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BTC Applauds DOT�s oneworld Decision

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:33:00 GMT

<blockquote> PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release   <a name="OLE_LINK19" id="OLE_LINK19"></a><a name="OLE_LINK18" id="OLE_LINK18"></a>BTC Applauds DOT’s oneworld Decision Finally, corporate travel departments will have three fully competitive alliances to source from Radnor, PA, February 13, 2010 - Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today applauded the Obama Administration for its decision announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Saturday to propose a grant of antitrust immunity to American Airlines, British Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Finnair and Iberia Airlines to form a global alliance. Upon final approval, consumers and corporate travel departments will finally have three fully competitive alliance networks battling it out for their business. With the Star and SkyTeam alliances having been operating with antitrust immunity for their ventures for some time, business travelers no doubt have been paying higher fares than necessary with oneworld’s inability to provide effective competitive discipline to the other two immunized alliances. “While we are still reviewing the details, we are pleased DOT’s expert analysis was consistent with much of BTC’s formal comments in the proceeding. Corporate travel departments in the U.S. and Europe will now be able to aggressively leverage professional procurement processes to their benefit. An immunized American Airlines / British Airways will strengthen the competitiveness of London Heathrow vis-à-vis, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Germany’s Frankfurt and Amsterdam’s Schiphol airports resulting in greater opportunities to play one alliance off against the others as these competitors seek to attract business travelers to transit their respective European gateway airports,” stated BTC Chairman Kevin Mitchell. What’s more, as DOT specifically called out, inter-alliance competition worldwide will be strengthened for the benefit of corporate travel departments everywhere. On top of Japan Airlines’ decision this week to remain with oneworld, which guarantees three-way alliance competition in the U.S. to Japan and Northern Asia markets as well in the intra Asia markets, this decision announced today by DOT once again herald’s the dawn of an invigorated consumer voice at DOT. BTC encourages the DOT and European Commission, which is also reviewing the airlines’ proposal, to proceed without delay in bringing these benefits to the airline customer. ### CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell <a name="OLE_LINK14" id="OLE_LINK14"></a><a name="OLE_LINK13" id="OLE_LINK13">|</a> 610-341-1850 | <a href="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com" title="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com">mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com</a> About BTC Founded in 1994, the mission of Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to their organizations.    - </blockquote>

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Stakeholder Group Formed to Develop Standards for Airline Product Unbundling

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:41:00 GMT

<blockquote>   <img src="http://businesstravelcoalition.com/images/btc_logo2.jpg" width="207" height="154" /> <img src="http://businesstravelcoalition.com/images/itm.jpg" width="245" height="150" />   PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release   Unbundling Key Focus At Business Travel & Meetings Show Stakeholder group formed to develop standards for airline product unbundling Washington, DC and London, England, 26 January 2010 -- Business Travel Coalition (BTC) and the Institute of Travel & Meetings UK & Ireland (ITM) have finalised details of their inaugural Industry Solutions Group (ISG) meeting to be held at the Business Travel & Meetings Show on 9 February at Earls Court 2 in London. The 20 some ISG members, which include corporate travel buyers, travel management companies, technology providers, association executives, airlines and other distribution participants, will meet to consider impacts from unbundling and to develop a peer-reviewed Industry Position Paper for publication in early April. In addition to leading the ISG member meeting in the morning, BTC Chairman Kevin Mitchell will also lead a Keynote Session at 14.30 on same day at the show on the history of unbundling and the benefits and risks for the managed travel community.  Speaking about the focus by BTC on this issue at the show, Mitchell said, “We have seen how airlines have adapted unbundling in the U.S. and its new variations are moving across to the UK and Europe pretty swiftly.  Unbundling in itself is not an issue, but the method by which it is implemented, and the potential pitfalls to business travel buyers and intermediaries, are considerable unless there’s a thoughtful industry-level plan.” BTC’s partner for the morning ISG meeting is the UK & Ireland’s ITM.  The association has created solutions groups in the past on transparency in remuneration, data, technology adoption and compliance. Explaining what the group hopes to achieve on this occasion, ITM CEO Paul Tilstone said, “We understand why airlines are moving to an unbundled product and there is great potential for the market, but only if all of the industry’s stakeholders are engaged in its implementation.  With BTC we hope to create an arena for discussion and understanding so that decisions are made with all parties’ concerns in mind.” Tilstone added, “Every time a new unbundled product is released into the market the GDSs, TMCs, billing systems, and therefore subsequently, the buyers strain to deal with how the sale, data and payment are processed. Clearly with everyone focused on solving these issues every time they arise it undermines the managed programme and takes us all away from concentrating on more strategic issues.” ### CONTACTS ITM || Paul Tilstone | 0208 1235678 | <a href="mailto:paul.tilstone@itm.org.uk">paul.tilstone@itm.org.uk</a> BTC || Kevin Mitchell <a name="OLE_LINK14" id="OLE_LINK14"></a><a name="OLE_LINK13" id="OLE_LINK13">|</a> 610-341-1850 | <a href="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com" title="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com">mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com</a>   About Industry Solutions Group Airline unbundling holds considerable promise for sustainable and profitable revenue streams for airlines; however, it carries significant risk for buyer and distributor participants in the managed corporate travel segment. The Institute of Travel & Meetings and Business Travel Coalition formed the Industry Solutions Group to develop and build consensus around industry-level Principles and Standards for airline product unbundling that protect the interests of corporate travel buyers, which necessarily include supporting equitable initiatives aimed at airline industry financial sustainability. About Business Travel Coalition Founded in 1994, the mission of Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to their organizations.  About the Institute of Travel & Meetings The Institute of Travel & Meetings UK & Ireland (ITM), previously the Institute of Travel Management, was established over 50 years ago to promote knowledge, networks and opportunities within the business travel sector. The association presently represents over 1,000 professional buyers and suppliers with a travel & meetings spend in excess of £34 billion per annum and over 50% of the FTSE 100. <a href="http://www.itm.org.uk">http://www.itm.org.uk</a>     --- </blockquote>

