Cruise Passengers Flown Home after Toilets Break

By Martin Halfpenny, PA A cruise liner has cancelled its voyage and flown back 600 passengers because the toilets on board have broken down, the operators said today. The newly-refitted Thomson Celebration liner cut short its Mediterranean cruise in Lisbon...

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Alaska Airlines outsources 472 baggage-handling jobs

Alaska Airlines baggage handlers arriving for work at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just before 3 a.m. yesterday were met with a Friday the 13th surprise. Overnight, their jobs had been given to an outsourcing company. Alaska Airlines outsources 472 baggage-handling jobs,...

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Turk airline to fight Europe ban

ANKARA, Turkey (Reuters) -- Turkish budget airline Onur Air has rejected claims that its planes were unsafe and vowed to fight a ban imposed by several European countries. Germany and the Netherlands temporarily withdrew landing rights from the airline on...

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Machinists back possible United strike

By Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News Another United Airlines union held out the threat of a labor walkout Wednesday, while local travel agents expressed hope all sides could work out compromises to avert strikes and save the bankrupt carrier. The...

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Cruise ship smashes into yachts

Residents in St. George’s watched in horror yesterday morning as the cruise ship Norwegian Majesty knocked into three yachts moored in Powder Hall anchorage and almost sucked one yacht under – as its passengers screamed for help on the radio....

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Thai AirAsia takes off for Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- Budget airline Thai AirAsia is expected to receive a license to begin flights to Vietnam next month, according to officials. "It's just a matter of time," said Ho Quoc Cuong of Vietnam's Civil Aviation Administration....

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One Northwest plane clips another on ground near airport gate

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Northwest Airlines DC-9 that had reported hydraulic problems collided with a Northwest Airbus on the ground Tuesday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, injuring six people. One Northwest plane clips another on ground near airport gate, continued...

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Judge Approves End of United Pension Plans

By DAVE CARPENTER, AP Business Writer CHICAGO - A federal bankruptcy judge approved United Airlines' plan to terminate its employees' pension plans on Tuesday, clearing the way for the largest corporate-pension default in American history. Judge Approves End of United...

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Phuket Air quietly barred from UK

LONDON: Just days before being banned from flying to the Netherlands, Phuket Air was also quietly barred from flying to the UK, it has emerged. One of its aircraft has also been seized for non-payment of landing fees at London’s...

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Not so extinct woodpecker may provide tourist boom

Impoverished Arkansas Delta towns hope 'Lord God' bird will work an economic miracle COTTON PLANT, Arkansas -- If the ivory-billed woodpecker was magic to early-day American Indians, perhaps it can work some magic for the modern-day residents trying to scratch...

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Airline Passengers to Be Asked for Data

By LESLIE MILLER WASHINGTON -- Airline passengers soon will be asked to provide their full names and birth dates when they buy tickets. In coming weeks, the Transportation Security Administration plans to require airlines to solicit the information. Passengers do...

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Summer travel: Fares, room rates spike

For the first time since 9/11, the peak travel season looks to be hitting on all cylinders. By Les Christie, CNN/Money staff writer NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The message from the travel industry this spring: Americans are on the road...

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Senator urges curbs on Full Moon parties

BANGKOK, May 3 (TNA) - The famous 'Full Moon Parties' in Koh Pha-ngan in the South of Thailand could soon be radically altered although they attract young backpackers from all over the world, drawn by the allure of sea, sand...

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United Airlines mechanics planning strike, union says

CHICAGO (Reuters) — The union representing mechanics at bankrupt United Airlines Monday said it was making plans for a labor strike, saying the No. 2 carrier was putting their retirement plans in jeopardy. United Airlines mechanics planning strike, union says,...

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Amtrak, the railroad that can't (without more cash)

BY ROBERT COHEN WASHINGTON -- On Capitol Hill, it's known as the annual Amtrak death dance. The financially strapped railroad, seeking to avoid bankruptcy, pleads for increased subsidies. The White House balks, congressional supporters and detractors battle it out and...

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Qantas crew in fear over hotel change

By Steve Creedy QANTAS cabin crew staying in Los Angeles say they fear for their safety after the airline moved them to a hotel in the city's crime-prone downtown area. Angry flight attendants have told their union they feel trapped...

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Iran and UK in row over airport

TEHRAN, Iran (Reuters) -- Hardline Iranian politicians called on the government on Sunday to sever all diplomatic ties with Britain in a rapidly escalating row over the opening of a new airport serving Tehran. Britain and Canada issued warnings on...

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Stickers ban free sex on tourist island

BANGKOK, Apr 29 (TNA) - Tourists arriving on Thailand's southern resort island of Pha-ngan are to be issued with stickers stating the island's ban on 'free sex', following government concern over visitors having sexual intercourse in public places. The decision...

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Thousands face travel cover woe

Thousands of people could lose their travel cover after the Financial Services Authority (FSA) took action against Whiteley Insurance Consultants. The West Yorkshire-based firm was placed into provisional liquidation by the High Court at the FSA's behest. Thousands face travel...

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Top aircraft makers battle in Asia

NEW DELHI, India (AP) -- Airlines across Asia are buying new planes as the region's booming economy spurs demand for air travel, making it the latest battleground for the world's two top aircraft makers: Boeing Co. and Airbus. Top aircraft...

