Air Travel, U.S. Official

U.S.-EU Pact Could Revolutionize Air Travel, U.S. Official Says- U.S. Department Of State Advanced Search/Archive Español | Français | Pycckuú | | | You Are In: USINFO Products Washfile U.S.-EU Pact Could Revolutionize Air Travel, U.S. Official Says Transportation official says changes would enhance competition in "dramatic way" By Vince Crawley Washington File Staff Writer Washington – A tentative Open Skies agreement to deregulate air travel between the United States and the European Union could revolutionize trans-Atlantic passenger service by allowing free-market competition for routes and fares, a senior U.S. official says. “A U.S.-EU aviation agreement would not only bring an entirely new level of liberalization to trans-Atlantic air services, but would facilitate the most important reinvention of international aviation we have ever seen,” Jeffrey N. Shane, under secretary for policy at the Department of Transportation (DOT) said December 8. “It can be expected to enhance the quality of competition across the Atlantic in a dramatic way,” Shane said, speaking to the Royal Aeronautical Society in Montreal. The tentative agreement, announced by negotiators November 18, would allow every EU and U.S. airline to fly between every city in the European Union and every city in the United States, according to a Department of State fact sheet. It would allow U.S. and EU airlines to determine the number of flights and their routes and fares according to market demand, as well as to enter freely into such cooperative arrangements with other airlines as code-sharing and leasing. (See related article .) Currently, air services between the United States and European Union countries are conducted under bilateral aviation agreements with each EU member state. A number of the agreements are so-called Open Skies pacts that set liberal ground rules for international aviation markets and minimize government intervention. The U.S.-EU Open Skies agreement, if approved, would replace those bilateral pacts with a single policy. Shane said media accounts seem to miss the importance of the tentative agreement. “I must tell you that many of us on the U.S. side are more than a little puzzled at how accounts of this effort to conclude the most far-reaching agreement in the entire history of international aviation have been reduced to the story of a U.S. Department of Transportation rulemaking proceeding,” he said. “The press seems to have missed the most important point: that the agreement concluded in November by the two delegations, with or without the rulemaking, has the potential to transform the trans-Atlantic aviation market in fundamental ways.” The agreement “brings U.S.-E.U. relations into conformity with the requirements of European law at long last,” Shane said. “The willingness of the United States to eliminate the traditional nationality clause that is currently in every U.S. bilateral agreement -- meaning that an EU airline’s flights to the U.S. will no longer have to begin or end in that airline’s home country -- is more an advantage for EU carriers than for U.S. carriers, and means that consumers on both sides of the Atlantic would enjoy a quality of competition that exceeds anything we have seen up to now,” he said. “Potentially even more important,” he said, “the draft agreement would open an infinity of new possibilities for the reinvention of the EU airline industry. The anachronistic bilateral impediments to otherwise sensible mergers and other combinations – even under existing Open Skies agreements -- would be swept away on day one, and the implications for a more robust and competitive global presence by EU carriers would be profound.” EU transport ministers, Shane said, will take further action on the tentative pact after the outcome of a pending DOT rulemaking that would give foreign investors in U.S. airlines more of a say in business practices.  That proposed rulemaking, which is open for comments from the public until January 6, 2006, would apply only to international investors from countries that have open-skies aviation agreements with the United States and allow similar investments by U.S. citizens in their domestic airlines. (See related article .) Shane said the department will need about two months to evaluate comments after the comment period closes and issue a final rule. The full text of Shane’s speech is posted on the Department of Transportation Web site. Created:09 Dec 2005 Updated: 09 Dec 2005 Page Tools: Print this article E-mail this article USINFO delivers information about current U.S. foreign policy and about American life and culture. This site is produced and maintained by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs. Links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein. Home | About USINFO | Site Index | Contact Us | Privacy Topics | Regions | Resource Tools | Products Sorry, you need a JavaScript capable browser to get the best from this page

