lastminute | Common News Update

Dec242019 by adminNo Comments

Last-minute flight cancellations hit holiday crowd

Finance

MUMBAI: Domestic flight cancellations have been going up since July when airlines began bingeing on Jet Airways slots, only to find it difficult to handle the sudden spurt in growth. The problem is set to worsen this winter as fog-related disruptions, aircraft unavailability due to engine problems and crew scheduling issues kick in. In the past week, hundreds of passengers who had booked flight tickets in advance for their year-end Christmas holidays have been forced to either scrap their holidays or buy exorbitant last-minute tickets thanks to flight cancellations. On Monday, GoAir cancelled 18 flights. GoAir attributed it to a combination of factors such as inclement weather, low visibility and anti-CAA protests in the country. It did not speak about A320Neo Pratt and Whitney engine snag...

Aug42019 by adminNo Comments

Heathrow in last-minute talks to avert strikes

Business

Heathrow Airport is holding last-ditch talks with unions to avert strikes on Monday and Tuesday that could mean 2,500 workers walking out. Britain's busiest airport has already cancelled 177 flights - roughly one in seven departures - as a precaution after Unite rejected a pay offer.The airport said the "vast majority" of passengers would still be able to fly. But some passengers say airlines have still not told them whether their flights will be cancelled. Some 91 airlines could be affected by the strikes, involving engineers, firefighters and security staff.Heathrow cancels 177 flights after strike voteA Heathrow spokeswoman said: "Airlines will confirm with passengers what flights they will be consolidating and cancelling."We ...

Mar62019 by adminNo Comments

Here are 5 last-minute tax moves you can still make before you file

Finance

Most of the last-minute opportunities to reduce your tax liabilities for 2018 have come and gone. You can't deduct charitable contributions you make in 2019 from last year's income, nor can you deduct expenses against last year's income for medical procedures you get now. You can't give 2018 tax-free gifts to your heirs today or harvest losses on investments tomorrow to offset gains realized last year. The bulk of the things you could do reduce your tax bill for last year expired on Dec. 31. But not all of them. There are still a number of steps taxpayers can take to help reduce the bite on April 15. Some have been available ...

Dec252018 by adminNo Comments

Tips for making your last-minute year-end donations

Finance

If giving to charity is still on your agenda for 2018, there's still a window of time for you to make that year-end donation. However, if you make a mistake, your gift might not count for the 2018 tax year. Of note, new tax rules have made it more difficult to get a deduction for your donations. That is because the standard deduction is so much higher — about $ 12,000 for individuals and $ 24,000 for married couples who file jointly. And your donations (plus any other deductions such as mortgage interest, etc.) must push you over the standard de...

Nov272018 by adminNo Comments

Last-minute tax break bill likely won't pass in Congress

Finance

If you were planning on nabbing a deduction for your mortgage insurance or your college expenses, prepare to sit tight. That's because these and other breaks that are known as the "tax extenders" are bundled into newly proposed legislation that's likely going nowhere fast, according to policy experts. The House Ways and Means Committee proposed a package of tax provisions on Monday, known as the Retirement, Savings and Other Tax Relief Act of 2018 and the Taxpayer First Act of 2018. In addition to renewing the "tax extenders" for the 2018 tax year, Wa...