HEADLINE NEWS.

Most Airlines Raise Fares to Offset Fuel. Most U.S. airlines, trying to offset record high jet fuel prices, have boosted air fares in North America by as much as $10 on round-trip flights. Sep 24, 2004

According to Smith Travel Research's Weekly Lodging Report, U.S. occupancy, average daily rate and revenue per available room rose during the week of Sept. 12 2004. Occupancy increased 4 percent to 67 percent while average daily rate grew 1.3 percent to $85.23, revenue per available room rose 5.3 percent to $57.08. Sep 23, 2004

US Transportation Security Administration deployed new explosives trace detection document scanners that "sniff" passenger documents such as boarding passes and driver's licenses for traces of explosives at Los Angeles International, New York JFK and Chicago O'Hare. The pilot program was unveiled two weeks ago at Reagan Washington National Airport. Tests will be conducted for a minimum of 30 days at each airport. Sep 23, 2004

As Grenada recovers from Hurricane Ivan, the National Emergency Relief Organization's most recent report, which was issued on Sept. 18 2004, says that the Point Salines International Airport is operating international and regional flights from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice. BWIA is operating flights from New York and Miami via its Trinidad hub, and Air Jamaica has resumed all flights via its Montego Bay hub in addition to Tuesday, Friday and Sunday nonstop service from JFK/New York. LIAT is running four daily scheduled flights to Grenada. Grenada's cruise ports received some damage, and consequently all cruise lines have been rerouted to other destinations. On the hotel front, Bel Air Plantation sustained minimal damage and will reopen mid-October or early November. Blue Horizons Garden Resort will reopen within the next four months as it repairs water and roof damage. Calabash Hotel, which was already closed for remodeling, will remain closed until Oct. 30, and the Flamboyant Hotel will reopen 36 out of 61 units on Dec. 20. One and two-bedroom apartments will be available spring 2005. LaSource, which experienced minimal damage to its roof, is currently closed, and Rex Grenadian will close through mid-December. Spice Island Beach Resort suffered damage to its roofs and main facilities and will be closed for one year. Sep 22, 2004

Although Hurricane Ivan most directly affected Florida's panhandle, a number of destinations there are reporting that they are open and operating normally. Panama City Beach officials, for example, say that their hotels, attractions, airport and beaches are open after sustaining only minimal damage from the storm. The city had recently completed a $25 million beach nourishment project that officials say protected the beach from major erosion during the storm. For more information, call 800-PCBEACH or visit www.thebeachloversbeach.com. Another top panhandle destination, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, is also open after incurring no structural damage from Ivan. Visit Florida reports that Franklin County destinations, including Apalachicola, St. George Island and Carrabelle, say they received little damage and are open and operating. However, several destinations at the center of the storm, including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties, still have curfews in effect. Assessments and cleanup efforts are ongoing in those areas, which sustained heavy damage from Ivan. Sep 22, 2004

AirTran Airways launched a sale for flights to all of the airline's destinations with fares starting as low as $39 each way. Travelers may purchase these sale fares at http://www.airtran.com, through travel agents or via AirTran Airways' reservations system at 1-800-AIR-TRAN. For Spanish, call 1-877-581-9842. These special fares are available for purchase September 28, through October 1, 2004, are good for travel through February 2, 2005, and are not valid for travel on Sundays. Like all AirTran Airways fares, prices included in this sale are one-way tickets and do not require a roundtrip purchase or a Saturday night stay. Sep 28, 2004

AirTran Airways will resume service to all Florida destinations by midday on Sept. 27 2004. At the current time AirTran Airways has canceled 172 flights due to Hurricane Jeanne. Sep 27, 2004

America West Airlines announced that effective Oct. 1 2004, all passengers must obtain boarding passes prior to proceeding to airport gate areas. The airline is implementing the policy in compliance with an industrywide Transportation Security Administration (TSA) directive that calls for the measure to be in place by mid-October. Since America West already provides several easy ways to obtain boarding passes, the airline's customers will continue to enjoy the convenient check-in process they have come to expect when traveling with the airline. Sep 28, 2004

American Airlines increased most domestic US and US-Canada fares $5 one- way and $10 roundtrip to help offset the continuing high cost of jet fuel. If present oil prices remain in effect, American said its fuel expenses for the current year will be roughly $1 billion higher than last year. Several other carriers tried to raise fares this year to help with rising fuel costs but withdrew the charges when others did not follow. Sep 23, 2004

ATA Airlines on Sept. 22 2004 will begin adding a $5 fee to tickets purchased through its reservation centers and a $10 fee to tickets purchased at a US airport ticket counter or city ticket office. Tickets sold through the airline's website will not incur any additional fees. The nonrefundable service fees apply to each domestic or international one-way or roundtrip ticket. Several other US carriers have implemented similar fees recently. Sep 22, 2004

