AA To Try Wi-Fi Onboard Certain Flights

American Airlines (AA) is now offering Wi-Fi capabilities to satisfy all Internet addicts and aid all busy business travelers while flying. With Aircell's Internet Broadband Service, Gogo, aboard its transcon fleet of 767-200 aircraft, AA is the first U.S. airline to offer its passengers complete Internet capabilities. The new service is included on routes from New York to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami.
Gogo will be available in all classes for $12.95, providing full Internet access to laptops, smartphones and PDAs, allowing users to surf the Web, send e-mails and IMs, and even use VPN access to corporate networks.
The technology from Aircell is subject to strict requirements set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration through an exclusive license from the Federal Communications Commission. Both agencies oversee the use of broadband and wireless signals by aircraft flying over the continental United States.
The new technology will be trialed on AA's 15 Boeing 767-200 flights for a period of three-to-six months.

Westin & United in Bed Together

Later this month, all first and business class customers flying United's p.s. service will relax with the Westin Heavenly Bed products and signature amenities. The partnership between Westin Hotels & Resorts and United Airlines marks the first time that hotel-branded bedding and amenities have taken to the sky on a U.S. airline. United's first and business class p.s. service between New York and California also includes White Tea scented towelettes and mints, custom video and music on United's personal media players, and a specialty cocktail that will be unveiled each season.

Last month, the companies also unveiled Westin Renewal Lounges inside Red Carpet Clubs in New York (JFK), Los Angeles and San Francisco. The San Francisco lounge is equipped with a revolutionary blue-light ActiViva Lamp that provides phototherapy, which makes people feel more alert and energized. While much of the furniture found in the Westin Renewal Lounges mirrors the offerings at Westin properties, the company's designers also created two pieces of custom furniture specifically for the United lounges - an upholstered ottoman with a built-in table and a day bed for resting.

Top Ten Reasons To Use A Travel Agent

Here is an article I read that I just had to Post:

Top 10 Reasons to Use a Travel Agent:

1 You've Googled "Mexico Vacation", and come up with 17.8 million responses. Need a little help editing those choices?

2 Remember when you used that obscure website to book your hotel, and when you got there you spent your beach vacation overlooking a parking lot?

3 How many hours were you on hold with the airline when your flight was cancelled because of a snowstorm?

4 Did you really mean to spend your honeymoon at that resort whose one tiny pool was filled all day with 12 screaming children?

5 Who knew that when you booked that "Villa" in Tuscany, it would be a small room with a kitchenette and no air conditioning? Funny, it looked much better on your computer screen.

6 No one explained to you that in July, it's winter time in Rio, and so you showed up there with nothing but five hawaiian shirts and three pairs of swimming trunks.

7 How about the time you really needed a restful vacation, and you ended up in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and someone threw up on your shoes?

8 Yes, I guess that hotel must have used a telephoto lens when they took a picture of those guest rooms that you saw on their website.

9 I suppose contacting the Attorney General to resolve the fact that the internet site has billed your credit card three times instead of once is the only route to take at this point.

10 It was definitely odd that there were no cab drivers at the airport at 3:00 am in the morning when you finally landed in Costa Rica, but booking a transfer to your very remote hotel would have been a good thing to remember when you purchased your airline ticket and hotel online.

Many Thanks to Ruthanne Terrero for this brilliant article.

JetBlue Goes Eco But For A Price

In a move that will make some happy and some very upset JetBlue is now even charging for Pillows and Blankets. Thank You to Modern Agent for this following article:

JetBlue Airways is charging for pillow and blanket kits, rationalizing it as an eco-friendly, high-altitude kit for health-conscious travelers. It is selling what it calls "The World's Cleanest" travel pillow and blanket kit in partnership with CleanBrands LLC. Customers on JetBlue flights longer than two hours may purchase the $7 eco-friendly pillow and blanket, which includes a coupon for $5 off the future purchase of any item at Bed, Bath & Beyond. The pillow uses a fabric that blocks all micro-toxins larger than one micron in size, such as dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander. The take-home travel kit includes a 10" x 12" size pillow, as well as a 39" x 51" fleece blanket. Both items come with a carrying case for use on future trips. For more information, visit http://www.jetblue.com/.

Delta Lauches New Structure for Award Travel

Delta Air Lines in September will launch a new SkyMiles Award Travel structure to provide SkyMiles members greater flexibility and more options when redeeming miles, including the ability to again book the last seat on a flight using miles and three redemption tiers for award travel within the continental United States, Alaska and Canada to destinations worldwide.

Tiers will start at 25,000, 40,000 and 60,000 miles round-trip rather than the two current award levels starting at 25,000 and 50,000 miles for travel within continental United States, Alaska and Canada. Customers will have access to multiple Award Travel options including last- seat Award availability again and continue to be able to combine Economy, First and Business cabins, and dates at various mileage levels. "These changes will allow our members to better use their miles when they want, where they want and how they want -- with no blackout dates and the ability again to book the last seat on the plane," said Jeff Robertson, managing director of Delta's SkyMiles program. For complete details visit the "Program Updates" section of www.delta.com/skymiles.

Northwest Airlines to Add Fuel Surcharge

Beginning January 10 Northwest Airlines will add Fuel Surcharges of up to $80 for many of

its roundtrip domestic routes.

The surcharge will apply to travel to about 7,000 city pairs, matching surcharges added by

competitors in those markets. The fuel surcharge will cover less than two-thirds of the

airlines city pairs but, if it is enacted, it will be the largest fare increase since United Airlines

$70 base fare hike in April.