December 31, 2019

Direct Travel

News Briefs

December 31, 2019

In this edition of the Travel News Brief: Predictions for air travel in 2020, business travel trends for 2020, new flight service, Boeing suspends production of the 737 Max, Delta expands private plane business, preparing for REAL ID, Alitalia and Qantas join TSA Precheck, tips for Europe travel in 2020, what to know about the measles scare, additional travel tips, Top Business Travel Navigator Blog Posts of 2019 and more!

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Top Business Travel Navigator Blog Posts of 2019

With the New Year fast approaching, we are reflecting on the most read Navigator blog posts of the year. In 2019 we covered important topics such as traveler experience, travel policy, duty of care, travel program performance as well as travel trends in specific industries. Read More


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Real ID Realness, Ongoing Boeing Max Drama, and the Great Biometrics Debate—Our Predictions for Air Travel in 2020

Afar — As a new decade of aviation kicks off, what will be the defining moments and movements of the coming year? Afar Magazine gives its predictions…Read More

Report Reveals Business Travel Trends for 2020

Hospitality Net — There was more business travel in 2019 than ever before and Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) predicts global corporate travel spend will grow to an estimated $1.513T in 2020. Read More


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BA to Launch Year-round Portland OR Flights

Travel Mole — Service to start next year…Read More

Boeing Suspends Production of the 737 Max

Afar — Southwest and American have now grounded their Boeing 737 Max planes until April. Will the troubled aircraft ever fly again? Read More

Delta Air Lines Expands Service to Salt Lake, Boise, and Spokane

Travel Market Report — The carrier announced a host of new year-round and seasonal route offerings to the Western region of the U.S., including connections to Salt Lake City, Boise and Spokane. Read More

Air Canada Unveils New Routes for Summer 2020

Travel Market Report — The new flight services include nonstop daily flights between Boston and Calgary, and Nashville and Montreal, launching next year. Read More

Delta Air Lines Relocating to New Beijing Airport

Travel Mole — Delta Air Lines has confirmed it will shift its Beijing flights from Capital Airport to the new multi-billion dollar Daxing Airport from March 2020. Read More

United Airlines Starts Direct Service Between Newark, Cape Town

NJ Biz — United Airlines has launched nonstop flights between Newark, N.J., and Cape Town, cutting travel time to the South African city by more than four hours. Read More

Delta Expanding Its Private Plane Business

TravelPulse — Delta Air Lines subsidiary Delta Private Jets is taking an equity investment in private aviation company Wheels Up. Read More


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How to Prepare for the Real ID Deadline

Successful Meetings — U.S. travelers will soon require a Real ID or approved passport to board domestic flights. Read More

Alitalia Airlines and Qantas Airways join TSA PreCheck

TSA.gov — 73 airlines now participate in the expedited screening program. Read More

Government Travel Warnings & Alerts

U.S. Department of State — Information on current government issued travel warnings and alerts. Read More


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Traveling to Europe in 2020? Here Are Some Things You Can Expect

Afar — Learn more about new trains, new airline routes, improved technology at borders, and a strong dollar in 2020. Read More

Measles Scare at U.S. Airports: What to Know About the Highly Infectious Disease

USA Today — Here’s everything you need to know about the measles scare and getting vaccinated. Read More

What to Do When You Leave Something Important on the Plane

Smarter Travel — If you leave something on the plane, it’s vital to know exactly what to do, and to act quickly. Read More

Everything Americans Need to Know Before Traveling to Cuba

Afar — What do the Trump administration’s new sanctions mean for U.S. citizens interested in visiting the island? Here are the roadblocks that American travelers to Cuba should prepare for—and the resources to handle them. Read More

These Airlines Have the Healthiest In-flight Meals, According to Food Study

Travel + Leisure (Video) — According to the 2019-2020 Airline Food Study by DietDetective.com and the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center, Alaska Airlines and Air Canada tied for first place when it came to offering its passengers the healthiest foods in the industry. Read More

The Real Cost of Bad Airplane Behavior, Ranked

Afar — Hogging the armrests is definitely bad airplane behavior. But what can actually get you punished? Read More

Canada’s New Air Passenger Protection Law Takes Effect

Travel Market Report — The regulations are designed to ensure both airlines and their passengers are well informed of what they are entitled to if a scheduled flight doesn’t go as planned. Read More

10 Tips on Tipping from Travel Advisors

TravelSense.org — Tipping is very much a personal thing. While this guideline will hopefully give you a framework, remember it’s very much up to you and the service you received. Read More

7 Things to Know if Your Flight is Affected by Weather

USA Today — Few words in travel are as maddening as “Your flight’s been canceled.” Here’s a guide to making weather delays and cancellations less stressful. Read More


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Hyatt Regency Portland Opens as City’s First Convention Center Hotel

Hyatt.com — Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center, marking Hyatt’s first full-service hotel in the city of Portland, Oregon, and the city’s first convention center hotel. Read More

7 Time Saving Tips for Selecting a Meeting Speaker

Creative Group — You need a guest speaker for your upcoming event, but you’ve never hired one before. Here are seven tips to help you. Read More

Looking for guidance on planning your next convention, incentive, or group trip? Direct Travel will assist with all your meetings and event details!  Whatever your needs may be when it comes to your event, you can always depend on us to design streamlined travel arrangements, plan strategic meetings, and deliver real-time results. For details, please send a message to: [email protected].

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