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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New Airline Routes Make It Easier For You To See the World

When it comes to planning an international trip, the more flight options you have to choose from, the merrier. This spring, the major US airlines aim to please with a selection of new routes to great cities all over the world. Here are some the most enticing new routes that have been announced over the past month.

Europe

West Coast travelers now have some roomier, more comfortable options for travel to Europe – for a while, anyway. For a limited time this summer, Air France will be making runs from San Francisco to Paris with an Airbus A380 double-decker jumbo jet. If you’re feeling “Hungary” (no, I couldn’t resist, sorry), American Airlines will get you there with service from JFK, with extra frequent-flier miles to sweeten the deal.

East Coast passengers don’t have to feel left out, though. In June, Lufthansa will begin offering travelers in Florida daily rides to Frankfort in one of its A380s. In the fall, regular flights from Miami to Dusseldorf will also become available. Plus, British Airways is now flying from Tampa to the UK once a day.

Asia

Stretch your legs during the long flight to the other side of the world with Singapore Airline’s new jumbo jet service from LA to Singapore via Tokyo. Obviously with the current situation in Japan everything is somewhat tentative, but the route is currently set to go into service in July.

Meanwhile, American Airlines has already launched a new route from Los Angeles to Shanghai.

The Caribbean

JetBlue will make it easier for travelers to hit up multiple Caribbean islands with its new service from Puerto Rico to St. Marten, starting in November.

If you’re ready to get off the ground already, hold your horses and check your travel documents first! You’ll need a valid passport, and it can take time to get one. Regular passport processing times are currently running at about 6 weeks, though you should check with the Department of State as these times can change based on their current workload. Meanwhile, expedited passport service is available for an additional , and will cut your wait time down to 2 or 3 weeks door-to-door. For faster service, you’ll need to either make an appointment at one of 24 regional passport agency locations or use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport.

Strong Demand From Airlines Across The World For B777 Due To Graeter Fuel Efficiency & Long Range

Boeing will yet again raise its B777 production to 8, 3 units per month from 2013 .Sales for the popular twinjet are booming.

“Basically, this is in response to strong customer demand globally .We are increasing our yearly production to 100 777s by 2013,” stated Boeings CEO Jim Albaugh recently. The figures pretty much support Albaughs boastful stance. As of February 2011, 61 customers had placed orders for 1165 of all variants of the 777; with 915 delivered and a backlog of 252.

Since the 777 entered service in 1995 it has become a common sight at international airports across the world. The -200ER, first introduced by British Airways in 1997, has reigned supreme as the most popular version of the 777 with 415 deliveries.

In September 2010 that title was handed over to the -300ER now ranking as the best selling 777. Currently 453 are on the order book with 263 deliveries at the time of writing, and outselling its rival, the Airbus A340.

The future success of the 777 programme lies with the next generation models notably the -200LR,-300ER and the Freighters version.

“The 777 is the backbone of our long haul fleet,” said Bruno Matheu, COO of Air France at the recent delivery of anew 777-300ER.”This new aircraft will support our projected growth on long haul destinations while also upgrading the fleet, which is already one of the youngest in Europe.”Air France was the launch customer for the -300ER and received the very first aircraft in 2004.

The new aircraft has since been deployed on a new direct route between Paris and Ho Chi Minh City from January.

The Air France 2011 summer schedule indicates that the carrier will be operating a total of 61 B777s. The airline is scheduled to receive an additional 11-300ERs through to 2015.The French carrier also operates two new 777 Freighters and a third is expected to arrive in Paris this year.

Industry estimates suggest the 777-300ER has an eight to nine percent fuel burn advantage over the competing A340-600 along with a 20% fuel burn advantage over the 747-400.

The obvious appeal of the 777s (especially the newer versions), is the promise of better economics and greater fuel efficiency-the holy grail of airline operations.

According to the manufacturer, the 300ER is 19% lighter than its closest rival, greatly reducing its fuel requirements .It produces 22% less carbon dioxide per seat and costs 20% les to operate per seat, with a rather generous range of 7930 nautical miles.

The “next gen” models have engine efficiency improvements and design changes aimed at reducing drag and weight, contributing to increased capabilities.

It is with range and performance in mind that Ethiopian Airlines chose to order five 777-200LRs back in 2009-the East African airline received its first aircraft in November last year.ET-ANN is also the 900th B777 to be built.

Ethiopian had very specific requirements due to its geographical position. The capital Addis Ababa is 8000 feet above sea level, a situation that makes optimum engine performance very difficult. According to the airline, the -200LRs provide the performance that is ideal at such hot and high altitudes. Further, the carrier’s annual growth rate of 20% meant there was a requirement for an aircraft with a capacity of over 300 passengers. The current 767-300ERs in the fleet are too small to accommodate this growth, so the 777s were selected.

The airline also said that the strategic long haul feature of the type would help to take the business to the next level and it was a perfect complement to the 787s and A350s that were currently on order.

