Germany new draft law to tackle sales tax fraud in e-commerce business

The German government on Yesterday approved a draft law to crack down on value added tax fraud in online sales by tightening the rules for e-commerce companies like eBay  & Amazon.
The Govt estimates that it loses up to 500 million euros ($580 million) a year in unpaid sales taxes on goods purchased online from companies which are outside Germany.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said in a statement:

“We are ending the illegal practice of some vendors on online marketplaces who evade the sales tax and unfairly give themselves competitive advantages”.

The government view is although German customers pay the price for their online purchases includes VAT, many foreign-based vendors never pass the taxes on to the German state.

The proposed legislation, which still needs to go through parliament, would oblige online shopping platforms to track sales by third-party companies on their website, and pass the relevant information on to the finance ministry so those firms can be taxed.

If that fails, the online platforms themselves could be liable to pay the necessary sales taxes.
The proposed German legislation would take effect in 2019, two years before a similar scheme for the entire European Union comes into force.

A spokesman for eBay told DPA news agency that the company has “no tolerance for vendors who fail to comply with their legal obligations on the eBay marketplace”.

But he also criticized Germany for rushing in measures ahead of the EU-wide legislation.

He said
“Any unilateral actions that lead to legal fragmentation pose a huge burden for global companies”.

China e-commerce spending expected to reach $100bn

An emerging middle class in China with a high tendency to shop for foreignbrands is helping to drive up outlay on goods bought outside of China, according to eMarketer’s cross-border e-commerce spending forecast.

The guess is in line with Singles Day in China, the main e-commerce shopping event hold by Alibaba that happened last Satuaday, as analysts see the festival adding more and more overseas businesses.

The analysis discloses that the total cross-border ecommerce sales in China are expected to reach

US$100.17 billion by the end of 2017, with the average spend per cross-border digital buyer at US$882.

Average spend per buyer has increased since previous forecast due to the growing awareness of overseas brands in China, as well as better logistics and the perception that foreign goods are of better quality.

Also contributing to the growth is the popularity of Tmall Global, JD Worldwide and Kaola, sites that have made it easier for shoppers to access a wide variety of overseas products on a platform they are familiar with.

“The factors fueling the trend toward greater cross-border shopping are nothing new, as the average Chinese consumer is now more tech savvy, more exposed to foreign brands through overseas travel and the internet and, crucially, more willing to spend,” said Shelleen Shum, senior forecasting analyst.
More than a fifth (23%) of digital buyers in China will make at least one cross-border purchase via the internet, and growth in such purchases will start to slow over the forecast period as more residents choose local brands for some categories such as fashion. Realizing the demand for better-quality goods, local brands are starting to adapt to this change.

Bahrain Air add more flights to Dubai

Bahrain Air is planning to increase the number of Dubai-bound flights from 16 to 21 a week and expand its routes in the Middle East, said Captain Ebrahim Al Hamer, managing director of the carrier.The carrier will fly three times weekly to Dubai starting next year, up from the current twice a week, as it seeks to boost its market share here.Dubai is a big market, the size of business and the economy is growing and the economic situation in the UAE, especially Dubai, is similar to Bahrain in terms of the type of economy and the focus on financial services. The two markets complement each other. So therefore it makes sense to service tourism and business, Al Hamer said.

Following the political turmoil in Bahrain, the carrier's sales dropped 65 per cent from February to June, he told Gulf News.The sales in summer were much better, but there was still Ramadan and the political events in the Arab world. This exerted pressure on income. Now from September to December, with more security in Bahrain, trust and economic recovery, with the Haj and Eid, we hope the performance will be better.With this optimism about the region, Bahrain Air is adding three routes to the current 15 in the Middle East and sub-continent by mid-2012 but would not disclose the destinations yet.

The daily flights to Kuwait, which were suspended in February due to the political unrest in Bahrain and the region, are now back to one flight a week, Al Hamer said.Bahrain Air opened a regional sales office in Dubai yesterday.Through this office we hope to concentrate on the Dubai market and grow here by interacting directly with travel agencies and being close to them,he said.The growth rate in the Dubai market is still less than the growth rate of passengers going through Dubai International Airport. There is still potential to get a bigger market share.