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The 3-hour tarmac rule implementation timeframe needs to be lengthened

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:00:00 GMT

<blockquote> <blockquote> INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Business Travel Coalition January 5, 2010 By Kevin Mitchell The 3-hour tarmac rule implementation timeframe needs to be lengthened In a <a href="http://businesstravelcoalition.com/3_hr_rule_pr.html">statement</a> released by Business Travel Coalition (BTC) on December 21 regarding the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) 3-hour tarmac rule announcement of the same day, BTC praised Secretary Ray LaHood’s bold leadership. That it was a stunning DOT announcement is not in dispute. Consider a 3-hour deplanement rule, a $27,500 per passenger maximum fine and just 120 days for implementation. Indeed, this is not your grandfather’s DOT; Secretary LaHood is the über passenger advocate! Since I so much respect the intrepid and pro-consumer approach of Secretary LaHood, it pains me to point out one fundamental problem with the final rule -- the date of its taking effect. However, I feel duty-bound to speak up lest the admirable objectives of the rule be placed at severe risk of failure by the impossibility of attaining airline compliance within the 4-month period, given the multitude of other stakeholders whose active cooperation is essential. Without more time for implementation-planning, chaos will likely reign this summer for business travelers, meeting attendees and leisure travelers alike. At the New York City-area airports, for example, the 3-hour rule will be unworkable without serious reengineering efforts including reducing schedules, deploying larger aircraft, moving demand to non-peak periods, shifting flights to secondary airports and radically adjusting policies, processes and practices. Given that New York airports are directly or indirectly responsible for 75% of delays across the entire U.S. system, fundamental changes in New York will necessarily impact airlines’ schedules throughout U.S. domestic and international systems. Essentially, airlines will have to take a total systems-view as they reconfigure their approach to the business. However, before such a radical makeover can progress and be finalized there must be collaboration, buy-in and decisions made by airport authorities, TSA, FAA, Customs, unions and local law enforcement. Airlines cannot unilaterally implement this 3-hour rule. This portion of the process alone will take considerable time to produce decisions sufficient for airlines to complete their reengineering work. In BTC’s view, airlines should be given 12 months, and certainly no fewer than 9 months, to collaborate with stakeholder organizations, plan their changes and implement them. All of this has to be navigated in an ever-shifting aviation system security environment, as the Christmas near-calamity at Detroit and Sunday’s fiasco at Newark remind us. In 1999, in BTC’s first of four Congressional testimonies against government intervention in the tarmac-delay problem, it stated: “Like other industries that have faced the ominous threat of government intervention, airlines should view this proposed legislation as a major warning and move decisively to address Congressional concerns. The industry needs to take immediate steps to head off this and further Congressional action, which will surely follow, if the industry’s problems are not corrected in the near term.” So, here we are entering a new decade after 10 years of airline stonewalling on this issue. When I testified in 1999 that if the airlines did not solve this problem, eventually someone would endeavor to do so for them, I never imagined a 3-hour deplanement rule and a $27,500 per passenger fine! Very bold DOT leadership to be sure. However, airlines are not yet out of the woods. DOT’s dramatic leadership might embolden some Members of Congress, not to be upstaged by DOT, to go further with passenger protections, especially if there is another major excessive tarmac-delay event during the coming winter months. BTC urges the following initiatives: <ol start="1" type="1"> <li>A humbled airline industry should now reach out to consumer and travel groups, Members of Congress and the Administration and pursue a sincere, long-lasting and productive conversation about passenger rights and customer service. </li> </ol> <ol start="2" type="1"> <li>Secretary LaHood should likewise use some of the enormous consumer goodwill and prestige he has acquired through his substantial leadership on this issue and guarantee the rule’s ultimate success by extending the planning and implementation timeframe for the new 3-hour rule such that airlines can succeed.</li> </ol> <ol start="3" type="1"> <li>No matter the implementation timeframe, a drawdown in schedules at New York City-area airports is exceedingly difficult for airlines to accomplish unilaterally due to competitive reasons. The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) should take a leadership role, with support from the governors of New Jersey and New York as well as the mayor of New York City. PANYNJ needs to make the case for DOT-administered and Department of Justice-monitored meetings among airlines to adjust schedules. The alternative is chaos and further erosion of business travel and tourism. </li> </ol>   ### CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell | 610-341-1850 | mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com About BTC Founded in 1994, the mission of Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to their organizations.  - </blockquote> </blockquote>

