DECEMBER 2008

Latin American Herald Tribune - December 21, 2008
Mexico to Spend $60 Million Re-Beaching Cancun and Cozumel
CANCUN, MEXICO -- Mexico's government and tourism industry plan to invest 800 million pesos ($60.6 million) to replenish beaches in Cancun, the Riviera Maya and the island of Cozumel, a hoteliers group said here Friday.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin - December 21, 2008
Worst Hawaii Visitor Arrival Figures Since Great Depression
Hawaii is on track to record its worst percentage drop in tourism arrivals since the Great Depression, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports.

Airport Business - December 21, 2008
Continental, UAL lead rally as oil falls below $37
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Airline stocks moved mostly higher Thursday as the benchmark crude-oil future price fell below $39 for the first time in more than four years.

St. Petersburg Times - December 21, 2008
Terms of timeshare contract strange, but they were followed
Timeshare experience so bad he wants a refund.

tmcnet.com - December 19, 2008
JetBlue Cancun Route Up And Flying
TAMPA -- Kevin and Jackie Transue began their latest trip to Mexico on Thursday by driving from their Spring Hill home to Tampa International Airport, where a mariachi band provided entertainment for JetBlue Airways' inaugural Tampa-Cancun flight.

Economist - December 19, 2008
Frequent-flyer status in the downturn
WHEN businesses cut back on their employees' travel, regular travellers can experience a side-effect injurious to their egos and comfort alike: the loss of their elite frequent-flyer status.

msnbc - December 18, 2008
More airlines reducing fuel surcharges
Reductions range up to $100, but fees higher than they were in summer '07.

Reuters - December 17, 2008
Transat reports loss as fuel hedging bites
TORONTO, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Canadian travel company Transat AT Inc (TRZb.TO) reported a quarterly loss on Wednesday as hedging costs related to volatile fuel prices outweighed a 16.2 percent rise in revenue.

Reuters - December 17, 2008
Holiday travel to drop for first time since '02
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Christmas holiday travel this year will likely end up as a casualty of the downturn in the economy, with Americans expected to travel less for the first time since 2002, travel and auto group AAA said on Wednesday.

USA Today - December 13, 2008
United hopes for cost savings with Continental deal
CHICAGO — United Airlines could take its partnership with Continental Airlines deeper by joining up on things such as fuel purchasing and consolidating ticket counters, UAL Chairman and Chief Executive Glenn Tilton said on Thursday.

msnbc - December 11, 2008
Airline traffic fell 8.4 percent in September
WASHINGTON - The number of passengers on U.S. airlines fell 8.4 percent in September, a decline of 5 million passengers from the year-earlier month, the Transportation Department said Thursday in the latest evidence of weakening travel demand.

USA Today - December 11, 2008
U.S. airlines report 86% on-time rate in October
Operating fewer flights and facing lower demand, the U.S. airlines' on-time performance continued to improve in October compared to last month and the same month a year ago, according to government data released today.

Voxy.com.nz - December 10, 2008
New Date Announced For Air New Zealand Biofuel Test Flight
The world's first commercial aviation test flight powered by a sustainable second-generation biofuel will take place on 30 December.

Airport Business - December 4, 2008
Delta to cut more capacity, jobs
Blaming a global recession and weaker demand for air travel, Delta Air Lines said today it will make additional cuts to domestic and international seat capacity and trim more jobs next year.

USA Today - December 3, 2008
Southwest Airlines to trim capacity, won't expand fleet in 2009
DALLAS — The chief executive of Southwest Airlines Co. said Tuesday that travel demand slumped sharply in November and the growth-happy carrier won't expand its fleet next year.

USA Today - December 3, 2008
Lufthansa to acquire Austrian Airlines
BERLIN — Lufthansa said Wednesday its supervisory board had approved a deal to acquire Austrian Airlines AG, giving one of Europe's biggest airlines more routes across the continent and beyond.

Reuters - December 3, 2008
Cuban-American support for embargo fading: poll
In a dramatic shift, a new poll shows most Cuban-Americans in Florida favor lifting the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.

Reuters - December 3, 2008
UAL to cut 1,200 jobs as part of earlier plan
UAL Corp, parent of United Airlines, on Wednesday said it would lay off almost 1,200 workers as part of a previously announced plan to trim staff by 7,000 jobs.

Reuters - December 3, 2008
Mexico aims to cut emissions, boost carbon trades
Mexico aims to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by around 15 percent and wants to increase carbon trading as part of a global push to combat climate change, the environment minister said on Wednesday.

USA Today - December 2, 2008
British Airways in merger talks with Qantas
LONDON — British Airways PLC said Tuesday it is in talks with Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd. about a potential merger, sending its shares soaring as it confirmed expectations of consolidation in the hard-hit aviation industry.

CNN - December 2, 2008
New drug brings hope for jet lag sufferers
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The sleepless nights, the woozy days and the foggy minds of jet lag are the bane of any business traveler's life.

msnbc - December 1, 2008
Germany plans tests for airport ‘naked scans’
Earlier this month, EU shelved plans to use high-tech security devices.

msnbc - December 1, 2008
Germany plans tests for airport ‘naked scans’
Earlier this month, EU shelved plans to use high-tech security devices.

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