Airphil Express increased flights to Cebu-Hong Kong

Lucio Tan-led Airphil Express said it is ready to battle toe-to-toe with leading budget carrier Cebu Pacific with the launch of its Cebu-Hong Kong route last July 28.As the country’s main industrial zone outside Manila, Airphil said Cebu attracts domestic and foreign tourists and investments because of good infrastructure and a dynamic export industry, and serves as gateway to some of the world’s most breathtaking shorelines and nature attractions.Hong Kong, host to many thousands of overseas Filipino workers, remains an important business hub, shoppers’ paradise among middle-income Filipinos, the airline said.

The decision to launch the first Hong Kong flight of Airphil Express from Cebu is an acknowledgment of the valuable business that the province brings into the country in terms of trade and tourism, said Alfredo Herrera, Airphil Express senior vice president for marketing and sales.The addition of the Cebu-Hong Kong route follows Airphil’s launch of its international flight to Singapore in December last year.From cornering 2.9 percent of the market share during the airline’s pre-rebranding period in 2009, the carrier’s slice of the domestic market in 2010 grew to 11 percent, representing some 1.9 million passengers on its first full year of operations.

Emirates increased flights to Cairo

Emirates has increased its flights to 12 per week, with flights operating twice a day, on five days of the week. The increase of the three weekly flights, which took effect 1 May 2011, offers greater support for both inbound and outbound passengers, as well as passengers flying from Cairo beyond Dubai through the multitude of Emirates connections available to over 100 destinations globally.The increase in flights is reflective of the level of traffic at Cairo International Airport returning to normal,said Jean Luc Grillet, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for Africa.Cairo has consistently been one of the busiest routes for Emirates, and we are committed to enhancing our presence here,he said.

Expanding on the frequency of flights to Cairo will give our customers greater flexibility in choosing their travel times, as well as help boost further business and tourism opportunities in Egypt,he added.Currently, Emirates' flights to Cairo are served by a mixture of Airbus A330- 200 aircraft (offering 237 seats in a three class configuration: 12 First Class Suites, 42 Business Class and 183 Economy Class seats) and Boeing 777-200.EK 923 departs Dubai at 1510 hrs (local time) and arrives in Cairo at 1800hrs (local) every day. The return flight, EK 924, departs Cairo at 1830hrs (local) and arrives in Dubai at 0010hrs (local).

EK 927 departs Dubai at 0850 hrs (local time) and arrives in Cairo at 1140 hrs (local) every day except Wednesdays and Thursdays. The return flight, EK 928, departs Cairo at 11:55 hrs (local) and arrives in Dubai at 1730 hrs (local).Premium on board service includes: the award-winning ice in-flight entertainment system, offering more than 600 channels of on-demand entertainment, including 50 new movie releases, 25 movie classics and 25 children's films. A large number of Arabic, Hindi and other world cinema films are also available.Entertainment choices also include video and audio on-demand, interactive games, satellite telephone, SMS and email, live BBC news headlines, an air show moving map and external cameras for a bird's eye view of the journey en route.

New Air NZ begin flight to US, UK

Air New Zealand's three new planes will start flying the return flights to Los Angeles and London today.The airline took delivery of its first Boeing 777-300 aircraft equipped with a new interior just before Christmas.It now has two more and the Civil Aviation Authority has just approved the use of the new Skycouch seats in economy.Air New Zealand spokesman Mark Street said there has been good feedback from passengers travelling on the ad hoc services since January.Another two triple seven planes will be delivered in the next 12 months.

Each plane can carry 338 passengers.The plane's interior is officially known as the Skycouch but has come to be known as Cuddle Class for its seating arrangement.The Skycouch is the first economy seating that allows the traveller to lie flat, or a couple to curl up.Chief executive Rob Fyfe said there has been huge interest in the new aircraft.Air New Zealand has spent four years redesigning the interior to try to take some of the luxuries from the front of the plane and shift them further down the aircraft, including premium economy seats and Cuddle Class.Fyfe unfazed by fuel costsMeanwhile chief executive Rob Fyfe said he doesn't care if the cost of aviation fuel rises to even greater heights. Currently it's around $115 a barrel and other airlines say if it gets to $150, that will become painful.

