COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to increase across the USA.Hesitancy toward the vaccine has also plummeted in the country.US transit agencies urged to ensure vaccination of transit workers.
As COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to climb across the Unites States, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) urges transit agencies to ensure their transit workers and communities have every opportunity to get the vaccine.
According to the Mayo Clinic and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the past two months, more Americans have begun getting vaccinated against COVID-19. It was during that time that the Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on August 23.
Hesitancy toward the vaccine has also plummeted, according to a recent Ipsos poll. Only 14 percent of Americans now say that they are absolutely not likely to get vaccinated.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is calling on transit leaders to share this information with employees, and to do all you can to encourage vaccination among your workforces. Some agencies have provided paid time off to receive the vaccine, cash awards, or gift cards to motivate employees to get vaccinated.
In addition, for those agencies who have worked hard to encourage vaccination in your community, we hope you will continue those efforts, and begin new ones. More Americans want the vaccine and transit can help them get to appointments or bring vaccination opportunities into their communities. To help share the vaccination message in your community, county-level CDC estimates of vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19 can identify areas within your transit system’s service area that may need extra help reaching the vaccine.
Vaccination is the most effective way to protect yourself and those around you from contracting COVID-19. To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, the CDC advises everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible. FTA urges frontline transit workers – and the transit agencies they work for – to make plans to get themselves vaccinated and continue to facilitate access to vaccination sites for members of the community who have yet to get a shot.
FTA is supporting transit agency vaccination efforts by awarding grants under the American Rescue Plan to help cover these expenses and encouraging transit leaders to provide services that make it possible for their community, including their workforce, to get their shots. Transit agencies wishing to find more information on funding eligibility should visit FTA’s FAQs regarding COVID-19.
FTA also encourages transit agencies to use the CDC, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) toolkit to help increase confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among the transit workforce.
Southwest Airlines resumes San Jose-Reno service.San Jose-Reno service to run daily.San Jose Airport requires face covering for all passengers on airport property and onboard aircraft.
Starting today, Southwest Airlines is relaunching its daily non-stop service between Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) and Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
The daily flight departs San José at various times throughout the week aboard a Boeing 737 aircraft, arriving in Reno, Nevada in the morning to early afternoon timeframe.
City Pair Day Departs Arrives Frequency San José to Reno Sunday 8:45 a.m. Approx. 9:45 a.m. Daily Monday/Thursday/Friday 8:00 a.m. Approx. 9:00 a.m. Daily Tuesday/Wednesday 7:30 a.m. Approx. 8:30 a.m. Daily Saturday 11:00 a.m. Approx. 12:00 p.m. Daily
Southwest Airlines temporarily suspended service between San José and Reno in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related travel declines.
SJC still requires a face covering for all passengers on airport property and onboard aircraft, which is mandated by the Transportation Security Administration until January 18, 2022. Passengers can continue to do their part by social distancing from others; washing and/or sanitizing hands frequently; and staying home if sick and avoiding travel.
Aeroflot suspends pilots for refusing COVID-19 jabs.Suspended pilots refused to sign up for vaccine against coronavirus.Pilots’ union complained to Aeroflot CEO, calling suspension a discrimination.
Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot, which is majority-owned by the Russian state, sent least six unvaccinated pilots on unpaid leave or vacation without pay, the carrier’s spokesman said.
Six pilots working for Russia’s main international airline have been grounded and suspended from duty under rules allowing companies to effectively dismiss staff who refuse to sign up for a vaccine against COVID-19 virus.
A spokesman for Aeroflot said that six pilots had been put on sick leave, without pay, because they had chosen not to receive a jab. However, the number of suspended pilots was miniscule compared to the overall size of Aeroflot’s workforce, with 2,300 pilots in the company’s cockpits.
The pilots’ labor union complained to Aeroflot CEO Mikhail Poluboyarinov of discrimination, arguing that unvaccinated flight attendants and technical support staff do not face similar dismissals.
Igor Delduzhov, the President of the Sheremetyevo Trade Union of Flight Personnel, based at Aeroflot’s Moscow hub airport, has hit out at the decision to remove the flight staff. According to him, the harsh response to those choosing not to get vaccinated is unwarranted, given around 84% of staff have reportedly already been immunized.
“No other Russian airline has similar suspensions,” Deldyuzhov said in a letter on the union’s website.
Air Canada Rouge returns to the skies with more choice for leisure travelers.Resumed service features updated uniforms and enhanced streaming entertainment.Updated cabin interior to be available on select aircraft starting this fall.
Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada’s leisure airline, resumed service today with flights operating between Toronto and Las Vegas, Orlando, and Regina, with other destinations being introduced in September, including Cancun and Tampa.
