D/R DOWNLOAD 6.24

What’s Trending

01/ On Google

• ‘Airlines flight cancellations’ is trending +550% this week, due to an increase in delays and cancellations from the industry-wide pilot shortage.

02/ With Media

• Journalists this week expressed interest in family travel, repurposed buildings for new and modern public spaces, and travel experiences in the metaverse.

03/ In The Zeitgeist

• A 5-planet parade is taking place this weekend as planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will appear as an arc in the sky along with the waning crescent moon beginning June 24, 2022, and will not be aligned again until 2040.

• In a stunning reversal, SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade, rolling back the rights of millions of Americans.

Industry Insights

• JetBlue revised its offer to buy out Spirit Airlines, adding that shareholders could pay $33.50 per share. The race for Spirit is tighter than ever as rival Frontier Airlines simultaneously moves to expedite the Frontier-Spirit merger approval. 

• Due to a shortage of pilots and the travel demand, American Airlines announced that flight services to Islip, NY, Ithaca, NY, and Toledo, OH will cease, effective September 7, 2022.

• American Airlines launched mobile ID checks for customers with TSA PreCheck. The customer’s mobile ID will include a secure copy of their TSA PreCheck® membership, AAdvantage® number, and a driver’s license or U.S. passport to create an effortless and hassle-free check-in. 

• Uber announced the expansion of its ‘Reserve’ feature, now allowing users to pre-book an Uber Black or Uber SUV at over 55 airports around the globe, up to 30 days before a traveler’s flight.

• AAA experts predict that despite the rise in gas prices, around 42 million Americans will take a road trip over 50 miles for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. 

• American consumers are cutting back on travel as the average cost of living continues to soar due to inflation, as U.S. flight bookings and travel services dipped 2.3 percent in May from the month prior, according to data from Adobe Analytics.

• Marriott Bonvoy is launching a series to give their loyalty members a chance to bid their loyalty points on a ‘Throwback’ experience, including a chance to ride in the original Batmobile, or a ‘Tailor Made’ experience where members can get a custom wedding gown designed by top bridal designer Justin Alexander. Starting bids for the full lineup of experience offerings range from 30,000 to 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

• Airbnb announced a new $10 million OMG! Fund contest for travelers to submit out-of-the-box home rental design ideas. The 100 finalists will be awarded $100 thousand to turn their wacky ideas into a profitable space.

• Hotel chain Days Inn by Wyndham introduced special pillows at select properties that share compliments in actor Patrick Warburton’s soothing voice, delivering uplifting affirmations, compliments on guests’ pajama selections, and even a sweet serenade to start the day.

COVID-Related Updates

• The CDC lowered both Romania and Sweden to the ‘moderate risk’ Level 2 Category and  Botswana and Cape Verde were moved to the ‘high-risk’ Level 3 Category.

• South Africa has ended its mask mandate and proof of vaccination or negative test requirement for those coming into the country. 

• The World Health Organization (WHO) is deciding whether to declare monkeypox an international emergency as cases rose almost 40 percent in Britain in under five days. 

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