On the Go – September 24, 2020

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.

* * For the latest COVID-19 travel industry information, please click on this link:

https://traveloneinc.com/covid-19-industry-information/

Airlines

Delta Drops Reward Ticket Fees, Extends Club Memberships (Source: Frequent Business Traveler)
Delta Air Lines has eliminated fees for redepositing, reissuing and changing most domestic frequent flyer tickets and eliminated a requirement that changes be made at least 72 hours before scheduled departure. The carrier is also extending SkyClub memberships through June 2021 and extending some benefits offered to American Express cardholders.

Alaska Airlines Extends Empty Middle Seats Through November (Source: Simple Flying)
Alaska Airlines has announced that it will extend its policy to block middle seats through Thanksgiving. Previously, the carrier planned on ceasing its blocked middle seat policy at the end of October.

Lufthansa’s COVID-19 Tests First In Industry (Source: TravelPulse)
Lufthansa plans to become the first airline to test passengers for COVID-19, initially offering the tests to first class and business travelers. But the airline wants to expand testing centers to the US and Canada in the hopes it will allay the fears of travelers and encourage governments to reopen borders.

Delta CEO Calls On Industry To Build Consumer Confidence (Source: TravelPulse)
“While we can get people traveling again I think the question is just broader than our sector of air travel,” said Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian, calling on the whole “travel ecosystem” to join in an emphasis on safety. “Getting the hotels and getting all aspects of the hospitality business to join arms and continue to drive the same type of safety protocols, the safety message and the confidence in protecting people through will help us all get out and get more comfortable in being on the road,” he said.

A Growing Number of Airlines Offer “Flights To Nowhere” (Source: The Washington Post)
With international travel in much of the world still disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, some airlines are resorting to “flights to nowhere” that target passengers who long for air travel — and some are willing to shell out plenty of money for the tickets. Qantas, among the latest to advertise a flight that departs and arrives at the same airport, told Reuters that the trip sold out less than 10 minutes after going on sale on Thursday.

General Interest

Low COVID-19 Rates Among Flight Crews Highlight Safety (Source: TravelPulse)
Airline flight crew members have lower rates of COVID-19 infection than the general population, which airline executives say proves that cleaning technology and safety protocols have made flying safe. “The actions we have taken to ensure the safety and well-being of our team and customers are working,” says American Airlines CEO Robert Isom.

Canadian Border to Remain Closed For Non-Essential Travel (Source: The Associated Press)
Canada will keep the US border restricted to essential travel until Oct. 21 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The restrictions have been extended on a monthly basis since they were announced on March 18.

The Ultimate Guide to Carry-On Limits For Every Major Airline (Source: SmarterTravel)
Every frequent traveler has seen passengers rolling their massive carry-ons and lugging equally large bags and backpacks onto the plane as their “personal item.” So exactly how big can your carry-on and personal item be? The general rule about personal item size is that your bag must fit under the seat in front of you, though some airlines do specify maximum dimensions.

Security

Senators Propose Temperature Checks At TSA Checkpoints (Source: Politico)
Senate Commerce Committee members have introduced a bipartisan proposal that would require the Transportation Security Administration to take passengers’ temperatures at security checkpoints. Airlines “continue to believe that temperature checks are a key measure in assuring the traveling public and airline employees that the federal government is prioritizing their safety and well-being,” said Nicholas Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America.

Airports

San Diego Airport Getting New Terminal (Source: Times of San Diego)
Construction is expected to begin late next year on a $2.26 billion terminal for San Diego’s international airport, which will add 30 new gates, with 19 scheduled to open in 2025 and the others to open in early 2027. The project is scheduled to wrap up in 2027.

World’s 10 Most Scenic Airport Landings For 2020 (Source: CNN Travel)
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. The world’s most scenic airport approaches, as ranked annually by booking platform PrivateFly, are this year looking more glorious than ever.

Leisure Travel

Reopening Plans Unveiled For Disney Parks in California (Source: Los Angles Times)
Officials with The Walt Disney Co. joined a growing chorus of voices calling on California Gov. Gavin Newsom to reopen Disneyland Resort and Disney California Adventure in Anaheim with safety measures in place. These include expanding the use of mobile food ordering, mandating temperature checks for guests, installing hand-washing stations, maintaining social distancing and requiring reservations to visit.