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Travel Update-Special Edition
March 1st, 2007
Airline
News
Air New Zealand - Air New
Zealand will add non-stop seasonal service this November between Vancouver
and Auckland, restoring a route the airline last flew in the 1990s. The flights
will operate through March 28 on Boeing 777-200ER
jets,
Air Tahiti - Air Tahiti,
Tahiti's domestic carrier, will launch its first international flight on April
3, coinciding with the end of Air New Zealand's service from Papeete to
Rarotonga. This will be a codeshare service with Air Rarotonga that operates
twice a week. This three hour service will operate from Papeete to Rarotonga on
Tuesdays at 7:15 am and Saturdays at 12:15 pm and from Rarotonga to Papeete
Tuesday at 10:55 am and Saturdays at 3:55
pm.
AirTran Airways - AirTran
Airways announced that Portland, Maine, will be the its newest
destination, according to various media reports. The carrier will begin three
daily round-trip flights from Portland (PWM) to Baltimore-Washington
International (BWI) on June 7 and Saturday-only service to Orlando on June 9. In
something of a surprise, AirTran is not expected to announce non-stop service
between Portland and Atlanta, which is by far AirTran's biggest hub.
American Airlines
- Beginning Thursday, March 1, coach passengers can use the front
lavatory on American once again after the airline restricted its use to
first-class fliers. The change applies to domestic flights and to international
flights leaving the U.S., said American spokesman John Hotard. Under a rule
added following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, only first-class passengers could
use that section's lavatory on flights en route to the United States. American
decided to apply the rule to all flights, Hotard said. Under Transportation
Security Administration rules, passengers flying into the United States still
have to use lavatories in their respective cabins. A Boeing 757 has two
lavatories in first class, which has 22 seats. Two are in coach, which has up to
160
passengers.
American affiliate American Eagle is set
to end service on two routes linking major airports. On April 1, American Eagle
will discontinue its four daily round-trip flights between Boston and Newark,
N.J. And on June 1, the carrier will end its two daily round-trip flights
between Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles. The service is not scheduled to be
replaced by American or any of its
affiliates.
Bmi - Lille in France is
to gain its first direct air link from the UK with flights from Leeds/Bradford.
Bmi regional is to start the six days a week service on April 23. Flights are
being timed to offer connections at the Yorkshire airport to and from Edinburgh
and Glasgow. Embraer jet aircraft will be used on the route. The air link will
provide competition with Eurostar Channel Tunnel services from London to Lille,
the third largest city in
France.
British Airways - British
Airways upgraded its business-class amenities. Highlights include a wider seat
that converts to a longer bed; an enhanced "on-demand" in-flight entertainment
system offering up to a hundred films and TV programs, viewable on 10-inch
digital screens; and electronically-operated opaque privacy screens that allow
passengers to either see -- or not see -- adjoining seat-mates. Also new are:
lockers where passengers can stow laptop computers or other electronic items; a
small bag and shoes; and a standard 110v UW style in-seat power socket that only
needs a UK/USA adaptor. The new units should particularly benefit extra long or
large travelers. Ergonomically designed for maximum upright comfort, seats
quickly become six feet long, fully flat beds. However, that length can extend
an additional six inches when the bed is partially withdrawn into the backrest.
Though no longer completely flat, the reclining passenger can now access an
end-of-bed, footrest extension. Also, when seats convert into beds, armrests
drop to be flush with the rest of the unit. According to BA, that provides 25
percent greater sleeping area.
Delta Air Lines - Delta
Air Lines announced it added a fourth route to Africa with daily nonstop service
to Lagos, Nigeria from Atlanta, set to begin December 3. Delta said the service
would save three to six hours of travel time between the United States and
Nigeria, versus one-stop connections through Europe. Flights depart Atlanta at
4:25 p.m. and arrive at Lagos at 9:25 a.m. the next day. Return flights depart
Lagos at 11:25 a.m. and arrive in Atlanta at 6:20
p.m.
