Airport News - North America.

Sep 27, 2009

Airlines will be adding a $10 surcharge on ticket prices for the busiest travel days of the winter. Travelers looking to fly on the busiest days of the year will see new sky-high prices on airfare, after multiple airlines decided to add a new $10 surcharge for popular travel dates this winter. American Airlines first created the surcharge for domestic flights for the Sunday following Thanksgiving and the weekend of Jan. 2-3-, the dates during which many Americans will be returning home from Christmas and New Year's trips. United Airlines and Delta followed American Airlines, announcing they would impose the same surcharge, BusinessWeek reported. JetBlue, Continental, Southwest, Alaska Airlines and AirTran have not announced that they will match the $10 fee for their tickets. OPassengers already pay more to fly on certain days [ETH] typically, cheaper airfares are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays [ETH] but American and United have now upped the ante, by determining that certain peak travel days are worth an additional passenger-paid Opremium,OO Graeme Wallace of Farecompare.com was quoted by BusinessWeek. While the fee is unwelcome news for the millions of Americans who will be traveling during the winter holidays, it is a sign that airlines expect more people to travel this year than last year. Sep 25, 2009

Sensis said US FAA has introduced its wide-area multilateration surveillance system at four Colorado airports to enable ATC to track aircraft not covered by radar in the state's remote mountainous regions. FAA is sharing the cost of the system with the Colorado Dept. of Transportation. Initial operations began on Sept. 12 at Yampa Valley-Hayden, Craig-Moffat, Steamboat Springs and Garfield County Regional-Rifle. "The new system is comprised of a network of relatively small sensors deployed in remote areas," FAA said. "The sensors send out signals that are received and sent back by aircraft transponders. No other aircraft equipment is required." It said WAM is a near-term solution while ADS-B is rolled out and eventually is aimed at serving as a backup to ADS-B. The agency will operate the WAM system in Colorado and "monitor how [it] works. . .to determine further deployment." CDOT Aeronautics Director Travis Vallin said that the "Sensis WAM system [provides] accurate surveillance of flights in this area during all weather conditions," increasing the airports' capacity and efficiency. Sep 24, 2009

Travelers will soon have the chance to donate USD 2 or more to help fight AIDS in developing countries when they buy an airline ticket. The money will go to the Millennium Foundation, which is working with the United Nations to fund health goals, including fighting AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. They're calling the donation effort MassiveGood. This is the first big fundraising effort by the Geneva-based Millenium Foundation, founded in 2008 to find innovative ways to finance UN health goals. It's working with UN-funded UNITAID, which supplies low-cost drugs to the developing world. The three major ticket distributors N Amadeus, Travelport and Sabre Holdings Corp. N announced on Wednesday that they've agreed to make the donation an option for ticket-sellers and buyers starting early next year. It's optional for everyone involved, including online travel sites, travel agents and corporate buyers such as American Express Business Travel. Business travel manager Carlson Wagonlit Travel confirmed on Wednesday that it intends to offer the donation through its systems, though it's still working out details. However, it remains to be seen how often travelers will encounter the pitch to make a donation. Tickets sold directly through airline Web sites aren't part of the program. And it's not clear whether companies will allow the donations on corporate travel purchases. Sep 23, 2009

Airports Council International-North America came out in support of limits to runway and tarmac delays, with President Greg Principato saying the organization "supports airlines working with Congress and the Dept. of Transportation to determine specific deadlines," and that "airlines should be held accountable for adhering to the predetermined deadlines." ACI-NA has filed motions with DOT supporting enhanced protections for passengers, such as increased compensation for delayed or cancelled flights and lost baggage. Sep 23, 2009

