"Free" Wi-Fi Access to Proliferate in 2013

Looking ahead to 2013, hotels are looking to provide guests their wishes of free wi-fi access in lobbies, common areas, guest rooms and suites.  While some hotel chains will continue to insist on collecting fees as high as $30 for internet access, travelers have made it clear that this is a top priority amenity and it is expected to be free.  While costs for hotels will vary depending on location, country among other factors, travelers need to be mindful about potential security issues while using insecure internet connections.  Malware perpetrators will be lurking and waiting for opportunities to install malicious software by innocuously offering "updates" or program upgrades that contain malware.

It is recommended that access to insecure network should be limited in duration and log out or shutdown should be done, not leaving the connection on.  Also, avoid the urge to click on any pop-up of "free offers", upgrades etc...
www.premieretravel.com 

United, Delta Issue Travel Advisories

For Immediate Release: Midwestern storm may have an impact on your holiday travel.  Please see the list below for potentially impacted airports.

Airports: Cedar Rapids, IA (CID) Des Moines, IA (DSM) Grand Rapids, MI (GRR) Lincoln, NE (LNK) Madison, WI (MSN) Moline, IL Milwaukee, WI (MKE) Omaha, NE (OMA) Wichita, KS (ICT) ​

Original Travel Dates: December 19, 2012 - December 21, 2012 Final Travel must be completed by: End of Validity of ticket (one year from date of issue)​​

Flight Changes: When rescheduled travel commences by December 28, 2012 change fees and fare differences will be waived. For all other dates and ticket uses, the change fee will be waived, but a difference in fare may apply. ​​

Saluting Newtown, Connecticut

Glitches Begin Grounding 787 Dreamliners

Qatar Airways became the second carrier after United to ground one of its brand new 787 Dreamliners due to electric component issues. United 787 had to make an emergency landing with 184 people on board on December 4. Qatar Airwais CEO was blunt in his displeasure with Boeing: "We will demand compensation from Boeing... we are buying planes from them to use them, not to put in a museum." www.premieretravel.com

Delta Does It Again!

Delta Airlines has reached an agreement to buy out Singapore Airlines' 49% stake in the Virgin Atlantic Group for $360 million. Yet another brilliant move by the savvy management of Delta Air Lines, gaining a giant foothold in the coveted Heathrow Airport in one fell swoop. Delta will certainly achieve what Singapore Airlines failed to do, namely to leverage those valuable slots at Heathrow into a meaningful presence, filling the gaping hole that was missing for the Sky Team. With their partnership with Air France, KLM and Alitalia, Delta and the Sky Team, this Virgin move puts the final touch for a formidable presence in Europe and beyond, and will certainly create meaningful competition to British Airways' dominance over Heathrow.www.premieretravel.com

No Holiday Bargains in Domestic Travel

Travelers looking for deals in late December will be disappointed to find high fares and scarce availability to most destinations. Airlines have been trimming capacity throughout 2012, and US Airways has just attempted to raise fares by an additional $20 round-trip. This is at least the 15th attempt to raise fares in 2012. About half the fare increase attempts have stuck because other airlines matched. Less seats and robust demand means the airlines are in better position to maintain higher fares. There may be one or two more opportunities to score decent fares as some airlines may release cheaper seats that they are hoping to sell in the next few days. It is our advice to keep checking frequently for quick releases of lower inventory seats and be prepared to be flexible. www.premieretravel.com

Delta Airlines Eyes Virgin Stake

Delta Airlines is negotiating the purchase of Singapore Airlines' 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic Group. Although it may not materialize, this is yet another brilliant move for Delta to quickly scoop up a huge number of take-off and landing slots in highly coveted London Heathrow. This certainly will not be good news for American Airlines and British Airways. Virgin Atlantic has been operating outside the three major alliances and Delta's thrust will fill a gaping hole for the Sky Team and will surely spice up competition along many routes, particularly the New York-London and Boston-London. We applaud the Delta move which will bring better competition and alternatives for travelers. www.premieretravel.com

TSA Pre Continues To Be A Favorite for Frequent Flyers

TSA Pre✓™ allows select frequent flyers of participating airlines and members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler programs to receive expedited screening benefits during domestic travel. Eligible participants use dedicated screening lanes for screening benefits which include leaving on shoes, light outerwear and belts, as well as leaving laptops and 3-1-1 compliant liquids in carry-on bags. Learn more about how you can participate and receive expedited screening. TSA Pre✓™ Expedited Screening TSA Pre✓™ is an expedited screening initiative that is expanding to airports across the country. Implementing a key component of the agency’s intelligence-driven, risk-based approach to security, TSA Pre✓™ enhances aviation security by placing more focus on pre-screening individuals who volunteer to participate to expedite the travel experience. TSA is partnering with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as well as U.S. air carriers as part of this initiative. Certain frequent travelers from Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, US Airways and certain members of CBP's Trusted Traveler programs, including Global Entry, SENTRI, and NEXUS who are U.S. citizens are eligible to participate. Beginning November 15, Canadian citizens traveling domestically in the United States who are members of NEXUS are also qualified to participate in TSA Pre✓™. In addition, passengers 12 and younger are allowed through TSA Pre✓™ lanes with eligible passengers. TSA Pre✓™ is currently available for eligible passengers flying on participating airlines. To see which airports are participating, please click on the map below. For a listing of airports and terminals, please use the map below or download the TSA Pre✓™ location chart.

Flight Attendant Strike looms At USAirways

A possible flight attendant strike became more realistic as 94 percent of attendants voted in favor of a walkout. Contract negotiations have been on-going and protracted without an agreement. USAirways unions are positioning their action prior to a psooble merger with American Airlines. www.premieretravel.com

The New Low-Down: Higher Baggage Fees Ahead

Some airlines have something new in store for travelers in 2013 and it is not good.  If your clever travel agent splits your ticket to save you money and issues two tickets instead of one to your destination, those savvy airlines now say they will only check your bags to what is listed on the ticket you are traveling on.  This means added fees and/or more inconvenience for the traveler, resulting obviously in higher fees for the airlines.

Here's an example: If you are flying from New York to Madrid via Paris, and you want to take advantage of two discounted fares instead of one more expensive fares, you will not be able to check your luggage all the way through.  This means that you will have to go through Customs and Immigration in Paris, retrieve your luggage, re-check your luggage and will certainly be subject to additional baggage fees for the second leg of your journey.

