When it comes to planning a strike, the Europeans seem to handle it with a little more civility and panache; they actually provide the beginning and end dates for the strike or labor action.

That said, officials at British Airways have posted the following information on the airline's site:

Unite, the trade union that represents the majority of British Airways (BA) cabin crew, has announced its intention to take strike action on the following dates:

• 20, 21 and 22 March 2010
• 27, 28, 29 and 30 March 2010
• At the moment all of our flights are continuing to operate as normal.
• If a strike does go ahead, we are intending to operate a range of flights.
• Not all our flights will be cancelled.

For more information go visit: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/strike-ballot/public/en_gb

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News Release Issued: February 9, 2010 8:00 AM EST

Research Examines Policy and Cost Control to Uncover Savings Opportunities; Global Study Shows Significant Losses from Unmanaged Hotel Programs

BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- LONDON BUSINESS TRAVEL SHOW -- Egencia®, an Expedia, Inc. company, today previewed results from a global study "Hotel Cost Control: Savings and Opportunities," finding that companies risk tremendous annual budget losses through unmanaged travel activity. Pairing insight from corporate travelers, travel executives and real-world travel programs, the study also examines common areas of loss, ways to prevent leakage and emerging opportunities for cost savings in an effort to establish industry best practices.

"Managing travel policy and controlling hotel costs are two ways Egencia has been able to deliver huge value to clients around the globe," said Pam Keenan Fritz, Senior Vice President, Egencia North America. "To help businesses understand these issues more acutely, we embarked on a dedicated study that will also yield best practices for the industry."

A global survey of 433 travel executives revealed missed opportunities for corporations managing hotel spend, including that 30 percent said their companies did not have a hotel policy in place. Supporting data confirms other gaps including:

• 65% do not have city-specific hotel per diems
• 33% use expense reporting to monitor compliance
• 34% require pre-trip approval to monitor compliance
• To encourage compliance: 32% proactively inform all employees who book travel of the policy; 29% verbally reprimand those who book out of policy; 12% send email notification to those who book out of policy; and 12 percent do not enforce compliance at all.

These statistics are significant because defining hotel per diems by city or actively enforcing a policy once in place can help make a travel program more fiscally sound. Likewise, requiring pre-trip approval can boost compliance and deter unnecessary spending by palpable amounts.

"Having strong compliance and reporting data helps immensely with negotiating perks and rates, like those we offer through the Egencia Preferred Rate program," said Chris Moreland, Vice President of Account Management, Egencia. "When employees book outside a travel program or company policy, that opportunity is lost, and the fix could be as simple as articulating existing policies better."

This issue was further underscored by the results of a global survey of 1,000 travelers and arrangers. Fifty-five percent of those that responded noted that their company does not enforce or simply encourages them to follow a hotel policy; and 32 percent said that their company does not have a hotel policy at all.

The Hotel Cost Control study also takes a deeper look at the benefits of proactive policy management and reducing leakage. For example, for Egencia clients with an average travel spend of $15 million or more, those actively enforcing policy saved roughly 17 percent on average daily rates (ADR) versus those companies that do not enforce hotel policy. Companies that enforce hotel policy also see 14 percent greater policy compliance and a 33 percent greater hotel trip attach rate versus un-enforced programs, meaning they are reducing leakage in their program.

Besides sharing best practices for policy implementation and enforcement, the study also examines topics such as:

• Preferred supplier strategy and negotiation
• Managing change within your organization
• Monitoring and policy oversight
• Benefits of mandating

In its 2010 Forecast and Hotel Negotiability Index, Egencia found that hotels represented fertile ground for buyers to negotiate better rates and realize travel cost savings. To address this issue in-depth, Egencia invested in this global study and will share this along with other best practices in a free web seminar "Hotel Cost Control: Best Practices and Opportunities" on March 11, 2010, 10:00 a.m. Pacific time/1:00 p.m. Eastern time/6:00 p.m. GMT at Egencia.com. To register for the Webinar or to receive a free copy of the white paper, go to Egencia.com or http://www.egencia.com/mktg/2010_q1_hotel/default.asp.

About Egencia, an Expedia, Inc. Company

Egencia is the fifth largest travel management company in the world. As part of Expedia, Inc., (Nasdaq: EXPE), the world's largest travel marketplace, Egencia helps businesses get ahead by offering the only truly integrated corporate travel service. Egencia's industry expertise helps drive results that matter, delivering meaningful advancements that have a real impact. By combining a powerful offline and online service, Egencia delivers a complete corporate travel offering supported by global market expertise and a best-in-class technology platform.