Despite a measurable decline in reading among the general population, travelers overwhelmingly prefer to read when killing time at the nation's airports, according to a recent survey. Conducted by GO Group, LLC, the nation's largest airport and ground transportation provider, the survey asked travelers to identify which activities they engaged in while waiting at the airport. Some 83 percent cited reading a book, newspaper or magazine as the No. 1 choice on a list of several options available. The poll of more than 200 travelers also shows that doing crossword puzzles, Sudoku or other thinking games is the second-most popular method for entertaining oneself while waiting for take off, cited by 29 percent of respondents. Listening to music on an MP3 player was the third-most popular activity at 21 percent, in a survey that allowed for multiple responses. About 45 percent of the respondents said they found other diversions, such as grabbing a bite to eat, accessing the Internet or buying gifts at airport shops. Other activities included playing handheld video games or watching DVD movies on laptop computers or other devices. Respondents were able to check all of the methods that applied to their time traveling, but reading was the clear favorite activity. Sep 22, 2009

Here are 10 places to find the deals during 2010. 1. Bargains are (almost) everywhere If you come across a hotel or cruise line that insists it OneverO discounts, donOt believe it. In 2010, everyone will discount. ItOs just a question of how much. Amanda Sundt, the chief marketing officer at the adventure travel site iExplore, says upscale resorts will continue to offer spa and dining credit credits and two-for-ones. Worse, hotel capacity is expected to grow as major chains like Hyatt and Four Seasons open new properties. OLook for good introductory deals as the hoteliers want to start seeing an immediate return and build buzz about the new properties,O she says. 2. Yes, even airlines The travel industryOs soothsayers want you to believe that airfares are on the verge of taking off again. They may be right. But they probably arenOt. Chris Lopinto, the president and co-founder of Expertflyer.com, says lackluster demand from leisure travelers will continue to keep fares low. In fact, he predicts fares will stay depressed until business travelers jump back into the game. OI think once business and business travel picks up again, weOll see air prices go significantly higher,O he says. When? Maybe by the fall of 2010. Then again, maybe not. 3. Forget blackout dates Resorts offer so-called OvalueO season during off-peak times to lure guests. Guess what? Those value prices could last all of 2010, according to hoteliers like Steve Heydt, president of Elite Island Resorts, one of the largest independent Caribbean hotel groups. OResort business is not showing any measurable increase,O he told me. OWeOve responded to this trend by ensuring that we allow our current value pricing to roll over and be available next spring, summer and fall. This is the only way we believe we can stimulate advance vacation bookings.O 4. Catch the wave OWaveO period, which happens early in the year, is the time when most cruises are booked. In 2010, theyOll be giving them away, from the sounds of it. OCruise lines are putting the brakes on new ship builds, and those under construction are still being built, but most of those on the drawing board are on hold,O says Danny Borg, a partner for the discount travel site Undercover Tourist. OThe cruise lines will continue to lower prices until their ships sail at capacity.O He and other experts recommend booking early in 2010, which is when all the sales are likely to happen. 5. Get social HereOs a tip from an airline insider: If youOre looking for deals in 2010, it pays to participate in social media, like Twitter or Facebook. OSocial media has quickly become a new sales and loyalty channel for airlines,O says Lufthansa spokeswoman Jennifer Urbaniak. Her airline sees social media as a way to offer special Internet-only discounts on tickets next year N and she expects other airlines to do the same. 6. Go where the crowds donOt OThe problem we are battling now is perception,O says Robert Tuchman, an executive vice president at New York-based event planner Premiere Corporate. OCompanies donOt want to seem like they are being extravagant, so they are making employees fly coach and not business or first.O ThatOs translating into bargains just where you wouldnOt expect them: in business- and first-class fares and at upscale resorts. 7. Log on for deeper discounts How much deeper? A lot. I asked Clem Bason, president of Hotwire, and heOs looking for Osharply discounted dealsO N both on the kind of opaque deals his site offers (those are ones where the name of the resort isnOt revealed until you book) and vacation packages. Archrival Priceline.com also offers opaque deals, but most of the major online agencies, including Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity, have aggressively discounted packages that promise to be even more aggressively discounted in coming months. 8. Look for an all-inclusive rate Many travel companies plan to make up for lost revenue by OunbundlingO their rates N meaning theyOll separate the base fares and rates from OextrasO like the ability to make a confirmed seat reservation or get a newspaper delivered to your room in the morning. OThe trend towards a la carte pricing will definitely continue in 2010,O says Todd Dirks, a vice president at WNS, a business process outsourcing company. OAirlines have found this to be a material and sustainable source of revenue.O Just one problem: The reservations systems canOt handle these fees, so customers donOt find out about them until itOs too late. Lesson? Look for a rate that includes everything (Southwest Airlines is one of the few carriers that doesnOt nickel and dime customers). 9. Zig when everyone else zags A bargain-hunterOs natural instinct is to look for a deal where the deals are known to be. In 2010, theyOll be there N and elsewhere, predicts Elie Seidman, the chief executive of Oyster Hotel Reviews. Take New York City, for example. ORooms at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas would cost USD 500 a night if it were in Midtown Manhattan, but these days, theyOre often going for less than USD 100 a night,O she says. OPrices in Las Vegas will go even lower when City Centre opens at the end of the year. And if the Fontainebleau in Vegas is able to get out of its current problems, Las Vegas will get even cheaper for tourists.O People donOt normally associate these destinations with bargain rooms. But thatOs the thing about 2010 N whether you follow the crowd or not, you canOt lose. 10. You donOt even need to spend real money for these deals Some of the most attractive offers in 2010 may be related to your award miles, according to Points.comO president, Chris Barnard. ThatOs because travel companies are trying to unload as many miles as possible. OIn order to increase their value to travelers, program operators are adding new and different redemption options N everything from restaurant and retail gift cards to program-sanctioned mileage trades,O he says. Sep 21, 2009

