Golf Vacation Exclusive Offers

Scottish golf vacations, Holiday in Scotland Home Golf in Scotland Events Rankings Feedback Vote! Links Email Info By Region GolfCourses Accommodation & Hotels Fishing& Deer Stalking Car Rental Insurance Attractions Select a Golf Vacation Exclusive Offers Holiday in Scotland General Golf Vacation Enquiry Form Hotel, Holiday and Golf Vacation booking service bringing you the best thatScotland has to offer. St Andrews ... Gleneagles ... Turnberry ... Carnoustie... Royal Troon ... names to be conjured with in the world of golf, and onlya selection of the famous courses Golf-Link-Scotland could introduce youto when you join us in a golf tour of Scotland Fully arranged personal vacations for groups and societies. Booking service for accommodation, car rental and travel insurance. Golf starting times guaranteed,all courses booked in advance. Non golfers more than welcome. Check out what our customers think ! NEW! ExclusivePrestige Golf Vacation with Guaranteed Tee Times CLICK HERE ! Select one of our readymade golfing packages ... or ... Tell us where you want to play and we will arrange a tour to suit your own personal requirements. Golf-Link-Scotland.com is an exciting service that allows golfers and holidaymakers to make the most of what Scotland the ancient home of golf has to offer with a range of discounts, holidays, and golf tours. We are a small family business based in Scotland and have been in the golf tour business for 13 years. We can offer you a choice of over 500 golf courses in Scotland. Your itinerary can also be tailored to include courses in Ireland, England and Wales. Our inclusive golf vacation prices per person start from £323 (US $484) for 7 nights DBB at a 1 star hotel to include 5 rounds of golf at lesser known courses and rental of an economy car - up to £2410 (US$3615) for a 5 star hotel with 5 rounds of championship golf and a luxurious car. Whatever your budget we can tailor a holiday just for you in beautiful Scotland - the home of golf. What our customers think ...... "Just a note to let you know that the trip was fantastic and exceeded everyone's expectations! The guys really enjoyed the golf! The accommodation was wonderful and the weather couldn't have been better. Everyone has asked me to send you their regards and special thanks for making all this happen. For the majority of people there, this was the trip of a life time." Helen & Scott "Thank you. You've done a marvellous job for the group and Rita and me. Looking forward to finally meeting you on Oct 16. See you at the Old Course Hotel at 4:30pm." David Quibell "Thanks again for everything. All of the arrangements came off flawlessly. The trip was one of the best we've all experienced". Dave Richards, Pennsylvania "It was great to meet you at last when we were in Scotland and to thank you personally for arranging the perfect vacation." Geoff Houghton, Toronto "My father and his friends had a great holiday. Everything was perfect, the golf, the hotel, the experience". Craig Whipps, Birmingham "Brilliant!" Went like a dream, see you again next year." Nick Allsopp, West Midlands "Scotland was wonderful, we just loved everything, thanks for the course suggestions." Jen Fenster, California " "The trip was wonderful and we all had a great time. Thank you for taking the worry out of our trip with your personal handling of all the tour arrangements". Greg Collins, Florida. (Golf Digest Panel Member) Golf-Link-Scotland.com 12 Blenheim Court, Causewayhead, Stirling, FK9 5EA Tel/Fax +44 (0) 1786 479774 golftours@Golf-Link-Scotland.co.uk All Rights Reserved © 2005 EarnTech

Switzerland Travel

Switzerland, Switzerland Travel Advice, Ski Switzerland, Skiing in Switzerland, Swiss Ski Resorts, Swiss, Switzerland Information,Jungfrau, Verbier, Saas Fee and more Swiss Skiing, Ski Europe, Poll Thai Resorts, Poll France Resorts, free travel newsletter Weather Forecast Search Activelifestyle Select from list Partner hotels Brochures on-line Alpine routes Alpine ski maps EU golf maps TH golf maps UK Ski tours Golf video Ski video FREE Newsletter Snow Sports Gear SkiGear SkiJackets SnowboardBoots Information for Travel in Switzerland Zermatt.com Saas Fee Château d'Oex Les Diablerets Leysin Villars Engelberg Luzern Verbier Switzerland.com Andermatt Crans-Montana Veysonnaz Adelboden Gstaad - Saanenland Davos St. Moritz