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The Department of Homeland Security said it plans to stay on schedule with the implementation of the next phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Starting Jan. 31, the DHS will require travelers to provide proof of citizenship at U.S. seaports of entry and land borders. Read more... Take simple steps to reduce chances of suffering through long air delays this holiday season. Travelers should look for flights that leave early in the day, are direct and fly from hubs that are neither habitually congested nor prone to bad weather. Checking to see which airlines have the best on-time performance is a good idea, too. Nine U.S. airports, including San Francisco, Washington Dulles, Las Vegas and Seattle-Tacoma, have installed airport-owned, common-use kiosks that allow travelers to check-in for more than one airline. The kiosks are often placed in vacant terminal areas to draw travelers away from congested airline counters and improve flow. The European Parliament gave its backing to a deal between the EU and the U.S. that opens up trans-Atlantic routes to more competition, but said U.S. restrictions on foreign ownership of airlines is an issue that needs to be addressed. The Open Skies agreement will take effect March 30, 2008. Radio frequency identification may one day eliminate the loss of luggage at airports through mishandling. The idea is that a radio transponder embedded in luggage tags will communicate with airport personnel via antennas placed in baggage areas. When a bag fails to show up where and when it's expected, airport agents can use the RFID technology to find where the lost bag has gone. A revision to federal guidelines that recently went into effect will allow air passengers to keep on headwear such as turbans, cowboy hats or berets while passing through screening checkpoints. The Transportation Security Administration revised the guidelines after complaints from various groups. A few airports are testing a new screening device that allows travelers to keep their laptops and liquids and gels in their carry-on bags as they pass through security. The new machines cost about $350,000 to $400,000 each and produce sharp images of what is inside a bag.
All aboard The EU gave preliminary approval to a plan that will require airlines flying to and from Europe to offset emissions by buying carbon dioxide allowances starting in 2011. The U.S. opposes unilateral actions on aviation, and the FAA supports improving air traffic control as a way to cut emissions. The U.K. is expected to relax rules that limit travelers to bringing one bag on a commercial aircraft. It is the only country with a one-bag rule, and some airline executives say it has damaged the country's reputation among business travelers. Some airlines and travel agencies oppose a government proposal that would allow the TSA to start collecting additional personal data on travelers including birth dates and genders. The TSA said getting this information will allow it to conduct more precise background checks, but carriers say requesting additional information will make the security process more complicated and time consuming. The deregulation of trans-Atlantic routes between the U.S. and Europe will vastly increase the number of travelers who fly those routes over the next five years, according to a study. Fares are expected to fall, but the boost in traffic will help airlines continue to increase their profits. Federal authorities and airline industry executives met to discuss strategies to relieve congestion at New York City-area airports. The DOT wants to see peak traffic at John F. Kennedy International Airport restricted to 80 landings per hour, down from the current maximum of 100.
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Airlines hope new software upgrades will help them avoid stranding travelers this holiday season. At American Airlines, new technology displays information in ways aimed at preventing service disruptions, and top managers will receive text messages automatically when operational problems occur. A new automated baggage screening system at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport can screen 5,000 checked bags each hour. The system will first operate within Northwest Airlines' baggage system, and eventually all carriers at the airport will use it. Despite strong demand for travel, U.S. airlines continue to scale back their capacity. An analysis found that the six largest airlines have scheduled 4.4% fewer seats in January 2008 than they did in 2007. Some carriers are moving more capacity to international routes while others are scaling back as a reaction to higher fuel prices. According to the Airlines Reporting Corp.'s data, fewer domestic air transactions were made this time last year, while international air transactions were up 3.3% during the same period. Industry insiders say corporate consolidation is pushing domestic travel down, but ARC attributed the shift to airlines moving capacity from domestic to international flights. Canadian airlines are resisting TSA efforts to impose a new rule that would require them to share passenger data with the U.S. when flights en route to other countries fly over the U.S. without landing. Canada has a "no-fly" passenger list that it developed in consultation with American security officials. Air Tran is beginning new service on 3/5/08 from Atlanta and Orlando to San Juan Puerto Rico they are offering special introductory fares.
American Airlines said it will seek to expand
its cooperation with El Al Israel Airlines by setting up a
code-sharing agreement. American Airlines will begin nonstop service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Moscow’s Domodedovo International Airport (DME) on June 2, 2008. Taking the feedback from its Super Seat Premium passengers into account, ANA has announced a new version of elite travel options for its customers, one that has been designed as an “elegant space to unwind in the skies.” Simply called Premium Class, the cabin’s layout will introduce ten percent wider seats, up the seat pitch by 30 percent for a 50-inch pitch, and offer power outlets for charging laptops. ANA will also have a new seat configuration on its 767 aircraft of 2-1-2, rather than 2-2-2 with a total of eight to 21 seats. Sandwiches, fruit, onigiri rice-balls, cakes and other items will supplement the current meal service, and access to ANA lounges at Tokyo Haneda and Osaka Itami airports will be available to all Premium Class passengers. Following its debut in April 2008, ANA expects to offer the new Premium Class on seventy percent of its jet aircraft by early 2010. In the meantime, Super Seat Premium Customers will be invited to use ANA lounges at Haneda and Itami through March 31, 2008. British Airways' plans to launch a new airline flying between Europe and New York are threatened by proposed schedule caps at John F. Kennedy airport. British Airways, JFK's biggest overseas airline, had planned to take advantage of Europe's open skies agreement by offering flights between JFK and a roster of European destinations. Delta Air Lines' renovated ticketing lobby at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport has created more room for travelers and easier access to security lines. Delta Air Lines and Air France are looking to take advantage of the Open Skies agreement by teaming up to offer more service between the two carriers' hubs and to build a stronger presence at London's Heathrow airport. Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson has said that the industry is likely headed toward greater consolidation and that the trend could benefit his company. CEOs of rivals Continental Airlines and American Airlines were less enthusiastic. "Historically there have been a lot of obstacles to airline industry consolidation," said American Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey.
