350 students to receive scholarships next year

Around 350 outstanding students will be granted scholarships to study abroad in 2010, announced the Ministry of Education and Training.Their scholarships are financed by the state, sponsored by foreign countries, or granted by international organisations.

Candidates for the scholarships are those in 2009 who graduated from high school with high grades, passed university entrance exams, or are attending their freshman year at a university.
This year The Ministry of Training and Education gives priority to students who are studying natural sciences, engineering, technology, environment and social sciences.The Ministry will hold a public recruitment session to ensure equality and transparency. The application deadline is December 31, 2009 and the results will be published in the second quarter of 2010.

The route, which will enter service on March 6th, will be the only direct flight between the two cities.AirTran Airways senior vice president of marketing and planning Kevin Healy said the carrier is very excited to begin flights to one of the US's most popular holiday destinations.

We look forward to offering our low cost, high-quality product from central Iowa to our hometown of Orlando, he commented.A Boeing 717 aircraft will service the route, which is AirTran's 43rd in the US.It was also revealed that SkyWest Airlines, AirTran's marketing partner, will begin offering non stop flights to Milwaukee from Des Moines.

A spokesman from Des Moines International Airport said he hoped AirTran's expansion was just the beginning of their partnership.The airline recently estimated that approximately 600,000 people travelled on one of its flights during Thanksgiving week.

Study abroad to Guatemala

Adventurous, travel-loving community members are invited to join Colorado Mountain College students and professors for a nine day study abroad trip to north central Guatemala in early March.Participants will study human rights and indigenous culture in the Mayan highlands of Guatemala. Organizer Bob Gumbrecht, a CMC associate professor who teaches political science and geography, said the class offers a unique opportunity to visit the beautiful country with translators on a fully guided trip with a focus on art, political science and the rich history of the Mayan culture.The college is also offering a spring-semester study abroad program in Spain, for either three weeks or three months. Though the class starts in February, the registration deadline is rapidly approaching.

Flights to Turkey

Plans by low cost carrier Pegasus Airlines to expand its schedule of flights to Turkey next year will bring added value to overseas property investors believes one of the developers in the country.The proposed services include flights from London to Istanbul, Bodrum, and Dalaman, Manchester to Antalya and Dalaman, plus Birmingham to Antalya and Bodrum.

Daniel Dias, a spokesman for developer Signature International said, This deluge of 17 new direct flights per week from the UK to Turkey, is most welcome but not unexpected.A weak pound has played into Pegasus’s hands with many looking outside the eurozone for their holidays, and indeed holiday homes. Turkey has exploded as a destination of choice over recent years and it makes good commercial sense for the airlines to capitalize on the boom.

Overseas property buyers will also see value added to their investment. We expect EasyJet to emulate Pegasus’ enthusiasm for Bodrum by extending their current May October route from Gatwick to a year round service.One of the Turkish investment opportunities being offered by Signature International is Horizon Sky, a group of apartments, penthouses and villas, 35 minutes away from Bodrum. It claims to be the first resort in the area to feature an American-style Country Club House, and amenities include a private beach, restaurant, sports bar and café, fitness suite, spa facilities, mini golf, tennis courts, grocery shop and 12 swimming pools dotted throughout the community, including a heated indoor pool.

A jetty and private water taxi are already in operation to deliver people across the Bay to Güllük town and plans are going through for an 80-berth marina.The developer says this asset will further enhance the investment and rental potential of Horizon Sky. An on-site reception and concierge alongside a rental management office are also on site to maximize occupancy throughout the year.

The homes themselves are nestled amongst extensive planting complemented by waterways, waterfalls and fountains. Granite worktops, white goods, wi-fi and air conditioning come as standard whilst complete furnishing packages are available from £7,995. All units have private gardens or terraces, many with refreshing plunge pools or Jacuzzis.There is a choice of one and two bedroom penthouses, two bedroom duplex apartments and three and four bedroom villas. Prices start from £76,800.

We are using travel agents booking airline flights

A new survey has suggested that travel agents continue to lose market share in flight bookings.
The data, released by food and travel surveyor Zagat, reveals that a mere 8 percent of today's flight bookings are conducted using travel agents, falling from 17 percent in 2007 and almost a quarter four years ago.

In contrast, 64 percent of flight bookings are conducted online, a rise from 60 percent in 2008 and 55 percent in 2005. These numbers reveal that consumers are overwhelmingly using the airline's website to make their booking, with specialist travel websites such as Travelocity and Expedia not showing any growth, holding steady at around 15 percent for three years. Only 4 percent of travellers called and made the booking in person.

The study was the fourth annual survey of this kind by Zagat, which polled 5,895 international travellers. Unsurprisingly, this year's poll showed an overall decline in air travel, with 33 percent of respondents flying less often.

Flights to Zimbabwe

A SENIOR Zimbabwe aviation official said Wednesday that British Airways would start flights to the country next year, two years after abandoning the route on viability grounds.Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe chief executive officer David Chaota said the airline had agreed to resume flights to Zimbabwe between March and April next year after negotiations.

British Airways pulled out of Zimbabwe two years ago, citing viability problems, but observers suspected it had been pressured by London, which opposed President Robert Mugabe's government, to withdraw.Chaota said the return of the airline would draw more tourists and airlines to Zimbabwe, which has been shunned for years over political instability.

British Airways will be coming back next year between March and April, and that is why we have hope of more tourists in 2010. The coming back of BA may also bring in other airlines, he said.Until it pulled out in 2007, British Airways had operated in Zimbabwe for close to 100 years. PANA

Flights Australia To Frankfurt

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates UAE, has added more flights from Australia to Frankfurt.Services from Sydney to Frankfurt will nearly double to 13 flights a week from December 12 and increase to twice daily flights from March 2010.

Etihad passengers flying to Frankfurt from both Sydney and Brisbane will now be able to experience even smoother transfers at the world-class Abu Dhabi International Airport with transit times of less than four hours in both directions.Those travelling from Frankfurt to Melbourne will also enjoy a shorter transit time in the UAE capital.

Etihad Airways' Chief Executive James Hogan said Frankfurt was among Etihad's most successful destination because it retained strong volumes of business and leisure passengers throughout the year.Abu Dhabi's geographical location makes it ideal as a gateway for air travellers from Germany to connect to Australia, the Far East and throughout the Middle East easily and quickly, Hogan said in a statement today.Etihad operates a three cabin A330-200 aircraft between Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt, configured to carry 10 passengers in first class, 26 passengers in business class and 164 passengers in economy class.

Residents flying out of the country for Eid al-Adha holidays

With thousands of residents flying out of the country for Eid al-Adha holidays, there is considerable pressure for seats on flights mainly to the subcontinent and Middle East, from Wednesday.Most outbound flights to Egypt, Sudan, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India are booked to capacity for a few days from November 25, sources said yesterday.

Qatar Airways and Egypt Air are operating extra flights to Cairo because of the heavy demand during Eid holidays. Even those flights have already been fully booked, they said.Economy seats are not available on flights to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, The Philippines and Singapore for three to four days from Arafat Day, it is learnt.A few business class seats are however available to certain destinations in the subcontinent.

There is heavy rush on flights to Dubai and London Heathrow and Paris as well. The flights to Saudi Arabia are already packed with Haj pilgrims.Unlike in the previous years, carriers are not operating extra services to countries other than Egypt and Saudi Arabia because of what they termed “already available extra capacity.Most Gulf-based carriers are now operating daily flights to several destinations in these countries.

Inbound flights from these countries are nearly full until about December 10, sources said.
Interestingly, most carriers are maintaining their fares even during the peak Eid period.
Syed Ansari, manager of Safari Tours and Travels said, Most airlines have adopted a flexible policy, allowing passengers to book seats early at lower fares with reasonable time limit for travel. This has triggered demand for seats in many sectors.

Cheap flights to Antalya

The popular holiday resort of Alanya reached by cheap flights to Antalya is preparing to make a name for itself in the agricultural arena with banana growing. Hoping to rival Bananas from Jamaica, south America and the Dominican Republic.By cultivation of an area of some nine square kilometres, which is generally open land, this Mediterranean region of the city of Antalya already accounts for an important contribution of the domestic demand for bananas by locals and holiday makers in Antalya and Alanya.

Alanya contributes to Turkey's total banana crop with 70,000 tons per annum and the industry employs some 500,000 people.Bananas grown in gardens or open lands and give a yield once each year. One branch of a Banana tree can weighs around 15 to 20 kilos and the produce is presumably used in the hotels and restaurants in the areas tourist resorts.The main industry in the region is of course tourism which accounts for significant employment in the region with the tourist hotspots of Side, Alanya, Kemer and Belek offering incredibly cheap hotels deals from on line agents such heading to the beaches after buying cheap flights to Antalya.

They specialise in beach destinations in Europe including cheap flights to Sharm, Monastir, Marrakech, Madeira Funchal, Malta, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Kefalonia, Zante, Heraklion and Chania. Malaga, Alicante in Spain, Dalaman, Izmir and Bodrum in Turkey, Paphos and Larnaca in Cyprus. As well as Cheap flights and 5 star All Inclusive hotels in the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Alam, Taba heights and Hurghada with world class scuba diving on your door step. Long haul cheap flights offered on line include Sanford Orlando, Banjul, Goa, Cancun and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.

