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INDUSTRY NEWS & PEOPLE  November 2005
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AA Switching Corporate Booking Portal To Cendant
American Airlines is relaunching its corporate booking portal, CorporateAAccess.com, after switching from Navitaire to Cendant. The airline is testing the product with "several key accounts" and plans a full rollout by the end of June 2006.
The updated portal will allow customers to book published and private rates on American, published rates on other airlines, hotels and rental cars. Corporate travel managers will have access to real-time traveler data and reporting that supports "easy integration" into existing back-office systems, American says.
American is the second airline in recent days to adopt Cendant technology for a corporate booking tool. Last month, United Airlines launched United GoBusiness.
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ACTE Schedules NYC Executive Forum
The Association for Corporate Travel Management is sponsoring an Executive Forum, themed "Looking Ahead: Trends in Travel Management," on Nov. 15 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in New York. Topics will include the post-bankruptcy airline industry, high stakes at the hotel bargaining table and the role of business travel in mobilizing employees for recovery efforts in disaster-damaged areas.
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Aer Lingus Looking For Privatization Funds
Aer Lingus has chosen Merrion Capital and Goldman Sachs as its advisors as the airline's privatization process "enters a critical phase," according to CEO Dermot Mannion. With new investment essential for fleet acquisition and other development expenditures, he adds, "Merrion Capital and Goldman Sachs will begin their work immediately."
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Aeromexico Discounts First-Class Fares
Aeromexico has launched the Pay Coach and Fly First Class program, which offers savings of up to 60 percent on first-class seating. The program is only available through travel agents and Aeromexico's toll-free reservation center.
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Aeromexico Offers Packaged Business Trips
Aeromexico and Long Island-based tour operator Travel Impressions have launched Aeromexico Business Inclusive, which helps customize and package all travel and accommodations for business travelers from any Aeromexico U.S. gateway. By phone with an agent, or on the web, the service can book Aeromexico flights, reserve hotel accommodations at a wide variety of Mexican hotels, and facilitate reservation of car services — including the option of a private car with bilingual driver — using American Express ground operations.
Aeromexico Business Inclusive provides flexibility to business travelers who want to extend their stays in order to visit many of the great tourist destinations throughout Mexico. Customers can also choose to travel with a companion or family member, as well as book optional tours or trip extensions.
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Air Canada Contracts To Upgrade International Fleet
Air Canada has contracted for the acquisition of up to 36 Boeing 777s and up to 60 Boeing 787 Dreamliners for its international wide-body fleet. The orders were made subsequent to an agreement with its pilot group on costs and other issues.
Delivery of the first six 777s is scheduled for second quarter of 2007. The first 787 is scheduled for delivery in 2010. Air Canada estimates the fuel burn and maintenance cost savings alone on the 787 to be approximately 30 percent
versus the 767s they will replace.
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Air New Zealand Ups San Francisco Service
Air New Zealand has increased the frequency of its Auckland–San Francisco service from three to six days a week. Services will initially be operated with a mix of the airline’s new Boeing 777-200 ER and refitted Boeing 747- 400 aircraft, with the new seating and in-flight entertainment. By mid-December the airline will use all B777s on the route.
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AirTran Drops Expedia, Signs With Apollo & Galileo
AirTran Airways has removed its inventory and fares from Expedia web site, citing "today's economic environment" and the need to look at "every line item" in a drive to control costs. At the same time the carrier announced that it had signed a new multi-year agreement to use Cendant's Apollo and Galileo GDS systems.
"We have had a productive partnership with Expedia and hope that some day we may be able to renew it," said Kevin Healy, AirTran's vice president of planning, in announcing the decision to leave Expedia. The Cendant deal, he said in a later announcement, "allows us to keep our costs contained as well as continue to distribute through world-class ... channels."
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AirTran Launches Service From Detroit
AirTran Airways has launched daily nonstop service from the Smith Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to Atlanta and Orlando. Additional flights to Atlanta will be added on Dec. 6, and flights between Detroit to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, on Feb. 15.
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AirTran Offers Insurance Against Interrupted Trips
AirTran has partnered with Aegon Direct Marketing Services to offer customers insurance against expenses incurred due to a delayed trip. The insurance, priced at $14.99 per passenger, can be purchased as customers buy their tickets through AirTran. The insurance includes coverage for trip interruption, trip cancellation, travel delays greater than 12 hours, baggage loss and delay, and medical evacuation.
Customers get airfare reimbursement if their trip is canceled. Additional transportation expenses are covered in the event of sudden illness or injury, weather delays, natural disasters, theft of passport or visas, fire or flood affecting the passenger’s home and a terrorist incident.
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Aloha Reaches Accord With Flight Attendants
Aloha Airlines has reached a tentative agreement with the Association of Flight Attendants on a new contract. AFA the fourth of five unions to reach a deal with Aloha, which plans to emerge from bankruptcy by the end of the year. Aloha says it continues to hold discussions with its pilots.
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American Airlines, LAN Peru Granted Antitrust Immunity
American Airlines has received antitrust immunity from the Department of Transportation for a partnership with LAN Peru. The immunity permits a three-way alliance with American, LAN Peru and LAN Airlines (of Chile), allowing the airlines to coordinate marketing, schedules and other elements of their services. American was granted antitrust immunity with LAN Airlines in 1999.
The LAN service alliance also includes LAN Ecuador and LAN Argentina, which will begin nonstop, overnight service between Miami and Buenos Aires on Dec. 1. LAN Argentina has been mentioned as the next alliance member to seek antitrust immunity with American. Both are also members of the oneworld alliance.
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American Express Study Reveals Expectations Of Higher T&E Costs In '06
Forty-seven percent of the U.S. financial executives surveyed in a new study by American Express Global Services say they expect T&E expenses to increase by 10 percent next year. Another 9 percent expect an even greater increase.
Half of the respondents say they are especially concerned that their companies' expenses for industry meetings and events will grow. Forty-one percent have serious concerns about rising costs for international travel and 34 percent are most worried about higher costs for internal meetings.
But most (92 percent) are confident of their employees' adherence to T&E spending rules. That certainty is probably because they've keeping a close eye on T&E reports. Sixty-three percent of the respondents say their companies scrutinize the reports “much more” or “somewhat more” carefully than in the past. Moreover, 22 percent say that, within the past year, their companies had taken punitive actions against employees for expense-reporting abuse.
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American Offers Last-minute Flight Changes For $25
American Airlines is now allowing passengers, on the day of departure, to confirm a seat on another flight for $25, if the seat is available. The new flight must be scheduled to depart within three hours; flights outside of three hours continue to require a change fee that is generally $50 to $100.
The last-minute change is available on flights between the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as flights between those points and destinations in the Caribbean.
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American Opens New Admirals Club In Miami
American Airlines has opened the doors to its newest Admirals Club, on Concourse D at the Miami International Airport. The 30,000-square-foot facility can seat 320.
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American Plans Codeshare Links To 23 Cities In India
American Airlines has entered a frequent flyer agreement with Air Sahara, a Delhi-based airline that services 23 destinations throughout India, as well as Colombo, Sri Lanka; Kathmandu, Nepal; and Singapore. Subject to government approvals, American plans to put its AA code on Air Sahara flights to 26 destinations including Delhi, offering a more seamless customer experience to its customers traveling to India and beyond. Air Sahara, in turn, will place its S2 code on American's transatlantic flights between Delhi and Chicago O'Hare and select destinations beyond Chicago.
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Amtrak Exploring NE Spin-off
The Amtrak Board of Directors has voted to explore the possibility of creating a separate subsidiary to own and operate the infrastructure and real estate of the Northeast Corridor. News of the vote comes from the United Rail Passenger Alliance, an advocacy group in Jacksonville, Fla.
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Amtrak Looks For Reformer As Gunn Leaves CEO Post
Amtrak's Board of Directors has named David Hughes, chief engineer, acting president and CEO after officially releasing President David Gunn. The Board has launched a national search to find the railroad's next leader -- someone, it says, who will "intensify the pace and broaden the scope of its reforms."
"Amtrak's future now requires a different type of leader who will aggressively tackle the company's financial, management and operational challenges,: says Amtrak chairman David M. Laney. "The need to bring fundamental change to Amtrak is greater and more urgent than ever before. The Board approved a strategic plan in April that provides a blueprint for a stronger and more sustainable Amtrak. Now we need a leader with vision and experience to get the job done."
Gunn came out of retirement in May 2002 to lead Amtrak after a career that included running transit systems in New York and Washington, D.C.
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ARINC Adds iJET Intelligence For Business Jet Operators
ARINC Direct will integrate detailed destination intelligence from iJET Intelligent Risk Systems into the suite of flight services it provides for business jet operators. ARINC customers will automatically have free real-time access iJET intelligence, from weather conditions and political climate to terrorist threats and vaccination requirements.
