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Seeking to avoid a delay in passport processing similar to that of last summer, the State Department announced that it will beef up its capabilities. "In anticipation of another year of record passport demand, the Department of State has ramped up our production capability so that we can provide Americans with travel documents in a prompt and reliable way," said Steve Royster, a representative of the department. "We've hired hundreds of new employees, we're opening new facilities and streamlining our production."
Clear security lanes have opened in Oakland
International Airport, the third and final Bay Area airport to take
part in the Registered Traveler program.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and the
Department of Transportation (DOT) are addressing weather
delays, and that of flight delays in general, with a two-pronged
attack. The first aspect of it is to open up alternative routes in
the sky to avoid extreme weather, including a thunderstorm “escape
route” into Canada from the New York metropolitan area, and a second
west-bound route. They have also drafted a proposal to open up a
small number of slots at LaGuardia Airport, one of the nation’s most
plagued by delays.
Recognizing a less-than-stellar launch of the highly anticipated Terminal 5 at London Heathrow, the British Aviation Authority (BAA) and British Airways have announced that the airline’s long-haul services will remain in Terminal 4 until June. China has tightened its visa policies for security reasons related to the upcoming Olympics, which will make the trip more difficult for business travelers. Companies must now provide proof of airline tickets, hotel reservations, contact information and some travelers will be required to interview at the consulate. The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) issued a warning to its members worldwide – and to all business travelers – to limit proprietary information on laptop computers when crossing U.S. borders, and to eliminate any personal data, including photographs, finances and email that you do not want examined by Border Protection authorities. The warning follows a decision by a federal appeals court on 21 April 2008 giving customs officials the unfettered authority to examine, copy, and seize travelers' laptops – without reasonable suspicion.
ACTE advises business travelers against carrying any confidential, personal information that you do not want examined by third parties on your computer – or other electronic devices. This includes financial data, photographs, and email stored on computers, wireless phones, Blackberries, or iPod-type devices. They should also limit the amount of proprietary business information you carry on your computer, and that it be transmitted before crossing the border so you have access to it in the event your unit is seized. And, if laptop also serves as your major home computer, get another one for travel purposes. For more information, visit www.acte.org/laptop_seizures.php.
Officials say the open skies agreement between the U.S. and Australia will eliminate restrictions and result in lower fares on air travel between the two nations. "Its aim is to make it easier and cheaper for even more people to make the air journey across the Pacific to add more strands to our ties," said Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
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Airlines are no longer required to accept travelers who purchased tickets on carriers that have stopped operating. Congress did not renew a law protecting travelers if an airline fails.
A new trend is afoot in economy-class travel, and
it doesn’t bode well for heavy packers. Earlier this year,
United Airlines declared a new policy that would charge $25 for a
second piece of checked luggage on all flights within the U.S. and
to and from Canada, San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. Following
suit this week was Continental Airlines, which introduced an
identical service fee for second checked bags at the same price and
effective on the same date: May 5, 2008. US Airways Chief Executive Doug Parker said mergers would be good for airline employees, customers and communities serviced by carriers. He did not refute reports that the airline has discussed a merger with United Airlines and has repeatedly said that US Airways will remain active on the merger front. Executives at Continental Airlines and United Airlines also said they will consider merging with other airlines. Barry Fukunaga, chief of staff for Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle and a former director of the state's Department of Transportation, will testify at a Senate committee hearing about the state's air service, which has taken a major hit in the past couple of weeks with the closure of ATA Airlines and Aloha Airlines. Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines announced that they will combine forces to create the world's largest airline to be based in Atlanta and to be called Delta.
More airline passengers complained about their
flights in 2007, according to an annual survey of airline
quality. Complaints rose 60% as more flights were late and carriers
bumped more travelers.
AirTran Airways will now triple A+ Rewards credits on all of its flights in and out of Milwaukee, WI to celebrate its new service in the city. The carrier currently operates flights to and from Milwaukee and Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Phoenix, AZ; San Francisco, CA; Washington, D.C. and more. This promotion applies to flights taken between May 6 and September 5, 2008.
American Eagle® just introduced its latest
nonstop to Mexico from Dallas/Fort Worth – Tampico. This leading
port city is at the center of the country’s oil-refining industry,
and also offers historic and cultural experiences such as the
spectacular Puente Tampico (Tampico Bridge) crossing to Veracruz
state.
Soaring fuel prices and the weakening U.S. economy
may mean that travelers will face higher fares. Airlines are looking
for ways to offset the cost of fuel and are now charging for
services, such as checking a second bag, that were once included in
the price of a ticket.
Aer Lingus and United Airlines announced a
code-sharing partnership Tuesday that will allow customers to book
flights using each other's reservation networks. Avianca will begin service connecting Washington, D.C. to the Colombian capital Bogota with five weekly flights commencing on June 13, 2008. The flight to Avianca’s hub will allow for easy connections throughout Latin America. Fly to the Indian destinations of Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Delhi or Mumbai with Cathay Pacific, and earn 15,000 bonus Asia Miles in first- and business-class and 10,000 bonus Asia Miles in economy class. The oneworld member now has eight daily flights to Hong Kong from the U.S. with connections to India, with the Chennai service scheduled to begin on June 2, 2008. Round-trip travel must be completed before June 15, 2008 to redeem the bonus miles, but there is no limit to the number of Bonus Asia Miles a member can earn during this promotion period. For more information.
