Business Traveler articles from March 2001

Business Traveler archives from March 2001

Editor's letter.
March 1, 2001... FEW THINGS are more aggravating than finding hidden or outrageous charges tacked onto your hotel, restaurant or rental car bill, or getting socked with a rebooking fee for an airline ticket. Mubarak Dahir examines some common ploys that can...

Band on the run. (Letter Of The Month).
March 1, 2001... I am a fairly infrequent business traveler (or was until last year), and I must tell you that I enjoy reading your magazine immensely, if only to see how other travelers are faring in the middle of this unprecedented boom in business air...

Paper trail. (Readers' Letters).
March 1, 2001... Electronic tickets are a wonderful invention--until something goes wrong. As a 1K flyer with United, most of my travel has been with e-tickets, which are efficient and easy to use. However, recently my wife and I arrived at Monterey airport...

Sticker shock. (Readers' Letters).
March 1, 2001... I have an absolutely incredible story about Avis, the company that tries harder--or at least it used to! I flew from Hong Kong to London, arriving at Heathrow very early in the morning of September 30, at the start of a one-week trip. I had...

Math quiz. (Readers' Letters).
March 1, 2001... I just completed your Dec./Jan. 2001 issue, and I am very confused by your 12th-annual business traveler awards. United is ranked among the top three airlines in almost all categories, including best overall airline and best business classes...

When in Rome. (Readers' Letters).
March 1, 2001... I viewed your magazine for the first time yesterday on a Delta flight to St. Thomas and enjoyed the wide range of information that you offered in your November issue. However, I feel the article "Easy Meet" was incorrect in stating that the Mel...

Taming the too wild blue yonder. (Airlines).(dealing with air rage)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... WHEN A VIOLENT passenger stormed the cockpit of a British Airways aircraft and tried to down the craft during a flight over Africa this winter, the outcome could have been tragic. "A very nasty man just tried to kill us all," commented the...

Miami vice. (Hotels).(interior design of the Royal Hotel, Miami, Florida)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... LIKE SPACE ODYSSEY ON ACID," commented one globe-trotter on viewing the new interiors of the Royal Hotel in Miami. Raven Management has hired designer/architect Jordan Moser (House of Blues/Barney's New York) to bring new life to the old Deco...

Don't miss Saigon. (Airlines).(codesharing agreement between All Nippon Airways and Vietnam Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BOLSTERED PERHAPS BY former President Clinton's official state visit to Vietnam and by the increasing flow of business to its capital, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), All Nippon Airways has initiated a codesharing agreement with Vietnam Airlines....

The changing face of New York hotels. (Hotels).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... THE RISE OF W HOTELS and the advent of the boutique hotel phenomenon has changed the hotel industry in radical ways. New York's old chestnuts like the Plaza are waking up and smelling the latte. The Plaza's august old Edwardian room, for...

Expense it online. (Web Sites).(service from Oanda Corp. makes expense reports easier to file)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Oanda Corporation, an online currency conversion, information and transaction service has started a free online Expense Report Manager. Business travelers can now log on to FXPense through OANDA's Web site, and add and file expenses with...

Whose is longer? (Airlines).(non-stop flights from New York's Kennedy Airport to Hong Kong offered by United Airlines and Continental)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BEGINNING APRIL 1, United Airlines inaugurates daily nonstop service between New York/JFK and Hong Kong. The 8,400-mile, 16-hour flight (called "the longest scheduled nonstop in the world" by the airline) will also soon be accommodating more...

Put up your Dukes. (Hotels).(remodeling at Duke Mansion, Charlotte, North Carolina)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... THE WHITE OAKS INN in Charlotte, North Carolina, was always known to locals as "The Duke Mansion" from its former days as the childhood home of the tragic heroine of Lifetime Television documentaries, Doris Duke. Now owners Benchmark...

Dubai do. (Airlines).(Emirates Airlines services)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... NEXT TIME YOU'RE rushing to a meeting from your Emirates flight to Dubai, take advantage of the airline's new First and Business Class Fast Track Arrival service. A dedicated Fast Track immigration desk welcomes you, and signage speeds you...

