Globe Merchant Travel Blog

Each Way From To

$480 Boston, MA Amsterdam, Netherlands
$495 Philadelphia, PA Amsterdam, Netherlands
$520 Charlotte, NC Amsterdam, Netherlands
$550 Washington DC (DCA) Amsterdam, Netherlands
$610 Chicago, IL (ORD) Amsterdam, Netherlands
$520 New York, NY (LGA) Paris, France
$610 Charlotte, NC Paris, France
$630 Philadelphia, PA Paris, France
$630 Phoenix, AZ Paris, France
$645 Los Angeles, CA (LAX) Paris, France

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Purchase Ticket By Monday August 11, 2008.
Travel Complete Travel to/from Paris and Amsterdam is valid from August 9, 2008 through August 31, 2008.
Advance Purchase There is no advance purchase required for travel.
Minimum/Maximum Stay No minimum stay; 30-day maximum stay.
Cabin Coach.
Travel On All or part of service may be on (1) US Airways, (2) regional or jet aircraft operated by US Airways Express carriers Air Wisconsin, Chautauqua, Colgan, Mesa, Piedmont, PSA, Republic Airways, Trans States, (3) regional or jet aircraft operated by Mesa Airlines, (4) United Airlines(R), (5) Bahamasair, (6) Windward Islands Airways International, (7) Lufthansa, (8) Spanair, or (9) bmi.
Blackout Dates Blackouts do not apply.
Other The number of seats available for this sale is limited. All fares are subject to change until purchased.
Ticket Refundability Tickets are non-refundable.
Itinerary Changes Changes to this reservation are subject to a $150 minimum change fee per passenger for travel to/from the Caribbean and Mexico. A $250 maximum change fee per passenger applies for travel to/from Europe.
Routing Select markets may require nonstop routing.
Roundtrip Travel Required Yes.
Other Discount This is a discounted fare and may not be combinable with any other discounts. Travel vouchers, future travel awards or airchecks may not be used as a form of payment online.
Security Fee A September 11th security fee of $2.50 per flight segment will apply. A flight segment is defined as a take-off and landing.
Passenger Charge PFCs – Local airports assess PFCs up to $18 per passenger.
International Taxes Fares do not include international taxes and fees up to $89.
Purchase Through usairways.com, telephone reservations, or US Airways airport or city ticket offices. Tickets purchased through US Airways telephone reservations (800-622-1015) are $40 higher. Tickets purchased at US Airways airports or city ticket offices are $45 higher. Fares purchased through travel agents may incur additional fees.

More International USAir e-savers……

Travel Period Fares One-Way
from Boston
9.01.08 – 9.30.08
10.01.08 – 10.31.08 From $299*
From $299*

from Chicago
9.01.08 – 9.30.08
10.01.08 – 10.31.08 From $399*
From $309*

from New York JFK
9.01.08 – 9.30.08
10.01.08 – 10.31.08 From $299*
From $299*

from Washington Dulles
9.01.08 – 9.30.08
10.01.08 – 10.31.08 From $299*
From $299*

Hurry! Fares Expire August 8th

* Available at aerlingus.com through 8.08.08. Fares valid for midweek travel (Mon-Thu) on US originating scheduled Aer Lingus transatlantic services between specified cities and Dublin or Shannon. Fares valid for travel during specified travel period. Does not include government taxes/fees/facility charges of up to $55 eastbound and $95 westbound and the September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 for US enplanements. Weekend travel (Fri-Sun) $15 additional each way. Additional $16 each way for bookings made at airport or through (800) IRISH-AIR. Full payment is made at time of reservation. Fare is one-way, per person, economy class travel. Seats are limited and fare may not be available on all flights and dates. Higher fares may also be available throughout travel period. Tickets are non-refundable. $157 per ticket fee applies for name changes prior to departure. $60 per sector change fee applies for itinerary changes when made thru aerlingus.com. If any change results in a higher fare, passenger must pay the change fee plus the difference in fares. If change results in a lower fare, no refund applies. Frequent flyer points/mileage do not apply. Stopovers are not permitted. Valid for new bookings only. Other restrictions may apply. Visit aerlingus.com for full terms and conditions.

Late summer & fall:
Amsterdam from
$414*

Dublin from
$322*

Madrid from
$269*

Fall & winter:
Frankfurt from
$224*

London from
$308*

Paris from
$330*

More Fares

Terms & Conditions

Fares are shown in U.S. dollars for Economy Class travel on Lufthansa or United. Saturday night stay required and maximum stay is 30 days. Fares are one-way based on mid-week travel and round-trip purchase; weekend surcharges may apply. Tickets must be purchased at time of reservation. Fares are subject to change without notice and are based on the most direct routing to each destination. Additional transfers will increase the fare. Fares do not include applicable fees, taxes and airport charges up to $217, including the September 11th Security Fee of a maximum of $10 per round-trip. Mileage accrual is based on the fare paid in the applicable mileage program Lufthansa participates in. Seats are limited and may not be available on all days/flights. Tickets are non-refundable and other restrictions may apply.

