Business Traveler articles from March 2004

Business Traveler archives from March 2004

Editor's letter.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Are you ready to be fingerprinted and photographed on your next trip to Rio? Brazil was one of the first countries to respond in kind to the U.S. decision to fingerprint and photograph any foreign visitor traveling to the U.S. with a visa, and...

Sour note.(Letter of the Month)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Mark Buffet's letter about different service quality between Asian airlines (January 2004) and others struck a chord with me. I recently returned from a round-the-world trip flying international first class, and I had the good fortune to...

EU to publish 'blacklist'.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... EUROPEAN UNION (EU) RESIDENTS will soon be informed when any EU member nation bans an airline from flying over its territory or to its airports. The European government's decision to punish EU-wide lists of banned airlines comes after a plane...

Lawmakers ponder background checks for hotel workers.(Hotel Security)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE IS considering model legislation that would require hoteliers to conduct criminal background checks on employees who have access to guest rooms. "Nan's Law" memorializes a female business traveler who was murdered...

Air marshal update.(Airline Security)
March 1, 2004... In December, after numerous, unidentified threats cancelled inbound flights to the United States from France, Mexico and Britain, the Department of Homeland Security issued an ultimatum. "International air carriers, where necessary, will now be...

The Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C.(Hotels)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Hong Kong-based Mandarin Oriental group continues its North East Corridor expansion (New York, opened 2003, Boston opening 2006) with the new Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. Set to open this March, the 400-room hotel is positioned, like...

Cancellation policy.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FLIGHT IS CANCELED DUE TO security concerns? For four hundred passengers stranded on Christmas Eve at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, Air France's cancellation policy meant free accommodations at a four-star Sofitel...

O'Hare decongestion plan cuts flights.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION has ordered American Airlines and United Airlines to cut their flights at Chicago O'Hare International Airport by 5 percent in order to ease congestion. The airlines agreed to cut 62 flights scheduled...

Hawaiian Airlines.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Hawaiian Airlines has announced plans to begin nonstop service between Honolulu and Sydney, Australia beginning May 17. The airline is awaiting government approval for four weekly flights, using 767-300ER aircraft for the 20-hour roundtrip....

Continental Airlines and JetBlue Airways each recently announced new nonstop service between New York and Sacramento.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Continental Airlines and JetBlue Airways each recently announced new nonstop service between New York and Sacramento. Continental's nonstops will begin May 2 from Newark Liberty International Airport, while JetBlue will begin flying to the...

United's new low-fare carrier Ted will begin flying from Washington Dulles in April, offering 15 daily departures to Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa and Las Vegas.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... United's new low-fare carrier Ted will begin flying from Washington Dulles in April, offering 15 daily departures to Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa and Las Vegas. United also unveiled a new Ted Website (www.flyted.com) and a dedicated...

American Airlines and Mexicana plan to enter a wide-reaching codesharing agreement this April.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... American Airlines and Mexicana plan to enter a wide-reaching codesharing agreement this April. The two carriers will also enter into reciprocal frequent flyer arrangements. The agreement, pending government approval, provides for codesharing on...

Delta Air Lines.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Delta Air Lines is extending its self-service kiosk network to Continental and Northwest codeshare customers. Codeshare passengers will be able to use any of Delta's 846 kiosks to check in when using interline electronic tickets originating on...

JetBlue.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... JetBlue is eyeing LaGuardia. This January the airline requested the DOT to approve five new round-trip flights at LaGuardia in the spring. Entering the LaGuardia arena would pit the maverick airline against rivals American and Delta. Fare...

America West Airlines.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... America West Airlines will begin new service between its Las Vegas hub and Burbank, Calif., on April 23, 2004. In addition, America West will add new flights between Las Vegas and three existing markets including Boston and San Francisco, which...

American Airlines.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... American Airlines will relocate its operations at London Gatwick this April to the airport's North Terminal, buddying up in the same building as Oneworld Alliance member British Airways and smoothing transitions for connecting passengers.

On April 4, United Airlines adds new service between its hub at Washington Dulles and Minneapolis/St. Paul.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... On April 4, United Airlines adds new service between its hub at Washington Dulles and Minneapolis/St. Paul. United Express partner Air Wisconsin will operate three daily flights using 50-seat regional jets.

Qantas.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Qantas will begin flying its Boeing 737s between Christchurch and Rotorua and Christchurch and Wellington on April 1. The airline is introducing the new services following a decision to discontinue leasing aircraft from or codesharing with New...

Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts.(Where to Wi-Fi)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts has announced that all of its properties will be totally Wi-Fi equipped by the end of 2004, with connectivity in guest rooms, meeting rooms and all public areas of the hotel. The cost to the user will vary from...

Le Train a Grande Vitesse.(Where to Wi-Fi)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The new "Clic" TGV (Le Train a Grande Vitesse, translation: "high speed train") service offered on France's national railway high-speed trains enables passengers to access a range of information and entertainment programs broadcast on a Wi-Fl...

Stay at the Radisson Lexington Hotel, New York and take advantage of the "Business Traveler's Bonus Offer," featuring deluxe accommodations in a Junior Suite, town car transportation to and from LaGuardia or John R Kennedy Airport, Wi-Fi Internet service, cocktail at the Lex Lounge and a $50 dinner credit at S. Dynasty.(United States)
March 1, 2004... Stay at the Radisson Lexington Hotel, New York and take advantage of the "Business Traveler's Bonus Offer," featuring deluxe accommodations in a Junior Suite, town car transportation to and from LaGuardia or John R Kennedy Airport, Wi-Fi...

The Pan Pacific San Francisco is offering "tax-free accommodations" during the month of April.(United States)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Pan Pacific San Francisco is offering "tax-free accommodations" during the month of April. Rates start at $169 per night for a superior room; $189 for a deluxe room. In addition, a $99 rate is available for those extending their stay to two...

San Francisco's Argent Hotel is offering the "Golden Getaway Package" for guests ages 55 and up. Priced at $159 per night, the package includes accommodations, two tickets for a half-day tour of the city and a 15 percent off coupon at the hotel's restaurant.(United States)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... San Francisco's Argent Hotel is offering the "Golden Getaway Package" for guests ages 55 and up. Priced at $159 per night, the package includes accommodations, two tickets for a half-day tour of the city and a 15 percent off coupon at the...

Take advantage of the "Perfect Harmony Package" at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, Boston.(United States)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Take advantage of the "Perfect Harmony Package" at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, Boston. Rates from $389 per night include accommodations, two tickets to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a Symphony Hall history book. Call 800-257-7544 or...

Guests staying at any of the five London Red Carnation Hotel properties can take advantage of the "Dress2Kill Package.".(Europe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Guests staying at any of the five London Red Carnation Hotel properties can take advantage of the "Dress2Kill Package." Available through August 31, package includes four-nights accommodations at The Chesterfield, The Montague and the Rubans or...

Through December 31, the Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur is offering a "Jet Lag Package.".(Asia)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Through December 31, the Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur is offering a "Jet Lag Package." Priced at $127 per night, package includes accommodations, aromatherapy massage, local phone calls and late check-out. Visit www.panpacific.com or call...

The Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok is offering special rates through March 31.(Asia)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok is offering special rates through March 31. Rates start at $158 per night and include buffet breakfast, fresh fruit and tea upon arrival and daily newspaper. For reservations go to www.fourseasons.com or cell...

New Hilton in Helsinki.(Hotels)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Scandic Kalastajatorppa, a landmark Helsinki conference hotel, which has hosted the likes of Bill Clinton, Boris Yehsin, Helmut Kohl, Ronald Reagan and George Bush, Sr., has refurbished and reopened as a Hilton property. The Hilton...

American Airlines.(Reward Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Fly two nonstop round-trips on American Airlines from New York to either California or Florida before April 15 and receive a free round-trip ticket to anywhere American Airlines flies, Registration is required prior to travel. A maximum of two...

Skyrewards.(Reward Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Delta Air Lines' SkyRewards mileage sales program is offering 5,000 bonus miles to first-time purchasers through March 15. The SkyRewards program lets companies and organizations buy miles to use as incentives and rewards for customers and...

US Airways miles.(Reward Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... US Airways Dividend Miles Preferred members can now upgrade to first class for free when traveling on full coach fares in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Upgrades are subject to availability and can be requested any time...

Red Carnation Hotels and Virgin Atlantic.(Reward Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Through April 14, members of Virgin Atlantic's flying club can earn 2,000 air miles for every qualifying stay at Red Carnation Hotels, a portfolio of upscale properties, including the Chesterfield Mayfair, The Twelve Apostles or the...

