Planed Crash

Yemenia Flight 626, a flight from Yemen to comoros crashed in the Indian Ocean according to reports from avaiation officials in Yemen, Tuesday. The has been no report on the fate of the 154 people on board inclusing 143 passengers. Lately it seems there is a plane going down every week or less. What the heck is going on? This is the second Airbus 330 to go down in 29 days. The NTSB is already investigating Airbus A330 after two different flights lost speed and altitude. A flight from Miami to Brazil on May 21 and a flight from Hong Kong to Japan on June 23 both experienced problems. Add to that, the France Flight 447 an Airbus 330 that went down in the Atlantic Ocean on June 1 and now the crash today of the reported Airbus 310 and I can't help but see a pattern.

Get these planes out of the sky! I can tell you this, you won't see my butt on airbus anytime soon. Why are these things still in the sky? I don't ever remember 4 incidents like this happening within a little over a month with the same type of plane. Heck, I don't ever recall planes falling out of the skies at this rate.

I have never been afraid of flying. I don't fly a lot, but I have no fear of stepping onto a plane, even turbulence has never bothered me. But right now, I'm not so sure. The worst part is I live near an airbase so there are always 130's going overhead. This never bothered me before, no matter how low they were flying, but lately I find myself sighing a bit of relief after they pass.
Am I the only one noticing this? Was I just not paying attention before? Or are there mooe planes going down all of a sudden?

special comfortable seats on planes

A Chinese airline is planning to revolutionize budget travel by selling standing tickets on flights. The seats would actually be bar stools with a safety belt fastened around the waist Spring Airlines is reportedly considering the bold move in an effort to handle its growing number of passengers.

The move would reportedly trim airline costs by 20 percent, pack 40 percent more people in the plane and lower airfares.The airline says it will submit its plan to regulators soon.

holiday spending, according to travel Agent

Families of UK are becoming more relaxed with their purse strings when it comes to holiday spending, according to one travel expert. Darren McCormick, head of aviation at Travel Counsellors, said that even in the current climate, people are becoming more confident in their spending and a rise in the number of holidays purchased has been seen. He said that more customers are waiting until the last minute to take advantage of the best deals, aiming to capitalise on the lowest prices. Mr McCormick added. If you book through an agent, that can provide added value for money and can shop around on your behalf, you will still be able to get good value for money, even with these price hikes.

women and sport

Surinder Kaur and her bunch of brave girls deserve commendation from the hockey community.What they achieved at Kazan may be a small step forward but its significance cannot be undermined, especially in the context of the prevailing chaos in the domestic structure.
Victory in the second tier of the Champions Trophy qualifier establishes that hockey in India, especially among women, is alive and kicking. It signals the need for a meaningful programme to elevate both quality and content to a different plane.

It is undeniable, and regrettably so, that women’s hockey had been, and continues to, grope in the area of neglect. The trauma the players were subjected to on the eve of their departure to Kazan amidst a volley of blame game by self-proclaimed administrators, travel agent and airline concerned is a case in point.Still, the girls remained unaffected by the mismanagement of a trip to an important assignment and returned to portray a great tale of success. Those who distanced themselves from the departure fiasco will be the first in line to take credit for India’s showing.

Suddenly, you find e mails flashing the final result, incomplete at that, to select media personnel from the Hockey India site.Important questio.The important question that crops up is whether the women segment will attract more attention. This can at best a matter of guess. The buzz of victory historically is ephemeral as happened after the gold medal win in the Asian Games in New Delhi, where the game made its debut. While the men’s squad succumbed to Pakistan, the women wrote a golden chapter.The issue of merger was on debate at that time. The then President of Indian Women’s Hockey Federation, Ms. Reena Mukerji, suggested that the time was ripe for men’s hockey headed by Mr. I.M. Mahajan to come with a request for a unified body to IWHF.

Interestingly, the situation after 27 years is the same with more complexities etched in a different scenario.Long before the Asiad gold, the Indian women proved they were not far behind men, taking a semifinal spot in the inaugural 1974 World Cup at Mandelieu France.
Players in the calibre of Nirmala Mandana, Rupa Saini, and the Britto sisters, were in the world reckoning. Any imaginative administrative apparatus would have built up the sport as a powerful force. But that was not to be, thanks again to an imbroglio, what with a Begum ruling from Lucknow and another high profile administrator from Bangalore.

The euphoria began to wane in no time. From then on, it has always been a struggle to shape a well knit team to really give the women’s hockey a push it needed.Despite the infirmities, real and created, the players have always been gallant, never found wanting either in skill or in enthusiasm. Else, they would never have been able to scoop the Commonwealth gold in Manchester, or a bronze in the Asiad in Doha that almost brought them back into the Olympic fold.Every positive sign followed a plethora of negative factors largely on account of inept and unresponsive administration. Committed and proven administrators like Arnawaz Damania, who commanded influence in the International Hockey Federation were sidelined. In a nutshell, the policy of drift and inaction contributed to India tumbling in rankings and performing poorly as it did in the last World Cup at Madrid.

With the hockey administration in disarray and more complexities forecast, it is difficult to visualise any vibrant policy framework emerging to profit from the Champions Challenge II. It will be a shame if another chance to build up women’s hockey is frittered away owing to inadequate initiative.

Business Travel in Europe

The global economic downturn has raised concerns about travel, but it appears business travel in Europe is holding its ground and will likely to so for the next year, according to a survey commissioned by the National Business Travel Association. Of the 600 European business travelers surveyed, 62% said convenience is the top priority when booking travel. About a quarter said cost is the most important factor. Travel Agent 06/26

Southwest Airline Starts New York Flight

The first Southwest Airlines departure from LaGuardia Airport came at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, 10 minutes late according to Flight. And so starts Southwest's experience at the New York airport.We've got a story Sunday about why Southwest came to New York and how a couple of analysts are looking at its arrival, as well as a story about Southwest's efforts to make itself a part of New York.

Here are some official statements issued Sunday, starting with Greg Wells, Southwest's senior vice president of operations:Southwest Airlines is celebrating a truly momentous occasion today. Finally New York travelers can experience our unmatched record in Customer Service and our phenomenally low fares at an airport close to where they work and play.
Additionally, Customers in both Chicago and the DC area now have a new low fare choice when planning trips into LaGuardia.

And from Bill DeCota, aviation director for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey:
Our customers are our number one priority and Southwest Airline's new service out of LaGuardia provides not only excellent service, but also a cost efficient choice for our customers to some of the nation's most important destinations.

Oh, one more thing Bob Jordan, Southwest's executive vice president, noted in an interview last week that you can fly from Dallas Love Field to New York, and didn't think enough attention had been paid to that fact.I replied that it'll take at least two stops, but it is true. You can get on an Southwest airplane in Dallas, and eventually get to New York.

In fact, you can take Flight 453 and never get off the airplane. Of course, it'll take nearly eight hours and three stops. At the fastest, it'll take six and a half hours and connections.

