ViaSat Selected For In-flight Wi-Fi Service On American Airlines 737 MAX Fleet

-- New Agreement Enables American to Increase Passenger Engagement and Optimize Customers' 

Onboard Wi-Fi Experiences with a Proven, Scalable Internet Platform

-- ViaSat Already Recognized as the Fastest, Best Performing In-flight Internet System, Delivering

 Highest Quality Streaming Video and Media Experiences to Every Connected Passenger Device on the Plane

 American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) has selected

 ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global broadband services and technology company, to outfit its

 new Boeing 737 MAX fleet with ViaSat's in-flight internet service. The ViaSat in-flight internet service 

has been recognized with multiple industry awards for delivering the best performing, highest-quality

 and fastest in-flight internet experience. The service encourages higher passenger engagement per

 plane by offering an 'at home' internet experience when in-flight – with the ability to stream movies,

 videos, television and music, as well as surf the web, upload pictures to social media, email large

 files and more.

The new American planes will tap into the power of ViaSat's advanced high capacity Ka-band

 satellite system, which will include ViaSat-1, ViaSat-2 and ViaSat-3 satellite platforms, and has

 more capacity in orbit than any other in-flight Wi-Fi provider. American will leverage ViaSat's first

 two generation satellite platforms, which together provide more capacity than all of the commercial 

satellites over North America combined. When the first ViaSat-3 class satellite platform launches in

 2019, it will more than double the capacity again. With its capacity-rich satellite platforms, ViaSat is

 able to deliver the fastest, highest quality in-flight internet service to each connected device on a plane.

"Our satellite bandwidth enables an 'at home' internet experience that can serve everyone on the

 plane – and empowers innovative business models for airlines and their passengers," said Mark

 Dankberg, ViaSat chairman and CEO. "We are delighted and honored to have the opportunity to

 work with American Airlines and help fulfill their goal of delivering the best in-flight Wi-Fi experience 

throughout their fleet. We believe we are now approaching the end of an era where passengers have

 paid very high prices for very slow connections. Our agreement highlights a significant initial step

 for American to deliver an onboard Wi-Fi experience every passenger will want to use."

As an internet service provider, ViaSat already serves nearly 700,000 residential and business users

 with high-speed, high-quality satellite internet. The ViaSat network is also the key to supporting

 thousands of simultaneously connected aircraft, each with dozens to hundreds of connected devices.

Availability

First Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with the ViaSat in-flight internet system are scheduled to go into 

service in September 2017.

About ViaSat

ViaSat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) keeps the world connected. As a global broadband services and 

technology company, ViaSat ensures consumers, businesses, governments and military personnel

 have communications access - anywhere - whether on the ground or in-flight. The Company's

 innovations in designing highest-capacity satellites and secure ground infrastructure and terminal

 technologies coupled with its international network of managed Wi-Fi hotspots enable ViaSat to 

deliver a best available network that extends the reach and accessibility of broadband internet 

service, globally. For more information visit ViaSat at: www.viasat.com, or follow the Company on social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

National, Enterprise, And Alamo Earn Top Customer Experience Ratings For Rental Car Agencies, According To Temkin Group

Sixth Annual Temkin Experience Ratings Evaluates 294 Companies Across 20 Industries

 National Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Alamo Rent A Car deliver the best customer

 experience in the rental car industry, according to the 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual 

ranking of companies based on a survey of 10,000 U.S. consumers.

National and Enterprise tied for the top spot out of 11 rental car agencies in this year's ratings,

 coming in 142^nd overall out of 294 companies across 20 industries. Alamo came in second with

 an overall rank of 166^th. These three agencies also earned the highest scores in 2015; although, 

Alamo fell from first place to second place after its score dropped a dramatic nine percentage points.

 In fact, of the 11 rental car agencies included in this study, Fox Rent A Car was the only one to 

improve its score in the past year.

"Congratulations to National, Enterprise, and Alamo for continuing to set the bar for customer 

experience in the rental car industry," states Bruce Temkin, managing partner of Temkin Group.

At the other end of the spectrum, Dollar received the lowest score in the industry with a rating

 of 36%, which put it in 292^nd place overall. Dollar is no stranger to the bottom of the list as it

 has spent four of the past five years there. In addition, three other rental car agencies received

 "very poor" scores (below 50%) this year: Thrifty, Advantage Rent-A-Car, and Fox Rent a Car.

