On the Go – January 13, 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

American Airlines, Aer Lingus Enter Codeshare Agreement (Source: Simple Flying)
American Airlines and Aer Lingus have announced a codeshare agreement. American passengers will be able to book flights on the Irish national carrier from Dublin to European cities and Aer Lingus travelers can book through flights on American’s domestic network.

Delta Extends Expiration of Pandemic Flight Credits (Source: The Associated Press)
Air Lines has extended through 2023 the deadline for using credits for flights canceled during the pandemic. Those credits, which were to expire at the end of 2022, can be used on flights as late as 2024. Before the announcement, Delta flight credits were set to expire at the end of 2022. The new date will also apply to all tickets bought in 2022. Customers will be able to use the credits throughout 2024 if the trip is booked by Dec. 31, 2023, the airline said.

Airline Tech Focuses on Passenger Experience (Source: PhocusWire)
Airlines’ priorities for technology investment in 2022 are cybersecurity, technology that boosts sustainability and enhancements that further digitalize and streamline the customer experience, including efforts to improve screening of health credentials to meet pandemic requirements.

JetBlue Cuts 17 Pandemic Leisure Routes (Source: Simple Flying)
JetBlue is cutting 17 routes, primarily to destinations in the Caribbean and Florida, which were added to meet leisure travel demand resulting from the pandemic. “As our customers return to more expected booking patterns, these changes will free up aircraft time that we can redeploy into other areas of our network that hold the most strength and relevance to our network strategy in the long term,” the airline said in a statement.

New Southwest CEO Discusses 2022 Goals (Source: The Associated Press)
Incoming Southwest Airlines CEO Robert Jordan discussed in an interview his vision for the airline and how he wants to focus on improving “operational tools” and the customer experience. For example, Wi-Fi reliability, power outlets on aircraft, and enhancing self-serve technologies. Jordan also explained the importance of investing in employees stating, “I want 2022 to be a year where we really invest in our employees, love on our employees, and then get back to being consistently profitable.”

Airports

Denver Approves $900M For Colorado Airport Work (Source: KMGH-TV)
The Denver City Council has approved $900 million for continued renovation of the Great Hall Project at Denver International Airport. The extension brings the total costs of the airport’s renovation to $1.3 billion.

Hotels

Two New Hyatt Lifestyle Hotels Open in Austin, TX (Source: Open Jaw)
Hyatt has announced the opening of two lifestyle hotels in Austin, Texas. Both are located near the downtown core of the city, and Thompson Austin and tommie Austin are 15 minutes away from AUS, according to Hyatt.  “Thompson Austin and tommie Austin each bring something unique and new to the spirited city of Austin,” said managing director Nate Hardesty.

Hotels Struggle to Keep Up With Resurgent Demand (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
Hotels are finding themselves shopping at discount stores for amenities and asking for patience with slower service as supply and staff shortages converge with a deluge of guests. Christmas Day bookings set an all-time record, but so did job resignations in hospitality while supply-chain challenges were cited by 86% of hotels in a survey.

Marriott’s Once-Hip W Hotels Up For Rejuvenation (Source: Skift)
Marriott International is indicating it plans a refurbishment of its nearly 60 W Hotels, which helped pioneer the lifestyle trend two decades ago but have taken hits from aggressive competitors. Faded appeal induced the de-flagging of several W properties in recent years, but new locations have been springing up domestically and globally.

Ground Transportation

Amtrak Proposes Service Between Detroit and Toronto (Source: The Points Guy)
There could soon be an easier way to travel between Detroit and Toronto if Amtrak has its way.  The U.S. rail company announced it would support a combination between Canadian Pacific Railway in Canada and Kansas City Southern Railway in the U.S.  Canadian Pacific acquired Kansas City Southern Railway in December 2021. The company has big plans for the future. There is a proposal to add passenger service between the two cities through the Detroit River Tunnel and connect Amtrak to Canada’s VIA Rail. There’s no exact timeline for when this project would start or be completed.

Leisure Travel

The 8 Most Charming Small Towns in Tennessee (Source: Travel + Leisure)
Everything from wine trails and whiskey distilleries to active adventures and idyllic scenery await in these small towns in Tennessee.  Great as they are, there’s more to the Volunteer State than Nashville and Memphis. Wander away from the buzz of the Grand Ole Opry, Graceland, and Beale Street and into the small-town heart of this music-loving, Great Smoky Mountain-dotted state.