On the Go – March 11, 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 Adding In-Flight Contactless Payment (Source: TravelPulse)
Starting March 16, Delta Air Lines will offer passengers contactless payment for in-flight purchases. The service will start with earbuds and expand as the airline brings back food and beverage options.

United CEO Kirby: Corporate, International Travel Will Rebound Strongly (Source: Business Travel News)
Although domestic leisure travel will be dominant in the early stages of the recovery, United CEO Scott Kirby is betting long-term on a strong recovery in business and international travel. Speaking on Wednesday at a CAPA Live virtual event, Kirby acknowledged that his outlook for business travel was “not the consensus.”

U.S. Approved New Airline From JetBlue Founder (Source: Associated Press)
The U.S. Transportation Department has granted approval for a new airline led by David Neeleman, who started JetBlue Airways two decades ago. Breeze Aviation Group has up to one year to begin flights using up to 22 planes, the company said Wednesday.

Will There Be a Big Change to Airline Sick Passenger Rules? (Source: Travelers United)
Profitable change and cancellation fees cloud the airlines’ duty of passenger care and sick passenger rule. The concept of nonrefundable tickets with change fees has been around for decades. And sick passenger rules requiring them to pay should they choose not to fly were introduced about the same time. Anyone who’s been in the travel industry, or traveling by air for any length of time, remembers the days when a doctor’s note could get you out of a change fee, and often simply get you a refund.

SITA Cyber Attack Accesses Passenger Data For Multiple Airlines (Source: PhocusWire)
SITA says in late February it confirmed a “highly sophisticated” cyber attack that took place over multiple weeks – but “less than a month” – and involved passenger data stored on its Horizon Passenger Service System. The breach impacts several airlines, including some that do not use SITA’s PSS system but whose frequent flyer data passed through it.

General Interest

BTN 2021 Corporate Travel Index (Source: Business Travel News)
BTN’s annual presentation of business travel per diems for 100 U.S. cities and 100 non-U.S. cities, detailing hotel, meal and car rental costs, along with risk scores. Plus, analysis of cost fluctuations in the United States, the Americas, the Asia/Pacific region and Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the highest per diems in each category and region, along with region-specific analysis.

4 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Sleep While Traveling (Source: SmarterTravel)
Jet lag, excitement, bad hotel beds, unfamiliar noises—counting all the reasons why you might not be able to sleep while traveling could kill more time than counting sheep. Fortunately, there are a few tricks that can help you sleep better, whether you’re at home or in a hotel.

Hotels

COVID-19 Detection App FeriFLY Adopted by Hyatt (Source: TravelPulse)
Hyatt Hotels will employ a widely used app called VeriFLY to test guests and visitors for coronavirus infection. Hyatt’s version, VeriFLY + Stay, partners the firm with a health verification credential that has amassed more than 300,000 users in 55 nations since its introduction in January.

Robots Are Made To Deliver In Hotels (Source: Protocol)
The pandemic has turned the concept of customer service on its head, and hotels have had to get creative to find ways to safely serve guests with as little contact as possible. Robots are now employed to make deliveries and clean rooms, while apps are used for contactless ordering and payment.

Hotel Safety Is Still Primarily On The Shoulders Of Guest (Source: Travelers United)
Hotel security and hotel safety have been in the news lately. Both Hilton and Disney changed their “Do Not Disturb” policy. While the new policy will help make hotel guests safer, it’s still incumbent on guests to take personal responsibility for their own safety.

Ground Transportation

Amtrak to Restore Daily Service on 12 Long-Distance Routes (Source: Business Travel News)
Amtrak in May 2021 will begin to restore daily service for 12 long-distance routes suspended last year in during the pandemic. The routes will be restored in three phases from late May to early June, according to Amtrak.

Meetings

Hilton to Offer Meeting Clients Covid-19 Testing Information (Source: Business Travel News)
Hilton Worldwide this month will begin offering through its EventReady Playbook information on third-party Covid-19 testing and health screening providers to meeting planners who book or have booked an event at any U.S. Hilton, the company announced. Hilton is not involved in the transaction or administering of the tests, said a spokesperson.

IHG’s Meet With Confidence Program Meets New Normal (Source: TravelPulse)
IHG Hotels & Resorts is expanding its meetings menu to take advantage of growing confidence in travel, with emphasis on enhanced safety protocols. The Meet with Confidence agenda includes COVID-19 testing and enlists several businesses and organizations specializing in adaptive technology for contactless interaction.

Airports

Terminal Upgrade Planned For Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (Source: The Dallas Morning News)
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport now plans to renovate the existing Terminal C while plans for the future Terminal F project are on hold. Terminal C plans include improvements to customer-facing parts of the terminal as well as HVAC and other systems at a cost of $75 million, with work likely to begin at least a year from now.

FAA Testing Anti-Drone Tech At 5 US Airports (Source: AVweb)
Airports in Washington, Alabama, New Jersey, New York and Ohio have been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration to test counter-drone technology. “The research will lead to the implementation of new technologies that will make airports safer for passengers and manned aircraft,” according to the FAA.

Leisure

A Country-by-Country Guide to Caribbean Re-Openings (Source: The Points Guy)
By a show of hands, who’s ready for a beach vacation? We definitely are. With more and more people getting vaccinated, we’re starting to see travel restrictions ease in some places. While international travel still requires jumping through a few hoops, there are destinations open to U.S.-based travelers — including many in the Caribbean.