Jul
28
2020
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Think Twice Before Bringing Cash To The Airport [Roundup]
8 Airlines Offer All You Can Fly Passes For Just $500
Jul
28
2020
Shanghai-based Delta partner China Eastern is back to 94% of prior year domestic capacity. They’re running a “Fly as you wish” deal which for $475 offers unlimited weekend flights. They report selling over 100,000 passes.
At least 8 Chinese airlines are offering ‘all you can fly’ deals. Just today China Southern, part-owned by American Airlines and Qatar Airways, introduced all you can fly.
Study Finds 16 Passengers On A Single Flight Caught Covid-19, What Does This Mean For Air Travel?
Jul
28
2020
If the passenger who hadn’t traveled to Wuhan did pick up the virus inflight, what’s remarkable is that with 15 people that had been in Wuhan in January ultimately testing positive for the virus only one other person on the aircraft got it. What’s remarkable is the lack of spread, rather than that there’s spread, considering the number of infected persons on board.
Hotels With Wall Mounted Toiletries Aren’t Taking Covid Cleaning Obligations Seriously
Jul
28
2020
We aren’t re-using grocery bags right now, or dishware on airplanes – everything is moving towards single use because we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. Hotels need to recognize that and take it seriously and end this ill-fated experiment with getting guests to re-use each others’ shampoo.
I’m not suggesting environmental considerations aren’t meaningful – they just point towards single use biodegradable packaging, which have been in some hotels for years, not communal use.
Furloughed Airline Worker Wins $1.4 Million Lotto Jackpot
Jul
28
2020
A furloughed airline employee in Melbourne, Australia won a $1.43 million jackpot. The man, who remains anonymous, is based in Melbourne which is the current epicenter of Australia’s recent Covid-19 outbreak.
The Surprising Reason American Express Says Spending On Airlines And Hotel Cards Is Strong
Jul
27
2020
During the American Express second quarter earnings call, CEO Stephen Squeri offered a number of insights into their credit card business and travel benefits.
The company is seeing lower rewards expenses because the highest cost rewards are usually travel rewards, and that’s not how people are spending their points. There’s also less usage of travel-related benefits. I was surprise though that Delta, Marriott, and Hilton cards have been outperforming other American Express cards.
Is The Huge Focus On Cleanliness In Travel Just One Big Waste? [Roundup]
Jul
27
2020
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.
Delta Partners With Lysol To Make Flying Safer (And Clean The Lavatories)
Jul
27
2020
United Airlines branded its cleanliness efforts with Clorox. Hilton puts Lysol stickers on hotel room doors after the rooms have been cleaned. Now Delta Air Lines has struck a deal with Lysol as well.
Lysol will provide Delta with disinfectant spray and wipes and “develop new protocols for areas such as lavatories.” They’ll also work on “disinfection procedures at departure gates and in Sky Clubs, and Delta will deploy “care carts” with EPA-approved Lysol disinfection products.”
Cayman Islands Will Make Arriving Passengers Wear A “BioButton” To Avoid Quarantine
Jul
27
2020
When the Cayman Islands re-open to tourism in September, they require a negative Covid-19 PCR test from within 72 hours of flying and will offer arriving passengers a choice: quarantine or biobutton to let the government track your vital signs for two weeks.
Everyone Expects A Vaccine To Bring Back Travel. That May Not Be How It Happens.
Jul
27
2020
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby talked during his airline’s earnings call about the airline expecting to plateau at 50% of last year’s revenue ‘until there’s a vaccine’ and then expecting recovery to come very quickly to the airline business. American Airlines, too, talked about a vaccine for Covid-19 in its earnings call.
I’ve already written about a vaccine not being a silver bullet, that it’s likely not to be 100% effective and not everyone will take it. That means the virus will continue to circulate, people will still get infected. A vaccine may help – but perhaps less than you think – and isn’t the ‘trigger’ for travel everyone hopes.
