February 2010
In this issue...

• MacNair's Invaluable Assistance During the Blizzard of 2010
• Lufthansa Strike Likely February 22nd through 25th
• Delta and Northwest Frequent Flyer Integration
• MacNair's 2010 Educational Webinar Schedule
• Question of the Month - Where Do I Clear Customs on an International Itinerary?
• Experts Say Business Travel Likely to Exceed 2009 Levels
• Study: Only 55 Flights Defined as "Chronically Late" under DOT Rules
• U.S.- bound Travelers Soon Must Have E-Authorization
• Airline Baggage Fees Increase as More Fliers Checking Baggage at Gate to Avoid Fees
• American Airlines Drops Free Standby for Most Passengers
• Fewer Frequent Fliers to Receive Free Upgrades
• Parking Rates at Airports Increase
• Airlines Add More "Peak Travel Day" Surcharges
• DOT Makes It Easier To File Complaints Against Airlines
• MacNair Travel Personal Travel Division to Host St. Patrick's Day Open House
• Vacation Hotspots by Kim Peele, Personal Travel Division Manager
  

MACNAIR'S Invaluable Assistance During the Blizzard of 2010

As many of you are aware, MacNair Travel was completely operational during the Blizzard of 2010 due to our state of the art technology, which allowed our travel consultants to work remotely. Between February 3rd and February 12th, MacNair Travel handled 4,800 calls for people looking to rebook flights that were cancelled due to the winter storm. MacNair Travel Consultants proactively contacted passengers and airlines to get refunds when we received information that flights were cancelled. The following is one such story.

"I am a loyal MacNair Travel customer who, almost weekly, places my very life in the hands of your travel consultants with whom I have worked for several years. Here is my story of MacNair's invaluable assistance to me on the day before the big storm hit Washington, DC on Friday, February 5th, 2010. I had been doing business in Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas that week. On Thursday, February 4th, I heard about the storm and the severe possibility of all three Washington airports being closed by mid-day on Friday. My ticketed flight on US Airways back to Dulles out of Nassau had me connecting in Charlotte, NC, with an arrival into Dulles at 7:30 PM or so. I needed some quick help to get back earlier. I called MacNair and worked with Khim Lawrence and Sandy Saunders, and, at the last moment, Khim got me a seat on a US Airways direct flight to National Airport that was scheduled to land at 2:30 PM on Friday. The flight landed at Washington Reagan National on Friday at 2:39 PM, the last landing before they closed the Airport. Our daughter's birthday party and our son's party to celebrate his getting a job overseas were scheduled for that weekend. It was very memorable to be home for both events, especially considering the weather circumstances. I have ALWAYS had a great experience in working with MacNair. I particularly want to praise the work of Khim Lawrence, Sandy Saunders and Viktoria Rohrbaugh who have always provided me with excellent service."

Sincerely,

Ron Peverill, Senior Vice President
Saab Aircraft

Lufthansa strike likely February 22nd through 25th

Germany's largest airline, and United Airlines partner, Lufthansa, is expecting to be affected by a pilot's strike from Monday, February 22nd to Thursday, February 25th as more then 90% of its union members voted in favor of strikes. In cases where we receive notification of a cancellation due to the strike, we will attempt to contact the affected travelers to discuss options for their journey. As we don't often receive this notification, travelers are advised to sign up for Flight Notification from VirtuallyThere, as well as similar services from the airline(s) they are traveling with. It is always a good idea to check and make sure your flight is on-time before heading to the airport. In addition, be sure that your traveler's profiles include a cell phone contact so we can reach them when they are on the road. We have already searched our reservations on Lufthansa during the strike period and have contacted all affected travelers.

Delta and Northwest Frequent Flyer Integration

As you may know, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines have merged. In October of 2009, a major effort was made to merge the Delta SkyMiles and Northwest WorldPerks frequent flyer programs. The WorldPerks program now no longer exists. Our research has shown that the vast majority of our customers have not updated their profile with accurate information. If you already have merged your accounts or have received a new Delta SkyMiles number when the Northwest program was eliminated, please update your MacNair profile on our online booking tool at www.macnairport.com. If you do not have access to MacNairport, please contact a MacNair consultant and provide them with your merged Delta SkyMiles number. If you have not yet merged your accounts, or do not know your new Delta number if you formerly had only a Northwest account, please follow this process to merge your accounts or find your new account number.
1. If you previously had only a Northwest WorldPerks number and do not know your new Delta SkyMiles number, you can identify the new account number, by clicking here.
2. If you had both a Northwest WorldPerks number and a Delta SkyMiles number, you now have two Delta SkyMiles numbers unless you have merged your accounts. To identify your account numbers, please click here.
3. Now that you have both of your Delta SkyMiles account numbers, please visit this website to merge your accounts.
4. You will receive an e-mail back from Delta SkyMiles advising you of your new primary Delta SkyMiles number. Please update your MacNair profile at www.macnairport.com by deleting your Northwest number and confirming the accuracy of your Delta number or e-mail us at ffintegration@macnairtravel.com with your current merged Delta SkyMiles number. Please indicate your full name and company.