Overall, the rental car industry averaged a 52% rating in the 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings and 

placed 17^th out of 20 industries. The average rating of the industry decreased by eight percentage

 points between 2015 and 2016, dropping from 60% to 52%.

The ratings of all rental car agencies in the 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings are as follows:

• National Rent a Car (61%)
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (61%)
• Alamo Rent A Car (59%)
• Hertz (53%)
• Avis (51%)
• ACE Rent A Car (50%)
• Budget (50%)
• Fox Rent A Car (49%)
• Advantage Rent-A-Car (49%)
• Thrifty (45%)
• Dollar (36%)

To generate these ratings, Temkin Group asked 10,000 U.S. consumers to evaluate their recent

 experiences with a company across three dimensions: success (can you do what you want to do?),

 effort (how easy is it to work with the company?), and emotion (how do you feel about the interactions?). 

Temkin Group then averaged these three scores to produce each company's Temkin Experience Rating.

In these ratings, a score of 70% or above is considered "good," and a score of 80% or above is

 considered "excellent." In this year'sTemkin Experience Ratings, 20% of companies earned a

 "good" or "excellent" score, while 44% received a "poor" or "very poor" score.

The 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings, along with other ratings, can be accessed at the Temkin

 Ratings website,www.TemkinRatings.com.

The free report, "2016 Temkin Experience Ratings," is available for download at the Custome

r Experience Matters^® blog (ExperienceMatters.wordpress.com) and at the Temkin Group website,

 www.TemkinGroup.com.

\

Sofitel New York To Celebrate National Cheese Day, June 4, With Pop-Up Shop With Murray's Cheese To Benefit The Bowery Mission

Selections include artisanal cheeses from France, Holland and Vermont

 Sofitel New York is once again partnering with Murray’s Cheese, New York City’s oldest cheese shop, for National Cheese Day on Saturday, June 4.Une petite fromagerie will be open from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the hotel’s signature restaurant, Gaby Brasserie Française. Donations are welcome and will benefit The Bowery Mission in its goal to provide help and hope to the homeless and impoverished of New York City.

Guests will enjoy tastings of select artisanal cheeses and receive assistance from a cheesemonger, knowledgeable in the finer points of cheese, as they make their choices. Selections will include a Ewephoria Sheep Milk Gouda from Holland; three cheeses from France, including a Comté Saint Antoinecow’s-milk cheese, a Tomme Crayeuse cow’s-milk cheese and a Saint-Maure de Touraine pasteurized chevre; and two cheeses from Vermont, which include a Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue and a Spring Brook, Reading cow’s-milk cheese.

Reservations may be made by calling 212-782-3040. For more information, visit gabynyrestaurant.com.

About Sofitel New York

Sofitel New York, part of AccorHotels group, is a stylish Midtown hotel with a decidedly French accent in its contemporary décor, sophisticated artwork, brasserie cuisine and cosmopolitan service. It features 398 guest rooms, including 52 suites; function space that serves small to mid-sized events; and an outstanding brasserie, Gaby Restaurant, whose French executive chef has won the Food Network show Chopped among other accolades. Sofitel New York is ideally located at 45 West 44^thStreet, affording easy access to Fifth Avenue and the Times Square theater district. For reservations, call 800-SOFITEL (763-4835) or visit http://www.sofitel-new-york.com/.

About The Bowery Mission

The Bowery Mission has served homeless and hungry New Yorkers since 1879. This year, The Bowery Mission provided more than 406,000 meals to men, women and children, 91,000 nights of shelter and 44,000 articles of clothing, as well as showers, haircuts, and expert medical and optometric care. Each meal and every night of shelter is an invitation to residential recovery programs, where men and women get a second chance and lives are transformed from hopelessness to hope. Last year, the Mission’s residential programs served nearly 300 men and women who are regaining sobriety, reconnecting with family and faith, pursuing educational goals, and preparing for work and independent living. To ensure that at-risk children have a positive first chance at life, The Bowery Mission’s city camp and summer camp serves nearly 1,200 at-risk children from poor city neighborhoods. www.bowery.org

Alcatraz Named As One Of The Top Ten Landmarks In USA

 

TripAdvisor recently revealed the winners of its 2016 Travelers' Choice Awards for Landmarks in the United States, for which Alcatraz was named number 3.

