Essential Travel News for 6/25/07

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FAA/SECURITY

DHS wants many foreign visitors to register travel plans in advance

As an international business traveler, how would you react if one of the countries you frequently visit imposed a new rule requiring that you register your travel plans with that country’s government 48 hours in advance? It may sound a bit Orwellian, but that’s the newest requirement that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security wants to impose on foreign visitors. According to a report in the New York Times, the new rule – if Congress approves it – would apply to visitors from 27 countries, mainly those in Western Europe whose citizens are not required to obtain a visa before visiting the U.S. The DHS reportedly plans to provide an online registration site where visitors could file their plans within a few minutes. This latest DHS proposal for foreign visitors comes on top of an existing plan that could start next year, requiring international travelers to undergo a fingerprint scan during the airport check-in process. If DHS gets its way with the new rules, the biggest danger for U.S. travelers is that foreign governments might choose to retaliate by imposing the same requirements on them.

In a related development, the Travel Business Roundtable surveyed 25 U.S. mayors on the continuing decline in foreign visitors to their cities. It found that 96 percent of the mayors blame that decline on “the difficulty of obtaining a U.S. entry visa, including excessive wait times, requirements for in-person interviews to obtain a visa, and non-refundable visa fees.” Some 80 percent cited the “uncertainty and unpredictability” of U.S. entry requirements for a decline in trips to the U.S., and 76 percent mentioned “unfriendly treatment of overseas visitors by U.S. immigration officials.”

New passport rules for North America will be delayed

Faced with growing pressure from Congress, the Bush Administration said last week it will delay for at least six months the implementation of new passport requirements that were supposed to take effect January 1, 2008. Those new rules would require that anyone entering the U.S. by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda be required to show a valid passport to gain entry. With the delay, they’ll be able to get by with a birth certificate and driver’s license. A similar rule imposed this past January for arriving airline passengers created such a backlog of applications for new and renewed passports that the Passport Agency is taking as long as three months to fulfill requests. Thus the rule for arriving air passengers was also relaxed; for now, they can get by with another form of ID plus a printout from the State Department web site proving that they have applied for a passport.

AIRLINES

JetBlue, Continental top annual J.D. Power airline ratings

Just like last year, JetBlue and Continental are once again the highest-rated carriers in J.D. Power and Associates’ North America Airline Satisfaction Study. The survey of almost 10,000 flyers rates airlines on seven categories: cost and fees; flight crew; in-flight services; aircraft; boarding/deplaning/baggage handling; check-in; and making reservations. J.D. Power divides the results into network carriers, topped this year by Continental with an overall satisfaction index score of 704 out of 1,000; and low-cost carriers, topped by JetBlue with an overall score of 810. In the low-fare category, Frontier jumped from fourth place last year to second this year with a 750 score, followed by Southwest at 744. Ranking second among network airlines was Delta at 680, followed by American at 670.

Although JetBlue suffered well-publicized service problems over Valentine’s Day at New York JFK, “they have been able to retain feelings of goodwill among their passenger base,” said Linda Himeise, J.D. Power’s executive director-travel. In the network carrier category, she noted that Continental actually improved its overall score by seven points over 2006 – “a prime example of its commitment to excellence.”

The study also turned up evidence of the way airline passengers’ service and amenities preferences are changing. While flyers in all age groups say that free meals and in-flight movies are the amenities they’d most like to see, Gen-X passengers (born from 1965 to 1976) place a high priority on in-seat satellite TV, while Gen Y flyers (born from 1977 to 1994) would like to see in-flight video games. “Generations X and Y are becoming the new breed of flyers,” Himeise said. “They expect to be able to work long hours on their computers and travel with electronic devices such as video games and MP3 players, and want power outlets on airplanes. These passengers also want various modes of entertainment to keep them in a pleasant frame of mind. As airlines look toward the future, integrating the wants and needs of these passengers will become increasingly important.”

US Airways places huge Airbus order; eyes service to Asia

US Airways said last week it has placed an order with Airbus for 92 new planes, including 60 aircraft from the single-aisle A320 family; 10 new widebody A330-200s; and 22 of Airbus’ next-generation widebody A350 XWBs, making it the North American launch customer for the A350 starting in 2014. The airline already had 37 planes from the A320 family on order, so its total commitment to that aircraft type has increased to 97. A spokesman said they will be used to replace 737-300s and -400s. The company currently has nine A330-300s in its fleet; the new A330-200s will have a longer range and a slightly smaller passenger capacity, and will be used to replace 767s as they age. The new widebody A350s, a competitor to Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner, “will have significantly longer range and payload capabilities but much lower costs than the A330s and 767s they replace, opening up new profitable markets across the globe to Asia, the Middle East and India,” the US Airways spokesman said.