Airlines have collected record ancillary fees, and baggage fees are the biggest revenue generator for most.  By tacking on fees they don't have to disclose as part of the total airfare cost, airlines are flying under the radar of DOT requirements.

Spirit Airlines Sense of Humor Backfires

Subscribers to Spirit Airlines "$9 fare Club" which costs $59.95 a year, were shocked when they received an email with the heading: "Romney Wins. And So Do Obama and You With These Incredibly Low Fares,". Needless to say, a large number of recipients were not amused. This is not the first (or last) attempt of Spirit to try to be funny. From the folks that brought you deceptively advertised fares and a $100 baggage fee, the last email blast was yet another cynical effort to capture some badly needed attention. www.premieretravel.com

United Airlines Advisory: Exception Policy 6-8 November

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2012 Exception Policy for Northeast Winter Storm – November 6-8 Severe winter weather is expected to impact the northeastern United States on Wednesday, November 7 and Thursday, November 8. Customers with travel to, from, or through the cities below between November 6 and November 8, 2012 are permitted to voluntarily change travel plans or refund their ticket within the parameters provided below. In anticipation of the storm, United plans to suspend most service to and from the New York area between 12:00pm ET on Wednesday, November 7 and 12:00pm ET on Thursday, November 8. Weather conditions will likely cause additional delays and cancellations at other northeast airports. Weather permitting, United’s schedule will operate as follows: • New York/Newark (EWR): Between 12:00pm ET Wednesday, November 7 and 12:00pm ET on Thursday, November 8, United intends to operate long-haul international flights and flights to and from United hubs, but will suspend most remaining services. • New York/Kennedy (JFK) and New York/LaGuardia (LGA): United intends to operate most flights through 12:00pm ET on Wednesday, November 7, with all services then suspended through 12:00pm ET on Thursday, November 8. At this time United plans on operating a full schedule out of Washington/Dulles (IAD). Please note that these operational plans are subject to change as the weather event develops, so customers should visit united.com to check the status of their flight prior to departing for the airport. MileagePlus® members are encouraged to enroll in flight status notification updates through the communication preferences on their MileagePlus profile. Impacted Cities Dates Rescheduled Travel • Allentown, PA (ABE) • Hartford, CT (BDL) • Manchester, NH (MHT) • New York/Newark (EWR) • New York/Kennedy (JFK) • New York/LaGuardia (LGA) • Philadelphia, PA (PHL) • White Plains, NY (HPN) Travel Dates: November 6 – November 8 For original scheduled travel occurring to, from, or through impacted cities between November 6, 2012 – November 8, 2012, applicable change fee(s) and add/collects(s) will be waived under the following conditions: When rescheduled travel originates between November 6 – November 15, 2012: • Travel must be to the same cities previously ticketed • Travel may be rescheduled in any booking class within the same cabin • Min/max stay requirements must be met for wholly rescheduled travel

United Airlines Bulletin Update-Immediate Release

UPDATE 4: Exception Policy for Superstorm Sandy - October 28 - November 3 Superstorm Sandy continues to impact the eastern U.S. with severe weather. Limited service to New York/Newark (EWR) and New York/Kennedy (JFK) resumed Wednesday, October 31. As previously communicated, operations resumed at Cleveland (CLE) and Washington/Dulles (IAD) on Tuesday, October 30. As conditions permit and as aircraft and crews are positioned into the region, United will increase operations at EWR, JFK, IAD and all other airports in the affected area of the U.S. Northeast. New York-LaGuardia (LGA) is currently closed. United will begin limited inbound service at LaGuardia as soon as possible once the airport reopens. Where possible, United is utilizing larger aircraft and/or adding extra flights to provide greater capacity in and out of affected airports. The exception policy for New York City airports (EWR, JFK, LGA) has been extended to include travel through November 3. Customers with travel to, from, or through these three airports between October 28 and November 3 may reschedule or voluntarily refund their travel without penalty within the parameters provided below. Additionally, customers with an immediate travel need may reschedule their itinerary utilizing one of the alternate cities below without penalty (this is currently only available through agency GDS transactions and United Reservations). Customers should visit united.com to check the status of their flight prior to departing for the airport. MileagePlus® members are encouraged to enroll in flight status notification updates through the communication preferences on their MileagePlus profile. www.premieretravel.com

Delta Refinery Operational, N.Y. Delta Flights Not

At least one of Delta's operations weathered Sandy hurricane better than the flight operations at JFK and LaGuardia. Delta said its Trainer refinery in Pennsylvania continued without any interruption. The refinery provides 185,000 barrel-a-day in fuel and through a swap program, the purchase of this refinery will shield Delta from the fuel cost fluctuations. www.premieretravel.com

Airlines and Airports Scramble to Return to Normal

Airlines are scrambling to re-position aircraft and crews and airports are beginning efforts to restore services for travel operations Wednesday. Airports not affected by the super storm Sandy still felt the reverberating impact. Chicago and Atlanta, among others, experienced their own delays and cancellations as flights going into and coming from impacted airports took their toll. Passengers scheduled to depart Wednesday should double-check with the airlines or at www.premieretravel.com (flight status) to get the latest information on their flights. We estimate that it will take several days for schedules to get back to normal and many flights may still be cancelled or delayed. While many airlines have issued "waivers", their policies will vary in flexibility and some for example require affected travel to be completed by November 4. With near zero slack in capacity and equipment, many will find that flight alternatives and seats simply do not exist. www.premieretravel.com

Hurricane Sandy Eyes Mid-Atlantic Region

From the National Weather Service: Hurricane Sandy will move northward through the Bahamas on Friday, bringing tropical storm conditions to the east coast of Florida. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the Carolinas Saturday and Saturday night. Sandy is expected to turn toward the northeast on Saturday, followed by a turn to the northwest early next week, with direct impacts expected for the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast U.S. Due to the unpredictable nature of this storm, passengers are advised to check the status of their flights regularly. Airlines will be issuing travel waivers starting Friday afternoon for airports on the eastern seaboard and beyond. Our after-hours emergency service will be available, however, please bear in mind that this is for emergency use only and that wait times may be very long and options, if any, will be very limited. www.premieretravel.com

