Issue #15 -- October 1, 1998
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Northwest Bonus for Online Bookings
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In yet another testament to the growth and importance of the Internet as a prominent (and cost-effective) channel of distribution, Northwest has upgraded its website with new features and capabilities designed to facilitate and expand customers' ability to complete their travel plans.
With the latest version, Northwest and KLM customers can now redeem discount certificates and other offers online. Additionally booking capability to customers in Japan, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the UK, and Germany has been expanded.
To publicize the upgrade, Northwest is offering 2,000 WorldPerks bonus miles to all U.S., Canadian and Japanese customers who book and purchase their tickets online between now and October 15. Those who book online between October 16 and December 31 will earn 1,000 WorldPerks bonus miles.
>> More <<
Northwest's upgraded site for complete details and to purchase tickets
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InvestorMiles from Northwest
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Warburg Pincus Asset Management, Inc. and Northwest Airlines have entered into an exclusive agreement to create and market mutual funds with, you guessed it, a mileage component.
The program, launched nationwide on October 1, is called WorldPerks InvestorMiles. Participating investors will earn one Northwest WorldPerks bonus mile for every $4 invested on an annual basis in selected Warburg Pincus mutual funds. In addition, the each investor can earn up to 1,200 additional bonus miles when a new account is opened during the first six months of the program introduction (200 miles per month).
Warburg Pincus Asset Management is initially offering two money market funds, designed to offer money market yields with a stable $1 share price, as part of WorldPerks InvestorMiles. These two funds are: 1) Warburg Pincus WorldPerks Money Market Fund, and 2) Warburg Pincus WorldPerks Tax Free Money Market Fund. The two funds will operate like traditional money market funds, which permit investors to write checks and add to their account by using an Automatic Monthly Investment Plan, with the added benefit of accruing WorldPerks miles.
Unlike some other frequent-flyer programs tied to financial products, the Warburg Pincus WorldPerks InvestorMiles Program does not limit the number of miles an investor can earn per year.
The program is only available to investors directly through Warburg Pincus, with a minimum initial investment of $5,000. The minimum subsequent investment to add to the account is $100. Mileage accrued will be credited on a monthly basis to the investor's Northwest WorldPerks account. A WorldPerks account must be opened by the time of the initial investment.
>> More <<
Information about the program will be available through the Warburg Pincus website, the Northwest Airlines website, or by calling 800-WARBURG (800-927-2874).
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Avis Offers Triple Miles
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Avis Rent a Car has a deal for fall travelers: triple airline miles or hotel points from October 1 through December 15, 1998. Miles can be earned in the following programs: American Airlines, Continental, Alaska Airlines, America West, United, Delta, Reno Air, Hilton, Hyatt, and Best Western.
To qualify for the triple-mile offer, travelers rent a car for two or more days between October 1 and December 15, 1998. Rentals must span a Saturday night, and can last for no more than two weeks. Check the Avis website for terms and conditions.
>> More <<
Avis online
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AirTran Online Fare Sale, Bonuses
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AirTran is holding its first Internet-exclusive sale, with special fares available only through the AirTran website. Tickets are available for purchase through the AirTran website from September 29 through October 4, 1998, with no advance purchase required. Fares are valid for travel from October 3 through December 16, 1998.
The special Internet fares range from $39 to $69, one-way, and do not require a roundtrip purchase. Fares are not valid on Sunday, Monday and Friday, but may be combined with regular fares to complete an itinerary. These fares will not be available for travel during the Thanksgiving travel crush, from November 24 through November 30, 1998.
Following are samples of the discounted fares available:
Atlanta and Washington, DC (Dulles) -- $59 (one-way)
Boston and Fort Lauderdale -- $69 (one-way)
Raleigh and Tampa -- $69 (one-way)
From now until October 31, all reservations made through the AirTran website will earn double flight credits in AirTran's A-Plus Rewards program.
Restrictions: All fares must be purchased on AirTran's website only. All fares are one-way. All fares are non-refundable. Tickets must be purchased by October 4, 1998. No advance purchase required. Travel using these fares is valid from October 3, 1998 to December 16, 1998. Travel is blacked out November 24, 1998 through November 30, 1998. Travel is not valid on Sundays, Mondays and Fridays. Seats are limited, subject to availability and may not be available on all flights. Changes are subject to a $45 fee plus any applicable increase in airfare. Passenger Facility Charges of up to $12 are not included. Fares and schedules are subject to change without notice.
