EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT 03/13/06 Welcome to EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT for the week of March 13, the weekly e-mail of essential business travel news! To sign up for the e-Alert, click here. Delta sprucing up JFK terminal, adding connections Another week, another strike threat - at Comair this time Northwest will get its small-jet subsidiary after all American Eagle ends $1-a-pop policy United expands international partnerships Singapore prepares for A380 launch THIS WEEK'S QUESTION FOR READERS: Some major U.S. carriers have been slow to match foreign competitors in installing lie-flat seats in international business class. Does this influence your choice of airlines? Send your reply to skyguide@aexp.com. Last week, we asked if frequent flyer awards are harder to get these days. "It is getting nearly impossible," said reader DBM. "If anything is available, it is always at the higher mileage levels." Reader Thomas Best agrees, and adds that in the regional jet markets he often flies, "most flights are 100 percent filled." Reader Corey Clinger has been successful getting award seats, but only by having three or four travel dates before booking. Also, "I have miles in three major programs, so I can try multiple (carriers) and know how to play the alliances," Clinger said. AIRLINES Delta sprucing up JFK terminal, adding more connections Delta Air Lines said last week it intends to spend $10 million fixing up its passenger facilities at New York's JFK Airport, and to phase in a substantial expansion of service at the airport, which serves as its main international hub. The enhancements at JFK's Terminals 2 and 3 will include adding international capability to its self-check-in kiosks; refurbishing its Crown Rooms and its BusinessElite lounge; putting new carpet, wall coverings and lighting in all public areas; and changing the Terminal 2 Song facilities back to mainline standards. The work should be finished by the end of the year, Delta said. In addition to previously-announced expansion of service to points in Latin America and Europe (including new routes to Budapest, Dublin/Shannon, Manchester and Kiev) this spring, the company has unveiled plans for more domestic feeder service into JFK, to be phased in from June through September. On June 8, Delta will add new service from San Diego, Buffalo, Rochester, Montreal and Cleveland as well as extra frequencies between JFK-Las Vegas and JFK-Detroit. In July it will begin new service into JFK from Washington Dulles and Philadelphia; and in August it will add new routes between JFK and Syracuse, Albany, Hartford and Providence, followed by Richmond in early September. The new east coast routes will be operated by Mesa Air subsidiary Freedom Airlines, using 37-seat Dash-8s. Another week, another strike threat - at Comair this time As bankrupt carriers continue to struggle with ways to reduce their costs - especially their labor costs - strike threats by airline unions are becoming almost routine. Northwest barely dodged one last week, and a pilots' job action remains a possibility at its Mesaba Airlines regional partner - and at bankrupt Delta Air Lines, where pilots and management are no in arbitration proceedings. The latest threat of a walkout comes from flight attendants at Delta subsidiary Comair, which operates large numbers of Delta Connection regional jet flights. Union officials representing the 818 flight attendants at Cincinnati-based Comair last week passed a resolution enabling them to start laying the groundwork for a walkout, and members started handing out flyers to passengers at Cincinnati/Nothern Kentucky Airport. The flight attendants allege that their members, who have an average salary of $28,600 a year, are being asked to take cuts in take-home wages and benefits that add up to $10,000 a year. "Comair has singled out its lower=paid and predominantly female flight attendants to carry a larger burden of the concessions than other groups," the union said. The issue is slated to come up at bankruptcy hearings during the last week of March. Northwest will get its small-jet subsidiary after all Before bankrupt Northwest Airlines and its pilots union came to a tentative agreement on new contract terms two weeks ago, one of the most contentious issues separating them was Northwest's desire to form a new subsidiary that would fly smaller jets on many routes. According to a document leaked last week by the pilots, Northwest will get its wish, but only within limits agreed to by the pilots. Press reports indicated that the deal allows Northwest's new unit to fly up to 90 jets with 51 to 76 seats each - but all planes with 77 or more seats would have to be flown by Northwest's mainline union pilots. If Northwest wants the new unit to operate more than 90 of the smaller planes, it would have to add a new larger jet (77 to 100 seats) for each additional smaller one. The pact also reportedly gives furloughed Northwest pilots - who number around 700 - first dibs on jobs to fly the planes at the new subsidiary. Northwest last week purchased the operating certificate of defunct FLYi Inc. - the