Airports Starting to Sell Ad Space on Control Towers

It is no surprise that in these tough economic times, companies are looking to put advertisements anywhere. Any surface that can house an ad for a company is being sold so that struggling businesses can make some quick cash. However, officials at an airport in Medford, Oregon have done something truly bizarre. Officials have recently given approval to place giant corporate logos on the airport's control tower.

The Medford City Council took a vote during the week to amend city code, allowing these gigantic adds to be placed. Each ad measures 25-by-25 feet with one being placed on each of the four sides of the 100-foot tall control tower, a landmark to the city.

The combined revenue of the ads is said to generate $3,000 per month and Councilor Al Densmore has said that even though he would love to keep public buildings free and clear of advertising, the money will help reduce landing fees and, in turn, make the airport more attractive to new airlines.

Medford's city planning commission actually voted against the proposal last month, which prompted the director of the airport to go directly to the council himself. Allen Adamson, Managing Director of the global branding firm Landor, stated that the idea to put advertising on the control tower is a "no-brainer" and that he expects many airports to follow the Medford's lead.

Personally, I have always found control towers to be a bit boring. Now that Medford is selling ad space on theirs, I can only hope that I will one day be flying into an airport only to see a giant advertisement for the McRib on the control tower. A 25-by-25-foot rib sandwich sure would be something to behold.

Source: MSNBC - Oregon airport to put ads on control tower

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Vision Airlines Offers $2 Round-Trip Flights to the Bahamas, Stings Attached

When you see a headline that says "$2 Flight to the Bahamas", a few things probably cross your mind: Can this be safe? and What strings are attached? Well if you are thinking an offer like this is too good to be true, then you are most likely right. The offer comes from a Georgia-based low-fare airline that is launching nonstop service to Freeport from five different U.S. cities, with a few strings attached.

Vision Airlines, an air carrier that started off offering Grand Canyon charter flights back in 1994, just started twice-weekly flights to Grand Bahama Island earlier this week from Baltimore/Washington, Louisville, Raleigh/Durham and Richmond with flights five days a week from Ft. Lauderdale. The $2 promotion, which is good through March 4 if purchased by December 11, requires the customer to put in for a three-night minimum stay for at least two people at one of nine Grand Bahama resorts. However, that price does not reflect the $120 tax (per person) round-trip. So in essence you are looking at about $934.45 per couple minimum.

Regular one-way fares to Freeport will cost anywhere from $39 to $189 with an average of $99, plus a $60 tax each way. C.A. Smith, the Bahamian ambassador to the United States, was quoted saying that he hopes the Vision Airlines service will rekindle interest in Freeport, which just so happens to be the main city on Grand Bahama Island as well as the second-largest in the country. According to Smith, "The plan basically allows us to redevelop the tourism sector of the economy, and in order to do that you have to be able to have inexpensive airline seats. You have to make it convenient for people to travel."

Smith also added that Freeport was devastated by a hurricane in 2004 and 2005 and has since been eclipsed by Nassau in the recent years, especially after the opening of the Atlantis mega-resort helped initiate a hotel building influx on New Providence Island. New Providence, where Nassau is located, is also linked to New Paradise Island (the site of the Atlantis) by a causeway.

Another red flag is that it has been reported that Vision Airlines owes nearly $260,000 in unpaid passenger facility charges to the Northwest Florida Regional Airport, the location where the airliner began service in December of 2010. In addition to that, the company is also said to owe passenger facility charges and other fees to the Little Rock National Airport in Arkansas. Just a few things to keep in mind if you actually decide to cash in on this "deal".

Source: USA Today - The Bahamas for a buck? Vision Airlines offers $2 round-trip flights

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American Airlines to Offer International Curbside Check-In

American Airlines is expanding its Curbside Check-In service to give any customer traveling internationally the opportunity to check their bags with the skycap. This makes the travelers trip through the airport, which everyone knows can be extremely stressful, as smooth as possible.

Curbside Check-In from American Airlines is available to any and all customers traveling to an international location. This includes countries that require a visa, making American Airlines the only airline to provide a service of this kind.

Ever since September, American Airlines has been expanding the enhanced service to 28 airports that already offer domestic Curbside Check-In services including American Airlines' cornerstone markets in Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Miami and New York at the John F. Kennedy International Airport. 31 additional U.S. markets will offer the new service by the beginning of November according to American Airlines.

According to a statement from American Airline's Senior Vice President of Airport Services Tom Del Valle, "Offering Curbside Check-In for travel to international destinations is another way American is expanding its products and services to better meet the needs and desires of customers traveling abroad. The new service offers a seamless transition from booking to boarding, and we look forward to the positive changes this will bring to our customers' overall travel experience."

Curbside Check-In allows customers to have the convenient opportunity to book, purchase and check in from their home, drop their bags on the airport curb with the skycap and move directly through the security check-in point to their departure gate in one easy process. In addition to that, this service also provides flexibility for customers traveling with a large number of bags or to anyone who prefers to bypass the ticket counter altogether.

Curbside Check-In at international airports will also coincide with regular ticket counter hours and will be available to customers who use online flight check-ins, electronic tickets or those with/without pre-reserved seats.

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Source: The Sacramento Bee - American Airlines Introduces Curbside Check-In for Customers Traveling to International Destinations

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TomTom's New Go Live 1535M Nav Unit

TomTom, the popular GPS manufacturer, just announced the launch of live services for the Canadian market with the introduction of the connected GO LIVE 1535M. This device combines the most comprehensive road and traffic information from TomTom HD Traffic with access to real-time information via travel-related apps. These new features are said to give people the information they need on a dedicated device that is specifically designed to offer a high quality navigational experience.

Since this device is connected, the GO LIVE can save you time with your commute, money on your gas and help lessen stress by continuously monitoring and rerouting you based on current traffic conditions. In addition to that, TomTom HD Traffic provides accurate reporting by capturing more actual traffic jams than previously possible. And if that isn't enough, TomTom HD Traffic also processes traffic conditions for all major and secondary roads within the Canadian road network and proactively delivers updates in real-time to your device every two minutes.

According to TomTom President Tim Roper, "We are excited to introduce our connected navigation solutions to Canadian drivers. By giving people the most up-to-date traffic details as well as relevant local content provided by travel apps, TomTom is bringing a new level of connectivity to drivers by providing information in the most effective platform available."

Features of the new TomTom GO LIVE 1535M include:

• Intuitive Voice Recognition with one-step address entry


• Bluetooth Hands-Free Calling


• Integrated Mount with Flip-Screen


• Crisp, sharp graphics and intuitive user menus


• Expanded driving view on 5" touch screens


• Spoken Street Names


• Advanced Lane Guidance


• Maps of the United Stats, Canada and Mexico


• Lifetime Map Updates


• TomTom LIVE Services Bundle, including TomTom HD Traffic


• Branded Travel apps from Yelp, TripAdvisor, Expedia, Twitter and Google

The TomTom GO LIVE 1535M will be available at Best Buy, Future Shop, Rogers Stores and other nationwide retailers sometime this month with pricing starting at $269 CAD MSRP.

Source: Engadget - TomTom extends Live service and HD traffic to Canada with Go Live 1535M nav unit

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