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Articles of Interest |
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Tightened U.S. passport requirements coming soon
Travel to U.S.
neighbors will soon require passports in renewed efforts
to tighten border security, and officials warn visitors
should act quickly to renew or acquire new passports. At
the end of the year, a passport will be required for
travel by sea or air to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean,
Bermuda, and Central and South America.
Click Here
to continue.
Crunched At the pump
How
gas prices are affecting corporate travel
As the price of gasoline and jet fuel soars, corporate
travel managers are feeling the pinch. In a survey
released last month by the National Business Travel
Association, almost two thirds of managers said higher
fuel prices are affecting their travel purchasing. The
same percentage said their department heads are worried
about how to maintain 2006 travel budgets in light of
gas prices.
Click
Here to continue.
Navigating cell phone headaches overseas
By Elizabeth Yuan
CNN
If you're a
frequent overseas business traveler, you've likely
encountered the frustrations of using a cell phone
abroad.
CNN.com turned to Bob Schukai, the vice president of
wireless and broadband technologies for Turner
Broadcasting System -- of which CNN is a division -- for
some advice.
Click
Here to continue.
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Airline
News |
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NWA Offers New Lane for
Elite Boarding...
NWA
WorldPerks is pleased to announce the addition of a
dedicated boarding lane for First Class, World Business
Class, WorldPerks Elite and SkyTeam Elite customers. The new
Elite lane allows you to head directly to the front of the
line at the gate. Many Northwest gates will have the Elite
lane in place shortly, so look for it at an airport near
you!
NWA to phase in modern Airbus A330, Boeing 747-400
equipment
Northwest Airlines today
that it will accelerate the retirement of its remaining
12 DC10-30 aircraft in service. The airline said that
during the next seven months, it will replace DC10
aircraft with new Airbus A330s and Boeing 747-400
aircraft being returned to service. Currently, seven
routes are served with the DC10.
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to continue.
NWA
Introduces New Frequent Flyer Partner
NWA has
forged a new frequent flyer program partnership with
Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines. The partnership, which
began May 1, allows members of NW Worldperks to earn and
redeem miles on flights operated by Midwest Airlines and
its subsidiary, Skyway Airlines, operating as Midwest
Connect, and Midwest program members, vice-versa (incl.
Pinnacle and Mesaba). Miles can be redeemd on KLM. Midwest Airlines flights do not count towards Elite
qualification. For a complete list of NWA frequent flyer
partners
click here.
FlyNow Fee
Northwest Airlines introduces FlyNow option. FlyNow
allows you to confirm same-day changes to domestic
flights for a $25 fee. If eligible seats are available
on your new desired Northwest or Northwest Airlink-operated
domestic flights within three hours of the time you
check in on nwa.com or at a Self-service Check-in Kiosk, Northwest will confirm you on an alternative flight(s)
for the $25 FlyNow fee. Your new desired flights must be
on the same day as originally scheduled travel.
Court Rules in favor of NWA Contract Void
Northwest Airlines in two weeks
can void its contract with 9,300 flight attendants,
according to a bankruptcy court ruling. Should negotiations
with the Professional Flight Attendants Association fail to
produce a new deal before that, the company can unilaterally
implement terms of a tentative agreement that the union
membership previously rejected. Union officials blasted
Northwest's actions, but agreed to continue negotiating.
Southwest hikes medium-,
long-haul fares
Southwest raised
its medium- and long-haul one-way fares by $3 and $10
respectively over the July 4 weekend, increasing its maximum
fare from $309 to $319. And don’t expect that to be its last
price hike.
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to continue.
British
Airways Changes Baggage Policy
Changes to the amount of hand
baggage air travelers can carry on board British Airways'
aircraft will be introduced from July 5, 2006. All
passengers will be able to carry one standard-sized bag and
one briefcase, laptop computer bag or equivalent on all
flights.
Click
Here to continue.
American Airlines
commenced daily service between Chicago and Shanghai, China,
in early April. The 14-hour nonstop flight represents the
first-ever service to China by American, offering some
competition for United Airlines, which has flown this route for the past two years.
American Airlines
promises to become the sole U.S. carrier to offer lie flat
seats in business class. Seats will be configured six
across, with 59 inches of legroom, and will offer personal
in-flight entertainment and on-demand video and audio. The
new seating will first be installed on a few of American's
fleet of Boeing 767s, with all 767s refitted by 2007.
Conversion of the carrier's Boeing 777s should be completed
one year later.
