Business Travel News - June 29, 2009 - (Page 3)

NEWS Justice Dept. Delays Air Antitrust Decision BY JAY BOEHMER When the U.S. Department of Transportation in early April tentatively granted antitrust immunity to Star Alliance members United Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada and incoming member Continental Airlines, the carriers expected DOT to meet its May 31 deadline for a final decision. Now, the Department of Justice, at the behest of several Senate Judiciary Committee members, is effectively postponing the final decision in asking DOT to await a joint review on transatlantic aviation competition by European Commission and U.S. authorities. At press time, DOT had yet to issue a final order on the antitrust immunity application after missing its May 31 statutory deadline for a final decision. A DOT spokesperson said only that “we intend to issue a final decision as soon as possible.” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this month said the Justice Department “did ask the Transportation Department to allow our antitrust division to have input analysis is complete and “adopt any into the decision,” noting that U.S. proposed conditions recommended Transportation Secretary Ray La- by the DOJ which are intended to Hood “agreed to allow us to partic- serve the interests of competition.” ipate in that.” The senators did not For on-demand Webcasts, Holder noted, “It’s disclose a timeline for see btnonline.com/Webcasts regrettable that the a final report. deadline has passed, but I don’t In addition to the tentatively apthink this will extend to a matter of proved Star Alliance application, the months or beyond a few weeks,” he request also addresses the pending HEI HOTELS & RESORTS CHAIRMAN AND noted during a June 17 hearing. “I immunity application from Oneworld CEO GARY MENDELL, PAGE 8 expect this determination will be members American Airlines, British Continued on page 18 made by the Secretary of Transportation after having consulted with the lawyers in our antitrust division.” In a letter sent to Holder and LaHood this month, Senate Judiciary Committee members Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and OrTravel management company Carlson rin Hatch (R-Utah) said, “It remains Wagonlit Travel this month announced the apour view the DOT should only grant pointment of longtime American Express distribuantitrust immunity to airline altion and supplier relations executive Andrew Winliances sparingly and only upon a terton to the newly created post of president of determination that the immunity suppliers, products and technology. sought will not harm competition.” The position combines the previously sepaThe letter notes U.S. and EC aurate roles of chief information officer and executhorities have yet to complete a joint tive vice president of technology and product study on airline competition, requestmanagement once held by Loren Brown, who ing DOT halt final decisions until the has left CWT, with the role of executive vice president of global supplier management once held by Mike Koetting, who has been named COO of CWT North America. Winterton joined CWT June 1 after resigning in mid-April as American June 29, 2009 Issue 677 Vol. 26, No. 9 Express Business Travel’s senior vice president of global supplier relations and Latin America general manager. He is based in the United Kingdom Inside Track: Rearden offering Amtrak content . . . . . . 4 and, like Koetting, is a member of the firm’s global executive team, report20 ing directly to president and CEO Douglas Anderson. BTN Research: Extended stay tiers plan growth . . . . . . . 6 MEETING MARRIAGE Winterton will oversee a review of CWT’s technology portfolio and deProfiles In Travel Mgmt.: Symantec goes green . . . . . . . . 8 Maritz’s Duffy, Amex velopment plan. He plans to continue the global product deployment course charted in the company’s three-year growth strategy, which runs Forum: CWT’s Koetting lauds FAA’s Babbitt . . . . . . . . . . 14 ally for meeting offer. through 2010, while tailoring products to specific markets. Lodging: Dolce adds execs; New prototypes bloom . . 16 “My role here is really a catalyst to make sure we focus the resources and Aviation: BA to abandon NYC-Gatwick route . . . . . . 18 talent that CWT has to continue to grow the value we give to suppliers and to customers,” said Winterton. “We need global consistency with strong Payment/Expense: Prepaid travel card debuts . . . . . 19 local relevance.” Meetings Today: Amex, Maritz join forces . . . . . . . . 20 In his supplier-relations role, Winterton will steer CWT through the next round of negotiations between U.S. airlines and the global distribution EuroBTN: EU optimistic about Open Skies talks . . . 21 systems. Winterton was the key architect of American Express’TravelBahn FIND DAILY NEWS UPDATES AND MORE AT WWW.BTNONLINE.COM commercial agreements, which shielded clients from content or fee impacts wrought from some airline-GDS negotiations (BTNonline, Dec. 4, 2006). BTN (USPS 0728-870, ISSN 8750-3670) is published semi-monthly, except monthly in January, February, May, July and December, by Nielsen Business Media Inc.,770 Broadway,New York,NY 10003,tel.646-654-5000,and is distributed free of charge to qualified corporate travel buyers and travel agents “Our role is to make sure that everybody understands the implications specializing in business travel in the United States and Canada. The cost of a subscription to non-qualified subscribers is $119 in the U.S.; $135 in Canada; $135 in Mexico and Central America; $200 in South America and Europe; and $200 in Asia,Africa and Australia; payable in advance in U.S. dollars. of the different channels and if there is fragmentation, we obviously have Registered for GST as Nielsen Business Media Inc. USA GST No. 124513185. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Canada views about how to manage in that environment,”Winterton said. “We will Post Publications Mail Agreement No.40031729.Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to:DHL Global Mail 4960-2 Walker Road,Windsor,ON N9A 6J3. Business Travel News is a trademark owned exclusively by Nielsen Business Media Inc.Copyright © 2009 by Nielsen Business Media Inc.Reproduction of this continue to develop our strategies and tactics to make sure our customers magazine,in whole or in part,is prohibited unless authorized by the publisher.Editorial and advertising offices:770 Broadway,New York,NY 10003.For address are as sheltered as possible from the implications.” changes (please include mailing label), single copy sales ($10 per issue including shipping and handling, prepayment required), subscription information, and ON THE RECORD “The downturn is teaching companies to use technology to control travel like they haven't done in the past. I'm not sure that will go away.” CWTTaps Amex’s Winterton NEWSMAKER CONTENTS other customer service inquiries,write to Business Travel News,P.O.Box 1187,Skokie,IL 60076,or call 847-647-7987 outside the U.S. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to BTN, P.O. Box 1187, Skokie, IL 60076. Printed in the USA. —Seth Harris Business Travel News www.BTNonline.com Monday, June 29, 2009 3 http://www.btnonline.com/Webcasts http://WWW.BTNONLINE.COM http://www.BTNonline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Business Travel News - June 29, 2009

Business Travel News - June 29, 2009
Contents
Inside Track
BTN Research
Profiles In Travel Mgmt
Forum
Lodging
Aviation
Payment/Expense
Meetings Today
EuroBTN

Business Travel News - June 29, 2009