EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT 05/31/05 Welcome to EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT for the week of May 31, the weekly e-mail of essential business travel news! To sign up for the e-Alert, click here. Northwest mechanics eye countdown to job action United will expand Ted routes in the fall US Airways plans more cutbacks at Pittsburgh Washington Reagan may reopen to small planes Houston Bush gets Sprint Wi-Fi service Hotel News: Changes in Los Angeles AIRLINES Northwest mechanics eye countdown to job action As the nation waits this week to see if United Airlines could face a walkout by its ground workers, the mechanics' union at Northwest Airlines is now looking to a possible job action as contract talks with management have stalled. Northwest has asked the National Mediation Board to declare talks at an impasse; if it does, the clock could start ticking on a 30-day "cooling-off period" that could be followed by a strike - or a lockout. The union charges that Northwest wants to slash members' pay by 25 percent and lay off more than half the existing workforce. The union also charged that Northwest has started quietly recruiting new mechanics - something the airline has not denied. United will expand Ted routes in the fall United Airlines said it plans to expand the operations of its low-cost Ted affiliate after Labor Day. One new route for Ted, starting September 7, will be between San Francisco and Ontario, Calif., with two flights a day. Other changes represent "a conversion of several United mainline routes to Ted," the company said. On September 7, Ted will operate two daily flights between Denver-Miami; Washington Dulles-Miami; and Los Angeles-Phoenix. New Ted service coming in late October includes one daily O'Hare-San Juan flight and two a day between O'Hare and Miami. In mid-November, Ted will pick up a daily Denver-Cancun flight, and a daily Dulles-Cancun roundtrip. In December, Ted starts a daily Dulles-San Juan operation. US Airways plans more cutbacks at Pittsburgh The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported last week that US Airways will implement the next stage in its ongoing schedule reductions at Pittsburgh on August 21, slicing 15 daily flights from its timetable. The cutbacks reportedly will include the elimination of the airline's non-stop service from Pittsburgh to Seattle and San Diego, leaving it with LAX and San Francisco as its only west coast non-stops. The airline will also reportedly end service from Pittsburgh to Greensboro, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Altoona, Pa. AIRPORTS Washington Reagan may reopen to small planes Even though a small plane was nearly shot down over downtown Washington D.C. a few weeks ago, why should congressmen and lobbyists have to fly commercial? The Transportation Security Administration has proposed new rules that would once again open up close-in Reagan National Airport to private aircraft - something that has not been permitted since September 11, 2001. But the new rules for general aviation flights, including corporate jets, would be quite strict. They would only allow aircraft to fly into DCA from 12 airports: Seattle, Boston, Houston Hobby, White Plains (N.Y.), LaGuardia, Chicago Midway, Minneapolis/St. Paul, West Palm Beach, San Francisco, Teterboro (N.J.), Philadelphia and Lexington (Ky.). What's more, all crew and passengers would be subject to enhanced background checks; all property aboard the plane would be inspected; and each flight would have to have a law enforcement officer on board, "authorized to use force." Houston Bush gets Sprint Wi-Fi service Officials at Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport last week said that Sprint PCS high-speed Wi-Fi service is now available throughout the facility, including gate areas, restaurants and ticketing areas. The same service was already offered at Houston Hobby. Flyers who have Wi-Fi enabled devices will see a Bush Intercontinental portal page with free information, including real-time flight data. Sprint PCS Wi-Fi offers a pay-as-you-go plan at $9.95 per connection per location for 24 hours of unlimited access, or a month-long access option for $49.95; for details, see www.sprint.com/wifi. HOTELS Changes in Los Angeles Two hotels in Los Angeles are changing brands, and one new property has opened. The Hyatt Regency Los Angeles, located in the city's financial district and linked to the Macy's Plaza mall, has become the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown. In Culver City, not far from the airport, the LAX