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Airlines could allow chatter

FCC reconsidering ban on in-flight calls, starting to ask travelers what they think by David Armstrong, Chronicle Staff Writer Coming soon to an airplane seat near you: "Hello? Hello? Hello? I'm on the plane. I'M ON THE PLANE! What? You're...

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Bowing to Critics, U.S. to Alter Design of Electronic Passports

By ERIC LIPTON WASHINGTON, April 26 - Responding to fears raised by privacy advocates that new electronic passports might be vulnerable to high-tech snooping, the State Department intends to modify the design so that an embedded radio chip holding a...

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World's Largest Passenger Plane Lifts Off

The world's largest passenger plane lifted off from Toulouse, France on its maiden voyage Wednesday. Chief Test Pilot Jacques Rosay said, “The take-off was perfect. Up to now it is all absolutely perfect so we are very happy.” Rosay radio...

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Low oxygen 'increases DVT risk for most air passengers'

By Nic Fleming, Health Correspondent More than half of all air travellers suffer so much oxygen deprivation that they are at risk of deep vein thrombosis, according to a study. The proportion of oxygen in the air breathed in on...

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Eurotunnel revenues down as passenger numbers fall

Eurotunnel today reported further woe for its suffering shareholders with news of a slump in income from its core truck and car services. The embattled Channel Tunnel operator said intense competition from ferries and low cost airlines between Dover and...

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Passenger comment prompts grounding of airliner in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO – A TACA Airlines plane bound for Central America was grounded at San Francisco International Airport early Tuesday when a flight attendant thought she heard a passenger say he had a bomb in his carryon luggage. The Airbus...

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Security scare forces delays at Logan

Half of Terminal B emptied as threat proves false alarm By Keith Reed, Globe Staff Half of Logan International Airport's Terminal B was evacuated late yesterday morning after a woman bypassed a security checkpoint. Four American Airlines jets awaiting takeoff...

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Travelers to Europe carefully counting their euros this year

Sixty-seven percent of Europe-bound travelers are changing their plans due to the weak condition of the U.S. dollar , according to a survey conducted this week by TripAdvisor. Nearly 60 percent of TripAdvisor users surveyed say they will plan a...

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On-demand airline could alter travel to midsize cities

By Kevin Maney, USA TODAY A technology entrepreneur on Monday unveils a new kind of on-demand airline that could alter the way people travel between midsize cities. DayJet, of Delray Beach, Fla., will marry two advanced technologies: Very Light Jet...

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Cruise Ship Hits Mexico Pier; No Injuries

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A cruise ship hit a pier while docking in Mexico, cutting a 42-foot gash in the ship's side and delaying its return to New Orleans. Nobody was hurt, but the 2,030 passengers will have to either...

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Shonky operators hurt backpacker market

Peter Morley DODGY backpacker hostels are placing guests at risk through unhygienic, overcrowded premises which do not adhere to fire and other safety regulations, according to a report commissioned by the tourism industry. Shonky operators hurt backpacker market, continued...

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BA pilot wins discrimination case

A female British Airways pilot who claimed sex discrimination in a dispute over working hours has won her case. Jessica Starmer, 26, from Wareham in Dorset, said she was denied a request to work 50% part-time so she could look...

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United reaches deal to terminate 4 pension plans

(AP) - United Airlines' controversial plan to eliminate its employees' defined-benefit pension plans moved a step closer to reality Friday when the government's pension-protection agency agreed to drop its opposition. Attorneys for United and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp....

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Backpackers 'risk lives'

International backpackers are risking life and limb by staying in overcrowded, unhygienic and unsafe illegal hostels, a new report has found. The study, commissioned by the backpacker industry and released by the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC), uncovered dodgy operators...

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Analysis: Texas airport rule may be target

By Phil Magers Dallas, TX, Apr. 20 (UPI) -- A U.S. senator from Nevada may introduce a bill to open Dallas' Love Field to more long-haul flights, a move that could have a major impact on the nation's airline industry....

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Child dies in Tehran plane fire, TV reports

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- An airliner carrying 157 passengers skidded off a runway into a river at Tehran's Mehrabad airport on Wednesday, killing a child, state-run television reported. Several passengers were reported injured. Television reports said the landing gear of...

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Lovers' row sparked deadly Paris hotel fire

Paris - A young woman has admitted accidentally causing last week's deadly fire in a hotel here after throwing clothes over candles in an argument with her boyfriend, officials said. Lovers' row sparked deadly Paris hotel fire, continued...

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US Airways, America West in Merger Talks

Merger talks between US Airways and America West could be the start of consolidation for U.S. airlines, although US Airways' Chairman David G. Bronner concedes that such a combination faces numerous hurdles. A combined US Airways-America West would be better...

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For Business Travelers, Fees and Taxes Everywhere

By CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT The $39 parking charge at San Francisco's expensive Westin St. Francis hotel did not faze Veronica St. Claire, a business traveler who is instinctively wary of extra fees wherever she goes. But when the hotel added a...

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Wave-whipped cruise ship back at sea

CHARLESTON, S.C. - A cruise ship damaged by a seven-storey wave while returning from the Bahamas is expected to arrive in New York on Monday. Coast guard officials say the Norwegian Dawn's hull was damaged when the massive wave slammed...

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'Gaping holes' in US security

By Charles Starmer-Smith The head of the agency responsible for US airline security has resigned amid a series of damaging reports which suggest that, despite £7 billion being spent on improving airport security since September 11 2001, serious weaknesses remain....

