Welcome to Ships and Cruises - Special Cruises

Part I

Travel News Briefs

Traveling by Ferrari In Italy

Italian tour operator Red Travel is offering self-drive tours in the latest Ferraris through Umbria, Tuscany and Lazio. The Turino-based agency also provides clients with a tour manager who transports your bags straight to the hotel. The self-drive tours can last from one to eight days and detailed itineraries are provided for each day’s travel and can be tailored to suit your every need. All this comes at a price however. The deposit for the Ferrari car rental begins at 15,000 euros or $19,000. More information at www.red-travel.com.

AAA Unveils First Online Travel Agency for Motorists
North America's auto club, AAA, has rolled out its proprietary, best-in-class mapping tool to everybody. AAA's expanded online travel agency is designed to meet the specific needs of auto travelers, who account for 88 percent of all leisure travel in the United States. Once reserved strictly for members, AAA's Internet TripTik(R) travel planner, located on http://www.aaa.com , links AAA's highly-rated mapping tool with AAA Chicago's vast storehouse of travel knowledge and information to create the nation's first online travel agency for motorists.
Part of a nationwide AAA initiative called Easy Access, AAA Chicago's renowned TripTik(R) services are available online to non-members for the first time. The new service combines full-color, high-resolution graphics with user friendly navigation and many other useful functions like being able to email a map to a friend -- all at no charge.
Travelers can use the TripTik(R) travel planner to find travel ideas and information by location. Area descriptions provide helpful visitor details, and colorful icons display specific categories of information such as sightseeing options to break up the drive, dining ideas for places you'll pass through during meal times, and quality hotels for overnight stays.
The site also features the first online mapping tool to provide the locations of and fuel prices for local gas stations. AAA recently added data for almost 100,000 U.S. gas stations to its popular TripTik(R) travel planner. Locations are updated weekly and multiple-grade fuel prices are updated four times daily. Simply mouse over each location to see prices for multiple fuel grades.

Culinary Travel Survey Provides Insights on Food and Wine Travelers
A first-of-its-kind national survey on the popular culinary travel niche market shows that 27 million travelers, or 17% of American leisure travelers, engaged in culinary or wine- related activities while traveling within the past three years, based on a new report from the Travel Industry Association (TIA), in partnership with Gourmet and the International Culinary Tourism Association.
The future is bright for the culinary traveler market, as the share of US leisure travelers interested in culinary travel in the near future (60%) is significantly larger than those currently engaged. These travelers are younger, more affluent and better educated than non- culinary travelers. They are clearly motivated by unique experiences, reinforcing the benefits of focusing on a destination's individual environmental and cultural elements. The survey was conducted by Edge Research among a representative sample of 2,364 U.S. leisure traveler respondents.
Culinary activities participated in while traveling include cooking classes, dining out for a unique and memorable experience, visiting farmers markets, gourmet food shopping and attending food festivals. Wine activities included participating in winery tours, driving a wine trail, tasting locally made wines and attending wine festivals.
The study also provided in-depth data about what is being called the serious culinary traveler, one who intentionally seeks out wine and food experiences while traveling. These serious culinary travelers are significantly different from other types of travelers, which has implications for any travel providers' strategy and marketing. Serious culinary travelers are more likely to shop, visit state and national parks and museums; specifically choose a destination to experience local culture and cuisine and read epicurean magazines, as well as publications such as Newsweek. "These differences suggest that this segment of the market may be responsive to travel packages that focus on the uniqueness of the destination and local food, wine and environment," said Catherine Makk, Executive Marketing Director for Gourmet. "It also suggests that travel providers and destinations should work together to offer immersion into the local culture, through not only wine and cuisine but also the hotel experience, leisure activities and more."
The fact that serious culinary travelers read highly specialized publications that cater to their interests confirms that magazines remain a viable channel for reaching this travel segment.
The study showed a slight majority of culinary travelers who participate in just food-related activities while traveling, with one-in-ten leisure travelers (10%), or 16 million Americans, reporting having done so. Another one-in-ten (9.4%), or 15 million Americans, participate in just wine-related activities. About 4 million leisure travelers participated in both food and wine activities.
On average, food travelers spend $1,194 per trip, with over one-third (36% or $425) of their travel budget going towards food-related activities. Those considered to be "deliberate" food travelers (culinary activities were the key reason for trip) tend to spend a significantly higher dollar amount of their overall travel budget on food-related activities ($1,271 average trip cost; $593 or 50% spent on food-related activities).
The top 15 destinations for food-related travel visited by the respondents (in order) include: California (14%), Florida (10%), New York (7%), Texas (6%), North Carolina (4%), Georgia (4%), Louisiana (3%), Illinois (3%), Nevada (3%), Pennsylvania (3%), Washington (3%), Hawaii (3%), Michigan (2%), Arizona (2%), Virginia (2%).
Wine travelers spend, on average, $973 per trip, with about one-fourth (23% or $219) of their travel budget going towards wine-specific activities. Those considered to be "deliberate" wine travelers spend more of their overall travel budget on wine-related activities ($950 average trip cost; $339 or 36% spent on wine-related activities).
The top 12 destinations for wine-related travel visited by the U.S. respondents in the survey include: California (31%), New York (10%), Missouri (5%), North Carolina (5%), Oregon (5%), Pennsylvania (5%), Washington (4%), Virginia (4%), Texas (4%), Florida (2%), Michigan (2%), Ohio (2%).
"Culinary Tourism has reached the tipping point as a niche and an industry. Unique food and drink are the perfect attractions, especially for second and tertiary destinations that now must market more proactively in the globally competitive market," said Erik Wolf, President and CEO of the International Culinary Tourism Association. "It's also the perfect tool for economic and community development because visitors fly, buy and try new food and drink and look for it when they return home, helping boost value-added food and drink exports. Every community should be looking for ways to promote its unique food and drink experiences."
For information on purchasing the survey, interested parties should contact Valerie Hutchinson, TIA, 202-218-3630 or vhutchinson@tia.org . Website: http://www.tia.org /

Gordon's Guide Announces the Release of Dude Ranch
Gordon's Guide - Adventure & Active Travel Worldwide (GG) has published the Dude Ranch Vacations & Horseback Adventures, Volume 2, the ultimate traveler's guide to riding vacations. The guide is a travel planner for active travelers and trade professionals featuring 88 of the finest dude ranches and horseback adventures throughout North America, Australia, France, Mexico and Chile. These vacation destinations represent the following categories:
- Dude and Guest Ranches
- Cattle Drives and Working Ranch Vacations
- Wagon Train Adventures
- Wilderness Pack Trip and Trail Ride Outfitters
- Luxury Inn and Lodge Riding Vacations
Dude Ranch Vacations & Horseback Adventures is packed with more than 400 inspiring photos and 134 pages of vacation information to help travelers research, plan and book the ultimate riding vacation. It includes complete descriptions of each vacation destination, full listings of amenities and activities, contact information, rates, indexes by location and activities, and information on wedding and conference facilities.
Volume 2 of Dude Ranch Vacations & Horseback Adventures is available for purchase at http://www.gordonsguide.com/publications.cfm and at many fine bookstores in North America.
Founded in 1997, Gordon's Guide - Adventure & Active Travel Worldwide is a leading publishing company based in Fresno, California.

Biking Germany: An Ultimate Stay Fit, Intimate and Rewarding Travel Experience
Discovering Germany by Bike, a new brochure offered by the German National Tourist Office, helps bikers plan a rewarding trip in Germany. Solo bikers or biking groups of any number are able to choose from hundreds of well organized, paved and auto-free biking routes found in the new brochure, some of which have been in existence for hundreds of years.
The 90 page brochure is chock-a-block full of different scenic routes, including the Fairytale River Experience along the Weser River in the land of Brothers Grimm, the Mosel Cycle Route, the Elbe River Route and the Neckar Valley path along the Castle Road. Whether you want to pedal down the Oder Neisse River separating Germany and Poland or cycle from Berlin to Copenhagen, the brochure outlines your travel, how to get there, bicycle rentals, luggage transfers, sightseeing opportunities, maps with mileage marked and literature on the regions and special packages. The brochure includes special tips for travelers, including renting bikes with global navigation systems, special spas, fun festivals and special, out-of-the-way restaurants offering local cuisine. You can plan a trip for two weeks or simply for one day! To order your brochure, visit www.ComeToGermany.com .
For those interested in booking tours directly with a US company, the German tourism office suggests www.Biketoursdirect.com , where cyclists can choose from over 50 diverse biking routes, including the Romantic Road, Baltic to Berlin, the Benedict Cycle Route the Elbe River and Saxon Switzerland and the Danube Bike Path. BikeToursDirect offers tours at local companies’ rates and arranges the booking and payments. Starting at $650 per week, self-guided tours include luggage transfers, hotel lodging, breakfasts, bike rentals, service hotline and route detail. Guided tours, which add dinners, ride-along guide and support van, start at $850. The company's web site outlines detailed information on each tour's level of difficulty, terrain, daily program, services, dates and prices. For more information, go to www.biketoursdirect.com .

Germany Comes in a New Look: www.ComeToGermany.com
The German National Tourist Office has re-launched its website: www.cometogermany.com with the Top Ten things to do and see in Germany!
In a new linear layout sprinkled with ever-changing and hip new photos of Germany’s destinations and events, www.ComeToGermany.com is an exciting portrayal of Germany today.
Germany’s new homepage introduces Germany’s Top Ten: Places To Go, Things To Do and Events including the Black Forest, Driving Trabis or watching the Rhine in Flames. And, an interactive map shows some of Germany’s top destinations, such as Leipzig and Kassel, which plays host this year to the documenta12 art exhibit.
Five new content areas of the site: About Germany, Culture and Events, Nature, Active and Recreation, Planning Your Trip, and About Us offer a wealth of information to experience the breadth and depth of Germany. Visitors will find the subsections and specific information on Shopping, Spas, Art and Music, Castles and Palaces, Car Experiences, Religious Traditions, UNESCO World Heritage Sites (31 in Germany), Wining and Dining, Events and Christmas Markets.
New dedicated sections for special interest travelers, including family travelers, family historians, business travelers, honeymooners, gay and lesbian and disabled travelers, offer specific information, resources and tips for traveling in Germany. For example, family historians seeking their roots in Germany will find links to Routes to the Roots, special exhibitions and to emigration centers in Germany. Business travelers will learn how they, in one extra overnight, can transform their business trip into an educational and enjoyable vacation and come home with presents for the entire family.
New travel tools make planning a trip to Germany easier than ever before. In one click, visitors can directly download brochures or order them online via the webshop or sign up for newsletters with special offers and deals. With the new travel planner tool and route finder, travelers can research their itineraries and even create their own travel brochures.
For a chance to win a free trip to Germany, visit www.cometogermanyNOW.com where 16 travel partners provide special offers from hotels and flights to city tours, package tours, including river cruising and more!

