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SKYGUIDE E-ALERT 12/15/03
Welcome to SKYGUIDE E-ALERT for the week of December 15, the weekly e-mail of essential business travel news!
To subscribe to the e-Alert, click here.
New York JFK starts AirTrain link this week
Cleveland's airport gets new retail outlets
Mesaba/Northwest Airlink pilots set January 10 strike date
Southwest service plan from Philadelphia includes six cities
Frontier offers free elite status to other programs' members
US Airways stops selling tickets through Expedia
America West brings ads to aircraft tray tables
AIRPORTS
New York JFK starts AirTrain link this week
After five years of development and $1.9 billion in spending, the New York-New Jersey Port Authority on December 17 will cut the ribbon on its new AirTrain rail system for New York's Kennedy International Airport. Called AirTrain JFK, the new service will provide free transportation between JFK's passenger terminals, and from the terminals to long-term parking and car rental lots. For $5, passengers will be able to travel between the airport and two connecting points to other transportation: the Howard Beach and Jamaica stations, where they can transfer to the A, E, J and Z subway lines, Long Island Rail Road trains, and bus service.
Port Authority officials said that with the new AirTrain, connecting service between Penn Station in Manhattan and the airport terminals will take less than 45 minutes. One big beneficiary of the trains will certainly be JetBlue Airways, whose price-sensitive passengers will now have an inexpensive alternative to the $45-$50 cab ride or the inconvenient bus service between Manhattan and JFK. For more information, go to www.airtrainjfk.com.
Cleveland's airport gets new retail outlets
At Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, HMSHost Corporation said it is teaming up with local concessionaire partners to bring several new retail outlets to the airport's mall, including Cleveland Emporium, selling sports merchandise, foods from West Side Market, and Cleveland-themed clothing; a Roots clothing store; Brookstone specialty merchandise store; an Erwin Pearl jewelry store; a Ben & Jerry's ice cream outlet; and, of course, a Starbucks. HMSHost said it also plans to add two Starbucks outlets on the airport's ticketing level.
AIRLINES
Mesaba/Northwest Airlink pilots set January 10 strike date
Passengers who use Mesaba Airlines, the provider of Northwest Airlink service to 114 cities from Northwest's hubs at Minneapolis, Detroit and Memphis, better start watching their local newspapers for the latest developments if they plan to fly after January 10. That's the date Mesaba's pilots have set for a possible strike if they don't have a new contract from the airline by then. The pilots' union said last week that the National Mediation Board had exhausted efforts to broker a settlement, starting the clock ticking on a 30-day cooling off period before the union is free to walk off the job. The union said about half of Mesaba's 844 pilots earn less than $35,000 a year for full-time work.
Southwest service plan from Philadelphia includes six cities
Southwest Airlines unveiled more information last week about its previously announced plans to begin operations at Philadelphia International Airport on May 9. Specifically, the low-cost leader said that its new PHL operation will include non-stop service to six destinations: Chicago Midway, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence and Tampa Bay. The airline did not yet announce what its fares will be on the Philadelphia routes, except to say that they will be "drastically lower" than those available on other airlines, and that its system-wide fare cap of $299 one-way will apply for Philadelphia.
Frontier offers free elite status to other programs' members
Matching a recent move by AirTran, Denver-based Frontier Airlines said last week it will offer automatic elite-level membership in its EarlyReturns frequent flyer program to anyone who currently holds elite status in another airline's frequency plan. Achieving Frontier's Ascent status usually requires flying 15,000 miles on the airline. Ascent-level members can use Frontier's DirecTV service for free; they also get priority check-in and boarding, priority security screening lines, and preferred seat assignments online.
US Airways stops selling tickets through Expedia
In a pricing dispute, US Airways has halted the sale of its tickets through online mega-travel agency Expedia--and took out full-page newspaper ads to tell people about it. US Airways tickets already purchased through the web site are not affected. The airline said it made the decision to pull out of Expedia after the travel company raised its booking fee on US Airways tickets from $5 to $8.99, even though it left the fee at $5 for other carriers. US Airways said customers who need assistance with tickets issued through Expedia should call the airline's reservations desk at 800-428-4322.