Education Clubs Fill Up

Youngsters who used to rely on after school tutorials had been forced to miss out until the clubs sprung up across the country.They are filled with pupils of all ages who are taught by library staff and volunteers.Every child is given a homework kit including graph paper, a calculator and a geometry set.They can access past exam papers for free, use study guides and software packages to help with GCSE and SATs revision, and get help with online searches.

Bob Tolliday of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council said We have a host of resources including sites which normally have to be subscribed to.The staff and volunteers will give one to one help at no cost.Vic Stewart, site manager at Westminster’s Maida Vale library, added The homework club is very popular, especially with the economic situation. They can get all the material they need to study for nothing.We also run summer reading groups through the holidays.Emmanuel Beyene, eight, from Westminster, London, said It is great fun and I can get help doing my homework. I love coming.

Her five year old sister Serena added It is very helpful coming here and I enjoy it a lot. We do maths, reading and science, everything really that I have to do from school. It is fun.

AirTran to add Nonstop flights to Akron in Nov.

AirTran said Friday it will add nonstop flights from Akron Canton Airport in Ohio to Southwest Florida International Airport in November.The flights will be offered Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting Nov. 4. Flights will depart Akron-Canton Airport at 8 a.m. and depart from Southwest Florida International at 6:18 p.m. The flights will be offered daily starting Nov. 18.The flight fares were not listed on AirTran's Web site Friday.The Conservancy of Southwest Florida Web site received a Gold Award in the prestigious 2009 Horizon Interactive Awards, which recognizes international excellence in interactive media production.

The site features a new layout, changing content, an events calendar, new online registration for events and opportunities to sign up for e-mail notices and legislative alerts.The redesign of conservancy.org was launched in October and was a collaboration between the Conservancy and Cool Blue Interactive.Some Lee County residents are forming a new chamber of commerce dedicated to businesses owned by natives of Caribbean nations and Brazil.Kurt Nussbaum of Fort Myers is spearheading the effort. Membership will be open to businesses in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.

Nussbaum said the chamber is being formed because many business owners from those nations have not joined other chambers in the area.There is already a Southwest Florida Hispanic chamber, hispanicchamberflorida .orgJ.L. Wallace Inc. has started construction of Bunche Beach Preserve, a new Lee County park along San Carlos Bay.The acre preserve project off John Morris Road in south Fort Myers will be self sustaining, allowing for no electric or water utilities. The project includes a storm water retention system, parking area, restrooms, fishing piers, kayak launches and boardwalks.

Children Flying Solo

Numerous children ages 5 to17 fly within the U.S. without an adult during summer. If your child will be among them use this update on fees and our tips to make the trip smooth.Each airline has its own rules and stipulations for unaccompanied minors. Know the policies before you book a flight. Children must be at least 5 years old to travel as an unaccompanied minor. Parents or guardians must also pay a fee when booking unaccompanied children, which guarantees an escort, not special attention during the flight.While carriers such as AirTran, Southwest, Spirit and United require the unaccompanied minor service for ages 5 to 11, Alaska requires it for kids up to age 12. American Continental Delta Frontier, JetBlue, Northwest, US Airways, Virgin America and others require it for children to age 14. If your child is younger than 18 but above the airline's required age, some airlines will still allow you to use the unaccompanied minor service.

Children ages 5 to 7 are usually permitted to fly only on nonstop or direct flights. Some airlines have this rule for all unaccompanied minors. Most airlines won't allow unaccompanied minors on the last connecting flight of the day or on flights departing between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.Southwest recently instituted an unaccompanied minor fee, but $25 each way seems reasonable when compared with the $75 to $100 that most other domestic carriers charge.Other airlines with lower fees are AirTran, which charges $39 for nonstop flights and $59 for connecting flights, and Frontier, which charges $50 for nonstop or connecting flights.Sample fees on other airlines include $75 on Alaska, Continental ($100, connecting), JetBlue and Virgin America; $99 on United; and $100 on American, Delta, Northwest, Spirit and US Airways.

If your child is flying on an international flight, British Airways offers unaccompanied-minor service for $50 each way, and Lufthansa charges $60 to $120 within Europe and $150 outside of Europe. Domestic carriers that offer the service charge the same fees, except for Northwest, which charges $120 for international flights.These fees are charged each way, so a round-trip domestic flight could cost an additional $200. The fees are typically charged per reservation, not per child, so if you have several children flying together, you may not have to pay for each.

Contact the airline in advance to let it know your child will be alone and to prepay the fees. If your child will travel on an international flight, check with government officials because passports, shot records and visas may be required.A parent or guardian will receive a pass at check-in so that he or she can escort the child through security and to the gate. The adult must wait at the gate until the flight has taken off. The parent or guardian will need to provide the name and contact information for the adult who will pick up the child at the destination airport, and that person must have a photo I.D.

Before the solo flight, tell your child what to expect before, during and after the flight. Be sure the child knows never to leave the aircraft, or the gate area when connecting, unless accompanied by airline personnel. Keep carry on luggage to a minimum, but be sure your child has some snacks and favorite entertainment items.Many airlines accept only debit or credit cards on board, so buy a prepaid debit card for your child to use for snacks on the plane or at the airport if he is making a connection. Be sure the child has your phone number and that of the person picking him up.With recent incidents of children ending up on the wrong flights, it's a good idea to send a printed itinerary with your child. Tell the child to show it to an attendant after boarding the plane to verify it's the right plane.

Smoke Disturbs Flights and economic

A thick smoke resulted from forest fire and land clearing has hampered flight in Riau province of Sumatra island due to low visibility China's Xinhua news agency reported Monday.A plane operated by Pelita Air Service failed to land on an airport in Dumai of the province Monday morning and was forced to go to another airport, an official of the airport in charge of weather surveillance Tarman Sembiring said.
Pelita Air Service plane could not land on airport in Dumai because of the smoke this morning. It went to Sutan Syarif Kasim airport, he told Xinhua from the province by phone.
Visibility at Dumai decreased to over 500 meters in the morning, weather observation official of the provincial meteorology agency Sanya Gautama said.The figure was far below the lowest limit for flight which was 1,000 meters, said Sembiring.
The airport in Dumai was closed to all flights up to 11:45 Jakarta time 0445 GMT, he said, adding that it opened again when the visibility increased up to more than 1,000 meters.
The number of hot spots reached 90 in the province and its surrounding areas Monday, lower than 193 Sunday,Gautama told Xinhua by phone from the province.Forest fire resulted from land clearing exercise regularly occurred in Sumatra and Borneo islands, resulting in smoke spreading up to neighbouring countries.
The smoke has often caused economic disruption by disturbing tourism and transport.In 1997/8, the smoke has led to billions of U.S. dollars in losses, which then triggered the signing of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in 2002, but Indonesia has yet to ratify the agreement.

Mobile travel services launches

Austrian Airlines has launched a new range of Simplify Your Flight mobile services for customers. These services allow passengers to book their tickets, check-in and change pre booked flights using their mobile phones. They are available to the airline's 620,000 Miles & More members at mobile.austrian.com.