Plaza Hotel will be converted in July to the Wyndham Los Angeles Airport. And in West Hollywood, a new boutique hotel has opened its doors: the 112-room Chamberlain. It's a member of the Kor Hotel Group, which also includes the Avalon and Maison 140 in Beverly Hills and the Viceroy Santa Monica. AIR ROUTES ATLANTA (ATL). Russia opens up to travelers from the southeast June 1, when Delta launches daily non-stops between Atlanta and Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport using a 767-300ER. On the same date, Delta starts one daily roundtrip between Atlanta and Boise; and Delta Connection/Atlantic Southeast begins regional jet service between Atlanta and Tupelo, Miss. (the birthplace of Elvis), with three flights a day. BOSTON (BOS). Air Canada's Jazz on June 1 begins seasonal summer service linking Boston with Quebec City, using 37-passenger Dash 8s. On the same date, Delta Connection/Comair begins twice-daily non-stops between Boston and Jacksonville. CHICAGO MIDWAY (MDW). The next phase in Southwest Airlines' ongoing expansion at Midway comes on May 31, when it will launch two new non-stop routes: one daily flight to Austin, and one to New Orleans. On the same date, Southwest will add a sixth and seventh daily frequency between Midway and Philadelphia; and a second daily roundtrip to Albuquerque. CHICAGO O'HARE (ORD). American Airlines on June 1 begins seasonal daily non-stops between O'Hare and Anchorage, Alaska, adding a second daily flight June 9. CINCINNATI (CVG). Delta on June 1 will increase its existing weekend service between Cincinnati and Cancun to daily service. On June 4, Delta introduces Cincinnati-Montego Bay, Jamaica flights, operating on Saturdays and Sundays. LEXINGTON, KY. (LEX). Delta Connection/Comair on June 1 will begin one daily regional jet non-stop between Lexington and Tampa, and another between Lexington and Ft. Lauderdale. The carrier will also add a second daily Lexington-Orlando non-stop that day. MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (MSP). Starting June 1, Midwest Airlines will replace smaller regional jets with new Boeing 717s on three of its five daily Milwaukee-Minneapolis/St. Paul flights. At MSP on June 1, Midwest will move its gate and ticketing facilities to the Humphrey Terminal. NEW YORK KENNEDY (JFK). Starting June 1, Royal Jordanian will increase frequencies on its JFK-Amman route to five a week. The flight is a code-share with America West. NEWARK (EWR). The next step in Continental's European expansion comes June 2, when it begins daily non-stops between its Newark hub and Stockholm, using a two-class 757. ORLANDO (MCO). June 1 is the launch date for new Delta Connection/Comair non-stops between Orlando and San Antonio, with two flights a day. SALT LAKE CITY (SLC). Delta on June 1 will increase its existing weekend service between Salt Lake City and Cancun to daily service. Delta has also started seasonal non-stops between SLC and Fairbanks, Alaska, with one daily roundtrip continuing through August. SEATTLE (SEA). Korean Air adds Seattle as its 10th U.S. gateway on June 2, when it launches 777 service three times a week to Seoul (Incheon). WASHINGTON DULLES (IAD). Independence Air will discontinue flights to Norfolk after May 31. On June 1, Independence will boost capacity between Dulles and Charlotte by 46 percent, supplementing its regional jets on the route with Airbus A319s and increasing frequencies to eight a day, three of them with the full-size jets. THIS WEEK'S DEALS AND SPECIALS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS Got business in New York City? The Carlton Hotel (212-532-4100; www.carltonhotelny.com), which occupies an historic beaux-arts building at Madison Avenue and 29th Street, is marking the completion of a $60 million refurbishment project by offering special "restoration rates" from June 24 to July 27. Rates start at $159 for a guest room or $350 for a suite. Check out the two-story lobby's wrought-iron railings and chandeliers, and the hotel's new signature restaurant by chef Geoffrey Zakarian. Delta Air Lines and American Express have introduced a new SkyPoints credit card that allows cardholders to apply earned points toward ticket discounts on Delta, Delta Connection, Delta Shuttle and Song. The discounts, which can be taken on the first $500 of the ticket price, range from 10 percent for 3,000 SkyPoints to 75 percent for 20,000. The points can also be converted to SkyMiles in Delta's frequent flyer program. For details: 800-223-2670 or www.americanexpress.com/skypoints. 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.