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INDUSTRY NEWS & PEOPLE  April 2007
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AA Expedites 767 Upgrades In Drive To Be NY’s Favorite
American Airlines is stepping up installation of new personal video and audio entertainment devices in its business-class cabins on Boeing 767-300 aircraft, and says it expects to have the project completed by the end of 2007. American has 58 767-300s in its fleet; they are operated on most of the airline’s transatlantic services, as well as on select routes to Latin America.
The new entertainment devices are portable, have a 10.6-inch monitor and noise-canceling headphones and are loaded with movies, games, CDs and TV programs. They are part of a general upgrade that will outfit the aircrafts’ business-class cabins with new lie-flat seats, interlocking tray tables, the ability to track the seat forward for added privacy and new cabin lighting.
The upgrade is part of a larger strategy by American “to become the clear-cut airline of choice for passengers in the New York market” in an anticipated run-up to increased service into the New York market because of the Open Skies agreement reached with the EC. Examples of that determination include:
• an upgrade of seasonal service between Rome and the United States, effective April 10. For the low-peak travel season, Oct. 28 through March 31, the service will be flown three times per week from JFK and four times a week from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
• a promotion that offers customers who buy a roundtrip First or Business Class ticket for travel between JFK and London’s Heathrow through May 31 the opportunity to earn up to three free trips anywhere American flies in the US, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
• another promotion that offered free upgrades to passengers flying Business Class from JFK to Heathrow through March 31.
• a new, $1.1 billion state-of-the-art terminal at JFK, to be completed this summer.
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Abanco Sells Merchant Account Portfolio
Abanco International, a provider of electronic commerce and payment services, has completed the sale of its merchant portfolio to Cynergy Data. This deal transfers Abanco's merchant accounts asset, including the related sales and service support, and its payment gateway, to Cynergy Data. The transaction does not include the sale of Abanco’s Mobile Data Technology (MDT) products and services. Abanco intends to continue the marketing, development and integration of this wireless connectivity solution. MDT is an all-in-one payment processing application that has been deployed by several airlines.
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Accor Sells Red Roof Inns For $1.3B
Accor has agreed to sell Red Roof Inns to a consortium comprised of Citi’s Global Special Situations Group and Westbridge Hospitality Fund for $1.3 billion. The Red Roof Inn network will have 326 hotels (after the rebranding of nine Red Roof Inns as Motel 6 units prior to the sale), located mainly on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Following the divestment, Accor says it will refocus on a single economy brand, Motel 6, in the United States.
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Accor Stretching Earth Day Into A Week
In honor of international Earth Day on April 22, Accor North America, which operates more than 1,200 upscale and economy hotels, will launch Accor Earth Guest Week from April 15-22. As part of the company's worldwide initiative, Accor North America will plant 20,000 trees, implement a 65-point environmental check list at all properties, and donate $375,000 to educational and charitable groups. Accor North America encompasses six brands (Sofitel, Novotel, Ibis, Red Roof Inn, Studio 6 and Motel 6) and 1,200 properties in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
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ACTE Asks Belgium To Delay Limosa Penalties For 1 Month
Citing a lack of advance notice and explanation of Belgium's tough new filing process (Limosa) for foreign workers entering the country for five consecutive days or longer, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) has officially asked several Belgian ministries to delay the program until May 15, 2007, to allow time to "increase awareness of the Limosa program ... prevent Belgium from losing revenue due to shortened or canceled business trips."
The program is causing considerable confusion among travel managers, according to Susan Gurley, ACTE's executive director. Designed to reduce illegal employment in Belgium, it requires corporations to declare the nature of an individual's business in the country, the origin of the business, certain other financial disclosures and the traveler's social security number. Failure to file reportedly entails a potential fine of US$8,000.
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AccuWeather Tailors Forecasts To Travelers’ Itineraries
AccuWeather.com has launched the AccuWeather.com Travel Weather forecast page, featuring interstate weather conditions, departure and destination forecasts, and insight from exclusive video forecasts.
Departure and destination forecasts are obtained when travelers list their start and end points side by side with approximate times and dates. The page then provides forecasted weather conditions for those times and locations.
That way, users can leave early to avoid slick road conditions or even reschedule flights due to a coming storms.
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Aeroflot Introduces Executive Travel Class
Aeroflot Russian Airlines has launched President, a high-end travel service available on its Boeing 767 aircraft transatlantic flights, and flights to Asia lasting six hours or longer. That includes flights to New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Tokyo, Bangkok, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Peking. The President service entails dedicated check-in desks, priority baggage handling and full access to the airport executive lounge facilities. Onboard, travelers in the new executive class cabin sit in lie-flat seats and have use of a personal, on-demand entertainment system.
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Aeromexico Expands L.A. Service To Two Destinations
Aeromexico has added flights from Los Angeles to both Aguascalientes and Leon/Bajio, expanding each route to six times weekly with plans for daily service in both markets beginning in May. The service between Los Angeles and Aguascalientes operates daily except Mondays and will become daily on May 15. Flights between Los Angeles and Leon/Bajio now operate every day except Saturday; that service becomes daily on May 19. Before this expansion, Aeromexico offered three flights weekly to Aguascalientes and four flights weekly to Leon/Bajio.
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Air Canada’s Flight Pass Extended To US Travelers
Air Canada is now selling subscription flight passes to U.S. customers that enable unlimited air travel for a flat rate. Pass prices include airport fees, charges and taxes. Introductory prices apply until May 7. The passes are available in four zones: Canada Commuter (from New York, Newark, Boston, Chicago to Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal); Eastern (extended Eastern U.S.-Canada corridor); Western (extended Western U.S.-Canada corridor) and a comprehensive North America pass encompassing all 120 destinations served by Air Canada in the U.S. and Canada.
The program has been available in Canada for nearly three years.
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Aloft To Be Built In New Jersey
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has signed a deal with Grande Properties to develop an Aloft hotel in Mount Laurel, N.J. The 150-room Aloft Mount Laurel will be located just off the New Jersey Turnpike, at the crossroads between the New York, Philadelphia and Washington travel corridors, and will be in close proximity to the Philadelphia Convention Center and Philadelphia International Airport. It will be Aloft's first property in New Jersey. Aloft, a new brand that doesn’t have any hotels open yet, will open its first hotel early next year.
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Amadeus Signs 2 Latin Airlines To LCC-specific IT Platform
Amadeus has signed two more LCCs -- Mexico's VivaAerobus and Columbia's AerOasis -- for its customer management IT solution for low cost carriers. The agreements bring to six, the number of airlines secured for the platform in just 12 months. The Amadeus platform manages customer processes from booking to baggage collection.
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Ambassadors Completes Windstar Purchase
Ambassadors International has completed its acquisition of Windstar Cruises from Holland America Line, a unit of Carnival Corp., for $100 million. Windstar offers luxury, small-ship cruises.
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American Airlines Accelerates Fleet Renewal
American Airlines has accelerated its fleet-renewal plan by beginning the replacement process for some of its MD-80s. American has notified Boeing of its intent to begin pulling forward the delivery of 47 Boeing 737-800 aircraft under a previously existing purchase commitment. American initiated this process by notifying Boeing that American will take delivery in early 2009 of three of these aircraft previously scheduled for delivery in 2016. American intends to continue pulling forward deliveries of the other aircraft from their current 2013 to 2016 delivery schedules into the 2009-to-2012 time frame. American CEO Gerard Arpey cited American’s plan to replace some of its MD-80s with 737s as the latest example of the company’s efforts to reduce operating costs and fuel consumption. American estimates that the 737 consumes 25 percent less fuel per available seat mile than an MD-80.
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American Express Launches Electronic Invoicing & Payment
American Express has unveiled S2S SM eInvoice&Pay, an electronic invoice solution. With eInvoice, U.S. companies can process 100 percent of their invoices and issue payments to their suppliers from a single online portal managed.
American Express says it will unveil other products in the S2S product suite in the coming months, addressing the areas of sourcing and ordering.
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American Introduces Online Resource For Women
American Airlines has launched AA.com/women, an online resource designed for the airline’s female customers. The micro site’s content has information on safety and security; saving time and money while traveling; traveling with friends, family or partners; and stories and travel advice from other women.