As rising fuel prices put pressure on airlines, a new report has expressed concern at the financial security offered to passengers.
By Oliver Smith- Telegraph

The aviation industry is failing to provide passengers with adequate protection if airlines fail, according to a report by the Air Travel Insolvency Advisory Committee (ATIPAC).

ATIPAC, which advises the Civil Aviation Authority, called for an end to the current system in which scheduled airlines are able to operate without offering passengers the same financial security that package holidaymakers enjoy, through the Air Tour Organiser’s License (ATOL) system.

Passengers flying as part of a package holiday with ATOL-protected operators automatically have a £1 charge added to the price of their holiday, which contributes to a regulated insurance fund.

“Airlines are not providing suitable protection. In the event of an airline failing, passengers often have to pay their own repatriation costs and those yet to travel often have to pay for replacement flights”, said ATIPAC chairman John Cox. “This two-tier protection system must not be allowed to continue. All airlines must be brought into a financial protection scheme.”

The news comes in the wake of a report by Blue Oar investments claiming at least 50 European airlines face bankruptcy if the current decline in the aviation industry fails to improve.

Scandinavian carrier SAS, Alitalia, Greek airline Olympic, Polish carrier Lot and Hungarian Malev are said to be under pressure, according to the report.

Rising fuel costs and the worldwide credit crunch have already seen at least 25 airlines go bust this year, including Silverjet, Eos, Maxjet, ATA and Oasis Hong Kong, while EasyJet, Ryanair and British Airways have announced cutbacks in flights this winter and falling profit in the last few weeks.

Three of Europe’s other major airlines – Iberia, Air France and KLM – also announced major drops in profit. Madrid-based Iberia reported a first-half operating loss of more than 32 million euros – a 146 per cent fall compared with the same period last year, while the Air France-KLM group said its pre-tax profits had dropped by 58 per cent in the past three months.

Furthermore, the International Air Transport Association has called for action from airports, unions and governments after it announced a slowing down in the growth of demand for air travel.

Demand in June 2008 rose by 3.8 per cent compared with June 2007, the smallest rate of growth since 2003. European growth in June was just 2.1 per cent, down from 4.1 per cent in May.

International Weekend Getaway Fares

Travel Dates & Times for Weekend Getaway Fares
Depart anytime between Tuesday, August 12, 2008, and Friday, August 15, 2008.
Return anytime between Monday, August 18, 2008, and Wednesday, August 20, 2008.
Tickets must be purchased by this Sunday, August 10, 2008, 11:59 p.m. (CT).
Fares displayed are for round-trip coach class travel.

From/To/One Way Fare

Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX (DFW) – Monterrey, Mexico (MTY) $435
Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX (DFW) – San Luis Potosi, Mexico (SLP) $445
Freeport, Bahamas (FPO) – Miami, FL (MIA) $138
George Town, Bahamas (GGT) – Miami, FL (MIA) $178
Miami, FL (MIA) – Barranquilla, Colombia (BAQ) $198
Miami, FL (MIA) – Belize City, Belize (BZE) $448
Miami, FL (MIA) – George Town, Bahamas (GGT) $178
Miami, FL (MIA) – Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA) $168
Miami, FL (MIA) – Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR) $448
Miami, FL (MIA) – Panama City, Panama (PTY) $198
Miami, FL (MIA) – Tegucigalpa, Honduras (TGU) $448
San Juan, PR (SJU) – Bonaire, Netherlands AN (BON) $385
San Juan, PR (SJU) – La Romana, Dominican Republic (LRM) $245

*Taxes, fees and conditions apply.

Additional Fees and
Restrictions May Apply

Visit www.aa.com/netsaaver for additional fare offers for this weekend and other travel dates.

Warning of bankruptcies in ‘worst-ever’ trading
David Robertson, Rachel Sylvester and Alice Thomson

Airlines across Europe face their biggest crisis this winter as the high price of fuel threatens to bankrupt at least 50 carriers.

Weaker carriers will not survive the postsummer holiday crunch, aviation analysts say, as passenger demand falls because of higher fares and the worsening economy.

The gloomy outlook is shared by the heads of Britain’s largest airlines, British Airways and Ryanair. Willie Walsh, the chief executive of BA, said yesterday: “We will see a number of failures as there are quite a lot of weak carriers that will not survive. We are in the worst trading environment the industry has ever faced.”

Airlines are responding to the crisis by reducing the number of flights in the quieter winter months. BA said that it would make a series of cuts to its schedule after a 90 per cent fall in profits in the past three months. Ryanair also plans to cut routes and ground aircraft over winter.
Related Links

* Ryanair boss: recession will be just the ticket

* Time to say arrivederci to carriers

BA and Ryanair are among the strongest airlines operating in Europe and analysts believe that weaker carriers will be forced into more drastic action, such as merging with a rival, or they will go out of business. Douglas McNeil, of Blue Oar investments, said that more than 50 European airlines were under threat. His list includes names such as SAS (Scandinavia), Alitalia (Italy), Olympic (Greece), Malev (Hungarian) and Lot (Poland). The future of smaller British airlines such as bmi, Flybe and Monarch was also doubtful, he said in a report, Into Thin Air.

