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Travel Destinations Management Group

January 2010

 

 

Airport Napping Rooms Let You Sleep Your Layover Away

Continental Joins Inflight Wi-Fi Bandwagon

The Complete WiFi Cheat Sheet

Delta-Northwest Integration Update

Winging It: Getting Tough On Tarmac Delays

DOT: Carriers Reach All-Time Timeliness, Baggage-Handling High

Air Travelers Value Security Over Privacy, Poll Finds

Continental Matches Delta Baggage Fee Increase

Amtrak Adding Free Wi-Fi On Acela Express Trains

 

 


Airport Napping Rooms Let You Sleep Your Layover Away

Tiny airport sleeping rooms - similar to the cubicles that Asian travelers use to catch a snooze in between flights - have arrived in America. Atlanta opened five Minute Suites where tired passengers can doze for $30 an hour. The rooms - 7 feet by 8 feet, or about the size of two office cubicles put together - are equipped with a daybed sofa, pillows (with disposable covers), fresh blankets, a small desk, Internet access and a flat-screen 32-inch monitor with DirecTV and flight information. They have systems to mask noise.

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·  Continental Joins Inflight Wi-Fi Bandwagon

Continental Airlines plans to outfit its fleet of 21 Boeing 757-300s with wireless broadband capabilities, making it the last domestic legacy airline to embrace inflight Wi-Fi. The carrier expects to begin rolling out the service in the second quarter of 2010 through inflight connectivity provider Aircell, which provides similar services for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, US Airways and United Airlines, among other carriers.

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·  The Complete WiFi Cheat Sheet

Will your flight have WiFi? How much will it cost? Click here for the complete WiFi cheat sheet as of December 2009.

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·  Delta-Northwest Integration Update

The first phase of full integration occurred January 9, 2010. NW flights were replaced with DL flights in schedules encompassing the time period of September 5, 2010 and beyond. Passenger records will be migrated from the NW system to the DL system, and new DL record locators will be created with DL flight numbers. There will be no need to reissue tickets. Revised itineraries with DL flight numbers will be forwarded. Confirmed seat assignments on NW flights will automatically be transferred to the new DL flights. After the passenger record migration, travelers may check in on Delta.com, from their mobile device, or at any airport kiosk with their original NW record locator, new DL record locator, SkyMiles number or E-ticket number. The new DL flight information will be displayed and customers may complete their check in process. Additional integration dates to be announced in the near future by DL.

 

·  Winging It: Getting Tough On Tarmac Delays

The Obama administration surprised many with its Dec. 21 announcement of tough new rules requiring airlines to let passengers off planes if they face a three-hour delay on the ground. Under the new rules, if an airline doesn't get a plane back to an airport gate within three hours the carrier could be fined $27,500 for each passenger on the stranded flight.

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·  DOT: Carriers Reach All-Time Timeliness, Baggage-Handling High

The 19 largest domestic airlines in November collectively recorded their best-ever monthly on-time performance and set a record for the lowest rate of mishandled bags, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data released. According to DOT figures, 88.6 percent of flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule in November, the highest on- time rate since DOT began collecting such data in 1995, besting the previous 88 percent high reported for September 2002.

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·  Air Travelers Value Security Over Privacy, Poll Finds

Nearly 8 out of 10 travelers approve of full-body scanners in airports, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup poll. Though some civil-liberties advocates have condemned the technology as an invasion of privacy, most fliers think the alternative is worse: Only 22% of respondents in the poll said they would prefer a pat-down search over a full-body scan.

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·  Continental Matches Delta Baggage Fee Increase

Continental Airlines has matched Delta Air Lines' recent checked-luggage fee increase. Delta and Continental passengers paying online for checked bags will be charged $23 for the first bag and $32 for the second; if checked at the airport $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second bag. Travel Destinations expects other airlines to follow in the near future.

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·  Amtrak Adding Free Wi-Fi On Acela Express Trains

Amtrak's Acela Express trains, which run from Washington to Boston, will soon be getting wireless Internet access. Installation of wireless Internet access on the high-speed trains would be complete in March and initially free to passengers. Amtrak made the announcement as part of a 2010 preview of its activities.

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