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Air Travel News & Offers

JetBlue Revises Earnings Guidance For 2007; Issues Passenger Bill of Rights
JetBlue Airways Corporation has announced revised first quarter and full year 2007
guidance to incorporate material changes in its projections due to the service disruptions resulting from the February 14, 2007 New York metropolitan area ice storm and related recovery period.
For the first quarter of 2007, JetBlue now expects to report an operating margin between negative four and negative two percent based on an assumed aircraft fuel cost per gallon of $1.89, net of hedges. The Company's pre-tax margin is expected to be between negative ten and negative eight percent for the first quarter 2007.
JetBlue estimates it will report a full year 2007 operating margin between eight and ten percent based on an assumed aircraft fuel cost per gallon on $1.94, net of hedges. The Company's pre-tax margin is expected to be between three and five percent for the full year 2007.
Twos days earlier JetBlue announced announces a comprehensive customer promise and
compensation program called "The JetBlue Customer Bill of Rights." Key provisions of the JetBlue Customer Bill of Rights have been made retroactive to Feb. 14, 2007 and include notification to customers of delays prior to scheduled departure, cancellations and their cause, and diversions and their cause.
JetBlue will also take the necessary action to deplane customers if an aircraft is ground-delayed for five hours. JetBlue Captains have discretion if the aircraft is positioned and almost ready for take-off. Also passengers will receive appropriate compensation commensurate to their delays or cancelled flights.
To view JetBlue's Customer Bill of Rights and hear a message from David Neeleman, CEO of JetBlue, click www.jetblue.com .

Air France To Introduce Morning Flight Between New York And Paris
In May Air France will launch a new early morning flight from New York/JFK to Paris/Charles De Gaulle International Airport. The flight will feature two-class service on an A330-200 plane. AF005 departs JFK at 7:45 am and arrives Paris/CDG at 9 pm European time. The new flights also offers convenient same-day short connections to Banui, Hong Kong, Luanda, Shanghai, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Malabo, Singapore, Dubai, Libreville, Pointe Noire and Tokyo.
The return flight, AF004, departs Paris/CDG at 9 pm and arrives New York/JFK at 11:15 pm the same day, allowing for a full business day in Paris or connections from other parts of the world.
Language lessons Introduced on Long-Haul Flights In April
In another innovative move, the airline in partnership with Berlitz will be offering long-haul passengers beginner lessons in 23 languages on their in-seat video monitors on Boeing 7677-300s, beginning in April
Air France Launches Clear Program At New York/JFK Terminal 1
This month, Clear® Registered Traveler, Air France and Terminal 1 launched the Clear program at JFK’s Terminal 1. Now customers can take advantage of the Clear program by registering a www.airfrance.com/us . The Clear® Registered Travel program allows business travelers and other frequent flyers to pay an annual fee of $99.95, and to provide background information about themselves to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for prescreening. If approved they will receive a biometric ID card that will them expedited access though airport-security checkpoints.

Iberia Launches Service from Boston with Special Fares
Iberia will commence flights from Boston to Madrid as of May 6 with five (5) frequencies a week, and will be the only airline offering non-stop flights between the capital of Massachusetts and Madrid. To mark the occasion, special launching fares will be offered from Boston to Spain starting at $549* and to the rest of Europe starting at $569*. Fares are valid for maximum of (30) days for travel commencing on/after May 6, 2007 and on/before June 15, 2007
The Iberia flight departing Boston will operate as IB6260, departing at 18:20, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, arriving in Madrid-Barajas Airport at 07:20 the following morning. This enables passengers to connect with the first flights to other Spanish and European cities. The inbound flight will operate as IB6261, departing Madrid at 13:25 and arriving in Boston at 15:40.
The flights will operate with Airbus A340-300 aircraft, with a capacity of 260 passengers, in which Iberia also offers its Business Plus service for corporate customers.
Website: www.iberia-usa.com

When In Doubt, Keep Fido Home
The Humane Society of the US is strongly urging air travelers to keep their pets at home. The warning aimed specifically at larger canines who must travel in cargo holds, comes after the recent weather caused widespread flight delays and cancellations. Says Wayne Pacelle, president of HSUS, “the best thing to do is leave pets at home if there is any risk of major flight delays.” This is good advice since some planes were delayed on the tarmac for as much as 11 hours, causing needless stress to animals who were confined to cages in cargo holds.

Singapore Airlines Offers Southeast Asia Air Pass
For a limited time, Singapore Airlines is offering the Southeast Asia Air Pass allowing passengers who fly roundtrip from New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles to Singapore to add on another three roundtrip excursions to any one of the airlines 26 destinations for a total price of $1,699. Add an extra $199 and more side trips can be added. A big bonus is that passengers flying out of San Francisco can try the airline’s new economy seats on the B777-300 that are 19 inches wide and enjoy as well a generous-sized entertainment monitor, USB ports and a large selection of on-demand entertainment options. Offer ends May 31. More details at www.asiapass.com.

SWISS Increases Service Between Los Angeles and Zurich
SWISS is adding an additional frequency to the Los Angeles to Zurich route. Starting February 20, one additional frequency will be added on Tuesdays, offering flights from Los Angeles six days a week with an Airbus A340 aircraft. Starting July, new daily operations will begin with the addition of service on Sundays.
Travel options also become broader for SWISS passengers heading for Japan and Africa. SWISS will increase its Zurich to Tokyo service to a daily operation as of February 19. And in July, service to Johannesburg, South Africa increases to daily flights.

Icelandair Introduces Increased Summer Schedule, New Gateways and Destinations
In addition to its regularly scheduled evening service, Icelandair will bolster its summer 2007 schedule with early afternoon departures four times weekly from Boston and three from New York-JFK. The new flights will be added to the schedule in May and continue through mid September. "These flights are designed to give our passengers an option of daytime or overnight flights to Iceland," said Gunnar Eklund, General Manager-The Americas. "Our summer flights out of Boston and New York have had very high load factors, with growing demand," Eklund added, "making this the impetus for further network growth."
Icelandair will renew its service from Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 17, 2007, with three weekly flights from this Canadian gateway. The four-hour flight will allow quick and easy connections to Icelandair's destinations in Scandinavia, Great Britain and Continental Europe via the airline's hub in Reykjavik, Iceland. Icelandair offered flights from Halifax from May 1996 through October 2001.
Bergen, Norway, the colorful gateway to the fjords, and Gothenburg, Sweden, the country's second largest city and major seaport, will be added to Icelandair's route network in May 2007, continuing through early September. The new destinations will increase Icelandair's service with as many as ten flights per day from Iceland to the Nordic countries. Icelandair also provides flights to Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Helsinki in Scandinavia, as well as other destinations in Great Britain and Continental Europe. Flights to Bergen will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Gothenburg on Thursdays and Sundays with connections from Icelandair's North American gateways in Boston, New York-JFK, Baltimore/Washington, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Orlando Sanford and Halifax through the airline's hub in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Icelandair reservations and information are available at (800) 223-5500 and online at http://www.icelandair.com.

EL AL Announces Savings on Spring Airfares Plus a Combined Air/Hotel Package EL AL, Israel's national airline, announces greatly reduced spring Early Bird airfares and a five-night attractively priced air/hotel package. These spring specials are available to passengers flying EL AL nonstop from New York (JFK/Newark), Miami, and Los Angeles to Israel.
Early Bird airfares offer EL AL passengers additional savings for travel to Israel this spring. From New York (JFK/Newark), passengers can fly nonstop to Tel Aviv for just $795. From Miami, EL AL passengers can fly for just $995 and take advantage of a new third nonstop flight so that departures will be every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Passengers flying nonstop from Los Angeles can travel for $1,095 on EL AL, the only airline offering nonstop service to Israel. These Early Bird fares are available for travel from April 3 through June 19, 2007.
EL AL has partnered with the Dan Panorama hotels in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa to offer roundtrip air combined with a stay of five consecutive nights in these first class, centrally located hotels with an unforgettable Israeli breakfast every day. This spring Early Bird special package is available to passengers flying nonstop from New York (JFK/Newark), Miami and Los Angeles as well. From New York (JFK/Newark) the price is just $1,169, from Miami the cost is $1,409 and from Los Angeles the package is $1,509. EL AL's Early Bird airfare/hotel packages are valid for travel from April 12 through June 19, 2007. The prices are per person and are based on double occupancy.
To reserve a spring Early Bird airfare or the EL AL /Dan Panorama package, passengers should contact their travel agent, call EL AL at 1-800-EL AL SUN (that's 800-352-5786) or purchase online at www.elal.com .
EL AL offers only nonstop flights between the U.S.A. and Israel. The EL AL spring schedule includes 18 weekly nonstop flights from New York (JFK/Newark) and the only nonstop service between Miami and Israel, with a third weekly nonstop flight as of March 25, 2007. The carrier also offers the only nonstop service between Los Angeles and Israel with three flights a week, increasing to four nonstop flights from June 25 through August 27, 2007
The above roundtrip airfare and air/hotel package are available on select EL AL flights and are subject to availability. Above prices do not include $83.20 applicable taxes. (These include the September 11 security fee of $2.50 per U.S. enplanement, up to $5 one-way and $10 roundtrip.) EL AL reserves the right to cancel promotions at any time. Cancellation/change penalties and other restrictions apply.

Royal Jordanian and American Airlines to Begin Code Share Cooperation
American Airlines (AA) announced it has applied to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) for authorization to begin code-share cooperation with Royal Jordanian. The application proposes that code-sharing operations begin on March 25, 2007.

AA and American Eagle Airlines Upgrade Service in Raleigh/Durham
American Airlines and its regional affiliate American Eagle will add new round-trip service from Raleigh/Durham to three new markets and upgrade two others to mainline service. Beginning May 1, 2007, American Eagle will operate two daily nonstop flights each to Louisville, Kentucky; Jacksonville, Florida; and Kansas City, Missouri, using 37-seat and 44-seat Embraer jets.
In addition, on April 10, American will add one daily nonstop flight from Raleigh/Durham to New York LaGuardia using an MD80 aircraft, with American Eagle keeping eight flights between the two airports. Also, American will operate MD80 aircraft to replace American Eagle on the Raleigh/Durham to Austin, Texas, route.
American Airlines is a founding member of the global oneworld(R) Alliance.

AirTran Airways Ramps Up Service to Orlando
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc., has announced that it will expand its ever-growing route map with additional nonstop service to one of the nation's top leisure markets. Effective May 8, 2007, the airline will introduce new nonstop service between Orlando and both Memphis and Kansas City. At the same time, AirTran Airways will launch a second daily nonstop flight between Milwaukee and Orlando.

