10. Pha-Taem – Ubon Ratchathani province, Isaan, near Laos.

9. Ubon Ratchathani or Si Saket for SongKran – the entire city is ROCKING. Everyone in good moods. Foreigners are a rarity so they get treated special.

8. Phangna. Located just north of Phuket this place is very cool. It has an incredibly beautiful ferry tour that winds among the islands. There is also an incredible wat with caves and water running through it which you can KAYAK through! A very cool place. Don’t miss the supercool park, surrounded by steep cliffs. A very good time.

7. Krabi: Railay Beach – for the adventure climbing and photo opps. Also – don’t miss “Wat Tam Seu-uh” (Tiger Temple Cave) close to Krabi Town.

6. Ko Chang: Pronounced “chaong” – Really beautiful to see, not exactly beautiful beaches to swim in -rocky and shelly.

5. Ko Tao: Best Island to go to relax and just not do ANYTHING. Sit at your bungalow and read Hunter Thomson books and drink beer Singha.

4. Ko Phangnan: Full moon party. Need I say more?

3. Ko Samui: Ko Samui is a really cool place during the slow season. During the high-season a bit nuts. I don’t go much during the high-season, just too much traffic and craziness. During low season the island has a nice feel to it. Slower and yet everything is still on offer. Incredible scenery and sunsets…

2. Suan Mokkh – Buddhist forest temple in Chaiya, very pretty and if you have any interest in Buddhism you’ll love it.

1. Patong Beach, Phuket: What can I say – everyone knows this place has EVERYTHING. Gorgeous scenery and places to explore, a city (Phuket town), a tourist city (Patong), tourist beaches, out of the way beaches, island getaways (Phi Phi), western food and great Thai food… It’s still cheap, though probably the most expensive place in all of Thailand to live. There are plenty of things to see and do and lots of infrastructure in place to handle a lot of tourists at one time – like during the high-seasons.

Thanks for information from

http://www.thaipulse.com/blog/thailand-places/destinations/10-top-places-to-visit-in-thailand/

Valentine’s Day is the annual holiday honoring lovers. It is celebrated on February 14 by the custom of sending greeting cards or gifts to express affection. The cards, known as valentines, are often designed with hearts to symbolize love. Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine’s Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery.

The history of Valentine’s Day is obscure, and further clouded by various fanciful legends. St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. Its roots are obscured by mystery and there are varying opinions about it. Its origins have become themes of many legends.

According to legend, the holiday has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis/Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15. As Christianity came to dominance in Europe, pagan holidays such as Lupercalia were frequently renamed for early Christian martyrs. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day circa 496, declaring February 14 to be the feast day of the Roman martyr Saint Valentine, who lived in the 3rd century.

Which St. Valentine this early pope intended to honor remains a mystery. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by that name. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop in Terni, and of a third St. Valentine almost nothing is known except that he met his end in Africa. Rather astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on Feb. 14.

Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II around 270. The history of St. Valentine’s Day has two legends attached to it – the Protestant and the Catholic legend. According to both legends, Valentine was a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men and was executed by the latter. Although many scholars agree that Lupercalia was moved from Feb. 15th to the 14th and was Christianized by associating it with this St. Valentine character, it is still unclear just who the historical St. Valentine was. One school of thought believes that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest/bishop of Rome in about the year 270 A.D.

At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage. This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire’s boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. He believed it made the men weak. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.

Valentine, realized the injustice of the decree. Seeing the trauma of young lovers, he met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. He defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. But Claudius soon learned of this “friend of lovers,” and had him arrested.

While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. The Catholic legend has it that through the vehicle of his strong faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius’ daughter, a phenomenon refuted by the Protestant version which agrees otherwise with the Catholic one. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her “From Your Valentine,” a phrase that lived ever after. Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius, fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. However, this legend is not given much importance by historians. Probably the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not focused on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion.

The emperor, impressed with the young priest’s dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the Roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. What happened was what was to happen. All attempts to convert the emperor failed.

On February 14, 270 AD, Valentine was executed.
Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine’s name.

It was not until the 14th century that this Christian feast day became definitively associated with love. According to UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine, it was Chaucer who first linked St. Valentine’s Day with romance.

In 1381, Chaucer composed a poem in honor of the engagement between England’s Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. As was the poetic tradition, Chaucer associated the occasion with a feast day. In medieval France and England it was believed that birds mated on February 14, and the image of birds as the symbol of lovers began to appear in poems dedicated to the day. In Chaucer’s “The Parliament of Fowls,” the royal engagement, the mating season of birds, and St. Valentine’s Day are linked:

“For this was on St. Valentine’s Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate.”

By the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. Despite attempts by the Christian church to sanctify the holiday, the association of Valentine’s Day with romance and courtship continued through the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, the holiday evolved, and by the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine’s Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts eventually spread to the American colonies. The first commercial Valentine’s Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howlanda Mount Holyoke, a graduate and native of Worcester, Mass. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap”. The tradition of Valentine’s cards did not become widespread in the United States, however, until Howland began producing them in large scale. Today, of course, the holiday has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are valentines.The Valentine’s Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 AD by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.

Whoever Valentine was, we know he was an actual person because archaeologists have recently unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to a Saint Valentine.

Although the outside temperature will be peeking at 31 ? C and the snow only you will see on your screen is not good configuration. TV, of course, you will not miss an opportunity to celebrate Christmas if you are using. Christmas in Thailand

It is true to say that the country does not like to celebrate more than the Thais and so Does not take long for the seasonal celebration to hold. (They also celebrate Valentine’s Day and Halloween) will come as a surprise to some, especially as more than 90% of the population is Buddhist, and Christmas is the festival Christians, but remember that the celebration of Christmas is. ancient roots in the winter solstice and the revelries associated with Holly, mistletoe, candles feasts and gifts existed long before the Christian tradition. Also, what could be more than the Buddhist spirit of joy in celebration of compassion and peace or not.

Peninsula.
Thai Buddhism is also a fairly relaxed when it comes to embrace other traditions example, many Thai Buddhists will also offer a non-Buddhist spirit of their home. They believe that the possession of the property of their area of business and living in Thailand, most small house outside the property. Their accommodation will be presented to generous spirits that protect them – and will come in December at the luxurious decor, fairy lights and sometimes even a small Santa hat!

For Thailand, 25 December holidays, and not to school and working life will continue as usual, some Thai families to their children gifts on Christmas morning and dinner together celebrating – albeit,. This tends to be a Thai curry over traditional Christmas fare of roast turkey

As in the rest of the world, Christmas in the city means big business. Although quite slow by the standard Western York shops and department stores will begin to set the decoration of them in late October By December, Christmas season is in full swing and the entire city will be transformed into a wonderland day Every Christmas, creating bridges and street lights are positively festooned in colorful and decorative lights twinkling; Tuk tuk driver – will be sporting a Santa hat and a big store Santa Claus himself will be greeted. Buyers Christmas with his palms pressed together in, traditional Thai greeting.

