The Great Blizzard of '10

The number of US international and domestic flight cancellations in February stands at a staggering 20,460. Just in the first two weeks of the month, over 13,000 flights were scrubbed — that alone was the biggest disruption to the air travel system since 9/11.

The airlines pre-emptively canceled so many flights as bad weather loomed on the East Coast that some smaller airports were basically shut down. What it meant in people terms, was that a lot of business travelers had to struggle to rebook seats or make new reservations in a system that has no slack whatsoever because airlines have been steadily reducing capacity in recent years to cut costs.

How many travelers were affected? A good estimate would be about two million people.

Now consider that in many cases, passengers had prepaid not just the fare, but also some of those ancillary fees, like charges for checked bags and priority seat selection. And consider that as airlines merge more flight operations within various alliances, re-booking a flight sometimes means you may fly on a different carrier that uses a different type of plane. So that priority seat you paid for may not be available now.

What a mess. And sorting it out, as airlines come up with new fees for various services in a process called fare unbundling, is increasingly frustrating to corporate travel managers, fare distributors, travel agents and, of course, passengers.

Lots of people who bought tickets for travel in February, and then had to change plans after a cancellation, are now on standby lists, backed up four and five deep at some airport counters, clamoring for available seats. Corporate travel managers, online bookers, travel agents and airlines themselves are fumbling through the maze, recalculating bookings, prices and refunds.

At WorldMate, we sent out more flight alerts in the month of February than in any other month in our entire history. Here’s hoping for an early spring for 2010.

Update Your LinkedIn Status with WorldMate

Just landed? Want to make sure your professional network knows you’re around? Send a LinkedIn status update right from WorldMate on your BlackBerry.

With WorldMate 3.5 you’re now able to update your current status as soon as you hit the ground, which should provide you not only an additional way to communicate effectively with your immediate network but also a new way to tap into the local knowledge network you’re a part of.

On the Web:

On your BlackBerry:

Just landed:

Status information will be broadcast to your connections as a network update and will also appear as a new element on your profile page. Remember that there is a 140 character limit on status message and if you tweet don’t forget to link your twitter account with LinkedIn.

WorldMate Gold for iPhone is the Best App Ever!

Today BestAppEver announced the winners of their 2009 contest and WorldMate claimed the glory of Best Road Warrior App. We at WorldMate are thrilled to receive this title and we thank our members for voting us to the top.

This is the second year for the contest, put on by 148apps, to celebrate the best iPhone apps available. Apps were nominated according to category by users, the 5 apps with the most user nominations were put together with 5 apps selected by iPhone app bloggers. Those ten finalist apps were presented to the public for open voting--1 vote per IP address, per month. This year over 98,000 votes were cast across all categories! Our talented developers have worked hard to create an app that exceeds the expectations of a mere travel app to create a true personal travel assistant, and we have more features in the works to make our iPhone offering even better. Thanks again to our community of members for all your enthusiasm and to 148apps, for putting on a great contest.

Gadget Warrior: MacBook Air Vs. Dell Vostro

It’s that time of year in which a traveler’s attention turns to the frost-covered windows displaying the latest in ultra-thin laptops. Maybe I’ve just been feeling sorry for myself for having to trudge though slush and rain or maybe it’s just that my laptop has been feeling heavier and heavier in my bag but I decided that it’s time to see what I can get to replace my aging Acer with something that will restore both my sanity and my geek cred.

Some quick research wiped out the majority of the competition – I need something rugged enough to withstand some pretty extreme travel, but stylish enough not to get snickered at behind my back at the office for having one of those “baby laptops.”  Also, a 10” screen isn’t really big enough to do anything other than some basic word-processing and maybe updating twitter.

My research led me to two models: the MacBook Air and the Dell Vostro V13. Both of them are super-thin, full-sized laptops with enough power to do design mockups, use the Adobe suite of products as well as comfortably write my next article on the go without squinting or jamming my fingers onto a tiny keyboard.

The MacBook Air was one of the first computers that came to mind when I thought “light and powerful” and I was even more interested when I learned that it had been upgraded since its original acclaimed launch. With a thickness of less than .8” and a total weight of 3 pounds (1.36kg for those of us who don’t live in the US of A) I don’t have to worry about it fitting in my briefcase along with my notes and not worrying at all about the size/weight. 

