On the Go – May 25, 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

Airlines Are Staffed And Ready For Take Off This Summer (Source: Simple Flying)
As air travelers take to the skies this Memorial Day weekend, Airlines for America President and CEO Nick Calio said US airlines are ready for the high demand in travel, operating 10% fewer flights than pre-pandemic, but carrying 2.5% more passengers, thanks to larger planes. Appearing with TSA Administrator David Pekoske to speak to summer travel preparations, Calio said, “[Airlines] are staffed up now more than we were prior to the pandemic and we are on our highest level since in the last two decades.”

Delta Air Lines Expands Winter Schedule To Latin America (Source: Simple Flying)
Delta Air Lines will increase service frequency for the upcoming winter season to many destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Delta is also adding seasonal winter service to the ski destinations of Vail, Colo., and Jackson Hole, Wyo., from Los Angeles and Minneapolis.

Carriers Improve On-Time Performance In April (Source: Business Travel News)
North American carrier on-time performance in April reversed its downturn from March.  Average North American airline on-time performance in April was 73.2 percent, up from 71.4 percent last month, according to Cirium’s monthly report.

NASA Continuing Work With Airlines To Reduce Delays (Source: Travel Weekly)
NASA has signed five-year agreements with American, Southwest, Delta, United and JetBlue to continue development of a machine-learning tool designed to reduce delays and save fuel at Dallas/Fort Worth and Dallas Love Field airports.  The Collaborative Digital Departure Reroute tool will aim to improve air traffic operations by integrating air traffic and airspace restriction data from the FAA with flight-specific surface traffic data from the two airports and five airlines.

Judge Orders AA, JetBlue To Terminate Northeast Alliance (Source: Business Travel News)
A federal judge on Friday ordered American Airlines and JetBlue to dissolve their Northeast Alliance partnership within 30 days, ruling in favor of the U.S. Department of Justice in a lawsuit and deeming the carriers’ three-year-old alliance anticompetitive.

Security

TSA Allows Teens To Tag Along With PreCheck Parents (Source: Fox Business)
The Transportation Security Administration has increased from 12 to 17 the maximum age at which parents who are members of the PreCheck program can bring children with them into expedited security lanes. Announced ahead of the kickoff of the summer travel period, the policy change is “a way that TSA is facilitating travel with ease for low risk travelers,” a spokesperson for the agency said.

Apple’s TSA-Approved Digital ID Is Now Live In 4 States, Coming Soon To Many More (Source: The Points Guy)
The days of fumbling around for your driver’s license at the security checkpoint are slowly coming to an end.  Apple officially launched digital state IDs in the iPhone Wallet app last year, beginning with Arizona and Maryland.

Hotels

194-Room Canopy by Hilton Opens In San Francisco (Source: Hotel Business)
Canopy by Hilton San Francisco SoMa, a 194-key boutique hotel, has made its debut in San Francisco’s South of Market district. The 12-story venue, which is the first Canopy hotel in the city, features a rooftop lounge, fitness center, meeting and event space and several dining options.

Hilton To Launch Lower-Midscale U.S. Extended Stay Brand (Source: Business Travel News)
Hilton Worldwide plans to launch next year a new extended-stay brand in the U.S. in the lower midscale sector, the company announced Tuesday. The brand, using the working title Project H3, will cater to the “vastly underserved group looking for apartment-style accommodations for 20 nights or more.”

Choice Hotels Explores Buying Wyndham (Source: Skift)
Choice Hotels International has signaled an intent to acquire Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.  A spokesperson for Choice Hotels told Skift: “We do not comment about market rumors and speculation.” The Journal said the companies are not in serious talks. However, the report will trigger sector speculation because a potential merger between the companies would likely create North America’s largest franchisor of budget hotels.

Should Hotel Rooms Be Cleaned Every Day? (Source: National Public Radio)
The pandemic made some hotel guests anxious about having cleaning personnel in their rooms, and now that concerns have subsided, a prominent hospitality union is pushing to reinstate daily cleanings. Hotel leaders, meanwhile, say that they are simply adapting to guest preferences.

Leisure Travel

Top Ten Things To Do In New York City With Young Kids (Source: Travel Daily)
Traveling with small kids in tow?  With little ones come giant imaginations, and New York City is guaranteed to make a lifelong impression. Here are some safe, manageable and totally unforgettable ways to experience all corners of New York City with young children.

10 U.S. Cities With Stunning Architecture That Will Make You Swoon (Source: Best Life)
From the sleek modern glass skyscrapers in Chicago and the imposing Beaux-Arts buildings in New York City to the earthy adobe structures in Santa Fe and pastel-colored Victorian neighborhoods of San Francisco, each city offers a feast for the eyes.