EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT 02/14/05 Welcome to EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT for the week of February 14, the weekly e-mail of essential business travel news! To sign up for the e-Alert, click here. TSA expands testing of new explosives detection machines O'Hare schedule cuts are extended as delays drop DFW schedules get a boost from American, American Eagle Delta sees benefits from de-peaking Atlanta operations American removes pillows from more planes Virgin America's start-up is delayed United matches American with web site low-fare guarantee AirTran rolls out satellite radio FAA/SECURITY TSA expands testing of new explosives detection machines The Transportation Security Administration is expanding the deployment of "explosives trace detection portals" at U.S. airports, as it continues to test the new technology. Last week, one of the portals was installed at Baltimore/Washington Airport's Pier D security checkpoint, and last month TSA started using one at Jacksonville (Fla.) Airport. Field tests are also taking place at airports in Providence, Rochester, San Diego, Tampa, Gulfport-Biloxi and New York JFK, and they'll go into six more airports this spring, TSA said. The devices perform the same basic task as those little explosives detection boxes where TSA screeners will sometimes insert a swab taken from the surface of your carry-on bag. But with these machines, the passenger will walk inside them and stand there for a few seconds while the device releases little puffs of air. "The portal will analyze the air for traces of explosives, and a computerized voice will tell passengers when to exit," a TSA spokesman said. O'Hare schedule cuts are extended as delays drop Last year's "voluntary" agreement by major carriers at Chicago O'Hare Airport to trim their schedules at peak times - a pact that was strongly recommended by the Transportation Department to reduce delays - has been extended through October 2005, DOT officials said. The agreement was due to expire in April. DOT officials said that since the schedules were reduced, on-time arrivals at O'Hare have increased by 11 percent, and the length of the typical delay has dropped by 21 percent. The agreement limits domestic carriers to 88 scheduled arrivals per hour between 7 a.m.-8 p.m., vs. as many as 110 previously. AIRLINES DFW schedules get a boost from American, American Eagle American Airlines said it will increase service at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport to record levels by this summer, noting that its passenger traffic there has jumped more than 12 percent since Delta dismantled its hub there a few weeks ago, and since American matched Delta's overhauled fare structure. Last fall, American had projected that its mainline and American Eagle schedules at DFW would increase by 70 daily departures by July 2005; now the company says that increase will amount to an extra 119 flights per day. American will operate 550 mainline flights and 289 Eagle departures per day by July, up from 505/215 last summer. The expansion will be phased in from February through June, with extra frequencies to Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston and dozens of other cities, American said. Meanwhile, American Eagle has started or will soon begin service to several new destinations, including Peoria and Champaign, Ill.; Pensacola, Fla.; Torreon, San Luis Potosi and Chihuahua, Mexico; Buffalo, N.Y.; Lexington, Ky. and Savannah, Ga. With DFW's new international terminal due to open in July, American said it is increasing frequencies to London Gatwick and Tokyo, and will resume DFW-Osaka flights in November. Delta sees benefits from de-peaking Atlanta operations Delta Air Lines claims that its all-around operational performance at Atlanta Hartsfield has improved since it de-peaked its schedules there last month - i.e., smoothed out the peaks and valleys of arrival/departure banks. On the first two Monday mornings after the change, Delta said, waiting times at Hartsfield security checkpoints went down by an average of 35 minutes, and on some days, on-time arrivals were as high as 96 percent. As a result of the schedule smooth-out, Delta was able to add another 80 departures a day at ATL. American removes pillows from more planes Flying on American? Better take your own pillow. Last year, the carrier removed all the pillows from passenger cabins of its MD80s; and this month, according to the Dallas Morning News, it plans to begin taking them out of its domestic 737s, 757s and A300s. Why? No pillows means quicker cleaning and faster turnaround time between flights, the company said. It reportedly will continue to offer pillows on its 767s and 777s, on all international and Hawaii routes, and on some 737s and 757s that fly transcontinental routes. Virgin America's start-up is delayed Last year, officials of Virgin America, the new U.S.