All that is good and nice, but can it handle those inevitable coffee shop meetings with no power outlets in sight? The most reliable stress-test I could find clocked it in at about 4.27 hours (just shy of the claimed 5 hours) but even they admitted that it would go up to about 5 hours if all I’m doing is showing PowerPoint slides or word processing.  If your coffee shop meetings go on for longer than 5 hours, you really ought to be investing in an office, not a laptop. Before you get too excited though, there is a flip side: the Air’s battery lasts for less than two hours if you decide to do anything even slightly more strenuous, like watch a video. I can just imagine deciding to present a short movie during a meeting and find my battery is now dead halfway though. No cool, Apple.

So the weight is great and the battery of the MacBook Air is just barely within my needs, now it’s time to drill down and see exactly what using it will be like. Since the Air as no DVD drive, I’m going to have to have the option for an external one, as well as a USB port for my disk-on-key and 3g cellular modem (a must for hardcore travelers.) sadly, not only does the Air have only one USB port, its angled in a weird way that won’t allow fatter USB devices to plug into it without an extension cord. Goodbye 3g.

The price is also on the steep side at 1,499$ for 2gb ram and a 1.86GHz processor. As long as I’m running OSX that is bearable, but as soon as I decide to boot windows, that’s pretty pathetically weak for such a steep price tag.

My other option seemed better and better the more I compared.  The Dell Vostro V13 (which should lose points for such an ugly name. who wants to admit they have a “Vostro?” the first question I would ask is “was it made in ’49?” and “can it take unleaded?”) is competitively designed to be a MacBook Air killer and its beautiful aluminum casing and .78” rival the Air (though a bit heavier at 1.6kg) you may have read that the Vostro is much thinner at only .64” but that is just its thinnest part, not its thickest. Still, an easy fit for my briefcase.

The specs of the Vostro are slightly below the Air in processing power (1.4ghz) and merely match it in ram, but considering the price is far below the Air (600$), it’s fairly simple to add up to 4gb ram and still be comfortably below the Air’s massive price tag

Since USB ports were such an issue in the Air, it was one of the first things I checked. The Vostro V13 has two USB ports (though one of them is also a combo ESATA port that looks like a standard USB cable would fall right out of). Since they are mounted normally, my 3g modem plugs right in with only the minor hitch of slightly blocking the other port. Still, that’s far better than not plugging in at all.

The battery of the Vostro seems to be generally equivalent to the Air as well, assuring me around 2 hours heavy use and more if I drag it out by only using it to write scathing articles about how I want an ultraportable with a decent battery. I asked about a larger battery and I was told the model doesn’t’ have one. Having said that, the Vostro still outperforms the Air because the battery is removable and replaceable to get that extra 3 hours when you need it, whereas the Air needs to be plugged in.

Also, I’d love to be able to run Linux out of the box, with support from the manufacturer. You might think that’s a slightly irregular demand, but I find dual-booting is increasingly important for getting things done, especially when the latest virus prevents me from booting windows. This is another place where the Vostro clearly outshines the Air – Dell supports Ubuntu Linux out of the box on the lower end models and will still supply basic support even on the higher-end ones.

In summary, I find that while the Vostro slightly under performs when it comes to processing power, it seems equivalent or better in all other ways: Fully upgraded, it is still cheaper than the MacBook air and having those extras (spare battery, extra ram) go a long way towards being useful, especially when you are on an airplane and just can’t get an easy wall socket to plug in. coupled with the ability to run linux and still be productive in the event of a full system failure, it’s easy to see who wins this match.

Winner: the Dell Vostro V13

WorldMate with LinkedIn: Because even elite travelers eat alone on the road.

At WorldMate we’ve always understood that business travel is about meeting people, and we're extremely proud to announce that you can now connect the World’s most powerful business travel assistant to LinkedIn; the world’s best business network to see where See when you will be in the same city as your business connections and where your professional network is traveling.

This is perfect for when you are going to a meet a few business contacts, some of whom you haven’t met before. Their names and backgrounds are a little fuzzy. You know you’d have an edge if it was all clear in your brain. Maybe it’s in the email conversations, maybe not. Either way you don’t really have time to look through it all on your phone.

Or maybe this situation. You’re traveling to a city you aren’t too familiar with to attend a conference. You know there are a few more leads to be followed and contacts to meet, but you don’t know how to find them. Did the buyer you met a few months ago work in Chicago or Cleveland? You can’t figure it out, so you find yourself eating dinner alone when, with a bit more information, it could have been a business dinner.

