On the Go – April 16, 2020

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

American Airlines CEO Provides Update (Source: American Airlines Newsroom)
In a video message to customers, American Chairman and CEO Doug Parker provides updates on how the carrier is addressing the coronavirus pandemic, including how the company is caring for its team members and communities, such as through blocking off seats to allow for social distancing for those traveling, donating more than 40 tons of food to food banks and giving thousands of amenity kits to hospitals to support frontline workers and first responders.

Emirates Introduces 10-Minute COVID-19 Test For Passengers (Source: AirlineRatings)
Emirates in coordination with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) will be introducing a 10-minute COVID-19 test for passengers. Passengers on Emirates’ flight to Tunisia were all tested for COVID-19 before departing from Dubai.  Emirates is the first airline to conduct on-site rapid COVID-19 tests for passengers.

United Plans to Reopen International Routes in May (Source: Simple Flying)
United Airlines has indicated it hopes to resume international flights in May by opening booking for three daily flights to Europe and two daily flights to South America. United plans to resume flying from Chicago, Washington-Dulles and Newark, N.J., to London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam, respectively, and from Houston to Bogota and Buenos Aires.

American Airlines Extends Elite Status (Source: Frequent Business Traveler)
American Airlines will extend frequent flyers’ current elite status through January 2022, and relax qualifying requirements required for 2021 by up to 50%. Delta, United, Alaska and Air Canada have also announced extensions for elite members.

Delta Changes Boarding Procedure to Address Pandemic (Source: Fox News)
Through at least May 31, Delta Air Lines will alter its boarding procedures so that passengers with seats in the back of the plane board first to help minimize contact with other people passing by. First-class passengers, those who need extra time or assistance and certain loyalty members may board at any time.

What Will Capacity, Route Planning Look Like Post-Pandemic? (Source: Metropolitan Airport News)
Analysts expect the aviation industry to rebound mid-2021, but what will shape routes, capacity, aircraft and other regulations is not a simple answer.

General Interest

Engaging With Travelers And Keeping Them Informed During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Source: Advito)
The business travel industry is facing a challenge unlike any other. The coronavirus has upended daily life for people all over the world, and the way people collaborate and work together has undergone a rapid change.  One thing that we encourage travel managers to remember during periods of disruption is that providing guidance during times of uncertainty is essential. Travelers will be looking to replace business trips with alternative, virtual collaboration options to make sure they can still be productive in a safe environment. And it’s important that companies maintain business continuity in the face of these new challenges.

Buyers Grapple With Cascade of Unused Air Tickets (Source: Business Travel News)
Many corporate travel programs will emerge from the Covid-19 crisis with millions of dollars’ worth of airline vouchers or refunds, which will require keen data management and close cooperation with airline partners. Some buyers told BTN they have at least $1 million in unused tickets.

Study: Americans Are Raring To Go With Travel (Source: TravelPulse)
At least three-quarters of American respondents to a survey last week intend to travel before the year is out, according to LuggageHero. More than half plan to travel between June and December, almost half still plan to go abroad, and just under half will swap international for domestic destinations — but about one-third plan to trim their travel expenses by as much as 40%.

How Biometrics Could Transform Travel (Source: CPO Magazine)
Georgia’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s use of biometric screenings could portend the future of secure travel. Most airports are considering the use of biometric technology in the future.

Hotels 

How to Sanitize Your Hotel Room on Future Trips (Source: SmarterTravel)
Don’t spend the night with the last guest’s germs. As soon as you walk into your hotel room, you should clean these germy areas (after you check for bedbugs, of course). Don’t know how to disinfect a hotel room? Here’s what to do.

Marriott Takes Top Spot in Most-Trusted Hotel Brands (Source: Travel Daily News International)
A study of social media engagement and search volume for the top 100 hotel brands around the globe by the Hotel Trust Index has pinpointed Marriott as most trusted by consumers. The others in the top five are Hilton Worldwide, RIU Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co.

Cleanliness Certification Soon May Be Key For Hotels (Source: Skift)
Ask hotels to name their competitive edge, the tricolon “location, location, location” is the hackneyed response. It no longer applies. Cleanliness has become one of the three most important factors in the road to recovery and in the future. And this is changing practices.

Rental Car

National, Enterprise Extend Elite Status Into 2022 (Source: Business Travel News)
National Car Rental’s Emerald Club and Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s Enterprise Plus loyalty programs each are extending elite status for members by a year.

Security 

TSA Provides Guidance to Those Flying During Pandemic (Source: Fox News)
While air travel numbers have reached historic lows due to the coronavirus pandemic, some continue to fly, and for those people the Transportation Security Administration has provided a new set of safety tips. These include carrying hand sanitizer, and a reminder that face masks are permitted at security checkpoints.

Health Screenings Could Become Task For Airports (Source: Security Today)
London’s Heathrow Airport CEO John Holland-Kaye says screening technology that registers people’s temperature is gaining traction and could become part of the security apparatus of airports following the coronavirus pandemic. Etihad Airways, meanwhile is working with Elenium Automation to test a program that enables health checks for travelers.

Airports

Road Construction Affecting MSP Airport (Source: MNDot)
Motorists should plan ahead and allow plenty of additional time to reach their destination, especially those headed to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. This includes those using shuttles, rideshares, taxis. All businesses and residences will remain accessible throughout the project. All traffic impacts are tentative and weather dependent.

FAA Distributes $10B Relief Grants to US Airports (Source: Bloomberg)
The Federal Aviation Administration has announced how $10 billion in federal grants will be distributed to US airports to support payroll, utility costs, debt payments and capital expenditures. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International will receive the largest grant, $338.5 million, which an airport spokesman said “will allow ATL to continue to provide safe and secure airport operations, while retaining our employees.”