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Airport tricksters remain at work

By Tony Vermeer THE Qantas baggage handler who wore a camel head, taken from a passenger's luggage, on to the tarmac at Sydney Airport is still working at the airport. An investigation by The Sunday Mail has revealed that up...

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A Surprised Bush Says He Wants New Travel Rules Reconsidered

By RICHARD W. STEVENSON and ERIC LIPTON WASHINGTON, April 14 - President Bush said Thursday that he had been surprised to learn in the newspaper of his administration's decision last week to require Americans to have passports to enter the...

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Reports: Airport Screeners Still Do Poorly

By LESLIE MILLER, Associated Press Writer Two upcoming government reports will say the quality of screening at airports is no better now than before the Sept. 11 attacks, according to a House member who has been briefed on the contents....

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Two Arrested After Airline Flight Incident

NEW YORK (AP) - Two men aboard a Northwest Airlink flight from Detroit to New York were arrested Friday after one of them asked to see the cockpit and refused to sit down, federal authorities said. Two Arrested After Airline...

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Hacker invades Anchorage airport Web site

ANCHORAGE (AP) — A hacker broke into the Web site of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and replaced arrival and departure times with a waving Turkish flag. Screens also displayed a steely eyed man's face in the lower right...

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Dutch airline to screen passengers passing through US airspace

BRUSSELS, April 12 (Xinhuanet) -- The Dutch airline KLM has announced that it will start screening the passenger lists of all flights which pass through United States airspace, Radio Netherlands reported Tuesday. This measure is designed to detect people appearing...

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Japan issues travel warning for Gold Coast

Japan's Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory for Japanese visitors to Australia to beware of high rates of crime if they go to Queensland's Gold Coast. The warning on the Foreign Ministry's website draws particular attention to the...

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Jumbos get too close at Auckland Airport

A close encounter between two 747s at Auckland International Airport is being investigated by safety authorities. Transport Accident Investigation Commission chief accident investigator John Mockett said a Qantas plane from Sydney was coming in to land when air traffic controllers...

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Bugs turn cruise into painful trip for Fla. couple

Royal Caribbean apologizes, refunds ticket money A Florida couple was treated after being bitten by hundreds of bed bugs during a vacation cruise on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, according to FLORIDA TODAY news partner WKMG Local 6 News. Alan...

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Cancelled travel 'next shock' for airlines

Geoff Easdown QANTAS and Virgin Blue face the prospect of cash-strapped customers forgoing holidays as high oil prices begin to bite into family incomes. Leading aviation analyst Peter Harbison believes cancelled travel could be the next aftershock to hit airlines....

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Virgin America delays start

Branson's airline apparently needs more investors Todd Wallack, Chronicle Staff Writer Virgin America's takeoff has been delayed. The low-cost carrier, backed by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, announced plans last year to begin flying by mid-2005, with much of its...

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US airline security chief quits

The head of the agency responsible for airline security in the US has resigned after warnings that aircraft are still at risk from terrorist attack. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) chief David Stone quit after just eight months in the...

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Airport shoe inspection raises risk of foot fungi, some scientists say

BY SUSANNE QUICK MILWAUKEE - (KRT) - Cecil Fox will not take off his socks - or his shoes - when passing through airport security. The retired director of the Molecular Histology Lab at the National Institutes of Health is...

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KCI police handcuff, detain FAA official

By BILL GRAHAM The Kansas City Star The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an in-flight argument between a senior manager in its Kansas City office and a flight attendant. Marion B. Dittman, the flight standards manager who oversees a four-state...

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Sabre Acquires IgoUgo Online Travel Community

SOUTHLAKE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2005--Sabre Holdings (NYSE: TSG) today announced that it acquired IgoUgo.com, a unique travel community Web site. Sabre Acquires IgoUgo Online Travel Community, continued...

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U.S. to Require Passports for Canada, Mexico Travel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. travelers to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda will need passports to return to the United States by 2008 under a new terrorism prevention policy, American officials said on Tuesday. U.S. to Require Passports for Canada,...

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Branson eyes new airline

By Scott Rochfort Sir Richard Branson flew into Sydney yesterday not only to pledge his allegiance to his 25.6 per cent stake in Virgin Blue but to talk up his plans of launching his second Australian carrier this year. Depending...

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Passengers in mutiny over 'fuel leak' jet

By Helen Johnstone British holidaymakers last night spoke of their frantic efforts to ground a flight after fuel was spotted pouring from a wing during take-off from the United Arab Emirates. Passengers screamed, refused to sit in their seats and...

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Wheels of progress roll right past 62 bus stops - Greyhound trims routes in state, U.S.

John M. Hubbell, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau Williams, Colusa County -- It seemed like just another Greyhound bus, traversing just another highway. Same as always, it pushed south toward Sacramento on Friday under a pale blue sky streaked with thin, high...

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Airfare Soaring Because of High Gas Prices

Experts say book your summer trip now If you've got a trip in mind, travel agents say book it now, before gas prices go up even higher. Airline ticket prices have taken off in recent weeks. Experts say fares are...

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Insurgents 'ambush Thai train'

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Suspected Islamic rebels detonated two bombs and opened fire on authorities riding in an armored railway car early in southern Thailand, wounding at least 19 people, police said. Insurgents 'ambush Thai train', continued...

