Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Airbus Considers Transparent Fuselage

Hold on for this news bit...........
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Airbus is toying with the idea of creating a passenger aircraft with completely transparent fuselage, allowing passengers to take in the scenery — from a see-through cabin — at 35,000 feet.
According to the International Business Times, Airbus will create a dream-like cabin, with morphing seats (seats will change shape depending on passenger comfort preferences), walls that become clear at the touch of a button and holographic projections of various decors, transforming cabins into whatever the passenger desires — from an office or bedroom to a garden and more.
Not only does the new design allow for 360-degree views of the sky, but it is also more eco-friendly. Aircraft will be lighter, more cost efficient and made from renewable materials.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Company designs stand-up seat, says airlines are interested

Aviointeriors, an Italian manufacturer of airline seats, has designed and patented a stand-up seat, and the company says carriers around the world — including U.S. airlines — have "strong interest."

Dominique Menoud, the company’s director general, called the seat, known as the SkyRider, a "winning argument for airline economics and passenger comfort."

Aviointeriors suggests that airlines could sell cheaper fares in a "SkyRider section" and "fill the aircraft to the maximum certified passenger capacity."

Gaetano Perugini, Aviointeriors’ research and development director, said SkyRider passengers would "assume a dynamic upright position, which is not only comfortable but also very healthy."

The company said seats can be configured with a pitch of 23 inches, or less if rows "partially overlap."

The design allows for space beneath the seat for a carry-on. A foldable shelf provides support for baggage without infringing upon passengers’ foot space, said Aviointeriors

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

France strike disrupts flights and rail services

If it is summer, it is time for Europe to strike for some reason or another!
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Travellers to France are facing transport disruption over the coming days as workers take industrial action over proposed pension reforms.

A national strike began on Monday evening, and is expected to last until early on Wednesday morning.

Air travel between the UK and France is likely to be disrupted, while a number of rail services could also be delayed or cancelled.

British Airways has warned that flights to other destinations may also be affected, and has advised passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport.

All long-haul Air France services will operate, according to the airline, but only 90 per cent of short-haul flights from Charles de Gaulle airport and half of short-haul flights from Orly airport will run.

Eurostar said its services will operate normally, but is giving passengers who have already purchased tickets the option of postponing their journeys in case other connecting services are cancelled.

The Paris metro has said that its network will run at about 50 per cent, while around half of high-speed SNCF trains will be in service.

The strike, involving transport workers from this evening, and – from tomorrow – school, post office and civil service staff, is in response to the French government’s proposals to increase the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62. Demonstrations are also planned in 137 towns and cities.

Meanwhile, London Tube workers will walk out for 24 hours later today in a dispute over job cuts.

Hotel revenue from phone calls, in-room movies drying up

below is an LA Times article that I think is important. In my opinion, internet connectivity should be FREE and it seems like many of the chain hotels are agreeing with me. Frequent guests at Hilton, Starwood & Marriott no longer pay to be connected and they don't have to stay at the limited service properties to get this service!
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More guests are bringing their own devices, taking a small but significant bite out of the bottom line as the hospitality industry struggles to pull out of a deep slump.

The nation's hotel industry, already struggling to pull out of its worst slump in decades, is now suffering from another loss in revenue because of the booming popularity of cellphones and laptop computers.

In the past, hotel operators could expect to collect extra money by charging guests for in-room phone calls and on-demand movies.

But today most guests check into a hotel packing cellphones and laptop computers that are linked to the Internet and loaded with movies, games and music.

Proceeds from phone calls and movies have represented only a small share of a hotel's overall cash flow, but the sharp decline in revenue from those sources comes as the recession-wracked hospitality industry tries to rebound from the lowest occupancy numbers and room rates in decades.

It has hotel managers scrambling to make up for the loss by offering other entertainment, such as Saturday night movies by the pool, Sunday morning brunches, live music and spa treatments.

"In this economy, any loss of revenue and you are going to pull your hair out," said Bruce Gorelick, general manager of the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel.

Hotel managers such as Gorelick have been frustrated by the loss of revenue since the start of the recession, when demand for hotels plummeted, pushing room rates to their lowest levels in years.

The industry's recovery has been slow, even though leisure travelers began to loosen the purse strings a bit on summer travel. Analysts with Smith Travel Research forecast a modest 4.4% increase in occupancy rates for 2010 and daily room rates that remain flat.