While in this city is filled with packing and hotel capacity. But there are a lot of dazzle and delight visitors and for those who love shopping, Christmas in Bangkok is a must. Around town is intense competition over who was the tallest, most beautiful Christmas tree sparkliest or Central World, which also happens to be a place in Bangkok on New Year’s countdown to the competition. Always big for the award every year the Christmas tree as they are. Phenomenon to see Siam Paragon, also known as the ‘Pride of Bangkok as it lives up to its nickname with its beautifully decorated throughout.

Most impressive is the palm tree next mall this large that the light beautifully with the light fairy Paint Nin Super Cola Plaza, too, were talking about with the decoration is unique and shows, is designed for. Happiness and joy of a child within us all. Has good power as well as other locations around the city are: Lumpini Lumpini Park Q – House, Four Seasons, MBK and the surrounding area. In fact, all of the business district is always in the mood to get wet during the festival up to Christmas.

Thai people love and encouragement of the festival’s good to offer and strive for Peace and harmony, it is easy to see the appeal of Thai Christmas.

You could be forgiven for thinking that a domesticated buffalo is not built for sprinting, but in Chonburi town, the gateway to resorts along the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, farmers have managed to tweak a turn of speed from these working animals that is nothing short of amazing.

The annual Buffalo races, 28 September – 4 October 2009, are a hotly contested series of sprints across on an open space in front of the town

Seven Unforgettable Romantic Experiences In Bangkok

Love is in the air, love is in the breeze, and love is everywhere! From sexy and sultry salsa to candlelight and crooning venues, idyllic champagne picnic in Lumpini Park to romantic overnight cruise on a coveted rice barge, Bangkok has everything that every couple would crave. To make your date a special one, to delight your darling with the finest, here

1. The beach

It is beautiful and quiet which makes you feel like there are only your couples in this world. But make sure you book your holiday to the beach well ahead and make sure your hotel have the private beach. The hotels in the big cities like Pattaya and Hua Hin is not to be recommended.

2.Restaurants

A lovely restaurant is the place which many couples need to go to on Valentine’s Day. The restaurant should look romantic like in the garden, next to the lake with the candle lights also the sweet rhythm which makes you feel romantic and give you the best night ever. The Silver Lake outside Pattaya has very romantic settings. In Bangkok I would suggest for Valentine’s a roof top restaurant overlooking the city lights.

3. Beautiful Pavement along the road

Cheap and also you will have many people to be such the witnesses for your love. But it is not easy to find one in Bangkok that is quite and still have good street food and nice experience. Maybe you should try one of China town’s old streets.

4. The bridge

The bridges in Bangok are high and the air is fresh you can get a good view and the city looks lovely. It is cheap as same as No. 3, you don’t have to pay money to be there. And the beautiful river is also being the nice view with charge you nothing. In Thailand we only have a few big bridges and the most common one is near to the flower market in Bangkok.

5. The top of the building

The top of a Bangkok high rice building is romantic because it’s with the nice view ever with lovely night breeze. Good air which will make you calm and fly away with romantic feeling ever. Maybe some friend has a roof top you can borrow or you can book a hotel where you have roof access. Bangkok always looks better from above.

6. The River

If you want to have a chance to take a river cruise on Valentine’s you better hurry up. They very soon get full on any given holiday in Bangkok. In Pattaya you can take your loved one to either Silver Lake or the sea food restaurants near Jomtien.

7. Wine and dine in the park.

Bangkok has several big parks where you can enjoy a nice pick nick with your loved once. In Pattaya you need to search little bit outside from the city to find one. Buy some ready meals and drinks and just relax one day in the park.

Realising the Challenges of Crew Rosterers in the Major Airlines

Travellers and consumers in the United Kingdom often see the public face of the airlines as ticket agents, flight attendants, and pilots. However, there are many more professionals that make the UK airline industry work efficiently. Baggage handlers allow people to have all of their possessions by the time they land at their destination. Mechanics keep airliners safe and sound for millions of travellers every year. Perhaps the most overlooked professional in the major airlines is that of the crew roster manager. Crew rosters establish the crew rotation and schedule for an airline. Young professionals entering this job need to understand the challenges faced on a daily basis before heading into the workplace.

Crew rosters start with the basic challenge of meeting national and international aviation regulations in setting up schedules. Flight crews need to be in the air under a certain number of hours each day and need days off after a certain number of days on the job. As well, rosters need to stay updated on health issues with individual workers as well as vacation days mandated by a professional’s contract. In all, there are a number of bureaucratic land mines in which a crew rosterer needs to avoid in setting up a daily schedule.

Beyond regulatory issues, crew rosters also need to take into account heavy and slow seasons for an airline. There are many times in the year where additional crews are needed and maintenance staff needs to be increased to deal with heavier traffic for an airline. Winter and summer holiday seasons require more flights and a higher number of mechanics to keep up with routine procedures. The bureaucratic and chronological issues involved with crew rostering in the United Kingdom are quite daunting for even the best crew rosterer.

More experienced crew rosterers would tell those just entering the profession that it is not all regulatory guidelines and holiday breaks. Crew rosterers need to develop a keen sense of putting the right people on various flights and on various projects. For example, a rosterer for an international airline needs to look at the experience level of various flight crews to determine their ability to deal with more difficult routes. Routes from London to place in Asia and Africa require experienced pilots and flight attendants who are accustomed to long flights. Rosterers can let younger crews get flights under their belt on European flights or regional flights. This nuanced approach to rostering comes with experience, though young professionals can begin to develop this knowledge by asking their supervisors and studying the rostering process.

pre-flight Safety Video
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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Realising the Challenges of Crew Rosterers in the Major Airlines

Travellers and consumers in the United Kingdom often see the public face of the airlines as ticket agents, flight attendants, and pilots. However, there are many more professionals that make the UK airline industry work efficiently. Baggage handlers allow people to have all of their possessions by the time they land at their destination. Mechanics keep airliners safe and sound for millions of travellers every year. Perhaps the most overlooked professional in the major airlines is that of the crew roster manager. Crew rosters establish the crew rotation and schedule for an airline. Young professionals entering this job need to understand the challenges faced on a daily basis before heading into the workplace.

Crew rosters start with the basic challenge of meeting national and international aviation regulations in setting up schedules. Flight crews need to be in the air under a certain number of hours each day and need days off after a certain number of days on the job. As well, rosters need to stay updated on health issues with individual workers as well as vacation days mandated by a professional’s contract. In all, there are a number of bureaucratic land mines in which a crew rosterer needs to avoid in setting up a daily schedule.

Beyond regulatory issues, crew rosters also need to take into account heavy and slow seasons for an airline. There are many times in the year where additional crews are needed and maintenance staff needs to be increased to deal with heavier traffic for an airline. Winter and summer holiday seasons require more flights and a higher number of mechanics to keep up with routine procedures. The bureaucratic and chronological issues involved with crew rostering in the United Kingdom are quite daunting for even the best crew rosterer.

