Issue #35 -- March 11, 1999
** CONTENTS **
SRS Hotels Offers United, Varig Bonus Miles ~ American Adds Aerolineas Argentina as AAdvantage Partner ~ Mileage Plus Opens New Customer Service Centers ~ ATA Companion Sale ~ Free CD ROM for Thrifty Rentals in Canada ~ Congress Debates Passenger Rights Bills ~ Airline Group Pledges Better Service ~ Business Travel Group Wants to Legislate ~ America West Strike Update ~ United to Relocate Headquarters ~ Reader Rants & Raves ~ Tai Chi for Free
<< M I L E S >>
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SRS Hotels Offers United, Varig Miles
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SRS-Worldhotels, a portfolio of more than 360 hotels and resorts worldwide, is offering bonus frequent flyer miles for members of United Airlines Mileage Plus and Varig Smiles, the frequent flyer program for Varig Brazilian Airlines, who stay at participating SRS hotels at a qualifying rate.
You can rack up as much as 1,000 miles per night with the promotion. Meeting planners can also participate, by planning their next meeting at a participating SRS property. The standard mileage bonus is 500 miles per qualifying stay with both airlines' frequent flyer programs (as well as Lufthansa's Miles & More). The current special promotions are as follows:
>> Earn 500 United Airlines Mileage Plus Miles Nightly
From now until March 31, 1999, 11 participating SRS hotels in China and Hong Kong are offering 500 bonus miles nightly. Guests staying at Pan Pacific Hotels in Asia, USA and Canada from now until April 30, 1999 will also receive 500 bonus miles each night.
>> Earn Bonus Miles for Varig Smiles and/or United Airlines Mileage Plus Programs
From now until April 15, 1999, nearly 90 participating SRS properties worldwide are offering awards of 1,000 to 5,000 miles depending on the length of stay. Guests can earn 1,000 miles for a one or two night stay; 1,500 miles for a three or four night stay and 5,000 miles for five or more nights. Also, a bonus 1,000 miles will be awarded after every third stay from now until June 30, 1999.
>> Meeting Planner Miles
Meeting planners who book and conduct meetings of at least 20 room nights at qualifying rates from now until December 31, 1999 will earn 10,000 miles toward either the Varig Smiles or United Airlines Mileage Plus frequent flyer programs. A bonus 10,000 miles will be awarded after holding a third meeting. Planners can choose from 90 participating hotels worldwide.
In addition to the mileage offers, travelers staying at SRS-Worldhotels receive added perks if they are Mileage Plus Premier, Premier Executive and Premier Executive 1k travelers, with free room upgrades to suites, based on availability. Members of Lufthansa Miles & More also enjoy special services when they stay at any SRS property. These include waiting list priority, early check-in and/or late check-out on request, and an upgrade to the next highest room category, when available.
>> More <<
website
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American, Aerolineas Link Frequent Flyer Programs
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American Airlines has entered into a reciprocal frequent flyer program with Aerolineas Argentina and its affiliate, Austral Lineas Aereas.
American Airlines AAdvantage members may earn mileage and claim awards for Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral Lineas Aereas flights. Members of Aerolineas Plus will be able to earn mileage and claim awards on all American Airlines and American Eagle flights. The program became effective March 8.
Aerolineas Argentinas serves Buenos Aires from Miami and New York, and with its affiliate Austral serves 34 destinations within Argentina, including Cordoba, San Carlos de Bariloche and Iguazu. Aerolineas also serves 25 international destinations from Argentina, including Asuncion, Paraguay; Porto Alegre, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; La Paz and Santa Cruz, Bolivia; and Montevideo, Uruguay.
>> More <<
o American online
o Aerolineas online
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United's Mileage Plus Adds Service Centers
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Beginning this summer, United Airlines' wholly owned subsidiary, Mileage Plus, Inc. (MPI), will open two new Mileage Plus service centers in West Virginia -- one in the Charleston area and one in the Huntington area. These facilities will employ a total of 670 customer service representatives and management staff, the majority of whom will be from surrounding communities. When fully staffed, the offices will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, and they will handle approximately 7 million calls per year.
MPI had not yet started recruiting employees for the new offices. MPI is planning to hold job fairs in late April or early May. It will also place advertisements as it begins the recruiting process.