New Improved Body Scanners on Way

The TSA is in the process of replacing the much hated body scanners currently in use at most major airport with less intrusive and "user friendly" machines that will not project the body images and will produce faster processing and more accurate scanning.www.premieretravel.com

Some Airlines' Deep Hostility to Travel Companies

Frontier Airlines have joined the ranks of Southwest, Spirit and others in implementing policies that are particularly hostile to online travel agencies and third party providers. Many airlines have implemented amenities only valid if travelers book direct on the airlines' websites and will charge higher fees, inhibit seat assignments if third parties are used to book. Some, such as Virgin America and Jet Blue will give discounts or extra miles for enticing travelers to book direct. Why this hostility? These airlines want to control travel from A to Z. They see the agent as the enemy because the agent actually works for the benefit of the traveler. Agents will advocate for their travelers and charge a small fee to provide personalized services that these airlines are incapable of doing. They penalize agents for holding reservations that are ultimately not ticketed by charging up to $300 fee for a booking. Agents do not make any commissions off of these airlines and the cost of distributing these seats through agents are very minimal. What the agents do offer is the impartial display of all airlines and flights and shop comparison tools for best pricing, something these particular airlines absolutely resent. www.premieretravel.com

Phishing Scams Target Frequent Flyers

Scammers are attempting to send fraudulent emails to frequent flyers of many airlines claiming to be from the airlines and stating that the traveler had purchased a ticket and his/her credit card had been charged. The email contains a purported "invoice/receipt" attachment that has a dangerous virus. Airlines do not send this type of correspondence and recipients are advised to delete the email and never open the attachments. www.premieretravel.com

Potential Shakeup Looms for Airline Alliances

The Star Alliance, Sky Team and One World are dealing with the ripples of side alliances taking shape this week between members within these alliances that will bring into question what members expect these partnerships to achieve and the new conflicts that they bring in. At the center of it all are 3 Middle East carriers, wielding lots of cash, new facilities and equipment that are jockying to outdo each other by finding the right partners to leverage their ability to sell more seats. Qatar Airways struck a deal with One World (led by British Airways and American Airlines). This may conflict with efforts by American to also link up with Emirates, a rival of Qatar Airways. Etihad of the UAE, a rival of both carriers is now in alliance with the Air France/KLM Group a key partner of the Sky Team, and noticeably missing is the name of Delta, the American partner of the Sky Team. Meanwhile Emirates has done a codeshare deal with Qantas. Confused? The dust is yet to settle and the shakeup might just be the beginning of the redefinition of what these alliances, joint ventures and partnerships will become going forward. The biggest losers are likely to be the junior partners within these alliances that will come to find out there is no room for them at the big dance. www.premieretravel.com

Update: American Now Blames Passengers For Loose Seats

Just as we thought we heard it all, American Airlines spokeperson pointed the finger at the sloppy passengers whose spilled sodas, coffee and beer caused seats to come undone. A Public Relations Firm representing the carrier in an amended statement to CNN went on further to say: ""people spilling sodas, popcorn, coffee or whatever"... The airline has announced that it is taking "additional preventative steps". So based on the statement, it appears passengers on American must be particularly sloppy as no other carrier seems to encounter that type of problem which was originally attributed to labor tensions. What we do know is that those 757's are pretty old and the average age of American Airlines aircraft is 15 years plus.

New MileagePlus Conversion Made Easy

Here's an easy tip for MileagePlus members to convert from the old numeric to the new alpha-numeric number without calling United: Simply go to the address below, enter your old number, and click on "submit query" https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com/MergerSites/getUA8.jsp

Woes Continue for American Airlines

"Fasten Your Seatbelts" takes on a whole new meaning. The FAA is investigating this morning's incident on American flight 6885 in which a whole row of seats came loose and started moving around the cabin. There were passengers in those seats who had to be moved and the plane had to make an emergency landing at JFK. While American Airlines operates the oldest fleet of aircraft, such maintenance issues have come to fore coincidentally as the airline has been experiencing very tense labor problems while attempting to work its way out of bankruptcy.www.premieretravel.com

Passengers Still Demand DOT Action For Full Disclosure

The Department of Transportation (DOT)this year required all travel agencies to fully disclose the cost of the airfares, including all taxes and fees. Airlines however are still not required to clearly display the variety of charges that they subject passengers to thus making it impossible to do reasonable comparisons of the costs of travel. The airlines have also been reluctant to allow agents access to these ancillary fees even though all global distribution systems (GDS) are ready to implement them. A federal rulemaking is expected to address this flaw in the airline distribution process by the U.S. Department of Transportation(DOT). www.premieretravel.com

Oil Drops Below $90 But Airlines Raise Fares Sighting High Fuel Costs

Last month, price of oil and its jet fuel derrivative rose. Immediately, airlines increased fares to compensate. Now oil is back to where it was before the increase, and the airlines' response? Another fare increase! The Department of Transportation (DOT) ignores the price fixing that airlines have perfected over the years. One airline raises fares and waits for other airlines to match. If they do, the fare increase stays. If they don't, the maverick airline rolls back the increase "to stay competitive". www.premieretravel.com

More Operational Pain at American Airlines

American Airlines once again announced capacity cuts of 2% in addition to previous cuts through the end of October due "pilot retirements, sick calls and mechanical issues". Recently American won a court ruling allowing it to cut pay of its pilots. The airline has succeeded in bankruptcy court to toss the labor agreements with its pilots. The "sick calls" and pilots' anger over labor issues and new rules are likely to add a big uncertainty to American's ability to provide reliable service to many destinations in the next several weeks. www.premieretravel.com

Spirit Airlines Honeymoon is Over

Wall Street's love affair with Spirit Airlines and its brash management appears to be over. The stock took a beating today after the company disclosed its disappointing August load factors. Passengers are also catching on to the Spirit pricing model which underprices the base fare but carries a big hefty assortment of fees that puts the price on par with the competition. Spirit is the only carrier that charges for carry-on bags. It recently responded to passnegers' complaints about this fee by announcing that they would more than double that to a whopping $100 for the first bag. www.premieretravel.com

