June 2009
In this issue...

• Traveler Confidence Rising So Book Now While Prices Are Low
• MacNair Travel Prepared for Secure Flight Changes to Airline Reservations
• MacNair Travel in the News: Affordable Travel & Travel Management
• Customer Satisfaction Rises as Airlines Cut Capacity
• Did You Know?... You Can Use Virtually There to Keep Track of Your Travel
• Delta and Air France-KLM Partner on Most Transatlantic Flights
• American Airlines Cabins Are Now Cash-Free
• Register Now For Our June Webinar: "The Online Travel Adoption Toolkit"
• Hotels Find Tough Times Make Travelers More Waste-Conscious
• We Are Looking for Your Best Stories About MacNair
• MacNair Travel Will Match Any Online Travel Package
  

TRAVELER CONFIDENCE RISING SO BOOK NOW WHILE PRICES ARE LOW

A recent report found that reduced hotel rates and airfares have led to increased travel intentions for the summer season. Travelocity's first Traveler Confidence Report indicates travelers do intend to jump on all the deals that are available. More people intend to travel and fewer people are postponing vacations. Travelers are budgeting the same or more for summer travel and have been encouraged by lower airfare and hotel rates.
(Source: ASTA SmartBrief, TravelAgentCentral)

MacNair Travel Consultants specialize in finding the best travel options for our customers. Contact MacNair today to see how we can save you money!

MACNAIR TRAVEL PREPARED FOR SECURE FLIGHT CHANGES TO AIRLINE RESERVATIONS

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that beginning May 15 the Secure Flight passenger vetting program began asking passengers to enter their name - as it appears on the government issued identification they will be traveling with - when making airline reservations. In the near future, small differences between the passenger's ID and the passenger's reservation information (such as variations in middle name or middle initial) will not be an issue for passengers. Travelers should begin making sure that their government issued ID and travel information (including names on frequent flyer accounts) match.

The second phase of Secure Flight begins August 15, 2009 when passengers will be required to enter their date of birth and gender when booking airline flights. MacNair's online profile system is already capable of receiving this information.

Once Secure Flight's advanced technology is fully implemented in early 2010, enhanced watch list matching will be done by the government. Airlines will be required to gather a passenger's name, date of birth, and gender when making an airline reservation to determine if the passenger is a match to the No Fly or Selectee lists. By providing the additional data elements of gender and date of birth, Secure Flight will more effectively help prevent misidentification of passengers who have similar names to individuals on the watch list and better identify individuals that pose a known or suspected threat to aviation. TSA's goal is to vet 100 percent of passengers on all domestic commercial flights by early 2010 and 100 percent of passengers on all international commercial flights by the end of 2010. (Source TSA.gov)

MACNAIR TRAVEL IN THE NEWS: AFFORDABLE TRAVEL & TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

MacNair Travel President and CEO Michael MacNair, appeared on WUSA Channel 9 News in the Washington, DC Metro Area on May 5th to discuss affordable travel. The entire interview can be viewed here.

IndUS Business Journal also interviewed MacNair in May about travel management and his recommendations on cutting costs while maximizing travel options. MacNair discusses his seven keys to travel savings for 2009 and how small businesses often fail to manage travel effectively. MacNair Travel can help you develop a travel program that best suits your company's needs. The entire article can be read here. Contact us today to see how we can help you manage your travel and provide the savings you expect.
(Source: IndUS Business Journal: Travel Management Spotlight - May 2009)

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RISES AS AIRLINES CUT CAPACITY

For the first time since 2003, passenger satisfaction with airlines improved, according to the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Passenger satisfaction was up three percent to 64, ending a downward slide that, with few interruptions, began in 1994. Although passenger satisfaction is up, airlines remain one of the lowest scoring businesses in ACSI. American Airlines fell three percent to 60. Southwest continues to lead the industry for a sixteenth straight year, up three percent to an all-time high of 81. United Airlines anchors the bottom, unchanged at 56. Airlines with the biggest customer service problems in the past improved the most. Continental is up ten percent to 68 and US Airways is up nine percent to 59, both erasing last year's declines. Delta improved seven percent to 64 after its merger with Northwest, while Northwest itself remained near the bottom of the industry at 57, just ahead of United. (Source: University of Michigan press release)

DID YOU KNOW?... YOU CAN USE VIRTUALLY THERE TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR TRAVEL

Would you like to be able to keep track of all of your travel information in one place? MacNair Travel can help! Virtually There, our online e-ticket and itinerary viewing tool offers extensive features to help you as you travel. With Virtually There, you can:

• Check the status of any flight
• Book ground transportation, travel extras and travel protection to complete your trip
• Check weather, maps and more in city guides
• View your past and current trips from one page upon completion of a simple profile using the My Trips feature
• Email your itinerary to anyone using your cell phone or computer
• Register for flight notifications for any flight in your itinerary to notify you of gate changes, delays and cancellations
• Sync travel information to your Outlook, PDA, Blackberry or iPhone

Click here to take a test drive and experience these convenient features for yourself!

