Chile's Lan airlines and associates announced that its system passenger traffic for December 2008 grew 10.7%, and capacity rose 12.6%. This means that load factor declined 1.3 points over last year to 74.7%. The company noted that international passenger traffic accounted for about 68% of total passenger traffic.
Two of the world's most impressive cruise vessels will be calling in Montevideo this week with over 7.000 visitors and 2.400 crew members. They are Mariner of the Seas, which is scheduled to spend next Thursday in Uruguay's capital, and on Sunday, Queen Mary 2 on a 114 day global tour.
It has been confirmed that a collision with a flock of birds caused a US airliner to lose power and ditch in a New York river just after take-off.
A US Airways aircraft has crashed into the Hudson River in New York after a flock of birds apparently disabled both its engines. More than 150 passengers and crew members were rescued before the plane sank into freezing waters.
For the third year in a row the prestigious magazine Global Traveller awarded LAN Chile as the 'Best Airline in Central and South America.' The magazine surveyed more than 31,000 readers of the publication to select the best in class for luxury and business travel throughout 2008. This distinction is the direct result of the feedback received in the survey.
Education officers from Edinburgh Zoo have headed to the Falkland Islands to teach local children about Scottish wildlife, according to a report from the News Scotsman.
Dakar Rally leader Nasser Al Attiyah has been kicked out of the gruelling event for missing too many mandatory way points. The BMW driver from Qatar, who won the first and third stages of the 2009 rally in Argentina, led the overall standings by more than seven minutes.
Plans to surround a Rio de Janeiro favela (slum) with a 650-metre-long concrete barrier have come under fire from environmentalists, human rights activists and residents who describe it as discriminatory and in the best Gaza wall style.
Headlines: MBE for dedicated music teacher; Kayakers set out to circumnavigate the Islands
French motorcyclist Pascal Terry has been found dead after being reported missing on Sunday during the second stage of the Dakar Rally which was relocated to Argentina and Chile for its 31st edition.