Horizon Air Adds new Flights in Dec. 19

Horizon Air is bringing back direct service from Los Angeles to Sun Valley for the 2009/10 winter season and adding flights from Los Angeles for the 2010 summer season. The airline will also operate flights between Boise and Sun Valley during these periods. Currently, Horizon serves Sun Valley from Seattle only.

Horizon will operate one daily direct flight from Los Angeles LAX, Boise and Seattle to Sun Valley during the ski season from Dec. 19 through March 21, and the summer season from May 28 Seattle and June 26 Los Angeles/Boise through Sept. 6.

Here’s the schedule:

Depart Los Angeles Arrive Sun Valley Freq. Service Period
10:35 am - 1:59 pm Daily Dec. 19, 2009 – March 21, 2010
10:35 am - 1:59 pm Daily June 26, 2010 – Sept. 6, 2010

Depart Sun Valley Arrive Los Angeles Freq. Service Periods
6:40 pm - 8:10 pm Daily Dec. 19, 2009 – March 21, 2010
6:40 pm - 8:10 pm Daily June 26, 2010 – Sept. 6, 2010

Depart Seattle Arrive Sun Valley Freq. Service Period
2:15 pm - 4:55 pm Daily Dec. 19, 2009 – March 21, 2010
2:15 pm - 4:55 pm Daily May 28, 2010 – Sept. 6, 2010

Depart Sun Valley Arrive Seattle Freq. Service Period
5:25 pm - 7:15 pm* Daily Dec. 19, 2009 – March 21, 2010
5:25 pm - 7:15 pm* Daily May 28, 2010 – Sept. 6, 2010
* Stops in Boise

Depart Boise Arrive Sun Valley Freq. Service Period
5:35 pm - 6:15 p.m. Daily Dec. 19, 2009 – March 21, 2010
5:35 pm - 6:15 p.m. Daily June 26, 2010 – Sept. 6, 2010

Depart Sun Valley Arrive Boise Freq. Service Period
2:30 pm - 3:10 pm Daily Dec. 19, 2009 – March 21, 2010
2:30 pm - 3:10 pm Daily June 26, 2010 – Sept. 6, 2010
5:25 pm - 6:05 pm Daily Dec. 19, 2009 – March 21, 2010
5:25 pm - 6:05 pm Daily May 28, 2010 – Sept. 6, 2010

Flights to Liberia

Ethiopian Airlines has launched flights to Liberia, according to Chief Operations Officer Tewolde Gebremariam.By providing more options for travel from Monrovia, we hope to contribute to the Liberian economy and at the same time introduce Ethiopian’s famous hospitality to the people of Monrovia,Ato Tewolde told reporters.

Ethiopian Airlines will serve Monrovia with three flights a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from Addis Ababa, returning to Addis Ababa on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The new service will link Monrovia to cities throughout Asia and the Middle East, including Dubai, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Delhi, Beijing and Guangzhou, via EAL’s hub in Addis Ababa.

The new service to Monrovia will bring Ethiopian’s total destinations in Africa to 36 and to 57 worldwide. Tewolde GebreMariam, COO of Ethiopian Airlines, said Ethiopian’s new flights from Monrovia are a testament to our confidence in Africa. By providing more options for travel from Monrovia, we hope to contribute to the Liberian economy and at the same time introduce Ethiopian’s famous hospitality to the people of Monrovia.

Informational sessions held for study abroad students

If you get a chance to participate in any of the university's cultural immersion or study abroad programs, take advantage of those opportunities.Last May, I had the chance to spend 28 days in the South American country of Ecuador. The study abroad program which I went through fulfilled seven credits in the areas of biology and geology, while fulfilling something personal in my life as well. I went with 10 other students and two professors and without any doubt, it really was the trip of a lifetime.

Ecuador is a strange region of the world because the geography ranges from a tropical paradise to frigid mountain terrain. During our stay, we visited the Amazon Rainforest, the major Ecuadorian city of Quito and the Galapagos Islands, and we also spent several days in the mountains, among many, many other places.Such an experience is hard to sum up in one short article; however, it is very easy for me to try to convince other students to take advantage of such opportunities. The impression that the study abroad program made on my life is permanent. From understanding the country's use of child labor to swimming with sharks, the program covers a whole gamut of crucial experiences.

Ecuador provided a huge variety of culture and education that a student cannot achieve through taking classes at home. Every day was packed with activities and exciting, interesting people. The food was excellent and the traditions were rich with heritage.For example, in Quito I ate a huge guinea pig. Though it seems like such an unconventional food here in the states, everyone in Ecuador loves guinea pig, and for good reason they taste like chicken!

Going out at night was a blast. The food and drinks were cheap and the people were friendly. Everyone spoke Spanish and loved to dance.I picked up many authentic Ecuadorian souvenirs at the giant marketplace that is held in a town called Ottsville.Wild dogs ran rampant and the natives cooked great big pots full of rice and other tasty foods. We visited the equator and I played with squirrel monkeys in the rainforest. We roomed with tarantulas and lizards in our small cabin. I ate ants that tasted like lemons and swam in the Amazon River.

In the mountains we climbed Mount Cotopaxi at over 16,000 ft. Before heading to the Galapagos Islands, we stayed in a tourist town called Banjos where we spent our time relaxing in the natural hot springs, heated by the mountain.Most of the group even went bungee jumping off a bridge! When we finally got to the Galapagos, we snorkeled every day and swam with sharks and sea lions. I don't want to brag, but I got to do some pretty amazing things.

While these programs can often be quite pricy, they are worth every red cent. There are also funds made available to students to help them pay.So, with all that being said, take advantage of the opportunities we have here at UD. We are lucky to have them.

Scholarship for study abroad

Gus Rau Meyer Jr. always had a passion for travel. After his death Feb. 13 at age 27, his parents said it was an obvious choice to set up a scholarship for study abroad in his memory.
This semester, his parents, Gus Rau Meyer Sr. and Cheryl Meyer, have been working with the Kansas University Endowment Association to establish a $32,000 study abroad scholarship in their son’s name.

Gus Rau Meyer Jr. graduated from the University in 2005 with two bachelor’s degrees in business and economics. He was a fourth generation Jayhawk.We were overwhelmed by the response we had from contributors,Meyer Sr. said. He said that the money came from more than 220 contributors, including himself and his wife. Gus really loved education and the learning process, and we decided KU was where we wanted to set up a scholarship.

Sue Lorenz, director of the Office of Study Abroad, said the donated money would become a continuing scholarship fund that would generate scholarships for many years to come.Rosita Elizalde McCoy, senior vice president of communications and marketing at the Endowment Association, said that because of the national economic crisis, there were students who weren’t able to study abroad without this kind of scholarship.

This enriches their educational experience as a whole when they can become ambassadors of the world, she said.Meyer Sr. said when it came down to choosing where the scholarship money would go, they had to decide among three categories Creative writing, because his son had developed a love for writing; Native American culture, because he was proud of his Choctaw heritage and study abroad.

His parents knew when it came down to it that their son would want to share his passion for travel by giving to study abroad.One of the things he learned from his study abroad was that you come back with an appreciation about a lot of different things, Meyer Sr. said. You learn to appreciate the other culture as well as how we live here and what we call home.

By the time he graduated, Gus Rau Meyer Jr. had already been abroad three times.In high school he spent a year in small village in Venezuela. He then went to Santiago, Chile, through the World Scout Jamboree for Boy Scouts, which he had been involved in for years.Once he got to the University, his father said he wanted to study abroad again, so he spent the second semester of his senior year in Australia.

More than anything, Gus loved to be able to assist people who needed his help, his father said. He would be glad to know this scholarship is going to help other people get the same kind of experience traveling that he had.When he died he was the sixth generation worker at the family company, Rau Construction Company in Overland Park. He was a project manager.

Before his death, he had named the Kansas City chapter of the American Red Cross as the beneficiary of his more than $50,000 life insurance policy, which has all gone to local causes.Lorenz said even though it had been a few years since Gus Rau Meyer Jr. studied abroad, his enthusiasm was still remembered.Reading and studying about other places is beneficial, she said. But living there and studying there like Gus did actually augments that to a certain degree.

She said that time spent studying abroad provided students with several different opportunities, the first being first hand experience in another culture.He was a very passionate, opinionated and giving person, Meyer Sr. said. He partly enjoyed traveling, but really enjoyed immersing himself in the culture and experiencing it at a different level. He would be glad that the word gets out for this and for people to find something they’re passionate about and follow it. That’s the way he was.

Travel Agent campaign

Advantage Travel Centres will be using its Love Your Travel Agent marketing campaign in the peaks season following a successful first year.Sales and marketing director Colin O'Neill said in the past six months, the marketing campaign's website has attracted around 13,000 unique visitors and generated 50,000 page impressions.

The consortium is now planning to highlight the campaign again during the peaks season, using radio advertising and point of sale material to do so.O'Neill said The campaign is working well. He added once on the website, consumers can use a postcode search to find their nearest travel agent, as well as browse for deals.O'Neill said the consortium was also planning to send out another edition of its consumer-facing Escape magazine, which was sent out to 400,000 consumers during the peaks season.