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INDUSTRY ANALYSIS: Aviation Security After Detroit

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:44:00 GMT

<blockquote> <blockquote> INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Aviation System Security Business Travel Coalition December 27, 2009 By Kevin Mitchell The Christmas attempt by a Nigerian man with PETN (one of the most powerful explosives known) affixed to his body to cause harm to an internationally-originated Delta Air Lines flight on approach to Detroit shone a bright light on much that is wrong with the U.S. approach to aviation system security. It is welcome news that President Obama has ordered an airline industry security review so long as it is strategic in nature.       It makes abundant sense in the immediate aftermath of a suspected terrorist attempt to tighten security measures to ensure that there is not a wider terrorist operation underway; to guard against would-be copycats; and to adequately complete an investigation such that there is sufficient visibility to the nature and extent of the threat. The restrictions ordered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on passenger movement and use of personal items during the one-hour period prior to landing in the U.S. would defy logic, if they are kept in place longer than what near-term security precautions warrant. Someone wanting to terrorize would simply endeavor to do so 65 minutes prior to landing, or during the beginning or middle of a flight. The immediate post 9/11 security priority for the U.S. was to prevent a commercial airline from ever again being used as a weapon-of-mass-destruction. Airport screening was strengthened substantially, the Air Marshall program was expanded, cabin and cockpit crews were trained in advanced anti-terrorism techniques, many pilots were armed, F-14s were placed on alert, and most importantly, cockpit doors were reinforced and passengers were forever transformed from passive participants in a time of threat to able defenders. All of this was accomplished within a relatively short period of time after the U.S. was attacked on 9/11. From that point forward the highest and best use of each incremental security dollar spent should have been on intelligence gathering, risk-management analysis and sharing, and on fundamental police work such that terrorists would never reach an airport, much less board an airplane. What does the immediate investigation into the near-calamity on Christmas reveal? <ul type="disc"> <li>The father of the accused terrorist, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, informed U.S. officials months ago that he was concerned about his son’s extreme religious views. Not a friend, not a teacher, but his very own father issued the warning!</li> </ul> <ul type="disc"> <li>The accused Nigerian is in the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment database (550K names) maintained by the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. While not on the selectee list (14K names) or no-fly list (4K names), should not some of our scarce security dollars have been used to ensure that he was placed on the selectee list, questioned and subjected to extra searching prior to being allowed to board the Detroit-bound flight from Amsterdam? </li> </ul> U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano appeared today on ABC’s This Week show and unabashedly steered clear of government accountability arguing that the U.S. did not have enough information to keep the accused man from boarding the flight or to add him to the selectee or no-fly list. However, his very father warned us! Moreover, the UK’s Daily Mail reports that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was banned from Britain; his last visa request refused! That the suspect did not but should have received additional questioning and physical screening is where the U.S. government’s focus should be, versus on the in-flight security illusion of restricted passenger movement, if it is intended to be more that temporary. President Obama is right to review aviation system security. In doing so his advisors should consider that security-theater in fact also inconveniences all passengers, renders air travel less appealing for business travelers and negatively impacts our struggling economy as aviation drives commercial activity and job creation. What’s more, it is unconscionable that the U.S. has been without a TSA leader for a year and reprehensible that one Senator’s extreme political views are allowed to hold our country hostage and put our citizens in harm’s way by blocking the confirmation of President Obama’s nominee to run TSA, Erroll Southers. Politics trumping passenger security is a national disgrace! We desperately require leadership at TSA now. CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell <a name="OLE_LINK14" id="OLE_LINK14"></a><a name="OLE_LINK13" id="OLE_LINK13">|</a> 610-341-1850 | <a href="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com" title="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com">mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com</a> About BTC Founded in 1994, the mission of Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to their organizations.          - </blockquote> </blockquote>

