A Cost-Cutting French Airline Will Offer Bargain Fares This Summer Between New York, Las Vegas and Paris (Arthur Frommer Online)

You probably haven't heard of XL Airways (tel. **877/496-9889**; **www.xl.com**), even though it's been flying for 16 years. Headquartered at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, it is mainly known for its long-haul flights from Paris to North Africa, Southeast Asia, some destinations in Europe, and to the Caribbean. But this year, starting in late May and running at least through September, it will be offering cut-rate flights between New York and Paris for as little as $400 (plus government fees, taxes and fuel surcharges). Going to the current, French-language website of XL Airways, and carrying out various test bookings on that site, results in a total round-trip price considerably less than other airlines are charging for the same time period. There are numerous combinations of dates in the summer period when XL Airways will be offering a final, tax-included and fuel-surcharge-included price of €509 for the round-trip flight between New York and Paris. That €509 converts to $697 at a current rate of €1 =$1.37. The price of $697, including government fees, taxes and fuel surcharge, is at least $400 less than most other airlines will be charging in summer for the round-trip between New ...