Topics Include:
Simon Talling-Smith, Executive Vice President Americas, British Airways.
www.britishairways.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show meet up with Simon Talling-Smith, Executive Vice President of the Americas for British Airways, to talk about the OneWorld alliance and British Airways Face to Face Program. Members of the OneWorld alliance include British Airways, American Airlines, and Spanish airline Iberia. According to Simon, Global Travelers recently voted OneWorld the best of the big alliances.
"We really focus on the upside for the traveler," Simon explains. "If you're a frequent flyer with either organization, for example, you can get miles on both airlines. So a flight on British Airways can earn you miles on your American Airlines card. Or if you want to redeem your miles, you can do it on either airline. That's very popular with customers." Travelers can also combine special offers from member airlines by taking British Airways in one direction and American Airlines on the return flight.
Flights with any OneWorld member can be booked on any other member's website. The network also allows travelers to take advantage of routes all over the world. "Iberia has a very strong route network in and out of South America," Simon points out. "I don't think there's a place in the world you can't reach." The alliance even offers assistance for passengers making connections between airlines.
"Once you've bought your ticket at a good price and are earning miles, you want to be sure that people will look after you," Simon says. "We put that front and center. We have staff watching all the flights. If you're running late, they'll meet you at the gate and escort you to your next gate, fast-tracking you through security so you make your connection. We do that thousands of times a day across the Atlantic. We want to make sure that when one airline connects with another, the experience is as smooth as possible."
The OneWorld alliance recently opened a joint lounge in the Denver, Colorado, airport. "We're working together much more closely in airports across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico," says Simon, "so this lounge is the first of many to come." Even though the lounge is open to passengers on both British Airways and American Airlines, he expects there will be plenty of space thanks to flight schedules. "Domestic flights are moving out in the morning and afternoon, while the British Airways long haul flights are moving out in the evening," he explains. "The lounge never seems too full, even though it's shared between two carriers.
OneWorld members opened several new routes in 2010 and have plans to open more in 2011. Next summer, British Airways will begin flying direct from San Diego to London, thanks to its partnership with American Airlines. American will also open routes from Chicago to Helsinki, Finland, and from New York City to Budapest, Hungary. "There's also Los Angeles to Madrid and Miami to Barcelona, opened by Iberia," Simon adds. "These are all nonstops, too."
Flights with connections often stop at London's Heathrow airport, where Stephanie found herself in November on the way to Budapest. "On our trip in September, we forgot the camera in a taxicab," she recalls. The camera was turned in by the taxi driver, Stephanie filled out forms with the Lost Property Office, and the camera was identified by its serial number. "General manager David Garcia of The Cranley Hotel sent staff members to retrieve it, kept it in the hotel safe, and then sent a staff member to Terminal 5 at Heathrow so we could pick it up," Stephanie continues. "It would have been much more complicated if we had had to change terminals [at Heathrow]."
Simon encourages listeners to visit the British Airways website to make reservations, manage bookings, change seats, or learn more about the Face to Face Program. Face to Face was designed by the airline to help small business owners and entrepreneurs grow their businesses overseas. Last year, 250 people were selected to fly from Chicago to London on British Airways. From London, each entrepreneur went on to a second destination to make a face-to-face connection, whether with a supplier, potential business partner, or new client.
"British Airways is very committed to the idea that getting together face to face is critical for business," Simon explains. "You have to be there to seal the deal, hire the right person, or make contact with a supplier. Being on the phone is just not good enough." This year, the airline received thousands of essay and video applications and has selected 250 winners, who will travel from New York City to London in February 2011. British Airways will host a pre-departure convention in New York and an orientation session upon arrival in London.
"We have some fantastic stories of success from last year's winners," he continues. "Many signed their biggest contracts yet, formed fruitful partnerships, or set up new supply centers. One winner went to Beijing and enjoyed her trip so much that she actually relocated there! So there's a real range of stories." Stephanie was invited to be part of last year's trip and describes the journey across the Atlantic as a "party plane," where winners were too busy networking to sleep.
With a royal wedding in 2011 and the Olympics in 2012, both Stephanie and Simon expect London to become a hot destination. "All of the customers I speak to in the U.S. have a real interest in seeing the history across Europe," Simon says. "But they have a special spot in their hearts for the UK. And what better thing to see in London than a royal wedding! One of the things the British do really well is pageantry – the big royal events that only occur every few decades. It's going to be very exciting, probably the biggest event in the UK in 2011, and will run straight up to the Olympics in 2012."
The wedding is scheduled for Friday, April 29, 2011, but British Airways is taking reservations now. "We're anticipating a lot of people," Simon adds. "You can come and be part of the excitement and parades in the street, but the end of April is also a beautiful time of year for London. There are many times when it seems like a good idea to wait for a better deal, but this is not one of those times – the demand is already there."
