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    Daily Getaways Returns with Travel Deals, Offers from Top Brands

    The U.S. Travel Association today unveiled a weeklong preview of its popular Daily Getaways program. Officially launching for sales on June 12, Daily Getaways will feature exclusive offers from major travel brands—offering discounts up to 50% off loyalty points, theme park tickets, vacation packages and hotel stays.
    Survey data shows travelers are increasingly looking for ways to save on travel. According to a Morning Consult survey, a greater share of travelers (34%) are using points and rewards to book travel than last year (28%). With deals in Daily Getaways carrying at least a year-long expiration and many programs offering points that never expire (with an active account), travelers can secure a travel deal now to use beyond this summer.
    Available DealsSince its inception in 2010, Daily Getaways has offered travelers access to deals from top travel brands in a one-stop, once-a-year marketplace, with deep discounts on points from top loyalty programs being among the fastest sellers.
    The following is a breakdown of how travelers can view and buy the deals:
    Deals Preview: Starting June 5, U.S. Travel begins previewing the Daily Getaways deals online, allowing travelers to sign up for reminders when the deals go live.Daily Deals: A limited number of offers will be available for online purchase in the United States and Canada each weekday beginning Monday, June 12 until July 14, or until supplies last.Deals Platform: To preview and later purchase the deals, consumers can visit DailyGetaways.com. Travelers can also sign up for daily alerts to be reminded of deals that interest them before limited quantities sell out.Travelers can look forward to Daily Getaways travel opportunities from these and additional travel brands:ADVERTISEMENTAccorBest Western Hotels & ResortsCaesars EntertainmentChoice HotelsIHG Hotels & ResortsHiltonHyatt Hotels & ResortsMarriott InternationalMGM Resorts InternationalOmni Hotels & ResortsSeaWorld Parks & EntertainmentUniversal Destinations & ExperiencesThe Venetian Resort Las VegasWyndham Hotels & ResortsVisit DailyGetaways.com for more information or follow @DailyGetaways on Twitter.

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    BELMOND APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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    BELMOND APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

    Belmond announces that Dan Ruff, who has been Chief Operating Officer of the brand since 2018, has been appointed as new CEO, effective 1st July 2023He succeeds Roeland Vos, who has been at the helm of the company for the past eight years. Roeland Vos will continue his role as Chairman of the board of Belmond Ltd and as such will be available to provide support to the organisation on specific projects or advisory topics.
    “I’m very pleased to hand over the reins of the company to Dan. I have known him for a very long time. He will provide continuity in the journey for excellence that Belmond is on whilst pushing boundaries. I am convinced that he will succeed in taking the team and the brand to the next level.” Roeland Vos commented.
    A proven leader with 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Dan has led Belmond’s strategic focus on operational, commercial and property excellence over the past five years, guiding the teams through the challenges of the pandemic from which Belmond has emerged stronger than ever.
    Prior to joining Belmond, Dan held senior roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Wyndham Hotel Group across operations, asset management, and mergers & acquisitions, and served on the Supervisory Board ofDesign Hotels AG. He began his career at Credit Suisse First Boston in the investment banking division.
    “I’m truly honoured to become CEO of this extraordinary company, with its passionate and genuine people, and legendary properties. Together, we will continue to strive to offer incomparable travel experiences to our guests, and become the world’s most desirable luxury travel brand.” Dan Ruff commented.ADVERTISEMENTDan Ruff will be reporting directly to Stéphane Rinderknech, Chairman and CEO of LVMH Hospitality Excellence. He will continue to be based in London where he lives with his family. Originally from New York, he graduated from the College Scholar program at Cornell University.