But Fyfe said Air New Zealand is incredibly robust and has a strong balance sheet.He said high fuel prices will clean out some of the struggling airlines that are surviving by the skin of their teeth. But he said strong airlines should get stronger.Fyfe believes the weak should fall by the wayside but said too much intervention stops that from happening.Ironically Air New Zealand was bailed out by the Labour government in 2002.

Malaysia Airlines increases flight to Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia Airlines is boosting its flights from Adelaide to Kuala Lumpur, making the route more attractive to South Australia-based business travellers, who won't need to connect in Melbourne, Sydney or Perth as frequently.Flights now operate six days a week, with only Tuesdays not served into Adelaide, and Wednesdays without a flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Connections are available through Malaysia Airlines' Kuala Lumpur hub to many Asian, Middle Eastern and European cities. For SA-based frequent flyers, the flights are particularly useful since Malaysia Airlines is a partner in Virgin Blue's Velocity Rewards program, meaning that Velocity members can earn points from flying Malaysia Airlines.From Kuala Lumpur, flight MH139 departs at 2150 and arrives into Adelaide at 0615 the next day all times local, every day except Tuesday.Heading northbound, timings are slightly more complicated all times are, again, local:

On Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, flights leave Adelaide at 0900 and arrive into KL at 1500, using flight number MH136.On Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, flights depart at 1500 and arrive at 2100, with flight number MH 138.Malaysia Airlines will use large Boeing 777-200 planes on the route. In business class, there are five rows of sloped lie-flat seats in 2-3-2 configuration. Avoid row 5, which is in an unenviable position between the lavatories and Economy Class bassinet cribs immediately behind.Economy is laid out in a 2-5-2 seating plan, which is unusual for a 777. Window pairs A+C and J+K are an excellent choice, while the very middle seat of the centre five seat F is definitely one to avoid. Avoid the entire five-seat block if at all possible.

Overseas skill losing pay bend in China

As the salaries earned by Chinese residents continue to gain ground on the pay granted to workers recruited from elsewhere, mainland employers are becoming more open to hiring overseas talent, a recent survey showed.The number of businesses that are willing to recruit job candidates from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and other places outside the Chinese mainland increased from 50 per cent in 2009 to 70 per cent in 2010, according to the survey, which was released on Friday by the international recruiting group Hays.

In the past year, the company polled more than 1,000 employers based in the mainland. It found a growing demand for overseas talent, especially for Chinese citizens who have returned home after studying abroad or working in other countries. Yue Yang, 24, who is studying banking in the United States, said he is thinking about going back to China after he gets a master's degree.The banking business in China has more room for career development than in the US,he said. So I will definitely have better opportunities back there.In 2009, some 108,000 people returned to the Chinese mainland from abroad, a number that had risen 56.2 per cent from the previous year, according to a Guangming Daily citation of statistics recently released by the Ministry of Education.

For Chinese employers, a 70 per cent willingness to hire overseas workers, although that is still lower than the average rate of 76 per cent for Asia, is quite a high figure when compared with the past,said Emma Charnock, regional director of Hays in Hong Kong and the mainland, who was in charge of the survey.Company executives, she said, have recently come to prefer hiring Chinese natives who have returned home after studying or working elsewhere. Expatriates - or people living in a foreign country have fallen to the status of a second choice, she said.In the past, job recruits from abroad, including expatriates and Chinese living in other countries, have earned three to four times as much money as Chinese residents who do not have overseas experience. Expats would often rise to the senior positions within an enterprise, while Chinese who had lived overseas could find positions as mid-level executives with relative ease.

But all overseas job candidates, especially those who lack practical experience, are gradually losing their advantages amid a trend of pay increases in China.In 2010, the country recorded the greatest rise in wages in Asia. Of all Chinese employees polled about that year, 68 per cent said they had received a raise worth 3 per cent to 10 per cent of their salaries, according to the survey.Moreover, 51 per cent of the Chinese polled were expecting to get raises of 6 to 10 per cent in 2011, and 33 per cent of those respondents thought their income increase will exceed 10 per cent.Now it's common in many companies to see recruits from overseas earning the same salaries as their Chinese peers,said Wu Rui, manager of Hays Beijing branch.Even some experienced expats, on average, earn only 20 per cent more than their Chinese coworkers.Wu said overseas recruits with little work experience no longer enjoy a great advantage over graduates of Chinese universities. But those with two to three years of work experience are still red-hot.There are now about 45 million native Chinese living outside the country, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council said on Jun 16, 2010.

