Business Travel Tips

Air France has launched Airbus A380 flights between Paris and Tokyo, its 3rd route served by A380.

Initially, the Air France A380 will serve Tokyo thrice a week — Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays — but will increase this frequency to daily from October 4, 2010.
Schedule
Paris-Tokyo (D - A) 1:30 PM - 08:10 AM following day

Tokyo-Paris flights depart on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The service will become daily from October 5, 2010.
Schedule
Tokyo-Paris (D - A) 11:50 AM - 5:15 PM

Lufthansa has launched a Frankfurt - Beijing route served by A380. The service will operate once a week.
Schedule
Frankfurt - Beijing (D - A) 5:20 PM - 08:30 AM on Thursday
Beijing - Frankfurt (D - A) 10:30 PM - 02:30 PM the same day.

Delta SkyMiles members can earn double miles when they book a Delta, Air France, KLM or Alitalia itinerary that includes a connecting flight on Alaska Airlines.

The ticket must contains both a Delta marketed and operated flight segment (or an Air France, KLM or Alitalia marketed and operated flight segment) and an Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air marketed and operated flight segment.

To participate in this offer, eligible members must register online at delta.com/alaskaoffer and purchase their ticket by November 15, 2010.
Travel Period: between September 15 and November 15, 2010 (travel must be completed by November 15, 2010).

AirTran has announced it has increased its first checked-bag fee by $5.

The change, that has raised AirTran’s fee for a first checked-bag to $20, is effective September 1, 2010, for all coach class reservations made after August 16, 2010.

For all coach class reservations, AirTran’s charge for a second checked bag is $25.

Irish carrier Aer Lingus is offering discount fares on a number of flights between United Kingdom and the United States.

One-way flights to New York or Boston start at £199 from several airports including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cardiff.

Other U.S. destinations of this Aer Lingus promotion include as follows:
- One-way flights to Orlando, Florida start at:
£219 from London Gatwick and Glasgow,
£225 from London Heathrow and Edinburgh,
£209 from Manchester,
£215 from Birmingham.
- One-way flights to Chicago start at:
£235 from London Heathrow
£225 from London Gatwick,
£215 from Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow,
£209 from Birmingham.

Travel period: between October 4, 2010 and March 25, 2011. Flights must be booked by midnight, August 23, 2010.
Details can be found at aerlingus.com.

American Airlines has introduced a fee for sitting near the front of the plane.

With this newest program, Express Seats, AA requires customers to pay a fee starting from $19 to sit in the first two or three rows of coach class.

In a press release the airline says that Introductory pricing for Express Seats begins at $19 per flight, with pricing based on distance.
Here are some examples of introductory prices for Express Seats on popular American Airlines routes:
- $19 for St. Louis to Chicago O’Hare
- $29 for San Francisco to Dallas/Fort Worth
- $29 for Boston to Chicago O’Hare
- $39 for New York JFK to Los Angeles
- $39 for Chicago O’Hare to Honolulu

Elite frequent fliers and customers purchasing full-fare tickets will not be subject to the new seat charges.

Express Seats are available to all American Airlines customers and can be purchased exclusively via airport Self-Service Check-In machines anytime from 24 hours to 50 minutes prior to scheduled flight departure for travel wholly within the United States. (source)