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Archive for July, 2009

Aspect Car Rental allows customers a chance to drive their dreams

Monday, July 27th, 2009

International car rental agency, Aspect Car Rental has added new cars to their line up in an attempt to entice high-end consumers and car aficionados a like.  Leading the new lineup is super sports car the Bugatti Veryon, which is capable of reaching speeds of 400km per hour.

The new addition is a signal to prospective clients and competitors alike that just because you cannot afford to own your dream car, you can certainly drive it.  Speaking recently about the new addition, Jacqueline Cooper of Aspect Car Rental said that she hopes making these cars available will allow people to “share and exciting experience with family and friends,” encouraging them to take their “dreams for a drive.”

The Bugatti Veryon is just the latest in a luxurious lineup ranging from economy cars to trucks and SUVs.  But while customers may have a new found access to cars of their dreams, driving these dreams do not come cheap.  Customers wishing to rent from Aspect’s lineup must first qualify through an outside agency.  They must also put down a sizable deposit on top of the daily rental fee.  Aspect Car Rental has also installed tracking devices on their fastest models to insure that they are not driven to fast.

If your dream does not include driving a super sports car, Aspect can also meet your demands with large fleet of luxury vehicles including a Mercedes SL 500 and a Bentley Arnage.  For prospective clientele there is no shortage of options, as Aspect Car Rental provides a range of choices from economy to luxury.  Indeed as Jacqueline Cooper states, the goal of the company is simple “we feel that making these extraordinary cars available to our clients will express our shared enthusiasm of driving a well-made car.”

Thanks to www.24-7pressrelease.com for the above quotes, visit their site for more information.

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US Automakers continue to lose share in car rental market

Monday, July 27th, 2009

In more bad news for U.S. car makers, rental car companies in the United States have begun to purchase more foreign than domestic vehicles for their fleets.  In the first six months of this year, rental companies only purchased 48.8 percent of vehicles from American suppliers.

The news was announced by the trade publication Automotive Fleet, and it shows that market share is down from a two-thirds market position only a year ago.  The news is even worse if compared with statistics from three years ago, when up to 8 out of 10 vehicles bought were domestic.

Domestic automakers have traditionally used the rental market as a way to rid itself of vehicle overstock, by providing deep discounts to rental agencies.  In fact, until recently, rental companies such as Avis, Hertz, and Dollar Thrifty were owned by U.S. car manufacturers.  In recent years domestic manufactures have spun off the rental car business to independent agents, slashing the hefty discounts once provided.    Auto Rental News editor Chris Brown states, “Automakers are now trying to sell to rental fleets like they do to the overall market,” but this tactic has lead to higher prices for domestic cars. But as the landscape of the U.S. car market changes rental agencies are following the trend.

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Rising airline stocks signal a brighter future

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Friday’s stock market close witnessed airlines stocks rising as investors signaled confidence in a brighter future for air carriers.  Friday marked the second consecutive day of rising airline stocks as investors anticipated a brighter future for the industry.

Tempe Arizona based US Airways helped led the rally when it announced that its second quarter loses were less than expected.  US Airways also posted more cash reserves on its balance sheets, helping drive up carrier stocks.

While this mixed news was a welcome relief to investors, airline industry officials have continued to call for increased efforts at consolidation within the airline industry.  Chairman and Chief Executive Doug Parker spoke to Thompson Reuters and stated that he believed the time for greater airline consolidation was coming.  Parker said “one day I believe the planets will align.”

In spite of recent upward trends, US Airways still faces difficulties.  J.P. Morgan analyst Jamie Baker acknowledged that in the past US Airways was at the top of the list of airlines most susceptible to bankruptcy.

While this news is hopeful, it does little to change other overall outlook for the airline industry.  Airlines continue to report weak second quarter earnings due to decreasing passenger numbers.  Despite this fact, the NYSE Acra Airline index has made gains of 12 percent as investors anticipate seat capacity cuts and a return to stable booking rates.