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U.S. DOT Secretary LaHood, The �ber Passenger Advocate!

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:56:00 GMT

<blockquote> <blockquote>   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Statement   <h1 align="center">Secretary LaHood, The Über Passenger Advocate!</h1> BTC Applauds New 3-Hour Extended Tarmac Delay Rule Congestion and delays to be substantially mitigated Radnor, PA, December 21, 2009--Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today applauded Secretary Ray LaHood and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for its rulemaking process that led to landmark passenger protections including requiring airlines to deplane passengers after 3 hours of an extended tarmac delay if it is safe and operationally feasible to do so. Passenger protections concerning tarmac delays have been debated for some 10 years. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) deserve significant credit for drawing official Washington attention to this serious problem in recent years. Perhaps the most profound and positive implication of this 3-hour rule is that it simply will not work at the 3 New York City-area airports, and other over-scheduled major hubs, unless incumbent airlines rationalize and de-peak their schedules and operations. Each airline will have to look at their entire system and restructure, or they will violate the new rule virtually every day. U.S. global carriers will have to consider changes to their domestic and international schedules and operations. The problem of congestion and delays could be substantially alleviated with this 3-hour rule. BTC Chairman Kevin Mitchell stated, “Passengers will likely experience problems during the period when airlines are reengineering their businesses as 120 days is not sufficient time for airlines to prepare for this kind of fundamental and complex change-management process. Over the longer term, however, passengers will move throughout the aviation system much more efficiently and business travelers in particular will recapture productivity lost sitting on delayed aircraft.” “All passengers will benefit from the requirement that airlines must provide food, water, operable lavatories and medical attention as needed. Importantly, passengers will finally have hope and realistic expectations that there is an exit strategy should a flight be destined to remain excessively delayed,” added Mitchell. ### CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell <a name="OLE_LINK13" id="OLE_LINK13"></a><a name="OLE_LINK14" id="OLE_LINK14"></a>| 610-341-1850 | <a href="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com" title="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com">mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com</a> About BTC Founded in 1994, the mission of Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to their organizations.    - </blockquote> </blockquote>

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Libel Tourism Is No Vacation for Americans; Members of U.S. Congress at Risk

