The survey found that safety problems like near collisions and runway interference occur far more frequently than previously recognized.

  German train drivers began a 30-hour strike Thursday against commuter and regional services across the country, and the national railway operator said more than half of local trains were not running.

  A five-day Air France strike that began Thursday was expected to cause the cancellation of 30 percent of the carrier's flights, the company said.

  A travel agent may be able to save air travelers time and money with "creative"ticketing, and OAGflights.com, a complete data base of all scheduled flights worldwide for 1,000 airlines serving 300 airports, now offers fare comparisons and booking capability.

  Scranton, Pennsylvania, the city where the Emmy-winning cubicle comedy "The Office"is set, is hosting a party this weekend for thousands of fans of the TV show.

  Starting Jan. 1, 14 French museums and monuments, most of them low-profile, will open to visitors free of charge for six months, Culture Minister Christine Albanel said Tuesday.

  The handful of luxury hotel "palaces"in France face an uncertain future after the government announced plans to align itself with international practice and create a "five star"category.

  The carménère grape, which basically disappeared from European vineyards in the late 1880s, continued to be planted in Chile. It produces a spicy, floral and plummy wine that has helped to boost Chile's competitiveness in global wine markets.

  The Tokyo Motor Show opens on Oct. 26 and Japanese automakers have all the right ingredients to become serious challengers in the luxury arena.

  For short-haul flights to about 35 destinations in Continental Europe, served by 12 airlines, London City Airport could be London's best-kept secret. It is only 5 kilometers from Canary Wharf, 9 kilometers from the City of London and 16 kilometers from the West End.

  The joint venture, a challenge to British Airways, aims to take advantage of an "open skies"agreement that will overhaul rules on flights between Europe and the United States next year.

  Darjeeling is synonymous with high-quality black tea. There are 87 tea estates operating in the Darjeeling district, a region in a mountainous corner of India between Nepal and Bhutan.

  The chilled bottle of champagne perched on an elegantly laid-out double bed in "premium class"said it all.

  Not too long ago, options for visitors to the Brazilian Amazon region were limited. But now, responding to the international boom in ecological and adventure tourism, lodgings have sprung up all over the region in the past four or five years.