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13
Following are policy changes to the US Airways frequent flyer program:
Tickets purchased on or after March 1, 2008 for travel on US Airways on/after May 1, 2008 will earn the actual number of miles flown and will no longer earn a minimum of 500 miles per segment.
Tickets flown on partner airlines after May 1, 2008 will earn the actual number of miles flown. Tickets purchased prior to March 1, 2008 will continue to earn the 500 mile minimum for travel after May 1, 2008. Accrual on flight segments greater than 500 miles in length are not impacted by this change. Members redeeming miles for award travel online within 14-days of departure will be assessed a quick ticketing fee of $50 per ticket.
A quick ticketing fee of $75 per award ticket will continue to apply for award tickets purchased from US Airways Reservations. Chairman’s and Platinum Preferred members booking within 14-days (both online and by phone) are exempt from the fee.
Many business travelers are taking a ho-hum attitude about staying connected to the office while in flight.
According to a survey by Orbitz for Business, 44% of business travelers would alter their flight plans to have a wifi connection available while airborne, but only 8% would sacrifice convenience or pay more to get a flight with Internet access.A majority of business travelers polled, 56%, don’t see an airborne wifi connection for laptops, phones and PDAs as a necessity.
Thirty-six percent said they would look for a wifi connected flight but would not sacrifice schedule convenience and price to get one.
Several carriers plan to test wifi connections, even as the debate over the security of air-to-ground wireless communications continues.
The results of the Orbitz survey would indicate that public pressure to provide wireless service in the air may be lower than anticipated, at least among business travelers.
“Technological advances have made business travelers today more productive than ever before,” said Dean Sivley, chief operating officer at Orbitz for Business. “While there are those who use flight time to catch up on work, and wifi will enhance that ability, there are also many who view it as valuable downtime.”
The survey found 57% are opposed to cell phone use in flight. The debate around cell phone use continues to center on the privacy of other passengers and the annoyance level although security concerns also remain.
“If ever endorsed, many travelers feel it would be hard to rest with the person next to them talking on a cell phone,” Sivley said. Business travelers generally see themselves as respectful of others, according to the survey; 84% said they tried to be as quiet as possible when making a wireless call in a public place, and said that those who didn’t extend that courtesy were intrusive.
Some business travelers look forward to a flight as quiet time.
Twelve percent of respondents said they used travel time to relax from the cares of work and didn’t want to talk on the phone.
Mar
11
Hotel & Car Rental Updates; March
Filed Under Hotels | Leave a Comment
Hotels
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Opens in Downtown Boston
InterContinental Hotels Group is opening a 72-room Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites in downtown Boston. The hotel is expected to open this summer after a $2 million renovation to a historic 100-year-old building.
It is on Friend Street, directly across from the TD Banknorth Garden, and within walking distance to Boston’s famed historical attractions, including Fanueil Hall, Boston Commons, Beacon Hill and the Old North Church.
(Source: InterContinental press release)
Car
Hertz NeverLost Launches Online Trip Planning
The Hertz NeverLost in-car navigation system has added a new feature: Online Trip Planning. It means you can plan your trips online from your home or office by going to www.neverlost.com , then save it on a USB storage device and then insert it into the Hertz NeverLost system.
Online Trip Planning incorporates information from the Yellow Pages, establishments along highway corridors, city guides and other information.
(Source: Hertz press release)
Rail
Amtrak Institutes New Security Procedures
Amtrak is deploying its new specialized Amtrak Mobile Security Team to patrol stations and trains and randomly inspect passenger baggage. The Mobile Security Team supplements ongoing patrols already in place.
The Mobile Security Team’s squads may consist of armed specialized Amtrak police, explosives-detecting K-9 units and armed counter-terrorism special agents in tactical uniforms.
They will screen passengers, randomly inspect baggage and patrol stations. These squads also may sweep through trains using K-9 units.