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:34:00 GMT

<blockquote> <blockquote>   OPEN LETTER   BTC Urges Passage of Free Speech Protection Act of 2009 Libel Tourism Is No Vacation for Americans Journalists, bloggers, business travelers, Members of U.S. Congress at risk <blockquote> To: President Barack Obama, Senator Arlen Specter, Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Senator Herb Kohl, Senator Jeff Sessions, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Senator Russell D. Feingold, Senator Charles E. Grassley, Senator Jon Kyl, Senator Richard J. Durbin, Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, Senator John Cornyn, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Senator Tom Coburn, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Edward E. Kaufman, Senator Al Franken </blockquote> Business Travel Coalition (BTC) writes to urge the scheduling of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in January and swift action in passing the Free Speech Protection Act of 2009 (S.449). As a <a href="http://wsj.twi.bz/ab">Wall Street Journal</a> Opinion Piece today points out, now is the time to act to protect free speech. Americans are increasingly being sued for libel in foreign countries whose laws are inconsistent with the freedom of speech granted by the U.S. Constitution. In addition to journalists and bloggers, flight crews, university researchers, analysts, Members of Congress, business travelers and organizations that issue travel warnings, including corporate travel departments, are at growing risk.   The Free Speech Protection Act of 2009 (S.449), which enjoys broad bipartisan support, was introduced in the U.S. Senate in February 2009 in response to cases like the one involving <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Ehrenfeld">Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld</a>, an academic who writes on terrorism and lectures all over the world. Her 2003 book, Funding Evil, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/business/media/25libel.html">triggered a lawsuit</a> in the UK by a wealthy Saudi businessman who claimed he was libeled in the book. The differences in American and British libel laws are substantial. For example, UK defendants have to prove allegations are true; in contrast, in the U.S. plaintiffs must prove allegations are false. The Saudi won a judgment of $250,000 against Ehrenfeld; sales of her book were banned in the UK; and she can no longer travel there. The Ehrenfeld suit has been just the most prominent of <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/10/08/2009-10-08_rescue_writers_from_scourge_of_libel_tourism.html?print=1&page=all">cases known</a> under the general rubric "libel tourism" in which foreign nationals, claiming to be offended by something written in the U.S. by journalists, researchers or scientists, travel to pliant courts in third countries and obtain libel judgments against American defendants, even though the allegedly offensive speech would be fully protected under the U.S. Constitution. These suits can have a chilling and negative effect on research and publishing, and on U.S. national and global security. The objective of S.449 is to ensure that libel judgments issued by foreign courts cannot be enforced in the U.S. unless our legal standards for libel are met.  A Threatening New Twist   U.S. business-travel contributor for The New York Times Joe Sharkey covered a plane crash in Brazil. On September 29, 2006 there was a midair collision at 37,000 feet between a Brazilian Boeing 737 and a business jet, on which Sharkey was a passenger. All 154 on the 737 died; the seven crew and passengers on the business jet made an emergency landing in the jungle. Sharkey wrote about it once he returned home in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/03/business/03road.html">Times</a> and conducted interviews in which he was critical of Brazil’s air traffic control system. He defended the American business-jet pilots who Brazil quickly charged with criminal negligence. This September Sharkey was served with a complaint seeking $279,850 in damages. The plaintiff in the lawsuit is Brazilian Rosane Gutjhar who asserts that Sharkey offended her country’s dignity in his writings and interviews. Sharkey did not know her, or mention her name at any time. The plaintiff doesn't have to claim she was personally libeled, only that her country was insulted. The suit is based on a Brazilian law that any citizen can claim damages for any alleged insult to the honor of Brazil in any case involving a crime  --  the pilots, Joseph Lepore and Jan Paladino remain on criminal trial in Brazil, in absentia.      Gutjhar’s suit is based on Sharkey’s forceful reporting in the U.S. about Brazil's alleged cover-up of the causes of the crash. The accuracy of Sharkey’s commentary has never been challenged. Sharkey claims that nothing he said or was alleged to have said would constitute libel in the U.S., or even come close. S.449 would address libel judgments in foreign countries where the alleged offense would not meet U.S. standards for libel. With Sharkey’s case, it's clear the scope of what constitutes libel has been broadened to include insulting the dignity of a foreign country.  The near-perfect reach of the Internet has placed Americans, their free speech and financial resources in harm’s way. At risk are travel managers issuing country-specific travel warnings, business travelers posting unfavorable trip reviews on social media sites, flight crews commenting on industry bulletin boards, university researchers publishing negative reports or Members of Congress authoring unflattering Opinion pieces about a particular country or leader. The Free Speech Protection Act of 2009 needs to be passed into law as soon as possible. Sincerely, <img border="0" width="110" height="35" src="http://businesstravelcoalition.com/libel_pr_clip_image002.jpg" /> Kevin Mitchell Chairman Business Travel Coalition   - </blockquote> </blockquote>

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Dear Travel Industry Colleagues... Thank you!

