<B>InsideTrack</B>
<B>Alaska Enables Corp. Web Booking</B>
Alaska Airlines recently became the first major U.S. carrier, enabling corporations to use negotiated rates when booking through its Web site. Colleen Summaria, travel manager at San Jose-based Integrated Device Technology, said, "It really helped us because I did not have to buy a self-booking tool. It has saved a nice amount of money." Sixty-five percent of all company air trips are on the carrier's San Jose-Portland city-pair, where "we least needed an agent to help us," Summaria said. She noted 64 percent of bookings on Alaska are made online. The tech-savvy carrier beat all competitors to the punch, though Delta and Northwest promise similar functionality soon.
<B><A NAME="2">NW, US Airways Fighting Flight Attendants</B>
A U.S. District Judge has issued a temporary restraining order on Northwest's 11,000 flight attendants, demanding their union representation prevent any further work slowdown. The airline management brought the suit against the union, claiming the flight attendants have been conducting illegal job actions resulting in hundreds of flight cancellations during the past two weeks. The attendants have been seeking a new contract for more than three years. At US Airways, the union representing the carrier's flight attendants and management resumed contract talks, though both sides are preparing for the worst. The flight attendants are readying a campaign to slow flight operations should a 30-day cooling-off period set by the National Mediation Board come and go. Meanwhile, management is developing a special group to deal with any job action by the union.
<B><A NAME="3">KLM Buzzes Into Budget Bout</B>
KLM last week launched Buzz, a new low-fare London-based carrier that will help feed mainline KLM operations and add to a growing list of European budget airlines. The carrier will operate mainly from London Stansted to eight European cities, with at least four more slated for further expansion. Buzz will face stiff competition at Stansted from British Airways' low-fare carriers Go and Ryanair.
<B><A NAME="4">American Express One Replaces Biz Unit Leader</B>
American Express last week named Rion Needs business unit president of American Express One, Mt. Laurel, N.J. The 14-year Amex veteran replaces Scott Tarte, who decided to step down to start an Internet company. Tarte will maintain a consultative role. Previously, Needs was in charge of the integration between Travel One and American Express's small and midmarket business and served as American Express's western regional vice president.
<B><A NAME="5">Masters Make Room For ACTE</B>
The Masters Program, an invitation-only educational and networking event for key travel industry decision makers now in its eighth year, has opened registration for the first time to members of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives. This year's program, Feb. 1 and 2 at Washington, D.C.'s Monarch Hotel, focuses on reregulation and airline competition, buyer and seller consolidation, and the impact of e-commerce on both managed and unmanaged travel. Speakers include United Airlines CEO James Goodwin, Northwest's Al Lenza, Continental's Kevin McKenna, American's John Samuel and Delta's Steve Scheper; agency presidents Bruce Black, Mike Boland, Art Dahl, Danny Hood and Bill Tech; more than half a dozen key technology executives; and ACTE leaders Colleen Guhin and Steven Schoen. For more information, call (202) 775-5800.
<A NAME="6"><B>Sheraton Scores, Starwood Sells Assets</B>
Sheraton has won the contract to develop a 1,100-room, $250 million hotel next to the new convention center in South Boston, supposedly beating out Marriott for the choice assignment. Meanwhile, Sheraton's parent, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has targeted $500 million in asset sales, including the Kansas City, Mo., Ritz-Carlton.