Israel’s national airline, EL AL, has opened
its new King David Lounges for premium-class passengers in Terminal
4 at New York’s JFK International Airport. The new, lavish First and
Platinum Business Class Lounges and Bank Leumi Business Center are a
$1 million joint EL AL and Bank Leumi investment. Jet Airways has opened an elegant airport lounge at its hub in Brussels in cooperation with the airport. The airline’s First and Premičre passengers can now enjoy their transit time at the Brussels Airport in a peaceful, open environment. Northwest Airlines next spring will launch flights between London's Heathrow Airport and Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Seattle. Northwest will become the fourth U.S. airline to enter the Heathrow market.
Southwest's "Business Select," as the new
ticket class is called, will reward travelers who pay higher fares
with drink vouchers, priority boarding and additional frequent-flier
miles. Chief executive Gary Kelly said the airline will unveil
additional initiatives meant to lure business travelers throughout
the next two years.
United Airlines plans to boost international
flying by 15% during the next three years, a senior executive said.
Speaking at an investor conference in New York, Chief Financial
Officer Jack Brace also said that United will not increase domestic
flying.
US Airways plans to apply with the U.S.
Department of Transportation for a daily route between Charlotte,
N.C., and Bogota, Colombia. The DOT will select airlines for more
than 20 new flights to the South American country.
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Check out Auto Europe's special deals online --- all the time. Avis Budget Group announced that it has invested millions in Carey International, a chauffeured transportation company. "With this investment, Avis Budget Group expects to be able to offer corporate customers and travel partners the most complete portfolio of local ground transportation products and services available anywhere," said Ronald Nelson, chairman and CEO of ABG.
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Apple Core Hotels, a group of five centrally-located, budget-friendly Midtown Manhattan hotels, have recently completed their extensive room renovations. The guest room redesign of the Red Roof Inn Manhattan, Comfort Inn Midtown, and Super 8 Times Square includes the upgrade of more than 500 hotel rooms and bathrooms into comfortable, contemporary, technologically-advanced guestrooms. A list from Benchmark Hospitality International of the top meeting trends at its 31 resorts, hotels and conference centers is topped by Internet technology, with a hotel's Web site being at the forefront of meeting planning. Other leading trends include BlackBerry use; stronger customer feedback on blogs and Web sites; more team-building events and leisure opportunities at meetings; and increased use of meetings packages. The capsule hotels that have become popular in Japan have inspired a new generation of no-frills hotels, which offer affordable accommodations in small spaces. The newest versions throw in a dash of high-style and technology for the micro-spaces, and they include British company Yotel, which opened its first hotel in London's Gatwick Airport in July, and Qbic in Amsterdam. Hotel construction and renovation in Beijing is in full swing as the city prepares to host an estimated 1.5 million visitors for the 2008 Olympic Games. One industry expert said the development is reaching the point of oversaturation in the luxury market, but hoteliers expect Beijing's popularity as a travel destination to continue long after the Olympic Games end. Las Vegas Sands Corp. is gearing up to open the Palazzo, part of a $2.1 billion, 3,066-suite encore to the Venetian and Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. The 50-story Palazzo hotel-casino will be joined by a $580 million retail component due to open in January. The Palazzo, Venetian and Sands Expo Center combined will represent the largest hotel and convention center complex in the world. Best Western International, known mainly as a leisure hotel chain, has unveiled a new design prototype aimed at business travelers called Atria. The Atria prototype features larger lobbies with the capability to serve multiple purposes. The chain will compete with other business-oriented lines such as Marriott's Courtyard brand and Hilton Garden Inn. Marriott International has confirmed that it has purchased 16 acres of land across from the Las Vegas Convention Center for $230 million. The chain is planning a 3,500-room casino-resort with 500,000 square feet of meeting space and an expected opening in 2011.
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Who says you can't teach an old dog....travelers are changing how they plan their trips to accommodate the realities of air delays and higher fares and fuel prices. A survey revealed that more passengers are booking earlier flights, checking in from home, checking more bags and packing more carefully to avoid security holdups. Some travelers are opting out of airline baggage checks by sending their luggage ahead via freight companies. The practice saves travelers the hassles of hauling bags through security screens and out of baggage pickup areas, and also prevents the loss of luggage by commercial airlines. A great product for you road warriors... Companies increasingly are having business travelers share hotel rooms on business trips, according to a new survey. The survey found that 24% of business travelers have been required to share a room with a co-worker while on a business-related trip. With input from hotel inspectors and key tourism representatives, AAA has updated its diamond rating guidelines, effective immediately. Airlines such as Delta and Continental are coming up with alternative ways for frequent fliers to use their miles. One recent example offered bids in an online auction using miles for the opportunity to build Habitat for Humanity homes in Maharashtra, India.
in 2008 why not become enlightened...
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