British Airways is offering weekend packages from the U.S. to London starting at $879 for a hotel and flights. Travelers can choose from five different hotels, up to 5-star accommodations. Each property is listed on the airline's website, along with full details and photos of the rooms. Rates are per person based on double occupancy. "If you wait until the last moment, you'll find that there's nothing left – London can sell out," Stephanie says. "The longer you wait, the more you'll have to settle instead of picking out what you want. And if you wait too long, you'll find that there's just nothing left."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2709
For more information visit www.britishairways.com
Guests Include:
Simon Talling-Smith, Executive Vice President Americas, British Airways.
www.britishairways.com
Topics Include:
Libby Wright, Founder, The Giving Tree Outreach Program, Tucson, Arizona, USA.
www.thegivingtreeoutreach.org
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show discuss how travel can help homeless and needy children with Libby Wright, Founder of The Giving Tree Outreach Program in Tucson, Arizona. Stephanie and Libby met six years ago when Libby called in to one of Stephanie's shows. The Giving Tree Outreach Program assists homeless, needy, abused, and neglected children.
"There are various endeavours into which Libby has poured her heart, soul, and time, for children who could use a little magic in their lives," Stephanie says. With Stephanie's help, The Giving Tree has sent groups of 3 to 16 children (with chaperones) on vacation. "Going to exotic and wonderful destinations helps raise their horizons," Stephanie adds. "You can't aspire to live in a palace if you've never seen what a palace looks like."
The program has involved children from 6 to 15 years old, so participants from the very first trip are now between 12 and 22 years old. What are the effects of the Giving Tree trips? "[The kids] go to college," says Libby. "Even the younger kids, when they study in school, they can relate to the things they experienced in a different way. They're not the only one in the class who doesn't know what an ocean looks like. And every single need is met on the trip – they don't have to think about food or clothing, which gives them a sense of what life can be if they work really hard.
"And they are doing that," she continues. "They've improved so much in school. Three of the kids are doing great in college; the oldest one has one year left. It's exciting to see the fruit of your labor. It just makes such a difference to expose them to a different world." Not only are participants succeeding academically, they're paying it forward, too. "One of the girls dedicated the whole year after her trip to serving with Giving Tree," Libby continues. "After graduating from high school, she became a foster parent at 18 years old, and then went on to college."
On one trip to Ireland, the children had experiences ranging from golf at Druids Glen Resort and surfing in Donegal to seeing the St. Patrick Centre and visiting homeless shelters. "They saw other homeless people in Ireland, up close," Libby recalls. "It was eye-opening for them. One spearheaded the first walk for homeless children by homeless kids in Tucson. They just finishd the fourth annual walk against homelessness for children this year."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2710
For more information visit www.thegivingtreeoutreach.org
Donna Drake, Finalist, British Airways Face2Face Program, TV show host, "Live It Up!" New York, USA.
www.liveituptvshow.com
www.ba.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show check in with Donna Drake, a Finalist in the British Airways Face to Face Program and Host of the TV show "Live It Up!" in New York. The program helps entrepreneurs expand their businesses overseas by offering winners a round-trip business class ticket anywhere in the world. Winners can meet potential partners, investors, clients, and suppliers and establish a face-to-face connection.
In February 2011, 250 winners will be flown from New York City to London. From London, each will go on to a British Airways destination to make contacts and work to grow their business. Donna is a "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" listener with her own talk show, for which she acts as host and executive producer. She heard about the contest on the radio and decided to throw her hat in the ring. To enter, Donna went to Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central in New York, where British Airways organized a campaign to kick off the Face to Face Program.
"Even entering the contest was fun. I went to the terminal and they had people greeting you at a reception desk," Donna recalls. "The whole thing felt as if you were actually going somewhere. They had some previous winners, like a gentleman who was a weaver, which kind of made the nervousness go away. Then when the number of your fake passport was called, you walked into an elevator. It didn't go anywhere, but the doors closed and you were looking at a camera.
"You had to take your card and slip it through a slot. Then someone on the other side started the camera," she continues. "I didn't realize it was a full two minutes – I thought it just had to be two minutes or under. I had brought a prop – a big Live It Up! banner – so the camera rolled, I had a backdrop, and I was able to tell them why I wanted to fly. I wanted the opportunity to pitch my TV show to international markets. So I did my pitch, realized the camera was still rolling, and so I started to dance!"
Donna thinks it was her enthusiasm and ad-libbing that helped her win, along with votes from friends and fans on the British Airways website. "There are really wonderful entrepreneurs participating," she says. "It's so lovely for British Airways to be doing this – giving people hope, inspiration, and reaching out to the community. I was so thrilled to get the email saying I was one of the winners, I started calling everyone I knew."
