Budget rooms 'ideal match' for cheap flights to India

The launch of a new budget room website could help those taking cheap flights to India to make further savings. Designed to find the cheapest rooms in India, www.bookmyroomz.com will allow travellers to search and book a wide range of accommodation in New Delhi. Results include budget hotels, bed and breakfasts, serviced apartments and guestrooms.

Rajesh Yadav, chief executive officer at Paltux Technologies, confirmed the new website will eventually cover a number of cities worldwide including those in the US and Europe.

So far, plans are in place for Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and Goa to be added by the end of the year, while Kolkata and Chennai will be introduced by March 2011.

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Spain in Pain after General Strike against Austerity

Spain finds itself amidst first general strike in the country in eight years. The strike which is going to last 24-hour started today with the Spanish workers disrupting the broadcasts and transport throughout the nation as the demonstrators plan to march through Brussels in the protest against expenditure cuts by European governments.

Unions across the country are protesting against the austerity measures adopted by the government to tame budget deficits across Europe. Apart from Spain, various other countries in the continent are planning protests, as stated by the European Trade Union Confederation.

Hordes of protesters intend to march through the city of Brussels ahead of the all important meeting between the union members and European Commission President Jose Barroso.

Two of the biggest Spanish unions claimed that more than 70 percent of the workers will join the strike, including over 80 percent in the air industry and nearly 60 percent in the energy sector.

The Spanish unions are protesting against the Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez for bringing about the deepest budget reductions in nearly 30 years and weakening job security in order to cut high unemployment rate. The prime minister was forced to narrow down the budget shortfall after the demands from investors and other European partners.

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IATA chief calls for cheaper flights to India

Giovanni Bisignani, the director general of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA), is urging the Indian government to remove a service tax on air travel. He claims that the tax is unlawful and adds to the cost of flights for travellers but hopes that a meeting with the authorities will help to clarify the situation.

"The service tax on air tickets by the government is illegal. It is embarrassing for India which is a leading member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and a signatory to Chicago convention," said Mr Bisignani.

The director general has already met planning commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and tourism minister Kumari Selja to discuss the issue surrounding international flights to India and domestic services.

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Delhi tour offers during Games

The forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi are leading to some companies offering discounts for those taking flights to India.

Travel Indochina is celebrating the sporting event by giving customers a ten per cent discount on all Indian tours booked before the end of October, reports Easier.com.

Holidaymakers can chose from a wide range of tours lasting from seven days to 22 days and they could help people discover the country's secret attractions as well as the popular tourist sites.

Chris Orme, Travel Indochina's general manager explained: "We want to offer people who are inspired by the atmosphere and colour of the destination the chance to soak up the experience themselves."

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Jet Airways plans IT updates

India's largest airline has announced plans to team up with IBM to develop a ten-year improvement plan. Jet Airways is hoping that the $62 million (£39.6 million) agreement will lead to a better customer experience for those taking flights to India with the carrier.

In particular, IBM will provide a range of high-tech solutions to improve airport operations as well as updating the company's frequent flier programme.

Nikos Kardassis, chief executive officer at Jet Airways, said: "This association will enable us to focus on our core business and improve our operational efficiencies, besides delivering a seamless customer experience." Jet Airways currently offers flights to 65 destinations including New York, London, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Dubai.

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Health and Safety advise for Travel to India

Health and Safety precautions are very important during your holidays. It becomes very important on your tour to India. Here is a concise list of safety advises that you can take on your flights to India. Following these safety measures will surely make your travel risk proof.

India is one exotic destination that every one craves to explore once in a lifetime. However, in your excitement to visit this enchanting country, do not let health and safety take a backseat. To minimize the impact of any unfortunate eventuality, remember to buy travel insurance.

The airplane is a breeding ground for air borne infections as the air you breathe in is re-circulated. Protect yourself with a face mask and ignore those smirks. Although airlines have set stringent health checks at the international airports in view of the recent strike of the deadly swine flu virus which resulted in a tremendous loss of life across the globe, the face masks are highly recommended.

Travelling soon after surgery is not advisable as the atmospheric pressure changes onboard the flight can disturb the healing process. Cabin pressure also worsens symptoms of flu, sinus infection, or head cold. Apply petroleum jelly to your nasal region. It reduces extra tenderness.

