Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.travel From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: travel Fri, Mar 6 1992 Date: Fri, 6 Mar 92 05:54:04 EST Message-ID: 03-06 0000 DECISIONLINE: Travel USA TODAY Update March 6-8, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network TRAVEL PROMOS COME EARLY: Spring promotions have sprung early in the travel industry. Airlines are cutting fares to Europe and cooking up other promotions to try to boost the warm-weather vacation season. These are not uncommon moves, but airlines usually wait until later in the year to unveil them. Hotel chains are preparing spring and summer deals. Experts talk of more bargains to come. (For more, see special Deals package below.) COVIA, GALILEO MERGING: As expected, United Airlines said Thursday it is merging its computer reservation system Covia with the Galileo system owned by a group of European airlines. The linkup will create the world's biggest computerized airline reservation systems and the first global network, to be called Galileo International. In the USA, about 90% of all flights are booked this way. ITT STOCK SKIDS: ITT stock fell 2 3:4 to $66 Thursday. The stock, hot lately, hit an all-time high of $70 5:8 Wednesday, a day after ITT announced it had sold its 30% stake in telecommunications equipment manufacturer Alcatel. There's been talk ITT was ready to do some divesting. But Chairman Rand Araskog said it's unlikely the company will sell its Sheraton hotel product, which has hurt earnings in the recession. AEROMEXICO FORMS TOUR PROGRAM: Aeromexico Thursday announced the formation of Aerotours, a program designed to enhance Aeromexico's corporate identity through tour packages aimed at the Texas and Louisiana markets. The Aerotours product is targeted to the travel agent and consumer segments that are seeking competitively priced travel packages. Contact Tom Duane at 305-444-9102 for information. USAIR SHUTTLE CEO NAMED: USAir Group has announced it has selected Gordon Linkon as president and chief executive officer for the new USAir Shuttle. Linkon "is uniquely qualified to ... provide the quality service ... passengers have come to expect from the Trump Shuttle," says USAir's Seth Schofield. USAir is managing the renamed Trump shuttle with an option to buy it in five years. AIRPORTS TAKE OFF AS AD VENUE: In the 1930s, the specialty of the Empress Chili Parlor in Cincinnati was spiced beef served over spaghetti. But it never took off beyond the city. Now executives at Gold Star Chili are trying a new approach. The dish is catching on in airports. It's a strategy increasingly popular with regional brands, ADWEEK says. It's "terrific national exposure," says Gold Star's Roger David. OPEN SPACE ATTRACTS JUMPERS: Officials in Weld County, Colo., say the wide-open spaces are attracting a batch of bungee-jumping firms seeking permits for their pastime. Among the firms is Boing!, whose plan to offer jumps from tethered balloons has an April 7 hearing. ULLMAN DOES ADS, SORT OF: Virgin Atlantic airlines has its own celebrity ad campaign. But it's hard to tell. Actress Tracey Ullman does her characteristic disguise act in ads for the British airline running in New York, Boston and Los Angeles. In one ad, she plays a balding male show-biz agent. "You don't need a stunt man," she tells her client. "Your head's gonna be in the tiger's mouth maybe 40 seconds." ADS SELL TRAVEL TO LONDON: In one ad for Virgin Atlantic airlines, British actress and disguise-meister Tracey Ullman plays a stressed-out executive in an interminable line; in another, an Italian mom. The ads, by Korey, Kay and Partners, push summer travel to London and tout the British airline's seat-back video screens, which will be installed in its economy class by June. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON DEALS: AIRLINES MATCH AMERICAN'S CUTS: The vacation-season specials are beginning to sprout. Thursday, USAir, Continental, United, Delta and Northwest said they will match or closely match most of the tourist-oriented, U.S.-Europe fare cuts announced a day earlier by American. The cuts shave up to 33% off. Roundtrip, midweek, nonrefundable fares through May 31 from New York to London are as low as $448, down from $696 to $762. HOTELS OFFERING DEALS: Radisson hotels Thursday announced the fourth year of its "Shades of Summer" program, discounted rates May 8 to Sept. 7. Marriott is working out details of a program that will be announced in April or May, a spokesman says. At Hospitality Franchise Systems - Days Inn, Ramada and Howard Johnson hotels - promotions and rate cuts will soon be introduced to start Memorial Day. COMPETITION EXPECTED: Travel industry experts have been expecting competition for summer travelers. Too many airline seats and hotel rooms need to be filled. Consumers are in recession doldrums. But Friday, most major airlines plan to go with a previously announced 2% hike on lowest domestic fares. But American spokesman Tim Smith says with so many specials, the effect will be "far less ... than some imagine." (End of package.) 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Weather Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Travel Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. 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