Ski Vacation

Colorado Ski Vacations and Lodging Colorado Mountain Ski Resort SkiColorado.com offers world class accommodations throughout Aspen , Beaver Creek , Breckenridge , Copper Mountain , Crested Butte , Durango , Keystone , Snowmass , Steamboat , Telluride , Vail & Winter Park Colorado. Choose from thousands of Hotels, Condominiums, Private Homes & Lodges. Contact a SkiColorado.com reservation specialist to help plan your next unforgetable Colorado Vacation. Home Contact Us Hot Deals Reservation Request Snow Report Guest Services Real People! Real Answers!™ 1-888-604-5848 Search for lodging by Resort or # of Bedrooms. Enter your arrival date and # of nights. Resort: Bedrooms: Arrival Date: # of Nights: All Resorts Aspen Beaver Creek Breckenridge Copper Mountain Crested Butte Durango Keystone Snowmass Steamboat Summit County Telluride Vail Winter Park Any Hotel Studio 1-Bdrm 2-Bdrm 3-Bdrm 4-Bdrm 5+Bdrm Home - Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 - 05 06 07 - 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Our Agents "Live & Work" in Colorado! 1,000's of Luxury Properties 1 to 5+ Bdrm Condos & Private Homes Exclusive Hotels Attentive Guest Service Extensive Local Knowledge Complete Travel Packages Featured Resort Aspen Featured Resort Beaver Creek Featured Resort Steamboat Featured Resort Vail Colorado Partners: Colorado Central Reservations About Us Privacy Groups Quick Links Aspen Lodging, Beaver Creek Lodging, Breckenridge Lodging, Copper Mountain Lodging, Crested Butte Lodging, Durango Lodging, Keystone Lodging, Snowmass Lodging, Steamboat Lodging, Telluride Lodging, Vail Lodging, Winter Park Lodging, Ski Colorado Other Links Park City Utah Lodging Club Lespri Moguls Mountain Travel

