Heard it in the exit row

The hospitality industry is not immune to the economic downturn. Companies have reduced business travel by their employees. The economy has also made many consumers reluctant to spend on tourism and vacations.

Airlines can respond by reducing capacity - taking planes out of service and cutting back on the number of flights they offer. Hotel owners, though, have buildings with a fixed number of rooms. Every day that a hotel room sits empty costs its owner money. Some hotels are cutting prices and offering promotions. On occasion, hotels reduce the benefit of the lower rates by adding surcharges for their amenities, such as a resort fee or a surcharge for housekeeping and other services.

Examples of promotional opportunities include the following: Starwood (Westin, W, Sheraton, St. Regis, Le Meridien) is offering a free weekend night award with every two night stay at any Starwood property that occurs between May 31 and July 30, 2009; the free night must be redeemed by the end of September. Marriott will award a Marriott Rewards member a free night at any participating Marriott hotel or resort after that member stays at participating hotels/resorts this summer on three separate occasions. Hyatt is offering rooms at its Summerfield Suites hotels at a 30% discount.

Not all hotels have followed this formula. For example, several luxury hotel chains have discreetly lowered their rates in some locations but more generally believe that their brand has a cachet that does not require anything resembling a fire sale. As the hospitality industry weathers the economic storm, the old saying that "everything is negotiable" still holds true, especially when it comes to items other than rate. When staying at a hotel, you can ask for:

- An upgrade to a bigger room, a suite or club floor
- Meal or drink coupon
- Free Internet service
- Reduction in transportation costs
- Reduction or elimination of health club fees (if applicable)

Negotiate these items when you are at the hotel. You can also ask the hotel to eliminate some or all the amenity surcharges. Hotels will likely reverse charges you don't agree with, but be sure to address the subject before you check out. No one knows how long the slowdown in travel will last, so if you are on the road, use the economy to your advantage while you can.

Secure Flight Passenger Data Program

The Transportation Security Administration is rolling out another phase of its Secure Flight program by implementing its "Secure Flight Final Rule" this summer. Secure Flight prevents misidentification of passengers from those appearing on TSA watch lists. By August, airlines (and therefore, agencies) must request Secure Flight Passenger details when booking reservations. These details include:

• passenger's full name
• date of birth
• gender
• redress phone number (if a passenger is being mis-identified)
  

What does this program mean to you as a traveler?

It means that eventually the name on whatever ID you show airport security should match the name on your airline ticket. For example, if the name shown on your airline ticket is "Joe Smith" and the name on your government issued ID is "Joseph Paul Smith", the new rules may cause more scrutiny and longer wait times at security.

And be sure that the name you are using on your ticket matches the name on your frequent flyer account with your airline too. You don't want to risk not getting mileage credit for your trips. You can also obtain another form of ID, issued by your state, which is different from your driver's license and has the exact name you want to use for airline travel. United States Immigration Support is a private website (http://tinyurl.com/orl2yl) that contains information about how to obtain such a state ID.

Please contact AmTrav with questions and name changes to avoid any travel delays.

Secure Flight currently applies only to domestic travel, but TSA plans to implement a similar program for international flights later in 2009. We will continue to keep you updated through our newsletter or Travel Alerts.

You can't escape the media coverage regarding the swine flu. It seems to be the lead item in all the papers, TV, websites etc. The Center for Disease Control and The World Health Organization are calling it a pandemic. For those of you who don't know what a pandemic is, according to the dictionary it is: a disease that is prevalent throughout the entire country, region or world.

There has and continues to be a lot written about this disease, and for business travelers it has caused greater concern. Sifting through the reports, we're recommending the following 5 rules:

Maintain a healthy dose of paranoia. Wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based product. Invest in a bottle of Purel and use it frequently throughout the day. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose. Start carrying around a handkerchief or Kleenex and use it!

Become a clean freak. Like it or not, germs can live on doorknobs, TV remote controls and other areas. When you're traveling it's difficult to avoid touching these things, especially in a hotel room. We recommend implementing a 'clean sweep' of your hotel room before you settle in. Using an antiseptic wipe, clean off the doorknobs, TV remote control, phone, and any other items where germs may reside and which you may touch. You can do the same thing on an airplane (disinfect the tray table and arm rests). You probably are seeing people on TV wearing face masks; you may want to consider wearing a face mask and plastic gloves, especially on an airplane.

Pack common sense. In the true spirit of marketing, new products are popping up all over to help us deal with swine flu. Don't be lured by false advertising. Unfortunately the only way to be sure you won't get the virus is to stay locked in your home and avoid all contact with another human.

Let someone else be a hero. If you start getting flu-like symptoms--fever, sore throat, coughing, runny nose, chills, body aches, fatigue--call your doctor, but more important STAY HOME! You'll probably have great difficulty following this advice – it's a tough economic climate and we are all feeling the pressures. However, now is not the time to be a hero/warrior and forge ahead regardless of how you're feeling. This pandemic will pass but we all need to do our part.

Keep current. Check out the US State Department. The CDC will continue to post updates. Visit their websites to get the latest news. Also many airlines have eased their reticketing and itinerary change policies because travelers are reluctant to fly during this period. Check with your individual airlines to keep current.