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American To Test B767-300 Winglets, Enhance B757 Interiors
American Airlines will become the launch customer for Aviation Partner Boeing’s Blended Winglets for the Boeing 767-300ER. American will remove from service a B767-300ER and lease it to the winglet supplier for an eight-month flight test certification program, beginning in January. Upon completion of the certification program, American plans to install winglets on its entire fleet of 58 B767-300ER aircraft, with each airplane expected to save at least 290,000 gallons of fuel each year. American expects to modify all of the aircraft by mid-year 2010.
American also plans to make upgrades over the next two years on its entire fleet of 124 Boeing 757 aircraft. The 757 enhancements include the installation of two additional first-class seats, new seats in coach, new sidewalls to give the interior a brighter look, new LCD monitors (which replace CRT monitors) to enhance in-flight entertainment viewing and new digital media file servers for better in-flight video and audio entertainment quality.
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Ashford Hospitality Completes $2.4B Hotel Acquisition
Ashford Hospitality Trust has completed the acquisition of a 51-hotel portfolio from CNL Hotels and Resorts for approximately $2.4 billion. The portfolio is comprised of full-service, upper-upscale hotels, including the Marriott Seattle Waterfront, Marriott Legacy Center, Renaissance Tampa and Hyatt Regency Montreal.
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ATA Holdings (Renamed Global Aero Logistics) Buys World Air
ATA Holdings, parent company of Indianapolis-based ATA Airlines, has changed its name to Global Aero Logistics and has reached a definitive agreement to acquire World Air Holdings for $315 million in cash. As a result of the transaction, Global Aero Logistics will operate three independent airlines under one umbrella: ATA and the acquired North American Airlines and World Airways. Operations will continue as normal for each airline subsidiary.
The transaction is expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2007.
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Avis, Budget Bring GPS Units To Canada’s Airport Markets
Avis and Budget customers can now rent Garmin’s Where2, a portable global positioning system (GPS), at rental locations throughout Canada. Where2 is available at Avis airport rental locations in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, St. Johns and Halifax.
Budget will rent Where2 units at airport in Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax.
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Avis, Groople Introduce Booking Engine For Groups
Avis Budget Group has launched a private-label car rental booking engine tailored for Groople, an online air and hotel booking service for groups. This booking engine provides a side-by-side comparison of Avis and Budget car rental offerings to customers traveling in groups. Serving groups of five or more, Groople will now offer customers access to group rates on multiple car rentals.
Customers can view options specific to their arrival location, time and vehicle preferences. Groups can also mix and match vehicle types and brands to meet the individual needs of each renter in the group.
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British Airways Reaches Deal With Worldspan
British Airways and Worldspan have signed a three-year, global distribution agreement. The agreement, which establishes Worldspan as a preferred distribution channel for the airline, will provide Worldspan customers worldwide with access to British Airways’ full inventory, availability and fares. To gain these benefits, Worldspan subscribers in the UK and Ireland have to join Worldspan’s opt-in program. British Airways had recently announced deals with Galileo and Sabre.
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British Airways To Stop Trading On NYSE
In what the airline called a cost-cutting measure, British Airways has decided to delist its American Depositary Shares from the New York Stock Exchange on or about May 8. The airline also approved deregistration of company and termination of its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The airline intends to trade shares on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. and continue to trade on the London Stock Exchange.
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BTC Discounts Travelogue For ACTE Members
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives has entered into an agreement with the Business Travel Coalition to provide ACTE members with preferred pricing on Travelogue. As a launch incentive, BTC’s Travelogue publication will be offered free to all ACTE members for three months and thereafter at a 50% discount, or 10 cents per day. Other benefits will be added in the near future, said ACTE. BTC’s Travelogue integrates business travel news, analysis and best practices for industry participants from more than 80 countries.
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China Southern’s Site Upgrade Includes Bilingual Chat Service
China Southern Airlines has implemented customer service enhancements, including a 24-hour reservation center that will handle all customer inquiries and a 24-hour, bilingual (Chinese and English) chat service on the airline’s web site.
China Southern is now allowing customers to make their seat selection and print out boarding passes via the airline’s web site within 12 hours before flight departure. The service is currently available in 13 Chinese cities, including Beijing and Guangzhou, with plans to expand it to 28 cities this year. The airline has also pledged to deliver the first piece of luggage within 15 minutes at each airport served in China when the aircraft is parked at the jetway and within 30 minutes when parked on the tarmac.
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Classic British Hotels Adds Four Properties
Classic British Hotels has added four hotels to its portfolio of three-, four- and five-star properties. They are Ruthin Castle in North Wales, Cadbury House in Congresbury (near Bristol Airport), Marmadukes in York and the Langdale Hotel, Cumbria. Classic British, which was formed in 2001, now has 60 hotels in its portfolio.
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CNL Stockholders Approve $6.6B Merger
CNL Hotels & Resorts’ stockholders have approved the previously announced sale of select properties to a fund managed by Morgan Stanley Real Estate and to Ashford Hospitality Trust for $6.6 billion. The sale will be followed by the merger of CNL with a fund managed by Morgan Stanley Real Estate. More than 95 percent of the total shares that voted were in favor of the sale transaction. CNL expected the merger to be completed on April 12.
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Comfort Suites To Ban Smoking
Choice Hotels International said Comfort Suites will become a smoke free brand on May 1. All 433 Comfort Suites properties in the U.S., including public areas in those hotels, will be nonsmoking.
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Conrad Hotels Tweaks Brand Name To Reflect Global Growth
The Conrad hotel brand is changing its identity to Conrad Hotels & Resorts to reflect its growing portfolio in the global luxury hotel and resort segment, as well as its appeal to both the leisure and business travel markets. The change includes refinements to the hotel logo. A number of new resort projects are scheduled to join the Conrad portfolio over the next two years. Conrad Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio currently includes 18 properties in leading urban and resort destinations globally. New Conrad Hotels & Resorts are in conversion in the Maldives and under development in Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, the Bahamas, Las Vegas and Koh Samui.
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Continental Has E-ticket Capability With All Partners
With the implementation of interline e-ticketing with Air Europa, Continental Airlines has completed interline e-ticket capability with all of its alliance partners, including all current and planned members of SkyTeam and planned SkyTeam associates as well as all other codeshare and frequent-flyer partners. Continental says it expects to eliminate issuing and accepting paper tickets by the end of 2007, in accordance with the International Air Transport Association's mandate for 100 percent e-ticket implementation worldwide.
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Continental Sells Certificates To Finance Jet Purchase
Continental has announced a $1.1 billion sale of pass-through certificates aimed at financing the expansion of its Boeing fleet. Proceeds from the sale of the certificates will initially be held in escrow by a depositary institution. The escrowed funds will be used to acquire equipment notes that will be issued by Continental to finance its purchase of 30 new Boeing 737-900ER and 737-800 aircraft scheduled for delivery from January 2008 to March 2009.
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Continental To Start Cleveland-Quebec City Service
Continental Airlines will launch weekly service between the airline's Cleveland hub and Quebec City. The flights will enhance Continental's existing service to Quebec City from Newark. The seasonal service begins on June 9 and ends on Oct. 28.
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Delta Unveils Airport Renovations In Atlanta
Delta has completed its new check-in lobby at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The $26 million project comprises 12,500 square feet of open space; multiple baggage-drop areas for customers using online or kiosk check-in; multilingual signage throughout the lobby for at-a-glance information in English and Spanish; and 26 additional self-service kiosks that assist approximately 8,500 domestic and international customers daily.
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DHS Official To Speak At ACTE Conference
An intensified approach to border security and its likely impact on business travel will be the focus of a keynote address presented by Stewart Baker, assistant secretary for policy directorate for the Department of Homeland Security, at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) Global Education Conference in Miami from May 6 to 8.
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Diva Limousine Adding Hybrids To US Fleet
Diva Limousine Ltd., which has affiliates in 375 cities around the world, says it is adding a variety of hybrid vehicles to its U.S. fleet. The Los Angeles-based company's network provides chauffeur-driven sedans, hybrids, limousines, vans, SUVs and buses.
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Dollar Thrifty Acquires Pennsylvania Franchise Sites
Dollar Thrifty has acquired Thrifty franchise operations in Pittsburgh, Middletown/ Harrisburg, Allentown and Erie, Penn.; and Dollar franchise operations in Middletown/Harrisburg and Allentown, Penn. The acquisition includes Thrifty in-terminal locations serving Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Lehigh Valley and Erie airports, and Dollar in-terminal locations serving Harrisburg and Lehigh Valley.
