Business Travel Tips

According to the annual U.S. Hotel Chain Survey published by Business Travel News magazine, Marriott International and Hilton Hotels Corp., emerge as the favorite companies’ brands among the corporate travel buyers.

Homewood Suites by Hilton was ranked as the best hotel chain in the upscale extended stay segment, getting the top scores in categories including corporate rate programs, commission payment system, helpful staff, physical appearance of hotels, quality of in-room business amenities, quality of business center, and overall price-value relationship.
Another Hilton Hotels Corp.’s brand, Hilton Garden Inn, was the brand travel buyers rated highest in the midprice segment.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Ritz-Carlton share the top spot in the top deluxe brand.

Days Inn was the favorite chain in the economy tier.

The survey is carried out among 7,000 corporate readers who rate the performance of U.S. hotel chains in six segments — deluxe, upscale, midprice, budget/economy, and upscale and midprice extended stay — in 13 separate attributes.

Etihad Airways is offering seats on UK – Beijing routes at as low as GBP422 round-trip.

Booking must be done by March 25.
Travel Window: between March 30 and June 30. The maximum stay is two months.

The following fares include taxes and fuel surcharges and are subject to availability:
London Heathrow – Beijing GBP 430 ;
Manchester – Beijing GBP 422.

A woman who was traveling with the skeleton of her brother closed in a plastic bag in her luggage, has been stopped during a baggage security check at Munich airport.

The woman, flying from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Naples, Italy, told authorities that she was simply trying to fulfill the last wish of her brother, died 11 years ago, who wanted to be buried in Italy.

After the scan of the bag detected a human skull, the woman and a friend were stopped and taken into custody by police.
However the two travelers showed appropriate papers released from Brazilian authorities that were allowing them to carry on the bones to Naples.

After a 50% increase between 2003 and 2008, UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is allowing costs at London airports to rise again by a massive 50% between 2008 and 2013.

UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has allowed charges per passenger at Heathrow airport to rise by 23.5% from 1 April 2008, followed by increases of 7.5% plus inflation for each of the following four years, as for Gatwick, a 21% rise from 1 April 2008 will be followed by increases of 2% plus inflation for each of the following four years.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed worries about that and said only an out-of-control monopoly could think in such terms.
IATA called UK authorities to act speedily in order to protect London’s competitiveness.

Are you looking for deep discount airfares to London? Have a look at what Virgin Atlantic is offering: rates as low as $205 for one-way flights.

These discount airfares must be booked by March 14. The travel window is from March 24 through May 25. Such tickets require at least a Saturday night stay-over.

The fares below listed are for one-way trips, do not include taxes and fees, are pegged to a round-trip purchase.

Virgin Atlantic’s rates to London Heathrow (LHR), from:
- Boston (BOS) $205
- Chicago O’Hare (ORD) $233
- Los Angeles (LAX) $273
- Miami (MIA) $321
- New York Kennedy (JFK) $206
- San Francisco (SFO) $273
- Washington, DC Dulles (IAD) $219
Virgin Atlantic’s rates to London Gatwick (LGW), from:
- Newark (EWR) to $206
- Orlando (MCO) $321
Details at Virgin Atlantic website.