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad is helping offset the carbon emissions caused by study abroad travel by supporting the Colorado Carbon Fund.

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad, a leading provider of study abroad programs across the globe, announces its recent donation to the Colorado Carbon Fund to help green student travel overseas. The Colorado Carbon Fund, a program of the Governor's Energy Office (GEO), is the nation's first statewide carbon offsetting program.GlobaLinks Learning Abroad has supported the Colorado Carbon Fund since 2006 to encourage students to offset emissions from air travel, as well as build on several existing green initiatives for students studying abroad. The company makes a regular contribution to the Colorado Carbon Fund for each student evaluation form it receives.

The impact of our most recent donation is amazing when you consider that $312 can offset 15.6 metric tons of CO2e,” said Cynthia Banks, founder and executive director of GlobaLinks Learning Abroad. “To date, our organization has donated nearly $1,000 to CCF, which in more tangible terms represents the CO2e emissions from 5,354 gallons of gas or the carbon sequestered from 1,221 tree seedlings grown for ten years.GlobaLinks Learning Abroad chose to support the Colorado Carbon Fund because it supports clean energy projects developed in Colorado. Portland, Ore.-based Climate Trust, one of the country's most experienced offset project developers, is a third-party organization helping to select and manage Colorado's offset projects, which include methane capture at farms or solar water heating for recreation centers.

About GlobaLinks Learning Abroad:

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad, based outside Denver in Westminster, Colo., is a leading provider of education abroad programs for college-level students in destinations across the globe. Students from more than 800 universities and colleges across North America choose to study with GlobaLinks Learning Abroad each semester via its educational programs:Austria Learn.org offers semester, year, internship, and summer abroad programs in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji via 35 partner universities, and degree programs in Australia and New Zealand at more than 30 institutions: DegreesOverseas.com.Asia Learn.org offers semester, year, and summer abroad programs in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand via nine partner universities.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Engineering,Master of Landscape Architecture and Internet MBA.


EuroLearn offers degree, year, semester and summer programs, including research abroad, in the Czech Republic, England, Germany, Greece, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy, and The Netherlands via 17 partner universities.Since it was founded in 1990, GlobaLinks Learning Abroad has sent more than 20,000 students on educational programs worldwide. For the latest news on our programs and partners visit GlobaLinksNewsWire.com.The Colorado Governor's Energy Office was created by an Executive Order on April 16, 2007. The GEO's mission is to lead Colorado to a New Energy Economy by advancing energy efficiency and renewable, clean energy resources. The GEO works with communities, utilities, private and public organizations, and individuals to promote renewable energy such as wind, solar, and geothermal, and energy efficiency technologies in commercial and residential buildings. The New Energy Economy benefits Colorado by attracting and creating jobs, protecting our natural environment and building energy security.

Overseas Indians to accumulate for three-day appointment

THE problems faced by Indians in the UAE and other GCC countries as well as prospects that await them will be the subject of discussion among non-resident Indians, who will gather from across the world at the 9th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, to be held in New Delhi from Friday to Sunday.A flagship event of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, it brings together the overseas Indian community over a three-day period.The event will be inaugurated by Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and the President of India Pratibha Devisingh Patil will deliver the Valedictory Address.UAE-based prominent Indian Mohan Jashanmal and a few other distinguished NRIs from other parts of the world will be honoured with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award on the occasion. The award will be presented by the President of India.

Other highlights of the three-day event include the participation of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Eight North Eastern States along with Sikkim as partners to the event. It will provide a platform to the representative of participant states to engage with overseas Indians in general and with people from North Eastern States residing abroad in particular.Two pre-conference seminars on Healthcare and Education abroad will be held. Plenary Sessions of Chief Minister of North Eastern States and Minister DoNER and a Group of Union Ministers interaction will also be conducted. To engage the young overseas Indians, a special session on ‘India and its young overseas Indian’ is also scheduled.Other parallel sessions include an Industry Round Table which will witness the involvement of Indian Industry leaders and diaspora, Information Communication & Entertainment: Business Opportunities and Celebrating Global Indians.

