trip.' I am planning our trip for next summer and thinking of including Paris, Madrid, and Marrakech. We have been to Paris many times and would continue to self tour there. We haven't been to Madrid or Marrakech. I intend to pick an agent or agents from your list to assist. Since these agents specialize in an area or region, I'm a little concerned about asking the same agent to assist us with both Madrid and Marrakech. Can you offer a suggestion as to how we can best approach this task?

Thanks very much and thanks for your suggestions that have made a significant contribution to lifetime memories for myself and my wife, Lori, and our kids Jen, Brian, and Michael. Dave, here's my answer: Since the Morocco specialist on my list, Joel Zack of Heritage Tours Private Travel, in New York City, also happens to specialize in Spain and I've received glowing feedback from readers who have utilized his services for both those countries my suggestion in this case is that you use only one travel planner and book both Madrid and Marrakech through Joel.

Note to anyone else who's planning a trip that covers multiple countries and is not sure whether to use multiple travel specialists those listed for each country on your itinerary or only one and, if so, which one: There is no formula. The answer depends on which countries, which travel agents, and how long you're spending in each place. Feel free to ask me on a case by case basis.Meanwhile, if you've come back from a trip designed by one of the listed travel specialists, please don't hesitate to post your feedback here.

William Leona was a witty guy

NEW HAVEN William Leona was a witty guy who had a way of twisting and playing with words.
He would come up with the funniest things, said Leona’s wife of 47 years, Marie. When we were in high school, Bill and I often went rollerskating at a rink in Groton. On the way, he would say, We’re on our way to Rotten Groton. And whenever we saw a sign that said Fog Area, like on a bridge or an overpass, he’d say, We’re now entering Fogaria.

Born Feb. 5, 1940, in New Haven, a son of Matteo and Angelina Leona, he attended East Haven High School and Quinnipiac Univerity. He was a longtime travel agent and owner of Leona Travel, and later worked for World Tech Travel.In his spare time, Leona liked to go to farmers markets, cook he was always on the lookout for new recipes, go to the casinos. play cards and Trivia, do crossword and jigsaw puzzles, swim and fish. While not a big sports fan, he followed basketball’s March Madness, largely because of his business.

Family vacations included trips to Florida, Bermuda, Massachusetts, Rhode Island. Leona and his wife also visited Europe, England and Puerto Rico and went on some cruises.One of eight children, he was the youngest. He was a quiet boy who kept to himself, but he was interested in everything, said Leona’s sole surviving sibling, Matteo Leona of Branford. Even though I was 16 years older than Bill, we were very close and stayed in close contact all of our lives. He was very easy to get along with, and while he had his opinions and I had mine, we never argued about anything.

A niece, Norma DiChello of New Haven, said her uncle was like a father to her. Her own father has died when she was very young.I don’t know what I would have done without Uncle Bill, she said. He even talked me into going to college and sticking with it, He was there for me my whole life.Leona was a very sweet man and an excellent cook, and he made the best paella, she went pn to say, adding He used to love to go to Ferrara’s Market on Grand Avenue, especially on Saturday nights as they were gettng ready to close, so he could get the best prices. He’d buy so much meat, he’d end up giving away a lot of it to his daughters. As he got older, I’d drive him around, to the bank or for his favorite doughnuts and coffee.

He was very jolly, liked to laugh and was always joking, said his wife. He also was very friendly and outgoing, and tried to help everybody when he could. He liked parties and enjoyed arranging them, and knew just how to do it. He had a whole system to prepare parties and social events. We called him the Party Planner.Leona also leaves three daughters, Christine Higgins of East Haven, Michele Leona of North Haven and Lucia Chubet of Southington and six granddaughters.

online travel agent educational program

Travel advisors now have the chance to reeducate themselves on the Regent Seven Seas Cruises product with the relaunch of the cruise line’s online travel agent educational program Regent Seven Seas Cruises University.The latest cruise line addition to Luxury Travel University and Travel Agent University, the site provides new content, an exam and instant rewards for graduating agents.

This is a great tool for agents because it spells out RSSC’s value proposition not only for the customer, but for the hard working agent, said Greg Nacco of Cruise Specialists. Any travel advisor with clients who normally purchase premium products should take the course as they will discover an amazing fact there is little or no price difference between two very different cruise experiences.