What this is NOT is the familiar this-weekend-only Internet fare sale. Absent, notably, from the usual catalogue of restrictions is the one limiting travel to departures THIS Friday or Saturday, with returns on the following Monday or Tuesday. In other words, these are much more user-friendly than most last-minute fare sales we see on the Internet these days.
>> More <<
The AirTran website
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Delta Matches AirTran Offer
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Within a few days of AirTran's online sales announcement (above), Delta weighed in with its competitive response. Predictably, the counteroffer is essentially AirTran's offer, recast in Delta's colors. The single notable difference is that Delta's fares are available only for roundtrip travel, while AirTran's are available for one-ways. For some, this extra bit of flexibility may be a tie-breaker.
Customers who wish to purchase Delta's Internet sale fares click on the SkyLinks home page ticker tape, "Click here for special online savings." As with the AirTran offer, Delta's Internet sale fares are available for travel between October 3, 1998 and December 16, 1998.
Also in keeping with AirTran, members of Delta's SkyMiles program making reservations through the SkyLinks Reservations Desk and using electronic ticketing can earn up to 1,000 bonus SkyMiles. First, they earn 500 bonus miles for each round-trip ticket booked and traveled (250 miles for one way). Plus, travelers who use electronic ticketing while making reservations through the Delta web site will receive an additional 500 bonus miles for each round-trip ticket booked and traveled (250 for one way). The SkyMiles bonus miles offer is valid for bookings and travel through February 28, 1999. Sample fares:
Atlanta - Knoxville $78
Atlanta - Raleigh/Durham $90
Atlanta - Fort Lauderdale $98
Atlanta - Fort Myers
Atlanta - Norfolk
Atlanta - Richmond
Atlanta - Tampa
Atlanta - Philadelphia $118
Atlanta - Washington D.C.
Knoxville - Tampa
Atlanta - Boston $138
Boston - Fort Lauderdale
Boston - Fort Myers
Boston - Savannah
Fort Lauderdale - Knoxville
Fort Lauderdale - Raleigh/Durham
Fort Myers - Knoxville
Fort Myers - Raleigh/Durham
Raleigh/Durham - Tampa
Restrictions, including blackout dates and day-of-week availability mirror AirTran's.
>> More <<
Delta's website
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Marriott + Visa = Bonus
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Marriott Rewards members will earn 5,000 extra bonus points when they use a Visa card to pay for three eligible stays between October 1, 1998, and January 31, 1999. Two more stays during the offer period will earn 10,000 more points--that's a total of 15,000 points, enough for a free night at a Courtyard or Fairfield Inn by Marriott. In addition, 10,000 points can be exchanged for 2,000 miles on any Marriott airline partner.
>> More <<
To join the Marriott Rewards program, call 1-800-249-0800 or enroll online
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American and Finnair to be Twosome
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American Airlines and Finnair have entered into a marketing agreement that includes reciprocal frequent flyer program participation, codesharing on some transatlantic flights and Finnair moving into American's terminal at New York Kennedy. The programs will be effective April 1, 1999.
Under the frequent flyer agreement, members of American's AAdvantage program will be able to earn mileage credit and redeem travel awards on Finnair flights, while members of Finnair's Plus program will be able to do the same on American flights.
Although no announcement has been made, past practices would suggest that AAdvantage members will be offered double miles for Finnair flights for an introductory two- or three-month period after the agreement goes into effect.
At this point, the agreement stops short of including Finnair in the Oneworld group of airlines, led by American and British Airways.
>> More <<
o American
o Finnair
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Cheap Flights x2
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1Travel.com and Flifo, two of the web's more visible discount travel sites, will merge. The new company will be known as 1Travel.com and will offer consumers expanded search and booking capabilities in world-wide discounted travel transactions.
The new 1Travel will feature a search engine designed to find the lowest scheduled international and domestic fares, providing customers with the best possible pricing on airline tickets. Discounts on hotel reservations, car rentals, cruises, and tour packages will also be available, as well as last-minute travel values.
>> More <<
o 1Travel
o Flifo
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Online Travel Transactions Surge
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New findings from the American Internet User Survey confirm that Internet users are moving beyond purchasing computers and software and using the Internet to shop for more mainstream products. The research concludes that the number of Internet users purchasing travel, music, clothing, electronics, and autos increased more than 200% from the same time last year.
According to survey results, two factors are driving consumer commerce: the increasing number of experienced users and more women online.