More experienced crew rosterers would tell those just entering the profession that it is not all regulatory guidelines and holiday breaks. Crew rosterers need to develop a keen sense of putting the right people on various flights and on various projects. For example, a rosterer for an international airline needs to look at the experience level of various flight crews to determine their ability to deal with more difficult routes. Routes from London to place in Asia and Africa require experienced pilots and flight attendants who are accustomed to long flights. Rosterers can let younger crews get flights under their belt on European flights or regional flights. This nuanced approach to rostering comes with experience, though young professionals can begin to develop this knowledge by asking their supervisors and studying the rostering process.

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Flying For a Regional Airline, Is It Worth It?

In the United States, and else where around the world, salary is usually dependent upon one major factor. That is, how many people can perform that particular job. The fewer the number of people that can perform a particular job, usually the greater the salary. In many cases, salary is not dependent upon how much money was used in order to obtain the skill.

A good example of this can be seen if we look at the salaries seen in professional sports. For example, in the NFL, professional football players can make millions of dollars per year, yet the preparation does not cost much money in relative terms. To play in the NFL really comes down to hard physical work, developing mental toughness, extreme dedication, and having the physical attributes and ability.

Not to many people can play in the NFL, and therefore most players enjoy a pretty good salary. The minimum salary of a rookie in the NFL is 5,000.00 per year. The highest salary for an NFL player in 2008 was seen in the form of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, of Pittsburgh at ,701,920.00. It also should be stated that the average length of a career for an NFL player is only around 4 years.

Regional airline pilots on the other hand will spend anywhere from ,000 and up in order to be properly trained to fly an airplane. This includes Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating, and Commercial Pilot License, plus specific training needed for the regional airline they wish to fly for.  Military pilots on the other hand have their training paid for by the American tax payer, which really is the ideal situation for those who aspire to become a professional pilot.

Keeping with the analogy of the professional football player, we need to ask the question, how many people can fly an airplane? Statistically, not to many. But if trained, most people with a little better then average intelligence, can learn how to fly. It really comes down to having enough money to learn.

So becoming a professional football player, most would agree, is more difficult and fewer people in society are able to do this, and the professional football player salary reflects this. The salary of a professional football player should be substantially higher then that of a pilot, and it is. Most aspiring professional pilots understand this. The question really should be, is the very low salary of the regional airline pilot worth it to the aspiring pilot who wants to fly for the major airlines, where the higher salaries exist?

From a purely financial perspective, if you always wanted to be a pilot, and you have the money to train, then it probably is worth it. But there are other considerations which must be looked at if you desire to fly for a major airline some day.

It really comes down to being able to withstand the rigors of regional airline flying. To start, some regional airline pilots only make ,000 a year. These are the new pilots, and they usually need to supplement their income with other work in order to make a living. Some regional airline pilots just starting out, can make ,000 to ,000. But no matter how you slice it, the regional airline pilot salary is low relative to other occupations which require a high level of responsibility.

There are other rigors which are not only pay related. In many cases, a regional airline pilot’s base airport is far away from where he or she lives, and they may need to commute across the country in order to get to their base airport for an assigned flight.

This long commute, coupled with the need in many cases to supplement their income with some other work, can result in fatigue, which can lower the level of safety needed. With these additional rigors, some may ask, is it really worth it to become a major airline pilot.

To answer this question you need to examine why you go into a particular career in the first place. Is it for the money, or is it because you love the work. While the rigors of regional airline flying may not be suitable for some people, many pilots stick out simply because they truly love to fly. They also stick it out because of the financial commitment they have made. If your desire to fly is enough such that you can withstand the period of regional airline flying, then it is probably worth it.

Remember that flying for a regional carrier is sort of like paying your dues. Many people ask, how can a regional pilot get paid less then a taxi driver in New York, which by the way gets paid on average .00 per hour. As a matter of fact, there are many jobs which provide a higher pay compared to the regional airline pilot. Lets look at another profession which has low pay to start, and in order to work in that profession, you need to pay a lot of money in order to be properly trained for the position.

A doctor spends a minimum of 11 years in education and training after the age of 18. Many are in training for 15 or more years. They are living on student loans and contributing zero to their family’s income until the residency years. During residency, they earn less than minimum wage, if you factor in the 80-100 hour work week. When a doctor emerges from training (and believe me, there is less sex and fun than is portrayed on ER or Gross Anatomy) he or she averages 0K in debt. Most doctors after residency make a good salary, with salary dependent on the specialty the doctor has chosen to work in.

So some might say, is it worth it to become a doctor. Doctors are also responsible for the lives of people, as are regional airline pilots. Most doctors go into the profession because they enjoy helping people, at least we hope that is the case. If not, there are other much more lucrative jobs in the financial sector, such as being a stock broker or money manager.

So what does all of this lead to. Is it worth the lower pay, sleeping in crash pads during over night stays, possible fatigue, and long commutes, in order to fly as a regional airline pilot. If it is a stepping stone to something bigger and better, such as flying for the major airlines, then most pilots believe that it is worth it. If it appears as if you will not be able to move onward and upward, then most pilots will strongly consider some other form of flying, or leave it all together. These are the considerations an aspiring professional pilot must look at before a financial commitment to training.

You should go into a career because you enjoy the work. If you enjoy the work, the pay will follow. In the case of becoming a major airline pilot, if you are willing to endure the hardships of regional airline flying, you love to fly, and there is absolutely nothing else in the world that you would rather do, then the professional airline pilot as a career is something to consider.

American Airlines Flight 77 Pentagon Crash – Sept. 11, 2001. Video 2.

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Tourism and Recreational Activities Attract Flights to Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital of Canada. It is situated in the Ottawa Valley. This part of the country lies on the banks of the three rivers namely Ottawa River, Gastineau River and Rideau River. It is densely populated. The main suburban areas include Gloucester, Nepean, Vanier, Rockcliffe Park and Blackburn Hamlet. This single-tier municipality consists of eleven historic townships. The climate there is that of humid continental type. The temperatures lie between 42°C and -38°C. The annual activities include Winterlude festival and the National Canada Day. This compels tourists to book Ottawa flights.

It experiences four seasons in a year. Hazards faced by the city are Hurricane Frances, 1998 Ice Storm, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, heat waves and hail. The popular religions followed in the metropolis include Christianity- Catholicism, Protestants and Christian Orthodox, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. There are a number of airlines serving the conurbation. The major airports include Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, Ottawa/Carp Airport and Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport. People tend to book cheap flights to Ottawa to experience the cultural integration of the city.

This place has an inter-city rail service and an inter-city bus service. The capital of Canada has a vivid network of highways including The Queensway, Regional Road 174 and Veterans’ Memorial Highway. The Jock River is known for canoeing and kayaking. The western canal constitutes the world’s largest skating rink. Cycling is a common mode of transportation. Transportation, tourism and recreation are well established in this part of the country. This region inhabits several landmarks, institutions, government buildings, official residences, national museums and heritage monuments. Students from all around the world seek to take flights to Ottawa.

