Travel Update-Weekly Edition
January 24th, 2008
Airline
News
AirTran Airways -
AirTran will add service between Milwaukee and New York LaGuardia
on May 6. The carrier will fly three daily flights on the
route.
American Airlines
- American Airlines is testing high-speed Internet service provided by
Aircell LLC. By this summer, the airline, expects
to provide Internet service on its Boeing 767-200 aircraft, used for longer
flights, and gradually to add service across all of its fleet. The service will
work on passengers' own wireless devices, like laptops and Apple iPhones. The carrier plans to begin offering the in-flight
service for $12.95 on certain flights by mid-year. Internet phone calls will be
blocked and cellphone calls will continue to be
federally prohibited in flight.
American Airlines has
announced that AAdvantage® members who book and travel on eligible fares between
the United States and
England can now earn up to 60,000
AAdvantage bonus miles. To qualify, members simply need to book and fly on their
next trip by May 15, 2008, and register prior to travel at www.aa.com/offers using promotion code LON08.
After
round-trip travel to any of England’s four airports, including London Heathrow,
London Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted, AAdvantage members earn between 2,500
and 60,000 bonus miles – miles that can be used toward flying to more than 700
exciting destinations worldwide. The more you fly, the more you earn! Go to http://www.aa.com/content/amrcorp/pressReleases/2008_01/21_englandbonus.jhtml for
details.
Mesa Airlines -
Mesa Airlines says it can't make a profit on federally subsidized
flights to Grand Island and McCook in Nebraska and other airports across the
nation, so it will leave that service to other airlines. Mesa vice president
Thomas Bacon said Wednesday that Mesa has told the U.S. Department of
Transportation that it plans to leave the markets. But, Bacon said, "We are not
allowed out until a successor is named and is able to take over for us."
Phoenix-based Mesa also served notice it wants to exit Columbia, Joplin and
Kirksville, Mo.; El Dorado, Harrison, Hot Springs and Jonesboro, Ark.; and
Manhattan and Salina, Kan. If no other airline steps forward this spring, he
said, Mesa would have to continue service until its contract ends at the end of
October.
Ryanair
- Irish airline Ryanair has said it would raise charges for
checking in baggage at airports with immediate effect as part of a cost saving
drive aimed at coaxing more passengers to travel with hand luggage only. The
carrier said it would raise the fee for transporting baggage in the hold of the
aircraft to GBP6 pounds (USD$11.74) from GBP5. The cost to passengers of
checking in at the airport rather than online will rise to GBP3 from GBP2. For
those paying in euros, luggage charges will rise 50 percent to EUR9 euros
(USD$13.16) per bag from EUR6 and the airport check-in fee will increase to EUR4
from EUR3. Sherrard said the increase would not be the last and will continue
"over time" until it reached a target of 50 percent of all passengers travelling
with hand luggage only. Ryanair did not disclose the current take up
rate.
Southwest
Airlines - Southwest Airlines will be the first US carrier to test
satellite-delivered broadband Internet access on multiple aircraft. With this
innovation, Southwest Customers with a wi-fi enabled device will have full
access to the Internet including e-mail, music, shopping, and virtual private
networks (VPN) via a high-speed connection. Southwest Airlines is partnering
with Southern California-based Row 44 and hopes to begin testing Internet
capabilities on four aircraft this summer.
United Airlines -
United recently started expiring miles from Mileage Plus accounts that
had more than 18 months of non activity. The first expiration was
12/31/07. You may have already started receiving questions regarding this
policy. United has developed a program for
any MP customer interested in getting his/her miles back. Mileage Plus has
a promotion called "Flight Challenge" which will reinstate the miles.
There will be an initial $199 fee and then are required to fly once on UA, UAX,
or TED within 90 days of registering with Mileage Plus. To register, they
call the Mileage
Plus Service Center at 800-421-4655. They have
one year from when their miles expire to register and fly. So example,
miles expired on Dec 31, 2007, the passenger has until 12/31/08 to register and
fly one trip on UA. Once the passenger has registered, they ONLY have 90
DAYS to complete the flight.
US Airways - US
Airways is adding three new routes to the Gulf Coast from its Charlotte
hub. Flights to the Florida cities of Fort Walton Beach and Panama City begin
April 6 while service to Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss., starts May 4. US Airways
Express carrier PSA Airlines will fly three daily round-trip flights on each
route using 50-seat Bombardier Canadair CRJ-200 regional
jets.
Airport/Destination
News
Manchester, England International
Airport - Manchester airport is closing its second runway February 5-29
for engineering work, but hopes there will be no flight delays or cancellations
as a result. During the period when
Runway 2 is closed all aircraft will take off and land on Runway 1. Manchester airport says
the closure has been planned to coincide with its quietest period, but the
closure will fall over the half-term holiday which could lead to queues at the
airport.
Rental
Car News
National
Car Rental - Effective immediately,
and as part of our new partnership with Europcar, National Car Rental customers
who are renting in Germany will be serviced by
Europcar. All National branded locations in Germany have now
closed. Europcar is honoring National Car Rental U.S. based
customer's rates, terms and conditions.