New Livery Over Washington Skies

Emirates will start daily non-stop service between Washington Dulles and Dubai September 12. The service will use the latest Boeing 777 Extended Range and will feature top flight amenities. In celebration of this launch, Emirates introduced promotional fares and upgrades. www.premieretravel.com

Mileage Plus Members Can Sign Up for TSA Pre-Screen

If you are a MileagePlus® member, you will need to sign into your account to apply for pre-screening. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is implementing an expedited security screening program at participating airports that will allow certain travelers to move through security with greater efficiency and ease when traveling on an itinerary wholly within the United States. The TSA manages and operates this pre-screening program as described below. Please contact the TSA for information and answers to questions. How it works: If you apply to the program, the TSA will determine your eligibility for expedited screening prior to each flight and will embed this information in the barcode of your boarding pass. When you arrive at a participating airport, go to the designated security checkpoint where the TSA agent will scan your boarding pass and direct you to the assigned pre-screening lane if you are eligible for that flight. In this lane, you may no longer need to remove the following items: Shoes (some, such as steel-toed shoes, may require removal) 3-1-1 compliant bag from your carry-on (all liquid restrictions still apply) Laptop from your bag (if electronics are stacked on top of each other, they require removal) Light outerwear or jacket Belt (large belt buckles may require removal)

Please note, the TSA uses random and unpredictable security measures. Therefore, you are not guaranteed expedited screening for every flight, even if you have applied to the program. www.premieretravel.com

Global Entry Saves Time

A TSA program designed to expedite travelers entering the U.S. offers significant time savings and conveniences for inbound travelers from overseas. At airports, program participants proceed to Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card, place their fingertips on the scanner for fingerprint verification, and make a customs declaration. The kiosk issues the traveler a transaction receipt and directs the traveler to baggage claim and the exit. Travelers must be pre-approved for the Global Entry program. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and interview before enrollment. While Global Entry's goal is to speed travelers through the process, members may be selected for further examination when entering the United States. Any violation of the program's terms and conditions will result in appropriate enforcement action and revocation of the traveler's membership privileges. To apply, go to www.globalentry.gov www.premieretravel.com

American Airlines Opens Its Books to USAirways

USAirways and AMR, parent of American Airlines agreed on procedural issues for USAirways to perform due dilligence for a potential merger. There are still many obstacles in the way of a possible merger, including the banruptcy process and resolution of labor agreements. The biggest obstacle in our opinion remains to be the cultural differences between the two carriers. USAirways is actually the old America West Airlines that merged with US Air and assumed it's name. This acquisition tried to meld two disparate airlines and many years after this merger, some argue it is still not very smooth. Another reminder of how airline mergers can go awry happened earlier this week when United's reservation and check-in system crashed. www.premieretravel.com

Delta-American Merger on Horizon?

Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Delta Airlines may be considering a bid for American Airlines. Delta will be putting the lid on its regional carrier Comair in September, and many think that Delta may be positioning itself to make a move on American which has also been a target of USAirways. Acquiring American will not be easy for Delta but the two carriers share common legacy cultures and Delta has shown that it can meld acquisitions better than the still problematic United-Continental merger. www.premieretravel.com

No Free Wi-Fi? Hotels At Disadvantage

Many hotels and hotel chain holdouts believe that they can still charge up to $30 a day for wi-fi or internet access. These hotels are simply taking advantage of their guests and tacking on this exhorbitant fee with no real justification. The irony is that their "free breakfast" costs more than internet access and many guests will take the option of free internet over "free continental breakfast" or even "Full breakfast". No question that some hotels have taken a page from airlines' strategy for nickeling and diming their ways into the guests' pocketbooks, while other savvy chains realize the advantage of providing a service that has become so essential to travelers. Free wi-fi has become an essential and deciding factor when choosing hotels. www.premieretravel.com

Prepaid Hotels Through www.premieretravel.com

Companies and organizations can now go online to www.premieretravel.com and prepay for their employees' or approved personnel's hotel and car rentals. Here's what you get: * Very competitive hotel and car rental rates worldwide from one source. * Instant availability and confirmations * Map displays, hotel information, different room types and area attractions. * Simply complete the booking and enter authorized credit card information and receive instant confirmations for your travelers 24/7. No need for filing expense reports or look for reimbursements. This feature will also control costs by selecting properties and cars within travel policies and guidelines. www.premieretravel.com

American Airlines Gets a $162.4 Million Debit Memo

American Airlines was fined a record penalty of $162.4 million for numerous violations of U.S. safety standards going back several years. The FAA filed documents describing a variety of violations against the carrier, and these came to light in the bankruptcy proceedings. A spokesperson for the airline said the carrier is cooperating with the FAA and seeking to reduce the penalty. The FAA said in a statement that it filed the claim to make sure that the government gets paid just like other creditors in the AMR bankruptcy case. It declined further comment, citing ongoing investigations. In some cases, the agency had not yet formally notified American of the proposed fines. www.premieretravel.com

United Offers Rebate for Global Entry

United Airlines announced a compensation program for their elite travelers that will offer a $100 for eligible travelers who participate in the Global Entry Program. Here are the details: Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved travelers upon arrival in the United States. As a benefit of the 2012 MileagePlus® program, Premier Platinum, Premier 1K and Global ServicesSM members may be compensated for the $100 USD fee associated with a new application for Global Entry. Eligible members can obtain a credit toward the fee for new applications, in the form of a personalized, stored-value credit card code, which can be redeemed during the Global Entry application process. To verify eligibility, obtain the personalized code, and receive instructions on how to apply for Global Entry, please visit united.com/globalentrycompensation. Alternatively, members who have already applied for Global Entry between January 1, 2012 and August 31, 2012 are eligible for a $100 USD TravelBank credit, which can be used toward travel purchased through united.com. Eligible members may request the credit by submitting the following information to globalentrycredit@united.com: • Member’s MileagePlus number (eight-character, alphanumeric) • The name as it appears on the account • A confirmation of the Global Entry application submission, such as a payment summary screenshot, email confirmation, or approval letter. www.premieretravel.com