Mileage Plus, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Airlines. MPI currently has customer service centers in Rapid City, S.D., and Tucson, Ariz., and it is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.
>> More <<
United online
<< S T E A L S & D E A L S >>
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ATA Companion Fares
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ATA (American Trans Air) is having a Companion Fare Sale.
Travelers can purchase a ticket at ATA's one-way, off-peak fare and receive another one-way ticket for the same flight for $59.00. The one-way, peak Companion Fare is $79. The tickets must be purchased by March 22, 1999 and are valid for travel between April 13th and June 17th, 1999.
Example #1: buy a ticket for $90 from Indianapolis to Orlando and the companion flies along on the same flight for $59.
Example #2: buy a ticket for $118 from New York to Dallas and the companion flies along for $59.
Example #3: buy a ticket for $139 from Denver to Chicago and the companion can fly on the same flight for $59.
* Companion fares are one way, off peak and must be purchased with selected off-peak, one-way fares. Fares are not readily available for travel during Spring Break and other high volume travel periods. Companion fares must be purchased at the same time as the regular fare ticket and for the same flight. Fares are valid for travel to and/or from any continental U.S. destination except Philadelphia. Tickets are non-refundable and do not include segment fees and passenger facility charges. $59 fare typically applies to Tuesday or Wednesday travel. $79 companion fare available for all other travel days.
>> More <<
ATA online
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Thrifty Offer for Canada Rentals
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Thrifty Car Rental customers who rent two days or longer at participating locations in Canada will receive one free Rand McNally TripMaker CD-ROM.
The offer is valid on standard or corporate rates through March 31, 1999, and cannot be combined with any other promotional rate or offer. Customers are eligible to receive one CD-ROM per car rental while supplies last.
Rand McNally's TripMaker, with a retail value of $40, provides users with detailed information on the best route to take given the traveler's origin and destination anywhere in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It provides the user with street names and "turn right"/"turn left" directions, and will even suggest sites to see along the way.
>> More <<
Thrifty's website
<< I N D U S T R Y N E W S >>
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Legislators Debate Airline Regulation
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As you've read here, there and everywhere, "airline service" is in danger of becoming an oxymoron. The litany of complaints is well known: full airplanes, lousy meals, uncomfortable seats, indifferent service, uncompetitive prices in smaller markets, nonexistent award seats for frequent flyer program members. Meanwhile, the airlines post record profits.
Passengers, including members of Congress, are angry. And legislation is in the works.
The DOT received 26% more airline-related complaints in 1998 than in the previous year. And during January 1999, complaints surged 87% over the year-ago period. (January 3rd was the infamous day Northwest "held hostage"--according to thousands of customers who have filed a class action suite seeking redress--passengers attempting to depart from, or arrive at, Detroit Metro Airport during a snowstorm.)
As you would expect, both sides in the debate (basically the airlines on one side, versus everyone else, often including their own employees, on the other) are making their cases to Congress, and to the public at large.
The airlines argue that (a) they do their best to deliver high levels of customer service, but their efforts are often undermined by nature (snowstorms, fog, etc.) and labor unions (strikes, sickouts, etc.); and (b), whatever the state of airline customer service, increased federal regulation of the airlines will increase operating expenses and, ultimately, ticket prices... which would be a disservice to the traveling public.
In most industries (viz. less capital-intensive ones), the free-market system holds companies accountable for their customer service lapses: enterprises that consistently provide substandard value lose their customer franchises and, ultimately, declare bankruptcy. In the case of the airline industry, the "invisible hand" seems unable to exercise the necessary discipline. Because of the current supply-demand situation, and the financial and marketing hurdles faced by would-be new airlines, the incumbent airlines have been able to ignore the complaints of their customers and not only remain in business, but remain profitable as well.
Which is to say that, in the case of the airlines, some degree of regulation, over and above the "implicit" discipline imposed by the marketplace, seems in order.
In the next few weeks, you will be hearing more about the airline passenger "bill of rights"-type legislation being debated in both the House and Senate. For now, following are public policy statements for and against the pending bills. (These are essentially unedited press releases, sent to government representatives, the media and other opinion-influencers, by organizations whose interests you can easily infer.)
