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Our offices will be closed on Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27th in celebration of Thanksgiving. |
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As technological advances allow aircraft to fly themselves for long periods of time, airlines and regulators are looking for ways to ensure that bored pilots don't doze off or lose their focus. Some carriers have protocols that require pilots to perform certain inputs every 15 minutes; failure to do so sets off an alarm in the cockpit. Meanwhile, regulators are discussing a federal ban on personal electronic devices for pilots, along with cockpit cameras to detect violations of the policy. But Bill Voss, CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation, says such steps could be more symbolic than substantive. The House of Representatives passed a bill that would effectively increase the minimum flight time for commercial pilots to 1,500 hours, up from the current standard of 250 hours. The bill could result in higher pilot salaries, according to its sponsors. Also included in the measure were pre-employment screening, remedial training and new studies on pilot rest. A lost or stolen driver's license may mean delays at the airport, but passengers should still be able to travel, according to the TSA. An agency spokeswoman says other forms of ID, including a letter with a home address, should be enough to get through security, although additional searches may be required. The European lawmakers are protesting a proposed $10 entry fee to be charged to Europeans visiting the U.S. Ironically, the surcharge is meant to pay for advertising campaigns enticing Europeans to come see the U.S. The airlines are doing fine with the initial phase-in of the Transportation Security Administration's Secure Flight program, but questions still loom once airport screeners start matching names on IDs and boarding passes, which often truncate long names because of space limitations. TSA says screeners will use their judgment when they find "slight variations" in names, which "should not delay the passenger's travel." Travel industry observers, suppliers and international groups say that China, India and other emerging Asian economies will likely be among the first to see recovery in business travel. Some markets, including those in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, have already seen an uptick in air traffic. Europe, on the other hand, continues to lag.
Headed abroad? Be sure to check out Auto Europe's special deals online --- all the time. Avis has moved to a new location at the Atlanta airport. Simply get off your plane, take a 5-minute ride on the new ATL SkyTrain and you’ll arrive at the all-new rental car center. Once you are there, follow signs to the Avis counter and get on your way! Avis and Budget have announced plans to implement no show fees for some locations and rentals.
As cell phones became the norm, many travelers avoided using phones in hotel rooms because of exorbitant charges. Hotels are now starting to change their stance on in-room phone charges by providing free local calls and, in some cases, free long-distance calls. Some industry observers, however, say that hotels will likely raise overall room rates in order to offer free phone calls. Independent hotel owners are struggling to cope with rising vacancies, which have forced many to rush to the arms of the large hotel chains. For frequent travelers, the shift gives them the opportunity to stay at boutique-style properties and still get their loyalty points.
A survey of 14,500 frequent fliers found that Singapore's Changi airport was the world's best, while London's Heathrow airport was, once again, the worst. The survey of Priority Pass members rated Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport and the Los Angeles International Airport and second- and third-worst. Taxpayers spent roughly $32 per passenger to subsidize the cost of running Amtrak last year. The estimate is about four times what Amtrak had estimated. Amtrak's rail network serves hundreds of destinations across the U.S. Eno Transportation Foundation President Stephen Van Beek said the study may be used to decide how to spend the $8 billion in stimulus funds allocated to high-speed and intercity rail. Business travelers are increasingly turning overnight work trips into one long day of travel to save money as well as time. Some travelers are even taking the one-day jaunts on trans-Atlantic trips. Chinese officials confirmed that they have approved a proposal from Walt Disney to build a theme park in Shanghai. The $3.6 billion development, which will be built in phases, includes hotels, retail shops and other businesses. The park could open, at the earliest, in 2012 as many hurdles remain.
As technology continues to change the way we travel, two new
developments have hit the scene. First, Iberia has rolled out its
mobile phone boarding cards option to its Madrid hub. When
passengers check in for their flight online there will be an option
to select an electronic boarding pass, complete with a
two-dimensional bar code, to be sent to their mobile phone. The
option, available for all of Iberia's mainline flights from Madrid,
apart from its Madrid-Barcelona air bridge shuttle, lets travelers
breeze through the airport directly to the boarding gate by scanning
the bar code on their mobile phones.
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Procrastinators were rewarded last year when they put off booking flights for travel over the holidays as airlines continually reduced costs and offered last-minute deals. This year, the landscape has changed and those who book early are getting the best deals. During the past couple of months, airlines have gained back some of the pricing power they lost during the economic downturn. Travel-management companies are predicting that airfares will continue to inch up next year. The busiest travel days of the year are becoming increasingly expensive as the three largest airlines in the U.S. expand their use of surcharges for those days. For example, American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have all added $50 one-way charges on some Feb. 8 flights. As of December 1, Atlanta-based Delta will accept only credit cards for onboard food and alcoholic drink purchases on North American flights operated by Delta and its Twin Cities-based merger partner, Northwest Airlines During this economic slump, carriers already on razor-thin profit margins are cutting money-losing flights. Most U.S. airlines will offer a refund if they cannot get you to your destination within 90 minutes of your original plans. Unfortunately, the refund probably won’t cover the cost of buying another ticket on another airline The five largest domestic airlines in the U.S. all reported losses in the third quarter, but executives and analysts were cautiously optimistic that a rebound in business travel may be getting under way. The FAA is warning that Delta Air Lines' proposed lease with Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport could be anti-competitive. Regulators are concerned by a clause that gives Delta the right to approve major airport projects, possibly blocking construction that would add more gates and attract competition. Low-cost service across the Atlantic could soon become a reality because of lower rates for leasing jets and more flight crews looking for work.
While the Japanese government is working on a restructuring plan for
Japan Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines are bolstering
their efforts toward developing an alliance with the struggling
carrier. Despite JAL's challenges, Delta and AA are eager to tap
into the airline's extensive network in Asia.
Puerto Penasco, one of Mexico's most remote locations, opened its
first international airport, making commercial access to
the region that much easier. American has a sweet treat in store for customers traveling in Business. American's new Ben & Jerry's sundaes will tempt travelers in Business Class on flights from the U.S. to Europe, Japan, Latin America, India and China to indulge in their dessert first. The Ben & Jerry's sundaes will expand to Business Class cabins on transcontinental flights beginning December 1. Airline passengers are already accustomed to paying for a variety of onboard offerings, including food, drinks, headsets and pillows. Now, American Airlines is taking the retail concept one step further by selling Heathrow Express train tickets on flights to London. After more than 15 months of negotiations, British Airways is merging with Iberia to create a European airline with roughly $20 billion in annual revenue. Continental Airlines abandoned merger negotiations with United Airlines about a year and a half ago. A deal would have created the largest air carrier in the world. Instead, Continental joined the Star Alliance, which includes United and 23 other carriers. Continental's migration from SkyTeam alliance to the Star Alliance is the most significant switch since airline alliances started being formed more than 10 years ago.
The Best of The Best for 2009 - Our Grand Hotel Book Blaine Travel - Comprehensive site for all of your leisure travel needs. Planning a trip this holiday season? Be sure to give us a call first, there are bound to be some great air deals out there for you! If we can provide you and your family any assistance with your leisure travel plans, please do not hesitate to contact Blaine Travel at 404.591-7070, 888.881.4593 or info@blainetravel.com In addition, we can create wonderful - personalized certificates for that special gift of travel.
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Be sure to ask us about our SUPER Parking Spot corporate program...save today!
All specials are
subject to availability at time of booking. Certain restrictions may
apply. |
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