On the Go – December 10, 2020

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

Airlines Expect to Add Passenger Flights to Ship Vaccines (Source: Reuters)
Airlines anticipate transporting the coronavirus vaccine through cargo and passenger networks to provide sufficient capacity once vaccines receive approval for distribution. “I think we’re going to reach a point fairly soon as multiple vaccines are approved that most of the planes that are operating are going to be carrying vaccines,” said Roger Samways, vice president of cargo sales at American Airlines.

Delta And United Eliminate Change Fees On International Travel (Source: Travel Weekly)
Delta Air Lines and United are both eliminating change fees on international travel from North America. The two follow American Airlines, which last month expanded its change-fee policy to cover all non-Basic Economy fares originating in the Americas.

American Airlines Expands US Flight COVID-19 Testing (Source: CNBC)
American Airlines is expanding its preflight COVID-19 testing program to passengers traveling to any US destination that has quarantine requirements for out-of-state travelers.  American’s program will cover 11 states entirely, as well as Chicago, the territory of Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.

Delta CEO Sees International Vaccine Mandates Likely (Source: Today)
In an appearance on “Today,” Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the airline would “strongly encourage” employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, reiterated the need for more federal support for airlines, and suggested that vaccine requirements for flying are likely in the future. “I think for international travel, it will become a requirement, whether it’s the airline that does it or some international authorities do it,” Bastian said.

Delta, KLM Partner on COVID-Tested Flights to Amsterdam (Source: AIN Online)
Delta Air Lines is teaming up with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to offer flights from Atlanta to Amsterdam, starting Dec. 15, on which all passengers are tested for COVID-19 and can avoid quarantine requirements in the Netherlands following a negative PCR test result there. “Creating COVID-free travel corridors, in addition to the multiple layers of safety and hygiene measures we have implemented through the Delta CareStandard, will provide customers–and authorities–greater confidence that they can stay healthy when flying,” said Steve Sear, Delta’s international president and executive vice president of global sales.

General Interest

Cleanliness Now Travelers’ Top Priority When Selecting Hotels, Flights (Source: TravelPulse)
According to the results of a new survey conducted by YouGov PLC for Honeywell, travelers’ priorities have shifted when it comes to selecting the airlines and hotels they’re booking amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The study polled a base sample of U.S. and U.K. adults (weighted to represent the countries’ overall populations) about the criteria they’re looking at when determining their travel choices. In a sign of the times, cleanliness/hygiene ranked highest among their considerations (57 percent), surpassing cost and all other factors.

How Safe Are “Immunity Passports?” (Source: TravelPulse)
A few countries like Iceland and Hungary are allowing people to use “immunity passports,” which show proof that the person has recovered from the coronavirus, although scientists are not entirely sure that protects a person from being reinfected. The International Air Transport Association plans to offer a digital Travel Pass that shows proof a traveler has been vaccinated.

Hotels

Miami Beach Landmark Will House First US Bulgari Hotel (Source: Robb Report)
Miami Beach, Fla.’s South Beach will be the site of the first US property for Italian luxury hotelier Bulgari. An iconic mid-century modernist building that played host to Hollywood stars decades ago will be the site of the 100-room hotel, scheduled to open in 2024.

Airports

March 2023 Opening Set For New Missouri Airport (Source: KMBC-TV)
A new $1.5 billion terminal at Missouri’s Kansas City International Airport will be completed on March 3, 2023 with a grand opening to follow, Mayor Quinton Lucas says.