This isn't exactly business-travel related, but with Halloween upon us, where's the scariest place you've ever stayed?  --Laurie H.

Not to worry Laurie, I can make anything business-travel related. (Next month look for my recipe for holiday sugar cookies shaped like carry-on luggage.) I like to think of scary accommodations as those without room service and 1000-thread-count sheets. Though I would have to say the scariest place I've ever stayed (aside from my first apartment) would have to be a motel on Cape Cod during off-season, where the innkeeper carried a chainsaw around like a keychain; and he shared a striking resemblance to Jack Nicholson in the last five minutes of The Shining.

Of course, as with all gothic tales, it was a dark and stormy night. The power failed along with the water pressure, and I shared my Cape Cod Lobster Trap Motel with one other guest, who I'm sure had just escaped from a federal prison. (I know I saw stenciled numbers on his shirt.) But I digress.

There is a way to avoid scary motels and hotels: search and plan accordingly.  For instance when beginning a hotel search by city you have the option to narrow the search by: near a city, near an airport, near an attraction, or near an address. Once you get your search results, take it a step further and narrow your search by hotel amenities, including everything from fitness facilities to my favorite, room service. You can also sort your results by Expedia picks, price, hotel name, city, and hotel class. How scary can a hotel be when it has high-speed Internet and spa facilities? If you're not sure still, check out the hotel reviews or travelers' opinions. Oddly, my Cape Cod cozy stay was not listed.

I'm also fond of our sister site TripAdvisor.com  for in-depth traveler reviews whether for hotels, attractions or dining, that way the only frightening thing I find in my hotel room is a full-length mirror.

Posted by Tom at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

What a difference a year makes.

Basking in its successful bankruptcy exit and recent profitability, Delta is poised to go shopping. At least that's the buzz in financial circles.  And while the carrier just teamed up with Air France to create a transatlantic powerhouse through a joint agreement to share revenue and costs, financial analysts think there's more to come in the world of airline consoldation. And in that world, Delta seems to be sitting pretty.

Business Week takes a look at:  Why Delta Should Buy Northwest

"With a new CEO and a clean balance sheet, Delta is pondering expansion. Here's why Northwest is the logical choice."

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Planes Pulled After at least 3 Mechanical Malfunctions

After a series of crash landings involving the Bombardier-built Q400, Scandinavian Airlines has permanently grounded the turboprop aircrafts. With three major mechanical malfunctions in two months, we think it’s better safe than sorry.
"Confidence in the Q400 has diminished considerably and our customers are becoming increasingly doubtful about flying in this type of aircraft. Accordingly, with the Board of Directors' approval, I have decided to immediately remove Dash 8 Q400 aircraft from service," Mats Jansson, President and Chief Executive Officer of SAS, said in a company press release.
Other airlines could follow suit— after SAS reported problems with landing gear in September, Bombardier recommended all Q400s with 10,000 or
more flight segments receive immediate safety inspections, spurring hundreds of domestic and international cancellations.
This time around, Bombardier asks airlines to continue flights as usual, and says it stands by its landing gear.
SAS will be replacing its 27 grounded aircraft with leased planes, but in the meantime, travelers should be prepared for delays.

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Striking Softly, and Right on Schedule

In what is either an extremely polite or frustratingly passive-aggressive industrial action, unions representing UK’s Midland Mainline and Silverlink rail companies have scheduled a long-line of alternating 24-hour strikes starting Oct. 25th. The two companies appear to be taking turns at work stoppage, with Midland striking Oct. 25th, Silverlink striking Oct. 26th, and then a back-and-forth train schedule until Nov. 30th.  There’s one day of strike overlap, Nov. 1, which likely resulted from an unfortunate scheduling conflict — or so we imagine.

We’re not sure if this is an attempt to ease the pain for travelers, who will be able to catch the train home some of the time in November, or a diabolical plot to drive everyone crazy.

