On the Go – October 7, 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

American Adds Redemption Options to Business Extra (Source: The Points Guy)
Airlines is offering new redemption options under its Business Extra loyalty program. Changes to the program will let businesses convert Business Extra points to AAdvantage miles.

United Adds to Domestic Schedule Ahead of Holidays (Source: CNBC)
United Airlines will fly 3,500 domestic flights a day in December, the most the airline has flown since the start of the pandemic. “We know families and friends are eager to reunite this holiday season, which is why we’re thrilled to add new flights that will help them connect and celebrate together,” said Ankit Gupta, vice president of network planning and scheduling.

United CEO Confident in International, Business Travel Returning (Source: Simple Flying)
United Airlines retained more of its aircraft during the pandemic and placed one of the biggest aircraft orders in aviation history, in anticipation that demand for business and international travel will recover. “We have believed from the beginning that business demand and international are going to come back,” CEO Scott Kirby said, and “I think we’ve made the right bet.” Kirby also joined MSNBC this morning to discuss the carrier’s success in achieving a 99% vaccination rate among its workforce.

Travel Management

Corporate Travel Giant CWT to File for Bankruptcy Protection (Source: OpenJaw/Skift)
Travel agency CWT said it is planning a pre-packaged Chapter 11, a form of bankruptcy protection, filing in the U.S. to complete a USD $1.5b refinancing deal. Chapter 11 involves the reorganization of a debtor’s business affairs, debts and assets, and Skift notes that several other travel companies have adopted this to weather COVID-19 financial issues. 

Security

Price Reduced For Online Renewal of TSA PreCheck (Source: Afar)
The Transportation Security Administration has lowered the cost to renew enrollment online in the TSA PreCheck membership program from $85 to $70. The fast-pass program reduces the time spent in line, with 96% of TSA PreCheck passengers in September waiting fewer than five minutes to go through airport security.

Bill Would Trial New Screening Program at Foreign Airports (Source: TravelPulse)
The US House of Representatives has approved legislation that authorizes a pilot program to allow Americans traveling back to the United States from connecting international destinations to only be screened once before continuing to their final destination in the US. The One-Stop Pilot Program Act would authorize the Transportation Security Administration in coordination with Customs and Border Protection to try out the program at up to six international airports.

Hotels

W Hotel Debuts in Nashville (Source: Travel Market Report)
The newest Music City hotel is open. W Hotels on Wednesday officially opened the doors to W Nashville, the brand’s newest property set in the city’s upscale Gulch neighborhood. The hotel sits in a 14-story, mirrored tower with six different street-level entrances that make the hotel, according to W Hotels, feel like it is a part of the neighborhood, rather than just in the neighborhood.

Hyatt Exec on Pandemic Changes That Will Continue (Source: Business Insider)
Hyatt Hotels reacted quickly after the onset of the pandemic, talking with loyalty program members and developing technology-driven initiatives to help guests manage their experience. Chief Commercial Officer Mark Vondrasek says the resulting guest-focused innovations will endure beyond the pandemic.

IHG Provides Deals as Part of Anniversary (Source: TravelPulse)
IHG Hotels & Resorts is hosting limited-time offers through April as part of its 75th-anniversary celebration. “We’re delighted to raise a toast with our guests, owners, partners and colleagues to celebrate InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and everything this brand stands for — the joy of travel and the worldliness that comes from discovering cultures around the world,” says Jane Mackie, a marketing executive with IHG.

Two Midtown NYC Hotels to Reopen (Source: The Real Deal)
Two of Manhattan’s largest hotels are set to reopen in the coming weeks in a promising signal for New York City’s struggling hotel industry. The New York Hilton Midtown will reopen Oct. 4, while the Grand Hyatt is set to welcome guests Nov. 1, Crain’s reported.

Marriott Reawakens Breakfast, Starting With 4 Brands (Source: Hotel Magazine Online)
Marriott International is returning breakfast beginning this month to four brands and plans to extend the free amenity to nearly 3,000 hotels this winter. Fairfield by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott and TownePlace Suites by Marriott will offer items such as warm breakfast sandwiches and spinach and cheese crustless quiche, along with fresh fruit and gluten-free dishes.

Travel Technology

Facial Recognition Will Soon Take Off in Travel (Source: TravelPulse)
Facial recognition is coming to the travel sector as contactless identification grows in popularity. CEO Rob Watts of Corsight, a facial recognition company, talks about the many advantages it offers but also the concerns around privacy.

Ground Transportation

Hertz Names Former Ford Head Interim CEO (Source: Business Travel News)
Car rental company Hertz has changed up its leadership team, with former Ford chief Mark Fields named interim CEO and previous chief executive Paul Stone named president and chief operations officer. The moves are effective immediately and come after Hertz restructured following bankruptcy proceedings in the United States.

Leisure Travel

Where Can Americans ACTUALLY Travel Right Now? (Source: SmarterTravel)
If you’re fully vaccinated and ready to take your first vacation in over a year, you might be wondering: “what countries can Americans visit right now?” With vaccine rates on the rise, some countries are slowly beginning to reopen to tourism. Certain nations have tentatively begun to re-accept U.S. passport holders, providing they agree to specific regulations such as showing proof of being fully vaccinated, PCR testing for COVID-19 or mandatory quarantines. 

Sun Country Offers Door-To-Door Service (Source: Sun Country)
Flying just got easier from the ground up. Sun Country Door-to-Door picks you up at your front door, checks your bags, then connects them through MSP to your final vacation destination. Your Sun Country Door-to-Door booking includes home pickup, priority boarding and access to expedited security screening.

Six Places in America That Will Make You Feel Like You’re In Europe (Source: Forbes)
Given the recent reinstatement of pandemic-related travel restrictions for U.S. citizens by several European countries and with the status of others uncertain, it may be prudent to delay that trip to Europe. With its long influence on America (despite what we may like to think, Europeans did have an early and significant hand in shaping the place), you’ll find plenty of traces of the Continent here — in small, out-of-the-way enclaves and big iconic cities alike.