The deal adds approximately 600 vehicles to the company’s corporate fleet.
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Dollar Thrifty Buys Vermont Franchises
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group has acquired Thrifty Car Rental franchise operations in Vermont. The transaction includes an off-airport rental and parking location serving Burlington International Airport and a local market store. Four other offices in Montpelier/Barre, Waterbury and White River Junction with service to Lebanon Municipal Airport, as well as an office at the University of Vermont, are also included. The acquisition adds approximately 400 vehicles to the company's corporate fleet.
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Doubletree Conference Center, Once A Hilton, Emerges In Chicago
A multimillion-dollar transformation has been completed at the Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center in Skokie, Ill. For years, the property was known as the Hilton North Shore & Executive Conference Center before being re-flagged a Doubletree Hotel. The 369-room property is minutes from downtown Chicago.
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Doubletree Hotel Opens Conference Center In Philadelphia
The Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia City Center has opened its Assembly on Five conference center. Ideal for groups of 10 to 60 attendees, the 4,200-square-foot conference center has six soundproofed meeting rooms with windows providing ambient light and sweeping views of the Philadelphia skyline. The center’s welcoming reception area offers all-day hot and cold refreshment service. An outdoor patio adjoins the reception area.
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Element To Be Developed In Toronto
Starwood Hotels and Manga Hotels International have agreed to develop the first Element brand hotel outside of the U.S. in Toronto. The Element Toronto Downtown, a 220-room, extended-stay hotel, is due to open in January 2009.
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Enterprise Founder Donates $25M To Biofuel Research
Jack Taylor, founder of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, has donated $25 million to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis to create the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels. The Institute will expand the scientific expertise of the Danforth Center to speed development of plant-based, renewable biofuels by funding recruitment of a lead scientist credentialed in the area. Twelve more scientists will be recruited over the next three years. The Danforth Center currently employs 18 scientists.
Funding of the Center comes on the heels of Enterprise’s pledge to underwrite the planting of 50 million trees in national forests over the next 50 years – a commitment of $50 million in today’s dollars.
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Enterprise To Acquire Vanguard, Operator Of National & Alamo
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Vanguard Car Rental Group Inc. This transaction between two privately held companies is expected to close in the third or fourth quarter of 2007, contingent upon clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions.
The acquisition will join two rental car companies with very complementary businesses. St. Louis-based Enterprise's primary strength lies in the in-town and insurance replacement segments of the industry. Vanguard, based in Tulsa, operates the National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands, which serve the airport segment of the market.
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Eos Expands London-New York Service
Eos Airlines, an all-premium-class airline serving New York-London, will expand its schedule to three flights on peak travel days starting April 15. A total of 32 flights per week will now be available between the two cities. The additional third flight departing New York-JFK will be available on Sundays, Thursdays and Fridays, and an additional third flight from London Stansted will be available on Sundays, Mondays and Fridays.
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Expensewatch Acquired By Bezos Expeditions
Bezos Expeditions, the personal investment company of Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, has completed a private equity buyout of Expensewatch.com, a company that provides expense-control solutions to small and mid-sized companies. Terms of the buyout were not disclosed. Bezos had already been an investor in the company.
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ExpressJet Accepting UATP
ExpressJet Airlines now accepts the UATP card as a form of payment for corporate travelers. ExpressJet plans to inaugurate service to 24 cities across the West Coast, Southeast and Midwest regions this month.
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Extended Stay Hotels To Be Acquired By the Lightstone Group
An affiliate of The Lightstone Group LLC has contracted to pay The Blackstone Group $8 million for Extended Stay Hotels, which owns 683 properties in 44 states and Canada operating under five brands: Extended Stay DeLuxe, Extended Stay America, Homestead Suite Studios, StudioPlus and Crossland. The purchase "immediately puts us into the leadership position with the extended stay market," says David Lichtenstein, chairman and CEO of Lighthouse.
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Fairmont Launches Third Edition Of Green Guide
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has released the third edition of its Green Partnership Guide, a how-to text for companies looking to "green" their operations. The guide focuses on energy management, water conservation and community outreach programs, while also providing detailed insights on how to start, maintain and grow an environmental program. The guide includes case studies on reducing operating costs, keeping employees motivated and tracking cost savings.
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Fairmont, Jin Jiang Form Joint Venture
Jin Jiang International Group and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have formed a joint venture to be named Jin Jiang Fairmont Hotel Management Co. The company will renovate and reopen the Peace Hotel, which is scheduled to close during the refurbishment period and reopen in 2010. Jin Jiang said its goal during the renovation program is to restore the hotel to its position as the "preeminent luxury hotel in Shanghai." The hotel will be renamed the Fairmont Peace Hotel Shanghai.
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Frontier Launches Denver-Louisville Service
Frontier Airlines has launched twice-daily service between Denver and Louisville, Ky. The flights will utilize Frontier's regional service operated by Republic Airlines on 76-seat Embraer jets.
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GE Adds Features To vPayment Tool
Corporate Payment Services, GE Money’s corporate card division, has launched two new features, vPayment Receipt and vPayment On-Demand, for its vPayment e-settlement product suite. vPayment automatically captures invoice or purchase order numbers for streamlined reconciliation, and provides a higher degree of control and data capture than standard commercial credit card.
vPayment Receipt allows organizations to generate a vPayment account number after a given invoice is verified and received. This approach automates supplier payment in organizations that use three-way matching, an accounting practice that compares a vendor invoice against a receipt and a purchase order.
vPayment On-Demand administrative features expand the ability of clients to self-manage the web-accessible version of the e-settlement tool. Authorized program managers can adjust outstanding vPayment authorizations, initiate or change the spending limits of subordinate users and maintain access to different vPayment account pools.
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GE Extends vPayment Tool From US To European Market
GE Money has launched vPayment, its electronic settlement tool that works in tandem with a MasterCard purchasing card, in the European market. In the U.S. market since 2001, vPayment is used to settle bookings on behalf of intermediaries. The new European implementation will allow for settlement in pounds sterling and euros.
Using vPayment, an intermediary such as a travel management company can accept a customer’s payment and then pay a supplier at a later date without manual intervention.
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Global Hyatt Introduces Andaz Brand
Global Hyatt Corp. has unveiled Andaz, a new brand to be launched this year, with properties already slated for New York and London. Others are under discussion in Beijing and Moscow. Hyatt says Andaz will focus on "personal style and independence," and that the brand would offer a "highly functional environment characterized by sophistication, innovative design, local identity, casual elegance and service that is attentive but not pretentious." The brand also will have green initiatives such as serving organic food and beverage, using fully biodegradable products and focusing on energy efficiency.
The first Andaz will be in London, where the Great Eastern Hotel will be rebranded and repositioned following completion of a renovation in September. Plans are also under way in New York, where Hyatt’s recently purchased property on Fifth Avenue at 41st street, across from the New York Public Library, will become an Andaz.
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GlobalStar Adds Two Agencies In Asia
GlobalStar Travel Management has welcomed two new joint-venture partners to its global network in Southeast Asia: PT Dwidaya Tour of Jakarta, Indonesia, and International Tours Centre Co. of Bangkok, Thailand. In addition to its headquarters in Jakarta, PT Dwidaya has 25 locations in five cities. ITC has additional offices in Chaing Mai and Phuket.
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GOL Signs With Worldspan
GOL Transportes Aereos, the Sao Paulo-based LCC, has signed a limited connect distribution agreement with Worldspan. GOL's comprehensive schedules, availability, low fares and booking capabilities will be available to all Worldspan travel agency, corporate and online points of sale worldwide.
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HRG North America Expands
New clients and existing clients who are increasing their travel programs have led HRG (Hogg Robinson Group) North America to add more than 600 staff members, many of them at-home workers, plus 40,000 square feet of office space. The work space expansion — in New York; Charlotte, N.C.; and Halifax, Nova Scotia — is scheduled for completion by mid-2007. Further development is planned throughout the year.
Currently, 12 percent of HRG North America’s employees work at home. In the next 12 to 24 months, the company will be looking to increase that to 20 percent of its employee base.
