Business Traveler articles from May 2005

Business Traveler archives from May 2005

This month.(cabin safety training)(Editorial)
May 1, 2005... We tread very carefully around the subject of safety these days. Only a few years ago, safety wasn't a big concern to regular travellers. Air crashes were--and still are--extremely rare, and when they did happen they were regarded as freak...

System addict.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I was relieved, even pleased, to read the letter from Eric Donjon about inconsistency around security and safety procedures (Business Traveller, February 2005). I find this the most infuriating aspect of air travel. To add to Eric's examples,...

Cheque in the post.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... Thank you for publishing my "No Way Back" letter (Business Traveller, March 2005). Just after I sent the letter to you, I went to South Africa for five weeks and on my return, found an envelope on the mat from British Airways (GB Airways). This...

Crown jewels.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... After reading the letter regarding the excellent service one of your readers received in Delta's Crown Room (Business Traveller, April 2005) I would like to tell a story of my own. Mobile phones, keys and coins are another bugbear--most now...

Masking travel sickness.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I read with great interest the letter you printed called "Cabin Fever" (Business Traveller, March 2005). I have picked up many germs from air travel over the years--right up until the SARS epidemic. Just as SARS was slowing down, but not...

One in a million.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... Delta's new SimpliFares is really not fair. I'm a Million-Miler in the Delta programme, having attained that status in less than five years of flying. This means that I have averaged more than 200,000 miles with Delta every year for the...

Laptop tips.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... May I congratulate you on an excellent magazine, of which I always enjoy reading the latest copy. I find your features on business cities very useful with hotels, restaurants and guides offering excellent, high quality information. I...

Forcing the issue.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... A recent flight to Edinburgh was significantly delayed twice, yet again. The second time we were advised that there were refreshment vouchers available--little compensation for yet another delay (three hours this time). On attempting to redeem...

Compensation update.(AIRLINES)(compensation rules for airline passengers)
May 1, 2005... THERE HAVE BEEN PLENTY of headlines recently about the new EU compensation rules for airline passengers. In last month's issue (Up front, April 2005) we covered some of the anomalies of the new rules--for example, the fact that when you're...

Flexible online booking with BA.(AIRLINES)
May 1, 2005... TRAVELLERS CAN NOW TAKE advantage of lower prices and favourable currency rates when booking online fares with British Airways. It's no secret that there are significant price differentials between air fares depending on the country in...

Travel gripes.(STATISTICS CORNER)(airline passengers surveys)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Familiarity is breeding contempt among the nation's growing number of frequent flyers, transforming many of us into grumpy old men (and women). This new breed of easily agitated passenger is unwilling to put up with things that would once...

Thai airways to upgrade seats.(AIRLINES)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... TRAVELLERS SEEKING A direct flight from Southeast Asia to New York will have another option from May 1. That's when Thai Airways follows in the footsteps of Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines in launching non-stop flights. The six times...

ANA and Japan Airlines.(Deals)(All Nippon Airways Company Ltd.)(Japan Air Lines Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... ANA and Japan Airlines have discounts on roundtrip business class fares for their routes between JFK and Narita. As we went to press, tickets on both ANA and JAL cost $6,194.08. Both fares have booking restrictions and also apply to other...

Cathay Pacific.(Deals)(Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. discounted tickets)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Cathay Pacific is offering an online promotion called "55 Plus Worry Free Fares". This promotion allows travellers who are 55 and older to purchase discounted tickets for travel from JFK, LA or San Francisco to Hong Kong, and points beyond in...

LOT Polish Airlines.(Deals)
May 1, 2005... LOT Polish Airlines is offering business class travellers a roundtrip business class "ZERT" fare from JFK, Newark and O'Hare to various European destinations such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Rome, Milan, Zurich, Geneva and Athens....

Delta Air Lines and Turkish Airlines.(Deals)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Delta Air Lines and Turkish Airlines both operate daily non-stops between JFK and Istanbul and both offer a business class companion fare. Companions receive a 50 percent discount when travelling with a full fare roundtrip business class...

Air Tahiti.(Deals)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Air Tahiti is about to launch a non-stop New York to Tahiti service, allowing passengers on the East coast to make a same-day trip without having to connect or stay overnight in LA. The service begins on July 4 and will run three times a week...

Shangri-La.(Deals)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Shanqri-La is running the following special deals in Asia: * Mactan Island Resort & Spa, Cebu, Philippines--package prices start from $310 per person sharing a Superior Room * Golden Sands Resort, Penang, Malaysia--package prices start...

Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center.(Deals)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center is offering a special deal of 175 [euro] per room, per night. This includes accommodation in a deluxe room and buffet breakfast, plus two return tickets from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam...

