Globe Merchant Travel Blog

Emerald Package from $959 per person

* Offer available at Aer Lingus Vacation Store via www.aerlingusvacationstore.com through 7.30.08. Additional $25 per person for bookings made though (800) 495-1632.

$959 discounted package price per person based on double occupancy and includes round-trip economy class airfare on valid Aer Lingus transatlantic services between New York JFK and Shannon for travel from 10.01.08 through 10.31.08, shared full size manual transmission car rental with unlimited mileage and 3rd party liability, first night’s prebooked at Clarion Hotel Limerick and five nights farmhouse Bed&Breakfast vouchers.
$979 discounted package price per person based on double occupancy and includes round-trip economy class airfare on valid Aer Lingus transatlantic services between Boston or Chicago and Shannon for travel from 10.01.08 through 10.31.08, shared full size manual transmission car rental with unlimited mileage and 3rd party liability, first night’s prebooked at Clarion Hotel Limerick and five nights farmhouse Bed&Breakfast vouchers.
Prices exclude gov’t taxes/fees/facility charges of up to $55 eastbound and $98 westbound plus the September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 for US enplanements. Seats/rooms are limited and may not be available on all flights/dates. Full payment is due at time of reservation. Flight restrictions/terms and conditions apply. Frequent flyer mileage/points do not apply. Tickets are non-refundable. Stopovers are not permitted. Substantial penalties apply for changes/cancellations. All offers apply to US originating passengers only and are valid for new bookings only. $120 savings is provided at the end of the Vacation Store booking process (applicable only when air and land are booked together) and is equal to $120 per person, or $240 for two people traveling together. Savings valid for round-trip travel between 8.24.08 and 10.31.08. Not valid for child and/or infant bookings. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Other restrictions/terms and conditionsmay apply. Visit www.aerlingusvacationstore.com or call (800) 495-1632 for full details on change/cancellation policy and detailed land offering.

Each Way From To

$270 Boston, MA St. Kitts
$300 Washington, DC (DCA) St. Kitts
$300 Chicago, IL (ORD) St. Kitts
$340 Charlotte, NC St. Kitts
$350 Baltimore, MD St. Kitts
$590 Boston, MA Paris, France
$610 Charlotte, NC Paris, France
$632 Phoenix, AZ Paris, France
$648 San Francisco, CA Paris, France
$648 Los Angeles, CA Paris, France

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Purchase Ticket By Monday July 28, 2008.
Travel Complete Travel to/from Paris is valid from August 1, 2008 through August 31 2008. Travel to/from St. Kitts is valid from July 22, 2008 through August 10, 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……

Travel Dates & Times for Weekend Getaway Fares
Depart anytime between Tuesday, July 29, 2008, and Friday, August 1, 2008.
Return anytime between Monday, August 4, 2008, and Wednesday, August 6, 2008.
Tickets must be purchased by this Sunday, July 27, 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) – Los Cabos, Mexico (SJD) $465
Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX (DFW) – San Luis Potosi, Mexico (SLP) – $445
Miami, FL (MIA) – Barranquilla, Colombia (BAQ) $168
Miami, FL (MIA) – Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA) $168
Miami, FL (MIA) – Panama City, Panama (PTY) $168
Nevis, Nevis (NEV) – San Juan, PR (SJU) $249
San Juan, PR (SJU) – Anguilla, Anguilla (AXA) $274
San Juan, PR (SJU) – Nevis, Nevis (NEV) $299

*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.

By RANDOLPH HEASTER
The Kansas City Star

Besides the former TWA overhaul base near KCI, American has maintenance hubs in Tulsa, Okla., and Fort Worth, Texas, plus many smaller U.S. bases. American Airlines will cut 1,500 jobs in its maintenance division as part of the 6,800 job cuts it announced two weeks ago.

It was not immediately known how many of those jobs would be in Kansas City.

American, which is reducing its fleet of aircraft, did not break down the cuts by location, saying those decisions had yet to be made. A spokeswoman for the airline did say Friday that the total would break down to 1,300 mechanics and 200 management and support staff.

Besides the former TWA overhaul base near Kansas City International, American has maintenance hubs in Tulsa, Okla., and Fort Worth, Texas, plus many smaller bases in the country. Besides maintaining American’s jets, workers at the hubs work on jets brought in by other carriers.

American has about 14,000 employees in its maintenance division, including management and support staff, and 13,000 of them are represented by the Transport Workers Union.

In Kansas City, American has more than 1,000 workers, including about 885 mechanics and other hourly employees at the maintenance base and airport.

Gordon Clark, president of Transport Workers Union Local 530 in Kansas City, said the company had not provided additional information about where the jobs would be eliminated. The airline, however, is in the midst of offering an early-retirement buyout program that could reduce the effect of an involuntary layoff, he said.