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Harrah’s Stockholders Approve Buyout
Harrah's Entertainment says its stockholders have approved the $17.1 billion buyout by affiliates of Texas Pacific Group and Apollo Management. Based upon the preliminary tally of shares voted, 66 percent of total shares outstanding voted in favor of the transaction. Harrah’s expects the transaction to be completed by the end of the year.
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Hertz Introduces Hourly Rates For NYC Market
Hertz has introduced hourly rentals to its New York City market. Available at three Manhattan locations, the new services has no fuel charge, no application fees and no fees for canceling or changing a reservation. As with all Hertz rentals, "Hertz Hourly Rentals" also include unlimited mileage and 24-hour emergency roadside assistance.
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Hilton Opens Conference Hotel In Sicily
The Hilton Portorosa has opened its doors in Furnari on the Mediterranean island Sicily. Hilton said the 263-room, nine-story hotel has one of the largest conference facilities in Sicily. The hotel’s meeting space can accommodate up to 1,200 delegates over two floors.
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Holiday Inn In K.C. Set To Open After Renovations
The renovated, 193-room Holiday Inn Downtown Kansas City-The Aladdin will open next month. Built in 1925 and listed on the National Historic Register, the hotel has had its architectural details restored to their original appearance. The hotel is within walking distance of the convention center, the financial district, the theater district and the new Power and Light District. The Holiday Inn Downtown Kansas City-The Aladdin will offer complimentary wired and wireless Internet access throughout the hotel, a business center, two meeting rooms and one ballroom
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Horizon Air Orders Turboprops
Horizon Air has placed an order for 15 Q400 high-speed turboprops and 20 options from Bombardier Aerospace of Canada. Delivery of the 76-seat Q400s is scheduled to begin in October 2008 and continue through August 2009. The order has a list price value $393 million. As the Q400s roll in, Horizon plans to phase out the remaining 37-seat Bombardier Q200s from its fleet and operate only Q400s and 70-seat CRJ-700 jets.
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Hyatt Place Hotels Making Nashville Debut
Hyatt Place/Opryland and Hyatt Place Nashville, Northeast have opened in Nashville. They are two of four hotels scheduled to open in the city this year. The 98-room Hyatt Place Nashville, Northeast is near sports and recreation complexes and is a short drive from downtown Nashville. The 123-room Hyatt Place Nashville/Opryland offers complimentary shuttle service to Nashville International Airport and Gaylord Opryland Hotel.
Hyatt, which launched Hyatt Place last year, says it expects to have 120 Hyatt Places open by the end of 2007. Most will be rebranded and redesigned AmeriSuites hotels.
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Hyatt Puts New Andaz Brand On Wall Street Hotel In NYC
Hyatt will manage a luxury hotel under its Andaz brand at 75 Wall Street in New York, the former downtown headquarters of JPMorgan Chase. The transformation of the rose-colored, brick tower from office building to condominium residences/luxury hotel is expected to be completed in 2008. Three hundred and fifty luxury condominiums will comprise the upper 24 floors, while 250 hotel suites in the lower portion of the building will be managed by Hyatt under Andaz, the hotel company’s recently launched, luxury lifestyle brand.
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IFC Specialists Schedules Fare Construction Classes
IFC Specialists will conduct fare construction classes at the Hampton Inn Downtown Denver from July 16-20. Phase 1 classes, to be held the first two days, will cover IATA traffic conference areas, fare selection criteria, specified routings and direct route fares, currency conversion, the mileage system, higher intermediate points, normal one-way fare construction, stopovers and transfer charges, Q surcharges, and taxes. Phase 2, covered on July 18-20, includes construction of two or more one-way pricing units, limitations on indirect travel, mixed class travel, normal round trip construction, normal circle trip construction, special fare construction, special mileage provisions, surface segment calculation, normal open jaw construction, lowest combination principle, return sub-journey check, construction of unpublished fares and voluntary reroutings.
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IHG Pipeline Balloons As Its Brands Appear Round The World
IHG says it now leads the industry’s development pipeline with nearly 158,000 rooms currently under construction. The company says that the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands are at the center of its growth but other brands in the IHG portfolio are making news as well.
Forty Indigos — the newest IHG brand — are under development; another eight are already in operation. Plans for the first Hotel Indigo in the Northeast United States were recently announced. That facility, a 102-room boutique hotel, is scheduled to open in Rahway, N.J., in April 2008.
Four more Staybridge Suites hotels will be constructed in San Antonio by 2009. Demand for extended-stay lodging is currently greater than supply in the Texas city. The first of these properties is expected to open this summer, followed by two in spring 2008 and another in 2009.
Among IHG’s new international locations is the InterContinental Kiev in the Ukraine. The new-build hotel will open in the first quarter of 2008 and comprise 280 guestrooms over 12 floors, two bars and restaurants (one of them on the rooftop), several meeting rooms and a ballroom.
In Tokyo, the ANA Hotel Tokyo has just been officially rebranded the ANA InterContinental Tokyo as the first step in a joint venture announced last winter by InterContinental and All Nippon Airways. Operating as IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, partnership plans to co-brand and renovate 13 hotels in Japan by 2009. All are currently operating under the ANA Hotels brand. After undergoing product, service and operational enhancements, they will be co-branded as ANA InterContinental, ANA Crowne Plaza or ANA Holiday Inn.
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Innkeepers USA To Be Acquired By Apollo Investment For $1.5B
Innkeepers USA Trust, a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) and owner of 74 upscale extended-stay hotels (including Hampton Inns, Residence Inns and Summerfield Suites) in 21 states, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Apollo Investment Corp. for $17.75 per share in cash, or $1.5 billion, plus the assumption of Innkeepers’ debt.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2007. Following completion of the transaction, the properties will be managed by an affiliate of Jeffrey Fisher (president and CEO of Innkeepers Hospitality). Innkeepers will maintain its REIT tax status.
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Italy’s Starhotels Opening New Hotel Near Milan’s Airport
Starhotels, an Italian collection of four-star hotels that targets business travelers, has set a June opening for its new Grand Milan in Saronno, Italy, which has the only stop on the train connecting Milan’s business center to Milano/Malpensa International Airport. The hotel is four minutes from the Saronno train station.
The 248-room hotel includes 16 conference rooms, a business center and Wi-Fi available throughout. It is the chain’s 20th in Italy; Starhotels also operates one hotel in Paris and one in New York.
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JFK’s Terminal 4 Prepares Registered Traveler Lanes
Clear, which operates a registered traveler program at U.S. airports, and Virgin Atlantic Airways have begun enrolling members at JFK Terminal 4 in New York. Terminal 4’s Clear security lane is expected to open this month.
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Jet Airways Investing $3.7B In Expansion That Will Reach US
Jet Airways Investing $3.7B In Expansion That Will Reach US
India-based Jet Airways’ chairman, Naresh Goyal, confirmed details of a $3.7 billion investment program aimed at transforming his airline, Jet Airways, into a "top-five global carrier." The investment includes the order of 30 new long-haul aircraft and a refurbishment of its onboard products and services.
On all U.K.-India routes, Jet Airways will have private suites in first class as well as flat beds in business class and a new "ergonomic" economy seat with 32 inches of leg room and cradle support for the head, neck and feet. These new products will be available in May on the London Heathrow-Mumbai route, when the airline receives the first of its 20 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. They will be available on other U.K.-India routes over the next two years. Also, Jet Airways has recently signed to purchase 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with deliveries commencing in 2011.
The airline will start flying between India and the U.S., via Brussels, in August.
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JetBlue Introduces Meetings Program
JetBlue Airways has launched CompanyBlue Meetings, a program available for business-related travel arranged by designated corporate meeting planners with a single company billing source. In order to qualify, a minimum of 15 corporate employees must be traveling on the same date to the same destination and be booked by a corporate meeting planner via www.jetblue.com/companybluemeetings or 1-888-JETBLUE, option 4.
CompanyBlue Meetings provides planners with one complimentary travel certificate for each 40 customers booked to the same destination on the same date. The travel certificates can be applied to the current group, used for site inspection or for future travel. In addition, meeting planners also get a credit for future travel on JetBlue that is equal to the dollar value of the average fare (minus taxes and fees) for every 40 seats booked, to be used towards future CompanyBlue Meeting bookings.
