According to the EU Press Room, "The European Commission today adopted a Communication on the application of the slot allocation Regulation. The Communication clarifies a number of issues in order to ensure a better implementation of the existing rules and to improve the efficient use of scarce capacity at congested ...

As reported by Kotie Geldenhuys, at the Servamus, "South Africa is a country with many tourist attractions. Local as well as foreign tourists enjoy the sunny, pleasant climate that South Africa offers. Not only do they visit the many wildlife sanctuaries, indigenous forests and wilderness areas, they also enjoy the ...

The Philippines today announced a ban on kidney transplants involving overseas patients in an effort to stamp out the murky organ trade, which preys on some of the country's most vulnerable and impoverished people.The thriving "transplant tourism" trade made the Philippines one of the world's cheapest places for wealthy foreign ...

As stated by the EU Press Room, "Today, the European Union and Australia signed an aviation agreement which allows European airlines to fly between any EU Member State and Australia. 'I welcome this important step in the EU's air transport relations with Australia,' said Jacques Barrot, Vice-President in charge of ...

An agreement by two British-based airlines to pay roughly $210 million to settle a massive price-fixing lawsuit met with tentative approval from a federal judge on Friday.The class action lawsuit, which accused the carriers of colluding to gouge trans-Atlantic passengers with fuel surcharges, was brought on behalf of 5.1 million ...

A high-speed passenger train jumped its tracks and slammed into another train in eastern China on Monday, killing at least 70 people and injuring more than 400 in China's worst train accident in a decade. Authorities were quoted as saying that human error was to blame.The death toll could rise, ...

UNWTO is actively supporting African destinations which have the capacity to renew their tourism development after having recently suffered from internal crisis or terrorist attacks. These efforts coincide with the overall support provided by the United Nations to foster social and economic stability in the region. UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli ...

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has issued a warning to its members worldwide – and to all business travellers – to limit proprietary information on laptop computers when crossing U.S. borders, and to eliminate any personal data, including photographs, finances and email that you do not want examined ...

The National Tour Association voices its opposition to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposal calling for airlines and cruise lines to collect biometric information, including fingerprints, from foreign travelers departing the United States.The International Air Transport Association has condemned the proposal, stating that border protection and immigration are government ...

On Cosmonaut's Day (April 12th 2008) the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) announced that they will cease it's $40,000,000-a-flight space tourism enterprise.Read full article here>>.

The Aloha Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l, (ALPA), filed a complaint in U.S. Bankruptcy Court today seeking injunctive relief against the airline. ALPA asserts that Aloha Airlines management's total disregard for pilots' collective bargaining agreement during the past few weeks has triggered a "major dispute" ...

A Chinese airline has been stripped of routes and given a large fine after some of its pilots turned back flights amid suspected industrial unrest. China Eastern Airlines was punished by the country's civil aviation authority after the incidents earlier this month.The carrier had claimed that the flights had returned ...

Airline passengers suffered more delays than ever in retrieving their luggage last year as 42 million bags went missing, 25 per cent more than in 2006, according to a report issued on Thursday.Of these, 3 percent or one bag for every 2,000 travellers, were never found, said the report from ...

A survey of airline fuel surcharges between Australia and the UK has unveiled significant inconsistencies.The disparity between the world's major airlines is so great that Australian flyers have been warned by the nation's largest travel agency Flight Centre to ensure they take the surcharges into account before deciding which airline ...

As just stated by the EU Press Room, "Two years after the establishment of the first Community list of airlines subject to an operating ban in the European Union, the European Commission today adopted the seventh update of the 'blacklist'. The Commission is imposing a ban on all operations of ...

On 25 September 2005, Gottfried Heinrich was stopped at the security control of Vienna-Schwechat Airport as his cabin baggage contained tennis racquets, allegedly prohibited items. Nevertheless, he did board the plane with the tennis racquets in his baggage. Security staff subsequently ordered him to leave the aircraft. Heinrich brought proceedings ...

American Airlines interfered with the tipping process by imposing a fee on curbside baggage, a federal jury in Boston ruled. The airline imposed a $2 bag-check fee at the curbside two years ago, which skycaps, who are paid below minimum wage, were required to charge, USA Today reported.When they did, ...

As just stated by the EU Press Room, "The European Commission today introduced rules to harmonise conditions for the take-off of pan-European mobile communication services on aircraft. These services will allow businesspeople and consumers to receive and make calls and messages safely with their own mobile phones while flying all ...

According to the International Herald Tribune, "New President Raul Castro's government has lifted a ban on Cubans staying at hotels previously reserved for foreigners, ending another restriction that had been especially irksome to ordinary citizens.'They have informed us that with a national ID card, anyone can stay here,' an employee ...

The positive contribution of tourism to women empowerment can only be determined if poverty reduction and the enhancement of women's dignity and role in the work place are addressed. These are among the issues in UNWTO's Action Plan to Empower Women through Tourism, unveiled during ITB Berlin 2008 in early ...

As stated today by the EU Press Room, "On 21 December 2007, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia became part of the Schengen area. On Sunday 30 March 2008 at 0:00, the enlargement process will be completed by lifting air border controls between these ...

The open skies agreement between the US and the European Union goes into effect this weekend. But more choices and cheaper fares for travelers may be a little ways off, analysts say.The agreement between the United States and the European Union is to take effect on Sunday, March 31, and ...

Fourteen small white boxes with green glowing screens were installed this week at customs booths around John F. Kennedy International Airport here.Now, in addition to handing over a passport to Customs and Border Protection agents, every noncitizen visitor has to place all four fingers and thumb from each hand on ...

Easyjet, will mount a legal challenge over the stiff price increases imposed at Heathrow and Gatwick. A judicial review of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) decision could threaten the planned refinancing of BAA, the company that owns and operates the London hubs.Easyjet has retained London law firm Lane & Partners ...

The Air Transport Association has successfully challenged a New York state law that set minimum standards for treatment of airline passengers. The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that a federal law, the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, preempts the ability of states to govern such matters:"We hold ...

When booking the package tour wheelchairbound plaintiff was informed that the chosen hotel was not equipped for disabled persons. Upon arrival she was assigned a ground floor room, but, however had to transcend two steps, there was one more step inside the room and again two steps to get on ...

An advert that promoted larger seats on Virgin Atlantic aircraft has been rapped following complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The adverts appeared in magazines and newspapers promoting Virgin's Premium Economy class. They boasted an improved product with increased legroom and a separate cabin.Beneath a headline "Up to 45% ...

Vienna convention tourism set a new record in 2007. The number of conventions and similar events increased by 19 per cent to 2,764 last year. Overnights linked to them rose by 23 per cent to 1,419,044, and value added to the city economy went up by 30 per cent to ...

In 2006, following the privatisation of Aer Lingus by the Irish government, Ryanair acquired a 19.16% stake in that company. On 23 October 2006 Ryanair launched a public bid for the entire share capital of Aer Lingus and, one week later, notified the Commission of the proposed acquisition in accordance ...

In 1999 the tanker Erika shipwrecked off the Brittany coast . The heavy fuel oil spilled in the accident polluted amongst other things beaches in the Commune of Mesquer, which is now claiming damages from undertakings in the Total Group.In preliminray proceedings regarding interpretation of Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 ...