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    CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS POTENTIAL OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING TOURISM

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    Accelya and American Airlines look to boost NDC adoption with breakthrough ticket exchange solution

    Accelya, a leading global provider of software and technology solutions to the travel industry, today announced it will now enable American Airlines to make unused EDIFACT tickets exchangeable through New Distribution Capability-based connections.The pioneering initiative responds to a commonly reported challenge from travel management companies (TMCs), many of which are still dependent on Global Distribution Systems (GDS) that use the legacy EDIFACT messaging standard for information exchange.
    Until now, the inability to exchange unused GDS EDIFACT tickets has been a key barrier for TMCs wanting to leverage the benefits of NDC-based distribution. In turn, the lack of this functionality has complicated NDC adoption across the industry.
    Following rigorous testing, Accelya’s solution was able to obtain access to tickets issued via EDIFACT through the GDS using the airline’s API, as well as submit the extracted fare information to its shopping provider in order to obtain a price for the exchange.
    The new functionality can be implemented for any other NDC-enabled carrier, as long as they are able to provide access to GDS-issued legacy tickets from their host system. This will allow travel sellers to conveniently exchange unused EDIFACT tickets and will in turn help airlines accelerate their transition to NDC.
    “After discussions with the TMC community and our partners at American Airlines, we very quickly picked up the mantle and worked tirelessly to bring this new capability to the market,” said Tye Radcliffe, SVP of Product Strategy over the Order Group at Accelya. “Having worked closely with American Airlines since the very start of their NDC journey, it was clear that their innovative spirit aligned well with our pioneering spirit – making them a natural partner to help us move the whole industry further, faster.”ADVERTISEMENT“At American Airlines, we are focused on providing customers a modern retailing experience regardless of where they shop, whether it is directly with us or through a travel retailer,” added Scott Laurence, Senior Vice President of Partnership Strategy and International at American Airlines. “Thanks to our partnership with Accelya, we were able to address a key pain point for our customers and travel retailers as they transition to NDC.”

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    Virgin Atlantic launches one off samba special featuring Anton Du Beke and AJ Pritchard

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    Emirates to Host 80th IATA AGM in Dubai​

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Emirates will host the 80th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 2-4 June 2024.  “We look forward to gathering the aviation industry in Dubai for the 80th IATA AGM in 2024. Dubai is a dynamic city and a major aviation hub connecting the world. The UAE’s positive approach to aviation has built a strong airline with a strong hub airport. Together, these make an enormously powerful and positive contribution to the society and economy of the UAE. Holding the AGM in Dubai will be a showcase of what can be achieved by aviation with supportive government policies and decisions,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. 
    “Emirates is delighted to host the 80th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit. We look forward to welcoming all our aviation industry colleagues to Dubai in 2024,” said Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.
    The decision to host the 80th IATA AGM was made by the 79th AGM in Istanbul. 
    This will be the first time the UAE and Dubai will host the global gathering of aviation’s top leaders.

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    IATA Urges States to Provide Timely, Thorough and Public Accident Reports More

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    IATA Urges States to Provide Timely, Thorough and Public Accident Reports

    The International Air Transport Association called on governments to live up to longstanding international treaty obligations to publish timely and thorough aviation accident reports. Safety is aviation’s highest priority.Failure to publish prompt and complete accident investigation reports deprives operators, equipment manufacturers, regulators, infrastructure providers and other concerned stakeholders of critical information that could make flying even safer.
    “The accident investigation process is one of our most important learning tools when building global safety standards. But to learn from an accident, we need reports that are complete, accessible and timely,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
    The requirements of the Convention of International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) Annex 13 are clear. States in charge of an accident investigation must:
    Submit a preliminary report to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) within 30 days of the accidentPublish the final report, that is publicly available, as soon as possible and within 12 months of the accident.Publish interim statements annually should a final report not be possible within 12 months.Only 96 of the 214 accident investigations during the period 2018-2022 conform with the requirements of the Chicago Convention. Just 31 reports were published in less than one year of the accident with the majority (58) taking between 1–3 years. In addition to the fact that final reports regularly take more than a year, interim statements often provide little more than what was presented in the preliminary report.
    “Over the past five years, fewer than half of the required accident reports meet the standards for thoroughness and timeliness. This is an inexcusable violation of requirements stated clearly in the Chicago Convention. As an industry we must raise our voice to governments in defense of the accident investigation process enshrined in Annex 13. And we count on ICAO to remind states that the publication of a complete accident report is not optional, it is an obligation under Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention,” said Walsh.ADVERTISEMENT

