Intelligence – November, 17 2014

Intelligence – November, 17 2014

An IdeaWorks study states that ancillary revenue for airlines worldwide will hit $49.9 billion in 2014, up from an estimated $43 billion last year and $36 billion in 2012. “Frequent flyer and commission-based” revenue is expected to be $21.4 billion of that total for 2014. … Southwest Airlines now serves daily nonstop service between San Antonio and Mexico City, a route previously served by AirTran Airways. Slightly larger aircraft on the route will increase the capacity. Aeromexico and Interjet out of Mexico serve the same route. … Canadian credit and debit card processor, Moneris, is teaming up with small businesses to offer AIR MILES with purchases. Merchants can decide how many AIR MILES per dollar they offer, including bonus miles. This means even more ways to earn AIR MILES throughout Canada. … e-Miles members can now redeem their e-Miles for FuelCircle points starting at 2,550 e-Miles for $25 off fuel accepted by Exxon, Mobil, Chevron, Texaco, Sunoco and BP. Visit FuelCircle.com to learn more. … According to PhoCusWright, there are approximately 256 million travelers in China-more than double the number of travelers in the U.S. … Millennials plan and book travel by their smartphone more than other age groups, 49 percent said they book this way while 39 percent of those 31-45 book this way and 26 percent of those 46-65 book travel via their smartphone, according to a study by Expedia…. Emirates has disclosed that 50 to 60 percent of their passengers are members of Emirates Skywards, which was launched in 2000. There are currently over 10 million members. … Accor Hotels has 173 hotels in Brazil and plans to have 250 hotels in the country by 2015. … Wyndham Hotel Group has opened the first Ramada in Guatemala. The Ramada Tikal Isla de Flores is a full-service hotel near Lake Peten Itza is the first of four planned Ramada hotels in Guatemala. … China Eastern, a SkyTeam member airline, will reinstate first class service on daily flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai as of Feb. 1, 2015, with the move to a new Boeing 777300ER. … British Airways’ AARP discount of up to $400 on flights has been extended for flights booked by Oct. 31, 2015 and flown by March 31, 2016. Visit http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?11836 to learn more. … The InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden near Salzburg, Austria, is being rebranded as a Kempinski Hotel in the first half of 2015. No specific date has been announced for the change. … EVA Air, a Star Alliance member airline, is launching four-times-a-week flights between Taipei and Houston starting July 1, 2015, which will become EVA Air’s longest route. The airline also plans flights between Taipei and Chicago starting in 2016. … Ethiopian Airlines will begin service between Los Angeles and Addis Ababa starting June 3, 2015. The flight will operate westbound on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and eastbound on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. … Southwest Airlines nonstop service between San Francisco or Oakland and Dallas Love Field will begin Jan. 6, 2015… Accor Hotels now has 600 hotels in the Asia Pacific region. … Beginning March 8, 2015, Emirates will add a fourth daily flight from Dubai (DXB) to New York (JFK). … Air Canada reports the best financial performance of any quarter in the 77-year history of the airline.