BEST ‘VIP SERVICE’ AVAILABLE. An online annual survey by Business Travel News lists the following airlines in order of rating for best available VIP Services: American, United, Delta, Continental, and TWA.

BEST INFLIGHT AUDIO. Airlines with the best inflight audio, according to the October World Airline Entertainment Association’s AVION awards: British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Hawaiian, Swissair, and Virgin Atlantic.

BUSINESS TRAVELERS’ FAVORITE HOTELS IN CHINA. According to an online survey reported in USA today, the following five hotels were the top choices selected by business travelers: Beijing Hotel, Beijing International Club Hotel, China World Hotel, Great Wall Sheraton, and Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza.

ATM’s MAY OFFER BEST EXCHANGE RATES. You may be surprised to know that if your are at an airport in a foreign country and need cash fast, the best place to get it is almost at your fingertips. Automated teller machine transactions are done at the bank wholesale rate, the best exchange rate available.

Ed Perkins, a consumer advocate for the American Society of Travel Agents says there’s no hard-and-fast rule, because banks add on their own charges for ATM withdrawals in foreign countries, usually $3 to $5 per transaction. But he points out, the cost is almost always better than going to foreign exchange booths, which offer poorer rates and may also add on charges.

SURFING FOR CULTURE. Looking for a way to entertain clients and business associates while on the road? A recently upgraded web site offers searchable schedules for more than 1,500 symphonies, dance companies, operas, theaters and museums—more than 250,000 events total. Users can also book tickets for a cost of $4.50 per ticket. Browsing is free. This three year-old web site is billed as the first national booking service for culture events. Visit www.culturefinder.com.

AMERICAN CURBS 1999 GROWTH PLANS. Citing "global economic conditions," American Airlines is postponing several new international routes, including Chicago-Moscow, Chicago-Amsterdam, and Miami-Asuncion as part of its efforts to scale back its 1999 growth plan. American will, however, go ahead with its planned Los Angeles-Paris and New York-Frankfurt services pending approvals, but service to Tokyo from Boston and New York is

being postponed due to a lack of slots at Narita Airport. Dallas/Ft. Worth-Manchester will remain a seasonal service May through October.

UNITED CUT SERVICE BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND OSAKA, but added summer service between Chicago and Osaka. It also changed one of its two daily Los Angeles-to-Tokyo flights to depart out of Seattle. Northwest ended flights between Chicago and Tokyo and from Fukuoka to Honolulu, but added service between Tokyo and Anchorage, between Detroit and Nagoya, and between Tokyo and Las Vegas. American Airlines didn’t cut any flights, but is planning to start flying between Dallas and Osaka in December.

MORE AND MORE CARRIERS ARE BANNING SMOKING on flights. In early November, the three Brazilian carriers that fly to the U.S. banned smoking in accordance with a new law that prohibits smoking on their international and domestic flights.

Japan airlines will ban smoking on its international flights beginning April 1, 1999 --domestic flights have been smoke-free for two months. All Swissair flights have been smoke-free since last June. In an effort to help smokers, the carrier offers nicotine chewing gum on long flights.

Although the smoking ban is intended to improve flight conditions for all passengers, some in the industry think that perhaps the edginess of the "smokers without smoke" is contributing to the unruly passenger situation. Airline officials agree there are too many unruly passengers on flights, but are divided on whether in-flight assaults and incidents are increasing.