(Source: Amtrak press release)
Spot Light
E-Commerce Customer Satisfaction
A University of Michigan report finds that customer satisfaction with the e-commerce industry has improved, with one exception: online travel. The American Customer Satisfaction Index found that, in aggregate, online travel was down 1.3 percent to 75. Expedia (78) and Travelocity (74) both dropped 1.3 percent. Orbitz registered the only gain (+1.4 to 75). The reasons, according to the study: Big online travel agencies are seeing stiff competition from supplier
- sites such as hotels and airlines as well as from online search engines like Kayak
or Sidestep - The pool of people booking online is not increasing. In fact, a Forrester Research report says that nine percent fewer people booked online in 2007 than it 2005. The industry is losing shoppers, although those who do shop online are spending more money.
- That means that, to get new customers, online players have to woo them from their competitors. Customer service is the way to do that, but online travel agencies also have to compete on the low prices that supplier sites and search engines promise consumers.
(Source: University of Michigan press release)
Mar
7
Free Day with Avis
Filed Under Car Rentals | Leave a Comment
A free weekend day from Avis
is right around the corner.
We’re always in the neighborhood with great cars and valuable offers.
You can receive one FREE weekend day on your next three-day rental that includes a Saturday night! An advance reservation is required. Valid at participating Avis locations.
Coupon # TUTA034
Expiration Date: 12/31/08
Terms and Conditions: Coupon valid at participating Avis locations in the contiguous U.S. on an intermediate (group C) through a full-size four-door (group E) car. Dollars off applies to the time and mileage charges only on a minimum two-day weekend rental.
A Saturday night keep is required. Taxes, concession recovery fees, vehicle license recovery fee, customer facility charges ($10/contract in CA) may apply and are extra. Optional products such as LDW ($28.99/day or less, except in Louisiana $49.99/day) and refueling are extra. Coupon must be surrendered at time of rental; one coupon per rental.
May not be used in conjunction with any other coupon, promotion or offer. Weekend rental period begins Thursday, and car must be returned by Monday 11:59 p.m. or higher rate may apply. Offer subject to vehicle availability at the time of reservation and may not be available on some rates at some times.
For reservations made on avis.com, dollars off will be applied at time of rental. An advance reservation is required. Renter must meet Avis age, driver and credit requirements. Minimum age may vary by location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old. Rental must begin by 12/31/2008.
Rental Sales Agent Instructions At checkout
• In CPN, enter TUTA034
• In AWD, enter XXXXXXX
• Complete this information:
RA #: __________________________
Rental Location: __________________________
• Attach this coupon to tape
Mar
6
Avis Rent a Car Coupon
Filed Under Car Rentals | Leave a Comment
An extra 5 bucks from Avis is right around the corner.
We’re always in the neighborhood with great cars and valuable offers.
Now when you rent for a minimum of two days with a Saturday night stay over, you’ll save $5 off the total cost of the rental! Simply present this coupon at any participating Avis location. An advanced reservation is required.
Terms and Conditions: Coupon valid at participating Avis locations in the contiguous U.S. on an intermediate (group C) through a full-size four-door (group E) car. Dollars off applies to the time and mileage charges only on a minimum two-day weekend rental.
A Saturday night keep is required. Taxes, concession recovery fees, vehicle license recovery fee, customer facility charges ($10/contract in CA) may apply and are extra. Optional products such as LDW ($28.99/day or less, except in Louisiana $49.99/day) and refueling are extra. Coupon must be surrendered at time of rental; one coupon per rental. May not be used in conjunction with any other coupon, promotion or offer. Weekend rental period begins Thursday, and
car must be returned by Monday 11:59 p.m. or higher rate may apply.
Offer subject to vehicle availability at the time of reservation and may not be available on some rates at some times.
For reservations made on avis.com, dollars off will be applied at time of rental. An advance reservation is required. Renter must meet Avis age, driver and credit requirements. Minimum age may vary by location. An additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old. Rental must begin by 12/31/2008.
