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LOW COST CARRIERS DON'T ALWAYS MEAN CHEAPEST FARES
(source: Business Travel News, featuring Isabel Torres, Senior Vice President of Ovation Corporate Travel, sister company of The Lawyers' Travel Service)
Despite their name and reputation, so-called low-cost airlines do not always offer the cheapest fares.
Low-cost carriers, including Frontier, JetBlue and Southwest — which last month announced it was acquiring rival AirTran for $1.42 billion — carry 30 percent of domestic passengers today, said Peter Belobaba, manager of the Global Airline Industry Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Airlines such as American, Delta and United — which recently combined with Continental — have responded to low-cost carriers moving into their territory by matching fares to protect market share and "to prevent them from growing any larger," Belobaba said.
If you're considering flying on Southwest, bear in mind that it does not cooperate with any on-line travel agency or meta-search engines, and only sells fares through its own site and off-line agencies.
"Southwest wants to drive customers to its own site, which generates 80 percent of its ticket sales. This makes it more difficult to compare Southwest's fares with those of other airlines. It's great camouflage when Southwest's fares aren't the cheapest," said Henry Harteveldt, San Francisco-based travel analyst for Forrester Research.
Before making a fare purchase, make sure you fully understand what the total cost of your flying will be.
When choosing fares, business travelers often have a different set of considerations than leisure travelers. Isabel Torres, senior vice president of Ovation Corporate Travel (sister company of The Lawyers' Travel Service) in New York, said her company might steer clear of low-cost carriers like Southwest that don't offer reserved seat assignments. She said they also would probably avoid booking rock-bottom, nonrefundable fares sold by any airline if there were a chance their travel plans might change.
For the full story, visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39689733/ns/travel-business_travel/
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FRENCH WORKERS SHUT DOWN AIR, RAIL, ROAD TRAVEL AS AUSTERITY PROTESTS SPREAD IN EUROPE
(source: Business Travel News)
Business travelers were hit by strike chaos in France this week, regardless of whether they journeyed by air, train or car. Both airlines and the high-speed rail system suffered from significant cancellations, while road-users were hit by a severe blockade-induced fuel shortage and lorry drivers slowing traffic on major routes to a crawl.
There also have been strike-related travel disruptions in Belgium, Greece and Italy so far this month, all of them—as in France—in protest of government austerity measures. Air traffic controllers in Finland will stage a one-day strike over new contracts on Oct. 25.
In France, air traffic controllers staged a one-day strike on Tuesday, their second in two months. France's civil aviation authority, the DGAC, asked airlines to reduce their schedules by 50 percent at Paris-Orly Airport and 30 percent at all other airports in the country. Air France said it managed to operate all long-haul flights on Tuesday, but was forced to cancel some short-haul departures. It cancelled 20 percent of flights at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, which is its main hub and the base for all its long-haul flights from the French capital, and 50 percent from Orly.
Flights from Orly also have been canceled owing to unions disrupting fuel supplies to the airport. The national government has advised airlines to arrive with their tanks as full as possible. Drivers have been hit by fuel refinery blockades too, which left 4,000 of France's 13,000 petrol stations without supplies by Tuesday.
On the rails, half of all high-speed departures were canceled on Tuesday as indefinite industrial action by train crew entered its seventh day. Eurostar was not affected in France but was hit by a rail strike that closed all stations in Belgium on Monday.
David Lea, Western Europe analyst for overseas security consultancy Control Risks, warned, "we are going to see a lot more of this, but it won't reach catastrophic shutdown proportions," he said. "The level of disruption will get to the top end of irritating rather than become debilitating."
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STUDY: FLIGHT DELAYS COST FLIERS BILLIONS
(source: CNN.com)
Air travelers already know the frustration of endlessly waiting for a plane to arrive or depart, but now a new study has put a dollar amount on the economic toll of the problem and it's big.
Flight delays cost the nation $32.9 billion in 2007, with passengers on the hook for more than half of that amount, according to research released by the University of California-Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies.
Here is how the figure breaks down: Air travelers paid $16.7 billion in lost time due to delayed flights, flight cancellations and missed connections, plus expenses such as food and accommodations.
The researchers also recognized that many people spend extra time away from home because they fear and expect flight delays.
Meanwhile, flight delays forced airlines to pay $8.3 billion in increased expenses for crew, fuel and maintenance, according to the study. The carriers also saw almost $4 billion in lost demand due to passengers who avoided air travel because of delays.
The country's economy as a whole suffered, too, the study found. Since air travel inefficiencies raise the cost of doing business for companies, the U.S. gross domestic product was reduced by $4 billion in 2007, the study said.
The Federal Aviation Administration commissioned the research.