World's most over-rated ancient and historical sites 1. Stonehenge, UK : Famous for its astonishingly huge stones. The summer solstice ceremony held by druids and New Agers confirm it as a cathedral to mystical paganism. Reality: Tourists canOt touch the stones, canOt walk inside the area, canOt wander about its space and have to pay an entrance fee to see it. 2. Petra in Jordan : It rises out of rose-red sandstone in a hidden valley. Firmly featuring on the itinerary of every traveller to the Middle East since the days of the Grand Tour, Petra is one of the most visited sites in the Middle East. Reality: The tourism village that has grown up around Petra now threatens to outsize the ancient city itself. 3. Colosseum in Rome, Italy : A breathtaking sight for tourists. Reality: The sight is often crowded and usually has long queues. The entire building is a traffic roundabout and the interior is too precious to host concerts. Then, there is the danger of tourists falling victim to pickpockets. 4. Machu Picchu in Peru : It is South AmericaOs most-promoted destination. It has held the top spot for travellers eager to see the majesty of the Inca for several years. Reality: The journey to Machu Picchu is not pleasant, and the entrance fee has risen to more than 25 pounds. 5. Angkor in Cambodia : It boasts of some of the most jaw-dropping Buddhist monuments in Southeast Asia. The dozens of spectacular temples here are crowned by the peerless Angkor Wat - the siteOs largest monument - in a memorably atmospheric setting among gnarled jungles and glass-like paddy fields. Sep 21, 2009

Airlines passengers around the globe will benefit from low ticket prices well into the next ten years, according to an industry body, as airlines continue to lose millions of dollars due to the recession and downturn in air travel. Increasing oil prices, slowdown in demand and strong competition will see the worldwide airline industry post a loss of USD 27.8 billion (GBP 16.9 billion) for 2008 and 2009 according to the International Air Travel Association (IATA). IATA, which represents about 90 percent of the airline industry including major players such as British Airways and American Airlines, expects airfares to remain low until around 2013. This year IATA expects airfares to fall by 12 percent. Ryanair, EuropeOs largest budget carrier, has forecast a 20 percent drop in fares as it attempts to fill an expanding fleet. Sep 21, 2009

ACSS, L-3 Communications, Thales

ACSS, an L-3 Communications and Thales joint venture, introduced a software enhancement that will enable aircraft operators with its TCAS 2000 and TCAS II to upgrade to "Change 7.1 capability," which it said "delivers two important safety enhancements: Reversal logic and new aural alerting for Adjust Vertical Speed." The upgrade will be available in the fourth quarter. Sep 24, 2009

