Cost of travel rose more than other consumer goods in February, when the travel price index gained 2.1%, compared with 0.3% in the consumer price index. For several months, the cost of travel has lagged behind increases in other consumer spending. Leading the increase was a 5% jump in air fares from January and a 4.2% gain in lodging prices. Air fares are up 3.9% from February 1995. (More travel and tourism news following Page 510).
Hyatt Resorts Caribbean is offering a $99 air fare program between New York and the Caribbean when passengers pay for a five-night stay at the Hyatt Cerromar Beach or the Hyatt Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico, the Hyatt Regency St. John and the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman. The total Hyatt Air Promotion package starts at $575 per person and is good for stays from April 14 through Dec. 19.
Hawaiian Airlines has begun using CD-ROM technology on its interisland flights between Oahu and Maui, providing passengers with real-time flight data, destination information and inflight entertainment from overhead video screens. Hawaiian is testing the system on its Island Shuttle flights and plans to phase it into other interisland flights in the next four months. The videos include destination information presented by Hawaii residents. The system is being offered in cooperation with a partnership of Canadian Marconi Company and ASI Technology Pty Ltd.
Travelodge is offering an "11th Night Free Program" in the U.S., which has been available in Canada for the past three years. The company said its guests say the most valuable premium it can offer is a complimentary room night.
Transat A.T. of Montreal reported $138.6 million in revenues for the quarter ended Jan. 31, up from $121 million in the same period last year. At the same time, the Canadian travel and tourism company posted a net loss of $381,000, substantially narrowed from a net loss of $2.2 million last year. Despite difficult market conditions, Transat said its tour operator revenues were up 59% at Air Transat Holidays in Toronto, 33% at Vacances Air Transat Quebec, 24% at Air Transat Holidays in Vancouver, 155% at Vacances Air Transat in France and 24% at Nolitour in Montreal.
The U.S. and Japan hammered out an agreement yesterday ahead of their March 31 deadline and President Clinton's April 17 visit to Japan. Reached after five rounds of sometimes contentious talks begun last September, the accord expands rights for both nations' all-cargo operators and provides an opportunity for a new U.S. carrier. The U.S. also stressed that current treaty rights, such as Federal Express's beyond service, must continue to be honored.
National Car Rental/Interrent will offer customers who fly on Continental, Midwest Express, Northwest and United April 15-June 15 double air miles for renting at weekend leisure rates and triple miles for weekday leisure rates. American and USAir also are part of the program but do not require a flight in connection with the rental in order to earn miles. Agents booking the miles program will receive a 5% commission.
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) have introduced the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996 (S.1645), which will enable the U.S. to implement the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty signed five years ago. The protocol is to protect Antarctica, a fragile ecosystem, and designate it as a special conservation area. It also "acknowledges and addresses" the impact of an increasing number of tourists "whose presence is responsible for increasing environmental stress," Sen. Kerry said.
America West is turning a section of its Concourse A at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport into a driving range for parts of Sunday and Monday so that its passengers can take advantage of free hands-on instruction from golf pros. The lessons are to draw attention to FlightLink SkyGolf, a video game that is part of America West's new inflight entertainment system. FlightLink is installed on 71 aircraft and will be available on the entire fleet by summer.
House Transportation aviation subcommittee approved yesterday without amendment legislation (H.R.3159) to reauthorize the National Transportation Safety Board for three years. The bill adopts all NTSB recommendations for legislative changes except the proposal that Congress prohibit the use of NTSB reports as evidence in civil damage litigation (DAILY, March 7). Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.) plans to offer an amendment at full committee to raise authorized spending levels, and Rep.
American Society of Travel Agents will follow up on last year's first symposium on aiding the disabled traveler by launching an awareness campaign in cooperation with Hilton Hotels, Avis Rent-A-Car, Princess Cruises and America West.
Bankrupt Dutch aircraft maker Fokker still is talking about a way to continue aircraft production with South Korean Samsung, Saab of Sweden and the Russian aerospace companies Tupolev and Yakovlev. After Fokker declared bankruptcy March 15, a new Asian-Dutch combination also expressed interest, said Economic Affairs Minister Hans Wijers yesterday. Sources close to the negotiations said the Asian company involved is Taiwan Aerospace Corp. Five years ago, the partly state-owned, young-but-cash- rich company tried to buy a stake in McDonnell Douglas.