A Trade and Industry Exhibition with the participation of corporates, financial institutions, state governments, NGOs and others will run concurrently at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.The PBD provides a platform to engage, interact and build mutually beneficial networks. The Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi has urged NRIs to participate and discover areas of common interest and engagement. He has especially called upon young overseas Indians to participate with enthusiasm.

Flights to KL and Tokyo launched by AirAsia X

AirAsia X has launched flights between Kuala Lumpur and Haneda International airport in Tokyo, Japan. The low cost airline will operate the route three times weekly, using Airbus A330 aircraft.AirAsia X Chairman Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, said,Japan is crucial to AirAsia’s expansion plan towards becoming a major player in connecting the greater Association of Southeast Asian Nations region to East Asia. Malaysia is set to contribute towards enhancing bilateral ties between ASEAN and Tokyo, Japan; a metropolis city which would remain an important trading and economic partner for Malaysia and the ASEAN region. The Kuala Lumpur-Tokyo route will not only benefit tourism, but also further enhance business and economic ties between the region and Japan.

Guests flying on this new route will have the chance to experience AirAsia’s ‘Premium FlatBed seats’ on the brand new A330 aircraft. The flatbed seats are standard business class specifications of 20 width, 60 pitch and stretches out to 77” in full recline position.The seats feature universal power sockets, adjustable headrests and built-in personal utilities such as tray table, drink holder, reading light and privacy screen.Azran Osman-Rani, Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia X, said,The airline is thrilled to have successfully expanded its growing network to Japan. Demand has been incredibly strong considering how new we are in the market and our strong forward passenger loads indicate a lot of pent up demand for the route. We look forward to be allowed to fly more regularly to Tokyo from three times weekly to daily flights to provide more convenience and choice to our guests. We anticipate over 80% passenger load within the first year of our operations and look forward to hit the new untapped markets in Tokyo and its surrounding regions to flight to Malaysia and South East Asia and beyond. Guests from Malaysia and ASEAN may now travel to Haneda, Tokyo and connect domestically in Haneda to Honshu-Mount Fuji, Hokkaido, and many interesting places alike. From a leisure holiday to the adventurous mountain climbing and skiing, to a family day out in Tokyo Disneyland; Japan has an array of interesting places to visit.

Austrian Airlines to begin flights from Mumbai today

The European carrier had earlier pulled out of Mumbai due to the meltdown in global economies.
We expect strong demand for our flights to Mumbai, since we offer a comfortable product for business travellers and tourists,Austrian Airlines' Executive Board Member Andreas Bierwirth told reporters here today.Austrian Airlines has also increased the frequency for its Delhi Vienna flight to six from five in the winter schedule.

Compared to last winter, the airline is significantly expanding its long-haul capacity for its customers from India, Bierwirth said, adding that Austrian Airlines would now operate 11 weekly flights in all between India and Austria this winter.The airline has deployed Boeing 767 to operate these flights.New Delhi and Mumbai are now connected with around 130 global destinations covered by the Austrian route network, Bierwirth said.

Flights between London and Baghdad

THE first direct flights between London and Baghdad by a private Iraqi firm will begin next week, a civil aviation official said on Sunday.The Al-Nasr company of Iraqi businessman Hussein al-Khawam 'will fly its first Baghdad London flight on November 3, but that date is not finalised,' said Nasser Hussein Badr, civil aviation director at the transport ministry. A Boeing 737 leased from a European firm would initially fly the route, he said, without specifying what name the airline would bear.Flagship carrier Iraqi Airways said in May that the state-owned company would be dissolved after one of its planes was impounded at London's Gatwick Airport in relation to a financial row with Kuwait.

Al-Nasr's announcement came on the same day a plane operated by France's Aigle Azur landed at Baghdad International Airport, becoming the first flight by a European carrier to arrive in the city since a 1990 international embargo on Iraq.Aigle Azur's twice-weekly Paris-Baghdad flights would begin in mid-January, the airline said. That flight, and the announcement of the route to London, come at a time when foreign companies are demonstrating a growing desire to grab a share in oil-rich Iraq's post-war reconstruction, following the 2003 US-led invasion.More than 300 foreign firms are taking part in a 10-day international exhibition that opens in Baghdad on Monday, featuring companies from every sector other than defence. The interest in aviation and business also indicate the improving security situation in Iraq, where bombs, killings and kidnappings remain routine, but significantly less than a peak in 2006 and 2007. - AFP