Rental Sales Agent Instructions At checkout
• In CPN, enter MUTA055
• In AWD, enter XXXXXXX
• Complete this information:
RA #: __________________________
Rental Location: __________________________
• Attach this coupon to tape
Mar
5
Airlines News March 2008
Filed Under Airlines | Leave a Comment
United, U.S. Airways Start Charging for Second Checked Bag
United Airlines and U.S. Airways in May will begin charging economy passengers $25 for their second checked bag on domestic flights. U.S. Airways is charging the fee on all flights within the U.S., to/from Canada, Latin America, the Caribbeanand Europe.
Dividend Miles Preferred members (Silver, Gold, Platinum and Chairman’s Preferred), confirmed First Class and Envoy passengers at time of check in, Star Alliance Silver and Gold status members, military personnel in uniform with an ID, unaccompanied minors and those checking assistive devices will not be charged.
United is charging for domestic flights as well as for travel beginning in the U.S. to and from Canada, San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. Mileage Plus Premier status and Star Alliance Silver status passengers will not be charged.
Spirit Airlines has upped its checked bags fees from $5 to $10 per checked bag for baggage booked on its website and $20 for checked baggage requested at the airport.
(Source: US Airways, United and Spirit press releases).
DOT Reports More Complaints About Airlines Mishandling Baggage,
Flight Delays The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report said that carriers’ rate of mishandling baggage rose from 6.73 per 1,000 passengers in 2006 to 7.03 reports per 1,000 passengers in 2007. Air travel delays also increased.
The 20 airlines reporting on-time performance with DOT recorded an on-time arrival rate of 73.4 percent in 2007, down from their 75.4 percent mark in 2006.
(Source: DOT press release).
American Express, Delta Introduce Pay with Miles
American Express and Delta Air Lines have introduced the Pay with Miles program, a new feature of Delta’s SkyMiles program, which is exclusively for Gold and Platinum Delta SkyMiles American Express cardmemnbers. The program allows these travelers to book flights on detla.com and use Miles to pay for all or part of a Delta ticket in any class of service on any route, with no blackout dates or inventory restrictions.
(Source: American Express press release).
Air France Introduces Half-Price Business Class Fare
Air France has introduced a new Business Class Leisure Fare available year round. It is about fifty percent off the normal price and is available to passengers who book their travel 30 days in advance of their departure date.
Sample one-way fares are: Washington-Barcleona, $1,681; Chicago-Madrid, $1,880; Los Angeles-Rome, $2,419. All flights connect through Paris-CDG. Fuel surcharges are included; government-imposed fees and taxes are approximately $80 to $150 extra.
(Source: Air France press release).
American Airlines Pilots Support BA Pilots Opposition to New OpenSkies
Airline OpenSkies, a stand alone airline backed by British Airways that is designed to take advantage of the new U.S.-EU Open skies agreement, is hitting some bumps.
Eighty-six percent of BA’s pilots have voted to authorize a strike in response to management’s plans for OpenSkies. That’s because pilots for the six 757s flying in the mostly upper class plane will not be drawn from the existing BA pilots’ seniority list. The Allied Pilots Association (APA), the collective bargaining agent for American Airlines pilot has expressed its “unequivocal support” for BA pots.
(Source: APA press release).
Continental Starts Nonstops From Cleveland to Greensboro,
Omaha and Savannah Continental Airlines has begun new daily nonstop service from its Cleveland hub at Hopkins International Airport to three new cities — Greensboro, N.C.; Omaha, Neb.; and Savannah, Ga.
The new cities are part of Continental’s expansion program underway at Cleveland that will add 12 new domestic nonstop destinations this year, in addition to previously announced new service to Paris, France. Other new destinations from Cleveland will include Birmingham, Ala., Charleston, S.C., Green Bay, Wis., Tulsa, Okla., Little Rock, Ark., Memphis, Tenn., Lansing,
Mich., Des Moines, Iowa and Kalamazoo, Mich.