Business Travel Tips

British Airways launched a promotion, “London for Free“, on the New York - London route. London for Free offers round-trip airfare and two-nights’ stay in London in a three or four stars hotel for as low as $678.
The offer is for flights from New York Kennedy (JFK) or Newark Liberty International (EWR) to London Heathrow (LHR). Airfares do not the include taxes and fees.

Booking must be done by midnight Tuesday, May 13.

Travel period: from May 26 through September 3 and from September 4 through October 22.
You’ll have to travel weekday (Monday-Wednesday); from Thursday to Sunday flights you’ll have to pay $30 surcharge each way.

For those who need extra room, “London for Free” is offering British Airways’ Premium-Economy cabin — World Traveller Plus option, at $1,038. Details on British Airways website.

As announced in April in its corporate blog, Delta Air Lines is going to close nine of its airport lounges. The closures will affect eight Crown Room Club locations and one BusinessElite Lounge.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports lounges at airports including Boston, Cincinnati, Denver, Honolulu, Kansas City, London Gatwick, Seattle, San Juan Puerto Rico, and Phoenix are going to close within next month. However a few of those airports which have multiple Crown Room Clubs will retain at least one location.

Delta is also planning to convert its BusinessElite lounges at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta and New York JFK into Crown Room Clubs.

The carrier is taking this move in an effort to manage costs to offset higher fuel bills.
Here the list of Delta’s lounges.

Following other carriers American Airlines is operating several adjustments on its domestic routes and frequencies in the effort to offset record-high fuel costs.
Fort Worth newspaper Star-Telegram says AA is planning to reduce its overall passenger capacity by about 5% within this year.

The Dallas Morning News - Airline Biz blog says, in addition to the dropped Oakland - Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) route (effective beginning Sept 3, 2008), AA also will trim one daily round-trip from off its existing routes between its biggest hub DFW and Boston Charlotte, Denver, Portland (Ore.), San Francisco, San Jose (Calif.), Tampa and Washington National.

For Austin, the carrier will end its daily service between the Texas capital and the following cities: Dallas Love Field, Orange County, Calif. Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and Seattle, Wash.

In San Antonio, Star-Telegram says AA will drop nonstop service to both Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale.

U.S. Transport Security Administration (TSA) points out on how differences in airport layouts and customs procedures can affect duty-free purchases that travelers are allowed to take through international checkpoints.
TSA says:

“Here’s the scoop: When you fly to the U.S. from an international destination and have to change planes in the U.S., you get your checked bags back right before you go through customs. So if you have any item that you can’t take through the checkpoint, you can put it in your checked bag.

That’s not the case when you fly to Europe, Asia and other international destinations. You go through customs without them. So if you have a bottle of liquor, perfume or other liquid item, you have no chance to put it in your checked bag, and you risk having to toss them at the checkpoint.

Another glitch is that countries in Europe, Asia and elsewhere require that liquid duty-free items in excess of 3.4 ounces/100ml be sealed in an approved International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) tamper-evident bag in order to go through checkpoints. As a result, many passengers who buy liquid duty-free items in U.S. airports and have a connecting flight in Asia or Europe end up having to throw their liquor or perfume out because they can’t take it through the security checkpoint. Some people buy a suitcase in the airport and check the items.

To sync up with our international partners, TSA is allowing U.S. duty-free stores to place liquid, aerosol and gel items in the tamper-evident bag for travelers headed overseas. As long as the liquid duty-free items are (more…)

Delta Air Lines is offering a $50 American Express prepaid card for round-trip flights between New York City and the West Coast. You have to book and purchase a flight at delta.com with any American Express Card. Travel period: May 1 through June 30, 2008.

Each additional round-trip flight purchased at delta.com within the qualification period will raise the American Express-branded prepaid card value by $50.

The nonstop flight is on routes between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Portland, Ore. or Seattle.

Customers can take advantage of this deal by registering for this offer or enrolling in the SkyMiles(r) program at delta.com/fifty.
(source)