Flying With Pets – How Can You Keep Your Pet Safe and Healthy on Airline Flights?

If you have plans to fly with your pet, you are part of a growing trend that has been increasing for the last number of years.  Most airlines will charge a nominal fee to allow your small pet to accompany you, if it will fit into a FAA approved pet carrier that is small enough to stow under your seat.  The following important info can help you keep your pet safe, healthy, and happy on airplane flights

 When booking a flight, it is a good idea to make reservations for yourself and your pet as early as possible.  You must let the airline know that you want to bring your pet with you.  It is very important to tell them, as they will only allow a limited number of pets on each flight.  Some airlines do not allow pets at all, especially on international flights.  Always confirm your flight the day before you leave on your trip.   If you are traveling internationally you need to confirm your reservation seventy-two hours before you go.

Before you fly into the wide blue yonder with your furry travel companion, you need to take him or her to the veterinarian for a checkup, to make sure he or she is healthy enough to travel.  You will also need to take its health certificate with you, showing that your pet is up-to-date on all its vaccinations, including rabies.  Your pet must wear its current vaccination tag when traveling.  As well, your pet must meet the health regulations of every country that you will be traveling to.  Bring along a copy of your pet’s medical records listing its allergies, chronic medical conditions, and medications. 

If you haven’t done this already, you should have your pet micro-chipped.  That way, if your pet is lost and taken to an animal shelter or vet, where its chip can be scanned, both can be reunited.  Keep in mind your pet’s identification tag will have both your home address and phone number on it.  That won’t be of much help if your pet gets lost when you are on vacation.  It may be a good idea to get another tag made up that has your destination address and phone number on it.  What happens if you pet isn’t found until after you’ve returned from your holidays?  It makes sense that you should leave both your home I.D. tag on your pet as well as attaching the new tag.  That way you’ll have all the bases covered and stand a better chance of being reunited with your pet

 You should carry a picture of you pet with you when you travel.  It will help you prove that you are the pet’s owner if any problems of ownership occur.  Also, the picture can be used to make some flyers up to post in the area where your pet was lost.

Flying with pets that are too large to fit into a FAA approved pet carrier is not a good idea as they will be stowed in the cargo hold.  Putting your pet in the cargo hold of an aircraft is very traumatic and dangerous to its health.    It makes far more sense to leave your pet with a friend, or a pet sitting service while you are vacation.

The American Veterinary Medical Association does not recommend sedating or tranquilizing your pet when flying, especially dogs.  Dogs regulate their body temperature when they pant, so when they are tranquilized or sedated, they may not be able to pant.  If this happens, it may leave them defenseless against the fluctuation of air pressure and temperature that occurs in the cargo hold of every flight.  Also, keep in mind that pets do not enjoy flying, or being locked up in a cramped kennel and left alone in a dark and desolate cargo hold.  It must be very terrifying for them.

There are a lot of websites that give additional valuable information in regards to traveling with your pet.  Two excellent sites are the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) at aspca.org, and the Department of Agriculture at aphis.usda.gov, which has a great article entitled, Traveling With Your Pet.  

 If you want a great travel carrier for your small pet, you may want to consider the popular, FAA approved pet carrier, Sherpa On Wheels.  This Cadillac of pet carriers can be a luxurious and  comfortable home for your pet while flying.   It has the convenience of a front and top entry, mesh ventilation panels, recessed wheels, as well as a detachable pull handle and a shoulder strap.  It is available on line at  SherpaPet.com.

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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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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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Low-cost and luxury flights in India

The consequences of globalization as well as privatization have lead to a massive quick growth on India’s mutual exchange of transportation technology that has significantly transformed the standards of living and lifestyle of people.Air-India Airlines are examples of one of those aspects that have transformed itself through modern technology. No wonder airlines act as a connecting link with the people located in various regions of the country and the world. The boom in the aviation industry has not only made the air travel easier but has also led to the introduction of budget flights in India.

Within a short span of time, the increase in the number of passengers has increased the number of domestic and international flights making the aviation market aggresively competitive. Today people crave for a faster and economical travel option. Most of the flights in India have incorporated no-frill services that are better known as low cost flight services in order to reach the budgets of the middle class population. The Indian airline sector is categorized in scheduled, non-scheduled and air cargo services.

Various airlines have demanded more air planes to increase their flight services to cover more destinations all over India as well as the world. The most popular airlines which operate their flights in India are Air India,Air-India Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines, Emirates, MDLR Airlines, Continental Airlines, France Airlines, Gulf Air, Lufthansa and many others. Many airlines that are based in India operate flights in India as well as in foreign countries.

Low cost airline tickets are probably the first ones to go before anything else in your chart of action. Keeping this perspective in mind, most of the airlines in India like Go Air, Indigo, Jetlite, Paramount Airlines, etc. are offering low cost airline tickets to attract passengers. If you have decided to fly and you are in a need of a low cost air ticket, you got to have the best source for finding them. Searching online through portals is the best resource to dig up information regarding the best prices of airline tickets.

A Continental Airlines 737-300 landing at Houston Intercontinental Airport. Right before landing there is a mall with a Dillard’s in it. After landing we taxi at a good clip pass terminal A and then pass all the Continental ExpressJets at Terminal B. To see the rest of this fast taxi see the clip Tour of Houston Intercontinental Airport.

