| Friday,
May 15, 2009 |
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At
Travel-On, we will never sacrifice experience
to save money.
It's what I call a false sense of economy. |
from Karen Dunlap, Travel-On's CEO
When
Cutting Experience Backfires
We have all see organizations cut top
sales people only to replace them with
less-experienced, less-costly sales people.
While this initial bottom-line impact may
look good, the long term effects can be
devastating. Read
the article |
I wanted to share an interesting article with
you about cutting costs during tough economic times.
It speaks to the problems an organization may face
when they attempt to replace their experienced
and knowledgeable employees with less costly, less
experienced replacements. While they may see some
benefit in the short run, they will undoubtedly
regret the decision over the long haul as they
see their customer base decline due to poor service.
We are proud of our experienced staff, and
we know and appreciate the value they bring to
our clients. Our agents average over 22 years in
the travel industry and over 15 years with Travel-On.
They understand the complexities of travel and
have developed long standing relationships with
our customers over the years. Often, they know
what the customer wants before they know themselves.
And, they have the experience with the airlines,
hotels and car rental companies to offer sound,
invaluable advice, resolve problems quickly and
satisfactorily, and negotiate on behalf of the
client when necessary.
At Travel-On, we will never sacrifice experience
to save money. It's what I call a false sense of
economy. |
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 Travel
Management Strategies That Get Results!
Travel-On's travel management
strategies, policy recommendations,
and Policy Compliance Management
System are achieving great results
in support of our clients' program
goals. While individual client
results will vary we are proud
that in total we have reduced our
clients' travel program costs by
the following averages:
| Item |
Domestic |
International |
| Average Ticket
Price |
10.25%
lower |
12.80%
lower |
| Average
Cost Per Mile |
20.83%
lower |
20.83%
lower |
| Average Daily
Car Rental Rate |
8.87%
lower |
8.87%
lower |
| Average
Nightly Hotel Rate |
20.26%
lower |
37.08%
lower |
As
your travel management
partner, Travel-On is working
on your behalf and using
strategies that get results! |
|
 Does
it matter anymore to buy an airline
ticket in advance?
Over the years, Topaz International
has done numerous independent studies
that evaluate various airfare booking
alternatives in an independent
and objective manner, always trying
to keep a level playing field when
completing the analysis. In early
2009, Topaz International did a
similar study looking at whether
purchasing airline tickets in advance
made financial sense. As many of
us know, historically one of the
best ways to obtain the lowest
airfares was to purchase your tickets
in advance. As you got closer and
closer to your travel dates, the
prices tended to go up. Full
report |
Flu
Update: Travel Screening
Continues
A number
of countries have enacted special
examination procedures for flights
arriving from North America. Reports
from travelers indicate these additional
procedures can take up to an hour.
Travelers are advised to allow for
additional time in planning their
schedules. For more specific information
by country click
here.
Can I Change My Ticket? Currently
all major airlines are permitting
passengers who bought tickets to
Mexico for travel within certain
dates to reschedule or apply the
ticket to a new destination without
penalty. Please consult the links
below for up-to-date policies for
each airline.
Where Can I Get More Information? The
following links provide additional
information concerning the outbreak,
arrival procedures by country, and
what companies can do to prepare,
sample sick policies, etc.
9
Ways to Avoid Swine Flu While Traveling
With the all the media hype about
Swine Flu, it’s not unreasonable
to think about trying to avoid unnecessary
public outings, including air travel.
But the FAA and the CDC only warn
against flying if you’re already
feeling the symptoms of an illness
or if you’ve come in contact
with someone who’s seriously
at risk of contracting the F1N1 flu
virus.
|
United
will offer a discounted checked
bag price
United will offer a discounted
checked bag price of $15 for
the first checked bag and $25
for the second. Customers who
choose to pay for checked bags
at the airport are not eligible
for the united.com $5 discount,
and the airport bag fees will
be $20 for the first bag and
$30 for the second bag. The new
united.com discount applies to
tickets purchased on or after
May 14, 2009 for travel within
the U.S. and to/from Canada,
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands on or after June 10,
2009. More
information
Tip: Know
the Rules on Checked Luggage
When Traveling By Air
|
TSA
Secure Flight Program – Action
Required!
TSA has announced that the new
Secure Flight requirements will
go into effect
on August 15 for domestic
reservations. The
airlines will require the traveler's
full name, birth date and gender
at the time the reservation is
made. For more information,
please contact your Travel-On Account
Manager or click
here. |
China
Visa Policies Update
China tightens visa rules for
US citizens. Travellers holding
a US passport now have to wait
six working days to get a visa
to enter China. Express visa
application services have also
been suspended. Previously, US
citizens could obtain a China
visa in as little as one day. More
information
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Business
Travelers Seeking More Travel Choices
Call on U.S. DOT to Approve oneworld
Airlines' Antitrust Immunity Application
Joining a growing list of supporters,
more than 485 corporations, small businesses
and other for-profit organizations have
sent letters asking the federal government
to level the playing field by granting
global antitrust immunity to five oneworld(R)
airlines because they say businesses,
consumers and communities all will benefit.
Five
things you need to know about health & air
travel
You’re packed into a narrow seat
at close quarters with hundreds of people
breathing the same air in an enclosed metal
tube hurtling through the sky at 35,000
feet. It’s a recipe for disease transmission,
isn’t it? Actually, according to
scientists, you’re better off in
a plane than in a classroom or a movie
theatre.
Airlines
See Signs Of End Of Decline
April airline traffic reports showed some
signs of improvement over March and airline
executives pointed to stabilization in
revenue and demand declines, as carriers
continue to search for the bottom of the
business travel recession—which analysts
said could lag an economic recovery.
Free
holidays for travellers with swine flu
HOTELS on Mexico's Caribbean coast offer
free holidays for three years to any tourist
catching swine flu while on holiday there,
in a bid to counter swine flu's blow to
the industry.
Is
Travel Insurance a Necessity in Overseas
Travel?
In the current situation of recession,
a traveler may be tempted to skip travel
insurance to save even that little amount
of money. It is understandable that one
wants to cut corners and not shell out
extra money.
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