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Fly Away! The Ultimate Guide to Budget Airlines Travel

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:13:55 PST

In the past, traveling by air was often considered a luxury because of the fact that airplane tickets cost such a substantial amount of money. Now, almost everyone can allow themselves to fly to their desired destination with the lowest airfares available. Using these great tips and links, airfare packages have never been easier to find cheaply

The concept of low cost airfares is not surprising, and it has become a new trend and phenomenon in the world of traveling. This concept has been well received by low and medium income families who can now also fly to their desired destinations. The foremost aim of the low cost airfare concept is to enable even more people to travel a great deal more often.

How Can Airlines Offer Such Low Cost Airfares?

The low-cost airline's main mission is to offer a more inexpensive, convenient and simpler form of transportation to its travelers. To achieve this mission, the airlines have to cut their costs to a minimum by eliminating some unnecessary expenditure.

The main feature of low cost carriers is that their airfares are extremely lower than other big-scale airline companies. In Europe, for example, their airfares are half or less than that the larger airline company's airfares. Many of these airfares are often lower than train tickets. Despite lower airfares, the profits of these airlines are often higher than larger airlines, with their sales profits going as high as 20 to 30%.

Low cost carriers do not use the major airports, instead they fly to and from secondary airports that are not necessarily the busiest. These secondary airports usually have lower operating costs than bigger major airports. Furthermore, the secondary airports are less congested and their “turnaround times” are shorter for the flights. Many European cities have more than one airport and for many small cities that are adjacent to the major cities, they often have their own airports. Because Europe's railways and highways use a very developed network, the passengers do not usually feel any inconvenience if the airports are located a little farther away from the major cities.

Low-cost carriers maintain lower labor costs because they mainly engage in short-distance business trips, and the pilots and crews do not stay overnight. Their wages are much lower than larger airline companies, and yet the average flying time is much longer. As the routes are allocated for only 2 to 3 hours for the short-haul flights, passengers are not usually provided with free meals. All foods and drinks sold are an addition.

No seats are reserved or allocated for passengers and so they will have to take any seats available, but luggage is allowed to be checked-in and taken on board.

The seating space in the plane is usually narrowed to allow more space for accommodating more passengers on board the flight. In this manner, their revenue can help in boosting their profits by at least 10%. Because flights are generally shorter, the passengers can easily accept the narrow distance between the seats.

These low cost airlines usually sell their air tickets via travel agents, travel-based search engines, and the internet, and do not need to rent a huge office space which may incur higher costs. By booking flights via internet or through an airline's call center, you do not have to pay a travel agent any commission, which would otherwise increase the airfares. You will end up saving even more money by not using travel agents to book a reservation.

Most low cost carriers cut their costs because no arrangements are made with any airline companies on flight transfers or connecting flights which would otherwise be reflected in the airfares. They employ pilots, flight attendants, operations personnel and mechanics who are specialized in a single type of aircraft, which saves the expenditure of re-training the staff, instead of maintaining a stock with parts for different types of aircraft. These are some of the reasons why the pricing is more affordable, economic and extremely low.

7 Essential Tips To Getting Low Cost Airfares

The low cost airline companies will catch your attention with extremely low airfares banners or advertisements that require you to book the tickets 6 or 9 months ahead of the traveling date. You have to grab these opportunities by making a reservation from their respective websites. These airfares get sold very fast.
Once the tickets are sold out, the low-cost seats will not be available anymore and you will have to pay more if you purchase the ticket later. You have to book the ticket immediately as it will last only 24 hours. In other words, you have to plan your trip earlier and book the ticket in advance. By doing this, you may be able to get the best deal that is worth every penny.
Now, you need to get a list of low cost airlines. You may use the suggested list attached in this article to choose your desired traveling destinations. E-mail the airlines to obtain some details on when their companies offer a promotional trip package, when the low cost airfares are on sale, and when to look for seasonal or discounted airfares. Once you get a list from them, you can familiarize yourself with the low cost airlines that fly from your local or nearby airport to your desired destination. This information may also be included on your local airports website.
With these e-mail lists at hand you will be one step closer to getting to know which new destinations are launched that can generally offer discounted or low airfares as an added promotion to attract tourists to visit those places. They also offer numerous packages which can include car rentals and hotels. This way, you can save money instead of paying for each particular aspect of the flight individually.
Browse through the dates on low airfare searches in order to find out how much you can save. You will be surprised to find out that the rates for weekdays, weekends, school holidays, public holidays and seasonal holidays all have different rates. You should try to travel during the off-peak seasons in order to get the discounted or low cost airfare packages.
Because flights are usually not fully occupied during the off season, you will receive better discounts. The airfare in general, is also less for morning flights than for evening flights because the airlines want to make sure the flight will be fully occupied before the plane takes off.
In some cases, you will have to be patient while you wait for the release of cheap airfares. Some big airlines buy tickets in bulk and resell them at lower rates through the internet. This is because they want to sell as many tickets as they can to make sure that their flights are fully occupied.