Marathon Airport In Florida Keys Reopens
Commercial air service returned to the middle Florida Keys on Thursday after a six-year hiatus, promising to bring a financial boost while giving tourists more direct access to the island chain. Delta is offering a daily flight to and from its Atlanta hub and Marathon, with an additional arrival in Marathon on Friday and an additional departure to Atlanta on Saturday. Flights range from just under $500 to more than $1,000 per ticket.
Marathon is a city of 11,000 people about an hour's drive from both the fishing and diving destination of Key Largo and historic Key West. For the past six years, tourists have had the inconvenient option of flying into Miami and driving up to three hours or more to reach their Keys destination by using U.S. Highway 1. They also fly into Key West's busy airport, which has 60 flights per day, and drive to Marathon.

BAA Heathrow Unveils Plans To Re-develop Terminal 3
BAA has unveiled plans to re-develop Heathrow's Terminal 3 and modernize the terminal's forecourt as part of its investment program to transform the central terminal area at the airport. This work will significantly improve the passenger experience, reduce traffic congestion, develop better pedestrian routes and improve security in the area in front of Terminal 3.
The opening of a new multi-level car park and the demolition of the old car park 3 has made way for the re-development of Terminal 3's forecourt and an extension to the south east side of the terminal building.
Redevelopment will provide a new four-lane drop off forecourt, creating about 40 percent additional capacity to relieve congestion and provide better access and will also include a new 40-meter deep pedestrianized plaza with a large canopy in front of the terminal to provide a sheltered area for passengers and clear orientation zones to check-in.
A new subway connection from the existing subway to the new plaza for improved access to public transport is also planned. And there will also be a new Drive Thru check in facility for Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class passengers and a dedicated back of house area for consolidated retail deliveries to reduce the number of delivery vehicles and their journeys to and from the terminal. "This re-development of Terminal 3 is an important step towards transforming Heathrow into a modern gateway for the UK,” said Tony Douglas, CEO, BAA Heathrow. “The new forecourt will provide a lighter, more spacious environment for our passengers and airlines. The re-development will take place this year and we expect to have the terminal's improvements and forecourt ready by the end of 2007. The changes will significantly improve our passengers' experience of Terminal 3 as we prepare for the terminal being occupied by different airlines from 2008.”

JetBlue Announces New Nonstop New York/Nantucket Service
JetBlue Airways Corporation is making it easier than ever to jet off to the surf and
sand of Nantucket this summer with the launch of new nonstop service from its hometown hub at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, beginning May 24. The low-fare, high-value airline will offer convenient daily service to the popular Massachusetts island resort for the peak season through September 24(b), with additional weekend
flights operating throughout the summer. To celebrate the introduction of JetBlue's service to the island, the award-winning airline is offering a special fare of $49(a) each way for
nonstop flights between New York and Nantucket. Regular fares between
New York and Nantucket will range from $79(a) to $279(a) each way. Easy
connections to Nantucket from other cities including Charlotte, NC;
Richmond, VA; and Buffalo and Syracuse, NY, are available via New
York/JFK for a low introductory fare of $74(a) each way.
In addition to new seasonal nonstop service on JetBlue from NewYork/JFK to Nantucket, JetBlue customers will gain year-round access to Nantucket and other Cape Islands destinations through a new marketing partnership announced today between JetBlue and
Massachusetts-based airline Cape Air. Beginning March 19, 2007, JetBlue will place its code on flights operated by Cape Air*, allowing customers to book travel on a single itinerary between the Cape and Islands and 20 JetBlue destinations that connect in Boston(c). This partnership offers customers low fares, one-stop reservations, simplified baggage check-in and transfer, frequent flier benefits, and fast same-terminal
connections beginning March 19, 2007.
JetBlue's service between New York and Nantucket:

     New York/JFK to                    Nantucket, MA (ACK) to
   Nantucket, MA (ACK)                     New York/JFK
--------------------------------------------------------------------
    Depart-Arrive                           Depart-Arrive
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5:30 p.m. - 6:55 p.m.                   7:30 p.m. - 9:05 p.m.
(daily, eff.                           (daily, eff.
   May 24-Sept. 24)                       May 24-Sept. 24)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
9:30 p.m. - 10:55 p.m.                  10:55 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.
(Friday only, eff.                     (Saturday only, eff.
   June 22-Aug. 31)                       June 23-Sept. 8)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
9:00 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.                  6:50 a.m. - 8:20 a.m.
(Saturday only, eff.                   (Monday only, eff.
   June 23-Sept. 8)                       July 9-Sept. 10)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JetBlue will serve Nantucket Memorial Airport with its 100-seat EMBRAER 190 jets, the largest and most spacious aircraft flying to the island. Members of TrueBlue, JetBlue's customer loyalty program, will earn two points on flights between New York and Nantucket, with double points awarded for travel purchased online at www.jetblue.com .
*Nonstop service between Boston and Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and Provincetown operated by JetBlue partner airline Cape Air. Nonstop service between New York/JFK and Nantucket operated by JetBlue.

China Southern Airlines To Expand In 2007
China Southern Airlines has announced a major international expansion this year. Eight new air routes to Cambodia, India, Japan, Laos, United Arab Emirates as well as Nigeria and Angola are slated to begin. Flights from Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport will fly to cities including: Dubai, Luanda, New Delhi, Phuket, Sendai, Sapporo, Siem Reap, Vientiane and Yangon.
This new International expansion is a major step in China Southern’s construction in building Guangzhou as a major global business and logistic destination.
Website: www.cs-air.com/en
By the close of February 2007, China Southern Airlines will operate 82 international and regional services. Guangzhou and Beijing will serve as its major airport hubs with regional airports in Urumqi in China’s northeast and Shenyang in the northwest serving as an air network covering all of Asia with convenient connections to Africa, Australia, Europe and the United States. China Southern Airlines currently operates 22 Guangzhou-outbound international and regional routes, with direct services to the major cities in North America, Europe, Australia, South East Asian areas, Japan and South Korea.

American Eagle Add New Weekend Service From Halifax to Chicago O'Hare
American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, will add weekend nonstop service between Halifax International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport beginning May 1, 2007.

JetBlue In Talks With Aer Lingus For Possible Alliance
Aer Lingus and JetBlue are in negotiations to creating an alliance for itineraries that include both the Irish and American low-cost carriers. The goal is to provide JetBlue's network to Aer Lingus customers and make our inventory available to them, and vice versa, for flights out of New York's Kennedy Airport according to a JetBlue spokesperson.
JetBlue has been exploring for several months potential liaisons with international carriers at Kennedy, especially since their new Terminal 5, which is scheduled to open in 2008 will have 26 gates.
The low-cost carriers are still working out most of the details of a planned partnership but at this time the airlines are not expected to place their codes on each other’s flights.

United Celebrates Washington DC-Beijing Service with Special Fares, Bonus Miles
United will introduce the first-ever nonstop, capital-to-capital service between Washington, D.C., and Beijing beginning March 28, 2007, and is offering customers a chance to travel to the city with special low fares and bonus Mileage Plus(R) miles. Customers may book their travel at www.united.com and earn bonus miles, or call United Reservations at 1-800-UNITED1 (1-800-864-8331).

Continental Announces Nonstop Service Between Houston and Loreto, Mexico
Continental Airlines will begin twice-weekly flights between George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, and Loreto, Mexico, the airline's 31st Mexican destination, on June 7, 2007. Continental already offers service to more destinations in Mexico than any other U.S. airline.
Located in the southern part of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, Loreto is a popular eco-tourism destination. Loreto offers tranquil beaches with mountains in the distance; five islands off the coast for kayaking, hiking, scuba diving and sport fishing; and a National Marine Park, a protected marine bio-region.
The new Continental flight will depart Houston at 10:15 a.m. on Thursdays and Sundays during peak travel season (summer, winter and spring), arriving in Loreto at 12:45 p.m. The return flight departs Loreto at 1:15 p.m., arriving in Houston at 5:45 p.m. Flights are timed for convenient connections to the Midwest and East Coast. In the fall, the service will operate once a week on Saturdays. Continental will utilize the Embraer-145XR jet on the flights. The EMB- 145XR aircraft seats 50 passengers; all seats are either aisle or window, with no middle seats.

GOL Launches Daily Flights To Lima, Peru From Rio de Janeiro
GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, Brazil's low-cost, low-fare airline, has launched daily flights to Lima, Peru out of Rio de Janeiro. The new route, connecting Brazil and the Andean country, is an important part of GOL's expansion plans in South America. Daily flights will depart from Galeao Airport, in Rio de Janeiro, making one stop at Sao Paulo's Guarulhos airport.
Lima is the Company's eighth international destination -- GOL currently flies to Buenos Aires, Rosario and Cordoba (Argentina), Montevideo (Uruguay), Asuncion (Paraguay), Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) and Santiago (Chile).
Website: www.voegol.com.br

Consumer Reports Investigation Finds Safety Concerns Due to Outsourcing
The Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS), AFL-CIO, the union that represents more than 11,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, has called the findings of a new investigation by Consumer Reports magazine (March 2007) a "wake up call to the FAA." The article, titled "An accident waiting to happen?" explores the air safety concerns arising from the increasing trend of outsourcing maintenance and inspection responsibilities.
Consumer Reports found that while airlines are increasing their reliance on overseas maintenance facilities, which are subject to less oversight and fewer inspections, the FAA is reducing the actual number of inspections of repair facilities and airline oversight in general, causing the margin of safety to decrease as airlines contract out more than half of their maintenance work. The article highlights that domestic and foreign repair stations are relying on staff that is not licensed and does not undergo security screenings. Also emphasized is the FAA's growing reliance on statistical-based analysis rather than physical inspections of repair facilities. Most troubling, states Consumer Reports, is that this is happing concurrent to the FAA allowing the number of safety inspectors responsible for overseeing the industry to dissipate through attrition.
"We commend Consumer Reports for calling attention to this very serious issue. Our repeated warnings to the FAA have fallen on deaf ears for a long time," said Linda Goodrich, PASS regional vice president. "The FAA is playing a dangerous game by promoting increased reliance on outsourced maintenance overseas at the same time they are allowing the number of inspectors to shrink, with 50 percent of inspectors being eligible to retire by 2010. It is literally a disaster waiting to happen."
PASS represents more than 11,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures and perform quality analyses of the aviation systems. For more information, visit the PASS Web site at http://www.passnational.org.