Unlike France, where legions of workers walked off the job with train employees, the Brits haven’t had any reports of planned sympathy strikes. In fact, several other rail companies have promised to assist, and will accept tickets that were purchased for Midland Mainline and Silverlink during the strikes. In the UK, it looks like it will be business as usual.

For updates, see UK train strikes.

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Travels in France? Perhaps Not

The French appear to be doing just about everything they can to disrupt business travel, from continuing an ongoing rail strike to planning a five-day Air France strike Oct. 25-29. The Air France Strike would include approximately 60% of the company’s stewards, and even if the airline flies lean, travelers should expect flight cancellations.

At the same time, commuters continue to face transit woes, with ongoing rail disruptions between Charles de Gaulle airport and central Paris. It’s been reported that there was 124 miles of traffic jams in Paris during Tuesday morning’s rush hour.

If that’s not enough, civil servants, concerned about potential job cuts , have announced plans for a one-day strike November 20th. With an apparently high amount of public support , and what appears to be a natural bent toward sympathy strikes in France, this event could bring the entire country to a one-day halt.

Posted by Renae at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kiko Heads Toward Mexico

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve had a weather system of note, but it looks like Kiko, a tropical storm spinning off the Pacific Coast of Mexico, could be a hurricane contender. As of Oct. 19, the storm threatened Southwestern Mexico with strong winds and heavy rain, and if  Kiko stays on course it will hit California Baja by Monday, Oct. 22.

The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, NOAA, expects the storm to intensify, and flight cancellations and delays could follow.

It’s Up in the Air in Italy

With plans for an Air Traffic Controller strike in Italy Oct. 22nd, travelers trying to fly to, from or through Italy will be taking their chances. Alitalia, the beleaguered national airline, is already preparing for severe impacts. The one-day strike could leave a lot of passengers stranded, so we suggest those with flights on the 22nd reschedule — in Italian, that’s devo annullare/rimandere il mio volo— and relax.   When in Rome …. expect delays.

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In France, Labor Loves a Strike

We’re predicting a transit melt-down in Paris tomorrow, October 18, with SNCF railway employees walking off the job, and Air France and Paris airport workers expected to strike in sympathy. Because this is France, the strike list also includes opera singers, teachers, electricity and gas workers and civil servants.

Metro, RER commuter rail, bus and tram services will likely be unavailable, and both Eurostar and Thalys, operators of high-speed rail lines, have said that they expect to reduce their routes to France by as much as 40 percent.

The International Herald Tribune quotes a Eurostar spokesman who says, "We are advising anyone who doesn't have to travel Thursday not to do so at all.”

Those are strong words, especially from a travel exec.

If that’s not enough, the French worry the strike could affect the rugby World Cup final, scheduled for Oct. 20. Business travel might feel the heat, but nobody messes with rugby.

For more on the strikes, straight from France:

The latest Expedia update:

Germany Faces Second Round of Train Woes

Perhaps the Germans are watching the French, with the country's latest round of rail strikes coinciding with massive industrial action in France. The latest move follows Deutsche Bahn’s most recent pay raise offer, which was soundly rejected by the Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivfuehrer (GDL) trade union.  GDL has threatened to strike from Oct. 18 until its demands are met, and it’s likely the trains will be off course though at least Oct. 24.  While delays can be expected, Deutsche Bahn expects to provide 60 percent of its normal service by calling in substitute drivers and adding bus routes.

For more on the strike:

The latest Expedia update:

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Planes, Trains, Traffic Jams, en Français

Strikes will slam France October 18, with rail workers and airport employees walking off the job to protest proposed pension changes. Travelers flying to, through or from a Paris airport and anyone with an Air France flight can expect cancellations and plenty of sitting around the airport.  The train strike will mess with commutes, make everyone late and promises to continue indefinitely.

Strike talks began after French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed increasing retirement age for train and bus drivers to 60, angering SNCF employees. In a sign that France and Germany should chat more, the initial SNCF strike would have overlapped the GdL measure, but the dates were changed to avoid impacting the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

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NYC Taxis, Take Deux!

