INTEL

News and deals for the global traveler

Dreamliner Delivery
Sept. 26 marked a milestone for the airline industry as The Boeing Co. officially delivered its first production 787 Dreamliner to Japan-based All Nippon Airways. The delivery was a long time coming, with numerous delays as Boeing worked to smooth out design and engineering flaws. But there was an obvious sense of pride among the 500-plus Boeing employees who were on hand in Seattle to pull the 787 up to ANA President Shinichiro Ito and hand him its key.

The 787 Dreamliner is an engineering marvel, allowing a more efficient, more elegant and safer ride. The mid-sized airplane offers passengers larger windows, enhancing the view from any seat. The onboard luggage bins are designed to pull down, allowing easier access and more room for customers to stand up in the seating area. LED cabin lighting cycles among blues, pinks and oranges depending on the time of day in the approaching time zone.

The engineering technologies discovered in the making of the 787 are game-changing. Made of lightweight composite materials and offering 20 percent more fuel efficiency, the aircraft save airlines maintenance and fuel costs while allowing more non-stop long-range routes. Passengers will enjoy cleaner cabin air, higher humidity levels and lower cabin altitude, giving a refreshed feel after flying. ANA’s three-and-a-half-hour Dreamliner flights from Tokyo (NRT) to Hong Kong (HKG) begin Oct. 26. — Carly Allen

NEWS

SkyTeam in Taiwan
China Airlines soared into the SkyTeam alliance in September at an impressive ceremony in Taipei, becoming the 15th carrier and the first Taiwanese airline to join the global alliance. SkyTeam chairman Leo van Wijk summed up the move: “Our customers want to do business in Taiwan, and there-fore it’s vital that SkyTeam has a strong presence here.” China Airlines’ membership adds value tothe alliance for both passenger and cargo customers.

Dominique Patry, vice president, international affairs and alliances at Air France, underscored that the alliance contributes to the growth of China Airlines and Taiwan, noting that either Air France or China Airlines will be flying Taipei (TPE) to Paris (CDG) as soon as possible. China Airlines chairman Chia-Juch Chang stressed that the alliance will promote the growth of Taiwan’s aviation industry and further development at the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project.

From its hub in Taipei, one of Asia’s strongest economies, China Airlines operates a diverse passenger and cargo network throughout the wider Asia-Pacific region, North America and Europe. With the addition of China Airlines, SkyTeam becomes the biggest alliance serving the greater China market, offering 7,510 daily departures worldwide from hubs in Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (PVG), Guangzhou (CAN) and Taipei. China Airlines also brings three new destina-tions to the SkyTeam network: Okinawa (NAH) and Miyazaki (KMI) in Japan and Surabaya (SUB) in Indonesia.

’Tis the Season
With characteristic Berliner Schnauze, Northern Germany spices up the gingerbread-and-hot-mulled-wine traditions of Christmas markets. Although there are still plenty of old-fashioned holiday street fairs, Hamburg and Berlin have updated them with their own urban personalities. Light-covered linden trees line East Berlin’s most famous boulevard, Unter den Linden, standing in for fir trees; and in lieu of real mountains, a 230-foot toboggan run is built in Potsdamer Platz. The Ritz-Carlton serves an urbane Advent afternoon tea in their Brasserie Debrosses. Cool maritime Hamburg adds Germany’s sole adults-only holiday market. Santa Pauli, a naughty alternative in its famed Sankt Pauli red-light district, is filled with cocktails and cabaret, and live jazz replaces carols. The city’s newest market is at HarborCity, the former dock area turned chic urban hotspot. Even in traditional Bavaria there’s a contemporary twist: In Munich’s Tollwood Christmas market, smart haute-design contemporary crafts replace the usual tinsel baubles.

InterContinental Guarantee
To encourage guests to book directly, InterContinental Hotels Group has announced Best Price Guarantee and Book With Us Advantage. These guarantee guests booking on any of the IHG brand websites that if they find a qualifying lower room price for an IHG hotel elsewhere online, they will receive their first night free. The rest of their stay will match the price found. Best Price Guarantee is available at all eight IHG brands: InterContinental, Indigo, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. Visit www.ihg.com.

