On the Go – March 2, 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

Onboard Internet Rates Increase On Southwest Flights (Source: TravelPulse)
Southwest Airlines has increased its price for onboard internet to $8 per flight segment, rather than $8 per day, although Wi-Fi will remain free for customers who have A-List Preferred status. The airline is upgrading its Wi-Fi features across its entire fleet, and airplanes will soon have USB A and USB C power ports at every seat.

General Interest

U.S. Passport Renewal Processing Time Now 8 To 11 Weeks (Source: Travel Market Report)
As the calendar turns towards spring, and demand for travel increases ahead of what is typically busier travel months, passport renewal is taking longer.  Late last week, the U.S. Department of State updated its processing time for passports, pushing the time it takes to get an expedited passport renewal from three to five weeks to five to seven weeks. Standard renewal is now at eight to 11 weeks, instead of six to nine weeks previously.

Airports

MSP Airport Lands $10M For Terminal Upgrades (Source: Twin Cities Business)
The federal government this week announced a nearly $1 billion funding package for 99 airports, and two Minnesota airports are among the beneficiaries.  The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has received a $10 million grant to continue work on a larger project to rehab and reconfigure Terminal 1. The money is specifically authorized for work between gates G8 through G13. Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman Jeff Lea said the project will “expand the footprint between existing gate pods.”

FAA Awards Nearly $1B in Airport Funding (Source: Business Travel News)
The Federal Aviation Administration is awarding nearly $1 billion to 99 airports across the country as part of U.S. infrastructure bill signed into law in November 2021, the agency announced Monday. These awards are on top of the $1 billion for airport terminals announced for 85 airports last year.

Hotels

Hotels Boost In-Room Entertainment Technology (Source: Hotel Management Online)
Hotel guests are checking in expecting a high level of technology to be available, and hoteliers like Marriott International and IHG Hotels & Resorts are accommodating them. At Marriott properties, guests can stream through their devices and cast it onto TV screens and order using an in-room iPad, while IHG guests in the loyalty program get free Wi-Fi and a “rich technology ecosystem.”

Leisure Travel

Virtuoso’s Top 2023 Travel Destinations (Source: OpenJaw)
Global luxury travel agency network Virtuoso has revealed its top destinations for 2023 based on its own internal data of more than USD $63.6 billion in travel transactions from its agency members.  Paris has taken the top spot, surpassing Rome and London to make it the most-booked European city in 2022. Virtuoso’s hotel analytics predict the same trend will keep up in 2023.