Breakdown of the fastest growing online products:
Number of Annualized
Purchasers Annual
Industry (in millions) Growth
Travel 3.4 302%
Music 3.3 269%
Clothing 1.7 250%
Autos .5 216%
Consumer Electronics 1.9 205%
The American Internet User Survey is a comprehensive overview of Internet users and potential users. Updated twice a year, the survey covers such topics as business vs. personal use, online commerce, ISP trends, content preferences and in-depth user demographics. Survey results are based on in-depth interviews with 1,000 Internet users and 1000 non-users. The survey was fielded July 1998 and data is accurate within +/- 3.1% at the 95% confidence level.
>> More <<
Website
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Double Alaska Miles for Canada Flights
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Between now and December 15, 1998, Alaska Airlines is offering double miles for any flight to or from Vancouver. In addition, Alaska's partner Horizon Air is offering double Mileage Plan miles for trips to and from all Canadian cities served by Horizon, including Calgary and Edmonton.
>> More <<
Alaska's site
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500 Asiana Miles
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If you're a member of Asiana's Bonus Club program, the airline wants YOUR e-mail address, and they'll give you 500 bonus miles to get it.
Asiana plans to begin distributing its newsletter electronically, and is collecting passenger e-mail addresses to expedite the change. You can register your e-mail address online at Asiana's Web site.
>> More <<
Asiana online
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"October In Ireland"
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Aer Lingus, the national airline of Ireland, has announced a four-day "October In Ireland" package, priced at $499 departing from New York and Boston to Shannon.
The program, which operates through October 29, 1998, includes roundtrip air fare, hotel accommodations with full Irish breakfast and a rental car. Travelers must depart New York or Boston on Thursday and return the following Monday.
The package focuses on the west of Ireland, and features three-star hotels selected in County Clare and Limerick City, such as the Queen's Hotel, Two Mile Inn and the Hydro. A three-day Avis car rental is included.
It's available to travelers flying from New York's Kennedy International Airport or Newark International Airport and from Boston's Logan International Airport.
Reservations must be made by October 22.
(Not to worry... you can take advantage of this offer even if you choose not to choke down the full Irish breakfast.)
>> More <<
o Air Lingus online
o For information or to make reservations, contact Aer Lingus at 800-IRISH-AIR (800-474-7424).
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E-ticketing Goes Global
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American Airlines is set to become the first airline to make electronic ticketing available throughout its entire worldwide system. The expansion will bring electronic ticketing to all 44 countries served by American and its regional airline affiliate, American Eagle.
New electronic ticketing markets available beginning October 15 include Japan, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and all of Central and South America. American already offers electronic ticketing within the United States, including San Juan and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and all of its European markets.
In the United States, electronic tickets may be booked through American, through travel agents, or on American's AA.com website. International customers outside the United States can purchase electronic tickets directly from American. The airline said it is actively working on system enhancements that will allow travel agents in international cities to book electronic tickets in the future.
>> More <<
American's website
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PAL Bows Out
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Last week's Crier included a brief report on the demise of Philippine Airlines, a victim of the economic slowdown in Asia and dissent among the carrier's labor groups. That report has been expanded upon, and can be found on The FFP Site.
>> More <<
o More coverage of the shutdown
o The Pal website (still online as of October 1)
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American Gets Scary
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American Airlines has a Halloween season treat for passengers who enjoy suspense movies. The airline is showing a selection of movies by Alfred Hitchcock throughout the month of October.
American will feature the Hitchcock classic "Spellbound" on many domestic eastbound flights throughout the month. In addition, "Spellbound" and four other Hitchcock thrillers -- "The Birds," "North by Northwest," "Stage Fright," and "Vertigo" -- are being offered to first-class passengers as a personal video selection on many flights. Another Hitchcock thriller, "Dial M for Murder," is being offered as a choice on American flights offering multi-video channels in markets such as New York to London, Boston to London, and Boston to Paris.
Kudos to American for bringing some imagination to bear in the increasingly undifferentiated world of travel.
Credit having been given where it's due, American's spooky movie initiative raises a more general question: are scary (or otherwise "thrilling") movies appropriate for inflight viewing?
It first occurred to me to raise the question on a particularly storm-bashed flight between Los Angeles and New York. It was a full flight, so you had the stress of claustrophobia. A long flight, so discomfort, fear and frustration had plenty of time to build. So bumpy even the flight attendants were rattled. The film being shown: Ride, the heart of which is a gut-wrenchingly intense 45-minute sequence involving an explosives-laden bus being driven at high speed by an hysterical woman. I, for one, felt positively tortured.
So, with all respect to Hitchcock, aren't airline passengers sufficiently adrenalated by the normal rigors of travel, without being subjected to yet another dose of fight-or-flight stimulus? I know I am.
Boo!
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