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Board Business Flights for Vibrant Nightlife in Charismatic Europe

There are several things that hold their charisma for years. Just like its rich culture Europe and has embraced its nightlife since years. The dazzling nightlife of Europe is world famous and draws visitors from across the world. Holiday-makers from world over fly air business class or travel with cheap air tickets to be a part of the graceful nightlife of Europe. Be it vacations, a weekend break or a business trip, Europe’s nightlife could be attended at any time of the year.

It is believed that the seeds of the nightlife were sown in Berlin, the largest and the capital city of Germany, and then gradually the roots occupied their firmness into cities like Amsterdam, Paris, London, Budapest and Prague.  The beginning of new nightlife culture in these cities made several airlines offer low priced or cheap airfares over their numerous flights. Europe is popular among the tourists and so the airlines offer attractive air travel packages like cheap business class flights and discounted air business class to Europe.

Amsterdam is world famous for its vibrant nightlife that offers a diverse array of world-class entertainment. Entertainment with a difference, special performances, festivals and cultural events together make the city’s night beautiful and lively. Being the hot destination of Europe Amsterdam is quite popular among the airlines that offer reasonable or cheap flights to Europe. American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United airlines now offer direct flights with special affordable business flights to Europe.

Nightlife of the fashion city; Paris is one of the peppiest nightlife among all other European cities. People from world across travel in the best business class airlines and become part of the lively evening in Paris. Equipped with top sound quality and dance lights the clubs in Paris occupy a scintillating space among the spectators. Few domestic airlines in Europe offer cheap domestic flights that connect all the important cities of Europe.

In Germany Berlin, Munich and Hannover are the major partying cities. People here really know how to enjoy in the best possible way. Music concerts, performance and theatre all remain infested with partiers the year round. Germany being the hub for business opportunities encourages business seekers who often travel with reasonable or cheap business class flights to Europe to be a part of the revelry.

London, nightlife again adds another charm to the European nightlife. Bars and clubs of London offer famous high-profile entertainers, dance clubs with all types of music. The hippest city of the world welcomes the guests from world over. With airlines offering discounted or cheap air flight tickets over business flights to Europe tourists pour into the city in large number. With the fall of dusk young partiers gather in the clubs and enjoy the night party to their fullest.

Budapest, the beautiful city becomes more beautiful during the night. The nightlife of Budapest has something for everybody. From classic opera houses to extreme club all are simply matchless to any other European city. With wide range of opportunities available tourist travel with business class airlines to this gorgeous city and burst out their stress at the clubs, restaurants, bars and cafes of the city. Presenting itself in the most outstanding way Budapest does possess a vibrant nightlife.

Prague the capital of Chez Republic is also one of the hot destinations of Europe with plenty of night clubs and bars that offer their guests with a variety of music. From classics to jazz to rock, Prague has it all. The best part of Prague nightlife is that everything here is quite inexpensive. From affordable cheap airlines to cheap business class flights Prague is extremely the hub for partiers. The pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants spin their tune from dusk till dawn.

Thus we see that Europe’s nightlife is indeed one of the remarkable features without which Europe would be incomplete. So add a little bit of moves to your life and be a part of the extremely shimmering nightlife in Europe. Stacks of travel companies bring out attractive travel packages to these destinations. FareBuzz, the leading US based travel company also offer affordable business class airlines to Europe.

4 Great Ways To Get Upgraded On Airline Flights Tickets

Are you planning to book flights to Alabama, a city of great historical importance? Alabama can be a great vacation spot for students or people who keep great interest in history. The city has numerous universities and historical monuments as well as museums telling the tale of the past and the tremendous struggle that their person made and which is noted as the pivotal points of U.S. history. Travelers to Alabama who are looking out for great vacation should look out for cheap airline travel to save money. Now stop spending large chunk of capital on your airfare or upgrading airline flights tickets to Alabama. The Airports in Alabama are the great place to look for great deals on Cheap Flights in Alabama.

Here are 4 great ways or tricks to get upgraded from economy class on airline flights tickets to Alabama.

First, if you receive a valid upgrade certificate for being a top tier member of the frequent flyer program of the airlines, you will get upgraded on flight tickets. When you are traveling on oversold flight, your change of getting upgraded is much more. You will be able to upgrade your airline flights tickets if you travel with a top tier member also.

Second, if you have boarded an oversold flight but traveling with a full fare ticket, your chance of upgrading your flight ticket is more that of others.

Another tricky way of upgrade is to be well dressed and well mannered when traveling alone in a flight that is oversold. At the last minute the airline agent usually upgrades few passengers and always considers well-dressed and solo travelers.

Again, when you are flying on an empty flight, the airline upgrades few passengers to the middle of the aircraft in order to maintain the flight’s weight and balance.

It is often seen that frequent flyer get the opportunity to get upgrade-able fare. But in frequent traveler are highly recommended not to ask the airline agents for such upgrade as they are agitated by such queries and demands.

If you are traveling on a reduced fare ticket, you should never harass the gate agent or flight attendants for an upgrade even though the check-in have accepted your request for an upgrade as if they are annoyed, you will receive an unwanted roguish behavior or even kicked off the flight.

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Top Five Flights to Las Vegas

Las Vegas, described by different names, “Sin City”, “The Entertainment Capital of the World”, “Capital of Second Chances”, and “The Marriage Capital of the World”, is served by various airlines across the world. Among the umpteenth number of airlines offering flights to Las Vegas, the top five ones encompass Lufthansa, Continental Airlines, United Airlines Inc, Air Canada and British Airways.