Larry Loftis, vice president and general manager for the 777 programme, said: “This was the only aircraft that provided the range and efficiency that Ethiopian needed to service its long haul routes. We are glad to have delivered the 900th aircraft to a first-time 777 customer.”

The new 777s will be used on non-stop services including links to Washington and Beijing.

The 777-200LR holds the record for the longest nonstop flight by a commercial jetliner having an impressive range of 9390 nautical miles. Boeing states that it is capable of connecting virtually any two cities in the world nonstop without refueling.

Three optional auxiliary tanks are located in the rear cargo hold. As with the -300ER and 777F, all three versions feature raked wingtip extensions of 3, 90 metres.

Despite the popularity of the early 777 models in the USA, the “next gen” versions have remained largely out of range by US carriers –up until now. In January this year, American Airlines (AA) became the first US airline to place an order. AA exercised its purchase options for two 777-300ERs.

“We looked at the combination of size, range and performance of this aircraft, as well as the extensive customer amenities it offers,” said Tom Harton, president of ARM Corp., parent company of American Airlines.”The seating capacity will give us growth flexibility in slot-constrained airports and provide us with greater ability to serve new long haul markets.”

Picking Up The Pace

Delays in production have cost implications for both the airline and manufacturer-as seen by the lengthy delay to deliver the 787. The decision to increase the production rate to 8, 3 aircraft every month is a bold one.

A Boeing spokesperson said:” We are always studying possibilities .We look at the market place and figure out how to balance demand versus capability. Knowing the current capacity of a production line-and how much of it is available for increased production, is essential in determining what needs to be done to increase rates.” Boeing also insists that its suppliers are prepared to support the rate increase.

The company will no doubt rely on its successful moving –line production process that was first used for 777 assembly in 2005.Boeing recently put all portions of the 777 final assembly U-shape moving line into motion.A tug pulls each aircraft along the factory floor as mechanics install parts, tighten bolts or lay down wiring. The assembly line advances 460 mm per minute.

Boeing has also been innovating in other ways behind the scenes. Even late at night activity continues at the giant Everett factory. Huge pieces of tooling are being moved in place by what is known as the “third-shift tooling team.”Its function is to make sure that all is in place for the first-shift employees to walk in and begin work.

This mechanical ballet involves maneuvering tooling that includes large sections of scaffolding, platforms and stairs. The whole system is a carefully orchestrated process.The drive to produce even more aircraft efficiently has taken a greater sense of urgency.

Interest From Africa

Despite strong competition from Airbus, the 777 has proved popular in Africa. TAAG Angola Airlines operates three 777-200ERs.The airline is purchasing an additional two -300ERs with purchase rights for two more.

TAAG is spending approximately 4-million on the acquisition, with plans to deploy the new ‘planes to additional European destinations once delivered.

TAAGs current -200ERs operate 10 times weekly from Luanda to Lisbon, twice weekly to Beijing via Dubai and four times weekly to Rio de Janiero.

The push to attract and maintain passenger loyalty in highly premium markets is closely related to what airlines are offering inside the aircraft cabin.

With the arrival of its new 777-300ERs and A330s, Egypt Air has pulled out all the stops. The Egyptian national carrier is receiving six leased-300ERs through to the second quarter of this year.

The new 777s are configured to accommodate 346 seats including 49 lie-flat beds. A fully integrated in-seat entertainment system is installed throughout the cabin.EgyptAir is rolling out internet connectivity on the fleet. Mobile usage allows passengers to make calls using their mobile phones with the same international call rates of their service providers.

Across into the Indian Ocean, Reunion-based Air Austral is taking delivery of two new 777-200LRs-the first arrives in the middle of this year and the second in 2012.

Reaching the Island nations prime French market without a technical stop, was t a critical factor.

“The -200LRs will allow us to fly non-stop to Paris with a full payload from our short runway at Mayotte-that is important, “said Gerard Etheve, Air Astrals CEO.

He also indicated that the new type will have an easy transition into the fleet as the airlines already operates the -200ER .The same crews will be used, as well as common operational support systems.

Air Austral also operates three leased 777-300ERs.

Boeing is on a roll with its popular long haul twinjet that so far has a fairly good Safety record. As of January 2011, the 777 had been in seven incidents with just one hull-loss accident; in all cases there have been no facilities among the passengers or crew.Supposedly now is a good time to be on planet 777.

shows American Flight 1089 boarding, push back, engine start, taxiing, pilot route announcement, and take off from Boston Logan International enroute to Miami Int’l Airport.

“HOW TO GET CHEAP AIRLINE TICKETS TO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD”

Buying airline tickets for a cheap price can be a confusing and time consuming process. If you ask people on the same flight as you how much they paid for their air ticket, you will not find two passengers who paid the same fare for the same type of seat. In order to get the cheapest fares you have to know the inside secrets of the industry.

Below are some tips to help get you a cheaper fare;-

1.) Be Flexible.

If you are flexible and are able to leave a few days earlier or later you can secure cheaper fares. Avoid the days when people travel on business. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are much cheaper than Fridays and the Weekend. Make sure you know when the seasons start and end as travelling off peak will definitely get you cheaper fares.