A delay in updating your profile with the correct account information may result in an inability to earn frequent flyer miles, receive upgrades, or be notified of last-minute schedule changes or delays. For more information about merging accounts, please click here.

MACNAIR'S 2010 Educational Webinar Schedule

1. Best Practices in Federal Government Contractor Travel Management - April 29, 2010 12:00 - 1:00 Eastern
2. Travel Management Solutions for Association Staff, Committees, and Members - July 22, 2010 12:00 - 1:00 Eastern
3. The Secrets to Travel Management Data and Reporting - October 26, 2010 12:00 - 1:00 Eastern
   
   Click here to register!

Question of the Month

Debra asks, "Where do I clear customs on an international itinerary?"

Debra,
That's an excellent question, and the answer is, it's complicated. First of all, we need to establish that there are actually two different processes involved in "clearing customs." These are the immigration process (presentation of passport/visa) and customs process (presentation of baggage). In the United States, these processes always take place at the same airport, but that is not necessarily the case overseas. Generally speaking, you will clear customs and immigration at your first "port of entry" in a country. For example, a traveler going from Los Angeles to Manchester, England, via London Heathrow, will clear both customs and immigration at Heathrow. This relatively simple example holds true to the statement that you clear customs and immigrations at your first point of entry.

The "first point of entry" rule also applies to customers in transit. In many airports outside of the United States, you can travel from county A to country C via country B without "entering" country B. One example would be travel going from Washington to Beijing with change of planes in Tokyo on a single airline ticket. In Tokyo, transit passengers going to a country other than Japan are segregated from passengers whose destination is in Japan. These transit passengers do not pass through customs or immigrations in Japan, instead proceeding to the departures area for their flight to Beijing where they complete immigrations and customs formalities. Travelers who cannot check their bags through from their origin to their destination may not be eligible for secure transit options like this.

The final example to be discussed has to do with the Schengen countries of Europe. The term Schengen refers to those countries who are signatories to the Schengen Agreement which governs open borders within the European Union. When travelers are en route from non-Schengen country A to Schengen country C via Schengen country B, they will clear immigration in Schengen country C and pass through customs in country B. An example of this would be a traveler going from Dallas, Texas to Madrid, Spain, with a change of planes in Paris, France. In this case the traveler would go through immigration in Paris and pass through customs in Madrid. There are many notable exceptions to this rule. The most notable exceptions for U.S.-bound travelers are airports that have pre-clearance facilities allowing travelers to complete customs and immigrations formalities at their point of departure outside of the United States. Many Canadian airports have a pre-clearance option, in addition to Nassau and Freeport in the Bahamas, Shannon, Ireland, and Bermuda.

Experts Say Business Travel Likely to Exceed 2009 Levels

The National Business Travel Association's (NBTA) 2010 Forecast predicts business travel will likely exceed 2009 levels in 2010. About 50 percent of respondents indicated that their airfares and hotel rates declined by up to 10% between 2008 and 2009 and reported that car rental rates remained unchanged, yet have recently increased. Negotiated discounts are still prevalent. Seventy percent of buyers expect to negotiate better hotel discounts for 2010. More than 30 percent also forecast better discounts with airlines and car rental companies for 2010. Significant percentages are seeing publicly available hotel rates drop below negotiated rates for 2009. MacNair has seen its customers leverage small business programs more effectively. As car rates increase, small business programs and shopping become more important. Government has reduced per diem rates and travel spending will cautiously increase. More than half (56%) of the travel manager respondents project their total travel spending to increase in 2010. About 31% expect their total travel spending to remain flat year over year. Forty-two percent of travel buyers estimate that their travel spending increase in 2010 will be due to more trips. More value will be sought and expected. Technology tools will be considered for virtual travel.
(Source: NBTA 2010 Forecast)

Study: Only 55 Flights Defined as "Chronically Late" under DOT Rules

Out of nearly 14,000 recurring flights operated by U.S. airlines in the first 11 months of 2009, only 55 would have been subject to federal penalties for chronic delays as defined last month by the Transportation Department. Under the rules, which take effect in April, chronically late flights are defined as those running at least 31 minutes late more than 50% of the time for four consecutive months. Airlines are adding minutes to the scheduled duration of their flights to boost their on-time arrivals. Passengers are noticing the difference. It used to be that "if you leave late, you know you will arrive late. But now you leave late and arrive early," frequent traveler Steve Edmonds said. (Source: Chicago Tribune/The Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal)

