Southwest Offers Two-Day Fare Sale to Las Vegas

"Southwest Airlines is offering all Customers something to toast this New Year's Eve! For 48 hours only, Customers will be able to get 50 percent off any Southwest Airlines' "Wanna Get Away" fares for roundtrip travel to and from Las Vegas! Las Vegas is the airline's most popular travel destination, so it's offering Customers a one-of-a-kind discount. These super low fares are available Dec. 30, 2008, through midnight PST on Dec. 31, 2008, for travel Jan. 13, 2009, through March 11, 2009. To book these low fares enter the promotion code "LASVEGAS" at southwest.com/lasvegas or click here."

Examples of fares are listed below (see Fare Rules):
  • $69 roundtrip between Phoenix and Las Vegas.
  • $149 roundtrip between Philadelphia and Las Vegas.
  • $159 roundtrip between Dallas and Las Vegas.
  • $169 roundtrip between Orlando and Las Vegas.
"SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Virgin Atlantic Airways has signed a deal to start running direct flights between London and Puerto Rico next year.Puerto Rico tourism director Terestella Gonzalez says the weekly flights will generate about $30 million a year in tourism revenue for the island.Gonzalez told local radio Tuesday that each flight will reserve 80% of its 240 seats for visitors who are also booked on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.The first flight is expected to depart London in November 2009."

Air India cuts basic fares, Jet follows suit

"New Delhi | Mumbai: Following the repeated pleas of civil aviation minister to slash air fares, the state-carrier Air India today responded by announcing a sharp cut in the basic fares on 20 domestic routes. The announcement was immediately followed up by the market leader, Jet Airways, which cut basic fares on economy class up to 40 per cent on the value carrier JetLite, with immediate effect. The quantum of rate cut on an Air India ticket varies between 35 to 82 per cent on all leading sectors, effective from Tuesday. Following the sharp decline in the price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), which had reached August 2005 levels, Air India was the first airline to announce a Rs 400 reduction in fuel surcharge in December-beginning, that was followed by Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines.

With the latest cuts, a one-way Air India ticket on Delhi-Mumbai sector has been reduced by 49 per cent at Rs.1,675 from Rs.3,300. Similarly, one-way Mumbai-Bangalore basic fare now stands at Rs 1,200, down by 52 per cent from Rs.2,475. The highest reduction is on the Chennai-Bangalore sector, where the basic fare after the cut is Rs. 200, down by 82 per cent. These fares are exclusive of taxes and fuel surcharge. On a JetLite ticket, a Mumbai - Delhi economy class basic fare now stands at Rs 750 and a Mumbai – Chennai basic fare will be Rs 595.

On Sunday, Kingfisher had announced a rate cut from January 1, without specifying the quantum of cut. When contacted, a spokesperson from the airline said that a decision on the quantum of cut in their basic fares would be announced shortly. Till now, airlines have resisted from effecting a reduction in the basic fares. However, with oil marketing companies set to review ATF prices on December 31, another downward revision of jet fuel seems likely. The fuel is now sold at Rs 32,691.28 per kilolitre in Delhi after prices were slashed by Rs 4,208.37 in the first week of December.

“The fare cuts are allright but the only factor will be that it should boost the airlines' passenger load factor (PLF) as it is now below 70% even in this peak season. Earlier when they were charging low prices, they had PLF above 70%,” said Sandeep Shenoy of Pioneer Intermediaries."

"Airfares would get cheaper by over 25 per cent after most airlines announced major cuts in fares on many routes, including the busiest Delhi-Mumbai sector.

An all-inclusive economy-class ticket from Delhi to Mumbai in a full-service carrier could now cost less than Rs 5,000.

On Tuesday, state-run Air India announced reduction of up to 82 per cent in its basic fares on 20 of its busy domestic sectors. This would result in much lower final fares, which would include taxes and levies of about Rs 3,000 over and above the basic fare.

Falling fuel costs and decelerating demand for air travel have forced airlines to cut fares. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices have more than halved since the peak prices of Rs 70,000 per kilolitre in August.

“Following the gradual reduction in the price of ATF, we have decided to reduce the fares,” a spokesman for Air India said.

Jetlite, the low cost arm of Jet Airways, also announced up to 40 per cent reduction in its basic fares and a Delhi-Mumbai one-way economy ticket would cost about Rs 3,900 on the airline.

Kingfisher Airlines said it would cut fares in the coming month, but has not announced the quantum of reduction. Low-cost carrier SpiceJet has also announced fares that start with a basic fare of as low as Rs 99."

(HT News)

British Airways To Reschedule Lagos Flights

"British Airways said on Sunday it will reschedule its flights to arrive earlier in Lagos beginning January 1, after Nigeria's aviation ministry threatened to ground its operations there.

New Aviation Minister Babatunde Omotoba earlier this week warned the British carrier that its operations would be halted in Lagos from Friday if its flights from London continued to land later than 6 pm (1700 GMT).

"British Airways will be rescheduling the arrival of BA 75 from London to 1755 from 2105 from the 1st of January 2009. This is in response to concerns from its valued Nigerian customers on the late arrival time into Lagos," the company said in a statement.