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T-S-A gets hard eye for sloppy use of airline passenger info

WASHINGTON The Transportation Security Administration is being criticized for the way it handled personal information about airline passengers while developing a new screening system. A government investigation says T-S-A misled the public about its role in getting the information, although...

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Airline passengers injured in turbulence

Several passengers from a United Airlines flight from Europe that landed at San Francisco International Airport Wednesday were taken to the hospital after being injured when the aircraft hit severe turbulence, authorities said. The Boeing 747, with about 400 people...

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Caribbean island bars gay, nudist cruise

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- A gay and nudist cruise was barred from stopping at the tiny Caribbean island of Nevis on Wednesday after authorities said the group would offend local customs. A police patrol boat stopped a Windjammer Barefoot...

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Airline supports decision to fly on

JETSTAR has defended a captain's decision to fly a stricken plane to Melbourne rather than turn back to Launceston. The Boeing 717 on the Friday night flight from Launceston to Melbourne, with 102 passengers on board, plunged 1200m after an...

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Air passenger dies after being restrained

By Helen McCormack Prosecutors in New York are investigating the death of an air traveller who was subdued by fellow passengers after he became disruptive. Air passenger dies after being restrained, continued...

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LAX Resigned to Long Lines, Despite Cloud of Terrorism

Suggestions in a Rand security study are too costly to implement any time soon, officials say. By Jennifer Oldham, Times Staff Writer Despite warnings by security experts that long lines at Los Angeles International Airport are vulnerable to a terrorist...

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Branson loses Australian airline fight

by Andrew Clark Sir Richard Branson has lost control of his Australian budget airline, Virgin Blue, after a successful hostile takeover by his one-time partner in the venture, Patrick Corporation. Branson loses Australian airline fight , continued...

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Wild parties, roughhousing wear on rentals

By JEFF RAYMOND Valley Morning Star SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, March 18, 2005 — Stormy Wall couldn’t believe how filthy a carpet could be. Wall, who manages Padre South Resort on South Padre Island, has seen Spring Breakers shatter mirrors, take...

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Two years of thefts suspected at airport

By Peter Boylan and Ken Kobayashi A Transportation Security Administration official said yesterday that federal agencies are investigating whether four federal airport screeners stole money and valuables from luggage at Honolulu International Airport over a two-year period. Two years of...

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Heathrow workers in strike ballot

Hundreds of baggage handlers at Heathrow Airport are being balloted on strikes in a dispute over contracts. The Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) said nearly 800 workers were being balloted and the result will be known later this week....

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Air China gets stuck on edge of L.A. International taxiway

LOS ANGELES – An Air China airliner with 336 people aboard became mired on the edge of a taxiway at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday when the aircraft ventured off the taxiway pavement and onto what an airport official...

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Hundreds killed and injured in central Vietnam derailment

A passenger train has derailed near Phu Loc district of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on Saturday, killing and injuring hundreds of passengers. The express train E1 was en route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City when eight...

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Another increase in airline fares on horizon

Travel may cost up to $20 more for a round trip By BILL HENSEL JR. Many airline fares are going up, again. A fare increase of as much as $20 a round trip has been levied by a number of...

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Jetsgo ceases operations; travellers stranded

MONTREAL - Jetsgo, one of the country's upstart discount airlines, announced just after midnight Friday that it will stop all operations immediately. Passengers are advised to make alternative travel arrangements as there will be no aircraft or staff available. Travellers...

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Ryanair fined for 'misleading' pricing

Holidaymakers can expect to see clearer pricing on travel and airline websites following a landmark court ruling against the no-frills carrier Ryanair. A jury at Chelmsford Crown Court found the airline guilty in 2003 of six cases of breaching the...

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9/11 still tears through air fares

MUMBAI: International airlines continue to impose a heavy insurance surcharge on airline passengers, even though insurance rates have softened significantly since 9/11. The surcharge, called ‘YQ’ charge in airline parlance, was levied to make up for the airline industry’s loss...

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Three billion tourist dollars at risk due to tsunami

SINGAPORE (AFP) - Asia risks losing 3.0 billion US dollars in tourism revenues this year unless global travellers are quickly convinced the region is safe again after December's tsunami, a researcher said following the release of a survey on planned...

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Flying faulty jumbo across Atlantic saves BA £100,000

By Ben Webster Turning back after engine failure would have left airline liable to pay out for delays under new rules on compensation A BRITISH AIRWAYS jumbo jet carrying 351 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing after an...

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One Air Traveler, Two Airfares?

Small-business owner’s suit against a major airliner could change travel guidelines for overweight travelers By Glenn Townes Entrepreneur Nadine Thompson was tired and wanted to relax and unwind on the flight from her home near Manchester, New Hampshire, to Chicago....

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Jet Flies On With One Engine Out

Despite LAX takeoff malfunction, British Airways pilot continues nonstop trip to London. The 747 lands safely but short of its destination. By Eric Malnic and Hector Becerra, Times Staff Writers A British Airways jumbo jet lost power in an engine...

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BA enlists Darling's help over cost of flight turned back by US

By Patrick Hennessy, Political Editor (Filed: 27/02/2005) British Airways is demanding an estimated $1 million in compensation from the United States after one of its flights was turned back to London because a passenger was on a list of suspected...

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Southwest offers exclusive, cheaper fares

By Brad Foss, The Associated Press Deeming e-mail alerts too slow for the most aggressive bargain hunters, Southwest Airlines now has an even quicker way to notify customers about its cheapest fares. Beginning Monday, Southwest will offer exclusive deals through...

