Overheard Bin

Exiled to the Biffy: It's Gonna Cost You

2008-05-14T16:54:56Z

Some headlines are too good to pass up and when I spied an article about a man who was suing JetBlue for $2 million because he was told to remain in the toilet (or biffy in airline parlance) until otherwise directed, I knew there had to be more to the story. (Now we know how potty-training kids must feel.) If you pencil it out, his biffy-sitting rate is $1.3 million an hour. Not bad for a day's work.

Ironically, the suer was traveling on a buddy pass, which is a perk where employees are given free or discounted tickets to share with friends or family. Considering it was New York to San Diego flight, I would have embraced the privacy and grabbed a good book. And while there's a lot of fingerpointing going on, I shall leave you with what's been reported on so far in this game of high-altitude musical chairs.

USA Today: Man Said JetBlue Made Him Sit on Toilet

Corporate Travel Is Not a Day at the Beach

2008-05-09T22:18:54Z

Rein in your travel program's booking practices and centralize with a TMC.

Anyone who's been on a business trip is not likely going to confuse the experience with vacation travel. And sure you can book a business trip on a leisure or vacation site, but for companies who seek control and cost savings, it's not the best way to optimize your travel spend and your travel program's goals. Even at Expedia, Inc., we offer a corporate travel management solution, Expedia Corporate Travel and a separate vacation or leisure solution, Expedia.com.

In corporate travel, it was once common for companies to book travel all over the place, a little on this site, oh this deal looks good on that site. In the long run a quick deal may be no deal at all and the general health and growth of a corporate travel program can suffer.

Below I've listed some of the benefits of companies consolidating travel booking and working with a corporate travel company as a single agency.

1. Supplier negotiations create savings opportunities

Suppliers view companies without a designated travel agency as companies with an unmanaged program. They become hesitant to negotiate with these organizations. To gain an edge in negotiations with suppliers, start by consolidating your spend, and your data, with a single corporate travel management company (TMC).

2. Find your travelers in an emergency.

Locating the phone number to a hotel where your traveler is staying is infinitely easier if you know where to look. When travelers all use one agency for their purchases, you have just one place to look for them. A few clicks and you can find their itinerary for any particular point in time. Call the hotel number or leave a message at the front desk.

3. Simplified reporting and reconciliation.

Reports tied to the spending and booking from a single source creates a simplicity and on-demand accessibility you won't have when using several sources. If all purchases aren't being made through one bookig tool, the reports aren't going to capture all the information you need to have a clear view of your company's travel spend.

4. Easier program management

Utilizing the online reports, you can gather travel information quickly and easily. By consolidating that information, you have immediate access to powerful data that can give you greater control over your program. When the information is widely distributed and fragmented so is your control.

5. Relationships in for the long haul

By developing a relationship with a TMC's account manager, you have a partner in facing the challenges of modern business travel. By utlizing a single agency, you're working with a partner who will have a full view of your company's needs and will gain experience working with you as your company grows.

These are just a few of the advantages in advocating a single TMC for your company's travel program. And when the time comes to book a vacation (and no doubt we all need one) our compatriots at Expedia.com are more than happy to help.

Beijing Airport: Enter the Dragon

2008-05-02T15:49:45Z

At 14 million square feet, Beijing's new airport is a staggering marvel of engineering and archirtecture, owing its design inspiration to the art of feng sui and the torso of a dragron. Take a sneak peak at the world's largest airport, courtesy of CNN and The New York Times.

