Turning to Cheap Flights

Business customers may be turning to cheap flights in order to continue making trips to see clients.Through undertaking cost-cutting measures, more businesses now turn to cheap flights for their air travel. New figures from Visa Europe indicate that while spending on flights fell toward the end of last year, expenditure on such travel has now gone up again.

Figures from the organisation suggest that the number of travel transactions made on its Visa business cards increased by ten per cent in June this year, compared to the same month last year.Editor of Business Travel Magazine Gill Upton said that business people have now adjusted to new travel policies and are opting for cheap flights to Spain and other countries across Europe to meet clients.

Ms Upton said that while there was a drop in the number of flights being made by businesspeople toward the end of last year, more flights are now being made so that companies can continue to make new deals.

Atlanta Flights Delay

A string of thunderstorms delayed flights leaving Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Friday morning. As of 12:15 p.m. Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration was reporting delays up to an hour and a half. By 3:30 p.m., the delay was about a half hour for flights departing from Atlanta, according to the FAA.

But storms in the Northeast are delaying flights arriving in Boston and New York an average of two hours, according to the FAA.In Atlanta, The National Weather Service is calling for thunderstorms and winds up to 20 mph for most of Friday afternoon.

The Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for parts of north and central Georgia, including north Fulton, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Rockdale and Coweta counties. The outlook is for thunderstorms, high winds and lightning strikes.

Drivers should also be on the look out for flooding in low areas.Rain will decrease Friday night, with only a 30 percent chance of showers after 9 p.m.The Weather Service is calling for a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms and temperatures in the high 90s for Saturday, and a 50 percent chance of rain for Sunday.The FAA is also investigating to see if high winds caused a helicopter to crash in Cobb County. The helicopter crashed around 11:30 a.m. at McCollum Field in Kennesaw, firefighters said.

An adult and child on board suffered very minor injuries, and were being transported to a local hospital as a precaution, firefighters said.Staff Reporter Alexis Stevens contributed to this report.

Auckland flights

Weekend flights by Pacific Blue between Auckland and Queenstown offer significant opportunities for business tourism in the resort, Destination Queenstown (DQ) says.

DQ chief executive Stephen Pahl and Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Steve Sanderson were asked to comment on the announcement yesterday the low-fare airline will introduce year-round Saturday and Sunday return flights between Auckland and Queenstown on September 19.

Mr Pahl said the weekend flights would boost business tourism, which includes company annual meetings, trade shows. conventions and other events.DQ staff attended Meetings 2009, a two-day conference and incentives trade show in Auckland in July.Their report indicated high interest in the resort as a business tourism destination and DQ would be talking with the carrier about ways to maximise the opportunities, Mr Pahl said.

The news of the domestic service ex Auckland will be complementary to the existing services to Queenstown. I hope over time those services can further develop with weekday services and I'm sure Pacific Blue would have that in their planning.Queenstown Airport will install an extra five Pacific Blue check-in desks, plus automated check-in counters and queueing provisions, in August and additional staff are being trained by the airline.

Mr Sanderson said the airport corporation was pleased Pacific Blue was introducing domestic services to Queenstown in September, as well as twice-weekly Sydney connections from September 5. Auckland has a third of New Zealand's population living there and clearly Pacific Blue is confident it could attract that market."

Queenstown will be Pacific Blue's fifth New Zealand domestic destination - the airline has been flying between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch since November 2007 and added domestic Dunedin services in July 2008.Pacific Blue commercial general manager Adrian Hamilton-Manns said the addition of a domestic Queenstown service made sense, as the airline was already setting up at Queenstown for flights to Sydney.

The Boeing 737 flights are scheduled to depart Auckland at 11.45am on Saturdays and Sundays and arrive in Queenstown at 1.35pm. The return flights from Queenstown to Auckland will depart at 2.30pm and arrive in Auckland a

Financial gap U.N. flights

July 31 UPI United Nations, air service that shuttles aid workers to locations in Africa could shut down because of a financial shortfall, the organization's food program said.Flights to Chad, where 4,000 humanitarian workers fly monthly to help refugees from Darfur and internally displaced Chadians, could be grounded as early as Aug. 15, the World Food Program said Friday in a news release. The flights need $6.7 million to stay aloft until the end of the year.

Air service to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea could end Aug. 30, if it does not receive the required $3.3 million to remain in operation until the end of 2009, the U.N. food unit said.
How will WFP reach the hungry? Pierre Carrasse, the U.N. agency's Aviation Branch Chief said. "How will doctors reach their patients?

Operating with a 2009 budget of $160 million, the air service operates in Chad, Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, West Africa and Afghanistan, the United Nations said.

Cancels 20 Airport Flights in Iran

A new wave of dust pollution has hit Iran, forcing officials from the southeastern airport in Ahvaz to cancel domestic and international flights Khuzestan's provincial Airports Office in a statement announced that 20 domestic and international flights to and from Ahvaz airport had been canceled on Wednesday due to difficulty in visibility.

The statement said the rising haze level had reduced visibility to 400 meters from the minimum standard 800 meters.In recent months, dust storms in Iran have increased concerns over the air pollution levels in some cities, raising the particulate concentration to 9 times greater than standard levels.

Earlier this month, incoming dust from the Arabian deserts, which entered Iran from neighboring countries like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait, forced the closure of governmental offices as well as educational and industrial centers in Tehran.

The desertification of several lagoons in Iraq and the strong winds from the deserts of Saudi Arabia are to blame for the blanket of smog covering Iranian cities.Particulate concentration in the capital has reached 936 micrograms per cubic meter in the past several days. The standard level is 150 micrograms per cubic meters.

The crisis prompted the Cabinet in Tehran on Thursday to ratify a bylaw that calls for measures to increase national preparedness to fight the hazardous consequences of dust pollution in the country.The bylaw urges a number of state bodies including the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Health, the Energy Ministry, the Meteorological Organization and the Department of Environment to set up a taskforce to keep a watchful eye on the situation.Silicon dioxide, calcium, potassium, carbon and other elements are found in the haze, which can damage the respiratory system

Calls to re-slot Flights

Even before Rajesh Rateria, MD of a travel agency, started getting calls from clients asking him to reschedule flights for August 18, hehad to sort out his own travel plans. Rateria was to fly to Delhi on the same day. Thankfully, my trip was personal, so there's no problem. It's the business travellers who will face serious problem.

As news of the August 18 strike by private airlines spread, travel agents across the city began to get frantic calls to reschedule flights. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee of getting a seat on the previous or the following day,says Ajay Prakash, general secretary of the Travel Agents' Federation of India.

Frequent flyers believe that the private airlines are threatening the government to accept their demand for a bailout. By inconveniencing passengers, the airlines are almost forcing the government to respond. No private enterprise should be doing that, says Mohan Joshi, an IT professional and a frequent flyer. They know they can bring air travel to a stand still by not operating for a day. These airlines are not here for charity but are expecting it from the government. The easiest way to do this is to inconvenience passengers, says Anand Pratap, a media professional.

While flyers fear that the airlines might have their way, Air Passengers Association of India (APAI) feels that the government should come down heavily on them. Private airlines are trying to blackmail the government by pinching the passenger. Now that they have asked for a bailout, should all other sectors also ask the government to help tide over bad times? There will be no end to this, says Sudhakar Reddy, chairman, APAI. Not long ago, airlines were making expansion plans to multiply profits. Now that everything has gone bust, they're hoping the tax payer's money will save them.

SIEC will hold Study Abroad Fair

Sonya International Education Centre (SIEC) will hold its Study Abroad Fair 2009 in the city on July 15.In a press released issued here today, an SIEC spokesperson said that the fair would be organised at Majestic Park Plaza on July 15. Around 500 students from various streams are expected to attend the exhibition and avail benefits provided by the participating global universities.

According to Sonya Singh, MD SIEC,The aim is to provide a common platform for students, parents and institutions to get first hand information about study abroad options available globally.
The spokesman said that the SIEC Study Abroad Fair 09 commenced from Dehradun on July 13 and after covering 10 major cities of the country will culminate in Pune on July 25.

Among the prominent institutes participating in the fair are UniSA, EAA, Holmes, Holmsglen, Boxhill, University of Melbourne, Monash, UWA, RMIT, Swinburne, Latrobe-Australia: The global Navitas Group: MDIS, PSB Academy, NIM & Curtin Singapore from Singapore: Simon Fraser University, University of Manitoba from Canada: Middlesex University, Univ of Bradfordshire from UK.

Study Abroad and muslim

Muslim children sent by family members to the parents’ native countries for the purpose of ‘re-education’ may soon face having their passports confiscated, according to Berlingske Tidende newspaper.A majority in parliament represented by all government opposition parties and the usual government ally Danish People’s Party reportedly supports the idea of revoking passports for those would-be travellers suspected of being returned for re-education in an effort to curb the phenomenon.

The practice of sending children back to their parents’ homeland for long periods, often with their mothers, is common among the more conservative Muslim populations in Europe. It is supposedly aimed at instilling proper values and respect into the young people, but often results in them developing more fundamentalist and anti-Western attitudes.