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Arcaneo, TRX Plan Link Of Meetings, Travel Systems
Arcaneo and TRX have partnered to link the former’s Metron strategic meetings management system with the latter’s RESX online booking solution. The combination will allow RESX users to capture meetings-related travel bookings.
Under this partnership, TRX and Arcaneo will co-market their value-added offering to each other’s clients. Licensees who choose to implement both RESX and Metron can realize the value of this integrated offering at no additional charge.
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As US Airways Adopts EDS Res System, Wider Potential Awaits
The EDS reservations system that has been used by America West is now being integrated and expanded throughout the US Airways system. Once combined, the system is expected to handle 85 million passengers per year (by itself, the America West system handled up to 30 million passengers) — and do it more cost-effectively.
But that may be only part of the story. “While it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the new US Airways business model or changes to their operational mechanisms,” says Mike Hulley, EDS’s vice president and leader of its global transportation unit, “I can comment on what EDS brings to the table.”
While that includes immediate cost control capabilities, it also offers the possibilities of simplifying processes and going directly to customers and suppliers. Much of that is related to EDS’s development of a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) that provides greater flexibility.
“Our systems will allow distribution capabilities that can bypass both the GDS’ and travel agencies, going direct to the customer — if that is something that the new US Airways desires,” says Hulley. Pressed for examples, he offered:
• If an airline is experiencing irregular operations, its system should support better decisions about moving airplanes to cause minimal disruptions to passengers and loss of revenue to airlines.
• Technology should also allow for a variety of different types of devices to access bookings, frequent flyer information, printing of boarding passes, etc.
• This system should allow better yield management capabilities and route optimization by closely tying into the fares, routes, rules, loyalty information and departure control systems.
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Atlas Launches CRM System
Atlas Travel International, a corporate travel agency based in Milford, Mass., has unveiled its own customer relationship management (CRM) system, designed to track, manage and synchronize client data. The product keeps GDS profiles and in-house agency databases in sync; automates management of any GDS field, such as mass updates of credit card data; and finds, tracks and uploads club membership status for any group of corporate travelers.
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BA Offering Online Check-in From North American Gateways
British Airways is now offering online boarding passes for nonstop flights to London from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix. BA expects to offer online check-in at all other of its North American gateway airports late this month.
The system allows London-bound passengers to print their boarding passes on their own personal computers a full 23 hours before departure. Development of the system required close collaboration with the individual airports as well as with the United States Transportation Security Administration.
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Bankruptcy Judge Imposes Pay Cuts On NWA Machinists
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York has granted Northwest Airlines’ motion that requires temporary wage and benefit reductions of $114 million per year for Northwest employees represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Northwest had already reached interim agreements with its pilots for $215 million in annual savings and its flight attendants for $117 million.
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BostonCoach Acquires Hometown DMC
BostonCoach has purchased The Best of Boston, a leading New England destination management company. The DMC's existing management team will remain with the company and continue to operate it as an independent business unit. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
Citing the opening of the new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and other infrastructure enhancements, Jonathan Danforth, president and CEO of BostonCoach, sees "tremendous growth potential" for companies that can provide a full range of services for meetings and events planners.
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BridgeStreet Expands In Seattle, San Francisco
BridgeStreet Worldwide, a provider of corporate housing, has expanded into the Seattle/Bellevue market through a partnership with Pacific Guest Suites. Also, BridgeStreet’s longtime partner, Synergy Corporate Housing, has added to its inventory with the opening of properties throughout downtown San Francisco.
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British Airways To Cut Management Jobs
British Airways plans to restructure its business with a 35 percent reduction in the number of its 1,715 managers, beginning with 94 top executives who will leave the company by March 31. In all, the airline proposes a 50 percent reduction in senior managers (from 414 jobs to 207), and a 30 percent reduction in middle managers (from 1,301 jobs to 911 jobs) — a total of 597 job cuts by March 2008.
The proposed cuts are expected save the airline about $85 million as part of its drive to cut about $520 million in costs by March 2007.
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Cendant Plans Four-way Split; No Spin-offs Will Carry Name
Cendant Corporation says it will separate into four independent publicly traded companies by next summer. The four companies will be individually focused on real estate, travel distribution, hospitality and vehicle rentals. Although names have not been selected for the new companies, the Cendant announcement states that “the Cendant name will be retired.”
The decision was precipitated by Cendant’s failure to attract stronger investment response, according to Chairman and CEO Henry R. Silverman who characterized the strategy as “the best way to unlock the value of Cendant’s businesses.” Cendant’s current annual dividend is $0.44 per share, which the announcement acknowledged to be “consistent with the low end ... of the company’s previous guidance.”
Cendant Travel Distribution Services will be the core of the new travel network company. It will also include its RCI timeshare exchange business and the Vacation Rental Group, which have already been combined to form the Vacation Network Group. The entire combination is expected to represent between 18 percent and 20 percent of Cendant’s estimated 2005 revenue. Silverman will serve as chairman and CEO of the new company, with Samuel L. Katz as vice chairman and president. The company will be based at Cendant’s current New York City office, without change in its workforce location.
The new hospitality company will be headed by Stephen P. Holmes as chairman and CEO. Its components will include Cendant’s timeshare development, marketing and management concerns, as well as its nine hotel brands (Wyndham, Ramada, Days Inn, Super 8, Wingate Inn, Howard Johnson, Travelodge, AmeriHost Inn and Knights Inn). This combination is expected to account for 12 percent to 14 percent of Cendant’s estimated 2005 revenue. Hospitality, as well as real estate and vehicle rental, is expected to remain in Parsippany, NJ.
The vehicle rental service, credited with bringing in 27 percent to 29 percent of Cendant’s 2005 estimated revenue, will have Ron Nelson, currently Cendant’s president and CFO, as its chairman and CEO. It includes the Avis and Budget car rental brands with 31,000 employees and 6,600 locations around the world.
The fourth company, Cendant’s real estate sector, will include brokerage services and a title agency, employee relocation and mobility services and other settlement services. With Silverman as non-executive chairman, it will be headed by Richard A. Smith as CEO. This group accounts for between 39 percent and 41 percent of Cendant’s estimated 2005 revenue.
The 2006 split will not be the first time that Cendant has cut loose part of its operations. Over about the last 18 months, Cendant has also made Jackson Hewitt, PHH Corporation and Wright Express separate independent companies. And it may not be the last, according to Silverman, who said in his announcement that the current plan “does not preclude the other alternatives considered by our Board after the separation occurs.”
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Cendant TDS Launches GDS For Independent US Hotels
Cendant Travel Distribution Services (TDS) has announced its new electronic distribution system, HotelPORT, designed to provide a comprehensive global network and seamless distribution for U.S. independent hotels. Currently available for U.S. properties, HotelPORT will launch in International Markets in 2006.
HotelPORT has eliminated startup costs for standard usage and monthly minimum fees traditionally charged by representation companies. The system provides connectivity through several distribution channels: major global distribution systems; GDS-connected online distribution channels, including TDS’s own online distribution channels; the WizCom Internet distribution system; and Pegasus’ online distribution database.
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China Southern Launches Self-service Check-in
China Southern Airlines has introduced the an automatic check-in boarding system — which it says is China's first — at the new Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou. Four self-service counters are available for Internet customers.
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Choice Buys Extended-stay Brand
Choice Hotels International has purchased Suburban Franchise Systems for $10.5 million, enabling it to add Suburban Extended Stay Hotels to its roster of brands. Suburban is an economy extended-stay chain whose flag flies at 67 properties. As part of the agreement, Kevin Lewis, president and CEO of Suburban Franchise Systems, joins Choice as vice president, extended stay. He is responsible for Suburban and MainStay Suites, Choice’s mid-price extended-stay brand.
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CIBT Expands In Europe
CIBT, which processes visas and passports for travel management companies and corporations, has acquired Rotterdam-based V&V Visumdienst, B.V. and will begin offering visa and passport services in the Netherlands and Belgium. Earlier this year, CIBT acquired The Visaservice, its first overseas office in London. CIBT also provides processing services in Germany, France and Australia.
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Christopherson BT Acquires Denver TMC
Christopherson Business Travel, based in Salt Lake City, has acquired Travel Connections of Denver, and plans to combine the two companies to create a premier corporate travel management company serving the Rocky Mountain region.
The newly combined company has more than 120 employees in 23 offices — 21 in Utah, one in Florida and one in Colorado — as well as full Internet booking capabilities; books more than $125 million in travel annually for over 600 corporate clients.