It is advisable to inform the cabin crew of any health conditions that you may have. They would know what to do if some emergency arises. Carry a bag load of your prescription medicines. You may not get them anywhere else in the world.

Skip alcohol on a flight as the diuretic effect of alcohol along with the dry recycled airplane air make for a lethally potent combination. In fact, try to carry your own food. Airline food is often known to be very high on sugar and calorie content.

To avoid incessant ear pain on those long flights to India, chew gum, drink plenty of water and swallow often. While drinking water will keep you properly hydrated, chewing gum and swallowing often will take care of ear pain and blockage. This will also exercise your facial muscles.

In addition, blink as much as possible because the dry air sucks out moisture from your eyes. Stretch yourself and try walking at regular intervals. Be sure to exercise your calf muscles. This will not only wrinkle out those irritating cramps and the stiffness, but may very well save your life from a pulmonary aneurism resulting from a blood clot in the leg.

Blame it to the climatic conditions or the lack of community will, India is still home to malaria despite continuous efforts of its eradication. Mosquitoes thrive in the unhygienic conditions that are, in many parts of the country, a bitter reality. Protect yourself by consulting your GP and getting all the required immunizations and vaccinations at least a couple of months before you travel as certain vaccines take up to 6 weeks to reach optimal performance.

Getting hospitalised in India is one thing no tourist would want. However, in case you do land up in one, ensure that its one of the renowned hospitals. Also, in case you were not aware, India boasts highly advanced and high end medical infrastructures and education and training of its doctors. Needless to say, many doctors educated and trained in Indian universities make great careers in countries round the globe.

The list of precautions is endless. If you have taken all the necessary health & safety precautions, then just relax. Board your flight to India and enjoy your India holiday! One last piece of advice though - keep your GP’s number handy.

Tips for those planning Indian travel

Before catching flights to India, travellers are being advised to do a little research into the country's culture. Ayal Mesher, writing for Startbackpacking.com, explained that it is not necessary to speak Hindu, especially as there are over 20 national languages anyway. However, learning basic culture traits can help travellers quickly settle into the Indian way of life.

In particular, locals can often seem very direct but tourists should not be put off by possible intensive questioning about their life and travel plans. Also time keeping can be a bit lax in India and it is best to always be prepared to be late or on time.

"Things leave when they leave and you just have to wait... The one time you assume your train or bus is going to leave an hour late is the one time it leaves on time," explained Mr Mesher.

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Jet Airways named as India's best

Jet Airways has been recognised in the latest Air Passenger Association of India (APAI) awards.

The carrier picked up a number of awards at a special industry seminar held last week. Jet Airways came out top in the categories of Best Full Service Airline, International and Best Full Service Airline, Domestic. Saroj Datta, executive director of Jet Airways, welcomed the awards as the results are based on feedback directly from passengers and believed it reflects the hard work of the airline's staff.

He added: "These awards stand testimony to our commitment to continually focus on the needs of our guests, thus offering them a truly world-class travel experience."

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See Commonwealth Games after flights to India

The approaching Commonwealth Games are this year being held in Delhi, and sports fans from across the Commonwealth nations could be among those looking for late deals on flights to India so they can be there in person to support their favourite athletes on the world stage.

The games, which this year feature Air India as the official airline partner, are set to take place at a number of venues across Delhi, giving visitors the chance to discover different parts of the city.

Organisers of this year's event say they have set the target of creating the best games to date, offering "impeccable standards of service to athletes, officials and the general public".

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Indian flights firm 'to be hived off'

Air India Express (AIE), a company offering cheap flights to India, will be spun off from parent organisation Air India as part of a drive to push down costs, it has been claimed.

The Economic Times reports that a new CEO is set to be brought on board within the next couple of weeks. Gustav Baldauf, chief operating officer of Air India, told the news provider: "By next summer schedule, restructuring operations of AIE will be complete and it will fly to domestic destinations too."

The move to reshape activities at the airline offering cheap flights to India comes after the company had to cancel a number of flights as a result of fewer bookings. Earlier this month, Jet Airways was rewarded for its business class travel offering, at an awards ceremony in New Delhi.

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What to take care while booking flights to India

Planning a trip to India…. how about getting your air tickets at a fraction of the published rate?

Sounds far fetched? It’s actually possible if a bit of planning and foresight goes into firming up your travel plans. To get rock-bottom fares you need to book your tickets at least six months in advance. As the scheduled date of departure draws near travel agents typically begin to charge higher for the same flights that too if they happen to coincide on holidays, festivals or national events.

