EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT 11/13/06 Welcome to EXECUTIVE TRAVEL SKYGUIDE E-ALERT for the week of November 13, the weekly e-mail of essential business travel news! To sign up for the e-Alert, click here. Airlines gear up for Thanksgiving travel crunch JetBlue jumps on the 'no trans-fat' bandwagon Oneworld, Star Alliance set to add new members Delta adds more European code-shares with KLM Air Canada debuts customized ticketing options Two European airlines merge O'Hare starts remote check-in at economy parking lot DFW adds new shopping kiosks, other amenities THIS WEEK'S QUESTION FOR READERS: The Thanksgiving travel crunch is almost upon us (see story below). Our question this week: What strategy or tactics will you use to minimize the agonies of holiday travel overcrowding? Will you travel only on certain days, or at certain times? Drive instead of fly? Or just stay home for two weeks? Send your replies to skyguide@aexp.com. Last week, we asked readers if they go out of their way to use airport lounges, hotels, etc. that offer free Internet access instead of just using what’s available and paying for it. Replies indicated this is becoming a more important issue as more places adopt no-fee policies for Web access. "Increasingly, WiFi and Internet access are big considerations in travel planning," said reader Steve McKenzie; "Although I appreciate the need to charge for some of these services, I always make note of the places that ‘gouge’ me with excessive fees and unnecessary add-ons, and definitely avoid them on my next trip." "Whether it’s wireless or not, I always try to use a hotel that offers free Internet service; if it’s wireless, all the better," said reader Doug Hobby. Reader Brad Russ replied: "Many of my frequent flyer peers use air cards to avoid fees in airports and hotels. The $60-a-month fee is generally less than the connection costs at multiple locations, and the connection is often more reliable." AIRLINES Airlines gear up for Thanksgiving travel crunch In the face of worsening flight delays, more numerous lost luggage reports and longer security lines, the airline industry is bracing for a major travel crunch starting later this week. The Air Transport Association – representing major U.S. airlines – predicts that 25 million people will take to the skies during the Thanksgiving holiday period, which it defines as November 17 to 28. That’s a three percent increase over last year. ATA says planes will be more than 80 percent full during that period, with Sunday, November 26 and Monday, November 27 expected to be the busiest of all. To avoid backups in security lines, airlines and airport officials are trying to get the word out to infrequent flyers about the most recent changes in the Transportation Security Administration’s rules for carry-on luggage, which now allow only a limited amount of liquids and gels that must be packaged in a plastic bag for easy inspection. "Airports will be packed, and at times lines could be long, so it is critical that passengers understand what to expect, especially given the new security measures," an ATA spokesman said. What’s more, government statistics indicate a growing problem with on-time performance and lost luggage. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, almost 20 percent of flights departed late during January-September of 2006, the worst record in years. And after the carry-on rules regarding liquids first changed in August, the number of lost bags soared, as the number of checked bags increased dramatically. For September 2006, there were 8.25 incidents of lost or misdirected luggage per 1,000 passengers, up from 4.56 during September 2005. Meanwhile, the number of passengers who were "involuntarily denied boarding" – i.e., bumped – increased by 17 percent so far this year, from 0.89 per 10,000 passengers during January-September 2005 to 1.04 for the same months this year. JetBlue jumps on the 'no trans-fat' bandwagon The issue of trans-fats in processed foods and restaurant meals is increasingly in the public eye, as more food manufacturers take that ingredient out of their products, and as more cities enact or propose new laws requiring restaurants to disclose the amount of trans fats in their meals. Until now, we haven’t seen any airlines expressing much concern about what’s in their in-flight menu options. But JetBlue Airways last week announced that its in-flight snack offerings have become "100 percent trans-fat free." The airline said the last trans-fatty item in the JetBlue flight attendants’ snack baskets went trans-fat-free when the company switched its cookie option to Chocobilly Chocolate Chunk cookies from Immaculate Baking Company. (True, the new cookies do have chocolate, butter and brown sugar in them – but hey, they’re cookies.) Other items in the snack baskets include cashews, Doritos Munchies, biscotti, Jungle Crackers, Nabisco Wheat Thins and the airline’s signature snack, Terra Blue potato chips. INTERNATIONAL Oneworld, Star Alliance set to add new members The global Oneworld airline alliance – which includes American, British Airways, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Iberia and others – will add two South American affiliates, LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador. The two will become affiliate members of the alliance "as early as possible in 2007," a spokesperson said. That will mean frequent flyer members of other Oneworld airlines will be able to earn and spend miles on the two carriers, and top-tier members will gain access to their airport lounges. Other airlines already in line to become full Oneworld members in 2007 include Japan Airlines, Malev Hungarian and Royal Jordanian. Meanwhile, Star Alliance now expects both Air China and Shanghai Airlines to become members in 2007, according to wire reports. The alliance invited the two Chinese airlines to join earlier this year. The huge Chinese market is a prime target for the global airline alliances. SkyTeam, which includes Delta, Northwest and Continental, is expected to add Guangzhou-based China Southern in 2007, and Oneworld took a big step forward in accessing China recently when Cathay Pacific acquired Dragonair, which serves a large number of routes into China from Cathay’s Hong Kong base. Delta adds more European code-shares with KLM Starting December 1, Delta Air Lines will put its DL codes on 14 KLM flights to seven destinations in Europe. Both airlines are partners in the SkyTeam global alliance. The new Delta routes, all served by KLM via connections in Amsterdam, include Bremen, Germany; Aberdeen, Scotland; Luxembourg; Riga, Latvia; Bergen, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; and Newcastle, England. Delta already code-shares on 10 KLM European routes via Amsterdam, including Stockholm, Warsaw, Hamburg, Oslo, Bucharest, Gothenburg, Hanover, Nuremberg, Birmingham and Helsinki. Air Canada debuts customized ticketing options As part of a redesign of its web site, Air Canada (www.aircanada.com) will now let ticket buyers customize their purchase by selecting or declining various options in addition to a simple seat on the plane. Purchasers must first decide which of four fare types they want (Tango, Tango Plus, Latitude and Executive). To determine the final price, Tango customers must decide if they want to earn Aeroplan miles (they save $3 if they decline); if they want to possibility of changing or canceling their reserved flight (they save $7 if they agree not to make changes); and if they want to select a seat in advance (a $15 fee for Tango flyers; free for other fare types). Tango, Tango Plus and Latitude customers can opt not to travel with checked baggage and thus save $5, while Tango and Tango Plus flyers have the option of paying an extra $5 for an in-flight meal voucher (vs. $7 for buying a meal on board). Finally, Latitude customers can buy airport lounge access in advance for $25. "As they build their individual tickets, travelers will be see exactly what they are paying for, and thus be better able to determine whether to spend more for the added services they want, or to save money on those things they can do without," a spokesman said. Two European airlines merge Brussels Airlines will be the name of a new European airline resulting from the merger of SN Brussels Airlines – the successor to the defunct Sabena – and Brussels-based Virgin Express. The official start-up of the merged company is set for March 25, 2007, according to press reports. The airline will continue to offer two-class service on its long-haul intercontinental flights and on service to Helsinki, Moscow and Tel Aviv; and will provide one-class service on other intra-European routes. AIRPORTS O’Hare starts remote check-in at economy parking lot Travelers flying on domestic flights out of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport can now check in at the airport’s Economy Parking Lot E. The Chicago Department of Aviation has retained Baggage Airline Guest Services Inc. (BAGS) to staff a kiosk at the parking lot where passengers who pay a $5 fee can check in their luggage and themselves, receive a boarding pass and seat assignment, and proceed directly to their departure gate. The parking lot check-in option is available for passengers of Alaska Airlines, American, Delta, Continental and United. Earlier this year, the Chicago Department of Aviation started a similar "remote skycap" service downtown at the city’s huge McCormick Place convention center – and more expansion is planned. According to a spokesman, "The service will eventually be made available to major hotels, smaller convention and meeting facilities and other remote locations throughout Chicagoland." DFW adds new shopping kiosks, other amenities Shopping at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport just got easier and faster, thanks to the deployment of 13 new Zoom Automated Retail Systems in the passenger terminals. The automated sales devices contain a variety of travel accessories, from electronic products like iPods and headsets to cosmetic items from Neutrogena and Proactiv Facial Care. Product costs range from $5.99 to $299. Customers can use the machines’ electronic interface to look up all kinds of information about the products, and can pay with a credit or debit card 24 hours a day. Other new amenities at DFW include massage chairs, which are now available in Terminal C and will soon be in other locations; a new L’Occitane store near Gate D16 selling bath and skin care products; a gourmet popcorn stand at Gate D21; and Rosetta Stone kiosks, which sell language instruction CDs, at Gates B10, C19 and E11. In addition, the Buckaroo