European Vacation Planning Map

Your European Vacation and the Tumbling Dollar - Should you go this Year?  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Central Sardinia, where viewing ancient "Giant's Tombs" is free. James Martin Stay up to date! Central Sardinia, where viewing ancient "Giant's Tombs" is free. James Martin Email to a friend Print this page The Euro Guide to the Euro Using your Credit Card in Europe Using your ATM Card in Europe Recent Discussions Need Help Planning a Trip Accomodation in london Mediteranean Feries Planning your European Vacation European Vacation Planner Map Europe Travel Basics Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors Your European Vacation and the Tumbling Dollar - Should you go this Year? From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Feb 12 2004 Will my vacation be too exensive? Maybe not as expensive as you think! A reader asks: "Should we wait until the Euro gets weaker to plan our European vacation?" While I am certain to be viewed as a biased source of information on this topic, and considering the fact that no one I know has a crystal ball able to predict exchange rates, I will nevertheless plunge ahead and give my reasons and justifications for taking that vacation to Europe this year. Exchange Rate. No one can predict what the future will hold, but some "experts" have surmised that the dollar may fall to as low as 1.5 Euros before the bloodbath is over. At the time of writing, the rate seems to have stabilized in the short term at around 1.25 or so. It's hard to see the dollar strengthening anytime soon, given the huge deficit and slow economy. Waiting for the dollar to strengthen may leave you waiting a long time. But maybe things aren't as bad as you think. Historically, Things Average Out. I've been traveling to Europe since the mid 1970s, and it's always seemed to me that prices have slowly risen as hotels adapted higher standards and the economy reacted to general increases in living standards, especially in Southern Europe. These changes seemed slow and steady, and largely independent of major short-term fluctuations in the exchange rate. See the next argument for a free market reason why I may not have noticed currency fluctuations much during my travels. The Equal and Opposite Reaction. With the sharp decline in US visitors to Europe we've seen over these past couple of years, hotels are finally lowering their rates, recognizing that their excess supply of rooms may continue unless something is done to entice visitors. For example Arthur Frommer reports that London "hotels of five-star quality (are) charging less than $150 for a double room that would normally cost $400." This is how the Free Market is supposed to work; when things get too expensive for people to buy, prices must drop to "incent" them. It's happening for hotel rooms, airfares, and other tourist-only items right now. The effect may be that your vacation cost won't be as high as you might think compared to previous years. Just don't expect to buy standard European goods at a discount--shopping at home is recommended when the dollar is week. Last year I walked into a great looking hotel in Chaves, Portugal, only to notice the sign on the desk proclaiming that all rooms were 90 Euros. When the clerk asked to help me, I pointed out that the room was too expensive and turned to leave--but fortunately not before she offered the room at 60 Euros, a price she quoted as standard for these tough tourist times. While still expensive for Portugal, the room offered 4 star, air conditioned comfort with a great view of the castle from the balcony, and the most elegant bathroom we've ever bathed in. Things Change. An argument put forth by Carol Field and others is that European traditions are fading quickly in a multi cultural, easily traveled world. While independent of exchange rate, this argument, for me, is a compelling one, especially as Starbucks and McDonalds replace small, family run cafes and restaurants and Europe starts to look more and more like main street USA. I don't travel to experience the same things I can at home, and it's why I have to dig deeper and deeper to find places that celebrate those rapidly disappearing cultural differences. The price of gas and the doomsday scenario. Many experts suggest that the price of gasoline will have to rise sharply to cover the cost of recovering oil from the neglected wells in Iraq (yes, oil wells go bad, I've read) and this increase is likely to spike after the elections and continue on an upward trend. Europe, it seems to me, is in a much better position to weather these increases in the short term, as they offer alternative modes of public transportation. Even Worse: There is no doubt that oil is an increasingly rare commodity in an energy hungry world, and steadily rising prices will effect most of us around the globe equally. (Studies of Peak Oil and Gas ( pdf ) have predicted the production of Oil peaking at the end of this decade, and slowly declining thereafter.) This is my doomsday strategy, "go while you can, who knows what economic nastiness lurks around the next corner as we run out of energy sources." Have a different view? Why not submit a rebuttal through our submittal form ? How to offset the dollar's weakness without sacrificing your vacation Fun? Read on to Page Two: Saving Money on your European Vacation - 12 Frugal Vacation Tips .        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There

Ski Vacation

Ski Utah - Your information source for skiing, snowboarding, lodging, and planning your vacation to ski Utah. Dec. 28 2005 Current: 40° Hi: 40° Low: 26° SPECIAL OFFERS FREE Brochure Ski Utah Store Contests Ski Passes SNOW REPORT Snow Report SnowMail Mobile Snow Report SnowMail Unsubscribe HOT DEALS View All Deals Resorts Lodging Gear Rental Dining Transportation RESORTS Alta Beaver Mountain Brian Head Brighton The Canyons Deer Valley Park City Resort Powder Mountain Snowbasin Snowbird Solitude Sundance Wolf Mountain LODGING Lodging Overview Travel Gear Rental Dining Guide Transportation ACTIVITIES Events Calendar Dining Guide Skiing/Nordic Other Activities Snowboarding Olympic Venues SERVICES Press Room About Ski Utah Contact Ski Utah Member Login Ski Utah Email Login Business Directory International -- Welcome Willkommen Bienvenido Bienvenue Benvindo LATEST NEWS Dec 28, 03:20 PM MST Ski Utah Offers New Methods to Track the Greatest Snow on Earth (12/21/05) 2005-06 All Utah Resorts Now Open (12/17/05) Brighton Resort Founder Zane Doyle Passes Away (12/13/05) Utah Resorts Keeping Pace With Last Year's Epic Snowfall (12/9/05) Meadow Gold Presents "Ski for Gold" on Dec. 10 (12/9/05) Snowbird Season Snowfall Surpasses 100 Inches (12/7/05) Ski Utah President Offers Projections for 2005-06 Winter Season (12/7/05) College Campus Tour '05 Rolls On (12/2/05) SKI UTAH FEATURES Featured Member Ski Utah Featured Resort Brian Head Resort TOP DEALS Winter Powder Package SNOWBALL SPECIAL Ski Salt Lake & Save! SKI UTAH PARTNERS -- 1 800 SKI UTAH Advertising Info Member Login Employment Contact Us Site developed by Inetz Media Group

