Tourism

• Thursday, February 16th 2012 - 07:13 UTC

  Brazil main airline betters profits; prepares to join one of the world’s largest carriers

  

  TAM, Brazil's largest airline, reported a fourth-quarter profit on rising ticket prices, fanning expectations of more profitable operations in the year ahead despite recent cost pressures.

• Monday, February 6th 2012 - 06:59 UTC

  Another setback for Carnival: several cruise vessels victims of the Norovirus

  

  More than 100 people on board a cruise ship operated by a unit of Carnival Corp have fallen ill with a stomach virus, the latest setback facing the world's biggest cruise company, which came under scrutiny last month for the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in Italy.

• Saturday, February 4th 2012 - 19:46 UTC

  Costa Cruises calls for tenders to remove the crippled Concordia cruise vessel

  

  Plans have been put in place to start removing the wreck of the Costa Concordia after it run aground with 4.200 people on board last month. Costa Cruises confirmed that it has called for tenders from 10 specialist companies for the removal of the crippled vessel.

• Saturday, February 4th 2012 - 19:42 UTC

  Captain Schettino’s lover admits she was in the Concordia bridge when the crash

  

  The Moldovan blonde spotted with the captain of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia, Francesco Schettino, on the night of the disaster, has told Italian investigators she is in love with him.

• Friday, February 3rd 2012 - 18:40 UTC

  Cruise bookings down, but industry will recover, say main operators

  

  The downturn in cruise bookings by North American and European customers noted earlier this week by industry giant Carnival Corp. is taking place at rival Royal Caribbean Cruises, too, but overall the industry is optimistic.

• Wednesday, February 1st 2012 - 07:09 UTC

  Spanair files for voluntary bankruptcy; strands tens of thousands of passengers

  

  Spanish carrier Spanair filed for voluntary bankruptcy Monday, officials said, three days after abruptly stopping all flights and stranding tens of thousands of passengers.

• Monday, January 30th 2012 - 06:40 UTC

  American Airlines increases flights to seven major Brazilian cities

  

  American Airlines announced changes to its coming spring and summer schedule that will expand the airline’s presence in Brazil. Next December, American’s route between Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Sao Paulo (GRU) will be operating with the new state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ER, making Brazil the first market for the new aircraft.

• Monday, January 30th 2012 - 06:25 UTC

  Contruction of St Helena airport begins next May, should be ready in 48 months

  

  The Argentina press announced on Sunday the construction of an airport in the middle of the Atlantic Island of St Helena, a British Overseas Territory and which would become a crucial hopping point for the Falklands/UK air bridge.

• Thursday, January 26th 2012 - 05:19 UTC

  Norway’s discount carrier orders 222 Boeing and Airbus, totalling 21.5bn dollars

  

  Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA ordered 222 Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS airliners valued at 127 billion Kroner (21.5 billion dollars) as Europe's fourth-biggest discount carrier steps up its competition with state-backed SAS AB.

• Wednesday, January 25th 2012 - 21:02 UTC

  Tapes confirm Costa Concordia told by managers to steam close to the shore when the accident

  

  The captain of the doomed Italian liner Costa Concordia said he was told by managers to take his ship close in to shore on the night it ran aground and capsized, according to bugged conversations leaked in Italian newspapers.