According to the Foreign Ministry, 14 cases of re-education have been documented so far this year, but experts believe the true figure is far greater.The proposal to take away passports in these instances was put forth by the Social Liberals, who believe the move is not punishment but protection for the young people.

Government parties the Liberals and Conservatives say that while the idea seems reasonable on paper, it would be too difficult to carry out in reality.But Henrik Dam Kristensen, the opposition Social Democrats’ integration spokesman, said the move would prevent not only study abroad but also forced marriages.

I think it’s strange for these people to have chosen to come to Denmark and then, when their child becomes too Danish, they send them back to be re-educated in the parents’ culture, religion and traditions.’

Azerbaijani citizens pass education abroad

In the 1st half of 2009 the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan SOFAZ spent AZN 1.3 million to pay for education of citizens abroad within the State Programme of Azerbaijani Youth Education Abroad 2007-2015.

SOFAZ executive director Shahmar Movsumov says that more than 200 citizens of the country are getting education abroad at the state expense.Their number is growing constantly and we expect grave rise of this quantity before the end of the 2009.As of 1st April the government paid education of 191 Azerbaijani citizens abroad, including 40 ones educating in France, by 28 citizens in the UK and Russia, 27 in Germany, 24 in Turkey, 10 in the US.

Despite expectations, humanitarian specialties do not dominate on popularity among these citizens. 50% of them study technical specialities, 33% state administration and international relations, 20% medicine.

AirAsia added more Flights

AirAsia have added a further two weekly return flights on its Kuala Lumpur-Gold Coast route due to demand, the carrier announced Thursday.The additional flights will start from October 21, increasing from the existing four flights a week to six.

To celebrate AirAsia is offering sale fares from $149 ex Gold Coast to Malaysia available for booking from now until 9 August 2009 for travel between 20 October 2009 and 10 January 2010.Fares include include airport taxes with no extra charge for administration or fuel surcharges.

For the Gold Coast market alone, our passenger traffic grew by almost 15 per cent in the first half of 2009 versus the same period in 2008 said AirAsia X Chief Executive Azran Osman-Rani.
He said the increased growth the carrier was experiencing had proved that it was not a seasonal holiday route, as it is widely believed by skeptics.

Loads have been consistently strong year-round and this has given us confidence to increase our capacity by 50 per cent with our two additional weekly flights.

Increase the Frequency of Flights

Alliance Air is set to increase the frequency of its flights to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Hyderabad from August 3. On Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays, CD7709 will operate on the Kolkata-Tezpur-Silchar-Kolkata sector.

CD 7618 will operate on the Kolkata-Ahmedabad-Delhi sector on all days of the week barring Sundays. CD7269 will operate on the Kolkata-Jaipur-Kolkata sector on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while CD7217 will operate on the Kolkata-Hyderabad-Kolkata sector on all days of the week, except for Sundays.

Flights from London to Sydney

British Airways is giving cricket fans another reason to celebrate England's victory of the second Ashes test.British Airways and Qantas have teamed up to offer fares to Australia based on the first innings scores of the second npower test, with the number of seats determined by the amount of runs scored by the opposing team.

As Australia were all out for 215 in their first innings reply to England's 425 on Saturday, both British Airways and Qantas are giving away 425 seats to Sydney for £215 an impressive reduction on a typical fare of £730. The offer is available on the airlines' websites from today, 21 July 2009. Terms and conditions apply.

British Airways' consumer sales manager Simon Brooks said, Andrew Strauss and the England cricket team have done us proud, and as a result we're offering this once in a lifetime promotion to fly to the other side of the world for £215.

In the previous Ashes in 2005, British Airways offered 367 seats at £373 when Australia scored 367 runs for 373 against England in the final test. Flights were sold out within 30 minutes.

British Court dismissed Flights

A British high court dismissed Tuesday an application made by Turkish Cypriot Airlines, or KTHY, to conduct direct flight between the UK and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus TRNC.

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu criticized court decision and said it was an indicator of ongoing biased behaviour against TRNC.It is a shame of humanity to let Turkish Cypriot people and the Turkish Cypriot state suffer from embargoes. It is deplorable.

Eroglu recalled that KTHY filed the lawsuit regarding direct flights upon an order of Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat.He said one of the reasons the court dismissed the case was a UN Security Council resolution adopted in 1983 calling on all states not to recognize TRNC.

They dismissed the case because there could have been a thought, if they had allowed direct flights, that they were standing against the UN Security Council resolution.

Norwich Airport starte new flights

News of the new flights is a boost for Norwich airport, which last year suffered a blow when a number of routes from the city were axed or reduced. Passengers at Norwich Airport will soon be able to sample the delights of eastern Europe after bosses announced new flights to Bulgaria.
Norwich International Airport has added the town of Bourgas to its portfolio of European destinations, with flights due to start next summer, Norwich Evening News 24 reported.

Holidays to Bulgaria are now available for booking through tour operator Balkan Holidays, for an eight-week season starting from Monday, July 19, 2010 through to Monday September 6, 2010.
Flights from Norwich, on an Airbus 320, will depart at 8.30am and take three hours before arriving at Bourgas, which serves seven different resorts including Duni, Elenite, Nessebar, Pomorie, Sozopoi and Sunny Beach.

Bulgaria offers a very affordable European holiday with everything the British holidaymaker looks for. The cost of living there is very low and shopping and dining in top restaurants in very inexpensive. A perfect solution for a low-cost family holiday abroad, said Elliott Summers, managing director of Norwich International Airport.

The article comments that Bulgaria is increasing in popularity and becoming one of Europe's most popular economical holiday destinations.Although part of the EU, it has yet to adopt the euro currency, but prides itself on the diversity it offers to holidaymakers, from spectacular mountains and sandy beaches to traditional picturesque villages and dynamic party areas.
News of the new flights is a boost for the airport, which last year suffered a blow when a number of routes from the city were axed or reduced.

Taiwan Introduces More Flights

Taiwan inaugurated two new more direct flight routes to China yesterday, cutting flying time for cross straits passengers.The first direct route was opened last Dec. 15 to Northern China. Of the new routes, one links Taiwan with Southern China's province of Guangdong, while the other takes planes in the direction of Northern China. Both involve direct contact between Taiwanese and Chinese air traffic control, using English as the required international language of communication.

Taipei and Guangzhou air traffic control chiefs first made contact at 8:30 a.m. yesterday to discuss preparations for the southern R200 route. The northern B591 route was the topic of conversation between Taipei and Shanghai air traffic control, with Air China flight 185 from Beijing the first aircraft to use the new route. The plane crossed into Taiwanese air traffic control space at 10:49 a.m. and landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 11:35. The plane was forced to leave part of the new route because of a Japanese airliner nearby.

On the new southern route, China Southern flight 3097 took off from Guangzhou at 11:42 a.m., 12 minutes behind schedule. The plane reached Taiwanese air traffic control space at 12:21 p.m. and landed at Taoyuan at 1:30 p.m., reports said.Taiwan and China first introduced direct charter flights on weekends beginning July 2008.

British Airways cuts short haul free meals

Struggling British Airways announced yesterday that it will scrap all free meals apart from breakfast on short-haul flights to save 22 million pounds A$44 million per year.Passengers on flights lasting less than two hours will only be served drinks and snacks from 10 am, the airline confirmed. BA's latest belt-tightening measure will be implemented from Monday.

When you fly with British Airways, the in-flight catering is top-class and, unlike some other airlines, it is free, a BA spokesman said.It is not unusual to make small changes to avoid waste and save money where it makes sense and it meets customers' changing tastes.

Around one fifth of BA's 40,000-strong workforce, including pilots, have already agreed to accept cuts in pay or to work for free to help the group save millions of pounds.BA is in trouble after recently posting an annual loss of 375 million pounds, which it blamed on high fuel costs.

In a bid to turn around its fortunes, the airline is also slashing capital expenditure by one fifth and cutting 3700 jobs during its current financial year, which ends in March. BA already slashed 2500 jobs worldwide in 2008-09.The world's leading commercial airlines are facing a major cash squeeze as the global economic slump crushes demand for air travel.

Jet Airways Starts New Flights

Jet Airways, the first private airline from India to fly to the Kingdom, will start its Riyadh-Mumbai flight on Aug. 6, according to an official source at Jet Airways here.The airline has been operating daily Jeddah-Mumbai flights since July 15, and a Dammam-Mumbai flights is in the pipeline.

Since the launch of the Jeddah-Mumbai operation, Jet Airways has had good passenger load, said the official, who as per airline protocol was not allowed to reveal his name.He said Jet Airways will be very competitive in terms of air fare which is expected to be on a par with fares charged by Air India but far exceed the national flag carrier in terms of on-time arrival and departure and in-flight service.Jet Airways will operate Riyadh-Mumbai flights on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The airline will deploy the state of the art Boeing 737-800 aircraft for the Riyadh Mumbai flights with a capacity of 120 economy class and 24 business class seats, the airline official said.
Riyadh will be Jet Airways eighth destination in the Gulf, he added.Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 86 aircraft, which includes 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 12 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 50 classic and next generation Boeing 737-400/700/800/900 aircraft and 14 modern ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft.With an average fleet age of 4.53 years, the airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world.