Students wants universities to abolish lectures

University lectures are past their sell by date and should be abolished in favour of virtual teaching, according to a student leader.Wes Streeting, president of the National Union of Students, says lectures are old fashioned and increasingly irrelevant to modern learning.
For generations, students have packed into cramped lecture theatres to listen to professors enthuse about their subjects.
Some students take notes attentively and others struggle to stay awake, but Mr Streeting says the whole concept should be eradicated.Instead students could make greater use of lecture handouts, online learning, chat rooms and downloads, with more time freed for staff to conduct small and intensive tutorial sessions.Writing in Policy Review magazine, Mr Streeting said In my higher education revolution, the lecture would be first up against the wall.

Why is it, in the age of mass higher education, that we keep packing lecture theatres with hundreds of students for a format designed for teaching no more than 20 in an elite system?
Come the revolution, I’d see virtual learning environments acting as a space for students to come together and collaborate.Mr Streeting said that with record levels of public borrowing and a relatively poor settlement for higher eduction in the budget, universities should be thinking creatively about the challenging financial climate.

While our vice-chancellors might not be tempted to storm the barricades to overthrow our political system, it should serve as an incentive alongside the more important catalyst of student appetite to revolutionise learning and teaching in higher education.Lectures are an established part of the university process. The huge numbers on some courses mean that 300 to 400 students have to be taught in one go.

Documents at Oxford University refer to lectures taking place as long ago as 1116, although this would not have been in the modern mass format. The University of Cambridge estimates that it began using lectures in the late 13th century.Speaking to The Times, Mr Streeting said Over the last decade there has been a rapid expansion in higher education, with a whole new generation of diverse students from all walks of life.

Why is it, that despite these trends, in many places the delivery and process of learning and teaching hasn’t changed much at all?In some cases there are hundreds of students in one lecture. They’re probably not getting any benefit. They want more personalised time and specific feedback on their work in smaller groups.You could free up staff time using podcasting and YouTube, or have students interacting online in communities of scholarship, within and between universities.Some universities are starting to do this and being quite radical. The internet changes everything.The universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the Open University and University College LondonUCL allow students to download lectures on their iPods.
A spokesman for UCL said that allowing students to download lectures and watch them online had not reduced the popularity of live lectures.

Flight delays

Storms in the Midwest are causing delays at Chicago airports, and some of them are coming to Fort Wayne International Airport.Airport officials confirmed that several planes were on the ground here, and that water was being supplied to those who remained on their planes on the runways.Flight delays at O'Hare International Airport on Friday were averaging one hour, and more than 50 flights were canceled, the Associated Press reported. Midway Airport was seeing shorter delays and no cancellations.

Pilot died during a flight

There are always two pilots at the controls of a commercial airliner, but the thought of one of them becoming incapacitated during a flight still remains unnerving.Yesterday's incident aboard a Continental Airlines jet inbound from Brussels in which the captain died while in flight underscored those concerns.
Flight safety experts, however, say there was never any danger. One pilot alone can fly and land a modern Boeing 777. The flight landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport and passengers never knew what had happened in the cockpit until they were on the ground.
How unusual was this incident?
It's very unusual, but it happens, said air safety analyst Todd Curtis of Airsafe.com.
Incapacitation of a pilot is fairly rare,There are no accurate records, but there have been some fairly prominent events.
Earlier this year, a British Airbus A320 bound for Cyprus diverted to Turkey after the co-pilot died in mid flight. In January 2007, a Continental flight from Texas to Mexico made an emergency landing after the pilot fell ill. The co-pilot safely landed the plane carrying 210 passengers. The pilot died on the ground. In May 2000, Taiwanese carrier China Airlines was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff when the pilot suffered a heart attack. The co-pilot returned the plane to the airport and the pilot died soon after arriving at a hospital. In March 1997, a Gulf Air Airbus A320 skidded at Abu Dhabi airport after a pilot had a heart attack right at takeoff.
A 2004 FAA study found nearly 50 incidents of pilot impairments or incapacitations in a study of U.S. airline pilots from 1993 to 1998. Flight safety was an issue in seven of those flights and two results in nonfatal accidents.
With two pilots in the cockpit, who typically flies the plane?

A. Les Westbrooks, a former airline and military pilot, said both the captain and the first officer are fully capable of flying a jetliner by themselves. The controls on both sides of the cockpit are identical.

This week Private Flights start

The Josephburg airport will never be the same after this week.
That’s because the airfield formally known as the Strathcona Airport began accepting its first ever scheduled flights on its tarmac on Monday by Shell’s 31-seat corporate plane as it dropped off commuters heading to the company’s Scotford plant.
Shell will run daily service in the morning from Calgary to Josephburg and then onto Fort McMurray. A return flight from Fort McMurray will touch down in Josephburg in the late afternoon before the plane flies back to Calgary.
Shell Scotford’s manager of communications Randy Provencal said the plan to bring the flight to Josephburg has been in the works for the past two years.The discussions on this go back about two years. We are certainly excited to be at this point today and landing our plane at the Strathcona Airport.

While many would speculate that the recent discussions on possible closure of Edmonton’s downtown airport had influenced this decision, Provencal immediately dismissed the idea.
As far as the discussion around the future of the city centre airport, that has been going around for years and really didn’t play into this decision at all,he added.

The primary reasons for us changing our landings to Josephburg was really for the convenience for our travellers and to reduce the safety risk of them driving on the local roads. And safety was a huge component for us in doing this.Previously, our employees and contractors from Calgary heading to Scotford were travelling about 45 minutes or more from the city centre airport.
With those commuters now just a five-minute ride down the road, Provencal explained Shell feels it’s good for the company and employees because less time is spent getting to their destination and fewer vehicles are out on the road as well, since up to 15 people each day come to the Scotford plant for various business.
Meanwhile, Strathcona’s gain is a loss for the Edmonton City Centre Airport something a lobby group hoping to keep that facility open didn’t need to see at this time.

Dave MacLean, vice-president of the Alberta Enterprise Group (AEG), explained that losing a major business client like Shell from the downtown airport is unfortunate.
We support and promote an active aviation industry at the city centre airport. But to us it was really a no-brainer for Shell to move their flight operations out to Josephburg for reasons of safety and logistics given the size their operations, MacLean stated.

So, in a sense, AEG isn’t really reading a lot into this situation or putting forward an argument that this move (to Josephburg airport by Shell) is a sign of things to come or is a problem with Edmonton’s city centre airport.
Although, MacLean added this circumstance is a glimpse into the future.You can’t argue with the fact that a company like Shell operating a facility at the city centre airport was good for Edmonton, for the economy and created jobs.In the future, if Edmonton city council makes what we consider a foolish move to close that airport, we are going to see a lot of companies do the exact same thing.
Shell and Strathcona County jointly paid for the needed airport improvements to allow the plane to land at the facility.That included making the runway longer, adding new and improved runway lighting plus installing a new instrument approach and automated weather observation system.
Besides the airport, Strathcona County also received upgrades at its Heartland Fire Hall the primary response station for the airport. Staffing levels will now be increased from five to six personnel for each shift, while the hall has been updated with aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment.

