On the Go – December 17, 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

Southwest Adds 2 More California Cities To Network (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
Southwest Airlines will begin flying to Santa Barbara Airport and Fresno Yosemite International Airport in the second quarter of 2021. That move will mark the 11th and 12th new destinations Southwest has added this year and give the airline a total of 13 California cities in its network.

United Launches Contact Tracing Program With CDC (Source: CNBC)
United Airlines has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control to launch a contact tracing program for domestic and international travelers. The program will be rolled out in phases, starting with the voluntary collection of information for all international arrivals starting Dec. 17. At check-in, passengers will be asked to voluntarily provide key pieces of information, including their name, phone numbers and an email address.

United Deploying High-Tech Baggage System In Houston (Source: KPRC-TV)
United Airlines has begun to deploy a new baggage handling system at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport that is the first such system in the US and expected to significantly improve baggage handling speed and accuracy. The first phase of the system opened last week while phase two construction is to begin in January.

Southwest to Return 737 Max to Service in March (Source: Reuters)
Southwest Airlines expects to take delivery of 35 new 737 Max aircraft by the end of 2021. Southwest plans to return the recertified aircraft to service in March after all pilots have been retrained.

General Interest

FDA Approves New At-Home COVID-19 Test (Source: The Points Guy)
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.

A State-By-State Guide to Travel Restrictions (Source: USA Today)
If you are planning to travel around the US in upcoming weeks, it’s important to take note of states’ coronavirus restrictions and guidelines before hitting the road. This article outlines the current regulations, ranging from quarantine periods and testing mandates to stay-at-home orders and health questionnaire requirements for all 50 states.

Hotels

Pandemic Drives US Hotel Room Vacancies Toward 1 Billion (Source: Bloomberg)
More than 962 US hotel rooms stood empty as of last week, a 46% increase over last year’s unsold total and a loss of $46 billion, according to STR. With the figure expected to pass 1 billion by the turn of the year, industry groups assert that many hotels will fold without further government relief.

Airports

Los Angeles Airport Executive Notes Emphasis on Touchless Technology (Source: Los Angeles Business Journal)
Justin Erbacci, who took over the top executive job at Los Angeles World Airports shortly before the coronavirus pandemic exploded, discussed in an interview how he chose to maintain most of the $14 billion modernization of Los Angeles International Airport intact while also investing in technology aimed at keeping passengers and employees safe. The airports have added cleaning crew, ultraviolet cleaning technology, touchless components, thermal screening, biometric boarding for international passengers and technology that allows passengers to order food ahead of time.

Leisure Travel

Vaccine News Has Led To A Spike In Travel Bookings For 2021 and Beyond (Source: Washington Post)
A dozen travel companies and organizations – encompassing cruise lines, tour operators, travel agents and resorts – told The Washington Post that they are seeing bookings pick up for the second half of next year after a brutal stretch that brought the world to a standstill.

26 Places Ideal For Bike Tours (Source: Bicycling)
Bicycling magazine has scoped out 26 places around the US to take bike tours with something for people of all skill levels. The destinations include places for people interested in wine and cuisine, off-roading adventures as well as history and culture.