Rouge flight attendants will be sporting a new uniform
“Air Canada Rouge remains integral to Air Canada’s overall strategy. As we emerge from the pandemic, we anticipate increased demand for vacation travel and from customers flying to enjoy overdue visits with family and friends. Air Canada’s leisure airline is ideally suited to serve this market with a compelling array of leisure destinations and an inviting travel experience so that the holidays begin as soon as customers board an Air Canada Rouge aircraft,” said Jon Turner, Vice President Inflight Services and President, Rouge Operations, at Air Canada.
Air Canada Rouge also provided a sneak peek of the cabin interior that will be available on nine Airbus A321 aircraft of the 39-aircraft Rouge Fleet, with the first entering service later this fall.
These nine aircraft feature a new contemporary interior design with playful Rouge brand accents and will be configured with leather seats, with 30-inch seat pitch in the Economy cabin. The A321 Rouge aircraft also offer upgraded personal power options, including USB-C ports, and a convenient personal electronic device holder integrated into the seatback.
With the resumption of Air Canada Rouge service, which had been suspended since spring 2021, customers can also enjoy recent product and design enhancements onboard all Rouge aircraft.
Aeroflot suspends pilots for refusing COVID-19 jabs.Suspended pilots refused to sign up for vaccine against coronavirus.Pilots’ union complained to Aeroflot CEO, calling suspension a discrimination.
Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot, which is majority-owned by the Russian state, sent least six unvaccinated pilots on unpaid leave or vacation without pay, the carrier’s spokesman said.
Six pilots working for Russia’s main international airline have been grounded and suspended from duty under rules allowing companies to effectively dismiss staff who refuse to sign up for a vaccine against COVID-19 virus.
A spokesman for Aeroflot said that six pilots had been put on sick leave, without pay, because they had chosen not to receive a jab. However, the number of suspended pilots was miniscule compared to the overall size of Aeroflot’s workforce, with 2,300 pilots in the company’s cockpits.
The pilots’ labor union complained to Aeroflot CEO Mikhail Poluboyarinov of discrimination, arguing that unvaccinated flight attendants and technical support staff do not face similar dismissals.
Igor Delduzhov, the President of the Sheremetyevo Trade Union of Flight Personnel, based at Aeroflot’s Moscow hub airport, has hit out at the decision to remove the flight staff. According to him, the harsh response to those choosing not to get vaccinated is unwarranted, given around 84% of staff have reportedly already been immunized.
“No other Russian airline has similar suspensions,” Deldyuzhov said in a letter on the union’s website.
44% of Republicans said they would support a government requirement to provide proof of vaccination in order to fly.48% of Republicans would also support a mandate directly from commercial airlines.95% of Democrats would support either a government or commercial airline vaccine passport requirement.
As the delta variant surges, nearly 65% of frequent flyers report that a vaccine passport would increase their confidence in the safety of air travel, according to a new report. While 90% of frequent flyers either fully or partially vaccinated against the virus, nearly one in 10 frequent flyers refuse to get vaccinated.
These numbers are encouraging because frequent flyers have high levels of vaccinations. However, if the FAA decided to implement a vaccine passport program, nearly one in 10 travelers would be barred from boarding the plane.
The survey was conducted using the Frequent Flyer Database, which includes more than 200,000 opt-in frequent flyers from across the United States. Nearly 65% of survey participants are more than 60-years-old, placing them in an at-risk category for severe illness from COVID-19.
The travel industry was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic, with restrictions forcing travel and tourism to come to a screeching halt. Recovery has been slow. In the 2020 Frequent Flyer Survey, 60% of respondents said they had plans to travel in the next six months. Yet in this year’s report, 36% of respondents said they have not traveled since January 2020.
But the appetite for travel is increasing. Nearly 70% of respondents said they have plans to travel by plane in the next six months, with 72% of those travelers planning personal trips.
Lufthansa starts operating its first aircraft with Single-Aisle Airspace cabin.More than 80 of Lufthansa’s A320 jets to be equipped with new cabin.Lufthansa continues to focus emphatically on premium product for its guests.
Lufthansa has started operations with its first A320 Family aircraft – an A321neo – featuring Airbus’ new Single-Aisle Airspace cabin. In doing so, the airline becomes the first operator in Europe to introduce the new Airspace cabin features for passengers on board A320 Family aircraft. In 2018 Lufthansa Group, a long-time A320 Family customer, chose to equip more than 80 of its new A320 Family aircraft on order from Airbus with Airspace cabins.
