On the Go – June 17, 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

Delta Air Lines Launches Digital Health Credential (Source: Delta News Hub)
Passengers flying Delta Air Lines between the US and UK this summer will be among the first to use Delta FlyReady, a digital health credential solution that confirms travelers have met testing requirements at their destination. After completing a COVID test up to three days before departure, test results are linked to an itinerary or passengers can upload results from their test provider. FlyReady is integrated into Delta’s mobile app so an additional app is not needed.

JetBlue Cuts A Whopping 27 U.S. And International Routes (Source: The Points Guy)
JetBlue’s route map is getting a pandemic-era shake-up. Over the weekend, the New York-based carrier filed a slew of cuts beginning this fall, per Cirium schedules. The majority of the cuts are on routes that were added during the pandemic, a development that comes JetBlue begins seeing “more expected booking patterns.”

American Airlines Retires Inflight Magazine (Source: USA Today)
American Airlines is discontinuing its inflight magazine, American Way, noting that passengers have numerous electronic options for onboard information and entertainment.

American Hub At DFW Celebrates 40^th Anniversary (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
American Airlines is marking 40 years since Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport became a hub airport. The airline launched service to 11 new cities in June 1981 which led to Dallas becoming the airline’s home base. “At that time 40 years ago, the airline had never before begun service to as many stations on a single day,” said Jim Moses, American’s vice president of DFW hub operations.

General Interest

Touchless Air Travel Started to Take Off (Source: Future Travel Experience)
Frequent Flyers on United Airlines, Air Canada and other Star Alliance airlines will be able to use touchless biometrics services at more than 460 airports under a new partnership between the airline group, NEC Corporation and SITA. Representatives from United and SITA discussed trials of a biometric-enabled experience at San Francisco International Airport in a virtual discussion for the recent FTE APEX Biometrics Summit.

Ban on US Non-Essential Travel Lifted By EU (Source: Reuters)
Americans will be permitted non-essential travel to the European Union thanks to a vote Wednesday by ambassadors from the 27 nations. Five other countries were added as well to the approved list, which allows for individual nations to demand negative COVID-19 tests or quarantines.

Where Can Americans Travel In Europe? A Country-By-Country Guide (Source: Travel Weekly)
While the news of Europe’s gradual reopening to American travelers is causing excitement among travel advisors and their clients, the lack of unity and clarity on the rules has translated into headaches for those who are anxious to start planning.

Security

TSA Encourages Early Airport Arrival As Hiring Ramps Up (Source: CBS News)
Passengers at some airports are being advised to arrive three hours early as some airports experience a shortage of Transportation Security Administration employees. A TSA memo indicates shortages at 235 airports, including Washington Dulles, Denver and Boston. The TSA announced earlier this year it plans to hire more than 6,000 security officers, but so far has only reached half of that target.

Hotels

8 Things You Should Never Do In A Hotel (Source: SmarterTravel)
You may think of it as your “home away from home,” but try not to get too comfortable in that hotel room. Private hotel rooms are a surprisingly public space, shared by hundreds of strangers each year. And whenever you share something with that many people, things are bound to get dicey. For your own sake, we recommend that you avoid these eight activities no matter where you stay.

Harrah’s In Las Vegas Celebrates Finish of $220M Overhaul (Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
A $200 million renovation that included the casino floor, lighting and 2,542 guestrooms has been completed at Harrah’s in Las Vegas, parent company Caesars Entertainment announced. Marnell Architecture as the room designer for the multiyear upgrade.

Travel Technology

What It’s Really Like To Use Apple’s New AirTags To Track Your Luggage (Source: The Points Guy)
I have a bad habit of losing things. I often find I’ve misplaced my phone or some other easy-to-lose item (keys, for example) when I need them the most. This usually happens at home or, even worse, in hotel rooms. It’s one of the reasons I’ve always loved the Find My iPhone feature in iCloud that lets you ping your phone from another device. I also use my Apple Watch to ping my phone (sometimes as frequently as once a week or more) when it inevitably disappears somewhere around the house.

Leisure Travel

13 Time Travel Vacation Ideas In The U.S. (Source: SmarterTravel)
Some places offer an incredible glimpse into history. If you want to feel like a time traveler, put one of these unforgettable places in the U.S. on your bucket list.

10 Best Beach Cities in America, Ranked (Source: SmarterTravel)
For most Americans, summer means one thing—beaches. But if you’re the type of person that can only take so much sun and swimming, remember that plenty of sandy U.S. spots have a lot more to offer than just waves and sunbathing. Let this be the year you expand your sun-filled horizons to include hot cultural spots, wander-worthy museums, and tantalizing culinary scenes.