New York City taxis drivers, initially angered over new technology requirements that include credit card machines and GPS devices in all cabs, have turned their attention toward higher-minded pursuits, such as lobbying for city-funded health care and pension funds. Bigger concerns lead to the same results, with drivers expected to park their cars in protest October 22.

It's hard to say how long this strike will last, but business travelers should schedule extra commute time, and reserve a limo or helicopter to get to the airport. During September's strike, city officials estimated that it took about 30 minutes to catch a cab. This time around, striking cabbies have reportedly made claims that they'll stall their working brethren, which could lead to some serious street-side arguments and traffic mayhem. For more on the taxi strike, click here.

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More Strikes Planned for Germany 

European commuters might find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks this month, with two planned train strikes expected to create traffic congestion and delays. The German train drivers' union, GdL, shut down routes October 12, and this time trains were out of commission the entire day. The union has said the next strike could be as early as Wednesday, October 17th, which gives Deutsche Bahn time to prepare a new wage agreement.  The company’s earlier proposal of a 4.5% raise fell far short of union demands, but a second more generous offer could keep the trains on schedule.

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Q. Don't airlines have to compensate you if they cancel a flight?
— Virginia P.

A. Yes, Virginia, there is compensation clause, but let's proceed with caution for clarification.

Airlines are not required by law to compensate you for a delayed or cancelled flight. However, an airline is obliged to compensate you if your flight is oversold and you are involuntarily denied boarding, that is you check in on time and the plane leaves the gate without you.

In most cases and on most domestic carriers, the conditions or contract of carriage provides the following parameters for compensation:

• If booked on an alternate flight within an hour of your original flight, you receive no cash compensation. 
• If you are booked on a flight that gets you to your destination one to two hours later, you are entitled to a cash payment of $200.
• Over two hours, you are entitled to a cash payment of $400.
  
  Congress is working to up these figures.
  
  There are three exceptions where an airline is not obligated to provide denied boarding compensation:
• If the passenger is re-accommodated on another flight scheduled to arrive within one hour of the original flight
• If the passenger fails to comply with ticketing, check-in or reconfirmation procedures (such as arriving late to the gate).

If an aircraft of smaller capacity is substituted (for instance, going from a 767 to a 757).

You can find this information (along with other passenger-airline guidelines) in the airline's contract of carriage, which is usually found on the airline's Web site or printed on the rarely-seen-nowadays ticket jacket.

Here's an example of the conditions/contract of carriage as seen on American Airlines Web site.

Bumping can be voluntary and involuntary.

If you volunteer to give up your seat for a later flight, the airline rewards your patience and strong constitution for airport concessions with a travel voucher for future travel. You'll find that the value of the voucher is directly proportional to the difficulty the gate agent has in securing that needed seat for another passenger.

If no one volunteers, then you have the involuntary denied boarding situation mentioned at the beginning, and basically a very unpleasant scene at the gate. (Think Jerry Springer shot on location at the airport.)

How frequent are denied boardings on domestic carriers? The Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer Report keeps track of such things and posts the statistics by airline.

Between April and June 2007, there were 192,678 voluntary denied boardings and 18,428 involuntary denied boardings out of 150,536,464 total passengers. While that is only about 1.22 involuntary denied boardings per 10,000 passengers, it's one too many if it's you watching the plane push back.

Posted by Tom at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

We're rounding out the week on a green note, inviting Adam Stein to share his thoughts on green travel and on the way his company Terrapass is providing options to make it even greener.

Green travel has become quite the buzz phrase lately. Unfortunately, it's also a bit of an oxymoron. Aviation is one of the swiftest growing and most intractable sources of the greenhouse gas emissions that are the primary cause of global warming.

Mile for mile, flying isn't so bad. On a per passenger basis, a plane actually gets slightly better mileage than a hybrid automobile. So what's the problem? Well, the sheer number of miles adds up quickly. A large jet burns about a gallon of fuel per second. On a round-trip cross-country flight, that equates to hundreds of tons of emissions.