Thanks to www.marketwatch.com for information in this report.

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Airlines to reduce capacity in slow economy

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Airlines are looking to fly smaller planes and reduce flight numbers in response to low travel numbers.  Airlines hope these cost cutting measures will save fuel and labor costs as the number of customers flying declines.

The news comes as airlines attempt to restructure their business models to meet falling consumer demand.  The plan calls for a reduction in capacity or the available space on flights.  Airlines measure capacity in “seat miles,” or the distance the seat travels, regardless of whether it is used by a customer or not.   Fewer the seat miles on a flight means lower the capacity and lower operating costs for the carrier

Airlines have often looked to capacity reduction as a way to meet differing levels of consumer demand.  Traditionally airlines cut the number of flights to a destination or use smaller planes to reduce excess capacity.  But such methods have their drawbacks.  Cuts in flight numbers may cause potential customers to switch to competitors offering more flight options.

Also Airlines cannot simply afford to park their planes and wait for better conditions, as even parking airplanes comes at a price.  Airlines must pay storage fees and expensive maintenance fees to make the planes airworthy after being idle.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that airlines often owe money on their planes in the form of loans or leases.  Jim Corridore of Standard & Poor’s says that this leads airlines to continue to fly planes even if their operation comes at a loss.

Thanks to the Seattle Times for the information in this article.  For more information visit www.seattletimes.nwsource.com.

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Hotel Business in South Florida down again in June

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Hotel occupancy in Florida continues to be down in June, as a weak economy pushes tourism down.  In what is traditionally a high month for tourism, June marked a continued slump in room occupancy rates in South Florida.

Room occupancy levels in Broward County are down again according to Smith Travel Research, when compared with last year.  Hotels in the Broward County area saw a drop of 5 percent in customer traffic with average daily rates falling almost 10 percent from the same point last year.  Palm Beach County has faced similar problems as occupancy rates fell by about 10 percent and average rates falling close to 15 percent.

Other regions of Florida also face similar declines due to a weaker tourism market.  Even traditionally strong Orlando, which is the third most visited city in the U.S. is facing declines in room occupancy.  Orlando hotels have stated that rates have dropped more than 7.8 percent when compared with last year.   This declines come in spite of the fact that the area is home to several major tourist attractions such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.

Thanks to www.sun-sentinel.com for the information in this report.  For more information visit their site.

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19,000 people fall for Central Park airport spoof

Friday, July 24th, 2009

It all started as a joke put forth by a fictitious company located on a non-existent floor of the Woolworth building in New York City. The company launched an elaborate website explaining a plan to build an airport on the site of one of New York City’s most popular landmarks, Central Park.

Now the spoof has caught momentum and people all over the city are talking about it and wondering whether or not there’s any truth to it. Anyone familiar with Central Park would find the idea preposterous. The largest tract of land in NYC is revered by young and old alike as a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The park contains a zoo, a rowing pond, a pond where model boats can be sailed, horse paths, bike paths, the famous Tavern On The Green and more. It also provides a view for the most expensive apartments and condominiums in NYC which surround it. A lot of powerful and important people live in the buildings surrounding the park.

So the likelihood of an airport ever being constructed there is really impossible. Nevertheless, the plan has been covered by some of the more gullible press and a petition is available on the internet for those who would like to weigh in on the plan. So far it’s reported that more than 19,000 people have expressed their support for the plan by signing the online petition.

Thanks to www.dailymail.co.uk for the above story. For more details on this article please visit their website.

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French sun lovers getting shy

Friday, July 24th, 2009

French women, notorious throughout the world for going topless, are starting to cover up more. In fact, in a recent survey 24% of respondents said that they thought it was rude to go topless. Over half the ladies said that going topless in your own private garden would be alright but they shunned the idea of public nudity.

Paris recently instituted no topless sunbathing rules at its man-made beaches along the Seine. Police levy fines on women caught without their tops on. In Saint Tropez the feeling is that topless sunbathing is old fashioned, a thing of the past. Most ladies in the South of France prefer to wear tops.