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Christopherson BT Unveils AirPortal
Christopherson Business Travel (CBT) has implemented AirPortal, which allows travelers to view all of their historical and future itineraries, book travel online, maintain accurate travel profile information and quickly access customized contact information. The portal was developed in-house by a software development team led by Chad Maughan, the TMC's information technology manager.
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Citigroup Unveils Global Version Of Its Card Management System
Global Transaction Services, a business unit of Citigroup Corporate Investment and Banking, has introduced a global version of its CitiDirect Card Management System, a web-based program for commercial cards account administration. The new system supports more than 10 languages and will initially provide access to consolidated transaction data from 14 countries. Citibank offers card programs in more than 40 countries.
The new system is designed to be scalable, so that is available to all sizes of customers, “whether a company has 50 or 50,000 cardholders,” and able to add features and functionality without adding infrastructure as a company’s needs change. The system also includes an easy-to use tool for businesses wanting to migrate from paper to electronic T&E reporting, whether they will generate expense reports for Citibank Commercial Cards expenses or non-Citibank card-related charges.
Its reporting capabilities include accruals and interim-cycle reports to aid end-of-period expense reporting. The card management system allows corporations to review, reconcile, split and reallocate transactions; create and modify accounts; set up or change controls for individual cardholders and review and approve cardholder statements.
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Conrad To Establish Chicago Hotel
Conrad Hotels, a Hilton luxury brand, has agreed to assume management of the 311-room Le Meridien Chicago, which will be renamed Conrad Chicago. The hotel has been purchased by an investment group led by Chicago-based Lodging Capital Partners. Plans for a complete repositioning of the hotel are being developed.
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Continental Plans May 10 Launch Of Service To Cologne
Continental Airlines has announced it plans to launch daily nonstop flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Cologne, Germany, starting on May 10, pending government approval. The frequency of service will be reduced to five flights weekly during the winter to account for the traditional seasonal reduction in demand.
This will be the first scheduled service between the U.S. and Cologne since 1990. Flying times will be approximately seven hours and 25 minutes eastbound and eight hours and 45 minutes westbound. The flights will be operated with a 172- seat Boeing 757-200 aircraft, carrying 16 passengers in the BusinessFirst cabin and 156 in economy.
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Delta Opens Beijing Office Sans Its Own Route
Delta Air Lines has officially opened its Beijing sales office, underscoring its interest in offering flights between Beijing and Atlanta, Georgia in time for the 2008 Olympics. The airline does not currently serve China with its own aircraft. But it is "very optimistic" that it will be chosen to offer nonstop service between China and the U.S. Southeast "in 2008 or earlier, if possible, when the next designation is given," says Jorge Fernandez, vice president of international and alliances.
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Delta Plans To Absorb Song Into Transcontinental Service
Delta Air Lines plans merge its Song subsidiary, including its fleet of 48 757-200 aircraft, into its regular long-haul domestic service. An additional 50-plus Delta aircraft will be converted to two-class Song service, complete with all-leather seating and new interiors. The new Song service will begin on all transcontinental Delta flights in fall 2006, then expand to all routes over 1,750 miles over the next two years.
Song will continue to fly as a separate brand and customers will be able to book flights on Song until May 2006. The aircraft will then be scheduled on high-demand routes throughout the Delta network during the transition, replacing wide-body aircraft that will be re-deployed from domestic to international destinations as part of the largest international expansion in Delta’s history. Through the end of 2006, Delta will reconfigure the Song fleet into the new two-class, long-haul standard and introduce them on transcontinental routes
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Delta Relocates London Call Center
Delta Air Lines has relocated its Western European Call Center to expanded facilities in West London in anticipation of ferrying "thousands of new customers" between Europe and the United States next summer. Employees at the new center have a combined fluency in 17 languages. By next summer, the airline expects to be the world's largest transatlantic airline, with more than 53 transatlantic flights daily to 29 cities in 17 countries.
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DeltaElite Adds 10-hour Membership Option
The Perfect 10 jet card, a 10-hour private jet membership program, has been added to DeltaElite's Fleet Membership program. The Perfect 10 card complements the company's current 25-, 50- and 100-hour options. DeltaElite is Delta's private jet charter and aircraft management service.
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DTAG Opens Rental Sites At Albuquerque, Akron Airports
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group has acquired the Thrifty Car Rental operations in New Mexico, including an on-airport location at Albuquerque International Airport and local market stores in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
The company has also added in-terminal locations in the lower level baggage claim area of Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) in Ohio for its Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental brands. Thrifty has had an off-airport location at CAK for a number of years. The Akron-Canton Airport is nearing completion of a new concourse, culminating a five-year $60 million improvement project.
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Delta’s Transformation Focuses On International Destinations
Delta Air Lines plans to begin nonstop service from its transatlantic gateways in Atlanta and New York to 11 new markets throughout Europe and the Middle East in 2006. The airline, which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, says increased international flying is an integral part of its transformation plan.
The routes are Atlanta-Tel Aviv, Israel (effective March 27); Atlanta-Dusseldorf, Germany (April 3); Atlanta-Copenhagen, Denmark (May 1); Atlanta-Edinburgh, Scotland (May 4); New York-Budapest, Hungary (May 8); Atlanta-Nice, France (May 9); Atlanta-Athens, Greece (May 29); New York-Dublin/Shannon, Ireland (May 15); New York-Manchester, England (May 15); Atlanta-Venice (June 6); and New York-Kiev, Ukraine (subject to government approval). Delta recently added transatlantic routes to Chennai, India (via Paris), Berlin and Moscow.
The airline also plans to expand to 28 new markets in Latin America and the Caribbean during the winter 2005-spring 2006 season. These new markets include Atlanta to: Managua, Nicaragua; Roatan and San Pedro Sula, Honduras; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
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Emirates Launches Second Flight From JFK
Emirates has launched a second daily non-stop flight between New York and Dubai, simultaneously unveiling its first U.S. passenger lounge, in JFK's ultra-modern Terminal 4.
The new flight departs JFK daily at 9:10 a.m., arriving in Dubai at 6:50 a.m. the following day. The return flight arrives at JFK every day at 7:10 a.m. The service uses A340-500 aircraft with fully-enclosed First Class suites with flat beds and sliding doors and in-suite dining.
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Emirates Order For 777s Signals Continued Expansion
Emirates has placed a firm order for 42 Boeing 777 planes with purchase rights for 20 additional jets. The deal is valued at $9.7 billion. The first planes are scheduled for delivery in 2007. Emirates will use the aircraft to extend routes to key European and Asian cities and initiate service to new destinations, including direct flights to the U.S. West Coast from Dubai.
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Eos Launches Daily Premium Service Between NYC & London
Eos has launched its daily premium class transatlantic service between New York JFK and London Stansted airports. The airline features a 48 “suite” cabin configuration that gives each passenger 21 square feet of personal space.
Eastbound flights depart New York JFK at 7:05 p.m. and arrive London Stansted at 7:30 a.m.; westbound flights depart London Stansted at 10:30 a.m. and arrive New York JFK at 1:29 p.m.
Beginning Jan. 3, Eos will offer a second daily flight between New York and London, departing New York JFK at 9:15 p.m., arriving London Stansted at 9:40 a.m.; and departing London Stansted at 4:15 p.m., arriving New York JFK at 7:14 p.m.
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Etihad Links Abu Dhabi To Toronto, Eyes U.S. Route
Etihad Airways has launched its new route to Toronto, via Brussels, from its base at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The carrier will provide three flights per week to Canada. Etihad also has entered into a code-share agreement with SN Brussels Airlines, which will provide connections to such European destinations as Rome, Lyon, Strasbourg, Geneva, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Oslo, Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna.
The two-year-old airline expects to begin service to the United States next summer.
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Fairmont To Again Manage NY’s Plaza At '07 Reopening
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has entered into an agreement to resume management of New York’s Plaza Hotel, subject to certain terms and conditions being finalized. The Plaza closed last year to undergo a $350 million renovation. When the hotel reopens in early 2007, it will feature 282 guest rooms, including 152 condo hotel units. The renovated Plaza will also have residential condominiums and high-end retail space.
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Fitzpatrick Hotel Group Plans Fifth US Facility
The Fitzpatrick US Hotel Group has announced plans to build a new 250-bedroom hotel at 29th Street and 6th Avenue in New York; opening is set for 2009. The hotel will be the company's fifth in the United States.
The hotel is part of the chain's five-year U.S. expansion plan, which also targets new facilities in Washington and Boston, as well as another in New York. It currently owns and managers two other hotels in New York -- The Fitzpatrick Manhattan and Fitzpatrick Grand Central. The company began in Dublin but is currently based in New York.
