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EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT 11/28/05
Welcome to EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT for the week of November 28, the weekly e-mail of essential business travel news!
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Southwest could double operations in Philadelphia
Continental, Delta, Northwest expand airport club access
JetBlue begins online bag check-in
United's Ted will start in-flight retail sales
New U.S.-E.U. agreement would boost transatlantic services
American seeks code-share with Vietnam Airlines
Malev gets formal bid to join Oneworld alliance
New laptop power sources win approval for air travel
AIRLINES
Southwest could double operations in Philadelphia
Southwest Airlines is expected to increase the number of gates it leases at Philadelphia International Airport from six to 12 over the next few months, meaning that it could increase flight operations there to more than 100 a day vs. the 53 it currently has. According to press reports in Philadelphia, in January Southwest plans to take over the leases on two gates currently used by United in the D Concourse, where Southwest has two gates now; and by spring it expects to add four more gates now leased by Delta in Terminal E, where Southwest has four gates today. Southwest has not yet announced any plans for adding new cities from Philadelphia in 2006. Even if Southwest does double its departures at PHL, it would still remain well behind US Airways, which has a schedule of 475 flights a day there.
Continental, Delta, Northwest expand airport club access
The three U.S. members of the Skyteam global alliance - Delta, Continental and Northwest - said they are expanding reciprocal access to their airport clubs for members. Under the new policy, effective December 1, members of Continental's Presidents Club, Delta's Crown Room Club and Northwest's WorldClubs will be able to use any of those three facilities when flying on any airline. The new policy "removes all previous flight restrictions on which club members can visit while traveling," the companies said. Lounge access is valid for members and up to two guests, or a spouse and children under 21. Together, the three airlines have more than 90 lounges worldwide.
JetBlue begins online bag check-in
JetBlue Airways said last week that passengers can now check luggage in online for all of its U.S. locations when they check themselves in online. Customers who do so will have bag tag numbers automatically printed on their boarding passes; they can drop off the checked luggage at the airport, using JetBlue's Self Service/Bag Drop or Kiosk/Online Bag Drop counters. (At a few airports - Ontario and Sacramento, Calif.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Seattle and Las Vegas - customers must drop bags at the ticket counter.) At the airline's New York JFK base, there's also a curbside location for online bag drop-offs. To promote the new service, JetBlue will give two bonus points through January 5 to members of its TrueBlue frequency program when they check in online.
United's Ted will start in-flight retail sales
How can a cash-strapped airline squeeze a few more revenue dollars from passengers? United's low-cost affiliate, Ted, will try to do so by selling various small items during its flights. Ted flight attendants will reportedly start hawking merchandise in December - offering items that range from bracelets and earrings to playing cards, Blackberry chargers, sunglasses and even novelty items like magic kits. The prices of the various items are expected to range from $5 to $25. To give its flight attendants a capitalist incentive to pitch the goods, Ted reportedly plans to give them a 2 percent commission on each sale.
INTERNATIONAL
New U.S.-E.U. agreement would boost transatlantic services
Negotiators for the United States and the European Union have reached tentative agreement on a plan to completely open up air travel between the two, subject to the U.S. allowing foreign investors to have more of a say in the management of U.S. carriers. The Bush Administration recently proposed a change in aviation rules so that foreign investors in U.S. airlines could wield more management influence, although it would not change the limit of 25 percent foreign ownership, which is set by Congress. The agreement between Europe and the U.S. would mean that any U.S. or European airline could fly between any U.S. or European airport. Currently, European carriers can only fly between their home country and U.S. airports. The deal would also open up London's Heathrow Airport to more U.S. carriers; current rules limit access only to American and United.
American seeks code-share with Vietnam Airlines
American Airlines said last week it has applied for U.S. government approval to begin code-sharing with Vietnam Airlines starting early next year. The company said that in the first phase of the partnership, if it is approved, Vietnam Airlines would put its code on American flights from the U.S. to Tokyo, Osaka, Paris and Frankfurt, where the two route systems connect. "In later phases, American would put its AA designator code on Vietnam Airlines' service from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Tokyo, Osaka, Paris and Frankfurt," a spokesman said.
Malev gets formal bid to join Oneworld alliance
Hungarian airline Malev has passed muster for the Oneworld global alliance, and has accepted a formal invitation to become a member. Earlier this year, the parties reached a tentative agreement, but Malev had to demonstrate to the alliance that it met appropriate quality and safety standards, and that it could deliver the full range of expected customer services and benefits. Still, it is expected to take more than a year before Malev becomes a full member. Other airlines waiting in the wings to become Oneworld members are Japan Airlines and Royal Jordanian. Current members include American, British Airways, Qantas, Iberia, Cathay Pacific, LAN, Finnair and Aer Lingus.