Also, you can have considerable price differences between various airports, so shop around and compare prices between two airports for destination or departure.

2.) Know Your Price.

Don’t buy too early. If you take note of the prices of tickets on your route for some time, you will quickly discover what is the lowest price is for that route. Those are often those fares published but never seem to be available when you try to book them. This activity is also known as bench-marking.

3.) Act Quickly.

As mentioned above, sometimes, airline companies will make a couple of seats available at or near that lowest price. Just monitor the offerings (the on-line sites can be a great help in this) until they become available, and realise that most “landbased” agents will be able to match such offers. Once you notice a rock-bottom fare available, you need to act quickly, as the number of such cheap seats may be limited. So if you feel you’ve found a good price, book it there and then

4.) Watch Out For Hidden Costs.

Ticket prices are often published without additional fees, such as airport taxes, terminal fees, ticketing fees, security surcharges, fuel surcharges etc, this can increase your cost with 15 to 25 percent. Know these before booking to avoid a nasty shock. Some on-line booking websites now calculate these fees. In some cases, you cannot know all fees beforehand, as governments can increase fees without any prior notice.

The cheaper the ticket, the bigger the restrictions. These restrictions can cost you dearly if you don’t take them into account. The cheapest tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable once tickets have been printed. Take out an insurance against cancellation costs if you don’t feel comfortable with that. Sometimes, the cheapest fares are only available if you travel with two or more people.

Useful Link;-

To discover all the inside tips and secrets which will enable you to get cheap airline tickets to anywhere in the world and save yourself huge amounts of money on your air travel, then visit the link below. I guarantee this will exceed your wildest of expectations and will enable you to save huge amounts of money on your air travel.

http://www.usfreeads.com/2432234-cls.html

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Buy Affordable Indian Airlines Ticket For World Travel Flights

The value added services clubbed up with Indian Airlines as compared to other international flights. If you decide to travel abroad, then travelling by Indian Airlines flights are the best alternative available out in the market. You can always check in the international flight status sitting at the comfort of your home. There are many other websites providing you with mere discounts but the Indian Airlines flights provide with additional international flight status in the form of various value added services. International flight status means the additional value provided for the air tickets purchased. One of the international flight status or value added service provided by the Indian Airlines flights is the insurance cover for all its international airline tickets. This international flight status in the form of insurance cover gives a passenger peace of mind. One more of international flight status service is that an unaccompanied minor is now permitted to travel any where with international air ticket booking with Indian Airlines with no special handling charges. So, now you know you get the best international flight status services by booking your tickets with this site.

On this website, you will be rest assured that you will get the lowest cost airfare. And the best value for money on that lowest cost airfare which you can avail every time you go for the lowest cost airfare. Even if the lowest cost airfare is very affordable, you don’t have to compromise on the service. In addition to this you get a whole lot of options available as well on the lowest cost airfare.

Online Indian Airlines flights booking are one of the best ways to get the lowest price for all your airlines ticket needs. Online Indian Airlines flights booking sites gives you the best customer service. Once you are a customer you are a customer for life at the Online Indian Airlines flights booking sites. At online Indian Airlines flights booking sites, you have the power to decide on your budget and buy tickets accordingly. You never have to worry about the quality of the journey as well at online Indian Airlines flights booking

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World Air News Round Up On Scheduled Flights By Airlines,Business Jets & Military Aircrafts Globally

There many news on flights on different developments going on globally .Below find the round up on flight news,

SAUDI ARABIA CONTRACTS FOR S-76Ds

The Kingdom of Saudia Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has signed a contract to produce twelve Sikorsky S-76D helicopters and has taken options to acquire eight additional S-76Ds, this has been announced by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.

The S-76D is the latest model in the highly successful S-76 helicopter line.Sikorsky has produced and delivered nearly 800 S-76 helicopters.

A400M WING PASSES CRITICAL TEST

The critical static test requires for certification for the highly advanced all-composite wing of the Airbus Military A400M has passed the ultimate-load up-bend test.

During the test the wing was subjected to a load equal to 150% of the maximum bending load (limit load) predicted to be encountered in service.

The wingtips of the full-size A400M static test specimen moved upwards 1, 41 metres (4, 6 feet) during the test which was completed at Airbus Military’s Getafe, Madrid facility recently.

INTERJET WINS CONTRACTS

Interjet which is based at Lanseria International Airport has received approval from the South Africa Air Force (SAAF) and Armscor to provide steady state product support on the SAAF Raytheon King Air as well as the Cessna Caravan aircraft.

This was announced in August this year by Interjet CEO, Paul Ludick who further said “The contract will include all levels of serviceable which allows the SAAF to provide the necessary readiness as required”.

Interjet recently received its B-BBEE accreditation for both maintenance and avionics departments which is a requirement to be met for medium and large companies in South Africa.

G450 SETS SPEED RECORD

A long-range Gulfstream G450 business jet recently established a city-pair speed record between Tokyo and Hong Kong.

