Air News Exotica

Ever feel that news of United, American, Soutwest, et al. is just a tad mundane? If so, here's some airline news to tickle your wanderlust.

Emirates Airline is now flying nonstop between the Houston (IAH) and Dubai (DXB). The carrier currently flies three weekly flights (Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Houston) between these two places where oil is arguably the biggest businss. Daily service is to begin on February 1, 2008.

SilverJet is booking all-business-class flights between New York and London at the (relatively) inexpensive fare of $1,999 roundtrip between Newark (EWR) and London Luton (LTN). Tickets must be purhcased by December 20. The airline flies two daily roundtrips, with private terminals on both ends. Speaking of Dubai, the New York-Dubai roundtip fare is $3,690 in January and Feburary. SilverJet quotes fares to include all taxes and fees. SilverJetSet is the carrier's new loyality program.

Aeromexico now operates three weekly flights between Los Angeles and Puerto Peñasco (PPE) This destination, also known as Rocky Point, is yet another "former fishing village" (like Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco and others) in the State of Sonora that is now a burgeoning resort and real-estate development area. The major property, Las Palomas, is oriented to golfers, families and presumably, golfing families.

If US regulatory agencies agree, Lufthansa could own 19 percent of JetBlue. And if that happens, JetBlue could become part of the Star Alliance along with United, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, BMI, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Scandinavia, Shanghai, Singapore, South African, Spanair, Swiss, TAP, Thai and USAir. In theory, travelers will have greater opporunity to accumulate and redeem miles. In practice, the accumulating seems a lot easier than the redeeming.

Canadian-based, low-fare carrier Zoom Airlines, which currently has translantic service from Canada and Bermuda and also daily flights between New York and London/Gatwick (LGW), plans to twice-weekly San Diego (SAN)-London service on June 20 and London-Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and London-Denver (DEN) service later next year.

At New York's JFK International Airport, Swiss International Air Lines is about to move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4. The move should be complete on December 20.

Scandinavian Airlines’ Winter Fare Sale is discounting fares booked online by December 21 for travel between January 7 and March 13 from New York (EWR), Chicago (ORD), Seattle (SEA) or Washington, D.C. (IAD) to any of more than 20 European cities. The prices can't be bear for travelers who nab such roundtrip fares as Chicago-Oslo for $450 and Seattle-Paris for $568, with taxes additional. Getting there is a deal. Being able to afford to be there with the miserably low dollar is another story.

Air Zealand is promoting roundtip fares between Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) and Auckland (AKL) for flights departing the US between March 1 and March 31 for $1,098. While it's still winter, it's summer down under, and the carrier says that tickets for this Summer Sale must be purchased by December 31. Stops in Christchurch (CHC), Wellington (WLG) and Queenstown (ZQN) are an additional $120.

Frontier Airlines is now flying between Albuquerque (ABQ) and Puerto Vallarta' (PVR).