On the Go – September 23, 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 Airlines CEO Discusses Return of Business Travel (Source: The Washington Post)
While demand for leisure travel has remained strong since the beginning of the year, business travel remains slow to fully recover due to the pandemic and delayed plans for corporate employees to return to offices, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said in an interview. Parker noted that business travel trends are “encouraging” and that the carrier anticipates corporate travel will increase as the pandemic improves. The announcement from the White House that will allow vaccinated foreign travelers into the United States is also beneficial in reconnecting the business community and families. “It’s good on a number of levels and a much better policy,” Parker said of the development.

Delta Crews Work to Get Parked Planes Back Into The Sky (Source: Delta News Hub)
The Delta Air Lines crews who faced the challenge of finding places to store aircraft, parking them safely and maintaining them while in storage are now meeting the new challenge of activating aircraft to reenter service. “As soon as we started parking planes, we started to think about when we would unpark them,” said Chris Price, program manager of supplier ops.

Justice Department Challenges JetBlue-American Alliance (Source: Travel Weekly)
The new Northeast Alliance between Jet Blue and American airlines is being challenged by the Justice Department, six states and the District of Columbia as a threat to competition in the New York and Boston markets. The CEOs of both airlines defend the arrangement, which was approved by the Trump administration.

Bookings For Flights From Europe, UK Skyrocket (Source: Fox Business)
Bookings for flights from Europe and the UK to the US reportedly skyrocketed immediately after the Biden administration announced that vaccinated tourists would be allowed to enter the country starting in November. Virgin Atlantic said bookings were up 600% overnight.

Delta Air Lines is Ditching Its Pandemic-Era Boarding Process – Here’s What Will Change (Source: Travel + Leisure)
Delta Air Lines will no longer board planes back-to-front, the company confirmed to Travel + Leisure, moving away from one of the last coronavirus pandemic-era practices in the airline industry. This week, the airline went back to boarding its planes by zones, which are allocated based on seat assignment and loyalty status, a Delta spokesman told T+L. The decision was made because boarding back-to-front disrupted efficiency.

Lost Luggage Report – 690K Bags Lost or Mishandled By US Airlines in The First Half of 2021 (Source: Travel Daily News)
Every year, LuggageHero creates a report showcasing mishandled luggage by US airlines. Since the world slowly started opening up, there has of course been a lot more travel in 2021 than in 2020, and we can see that reflected in the higher number of bags that have been mishandled this year.

General Interest

U.S. To Open To Vaccinated Foreign Visitors In November (Source: Business Travel News)
The United States will lift travel restrictions for vaccinated visitors from Europe and the rest of the world within the next two months, a White House spokesperson announced on Monday. The Biden administration plans to implement in early November “strict protocols,” including a requirement for all adult foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. to be fully vaccinated.

Hotels

At Baltimore’s Hotel Revival, A Commitment to Community (Source: Travel Weekly)
Upon entering the Hotel Revival in Baltimore’s historical Mount Vernon neighborhood, visitors are greeted by a brightly hued neon sign that reads: Let your life proceed by its own design. That’s something Jason Bass, director of culture and impact at the boutique hotel, is taking to heart.

Airports

DFW Airport Trials Security Screening Reservations (Source: WFAA-TV)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is trying out a “fast pass” program ahead of the traditional holiday travel season. The program allows passengers to avoid security lines by reserving a time slot for screening. Reservations are free and can be made up to 7 days in advance.

Charlotte, N.C. Airport Shows Off Construction Progress (Source: The Charlotte Observer)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport gave reporters an inside look at the progress of construction on its $608 million terminal lobby expansion project. It is only part of a 10-year renovation program that will cost at least $2.5 billion.