FAA/SECURITY
New laptop power sources win approval for air travel
The International Civil Aviation Organization said its committee specializing in transport of dangerous goods has voted to allow airline passengers to carry micro fuel cells and methanol fuel cartridges onboard commercial airliners. The approval would apply to carrying the items in the airplane cabin, but not to putting them into checked bags, ICAO said. The approval covers four specific types of micro fuel cell systems. The Methanol Institute hailed the approval as "a critical milestone in the global commercialization of micro methanol fuel cells." The group said that these devices are being developed to serve as power sources for a new generation of laptop computers, cell phones and related electronic goods. "In a few short years, we expect methanol fuel cartridges to be as commonplace as AA batteries on store shelves," said a spokesman for the Methanol Institute.
AIR ROUTES
ATLANTA (ATL). December 1 is the launch date for new Delta Connection/Atlantic Southeast Airlines service from Atlanta to Madison and Green Bay, Wis.; Burlington, Vt.; Springfield, Mo.; and Bloomington/Normal, Ill. On the same date, Delta Air Lines will increase frequencies between Atlanta and New Orleans from four flights a day to seven, and will begin new one-stop ATL-Kona, Hawaii flights (via Salt Lake City) as well as daily non-stop service between Atlanta and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
BOSTON (BOS). Delta Connection/Comair will begin six daily regional jet roundtrips between Boston and Baltimore/Washington International Airport on December 1.
CHICAGO MIDWAY (MDW). Effective December 1, ATA Airlines will terminate its Midway-Minneapolis/St. Paul service.
CINCINNATI (CVG). December 1 is the effective date for Delta's big service reduction at Cincinnati -- a capacity reduction of 26 percent for Delta mainline and Delta Connection flights. That includes the termination of non-stop service between Cincinnati and nine destinations: Moline, Ill.; Mobile and Montgomery, Ala.; Baton Rouge, La.; and the Florida cities of Ft. Walton Beach, Pensacola, Tallahassee and Daytona Beach.
MIAMI (MIA). LAN Argentina set a December 1 start for new daily non-stops between Miami and Buenos Aires. On the same date, Delta Connection/Comair launches one daily roundtrip between Miami and New York JFK.
NEW YORK KENNEDY (JFK). Eos, the new one-class premium airline operating between JFK and London Stansted, on December 1 will change it schedule: The westbound flight, which now departs Stansted at 10:30 a.m., will change to a 6:10 p.m. departure, arriving in JFK at 9:09 p.m.
NEW YORK LAGUARDIA (LGA). Delta Connection/Comair on December 1 begins one daily roundtrip between LaGuardia and Sarasota, Fla.
ORLANDO (MCO). Delta Connection/Atlantic Southeast Airlines will start up new service December 1 between Orlando and Kansas City, with two daily non-stops.
PITTSBURGH (PIT). On November 29, Southwest Airlines will add a second daily Pittsburgh-Las Vegas flight and a sixth daily Pittsburgh-Philadelphia frequency.
SALT LAKE CITY (SLC). Delta Connection/Atlantic Southeast Airlines on December 1 will begin new non-stop service between Salt Lake City and Milwaukee; and between SLC-Kona, Hawaii, with one daily roundtrip. On the same date, Delta Connection/Shuttle America will kick off new service between SLC-Nashville and SLC-Hartford.
WASHINGTON DULLES (IAD). Independence Air, now in Chapter 11, will end its Dulles-San Francisco and Dulles-Seattle Airbus flights on December 1.
WASHINGTON REAGAN NATIONAL (DCA). Delta Connection/Comair will launch twice-daily non-stops December 1 between Washington and Orlando.
DEALS AND SPECIALS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
Members of United's Mileage Plus program can now redeem miles for dining certificates through the plan's partnership with Restaurant.com. Redemption rates range from 1,000 miles for a $25 dining certificate to 2,500 miles for $100 in certificates. The certificates can be spent at more than 6,000 participating restaurants nationwide. Details are available at www.united.com/diningoptions.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts is offering triple Starpoints to members of its Preferred Guest program for stays at all member properties between November 28 and December 21, 2005. Participants must register online at www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest. Starwood brands include St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton and W Hotels.
For links to other websites where you can search for bargains, click here: www.executivetravelonline.com/reference/deals.html
For in-depth analysis, news, features and opinions about the current business travel scene, check out Joe Sent Me (www.joesentme.com), produced by veteran traveler advocate/journalist Joe Brancatelli and a team of contributors.
By Jim Glab
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