BTC News Wire

Travelogue (****News Day)

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:40:00 GMT

http://businesstravelcoalition.com/members/silver/news.htm

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Message From Kate Hanni of FlyersRights.org (IMPORTANT)

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:50:00 GMT

INVITATION AND SURVEY FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT TO PROMOTE AIRLINE PASSENGERS RIGHTS EVER!

Dear FlyersRights.org Member,

I hope this note finds you well! I would like to invite you to participate in a timely AND important consumer and travel industry event in Washington, DC. Given your experience with the airline industry, you would no doubt have a big impact on the proceedings. Also, you may participate in the proceedings if you were a stranding victim and have a great story to tell and want to tell it to the people who make decisions in our Capital.

On Tuesday morning, September 22, 2009 between 8 am and 12 pm consumer and travel industry groups will conduct a Stakeholder Hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building regarding airline passenger rights; specifically the issue of extended ground delays.

Legislative prescriptions are currently included in FAA reauthorization bills in the House and in the Senate, whose version would allow passengers to disembark after three hours of delay, should a captain determine it is reasonable and safe to do so. As you know the House bill does not contain any details in its request for contingency plans that would require airlines allow passengers off at a specific time and leaves it to the airlines to decide how long they might hold passengers on the tarmac. However, the Senate bill is picture perfect with a clear timeframe that�s mandatory. What�s more the bill requires airlines to provide for passengers� basic human needs at all times on the tarmac. Plus, many more provisions not found in the House legislation are in the Senate version. We need your support badly at this hearing.

We are going to open up the hearing with a 60 minute Congressional Roundtable Discussion among 6 Senators and Representatives who have either sponsored passenger rights legislation, or who are opposed to it. This is why having as many actual victims there to both watch, and participate in the discussion is so important.

The role I hope you accept is as a victim representative. A link to the event for you to register is: http://stakeholderhearing.eventbrite.com. Next week I will send you a backgrounder and detailed description of the hearing. For now just know that we will have the participation of Senators, Congressmen, media, celebrity moderators, and this will be the most robust and meaningful hearing ever done for passengers rights. It�s YOUR chance to be heard.

Also we are conducting a survey that we need you to participate in. It only takes 5 minutes and it�s very valuable for us with our media partners to be able to show how many people support this vital legislation. Please take a little and complete the online survey at http://surveymonkey.twi.bz/i

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Best,

Kate Hanni
Executive Director
FlyersRights.org
kate@flyersrights.org
707-337-0328

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BTC Urges Parliament to Protect Consumers, Small Business

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:01:00 GMT

STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

BTC Urges Parliament to Protect Consumers, Small Business

Travel distribution loophole threatens higher airfares, less choice and poorer service

Brussels, Belgium, 29 June 2008--The Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today urged the European Parliament to continue to defend the interests of travellers and small business. EU member states are pushing hard for an early compromise deal on the revision of the CRS Code of Conduct, currently before the EU institutions. There is now a real threat that the Parliament will abandon its previously firm position safeguarding consumer interests.

The compromise focuses on a dangerous legislative loophole exposed in the Commission�s original draft under the definition of �Parent Carrier� (Article 2 (g)). The Parliament text, backed almost unanimously by the Transport Committee, had established CRS ownership as a fully independent criterion when assessing parent carrier status. This takes into account the incentives for abuse which exist for airlines meaningfully participating in the capital and governance of a CRS and limits the discretion of the Commission.

Any weakening of the parliament position could immediately result in the reinforcement and creation of dangerous monopolies in CRSs in a number of European countries. Since the Commission�s declaration of last November, which made it clear that the CRS Code of Conduct applies to no-one, airline owners have been free to discriminate in favour of the CRSs they own and CRSs have been free to discriminate in favour of their owning airlines. Travellers all across the EU and beyond are, as a result, at risk of being subjected to higher fares, less choice and poorer service.

The Parliament has a strong hand going into the current negotiations. Giving up this position without securing any safeguards in return will result in a poor deal for consumers and small business across Europe.

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CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell | 202-370-1871 | mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com

About BTC
Founded in 1994, the mission of the Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to them.

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BTC Report: Beyond the Airlines' $2 Can of Coke (embargoed copy offer)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:34:00 GMT

To members of the press,

The U.S. commercial aviation industry is in full-blown crisis. Business Travel Coalition will publish a report on Monday, June 23 titled: Beyond the Airlines’ $2 Can of Coke: Catastrophic Impact on the U.S. Economy from Oil-price Trauma in the Airline Industry

The report outlines and puts into context 9 major impacts from a failed airline industry on U.S. local and regional economies, and our way of life.