The Top Ten Landmarks in the United States, according to TripAdvisor’s 2016 awards are as follows:

1.    Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

2.    Golden Gate Bridge

3.    Alcatraz

4.    USS Arizona Memorial

5.    Grand Central Terminal

6.    Statue of Liberty

7.    Empire State Building

8.    Biltmore Estates

9.    Brooklyn Bridge

10. Rockefeller Plaza

According to TripAdvisor’s description of Alcatraz Island, “For almost 150 years, Alcatraz has given chills to the innocent and cold sweats to the guilty. Having once been a forbidding maximum-security penitentiary, Alcatraz is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area [one of America's 407 National Park sites] and is this year’s #3 Travelers’ Choice Landmark. The roster of former Alcatraz inmates includes A-list criminals such as crime boss Al Capone and kidnapper George Kelly. Though it was considered escape-proof, in 1962 the Anglin brothers and Frank Morris infamously floated away on a makeshift raft and were never seen again.”

Visit www.alcatrazcruises.com for more information about Alcatraz tours

and to purchase tickets, up to ninety days in advance

Alcatraz Cruises is the National Park Service concessioner of ferry service to Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, one of America's 407 National Park sites. Alcatraz Cruises hosts nearly 1.5 million visitors annually.  Alcatraz Cruises designed, built and operates the first hybrid ferry in the United States.  The Hornblower Hybrid’s revolutionary design has reduced fuel consumption by 75% and has already begun to be implemented in other parts of the country.  For more information visit:www.alcatrazcruises.com.

5 Reasons To Visit San Antonio This Summer

San Antonio, widely recognized as a top travel destination, is introducing even more reasons to bring the

 whole family to the Alamo City. Interactive world-class exhibits, close encounters with dolphins and giraffes,

 and a high-rise ride at a one-of-a-kind theme park are just a few of the new attractions visitors can find in

 San Antonio this summer.

In a city filled with new and tried-and-true attractions, highlighted below are just five of the new experiences

 visitors can have this summer in San Antonio:

• Enjoy High-Flying Thrills: Six Flags Fiesta Texas' Fiesta Bay Boardwalk brings three 
• new rides to the theme park. Guests will find themselves looping, spinning, and soaring 
• as they experience the new high-adrenaline thrills on Fireball, featuring a massive 7-story
•  looping frenzy; Hurricane Force 5, where riders take on the power of a storm and swirl 
• round-and-round while soaring high into the air; and Spinsanity, the ultimate whirling adventure
•  for daredevil riders.
• 
  
• Reveal the Hidden Worlds of the Maya: The story of one of the most sophisticated and
•  powerful civilizations of all time is being told in the largest exhibition to be brought to a San
•  Antonio museum in the city's history. The Witte Museum's "Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed"
•  is the first exhibition at the museums' new Mays Family Center and brings together hundreds
•  of authentic artifacts displayed in more than a half-dozen immersive and hands-on environments.
• 
  
• Ride on a One-of-a-Kind Ferris Wheel: Morgan's Wonderland, the world's first and largest
•  theme park designed with special-needs individuals in mind and built for everyone's enjoyment,
•  unveils its new Whirling Wonder Ferris wheel this season. This five-and-a-half story ride along
•  the shoreline of the park's catch-and-release fishing lake can accommodate guests with and
•  without special needs.
• 
  
• Swim with Dolphins: SeaWorld San Antonio's added attraction, Discovery Point, is the only
•  interactive dolphin experience in the state of Texas. Discovery Point is the largest single 
• capital investment in the park's 27-year history, doubling the size of its former dolphin habitat. 
• The attraction transports guests to a lush, tropical setting with opportunities to swim with the
•  dolphins and also see them swim and play in a new way through a floor-to-ceiling, panoramic
•  underwater viewing area.
• 
  
• Watch The Battle of the Alamo Come to Life: One of the most pivotal battles in American 
• history comes to life through "Battle for Texas: The Experience," a 22,000-square-foot "edutainment" 
• adventure in the Shops at Rivercenter. This interactive experience features more than 250
•  never-before-seen Alamo artifacts and heart-racing multimedia re-enactments of the 13-day 
• battle – allowing visitors to experience the Battle of the Alamo from the perspectives of the
•  mission's defenders and the Mexican army.