Besides its 63 international destinations, Jet Airways also operate to Jeddah, Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the Gulf. – SG

All in-flight entertainment systems are created equally

Modern travelers know the drill You get wedged into your seat, you wait for takeoff, then you spend 30 minutes futzing with whatever entertainment options are to be found on the seat-back entertainment system, if it works. Then you get bored, shut it off or turn it to the real-time map display, and turn on your iPod, laptop, or Nintendo DS to while away the rest of the trip.

To be sure, not all in-flight entertainment systems are created equally. Virgin America's system, which offers live TV, tons of on-demand movies, and the ability to order food, is second to none among domestic carriers. On Virgin flights, these systems are regularly and widely used by virtually everyone on the plane.

Other carriers aren't so lucky. If you're not interested in whatever meager movie selection the plane is carrying, you're largely left with 12 songs on endless rotation on the in-flight radio system. And god help you if you need to go to the bathroom. There's no pausing these movies once they get started.

These entertainment systems may be decidedly primitive, but they're hardly cheap. Putting a video screen into every seat on a plane costs millions and requires a lot of maintenance. And if no one's going to use it, well, what's the point?

That's the question many airlines, which continue to face slow demand, fed-up consumers, and bankruptcy proceedings, are asking themselves these days. Why spend money on these systems when bring-your-own options are becoming commonplace?

Two trends are likely to hasten the demise of in-flight entertainment. First is the expansion of Wi-Fi into more and more planes, something I've written about extensively on this blog and which opens up the entire universe to travelers. Second, and more subtle, is the increasing prevalence of USB and A/C power outlets on jets. Few laptops get sustained battery life when playing a DVD of more than three hours or so, and that's just not enough to get you from SFO to JFK. With power ready for delivery even for a fee, you can watch all the movies you want. and never have to worry whether the last guy that touched the game controller for the seat-back entertainment system washed his hands after he went to the lavatory.What do you think? Would you give up the little map and the pay per view movies in exchange for USB and a standard 120-volt plug at your seat? I would.

How to find a cheap deal in the UK or overseas.

The summer holiday season is in full swing, but many cash strapped families are still hoping to find a last-minute bargain. Here, JUSTIN HARPER explains how to find a cheap deal in the UK or overseas.Before thinking about the seaside, surf the internet first. A good starting point is the website lastminute.com.

Not only does it have details of cheap flights and hotel packages, there's also a popular section on cheap days out in the UK at theme parks and local attractions. Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk/money article-1202840 The column saves money You bag minute holiday bargain.html#ixzz0Mc7qDeTt

Try travelsupermarket.com which searches everything from flights and hotels to car hire and cruises. Both sites trawl through thousands of deals.Log on to tour operators' websites - Thomas Cook and Thomson both feature lastminute deals.And if you sign up to websites such as Hilton and Butlins, they'll email you deals first.

Independent travel operators also offer deals - and may be more exclusive than mainstream operators.Sunvil is offering a week on the Greek island of Lemnos for £429 leaving on August 6.Also, search owners' websites such as holiday-rentals.co.uk

STAYCATION

THIS buzzword refers to a holiday in the UK. Far more people are doing so to save cash. But as more Brits holiday here,there are fewer bargains to be had because hoteliers and holiday cottage owners don't need to lower prices.Popular destinations such as Cornwall, Devon and the Lake District are booked well in advance, especially during the six-week school summer holiday.

Peter Joyner, a spokesman for Hoseasons which offers country cottages says there are still cheap deals.Spread yourself geographically and think of less popular areas that are still beautiful to visit. Places such as inland Dorset, Somerset, Northumberland and coastal Essex.We have seen a big rise in popularity for these places, but there is cheap accommodation still available.

For example, you could book a cottage sleeping five on the Island of West Mersea, Essex, for four nights at £598 in August.And Hoseasons has four properties at Longhirst Hall near Morpeth, Northumberland, which include golf, tennis and children's activities. Prices start at £371 for three nights for the last week of August.You can still get budget holidays in popular counties like Cornwall and Devon - thanks to new properties being added and cancellations.

Cornishcottageholidays.co.uk and Cornwall.holidaycottages. co.uk both have 'latest properties' sections, but you'll need to be quick.If you are worried about your carbon footprint, ecoescape.org lists eco-friendly lodges across the UK.And if you really want to get back to nature try camping - ukcampsite.co.uk lists thousands of sites and campers' reviews.

AUCTION STATIONS!

A growing trend is to bid for a holiday at an auction.Until recently, Thomson auctioned off unwanted holidays, but there are still a handful of sites doing this.Auctionair is a lowest-bid-wins site. You pay a fee for every entry normally about £5 - and submit a low bid you hope no one will match.Hundreds of luxury holidays are auctioned this way every month.Popular auction site eBay features holiday cottages, caravan and selfcatering accommodation on its site.

Also worth checking out is lastminute.com which has an auction section for £1 holidays, city breaks and luxury hotels, plus auction holiday.co.ukSpread your travel wings for great dealThose looking overseas have more choice of bargains from unsold package deals. The more flexible you are with location and dates, the better deal you'll get.Turkey is proving to be very popular this summer, along with Tunisia and the Greek islands.

Thomas Cook is offering seven nights' stay for a family of four at a four-star hotel in Marmaris, Turkey, all-inclusive. The price is £2,716 including flights from Gatwick. Departs August 14. Airtours has a seven-night stay in Zante, Greece, for £1,602 for a family of four at a three-star hotel including breakfast. Flights from Gatwick. Departs August 21.If you can wait until after the school holidays, prices start to drop from August 23.

When comparing last-minute deals, Sarah Anderson, at Thomas Cook, says: 'Look at what you're getting for that price. While all-inclusive deals might look more expensive, many families are going for them as the extra costs such as eating and drinking out every day soon mount up, especially with a strong euro. 'And see what entertainment is included in the price for the children, such as a holiday club and beach activities.

Start Flights to Kuala Lumpur

Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific Air Inc. will start daily flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia starting Sept. 16, vice president for marketing and distribution Candice Iyog said.In a statement, Iyog said the budget carrier would be offering a seat sale to Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur for P499 and P1,999 respectively. Sale period is from July 29 to July 31 for travel from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2009.

Malaysia has always enjoyed a great demand from our Filipino travel market, and we are glad to reduce our trademark low fares to make it even more accessible to every Juan. Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur are also home to our overseas Filipino workers. We hope they take advantage of our seat sale to spend more time at home.

The Go Lite promo fares are exclusive of the Philippine travel tax. Those with checked-in luggage only have to add P200 when booking.Cebu Pacific, which has the most ASEAN destinations from the Philippines, started flying to Kuala Lumpur in 2006 and Kota Kinabalu in 2008.It also flies to 12 other Asian cities and 32 domestic destinations from four hubs, utilizing the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines.

We are very pleased that more Filipinos will be able to experience the wonders of Malaysia, with Cebu Pacific now offering daily flights to Kuala Lumpur and its very low fares to Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Tourism Malaysia-Manila Director Masrina Mohd Bakri said.

Saudi Arabia start new Flight

Business deals with emerging Middle Eastern nations may become easier after a new flight to Saudi Arabia began.A new weekly service will fly from Birmingham International Airport to Athens, with onward connections to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, started on Saturday.Operator Hellenic Imperial Airways said it hoped to increase the service to twice weekly if there was demand.

The route opens the door to more business transactions between firms in Birmingham and Arabian businesspeople.It comes just two days after Wolverhampton construction firm Carillion sealed a £275 million deal to build the new parliament building in Oman and after Coventry Airport completed work on its new Executive Jet Centre.

Talal Abureya, chairman of Hellenic Imperial Airways, said: Birmingham is our first UK airport and we are very excited about launching services in the Midlands. Athens, which is our headquarters, is not currently served from Birmingham so we expect that our flights will be welcomed by those travelling for business and leisure, in particular those visiting friends and relatives.

The Greek-registered scheduled airline will operate a Boeing 747-200 aircraft with 450 seats. It will arrive into Birmingham on Saturdays at 7pm and depart back to Athens and Jeddah at 10pm. On Mondays, the airline will arrive into Birmingham at 5pm, departing back to Athens and Jeddah at 10pm the following day. Return flights will cost from £199 before taxes to Athens and £399 plus taxes to Jeddah.

Marc Watkins, Birmingham Airport’s market development manager aviation, We welcome this development, particularly in today’s challenging economic climate. There is a market for Athens in the Midlands and the convenient schedule will suit those flying on business and leisure to both Greece and the Middle East. We urge those who would normally travel to other UK airports outside the region to choose Hellenic from Birmingham to support this new venture.”

Helenic’s commercial manager Theo Silvestros said As the principal gateway to Mecca, the Jeddah flights to be used by many pilgrims wanting to access Islam’s holiest city, and with such competitive prices Midlands people will be able to start this important journey from their doorstep.

