Going the extra mile

Entrepreneur, June, 1997 by Shirley Louise Walker

Facing stiff competition from other Asian airlines, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific regularly takes honors for best business-class service on those interminable trans-Pacific flights. Its amenities include new, larger seats with personal entertainment systems that offer eight channels of bilingual entertainment. In-flight phones are located away from seats for privacy, and flight attendants can send and receive faxes for passengers.

The most striking feature of Cathay's business class is the service - a virtual army of flight attendants offers personal touches that are difficult to duplicate. And U.S.-based travelers earn points with American Airlines' AAdvantage program.

If Hong Kong is only a stopover for you, you'll find connections at Cathay's Hong Kong hub punctual and plentiful. One unique feature of Cathay is its highly touted Web site, Cyber Traveler, which occasionally auctions seats for cash or to those with big banks of frequent flier miles. And in a move especially pleasing to East Coast travelers, Cathay recently launched direct service from New York City's JFK to Hong Kong, with only a quick stop in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Visit Cathay's Web site at www. cathay-usa.com, or for reservations, call (800) 233-ASIA.

Best Airport: Chicago Midway

Were it not for Midway Airport, air fares in and out of the Windy City would be out of reach for many entrepreneurs in Chicagoland. Low-fare carriers such as Southwest, Kiwi, ValuJet and Vanguard make their Chicago stops here.

Business travelers find Midway appealing not only because of its lower fares but also because of its central location and accessibility. Now that the airport has its own CTA or "L" transit stop, with Orange Line trains running to the downtown area 10 miles away, it's surprising more business travelers don't opt for this smaller, friendlier and less hectic cousin of giant O'Hare International Airport 15 miles to the north.

In its 50-year history, Midway has gone from being the world's busiest airport to a near-shuttered facility in the 1970s. Now it's a thriving airport that serves 9 million passengers a year. Fourteen airlines serve almost 60 cities with direct or nonstop flights from Midway - most of them on low-fare carriers. And last year, the city of Chicago and Southwest Airlines teamed up on a six-year redevelopment plan that will replace the aging terminal and roadways.

Hotels

Best Budget Hotel Chain Budgetel Inns

Budgetel has won our praise before. This time around, we recognize it for its attention to budget-conscious business travelers. Budgetel just invested $2.5 million to equip 10 percent of its rooms chainwide with BusinessFirst amenities - the first economy hotel chain to do so. BnsinessFirst rooms come with in-room office conveniences typically offered only by higher-priced hotel chains, such as extra-large desks with ergonomic chairs, task lighting, speakerphones with modem hookups, trays of free office supplies such as Post-it notes and pens, and free copying services and incoming faxes. Other room features include king-sized beds, recliners, in-room coffee makers, 25-inch color televisions with remote, and free local calls. You'll even find a free continental breakfast hanging on your room door each morning!