Swissair. (Airline Deals).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... SWISSAIR offers a free companion ticket when you purchase a round-trip economy-class fare with a MasterCard. The paid ticket must be a 14-day apex or higher, and can originate from any Swissair gateway in the U.S. Travel is valid to any...

British Airways. (Airline Deals).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... BRITISH AIRWAYS has brought back the "Two Free Tickets" offer and extended the redemption period to May 15. If you already earned your two free tickets, you cannot participate again. You must fly at least two British Airways transatlantic...

Lufthansa. (Airline Deals).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... LUFTHANSA now offers "Eurofare." Purchase a round-trip ticket from the U.S. to Europe on Lufthansa or United, then buy up to six flights within Europe for only $89 each. Travel within Europe must be on Lufthansa-operated flights only. Travel...

Korean Airlines'. (Airline Deals).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... KOREAN AIRLINES' "Prestige Plus Program" offers corporations one-class upgrades with the purchase of a normal full-fare ticket in economy or business class. Upgrades must originate from specific cities in the U.S., Canada and Brazil to Japan,...

Kempinski lures business travelers with new rates and resorts. (Hotels).(Kempinski Hotels and Resorts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... KEMPINSKI HOTELS AND RESOUTS is offering two new concierge programs for business and leisure travelers. The Business Concierge Program allows companies entering into a corporate account to get special discounts and benefits including: *...

In the right direction. (Sites for Sore Eyes).(web sites that provide directions)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Lost again? How many times do you forget to bring driving directions on trips and are stranded with car rental maps that are virtually worthless? Stop squinting at street names in Lilliputian print and driving off the...

Air France. (Reward Roundup).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Triple your car rental miles on minimum three-day car rental when you rent a car in Category C and up from Hertz through March 31. Specify code PC 915 341 when giving your Frequence Plus number.

Lufthansa. (Reward Roundup).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Preregistering online with Promotion Code US30 qualifies Miles and More members departing/returning from Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/JFK, Newark and Philadelphia to earn 10,000 bonus miles...

US Airways. (Reward Roundup).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... US Airways rewards Dividend Miles Members and expedites pre-boarding. Self-service kiosks at Boston, New York and Washington allow customers to buy same-day tickets for domestic flights, check in for e-ticket reservations, check bags, receive...

Flight log. (Airlines).(flight services from Korean Air, Aer Lingus and Austrian Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... KOREAN AIR BEGAN NONSTOP SERVICE between Seoul and Washington, D.C., on Feb. 1. Two weekly nonstop flights will run through March 24, and will increase to three, March 28 through June 23. Four weekly flights between the two capitals will be...

Brand-new China. (Hotels).(Shangri-La Hotels open in China)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... SHANGRI-LA HOTELS continues its expansion into the People's Republic with two new hotels opening in 2001: the Dingshan, Nanjing, 40 minutes from the Nanjing International Airport, opens this spring, and the Hotel Zhongshan in southern China...

All Thai'd up. (Health).(Thailand to survey and provide treatment for people who suffer from economy class syndrome)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... The Thai government is offering free treatment to travelers who show up at the Bangkok airport with symptoms of DVT or "Economy-Class Syndrome." As part of a study on the degree of risk associated with passengers flying economy, business and...

United States. (Hotel Deals).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... The Regal UN Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, a member of Millennium Hotels and Resorts, is launching its new Club Rooms with an introductory Fate of $299 a night. Club Rooms offer two-line phones, dataports, fax machines, and access to the Club...

Europe. (Hotel Deals).(Leading Hotels of the World offers reduced rates)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... The Leading Hotels of the World is offering reduced rates at seven Paris properties until April 8. Stay at the Hotel de Crillon, Hotel Le Bristol, Hotel Meurice, Hotel Plaza Athenee or Hotel Ritz for $492 a night; or stay at the Hotel Raphael...

