News notes from around the interweb:
- Amtrak received $1 billion from the CARES Act. They’re asking for another $1.5 billion but inadvertently making the case why they shouldn’t be given any more money.
The government National Railroad Passenger Corporation says without the additional subsidies they’d “need to suspend some long-distance routes,” though cross country train travel is something they shouldn’t be running to begin with. They also threaten to reduce Acela service – hitting D.C. policymakers where it hurts – though that’s the only service that’s traditionally been profitable.
- Texas firm reaps millions booking COVID hotel rooms for New York City. New York doesn’t realize hotels usually cover commission costs, and they could make the bookings through Hotels.com. And if they went to hotels.com they’d see they were paying above market rate for the rooms…
In recent weeks, the city has placed hundreds of vulnerable homeless shelter residents, frontline hospital workers and recently released Rikers Island inmates into hotel rooms to help contain the spread of COVID-19.
And every time one of these temporary guests check in, a company down in Texas pockets a $27 per room, per night fee.
The firm, Crewfacilities.com LLC, also bills the city $18 for every breakfast, $19 for every lunch and $34 for every dinner provided to the guests, according to records obtained by THE CITY.
Changes to Lufthansa’s elite program have been delayed a year - Why Hertz crashed (HT: Paul H.)
- Airlines are requiring passengers to wear masks, but aren’t enforcing the requirement. That’s supposed to de-escalate things but it doesn’t.
- Nordic Choice Hotels offers ‘all you can stay’ package (HT: One Mile at a Time)
- I shared the regulatory hoops an airline has to jump through to give 1 ounce of hand sanitizer to each passenger even though passengers and crew are already allowed to bring up to 12 ounces apiece without issue. What I failed to note is that the the FAA studied on board sanitizer a decade ago and found it safe so those of you who felt the red tape was somehow beneficial for safety might wish to reconsider.
- Would anyone even want to go to a socially distanced Las Vegas? (NYT) No vibe, no crowds – no high fives at craps, densely packed clubs, or raucous pool scenes is there even a reason to go..?
LOL. Good for that TX firm. Piss on New York.
We need rail travel because some people cannot fly, and can’t drive.
@Gary – clearly you have only seen the large bachelor parties roaming Vegas. The more typical scene is the single person sitting alone in a casino shoving quarters into slots. There”s more of a socially distanced Vegas market than you think.
Hertz lost their way like others with customer service and at a certain
point they were done in by ride share and finally the pandemic IMO
They did not remain relevant in changing marketplace sadly
The last time I rented in January I said never again only on price next time not brand
They refused to post my FF miles and at the end of the rental saying that cars in auto-body shops don’t qualify when you are renting from us
@ Robert
“shoving quarters into slots.”
I haven’t seen a coin-operated slot machine since the 80’s.
@Robert so true, though I don’t think my friends and I are quite the sad lonely types that your comment evokes! We would definitely go without the crowds. (And you’ll never win anything just betting a quarter a pull.)
I want that Nordic Choice Hotels deal! Less than $50/night to travel around Sweden for two months, with free breakfast. Yes, please! Darn this plague! (And, y’know, my job and family.)
In the long run, this will prove to be an unmitigated disaster for the hotel chain. They should have taken a closer look at what at happened during the hurricane that tore up New Orleans. Evacuees were housed everywhere. I don’t know the number in Houston, but when it was all over no one could get a large number out of their “temporary” free housing and many still squat today. Horror stories like this appeared in several locations.