American Launches In-flight Wi-Fi Service On 767-200s
American Airlines has launched in-flight mobile broadband service, Gogo™ by Aircell®, on its Boeing 767-200 aircraft flying nonstop flights between New York and San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, and New York and Miami. Gogo will be available to customers as a fee-based service in all cabins for $12.95, payable by credit card. The Aircell technology will be trialed on AA's 15 Boeing 767-200s for three to six months.
Once the aircraft has reached 10,000 feet, users can simply turn on their Wi-Fi enabled devices such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs, open their browsers and be directed to the Gogo portal page where they sign up and begin surfing. Each paid Gogo session includes full Internet access, enabling passengers to surf the web, check e-mail, instant message and access a corporate VPN. Cell phone and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services are not available.
Amtrak Considers Adding Service In Oklahoma & Texas
With its Heartland Flyer service between Oklahoma city and Fort Worth showing marked increases in ridership, Amtrak officials say the departments of transportation in both states are considering adding service to Tulsa and between Austin and San Antonio as well.
Attributing the current increases to avoidance of the high cost of driving, Amtrak says ridership on its daily Heartland trains on the 206-mile route between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth was up 17 percent for the 10 months. Amtrak operates the Heartland Flyer (Trains 821 & 822) under contracts with the Oklahoma and Texas state transportation departments. These are two of the 14 states for which Amtrak operates service that supplements the national network of Amtrak trains.
ANA Seeks Price Increases For NA Operations In 4th Quarter
ANA Group has applied to the Japanese government for permission to raise normal fares for travel to and from Japan, effective October 1, and to raise its fuel surcharge on international flights in the fourth quarter.
If approved, the changes will increase all types of ANA fares from Japan to North America (including Hawaii) by 10 percent; and those between Japan and destinations in Southeast Asia, India, China, Korea, Guam, the Middle East and Africa, by 5 percent. For example, weekday flights between Los Angeles and Tokyo (now $7, 643, according to the airline) would become $8,407.
If allowed, the fuel charge increase would be approved for only three months and would be $312 for flights to North America (to $208 for flights to Hawaii) and would be rescinded if the three-month average price for Singapore kerosene falls below $60 per barrel
ARC Adds Two African Airlines To Service Roster
Air Burkina, based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (formerly known as Upper Volta in West Africa), and Precision Air, headquartered in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, have joined the Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC) as participating carriers.
Air Burkina operates scheduled flights between Paris Orly Airport (ORY), Ouagadougou (OUA), Niamey, Cotonou (COO), Dakar (DKR), Lome (LFW), Bobo Dioulasso (BOY), Bamako (BKO), Accra (ACC) and Abidjan (ABJ). It is displayed on all four major GDSs: Amadeus, Galileo Sabre and Worldspan.
Precision Air operates domestic scheduled flights between Dar-es-Salaam (home of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti Game Park and the Ngorogoro Crater) and Mwanza; Arusha; Musoma; Shinyanga, and Kigoma. It plans to offer add international destinations in the near future, including Johannesburg in South Africa, Luanda in Angola, and Lubumbashi in Congo (DRC).
Avis Survey Quantifies Time Lost On The Road
Avis Rent A Car System's annual study of business travel delays shows that business travelers are using the company's GPS navigation device to cut the time they lose by getting lost when they're walking as well as when they're driving. Drivers were lost 10 percent less this year than last. But the study also found that one in five renters are getting lost while walking around, and that 28 percent more women drivers get lost than men.
The survey also revealed that an average of:
* 24.3 minutes are lost at high, bridge and tunnel tolls.
* 43.3 minutes, getting lost while driving.
* 33.6 minutes, getting lost while walking.
* 71.9 minutes, sitting in traffic.
Best Western Turns Virtual Fam Trip Into A Game
Best Western International has launched "Taking Care of Business," a new online game that will allow business travelers across North America to take virtual tours of Best Western guest rooms and win instant prizes. Now through September 18, individuals can go online and explore a virtual Best Western guest room's features and amenities, as well as its locations around the world and its loyalty program. Prizes in the game include free room nights, gas for a year, airline miles, a wardrobe makeover and a seven-day vacation for four.
