Travel Week in Review – May 6th, 2022

The U.K. doing away with all coronavirus-related travel restrictions on March 18 was major news—that is, until six more European countries (and counting) followed suit since. Whether they’re vaccinated or not, travelers entering the region now have even more destinations in which they won’t have to take a pre- or post-arrival test, follow any quarantine rules, or fill out passenger-tracking forms. International travelers still need the requisite visas, of course. Read More…

A car rental industry executive said there is a business travel comeback taking place, but companies are dealing with a lack of vehicles. During an interview with CNBC’s Jim Cramer, Hertz chief executive officer Stephen Scherr said that business travel is “trending upwards” and that international visitors will return to the United States as more coronavirus-related travel restrictions are lifted. While the car rental company reported “better-than-expected earnings and revenue” in the first quarter of 2022. Read More…

A federal judge in Florida voided the federal transportation mask mandate and most airports and major airlines in the United States dropped masking requirements. But not everyone may be comfortable taking to the skies without knowing their fellow passengers are masking up. With passengers in mind, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said that people who are uncomfortable flying may be offered a credit or a refund. Read More…

After all the pandemic-era regulations and international travel rules, get ready for one new requirement coming for travelers to Europe in 2023. The European Travel Information and Authorization System will introduce a mandatory registration and a 7 euro (about $7.50) fee for visitors to most European countries as of May 2023. While some people have called this a “visitor tax,” the stated reason for the program is improved security. Read More…

After reviewing a revised proposal from JetBlue Airways that offered a $200 million reverse break-up fee should the transaction not close due to antitrust reasons, Spirit Airlines’ board of directors unanimously rejected the carrier’s bid in favor of its proposed merger with Frontier Airlines, Spirit announced Monday. The JetBlue proposal “is not reasonably capable of being consummated,” according to Spirit’s board. Read More…