Meanwhile, the new Executive Jet Centre at Coventry Airport has been unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Coventry. It contains a lounge and meeting room as well as a pilot’s rest room with en-suite shower room. Airport director Brian Cox said We are extremely proud of the new Executive Jet Centre, it gives Coventry Airport the edge over other nearby airports when catering for the business aviation market. We are able to offer a discreet, efficient and customer focused service that customers will not be able to experience elsewhere.

Flights delay

Flights have been delayed and re-routed from Edinburgh Airport after a plane's wing clipped the main runway on landing.The ST75 wing walker was landing at around 11.15am on Sunday when the incident took place, said the airport's operator BAA.

The plane, which had two people on board, had been taking part in the Airshow 2009 event at East Fortune Airfield in East Lothian on Saturday.

PK Flights Delays

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) ground engineers have gone on strike delaying a number of flights.The situation appeared serious as PIA Chairman Ahmad Mukhtar rushed to Karachi following ground engineers refusal to talk to Managing Director Captain Aijaz Haroon.
Over 16 flights were delayed due to the strike.

In a statement on Sunday, Society of Aircraft Engineers of Pakistan SAEP said that Director Airworthiness CAA authorised one-time release of Boeing 747 aircraft due to non-availability of aircraft engineers there by jeopardising the safety and airworthiness of aircraft and passengers.
The statement said PK-305 operated from Lahore to Karachi after the aircraft was certified by Avionics Engineer. Airframe, power plant and radio engineers were not available due to scheduling issues. As per regulations all trade engineers Airframe, power plant, avionics and radio should be available to carry out maintenance and after coordination a senior person certifies the aircraft.

PIA has already faced European Union/SAFA Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft ban in 2008 there by blacklisting more than 50 per cent of its fleet from entering into European airspace. The management has failed due to lack of professionalism and they are using aircraft engineers as scapegoat by putting blame on them.Lack of spares, ill-planned schedule and heavy cannibalisation are some issues which SAEP has been highlighting to the PIA management time and again. Quality maintenance and proper ground time are required to meet international standards of airworthiness.

Happy movement

Beth Wild went to London in 1981 for graduate school, but returned with an education in soccer culture.She still remembers the date vividly Oct. 10, 1981 when the first soccer game she attended turned her into a Chelsea Football Club supporter for life.The previous night the then 23 year old American attended a party at which Simon Turner asked her if she fancied going to a football game.

Now Wild is the one with out-of-town friends sleeping at her house in anticipation of today’s 6 p.m. soccer match at Cowboys Stadium featuring Chelsea and Mexico’s Club America.A founding member of the Texas branch of Chelsea in America, Wild, 50, and her group will head into this match as the underdogs in terms of supporting groups. Because of the area’s heavy Hispanic population, supporters for Aguilas will far outnumber the Chelsea fans.We don’t need drums. We don’t need horns. We have our voices.

It was the singing voices of the English soccer fans that first thrilled Wild nearly 30 years ago in London at Chelsea’s famed stadium, Stamford Bridge.She met Turner that morning early at a nearly empty pub. As the day rolled on, the pub filled and at game time she walked through the streets learning the songs and chants of the Blues fans.At the time Chelsea was a division below the top level of English professional soccer, but she remembered after the win against Wrexham asking Turner when they’d go again.

I thought it was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen in my life.She and Turner attended every Chelsea home game the rest of her time abroad.When she returned to the United States, it was difficult to keep up with her beloved Blues, who today have grown into one of England’s Big 4 in the Premier League.The Fort Worth resident has traveled as far as Istanbul to watch Chelsea play. During the current World Football Challenge tournament, she’s hit all of Chelsea’s stops in Seattle, Pasadena and Baltimore.

Fellow Chelsea in America member Andy Burbidge of Detroit and about four members have been at Wild’s home this weekend. Burbidge grew up in London, but moved to the U.S. for work in 1990.It’s moved beyond the expatriates living in the United States," Burbidge said. "There are real homegrown American soccer supporters. The expats planted the seed, but there’s been a tremendous growth among American fans that not only want to watch the games but embrace the soccer culture."

As for Wild, she’s seen the group grow to 250 members, 100 locally, since it was officially formed a year ago.Once during the mid-1990s, Turner joked with Wild that one day she’d start a Chelsea supporters group in the U.S.Turner now lives in Hospice care in England and can’t join his protégé for today’s match.

When I was new, I never knew how much the club would change my life. I have hundreds of friends that I never would have known if it hadn’t been for Chelsea. He Turner is the one that 'turned me blue’ all those years ago. So now it’s a payback thing, you know.
TOBIAS XAVIER LOPEZ, 817-685-3868

Little Leaders program begins

Sixty kindergarten students in the Alamance Burlington School System will become Little Leaders this week.Classes of 15 students each at Andrews, Eastlawn, Haw River and Newlin elementary schools will be part of a program developed by the school system, local business and Alamance Citizens for Education. They will remain with the same teachers until they finish third grade.

Besides the smaller class size and continuity in students’ relationship with their teachers, the program involves a year-round schedule, an emphasis on parental involvement and exposure to the arts, technology and other activities outside of school. Students will also interact with community leaders.

We have included a number of interventions in the program that research tells us if sustained over time will help children grow academically. Many of these children come to us having been exposed to several at risk factors. However, we expect them to perform at high levels when they exit this program, said Superintendent Randy Bridges.The success of the Little Leaders program will be measured primarily through the North Carolina ABC’s of Public Education end-of-grade tests in reading and math at the end of the third grade.

EIGHTY STUDENTS

danced and sang during skits Thursday at Hillcrest Elementary School.The skits, which re-created and poked fun at traditional fairy tales, were performed at the end of the two week Artsploration program, an arts day camp for elementary school students.During the camp, students created fairy tale-themed books, painted and drew, and created musical instruments.

Happy Life

Never think that if your husband is happy, or you have a good marriage that you are immune to infidelity.One of the best-kept secrets about cheating husbands, infidelity and extramarital affairs is that happy husbands cheat, too.Many people believe that happily married men don’t have extramarital affairs.If you believe this myth, and your husband has an affair, it almost guarantees that you’ll be the last to know.

Research Proves Even Happy Husbands Cheat

This information may surprise you, but research has proven time and time again that a man’s happiness, or the quality of his marriage have no bearing on whether or not he’ll have an extramarital affair.Not every husband who cheats is dissatisfied with his marriage or unhappy with his mate. You can see that from the two studies cited below.

? Early research done by the late Dr. Shirley Glass, often referred to as the Godmother of infidelity research, revealed that when a husband cheats, it doesn't mean he has problems in his marriage. Over half the cheating husbands in Dr. Glass’s landmark infidelity study, said they were happy with their wives.

? A study in the May 2008 Journal of Marriage and Family reported that despite couples describing their marriages as being pretty happy or very happy, one spouse still had an extramarital affair. Two other studies published in prestigious medical journals in 2008 reported infidelity studies with similar results.

The research proves that happily married men do indeed cheat on their wives, and that even good marriages are susceptible to extramarital affairs. Unlike female infidelity, male infidelity is not related to unhappiness or dissatisfaction with the cheating husband’s marriage or his mate.
Yet people continue to perpetuate the myth that good marriages are immune to infidelity and happy husbands don’t have affairs.

What Does This Mean to You?

Continuing to believe that happy husbands don’t cheat will give you a false sense of security, and practically guarantee that if your husband ever cheats, you’ll probably be among the last to know.50% to 70% of men cheat on their mates. Your husband could be one of these 38 to 53 million cheating men.2/3 of the wives being cheated on have no idea their husbands are having an affair. You could be one of these 26 million unsuspecting wives, if you take it for granted that your husband and your marriage are immune to infidelity. Belief in this myth will make you oblivious to the telltale signs of infidelity.Remember that infidelity can strike anyone, at any time.

Precautions You Can Take

Familiarize yourself with the early warning signs of infidelity. Many of them are subtle and easy to overlook. The future of your marriage could depend on your ability to spot the signs of infidelity in time. If you spot the telltale signs early enough you may be able to stop infidelity in its tracks.The free tip sheet, 21 Ways to Spot a Cheating Mate,Never think that if your husband is happy, or you have a good marriage that you are immune to infidelity.

One of the best-kept secrets about cheating husbands, infidelity and extramarital affairs is that happy husbands cheat, too.Many people believe that happily married men don’t have
extramarital affairs.If you believe this myth, and your husband has an affair, it almost guarantees that you’ll be the last to know.

Research Proves Even Happy Husbands Cheat

This information may surprise you, but research has proven time and time again that a man’s happiness, or the quality of his marriage have no bearing on whether or not he’ll have an extramarital affair.Not every husband who cheats is dissatisfied with his marriage or unhappy with his mate. You can see that from the two studies cited below.

Early research done by the late Dr. Shirley Glass, often referred to as the Godmother of infidelity research, revealed that when a husband cheats, it doesn't mean he has problems in his marriage. Over half the cheating husbands in Dr. Glass’s landmark infidelity study, said they were happy with their wives.