Since most airlines release fresh fares on Wednesday and Saturday mornings chances are that you might get the best rates on both these days. Ensure that you always book return tickets from the same airline as one way tickets typically cost more. Getting the lowest fares also means compromising on the airports which you might use while embarking or disembarking from the aircrafts. The savings which the airlines make on airport fees are passed on to consumers making it a win-win situation for both. You and your family need to be less finicky about the choice of the airports.

No-frill airlines are the default choice amongst budget travellers, however the heavily discounted fares offered by them come with riders. Modifying the dates of your trip on such airlines can be a very expensive affair. No frills or Low-cost airlines typically have prohibitive cancellation and date-change charges which might hamper your flexibility while on a tour.

If you are travelling on a shoe-string budget then scheduling your arrival and departure flights to India on week days will be a good idea. You need to be a little net savvy if you are frequent flier and make internet your best money saving tool.

One can find numerous flight search engines which will retrieve information from all available airlines databases and comes up with the most economical flights options. All you need to do is to enter your flight details, arrival/departure dates, choice of airport and press the search button. The good news is that these online flight search tools even include the database of all low cost airlines offering you even more money saving options.

Sites in India 'important for tiger conservation'

Those taking flights to India could take part in conservation efforts to protect the wild tiger.

A total of 42 key sites for the tigers have been revealed in a new study examining ways to protect the species - and the majority of these are in India. Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) found that there are only around 3,500 tigers left in the wild and that concerted efforts now need to be made to prevent this number from dropping further.

Tourists on conservation trips to India may be able to help protect environments, rather than encouraging poachers.

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India airline wins industry award

An Indian airline has been named as the preferred airline for business class travel. Jet Airways picked up the award at the fourth CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards. Held in New Delhi, the title was presented by honourable minister for tourism Kumari Selja and is seen as a key industry event.

The award results are based on a consumer study which is conducted in 11 cities across India and involves people who make use of corporate, adventure and general public travel services.

Sudheer Raghavan, chief commercial officer, Jet Airways, said: "The CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards 2010 are widely respected across the tourism and trade industry and we are delighted to receive this honour." He added that Jet Airways has always focused on customer service and offering passengers a positive travel experience.

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India sees boost in online travel market

There has been a growth in the use of India's online travel resources, claims a new report. According to Netscribes, the online travel market in India has developed significantly in recent times and is now attracting both domestic and international holidaymakers.

Those planning a cheap flight to India may benefit from this surge in internet travel resources as it could enable them to book a whole range of accommodation or even train tickets before they jet off.

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5 Great Honeymoon Destinations

Picking up a honeymoon destination could be a difficult task with a baffling number of choices available. If you are looking for an overseas honeymoon destination that will make memories of the lifetime, then pick your choice from the destinations described below which draw hordes of honeymooners to their shores.

Thailand
The Thai resort towns of Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi and Chiang Mai boast stunning sunny beaches, turquoise waters for a great surf, sand and sea experience. Amazing water sports activities, unparalleled scenic beauty, verdant jungles and safari options, myriad flea markets, first-rate restaurants, luxury hotels and wonderful resorts. Thailand has all the trappings of a wonderful honeymoon destination. Mesmerizing and spellbinding Buddhist temples dot the Thailand cities and add a dash of spirituality to your holiday. Flights to Thailand are up for grabs all year round so you can book them well in advance.

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Berggruen plans new India hotel

Berggruen Hotels is continuing its expansion into India with new hotel plans. Under the company's Keys branding, it is expected the Mumbai hotel will be ideal for the mid-market and could appeal to holidaymakers enjoying cheap flights to India.

Keys Hotels is set to work with Nestor Hotels in transforming an existing property in to a new 140 room resort in Marol, Andheri East. The new establishment will benefit from being located close to both international and domestic airports, as well as the key industrial cities of MIDC and Sakinaka.

Sanjay Sethi, managing director and chief executive officer of Berggruen Hotels, said: "We are delighted in having signed this management contract with Nestor Hotels and look forward to partnering them through this venture."

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Travel Tips for Commonwealth Games 2010

Delhi is all set to explode in a frenzy of excitement when the Commonwealth Games set the city on fire. The government of India has poured in billions to spruce up the city for this mega event. Right from new flyovers and an extended metro rail network to more modern taxis and buses, development is being carried out on a war footing.