Over the years, the rising popularity of Las Vegas chiefly due to uncensored adult entertainments have made the metropolis the best place for shooting films and television programs, thereby alluring more and more people to enter the city. Every year, particularly during Christmas and New Year, millions of people come to Las Vegas from all around the globe to participate in fun be it gambling, shopping, dancing or dining. This has greatly contributed to the increase in the number of flights to Las Vegas.  

Lufthansa, one of the best carriers in Europe has come up with special deals, particularly for Christmas and New Year events. The airline offers Las Vegas flights from London Heathrow. United Airlines Inc is a reputed carrier with its base in the United States. The carrier is well-known for the comforts it provides. United Airlines Inc boards for Las Vegas from London Heathrow airport. Air Canada, with its base in Canada is a favourite North American airline which is popular for the gentle and caring nature of its crew members. The carrier provides flights to Las Vegas from London Heathrow. British Airways, undoubtedly the most famous carrier of the UK departs for Las Vegas from London Heathrow. Continental Airlines is another popular carrier which represents the United States. The airline like all others offers flights to Las Vegas from London Heathrow airport. All the five airlines claim to offer comfortable as well as cheap flights to Las Vegas.

Lufthansa, Continental Airlines, United Airlines Inc, British Airways and Air Canada are certainly the best rated carriers which offer flights to Las Vegas. Not only are these airlines considered as the world-class luxurious carriers but are also noted for the offering comparatively cheap flights to Las Vegas.

Airlines That Operate Flights To Amman Queen Alia Airport

Flights to Amman’s Queen Alia Airport

According to the official statistics of the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), there was a 17% hike in tourism revenues in 2010 as compared to 2009. A major part of this revenue was contributed by Amman, the largest city and capital of Jordan. Amman is a fascinating city, known for its art galleries, ultra modern buildings, hotels and coffee shops. The city also boasts the largest airport in Jordan, the Queen Alia International Airport. So, book flights to Amman and get ready to enjoy the beauty of this amazing place.

Flights to Amman: Queen Alia International Airport

As a traveler, you might be interested in knowing all about the airport where your flight to Amman will land. Queen Alia International Airport, named after Queen Alia, the third wife of King Hussain of Jordan, was built in 1983. It is a major hub of Royal Jordanian Airlines, Jazeera Airways and Jordan Aviation. Although the airport is located at Zizya, about 20 miles south of Amman; a number of buses and taxis serve the airport throughout the day, operating at half an hour intervals. So, the traveling to and from the airport is never a problem.

Flights to Amman: Airlines Operating from the UK to Queen Alia

Here is a list of direct and indirect flights to Amman:

Direct flights

* BMI and Royal Jordanian – direct flights from London Heathrow airport.

Indirect flights

1. KLM, BMI and Air France – from Aberdeen Airport

2. KLM, Etihad Airways, Delta – from Manchester Airport

3. KLM Emirates, Air France – from Newcastle Airport

4. KLM, BMI, Emirates – from Glasgow International

5. KLM, Emirates, Lufthansa – from Birmingham Airport

6. KLM, BMI, Lufthansa – from Edinburgh Airport

7. KLM, Air France – from Bristol Airport

8. KLM – from Exeter International

This might not be an exclusive list, as flight schedules are subject to change overtime. So, it is advisable to book your flight via a reputed travel agent, who will plan the best trip for you, keeping in mind your budget and other preferences.

Myanmar’s Air Bagan offers Direct flights from Burma to Phuket, Thailand

MYANMAR – Air Bagan, the Myanmar (Burmese) airline, has announced the introduction of direct flights between Yangon (Rangoon) in Myanmar (Burma ) and Phuket, Thailand.

The first flight will be on April 11th 2011, with two flights scheduled per week on Mondays and Fridays. Return tickets will cost in the region of 10,900 baht (US0), including in-flight food and drinks.

Tickets are already on sale for the new route via the airline’s website, but later this month Air Bagan will open a ticket office in Phuket Town.

“The flights will be much more convenient and cheaper for tourists already in Phuket. The direct flights from Phuket will take just two hours, whereas the current flights depart only from Bangkok ,” said PB Travel Agency Centre, Managing Director, Suranat Taweesap.

The flights from Phuket will connect to a further twenty one destinations within Myanmar.

To promote the launch of the new route, Air Bagan has announced two discounted travel packages, including accommodation, return flights, food and tours of Yangon, Hongawadee and Kyaikhtiyo.

The packages cost 20,990 baht (US0), if travelling between April 11th and 14th, and 19,900 baht (US$ 655) for trips taken from April 15th to 18th 2011.

Once passengers arrive in Myanmar, they must provide two passport photos and pay US to be issued with a tourist visa.

Last year Air Bagan announced the opening of their Yangon to Chiang Mai flights, and due to their success, recently announced an increase in flight frequency between the two cities.

“This is our second route between Myanmar and Thailand and we think the flights will be useful for those who want to fly to Phuket directly without transiting in Bangkok .  We also expect to see a huge increase in tourists coming here from Thailand as a result of the new route,” said Daw Sao Thanda Noi, Air Bagan sales and marketing manager.

The airline has also said it is planning direct flights to Siem Reap in Cambodia as well as Bangkok , Kunming and Kuala Lumpur  in Malaysia and Singapore in the near future.