U.S.- Bound Travelers Soon Must Have E-Authorization

As of January, 20th, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is requiring that all foreign nationals bound for or travel through the U.S., obtain electronic authorization via the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or risk not being allowed to board an airplane. To gain authorization, travelers must supply personal and travel information and answer Visa Waiver Program eligibility questions. The authorization is valid for up to two years and for multiple trips. Passengers with a valid visa or a Green Card do not need to seek authorization.
(Source: The Times (London))

Airline Baggage Fees Increase as More Fliers Check Bags at Gate to Avoid Fees

American, Continental, Delta/Northwest, United and US Airways have increased their airport check-in baggage fees to $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second bag. In addition, all of the major airlines, except American, now offer a discounted baggage fee for online check-in of $23 for the first bag and $32 for the second bag. Please note that baggage fee effective dates vary by airline. As airline fees rise and security procedures evolve, passengers complain they have no good solution when traveling with luggage. Airlines say their bag-check fees are necessitated by economic conditions and have nothing to do with increased security hassles, but more passengers are checking their bags at the gate as a way to avoid such fees. (Source: The New York Times)

American Airlines Drops Free Standby for Most Passengers

Most American Airlines passengers will no longer be able to stanby for a different flight on their day of travel without paying a fee. However, the free standby option will still be in effect for higher-level members of its frequent-flier program, for first- and business-class travelers, for those paying military fares and for some coach passengers, according to a statement from the airline. All passengers will be able to pay a $50 fee for a guaranteed same-day flight change if space is available. (Source: Bloomberg)

Fewer Frequent Fliers to Receive Free Upgrades

Frequent fliers who have earned elite status traditionally have been awarded with complimentary upgrades. However, this year upgrades might be more difficult to come by as fewer first-class seats are available because of capacity cuts and more people having earned elite status through non-flight activities. "Over the next two years, unless you're at the mid-tier elite level and upwards, you're probably never going to be able to get any upgrades," said Randy Petersen, Founder of FlyerTalk.com. (Source: The New York Times)

Parking Rates at Airports Increase

As government and aviation authorities search for additional revenue, parking rates at airports are increasing. San Diego's Lindbergh Field and Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports announced increases in parking prices earlier this month after other airports increased rates in 2009. (Source: USA TODAY)

Airlines Add More "Peak Travel DaY" Surcharges

The airfare monitoring website FareCompare said that more airlines are adding to an already extensive list of "peak travel surcharge days" with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines recently adding peak travel surcharges to several dates in June, July and August. This relatively new surcharge, targeting popular travel dates, was originally nicknamed the "holiday surcharge" since it was first applied to the busiest travel days of the 2009 Thanksgiving and Christmas travel season. Late in the year, carriers began adding dates into 2010; AirTran and US Airways were the first to add summer dates. So far, American and Alaska have added surcharges of $10 each way to some summertime dates. (Source: FareCompare press release)

DOT Makes It Easier To File Complaints Against Airlines

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) now has a new aviation consumer website that should make it easier to file complaints about air travel. The site has an online complaint form, holds aviation rules and statutes, and advice concerning airlines that have stopped operating or filed for bankruptcy protection. It features travel tips and publications, such as the Air Travel Consumer Report and Fly-Rights. The site also holds information about on-time performance, baggage mishandling records, refund information and links to other DOT sites.
(Source: DOT press release)

MacNair Travel Personal travel division to Hold st. patrick's Day open house

Please join us for a St. Patrick's Day Open House on Wednesday, March 17th from 3 PM to 5 PM. Meet Carmen, our newest Personal Travel Consultant, as well as the rest of our team. Enjoy St. Patty's Day treats and take away some great travel ideas! RSVP to Kim Peele at 703-650-5266.

VACATION HOTSPOTS
BY KIM PEELE, PERSONAL TRAVEL DIVISION MANAGER

Just a few of the many travel values available this month:

• February is romance month! As if South Pacific Voyage on the MS Paul Gaughain isn't romantic enough, our consultants can arrange for you to spend a night on shore during your cruise in an over-water bungalow at the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort. Savor a breakfast delivered by canoe and enjoy the rich sea life of the lagoon beneath your glass-topped coffee table. We can get you there!
• Show your children where nature programs really take place! Experience the multi-dimensional and rainbow hues of lush Costa Rica. Witness the blue morpho butterflies, jewel colored macaws and chattering howler monkeys first hand. Canopy tours, river rafting and horseback riding will keep even the most adventurous kids happy. Let us design a jungle and rainforest family tour for you!
• France! England! Italy! Spain! Clearly, despite our dollar's woes, Europe remains affordable. By booking your hotels, sightseeing tours, excursions, transfers, and other services with MacNair Travel before you leave home, and paying in advance, you can turn your dreams this year into memorable realities. MacNair Travel has exclusive deals, so call today for details.
  

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Please feel free to send comments or suggestions to our editor, Tony Torres, at ttorres@macnairtravel.com.