-based airline affiliate of Richard Branson's Virgin empire, were predicting that the carrier would start flying by mid-2005. But now, according to the San Francisco Business Times, they're looking at late 2005 or more likely, 2006. A Virgin America official told the publication that Branson is still searching for U.S. investors to back the start-up, since U.S. law bars him from owning a majority stake in the business. Meanwhile, Virgin America still has to secure operating authority from the Department of Transportation, and will need another nine to 12 months after that to begin operations, company officials told the publication. Virgin America plans to operate as a low-cost carrier, using a fleet of Airbus A319s and 320s from a base at San Francisco, with corporate offices in New York. United matches American with web site low-fare guarantee American did it, so United had to do it too. After American announced a new low-fare guarantee for its web site two weeks ago, United quickly unveiled a similar promise for its passengers. United's applies to both the www.united.com site and www.flyted.com. If a customer finds a lower fare on another site, United promises to give him a $50 certificate plus a refund of the difference between the fares, as long as it's more than $5. If you want to test it, details can be found at www.united.com/guarantee. AirTran rolls out satellite radio If you see an AirTran 717 with a portrait of Elton John painted on the fuselage, it's all part of the airline's effort to get out the word that it has started to deploy XM Satellite Radio service on its planes. The company said it expects to be offering XM on 20 aircraft by the end of February, and to have its entire fleet outfitted by the end of the summer. XM lets users select among 100 commercial-free, digital-quality audio channels of music, news, sports, talk and other entertainment. AIR ROUTES ANCHORAGE (ANC). Alaskans can easily get away to Hawaii this winter, thanks to Northwest's new non-stop service from Anchorage. The 757 flights will operate to Maui and Honolulu from February 17 through April 3. CHICAGO O'HARE (ORD). United Express/Air Wisconsin is due to begin two daily regional jet roundtrips on February 15 between O'Hare and Myrtle Beach, S.C. FORT LAUDERDALE (FLL). February 17 is the starting date for new Continental Connection/Gulfstream service linking Fort Lauderdale with several destinations in the Bahamas, including Andros, Georgetown, Governor's Harbour, Marsh Harbour, North Eleuthera and Treasure Cay. All services will be with turboprop aircraft. INDIANAPOLIS (IND). Northwest continues its buildup at Indianapolis this week, launching three daily flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth and two to Kansas City starting February 16. On the same date, Northwest will add a second daily flight to Ft. Myers, Las Vegas and Tampa from Indianapolis. From February 16 to April 30, the carrier will fly Indianapolis-Phoenix once a day. On February 19, Northwest will introduce seasonal weekend service from Indianapolis to Sarasota and West Palm Beach, continuing through May 1. LOS ANGELES (LAX). Alaska Airlines will begin service to Loreto, Mexico from LAX on February 17, operating two flights a week, on Sundays and Thursdays. MEMPHIS (MEM). From February 16 through April 30, Northwest Airlink/Pinnacle Airlines will operate one daily roundtrip between Memphis and Nassau, Bahamas with a regional jet. From February 19 through April 30, Northwest will offer weekend-only service from Memphis to Sarasota, West Palm Beach and Phoenix (The Sarasota flights will run daily from March 7-April 3). MILWAUKEE (MKE). Northwest Airlines will operate a second daily A319 Milwaukee-Las Vegas flight from February 16 through April 30. From February 19 to April 30, Northwest will offer Saturday service between Milwaukee and Cancun. TAMPA (TPA). Continental Connection/Gulfstream on February 17 will begin three daily Tampa-Ft. Walton Beach roundtrips, using turboprop aircraft. WASHINGTON DULLES (IAD). New United Express/Air Wisconsin service slated for a February 15 start will link Dulles with Myrtle Beach four times a day, using regional jets. Independence Air set a February 17 starting date for its new Airbus A319 service between Dulles and Ft. Myers, Fla., with three daily non-stops. THIS WEEK'S DEALS AND SPECIALS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS For trips to Latin America, WorldHotels (formerly SRS-Worldhotels, 800-223-5652; www.worldhotels.com) has sale rates available at independent properties through May 15. Besides discounts, the "Latin American Values" rates include breakfast, an upgrade if available, and 1,500 miles with any of several airline partners. Sample rates include $230 at the Claridge or $125 at the Crillon in Buenos Aires; $124 at the Maksoud Plaza in Sao Paulo; $169 at the Plaza San Francisco in Santiago; $225 at Hotel Centro Lido in Caracas. Singapore Airlines has a web-only deal for New York JFK-Frankfurt service, with fares starting at $449 plus taxes and fees if they're booked at the company website (www.singaporeair.com/usa) by February 28 for trips departing during April or May. Look for the "Deal of the Month." Got business in Vietnam? Malaysia Airlines (800-552-9264; www.malaysiaairlines.com) will fly you to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Hanoi from Los Angeles or Newark at fares of $699-$799, if you book by February 28 and travel by May 31. Fares are nonrefundable and don't include tax. Maximum stay is 30 days. For links to other websites where you can search for bargains, click here: www.executivetravelonline.com/reference/deals.html By Jim Glab To sign up for the e-Alert, click here.