Please let me know via email if you would like to receive an embargoed copy of this report.

Two simple ground rules: (1) you cannot share the report outside your newsroom, and (2) stories can be written for after 12:01am on Monday, June 23. (Wire embargo: Wire services may distribute stories, but your clients must hold for release until 12:01am on Monday, June 23.)

Please address mail to Mitchell@businesstravelcoalition.com

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BTC Report: Beyond the Airlines� $2 Can of Coke (embargoed copy offer)

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:09:00 GMT

To members of the press,

The U.S. commercial aviation industry is in full-blown crisis. Business Travel Coalition will publish a report on Monday, June 23 titled: Beyond the Airlines� $2 Can of Coke: Catastrophic Impact on the U.S. Economy from Oil-price Trauma in the Airline Industry

The report outlines and puts into context 9 major impacts from a failed airline industry on U.S. local and regional economies, and our way of life.

Please let me know via email if you would like to receive an embargoed copy of this report.

Two simple ground rules: (1) you cannot share the report outside your newsroom, and (2) stories can be written for after 12:01am on Monday, June 23. (Wire embargo: Wire services may distribute stories, but your clients must hold for release until 12:01am on Monday, June 23.)

Please address mail to Mitchell@businesstravelcoalition.com

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Kevin Mitchell's new contact info - (202) 370-1871

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Hello, friends!

I recently signed up with GrandCentral and got a new phone number that will reach me at all of my existing phones. The only number you will ever need to reach me at is now (202) 370-1871.

Now you can reach me everywhere (cell, work, home) with a single number. And if I move or buy a new phone...this number never changes. You can even use my new number as an email address (2023701871@grandcentral.com). It doesn't get much simpler than that.

Sorry for another "updated contact information" email, but now that you've got my GrandCentral number, this will be the last time I'll ever bug you about it.

Best wishes,

Kevin

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IAPA, BTC Support Airline Divestiture of CRS Stakes Proposal

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:02:00 GMT

PRESS STATEMENT

For Immediate Release

IAPA, BTC Support Airline Divestiture of CRS Stakes Proposal

Applauds Parliament�s Focus on the Consumer

London, England, 11 April 2008�The International Airline Passengers Association (IAPA) and Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today applauded the European Parliament for providing much needed consumer focus to consideration of proposed reforms to the Code of Conduct that governs computerized reservations systems (CRSs). Rapporteur Timothy Kirkhope provided a thoughtful and balanced report that contained very solid analysis and proposals and enabled informed debate.

The Parliament debate also considered a proposal advanced by Brian Simpson calling for a complete, orderly divestiture of airline ownership stakes in CRSs. Complete divestiture would represent the �ber consumer-focused solution to potential abuses stemming from airline ownership of CRSs. Divestiture would eliminate the possibility of abuses that might go undetected under any version of a Code of Conduct; would virtually guarantee that consumers have access to complete and accurate information regarding airfare and rail offerings when using either online or traditional travel agencies; and EU and U.S. airline and GDS industry regulatory oversight approaches would be harmonized.

IAPA and BTC are very appreciative of the strong leadership demonstrated by Mr Kirkhope and other Parliament members on this issue so critical to consumer interests, and urge the rest of Parliament to follow their lead.

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CONTACT IAPA || Jonathan French | 011 44 77 52356258 | Jonathan.French@Prioritypass.co.uk

CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell | 610-341-1850 | mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com

ABOUT IAPA
The International Airline Passengers Association has more than 45 years� history representing frequent business travellers. It has offices in Dallas, London and Hong Kong and over 400,000 members throughout the world.

About BTC
Founded in 1994, the mission of the Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to them.

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Signatory Letter to Members of European Parliament

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:54:00 GMT

3 April 2008

Dear Members of Parliament,

We write on behalf of the European business travel community and corporate travel buyers, concerning the Parliament�s forthcoming consideration of the Commission�s proposal to revise the �Code of Conduct� Regulation for Computerised Reservation Systems (�CRS�) [COD/2007/0243]. Mr Timothy Kirkhope has published the Parliament�s draft Report on behalf of the Transport Committee. The report will no doubt be widely endorsed by the overwhelming majority of travel industry participants.