SWISS Moves To Terminal 1 At New York/JFK International Airport
Swiss International Air Lines will move to Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on March 1 (from Terminal 4).“We look forward to our new home at Terminal One which is a step toward closer
cooperation with our Star Alliance partner, Lufthansa,” said Steven Diggelmann,
SWISS Area Manager, the Americas.
All SWISS flights arriving into and departing from JFK International Airport in New
York will do so from Terminal One on March 1.Terminal One offers passengers the
newest, most efficient and user friendly passenger facility at JFK. SWISS passengers
will further enjoy the convenience and accessibility to SWISS’ three nonstop flights
per day (two to Zurich and one to Geneva).
Terminal One completed in 1998, is built on 36 acres and is an estimated 639,000
square feet offering passengers an open, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere prior
to boarding and arriving. It is the first stop on the Air Train System, and first
passenger terminal accessible from the JFK Expressway. A convenient multi-level
vehicle parking garage is located just steps away from the terminal.
A retail shop atrium is centrally located along the passenger corridors for duty-free shopping. Other Terminal 1 conveniences include a hotel desk, transportation desk & concierge desk; currency exchange counters, automated teller facilities; nine food concessions (restaurants, bars, café style kiosks; three spa locations; five · large baggage claim carousels for inbound baggage from arriving flights; 12 US Customs interview booths; and spacious departure level security check-point consisting of four screening lanes.

New Airlines At Zurich Airport, Plus Additional Destinations
Zurich Airport is pleased to announce the addition of the following airlines and destinations. With US Airways, another airline will be offering flights to North America, with a daily service between Zurich and Philadelphia. BMI Regional will be introducing a daily service between Zurich and the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. Air Baltic is to expand its range of services to and from Zurich, and will be flying three times a week to Vilnius as well as Riga. And with effect from May 2007, Air Berlin will be adding some new destinations to its program.
With effect from 26 March 2007, UK airline and Star Alliance member BMI Regional will be operating a daily service between Zurich and Edinburgh with an Embraer ERJ-145. These direct flights mean that travelers can now reach the Scottish capital in approximately 2 hours, which represents a welcome improvement on the previously existing service requiring transfers.
From 27 April 2007, Air Baltic will be flying to the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, three times a week, in addition to Riga. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday it will be operating an early evening flight between Zurich and Vilnius with a Boeing 737-500.
From May 2007, Air Berlin will also be operating flights from Zurich to a number of new destinations: It will be flying to Rostock, Thessaloniki and Rhodes on Saturdays, and to Crete, Kos and Ibiza on Sundays.
As of 8 June 2007, US Airways will be operating a daily service between Zurich and Philadelphia, which it will continue until the end of the summer flight plan. Flights will depart from Zurich at 10.25 a.m. and arrive in Philadelphia at 1.35 p.m. local time. This service will be operated with a Boeing 767. US Airways is a member of Star Alliance, to which Swiss International Air Lines also recently became affiliated.

New CEO For Eos Airlines
Eos Airlines has announced that Jack L. Williams has joined the company as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Williams, whose career spans more than 30 years as a senior executive with American Airlines and Royal Caribbean Cruises, will assume the CEO title from David Pottruck. Pottruck will continue as Chairman of Eos, a role he has held since July 2005, but he will no longer serve as the interim CEO. Eos Founder and Chief Strategic Officer David Spurlock will also maintain his current responsibilities.

Emirates Airline Launches Nonstop Houston-Dubai Service
Emirates, one of the world's most successful and fastest-growing international airlines, today announced the December 3rd launch of its new Boeing 777-200LR non-stop service between Houston and Dubai which will initially operate three times a week, increasing to a daily service starting February 1, 2008.
Flight EK212 departs Houston (IAH) at 6:25 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and arrives in Dubai (DXB) at 7:35 p.m. the next day.
The return flight EK211 departs Dubai at 9:05 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and arrives in Houston at 4:10 p.m. the same day.
Currently, Emirates has three daily flights to Dubai from JFK.
On the Houston-Dubai route, Emirates' technologically-advanced 777-200LR aircraft will offer the latest in-flight amenities, featuring 266 seats in a three-class configuration with up to 18 tons of cargo capacity. Designed for optimum comfort on ultra long-haul travel, it will be fitted with eight luxurious private suites in First class, 42 of its latest lie-flat seats in Business class, and generous space for 216 passengers in Economy class. Emirates will also operate the flight with two crews onboard, to ensure passengers receive the highest levels of service and care throughout the journey.
When launched, the Houston-Dubai non-stop service will also be one of Emirates' longest flights at just over 15 hours flying time to Dubai, while the longer return journey will be at 17 hours flying time.
In addition to Houston, Emirates has already unveiled plans to start services in 2007 to Venice in July, Newcastle in September, and Sao Paulo in October.

Frontier Airlines to Begin Service to Mazatlan, Mexico in June
DFW International Airport today announced that Frontier Airlines will offer new international service from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Mazatlan, one of Mexico's top tourist destinations. Frontier's new service will begin on June 7, flying three days a week with rates as low as $178 for a round trip ticket.
The new service will operate three flights a week, on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Frontier Airlines plans to fly the route with its new Airbus A319 aircraft, which boast DIRECTV offerings at every seat and 33 inches of legroom.
Mazatlan becomes the 15th Mexican destination available via nonstop service from DFW. Frontier Airlines added DFW to its list of 10 other domestic airports around the country currently serving international destinations.
Reservations for the new $178 round trip rate to Mazatlan can be made at http://www.frontierairlines.com and the introductory fares will be available until March 28, 2007.

Hawaiian AirlinesRanks #1 in 2006 for On-Time Performance, Baggage Handling
Hawaiian Airlines again led the nation's carriers in overall performance against key consumer measures for 2006, ranking #1 nationally for punctuality and baggage handling, while finishing in the top four for fewest oversales and cancellations in the latest U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Air Travel Consumer Report, issued this month. This marked the third consecutive year that Hawaiian recorded the best on-time results and top overall performance of all carriers ranked, as well as the second straight year Hawaiian finished at the top of the industry for baggage handling.

Hawaiian had the best on-time performance rankings for 10 out of 12 months in 2006, with 93.8 percent of its flights arriving on schedule for the entire year. Hawaiian -- which holds the industry record of 36 consecutive months as the nation's #1 on-time airline -- finished the year 13.1 percentage points ahead of second-place Frontier Airlines and eclipsed the industry average of 75.4 percent by a remarkable 18.4 percentage points. (To meet DOT standards, a flight must arrive within 15 minutes of schedule to be considered on time.)
Hawaiian was also the nation's best airline in 2006 at taking care of its customers' luggage with just 3.14 mishandled baggage reports for every 1,000 passengers carried. Hawaiian ranked #1 for eight months of the year, including six consecutive months from May through October. JetBlue Airways was second at 4.09 mishandled baggage reports for every 1,000 passengers.
For the second straight year, Hawaiian recorded the industry's third-best record for fewest oversales, with only 79 involuntary denied boardings out of 6.2 million passengers in 2006, resulting in a score of 0.13 percent for every 10,000 passengers. JetBlue Airways and AirTran Airways finished one-two ahead of Hawaiian in the oversales category.
Hawaiian had the fourth best score for fewest cancelled flights during the year at 0.5 percent representing 253 cancellations out of 52,173 total flights, trailing Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Continental Airlines. In addition, Hawaiian ranked eighth overall for fewest consumer complaints in 2006, with a score of 0.64 percent for every 100,000 passengers served, despite being the subject of only 40 complaints out of 6.2 million passengers served.
The DOT report covers 20 airlines, including 10 carriers providing service to Hawaii. The report for December is available online at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/atcr07.htm .

AAs Offers Free Upgrade to Business Class Travelers on New York-London Route
American Airlines is offering its U.S.-based Business Class customers traveling between New York and London the opportunity to move up to the First Class cabin at no additional cost. Passengers who buy a qualifying* Business Class ticket for travel between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and London's Heathrow Airport through March 31, 2007, can upgrade to First Class for free and enjoy the advantages of flying First Class across the Atlantic Ocean on American's wide- body aircraft.
American offers 12 nonstop flights each business day between JFK and Heathrow (six flights each way), each operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft, the largest aircraft in the American fleet.
*Free Upgrade Offer Terms and Conditions: Purchase a qualifying Business Class ticket for travel on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines between New York (JFK) and London (LHR) through March 31, 2007, and receive an upgrade to First Class. A qualifying Business Class ticket is defined as a Business Class fare having the fare basis code "DUP." The DUP fare is subject to availability. If the DUP fare is available, customer will be confirmed in First Class for the same flight. The DUP fare may not be combined with any other discount. To qualify, travel must originate in New York (JFK). Travel may be either one way or round trip.

Iberia Flights from Boston to Madrid Start May 6
Iberia will commence flights from Boston to Madrid as of May 6 with five frequencies a week, and will be the only airline offering non-stop flights between the capital of Massachusetts and Madrid.
The Iberia flight departing Boston will operate as IB6260, departing at 18:20, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Madrid-Barajas Airport at 07:20 the following morning. This enables passengers to connect with the first flights to other Spanish and European cities. The inbound flight will operate as IB6261, departing Madrid at 13:25 and arriving in Boston at 15:40.
All of Iberia's transatlantic flights operate from the ultramodern T4 Terminal at Madrid-Barajas Airport. Passengers arriving from Boston may continue their journey to another 34 Spanish cities, 37 European destinations and 10 cities in Africa and the Middle East. Iberia offers 4 VIP lounges in Terminal 4, which are considered among the best in the world, and allows smooth and comfortable connections for Iberia's Business Plus customers.
The flights will operate with Airbus A340-300 aircraft, with a capacity of 260 passengers, in which Iberia offers its Business Plus service for corporate customers.
Boston will be Iberia's fourth destination in the United States with non-stop flights to Madrid from Chicago, Miami, and New York. In addition, Iberia offers flights from 18 cities in the United States, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Denver, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and San Diego, among others, with American Airlines code-share flights. Website: http://www.iberia-usa.com

Continental Selects Pinnacle Airlines For Newark-Based Regional Service
Continental Airlines announced that it has selected a new regional airline partner and a new type of turboprop aircraft to operate as Continental Connection from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport. Colgan Air Inc., a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp., will operate efficient, quiet and comfortable 74-seat Bombardier Q400 twin-turboprop aircraft on short and medium-distance routes from Liberty starting in early 2008.
Continental has entered into a 10-year capacity-purchase agreement with Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The company will acquire 15 new Q400 aircraft which it will operate as Continental Connection through its Colgan subsidiary. Continental will schedule and
Pinnacle Airlines Corp., a publicly traded holding company, is the parent company of Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. and Colgan Air, Inc. Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. operates 135 Bombardier CRJ-200 Regional Jets in the United States and Canada as a Northwest Airlink carrier. Colgan Air, Inc. operates as Continental Connection, United Express and US Airways Express with a fleet of 39 Saab 340 and 11 Beech 1900 turbo-prop regional aircraft.