The study authors note that many flight delays, such as those caused by mechanical problems or severe weather, are unavoidable. But they also point out the problem of airspace congestion
So far this year, more than 18 percent of flights have arrived or departed at least 15 minutes late, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
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SCANNER WOULD ALLOW LIQUIDS THROUGH AIRPORT SECURITY CHECKPOINTS
(source: USA Today)
The latest airport security technology being developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory could open the door for airline passengers to bring their soft drinks and full-size shampoo bottles on board again.
Homeland security officials put the latest generation of the bottled liquid scanner to the test Wednesday during a demonstration at Albuquerque's international airport. Everything from bottled water and champagne to shampoo and pink liquid laxatives were scanned to make sure explosives weren't hiding inside.
The device, about the size of a small refrigerator, uses magnetic resonance to read the liquids' molecular makeup, even when the substances are in metal containers. Within 15 seconds, a light on top of the simple-looking metal box flashes red or green, depending on whether there's danger.
The device is so sensitive it can tell the difference between red and white wine, and between different types of soda.
The technology is still a few years from being deployed in the nation's airports, where fears of liquid explosives have stopped passengers from bringing more than small amounts of lotions and other toiletries in their carry-on bags. Surko, program manager of the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency said the lab will have to partner with a manufacturer, and the machines will have to go through testing and certification.
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MORE TRAVELERS WANT FREE WI-FI ON THE ROAD
(source: MSNBC.com)
When choosing a place to buy a meal or spend the night, most travelers say the availability of free Wi-Fi is now a factor in their choice of venue.
The increase in free public hotspots should make it easier for travelers to make those choices quickly. After all, thousands of McDonald's and Starbucks now offer free Wi-Fi. So do dozens of hotel chains and, according to a recent survey, 90 percent of bed and breakfasts.
Wi-Fi access is complimentary at an increasing number of small and large airports, on Amtrak's Acela Express trains and at New York's Penn Station, Washington D.C.'s Union Station and several other major train stations along the Northeast Corridor.
But finding reliable Wi-Fi on the road can still be hit or miss.
In a recent survey conducted by the research firm In-Stat, 64 percent of those polled said they'd choose a venue (hotel, restaurant, etc.) with free Wi-Fi over one that didn't.
While many hotels and conference venues are updating and improving their Wi-Fi infrastructure, Dirk Gates, CEO and founder of Xirrus, a Wi-Fi technology company said his company is increasingly being asked about setting up tiered services, like those currently being tested at some InterContinental Hotels. "We have seen this sort of implementation at several Starwood properties, primarily at a franchisee level; not as a corporate directive," he said. "And we've seen it advertised as 24 hours of basic service at price range of free to $15 or a high performance service for $10 to $25."
But now that free Wi-Fi is being offered in more places and there are more options for accessing the Internet with smartphones and other devices, business travelers may find they really don't need to pay.
In New York City, GroundLink has wired up 200 limos and other cars with Wi-Fi transmitters that allow multiple users to access free Wi-Fi inside the car and from up to 400 feet away from the vehicles, which spend a lot of time idling on city streets. The company plans to have more than 1,000 city vehicles wired for free service by the end of the year.
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SECURE FLIGHT PASSENGER DATA COLLECTION PROCESS
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that after November 1, 2010, air passenger reservations without full Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) will be rejected by Secure Flight and will not be processed. This policy will apply to all passenger records regardless of source, aircraft operator, or air carrier.
Select airlines will now prohibit ticket issuance if the passenger's full name, date of birth and gender are not present in the reservation.
To facilitate the collection of the SFPD, The Lawyers' Travel Service has created a secure, encrypted web form which travelers can use to input this information. When the information is submitted, the traveler profile will be updated.
If you have not already done so, please click on the URL directly below to complete the collection process: https://secureflight.lawyerstravel.com
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THE LAWYERS' TRAVEL SERVICE PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
DONOVAN HOUSE
1155 14th Street
Washington DC
Donovan House, Thompson Hotels' first property in Washington DC, injects an element of sleek sophistication into the nation's capital.
193 luxe and seductive rooms feature custom design elements including a custom leather canopy bed, Studio Gaia club chair and cocoon spiral shower. Famed Chef Susur Lee's Zentan features a menu of bold and inventive modern Asian dishes - a truly unique dining experience.
A signature of Thompson Hotels, Donovan House is topped off with ADC (Above DC), an exclusive rooftop pool with bar/lounge. Donovan House welcomes guests of Ovation to enjoy Complimentary wired and wireless internet connectivity and room upgrade, upon availability.
The Lawyers' Travel Service Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at the Donovan House is $289 (compared to a corporate rate of $319).*
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THE LAWYERS' TRAVEL SERVICE PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
THE LANDMARK LONDON
222 Marylebone Road
London
With a five star rating, The Landmark London ranks among the finest of the Capital's leading luxury hotels. Perfectly located in one of London's most up-market districts and close to all main attractions and amenities. London's main airports can all be reached in less than an hour.