Qantas Airways began
flying three nonstop flights per week from Sydney,
Australia, to San Francisco International Airport on board
Boeing 747-400's. The new San Francisco service brings the
Australian carrier's total number of flights between
Australia and the United States to 43 per week. The airline
now serves five north American destinations: Honolulu, Los
Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Vancouver.
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Hotel
News
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Amerisuites goes 360 on change
The Amerisuites on Primacy Parkway is in the
process of a complete conversion in late
fall 2006 and will rebrand to
Hyatt Place in
December or January 2007. Hyatt Place is
impressive with its stylish design and
state-of-the-art technology, the new Hyatt
Place brand will provide a contemporary and
innovative hotel experience.
Click here to continue.
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
offers guarantees to guests: Under the
non-smoking guarantee, if the requested room
is not available at check-in, the guest will
be given a choice of a $100 Hyatt gift card
or 5,000 Gold Passport points as
compensation. Under the bed-type guarantee,
exclusively for Hyatt's Gold Passport
diamond and platinum members, guests get
5,000 passport points if the bed type
requested is not available.
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Car
Rental News |
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Cut car rental
costs
Despite high gas prices, nearly half of Americans will take a
road trip this summer, according to Mapquest.com. If you're
doing it in a rental car, that likely means paying up twice —
each time you visit the pump and to procure the car in the first
place. Not only are you renting during peak season, car rental
rates this summer are up significantly over a year ago.
Prices at airport locations have jumped 8% from last year and
20% at off-airport locations, according to Abrams Consulting
Group in Purchase, N.Y.
Plus,
higher gas prices will add an average $30 to $50 extra to the
cost of your typical summer trip, according to the Travel
Industry Association.
Click Here to
continue.
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Exceptional Customer
Service |
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Vicki, Just a note to say how much I appreciate all
the help we get from your travel agents.
When Kelly moved away from the "agent" business, I thought I was
going to have heart failure because we had used her for so long and
she was so good at her job. She taught me a lot about the
international side of travel. As you know after she moved on , I
used Gwen exclusively for Simon Ellis. Gwen is wonderful and has the
patience of Job.
Then, when I moved into the executive offices, Deedee was the one
who had been taking care of our execs, so I began using her - and
she was good, too! (You keep taking them away from us!!)
For the past several weeks, I've been speaking primarily with
C.C. who is energetic and quick and a real joy to work with. On
occasion I speak with Mary or Leanne who are both super.
Just thought I'd let you know how much they are all appreciated.
They definitely make my job easier!!
Priscilla Tucker, CPS - Lucite International, Inc. |
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Did You Know |
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O'Hare To There
To
get from O'Hare International Airport to downtown Chicago by train,
use the Blue Line of the Chicago Transit authority ($2, or $1.75
with a prepaid Chicago Card;
www.transitchicago.com) or Metra North Central ($3.45;
www.metrarail.com),
which offers nice inbound trips on weekdays. In addition, eight
major rental car companies serve O'Hare, and Continental Airport
Express offers $25 share-ride van service (www.airportexpress.com).
A cab ride to downtown typically costs about $40.
O'Hare surpasses Atlanta as traffic-heaviest airport
O'Hare International Airport was the nation's busiest airport in
terms of air traffic during the first half of 2006, surpassing
Atlanta's, according to government statistics.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had the
second-most flights from January 1 through June 30, according to the
Federal Aviation Administration. In third place was Dallas/Fort
Worth International Airport.
Click Here
to continue.
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Meeting
& Incentive Management |
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You only get one shot at making a good
impression!
Meetings & Incentives are time-consuming
and require endless attention to detail from site selection to
contract negotiations to logistics. One small oversight can sabotage
the success of your event. From Conception to Realization, our
professionals will ensure your event makes a lasting positive
impression.
For your complimentary consultation
please contact:
Karen Young, CTC
Meetings and Incentives Manager
Impressions Corporate Meetings & Incentives
(a division of A & I
Travel)
901-291-1440 or 800-467-1182
karen@aitvl.com |
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Travel & Leisure |
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Click
Here to View Available Sailings
Call an A & I Travel leisure specialists to make your reservations
ASAP as space is limited.
Ask for Joan, Joye, or Rhonda @
901-291-1400 or 1-800-467-1182
vacation@aitvl.com
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LINKS TO PAST ISSUES
A & I Travel Service |
5124 Poplar Ave., Suite 101 | Memphis,
TN 38117 | 901-291-1400
info@aitvl.com
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