05 May
Travel

Southwest Moves Ahead of Schedule to Bring On Distribution Partners to Boost Corp Travel Bookings

Associated Press

Southwest Airlines jets at an airport. Associated Press

Skift Take: It’s a significant step since the launch of Southwest Business last year, designed to tap into the travel management community. Before the crisis, roughly a third of the airline’s traffic was corporate travel. This move could help it boost that market share.

— Matthew Parsons

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05 May
Travel

Farelogix Pushes Seat Distancing Tech for Airlines After the Sabre Merger Collapses

American

American Airlines has been installing new interiors. The carrier is a significant customer of Farelogix, an airline tech vendor. American

Skift Take: Farelogix CEO Jim Davidson says the pandemic presents opportunities. Yet despite that brave face, it’s hard to see Farelogix facing anything but revenue declines during the crisis now that it’s lost the Sabre acquisition.

— Sean O’Neill

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05 May
Travel

Luxury Hotel CEO Steps Down Amid Coronavirus Relief Loan Pushback But Controversy Lingers

Michael Barera / Wikimedia

The Ashton (pictured) in Ft. Worth, Texas, is among the Ashford Hospitality Trust properties receiving coronavirus relief funding. Michael Barera / Wikimedia

Skift Take: Douglas Kessler’s resignation only addresses one part of a luxury hotel portfolio tied to Monty Bennett receiving tens of millions of dollars in small business relief.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 May
Travel

U.S. Hotel Profits Per Room Cratered to Losses in March

Fred Hsu / Wikimedia

Down 203 percent, New York City saw the steepest decline in hotel gross operating profits in March. The U.S. average was a 102 percent decline. Fred Hsu / Wikimedia

Skift Take: Gross operating profits tanked in March, and it could take until 2021 for them to get to levels where owners can satisfy operational costs and mortgage payments.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 May
Travel

U.S. Travel’s Lobby Group Gestures Toward Reopening With New Health Guidelines

Michael Probst / Associated Press

A pilot wearing a face-mask prepares to board an aircraft. Michael Probst / Associated Press

Skift Take: The U.S. travel industry wants to restore traveler confidence with new health and safety measures. A 15-page report outlining hygienic best practice is a start, but more is needed for it to become standard across all sectors of the industry.

— Rosie Spinks

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05 May
Travel

Destinations Meet Darwin: How These 23 U.S. Cities Are Adapting to Survive

Cris Pierry / Visual Hunt

Seattle’s artists are keeping the energy alive downtown during the quiet of the pandemic by using the protective plywood on suspended businesses as canvases. Cris Pierry / Visual Hunt

Skift Take: Take a look at what these cities have pulled together with limited resources under the weight of this pandemic. It’s a true testament to resiliency and creativity.

— Matt Stiker

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05 May
Travel

Air France Finally Secures $7.6 Billion State Rescue Package

Vincent Genevay / Unsplash

Air France is to receive state aid worth $7.66 billion to soften the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. Vincent Genevay / Unsplash

Skift Take: The waiting has paid off. The European Commission’s seal of approval will be welcomed by Air France, but raise a few eyebrows among other carriers — in particular Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary.

— Matthew Parsons

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05 May
Travel

Travelers from Wuhan and Major Cities Lead Chinese Spike in Domestic Holiday Travel

Ng Han Guan / Associated Press

Travelers with their luggage walk past the Hankou railway station on the eve of its resuming outbound traffic in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. Domestic tourism spike on the May 1 Labor Day holiday. Ng Han Guan / Associated Press

Skift Take: Chinese travel spiked during the Labor Day holiday but authorities set a 30 percent capacity at major tourism sites. China is a first-mover in a global travel recovery.

— Dennis Schaal

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