On the Go – November 17, 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

BTN’s 2023 Airline Survey: Delta Remains Dominant (Source: Business Travel News)
Delta Air Lines continues to dominate BTN’s annual Airline Survey, which empowers travel buyers to rate their airline partners across 11 performance criteria. Ratings across three of the four major U.S. airlines lost ground this year among challenges and distribution strategy changes.

Delta To Code Share With airBaltic (Source: Delta News Hub)
Delta Air Lines will launch a code sharing partnership with airBaltic on Nov. 22, allowing Delta passengers to book seamless travel connecting to the European airline’s network. “Working closely with airBaltic will further strengthen Delta’s connection to this vibrant European region by offering more customers unrivaled access to destinations across the US,” said Alain Bellemare, president – international at Delta.

General Interest

Iceland Warns Of Imminent Volcanic Eruption (Source: Travel Market Report)
Officials in Iceland are warning residents and tourists that a volcanic eruption in the southwest of the country is imminent after earthquakes, and a series of magma spreading underground, hit the area last week.  According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), there is currently a “considerable” risk of a major volcanic eruption over the coming days, despite activity slowing over the past 24 hours.

Security

TSA Administrator Discusses Holiday Travel, Government Shutdown (Source: Today)
TSA Administrator David Pekoske joined the Today Show to discuss the agency’s preparations for a historically busy holiday travel season. The TSA expects to welcome a record-breaking 30 million passengers throughout the 12-day travel period, which ends on November 28. “We are ready for the anticipated volumes and are working closely with our airline and airport partners to make sure we are prepared for this busy holiday travel season,” said Pekoske. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is predicted to be the busiest day in TSA history. Pekoske also addressed the potential government shutdown, explaining that because TSA is considered an essential agency 95% of employees would be expected to work without pay for the duration of a shutdown.

Airports

United Airlines To Invest $1.9B In Houston Airport (Source: Simple Flying)
United Airlines will contribute $1.9 billion to fund a $2.6 billion upgrade of George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s Terminal B, adding 40 gates to the Houston airport, an expanded lobby and security area and a new United lounge. “This investment further supports United’s position as Houston’s carrier of choice,” Phil Griffith, United’s vice president of IAH, said in a statement, adding: “On behalf of our more than 14,000 employees who call Houston home, I can’t wait to continue to do all we can to serve our customers flying to, from and through our hub on more than 400 flights each day.”

The Worst Airports For Holiday Flight Delays (Source: Travel Market Report)
Between the crowds and the weather, we all know holiday air travel can be a huge headache. Though there’s always a chance of cancelations and delays, some airports are more prone to holiday travel chaos than others.  A recent study by agamble.com revealed the 25 worst airports for holiday travel that had the most delays and cancellations between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day in 2022. The data showed us the best airports for holiday travel, as well.

Dutch Government Drops Plans For More Schiphol Reductions (Source: Business Travel News)
The Dutch government on Tuesday suspended its plan to further reduce its flight cap at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport for the summer 2024 season in an effort to reduce noise pollution. The decision comes after U.S. and European Union representatives met on Monday to discuss the issue.

Hotels

Back To The Back Bay: Hilton’s Revival Of Boston’s Park Plaza (Source: Travel Market Report)
The Boston Park Plaza has good bones. The historic hotel made its Boston debut as The Statler Hotel in 1927, conceived by E.M. Statler. Almost 30 years later, Conrad Hilton purchased the property in 1954 and renamed the hotel The Statler Hilton in 1957. The property stayed part of the Hilton family of hotels before it was sold in 1976 to a local family who renamed it Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers.

Hilton Plans 24 Hotel Openings Next Year (Source: Business Travel News)
Hilton Worldwide plans to open 24 new hotels globally in 2024, including company debuts in Asia-Pacific and Europe, and brand debuts in the United States, the company announced last week.  Thanks to an “increasing number of business travelers” who traveled for meetings and events—alongside “more travelers than ever” stepping out in 2023—Hilton plans to build on that momentum with more than two dozen hotel openings next year across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific, the company said in a statement. 

Leisure Travel

10 European-Style Christmas Markets In The U.S. (Source: Travel + Leisure)
You don’t need a passport or pricey plane ticket to feel like you’re shopping abroad this winter. These U.S. Christmas markets feel genuinely European. From San Francisco to Washington, D.C., you’ll find outdoor bazaars slinging unique holiday gifts and cups of hot cocoa and mulled wine. So bundle up and get into the holiday spirit for these Euro-centric Christmas markets across the country — best experienced with an appetite and some goodie bags to fill.