Jungfrau Region.com Grindelwald Interlaken Lauterbrunnen Mürren Wengen Ski Switzerland, Europe's spotless land of lakes and mountains. If skiing in Europe is your dream or if you do it frequently, skiing in Switzerland is a wise destination choice. World class ski resorts are all over Switzerland. World class ski lifts and mountain transportation will safely and comfortably get you into ski country, and some of the best hotels and restaurants in Europe will see to your comfort in Switzerland. Wining and dining in Switzerland are excellent activities and the Swiss kitchen, although underrated is certainly one of the best. Select from the resorts featured here-we will be adding more soon. About Activelifestyle | Contact European Reservations Dolonne, Courmayeur , family run hotel, bed/ buffet breakfast, great restaurant, 47 Euro,p/n,up Entreves, Courmayeur charming hotel, family friendly, 4 nights double half board from 260 p/n Get featured here. Pay 10% commission or .50cents per click through. Classified Ads Property Paradise? Invest for income or to live in Thailand. Paradise is yours. thailandpropertytimes.com Got something to say? Say it to a global audience. Free. www.bloggerup.com Luxury Holiday Word Europe, America, Asia, Canada, Yachting luxury www.luxuryski.com Advertise here pay per result Pay per click, per request or per month, change when you want, full reporting actone@activelifestyle.com Hotels in central Courmayeur Request here for great prices, great locations, and fast, friendly service Link to ME form with hotel list Speak Italian? Courmayeur brochure in Italian with great page turning feature. No plug-in needed. www.brochures-on-line.com The Activelifestyle Travel Network. Focused travel targeting at its best = perfect results for buyer and seller. Austria ski/resorts Swiss/ski/resorts Italy/ski/resorts France/ski/holidays Last Minute skiaustria.com stantonaustria.com austrianarlberg.com lechaustria.com stubaiaustria.com tirolaustria.com holidaysaustria.com skiswitzerland.com zermatt.com jungfrauregion.com verbierswitzerland.com zermattswitzerland.com holidaysswitzerland.com skiitaly.com aostaitaly.com courmayeur.com dolomitesitaly.com livignoitaly.com holidaysitaly.com skifrance.com holidayfrancais.com dive-lastminute.com golf-lastminute.com holidays-lastminute.com ski-lastminute.com Asia/activities/dest Asia/activities/dest Holidays Europe Luxury Luxury travelthailand.com bangkokthailand.com pattayathailand.com phuketthailand.com thailandgolfmaps.com asiandiveholidays.com asianmp3.com mp3thailand.com thailandhealthcaretimes.com thailandpropertytimes.com holidayseurope.com holidaysineurope.com europeanreservations.com croatiancoastholidays.com sloveniancoast.com luxuryalpinehotels.com luxuryasianhotels.com luxuryasianresorts.com luxurygolfdestinations.com luxuryyachtholidays.com luxuryhotelsamerica.com luxuryhotelscanada.com luxuryislandresorts.com luxuryhotelsbangkok.com luxuryski.com Best Price Best Price Best Price Alpine Sun Special travel bestpriceeurope.com bestpriceaustria.com bestpriceitaly.com bestpriceswitzerland.com bestpricefrance.com bestpricethailand.com bestpricezermatt.com bestpricecourmayeur.com bestpriceskiing.com bestpricegolfing.com bestpricetouring.com bestpriceverbier.com bestpriceairlinetickets.com bestpriceairtickets.com bestpricetravelnetwork.com alpineholidays.com alpinesecrets.com alpinesummer.com lakesmountainseurope.com hotelsinthealps.com alpinegolf.com alpineskimaps.com activelifestylewoman.com euroski-on-line.com businesstraveltoday.com bookhotelsdirect.com activelifestyle.com activelifestylemall.com gullibletraveler.com Available Accommodation Available Accommodation global apartments global apartments availableroomsthailand.com availableroomszermatt.com availableroomsitaly.com availableroomsfrance.com availableroomsaustria.com availableroomsswitzerland.com availableaccommodationitaly.com zermattaccommodation.com zermattapartmantregister.com alpineapartmentregister.com apartmentaustria.com apartmentsinthealps.com apartmentslivigno.com apartmentsswitzerland.com apartmentsverbier.com lakesmountainsapartments.com livignoapartments.com matterhornapartments.com privatealpinehomes.com verbierapartments.com alpineholidayhomes.com Applications Applications Airports Casinos/gambling Casinos/gambling ManagEasy.com easyairticket.com easyadtracker.com bloggerup.com brochures-on-line.com europeanevents.com skihear.com airports-on-line.com airporthotelsandservices.com skiersairports.com casinoisslovenia.com casinoseurope.com gamblingaustria.com gamblingslovenia.com webgamblingeurope.com alpinegamblingcasinos.com alpinegamblingguide.com

