THIS
WEEK'S HEADLINES
Continental
follows United, matching American's
distribution fee
July 19, 2006 - Continental joined
United in matching the $3.50 per-segment
fee initiated by American for agents
who use non-preferred booking channels
beginning Sept. 1, and took the
additional step of putting agents
on notice that it definitely will
not maintain “full content”
in those non-preferred systems.
(source: travelweekly.com - free
registration required)
The management of TSG would like
to reassure our valued clients that
these new GDS distribution fees
imposed by the airlines will not
impact our services or fees to our
clients at this time.
Savvy
Consumer: Booking Frequent Flier
Flights
Air travel has bounced back big
time since 9/11, so there aren't
as many empty seats that airlines
can offer to frequent fliers. Some
airlines require travelers to cash
in more miles to get a ticket. Others
have eliminated business class seats,
so it's harder to use miles for
upgrades.
Marriott
Stubs Out Cigarettes
July 19, 2006 - The multi-branded
lodging company is eliminating smoking
from its more than 2,300 hotels
and its 400,000 guestrooms. Highly
anticipated, the expected move takes
effect in September and will affect
Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton,
Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence
Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield
Inn, TownePlace Suites and Marriott
ExecuStay brands.
Taxes
Comprise 16% Of Typical Airfare
July 17, 2006 - Ask airline executives
how much taxes and fees eat into
the price of a domestic roundtrip
and they likely will tell you that
they hover around 26 percent per
ticket. It's no surprise, then,
that taxes often follow fuel as
the biggest gripe expressed by domestic
carriers.
Buyers
Face Further Hikes In '07 Hotel
Rate Season
July 17, 2006 - Corporate travel
managers reluctantly are accepting
the inevitability of another round
of room rate increases in the upcoming
negotiating season. Many suppliers
contend favorable market conditions
affords them leeway to raise rates.
Most
See Rise In Meeting Spend: Higher
Prices, More Meetings Push Corporate
Expenses
July 17, 2006 - Despite record increases
in hotel rates, an air industry
that has little to gain in negotiating
group business and an overall focus
on making corporations economically
lean and mean, a new exclusive Meetings
Monitor survey of 220 corporate
meeting buyers showed that many
companies have increased the number
of meetings and events held over
the past six months versus the second
half of 2005.
EU
bill would force airlines to advertise
taxes and fees
July 18, 2006 - The European Commission
on Tuesday proposed legislation
that would force airlines to advertise
fares inclusive of all taxes, charges
and fees, sparing travelers the
shock of hidden costs when it is
time to pay.
Airline
battle moves from coach to business
class
July 17, 2006 - U.S. airlines are
shifting their battle for customers
from coach to business class. Example:
American Airlines is revamping the
business-class sections on its long-haul
jets, adding lie-flat seats and
individual entertainment centers
to better compete with carriers
that already offer similar creature
comforts.
Business
travel briefing: July marks the
dog days
July 17, 2006 - Stormy summer weather,
too many scheduled flights and cut-to-the-bone
staffing levels have created a toxic
stew of last-minute cancellations
at the end of the month. |