Travel Angels decided to open in Chard

HOLIDAY happiness has returned to Chard with the opening of another new store for the town centre in time for the festive season.Mayor of Chard, Cllr Jill Shortland, officially declared travel agents open on Monday morning as Town Crier Stuart Cummings gave a hearty welcome to the business.

Cllr Shortland said Welcome to Chard, I’m really pleased to see the shop re opening and it’s absolutely fantastic to have another empty shop being used.I wish you every success and I hope that you will be here for a very long time to come, especially as the shop is painted in the town colours! Manager Sally James said We are thrilled to be here and are very pleased that Travel Angels decided to open in Chard.We are looking forward to welcoming experienced and first time travellers.

Washington Finesses Study Abroad Controversy

Prominent human rights advocates want the United States to consider invoking the JacksonVanik amendment against Turkmenistan over Ashgabat’s refusal to let hundreds of young scholars leave the country to pursue their studies.Rules changes imposed by the Turkmen government this past summer disrupted the plans of roughly 1,500 students to embark on study-abroad programs during the fall semester. For background see the Eurasia Insight archive. Hundreds of students, mainly those who sought to attend the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, remain unable to leave the country.For background see the Eurasia Insight archive.

Rights groups and education specialists have urged US and EU officials to take a forceful stand against the Turkmen government’s study abroad restrictions. But so far Washington has finessed the issue. Many regional experts believe that US officials are reluctant to do anything that could alienate Ashgabat, given Washington’s desire to secure Turkmen participation in Western-backed energy projects, including the proposed trans Caspian and Nabucco pipelines. For background see the Eurasia Insight archive.

The dilemma facing US diplomats was on full display in mid November, when Ashgabat hosted a major energy exposition concurrently with a large education related event. The energy conclave, the Turkmenistan International Oil and Gas Expo 2009, received lots of US diplomatic attention, with the American delegation being led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Krol.

Meanwhile, US diplomats did their best to sidestep the study abroad controversy during the November 16-20 education fair dubbed International Education Week. In November 18 comments to EurasiaNet, William Stevens, a spokesman for the US embassy in Ashgabat, explained AUCA’s absence from the education fair in the following manner AUCA is not actively recruiting in Turkmenistan this year, so they didn’t ask to be included in International Education Week.Speaking at a news conference in Ashgabat on November 17, Krol indicated that he raised the study abroad issue during talks with Turkmenistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashid Meredov.

They want to solve this issue. Let’s see how they do it, Krol said, adding that it would be worthwhile to continue discussions with President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. It was not clear whether or not Krol actually raised the issue when he had an opportunity to talk with Berdymukhamedov.The US Embassy has remained tight-lipped on the issue. We raised the issue of the TASP Turkmenistan AUCA Scholarship Program students, Stevens said. TASP is funded by the US State Department through US embassy in Ashgabat.

Representatives of Human Rights Watch and other watchdog groups now seem intent on turning up the heat on Washington.The US government raised the issue several times with the Turkmen leadership, and made this known publicly, which are good steps. But it isn’t clear what consequences there might be for US-Turkmen relations if the Turkmen authorities don’t let the students travel, Rachel Denber, deputy director of the Europe and Central Asia division at Human Rights Watch, said on November 19.

Denber suggested that if the Washington was serious about pressing Turkmenistan on the study abroad issue, it might consider raising the Jackson Vanik amendment, a 1974 statute that allows for the imposition of economic punishments on states that do not permit freedom of movement.
The only thing needed is the Turkmen authorities’ political will to let people exercise a fundamental right, Denber said. This isn’t a complicated issue.

Students tell about study abroad discussion

They may have traveled to three different continents, but the three student speakers at Global Perspectives all agreed that openness is a requirement for international travel.Held in the Foster Auditorium on Thursday afternoon, Global Perspectives a panel discussion hosted by the University Libraries Diversity Committee allowed three students to share their experiences about studying abroad, highlighting both the challenges and achievements.

The speakers all spoke about the culture shock that comes with living in a foreign country and growing accustomed to a new way of life.Wes Brogden had never traveled outside of the country until he spent the last spring semester in Australia. He spoke about the importance of being friendly from the start of the journey and embracing the unfamiliar culture by getting involved, as he did by joining the school's rugby team.

It was me by myself in a new country, Brogden senior chemistry said. I looked at it as if I was a freshman all over again.He also talked about making the adjustment from the structured American style of learning to handling classwork more independently in Australia, where he and his peers had only two hours of class per week. He stressed the importance of finding a balance between being responsible in regard to schoolwork while still enjoying the new surroundings.

The beach was right there. 'You're only here once, Brogden said. I can't tell you how many times I heard that.The audience members about 30 were also given the opportunity to view the United States from a foreigner's perspective when Farhana Masid, an international student from Bangladesh, shared her experiences about becoming a Penn State student.

When she first arrived at the school, the new environment was overwhelming. But the people she met during orientation helped her in the adjustment process, she said.All I knew was there is East Halls and Findlay Commons. Everything we did together, Masid senior electrical engineering said. It was like a family.Now more than a year into her time at Penn State, Masid spoke about how her vision of the American family has changed she had previously viewed many films where the characters appeared to be confrontational. But now, she said, it's clear families here are very similar to her family in her hometown of Dhaka, even if she still gets homesick at times three times per day, in fact.

Alhough not many students were in attendance at the International Education Week event, Caitlin Sondej, who is considering studying abroad, said the panel discussion was interesting and informative.It encouraged me more to definitely consider studying abroad. It made it less scary, Sondej junior-international communications said. More people should have come.

AirAsia launches new Indian cities flights

AirAsia is set to be the most connected non local airline in India with nine new destinations. Three new flights to the Indian cities of Kochi, Kolkata and Trivandrum were launched in Kolkata yesterday, adding to AirAsia’s existing destination of Tiruchirappalli, which was launched last year.

AirAsia is now operating in a market of 2.5 billion people and it is a nice position to be in,said AirAsia CEO Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes in a press conference yesterday.The low cost airline also operates flights to China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Singapore, Taiwan, Cambodia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, United Kingdom and the Middle East.
Fernandes was watching the launch via video conference at the AirAsia office in the Low Cost Carrier Terminal here before the press conference.Flights to Kochi and Kolkata will operate daily while there will be two flights to Trivandrum operating two or five times weekly.

Fernandes also announced three more flights to Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad starting from April next year.The three cities would be connected to Kuala Lumpur, with an extra flight to Chennai from Penang.Fernandes also said that there would be flights to Mumbai and Delhi towards the end of the year by AirAsia X.

About eight to 10 aircraft will service the routes once a day,Fernandes added, saying they were also looking to flight to Delhi, Kolkata and Amritsar from Bangkok.The Indian middle class is growing fast. With our low fares, we can offer them a lot, Fernandes said.Fernandes was also presented the Airline CEO of the Year award by Hong Kong based commercial aviation magazine Orient Aviation.This was the first time the award was presented to a non-member of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, whose members include MAS, SIA and Cathay Pacific, among 14 others.

New York to Munich flights

Continental Airlines will offer a new transatlantic travel option next year with the launch of flights to Munich from Newark Liberty airport, its hub in New York.The daily, non stop service will be introduced on 27 March with a schedule that is designed to complement the existing connection between New York and Munich provided by Lufthansa, the American airline's Star Alliance partner.

Continental revealed that the schedule has also been arranged to enable convenient connections at Munich, where travellers can access links to several destinations in Europe and the Middle East.A Boeing 767-200ER aircraft will be used to operate the new service, offering 25 seats in business class and space for 149 passengers in economy.

Jim Compton, Continental's executive vice president of marketing, said 'We are excited about launching services between New York and Munich, the largest German city not currently served by Continental and a hub for our new partner Lufthansa.

As well as extending Continental service to a new market in Germany, this hub to hub link will provide additional travel options and opportunities for our customers on both sides of the Atlantic.Opodo cheap flights, hotels and car hire let the journey begin.

Flights To Phoenix From Wichita

Allegiant Air will now offer flights from Wichita to Phoenix Mesa, Ariz. To celebrate the launch of Wichita’s only nonstop service to Arizona the airline is offering fares to Phoenix for as low as $59.99 one way.We are extremely pleased to offer the Wichita community yet another sunny vacation destination, Maurice J. Gallagher Jr., Allegiant Travel Company CEO, said. This is an exciting new addition for our airline and our customers as we launch the only nonstop, all-jet service between Wichita and Phoenix.

The new flights operate twice weekly, with service Monday and Friday. Flights depart Mid Continent Airport at 12:25 p.m. arriving at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 1:45 p.m. Flights leaving Phoenix depart at 8:35 a.m. arriving in Wichita at 11:45 a.m. all flight times are local. Allegiant Air also provides nonstop service to Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Strong demand from current customers and input from local community leaders indicate the Wichita community will welcome the new nonstop flights and low fares to the Phoenix-Mesa area. The new service offers the community another low-cost alternative to connecting flights and long drives to other airports.

The company offers low cost air and hotel packages with 40 area resorts with hotels in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Tucson, Mesa and Sedona. Partner properties include the Phoenician, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, Westin Kierland Resort, Wigwam Golf Resort and Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. The company also provides low cost car rental service through its partnership with Alamo Rent A Car.