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JetBlue To Increase Service From Salt Lake City
JetBlue Airways this summer will launch daily service to San Diego and San Francisco. The airline will offer one roundtrip flight to San Francisco and San Diego beginning July 27 aboard Airbus A320 aircraft. JetBlue Already flies to New York and Long Beach, Calif., from Salt Lake City.
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JetOne Launches Prepaid American Express Incentive Card
In alliance with American Express Incentive Services (AEIS), JetOne is offering their clients the prepaid AccessOne Card. The card, available in denominations of $100,000, $200,000, $500,000 and $1 million, is a prepaid card loaded with funds worth a specific number of flying hours. AEIS is a joint venture between American Express Travel Related Services and Maritz.
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JetSource Adds Challenger 300
Jet Source, a full-service aviation firm, has added a Challenger 300 to its executive private jet fleet. The new aircraft will be based at the company’s headquarters, the McClellan-Palomar Airport base in Carlsbad, Calif.
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JFK Terminal 4 Installing SITA Baggage Tracking System
JFK International Airport’s Terminal 4 is implementing SITA's BagManager system, which provides tracking and reconciliation for quick efficient loading of baggage. BagManager has been developed to reconcile bags with passengers as they move through and between airports. The system provides positive passenger bag match, ensuring that passengers and their bags travel together on the same aircraft.
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JFK Terminal 4 Installing SITA Baggage Tracking System
JFK International Airport’s Terminal 4 is implementing SITA's BagManager system, which provides tracking and reconciliation for quick efficient loading of baggage. BagManager has been developed to reconcile bags with passengers as they move through and between airports. The system provides positive passenger bag match, ensuring that passengers and their bags travel together on the same aircraft.
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Kor Expands Tides Brand Internationally
Kor Hotels Group’s Tides brand is growing from its original Miami Beach locale. The resort formerly known as Ikal del Mar presents the first overseas incarnation of Tides. The Mexico property has been renamed the Tides Riviera Maya. Ten miles south, Kor intends to open the Tides Playa del Carmen. Over the next few years, Kor will continue to develop Tides properties, including the Tides Anguilla in the British West Indies.
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LHW Begins Carbon Offset Program
The Leading Hotels of the World has launched its Leading Green Initiative, a program to encourage guests to make a conscious decision toward greener travel by actively supporting Sustainable Travel International (STI), a nonprofit organization. The company will donate 50 cents to STI for every night of a guest’s stay when their reservation is made through www.lhwgreen.com, or when ‘Leading Green’ is mentioned to when the reservation is made through an LHW call center. The investment per guest represents 29.3 kilowatt-hours of electricity supplied by new wind and solar power, which equates to 33.7 pounds of greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Leading Hotels makes a point of saying that it is underwriting the entire cost of the program and that prices have not been augmented to support the effort.
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Little Rock Airport Chooses Clear Program
Clear Registered Traveler has announced that it has been selected by the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission to launch a registered traveler program at the airport. Enrollment is expected to begin within 30 days, once a contract has been executed. Clear facilitates travelers' pre-screening by the Transportation Security Administration before they receive a biometric identity card that provides them with expedited passage through airport security checkpoints.
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Macquarie To Pay $456M For Mercury FBOs
Macquarie Infrastructure Co. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the fixed base operation (FBO) business of Mercury Air Centers for $456.2 million. Mercury operates a network of 24 FBOs at 22 airports across the United States. The business will be operated as a part of Macquarie’s airport services business, Atlantic Aviation, which will operate a total of 68 FBOs following the acquisition of Mercury. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2007.
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Marriott Hotels Comprise UK Portfolio Acquisition
A group of investors led by Quinlan Private and Igal Ahouvi Group has completed the acquisition of a portfolio of 47 Marriott hotels in the U.K. for approximately $2.2 billion. The hotels are currently operated by Marriott International, through its Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand, under the terms of 30-year management agreements that commenced in 2006.
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Mesaba’s Reorganization Plan OK'd By Bankruptcy Court
Mesaba Airlines has announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota has confirmed its plan of reorganization, setting the stage for Mesaba to emerge from Chapter 11 in the latter part of April. The reorganization plan implements a stock purchase and reorganization agreement with Northwest Airlines, under which Mesaba would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest. Mesaba operates jets used for Northwest’s Airlink regional service.
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Microtel, Hawthorn Offers Amenities For Guests With Dwarfism
Microtel Inns & Suites and Hawthorn Suites are providing accessibility products for people with dwarfism at all of the brands’ nearly 400 hotels in the US. The Short Stature Accessibility Kit, designed by Direct Access Solutions of Hillsboro, Ore., includes a stepstool, ergonomic reach grabber, door security latch adapter, extension or push-pull tool and specially-designed closet rod adapter.
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Midwest Adds Service From Kansas City
On July 1, Midwest will launch nonstop service to two cities that are not currently served nonstop from Kansas City: Kansas City-Colorado Springs (three roundtrips each weekday and a total of four on weekends) and Kansas City-Madison, Wis. (two roundtrips each weekday and a total of three on weekends). Also on July 1, Midwest will add daily flight frequency on two existing nonstop routes. Kansas City-Pittsburgh will increase from one to two roundtrip flights and Kansas City-San Antonio will increase from two to three roundtrip flights.
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Midwest, United Airlines Codeshare Via Mesa Air
Air Midwest, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mesa Air Group, is expanding its codeshare agreement with Midwest Airlines to an additional six cities. The flights operate as US Airways Express under a separate codeshare relationship with US Airways. This expanded codeshare will allow for Midwest Airlines customers to connect onto US Airways Express flights in Kansas City to Columbia/Jefferson City, Joplin, and Kirksville, Missouri and Grand Island, McCook, and Omaha, Nebraska.
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My Home Doctor Launches Traveler Service In Miami
My Home Doctor, a group of physicians who provide personal and preventive medical care in a home, office or hotel room, has launched an international traveler service. The new division will focus on treating travelers who come to Miami on business or for vacation. My Home Doctor visits start at $300, a cost that is partially reimbursed by select insurance companies or applied toward a deductible.
The new service is currently in investment rounds, according to a company spokesman. Once funding is secured, it will begin to move into other cities.
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Names In The News
BCD Travel has added Rossana Martin and Neda Nazem to the company’s sales team. Martin, who is based in Michigan, comes to BCD Travel from Total Travel Management, where she was vice president of account management for North America. Nazem, who is based in Southern California, has more than 25 years of travel industry experience, most recently with Cathay Pacific Airways, Expedia Corporate Travel and Air France. Nazem serves on the board of the Los Angeles Business Travel Association.
Coakley & Williams Hotel Management Co. has named Nichole Kaminski director of sales at the Royal Mansions Resort in Cape Canaveral, Fla., and Michael Parent as vice president of sales and marketing. Kaminski was formerly co-general manager at the Inn at Cocoa Beach, having served in a variety of operations and management positions, including sales and public relations. Parent’s previous experience includes operations and sales management positions with Potomac Hotel Group, Taj Hotels, Hilton and Sunburst Hospitality.
iJET Intelligent Risk Systems has appointed Kathie Lia vice president of travel partnerships. In this newly created position, Lia will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with travel industry partners and creating effective risk management solutions for the travel industry. Most recently, Lia served as global product director, safety and security for Carlson Wagonlit Travel.
InterContinental Hotels Group has named Alexi Hakim chief operating officer for the U.K. and Ireland, effective May 21. Hakim replaces John Bamsey, who on April 1 took over the Dubai-based role of chief operating officer for the Middle East and Africa for IHG. As vice president, full service operations, North America, Hakim is currently responsible for the overall performance of the Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotels in the U.S. and Canada.
Kimpton Hotels has promoted Rick Colangelo to senior director of operations, responsible for overseeing Kimpton’s East Coast properties. He will also be opening Kimpton properties in Miami and New York. Previously, Colangelo was Kimpton’s area director of operations for Boston/Cambridge.
Kor Hotel Group has named Barbara Hicks director of sales for the Loden Vancouver, due to open this summer. Most recently, Hicks was Fairmont Hotels’ director of global sales, managing sales and destination promotion efforts for the Fairmont and Raffles brands.