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Airline Trade Group Commits to Service
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In Congressional testimony released today, the Air Transport Association (ATA) reaffirmed the commitment of the nation's airlines to passenger service saying that they are always "eager to work" with Congress and the Administration to improve the quality of airline service.
"We understand the frustrations passengers experience from time to time with weather and other factors. The airlines share some of those same frustrations," wrote ATA President Carol Hallett in testimony she will deliver before the Senate Commerce Committee on March 11, 1999. "We all share the same objective of providing the highest quality service to our passengers... satisfied customers are the heart of our industry."
In her testimony, Hallett discusses governmental concern over passenger service and outlines steps airlines are taking to reaffirm their commitment to customer service:
* Airlines will provide timely and accurate information concerning flight delays and cancellations to the extent that such information is reasonably available.
* Airlines reaffirm that passengers should expect to be accommodated on flights for which they have a confirmed reservation, a valid ticket and have adhered to airline policies.
* Airlines will quote passengers the lowest fare available for which they qualify.
* Airlines who transport unaccompanied minors will have appropriate supervision available.
* Airlines are committed to providing passengers with information on the privileges and redemption requirements of carrier's frequent flyer programs.
* Airlines reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that passengers receive their luggage in a timely manner and that they provide their customers with prompt information concerning lost or misrouted baggage insofar as such information is available.
"The American public deserves safe, convenient and reliable air service," continued Hallett. "Airlines fully accept responsibility for service failures within their control and make every reasonable effort to plan for and manage failures outside of their control. We are committed to ensuring that the lifeline of our industry, our customers, are satisfied to the best of our abilities."
ATA is the nation's oldest and largest airline trade association. Its 23 U.S. and five foreign flag member airlines carry over 95% of all the passenger and cargo traffic in the United States.
>> More <<
Air Transport Association online
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Business Travel Association Wants Legislation
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The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) applauds President Clinton and Vice President Gore for the introduction of the Airline Passenger Fair Treatment Initiative.
"In the past several years, we have witnessed the growing phenomenon of consumer rage toward the airline industry, a trend brought forward by a combination of pricing and service dynamics," said Mark Johnson, president of the National Business Travel Association.
"Over 200 million business trips were taken in the past year, representing over 45 million individual business travelers," continued Johnson. "At the current rate of growth, there is a great need to ensure that these travelers are supported by an efficient national transportation system within a consumer-focused environment."
"At a time when airfares, especially business airfares, continue to rise at meteoric pace, it is essential that action is taken to ensure that all the passengers and businesses have access to all-and accurate-information," stated Johnson.
"We strongly believe that incentives to increase service, safety and consumer rights must be created within a free market context that support the pro-active development of consumer-focused programs," stated Johnson, "We believe that reforms to the system are greatly needed and and we support proposed solutions that will enhance airline competition and won't come with a larger price tag for air travel."
"The Administration's approach could be easily integrated into the current operations of airline carriers and will enable consumers access to accurate information regarding areas of service and the quality of that service," continued Johnson. "Moreover, we believe its intent to empower consumers with enhanced information will bring a new level of consumer choice to air travel and support the continued movement towards airline competition."
"NBTA would hope that the rising movement towards passenger rights will encourage the nation's air carriers to move forward to address consumer rights from an industry perspective that undergirds innovation and the development of new passenger-centered business models," said Johnson. "As the nation's largest organization dedicated to representing American corporations' interest in business travel, NBTA's goal is to enhance the ability of corporations and their business travelers to operate within an air transportation system that supports pricing and service equities," continued Johnson. "American corporations are increasingly alarmed by the high cost of business travel and growing lack of confidence within the air travel system."
The National Business Travel Association serves over 1,900 American companies with collective travel budgets representing over 1/3 of the $175 billion spent annually on business travel.
"NBTA's position statement underscores the organization's strong belief in the interplay of free market forces. We do not advocate a return to re-regulation of the industry," continued Johnson. "In this regard, we believe that the Administration's initiative could create and sustain a structure the supports consumers and enhances the protection of their rights."
"NBTA applauds the Administration's willingness to address this important issue and we remain hopeful that the nation's air carrier industry -- including every segment of the marketplace -- will embrace the positive intent of this initiative and create new programs that enhance service and ensure that travel is conducted in a safe and efficient manner," continued Johnson.
