We are very pleased to announce that Ethan Allen Travel and Meridian World Travel, both members of the American Express Network, have joined forces to become Summit Travel Group. We are now the largest American Express Representative in Northern California and one of the largest independently owned agencies in the Bay Area. This translates into increased buying power and greater resources to serve you. This also ensures that, when you call Summit Travel Group, you will receive the most competitive pricing for air, hotels and car rentals.
As always, we remain committed to earning your trust as your preferred travel provider for both corporate and vacation travel. And, look forward to serving your travel needs with distinction.
|
Air traffic numbers should return to pre-2001 levels this year, with growth expected to continue at a rate of 3.4 percent annually for the next 12 years, according to a new government report. That means that by 2015, the number of air passengers should top one billion. Regional and/or commuter airlines, that is, those operating aircraft with 70 seats or fewer, are expected to see the greatest growth. Larger domestic airlines are expected to grow as well, although not at as fast a pace. Air travel to and from the U.S. is also expected to increase, with Latin American routes projected to show the greatest growth. (Source: Federal Aviation Administration’s Aerospace Forecasts Fiscal Years 2005-2015).
Big airlines have complained over the last few years that the industry was awash in seats. But despite deep financial losses, none of them wanted to reduce capacity, given the heavy demand for travel. Now, rising fuel prices are forcing airlines to act, even though planes are as full as ever. Along with raising fares, the big airlines are beginning to retire less efficient planes and reduce domestic service. As a result, passengers are paying both in higher fares and fewer seats, as the airlines rethink service on routes that are especially unprofitable. (Source: The New York Times)
In another sign of the ascendancy of low-cost carriers, Southwest Airlines carried 81.1 million passengers in 2004, the most passengers of any domestic airline, according to government statistics. Air travel numbers were up overall in 2004. U.S. airlines carried 7.2 percent more domestic passengers last year than 2003 and flew 3.3 percent more domestic flights than in 2003. (Source: U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics).
American Airlines and United Airlines have added service to Japan. American has begun a daily nonstop between Dallas Fort Worth and Nagoya. United has introduced daily nonstops between San Francisco and Nagoya. (Source: BizTravelLife).
The United States is running into a shortage of air-traffic controllers that could slow travel in the next few years, perhaps as early as this summer. The FAA is attempting to fix that with an ambitious plan to hire 12,500 controllers over the next decade, but the agency has a long way to go. Already, overall air travel is back above 2001 levels at some airports, and delays and congestion are increasing. (Source: The Wall Street Journal).
Airlines recorded their safest year in 2004, with 428 persons killed out of the 1.8 billion passengers who flew, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The number of accidents rose to 103 from 99 in 2003--but global traffic increased 15 percent. IATA's goal is to reduce the accident rate by 25 percent by 2006. The number of fatalities has been declining steadily from a peak of 1,418 deaths in 1996. The previous safest year was 2003, when 663 persons were killed out of 1.6 billion passengers flown. In 2002, 974 passengers were killed out of 1.6 billion passengers flown. (Source: IATA press release).
American Airlines is working quickly to add two first-class seats in its workhorse Super 80 jets. The move is attributed to a drop in business and first-class fares that has spiked a demand for first-class seats. American's Super 80s will increase first-class seats to 16 from 14 by removing a storage closet. (Source: Dallas Morning News.com)
Taking a page from airlines, hotels are adding or upgrading automated check-in kiosks. Embassy Suites is installing self-service Embassy Direct self-service kiosks that guests can use to check in, pick a room, obtain room keys and check out. They will be in 75 percent of Embassy Suites by year's end, and in all of them by June 2006. Hilton Hotels Corp, which already has such kiosks in its full-service hotels, is testing them at its Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton properties. Holiday Inn is testing kiosks that let guests check in, change their reservations, check out and access airline systems to print boarding passes on the spot. Guests can still opt for checking in at the hotel desk as well. Embassy Suites found that 10-12 percent of guests use the kiosks. (Source: hotel press releases).
Passengers at dozens of airports soon will be directed through screening machines that sniff for explosives and avoid the need for pat-down searches. The phone-booth-size portals, which cost $100,000 each, will be installed at about 150 commercial airports in the United States over the next year, the Transportation Security Administration said. The TSA said it will be the first widespread effort to screen passengers electronically for explosives. (Source: USA Today)
The Summit Travel American Express Global Business Travel Forecast, released recently, indicates a continued steady revival of the global business travel industry.
Although the pace varies significantly by region and country, published air and hotel prices are expected to rise incrementally the remainder of 2005 as business travel demand recovers, outpacing the growth of supply in several markets. At the same time, increase competition - particularly in the airline sector in several regional markets - is likely to dampen any significant increases in business travel costs.
We forcast that global economy/short-haul fares will rise by3% and international business fares by 2-5%. In the hotel side, room rates for both mid-range and upper-range properties will increase by 1-3%.
"Economic recovery is fueling business travel demand around he world, with particularly strong demand between Europe and North America, South America, and across the Pacific" said Matthew Davis, Director, Global Consulting Services, American Express. "An industry-wide rebound has been dampened only by slim margins for the major North American airline carriers." Davis continued, "While rising passenger traffic and hotel occupancies help contribute to a healthier travel industry, forecasted price increases mean that travel managers must vigilantly maintain an effective travel management program. The careful application of technology tools and expense management solutions are critical in allowing corporations to maximize their travel investment, even in a rising fare environment."
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
TOP OF PAGE
|