Luxury country living.(What's New? BUSINESS LEISURE FLIGHTS AIRPORT SHOPPING HOTELS RESORTS)(Four Seasons hotel)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... It's been a long time coming, but Hampshire finally has a Four Seasons hotel. The luxury hotel chain's third property in the UK (and first outside London) is an 18th century Grade II-listed building with 500 acres of grounds. Dogmersfield Park...

Kempinski's dual attraction.(Travel updates)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Kempinski Hotels now has two London properties: 64-room The Bentley in Harrington Gardens, Knightsbridge (right), and the 116-room Courthouse Hotel on Great Marlborough Street, just off Regent Street. Both hotels are under the care of new...

Virgin to Mumbai.(Travel update)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Virgin Atlantic Airways' inauqural fliqht from London landed at Mumbai International Airport at the end of March, with Sir Richard Branson not missinq an opportunity to dress up, this time in dhoti and kurta, a traditional Indian outfit. ...

British airways ...(AIRLINE NEWS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... BRITISH AIRWAYS... has rolled out (or should I say reclined?) its flat bed in Club World on the London to Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) route. The flat bed has been on the route from Heathrow to Washington's main Dulles...

... And also.(AIRLINE NEWS)(Online check-in and departure )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... ... AND ALSO passengers can now check in for their flights online 24 hours before departure, choose their seat and, on selected routes, print their own boarding cards. Previously only members of the British Airways Executive Club were able to...

Jet2.com.(AIRLINE NEWS)(new routes from Manchester)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... JET2.COM has five new routes from Manchester. The low-cost airline is offering daily flights to Faro, Nice, Valencia, Venice and Alicante. Prices for the one-way flights to Faro, Nice, Valencia and Venice start at $40/21 [pounds sterling]...

The combined Air France-KLM network is now coordinated with 15 roundtrips per day between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol.(AIR FRANCE UPDATE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * The combined Air France-KLM network is now coordinated with 15 roundtrips per day between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol. forming Europe's first multi-hub system. Customers can now combine an outgoing flight via Paris CDG with...

In Latin America, Mexico City has a second flight four times a week.(AIR FRANCE UPDATE)
May 1, 2005... * In Latin America, Mexico City has a second flight four times a week (11 weekly flights operated by Air France plus one daily flight code-shared with Aeromexico), while Caracas and Rio de Janeiro get an extra flight each daily.

In Asia-Pacific there is a second daily flight to Beijing.(AIR FRANCE UPDATE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * In Asia-Pacific there is a second daily flight to Beijing, three daily flights between Paris and Tokyo and an additional daily flight to Bombay, plus the launch of the daily Madras service, code-shared with Delta.

In Europe, Belgrade has one daily flight.(AIR FRANCE UPDATE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * In Europe, Belgrade has one daily flight; Ljubljana in Slovenia, two daily flights; Zagreb, two daily flights, including one operated by Croatia Airlines, and Bucharest five daily flights, and an eighth daily flight to Moscow in conjunction...

Air France's Dedicate service now has 16 weekly flights to Africa and the Middle East.(AIR FRANCE UPDATE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Air France's Dedicate service now has 16 weekly flights to Africa and the Middle East. One more weekly flight has been scheduled to Port Harcourt, now making a total of four weekly flights. The service to Luanda has improved with the entry...

In the US, Detroit, one of Northwest's main hubs, will soon be easily accessed from Paris thanks to a daily A330 flight starting June 13.(AIR FRANCE UPDATE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * In the US, Detroit, one of Northwest's main hubs, will soon be easily accessed from Paris thanks to a daily A330 flight starting June 13. Washington has a third daily service from Paris from May 9 and, since the end of February, 21 new US...

Easyjet .(Travel updates)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... EASYJET has announced a new Basel base at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg with three new A319 aircraft and five new destinations: Alicante, Barcelona, Nice, Palma and Rome. These will join Easyjet's three existing flights from Basel to...

Maldives: famously, the highest point in the Maldives is only four metres above sea level, so perhaps it's not surprising that the latest luxury resorts are going underwater.(Travel updates)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Firstly, there's the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa, and Ithaa, the world's first aquarium-style underwater restaurant which opens in June. The restaurant is six metres below sea level, surrounded by a coral reef and encased in a 5m by 9m...

Whisky galore.(Travel updates)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... WHISKY GALORE Distiller William Grant & Sons has bottled a barrel of vintage whisky from 1965 to mark Singapore's 40th anniversary. Drawn from the last remaining barrel of that year and coming from the Glenfiddich warehouses in the Scottish...

Dubai keeps on growing.(Travel updates)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Dubai is developing so quickly that every time you visit, it's like a new place. Dubai Marina is the latest huge project to be nearing completion, and the 45-storey Grosvenor House West Marina Beach by Le Meridien is already another landmark in...

Taking the Mickey.(Travel updates)
May 1, 2005... If you're sick of your job with all its work trips and meetings, fear not: Hong Kong Disneyland is recruiting. The resort opens in September and auditions have started for 3,000 frontline cast members. If you are multilingual, service-oriented,...