WorldMate with LinkedIn makes both of these uncomfortable business travel situations a thing of the past. Now you can search for your LinkedIn contacts from your current location, or in a city of your choice, view their full profiles and send them messages, all from your Blackberry.

On your BlackBerry:

See who is around in a destination city: WorldMate users have the WorldMate icon, WorldMate users currently traveling also have the airplane icon. Users with no icon aren't yet WorldMate users and you can only see their default home location -fix that by inviting them!

On the web:

Stay tuned for more post that will show how to update your LinkedIn status and send your connections LinkedIn messages through WorldMate.

Travel Tips for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games

More than 5,500 athletes and coaches, almost 11,000 members of the media and up to 350,000 visitors are expected in Vancouver, British Columbia for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.  This is Canada's third time welcoming the Olympics. It hosted the Montreal 1976 Summer Games and the 1988 Calgary Winter Games.

In advance of all this madness we’ve prepared some tips to help you get around the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Weather: Winter in Vancouver means rain, so pack an umbrella. February temperatures in Vancouver are usually in the 30s and 40s, while temperatures at Whistler are typically in the 20s and 30s, often with snow or rain. In December 2008, a snowstorm paralyzed Vancouver International Airport, and Air Canada, which is the official airline for the Winter Olympic Games, canceled hundreds of flights.

Currency: The U.S. dollar has lost more than a third of its value against the Canadian dollar, known as the Loonie, since Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Games seven years ago. In July 2003, a U.S. dollar was worth $1.40 in Canadian money. Today, the U.S. dollar is roughly at parity with the Loonie, worth about $1.03 Canadian.

Getting There: You can fly into Vancouver International Airport from many international destinations. You can also drive to Vancouver, crossing the land border with Washington State in several places, or come by ferry from Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

Border Crossings: Officials are expecting to handle a million border crossings during February – about the same as during a busy summer month. Extra Customs officers and staff will be in place at all border entry points, including the Douglas, Pacific Highway, Huntingdon and Aldergrove land crossings from the U.S. into British Columbia. There will even be a team at Pacific Highway just to deal with buses. Still, the Canada Border Services Agency advises travelers to build extra time into schedules for crossing the border. You can check border wait times, updated hourly, at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.

Border Requirements: U.S. citizens entering Canada must show proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization, as well as photo identification. A criminal conviction, including a DUI, could make a person inadmissible to Canada. To return to the U.S. from Canada by air, you must have a passport. To return to the U.S. from Canada by land or sea, you must show a passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license or other document approved by the U.S. State Department. Details at www.travel.state.gov.

Getting Around: The city's newest light rail line connects the airport with downtown. A ride on the Skytrain is great for an initial exploration, as well as for incredible views. Buses are generally efficient, but the best way to explore Vancouver's city center is to walk. Even if it's raining (and there's a good chance it will be), the city core has plenty of underground malls. The figure skating arena is about 20 minutes by bus from the city center. Event tickets will include local transit fares. Snowboarding and freestyle skiing events on the city's North Shore will be tougher to reach. Alpine events are 90 miles away in Whistler but an Olympic fleet of buses will be running. Traffic will be strictly limited on the Sea-to-Sky Highway, which was recently redeveloped at a cost of nearly $500 million. For local transit, officials are warning of long delays during the games. A trip planner is available online at www.translink.ca with more information at www.travelsmart2010.ca.

Where to Stay: During the Olympics, even mountain-lovers may have to stay in Vancouver, because of the shortage of shelter in the hills. Both Vancouver and Whistler tourism officials are expecting more accommodations to open up as the Games approach. Click on "2010 Winter Games Accommodation" at tourismvancouver.com.

Olympic Tickets: In Canada, Olympic tickets have already been sold by lottery through the 2010 Games Web site, Vancouver2010.com. A list of ticket agents for countries outside the Canada is also available through the spectator information and ticketing link at that site. The site is also hosting ticket re-sales to avoid scalping problems.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner Passenger Experience

From nose to tail and wingtip to wingtip, Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft, which flew its first test flight last month, reflects the most advanced aviation technology out there. That includes its aerodynamic design, engines, flight controls, and avionics. One bullish analyst has referred to it as the ‘iPhone of aviation,’ high praise indeed.

