Globe Merchant Travel Blog

Spring Vacations
to Ireland
Vacations starting at $699*
Book by February 3, 2014

click here for more info

Winter deals to Paris
r/t incld taxes & carrier surcharges
New York – Paris $940*
Houston – Paris $981*
Miami – Paris $1,012*
Boston – Paris $1,033*
Washington – Paris $1,050*
Detroit – Paris $1,060*
Atlanta – Paris $1,070*
Los Angeles – Paris $1,096*
San Francisco – Paris $1,103*
Other winter samples
r/t incld taxes & carrier surcharges
New York – Istanbul $601*
New York – Madrid $795*
Washington – Barcelona $893*
New York – Florence $896*
Boston – Geneva $950*
San Francisco – Barcelona $952*
Houston – Nice $972*
Washington – Rome $1,073*
Los Angeles – Nice $1,109

*Fares are round-trip and include taxes, carrier surcharge and applicable service fees. These fares are valid for departures through March 27, 2014. Tickets must be purchased before February 6, 2014 11:59PM EST. There is an additional $20-$30 weekend surcharge each way. Tickets must be purchased at least 14 days prior to departure date. A minimum 10 day stay is required and a maximum one month stay is permitted. Fares are non-refundable. Changes are allowed for a $250 fee plus fare adjustment fees. Additional conditions may apply. Fares are subject to class of service availability and may be changed or withdrawn without notice. Additional baggage fees may apply. Non-stop flights from the USA to Europe can be operated by Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines, or Alitalia. Segments within Europe can be operated by Air France, KLM, Alitalia, Air Europa, Transavia, Brit Air, CCM, Flybe, City Jet, Olympic Airways, TAROM, Aeroflot Russian, Bulgaria Air, CSA Czech Airways, Twin Jet, Regional, Ukraine Intl, BT, B2, Finnair, Rossiya-Russian Airlines, Austrian, JAT Airways.

Click here for more info….

By Iro-Anna Mamakouka on January 16, 2014-Greek Reporter
The increase in tourism in Greece has led to significant changes in domestic and foreign air travel. This has encouraged foreign airline companies to invest in Greece and to add new routes, competing directly with Greek airline Aegean-Olympic.

Low cost carrier Ryanair, announced yesterday its intention to strengthen its presence in Greece by creating new bases in Athens and Thessaloniki in April, offering domestic and foreign services. Ryanair officials wasted no time in pointing the finger at Aegean-Olympic for the “domestic monopoly which harms Greece’s economy.” Furthermore they stated that “Athens does not fully services the flight needs,” and “because of the high prices, flight demand decreases”.

Ryanair is betting on Greece with really cheap tickets of 12 euros for Athens to Thessaloniki.

According to Aegean, “the creation of new bases in Athens and Thessaloniki confirms the existence of an extremely competitive market within the frame of European airlines. This is exactly the reason for which the two largest Greek airline companies, Aegean and Olympic Air, were merged. The merger happened in order for a Greek airline company to develop and operate effectively so that it could represent our country in the European market.”

Ryanair is expected to offer about 154 flights from Athens and 212 from Thessaloniki, per week. The company also claims that its new expansion plans will lead to the creation of more than 1,200 jobs at its new base in Athens.

Sample March sale fares
New York-Dublin from $649*
Chicago-Dublin from $749*
Boston-Shannon from $599*
Boston-Madrid from $809*
*Travel March 1-31. Fares roundtrip & include taxes/charges.

Sample April-June sale fares
New York-Dublin/Shannon from $699*
Boston-Dublin/Shannon from $749*
Chicago-Dublin from $849*
New York-London from $949*
New York-Paris from $999*
San Francisco-Dublin from $1,099*
*Travel April 1-June 15. Fares roundtrip & include taxes/charges.

More info

Sample Sales to Europe from US Cities..
Flights from Chicago to:
London r/t from 868 $
Milan r/t from 934 $
Venice r/t from 974 $
Rome r/t from 1,034 $
Nice r/t from 1,073 $
Flights from Miami to:
Lisbon r/t from 841 $
Tel Aviv r/t from 870 $
Malaga r/t from 918 $
London r/t from 979 $
Frankfurt r/t from 1,101 $
Flights from New York to:
Milan r/t from 632 $
Tenerife r/t from 797 $
London r/t from 833 $
Venice r/t from 833 $
Lisbon r/t from 853 $

click here for more info…

Great Prices to Thessoloniki from Chicago! under $1000….
Go to AGreatFare.co and run a search on the flight widget. I found the flights in June, July and August.. you may have to search a little but the flights I found were July 30 to Aug 11… and a day later and a day early.. as well as some in June…. Good Luck! I wish I lived in Chicago!

(Reuters) – Aegean Airlines (AGNr.AT) may have to offer fresh concessions to secure EU approval for its second bid to buy Greek rival Olympic Air (MRFr.AT), after the EU’s competition watchdog deepened its investigation into the deal on Tuesday.

Aegean submitted concessions to the European Commission last month, including capping fares on some domestic routes. It sees the 72 million-euro ($94 million) deal as vital to its survival in the shrinking Greek air transport market.

But the Commission said in a statement on Tuesday that it was concerned a deal would lead to price rises and poorer services on some domestic routes out of Athens, where the combined group would have a monopoly or strong position.

The routes in question were used by Greek passengers as well as foreign travelers, it said.

“We have the duty to ensure that Greek passengers and people visiting Greece can travel at competitive air fares, even more so during challenging economic times,” EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said in the statement.

The Commission will now decide on the deal by September 3. Reuters had reported the Commission still had concerns earlier this month.

The regulator blocked Aegean’s first bid for Olympic in 2011, worried that the combined group would have a quasi-monopoly in the Greek air travel market.

And blocking another deal in the sector, the Commission rejected Ireland-based carrier Ryanair’s (RYA.I) third bid for Aer Lingus (AERL.I) in February this year, saying Europe’s biggest low-cost airline had not offered sufficient concessions.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Greg Mahlich)