For more information, go to www.egencia.com.

Egencia and the Egencia logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.

© 2010 Egencia, LLC. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Egencia

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When it comes to train travel in the U.S., I often catch myself sounding like a child deprived of another kid's toys. "I want what they have." The 'what' is high speed rail; the 'they' is Asia and Europe.

Perhaps the tide is turning in a country that traded in the iron horse for a jet engine and interstate highway system. This week President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is awarding $8 billion to states across the country to develop America’s first nationwide program of high-speed intercity passenger rail service.

View a full list of the awards HERE.

The big stars of the funding include developing new, large-scale high-speed rail programs. Florida will receive up to $1.25 billion to develop a new high-speed rail corridor between Tampa and Orlando with trains running up to 168 miles per hour. California is receiving up to $2.25 billion for its planned project to connect Los Angeles to San Francisco and points in between with trains running up to 220 miles per hour.

I just hope some of the projects will be completed before I qualify for Amtrak's senior discount.

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Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) Now Mandatory for Participants in Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

In this acronymn-heavy heads-up, travelers in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) are required to register with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) when traveling to the U.S.

As of today, the ESTA program becomes mandatory for US-bound travelers who participate in the VWP. ESTA is an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors who travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program. Passengers are advised to apply for an ESTA no later than 72 hours prior to departure. They can apply for an ESTA even if they do not have a ticket booked to the US here: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

While the ESTA requirement itself went in to place in January 2009, it will now be enforced. The VWP enables qualifying citizens of participating countries to apply for admission to the U.S. for 90 days or less as non-immigrant visitors for business or pleasure without obtaining a U.S. non-immigrant visa.

The following countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program.

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As travelers face new concerns about their safety and the evolving protocols for airline and airport security, I thought the following information would prove valuable for anyone headed to the airport.  

Air Travel: Within U.S.
According to the TSA, security checkpoint requirements for passengers departing U.S. airports remain the same. This agency does add that passengers wearing loose fitting or bulky clothing - including headwear - may be subject to additional screening. Read More.

Air Travel: Canada to U.S.
If you're flying from Canada to the U.S., no carry-on baggage is allowed in the cabin. Certain items such as laptops and purses are exceptions to the rule. Read More.

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The news images coming out of Haiti show a level of suffering and destruction seemingly incomprehensible, and certainly leaving viewers feeling helpless. But even as witnesses thousands of miles away, we can do something: donate money to an aid organization in Haiti. No gesture is too small.

The White House blog even point out you could send $10 via texting as seen below:

Again, while the US Government is doing all it can, you can also help immediately by donating to the international fund of the Red Cross to assist the relief effort.

• Donate $10 to the Red Cross to be charged to your cell phone bill by texting "HAITI" to "90999." 
• Contribute online to the Red Cross,
• Find more ways to help through the Center for International Disaster Information.

And of course families of Americans living in Haiti should still contact the State Department at 888-407-4747.

For a list of charitable organizations acitve in Haiti, news agencies have been quick to compile lists of charitable organizations doing work in Haiti. Visit the links below: 

• MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34835478/ns/world_news-americas/
• CNN: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/
• CBS: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/13/world/main6090814.shtml
• ABC: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/haiti-earthquake-help-victims/story?id=9547030&page=1

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Just how many ways are there to board an aircraft? At last count, a bazillion. 

Virgin America is thinking outside the box and quietly testing a new boarding order on some flights out of San Francisco. Basically, passengers without luggage are allowed to board first. Personal items like laptops and purses don't count, so traveling light really could pay off for both the passenger and the airline.

The Smarter Traveler reported that Virgin America spokeswoman Abby Lunardini said, "[We want to] see if it: 1) helps speed up the boarding process and 2) makes the process more smooth and seamless for guests." It's in the testing phase, so we'll keep you posted on whether the practice is adopted systemwide or by other carriers.

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With guidelines for aviation emissions glaringly absent from the Kyoto Protocol, airlines, airports and aircraft companies pledged to remedy the omission with a plan to cut airline emissions by half by the year 2050. The BBC reported that British Airways CEO Willie Walsh said the proposals, "represent the most environmentally effective and practical means of reducing aviation's carbon impact."