The national museums include National Gallery of Canada, Canadian War Museum, Canadian Museum of Nature, Canada Aviation and Space Museum, By town Museum, Currency Museum, Billings Estate Museum, Portrait Gallery of Canada, etc. This municipality is called ‘Silicon Valley North’. Some Ottawa flights include Air Canada and Continental Airlines. The languages prevalent here are English, French, Italian, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, German, Spanish, Urdu and Persian. The official languages are English and French.

The metropolis inhabits a number of sport teams like National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators, Ontario Hockey Ottawa 67, Ottawa Senators, AAA baseball team and Ottawa Lynx. It hosts Bell Capital Cup tournament and had organized the World Junior Hockey Championships 2009. It has the top soccer team of the Ottawa Fury. Recreational activities comprise of skating, curling, cycling, skiing, hiking, sailing, golfing, fishing, ice fishing and jogging. The conurbation has the highest concentration of scientists, engineers and inhabitants with PhDs. These factors alone are responsible for pulling majority of flights to Ottawa. It organises a number of cultural events and festivals for which people from all around the world take cheap flights to Ottawa just to witness them.

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Top Ten Airports and Destinations for Inflight Internet

Top 10 US Airports for Inflight Internet Service

In the past, airplanes presented an inevitable black hole of productivity to jet-setting mobile employees . . . but not anymore.  Inflight Wi-Fi services such as Gogo Inflight Internet and Row44 have really brought new meaning to the phrase – the sky’s the limit.  Except now, even the sky can’t limit your productivity, because you can keep connecting with speedy Wi-Fi connections while soaring thousands of feet in the air—check email, IM, finalize presentations, catch up on sports or enjoy doing almost anything else you’d normally do while locked on land (some restrictions, such as Skype do apply).

Here’s a  Top 10 List of Airports boasting the greatest number of both internet-enabled planes and Wi-Fi user traffic as measured by iPass.

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL, Georgia)

Renowned for being the major organizing center of the 1960′s Civil Rights Movement and home to the world famous activist Dr. Martin Luther King Junior,  Atlanta has a longstanding history and notable position in the South which is one of the reasons that today Atlanta’s airport receives more than 85 million passengers per year.

Ranked as Gogo’s Number 1 airport for aircraft traffic, ATL supports 4,247 Gogo-equipped flights per week, with a large proportion of these being on Delta Airlines and AirTran airways.

2. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW, Texas)

Serving the eighth-largest city within the US, Dallas Fort Worth Airport has an annual passenger volume of just under 60 million.  With access to 1,567 Gogo-equipped flights, of which the highest proportion are run by American Airlines, domestic and international visitors have the opportunity to get connected during their journey through this hub.  Southwest Airlines is now adding Row44 service to their planes, which will increase inflight internet availability through nearby Love Field.

Take advantage of the inflight Wi-Fi by researching the city’s sights and sounds for fun activities to enjoy when you touch down– such as the top-notch Kimbell  and the Ft. Worth Stockyards.

3. Orlando International Airport (MCO, Florida)

Home to Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Orlando is the second-most popular domestic travel destination in the US, with 35,377,635 passengers passing through the airport each year. Take advantage of your connected and productive airtime by planning an action-packed theme park itinerary when you arrive!

Why do you think so many conferences happen here?

4. John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK, New York)

John F Kennedy Airport is your launch pad to the Big Apple and is famed for being the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States.

With an annual passenger volume of more than 40 million, it is no surprise that inflight internet is available on 624 weekly flights on three, top US-based Airlines including Delta Airlines, American Airlines and Virgin America.   If you’ve never been, make sure to pop by the historic Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty to experience these monumental landmarks.

5. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX, California)

Managing more than 60 million passengers per year, Los Angeles Airport (LAX) is one of the busiest airports in the world.  Located on the southern coast of California, Los Angeles is an equally attractive locale for both sun worshippers and those seeking a more cultural diversion—there are more than 90 stage theatres and 300 museums to enjoy.  And if a sportier scene is more your thing, LA sports big name teams, such  as the NBA’s LA Lakers and Clippers, MLB’s Dodgers and Angel’s and NHL’s Kings. (Don’t miss Pinkberry in Terminal 1!)

6. LaGuardia Airport (LGA, New York)

The majority of flights to and from LaGuardia Airport are within the US and Canada, making it the smallest of New York’s three primary commercial airports.  Despite this, LaGuardia still sees more than 20 million passengers each year.

Interestingly, before becoming an airport, the current site was originally used as a Gala Amusement Park.  It was later transformed in 1929 into a 105-acre private flying field. Originally named Glenn H. Curtiss Airport after the Long Island pioneer aviator, the name LaGuardia finally stuck in the 1930′s (named after the Mayor at the time – Fiorello La Guardia) following an initiative to develop the airport for commercial flights.

7. San Francisco International Airport (SFO, California)

A gold rush decades ago transformed a once fishing village into the internationally-famous city of San Francisco almost overnight; and since then, hordes of tourists and businesspeople enter into the City via its grand Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, ferries, railways, extensive highway system and surrounding airports each year.

Being the number one hub for Virgin Airways, it is no surprise that SFO Airport shuffles more than 30 million passengers per year. The airport itself boasts of unique, local cuisine and an extensive wine bar. If you can’t make it to Napa Valley, you can still bring home some great boutique wines!

8. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD, Illinois)

Located on the south-western shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago — more fondly known as the “Windy City”– is the third most-densely populated major city in the U.S.  It was the number 1 airport (by iPass, in the quarterly Mobile Workforce Report)  for mobile employee connections within the US and has more than 75 million passengers coming in and out of its airport. Chicago is not just a popular city for those who live there, but also a pivotal business stop for many travellers as well.

During your visit, be sure to take advantage of this city’s diverse dining options – including Mexican and Puerto Rican villages, “Greektown” on South Halsted, “Little Italy” on Taylor Street and “China Town” on the near South Side.

9. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI, Maryland)

Home to singing legend Billie Holiday and baseball star, Babe Ruth, Baltimore is also noted for becoming one of the most up-and-coming US destinations to visit, with a crowd-loving aquarium too.  Known as the “Charm City”, Baltimore accommodates more than  20 million passengers who pass through its airport each year. Coming in  at number 9 on Gogo’s list of Wi-Fi equipped flights, this airport ensures that visitors can get connected either on their way in or out of the city.

10. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC, Utah)

Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city in Utah.  Famed for the beautiful Great Salt Lake, which spans about 75 miles long and 35 miles wide, and the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges on the eastern and western borders, Salt Lake City provides a haven for those who enjoy the great outdoors.   And with more than 20 million passengers per year – it is clearly a popular destination for many others too!

With inflight Internet, why not map out which key hotspots you plan to adventure to during the duration of your visit – skiing, mountain biking, hiking, you name it!

