Continental Airlines on March 17 will begin charging at checkin time a premium to reserve seats in its economy cabin that offer more legroom than standard coach seats. Free of charge to OnePass Elite frequent flyers, unassigned coach seats that offer more legroom, such as those in the exit row, would be made available to rank-and-file passengers for a fee at the time of checkin. The price, Continental said, would depend on such factors as length of haul and route. The carrier said applicable economy seats would provide at least seven additional inches of leg space than regular coach seats. Northwest Airlines in 2006 adopted a similar program, Coach Choice, which Delta Air Lines discontinued after the carriers' merger. US Airways continues its Choice Seat program, which offers some window and aisle seats for a fee, depending on length of haul, availability and destination, while United Airlines charges more for Economy Plus seating, which includes exit row seats.
Airlines Seek Extension Of DOT Deadline For Online On-Time DataThe Air Transport Association told the U.S. Department of Transportation that its members would need on average five-and-a-half months to comply with a new mandate to disclose on-time, delay and cancellation data on their Web sites at the time of booking, as carriers build the case for a 90-day extension of DOT's April 29 compliance deadline. Those DOT requirements are part of rules announced in December to bolster air passenger protections, which also include a provision that requires airlines allow passengers to deplane if tarmac delays exceed three hours
(BTNonline, Dec. 21, 2009). Among new DOT mandates, airlines will have to report on their Web sites historical on-time, delay and cancellation data for individual flights when passengers are booking. "As indicated by estimates provided by our members, there simply is not enough time to complete the changes necessary to ensure compliance with the additional flight time disclosure requirements in the new rule," read the request from ATA vice president and general counsel David Berg.
Sabre Travel Studios Delivers Mobile App to Travel AgenciesOmega World Travel last month became the first travel management company to distribute Sabre Travel Studios' TripCase mobile application to its corporate travel clients. The agreement enables Omega to integrate clients' travel itineraries that are booked through the Sabre global distribution system into the platform and deliver targeted messages and trip updates. The free downloadable application is available for BlackBerry, iPhone, iTouch and Windows Mobile operating systems. Sabre expects to release a Google Android version of the application this month, according to TripCase director of business development Michael O'Connell. Also on the road map is the capability to integrate reservations made on other systems and an expansion of the service to more travel management companies. Sabre currently handles the distribution of messages to travelers through TripCase, but O'Connell said that the company is developing a Web-based interface that would enable travel management companies to handle those tasks. Sabre Travel Studios first released the application in April 2009, a time when mobile device travel applications were flooding the market
(BTNonline, June 22, 2009).Carlson Lays Out Hotel Development Plans Through 2015Carlson Hotels this month detailed a five-year development plan for its brands, which includes a $1.5 billion investment for the Radisson brand in North America and an 50 percent increase of its overall portfolio to more than 1,500 hotels. The Radisson investment will introduce new room and restaurant designs while upgrading current properties and establishing new flagship Radissons in key U.S. cities. By 2015, Carlson intends to increase its global Radisson portfolio from 422 to 600. During that period, Carlson also plans to add 250 new properties to its midprice Country Inns & Suites brand, particularly in North America and India, and grow its midprice Park Inn brand in Brazil, Russia, India and China.