South African Airways.(Travel updates)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... As part of its preparation for full membership of Star Alliance, South African Airways (SAA) is introducing several new business and leisure routes. From July, the airline will operate twice weekly flights from Johannesburg to the island of...

GB Airways.(Travel updates)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... GB Airways has launched a twice weekly service from London to Heraklion, Crete from May, making it the first airline to offer a direct scheduled service to the island from the UK. Flights will depart London Gatwick on Tuesdays and Friday with...

Shifting sands: Abu Dhabi's determination to diversify has led to a host of new hotels, shopping malls and restaurants while its national airline is rapidly expanding.(Abu Dhabi)
May 1, 2005... A new chapter is starting in the UAE capital. The oil-rich city of Abu Dhabi is still the regional powerhouse (the UAE contains 10% of the world's oil reserves and 94% of that figure lies underneath Abu Dhabi) and its role on the global energy...

Canon PowerShot $70.(KEEPING IT SIMPLE)
May 1, 2005... If a pocket-sized camera suits you best on your travels, try Canon's 7.1 megapixel PowerShot $70. The lens is 28-100mm (using an equivalent measurement to a conventional 35mm lens) and the camera has 13 shooting modes. Canon also makes an...

Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom digital camera.(KEEPING IT SIMPLE)
May 1, 2005... If you want one really good camera with a fixed lens, the quality benchmark remains the Olympus eight megapixel C-8080 Wide Zoom, with a zoom lens equivalent to 28-140mm in a 35mm camera. Though not as long a telephoto as some, the spectacular...

Noisebuster noise cancelling headphones.(KEEPING IT SIMPLE)
May 1, 2005... For the plane, or just professional level napping, you can invest in some expensive noise cancellation headphones. But a solution that is easier on the wallet, but which still acquits itself well, is the digital-ready Noisebuster, which uses a...

Dana by AlphaSmart.(KEEPING IT SIMPLE)(AlphaSmart Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... If most of your work on the move can be handled by a word processor and managed by Palm Pilot software, take a good look at Dana by AlphaSmart. It has a comfortable, full-size keyboard that remains compact and lightweight with a small but...

Lightpen.(SIZE DOES MATTER)
May 1, 2005... As a travel writer there have been hundreds of occasions when a Lightpen would have been my lifesaver. In the dark backstreets of notable cities I have often struggled to see what I'm writing and on planes have often needed to catch up on work...

WorldSpace portable receiver radio.(SIZE DOES MATTER)
May 1, 2005... The WorldSpace satellite radio network is the modern way to enjoy interference-free radio in far-flung places. Traditional short wave is prone to atmospherics and as yet the DAB (digital) system is localised: not a lot of good if you don't...

Small Flylite trolley bag.(SIZE DOES MATTER)
May 1, 2005... I've had more carry-on bags than upgrades and, nine times out of 10, I'm told I have to check them in. It doesn't matter that most of my fellow passengers are allowed on with more bags than the Beckhams, mine always get checked. It's the...

Ultimate travel adaptor.(Gadgets)(Tumi's Ultimate Travel Adaptor )
May 1, 2005... Until they invent one plug size for all gadgets in every country, Tumi's Ultimate Travel Adaptor is a lifesaver. It contains power plugs that work in 150 countries and eight varieties of modern adaptors. PRICE: $178/95 [pounds sterling],...

Pacsafe luggage lock.(Gadgets)
May 1, 2005... For travellers who would prefer US Transport Security Administration officials not to take a set of bolt cutters to their designer luggage, Pacsafe has devised a coded lock with a security passkey to meet the ever-more stringent security...

Flylite digital scales.(Gadgets)
May 1, 2005... With budget carriers enforcing Draconian weight restrictions on luggage, you could find that these compact, battery powered luggage scales have paid for themselves by your second flight. They weigh luggage in pounds and kilograms and provide...

Wenger evolution Swiss Army.(Gadgets)(Swiss Army Knife)
May 1, 2005... The Swiss Army Knife, that icon of traditionalism, has gone all ergonomic and joined the 21st century. The new look "fluid" do-anything-take-anywhere handles are designed to feel as though they were formed by "contact with your fingers". Fear...

Malaysia Airlines business class.(FLIGHT CHECK: LONDON-KUALA LUMPUR)(Malaysia Airline System Bhd.)
May 1, 2005... FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This inaugural flight (March 30, 2005) was a first taste of the new Malaysia Airlines (MAS) business and first class products both in the air and on the ground, including both lounges at Heathrow Terminal 3. After a...

Budget boom: Asian low-cost carriers are multiplying and responding to the needs of business travelers.(Low-cost carriers)
May 1, 2005... No lounge at the airport. No free bubbly. And definitely no video-on-demand. That's certainly no way to fly. Or is it? Low-cost carriers are becoming increasingly popular in Asia, especially for consumers who pay for their own tickets. Most...