The G450 took off from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and flew the 1,694 nautical mile distance at an average cruise speed of Mach 0, 85, landing three hours and 58 minutes later at Hong Kong International Airport.

MALTESE HOT POTATO

In Malta during the past weeks a partenavia P68C Victor has been seen with huge ICCAT titles on the port side.ICCAT stands for international commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna.

Lately, the issue of tuna fishing and penning has been a hot potato on the Mediterranean island of Malta, with fishermen being confronted by vessels from non-government organizations, namely Green Peace and Sea Shepherd.

Maltese rural affairs Minister, George Pullicino, recently described the NGOs tactics as similar to those of “private armies”. The issue of tuna fishing, which the Maltese Government insists is entirely legal, has also been raised at high level meetings in Luxembourg.

CATHY ORDERS 30 A350 XWBs

Following the signature of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Airbus for the order of 30 aircraft, Cathy Pacific Airways has selected the all-new A350 XWB to form the backbone of its future mid-size wide-body fleet.

With the capability of flying over 8000 nautical miles non-stop, the airline has selected the A350-900 variant of the aircraft.

FIRST T-6C FOR RMAF

The first of 24 Beech craft T-6C Military trainers ordered by the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) has been rolled out by Hawker Beech craft Corp.

The RMAF is replacing its existing fleet of T-34 and T-37 jet trainers with the T-6Cs.The T-6Cs upgraded avionics include a head-up display, up front control panel, three multifunction displays and hands-on throttle and stick and in addition to the hard-point wings.

The RMAF order represents a government-to government agreement between Morocco and the U.S. In addition to the 24 aircraft, the contract includes aircraft ferry services, site survey, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, facility infrastructure support, personnel training and training equipment, and other related elements of technical and logistics support.

COMAIR EXPANDS AFRICAN NETWORK

From November Comair, Operator of British Airways in South Africa and kulula.com,is again expanding its African route network and will offer five return flights per week between Johannesburg and Daresaalm,in Tanzania.

The new route and the flights will be operated by British Airways and will also be integrated and sold through kulula.com distribution network.

TRANSATLANTIC JOINT BUSINESS

British Airways ,American Airlines and Iberia have received final regulatory approval from the European Commission to enter into a joint business agreement on transatlantic flights. The airlines anticipate that they will receive the final decision on transatlantic anti-trust immunity from the US Department of Transportation shortly.

The transatlantic joint business will strengthen competition across the Atlantic by enabling the oneworld alliance to compete on a level playing field with the other global alliances that already have anti-trust immunity. The airlines plan to launch the transatlantic joint business this autumn.

LUFHANSAS SECOND A380

Lufthansa has received its second Airbus A380 which was recently ferried from Hamburg to Frankfurt prior to being named “Munchen” at a festive ceremony at Munich Airport.

Its inclusion in the Lufthansa fleet in August has already raised frequencies ex Frankfurt to Tokyo from thrice-weekly to daily services and has opened the way for the type to be introduced to the South African service from next month.

LANDMARK DESTINATION

Kenya Airways recently broadened its network by launching regular flights between Nairobi and Angola’s capital city, Luanda.

POSEIDON ENTERS FLIGHT TEST

Boeings new P-8A Poseidon aircraft T3 successfully completed its first flight test in Seattle recently and during the two-hour and 48 minute flight Boeing and US Navy test pilots performed airborne systems checks including engine accelerations and decelerations, autopilot flight modes, and auxiliary power unit and engine shutdowns and starts.

The T3 is the P-8A programmes mission-system and weapon-certification aircraft. In the coming weeks, T3 will join the two P-8A test aircraft currently at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md, and complete additional ground and flight tests.

The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet. Initial operational capability is planned for 2013.

ALAFCO OPTS FOR A350-900

ALAFCO, the Kuwait –based international aviation lease and finance company, has converted its existing firm order for 12 Airbus A350-800s placed in 2007, into the higher capacity A350-900 model.

The A350-900 is the first of the three members of the A350 XWB family to be introduced and will enter service in mid-2013.The A350-900 typically has a capacity of around 40 more seats than the smaller 800 model.

RED BULL AIR RACES CANCELLED

The Red Bull Air Races have been cancelled for next year, according to a statement issued by the organizers in August.

The one-year hiatus is needed to develop strong host city partnerships and secure a “long-term race calendar”, according to Red Bull. Some late-in-the –game venue changes and cancellations disrupted the race schedule for this year, and a couple of near-accidents raised safety concerns.

CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., has announced the successful completion of the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter  programme critical design review (CDR) event, signaling  the program me is ready to proceed to assembly ,test and evaluation.

Over the past four years, the CH-53K helicopter team has successfully completed numerous major reviews, including the system requirements review (SRR),system functional review (SFR) ,systems preliminary design review(PDR) ,77 supplier-level critical design reviews (CDRs) ,64 supplier and internal software reviews, and 16 sub-system CDRs.

