Four Los Angeles
Maiden Voyages
February & March 2006
Don't miss this opportunity to sail on the grandest ship at sea. You'll enjoy the most luxurious accommodations afloat, dine in style and be pampered by White Star Service. Choose from voyages of 3 days to 14 days. Limited space is still available at great savings.
You're adventure awaits
For more info call
(800) 950-2030
Includes roundtrip airfare
from San Francisco
plus Economy Car
Enjoy 5 unforgettable nights at the dazzling Ritz-Carlton
Kapalua and receive one FREE night, guaranteed room upgrade,
daily breakfast for two, rental car fresh flower lei greeting
and more! Valid for travel through 12/10/05.
› View Full Details
To book this Maui Vacation:
- Christine Anthony
- 415-242-0277
- canthony@ethanallen.net
- Subject: Maui - IND
- Please include dates you would prefer
- Please include contact information
- Please include Promotion Code 112RIWEB
- Some restrictions apply
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Delta Air Lines grounded its stylish, low-cost carrier Song but put a positive spin on the move by saying that it would incorporate the best of Song into its launch of a new domestic long-haul Song service. Delta will add 26 first-class seats to the existing Song fleet, to make it more attractive to business travelers. It will convert 50 or more Delta aircraft to two-class Song service. And, it will expand state-of-the-art personal in-flight entertainment to the 100 aircraft, to include 24 channels of live television, 10 on-demand video channels, interactive video games and MP3 players that let customers create their own play lists. The service is scheduled to begin operations next fall. The announcement came three weeks after Delta announced that its stock had been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange because the average closing price of its common stock fell below NYSE minimums. (Source: Delta press releases).
JetBlue added service between Fort Lauderdale and Oakland, Calif.; flights will start Jan. 6. It also announced a major expansion out of Boston’s Logan Airport, including ten flights per day to New York’s JFK. It also added new daily service out of Boston to Austin, Texas; Nassau, The Bahamas; Richmond, Va.; and West Palm Beach, Fla. By next April, it will have tripled the number of destinations it serves out of Boston. (Source: JetBlue press releases)
Southwest Airlines is returning to Denver, with 13 daily nonstops beginning Jan. 6 to Chicago Midway (four daily), Las Vegas (five daily) and Phoenix (four daily). Southwest served the Denver market from Stapleton International from 1983 to 1986. Historically, when Southwest enters a new city, fares drop substantially and demand for travel greatly increases. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in a 1993 study described the phenomenon as the "Southwest Effect. (Source: Southwest Airlines press release).
Air France continues enhancements to its ground facilities in its U.S. gateway cities and to its in-flight service out of the U.S.
Its’ ‘New Travel Concept Service means that now its non-stop San Francisco –Paris flights have the only lie-flat seats in business class between those two cities. San Francisco and Houston have both seen their ground facilities upgraded; lounges have been revamped to create a modern, tranquil environment for its passengers. San Francisco is the seventh Air France gateway to offer the New Travel Concept; the others include Newark, Philadelphia, JFK, Boston, Chicago, Detroit and Houston. Its L’Espace Business Class has been redesigned to make it provide more personal space. (Source: Air France press release).
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Index rose 1.8 percent in the second quarter of 2005 over the same period in 2004. The increase is the highest fare index of any April to June period since before Sept. 11. (Source: Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics).
US Airways announced its Move Up program, which allows passengers to make confirmed changes to same- day travel, allowing customers to bypass the standby list for a nominal fee. Customers make a request upon airport check-in for an earlier flight. Since there are no time restrictions with the Move Up program, customers can select a standby flight departing any time earlier on the same day. If space is available, a confirmed seat assignment will be provided for only $25 on domestic flights, excluding Hawaii, and $50 for international flights, excluding Europe. (Source: US Airways press release).
The St. Regis San Francisco has officially opened. The 40-story landmark has 260 luxury rooms and 102 private residences. It has butler service, a private spa and fitness center and special event space. Located on Third and Mission Street, it is near the financial district, Union Square shopping and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. (Source: Starwood press release).
The 369-room Hilton Garden Inn has opened in New York’s Times Square, the 250th property the mid-priced brand has opened. It has the Garden Inn standards—complimentary high-speed Internet access, complimentary remote printer, 24-hour business center, complimentary fitness center and in-room hospitality center with mini fridge, coffee maker and microwave. (Source: Hilton press release).
Fitness-conscious business travelers can check www.fitnesshoteldirectory.com for a description and color photos of hotel’s workout facilities. Site visitors can search for a hotel by clicking on the state and city. (Source: Fitness Hotel Directory press release).
Amtrak has designated a single Quiet Car on each of its 14 daily Hiawatha trains between Chicago and Milwaukee. While riding in the Quiet Cars, passengers are asked to refrain from using cell phones, pagers and loud computer programs or engaging in loud conversation. The cars have been popular on other routes in Amtrak’s network. (Source: Amtrak press release).
The survey finds that executives expect higher spending in 2006 but also see greater scrutiny of T&E and purchasing costs. The poll of more than 250 companies found that nearly 30 percent reported that their “burning issue” next year will be employee compliance. Many are confident about their ability to control expenditures, but have stepped up their watch over employees and one in five report corporate disciplinary actions against employees who have strayed from procurement or T&E policy. Nearly 75 percent of companies surveyed are scrutinizing purchasing processes and approvals more carefully. Sixty-three percent are reviewing T&E costs more closely. There are concerns about possible hikes in telecommunication, international travel and meetings costs. One reason executives are intensifying their watch over employee expenditures is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, governing financial reporting. Another reason is well-publicized reports of expenditure abuse. Executives also expect T&E spending to rise, with 47 percent forecasting up to a 10 percent year-over-year increase in T&E spending. (Source: American Express press release).
Summit Travel Group is committed to providing you with useful information on the latest developments in the travel industry. The preceding information has been compiled from a variety of sources and is updated monthly.
www.summittravelgroup.com
www.ethanallen.net
www.meridianworldtravel.com
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