On the Go – April 7, 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

JetBlue Makes Competing Bid to Acquire Spirit (Source: Business Travel News)
JetBlue has submitted a competing offer to Spirit Airlines’ board of directors in hopes of wooing the ultra-low-cost carrier away from its merger deal with Frontier Airlines. JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes in a statement said the acquisition would be a “game changer” in terms of the carrier’s ability to compete on a national scale.

Delta Retains Lead in February N. America On-Time List (Source: Business Travel News)
As it did in January, Delta Air Lines in February held the top spot among North American carriers in on-time performance, according to Cirium’s monthly report. Delta flights arrived on time 86.6 percent of the time, followed by Alaska Airlines, at 83.3 percent.

United Airlines Marks 96^th Birthday (Source: Simple Flying)
United Airlines celebrated its 96th birthday on April 6. The carrier traces its origins back to Varney Air Lines, which began business in 1926 with a mail run between Pasco, Wash. and Boise, Idaho. Varney was one of the founding airlines that segued into United Airlines. Since then, United has come a long way. The airline’s 860 odd planes now fly to 376 destinations in 70 countries.

Delta Now Uses ‘Dynamic’ Seat Maps That Block Certain Rows (Source: The Points Guy)
Throughout the pandemic, Delta was one of the major U.S. carriers to guarantee flyers extra space by blocking the middle seat for additional social distancing and passenger comfort. While that policy is now history, the Atlanta-based carrier has implemented a new type of seat blocking. This one, however, is designed to make it easier for groups of travelers to sit together.

United CEO Unveils Strategy for Recovery, Modernization (Source: Live and Let’s Fly)
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby unveiled “United Next,” a plan for moving the company forward by modernizing and expanding the fleet, focusing on customer service and using technology to control costs. “What that means is that we’ve got, this year, four pillars to really, really focus on, that we can all focus on to make sure that we’re successful and that we continue to build upon the foundation that we build during COVID,” Kirby said.

Airports

Washington Airport Concourse Expansion to Kick Off Next Year (Source: Construction Drive)
Major construction is expected to begin in mid-2023 on the expansion of Concourse C at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington, adding four floors atop the existing structure, according to the Port of Seattle. The sustainable design reflects the landscape of the Pacific Northwest and will include 145,530 square feet for dining and retail.

Pittsburgh Airport Project Will Yield New, Single Terminal (Source: KDKA-TV)
The $1.393 billion construction project ongoing at Pittsburgh International Airport will replace airside and landside terminals with a single facility, eliminating the need for transportation between buildings. The project will cut operating costs as well as improve the passenger experience, said Allegheny County Airport Authority Executive Vice President Paul Hoback.

Hotels

Trump Hotel in D.C. Will Become a Waldorf Astoria (Source: Travel Weekly)
The Trump Organization’s plans to sell the lease of the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. to a Miami-based investment fund has received government approval. The 263-room hotel, which is housed within the Old Post Office Building, has been in operation since late 2016. 

Ground Transportation

Your Next Rental Car Could Be Electric (Source: Travel Market Report)
This week, Hertz announced it had agreed to buy 65,000 electric vehicles from Polestar, a Swedish car manufacturer, over the next five years.  The plan is for Hertz to start offering the vehicles in Europe starting this spring and then roll them out to other markets, including North America and Australia, later in 2022. The additions will initially be the Polestar 2.