Posted by Vietnam Tours

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Leading Airlines are operating flights to Lagos

Main Nigeria’s Airport Is Murtala Muhammad International Airport. This Air is renamed after the murder of its President in 1973. Previously this airport was known as Lagos International Airport. This Airport handles all the major flights to Lagos. As Lagos is the hub of all major activities mostly domestic and international flights are catered at this Airport. Nigeria has mainly two Airlines Eagle Airlines and Airk Airline. Both these leading Airlines are operating their services through this Airport. This Airport has two terminals and one run way. One terminal is for domestic flights. Second terminal is used for international flights and the run is shared by both terminals air traffic.

This Airport is currently serving lot of domestic and international passengers. Arik Air is providing services and operating flights to Lagos from London daily up and down. Initially this Airport was used for domestic flights to Lagos from other cities of Africa. Their international operations get started in 1979. Now this Airport is equally catering the needs of domestic as well as international passengers daily. This Airport has the capacity to accommodate almost 1000 passengers at a time with comfy amenities. Mega project of a four star Hotel has been finished and Hotel with international standard and 148 luxury and elegant rooms has been built in this hotel to serve the passengers. Other facilities are also available at the Airport which includes a restaurant, car hire, bank, stores, cafe, duty free gift shops and a post office.

This Airport is serving both Cargo and Passenger Airlines. The Airlines which are operating their cheap flights to Lagos and operating through this Airport includes Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, South African Airways, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Middle East Airlines, Nigerian Eagle Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Dana Air, Delta Air Lines, Egypt Air, Emirates Air lines, Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopian Air lines, Iberia Airlines, Aero Contractors, British Air ways, Afriqiyah Airways, Air France, Air Ivoire, Alitalia Air lines, and Arik Air. These air lines offer International flights to Lagos as well as from Lagos. While Air France, Allied Air, Avient Aviation, Jade Cargo, and Star Airlines deal with cargo services.

Now this detailed review of Murtala Muhammad International Airport will you an idea that how and from where you can get cheap flights to Lagos. And I am sure if you visited this place by taking flights to Lagos from any where of the world. You will enjoy your every moment of stay at this famous city of Lagos. Arik Air which is domestic Airline of Nigeria has started its direct flights to Lagos from London.

This television commercial was introduced in January 2005 to coincide with the introduction of Delta’s SimpliFares. The commercial features a song called “Happiness Runs” covered by Donovan.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Affordable Koh Samui Flights

Thailand is a place that appeals to a range of people and if you have never visited this Asian beauty before then now is the time to go. You can find cheap flights and all-inclusive holidays over the internet saving yourself loads of money – book yourself a luxury holiday at an affordable price online today!

People come to Thailand with all kinds of expectations, they either see themselves soaking up the sun on the beautiful beaches every day, sitting by the resort pool sipping cocktails and watching the sun go down, partying in the bars, shopping at the local Thai markets, or experiencing the culture and meeting the locals.

Koh Samui is a popular destination with holidaymakers as it’s a tropical isle with lots of activities and entertainment that appeals to visitors of all ages and nationalities. From here you can catch a boat to Koh Phangan, home of the famed Full Moon parties on the beach of Haad Rin where around 10,000 to 30,000 party-lovers descend on the beach every month to dance and drink from dusk to dawn. Koh Tao is another small island easily reached from Samui and renown for its marine life and excellent scuba diving and snorkelling. It’s the quietest of the three islands so if you want real solitude then stay for a few days and really soak up the atmosphere of the place.

Flights to Thailand are generally more expensive than flying to Spain or Greece, but once you arrive on its islands golden shores life is really cheap. Eat out at the local Thai restaurants and get delicious food for really low prices, beers are extremely affordable too, and you can have a massage and spa treatment for next to nothing compared to what you would pay in any European destination.

Purchase tickets three months or more in advance for cheaper prices, or get them at the very last minute if you aren’t too concerned where you stay, and aim for both departure and return flights to be on week days as they are invariably cheaper than weekend flights. Once you arrive in Bangkok then you’ll also need the additional flight from there to Koh Samui, Bangkok Airways own the airport on this small island and generally prices are fixed although you might get an early bird flight if you book early enough which are cheaper than the regular fares. It takes less than an hour to get to the island and once you’re there you’ll realise why so many visitors return again and again.

Booking a tour package with a travel agent online can work out a lot cheaper than booking flights and hotel accommodation yourself separately, and they generally have some great deals available. Samui hotels are some of the best in the country ranging from 5 star luxury hotels to beach-side bungalows, you could find yourself staying in a first-class hotel or resort at a really reasonable rate, it’s worth looking around to see what kinds of offers are out there.

Chaweng is the longest stretch of beach on the island and the most popular as the entertainment here ranges from stylish bars and busy night clubs to restaurants of all cuisines and street markets for lots of shopping. Windsurfing, sailing, diving and snorkelling are just some of the water-based activities you can try, and if you want to just chill on the beach and watch the surf lap lazily against the shore then you can do that too! You can stay at any hotel around the island and reach chaweng in no time to catch the action, choose to stay in a quieter area and get a taxi one night to see what it’s all about then back to your quiet corner for a spot more sunbathing.

Check out cheap koh samui flights or an all-inclusive holiday this year and grab yourself an exotic break at a price you can afford.

Flights to Africa – Which African Airlines are Best?