Worldwide. (Hotel Deals).(Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts discounts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts is offering rates of up to 50 percent off all its 125 properties until March 31. Sample rates include $187 a night at Le Meridien Shelbourne in Dublin, $215 at Le Meridien Beverly Hills and $109 at Le Meridien...

Good-bye Norma Jean. (Hotels).(remodeling of the Loews New York Hotel)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... LOEWS NEW YORK HOTEL is perhaps best known as the backdrop for Marilyn Monroe's skirt-raising session on a subway grate in The Seven Year Itch. Known back in 1961 as the Summit, it was designed by the Miami master, Morris Lapidus. In recent...

TWA flies belly-up. (Airlines).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... ON JANUARY 10, TWA filed for bankruptcy protection under the guidance of American Airline's parent corporation, AMR. As of press time, American was offering approximately $500 million in cash to take over the beleaguered giant. AA was also...

New York. (Top Of The Town).(events to do in New York, New York)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... THEATER A Class Act Ambassador Theatre 215 W. 49th St. tel. 212-239-6200 This musical biography about A Chorus Line lyricist Ed Kleban traces his infatuation with women and songwriting. Design for Living American...

Inch by Incheon. (Airlines).(new airport opens in Seoul, South Korea)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... ON MARCH 29, business travelers will be able to judge for themselves whether Seoul's new Incheon Airport lives up to its yearlong public relations campaign positioning it as Korea's "Winged City." The airport's opening date was pushed back...

Venting your air rage. (Airlines).(National Airline Passengers Coalition creating complaint line)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... NEXT TIME you find yourself waiting four hours for a flight that never takes off, or stranded in a hub city overnight without accommodations, whip out your cell phone and vent your air rage on the CEO of your airline. The National Airline...

Japan Airlines executive class. (Flight check: Tokyo-Chicago O'Hare).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... First Impressions: Checking in at Tokyo's Narita Airport was smooth and efficient. A courteous lady at JAL's Executive Class counter handed me my boarding pass and directed me to the baggage security check, where my suitcase was x-rayed and...

Spot check. (Consumer Checks).(rates for long-term parking at four airports)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... We checked rates for long-term parking lots at several airports around the world. Here's what it costs to let those airports baby-sit your car for a 24-hour period while you're hopping the globe: La Guardia Airport, NYC ...

Sanderson London. (Hotel Check).(London, England)
March 1, 2001... SLOUCHING TOWARD MIDDLE AGE? Spend a few nights at Ian Schrager's Sanderson, and you may well feel 21 again. The bustle of activity, packed bar and nightly line of trendy young things waiting behind the velvet rope to get in offer restorative...

Hotel Rex San Francisco. (Hotel Checks).(San Francisco, California)
March 1, 2001... Hotel Rex celebrates a literary arts theme with a sensibility that meshes traditional with modern decor. With vivid purple, red, yellow and green-hued furnishings, carpeting, walls and abundant artwork, Hotel Rex manages to be whimsical, yet...

Southern sprawl. (Home front: Atlanta).(transportation and traffic congestion)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... COURSING DOWN any one of Atlanta's interstates, there is little evidence of the city that existed pre-mid-20th century. Everywhere you look, it seems, a sparkling new metropolis rises up around you, one defined by its roadways, skyscrapers and...

Four hours in Boston.(Boston, Massachusetts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... The architecture of Boston's Back Bay has such an aura of grandeur, many assume it is one of the oldest areas in the city. The opposite is true, actually: Back Bay is the result of a landfill project in the late 1800s to extend Boston by...

Bar wars: hotels around the world are upping the ante in the battle for business travelers' (and just about everyone else's) bucks with happening, style-soaked bars. Business Traveler checked out a few of the more conspicuously cool haunts. If you can't get in, don't despair. You're in good company. After all, the likes of Mick Jagger have been turned away from some of these hot spots. (Life Style).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... NEW YORK The lounges at New York's W hotels, though new, have already established themselves as urban oases. The swankiest is the newest, Rande Gerber's Underbar at the W Union Square (201 Park Ave. S., tel. 212-253-9119). It's dark, it's...