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FlyteComm Unveils Cell Phone-based Flight Tracker
FlyteComm has created FlyteSource Mobile, a downloadable mobile application that lets travelers track commercial airline flights from data-capable cell phones. FlyteComm’s partner is mFoundry, a mobile platform provider. The application enables users to search for alternate flights on other airlines, check the weather at an airport and set up favorite airports for quick searches. The application, currently available to Sprint subscribers and on other carriers in upcoming weeks, also includes toll-free numbers for airlines, hotels and rental car companies, which can be automatically dialed.
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Four Seasons Opens In Switzerland
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has opened the 103-room Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, the first Four Seasons in Switzerland. Located in the city center on the banks of Lake Geneva, it is within walking distance (across a footbridge) of the financial district. For meetings and events, the hotel has five function rooms with views of the lake. Il Lago restaurant serves northern Italian cuisine.
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Frontier Reports Quarterly Income of $6.9 Million
Frontier Airlines has reported a net income of $6.9 million for its second fiscal quarter, ended Sept. 30, compared to a net loss of $2.1 million for the same period last year. Included in the net income for the quarter were unrealized gains on fuel hedges of $0.3 million. An unrealized gain of $4.1 million on fuel hedges is included in the report's net losses.
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G2 Puts No-fee Agent Platform Into Beta
G2 SwitchWorks Corp. has unveiled the beta version of G2Agent, a web-based travel reservation and servicing platform for small and mid-sized ARC-accredited agencies. G2Agent is a no-charge service that does not require a long-term contract and provides guaranteed inventory for G2's airline partners. Its functionality includes complete automation of exchanges and refunds.
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Galileo Adds Accor To BAR Program, Now At 30,000 Sites
Galileo International and Accor Hotels have agreed to add over 2,000 properties to Galileo’s Best Available Rate (BAR) program, which increases BAR inventory to almost 30,000 properties, said the GDS. Galileo claims it is the only GDS to sign contractual agreements with major hotel chains to provide travel agents with access to the best available, published, non-restricted rates. Galileo has similar agreements with Marriott, Hyatt, Carlson Hotels and Hilton International.
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Galileo To Add VFM's Hotel Images For Agencies
Galileo International says it will offer high quality hotel visuals to its travel agencies by early 2006. The service will be provided by VFM Interactive, which already distributes hotel visual content through Cendant's Orbitz, CheapTickets and Lodging.com online companies. Galileo expects that the VFM material to enhance the Galileo Image Library, launched earlier this year.
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Golden Tulip Mobilizes Booking
Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts is offering of a new service to search and book hotels online for users of mobile devices. Netherlands-based Golden Tulip franchises about 250 hotels across 37 countries, with the majority located in urban destinations across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
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Hartford's Godwin Hotel Changes Hands
The Goodwin Hotel, a luxury property located in the center of Hartford, Conn.¹s business district, has been purchased by Northland Investment Corporation. The hotel, a registered historic landmark, is located within walking distance of the State Capitol, government offices and cultural centers.
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Hilton Gives Seal Of Approval To Cendant Sites
Hilton Hotels has agreed to add Orbitz, Lodging.com and Cheap Tickets to its list of accredited distributors. The three sites, all owned by Cendant, can now merchandise Hilton inventory "under the best possible participation terms," according to Hilton. They will access merchant inventory via OrbitzConnect, a direct connection to Hilton's proprietary reservations system.
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Hyatt Introduces Fitness Program
Hyatt has launched StayFit@Hyatt, a selection of workout programs for fitness-conscious guests at Hyatt hotels across North America and the Caribbean. StayFit@Hyatt includes the YogaAway yoga program, a StayFit concierge who can provide exercise wear for purchase within one hour of a request and a promise that guests will find the latest cardio- and strength-training equipment at all hotels.
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Hyatt Place Unveils Prototype For Transforming Old AmeriSuites
Hyatt Place, the brand formerly known as AmeriSuites, has unveiled its first prototype guest room. The new suite features Hyatt’s Grand Bed, a wet bar, granite counters throughout, a sectional sofa, walk-in shower, workstation with power bar connectivity, complimentary wireless Internet access, a video and music entertainment system and a 42-inch plasma TV. There will be a cashless food center in the lobby selling breakfast items, sandwiches, salads and snacks around the clock.
Renovation and repositioning of existing AmeriSuites hotels is slated to begin this year and to be completed late next year.
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Hyatt Putting Web-based Meetings RFPs In StarCites's Hands
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has selected StarCite to assist in streamlining its online request-for-proposal process. StarCite will enable any Hyatt hotel or resort in the U.S., Canada or the Caribbean to respond to meeting planner requests with real-time booking data, including group room availability and rates, on the Hyatt.com website – a first for a corporate hotel website.
StarCite has provided Hyatt’s E-mmediate Response™ capability for two years via the StarCite.com website, and this agreement further expands the long-standing relationship between StarCite and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.
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IHG Wants Out Of Soft Drink Business
InterContinental Hotels Group intends to dispose of all of its 47.5 percent interest in Britvic, a U.K soft drink company, by way of an initial public offering of Britvic shares. IHG says the move is in line with its strategy of focusing on managing and franchising hotels.
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Independence Air's Stock Delisted
FLYi, parent of Independence Air, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month, has had its stock delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market. Because the airline has not appealed Nasdaq's decision, FLYi's common stock won't be immediately eligible to trade as an over-the-counter security, said the company.
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InterContinental Plans 7th Hotel Indigo
InterContinental Hotels Group says it will open its seventh Hotel Indigo in fall 2006 in Nashville, Tenn. the new hotel will be housed in a rejuvenated former 11-story office tower about a mile from downtown Nashville, close to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Tennessee State Capitol.
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InterContinental To Reopen In Belgrade
InterContinental Hotels Group’s InterContinental brand will return to Belgrade, Serbia, in 2006, to manage a five-star, 393-room hotel that originally opened in 1979 as an InterContinental. The current owner, ICG (formerly known as Generalexport) has committed $26 million to renovate a property, which carried the IHG brand until the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s. InterContinental says it is capitalizing on Belgrade’s resurgence as the commercial hub of the Balkans and Serbia’s economic growth.
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Jet Aviation Dubai Approved For Bermuda, Caymans
Jet Aviation in Dubai's maintenance organization has been approved by the departments of Civil Aviation of Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. The certificate allows Jet Aviation Dubai to perform line and base maintenance on aircraft with
Bermuda and Cayman registrations. The company has also been named an authorized dealer by Rockwell Collins, meaning it also can carry out sales, installations and retrofits of Rockwell Collins equipment (communication, navigation, display and in-flight entertainment systems) in the Caribbean locations.
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JetBlue Expansion Plans Include Boston, NYC, Richmond, Austin
JetBlue Airways has announced major expansions of service from Boston’s Logan International Airport as well as from its home base at New York’s JFK International Airport, including up to 10 new daily flights between New York and Boston; three new daily flights to Austin, Texas; four new daily flights to Richmond, Va.; and increased frequencies to Buffalo, N.Y. and Burlington, Vt. The carrier also will begin service between Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Oakland, Calif. on Jan. 19, starting with one daily flight each way.
In addition to the JFK routes, Boston service has added four new destinations: Austin, Texas; Nassau, The Bahamas; Richmond, Va.; and West Palm Beach, Fla. The new service to JFK will include expanded connecting flight opportunities to 27 cities, including 15 previously unserved destinations, including Phoenix, Ariz.; San Diego, Calif.; Aquadilla, Ponce and San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Santiago, Dominican Republic. By April 6, says JetBlue, it will have tripled the number of destinations if offers to Bostonians.
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JetBlue Launches Online Baggage Check
JetBlue Airways Corp. has introduced online bag check in, available at all of its U.S. locations. Customers may check up to two bags online — bag tag numbers will automatically print on the boarding passes — and then drop off the bags at any of JetBlue's Self Service/Bag Drop or Kiosk/Online Bag Drop counters at the airport.
JetBlue customers traveling out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York have an exclusive Online Bag Drop area along the departures roadway.
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JetBlue Prepares New Flights From Boston
JetBlue Airways has set a Jan. 17 launch for six new weekly round trips plus five on weekends, between Boston Logan International and Washington, D.C. Dulles International Airports. The carrier expects to have 50 daily departures from Boston by April. That includes recently-introduced nonstop service to New York and Seattle. Other planned destinations include Austin (Jan. 19); Nassau, The Bahamas (Feb. 2); and Richmond(March 31).
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Kayak Adds Multi-city Search
Travel search site Kayak.com has added a multi-city search for travelers who need to book trips with three or more city stops. Users can sort by stop, airline, price, time and airport. They can also specify fare type, such as business or economy class.
