Travel Week in Review – June 3rd, 2022

The last two years 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…

A substantial expansion by United this summer in the transatlantic marketplace will transform the carrier into the largest U.S. airline in terms of U.S.-Europe service. What remains to be seen is whether the shift turns out to be largely short-term and tactical as opposed to a long-term, strategic maneuver. “This is a continuation of the ‘fly where you can and where you think the demand is going to be’ strategy. It has just shifted from sand and sun to Europe.” Read More…

The cruise industry could be in rocky waters again: Difficulties with hiring crew members has hindered several cruise lines’ operations, leaving some would-be cruise-goers with fewer onboard dining options or canceled trips. Like on-land hospitality companies, cruise lines haven’t been immune to worker shortages” amid the Great Resignation. And now, a lack of available cruise workers has begun affecting itineraries and onboard amenities. Read More…

High ticket prices and inflation in the economy haven’t dimmed demand for summer leisure flying, according to reports and comments made by airlines on Thursday. In a regulatory filing, Southwest increased its second-quarter revenue guidance, citing strong load factors and an acceleration in bookings for summer travel. Southwest now expects Q2 operating revenue to exceed 2019 by 12% to 15%, up from last month’s forecast of an 8% to 12% improvement. Read More…

Delta Air Lines is cutting about 100 flights a day from July 1 through Aug. 7, becoming the latest carrier to scale back capacity in hopes of avoiding flight disruptions for thousands of travelers. The summer flight reductions represent about 2% of Delta’s scheduled departures. Other carriers including JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines have also trimmed schedules to give their operations more wiggle room to handle challenges. Read More…