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United Airlines' net loss is $326 million for January

Chicago (AP) -- United Airlines' parent company reported a $326 million net loss for January, citing its latest heavy restructuring costs coupled with weak seasonal demand and high fuel costs for the world's second-largest airline. United Airlines' net loss is...

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Uli Derickson, 60, Who Helped Airline Hostages, Dies

By JENNIFER BAYOT Uli Derickson, the Trans World Airlines flight attendant honored for saving passengers' lives in 1985 by both confronting and mollifying terrorist hijackers, died on Friday at her home in Tucson. She was 60. Ms. Derickson was still...

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No way to run a RR

Mineta says bankruptcy is the only solution for Amtrak Give Norman Mineta the 2005 George Orwell prize for doublespeak. The federal transportation secretary wants us to believe that the best way to keep Amtrak choo-chooing across America is to starve...

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Catch me if you can, taunts Cambodian killer

Phnom Penh: A former Khmer Rouge commander convicted for the 1994 murder of three Western backpackers - including Melbourne's David Wilson - has challenged Cambodian police to arrest him in his stronghold village. Catch me if you can, taunts Cambodian...

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Air France strike in Paris moves into fourth day

PARIS -- French carrier Air France predicted more flight cancellations at Orly airport in Paris today as a strike by ground crews was to move into a fourth straight day. Dozens of flights from Orly West terminal have been canceled...

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Tourist struck by lightning on Bondi Beach

A 29-year-old Irish tourist standing on Bondi Beach was struck by lightning at the height of the storm and was today in a critical condition in St Vincent's Hospital. Tourist struck by lightning on Bondi Beach, continued...

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U.S. sharply increases security fees for tickets

The U.S. government has quietly increased by 60 percent a mandatory fee on airline tickets, and the Bush administration is proposing to more than double a second fee. U.S. sharply increases security fees for tickets, continued...

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'DEAD' TSUNAMI BRIT CALLS HOME

By Bill Daniels A BACKPACKER feared dead in the Asian tsunami ended two months of agony for his family with a call home. It was the first Paul Foster's loved ones had heard of him since before Christmas. Paul, then...

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U.S. tourism may be casualty of war on terror

Travel execs cite concerns overseas visitors don't feel welcome (AP) -- Mickey Mouse has a bone to pick with Uncle Sam. Some U.S. travel executives -- including those who run Disneyland and Walt Disney World -- think the government needs...

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Airlines braced for passenger rights

Airlines across Europe have accepted through gritted teeth a package of passenger compensation rules which come into effect on Thursday. New EU legislation means passengers on all flights departing from an EU airport or flying into the EU on an...

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Northwest experiences luggage backups in Detroit

ROMULUS, Michigan (AP) -- Northwest Airlines' baggage handling system suffered major backups in Detroit over the weekend, with thousands of pieces of luggage left off flights and piled to the ceiling behind the counters. "It was chaos," said Donna Satterfield...

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Airline tickets should have environmental warning, say Tories

By Colin Brown Airline passengers would be told how much their flight would contribute to global warming under Conservative plans to reduce greenhouse emissions. On the eve of the implementation today of the Kyoto targets to tackle climate change, Tim...

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Thailand alerted of dengue outbreaks

BANGKOK, Feb. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Thailand has been on high alert of outbreak of dengue with more cases reported in the country's south. About 1,500 cases of dengue have been reported since the beginning of the year, mostly in the...

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Airline in court over rights cases

Complaints were ignored: Agency Air Canada wants claims set aside An Air Canada passenger with a serious fish allergy was assured that an appropriate snack would be served during her flight. Instead, she was given a box lunch of salmon...

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Travel world tries catering to Gen X splurgers

Generation X now spends more per trip than the wealthier baby boomers — and the travel industry is taking note From Travel world tries catering to Gen X splurgers...

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Magazine selects eight best tourist traps in U.S.

No self-respecting native would admit having fun at the local tourist trap, but that shouldn't stop the rest of us. So says Budget Travel magazine, which lists the country's eight best tourist traps. Magazine selects eight best tourist traps in...

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Cannabis-munching cows to get change of diet in Alpine state

VADUZ (AFP) - Farmers in Liechtenstein will no longer be allowed to feed cannabis to their livestock under new rules to be introduced in March in the tiny Alpine state. Cannabis-munching cows to get change of diet in Alpine state,...

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Low-cost carrier ups the frills

Low-cost airline Easyjet has been trialling a "fast-track" service for passengers who may just happen to want something more than no-frills. The carrier, which keeps its ticket prices down by cutting overheads deemed unnecessary, operates a non-reserved seating policy. But...

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Airport rage: passengers ground staff

Air India passengers who were enraged by an unexplained seven-hour flight delay grabbed three airline officials and forced them to sit on the floor for two hours while they hurled abuse at them, the carrier has claimed. Airport rage: passengers...

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Amtrak Financing Nearly Eliminated

MATTHEW L. WALD Highway financing would rise slightly while almost all spending for Amtrak would be eliminated under the Transportation Department budget. The plan would also give the Federal Aviation Administration more money to hire air traffic controllers but cut...

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Pilot Arrested after Failing Breath Test

By Pat Hurst, PA A pilot was hauled off a jumbo jet by police and failed a breath test as he was about to fly with 350 passengers on board. The 51-year-old pilot was found to be over the limit...