The Delhi International Airport’s sprawling, world class Terminal 3 has already started functioning. A major highlight of this gargantuan expansion is the construction of the Commonwealth Games Village on the banks of the River Yamuna near the iconic Akshardham Temple.

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United and Continental Airlines Set to Merge

The aviation industry is to reach a major milestone with the merger of the United Airlines and Continental Airlines. The proposed merger received the go ahead from the US Justice Department (DOJ). All antitrust concerns have been addressed by DOJ and the overall review is also complete. Voting by the shareholders remains the final step before the deal falls through. The voting is likely to be carried out on 17th September. After that it would be a matter of receiving the approval of the US Transportation Department. It is expected that the entire event would be wrapped up by 1st October, 2010. Here are some of the major highlights of the merger.

Financial Perspective

The all stock merger is reported to be worth about $US 3 billion and would create the biggest airline in the world. Airline sources indicated that some $1 billion to $1.2 billion is projected to be realised from annual synergies by 2013. It includes about $200 million to $300 million in annual cost synergies.

Scope of the Merger

A look at the current operations of Continental and United reveals the immense dimensions of the merger. Continental handles over 2,700 departures serving about 170 points throughout the world and has about 40,000 employees. United, on the other hand, is the founder of the Star Alliance and employs nearly 40,000 personnel. The company operates some 3,400 flights a day to over 230 destinations. The coming together of these two giant entities clearly spells as the creation of a mammoth in the aviation industry.

Future Leadership

Leadership positions would be filled in from the talent pool of both the companies. Both United and Continental are expected to contribute about the same number of members to the new management team. Other than Glenn Tilton and Jeff Smisek from United and Continental respectively, the new Board of Directors will be comprised of two union directors and an equal number of independent directors of both companies.

Benefits for Customers

The merger blends award winning customer service with industry leading network carrier. The merged company would fly the latest fuel efficient fleet (adjusted for cabin mix) and will also have the finest order book amongst the leading network carriers of the US. Customers will get to access the services of the number one frequent flyer programme in the industry. Earning and redeeming endless miles spread across a plethora of destinations with more and more partners will benefit the passengers immensely. Attractive new features will be added besides combining the features of Mileage and OnePass (the loyalty programmes of Continental and United).

Employee Benefits

A performance oriented incentive programme would be awarded to employees and there would be focus upon goal sharing. Another thrust area would be the creation of cooperative labour relations, which would include negotiating contracts with collective bargaining units that would work both for the employees and the company. Both airlines have stated that frontline employees would hardly be affected. Reductions would come in mainly from retirements, attritions, and voluntary programmes.

Source: Southall Travel News

India plans new airport investment

Brits taking cheap flights to India could benefit from a new investment programme. Bloomberg reports the country's government is set to invest around 400 billion rupees (£5.6 billion) over the next five years in the aviation industry.

Aviation minister Praful Patel explained: "We are in the process of either upgrading or setting up new airports across the country."

He added the government is also keen to increase investment in other aspects of aviation including navigation systems and runways. It is expected that the total number of passengers using India's airlines could reach 50 million in 2010, compared to 44 million in 2009. The country has also steadily increased its number of airports to meet demand and now has a total of 92 – an increase of 47 since 2004.

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Commonwealth Games to highlight India

The forthcoming Commonwealth Games could provide an ideal opportunity for people to enjoy cheap flights to India.

Starting on October 3rd, the Games will begin with a special opening ceremony and will see some of the world's leading sportspeople take part in a number of events. According to a travel expert, it could also be the perfect time for people to discover India for the first time. Sam Walker believes that the main venue of Delhi offers a mix of old and new attractions such as the Lodhi Gardens and Humayun's Tomb.

However, he also suggested that Delhi can provide an ideal base for exploring more of the country. In particular, the so-called triangle tour of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur would allow travellers to experience the Taj Mahal as well as the deserts of Rajasthan.

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Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai - A Must Visit Site on Your India Holiday

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai is one of the must-see jewels of India. It has recently been re-opened on the 63rd Independence Day of India, 15th August 2010. The Palace wing of this old hotel was closed down for operations pending its renovation after the terrorist attack in November 2008.