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Kor Hotel Group Buys San Francisco Hotel
Kor Hotel Group, a Los Angeles-based luxury hotel operator, has ventured into the Bay Area by purchasing and assuming management of the Campton Place Hotel in San Francisco. The 110-room, four-star property is located near the city’s Union Square.
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LTU Links US , EU Fares
LTU International Airways, which operates non-stop flights to Dusseldorf, Germany, from New York, Miami, Orlando and Ft. Myers, has launched “City Quickies” intra-Europe fares. The new fares offer one-way travel for as low as EU29 to such cities as Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon and Athens.
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La Quinta To Be Acquired By Blackstone Group
The boards of La Quinta Corporation and La Quinta Properties Inc. have agreed to be acquired by an affiliate of The Blackstone Group for approximately $3.4 billion. The agreement has yet to receive stockholder approval but is expected to close during the first quarter of 2006.
La Quinta brands include La Quinta Inns, La Quinta Inn & Suites, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Woodfield Suites and Budgetel.
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LaSalle Integrates Gelco System With Its Corporate Card Offering
LaSalle Bank Corporation plans to integrate its corporate card program with Gelco expense management's solution to save customers time, money and processing costs associated with their T&E expenses.
Gelco's corporate card integration capabilities will utilize LaSalle Bank's corporate card information to validate and apply card charges to the appropriate expense allocations for customers. Additionally, Gelco will automate the card maintenance and reimbursement cycle driving increased productivity, card utilization and optimized cash management, eliminating costly and time consuming administration tasks.
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Lufthansa Invests In Frankfurt Airport
Deutsche Lufthansa AG has bought a 4.95 percent stake in the Frankfurt Airport operating company for approximately 170 million euros. Lufthansa says intends in the short term to increase its stake to 5 percent. According to Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber, the purchase "will allow Lufthansa to leverage influence in the airport’s development, improve cooperation and enhance quality on the ground for the benefit of customers ... That will strengthen our competitive position.
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Malev To Join Oneworld Alliance
Hungarian national airline Malev is slated to join the Oneworld alliance in about 15 months, after it has completed aligning its operation with other alliance members. Finnair, Malev’s sponsor, will assist the carrier on connecting its information technology systems to those of its new partners; training employees to deliver Oneworld products, customer benefits and support; and bringing key internal processes into line with alliance requirements. Malev also must conclude bilateral agreements with interested partners.
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Marriott Plans to Expand Its Sports & Fitness Brand
Based on the success of its Renaissance ClubSport in Walnut Creek, Calif., Marriott International plans to open 15 more Renaissance ClubSport locations nationwide over the next seven years. Each hotel is anticipated to offer 150 to 250 guest rooms and sports and fitness amenities.
The next three Renaissance ClubSport properties under development are in Chandler, Ariz. (a suburb of Phoenix), Rockville, Md. (a suburb of Washington), and Aliso Viejo in Orange County, Calif. Marriott says Renaissance ClubSports would do well in high-end, suburban residential and office locations, but can be adapted to more urban environments.
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Marriott, Orbitz Expand Relationship
Marriott International has agreed to make more of its inventory of hotel rooms available through Orbitz, which can now can offer merchant rates directly from the hotel company's central reservations system.
Previously, Orbitz offered merchant rates at Marriott hotels through Travelweb, the Priceline company which Marriott originally founded.
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Meridian Available On BusinessJet Charter GDS
BusinessJet Class has signed metro New York-based Meridian Air Charter for its automated distribution system, designed specifically for private jet charters. The BusinessJet system matches the functionality of commercial airline GDS capabilities, allowing travel managers to price, quote and book charter aircraft.
The Meridian fleet is available 24/7 for point-to-point service to more than 4,000 airports. The company has broken ground on a new 33,000 sq. ft. terminal (to include passenger facilities, aircraft management, maintenance, acquisition, sales and charter)at Teterboro Airport. Phase two of its expansion plan includes a new 40,000 sq. ft. aircraft hangar and expanded ramp space.
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Names In The News
Carlson Companies has named Northwest Airlines veteran Fay Beauchine to the newly-created position of senior vice president of enterprise sales. In her new role, Beauchine will be responsible for developing and maintaining an enterprise-wide sales process to support Carlson's business units and enterprise transformation, and will lead a matrixed sales organization focused on driving profitable revenue growth.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), has appointed Pascal Jungfer to the newly-created position of worldwide vice president, CWT Solutions Group. Jungfer, who joined CWT in 2000 to create the CWT Solutions Group in Europe, will be responsible for aligning CWT Solutions Group products, practices and organizations across regions and driving the continued growth of the company's global consulting services. His previous experience includes 10 years of business-to-business consulting with Accenture, Mars & Co. and Cap Gemini.
Gaylord Hotels has named Mike Mason senior vice president of sales for its resort and convention center in Orlando. Mike Wainwright, formerly with Marriott International, succeeds Mason as the center's vice president of sales and marketing.
Hotel Nikko (U.S.A.) Inc.has promoted Anna Marie Presutti, previously director of sales and marketing for Hotel Nikko San Francisco, to vice president of sales and marketing. Presutti will be responsible for sales and marketing in the U.S. for all Nikko Hotels International properties around the world, including Hotel Nikko San Francisco. Nikko USA is a sales and marketing division of JAL Hotels Co. Ltd., which operates Nikko International.
NYLO Hotels has named has named Patrick O'Neil, formerly director of operations for Sheraton Hotels of New York, senior vice president of operations. O'Neil's accomplishments at Sheraton include implementation of kiosk check-in/check-out system and centralizing service calls from multiple properties to a single center. The new hospitality brand, which provides loft-style units, has also added David Klein, previously an equity partner in the Phoenix office of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey international law firm, to its executive team as general counsel.
PrivatAir has promoted Herb Knight to senior vice president for aircraft sales and management, to head up the company's worldwide aircraft brokerage and acquisitions practice. He will also lead the company's North American aircraft management business and continue to grow the managed fleet.
Ruesch International has announced that Samantha Pelosi has joined the company as director of corporate compliance. Pelosi formerly was senior chief counsel in the financial crimes enforcement network of the U.S. Department of Treasury. Her appointment reflects Ruesch's increased focus on corporate governance as it expands in the global market.
The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced that Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chairman and CEO of Carlson Companies, and Andrew Taylor, chairman and CEO of Enterprise Rent-a-Car, are among four new members appointed to its Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. Nelson will serve as vice-chairman of the Board, which will advise Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez on how best to increase the number of international visitors to the U.S. and on the creation of a national tourism policy.
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Names In The News
BostonCoachhas named Thomas J. Kearns as its chief information officer, responsible for ensuring that the company's technology operations are aligned as it pursues an aggressive growth strategy. Kearns most recently was vice president of information systems and technology for Reebok International where his duties included worldwide data center operations, voice and data networking, and Internet / intranet security.
PhoCusWright Inc. has named Bruce Rosard vice president, sales and business development, a new position created in response to growth in the company's syndicated research business. Rosard formerly was with Moguls Mountain Travel, a pioneer in the e-commerce travel market. Cathy Schetzina, formerly with Eli Research's Travel Distribution Report, has joined the company as director of information services.
John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts has announced that Lou Weckstein is stepping down as president of the company but will continue to work with the asset management of the company's hotel portfolio, participate in speaking engagements and making special appearances at industry-related events and meetings. Weckstein's operational duties will be assumed by Joe Morrissey, formerly regional vice president of operations.
Rail Europe Group has appointed Peter Rahaman, formerly of VisitBritain, as vice president of operations, responsible for the strategic management and development of the operations for the company. He also oversees the EuroGroups division, which handles groups of 10 or more. The Rail Europe Group, based in White Plains, NY, serves more than one million North American travelers annually.
Waterford Venue Services has appointed Michael Costelli as general manager of the Connecticut Convention Center. Costelli joined the Center in February as director of operations and assisted during the construction and pre-opening of the facility. He succeeds Ben Seidel, who has been promoted to vice president, development for Waterford Hotel Group and Waterford Venue Services.
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Names In the News 11/16/05
Air Jamaica has tapped Michael Conway as its new CEO. Conway has more than 25 years' experience in the commercial U.S. aviation industry, including co-founder of America West Airlines and founder of National Airlines. Air Jamaica offers non-stop service to Jamaica from 10 U.S. gateways, including New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Conferon has promoted Tim Flack to vice president, southeastern region, based in Atlanta. Flack joined Conferon's national sales team last year. He succeeds Jim Bennett, who is transitioning to a new role as vice president, strategic initiatives
Costello Communications has added Bill Underdown to its sales team. Underdown most recently was global director of sales for Marriott's global strategy with Ford Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler and Nortel Networks.
