News

The WTTC released a series of reports on 8.11.02 predicting a strong forecast for the last quarter of 2002 and strong growth in 2003. “The relative strength in consumer spending in many countries compared with expectations earlier in the year has helped maintain personal Travel and Tourism spending”. Despite the Bali bombings and uncertainty caused […]

UK families have treated, with some scepticism, claims by US lawyers that they have negotiated a new settlement for families of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing. The settlements are said to amount to £6.4m (€10.08m or $10.12m) per family. However, there have been previous claims of settlement but these have failed to materialize.

Abdelbaset Megrahi has lodged an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights alleging breaches of his human rights in his trial by the Scottish High Court of Justiciary and in his imprisonment in Glasgow.

In R v Vincent [2001] CA, V stayed for a week at one hotel and shortly afterwards he stayed for a month at another. In both cases he left without paying his bills. He told the court that he had told the owners of both hotels that he was waiting to receive some money and

The Commission has approved a Finnish scheme providing a subsidy to passenger vessels. This permits a 97% reduction of withholding tax on the marine work income of European seafarers working on board Finnish passenger vessels. This allows Finland to align with similar measure in neighbouring countries.

The EU Commission has approved an UK Scheme which compensates airlines for the costs incurred 11-15th September after the attacks in New York and Washington. Those are for costs occured as a result of flights cancelled or delayed by national authorities. The scheme applies to all UK airlines and is expected to cost £45m ($72m).

Loyola de Palacio, the EU Transport Commissioner, has put forward proposals to the Commission to hit state-aided airlines flying into the EU with penalties, including duties and landing right restrictions. Although it is stressed that this is not aimed at a particular country, it is viewed by some observers as retaliation against the USA, which

The Huffman international Flying School, where two of the September 11th hyjackers trained, have just received letters from the INS (US Immigration Dept.) that their visa applications have been approved. The INS said that the original approval had been granted on 17 July and that the school had been notified in the summer. These letters

Work has begun on the demolition of the Intourist Hotel, one of Moscow’s most famous landmarks. It was erected in 1970 to cater for foreign tourists. It was notorious for its Cold War standards, with surly staff, buged hotel rooms and illegal money changers. It was also the setting for many spy novels. The hotel

Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, the Libyan man found guilty of the Lockerbie bombing, has lost his appeal against conviction. The High Court of Justiciary jailed him for life in January 2001 for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in December 1988. 270 people were killed, including all those on board and others