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The ‘ticketless travel’ concept has become
increasingly prominent throughout the world. By
implementing e-tickets, travel agents can transmit
ticketing information directly to the airline’s
database, enabling passengers to board flights
without paper tickets. The concept makes travel more
passenger-friendly, with a reduction in unnecessary
paperwork and waiting times, enhanced service and
extra data security. The benefits are also apparent
for the aviation industry, increasing overall
efficiencies at lower operational costs.
According to IATA, the airlines of the Middle East and North Africa are only |
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issuing 16% of e-tickets,
compared to 61% of airlines in other parts of the
world. US carriers are heading the aviation
industry, with 89% of airlines on track to meet the
deadline at the end of 2007.
Saudi Arabian Airlines and Egypt Air have already
implementing the e-ticketing service. The two
carriers had to change their systems. In addition,
Emirates, Royal Jordanian and Oman Air are
progressing well, and Etihad is issuing e-tickets
through its own distribution offices and began
issuing them through its travel agency distribution
channel last month. |
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The Egyptian government is determined to move the
3,200 houses in the Egyptian village of Qurna, which
sits on top of dozens of pharaonic tombs in Luxor,
to an alternative settlement it has built a few
kilometers away, in an attempt to explore the tombs
and protect them from water damage. An official
ceremony was held as the bulldozers moved in.
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They demolished four uninhabited mud brick houses in the
village of Qurna, very near the Valley of the Kings
in Luxor. Many villagers have already left to the
new settlement of Taref built by the Egyptian
government at a cost of $31million. Qurna sits above
dozens of ancient Egyptian tombs, part of the huge
necropolis of Thebes on the west bank of Luxor.
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French police have arrested a man in an attempt of
selling on the Internet strands of hair from the
head of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramsis II. The suspect
asked for between 2,000-2,500 euros ($2,639- $3,299)
for each of the various hair samples as well as for
tiny pieces of resin and embalmed cloth taken from
the pharaoh's mummy. In background notes posted on
the www.vivastreet.fr website, the seller said he
had obtained the relics from his father who had
worked in a French laboratory entrusted with
analyzing and restoring the body of Ramsis in
1976-77. He claims that his father kept the hair
which was given in confidence to France for an
expert analysis. The Internet seller also promised
to provide certificates |
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of authenticity to the eventual buyer
of the relics. Ramsis II, also known as Ramsis the
Great, was born around 1304 BC and ruled Egypt for
more than 60 years during the 19th dynasty of
pharaohs 3,200 years ago. His mummy was discovered
in 1881 and shortly afterwards removed to Cairo's
Egyptian Museum. In the early 1970s, authorities
noticed that his body was deteriorating and sent it
to Paris where it was treated for a fungal
infection. The suspect could be charged with
receiving stolen goods if it was clear that he
himself had illegitimately acquired the strands of
hair. The French foreign ministry said on Wednesday
it was working closely with Egyptian authorities
over the case. |
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