Environmental groups seem skeptical and are weighing in on the proposal. If you'd like to weigh in, check out the following articles: BBC's Airlines Plan to Cut Emissions and AFP's Airlines vow to cut carbon output by 2050: report .

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As airline fees come and rarely go, I ponder what charge will be accessed next? It seems nothing is sacred in the realm of fees, and the included-in-price perk of a seat assignment may be the next casualty of the complimentary. 

This week British Airways announced it would begin charging a fee for travelers wishing to reserve a seat at time of booking. Up until October 7, travelers will be able to (as in the past) reserve seats 24 hours prior to departure without a fee associated. After that date, pre-reserved one-way seats will run from $16 for economy flights within Europe to $96 for business class long-haul seating to $80 for an exit row on a long-haul flight.

What's next? If I was a betting man, I'd have to say a rental charge for the the seatback tray. 

PS: My apologies for the title, as it may have you humming, How much is that doggy in the window?

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We had a little debate going around the office about traveling abroad with your iphone. When I shared an article about the high costs associated with an iPhone's international roaming charges, some responded smugly that this was not news, contending, "Oh everyone knows that."

I'm here to tell you that this is not the case as a friend of mine found out just how high roaming charges can be on a recent trip to Europe.  She subsequently sent me the following article as proof that if could have been a lot worse.

Chicago Tribune: Don't dare take your iPhone abroad before reading this

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One of Expedia's best-loved site siblings is TripAdvisor.com. I can't make a trip five feet or five continents away without checking out the latest feedback and photos on TripAdvisor.  While certainly a must for leisure travelers, TripAdvisor now shares the love with business travelers and has launched its Business Travel Center.

Found on their homepage under Quick Links, the section provides a full-service business trip planning resource covering more than 20,000 hotels in more than 750 cities worldwide. Especially helpful is a one stop shop for business trip planning that features a Business Popularity Index that ranks hotels specifically for business travelers. I especially like the interactive maps that identify meeting locations then provide access to the area's venues and identities by helping business travelers find nearby restaurants, attractions, transportation and business services. 

It's a great offering by TripAdvisor, one that will draw business travelers to like it, like an airline offering free mileage.  

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Alaska Airlines joins the ranks of all major U.S. carriers and will be begin charging for the first piece of checked luggage beginning July 7, 2009. The fee will be $15 and it comes with a unique guarantee.

Alaska Airlines will guarantee to compensate passengers 2,500 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles or $25 off a future flight if their luggage is not at the baggage claim 25 minutes after the flight parks at the gate.

Cases where the $15 fee will not apply include: First class, MVP and MVP Gold Mileage Plan members, unaccompanied minors, military personnel on active duty and passengers traveling to or from Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico, and solely within the state of Alaska.

It's an interesting concept, and one that begs a couple questions: if one bag is late are not all bags late for the most part and how do you prove or document your bag was late?

I must admit, if it came to getting my bag 23 minutes after landing or 26 minutes and it meant getting 2,500 miles, I'd have to say, yeah take your time.

Posted by Tom at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can see right through us. With the completion of a pilot program to test a new type of body scan called millimeter-wave imaging, the TSA has decided to take the technology national and make it the standard for U.S. airports, replacing the current walk-through metal detectors.

Designed to expose concealed weapons and explosives, the body scan does its job a little too well and also produces an image that is anatomically explicit. While the images will be out of public view, it's little consolation when your only other option according to the TSA is a pat down. (Decisions, decisions.)  The test locations included Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Baltimore-Washington (BWI) and Albuquerque (ABQ).

Considering the nature of the images, the TSA is quick to point out that to ensure privacy, the passenger imaging technology has zero storage capability and images will not be printed stored or transmitted. (A relief for those of us prone to destroying any photo record of having worn swimwear in public.)

See for yourself: 

• TSA: Whole Body Imaging
• TSA: Millimeter Wave Technology

Clearly, this will be a topic of discussion for travelers, everywhere. Your thoughts?

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The A380 Has Landed at LAX

The Los Angeles Times reports that the world's largest commercial airliner, the A380, has a big impact on the operations at LAX.

When the behemoth lands and takes off at the nation's fourth busiest airport, special considerations and ground limitations are appled as a result of the sheer size of the plane and its wingspan (total plane width 262 ft.). In fact, certain taxiways and roadways must be closed to accommodate the plane.

