Orbitz announced that it has launched a new page called Road Warrior (roadwarrior.orbitz.com), which is meant to be a home page for all Road Warrior needs. The page includes; Wi-fi, Spa, Hotel, and other amenity locators and also has maps for public transportation and other important business-minded features. There are also reviews and tips from actual business travelers on the site.

In its press release announcement, Randy Wagner, chief marketing officer of Orbitz Worldwide, Americas says, “The business travelers we call Road Warriors are a breed apart; they’re seasoned, smart and savvy, and a large segment already use Orbitz as their website of choice.

With our new specialized microsite, we’re making it easier for these customers to plan and book every aspect of business travel, while also enjoying the many benefits of OrbitzTLC.”

The new service promises to provide small and home business travelers with all the features and amenities provided through corporate travel agencies.

The new Orbitz online store will cater to the needs of unmanaged business travelers, such as those who own and operate a home business. The new micro-site will be linked through the Orbitz.com homepage and is also navigable via its own URL address, (http://roadwarrior.orbitz.com). The new site features travel tools, original editorial content and other business-specific resources geared toward "making business travelers’ life on the road easier and hassle-free".

Orbitz’ new Road Warrior online store is designed to provide the same level of features and benefits that often come only with a full-service corporate travel program, such as:

Travel Alerts

• Up-to-the-minute flight delay, cancellation or gate change alerts - Proactive alerts (referred to as Orbitz TLC Travel Alerts) that notify travelers and their designated contacts of flight status, changes, cancellations and any event that might impact travel. Orbitz says its seasoned team of former U.S. military air traffic controllers, travel agents and former airline employees will monitor nationwide travel conditions and events 365 days a year.

• Late arrival hotel alerts - For business travelers who book flight and hotel through Orbitz, the company will call a hotel for late arrivals to ensure the traveler’s hotel room reservation is protected. If the hotel doesn’t honor the booking for your late arrival, Orbitz promises to find and re-book you into a hotel of comparable quality and value.
• Emergency information alerts - Orbitz will email business travelers with any tips and relevant information regarding news that might impact their travels, such as a transit strike or any new Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) policies that are going into effect, along with helpful insider tips.
• Executive car service and car service alerts - Orbitz allows customers to find and book luxury sedan transportation, and alerts drivers or car service providers of any updates to the traveler’s arrival time.

OrbitzTLC Mobile Access

Provides travelers with access via any mobile phone or wireless device which allows travelers to check their Orbitz itineraries, flight status from dozens of airlines, and real-time, last-minute hotel availability in any of the top 20 U.S. markets.

Hotel alerts and reviews

Road Warrior features an Onsite business traveler tab that features reviews written by business customers who have actually stayed in hotels along with professional hotel critiques by Frommer’s.

Destination-specific information for top business travel markets

Allows you to find what's available at your destination, such as:

• Spa and fitness center locators
• Coffee shop locators
• Restaurant reservations information
• Public transportation maps and information

Standard booking features for air, car and hotel

Orbitz claims an inventory that includes more than 400 airlines, 65,000 lodging properties worldwide and 13 rental car companies.

Trip tips from business travel columnist Joe Brancatelli

Joe Brancatelli is editor and publisher of JoeSentMe.com, a website for business travelers. He is also the former executive editor of Frequent Flier magazine, travel advisor of Travel Holiday and contributing editor to Travel and Leisure.

Travel news and forecasts

• Business travel news that's supported by a full-time Orbitz journalist.
• The latest weather and travel forecasts
• Customer Q and A with Orbitz air traffic control analysts. Insight from analysts with U.S. Military backgrounds and weather-certified commercial air traffic experience.