On the Go – April 14, 2022

Industry News – Click on the title to read the full article. Many of the sources below require a free registration to gain access to the article. If a paid registration is required, the individual source will be noted.

Airlines

Flight Attendants Demand American Airlines Impose Two-Drink Limit (Source: View From the Wing)
Alcohol is about to return to American Airlines coach on Monday, and the carrier’s flight attendants union – the Association of Professional Flight Attendants – has demanded that a two drink limit be imposed on passengers.

Corporate Travel Momentum Fuels Recovering Delta’s Q1 (Source: Business Travel News)
Increasing business travel volume throughout the first quarter helped Delta Air Lines turn a profit in March and increase corporate airfares to 2019 levels, the carrier’s executives reported Wednesday during a quarterly earnings call. Domestic business travel sales at the end of the first quarter had increased to about 70 percent of first-quarter 2019 levels, Delta president Glen Hauenstein said.

Delta Chief Health Officer Discusses Strategy For Future (Source: Fortune)
Delta Air Lines Chief Health Officer Henry Ting joined the airline in 2021 to bolster the carrier’s efforts to protect the health and wellbeing of employees and passengers. Today, Ting is still advising Delta on public health safety, but he is also looking toward the future with a more inclusive perspective of his role, such as developing mental health services for staff. “My role as the chief health officer is to enable and oversee people strategies and, at Delta, we believe this is vital to achieving our business goals,” Ting said. “We believe that enhancing health and well-being enhances confidence and loyalty in our business.”

Alaska Airlines to Invest $2.3 Billion in Infrastructure Upgrades at US Airports (Source: Future Travel Experience)
Alaska Airlines has begun a $2.3 billion investment in infrastructure upgrades at the airline’s hub airports along the West Coast.  At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Alaska Airlines will undertake a major terminal project, that will modernise and increase capacity in the ticketing area and at the security checkpoint to support the airline’s future growth.

General Interest

CDC Extends Mask Mandate For Planes and Trains (Source: Northstar Meetings Group)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that the federal transportation mask mandate will be extended for another 15 days, through May 3. The mandate, which was set to expire on April 18, requires face coverings to be worn at all times on public transportation and in transport hubs, regardless of vaccination status. This includes planes, trains, buses, airports and bus terminals. The agency cited the spread of Omicron in its decision to extend the mask mandate; the variant now accounts for 85 percent of new Covid-19 cases in the U.S.

Airports

Atlanta Once Again Claims World’s Busiest Airport (Source: CNN)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was once again the world’s busiest airport in 2021, a title it held for 22 straight years. In 2021, eight of the 10 airports with the highest passenger volume were in the US, as domestic travel rebounded faster than international flights.

Hotels

IHG Rolls Out New Loyalty Program (Source: Business Travel News)
IHG Hotels & Resorts on Wednesday implemented its updated loyalty program, IHG One Rewards, details of which it teased in January. The new Gold Elite tier, which started on Wednesday and will be reflected in all member accounts by April 17, offers a faster points and rewards earn, according to the hotelier Existing member stays from Jan. 1 will count toward the new status configuration.

Philadelphia Hotel Will Relive Historic Past (Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer)
The Divine Lorraine, which converted to a primarily residential building in 2017 after more than a century as a signature Philadelphia hotel, will return to its former life, owners say. The 11-story structure opened in 1892 as a luxury high-rise apartment house, and in 1948, it became one of the nation’s first racially integrated hotels.

Leisure Travel

”Bleisure” Trips Popular as Business Travel Returns (Source: TravelPulse)
Conferences and work-related training topped the list of reasons why people are returning to business travel in an American Express survey, with 75% percent of business travelers expressing an interest in taking a trip in upcoming months. Millennials are the most likely to resume business travel, while employees across all demographics are planning more “bleisure” trips, which combine work and leisure.