HHonors.(Reward Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... HHonors members who book a Double Dip stay at any Hilton family hotel and pay with a Visa card can earn 500 HHonors bonus points, in addition to a chance to win one million HHonors bonus points. Guests must book their stay at...

Park Central Hotel.(Reward Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... PARK CENTRAL HOTEL The Park Central Hotel has teamed up with SRS-Worldwide and United Airlines Mileage Plus to offer a special reward program for hotel guests. Travelers must present a frequent flyer card upon check-in and their mileage account...

Turkish Airlines.(Airline Deals)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... TURKISH AIRLINES is offering a "Special Business Class Companion Fare" that allows you to take along a companion at a 50% discount when you purchase a round-trip unrestricted business class fare for travel between NYC or Chicago and several...

British Airways.(Airline Deals)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BRITISH AIRWAYS has extended their Visa Signature credit card "Free Companion Ticket Offer"--the last ticketing date is now December 31, 2004, and all travel must be completed by March 31, 2005. To qualify, apply for the BA Visa Signature...

United Airlines.(Airline Deals)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... UNITED AIRLINES mileage plus members who apply and qualify for the "United Mileage Plus Signature Visa Card "receive the following: A free companion certificate after your first purchase; 15,000 bonus miles after your first purchase; free...

Deeply discounted business class fares with non-refundable rules have been offered by several major carriers this winter for travel up to April 30, 2004, May 31, 2004 and some as far as August 31, 2004.(Airline Deals)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... DEEPLY DISCOUNTED business class fares with non-refundable rules have been offered by several major carriers this winter for travel up to April 30, 2004, May 31, 2004 and some as far as August 31, 2004. Although most carriers require these...

L.A. to Paris.(Airline Deals)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... L.A. TO PARIS $2,160 ($6,005); L.A. to London $2,518 ($9,972); L.A. to Amsterdam or Brussels $2,260 ($7,637 to $7,832); Boston to Paris, Amsterdam or Brussels $1,860 ($5,667 to $6,014) and Newark to Milan or Rome $3,240 ($5,472).

Also worth mentioning is a discounted business class fare, round-trip from L.A. to London of $8,204.(Airline Deals)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ALSO WORTH mentioning is a discounted business class fare, round-trip from L.A. to London of $8,204. This is a discount of $1,768 and is totally refundable before departure; $250 change fee after departure; minimum stay over a Saturday night,...

Crowne plaza London, the city.(London)
March 1, 2004... WHAT'S IT LIKE? This new property's Edwardian exterior belies an efficient, modern interior that's built for business. WHERE IS IT? Near Blackfriars Station, in the City business district. Close to the London Stock Exchange, St. Paul's...

Qatar Airways business class.(Doha > Rome)
March 1, 2004... FIRST IMPRESSIONS: It's a surprisingly slow check-in at a desolate Doha International Airport. Let's put it down to inaugural-flight flutters; they'll have to be a lot quicker than this on a normal day-to-day. As we enter the airline's...

Chine World Hotel.(Beijing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... WHAT'S IT LIKE? I wasn't sure if I had walked into one of the fabulous palaces that make up the Forbidden City, but the lobby of the newly refurbished China World Hotel gave me that feeling with its gold-leaf latticed ceiling and dazzling...

DragonAir business class.(Bangkok > Hong Kong)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... FIRST IMPRESSIONS: It starts poorly, with an overnight flight from the Middle East on another carrier whose staff don't quite get Do Not Disturb stickers. Somewhat haggard, I pick up my boarding pass from the transfer desk and stagger to the...

Southern comforts: shellfish-glazed truffle grits? Collard greens and sweet onion polenta? A new breed of cooking is shaking up the South. Business Traveler checks out some cutting-edge vittles in Atlanta, Charleston, Nashville and Houston.(Restaurants)
March 1, 2004... ATLANTA Canoe 4199 Paces Ferry Road tel. 770-432-2663 Tucked onto the banks of the Chattahoochee Rivet, Canoe is a cozy, retreat from the nearby hustle and bustle of trendy Buckhead and affluent Vinings. Nearly every seat in...

Sex and sin city: after a recent slump, Las Vegas has decided to return to its roots and do what it does best: market itself as an adult destination, a chic, upscale version of its old self-sexy, edgy and worldly.(Las Vegas)
March 1, 2004... During the past 15 years, Las Vegas successfully transformed itself from an adult playground to a family destination--at least for a while. but today, "sophisticated" and "sexy" are the latest buzzwords on the famous Las Vegas Strip. The...

