On the Go – October 26, 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 Airlines Debuts Baggage Tracking Feature (Source: Simple Flying)
Southwest Airlines is adding a feature to its app and website to track passengers’ checked baggage in real time. Southwest’s app also offers the option of adding checked bags to a reservation in advance, saving time at the airport counter.

Delta Shifts Regional Focus Back To Detroit As It Trips 10% Of NYC Flights (Source: The Points Guy)
Delta Air Lines is making some changes to its New York City network.  Over the weekend, the carrier, which operates a hub at both LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), filed plans to drop service on a new route that it launched just earlier this year: LGA to Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM).

An Inside Look At Delta’s Minnesota Pilot Academy (Source: CBS News)
Mankato, Minn., is home to a third of the 150 students in Delta Air Lines’ Propel pilot training program. “Being born and raised here, I’ve got my biases, but I think there’s a work ethic, customer service and personality of Midwest people that go a long way toward making this a success,” said Scott Calvert, a Delta pilot who serves as a mentor in the Propel program.

Delta Starts Rolling Out Personalized Entertainment (Source: Travel Weekly)
Delta has begun enabling personalized entertainment seatback screens.  The system is now being tested on select older-generation Airbus A321 aircraft.  The technology offers flyers an experience similar to their own smart TVs. For example, screens will remember where flyers left on a movie or TV show from previous flights and will have lists of passengers’ favorite shows and movies. 

General Interest

U.S. State Department Issues Blanket Travel Advisory (Source: Travel Weekly)
The U.S. State Department on Thursday issued a global advisory for all international travel for U.S. citizens, encouraging them to take caution.  “Due to increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution,” according to the advisory. It cited neither a particular incident nor area that sparked the advisory.

Security

TSA Opens Brand-New Security Checkpoint At Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Source: Travel Market Report)
Douglas International Airport (CLT), one of the ten busiest airports in the U.S., is getting new security lanes.  This week, the TSA unveiled a new security checkpoint in the airport’s passenger terminal, located at the west end of the new terminal lobby. The checkpoint brings eight new lanes for departing travelers, including six automatic lanes with automated conveyor belts.

Airports

Travelers Can Now Walk Between All LAX Terminals (Source: Forbes)
Passengers at Los Angeles International Airport can now walk between all eight of its terminals as long as they are connecting on the same airline. The nearly two miles of pathway is located past security, so passengers who need to recheck baggage or get boarding passes for a second airline still need to re-enter.

Hotels

Hilton: Q3 Corporate Demand Up, Group ‘Off The Hook’ (Source: Business Travel News)
Hilton Worldwide’s third-quarter business travel demand continued to recover, with business transient revenue per available room up about 5 percent year over year, Hilton president and CEO Christopher Nassetta said Wednesday during an earnings call. He also projected corporate rate increases for 2024.

Ground Transportation

Amtrak To Reduce Fare Categories (Source: Business Travel News)
Amtrak later this fall will introduce a “simplified fare structure” that will reduce the fare types to two categories from three, the rail provider announced Wednesday.

Leisure Travel

Phased Reopening Of West Maui Tourism Will Continue November 1 (Source: Travel Weekly)
Despite their shared Mediterranean climate, not all islands are equal. Here are some traveler-inspired recommendations for the five Greek islands to avoid—and the five best to see.

The 15 Most Scenic Train Routes In North America (Source: SmarterTravel)
Did you know Amtrak can be much more than just a business commuter train?  Railroad journeys make up some of the best sightseeing adventures in the world, but especially in North America.  You’ll pass through spectacular mountain ranges, along rugged coastlines, and beside legendary rivers.  And it’s comfortable adventure; sit back and enjoy the window view.

Top Ten Most Instagrammable Shopping Destinations In The World (Source: Travel Daily)
A new study has revealed that Kapali Çarşı, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, is the most Instagrammable shopping destination in the world.  Cross-border shopping platform Ubuy Hong Kong analyzed Instagram hashtags for selected shopping destinations worldwide to find which are the most Insta-worthy. Hashtags for the shopping destinations were included if they were considered to contain a sufficient proportion of posts related to the shopping areas of each destination.