BA said January 1 was the earliest it could make these changes, which will affect around 6,000 passengers.

Travel from the international airport to Victoria Island, the city's financial district, can take up to four hours depending on the traffic and armed robberies are common, especially during the evening.

Lagos, a city of 14 million people, is eager to improve its crime-ridden image, a major disincentive to investors in Africa's most populous nation."

(Reuters)

"Feel like living a little in Sin City? Test your skills at the tables or take a spin on the slots, thanks to U.S. Airways' Las Vegas vacations, starting at $181 per person.

The price includes airfare and two nights' stay at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort & Country Club. Book the package using MasterCard and receive a $100 dining credit.

Vacations must be booked by Dec. 31 and travel must take place before March 31, 2009.

Wynn, rooms and suites are designed to feel like stylish apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows that give you unbelievable views of Las Vegas, claims U.S. Airways.

With award-winning restaurants, designer shops, a tranquil spa and salon and exciting nightlife, Wynn is the Vegas you never knew existed."

(Cheap Flights)

Qantas, British Airways Call Off Merger Talks

"Australia's Qantas Airways and British Airways have called off talks for a USD$6.4 billion merger that analysts said could have helped transform an industry grappling with falling demand and volatile fuel prices.

Qantas and BA announced the end of talks in a three-paragraph statement issued to the Australian and London stock markets on Thursday, saying they could not agree on key terms for a deal.

"Despite the potential longer-term benefits for Qantas and BA, the airlines have not been able to come to an agreement over the key terms of the merger, at this time," Qantas said.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce had warned last week that the merger faced major hurdles and would only go ahead if Qantas could secure major revenue and cost benefits. He also lamented the fact the talks had been leaked and forced out into the open.

A marriage of Qantas and BA faced several big challenges, not least the ownership split of the combined business, which was proposed to be formed through a dual-listed merger whereby the two firms would have kept their existing listings but be managed as one."


(Airwise)

"Malaysia-based budget airline AirAsia announced on Tuesday that it would be offering 100,000 free tickets to Thailand as part of a special marketing effort to support the tourism in that country, which has suffered from recent anti-government demonstrations.

The popular low-cost airline said that it was collaborating with Thailand’s tourism authority to help bring tourists and business travellers back to the country by “reinstating the core message that it is now safe to travel back to the Land of Smiles.”

Under its marketing campaign called “Get Your Baht To Thailand,” which is a play on the unit of Thailand’s currency, AirAsia will be giving away 100,000 free tickets on flights to Bangkok from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam, as well as on flights within the country.

Passengers will be responsible for paying only taxes and administrative fees. In November, AirAsia removed all fuel surcharges from its flights"

(ASAP)

Westjet airlines would launch new seasonal non stop services from San Francisco and
San Diego to Calgary in june. San Diego flights will starts on june 1st and San Francisco flights begin June 2nd.Discount airline WestJet will sell you a seat on San Francisco flights to Calgary for $125, each-way; $165 is the price from San Diego to Calgary. Both fares are introductory deals and don't include taxes or fees.
"British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airlines are cutting their fuel surcharges because of the reducing price of oil, the companies said Wednesday.

The reductions apply on tickets purchased beginning Thursday, and the airlines are not offering refunds to customers who booked flights earlier at the higher price.

British Airways is reducing the charge on world traveler class flights of nine hours or longer from 96 pounds ($147) to 66 pounds. For first class and club class passengers on those long-haul flights, the surcharge will be reduced by 30 pounds to 85 pounds.

Surcharges on domestic and European flights are being cut by 25%, BA said.

Virgin also cut its surcharge on long-haul economy flights from 96 pounds to 66 pounds, and other reductions were similar to BA's moves."

(USATODAY)
"Delta Airlines customers can now book convenient nonstop flights between Detroit Metro Airport and Rome's Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport for service beginning on June 4, 2009. Flight will make travel to the Eternal City more accessible through Detroit's 115 easy connections and will complement Delta's existing nonstop daily service between Rome and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and twice daily nonstop from New York's John F. Kennedy-JFK International Airport."

(Yahoo News)

Southwest plans to eliminate 32 roundtrip flights from its current schedule -- including the Detroit-Orlando route -- and add 19 roundtrip flights system-wide.

Christi Day, a Southwest spokeswoman, said the company is "optimizing" its schedule by pruning unproductive flights.

Southwest flies daily nonstops to Orlando from Detroit, Monday through Friday, she said.

"That's not to say that it wouldn't come back at some time," Day said. "There just are some flights that are not as productive as others."

Day said she did not know whether the Detroit-Orlando route had been dropped previously and then reinstated.

Southwest currently flies 18 daily nonstops to six cities from Detroit -- Baltimore, Chicago Midway, Nashville, Phoenix, St. Louis and Orlando.

While automakers are hanging on by a thread, the airline industry also continues to struggle.

Delta Airlines announced that they will offer voluntary severance programs to the majority of its 75,000 employees starting in January.