Donna has already started meeting other winners through the British Airways website. In February, she'll fly to London with the other winners, a few well-known business figures, and airline executives, where British Airways will host a breakfast seminar and reception. "I can promise you that nobody will sleep on that flight – it's a party in the sky, everyone is so psyched," says Stephanie, who was on last year's trip. Donna agrees, saying she expects that "you could probably fly the plane just from the positive energy."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2711
For more information visit www.liveituptvshow.com and www.ba.com
Bill Miller, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, CheapOAir.com.
www.cheapoair.com
www.cheapostay.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show find low season airfares with Bill Miller, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for CheapOAir.com. The fares are for a departure on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, and a return on Tuesday, January 25, 2011. All fares quoted are round trip, taxes and fees not included.
Bill has fares from New York City to Moscow, $510; New York City to Prague, $624; Los Angeles to Hong Kong, $813; Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand, $1100; Washington, D.C. to Orlando, $143; Boston to Los Angeles, $215; Boston to Nice, France, $593; and Chicago to Warsaw, Poland, $619. "There are just some great fares out there," he says. "It's low season, so you may have to tolerate some weather, but you can have some great vacation time."
CheapOAir offers fares from major U.S. and international carriers, including American Airlines, Delta, Continental, U.S. Airways, Virgin, JetBlue, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and Swissair. "These are big ones that you've heard of," Bill says. "We do sell some you haven't heard of, like Air Royal Maroc, but you know what airline you're getting when you buy your tickets."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2712
For more information visit www.cheapoair.com and www.cheapostay.com
Travel Tips:
Travelers interested in going to the theater should check out New York City and London. London is a bit less expensive than New York, but the price of a ticket in the UK does not include a program or playbill. "In New York, you expect a program, which gives you a synopsis, little bios, and information about substitutes," Stephanie explains. "In London, you have to pay for it. There are two kinds: a simple format and a 9 x 12 full color glossy item. It's almost like a brochure on the production and is considered a souvenir."
Travelers can also save money on theater tickets in New York by going to the ticket center on 47th Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue.
Stephanie also recommends a visit to Times Square in New York. "If you haven't been in a while, go and take a look. The brightness of it will make you feel like you're part of an ad," she says. "There's just no place like it." Great hotels near Times Square include the Algonquin on West 44th Street and AKA Times Square. Decorated in European-style carved mahogany and palm trees with a mosaic tile floor, the Algonquin has a long literary history and is home to the famed Oak Room cabaret. The AKA Times Square, just half a block away, is a boutique hotel with a very different feel.
Guests Include:
Libby Wright, Founder, The Giving Tree Outreach Program, Tucson, Arizona, USA.
www.thegivingtreeoutreach.org
Donna Drake, Finalist, British Airways Face2Face Program, TV show host, "Live It Up!" New York, USA.
www.liveituptvshow.com
www.ba.com
Bill Miller, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, CheapOAir.com.
www.cheapoair.com
www.cheapostay.com
Topics Include:
Steven Price, General Manager, Relais & Chateaux Westglow Resort & Spa, Blowing Rock, North Carolina, USA.
www.westglow.com
www.relaischateaux.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show relax with Steven Price, General Manager of Westglow Resort and Spa in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Westglow is a member of Relais & Chateaux. "It's a good place to celebrate milestones or have a romantic getaway – even if it's an interlude by yourself," says Stephanie. "You can count on excellence at every level because it's a member of Relais & Chateaux."
Steven has been at Westglow since 2005, when the current owners acquired the property and began to restore and renovate the buildings. He started as the architect, then stayed on as general manager in 2006. "With our designation as a Relais & Chateaux property, I'm now maitre de maison, which is French for 'master of the house,'" he says. "So I've had three titles in the past five years."
"It was a natural progression to general manager," he adds. "As the architect, I had extensive knowledge of the physical plant, so when things go wrong, I should know where all the ghosts are. It's a lot of fun and a great project; I'm really excited about it." Westglow began as a summer resort, but has been renovated into a year-round destination. The property is open all year except for Christmas Day.
Blowing Rock is in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, about two hours northwest of Charlotte. The town is fifteen minutes away from Boone, home of Appalachian State University. "Blowing Rock started as a resort village, the quintessential Norman Rockwell small town," says Steven. "The mountains themselves are considered a destination." Westglow is also just ninety minutes northeast of Asheville, North Carolina, where Vanderbilt mansion Biltmore is located.