CNN Reports: Beijing Airport

The New York Times Video
Welcomed In by a Dragon

Airline Services Go La Carte

2008-05-01T17:44:57Z

How much is that one seat on the Window?
I can remember the first time I went to a fancy cafeteria (if you can have such a thing) with my grandparents. I loved the idea of collecting plates of food as my journey progressed, sliding my tray from Jell-o salads past vegetables to desserts and finally to the cash register. My grandfather was less enthusiastic about the final tally of my dish-laden landscape.
What's this have to do with travel? Plenty. Airlines are borrowing one from the cafeteria playbook: a la carte pricing. In the past, travel was an all-you-can-eat buffet; today, the traveler is faced with a pay-as-you-go menu where any additional item has an additional cost. Since airfares have remained somewhat stable since 2001, while fuel prices have almost doubled, airlines are looking for every opportunity to generate extra revenue. Just in the first quarter of 2008, U.S. airline losses ranged between $500 million to $6 billion.
Every major U.S. carrier is charging $25 for a second checked piece of luggage beginning in May. Even if you have just one suitcase, you need to consider its weight. In most cases, the fee is $50 for anything over 50 pounds and up 70 pounds. Anything exceeding that weight is usually prohibited or prohibitively expensive to check, usually around $100.
And should you wish to check your bags curbside, expect a fee of $2-3 per bag when traveling on American, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways (not including tip).
Most international flights now have additional ticket surcharges to offset fuel prices. For long haul flights it can be in the hundreds of dollars. Another area for income generation comes in the form of ticket changes where some carriers are now planning to increase ticket change fees to $150.
In the realm of seat assignments, airlines are beginning to recognize the value of a coveted window or aisle seat and charge accordingly for that added comfort, anywhere from $5 -$35. An exit row seat is fair game if you wish to ante up a little extra to secure it. In most cases the seats become available for purchase online 24 hours prior to departure.
As airlines scramble to offset fuel prices, travelers can expect to encounter new fees or surcharges for services that once were included in the price of the ticket. If you want to save on fees, there are a few you can affect. But even if you pack lightly, bring snacks, charge up your MP3 player and stick with your itinerary, it looks like the all-inclusive air fare has no intention of booking a return flight.
And since I brought up luggage earlier, here are the latest baggage allowance links by airline.
AirTran
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Continental Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue
Northwest Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways
Tom Conway, who learned the difference between a cafeteria line and a smorgasbord at an early age, says share your comments about airline service fees.

DHS: When Good Names Make Bad Lists

2008-04-30T17:27:36Z

With over 2,000 people a month seeking to clear their good names from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) terrorist watch list, the DHS has proposed a solution, USA Today reported. Travelers who have been repeatedly delayed and/or detained because their names match those found of government watch lists, will be asked to provide more detaled information to substantiate and establish a record of identity for the airline. The measure requires the traveler's personal information to be held by each airline used by the traveler. Read more: ID plan meant to clear fliers of suspicion
Has your identity ever been mistaken while flying?
Share your experience and comment here.

Travel Security on Travelers' Minds

2008-04-29T20:48:45Z

I write a lot of correspondence and in doing so I found myself closing emails or missives with Safe Travels. Sincere in its intent, I find this particular closing the ultimate priority in any traveler's mind, that of a safe journey and return home. It's caught on; and not surprisingly it's how many of us individually and on a corporate level sign our emails.
This week, Investor’s Business Daily interviewed Expedia Corporate® Travel's Senior V.P. of North America, Rob Greyber about the new concerns about travel safety on a global scale and what solutions are available to travel programs to ensure the safety of every company's business traveler. Read more below.
Investor’s Business Daily
Expedia Has Turned Into the Security Arena

In the Name of Safety, Let's Just Get Along

2008-04-24T19:04:27Z

If you think the safety-check fiasco that suddenly grounded nearly 3,000 flights in early April is a distant memory, you might want to think again. With increasingly vigilant inspections planned into the summer, travelers should expect the unexpected.
FAA audits will continue through June 30, and spokeswoman for the organization said that further cancellations can’t be ruled out. The crack-down has been a long time coming, but in many ways it seems to have caught airlines off guard, resulting in massive numbers of stranded travellers.
The stricter safety inspections and the airline industry’s collective surprise stems from a previously cozy relationship that went south following accusations that the FAA has been too lenient.
Flightglobal.com quotes Transportation Department inspector general Calvin Scovel who said: "What we have seen from the FAA on too many occasions is, you just put in a wink and nod instead of a demonstration of true will."
That’s a serious smack-down for a federal agency in charge of ensuring compliance with safety standards, and it left the FAA with something to prove. The airlines have been put on alert, but they seem to be waiting for things to chill out, all the while complaining that the FAA is inconsistent, unreasonable and mean.
In the struggle between the FAA and the airlines, business travellers will surely be the ones grounded.