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    Aviation Consumer Protection Regulation Should Address Shared Responsibilities

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    Aviation Consumer Protection Regulation Should Address Shared Responsibilities

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for consumer protection regulation to address the responsibility shared by all stakeholders when passengers experience disruptions and released survey data showing most passengers trust airlines to treat them fairly in cases of delays and cancellations.Whenever there is a delay or a cancellation, where specific passenger rights regulations exist, the burden of care and compensation falls on the airline, regardless of which part of the aviation chain is at fault. IATA therefore urged governments to ensure that responsibility for flight issues is shared more equitably across the air transport system.
    “The aim of any passenger rights regulation surely should be to drive better service. So it makes little sense that airlines are singled out to pay compensation for delays and cancellations that have a broad range of root causes, including air traffic control failures, strikes by non-airline workers, and inefficient infrastructure. With more governments introducing or strengthening passenger rights regulations, the situation is no longer sustainable for airlines. And it has little benefit for passengers because it does not encourage all parts of the aviation system to maximize customer service. On top of this, as costs need to be recouped from passengers, they end up funding this system. We urgently need to move to a model of ‘shared accountability’ where all actors in the value chain face the same incentives to drive on-time performance,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
    Economic deregulation of the airline industry has brought huge benefits over decades, increasing consumer choice, reducing fares, expanding route networks and encouraging new entrants. Unfortunately, a trend of re-regulation threatens to undo some of these advances. In the area of consumer protection, more than a hundred jurisdictions have developed unique consumer regulations, with at least a dozen more governments looking to join the group or toughen what they already have.
    EU 261 needs to be reviewedThe Commission’s own data show that delays have increased since the existing EU 261 Regulation was introduced, even as the cost to airlines—and ultimately passengers—continues to balloon. It has become subject to more than 70 interpretations by the European Court of Justice, each of which serves to take the regulation further than originally envisaged by the authorities. The European Commission, along with the Council and Parliament, needs to revive the Revision of EU261 that was on the table before it was blocked by Member States. Any future discussions should address the proportionality of compensation and the lack of specific responsibilities for key stakeholders, such as airports or air navigation service providers.
    Such a review is even more necessary when the EU Regulation is in danger of becoming a global template, with other countries, including Canada, the United States, and Australia, as well as some in Latin America and the Middle East, seeming to consider it a model, without recognizing that EU261 was never intended to address operational disruption and therefore does not apply equally to all actors in the aviation chain.ADVERTISEMENT“In refusing to address the issue of distributing accountability more evenly across the system, EU261 has entrenched the service failings of some actors who have no inducement to improve. A classic example is the more than 20-year lack of progress toward the Single European Sky, which would significantly reduce delays and airspace inefficiency across Europe,” said Walsh.
    An opportunity for the United KingdomWith sensible reform of EU 261 stalled, the United Kingdom has an opportunity to incorporate some of the proposed revisions into the country’s post-Brexit model for passenger rights. Proper reform of ‘UK 261’ provides a gilt-edged opportunity for a genuine ‘Brexit dividend’ which the present pro-Brexit government should not ignore.
    Canada is losing its reputation for good regulationThe situation in Canada is particularly disappointing because it has benefitted from a well-balanced regulatory regime up to now. An example is the explicit recognition of the primacy of safety, meaning that safety-related problems are not subject to compensation. Unfortunately, Canadian policymakers seem inclined to remove this important exception. Canada has also announced a “guilty until proven innocent” approach to airlines when there are delays or cancellations. These moves appear to be driven by internal Canadian party politics. Moreover, the government’s regulatory zeal appears to evaporate when it comes to holding government-run entities such as Border Services (CBSA) or Transport Security (CATSA) accountable for their performance.
    One potential bright spot is that the National Airlines Council of Canada has put forward a model for shared accountabilities across the aviation value chain, including increased transparency, data reporting and service quality standards, an approach that could well have merit beyond Canada.
    The United States—a solution in search of a problemThe US Department of Transportation is proposing to mandate compensation for delayed or cancelled flights when their own Cancellation and Delay Scoreboard shows that the 10 largest US carriers already offer meals or cash vouchers to customers during extended delays, and nine also offer complimentary hotel accommodation for passengers affected by an overnight cancellation. Effectively, the market is already delivering, while at the same time allowing airlines the freedom to compete, innovate and differentiate themselves in terms of their service offerings.
    “It’s easy for a politician to regulate a new passenger rights law, it makes them look like they’ve achieved something. But every new unnecessary regulation is an anchor on the cost-efficiency and competitiveness of air transport. It takes a brave regulator to look at the situation and recognize when ‘less is more’. The history of this industry proves that less economic regulation unlocks greater choice and benefits for passengers,” said Walsh.
    Passengers don’t agree there is an issueThere is little evidence passengers, outside of a few rare instances, are clamouring for stronger regulation in this area. An IATA/Motif survey of 4,700 travelers across 11 markets asked passengers how they were treated in the case of delays and cancellations. The survey found:
    96% of travelers surveyed reported they were ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ satisfied with their overall flight experience73% were confident they would be treated fairly in the event of operational disruptions72% said that in general airlines do a good job of handling delays and cancellations91% agreed with the statement ‘All parties involved in the delay or cancellation (airlines, airports, air traffic control) should play a role in helping the affected passengers’“The best guarantor of good customer service is consumer choice and competition. Travelers can and do vote with their feet if an airline—or indeed the entire aviation industry—doesn’t come up to scratch. Politicians should trust the public’s instinct and not regulate away the distinctive business models and choices available to travelers today,” said Walsh.