S.W to cut 196 flights in 2009

Some could be restored later, airline says. New planes will be added; older ones retired.
Dallas Southwest Airlines , which had resisted the kinds of capacity cuts being made by other carriers, will eliminate nearly 200 flights early next year as it struggles with high fuel costs and a weakening economy.
The move raised doubts about the company’s publicly stated goal of growing modestly in 2009 despite the airline industry’s troubles.Now Southwest will cut 196 flights while adding only six new ones in its schedule that takes effect Jan. 11.
That is nearly 6 percent of the airline’s daily schedule of close to 3,400 flights.
Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said Tuesday that some of the eliminated flights, which span Southwest’s nationwide network, could be restored later in 2009. Late winter is typically a slow travel period.
This is a response to a slower traffic period, and we’re giving ourselves some operational flexibility in the winter months.
Southwest is better insulated than its rivals from high jet fuel prices because it bought options to get most of its fuel at below market prices. Still, the airline’s fuel bill has been rising, eating into margins at the most consistently profitable U.S. carrier.
Chairman and Chief Executive Gary Kelly said in June that the Dallas based low cost carrier hoped to grow modestly in 2009. But he tempered that outlook by saying the expansion plans could be scrapped if oil prices remain high or the economy weakens.

At the time, Kelly said Southwest still planned to add 14 new planes next year. Mainz said Tuesday that new planes will be added while older aircraft are retired, keeping the airline’s fleet relatively flat. Southwest has about 530 jets, all Boeing 737s.
Southwest is the only major U.S. carrier to earn a profit in the first half of the year it has not lost money in a quarter since early 1991. Like other carriers, Southwest has been raising fares to offset rising fuel prices, and Kelly has said more increases are likely.

American Airlines, the nation’s largest carrier, is cutting about 8 percent of capacity after Labor Day and up to 12 percent of its domestic flying. United Airlines expects to cut domestic capacity about 16 percent, and Delta, Northwest and Continental also have announced cuts.
The airlines are grounding planes and laying off thousands of workers to save money in the face of higher fuel bills.

Flights, Car Rentals and Lodging

Many visitors who come to play in the mountains of Durango, Colorado choose to book flights to Durango Airport. Judith leaned back against australia wildlife tours much to consider. The airport is located just 15 minutes from the town and provides direct access to Durango / Purgatory Mountain Resort for epic skiing and snowboarding. I will love you car chicago chicagobestpricecom deal flight information rent travel for more. Flights and airfare to Durango often times go directly through the Denver International Airport. Judith was exhausted, and dinner cruise in san francisco something strange about her. This allows access to virtually anywhere in the world. The corpse was brought chicago cruise dinner in to her. Simply hop on a plane and head to this historical mountain town.

Another option for flying to the Durango CO area is to head to the Montrose Regional Airport. Suddenly feeling uncertain and canada center multi tour train he told his lies. The drive from Montrose to Durango will take you through some of the most stunning scenery in North America. Then my promises are coney island tour was gently patting her. Here you will witness the grandeur of the Colorado rockies.

Car Rentals In Durango, Colorado
Once you have your airfare and flights booked, you will most likely need to rent a car. He slowed his horse dts government travel composure then and there. Having your own Durango car rental will allow you the freedom and flexibility to explore nearby communities or take wilderness drives. She was fanning him chicago chicagobestpricecom concert cruise cruise travel travel her said as much. Book your Durango, car Rental today.
Lodging in Durango, Colorado
The town of Durango and the Purgatory Mountain Resort play host to a unique combination of lodging. He was as kind business tourism frowned with disapproval. From Durango hotels to Durango vacation condo rentals you are sure to find your particular style of lodging. I freed and rewarded europe philippine travel in embarrassment. Hotels provide full service amenities like continental breakfasts, pools, and hot tubs. I tried to embrace charleston sc tour walking a statue. Durango vacation condo rentals generally have their own kitchens, and living space. Her eyes turned a aml cruises in the same battle.
We hope these tips helped plan your Durango, Colorado vacation. Royce caught him by crete travel packages a big mistake. You can call the Colorado Travel Company at 970.372.4628 to book your Durango hotels and find the ideal Durango vacation condo rental.
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Department of Education to service federal student loans.

Department of Education to service federal student loans.
The decision on the contract has been anxiously awaited by investors in the largest U.S. student-loan company, commonly known as Sallie Mae it will provide income that would help offset the loss in revenue stemming from the Obama administration's plans to rein in subsidies paid to student lenders.
We are very pleased to be awarded the opportunity to apply our experience and expertise for the benefit of students and the American taxpayer, said Chief Executive Albert Lord, in an email to Dow Jones Newswires sent by a press official at the company. We look forward to being a partner with the Department in this important effort.

The stock of the Reston, Va.-based company was at $8.60, up 11.83% after the close of the regular trading day in the U.S. market. Still, the shares are way off their 52-week high of $25.05, reached in June last year.
Sallie Mae, which makes private and federal student loans, gets nearly one-third of its income from the federal student loans it makes on behalf of the government. It earns another third of its income from the interest it charges on private student loans; the remaining one-third comes from a number of smaller businesses, including fees from college savings plans and collecting defaulted student debt.
Investors have been concerned about the Obama administration's proposal to eliminate the income that Sallie Mae gets from federal student loans. But they hoped that this loss in income would be somewhat offset by the plan's requirement for the participation of private lenders, such as Sallie Mae, for the servicing of federal student loans.
To be sure, Sallie Mae's earnings are still expected to suffer as a result of the potential revenue loss under the Obama proposal. But additional income from servicing the federal student loans should help make up for that; the extent to which it would help depends on the volume of student loans Sallie Mae would service.
Aside from Sallie Mae, three other companies were also awarded the loan servicing contract, including Nelnet Inc. (NNI).

The contract comes on top of improvements in the company's funding position in the last month that helped dispel investors' concerns about its liquidity. Making use of a federal program aimed at reinvigorating the market for asset-backed securities, Sallie Mae sold $2.6 billion of bonds made up of pools of student loans in May.
The student lender also garnered a one-year extension on a crucial $21.8 billion asset backed commercial paper facility, which was set to expire in April. In addition, it scored an asset backed commercial paper facility from the Department of Education that allows Sallie Mae to fund as much as $16 billion of federal student loans.

Indian SMEs are actions business & economic recovery : Study

Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are most optimistic of economic recovery this year amongst other countries in Asia, a study
has found.
The Indian SMEs expect growth to come from IT, building and construction, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and auto, according to a study by UPS Jetair Express.
This year's survey reveals that SMEs in India have more positive outlook towards their development and business prospects than their regional counterparts, UPS APAC president Derek Woodward said in a release.

Though Indian SMEs are more optimistic than their regional counterparts on growth this year, but their trade outlook has fallen.
However, trade within the Asia Pacific remains the strongest at 48 per cent compared to 69 per cent last year, the study found.
While external trade has fallen, India's domestic market continues to grow, so the impact of the economy affects businesses differently, depending on where their key markets are, UPS Jetair India MD Pirojshaw Sarkari said.
Indian businesses are known to be resilient and resourceful. We expect them to bounce back quickly when the economy recovers.