Delta Air Lines this spring will expand
its fastest growing domestic hub with the addition of daily nonstop service
between Salt Lake City and Salem, OR. and
Yakima, WA., effective June 7, 2007. Delta
Connection carrier SkyWest Airlines will operate two daily nonstop flights in
each city using the 50-seat
CRJ200.
Additionally, Delta Connection carrier
SkyWest Airlines will resume seasonal service from Salt Lake City to Steamboat
Springs, CO., between June 8 and Sept. 3,
2007, and will add summer seasonal service in Montrose/Telluride, CO., between May 25 and Sept.
22.
Ethiopian Airlines -
Ethiopian Airlines says it will add two
additional flights between Washington Dulles and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The new
flights begin June 1, giving Ethiopian six weekly flights on the route. The
carrier will offer one round-trip flight every day except Sunday. The flights
will be operated on Boeing 767 aircraft and will make a 45-minute refueling stop
in
Rome.
Frontier Airlines -
Beginning June 7, Frontier Airlines will begin non-stop service between
Dallas/Fort Worth and Mazatlan, Mexico. The carrier will fly one round-trip
flight every Monday, Thursday and
Saturday.
JetBlue Airways - JetBlue Airways will begin offering service from Boston's Logan
International Airport on May 1 to Bermuda and to Charlotte, N.C., one day after
its seasonal service to Puerto Rico from Boston ends. While the Bermuda service
will be seasonal, ending Oct. 31, JetBlue said it plans to make the round-trip
to Charlotte permanent, creating the first direct challenge to US Airways, which
runs daily flights from Boston to its southeastern
hub.
Midwest Airlines -
Midwest Airlines announced the May 1 launch of nonstop service between
Eppley Airfield in Omaha, NE. and Los Angeles International Airport. Daily
service will include an early morning departure from Omaha and early evening
departure from Los Angeles. The new flight will operate as Midwest Airlines
Signature Service, which provides travelers additional comfort and space.
Midwest's new Boeing 717 jet aircraft feature two-by-two seating, extra legroom,
and newly designed Recaro seats with adjustable headrests and footrests. Onboard
service includes complimentary soft drinks, packaged snacks and baked-onboard
chocolate chip cookies, with the airline's buy-onboard Best Care Cuisine
available for purchase. DigEplayer portable inflight entertainment systems are
offered for rent on longer
flights.
Midwest Airlines announced continued route
expansion as part of its 2007 strategic growth plan with the launch of nonstop
service between Milwaukee and Seattle/Tacoma International Airport beginning
June 18. Daily service will include a mid-morning departure from Milwaukee and
an early-afternoon departure from Seattle/Tacoma. This is in addition to the
daily nonstop service Midwest Airlines will offer between Kansas City and
Seattle/Tacoma beginning April 1. Seattle/Tacoma customers will be able to make
convenient connections via both Milwaukee and Kansas City to other cities in the
Midwest route network. The Milwaukee-Seattle/Tacoma service will operate as
Midwest Airlines Saver Service, which features nonstop service and low fares to
leisure destinations. Seating is arranged in a two-by-three configuration with
generous legroom for extra passenger comfort. Onboard service includes
complimentary soft drinks, packaged snacks and baked-onboard chocolate chip
cookies, with the airline's buy-onboard Best Care Cuisine available for
purchase. DigEplayer portable inflight entertainment systems are also offered
for
rent.
Northwest Airlines - Effective
February 22, 2007, Northwest will discontinue offering the
50% discount for infants under two years
of age occupying a seat on flights for travel within the 50 U.S., Canada, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands. Infants under two years of age NOT occupying a
seat traveling on Northwest within the 50 U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the
Virgin Islands still travel free of
charge.