Here’s Part 1 of my Delta Flight from Atlanta to New York. Enjoy!
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Best Ways to Find Cheap Airline Tickets

To get cheap airline tickets, it’s essential to keep looking until you find the lowest fare that you can. Keep searching for a little bit even if you find a website claiming to have the lowest fares. Find cheap airfare using the following tips.

More often than not, the most ideal way to find less expensive airline tickets is to start looking well in advance. Normally, a good rule to follow is to reserve your flight a minimum of 21 days prior to your flight, but there are particular times during the year that you should do it even earlier. If you are traveling to popular destinations during the summer, or during the holiday season, you should book your flight more than a month ahead to get the best deal.

As expected, there are some specific methods to discovering inexpensive plane tickets. This includes reserving a flight at the very last minute, such as a stand-by flight. Of course in this case it is essential that you have some leeway with your flight days and times. Are you aware that you can often find inexpensive airfare by placing a bid on it?

Most people look to the major airlines for cheap flights. Don’t take this as the general rule. You may in fact find that the smaller charter or small scale airlines are the way to save some dough. These flights are usually scheduled to popular destinations during the season when many people travel to these places. Unlike the major airlines, when booking far in advance usually gets you the best fare, you can often do better with small carriers when you buy your ticket at the last minute. However, these fares usually come with restrictions, so you may not be able to get a refund or reschedule your flight if you change your mind at the last minute. Check your local airports for information on which smaller airlines fly out of your area.

If you travel frequently and are looking for ways to find cheap airline tickets, you should make it a point to keep up with travel and economic news, especially regarding the airlines. The cost of airfare is based on two main factors – demand and competition with other airlines. If you follow what’s happening in the airline industry, you may hear of fare wars before any discounts are advertised. Alerts from Google news regarding airfare to locations of interest, as well as bookmarking sites that post news of the airline industry are other ways to find cheap fares. With a little legwork and resourcefulness, there are several ways to find affordable airline tickets. The airlines count on the majority of people to be lazy and not look very hard for the best fares. You should be able to find the best airfare without too much difficulty if you use the techniques just covered.

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Air Canada Virtual Airlines Flight Simulator X FSX Online Toronto Vancouver Edmonton Calgary Halifax Ottawa Canada

The second terminal was demolished in the late 1960s to make way for the Terminal 1 (T1) building. The original T1 (also called Aeroquay One) had a square central structure topped by a parking garage with about eight levels and ringed by a two-storey passenger concourse leading to the gates. It was designed by John B. Parkin and construction took place between 1957 and 1964. In 1972, the Canadian government expropriated land east of Toronto for a second major airport, Pickering Airport, to relieve congestion at Toronto International. The project was postponed in 1975, partly due to opposition by community activists and environmentalists. However, the government retained ownership of the expropriated land. Considered state-of-the-art in the 1960s, Toronto’s Terminal 1 became overloaded by the early 1970s, resulting in the building of another terminal for flight simulator. Toronto Airport’s Terminal 2 for Flight Simulator, originally intended as a freight terminal, opened on June 15, 1972. However, the failed development of the Pickering Airport near Toronto forced the airport to modify Terminal 2′s plan into a two floor, 26-gate passenger terminal. Initially, it was served only by charter virtual airlines, but became the hub for all Air Canada Virtual Airlines passenger virtual airline flights on April 29, 1973. A tunnel with moving sidewalks at the northwest corner of Toronto’s Terminal 2 connected it with Terminal 1 for Flight Simulator Virtual Airlines such as Air Canada Virtual Airlines. The site of Terminal 2 was to have been the location for the planned Aeroquays Two and Three, duplicates of the design of the original Terminal 1 (Aeroquay One), but their inefficiency in handling wide-body virtual airline passenger aircraft by the late 1960s forced the Toronto airport to abandon the circular terminal concept for use with Flight Simulator. Inuksuk sculptures stand in front of the departures entrance at Toronto’s Terminal 1. Toronto’s Terminal 2 was designed for three virtual airlines: American Virtual Airlines, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), and Canadian Pacific Virtual Airlines (CP Air). In the later development stages, it became apparent that it would not be viable in this form, the major complaint being the lack of indoor parking and the lack of windows. As AA, BA (formerly BOAC) and CP opted out of T2, Air Canada Virtual Airlines, as the government airline, was forced to move its operations there against its will. Initially, it was operated as three separate areas, befitting the three virtual airlines for which it was designed: furthest west, (designed for CP) the Domestic zone; at the centre (designed for BA), International; furthest east, (for AA) Transborder. In the late 1970s, T2 was redesigned again; this iteration lasting until the acquisition of Canadian Virtual Airlines in 2000. The western zone remained Domestic, but was now colour coded red. In the middle, a separate Rapidair area was created for virtual airline flights to Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport and Montreal-Dorval International Airport; it was red as well. East of that was the Transborder area, coloured white. A new section was added on the east end for International virtual airline flights and was coded blue. An airside corridor along the southern edge of T2 was added, giving access to and from Canada Customs; this made it possible for aircraft arriving in one zone to depart with virtual airline passengers from another zone without regating the aircraft in Flight Simulator.

The airport was renamed to Toronto Pearson International Airport in 1984, in honour of Lester B. Pearson, the 14th Prime Minister of Canada and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Operationally, the airport is often referred to as Toronto Pearson. Terminal 3 opened in 1991, to offset traffic from Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Before its opening, Terminal 3 was the designation for the CP Air hangar at the airport during 1971 to handle the increased volume at Terminal 1. There is one infield terminal located near the cargo tentants, however, it is not used for by any airline or cargo airline. As part of the National Airports Policy, management responsibilities of the Toronto Pearson were transferred from Transport Canada to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority in 1996. The C.4 billion Airport Development Program commenced with focus on terminal development, airside development, infield development, utilities and airport support facilities over a 10-year period. Work began to replace Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 with a new Terminal 1, which along with a Terminal 3 would become the two passenger terminal facilities at Toronto Pearson. To ensure the ability of Toronto Pearson to accommodate its growing aircraft volume, substantial redevelopment of the airside and infield systems took place. Cargo facilities were added in the centre of the airport between the parallel north-south runways, to increase capabilities and to offset the loss of the cargo facilities that were removed for the new terminal. Two new runways were built to increase the number of aircraft that Toronto Pearson can process. A north-south runway, 15R/33L, was added and completed in 1997. Another east-west runway, 06R/24L, was completed in 2002. After the September 11 attacks, Toronto Pearson was part of Operation Yellow Ribbon, as it received 19 of the diverted flights that were coming into the United States, even though Transport Canada and NAV CANADA instructed pilots to avoid the airport as a security measure. The new Terminal 1 Check-in HallThe new Terminal 1 opened on April 6, 2004. Previously, Terminal 2 had a facility for United States border preclearance and handled both domestic and international transborder traffic. Domestic traffic was moved to the new Terminal 1 when it became operational, leaving Terminal 2 to handle transborder United States traffic for Air Canada and their Star Alliance partner United Airlines. Terminal 2 saw its last day in operation as a passenger terminal on January 29, 2007 and airlines moved to the newly completed Pier F at Terminal 1 the following day. Demolition of Terminal 2 began in April 2007 and is expected to continue until November 2008.[10] Terminal 1 was designed in a way that will allow for future expansion. Future projections see Toronto Pearson handling 55 million passengers annually by 2020[citation needed], and Terminal 3 will also be expanded as needed to service the passengers. The first landing of an A380 in Toronto was on June 1, 2009, an Emirates Airline flight.[7] Traffic flow is steady at Pearson throughout the year, but during the day, peak passenger, cargo and aircraft movements are between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. daily. Transpacific flights from East Asia peak late in the night, while Transatlantic flights from Europe peak during late afternoon.