SOUTH AMERICA Travel Guide

VirtualTourist.com - South America Travel Guide - Pictures, Tips and Reviews South America Travel Guide. Tips, Reviews & Photos plus Hotels, Restaurants, Activities & More in South America member log in | join for free! | help Home Travel Guides Hotels Flights Deals NEW! Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums SOUTH AMERICA Travel Guide Home » Travel Guides » South America Destinations Members Keywords South America Hotel Rates City: Check-In Date: Check-Out Date: Guests: 1 2 3 4 Hotels by OneTime.com South America Flight Rates From: To: Departure Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Return Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Passengers: 1 2 3 4 Flights by OneTime.com South America Forum Join a Discussion Which route do I take? (1 replies, 8:01 PM Dec. 26, 2005) Digital camera??? (2 replies, 3:02 PM Dec. 22, 2005) Travelling round (1 replies, 6:40 AM Dec. 19, 2005) Be the first to reply to these questions Getting Married in Buenos Aires (no replies yet) Natal (no replies yet) NIGHTCLUBS/PARTIES IN BUENOS AIRES AND SANTIAGO (no replies yet) » All South America Discussions » Post a South America Discussion Travel Resources Car Rental Cruises Vacations Luggage NEW! South America Deals » All South America Deals » Post a South America Deal FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam Popular South America Hotels In: Buenos Aires Rio de Janeiro So Paulo Lima Santiago Cusco Popular Destinations in South America Buenos Aires Rio de Janeiro So Paulo Lima Santiago Cusco Machu Picchu Caracas Salvador da Bahia Quito La Paz Bogot Parque Nacional del Iguaz Montevideo Mendoza Fortaleza San Carlos de Bariloche Uyuni Parque Nacional do Iguau Ushuaia Countries in South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Falkland Islands French Guiana Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela Top Pages About South America 1. El Corazn Mirando Al Sur by andal13 49 Tips 49 Pictures 2. America Latina by pepples46 28 Tips 36 Pictures 3. Peru - Bolivia - Chile by chancay 17 Tips 19 Pictures 4. Aqui Tienen Que Ir, Porque Vale La Pena ! by Maillekeul 63 Tips 63 Pictures 5. Unesco World Heritage Sites In South America by tini58de 7 Tips 9 Pictures » View all rated pages (38) » View newest pages » Build your own South America page Tips and Photos about South America in General Overview General Tips Tips: 127 - Pictures: 86 Restaurants Tips: 27 - Pictures: 11 Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 20 - Pictures: 9 Things To Do Tips: 122 - Pictures: 99 Nightlife Tips: 12 - Pictures: 2 Off the Beaten Path Tips: 21 - Pictures: 10 Tourist Traps Tips: 5 - Pictures: 1 Warnings or Dangers Tips: 27 - Pictures: 3 Transportation Tips: 16 - Pictures: 7 Local Customs Tips: 34 - Pictures: 26 Packing Lists Tips: 10 - Pictures: 2 Shopping Tips: 2 - Pictures: 2 Sports Travel Tips: 4 - Pictures: 4 » See tips about a specific place in South America Find: Destinations Members Keywords Matching: Advanced About VT | Contact Us | Site Tour | Advertising | Local Merchant Login | Travel Tools | VT Chat | VT Gear | Help User Agreement | Privacy Statement Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2005 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.