Midair Turndown
American Airlines has introduced new first- and business-class amenities on international flights. A quilted bed topper to fit American’s Flagship Suite, pajamas and slippers are part of the new first-class turndown service; and a lightweight day blanket, premium duvet, pillow and travel kit featuring Dermalogica skincare products complete the new amenities. All of these, including the turndown service, are already in place in American’s first-class cabins on all international flights served by Boeing 777s. Business-class passengers on board international flights on Boeing 777s and 767-300s and other select flights to and from Europe are now offered the new premium duvet and pillow, slippers and amenity kit. The airline has also begun the changeover to Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 personal entertainment devices in first- and business-class cabins, announced earlier this fall. Visit www.aa.com/ flybetter.

Tech Savvy in Singapore
Singapore’s Changi Airport (SIN) provides some of the world’s most up-to-date and accessible airport electronics, with more than 550 complimentary Internet terminals, free airport-wide WiFi, mobile charging stations (with all common chargers) at all terminals, an iChangi smartphone application and automated feedback systems. The iChangi smartphone application offers instant and personalized information on flight times, departure gates, real-time updates and guides to shopping and dining. Changi’s customized system provides passengers an instant voice by ad-dressing any problem at check-in and immigration counters, retail stores, even restrooms. Visit www.changiairport.com.

Sweeter Dreams on Delta
Delta Air Lines has completed installation of 180-degree flatbed seats in Business Elite cabins of all Boeing 777 and 767-400ER aircraft, as well as 767-400D aircraft to London Heathrow (LHR) and 777-200LR aircraft to Dubai (DVB), Johannesburg (JNB) and Sydney (SYD). The new seats provide extra legroom, privacy, direct aisle access, premium duvets and full-size pillows, along with power outlets and a state-of-the-art entertainment system with a library of 250 movies. Visit www.delta.com.

EVA Elite
EVA Air now offers its Elite Class premium-economy service on busy Taoyuan (TPE) to Pudong (PVG), Taoyuan to Beijing (PEK) and Pudong to Kaohsiung (KHH) flights. Elite Class is comparable to domestic business class, with seats 18.5 inches wide, 38-inch pitch, adjustable leg rests and footrests, movable headrests, touchscreen AVOD entertainment systems and electrical outlets for laptops. Elite Class cabin service includes a wide selection of beverages and seasonal Western and Asian foods served on china dinnerware. EVA Elite passengers have designated check-in counters and 55-pound baggage allowances. Visit www.evaair.com.

If You Don’t Like the Weather . . .
Check your iPhone for tomorrow’s forecast — or a better climate somewhere else. A new app from Weather Trends International makes it possible. The WT360Pro gives users access to global forecasts of temperature, precipitation and snowfall trends up to a year ahead, covering 6.4 million locations in 195 countries with more than 80 percent accuracy. It features monthly, daily and hourly forecasts and a customizable email alert system for personalized weather forecasts on everything from lightning and UV index to wave height. Visit http://www.weathertrends 360.com.

China Southern Launches A380

Last month, China Southern Airlines took delivery of its first superjumbo Airbus A380. The aircraft operated domestically, serving the Beijing (PEK)–Guangzhou (CAN) route before switching operations to the Beijing–Shanghai (PVG) route Oct. 27. China Southern’s first international A380 routing will be Guangzhou–Paris (CDG), expected in late 2011/early 2012 (no official launch date was announced as of press time).

China Southern is the seventh operator of the A380 aircraft. It is also the first Chinese carrier to operate the jumbo jet and the third in Asia, behind Singapore Airlines and Korean Air.

The airline has five A380s on order, with 506 seats on each. The airplane’s lower deck has eight first-class suites in the front of the main cabin, featuring lie-flat massage seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. Sharing the lower deck are 352 economy-class seats, arranged in a 3-4-3 layout. The upper deck features 70 lie-flat business-class seats in the front of the cabin and an additional 76 economy-class seats, in a 2-4-2 configuration.