SVT FOR BARONS, BONANZAS

Hawker Beech craft Corp. has announced that Garmin’s Synthetic Vision Technology (STV) and other associated avionics improvements will be included as standard equipment on its piston-engine Beech craft Baron and Bonanza Aircraft.

Following the receipt of Supplement Type Certificates covering both models, the upgraded offerings were introduced on production aircraft as from August.

AWARD FOR ‘FATHER OF BOEING 747′

Legendary Boeing aeronautical engineer, Joe Sutter, credited with leading the development of the iconic 747 jetliner ,won the inaugural Flightglobal Lifetime Achievement Award,Flight International magazine announced at the 2010 Farnborough International Air show recently ” Joe Sutter helped shrink our planet for tens of millions of ordinary travelers,” said Murdo Morrison, editor of Flight International.

Sutter joined Boeing in 1946 as an aerodynamics specialist and worked on the Boeing 377,Dash -80,707,727,and 737.In 1965, he took on the role of chief project engineer of the new 747 programme,which pioneered the twin-aisle wide-body concept.

‘FIRST’ FOR ARIK AIR

Nigeria’s largest commercial airline, Arik Air, has scored another first by becoming, the first Nigerian airline to be re-certified by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The regulatory body announced recently that the airline had met the Federal Governments requirement of the new Civil Aviation Regulations.

NCAA director-general, Dr. Harold Demuren, said Arik Air had fulfilled the 6th of the eight critical elements as stipulated by the United States of Americas Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

According to Dr. Demuren, the sixth element involved licensing and certification and one of the country’s airlines needed to meet the new regulation. He expressed optimism that soon Nigeria would bag Category 1 status as the country was close to the end of the certification exercise by the American regulatory body.

ONE TIME TO MAPUTO

Voted by World Travel Awards for two in a row as Africa’s leading low cost carrier,1 time Airline, in August launched a five-times –a-week service between Johannesburg and Maputo,Mozambique.It thus makes use of the full capacity granted to operate this route, in relation to existing bilateral agreements.

1times prices started at about 50% less than its competitors and current lowest airfare on the route is R2663 return inclusive, with 1times lowest fare  coming in at R672 one-way all inclusive. Government –imposed airport taxes of R475 per way is included in the all-inclusive fare.

NEW A350 XWB HANGAR

From mid-2011 the worlds largest fuselage made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) will be assembled in Hamburg, Germany ,less than a year after Airbus celebrated the “topping-out” of the new A350 XWB fuselage assembly hangar.

Completion of the hanger is expected within the next few weeks. Then the jigs, tools and machinery will be set up with start of production scheduled for spring 2011.

Airbus is investing over Euros 150-million in A350 XWB hangar (including jigs, tools and machinery) in Hamburg.

Airline Logos of the World

Airline logos and paint design is a major part of the airline industry. There are many airline logos from airlines all over the world and we are going to take a look at some here.

There has been times where your sitting at the airport waiting for your flight to depart and all you see are aircraft lined up with different paint designs. This is the airlines best way of advertising. Did you know there is so much thought and work behind the designs.

Believe it or not, that paint effects the performance of the aircraft. Lets take a look at a couple of airline logos and their designs.

American Airlines:

Their aircraft are mainly a chrome looking airplane with the tail painted and a red white and blue stripe along the side. Not only is this paint scheme cheap, but has the least amount of weight added to this plane. In return, the fuel cost on these flights are cheaper by 2%.

SouthWest Airlines”

Wow! They sure like their paint. With the aircraft fully covered in a Blue, Orange and Red. This airline is taking the promotion to the next level. Certain planes even have scenes painted on the side. This costs the airline more money, but is the best way to make them stand out among the other airlines. It works! We will all look at a plane with pictures on it before we look at others. The airline did their job.

So, next time your at the airport, or watching planes take off and land. Think about all the thought and planning it went into designing their logos, and why airline logos are so important to the airline industry.

Safe flying.

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How To Find Low Cost Airlines Around The World

In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of low cost airlines. With Southwest Airlines leading the way, new entrants RyanAir and EasyJet quickly attracted mainstream travelers in Europe and brought low cost airlines out of the shadows. The European low fare airlines have become so popular in fact that airline rates are often substantially lower than train tickets for travel between European capitals. In the US, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airways, Air Tran, Jet Blue and now Virgin America have all made a name for themselves as low fare carriers. Recently there has also been low fare expansion with routes between major US gateways and cities in Europe. Eurofly Airlines for instance flies popular routes between the United States and Italy at about half the fare as the legacy carriers.