DayJet Corp. has named Don Osmundson vice president of flight operations and Mark Reed vice president of maintenance operations. Osmundson was Comair's vice president of flight operations. Reed joins DayJet from NetJets, where he was vice president of maintenance operations. DayJet plans to launch a per-seat, on-demand business jet service.
FractionAir has named Liam Collins president and CEO of the Nashville-based fractional aircraft ownership company.
Hertz Corporation has confirmed that CEO Craig Koch plans to retire in January 2007 after 34 years with the company. He has been Hertz’s CEO since 1999 and the company’s chairman since 2004.
InterContinental Hotels Group has named Carolyn Poole director of group sales for, western Canada, for its InterContinental Hotels and Resorts. Poole most recently was national account director for Delta Hotels.
The OpenTravel Alliance has appointed Valyn Perini as its executive director. Her previous experience includes posts at Newmarket International, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Swissôtel, Westin and InterContinental Hotels.
Worldspan has appointed Lorraine Jackson to the position of regional manager, Canada, responsible for travel agency and corporate relationships. Jackson joined Worldspan in 2004 as account manager for Canada. Before that, she was business development manager for Sabre Travel Network's corporate sales in Canada.
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Names In The News 11/22/05
Alaska Airlines has named Steve Jarvis vice president of sales and customer experience, a newly-created position overseeing the distribution and customer care functions previously led by separate executives. Jarvis, previously staff vice president of e-commerce and distribution, now also takes on customer care functions, including the airline’s loyalty program and phone support services. Alaska restructured its marketing division following the departure of Tom Romary, vice president of marketing.
El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa in Taos, New Mexico, has appointed Peggy Ryan director of sales. Ryan was director of sales for the Western region for Miraval, Life in Balance, a resort in Catalina, Ariz.
Hawaiian Holdings, parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, has named Peter Ingram chief financial officer. He already was the CFO for Hawaiian Airlines and will retain that responsibility. Prior to joining Hawaiian, Ingram held finance-related management and director positions at American Airlines.
iBAHN, a Salt Lake City-based provider of broadband services for groups at hotels and conference centers, has named Lawrence Dustin president of North American hotels. Dustin was president of Mobil Travel Guide.
Loews Corp. mourns the loss of Preston Robert "Bob" Tisch, chairman of the company’s board of directors who died Nov. 15. He was 79. Tisch and his late brother, Larry, founded the Loews Hotel chain.
Radisson Hotel and Suites in Austin, Texas, has named Roxanne Hamilton regional sales manager. She joins the Radisson Austin from the Embassy Suites Hotel Austin-Downtown/Town Lake, where she was director of sales and marketing.
Wandrian, a company that powers RailAgent.com, where travel agents can book European rail options, has appointed Bernard Frelat as CEO. Frelat is a former president and CEO of Rail Europe Group. Mike Fuller, Wandrian’s founder, will now serve as international president, in charge of the company’s business development efforts. Tommaso Zanzotto was named non-executive chairman.
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Names In The News 11/30/05
Accor has appointed Gilles Pelisson to take over as CEO of the hotel group in January, replacing Jean-Marc Espalioux. Serge Weinberg will replace Gerard Pelisson as Accor‘s board chairman.
Benchmark Hospitality International has named Tom Murray manager of the Downtown Conference Center in lower Manhattan. Murray previously managed the Pfizer Conference Center in midtown Manhattan.
Carlson Hotels Worldwide has appointed of Fredrik Korallus executive vice president of revenue generation, a new position leading the areas of sales, marketing, distribution and public relations/communications. Korallus will be responsible for developing and leading a strategy for the marketing, sales, distribution and public relations functions of Carlson’s hotel brands (Regent International, Radisson, Park Plaza, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Inn). Most recently, Korallus served as a senior vice president for future openings and franchise operations at Rezidor SAS Hospitality, Carlson’s partner in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Carlson Wagonlit Travel has named Isabelle Koch vice president, corporate and marketing communications. She is based in Paris. Koch was CWT’s vice president of sales and marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Cathay Pacific’s chairman, David Turnbull, has decided to step down at the end of January. Christopher Pratt will succeed Turnbull.
Conferon Global Services, an event management company, has announced the resignation of Dave Lutz after 22 years of service. Lutz will continue in his position as president of the company’s Conferon and ExpoExchange divisions until January 1.
Hilton Hotels Corp. has named Alexander Mirza to the newly created position of senior vice president of corporate development. He will be working on product development and partnerships, including food and beverage offerings, health clubs and spas. Prior to joining Hilton, Mirza was a senior executive in the travel and transportation practice at Accenture.
Marriott International has named Johara Haniffa regional vice president, brand marketing for the Asia, Pacific and Australia region. She will develop and lead all brand positioning and marketing strategy for Asia Pacific. Most recently, Haniffa served as business director with Young & Rubicam in Hong Hong.
Meritus Hotels & Resorts has appointed Frank Foster senior vice president, marketing and sales. Prior to joining the Singapore-based hotel management company, he was Le Meridien’s senior vice president of marketing, Asia Pacific.
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Necho Expense Management Acquired By CyberShift
CyberShift, a leading provider of workforce management software and services, has acquired Necho Systems Corp., the Toronto-based global provider of expense management software. The strategic acquisition combines innovative solutions that help decision-makers at midsize to large, complex companies better manage both labor and employee expenses.
CyberShift’s web-based, enterprise-class workforce management solutions are focused on improving organizational performance and profitability by optimizing and managing the deployment of an organization’s labor force through an integrated suite of applications that address time and attendance, advanced scheduling and reporting and analytics. Necho’s solutions automate the processing and facilitate the management of employee business expenses, addressing compliance, expense policies and procedures, and visibility into operations through data capture and reporting.
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NetJets Pilots Accept New Contract
Pilots with NetJets, a private air charter service based in Columbus, Ohio, have accepted a new labor agreement, ending a four-year dispute. The five-year deal calls for improved wages, job security and increase productivity, according to NetJets.
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New MobiMate Applications To Include FlightStats Service
FlightStats, a flight information data service, and MobiMate, a wireless travel application provider, have contracted to deliver worldwide flight information on several upcoming versions of MobiMate’s WorldMate Professional Edition and WorldMate 2005. The FlightStats data platform aggregates government, airline, airport and proprietary sources. Codeshare handling and data sources are managed in real-time.
WorldMate also will fully support Palm’s future line of Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Palm Treo smartphones, the first of which is scheduled to be available to Verizon Wireless customers in early 2006. Both WorldMate Professional Edition and WorldMate Expense will support the Treo smartphones.
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New NYLO Brand Plans Urban Loft-style Hotels
NYLO Hotels, a mid-priced brand that plans to build properties with an urban-loft design, has launched. NYLO will offer guests a fully functional business hotel, according to Michael Mueller, the company’s president. The hotels will feature loft-style rooms with 11-foot ceilings, oversized windows, walls of exposed brick and polished concrete, and custom-made furnishings. Hotels will have a 24-hour restaurant, a business center, free wireless Internet access, a gym and meeting facilities.
The Atlanta-based company will focus on building hotels in suburban, secondary and tertiary markets and will begin construction on four hotels in the coming year. NYLO expects to open more than 50 properties by 2010.
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Northwest's Technical Support Team Agrees To Wage Cut
Northwest Airlines has signed a labor cost-restructuring agreement with its technical writers, trainers and maintenance planners, represented by the Aircraft Technical Support Association (ATSA). The agreement represents $2.25 million in annual labor cost savings for the airline, which is currently reorganizing its business under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The agreement includes a 9.9 percent wage reduction.
Northwest has also reached interim cost-saving agreements with pilots and flight attendants. Northwest is looking to trim a total of $1.4 billion in annual labor cost reductions as part of its reorganization.
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O’Hare Gets Government Cash
Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta has signed a letter of intent to make $337 million available to Chicago O’Hare International Airport for the next 15 years. The funds will help cover the cost of building runways, taxiways and a terminal that are part of the first phase of a plan to expand O’Hare.
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OAG Puts Travel Updates On Verizon Wireless
OAG and Verizon Wireless have teamed up to offer OAG's Key2Travel, a mobile travel application for Verizon Wireless Mobile Web 2.0 customers. The tool enables travelers to receive updates on their flight status, access travel information for their destination and fulfill travel-related services — such as making restaurant reservations and booking a hotel room. The price for Key2Travel is $4.99 per month, in addition to the $5 monthly access for Mobile Web 2.0.
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Oakwood Opens One Property In Tokyo, Plans Another
Oakwood Worldwide has opened the 69-unit Oakwood Apartments Roppongi Central, in Tokyo's Roppongi, an international gathering place for business, leisure and nightlife. The property has a private gym and a business center.