Take a closer look: 

Airbus A380 is a mixed blessing for LAX

(photo of A380 at LAX: courtesy of Kjartsen Philipsen, Egencia)

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We often think of a new year as a clean slate, a time for new beginnings. Our own Rob Greyber, senior vice president of Egencia, pens an Op-Ed for Business Travel News Online outlining what he believes will be the business travel trends for 2009.

It may not all doom and gloom in this challenging economy, as Greyber points out that business travelers will likely see relief in air fares, hotel and car rates as demand weakens. In additon, he feels suppliers will be bring additional value to companies committed to supporting their services and increasing demand.

Read: Op-Ed: Turbulent '09 Nevertheless Will Offer Savings Opportunities

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USA Today came up with a handy little map that graphically represents airline flight cuts by states. Place your cursor over the state and you'll learn by percentage what the increase or decrease is for the number of airline seats for departing flights out of the selected state. If you click directly on the state, the information will cite percentages by cities within the state. Large airports with the greatest percentage of flight cuts include Oakland, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Honolulu, Ft. Lauderdale and Cleveland. 

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United Airlines has announced a new option for travelers: Premier Line. The fee-based service starts at $25 each way, and gives the traveler special access to priority check-in, security and boarding lines once reserved for business, first and elite mileage passengers only.

While many travelers may bristle at the thought of paying extra for greater access to faster lines, the service will be a boon for travelers short on time. Premier Line is available to a limited number of customers each hour based on time of departure and at the following select airports:

• Boston (BOS)

• Chicago (ORD)

• Denver (DEN)

• Los Angeles (LAX)

• Minneapolis (MSP)

• New York LaGuardia (LGA)

• Newark (EWR)

• Orange County (SNA)

• Portland (PDX)

• San Francisco (SFO)

• Seattle (SEA)

• Washington Dulles (IAD)

• Washington National (DCA) 

At first glance, I likened the fast track practice to the airline equivalent of slipping the maitre d' a twenty to be seated before midnight (something impoverished  bloggers can only fantasize about). The reaction has been mixed. Grousing notwithstanding, I did hear some travelers say $25 beats missing a flight. What are your thoughts? Is this a service you'd be willing to use with regular frrequency?

Posted by Tom at 9:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

The White House in concert with Department of Transportation announced a temporary measure to ease aviation congestion for the busy travel week of Thanksgiving:

This year, the military is expanding "Thanksgiving Express Lanes" to areas of the Midwest, Southwest, and West Coast, including the skies over Phoenix and Los Angeles.  As they did last Thanksgiving, the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense will make military airspace available for use by civilian airliners over the holiday season – but this year even more airspace will be open, and it will be available for a longer period of time.

Look as if for a brief moment, the airlines will get to enjoy the HOV lanes of the sky.

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In the world of eating out, there are two basic dining models: smorgasbord and a la carte. One here everything is included, enjoy as little or as much of the meal as your like; or one where every course is going to cost you extra. It's seems the airline industry is focusing on the latter option as the industry's new pricing model.

Air Canada and American Airlines are taking the lead; it's likely others will follow. As airlines look for ways to cut costs and increase revenues, customers will likely find the base price or fare includes transportation from point A to point B, while anything else (food, beverages, luggage check and pillows) is extra.

Read more: American Airlines plans to use a la carte pricing.

What do you think about a la carte pricing?

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With the greening of commerce, new products are popping up everyday rescued and recycled from their past lives as something else. Springwise.com brings us a keen heads-up about Virgin Atlantic's seat covers going from aircraft interiors to fashion must-haves. The company Worn Again has created a line of limited-edition bags with reclaimed materials from Virgin Atlantic airplane seats. Yep, from tush to tote, indeed.

Check it out: Virgin Atlantic's seat covers, reborn as bags  

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A plan from the Department of Homeland Security requiring online registration of foreign travelers three days before arriving in the U.S. is being met with resistance from the travel community. Over 14 million travelers from visa-waiver countries will be affected. The plan is scheduled to begin January 12, 2009, and its implementation will likely cause reciprocal practices to be initiated for U.S. travelers heading abroad. USAToday takes a closer look in Registry plan for foreign travelers catches flak.
.

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As summer travel wanes, industry analysts are projecting that air travel costs will increase as flight capacity is cut.  The Air Transport Association (ATA) notes that in the first half of 2008, ticket prices rose seven percent. It’s been predicted that fares could increase as much as 9.5 percent in the coming weeks. For more information go to CNNMoney: Airlines expected to keep on raising fares.

