Business Travel Tips

Passenger traffic at BAA’s UK airports in March 2010 was down 1.5% when compared with the same month a year ago.
London’s Heathrow airport which handled a total of 5.2 million passengers through March 2010, recorded an increase of 0.4% compared to March 2009.

The strikes affecting British Airways services caused an estimated net loss of 200,000 passengers across the UK airports — 180,000 were at Heathrow. Without strikes it is estimated that BAA airports as a whole would have seen an increase of 1%.

The British Airways industrial action affected mostly the domestic traffic which dropped 6.8%. As European traffic across the group increased by 0.1%, and North Atlantic traffic recorded a 1.7% increase.

Long haul services from Heathrow recorded significant increases; some examples: to China up 10.9%, to the Middle East up 7.2% and to South America up 6.8%.

Guests of the Four Points by Sheraton will be able to pay just $1 for breakfast this summer.

The hotel chain is essentially offering complimentary breakfast for guests under the “Breakfast for a Buck” promotion.

The promotion is valid through September 30 at most of Four Points hotels in the U.S. and Canada.

The $1 breakfast must be booked on the Four Points by Sheraton website.

STR’s monthly forecast update shows that the U.S. hotel industry is expected to end 2010 with stronger performance in all three key measurements than previously predicted.

According to STR (Smith Travel Research) in 2010 occupancy will increase 1.9 percent to 55.8 percent, average daily rate decrease 2.3 percent to US$95.45, and revenue per available room will end the year virtually flat with a 0.5-percent decrease to US$53.22.
Supply in 2010 is expected to grow 2.2 percent and demand is expected to rise 4.1 percent.

The forecast for 2011 predicts the industry to end the year with increases in all three key performance metrics: Occupancy will increase 1.9 percent to 56.8 percent; ADR will rise 3.5 percent to US$98.79; and RevPAR will be up 5.4 percent to US$56.12.
Supply in 2011 is projected to be up 1.0 percent and demand is expected to rise 2.9 percent.

STR (Smith Travel Research) provides a single source of global hotel data covering daily and monthly performance data, forecasts, annual profitability, pipeline and census information.

American Airlines is offering discount fares for its new nonstop flights between New York JFK Airport and Manchester, UK.

These special introductory round-trip fares range from US$601 for travel Monday through Wednesday or US$661 for travel Thursday through Sunday.
Travel period: between May 17 and June 30 2010. A Saturday-night minimum stay is required.

Also to celebrate the launch of this new route American Airlines is offering AAdvantage members up to 10,000 AAdvantage bonus miles for each Business class roundtrip flown on the route or 5,000 bonus miles for Economy class. To take advantage of this limited-time offer, register here and fly between May 13 2010, and June 30 2010.

What gadgets should be removed from their carry-on bags for checkpoint screening?

Transportation Security Administration says:

“Electronic items smaller than the standard sized laptop should not need to be removed from your bag or their cases. It’s that simple. Only electronics the size of a standard laptop or larger, full-size DVD players, and video cameras that use video cassettes must be removed from their carrying cases and submitted separately for x-ray screening.”

However if TSA officers feel something needs a closer look, it will receive secondary screening.

TSA suggests: “The key to avoiding bag searches is keeping the clutter down. The less clutter you have in your bag, the less likely it will be searched.” And also “If you you have a TSA ‘checkpoint friendly’ laptop bag, you can leave your laptop in.” (source: TSA)