On the Go – July 6, 2023

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

Delta to Partner With El Al Israel Airlines (Source: Simple Flying)
Delta Air Lines is launching a partnership with EL AL Israel Airlines that will allow passengers to book seamless travel on the two airlines and enjoy reciprocal frequent flyer benefits. “Working closely with EL AL will further strengthen Delta’s connection to Israel by offering more customers unrivalled access to destinations across the US,” said Matteo Curcio, Delta’s senior vice president for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India.

Security

The TSA Is Expanding Facial Recognition Technology To 25 Airports (Source: Thrifty Traveler)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been testing the use of facial recognition technology at airport security checkpoints for years, hoping to improve and even speed up the identity verification process. Now, the agency is expanding that technology to even more airports across the U.S., despite some privacy concerns and calls from Congress to stop.

Airports

Airports Deploy Artificial Intelligence (Source: AviationPros)
Airports are employing artificial intelligence to improve the passenger experience. It aids in tracking the flow of travelers, speeding check-in and boarding and scanning baggage.

Seattle Airport Invests $7B To Keep Up With Travel Demand (Source: The Business Journals)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has launched almost $2 billion in major infrastructure projects in the last two years and plans to invest another $5 billion by 2027 with traffic up overall with few down times. “We can’t build or improve the airport fast enough to keep up with that growth and still stay operational,” said Charles Goedken, manager of operational readiness and airport transition.

US Plans Preclearance Facility For Toronto City Airport (Source: Simple Flying)
US Customs and Border Protection plans to open a preclearance facility at Toronto’s Billy Bishop City Airport in 2025. This will allow passengers to exit US airports without delay and increase connection options.

Hotels

Workers From Several Southern California Hotels Are On Strike (Source: Travel Weekly)
According to the Hotel Association of Los Angeles, around 15 to 18 properties throughout the greater Los Angeles area have been impacted over the last few days.  An overwhelming majority of the organization’s members voted in favor of a work stoppage last month after union reps reported that negotiations with hotel employers — including Hyatt, Hilton, Highgate, Accor, IHG and Marriott — had hit a dead end, with the union accusing hotel management of being nonresponsive.

Leisure Travel

Dining With Views: 10 Restaurants With The Best Views In The U.S. (Source: The Travel)
A good dining experience is not just about delicious food and good service. It is also about the views and the overall ambiance of the restaurant. Many restaurants around the world only focus on the food and the service, but these restaurants in the US go the extra mile to include incredibly beautiful views on the menu, so the eyes can feed while the stomach feeds.