Baggage Compliance Confusion

New U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations on the disclosure of baggage allowances and fees (§ 399.85(c)) and the application of identical baggage fees across a passenger’s entire itinerary (§ 399.87), effective July 20, 2012 is causing additional confusion as each airline comes up with its own interpretation and applies new rules, mostly resulting in additional fees if travelers have split tickets that are not on the same itinerary. Last week, we posted the U.S. Airways rule and now here's United: U.S. DOT Baggage Rule Compliance In compliance with the new U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations on the disclosure of baggage allowances and fees (§ 399.85(c)) and the application of identical baggage fees across a passenger’s entire itinerary (§ 399.87), effective July 20, 2012, United Airlines will disclose and apply baggage allowances and charges based on the first marketing carrier in the passenger itinerary. For passengers whose ultimate ticketed origin or destination is a point in the United States, carriers must apply the baggage allowances and charges of the first marketing carrier at the beginning of and throughout a passenger's entire itinerary. A calculator tool has been added at united.com/baggagecalculator and on United mobile applications to make it easier to understand what the baggage service charge will be for specific flights. Baggage fee waivers for MileagePlus® Premier status members or eligible credit card holders are included in the computation of the baggage charges. For customers using United self-service channels for check-in, the baggage calculation will occur automatically. www.premieretravel.com

Expect More Baggage Fees on Split Tickets...

Airlines are beginning to take advantage of new DOT rules that went into effect on July 24, 2012 mandating new baggage rules requiring airline passengers to pay the same published baggage fees and have the same allowances for their entire itinerary. U.S. Airways just issued a "New Baggage Policy" as follows: New baggage policy – interline through baggage check discontinued Effective July 24, 2012 the DOT has mandated new baggage rules requiring airline passengers to pay the same published baggage fees[1] and have the same allowances for their entire itinerary. As a result of this new policy, effective August 1, 2012 US Airways will no longer be through checking passengers’ bags when they have been ticketed on separate tickets. For interline itineraries where the passenger has their entire journey on one ticket, we will continue our practice as it is done today, however when the tickets are split (e.g. ticket 1 US PHX-HNL // ticket 2 HA HNL-LIH) we will only check the bag to the destination on the US Airways ticket. A ticketing and baggage agreement is required to ticket interline itineraries on one record (PNR). Published minimum connect times are only valid for interline itineraries; minimum connect time cannot be precisely calculated when bags are not through checked. [1] Carriers are not required to recognize exemptions to other carriers’ baggage policies such as free first or second bags due to frequent flyer status or loyalty credit card membership. The carrier’s published baggage fees or US Airways’ baggage fees must be charged, depending on a variety of factors including first marketing carrier and/or most significant marketing carrier. The result is that if there is no interline agreement which would necessitate the issuance of two or more separate tickets, passengers are likely to see double or more baggage fees. www.premieretravel.com

Another Fuel Surcharge Increase?

Early last month, we pointed out in this column how airlines suddenly get quiet when the price of jet fuel goes down and that they never roll back the surcharges that they quickly introduce when fuel prices go up. The Airlines For America (A.K.A. A4A) which represents airlines interests publishes the Argus US Jet Fuel Index on their website. Jet fuel is currently around $3/gallon. No reduction was undertaken by the airlines when the price per gallon went down from about $3.35 to $2.60. People would have been screaming at the gas pump if retailers kept their gas prices elevated despite the big drop in crude. Nobody seems to be raising a fuss on behalf the nickled and dimed traveler. Even the Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) has mandated that airlines must justify and explain their fuel surcharges, but it has been totally ignored. Since this is an election year, it is unlikely that the DOT will act to protect travelers. Now that jet fuel has gone up from the low of about $2.60 a gallon to $3.00, but still well below the April highs, we hope the airlines do not get tempted on embarking on another increase. www.premieretravel.com

On The Horizon: Airlines Will Likely Introduce Credit Card Surcharges

Visa, MasterCard and several banks have agreed to a $6 billion dollar cash settlement with retailers and merchants who accuse the card processing companies and the banks of colluding and price fixing. More important than the financial settlement is the fine print that will allow merchants and retailers to have leeway in their pricing. Merchants/retailers may either discount prices for those who wish to pay by cash, something that was prohibited before, or, introduce a surcharge for credit card users. Airlines, already sensing another fee opportunity will certainly not discount their fares. The surcharge would most probably be the quickest way to goose up their revenue. In Europe, Lufthansa, among others, already has a "surcharge" for the use of credit card built into their fare calculation. Airlines will likely argue that the travelers are receiving points and rebates of up to 4% on air travel, and airlines are among the largest merchants processing several billion dollars in credit card charges. They will be very eager to shave a percentage or two of these massive amounts by passing the cost back to the traveler, unless the traveler uses the airline's own brand of credit card. The system is already in place as most of the major carriers have their own branded credit cards. We shall stay tuned for this, but the airlines are already working on the possibilities. www.premieretravel.com

Demand Concerns Spur More Capacity Cuts

Delta, United and American pruned more flights for the remainder of 2012 amid signs of slower demand. While summer numbers appear healthy, airlines are taking no chances, and by keeping a tight inventory, the pricing would be firmer. www.premieretravel.com

The Fly America Act Needs an Update

The Fly America Act was enacted to mandate the use of U.S. flag carriers for travel paid for wholly or partially by the U.S. government, under rules and conditions that have been revised over the years. Many airlines, American and foreign, are gaming the process and creating opportunities for windfall profits from this act and take advantage of the restrictions required when conforming with the rules and regulations. Through the use of code shares, joint ventures and alliances, these airlines are now leveraging the markups and profits by simply lending their names to foreign carriers that are designed to meet the requirements only by name, while the actual equipment, crew and facilities actually belong to foreign carriers. By simply slapping a code share U.S. flag flight number, a flight becomes eligible and conforms to the "Fly America Act" and usually carries a premium mark-up for the American flag carrier at the expense of the government and taxpayer. The Act has inadvertently created some unintended consequenses and many unnecessary complexities. Fly America Act was not intended to line the U.S. flag carriers' pockets. www.premieretravel.com

Fare Shopping Online: It's a Jungle Out There

Travelers have come to discover that airlines and online travel agencies discriminate in their prices and offerings depending on what operating system you are using in your search.  We believe that this is only the beginning.  Cookies and other means are utilized to determine your location, shopping habits, seach queries to give advertisers and providers the means to infringe on your privacy and calibrate the prices and offers based on your zip codes, demographic factors and other mined data.

