On the Go – August 4, 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

Delta Air Lines Adds New International Routes (Source: Fox Business)
Delta Air Lines will launch two new routes Dec. 17, between Los Angeles and Tahiti and between Atlanta and Cape Town, South Africa. The airline also plans to start nonstop service next May between Atlanta and Tel Aviv, Israel.

DOT Proposal Calls For Better Protection For Delayed/Canceled Flights (Source: Travel Market Report)
The stress put on the travel ecosystem, and travelers, since the spring is spurring moves to give consumers a little more protection when their plans are impacted.  On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a new rule that would make it easier for travelers to be compensated for when a flight is canceled or heavily delayed. The DOT said the proposal was inspired by a “flood” of consumer complaints over mistreatment from airlines since early 2020.

Average Airfare Drops From Record Highs (Source: USA Today)
Relief is on the horizon for air travelers in the U.S.  New data from Hopper, the online booking platform, suggests airfares should decrease from this summer’s record-high prices, averaging less than $300 round-trip for domestic itineraries booked this month.  “Domestic airfare this fall will drop to $286 this August, down 25% compared to the airfare peak in May of this year, in line with 2019 prices,” the firm said in its third-quarter travel index. “Airfare will remain at or below $300 through late September, before beginning to rise slowly in October and November.”

Delta Air Lines to Open Tokyo Sky Club (Source: Delta News Hub)
Delta is opening its first Delta Sky Club at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport – the only club there operated by a U.S. airline – a luxurious addition featuring regional specialties as Japan gradually eases pandemic-era restrictions and welcomes business and leisure travelers alike.  “We’ve been looking forward to this day for years,” said Claude Roussel, Managing Director – Delta Sky Club. “Bringing the signature Delta Sky Club experience to Haneda as we continue to grow our network of premium, one-of-a-kind lounges is a huge moment for our Asia-Pacific partners, and all future Haneda Club customers.”

FAA Starts Regulatory Review of Airplane Seat Size Standards (Source: Travel Weekly)
The FAA is starting a regulatory review process that could lead to the setting of size standards for commercial airplane seats as well as the space between aircraft rows.  The first step will be a document asking the public to provide comments on the safety impacts of existing seat widths, seat lengths and the space between rows (known as “pitch” in industry parlance).

General Interest

France Drops Remaining COVID-19 Requirements For Travel (Source: Travel Market Report)
This week, France dropped all remaining COVID-19 protocols for incoming travelers, returning the country’s tourism requirements back to pre-COVID normal.  Effective immediately, inbound travelers to France will no longer have to present proof of vaccination or show a negative COVID-19 test upon entry. They also won’t be required to complete a health declaration form prior to travel.

Foolproof Ways to Reduce Jet Lag on Your Next Trip (Source: SmarterTravel)
For seasoned globetrotters, jet lag is an all-too-familiar part of international travel—the fatigue, the disorientation, and especially that pesky inner alarm that wakes you up at 4:00 a.m. and sends you stumbling back to bed before dinnertime. While there’s no real cure, the advice below explains how to avoid jet lag and which remedies are most likely to help.

Airports

Iowa Airport Plans New Terminal in 3 Phases (Source: Engineering News-Record)
Iowa’s Des Moines International Airport is planning three phases of work to replace its existing terminal. HNTB has been selected to design the project, which could cost up to $769.8 million and is being split into phases to get work started with available funds.

The 10 Worst Airports in Europe For Flight Delays (Source: SmarterTravel)
It’s no secret that air travel is stressful this summer, especially in Europe. The situation is so bad that London Heathrow Airport recently capped the number of passengers allowed to fly from the airport at 100,000 per day until September 11, asking airlines to reduce their ticket sales. Yet, Heathrow isn’t even the worst airport to travel from this summer. According to a study by travel site Hopper, Brussels Airport in Belgium is the worst airport to fly from if you’re hoping for an on-time departure. Out of all flights departing the airport in July 2022, only 25 percent left as scheduled. 

Hotels

Mandarin Oriental Hotel in D.C. Will be Rebranded (Source: Travel Weekly)
The Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C. will soon join Salamander Hotels & Resorts and have a new name.  The 373-room luxury hotel also will have a new owner. Earlier this month, Mandarin Oriental International Ltd. said it agreed to sell the property to London-based private equity real estate firm Henderson Park for $139 million.

U.S. Hotel Pipeline Expands But Cost Concerns Mount (Source: Business Travel News)
The number of U.S. hotel construction projects in the development pipeline at the end of the second quarter was about 9 percent higher than one year prior, according to a new report from Lodging Econometrics. While the company expects growth to continue due to developers’ pent-up demand, elevated costs for materials and supply chain issues could slow its pace, according to the report.

Leisure Travel

10 Best Things To Do In Nashville (Source: SmarterTravel)
There’s no reason to be bored in Nashville. This 24/7 city has something for everyone, whether it is somewhere to eat, somewhere to drink, somewhere to play, somewhere to learn, or somewhere to shop. And all of that is accompanied by a soundtrack of music, from country to bluegrass to rock. So whether you show up with a guitar on your back or you don’t know a fret from a saddle, you’ll find something that sounds good to you. Here are the 10 best things to do in Nashville.

How to Check For Hidden Cameras in Your Vacation Rental (Source: SmarterTravel)
It’s a horrifying scenario—finding a hidden camera in your hotel room or vacation rental. And unfortunately, it’s also a recently emerging trend as more and more people report this invasion of privacy. One 2019 survey found that a whopping 11 percent of respondents had found a hidden camera in an Airbnb. Protect yourself by learning how to check for hidden cameras in your vacation rental or hotel room.