On the Go – November 18, 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

Airlines Prepare For Busy Thanksgiving (Source: FlightGlobal)
As US airlines prepare for a busy Thanksgiving week, they are urging travelers to download their carrier’s app, make use of online tools and arrive early at the airport during the holiday travel period. “One of the best things you can do is to simply be prepared,” says Delta Air Lines Chief Health Officer Dr. Henry Ting. “Delta teams have been working throughout the pandemic to make it easier for customers to navigate changing travel requirements and day-of-travel challenges.”

Delta, Latam Add More Than 20 Codeshare Routes (Source: Business Travel News)
Delta Air Lines and Latam Airlines Group jointly will share code on more than 20 international routes between the United States and South America and expand connections for domestic and regional destinations, the companies announced Monday.

American CEO Bullish On The Future Of Business Travel (Source: Skift)
Appearing Wednesday at the Skift Aviation Forum, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker predicted that business travel will coexist, not compete with alternatives like virtual meetings. “I’m bullish on business travel,” Parker said. “Zoom or Teams aren’t going away, they’re huge advancements and we’re going to coexist.” American also announced it will offer free COVID-19 testing to premium cabin passengers flying between the US and UK in an effort to encourage international business travel.

Alaska Airlines Upgrades Inflight Entertainment Portal (Source: TravelPulse)
Alaska Airlines has deployed an upgraded entertainment portal that makes it easier to access information and in-flight entertainment options using mobile phones, tablets and laptops. “We’re always eager to implement new ways to make our technology work smarter and easier for our guests,” Alaska Managing Director Todd Traynor-Corey said.

Delta Increases Schedule From Minneapolis (Source: Simple Flying)
Delta Air Lines is expanding routes from its hub in Minneapolis next summer. New destinations from the city will include Savannah, Ga.; Portland, Maine; Providence, R.I.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Burlington, Vt., and Asheville, N.C.

How U.S. Airlines Rank For On-Time Flights (Source: TravelPulse)
This holiday travel season could prove more challenging compared to previous as surging demand for domestic travel combines with labor shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic to form the perfect storm for last-minute flight delays and cancellations.

American Airlines To Cut Some NYC Service (Source: Business Travel News)
American Airlines over the weekend cut 19 domestic and eight international routes, 18 of which affect New York’s LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International airports, American confirmed Monday. Several of the New York routes will be served by American partner JetBlue.

General Interest

Delta Chief Health Officer: Covid-19 Near End of Pandemic Stage (Source: Business Travel News)
The travel industry is “entering the end of the [Covid-19] pandemic,” Delta Air Lines chief health officer Henry Ting said at the Global Business Travel Association 2021 Convention on Wednesday. “We’re coming down from the surge and entering an endemic stage,” said Ting, a former Mayo Clinic executive who joined Delta earlier this year. “It will persist at low but functional levels. There may be outbreaks, and we will see this become a seasonal respiratory virus.”

Security

Passengers Increasingly Embrace Biometric Screening (Source: Passenger Terminal Today)
A survey by the International Air Transport Association found that 73% of passengers are willing to participate in biometric screening to get through the airport faster and 88% would share immigration information prior to departure to expedite processing. Only 36% said they have experienced the use of biometrics, with 86% of those respondents indicating they were satisfied with the experience.

TSA Expands PreCheck With Two New Airlines (Source: HS Today)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced the expansion of its TSA PreCheck® expedited screening program with the addition of two new airlines, adding to the more than 80 TSA PreCheck participating domestic and international carriers.

Hotels

Hotel Rates Projected to Lead Price Rises in 2022 (Source: Business Travel News)
Hotel rates in 2022 are expected to increase 13 percent globally year over year and a further 10 percent in 2023, according to the Global Business Travel Forecast published Wednesday by CWT and the Global Business Travel Association. The seventh annual edition of the forecast also identified year-over-year airfare rises of 3.3 percent next year.

citizenM Opens First San Francisco Property in Union Square (Source: Travel Market Report)
citizenM, the Dutch-hotel company aiming to be a disruptor in that industry, officially has a presence in san Francisco. The 195-room, 12-story hotel is the company’s second hotel in California to open this year, following a Los Angeles Downtown opening. Both are extensions of citizenM’s plans to become a major player in the North American hotel market, with another five new U.S. locations opening next year.

Leisure Travel

9 Pandemic Holiday Travel Hacks For The Coming Holiday Season (Source: Travelers United)
The pandemic has made it more difficult for 2021 winter holiday vacation travel and journeys to see friends and family. For some travelers, if you haven’t already booked your journey, it may be too late to get your first choice of flights, hotels, and resorts. In particular, the rental car you need may not be available. If you haven’t booked it, do it now. To help you get your trip in order immediately, I have nine pandemic holiday travel hacks for you to use.