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German-based tour company Thomas Cook is apparently planning to start a new Belgian airline shortly, with an official announcement expected on 6 December, Le Soir reported. The new carrier is likely to concentrate on

Cypriot carrier Eurocypria Airlines, which is based in Larnaca, has signed a contract with International Lease Finance Corporation to lease four Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The aircraft are the first Boeings to be acquired by the airline, and are scheduled for delivery in February, March and April 2003, as well April 2004.

A new Travel Partnership has been formed to help encourage the adoption of the ".travel" Internet Top Level Domain (TLD). The International Air Transportation Association (IATA) applied to ICANN to create the ".travel" TLD in 2000 with the hope of improving standards and security for Internet trading for the global travel industry and customers.

Air France and Alitalia, an Italian airline, will apparently be carrying out a share-swap of about 2-3% of their capital by June 2002. Il Sole reported on 29 November that the European Union has authorised the Italian government to give Alitalia EUR387m, which is the last tranche of the capital increase carried out in 1997.

Lan Chile, a Chilean airline, has signed a four-year labour contract with its pilots. The agreement means that wages will increase by an average 2% per year from 2003 until the end of the contract, Reuters reported.

Northwest Airlines, a US carrier, indicated on 29 November that it will be conducting a live auction of 40 tickets and four vacation packages to selected cities in Asia and Europe. The silent auction will be conducted at the carrier`s web site (http://www.nwa.com/auctions), and bids will be accepted until 3 December 2002 for travel booked by 20 December 2001 and completed by 30 April 2002. Successful bidders will be sent an e-mail with a special confirmation number.

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