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Gas leak at Spain hostel kills 18

Eighteen people have been found dead at a mountain hostel in eastern Spain after inhaling gas. The gas is thought to have leaked from a heating canister overnight, poisoning the guests as they slept after a birthday celebration. Gas leak...

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Blair urges Burma travel boycott

Tony Blair has urged Britons not to visit Burma, as part of a campaign to end "appalling human rights violations" by the country's military regime. Blair urges Burma travel boycott, continued...

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New fight over TSA screeners

By Thomas Frank, USA TODAY The chairman of the House aviation subcommittee said Monday he is drafting a proposal to get rid of all government security screeners at the nation's airports and replace them with employees working for private companies....

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State of Emergency Declared After Nepal's King Dismisses Government

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: February 1, 2005 Filed at 3:17 a.m. ET KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- King Gyanendra dismissed Nepal's government on Tuesday and declared a state of emergency, taking control of the Himalayan kingdom for the second time...

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Thai resorts ready, eager for return of tourist dollars

By Ben Stocking Mercury News Vietnam Bureau PHUKET, Thailand - Just one month after the Asian tsunami battered the tourist mecca of Phuket, life is back to normal across most of the island -- with one glaring exception. The tourists...

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Fox Says U.S. Travel Alert Won't Harm Ties

LISA J. ADAMS Associated Press MEXICO CITY - A flap with the United States over violence on Mexico's northern border does not threaten the two nations' strong relationship, though Mexican officials maintain Washington went too far with a travel alert,...

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Backpackers To Prop Up Post Tsunami Thai Tourism

Low-budget, international backpackers will prop up Thailand's crippled travel industry, after tsunamis killed more than 5,300 people, destroyed beach resorts and made wealthier tourists fearful, the author of Lonely Planet's Thailand guide books said. From Backpackers To Prop Up Post...

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Millions ready for China New Year

BEIJING, China (Reuters) -- China's peak Lunar New Year travel season, the world's biggest annual human migration, began on Tuesday and about 2 billion journeys are expected across China in the next 40 days, state media has said. From Millions...

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Delta posts record losses for quarter, '04

Delta Air Lines (DAL) last month dodged a bankruptcy filing, but it couldn't dodge records for the largest losses in airline history. The USA's No. 3 carrier said Thursday that it lost an unprecedented $2.2 billion, or $16.58 a share,...

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Super Jet

Airbus today unveiled the world's largest civilian aircraft, capable of carrying more than 550 passengers, at an elaborate ceremony in France. Airbus unveils 'superjumbo'...

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Americans face "new reality" as greenback skids

By Carol Pucci Letizia Mattiacci won't be raising her rates this year at her six-room farmhouse inn in the hills above Assisi in Northern Italy. The travelers she counts on most — Americans — are already paying $95 to $120...

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Passenger says he found missing woman’s purse, saw tampered camera

FBI continues investigation into woman’s disappearance from ship By KOLLIN KOSMICKI - GM Today Staff WAUKESHA - A man aboard the cruise ship from which Annette Mizener disappeared a month ago says he’s the one who found an array of...

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Tourism Chief Warns of 'Double Disaster'

By Peter Woodman, PA Travel Correspondent The tsunami tragedy could turn into a “double disaster” if future travel advice is not handled carefully, a world tourism chief said today. National governments must draft travel advisories in a responsible manner, added...

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Pricegrabber unveils travel search engine

By Amy Yee in New York Pricegrabber.com, one of the leading US comparison shopping websites, has unveiled a travel search engine a move that could send more tremors into an industry already in flux. Its expansion into travel reflects the...

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Delta slashes priciest tickets

Move could cost industry billions By John Schmeltzer Tribune staff reporter Published January 6, 2005 Delta Air Lines on Wednesday cut its most expensive fares--some by more than 50 percent--prompting two other airlines to follow suit and causing Wall Street...

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Thailand tourist numbers plummet

Tourist arrivals at Bangkok's international airport have plunged 27 per cent in recent days, prompting the tourism ministry to look at ways to lure back visitors after a deadly tsunami that killed thousands along Thailand's popular southern beaches. "The drop...

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Sing Sing Prison Could Become Tourist Attraction

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Officials in New York state want to put tourists behind bars -- for a day. Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano wants to transform part of the notorious Sing Sing prison into a museum. The main attraction...

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Phuket protests biased reporting in global media

[World News]: Bangkok, Jan 5 : Unbalanced reports, many chasing sensational stories, are impeding the revival of the Thai resort of Phuket after the devastating tsunamis, a local magazine protested Wednesday. "The news broadcast by global satellite TV and news...

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Can CNN, BBC get away with this corpse show in ‘sensitive’ Manhattan?

After 9/11 they chanted privacy, sensitivity; Asian disaster open season to show bodies of men, women, children Six months after 9/11, a CBS documentary on the attack on the Twin Towers censored visuals of a woman burning to death. ‘‘The...

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Flight cancellations affect 1,200 passengers

Aer Lingus says in excess of 1,200 passengers have been affected by flight cancellations caused by yesterday's storm damage to planes at Dublin Airport. 550 transatlantic passengers at Shannon Airport have been delayed, some 200 of these have been waiting...

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Hardy British travellers refuse to cancel holidays

Mark Townsend Sunday January 2, 2005 The Observer Fewer than one in 400 British holidaymakers scheduled to visit countries affected by the tsunami have cancelled their trip, according to industry estimates. Experts said the figures served to reinforce the reputation...

