Airlines must pay compensation to passengers whose flights are cancelled because of technical problems with the plane, European judges ruled this week.
The only exception, said the European Court of Justice, is if the technical problems are caused by extraordinary events outside the normal activities of the airline - such as terrorism or sabotage or a hidden manufacturing fault which suddenly comes to light.
Damien Hirst, the British artist with a personal fortune estimated in excess of 300 million US dollars has hired four personal bodyguards who are all former members of the SAS, British special forces.
The Panamanian flagged cruise vessel Ciudad de Ushuaia that in early December ran aground close to the Antarctic Peninsula should be ready to resume her activities in 30/40 days time according to sources from Asmar Magallanes, the yard in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile where she is undergoing repairs.
Uruguay's main sea side resort renowned Punta del Este received this week four cruise vessels simultaneously and although not all of the 8.000 passengers landed a significant percentage did make it ashore, establishing a record visit.
Two researchers, who are part of a joint Research Project by Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) and the Sub-Antarctic Foundation for Ecosystems Research (SAFER) spent three weeks at South Georgia Island in November for the start of a tourism monitoring project for the South Georgia Government.
Tourism activity in Chile during 2008 has expanded 6% compared to the previous year according to Oscar Santelices, Chile's head of the Tourist Office, Sernatur.
Chile's renowned Torres del Paine national park in Patagonia is also suffering the consequences of the global slowdown according to visitors numbers released by the regional Forestry and Parks Department, Conaf.
The Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias became this week an intermediate boarding port for Royal Caribbean International Southern Caribbean cruise circuit which was marked with the arrival of Enchantment of the Seas.
Chilean Navy officials said that the cruise ship M/V Ushuaia that ran aground in Antarctica four days ago is again sailing on its own. Navy Captain Patricio Espinoza said Chilean tug-boat Lautaro finished freeing the cruise ship early Monday.
An estimated 150.000 Argentine tourists are expected to cross the Andes to enjoy the beaches of Viña del Mar in the coming months of January and February, which represents a 25% increase over last year's season according to Chile's Tourism Office, Sernatur.