The new Airspace features include: slimmer sidewall panels for extra personal space at shoulder level; better views through the windows with their redesigned bezels and completely integrated window shades; the largest overhead bins for 60% more bags; the latest full LED lighting technologies; LED-lit ‘entrance area’; and new lavatories with hygienic touchless features and antimicrobial surfaces.
“Lufthansa has once again made a choice of innovation and passenger appeal, raising the bar for the flying public at large to experience next-level, Airbus leading cabin innovations”, said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “I am delighted to welcome one of our long term partners, Lufthansa, to become the first European operator for the A320neo Family Airspace cabin. I can’t wait to fly on one of these aircraft.”
“Regardless of the crisis, we continue to focus emphatically on a premium product for our guests,” emphasizes Heike Birlenbach, Head of Customer Experience, Lufthansa Group. “For us, premium means providing high-quality, individualized and relevant offers for all our passengers at all times. With the new Airspace Cabin, we are significantly improving the travel experience on short-haul routes and setting a new industry benchmark.”
Lufthansa has been operating the A320-family since the 1980s and has been the very first operator of the A321 and the A320neo. The airline group is one of the biggest Airbus operators worldwide.
At the end of July 2021, the A320neo Family had received more than 7,400 orders from over 120 customers worldwide.
Taliban reopens Kabul Airport for domestic travel.Ariana Afghan Airlines relaunches three domestic routes from Kabul Airport.Technical team from Qatar repaired parts of Kabul Airport traffic control system.
Ariana Afghan Airlines announced in a statement on its Facebook page that it has resumed domestic flights between the capital city of Kabul and Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar.
Ariana Afghan Airlines flights between Kabul and three major provincial cities in the west, north and south of the capital restarted after a team of aviation engineers from Qatar repaired parts of the air traffic control system last week and reopened the capital’s airport for aid and domestic services.
Earlier, Qatar’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Saeed bin Mubarak al-Khayarin said a technical team had been able to reopen Kabul airport to receive aid.
Lauding this as a step taken to return the country to relative normality after a tumultuous period, the ambassador added that the airport runway has been repaired in cooperation with Afghan authorities.
But the Kabul airport is operating without radar or navigation systems, making it difficult to resume international civilian flights.
Reopening the airport, a vital lifeline to both the outside world and across Afghanistan’s mountainous territory, has been a high priority for the Taliban as it seeks to restore order after they completed their lightning seizure of the country by taking Kabul on August 15.
European summer air travel reached 39.9% of pre-pandemic level.The picture was mixed, with some destinations doing better than others.Bookings slowed towards the end of summer period.
New research reveals that international flights to European destinations in July and August reached 39.9% of pre-pandemic levels. This is significantly better than last year (which was 26.6%), when the COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread lockdowns; and vaccines were not yet approved.
However, the picture was very mixed, with some destinations doing considerably better than others. Also, the outlook is not improving, as bookings slowed towards the end of the summer period.
Looking at performance by country, Greece was the stand-out. It achieved 86% of July and August arrivals in 2019. It was followed by Cyprus, which achieved 64.5%, Turkey, 62.0% and Iceland, 61.8%. Greece and Iceland were amongst the first countries to make widely publicized claims that they would accept visitors who had been fully vaccinated and/or could show a negative PCR test and/or could show proof of recovering from COVID-19.
The countries which fared worst were those which rely more on long haul tourism, such as France and Italy and those which imposed the most onerous and volatile travel restrictions such as the UK, which languished at the bottom of the list, achieving just 14.3% of 2019 levels.
Excluding low-cost carriers, intra-European flights made up 71.4% of arrivals, compared with 57.1% in 2019. The relative disappearance of long-haul visitors, who typically stay longer, spend more and focus their attention on cities and sightseeing, was underlined in rankings of the best and worst performing local destinations.
Travel to London was particularly disappointing; it was at the bottom of the list of busiest European cities, achieving just 14.2% of 2019 arrivals. That list was headed by Palma Mallorca, also a major beach resort destination, reaching 71.5% of 2019 levels and by Athens, a gateway to numerous islands in the Adriatic, at 70.2%. The next best performing major cities were Istanbul, 56.5%, Lisbon, 43.5%, Madrid, 42.4%, Paris, 31.2%, Barcelona, 31.1%, Amsterdam, 30.7% and Rome, 24.2%.
By comparison, leisure destinations proved to be much more resilient. A ranking of all major local destinations (ie: those with a market share over 1%) was dominated by traditional seaside holiday hotspots or the gateway to them. The leaders were Heraklion and Antalya, which exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 5.8% and 0.5% respectively. They were followed by Thessaloniki, 98.3%; Ibiza, 91.8%; Larnaca, 73.7% and Palma Mallorca, 72.5%.