American Automobile Association (AAA) members saved $80 million in products and services through the Show Your Card&Save program in 1995. AAA is seeking new retail opportunities, possibly a national dining chain. The newest members are Busch Entertainment, including Sea World and Busch Gardens, and Amtrak. Aloha Airlines is the only airline member in the program.
Galileo International and Carlson Wagonlit Travel have signed an agreement to provide travel automation products in nine European markets. Under the plan, which has been negotiated for several months, Galileo will maintain its locations in Europe and form a strategic platform for future growth. Galileo said the two companies' offices "will now migrate all existing Galileo locations to a standard platform of Galileo's latest suite of travel agency tools, including Focalpoint 3.0 and Spectrum, the CD-ROM hotel mapping product."
Swissair will expand its flying this summer with new or return flights to Riga, Vilnius, Friedrichshafen, Bremen, Calgary, Vancouver and Bamako, the carrier said. With the start of the summer schedule, which takes effect March 31, Swissair also will expand its presence in northern Europe. The carrier will increase flying between Copenhagen and Zurich to three daily services, up from the current two. Service between Geneva and Copenhagen will be flown by Crossair, Swissair's regional partner.
Sabre Travel Information Network (STIN) has named James Poage VP-customer marketing. Poage has been working for Texas Instruments as director of software marketing. At STIN, he will direct strategic market planning, leisure marketing and marketing communications, and oversee Sabre's relationships with airlines, hoteliers and car rental companies.
Four European carriers - Aviaco, Spanair, Finnair and Braathens - have upgraded their crew management systems, supplier SBS International said. Aviaco operates 35 aircraft and has a flight crew group of 379. Spanair flies 13 aircraft and employs a flight crew of 114. Finnair operates 40 aircraft, and Oslo-based Braathens flies 30 aircraft with a crew of 300.
Aer Lingus Group Plc swung into the black in 1995 with a net profit of 15.1 million Irish pounds (US$23.74 million), compared with a net loss of 123.6 million pounds (US$194.34 million) in 1994. Its operating profit before interest and exceptional items was 53.2 million pounds (US$83.65 million), up from 33.1 million pounds (US$52.04 million). The company's air transport group turned in an operating profit of 43.6 million pounds (US$68.55 million), versus 33.4 million (US$52.52 million) the year before.
DOT approved yesterday the application of American and LOT for authority to operate code-share service in the U.S.-Poland market a week after the two countries initialed amendments liberalizing their relationship. DOT said the arrangement is "fully consistent with the recently initialed amendments," which specifically provided for the code sharing. "The amendments also provide opportunities for U.S.
Jugoslovenski Aerotransport (JAT) has applied to DOT for new foreign air carrier permits necessary to restart scheduled and charter services to the U.S. suspended by the U.S. government in mid-1992. The application follows a DOT order late last year lifting a ban on travel transactions involving the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) that was imposed after an Executive Order on June 5, 1992, called for economic sanctions against Yugoslavia (DAILY, Jan. 4).
Continental's Internet Web site, launched this week, offers information on flights and the OnePass program but will have online ticketing by the end of the year.
Cargo customers are confused by different reporting standards and IATA should come up with a standardized reporting form, says Joseph Phelan, VP- operations for American Airlines Cargo Division. "The response to performance reporting by our customers has been excellent. But as more and more carriers begin reporting, the customer is becoming confused by different standards and different measurements. We would like to see IATA take the lead to create a standardized reporting form.
Capacity constraints, financial growth and investment opportunities, electronic data interchange updates and international shipping will among the topics examined May 1 at the fourth annual Las Vegas International Air Cargo Symposium. Northwest Airlines Cargo President William Slattery will be the keynote luncheon speaker. Other speakers will include John Feren, VP-commercial marketing, Douglas Aircraft, and Peter Diefenbach, assistant to the director of sales and marketing for Nippon Cargo Airlines' operations in the U.S.
The U.S. will focus on marketing itself as a tourism destination to an estimated 23 countries that traditionally produce the most tourists until more funding and resources extend marketing efforts to smaller nations. The promotion will come from an interim USA National Tourism Organization (NTO), formed as a result of the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism and currently overseen by the Travel Industry Association (TIA).