The course consists of six sections: Shipboard Experience, Destination Experience, Luxury Selling Tips, Travel Agent Support, Policies and the Final Exam. Those who successfully complete the course with a passing grade in the Final Exam receive: two Continuing Education Units CEUs from The Travel Institute, a downloadable diploma, a kit containing current RSSC collateral materials, a branded RSSC gift item and a $100 Bonus Commission certificate that can be applied to any new RSSC booking made within 60 days of graduation from the Regent Seven Seas Cruises University.

Selling a luxury vacation experience requires deep product and sales knowledge, and this medium provides a user friendly and effective way of conveying that knowledge, said Randall Soy, vice president of sales for Regent Seven Seas Cruises.Since the August inception of the re launched site, over 500 travel agents have successfully graduated.

President Obama's National Address to America's Schoolchildren

East Grand Schools were bombarded with calls from parents threatening to pull their children out of school for the day if teachers showed President Obama's National Address to America's Schoolchildren on Tuesday.

Prior to its showing in schools, the President's 20-minute speech about working hard in school and taking personal responsibility set off a reaction not only at East Grand, but in the other parts of the country where some school districts opted to restrict the video feed altogether.

Upon notice that the White House was scheduling an address to the nation's schools, parents in the district area called administrators to ensure their children were not exposed to the speech. District administrators responded by accommodating those students with a separate activity while the rest of the class watched the speech.

But because the district left it up to faculty to decide whether the speech fit into lesson plans that day, only some classes watched Obama's address, according to Karas.The speech was shown in the middle school eighth-grade civics class, in at least two high school classes and a few of the elementary school classes, she said.This set off parents whose children didn't get to see the speech.

Some parents were riled up because of the possibility of it being shown, and other parents were upset because the district didn't make it a required showing. It was kind of a no win situation,said Middle School Principal Jeff Verosky.We weren't discouraging anyone from seeing it or anyone from showing it, Karas said, but if someone didn't want to see it, we made sure their wishes could be honored.

As far as the substance of the speech itself, administrators saw it as innocuous, a speech about morals, not politics.Do I believe it was an important message? You bet I do, Karas said. We give it every day that education is important.Karas added that in hindsight, she would have provided another solution such as a general assembly where students who wanted to see the speech could have.

At the heart of the issue, Craig Crippen of Granby whose son is a senior in the school and did not see the speech, addressed the parents who threatened to pull their students from school that day. To him, the speech would have been healthy for students to watch as a class, then to have discussion on.If you're not going to let your child listen to a president because it's not the president you voted for, it's not really helping this country.

New flights launched between Bergen from UK

Eastern Airways has confirmed it is to launch two new routes to the Norwegian city of Bergen, with departures scheduled from Newcastle and Aberdeen.The new flights will launch of Monday October 5th, adding to a roster of flights which already includes a Stavanger service from Aberdeen and Newcastle and Oslo flights from Aberdeen.

Daily weekday flights will be offered from Newcastle to Bergen along with daily services except Saturdays from Aberdeen to Bergen.Chris Holliday, Eastern Airways chief operating officer, said Bergen is a major centre for the oil and gas industry and both our convenient, non stop Newcastle and Aberdeen services will be of benefit to business travellers.

Norway’s second largest city is also the gateway to the world famous fjords and our new services provide the ideal link for tourists taking short breaks.Fares to Bergen start from £69 one way. Passengers flying with Eastern Airways benefit from an inclusive service with no cost for baggage, choice of seat or onboard drinks and snacks.Check in is just 30 minutes before the departure time, and passengers have use of the dedicated fast track security channel in Newcastle to avoid any queues.

India’s Jet Airways has launched flights between Delhi and Hong Kong

India’s Jet Airways has launched flights between Delhi and Hong Kong. The new service is the airline’s second daily flight to Hong Kong from India after the recent launch of flights between the SAR and Mumbai.

Until October 24, 2009 and from March 28, 2010 to October 30, 2010, flight 9W 72 departs Delhi at 22:50, arriving in Hong Kong at 06:55. Flight 9W 71 will then depart Hong Kong at 13:30, arriving in Delhi at 16:50.From October 25, 2009 to March 27, 2010, flight 9W 72 will depart Delhi at 22:45, arriving in Hong Kong at 06:20. Flight 9W 71 will then depart Hong Kong at 13:35, arriving in Delhi at 17:20.

Mr. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, CEO, Jet Airways, said, We are delighted to connect Delhi and Hong Kong with daily services, and launch our inaugural flight from Hong Kong to Delhi on the occasion of China National Day. There continues to remain a strong demand for quality services on the Delhi Hong Kong sector, on account of the latter’s popularity as a leading global business and leisure destination.