Business Travel Management

In 2011 Delta Air Lines will begin revitalizing their 747 fleet with full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite class and newly designed economy seats with additional under-seat storage and new personal entertainment screens.  Delta plans to begin the upgrade process by next summer and expects it to be completed by the summer of 2012.  The carrier’s 747 fleet consists of 16 planes that fly primarily from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. "The multimillion-dollar investment we are making to completely revitalize our transoceanic fleet speaks to our strong commitment to the Asian market," Delta president Ed Bastian said in a statement. This move is part of Delta’s three-year, billion dollar plan to improve the customer experience when flying Delta.  The company has stated previously that the business-class upgrades would appear on all service to Europe by 2013.

Source: Delta Air Lines

Based on current forecasts for Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona by the National Hurricane Center, air travel may be disrupted on the East Coast through September 4.  Many carriers are offering penalty waivers for those who wish to change their flights, and are posting information on their web sites. Please contact the airline directly or Azumano Travel for assistance.

AirTran Airways has put travel to all of its destinations on sale. Fares are available for purchase now through Sept. 2, 2010, and are good for travel from Sept. 7 through Nov. 17, 2010. Lowest sale fares are valid for travel on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays with additional sale fares available on Fridays and Sundays. Call your Azumano agent for more info.

The U.S. Department of Transportation unveiled yesterday an updated version of Fly Rights: A Consumer Guide to Air Travel, its popular guide to air travelers’ rights. Since it was first published in 1973, the publication has provided air travelers with helpful advice on such issues as how to get the best airfare, what to expect when a flight is delayed or canceled, and how to avoid travel scams.  This new version of Fly Rights includes updated advice on the DOT’s new consumer protections, including the three-hour limit on tarmac delays for domestic flights, the requirement for large airlines to display on-time performance information for domestic flights on their websites, and the requirement for airlines to respond to consumer complaints about an air travel experience. Fly Rights is available online at http://airconsumer.dot.gov/publications/flyrights.htm.

Financially troubled Mexicana Airlines, Mexico's largest carrier, ceased operations "until further notice" this past weekend, less than a month after filing for bankruptcy protection in Mexico and the United States.  MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink, Mexicana's regional subsidiary airlines also suspended operations mid-day Saturday. The statement on Mexicana's website says financially the company's situation has been aggravated by almost four weeks of operations while tickets sales have been suspended. The company advised passengers still holding tickets to consult its website to apply for refunds, or for those traveling Saturday, to contact Grupo Mexicana for assistance.