- Courtesy of Ovation Corporate Travel July 23, 2008 In This Issue...
	CONTINENTAL'S NEW COST-SAVINGS INITIATIVES
	WALLET-SIZED PASSPORT CARDS FOR LAND/SEA CROSSINGS
	AA’S NEW TICKETING RESTRICTIONS ON REFUNDABLE FARES
	OVATION CLUB E-NEWSLETTER WEEKLY SURVEY
	OVATION PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
	- HYATT REGENCY, Boston
	- CAMPTON PLACE, San Francisco
	- COURTHOUSE HOTEL KEMPINSKI, London
	- THE CROWNE PLAZA CABANA, Palo Alto
	- BALZAC, Paris

CONTINENTAL’S NEW COST-SAVINGS INITIATIVES
(source: Travel Weekly)

Lighter, more durable life vests, fewer on-board magazines and smaller servings of drinking water will save Continental Airlines more than $2 million a year, according to published reports.

Continental pointed to soaring fuel costs and a shaky US economy as the impetus for these cost-savings measures.

Passengers, however, can continue to check their first bag for free. After that, the charge is $25 per additional bag.

WALLET-SIZED PASSPORT CARDS FOR LAND/SEA CROSSINGS
(source: USA Today)

The government is on the cusp of releasing passport cards that fit in a wallet and cost half the price of a new passport.

About 350,000 Americans have applied for the new card. The U.S. State Department expects the number of applicants to swell to 4 million by June 1, 2009. That's when U.S. travelers cannot re-enter the country by land or sea from Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean without a passport, a new passport card or an equivalent document.

Note: A regular passport is still required for air travel.

The new cards fit inside a wallet and, for first-time adult applicants, will cost $45, compared with $100 for a first-time traditional passport. For people who hold a passport or apply for one simultaneously, the card will cost an extra $20.

AA’S NEW TICKETING RESTRICTIONS ON REFUNDABLE FARES

As of July 23, 2008, American Airlines has introduced ticketing restrictions on all refundable fares within the United States and Canada. On most Premium Cabin and Full Fare Coach inventories, this change will add a ticketing requirement of either 3 days prior to departure or 1 day after booking, whichever comes later.

An overview of the new policy:

- Premium Cabin - For bookings made at least 4 days before departure, tickets must be issued 3 days prior to departure

- Full Fare Coach - For bookings made less than 4 days before departure, tickets must be issued within 1 day of booking

- All Other Refundable Coach Fares - Tickets must be issued within 1 day of booking

**Exceptions**

- Bookings made before July 23rd, 2008

- Fares with overriding Advance Purchase requirements

- Fares with overriding rules dictated by contract language

- Any other exclusions noted in the rules of each specific fare

OVATION CLUB E-NEWSLETTER WEEKLY SURVEY!

The Ovation Club E-Newsletter Weekly Survey gives you the opportunity to weigh in by voting your opinion on hot topics in business travel.  You can also post comments online on the topic of the week.

OVATION PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
HYATT REGENCY
One Avenue de Lafayette
Boston

Take in the excitement of the city from Hyatt Regency Boston. Just one block from the Boston Common and within walking distance of countless attractions, shopping and theaters, the downtown Boston hotel is the perfect spot to begin your adventures. Tour the Freedom Trail, shop at Faneuil Hall, visit historic museums, or catch a game at Fenway Park. Delight in the ideal setting of this Boston Theater District hotel – just steps from Chinatown and connected to the T.

When it's time to relax, the innovative design of Hyatt Regency Boston’s $10.5 million renovation is truly refreshing. Contemporary-style rooms, delicious dining and more await at this newly renovated hotel in downtown Boston.

The Ovation Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at Hyatt Regency Boston is $269 (compared to a corporate rate of $329) through September 2, 2008.

OVATION PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
CAMPTON PLACE
340 Stockton Street
San Francisco

“Fee-Free Wi-Fi” Everywhere at Campton Place!

Want wireless? Want hard-wired? Campton Place has both, so when high speed internet access is needed, it is available no matter where one is in the Hotel – any time, any place. Now, exclusively for Ovation travelers, any stays from now through August 31, 2008 include this access on a complimentary basis throughout guests’ stays.

Use it in the guestroom while watching a favorite program on a new large flatscreen HD TV, while wrapped in a super-soft featherweight Ploh bathrobe and sipping a cup of rich espresso freshly brewed in the machine conveniently located in the private in-room bar. Or use wi-fi in the restaurant while enjoying treats by Chef Srijith’s award-winning Mediterranean-inspired contemporary California cuisine.