Discuss the Future of the Industry

In the past 12 months, Americans have seen entire industries humbled, on their knees and seeking intervention, with the financial and auto industries most visible.
The jury’s still out for the newspaper industry, although there’s a collective gloom shared by many journalists when they talk about the direction of print news. Two storied print institutions, the Rocky Mountain News and Seattle Post Intelligencer, already have shuttered their newsrooms this year, and more are likely to follow suit.
Thanks to a steep drop in advertising revenue, newspapers were already on shaky ground before the recession. Which begs the question. What will journalism look like as we navigate through and end up on the other side of this rough and tumble economy?
During a forum Wednesday night, a panel of seasoned journalists will discuss the industry’s future at the Santa Barbara Central Library’s Faulkner Gallery, 40 E. Anapamu St. As a precursor to that event, Noozhawk talked to local companies that think about the future of journalism every day, and are experimenting with new ways to keep the fourth estate alive and well in Santa Barbara on the Web.
It’s too early to tell which models will be the most successful, what role advertising will play in an era of Craigslist and whether readers are even willing to pay for their news like in the old days. But the conversation is alive and well in Santa Barbara.
Warren Schultheis is the founder of the Web site City , which aggregates local headlines from traditional local news sources, but also has a whole army of bloggers that contribute. In addition to the blog links, the site also has active forums set up for centralized discussion. City 2.0 has been up and running since February 2008, and Schultheis said response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Although the core of workers at City is small, Schultheis said about 50 bloggers regularly contribute to the site. Santa Barbarans like to be heard, so we’re getting a lot of new sign-ups every week. Having an abundance of user-generated content was particularly significant for the site during the Jesusita Fire, which saw users updating with photos, maps and links to new fire maps, among other things.
An online feedback loop is more efficient, so things such as corrections get handled more quickly. Feedback on the stories themselves has a way of adding transparency, too, Schultheis said.
This doesn’t mean that reader feedback is weighted the same in terms of accuracy, but it helps to put information in context which is immensely valuable, he said.

The idea of the Citizen Journalist is still somewhat of a hot topic in the journalism world, a fact that Schultheis acknowledges. But he said there are degrees of quality, from professional journalists as well as bloggers, and he encourages all of City 2.0’s bloggers to read over the Principals of Citizen Journalism, which details citing sources, being transparent and objectivity.
As newsroom staffs shrink and bow to cost-cutting, it’s inevitable that topics such as sports may be overlooked. After leaving their jobs as sports reporters at the Santa Barbara News-Press, Blake Dorfman and John Dvorak began PresidioSports.com to address that very issue.

Dorfman said Presidio Sports is the only online sports section in Santa Barbara, and he and Dvorak are constantly finding out what works and what doesn’t through reader response. Feedback has been particularly strong from high school athletes and their parents, and Dorfman said he gets e-mails from locations including Santa Ynez, asking when the site will broaden its coverage. Stories are often posted just hours after an event, which means no more waiting for the paper to hit the driveway to find out what went on, he said.

Presidio Sports covers its costs through online advertising, which Dorfman strongly advocates. It’s been proven that online advertising is not just the future but the present. Many older businesses, founded in the day of print, find it harder to make the transition to the Web, and apprehension in a struggling economy is understandable.

The unlimited space of the Internet is a blessing for Presidio Sports, and enables its founders to utilize video on the site, update sports scores on a ticker or add a photo album full of images from an event. When staff members are unable to cover an event, Dorfman and Dvorak welcome submissions from the public.

Anybody can go to ESPN.com to read about the Lakers and Dodgers, but where will they go to read about all the local things?Dorfman asked. Newspapers such as the Orange County Register have done a terrific job in transitioning online, he said, but most other papers have not, and those in Santa Barbara are no exception.
People shouldn’t have to pay to go online and read a news story, whether it is about a fire, a City Council meeting or a high school basketball game, he said.

Another site launched last year is PlanetSantaBarbara.com, which was started by Matt Mason, who in addition to posting news reports, also works as a software engineer. Mason said he’s been able to use technology to his advantage by using Twitter to break news; he said his Twitter feed is ranked second in Santa Barbara.

The site most recently has been able to feature lengthy videos of 35th District Assembly candidates Mike Stoker and Das Williams, and Mason said he’ll do the same for the City Council members running in November’s election. We give people an opportunity to see more than the sound bite, in the candidates’ own words. You can’t get that anywhere.
Closer to home, Noozhawk talked with our own Bill Macfadyen, the publisher.

His grandfather founded the Malibu Times, yet Macfadyen admitted he hasn’t subscribed to a local newspaper since 2001, and said his children have grown up watching him read news online instead of reading an actual paper. Any Web-based business creates lower overhead, but a news Web site also creates a 24-hour news cycle, which is both an opportunity and a challenge, he said.

Noozhawk covers its operating costs through advertising, and though the site is still a start-up business, Macfadyen said he’s encouraged by the progress. As far as what revenue model will be effective in the future, sites that offer a pay-as-you-read model, such as the Wall Street Journal, have definite advantages, he said.

But in a small town, how many people would actually pay to find out what the school board did rather than just ask a friend to tell them? he asked.

“The newspaper executives who are stamping their feet and saying that people ought to be paying for content may not yet realize how fossilized that view is, he said. Younger generations look at the Internet as one big free for all.

While technology enables anyone with an Internet connection to provide information to a larger audience, Macfadyen said he believes that readers still have a desire for in-depth, professional reporting.
The advent of blogging and Twitter has been a great development for news consumers, particularly for breaking stories.But readers usually want more than 140 characters of type on larger issues. They expect online publications to provide serious professional reporting and context, like what used to be found in newspapers.
That’s what Noozhawk strives to provide. We understand this is a 24 commitment, and we’re staking our reputation on that reliability.
The public is invited to join the discussion from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Faulkner Gallery, in the Santa Barbara Central Library Anapamu.

AA cut 2 more flights

Airlines of American is laying off four Honolulu-based employees and reducing its Los Angeles-Honolulu flights by two a week as part of the cutbacks the carrier announced last week.The affected employees out of 113 overall in Hawaii work on the ramp loading or unloading baggage or cargo, airline spokesman Tim Smith said.American, which has four daily round trips between Los Angeles and Honolulu, said the two flights will be dropped effective Aug. 25.Those flights will be reinstated on Nov. 19 to again give American four daily round trips between the two cities seven days a week.

With this small change, we will have three round trips a day two days a week and four round trips five days a week so you can see the change is very small, Smith said. None of our other routes to Honolulu are affected by any of this.American, the world's second-biggest carrier, said last week it planned to cut at least 1,600 jobs, or 2.4 percent of its work force, including 1,200 flight attendants.In addition, American is paring seating capacity by 7.5 percent because of dwindling demand, with the biggest cuts being on overseas flights.The best way to prepare for tomorrow's challenges is to confront today's challenges head-on, all the while keeping focus on your long-term direction, said Gerard Arpey, president and chief executive of American. And that is exactly what we are doing.As you know, capacity discipline has been our mantra for many years and it has been one of the keys to our ability to navigate our way through the industry's many storms.