America West brings ads to aircraft tray tables
After December 15, passengers on America West Airlines will no longer see a blank surface when they lower their tray tables. Instead, they'll see advertisements for Mercedes-Benz, Bank of America or the History Channel. The airline has teamed up with Las Vegas-based SkyMedia International to become the launch customer for SkyMedia's tray table ad concept. Airline officials promise the ads will be "high-quality" and "aesthetically pleasing."
AIR ROUTES
ATLANTA (ATL). Delta begins Saturday-only non-stop 737 service from Atlanta to Steamboat/Hayden, Colorado on December 20, continuing through April 4.
BOSTON (BOS). On December 15, American Airlines will increase service on its Boston-Los Angeles route from three flights a day to four. ON the same date, American will boost Boston-St. Thomas service from three days a week to five, and Boston-Santo Domingo operations from five days a week to daily service.
CHICAGO O'HARE (ORD). American Airlines begins seasonal daily ski service December 15 between O'Hare and Steamboat Springs, Eagle/Vail and Montrose, Colorado; and between O'Hare and Jackson, Wyo., all continuing through April 4. On December 20, United Airlines launches once-a-week Saturday service between O'Hare and Grand Cayman.
HONOLULU (HNL). On December 16, Aloha Airlines launches a new route between Honolulu and Pago Pago, American Samoa, operating twice a week with a 737-700. The flight continues on to Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
HOUSTON BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL (IAH). Continental Express on December 17 begins daily non-stop service between its Houston hub and Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico, with 50-seat regional jets.
LAS VEGAS (LAS). America West Airlines adds a new spoke to its Las Vegas hub on December with the addition of one daily roundtrip between Las Vegas and Des Moines, Iowa.
LOS ANGELES (LAX). On December 19, American Airlines will begin non-stop 767 service between LAX and San Juan, Puerto Rico, operating eastbound Fridays and Saturdays, westbound Saturdays and Sundays.
MIAMI (MIA). On December 18, Continental Connection/Cape Air launches service between Miami and Naples, Fla., with eight daily roundtrips.
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (MSP). Northwest Airlines set a December 17 start-up for daily non-stops between MSP and Honolulu, using a DC-10; Northwest said this service replaces its Los Angeles-Honolulu flights.
NEW YORK KENNEDY (JFK). American Airlines on December 15 begins seasonal winter service between JFK and San Jose, Costa Rica, operating four days a week with a 757. On December 19, American will add seasonal 757 flights to Caracas from JFK three times a week. And on December 20, American begins once-a-week seasonal non-stops from JFK to both La Romana, Dominican Republic; and to Grand Cayman. Both those flights will operate on Saturdays.
NEWARK (EWR). On December 17, Continental Express will launch daily regional jet non-stops between Newark and Freeport, Bahamas. On December 18, Continental plans to begin Newark-Barbados 737 non-stops four days a week.
PHILADELPHIA (PHL). US Airways has started weekly Saturday service between Philadelphia and Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos, using an A320.
SALT LAKE CITY (SLC). New daily Delta Air Lines 737 service between Salt Lake City and Steamboat/Hayden, Colorado starts December 18 and continues through April 4.
SAN FRANCISCO (SFO). Starting December 19, America West Airlines adds the next phase of its new non-stop transcontinental service pattern, with new twice-daily service between San Francisco and New York Kennedy.
SEATTLE (SEA). Northwest Airlines on December 17 will supplement its existing Seattle-Honolulu service with new daily DC-10 non-stops between Seattle and Maui.
WASHINGTON DULLES (IAD). United Airlines on December 15 begins daily A320 non-stops between Dulles and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
DEALS AND SPECIAL OFFERS FOR BUSINESS TRAVELERS
In Fort Lauderdale, the Riverside Hotel (800-325-3280; www.riversidehotel.com) in the city's downtown Las Olas Boulevard district, has special rates starting at $99 a night from December 15 through December 30. Ask for the $99 special.
Through February 29, the Fairmont Washington D.C. (866-540-4505; www.fairmont.com) offers a third night free and complementary Town Car service throughout your stay to persons who book Fairmont Gold accommodations from $279 a night. The Fairmont Gold perks include continental breakfast, afternoon coffee and snack service, access to concierge service and the Fairmont Gold Lounge; free high-speed Internet access; and a free shoeshine and morning paper.
For links to other websites where you can search for bargains, click here: www.skyguideonline.com/reference/deals.html
By Jim Glab
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