Davidson Adds 2 Florida Hotels To Management Portfolio
Davidson Hotel Company has signed to manage two additional Florida hotels, the 341-room Sheraton Orlando-Downtown Hotel and the 332-room Miami Mart Airport Hotel. The properties are owned by CF Hospitality and SF Hotels, both privately-held Florida companies.
The 12-story Miami Mart Airport Hotel adjoins the Miami International Merchandise Mart and is within minutes of such area attractions as South Beach, Bayside Marketplace, The Venetian Pool, The Biltmore, Biscayne National Park, and family-themed locales like Jungle Island, Miami Metrozoo, and Monkey Jungle. The 15-story Sheraton Orlando-Downtown Hotel is near Lake Ivanhoe and near such local attractions as Universal Studios and Disney-themed parks, as well as corporate offices for Wachovia, BellSouth and SunTrust.
Delta, American & Continental Waive Baggage Fees For Military Personnel
Delta, American and Continental airlines have all waived excess baggage fees for active military personnel. Delta says its waivers apply to baggage quantity, weight and size, allowing active servicemen and women to travel with optimum flexibility. American and Continental are extending their waivers of checked bag fees for active and veteran US military personnel to the third bag after learning that the military reimbursement process was creating a hardship, especially for soldiers traveling to war zones. The airlines had already waived fees for first and second checked bags.
“We always understood that soldiers traveling on duty were reimbursed by the military for the fees on required excess baggage. However, after recently hearing of the burden the military reimbursement process put on soldiers traveling to war zones, the choice for us to forgo payment for a third checked bag from the Department of Defense was clear,” says Tom Del Valle, American's senior vice president for airport services.
Denver CVB Site Adds Carbon Calculator For Meeting Planners
The Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) web site has unveiled a carbon calculator and offset program to help event planners green their meetings and events. The site allows individuals or groups to measure their carbon footprint using an online carbon calculator, and then offers the option to purchase carbon offsets to support new, verifiable, greenhouse gas reduction projects in Colorado which deliver both environmental and social benefits.
According to Richard Scharf, president & CEO of the Denver Metro CVB,
one in three meeting planners have been told by their delegates to only meet in green destinations. The same study found Denver to be one of the top three greenest cities, he adds.
Embassy Suites Pipeline Looks To 300-hotel Goal For 2010
Saying it is experiencing its strongest development pipeline in its history, Embassy Suites Hotels has announced that it expects to open 62 new franchised hotels within the next three years. Many will feature the company's Design Option III prototype, with emphasizes efficient use of land and lower construction costs.
With 192 hotels already in operation, "we are well on our way to exceeding our goal of 300 hotels open, under construction or in the pipeline by 2010," says Jim Holthouser, senior vice president of brand development.
Development is being fuels through a combination of new builds, conversions, adaptive reuse, and mixed use properties. While focusing on downtown and urban locations domestically, Embassy Suites is also expanding its growth in Latin America. In the next three years, the brand has scheduled openings in Valencia, Venezuela; San Jose, Costa Rica; Tijuana, Mexico; and Panama City, Panama. Urban, downtown locations in primary markets include Denver, CO; New Orleans, LA; Memphis, TN; Houston, TX; St. Louis, MO; and Miami, FL. Airport locations will also be a major focus, in both secondary and tertiary markets, including: Columbus, OH; Jacksonville, FL; Tucson, AZ; and Indianapolis, IN.
FCm Sees Latin America, Ireland & Russia As Hospitality Hot Spots In '09
FCm Travel Solutions is concentrating on adding new hotel partners in Latin America, Ireland and Russia for its 2009 global hotel program, all identified as key markets for growing corporate demand. Nevertheless, says Joe McCormack, general manager of the program, “the main growth areas continue to be USA, the Middle East, India, China and South America.”
His assessment of the new focus markets noted strong demand over the past 18 months in Latin America and the Caribbean; Ireland's growing economy and Moscow's global record highs for room rates. McCormack also indicates that FCm is aiming to expand its hotel partner portfolio not only in terms of size, but also in the blend of hotel product: "In light of the growing corporate interest in boutique properties, we're looking to partner with individual, stand alone hotels just as much as the larger chains.
