Orbitz has won a favorable opinion from the Department of Transportation’s inspector general, whose office has been among those examining the online booking service since before its launch in June 2001.
The federal scrutiny came after competitors, including consumer groups, travel agent groups, and other online booking services, complained that Orbitz had an unfair advantage because it was owned by airlines and could offer fares not accessible to outside distributors.
The inspector general’s report said “Orbitz has adhered to its commitment to an unbiased display of airfares and services.” The report suggested that Orbitz, founded by Delta, United, Northwest, Continental and American Airlines, was not dominating online booking.
“In our tests of online ticket distribution sources, we found that nearly every advantage Orbitz demonstrated in finding or matching the lowest fares was negated by the $5 to $10 ticketing fee Orbitz charges consumers.
“While Orbitz offered or matched the lowest fare in 76 percent of our tests, once the ticketing fee was added, Orbitz offered the lowest price to consumers in only 3 percent of the tests. It is important to note that at the time of our tests (November 2002), neither Expedia nor Travelocity had yet instituted consumer ticketing fees.”
Hotels get friendly
The next time you make a reservation at a Ritz-Carlton hotel, staff members may ask for your photograph so they can address you by name when you arrive.
At the Embassy Suites, employees installed grease boards in showers so guests can record any brilliant ideas that come to mind while they soap up. Meanwhile, at the W Hotel in San Diego, the special touch is chalkboards in rooms.
It seems that mints on the pillow or high-speed Internet access aren’t enough these days. A weak economy means business executives are traveling less, and spending less when they do travel.
So what’s next?
Ritz-Carlton hotel operators think their guests want individual recognition and attention. The San Francisco Ritz-Carlton has begun a program in which guests who stay at least once a month can submit their pictures, which are distributed to the staff so employees can greet the guests by name as soon as they arrive.
Included with the photos are lists of the guests’ preferences, based on information gathered by the front desk, housekeeping and room service.
Black pioneers honored
African-American pioneers helped win the West. They settled the plains, herded cattle and served as scouts for explorers, but until now their experience has never been collected in a resource library.
Now the Denver Public Library has launched a $16-million project to highlight the black experience in the West. The new library is expected to open April 26.
