October 2009
In this issue...

• Business Travel a Good Investment
• BA Passengers Will Have to Pay to Reserve Seats; MacNair Customers Exempt
• MacNair Travel Monitoring Swine Flu and Advises Clients to Prepare
• New Air Filter Could Reduce Spread of Illnesses on Flights
• Airlines Hiked Fees by 345% in 2008, Holiday Flight Fee Latest Addition
• Airline Group Says More Business Class Seats Getting Filled
• Continental Changes Frequent-Flier Program as It Joins Star Alliance
• Airlines to Further Reduce Capacity This Fall
• London Hotels Drop Rates to Attract Overseas Visitors
• Smoking Bans Spread to Some Rental Cars
• PwC Predicts Increase in Hotel Occupancy
• Did You Know? You Can Pay for Your Travel with American Express Points!
• Vacation Hotspots by Kim Peele, Personal Travel Division Manager
  

Business Travel a Good Investment

Two new studies report that every dollar invested in new business travel results in $12 to $15 in increased revenue, as much as a third of which goes straight to the bottom line. "Business travel is economic stimulus," said Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. One study, by Oxford Economics, found that the average company would lose nearly 20% of its profits in the first year of eliminating business travel and it would take years for profits to recover. The study also found that in person meetings are critical to keeping clients and finding new clients. MacNair Travel can help you maximize profits through specialized managed travel that suits your organization's unique needs. Contact us today at 703-836-1100 to learn more. (Source: Travel Weekly)

BA PASSENGERS WILL HAVE TO PAY TO RESERVE SEATS; MACNAIR CUSTOMERS EXEMPT

British Airways has announced that it will charge passengers to reserve a window or aisle seat or book seats with a fellow traveler. The airline said the option will "give customers more control over their seating options." The charge is part of British Airways' efforts to reduce costs and boost revenue from ancillary fees.
(Source: The Guardian)

Effective immediately, MacNair can now provide complimentary seat assignments for all travelers in all classes on flights sold as and operated by British Airways! This is a HUGE benefit of doing business with MacNair as BA charges up to $90 per person for seat assignments and their pay-for-seats functionality is only available via phone.

MACNAIR TRAVEL MONITORING SWINE FLU AND ADVISES CLIENTS TO PREPARE

Businesses are mostly prepared for the flu this year, but need to consider the risk of quarantine for employees traveling overseas. Clients need to have plans ready to take care of the health of travelers who develop the H1N1 flu during their travel. MacNair Travel is monitoring the spread of the H1N1 flu virus and will notify customers of countries implementing quarantines to contain the spread of the disease. (Source: Travel Weekly)

NEW AIR FILTER COULD REDUCE SPREAD OF ILLNESSES ON FLIGHTS

BAE Systems, an aerospace company, and Quest International, an organization that supports high-tech computer based equipment, have teamed up to develop an air-filtration system that destroys as much as 99.9% of pollutants, infectious bacteria and viruses. The researchers say the revolutionary system could reduce the spread of H1N1 influenza and other viruses on airplane flights. The companies have been testing the system for years, with a major European airline being among the first to place an order. (Source: The London Times).

AIRLINES HIKED FEES BY 345% IN 2008, HOLIDAY FLIGHT FEE LATEST ADDITION

New fees and additional revenue schemes by airlines brought in 345% more revenue for airlines last year. Idea Works, an airline industry consultant, expects airlines to continue charging more fees for services that were once complimentary or inexpensive. A holiday flight fee is the latest fee airlines are adding to flights. "MacNair Travel can help you consider these charges when making your value decision, address them in your travel policy, and avoid them when possible", says Mike MacNair, President and CEO of MacNair Travel. A matrix comparison of these charges is available here for further analysis. (Source: Travel Weekly)

AIRLINE GROUP SAYS MORE BUSINESS CLASS SEATS GETTING FILLED

In another indication that the economic recovery is on track, airlines are once again filling business-class seats, according to the International Air Transport Association. "Premium travel on international markets, which is mostly for business, is closely correlated to world trade which bottomed out in May and started to turn up in June," IATA said. "This improvement in cross-border trade is boosting business travel, but demand is still very weak compared to the recent past and there remains much excess capacity, producing intense competition." Contact your MacNair Travel Consultant today to get the best rates on business class seats. (Source: MSNBC/Reuters)