It is important to do some research trying various sources while looking for cheap airfares. The information is usually available at sites set up by airlines, travel agencies, or travel-based search engine sites. Internet is by far the best option to let you to search through as many sources in the fastest and most most effective way to let you obtain all the information you want. Search engines like Kayak, Expedia, Travelocity or Mobissimo enable you to search travel sites for the cheapest fares by simply entering the date of travel and the destination. After you hit the Search button, all related flights information will be displayed on the screen. If you are happy with the airfare, you can book your ticket immediately.

Remember, do not make a quick decision. You should always check on multiple search engines like Kayak, Cheapflights, Iwantthatflight, Attitudetravel, Qixo, Whichbudge, Cheapair, SKYSCANNER, Wikipedia or Bookingbuddy to compare the airfares. The travel agencies can have prices much higher or much lower than another. Make sure that you check with the airlines about whether the airfare includes routes (direct flights, stopovers or connecting flights), refunds or extra charges, and if their rules for cancellations before buying the tickets suits you.

A hotel plus air package is often worth buying because the prices are offered at a rate lower than the airfare without the hotel accommodations. Lastminute.com has been found to have some of the the best deals in this field. The Travelocity who owns Lastminute is one of the best options for you to book your last minute travel reservations while still helping you save money.

Always make sure that you keep abreast of the different airfares offered by various airlines companies. The prices fluctuate like the stock market and the airlines may update their domestic fares up to two or three times a day. If you are serious about saving your money, you should really check them out regularly.

Try to combine two separate fares rather than buying an individual airfare which will probably cost you more. Travelocity or another travel-based search engine may provide you with even more information regarding combining fares.

Where to Get an Affordable, Economic and Low Cost Airfare?

The links below offer some of the lowest operating costs for airlines in Africa, Asia, Europe, America, Middle East and Oceania regions and were compiled from various resources.

AFRICA REGION

Morocco

Nigeria

South Africa

AMERICA REGION

Argentina

LAPA

Brazil

Columbia

Canada

Mexico

United States

Uruguay

ASIA REGION

Bangladesh

China

Indonesia

Japan

South Korea

Malaysia

Pakistan

Philippines

Singapore

Sri Lanka

Mihin Lanka

Thailand

Vietnam

Pacific Airlines

EUROPE REGION

Austria

Belgium

Brussels Airlines

Bulgaria

Czech Republic

Smart Wings

Denmark

Sterling Airlines

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Wizz Air

Iceland

Italy

Latvia

AirBaltic

Netherlands

Norway

Norwegian Air Shuttle

Poland

Romania

Blue Air

Russia

Slovakia

SkyEurope

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Flybaboo

Turkey

United Kingdom

MIDDLE EAST REGION

Kuwait

Jazeera Airways

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

OCEANIA REGION

Australia

New Zealand

I hope this article will be useful and helpful for those who wish to find the cheapest airfare available. Bon Voyage!

Anyone Hungry? Six Strange Ready-to-Eat Canned Foods

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:50:11 PST

The world is buying more and more food all the time. One hundred years ago it was being cooked by the family over the course of a day for some meals. Now we simply go to the store and buy canned or frozen food.

Here are 6 of the strangest canned foods you can find being distributed at your local supermarket. I left out food meant for animals as that is completely different.

France - Canned Duck Fat

This is a product that doesn't get much attention in the United States food markets. Canned duck fat is actually a rather rare treat for people in France. For 67.5 oz of duck fat you can expect to pay around $60. We usually cut the fat off of our meat which makes this a very weird canned food.
Sweden - Canned Cheeseburger

This delicious cheeseburger originates from Sweden. It is strange simply because of the pieces used to make the cheeseburger. I would be worried about the quality of the bread, cheese, and meat after getting this shipped across seas. For the price of $6 you can get a cheeseburger in a can, or you can head over to McDonalds and get 6 of them for the same price.
New Zealand - Canned Tongue

New Zealand lamb tongues are definitely something that is not seen in many American grocery stores. However in New Zealand this is a great delicacy that is a very common item at a dinner table. The prices range depending on the brand, expect to pay around $5 for this can of tongues.
Korea - Canned Silkworm Pupae

These silkworm pupae are very popular snacks in and around Korea. They are prepared simply by stewing and seasoning them. You can get these at just about any supermarket or gas station in Korea as they are to them as something like peanuts are to us. Silkworm pupae are generally a cheaper food, you can pick up a can like this for around $4.
Scandinavia - Canned Reindeer

This delicacy is actually very healthy for you compared to other red meats. Since reindeer are raised on a farm on diets of moss and lichen these animals have only a 2 percent fat content. Due to the time and costs in farming these animals you will have to dish out close to $30 for a can of this arctic delicacy.
Thailand - Canned Scorpion

Scorpions are a delicacy in most of Thailand. These are already cooked and they can be eaten whole without risk of poison from their venom. There are thousands of different species of scorpions and you can eat a good percentage of them. Expect to pay around $6 for a can of scorpions.

