EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT 05/30/06 Welcome to EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT for the week of May 30, the weekly e-mail of essential business travel news! To sign up for the e-Alert, click here. Denver will reshuffle gates, build regional jet facility for United TSA seeks to reassure travelers about summer security lines European court voids deal on passenger data transfers Frontier debuts updated web site; America West's folded into US Airways United will fly to Kuwait; JetBlue eyes new Caribbean service Avis rolls out a line of "cool cars" THIS WEEK'S QUESTION FOR READERS: As vacation season begins, are you planning to combine a business trip with a leisure trip this year - i.e., taking family members along? If so, where? If not, why not? Send replies to skyguide@aexp.com. Last week, we asked if readers avoid booking connections through any specific airports. "DFW!" replied Tom Watkins. Why? "Gigantic hassle experienced during each connection over many years - mostly distance between gates and time from touchdown to arriving at the gate. But there are many other problems including American's attitude toward customers..." Watkins said he books "cumbersome connections" just to avoid going through DFW. Reader Abram Hall avoids connecting through Chicago O'Hare. "Since 2000, it has been nightmarish," Hall writes. "Almost every significant delay I have experienced in the past six years has been through Chicago." AIRPORTS Denver will reshuffle gates, build regional jet facility for United An agreement reached last week between Denver International Airport officials and United Airlines will mean the reallocation of several gates at DEN as well as the construction of a new United Express regional jet facility on the east end of the airport's B Concourse. Under terms of the deal, United will move out of six gates it currently occupies on Concourse A and shift those operations to its stronghold in Concourse B. As United gives up the A gates - one in July, a second in November and the rest later - Frontier Airlines will take them over, adding to its capacity in Concourse A. Construction of the regional jet facility in Concourse B is expected to take about nine months. United officials said the changes will allow the carrier to add more flights at Denver. And for Frontier, the extra gates on Concourse A will allow the airline to "consider future opportunities from Denver both in terms of increased frequencies and destinations," said CEO Jeff Potter. Frontier recently announced plans to begin service late in June between Los Angeles and San Francisco, bypassing its Denver hub. FAA/SECURITY TSA seeks to reassure travelers about summer security lines The Transportation Security Administration, faced with increased summer travel volume and anecdotal reports from around the country about growing lines at airport security checkpoints, sought to reassure travelers last week that it is ready for the peak-season crunch. "Despite increased summer air travel, peak wait times at the busiest airports in the country generally remain consistent during summer months," TSA said. The summer travel season between Memorial Day and Labor Day is expected to be one of the busiest ever, with some 200 million air travelers expected. TSA said that in spite of the volume, "the agency intends to maintain reasonable wait times without compromising security. TSA is aggressively staffing for the summer travel season and transitioning from centralized to local hiring to give airports more flexibility to prepare for summer travel volumes." The agency advises travelers to use its web site at www.tsa.gov to see travel tips, review a list of prohibited items and check expected waiting times at specific airports. European court voids deal on passenger data transfers The highest court in the European Union has annulled an agreement with the U.S. that required airlines to turn over 34 pieces of information about each U.S.-bound passenger. The court said the deal didn't provide sufficient protection of privacy for European air travelers. It gave the U.S. and European negotiators four months to come up with a better alternative. The ruling was not expected to have any immediate impact on air travel. The U.S. had threatened to revoke the landing rights of airlines that did not comply with its demands for passenger data, which it claims are necessary to protect against terrorism. AIRLINES Frontier debuts updated web site; America West's folded into US Airways Denver-based Frontier Airlines has unveiled the latest version of its web site (www.frontierairlines.com), offering several enhancements for users; the airline also came out with some new inducements for customers to book online. For one thing, Frontier said that it will offer its in-flight DIRECTV service free to anyone who books through the web site. For another, it will offer double miles in its Early Returns frequent flyer program for on-line bookings. The company also came out with a low fare guarantee, promising 2,500 miles to anyone who finds a fare lower than those on the company web site, for the same flight on the same day. The enhanced web site includes a new "search" function on the upper right-hand corner of every page; a one-click search from the home page for deals on rental cars, hotels or vacation packages; the ability to sign up for news alerts about Frontier service; and the capability to purchase Frontier-branded merchandise online. Meanwhile, the America West and US Airways web sites have finally been combined nearly a year after the two airlines completed their merger. Persons who try to enter the America West site now are automatically directed into the US Airways site. In