Trump Entertainment Resorts has named Ravneet Bhandari senior vice president of revenue management. He joins the company from Harrah’s Entertainment, where he was most recently vice president of business strategy for the Western division.
The Westin Minneapolis, currently being created within the historic Farmers & Mechanics (F&M) Bank building in downtown Minneapolis, has named Bill Weiberg general manager and Patrick Clemons director of sales and marketing. Also, Sally Ableitner was named senior sales manager, and Matt Torfin was named sales manager. The 214-room hotel is due to open next month. Weiberg was a general manager for a Residence Inn owned by White Lodging Services Corp. Clemons was director of corporate sales for two independent hotel companies.
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Names In The News 4/19/07
Barcelo Hotels & Resorts has named Juan Veras administrative/e-business assistant for North America. Previously, Veras was the manager for the U.S. and Canadian markets at the Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
JetBlue Airways has appointed Jim Hnat executive vice president of corporate affairs in a streamlining of the company's reporting structure. Hnat joined JetBlue in June 2001, and was named general counsel in February 2003. He will retain the responsibilities of general counsel while adding responsibility for corporate communications, government affairs, internal audit and compliance, people and legal.
The Radisson Hotel & Suites Town Lake-Austin in Austin, Texas, has named Erin Finney sales manager. She will focus on the state association and state government markets. Finney’s experience includes four years with the Marriott Plaza San Antonio in San Antonio, where she was most recently the front office manager. She began there as business travel and corporate group sales manager.
Sun Country Airlines has appointed Stephen Spellman chief financial officer and chief operating officer of the airline. Spellman joins Sun Country following 10 years at Champion Air, where he had served as president and CEO since 2003.
Travelport has announced that Steve Barnhart has been named CEO and president of Orbitz Worldwide. Barnhart joined Orbitz in 2003 and was a key member of the finance team that took the start-up company public. He was promoted to CFO at the time of the Cendant acquisition in November 2004 and was named president and chief financial officer of Orbitz Worldwide, a division of Travelport, in September 2006. Orbitz plans to appoint a new chief financial officer.
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Names In The News 4/26/07
Barcelo Hotels & Resorts has appointed Martin Young director of meeting and incentive Sales for the Eastern region of the U.S. Young joins Barcelo from Sol Melia Hotels and Resorts, where he was the regional director of group sales for the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada.
Carey International, a provider of chauffeured transportation, has named Gary Kessler president and CEO. In January, the company’s board of directors named Kessler president and chief operating officer. Kessler joined Carey in 1999 and served as executive vice president, chief operating officer and general counsel prior to his appointment to president and COO.
Hogg Robinson Group has expanded its North America sales team. Three of the new hires will establish a newly formed multinational sales team to focus on global sales in defined territories: Michael Doyle in the East, located in New York City; Larry Silman in the Central U.S., located in Chicago; and Eve White, in the West, located in Los Angeles. This group is joined by Karen Kerswill in the North, based in Toronto. Each will hold the title of vice president, multinational sales. Danielle Waters, executive vice president, national sales and support, North America, will be responsible for the national sales team in addition to her other executive responsibilities. The national sales team will be anchored by Kevin Craig, vice president sales, Canada. Kevin also oversees the Canadian sales team, including Suzanne Murray, located in Montreal and responsible for Quebec, Ottawa and the Maritimes region.
Omni San Diego Hotel has appointed Gordon MacMitchell as general manager of the 511-room, four-diamond hotel, responsible for overseeing all operations of the property. MacMitchell originally served as the hotel's manager in 2004-05. Omni San Diego Hotel is connected via skybridge to PETCO Park, home of the San Diego Padres, in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, and is across the street from the San Diego Convention Center.
RFP Express has named Michael Kell director of global sales, based in Fort Lauderdale. Kell is a 25-year corporate travel industry veteran working in leadership roles at companies such as Sol Melia Hotels and Resorts, World Travel BTI (now BCD) and Maritz. He gained his travel technology experience as a senior manager for global accounts at Galileo International and later as vice president of marketing for its GRSNetwork Internet-based GDS.
Rocco Forte Hotels has named Henriette Attard director of group and incentive sales and Danny Tamari group and incentive sales manager. Attard was director of group and incentive sales for One&Only Resorts. Tamari worked for Morgans Hotel Group as regional sales manager, focusing on group sales.
PRISM Group has hired Joel Osterman as director of corporate programs, responsible for directing the growth of PRISM’s Avion product, which coordinates their airline use data to parallel that of the airlines' for ease of analysis.
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NBTA Absorbs Australasia Organization
The Australasian Business Travel Association has become the Asia Pacific subsidiary of the National Business Travel Association. ABTA members overwhelmingly supported a merger at a meeting in Sydney. A new NBTA-Asia Pacific Board will be put in place.
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NBTA Hires Government Consultant
The National Business Travel Association has bolstered its government relations program by securing the services of Monument Policy Group, which provides clients with insight and reach into determination of federal public policy. The firm is headed by C. Stewart Verdery Jr., who will serve as NBTA government relations and federal strategies consultant. "NBTA has been working with Stewart and the Monument Policy Group team behind the scenes for some time, and we’ve seen how their efforts have helped NBTA gain visibility in Washington for the issues that are important to our members," says Bill Connors, NBTA executive director and COO. "Their substantive expertise and connections in the administration and on the Hill will be invaluable in terms of addressing regulatory and legislative initiatives that impact the business travel industry."
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New Aloft Hotel Brand Spreading To EU Before First One’s Built
With its first Aloft hotels not due to open until next year, Starwood Hotels & Resorts is already going international with its new brand. Ireland’s Thornsett Group Ltd. has signed an agreement to develop Europe’s first Aloft in Brussels. The mid-scale spin-off of Starwood’s W Hotels will have loft-like rooms with high ceilings and oversized windows.
Meanwhile, Dallas’s Hillwood real estate development company will build Texas’s first Aloft hotel in the Dallas suburb of Las Colinas. Hillwood expects to develop Aloft properties in several other locations throughout the US.
Aloft Brussels, which features 150 guestrooms, will be part of a 74,000 square foot development that will also include 108 one- and two-bedroom apartments and approximately 5,000 square feet of retail space with parking. Construction begins this fall with completion scheduled for Fall 2009.
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Northwest Launches Management Equity Plan
Northwest Airlines, preparing to exit Chapter 11, has introduced a management equity plan that will be funded with 5.5 percent of the equity in the reorganized company. Northwest says the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors supports the plan. Approximately 400 Northwest employees at the director, managing director and officer levels will be eligible to receive 4.9 percent of the equity in the reorganized company. Sixty percent of the equity grants will be in the form of restricted stock, which will have a grant date value of approximately $232 million, assuming a $7.8 billion overall valuation for the company. The remaining 40 percent of the equity will be in stock options. Both the restricted stock and stock options will vest over a four-year period. The stock option awards will only have value if the management team achieves the business plan and Northwest’s stock price appreciates.
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OneSky Jets' Relaunched Web Site Aids Price-sensitive Choices
OneSky Jets' Relaunched Web Site Aids Price-sensitive Choices
OneSky Jets, provider of an online shopping service for private jets, has relaunched its web site. Clients are now asked in the first step whether price or schedule is more important. Also, the site now educates clients about various aircraft size classes and their relative differences in price before it calculates trip-specific pricing. After a client is offered an online estimate for the trip, he or she is then advised to submit a detailed request to a OneSky flight advisor, who explains the differences between various aircraft alternatives. Once clients make a decision on the jet that fits their needs, they enter their contact information, and then can click to see a sample quote.
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Orbitz Partners With BlueTie
Orbitz Partners With BlueTieBlueTie, a provider of hosted e-mail and calendaring solutions for small and mid-sized businesses, has partnered with Orbitz to offer travel-booking capabilities within BlueTie’s product. BlueTie’s new travel-planning Featuretisement lets users search for flight and hotel options from within their planning calendar. BlueTie users enter select keywords such as "flights" or "hotels" within their calendar to access a travel-planning interface. Following a user query, Orbitz searches and responds with available inventory. BlueTie then displays within a user’s calendar the flight or lodging options that match a search’s date and time criteria.
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Orbitz Partners With International Speedway Corp.