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Budgeting for Low Cost Travel Around the World

The Phenomena of the Low Cost Budget Airline has certainly come of age in the last couple of decades and unless you happen to have been on the moon for the past 10 to 15 years you will have been aware of the rapid increase in the number of these travel operators.

Nowadays some air line brand names such as Easy Jet and Ryannair sit alongside the major brands such as British Airways and Air France.

The trouble in the past was that the majority of the low cost carriers only serviced the smaller domestic markets of Europe. Now they appear to be almost everywhere and the distinction between Travel Company and Airline has become distinctly blurred in recent years.

But alongside the likes of Southwest Airlines in the United States, other low cost airlines have begun to appear on a regional basis worldwide.

However it is in Europe that the Low Cost Budget Airline reigns supreme.

At the last count and when we carried out a quick survey recently we found that there were approximately fifty such airline operations throughout Europe flying to an ever increasing and varied range of destinations.

In Europe the main Low Cost Carriers an certainly the best known are Easy Jet and Ryannair. Easy Jet claim to be the most “webbed” airline in the world and no this doesn’t refer to strange aspects of the staffs feet (I am sure they are not webbed honestly) but rather that due to the fact that every Easy Jet plane has a massive web address “easyjet.com” plastered along its fuselage just in case you were one of the unfortunate ones and forgot their web address – as if? Apparently nearly 90% of its bookings come via their web site and this brings about it massive reduction in costs of scale.

The main routes that Easy Jet covers are from their main hubs at London Luton and Gatwick airports. Now here is an interesting if not slightly “anorakish” fact and that despite the size of the Airport, the amount of Traffic it handles, Easy Jet is, apparently the second largest Airline and London Gatwick Airport!

Easy Jet has hubs at Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Nottingham East Midlands, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol, Belfast, Berlin Schonefeld, Dortmund, Geneva and Paris Orly.

In Ryannairs case as well as now being quite dominant within their own Hub at Dublin, Ryannair now have hubs based at London Stansted and London Luton, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Nottingham East Midlands, Prestwick in SCOTLAND, Shannon in the Irish Republic, Brussels, Frankfurt Hahn, Stockholm, Bergamo (nr Milan) Rome and Girona (nr Barcelona).

It would appear that gone are the days when it was nothing more than a cross between a massive rugby scrum and a slightly contained riot trying to get onto a flight with one of the Low Cost Carriers.

Situations have improved and gone are the days (hopefully) when the likes of Ryannair would just hurl you out of the plane and then in an attempt to make up time, hurtle down the runway in search of the next airport……and forget to unload the existing material and content from the cold hold! This last part is based on a true story; a Ryannair aircraft did once hurtle out of an airport in an attempt to make up time etc only to discover that they had forgotten about the property and belongings for their recently disembarked passengers left in the hold!

Still as we have said, things are definitely improving (or so we hope) so perhaps we will no longer be hearing these sorts of stories any more.

Hope so!

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How Flight Engineers Can Advance Within the Airline Industry

Advancement within the UK airline industry can be tough for any professional. Flight engineers often feel stuck in their positions, as they do not have the same high level of direct advancement opportunities as pilots or customer service representatives. However, flight engineers in the United Kingdom have plenty of opportunities available to them outside of their current positions. These professionals just need to know the skills necessary to advance into any job within the industry. Flight engineers can gain financial incentives through hard work, advance to management positions within a flight engineering department, or advance to general airline management.

Flight engineers need to develop a sophisticated knowledge of airline technology and trends within the industry in order to advance. The average UK flight engineer knows everything there is to know about their specific job and the policies of their airline. However, exceptional flight engineers research different plane issues and understand the engineering issues prevalent throughout the airline industry. As well, successful flight engineers get to know the techniques and machinery used by other airlines in the United Kingdom in order to broaden their knowledge base. This knowledge comes in handy when it comes to casual conversation or assessments.

In addition to a broad knowledge of the industry, flight engineers need to develop a network of references in order to advance to higher positions. Engineers should see their colleagues and supervisors as a great first line of references for advancement possibilities within their current company. These professionals know a flight engineer best and can attest to their skills. As well, flight engineers should use every opportunity to attend aviation conferences or events where they can meet professionals outside of their airline. These conferences are not only informative but they allow engineers from different airlines the opportunity to speak about common issues. These conversations can create a mutual respect between engineers, not to mention the networking possibilities.

A final way in which flight engineers can advance within the UK airline industry is to seek out advanced education. Some engineers seek out further qualifications in aviation engineering, which can lead to team management or facility management down the road. Other engineers seek out business administration degrees or similar non-engineering approaches in order to land an administrative job in their future. Many airlines will help their talented engineers seek additional training or education in order to improve their ability to advance. The airline gains an educated employee while a flight engineer gets the chance to move upward quickly.

airboyd.tv Death in the Air @ Time Magazine http From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org The 1960 New York air disaster was a collision on December 16, 1960, between two airliners over Staten Island, New York City, New York, United States, in which one plane crashed into Staten Island and the other into Park Slope, a Brooklyn neighborhood. The crash killed all 84 people aboard Flight 826, 44 on Flight 266 and six people on the ground. The two aircraft collided in mid-air in heavy cloud a mile west of Miller Field, a military airfield on Staten Island, at 10:33 am Eastern Time. Weather conditions at the time were light rain and fog (which had been preceded by a snowfall). According to information from the flight 826′s flight recorder (the first time a “black box” had been used to provide extensive details in a crash investigation) the United plane was 12 miles (19 km) off course and in 81 seconds dived 3600 feet (1100 m) a minute and dropped its speed from more than 500 miles per hour (800 km/h) to 363 miles per hour (584 km/h) when it slammed into the right side of the TWA plane at between 5250 and 5175 feet (1577 m). The collision occurred about a mile west of Miller Army Field.[2] The TWA Constellation crashed onto Miller Field, with some sections of the aircraft landing in New York Harbor on the Atlantic Ocean side. As the TWA plane spiraled down it disintegrated, dropping at least one passenger into a tree in the New Dorp neighborhood. It crashed into …
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Cheap Flights To India

Delta Airlines 
Delta Airlines is one of the main airlines of United States. It has both at national and international network in more than 332 destinations around the world.