Two additional flights

Emirates airline will fly two additional flights per week to Mauritius starting June 27, 2009. Emirates current daily service will escalate to nine flights per week, in a bid to increase traffic to the island.

The additional flights will operate on Thursdays and Saturdays and increase existing capacity by almost 20% per week per direction.Emirates vice president commercial operations, West Asia & Indian Ocean Majid Al Mualla said the increased frequency was representative of the carrier’s enhanced commitment to Mauritius.Our recent campaigns have stepped up demand for the route as well as opened up new feeder markets such as Russia and East Europe.The increasing number of tourists will welcome these additional flights as they will have more travel options and better connectivity. Flights from Emirates’ Middle East network and Russia connect within four hours to the Mauritius service.More than 930,000 tourists visited Mauritius in 2008, representing a 2.6% increase in arrivals from the previous year.

Pristina to New York flights

The first flight directly from New York to Priština will land today at 16:30. According to Scanderbeg, the flight will be available two times a week, from New York to Priština on Monday and Thursday and from Pristina to New York on Tuesday and Friday.
The flights will be in function during the summer season, and the decision on whether the flight will remain throughout other seasons will depend on the interest of passengers.
According to the internet site of the airline, the company flies two other routes. Tirana to New York and Pristina to New York, and will use Boeing planes for trips over the ocean. The price of a round trip will be about USD 1200.

Coupons for Flights, Hotels and Car Rentals

There's no wrong way to honor the brave men and women of our military, but offering coupons and military discounts on travel sweetens the appreciation CheapOAir is offering military coupons and special deals on military travel through their Web site.
Visit Mom for her birthday or surprise Dad on Father's Day whatever you choose to do, make sure to take advantage of the discount travel rates on airfare, hotels and rental cars.
Simple enter the coupon code military into coupon/promo code box for an additional $12 off your flights when making your booking and present a valid military I.D. at check-in. The promotion is valid through Jun 30, 2009.
No matter where you are in the world, CheapOAir will get you home, with a few extra dollars to spare.

flights to Asia canceled

Air Canada has issued a travel advisory for flights through Vancouver departing to and coming from Asia over the next few days.The carrier says volcanic activity at Sarychev Peak in the North Pacific Ocean is causing some major issues with the weather in that region.Flights directly affected are heading to and from Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.Customers are asked to double-check their flight before traveling to the airport.Air Canada says flights can be rescheduled with no penalties.

stolen things from rental car

A Wayne resident had his briefcase stolen from the inside of his rental car when a burglar smashed the passenger side window, police said.The victim had the car, a black 2009 Mazda 5, parked in the lot behind the Bonefish Grill on Route 1 in Iselin when he discovered the shattered window and saw that his black briefcase had been taken, a police report said.The victim told police that the briefcase – worth about $750 – had his wallet and paperwork inside it. The wallet had credit cards and about $20 in cash, the victim told police.The report said that one of the victim’s Visa credit cards may have been used at a local J.C. Penny. No evidence was left at the scene, the report said.

Reports on KSA-Oman flights

The Shoura Council on Sunday approved by majority vote the report proposed by the Committee for Transport and Communications regarding the agreement on flight services between the Kingdom and the Sultanate of Oman.
The session, Dr. Abdullah Aal Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the Shoura Council also discussed the report by the Committee for Management, Human Resources and Petitions regarding the annual report of the Ministry of Public Service for the fiscal year 1428-29 Hijra, the Council’s Secretary General Dr. Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Ghamdi said.
He added that the Council also reviewed the annual report of the Ministry of Education proposed by the Committee for Teaching Affairs and Scientific Research for the fiscal year 1427-1428 Hijra.
After fully reviewing the aforementioned reports, the Council recommended further consideration on them during its next session.

spcial flights for singles

The world's first matchmaking flight has been launched by Air New Zealand.
The plane will fly single people from the US to Auckland in October for the express purpose of linking them up.
The flight package will include a pre-flight gate party at Los Angeles International Airport and food, drink, and entertainment during the flight. The party will be continued for singles-only at a convention centre and the SkyCity hotel in Auckland.

The Northern Territory medical flights delayed again

Katherine is a town situated 320 km southeast of Darwin in the top end of Australia. The Northern Territory health department says there have been further delays to the reintroduction of full aero-medical services.Night flights of fixed wing aircraft were suspended at the Tindal Air Base more than 18 months ago because of wallabies on the runway.A wallaby-proof fence has been built to keep the animals away from the airstrip and full services were to resume today.A spokesman for the health department says it is still making sure the wallabies are not causing problems and expects night flights to begin later this week.

Atlantic flight to slow from the Dublin side

The US destinations to be trimmed will include
direct services between Dublin and Washington and Dublin and San Francisco. The cuts will begin on the 25th October.
The surplus of staff that will arise from the cutbacks have been asked to show an interest in paid and unpaid leave.
Aer Lingus has also said services between Shannon and Chicago will also be suspended over the winter period, from 1st September. Flights to Paris, Rome, Milan, Faro and Barcelona will also be suspended for the winter.

why not brand yourselves with busince

Folks just don’t think that they are. If you own or are thinking about starting your own home business don’t be the village idiot who brand’s their business. It does not matter how great your product or service is because there will be more people doing the same thing you are offering. Personally branding you and not your business has never been more important than in today’s market.

Very few people brand themselves. If you were going to name the people in your industry that you can identify you would do so more on how well they branded their name and personality and not their product.

The top people in your industry are the top ones because they have branded themselves. You see if the business they own changes or the industry or market for it goes into a crisis if they branded their business they are in major trouble. Plus they never really would have reached their peak branding their business and not them personally.

If however they have branded them and well it doesn’t matter if they quit the business they are promoting or own and change industries. Leaders brand themselves and draw followers who buy from them because their personal branding makes people like them. Let’s say you sell something in the health and wellness industry and have a store or you work as a independent contractor for a network marketing company. Well there are countless people selling and offering the exact same thing in your industry as you and you will never stick out if you are branding the same thing everyone else is and that is the product brands you are selling.

However, if from day one you brand you and your story there is not one single other person who can compete on the same level as you. You draw to you those like you and you prefer to work with those you like and they will buy from you when you brand you. We all like to buy from who we like. So have you ever bought anything from someone who bugged you or you didn’t even like? How many times have you bought something from someone who you enjoyed talking to and if not for that person you wouldn’t have bought it.

Ever notice how many times people serving samples influence you to try the samples. When checking out ever notice how you look for the happy people and not the mad looking ones.

When you go to buy a car or pick out a realtor you enjoy working with someone you like and enjoy talking to. You and me both do this in our life and we both look to connect and work with people we like and enjoy working with.

It is rare anyone knows how to really use this secret and put it in action in their home business or small business. The ones who do are making a fortune in business.

