On the Go – August 29, 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

SAS Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Ahead Of SkyTeam Transition (Source: Travel Weekly)
Scandinavian airline SAS has exited U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.  The move, described as “a new era” for SAS, comes after the European Commission last month approved the carrier’s restructuring plan, which will see Air France-KLM take a 19.9% percent stake in SAS, and just days ahead of its entry into the SkyTeam airline alliance on Sept. 1.

United Flight Attendants Vote To Strike (Source: Travel Market Report)
Flight attendants at United Airlines have voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike, though the likelihood of an airline workers strike is slim.  Represented by Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), 99.99% of flight attendants voted “yes” to authorizing a strike, with 90.21% of union members participating, if United Airlines does not meet their contract demands.

Is Southwest Considering A Change To Its Free Baggage Policy? (Source: Travel Market Report)
Southwest Airlines is fresh of making the biggest shift in its 57-year history, having axed its open-seating policy in July. Now, there are some rumors that another huge change could be coming.  According to Bloomberg, Southwest is at least asking its passengers what it thinks about changing its baggage policy, which might be the most customer-forward policy in the industry. Currently, Southwest offers all passengers the option to check bags at no additional cost, something no other U.S. airline does.

IATA Aims To Improve Airline Communication On Interline Bags (Source: Travel Weekly)
An initiative aims to assist with one of the biggest vulnerabilities in baggage handling — interline baggage transfer — by helping airlines better communicate with each other and with airports.

Delta Invests In Minneapolis (Source: Star Tribune)
Delta Air Lines has invested $100 million into renovations at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and added 22 routes. “The airport functions as the entryway for our entire region and state,” said Peter Frosch, chief executive of Greater MSP.

General Interest

Labor Day Weekend Travel To Hit Record Highs With Cheaper Fares (Source: CNN)
Labor Day weekend travel in the US is forecasted to increase by 9% for domestic trips and 8.5% in airport passenger volume compared to last year, according to AAA. The Transportation Administration is preparing for record crowds, with United and American Airlines expecting their busiest operations ever. Despite the surge, travelers will benefit from a 2% dip in overall travel costs, including a 5% decrease in airfare and lower gas prices.

Security

Liquid Rules Are Changing At Some European Airports On September 1 (Source: Travel Market Report)
Some European airports are set to go backward when it comes to security innovation.  Starting on Sept. 1, all airports in Europe will again require travelers to abide by one set of security restrictions that will force passengers to adhere to a 100ml limitation and take out liquids, and electronics, from bags when going through security.

TSA Accepting Digital ID At 3 California Airports (Source: Simple Flying)
The Transportation Security Administration is now accepting digital California identification in Google Wallet at the airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose, and California plans to roll out the program to Apple users in the near future. Users of both Apple and Android digital wallets can use them to store state identification in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland, and Apple recently added Ohio.

Airports

San Francisco Airport Launches $2.6B Terminal 3 Transformation (Source: SFO)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is set to launch its $2.6 billion Terminal 3 West Modernization Project in phases, with the first section scheduled to open in the fall of 2027. Travelers will benefit from expanded security checkpoints, upgraded passenger amenities, enhanced technologies, new airline lounges and more.

Orlando Airport To Undergo Billion Dollar Modernization (Source: Tampa Bay Times)
The multi-billion-dollar renovations to the Orlando International Airport (MCO) will enhance the north terminals, rental car operations, shuttle trains and baggage systems.

US Airports Witness A Boost In New Tech (Source: Simple Flying)
From contactless technology such as face and iris recognition to automated security screening and even people movers, airports across the US are adopting the latest tech. The US government is also awarding grants to airports in the country for maintenance, repair, and upgrade, and together with the involvement of airport operators, many are now seeing a boost in tech use.

Hotels

Immersive “Lion King” Suite Offered At Hilton In NYC (Source: TravelPulse)
Hilton New York Times Square has unveiled The Lion King Royal Suite, a one-bedroom deluxe suite that features furnishings, patterns, soft goods and other accents paying tribute to the jungle aesthetic of Disney’s “The Lion King,” which is performed at a Broadway theater three blocks away. The Lion King Royal Suite experience package offers a special premium seat rate for the musical, complimentary Lion King merchandise, a round of two Hakuna Manhattan cocktails or two Serengeti Sunrise mocktails, daily full breakfast buffet for two, specialty memento item and a wake-up call from Tshidi Mayne, who plays Rafiki in the Broadway play.

Kimpton Claret Hotel Opens In Denver’s Bellview Station (Source: Meeting News)
A new-build from IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle portfolio, the 190-room Kimpton Claret Hotel has debuted in South Denver’s growing Belleview Station neighborhood.  “We are excited to open our doors as the first lifestyle boutique hotel in this area,” said general manager Keith Siebenaler. “Belleview Station is a destination on the rise, as it is perfectly located between Downtown Denver, the South Denver corridor and Cherry Creek State Park, and really capitalizes on the live, work, play trend in development.

Leisure Travel

7 Haunted Hotels Hosting Ghost Tours For Halloween (Source: Travel Market Report)
For a stay with some spooky history this Halloween, look no further than these famously haunted hotels. They all host tours, most of them year-round and not only in October, but the fall season offers the perfect backdrop for visiting these storied establishments.

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