On the Go – April 27, 2023

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

Avoiding Russian Airspace Costly For Airlines (Source: BNN Bloomberg)
Having to reroute around Russian airspace is costly for North American airlines.  Airlines for America estimates this costs $2 billion per year, and some carriers note that new routes have been put on hold.

Delta Air Lines Is Returning To London Gatwick Airport (Source: Travel Market Report)
For the first time in 15 years, Delta Air Lines will fly in and out of London’s Gatwick Airport.  Delta is launching nonstop service between New York’s JFK International Airport and London’s Gatwick Airport. Gatwick is located just under 30 miles south of the center of London.

Security

With TSA’s New Bag Scanners, You Won’t Need To Remove Liquids Or Electronics (Source: Conde Nast Traveler)
Waiting in an airport security line is enough to stress out the average flier—especially when it comes to the X-ray conveyor belt, where each passenger is forced to comb through their carry-on bags and remove large electronics and travel-size liquids.  But at dozens of U.S. airports, that process is getting simpler. The TSA is spending $1.3 billion to roll out hundreds more of the latest high-tech baggage scanners, beginning this summer.

Hotels

Hilton Will Launch A Lower-Midscale Extended-Stay Brand (Source: Travel Weekly)
Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta teased the coming launch of a new extended-stay brand during the company’s Q1 earnings call on Wednesday.  According to Nassetta, the brand will play at the “lower end of midscale,” below Home2 Suites. He described it as a hybrid brand, combining elements of an efficiency apartment and a hotel.

IHG To Debut Vignette Collection In U.K. (Source: Business Travel News)
InterContinental Hotels Group has signed a deal to debut its Vignette Collection in the United Kingdom upon the opening later this year of The Halyard at Ropewalks Liverpool.  The new hotel is expected to open this year under a franchise agreement with U.K.-based Molo Hotels, the company said. 

In Austin, A New Hotel Coming Near University Of Texas (Source: MeetingsNet)
The 18-story Graduate Austin will have meeting space and a rooftop restaurant, and be near a large conference center and hotel on the university campus.  The Graduate Hotels brand, which has developed a presence near 33 large universities around the country over the past nine years, recently completed a deal to purchase land on the southern edge of the campus of the University of Texas at Austin. The plan is for an 18-story hotel named the Graduate Austin to open sometime in 2025.

Leisure Travel

Houston: Exploring The City’s Art, Food And Cowboy Culture (Source: Travel Weekly)
Houston might be best known for barbecue and rodeo, but Tracey Davies finds a thriving arts scene too.  As the sun glitters in the mirrored façade of Williams Tower, a group of rugged men in Wranglers and Stetsons shout “howdy” as they swagger past, causing me to buckle at the knees and squeak out an involuntary “yeehaw” by way of reply.

17 Of The Best Boston Hotels To Know About This Summer (Source: Travel Market Report)
Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau recently debuted a new identity: MeetBoston, with a message that “Boston Never Gets Old.” Boston has been a trailblazer in many areas, including hospitality (The Omni Parker is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the U.S. dating to 1855.) There’s been a boom in new hotels and major renovations, especially in the last few years. Here is a sampling of some of Boston’s best hotels to visit this summer.