Recently, there have been a series of important changes to check-in requirements at Canadian airports.

Travel to the United States The US Department of Homeland Security is introducing important new requirements for advance passenger information. The carrier is now obligated to provide extensive information about every passenger, including full name, date of birth, gender, citizenship, country of residence, and travel document type. The added administration load is expected to slow down the check-in process even further than it is already. Air Canada has already been forced to respond by extending the check-in cut off time between Canada and the USA from 45 to 60 minutes prior to departure. We therefore recommended that those clients travelling to the United States make sure that they arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare.

We expect that other carriers will follow suit, and initially, travellers can expect the check-in process to be somewhat delayed. The new regulations have sparked some controversy because of privacy issues. Readers who are interested in finding out more can find a full description by clicking here.

British Airways passengers Now for some good news: Passengers on the British Airways who check in online will no longer need to see a British Airways representative for a passport check upon arrival at the airport. Passengers with hand baggage only can proceed with their online boarding pass directly to security. Passengers who have check-in baggage can proceed directly to the Fast Bag Drop facility. We recommend travelers on British Airways check in online whenever possible. Online in check-in is available at http://www.ba.com/ mmbez starting 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure, allowing passengers to select their own seat and print a boarding pass from the comfort of home, the office, or anywhere with an Internet connection.

Toronto passengers using Park'N Fly There will no longer be an Air Canada representative located in the Park'N Fly terminal at Toronto Pearson International Airport. This convenience has been replaced by Air Canada self service check-in kiosks, which will allow passengers to register their luggage, select or change seats, and print boarding passes. Passengers with carry on baggage will not be inconvenienced by this change; however, passengers with baggage to check will have to carry their bags on and off the shuttle and take them to the Baggage Drop- off counter. Air Canada is promoting this as an "even more convenient and rewarding" experience. We don't think so!

At last, airline service fees at Toronto's Pearson International Airport are being reduced. Could it be that they read our complaints about high fees in the first TTI newsletter?

On October 17, the GTAA announced that airline fees will be reduced for all services starting January 1, 2008. Landing fees will be reduced by 3.1% and terminal charges reduced by 4.7%.

Predictably, Lloyd McCoomb, President and CEO of the GTAA heralded these reductions as "fantastic news for our airline partners". To us, they seem hardly enough to get excited about. Although we are sure carriers will welcome any reduction, they are unlikely to be passed on to the airliner passenger, particularly in the light of continued higher oil prices. In the press release, McCoomb gives high praise to employees of the GTAA for their ideas to increase revenue and efficiencies. Too bad these same employees have yet to work out a way to deliver bags to the carousel in less than one hour.

Interested in leaving Toronto in the morning and being on the slopes of Mount Tremblant by noon? From December 22 until March 31, 2008, avid skiers will be able to fly directly to one of Québec's most popular resorts in just 70 minutes, making that weekend away on the slopes that much more attainable.

For the Holidays, Porter is offering a choice of eight round trips between December 22 and January 6, 2008. In addition, from January 7, 2008, there will be a regular weekend service, leaving on Saturday mornings and returning on Sunday evenings. This new service therefore brings one of Quebec's premier resorts within easy reach, whether travellers are looking for a quick weekend getaway or a week long ski holiday.

One-way fares start at $129 plus taxes and fees. Porter is also offering 1, 6, and 7 night packages, including accommodation, some meals and ski rentals.

According to the Forrester Research Group, the number of travellers using Internet-based travel agencies is declining for the first time.

According to Mr. Henry Harteveldy, Vice President at Forrester, the decline can be attributed to a combination of factors, including difficulties in buying travel online, confusion over offerings and costs, the amount of time required and a feeling of lack of control when navigating the Web sites.

We believe there is another reason. Travelers using sites such as Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz have no one to turn to when they experience problems or delays. In addition, from the travel management perspective, it is not possible to build a corporate travel policy into any of these sites.

It will be interesting to see if this trend continues.

Is there an imminent crisis in the crowded skies over North America? If so, why, and who is to blame?

Okay, this month I am not going to rant, but maybe philosophize instead. You may have seen some of the recent news about the severe overcrowding of the skies south of the border. I cannot help but wonder, why it is that this predicament was not foreseen.

The problem began with deregulation. Up to that time, take-off and landing slots were effectively rationed out to various carriers, ensuring that air lanes and runways could never become overcrowded. This, of course, restricted options for the passenger, since the airline of their choice might depart or arrive at an inconvenient time for their travel plans.

Deregulation changed all that. Airlines could fly at any frequency they wished, over any routing that they chose.

In theory, this sounds like a benefit to the traveller. And, indeed, I believe that passengers across North America have benefited from lower prices for travel as well as greater convenience.

However, surely the inevitable outcome could have been predicted. The result has been a gradual switch from aircraft carrying 120+ passengers to smaller aircraft flying at greater frequency. Today, it may take four aircraft to carry 250 passengers from Atlanta to New York where 20 years ago it required only two. It does not take a genius to work out that a 60 seat aircraft takes up as much airspace as a Jumbo!