Russia Travel Guide @

Russia Travel Guide @ TravelNotes.org Car Hire Cruises Flights Hotels Tours Vacations About Travel Notes™ Destinations Budget Travel Feedback Search Travel Forums Travel Writers Africa Asia Caribbean Europe Middle East North America South America Oceania Russia Russia Travel Guide @ TravelNotes.org Cruising To Russia , Map of Russia , Moscow , Russia Tourism , Russian Food , Russian Tours , Russian Visas , St Petersburg , Soviet Memorabilia , The Urals , Visiting Russia , Wild Russia . Round The World Flights - Free TravelNotes e-mail Flag of Russia Local Currency Convert your currency into Russian roubles. Buy a Map of Russia Countries neighbouring Russia are: Norway , Finland , Estonia , Latvia , Belarus , Ukraine , Kazakhstan , Mongolia , China , North Korea and Alaska , USA; across the Bering Straight. National Anthem of Russia. Food Travel Fiction Health Kids Bios Humor Mags Software Gifts Tech Business Other Your Ad Here Travel Notes Mailing List News Headlines World News Directory of newspapers and news sources from around the world. Russia Today : More than just the news from Russia. Hotel City Search : Moscow On Arbatskaya , the main pedestrian street in Moscow, the red flag is a tourist commodity worthy of currency, along with other Lenin memorabilia and former soviet uniforms, Russian dolls, tin-badges and revolution-era cameras. Sovietski -- Soviet Memorabilia Turn back the clock with this original work of Soviet Memorabilia from 1800-Russia.com . This original Soviet clock can only be purchased at Sovietski -- Soviet Memorabilia . Travel Notes From Russia With Love : The thawing of attitude has seen the people of St. Petersburg and Moscow take to the streets; Lenin statues have fallen and individual traders have sprouted. Moscow Life : An excellent collection of articles. from Andrey Sebrant. Russia Tourism East Russia Travel : This site has been designed to educate, inform and promote Eco, cultural and other tourism opportunities in Eastern Russia. New Russia : Official Site of the Russian National Tourist Office. This is a beautifully presented site, and very easy to navigate; who needs frames? There is an enlightening history section, and of course the mythical Trans Siberian Railway routes. Trans-Siberian : A Dutchman's well-illustrated, and fast-loading travelogue. Visiting Russia Russian Visas : All foreign nationals are required to have entry visas to travel to the Russian Federation. You can easily obtain your entry visas for Russia and the CIS online, from the comfort of your own home. If you are transiting through Moscow Sheremetyevo airport, you may also purchase a visa at the airport, to visit Red Square and The Kremlim while you wait for your connecting flight. And believe me, there can be some very long waits. If you're staying in Russia for more than 3 days, you'll need to register your visa through your hotel or sponsor. For those travelling to a number of Russian cities, all points of entry and all itinerary stops in Russia need to be printed on the visa. It's also a good idea to make photocopies of your passport and visa and carry them with you at all times. Travellers who wish to stay in Russia for more than 3 months need to have an HIV test, to prove that they don't carry the virus. The HIV certificate needs to be in Russian and English and valid for 3 months from the date of medical examination. Russian Customs Regulations : You need to fill out a customs declaration upon arrival in Russia with the amount of currency brought into the country declared and all valuable items listed (including your cell phone). Make sure that the declaration is officially stamped by customs officers on entry, to prevent difficulties in taking currency and valuables out. Russian Consulates : Listings of Russian Consulates around the world. Russian Phrasebook : You're in Russia. Chances are you'll have to stand in line at least once. With this book in hand, this potentially dreary experience could become a social event. Talk politics, meet the love of your life or simply ask where the toilets are. St. Petersburg