Airport/Destination
News
Brazil - Beginning on February 27, the
auxiliary runway at Congonhas Airport (SBSP/CGH) -- Sao Paulo's domestic airport
-- will remain closed for at least 60 days, to allow for its repaving. The
airport will also temporarily extend its operating hours, opening one hour
earlier and closing one hour later. The new hours are 0530 to 0030 local time
(0830 to 0330 UTC). During the closure, chartered -- and at least 100 commercial
-- flights will be transferred to Guaruhlos International Airport (SBGR/GRU),
while air taxi and general aviation operations will be limited to 101 per day.
Furthermore, if the city experiences rainy weather, other flights could be
transferred to Guaruhlos International Airport and Viracopos International
Airport (SBKP/VCP) in Campinas, as per local regulations. Currently, airport
authorities close Congonhas' main runway during moderate to heavy rainfall.
Those scheduled to travel domestically on flights departing from Congonhas
Airport are advised to verify the departure airport with their respective
airlines prior to traveling to the airport. Flight delays are likely to occur
while the airport undergoes repairs.
Hong Kong International Airport -
Hong Kong Airport said that starting March 21 it will impose new
security measurs for screening liquids, gels and aerosol cans brought on board
passenger aircraft in carry-on bags. Under the new measures, which the
airport said will comply with guidelines adopted by the International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO), passengers will be subject to the following
rules:
*All liquids, gels and aerosols in
cabin baggage must be carried in containers with a capacity not greater
than 3.4 fluid ounces.
*Containers must be placed in a transparent resealable plastic bag of
a maximum capacity not exceeding one liter (or 34 ounces). The containers
must fit within the transparent plastic bag, which should be completely closed.
*The
plastic bag must be presented separately from other carry-on baggage for visual
examination at the screening point. Only one transparent plastic bag per
passenger is
permitted.
*Exemptions will be made for medications, baby milk/food and special
dietary requirements.
Indonesia - The Indonesian government announced on
February 28 plans to ban the operation of
aircraft more than 10 years old in a bid to increase airline safety; currently
aircraft are allowed to operate for 20 years. The ban will apply to all local
carriers that have aircraft used for commercial purposes. It is not known when
the ban will take affect. The government also believes that the ban will force
several airlines to consolidate, as many companies will not be financially able
to operate under the new restrictions.
Phoenix International Airport - US authorities have began testing a controversial new X-ray machine in
Phoenix which will screen air passengers for weapons, which critics likened to a
"virtual strip search." The US Transportation Security Administration rolled out
an X-ray machine that uses so-called "backscatter" technology at one checkpoint
at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The machine peers beneath passengers' clothes to
search for hidden explosives and weapons. The TSA will test the machine in
Phoenix for 60-90 days before deploying machines in Los Angeles and New York's
John F. Kennedy Airport for additional testing by the end of the year.
Privacy groups and the American Civil Liberties
Union have labeled the new screening a "virtual strip search" that could be
abused. But TSA officials said Friday they had
worked with industry specialists to blur any images of body parts generated by
the scan, and likened the resulting picture to a "chalk outline" of a person.
Passengers selected for secondary testing at the airport, which is the nation's
eighth busiest, can choose an X-ray scan or a pat-down search. It is strictly
voluntary. Airline passengers who choose to use the new machines stand in front
of it with their arms in the air. A tiny laser beam scans the passenger from
head to toe. The images come up on a computer screen in a room about 50 feet
away. A green or red light -- for pass or fail -- is pressed and shows up at the
screening location. Officials said the computer does not have the ability to
save or store images, a concern expressed by privacy-rights
groups.
Washington Dulles
International Airport - Travelers at Washington Dulles may now
take a direct bus to Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udva-Hazy
Center. The 3-year-old center contains
aerospace artifacts that cannot be exhibited in the smaller Smithsonian
aerospace museum on the National Mall. The Udvar-Hazy, located in Chantilly,
Va., adjoins the airport. The buses, operated by the regional transit authority,
run 10 times a day, every 45 minutes. The ride, less than 15 minutes, costs 50
cents each way. Admission is free. Among the highlights: Enola Gay; Boeing S-307
Stratoliner, the first pressurized passenger aircraft, a Concorde supersonic
airliner; and the space shuttle Enterprise. Udvar-Hazy, the aircraft
leasing magnate from Los Angeles, contributed $65 million for the museum. It's
open every day, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except
Christmas.