My company, TerraPass, is focused on funding clean energy and efficiency projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Naturally, we make an effort to reduce our own emissions as much as possible. But travel is a tough nut to crack, which occasionally leads to some creative thinking on our part.

For example, a colleague who recently got married decided to take his wedding on the road. Rather than having everyone fly to the ceremony (which would have created a ghastly amount of emissions), the bride and groom instead flew to the guests. They had one celebration in California and another in England. End result: fewer total emissions, twice the fun.

Businesses don't always have this sort of flexibility, which is why plane flights are the single biggest environmental impact for many companies. That's right -- unless your company has a smokestack or a huge number of computer servers (think Google), your single biggest impact is probably from flying.

What can you do? In addition to conserving, consider balancing those flight emissions by sponsoring emissions reductions elsewhere. Through a partnership with TerraPass, Expedia Corporate Travel makes it simple to balance your emissions from flying by funding clean energy and efficiency projects. Check out http://www.expediacorporategreen.com/ to learn more.

-Adam Stein

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On Thursday October 11, The Beat reporter and Travel Columnist Jay Campbell will be hosting Expedia Corporate Travel's Webinar, Policy and Policing: How Companies Control Travel Costs. We look forward to a great presentation.

In the meantime, we asked Jay to join us on the blog. He posed a most interesting question:

Are working mothers business travel's greatest fans?

 A story called "Working Mothers Find Some Peace on the Road" has top billing on The New York Times' online Business Travel section. When The Beat recently questioned the sanity of people who say they enjoy business travel, it was working moms who most vocally defended life on the road--and they weren't even necessarily talking about partying there.

They may be just as busy with work duties while traveling as they are while at home, but what's missing are usual stresses of the home front itself. The chance to get away from those apparently helps some endure travel delays, glitches and mishaps...perhaps making this less a commentary on business travel than it is on evolving male and female parenting and professional roles.

Jay Campbell

The Beat

What do you think? 

Posted by Tom at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's always nice to get a second opinion, so Overheardbin asked Travel Technology's Norm Rose to share his insights and expertise about some current travel trends.  Norm knows travel, as you can see below:

Norm Rose: Why Social Networking Matters to Corporate Travel Managers

Stories about social networking applications, particularly Facebook, can be found throughout travel, business and technology publications.  From a corporate travel perspective, many buyers simply dismiss the buzz about social networking as not being relevant to their jobs.  Unfortunately this view is not only naive, but dangerous given the growth of social networks.  If you divorce yourself for a moment from the emotional hype about social networking and instead think like a consumer, you may begin to realize the impact these networks have on the travel decision making process.

Forget the Internet for a moment and think about the last vacation you took with your family.  How was it impacted by the opinions of your friends and family?  If a friend or family member expressed a positive or negative opinion about a hotel or tour, wouldn’t that have influence on your decision process?   Then ask yourself, have you ever visited a travel review site like TripAdvisor or IgoUgo prior to finalizing your vacation plans?  Do your corporate travelers visit these sites?

Then take a look at your kids (provided you have some). When I asked my sixteen year old son about his use of email, he simply replied that he generally doesn’t use email anymore as he communicates with his friends via Facebook.  The general IT press is now questioning whether future search will begin at Google or be imbedded in Facebook.  Simply put, social networking is not a fad, or a secondary phenomenon, but truly a disruptive force changing the way people interact with the Web. 