Russian Folk Show : Enjoy an exotic Russian folk show in the former Ballroom of the Nikolayevsky Palace. Featuring the best folk companies in St. Petersburg with delicious Russian appetisers served in the intermission. St. Petersburg : A virtual tour of Russia's jewel in the crown. Sit back and enjoy as you learn more about the sights. St. Petersburg Guide : Aims to be the best on the web -- don't we all -- for information about the one time Leningrad. St Petersburg Hostel : More Youth Hostels are appearing as budget travel takes off -- when we first went to Russia, you had to pre-book your itinerary through Intourist to receive vouchers for dollar hungry hotels. The State Hermitage Museum : The State Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the River Neva, right in the heart of St. Petersburg. The Hermitage collections of works of art (over 3,000,000 items) present the development of the world culture and art from the Stone Age to the 20th century. Where Russia : Moscow and St Petersburg are two different cities. Get a feel for these Russian cities by reading the articles at Where Russia. Pulkovo Passengers travelling through St. Petersburg, on Pulkovo flights, get a free hotel stay if their connecting flight is the following day or they have more than a six hour wait. Pulkovo Airlines : The regional airline of St Petersburg operates charter flights to some 84 cities abroad and 46 cities within Russia and the CIS. Pulkovo Airport : Pulkovo airport has two air terminals: Pulkovo-1-- for domestic, CIS and charter flights and Pulkovo-2 for international flights. Pulkovo Airport Transfers : As well as arranging accommodation for visitors to St. Petersburg, Gopetersburg now offer airport transfers for €25 (1-2 people) as compared to the €40-60 normally charged by taxis at the airport. It's a good idea to book your airport taxi in advance. 5% discount to Travel Notes members . Pulkovskaya Hotel : The hotel is situated close to the Moskovskaya metro station, in one of the most beautiful St. Petersburg districts. Only 10 minutes, free shuttles can also whisk you into the city within 20 minutes. The hotel is especially convenient for guests planning to visit the famous royal estates: Peterhof, Pushkin, Pavlovsk and the residence of the Russian President -- Constantinovsky Palace. The Urals The Ural Mountains are stuffed with gems and precious stones. You can buy fantastic handmade jewellery and souvenirs in Ekaterinberg: malachite, garnet, turquoise and jasper made into colourful, sparkling rings, necklaces, key chains and jewellery boxes. About Ekaterinburg : Ekaterinburg is the third largest Russian city, administrative centre of Sverdlovsk oblast and the capital of the Urals. Ekaterinburg History : Ekaterinburg (Yekaterinburg), the capital city of the Urals, was founded in 1723 by Tzar Peter the Great (and named after his wife, Catherine). The city witnessed the death of monarchy in Russia, as it was in Ekaterinburg that the last Russian czar Nicholas II with his family was assassinated, in Ipatiev house by the Bolsheviks on July 16, 1918. When Josef Stalin ruled the Soviet Union, Ekaterinburg became the largest passing point for the so called political criminals, who were sent to develop the lands of Siberia and the Far East; the inhuman work was another name for a death sentence. Ekaterinburg Webcam : A view of the Malysheva - Khokhryakova crossroad in Ekaterinburg . Forsage-plus : (Incoming Tourism) There are many outstanding historical monuments in the area. We suggest that you take a one-day tour to Verkhoturje -- a truly amazing village not far from Ekaterinburg, where you can see the most beautiful churches in Russia and listen to stunning legends about the famous ancient monastery. Ural Airlines : Located at Sputnikov str., 6 in Ekaterinburg. Tel: +7 /3432/ 242-850, 266-789 Fax: +7 /3432/ 266-416 Information phone +7 /3432/ 268-845 . US Consulate in Ekaterinburg : American visitors to Russia can find out about citizen services and the region; Russian travellers to America can learn about visa services; U.S. businessmen can access reports on trade and investment, and Russian students and journalists can read the latest U.S. policy statements on events around the world. Russian Tours All-Russia Travel Services : Apart from offering the usual Russian visa and accommodation services, this website also has a section on rail travel in Russia and driving across Siberia ; from Moscow to Vladivostok. The 10,000 kilometre road journey is probably best taken from west to east, as the most arduous part of the journey is undertaken first and the vehicle's resale value is higher in Moscow. Up to 5% discount to Travel Notes Members . Mak Moscow : Explore the charm that lives in every corner of Russia from the Kremlin and the palaces that fascinate the visitor with their beauty, to the churches outlining the profile of Moscow and the cities that decorate the shores of the Black Sea and Baltic Coast. 