Mr Walsh said: “It’s a positive thing if some of these carriers go out of business, as it will take capacity out of the market. Look at Alitalia – it should not be allowed to continue in business. It is propped up by the illegal state aid from the Italians.”

The threat of bankruptcies could make passengers hesitant over which airlines to trust when booking winter breaks or business trips, exacerbating the problems some carriers face. Most airlines are expected to increase fares to offset the rapidly rising price of fuel, which now costs BA £8 million a day.

Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, has adopted a different strategy and will lower fares to keep his planes full – even if he loses money doing so. In an interview with The Times, he said that he intended to offer a million seats for £1 each in September and added that fares would fall by 5 per cent overall.

“It will never go horrendously wrong when you’re offering the cheapest fares in Europe. All we’ve got to do is keep flying more aircraft, opening up more routes and offering people more cheap flights,” he said. His strategy is to launch a price war that will put even greater pressure on weak airlines. When they go bust, Ryanair plans to step in and and take over their profitable routes.

Mr O’Leary said: “Our traffic will grow by 17 per cent, from 51 million to 58 million passengers, precisely for the reason that our profits will fall. We have guaranteed no fuel surcharges on Ryanair whatever oil price increases there are.

“We are the perfect airline for the recession. You don’t want to waste any money at the moment on overpriced flights that will be delayed out of Heathrow while your bags are lost.”

Rising oil prices have put all airlines under pressure and more than two dozen have already gone bankrupt worldwide. Airlines are adopting a number of strategies to survive, with fare increases and capacity cuts the most common. BA has raised its fuel surcharge, which is added to regular fares, three times this year. It is now £218 return for BA’s longest flights.

The airline also said yesterday that it would reduce its capacity by 3.1 per cent from October by halting flights to Newquay, Sarajevo in Bosnia, Dresden in Germany and Poznan in Poland. It will also reduce the frequency of many flights. Heathrow to New York will be cut from eight flights a day to seven and London to Tokyo from two a day to one. Other routes, such as Heathrow to Munich and Gatwick to Glasgow, will also be cut by roughly a flight a day.

More News from Times Online

Each Way From To

$130 Baltimore, MD Grand Cayman Island
$140 Chicago, IL (ORD) Grand Cayman Island
$175 Charlotte, NC Grand Cayman Island
$175 Boston, MA Cozumel, Mexico
$238 Charlotte, NC Cozumel, Mexico
$250 Philadelphia, PA Cozumel, Mexico
$300 New York, NY (LGA) Shannon, Ireland
$431 Boston, MA Shannon, Ireland
$460 Philadelphia, PA Shannon, Ireland
$540 Los Angles, CA (LAX) Shannon, Ireland

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Purchase Ticket By Monday August 4, 2008.
Travel Complete Travel to/from Shannon is valid from August 1, 2008 through August 31, 2008. Travel to/from Grand Cayman and Cozumel is valid from July 29, 2008 through August 17, 2008.
Advance Purchase There is no advance purchase required for travel.
Minimum/Maximum Stay No minimum stay; 30-day maximum stay.
Cabin Coach.
Travel On All or part of service may be on (1) US Airways, (2) regional or jet aircraft operated by US Airways Express carriers Air Midwest, Air Wisconsin, Chautauqua, Colgan, Mesa, Piedmont, PSA, Republic Airways, Trans States, (3) regional or jet aircraft operated by Mesa Airlines, (4) United Airlines®, (5) Bahamasair, (6) Windward Islands Airways International, (7) Lufthansa, (8) Spanair, or (9) bmi.
Blackout Dates Blackouts do not apply.
Other The number of seats available for this sale is limited. All fares are subject to change until purchased.
Ticket Refundability Tickets are non-refundable.
Itinerary Changes Changes to this reservation are subject to a $150 minimum change fee per passenger for travel to/from the Caribbean and Mexico. A $200 minimum change fee per passenger applies for travel to/from Europe.
Routing Select markets may require nonstop routing.
Roundtrip Travel Required Yes..
Other Discount This is a discounted fare and may not be combinable with any other discounts. Travel vouchers, future travel awards or airchecks may not be used as a form of payment online.
Security Fee A September 11th security fee of $2.50 per flight segment will apply. A flight segment is defined as a take-off and landing.
Passenger Charge PFCs – Local airports assess PFCs up to $18 per passenger.
International Taxes Fares do not include international taxes and fees up to $89.
Purchase Through usairways.com, telephone reservations, or US Airways airport or city ticket offices. Tickets purchased through US Airways telephone reservations (800-622-1015) are $40 higher. Tickets purchased at US Airways airports or city ticket offices are $45 higher. Fares purchased through travel agents may incur additional fees.

More International USAir e-savers……