But here’s where it gets tricky. There are fees involved to have tickets distributed through online booking sites like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak, etc. Many low fare airlines refuse to pay those fees and all tickets must be purchased directly through their site. This makes it very difficult to comparison shop or even find the right low cost airline for the route you’ll be traveling. Luckily, a new breed of airline search engines have popped onto the marketplace to address just this need. Each of these sites scan both major legacy airlines AND low cost airlines to deliver the lowest airfare back to you. Have a look:

DoHop (http://www.dohop.com)

Low Cost Airlines (http://www.lowcostairlines.com)

Momondo (http://www.momondo.com)

SkyLow (http://www.skylow.com)

SkyScanner (http://www.skyscanner.net)

Which Budget (http://www.whichbudget.com)

You will likely be presented with choices on airlines you have never even heard of, so its important to do your homework once you’ve narrowed down your choices of flights. The low fare airlines do not have low prices out of the goodness of their hearts, they scrimp on service wherever they can to save money. You’ll want to visit the airline’s site to read about their rules,

restrictions and fees before purchasing a ticket. Also, expect to pay extra for each piece of checked luggage, every drink of liquid, morsel of food, or bit of entertainment. Finally, see what other travelers have had to say about their flight performance on consumer rating sites like Jaunted (http://www.jaunted.com) and Epinions (http://www.epinions.com).

With a bit of advanced planning, you’ll be flying to your next vacation destination at a fraction of the regular price.

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The Citi® Platinum Select Aadvantage World Mastercard – Choice of the American Airlines Flyer

Citibank has brought for its customers, the Citi® Platinum Select AAdvantage World MasterCard, that is perfect for you if you happen to be a frequent flyer with the American Airlines. You must also have an excellent credit background. The card brings to you the opportunity of earning miles that helps you with frequent flyer miles.

Benefits Of The Card

The card enables you to earn one mile for spending one dollar. Moreover, the first purchase that you make with your card will give you 15000 bonus miles. The Citi® Platinum Select AAdvantage World MasterCard also offers you various platinum card benefits including the access to the reduced mileage awards.

Though the rates of interest and the annual fee of are above average, the card lets you save money with the free reward flights, provided you can pay the full monthly balance. (The first year is fee-free). There is a cap on the cash advances and the interest rate will never go below the minimum cap.

You will find that this card has great rewards on offer for both the business and the pleasure traveler.

Other Benefits

On making purchases worth a minimum of 0, the cardholder will get 20000 American Airline AAdvantage bonus miles and thereafter he/she will receive one mile for spending one dollar on purchases.

The earned miles can be redeemed at any point of time, as there are no blackout dates available on select Airlines like American Eagle, American Airlines and AmericanConnection carriers, as long as the account is operated for at least once in three years. Furthermore, the reduced mileage awards enable your miles to go further.

The credit card does not have any pre-set spending limit and therefore allows you to spend as much as you require. Platinum facilities of the card such as, retail purchase protection, travel accident insurance, extended warranty services, lost luggage coverage and damage insurance or car rental collision loss gives you the chance to shop confidently.

Other than redeeming fly miles with more than 25 airlines, the Citi® Platinum Select AAdvantage World MasterCard also can be redeemable with car rental companies and at many luxurious hotels all over the world.

For purchasing an airfare of 9 or more using your Citi Platinum Select, you can conveniently obtain a companion certificate for free. This permits your friend or business partner a free travel.

Moreover, the card entitles you to personal concierge services to effectively manage your hectic schedule. These services can be favorably availed via the telephone or online.

If you do not want to spend over 0000 on the card per year and can afford to make full payments every month, you can opt for the Citi® Platinum Select AAdvantage World MasterCard.

The Bonus Points

Quite like the other credit cards, the Citi® Platinum Select AAdvantage World MasterCard also offers a financial statement at the end of the year, legal and medical referral services, emergency card and cash replacement and many Internet account related services.

The card provides identity theft solutions, lost as well as stolen card reporting and other benefits for the convenience of the cardholder.

American Airlines Boeing 737-800 flight 364 from Cozumel Mexico descending and landing at Dallas/Fort Worth TX
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Fly to Orlando from Any Part of the World through Budget Flights to Orlando

Orlando, located in the central region of Florida, USA, is world famous for being home to some of the high-tech theme and amusement parks, especially the Disneyland. The city attracts huge number of tourists every year and has many interesting places that are absolutely delightful.

You can choose to travel around the city through different types of tours conducted in order to enable tourists visit all the important holiday spots and amusement parks. Visitors can choose to travel on their own either through bus services, rented cars and so on.

The city links itself to various other key cities across the world through flights. If you are taking a trip to Orlando, make certain that you gather all the relevant information regarding flights to Orlando, either through travel agents or trusted websites. Most of the airways offer low budget flights to Orlando with an intention to reach small-budget families who can travel at an affordable price. Cheap flights to Orlando will draw more number of travelers as well. Top airline operators like Thai Airways, British Airways, Air France, Qatar Airways, Air India, Lufthansa, among others, operate scheduled flights to the city. They also make traveling easier through last minute flights to Orlando. You can prefer to visit websites of various airline firms or travel sites, which provide you with detailed information as well as guidance regarding online ticket booking and interesting places to visit in the city. By comparing the prices offered by all the airline companies you can choose the one that offers reasonable airfares to fly to Orlando.