4% discount to Travel Notes Members . Travel in Russia : Escorted tours around Saint Petersburg and its suburbs. Also offer tours and shore excursions for cruise ship tourists . Cruising To Russia 1800-Cruises.com : Enjoy a cruise of Russia, the Baltic States and Scandinavia. Princess' Grand Princess : (10 nights) Departs Copenhagen, Denmark >> Nynashamn, Sweden >> Helsinki, Finland >> St. Petersburg, Russia >> Tallinn, Estonia >> Gdansk, Poland >> Warnemunde, Berlin >> Helsingor and Copenhagen, Denmark. Departure Dates in 2004: May 19; Jun 8; Jun 28; Jul 18; Aug 7. NCL's Norwegian Dream : (12 nights) Departs Dover, England >> Transit Kiel Canal (optional tour to Hamburg) >> Berlin (Warnemunde) >> Cruise Baltic Sea >> Tallinn, Estonia >> St. Petersburg, Russia (optional tour to Moscow) >> Helsinki, Finland >> Stockholm, Sweden >> Cruise Swedish Archipelagos >> Copenhagen, Denmark >> Cruise North Sea >> Return to Dover. Departure Dates in 2004: May 13; May 25; Jun 6; Jun 18; Jun 30; Jul 12; Jul 24; Aug 5; Aug 17; Aug 29; Sep 10. Celebrity's Constellation : (12 nights) -- Aug 26th, 2004 Departs Dover, England >> Cruise the North Sea >> Oslo, Norway >> Stockholm, Sweden >> Helsinki, Finland >> St. Petersburg, Russia >> Muuga (Tallinn), Estonia >> Copenhagen, Denmark >> Return to Dover, England. Orient's Marco Polo : (12 nights) -- Aug 30th, 2004 Departs Stockholm, Sweden >> Helsinki, Finland >> St. Petersburg, Russia >> Tallinn, Estonia >> Riga, Latvia >> Cruise Baltic Sea >> Copenhagen, Denmark >> Warnemunde, Germany >> Kiel Canal >> Amsterdam, Holland >> Disembark in Dover, England. 7 Nights also available: Stockholm to Copenhagen (Jul 5; Aug 2) Copenhagen to Stockholm (Jun 28; Jul 26; Aug 23) The Radisson Seven Seas Voyager and SilverSea's Silver Cloud also do seven-night Baltic Cruises in July, although they are a little more expensive. For something a little special , Windstar's Wind Surf take sailing to a new dimension. Pamper yourself on teak decks, as sails catch the wind to propel you around Scandinavia and the Baltic . 10-Night Cruises (Departing Copenhagen on July 12th and August 11th). 13-Nights (Departs St Petersburg July 29th). Russian Food Food and Russia are not talked about kindly in the same breath. Russian Recipes : Pelmeni -- an ear of dough, and blini -- Russian pancakes. Wild Russia Visit Siberia : Located in Tomsk, the geographical centre of Russia, Visit Siberia is an authorised company possessing a license for Russian visa support, hotel reservations and air ticketing. They also have contacts with travel companies in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Irkutsk and Vladivostok. Europe Travel Forum : From Albania to Vatican City, Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, Europe is culturally eclectic and full of lavish history. Join us in the travel forums if you have a question about Europe or would like to share your experiences about travelling or living in Europe. The Internet TravelNotes.org Russia For Adventure Travellers Moscow and St Petersburg Flight Tickets : Save money on Round The World flight tickets. Travel News : Get the inside scoop with the latest travel features and tips. Past Articles . Airlines & Airports : This travel article points you to airlines and the three letter airport codes with links to their websites. Cyber Cafes : The Internet Caf Guide. Weather Outlook Car Hire Cruises Flights Hostels Tours Vacations Destinations Budget Travel Feedback Meta-Travel Travel Forums Travel Writers Africa Asia Caribbean Europe Middle East North America South America Oceania Travel Directory : Europe : Russia Travel Guide -- Submit to Travel Notes | Advertise on TravelNotes.org | Favourite Destinations | Magun'sCompass | Travel Articles | Writers | | Airlines | Airports | Car Hire | Cruises | Flights | Hotels | Online Reservations | Vacation Rentals | | Casinos | Olympics | World Cup | General Disclaimer | Meta-Travel | Search Resources | | TravelNotes is a Trademark of TravelNotes.org | Travel Notes Blog | Add URL | Add to Favorites The URL for this page is: http://www.travelnotes.org/Europe/russia.htm

