2006 Leading Edge Awards

Leading the way

The votes are in. From the best carry-on suitcase to your favorite luxury hotel, this year’s Leading Edge Awards reveal who went above and beyond in the world of travel.

by Barbara Benham
September 2006

It’s that time of year again, when we get to acknowledge the businesses and services we love most about travel. This year, Executive Travel polled our readers to learn about their favorite companies. The results for the 60-plus categories were not unexpected. The usual standards are also our standards for a reason: They’ve got staying power, with panache. Here we detail the recent accomplishments of a few notable winners and also list the entire pack—with kudos to all. Congratulations to our 2006 Leading Edge Award winners.

Best Domestic Airline

American
Business class at American Airlines is about to get classier. This past summer, American unveiled its Next Generation Business Class, a remodeled business section of 30 seats on its Boeing 767-300 planes. The planes service many of American’s transatlantic routes, but also fly between a host of important U.S. cities: JFK to San Francisco, L.A. to Miami, and Dallas to San Francisco among them. Both domestic and international passengers will get a chance to experience the new lie-down seats and entertainment centers after they’re installed (due by next summer).

In the lie-down seats, passengers will recline at an angle—that is, down, but not entirely flat. American opted for the “flat at an angle” design, with seats manufactured by the German company Recaro, for several reasons. First, the fully flat models would have meant sacrificing seat pitch. In addition, tests showed high satisfaction with the “Z” position of the flat-at-an-angle seats. Besides being able to offer a lie-down rest, the seats are exceedingly adjustable: Passengers will be able to readjust any component of the seat, including the seat bottom, seat back, leg rest and the leg-rest extension. (There are five motors in each seat!)

Also nifty: You can move the seat forward when it’s in the upward position to create a little space and privacy. And, best of all, you don’t have to worry about being bumped by passengers taking advantage of the seat’s bells and whistles—since the seats will be installed in shells to protect passengers from stray feet and knees. The new seats will also have interlocking tray tables for more working or dining room.

In addition to the new lie-down seats, American is installing new lighting and new overhead bins and, last but not least, in-flight entertainment centers. Creature comforts, here you come.

SECOND PLACE: Continental
THIRD PLACE: Delta

Best U.S. Airport

O’Hare
It’s not surprising that the nation’s busiest airport (having just nosed ahead of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson this spring) rates so high with travelers. For one, it’s fun, with live entertainment throughout the year. Not surprisingly, many performances focus on Chicago’s great jazz tradition, and airport gigs are pegged to events like the Chicago Blues Festival each summer. In keeping with the theme, the folks at O’Hare have been pumping jazz music, featuring local musicians, into O’Hare’s five terminals for almost a decade. The same music plays on O’Hare’s transit system.

That’s cool. But O’Hare doesn’t just have an aural fixation. It appeals to the eye as well as the ears, with exhibits of work by student artists, as well as professionals. For families, there are kid-centric displays—some fun, like “Kids on the Fly” in Terminal 2; and some serious, like “Play It Safe” (addressing child safety issues) in Terminal 5. For business travelers, O’Hare began testing “relax and recharge” stations this past spring: pods of five seats, each with a dual AC outlet, so folks can recharge two devices at once. In another innovation, O’Hare also introduced the concept of cell phone parking lots this spring: waiting areas where people with cell phones can park for free while waiting to pick up arriving passengers.

SECOND PLACE: Denver
THIRD PLACE: Tampa

Best Car Rental Company

Hertz
Imagine going to a restaurant and ordering your meal by size. “Oh, I’ll take a compact.” That’s what you usually do when you rent a car, isn’t it? If you’re lucky, the agent will tell you what kind of car you might get. As it turns out, customers sometimes want to rent a car à la carte, a specific make for a specific need. In response to that demand, Hertz launched its Prestige Line, a fleet of high-end cars like Jaguars and Range Rovers, back in 2001. Customers can request a vehicle by location and select the make. This booking option remains an unusual perk among car rental companies.

Given the popularity of its Prestige Line, Hertz decided to carry over the option to its Fun Collection, a variety of vehicles popular with leisure travelers: Hummers, Jeep Wranglers, PT Cruisers and Miatas. The one difference: The Fun Collection is primarily concentrated in leisure destinations like Florida, California and Arizona, while à la carte Prestige Collection rentals are more widely available. In other news this year, Hertz added Audis and Infinities to its Prestige Collection.

Separately, Hertz has expanded its service by opening more off-airport locations. The number has tripled in the past four years. This means more convenience for business travelers who like to rent closer to where they’re actually doing business (and avoid driving from the airport to their business base). It’s also convenient for insurance replacement rentals (folks who rent a car when the car they own is in the shop due to malfunction or an accident).

SECOND PLACE: Avis
THIRD PLACE: National

Best Hotel Chain

Marriott
There’s something comfortably reliable about Marriott hotels. For one, they don’t exude the frenetic energy that some chains—the ones trying oh-so-hard to be cutting-edge—do. That’s not to say Marriott is resting on its laurels or, as some have feared, growing stodgy. Last year, the property chain unveiled its Marriott Room, with quietly hip updated decor—sleek cherry veneer furniture, crisp textiles, crown molding, black-and-white photographs on the walls—and ergonomic work areas. (Visit experiencemarriott.com for a peek.) In addition, Marriott is adding a variety of features to the mix, such as wireless Internet access, iPod plugs and flat-panel TVs.