Allegiant’s $59.99 one way fare is limited, not available on all flights and must be purchased by Dec. 2, 2009 for complete travel by March 1, 2010. Reservations may be made through the company’s website at

Flight to Australia

The only thing better than coming from the Land Down Under, is visiting it. From outdoor adventures to out there cuisine, Australia has an enormous array of unique activities to try. Explore the beaches of Sydney, the art and arcades of Melbourne, or the botanic gardens of Brisbane, and see what all the fuss is about.

Now you can book a flight to Australia for an affordable price when you book through Qantas Vacations. When you book by Nov. 27, and travel May 1 June 8, and you’ll get flights from San Francisco or Los Angeles to Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne from $399 each way.For $100 more, you’ll get flights to three other cities Adelaide and two cities of your choice in Australia with the Aussie Air Pass. Choose from cities like Hobart, Canberra and Launceston to round out your experience.

24 New Scholarships at LU for study abroad

Laurentian students who want to work and study abroad might now have an easier time making their ambition come true, thanks to the creation of 24 new scholarships.The creation of the scholarships was made possible by a provincial government investment of $60,000, through the Ontario International Education Opportunity Scholarship OIEOS.

One thousand four hundred scholarships of up to $2,500 are being offered across Ontario to help students study abroad.In addition to the creation of the 24 scholarships at Laurentian University, the World University Service of Canada's Student Refugee program will see that student refugees coming from some of the most conflict torn areas of the world will be able to study at Ontario colleges and universities.

Our economy is global in nature, and we are supporting the development of our future economy by giving our students the tools they need to be competitive on the world's stage, said Rick Bartolucci, Liberal MPP for Sudbury, in a press release.Through this investment, we are helping the next generation of workers in our community get a global perspective by supporting their development in placements around the world, he said.

Flights to Mombasa

Local airline, Air Uganda, is set to launch flights to Mombasa. According to Mr Hugh Fraser, Air Uganda chief executive officer CEO, the company would be unveiling its inaugural flight to Kenya’s coastal town in December.In December, we will launch a new destination to Mombasa, which will be operated with three flights every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The new Mombasa Entebbe route will cost $299 return,Mr Fraser said.

For the short period we have operated, the company has been able to change the fleet plans and introduced two more 50 seater jets which better suit passenger demands on many routes they have, that has created confidence in our customers who have kept our business going during this hard times.Air Uganda currently operates scheduled flights from Entebbe to various countries in East Africa including Entebbe, Juba, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. The airline projects a 20 per cent passenger increase in the next year.

Open Doors report on international study abroad

The annual Open Doors report on international study abroad, released Monday by the Institute of International Education, shows that the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus ranks third in the nation among research institutions in the number of students who participated in an education experience abroad in 2007-08, with 2,521 students.

This is the highest the university has ever ranked on this list, up from fourth place and 2,079 students in last year’s report which included statistics from the 2006-07 school year.In addition, the university ranked 20th among research institutions with 4,120 international students in 2008-09, up from 23rd place with 3,756 students in last year’s report. Study abroad statistics are reported one year behind international student statistics.

The Open Doors report measures international student mobility the official report on the number of American students going abroad to study and international students coming to the United States.This report confirms that our hard work is paying off, said Meredith McQuaid, associate vice president and dean for international programs. On the study abroad side, we are continuing our successful project to integrate education abroad into the curriculum, while emphasizing longer term programs and participation by non traditional study abroad students. For international students, we have implemented a strategic recruitment program that is bringing the best and brightest students to Minnesota from around the world.

Other University of Minnesota campuses also ranked high in the report:

The Crookston campus ranked 36th among baccalaureate institutions in the number of international students, with 144 students.

The Morris campus ranked 37th among baccalaureate institutions in study abroad, with 270 students.

The Duluth campus ranked 40th among master’s institutions in study abroad, with 385 students.The Open Doors report is published by the Institute of International Education, the leading not for-profit educational and cultural exchange organization in the United States.

Flights to Tokyo's Haneda

On November 11 Singapore's flag carrier, Singapore Airlines, announced it will launch a twice daily service to Haneda Airport, marking another step towards a second major international airport for Tokyo.The services will start in October 2010, with no details released as to flight times or aircraft type. Singapore currently offers a twice daily flight to Tokyo's main hub, Narita Airport, which handles nearly all the country's international traffic.

The move follows a recent proposition by the Japanese government of permitting Haneda to handle more international traffic to allow the more convenient but domestic focused airport to become Japan's second international hub.Haneda has more domestic flight connections and is nearer Tokyo's business districts, stated a spokesperson for Singapore Airlines. The new flights will cater for growth in demand and boost travel between Singapore and Japan for both business and tourism.

Foreign low cost airlines have not received a warm reception at Narita, with high usage fees nearly excluding that segment of carriers.But on November 10, Singapore based Jetstar Asia, a lowcost offshoot of Qantas's Jetstar Airways, applied for a twice daily flight to Haneda, launching its effort to remake and expand Haneda's capacities. The flights, which are now under review, would also begin October 2010.Compare Travel Insurance 5 day Euro cover from £4.33 and Annual worldwide policies from just £43.08

(PIA) flights coming from Barcelona

Pakistan International Airline PIA flights coming from Barcelona and Muscat have been diverted to Peshawar and Islamabad airports due to hazy weather of Lahore.

According to details hazy weather has badly affected the air traffic system in Lahore and adjoining areas and PIA flights from Muscat and Barcelona had to be diverted to Islamabad and Peshawar airports.The flights later departed for Lahore after ending of haze.

Flights to Dubai

Emirates has decided to introduce an additional flight between Calcutta and Dubai, cashing in on the withdrawal of several international airlines and reduction in the frequency of service of some other operators.The new flight, to start from December 3, will be operated on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. On Mondays and Fridays, the flight will arrive in Calcutta at 7.15pm and take off for Dubai at 8.30pm. On the other three days, it will arrive at Calcutta at 7.40am and take off at 8.55am.

The Dubai based airline has recorded more than 10 per cent rise in passenger load to more than 80 per cent over the past 10 months. During this period, British Airways and Gulf Air have withdrawn from Calcutta while Lufthansa Airlines has reduced the frequency of its service.Several airlines have pulled out while some have reduced their frequency. This has helped increase our passenger load, Geetika Seth of Emirates said on Monday.
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Flights to Frankfurt

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will increase its Abu Dhabi Frankfurt services from 10 to 13 per week from 12 December, increasing to a double daily from 28 March 2010.Etihad’s flights to Frankfurt, which were launched in June 2005, are among the most popular of its European services, providing high volumes of traffic into Abu Dhabi as well as transit traffic to destinations like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Sydney.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways chief executive, said Frankfurt has been one of Etihad’s most successful destinations because it retains strong volumes of business and leisure passengers throughout the year. Abu Dhabi’s geographical location makes it ideal as a gateway for air travellers from Germany to connect to Australia, the Far East and throughout the Middle East easily and quickly.

Passengers heading to Germany from Etihad’s destinations across the world can now choose from a morning or evening departure to Frankfurt, allowing a smooth transfer through Abu Dhabi airport.The new flight schedule ensures that passengers flying out of Frankfurt will be able to choose from more than 80 connecting flights out of Abu Dhabi with transit times of less than four hours, including Bangkok, Sydney, Melbourne, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Kathmandu and Beijing.

Frankfurt is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth largest city in Germany. In addition to its service to Frankfurt, Etihad flies daily to Munich, the capital city of Bavaria in southern Germany.Etihad operates a three cabin A330-200 aircraft between Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt, configured to carry 10 passengers in first class, 26 passengers in business class and 164 passengers in economy class.

Chennai to Salem

Kingfisher Airlines, India's only Five Star airline rated by Skytrax, launched daily direct flights from Chennai to Salem.With the launch of flights on this route, Kingfisher Airlines is the only airline to offer flights between Chennai and Salem. The flights are being operated using the ATR family of aircraft featuring the award-winning Kingfisher Experience.

The flights between Chennai and Salem are being operated as Kingfisher Red service. The Kingfisher Red service is a unique class of low fare flying from Kingfisher Airlines and offers guests a whole host of benefits, besides the renowned Kingfisher service at compelling low fares.The Kingfisher Red service features complimentary hot, delicious food and a choice of beverages, reading material, frequent flier privileges and multiple check-in options.

The flights are conveniently timed with flight, IT 4737 departing from Chennai at 2.50 pm and arriving in Salem at 3:50 pm. The return flight, IT 4738 takes off from Salem at 4:20 pm and reaches Chennai at 5.20 pm.Commenting on the launch of the new sector, Prakash Mirpuri, Vice President Corporate Communications, Kingfisher Airlines Limited said, I am delighted to announce the launch of Kingfisher Airlines’ new service from Chennai to Salem.

The launch of this route marks the first time ever that any airline is operating flights between these two cities. With our excellent onward connectivity, we expect that these flights will offer businessmen and political leaders a convenient option. This new direct flight will offer travelers an easier and more convenient way to get to Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad from Salem via Chennai.

Kingfisher Airlines caters to all segments of the air travel ranging from low-fare service Kingfisher Red, to the premium economy service Kingfisher Class, to the luxurious Kingfisher First. As India’s market leading airline, Kingfisher Airlines offers the maximum number of flights offered by any single airline network in India. Kingfisher Airlines connects 67 cities in India and 7 international destinations and has over 360 daily departures with a fleet of 69 aircraft.