The National Business Travel Association represents over 2,200 corporate travel managers and travel service providers. NBTA members manage and direct more than $65 billion of annual expenditures within the business travel industry. NBTA is committed to the professional development of its members and is the source for critical information on the business travel industry.
>> More <<
National Business Travel Association online
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Trip.com Adds Private Jets to Product Line
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TRIP.com, an Internet travel and information service, this week announced a new partnership with Skyjet.com that allows business travelers to price and book charter jets online and in real time. The arrangement will allow travelers to book commercial and corporate aircraft with the click of a mouse.
"Our new partnership with Skyjet.com extends our service capabilities even farther," said Antoine Toffa, president and CEO of TRIP.com. "Now not only can our business travelers take advantage of our complete offering of travel tools and services, but they can go one step further and enjoy luxury perks like traveling to and from corporate jets. And what's most interesting of all is that in some cases the rates for these fleets can meet or beat commercial airfare offerings. Business travelers certainly deserve this 'star treatment'."
Skyjet.com is the first nationwide system for scheduling, pricing and reserving air charter over the Internet. With has a nationwide network of 300 jets, and features the ability to make one way, round trip and multi-leg reservations. In addition, Skyjet.com features special one-way special fares, often available at substantial discounts. Corporate customers can enter preferred operators which are displayed with a preferred symbol.
>> More <<
o Trip.com
o Skyjet.com
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At America West, Negotiation Time Running Out
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The government-mandated cooling-off period between America West and its flight attendants' union will expire at 10:01 p.m. on March 19.
If no agreement has been reached by then, the flight attendants are free to strike the airline. More likely, according to union leaders: the 2400 America West flight attendants will conduct random work stoppages. For its part, the airline has indicated it may simply discontinue operations completely until an agreement is reached.
Negotiations will resume on Tuesday or Wednesday next week, giving the two sides only a couple of days to reach accord on such issues as salary, bonuses, and work rules.
The real losers: travelers, who will be delayed and inconvenienced because of the inability of management and labor to maturely resolve their differences.
If you're booked on America West on or after March 19, you should at the very least be aware of the possibility of having your trip disrupted. If it were me, I'd simply make other arrangements, NOW, even if it means a less direct flight or a higher fare.
>> More <<
America West
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United Will Move HQ to Airport
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United Airlines announced this week that it expects to "come home" to the city of Chicago with plans for a new Corporate Headquarters office development on vacant land at O'Hare International Airport.
United plans to build a 250,000 square-foot facility that will include corporate offices and parking on land near the corner of Mannheim Road and Higgins, site of the former military base. The company will lease approximately 30 acres of land at the site, with an option for a further 50 acres.
United will initially base 800 people at the new building, including a number of its senior officers. The company will retain its "campus" in Elk Grove Township, which is currently operating well above its planned capacity. The company estimates that it will take between two and three years to design and build the new facility, dependent on site preparation work and environmental approvals. It has already begun the planning process and is working on initial design concepts. United's option on additional land will allow it to develop the site to accommodate additional employees, should it decide to do so in the future.
According to United CEO Greenwald: "As the largest carrier to serve O'Hare and as the city's "hometown" airline, I can think of no more appropriate site for this Corporate Headquarters than on City of Chicago land at O'Hare. Our current campus was designed in the 1950s for 2,500 people, but we now have more than 3,500 employees based there. That is a compelling reason why we are moving forward with these plans."
Prior to its move to Elk Grove Township almost 40 years ago, United was based on City land at Midway Airport. The airline has had a major presence in Chicago for more than 70 years.
>> More <<
United's website
<< M I S C E L L A N Y >>
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Tai Chi, for Free
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Due to popular demand, the Hong Kong Tourist Association has extended free tai chi lessons available to international visitors in the city until December this year. The lessons, guided by a tai chi master, take place every day from 7.15am-8.15am in Tsim Sha Tsui, in the children's playground located next door to the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers.
>> More <<
The Hong Kong Tourist Association
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Reader Rants & Raves
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Blast! I didn't figure it out in time for my purchase, but since this is prime DisneyWorld season, perhaps others could be informed:
You can buy Disney Theme park tickets on-line and get ClickRewards points plus your credit card mileage points. That's around 500 miles for each park pass (7-day adult pass is $290, 290 ClickRewards + 290 charge miles = 580 miles).
S.C.
Until next week...
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