Rental Car
News
Avis & Budget Car Rental -
The Avis Budget Group announced that customers can now rent Where2, the
portable Global Positioning System, at rental locations throughout Canada.
Where2 is now available at Avis airport locations in Vancouver, Calgary,
Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, St. Johns
and Halifax.
Hotel News
Westin Hotels - Westin Hotels & Resorts has debuted
a new signature social experience, "Unwind...A Westin Evening Ritual," featuring
the tastes, sights and sounds of each destination. From lessons on mixing a
Bellini in Venice to learning about Scottish Whiskey in Turnberry to creating a
batch of guacamole in Tucson, each of the Westin brand's 129 hotels worldwide
have carefully created social experiences that are rolling out in hotels over
the next month. Westin is introducing the "Unwind" experience in all of its
properties globally in the first quarter of this year following a successful
three-month pilot in 20 hotels last year.
Miscellaneous
State Dept
Travel Warnings and Public announcements - For the full announcements
or further detail on Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, please
see http://travel.state.gov/travel
Guinea - On February 23, the U.S. Embassy in Conakry released the
following Warden Message: "This warden message is being issued to inform
American citizens that the Guinean National Assembly has decided to lift the
state of emergency as of today's date. While the security situation has
stabilized somewhat in recent days, the effect of this decision is unclear at
this time. Security remains fluid and unpredictable. The potential remains for
the situation to deteriorate rapidly. The Department of State has ordered the
departure of family members of Embassy employees and still strongly urges that
American citizens consider leaving Guinea. "Beginning February 21, there has been pre-election violence and
other security concerns in Dakar, Senegal, prompting the Department of State
to issue a Public Announcement for Senegal. At this time, we do not recommend
that American citizens travel from Guinea to Senegal. Those wishing to depart
Guinea should seek other destinations as the U.S. Embassy in Dakar may not be
able to provide consular assistance or guarantee the safety of those arriving
at this
time."
Yemen - On February 25, the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa released the
following Warden Message: "In light of ongoing disturbances in northern Yemen
connected to the al Houthi rebellion in and around Saada governorate, the U.S.
Embassy has restricted all travel of official Americans to Saada, Amran, Hajja
and Al Jowf governorates. As the Embassy continues to monitor the situation,
it advises all Americans to specifically avoid the Sanaa-Saada highway and
continue to reevaluate their personal security, regardless of location. The
Embassy's caution against travel to Marib governorate remains in effect and
caution is recommended when planning travel through that
region."
Children will be exempt from new rules that
will require travelers to show passports when entering the U.S. at land or sea
borders, the Bush administration announced. The new
passport requirements will take effect as soon as January 2008. In a change from
earlier plans, children aged 15 or younger with parental consent will be allowed
to cross the borders at land and sea entry points with certified copies of their
birth certificates rather than passports.
Children
aged 16 through 18 traveling with school, religious, cultural or athletic groups
and under adult supervision will also be allowed to travel with only their birth
certificates.
Travel and Transport has recently
become aware of situation in which a caller identified themselves as being with
the U.S. Border Patrol and began asking questions about a
traveler. Travel and Transport treats all traveler information as
confidential; however, we want to make our customers aware of this in the event
that a call should be received by them of the same nature. T&T
have contacted US Border Patrol and have been advised that
they will NEVER call any person or corporation regarding a person,
traveler or investigation. If the Border Patrol needs information they
will personally come and see the individual or company. They will show
credentials and allow that person or company to verify those
credentials before talking with them. They will not EVER call anyone
on the phone. We have been advised by the U.S. Border Patrol that if a call
like this is received, they should hang up on them or disconnect the call.
Again, T&T holds all personal and travel information in strict confidence
and suggests, as per the U.S. Border Patrol that everyone act the same.
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