Business Travel Tips

In October is expected to start the first flight by Smintair - Smokers’ International Airways.

As the name explains, the airline is aimed at smokers who feel excluded from all major airlines which have banned smoking aboard.

The Smintair founder is Alexander Schoppmann, a German former bank manager - obviously smoker, who is the first to see in the smokers a profitable niche.

Smintair will offer only 30 first class and 108 business class seats on a Jumbo Jet.
The first flight, Dusseldorf-Tokyo, is due to begin in October and is expected to serve mainly Japanese businessmen

The Registered Traveler program, an idea by Transportation Security Administration enabling frequent fliers within the United States to skip the pre-flight security checks, appears to have encountered problems.

The program, would give passengers the option of paying an $80 a year fee and submitting to a advanced background check to not stand in the same lines at security.

However, airport operators and aviation groups such as Airports Council International and the Air Transport Association, have expressed concerns that many airports, especially the small ones, likely would not be able take advantage of this program.
The Registered Traveler program would require airports to make large structural changes.

Verizon Airfone announced will end its phone service on commercial flights by the end of the year.

Industry analysts said Verizon Airfone, which has phones in about 1,000 planes operated by Continental, Delta, United Airlines and US Airways, will end the service because it was rarely used.

Furthermore, a more compelling technology is “coming in-flight“.
The companies which won the auction for licenses to provide in-flight broadband Internet services, are expected to develop wireless hot spots on planes as soon as possible.
That will allow passengers also to make Internet-based phone calls.

Jonathan Schildkraut, a telecommunications analyst at Jefferies & Company said:

“…consumers were more likely to use that technology because for about the same price as a long phone call, they can check web sites and send e-mail messages for several hours…” ( source New York Times)

As Hospitality analysts predict business travel demand will continue to be high for the next couple of years, the hoteliers seek to capitalize the growing demand for select-service products.

Starwood, one of the most innovative, introduced a new prototype for its Four Points by Sheraton brand.

Complimentary high-speed Internet in all guest rooms and installation of Wi-Fi not only in the public areas but also in guest rooms, are a few features of the new Four Points by Sheraton design.
This prototype designed for high-end suburban areas, would target cities and office parks.

After adding 23 new North American routes in the recent weeks, Delta Air Lines announced two new nonstop flights from New York to India and Africa destinations.

The new routes will connect the New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport to Mumbai, India - start on November 1, and to Accra, Ghana - start on December 11.

By continuing the expansion of its route map, Delta Air Lines plans more additions by winter, to operate nonstop flights to 12 unique trans-Atlantic destinations not served by any other U.S. carrier.