Airlines Baggage Fees

Most of the airlines within the USA are already having baggage fees in place.

But now, more and more transatlantic flights only allow one piece of luggage free of charge! You can still bring a second bag BUT you have to pay for it.

Please click  here to see which airline charges how much!!!

Here some tips:

• Most airlines provide exemptions for frequent flyer status and full fare passengers!
• Online check-in refers to the customers pre-paying for their bags prior to getting to the airport. The fees for pre-paying the luggage is often lower than at the check-in. 
• Airport check-in refers to the customers who do not pre-pay for their bags and check a bag at the airport.

Please feel free to call or email us for any questions or further information!!

26th Anniversary Cruise Tour to Vietnam & Cambodia

Many of you know that Vietnam has become one of my favorite country's to visit. Certainly one big reason for that are the people. A simple smile opens you the door to a truly different culture and gives you an insight of their way of living. On my last visit to Cambodia I was able to see Angkor Wat - the old Khmer temple complex. What a moment when you see the sun rise at 5am in the morning and you discover the impressive architecture for the very first time. It feels like you stop breathing for a few minutes and you wish this moment will never go by. Back then I decided to share my experiences with our Nonstop Travel clients and to put together a very unique journey to South East Asia including the highlights of Vietnam and Cambodia and combining a exciting tour with a luxury river cruise down the Mekong River.

The 26th Anniversary Cruise Tour to Vietnam & Cambodia is schedules for October 24th for 14 nights an includes the following highlights:

• 2 nights Hanoi with visits of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, residence one pillar pagoda, Hao Lo prison and Hoan Kiem Lake. Enjoy a water puppet show at night
• 1 night Halong Bay Cruise with overnight on a traditional wooden junk
• 3 nights Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) often referred to as one of the 7 Wonders of the World, features several World Heritage Sites including Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, The Terrace of Elephants and the Buddhist Temple Ta Phrom
• 7 nights Mekong River Cruise on boars the brand new 'Jayavarman', a floating sanctuary of style and space and with only 27 staterooms surely the most boutique and luxurious river cruise ship in South East Asia
• 1 night Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) offer the Reunification Palace, War Museum, Jase Emperor Pagoda, Notre Dame Cathedral and an optional excursion to see the Cu Chi Tunnel System

A full detailed tour description is available HERE

Please take a moment to check out this little slight show with pictures from my visit in October last year. It should give you a pretty good picture of what to expect. Fell free to call or email me with any questions you might have.

I would be delighted to welcome you on this amazing journey in October 2010.

Chris Weike

SWISS wins new Business Traveller Award for “Best Business Class to North and South America”

January 15, 2010

Swiss International Air Lines earned a further distinction in this year’s Business Traveller Awards: first place in the newly-inaugurated category of “Best Business Class to North and South America”. The readers of Germany’s reputed Business Traveller magazine also voted SWISS “Best Airline for Europe”, the fourth time in succession that the carrier has gained this distinction. Swiss also took the top honours in a further award category, for “Best Direct and Connecting Flights to North and South America”.

Jochen Leibfritz, Swiss’s Sales Manager for Germany, collected the honours in Frankfurt today on behalf of the entire company. “These distinctions are a wonderful acknowledgement of our entire Swiss team,” he said. “We all work together day in, day out to offer our customers the highest possible quality. As Switzerland’s national airline, we attach immense value to our hospitality and our service-minded approach. Because when they board a Swiss flight, we want our customers to feel truly at home.”

Swiss was particularly honoured to receive the first-ever Business Traveller Award for the “Best Business Class to North and South America”, as Markus Binkert, Managing Director and Head of Product & Services, explained. “We are delighted to see that the new Business Class which we have been introducing onto our long-haul fleet since last year is proving so popular with travellers,” he said. “This award confirms to us once again that our innovative new cabin product is truly meeting the needs of our premium customers.”

The new SWISS long-haul Business Class features a unique seating configuration that provides genuinely spacious surrounds; and the seat itself boasts an innovative pneumatic air cushion whose softness can be quickly and flexibly tailored to individual needs. The new Business Class is being gradually installed aboard the SWISS long-haul fleet in a programme that started in spring 2009.