Now let’s go back to the corporate travel industry.  In my recent study: Corporate Travel Technologies: Today and Tomorrow (I'm allowed one a shameless plug per blog.) I discuss how the so-called “Web 2.0” trends are and will be impacting all aspects of corporate travel technology.  The most essential thing for corporate travel managers and buyers to keep in mind relative to social networking is understanding that different communities exist within your corporation today. They may include:

• Travelers – Travelers have strong opinions about corporate travel services and tools.  If you don’t believe this send an email to your top 10 travelers (if you are not afraid to do so!) asking for feedback on hotels, preferred airlines and travel service performance. The question you need to ask is how are these top travelers influencing the behavior of other frequent travelers?
• Travel Arrangers – With the advent of self-booking tools (SBT) many pundits assume this is all being done by the traveler.  Corporate travel managers and buyers know that at any given company a large percentage of bookings using the SBT are administrators.  They are an important community within the company.
• Line Managers – In reality it is the traveler’s immediate boss who controls traveler behavior.  What are the line managers’ needs across divisions?
• Finance Managers – Finance managers are more likely comfortable with an Excel spreadsheet rather than a peer from another division, but these managers do have some common focus and can be crucial in implementing traveler behavioral change.
• Senior Management – in most cases senior management at a company are some of the most frequent travelers.  Their opinion may be voiced in blogs which have become a standard tool for many executives.  Senior management opinions about travel service vendors can dramatically influence the success of your travel management program.

These communities can and will continue to influence traveler behavior.  If you are still not convinced that understanding social networks within your company is important consider the results of a recent study by the Student Travel Conference in Istanbul: “The proportion of young travelers who book online has surged from 10% to 50% in five years and 80% use the internet to search for information before departing on their trip.”  And this is quote is from a European organization where overall online travel adoption is lower.  When this generation hits the workforce, the role of social networking plays on their business travel planning will have a major impact.

Norm Rose

Travel Tech Consulting, Inc.
Demystifying Emerging Technologies for the Travel Industry
http://www.traveltechnology.com
http://traveltechnology.blogspot.com

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The title Road Warrior doesn't come easily.

Business travelers have had to earn that moniker through fortitude, finesse, endurance, moxie and a keen sense of timing. Sliding into your seat 15 minutes before departure, business journal, laptop and latte' in-hand doesn't just happen on its own.

Here are a few of my latest travel tips to prevent you from encountering turbulence.

Study your profile.
Make sure your online profile information is always up to date and accurate as it's the template for your travel. Your profile's settings and preferences speak for you, whether determining hotel amenities, airline seating preferences, car rental choices or frequent flyer credit.

Check in online.
You have a couple options here. Your Expedia® Corporate Travel itinerary provides a convenient link for Web check-in. In addition, you can also check in directly on the airline's Web site (usually 24 hours before departure). Just follow the prompts; print your boarding pass; and head to the airport. This also helps lock in your seat at time of check in.

You can't take it with you.
With security rules changing on a week-to-week basis, who knows what is and isn't permitted on an airplane. Take a look at the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) prohibited list and security travel tips.

Create a paper trail.
Leave an itinerary with a trusted person. Just add the party's email address to your profile for itinerary forwarding. You should access or keep a record of passport and credit card numbers, and contact information should valuables turn up missing on the road.

Stay charged up.
If your cell phone is indispensable, consider bringing along your charger in your carry-on luggage. Being in the middle of a business call, only to lose your signal to a waning battery, is just not a good career move.

Map out your travel plans.
Know your destination. The Internet is a powerful ally in helping you know before you go. Most travel site providers or map sites can locate whatever it is you're looking for and provide driving directions as well. Just start with an address or general location to find restaurants, hotels, shopping and entertainment.

Dude Where's My Car
Consider taking a digital snapshot (phone or camera) of your airport parking place. How can anyone remember where they parked after a week on the road (or if they took the airporter)?

Well there's my two cents, now it's your turn to provide some hugs for the road warrior. Tell us some of your travel tips?

Safe travels, Tom

Posted by Tom at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Cabbies  Plan NYC Strike

New York City taxi drivers, ticked off by measures that they say hit pocketbooks and reduce privacy, have put the wheels in motion for a second city-wide strike Oct. 22. Last month, the Taxi Workers Alliance organized a 48-hour strike in response to requirements that all taxis include GPS devices and credit-card machines, technology that many cabbies pay for. While the strike’s impacts were much less than expected, it certainly wasn’t possible to catch a cab in a New-York minute. City officials estimated cab wait times averaged approximately 30 minutes, and business travelers reported longer waits during rush hour and at airports.

