On the Go – October 28, 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

Delta Biometric Program to Enhance Travel Experience (Source: Delta News Hub)
Delta Air Lines is launching a biometric screening program in Atlanta and Detroit in partnership with the Transportation Security Administration that aims to expedite the check-in and boarding process with facial recognition technology for travelers who hold passports and are members of Delta’s frequent flyer program and the TSA’s PreCheck program. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta is opening an express lobby and baggage drop service exclusively for travelers eligible for the biometric program. “We want to give our customers more time to enjoy travel by unlocking simplified, seamless and efficient experiences from end to end,” said Byron Merritt, Delta’s vice president of brand experience design.

American Airlines Unveils Revamped AAdvantage Program (Source: TravelPulse)
American Airlines has revamped its AAdvantage frequent flyer program, creating a system where participants earn and spend loyalty points, generated at varied levels based on air travel and purchases from partner companies. The most notable new feature treats all points the same, thereby allowing participants to theoretically earn elite status based on credit card and partner points.

Southwest Starts Loyalty Program For Businesses (Source: TravelPulse)
Southwest Airlines has launched Rapid Rewards Business, a loyalty program that allows companies to earn points based on employees’ business travel in addition to those banked by frequent flyers in their own accounts. “We’re thrilled to bring our award-winning Rapid Rewards program to businesses who fly frequently, rewarding both road warriors and their companies who rely on Southwest to connect them to the people and places that are important to their business,” said Silke Koehneke, senior director of sales for Southwest Business.

Seating Design to Allow Passengers to Fly in Wheelchairs (Source: Simple Flying)
British design company PriestmanGoode has unveiled a new aircraft seating design that could allow passengers to fly in their powered wheelchairs without reducing the plane’s capacity, an innovation created in partnership with Flying Disabled and SWS Certification. “Air 4 All is the first system that has been developed jointly by a design agency, a certification body and with input from the disabled community,” Flying Disabled founder Chris Wood said.

Southwest Cuts Capacity to Smooth Operations (Source: Business Travel News)
Southwest Airlines has “modestly” trimmed its capacity plans following its operational challenges in recent weeks even as the carrier reports improving demand, including from its corporate travel customers. For the third quarter, Southwest pursued an “aggressive” capacity plan, nearing its pre-Covid-19 levels in terms of available seat miles, CEO Gary Kelly said.

General Interest

Biden Lays Out U.S. Entry Rules For Foreign Travelers (Source: Travel Weekly)
President Joe Biden has outlined new rules for foreign travelers entering the country when U.S. borders reopen on Nov. 8, providing clarity on what will be needed for international travel. The plan moves away from the previous U.S. ban on flights from most foreign countries, which was implemented by former president Donald Trump in March 2020 and extended by Biden when he took office in January this year.

Hotels

IHG Partners With CVS For Covid-19 Testing at U.S. Hotels (Source: Business Travel News)
IHG Hotels & Resorts has partnered with CVS Health as a recommended supplier for onsite Covid-19 rapid testing, IHG announced Tuesday. The hotel company announced the partnership, available at all U.S. IHG properties, as part of its Meet with Confidence program.

Marriott to Adopt a Dynamic Pricing System For Bonvoy Loyalty Program (Source: Travel Weekly)
Starting early next year, Marriott will move to dynamic pricing for its Bonvoy rewards redemption rates, the company said Tuesday. Dynamic pricing — setting flexible prices for products or services based on market demands — has been used to boost profits for a range of industries from sporting-event tickets to rideshare services.

Hilton’s Keys Go Digital (Source: Travel Weekly)
Hilton is switching to a Digital Key Share service that can be used by up to four guests who access it through the Hilton Honors app. Loyalty member guests also can get quicker notification of upgrades and will be able to choose their room.

Ground Transportation

Hertz Orders 100K Tesla Electric Vehicles (Source: Business Travel News)
Car rental company Hertz on Monday announced a significant investment in offering electric options with an order for 100,000 Tesla cars by the end of 2022 and the installation of new charging infrastructure across the company’s global operations.

Airports

Florida Airport Adds Express Lanes For Passengers Without Bags (Source: WTSP-TV)
Tampa International Airport is opening express lanes for dropping off and picking up passengers who have no checked baggage. The innovation will “allow passengers to get to and from their gates faster, bypassing the ticketing or bag claim levels and improving the overall passenger experience,” the airport said.

Leisure Travel

10 Spookiest Places in America (Source: Travel Daily)
Travel experts at Next Vacay reveal the searches for “scariest places to visit” has boomed by a whopping 336%! It’s no surprise that so many travelers are keen to keep the spooky season alive by visiting some of the most haunted places around America. Dozens of paranormal researchers visit every year and report that it’s a hub of paranormal activity. There have been stories of spooky experiences by visitors, staff, and inmates since the 1940s. You can see why this has captured our interest as searches for  “Eastern State Penitentiary ghost hunt” increased by 1000% in the last 12 months.