Most of these are delicacies from other countries that are available in the United States as well. They are all eaten without disease however they may not look that appetizing to us. Next time you go to the supermarket look at all the different kinds of canned food you see. Did I miss anything?

Fun Things to Do in Chicago

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 04:14:01 PST

Navy Pier

A great place to take the kids, especially in the spring and summer months. As it sits along lake Michigan, there's a Ferris wheel outside along with indoor shopping and food. Parking is quite expensive, be prepared to pay anywhere from $20 to $30. This is true for most of downtown, Chicago. During the weekday it is impossible to find inexpensive parking.

Millennium Park

A recent addition to Chicago, Millennium Park sits on Michigan Avenue. In the winter months there's an ice rink. During the hot summer months, bring a spare change of clothes for the kids, there's a fountain they'd love to get wet under. Underground parking is available.

Michigan Avenue

A trip to Chicago would not be complete without seeing the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue. Shop the stores, visit the Art Museum, and ride the trolley.

Lincoln Park Zoo

Be sure to bring the kids to Lincoln Park Zoo. Admission is always free. Grab a bite to eat at the zoo or be sure to take your own picnic lunch.

Wrigley Field

On the Northside of Chicago sits Wrigley Field, home of the Cubs. Many films have used the outside of the stadium and you will likely recognize the bright red sign. Tickets are difficult to come by, even for die-hard fans that live in Chicago. If you do manage to find tickets (stubhub, ticketmaster) don't leave before the 7th inning stretch as someone (sometimes famous) will sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” You will also notice that residents surrounding the stadium will be on their roofs, with stadium seating watching the game from home!

The Museum of Science and Industry

Chicago hosts many museums located along Lake Michigan. Most are near Solider Field (home of the Chicago Bears). The Museum of Science and Industry however is located near the southside, right off I-55. They typically have temporary exhibits worth noting when you visit. They've hosted both CSI and Star Wars.

The Top Sights You Should Visit While in Victoria, Australia

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 03:39:37 PST

Phillip Island

The penguin parade happens on Phillip Island every night. Many tour buses (ie. Autopia) comes through and gives you a tour of the Island (animal parks and along the shore) and at night allows you to see the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island. Rates are reasonable per person (about $100 USD for an entire day).

The Ten Apostles

A beautiful site along the coastline of Australia. It is a several hour drive from Melbourne but well worth the view even in winter. Be sure to bring a jacket and a camera. Tour buses will take you along the Great Ocean Road and to see the Ten Apostles also.

Great Ocean Road

A long scenic drive along the coast of Australia. Much like the beautiful highway along the coast of California this gives you a great view of Australia's beaches. Surfing takes place at some of the beaches. It can be incredibly touristy in some areas. Great for photographs!

Healesville Sanctuary (Or Another Australian Wildlife Park)

This is a must see for anyone coming to visit Australia. Before going home you'll want to be sure to see some Kangaroos, Koalas, Wombats, Wallabies, and the famous Tasmanian Devil.

Ballarat

A great look back in time at Australia and the gold rush. Be sure to stay for the light show to learn all about “Blood on the Southern Cross”.

Australian Football Game

Australian Football, known to the Aussies as “Footy,” is a rather easy game to understand. It's much like American Football without the confusing rules and plays that are involved. Players aren't allowed to throw the ball, only punt it to their teammates and kick respective field goals for points. Tickets are reasonable and sold at the door for games. The majority of teams in the Australian Football League are in fact in and around Melbourne so it's much like seeing a rival city play (i.e. Chicago Bears vs. Greenbay Packers).

Yarra Valley Wineries

For those 18 and over, be sure to check out one of the many wineries in Yarra Valley. They offer samples and tours. The vineyards are rather beautiful.

Melbourne

When going to Victoria, Australia you can't forget to visit the second biggest city Melbourne (pronounced Melbin). There's lots of sites to see downtown. There's a train into the city from the suburbs that runs daily as is a tram that goes around the city to the many sites including Queen Victoria Market.

Queen Victoria Market

In the heart of downtown Melbourne, Queen Victoria Market offers a great shopping experience for those that both live here and are visiting. The market has many sections offering different items from meats and vegetables to souvenirs. You can find great gifts to bring home at reasonable prices and the vendors typically with bargain with the price listed. Most vendors only take cash however there are cash stations outside the market.