The internet is a wonderful thing, but browsing privacy and the methods you use to conduct your searches will yield different results to different users.

At the end, this will undermine the system and create serious privacy concerns to the traveler.  Your travel agent remains the best source for trusted information with top notch service and uniform pricing. www.premieretravel.com

United PerksPlus Update-Point Conversion and Online Redemption Tools

The following update is for our customers enrolled in the current RewardOne® and/or PerksPlus® loyalty programs, which are designed to reward small and mid-sized enterprises for business travel on United, United Express and Lufthansa. As these customers transition to the new United PerksPlusSM program, the following should be noted: 1. Points Transfer and Conversion – Existing RewardOne and PerksPlus customers who signed up before 9:00pm CDT on June 20, 2012 and linked their United PerksPlus accounts will have seen their legacy program points converted to the new United PerksPlus on June 21, 2012. Points converted and transferred will include all outstanding balances in the legacy programs through March 31, 2012. Customers who enrolled after 9:00pm CDT on June 20, 2012 through June 30, 2012 will receive their points transfer in July. 2. United PerksPlus Online Redemption Tool – All United PerksPlus customers who have enrolled successfully in the program before 9:00pm CDT on June 20, 2012, and had legacy program balances that transferred over, now have access to the Online Redemption Tool at http://unitedperksplus.united.com. Customers must log in to their new account then click “Redeem Points” to access this tool. 3. Program Termination – Any outstanding balances in existing RewardOne and/or PerksPlus accounts will be removed after July 1, 2012. Please advise your eligible customers to complete the enrollment process in the new United PerksPlus prior to this date. For existing customers that currently enjoy corporate discounts on United, please remind them that they have until this date to redeem all outstanding points. The United PerksPlus Service Center is available for assistance with general program information. Please call 866-230-3296 (Mon. - Fri. 8:30am - 7:00pm ET) in the U.S. or Canada. United PerksPlus Enrollment Process: In the event your customers have not had the opportunity to enroll in the new United PerksPlus program, we encourage them to do so at their earliest convenience in order to take advantage of the extended retroactive credit deadline of June 30, 2012. To enroll, simply follow the three-step process below. Prior to beginning the enrollment process, please have your existing User ID and password available as reference: • If you are an existing RewardOne and PerksPlus customer, please log into http://rewardone.united.com to authenticate and begin the enrollment process. • If you are only a PerksPlus member, please log into www.perkspluspartners.com with your existing User ID (three numerical and two alpha characters) and password. • Once you have logged in successfully, select the link labeled “click here” to enroll into the new United PerksPlus program. The system will then automatically direct you to the Terms and Conditions page. • Once you accept the program’s Terms and Conditions, your existing company information will automatically be uploaded to help you begin the enrollment process. • During enrollment, you will have an opportunity to upload your travelers by their MileagePlus number. Please note that the new MileagePlus number consists of eight alpha-numeric characters. • If you are in need of password assistance with your customer’s existing PerksPlus account, please call 888-737-5775 (8:30am – 7:00pm ET, Monday – Friday) or e-mail PerksPlusNorthAm@united.com • If you are in need of program support with your customer’s existing RewardOne account, please call 800-395-4922 (8:00am – 4:30pm ET, Monday – Friday) or e-mail RewardOne@coair.com www.premieretravel.com

What To do With Your Frequent Flyer Miles

Travelers and consumers are very loyal when it comes to racking up miles on their favorite carriers and using credit cards to earn them miles even when they do not travel. But most travelers are not quite sure how to redeem their miles or how to best leverage them into good use before they expire worthless. Before you let your miles expire, think about magazine and newspaper subsciptions. There is no need to pay a dime out of pocket when you have miles that you can redeem. You can also gift those magazine to relatives or friends. The value is great. Take for example the Wall Street Journal. A 39-week subsciption will cost around a $129, but can be redeemed for as low as 2700 miles. Doing the math, it is easy to compute that 9 subsciptions of the WSJ would equal to one 25,000 mil flight redemption. The value of the 25,000 in subsciptions is $1161, and you don't have to jump through any hoops for availability or black-out dates. Other ideas to work your miles is to donate them to charities and 501c (3) non-profit organizations who will be grateful to put those awards into good use and give you the receipts for your generous donations. Many savvy travelers understand the rules and use their points to redeem upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals and other benefits. www.premieretravel.com

Airlines: The On-Time Machine!

Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, and one of the most powerful lobbying organizations, today reported the best industry on-time performance in more than two years. However a closer look tells a somehow different story. Many airlines have engaged in the habit of padding their flight times so that they appear to be on-time. I was recently on a flight from Washington to Dallas/Ft. Worth. The flight time was listed at 3 hours and 2 minutes, wheels-up to wheels-down. While the flight did leave exactly on-time, we arrived in Dallas a whopping 35 minutes earlier than the scheduled arrival listed. Sometimes, the early arrival catches the ground crew and gates unprepared and the passengers would sit for a while waiting for the plane occupying the gate to free up the slot, or for the ground crew to arrive. While it is understandable that airlines have to account for air traffic control delays, weather and other factors, some flight times are comfortably padded that accurate and reliable information for the travelers are hard to come by. www.premieretravel.com