A study in the May 2008 Journal of Marriage and Family reported that despite couples describing their marriages as being pretty happy or very happy, one spouse still had an extramarital affair. Two other studies published in prestigious medical journals in 2008 reported infidelity studies with similar results.The research proves that happily married men do indeed cheat on their wives, and that even good marriages are susceptible to extramarital affairs. Unlike female infidelity, male infidelity is not related to unhappiness or dissatisfaction with the cheating husband’s marriage or his mate.Yet people continue to perpetuate the myth that good marriages are immune to infidelity and happy husbands don’t have affairs.

What Does This Mean to You?

Continuing to believe that happy husbands don’t cheat will give you a false sense of security, and practically guarantee that if your husband ever cheats, you’ll probably be among the last to know.50% to 70% of men cheat on their mates. Your husband could be one of these 38 to 53 million cheating men.

2/3 of the wives being cheated on have no idea their husbands are having an affair. You could be one of these 26 million unsuspecting wives, if you take it for granted that your husband and your marriage are immune to infidelity. Belief in this myth will make you oblivious to the telltale signs of infidelity.Remember that infidelity can strike anyone, at any time.

Precautions You Can Take

Familiarize yourself with the early warning signs of infidelity. Many of them are subtle and easy to overlook. The future of your marriage could depend on your ability to spot the signs of infidelity in time. If you spot the telltale signs early enough you may be able to stop infidelity in its tracks.The free tip sheet, “21 Ways to Spot a Cheating Mate, will help you spot the signs of infidelity. For your free copy, e-mail InfidelityAdvice@gmail.com with 21 Ways Xm in the subject line. will help you spot the signs of infidelity.

Flight Emergency Landing

Boston an American Airlines flight bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico, has returned to Boston for an emergency landing about an hour after takeoff after a spokesman says the smell of smoke was discovered in a rear bathroom.

American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner says Flight 1937 returned Saturday to Boston’s Logan International Airport at 9:45 a.m. Wagner says none of the 185 people on board were injured.
Maintenance workers are examining the plane and the flight has been canceled. Wagner said passengers have been rerouted to other flights. Earlier this week, an Air France flight out of Boston heading to Paris was forced to return after a warning light flashed for one of its engines.

US Airways will add flight Wi-Fi next year.

PHOENIX Tempe based US Airways will add in flight Wi-Fi next year.USA Today says initially passengers on US Airways Airbus A321 jets on select domestic flights will have Wi-Fi.
Pricing will be detailed closer to the launch date.

Fliers with wireless devices will have access to the Web, instant messaging, email and VPNs.
The airline notes that its A321 jets are not equipped with power outlets. So you will need a backup power device.

Flights Booked

Online cheap flight centre airflights.co.uk is urging holiday makers to check their passports. Its peak time for travelling families say airflights and every year we have distraught passengers calling from airports who have been refused boarding to their cheap flight as either theirs or one of their parties passport is out of date. It's a recurring problem say airflights, people are enthused about finding that bargain cheap flight and hotel and then totally forget to ensure that they have the basics of valid passports and protection for the family through good quality travel insurance.

Airflights who supply cheap flights and hotels to the Mediterranean, Florida Orlando, Canaries and Egypt always ask customers if they have valid passports during the booking process, however customers seem to still manage to turn up at the airport with out of date passports say the online travel agent. It causes huge distress as whole families either miss the flight or end up travelling separately. Either way the stress and the cost of new flights puts the dampeners on what should be an enjoyable and relaxing experience say airflights. So the message from the flight specialist is clear. Check the whole parties passports including non family members who may be going with you well in advance as replacement passports can take a while to come through, check the validity for the destination you are travelling to as some countries such as Turkey ask you to have six months validity remaining on passports. If you are visiting the USA ensure that you have completed the online Visa waiver at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
Also ensure that your party have valid travel insurance, once this is done simply relax and look forward to that well earned cheap flight taking you to your cheap hotel in the sun.

Airflights.co.uk offer cheap flights and accommodation to most beach destinations in Europe including cheap flights into Malaga, Alicante, Dalaman and Bodrum in Turkey, Paphos and Larnaca in Cyprus, Tenerife, Fuerteventura Lanzarote and Gran Canaria in the Canary islands as well as Cheap flights and All Inclusive hotels in Egypts famous Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada which is famous for its world class scuba diving. In addition they have thousands of available cheap hotels and apartments and offer cheap car hire and cheap airport parking. Visit them on line at www.airflights.co.uk or call free on 0800 093 2615. Airflights are Fully ABTA protected and have been established for over 14 years.

easyJet spring flights are available

easyJet is selling spring 2010 seats, signalling the airline's move to offer flights earlier for advance bookings.Europe's leading low fares airlines today released schedules for UK flights departing next spring from Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool and Newcastle up to the end of June 2010.

Flights from London and Scotland will be on sale in a few weeks and Summer 2010 seats are expected to be released next month.One way fares including taxes start from £22.99 for domestic flights, from £24.99 for European destinations and from £35.99 for North African flights. Carly Brear, easyJet’s UK commercial manager, easyJet is now releasing its seats for Spring Summer 2010 earlier than ever to give our customers the opportunity to plan ahead and get the best deals online for flights.

Once you've booked your easyJet flight, pre book your airport parking and hotel with Holiday Extras for the best choice, service and value.

Spain flights to reach bargain

Bargain hunting Brits may be using cheap flights to Spain to find a low cost property in the country, it has been claimed.Head of overseas at Rightmove Robin Wilson said that Spain continues to attract UK home hunters thanks to its cheap property prices.

And while other countries, particularly in eastern Europe or the Middle East, have also attracted Brits in recent years, Spain has maintained a good image for UK buyers, he said.Spain retains its image as expat friendly with a strong English influence, good legal infrastructure and the stability of being part of the EU, said Mr Wilson.

His comments follow research from Rightmove released earlier this month which showed that there has been a 9.6 per cent increase in the number of searches made for properties in Spain. The country accounted for more than a fifth 21.8 per cent of all searches on the website, the property company added.Book cheap flights to Barcelona airport online from as little as £9.99 with Jet2.com, the friendly low fares airline.

Charges back for 17000 UK air passengers

A TOTAL of 170,000 UK air passengers will receive refunds after British Airways and Virgin Atlantic admitted fixing the level of their fuel surcharges.
In the biggest UK consumer take-up rate from a group action, claimants will be paid up to £10 per flight as part of a £73.5 million settlement.

Darwin travel agent says

A Darwin travel agent has predicted that one day people getting on a plane in Darwin will have no option but to fly to other Australian destinations with budget airlines.Travel agent Sandra Lew Fatt says lucrative government contracts are keeping Qantas in the Territory for now.

But with more Sydney to Darwin flights recently announced by the cut-price, Qantas-owned airline Jetstar, Ms Lew Fatt believes Qantas will withdraw from the domestic market.Gut feeling tells me that maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but in the long term that Qantas will concentrate more on their international services and leave the domestic to the likes of, God help us, Jetstar.

Sorority

The story’s based in rural Punjab about a farmer who decides to educate only one son and the other continues to work as a farmer. The educated son goes abroad to study and when he returns, his ideals and that of his family clash. I play the educated son, Aman.
Sohail My character, Jigar, is more emotional. Since that’s how I am in real life it was easy to play the role. Even Arbaaz is the emotional sort, so that’s why I think he’s done some pretty awesome acting.

Arbaaz: Not at all. The backdrop of the movie is issues like agricultural loans, land grabbing but the main concentration of the movie is on the relationships more than the issues.
Sohail: I wanted to touch on this serious issue in our country.Was there a lot of brotherly bonding during the shoot?

Arbaaz: The shooting was done at a set on the outskirts of Chandigarh. For the month that we were there it was like we were one big happy family, not just both of us but everyone. The entire team would eat together and discuss the shots every day. I think Sohail was quite stressed out though; he’s the producer after all.

Sohail: I wasn’t stressed at all. In fact, everything was so well planned that we finished our shoot three days before schedule. I’ve spent most of my life with my brother so I took this chance to bond with Jackie Shroff. He’s such an amazing person that I spent every free minute hanging out with him.

New credit system introduce in masters courses

CHANDIGARH: Panjab University
has decided to introduce the credit system in masters courses and has formed a committee to figure out themodalities for this. Under the system, students will be able to study even those subjects, which are not part of their standard course, stream or discipline, according to their needs and interests.

This will allow students to get credit for subjects that their regular degree course does not offer.
For example, an MSc physics student can also study management related subjects. However, whether such a combination will be possible under the system is yet to be decided, said sources.

Vice chancellor RC Sobti said the system’s modalities will be worked out by the next academic session.He added that its introduction will make education more broad-based and facilitate diversity in courses.PU also intends to provide the credit system in its affiliate colleges that offer masters courses.The system will allow for transfer of credits if a student leaves one institution and joins another. Officials claimed that this system would also help PU in tying up with universities abroad.

Staff cuts to maintain

Mercy Health has announced that it will have to reduce staff numbers at its facilities at Albury and Young in rural NSW.The organisation’s executive director for aged care, Bill Appleby said the difficult decision was made to ensure the financial sustainability of both facilities.