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Delta Airlines announced that its entire domestic fleet would be fitted to provide broadband Wi-Fi access to its passengers. The fee will range fro $9.95 for three hours use or $12.95 for flights longer than three hours. With 330 aircraft in its domestic fleet, Delta expects all domestic flights to have Wi-Fi access by summer 2009.

American, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic also have plans to launch in-flight Wi-Fi services, and are currently in the testing phase. Read more in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Egencia Australia Launches! 

As global footprints go, we've been been on quite a journey. And today, Egencia continues its worldwide walkabout with the launching of Egencia Australia.  Companies doing business in Australia will have access to fully localized service and content combined with our amazing online booking and travel management tools. In addition, our in-country account management team will provide dedicated client service.

Australian corporations and travelers will have access to:

• Industry leading self-booking platform including custom-defined destinations
• Dedicated local account management and customer service teams
• Strong business intelligence capabilities including unused ticket tracking and customizable Lowest Logical Fare reporting
• Egencia's broad global supply network including localized hotel and air content such as major low-cost carriers
• User friendly policy and trip approval controls
• Their data through the company's global reporting functionality

With this latest launch Down Under, Egencia now offers 10 points of sale worldwide: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, United Kingdom and United States with five  additional new country points of sale planned by the end of 2008.

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U.S. Airlines are banding together and asking for your help, an SOS of sorts. In this case S.O.S. stands for Stop Oil Speculation now.  The following letter is being sent by the airlines cited above and seeks traveler involvement in contacting U.S. lawmakers to change the way oil is traded and the role speculation plays in driving up the price. The letter follows:

An Open letter to All Airline Customers:

Our country is facing a possible sharp economic downturn because of skyrocketing oil and fuel prices, but by pulling together, we can all do something to help now.

For airlines, ultra-expensive fuel means thousands of lost jobs and severe reductions in air service to both large and small communities. To the broader economy, oil prices mean slower activity and widespread economic pain. This pain can be alleviated, and that is why we are taking the extraordinary step of writing this joint letter to our customers. Since high oil prices are partly a response to normal market forces, the nation needs to focus on increased energy supplies and conservation. However, there is another side to this story because normal market forces are being dangerously amplified by poorly regulated market speculation.

Twenty years ago, 21 percent of oil contracts were purchased by speculators who trade oil on paper with no intention of ever taking delivery. Today, oil speculators purchase 66 percent of all oil futures contracts, and that reflects just the transactions that are known. Speculators buy up large amounts of oil and then sell it to each other again and again. A barrel of oil may trade 20-plus times before it is delivered and used; the price goes up with each trade and consumers pick up the final tab. Some market experts estimate that current prices reflect as much as $30 to $60 per barrel in unnecessary speculative costs.

Over seventy years ago, Congress established regulations to control excessive, largely unchecked market speculation and manipulation. However, over the past two decades, these regulatory limits have been weakened or removed. We believe that restoring and enforcing these limits, along with several other modest measures, will provide more disclosure, transparency and sound market oversight. Together, these reforms will help cool the over-heated oil market and permit the economy to prosper.

The nation needs to pull together to reform the oil markets and solve this growing problem.

We need your help. Get more information and contact Congress by visiting

www.StopOilSpeculationNow.com

Each letter was signed by the respective airline president and/or CEO. 

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Seattle-based Alaska Airlines announced it will go cashless in the cabin beginning August 5, accepting only major credit or debit cards for all inflight purchases. Basically, flight attendants will use a hand-held device to charge credit and debit cards. The airline has been using the point-of-sale devices on its transcontinental routes for more than a year. You may want to pack a lunch for your child, if they're traveling alone. Who am I kidding; don't most 10 year olds carry plastic with their cellphones and gameboys?

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"The company has become a strong, growing global business on a scale that warrants its own distinct brand," Egencia said in a statement.

Expedia Corporate Travel has not left the building, but we have changed the nameplate and commited to our next era of innovation and leadership with the Egencia brand. While remaining an individual operating unit within Expedia, Inc. like our other brands (i.e. Expedia.com, Hotels.com, TripAdvisor), the name of and the goals behind Egencia will differentiate and clarify our brand and position in the marketplace as a leading travel management company and trusted business partner. 