Tax Free store in the International Terminal (D), has opened up its lower level (at D14) to domestic passengers, who can shop there for perfumes, cosmetics, leather goods and gift items, with Buckaroo picking up the tab for the tax. AIR ROUTES ATLANTA (ATL). The newest spoke from Delta’s Atlanta hub will be Marathon, Fla., with Delta Connection/Atlantic Southeast Airlines starting one daily regional jet roundtrip effective November 16. BOSTON (BOS). Effective November 15, AirTran Airways begins seasonal daily non-stops between Boston-Ft. Lauderdale and Boston-Ft. Myers. On the same date, Delta Connection/Comair starts twice-daily regional jet service between Boston and Newport News/Williamsbureg, Va. CHICAGO O’HARE (ORD). Aeromexico on November 14 will begin new daily non-stop service between O’Hare and Guadalajara, Mexico. The southbound flight departs O’Hare at 12:50 a.m. DETROIT (DTW). AirTran Airways last week started one daily roundtrip between Detroit and Tampa and one between Detroit-Ft. Myers; on November 15, the airline will add one daily roundtrip between Detroit and Ft. Lauderdale. LAS VEGAS (LAS). Effective November 13, JetBlue will terminate its Las Vegas-Burbank flights. November 15 is the launch date for Spirit Airlines’ new non-stop service between Las Vegas and Ft. Lauderdale, and between Las Vegas and Atlanta, with one daily roundtrip in each market. On November 19, America West Express/Air Midwest will begin service between Las Vegas-Merced, Calif. and Las Vegas-Visalia, Calif., with four flights a day in both markets on most weekdays. MIAMI (MIA). From November 17 through April 10, American Airlines will operate seasonal non-stop service between Miami and Montevideo, Uruguay three times a week. On days when it doesn’t operate, American continues to offer one-stop service from Miami to Montevideo via Buenos Aires. MILWAUKEE (MKE). Starting November 16, all Midwest Connect flights between Milwaukee and Dayton will be on 32-seat Fairchild 328 jets, and the airline will add a Saturday roundtrip to its existing schedule. NEW YORK KENNEDY (JFK). November 15 is the launch date for Delta Air Lines’ new daily non-stop service between its transatlantic hub at New York JFK and London’s Gatwick Airport, using a two-class 767-300ER. Delta recently acquired the New York-London route rights from United. It will add a second daily frequency next spring. ORLANDO (MCO). JetBlue on November 13 will discontinue its non-stop service between Orlando and Burbank, Calif. Delta Connection/Comair will begin one daily regional jet roundtrip on November 15 between Atlantic City, N.J. and Orlando. SAN ANTONIO (SAT). Effective November 16, Aeromexico will expand its San Antonio-Mexico City non-stop service from weekly to daily frequencies. SACRAMENTO (SAC). Hawaiian Airlines on November 19 will boost its Sacramento-Honolulu schedule from seven flights a week to 11. SEATTLE (SEA). Starting November 19, Hawaiian Airlines will increase frequencies between Seattle-Honolulu from seven a week to 10, continuing through May 2007. TAMPA (TPA). AirTran Airways has added daily non-stop service between Tampa-Detroit, and on November 15 it will start one daily Tampa-Dayton roundtrip and one daily Tampa-Flint, Mich. flight. DEALS AND SPECIAL OFFERS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS Malaysia Airlines has come out with a first class companion fare special: Anyone who buys a first-class ticket from Los Angeles to any destination served by the carrier can take along a companion for just $99. The purchase deadline is December 31, and the offer is good for travel three months after the ticket purchase date. Both persons must travel together. For details, call 888-627-8477 or visit www.malaysiaairlinesusa.com. Frontier Airlines (www.FrontierAirlines.com), which started flying four times a day between San Francisco and Los Angeles last June, has come out with a "Fly 3 Get 1 Free" deal on that route. Travelers who belong to the airline’s EarlyReturns program and who complete three paid roundtrips between SFO and LAX between November 1 and February 28 will earn one free roundtrip on the route. The free ticket must be used by May 31, 2007. Members of Best Western’s Gold Crown Club International (800-237-8483; www.goldcrownclub.com) can now earn points when the rent vehicles from sister companies Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental. The new partnership does not require a hotel stay in conjunction with the rental to qualify, and renters can earn 1,000 points per rental. Members need to request the Gold Crown Club points when they book the rental car, and provide their membership number. Worldhotels-the Americas (800-223-5652; www.worldhotels.com), which handles bookings for more than 500 hotels in 70 countries, has re-launched its "Mad for Miles" promotion. Guests who book one of the company’s member properties for stays now through January 30, 2007 can earn 500 miles per night in the frequent flyer programs of United, US Airways, Northwest, Delta or American. Participants must present their membership number at check-in to get the miles. For links to other websites where you can search for bargains, click here: www.executivetravelonline.com/reference/deals.html By Jim Glab Have a question or comment? Send it to skyguide@aexp.com. To sign up for the e-Alert, click here.