On the Go – July 22, 2021

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

United Expects Record Year For European Travel in 2022 (Source: The Points Guy)
United Airlines expects its capacity to be higher in 2022 than in 2019, with a record year for European travel and new routes to Africa and India compensating for a slower rebound in Asia. “We think the summer of 2022 across the Atlantic has the potential to be our best season ever, with pent-up demand and easing border restrictions,” said Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella.

Rome Fiumicino Airport Launches Biometric Boarding For Delta Passengers (Source: Future Travel Experience)
The new biometric boarding system launched in collaboration with Delta Air Lines and SITA forms part of Aeroporti di Roma’s broader innovation strategy. Departing passengers travelling with Delta Air Lines will be able to use the facial recognition technology as they pass through check-in, security checks and boarding gates. Passengers will be compared against data collected from identification documents and boarding passes. During check-in, passengers will be asked to present their passport and boarding pass, which will provide them with all the information they need to authorise their onward journey to the airport.

General Interest

Canada to Welcome Vaccinated U.S. Visitors on August 9 (Source: Business Travel News)
Canada next month will open its border to U.S. travelers fully vaccinated against Covid-19, with a wider opening to the rest of the world to follow in September, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced on Monday. U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are at least two weeks beyond their full vaccination dosage can travel to Canada without quarantine starting Aug. 9. 

US Extends Mexico, Canada Border Restrictions Through August 21 Despite Canada’s Plan to Allow Fully Vaccinated Americans (Source: USA Today)
The United States has extended border restrictions on nonessential travel yet again as COVID-19 infections rise in every state.  U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada will remain closed through Aug. 21, according to documents to be published in the Federal Register. The previous U.S. border restrictions were set to end Thursday.

Challenging Airport Experiences Could Await Business Travelers (Source: Business Travel News)
It’s been more than a year since many business travelers have passed through an airport, and enough has changed to surprise even the most experienced business traveler. “If you are coming back for the first time now, I think many are going to be shocked. It’s going to look like summer 2019,” said Jeff Livney, chief experience officer of Servy.

Hotels

U.S. Hotels Continue Recovery in June (Source: Business Travel News)
The U.S. hotel industry in June continued a recovery still led by leisure travel, with occupancy and revenue per available room each at their highest point since October 2019, according to STR. Average daily rate in June continued to improve and was the highest it has been since February 2020.

How Apple’s Newest Features Will Affect Hotel Check-In (Source: PhocusWire)
Apple’s announcement last month that it would implement the storage of hotel keys in its Wallet application is a significant step toward simplifying the mobile check-in process for guests. Significant, but not exhaustive – it’s important to note that issuing digital keys is only one step of the complex process that allows guests to bypass the front desk. Apple’s announcement certainly does not spell the end of the hotel app as we know it.

Airports

AT&T to Offer mmWave 5G Wireless Service at Airports (Source: Digital Trends)
AT&T is partnering with Boingo Wireless to offer mmWave 5G wireless connectivity at major US airports, which is designed to excel in heavily congested areas. The high-speed service will debut at seven major airports in 2021 and 18 more by the end of 2022.

California Airport Gets $5M For Runway Work (Source: The Press-Enterprise)
Ontario International Airport has received $5 million in federal funds to help pay for runway and taxiway reconstruction. The grant comes from COVID-19 relief funds.

Leisure Travel

Passport Delayed? 5 Places You Can Go Without One (Source: Washington Post)
The $370 million Margaritaville Resort Times Square hotel has opened in Manhattan’s entertainment district, complete with the city’s only year-round heated outdoor pool and a 32-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty holding a margarita. The property features 234 guestrooms, five restaurants and bars and a retail store.