But the industry has a long way to go to overcome a slump that pushed down the average hotel occupancy rate in the U.S. to about 56% in 2009 — the lowest it's been in more than 20 years. Revenue per room dropped so sharply that hotel foreclosures in California quadrupled last year.

"Occupancy is starting to inch up," said Jeff Higley, a spokesman for Smith Travel Research. Still, he said analysts believe that room rates won't return to pre-recession levels for at least two or three years because managers are reluctant to charge too much. "Rates have really taken a beating."

At the same time, revenue from phone calls and in-room entertainment has been drying up.

Annual revenue collected by U.S. hotels from phone calls dropped to an average of $178 per room in 2009 from $1,252 in 1999, a decline of 86%, according to Colliers PKF Hospitality Research. Meanwhile, income from in-room movies and games dropped to $126 per room from $171, a decline of 26%, according to the research firm.

Cheryl Anker is a prime example of the trend.

She travels often managing Off 'N Running Tours, a Los Angeles-based company that organizes running tours and races. During a business trip to San Antonio last year to manage a 5-kilometer race, she said she entertained herself in her hotel room by watching Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest," which she uploaded from the Internet onto her laptop computer.

"So I nestled in with my wine and snacks," she said. "A very good evening."

But hotel entertainment companies such as Lodgenet Interactive Corp. would not call it a good evening. The Sioux Falls, S.D., company is one of the nation's largest providers of in-room entertainment systems, serving nearly 2 million hotel rooms worldwide.

In 2009, Lodgenet revenue dropped by nearly $50 million, or 9.3%, to $484.5 million from the previous year, according to a company earnings report. Lodgenet attributed most of the decline to a drop in sales of on-demand movies, games, music and other interactive services delivered through hotel televisions.

Lodgenet's downward trend continued through the second quarter of 2010 when the company reported a net loss of $3.1 million, according to an earnings report.

Lodgenet blames some of the losses on the recession and predicts that the future rollout of interactive, high-definition televisions in hotel rooms will "allow for the introduction of a broader array of services for guests and new revenue opportunities for hoteliers," company spokeswoman Ann Parker said in a statement.

As for hotel operators, many have given up hope of recapturing the boost from in-room entertainment.

"That revenue is gone," said Matt Greene, general manager of the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego. "It's nonexistent."

In fact, by embracing the technology that guests demand, such as free Internet access, free computer applications and docking stations for iPod media players, hotels have cut off potential revenue sources. According to a recent survey by J.D. Power & Associates, 55% of U.S. hotels offer online access at no charge.

"The reality is that hotels have to find different ways to drive revenue," Greene said.

At the Renaissance Hollywood, Gorelick is trying to do just that by offering guests new entertainment options, such as a Sunday brunch accompanied by live jazz and outdoor movie nights every Saturday at the pool, to entice families to stay at the hotel for food and entertainment.

"Today, every penny count," he said. "Every revenue stream counts."

hugo.martin@latimes.com
Copyright © 2010, Los Angeles Times

Monday, September 6, 2010

Airport Fights Panhandlers

After a decades-long battle to regulate solicitors at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), airport officials have finally prevailed. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals banned Hare Krishna representatives and other panhandlers from seeking donations at the facility.
A 1997 L.A. city law banned panhandlers from soliciting travelers in airport terminals, parking areas and airport sidewalks. The ban prompted the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to file a lawsuit 13 years ago, claiming the city ordinance was a violation of the group’s right to free speech. The Hare Krishnas stated non-secure areas should be considered public gathering spots.
In 2002, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance limiting solicitors to areas marked with blue tape inside the terminals or along sidewalks. A 2006 ruling by a federal judge upheld the decision that LAX is not a public forum. The Krishnas appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals, who turned the ruling over to the California Supreme Court in 2008. The March 2010 Supreme Court ruling declared solicitation at the airport was not protected speech.
According to the DailyBreeze.com, panhandling was so problematic at the airport that airport police were specifically assigned to locate and arrest aggressive donation seekers. The court’s ruling will allow police to prevent passengers from being solicited and violators will face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The DailyBreeze.com article quoted Gina Marie Lindsay, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, following the ruling: “This is a huge step forward in ensuring the comfort and safety of the traveling public at LAX. From now on the traveling public will not have to worry about solicitors asking for money.”
The traveling public will, however, still have to worry about being approached by organizations. The ruling bans organizations from soliciting for and collecting money at the airport, but does not ban organizations from talking to travelers, passing out literature and providing information on how to contribute