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Why Thais avoided tsunami warning

Meteorologists decided against it 'out of courtesy to tourist industry' Thailand's foremost meteorologists, meeting in a crisis session before the tsunami hit, decided not to issue a warning "out of courtesy to the tourism industry," according to a report in...

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Airlines see holiday bookings drop to tsunami-hit Thailand

BANGKOK : Cancellation numbers are swelling on flights from Europe and Asia as tourists scramble to avoid tsunami-devastated southern Thailand. With Sunday's catastrophic Asian earthquake and the resulting devastation still fresh in their minds, several thousand international travelers are scrapping...

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US to probe airline travel chaos

The US government is to investigate two airlines- US Airways and Delta Air Lines' Comair subsidiary - after travel chaos over the Christmas weekend. Staff calling in sick at US Airways and computer failures at Comair left 30,000 passengers stranded...

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Misery piles up at US airports

From Elaine Monaghan in Washington THOUSANDS of Americans spent the Christmas weekend stranded at airports after computer glitches, freezing weather and staff shortages led to the cancellation of thousands of flights. Passengers of Comair, a unit of Delta Air Lines,...

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Weak dollar lures travelers to U.S.

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- A weaker U.S. dollar is fueling pent-up demand for overseas travel to the United States, helping to pad the bottom lines of hotels and tourist attractions. Exchange rates "are having a terrific impact on our...

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Airport screeners find blade in man's shoe

Honolulu -- A 33-year-old Virginia man was in federal custody after airport screeners found a box-cutter blade glued into the sole of his shoe. Authorities said Randall Rustick of Fairfax, Va., was en route to Kauai with his wife and...

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Airline bans family for life after bomb joke

A 16-year-old’s alleged joke about a bomb in his aunt’s hand luggage led to a life ban for him and his family from UK airline bmibaby. Ryan Sherwin was about to board a flight from Manchester to Malaga in Spain...

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Backpackers and Brits bemoan Xmas booze ban at Bondi

SYDNEY, (AFP) - Sinking a few "tinnies" on Bondi Beach has long ranked alongside Santa's sleigh and roast turkey as an enduring image of Christmas down-under as well as being one of Australia's great drawcards for backpackers. For as long...

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Hostel staff praised after fire drama

By MARK BAKER A Launceston hostel owner has praised the actions of his staff after a fire forced 78 backpackers to evacuate a Brisbane St building early yesterday. Metro Backpackers Lodge owner John Baily said night manager Tony McEnnan had...

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British women stabbed as killer tourist runs amok in Kenyan resort

By Harvey McGavin 13 December 2004 Two British women were wounded and a Swiss man who tried to help them was fatally stabbed when a drunken German tourist ran amok in a Kenyan coastal resort. Olaf Klinkusch, 41, attacked one...

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Travel Security screeners air their gripes on the Web

By Kitty Bean Yancey, USA TODAY Passengers ruffled by up-close-and-personal security checks have been squawking. But what about the view from the other side of the screening wand? The tsa-screeners.com Web site — privately run and not affiliated with the...

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Thailand increases security measures at tourist hotspots

AM - Tuesday, 7 December , 2004 08:25:13 Reporter: Peter Lloyd TONY EASTLEY: Thailand, a popular destination for Australian tourists, is developing a reputation for being the most violent-prone nation in South East Asia, and with a peak tourist period...

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Strike Ballots Go to United Flight Attendants

WASHINGTON, Dec. 02 /PRNewswire/ -- WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Strike authorization ballots were mailed today to 21,000 flight attendants at United Airlines, setting the stage for a potential nationwide CHAOS(TM) strike should United or any other contracted carrier abrogate...

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Backpackers snub casual sex warning

By Damien Murphy December 6, 2004 A survey of overseas backpackers in Sydney and Cairns has revealed Australia as the get lucky country, with more than half having sex with a new partner in the previous three days. It found...

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French end hiding of explosives in luggage

By JAMEY KEATEN ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER PARIS -- French police on Sunday ended their practice of hiding plastic explosives in air passengers' luggage to train bomb-sniffing dogs after one such bag got lost, possibly ending up on a flight out...

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Not your usual roadside attractions

Smelly dragons. Thousands of jars of mustard. The possibilities are endless. By Les Christie, CNN/Money staff writer NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - There seems to be a travel destination for every taste. You would think that some places have absolutely nothing...

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Car hit by part falling from departing airliner

Part of a Cathay Pacific airliner fell on top of a car travelling along Chaeng Watthana road during rush hour last night _ giving the motorist the fright of his life. The object was later found to be a sheet...

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Locust plague 'ate my holiday'

December 1, 2004 THOUSANDS of tourists flock to the Canary Islands each year seeking the winter sun. However, this week they have been massively outnumbered - by locusts. Experts estimate that 100 million locusts have swarmed over the islands, the...

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US bombs out in 'Geography Olympics'

By Claudia Parsons in New York November 30, 2004 AMERICA may dominate the world in sports and culture but in one arena where size doesn't matter, the "Geography Olympics," the US was 88th behind minnows such as Madagascar and the...

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Passenger jets get anti-missile technology

By Charles Starmer-Smith (Filed: 27/11/2004) El Al, Israel's national airline, is to become the first company to install anti-missile systems on passenger aircraft, according to reports this week. The anti-missile system, called Flight Guard, has been developed by Israeli defence...