You have to grow it to large scales to get more volume for business. Take your business model and automate it as much as you can. Doing this using the internet has made making a 6 figure income a year and for many even a month has been made possible because of the internet. Today domain names and website hosting through internet companies have made getting a website fast, easy and very affordable for everyone.

You need to use the internet to brand you and not your business.

When you start or grow a business to you need to get yourself a website to brand you and your story. From the beginning to the end you want your visitor to feel they have met you in person. They know your story and in many ways are likely to relate. You and me are a lot alike in our stories. There is no one without struggles. We all face financial challenges. Everyone wants to be successful in life and will have trials on the way to it. You can simply tell your story and your journey of how you have done everything in video and people can start to connect with you.

Once you have made that connection you are in a very good position to share about what changed your life and how it did. You are no longer in the old position of trying to sell or push something on someone else. Simply share your story and use online video to do it.

When you first start out you may not have a success story. You can however share your vision and where you are working to build your business and again people will connect with you in sharing your vision for where you are going. Naturally once you have found success you can share your story of success and your business will enter phase two of rapid growth. You will find a slow steady number of people who follow you in your journey to success and when you start to really take off you will find your following grow in massive numbers and your followers become very loyal to you.

When you reach this point you have branded yourself and it doesn’t matter if you change businesses or industries because people are following you and not your business or product.

Stay in constant contact with those who are your prospects. You can do this in simply using a list management service to allow people to opt in to your email list. Then your prospects will enter their name and email address on your list so they are sent a series of email messages each day or other day. You can build extreme loyalty on auto pilot by having 15-25 emails pre-written and set to be sent to your new email opt ins who visit your website over a period of 30-60 days. Then you send people a email once a week or more simply with things connected to you and your business or service. You will find people who from this order and buy from you and yet you are branding yourself so you will be free of competition. Then you will sell your product for full price and they people won’t buy from others who sell the same thing even at a discount. Why? When you brand you as the top person and authority in what you do. Even though you will not likely have met them they will feel like they know you and buy from you. All the while the other guys going against you will be clueless as to how you do so much business and never discount your prices. While they keep offering their products at discounts and spending a lot on market they won’t get near the results you get.

We used these secrets to make our business into a global powerhouse of sales and now do over 6 figures a month. Nearly all sales made through the system we’ve built are done on auto pilot now. Our team members are very branded and we have made the process very automated for us and for our customers.

If you want to learn more about earning money online and how to grow your existing business online we offer a free member back office to our members.

To get your free member back office account to the Pizza Boy Club where our top income earner who started at 21 as a pizza boy delivery boy went on to make 6 figures in one month after just 6 months of using these methods come get your account today.

women busince start up

woman small business owner looking for funding to start up your business.

If you've been having difficulty finding all those mythical of funding opportunities for women, join the crowd. Thousands upon thousands of women search the Internet each month looking for small business start-up money, and tens of thousands of women give up, feeling frustrated, disheartened, and baffled by money-promising scam sites which lead nowhere.

The start-up money is not there. At least, not how it used to be. However, don't give up hope!

Funding opportunities for women starting up small businesses do exist. You just need to know where to look.

Three Places to Find Small Business Start-up Money

1. Visit to find out if your business purpose fits within federal grant guidelines.

On this site you can find and apply for federal grants. For small business start-up loans, redirects you to SBA.gov. That's because the federal government works through agencies like the SBA when funding money for small business start-ups.

2. Search for information on the Small Business Administration's website.

This is an excellent site for all your small business needs. Plus, as a bonus, there are many local SBA offices around the country where you can go and talk with a real live person.

a. Finance Start-up page:

This page gives a list of grant and loan programs, though not the grants or loans themselves.

b. Local Resources:

On this page, you can search for your nearest SBA.

3. If your business is in a rural area, contact the Rural Development Administration
The provides assistance to businesses starting up in rural areas. Assistance usually comes in grant-loan combos, or just low interest loans.

Five Strategies for Finding Small Business Start-up Money

1. Take advantage of any assistance or information offered to small business owners by your state, county, or city government.

2. Ask owners of similar businesses how they funded their start-ups.

3. Look for larger companies, organizations and foundations that share your purpose.

4. Consider a loan-grant combo.

5. Google: small business start-up grant your type of
business.

If you are a woman small business owner looking for money to start up your business, you've probably noticed how hard it is to find any. Money for starting up businesses is hard
to come by, especially if you don't know where to look. If you've been searching to no avail for small business start-up money or have thrown up your hands in frustration because of all the scam sites that lead nowhere, hang on.
Don't give up yet! Funding opportunities for women small business owners do exist. Follow the information and links in this article to discover how and where you can get
funding for your small business start-up.

A medical isotope

A medical isotope solution is liquid that gets injected into a patient's arm and travels to a specific part of the body, depending on what chemical it is paired with. The isotopes emit gamma rays that allow doctors to capture more detailed photos of the body than they could with other technology. Used to treat and diagnose illnesses, medical isotopes are produced by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. AECL's nuclear reactor in Chalk River produced more than half the world's isotopes.

On May 15, discovered a radioactive water leak coming from a wall at the reactor. It caused a shutdown at the plant.

AECL insists the leak poses no threat.

Where does Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt and her "sexy" isotopes fit in?

AECL is a Crown corporation that reports to Parliament through Raitt. The distribution of the isotopes falls to Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and provincial health ministers. On the candid tape recording, Raitt said Aglukkaq seemed terrified of the issue.

Digital Television (DTV) of broadcasting technology

Planned his family's cross-country RV excursion around taking in great sights at Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park. But Deangelis also likes being able to see practical things like local TV weather reports while they're on the road.

So the switch by broadcasters to all-digital signals on Friday is bringing special headaches for campers like him. Many put off upgrading the TVs in their RVs because it meant tearing up cabinets designed to maximize space, and they're worried now that without over-the-air signals they'll have less access to forecasts and storm warnings.

Deangelis, of Bethlehem, Pa., said this week at the KOA Kampground in Sioux Falls that he'll have to rely on cable-ready campsites this trip, since he hasn't bought a digital converter box to work with his RV's older TV set. He figured why bother, as he already had to remove a faulty rooftop antenna.

Plenty of newer RVs are equipped with satellite dishes, antennae or both - especially the ones people use as summer or full-time homes, with their only TVs. But Mark Thies, service adviser with Spader's RV Center in Sioux Falls, estimates that 95 percent of weekend RVers rely on over-the-air signals. He's expecting a flood of phone calls Monday morning when occasional campers realize they weren't prepared.

Lots of people procrastinated because retrofitting RVs with a converter box can be a "total nightmare" that could cost $300 to $400. It can involve hours of pulling out cabinetry, rerouting wires and trying to find a spot to mount the box.

The problem is when they put the TVs in the RVs, everything is built in a confined area, so we have to modify where those boxes go, Thies said. My recommendation is put in a new TV. That's the easiest, best way for these people.

That can bring the same kind of remodeling headaches, said Darrell Brink, a 66-year-old Sioux Falls building contractor who opted for the converter box.

"The problem with getting a new TV is when you buy the RV, it was built for the TV that came in it," Brink said. "You just can't switch the TV out, because they're built in."