Terminal One at Beijing's Capital Airport has reopened after months of renovations. The terminal is used exclusively by China Southern and its subsidiaries, including Xiamen Airlines, and all of their flights are now departing from that terminal. Sichuan Airlines, of which China Southern holds shares, will be moving its flights to the terminal. The terminal has 13 boarding gates and 50 check-in desks and is designed with the feng shui concept. The airline's new winter schedule will include more than 300 new flights from Beijing and 10 new domestic destinations. Sep 22, 2004

British Airways will hire 200 extra customer service staff at London Heathrow in an effort to avoid a repeat of a week of flight disruptions that occurred at the end of Aug. 2004 owing to staff shortages and technical problems. The decision to add staff follows a review of BA's Heathrow operations by Chief Executive Rod Eddington after the service disruptions and is in addition to 216 new airport terminal employees already being trained and drafted into the Heathrow staff. Eddington decided against any shakeup of senior management as a result of the incident as the disruption was not caused by any single issue. "There were operational and technical difficulties that day, Aug. 23 2004, involving runway closures and a lack of standby aircraft, but a shortage of staff to help our customers was a significant one and we have addressed that as an absolute priority," he said. He added that BA is reorganizing its operations control processes "with the aim of improving communications between the center and the frontline of the operation." In addition to recruiting more staff, BA has announced that it is canceling about 2% of its planned flying program at Heathrow during the next 2.5 months as part of its efforts to rebuild a more robust operation at its main hub. Sep 24, 2004

Continental has applied for authority to operate from Newark Airport to Beijing beginning next spring, and to Shanghai the following spring. It would operate the flights daily with 777 aircraft. Continental currently operates from Newark to Hong Kong. Delta also has applied for the rights, saying it would fly direct from Atlanta to Beijing beginning in 2006. Gordon Bethune, chairman and CEO of Continental, said, "U.S.-China traffic has surged as the two economies have grown and formed strong trading ties." Sep 23, 2004

Delta customers to see delays in Atlanta, while most Florida cities resume service on Sept. 27 2004. Delta Air Lines' customers booked on flights to, from or connecting through Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport can expect travel delays due to the impact of Tropical Storm Jeanne. The storm is expected to pass near Atlanta before veering northeast through North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Customers should expect 30 to 60 minute average delays to and from Atlanta for the remainder of the day. Delta representatives are contacting customers whose flights may be affected. All customers are encouraged to check with delta.com for the latest news on Jeanne in addition to their local airport's Web site prior to departure. Sep 27, 2004

Delta will significantly increase the number of flights it operates from Atlanta on Jan. 31 2005 as part of its previously announced restructuring plan. The Washington area will receive 46 daily flights on Delta and Delta Connection, including 15 to Baltimore. Newark will receive 14 daily flights to complement existing hourly service to LaGuardia. Including JFK, Islip and White Plains, Delta offers 43 daily flights to the area from New York. It will operate 14 daily flights to Boston, and is increasing service to Fort Lauderdale by three daily flights for a total of 14, and to Orlando by three for a total of 15. Delta has also requested permission to begin flights to Beijing from Atlanta in 2006 with 777 aircraft. Sep 22, 2004

EL AL Israel Airlines has an ongoing emergency operations center worldwide to accommodate passengers stranded as a result of the strike in Israel, which affected all airlines departing and landing at Ben Gurion Airport. Reservations centers are extending their hours to assist passengers. The airline is also adjusting its existing schedule to ensure that passengers arrive at their final destination prior to the start of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Rescheduled flights and flight changes are posted at www.elal.com and can also be accessed by calling 800-EL-AL-747. Passengers canceling or rebooking travel due to the strike will not be penalized. Sep 22, 2004

LiveTV, a wholly owned subsidiary of JetBlue Airways, and the world's largest provider of satellite delivered entertainment to commercial aircraft, completed installation of the LiveTV in-flight satellite television system on its 100th aircraft, a WestJet 737-700 tail number 220. LiveTV was the first company to provide in-seat satellite television to commercial airlines, launching its DIRECTV service on low- fare carrier JetBlue Airways in 2000. Today more than 14,500 airline seats are equipped with LiveTV's system, providing the At Home In The Air entertainment experience to more than 70,000 travelers every day. LiveTV expects to be providing entertainment on over 400 aircraft within the next two years. Sep 28, 2004

Northwest Airlines launched a Best Fare Guarantee on tickets purchased in the US through its website. The airline said if a difference in fare of $5 or more is found for the same itinerary through any other website on the same day a ticket is purchased via the NWA website, it will refund the difference in fare and provide the customer with a voucher good for $50 in future travel on Northwest. Also, the airline added four new search options to its website in response to "requests from its customers for greater choice and flexibility in finding the lowest fare." The new functionality is offered for purchases in the US and Canada. Northwest also began selling travel insurance through its website. Sep 24, 2004