Many of my travel clients in the west express reservations about flying on African carriers. With some recent disasters, cancelled flights and terrible time performances I share their hesitation. Based on the need to find safe and efficient air travel I have started an investigation and found several African carriers to be actually outstanding and even better than some U.S. carriers or their European competitors.

My first choice for air travel in Africa is with Ethiopian Airlines. I’ve had the good fortune to work a lot with the airline and experience their service firsthand. The company has a long history that started with TWA. They have continued to be on the leading edge management, performance, service and fleet modernization since. They are one of the first to order the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” and the airport at ADD is the most modern and well-managed in Africa taking it’s design from Atlanta’s Hartsfield. What this means to the traveler is safe, courteous, comfortable service with efficient baggage transfer and on-time performance to meet connections. With an extensive worldwide network this also means connections throughout Africa, Europe and Middle East. ET has flights from IAD to FCO (Washington to Rome) en route to Addis Ababa and this can oftentimes be a less expensive than European and U.S. carriers to get to the continent.

Below is a brief history of the airline:

8th April 1946:

The first scheduled flight took place to Cairo via Asmara in Douglas C-47 Skytrain. The national airline had been set up a few months earlier as Ethiopian Air Lines Inc., a joint venture with American airline, TWA (Trans World Airlines). Five US Government surplus C-47 aircraft were purchased for venture. Following the successful inaugural flight to Cairo, a regular weekly service was established. Weekly services to Djibouti and Aden followed, as well as a domestic service to Jimma. Demands for additional services were so great that towards the end of 1946, four more C-47 Skytrains were purchased. Since these aircraft were ex-US military, they had few comforts; all had folding bench-type canvas seats along the sides, with the central aisle kept clear so that cargo could be lashed to the floor.

1947:

Three more Skytrains were purchased for the international routes. These were fitted out in a `luxury’ layout with 21 forward facing seats and were the first to wear the colorful Ethiopian Airlines livery.

During the late 1940s the route network was extended to Nairobi, Port Sudan and Bombay. Charter flights were also flown to Jeddah during the Hajj season, carrying pilgrims to Makkah.

1950:

Two Convair 240 aircraft were purchased, followed later by a third, for use on foreign routes. These higher-performance aircraft had fully furnished interiors and seats for 36 passengers. Their pressurized cabins allowed the aircraft to fly higher, in smoother air.

By the end of 1952 the faithful Skytrains were still the mainstay for the domestic routes, linking 21 towns and cities to the capital and carrying both passengers and cargo.

1953:

Three quarters of the airline’s staff were now Ethiopian but expatriates still held most key posts. The Ethiopian government negotiated and new agreement with TWA with ultimate aim of operating entirely with Ethiopian personnel.

1957:

The fist Ethiopian commercial aircraft commander, Alemayehu Abebe, made his solo flight as captain on DC-3/C-47 aircraft.

The National Airline Training Project was set up with US Government help in Addis Ababa to train local pilots, technicians and supervisory personnel.

The airline established its own maintenance facility at Addis Ababa, reducing the need for maintenance overseas. In subsequent years the facilities expanded into a well-equipped center for maintenance, overhaul and modification work on aircraft, engines and avionic systems, not only for its own aircraft, but also for other airlines in the region.

The route network expanded with flights to Frankfurt.

1958:

The DC-6B Cloudmasters were purchased. These four-engined, 71-seat aircraft were used on the long-haul routes.

1960:

The airlines prepared to enter the jet age and decide that the Boeing 720B best met its requirements. However, the existing airfield serving Addis Ababa – Lidetta, which had been built in 1936 – was not suitable for jet operation, which required a long runway, and a decision was made to construct an entirely new airport and headquarters at Bole.

1961:

A new east-west service was inaugurated, linking Addis Ababa with Monrovia in Liberia, via Khartoum and Accra. This was the first direct air link between east and west Africa operated by any airline.

1962:

By December the new runway and control tower at bole international Airport were operational and two Boeing 720Bs arrived on their delivery flights. Ethiopian was the first airline in Africa to order Boeing 720B.

1963:

On 15th January the airline inaugurated its first jet service, from Bole to Nairobi. The following day the second Boeing inaugurated a new route to Madrid, via Asmara and Athens. Meanwhile the elderly Skytrains and their related civilian DC-3s continued to fly the domestic and cargo services and six further DC-3s were bought during the next decade. Despite their age, these aircraft were ideally suited to Ethiopia’s rugged terrain and high altitude.

1965:

The company changed its legal status from a corporation to share company. At the same time the title was changed from Ethiopian Air Lines to Ethiopian Airlines.

1971:

Colonel Semret Medhane was appointed general manager, the first Ethiopian to hold the position.

1977:

A Boeing 720B flight simulator was acquired, making the airline independent of foreign airlines for its pilot training.

1979:

Two Boeing 727s were purchased for medium-range routes, to replace the oldest Boeing 720s.

1982:

The airline bought a third Boeing 727 and two de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo short-field transports for use on domestic services.

1984:

Ethiopian Airlines attracted worldwide attention on 1st June when its first Boeing 767 landed at Bole after a thirteen-and-a-half hour delivery flight from New York – setting a new world distance record for commercial twin-jets. The airline, which was a launch customer for the new aircraft, brought two of the advanced, wide bodied B-767 aircraft to replace the ageing Boeing 720s. In addition to their 190-seat passenger capacity the aircraft could carry 12 tones of cargo in the hold.