Business Class prices from Los Angeles to Zurich start at $ 3061.00 plus taxes and fees.
Connecting flights into Europe possible!
Call us for your quote!!!

Source: Swiss.com

Alitalia to Begin Nonstop Service from Los Angeles to Rome, Italy on June 5, 2010. Prices starting at $ 1098 for the summer!

Starting June 5, 2010 Alitalia will restart nonstop service from Los Angeles to Rome Italy. Alitalia will be the only airline to offer a nonstop flight to Italy from the West Coast of the United States.

The new flight to/from Los Angeles will operate with 5 weekly frequencies (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) on a Boeing 777-200 with 291 seats.

Flights depart at 9:25am from Rome, Fiumicino and arrive in Los Angeles at 1:25pm (local time), after 13 hours of flight time. From Los Angeles, the flight will depart at 3:25pm (local time) and land in Rome at 12:15pm the following day, after 11 hours and 50 minutes of travel time.

The flight schedule was studied in order to provide Alitalia passengers originating from other domestic Italian and regional European cities with convenient connections from Rome, Fiumicino to Los Angeles. The afternoon departure from Los Angeles allows for connections from many cities in the Southwest.

Passengers flying to Rome from Los Angeles in Magnifica Class, Alitalia’s long haul business class, will be able to experience the new service offered in partnership with some of Italy’s finest brands: new catering featuring Italian chefs who reinterpret traditional regional recipes; the best Italian wines selected by the Italian Sommelier Association; blankets and pillows by Frette; and flatware and dishes by Richard Ginori.

With the addition of the new Los Angeles - Rome route, Alitalia will serve seven North American gateways: New York JFK, New York Newark, Chicago, Miami, Boston, Toronto and Los Angeles. Alitalia offers service from Atlanta and Detroit through codeshare with its SkyTeam partners Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines.

Call us for a quote!!!

San Antonio Texas

This past weekend I visited a friend in San Antonio and spent one evening at the River Walk (also called ‘Paseo del Rio’). This network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River is located in the city center and is lined by bars, shops and restaurants. Due to the Holiday Season, it was nicely decked with seasonal decoration and many lights, which gave it a very festive flair. Some people walked around with presents or Santa hats, many boats on the river hosted Christmas party dinners, and some boats carried carol singers/choirs along the river.

This area might be full of tourists but it is worth a visit. Walking is probably the best way to get around, a nice alternative is one of the boat rides, or a boat taxi. More information on this can easily be looked up at www.riosanantonio.com. And if you want accommodation by the river, try the Westin Riverwalk. Booked through Nonstop Travel you will get complimentary breakfast and an upgrade (if available).

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"Best of Australia" Road Show

A couple of weeks ago Honey, Christiane and me went to the “Best of Australia”-Road show.

http://www.signaturetravelnetwork.com/signature-destinations/index.cfm?destinationID=336&utp=consumer&type=consumer&agency_id=89

We talked to the representatives of Australia Tourism, Tourism Sunshine Coast, Sydney Tourism, Queensland Tourism, Hunter Resorts, Cruise Whitsundays, Let’s go Surfing in Bondi Beach and many many more.

Most impressed we were by DayDream Island Resort and Spa and once again by V Australia.

V Australia - flying nonstop into Sydney, Brisbane and now Melbourne

V Australia is Australia’s newest premium international airline with nonstop routes between Los Angeles and Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne!

The three class boutique style airline offers 33 Business Class lie-flat beds, 40 Premium Economy club seats and 288 economy seats. The suite of in-flight products includes two in-flight bars, a "ladies only" toilet complete with piped music and Australian icons featured on subtle wallpaper murals.

All seats on the brand new 777-300ER aircraft offer personal state-of-the-art seat back entertainment with user friendly touch screen options and seat to seat 'chat' or competition connectivity.

DayDream Island Resort and Spa – located in the heart of the Whitsunday Islands and just a short ferry ride from Great Barrier Reef airport on Hamilton island to Daydream Island, or just minutes away by boat on Airlie beach away from the mainland.

Daydream Island is the Mecca for sailing enthusiasts. Also it is a great place to snorkel. You could also do a bunch of other activities like sail-boarding, jet-skiing, parasailing, coral viewing, scuba diving, volleyball, tennis, and badminton.

Please call us for your vacation now!