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:46:00 GMT

<blockquote> <blockquote> Dear Travel Industry Colleagues, As 2009 ends, I would like to sincerely thank you for a year of extraordinary collaboration in formulating and advocating positions on issues of strategic importance to corporate buyers, their travelers and the business travel industry. Together we continued to advance an advocacy model that breaks down silos and efficiently and effectively energizes the travel industry community toward action. You reviewed Industry Position Papers, were Signatories to supplier and government letters in Germany, Belgium and the U.S., attended meetings with officials in Brussels and Washington, participated in a U.S. Passenger Rights Stakeholder Hearing, provided front-line as well as strategic feedback on industry developments and spoke directly to suppliers and governments with unmistakable resolve.   The issues we engaged during 2009 -- some new, and some carryovers from previous years -- included U.S. regional airline safety, aircraft maintenance outsourcing, travel distribution in Europe and North America, airline credit card cost-transfer, managed travel data privacy, passenger rights legislation, Open Skies and airline alliance immunization and aviation system congestion and delays. BTC has long-articulated its strong belief that there are many more problems in our industry than there are travel organizations or resources to address them; travel groups working together best serve their constituencies’ interests. In that regard 2009 has been another productive year and I would like to pay special thanks to several organizations with whom BTC collaborated in 2009. In addition to individual corporate travel managers, TMC executives and other prominent industry participants, the following organizations provided truly outstanding leadership during 2009: <blockquote> Advantage Focus Partnership Aerospace States Association Air Transport Division - TWU of America AFL–CIO Allied Pilots Association American Society of Travel Agents Association of Corporate Travel Executives Association of European Airlines Association of Professional Flight Attendants Association of Retail Travel Agents Belgian Association of Travel Management Bonaire Hotel & Tourism Association Consumer Travel Alliance Consumers Union Danish Business Travel Association Dubai Travel and Tour Agents Group European Transport Workers' Federation Finnish Business Travel Association German Business Travel Association Institute of Travel & Meetings International Airline Passengers Association International Association of Exhibitions and Events International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division Mid-Atlantic Aviation Coalition National Business Travel Association Netherlands Association for Travel Management Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association Travel Agents Federation of India Travel Management Alliance </blockquote> Looking forward, BTC will focus on the following strategic issues in 2010: <ul> <li>establishing Principles and Standards for airline product unbundling and ancillary fees;</li> <li>strengthening the integrity and sustainability of corporate managed travel programs; </li> <li>supporting initiatives that seek to ensure airline and travel industry financial sustainability;</li> <li>encouraging coherent transportation and air transportation policies in Brussels and Washington; and</li> <li>advancing the Registered Traveler 2.0 program.</li> </ul> I look forward to collaborating with you in 2010 and protecting and advancing our mutual interests. Best regards and Happy New Year!   Kevin Mitchell Chairman Business Travel Coalition <a href="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com">mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com</a> 001.610.341.1850   - </blockquote> </blockquote>

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OPEN LETTER to Finnair re Credit Card Surcharging From ITM & BTC

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:33:00 GMT

<blockquote> <blockquote> <a name="OLE_LINK2" id="OLE_LINK2"></a><a name="OLE_LINK1" id="OLE_LINK1">OPEN LETTER</a><a name="OLE_LINK1" id="OLE_LINK1"></a> 10 December 2009 Mr. Petri Schaaf Vice President, Global Sales Finnair, Plc Dear Mr. Schaaf, We read with great interest your comments yesterday in Business Travel News regarding credit card surcharges. In particular, your airline is contemplating surcharging for payments made through Finnair’s merchant agreement, an equitable, time-tested and efficient process for airlines and their customers. These credit card costs are already baked into the price of tickets purchased by corporate buyers of your airline’s services. As such, surcharging will be asking your very best customers to pay for this cost twice. This, of course, is unacceptable.   Regarding Finnair’s ability to surcharge for credit card costs you state:  "In general, as long as there is a legal and technical possibility, we will consider it." Have you forgotten about your commercial relationships; the interests and concerns of your very best customers? Individual travelers are indeed customers, however, corporate travel departments are your business partners. There should be a level of respect for and collaboration with corporate customers and the travel management companies that service them that is clearly missing from your statement. Finally you posit: "Airlines are one of the few industries where the merchant does not pay the credit card fee." The counterfactual is that in most industries, the merchant takes the financial risk for and legal control of the product inventory it has acquired for resale. As part of the risk, the merchant has the right to mark up the product and earn a profit. In that common scenario, it is appropriate for the merchant to absorb the cost of credit, and pass it along to the customer in the final price of the product. Travel agents in contrast, in the vast majority of cases, are only facilitators between willing airline suppliers and customers. Agents do not legally own or control the product or the delivery of an airline’s services and, as such, should not be paying for the costs of credit. We recognise the need for Finnair to compete in its own markets and that competitive moves by other airlines to “test” reaction to credit card surcharging may have prompted its consideration of this onerous customer policy. However, if airlines, including yours, expect to generate corporate managed-travel community support for unbundling and merchandizing, there must be sincere collaboration and respect shown for the interests of business partners and distribution system stakeholders. We hope you carefully consider any policies that inappropriately shift costs to your customers. Sincerely, Kevin Mitchell Chairman, Business Travel Coalition Paul Tilstone Chief Executive, Institute of Travel & Meetings    C. Jukka Hienonen, Finnair Chief Executive Officer   - </blockquote> </blockquote>