All these airline companies intend to allow people from all financial backgrounds and different classes of society by offering cheap flight tickets. Therefore, fly to Orlando and visit all of its delightful destinations such as theme parks, amusement parks, the Kennedy Space Center, Discovery Cove, SeaWorld Orlando, Gatorland, Wet ‘n’ Wild water park, golf courses, botanical gardens, lakes, great restaurants, vacation rentals, resorts and spas, live shows, performances and more! Orlando is a city that goes on introducing new entertainment options for to please every tourist, irrespective of their age. It has various recreational activities that all visitors take pleasure in. The city has wonderful dining options with a wide variety of exotic cuisines to leave your taste buds tingling. Food is also one of the most attracting delights in Orlando. You can find delicious food even in the amusement parks after going on hectic and spine-chilling rides. The city is full of extremely interesting places to visit including adventure sport centers as well. Go on and book your tickets to land in one of the most enthralling holiday destinations in the United States and have a rejoicing vacation.

For more information visit at: http://www.theglobehunters.com/

This is what it is like to be on the scene of a plane crash. I believe that no video has ever shown the chaos that ensues after such a terrible event. This is never before seen footage taken from my camera by a fellow Kusoldharm Rescue Member (Khun Boy) on September 16th, 2007. 90 people perished in this avoidable crash. The left wing was full of fuel as we looked for survivors and could have exploded at any time as the aircraft was still smoldering (this information came well after the crash..) The images speak for themselves on the chaos as we searched for people trapped. I can be seen around the 9:45 minute mark pulling up debris in desperate hope of finding someone alive. Many people who survived got out on their own immediately after the plane crashed however a few were saved by the Rescue teams on scene. The plane caught fire within two minutes of the crash. My heart goes out to anyone who was affected by this horrible tragedy. I still suffer from nightmares constantly. For those fireman and EMS personnel in the USA ( or other ‘big country’ ) who may view this I am sure you will find fault in all of our procedures. We are not using the correct protective equipment and so on.. however we do with what we have. I am a USA Paramedic who has been with the Phuket Kusoldharm since the mid 90′s. A TV show is in the works about the extraordinary work these guys and girls do. They have dealt with the 2004 Tsunami among having to respond daily to a high amount of vehicle …

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Cheap Airline Tickets: Fly Anywhere in the World at a Reasonable Price

The offer of cheap airline tickets has brought the excellent opportunity for many people who wish to make the use of their well earned money in an intelligent way. With such offer now traveling has become smoother, tension free and affordable for the people. So, forget all your worries about disturbance in financial budget and travel anywhere in the world with ease and comfort.

Choose any holiday destination at any corner on the earth and get tickets in best airlines in a comfortable and convenient way through the ultimate offer of cheap airline tickets. In this way, your dream of visiting your favorite holiday destination can become true without facing any apprehension. Moreover, the trouble of expensive airline tickets can also be removed from your life effortlessly and smoothly.

In the market you can find massive travel agencies that arrange cheap flight deals for you. To get the most suitable flight deal at an inexpensive rate you have to do a lot of research and visit many traveling agencies.

Looking for a hassle free to get cheap airline tickets? Now it has become possible to book airline tickets conveniently through your home or office by the means of extremely popular internet technology. There are plenty online travel websites present which offers air tickets with different prices and terms. In order to get air tickets at cheaper rates, you are suggested to research and compare different flights deals properly. Therefore, you can easily avail right air tickets, in right airline, at a right cost and at a right time.

You have the facility of booking air tickets in advance or at last minute. Moreover, you can get numerous domestic and international flights to all destinations. The details of their routes, ticket prices and departure and arrival timings are given in the travel websites in detail. The online travel sites offer 24X7 services to its customers, thus you are free to book your airline tickets anytime without any hesitation.

Therefore, by the help of cheap airline tickets facility your traveling tour will definitely become easy, comfortable, smooth, tension free and pocket friendly.

random acting.. Molly is trying to buy a oneway plane ticket

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World top 10 Airlines in 2009 Based on Interviews with the Passengers

Which are the world’s top airline companies? Which airlines meet the highest standards in safety, traveller satisfaction, and customer support? We will find out here.

According to Skytrax, the ultimate voice of airline industry, which gives away the annual World Airline Awards, the following are the world’s top ten airlines.

1. Cathay Pacific

One from Asia, this Hong Kong based company repeatedly fares high in customer satisfaction, number of passengers carried and cargo handled. Sure, they have survived the depression scare quite brilliantly too.

2. Singapore Airlines

Singapore may be a tiny country in Asia. However, the airline of that country is repeatedly at the top of the world. In fact, majority of the passengers are from outside that country. The number of passengers far exceeds the total population of that country.

3. Asiana Airlines

This South Korea airline has 516 daily flights in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. It covers four continents and has a great network in Asian region.

4. Qatar Airways

This Doha based airline serves 80 international destinations in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and Australia. Passengers have comfortable travel experiences.

5. Emirates

A subsidiary of The Emirates Group, of United Arab Emirates, this Dubai based airline has 91 destinations in 55 countries. Their planes fly to Los Angeles, New Delhi, Singapore, etc.

6. Qantas

This Australian based airline company scores it high with passengers. Noted as the safest airline in the world, this one repeatedly gives world class travel experience for its passengers.

7. Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways belongs to Abu Dhabi of United Arab Emirates, with flights to about 50 destinations.

8. Air New Zealand

The national airline of New Zealand serves 26 destinations in 14 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and the Oceania region. It ranks among the top 10 for its services.

9. Malaysia Airlines

This Kuala Lumpur based airline company has some meticulously maintained planes, covering Asia, Middle East, Europe, Australasia, and to Los Angeles. It receives a five-star rating along with Asiana, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Kingfisher Airlines from Skytrax.

10. Thai Airways

The non-stop 18 hours flight from Bangkok to Los Angeles, the ‘Most Hygienic In-Cabin Environment’ programme, etc are some of the highlights of this Thailand based airline company. It ranks high for its service.

Those are the top 10 airlines of the world for the year 2009, a list prepared based on interviews with the passengers.

World Airline Fleets News

Reports on new and used airline transactions, accidents, orders, new airlines, and etc. Includes over 600 color photos yearly.

Price: $ 76.72

5 Down And Dirty Ways To Get Really Cheap Airline Ticket

Any amount of savings when you travel means a lot when you cannot afford to loose an extra buck. You try your best to come up with several ways to save those extra bucks and see that there are 5 different ways of getting really cheap airline tickets for your next flight.

Buying a return ticket – Perhaps the easiest way to keep some money in your pocket a little longer is to buy a return ticket. Most airline companies offer rebates for return flight tickets with only a slight difference on a one way ticket. If you plan to return on a definite date, make sure buy return tickets ahead of time. Also, there are some instances where traveling on regular days is cheaper than traveling during weekends. Weekends are much busier than weekdays and the demand for airline tickets are higher. Thus prices are higher on certain dates where demand is also high. If you think it is advantageous for you to travel during weekdays and return on a next weekdays, you can grab really cheap airline ticket for sure.

Internet – The internet is pretty basic and it is already in front of your nose if you want to find really cheap airline ticket. While reading this, you can even start opening the links attached and find your way to a cheap airline tickets. Here you can research on several different discount ticket sites that offer really cheap airline tickets anywhere in the world. The trick actually lies in the prices of tickets on discount ticket sites which vary day in and day out. Oftentimes, these discount ticket sites offer the same type of ticket on the same day of the same destination with different prices. If you want to get really cheap airline ticket wherever you want to go, it pays to visit at least 3 discount ticket sites in the web and do a comparison.

Don’t Settle for Big Airline Companies – Big airline companies offer big service to big clients. They have more expensive ticket prices due to the amount of advertisement and marketing they incur in order to maintain their fame. Try not to fly with them. Instead, go for smaller airline companies which can provide good service at the same time cheaper airline ticket prices.

Keep your trip more flexible – If you are not on the rush and would not mind saving on money than getting to a destination as quick as possible, keep your options open. Again this would need an internet to work. You need to search for all the possibilities where you can compare ticket prices. Try to look for flights during midnight or connecting flights. Make a comparison against several others so you will discover a really cheap airline ticket that is right for your budget.

Plan to travel longer – Most of the time, it pays to take a bus from one city to another, and then take the flight from there than getting on a airplane directly on your city. If for example you are traveling from San Diego to Seattle. Try to take a bus From San Diego to Los Angeles then take a plane from L.A. to Seattle. Or, if you want to go a little further, ride a bus from San Diego to Sacramento, then take a plane there. Chances are you have saved a lot before you know it! These are only 5. There are more. If you really want cheap to get cheap airline ticket, explore more possibilities like taking on vacation packages, last minute discount and accepting courier flights. In these ways, you will no longer have to pay full the next time you travel by air.

The Lowdown on the Continental Airlines Credit Card

The Continental Airlines World MasterCard from Chase is one of the few cards that truly benefit its cardholders. As long as the applicant has a good credit rating and does not mind an annual fee, they will surely enjoy being a customer of the Continental Airlines credit card. Card users are able to accumulate a great number of points at a faster rate through the use of this credit card as compared to any other travel rewards credit card in the market.

For one thing, you are credited with reward points for just about anything you do with the card. In fact, upon approval of your card and your first purchase, you will receive a 15,000 OnePass miles credited directly into your account within 2 months of your purchase. Apart from that, you will also receive points just for paying your annual fee – 10,000 OnePass Miles for an fee. Plus, you will be able awarded two miles for every dollar that you charge to your Continental Airlines credit card when you dine at any of the 10,000 selected restaurants worldwide.

In addition to point rewards, the Continental Airlines credit card also helps card holders save on their air fares. There is an automatic discount of 5% on all Continental airfares purchased from their online website within the first year of attaining the card. In addition to that, the card also entitles you to a companion ticket once you have made ,000 worth of purchases. Other features worth mentioning are the introductory APR of 7.99% for the first half a year and also no spending limit imposed.

All in all, this card has great benefits for a card user who intends to keep it for only the first year. Sadly, this credit card company makes no attempt to retain their customers after the first year despite the high annual fees year after year.

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