On the Go – May 21, 2020

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 employees deep clean sidelined aircraft (Source: Delta News Hub)
Some 300 employee volunteers deep cleaned 21 aircraft at Delta Air Lines’ Atlanta hub in a show of Delta spirit. 

Delta infographic illustrates safety, cleaning measures (Source: Delta News Hub)
Delta Air Lines has published an infographic illustrating the ways the airline has ramped up sanitization and increased passenger safety through new boarding and seating policies.

Delta to install airport lobby and gate safety shields (Source: Future Travel Experience)
Delta Air Lines is introducing safety barriers made from plexiglass for airport check-in lobbies, departure gates and Delta Sky Club counters.

Southwest resumes serving snacks and water (Source: USA Today)
Southwest Airlines will resume serving in-flight snacks after a two-month lapse. Passengers on flights of more than 250 miles will receive a can of water and a package of snack mix.

The Airlines Most (and Least) Likely to Survive the COVID-19 Crisis (Source: Smarter Travel)
After the dust settles from the coronavirus crisis, which airlines will still be flying?

General Interest

Airlines, hotels to implement ‘electrostatic spraying’ (Source: SFGATE)
The travel industry is taking a gun to the coronavirus.

Op-ed: Low risk to becoming sick while flying (Source: The Washington Post)
Harvard public health professor Joseph Allen asserts that airplane passengers have only a low risk of becoming ill while flying because of aircraft air filter systems and other preventive measures, such as face masks and disinfected surfaces.

Planning for Post-Pandemic Travel (Source: Business Travel News)
While there’s no indication a return to normalcy is near, most business travelers and meeting planners expect at least semblance of new demand in 2020.

Some borders are beginning to open to travelers (Source: Travel Weekly) 
In an early sign of hope for the largely shuttered travel industry, some countries are taking their first steps toward reopening to tourism.

Virus sniffing dogs may help travelers feel safer (Source: CNN Travel)
Researchers in the UK are training six dogs to detect coronavirus in travelers as part of a program that, if successful, may help bring back travel demand.

Ground Transportation

Hertz Taking ‘Drastic Measures’ to Slash Costs as Lender Negotiation Deadline Looms (Source: Business Travel News)
Hertz has canceled most of its new-car purchases this year as the car rental company continues negotiations with lenders to avoid bankruptcy.

Security

TSA prepares for rollout of temperature checks (Source: Newsweek)
The Transportation Security Administration has identified about 12 US airports where it will commence temperature screenings of travelers.

Vacations

Cancun and Riviera Maya plan to reopen to tourists next month — what to know (Source: Travel + Leisure)
The popular tourist destinations of Cancun and Riviera Maya plan to reopen for international travel by the beginning of June, according to reports.

What will virus-resistant cruise ship design look like? (Source: USA Today)
Experts chime in on possible changes to cruise ships to reduce the transmission of viruses, such as minimizing touchpoints and incorporating antimicrobial surfaces wherever possible.