Travel Week in Review – January 22, 2021

American Airlines announced it would continue to waive change fees for customers booking tickets for any new travel purchased by March 31. The carrier is providing customers with additional travel flexibility as part of its efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the airline industry. These fees are applicable to any first-class, business class, Premium Economy, Main Cabin, or Basic Economy tickets. Read More…

Coronavirus cases may be on the rise, but Hilton is still looking to a future when people will once again meet in-person — to some degree, anyway. Hilton launched a hybrid meeting and events strategy Monday aimed at enabling event planners to book meetings at a hotel while also allowing people to tune in virtually from other locations. Read More…

Government officials in Hawaii have revealed that travelers who receive the coronavirus vaccine will likely be exempt from quarantine and testing requirements, with the changes coming as soon as Spring 2021. Hawaiian Lieutenant Governor Josh Green said the plan is to allow travelers to visit the state without obtaining a negative COVID-19 test or observing the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.Read More…

Singapore’s national carrier is hoping to become the world’s first airline to get all of its crew members vaccinated against Covid-19. Singapore Airlines (SIA) confirmed to CNN Travel that all of their crew members – including pilots, gate agents, flight attendants, and anyone whose job requires contact with the public have been offered free coronavirus vaccines by the Singaporean government. Read More…

United Airlines executives are confident that demand recovery will be quick, but they are less confident when that recovery will start. While Delta Air Lines last week projected that its breakeven point would come in the spring, United executives in an earnings call on Thursday did not put a timeline on when its cash burn rate—which was $23 million daily in the fourth quarter, not counting $10 million in daily costs toward paying principal debt and severance payments—would reach zero. Read More…