News Release Issued: June 30, 2008 7:00 AM EDT

Expedia Corporate Travel Commits to Next Era of Innovation and Leadership With Egencia Brand

Strength of Egencia brand signifies Expedia, Inc.'s commitment to the corporate travel space

BELLEVUE, Wash., June 30  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Expedia® Corporate Travel today announced that the company has updated its brand to clarify its promise to customers, business travelers, travel bookers, suppliers and partners.  The company has become a strong, growing global business on a scale that warrants its own distinct brand.  As part of this effort, Expedia Corporate Travel is changing its name to Egencia, an Expedia, Inc. Company.

The Egencia™ brand will serve as a platform to further define and differentiate how the company is pushing the industry forward and driving the next evolution for its customers.  Whether arming travel managers with the most in-depth global reporting tools available in the marketplace or enhancing the business traveler experience through access to user-generated content, Egencia is dedicated to delivering results that matter to corporate travel clients.  As the corporate travel brand within Expedia, Inc., the world's largest online travel marketplace, the company is paving the way for further growth and increased global competitiveness.

"We pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to our customers changing needs and deliver the services expected of a true business partner, and the Egencia brand reflects who we truly are as a company," said Jean-Pierre Remy, president of Egencia.  "Having led innovation in the corporate travel industry, we see this as an opportunity to further define ourselves in the marketplace and set a foundation for further advancements in the years to come."

Egencia is also introducing new tools for business travelers, travel managers and travel bookers that truly transform the business of travel.  As the fifth largest travel management company in the world, Egencia is known for taking great strides and delivering meaningful solutions that create true value for customers, suppliers and partners.

"Expedia Corporate Travel has had a huge impact on the corporate travel industry," said Dara Khosrowshahi, president and chief executive officer of Expedia, Inc.  "As Egencia, the company has the platform to grow its position in the marketplace and further evolve to stay ahead of the competition.  With Expedia, Inc.'s strength and support, this change elevates the company to a whole new level, a true win-win situation for Egencia, its customers and partners."

Improved Customer Experience

Egencia continues its strategy of smart and strategic innovation with today's announcement of new solutions and technologies that benefit travel bookers, business travelers and travel managers.  In line with today's announcement, Egencia is introducing several tools:

-- SeatGuru® -- A color-coded interactive airplane seating charts that outline the pros and cons of different seats for over 275 airplanes and more than 40 airlines.  Provided by a community of frequent business travelers, the integrated intelligence tool takes convenience and comfort factors -- such as legroom and ability to recline -- into account.  This informative SeatGuru content is integrated within the seat selection process for travelers and their bookers to help make more informed decisions for flights.

-- Hotel Reviews -- Traveler feedback and commentary appears on the hotel search results page.  A blend of leisure and business traveler feedback further enables Egencia customers to make better decisions by sorting choices by opinion rating and link to content from their My Itineraries page.

-- TripAdvisor® City Guides -- Gives Egencia business travelers access to detailed destination information from the largest travel community in the world.

"We led a paradigm shift within the industry five years ago when we launched our powerful self-booking platform, showing companies that they should expect more from their travel management company," said Remy.  "That was just the beginning.  With today's news, I want to send another loud and clear message:
Egencia will continue driving innovation within the industry, not because of trends or the latest headlines, but through a focused and strategic approach.
 We never lose sight of the fact that we're in this business to deliver results that matter to our clients."

Maximizing Value

Egencia also remains focused on delivering outstanding value to corporations globally without compromising service.  The introduction of several new tools devoted to this goal include:

-- Ticket Performance Report -- As part of Egencia's commitment to arming its customers with meaningful data to make real-time decisions, the company is adding an unused ticket performance report.  This added functionality will help travel managers monitor their usage of unused ticket inventory, review tickets that are about to expire, evaluate lost credits and determine overall savings.

-- Customized Hotel Tools -- Powerful new tools that give travel managers the control they need at their fingertips to customize hotel policies.  These tools allow them to easily configure how hotels are displayed based on preferred suppliers and deliver personalized messages to travelers.

-- Global Customer Service Support -- Egencia continues to invest in delivering strong, globally consistent customer service.  By measuring the performance of its travel consultants down to the individual level, the company brings additional accountability and oversight to a travel program, ensuring that travelers receive the same quality experience time after time, wherever they travel with Egencia.

-- Egencia™ Preferred Program -- Egencia is dedicated to negotiating unique rates and services on behalf of its customers that would not otherwise be available.  As part of this effort to pass savings on to business travelers and corporations globally, the Egencia Preferred Program is expanding beyond hotel rates to include air and car rates.