parent of bankrupt Independence Air - to speed up the process of starting the new subsidiary. American Eagle ends $1-a-pop policy Not only did American Eagle get a lot of bad publicity when it recently started testing a new policy of charging $1 for in-flight soft drinks - apparently it generated negative response by passengers as well. American Eagle said last week it "has opted to discontinue" the $1 charge for sodas and juices - which no other carrier matched. It will continue to charge $3 for its snack boxes, however, which heretofore will contain "healthier" items, the company said. ADVERTISEMENT MIDWEST AIRLINES More Frequency to ATL, LGA and PHL Starting April 2, Midwest Airlines will increase service on three key routes. The MKE-ATL route will offer 3 roundtrips each weekday. The MKE-LGA route will offer 5 roundtrips each weekday. And the MKE-PHL route will increase to 4 roundtrips each weekday. These Signature Service flights feature new Boeing 717s, two-across wide leather seats, extra legroom, and adjustable headrests and footrests. Book the lowest fares at http://www.midwestairlines.com. INTERNATIONAL United expands international partnerships United Airlines has filed for Transportation Department approval of a code-sharing relationship with TACA Group, which flies to 35 cities in 19 Latin American countries from hubs in El Salvador, Costa Rica and Peru. United said it expects to win approval of the agreement by the second quarter of 2006, after which United customers could expect to see reciprocal frequent flyer benefits between the two companies as part of the code-sharing. Meanwhile, United said it expects South African Airways to become a partner in the Star Alliance starting in April. The two already code-share, and frequent flyer program members of either airline can earn miles on the other's flights. But once SAA's Star Alliance membership is complete, United Mileage Plus members will be able to earn elite-qualifying miles on SAA, and to redeem their miles for award travel on the African carrier. Singapore prepares for A380 launch For die-hard "new plane" enthusiasts who can't wait to be the first flyers on Airbus' super-jumbo A380, launch customer Singapore Airlines has set up a special web site at www.singaporeair.com/A380. Besides reading about the airline's specific plans for the giant aircraft, users can register to receive updates, and can download desktop wallpaper for their computers. "Registrants will be the first to learn about special promotional announcements on the carrier's super jumbo jet as games and prize drawings will be introduced later this year," the company said. Singapore, which has placed firm orders for 10 A380s, expects to start flying one sometime this year. AIR ROUTES CHICAGO MIDWAY (MDW). AirTran Airways has kicked off its latest business-market expansion at Chicago Midway, launching non-stop service to Newark Liberty International four times a day with Boeing 717s. The carrier also flies from Midway to Boston, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Orlando and Sarasota, and will add DFW and Charlotte in May. MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (MSP). Northwest Airlines has resumed daily service between the Twin Cities and London Gatwick; the flight had been suspended since October. NEW ORLEANS (MSY). On March 17, Southwest Airlines will continue rebuilding its New Orleans schedule, boosting service between MSY and Houston Hobby from five flights a day to eight, and adding a third daily roundtrip between New Orleans-Orlando and a third between New Orleans and Dallas Love Field. NEW YORK KENNEDY (JFK). Delta has added weekly Saturday service between JFK and Acapulco, Mexico. DEALS AND SPECIALS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS LAN Peru (www.lan.com; 866-435-9526) begins direct service between LAX and Sao Paulo, Brazil March 22, and the carrier is offering an introductory fare of $499 roundtrip from L.A. to either Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. The same fare is available from San Francisco. Tickets must be issued before March 22, and travel must be completed by May 30. Got business in Seattle? The Mayflower Park Hotel there (800-426-5100; www.mayflowerpark.com) has introduced a "Corporate Comforts" package priced at $169 a night through April (or $189 May to October). It provides a room, valet parking, a cocktail and continental breakfast. The Mayflower Park has free high-speed Internet access throughout the hotel. Elite members of United's Mileage Plus program can now redeem their miles for high-end merchandise like Coach sunglasses, Callaway Heavenwood golf clubs, Boston Acoustics HD radios, Canon digital cameras and more. The new Merchandise Rewards program is open to 1Ks, Premier Executives, Premier and Premier Associate members. Check it out at www.united.com/mileageplusrewards. 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. Got meetings in the Motor City? The April issue of Executive Travel will give you an update on what's new to see and do in Detroit. By Jim Glab Have a question or comment? Send it to skyguide@aexp.com. To sign up for the e-Alert, click here.