November 12, 2024

More articles from the category

November 12, 2024

Club holidays for singles: new trends and preferred destinations

More and more solo travelers are looking for their dream vacation in a club resort, and demand for such offers has risen sharply, according to a recent analysis by Tui Magic Life. In 2024, the all-inclusive brand Tui Magic Life recorded a 15 percent increase in bookings from solo travelers compared to the previous year. Popular destinations are Turkey and Greece, with solo travelers particularly preferring the off-season months such as September and May. These periods allow them to enjoy the clubs in a quieter atmosphere, while at the same time the full range of leisure activities, from sports to wellness to evening events, are fully available.Club holidays such as those from Tui Magic Life offer the perfect setting for solo travelers to both socialize and enjoy individual leisure activities. Tui Magic Life has developed a special concept for this: the so-called "Magic Angels" are responsible for specifically integrating solo travelers into the community activities and establishing contacts with other guests. The activities on offer range from sports such as tennis or cycling to dance and fitness courses. Special evening events organized by the Magic Angels also create opportunities for solo travelers to get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere. Popular clubs for singles: Turkey and Greece The Tui Magic Life Candia Maris club complex on Crete, Tui Magic Life Jacaranda and Tui Magic Life Masmavi on the Turkish Riviera are particularly popular with solo travelers. The Candia Maris Club is specially designed as an adults-only resort and offers numerous opportunities for active leisure activities. Around half of all solo travelers choose the Turkish Riviera clubs.

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IAG launches share buyback program – Qatar Airways sells stakes

The International Airlines Group (IAG) has launched a share buyback program worth 350 million euros, which will begin on November 11, 2024 and run until February 28, 2025. As part of the program, Qatar Airways, which currently holds around 25,1 percent of IAG, will sell shares worth 88 million euros to the banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. These banks have been commissioned by IAG to carry out the purchases on both the British and Spanish markets. With this share buyback, IAG plans to buy back a total of up to 319,4 million of its own ordinary shares, which corresponds to around 6,4 percent of the company's share capital. The acquired shares are to be cancelled, subject to shareholder approval, while Qatar Airways intends to keep its stake in IAG stable. IAG, which owns airlines such as British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, is introducing the buyback program due in part to strong business results: In the third quarter of 2024, an operating profit of two billion euros was reported, an increase of 15 percent over the previous year. IAG CEO Luis Gallego attributes this increase to the focus on the core markets in Europe and the transatlantic region, while Asia is currently not a priority due to the Russian airspace ban and competition from Chinese airlines. Gallego emphasized confidence in IAG's strategy and explained that the buyback program is intended to secure long-term shareholder returns. The company's strong financial position is to be further consolidated through the targeted use of the funds.

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Wellness Hotels in Upper Austria: An Analysis of Prices, Reviews and Trends

As temperatures drop and days get shorter, more and more people are heading to Austria's thermal and wellness hotels for a wellness weekend. This short break in autumn is an opportunity for many to relax and unwind. In Upper Austria, where there are numerous wellness hotels to choose from, the prices and ratings of the offers have been examined particularly critically this year. The Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor (AK OÖ) carried out a comprehensive analysis of the price range for a typical wellness weekend in November and compared the results with the ratings from the "Relax Guide Austria 2025", an established guide that annually rates wellness hotels in Austria. The AK Upper Austria survey showed significant price differences, which vary between 438 and 948 euros for a weekend booking for a standard double room with half board. These costs apply to a weekend for two people and include access to the wellness areas. It is striking that the most expensive hotel in this survey, the "Paradiso Eurothermenresort" in Bad Schallerbach, charges 948 euros for such a weekend, while an offer such as that of the "Wellnesshotel Aumühle" in Grein costs only 438 euros. Both hotels are rated differently in the "Relax Guide" - while the Paradiso Eurothermenresort achieved 15 points, the Aumühle is classified as "good average" with lower points, but is certainly attractive for price-conscious wellness vacationers. The ratings in the "Relax Guide Austria" follow a comprehensive catalog of criteria that takes into account factors such as location, architecture, ambience, service quality and cuisine. The highest ratings are only given to hotels that offer excellent services in all areas. The points system ranges from 9 to a maximum of 20 points, with average wellness hotels

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Schiphol: Expansion and modernization of Lounge 1 for European flights

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport recently opened 5000 square metres of new space in its Lounge 1, which is aimed at intra-European passengers. This renovation is part of a larger modernisation of a total of 24.000 square metres, which will enable better passenger guidance and increased capacity. The lounge will now be gradually expanded to include new dining and shopping options, with a total of 23 additional offers to be added. In addition, Schiphol has also taken sustainable design into account: materials such as bamboo and recycled wall panels have been used to reduce the ecological footprint. By 2030, the airport aims to become a completely waste-free operation. The major project is a stage in a long-term investment plan for which the airport is investing six billion euros to improve infrastructure, service and working conditions. The construction work, which will partly be carried out at night, is organised in such a way that the lounge remains open during this time and passengers are only minimally affected. This construction work also includes the planned renovation of Lounge 2 and the departure gates in the coming years.

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US citizen arrested at JFK airport: planned attack foiled?

On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, a man was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York while attempting to board a flight to Doha, Qatar. Syed Aman, 33, a U.S. citizen from Nassau County, New York, apparently had plans to join the Islamic State (ISIS) and actively participate in jihad in Syria. This incident sheds a harsh light on the ongoing threat of international terrorism and the effective countermeasures by law enforcement agencies. Radicalization and the Planned Trip Aman, who had expressed his sympathies for ISIS on social media for two years, was deeply immersed in radical ideology. He had sent funds to a supposed ISIS operative to support terrorist activities in Syria, clearly showing his intention to go to war. The 33-year-old attempted multiple times to purchase airline tickets through various channels to travel from New York to Syria via Doha. Using his credit card, he finally managed to buy a ticket to Bangladesh, with the intention of getting off in Doha and from there traveling on to Turkey and finally Syria. FBI and secret investigations Fortunately, the FBI was able to stop the man in time. Since the beginning of October, Aman had been in contact with a secret source who, in cooperation with law enforcement authorities, provided information about his travel plans. This source, an FBI informant, had learned of Aman's radical ideas and informed the agency of his intention to join ISIS. The surveillance and the ongoing investigations prevented anything worse. Aman had openly stated that he was

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Jet2 continues to phase out its Boeing 757 fleet

British airline Jet2 plans to completely retire its Boeing 757 fleet by January 2025. On November 3, 2024, the 32-year-old aircraft, registered G-LSAC, made its last commercial flight from Fuerteventura to Manchester before being transferred to St. Athan for storage. Jet2 currently operates several Boeing 757 models, some of which are over 30 years old. The oldest aircraft, G-LSAI, is 37 years old and is scheduled to make its last flight in early January 2025. Jet2 is renewing its fleet as part of a long-term modernization strategy, replacing the Boeing 757 with Airbus A321neo aircraft, which consume less fuel and produce lower emissions. This move follows the industry trend of replacing older models in favor of more environmentally friendly and efficient aircraft. The Boeing 757 fleet has been a central part of the airline for decades, enabling Jet2 to operate reliable flights to destinations across Europe, including popular holiday destinations such as Spain, Greece and the Canary Islands. The final phase of 757 flights includes routes such as Manchester-Alicante, Manchester-Geneva and Manchester-Tenerife, which are scheduled to continue until January 2025.

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