The girls who still enjoy walking around with their breasts exposed are the same ladies that started the trend and that are now in their sixties. The younger generation of French career women are much more modest.

Shops in France selling women’s swimsuits have reported an increase in sales of full one-piece suits.

The generation of feminists that insisted on doing what they wanted with their bodies are fading out and giving way to modern women with more traditional ideas regarding their bodies and where and when to display it.

Thanks to www.guardian.co.uk for the above information. For more about this article please visit their website.

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Airline passengers complaining more

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Last year, 12,370 people complained to the Air Transport Users Council about poor service on airlines.

Several airlines went out of business last year, and the council believes that this helped contribute to the increased complaints.  Among the failed companies were Silverjet and XL Airways.

Many complaints come in about delays, lost luggage, and booking problems, but by far the biggest complaint of airline passengers, is about canceled flights. The ATUC got over 2100 complaints on this issue alone.

Online booking was next on the list of complaints.  Online booking mistakes are frustrating for travelers because many times, the airlines charge travelers extra fees for mistakes that the travelers have made in trying to book their own reservations.  Cases were reported where some passengers actually had to buy additional tickets because they had made a mistake in their initial reservations.

According to Tina Tietjen, of AUC, “The technology that has allowed an increasing number of passengers to book, amend reservations and even check-in online may have brought great benefits to passengers but it has also brought its own problems. We also received an increase in complaints about the extra charges airlines have introduced for services previously included in the fare.”

The AUC helped 120 complaining passengers recover money from the airlines as a result of canceled flights last year.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quote.  For more information on this article, please visit their web site

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Swine flu in Britain jumps by 100,000 cases

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Britain is becoming the hardest hit country in Europe in the battle against swine flu.  Reported cases of the disease doubled this week. One of the reasons Britain has been affected more than the other countries is because it is used more as an international travel hub, with more people moving in and out.

Thirty one people in the UK have lost their lives to the disease so far.  There have only been four deaths in Spain, and no deaths reported in all of the rest of Europe.  Even so, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control is warning other countries to prepare for a marked increase in outbreaks in the upcoming weeks.

“Look at the UK. This is what you are going to have to face later in the year, but with a lot more cases than the UK is seeing at the moment,” said Angus Nicholl of ECDPC.

A streamlined medical service was set up in the UK on Thursday, in order to provide faster access to drugs and medical assistance over the Internet and by telephone.  The service is called the National Flu Pandemic Service.

Medical personnel in the worst affected areas such as London and Birmingham are swamped by patients seeking help. Phone lines have been jammed.  In the latest move to combat the disease, churches and schools are changing schedules or closing altogether.

Thanks to www.reuters.com for the above quote.  For more information about this article, please visit their web site.

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US car rental companies buying more foreign cars

Friday, July 24th, 2009

In further bad news for US automakers, it was revealed that American car rental companies are nixing American made cars and are buying more than half of their fleets from foreign car makers. The big three US automakers, General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford, have finally lost market share to the Far East manufacturers, Nissan, Toyota, and Honda.

This represents a huge shift in fleet buying trends over the past three years. In 2006 American made vehicles accounted for more than 80% of the rental fleet. Those numbers have been steadily decreasing ever since. Last year the number was down to around 66% of the fleet being comprised of American made cars.

“It’s amazing how things turn around. It used to be you’d never see foreign cars in fleets, but the companies re-examined their businesses and decided to embrace non-US brands,” commented Neil Abrams, a rental car expert.

It appears that Nissan is the big winner in the trend shift. In today’s rental car market the Nissan Altima is king, having dethroned the Chevy Impala as the most popular selling rental car in America. In addition, Hertz, who used to prefer the Ford brand, now has more Nissans in the fleet than Fords.

Thanks to www.chicagotribune.com for the above quote. For more information on this story please visit their website.

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