Oakwood also plans to open the Oakwood Premier Tokyo Midtown in March 2007. It will include a business center, fitness center and exclusive lounge for residents. Apartments will have wide-screen home theaters, drench showers and gourmet kitchens.
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Omni's Revamped Site Eases Multiple-room Booking
Omni Hotels has updated its website, enabling users to book up to three rooms in one process and receive separate confirmation numbers for each room. Also, users can see the total price for multiple rooms, including taxes and fees, before booking. Reservations can now be edited online.
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Passkey Integrates With Hotel Management System
Passkey, a provider of online group reservations, has completed an integration with Visual One Systems, a provider of property-management software to hotels. Passkey says the integration enables hotel staff to access accurate attendee and event data.
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Pegasus To Improve Its Online Hotel Images
Pegasus Solutions has entered an agreement with Leonardo Media to improve the quality and quantity of the hotel images in its Online Distribution Database, which is used by online and off-line travel agencies. Pegasus says this is the first step in a property database redesign.
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Peninsula Hotels Changing To Independent Distribution
Peninsula Hotels' global customer service center, launched last April, will be on its own after Dec. 14, when the company finishes its distribution and marketing contract with Leading Hotels of the World. On that day, "PN" will replace "LW" for Peninsula bookings made through the Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan GDSs.
There are seven Peninsula hotels, located in Hong Kong, New York, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Bangkok, Beijing and Manila. An eighth is under construction in Tokyo and due to come into service in 2007. The company's service center staff is multi-lingual, ready to help guests in English, Japanese, Cantonese and Mandarin.
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Portland's Jupiter Boutique Hotel Adds Meeting Space
The Jupiter Hotel, a boutique hotel in Portland, Ore., has added dreamBOX, a separate meetings facility adjacent to its guestrooms and outdoor courtyard. The 1,000-square foot meeting space has natural light and wrap around windows, a floor to ceiling blackboard, custom-built streamlined furniture, blue accent lighting, audiovisual equipment along with wi-fi access, and an array of creative thinking toys. dreamBOX can accommodate groups from 8 to 80.
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Private Air Charters Launches On-demand Shuttle
Private Air Charters, a Fairfax, Va.-based aircraft charter broker and management company, has launched the Private Shared Shuttle, a per-seat, on-demand charter service. Companies sign a six-month contract that reserves between one and 30 seats on routes of their choice. Companies sharing the shuttle must agree to mutually acceptable destinations and times, typically early-morning departures and end-of-business-day returns. Private Air Charters expects the service to be "competitive" with full-fare coach on commercial airlines. Private Shared Shuttle will use 30-seat Dornier 328 jets.
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Puerto Rico Convention Center Opens
The Puerto Rico Convention Center, a $415 million facility in San Juan, has opened. The center, at 580,000 square feet, claims to be the largest facility of its kind in the Caribbean, able to host events for up to 10,000 delegates. More than 70 events already are scheduled to take place between November 2005 and 2008. It is anticipated that the center will generate $300 million per year for Puerto Rico’s local economy.
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Radisson To Provide Complimentary In-room Internet Access
Radisson Hotels & Resorts will begin offering complimentary high-speed Internet access in guest rooms at hotels in the Americas, starting Jan. 1. Radisson says the service will complement another amenity — the ability for guests to print securely from their Internet-enabled device.
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Reagan National Reopens To General Aviation Flights
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) has reopened to general aviation on a limited basis after being closed to that use soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Even now, permission to use the GA facilities at DCA is based on successful completion of several requirements, including background checks and vetting of all passengers and crew; departure from one of 12 approved gateway airports; and the carrying of an armed security officer aboard the aircraft.
The 12 approved gateway airports are Seattle-Tacoma, Washington; Boston Logan; Houston Hobby; White Plains, NY; LaGuardia, New York; Chicago Midway; Minneapolis-St. Paul; West Palm Beach; San Francisco; Teterboro, NJ; Philadelphia; and Lexington, KY. Signature Flight Support, which provides general aviation services at DCA, operates at seven of the 12 designated gateway airports.
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Regus Business Centers Opened To Delta Frequent Flyers
Regus Group, a provider of professional workplaces, has partnered with Delta Air Lines to offer its Crown Room Club members complimentary access to more than 750 business centers in 60 countries. The business centers are located in downtown areas and major suburban business markets in 350 cities worldwide, including numerous headquarters locations. Crown Room members will also have access to private offices, meeting rooms and business services, including administrative support.
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Renaissance Introduces Multi-site Dinner Reservations Service
Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, a Marriott brand, has launched a meeting program designed to save pharmaceutical executives and meeting planners time and money when setting up dinners with medical professionals. A joint effort with EventCom Technologies by Marriott, a division that specializes in multi-site event management, technology and product launch services, the Distinctive Dinner Meetings program allows scheduling of a private dinner at one select property or a series of meetings at more than 70 Renaissance hotels in North America.
Through the dinnermeetings.com online booking tool, professionals can book a dinner meeting through a Dinner Meeting Concierge at each Renaissance property. Dinner meeting packages have been designed to provide fine dining at prices that conform to budgets and pharmaceutical industry guidelines.
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Shangri-La To Manage Hotels In 'Asia's Las Vegas'
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has reached an agreement with developer Venetian Cotai Limited to operate the Shangri-La Hotel, Macau and the Traders Hotel, Macau, both opening in 2008. The properties will be located on the Cotai Strip, a few minutes drive from the airport and 20-minute drive from downtown. Cotai, dubbed "Asia's Las Vegas," is a master planned development of hotel properties, casinos, entertainment attractions, retail, and meetings and conventions facilities, projected to become the world's largest gaming and entertainment center.
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Shangri-La Unveils First Picks For Expansion Into US Markets
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, which is in strategic negotiations for several locations in the United States, already has announced that it will open Shangri-La Hotel Miami, located along Biscayne Bay, in 2008 and the Shangri-La Hotel Chicago in 2009.
The 200-room Chicago hotel will be part of a mixed-use development in the new Waterview Tower beside the Chicago River. It will offer private function rooms and a grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 250 guests. Shangri-La’s management contract for 147-room Miami hotel includes 105 fractional residences that will be located on the top floors of the building. A business center will provide secretarial services, private work stations and a boardroom.
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Signature Adds Another FBO To Expanding Global Network
Signature Flight Support has reached an agreement to purchase the assets of Million Air La Quinta at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM) in Riverside County, California. Closing of the deal, expected to occur yet this month, will bring the Signature network to 66 locations worldwide: 46 in the U.S., 19 in Europe and one in Africa.
Signature has purchased eight new FBOs worldwide over the past 12 months and expects to continue to aggressively grow the network near-term, according to Bruce Van Allen, president and CEO of BBA Aviation Services Group, which is the parent company of Signature Flight Support. The Million Air La Quinta acquisition represents an important strategic addition, he adds. Other recent acquisitions include the former Million Air FBO facilities at Long Beach and Oxnard, Calif.
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Skyjet Offers Discount For On-demand Charter
Throughout 2006, Bombardier Skyjet is offering corporate flight departments a credit equal to 1 percent of the total value of their purchases of on-demand, pay-as-you-go charter services. The credit is redeemable through the year. Participants in the program must register with Skyjet, setting up an account that notes their specific preferences and operator requirements.
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SkyTeam Airlines Expand Lounge Access
SkyTeam carriers Continental, Delta and Northwest have enabled club members of the three airlines to receive expanded access to airport lounges worldwide beginning Dec. 1. Members of the airlines’ airport lounge programs will be able to enter any of the three airlines' global facilities when flying any airline. This expanded access removes all previous restrictions on which club can be visited by members. Admission to any of the lounges is valid for club members and up to two guests, or a spouse and children under 21 years of age.
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St. Regis Opens San Francisco Flagship
Starwood Hotels & Resorts' St. Regis hotel brand has launched its West Coast flagship, the St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco, in a historic building at Third and Mission streets, near the city's financial district and major cultural attractions. The luxury hotel comprises 260 guest rooms, 102 private residences and 12 event rooms and meeting suites. The Muse Boardroom, the hotel's most distinguished meeting suite, features a custom conference table with built-in microphones, ceiling speakers and a 72-inch plasma screen for state of the art presentations.
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Starwood Brings Mixed-Use Westin To Pacific Northwest
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has opened The Westin Bellevue, near Seattle. The luxury facility is the brand's first combined residential-hotel facility in the Pacific Northwest.
The hotel specializes in catering to business and social events of all sizes with a total of 25,510 square feet of elegant function space comprising 18 meeting and breakout rooms, ranging in size from 240 to 7,300-square-feet. All meeting space features Westin's state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment, as well as wireless high-speed Internet access.