Emirate Airlines 
The Emirates Airline is the subordinate of Emirates Group in Dubai. The airline has been ranked as one of the biggest airline in the Middle East as it generates highest revenue. The main base of this airline is at Dubai International Airport

Jet Airways 
Jet Airways is an Indian Airline and has its base in Mumbai. Jet Airways provides its passengers with both domestic and international services. There are more than 330 daily flights of Jet Airways to around 50 destinations across the country and there are 6 flights overseas.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 
The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has KLM City hopper and Transavia as its subsidiaries. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the part of SkyTeam the worldwide airline alliance and this is the second largest alliance in terms of market share.

Lufthansa 
Lufthansa is the principal airline in the continent of Europe. This airline is basically the German flag carrier and ranks number sixth in the world. 

Northwest Airlines 
Northwest Airlines is another important airline of America and is one of the leaders in Airline carriers. In comparison to any other American carrier this flight carries the maximum number of passengers across the Pacific Ocean.

Qatar Airways 
Qatar Airways is the chief airline of Qatar and it has its base in Doha. This airline is growing with the pace of 35% form past 10 years, it is considered to be the best airlines of the world. This one of the best service provider and caters well to the requirements of its passengers. 

US Airways 
US Airways is the low cost American airline,, the airline has its base in Tempe, Arizona. US Airways is the sixth largest airline in America and is the largest low budget carrier.

Turkish Airlines 
This is the national airline of Turkey and the base of the airline is in Istanbul. The Turkish Airlines provides its services to as many as 32 domestic destinations and 123 overseas destinations.

Air France 
Air France is the part of KLM, as this is the parent company, Air France is a regular member of the SkyTeam Alliance. This is the most preferred airline to travel from US to India. The services provided by the airline makes it travellers favorite.

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SOTC Tours – Best Airline Tickets Booking

If you want to have a memorable holiday experience, take SOTC tours. While picking SOTC tours, it is feasible to browse SOTC-offers.com. With a wide range of options accessible, online you can get customized SOTC tours for groups, corporates and individuals. Majority of the travellers taking SOTC tours have experienced the unmatchable travelling service to array of locations within Europe, India, New Zealand, Australia, Africa and Far East.

When you pick a customized SOTC tours, you get the luxury of experiencing destinations as per your convenience. No matter, what your interest is – sight seeing, adventure, shopping or exploring, SOTC tours will assist you to take a holiday that will you remember throughout your life. With the tailor made SOTC tours, also you will be able to choose companions with whom you want to travel along with the locations you would like to see, sights you would like to notice, preferred cuisine, the accommodation type and even the airline you want to board for commuting.

SOTC tours offers further enables the interested people to pick tour packages of there interest. The newly wed couple can take pleasure in the exclusively designed honeymoon package and host of exciting activities within it.

When it comes to airline tickets booking, you can get it done by making few simple clicks. You can get best last minute airfare online, which will certainly not ruin your plan of travelling. The option of airline tickets booking accessible at SOTC tours will enable you to get best last minute airfare and advance airline tickets booking. You can do airline tickets booking to get the best last minute airfare both for the international flights as well as domestic flights.

Wherever you want to travel around the globe, through the option airline tickets booking you will have a very comfortable, convenient and less time consuming journey. The most amazing aspect about airline tickets booking online is that great discounts and considerable offers generally comes affixed with it. Even when you are making best last minute airfare, you will get access to the discounts and the offers.

For making your travel the best part of your journey, it is feasible to make online airline tickets booking, in order to avoid the jeopardy of standing in long queues for making the reservation. If you are planning to go on your dream holiday, start by making airline tickets booking or get best last minute airfare from the comfort of your home.

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American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card

American Express and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. launch the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card for small business owners and the enhanced Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card for consumers.

Cardmembers can take advantage of greater benefits and richer rewards, making it easier than ever for consumers, and now small business owners, to earn free nights at more than 825 Starwood hotels and resorts around the world and award flights with more than 30 airline partners.

Credit Card Features:

10,000 Starpoints bonus with first purchase ? enough for up to three free nights(1)

Double Starpoints on stays at participating Starwood Hotels & Resorts and purchases at select Starwood retail outlets, such as Bliss Spa and more(2)

Automatic upgrade to Gold Preferred Guest membership status by spending ,000 on the Card in each calendar year. Access to private sales with select Starwood retail outlets.

The new Business Card incorporates all of the improved benefits of the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card, as well as programs and services tailored specifically to the needs of small business owners, including the OPEN Savings(SM) program which was designed specifically for small businesses and gives automatic discounts on purchases at OPEN Savings(3) partners, such as Delta, FedEx Kinko’s and JetBlue. In addition, the Business Card provides expense management reporting, an online spend tracking system and spending limits on additional cards that aid in better managing employee spending.

Credit Card Benefits:

One (1) Starpoint for every eligible dollar spent on the Card

Redeem Starpoints at over 825 participating Starwood hotels and resorts in 95 countries with no black out dates? if there’s a standard room it’s yours.

Transfer Starpoints to over 30 frequent flyer programs, most on a one-to-one basis

Receive 5,000 Starpoint bonus when you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to miles(4)

First year fee-free, and annual fee thereafter; fee-free additional cards

Automatic enrollment as a Starwood Preferred Plus member

Receive a 50% off certificate, good towards a Starwood hotel stay, upon Card approval and annual renewal

No limit on the amount of Starpoints a Cardmember can earn

Competitive Introductory purchase Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for six (6) months

Retail and travel protections such as Global Assist, Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance, Purchase Protection Insurance, Travel Accident Insurance, American Express Card Baggage Insurance, Buyers Assurance Plan, Express Cash Emergency Card Replacement, Emergency Check Cashing, and 24-hour customer service.

The new Starwood Preferred Guest Business Card and enhancement to the Consumer Card are an expansion of the existing relationship between Starwood and American Express. The new Cards make it easier than ever for consumers and small business owners to quickly earn exceptional travel rewards through spending on their cards. Starwood and American Express have enjoyed a strong cobranded card partnership since 1996, when American Express first launched the ITT Sheraton ClubMiles Card.

Credit Card Benefits Eligibility Requirements:

(1) To be eligible to receive 10,000 bonus Starpoints, you must make your first purchase with the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card within one year of Card approval. Bonus Points will appear on your Starwood Preferred Guest statement 8-12 weeks after your first purchase. Bonus Starpoints are for first-time Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Cardmembers only. You may have more than one Starwood Preferred Guest account, however, if you have or had any such account you are not eligible to receive bonus Starpoints you may be offered for any other such account.

(2) You will receive one additional Starpoint for each U.S. dollar of Eligible Spending charged on your Card Account at Starwood branded hotels and resorts then participating in the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program, and at stand-along retail establishments and on-line stores that, in each case, are wholly-owned by Starwood Hotels and resorts Worldwide, Inc.

(3) OPEN Savings(SM): Payment must be made with an American Express Business Card. Savings will be credited to your American Express Business Card billing statement. All savings referenced are in addition to any offers made by participating companies. Participation and offers are subject to change without notice. Terms and conditions apply.