American debuts new web “magazine” for AAdvantage members

American Airlines has come out with a “web-based e-magazine” called AAdvantage Milestones for members of its frequent flyer program. Available at www.aa.com/milestones, it offers members a series of short video features about award travel destinations available through American or its Oneworld partners, as well as information about the AAdvantage program. The site also provides a “community forum” that initially invites members to post their own photos of the featured destinations, but American promises more to come in the way of interactive participation. “Additional aspects of the community forum will be introduced with the release of subsequent editions of the new e-magazine,” a spokesman said. AAdvantage claims to be the world’s largest frequent flyer program with more than 56 million members.

Southwest eyes international expansion through ATA

Speaking to a business group on Baltimore last week, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said his airline expects to expand its existing partnership with ATA Airlines to provide Southwest customers with access to new international routes. Kelly said the expanded code-share alliance with ATA would include services to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Kelly said Southwest is working on enhancements to its computer reservations system that would permit multiple code-sharing arrangements, and once that is done, Southwest could forge new partnerships to offer code-share service to Europe as well. ATA’s current route network is focused mainly on leisure destinations, and Southwest funnels many of its passengers to Hawaii through ATA code-share services.

Delta upgrades web site’s online booking options

Delta said it has enhanced its web site (www.delta.com) so that users who book airline tickets can also reserve rental cars, hotel rooms, trip activities and travel insurance at the same time. “No other U.S. airline has integrated all of these pieces into a single online transaction,” a spokesman said. The new features let Delta customers get special rates when they book hotels or cars from Delta SkyMiles partner companies like Hilton, Avis and Budget. Customers can also use the Web site to buy Crown Room Club passes, airport parking, shuttle services, and various city tours, as well as travel insurance from Access America. Through August 31, Delta customers who book an Avis or Budget car rental through Delta.com can earn 1,000 bonus SkyMiles and 1,000 Medallion qualification miles. For details on other benefits of Delta’s new partnership agreement with Avis and Budget, go to www.avis.com/dlpreferred07 or www.budget.com/deltapreferred.

News briefs: Spirit sets new checked baggage fees

• Spirit Airlines has changed its policy on checked luggage. Previously, it charged $10 for the second piece of checked luggage if you paid at the airport, or $5 if you paid in advance online; the first checked bag was free. Now the fee policy applies to the first and second checked bag. Check a third bag and it will cost you $100.

• The Transportation Security Administration has designated Lambert-St. Louis as the 20th approved airport from which general aviation aircraft, including corporate planes, can fly into Washington’s Reagan National Airport, assuming they meet strict security requirements.

• At Orlando International, AirTran Airways on June 27 will move its fight operations to Airside 4, Gates 90-97 in Terminal B. AirTran’s ticket counters, gates and baggage service offices will all move from their current locations at Landside A and Airside 2 to Landside B and Airside 4.

INTERNATIONAL

Low-cost U.K. carrier gets U.S. approval for JFK-London flights

Zoom Airlines Ltd., a low-cost British carrier affiliated with Canada’s Zoom Airlines, said it has won U.S. government approval to sell tickets in this country for its new service between New York JFK and London Gatwick. The 767-300 flights started last week, operating non-stop five days a week and via Bermuda twice a week. The airline’s regular economy fares start at $199 each way, plus taxes, with no minimum stay requirements; a premium economy section is available for an extra $179 each way, providing extra legroom and faster check-in, among other things. Seat pitch is 31 inches in economy, 36 inches in premium economy. All passengers will get full meals in-flight. For details: www.flyzoom.com or 866-359-9666.

Continental inks partnership deal with China Southern

Continental Airlines said it has entered into a code-sharing and frequent flyer pact with China’s largest airline, China Southern. Continental is a member of the SkyTeam global alliance, which China Southern is expected to join soon. Starting in September, members of Continental’s OnePass program will be able to earn and spend miles on any flight operated by China Southern, and members of the latter’s Sky Pearl Club will be able to do likewise on Continental flights. Code-sharing is expected to begin in November, with Continental putting its code on China Southern services that connect with Continental’s Newark-Beijing flights, and on China Southern’s Los Angeles-Guangzhou non-stops. China Southern’s code will go onto Continental flights at Los Angeles that connect with its LAX-Guangzhou flights. Passengers traveling on connecting itineraries will benefit from one-stop check-in and interline e-tickets. Reciprocal airport lounge access will begin once China Southern becomes a full member of SkyTeam.

AIRPORTS

Registered Traveler program comes to Reno

Reno-Tahoe International Airport is the latest to join the government-backed Registered Traveler program for frequent flyers. Persons who pass a background check and obtain a biometric card can get through airport security via a special portal with expedited processing. The vendor for the Reno Registered Traveler operation is Unisys Corp., but the biometric identifiers issued by any approved Registered Traveler vendor are meant to work at any airport that has the program. Unisys’ program, operating under the brand rtGO, has set up a registration office at Reno Airport near the baggage claim area’s Carousel 4. For details, go to www.rtgocard.com.


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