Campton Place, named San Francisco’s #1 hotel by Travel + Leisure for 2007 & 2008, is located in the heart of San Francisco at Union Square.

The Ovation Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at Campton Place is $239 (compared to a corporate rate of $335).

OVATION PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
COURTHOUSE HOTEL KEMPINSKI
19-21 Gt Marlborough Street
London

Set in the heart of London’s bustling shopping and theatre district, the Courthouse Kempinski offers a secluded and comfortable setting to prepare and recover from enjoying the best the capital has to offer. A stone’s throw away from the famous Liberty’s department store and the shopping paradise of Bond Street, Regent Street and Carnaby Street, the Hotel is situated in an old Grade II Listed Magistrates Court, retaining much of its original historical features with a modern twist.

With 112 contemporary and design led bedrooms, a stylish cocktail bar, award winning restaurant, spa, gym and roof terrace, the Courthouse Hotel is renowned for intuitive service and comprehensive facilities.

Their selection of suites, include a range of in-room amenities and facilities such as LCD flat TV screens, leading technology, laptop safes and all the expectations of a 5 star hotel.

Their restaurant and bars offer a full buffet breakfast, lunch in the brasserie, a dining experience in Silk which draws on historical references and cocktails created by their Mixologist in The bar. In the Summer exclusively book and enjoy a private BBQ on their roof terrace and enjoy the views of the London skyline.

The Sanook Spa has all the facilities to help relax, revitalize and refresh after a busy shopping trip or high powered meeting. Their signature treatments include a selection of chocolate treatments including facials, pedicures and manicures – chocolate without the calories!

The Ovation Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at the Courthouse Hotel Kempinski is £210 (compared to a corporate rate of £250).

OVATION PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
THE CROWNE PLAZA CABANA
4290 El Camino Real
Palo Alto

The Crowne Plaza Cabaña will complete a total renovation of the entire guest room accommodations before December 31, 2008 which includes total replacement of furniture, televisions, carpets, wallpaper, etc.

In the heart of Silicon Valley, The Crowne Plaza Cabaña offers a mosaic tiled outdoor pool, jacuzzi whirlpool, 24-hour health & exercise center. Additional amenities include 24-hour business center.

Delight in their European ambiance and California charm. Their style and personality starts with a spectacular entrance through the lobby, where traditional detailing pays tribute to European flavors of plaster walls, stone flooring and subdued colors. Seasonal outdoor patios and large pool deck with spa make for an enjoyable, relaxing stay.

The Crowne Plaza Cabaña is proud to be one of a selected few hotels in California powered by Solar Energy while creating a "green hotel program" that provides a relief to the environment.

Steeped in history, tradition and elegance, The Crowne Plaza Cabaña combines luxurious amenities of a vacation destination with high tech necessities of today's savvy business traveler.

Located close to Stanford University, HP, Google, SAP, Intuit, just to name a few, the 194-room Crowne Plaza Cabaña meets social, business and group travel needs. Complimentary fiber optic wired and wireless Internet services are available throughout all public areas and guest rooms.

Guests can dine ‘al fresco’ in the hotel's courtyard or delight in favorable cuisine at 4290 Bistro & Bar.

The Ovation Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at The Crowne Plaza Cabaña is $180 (compared to a corporate rate of $309).

OVATION PREFERRED HOTEL PARTNERS PROGRAM
BALZAC
6 rue Balzac
Paris

The epitome of French art de vivre.

Built for the Director of the Paris Opera in 1853 and once home to Balzac himself, the hotel has retained a feeling of private manors of the time. Still a haven of peace and a shining example of Parisian chic, the Balzac Hotel now combines elegance and modernity—an aesthetic feat deftly carried out by interior designer Anne-Marie Sabatier, who re-envisioned the sumptuous neo-Classical decor with precious and vibrant tones. Today, with personalized service provided by ‘Golden Key’ majordomos and concierges, the latest in modern technologies, splendid fabrics and period furniture, the Balzac Hotel invites you to share in its elegance and French art de vivre.

The Ovation Preferred Hotel Partners Program rate at Balzac Hotel is €270 (compared to a corporate rate of €375).

________________________________________________________________________

Ovation Corporate Travel
www.ovationtravel.com
info@ovationtravel.com
800.431.1112