Airline update
From 26 June Hawaiian Airlines (HA) increases frequency between Auckland and Honolulu to 5x weekly services – daily except Mon/Tue. With a 2355hrs departure, arrival into Honolulu at 10.45am allows for multiple connections to the Hawaiian Islands as well as direct connections to New York and HA’s dozen or so other US mainland destinations. Hawaiian Airlines is able to subsidise the domestic flights within the islands and so they are the best value airfare for your Hawaiian Islands holiday – they also include your meals, movies and luggage within the price. With their very good lie-flat Business Class sitting around the same price as other airlines Premium Economy, consider them when our Travel Consultants send you through your various airline quotes.
Honolulu is popular in July with Air New Zealand – that month will see a daily flight between Auckland and Honolulu. After the school holidays the schedule falls back to 5 x weekly, similar to the Hawaiian Airlines’ peak season schedule.
United (UA) customers travelling through New York-LaGuardia Airport (LGA) will experience new gates on the Terminal B Eastern Concourse, following the first phase of the $4 billion, 1.3-million-square-foot redevelopment project of Terminal B. New outlets in the Terminal range from the iconic Shake Shack and local Irving Farm Coffee Roasters to an outpost of New York's famous toy store, FAO Schwarz.
Whilst on United Airlines, they have launched new Northern Hemisphere Summer routes – all commencing in the coming weeks (Washington to Tel Aviv; Denver to Frankfurt; New York to Naples).
American Airlines and Qantas have had their trans-Pacific joint venture tentatively approved by the US Government. This will allow AA and QF to code-share on each others flights between Australia/New Zealand and the USA. It would also assist in AA considering making their AKL/ LAX flight ‘year-round’ instead of the current New Zealand Summer operation in place now.
Star Alliance partner airline Avianca Brasil and Avianca Argentina are experiencing a few financial issues and services have been suspended – in part. These are part-subsidiaries of Avianca, the ‘actually-quite-good’ Colombian airline which is not affected. All parties are working through this temporary issue. We use Avianca for our business travellers connecting from the US to do business in South America or from Air NZ out of Buenos Aires, but we had re-accommodated all our affected clients after an earlier tip-off.
US airlines love selling luggage to their traveller and this is the list from the US Department of Transport regarding the amount the Top 5 US income earners made from selling travellers their check-in luggage.
Travellers often get confused about whether luggage is included in US airfares or not and we hear cases where non-clients end up paying unnecessarily for their luggage. Your usual ATPI Business World Travel Consultant will always brief you about what is included based upon your airfare and frequent flyer status.
- Airlines through the industry body IATA now require the travel agency industry to provide them with either or a compulsory contact telephone number for the passenger or alternatively a statement from us advising that our client specifically does not want to divulge this information to the airline. The rationale given to us is that this will allow airlines to have quicker communication in the event of a delay or cancellation. Travel agents are being threatened with a famous industry item known as an ‘ADM’ (agency debit memo) where we are auto-billed later by an airline for non-compliance. Clients with a Traveller Profile on record with us won’t need to be asked or to take any further action however we will require a contact for your guests or clients you are booking. We are dubious and conversely we will closely monitor this to ensure airlines do not use this as a cheap form of database marketing.
Hotels
Travel better! At ATPI/Business World Travel we’re a member of the prestigious US-based Virtuoso, an invited group of the world’s leading travel agents and where we can achieve benefits over and above any other travel agent or booking site for our clients. For a similar level as any advertised rate included on the hotel site, Bookings.com or Expedia you’ll receive:
· Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
· Daily Breakfast for two
· Food & Beverage or Spa services credit usually around US$100
· Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
· Complimentary Wi-Fi
· Often some other kind of personalised in-room amenity
· Take a look at www.virtuoso.com or call one of our BWT Travel Advisors
Executive Leisure
Are you on your way home from a US business trip or taking the family on a California Adventure? Our Virtuoso partner in San Diego is giving our clients an extra day to play in sunny San Diego. The magnificent Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa offers every 4th NIGHT FREE. For a truly quintessential Southern California experience, retreat to Park Hyatt Aviara, an iconic luxury resort perched atop 200 lush acres on the sun-drenched Pacific Coast just north of San Diego. Play where the pros play at Aviara Golf Club, home of the LPGA Kia Classic, and enjoy oversized rooms and suites, endless resort activities suited to the entire family, five restaurants and a bespoke 20,000 sq ft spa before soaking up the California rays, cool sea breezes and magnificent views from your private balcony. For that family holiday its also a great stepping stone for Legoland, San Diego Zoo and Sea World. Virtuoso benefits include a room category upgrade as well as this free night.
Treat yourself to New York City’s favourite holiday tradition—the Christmas Spectacular! An awe-inspiring celebration in, perhaps, the most beautiful of all New York venues, Radio City Music Hall, the Christmas Spectacular is a show generations of Christmas fans love and return to see year after year. Starting 08 November, the legendary Christmas Spectacular has dazzled and inspired over 65 million people for more than 75 years and continues to create memories that will last a lifetime. Make your Festive season one to remember with the show deemed “A Superspectacular” by the New York Times...plus get your Christmas shopping done! The season commences 08 November but be quick as its sells out in no time at all. Our Virtuoso partner in New York has access to VIP tickets for the Christmas Spectacular and can arrange other show and sporting event tickets as well.
ATPI Business World Travel
Level 5, ANZ Bank Building
187 Broadway, Newmarket
PO Box 99088, Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland: Telephone: +64 9 529 3700
Wellington: Telephone: +64 4 470 6044
NZ wide: 0800 508 580