TSA Pre-Check

June 8, 2012 From United Airlines: TSA Pre-Screening Update United is partnering with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to deliver TSA Pre✓TM, an expedited secu rity screening program at several airports, with Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Los Angeles International (LAX) and Houston Intercontinental (IAH) starting this summer. The TSA Pre✓TM allows travelers to move through security with greater efficiency and ease when traveling on an itinerary wholly within the United States. Participants may enjoy benefits such as no longer removing the following items at the security checkpoint: shoes, 3-1-1 compliant bag from carry-on (all liquid restrictions still apply), light outerwear/jacket and belt. Full details of the TSA Pre✓™ program are available on the TSA website: www.tsa.gov Participating airports for United flights TSA pre-screening designated security checkpoints are currently located at the following airports. Additional locations may be added in the future. For the most updated information on participating airports, please visit www.united.com Airport Designated Security Checkpoint Open Date for United Passengers Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 1 Late June 2012 Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport Terminal South Checkpoint June 2012* Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport South Pier Gates 10-22 June 2012* Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Lindbergh Terminal, Checkpoint 4 June 2012* Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Checkpoint 5 North June 2012* Portland International Airport ABC Checkpoint June 2012* *Expedited screening will only be available to customers who check in online, at a kiosk or via a mobile device. Customer Participation MileagePlus® members are invited to participate in this program by logging into their MileagePlus profile and updating their traveler information and preferences. This is a one-time sign up for United departures via www.united.com. Additionally, U.S. citizens currently enrolled in the Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI Trusted Traveler programs can also participate by providing their Known Traveler or PASS ID number. For more information on how to sign up for the program, customers can visit TSA Pre-screening Sign-Up and enter their MileagePlus number to sign in. Frequently Asked Questions Q. Can customers sign up for the program at the airport? A. Customers need to opt-in via united.com, and the process takes 24 hours to complete. Note: Members of a Known Traveler program can provide their Known Traveler/PASS ID number to an agent at the airport, however, opting in can only be done on united.com. Q. How will customers learn if they qualify for TSA Pre✓™ lane entry? A. Eligibility information is embedded in the barcode of the passenger’s boarding pass and detected by the TSA Security Checkpoint scanner. Customers should be directed to a TSA agent to scan the barcode to determine eligibility. Q. Where is the dedicated TSA Pre✓™ security lane located? A. Lane location will vary by airport and TSA will have signage. Q. Is enrollment in TSA Pre✓™ reciprocal among domestic carriers? A: No, current traveler participation is driven by TSA and requires personal data to be collected and shared with TSA. Enrollment information is not shared between carriers. Q. If customers are already signed up for TSA Pre✓™ with one carrier, are they able to use the expedited check points for other carriers in the U.S.? A. This is depends on the airline that generates the boarding pass. If the boarding pass was generated by United, the customer should be able to approach any TSA Pre✓™ checkpoint and see if he/she qualifies for that segment. Q. How will customers know which airports offer TSA Pre✓™? A. Customers can visit the TSA website at www.tsa.gov for the most up to date information

Air Wars: United loses Battle of Houston, Immediately Lays Off 1300

The hotly contested Houston battle between Southwest Airlines and United came to an end when the Houston City Council voted 16-1 in favor of allowing Southwest Airlines to start international routes from/to Houston Hobby Airport beginning in 2015. United Airlines did not respond kindly and immediately terminated the employment of 1300 workers at its hub at Bush Intercontinental, even though Southwest does not start operating for at least 3 years. In a statement, United explained why the pink slips were handed immediately: "Throughout the debate on the development of HOU (Hobby-Houston) as an international airport, United has made the point that a competing international airport at HOU would result in a diversion of passengers we carry today to Hobby. This would drive a reduction of 1,300 jobs at United and our partner airlines at IAH (roughly 800 jobs today and 500 jobs in the future). We expect to begin a 10 percent reduction in planned IAH capacity beginning with the fall 2012 schedule change. Some of you have asked, “Why so soon, if Southwest does not intend to fly international flights out of HOU until 2015?” Here’s why: There is a segment of our operation at IAH that is not profitable today. We have operated these flights expecting that future growth will improve the routes and make them profitable. As a result of the city’s decision to develop HOU as a competing international airport, the growth will not occur and, as a result, we will cut unprofitable flying in our schedule now rather than continue to lose money with no expectation of improvement. “These are the kind of tough decisions we make every day,” said Network SVP Greg Hart. “We have a responsibility to our investors and all of our employees to invest where we have the best opportunity of generating profits.” The changes would reduce current capacity at IAH by about 6 percent with reductions planned for several domestic and international markets. The other 4 percent of the 10 percent reduction in planned capacity will come as a result of not starting service that was part of our longer-term plan for IAH." www.premieretravel.com

United Airlines Revises Baggage Policy

United Airlines continues to streamline its policies, procedures and integration as part of "becoming United". Here's the latest: United will accept up to two pieces of checked baggage per person with a maximum weight of 50 pounds (23 kg) per bag and a maximum outside dimension of 62 inches (157 cm) per bag in exchange for the applicable service charges set forth below. Charges disclosed in the chart below apply to first and second checked bags. Additional checked bags, or any bags that exceed these allowable weights and dimensions, are subject to additional charges. Outside dimension of a bag is equal to the width, height and depth of the bag added together. Please review United’s Excess Baggage policy for further details. View baggage policy frequently asked questions. Connections and stopovers Checked baggage service charges apply at any point where bags are checked. For a trip that includes one or more connections, bags will be checked to your final destination, and the charge for checking a bag from your origin to your destination will apply. For a trip that includes a voluntary stopover, your bags will be checked to your stopover point, where you will collect your bags. When you resume travel, you may check your bags again, subject to applicable charges from the new point of check-in to the destination. Baggage service charge exceptions Some customers are exempt from certain checked baggage charges. Select “Baggage Service Charge Exceptions” above to view a chart with more details. Passenger status Maximum number of free checked bags Maximum weight per bag MileagePlus Premier® Silver Star Alliance® Silver MileagePlus Explorer Cardmembers OnePass Plus primary Cardmembers 1 50 lbs. Presidential PlusSM Cardmembers Full-fare United Economy® 2 50 lbs. MileagePlus Premier Platinum MileagePlus Premier Gold MileagePlus Premier 1K® Global ServicesSM Star Alliance Gold United First® United Business® United BusinessFirst® United Global FirstSM Active U.S. military personnel (leisure travel) 3 70 lbs. Active U.S. military personnel traveling on official business in United Economy 4 70 lbs. Active U.S. military personnel traveling on official business in a premium cabin 5 70 lbs. Customers traveling with MileagePlus Premier members or dependents traveling with active U.S. military personnel are also exempt from baggage service charges as indicated above, as long as they are traveling in the same reservation. This exemption will not apply to group reservations that include 10 or more customers. First and second checked bag service charges First and second checked baggage service charges apply for certain United Economy fares between the destinations indicated below, based on dates of purchase and travel. Charge amounts are shown in U.S. dollars (USD). Note: Baggage service charges shown below apply for ticketing and travel on or after June 1, 2012. Different charges may apply depending on the date your travel was purchased. Please see PDFs listed below for all other ticketing and travel dates. If you purchased tickets between July 15, 2011, and May 31, 2012, for travel on or after August 15, 2011, view the Pre-June 1, 2012, Checked Baggage Service Fee Chart. If you purchased tickets on or after June 1, 2011, but before July 15, 2011, for travel on or after July 1, 2011, or if you purchased tickets on or after July 15, 2011, for travel before August 15, 2011, view the Post-June 1, 2011, International Checked Baggage Service Fee Chart . www.premieretravel.com

Your Call Is Important To Us...

