AIRTRAN BEEFING UP; HEADED TO THE SUN. Despite all the news about airline cutbacks and reductions this fall, AirTran is beefing up service to several popular warm weather destinations. Starting Dec 17, AirTran will fly from Atlanta to Key West (with one stop in Orlando) four times weekly using a full-size Boeing 737. (Currently, Atlanta-based travelers can fly non-stop on a Delta/ASA Regional Jet.) AirTran will also commence daily nonstops between Atlanta and Nassau, Bahamas on Dec 17. Daily flights to Montego Bay, Jamaica start on Feb 11. AirTran has also filed an application with the DOT to serve Aruba starting later this winter. All great news for Atlanta-based frequent travelers hoping for some low-fare fun in the sun this winter!

BRITISH AIRWAYS CREATES GOOD KARMA: GIVING BIZ CLASS SEATS AWAY. What do you do if you’ve invested millions of dollars in thousands of cozy new lie-flat business class seats, but nobody’s buying them? You give them away! While it may sound crazy, we think British Airways is on to something good with its new Business Opportunity Grant program. Designed to spur resurgence in international travel and draw attention to the importance of face-to-face meetings, BA will give 100 companies TEN round trip business class tickets anywhere it flies. If you own a small business and need some help getting your product or service out into the world, all you have to do is apply— you’ll have to write an essay about why your company is worthy of the grant and how it would help grow your business. If you are one of the lucky 100, you’ll have all of 2010 to use up your 10 round trips. Apply here by Sept 30. See one minute video below where your TICKET editor interviews British Airways EVP, Americas about the Business Opportunity Grant Program and about how the airline competes with Delta in Atlanta. (Takes place on the floor of the National Business Travel Association Convention in San Diego earlier this summer.)

Simon Talling-Smith, British Airways\’ EVP Americas

DELTA SHRINKS ATL SKEDS. The AJC reports that Delta will eliminate nonstops between Atlanta and several smaller towns: Peoria, IL; Lincoln, NE; Burlington, VT; Sioux Falls, SD; Cedar Rapids, IA, and Madison, WI. However, you’ll still be able to get there from here on Delta, but you’ll have to make an intermediate stop along the way.

GOOD NEWS FOR AIRLINES. According to MarketWatch, jet fuel prices fell to their lowest point in five years ($1.90 per gallon) in July—that’s down 50% from an all-time high of $3.82 last year. Of course, airlines used skyrocketing fuel costs as the reason for a whole host of new fees introduced over the last year. And now that fuel prices are way down, do you think those fees will evaporate? Doubtful. Airlines are raking in billions with all the new fees. But there is SOME good news on the fee front. This week Frontier Airlines announced that it would lower its change fee from $150 (freakishly high) to $100 (high, but not freakish.) United recently eliminated the $75 to $100 fees for last minute award travel reservations.

Don’t Forget! BOOK ALL YOUR ONLINE TRAVEL VIA LINKS FROM THE TICKET!

airtran.com | delta.com |  Hotwire |

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