Chicago – United Airlines said their company will cut about 1500 of its stewards and stewardesses or 10% of its total flight attendants, as part of its announced plan in cutting the costs after soaring high of gas prices.

Most carriers are affected by the weak US economy and the high fuel cost. Most the airline company will cut its capacity and increase the airfare that will begin later this year.

According to the United Airlines official, they will cut 7,000 jobs of their 55,000 personnel.

New York - Officials said that America’s airline industry will suffer at least 6 percent drop in passengers at the eight-day Labor Day holiday as gas prices continues to soar. Though the fuel prices have decrease last week, still it is 79 percent higher than last year.

Airlines had been cutting routes and stuff just to survive, while the airfare continues to rise and charge extra fees for bags.

“High energy prices across the economy, rising air fares and airline schedule cuts are the primary drivers of the overall reduction in passenger volumes expected for this Labor Day period,” the ATA Official said in a statement.

Houston – Airline officials say that a jetliner landed safely on takeoff from Houston after its tire blown up.

Northwest Airlines Flight 3492 was scheduled to fly to Minneapolis on Monday. Airport Official says the plane circled the airport so the control tower can check the damage from the ground. Which the some of the rubber was scattered on the runaway from the blown tire.

The jetliner returned to Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston safely and the passengers were rebooked.

Japan’s largest airline company will suspend flights about 12 domestic and 3 international routes. It also added five new domestic and four international routes while reducing some number of flights.

The additional fuel cost is expected to be at least 22 billion yen or $201 million this year.

Japan’s Airlines Corp now joins All Nippon Airways in reducing or halting some its services like routes to Guam and Taipei due the high cost of the fuel.

Taipei - Taiwan airlines will hike/lift air fare on international routes next month due to rising fuel price. Starting in July 15, Taiwan airlines on short-range international flights will increase or add US $5 to the surcharge, and for the long-range international flights will add US $13 to the surcharge.

The fuel price surcharge increased, around fourth in as many months. For short-haul international flights will doubles the surcharge from June of $2.50  and for long-haul international flights will doubles the surcharge of $6.50.

After the July 15 hike, Taiwan airlines’ fuel surcharge will be a total $37.50 for short-range international routes and $97.50 for long-range international flights, Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said.

Taiwan’s two leading airlines, China Airlines and Eva Air have both downsized operations, reducing international routes and cutting the number of flights, they faced with soaring fuel price.

The Air New Zealand (NZ) to lift ticket fourth (4th) time in the year 2008 due to rising of fuel costs.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Air New Zealand will increase domestic and international fares from middle of July, the airline said last Thursday, blaming its fourth fare hike since March 2008 on rising fuel prices.

Domestic fares and those to and from Australia will rise 3 percent (3%) from July 17, while the international fares to North America, Asia and the United Kingdom (UK) will increase by an average of 5 percent (5%). The jet fuel is now priced above $170 a barrel, the air line could not continue to absorb the rising cost, said Deputy Chief Executive Norm Thompson. The fare increases would only partly recover the rising cost.

Last month, the carrier raised fares on many routes by an average of 4 percent (4%) that followed two hikes of about 3 percent in domestic fares earlier in the year. Air New Zealand announced or had signaled earlier that further hikes in ticket prices were likely because of high oil prices.

In April, the airline lower fiscal year profit guidance and it no longer expected to better its last year (2007) compared to this year (2008) because of the impact of fuel prices. It set its new forecast for normalized earning before tax and unusual items at between $156 million - $171 million. It had previously expected to match the $205 million posted in 2007.

Some passengers in airline are paying in fuel surcharges as they pay for their base, but hanks to a commerce commission ruling, according to Australian research. The New Zealand passengers do not need an abacus to the cost of fares. Fuel surcharges on flight should be abandoned and it is costing them commission and I think it is not easy for the travel agents.

Australian Research by the Flight Centre, some airlines were charging a $1000 Australian or $1262 New Zealand (NZ) fuel surcharge for a flight from Sydney to London (part in Europe).

