Pro-X-Travel

Aloft Unveils First Adaptive Re-Use Hotel Project

Aloft Dallas Downtown Opens in a Revitalized Former Railroad Depot; Hotel is the Fourth Aloft in Dallas Area

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. today announces the debut of the Aloft^® brand’s first adaptive re-use project in the heart of downtown Dallas. Offering jet-setting style at a steal, Aloft Dallas Downtown opens in a historic railroad freight depot, now transformed into the city’s newest destination sensation complete with 193 spacious, loft-like rooms, accessible technology and a hip, social atmosphere.

Aloft Dallas Downtown occupies an eight-story antique gem built in 1924 as a Santa Fe Railroad freight terminal and commercial dry goods warehouse. Evoking an era when train tracks formed the arteries of the commercial district, the sleek, new hotel delivers the Aloft brand’s signature, urban-influenced design elements, while incorporating the building’s distinct, structural attributes including original buff brick, large windows, structural pillars and high ceilings. Blending seamlessly into its loft-like, historic setting, this singular, contemporary hotel is owned by a joint venture between Hamilton Properties Corporation and Sava Holdings, Ltd., both Dallas-based development companies.

“In today’s challenging economic environment, adaptive re-use projects like the Aloft Dallas Downtown can offer developers significant advantages and provide great benefits to communities in search of urban renewal opportunities,” said Simon Turner, President of Global Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “Through the redevelopment of historic or older structures, developers can gain access to prime real estate to create an innovative and historically meaningful hotel, while benefiting from unique zoning opportunities and public subsidies. We see great opportunities to use this approach in many cities throughout the world.”

Aloft Hotels shook up the select service industry with the debut of its first property in Montreal in June 2008. Fueled by the popularity of its prototype hotel, Aloft has since opened 30 more hotels in three countries. While the Aloft prototype continues to generate strong enthusiasm among owners, developers and hotel guests, Starwood plans to further the brand’s footprint through adaptive, re-use projects like Aloft Dallas Downtown.

“While all of Starwood’s nine lifestyle brands are candidates for adaptive reuse projects, Aloft is particularly well-suited based on its urban design aesthetic and appeal to savvy travelers,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “In this case, an 85 year-old railroad depot was successfully transfigured into a modern, hip hotel by incorporating the loft-like design scheme, high ceilings, open floor plans and large windows that are characteristic of Aloft.”

The transformation of the original train depot into Aloft Dallas Downtown was completed over a three-year period under the direction of architecture and design team at One Group Design, LP.

“The designer did a fabulous job marrying the old building with the new. We essentially dropped a new, ultra-modern building inside the bones of a warehouse that is on the historic register,” said General Manager Al Hunter. “This concept preserves the history of Dallas and showcases all the Aloft brand’s modern amenities.”

Aloft Dallas Downtown is pursuing LEED certification – an internationally recognized, third-party certification for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The hotel features natural materials like cork and sustainable wood veneers, and in-shower product dispensers replace non-biodegradable bottles to reduce landfill waste. In addition, nearly 75 percent of the demolition debris was re-used below ground in the lower-level meeting and ballroom spaces.

Ideally located at 1033 Young Street, Aloft Dallas Downtown is just steps from City Hall and the Dallas Convention Center. Also nearby are the American Airlines Center, the Arts District and the corporate offices of AT&T, Deloitte & Touche and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Southwest Airlines Introduces EarlyBird Check-In, a New Customer Convenience That Simplifies Travel

EarlyBird Check-in Automatically Assigns and Confirms Customers' Boarding Positions in Advance of General Check-in

Don't race. We'll save your place! Southwest is proud to announce its newest product, EarlyBird Check-in, which gives Customers the option to score an early boarding position by adding an additional $10 to the price of a one-way fare. The low-cost service automatically reserves a boarding position for Customers prior to general check-in, allowing EarlyBird Customers to begin boarding the plane after Southwest's Business Select and Rapid Rewards A-List Customers. EarlyBird Check-in is available for purchase beginning today, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009, for travel beginning Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. For additional information on EarlyBird Check-in, visit http://www.southwest.com/flight/early-bird-retrieve-reservation.html or the Company Blog at www.nutsaboutsouthwest.com.

"With EarlyBird Check-in, you no longer need to watch the clock or set your alarm to be one of the first Customers to check in for a Southwest flight. EarlyBird Customers can relax, and let us do the work for them," said Kevin Krone, Southwest's Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Distribution.

An early boarding position provides Customers with the opportunity for a better seat selection and earlier access to overhead bin space, giving Customers the option to enhance their travel experience while creating incremental revenue opportunities for Southwest. Early boarding privileges are already included in the purchase of a Business Select fare and are a benefit of being on the Rapid Rewards A-List. All Customers are required to print their boarding pass prior to their scheduled departure.

Customers can purchase EarlyBird Check-in through a link in the Travel Tools section of southwest.com. They also can select EarlyBird Check-in from their southwest.com confirmation page online and from their confirmation e-mail. EarlyBird Check-in can be purchased up to 25 hours prior to the scheduled departure time of the Customer's flight.

After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, continues to stand above other airlines--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest Airlines even more convenient. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 67 cities (adding Milwaukee later this year) in 33 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide.

JetBlue and Lufthansa to Begin Codeshare Operations

JetBlue Airways and Lufthansa have signed a codeshare agreement under which JetBlue would be allowed to place the Lufthansa code (LH) on JetBlue flights. Initially, the airlines plan to offer connecting service between 12 JetBlue destinations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and Lufthansa's network of 180 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The agreement was filed today for authorization from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

Once a statement of authorization is issued by the DOT, Lufthansa and JetBlue plan to offer convenient connections between the airlines' networks, beginning first with the following U.S. cities:

•Austin, Texas
•Buffalo, N.Y.
•Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
•Fort Myers, Fla.
•New Orleans
•Pittsburgh
•Raleigh/Durham, N.C.
•Rochester, N.Y.
•San Juan, Puerto Rico
•Syracuse, N.Y.
•Tampa, Fla.
•West Palm Beach, Fla. 

Customers traveling from these U.S. cities on JetBlue will be able to connect via New York/JFK or Boston onto Lufthansa flights bound for destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Both airlines are looking forward to the commencement of codeshare operations, which will allow them to provide their customers with an extended route network and a seamless flight experience. Pending authorization, codeshare flights will be available for sale by early October, and will be bookable on lufthansa.com, via a link on jetblue.com, or through local and online travel agencies.

In January 2008, the two airlines entered into an agreement under which Deutsche Lufthansa AG purchased an ownership interest in JetBlue Airways Corporation.