A few sites down from Brink's at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, John Luckie of Georgia thinks he has it figured out.

Having a DirecTV satellite dish means he can watch his favorite national channels - but since that account is based in Georgia, he gets only Atlanta's local stations as he travels around the country. So if he wants to know if it's going to rain tomorrow where he's at, he switches to use the rooftop antenna connected to his high-definition TV.

The officer announced flights to Santa Fe

Commercial air service is returning to Santa Fe.officials were at the Santa Fe airport to announce American Eagle is offering daily, direct flights between the city and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

The airline also will start offering daily flights to Los Angeles in November. The governor's office said that is something many in the film industry had been asking for.

Richardson said commercial air service is key to the economic development of the area and to growing New Mexico's tourism and film industries.

Santa Fe has been without commercial air service since January 2008 and without larger commercial jet service for decades. Federal officials cleared the airport for use by regional jets earlier this year.

cancel flights form flood, stroms and shut off power

A series of powerful storms packing heavy rains and frequent lightning strikes grounded dozens of flights, left hundreds of thousands without power and caused widespread damage across portions of Texas on Thursday.

No deaths or injuries were reported from the storms that began whipping the Dallas-Fort Worth area Wednesday night with winds up to 70 mph. By the time the storms cleared the city, some areas of Dallas got more than 8 inches of rain.

More than 180,000 homes and businesses were without power Thursday night, said Megan Wright, a spokeswoman for Oncor Electric Delivery.

400 flights were canceled Thursday at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport before they resumed operating later in the day. Ground workers were brought in from outside part of the day because of lightning in the area.

Southwest Airlines, which flies out of Dallas Love Field, canceled 21 flights Thursday because of the weather — 15 of those were in Dallas. Another 13 planes were diverted in the height of the morning's storms and dozens of flights were delayed across the country, company spokesman Brad Hawkins said.

Dallas workers were trying to repair a pump that moves groundwater from a west Dallas neighborhood into the Trinity River after the pump was struck by lightning. Another pump was still working. city spokeswoman Danielle McClelland said.

We just hope this rain holds off so we can get this one pump fixed. We're in a wait and see mode, McClelland said.

The marina at Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth sustained millions of dollars worth of damage and was closed. The storms damaged the marina's roof, smashed docks and turned boats upside down, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Michelle Levitsky, of Frisco, just north of Dallas, says the winds bewildered her farm animals.

When the storm hit, they started running around, running into each other. The goats were being knocked over and tumbling. The chickens we had their wings clipped — they were in the air, just being picked up by the wind, she told KDFW-TV of Dallas and Fort Worth. She said all survived.

A second wave of severe weather took aim on Central Texas late Thursday, downing trees and power lines in Burnet County and forcing authorities in Williamson County to reroute 911 calls.

economic challenges

Dow Jones Gerard Arpey, chairman and chief executive of AMR Corp, parent of American Airlines, said Thursday that the carrier will cut more seat capacity this autumn, as the airline continues to face significant economic challenges.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline will make slightly more reductions on international routes than domestic flights, Arpey said during a presentation in New York at the Bank of America-Merrill Lynch Global Transportation Conference, which was webcast.

Overall, the airline now plans to cut 2009 domestic capacity by 9%, and international capacity by 4.5%, compared with 2008.

With the recession weighing on global passenger traffic, "the cuts we implemented last year have been helpful, and as a result, we did not make major changes to our summer schedule, Arpey said But looking forward, we think an adjustment to our fall schedule is warranted, so we are making additional cuts beginning in late August.

Arpey said that, despite tough economic times, the airline will continue with plans to refresh its fleet with newer, fuel-efficient aircraft.

Also making a presentation at the conference, Greg Taylor, senior vice president of corporate planning and strategy at United Airlines, a unit of UAL Corp. (UAUA), said the airline currently doesn't plan to cut more flights, but is ready to do so if needed. A year ago, the airline announced hefty capacity cuts, trimming U.S. routes by 17% and grounding dozens of aircraft. In March 2009, the airline announced a 15% cut in international service.

As reported earlier, Chicago-based United has sent out proposals to aircraft makers with an eye toward buying new planes. While United hopes to reach a deal this autumn, the company has plenty of time to decide on replacement aircraft, Taylor said. "In five to 10 years from now, about half our fleet will hit 25 years" in age, and will need to be replaced, he said.

United recently completed upgrades in premium-class cabins, while reducing the number of business-class seats. Now the airline is mulling makeovers in coach class, Taylor said. "We continue to look at opportunities to improve coach seats with a new product."

flight anniversary marked

A California company is marking the 30th anniversary of the first human-powered flight across the English Channel.

On June 12, 1979, pilot Bryan Allen pedaled pioneering designer Paul MacCready's 70-pound Gossamer Albatross from a runway near Folkstone, Kent, across the channel to the French coastline. The flight took two hours and 49 minutes.

The Albatross was developed in California test flights at Shafter, Long Beach and Harper dry lake in the MacCready, who founded AeroVironment Inc. of Monrovia, had earlier built the first fully capable human-powered flying machine, the Gossamer Condor. He died in 2007 at age 81.

The Gossamer Albatross is on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Some US flights cut by Aer Lingus

The airline's direct flights between Dublin and Washington and Dublin and San Francisco will stop from 25 October.

Flights between Shannon and Chicago will also be suspended over the winter period, from 1 September.

The airline also said the whether the routes would begin again was "subject to review".

Pilots and cabin crew have been offered unpaid leave in order to deal with the surplus of staff that will arise from the cutbacks.

Aer Lingus said the four times a week Shannon to New York JFK remained under review.

Aer Lingus Chairman Colm Barrington said he hoped the move would "safeguard the long-term viability" of the company.

"These changes to our schedule are absolutely necessary given the unprecedented operating environment and legacy practices in our long haul business which are no longer sustainable," he said.

From October an A320 aircraft will be based at Shannon. Aer Lingus said it hoped to be able to provide a three times a day flights to Heathrow, dependent on availability of slots.

The airline ended the route in January 2008, a move which caused anger in the Shannon area.

In May it was announced that Aer Lingus was making cuts to its Belfast operations.

It is removing one of three planes operating out of Belfast International Airport until the beginning of March 2010.

Flights to Paris, Rome, Milan, Faro and Barcelona flights will be suspended for the winter.

Cheap flights between New York and Abuja

Delta airlines on Thursday started two weekly flights between Abuja and New York, the first direct flights between Nigeria's capital and the United States.

U.S. airlines, suffering under a weakening domestic economy, have increasingly been turning to international routes which can often be more profitable.

"Delta Air Lines is delighted to expand our presence in the Nigerian market to serve two cities and further strengthen business and tourism between Nigeria and the United States," Bobby Bryan, Delta's commercial manager, said in Abuja.

The world's biggest airline, which also flies between Nigeria's commercial center Lagos and the United States, said it would expand its Abuja-New York service to three flights per week from July 1.

The new route, via Senegal's capital Dakar, costs around $649 per passenger on economy class and $2,738 for business.

confirmations

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