Frontier Changing Mileage Program To Offset Fuel Costs
Frontier Airlines is changing setting new redemption levels and fee structures in it EarlyReturns mileage program, as part of its campaign to balance fuel costs. The changes, effective September 15, are being detailed in e-mails to EarlyReturns members this week.
Starting September 15, Frontier will add a $25 non-refundable redemption fee per ticket on EarlyReturns award tickets. Award tickets purchased within 14 days of travel will be charged a $75 non-refundable expedite fee per ticket. Both fees will be waived for EarlyReturns Summit members. The $75 expedite fee will also be waived for PLUS redemptions (Ascent & Summit elite members only) and all redemptions booked via Weekend Web Fares. Additionally, any award ticket changes or cancellations resulting in a redeposit of miles will be subject to a $75 change fee. This change fee is also waived for Summit members.
Also, the mileage redemption level for a domestic roundtrip ticket will be increasing from 15,000 to 20,000 miles. All other mileage redemption levels will increase by 5,000 to 10,000 miles. In advance of the fee and mileage redemption changes, Frontier is launching a sale on EarlyReturns miles via the "Buy Miles" tool on its web site.
General Dynamics Buys Jet Aviation, Eyes Global Flight Support Service
Zurich-based Jet Aviation has agreed to be acquired by General Dynamics, based in Falls Church, VA. The acquisition will expand the purchasing company's aviation operations into global flight-support services. The deal is subject to normal antitrust clearance and is expected to be closed by the end of 2008.
Following completion of the acquisition, the company will be a new business unit within the General Dynamics Aerospace group, operating under the Jet Aviation and Midcoast Aviation brands. Jet Aviation will continue to operate and be managed in its current configuration and structure as an independent business unit in the General Dynamics Group.
Names In The News 8-21-08 Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) has added hospitality industry veteran Mary Kreins to its Mid-Atlantic regional sales team as a director of sales. She joins ALHI from Marriott International, where she served as director of national accounts for 20 years.
Benchmark Hospitality International has appointed Charles Reece as general manager for the Eaglewood Resort & Spa in Itasca, IL. Reece was previously the vice president hotel operations at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. His prior locations included positions at the Hilton Harrisburg, the Hershey Philadelphia Hotel, and the Vista International hotels in Kansas City and New York.
JetBlue Airways has elected Stephan Gemkow, CFO of Deutsche Lufthansa, to its board of directors. Gemkow is the second director nominated to the JetBlue board by Lufthansa in connection with the German airline's investment in the US airline.
Kayak.com has appointed Faisal Galaria to the role of managing director for Europe and Asia. Galaria brings with him extensive international business and corporate development experience, acquired within entertainment, technology and telecommunications markets with high-profile companies such as Skype, FON and Jaman. His experience in international business development is expected to help the company gain market share in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and India.
Lodgian Inc. has elected John W. Allison, founder and chairman of Home BancShares, to its board of directors. Lodgian owns and manages a portfolio of 43 hotels with 7,921 rooms located in 23 states and Canada.
NYLO Hotels has named Charles (Chick) Armstrong to head up its franchise development, with the title of senior vice president. In his new role, Armstrong (a 15-year industry veteran) will oversee the expansion of the NYLO full-service and select-service brands across the United States and Canada. The company has an aggressive growth plan of 50 properties opened or under construction by early 2011.
The Palace at Somerset Park (New Jersey) has named Richard Cimilluca director of sales & marketing, responsible for growing both corporate and social business at The Palace. Cimilluca was previously opening director of sales & marketing for The Heldrich, the luxury hotel and conference center located in downtown New Brunswick, New Jersey,
The Warwick Melrose Hotel in Dallas has named Edward Hahn III its new business travel sales manager, succeeding Young Yoon, who has been promoted to the position of director of operations for the hotel. Before moving to the Warwick Melrose Dallas, Hahn spent four years as business travel sales manager for the Radisson Hotel Central in Dallas.
Wyndham Hotel Group International has appointed Andrew Dufty as vice president of international marketing, responsible for developing and executing marketing plans in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific region including brand initiatives, advertising campaigns and promotions outside of North America. He is based in London.
