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WEEK'S HEADLINES
AAA
forecasts majority of travelers
will take road trips for Memorial
Day weekend
May 17, 2006 - The number of people
traveling this Memorial Day weekend
will rise by the smallest amount
in four years as a 34% rise in gasoline
pump prices takes a toll on pocket
books, AAA said Thursday. Details
. . .
Association
of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE)
Flags Registered Traveler Concerns
May 15, 2006 - Addressing ACTE concerns
that red flags could be raised if
employees are denied Registered
Traveler status, Verified Identity
Pass CEO Steven Brill last week
during a keynote at the ACTE conference
in Atlanta said his company would
ensure corporate travel buyers and
their companies would not be notified
of rejected applications. ACTE officials
said privacy concerns about Registered
Traveler programs are increasingly
on the radar of travel managers,
yet president Greeley Koch said
ACTE will strongly support a program
if it delivers on its promise to
speed travelers through airport
security checkpoints. Details
. . .
Travel
costs are rising, but there are
ways to save a few bucks
May 18, 2006 - The cost of travel
has been going up all year and that
is making it difficult — but
not impossible — to find summertime
bargains.
The U.S. travel industry is enjoying
greater pricing power in large part
because it has succeeded in minimizing
the supply of airline seats, hotel
rooms and rental cars at a time
when demand for these services is
rising. Fliers are also paying more
as airlines pass along their soaring
jet-fuel expenses. Details
. . .
Japan
to fingerprint and photograph foreign
visitors
May 17, 2006 - Japan's parliament
narrowly approved Wednesday a bill
to follow the United States in fingerprinting
and photographing foreign visitors,
despite concern the security measures
violated privacy. Details
. . .
Senate
to extend deadline for border IDs
May 17, 2006 - The Senate voted
Wednesday to delay for 17 months
a requirement that Americans re-entering
the United States after cruises
or short visits to Canada and Mexico
show passports or high-tech identification
cards. Details
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| ALSO IN
THE NEWS . . . |
Airlines
& Airports |
| US
Airways Airline Reduces Contracts, But Denies
Foregoing All Corporate Negotiations
May 15, 2006 - US Airways is significantly reducing
the number of contracts offered to corporations
and has made deep cuts to its salesforce.
Southwest
Airlines considering assigning seats
May 18, 2006 - The days of first-come, first-served
seating on Southwest Airlines planes could be
nearing an end.
JetBlue,
Alaska Air Lead Share Price Rally
May 15, 2006 - Shares of JetBlue Airways and Alaska
Air Group led a rally in US airline stocks on
Monday following a drop in the price of oil.
Delta,
Galileo Sign Seven-Year Content Deal
May 17, 2006 - Cendant-owned Galileo and Delta
Air Lines announced a seven-year full-content
agreement, giving the global distribution system
access to all of the carrier's published fares
and inventory.
Continental
Raises Fares To Offset Fuel Costs
May 17, 2006 - Continental Airlines on Wednesday
raised domestic fares by USD$2 each way to offset
the rising cost of jet fuel. |
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| Rail
/ Hotels / Cars / Cruises |
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Empire
Tests Dynamic Chauffeured Car Rate Loading
May 15, 2006 - Chauffeured car transportation
provider Empire CLS last week began testing a
dynamic rate-loading tool that links its desktop
reservation platform with the company's internal
rate engine.
Dollar
Rent A Car Launches Rebate, Loyalty Program
May 15, 2006 - Dollar Rent A Car has introduced
a new corporate car rental program that provides
rebates to businesses with at least $1,000 in
annual rental car spend through proper channels
in the company.
Waves
of fun at roadside hotels
May 17, 2006 - More than 50 hotels nationwide
now offer elaborate water-play areas with wave
pools, water slides, inner-tube rides, lazy rivers
and more — usually indoors so they can stay
open year-round.
Hotels
check out more satisfied customers, but fliers
unhappier
May 15, 2006 - Customer satisfaction is rising
to a record level at hotels but sinking among
airline passengers to its lowest point since the
September 2001 terrorist attacks, according to
the latest American Customer Satisfaction index
released Tuesday by the University of Michigan.
Reward
Hotel Nights Trumping Air Miles
May 15, 2006 - The progression in value of hotel
loyalty programs has prompted a growing number
of members to redeem points for hotel stays rather
than transfer their points to miles toward free
airline tickets. Escalating room rates—resulting
in hotel costs higher than some airfares—also
have spurred the trend.
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Other
Industry Related News |
Airline
role reversal - Low-cost carriers
(LCCs) are now competing head to head with the
likes of American, Delta, and United on their
bread-and-butter business routes.
May 15, 2006 - Things had definitely changed since
my last visit to New York's La Guardia Airport.
The quintessential business airport was always
dominated by airlines with names synonymous with
business travel – American and United Airlines
with hourly service to Chicago; Delta and US Airways
with more than 30 shuttle flights per day to Boston
and Washington.
But a quick glance out the window confirmed something
was different this time around. A few United and
US Airways tails dotted the picture, but my view
was filled with many new logos I'd never seen
before in this airport: AirTran, ATA, Canjet,
Frontier, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines planes
flitted across the tarmac. Discount airlines had
arrived en masse.
Stand
By for Crowded Planes Over Summer
May 16, 2006 - Heading off for a two-week business
trip, Gary Hacker made it aboard his 4 p.m. flight
to Chicago -- but his 50-pound Samsonite suitcase
wasn't as lucky.
Travel
Buyers Consider Green Policy
May 15, 2006 - Some travel buyers at U.S.-based
companies are investigating the environmental
impact of their corporations' travel and assessing
the eco-friendliness of their suppliers' operations.
TSA
issues new cargo security rules
May 18, 2006 - The Transportation Security Administration
has issued new air cargo rules that will affected
Honolulu International, America's 16th busiest
cargo airport.
Europe's
Card Fees Eyed
May 15, 2006 - The imminent merger of several
European countries into a single domestic market
could bring higher credit card fees to the area.
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