On the Go – June 8, 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

Flight Operations Impacted By Wildfire Smoke (Source: Good Morning America)
Flights to New York City’s LaGuardia Airport were fully grounded for a time and other airports in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia have been hit with significant delays as smoke from Canadian wildfires has enveloped many areas in the Northeast US.

United Opts For High-Tech Inflight Entertainment System (Source: Engadget)
United Airlines plans to install Panasonic Avionics’ Astrova seatback entertainment systems on new Boeing 787 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft. The systems offer 4K OLED screens and bluetooth connectivity and USB-C power ports.

Delta Operates Largest Transatlantic Schedule Ever (Source: Simple Flying)
Delta Air Lines is operating its largest transatlantic schedule ever this summer, with 77 routes to 32 destinations and more than 650 weekly flights. Most flights originate in Delta hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York.

Delta Tries Out Reusable Cups For Inflight Service (Source: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)
Delta Air Lines is trying out reusable plastic cups in an effort to reduce waste in onboard food service. “Finding the perfect cup is more challenging than it may seem – and the obvious choice isn’t always the most sustainable when weight and cup liner materials are considered,” a Delta spokesperson said.

Southwest Airlines CEO Sees Industrywide Pilot Shortage Persisting For 3 Years (Source: Reuters)
Southwest Airlines Co CEO Bob Jordan said on Thursday that an industry-wide shortage of pilots is expected to last for three years due to the challenges carriers face in training new aviators.  Jordan, speaking at the Bernstein Conference, said the Dallas-based airline has about 40 planes that it currently cannot fly because of pilot constraints.  “The constraint is really the ability to put them through the training center because it’s full,” he said.

Airports

Pittsburgh Airport Uses Tech To Separate Trash, Recyclables (Source: KDKA-AM)
Pittsburgh International Airport is looking to improve its sustainability credentials through the use of TrashBot, a device that separates landfill waste from recyclables. The device relies on built-in sensors to sort waste, and it notifies cleaning crews via an app when its bins fill up.

Take The Fast Lane Through Baggage Claim With These 7 Tips (Source: The Points Guy)
Nobody likes baggage claims. They’re crowded, often cavernous and full of people ready to start their trip or get back home.  You can spend less time in the airport and increase the odds your bag will be on the same flight as you if you carry on your luggage. That’s not always feasible, though. Sometimes, you want (or need) to check a bag.

Hotels

Raffles Making U.S. Debut In ‘Ideal Entry Point’ Of Boston (Source: Travel Weekly)
Raffles has a long history and it’s a well-known name in luxury hotels. So it might be surprising that the company has no hotels in North America.  That is changing this year with the opening of its first U.S. property, the Raffles Boston, which Raffles and Orient Express CEO Omer Acar said will pave the way for plans to relocate Raffles’ headquarters to New York this summer.

What Do Hotel Star Ratings Really Mean? (Source: SmarterTravel)
A five-star rating has become shorthand for luxury – but what exactly does that rating mean when it comes to hotels?  Why is the same property four-stars on one hotel search site and three-stars on another?  There is no one organization in the United States that hands out definitive star rankings to hotels.  Instead, individual hotel booking sites and other groups use their own rating system to categorize properties to help travelers know what to expect.

Leisure Travel

Cool Towns On The West Coast For Your Perfect Summer Vacation (Source: The Travel)
Most people think that the best American destination for the summer is the East Coast, which is home to stunning mountain lakes and quaint small towns that make for relaxing and quaint landscapes, completely omitting what the West Coast has to offer.