[IP] 2006 Travel Trends
Begin forwarded message:
From: EEkid@xxxxxxx
Date: January 15, 2006 3:44:00 PM EST
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: 2006 Travel Trends
Travel Watch
What's coming, what's going, and what's going on in the travel world
FROM JAN 2006 Speedy Security Clear Registered Traveler, the
biometric security program that is being tested at Orlando
International Airport, will be ready to expand to 30 to 40 major U.S.
airports by April. Travelers who register for Clear submit
fingerprints and iris scans in exchange for expedited passage through
security. Swan Song Though Song, Delta's popular low-cost carrier,
will stop taking reservations in May, its best amenities (leather
seats, satellite television, on-demand videos) will live on in
retrofitted Delta planes. More than 50 Delta aircraft will be
converted. Don't expect to see flight attendants wearing Song's Kate
Spade uniforms, however; new ones are being designed by Richard
Tyler. Room Rates At press time, the average U.S. hotel room rate for
2005 was expected to hit a record high—$90.70, according to Price-
waterhouseCoopers. This figure is projected to reach $95.30 for 2006.
Coming Clean The EPA has finally struck a deal with 24 domestic
airlines, including American, Continental, and Northwest, to improve
the quality of airplane drinking water. The carriers have pledged to
monitor their water and disinfect water systems routinely. For
updates on an airline's progress, e-mail
airlinedrinkingwater@xxxxxxxx Taking Care of Business British Airways
is launching a major revamp of its business class—the second in five
years. The airline will pour $174 million into Club World; all long-
haul flights are due for the makeover starting in mid 2006. Better
Booking Hotels.com's new design allows users to view 360-degree
photos of properties, compare hotels side by side, and read reviews
from past guests. And should you have a pressing question about the
town you're traveling to, you can call a hotels.com city specialist
at 800/246-8357. Collectively, these operators are trained to be
experts on 400 cities worldwide. Sleeping in the Sky This year,
passengers in American Airlines' business class will be able to
stretch out 180 degrees—almost. The carrier will be one of the first
domestic airlines to install "lie-flat" seats, which, while
technically level, will be pitched at an eight-degree angle. The
rollout will happen throughout 2006 on all Boeing 767-300's and 777's.
-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To manage your subscription, go to
http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip
Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/