Bali officials don’t foresee tourism slide

SECURITY was tightened at tourist sites in Southeast Asia after suicide bombings on Oct. 1 killed at least 22 people and wounded more than 100 at three restaurants on the Indonesian island of Bali.

“Bags will be checked,” said Jero Wacik, Indonesia’s minister of culture and tourism. “Cars will be checked.”

But he added: “The world community has become more immune to bombs going off. London and Madrid recovered, and we will recover.”

Balinese tourism officials said Tuesday that hotel occupancies in the area affected by the bombings were just below 60%, only slightly less than typical for this time of year.

It was Bali’s second major tourist bombing in three years. In October 2002, two bombs killed more than 200 people, including seven Americans. Citing a high terrorist threat, the U.S. State Department has maintained a long-standing travel warning against Indonesia.

Associated Press

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European

rail passes

to cost more

RAIL Europe next year will increase prices and add options. Starting Jan. 1, Eurail passes will cost an average of 3% more.

Also new for 2006: Greece, Poland and Sweden will join the list of single-country rail passes, and there will be passes covering France and Germany; France and the Benelux economic union (Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands); Germany and Austria; and Germany and Switzerland. For information, call (888) 382-7245 or visit www.raileurope.com. (The new passes will not be listed on the website until Jan. 1, when they may be bought.)

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2 new airlines

to fly from JFK

to London

TWO start-up airlines aimed at business travelers plan to begin flying nonstop between New York’s JFK airport and London Stansted airport in the next few weeks. Both are accepting bookings.

Eos is to start daily service Oct. 18. Round-trip introductory fares, which must be booked by Oct. 16, are $5,000 plus taxes; after that, fares will be $6,500.

Eos is leasing a 757 jet. Each passenger will have 21 square feet of space in a pod fitted with a TV, an extra seat for visitors and a 78-inch-long seat-bed. For information: (888) 357-3677. www.eosairlines.com.

MAXjet Airways is to start service Nov. 1 with one flight each day except Saturday. Round-trip fares, which will vary by demand, will start at $1,558 plus taxes.

MAXjet has its headquarters at Dulles International Airport in suburban Washington, D.C. Its chief executive is Gary Rogliano, formerly with TransPacific Capital, a transportation investment and operating company in East Rutherford, N.J.

MAXjet will fly its own Boeing 767-200ER, a spokeswoman said, with traditional business-class seats that recline to 145 degrees. For information: (888) 435-9629, www.maxjet.com.

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Notes

on flying

AMERICAN Airlines’ customers can now buy their tickets with cash at Western Union offices after reserving them online at www.aa.com. There’s a $14.95 service fee. For details, visit www.aa.com/content/utility/westernUnion.jhtml. Another new service, which costs $25, allows American’s customers with reservations to switch to another flight on the same day and get a confirmed seat. Restrictions apply. For details, visit www.aa.com/selfservice.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air stopped issuing paper tickets last month in favor of electronic tickets. They will accept existing paper tickets through Sept. 14. The International Air Transport Assn. is aiming to eliminate paper tickets worldwide by 2007.

British Airways last month began allowing passengers on nonstop international flights to London from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix to print out their boarding passes online.

-- Compiled by

Jane Engle