Out of the blue, travel agents are popular again! Thousands of travel websites, all claiming to be the lowest priced along with airlines that keep you on hold and keep you guessing, made the travel management companies (TMC's) the best discovery in travel for 2012. Your call is truly important to us! Most well-run travel management companies answer the phones in person and provide immediate assistance to service-starved customers who deservedly expect decent and courteous service, knowledgeable staff and straight answers. While the internet has become a huge element in providing information, sometimes the clutter creates more confusion. Our job as professionals is to deliver efficient solutions and provide accountability to limit costs, follow corporate travel policy and offer technology choices customized to individual needs. So while others claim that your call is important to them, your travel agent is there for you, by your side advocating for you. www.premieretravel.com

American Idle: More job Cuts at American Airlines

American Airlines is planning more layoffs to become a leaner carrier. The jobs include managerial and support personnel across the board. Thousands of employees will be receiving their pink slips as the carrier continues to struggle in an effort to emerge from bankruptcy as a smaller and leaner airline. With a reduction in capacity looming, frequent flyer seats will become even more scarce across the board. If you are lucky to find space at all, it will probably be to destinations that are either undesirable or come with higher mileage requirements and assortments of fees. www.premieretravel.com

United Premier Access Saves Time

Eligible members of United Airlines elite statuses can enjoy the Premier Access, a premium premiere travel benefit that offers faster check-in through designated and dedicated check-in lines, exclusive shorter TSA security lines, boarding priority, and expedited baggage handling. The following members qualify: • MileagePlus® Premier® members • United First®, United Global FirstSM, United Business® and United BusinessFirst®, • Star Alliance Gold and Silver members • MileagePlus Club and Presidential Plus credit cardmembers For more information, please contact your agent at Premiere Travel. www.premieretravel.com

Hubs To Emerging Market Airports

Savvy airlines and international airports know that emerging markets will continue to experience double-digit growth in the next few years. This is a contrast from stagnant or capacity reductions that are happening in Europe and the U.S. Many European, Asian and Middle Eastern carriers have placed huge aircraft orders to meet the surge in demand for seats to and from emerging growth destinations such as Africa, the far east, middle east and central Asia. These airlines include now familiar names such as Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, with their ultra-modern hubs in the middle east serving destinations in Asia and Africa. European airports and carriers are ramping up as well with the exception of London Heathrow which continues to experience logistical and capacity problems. Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris have taken the top three spots in European hubs that offer excellent connections worldwide. The Star Alliance anchored by Lufthansa and United are well-positioned to take advantage of the growth opportunities ahead. www.premieretravel.com

Carrying Baggage Results in Fee Decline For Airlines

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said that airlines made less money year over year in checked bag fees. Airlines began charging fees about four years ago and the practice resulted in a windfall for carriers. So it finally took four years for passengers to start figuring out ways to avoid paying such fees by carrying less and stuffing more into overhead bins. The jockeying for overhead space has become a sport. Boarding first gives you a good advantage. Then you have passengers that take big size suitcases to the gate knowing they would not fit and simply turning them over at the jetways and avoiding the fee. Ironically, two of the most profitable airlines, Southwest and Spirit do not charge fees for checked bags. Spirit actually charges for carry-on bags and that will go up to a $100 per bag in November. www.premieretravel.com

Airlines! How About A "Fuel Undercharge"?

Airlines have always complained when oil prices jump and they waste absolutely no time in hiking fares domestically and adding "fuel surcharges" for international flights. However, when oil prices decline like they have in the past three weeks, we do not hear a beep. Why do airlines not roll back these surcharges? The Department of Transportation (DOT) supposedly was going to hold the airlines accountable in justifying the fuel surcharges, but we have yet to hear a beep from DOT either. The double standard has been there for a while, and airlines claim that fuel costs are unpredictable. In an election year, don't expect the U.S. Department of Transportation to make any significant moves to make the skies friendlier for travelers. www.premieretravel.com

Why You Should Avoid Connections at London Heathrow

We have written before advising our passengers not to connect at London Heathrow airport. This summer, because of the olympics being held in London, there will be congestion, delays and problems for those who are going to or connecting at Heathrow. Even with the expansion of the facility, it has become a sprawling airport with transfers between terminals taking longer. Security lines and immigration wait times for international and domestic flights are lengthy. In addition, connecting passengers are expected to cough up additional fees that are higher than any other European airport, adding a hefty surcharge for the privilege of going through Heathrow. Better alternatives with shorter connections, better amenities include Amsterdam Schiphol, Brussels and Frankfurt. www.premieretravel.com

Corporate Hotel Programs Becoming Meaningless

When airlines want to increase the fares, one of the things they do is cut capacity. Hotels cannot do that as their inventory is always the same. However, due to continuous yield management enhancements, hotels have become quite savvy in maximizing the revenue per room, especially during peak times. Those of us attending graduations, football games or events know that negotiated corporate rates disappear and the extension of exceptions and exclusions to cover longer periods kick in. So what's the point of the loyalty of the corporate hotel program if a traveler cannot take advantage of these "special" rates when they are needed. With the plethora of side deals with travel consortiums that anyone can tap into, companies do not have to meet minimum number of room commitments, and in addition can take advantage of lower rates in the off-peak periods that are well below some corporate rates. If you think airline pricing is wacky, rest assured that hotel pricing is wackier. Hotels have also taken a page from airlines in adding fees and charging for extra services wherever they can. Often, when they quote a rate, it is usually an amount plus tax and fees. Problem is some of those taxes and fees could easily be 20% or more, so a $300 rate could easily become a $400 charge for a one-night stay. So hotels really compete for your business only when they need you and they have lots of rooms to sell. The attitude shifts considerably when the occupancy rates get high. www.premieretravel.com

(Why would anyone pick the higher rate? Spell-check anyone?