Air France Drops Alitalia

2008-04-24T00:11:04Z

Air France officially ran away from the Alitalia altar this week after months of union opposition and verbal jabs from Italy’s prime-minister-elect, Silvio Berlusconi, who called the bid “humiliating.”
What’s a spurned airline to do? Italy can’t bankroll the flailing airline forever, but it did recently approve a $475 million emergency loan, providing short-term stability until the next lucky suitor comes along. But even the loan is precarious, as Italy might have broken a few European Union state aid rules.
That means Berlusconi is forced to play matchmaker, and has reportedly lined up an unnamed Italian business group that will be making bids on the airline, a move that’s sure to spark the interest of other airlines. We’ll believe it when we see it, as the story sounds suspiciously like the imaginary girlfriend abroad.
It’s more likely that Alitalia is getting the eye from Aeroflot, with Forbes.com reporting that the Russian Airline was "waiting to have an offer to get back to talks." Aeroflot is interested, but has made it clear that Alitalia must do the courting.
While the wheeling and dealing of the airline industry might be scintillating, business travelers should know that there is a very real chance that Alitalia could declare bankruptcy and abruptly cease operations. Avoid the drama and book elsewhere.

Weighing In on Merger Madness

2008-04-17T19:32:49Z

Perhaps the headline is a little dramatic, but there is definitely a sense of unrest in the air, especially regarding the Delta and Northwest merger and what it means to travelers. Add to that the speculation of other airline mergers and 'merger madness' might not be considered to off-base a term. The coming weeks will tell.
US News & World Reports offered its insight to what it all means in 6 Ways Airlines Mergers Will Affect You.

It's Official: Delta, Northwest Have Plans to Merge

2008-04-15T18:18:57Z


Spanning the globe as the world's largest airline
Rumors about a merger between Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines began months ago and speculation ran high that it was not so much a question of if but of when would the consolidation occur? Yesterday the announcement was officially made: Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines would merge to become Delta. Airline officials said the merger would crreate a more stable platform for future growth, and offset the economic pressures from rising fuel costs and global competition.
Consumers are worried it will mean diminished service to small communities, less competition and higher fares. And while the merger will likely play out slowly and in stages, it's important to note that Delta and Northwest have complementary route networks with not much overlap. In fact, the combined systems will touch every continent on the globe. Delta also stated it would not close any hubs.
The Delta site provides some good information about the Delta and Northwest merger and its viewpoint on what the consolidation means to employees, customers and communities.
Here are some views from Delta and Northwest's hometown hub newspapers, respecitively: Detroit Free Press and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
This will likely not be the final word in domestic carriers merging. Speculation continues as United Airlines and Continental Airlines have been linked to merger talks. Read more.

DNC & GOP Convention Cities and Travel Plans

2008-04-07T22:55:32Z

The following is a nonpartisan public service announcement.
You may want to schedule accordingly if have you have travel plans during the Democratic and Republican national conventions in Denver and Minneapolis between August 25-28 and September 1-4, respectively.
Flights, hotels and dining establishments will be running on all cylinders to accommodate the large influx of conventioneers and media personnel. Or perhaps, you want to attend and make a little history.
Democratic National Convention
August 25-28
Denver, Colorado
http://www.demconvention.com/
Republican National Convention
September 1-4
Minneapolis, Minnesota
http://www.gopconvention.com/

REAL ID (and Travelers) Gets a Real Extension

2008-04-04T22:31:03Z

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has granted REAL ID extensions to all 56 U.S. jurisdictions until Dec. 31, 2009, allowing states more time to upgrade their systems to ensure driver licenses and ID cards adhere to a higher security standard. (Uh oh, I can see I’m losing you already.)
Let me cut to the chase, the ruling is all about acceptable and secure travel identification and what does and doesn’t count as such.