Tales of the unexpected: how business travelers can avoid getting zapped by hidden and outrageous charges.(preventing price gouging)
March 1, 2001... WHILE ENJOYING A RELAXED Italian dinner in the Earl's Court district of London last year, travel and food writer Susan Hegger nodded agreeably every time the waiter walked by with a serving bowl of Parmesan cheese and asked if he should...

Playing a round in Latin America. (Special Advertising Section).(golf courses)
March 1, 2001... Overshadowed by Latin America's breathtaking natural wonders, ancient ruins and exotic wildlife, golf has long lacked star-power allure for visitors. But the old game is seeing growing popularity, and courses are available for a round or two...

Temptation island. (Great escape: Amelia Island).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE FEVERISH, noisy bacchanalia that is Spring Break, the beaches of Florida typically evoke images of rowdy crowds of tanned miscreants cruising in convertibles through neon-splashed streets. But in extreme...

Best in Business Travel Awards 2000 and the winners are. (Promotional Supplement).
March 1, 2001... The world's most astute business travelers, BT readers, sound off once again, declaring the world's Best in Business Travel awards for 2000. No other reader survey is quite like BTs Reader Poll. Where else can you get results on who in the...

High art: Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum transformed Bilbao, boosting its once-sagging economy. Further redevelopment of this port city is in the pipeline. (Focus: Bilbao).(Bilbao, Spain)
March 1, 2001... THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM has put Bilbao firmly on the international map. On weekends, the shimmering silver Frank Gehry-designed structure buzzes with culture vultures from across the globe, and in its excellent restaurant, diners can be heard...

La vida rica: although its economy is robust, and tourism is booming, Puerto Rico must still overcome travelers' misconceptions about the island, and about San Juan in particular. (Destination report: San Juan).
March 1, 2001... THERE IS SOMETHING SLIGHTLY OTHERWORLDLY about San Juan. One-half island paradise, one-half major American metropolis, the city's sun, sand and salsa beats are disarmingly deceptive, masking a true economic hothouse with important links to both...

Hong Kong back to the future: rebounding from the Asian crisis and revitalized by the China trade, the former British colony has entered the new century in remarkably robust shape. (Insider's guide: Hong Kong).
March 1, 2001... THREE YEARS AFTER its much hyped return to Chinese rule, the doom-and-gloom predictions about Hong Kong have proven largely baseless. Rather than degenerating into lawlessness, the new Special Administrative Region (SAR) has enjoyed continued...

Offer of the month: $100 off at the Plaza Hotel, New York City. (New Hotel Offers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... Please accept $100 off the price of your stay from March 1 to April 15, 2001, so that you may enjoy the allure of The Plaza even more. Let us also entice you with five world-class restaurants, a sprawling luxury spa and a staff whose only job...

The Roger Williams. (New Hotel Offers).(New York, New York)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... The Roger Williams, located within the Fashion District of Manhattan, is frequented by models, designers and members of the fashion industry. The hotel provides guests with breathtaking "home-away-from-home" amenities, such as Aveda bath...

Sheraton New York and Sheraton Manhattan. (New Hotel Offers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... When Privilege Club members stay at either the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers or Sheraton Manhattan Monday through Thursday, and they add a Friday, Saturday or Sunday to their stay, they can take advantage of a special $209 per room, per...

The Doral. (New Hotel Offers).(Doral Park Avenue Hotel, New York, New York)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... The Doral Park Avenue Hotel is located in the heart of Midtown, at Park Avenue and 38th Street--Manhattan's most personal address. The ambiance is reminiscent of a European boutique hotel and features just 188 guest rooms and three penthouse...

The Essex House. (New Hotel Offers).(Essex House, New York, New York)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2001... From now through August 2001, the Essex House, a Westin Hotel, will offer Privilege Club members a 30 percent discount off rack rate, subject to availability. The Essex House hotel, restored to its original 1931 Art Deco splendor after a...