It’s an issue of ongoing business management. We needed to do this to continue to be viable in the long term.With these two sites we looked at all the other cost drivers before we looked at the rosters.We made a number of changes in those areas and now regrettably we are having to make changes in the areas of staffing.

Mercy Health has approval for a further 60 beds at its Albury facility and it requires a strong foundation for that expansion.Mr Appleby said changes to the rosters would lead to an increase in the amount of care received by residents.Our residents already enjoy a high level of care across these services and we believe that the changes we are making will lead to more direct care hours and we think that the outcome will actually lead to an improved quality of care for the residents.

There are about 85 people working at the facility in Young, and around 75 staff at the Albury facility. The number of staff that will be affected by the rostering changes remains unknown.

Bangkok market picks up in Q2

Bangkok's residential market improved in the second quarter on reviving demand but office occupancy saw its fifth consecutive quarterly drop, according to the property agency DTZ.
Activity in the capital's residential market increased in the second quarter, with the average cumulative take-up rate of new units at 66.2%, up 2.5 percentage points from the first quarter.

Demand is being stimulated by government tax incentives and developers' promotion campaigns, said DTZ.But prices showed little change in the second quarter as the secondary market has become more competitive, making developers price their projects realistically to increase sales.

The average capital value for all grades of CBD central business district condominiums slipped to 82,000 baht per square metre, down 0.3% quarter-on-quarter and 0.6% year-on-year. Average capital values for CBD grade A units stayed at 101,200 baht per sq m at the end of second quarter.

Strong demand in Bangkok's residential market looks set to continue in the second half, with prices remaining stable due to improved sentiment.The agency forecast that development activity in the residential sector is also likely to increase as developers' confidence picks up.

Domestic buyers will support the residential market over the rest of 2009 as foreign buyers are not expected to return until next year.Meanwhile, Bangkok's office market remains dim because of weak demand and oversupply, says the agency.Average occupancy of grade-A CBD office buildings fell to 85% in the second quarter, down 2.4 percentage points from the first quarter.

Softening demand from the corporate sector has forced landlords to offer more concessionary terms as well as discounts and allowances to attract and retain tenants. However, this has had little impact on lifting take-up.Average grade-A CBD rents in the second quarter shrunk by 2.5% from the previous quarter to 652 baht per sq m per month. Core grade-A CBD rents - Wireless, Phloen Chit, Ratchadamri, Sathon and Silom - dropped to 700 baht per sq m per month, down 2.1% quarter-on-quarter.

Rents are likely to continue to decline through the second half of 2009 due to the dim business outlook. The fall in rents will be mitigated by limited supply this year as very few office buildings are under construction in the CBD.

More difficult for airlines to sell items on short-haul flights

It is more difficult for airlines to sell items on short-haul flights, one firm says.According to consultancy firm Pragma, selling merchandise such as perfumes or other in-flight shopping items on shorter flights has become increasingly difficult as people have less incentive to buy and the choice is limited.

Mark Entwhistle, divisional director at the firm, also points out that items for sale on short-haul routes are not duty free and therefore do not tempt passengers as much.While duty free items may be a luxurious extra, travel insurance to help cover the financial cost of an incident on a holiday may prove to be an essential purchase.

However, some long-haul routes are still seeing good sales despite the economic downturn.
Korean Air does unbelievable business on its on board sales and long-haul routes do quite well,Mr Entwhistle says.Virgin Atlantic recently announced that all passengers travelling from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester or Glasgow airports will be able to get £6 off their on-board duty free shopping, as long as they check in online.
ADNFCR-1320-ID-19252461-ADNFCR


Martin Rothwell, Senior Partner World First Travel Insurances, says We answer lots of questions about travel insurance in our FAQ's. But if you have any problems and want to speak to a specialist just call the team on 0845 90 80 161 between 8am and 6pm

Flights of Fancy

ERSEY Airport bosses were duped by a teenager from the UK who convinced them that his fake airline was about to launch cut price flights from the Island to the UK and Europe.Under the pseudonym Adam Tait, the 17 year old from Yorkshire flew to the Island in April for a 90-minute meeting with Airport director Julian Green.

Mr Tait said that he was the UK based agent for American Global Group and wanted to set up ‘an ambitious network’ of flights between Jersey, the UK and Europe. However, the airline did not exist, and neither did the fleet of 12 jets to which Mr Tait claimed to have immediate access.

The UK police have questioned the teenager, who is understood to suffer from a form of autism, but will not be taking any action against him.Mr Green declined to comment, but issued a statement which confirmed that he had met Mr Tait. The Airport authorities said that no comment could be made on what was discussed because of commercial sensitivity.

The statement said that although Jersey Airport had had discussions with Mr Tait in recent weeks about his proposal, further information had come to light in recent days and negotiations had ended.

Mr Tait also contacted Guernsey based airline Aurigny whose commercial director Malcolm Coupar said: From the outset we had reservations about the guy. It would appear that he had some financial backing and we didn’t want to dismiss a possibility before advancing as far as we could.The scam was revealed by a journalist from Airliner World magazine who became suspicious.

Used debit or credit card booking for flights

The cost of using a debit or credit card to book flights with some airlines has gone up by over 600 percent in 18 months.This finding is based on a new research initiated by the UK-based Which? Holiday. Figure is based on a fictional total flight price of £300 for two adults, and using data from October 2007 and May 2009.

Ryanair charges 614 percent more than it did 18 months ago for debit card transactions excluding Visa Electron, increasing fees from 70p to £5 per person each way, while using a credit card has gone from £2 to £5 per person each way.Which? Holiday magazine found that - based on flight tickets for two adults costing a total of £300 Thomas Cook UK charged £10 per booking for using a debit card and First Choice customers paid £2.50. Eighteen months ago neither levied a charge.

A spokesman from Thomas Cook, according to bbc.co.uk, said several types of credit and debit cards could be used to purchase flights and some did not attract a fee.Which? Holiday found that it’s not all bad news for consumers, however. Eighteen months ago, bmiBaby levied a one percent charge for paying with a debit card, but now there’s no charge. Virgin Atlantic has changed its policy to charge 1.3 percent of the total booking for credit card payments, instead of £3 per person. On a booking costing £300 for two adults this amounts to a saving of over £2. BA doesn’t charge for using a debit card to pay for flights.

Lorna Cowan, editor or Which? Holiday, said, The amount charged by the airlines should be reflective of the costs incurred by them. This does not appear to be the case with current charges, and we are concerned that airlines may be using them as a way of boosting profits.

New Flights Launch

Some of the two hundred and forty passengers walk on foot as others disembark from an Air Italian chartered flight Boeing 757 at the Moi International Airport. The high tourism season has just started and the airport is expecting fourteen more flights weekly with tourists from abroad. PHOTO/GIDEON MAUNDU.

Tourist arrivals are expected to soar in September when three new airlines from Europe launch flights to the country, a Cabinet minister.Minister for Tourism Najib Balala said the airlines from Holland, France and the United Kingdom are expected to fly in a large number of holidaymakers to Kenya in two months time.This will increase the number of charter flights from Europe from the current 20 per week to 23 and boost hotel business which was hard hit hard by lack of guests following the post-election violence last year.

Marketing campaign

Mr Balala said that in the coming months, Russian airlines are also expected to bring in tourists for holidays following successful marketing campaigns by the local tourism marketing team.He said that in September, he will lead a delegation to Russia to attend an international tourism fair. “In September, we expect the number of tourists visiting the country to rise following the launch of new charter flights from Holland, France and UK. In the coming months we shall also receive a good number of holidaymakers from Russia, said the minister.

Our aggressive marketing campaigns in Europe have started to bear fruit. I have just come from Russia where we received good support from tour operators who welcomed our tourist packages.
Mr Balala expressed optimism that the industry would fully recover in December since many European tourists are expected to come for holidays when the winter season kicks in.

Have reopened

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Coast branch chairman Titus Kangangi said some hotels which had closed down due to lack of guests in April have reopened to welcome visitors.He said resorts in the North Coast have recorded an average bed occupancy of 80 per cent compared to below 50 per cent some months ago.The KAHC official added that hotels in the South Coast have bed occupancies of between 50 and 70 per cent while those in Malindi and Watamu have between 50 and 60 per cent.

Flu Affected Summer Holidays

Travel industry website, Travel Mole, is reporting that British Airways, Virgin and P&O Cruises are among the first travel companies to assess passengers' health before allowing them to travel.
Anyone displaying flu-like symptoms is being advised not to travel and prevented from boarding if necessary.

The government has issued further advice to British travellers on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office FCO website, advising those with a respiratory illness to delay travel.People planning to travel from the UK are advised to check the specific travel advice for their destination on the FCO website.

The FCO is also informing travellers that some countries have put quarantine measures in place for people arriving from affected countries. British nationals who are quarantined overseas should contact their nearest British Embassy or Consulate for assistance.There is a dedicated free phone number for all British nationals overseas to call if they are concerned about the swine flu outbreak: 0044 207 928 1010.

A number of UK airports have introduced medical screening for the swine flu virus H1N1 for passengers arriving on international flights.Travel insurance policies should cover UK holiday makers for any cancellations made due to swine flu, with the appropriate medical confirmation.