What’s REAL ID? It’s a law and rule that establishes minimum standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and personal identification cards. REAL ID compliant driver’s licenses and ID cards will allow you to board a federally-regulated airplane, access a federal facility or a nuclear power plant (no kidding allowed).
Why should a traveler care? The driver’s license is the most commonly used identity document in the United States so without an extension, many state driver’s licenses would not have been accepted as valid ID at airport security checkpoints. Just close your eyes and think about that bottleneck for a moment.
The law is a way to establish the same secure standard for all states to make it more difficult to fraudulently acquire a driver's license or ID card.
REAL ID compliant licenses and ID cards must meet minimum standards which include:
Information and security features that must be incorporated into each card
Proof of identity and U.S. citizenship or legal status of an applicant
Verification of the source documents provided by an applicant
Security standards for the offices that issue licenses and identification cards
I would have added one more requirement: that the holder must have final approval on the photo used in the ID.

States now have over a year and half to comply and advise their residents of how and when or if they even need to obtain a new form of REAL ID.
Tom Conway, whose driver's license seems more at home in a washer's spin cycle than in his wallet, looks forward to your questions, comments and tips.

Closing Airlines Open Door for New Travel Troubles

2008-04-04T00:59:40Z

Earlier this week Aloha travelers were left in the cold when the airline announced it had ceased operations, and today ATA announced that it has shut its doors, leaving ticket holders scrambling to find alternate carriers.
Even worse, both airlines are going through bankruptcy proceedings, forcing travelers and their travel managers to dispute the charges with their credit card companies. That’s truly an insult to injury—especially for those already rescheduling flights to Hawaii, or worse yet, trying to get home from a business trip.
It’s an unstable time for airlines, particularly for the smaller carriers and those already facing financial difficulties. Forbes is predicting “A Bumpy Ride for Airlines in 2008,” and Reuters reports that airlines are looking to slash costs and push fees. As the smaller airlines go under, the big players will be better able to raise ticket prices. That’s better for the airline business, but sure to hit business travelers in the pocketbook.
While travelers wait for more fee increases, they can also ponder which airline will fold next.
It’s a hard call to make, but it's wise to check out the New York Times piece on Alitalia before making any bets—or purchasing any tickets.

The Latest Real Scoop on REAL ID

2008-04-02T23:25:32Z

Many travelers have voiced concern over reports that some state's drivers licenses won't be accepted as official ID for travel purposes because some states aren't compliant with the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) mandate for REAL ID. REAL ID is a law and rule that establishes minimum standards for state-issued driver's licenses and personal identification cards.
Travelers from noncompliant states have been given a reprieve. The DHS has granted REAL ID extensions to all 56 U.S. jurisdictions, ensuring that driver’s licenses and ID cards across the country will achieve a higher security standard, and that all will continue to be acceptable for official purposes after the May 11, 2008 deadline.
REAL ID extensions are valid until Dec. 31, 2009, when states must upgrade the security of their systems, to include specific requirements in four key areas: (1) information and security features that must be incorporated into each card; (2) proof of the identity and U.S. citizenship or legal status of an applicant; (3) verification of the source documents provided by an applicant; and (4) security standards for the offices that issue licenses and ID cards.
For now, you are free to move about the country.

Northwest to Soon Charge $25 for Second Bag

2008-04-02T00:41:04Z

Northwest Airlines joined United and US Airways as the third airline to announce baggage policy changes for coach customers traveling within North America. Effective May 5, 2008, Northwest Airlines is implementing a $25 charge for the customer’s second checked bag. The fee is applied each way. Coach class customers may continue to check one piece of luggage free of charge.
Other changes include an increase from $80 to $100 for three or more checked bags, and an increase from $25 to $50 for overweight bags greater than 50 pounds. These policies also apply to Northwest Airlink customers flying on Mesaba, Pinnacle or Compass Airlines. Northwest Airlines’ Silver, Gold and Platinum WorldPerks® Elite customers, SkyTeam Elite customers and passengers booked in full fare classes (Y or B) may still check two bags free of charge. Customers booked in first class can continue to check up to three bags free of charge. For more information , visit Northwest’s online Excess Luggage FAQs.
Is Delta next?
It's been reported that Delta will also begin charging $25 for the second bag, beginning May 1, 2008, but there has been no official statement released by the airline at the time of this entry. I'll keep you posted.