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    IATA and UNEP to Address Key Environmental Challenges in Aviation

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    IATA and UNEP to Address Key Environmental Challenges in Aviation

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to address sustainability challenges in the aviation industry.   Reduction of problematic single use plastics products (SUPP) and improving the circularity in the use of plastics by the industry is the initial focus of the partnership as UNEP leads global efforts to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, by the end of 2024. 
    Making aircraft cabins more sustainable is a priority for airlines and their passengers. The complex and asymmetrical regulatory environment, however, often poses an obstacle by preventing circular economy best practices. In the absence of a global approach, differing regulations at both ends of a journey severely limit the actions that airlines can take.
    IATA advocates for a simplified and harmonized regulatory environment that would enable a reduction in plastic utilization and greater reuse, and recycling of cabin waste, including plastics, where they are needed. To this end, the partnership will step-up IATA’s engagement with UNEP to ensure that aviation’s unique challenges and opportunities are represented in the upcoming international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. 
    Already, IATA and UNEP are working on joint guidance on Re-thinking Plastics in Aviation. This comprehensive resource will encompass an overview of regulations, guidance on SUPP replacement, and recommended best practices for both industry and regulators.
    “World Environment Day reminds us that sustainability is our number one global challenge. Formalizing IATA’s longstanding collaboration with UNEP will help airlines move even faster on improving the sustainability of the aircraft cabin. It’s critical that we achieve a harmonized global regulatory framework to enable airlines to implement more comprehensive and common circular economic solutions in all markets. For example, currently our hands are tied with outdated regulations focused on incineration rather than reuse and recycling. Modernizing that will be a big step forward for sustainability,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s SVP Sustainability and Chief Economist. ADVERTISEMENT“UNEP is looking forward to working with IATA, to helping the industry transition to net zero, food waste reduction and moving away from single use and short lived plastic products. The aviation industry can also help by creating the demand for substituting these plastics with materials that do not have a negative and social environmental footprint,” said Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division.
    More than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year, half of which is designed to be used only once. Of that, only nine percent is recycled, with the pollution it generates making it extremely urgent that global action is taken. 
    Under this partnership, IATA and UNEP also plan to work together on knowledge sharing, guidance and networking in other key sustainability challenges including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), sustainable finance, climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation including preventing wildlife trafficking and sustainable tourism. 