At the end of 1985, when the DC-3/Skytrains started to be withdrawn, the airline still had nine of these in service, all of them at least 40 years old. The last of these aircraft remained in service until October 1991. The main replacements were six 18-seater DHC-6 Twin Otters, and – for the busier domestic routes – two ATR-42sL fast and modern 46-seater aircraft.

1989:

The Cargo Management Department was established to afford special attention to the development of the airline’s cargo services. Hitherto the airline had regarded its cargo operations more as a public service commitment that as a secondary source of income.

1995:

The airline’s Engineering Division opened a new purpose-built jet engine test facility, allowing engines of up to 45,000 kg (100,000lbs) thrust to be ground tested.

April 1996:

As the airlines celebrated 50th anniversary the route network stretched from Europe (London, Frankfurt, and Rome) to China (Beijing) and Thailand (Bangkok). The Middle East and Indian sub-continent were well represented, and the airline’s African routes reached Senegal and Ivory Coast in the west, Cairo in the north, and Johannesburg and Durban in the south. The fleet consisted of two ATR-42 and four DHC-6 Twin Otters for the domestic passenger services, one Boeing 737 and four Boeing 757 aircraft for the medium range passenger services and three Boeing 767s for long-range services. For its cargo and non-scheduled services the airline had one Boeing 707 freighter, one Boeing 757 Freighter, two Lockheed L-100 commercial Hercules and one DHC-5 Buffalo.

The pilot training school was equipped with a state-of-the-art flight simulator, replicating the flight deck of the Boeing 767. The simulator was also used to train crews on the Boeing 757, whose flight deck is similar.

In October 1996 the first of five Fokker 50s was acquired to enhance the domestic services.

1998:

Another giant leap was made with the launch of a twice-weekly service to Washington – the Airline’s first destination in the America – and New York followed shortly after.

1999:

In February the ShebaMiles frequent flyer program was launched. Construction started on a new, ultra-modern terminal building at Bole International Airport to upgrade passenger services and cater for an anticipated increase in traffic. In November Scandinavia was brought into the route network for the first time with a new service to Copenhagen, Denmark, along with anew route to Maputo, Mozambique.

2002:

The airline embarked on a period of sustained growth and fleet modernization with plans to purchase, over the next four years, 12 new aircraft, Six Next-Generation B737-700s and six 767-300ERs were scheduled to replace the existing two B737-200s and two B767-200. In October night operations out of Addis Ababa were introduced, to supplement the daytime flights.

2003:

The new, 3,800 meter runway and control tower at Bole International Airport become operation, along with the spacious new airport terminal with its 21st- century facilities. Renovation of the older terminal began, to serve mainly domestic flights.

2005:

Ethiopian Airlines announced that it would be Africa’s launch carrier for the new Boeing 787 `Dreamlinder’, with a firm order for ten of these ultra-modern jets, and an option in five more. The order for the new fuel-efficient, long-range, passenger-friendly aircraft was valued at US$ 1.3 billion. Boeing begins production for the revolutionary new aircraft in 2006 and Ethiopian expects to take delivery from 2008.

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Book Airline Tickets Online For Discount Flights

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Aviation News Africa for African Airlines ,Airline News,Aviation sports , Scheduled & Charter Flights

Aviation has become very vital in the bussiness world bussiness  especially connecting  the entire world  within  hours and making bussiness deals  sealed within a short time without worying  the distance.

The aviation industry for the past years has been trying to find ways to make air transport more cheaper and affortable by trying to manufacturer low cost  aircrafts  like the Deamliner  787 which will cut down costs to 20% which will be passed on to consumers and  by also reducing the cost per seat by creating almost double  seating capacity of the aircraft.

AFRICAN AIRLINES

KENYA

Good news the opening of ORLY AIRPARK  in  Nairobi ,Kenya for recreation,sports and pilot training  by the Chairman Aero Club  and the Executive Officer Kenya AIR operator  Col  (Rd) Waithaka this week ending. It will also decongest the Wilson Airport which is one of the busiest Airport in Africa for both Commercial  flights into National Parks & Reserves in East Africa and private charters to Major Cities in Africa.Infact most of the flying schools like Kenya School of Flying have already moved its pilot training school and maintenance to Orly Airpark and they shareholders and are putting up a boarding flying school.Orly Airpark is owned with almost 25 shareholders who either own private charter companies in Kenya or hotels.It is situated in Kajiado district,Isinya,Olooitikosk,Kiserian  coordinates S01degrees34.52  E  036degrees 48.66  Elevation  5500 ft Runnway lenghth  1200 murram,Runnway heading  10/28,15/1200 caution keep listening on 118.2 & Nairobi Radar 122.3 becoz there may be skydiving ,glidding and ballooning in progress.

TAAG  FLIES INTO LISBON

TAAG Angola Airline has relauched its flights between Luanda and Lisbo exactly two years after all flights were suspended by the Safety Commission of the European Commission.The bans are imposed on those carriers that the Commission feels ddo not have satisfactory safety standards. Ameeting of Portugals National Civil Aviation Institute (INAC) held in July recommended that Angolas national airline be removed from the blacklist in order ro relaunch flights between the two countries.

