Interline travel discount

The U.S. Department of State is warning U.S. citizens to avoid travel to Haiti because of an unstable political situation. Citizens there are urged to consider departing at this time. Travel can be hazardous within Port-au-Prince, and the downtown area is off limits to U.S. Embassy staff after sundown. There is no effective police force, said State, and there is a potential for looting, intermittent roadblocks by armed gangs or by the police, and random violent crime. State said there has been a noticeable escalation in crime since Sept. 30 2004. The consular section of the embassy can be reached at 509-223-7011. Oct 20, 2004

Three of the nation's largest airlines reported a combined $906 million in third-quarter losses on Wednesday Oct. 20 2004. The largest by far was at Delta Air Lines Inc., where bankruptcy looms unless it can quickly win concessions from its pilots and debt holders. Soaring fuel prices were the main culprit for the red ink at AMR Corp., parent of American Airlines, Northwest Airlines Corp. and Delta, whose situation also has been exacerbated by the cost of servicing its $20.6 billion in debt. All three reported higher revenue.

Air Exel is to sever its links with KLM over the coming months. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air Exel have decided to revise their cooperative ties. The existing KLM Exel franchise will be discontinued effective 6 November 2004. From that date, Air Exel will operate ATR 72 flights between Eindhoven and Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Hamburg under its own name and XT flight numbers. Air Exel will continue to operate fly between Maastricht and Schiphol on behalf of KLM until 26 March 2005, after which KLM cityhopper will take over the flights on this route. http://www.exelaviationgroup.com Oct 18, 2004

Air New Zealand will no longer sell First Class seats on 747-400 flights after June 10, 2005. It is refitting its cabins with three new classes - a premium class, super economy class, and refreshed economy. All cabins will have new seats, in-flight entertainment systems and new food and beverage service. Premium Class will have lie-flat seats, Super Economy seats will have 40-inch pitch and be equipped with video screens, and Economy Class will have 34-inches of pitch. Passengers already booked in First Class beyond that date, and agents will be contacted to assist in rebooking. Oct 19, 2004

New Zealand visitors and of course nationals will be pleased to learn that Air New Zealand Link carrier Air Nelson is to replace its current fleet of 17 Saab 340A aircraft with a like number of Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 turboprops. The delivery of the first new aircraft is expected in July 2005 with one joining the fleet every six weeks, completing the delivery process within two years. The new aircraft are much quieter internally, 20 knots quicker in the cruise and offering 50 seats instead of 30. Passengers will find them far more comfortable. Air Nelson links the regional centers of Nelson, Napier, Palmerston North and New Plymouth, with the main city centers of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The airline also operates some of the Air New Zealand Link services to and from Rotorua, Tauranga and Hamilton. In another move Singapore Airlines has sold its shareholding in Air New Zealand at a substantial loss. SIA first acquired a stake in 2000 but after the New Zealand government vetoed plans for a 49% shareholding the airline quickly lost interest. It has now raised its holding in Qantas from 1% to 3%. http://www.airnewzealand.com Oct 18, 2004

AirTran Airways says it will move to quickly allow passengers at Orlando International Airport to receive expedited clearance as part of the Transportation Security Administration's decision to allow a private sector rollout of the Registered Traveler Program there. The program will be voluntary and governed by privacy protection policies. The airline said that as soon as the TSA publishes the formal regulations needed, it is ready to start offering the expedited procedures. The TSA has been testing the program at five other airports in the U.S. Taxpayers will not pay for this process at Orlando. Oct 21, 2004

American Airlines has increased international fare surcharges to either $15 or $25 because of rising fuel costs, it said. The change goes into effect immediately. American is simply joining some other major airlines that have been forced to do the same. Scott Nason, vice president of revenue management, said crude oil prices are now above $50 a barrel. "We estimate the full-year impact of the rise in fuel prices will cost $1.2 billion in added expense compared to last year," he said. Tickets to the Caribbean and Bahamas, Mexico, Central America and the South American nations of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela will have a $15 surcharge each way. The South American nations of Argentina, Brazil, Chile Paraguay and Uruguay, as well as all transatlantic and transpacific flights will be charged $25. Oct 15, 2004

American Airlines has started to add a fee for paper tickets purchased through a travel agent in some European countries, the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America when an electronic ticket is available. Effective immediately, tickets purchased through agents in Italy, Spain, Belgium and France will be charged 25 Euros and in the U.K., 25 Pounds. In the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico and Latin America, the fee will be $25 converted to local currencies starting Nov. 8 2004. Oct 19, 2004

American Express says that while it is seeing a steady return of the business traveler, hotel rates and airline fares around the world should mostly see increases, and corporate travel managers should lock in rates now. The increases can vary significantly from region to region. International business class fares are expected to go up 2-5 percent in North America, 4-5 percent in Asia/Pacific, 2-4 percent in Europe and 3- 5 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean. Short-haul and domestic fares, however, in Europe could drop by 1-3 percent where low-fare competition is strong, but could be up 3-4 percent in Asia. In the U.S., the typical business fare is expected to rise by 1-3 percent and hotel corporate rates are forecast to go up as much as 3 percent. The interesting region to watch is Asia/Pacific where more low-cost carriers are gaining ground, and traffic is seeing strong increases, long-haul routes such as Dubai-Sydney and Singapore-New York. A new airport just opened in Guangzhou, China, and next year two more will open in Japan and Bangkok while Beijing will see an upgrade. Oct 18, 2004

Discount airline ATA eliminated 220 positions in a cost-cutting move a day after it said a pay cut accepted by flight attendants would not save enough money to ease its cash flow problems. Indianapolis-based ATA Holdings Corp. did not specify what jobs would be cut, but said the reductions would not include pilots, flight attendants, ramp agents or reservations agents. ATA, which flies to six Florida cities, said its business was hurt by the hurricanes that struck that state in August and September. The ATA job cuts represent about 3 percent of the company's work force. The new job cuts follow an announcement last week that that ATA would lay off 156 employees, including 150 flight attendants, beginning Oct. 31 2004. The airline, the nation's 10th largest, blamed those layoffs on a seasonal business slowdown. Oct 21, 2004

British Airways has taken delivery of the first of seven Airbus A321s that it will operate, adding to the A319s and A320s that it is already flying. The Airbus A321s will operate on European routes offering 183 passengers in a two class layout. BA became an Airbus operator in 1988 when it took over the existing British Caledonian Airbus A320 fleet and added A319s to its fleet in 1999. Its franchise operators British Mediterranean Airways and GB Airways both have all-Airbus fleets that include five A321s. http://www.ba.com Oct 18, 2004

Continental intends on ending interline ticketing and baggage-handling agreements it has with 20 airlines in an effort to move toward paperless travel. The termination with those carriers that are not able to offer electronic tickets will occur on Nov. 15 2004. Continental has already done so with 90 other airlines. The U.S. airline, like many other domestic carriers, have targeted Dec. 31 as the date to be paperless, which is ahead of the IATA deadline. Oct 18, 2004