Dawit Habtemariam
Business Travel News
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Past articles by Dawit:
Eric Yuan, Zoom CEO and Founder
In lieu of the meetings and conferences canceled due to Covid-19, businesses the world over have turned to virtual meetings and videoconferences, leaning on Google Hangouts, Webex and GoToMeeting, among many others. The situation also has spurred meeting technology providers, such as Cvent and Aventri, to introduce their own virtual meeting solutions, and Intrado and other videoconference… → Read More
Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue President and COO
Early in the pandemic, to help reduce virus transmission, carriers mandated their in-flight crew and recommended their passengers wear masks or face coverings. On April 27, though, JetBlue became the first carrier to require all passengers to wear masks or face coverings during check-in, boarding, in flight, in terminals and when deplaning. The carrier based its requirement on the U.S. Centers… → Read More
What Virtual Meetings Must Learn from Video Games
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, meeting planners canceled or rescheduled their meetings and events, but from April 23rd to 25th, hip-hop artist Travis Scott performed five concerts to a total of over 27 million people around the world. The event was hosted virtually on the online gaming platform Fortnite. Scott performed from his home while attendees danced in the concert as avatars. → Read More
BCD Survey: Airport, Cabin Sanitization Business Travelers' Top Concern:
Nine in 10 business travelers said an enhanced airport and cabin disinfection is a very or extremely important measure to ensure safe travel in the future, according to a BCD Travel survey. About 73 percent said an empty seat beside them was "very" or "extremely" important. → Read More
Industry Bodies Lobby Congress for Covid-19 Liability Shields:
Several associations representing aspects of the business travel industry have joined dozens of others in lobbying the U.S. Congress to pass legislation that would shield companies that comply with federal health and safety guidelines from legal liability if their employees or customers contract Covid-19. Among them, the Global Business Travel Association "is pushing this hard," a source briefed… → Read More
Radius Travel Adds Six Agencies:
Radius Travel Network has added six agencies, the company announced Wednesday. → Read More
Lyft Providing Free Rideshare Credits to Restaurant Workers:
Through a partnership with food relief organization Off Their Plate and its restaurant partners, Lyft is providing access to free ride credits to restaurant workers in need of transportation in U.S. cities. → Read More
American Airlines, Hyatt Provide Healthcare Workers with Complimentary Vacations:
American Airlines and Hyatt will provide over 4,000 healthcare professionals from the NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst hospital in Queens three-night complimentary vacations, according to the companies. → Read More
Airports Consider Ways to Reduce Human Contact:
Airports are considering how to prepare for a post-Covid-19 air travel environment in order to protect and reassure a public wary of flying. → Read More
Benchmark Cuts Rates for Essential Workers in U.S. Through 2020:
Hospitality company Benchmark's two luxury brands, Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and Gemstone Collection, are cutting accommodation rates for essential workers amid the Covid-19 pandemic, effective immediately and extending throughout 2020. → Read More
China's Domestic Business Travel Slowly Waking Up:
Business travel slowly is recovering in China under tight government control and mostly at a domestic level. The country's strategy, which will attempt to restart what previously was the biggest business travel market in the world, could offer a glimpse of how business travel will recover in the future, despite clear differences in how the travel market—particularly airlines—operates. → Read More
Ditching Personal Cards, Letgo Embraces New Payment System:
Business travelers at smaller companies don't always have access to the full complement of travel technology and tools that travelers from large companies enjoy. Some don't even have corporate cards, instead using personal credit cards to pay for business travel and requiring post-trip reimbursement by their employer. → Read More
Uber Transporting Healthcare Workers in Fight Against Covid-19:
Uber has been transporting health-care workers to and from Covid-19patients' homes, as well as between healthcare facilities, according to the company. → Read More
State Department to U.S. Citizens: Do Not Travel Internationally:
The U.S. State Department on Thursday issued a level 4 travel advisory—the highest level of warning—for all U.S. citizens, telling them to avoid international travel due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. → Read More
European Commission: No Compensation for Coronavirus-Caused Flight Cancellations:
The European Commission this week released a public guidance document indicating that airlines are not obligated to compensate passengers for flight cancellations caused by the Covid-19 outbreak under the European Union's Flight Compensation Regulation EC 261/2004, because it falls under the "extraordinary circumstance" condition. → Read More
Will Travel Managers Bite on Airport Gateside Delivery Services?:
Some airports like San Diego International and Baltimore Washington International in the U.S. now host startup delivery services like Airport Sherpa and AtYourGate that travelers can use to have their food, beverages and merchandise delivered to them as they wait by their boarding gate. It's pretty much like Uber Easts or DoorDash but within the airport terminal. → Read More
GBTA Survey: Sharp Increase in International Business Travel Suspensions:
Corporate suspensions or cancellations especially of international business travel in the past two weeks have increased sharply due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a Global Business Travel Association membership survey released Tuesday. → Read More
ARC: January U.S. Travel Agency Ticket Sales Increase:
In January, the total consolidated dollar value of tickets sold by U.S.-based travel agencies increased 2.6 percent year over year to $8.9 billion, according to Airlines Reporting Corp. The average U.S. round-trip ticket price was $478. → Read More
USTA: December U.S. Business Travel Volume Increases:
December travel to or within the United States grew 2.4 percent year over year, according to the U.S. Travel Association's Travel Trends Index, which measures trips involving a hotel stay or air travel. Aided by Hanukkah falling the same week as Christmas, U.S. business travel rose by more than double the six-month segment average. → Read More
BA Using New ARC API to Confirm Ticketing Authority for U.S. NDC Bookings:
British Airways is the first user of a new Airlines Reporting Corp. application programming interface that will allow it to confirm the ticketing authority of U.S.-based travel agencies that sell its New Distribution Capability content, ARC announced this week. → Read More