“With our senior work force here in Kansas City, it’s possible we could minimize the number of forced layoffs if enough people take the retirement,” said Clark, adding that workers have through most of August to decide whether to accept the package.

The Kansas City overhaul base lost about 800 jobs in 2004 and 2005, the last time American made cuts to cope with deteriorating financial conditions. Since then, city officials secured a new long-term lease for American to continue using part of the massive facility. Also, more work has returned to the base — both American’s and outside, third-party work — which has slowly added more jobs to the site.

But as fuel prices soared through 2008, the Fort Worth-based airline, part of AMR Corp., announced two weeks ago it would shed 8 percent of its work force — the 6,800 jobs — to cope with financial distress brought on by record fuel costs and a weakening economy. The company earlier said those cuts would include 900 flight attendant jobs and 200 pilot positions.

American plans to cut its U.S. flying by up to 12 percent after the busy summer travel season ends.

On Wednesday, American announced it would speed up the retirement of its 34 Airbus A300 aircraft by the end of next year instead of waiting until 2012. American and its feeder carrier, American Eagle, will ground 103 planes this year.

The Kansas City maintenance base works on American Eagle regional aircraft, but it currently does not do maintenance on the jets American is retiring later this year, the A300s and McDonnell Douglas MD-80s.

Clark said neither the company nor the union was to blame for the latest round of cuts.

“Our economy is what it is, and fuel prices are just killing our industry and our jobs,” he said. “It’s frustrating because there’s not a whole lot of control we have over those things.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. To reach Randolph Heaster, call 816-234-4746 or send e-mail to rheaster@kcstar.com.

Each Way From To

$98 Boston, MA Freeport, Bermuda
$98 Chicago, IL (ORD) Freeport, Bermuda
$98 Washington, DC (DCA) Freeport, Bermuda
$220 Charlotte, NC Freeport, Bermuda
$220 Philadelphia, PA Freeport, Bermuda
$533 Boston, MA Amsterdam, Netherlands
$550 Philadelphia, PA Amsterdam, Netherlands
$550 Baltimore, MD Amsterdam, Netherlands
$571 Orlando, FL Amsterdam, Netherlands
$575 Los Angles, CA (LAX) Amsterdam, Netherlands

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Purchase Ticket By Monday July 22, 2008.
Travel Complete Travel to/from Amsterdam is valid from August 1, 2008 through August 31, 2008. Travel to/from Freeport is valid from July 15, 2008 through August 3, 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……

Philadelphia – Milan from $391

Charlotte – Rome from $442

New York – Turin from $469

Boston – Venice from $495

Houston – Turin from $531

Washington – Rome from $536

More Fares

Terms & Conditions

Fares are shown in U.S. dollars for Economy Class travel on Lufthansa or United. Fares are one-way based on mid-week travel and round-trip purchase; weekend surcharges may apply. Saturday night stay required and maximum stay is 30 days. 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.

International Weekend Getaway Fares

Travel Dates & Times for Weekend Getaway Fares
Depart anytime between Tuesday, July 22, 2008, and Friday, July 25, 2008.
Return anytime between Monday, July 28, 2008, and Wednesday, July 30, 2008.
Tickets must be purchased by this Sunday, July 20, 2008, 11:59 p.m. (CT).
Fares displayed are for round-trip coach class travel.

From/To/One Way Fare

Anguilla, Anguilla (AXA) – San Juan, PR (SJU) $204
Bonaire, Netherlands AN (BON) – San Juan, PR (SJU) $245
Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX (DFW) – Belize City, Belize (BZE) $488
Dallas / Ft. Worth, TX (DFW) – Monterrey, Mexico (MTY) $435
Dominica, Dominica (DOM) – San Juan, PR (SJU) $205
Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL) – Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) $108
Miami, FL (MIA) – Belize City, Belize (BZE) $458
Miami, FL (MIA) – Guayaquil, Ecuador (GYE) $428
Miami, FL (MIA) – Medellin, Colombia (MDE) $488
Miami, FL (MIA) – Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) $108
Miami, FL (MIA) – San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL) $468
Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) – Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL) $108
Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) – Miami, FL (MIA) $108
New York Kennedy, NY (JFK) – London Heathrow, United Kingdom (LHR) $858
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (PLS) – Miami, FL (MIA) $278
San Juan, PR (SJU) – Dominica, Dominica (DOM) $295
San Juan, PR (SJU) – Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe (PTP) $395
San Juan, PR (SJU) – Tortola, British Virgin Islands (EIS) $270
St. Kitts, Nevis (SKB) – San Juan, PR (SJU) $157
St. Lucia, St. Lucia (SLU) – San Juan, PR (SJU) $185
Tortola, British Virgin Islands (EIS) – San Juan, PR (SJU) $220

*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.