Match game: as biometric identity checks are poised to become standard in airport security, the critics and the proponents are weighing in.(Biometrics)
March 1, 2004... As the U.S. implements biometrics technology in airports nationwide under its new U.S. VISIT program, travelers have two major questions: Why are we doing this? And, does this technology work? The firms that make biometrics...

Eyes wide shut: anything from body pillows to behavioral techniques could be the ticket to getting some decent shut-eye. Patricia Olsen finds that there are no one-size-fits-all answers.(Getting a Good Night's Sleep)
March 1, 2004... We've all been through it--we have important meetings the next day, we're tired, and then we can't get to sleep, or we wake in the middle of the night and toss and turn until the alarm goes off. But whether it's stress or jet lag, there are...

Turf wars: in New York City on business and have a little free time? The urban jungle isn't all concrete and skycrapers. There are plenty of places to practice your swing, in and around the city.(Golf New York)
March 1, 2004... THE GOLF CLUB AT CHELSEA PIERS Where is it? West Side Highway at 23rd Street or 16th Street; Pier 59 through Pier 62. How to get there: Taxi, car (you can park in the garage for a fee) or 23rd Street and 14th Street cross-town bus that...

Silent auction 2004: to benefit SOS Children's Villages.
March 1, 2004... Bid for airline tickets, hotel stays, Zino Platinum cigars and even a chance to win a trip to London on British Airways simply for participating online. This year's Silent Auction will benefit SOS Children's Villages, the world's largest...

Oh behave, Singapore: it's now okay to be naughty in the Lion City-the government approves.(Singapore)
March 1, 2004... The pixie-faced girl, sporting the tiniest of hot pants, struts her stuff on the bar counter before rubbing provocatively against her partner who's trying gamely to match her slinky moves. Out of nowhere, she grabs a pitcher, pouring its...

Back to the light: Frankfurt's sparkling skyline may suggest a prosperous city, but it's only now starting to shake off a recession.(Frankurt)
March 1, 2004... It's a clear, bright winter's day and, looking across from the south bank of the Main River, Frankfurt's skyline is positively gleaming. By European standards, this compact cluster of skyscrapers (which has earned the city the nickname...

4 Hours in Moscow: Red Square is contradiction central for Moscow. You can pay your respects to Lenin in his crystal casket, gape at Faberge eggs and drop some rubles among the now well-stocked shelves of GUM.
March 1, 2004... The name still has somewhat of a sinister ring to it (think May day parades, mass executions, Warren Beatty in "Reds") but you can't visit Moscow--Moskva, to the locals--without going to Red Square, the rose-colored stretch that is, in effect,...

Rewarding excellence.(Awards 2003)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The travel industry celebrated service excellence at the Business Traveler 2003 Readers' Choice Awards luncheon at New York's legendary Plaza Hotel on November 19, with ABC News veteran Sam Donaldson as the quest of honor. This page: (1)...

Catastrophic packing: ideas from those on the front lines--the military, first responders and law enforcement--are spawning products used not only in major applications, such as airport security, but also in ways that might fit in a traveler's pocket.(Tools)
March 1, 2004... MILITARY BIKES Some of the less dire and more fun of these new products are the folding bikes offered by Cambridge-based Montague, including the HUMMER Tactical Mountain Bike. Developed for U.S. paratroopers, the original military bike is...

Up to 50 percent off in Latin America plus 1,000 Starpoints.(Offer Of The Month)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Latin America offers business travelers an enticing blend of sophistication and culture, and Starwood's selection of hotels in prime locations throughout the region exceeds expectations. THE OFFER Through May 31, receive up to 50...

The Park Central New York.(Savings For Members)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Park Central is a first-class hotel perfectly located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, across from Carnegie Hall and just minutes from Times Square and Central Park. The property recently completed a $2 million renovation creating 10 new...

Muy Bien.(Reader Offer)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... Before You Know It, a new language-learning software that combines electronic flash cards and native speaker pronunciation, helps you master new words quickly and easily in Spanish, French, Italian and German. From names of animals to...

Outward bound: sandwitched between the mountains and the sea, the scenery around Kota Kinabalu is worth exploring.(Great escape: Kota Kinabalu)
March 1, 2004... Kota Kinabalu, the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sabah, is a work-a-day sprawl of unimaginative cubes, spreading along the edge of the South China Sea like a gray birthmark. If you weren't doing business there, you might think there...