LTU International Announces New Flights From US to Dusseldorf
LTU International Airways will launch in May regularly scheduled flights to Dusseldorf, Germany, from Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The German-based airline will operate the flights from Los Angeles five times a week, excluding Tuesdays and Saturdays, and from Las Vegas twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. Roundtrip fares will start at $388 for economy class and $3,100 for business class from Los Angeles, $348 for economy class and $2,800 for business class from Las Vegas.

Virgin America Announces Its First Six Destinations
Virgin America, the new start- up airline to be based in San Francisco, announced this month that four additional cities the carrier plans to serve, pending its certification by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The airline has previously announced its inaugural flight will be between San Francisco and New York City (JFK). Within nine months of operation, Virgin America also plans to serve Washington, DC (Dulles), Los Angeles (LAX), San Diego and Las Vegas.
Virgin America expects to serve as many as 10 cities within a year of operation and up to 30 cities within five years of service. Additional cities under Virgin America's consideration include: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, Newark, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Providence, Portland, Ore., Raleigh-Durham, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Jose, Calif., Sarasota, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa and West Palm Beach.
Virgin America recently unveiled its onboard cabin, including first class seats with 55 inches of seat pitch (legroom) and massage chairs, as well as mood lighting and a digital inflight entertainment system providing on-demand movies and TV, games, music and online chat rooms -- and even self-service mini-bars for snacks and beverages available throughout the flight.
Virgin America, a new generation, low-fare airline, intends to launch scheduled domestic airline service in 2007 upon government approval. US-owned and operated, Virgin America is based at San Francisco International Airport. To learn more about getting Virgin America off the ground, visit http://www.letvafly.com.

Qantas Airways To Add Seasonal Flights Between LAX And Sydney
Qantas Airways has announced additional seasonal nonstop flights between Los Angeles and Sydney from June 19 to July 28. The extra flights will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, resulting in more than 6,000 additional seats. Website: www.qantas.com/us

Asiana Airlines And Air China To Expand Code-Share Agreement
Korea's Asiana Airlines and Air China will expand their code-share agreement to cover 11 major Korea-China routes operated by the two carriers. Eventually, the carriers plan to extend the code-share pact to cover all China-Korea routes. The additional code-share routes will be operated with a total of 151 weekly flights. In China, the agreement covers Beijing, Qingdao, Weihai, Tianjin, Dalian, Yanji, Chengdu, Chongqing and Hangzhou. In Korea, the agreement covers Seoul/Incheon and Busan.

JetBlue Announces New Service to White Plains, New York
JetBlue Airways will begin service between White Plains' Westchester County Airport (HPN), the airline's seventh New York state destination, and Orlando, Florida, with a daily nonstop flight beginning March 28.
Beginning April 2, the low-cost carrier will add one daily nonstop flight to Fort Lauderdale, one daily nonstop flight to West Palm Beach and a second daily flight
to Orlando. Regular fares to/from Fort Lauderdale will start at $79(a) each way. One way fares to West Palm Beach and Orlando will begin at $99(a).
JetBlue will operate flights to and from Westchester County with its
Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring comfy all-leather seats, industry-leading legroom and individual seat-back televisions with 36channels of free DIRECTV(r) programming (b).

Icelandair Purchases New In Flight Entertainment System and Seats for its Fleet
Icelandair has signed an agreement to purchase a new In Flight Entertainment system from the U.S. producer Thales, as well as new seats from the French producer Aviointerios. With these agreements Icelandair's policy of offering its passengers full service and state of the art environment in its international flights is confirmed. According to Jon Karl Olafsson, CEO of Icelandair Group and Icelandair these are breakthrough contracts for the company. "These contracts embody our decision to totally renew all interiors of our Boeing 757 fleet, and are also a clear statement that Icelandair intends to offer full service on board. This purchase agreement has been in preparation for a long time and has been included in our budgets".
The In Flight Entertainment system that will be installed in Icelandair's fleet, the Thales IFE i4500, gives passengers access to a computer screen and a control panel where they are offered a broad entertainment selection. They can also monitor the flight and get information about airports, departures, arrivals and etc. Some of these services will be free of charge for passengers, but the new technology also opens considerable revenue possibilities for Icelandair" says Jon Karl.
The types of the new Aviointerios seats are Andromeda and Centaurus. The seats are produced with latest technology and from new materials. They weigh less, are more durable and take up less space than the existing seats and therefore give the passengers more space and comfort.
The new seats and the In Flight Entertainment system will be installed in all of Icelandair's Boeing 757 passenger jets that are used for the company's scheduled routes. The renewal will start in the fall of 2007 and end in the spring of 2008.

SWISS Updates Its Website For Easier Booking
SWISS has now broadened its online service at www.swiss.com. The latest innovations in website booking give passengers a quicker overview of all fares and more options in terms of fare selection.
According to their specific travel requirements, customers can now combine and compare the benefits and services of fares for flights in Swiss Economy, Business or First. In addition, applicable airport fees and surcharges are now included in the price displayed. Another attractive feature from the customer's point of view is the presentation of fares available over a period of several days.

Canada Relocates US Trans-Border Flights To Terminal 1 At Toronto Pearson - Air Beginning January 30, 2007, all Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and Air Canada Vacations passengers will use Terminal 1 at Toronto Pearson Airport when arriving or departing on U.S. trans-border flights. With the opening of the new Pier F at Terminal 1, all Air Canada's U.S. operations will be consolidated with its current domestic and international operations in the terminal and Air Canada will no longer operate from Terminal 2.
Trans-border and international passengers passing through Pier F at Terminal 1 will find numerous features to simplify their travel. These include new check-in kiosks in locations convenient to the customer, new check-in counters, web check-in baggage drop-off counters and two new customer service counters. Air Canada is also opening two new Maple Leaf Lounges for eligible customers with seating for 286 people in the trans-border lounge and 245 people in the international lounge. These lounges will feature bars and bistros, business and entertainment centers, showers, quiet spaces for relaxation and striking contemporary design elements.
Air Canada and most Star Alliance partner flights will be gated at Terminal 1. Some regional flights will continue to be gated at the East Satellite Terminal, although these passengers will also transit through Pier F at Terminal 1 prior to boarding or after disembarking from their flights.

American Express Offers Tips on How to Protect Baggage When Flying
According to the Department of Transportation, complaints about lost, delayed and damaged luggage are at an all time high. In fact, figures released recently by the Department indicate that 2006 is on course to be the worst year for lost and mishandled baggage since 1991. And, these high levels of lost and mishandled luggage scenarios will likely persist in 2007 because airline restrictions regarding carry-on items, in place now and for the foreseeable future, mean travelers will continue to check their luggage.
To help travelers protect their baggage and other possessions when flying, American Express, a leader in travel insurance benefits, offers some basic tips:
-- Tag it - put your name inside as well as outside of baggage. This way, if luggage tags fall off in transit, airline employees will be able to identify your baggage. Also, putting a copy of your itinerary inside baggage will make it easier for an airline employee to find you if a bag does become lost.
-- Take a picture of your bags before you travel. Travelers will find that having a photo of lost baggage will be much easier than trying to describe what it looks like at the claims desk.
-- Ship luggage and other items normally checked in at the airport, such as sports equipment and baby accessories (carriage, car seat, etc.) directly to your destination. By shipping their luggage, travelers will receive several benefits, including eliminating the
possibility of the airline losing it and bypassing long check-in lines and excess baggage fees. For more information visit www.luggageforward.com/aev at American Vacations website.
-- Pack a day's worth of clothes in your carry-on bag including a few essentials such as a tooth brush, tooth paste and important prescription medications. If your bags do become lost, you can minimize stress by not having to immediately run around an unknown city trying to replace essentials.
-- Baggage insurance will go a long way in helping to counteract that sinking feeling that comes with the realization that a bag is lost. Many credit cards offer baggage insurance as a benefit to their customers.

American Airlines to Serve Rome Year-Round From Chicago and New York
American Airlines will upgrade its service between Rome and the United States to year-round beginning April 10. American has previously flown the routes during the summer season only. The airline, a founding member of the global oneworld(R) Alliance, serves Rome from its Chicago O'Hare hub as well as New York's JFK International Airport using Boeing 767-300 wide-body aircraft.
During the peak summer season both routes out of Chicago and New York will continue to be flown daily. Beginning October 28, 2007, and continuing through March 31, 2008, the service will be flown four times a week from Chicago and three times per week from New York. Chicago flights will operate Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. New York flights will operate Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
American's Boeing 767-300 aircraft offer 30 seats in the Business Class cabin and 189 seats in the Main cabin.
In addition, American also announced that it will begin flying its daily route between Chicago O'Hare and Frankfurt using its 245-seat Boeing 777 aircraft, effective April 10. The 777 features three-class service—First, Business and Main cabin. The First Class cabin features American's Flagship Suites. Business Class features comfortable fully-adjustable seating with 60 inches of legroom. The 777 aircraft will also have American's Next-Generation Business Class installed in the coming months. The larger aircraft also increases American's cargo capacity between the United States and Frankfurt. American is currently serving the Chicago-Frankfurt market with its Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

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Rail News & Offers

Free Extra Day On Eurail Select Pass Purchased March 2007 From Rail Europe
Travel one more day free on Europe’s convenient rail network when you purchase a six-, eight- or ten-day Eurail Select Pass from Rail Europe here in North America between now until March 31, 2007. Rail travel days may be used non-consecutively within a two-month period up to six months after the purchase date, which means that this promotion can be used during peak summer travel season, depending on purchase date.
The Eurail Select Pass is a “create-your-pass” product, allowing the buyer to select three, four or five European countries out of 23 possibilities*. The selected countries must be connected by rail or ferry. “This promotion has always been popular with North American travelers”, notes Fabrice Morel, President and CEO of Rail Europe, the largest North American distributor of Eurail and other European rail passes and tickets. “There are many ways we try to save people money on their European trips – we regularly offer a variety of promotions and deals, including kids ride free, or buy a pass and save 50% on your next railpass. In addition, we sell advance purchase point-to-point tickets in some countries that can save up to 40% on the usual price, for those only going between points A and B.”
2007 prices for the Eurail Select Pass start at $379 US/ $444 CAD for a six-day three-country pass (providing seven travel days with this promotion), $450 US/$ 527 CAD for an eight-day three-country pass (nine travel days) and $518 US/$607 CAD for a ten-day pass (11 travel days); these lowest per person prices are for a Eurail Select Pass Saver (when two or more traveling together). There are also less expensive Youth versions for travelers under 26.
For more information or to book any of Rail Europe’s wide range of economical railpasses and point-to-point tickets on trains throughout Europe and the U.K., consult a travel agent or log on to Rail Europe’s web site, www.raileurope.com (in the U.S.) or www.raileurope.ca (in Canada) or call Rail Europe at 1-888-382-7245 (U.S.) or 1-800-361-7245 (Canada).
* The 23 countries from which 3, 4 or 5 can be selected include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
**Prices are subject to change; check www.raileurope.com (US) or www.raileurope.ca (Canada) for the latest prices.

