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Volume 5, Issue 34, August 21, 2007 |
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A recent study of more than 1,000 travelers by Opinion Research Corp. has yielded some interesting insights into airline-related angst — what ORC calls the “Ouch Point.” The biggest aggravations of flying, people said, were airline delays and cancellations. In combination with “sitting on the runway for more than 30 minutes,” delays were the biggest “ouch” for 32 percent of those polled. Lost luggage took second place, at 13 percent.
Travelers over the age of 35 were twice as likely to rank delays as their top gripe as were people in the 18-24 bracket. The younger adults were more bothered by lost luggage.
The degree of annoyance with delays, cancellations, and sitting on the runway increases with household income. The more you know how to conduct your own business, it seems, the less tolerant you are of the way the airlines run theirs.
People seem to have adapted to the latest carry-on baggage restrictions, with only 5 percent of those surveyed citing carry-on restrictions as the most annoying thing about air travel. Fewer than 10 percent of the survey respondents were most bothered by long lines at check-in or at security.
The category in which there was most agreement? Thirty-eight percent of travelers said that they don’t believe airlines are honest about the reasons for flight delays and cancellations. 
Coming soon to an airport near you: the new “superjumbo” Airbus A380, which will make its first official flight for Singapore Airways on or around Oct. 22. As part of the aircraft testing process, Airbus will take MSN (which stands for manufacturer’s serial number) 007 on demonstration tours around Asia — and the United States. From Aug. 31 to Sept. 7, the A380 will make stops at Bangkok (BKK), Chiang Mai (CNX), Hanoi (HAN), Hong Kong (for the Asian Aerospace show Sept. 3-5, held at the AsiaWorld-Expo center), and Seoul (ICN). On Oct. 2 and 3, it will visit Hartford (BDL); on Oct. 3 and 4, Cincinnati (CVG), and on Oct. 4 and 5, San Francisco (SFO). Since part of the testing involves ground handling, airport compatibility and maintenance, MSN007 should stick around long enough for visitors to spot; after all, it’s hard to miss.
While we can wish that all hotels would provide Internet access free of charge, in the meantime here’s a plan to make at least some access free all the time. InterTouch, a major supplier of Internet access for Asian hotels, is testing a program in conjunction with Tokyo’s Hotel New Otani to offer a free portal. The trial, running through Dec. 31, allows guests to go online to the Travel Information portal for free to access local, national and business news; weather; a guide to local dining; and tourism-related information. Normally, all guests except those in top-tier Executive rooms at the New Otani must pay $11 a day or 35 cents a minute to access the Internet from their rooms.
The Silversea cruise line is adding a new feature: cooking classes. In cooperation with Viking – manufacturer of high-end ranges and ovens – it will host cooking demonstrations and lectures for passengers looking to broaden their culinary horizons. Different programs will be offered aboard four Silversea ships over a total of six sailings between Aug. 25 and Dec. 5.
No time for a manicure? If you’re in London, you can combine it with breakfast. The Spa at Chancery Court, in the Renaissance London Chancery Court Hotel, has introduced Brek-A-Manger – a one-hour breakfast manicure package that includes a hand massage and salt scrub, cuticle treatment and polish. The Japanese-style bento-box breakfast comes with chopsticks, the better to keep your manicure intact. Total cost is $140.
Anthropologists aren’t happy about her leaving home, but Lucy – the 3.2-million-year-old hominid skeleton discovered in Ethiopia in 1974 – is embarking on a world tour. She arrives at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Aug. 31 for an eight-month visit, and will be the centerpiece of an exhibit called Lucy’s Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia, sponsored by Ethiopian Airlines. Tickets to the exhibit are $20 and can be ordered online from the museum. For more about Lucy, see GT’s Aug. 19 blog
Rosewood Restaurant
9421 Higgins Rd.
Rosemont, IL 60018
tel 847 696 9494
fax 847 696 9499
www.rosewoodrestaurant.com
A few years ago, a would-be publisher client of mine was flying into Chicago and we were to meet to discuss our impending deal. I had heard great things about Rosewood, and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give it a try. I have since returned numerous times.
Rosewood is located within a short drive of O’Hare Airport (ORD), perfect for business meals. It features fine American dining, usually with a tasty twist. The lighting is low, but bright enough to see facts and figures, if necessary. The waitstaff is professional and polite, but also capable of going with the mood of the patrons – joshing with my ebullient client, or, when the mood of the table is quieter and more private, careful not to intrude beyond the necessary. The wine list is thoughtful, and extensive.
At first glance, there is nothing out of the ordinary about the selection of appetizers, but Rosewood prepares and presents each in a manner that makes it memorable. For instance, the cabernet sauvignon wine sauce served with the portobello mushroom accents the flavor exquisitely. Over the years, I’ve had them all, with no disappointments.
My top entrée recommendation is the seared yellowfin tuna, spice-crusted with roasted red peppers and soy-ginger vinaigrette. You also won’t go wrong with any of the steaks: four sizes of filet mignon, a Kansas City 22-ounce bone-in strip steak, or the Absolute Steak (featuring a peppercorn crust). Two other favorites are the chicken Roman and the pan-roasted garlic chicken — both flavorful, without overpowering your palate.
Like the appetizers, the sides deliver far more than expected. The garlic roasted mashed potatoes and the au gratin potatoes are the tastiest of the spuds. Grilled asparagus and sautéed mushrooms highlight the rest of the choices. For dessert, don’t miss the white chocolate mousse cake, no matter how tempting other selections might be. The tiramisu is top-notch, too.
A typical meal for two, with wine, will cost over $100, but it will not disappoint.
Score: ••••• John Wroblewski
Air Canada is discounting fares between the U.S. and Canada, and for international flights from Canadian gateways, for travel between Sept. 5 and Dec. 15. Most sale tickets require purchase by midnight Aug. 22, but there are some exceptions. Tickets inside North America are for use no sooner than 14 days after purchase; international tickets have fewer restrictions. Sample fares: New York (LGA)-Montreal (YUL) $124 one-way, San Francisco (SFO)-Toronto (YTO) $235, Montreal-Paris (CDG) $249.
You have until Sept. 30 to enter the Buick Clubhouse sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to a premier golf event. The grand prize is a trip for two to the 2008 Buick Invitational at La Jolla, Calif., Jan. 22-27, 2008, with airfare, five nights’ accommodations, ground transfers, tickets to all rounds of the tournament, a round of golf of your own, and the opportunity to meet Tiger Woods. Limit is one entry per person per e-mail address; earn a second entry by clicking a link to take a video tour of the Buick Enclave.
Catch your breath between business trips with a vacation on the quiet Caribbean island of St. Kitts. Until Dec. 15, almost all the island’s hotels and resorts are participating in a special discount program. They offer either four nights for the price of three, or seven nights for the price of five, and include breakfast. Extra discounts on such things as car rentals and tours are also part of the deal.
Members of the LoewsFirst frequent guest program also earn points or miles on their choice of partner programs during each qualifying stay at a Loews property. Through Oct. 31, guests can earn double Amtrak Guest Rewards points. This means that the Amtrak points per stay can be as high as 1,500 for LoewsFirst Blue members, and up to 2,500 for Platinum members.
Just in time for back-to-school (or your fall wardrobe or gift needs), Target has teamed up with Continental Airlines to offer bonus miles. If you shop Target online through Continental’s ShopOnePass mall, you’ll earn 10 miles per dollar spent, instead of the usual five, through Aug. 31. Allow at least six weeks for miles to be credited to your OnePass account.