But from the passenger’s point of view, the desire to fly safely, comfortably, and without drama is more important than how all the new gizmos work. No one can fully guarantee on-time arrivals, sufficient legroom for taller passengers, or the quality of food. But Boeing says that those flying aboard the 787 can expect a better experience. specifically:

• Windows in the 787 are 65 percent larger, and there are no mechanical shades. Instead, individual passengers can adjust the window next to their seat from fully transparent to completely dark.
• Overhead storage bins are larger, making it less likely that you’ll have to store things under the seat in front of you.
• A better air-filtration system with a gas filtration system removes odors and contaminants that can cause nose, throat, and eye irritation.
• Because the fuselage is constructed mainly of composite materials (instead of aluminum), the cabin can be pressurized to a lower altitude – 6,000 feet instead of 8,000 feet. This reduces the likelihood of discomfort and fatigue.
• Airline cabin air typically is very dry in order to prevent corrosion in the aluminum airframe. Non-corroding composite material in the 787 means cabin air can have a higher level of humidity, which is more comfortable for passengers.
• New technology allows the 787’s wing control to anticipate and respond to turbulence, making for a smoother ride. Computer models show an eight-fold reduction in passengers experiencing motion sickness.
• Boeing promises a “quieter cabin” due to reduced engine and exhaust noise, a quieter air-conditioning system, and less vibration.

The prototype features a rather nicely designed interior, lets hope that airlines keep this configuration:

 
Some 55 airlines have ordered 840 787s. The 787 version will be able to carry up to 250 passengers as far as 9,000 miles. A stretch version will be capable of carrying 290 passengers and a short-range model up to 330.

Scheduling with the WorldMate on the Web: It’s All in the Timing

WorldMate’s web app makes scheduling meetings a breeze. Schedule your meeting in the web app, and then you can stop thinking about it, because the web app calculates the correct time zone for you.

Better yet, all this information syncs automatically with WorldMate on your smartphone.

Why You Can Zone Out About Time Zones

The WorldMate time zone system works by treating your meeting as a place, not just a time. When you enter the meeting location—whether it’s New York, Singapore, or Sydney—our system keeps track of the correct time, no matter how many datelines you skip.

Even complicating factors like Daylight Savings Time are automatically taken into account. If for example your meeting is in New York, the time of the meeting will always be displayed in Eastern Standard Time—wherever you are in the world.

So when you reach your destination and set your computer for the local time, your meeting times stay the same—because it’s the place that matters, and we’re on it.

Doing Things the Old Way Makes Jack a Dull Boy

Without WorldMate’s web app, what happens? You end up doing one of two things:

• You schedule meetings on your PC in the local time of your current location. So you’re in London, and you have meetings in New York, Hong Kong, and Melbourne. This means you spend a good twenty minutes calculating what time it is in each of these cities, and then what time the meetings will be in your current London time. And with all your careful calculations, somewhere along the way, it’s easy     to make an error and miscalculate by an hour, perhaps two—just enough     time to make you late, or worse, make you miss the meeting altogether.
• Another old school way to schedule meetings is in the time zone of your destinations. So if you have meetings in New York, Hong Kong, and Melbourne at 10:00am in each, then 10:00am is what you put in your calendar. Sounds easy, right? Except that you reach your destination and change the local time on your computer, the meeting times will change, too…And you’ll be lost.

Three Time Zones? No Problem!

Now imagine the same scenario—you have three 10:00am meetings in the course of one trip, in New York, Hong Kong and Melbourne. You’re flying from London. But this time, you’re using the WorldMate web app to schedule your meetings. You’ve entered into your itinerary that your meetings are at 10:00am in those three cities.

You don’t have to calculate the time zone. You don’t have to worry about the times changing on your PC.
While you travel around the world, crossing datelines and time zones, your meeting times are fixed in stone. And they’re available on your PC calendar and your smartphone for easy access.

So log in to our web app with your WorldMate user info and start scheduling your meetings today!

(image credt: http://www.salvador-dali.org/en_index.html used with permission)

5 travel trends for 2010

2010 is knocking on the door and with it, some big changes to the way we travel, we’ve listed some of the major trends in 2010 travel to give you a better picture of what the future has in store for you

The year of SWF WiFi

Last year it was widely predicted that SWF (surfing while flying) WiFi would become ubiquitous. Well, it may have been slightly ahead of time (at least for U.S. travelers), but the trend is clearly growing stronger, with Virgin America, American, and many other airlines rolling out service in 2009, and many more on tap for 2010. Kinks are still being worked out, based on the chatter about porn-surfing and VoiP use, among other controversial pastimes. Still, it’s clear that the value to many travelers is so great that it’s likely to become an important new revenue stream for airlines this year.