The College of Commissioners accepted  this recommendations and August 1,A BOEING 777-200ER took off from Angolan capital enroute to Lisbon.According  to astatement issued by INAC it will also have to present reports to the Safety Commission “with a view to removing all Angolan airlines from the so called blacklist”

The Safety Committee is a consulting  group of the Commission that evaluates the safety of air transport in different countries throughout the world.At the time it was banned TAAG carried out six flights per week between Lisbon and Luanda.In April the Commission noted “significant progresss” had been made by the airline but opting, however , to keep  the ban on the Angolan airline.INAC also said that its involvement was “important ” for gaining authorization for TAAG to fly to Lisbon,specifically via its cooperation protocol with its counterpart in Angola,Invac.TAAG  Angola Airlines (Linhas Aereas de Angola) is the national flag carrier of Angola.Based in Luanda,the airline has alarge domestic network and flights to other parts of Africa and South  America.Like Ethiopian Airlines and South African Airways ,TAAG has been one of ythe  few profitable sub-saharan African carriers and one of the few to recently purchase newly built aircraft as opposed to second-hand aircraft. It is 100% state owned by the Angolan government and itself owns 100% subsidiary Angola Air Charter.

ZAMBIAN  CARRIERS  STILL BANNED

Zambian carriers have also been identified  as problematic but according to local airline, Proflight Zambia ,the main reason for this is that within Zambia ,the licensing process ( and so the system of overseeing) is done by the Ministry of Transport whereas the world norm is for licensing to be done by Civil Aviation Authority.

According  to a spokesman for Proflight the way the blacklisting has been reported ,including by the British Foreign Office Advisory for Travel, implies that Zambian aviation as an  industry is unsafe.Proflight is working with the UK Government to address the problem of the FOAs wording.

DELTA STOPS  ANGOLA  FLIGHTS

Delta Air Lines has indefinitely postponed  its flights between Atlanta and Luanda ,Angola,just nine months after first announcing its plans to operate to Luanda Via Sal Island,Cape Verde. This follows the suspension of its Cape Town service and the postponement of its Kenya service in July.

KENYA AIRWINGS EXPANDS FLIGHTS

Kenya Airways launched  direct flights to Ndola-Second largest city in Copper-rich Zambia – on 19 September,just two weeks after launching flights to Gaborone.

The twice weekly  flights will depart from Nairobi every Thursday and Saturday.Ndola becomes the 36th African Destination in the KQ  network with recent additions being to  CONGO-Brazaville and Lebreville: launched in March  and June this year respectively.This makes Kenya Airways ‘schedule to the Southern Africa region,a very robust one as it currently operates three daily frequencies into Johannesburg, and double dailies to Lusaka,10 flights a week to Lilongwe ,Malawi and Harare , andd three weekly flights to Maputo.

With a population of over 774000,Ndola is the inddustrial,commercial,administrative and distribution hub of the copperbelt,Zambias copper-mining region and has one of the three internationals airports, others being Livingstone and Lusaka.Kenya Airways has increased its frequency to Sychelles three times a week on Tuesdays,Wednesdays and Thursdays.Unfortunately the airline suspended its daily  flights to Kisumu as from September 7 ,2009.Thism is due to the renovation and repairs at Kisumu Airport By Kenya Airports Authority and the repairs are expected to be completed by end of November this year.Kenya Airways first received IOSA certification in 2005 and subsequently had the certification newedd in 2007.

BUSSINESS  AVIATION

China is to get its first private jet airport as Shanghais Hongqiao Airport,and it should be ready in time for the World Expo next year ,according to reports in a Chinese newspaper.

The plans make provision for a 3000sq meter terminal with its own inspections,quarantine and customs areas as well as agarage with space for three bussiness aircraft. Up to 4000 business flights are expected to arrive in Shanghai during the  World  Expo and up to 6000 private flights a year by 2015 .Presently some 2000 private  flights operate in China unnually.

CESSNA DELIVERS FIRST  CITATION X RETROFITTED WITH WINGLETS

On August 31 2009 Cessna Aircraft Company announced the delivery of the first Cessna Citation X to be fitted with Elliptical Winglets. The Winglets were installed at the Wichita Cessna Service Centre under Winglets Technologys US Federal Aviation  Administration-  approved Supplemental Type Certificate.Cessna Winglets Technology,LLC,collobarated to develop the latters patented Elliptical Winglet for retrofit on Cessnas Citation X  bussiness jet.The patented Elliptical Winglet shape ensures the lift distribution closely matches optimum lift distribution  a long the span of the wing , which reduces the induced drag of the aircraft .The resulting drag reduction enhances operational perfomamce for the Citation X  including decreased fuel consumption,increased speed andd increased range,Winglet Technology received FAA approval of the Elliptical  Winglet installation on the Citation X in June and delivered the first  FAA approved retrofit kit to the Wichita Cessna Service Centre .The retrofit kit includes flight and operations manual supplements along with an updated version  of CESSNAV for customers who have purchased that subscription service from Cessna.In addition to the installation of the Elliptical Winglets, the retrfit kit includes the replacement of the existing ant-collission and position light system with LED versions.Plans are underway to offer installation of the Elliptical Winglets STC on the Citation X  at  all nine Cessna Service Centres located throughout the US and  in Europe.Cessna parts Distribution will be providing spares support for Catation Xs with the Elliptical Winglet STC  installed.Thye Citation X  is then worlds  fastest non-military aircraft with a top speed 0f .92 mach,just under the speedd of sound.The Citation X  is the top of Cessnas line of light andd midsize bussiness jet.