For nearly 20 years the existing Regulation has governed the behaviour of the CRSs currently used by travel agencies to make reservations for their business and leisure customers, and of the airline owners of such systems (known as �parent carriers�). History has demonstrated the painful lesson that whenever airlines hold financial interests in CRSs they inevitably will engage in competitive abuses in both the airline and airline distribution sectors - unless this misconduct is effectively restrained by clear rules. Since nearly all corporate travel to this day is booked by travel agencies equipped with CRSs, the issue of getting the Code right is of especial significance to business travellers. A multitude of other stakeholders have expressed similar concerns, including BEUC and ECTAA (on behalf of European travel agencies).

On its face, the proposed revised Code seemingly includes all of the required safeguards against predations by parent carriers and systems they own. Unfortunately, this is not the case. At the final press conference announcing the revisions to the Code, the Commission volunteered the view that, despite maintaining the definition of parent carriers, specific airlines with significant stakes in a CRS were no longer considered parent carriers. Specifically, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa, who collectively hold over 46% of the equity of the Amadeus CRS, would not be subject to the revised Regulation. Even in a regulated environment where overt abuses of market power to favour Amadeus have been curbed, these three airlines have found sufficient tools at their disposal to steer travel agencies to use the system they own that Amadeus boasts market shares of over 75% in each of the three Member States where its three airlines are dominant as air carriers.

Stakeholders have been stunned to learn that parent carrier rules in the EU today apply to no one. Nowhere in the consultation process did the Commission express this view, nor invite comments on the meaning of parent carrier, nor ask for submissions on the issue of the scope of application of parent carrier rules. Even more tellingly, none of the aforementioned airlines even suggested they were not bound by the parent carrier safeguards at the Hearing of 2 May 2007. To the contrary, the airlines complained the duties of a parent carrier were �obsolete� or �burdensome.�

Clearly this has rendered the most critical protections of the Code toothless. In ways that before were patently unlawful, the three Amadeus owners are now free to discriminate in favour of Amadeus, and Amadeus is free to discriminate in favour of its three owning airlines. The upshot is that travellers all across the EU are now staring directly into the abyss of higher fares, less choice and poorer service.

The German airline Lufthansa, believing it has a green light from the Commission to ignore its historic duties under the Code as a parent carrier of Amadeus, has already announced a scheme, to take effect in October, which will sharply increase the costs of travel for consumers in Germany.

Parliament has the opportunity to correct the parent carrier loophole created by the Commission to avoid detrimental effects for travellers across the EU. Without amendment travellers will face a less competitive environment for air fares, and many small/medium-sized travel agencies will find it increasingly difficult to remain competitive while operating rival systems to Amadeus. Accordingly, we call on the Parliament to close this dangerous loophole by amending the definition of parent carrier so as to leave no doubt that, given their ownership interests in Amadeus and their representation on its Board, Air France, Iberia, and Lufthansa remain parent carriers and must respect the historic safeguards against competitive abuses that have long applied to parent carriers.

We thank you for taking the time to consider this important matter, and urge your support of the Kirkhope report.

