service excellence since 1989
December 2011
In this issue...
- American Airlines' Bankruptcy Filing Should Have Little Effect on Passengers
- JetBlue Wins Auction for Slots at Reagan and LaGuardia
- Security Alert - Beware Virus Embedded in Emails
- MacNair Travel Holiday Hours - Closing at 5pm this Thurs
- Announcing MacNair Travel's 2012 Educational Webinars
- GSA Launches Per Diem Mobile App for iPhone, Android and Blackberry
- BWI Airport Expansion Will Improve Security Checkpoints
- TSA Enrolls 280,000 Travelers in PreCheck Program and Will Expand Program
- Airfares, Travel Budgets are Expected to Rise in 2012
- Republic Plans Sale of Frontier Airlines
- DOT Reports Airlines' Continued Growth from Ancillary Fees and Pushes for Detailed Fee Disclosure
- U.S. Airports are Adopting "Common-Use Strategy" for Gates, Kiosks
- TSA Warns Travelers to Leave Gifts Unwrapped
- Airlines Step up First-Class Amenities
- Exclusive MacNair Discount on Gogo Wi-Fi Service
- Vacation Hotspots by Diana Greer, Personal Travel Consultant
American Airlines' bankruptcy filing should have little effect on passengers
Fliers on American Airlines likely will not see many changes stemming from the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of the carrier's parent company, AMR. Flights will continue -- although they likely will be fewer as the company downsizes -- reservations will still be accepted, and frequent-flier programs will stay in place. However, service could be affected as employees may be preoccupied with the looming changes and the possibility of wage and pension cuts.
(Source: Chicago Tribune/The Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal/The Middle Seat Terminal blog)
JetBlue wins auction for slots at Reagan and LaGuardia
JetBlue Airways submitted a higher bid than rival Southwest for slots at LaGuardia Airport in New York and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. JetBlue bid $72 million for eight slot pairs at both airports. JetBlue's bid came in at least $26.6 million higher than Southwest's bid, data show.
(Source:The Wall Street Journal, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)/The Associated Press)
Security Alert - Beware Virus Embedded in Emails
There are emails circulating with links to view your travel reservation that are not from MacNair Travel. MacNair Travel emails containing links to your itinerary information come in only one format from Virtually There. If you book using Concur, your email confirmation will not contain a link to your itinerary, but will include a PDF copy of your itinerary. If you receive other emails with links that are not in one of these formats, please DO NOT CLICK the link as it may install a virus on your computer. When in doubt, please contact your travel consultant at MacNair Travel.
MacNair Travel Holiday Hours
MacNair Travel will observe the following schedule for the holidays this year.
- Thursday, December 15th we will open at 8:30am and close at 5:00pm for our annual meeting and holiday party.
- Friday, December 23rd and December 30th, we will also observe special holiday hours of 8:30am to 5:00pm.
- Monday, December 26th and January 2nd, we will be closed in observation of the Christmas and New Years holidays.
Announcing MacNair Travel's 2012 Educational Webinars
Back by popular demand! We are announcing our 2011 webinar schedule based on topics requested by our valued customers. Mark your calendar and tell your friends! Sign up now. If you are unable to attend and would like a briefing, please contact us.
1. Feb 23rd 2012 Travel Insights and Updates
2. Apr 19th Improving Strategic Hotel & Meetings Management within Your Travel Program
3. Aug 2nd Travel Procurement: Gain Competitive Advantage for Government Contractors
4. Oct 25th Emerging Technologies in Travel that Matter
All webinars will begin at 12:00pm.
GSA Launches Per Diem Mobile App for iPhone, Android and Blackberry
The GSA has launched a mobile app that allows travelers to look up federal government per diem rates by city/state and ZIP code in locations throughout the United States and its territories. Per diem is the daily allowance for lodging (excluding taxes), meals and incidental expenses. You can download it here.
