August 9, 2022

Direct Travel

News Briefs

August 9, 2022

In This Edition… airline ticket prices drop, reducing traveller wait times at Canadian airports, airline flight service updates, new airline partnerships, assessing airplane seat size, improving processing of Canada customs and immigration forms, Global Entry updates, Hertz rental volume at 70%, high speed WI-FI on New York City subways, Hilton Caribbean and Latin America expansion, hotel updates and sustainability, traveler tips, and much more!

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Powering a More Sustainable Travel Program with Direct ATPI Halo

A progressive and more conscious world outlook has brought about a major movement towards “going green.” Both businesses and the travel industry alike have become more educated about the effects of. Read More

Top Tools for Streamlining the New Traveler Journey

Travel has increased substantially in 2022 as employees return to the road and airways. Business travel is bouncing back to pre-pandemic levels, which has companies re-evaluating the impact of in-person meetings and group events. Read More


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Airline Tickets Dropping From Summer Highs

Fox News — Hotel prices are expected to follow the same trend as airline fares this August. Read More

Canadian Feds Say Progress Being Made On Airport Wait Times, Delays

Travel Pulse — The federal government has provided an update on progress towards reducing traveller wait times at Canadian airports. Read More


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American Airlines Becomes Latest Carrier to Cut Flights

Travel Market Report — American said the cuts were made in order to build an additional “buffer” into the remainder of its summer schedule. Read More

American Airlines Unveils Admirals Club Redesign

Travel Weekly — The first new-look club will be unveiled at Reagan Washington National Airport this fall. Read More

Canada Jetlines Pushes Launch Date

Travel Market Report — The new, all-Canadian airline is now scheduled to launch at the end of August. Read More

Delta Will Fly to Cape Town and Tahiti and Restore Tel Aviv Service

Travel Weekly — The airline will launch nonstop service from Atlanta to Cape Town, South Africa, and from Los Angeles to Tahiti on Dec. 17. Read More

Air France to Add Nonstop Newark-Paris Service

Business Travel News — Air France plans to add a nonstop daily flight between Newark Liberty International Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport beginning Dec. 12. Read More

United Airlines First to Launch Nonstop Service Between Washington DC, Cape Town

Travel Pulse — The carrier is scheduled to launch the new flights on November 17. Read More

JetBlue Agrees to Buy Spirit for $3.8 Billion After Bidding War

Afar Magazine — The merger was announced the day after Frontier abandoned its plans to acquire Spirit. Read More

United, Air Canada Look to Expand Relationship

Business Travel News — United Airlines and Air Canada have agreed to expand their relationship with a new joint business agreement, the carriers announced. The two carriers since 1997 have had U.S. antitrust immunity. Read More

Delta to Hold Capacity at June Level through 2022

Business Travel News — After apologizing during a second-quarter earnings call Wednesday to customers “who have been impacted by cancellations, delays and long wait times over the last two months,” Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian announced the carrier would hold capacity at its June level for the remainder of this year. Read More

United Airlines Adds More than 120 Flights for Fall’s College Football Season

Travel Market Report — Good news for traveling college football fans. Read More

Delta Looking at Private Charter Pilots to Solve Shortage

Travel Pulse — The airline is partnering with private charter service Wheels Up. Read More

This Airline Is Launching Digital Bag Tags to Speed Up Check-In

Afar Magazine — Alaska Airlines plans to launch the program in late 2022. Read More

FAA Starts Regulatory Review of Airplane Seat Size Standards

Travel Weekly — The first step is a document asking the public to provide comments on the safety impacts of existing seat widths, seat lengths and the space between rows. Read More


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Canada is Now Allowing More Travelers to Complete Customs and Immigration Forms Ahead of Time

Travel Market Report — CBSA is expanding ArriveCAN’s immigration functions to seven other airports “in the coming months.” Read More

Global Entry Flyers Will Speed Through Some Airports Even Faster Now

The Points Guy — If you’ve visited a Global Entry kiosk in the last year or so, you may have noticed the technology is getting savvier. Kiosks can now verify your identity with a facial scan — no passport or fingerprint check necessary. Now, some U.S. airports are going a step further. Read More

Government Travel Warnings & Alerts

U.S. Department of State — Information on current government issued travel warnings and alerts. Read More


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Hertz:Q2 Corp. Volume at 70 Percent of 2019 Levels

Business Travel News — Hertz Global Holdings’ second-quarter corporate business volume reached about 70 percent of 2019 levels, company CFO Kenny Cheung said. Read More

New York City Subways to Get High-Speed Wi-Fi

Frequent Business Traveler — New York City’s subway, the world’s largest in terms of the number of stations, is slated to get cellular and Wi-Fi service. Read More

Burlington Gets Direct Train Service From New York City

Afar Magazine — The new train extension rolls out on July 29. Read More


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The 9 Best New Hotels in NYC

Afar Magazine — Check into one of these new spots near Central Park, over in Brooklyn, and yes, even on Roosevelt Island. Read More

Hilton Continues Caribbean and Latin America Expansion

Travel Pulse — Hilton Hotels added 11 Latin America hotel properties, growing its Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) portfolio to more than 190 hotels representing nearly 15% of Hilton’s presence outside the United States. Read More

Accor Details Restructure of Its 43 Hotel Brands into Two Business Units

Phocuswire — Accor’s reorganization, dubbed “turbo,” will create two units within the hotel group. Read More

Hilton Optimistic Business Travel Upturn Will Endure

Business Travel News — After a second quarter buoyed by what Hilton Hotels Corp. executives called stronger-than-expected levels of business travel, particularly from the small and midsize segment, CEO Christopher Nassetta said he was “cautiously optimistic” that such demand would continue throughout 2022. Read More

How Sustainability Has Become a Marketing Necessity in Luxury Hotels

Forbes — Small Luxury Hotels of the World has launched a new ‘Considerate Collection’ of properties that go the extra eco mile. Read More


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New York LaGuardia’s New Terminal B is Now Complete

Travel Weekly — The final two gates and the last section of a new taxiway have opened, completing a $5.1 billion project that began in 2016. Read More

10 Worst U.S. Airports for Flight Cancellations and Delays

Prevue Meetings — While no airport can guarantee to get all its flights out on time, some are worse than others when it comes to delays and cancellations. Read More

Have People Forgotten How to be Good Travelers During the Pandemic?

Washington Post — After enduring shutdowns and travel bans, Americans are vacationing again. Along the way, they’re discovering that they’ve forgotten things they used to know — and that there are some new things they need to know but don’t. Read More

U.S Airports Predominate the List of Busiest Airports in 2021

Travel Weekly — Seven of the top 10 were in the U.S. Read More

NYC Expects 207 Percent Increase in International Tourists

NY Post — A projected 207% more international visitors are expected to flock to Gotham this year as compared to 2021, city tourism officials told The Post. Read More

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