"Expedia Corporate Travel has been a key partner for Continental in reaching additional business travelers around the world, allowing us the opportunity to promote our quality service and products to ECT's very valuable client base," said Dave Hilfman, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales, Continental Airlines.  "As Egencia, the company will continue to be an integral part of our long-term distribution strategy, particularly in light of their strong management team, superior technology and ability to provide true value to our mutual customers."

Expanding Global Footprint

Egencia integrates the components of business travel so that companies can maintain a global edge.  A global view combined with a deep knowledge of local markets ensures that our customers have the support they need where it matters.  To this aim, Egencia Canada has entered into an agreement regarding the acquisition of Mississauga, Ontario-based Synergi Global Travel Management, a leading Canadian corporate travel management, meetings and incentives company.

The acquisition builds upon Egencia's existing presence in Canada and expands on its current strong service and product offering to Canadian business travelers and companies who do business on a local and global scale. It will enhance Egencia's existing team with additional experienced corporate travel professionals and expand its customer base with key clients.

About Egencia, an Expedia, Inc. Company

Egencia is the fifth largest travel management company in the world.  As part of Expedia, Inc., (NASDAQ: EXPE), the world's largest travel marketplace, Egencia helps business get ahead by offering the only truly integrated corporate travel service.  Egencia's industry expertise and the partnerships the company has built help drive results that matter, delivering meaningful advancements that have a real impact.  By combining a powerful offline and online service, Egencia delivers a complete corporate travel offering supported by global market expertise and a best-in-class technology platform.

For more information, go to Egencia.com.

Expedia, Expedia.com, Expedia Corporate Travel and Egencia are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.  TripAdvisor and SeatGuru are either registered trademarks or trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries.  Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.

© 2008 Expedia, Inc.  All rights reserved. CST# 2029030-40, 2083922-50.

SOURCE: Expedia Corporate Travel; Egencia, an Expedia, Inc. Company

CONTACT:  Jordan Rittenberry of Edelman, +1-312-233-1226, Jordan.Rittenberry@Edelman.com, for Egencia, an Expedia, Inc. Company

Web site:  http://www.expediacorporate.com/

Posted by Tom at 8:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Checking In With New Airline Baggage Policies

As the first U.S. carrier to charge for a passenger's first checked bag, American Airlines was joined by US Airways and United Airlines in matching the fee. Passengers traveling in first and business class or as elite-status frequent flyers are exempt.

United Airlines New Fees
United Airlines announced two changes to its domestic checked bag policy. The service fee to check one bag for domestic travel will be $15 each way and the fee to check three or more bags, overweight bags or items that require special handling will increase from $100 to $125 or from $200 to $250, depending on the item. These changes apply to customers who purchase a ticket on or after June 13, 2008, for travel within the U.S. and to/from Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on or after August 18, 2008.

US Airways New Fees
US Airways will begin charging a $15 fee for passengers' first checked bags on July 9, 2008. The new checked bag policy applies to all flights to and from Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as flights within the U.S. The airline also announces new charges for such in-flight services as soft drinks, ($2 for soda, water, juice and coffee) and a price increase from $5 to $7 for alcoholic drinks.

How Baggage Policies and Fees Add Up

These days keeping track of airline baggage policies is a lot like keeping track of Abbot and Costello's "Who's on First?" You're never sure who's doing what. Sometimes it helps to have all the information in one place as travel rules change from week to week. Here's the latest in airline baggage policies with links to each airline's baggage policy section for the most up-to-date rules and fees as posted by the carrier.

Airlines	Applicable destinations	Effective Date	1st bag1	2nd bag1
	Domestic	6/13/08  View policy	No Fee	$103
	Domestic	7/01/2008  View policy	No Fee	$50
	Domestic, Mexico	5/12/2008  View policy	$15	$25
	Domestic, Latin America	5/05/2008  View policy	No Fee	$25
	Domestic	5/05/2008  View policy	No Fee	$25
	Domestic, International	6/10/2008  View policy	No Fee	$25
	Domestic	N/A  View policy	No Fee	No Fee
	Domestic	6/01/2008  View policy	No Fee	$20
	Domestic	5/24/2008  View policy	No Fee	$20
	Domestic	5/05/2008  View policy	No Fee	$25
	Domestic, International	5/05/2008  View policy	No Fee	$25
	Domestic	5/05/2008  View policy	No Fee $15 on/after 8/18	$25
	Domestic	7/01/2008  View policy	$15 on/after 7/09	$25

Posted by Tom at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (36) | TrackBacks (0)

American to charge for first checked bag 

American Airlines made an announcement that I dare say made every traveler who read it, bristle. While we all have resigned ourselves to the latest round of fees in the face of meteoric fuel prices, this one seems to embody audaciousness that could sour even the most jaded traveler.

