Biz Perks drops Frequent Flier Number Requirement
Northwest Airlines Biz Perks is working hard to meet the needs of your corporate clients. As part of our constant effort to improve the program and offer even greater flexibility, Biz Perks will no longer require a WorldPerks number on tickets to earn Biz Perks points. Simply make sure the Biz Perks ID is in the tour code field of the ticket.

Although not required, you can earn even more value by including both the Biz Perks ID and WorldPerks number on each ticket. The company will earn valuable Biz Perks points while travelers have the ability to earn valuable miles by participating in the Northwest Airlines WorldPerks program.

Northwest to let patrons pay part cash, part reward miles for tickets
Northwest Airlines announced that it will allow patrons to use frequent flyer miles as partial payment toward airline tickets.

The Eagan, Minn.-based carrier said its new PerkChoice with Cash and Miles plan will permit any WorldPerks member to purchase reward tickets for any available flight with a combination of cash and as few as 12,500 miles.

Before, most WorldPerks members had to accumulate a minimum of 25,000 miles before they could snag a domestic award ticket.

New Routes
Beginning May 2
Detroit - Wichita
Aircraft: Pinnacle Airlines 50-seat Bombardier CRJ 200.
Northwest currently serves Wichita from its Memphis and Minneapolis/St. Paul hubs.

Detroit to Monterrey, Mexico
Northwest Airlines will be offering new daily nonstop service between Detroit and Monterrey, Mexico.

Beginning June 5
Detroit – Chattanooga
Aircraft: Pinnacle Airlines 50-seat CRJ-200

Detroit - Salt Lake City
Aircraft: 124-seat A319 Airbus.

United Express will begin daily, summer-only service between Denver and Traverse City, MI on June 5, 2008.
The service will be operated using CR7 aircraft configured for explus service and will operate through September 1, 2008.

US Airways will implement a $25 service fee for a second checked bag for most coach customers for all flights within the U.S. and to or from Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.

Under the new fee structure, US Airways also will charge $100 for each bag after the second bag.

The fee applies to tickets purchased on or after Feb. 26 for travel on or after May 5. Customers can pay the fee at an airport kiosk with a credit card or at the check-in counter with a credit card, check or cash. US Airways said it plans to make an online payment option available “at a later date.”

The airline said about 8% of its passengers check more than one bag.

The new fee matches United’s new $25 fee in most respects, although it applies to a broader range of flights. United’s fee applies only to flights within the U.S. and to or from Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. The new US Airways fee is also similar to United’s in that its premium and most-frequent flyers are exempt.

The fee will not apply to customers booked in first or business class, Dividend Miles Preferred members or Star Alliance Silver and Gold status members. Active military personnel (in uniform with ID), unaccompanied minors and passengers checking assistive devices also are exempt.

US Airways, like United, said it is adding the charge to help offset higher fuel costs.

Southwest Airlines grounded about 7% of its planes in the wake of last week's admission that the airline had missed required inspections of some aircraft for fuselage cracks. The groundings have resulted in flight cancellations on March 12.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Southwest notified the FAA that as part of an internal safety audit, the airline would ground 41 aircraft until it could verify with the FAA that it "had correctly followed inspection guidance stated in an airworthiness directive related to a specific area of the aircraft surrounding the windows on 737-300s and 737-500s."

Southwest said it took 38 aircraft out of scheduled service, out of a fleet of 526. Five more affected planes already were in maintenance for scheduled checks, and one affected aircraft already had been retired, said the airline.

The airline expects to have all of the aircraft inspected by early evening on March 12.

The aircraft groundings come a day after Southwest placed three employees on "administrative leave" after conducting an internal investigation into allegations that the airline violated FAA regulations in March 2007.

The FAA last week announced it was fining Southwest $10.2 million for operating 46 airplanes without performing mandatory inspections for fuselage cracks. Subsequently, the airline found that six of the 46 airplanes had cracks in the fuselage. Southwest said it will appeal the fine.

Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said he has "vowed to make any changes necessary to assure that the airline is in full compliance with FAA Airworthiness Directives and all of its own maintenance programs, policies, and procedures."

"Upon learning last month of an investigation with respect to our handling of this inspection and an Airworthiness Directive, I immediately ordered an independent and comprehensive investigation by outside counsel," Kelly said.

In addition to placing three employees on administrative leave, Southwest said it has "hired a respected outside consultant with proven experience to help review its maintenance program controls, especially Airworthiness Directive compliance." Southwest also said it has "fully engaged with the FAA on its current audit of Southwest, and committed to FAA leadership that it will investigate and address any deficiencies in its maintenance controls."

We will have experts on hand to talk about Scotland, Italy, River Cruises, Ireland, and the RCCL variety of cruise options available today. Wonderful film footage that will bring Europe to life so you can pick the vacation style that suits you best.
Cruise & Tour, River Cruise, Regional Discovery or Independent Vacations. Special group discounts, shipboard credits and door prizes.

April 1 / 6:30-8:00pm
Partridge Creek Banquet & Conference Center
43843 Romeo Plank Road
Clinton Township, MI 48038

April 3 / 6:00-7:30pm
Passageways Travel
43155 South Main St.
Suite 312
Novi MI 48376

April 8 / 6:00-7:30pm
Midland Center for the Arts
Lecture Hall
1801 W. St. Andrews
Midland MI 48640

Join Passageways’ Bonnie Pintozzi on this 9-day trip which will show you the highlights of Italy, covering all the notable features from St. Peter’s, the Sistine Chapel, the Coliseum and the Forum in Rome to Michelangelo’s David in Florence and St. Mark’s Basilica and Doges’ Palace with the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.
Local Guides in these cities will answer all your questions.