Newest TGV Line Opens New Travel Possibilities To Eastern France
France’s latest high-speed rail line, TGV Est (East), will begin service June 10 and is expected to change travel patterns within France and beyond. Traveling at a standard operating speed of nearly 200 mph (320 km/hr), the fastest in Europe, TGV East will reduce travel times between approximately 30 destinations by one-third to one-half, and the frequency of TGV service on these routes will increase 15-20 percent.
Designed to speed eastward connections from Paris to the regions of Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine and Alsace, the new line also provides direct service between these regions and Ile-de-France, Northern, Western and Southwestern France, as well as to Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Imagine stepping onto a train in Paris and 45 minutes later being in Reims, in the heart of Champagne country. Or going from Paris to Strasbourg, on the German border, in just two hours, 20 minutes (currently more than four hours), to Metz or Nancy in just 1.5 hours (instead of three hours). Or travel from Lorraine’s capital, Nancy, directly to Lille in northern France in just three hours, 20 min. to catch the Eurostar train to London. Today, the Nancy-Lille trip requires four hours plus transferring from one Paris train station (Gare de l’Est) to another (Gare du Nord). After June 10 it will be a direct connection with no need to change trains.
Fast and frequent service means travelers can see more in less time, and use daytrips to see even more, instead of constantly changing hotels and packing and unpacking. Here are some of the best places to explore with a France Railpass or France Rail ‘n Drive Pass and the new TGV East:
Champagne-Ardenne
Spend a day or two in Paris, then take the train 45 min. to Reims, famous for its magnificent cathedral (where 26 French kings were crowned), miles of underground Champagne cellars, Gallo-Roman ruins and many Art Deco buildings, including the Carnegie Library. And hotel prices in Reims are on average 40 percent less expensive than comparable Parisian hotels.
From Reims, take a daytrip by rail (or rental car) to Epernay – a lovely town filled with Champagne makers along its Avenue de Champagne, including names like Moët et Chandon, Perrier Jouët and others. With a car you can tour small pretty neighboring villages, such as Hautvillers (home of Dom Perignon, the monk who “invented” the Champagne process) and Vertus.
Lorraine
Take a rail daytrip to the Lorraine region while staying in Reims (or your next hotel hub, Strasbourg). From the new TGV station near Reims, it’s just 40 minutes to the Lorraine TGV station and a quick shuttle bus ride to either Metz or Nancy, both worth visiting.
Nancy ‘s elegant Place Stanislas is one of the most beautiful town squares in all of Europe, and the city is full of Art Nouveau treasures – foremost among them, the Musée de l’École de Nancy.
Metz has a stunning cathedral (2nd tallest nave in France) with several Chagall windows among 70,000 sq. ft. of stained glass (the most illuminated cathedral in France), a massive gate from the medieval city walls (Porte des Allemands), lovely gothic arcades in Place St-Louis and Roman walls that are part of a church, restaurants and a shopping mall, as well as Roman statues in the Musées de la Cour d’Or.
At the new TGV Meuse station, you can pick up your Rail ‘n Drive rental car and drive out to Verdun to pay homage to hundreds of thousands of soldiers who perished in 1916 in the bloodiest battle of World War I. See the Rodin memorial, the World Center of Peace and the Rights of Man, the 14th c. Porte Chaussée, cathedral and underground galleries of the Citadelle.
Alsace
Next stop–Strasbourg, with its picturesque Petite France section, filled with medieval half-timbered houses along the River Ill and a canal. The tall spires of the warm-colored sandstone cathedral dominate the city, and the personality, cuisine and culture is a heady mix of German and French.
From Strasbourg you can daytrip by car along the Alsatian Route du Vin or Route des Châteaux. Or take TGV East trains to charming Colmar (30 min from Strasbourg) or Mulhouse (home of the Museum of the French Railroads, the National Car Museum, Firefighters Museum and Museum of Printed Fabrics, something for everyone and just 40 minutes from Strasbourg).
You can ride TGV East even further - to Germany (Stuttgart – 1 hr from Strasbourg or Frankfurt – 2 hours 35 min from Lorraine TGV station) or to Switzerland (Basel is 1 hr from Strasbourg, Zurich 2 hours 15 minutes from Strasbourg). Luxembourg is a short (1 hr 40 min) daytrip away from Metz by TGV East (or 2 hours 5 minutes from Paris).
Tickets, reservations and timetables for TGV East service will be available starting April 10 on www.raileurope.com (in the U.S.) or www.raileurope.ca (in Canada), where you can also find information about train travel throughout France and buy France Railpasses, France Rail ‘n Drive Passes, Eurostar tickets, and tour products for Paris, Strasbourg and Nancy, as well as rail travel products throughout Europe for individuals or groups.

Eurostar To Cut Travel Time Between Paris And London In Mid-November
Late in the year (mid-November), Eurostar will operate even faster between Paris and London, cutting an average of 20 minutes off the already quick 2 hours 35 minutes journey, thanks to the completion of the final segment of high-speed track leading into London. At that time passengers will be departing or arriving at the St. Pancreas Station instead of Waterloo.

Tour France With A France Railpass And Save
If planning on seeing several places in France, a France Railpass could save substantially over buying individual point-to-point tickets. Qualify for even lower prices on a France Railpass if you are traveling with one or more companions, if you’re 60+ or under 26:
-- France Railpass—three to nine days of unlimited rail travel within one month, starts at $ 222 (2nd class), $ 261 (1st).
-- France Saverpass—for two persons or more traveling together, starts at $191 (2nd), $223 (1st) per person.
-- France Senior Pass—three to nine days starts at $ 238 (1st only).
-- France Youth Pass—starts at $164 (2nd) or $194 (1st).
In 2007 several new passes have been added—some of which specifically relate to the new TGV East high-speed rail line:
-- 20% discount on the Strasbourg Pass (www.ot-strasbourg.fr), Nancy City Pass (www.ot-nancy.fr), Discovery Pass in Dijon (www.dijon-tourism.com) and admission to the National Monuments, such as Mont-Saint-Michel, La Chapelle, etc (www.monum.fr)
-- 10-20% discount on various Accor Group hotels, such as Mercure-Sofitel, Mercure-Novotel-Suitehotel and Sofitel (reservations must be made in advance).
-- France Rail ‘n Drive. Use the efficient French rail system to go quickly and easily between cities and major towns and then a rental car to explore the countryside for vineyards, mountains, chateaux or picnic spots. The combination lets you save money over buying rail tickets and car rental separately, and the big advantage over most other car rental offers is that the car days need not be consecutive.
Rail Europe’s France Rail ‘n Drive provides two rail days and two car rental days using 1st class rail and any one of six different car categories, starting at $325 for 1 adult or $271 per person for two people sharing a car (with economy car). Additional rail and car days and six car categories are available.
-- Discount on Eurostar —Holders of a France Railpass (or other railpass that includes travel in France) receive a low passholder fare on Eurostar tickets to London, from $81 standard (2nd) class, $144 1st class for a one-way ticket. These passholder fares are exchangeable. Comparable non-exchangeable tickets without a pass cost $94 standard class, $167 1st class.
-- Non-exchangeable, non-refundable low fares on Eurostar are available for a limited number of seats, starting at $101 round trip (to be completed in one day). Eurostar takes just two hours 35 minutes to travel Paris-London.
Besides train tickets, passes and Rail ‘n Drive, Rail Europe also offers American travelers to France the following tour products, including several new ones:
-- Paris Visite for unlimited use of Paris metros and buses, as well as RER and SNCF trains in the greater Paris region, starting at $26;
-- Paris Museum Pass for entrance to 70 museums and monuments with no waiting in line plus free or priority admission to permanent collections, starting at $22;
-- New Paris Historical Tour – 3 hr 45 min guided tour by motor coach and boat of historic sites in Paris, such as Latin Quarter, Bastille, Pantheon, Notre Dame and many others, starting at $74;
-- New Wine tasting mini-classes in Paris. Learn about the mysteries of wine from a French sommelier. Choose from “Wine Two Three” (tasting three wines) or go for five wines with “Wine & Cheese Tasting Lunch” or “Grand 7” (seven wines). A fun and informative way to enjoy great French wines in a relaxing atmosphere. Starts at $30;
-- Paris Dinner Cruise – glass-sided boats with panoramic views and live music with dinner, starting at $145;
-- Grand Louvre Museum guided tour – 2.5 hour tour starting at $54 adult;
-- CitiRama Paris L’Open – one or two days of travel on hop-on-hop-off bus with four different sightseeing routes, over 50 stops, starting at $37.
For more information or to book any Rail Europe product to France or anywhere in Europe, contact a travel agent or Rail Europe at 1-888-382-7245 or log on to www.raileurope.com. Rail Europe is the largest North American supplier of European rail travel products for individuals, families or groups.

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Hotel News & Offers

Four Seasons Enters Into Agreement To Be Taken Private
Four Seasons Hotels Inc. has entered into a definitive acquisition agreement to implement the previously announced proposal to take Four Seasons private at a price of US$82.00 cash per Limited Voting Share. Following completion of the transaction, Four Seasons would be owned by affiliates of Cascade Investment, L.L.C. (an entity owned by William H. Gates III), Kingdom Hotels International, a company owned by a trust created for the benefit of His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud and his family, and Isadore Sharp, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Four Seasons.
The transaction, which values Four Seasons at US $3.8 billion (including debt), will be implemented by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under Ontario law.
"I am delighted that the Board, after considering the recommendations developed by the Special Committee and its advisors, has determined to support what I believe is the best way to preserve and expand the long-term strategy, vision and core values of Four Seasons," said Sharp. Pursuant to the arrangement, holders of the outstanding Limited Voting Shares of the Company (other than Kingdom, Cascade and certain of their affiliates) would receive US$82.00 cash per share, which represents a 28.4% premium over the closing price of the Limited Voting Shares of Four Seasons on the New York Stock Exchange on November 3, 2006, the last trading day on the NYSE before the announcement of the proposed transaction, and a 33.1% premium over the weighted average closing price over the six months preceding that date.
As previously disclosed, upon completion of the transaction Triples (which is Mr. Sharp's family holding company) would hold a significant continuing interest in Four Seasons and Mr. Sharp would, as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, continue to be directly involved in all aspects of the operations and the strategic direction of the Company, which will remain headquartered in Toronto. If the transaction is completed, Mr. Sharp will be entitled to realize proceeds of approximately US$289 million related to a long-term incentive agreement that was approved by the Company's shareholders before it was put in place in 1989.
A meeting of shareholders to consider the arrangement is anticipated to take place in April. If approved by shareholders, the arrangement will be completed in the second quarter of 2007.

