On the Go – April 25, 2024

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

Southwest Airlines To Drop 4 Airports, Reduce Headcount (Source: Meetings & Conventions)
Southwest Airlines will limit hiring and stop flying to four airports as it copes with weak financial results and delays in getting new planes from Boeing.  Both Southwest and American Airlines reported first-quarter losses Thursday. Demand for travel remains strong, including among business flyers, but airlines are dealing with higher labor costs, and delays in aircraft deliveries are limiting their ability to add more flights.

DOT Changes Rules On Airline Fees And Refunds (Source: Meetings & Conventions)
The Biden administration issued final rules Wednesday to require airlines to issue cash refunds automatically for things like delayed flights, and to disclose fees more clearly for checking bags or canceling a reservation.  The Department of Transportation said airlines will be required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for canceled flights and “significant” delays.

Delta Hopes To Cut Bag Recheck For Tokyo Passengers (Source: Simple Flying)
Delta Air Lines is working with US and Japanese officials to spare passengers flying to the US from Tokyo Haneda Airport the inconvenience of having to recheck baggage for connecting flights, and is eyeing flights from Seoul, South Korea, as well. “Anyone who has traveled and connected in the United States knows that it’s a difficult experience,” said Jeff Moomaw, Delta’s vice president for the Asia Pacific region.

General Interest

How Companies Can Boost Wellness For Business Travelers (Source: Forbes)
Companies can prioritize the health and wellness of their employees who travel for business by offering flexible policies that enable them to add a leisure component to their trips and making sure accommodations are in a convenient, central location. Other ways to support business travelers include booking business class and nonstop flights, choosing hotels with wellness amenities and providing advice on proper sleep and nutrition.

Airports

Phoenix Plans To Build New Airport Terminal (Source: KTAR-AM/KTAR-FM)
The city of Phoenix plans to build a new terminal at Sky Harbor Airport, Mayor Kate Gallego announced, noting that the airport generates some $44 billion in revenue. The new terminal “will be beautiful, with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, and able to welcome the newest in airplane technology,” Gallego said.

Terminal 3 Upgrade Begins At Chicago O’Hare (Source: Travel Weekly)
Chicago O’Hare has begun work on a $300 million upgrade of the airport’s Terminal 3.  The Elevate T3 project will upgrade customer amenities and facilities, improve security screening and airport operations, and expand accessibility for passengers with disabilities, the Chicago Department of Aviation said. 

Hotels

Midcentry Elegance And A Marvelous Location: The Langham, Chicago (Source: The Points Guy)
Sometimes unlikely marriages make for the most memorable hotels. Take the somber minimalism of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and the timeless elegance of one of the world’s most venerable hotel brands and you get The Langham, Chicago, among the city’s more intriguing luxury properties.

New York Is Losing One Of Its Best Hilton Properties (Source: The Points Guy)
There’s bad news for Hilton Honors loyalists looking to cash in on an award stay or earn points in New York City: The Conrad New York Midtown is exiting the Hilton portfolio and leaving the Hilton Honors family in early June.

Ground Transportation

Brightline West Kicks Off Construction On High-Speed Rail Between Las Vegas And Southern California (Source: The Points Guy)
Shovels are in the ground on a high-stakes project to link Southern California with Las Vegas by high-speed rail.  In Las Vegas Monday, Brightline West officially broke ground on its new system that, within four years, is expected to offer travelers a two-hour ride between the two metropolitan areas at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour.

Leisure Travel

The 50 Best Bars In North America (Source: Bon Appetit)
Cocktail lovers are scrambling for reservations and bar owners are preparing for the rush of new customers. It can only mean one thing: The 50 Best organization has announced its annual list of the 50 Best Bars in North America. This year’s best bar, crowned at a ceremony on April 23 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, is Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City, led by bar director Eric van Beek. The top spot was previously held by Double Chicken Please (now ranked seventh), a Manhattan cocktail bar serving creative drinks like the “Cold Pizza,” which features Parmesan, burnt toast, and tequila.

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