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    2023 Winners of IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards Announced

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    2023 Winners of IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards Announced

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the winners of the 2023 edition of the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards.
    Inspirational Role Model: Poppy Khoza – Director of Civil Aviation, South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)High Flyer: Camila Turrieta – Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion Committee, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and First Officer, JetBlue AirwaysDiversity & Inclusion Team: Virgin Atlantic Airways“In their fourth year, the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards play an important role in recognizing the work done by those who go above and beyond in engraining diversity and inclusion in the aviation industry. Through breaking taboos to introducing innovations and changing the status quo, this year’s winners exemplify the true nature of the industry: resilience, persistence and unhindered motivation to drive change,” said Karen Walker, Editor in Chief, Air Transport World and chair of the judging panel.
    The other members of the judging panel include the winners of the 2022 awards: Güliz Öztürk, CEO, Pegasus Airlines; Kanchana Gamage, Founder and Director of the Aviatrix Project, and Alina Aronberga, SVP Human Resources, airBaltic.
    “I congratulate the winners of the 2023 awards. By their example, they are leading the way to a gender balanced aviation industry. They have pushed boundaries to demonstrate that diversity and inclusion is fundamental to business success. Congratulations to three truly inspirational winners. Women are still under-represented in aviation, but with the help and example of these and previous award winners, we are making progress,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
    Qatar Airways is the sponsor of the Diversity & Inclusion Awards for the fifth consecutive year. Each winner receives a prize of $25,000, payable to the winner in each of the categories or to their nominated charities.ADVERTISEMENTThe 2023 IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards were presented during the World Air Transport Summit (WATS) which followed the 79th IATA Annual General Meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye.
    ProfilesInspirational Role Model: Poppy Khoza – Director of Civil Aviation, South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
    The international respect for Poppy Khoza was evident in her unanimous election to serve as President for the 41st Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization in 2022.  She was the first ever woman to hold that role in ICAO’s 78-year history.
    At SACAA, Khoza’s work focuses on providing equal opportunities for women and she has led the transformation of the organization which now boasts women in 50% of executive roles. In her work, Khoza spares no effort in mentoring and coaching other women to challenge the status quo and create a more gender balanced aviation industry.
    She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Aviation Sector and Regional Leader Award, Best Chief Executive Officer Award (2015 and 2018). She was also named the Business Leader of the Year during the annual Oliver Empowerment Awards (2018).
    High Flyer: Camila Turrieta – Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion Committee, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and First Officer, JetBlue Airways
    At ALPA, Turrieta is the voice for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for the Association’s 63,000 pilots at 40 airlines. She leads ALPA’s efforts to use gender inclusive terms, expand the Association’s anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy to promote an environment of inclusiveness in the piloting profession. This led to the FAA requesting her assistance in creating an inclusive culture through positive regulatory changes within the aviation sector.
    Camila is a leader and mentor through her work with non-profit affinity organizations such as the Latino Pilots Association, Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Women in Aviation, and the International Society of Women Airline Pilots which have the common goal of promoting the piloting profession to underrepresented and marginalized communities.
    All this led Camila to receive the President’s Call to Service Award under former US Presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama.
    Diversity & Inclusion Team: Virgin Atlantic AirwaysVirgin Atlantic Airways is a true pioneer in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. To support the refresh of the airline’s “Be Yourself” strategy, the company introduced bold changes which included:
    Revising policies to allow visible tattoos while in uniform,Launching the reasonable workplace adjustment policy to ensure its employees with disabilities get the support they need,Transforming recruitment to remove barriers by focusing on inclusion and accessibility.These changes were supported with digital training to create awareness and enable confident conversations among employees on the Be Yourself strategy. As a result of the successful implementation of the Be Yourself strategy, Virgin Atlantic’s internal employee network membership has increased over 120% while the company’s employee engagement scores for inclusion increased by 6 percentage points.
    Alongside this, Virgin Atlantic Airways relaunched its pioneering “Passport to Change” program, which aims to address inequity in educational learning within local communities.

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    Star Alliance names Theo Panagiotoulias as New CEO

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