Kind regards,

International Airline Passengers Association

Institute of Travel Management

Belgian Association of Travel Management

Advantage Focus Partnership

Business Travel Coalition

The Business Travel Partnership Ltd

Philips Electronics

Dow Europe

NATS

DuPont

Marathon Oil Ireland Limited
Sterling Jewelers Inc.
Trane
ABN AMRO Bank NV
Selfridges Retail Limited
LFC Consulting
TeleTech
Airtrak Travel systems
McMaster University
Shell Oil Company Nigeria
Inter IKEA Group
Elavon Financial Services LTD
Expedia Corporate Travel
Norseman Travel Limited
The Travel Company Edinburgh
Yorkshire Travel Services LTD
O'Flaherty Holdings Limited
ExpressJet Airlines
Baillie Gifford & Co
Liberty Global Europe
Garber | FCm Travel
Solutions
Ben Lawries Travel Ltd
Dawson and Sanderson Limited
Northrop Grumman
The Travel Centre Ltd
American Express Business Travel
Glen Travel
Harman International Industries
Travel Harbour
Novo Nordisk A/S
Medway Travel Limited
NetJets Europe
Travelogica AB
Travelstore
Jules Boutin Travel Bureau
MTS Travel
A.T. Kearney, Inc.
Johnson Controls
Lubrizol Ltd
Lafarge M
Rich Products Corporation
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
HealthCare California
RTW Travel Group Limited
Windsor & Neate Travel
The Travel Bureau Ltd
Courtesy Travel
Online Regional Travel Group Ltd
Camberley Travel Centre
Giles Travel Ltd
Barrhead Travel Service
The Corporate Travel Partnership
Matrix Travel
S & N Pickford Ltd
COMMODORE INT TVL
Tickets Anywhere
Omega Executive Travel
The Travel Professionals Ltd
Wayne Travel Management
Stewart Corporate Travel
Senior International Travel Ltd
Lupus Travel Ltd
Baxter Hoare Travel LTD
Baldwins Travel Agency
Fair's Fare
Norad Travel Group Ltd
Colpitts World Travel
Carnival UK
Tommy Hilfiger
Eaton Corporation
Travel Management Alliance
Sun Chemical Ltd Packaging Div
Corporate Travel Partners
IFC Specialists, LLC
Prime Findings,LLC
FANUC Robotics America, Inc.
Accelrys
University of Alaska
QA Business Travel Ltd
Blue Marine Travel
John Proctor Travel
Forward Travel Management
Business Travel Direct
T2Impact Ltd
Huntsman
Acergy
Cresta World Travel
NetApp
WebShoppingDepot
LasVegasConventionTravel.com Inc.
The Travel Team
MKI Travel and Conference Management, Inc.
MH-Global lCommunications Network
BuonViaggio Travel
Horizon Travel

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Travel Industry Applauds Draft Kirkhope Report on CRS Reform

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:29:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Travel Industry Applauds Draft Kirkhope Report on CRS Reform

European Stakeholders Urge MEPs to Support Report and Protect Consumers from High Airfares

Brussels, Belgium, April 3, 2008 - A broad cross-section of over 100 European business travel industry stakeholders today transmitted a Signatory Letter to Members of the European Parliament urging them to vigorously support a draft report by the Committee on Transport and Tourism regarding revisions to a Code of Conduct, which governs global distribution systems (GDSs). The report, written by Rapporteur Timothy Kirkhope, appropriately clarifies the definition of �parent carrier� and to whom the Code applies, and is a major step forward in protecting European consumers from higher airfares. (Download the Kirkhope report at http://tinyurl.com/2od5f4)

�We are delighted to see that the Kirkhope report clearly recognizes the wider issue of potentially inappropriate influence of distribution systems by direct or indirect travel vendor capital and/or board representation. We wholeheartedly support the recommended amendments to the regulations,� stated Paul Tilstone, Executive Director, Institute of Travel Management, and a signatory to the letter.

For nearly 20 years the existing Regulation has governed the behaviour of the GDSs and of the airline owners of such systems, the parent carriers. History has demonstrated the painful lesson that whenever airlines hold financial interests in CRSs they inevitably will engage in competitive abuses in both the airline and airline distribution sectors - unless this misconduct is effectively restrained by clear rules. Since nearly all corporate travel to this day is booked by travel agencies equipped with GDSs, the issue of getting the Code right is of especial significance to business travellers.

International Airline Passengers Association Industry Affairs Spokesman Jonathan French stated, �Like many in the industry, I was astonished that the new understanding of a GDS �parent carrier� could be loose enough to allow joint ownership by 3 airlines of 46% of a GDS to pass without comment, which would effectively mean that the Code of Conduct becomes redundant. It�s pleasing that the European Parliament has brought some clarity and a clear definition to the table with this amendment, which is clearly in the interests of both travel agents and travellers.�

The Signatory Letter states: �Parliament has the opportunity to correct the parent carrier loophole created by the Commission to avoid detrimental effects for travellers across the EU. Without amendment travellers will face a less competitive environment for air fares, and many small/medium-sized travel agencies will find it increasingly difficult to remain competitive while operating rival systems to Amadeus. Accordingly, we call on the Parliament to close this dangerous loophole by amending the definition of parent carrier so as to leave no doubt that, given their ownership interests in Amadeus and their representation on its Board, Air France, Iberia, and Lufthansa remain parent carriers and must respect the historic safeguards against competitive abuses that have long applied to parent carriers.� (The Signatory Letter can be downloaded at http://tinyurl.com/37rffs)

Business travelers call on all Members of Parliament, including those from Germany, France and Spain, to ratify the Kirkhope report and thereby put the interests of European consumers first.

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CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell | 610-341-1850 | mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com

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