AirTran Airways

AirTran Airways is holding a sale for travel to all the airline's destinations with fares starting as low as USD 39. Fares are available for purchase through Sept. 24 and are good for travel through Jan. 27, 2010. Lowest fares are valid for travel Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, and additional sale fares are valid for travel on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Like all AirTran Airways fares, prices included in this sale are available for one-way travel and do not require a roundtrip purchase or an overnight stay. For more information, visit www.airtran.com. Sep 24, 2009

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines has begun daily nonstop service between Houston and Seattle. Alaska is offering introductory one-way fares of USD 99 between the two cities for tickets purchased by Sept. 30. Houston is the third destination added to the Seattle-based carrier's route system this year. Alaska began service to Austin, Texas, on Aug. 3, and Bellingham, Wash. on June 25, and will add daily service between Seattle and Atlanta on Oct. 23. For more information, visit www.alaskaair.com. Sep 24, 2009

Alitalia

TourCrafters is offering a five-day/four-night Alitalia Supersaver Package that costs USD 799 and covers the round-trip flight from New York on Alitalia, fuel surcharge, accommodation in four-star hotels, four breakfasts, an upgrade to a superior room, a complimentary bottle of wine and hotel service charges and taxes. The package is available to Rome, Florence and Venice from early November to the end of March, but must be booked by Oct. 30. The Rome package includes overnights at either the four-star River Hotel, conveniently located near the Piazza del Popolo or the four-star Oxford Hotel, just off the Via Veneto. There are several choices of four-star hotels in Florence: the new San Gallo Palace; the Kraft and Adriatico, near the Arno River; and the Roma and Rivoli, which are close to the train station and Santa Maria Novella Church. In Venice, there's one choice, the family-run Hotel Carlton & Grand Canal which is, on the Grand Canal. All prices are per person, double occupancy, are subject to availability and do not include airport taxes. Reservations must be paid for within 72 hours of booking. For reservations or more information, call 800-482-5995 or visit www.tourcrafters.com. Sep 23, 2009

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air will launch twice-weekly Bangor-Tampa (Nov. 20), Grand Rapids-Fort Lauderdale (Nov. 13), Grand Forks-Phoenix Mesa (Nov. 13) and Duluth-Orlando Sanford (Nov. 20) aboard MD-80s. Sep 23, 2009

CSA Czech Airlines

CSA Czech Airlines will cease operating from Prague to both New York JFK and Manchester, UK, during its winter schedule and will reduce frequencies to London Heathrow, Riga and Hamburg. Sep 25, 2009

Hawaiian Airlines, Airbus

With the first of its new fleet of long range, wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft arriving in April, Hawaiian Airlines will expand its service from HawaiiOs largest visitor markets for the summer peak travel season with the addition of three daily flights to Hawaii from California. Hawaiian also announced it would put the first two of its new A330 aircraft into service on the Los Angeles-Honolulu route starting in June. Hawaiian is adding two daily nonstop flights to Maui [ETH] one from Oakland and the other from San Diego [ETH] as well as another daily flight between Los Angeles and Honolulu, beginning June 17, 2010. Sep 22, 2009

Honeywell

Honeywell said Memphis International will become the first US airport to deploy its Smartpath Precision Landing System early next year following approval this week by FAA. The ground-based augmentation system initially will supplement legacy instrument landing systems and later replace ILS by augmenting GPS equipment "to provide precision approach guidance to all qualifying runways," FAA said. "It monitors the GPS signals to detect errors and augment accuracy by transmitting correction messages to aircraft via local radio broadcast." The agency said its plan for implementing a satellite-based NextGen ATC system "identifies GBAS as an enabler for descent and approach operations to increase capacity at crowded airports." Honeywell's system was approved for precision approach operations down to 200 ft. above the surface. GBAS is aimed at supporting zero-visibility operations and enabling RNAV and RNP operations. Airservices Australia soon is expected to approve a GBAS system for use in Sydney, FAA said. "One SmartPath system installed in a typical airport can yield annual maintenance savings of up to USD 400,000 compared to a single ILS," Honeywell VP-US Defense Customers Vicki Panhuise said. SmartPath already is operating in Bremen and Malaga. Sep 21, 2009