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FLO and Cogent to Offer 1,000 Registered Traveler Enrollment Locations

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:12:00 GMT

<blockquote> <blockquote> PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release   FLO Corporation Partners with Cogent Systems to Offer Over 1,000 Nationwide Registered Traveler Enrollment Locations FLO Registered Traveler Programs seek to improve the business traveler’s door-to-door travel experience CHANTILLY, Va. and PASADENA, Ca. - December 10, 2009 - FLO Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: FLRP), the nation’s leading Registered Traveler (RT) services provider today announced an agreement with Cogent Systems (NASDAQ: COGT), a global biometric identification solutions provider to governments, law enforcement agencies and commercial enterprises.  Under the terms of the agreement the companies will work together to leverage Cogent’s national network of over 1,000 biometric enrollment locations for frequent travelers to enroll in the TSA-sponsored RT program.  Additionally, Cogent and FLO are working together with airports to restore RT services and develop next-generation solutions for travelers.  The RT program was effectively suspended on June 22, 2009 after the financial failure of Verified Identity Pass, Inc.’s CLEAR program.  FLO will be re-launching RT at major airports in January under current TSA guidelines. “RT represents a tremendous opportunity to impact millions of travelers each year,” said Glenn Argenbright, FLO Corporate Chairman.   “Our agreement with Cogent is truly a game changer for the program.  Over the last several years, roughly 200,000 members have enrolled in the program, paying annual subscription fees of between $100 and $200.  This is an impressive figure when you consider that there were fewer than 30 RT enrollment centers nationwide.  Given Cogent’s network of more than 1,000 biometric enrollment locations in the United States, coupled with an aggressive expansion strategy for new markets and airports, we expect to vastly expand the availability and convenience of the program.”   To put things into perspective, consider the following example.  Orlando International Airport is the oldest, largest and most mature of all of the previous RT markets.  In fact, over the last 12 months, roughly 1 out of every 5 RT customers resided in the Orlando marketplace – despite having only 1 centralized enrollment location onsite at the airport.  Under this partnership, customers will have access to over 50 separate enrollment locations within 60 minutes of the Orlando airport, offering convenient enrollment options that greatly expand the program’s reach and potential. "In partnering with FLO, Cogent can now provide to air travelers the same industry-leading biometric enrollment services that corporations and governments have embraced globally," said James Jasinski, Executive Vice President, Federal and State Systems, Cogent Systems. Fred Fischer, FLO Managing Partner stated, "We are honored to be working with a company of Cogent's outstanding global capabilities and reputation.  Cogent’s nationwide coverage of enrollment locations significantly changes RT marketing and fulfillment opportunities, solving what was previously a high barrier to greater adoption. This partnership will offer RT members unparalleled national coverage and significantly drive RT program growth by offering individuals and corporations the flexibility to enroll throughout the United States, regardless of their proximity to an existing RT airport location.” ### About FLO FLO Corporation provides a comprehensive solution for the Registered Traveler program that is built on world-class, scalable technology and administered by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. FLO is currently the only experienced Registered Traveler provider. The Registered Traveler program is designed to identify air passengers who pose a minimal security risk and then to provide those passengers with access to faster and simpler processing at airport security checkpoints. For more information about the FLO program visit <a href="http://www.flocard.com">http://www.flocard.com</a>. About Cogent Systems Cogent is a global biometric identification solutions provider to governments, law enforcement agencies, and commercial enterprises. Cogent provides the highest quality identification systems, products and services with leading technology, accuracy and speed. Cogent's Automated Fingerprint/Palmprint Identification Systems, or CAFIS, enable customers to capture fingerprint and palm print images electronically, encode prints into searchable files, and accurately compare a set of fingerprints/palm prints to a database containing potentially millions of prints in seconds. For more information, please visit <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cogentsystems.com&esheet=6066977&lan=en_US&anchor=www.cogentsystems.com&index=2&md5=404845ab34a842ea53fce68e53ac9148">www.cogentsystems.com</a> CONTACTS Fred Fischer | Principal & Managing Partner | FLO Corporation p. 336.499.5683 | e. <a href="mailto:fred@flocard.com">fred@flocard.com</a> James Jasinski | EVP of Federal & State Systems | Cogent Systems p. <a href="tel:703%20476%209381">703 476 9381</a>  | e. <a href="mailto:JamesJasinski@cogentsystems.com">JamesJasinski@cogentsystems.com</a>     - </blockquote> </blockquote>