CONTINENTAL CHANGES FREQUENT-FLIER PROGRAM AS IT JOINS STAR ALLIANCE

When Continental Airlines joins the Star Alliance on October 27, the carrier's OnePass members will be able to earn frequent-flier miles on 24 airlines. Other changes to Continental's frequent-flier program include fees for changing reward ticket reservations and reward travel will no longer require a Saturday night stay.
(Source: Houston Chronicle)

AIRLINES TO FURTHER REDUCE CAPACITY THIS FALL

Many U.S. airports will continue to see fewer flights this fall as airlines reduce capacity following the busy summer travel season. Airlines are expected to offer 12.5 billion seat miles in the fall quarter, just above the low point of 12.1 billion notched immediately after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Still, several analysts predict the latest round of capacity cuts will likely be the last. "The economy has bottomed and is beginning to turn around," says aviation consultant David Swierenga. "Carriers will sit tight and go with the (capacity) cuts they've already made." (Source: Chicago Tribune/The Associated Press)

LONDON HOTELS DROP RATES TO ATTRACT OVERSEAS VISITORS

Average room prices for London hotels have fallen this year compared to 2008 and could continue to drop as the competition for guests heats up, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report. Combined with a weakening pound, the prices are especially attractive to many international visitors, making London an increasingly better value. (Source: The Guardian)

SMOKING BANS SPREAD TO SOME RENTAL CARS

Avis and Budget are planning to ban smoking throughout their North American fleets starting Oct. 1. Customers who smoke in the rental-car companies' vehicles will be levied a fine of as much as $250. "The No. 1 request we get is for a smoke-free car," said John Barrows, a spokesman for the firms' parent company Avis Budget Group. (Source: USA Today)

PWC PREDICTS INCREASE IN HOTEL OCCUPANCY

An updated forecast from PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that hotel occupancy will rise late this year and into next year and rates will remain discounted to attract travelers. "While the beginning of the recovery for hotels is expected to be primarily demand driven, as the recovery gains momentum, rate strategies implemented by hotels will have an increasingly important role in the magnitude and speed of this recovery," according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

DID YOU KNOW? YOU CAN PAY FOR YOUR TRAVEL WITH AMERICAN EXPRESS POINTS!

MacNair Travel Management is one of a select number of travel agencies that can now book your cruise, land and air travel using your American Express Membership Rewards Points. As part of the American Express Network, MacNair has chosen to offer this special service to our clients. Why not maximize your travel dollars by paying for all or part of your next business trip or vacation using your Membership Rewards points? The American Express Membership Rewards Payment Program is available with most American Express personal cards and some business cards. Contact MacNair Travel at 703-836-1100 today to book your next trip and to find out how to use your points for payment.

VACATION HOTSPOTS BY KIM PEELE, PERSONAL TRAVEL DIVISION MANAGER

Now is a great time to book your holiday vacation. Luxury cruising has never been more affordable and deluxe vacation destinations have never been this favorably priced. Don't miss out on these great values:

• Club Med is a wonderful all-inclusive, active vacation, for singles, couples and families! Now until 11/2/09 you can pay for just 3 nights at Club Med and get 7 nights! Rates start at just $799 with children 2-15 receiving a 50% discount. This offer is available at the following resorts: Punta Cana, Cancun Yucatan, Ixtapa Pacific, Sandpiper (Florida), Columbus Isle (Bahamas), Turkoise, Buccaneer's Creek (Martinique), and Caravelle (Guadeloupe). Travel must be complete by 4/30/10.
• Silversea is known for its gourmet dining and exceptional staff. All accommodations are ocean view suites, most have verandahs and the ships carry less than 400 passengers. For the remainder of 2009, there are many sailings offering 50% savings PLUS a $1,000 Onboard Spending Credit. Cruising from Rio to Buenos Aires for 8 days can be booked for just $3,447 per person. Dubai to Singapore for 15 days is now available for just $5,297 per person. There are many more itineraries to choose from.
• When you buy a non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney World Resort room and ticket package at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts, you will get three more nights with tickets FREE. When you buy a non-discounted Walt Disney Travel Company 5-night, 5-day Walt Disney World Resort room and ticket package at select Disney Value Resorts, you will get two more nights with tickets FREE. (For stays most nights 11/1/09-11/20/09, 12/11/09-12/24/09 and 1/3/10-3/27/10).

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