China Southern is the largest airline in Asia and the fifth-largest in the world. Its fleet will continue to expand as orders for Airbus A330s, A320s and 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners are currently in production. For more information, visit www.flychinasouthern.com.
— Kimberly Krol

DEALS

Dive Right In
Choose from three money-saving specials on scuba adventures in one of the world’s great dive destinations. Palau, an archipelago of more than 586 islands in Micronesia, has more than 1,400 species of fish and 500 species of coral. Offered by Sam’s Tours Palau, packages include seven nights’ accommodations with taxes and service charges, airport and dive transfers, five days of professionally guided two-tank diving with tanks and weights, additional dives and snorkeling, and lunches and refreshments each dive day. The luxurious Palau Pacific Resort and the dest-ination’s newest, the Palau Royal Resort, offer the package through Dec. 31. Visit http://www.sams tours.com and www.visitpalau.blogspot .com.

Leave Your Heart
Four San Francisco landmarks, all members of Historic Hotels of America, invite travelers to save. Centrally located Fairmont Hotel San Francisco and the InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel atop Nob Hill both offer Bed and Breakfast packages with full breakfast each day. Omni San Francisco, on the historic California Street cable car line, welcomes kids with a Family Discover package: 15 percent off a two-night stay, free breakfasts for kids 12 and under, and a customized tour map. Leave the kids at home to bask in the Palace Hotel’s Luxury Romance package, featuring in-room flowers, a complimentary bottle of Champagne, daily breakfast for two and tea in the famous Garden Court. Book by Dec. 30 on http://www.historichotels.org and re-ceive a complimentary one-year family membership to the National Trust for Historic Preserv-ation that gets you 10 percent savings at participating Historic Hotels of America, discounted admission to over 600 historic places and a subscription to Preservation magazine.

Stay and Play Golf
In the heart of Sedona’s Red Rock Country, Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa offers golfers a Winter Stay and Play package. Available Nov. 26 through Jan. 19, 2012, it includes one night in a deluxe guestroom or a one-bedroom suite; breakfast for two at the resort’s signature restaurant, The Grille at ShadowRock; a round of golf for two at Sedona Golf Resort, including cart and practice balls as well as rental of premium Titleist clubs and Footjoy shoes, if needed. Rates start at $316 per night. Visit www.hiltonsedona resort.com.

REWARDS

PhoenixMiles Rising
In a new marketing alliance, members of Fairmont President’s Club will now have the option of earning airline miles in Air China’s frequent-flyer program, PhoenixMiles. Guests on qualifying stays will have the opportunity to earn 500 frequent-flyer miles or more, based on their Fairmont program status, in Air China’s PhoenixMiles program. Qualifying stays are subject to hotel availability at published rack, corporate or package rates. Fairmont is increasing its Asian presence with the recently announced Fairmont Nanjing, a 371-room city center hotel in Jiangsu province, and with Fairmont Makati, Manila, Philippines, in 2012 and Fairmont Haitang Bay Resort, Sanya in 2013. Visit http://www.fairmont.com/fpc

Planes and Automobiles
Through Dec. 31, two airline/car rental partnerships promise point bonuses and discounts. Virgin America has partnered with Hertz to offer Virgin’s Elevate loyalty program members exclusive deals on Hertz rental cars wherever the airline flies. Elevate members who rent with Hertz can always earn one Elevate point per $1 spent on qualifying rentals, but through this year Virgin America and Hertz are offering double points and up to 35 percent off for rentals of two days or more. Visit http://www.virginamerica.com AAdva.ntage members can earn 2,000 AAdvantage bonus miles on rentals of three or more days with Avis at participating airport locations in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Mention coupon MUAA038 and provide your AAdvantage number at the time of reservation or at the rental counter to earn AAdvantage bonus miles in addition to the base miles earned with each Avis rental. This offer is in addition to the savings of up to 25 percent AAdvantage members get when using code AWD # K817100. Visit http://www.aa.com

Trans-atlantic AAdvantage
Fly American, Iberia or British Airways trans-Atlantic before Dec. 31 and score 25,000 bonus AAdvantage points for the round trip. Do it again for 35,000 and subsequent times for 45,000 bonus points each. There is no limit on the number of bonus points earned in this promotion. Pre-register before the first qualifying flight at http://www.aa.com/moreeurope and use promotion code EUR11.