New Steigenberger Hotel In Vienna To Open In Late 2008.
The Frankfurt-based hotel group Steigenberger is due to open a four-star superior hotel in the heart of Vienna in late 2008/early 2009. Located in the Old Town district, itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof will play host to both business travelers and city tourists.
The Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof combines tradition and modernity. Behind the neo-classical facade of the hotel, built in 1913, extensive renovation work has resulted in the creation of a modern business hotel. This new Steigenberger hotel offers 186 comfortable rooms, each with an average size of 31 square meters, as well as ten suites, measuring between 60 and 85 square meters, which look out over the rooftops of Vienna’s Old Town. The conference area of the hotel covers 600 square meters, and consists of ten seminar rooms that link together as required, the largest of which can hold up to 200 people. The hotel’s own Steigenberger Spa Comfort with its open gallery provides a wonderful area for relaxation.
Its central location in the Palais district, very close to the Hofburg Palace, the hotel is the perfect base for excursions of all kinds. Cultural monuments such as the gothic St. Stephan’s Cathedral and shopping meccas like the Kohlmarkt are all just a few minutes walk away. The Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof will offer a wonderfully tempting range The Steigenberger Hotel Group currently operates 82 hotels under the brand names Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts and InterCityHotels in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and Egypt.

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui Opens Its Doors
With the sound of a ceremonial Thai gong, Four Seasons opened its newest property in Thailand today, a hillside retreat in Koh Samui at Laem Yai peninsula. The opening marks the fourth Four Seasons property in Thailand. With a bustling city hotel in Bangkok, a quiet countryside retreat in Chiang Mai, a Tented Camp in the jungle where Thailand meets Burma and Laos and now, a beachfront sanctuary in Koh Samui, Four Seasons offers a Thai getaway rich in experiences, Thai custom and topography.
The approach to Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is dramatic. The driveway leads up a very steep hill to a set of heavy wooden doors, flanked on either side by six-metre high walls. The doors open to reveal the turquoise waters surrounding the peninsula, the fine white sand of the Resort's private beach below and the neighboring islands in the distance - all from 350 feet above sea level. Also perched above the sea are the lobby and the main restaurant with equally breathtaking views to the north and to the west, a relaxing place to watch the sun set.
The majority of the Resort's accommodations are nestled into the hillside. All 60 villas are built on stilts amongst the coconut, jackfruit and mango trees on the property - a former orchard. In total, 856 coconut trees were retained and protected during construction. The respect given the natural surroundings in the development of the villas make them feel like private hideaways, reminiscent of the traditional Southern Thai residences that inspired the design. Two beach villas are even more secluded at the water's edge, one of which can only be accessed via the beach. In addition to the villas are two larger beachside residences for guests who require extra space and privacy.
The Spa is designed with the same focus on solitude and seclusion as the accommodations. Five individual spa pavilions have ample indoor and outdoor treatment areas for two, as well as steam, bath and shower areas. Featuring treatments that are indigenous to Thailand, the Spa focuses on holistic therapies with fusion techniques from Thai, Yogic and other Asian cultures.
A series of 'Thai Collection' packages enables guests to combine a visit to Koh Samui with stays at the Resort's sister hotels in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the Tented Camp Golden Triangle.
For more information on Four Seasons, visit www.fourseasons.com.

Jumeirah Expands Presence in the Americas With New Luxury Resort in Bermuda
Jumeirah, the fast growing Dubai-based luxury hotel group and member of Dubai Holding, has been appointed to manage the first new luxury resort to be built in Bermuda in 35 years, pending approval by government agencies.
The resort, opening in mid-2008, will play a key role in Jumeirah's ambitious plans to grow its international portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts to 40 by the end of 2009. The Dubai-based group's properties, including Burj Al Arab, the world's most luxurious hotel, and six other luxury hotels and resorts in Dubai, are among the most innovative and iconic in the world, having won numerous international travel and tourism awards. The international expansion, which targets many of the world's most sought-after leisure and business destinations, already includes two luxury hotels in London, the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel and the Jumeirah Essex House in New York. Other projects currently under development worldwide include the HanTang Jumeirah Shanghai; The Jumeirah Private Island Resort, Phuket Thailand; and the Jumeirah Hotel at Beetham Tower in London; the Jumeirah Dubai Towers in Doha, Qatar; Saraya Aqaba in Jordan; and additional properties in Dubai -- all scheduled to open over the next four years.
Situated on 37 acres of natural beauty on Bermuda's prestigious South Shore, Jumeirah Southlands will have 300 spacious balcony suites, including 17 incomparable two-story suites built into beach cliffs, as well as five restaurants and bars, a nightclub and outdoor entertainment space, a complete spa, over 1,700 feet of beach, numerous pools, an executive conference center and an equestrian center. There will also be a collection of luxury boutiques on-property. Approximately half the accommodations will be offered for fractional Vacation Residence ownership.
In addition to Burj Al Arab and the new resort in Bermuda, Jumeirah's portfolio includes Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah and Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa. The company manages the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in London and took over New York's classic Art Deco landmark, the Jumeirah Essex House in January 2006. Building on this success, Jumeirah Group has become a member of Dubai Holding, a collection of leading Dubai based businesses and projects, in a step that supports and enhances the company's new phase of growth and development.

Lodging & Learning Packages Help Families/Adults Explore Yellowstone
Concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts and the non-profit Yellowstone Association Institute offer Lodging & Learning package plans for visitors who want to learn about
the park in greater detail to make their vacations even more enjoyable. The packages combine in-field excursions with naturalist guides from the Institute, comfortable accommodations in park hotels operated by Xanterra, in-park transportation, some meals and optional evening programs.
Most Lodging & Learning packages are designed for a maximum of 12 people and for participants who are a minimum of 12 years old. Members of the Yellowstone Association receive $10 off the price of each program. Rates do not include tax.
The package includes four nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel or Grant Village;
age-appropriate field activities such as animal tracking, wildlife-watching, painting and hiking; breakfast and box lunches each day, in-park transportation, instruction and optional evening programs. It is offered Monday to Friday and Friday to Tuesday from June 15 to August 17. Rates for packages at Mammoth are $609 per adult for double
occupancy, $813 per adult for single occupancy and $379 per child. Rates
for packages in Grant Village are $649 per adult for double occupancy,
$895 per adult for single occupancy and $379 per child.
Another package, Trails Through Yellowstone, is available Saturday to Wednesday May 28 to September 24. This program includes daily four- to eight-mile hikes of
moderate difficulty, expert instruction by an Institute naturalist/guide, two nights of lodging at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and two nights at Grant Village, breakfast and box lunch daily, in-park van transportation and optional evening programs. Carefully chosen hikes are designed to showcase the park's natural beauty and wildlife, including
hikes around the Old Faithful geyser basin and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The package includes an evening expedition to search for wildlife. It is priced at $649 per person for double occupancy and $874 single occupancy.
Lodging & Learning programs can be booked by calling (1) 307-344-5566/5518.
General reservations for accommodations, tours and activities can be made by calling toll free at 1-866-GEYSERLAND (439-7375), 1-307-344-7311 or visiting www.TravelYellowstone.com.

Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort Offers Innovative Ocean Explorers Program
The all-suite flagship resort, located in Fort Lauderdale’s exclusive North Beach community, features an innovative Ocean Explorers program, available for travelers ranging from six years of age to 15 plus. While some activities take place on the property and the resort’s North Beach, others – including its special Family Day adventure – take place throughout the community, giving kids the opportunity to enjoy South Florida’s rich natural and cultural resources.
A sampling of Ocean Explorers activities include:
-- Hook the Future Fishing Clinics – Under the tutelage of Captain Don Dingman, acclaimed professional angler and host of the popular television show, “Hook the Future,” children can participate in an exclusive fishing clinic series and learn techniques for cast net throwing, rigging, knot tying, the intricacies of fish habitats and more.
-- Watersports Galore – Hilton Fort Lauderdale’s Beach Club instructors supervise youngsters through a series of fun-filled adventures that include snorkeling, introductory scuba, kite boarding, wind surfing, kayaking, skim boarding and boogie boarding. Scuba diving certification programs for age appropriate levels are also offered.
--Museum of Discovery and Science plus IMAX Theater – More than 200 fascinating, interactive exhibits await Ocean Explorers at the nearby museum. While there, kids can tune into its Blockbuster® IMAX® theater, donning electronic liquid crystal headsets to view 3D films.
-- Intracoastal Water Taxi Excursions – The Intracoastal Waterway, featuring more than 300 miles of inland waterways, has earned Fort Lauderdale the moniker, “Venice of America.” Ocean Explorers can travel from the resort to dozens of exciting attractions by water taxi and see marine life such as manatees, sea lobsters, star fish and abundant schools of fish in full view. Future architects – or fans of MTV’s “Cribs” – can be awed by the multi-million dollar waterfront mansions dotting the waterway.
--Marine Education – Working with Florida Atlantic University’s highly-regarded Department of Biological Sciences, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is offering hands-on activities such as a wet petting zoo as well as courses on the biology of fishes and marine mammals, field oceanography, tropical and coral reef ecology, and marine pollution and conservation.
--Back to Nature – Beach vacations do not get any better than this. Ocean Explorers can enjoy North Beach’s three miles of white sand beaches where they can participate in sandcastle competitions, collecting seashells, visiting a Ocean Life Guard station, and, of course, splashing and swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.
Ocean Explorers operates seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Lunch is included. The cost is $65 for the first child, $40 for the second child and $25 for each additional child or family member. For more information, call 943-760-7177 or visit www.fortlauderdalebeachresort.hilton.com.
The new spectacular Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is a 25-story, all-suite flagship property ideally located on the world-acclaimed shoreline of Fort Lauderdale’s exclusive North Beach, between the palm-shaded boulevards of Sunrise and Las Olas. It features 373-elegantly appointed studios, one, two and three-bedroom suites; a 25,000-sq.-ft. Sunrise Terrace with a pool and private cabanas overlooking the ocean; three dining options; a European spa; 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space; and children’s programs. Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort prides itself on its personal services offered to guests, including dedicated beach concierges, kids’ concierges, premium transfer service and remote check-in, personalized shopping, wireless waiters and paperless valet systems. Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is located at 505 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard between Sunrise and Las Olas Boulevards.
For information and reservations, call 1-800-HILTONS (1-800-445-8667) or visit www.fortlauderdalebeachresort.hilton.com.

