Corporate Travel
and Supplier News
March 9,
2010
Featured
Articles This Issue
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Travel News
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1.
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New Passport
Fees Proposed by State Department |
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2. |
Marriott
International Plans to Double Presence in Europe
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3. |
Airlines
Gear up for New Rules on Tarmac Delays |
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4. |
TSA Plans to
Buy Shoe-Scanning Machines |
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Domestic Travel
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5. |
Continental
Airlines to Sell Seat Assignments at Check-in Offering Extra
Legroom |
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International Travel
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6. |
British
Airways News |
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7. |
Lufthansa
News |
Travel News
1. New Passport Fees Proposed by State Department
The State Department has proposed new fees
for many of its passport related products and
services. The total proposed cost of a new passport
will increase from $100 to $135 for adults and from
$85 to $105 for minors. Renewals will increase from
$75 to $110 for adults and from $60 to $80 for
minors. Travelers needing extra visa pages will
soon pay $82. Currently, this service is free.
While no formal implementation date has been given
for the changes, the State Department has indicated
that it intends to implement the new fees once it
has had time to consider public comments. The
public comment period for the proposed fees ends on
March 11, 2010.
2.
Marriott International Plans to Double Presence in
Europe
Marriott International Inc. announced a major
expansion saying it plans to double the number of
rooms and properties in Europe by 2015. Marriott,
which currently operates 174 hotels in Europe, said
it expects the growth will increase the company’s
portfolio from 40,000 to 80,000 rooms.
3.
Airlines Gear up for New Rules on Tarmac Delays
Airline executives and analysts say new federal
tarmac delay rules, which come into effect April 29,
will lead to more canceled flights. Airlines will
cancel service for bad weather and other issues
instead of risk being fined, insiders said. The
Department of Transportation can fine airlines up to
$27,500 for each passenger not allowed to deplane
after three hours stuck on the tarmac. “For us,
that could be as much as $4.4 million for one
flight,” said Tim Smith, a representative of
American Airlines. “No one’s going to play with
that. There will be many more cancellations as a
result. Everyone is gearing up for this.”
4.
TSA Plans to Buy Shoe-Scanning Machines
The Transportation Security Administration plans to
purchase 100 updated shoe-scanning machines, which
could make it possible for travelers to keep their
shoes on at airport security checkpoints. The
machines, which find metal weapons and explosives in
shoes, didn’t pass muster in tests three years ago.
The developers of the latest generation of the
machines promise better results, and the TSA says
the technology will improve security.
Domestic Travel
5. Continental Airlines to Sell Seat Assignments at
Check-in Offering Extra Legroom
Continental Airlines announced that beginning March
17, 2010; it will offer customers the option of
purchasing, at check-in, premium seat assignments
for unreserved economy class seats that feature
extra legroom. Continental’s OnePass Elite frequent
flyer members and their companions will be able to
continue to assign themselves seats with extra
legroom in economy class without charge.
International Travel
6. British Airways News
British Airways wants to update their customers on
what they propose to do in the event that a strike
does happen. Unite the union that represents their
cabin crew, has not as yet announced any strike
dates. The union must tell British Airways by March
15 whether a strike will happen and it cannot go on
strike without first giving seven days notice of the
first day. The strike will not ground British
Airways, they have had nearly 6,000 volunteers in
total to support their flying program, including
1,000 who have trained as cabin crew and the number
is growing. British Airways will operate all their
flights from London City airport, including
long-haul services to New York. They will operate
all their long-haul schedule at Gatwick, and about
half of their short-haul schedule. At Heathrow,
they will operate a substantial proportion of their
long-haul program and a good number of short-haul
flights, assisted by chartered aircraft with crews
from a number of UK and European-based airlines.
7.
Lufthansa News
Two new Lufthansa applications let travelers use
their mobile devices for instant access to Lufthansa
flight information and to communicate with fellow
Miles & More members. The first is an iPhone
application that gives Lufthansa customers access to
a pool of practical travel information regarding
Lufthansa flight schedules, updated flight arrival
and departure times, and even allows users to save
frequently traveled flight connections for fast
access in the future. The second application, “MemberScout,”
is now available for iPhone users with a Blackberry
application coming soon. It maximizes Miles & Mores
members’ travel experiences by enabling them to
exchange travel tips. “MemberScout” is available
free of charge to Miles & More members and can be
downloaded in English or German from Apple App Store
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lufthansa-miles-more-memberscout/id336170776
Please Note:
Articles in the content of this Corporate Travel and
Supplier news release may not apply to your
company’s travel policies. This publication is
general information intended for all World Travel
clientele.