With its own distinctive style and ambience, it combines classic British elegance and grandeur with the deluxe facilities demanded by today's discerning travelers. Encompassing 300 of the largest guest rooms in London, all rooms boast beautiful Italian marble en suites.
Situated beneath the soaring eight-story glass roof atrium, and offering international cuisine is the stunning Winter Garden, famous for its Afternoon Tea. The stylish and relaxed bar and restaurant twotwentytwo provides traditional English food, beers, wines and cocktails. The exclusive Mirror Bar is elegantly designed in a style reminiscent of a bygone era and is the perfect place in which to enjoy a cocktail or a wide range of Champagne. The stylish 40 seat bar has a late license until 2am.
The Landmark Spa is now one of London's premier hotel spas, offering guests a complete well-being experience. The Spa centerpiece is a 15 meter swimming pool, around which is a whirlpool, a sauna-like sanarium, and two essence-infused monsoon showers. Overlooking the pool is a fully equipped gymnasium home to the latest star-trac cardiovascular equipment. For pure luxury and pampering, ESPA beauty treatments and massages are available.
Eleven spacious meeting rooms mean The Landmark is perfectly equipped when it comes to organizing a conference or event. Most rooms feature natural daylight, original design features and high ceilings. The Landmark's exceptional range of meeting venues can cater for 20 to 750 people.
The Lawyers' Travel Service Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at The Landmark London is £210 (compared to a corporate rate of £320).*
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THE LAWYERS' TRAVEL SERVICE PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
PALOMAR ATLANTA MIDTOWN
866 West Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta
A Luxury Boutique Hotel in Midtown Atlanta
Hotel Palomar Atlanta Midtown, Kimpton Hotels' first hotel in Atlanta, sets in motion a new and exciting level of artful sophistication and style in the vibrant community of midtown Atlanta. Just a few blocks from the campus of Georgia Tech, Hotel Palomar Atlanta's 21-story building features 304 guest rooms, all of them as luxuriously comfortable as they are effortlessly unique. Ready access to the sights and sounds of midtown Atlanta along with beautifully designed accommodations and unparalleled amenities expected of a Kimpton Hotel are what await guests at this midtown Atlanta boutique hotel.
Located between the acclaimed Georgia Tech and beautiful Piedmont Park, in the heart of the city that "has it all," Hotel Palomar Atlanta Midtown builds on the energy and motion of the neighborhood, showcasing the best of what Atlanta offers. Just minutes from Centennial Olympic Park, CNN Center and the Georgia Dome, Hotel Palomar's Midtown Atlanta location puts the best of this exciting city within easy reach.
As if the convenient location and exemplary comforts of this Atlanta boutique hotel weren't already enough, the four-star level of services and amenities keep things moving. Hotel Palomar Atlanta Midtown not only goes to great lengths to practice being an eco friendly hotel in Atlanta, this pet-friendly hotel invites guests to bring pets along. If it's a meeting or special event location, their 10,000 square feet of event space makes the hotel an ideal location for business meetings or other events. Their Atlanta boutique hotel is also home to Pacci Ristorante, an amazing destination restaurant and rooftop terrace lounge, the place to be in midtown Atlanta. At Hotel Palomar, the mission is creating memorable experiences that keep guests satisfied and eager to come back for more.
The Lawyers' Travel Service Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at the Palomar Atlanta is $169 (compared to a corporate rate of $283).*
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THE LAWYERS' TRAVEL SERVICE PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
SOHO GRAND
310 West Brodway
New York City
The Soho Grand is downtown Manhattan's original hotel pioneers; the first to introduce the luxury boutique hotel experience to downtown Manhattan. The hotel is located alongside world renowned art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. Since its debut, the Soho Grand has emerged as a modern classic, offering a refined clientele impeccable service, luxurious accommodations, stunning decor and a vibrant, local take on dining, nightlife, and entertainment.
This summer Soho Grand unveiled ten new, beautifully designed, custom suites; each feature separate living and sleeping quarters, hardwood floors and custom furnishings, allowing for over 650 square feet of luxurious living. Also introduced this summer was Soho's Club Room, the new exclusive lounge that will for certain transform into one of the most popular and sophisticated nightlife destinations in New York City.
The newly unveiled Penthouse at the Soho Grand's spacious Penthouse Lofts, include expansive private outdoor areas with stunning city views. Guestrooms and Suites combine luxury and comfort with state of the art technology to reflect the needs of both the business and leisure traveler. Each are equipped with Frette Egyptian Bed and Bath Linen, toiletries from Malin + Goetz, complimentary high speed wireless internet connection as well as flat screen TVs and Sony speaker docks. Through a combination of eye catching interiors and 24-hour guest services, Soho Grand offers visitors an unparalleled downtown New York experience.
The Lawyers' Travel Service Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at the Soho Grand is $395 (compared to a corporate rate of $495).*
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* All rates are subject to availability.
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The Lawyers' Travel Service
www.lawyerstravel.com
info@lawyerstravel.com
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