Kingfisher Airlines has blazed a trail of innovations and introduced a range of marketfirsts that have completely redefined the whole experience of flying. By elevating its customers to a level of being ‘guests’ and not just passengers, Kingfisher Airlines has endeared itself to consumers.

Direct flights between Kuwait, Iraq

Kuwait's civil aviation authority has granted permission to an Irqai airliner to ply between Kuwait and neighboring Iraq, the official KUNA news agency reported Monday.The company is scheduled to operate two flights a week from Baghdad and two others from southern city of Najaf to Kuwait, the report said, without disclosing the name of the airliners and when the new route will start operation.

Currently, there are a number of foreign private chartered flights between Kuwaiti and Iraqi airports, Fawaz Al-Farah, head of the Kuwaiti Directorate General of Civil Aviation said.The direct route would meet the growing demand on air transport between the two countries, he said, adding the oil-rich emirate could play an important role in Baghdad's reconstruction process.

Kuwait's Al-Jazeera Airways has also submitted an request to operate around 20 flights per week to Iraq covering Baghdad, Najafand northern city of Irbil.Kuwait sits atop ten percent of the world's proven oil reserves and former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion brought huge damages to the tiny emirate.Kuwaiti officials say the remaining war reparations for damages caused by the invasion are estimated at 24.8 billion U.S. dollars.

Five Sri Lankan hotels picked up awards

Five Sri Lankan hotels picked up awards at the World Travel Awards 2009 held in London last weekend in diverse categories. The awards endeavour to encourage world class competition, stimulate innovation and creativity as well as ensure that travellers receive exceptional value. Lighthouse Hotel and Spa in Galle was feted as Sri Lanka’s leading boutique hotel while the Hilton Colombo took the honours for being the country’s leading business hotel.The Taj Samudra in Colombo was awarded Sri Lanka’s leading hotel while the Taj Exotica Bentota became the island’s leading resort. The prize for Sri Lanka’s leading spa resort was given to Ayurveda Pavilions, according to a statement from the organisers.

The World Travel Awards burst onto the international travel and tourism scene 16 years ago and according to the organization, the awards have been making a steady and significant, long term impact. The awards website states that it has taken a global lead on one of the most important aspects of travel and tourism the quality customer experience, which is a key dimension governing the overall success of companies and organizations.

The website further states that companies who are presented with one of the awards are coming to regard this considerable achievement as its most influential, helping to reassure travelers and effectively assist sales and marketing performance. According to the website, excellent customer experience is the one last differentiator that can lever true commercial advantage. It is for this reason that World Travel Awards have become renowned and coveted. Many companies believe that they deliver superior customer experience, but sadly, this is often not matched by the perceptions of their customers.

The overall winners from all the regions including Asia, Africa, North America, Europe, the Caribbean and Australasia included hotels, beach resorts, airlines, boutique hotels, cruise lines, leading green destinations and even luxury car rentals from all parts of the world. Etihad Airways came away with the prize for the world’s leading airline while Dubai International Airport came away with top honours for airports. The world’s leading boutique hotel was given to Saxon Boutique Hotel and Spa in South Africa while the world’s leading resort was Italy’s Forte Village Resort. The world’s leading destination at the 2009 Awards was London, England.

Meanwhile, tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka were up 7% year on year in October 2009 according to the latest statistics released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Last month, 37,575 tourists entered the island whereas 35,103 tourists visited in October 2008.

Travel to USA from Kolkata easier

KOLKATA: People travelling to USA from Kolkata now have reason to cheer. German carrier Lufthansa, which operates three flights out of Kolkata each week, has entered into codeshare agreements with American carriers Continental Airlines and JetBlue, allowing seamless travel throughout USA.

Many Indian passengers travel onward to the US and these codeshare flights considerably widen the travel options available for them with Lufthansa, said Lufthansa South Asia director Axel Hilgers. With attractive products and services, JetBlue and Continental Airlines fit in well with Lufthansa's commitment to offer its customers outstanding connectivity and innovative services.

Frequent travellers to the US from Kolkata in IT and other sectors have been hit since Air India and British Airways withdrew direct flights between Kolkata and London. With Heathrow a major hub for trans Atlantic flights, passengers preferred to travel through the airport. Now, the pacts that Lufthansa has signed will make transiting through Frankfurt as convenient.

The twin partnerships will significantly expand transfer options for Indian travellers and customers to USA. Passengers can now book flights from their hubs at Newark, Houston, Boston and New York.The codeshare will particularly benefit business fliers from Kolkata who had only Emirates as an option when flying to America's east coast. With Lufthansa's new partners offering a strong domestic network, it will be of great help to passengers transiting to cities and towns within America.

Code share flights with JetBlue from its hubs at New York and Boston will be available on 12 key destinations in America Austin, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Tampa, Raleigh, West Palm beach, Fort Lauderdale, San Juan in Puerto Rico, Fort Myers, Rochester, New Orleans and Syracuse. From Continental's hubs in Newark and Houston, code-share flights will be available to 37 destinations in America.

We always welcome tie ups among international carriers. Clubbing of operations help increase the number of destinations for passengers. In case of delays, passengers booked on connecting flights are more relaxed about getting accommodation on the next flight, said Travel Agents' Federation of India's chairman east, Anil Punjabi.

Hajj flight from Sialkot

KARACHI : Sialkot has been added as a new destination this year by PIA for direct Hajj flights. The first Pre Hajj flight from Sialkot International airport carrying 468 pilgrims left for Jeddah on November 13, 2009.National airline has brought Sialkot, the Birth place of the national poet Allama Iqbal closer to the global destinations through direct flights. Residents of Sialkot would now be travelling directly to the Holy Land for pilgrimage, in the past they had to take flights from Lahore to Saudi Arabia and other destinations in the Gulf.

Managing Director PIA, Captain Mohammad Aijaz Haroon especially arrived in the city to bid farewell to intending pilgrims from Sialkot. Federal Minister for Population Welfare Dr. Firduos Ashiq Awan, Chairman Sialkot International Airport Naeem Akhtar, Senior Officials of the airline and other government officials were also present on the occasion.

Direct Hajj flights from Sialkot International Airport will now continue till 20, November, 2009 with a total of 08 flights carrying over 3700 intending Hajj pilgrims to the holy land while the post Hajj flights to Sialkot would start bringing back hajjis from December 24, 2009 till December 31, 2009.

Later talking to the media Managing Director PIA Captain Mohammad Aijaz Haroon said, that Sialkot airport is a glowing example that the private sector industrialists and businessmen’s in Sialkot has a lot of resilience to have conceived and achieved independently project of such magnitude.

He further said that if we can develop projects of such magnitude in the private sector then there was no need to look toward government to every infrastructure development in Pakistan, which can be achieved through self help and private public partnership. He further said that national flag carrier will starts its flight for Dubai from Sialkot from November 30, 2009 and flights for Europe are being planed during the next year.

Federal Minister for Population Welfare Dr. Firduos Ashiq Awan, while addressing the ceremony thanked PIA for commencements its Direct Hajj flight from Sialkot.Concerted efforts and team work of the airline’s dedicated team, the Hajj operation is progressing remarkably well thus far. Pakistan International Airlines has so far flown over 84,000 Hajj pilgrims to Jeddah and Madinah operating 208 flights with nine daily flights from different cities during the last 23 days since the commencement of the PIA’s pre-hajj operation.

PIA is operating regular flights to and from Sialkot. The airline is currently operating three flights per week every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for the sector Karachi Sialkot Karachi, One flight every Sunday for the sector Sialkot Abu Dhabi Sialkot and two flights per week on Mondays and Fridays for the sector Sialkot Kuwait Sialkot and Sialkot Muscat Sialkot every Wednesday and Saturday.

Flight from Salina to Denve

If you keep thinking it would be fun to hop a flight from Salina to Denver, better hurry.
As of Dec. 1, Great Lakes Airlines is canceling its Salina Denver route, but will continue its current schedule of flights to and from Kansas City.Since March 2008, Great Lakes has flown two round trip flights to Kansas City on weekdays, one round trip flight on Saturday and Sunday, and one flight a day to and from Denver, said Monica Taylor, spokeswoman for Great Lakes.

The Kansas City flights are part of the federally subsidized Essential Air Service program, and Great Lakes is required to provide those flights as part of the program, Taylor said.
The Denver flights were really kind of a bonus route, that wasn’t really profitable to us and wasn’t required through the airline’s Essential Air Service contract.

cheap flights to Chambery

Unusually early snow falls coupled with low temperatures has meant a bumper early start to the Ski season.Demand is high at the moment for cheap flights to Chambery, Lyon, and Geneva say the on line flight supplier. Good early snow fall has allowed some resorts to open much earlier than is normal. Ski resorts such as Saas Fee, Zermatt and Verbier in the Swiss Alps have lifts running at weekends and are boasting excellent conditions following heavy snowfalls recently. Resorts in France served by cheap flights to Chambery and some areas of Italy are also offering good weekend skiing. The Glitzy Austrian resort of Kitzbühel was one of the earliest to open its lifts last month, after heavy falls over the last three weeks which is surprising as it is reasonably low lying when compared to many other alpine destinations. All this bodes well for a great season on the slopes.