Along with these fun, family friendly attractions, visitors can plan their trip to enjoy San Antonio's 

numerous summer events, including the events below. 

JUNE

• Now – July 10: Storybook Houses – San Antonio Botanical Garden
• Now – August 13: (Friday and Saturday Nights): Fiesta Noche Del Rio – Arneson River Theatre 
• Now – September 5: Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed – Witte Museum
• Now – September 11: Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861 – 2008 – McNay Art Museum
• 3 – 6: Summer Art & Jazz Festival – Crockett Park
• 4 – September 5: Mathletics – The DoSeum
• 7 – July 26 (Tuesdays): Movies by Moonlight – Travis Park
• 11 – September 4: Highest Heaven – San Antonio Museum of Art
• 10 – 12: Texas Folklife Festival – Institute of Texan Cultures
• 11 – August 14: Summer Nights – SeaWorld San Antonio

JULY

• 1 – 4: Fourth of July Artisan River Walk Boutique – River Walk
• 2 – 4: Coca-Cola® July 4^th Fest – Six Flags Fiesta Texas
• 2 – 4: Independence Day at SeaWorld – SeaWorld San Antonio
• 2: "Pride Bigger Than Texas" Pride Parade and Festival – Crockett Park
• 3: Independence Day Celebration – Traders Village
• 4: The Official City of San Antonio July Fourth Celebration – Woodlawn Lake Park
• 8 – 29: Balcones Heights Jazz Festival Concert Series – Wonderland of Americas

AUGUST

• 6 – 7: Dog Days of Summer – San Antonio Botanical Garden
• 13 – 27: San Antonio Restaurant Week – Various restaurants

For more information on San Antonio's summer attractions and events, visit www.visitsanantonio.com.

Win An Unforgettable Night 57 Floors Above Philadelphia At One Liberty Observation Deck In A Suite Outfitted By Kimpton Hotel Palomar

                                                                                                                                                                                                             

WIN “A NIGHT IN THE STARS” AT ONE LIBERTY OBSERVATION DECK

One Liberty Observation Deck and Kimpton Hotels of Philadelphia Team Up to Create a

One-Night-Only Skyline Suite for a Lucky Winner and Their Guest to

Spend the Night in Philadelphia’s Highest Hotel Room – 57 Floors Up

Philadelphia’s newest and tallest attraction, One Liberty Observation Deck, announces its “A Night in the Stars” sweepstakes in partnership with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants of Philadelphia. From June 1 – 14, participants visitwww.phillyfromthetop.com to enter to win one night in a custom-built skyline hotel suite 57 floors above the city. On June 22, the winner of the sweepstakes will spend one unforgettable night in Philadelphia’s highest hotel room and wake up to incredible sunrise views the next morning.  The pop-up hotel room, outfitted with the luxuries of Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia’s Presidential Suite, will maximize the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Observation Deck and allow the winner and his/her guest to take in the expansive 360° city views in this exclusive, one-night-only suite.

During the grand prize stay, the winner and their guest will further enjoy the comforts and Kimpton-signature amenities of a spacious king-sized bed on a Kimpton plush mattress, luxe Frette linens, Atelier Bloem bath amenities, a signature Palomar robe, and VIP culinary experiences.

The full prize package includes:

• One night stay at One Liberty Observation Deck in a suite outfitted by Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia on Wednesday, June 22, 2016
• Bottle of champagne upon check-in provided by Hotel Palomar
• Three-course dinner for two with one bottle of Red Owl Cabernet or Stratus Chardonnay at Red Owl Tavern
• Drinks for two at Stratus Rooftop Lounge
• Room service breakfast at One Liberty Observation Deck provided by Square 1682
• The entire experience is valued at over $1,300

“Since first opening late last year, One Liberty Observation Deck has become the place for visitors and locals alike to experience Philly at brand new heights. It’s the best view of the city in the city,” explained Observation Deck General Manager Evan Evans. “The contest winner will have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of not only enjoying the view, but also waking up to it.”

“Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants of Philadelphia are thrilled to be a part of this unique opportunity with One Liberty Observation Deck, celebrating the gorgeous views of our beautiful city. We pride ourselves in providing to our guests locally inspired, unforgettable experiences, and ‘Night in The Stars’ will be exactly that,” said Mark Hayes, general manager of Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia. “Between the Observation Deck’s stunning views and Kimpton’s superior style and comfort, one lucky winner and their guest will enjoy a truly one-of-a-kind experience here in Philadelphia.”