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Starwood Closes On Le Meridien Purchase
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has acquired the Le Meridien brand and the related management and franchise businesses for 130 hotels. The $225 million acquisition, which was announced this past spring, significantly increases the company’s footprint in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. It also supports Starwood’s strategic shift from significant real estate ownership to a business model focused on hotel management and franchise fees.
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Starwood Opens In El Salvador; Readies Resort In Ireland
Starwood has opened its first property in El Salvador, the Sheraton Presidente San Salvador. The hotel has 220 guest rooms and 11 meeting rooms totaling more than 12,000 square feet. In spring 2006, Starwood plans to open a property on the southern Irish coast, the Sheraton Fota Island Golf Resort & Spa, Cork. The hotel is less than six miles from Cork City. Nearby corporate business parks house international companies such as Motorola, Black & Decker, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
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Starwood Sells Philly's Westin; Other Hotels Recover From Wilma
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has completed the sale of the 290-room Westin Philadelphia to HEI Hospitality for $89 million. The hotel will continue to fly the Westin flag under a long-term franchise agreement with Merritt Hospitality, a wholly owned subsidiary of HEI Hospitality.
Proceeds from the sale begins Starwood's recently announced plan to sell between $2 billion and $4 billion in assets over the next 12 months beyond the $500 million that was already sold this year. The Company expects to use proceeds for share repurchase and general corporate purposes.
Starwood has reopened the Sheraton Yankee Clipper, located in Fort Lauderdale, bringing all 14 of its South Florida hotels back into service within 10 days of Hurricane Wilma hitting the state's shores. Of the Clipper's 501 rooms, 115 will be unavailable until repairs of hurricane damage are completed.
Repairs of damage from Hurricane Wilma to The Sheraton Cancun Resort and Towers and The Westin Regina Resort, both in the Cancun resort area, are underway. Those facilities are scheduled to reopen on Dec. 20.
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Starwood To Sell 38 Hotels To Host Marriott
The Host Marriott real estate investment trust (REIT) has agreed to purchase 38 properties from Starwood Hotels & Resorts for approximately $4.1 billion. As part of the deal, Starwood will continue to manage the properties under their current flags for up to 40 years. Host is acquiring 20 Sheratons, 13 Westins, two Ws, one St. Regis, one Luxury Collection and one non-branded hotel.
In a separate deal, Starwood has sold the Westin Philadelphia to HEI Hospitality for $89 million.
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SYNERGI Adds Australia To Growing Global Network
SYNERGI Inc. has named Sydney Express Travel as its exclusive representative in Australia. The corporate travel specialist will provide SYNERGI’s multi-national clients with national coverage through additional offices in Melbourne and Brisbane. It will expand to other key business centers as customer requirements arise. Sydney Express will implement a phased re-branding to SYNERGI in the coming months.
The SYNERGI Global Travel Management brand has been represented in the Australian market place for more than 10 years. SYNERGI has also recently signed a significant number of new partners in EMEA, including Finland, Norway, Sweden, Kenya and most recently Nigeria. In addition, The Netherlands' Business + Travel Group has become the exclusive SYNERGI Partner in that country.
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Thrifty Reaches To Small Business Though Sam's Club
Thrifty Car Rental has announced that it will partner with Sam's Club to provide flat-fee car rental rates to small businesses in the U.S. and Canada that do not qualify for large-volume car rental contracts. Benefits for Sam's Club Business Members include absence of a financial commitment, no charge for additional drivers, free mileage in the renting and contiguous states, and online reservations.
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Travel & Transport Relocates, Expands Fargo Office
Travel and Transport has relocated its Fargo, ND, office into larger facilities that will accommodate an expanded reservation center, providing the latest in web based applications, voice over IP technology and highly experienced travel reservation specialists plus after-hours emergency services.
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Travel Inc., Independence Air Sign On As UATP Merchants
Travel Incorporated, a travel management company based in Duluth, Ga., and Independence Air have both begun accepting the Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP) card as a form of payment.
Travel Inc. will settle UATP transactions through UATP Settlement Services, a low-cost, weekly settlement system. Independence says being a UATP merchant will enable it to expand its presence in the corporate sector.
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Travel and Transport Opens In Houston
Travel and Transport has opened an office in Houston, equipped with a state-of-the-art reservation center, and able to provide clients with web based applications, voIP technology and highly experienced reservation specialists. Nancy Rissky is general manager of the office.
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TravelPost Site Offers Reviews By Hotel Guests
TravelPost, an interactive web site where travelers can exchange information about their experiences, has been launched by its developers with more than 170,000 hotel reviews already in its database. The site delivers a set of comprehensive, consistent, and easy-to-use hotel reviews with a unique filtering feature that allows users to segment reviews according to the demographics of the reviewer, including age, gender, purpose of stay and travel budget.
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Travelocity Expands Packaging Ability For Booking Small Groups
Travelocity has added new booking options and tools to its redesigned Total Trip travel packaging engines. The enhancements include allowing customers to book up to four rooms in a single hotel when planning trips for smaller groups, including mixing and matching individual room preferences.
Travelocity has also introduced an intuitive calculator, which allows consumers to consider the amount they save when purchasing their flight and hotel together in a dynamic package versus individually. Activities, car rentals and trip insurance can be added to the package.
Travelocity Business has negotiated corporate rates with Hyatt Hotels. It already has similar deals with Utell, Best Western and Kimpton. Hyatt will provide specially-negotiated corporate deals to Travelocity Business customers that include amenities specific to business travelers, including more flexibility in booking and cancellation as well as in-hotel amenities such as wireless Internet.
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United Offers Its Own Version Of Online Travel Management
United Airlines and Cendant Travel Distribution Services have launched United GoBusiness, a travel management program and web site for mid-size companies. With it, travel managers can design their own travel policy and track its effectiveness. UnitedGoBusiness.com uses the core technology platform of Cendant’s Orbitz.
United says the site will offer exclusive, guaranteed discounts on published fares. There will be no booking fees on domestic United, United Express and Ted bookings nor for most United international bookings.
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United To Hire Flight Attendants
For the first time in four years, United Airlines is hiring flight attendants — 2,000 of them. The airline plans to start training the new-hires in early 2006.
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US Airways Announces $25 Same-day Change Fee
US Airways is reducing its fee for confirmed changes to same-day travel.
Using the airline's Move Up program, customers can select a standby flight departing any time earlier on the same day, and if space is available, a confirmed seat assignment will be provided for only $25 on domestic flights, excluding Hawaii. Changes to international flights, excluding Europe, will cost $50. If space is not available, customers may still be placed on the standby list, for no fee at all.
Customers traveling with refundable tickets can take advantage of the program at no cost.
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Vietnam Airlines, American Seek Codeshare
American Airlines has applied to the Department of Transportation for authorization to begin code sharing with Vietnam Airlines in early 2006. Initially, Vietnam would place its code on American flights from the U.S. to Tokyo, Osaka, Paris and Frankfurt, with connecting flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In later phases, American would place its code on Vietnam flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Tokyo, Osaka, Paris and Frankfurt.
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Vision Hotels Expands Parisian Listings
The Vision Hotel Group announces the signing of Hotel le Bristol in Paris, adding another Palace Hotel to the prestigious group of selected Conference & Incentive Hotels. The Bristol has five dedicated conference and banqueting rooms, able to hold up to 80 people. Combine this with 164 rooms and suites and you have a hotel which is ready to host your conference or incentive.
Hotels are added to the Vision Group upon the affirming vote of its agents, who are all professional conference and events organizers. More than 20 hotels are now in the Vision portfolio. Others include Le Royal Parc Evian, Hotel Royal Riviera, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Hotel Metropole Monte Carlo, Le Martinez in Cannes, and Hotel le Royal Monceau in Paris.
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Worldspan Adopts ATPCO Solution To Cut Debit Memos
Worldspan has implemented the service fees solution from the Airline Tariff Publishing Co. (ATPCO), which automates and standardizes the filing, distribution and pricing of airline fuel and insurance fees. Now, Worldspan says, it is able to guarantee all automatically-priced fares through its GDS at the time tickets are issued.
The solution enables Worldspan to eliminate a mistake-prone manual filing process — Worldspan says carriers' intended charges did not always match the charge on the ticket, resulting in the issuance of debit memos to travel agencies or corporate travel departments.
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XJet Plans Luxury Facility In Denver
XJet Club, LLC –- a membership plan for private jet owners – has broken ground for a 100,000 square foot luxury jet facility at Centennial Airport, south of Denver. Construction on the 13-acre site is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2006. The facilities will include three 25,000 square foot hangars, office suites and conference rooms.
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