Airflights is an independent travel agent established for over 14 years and is fully Abta bonded, they specialise in cheap flights and cheap hotels, to areas such as Chambery, Lyon, Geneva, Innsbruck, Toulouse, Faro, Funchal Madeira, The Cape Verde Islands, Kalamata, Chania, Heraklion, Kos, Zante, Rhodes, Mykonos, Kefalonia, Santorini, Samos, Corfu, Malaga, Alicante, Tenerife, Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, Egypt and Paphos and Larnaca in Cyprus. Long Haul destinations include Goa, Sanford Orlando, Dominican Republic, and Cancun.

First Study Abroad Program Beginning Summer 2010

The Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean is pleased to introduce an eight week Study Abroad Program, focusing on Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through professional training, hands on learning, and cultural immersion, students will embark on experiencing how global climate change influences sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Now, students will have the opportunity to explore firsthand the diverse direct and indirect effects of climate change on natural and human systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. Students are encouraged both individually and as a group to delve into complex topics and address challenging questions relevant to contemporary regional and national climate change problems, said Zvia Leibler Danon, CATHALAC’s officer for international cooperation and development.

This international program includes a professional training course on Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, which delivers hands on training in climate change research methods and tools currently used by climate change practitioners in multilateral and bilateral development agencies, as well as Governments in both developed and developing countries, and engages students in a month-long internship. Students will be culturally immersed through home stays and excursions, and will receive intensive Spanish language classes from native speakers.

The Study Abroad Program on Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean is accredited by the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and qualifies for six undergraduate credit hours through the Earth System Science academic program. These credits are available for transfer from UAH to any US college or university for current non-UAH students who wish to enroll at UAH for the summer course. CATHALAC also welcomes other universities to accredit the program directly. Consult your study-abroad office for your university's specific credit and transfer policy for this program.

Students who wish to receive credits through UAH must enroll in two sections of the Special Topics summer course entitled Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Payment of tuition credit hours, which is in addition to the CATHALAC program fee, should be handled directly with the university at enrollment. Students who wish to participate but do not want to receive credits for the Study Abroad Program need only to pay the Program fee directly to CATHALAC. Applications are now open for the summer 2010 program.

Higher eduction reporting

Colorado legislative committee studying long-term fiscal reform has approved a bill giving colleges and universities more flexibility.None of the proposals the Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission considered Wednesday dealt with the state's tough taxing and spending limits, which lawmakers say tie their hands when dealing with budget problems.

The higher education plan calls for allowing colleges to enroll more international students and removing strict annual state reporting requirements. Lawmakers didn't yet know how much the proposal would save.Instead of filing detailed reports about how colleges are being run, college presidents want to give state agencies only their audited financial reports, which opponents said would make them less accountable.

Senate Majority Leader John Morse, a Democrat from Colorado Springs, said colleges and universities need more flexibility to cut costs because the future of higher education in Colorado is at stake, especially for rural areas, as lawmakers struggle to cut more than $560 million from this fiscal year's budget, which ends June 30.

Over this fiscal year and the next, lawmakers will see the state General Fund budget slashed from $7.5 billion to $6.2 billion.Our ultimate goal should be to save the community college system, he told the committee.

Singapore Airlines start flights toTokyo's Haneda

Singapore Airlines SIA plans to start twice daily flights between Singapore and Tokyo's Haneda airport in October 2010.Singapore's Air Traffic Rights Committee ARTC has awarded the airline the permit for 14 weekly flights to Tokyo Haneda, says the Star Alliance carrier.

The airport will handle international flights in October 2010 after a fourth runway there opens for operations.SIA operates twice daily flights to Tokyo's Narita airport, one of which continues on to Los Angeles.Haneda has more domestic flight connections and is nearer Tokyo's business districts. The new flights will cater for growth in demand and boost travel between Singapore and Japan for both business and tourism, says the carrier.

A SIA spokeswoman says there are no details yet on the aircraft model that will be operated on the new service.Singapore based low cost carrier Jetstar Asia has also applied for rights to fly between the city and Haneda. The application is under review.

TIGER Airways begin flights between Rockhampton and Brisbane

TIGER Airways will begin daily flights between Rockhampton and Brisbane on March 28 with fares on sale today from just $38.The new low fare route announced by Tiger Airways today will be the first intrastate route for the budget airline.Tiger Airways Australia Managing Director, Shelley Roberts, said the announcement by Australia’s newest major domestic airline was great news for Queenslanders.

Earlier this month we announced we’d be flight to Brisbane from both Melbourne and Adelaide and today we’re thrilled to be providing Queenslanders with even more affordable travel options to travel not only interstate around Australia, but now also within the same State, she said David Blackwell, Director Rockhampton Airport, welcomed the news as a significant benefit for the region.

This is an excellent opportunity for Central Queensland and we are very pleased with Tiger's vote of confidence in our region, he said.Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor, Cr Brad Carter, said it reflected the strong economic prospects of the region and was a vote of confidence in the council's well managed airport business.

Tokyo to Sydney flights

Japan Airlines has announced an improvement to its flights to Sydney from Tokyo, with a premium economy option added to the route.People travelling in the Far East and Australasia will be offered the new service on the carrier's daily flights between the two cities from December 1st.

The premium economy product features Japan Airlines' Sky Shell Seat, which won the Good Design Award in 2008.It provides 20 per cent more leg room than regular economy seats and added luxuries including a nine inch personal television screen and special meals.Premium economy passengers can use a dedicated check-in service in Sydney and Tokyo and will also be able to access an airport lounge.

Japan Airlines already offers a premium economy option on flights from Tokyo Narita to its main gateways in Europe London, Moscow, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam as well as Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in the US.The carrier recently carried out a 'shades closed' exercise in an attempt to reduce energy consumption by keeping its aircraft interiors cool and reducing the need for air conditioning.

Study in Australia

It’s that time of the year when lakhs of Indian students pack their bags to realise their dreams of earning a foreign degree in study abroad.To make sure that the dream does not turn into a nightmare, a student would do well to exercise prudence in buying overseas medical cover and not leave the decision till the last minute as the cost of health care in the West is prohibitive.

Several universities in the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand favoured destinations for Indian students have made the purchase of health cover by overseas students coming to study there mandatory.

Study Abroad split year policy

The Office of Study Abroad has updated its policy on the Study Abroad Web site regarding students who wish to split a year abroad, spending one semester in one program and one semester in another, according to an e-mail from Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Director of Study Abroad J. Scott Van Der Meid.

Van Der Meid wrote that the new policy is that splitting two semesters abroad in two separate locations is an extreme logistical challenge. The administrative management of such an arrangement is not possible and thus will not be approved under normal circumstances.He did say, however, that to split a year abroad between certain combinations of countries and programs might be possible, and he encouraged interested students to meet with Study Abroad to discuss the possibility.

This policy, which was recently updated on the Study Abroad Web site, is a change from the previous policy of the Study Abroad office regarding this issue. The policy that was previously posted on the frequently asked questions portion of the Study Abroad Web site stated, While study abroad for the academic year in one location is the best overseas opportunity for most, some students combine two countries or programs for an academic year. Students are required to have a solid academic reason to split a year abroad, and not all combinations will be approved.

Van Der Meid wrote that the change was based on the work of the Advisory Committee to Study Abroad from the spring 2009 semester. The Advisory Committee is a body formed this year, comprised of students, professors and administrators, which advises the Study Abroad office on a range of matters including financial changes and application and selection requirements.

The committee's concerns with students splitting time abroad included increasingly tight visa restrictions in many countries and students' reports that it is very challenging both academically and personally to move halfway through their year abroad to a new city, culture, sometimes different language, wrote Van Der Meid.

Despite the change in the official policy, Van Der Meid did express his belief that looking at a single thematic issue in a comparative format by splitting time abroad can be a very rewarding academic and personal experience. He wrote that the deciding factor in determining the viability of a split year abroad would be whether a balance of sound academic proposal and logistical requirements could be created despite the split.

Allison Morse '10, who studied abroad in Mexico and England during the 2008 to 2009 academic year, when the previous policy was still in effect, said, Study Abroad was pretty supportive of me studying abroad in different countries. Morse said that she was advised that there would probably be a large culture shock involved in moving between two very different nations, and she agreed that this proved to be the case, but overall, she said, the Study Abroad office was very supportive.

Chicago to Eau Claire flights

United Airlines of Chicago said Monday that it will launch regional jet service from Chicago to Eau Claire and three other destinations beginning in early 2010.United Express carrier SkyWest Airlines will fly the routes from Chicago's O'Hare International to Eau Claire and Hancock Houghton, Mich, beginning March 1 Flights to Muskegon, Mich, and Paducah, Ky, will begin Feb. 11. SkyWest will use 50 seat CRJ200 regional jets on the routes.United is pleased to offer travelers throughout the Midwest new choices for convenient service to Chicago and the world, said Kevin Knight, senior vice president of planning.

Direct flights between Baghdad and Paris after 20 years

Iraq's national airline plans to resume direct flights between Baghdad and Paris after 20 years, the government said on Monday, prompted by demand following a drop in violence levels and a rise in investor interest.State owned Iraqi Airways will sign an agreement with French authorities in mid-November to resume weekly flights between Baghdad and Paris, Iraq's cabinet said in a statement.