Daily flights from Bangkok to Haneda in Tokyo launched by Thai Airways

On Sunday, October 31, 2010, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited THAI will officially launch daily flights on the route Bangkok Haneda v.v. at a ribbon cutting ceremony at Suvarnabhumi Airport that will be officiated by Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI president.
Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI president, said:THAI is pleased to introduce Haneda as our fifth destination in Japan, augmenting our flights to Narita, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka and which adds to our dedication to serve the Japanese market. By flying into Haneda, passengers will have greater convenience with flight departures and arrivals closer to Tokyo’s city center, which makes travel increasingly convenient for business, as well as leisure travelers. THAI has selected the A340-500 aircraft on this route where passengers can enjoy flight comforts in our Royal Silk, Premium Economy, and Economy Class.

THAI will operate a total of four flights per day to Tokyo, with one flight per day from Bangkok to Haneda airport, and three flights per day from Bangkok to Narita airport. From October 31, 2010 onward, THAI’s daily operations on flight TG660 from Bangkok to Haneda will depart Bangkok at 1450 hours and arrive in Haneda at 2230 hours. On the return, flight TG661 on the route Haneda-Bangkok will depart Haneda at 0020 hours and arrive in Bangkok at 0520 hours.

Double Daily Flights to Jakarta launched by Tiger Airways

Tiger Airways is to launch a second daily flight on its popular Jakarta-Singapore route, with flights beginning from 11 January 2011.Tiger Airways announced in July that it had won additional rights to operate a second daily service to Jakarta in the distribution of limited traffic rights by Singapore’s Air Traffic Rights Committee (ATRC). This decision was appealed by a competitor airline but the original decision to award the rights to Tiger Airways has now been upheld.

Rosalynn Tay, Managing Director of Tiger Airways Singapore, said,We are looking forward to serving twice the number of passengers on our popular Jakarta-Singapore route. With twice the number of flights, we will be even better placed to bring down fares for tourists and business travellers flying between these two important ASEAN capitals.The additional flights are now on sale from as low as Sin$20 plus taxes, for travel between 11 January and 30 September 2011. Terms and conditions apply.

JetBlue To launch Nonstop Flights To San Juan

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority on Monday announced that JetBlue will begin daily nonstop flights between Jacksonville and San Juan, Puerto Rico, beginning next May.The new route will be the only nonstop service between the Caribbean and Jacksonville.This is great news for Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, especially those at the Jacksonville port, that conduct regular business with Puerto Rico, said JAA Executive Director Steve Grossman.We have been working to put together daily service to Puerto Rico for several years and this announcement is the culmination of a lot of hard work by the JAA staff and the Jacksonville community.

The port of Jacksonville is one of the major exporters of consumer goods to Puerto Rico. Three of the four container lines that serve Puerto Rico are headquartered in Jacksonville.We have been looking forward to this for a long time,said Jacksonville Port Authority's Chief Commercial Officer Roy Schleicher.Making access easier for business travelers, as well as tourists, will allow the Jacksonville-Puerto Rican connection to become even stronger than it already is and will open the door to further opportunity on both sides.

David McConnell, area vice president of Waste Management Inc. of Florida, welcomed the news of the new service. He currently drives to Orlando twice a month to travel to Puerto Rico where Waste Management operates the island’s only two private landfills.This is great news for me, McConnell said.I won’t have to drive to Orlando. This also allows us to expand our operations in Puerto Rico. It’s very beneficial as we grow our business down there.JetBlue also announced that it will add a second daily flight from Jacksonville to Boston in May 2011.

Iran, Egypt accede to resume absolute flights for aboriginal time back 1979

Iran and Egypt, two countries that long have been openly hostile to each other, made a surprise agreement Sunday to resume direct flights for the first time since radical clerics ousted Iran's monarchy in 1979.Civil aviation and tourism authorities meeting in Cairo signed an accord to begin 28 weekly flights between the two countries but did not specify a start date, media in both countries reported.The pronouncement baffled observers. The two countries back opposing political camps in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, lack full diplomatic ties and continually snipe at each other.But Iran's pro-government Fars news agency described the deal and a visit by an Iranian trade delegation to Cairo as a prelude to the resumption of ties between the two countries.

