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Travel News February 2005

Airguide Online, Feb 28, 2005

Offering low fares, six discount airlines take off in Asia. Six discount airlines have sprouted up in Asia in the past two years, the Wall Street Journal reports. Larger airlines such as Qantas and Singapore Airlines are backing some of the new carriers. Although there are no assigned seats and limits on luggage, passengers say the carriers offer a good value with round-trip tickets as low as $50.

Feb 25, 2005

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Cheapflights.com had 1.2 million visitors in January, a record for one month. It also had a 300 percent increase in revenue in the past 12 months and says unique visitors to the site have more than doubled since last January. Hugo Burge, president of Cheapflights, said, "In particular we have positive feedback concerning our increasing specialist partners who offer deals and destinations in a forum that supports online as well as call center bookings." Cheapflights lists hundreds of deals from consolidators, specialists such as agents and airlines.

Feb 24, 2005

Discount air travel takes off in India. India's strong economy is fueling the growth of discount airlines, the Washington Post reports. Traffic is expected to grow 30% this year, and five new low-cost airlines have announced plans to start operations.

Feb 22, 2005

The Washington, D.C., Convention & Tourism Corporation predicts the nation's capital will see much meetings and conventions business in 2005, as well as growth in leisure travel. The hotel industry saw record average daily rates in 2004, and the WCTC said this year's calendar is packed with high-profile gatherings, including the largest meeting in the city's history-30,000 attendees at the end of this month for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons conference. Hotel occupancy has climbed back to 72.8 percent while the average daily rate rose to its highest level ever: $158. The popular National Cherry Blossom Festival is coming up in March, as is the Atlantic Coast Conference basketball tournament. The WTTC expects the new convention center to generate double the room nights this year that the old one did in 2002.

Feb 15, 2005

Space tourism enthusiasts acknowledge risks of new industry. The pioneers of space tourism expect fatalities as the industry gets off the ground, Florida Today reports. Michael Kelly, who is helping to create safety standards for space tourism, compared the industry to the early days of aviation. He spoke before a House panel considering regulations for the industry.

Feb 11, 2005

According to the German National Tourist Office, 2004 was the country's second best year ever, surpassed only by 2000, an Oberamergau year. The U.S. market was up 15 percent in 2004, and several events, including the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, make 2005 a year with great potential. In May Continental will begin direct flights from Newark to Berlin which will followed by Delta flying direct from New York-JFK to Berlin. In statistics presented by Berlin Tourism, average room rates in Berlin came out at $130 a night, with Amsterdam at $159, Barcelona at $191, Rome at $201, Paris at $212 and London at $300.

Feb 9, 2005

Proposed airline ticket tax increase comes at a bad time, analysts say. The president's proposal to boost airline ticket taxes "could be the breaking point" for the nation's carriers if it goes through, an industry analyst said. An Air Transport Association spokesman said the tax comes at bad time for the industry, which has reported large losses this year.

Feb 9, 2005

Registered travelers find the TSA program is of little use. Participants in the TSA's "registered traveler" program have found its benefits are limited. Just five airports participate in the program, and one traveler said the equipment used to check fingerprints is often broken. The TSA will add the Orlando airport to the program this month.

Feb 7, 2005

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's budget request for fiscal 2006, submitted to Congress on Monday, contains a proposal for an increase in the passenger security fee from $2.50 per segment to $5.50 up to a maximum of $16 roundtrip. However, if more than one destination is involved in a trip, that amount could go higher. The Air Transport Association (ATA) strongly opposes the request. President and CEO James May said, "Under this budget proposal, U.S. airlines appear to be the only business in America that the Administration has chosen to tax back to economic health." U.S. airlines currently collect more than $15.8 billion in taxes and fees.

Feb 7, 2005

The U.S. Department of State has issued a warning on traveling to Cote D'Ivoire, and is asking Americans to defer nonessential travel there. Minor dependents of U.S. Embassy personnel in Abidjan are prohibited from accompanying government employees to the country. State said that although it has been quiet since an outbreak of violence in November, the security situation remains tense and potentially volatile. In November, government forces launched aerial attacks on cities in northern Cote d'Ivoire, which killed nine French soldiers and one American citizen. The French retaliated by destroying most Ivorian air assets and seizing the airport. Currently, travel by Embassy personnel outside of the capital is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Travel News February 2005

Airguide Online, Feb 28, 2005

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