Proposals to deal with this crisis range from ill- conceived to causes for great concern. For example, one solution is to charge a heavy dollar premium for travel at peak times, where peak times span most of the business day. The result could be that leisure travellers will be forced to fly in the middle of the night, as is common from the UK into Europe.

All of the proposals so far promise to adversely impact the convenience of the traveller. And, despite the superior air traffic control systems in Canada, these proposals will affect many Canadians since their routings require flying though the US airspace.

It is unfortunate that dogma probably precludes the logical solution: to introduce a compromise between rationing and the current free-for-all. We can only hope that some more lateral thinking might yet come to bear on the problem.

Only in the Travel Industry, eh? Pity! Just as the number of flight delays and cancellations hits an all- time high in the United States, US carriers are reporting record quarterly profits.

Air space in the United States has now become so overcrowded that President Bush and Congress are discussing various measures to try to alleviate the problem. Potential solutions include a "Passenger Bill of Rights," upgrading the nation's air traffic control system, and reducing flights into congested areas such as New York City. The root of the problem is, of course, too many aircraft. As airlines have been switching to smaller aircraft flying more frequent schedules, the use of corporate jets has increased dramatically.

We in Canada are fortunate to have a more modern and better equipped air traffic control system. Nevertheless, passengers to the United States can probably look forward to increased disruption, more flights delays and a greater number of cancellations: one more reason why more travelers are using a supplier that offers a high level of personal service, with access to experienced agents who can get them home faster.

We are pleased to announce that Credit Suisse has selected TTI to continue to service their account in Canada. This is particularly exciting, because we were able to retain the account even though Credit Suisse awarded the remainder of their travel business outside Canada to a global supplier.

According to Credit Suisse, the key reasons for their decision were the high level of service and the proven partnership between the two companies. They were also impressed by TTI's flexibility and willingness to accommodate Credit Suisse Canada's special requirements.

Are you still wondering what the Air Canada Flight Pass is all about? Is it the right thing for you? Will it save money? Will it add convenience?

Air Canada has added a whole new range of options which make the Flight Pass even more attractive for the corporate traveler.

The new options include passes for small businesses as well as larger corporations, and include the ability to include up to eight registered employees, making volume purchasing easier and offering substantial savings. Travelers can now choose between different classes of travel including Latitude, Tango Plus and Executive Classes. Other key benefits include: complimentary advance seat selection, business class upgrade 24 hours prior to departure, and 100% Aeroplan status miles.

The wide range of options can be confusing. However, your TTI travel specialists are equipped with advanced analytical tools that enable them to quickly assess the most effective options for your particular travel requirements. Please contact your travel specialist if you are interested in finding out more.

Each year, Virtuoso, the world's leading luxury vacation travel supplier, holds a Travel Mart in Las Vegas to allow Virtuoso Personal Travel Specialists to meet and interact with over 600 suppliers from around the world. This year, TTI had 17 representatives who attended Travel Mart.

During a hectic four days, the team met with 372 suppliers catering to the discerning, upscale traveler. This highly focused program will help ensure that TTI is up to date on the latest trends and vacation opportunities in the most desirable destinations around the globe.

Luxury vacations, such as those available from Virtuoso and Butterfield and Robinson, are an important part of TTI's offering to its clients. Demand for this type of travel is increasing as people experience the difference that a specialized supplier can make.

Truly, a life altering experience.

For over 100 years, the prospect of seeing wild game in their natural habitat has made Southern Africa a prime destination for those in search of a life altering experience. It is now possible to combine an authentic safari with true luxury and comfort without sacrificing any of the experience.

In recent years, the importance of species conservation and an understanding of the potential of ecotourism have led to the development of new and quite extraordinary game lodges across the continent.

Imagine a sunset in the African bush; an unexpected encounter with a herd of a hundred elephants, or watching zebra sharing a watering hole at dawn with impala, waterbuck and giraffe. Now imagine drifting off to sleep under a thatched roof, in a supremely comfortable bed, and hearing a lion roar in the distance through the canvas walls of your tented room.

Today, you can choose from a variety of Safari camps, providing a genuine, up-close, game watching experience, while staying in camp accommodations offering more than the comforts of home.

For example, Kings Pool Camp is located in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, in the northern part of Botswana, on the western boundary of Chobe National Park. There are nine twin-bedded tented suites, overlooking a hippo filled lagoon in front of the camp. Each has its own bedroom area, lounge, private plunge pool and en-suite bathroom. There is an outdoor shower for those who prefer to bathe under the stars. The main lounge, pub and dining room are under thatch, and there is a swimming pool built into the deck. The main area is linked to the bedrooms by a raised walkway to allow animals to wander freely around the camp.

From the deserts of Namibia to the marshes of Botswana and the planes of Malawi, such camps are also engaged in the important job of conserving and preserving the natural habitat of scores of species, ensuring their survival for future generations.

Many visitors combine these rich Safari experience with visits to Cape Town and the nearby Stellenbosch and Paarl wine-growing areas, Victoria Falls, or the islands of Mauritius or the Seychelles.

If you are interested in finding out more about Safaris in Southern Africa, contact your TTI Vacation Travel Specialist.