The aviation accord comes as U.S.-backed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians struggle for traction. Israel has refused to halt the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, and the Palestinians say negotiations cannot go on while construction continues.The settlements are enormously unpopular in the Arab world, but there was no suggestion that Egypt was trying to gain leverage over Israelis or their American backers by making a deal at a time the West is trying to isolate Iran over its nuclear program.This move has been long in coming,said Karim Sadjapour, an Iran specialist at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington think tank.What's remarkable isn't the resumption of direct flights between Tehran and Cairo, the two largest cities in the Middle East, but the fact that it has taken over 30 years for it to happen.

Iran appears to be seeking business opportunities to make up for economic troubles caused in part by international sanctions.Rapprochement between Egypt and Iran could change the diplomatic balance of the Middle East, but many hurdles remain. Tehran calls Egypt, which has a peace treaty with Israel, a U.S. lacky while Cairo considers the Islamic Republic an exporter of extremist Islam and terrorism.Egyptian officials have complained for years that Iran continues to publicly hail the assassin of Anwar Sadat, who signed Cairo's peace deal with Israel. Egypt hosts the tomb of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and annually honors the late monarch, which ruffles Iran.

Delta to start flights between US and Angola

US carrier Delta Air Lines announced Wednesday it will launch the first direct commercial flights between the United States and Angola in January, as it moved to expand it presence on the continent.Delta, which has manoeuvred since 2008 to be the first to launch direct flights between the two countries, said it saw strong market potential in Angola where thousands of Americans work in the oil and humanitarian sectors.

Delta is committed to expanding our presence into fast-growing African markets to better serve our global business travellers,senior vice president Perry Cantarutti said in a statement.
This new flight between Atlanta and Luanda will shave hours off of business travellers' itineraries between the US and Angola thanks to more direct routings,he said.Flights will operate three times a week between Atlanta and Luanda via Dakar, and will be available from October 2.

Angola and the United States signed an air transport agreement in April.Until now, the only direct air links between the United States and Angola have been charter flights for American expatriates working in Angola's booming oil sector.Other passengers have typically had to fly through South Africa or Europe to reach the United States from Luanda.Delta said it would also work with TAAG Angolan Airlines for TAAG to codeshare on the flights at a future date.In March the European Union partially lifted a ban barring Angola's national carrier, TAAG, from flying to the European Union.

American Eagle's begin flights to Miami

The theme of American Eagle's new service at Gainesville Regional Airport is Bringing the World to Gainesville,and advance bookings show many travelers making connections to and from Europe, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean, according to airport officials.Twice-daily flights between Gainesville and Miami start Friday with the first flight scheduled to land at 12:50 p.m. An inaugural event will be held in the terminal lobby starting at noon.American Eagle is a regional carrier for American Airlines, which flight out of Miami to 50 other U.S. cities and 63 international destinations, including dozens throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, with one-way tickets starting at $79. American Eagle is adding direct flights to 10 more cities out of Miami starting Nov. 18.The flights will be on 64-seat Super ATR turboprop aircraft.

The Miami flight adds to the airport's Delta flights to Atlanta and US Airways flights to Charlotte, N.C.American Eagle has been trying to bring the world by taking information about the new service to the community. The airport and airline have been running advertising campaigns in the region for about a month and meeting with local business leaders and University of Florida student, faculty, alumni and athletic groups.The Alumni Association is very excited about bringing their members in from other cities to see the games,said Kathy Cargile, regional sales manager for American.

AirTran Airways adding Milwaukee flights to Phoenix and Tampa

AirTran Airways said Wednesday that it is adding Milwaukee flights to Phoenix and Tampa, Fla., during the upcoming cold winter months.Three daily roundtrips between Phoenix and General Mitchell international Airport in Milwaukee will start Dec. 13, while two daily roundtrips between Tampa and Mitchell will launch March 8, 2011.

Orlando, Fla.-based AirTran (NYSE: AAI) is also adding a daily roundtrip between Tampa and Key West, Fla., beginning March 10, along with roundtrips between Akron/Canton, Ohio, and Orlando starting Dec. 21 and roundtrips between Baltimore/Washington and San Juan, Puerto Rico, beginning April 5, 2011.Low cost carrier AirTran is the second-largest carrier at Mitchell International. AirTran adding Milwaukee flights to Phoenix, Tampa The Business Journal of Milwaukee