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Our Monthly Travel Information Newsletter - the latest travel industry news

June 2010

This month our feature sections are:

Travel Green
Destinations
Airlines and Airports
Car Rental
Hotel
Cruise

Spotlight on .. Business Travel: Airline Security vs. Privacy

Terry Keeling, CTA, MCC
AWA Travel
View my travel blog at awatravelguy.com

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7501 Fremont Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55423


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Travel Green

Future aircraft could cut fuel use by 70%
By 2035, new designs and technologies could help commercial aircraft burn 70% less fuel than today, according to researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Armed with a $2.1 million NASA grant, MIT is studying a "radical change" to the aircraft design used for the past 50 years. Instead of an "easily recognizable 'tube and wing' structure," MIT researchers are promoting a "double bubble" design or an integrated wing concept. (Source: CNET) Read the full article.

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Destinations

Geologist says Icelandic volcano has stopped erupting
Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, a geologist at the University of Iceland, said the Icelandic volcano, which caused flight disruptions around the world, has stopped erupting and is not likely to resume in the near term. Gudmundsson said activity in the crater has stopped and the heat coming from the volcano reached a maximum temperature of 212 degrees. (Source: Bloomberg)

Genoa emerges as one of Italy's latest hot spots
Genoa, located on the Italian Riviera, has long been seen as a stopping point on the way to more glamorous destinations such as Cinque Terre. A scrub-down and restoration of Genoa's waterfront along with an influx of entrepreneurs has helped boost the city's image. Now, Genoa is a bustling seaside city with cosmopolitan wine bars and interesting new restaurants. (Source: The New York Times)

2010 hurricane season is expected to be active, forecasters say
The 2009 Atlantic Ocean hurricane season was relatively mild, but forecasters expect this year's season to be fairly active. Warmer-than-normal temperatures on the sea surface off Africa's west coast are contributing to the forecasts, according to the National Hurricane Center. (Source: Travel Weekly)

Get to know South Africa through its sliced, dried meat
Across South Africa, biltong, a type of sliced and dried meat, can be found virtually everywhere from convenience stores to wineries. But do not refer to the South African delicacy as "jerky," at least not in the presence of a local. To South Africans, biltong is a part of their heritage, their culture and their daily lives. (Source: Los Angeles Times)

Discover a kaleidoscope of colors in Chile
The massive earthquake that struck Chile earlier this year has made some people apprehensive about taking a trip to the South American country. But most of the tourist areas were not affected by the quake and the beauty of the country remains. Visitors often note the variety of colors found in Chile, including fiery-red sunsets, bluish glaciers and multicolored rock formations in Rainbow Valley. (Source: TravelAge West)

Kansas City gets better with age
Kansas City, the metropolis that straddles the Kansas-Missouri border, has long been known for its laid-back Midwestern charm, barbecue and smooth jazz. But the city has been transformed during the past decade into a culturally rich destination. Next year, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is set to open, further boosting the standing of Kansas City. (Source: The New York Times)

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Airlines and Airports

DOT: Long tarmac delays nearly eliminated in April
Airlines improved their on-time performance in April, according to the Department of Transportation, while nearly eliminating long tarmac delays that could result in massive fines. Flights arrived on time 85.3% of the time in April, an improvement of more than 6 percentage points compared with the year-earlier period. And while April 2009 saw 81 flights stuck on the tarmac for three hours or more, the most recent statistics show only four flights exceeded the three-hour time limit. (Source: The Associated Press)

Bumped passengers could become more expensive for airlines
The Department of Transportation is expected to announce that passengers who are involuntarily bumped from a flight will be paid up to $1,200 per incident. Currently, airlines are required to pay such passengers $400 to $800. The change is aimed at forcing airlines to rein in the practice of overbooking. (Source: Detroit Free Press)

Airlines raise fuel surcharges for flights to Europe
Airlines are imposing significantly higher fuel surcharges, aimed at offsetting higher oil prices, for flights to Europe compared with what they charged last year, according to Bestfares.com. The surcharges are on top of already higher airfares to Europe and come as many airlines have implemented other surcharges for domestic flights. (Source: USA TODAY)

Germany, Netherlands Integrate Trusted Traveler Programs With U.S.
The United States is integrating its biometric-based trusted traveler programs with those of the Netherlands and Germany. These programs expedite pre-approved, low-risk travelers members’ trips through Customs upon arriving in the country. Under these partnerships, travelers can apply for both the U.S. Global Entry and the German Automated and Biometric Border Control or the Netherlands Privium programs simultaneously. (Source: Department of Homeland Security).

First Bag Free With Delta SkyMiles
Beginning June 1st, travelers with a Gold, Platinum or Reserve Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express — and up to eight travel companions — may check their first bag for free on Delta and Delta Connection® flights. (Source: Delta Press Release)

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Car Rental

Avis Tries to Block Hertz-Thrifty Deal
A spurned suitor may throw a wrench into Hertz’ plans to buy Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group. Avis Budget Group told the Dollar Thrifty board that it was prepared to make a substantially higher offer, saying that Avis had several times expressed interest in acquiring Thrifty. Avis said that the heads of the two companies had date to discuss the matter, but Thrifty canceled it when it announced the Hertz deal. Acquiring Thrifty would bulk up Hertz by about 300 domestic corporate locations and 1,250 international franchises. (Source: Hertz and Avis press releases)

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Hotel

Four Seasons allows owners to cut back on some features
Some Four Seasons hotels are closing their high-end restaurants on slow days, while others are outsourcing laundry. The hotel chain has agreed to ease up on requirements for some of its signature features as some of its owners are struggling with financial challenges. "Like most companies, when things are going well there's always the sort of excess that is allowed to be built in," said Isadore Sharp, founder and CEO at Four Seasons. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

U.S. Hotel Industry Recovery Looks Stronger Than Expected
The United States hotel industry should do better than initially expected this year, with occupancy increasing by 1.9 percent to 55.8 percent, according to Smith Travel Research. In 2011, STR says occupancy will increase 1.9 percent to a still relatively low 56.8 percent and average daily rates will increase 3.5 percent. The industry won’t be back to 2007 or 2008 levels, but the industry should see two good years in a row, said Mark Lomanno, STR’s president (Source: STR press release).

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Cruise

Cruise trends include cozy clubs, adventurous excursions
Going on a cruise used to mean spending the day lounging on the deck and filling up at the all-you-can-eat buffet. These days, cruise passengers have an overwhelming number of choices for dining and activities, some with a technology twist. For example, on some cruises, passengers have the opportunity to learn a foreign language or a musical instrument. (Source: The Globe and Mail (Toronto))

Celebrity Cruises executive discusses unlimited-beverage packages
Celebrity Cruises started testing unlimited-beverage packages in December and has introduced four plans that passengers can purchase before their cruise. Tony Tahmosh, beverage operations manager at Celebrity, discusses the development and whether he believes it will spur excessive consumption. "We were getting a lot of requests last year for some kind of package plan, and we really focused on the convenience and value point of view," Tahmosh said. (Source: Travel Weekly)

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Spotlight on .. Business Travel: Airline Security vs. Privacy

A recent study found Americans are willing to put up with some loss of privacy in return for greater air security.

  • 93 percent said they are willing to sacrifice some privacy.
  • 65 percent said they would put up with full electronic scans
  • 57 percent would go through biometric security checks such as iris scans or fingerprints
  • 72 percent said they would provide personal data in advance

Source: Unisys Security Index press release.
 

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Terry Keeling, CTA, MCC
AWA Travel – 7501 Fremont Ave S – Minneapolis, MN 55423
612-377-4089, 1-888-292-4386

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