Delta Air Lines boosted its fees for frequent
fliers, travelers with pets and passengers who book their tickets
over the phone. Airlines are striving to boost revenue to offset
soaring fuel prices. By removing the crowds, Eos completely transformed transatlantic travel. No lines, no waiting, no stress—just plenty of freedom to relax and enjoy the trip. Travel between New York and London on the world's only fleet of 757s outfitted for just 48 Guests and you'll never want to fly the crowded way again. Experience Eos Class service at Newark starting May 5. Frontier Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection but said it will continue to operate. The airline said it filed for bankruptcy after a credit card processor attempted to withhold significant proceeds from the sale of tickets.
This month, Japan Airlines (JAL) introduced
the first English edition of the JAL Guide to Tokyo in nearly 20
years. The guide is available to first- and business-class
passengers on all flights from America, as well as Amsterdam,
Brisbane, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Paris, Singapore
and Sydney. The 80-page guide contains a Tokyo subway map, various
neighborhood maps, tips on manners and etiquette, plus shopping,
dining and sightseeing recommendations, all geared toward the
business traveler. From San Francisco, Jet Airways will fly daily to Shanghai and Mumbai. This will be the airline’s fourth daily North American departure to India when the flight launches, scheduled for June 14, although the date has yet to be confirmed.
Lufthansa has announced that it will introduce
a new Business Jet route this summer on a retrofitted A319 aircraft.
The all-business-class service between Frankfurt and Pune is slated
for a July 1 launch, and will be operated by VIP and
business-aviation specialist PrivatAir. Qantas passengers at Los Angeles International Airport who are travelling to Australia and New Zealand can now transfer easily and conveniently from Terminal 4 (T4) to the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) with the newly initiated shuttle service. The shuttle service will operate daily from 4:00pm to midnight positioned at gate 44 in T4. This will streamline passenger movement between terminals and eliminate the need to pass through security a second time. Passengers who wish to exit the terminal will also have that option. Southwest Airlines said it is talking with several foreign carriers about code-share agreements, which it expects to pan out by early next year. Turkish Airlines is now an official Star Alliance member airline, becoming the 20th carrier to join the global alliance. This adds 31 destinations to the network, mostly throughout Turkey, central Asia and the Middle East, with 11 new destinations and 22 new aircraft in Turkish Airline’s fleet on the way by the end of 2008.
United Airlines, the world's second-largest
carrier, said it's increasing business- travel fares and
ticket-change fees to offset fuel costs. US Airways passengers can save on select business- and economy-class tickets to Europe that they buy with their MasterCard now through May 5, 2008. Economy-class tickets are available at 10 percent off to Venice (VCE), Milan (MXP), Zurich (ZRH), Amsterdam (AMS), Brussels (BRU) and Dublin (DUB), while Envoy Class (business-class) tickets are available for 20 percent off to the same destinations. Plus, passengers will earn 5,000 or 20,000 bonus miles for economy- and business-class tickets, respectively.
Starting May 7, US Airways will introduce their new
Choice Seats — select aisle and window seats in the first several
rows of Coach. Passengers will have the option to purchase a Choice
Seat assignment for as little as $5 during Web Check-in (from 24
hours and up to 90 minutes prior to departure). That means aisle and
window seats are likely to still be available even for last minute
travelers. Dividend Miles Preferred members have the benefit of
reserving a Choice Seat assignment free of charge anytime after
booking. Preferred members also have the exclusive benefit of
reserving exit row seats. The Virgin Group has announced that it will launch a new Australian airline this December, with service between Los Angeles and Sydney.
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Check out Auto Europe's special deals online --- all the time.
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Marriott is rolling out a new model of its Courtyard brand that will offer a stylish new lobby concept that invites a younger generation of travelers to sit back with their laptops and stay awhile. The new design features contemporary furniture and a counter that does double-duty as a cocktail bar, and travelers no longer are greeted by a massive granite front desk.
From May 1 to August 31, 2008 The Langham, Hong
Kong is offering a “Summer Grand Deal” starting at $275 a night.
This includes one-night accommodation in a newly renovated Grand
Room or Langham Suite, daily buffet breakfast at L’eclipse
restaurant and complimentary in-room Internet access.
Worried about making that early morning flight out of
Philadelphia International Airport? Try booking a night at Four
Points by Sheraton Philadelphia Airport the night before, and
get a sound night’s sleep knowing that you’ve effectively cut out
the morning commute. The hotel has a special deal for such savvy
travelers, starting at $130 a night. This rate includes up to seven
nights of free self-parking for one vehicle, with extended parking
available for $5 per night thereafter. Also included is a
complimentary shuttle service between the airport and hotel. |
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An analysis by USA TODAY found that congestion now adds more than an hour to travel time on some routes. Air travel time is now slower than any time in the past 20 years, the analysis found. For example, in 1988, a typical flight from Las Vegas to JFK in New York took four hours and 37 minutes. That same flight now takes six hours and 10 minutes.
A new government report shows that air fares
continued to increase in the final three months of 2007. Average
fourth-quarter fares climbed 4% to $331, according to a Department
of Transportation report. With fuel prices rising, increasing demand
and reduced capacity, U.S. carriers consistently boosted prices
throughout last year.
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