According to media reports, the 107 year old architectural marvel that bore witness to myriads of events on the heart of Mumbai was renovated at a cost of $37 million. Living up to its grandeur, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel re-opened its door with grand celebration. Ranked amongst the most expensive and most luxurious hotels in the world, this landmark at the Apollo Bunder (port) of Mumbai does merit a visit by every traveler booking flights to India.

Over the years the hotel has played host to Hollywood celebrities, members of the royal families from Britain, renowned international political figures, tycoons, top-notch executives, popular Indian and international musicians and singers amongst distinguished guests.

Invaluable art collections, antiques and artefacts from all over the world are housed in the hotel and appeal to the international travellers who have a penchant for art. Restoring the hotel’s grandeur fell in the hands of BAMO San Francisco, DesignWilkes, Malaysia, James Park Associates, Singapore and Lissoni Associati, Milan.

The gorgeously modified Taj Mahal Palace has surpassed the state of its former glory in that it boast opulence of the highest order and far many facilities and activities to actually make its guests feel the touch of world class luxury. The hotel is more technologically equipped to provide the ultimate customer experience blended with the unmatched Indian hospitality.

The Taj Mahal Palace has re-opened its palace wing on 15th August 2010 following a two-year restoration. The most popular hotel in Mumbai underwent massive reformation and rebuilding work was done utilizing the services of acclaimed designers worldwide. The hotel now stands as the essence of the firm audacity, buoyancy and fortitude of the people of India. It has now surpasses its former glory and is all set to welcome the national and international visitors who are traveling coming in Mumbai for family holidays, professional tours or other business or personal reasons. There are a number of changes and additions have been made on the inside to offer a superlative experience to its varied patrons. There are multiple changes have been done in the interior design of the hotel but the outside appearance is almost the same as have been in the past prior the attack.

Although, there have been no changes to the traditional façade of the hotel, major additions and changes can be experienced on the inside by those who have visited this marvel in the past. The food joints in this hotel complex have also received a remarkable facelift; and gourmets and epicureans have more reasons now to indulge here at Sea Lounge and Golden Dragon. Morimoto gave a magical touch to the Taj Ballroom, designed by LTW; and to the Harbour Bar and Wasabi, designed by the Rockwell Group.

Taj Hotels Resort and Palaces, a collective name for The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries, comprises more than 60 hotels in 45 locations across India. There are additional 15 international hotels in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Africa, the Middle East and Australia.

So if you are planning to visit India in the near future do include a trip to Mumbai to witness the new found glory of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. This Taj property is unique and is way ahead of all its counterparts including the Taj Hotel in Delhi or any other city of the world.

India considering elephant protection

Elephants should be regarded as part of India's national heritage, claims the country's environment minister. Jairam Ramesh believes that the move to make the animal a key part of the country's heritage could play an important role in ensuring the long-term survival of the species.

"We will soon declare elephant as a national heritage animal as they have been part of our heritage since ages [for a long time]. We need to give same [the] degree of importance to [the] elephant as is given to [the] tiger in order to protect the big animal," explained the minister.

It is also expected that the Wildlife Protection Act will be updated to ensure the creation of a National Elephants Conservation Authority during the winter session of parliament.

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Qatar Airways continues expansion of flights to India

Delhi, Cochin and Amritsar are set to benefit from an increase in regular flights from Qatar Airways. The airline has announced that it will increase its flights to the Indian cities by 20 per cent over the coming months as its expansion continues.

Flights to Delhi from Doha will include an extra daily service from the end of October, while Cochin will benefit from the addition of four flights a week by November 5th.

Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, said: "With these frequency increases in India and six new recently announced upcoming routes, we look forward to further global expansion to even more exciting destinations between October and January." He added that the expansion of routes over the past year has led to an increase from 56 to 88 flights to India.

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British passport gets an update

Those Brits taking flights to India and other countries will soon be using a newly designed British passport.

It is hoped that the new passport will prove harder to copy and provide better security for travellers. A major change is the introduction of a number of picture book images of traditional British landmarks including Ben Nevis, the Giant's Causeway and the White Cliffs of Dover.

Sarah Rapson, chief executive of the Identity and Passport Service, said: "We've deliberately chosen scenic Britain, the images you're seeing are representative of that aspect of Britain."

Other changes include the moving of the picture and personal details to the front of the passport to bring it in to line with other European countries.

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