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
Algeria - The U.S. Embassy in Algiers
released the following Warden Message on January 18: "In response to continuing indications of
possible terrorist attacks in Algiers, the Embassy has instructed its
employees to avoid non-essential movements around the city until further
notice, and may occasionally restrict movement completely. American citizens
in Algeria are strongly encouraged to limit their movements and to avoid
places frequented by Westerners such as restaurants, nightclubs, churches, and
schools. Americans are reminded to remain alert and adhere to prudent security
practices."
Eritrea - The U.S. Department of
State issued the following Travel Warning for Eritrea on Jan. 18, which reads
in part: "This Travel Warning updates information on Eritrea’s current
security situation and reiterates the Department of State’s advice that U.S.
citizens defer non-essential travel to Eritrea due to restrictions on travel
outside the capital city of Asmara and heightened tensions along the
Eritrea-Ethiopia border. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel
Warning issued on November 14, 2007. The Government of the State of Eritrea
(GSE) continues to restrict the travel of all foreign nationals, including
resident diplomats. These restrictions require all visitors and
residents to apply with the GSE 10 days in advance for permission to travel
outside Asmara city limits. As a result, the U.S. Embassy cannot provide
consular assistance in an emergency outside of Asmara. Travelers also
should be aware that that the GSE does not inform the U.S. Embassy when
American citizens have been arrested or detained. American citizens
considering travel within Eritrea should be aware of the presence of large
numbers of Eritrean and Ethiopian troops along the undemarcated
Eritrean-Ethiopian border, and acute political tensions between the two
countries. A firefight between Eritrean and Ethiopian forces took place
near the Eritrean town of Tsorena on December 26, 2007. The same month,
there was also a report of a United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
(UNMEE) vehicle traveling near the same town being disabled by a
landmine. U.S. citizens are strongly advised to avoid travel near the
Eritrean-Ethiopian border."
Haiti - The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince
released the following Warden Message on January 22: "This warden message is to alert U.S.
citizens residing and traveling in Haiti that Carnival in Jacmel will be
celebrated over the period January 25-27 and Carnival in Port-au-Prince will be
held this year from February 3-5.
Carnival season is often accompanied by violent incidents such as armed
confrontations between drunken revelers. Other crimes such as robbery,
pick-pocketing and assault are common during this period. "The U.S. Embassy
will be closed on February 5 in observance of Carnival. Please note that the
U.S. Embassy and Consular Section (located in a zone of many celebrations and
parades) will be difficult to access from Friday, February
1, until Wednesday, February 6."
India - The U.S. Consulate General Kolkata
issued the following Warden Message on January
22: "The United States Mission is monitoring carefully the outbreak of
H5N1 Avian Influenza in Eastern India. The Government of India has confirmed
that the outbreak is spreading to other districts of the state of West Bengal,
and unconfirmed reports have been received from districts near Kolkata. U.S.
citizens should monitor local media for developments and the latest
information on affected areas so that they can avoid travel to the areas with
concentrations of the disease. It is also very important that U.S. citizens
follow the advice of local government health officials who are responding to
the outbreak. "All U.S. citizens are encouraged to practice good hygiene, such
as washing hands, scrupulously cleaning food preparation areas, and fully
cooking food. In addition, U.S. citizens are advised to avoid close contact
with any fowl, such as chickens and ducks, to stay clear of any sick birds,
and to not visit "wet" markets where poultry are slaughtered."
Swaziland - The U.S. Embassy Mbabane issued the
following Warden Message on January 22:
"The U.S. Embassy in Mbabane is issuing this warden message to alert American
citizens in Swaziland to the possibility of unofficial air traffic controller
strikes at Matshapha International Airport (MTS/FDMS). Media reports that some
flights between South Africa and Swaziland have been cancelled and some are
using visual flight rules for landings rather than radar controlled
approaches. Until this is resolved, visitors may want to consider driving into
Swaziland from neighboring countries instead of taking
flights."
Subject to final Court approval, a
settlement has been reached in In re Foreign Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust
Litigation (MDL 1409). The web
site http://www.ccfsettlement.com/
supplies information about the litigation and the settlement, and
provides links to relevant documents for Members of the Settlement Classes and
others interested in the settlement.
The lawsuit is about the price
cardholders of Visa, MasterCard, or Diners Club-branded payment cards were
charged to make transactions in a foreign currency, or with a foreign merchant,
between February 1, 1996 and November 8, 2006. Plaintiffs challenge how the
prices of credit and debit/ATM card foreign transactions were set and disclosed,
including claims that Visa, MasterCard, their member banks, and Diners Club
conspired to set and conceal fees, typically of 1-3% of foreign transactions,
and that Visa and MasterCard inflated their base exchange rates before applying
these fees. The Defendants include Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Bank of
America, Bank One/First USA, Chase, Citibank, MBNA, HSBC/Household, and
Washington Mutual/Providian. They deny the Plaintiffs' claims and say they have
done nothing wrong, improper, or unlawful.
January 17, 2008
January 10, 2008
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December 27, 2007
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July 20, 2007
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