Business Travel Tips

Air Canada announced it has started trials from Thursday to offer internet service on board select flights on its Toronto-Los Angeles and Montreal-Los Angeles routes.

The carrier said it will analyze customers’ feedback during this test period — which runs until January 29, 2010 — before it proceeds with introduction of the service on other routes. “The ultimate rollout of our inflight internet service will be finalized pending the outcome of the trial period as well as obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals and the development of ground infrastructure in Canada to provide a domestic network“.

Passengers can access the service on their own Wi-Fi equipped laptop for $9.95 per flight or Personal Electronic Device (PED) for $7.95 per flight.

Singapore Airlines is the winner of the 2009 OAG Airline of the Year award. It also took the OAG honors for “Best Trans-Pacific Airlines” and for “Best International First Class”.

Continental Airlines was named the “Best Airline Based in North America”.
Virgin Atlantic took the “Best Trans-Atlantic Airline” award.

Singapore Airlines, Continental, and Virgin Atlantic were the only carriers to win multiple categories in the 2009 edition of OAG Airline Industry Awards.
Below is the list of winners.

Airline of the Year: Singapore Airlines
Best Trans-Atlantic Airline: Virgin Atlantic
Best Trans-Pacific Airlines: Singapore Airlines
Best International First Class: Singapore Airlines
Best Business Class: Continental Airlines
Best Economy Coach Class: British Airways
Best Airline Based in North America: Continental
Best Airline Based in the Middle East/Indian Sub-Continent: Emirates
Best Low-Cost Airline: Southwest Airlines
Best Airline Based in Central South America & Caribbean: LAN
Best Airline based in Africa: South African Airlines
Best Airlines based in Western Europe: Virgin Atlantic
Best Airline Based in Central/Eastern Europe: CSA Czech Airlines
Best Airline Based in Australia/Pacific: Qantas
Best Airport: Singapore Changi

OAG is an aviation information company based in London, UK. It says that awards winners are chosen by asking frequent flyers to consider which airlines they have flown in the past 12 months in each of the award categories and rank their top three airlines for each category. (Here’s the complete 2009 OAG rankings)

British Airways Visa cardholders will earn more miles for every dollar they spend. British Airways and Chase Card Services announced an enhanced rewards program for the British Airways Visa Signature® card.

The unrivalled benefits include a 25 percent increase in the number of BA miles earned and a companion redemption voucher for a trans-Atlantic flight, awarded to cardmembers who spend $30,000 per calendar year. In addition, new cardmembers will receive a bonus 100,000 BA Miles. This enhanced card proposition is managed by The Mileage Company, operators of British Airways BA Miles rewards, in partnership with Chase Card Services.

The new enhanced benefits of the British Airways Visa Signature® Card include:
- An improved earn rate of 1.25 BA miles for every $1 spent and 2.5 BA Miles for every $1 spent on British Airways travel and vacation packages, an increase of 25 percent from the previous offer.
- An industry-leading companion redemption voucher reward when cardmembers spend $30,000 a year. Cardmembers redeeming BA Miles for a British Airways flight in any cabin class will receive a flight for a companion in the same class. The companion redemption voucher is valid for two years.
- A bonus 100,000 BA Miles for existing US British Airways Executive Club members and new card holders approved for the card. Cardmembers receive 50,000 BA Miles after their first purchase, and they receive another 50,000 miles after they spend at least $2,000 in the first three months. The 100,000 BA Miles is equivalent to the redemption value of two round trip trans-Atlantic reward flights or four domestic round trip tickets.
- New cardholders automatically become a member of the British Airways Executive Club and can earn more BA Miles through partners such as Avis®, Marriott®, Hilton® and E-stores and by taking advantage of great offers from British Airways and oneworld® alliance partners such as AmericanAirlines®.
More information available at ba.com/Redeem.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provides through its blog a helpful refresher on what happens if you show up at a TSA airport checkpoint without your ID.

“Does that mean you won’t fly? Nope… You’ll still be able to fly as long as you provide us with some information that will help us determine you are who you say you are. Verifying the identity of people coming through checkpoints is an important part of security, just as vetting passenger names against the No Fly and Selectee lists.

Using the information you provide, if we can confirm your identity, you’ll be cleared to go through security, and you may or may not have to go through some additional screening. If we can’t confirm your identity with the information you provide or you’re not willing to provide us with the information to help us make a determination, you may not be able to fly.

You can find a list of acceptable IDs here.”
(source)

American Airlines is running a sale through November 19 on flights between UK and the US.

Travel period: through December 15 and between January 5 and March 25.

Below is a sampling of the AA’s sale on flights to U.S. departing from London’s Heathrow Airport. Please note, the fares are return, include taxes and fees. Best deals are for flights from Monday to Thursday, as weekend travel will be more expensive.
- New York from £289
- Boston from £289
- Los Angeles from £374
- San Francisco from £377
- Miami from £389
- Las Vegas from £422
Details of the promotion as well as fares on departures from other UK airports are available at AA’s Special Offers page.