On the Go – November 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

Southwest Considers Operations At DFW (Source: CBS News)
Southwest Airlines CEO Robert Jordan said the airline is considering establishing a “modest presence” at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport when a regulation barring Southwest from using it expires in 2025 and is discussing it with airport officials. “We’re constrained,” Jordan said, as Dallas Love Field, the airline’s home airport, has only 20 gates.

Delta Expands Free Wi-Fi On Short-Haul Flights (Source: Delta News Hub)
Delta Air Lines is partnering with Hughes to expand Wi-Fi connectivity to short-haul and regional flights as the carrier continues to increase connectivity fleetwide before the end of the year, said Julieta McCurry, Delta’s vice president of in-flight entertainment and connectivity. “Fast, free Wi-Fi ranks among the top three drivers of customer satisfaction on Delta — so much that it actually improves the entire onboard experience as a result,” McCurry said.

United Airlines Predicts Strong International Demand (Source: Skift)
United Airlines thinks the international travel boom will continue and those routes are the best strategic bet for the airline, according to Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella. “Ultimately, as you approach the end of this decade, the growth in the United States will be very much tied to GDP, but growing overseas, we think there’s just a lot more opportunity,” Nocella said.

How The Jet Stream Boosts Transatlantic Flight Speed (Source: CNN)
Transatlantic flights flying west to east can reach speeds of more than 700 miles an hour when environmental conditions are especially favorable and the jet stream gives them a boost, which is why flights currently land ahead of schedule. “This week’s burst of cold air in the United States has upped the difference in temperature between the United States (cold!) and the Atlantic Ocean (warm!),” says CNN meteorologist Sara Tonks, and “this increase in the temperature gradient is amplifying the speed of the jet stream, which is driven by temperature differences.”

JetBlue Drops More Than A Dozen Routes, Mostly In Northeast (Source: Travel Market Report)
JetBlue is cutting 14 flights from its schedule, mostly in the Northeast, as the airline continues to deal with the ongoing unwinding of its Northeast Alliance with American Airlines, as well as the seemingly unending ATC staffing challenges that are impacting the U.S. aviation industry.

Airports

Denver International Airport Plans 100 New Gates (Source: Forbes)
Denver International Airport’s long-term expansion plans include adding four concourses with 100 new gates by 2045. The airport added 39 gates in recent years, which were primarily leased to United Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Salt Lake City Airport Opens New Gates October 31 (Source: Deseret News)
Salt Lake International Airport will open the east wing of its Terminal A tomorrow, adding 13 new gates to the Utah airport. The airport plans to expand Terminal B and then to construct a Terminal C.

Hotels

Are Airbnb Restrictions In NYC Affecting Hotel Prices? (Source: USA Today)
It’s almost two months since short-term Airbnbs in New York City faced stricter restrictions, leaving travelers wondering whether hotel rates have skyrocketed as predicted.  Under the new Short-Term Rental Registration Law, which went into effect on Sept. 5, hosts must adhere to new rules, among them staying in the unit with guests and not having more than two paying guests at a time.

IHG To Build New Crowne Plaza Hotel In Mexico City (Source: Travel Market Report)
IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced that it will build a new Crowne Plaza hotel in Mexico City.  The world-leading hospitality company will develop Crowne Plaza Mexico City Insurgentes on Mexico City’s famous Avenida de los Insurgentes. The 230-room hotel is scheduled to break down in early 2024 and open sometime in 2026.

Seattle Hotel With Literary Past Caters to Bookworms (Source: The Seattle Times)
Hotel Sorrento in Seattle hosts a biweekly Silent Reading Party in its Renaissance-inspired bar, where guests pay an entry fee and a minimum food and drink expenditure for a chance to sit quietly with their favorite book. The hotel has a literary legacy, as it is said to be haunted by the ghost of writer Alice B. Toklas, the longtime partner of Gertrude Stein.

Ground Transportation

Enterprise Holdings Rebrands To Enterprise Mobility (Source: Business Travel News)
Car rental provider Enterprise Holdings has rebranded to Enterprise Mobility to reflect the ‘evolution’ of its ‘global network of mobility solutions’, the company announced on Thursday (26 October).  In line with the new corporate brand, the company has also rolled out a new logo and tagline: ‘Advance the world, one journey at a time’. However, all Enterprise Mobility brands will remain unchanged as key offerings in its portfolio.

Leisure Travel

What To Know About The 2024 Paris Olympics (Source: Travel Weekly)
Years ago, I visited Athens during the run-up to the Summer Olympics, and I remember being struck by the number of key infrastructure projects still underway even though the Games were imminent.  By contrast, nearly all the public works related to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris are already complete, according to Corinne Menegaux, managing director at Paris je t’aime Tourist Office.