Andrea Clayton, head of insurance at Holiday Extras, said Advice from Holiday Extras in relation to swine flu and travel insurance would be that customers who have symptoms of swine flu should not travel, as quarantine or refused entry are not covered. However, a cancellation claim could be made. If the customer has no symptoms before travelling but contracts the virus overseas, any claim for swine flu would be considered under the policy as with any other medical condition.

International Buyers interested in AlgarveProperty

Falling prices have contributed to a growth in interest in the Algarve among international property buyers.That is the opinion of John Reilly, managing director of BuyAbroad.com, who explained that Portugal as a whole is a popular destination.Recent figures from homeoverseas.co.uk indicated that the country was the most searched for destination in June, with its figures having risen every month this year.

Mr Reilly noted that prices have fallen significantly in the Algarve, as they were previously much higher than similar places in Cyprus and Spain.International property buyers are being attracted by beaches and the ease of access, he suggested, while cheap flights to Portugal are available.

Commenting on the areas that are likely to be popular among offshore property investors, the expert concluded Vilamoura is top of the list for a lot people and there is property in Vilamoura that previously was out of people’s reach and now is in people’s reach.

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SummerVactions

Think the staycation is so last year? Think again.Last summer's recession-driven travel trend, the stay at home vacation, has returned for another visit with a related, economy minded twist: When people do hit the road this summer, they'll likely travel shorter distances and spend fewer days at their destinations, according to travel experts.If they're not actually staying home, they're staying closer to home.

Take Christine Young, 31, who lives in Lincoln, Calif, with her husband and six kids.We're hanging out at the pool and doing things around here, said Young, who's blogging about money saving summer travel on her site.If we do any last-minute travel, we'll take road trips. With a family of eight, summer or not, we love road trips. We pack the kids and everything we need and just drive. We're always looking for ways to save even the tiniest bit.

The savvy traveler can definitely continue to travel, said AAA's Cynthia Harris. People will travel closer to home and stay overnight this summer or do a three-day weekend. Or they'll stay with friends and family instead of paying for a hotel.The national travel picture may have stabilized and even improved, according to AAA.We're still seeing people travel, said Amanda Moreland of the California Travel and Tourism Commission. People feel that traveling is their birthright. But the economy now is such that people want to stay close to home.Or else they want to travel wisely.

Sacramento residents Wendell Alderson and Ken Nather got married last summer, but they haven't yet scheduled a honeymoon. They've done a bit of traveling grabbing bargain airfares to a niece's wedding in North Carolina this spring, for example but Alderson said they're delaying a full-fledged honeymoon until the economy settles.Our main problem is that we can't get time off together, said Alderson, 56, a registered nurse. Plus, we're kind of hunkering down because of the economy. Not that we're in trouble we both have great jobs but it's just that we feel we ought to be careful with the way things are.

That sense of caution, echoed in household after household across the country, has led to a travel industry eager to deal.The forecast for summer 2009 travel indicates fewer travelers spending far less money. A new Associated Press-Gfk Poll shows just 42 percent of Americans have leisure travel in mind this summer. People are waiting longer to make their plans, according to the travelhorizons quarterly survey, not only because of economic uncertainties, but also to grab last-minute deals.

Prices are better than a year ago, said Tim Leffel, Nashville based author of The World's Cheapest Destinations" and other guides to low-priced travel. That's a giant trend. You don't have to spend as much to catch a flight or rent a beach house. This is a great time to go.If you can afford overseas travel, Leffel said, the dollar's strengthened buying power plus airfare deals and bargain packages make Europe, Latin America and South Africa prime destinations this summer.

The luxury end is holding up fairly well.The low end of travel hasn't changed, either. If you lose your job and have a severance, you might be better off backpacking around Southeast Asia than sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.It's the middle seeing the big decline, Leffel said.But the middle, of course, is where most people live.

Elk Grove, Calif., resident Maria Dickerson is busy shopping for cheap airfares so her daughter, who graduates from high school next year, can visit college campuses around the country. For the most part, Dickerson said, 17-year old Destinee will stay with relatives while touring universities in Southern California, Michigan and Boston.It's an economy-based college tour, Dickerson said. There are good deals out there. It's tough for everybody right now.

Clevedon students under Chinese swine flu quarantine

FOUR pupils from Clevedon Community School have been put under a swine flu quarantine in Beijing.The group have been holed-up in a hotel room since Thursday after fears they were exposed to the H1N1 virus on a flight out to the country.

Three people on the trip have since been diagnosed with the illness, which has killed 29 UK residents.Pupils were hurried back to their rooms on a trip to the Great Wall of China.

They are in the Chinese capital as part of a programme to learn about Chinese culture and language.It is thought the quarantine is affecting more than 100 teachers and pupils from the UK and US.

Frustrated Generation Looks Abroad

YANGON, Myanmar Armed with a law degree from the University of East Yangon, 22-year-old Win is clear eyed about his job prospects Practically speaking, there are none. For him, the future lies overseas.Abroad there is some hope, some opportunity. But in our country, there's no hope left, said Win, who is applying to go to Australia for further studies. Like most people interviewed in Myanmar, he chose not to give his full name for fear of angering authorities.

Unlike the students who hit the streets in 1988 in big demonstrations against the military government, the generation now emerging from college is focused on avoiding political activism, learning English and seeking opportunities in a world they have come to know through TV and the Internet.Two decades ago, it was very difficult to emigrate from the country then called Burma. Today it's much easier, and every day long lines of people, many of them students, form outside the government office that issues passports.

There are no solid statistics, but historian Thant Myint-U estimates that the number of emigrants over the past couple decades is in the millions.The main way young people express their unhappiness today is to leave the country. Before there was no possibility of emigration. That is a huge change. . . . For more and more young people inside, their first desire is find work abroad," said the historian, who lives in Thailand and is author of "The River of Lost Footsteps: A Personal History of Burma." Win is a thin lanky youth who spends his free time playing computer games. "We are frustrated by the lifestyle, the opportunities and the politics here. But we don't care too much about political things because we can't do anything to change the situation. So we avoid it, we try to escape it."

The government has labored long and hard to disempower a university system that once produced its strongest opponents. It was students who led the August 1988 uprising that brought tens of thousands into the streets, only to be crushed by military might.Authorities set out to fragment the student body, moving colleges at least 10 miles out of cities and forcing students to find their own housing rather than live together on campus and find strength in numbers.

The elite Rangoon University, which nurtured independence leader Aung San and the late U.N. Secretary-General U Thant, was closed for several years and reopened as the University of Yangon, the new name the generals had given to the city of Rangoon.Many of the university's buildings are in disrepair, and only a small number of graduate and doctoral students attend classes; undergraduates are not admitted.

Aung San's daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, is Myanmar's modern-day symbol of the democracy struggle. She has spent 13 of the past 19 years in detention and went on trial last month, accused of violating the terms of her house arrest. Student activists from the'88 generation managed to make their voices heard again in 2007 in the uprising led by Buddhist monks, and last fall many of them were given prison sentences of 65 years.

Experts insist that student political action has not died out, but it has largely shifted to low-risk activism or gone underground because of the military government's repression.There is still a widespread dissident movement inside the country that includes student groups, bloggers, monks and others, but their activities are much less centrally organized, said David Mathieson, a Myanmar researcher with New York-based Human Rights Watch.

There's no direct confrontation, but there are still a lot of activities by people who are either directly trying to challenge the government or just by people who are trying to get on with their lives and do a whole range of things.Students concerned with the country's politics know better than to voice it publicly.I really care about politics and the future of the country, but I feel I am not free to participate. Sometimes we talk politics in cafés, but we have to careful. Even walls have ears,said Wai, a 23-year-old graduate who majored in English. Students today have much more exposure to the outside world through the Internet, television and movies, said Naing, a 40-year-old teacher at a private school in Yangon.They can see more of the world than during my time. They know their country's problems. That's the big problem everyone wants to leave," he said.

Another teacher, 48-year-old Maung, runs a private English language school and says most of his 85 students come wanting to learn enough English to function abroad. They head for neighboring Singapore and Thailand, and they dream of the West, he said.They like America because it's so free. Even my son and daughter, they both want to go abroad if they have the chance. The future is so dark here."

Even with a college degree, most students have little hope of landing a decent-paying job if they stay in the country, said Myat, 22, a Dagon University graduate with spiky brown hair and a diamond ear stud.The few jobs available are low-paying $50 to $100 a month. International nongovernmental organizations pay double or triple but only hire top students.Overall, the situation remains bleak, said Myat, so he also is applying to study abroad.When we see students in other countries, we feel envy. They can choose whatever they want to do in their life.

Princess Eugenie has chosen to study her University

Princess Eugenie has chosen to study her university degree in Newcastle.She will arrive in the city in September to spend three years studying English and History of Art.The city is notorious for its Bigg Market bars and clubs, where the women wear next to nothing and drink as hard as the men. One local said,Once there was no way a Royal would come studying up here, but the city has become posh these days. It's a sign of the times.