The airline already cut nearly 4,000 employees through voluntary retirement and separation earlier this year.

Delta would not comment on how many jobs they plan to cut.

"KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is resuming services in Calgary after a 12-year gap. The new service, which will offer flights to Amsterdam from Calgary, will begin operating on May 3, 2009.

Flight times and frequency have not been announced yet, but KLM announced that passengers will take the Calgary-Amsterdam flight on an Airbus 330-200 aircraft.

Peter Hartman, president and chief executive officer of KLM, said: Under the present economic situation, it's even more important to choose destinations that meet a strong demand."


AeroMexico adding San Francisco, Denver and Toronto

"AeroMexico will add service to two U.S. destinations as well as to Toronto, which will be the carrier's first Canadian route. Beginning Feb. 2, AeroMexico will add one daily round-trip flight between Mexico City and San Francisco. The airline adds a daily round-trip flight between Denver and Mexico City on March 2. AeroMexico's expansion into Canada begins Feb. 2 with one daily round-trip flight between Toronto and Mexico City. "

"Launching service in Canada is an important part of AeroMexico's growth strategy for 2009," Frank Galan, AeroMexico’s Vice President – U.S. Division, says in a press release. "We expect strong demand both in Toronto and in Mexico City for this service due to the increase in international business and tourism between the two countries."

(USATODAY)

Okay Airways suspends flights for One month

In an unusual move, private Chinese carrier Okay Airways says it will suspend flights for one month because of a dispute with shareholders. The carrier says the suspension of service will begin Dec. 15. "It's because our shareholders have conflicting opinions about the business," Okay Airways spokesman Li Wei tells The Associated Press.

Shanghai-based Junyao Group, Okay's controlling shareholder and partner airline, refused to comment on the situation. AP adds: "Loss-making Okay Airways, based in the northeastern city of Tianjin, and the Junyao Group agreed in March 2006 to share personnel, routes, marketing and managerial expertise as they struggled for a footing in China's intensively competitive air transport market. Relations between the carrier and Junyao have become increasingly rocky."

Okay, which in 2005 became China’s first private airline, flies more than 20 domestic routes with a fleet of 11 aircraft.

(USATODAY)

India’s tourism minister, Ambika Soni, has said that global economic conditions have significantly hurt the country’s tourism sector, in comments made the day after the tourist board revised its growth rate for this year down to five per cent, from the earlier-projected 15 per cent.

The attacks on Mumbai are making the five per cent growth figure potentially unachievable, as industry experts suggest that India’s high season for tourism could have been undermined just as it was getting underway.

Vijay Thakur, who is president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), said: “We were worried about the economic slowdown and its impact on the tourism industry but this is a direct attack on our industry as it has targeted hotels and foreigners.”

He added: “This is the peak period for the tourism sector and we were hoping business would pick up in a month. But now we don’t think that might happen. It is too early to say how big an impact it will have but it definitely looks like the sector will be hit badly.”

According to the tourism executive, the attacks in Mumbai were the first time in India that foreigners and hotels have been targeted. He suggested that this will dampen the enthusiasm of inbound tourists for some time.

Kingfisher Airlines’ chairman and chief executive, Vijay Mallya, stressed that the attacks were a catastrophe and that: “We are reviewing our flight schedules in and out of Mumbai.”

Thanks to www.travelmole.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

(ASAP)

"Flights into and out of the Thai capital’s international airport, Suvarnabhumi, are gradually resuming after anti-government demonstrators ended their week-long siege of the airport on Wednesday morning. Hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists had been left stranded, waiting to go home.

The prospect of a return to chaos looms, however, as the political party forced from office by the country’s courts prepared to regroup in order to maintain its hold on power.

On Wednesday evening, a passenger jet departed for Sydney, making it the first international flight to depart from Suvarnabhumi airport since the seizure of the airport by the anti-government demonstrators on 25 November.

The chairman of the board of Airports of Thailand (AoT), Vudhibhandhu Vichairatana, noted that airport operations would return to normal levels within a few days.

On Tuesday, the airport saw the resumption of cargo, emergency and military flights, said spokeswoman Monrudee Kettuphan.

After the Thai Constitutional Court dissolved the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat’s party, and prohibited the prime minister from holding political office for five years, the demonstrators ended all anti-government protests.

The government of the now-deposed prime minister has been accused by the protesters as being a front for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who they are hoping to see tried on corruption charges.

The court found that the ruling People Power Party committed electoral fraud in the last elections, and barred Somchai Wongsawat and more than 100 other top party officials from holding office for five years."

(ASAP)

South Korean Airlines Would Cut Fuel Surcharges

"South Korea's major airlines said on Monday they would cut fuel surcharges by up to 70 percent on international routes from January 1, taking into consideration the sharp drop in crude oil prices in recent months.

Korean Air and smaller rival Asiana Airlines said surcharges on long-distance routes to the US and Europe would be cut to USD$41 from the current USD$141.

Crude oil prices fell below USD$50 a barrel in November, down nearly USD$100 from their peak in July."

(Reuters)

Shrish Pandey

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