BBT does the browsing for you and checks out the pros and cons of some useful travel websites
www.firstluggage.com
This site takes all the hassle out of carting luggage with you on a business trip, enabling travellers to check in with hand baggage only and not having to hang around at the carousel on arrival. Booking is straightforward - you don't even have to know the weight of your bags and there is an instant quote. The door-to-door service eliminates the risk of important checked-in items - such as samples or documentation - going astray, which could jeopardise the success of business trip. A unique tracking system scans items up to 20 times en route, ensuring that nothing goes awry. Prices start at £85 for one case.
www.hotelscene.co.uk
This relaunched website focuses on the needs and interests of corporate travel managers, and is a very useful resource in itself, whether or not those managers are using Hotelscene as a supplier. There is information about company's global services, and up-to-date news, but more importantly, White Papers on a variety of areas of interest such as managing internal meeting space and hidden costs lurking in the hotel RFP process. Likewise, notes can be found to accompany the ongoing series of webcasts given by Jean Squires, Hotelscene's director of business development, on subjects as diverse as traveller compliance and the effects of the credit crunch on business travel. Animated demonstrations of Hotelscene's online booking tool and reporting capabilities can be found alongside a selection of case studies. There is even a competition to win a case of Champagne.
www.meteormeetandgreet.com
Having just been accepted as an associate member of the Guild of Travel Management Companies, Meteor Meet and Greet Parking is continuing to make its mark on the corporate travel scene. The company, which has more than a quarter of a century's experience in meet and greet parking, has fully-owned and managed facilities at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham airports, and has just added Liverpool to the list. The site, which has a separate section for corporate clients, provides instant quotes and takes all the pain out of airport parking.
www.cheapflights.co.uk
Pioneer of the flight search and comparison sites, launched in 1996, this has undergone a major overhaul. More than an aesthetic redesign, it has improved functionality, faster and easier access to deals, and much expanded content. This includes comprehensive airline and airport guides, as well as 450 destination briefings. It also has an enhanced dynamic search facility, and new fare filters, which enable users to refine their search by date (including peak/ off peak seasons and specific months), price, major events and by supplier.
www.weather2flights.com
A spin-off from Weather2Travel.com, this new website provides a guide for travellers to select destinations based on airline routes, flight duration and climate. The website combines airport weather guides from Weather2Travel. com with flight schedules from Innovata, a leading distributor of airline timetable information. The resulting database covers more than 45,000 routes operated by close on 700 airlines, serving 3,500 airports. The website also shows where the major airports in the world are located, complete with Google mapping; which airlines operate in and out of selected airports and where they fl y into; which airlines operate directly between any two airports or cities; and typical flight times between airports. Casual travel buyers will also find a range of deals and discounts for air travel around the world.
www.flybmi.com/companyrewards
This is bmi's online company rewards scheme, launched earlier this year. Aimed at SMEs, it enables registered users to redeem points at any time, either in the form of an e-voucher (to exchange for flights either as whole or in part payment), cash or charity donation. New members can register, following a quick and simple online process. Once enrolled, members have immediate access to their own personalised account with an up-to-date points statement and regular updates. By booking flights on any bmi route, within any fare bracket, members can start earning points immediately. Furthermore, companies spending over £50,000 a year travelling with bmi receive a four per cent annual cash bonus.
www.forwardtravel.co.uk
Forward Travel Management, Midlands Co-op Travel's business travel section, has launched three new websites, aimed at existing and potential customers. In addition to the FTM site, www.yorks-btm.co.uk gives business customers access to online air, hotel, rail and car hire booking systems. It also provides links to travel information sites, online airline check-in pages and relevant business travel news updates. Visit www.yorks-tradefairs.co.uk for an interactive calendar with details of forthcoming trade shows, hotel information and rates, as well as city information. FTM has offices in Birmingham, Derby and Hereford. Yorks Business Travel Management, which incorporates Yorks Trade Fairs, operates from offices in Northampton.
www.conradhotels.com
Improved functionality and greater accessibility is being claimed by Conrad Hotels & Resorts as regards its revamped website. Part of a series of enhancements designed to revolutionise the brand's online presence, the website is intended to reflect its contemporary image. The Hilton-owned group, which has 18 hotels worldwide, including Dublin and Brussels in Europe, has openings planned for Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and Beijing and Shanghai among others. Special offers can be found under the new 'Latest news' section.
www.elal.co.uk
El Al, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this month, has redesigned its website, incorporating a more flexible and user-friendly booking system. Previously, users were only able to see the prices of flights available on their selected dates, but the site now displays prices for preceding and following days all on the same screen. The upgrade is of particular benefit to travellers who can be flexible with dates. It's now quicker and easier to search for the best fares in a single, rather than multiple, search. TRAVEL ON