China, India and Gulf States are the new hot-spots

Are we done with the United States and Europe? Probably not. But global travelers are getting more courageous with their travels, and expanding their horizons. Industry insiders are expecting travel to skyrocket in China, India, and The Gulf States over the next twelve months. Why? Well, it certainly has nothing to do with political stability. No, what it really comes down to is money. While the economy is still down, New York, Paris and Milan remain as expensive as ever. But, countries like China and India are seeing enough signs of growth to warrant visiting, offering favorable exchange rates, enormous potential business opportunities and low travel expenses. Their tourism industries are also starting to expand and these countries are going to be top destinations in 2010. Between China and India alone it is expected that over 35,000 hotel rooms will have to be added to meet the impending demands.

Tighter security

Thankfully 2009 did not end with a bang for the passengers of Northwest Airlines flight 253, but the attempted terrorist act there does mean that there won’t be an easing up of airport and plane security any time soon. The Transportation security organization did release the following statement:

“Passengers flying from international locations to U.S. destinations may notice additional security measures in place. These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere. Due to the busy holiday travel season, both domestic and international travelers should allot extra time for check-in.”

The New York Times reported that in some cases no one was able to move from their seats during the last hour of flight. That means no bathroom breaks, no accessing carry-on luggage, nothing. When that plane starts descending, you're stuck. Multiple sources have also reported that no electronics are allowed on international flights. So you can't even play video games to distract yourself from how badly you have to pee. From what we can tell, this is largely restricted to inbound international flights so far.

Whole body image scanners

Get ready to show your stuff. Travelers will soon find that checking through security will be a revealing experience with the rollout of whole body image scanners that can see beneath clothing are now being installed for added security, replacing traditional x-ray machines. You might think these machines sound like something from science fiction – but they’re very real and very current. A whole body image scan is simple: you enter a booth and your body is scanned. In another room a full image of your body is shown to the security force. The airport security force can easily see what they refer to as metallic and non-metallic threats. The machines have already been deployed at certain airports for test periods. Expect them to become more of a standard at airports in the near future. For now the process is optional – you could choose to be pat-down.

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics

Not technically a trend, but the 2010 Vancouver Olympics is an event that will affect travel like an explosion (to get my point, go online and try to get a flight to B.C. in February. Just try!). The 17 days of the Vancouver Olympics are expected to attract a global television audience of three billion people and more than 80 countries and 6,850 athletes and officials are expected to participate. The opening ceremonies will be held on February 12, 2010, and as a result Vancouver is the city to visit in North America in 2010. Everyone wants to get there that big torch gets lit. It’s a beautiful city in a mountain-filled area of Canada that will be perfect for the event. The city will inevitably be overrun with tourists, hotels will be packed and streets will be crowded, but this is the city to see and be seen in this year. So grab a Canadian flag, learn about at least one winter sport (I recommend the luge), buy an obnoxious compressed air horn, and get yourself over to Vancouver to cheer on your country of choice.

Conquer the World with WorldMate Maps on the Web

 

There are so many reasons to use WorldMate on the web in addition to your smartphone. With our Maps feature, you can see your entire trip mapped out precisely—including flights, meetings, and hotels. And it gets better, because the map is interactive: You can book the hotels that appear on the map through our site, for unbeatable savings. Find the best hotel for your itinerary, at the best possible price. 

How the Maps Feature Works

Using Google Maps technology, our Maps feature displays all your flights, hotels and meetings against the backdrop of a detailed map. This is useful for multiple reasons:

• Get flight info intuitively. Just a click on the airport on the map pulls up your complete flight info, including the flight number and times. With all your info on a map, you can suddenly see the big picture.
• Get the best deals on hotels. Click on a hotel on the map for instant booking through Hotels.com—and the best deals in town.
• Find the best hotel for you. Everyone has a unique preference when it comes to hotels—some people prefer to sleep near their meeting locations, while others like the convenience of the airport hotels. With our maps feature, you can easily browse all the hotels in the area of your itinerary.

But the hotel search doesn’t stop with location. With our detailed search  options, you can customize your hotel search to find the best match for you. Select the amenities, star rating, and price range you’re looking for, and we find you the options that best suit your choice. The search toolbars are fun to use, allowing you to navigate smoothly between options.

Your meetings at a glance

With all your meetings mapped out, you can see their distance to your hotel, check the meeting times, and get directions with the address.

So what are you waiting for? Login to our web app with your WorldMate user info and get started today!