Orbitz has reached a comprehensive agreement with International Speedway Corp. (ISC), a provider of motor sports entertainment. The deal includes management of ISC’s corporate travel program, powering a portfolio of ISC-owned websites and building a racing microsite on Orbitz.com that offers vacation packages, travel and race tickets.
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Park Hyatt To Open In Mexico City
The Park Hyatt brand is slated to enter the Mexico City market in late 2009 with the opening of The Park Hyatt Mexico City, Reforma. The hotel will be located within the Capital Reforma development, a new multi-purpose complex comprised of offices, luxury Park Hyatt Residences and retail shops.
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PublicRoutes Adds London To Booking & Directions Service
PublicRoutes.com, an international directions-based web resource, has added the greater London area to its navigational resource for public transportation systems. The company says the addition makes it the first global web site to provide directions for public transport in more than one country.
The PublicRoutes web site provides point-to-point directions for all modes of transportation, allows users to obtain information and door-to-door directions to the city’s top points of interest including restaurants, tourist attractions, sporting arenas and nightlife venues. It also offers a one-stop resource to search for, compare and book hotels and flights (powered by Travelocity), as well as car services and tickets to events. Available in 14 languages, the service remembers specific locations entered by the user to provide a faster, more efficient way of searching for directions and personalizing the experience.
PublicRoutes.com says it will soon expand to serve more cities within the U.S. and internationally.
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Qantas Offers Designer Products In Premium Classes
Qantas has collaborated with Australian leading designers to launch premium, in-flight products. Women in first class receive a floral-designed silk purse by Collette Dinnigan containing a selection of hydrating skincare products from Payot Paris; men receive a zippered pod in chocolate suede designed by Akira Isogawa, containing products by Payot. Business travelers get Marc Newson-designed kits filled with moisturizing products from Australian brand Ultraceuticals. Additional comfort items are available for customers to personalize their kits. Also, Qantas now offers pajamas to customers in business class. The soft, cotton pajamas designed by Peter Morrissey are available on long-haul, international night flights. In first, Akira Isogawa has designed pajamas with matching eyeshade and slippers.
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Registered Traveler Gets A Ho-hum In Consumer Survey
The majority of travelers don't plan to enroll in the Registered Traveler Program, even though their biggest security-related complaint is long lines at airports, according to a Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure survey commissioned by Deloitte & Touche.
According to the survey, 61 percent of travelers were unaware of the program. However, even after reading a description, 83 percent were not interested in enrolling, despite the program’s goal of enabling travelers to quickly move through security checkpoints. At the same time, survey respondents said their biggest airport security-related complaint was long lines at airports, with 54 percent citing it as their top concern, compared with 23 percent who cited taking off shoes and 20 percent who citied the three-ounce carry-on limit for liquids. The online survey was conducted by an independent research company between Feb. 15 and 22, polling 1,580 consumers between the ages of 18 and 74.
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Renaissance Hotels Launches Online Meetings Forum
Renaissance Hotels & Resorts North America has launched an online community (www.rhr-standout.com) where meeting planners can network, share the latest industry news and trends through an online forum, plan and organize meetings at all Renaissance North America properties. They will also be able to register for chances to win monthly prizes. To help drive traffic to the site during the launch period, Renaissance is offering meeting planners who use the site to book events now through December 31 up to 100,000 Marriott Rewards bonus points.
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Republic Airways Sells Delta Claim
Republic Airways Holdings has sold its $91 million unsecured creditor claim in Delta’s bankruptcy case for $44.6 million. The transaction was to close on April 11, 2007. Republic, which operates regional service for several major carriers including Delta, did not identify the buyer.
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Resort At Singer Island Opens
The all-suite Resort at Singer Island on Florida’s east coast has opened as a member Starwood Hotels & Resorts‘ Luxury Collection brand. Nestled between Jupiter and Palm beaches, the Resort at Singer Island has 239 condo-hotel suites that offer between 800 and 2,100 square feet of living space in one and two-bedroom configurations. The resort also includes 4,000 square feet of meeting space.
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Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo Opens
The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, a 248-room hotel in the city's tallest skyscraper, has opened in the new Tokyo Midtown Development in Roppongi. The hotel begins on the 45th floor. The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo is the second hotel in Japan for Ritz-Carlton, which also manages a property in Osaka.
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SAA Expands Codeshare Deal With United
South African Airways and United have expanded into 15 additional codeshare cities throughout the U.S., further strengthening their Star Alliance partnership. New codeshare cities are Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas-Fort Worth; Detroit; Houston; Indianapolis; Kansas City; Miami; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; and St. Louis.
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Salesforce.com Adds TripSync To On-demand Tool
TripSync, a travel tool that allows business travelers to book, change and manage travel directly from their calendar, has been added to Salesforce.com’s AppExchange Incubator. "Through the AppExchange Incubator, we are working with partners like TripSync to help foster the next level of on-demand innovation," says Rene Bonvanie, general manager of AppExchange and developer of marketing for Salesforce.com. TripSync, developed by Portaga of White Plains, N.Y., features Book and Hold, which locks-in a reservation for up to 24 hours while a business traveler confirms plans. As part of the AppExchange Incubator, TripSync has access to the Salesforce.com multi-tenant platform, technology infrastructure, product development, sales and marketing support and fundraising and business development assistance.
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SBE Group Launches New Luxury Brand: SLS Hotels
SBE Hotel Group has introduced a new luxury hotel brand, SLS Hotels. The first SLS property will be operated under a management agreement with Starwood Hotels. As part of the agreement, the Le Meridien at Beverly Hills will undergo a transformation and emerge as the SLS Los Angeles in early 2008 and become part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection. SLS will ultimately include hotels and resorts in the US, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Los Angeles-based SBE Group also is redeveloping Miami’s Ritz Plaza for reopening in mid-2008. In addition, SBE reached an agreement last month to acquire the Sahara Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
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Sentient Jet And JetDirect Aviation To Merge
JetDirect Aviation, an aircraft management and aviation services company, and Sentient Jet, a provider of private jet membership, are merging operations. Specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The combined company said it would offer “a compelling alternative to the fractional ownership model.” Steven Hankin, CEO of Sentient Jet, who will serve as president and chief operating officer of the combined company, said, “This merger will provide the infrastructure and operational capabilities to sustain our growth as well as introduce new products to the market.
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Skybus Set To Launch Service, Including $10 Fares
Skybus Airlines, a no-frills carrier, will take off on May 22 and will offer nonstop service from Columbus, Ohio, to Los Angeles via Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport; Portsmouth, N.H.; Kansas City; and Richmond, Va. On May 29, Skybus will add service to Seattle and Vancouver via Bellingham, Wash.; Fort Lauderdale; and Greensboro/Winston-Salem, N.C. On June 12, Skybus will begin service to Oakland, Calif., and add a second daily nonstop to Los Angeles/Burbank.
According to Skybus CEO Bill Diffenderffer, the new airline will announce additional destinations as its fleet of Airbus A319s expands. Skybus has agreements to acquire more than 70 aircraft over the next five years. Diffenderffer also says that there would be at least 10 seats on every flight that can be purchased for $10 (not including taxes and fees). Skybus will be selling airline tickets at its web site only for flights through Dec. 15.
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SkyWest Starts Operating Midwest Regional Flights
SkyWest Airlines has begun new service as Midwest Connect. Under its agreement with Midwest Airlines, SkyWest will service from Midwest’s Milwaukee and Kansas City hubs utilizing 50-seat Canadair regional jets.
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St. Regis To Be Built In Jakarta
Starwood Hotels will manage the St. Regis Hotel & Residences, Jakarta when it opens in the Indonesia capital in 2011. Located on Jalan Jendral Sudirman, known as Jakarta’s Wall Street, the newly built property will be positioned to serve the city’s business community. The St. Regis Hotel & Residences will offer 176 guest rooms and 284 whole-ownership residential units.
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Starwood To Develop Aloft In Australia
Starwood has signed an agreement with Argus Developments to develop the first Aloft hotel in Australia, the Aloft Sydney Airport, O’Riordan Street. The hotel is expected to open in 2009.
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Taj Hotels Buys San Francisco’s Campton Place
Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Campton Place, San Francisco, from the Kor Hotel Group for $58 million. The acquisition would expand Taj’s U.S. presence to three luxury properties. Taj already operates the Pierre in New York and owns the Taj Boston, the former Ritz-Carlton, Boston. The India-based company plans to acquire luxury hotels in other gateway cities in the U.S. and worldwide.