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Michigan man arrested after protesting outside KFC in Vietnam

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- A Michigan man was arrested Tuesday after protesting outside a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City. Jason Baker, 32 and a representative of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, was taken...

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Granny, get your gun or face jail

Miami - A grandmother, 79, has been arrested on Tuesday allegedly trying to enter an airport with a pistol hidden in what looked like a book, police said. Margaret Anderson tried to pass Fort Lauderdale airport X-ray security with a...

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Dolphins prevent NZ shark attack

By Phil Mercer BBC, Sydney A group of swimmers has told how a pod of dolphins protected them from a great white shark off New Zealand's coast. The lifeguards were training at a beach near Whangarei on the North Island...

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Belgian site offers cheaper fares

A little-known Belgian website offers consistently cheaper online airfares than its more famous British and American competitors, according to a report published this week. The site, travelprice.be, recorded the lowest fare for 53 of 108 valid queries in the study...

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$150 a week for a bed with rats, cockroaches

Illegal backpacker hostels offering Third World-style accommodation are putting lives at risk and costing the state economy up to $60 million, the Government has been warned. Waverley mayor Peter Moscatt sounded the warning about substandard accommodation as waves of tourists...

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Hard times: No more pillows on many American Airlines flights

FORT WORTH, Texas — Say goodbye to pillows on American Airlines MD-80 jets. The Fort Worth-based airline this week removed pillows from its 334 MD-80s in a move expected to save time and money by enabling workers to clean the...

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Town tries to sell tourist on swamp

WALTERBORO, S.C. - Come one, come all to the Great Swamp Sanctuary. At least that's what town leaders hope. Walterboro has about 5,600 people and two exits on Interstate 95, which provides thousands access to New York and Miami every...

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Brave girl, five, saves baby sister from dingo

A British couple described how a dingo stalked their 14-week-old baby in an encounter reminiscent of one of Australia's most enduring mysteries. David and Belinda Corke, who emigrated three years ago from Henley-on-Thames, were staying at a beach resort off...

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Australian plague of bed bugs costs tourist industry millions

Travellers heading down under for a party-filled Christmas and New Year may be hoping to return with golden, sun-baked bodies - but they could just as easily end up with skin welts, itching patches and swollen bites. The culprits are...

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Summit flushes out smelly toilets

BEIJING, China (AP) -- Beijing hopes the smelly reputation of its public restrooms will be, well, flushed down the toilet soon. City officials will use the 2004 World Toilet Summit, starting November 17, to showcase efforts to transform the capital's...

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U.S. obesity epidemic weighing down planes, pushing up fuel costs

ATLANTA (AP) - Heavy suitcases aren't the only things weighing down airplanes and requiring them to burn more fuel, pushing up the cost of flights. A new government study reveals that airlines increasingly have to worry more about the weight...

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Germany attacks British hate and schadenfreude

The occasion of the Queen's state visit to Germany has unleashed a wave of indignant articles in the nation's press full of breast-beating on why British newspapers are so "replete with hate" towards the country. From tabloids to august broadsheets,...

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Prague plans a crackdown on the drunken Britons turning it into Europe's stag night capital

It has become the stag night capital of Europe, attracting thousands of young, mainly British, men looking for cheap beer and sex. But now politicians and tourism officials in Prague are calling for laws to tackle the drunken visitors because...

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Threat to Close Emergency Airfield in Pacific Upsets Airlines

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 - The Bush administration is threatening to shut an airfield at Midway Atoll in the mid-Pacific that has been available as an emergency landing site for decades. The airlines say the closing would force many two-engine planes...

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Thai militant group threatens Bangkok with attacks

BANGKOK, Oct 27 (Reuters) - A southern Thai Muslim separatist group dormant since the 1980s said on Wednesday insurgents would take their fight to Bangkok to avenge the deaths of 78 Muslims in army custody in the deep south. "Their...

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Victoria Clipper's Flu Shot Sailing Draws Crowds

SEATTLE - Vancouver Island on a cool fall day attracts hundreds of tourists. These days, the allure isn't so much a relaxing vacation. Travelers are piling aboard the Victoria Clipper for a shot; a flu vaccine they can't find here...

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Don't downsize the compassion

Fairness and good communication can help companies like US Airways, and their employees, get through troubled times. Johnna Kelbaugh, 70, couldn't believe what she was hearing last Sunday as she waited nearly an hour for her luggage in the US...

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Blogger grounded by her airline

A US airline attendant is fighting for her job after she was suspended over postings on her blog, or online diary. Queen of the Sky, otherwise known as Ellen Simonetti, evolved into an anonymous semi-fictional account of life in the...

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Tourist With a Badge Earns New York Cuffs

It wasn't that Sgt. Colin Webber, vacationing from Leicestershire, England, was necessarily looking for a way to wriggle out of buying his wife a diamond necklace. But as they were window shopping in the diamond district in Midtown yesterday afternoon,...

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Consultant deemed a risk at Sky Harbor airport

If you've ever been pulled aside, questioned and inspected by airport security officials, you'll understand Neville Cramer's frustration. The 53-year-old Scottsdale consultant says he was puzzled Monday when a Transportation Security Administration officer first moved him out of line as...

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Pilot rudder use blamed in Flight 587 crash

Safety panel also cites Airbus' poor des