Popular Turks and Caicos Resort Offers “One for One” Deal
One of the most popular resorts in the Turks and Caicos is offering a great One for One deal. From now through April 5,* couples booking a Courtyard Villa suite at the Reef Residences on Grace Bay for one night, get the second night free of charge. A couple – or a family of four (two children under 10 years of age) can stay comfortably in the suite – pays only $385, plus taxes and service, for two nights, or $770 for four nights, and so on – a 50 percent savings for even-night stays.
Included in the “One for One” deal are: Full American breakfast daily; Roundtrip airport transfers with complimentary island punch; two free half-hour massages (within 36 hours of arrival) and complimentary snorkeling equipment, beach lounges and towels.
Sitting on the quiet stretch of 12-mile-long Grace Bay Beach overlooking the translucent Caribbean Sea, this intimate resort (formerly called Coral Gardens) with one-two- and three-bedroom suites is very popular. In keeping with the unspoiled atmosphere of the Turks and Caicos, the resort is low rise – no higher than a palm tree –and offers its guests a mix of simple understated island charm with finely-tuned unobtrusive service.
The twenty-four new Courtyard Suites opened last August along with a third pool and a large Jacuzzi. While the Reef Residences on Grace Bay is small and intimate, the suites are spacious and light-filled. The one-bedroom Courtyard Villa suite measures 786 square feet and has its own private balcony or patio. The Courtyard Grand Villa suite is a very generous 1509 square feet and costs $500 per night. With the “One for One” deal, guests receive every second night free, so a couple or a family of four (two children under 10 years of age) could stay for six nights for as little as $1155 (taxes and service charges additional).
The best snorkeling on Providenciales, or Provo, can be found in the turquoise waters right in front of the Reef Residences on Grace Bay. Besides swimming with the turtles and parrotfish, guests can enjoy two pools and the Ayurveda Day Spa. Scuba gear can be rented at the Dive Shop. Delicious meals are served at the Beach Cafe, where guests don’t need to wear shoes. The new Epicurean Restaurant features a menu of contemporary Caribbean cuisine. The resort’s Tide Affair dinner with six courses and paired wines is served right on the beach – and guests are welcome to come barefoot.
For further information or reservations contact your travel provider or call: 1-800-950-2862 (CUNA) or visit www.cunadevida.com.
* Book by April 5 for travel through April 7, 2007

HEI Hotels & Resorts Acquires Marriott Austin In Texas
HEI Hotels and Resorts, a rapidly growing hospitality investment and operating company, has acquired the 365-room Marriott Austin in Texas for an undisclosed amount. HEI will invest approximately $18 million in upgrades to significantly enhance all areas of the hotel. The process will take place in two phases to minimize guest disruption. The first stage will encompass all guest rooms and the second will focus on the remainder of the hotel. Additionally, the hotel was converted to a Sheraton brand upon HEI's acquisition.

Small Luxury Hotels of the World Now Number Over 400 Hotels In 65 Countries, Small Luxury Hotels has announced that 70 new additions will be made to its portfolio in 2007. Out of the 70 new hotels there are 20 newly-built properties. Here’s a sampling:
-- Jiva Hill Park Hotel, Geneva, on the boarder of Switzerland and France (opened January 15, 2007) (www.slh.com/jivahill )
Set 35 hectares of parkland at the foot of the Jura Mountains, Jiva Hill is only ten minutes from Geneva and enjoys stunning views of Mont Blanc. The hotel features 34 brand new rooms and lodges and homes a fantastic health orientated restaurant and wellbeing center.
-- The Residence at Azia Resort, Paphos, Cyprus (due to open late 2007) (www.slh.com/theresidence ). The third and smallest hotel at Azia Resort. Architecture and interior aimed to create and atmosphere of sophisticated escapism that offers stylish barefoot living, understated luxury and casual unobtrusive service. Shares several exclusive restaurants with the other Azia properties and offers extensive water sports on-site.
-- Hotel Telegraaf, Tallinn, Estonia (due to open February 2007) (www.slh.com/telegraaf) Located in the old town’s historic telephone exchange building. Interior is contemporary, themed around communication in keeping with the building’s past. Offers a wonderful spa and is located near to some of the city’s world class restaurants.
-- Evason Hideaway and Six Senses spa at Zighy Bay, Sultanate of Oman (due to open September 2007). (www.slh.com/evasonzighybay ) In a secluded fishing village on the Northern Musandam Peninsula Zighy Bay enjoys spectacular, dramatic scenery both mountainous and coastal. It offers several dining options including a hilltop restaurant and a wonderful spa with eight treatment rooms. A particular novelty: on arrival guests have the choice of three experiences: by speedboat, para-glider or drive down the mountainside.
-- On the Rocks, Santorini, Greece (due to open April 1) (www.slh.com/ontherocks) Situated on the hillside in the village of Imerovigli, with beautiful views of the Aegean Sea, this hotel is a small complex of traditional apartments built in a typically Greek style. It is set to feature an impressive spa and gourmet poolside restaurant serving traditional Greek Cuisine.
-- Desert Palm, Dubai, UAE (due to open June/July 2007) (www.slh.com/desertpalm ).
A chic oasis encompassing four polo grounds near Dubai, Desert Palm offers an extensive spa, restaurant, poolside café, juice bar, art gallery and several sporting activities. The rooms are spacious and contemporary set in beautiful palm filled grounds.
-- JK Place Capri, Italy (due to open March 30, 2007) (www.slh.com/jkcapri )
Located on the beautiful island of Capri, just off the coast of Naples, J.K. Place Capri enjoys stunning sea views. The hotel rooms are individually furnished, decorated in a fresh contemporary style with soft pastel colors. Fine Italian and Mediterranean Cuisine can be enjoyed in the restaurant or on the terrace overlooking the harbor. A state of the art gym and Spa are set to open for the hotel guests to enjoy.
-- Ca’ Sagredo, Venice, Italy (due to open April 2) (www.slh.com/casafredohotel )
With a spectacular location right on the Grand Canal, Ca’ Sagredo is only a short walk from the Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square. The building dates back to the 15th century and has retained its magnificent frescoed wall and gracious architecture. The rooms are decorated accordingly with period furniture. The restaurant has a panoramic terrace on the waterfront and will serve fine Venetian Cuisine.
-- Leopold, Sheffield, UK (due to open June 1, 2007) (www.slh.com/leopold )
Built on the former site of an A1 listed boys school, the Leopold has prime location in Leopold Square at the heart of Sheffield. The bedrooms are uniquely furnished and the restaurant offers fine cuisine. Nearby is a plethora of bars and restaurants, the Peak District National Park and many historical attractions to be enjoyed.
-- Aquapura Douro, Douro Valley, Portugal (due to open end of April 2007) (www.slh.com/aquapura ) Situated in the in the Port Wine Vineyard overlooking the Douro River, Aquapura Douro 50 rooms and 21 town houses with private plunge pools among its lush gardens and surrounding woodland. The hotel’s impressive spa offers the finest organic, indigenous treatments.
-- The Levin, London, UK (due to open July 27, 2007) (www.slh.com/thelevin )
Located only minutes from Knightsbridge’s Harrods and the exclusive boutiques of Beauchamp Place, the Levin has an ideal, quite location in central London. With a fresh modern design in a classically English setting the hotel offers 12 luxurious rooms and the chic and delicious cuisine at the new restaurant the Levin Lounge.
-- Melenos Lindos, Lindos, Greece (due to open April 1, 2007) (www.slh.com/melenoslindos) Inspired by 17th century Lindos architecture, this hotel is set among picturesque gardens overlooking the quiet bay. The twelve suites are uniquely furnished offer sea-view terraces. An open air restaurant provides the freshest Mediterranean Cuisine.
-- Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler, Canada (July 2007) (www.slh.com/nitalake )
Located in the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Nita Lake Lodge sits at the foot of Whistler Mountain on the Shores of Nita Lake. The lodge has beautiful views, unbeatable access to the ski slopes and an extensive spa along with its gourmet restaurant and extensive wine cellar.
-- Wedmore Place, Williamsburg, USA (due to open first week of April) (www.slh.com/wedmore ) A European Country Hotel in the middle of a 300 acre farm, Wedmore Place has an ideal secluded location. The hotel features 28 rooms inspired by and decorated in accordance with each of the European Provinces. Overlooking the vineyards the restaurant serves traditional cuisine matched expertly with farm’s own wine. The property also features a fantastic spa and wine tasting onsite.
-- Discovery Shores (due to open March 2007) (www.slh.com/discoveryshores )
Located on Boracay Island (rated one of the top 20 beach destinations in the world), Discovery Shores Resort, has 88 spacious guestrooms and an impressive double storey club house with the hotel’s restaurant, bar and spa. Cocktails can be enjoyed at the pool bar outsides where a 14-metr-high waterfall falls into the infinity pool.
-- Evason Hideaway and Six Senses Spa at Yao Noi, Phang Nga, Thailand (due to open June-September 2007) (www.slh.com/evasonyaonoi ) Over looking the limestone pinnacles of Phang Nga Bay, Yao Noi features 56 villas with individual infinity pools and sundecks. Mediterranean Cuisine is served in the hotel’s restaurant where fine wines from the wine cellar can also be enjoyed. The hotel’s Six Senses spa offers holistic treatments.
-- Coco Palm Kuda Hithi, North Male Atoll, Maldives (due to open Mid 2007) (www.slh.com/cocopalmkuda ) With only two exclusive, luxurious residences each featuring big sea view decks and swimming pools, Coco Palm Kuda Hithi offers complete privacy. A three-Michelin Star Chef serves the freshest seafood dishes at the hotel’s restaurant and the spa offers a relaxing respite. Plenty of water sports and excursions are available at the guests’ leisure.
-- Eros spa and Resort Club Parthenon, South Korea (due to open June/July 2007) (www.slh.com/eros ) This hotel has 36 luxurious villas, three restaurants serving Italian, Koren and Japanese Cuisine, a golf course and exclusive spa, all in an ideal beachside location. Horse riding and many water sports are all available onsite while many historical attractions are located nearby.
-- Hotel Hera, South Korea (due to open June/July 2007) (www.slh.com/hera )
With a stunning setting on its private beach, Hotel Hera has 42 large rooms all with seaviews. The restaurant serves a combination of International and Korean Cuisine. The hotel is surrounding by interesting things to see and do including plenty of water sports, horse riding and even light aircraft flying. For those who want to relax, the hotel’s spa is an ideal retreat.
-- Vil Uyana, Sigiriya, Sri Lanka (due to open July 2007) (www.slh.com/viluyana )
One of the world’s first hotels to construct a wetland system and form its own nature reserve, Vil Uyana is located in central Sri Lanka with breathtaking views of Sigiriya Rock. The hotel is the first is Sri Lanka to offer rooms built over water and padi fields. The hotel also homes two restaurants, the ‘Island Spa’ and a fascinating natural research centre. Small Luxury Hotels website: www.slh.com