DELTA AND AIR FRANCE-KLM PARTNER ON MOST TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHTS

Delta and Air France-KLM have unveiled their new partnership sharing revenue on 100 daily flights accounting for 50,000 seats. The two airlines will share revenue on flights between North America and Africa, the Middle East and India, and between Europe and some Latin America countries. The agreement includes a quarter of transatlantic flights and will bring in about $12 billion a year. The six main hubs will be Amsterdam, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York Kennedy, and Paris and will include all flights between Europe and North America, Amsterdam and India, and North America and Tahiti. (Source: Travel Weekly)

AMERICAN AIRLINES CABINS ARE NOW CASH-FREE

American Airlines has gone cashless onboard flights within the continental United States, as well as flights to and from Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada. American will accept American Express cards and other major credit or debit cards only for in-flight purchases such as headsets, fresh meals, snacks and alcoholic beverages. Flight attendants utilize a hand-held Onboard Sales Recorder to charge credit cards and debit cards.
(Source: American press release)

REGISTER NOW FOR OUR JUNE WEBINAR: "THE ONLINE TRAVEL ADOPTION TOOLKIT"

MacNair Travel's President and CEO Michael MacNair will continue his series of virtual webinars on key topics identified by our valued customers to enhance travel management value, quality and savings. We hope you will be able to attend. Please feel free to share our invitation with others who can benefit from this information and learn how to engage more of your team to use our online solutions for reservations.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 12noon-1:00pm "The Online Travel Adoption Toolkit"
Please click here to register.
You may also contact Rian Watson at 703-650-5256 or rwatson@macnairtravel.com to register. Dial-in information will be emailed out to registrants two days prior to the event.

HOTELS FIND TOUGH TIMES MAKE TRAVELERS MORE WASTE-CONSCIOUS

Frequent travelers have become waste-conscious, according to Element Hotels' new Eco-Travel Index, which tracks frequent traveler's "green" travel habits. The study found that nearly 78 percent of respondents said they are paying more attention to wasteful habits like leaving the lights on, leaving the TV on, or leaving the faucet running. But more than 41 percent say their vigilance about squandering resources is due to the economy, while just 28 percent claim it's due to the environment. Their eco habits slip on the road, with nearly half (46 percent) saying they always recycle glass and plastic at home, but just 36 percent do so on the road. At home, more than 34 percent say they limit shower time or lawn-watering, but only 20 percent watch water consumption while traveling. Only about one-third of travelers surveyed consider themselves outstanding in their personal "green programs," with most feeling more like "green beginners." (Source: Element press release)

WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR BEST STORIES ABOUT MACNAIR

Help MacNair Travel celebrate our 20th anniversary! As many of our readers know, MacNair Travel is celebrating our 20th anniversary this year. We are putting together a small booklet for our staff and are looking for submissions from our customers about their experiences working with MacNair Travel. If you have any unique stories, experiences or a quote you would like to share with our staff, we would love to hear about them. Please submit your entries to ttorres@macnairtravel.com by Wednesday, July 1st.

MACNAIR TRAVEL WILL MATCH ANY ONLINE TRAVEL PACKAGE

At MacNair Travel we will match any online travel package rate and usually beat it. Your experienced and well-traveled MacNair Travel Consultant will be there to support you - before, during and after your trip. Our experienced consultants know the destinations that you are considering. In 2009 alone, our agents have visited Anguilla, St. Maarten, Jamaica, Curacao, St. Thomas, Mexico and have cruised with Crystal Cruises and Carnival Cruises. Soon they will visiting Ireland and the UK. We have Certified Specialists in Italy, Ireland, Canada, Turkey and more. Take advantage of the knowledge that we offer!

Do you sometimes wonder why you would use a travel agency for your vacation travel, when there is a wealth of information online? Well, here are a few questions to consider:
How do you decide which online site is the most reputable? Should you book based on price or brand recognition? How do you know the real differences between hotels? Who will you call and who will actually answer if you run into problems before, during or after the trip? Call now to speak to our experienced travel consultants.

Celebrating 20 years of well-managed travel made easy!

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