The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) recently asked its members to report some of the strangest requests they had received. The agents reported many unusual stories, starting with the extremely detailed questions, continuing through the impossible to satisfy, and ending with the outright illegal.

Extremely detailed inquiries about arrangements are common. Some clients ask for such specific information that answers can only come from the actual providers. For example, one traveler announced “I need 12 extra pillows in my hotel room.” [Read more…]

Finnair will add a daily morning flight from Helsinki to Bangkok starting December 3rd and running through March, doubling its service to Thailand’s capital. The corresponding Bangkok to Helsinki flight has a night departure with a morning arrival in Finland. The additional flights make Finnair the largest peak season scheduled carrier between Europe and Bangkok. [Read more…]

According to recent research by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, Hong Kong and Macau hotel occupancy and room rates are both Special Administrative Regions (SARs) Despite the addition of approximately 8,000 new rooms and double-digit rate increases over the last two years, occupancy rates in Hong Kong were above 80% for 2005 and 2006.

In Macau, occupancy and room rates for January – April of 2007 are both higher than for the same period last year. In Hong Kong, occupancy rates for five-star hotels has decreased slightly to the high 70% range, while room rates have continued to increase. Hong Kong five-star hotel rates are the highest in the region. Room rate increases of 10-15% annually are predicted for the intermediate term, while occupancy rates are expected to register moderate increases. [Read more…]

Qatar Airways will add two destinations to its Indian service before the end of this year, giving India the most destinations of any country served by the airline. On September 23 the airline will begin twice-weekly service to Nagpur, in the central Indian state of Maharashtra, followed by the launch of daily service to the west Indian city of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat state, on December 12.

The new routes will use Airbus A320 aircraft configured with twelve business and 132 economy class seats. With the added destinations, Qatar will serve eight cities in India with 51 flights per week. The airline currently has seven flights per week to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin, Trivandrum and Hyderabad. [Read more…]

In November, the new Carnival Freedom will sail from Miami for the first of its winter schedule of seven-day Caribbean cruises. Eighteen Carnival Cruise Line ships will operate in the region for the 2007 season, with a record-setting 2.9 million passengers on board. Carnival has been operating in the Caribbean for 35 years. [Read more…]

GO Airport Shuttle, Inc., a new international airport transport company, has become the world’s largest door-to-door airport shuttle company by combining forty independent companies under one corporate structure. The GO brand green and white logo will soon be seen on the 3,765 shared-ride vehicles that formerly operated under different company names.

All GO operations will use the same centralized corporate on-line reservation system, providing ease of access for individuals and a standard booking and billing system for corporations. A customer can book shuttle transportation for both the departure and arrival airports by visiting one site or making one phone call. [Read more…]

Holland America Line has added sailings, destinations, and new itineraries to its South American and Antarctic cruise offerings. “No one offers more diverse and remarkable views of South America than Holland America,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. [Read more…]

During 2008, American Airlines and AirCell, LLC will test AirCell’s air-born high-speed broadband connectivity solution. Passengers will be able to use laptops and PDAs with Wi-Fi capability for connection to the internet, VPN access, and e-mail. The for-fee service will be offered in all classes on American’s Boeing 727-200 aircraft, planes mainly used for transcontinental flights. The AirCell system could be installed on the rest of American’s fleet if the test is successful. [Read more…]

On December 15th, Columbia-based Copa Airlines will begin flying from n Panama City, Panama to Port-of-Spain. The flight from Copa’s Panama City hub to the capital of Trinidad and Tobago will operate four times weekly. Trinidad and Tobago is a major tourist destination offering crystal clear water and white sand beaches, as well as an industrial hub for the oil and gas economic sectors. [Read more…]