Travel Week in Review – April 15th, 2022

Masks will continue to be required until at least May 3 when flying commercially and in other transportation settings, including on buses, ferries, and subways, while health officials monitor an uptick in coronavirus cases, the CDC said Wednesday. “In order to assess the potential impact the rise of cases has on severe disease, including hospitalizations and deaths, and health care system capacity, the order will remain in place at this time.” Read More…

JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines passengers have struggled to reach their destinations this weekend as the airlines canceled hundreds of flights due to staffing issues and bad weather in Florida late in the week. The flight woes come as the airlines begin merger talks following JetBlue’s surprise bid for the budget airline on Tuesday. Spirit said it will entertain JetBlue’s offer while not abandoning its earlier deal to merge with Frontier. Read More…

After two years of cancellations, deferments, and marathon sessions with airline customer service, many travelers are hoping to book summer trips that actually pan out this year. Many travelers, twice bitten by summer plans gone awry, remain shy of making them again this year. Even the experts have given up trying to predict what twists the pandemic will take next. But regardless of what happens, travelers can maximize their chances of summer travel success with a few simple steps. Read More…

In something of an airline love triangle, JetBlue is making a play to break up the engagement between two low-cost airlines before they get hitched. Months after Spirit Airlines committed to merging with Frontier Airlines, New York-based JetBlue made an unsolicited $3.6 billion offer for Spirit on Wednesday, besting Frontier’s $2.9 billion offer. “Once the Spirit and Frontier deal was announced, it created a window of opportunity that, if you don’t act in it, it’s gone.” Read More…

Last year may not have brought an immediate end to the coronavirus pandemic, but it brought a renewed sense of hope when it comes to traveling. And many Americans are taking advantage of that feeling, looking ahead, and planning their next vacations. The options for those who want to add another stamp to their passport have steadily grown since the world was first put on hold last year — albeit often with more paperwork, testing, and pre-planning required. Read More…