"It's a beautiful drive [to Asheville] down the Blue Ridge Parkway," Steven adds. "Many of our guests have been there or are on their way. We also have guests visiting Appalachian State University or students there." Blowing Rock is also close to Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point, which Steven calls "the furniture manufacturing capital of the world."
The town of Blowing Rock takes its name from a Chickasaw story from the 18th century. "There was a man who brought his daughter up the mountain to get her away from a suitor," Steven recounts. "This young man wanted to take her away and followed them up the mountain. When he discovered he was not going to be able to marry her, he threw himself off the mountain. The daughter prayed for his return and, lo and behold, the wind blew him back up!" Today, visitors can see the actual Blowing Rock, toss an object over the edge, and wait for the wind to blow it back.
Westglow is a boutique resort in a Greek Revival style home on the National Register. The property was originally built by Eliott Daingerfield, a noted artist originally from North Carolina. Daingerfield had a studio in New York City and built Westglow in 1917 as a retirement home. His artwork is displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery, and even at Westglow itself, which has seven original paintings.
The house remained in the Daingerfield family until the 1970s, when it was sold and converted to a resort and spa. The current owners bought the property in 2005 and undertook extensive renovations. Today, there are seven guest rooms in the historic house and a separate 15,000-square-foot spa facility. "We have both luxurious accommodations and a world-class spa," Steven explains. "We were voted best boutique spa, best spa for romance, and the best spa for cuisine by SpaFinder magazine this year, and in 2007, we were voted the 7th best spa in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine's readers."
Although the spa has 15,000 square feet of space, Steven took pains to create intimate settings when designing the building. "We consider ourselves more of an intimate boutique facility," he says. "The building is designed to take advantage of the views. I took pains to make sure every guest felt like it was their own private spa, so it's divided into private areas." Another unique element is the spa's Southern hospitality and the charm of its staff, many of whom have been there for several years and know repeat guests by name.
"Our guests are world travelers," Steven continues. "They've been to the finest hotels and resorts. So when we did the renovation, we did some R&D trips. We went to the finest resorts and spas in the U.S. and worldwide to see what other people were doing. We learned a lot – including some things we didn't want to repeat – but we brought back the best of the best." The result is a spa with massage rooms, a relaxation lounge, and exercise areas; the property even has a full-service salon.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2713
For more information visit www.westglow.com and www.relaischateaux.com
Vikki Corliss, Director of Public Relations & Communications, InsureMyTrip.com.
www.insuremytrip.com
www.insuremygroup.com
Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams and the "Travel With Stephanie Abrams!" Radio Show learn how to protect winter vacation investments with Vikki Corliss, Director of Public Relations and Communications at InsureMyTrip. "If you've already made plans for winter vacation, whether skiing in the cold or jetskiing in warmer places, it occurs to me that there are plenty of skiers who end up in casts," says Stephanie. "They have really checked out of their vacation, but they're still paying."
Active winter sports trips require a different mindset than the average beach vacation. "What happens if your equipment is lost or stolen or delayed en route?" Vikki asks. "What if your skis arrive in pieces and you need rental equipment to replace your own? What if you're skiing out of the country and you're injured, but you don't have overseas medical coverage? What if you can't even get to your destination because of inclement weather?"
Vikki recommends a travel insurance policy that covers cancellation for any reason. "What if slope conditions are not to your liking – it's ice, and not powder at all?" she says. "You can cover yourself for that with a cancel for any reason policy. You can cancel your trip just because you don't like the conditions where you're heading – there's not enough snow, or you hear the forecast is nasty. This is your vacation. If it's not going to be exactly to your liking, do you really want to go?"
Stephanie was unaware that travel insurance could cover this situation. "I can see using a cancel for any reason policy if you're going with a friend, make your plans in advance, and then end up hating that person," she says. "But I never thought about it from the point of view of expecting certain weather that's no good for your outdoor winter activity of choice. This way, you can get yourself out of it financially, which is fantastic."
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2714
Travelers411 Directory Listing:
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Travel Tips:
If you want to see Biltmore without traveling to North Carolina, Stephanie suggests watching the Peter Sellers film "Being There," in which the mansion is used as a U.S. senator's residence.
Fun Facts:
The exterior of Biltmore combines features from three famous French chateaux in the Loire Valley. One-third of the building is a replica of the exterior spiral staircases at Chateau Blois, one-third takes the archways from Chenonceau, and one-third takes the roofline from Chambord.
Guests Include:
Steven Price, General Manager, Relais & Chateaux Westglow Resort & Spa, Blowing Rock, North Carolina, USA.
www.westglow.com
www.relaischateaux.com
Vikki Corliss, Director of Public Relations & Communications, InsureMyTrip.com.
www.insuremytrip.com
www.insuremygroup.com