Jazz Air

Regional operator Jazz will work with partner Air Canada to resume operations at Toronto City Center Airport (TCCA) as early as next year following a three and a half-year hiatus from the downtown facility. Jazz operated fromTCCA for 18 years until it was "evicted" from the facility, Jazz president and CEO Joseph Randell said during a CIBC investors conference on 23 September. He adds the airline has been trying to return to the airport ever since. The carrier suspended operations from TCCA in March 2006 after a pact between airport operator the Toronto Port Authority and TCCA-based Porter Airlines essentially forced Jazz out of the airport in favour of Porter. Jazz subsequently sued the port authority over access to TCCA. The legal matter is still pending, a Jazz spokeswoman says. Sep 24, 2009

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways is offering a sale on two of its newest Caribbean routes, linking Boston and Orlando with Montego Bay, on Jamaica's north coast. Nonstop flights on both routes are set to begin in the New Year, subject to receipt of government operating authority. At Boston's Logan International Airport, JetBlue will debut new nonstop service to Montego Bay -- its 33rd destination -- on Jan. 9, 2010, subject to receipt of government operating authority. Fares start at USD 149 each way. JetBlue already offers nonstop service to more cities than any other carrier in Boston. The new Montego Bay flight will operate on Saturdays, complementing JetBlue's existing daily connecting service to Montego Bay via New York/JFK. Customers interested in other sunspots this winter can take advantage of JetBlue's nonstop service from Logan to Aruba; Cancun, Mexico; Nassau, Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; and St. Maarten. Daily service between Orlando International Airport and Montego Bay is set to begin Feb. 8, 2010, subject to receipt of government operating authority, with fares as low as USD 69 each way. For more information, visit www.jetblue.com. Sep 24, 2009

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways was revealed as a winner in Budget Travel Magazine's 5(th) annual Extra Mile Awards, celebrating companies and destinations that are going the 'extra mile' to make travel easier and more affordable in 2009. New York's hometown value carrier, already traveler-friendly, was recognized for upping the ante on its in-flight perks, including free snacks and drinks, personal seatback televisions and comfy leather seats, bringing equally valuable amenities to the airport experience, including gate-side food delivery options at its new Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Sep 21, 2009

Las Vegas

It's part convenience, party security. A new piece of travel technology is now in place at McCarran Airport's International Terminal. For some passengers, the wait at customs may disappear. It's the last thing most travelers want to deal with after a lengthy flight from a foreign country: long lines at customs. The new piece of equipment is called a Customs Kiosk. You insert your passport, look into the lens for facial recognition, hold your hand up to the fingerprint pad, and you're done. Sep 21, 2009

Midwest Airlines

Midwest Airlines announced it will expand its Florida service with the launch of nonstop seasonal service between Milwaukee and Fort Lauderdale and between Kansas City and Fort Myers. Service will run Dec. 17, 2009, through April 19, 2010. Both routes will be operated on 76-seat Embraer 170 aircraft, featuring two-by-two, all-leather seating, buy-onboard Best Care Cuisine or Best Care Caf dining, and complimentary baked-onboard chocolate chip cookies. Service will be offered daily on the Fort Lauderdale route; service on the Fort Myers route will vary, beginning with six days a week and increasing to daily during peak winter travel times. To celebrate the launch of the new service, Midwest is offering pricing beginning at USD 81 one way on the Milwaukee-Fort Lauderdale route and at USD 72 one way on the Kansas City-Fort Myers route. Tickets require a 14-day advance purchase. For more information, visit www.midwestairlines.com. Sep 23, 2009