Princess Eugenie, the 19 year-old daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, achieved the Royal Family's best A level results with two As and a B. There were rumours she might want to study abroad, possibly in the US, although that would have been seen as a snub to the British education system. She will be in good company in Newcastle, with a student population of about 50,000.

The university itself is worldrenowned for medicine and science.Meanwhile, the princess has been enjoying a globe-trotting gap year and was seen in a stars-and-stripes bikini on a beach in Phuket, Thailand.She is no stranger to controversy, having been spotted in a lapdancing club. She once streaked across her school playing field.

Overseas Study Program Expanded

Taipei, July 18 CNA The government is planning to expand an overseas study program for its employees, as part of efforts to enhance the quality and international competitiveness of civil servants, Central Personnel Administration CPA Minister Chen Ching-hsiou said Saturday.

The plan will involve increasing overseas study opportunities for civil servants and extending the duration of study, Chen said.At present, 70 to 80 intermediate-level civil servants a year are being sent to the United Kingdom, the United States or Singapore for short term study programs that run from three to six months, CPA officials said.

The CPA is seeking to increase the number of openings next year to over 100, including those for long term study programs, they said.According to Chen, there was once a system under which civil servants were allowed to study abroad for one to two years, but it has been suspended for more than 10 years.

Premier Liu Chao hsiuan recently announced that a national conference will be held in September to discuss issues related to improving the quality and competitiveness of civil servants, as this is one of the government's priorities.

Holiday Cards Stolen

The number of reported incidences of lost and stolen cards abroad has risen by 17 percent among UK travellers since last year, the latest annual ‘Card Loss Index’ reveals.Released today by life assistance company CPP, the study shows that Spain is the biggest offender.

The popular holiday destination topped the list for the most stolen and lost cards for the second year in a row. It had about twice as many incidents as France, which came in second.Other popular holiday destinations have moved up the list in the last year. Thailand moved from 5th to 4th, Portugal moved from 11th to 7th, and Greece moved from 9th to 8th.

The United States is 3rd on the list, an especially worrying place to lose a credit card. Like Canada and Australia, the States don’t have CHIP and PIN technology, so people can use stolen cards with just a signature.Though more than q quarter of Brits admit to being more concerned about card fraud this year, holidaymakers also admit to practices that put their security at risk while vacationing.Twelve percent say they leave their bags unattended on a sun-lounger, and another one in ten say they hide their cards in their room rather than using a hotel safe.

Sarah Blaney, a card fraud expert from CPP, advises travelers abroad to give their banks their mobile number. This way, the bank can contact them quickly in the event of any unusual transactions.If your cards are registered with a card protection company, make sure you have their emergency 24 hour loss reporting number available.

Other tips from CPP to protect yourself abroad include not carrying multiple cards in one wallet and not letting a waiter or shop assistant take your card out of sight.The company also advises people to check their receipts against their card statements once they return from holiday.

Student Receives Scholarship

Tina Schutter of Waynesville, has been awarded the Dr. Maren Partenheimer Memorial Scholarship from the Truman State University Foundation for 2009-10.Schutter, a junior at the University, is the daughter of Rebecca and Douglas Beard, and John and Lisa Schutter.
The Dr. Maren Partenheimer Memorial Scholarship was established in 1997 by her husband, Dr. David Partenheimer, and friends in memory of Dr. Maren Partenheimer, who joined the German

faculty at Truman in 1986 and taught through the spring of 1997.After a courageous struggle with cancer, she died in May of 1997.While at Truman, Dr. Partenheimer consistently strove to improve and expand opportunities for students in the German curriculum and initiated a successful study abroad program in Kiel, Germany.

Since its creation in 1980, the Truman State University Foundation has provided an opportunity for thousands of alumni and friends to make an investment in students as they prepare to be tomorrow's leaders in a variety of professions.Truman State University is located in Kirksville and has an enrollment of about 5,800 students.

Truman is one of the top public liberal arts and sciences universities nationally and is a founding member of the Council on Public Liberal Arts Colleges.Truman has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the No. 1 public university in the Midwest, master’s category, for 12 consecutive years.

Travel Agent sold Unlicensed Tickets

A woman operating as a travel agent after her licence was cancelled is under investigation by the New South Wales Department of Fair Trading and police.It is not known yet how many people may have been sold invalid tickets by Judy Nobilo who lost her licence last year when she was trading as Imperial Travel.

Some customers have complained that they arrived at the airport to discover their tickets were useless.The Fair Trading Minister, Linda Burney, says travellers who believe they may have been ripped off should take urgent action.Anyone that's been affected should contact their credit card provider to arrange for charge back, contact the travel compensation fund to see if they are eligible for compensation.In the event that they are not covered, contact the Office of fair trading.

Cops Bust Travel Agent

People who think they may have been duped after booking trips overseas are being urged to contact detectives investigating an alleged travel scam.Police raided a home in Glenwood, in Sydney’s west, on Tuesday night after a number of people complained of being conned while trying to book trips to Croatia.

Officers are still waiting to interview a female travel agent in connection with the case.Many of the alleged frauds have been reported by people who had booked trips to Croatia a police statement said.Police are waiting to interview a female travel agent from Glenwood, who they believe may have information which can assist with their inquiries.

Quakers Hill detectives seized three computers and documents during Tuesday night’s raid.
They have urged other people who think they may have fallen victim to scams involving travel to Croatia to contact Quakers Hill Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Flights Launched Between Tokyo And Beijing

An official of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced that from October 25, 2009, regular international passenger charter flights will be available from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Beijing Capital International Airport.

Each airport will schedule two round-trip flights daily,as decided by the aviation administrative departments of China and Japan.

Haneda Airport is situated at Ota, Tokyo Metropolis, and is much nearer to downtown Tokyo than Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture. During the 2008 Olympics, Haneda Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport were used for temporary charter flights.

Kiss Flights Announces New Services From Bristol

Kiss Flights has announced it will be running flights from Bristol International Airport to Tenerife and Sharm el Sheikh.Timeshare owners looking to snap up tickets to one of the regions can get hold of an adult return to Sharm el Sheikh for £271.For a return flight to Tenerife, prices start at £210 including taxes.The service to Sharm el Sheikh will be running every Thursday from July 2nd, while the Tenerife flights will be jetting off every Friday from July 3rd.

Shaun Browne, aviation director at Bristol International Airport, said that the Kiss Flights programme will offer travellers looking to head off from Bristol, such as timeshare owners, greater choice.He added that the airport is delighted Kiss Flights is operating to two popular destinations.
Earlier this year, Ryanair announced a new route from Bristol to Belfast City that was due to start on March 30th to operate once every day.

Shuttle Flights On Hold Due to New Foam Loss Problem

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida Reuters NASA will suspend flights of its space shuttle fleet until it understands why strips of insulating foam peeled off the fuel tank used by shuttle Endeavour during Wednesday's launch.

We're not worried about this one, but we need to understand what's going on for the next flight, said shuttle program manager John Shannon said on Thursday.NASA has seven more shuttle launches planned to complete construction of the International Space Station. Its next flight is targeted for launch on August 18.

Continental Micronesia will restart non-stop Flights

Guam from Guam to Osaka beginning December 23 this year.According to a release, The direct Guam-Kansai flights will operate daily, using a Boeing 737-800 that has 155 seats including 14 business class seats and 141 economy seats.

Continental Micronesia first started operating direct Guam Kansai flights on September 4th, 1994 when Kansai Airport first opened. The service was suspended on October 1st, 2003.
Read the full Continental Release

With the re introduction of the Guam Kansai direct service, Continental will increase its service from the current eight, to nine cities in Japan. They are Sapporo, Sendai, Niigata, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima and Fukuoka.

Sydney Flights Delay

The baggage handling area at Sydney Airport was flooded this morning after a worker accidentally triggered the sprinkler system.
Electricity at the airport had to be shut off, and international flights were delayed by up to 90 minutes.The Sydney Airport Corporation says a contracted baggage handler was driving a vehicle with a pole sticking out that hit a ceiling sprinkler-head.

Flights have now returned to normal.

Kalibo Airport will soon serve nine direct flights

KALIBO, Aklan The Kalibo International Airport KIA will soon serve nine direct international flights weekly, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines CAAP Kalibo.CAAP Kalibo manager Engr. Percy Malonesio said that a direct plane flight from Seoul, South Korea will be landing again in the airport on July 27.The China Eastern Airlines is also expected to land at the KIA soon.

Aside from these flights, the Mandarin Airline still continue to land in Kalibo directly from Taipei in Taiwan, said Malonesio.Most of the passengers are bound to Boracay Island.The CAAP Manila has restricted the landing of airlines to the nearby Caticlan Airport because of the short runway posing risk to the passengers. Because of this, other airline companies such as the Cebu Pacific, Zest Air and the Philippine Airlines have rerouted their passengers to the KIA.Only the Southeast Airlines SEAIR is allowed by the CAAP to land in Caticlan Airport.

Airline companies that rerouted their flights to KIA have provided free shuttle facilities for tourists bound to Boracay. (PNA)
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