More airlines are opening routes into Iraq after a fall in violence over the past 18 months, despite the hazards of air travel into a country where bombings and attacks remain common.
Flights from Baghdad to other Middle Eastern destinations have jumped in recent years, and airlines have slowly begun opening up direct routes to European destinations.Iraqi Airways recently began direct flights to Stockholm, and is eyeing direct flights to Germany as its next destination, an airline official said.

Higher Education Qualifications

Many of the students now sweating over their HSC examinations have already elected to go to university, and most have a pretty clear idea of what is in store for them there. They see university primarily as vocational preparation, a necessity if one is to get anywhere in the world.

Most would be surprised to hear that a main task of universities was once to educate the souls of students, to help them come to terms with questions about the mysteries of life and the human being, about how to fashion a life worth living. That this was, and should be, an aim of higher education is not surprising when you consider that these are the questions that begin to stir, often to rear up, in young adults of university age.

The sense that some height and depth was missing in their higher education was behind the student revolts in the US and Europe in the 1960s. It's almost impossible to imagine such revolts taking place today. But the lack of revolutionary spirit in young people doesn't mean that a profound questioning of life is also absent it's just that they've given up on any idea that universities will provide support in finding the answers they are searching for.

It's true that you have to go a long way back to find universities entirely devoted to the spiritual development of students for example, Harvard College, founded in the early 17th century on the model of Oxford and Cambridge, which were shaped by the ideals of medieval scholasticism and Renaissance humanism. Later, with the rise of the sciences, the task of the education of the soul was preserved in the humanities, in the non-vocational liberal arts, through the systematic study of the great literature, philosophy and art of the Western tradition. This approach continued in US universities up to the early 20th century and is maintained today in such as Yale and Columbia.

In the past 20 years there has been a spate of books critiquing our institutions of higher education they have titles like Killing the Spirit and Education's End. They point to a profound crisis in the universities, and to the task of re evaluating and transforming the contemporary university as one of the great imperatives of our time.

Several main factors come forward as reasons why universities have arrived at their present condition. One is the research ideal, taking hold in the mid-19th century, which slowly but surely shifted the primary focus and interest of academics from teaching to research and scholarship and which resulted in specialised forms of learning. Because this ideal was scientific in nature, founded on a mechanistic way of thinking that had gained dominion, it meant that firstly the life and social sciences and eventually the humanities felt compelled to fall in line with a model of research that was alien to their nature.

A second main factor is what has been called political correctness, in particular the vogue for a kind of philosophy called constructivism or post-modernism that has held sway in the universities since the 1960s. This philosophy suggests that any search for truth or value or goodness is entirely pointless because such things are fictions, mere constructions of the human mind.

Such political correctness is not limited to the universities but has laid hold of the school curriculums for which the universities are ultimately responsible. As a consequence, for example, students of visual arts in the HSC are required to study artworks in terms of four frames the first three more or less factual things such as inner experience, structure, cultural milieu, the fourth ideological - namely post-modernism or constructivism which, unhappily for the students, tends to place a cloud of doubt over the truth value of the other three frames.

What is amazing, considering the pervasive influence of constructivism in the universities, is how easy it is to deflate it. All you have to do is ask But how do you know if constructivism is true and valuable?Certainly we cannot go back to the past new ways not reliant on the classics of the Western tradition need to be found in secular higher education to meet and support the spiritual needs of young adults. After all of our cleverness, the truth remains that life and the human being harbour great mysteries with which the soul thirsts to engage.

Independent study of the Education Voucher Scheme

AN independent study of the Education Voucher Scheme implemented by the Punjab Education Foundation in underdeveloped areas of Lahore shows it has been applied in its true spirit. According to a press statement, the report, Liberate to Learn A Study of the Education Voucher Scheme in Lahore, has been released. The author of the report, Ali Salman, said, It is an innovative research. Dr Khalil Ahmad, executive director of the Institute, pointed out, It is the first ever such a study of the Education Voucher Scheme EVS conducted by the Alternate Solutions Institute, a non profit, non governmental educational and research organisation. The findings of the study are positive and generally endorse the EVS, he adds.

THE 19th Star Awards Jashan-e-Iqbal ceremony was held at Aiwan-e-Iqbal here on Sunday. People from different walks of life were awarded prizes for their outstanding performance in different fields. The event was organized by the South Asia Publications SAP in collaboration with the Iqbal Academy Pakistan. SAP Chairman and Star Awards President Syed Muhammad Mahmud was host on the occasion. Those who were awarded prizes include Prof Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin, vice chancellor, University of Gujrat, Ms Seema Mughal, VC of Greenwich University, Karachi, Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan, registrar, University of the Punjab, Saqiba Rahimuddin and Robina Farzand from Kohat University. Muhammad Suhail Umer, director, Iqbal Academy, also spoke.

JAMAAT e Islami JI Pakistan Ameer Syed Munawar Hasan and Secretary General Liaquat Baloch have condemned the bomb blast at a cattle market in Peshawar on Sunday, resulting in several deaths. In a joint condolence message, they prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and early recovery of the injured. They also urged the rulers to dissociate themselves from the US war and review their present foreign policy.

VETERAN Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Gilani’s book Iqbal, Rooh e Din Ka Shanasa was launched Sunday, said a Jamaat e Islami press release issued from Mansoora. The book, launched on the eve of Iqbal Day, mainly portrays Islam’s message conveyed by Allama Iqbal through his Persian poetry. It also projects the personality of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, his struggle for the revival of Muslim Ummah and his good wishes for the Kashmiris.

A CAKE-cutting ceremony will be held on Monday at the residence of PML-Q likeminded group leader Humayyon Akhter Khan in connection with Iqbal Day celebrations. According to a press release issued on Sunday, the ceremony would be attended by leaders and workers from the PML-Q likeminded group.

THE Punjab government will provide all necessary human resource for paddy procurement in a bid to facilitate Passco in the ongoing drive. Provincial Minister for Agriculture Ahmed Ali Aulakh stated this while addressing a press conference here Sunday. He said that staff of the provincial agriculture, food and revenue departments would work with Passco officials in order to make paddy procurement drive a success.

THE first phase of Tableeghi Ijtima concluded at Raiwind on Sunday morning with a grand prayer attended by hundreds of thousands of people. A large number of people from Lahore reached Raiwind before the morning prayers to attend the grand prayer. Tableeghi Jamaat Ameer Maulana Zubair led the prayer after which the caravans of the people started leaving the venue of the congregation in thousands of vehicles, buses, motorcycles, scooters etc to their destinations throughout the country. There was heavy traffic congestion on all roads leading to Raiwind which had been closed before the prayers and opened one way from Raiwind to Lahore and other cities after the prayers.

Abroad to Study

The number of young students going abroad to study has been dropping. Some attribute it to a temporary hiccup for a variety of reasons, including the flu epidemic and the financial crisis, while others say that it is due to a structural change in the pattern of studying overseas.

According to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, 27,349 elementary, middle and high school students left the country to study abroad from March 2008 to this February. This represents around a 1 percent decline from the previous year’s 27,668 students.

While the total number of students studying abroad was only 1,562 in 1998, it steadily increased until 2006 to 29,511. It started to fall for the first time in 2007, when it declined to 27,668.By school, elementary school students going overseas increased 190 to 12,531, taking up the largest share, while middle school and high school students dipped to 8,888 and 5,930, respectively.

“More and more elementary school students are leaving to study abroad. These elementary school students mostly attend school or language programs there for one or two years and then return to Korea, Yoon Ho jung, an agency sending students to overseas educational institutes and language programs.However, it is difficult to return to the Korean school system after high school and most students go to universities there. Still, they come back to Korea when they graduate college to get jobs here.

One example of this is Park, a 25 year old who went to Beijing to attend university after graduating from high school here. After completing university, she came back to Korea, but it was not easy to find a job.I found it hard to get a job here. I liked studying in China and am grateful for my experience there, but I think studying overseas is not an all round solution,Park said.She worked as a part timer and taught Chinese for about a year before entering a medium-sized trading company. Experts believe the biggest reason for the drop is the financial crisis. The H1N1 influenza was counted as another reason.

Economic hardship from the previous year hit parents who wanted to send their children abroad. As the financial difficulties have gotten better slowly this year, influenza A hindered them, Yoon said.Moreover, parents do not want to send their children away to study during this flu spreading moment. Even though advanced countries such as the United States have better vaccination and treatment systems for the influenza, the parents still want to take care of their children by themselves.

Some suggest there has been a change in the attitude of parents toward studying abroad. We have to analyze specific causes, but there is a possibility that parents are rethinking the effect of early overseas schooling, an official of the ministry said.It’s good for customers because Garuda will improve its service, he said.Both airlines will serve different markets. Garuda will now focus on mid to high level passengers while Lion will focus on mid to low level ones.

Flights to Jeddah

Lion Air on Saturday launched its first flight to Saudi Arabia, ending PT Garuda Indonesia’s long held monopoly as the only domestic airline to fly to the Middle Eastern nation.Lion is likely to capture a good share of the millions of dollars Garuda earns from travelers making the annual hajj pilgrimage.