Porter Airlines

Porter Airlines is bolstering service between Quebec City and Toronto City Centre Airport (TCCA) with three daily roundtrip flights, building on the current seasonal and weekend schedule. The new schedule begins Nov. 26, and comes after a second successful summer season, requests from passengers and ongoing strong ticket sales in the region. Connecting flights to other Porter destinations, including Thunder Bay, Boston, Chicago and New York are also available. For more information, call 888-619-8622 or visit www.flyporter.com. Sep 25, 2009

Porter Airlines

Porter Airlines is considering launching operations to a second New York City area airport after it increases frequencies on its current Newark-Toronto service. The airline intends to add extra capacity on that city pair in the next 12 months. Porter presently connects Newark with Toronto seven times during the week, with reduced weekend service. Sep 25, 2009

SkyWest Airlines

SkyWest is operating all the new city pairs with 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft. It will fly twice twice-daily from Chicago to both Duluth and Asheville, as well as two times daily between Los Angeles and El Paso. From Denver, United will start a once-daily service to Louisville and two daily flights to Midland. United says its Chicago-Asheville, Chicago-Duluth, Denver-Midland and Denver-Louisville operations will be the only nonstop flights in those markets. Sep 22, 2009

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines between Los Angeles and El Paso, a route Southwest operates using Boeing 737 aircraft, according to Innovata. Sep 22, 2009

United Airlines

The final new market United plans to introduce in December is Los Angeles-El Paso, Texas. Sep 22, 2009

United Airlines, Boeing

United Airlines will retire its final 737, a -300 on Oct. 28. It has operated 737s for more than 41 years, having placed the launch order for the 737-200 version in April 1965. According to an internal communication, the aircraft has been numbered UA737 for its final journey, which begins at Washington Dulles with stops at Chicago O'Hare, Denver and Los Angeles, then on to San Francisco where it will be decommissioned at UA's maintenance base before being transported to Victorville for storage. Sep 21, 2009

United Airlines, SkyWest Airlines

United Airlines today announced it is launching new service from the airlineOs hubs in Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles beginning December 17, while adding Duluth, Minnesota; Asheville, NC; and Midland/Odessa, Texas to the companyOs global network. United will offer twice-daily nonstop service between Chicago and Duluth; Chicago and Asheville; Denver and Midland/Odessa; and Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas. Once-daily service will link Denver with Louisville, Kentucky. The Chicago-Asheville, Chicago-Duluth, Denver-Midland/Odessa, and Denver-Louisville services will be the only nonstop flights in those markets. All of the flights will be operated by United Express carrier SkyWest Airlines, using 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jets. Service between Duluth and Chicago will offer travelers throughout eastern Minnesota more choice to dozens of cities throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. United offers more nonstop service to and from the Windy City than any other airline. Sep 22, 2009

Virgin America

Virgin America again won "Best Business/First Class" among domestic airlines in Conde Nast Traveler's 2009 Business Travel Poll. The annual survey of the magazine's business travelers ranked Virgin America as the top U.S. airline for Business/First Class service for the second consecutive year, as reported in the October issue of Conde Nast Traveler. To thank its customers, the airline is introducing more business-friendly flexible fare options on its website and the "Let's Get Down to Business" 24-hour fare sale. Virgin America's website now features new business-friendly flexible fare options, including fully refundable main cabin and fully refundable main cabin select fares, as well as a new "Instant Upgrade to Main Cabin Select" fare class. Previously, fully refundable fares were only available via the airline's call center and travel agents. The new choices give business and leisure travelers more flexible fare options, as well as access to premium seats at lower fares when their travel plans are not likely to change. "Let's Get Down to Business" fares must be purchased by 7 a.m. PT on Sept. 22. Main cabin fares start as low as USD 29 from SFO to LAX and SFO to SEA. Long-haul main cabin fares start as low as USD 89 from BOS to LAX, BOS to SFO, JFK to LAS and IAD to LAX. Main cabin select instant upgrade fares are available for as low as USD 199 from JFK to LAX, JFK to SFO, BOS to SFO, BOS to LAX, IAD to LAX and IAD to SFO. For more information, call 877-359-8474 or visit www.virginamerica.com. Sep 21, 2009

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