Dunedin based Vincent George House of Travel, co-owner Vincent George said “fuel surcharges on routes were increasing all the time and in some instances were as much, if not more than the base fare”.

The airfare to Europe would have a $900 surcharge in fuel on some airlines. He said a round the world fare, paid more in fuel surcharges and extra costs than in the actual fare which went through 13 or 14 different sectors,

Extra Charges Costs such as:

• airport fees

• customs fees, and

• security fees were included in.

All airfares in New Zealand (NZ) had to be show the full cost of the fare, a ruling by the Commerce Commission a couple of years ago. So people knew what are the flight cost, chief executive Paul Yeo, of Wellington, Travel Agents Association of New Zealand, said. But Mr Yeo said that it is not easy for the travel agents, to take into consideration the fuel surcharge and other charges fare calculation.

As of June 15, American Airlines will be charging their customers for $15 on checking one bag for customers who flies within the USA and Canada, which before it was free. And to check for second bag would cost $25. But not all customers will be affected on this new rate. American Airlines official says its frequent-flier member or those who purchase expensive premium tickets such as first class, business class will not have to pay the charge.

There are also other increased in fees for other services like reservation service fees for pets and huge bags that would be cost between $5 to $50 per service. American Airlines CEO Gerard Arpey says “The bottom line is that our revenues, which include ticket sales and fees, must keep pace with our increasing costs.”

Airfare tickets aren’t cheap nowadays, prices of gas are getting high so does the airfare tickets. But wait there are always ways of getting cheap airfare tickets. Most of the airline companies has seasonal promotions and other marketing to provide passengers in buying cheap airfare tickets.

Well I made a list of possibilities on how to buy cheap airfare tickets.

• Book early – if you book at least two weeks on your scheduled domestic flight and at least one month on international fights then you save about 50% off of the original airfare ticket price.
• Buy round airfare tickets – Make sure to get round trip tickets for your travel
• Avoid holiday flights – Airline companies increase the airfare during holiday schedules or peak seasons such as christmas and major holidays.
• Flexible flight dates – If you are willing to leave on the day earlier or later of your scheduled flight then you will get cheap airfare tickets.
• Mid week flights - Schedule your flight on the middle of the week like tues, wed and thurs.
• Some airports are cheaper – If you are willing to travel on on other state or city for a cheap airfare tickets . You can use some of the other neighboring airports around you.
• Search the web – Some websites offers cheap airfare tickets.

Most in the list above applies to the major airline companies around the world.

Airline business is one of the most competitive markets in the world. To get one step ahead to their competitor, they use modern marketing strategies to get and attract customers. Airline companies offer free airfare tickets promo for their loyal customers.

As a traveler, I’m a frequent airline passenger. I have been getting a couple of free airfare tickets.

Here are my ways of getting free airfare tickets.

• Airline companies provides free airfare tickets if a passenger buys accumulated number of tickets to be eligible to have a free airfare tickets.
• Join reward points card program which you can earn free airfare tickets by converting your accumulated points earned from your flights.
• If you took an overboard flight schedule. An airline official will make notify asking if any of the passengers on the scheduled flight will step off voluntarily. If a passenger volunteers, the airline official will provide you free airfare tickets worth $400 or even more which you can use it on the flight for about one year.
• Another way to get free airfare tickets is buying massive tickets or in bulk. Like for example you brought 10 airfare tickets in one transaction then you will get 2 free airfare tickets.
• Travel today has become easy for the traveler in the know. So, keep updated with travel offers and credit card promotions. Read travel magazines and surf the internet for valuable information. Travel by flight is affordable you just need to know how to get the most out of travel agents and airlines.
• Participate airline marketing promos such as free airfare tickets contest.
• When planning a long vacation or some business trip, I recommend to get hotel packages which it has travel and stay accommodation. Some travel agency will offer free air fare tickets.
• The internet is also one of the best places to get free airfare tickets. If you are internet savvy and knows how to search for online offers from an airline company then you would get what you want.

The ways above are base on experience. If you want to have free airfare tickets, just follow the list above.