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A United Travel Industry Calls for EU Aviation Stakeholder Summit

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:07:00 GMT

<blockquote>   <a name="OLE_LINK2" id="OLE_LINK2"></a><a name="OLE_LINK1" id="OLE_LINK1">PRESS STATEMENT</a> For Immediate Release         A United Travel Industry Calls for an EU Aviation Stakeholder Summit Brussels, Belgium, 2 December 2009--Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today transmitted a signatory letter on behalf of the travel industry to European Commission Commissioner Siim Kallas, President Barroso’s nominee to be the next European Commissioner for Transport, urging him to organize an airline industry Stakeholder Summit in early 2010. Signatories represent consumers, corporate travel departments, airlines, labor and travel management companies. (The letter can be <a href="http://businesstravelcoalition.com/kallas.html">downloaded here </a>.) It is rare that the travel & aviation industry presents such a united front. Signatories included the International Airline Passengers Association, Association of European Airlines, European Transport Workers' Federation, Institute of Travel & Meetings, Belgium Association of Travel Management, Advantage Focus Partnership (UK), Finnish Business Travel Association, International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division, Travel Management Alliance and BTC. The group wrote to Commissioner Kallas, “The crisis gripping the airline industry is without precedent in the history of commercial aviation. We are deeply concerned about this perilous financial state of affairs and the loss of jobs and connectivity of mid-size communities to important European and global business centers. All opportunities to ease current and proposed regulatory burdens and to increase efficiency for European airlines must be reviewed with the greatest sense of urgency. A socially and ecologically sustainable civil aviation industry should be an important goal for Europe.” “Given the decision by U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood to form a Federal Advisory Committee on the Future of Aviation, we believe stakeholders in North America and Europe would benefit if Washington and Brussels conducted parallel problem-solving processes as airline alliances, among other interlinked commercial aviation elements, have necessitated a harmonized approach to regulatory regimes,” stated BTC Chairman Kevin Mitchell. “What’s more, a corresponding process would provide the opportunity for the exchange of best practices with respect to including all stakeholders’ interests in smart air transportation policy development and regulatory oversight,” added Mitchell. ### CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell | 610-341-1850 | <a href="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com">mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com </a> About BTC Founded in 1994, the mission of the Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to them.       -   </blockquote>

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BTC Applauds U.S. DOT Leadership in Extended Tarmac Delay Case

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:42:00 GMT

<blockquote> <a name="OLE_LINK4" id="OLE_LINK4"></a><a name="OLE_LINK3" id="OLE_LINK3"></a>PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release   BTC Applauds U.S. DOT Action in Tarmac Delay Case Substantial Fines a Meaningful Protection of Flyers’ Rights DOT leadership long overdue November 24, 2009, RADNOR, PA – Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today applauded the timely and effective leadership and action by U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood in levying precedent-setting fines for the August 8, 2009 Rochester, MN extended tarmac-delay event. After ten years of increasing awareness of the serious nature of excessive tarmac delays, the DOT is finally using the bully pulpit and its statutory authority to protect the rights of the traveling public.   DOT levied a fine of $100,000 against Continental Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines and a $75,000 penalty against Mesaba Airlines. These enforcement actions follow consent orders reflecting violations established by DOT and are based upon unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation. “This is extraordinary and very welcome leadership from Secretary LaHood. BTC has been testifying since 1999 that more aggressive leadership and enforcement from DOT, combined with serious reform by the airlines at the industry level, would avoid the need for Congressional intervention with passenger rights legislation,” stated BTC Chairman Kevin Mitchell. “We are heartened that DOT will include lessons-learned in its investigation to strengthen flyers’ rights in its final rule. Hopefully, this will be the catalyst the airlines need to finally move to addresses this festering problem,” added Mitchell.   ### CONTACT BTC || Kevin Mitchell <a name="OLE_LINK14" id="OLE_LINK14"></a><a name="OLE_LINK13" id="OLE_LINK13">|</a> 610-341-1850 | <a href="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com" title="mailto:mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com">mitchell@BusinessTravelCoalition.com</a> About BTC Founded in 1994, the mission of Business Travel Coalition is to bring transparency to industry and government policies and practices so that customers can influence issues of strategic importance to their organizations.      </blockquote>   -

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