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Travelex To Offer American Express Travelers Cheques
American Express and Travelex, a currency exchange specialist, have reached aglobal, multi-year agreement under which Travelex will offer American Express Travelers Cheques through its global network of banks and travel agencies, and directly to consumers through its retail locations.
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TRX Partners With Gelco
TRX and Gelco Expense Management have formed an alliance to integrate data from TRX’s RESX corporate self-booking tool into Gelco’s ExpenseLink expense-reporting tool. As part of the alliance agreement, Gelco and TRX will cross-market their integrated capabilities and anticipate completion of integration activities in the fourth quarter of 2007.
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US And Argentina Expand Air Agreement
The U.S. and Argentina have agreed to an expansion of air service that will double the number of possible passenger flights between the two countries over the next two years, according to Mary Peters, U.S. Secretary of Transportation. The new agreement, which was reached after March 20-22 talks in Washington, is expected to take effect within the next few weeks. Once in effect, the airlines of both countries will be able to increase the number of weekly U.S.-Argentina passenger flights from 56 to 77 immediately, and to 112 by March 2009.
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Westin And Element Hotel Brands To Anchor Virginia Office Complex
The Westin Chantilly and Element Chantilly Westfields will be part of Commonwealth Centre, an office and retail center to be built in Chantilly, Va. Construction on both properties is scheduled to begin in May 2008 with openings slated for spring 2009. The 211-room Westin Chantilly will be built across the street from the 123-room Element Chantilly Westfields, which will be located at the center of the mixed-use complex.
Located in Virginia’s high-tech corridor, Chantilly is minutes from the Dulles Expo Center, three miles from Washington Dulles International Airport and 24 miles from Washington D.C.
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Winston Hotels To Build Mixed-use Complex In Raleigh
Winston Hotels, a real estate investment trust, has purchased a vacant site in downtown Raleigh, N.C., on which it plans to build a high-rise, mixed-use development that will include a 120-room Hampton Inn and Suites, an 80-room Aloft and approximately 5,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. The high-rise may also include up to 250 residential condominiums. Plans are expected to be finalized this summer. Pending city planning, permitting and other required government approvals, construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2008.
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Zoom Plans To Launch Gatwick-JFK Service In June
Zoom Airlines says it will beginning offering low-cost transatlantic air service between London's Gatwick and New York's JFK airports on June 21. The flights will operate five times per week. Zoom has operated full-service, low-cost flights between the UK and Canada, where it serves five destinations, for the last three years. It plans to add new services from Gatwick to Canada, as well as to Bermuda.
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nuTravel Integration Of G2 Allows Direct Link To Airlines
nuTravel and G2 SwitchWorks have signed a multi-year contract providing mutual nuTravel and G2 customers with G2’s direct-booking services. CTS, nuTravel’s corporate booking tool, will offer direct-connect bookings to American, Delta, Continental, Northwest, US Airways, AirTran, Alaska Airlines and United.
The direct-connect availability is integrated into the booking tool’s matrix display for booking, ticketing and servicing capabilities.
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Oneworld Gains 10 Members. One More To Go This Year
Japan Airlines (JAL), Malév Hungarian Airlines and Royal Jordanian Airlines have begun offering services and benefits as full members of the oneworld airline alliance. The launch is simultaneous with the addition of seven new affiliate members: LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador, JALways, Japan Asia Airways, JAL Express, J-AIR and Japan Transocean Air.
Dragonair, which has also been elected on board the grouping as an affiliate member, will follow later this year, after all necessary joining technicalities and processes have been completed.
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Silverjet Signs Third Merchant Contract To Accept Card Payment
Silverjet has finalized a merchant agreement with American Express to accept payments with the American Express Card for all Silverjet bookings. The new transatlantic low-fare airline already accepts MasterCard and Visa payments, says president Andria Piekarz. There is “a considerable expense” in accepting card payments, she acknowledges, “but we budgeted for merchant fees in our financial plan.”
Silverjet, which launched earlier this year, operates all-business-class service between New York and London Luton Airport. However, says Piekarz, the airline has “corporate relationships, not contracts.”
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Starwood Hotel Brands Add New Sites In Japan, China And Tibet
Two new Sheraton hotels have been opened in Japan by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide under a franchise agreement with Kintetsu Hotel Systems, the hotel operating division of Kintetsu Corporation. The Miyako Tokyo Hotel is being re-flagged this month as the Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo, providing 492 rooms and ample meeting facilities in one of Tokyo’s busiest neighborhoods. The Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka, also being re-flagged this month, offers 575 rooms. It was previously known as the Miyako Osaka Hotel.
Starwood currently operates 14 hotels and resorts in Japan under the Le Meridien, Sheraton and Westin brand portfolios.
In Tibet, Starwood’s St. Regis brand will go up over the new St. Regis Resort, Lhasa, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region, in southwest China. The 169-room hotel is scheduled to open in January 2010. Its facilities will include 50 villa-style suites, 9,000 square feet of meeting space, three restaurants, a health club and spa, an indoor heated pool and a business center.
In China, the W Guangzhou will open in 2010, offering 320 guest rooms and 167 luxury residences. The hotel will be located in Zhujiang New Town, an extension of the city’s existing central business district, which is anticipated to become the new recreation and entertainment center in Guangzhou.
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Travelport Reducing Orbitz Stake
Travelport, parent company of Orbitz Worldwide, intends to sell a portion of its ownership interest in Orbitz’s business-to-consumer business in an initial public offering. The size of the stake to be sold and the amount of proceeds to be received from the disposition of Orbitz have not yet been determined. A portion of the proceeds will be used by Travelport to reduce its outstanding debt. Travelport expects to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the second quarter of 2007, and anticipates that the transaction will be completed in the third quarter of 2007.
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TRX Releases Version 6.3 Of Its RESX Booking Tool
TRX has updated its RESX booking tool. New features in RESX v6.3 are a simultaneous search for air, car, and hotel options on the home page; a matrix display for air search results; airline and rental car logos with the company name; hotel locations on an interactive map; hotel photos along with descriptions; drop-downs for the profile and help sections; and a new layout of the administration section that enables administrators to more easily navigate the setup and configuration options.
Many of the new features have been accomplished with the use of AJAX technology, which is described in the March issue of Business Travel Executive magazine.
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Virgin America Wins Tentative DOT Approval
The Department of Transportation has tentatively approved Virgin America’s application to start a new U.S. airline, finding the carrier is owned and controlled by U.S. citizens and is fit to operate as a domestic airline. The DOT order proposes that Virgin America finalize changes already offered by the company to address concerns about ownership and control of the airline, including the replacement of Fred Reid as CEO. The DOT says it was concerned about Reid because his “longstanding association with foreign investors raised concerns about who would control the new carrier.”
The DOT is also requiring Virgin America to remove Virgin Group’s veto power over certain contracts and expenditures, amend the company’s loan agreements with Virgin Group, restructure its board of directors to reduce the number of foreign representatives, revise its trademark license to ensure that the U.S. carrier can operate independently of Virgin Atlantic and establish a voting trust to administer Virgin Group’s 25 percent equity interest in the airline. Virgin America has said it hopes to receive final DOT approval in time for a midsummer launch of San Francisco-New York service.
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W Plans Entry In Italian, East European Markets
Starwood Hotels & Resorts plans to open W hotels in Milan, Italy, and St. Petersburg, Russia. Scheduled to open in December 2008, the W Milan will be the first W in Italy. The 76-room hotel will be located in the heart of the Brera district, a former artists’ enclave and now one of Milan’s cultural centers.
The W St. Petersburg, W’s first in Eastern Europe, is scheduled to open in mid-2008. The 135-room hotel will be located in the historic center of St. Petersburg, near St. Isaac’s Square.
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Wyndham Group Plans Its First Hotel In China
Wyndham Hotel Group will introduce the Wyndham brand in China during the fourth quarter of this year with the opening of the Wyndham Xiamen. Wyndham will manage the newly constructed, 550-room, 26-floor luxury hotel.
While the Wyndham brand is positioned in North America as an upscale product, the Wyndham Xiamen and other Wyndham hotels developed in China will be built to luxury standards.
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