Our new Jakarta to Jeddah service marks the first time a private Indonesian airline has ever flown to Saudi Arabia, said Achmad Hasan, Lion Air’s commercial director.The country’s biggest airline in passenger volume, Lion will fly the route twice a week, using two 506 seat Boeing 747-400s, shifting to seven times a week early next year.Garuda currently flies to Jeddah seven times a week.According to Achmad, all the seats on Lion’s first flight had sold out before Saturday, and most passengers were migrant workers or hajj pilgrims.

During the hajj season, which runs from November to January, passengers will pay about $1,650 for a return ticket, while prices for one way tickets start at $375 the rest of the year.Edward Sirait, Lion Air’s general director, said the airline was targeting people making pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia outside of the regular hajj season, business travelers and migrant workers.

The Ministry of Transportation estimates around 50,000 passengers a month travel from Jakarta to Saudi Arabia outside the hajj season.One of Lion’s long-term aims was to submit a bid to service the annual hajj program run by the Religious Affairs Ministry, which flies of hundreds of thousands of Indonesians to Saudi Arabia each year, he said. Garuda has this contract.

Garuda will fly more than 114,000 hajj pilgrims this year out of an estimated total of 207,000. Lion’s entry into the Jeddah market has prompted Garuda to shift its focus to the mid to high end passengers flying to Saudi Arabia.Garuda corporate secretary Pujobroto said the airline welcomed the new competition from Lion Air, while acknowledging that Saudi Arabia was one of the airline’s most important routes, along with Australia and Japan.

In every business sector, including airlines, competition is a common matter, he said.It will give customers more choices. Garuda will focus on the mid to high end passengers and increase our services by providing new planes.Lion Air secured clearance to flight to Jeddah after aviation officials from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation finished auditing the private airline in late August.Aviation observer Dudi Sudibyo praised Lion’s move.

Cheap flights to Manila

Manila is a nice distinctive, unique city and a perfect place for the travelers and holidaymakers. Search the best deal of cheap flights to Manila for a wonderful holiday. There's a lot more in Manila that most tourists don't even know about. Plan your vacation and know rest of the things about Manila.

Rejuvenate and refresh yourself by planning a holiday to Manila. Manila is a popular international tourist destination in South East Asia for most of the travelers and holidaymakers. Vacations in Manila will fill you with one of the most fun and frolic experience. Being a vibrated and cosmopolitan destination, it is also the largest and capital city of the Philippines.

For a budget and low cost holiday, you can look for cheap flights to Manila with low price air tickets and low airfares. With cheap flights, the saved money thus can be spent on shopping or with other things and activities. City of Manila is located in the west coast of the island of Luzon. Travelers and holidaymakers from around the globe loves to visit the Manila regularly to get the chance to see the beauty of this city and get along with the friendly and very welcoming Pinoys.

Manila gets the credit for its alluring beauty and charm with numerous scenic spots, thus making it highly deserving to be commended as the country's commercial and tourist hub. There are many fascinating places to see in manila, and surely have lots of things to do. Manila is just one unique city you would want to visit in your lifetime. There are many well known historical sites in Manila.

There are many shopping centers, where you will find everything while strolling around. This city has famous amusement parks that are visited by tourists where children and also adults enjoy the fun rides and have a lively night out. There are various pristine and sandy beaches in Manila, where you can have a lovely beach vacation. Vacation in Manila will boost you and energize you. Another worth visiting destination in Manila is Intramuros, also referred to as the Walled City. Volcanic peaks can be seen from either side of Manila Bay that is covered in beautiful greenery.

Filipinos celebrate Christmas in a very special and practical way, as they loved to be with their families. Christmas is approaching in near future, tourists will love to visit during this time. Filipinos from all corners of the world will also come back to their home. Cheap flights to Manila are available for both purposes.

Flights to Milwaukee

skyWest Airlines announced Wednesday that it plans to offer three daily, nonstop flights between Eppley Airfield and Milwaukee. The flights will begin Feb. 11.They will leave Omaha at 5:50 a.m., 10:35 a.m. and 4:25 p.m. One way ticket prices will range from $64 to $270.

Currently, Midwest Airlines is the only airline offering nonstop flights from Omaha to Milwaukee.SkyWest also will offer three daily flights to Milwaukee from Des Moines starting Feb. 11.Under an agreement with AirTran Airways, SkyWest passengers will be able to travel from Milwaukee to several major cities, including Atlanta, Boston and Washington, D.C. All flights can be booked through AirTran’s Web site.

SkyWest already flies in and out of Eppley, but for other airlines. With this new service, SkyWest will have its own presence at Eppley, said Steve Coufal, executive director of the Omaha Airport Authority.The announcement of the new service to Milwaukee comes on the heels of newly announced flights from Omaha to Orlando and Tampa on Midwest Airlines.

Coufal said Omaha is an attractive market for new flights because the recession hasn’t affected this region’s economy as much as other areas. Eppley Airfield hasn’t experienced as sharp a drop in passenger traffic as other airports have experienced. Passenger traffic at Eppley was down 0.7 percent in September and down 3.6 percent through the first nine months of 2009.

Flights to new york from london

US airline, Continental, have joined forces with BMI to offer a range of new flights to New York and Houston thanks to a code sharing agreement. Flights will depart from Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Although this deal is initally only for flights to New York and Houston, BMI are hoping to add additional US destinations in the future, according to sales and marketing director, Katherine Gershon.The Continental Airlines deal follows hot on the heels of a similar code sharing agreement with Aegean Airlines which has seen BMI able to offer a wider variety of flights to Greece.

Flights to Hawaii

Alaska Airlines said it is expanding its service at Oakland International Airport, adding new flights to Hawaii next week.Beginning Nov. 9 Alaska will operate four weekly flights between Oakland and Maui. Then beginning Nov. 10 Alaska will begin thrice weekly service between Oakland and Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.

The new flights are Alaska Airlines’ first ever service between the Bay Area and Hawaiian Islands.Alaska, owned by Alaska Air Group, Inc. NYSE: ALK, flies between Oakland and Seattle. And its sister company, Horizon, flies between Oakland and Portland, Ore.Hawaiian Airlines, owned by Hawaiian Holdings Nasdaq HA, already operates daily flights between Oakland and Honolulu.

Oakland officials said Alaska’s announcement underscores a growing demand for leisure travel via the airport as the grip of the recession loosens.It’s a good sign that things are coming back, said Rosemary Barnes, an airport spokeswoman. There is demand for these leisure destinations.

Emirates Airline adds more flights

Emirates Airline says it will boost its capacity by 13 per cent next month to four cities in South East Asia and Australia, locations that have seen some of the strongest recoveries from the global economic downturn.The Sydney expansion is timed to offer same day service to Europe, one of Australia’s key outbound markets, and allows passengers to have breakfast in Sydney, lunch in Dubai and dinner in Europe, the airline said.

Emirates is adding 17 weekly flights and new aircraft on routes to Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila and Sydney, which will bring its Asia Pacific service to 187 flights a week.The airline has been seeking out pockets of rising demand as a wider trend of depressed global air travel remains due to the downturn and fears of the H1N1 pandemic.Worldwide, airlines were expected to lose US$11 billion Dh40.4bn this year, the International Air Transport Association has said.

Asian markets are rebounding with reports of resurgent traffic at key airports in the region,said Richard Jewsbury, the senior vice president of commercial operations for the Far East and Australasia at Emirates.We are confident of seeing a recovery soon and are introducing additional capacity to serve the increasing demand.Many economies in East Asia, as well as Australia’s, are showing more vigorous recoveries than have been seen in western countries so far. The service upgrades by Emirates would include a fourth daily service to Bangkok, a third daily service to Sydney, two additional flights to Manila and one additional weekly flight to Jakarta. The airline, which is based in Dubai, will operate Boeing 777-300s on the routes, in a two class configuration to Manila and Jakarta and a three classes to Bangkok.

Etihad Airways was also focused eastward and this week it added Hyderabad, its seventh destination in India, for four times a week.The Asian cities targeted by Emirates are in demand by UAE residents for weekend trips, medical tourism, shopping and labour traffic, said Jimmy el Murr, the general manager of Salem Travel in Abu Dhabi.

However, their real appeal was adding new services for Europeans travelling over Emirates’s Dubai hub, he said.Emirates does a lot of transfer traffic and they have a very good network in Europe, and now they are adding more routes in South East Asia this is a natural expansion for them, he said.UAE residents stayed home this year due to fears of H1N1, with many cancelling their holidays or rescheduling them to stay in the region, Mr el Murr said, although he added that those fears had largely subsided.

Cheap Flights for the Holidays

There’s no sense in fighting it. The holidays are just around the corner and before life gets too hectic, consider booking your holiday fares now.American Airlines has broken out their lowest fares into a holiday calendar for November, December and January. Dates are color coded for low, lower and lowest fares.

Flying on the actual holiday Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day will yield some of the lowest fares.Flights are available to dozens of cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. When we searched on two of the lowest fare travel dates between Los Angeles and San Jose, we found a round trip fare for $188 with taxes included.Don’t wait to book a flight we’re talking to you, Dec. 24 shoppers. As the holidays draw closer and fewer seats become available, you’ll likely see fares rise in the coming weeks.

Sample fares are one way, exclusive of taxes:
Dallas flights to Vancouver from $185
Washington D.C. flights to Boston from $74
Chicago flights to Toronto from $114
Los Angeles flights to San Jose from $61
Baltimore flights to New York City from $56