The airline will begin charging $15 for the first checked bag. And while $15 is not a lot of money, it still takes time to collect that fee. Think about it; you have 150 people checking in for one flight, and it takes 3-5 minutes to process the payment transaction and another 2-3 minutes to have the passenger share their thoughts with the agent who's collecting the fee. (Don't do the math.)

Then, you’ll have the rebels who will try to carry on all of their baggage to avoid the fee. It seems to be the perfect formula to produce delays. We all get that airlines are losing money, but it seems that policies instituted to generate revenue should not impede the efficiency of the airline.

fyi...

The fee, which is effective for tickets purchased on or after June 15, does not apply to the following AAdvantage program members: Gold, Platinum and Executive Platinum, and those who have purchased full-fare tickets in the Economy, Business and First Class cabins; and those with international itineraries (except to and from Canada and U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Currently, no other domestic carriers have instituted this policy.

Posted by Tom at 8:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

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.

Posted by Tom at 9:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

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.

Posted by Tom at 9:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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. 

Posted by Tom at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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.

Posted by Tom at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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.

Posted by Tom at 3:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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.

Posted by Tom at 4:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Tom at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Two Down...Five to Go?

Will other airlines institute a $25 fee for the second checked bag?

I’m reminded of those immortal words sternly uttered by my first grade teacher Miss Hilliard, “Just because Bobby Taylor does it, doesn’t mean you have to do it.” I found her argument weak; Bobby Taylor was the coolest kid in the class.  (He must have known what he was doing.)

And so this week, I wish to borrow from the teaching wisdom of Miss H. by informing US Airways that, “Just because United Airlines started charging $25 for a second bag doesn’t mean you have to do it.”  (They must know what they're doing.)

Yep, last week, US Airways taxied up to the bandwagon and announced it would do something United Airlines did weeks before: implement a $25 service fee for a second checked bag.  The new checked bag policy will apply to travel beginning on or after May 5, 2008, to flights within the U.S., to/from Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.

The airline pointed out that customers may continue to check one bag free of charge and US Airways will waive the fee for its most frequent customers including:

• All Dividend Miles Preferred members (Silver, Gold, Platinum and Chairman's Preferred)
  

• Confirmed First Class and Envoy passengers at time of check in
  

• Star Alliance Silver and Gold status members

There are also other exceptions. The following travelers will also be exempt from paying the $25 fee for a second checked bag:

• Active military personnel (in uniform with ID)
  

• Unaccompanied minors

• Those checking assistive devices

The fee only applies to tickets purchased on or after Feb. 26, 2008 for travel on or after May 5, 2008. You can pay the service fee at an airport kiosk with a credit card or at the check-in counter with a credit card, check or cash.  Additional information is available at http://www.usairways.com/baggage.

Stay tuned as the $25-second-bag story continues to develop. Two down, and five to go (major airlines that is).

Posted by Tom at 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

I thought I'd share some interesting and environmentally friendly travel news that I first heard about from a friend of mine who hosts a blog devoted to understanding sustainable living. It's called Moving Like Water. In this case, he writes about two encouraging developments in the travel industry: an airline investigating the use of bio fuel and a hotel planning to use power from the wind.

The first entry talks about Virgin Atlantic Airways' test using a five percent bio fuel mixture in a Boeing 747. Read  A Jet With Biofuel.

Sofitel Hotels makes a bold statement and announces its intention of buying electricity produced from wind power for all its properties. Read Sofitel Hotels: Moving to Wind Power.

What good green news have you heard about regarding the travel industry? Comment below.

Posted by Tom at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

          You take the Pacific . . . and we'll take the Atlantic!

Reports are widespread, but there’s still no official word on the reported merger talks between Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines. If a merger does occur, both airlines’ pilots unions will likely play a vital role in the process, negotiating the best way to bring the two work groups together. Industry analysts are saying it’s a good fit, combining Northwest’s Asia-Pacific routes with Delta’s U.S. - European route system. The merger would create the world’s largest airline and be subject to Department of Transportation approval.  Stay tuned.

Read more: what others are saying

• Bloomberg

• The Associated Press