That sinking feeling: waiting for the elevator to arrive at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square used to be a trial. Then a new technology changed everything. Tom Otley takes a vertical ride into the future.(Hotels)
May 1, 2005... Of the 1,001 frustrations that a business traveller must endure every day, near the top of the list is waiting for the hotel elevator--for the eighth time in one day. Go for a jetlagged walk at 2am and there's no problem --you'll find it...

German easels: Berlin hasn't realized its economic hopes but its art scene is stronger than ever.(Berlin)
May 1, 2005... When Berlin once again became the capital of Germany in 1999, expectations ran high. The city was the crucible of the country's reunification dream, the symbol of Germany's place at the centre of Europe, and a showcase of national prestige and...

This sporting life: good facilities and even better weather make Australia a sporting heaven, and Melbourne is its undisputed champion. Beverley Fearis visits as the sports-mad city gears up for its next big event.(Melbourne)
May 1, 2005... By the time the Commonwealth Games opens in Melbourne in March 2006, Australia will have hosted three of the world's largest sporting events in just six years. After all, who could forget the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Rugby World Cup in...

Peak practice: trekking the Inca Trail doesn't have to involve blood, sweat, tears and worn boots, reports Darren Foster from his air-conditioned luxury train compartment.(Peru)
May 1, 2005... Ever since a bus full of well-heeled Chinese tourists ran my motorbike off the road near Cambodia's Angkor Wat, I've become painfully aware that the remote wonders of the world are not the exclusive province of "adventure travellers". Indeed,...

Expense and sensibility: firms may be sending employees abroad again, but the strict controls over expense claims brought in after the September 11 economic downturn remain, finds Tom Otley.(Expenses)
May 1, 2005... In every job there are tasks we grow to hate, particularly the repetitious type, and top of the list for many business travellers is filing their expenses. Travel and entertainment out of the office is part and parcel of working life, but...

Brace yourself: frequent flyers all too often ignore the safety demonstrations on board, but a British Airways course shows that most of us have a lot to learn. Tom Otley finds out why he should pay attention.(Air safety)
May 1, 2005... It's the sort of plane interior that would make any regular flyer nervous. The table tray is missing, there are no in-flight magazines and no safety card and, most worryingly, there are scratch marks around the emergency exits. What's more, no...

City high flyer: after starting as a small-scale business airport, London City is booming with new routes and better links.(Airports)
May 1, 2005... Imagine an airport close to where you work that caters for business travellers, is well connected to European long-haul hubs and has convenient transport links, making it easy to reach for early morning and late evening flights. It might sound...

4 hours in Amsterdam: from its famous museums and liberal cafe culture to the network of leafy canals just begging to be explored, Sarah Maxwell discovers that four hours in Amsterdam can be as active or as laid-back as you can handle.
May 1, 2005... [1] Anne Frank Museum, Prinsengracht 267 Possibly the most popular attraction in Amsterdam, and an absolute must-see, is the house immortalised in the diary of Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who spent two years during the Second World...

Hotel Metropole Monte Carlo save 40%.(Subscriber offer ...)
May 1, 2005... Hotel Metropole Monte Carlo is offering Business Traveller readers a special rate valid from June to December 2005, with savings of up to 40%. The stylish Hotel Metropole Monte Carlo re-opened in July 2004 following a top-to-toe...

Sagamore, Miami, save 50%.(Privilege club)(The Sagamore)
May 1, 2005... The Sagamore in South Beach, Miami, is an upscale boutique hotel on a prime stretch of sandy beach overlooking the Atlantic ocean. A sister hotel of the 60 Thompson in Soho, New York, the hotel boasts one and two bedroom suites and two storey...

Coral Gardens Resort.(Privilege club)
May 1, 2005... The luxurious Coral Gardens resort on Turks and Caicos has 30 oceanfront suites and is set on a quiet stretch of Grace Bay, which is rated by many as one of the best beaches in the world. Intimate and exclusive, Coral Gardens is set amid...

Starwood hotels & resorts, Latin America.(Privilege club)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... With more than 30 years' experience of serving the business traveller in Latin America, Starwood's service has been recognised and awarded on numerous occasions. When you visit the most fascinating and varied destinations in Mexico and South...

Hacienda heaven: tourists often overlook Ecuador, but its Spanish-style haciendas are relics of a rich colonial history and offer the chance to live like the old aristocracy. Liz Hoggard gets in the saddle ...(Great escape Ecuador)
May 1, 2005... Tired and hungry, we turned off the dusty Pan-American Highway and drove through some imposing white stone gates into paradise: the Hacienda Pinsaqui, one of Ecuador's most charming Spanish colonial buildings and one that has been in the...