Hotels, airlines scramble to satisfy business travelers
From Jim Morelli
CNN Correspondent
ATLANTA (CNN) -- Business travelers tend to make more money and spend more
of it, and their numbers keep growing. So it's no surprise that the travel
industry is catering to them with a variety of timesavers, comforts and conveniences.
Among the most enticing is Northwest Airlines' plan to offer virtually
line-free travel by allowing passengers to check in online and print tickets and
boarding passes off their computers. It hopes to use the system on all flights
by early next year.
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On Air Canada, the era of sky-surfing will begin in a few months, when the
airline tests in-flight Internet access and e-mail on six of its aircraft.
High-speed wiring is the selling point at some hotels, but even that's
becoming old hat.
"You know, the hotels are going to go to all this expense of getting a
hard wire into each room, and by the time they do that, everyone's going to
be using wireless modems," said Chris McGinnis of Travel Skills.com.
Delta Airlines has seen that light, and is planning to install wireless antenna
nodes in its Crown Room Clubs and at gates.
More surfing, better sleeping
Even travelers not carting laptops will be able to leap online. Stay Online.com
expects to install networked computers in 300 United States hotels by the end of the
year.
"When you have a computer in the room, 60 percent, if it's business
travelers, will take advantage of this," said Cary Evans of Stay Online.com.
Of course, not every travel innovation runs on electricity.
Westin Hotels just spent $30 million re-engineering that most humble of
hotel features -- the bed. The hotel wants its custom-designed "Heavenly Bed"
-- complete with plush pillows -- to be the best in the hotel business.
The chain says a recent survey suggests the bed has contributed not only to
higher customer satisfaction, but to an increase in wake-up calls. Guests, it
claims, are asking for two calls -- just in case they oversleep.
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RELATED SITES:
Air Canada
Northwest Airlines
Delta Airlines
Westin's Heavenly Bed
Travel Skills
Stay Online
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