On the Go – December 12, 2019

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

American downgrades service on Miami-L.A. leg of transcon flights (Source: Frequent Business Traveler)
American Airlines this week reduced the level of service on a transcontinental leg between Miami and Los Angeles on all narrow-body aircrafts but the 32T. 

Senator wants overdue airplane legroom study to be more thorough (Source: New York CBS 2)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is worried that the Federal Aviation Administration’s legroom and seat-size testing is not only behind schedule — its yearlong study’s results were due in October — but that its focus is too narrow to sufficiently address passengers’ issues.

Southwest announces expanded flight schedule (Source: Dallas Business Journal)
Southwest Airlines has announced new and expanded flight schedules from Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver, Houston and Nashville, Tenn.

United’s new CEO equipped to lead calm transition (Source: inc.com)
As Scott Kirby prepares to take over as United CEO, many are praising the airline’s leadership transition.

Airports

Congress should drop plan to raise passenger fees (Source: The Hill)
Raising the passenger facility charge will “burden budget-conscious consumers and families who rely on less expensive tickets,” writes John Breyault, a vice president at the National Consumers League.

Dallas airport to resume construction (Source: Dallas Business Journal)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport will continue construction on the Integrated Operations Center.

N.C. airport breaks ground on $600M expansion (Source: The Charlotte Observer)
North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport has begun its $600 million lobby expansion renovation and expects to complete it in 2025.

Tampa, Fla. airport to invest $4.2M more in tech (Source: Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Florida’s Tampa International Airport is increasing its contract with Audio Visual Innovations Inc. from its current level of $3.75 million to $7.95 million.

Hotels

Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort to open “Star Wars”-themed hotel (Source: FOX 35)
The new “Star Wars — Galactic Starcruiser” hotel is set to open in 2021 at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Security

TSA screened a record-breaking number of Thanksgiving travelers (Source: Travel Pulse)
The Transportation Security Administration screened a record-breaking 26 million passengers and crew members between Nov. 22 and Dec. 2, as well as 16 million checked bags.

Technology

DHS drops plan to require facial scans of US citizens (Source: Tech Crunch)
The Department of Homeland Security will not proceed with a proposal to require all US citizens to submit to facial scans when entering and exiting the country.

Scanning tech upgrade may end liquids, laptops removal (Source: Forbes)
London’s Heathrow airport and other major hubs are trying out new 3D scanning technology that may eliminate the need for passengers to remove liquids and laptops during screening.

Vacations

French protests put massive crimp in travel industry (Source: Travel Daily)
Nearly all high-speed trains into and out of France, 20% of flights at six airports and nine metro lines are not operating due to the country’s largest mass strike in more than 20 years, now in its fifth day.