AIRSHOW  IN NORTH WEST PROVINCE (SOUTH AFRICA) POTCHEFSTROOM

The  City  of Potchefstroom plays host to this years annual North West Province Air Show in October  2009.The Nations flag  Carrier ,South African Airways and South African Air Force are tremendous supporters of  North West Province aviation.

The city is well known as being ann academic centre and is one of  two university cities in the province, the other being Mafikeng. It is located 145 miles to the Soth West of Johannesburg on the main artiel N12  route andd occupies an important place on the main railway line between Gautang and the Northen and Western Cape.

A medium sized city with a population of around 250,000 the city is managed by the Tlokwe city council. Potcefstroom is however,niot just a university lovcation.Enjoying maximum temperatures of just over 29 degreess centigrade,the climate is hot and dry during summer and mild in winter.Average annual rainfall is 767mm.

Thwe airfield ,once a busy South African Air Force air base, is becoming an increasingly popular link to the rest of the country.Although  still used on occasion by military flights-often to support nearby army firing ranges, the base is home to an extensive motor vechicle servicing unit.The SAAF withdrew in 1994  and its resident squadron moved to Pretoria.Today,the airfield is managed by the city council and has been identified by the North West Province Department of Transport,Roads,andn Safety as offering a unique facility for a number of key purposes.To encourage community participation as well as expanding the provinces energetic and leading approach to aviation,MEC,Mahlakeng  Mahlakeng,decided to focus their annual air show resources at Potchefstroom this year.

As well as anumber of corporate aviation users,recreational aspects  are taken care by tthe airfields Gliding Club.Around 30 members are active and they come from all walks of life,including bussiness and university students. The club has five aircrafts and they are seen regularly at weekends,when members are active.The air show will feature the famous North West Eagles aerobatic team and their two high perfomance EXTRA 300 aircraft flown by Nigel  Hopkins and Larry Beamish. Both Larry and Nigel are highly experience professional pilots who devote their spare time to performing in theri aerobatic aircraft. Nigel is a South African Airways Pilot andd Larry flies a jet for Pick ‘n Pay retail group.

With its hugely successful strategy of bringing aviation to the people,the North West Provincial governments Premier ,Maureen Modiselle  and Transport ,Roads and Safety MEC are at the forefront of providing their citizens  with another spectacle that secure an ongoing lead in effective community management.

From all these news you can be able to evaluate and monitor your investments and put your strategic plans in place  especiallym if your business do involve aviation direct or indirectly as this news are very crucial in your contgency planning.

Reasons to Catch Flights to Bangkok during November and December

The dynamite holiday destination of Bangkok is best visited during November to February. This is the time when temperatures are pleasantly cool and those notorious violent downpours are at their best behaviour. Especially, the months of November and December see a tremendous tourist influx to Bangkok, thanks to a number of cheap flights available. Here are some of the major attractions of the city during these two months.

Beer Garden Festival

November is the time to enjoy the annual beer garden season in Thailand. The hottest action is to be found in Bangkok as the city comes alive with beer gardens in every nook and cranny with beer flowing like a raging river. Many of the venues also arrange booming live music shows complete with pop and jazz performances. The atmosphere is further enlivened with fabulous sound and light shows. Beer is literally doled out for a pittance and you can have your fill of Asahi, Beer Chang, Singha, Heineken, and a medley of other brands. The most famed hangouts during this time are Tesco Lotus Rama, The Mall Bangkapi, Central Rama, and Central World Plaza.

World Film Festival

The month of November also spells sheer bliss for movie buffs in Bangkok. The finest of art house and Indie features, animations, documentaries, and films from the world over are brought to the city. There are numerous film related talks and workshops as well. Paragon Cineplex is the main venue of the annual World Film Festival.

Loy Krathong Festival

The Loy Krathong Festival is celebrated with great aplomb during November. Throughout Bangkok, vast throngs of crowds converge upon canals and rivers to set out small Kratongs of banana and cork leaves. Every Krathong contains three sticks of incense, a candle, and flower. Before the Krathong is floated in the water, the incense sticks and candles are lit up and people make a wish. The Krungthep or Krung Thon Bridge offers the best views of this spectacle. Major historical sites and other important buildings are also brilliantly illuminated and traditional Thai cultural performances add further life to the occasion.

World Opera Week

The Thailand Cultural Centre in Bangkok ends the year with a bang. This is the venue for the World Opera Week and international performances set the stage on fire. In the past, Beethoven concerts have remained a hot favourite choice.

New Year Celebrations

New Year Celebrations just rock Bangkok and ensure a gala time for tourists and locals alike. Celebrations take a different flavour in different areas of the city. The Central World Square is amongst the biggest venues for celebrating New Year. Exhilarating performances by famed celebrities, light and sound shows, and numerous other attractions promise pulsating times. The National Stadium is another place for some great fun. New Year’s Eve is your perfect excuse to grab those irresistibly cheap flights to Bangkok.

The long preferred destination with all the trappings of a perfect year end holiday destination has finally shown signs of revival with a rise in the number of travellers booking flights to Bangkok during this peak holiday period.

Many backpackers find great luck in booking last minute airline tickets for flights from London to Bangkok with a wide choice of low cost carriers. However it is still advisable to book now for a much wider choice for flights if you are planning your holiday this winter from November to February. Also remember that booking a package deal will be able to save you as much as forty percent of your travel cost.

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