addition, the two airlines' frequent flyer programs have also been combined into the surviving US Airways Dividend Miles program. INTERNATIONAL United will fly to Kuwait; JetBlue eyes new Caribbean service • United Airlines said it started taking reservations May 27 for its first route to the Middle East. The company plans to launch the only non-stop service from the U.S. to Kuwait, with three 777 flights a week from Washington Dulles, beginning in late October. • JetBlue is continuing a cautious expansion to new routes outside the U.S. The carrier said last week it has applied with the Transportation Department for rights to fly from its New York JFK base to Aruba, starting September 15. CAR RENTALS Avis rolls out a line of "cool cars" It seems like everything Hertz does, Avis also does, and vice-versa. Thus Avis last week announced that it is making a new line of "Avis Cool Cars" available at select airport locations nationwide. What are Cool Cars? The line includes models like the Cadillac CTS, the Volvo S60 and the Hummer H3 (although with gas prices as high as they are, some might not consider the Hummer to be so cool). Avis said it is also adding more sporty cars to its inventory, like Chrysler Sebring and Ford Mustang convertibles; PT Cruisers and Chevy HHRs; and SUVs like the Ford Escape XLT Sport and Jeep Wrangler. Availability may vary by location. AIR ROUTES ATLANTA (ATL). Delta has started new daily non-stops between its Atlanta hub and Athens, Greece. And on June 1, Delta is due to begin new daily non-stops between Atlanta and Kingston, Jamaica. On the same date, Delta Connection/Atlantic Southeast kicks off new daily Puerto Rico flights, including service four times a week between Atlanta-Aguadilla and twice a week between ATL-Ponce. BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON (BWI). North American Airlines plans a June 4 start for new weekly (Sunday) service to West Africa, with flights operating non-stop to Banjul, The Gambia and continuing on to Accra, Ghana. BOSTON (BOS). June 3 is the starting date for Delta's new once-a-week (Saturday) service between Boston and Cancun. DALLAS/FT. WORTH (DFW). On June 4, Alaska Airlines will add a third daily non-stop between DFW and Seattle. KANSAS CITY (MCI). Midwest Airlines will boost service at Kansas City on June 1, adding a second daily roundtrip to Boston, a third to Los Angeles, a fourth to LaGuardia, a seventh to Milwaukee and a second to San Diego. LOS ANGELES (LAX). On June 3, Delta adds weekly (Saturday) service between Los Angeles and Cancun. MILWAUKEE (MKE). From June 1 through September 30, Midwest Airlines will operate daily non-stops between Milwaukee and San Francisco. Also on June 1, Midwest will add a fourth daily roundtrip between MKE-Denver and a seventh between MKE-Kansas City. NEW YORK KENNEDY (JFK). Delta plans a June 1 launch for new daily non-stops between JFK and Sao Paulo, Brazil - its first-ever non-stop service from New York to South America; on the same date, Delta is due to begin non-stop 767 flights four days a week (Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday) between JFK and Kiev in the Ukraine. Also effective June 1, JetBlue will add a second daily roundtrip between New York JFK and Sacramento. On June 3, North American Airlines will add a second weekly flight between JFK and Accra, Ghana. ORLANDO SANFORD (SFB). A Scottish low-fare airline called Flyglobespan set a June 2 start for daily 767 non-stops between Orlando Sanford and Glasgow. PHILADELPHIA (PHL). US Airways will add new service to Europe from its Philadelphia hub this spring, starting with daily PHL-Milan flights that begin May 30, and continuing with daily frequencies from Philadelphia to Stockholm that will operate from June 3 through October 7. Domestically, US Airways/America West kicks off a new daily A320 non-stop June 1 between Philadelphia and Portland, Ore. SALT LAKE CITY (SLC). Air Canada Jazz will start flying once a day between Salt Lake City and Toronto on June 2, using a 75-seat regional jet. WASHINGTON DULLES (IAD). Delta will add weekly (Saturday) flights June 3 between Dulles and Cancun. DEALS AND SPECIAL OFFERS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS Traveling out of Chicago O'Hare? The all-suite Renaissance Chicago O'Hare Hotel (800-468-3571; www.renaissanceohare.com) has a new package at $209 Monday-Thursday or $109 on weekends that provides one night's stay, up to 10 days of covered parking, and 24-hour shuttle service to the terminals. Got business in Israel? El Al (www.elal.co.il; 800-223-6700) has a sale on business class fares: For travel from June 21 through September 5, a roundtrip business class trip from New York/Newark to Tel Aviv is $2,336. The fare requires ticketing 45 days in advance, within seven days of confirmed reservations. In Hong Kong, the Langham Hotel (www.langhamhotels.com; 011-852-2378-9988) has a summer sale, with rooms starting at $200 a night, or $265 for Club Floor accommodations, effective for stays through September 10. The rates include breakfast, local phone calls, access to the pool and fitness center, a 20 percent discount on Internet access and a 10 percent discount on food and beverage. 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. Does business travel take a toll on your appearance? Sure, it's hard to look fresh, pressed, and well-dressed after red-eye flights, cramped coach cabins and jet lag take their toll -- but looking sharp is important for those big meetings with new clients. Check out the June issue of Executive Travel for some ideas on personal grooming products for the road. By Jim Glab Have a question or comment? Send it to skyguide@aexp.com. To sign up for the e-Alert, click here.