These rates are established by the General Services Administration for destinations in the lower 48 contiguous United States, and by the U.S. Department of Defense for locations in Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. territories. The U.S. Department of State sets rates for foreign travel locations. (Source: GSA)
BWI airport expansion will improve security checkpoints
A $100 million expansion will transform the central and security areas of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport over the next two years. The renovation includes a larger checkpoint and changes that will allow travelers to pass through concourses without going through security checkpoints again. The checkpoint at Concourse C will expand from six lines to nine, officials said. These changes will move AirTran closer to Southwest adding a connector so that travelers won’t have to exit and go back through security.
(Source: The Baltimore Sun)
TSA enrolls 280,000 travelers in precheck program and will expand program
The Transportation Security Administration's pre-screening program now allows about 280,000 Americans to move more quickly through checkpoints at four U.S. airports. The program is open only to travelers who are U.S. citizens and frequent fliers on either Delta Air Lines or American Airlines. "If we can confirm a person's identity and learn more about them through information they voluntarily provide, we can expedite the physical screening for many people," said TSA spokeswoman Sari Koshetz. The DOT will expand the program, Transportation Security Administration Administrator John Pistole told lawmakers. He said the TSA was still determining which airlines and airports would participate in the program, which is in place in Miami, Dallas, Atlanta and Detroit. "This new screening system holds great potential to strengthen security while significantly enhancing the travel experience, whenever possible, for passengers," Pistole said.
(Source: Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.)/The Associated Press, Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Airfares, travel budgets are expected to rise in 2012
A survey by Morgan Stanley with 367 corporate travel buyers shows that 63% of respondents expect travel budgets to rise in 2012. Sixty-four percent of respondents expect 2012's air travel bookings to rise over 2011 levels, and 80% anticipate airfares will increase or remain the same next year. However, 25% of respondents expect "more stringent" travel policies. American Express agrees in its Global Business Travel Forecast stating that business travel remains an essential tool to drive business growth and thus would be unaffected by a continued rise in airfare and hotel prices. "There's a link between travel and a company’s top-line growth. Despite emerging technologies that can serve as alternatives to travel, nothing really replaces what you gain with those in-person interactions," said Alicia Tillman, a vice president at American Express.
(Source: TravelMole, BusinessTravelNews.com)
Republic plans sale of Frontier Airlines
Steep fuel costs and fierce competition in Denver have turned Republic Airways Holdings' Frontier Airlines venture into a loss-making operation, forcing the company to decide to separate with the business. Republic is hoping that a final contract for Frontier to receive 80 Airbus A320neo-family planes will attract buyers.
(Source: The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires)
DOT reports airlines' continued growth from ancillary fees and pushes for detailed fee disclosure
Second-quarter financial data released by the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics showed airlines netting a total of $2.208 billion in revenue from all identifiable ancillary sources, including fees and frequent-flier sales. The agency further reports that combined with $887 million in baggage fees and $612 million in reservation-change fees, ancillary revenue from other sources made up 5.5% of the total revenue of airlines that reported receiving ancillary revenue. The Department of Transportation has proposed new rules for greater airline-pricing transparency that would require carriers to provide detailed reports on a large number of ancillary fees. "In an era of rising fees, passengers deserve better information about how airlines are performing, particularly when it comes to fees, baggage and accommodating passengers in wheelchairs," DOT Secretary Ray LaHood said. Major airlines have denounced the proposal as "unduly burdensome, complex and unjustified."
(Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Travel Agent Central)
U.S. airports are adopting "common-use strategy" for gates, kiosks
A number of U.S. airports are working on allowing carriers to share gates, ticketing and check-in kiosks, and baggage carousels. The "common-use strategy" could put an end to tarmac delays. "The industry is starting to realize that common use has a lot of value," said Tim Harris, chief technology officer for California's John Wayne Airport. (Source: The New York Times)
TSA warns travelers to leave gifts unwrapped
The Transportation Security Administration is warning travelers not to pack wrapped presents in their luggage this holiday season. It warned that agents will unwrap any wrapped gifts. Agents at Los Angeles International Airport last week opened a traveler's wrapped gifts and found 35 pounds of marijuana. (Source: New York Daily News)
Airlines step up first-class amenities
Airlines are investing in upgrades to first-class service while cutting back on offerings in coach. Some first-class cabins have in-flight showers and massage service to cater to passengers on international flights. But in coach, such things as free food service are no longer offered with many seats.
(Source: The New York Times)
Exclusive MacNair Discount on Gogo Wi-fi service
Stay connected at 30,000 feet with a special offer from MacNair Travel Management, GetThere, and Gogo.
If it’s happy and productive travelers you seek, we are here to help. Gogo provides in-flight Internet access on many U.S. domestic flights – and MacNair customers can connect with an exclusive discount.
MacNair, GetThere, and Gogo have partnered to give travelers discounts on Gogo 24-hour and yearlong Wi-Fi passes. Travelers can purchase these passes online.
Gogo is quickly expanding and already available on select Air Canada, AirTran, Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, United, US Airways and Virgin America flights. Travelers with a Gogo pass can get Wi-Fi access on a laptop, smartphone and/or tablet.
To make more money and to keep passengers coming back, major airlines are sinking money into premium seating and trendy in-flight offerings such as Wi-Fi. "If one can consistently afford a premium product, I can understand getting spoiled and demanding a high level of service," David Parker Brown writes. For example, United Continental Holdings has announced plans to equip 300 of its jets with in-flight Wi-Fi starting in 2012. (Source: BusinessTraveller.com (U.K.), SlashGear, AirlineReporter.com)
VACATION HOTSPOTS BY DIANA GREER, PERSONAL TRAVEL CONSULTANT
Give a Gift with your American Express Points. Having difficulty coming up with the perfect gift for friends or family? Use your American Express Points to purchase a package, cruise or airline ticket for that special person. Give us a call to learn more about this great holiday gift idea.
Explore the Panama Canal Cruise, Rainforests and Beaches. This unique experience is all-inclusive with all meals, activities and guide starting at $1,095 per person. This 8-day tour offers two days on the canal through the Western locks and Gatun Lake with land tour including urban, beach and natural wonders of Panama. A wonderful vacation at a great price with several departures year round.
Kids Sail Free to Mexican Riviera on the Disney Magic. Kids 17 and under sail FREE when traveling with two full fare guests in the same stateroom in Categories 4A – 10C sailing Jan. 29, 2012 from Los Angeles for delightful days and fun filled nights visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.
Come to Israel for a Historical Experience with the Biblical Footprints Tour. Over four nights visit Leonardo Plaza in Jerusalem, two nights at Kibbutz Lavi Hotel in Lower Galilee and one night Herods in Tel Aviv. In just 7 days your escorted tour will visit Old Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Tiberias, Haifa, and Caesarea with all the history that each city offers. Tour starts at $1,596. Airfare is additional.
The Villa Experience Is Open For Business. MacNair Travel and American Express now offer Villa Rentals to the most popular destinations including Caribbean, Central America, France, Hawaii, Ireland, Italy and Mexico. Vacationers that dream of a luxurious vacation that will make them feel like the “rich and famous” can realize their dream by renting a villa for a wide range of budgets. To take a virtual tour of the villas go to www.thevillaexperience.net . Call Diana Greer at 703-650-5260 or email her dgreer@macnairtravel.com at to book one of these Dream Villa Vacations.
Click below to check out our latest specials and deals or contact the Personal Travel Division at MacNair Travel Management at dreamtrippers@macnairtravel.com or 703-836-1101 today!
Please feel free to send comments or suggestions to our editor, Tony Torres, at ttorres@macnairtravel.com.
As always, thank you for your business,
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© 2011 MacNair Travel