It’s difficult to say what this strike’s impacts would be, but taxi drivers are a notoriously independent bunch, and they don’t make money if they aren’t driving.  If the strike happens, business travelers to the Big Apple should schedule plenty of time for commuting, and bring a good pair of walking shoes.

More on the taxi strike.

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It’s all about getting from point A to B, but sometimes even the simplest business trips can turn into alphabet soup. Road Warriors plan for contracts, negotiations and business presentations, but they’ve also got to be looking out for flight delays, cancellations and labor strikes. You’ve got a lot riding on travel, and we can help. Consider it part forecast, part analysis, part travel news. We’ll scour the globe for events that could impact business travel, and tailor the information to help smooth out the ride. And remember, on-the-ground business travelers are our eyes and ears, so send in your tips and help a fellow Road Warrior. In that vein, here are a few travel tidbits that have been on our radar:

Off Track in Germany

If German train drivers make good on threats to strike Oct. 5 it could cripple the country’s uber-punctual, uber-efficient public transportation system. The shut-down will likely cause traffic jams, missed meetings and stressed Germans. Work stoppage is likely, as pay negotiations collapsed in September and the union’s self-imposed strike moratorium ended last week. The last nation-wide rail strike in 1992 lasted eleven days, and it’s possible this one could drag on as long. Deutsche Bahn AG has said that most of its nationwide and more than half of its regional trains will run if there’s a strike, but that’s a stretch given that 75% of the nation’s train drivers wouldn’t be on the tracks. Unless there’s a last minute deal, expect fewer routes, crowded trains and more commuters competing for alternate transportation. Give yourself extra time to make it to meetings, and confirm all regional transportation.
More on the trains:
More on the strike:

Krosa Tracks Toward Taiwan

Trouble could be brewing for Taiwan, with typhoon Krosa moving northwest toward Taipei this week. The Philippines, Vietnam and Laos felt the torrential downpours earlier in the week, and, if the storm stays on course, it could hit Okinawa and Taiwan as early as Oct. 6. These areas were pounded last month, and airports will close with little notice. If Krosa continues, travelers should keep their hotels on speed dial. To track Krosa, click here.

New Storm System Near Mexico

We’ve gotten our first peek at what could be an embryonic Kiko, a weather pattern developing over the eastern Gulf of Mexico that shows signs of strengthening into a tropical cyclone by Oct. 4 or 5. The Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, has reported rain showers and thunderstorms with a broad area of low pressure, a common recipe for a cyclone. With storms, it’s quality versus quantity, and that was definitely true for September. Last month NOAA produced alerts on eight major storms, all of which fizzled soon after they were named. Business travelers might not be so lucky in October and November, with experts calling for four more storms and at least one major hurricane. Depending on the storms’ paths and severity, travelers could be in for delays this month, so keep an eye on the forecasts.

Gulf of Mexico system:
Hurricane predictions:
Up-to-date storm information:

Airline Agents Behaving Badly?

I can't imaginge checking luggage at JFK 30 minutes prior to departure and expecting it to make the plane, no matter who you're flying on. So the next heads-up seems like a prudent move on Delta's part to ensure your luggage shows up with you.

Delta Air Lines domestic customers originating at JFK are required to check their baggage a minimum of 45 minutes prior to departure time. Effective Oct. 15, the change applies to customers traveling on Delta, Delta Connection^® carrier and codeshare flights operated by Delta.ew York's JFK.

Domestic customers not checking bags may continue to check in with a Delta agent or via a self-service kiosk 30 minutes prior to departure. Kiosks will automatically notify customers of the baggage policy change at check in if they have missed the 45-minute check-in window. The change at JFK matches Delta’s policy at other large airports in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando and Denver. Customers traveling internationally are still required to check their bags 60 minutes prior to scheduled departure.

So show up a little earlier, check in the foot locker at least 45 minutes before departure and plan for a luggage reunion at your final destination.

Posted by Tom at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)