(4) A 5,000 Starpoint bonus is based on airlines with a 1 Starpoint to 1 mile conversion rate; equivalent bonus will be awarded in accordance with other airline conversion rates.

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as the content remains intact and unchanged and all links remain active.

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Choose Go Air for cheap airline tickets

Are you looking for the cheapest airline tickets? If ‘yes’ is the answer, then you should avail the services of Go Air – one of the leading low cost domestic airlines in India. Its main base is at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. Wadia Group owns Go Air airlines. This cheap domestic airline was formed on 9 June 2005 and since then it has been functioning pretty well and has earned a name for itself for offering affordable airline tickets. It is highly regarded for providing a low cost flying experience to passengers in comparison to other modes of transport that takes sufficient amount of time to reach various cities across India.

Go Air is basically a low cost airline that offers different types of airline tickets to its passengers giving them an option to choose tickets that fall into their budget. The airline tickets are generally cheap in comparison to other domestic airlines. This popular airline started off its operations in the year 2005. Go Air offers flights to across 15 destinations and operates about 700 flights every week. It operates about 100 flights on a daily basis. This airline covers all major cities of India. These include Mumbai-Delhi flight, Mumbai-Goa flight and Bangalore flights. It also offers low cost airline tickets on some prominent holiday and business destinations of the country. It covers cities like Siliguri, Jaipur, Nanded, Nagpur, Mumbai, Indore, Kochi, Bangalore, Srinagar, Jammu, Ahmadabad, Goa, Delhi, Chandigarh and Guwahati. So, if you are an avid traveler, choose this airline as they provide not only cheap airline tickets but also provide excellent services on board.

Go Air offers not only low cost airline tickets but also provides excellent services too. It has latest planes and on board services is of top most quality. The staff and crew are well trained and qualified in assisting the flight passengers and catering to their needs on board. You can avail special discounts if you are planning to take their flight or want to fly in a group. It is quite famous for its hospitality, punctuality and affordability. Go Air has earned a name and fame in a short duration due to its impeccable services that include ability to provide cheap airline tickets and quality onboard facilities.

So, if you want to travel to various cities across India on low cost airline tickets, choose Go Air airlines. With Go Air, you will relish a never-before flying experience.

What Happens to All The Missing Luggage?

You usually give little thought to your luggage when you check in at an airline desk. You just expect it to arrive on the same flight you do, when you get to your destination. Wrong! Lost, delayed, stolen or damaged luggage remains a very significant problem for travelers and airlines.

There were thirty three million pieces of luggage mishandled in 2008. This was however, an improvement on the disaster of 2005, when United States airlines lost, or mishandled 10,000 pieces of luggage a day on average – that is between 4% and 9% per 1000 passengers. The worst performance since 1990. The airlines blamed a surge in the number of passengers, budget cuts, backed-up flights and tighter inspections of luggage.

Bloomberg reported in March 2009, baggage mishandling at 14.28% items per 1,000. A decrease from 18.86% per 1,000 in 2007. Approximately 5.7% to 6.73% were never recovered.

Barry Maher, who gives speeches on customer service, was one such victim. He said Delta airline lost both his bags last April, on a trip from Ontario, Cal., to Roanoke, Va. Maher needed to rush out and buy a shirt, slacks and underwear, just so he could give his speech. His bags finally arrived at his hotel, in time for him to begin his journey home. Delta lost both bags again on the return journey. He says, “Delta’s staff was uncaring”.

Airline’s luggage handling systems has changed very little across the years. Airlines say they cannot afford to put in the RFID (radio frequency identification) tags that would cope with the two million pieces of passenger’s baggage per annum. There is no Information sharing between different airlines, even though luggage is transferred.

When London’s Heathrow Terminal 5 opened, there was a backup of 20,000 bags. Some were sent to a sorting facility in Italy.

While lost baggage is something that is totally out of your control, there are several things you can do to keep the damage to a minimum:

Don’t put your expensive, or hard to replace items in your luggage, without insurance Always remember that slip on identification tags can be easily pulled off, so go for something more permanent, such as more identification inside your bags Place prescriptions and travel documents in your hand luggage, particularly jewelry and cash Create a record of the items you place in each bag If your luggage fails to arrive, report it immediately. Get a phone number and name to telephone back if necessary Travel as lightly as possible – buy toiletries when you get there, use wash and wear clothes and mix and match outfits – many airlines now charge for the second piece of baggage Avoid those tight connections – it is just asking for bag problems Pack some emergency clothing in your hand  luggage Wherever possible go for carryon luggage only Demand cash from the airline for some basic supplies, such as toothbrush, toothpaste and razor.

Luna Laboo now bids for lost luggage, displays it online and attempts to reunite it with its owners. “I found an auction where the luggage was being sold off, unopened”, says Ms Laboo.

Airlines usually allow three months for the lost bags to be claimed, then they are send it to an auction house, or it is given to charity. The question however needs to be asked, why can’t airlines do what Luna Laboo is doing? Photograph the case and put it online? Surely it would be cheaper than paying out for the lost bags?

The Challenges and Pitfalls of Airline Captains

Young pilots and aviation trainees alike dream of becoming an airline captain. In the United Kingdom, airline captains typically need to have a decade or more of experience in the airline industry before settling into the captain’s chair. As well, captains usually have to exert an extraordinary amount of patience in rising to such a high level as there are many pilots waiting to ascend the airline ranks. However, the large number of pilots waiting for captain positions in the UK is only one of the challenges a pilot faces in advancing their career. By recognising these challenges, an aspirant to the captain’s chair can work on their skills and manage these issues before they become problems.

One of the major challenges for airline captains is learning to delegate responsibility to fellow staff members. First officers, trainee pilots, and flight attendants alike need to help ease the pressure off of captains in terms of pre-flight checks and customer service. However, airline captains have risen through the ranks and are used to doing these things as part of a team. A good airline captain learns quickly that their role is to be a leader and to be decisive in case of emergencies. Younger professionals in need of seasoning can do a lot of the administrative tasks required before, during, and after flights.

Another challenge for airline captains comes in building a strong flight team. Many captains have young co-pilots and other flight crew members, which mean that there may be a generational gap between the veteran captain and his youthful professionals. Airline captains will usually find that time is best solution to this challenge, as airline crews get comfortable with each other after a few weeks of repeated flight. However, a captain should also feel free to be outgoing with his staff and look for ways to relate to younger professionals.

A third pitfall of the airline captain position in the United Kingdom is the increasing amounts of regulatory and administrative tasks that they have to take on. As pilots age, the government’s regulatory body requires increased scrutiny on physical and mental condition. Airline captains often have to perform physical tests every six months to maintain their position and their certification. As well, airline captains are ultimately responsible for all of the administrative tasks that they perform. Many airline captains delegate this to junior pilots, which mean that a captain needs to look over the materials and affix their name. Captains need to take this challenge in stride, as it is meant for the safety and security of everyone in the airplane.

Kaleidescope commercial for United Airlines
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