This article from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@xxxxxxxxx Carriers Adjust for Possible War March 11, 2003 By JOE SHARKEY Carriers Adjust For Possible War Most airlines have followed US Airways and temporarily relaxed penalties for passengers who might change destinations or flight schedules if war begins or if the government declares a code-red security alert. US Airways started the move last week, allowing ticketed passengers 90 days to reschedule flights under those circumstances. American Airlines was the latest to adjust rules for charging penalties, which are typically $100 to rebook a nonrefundable ticket on or before its departure date. With nonrefundable fares at their lowest levels in many years, airlines are worried that potential passengers might decide that the fee is too big and choose not to plan trips in the spring, said Terry Trippler, the air fare expert at CheapTickets .com. Flights to Germany Making a concerted effort to establish a bigger presence in the premium business travel market in the United States, Lufthansa plans to expand its business-jet services between Newark and Munich and start new service between Chicago and Düsseldorf this spring. The nonstop flights will be on 48-seat corporate jets operated by the Swiss charter carrier PrivatAir, Lufthansa said. The airline said the new flights were being timed to coordinate with various connecting flights from Düsseldorf and Munich. The expansion on the Newark route, to six days a week, will start on May 19, and the Chicago flights, also six days a week, begin on June 9. Emergency Services With war talk growing, there has been a rush by corporate travel managers to sign onto international services that provide contact and logistical support with traveling employees during emergencies. Travel managers say that the first priority is being able to locate an employee involved in a crisis. Other concerns are effective long-term communication, medical care and the ability to evacuate employees. Quick and efficient internal response is a crucial part of a corporate emergency plan, said E. Alan Platt, the director of global security and intelligence for International SOS, the world's largest medical emergency and security assistance company. Corporate bureaucracies are changing to accommodate the need for fast response, he said. "The heretofore strict demarcations of internal corporate responsibilities are rapidly blurring," Mr. Platt added. "Finance, information, human resources, purchasing and security all have a stake in assessing ongoing risk and maintaining a rapid response plan." Easier E-Ticketing Passengers on Continental Airlines with e-tickets can now check in and print out boarding passes from their computers at home or in the office using the continental.com Web site. The service, similar to one that American Airlines began earlier, is for people traveling without checked bags, Continental said. JOE SHARKEY http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/11/business/11MEMO.html?ex=1048393172&ei=1&en=e3114f17bd09f2e8 HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales@xxxxxxxxxxx or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help@xxxxxxxxxxxx Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company