Prize winner and their guest must be 21 years of age or older and be available for the overnight stay on June 22, 2016. Participants can enter once per day at www.phillyfromthetop.com from June 1 through June 14, 2016.

About One Liberty Observation Deck

One Liberty Observation Deck, Philly From The Top, located in the heart of Center City, is Philadelphia’s tallest enclosed observation deck. At 57 floors up, enjoy 360° views, 365 days a year, morning noon & night! Located within walking distance to other major attractions and just steps away from public transportation, get a top-down look at iconic sights, breathtaking views and discover the music, sports & culture that is the City of Brotherly Love. Open every day 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., One Liberty Observation Deck is owned and operated by Montparnasse 56, the group behind observation decks in Paris, Berlin and Chicago. For more information, visit PhillyFromTheTop.com or call 215.561.DECK (3325)

About Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is a leading collection of boutique hotels and restaurants and the acknowledged industry pioneer that first introduced the boutique hotel concept to the United States. In 1981, Bill Kimpton founded the company that today is renowned for making travelers feel genuinely cared for through thoughtful perks and amenities, bold, playful design and a sincerely personal style of guest service. Out to help people live full, balanced lives, Kimpton aims to inspire with touches like yoga mats in every room, complimentary coffee and tea to start the day, hosted evening Wine Hour, in-room fitness programming and complimentary bike rentals. The award-winning restaurants and bars are led by talented chefs and bartenders that offer guests a chance to dine like a local.

Kimpton is consistently ranked as one of the top companies in the Market Metrix Hospitality Index, Upper Upscale Segment, for Customer Satisfaction. The company is highly-regarded for its innovative employee culture and benefits and has been named a FORTUNE magazine “Best Place to Work” seven times since 2009. Kimpton is continuously growing and currently operates over 60 hotels and 70 plus restaurants, bars and lounges in 30 U.S. cities. In January 2015, Kimpton was welcomed into the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) family of hotel brands, bringing together two special cultures and sets of values to create the world's largest boutique hotel business. For more information, visit www.KimptonHotels.com.

These Are The Airports To Avoid Summer 2016 Unless You Really Love Waiting

Plus: The month with the most travel delays and the most miserable airport in the U.S.

Taylor Swift crooned “Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you” with enough gusto to make anyone want to hop a flight ASAP. But it’s people who plan on visiting New York this summer that are likely to be doing the waiting.

MileCards.com just released its 2016 summer airport delay report, based on six years of Department of Transportation data from about 50 of the busiest airports in the U.S. The site calculated things factors including where you’ll wait the longest to take off (New York’s JFK and LaGuardia), the longest wait to get to the gate (Los Angeles’ LAX) and the most miserable airport overall, New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport.

EDUARDO MUNOZ / REUTERS

Sorry, Newark. You’ve been named the “most miserable airport” of summer 2016. 

New York/New Jersey-area airports are widely known for being, well, less than perfect — just ask Joe Biden — and MileCards’s findings reflect that notion. LaGuardia, JFK and Newark all rank in the top five for most miserable, with take-off waits at LaGuardia and JFK up to three times longer than waits at the fastest airports for taxi time, Dallas and Houston.

The report’s misery score, which is pretty much what it sounds like, was calculated by adding an airport’s on-time arrival ranking with half of its take-off wait ranking and half of its landing wait ranking for a maximum score of 100. Newark earned a whopping 95 points on the Misery Index scale, followed by JFK, LaGuardia and Chicago O’Hare with 94 each and Boston Logan at 84.

It’s not all bad news, though. Travelers interested in visiting Honolulu, Hawaii this summer might be happy to learn its airport was ranked number one for on-time travel, followed by Salt Lake City, Utah and Seattle, Washington.

The site also found June is the worst of the summer months for air travel thanks to its high delayed flight rate. And while JFK is ranked among the worst, it saw the most improvement in delay time in the past five years, alongside Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta. 

Check out the best and worst airports for on-time travel below, and head toMileCards.com to see the entire report.

MILECARDS.COM

By Jamie FeldmanLifestyle Editor, The Huffington Post