Friday, September 3, 2010

Beware Airport Internet Service

Business travelers are always on the go and down time at the airport can seem like the perfect time to catch up on emails and other work. However, according to a report from CNET News, airport Internet may not be secure at all and travelers may want to think twice before logging on.
The warning stems from a blog posting on Symantec Hosted Services’ website, following an employee’s discovery of fake antivirus software on a computer at an Internet terminal in a U.K. airport. Known as “scareware,” the malware claims a computer is infected with a virus and urges users to purchase software to correct the problem. The malware then disables or uninstalls existing antivirus software.
Symantec cautions that the presence of this malware indicates airport computers and available networks are not protected and possibly infected with other hidden malwares, such as keylogger. There is no way to spot keyloggers, which capture the information users type into the computer. Public computers and networks could be storing travelers’ user names, passwords and other private information. Reversing the damage done by these types of malware can be costly and timely.

Czech Airline to Withdraw from UK Market

After 72 years of service, Czech airline CSA will withdraw from the UK market at the end of October.

The shock decision comes at a time when the loss-making Czech national carrier is being forced to slim down its European network in order to save money.

It means that besides the complete axing of flights from Prague to London Heathrow and Manchester, Skyteam member CSA will be reducing flight frequency on other European routes too.

In a statement issued to ABTN's sister publication, Business Traveller, Philippe Moreels, CSA's VP for sales, marketing and finance said: "Our flight schedule for the winter season reflects the next stage on the path to creating a more flexible, efficient airline.

"Unlike previous approaches to restructuring, which were based primarily on cost cuts, the main point of the strategy now is a new network concept where the least profitable flights are cut."

A further and not well translated statement issued by CSA's head office notes: "As of the upcoming winter season, the CSA network does not count [sic] on a presence in the UK market, ie the operation of flights to London and Manchester."

CSA's UK network has been trimmed in recent years in face of stiffer price competition not just from British Airways but also from budget carriers like Easyjet, Bmibaby and Wizzair.

In its heyday CSA served no fewer than seven UK airports: London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted plus Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Its current schedule covers just Heathrow and Manchester and with timings that are not particularly convenient for business travellers.

Withdrawing from Europe's largest single travel market does not seem to be a sensible move. But it is understood that CSA's decision was influenced by the fact it can earn many millions of dollars from the sale of its Heathrow slots.

At the time of writing CSA's UK website continues to display flight schedules from November 1. But a CSA spokeswomen verbally confirmed tthe carrier's UK flights will cease from the start of the winter timetable.


by Alex McWhirter

Germany introduces air passenger tax

The German government has approved the controversial green tax on air travel.

The air travel levy, which must be paid on all departures from German airport as of January 1, is expected to raise €1 billion a year.

Passengers will be forced to pay €8 for flights within Germany and short-haul European flights, while for medium-haul flights the fee will be €25 and for long-haul €45.

Budget carrier Germanwings condemned the new tax as a major distortion of competition, as passengers will choose to fly with airlines outside of Germany.

Thomas Winkelmann, Germanwings management spokesman, said: "It places jobs at risk, restricts people's mobility and acts as a brake on economic recovery in our country. The winners with this new levy are the airports in Holland, Belgium, Poland and Switzerland."

Passengers will lose out, he added: "We will have to pass on the levy introduced by the government to our customers. The levy drains economic power out of Germany and displaces it into neighbouring countries."

Giovanni Bisignani, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), called the tax "short-sighted policy irresponsibility".

He said: "It's a cash-grab by a cash-strapped government. Painting it green adds insult to injury. There will be no environmental benefit from the economic damage caused."

According to Bisignani, when the Dutch government tried to raise €300 million with a similar tax, it cost the Dutch economy €1.2 billion in lost business.

"It also failed as an environmental measure," he said, "sending travelers across the border to start their journey from more tax-sensible regimes. The Dutch had the good sense to repeal their tax. Why repeat past mistakes?"


by Sara Turner