Oriens Unveils Green-certified Hotel Brand
Oriens Travel & Hotel Management Corp. has extended it Hotel PURE line with a new brand, called Hotel PURE GREEN, in recognition of growing awareness of the living environment and air quality. The change is being led by hotels in Costa Rica and Central America that are already green certified.
PASS Offers Modular Application To Integrate, Consolidate GDS Functions
PASS Consulting says it is pioneering use of the second generation of virtual travel organizer (VTO), a new modular booking application that allows companies to adapt technologies, content and suppliers' inventories to their own requirements. Offered as Travel World from PASS Consulting, the new capability exists in a package of three products:
* The PASS XX/1 platform, which that integrates all source systems (GDS, direct connections, proprietary databases) and makes them available via a single interface.
* The PASS Virtual Travel Organizer (VTO 2ndG), a modular booking application for agencies and service providers that builds on PASS XX/1.
* PASS IBE, a ready-to-use online booking system that travel agencies can quickly and easily integrate in their own web sites.
The PASS XX/1 offers a single point of entry for all global distribution systems, making it easier to change content and adapt to new interfaces as the GDSs themselves grow and develop. It is able to simultaneously integrate direct providers, low-cost airlines, and proprietary product databases such as hotel information. During this process, PASS XX/1 compiles information and puts it into the easy-to-use XML data exchange format.
For agencies, it optimizes both the number of required GDS user accounts and the number of GDS transactions subject to fees as well as bundling segment bookings. For corporate purchasing departments, system can be used to implement quality control for their travel procurement.
Travelport Now Automating Apollo Exchanges On International Itineraries
Travelport has announced that its Rapid Reprice® technology is now powering Apollo Automated Refunds and Exchanges (ARNE). ARNE subscriber agencies in the US can now submit international itineraries for automated exchanges, along with the domestic itineraries that have been supported since ARNE was released in August 2005.
ARNE quotations are guaranteed and customers are protected from any debit memo liability. Exchanges and refunds are electronically reported to ARC and are in compliance with ARC data reporting regulations.
TWIN Travel Management Adds Eight Israeli Agencies To Network
The TWIN (TRAVELSAVERS Worldwide Independent Network) global travel management company has signed eight Israeli-based agencies as members in a strategic expansion that increases its in-country representation in the Middle East. The eight agencies are Hadani Rehovot, Hadasim Travel, Hillel Tours, Kikar Hayahalom, Shaked Tours, Sorrento, Star Tours and Zion Tours.
UATP Facilitates Use Of Debit Cards For Online Airline Purchases
Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP) has partnered with Acculynk to enable the use of PIN debit cards for online purchases, integrated directly into the airline checkout and requiring no consumer enrollment or redirection. When consumers arrive at the online airline checkout, they are given the option to pay for their purchase with PIN debit. Consumers enter their card number and associated information as they normally would, but the PIN is entered on Acculynk's graphical, scrambling PIN-pad. The PIN is encrypted, never passes through the airline checkout, and is processed securely, along with the card information, across existing payment channels.
Internet PIN Debit provides airlines reduced interchange fees and charge-backs, guaranteed funds with 1-2 day settlement, and new transactions from security-conscious consumers and those that cannot use their debit card without a PIN.
Wyndham Signs Pact For Nine Ramada & Days Inn Hotels In Japan
Wyndham Hotel Group has signed a non-exclusive agreement with Green Hospitality Management Co. LTD of Tokyo to open nine hotels in Japan during the next five years under the Ramada® and Days Inn® lodging brands. The agreement would quadruple Wyndham's presence in Japan.
Green Hospitality Management is a subsidiary of the Green House Co. Ltd., whose businesses include contract food service, the operation of 500 Japanese and Chinese specialty restaurants and the management of 14 hotels.
The company currently franchises three hotels in Japan: the Ramada Sapporo, Ramada Osaka and Ramada Kansai International Airport, south of Osaka. Toru Nakadate, Green Hospitality Management president and CEO, says his company selected the Ramada and Days Inn brands based on their proven and anticipated ability to perform in Japan and recognition among international travelers.
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