In another move, Marriott caught up with the pack on the bedding front. The chain introduced its “Revive” bedding package, new mattresses and linens that were installed at close to 2,400 hotels worldwide by this past winter. The numbers associated with the latest bedding “makeover” tell the story: approximately 628,000 new beds made up with linens that comprise 30 million yards of fabric, at a price tag approaching $190 million. The new beds, with freshly laundered duvets and feather-and-down pillows, are a big hit with guests. Marriott began selling them and other hotel wares online at shopmarriott.com.

SECOND PLACE: Hilton Group
THIRD PLACE: Starwood

Best Luxury Hotel

Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton continues to reach new heights—literally—as the ne plus ultra luxury brand. When its new hotel opens next year in Tokyo, it will be, at 44 floors, among the tallest buildings in the Japanese metropolis. Two years later, Ritz-Carlton expects to open a new Kowloon property at a whopping 118 stories tall, with a lobby that will scale 112 of them. The two hotels are part of a global expansion, much of it in Asia, that, according to Ritz-Carlton president Simon Cooper, consists of distinctive, significant architecture that will reflect the city or resort area where it is built. Standardization, once an industry goal for economy of scale, as well for branding, is now a thing of the past for Ritz-Carlton. “Today, inconsistency in design and decor is appreciated,” notes Cooper.

If authentic experiences are all the rage in the world of upscale travel, guests at the new Tokyo property are in for a treat. The private dining room consists of a 600-year-old rural teahouse, disassembled and moved piece by piece to the new hotel for painstaking reassembly. By contrast, the building itself is a modern glass structure. Meanwhile, in the leisure group category, Ritz-Carlton is making a push in the Caribbean. In 2008, look for a reserve of low-rise bungalows to open in West Turks and Caicos. The following year, the chain will open in the Bahamas, on Rose Island. Ritz-Carlton expects to open hotels in Beijing and Guangzhao and, stateside, in Denver next year. In keeping with another trend, most new Ritz-Carlton properties include residential components.

SECOND PLACE: Four Seasons
THIRD PLACE: InterContinental

Best Briefcase and Laptop Case

Tumi
What’s new with Tumi? For starters, its luggage and briefcases are softer these days, a trend that’s swept the entire fashion accessory world. This past winter, Tumi opened a store in Hawaii and introduced an international travel charger kit, the Tumi USB, which includes five components: an electric adaptor with connectivity in 150 countries; a 5.0 volt output, the international standard for cell phones, PDAs and other handheld devices; a cell phone charger; a retractable cell phone charger and a connector cable.

As for briefcases and laptop cases, Generation 4.4 continues to be a huge hit with customers. Introduced in summer 2005, it’s become Tumi’s most popular line. One of the new items is a larger computer case for 17-inch laptop screens. On the inside, you’ll find usual attention to detail and organization: separate pockets for your computer, umbrella, pens and other items. On the outside, look for more pockets, a cord port and an adjustable shoulder strap.

SECOND PLACE: Hartman (briefcase) and Travelpro (laptop case)
THIRD PLACE: Coach (briefcase) and Hartman (laptop case)

Best Luxury Hotel

Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton continues to reach new heights—literally—as the ne plus ultra luxury brand. When its new hotel opens next year in Tokyo, it will be, at 44 floors, among the tallest buildings in the Japanese metropolis. Two years later, Ritz-Carlton expects to open a new Kowloon property at a whopping 118 stories tall, with a lobby that will scale 112 of them. The two hotels are part of a global expansion, much of it in Asia, that, according to Ritz-Carlton president Simon Cooper, consists of distinctive, significant architecture that will reflect the city or resort area where it is built. Standardization, once an industry goal for economy of scale, as well for branding, is now a thing of the past for Ritz-Carlton. “Today, inconsistency in design and decor is appreciated,” notes Cooper.

If authentic experiences are all the rage in the world of upscale travel, guests at the new Tokyo property are in for a treat. The private dining room consists of a 600-year-old rural teahouse, disassembled and moved piece by piece to the new hotel for painstaking reassembly. By contrast, the building itself is a modern glass structure. Meanwhile, in the leisure group category, Ritz-Carlton is making a push in the Caribbean. In 2008, look for a reserve of low-rise bungalows to open in West Turks and Caicos. The following year, the chain will open in the Bahamas, on Rose Island. Ritz-Carlton expects to open hotels in Beijing and Guangzhao and, stateside, in Denver next year. In keeping with another trend, most new Ritz-Carlton properties include residential components.

SECOND PLACE: Four Seasons
THIRD PLACE: InterContinental

Best Briefcase and Laptop Case

Tumi
What’s new with Tumi? For starters, its luggage and briefcases are softer these days, a trend that’s swept the entire fashion accessory world. This past winter, Tumi opened a store in Hawaii and introduced an international
travel charger kit, the Tumi USB, which includes five components: an electric adaptor with connectivity in 150 countries; a 5.0 volt output, the international standard for cell phones, PDAs and other handheld devices; a cell phone charger; a retractable cell phone charger and a connector cable.

As for briefcases and laptop cases, Generation 4.4 continues to be a huge hit with customers. Introduced in
summer 2005, it’s become Tumi’s most popular line. One of the new items is a larger computer case for 17-inch latop screens. On the inside, you’ll find usual attention to detail and organization: separate pockets for your computer, umbrella, pens and other items. On the outside, look for more pockets, a cord port and an adjustable shoulder strap.

SECOND PLACE: Hartman (briefcase) and Travelpro (laptop case)
THIRD PLACE: Coach (briefcase) and Hartman (laptop case)

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Barbara Benham is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. Email Barbara at editor@executivetravelmag.com.

Other Leading Edge Award categories

See also:

• 2005 Best of Executive Travel winners