On the Go – January 20, 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 Extends Expiration Date of Upgrades (Source: The Points Guy)
American Airlines is extending the expiration date on upgrade certificates earned in 2019 and 2020 to July 31. The carrier also unveiled Loyalty Points, its program for travelers to qualify for elite status.

Delta Foresees Return to Profitability by March (Source: Business Travel News)
After a bumpy year-end and start to 2022 with mounting flight cancellations and increasing Covid-19 cases, Delta Air Lines anticipates a return to “solid profitability” in March, with “significant demand” from pent-up consumer and business travel, executives said during its Thursday fourth-quarter earnings call.

What Delta Air Lines Predicts For Business Travel After The Omicron Variant (Source: CNBC)
For Delta Air Lines, the Covid situation isn’t as grim as it could be. Its outlook on Thursday issued along with its fourth quarter 2021 earnings report calls for a profit of roughly $400 million for the second half of this year, and its CEO Ed Bastian noted that would make Delta “the only major U.S. airline to achieve second-half profitability.”

FAA Implements More Efficient Descent Procedures to Reduce Fuel Burn, Emissions (Source: Federal Aviation Administration)
Descent procedures that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) put in place across the country in the 2021 will save millions of gallons of fuel and reduce CO2 and other emissions by hundreds of thousands of tons.

General Interest

10 Tech Trends Airports and Airlines Should Watch Out For in 2022 (Source: Future Travel Experience)
Every year, the editorial team at FTE looks into the crystal ball to offer our predictions on the trends and technologies that will shape the air transport industry. This year, our list comprises 10 trends that we believe will ensure airlines and airports can improve and simplify the passenger experience, enhance business performance, and support the post-COVID-19 recovery. We explore everything from the metaverse, air mobility and sustainability to robotics, autonomous vehicles and digital twins. 

Airports

Telecoms Agree to Delay 5G Rollout Near ‘Some’ Airports (Source: Business Travel News)
AT&T and Verizon, set to roll out U.S. 5G service Wednesday, on Tuesday agreed to delay the new cellular service near some airports after several passenger and cargo airlines warned it could trigger “significant operational disruption.” The safety concerns about 5G concern interference with aircraft radar instruments.

New Procedures Now The Norm At Airport Lounges (Source: The Washington Post)
Airport lounges have reopened in most locations, but many of them have adopted new procedures, such as contactless check-in, capacity limits and more rigorous cleaning procedures. Dining options have also changed, with a greater emphasis on self-service options and pre-portioned foods.

Hotels

Marriott Partners With Robotics Startup to Reimagine Guest Rooms (Source: PhocusWire)
Marriott International is partnering with robotics and architecture startup Ori as part of the hotel giant’s new Marriott Design Lab, an R&D lab for the hotel industry. Through the partnership, announced at CES in Las Vegas, Marriott will outfit its guest rooms with Ori’s transformable furniture and space solutions technology, giving travelers more flexibility and access to new kinds of rooms and experiences.

The 7 Most Anticipated Hotel Openings of 2022 (Source: SmarterTravel)
From overwater bungalows on private islands to slopeside ski chalets, 2022 is looking to be a good year for new hotels. These are the seven hotel openings that we’re most excited about for the new year. 

Hilton’s Brand New Budget-Friendly Motto Hotel Opens In New York City (Source: The Points Guy)
There is a fun new addition to the New York City hotel scene. Hilton has opened a Motto hotel in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. This is only the third property Hilton has opened under this brand, which was introduced in 2018. These micro hotels in urban destinations were designed to compete with hostels by offering small, affordably priced rooms.

Leisure Travel

In Memphis, The National Civil Rights Museum Honors A Tragedy – And Highlight An Icon of Mid-Century Travel (Source: The Points Guy)
Graceland, Beale Street and barbecue. They form the holy trinity of any trip to Memphis. But amidst -all the music, neon-lit nightlife, and a food scene rife with both unforgettable classics and exciting new restaurants, there is another must-see sight here. The National Civil Rights Museum, situated downtown just a few blocks from the banks of the Mississippi, is more than just a collection of exhibits that harken back to another time. It is situated in what was formerly the Lorraine Motel, the place where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, on the balcony outside of his room.