Russia travel and it's

Travel to Russia - About Russian travel agency in Atlanta TRAVEL AGENTS Home Train Reservations Full visa services - Armenia - Azerbaijan - Belarus - Georgia - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan - Moldova - Russia - Turkmenistan - Ukraine - Uzbekistan Visa support only - Armenia - Belarus - Georgia - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyz stan - Moldova - Russia - Ukraine Fiancee visa - The Process - Services - Who we are Travel services - Cell Phone Rental - Guide and translator - Transport services and airport transfers - Tours and packages - VIP services - Travel Insurance Airport Transfers - Moscow Transfers - St.Petersburg Trans - Kiev Transfers - Odessa Transfers Hotels & Apartments - Hotels in Russia - Hotels in Ukraine - Apartments in Moscow - Apartments in St.Petersburg - Apartments in Yoshkar-Ola - Apartments in Ekaterinburg - Apartments in Kiev - Apartments in Odessa - Apartments in Lviv Airline Tickets - International - Domestic Adoption travel - Doing your own research - Buying your tickets - Airline recommendations - Passports - Travel visas - Hotels in Russia - Getting to your hotel - Safety Traveler’s essentials - Russian visa - Arriving by plane - Arriving by train - Foreign Embassies - Phone services - Internet Access - Exchanging money - Medical help - Time zones - Russian mail US Passports - New US Passport - Passport Renewal - Lost Passport - Second Passport - Adding Pages - Child US Passport - Child Lost Passport - Name Change Russia in Pictures Newsletter Internet Specials Gift Certificates Flower Delivery About us - What our clients say - Our staff - Our partners - Job Opportunities About us - Meet our Atlanta Staff - - Meet our San Francisco Staff - - Our Services - - What Our Clients Say - - Contact Us - We are an American-owned travel management company with offices in Atlanta, San Francisco and Moscow, representative offices in St. Petersburg and Kiev, and agents throughout the cities of the former USSR. Our only specialty is travel to the countries of the former Soviet Union. Through powerful alliances and exclusive agreements with hotels, airlines, Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Consulates, we're able to pass tremendous savings to you while leaving trip planning totally hassle-free. Our company processes over 20,000 visas to Russia annually and as a major airline consolidator and wholesaler, our ticketing agents can usually find the most convenient and economical ways for you to visit the Eastern Europe and Russia. Go To Russia travel and it's subsidiaries are members of the following trade organizations: GO TO RUSSIA Travel 309 Peters St., Unit A Atlanta, GA 30313 Phone: 1.888.263.0023 , 404.827.0099 Fax: 404.827.0435 Office hours Mon-Fri 9AM - 8PM EST Saturdays 11AM - 3PM EST 2004 GTR - Russian Visa All rights reserved Russian Visa Services

Air Travel May Double

Bloomberg.com: Latin America Updated: New York: Dec 28 17:46 London: Dec 28 22:46 Tokyo: Dec 29 07:46 US AU BZ FP GR HK IM JP LN SM IND : Regions Top Worldwide Regions Asia Australia & New Zealand Canada Europe Germany Japan Latin America U.K. U.S. Markets Economy/Politics Commentary Sports Culture Bloomberg RSS RESOURCES: Bloomberg TV Bloomberg Radio Markets Latin America E-Mail This Story Printer-Friendly Format Venezuelan Economy Grew 9.4 Percent in 2005, Fueled by Government Spending Codelco Union Workers Delay Strike at Chile Copper Mines for Wage Talks Brazilian Central Bank Expects 4 Percent Growth in 2006, Faster Inflation Mexican Air Travel May Double in 3 Years on Discounts (Update2) Dec. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Mexico is preparing for domestic airtravel to double in as few as three years, predicting newdiscount airlines such as Interjet will pull 20 millionpassengers off the bus, the country's aviation chief said. Interjet, the first low-cost carrier to begin service fromthe Mexico City area, introduced fares this month that beatpremium bus travel. Almost 40 million people annually travel 400kilometers or more on buses equipped with televisions, airconditioning, and washrooms between cities served by airports,said Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Mexico's civil aviation director. ``We can double the number of domestic air passengers ifhalf these people begin flying,'' Lopez Meyer said in aninterview in Mexico City on Dec. 20. The first discount fares introduced in Mexico areencouraging, he said. Mexico City-based Interjet, one of fivestartup projects, began flying four routes on Dec. 5 with pricesthat are as little as a quarter of those charged by the nation'slargest airlines, Mexicana and Aeromexico. They can be cheaper than the bus, too. Traveling to thebeach resort of Cancun from Mexico City on a luxury bus run byAutobuses ADO costs 1,284 pesos ($120) and takes up to 23.5hours. Interjet's fares to Cancun from the Toluca airport, 69kilometers from downtown Mexico City, start at 1,205 pesos,including taxes. The flight is two hours long. A round-trip ticket to Guadalaraja from Toluca can be ascheap as 1,144 pesos on Interjet, compared with 5,145 pesoscharged by Mexicana or Aeromexico. ``I hope these prices are here to stay,'' Lopez Meyer said.``If the discount fares are on average 50 percent cheaper thanthe legacy carriers, we'll have achieved our goal.'' Temporary Subsidies Avolar Lineas Aereas SA began flying from the northern cityof Tijuana to four towns in September. Another two carriersprobably will start operations by June, Lopez Meyer said. One issponsored by Mexican billionaires Carlos Slim and EmilioAzcarraga and the other is backed by Brazil's Gol Lineas AereasInteligentes SA. Mexico is Latin America's second-largest aviation marketafter Brazil, with 20 million passengers a year. To help lower fares, the Mexican government is expandingairport capacity and giving the startup carriers temporarysubsidies on services such as fuel delivery that reduceoperating costs by about 10 percent, Lopez Meyer said.Passengers get 50 percent off on airport tax when flying fromsecondary airports. Competitor Reaction Interjet, owned by the son and grandson of former MexicanPresident Miguel Aleman, can break even in a year by maintainingthe current fare structure so long as the planes fly 65 percentfull, Chief Executive Officer Jose Luis Garza said in aninterview in Mexico City. The carrier has a five-class faresystem with a 50-peso difference between them, he said. The Alemans spent $230 million to buy seven Airbus SAS'sA320 from insolvent Italian airline Volare Group SpA and putdown $60 million in equity capital to start Interjet, Garzasaid. Interjet placed firm orders for 10 new Airbus planes andhas options to buy another 10, which would demand investments of$1.2 billion, he said. Interjet has no debt. Reacting to increasing competition, Mexicana and Aeromexicointroduced promotional fares and expanded service to Toluca.Government-owned Aeromexico began flying to the industrial cityof Monterrey from Toluca on Dec. 14 for as little as 822 pesos.At Interjet, fares to Monterrey start at 745 pesos. ``I can make money at this price, but they can't,'' saidGarza, who served as chief financial officer of Aeromexicobetween 1988 and 1990. Airline Sale Discount airlines reduce investor interest in theprivatization auction for Mexicana and Aeromexico last month.The government sold just Mexicana and rejected bids forAeromexico, saying they were too low. Grupo Posadas SA, Mexico'slargest hotel chain, bought Mexicana for $165.5 million plusassumption of $1.27 billion in debt. Shares of Cintra SA, the holding company for Mexicana andAeromexico, tumbled 20 percent the day after the bids wereplaced Nov. 21 and another 18 percent in the three daysfollowing the auction results were announced Nov. 30. Thegovernment plans to put Aeromexico on the block again in early2006. ``We couldn't artificially halt the entry of the low-costairlines because of the sale of Cintra,'' Lopez Meyer said. ``Ifthere's interest in new carriers and all the requirements aremet, we have to issue a license by law.'' To contact the reporter on this story:Adriana Arai at aarai1@bloomberg.net Last Updated: December 23, 2005 13:57 EST ©2005 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. Terms of Service Privacy Policy Trademarks Site Map Help Feedback About Bloomberg Log In/Register Advertising ??????