Aside from the macro trends, certain destinations fared relatively better or worse for more locally specific reasons. For example, Portugal, which is a favorite destination of UK holidaymakers, suffered when the UK changed its designation from green to amber in June; and Spain suffered at the end of July when Germany warned against all but essential travel.
When one considers how dreadful things were for tourism in Europe last year, this summer has been a very modest recovery story. Benchmarked against normal times, the continued low intensity of international air travel, less than 40% of normal, has been extremely damaging for the aviation industry. The continued absence of long-haul travelers, particularly from the Far East (it reached just 2.5% of pre-pandemic volumes this summer) will prove a severe blow to the visitor economy of several European countries.
If there is an element of consolation, it is people “staycationing”, ie: taking a holiday in their own country. While the domestic aviation has a minority share of the market in Europe in normal times, it has held up much better during the pandemic because it has not been subject to such challenging travel restrictions. For example, the Canaries and the Balearics welcomed more Spanish visitors than they do in a normal season.
Staff shortage leads to huge lines at Heathrow.Travelers forced to wait in lines for five hours.Packed queues posed a COVID-19 risk to thousands of airline passengers.
Border Force staff shortage at London’s Heathrow Airport resulted to enormous lines and complete lack of any social distancing this week, as the limited number of personnel were unable to cope with those at the border.
Airline passengers at Heathrow Airport have repeatedly experienced such conditions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this Friday, some Brits were reporting absolutely absurd queue times due to a Border Force staff shortage which kept travelers waiting in lines for FIVE hours.
One passenger even reportedly fainted during the chaos.
Heathrow Airport responded to complaints by claiming that the delays were due to Border Force conducting “Health Measure Checks to ensure passenger compliance with the UK Government’s latest entry requirements.”
The airport did not address the lack of social distancing and lengthy, packed queues, however, which posed a coronavirus risk to thousands of airline passengers.
On Saturday morning, travelers at Terminal 5 reported on social media that the queues had died down.
According to local media, at least eight other incidents of long queues, crammed crowds, and a lack of access to water and bathroom facilities have been recorded between May and September.
In December 2020 – just days before Christmas – hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Heathrow Airport as flights became overbooked with Brits trying to escape recently-announced Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions, which forced families to stay at home and away from loved ones over the holiday season.
FlyersRights, a consumer advocacy organization has called for an oversight hearings with airline CEOs plus labor and passenger representatives.Airlines were given massive federal subsidies to keep public air service strong and reduce COVID infection.Recent record high cancellations, flight delays, plus airline opposition to some important CDC guidelines call into question whether taxpayer money has been misused by airline management
“American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, completely failed the American people”FlyersRights.org president Paul Hudson
Massive Airline Cancellations
Throughout the summer, airlines have canceled hundreds of flights per day because they did not have enough employees ready to go. On its worst day, Spirit Airlines canceled over half of its scheduled flights.
This is unacceptable, and Senator Maria Cantwell, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, sent a letter on this subject to the airlines in July. FlyersRights.org met with her staff to discuss the issue on September 1st and to propose the solution to the latest of airline abuses.
House Oversight Committee Hearing requested
FlyersRights.org requested committee oversight hearings to force Doug Parker, Gary Kelly, Ted Christie, and other airline CEOs to explain what they did with the COVID relief money and why their airlines have failed to deliver what the law intended.
Oversight hearings should also include passenger representatives and labor representatives. FlyersRights.org proposed a stimulus and social distancing plan that would have kept the airlines profitable, running at a higher capacity during the pandemic, and would have ensured air travel was safer, all at a lower cost than the bailout packages.
FlyersRights.org is the largest airline passenger organization; it advocates for airline passengers before the FAA, DOT, TSA and other government agencies
Staff shortage leads to huge lines at Heathrow.Travelers forced to wait in lines for five hours.Packed queues posed a COVID-19 risk to thousands of airline passengers.
Border Force staff shortage at London’s Heathrow Airport resulted to enormous lines and complete lack of any social distancing this week, as the limited number of personnel were unable to cope with those at the border.
Airline passengers at Heathrow Airport have repeatedly experienced such conditions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this Friday, some Brits were reporting absolutely absurd queue times due to a Border Force staff shortage which kept travelers waiting in lines for FIVE hours.
One passenger even reportedly fainted during the chaos.
Heathrow Airport responded to complaints by claiming that the delays were due to Border Force conducting “Health Measure Checks to ensure passenger compliance with the UK Government’s latest entry requirements.”
The airport did not address the lack of social distancing and lengthy, packed queues, however, which posed a coronavirus risk to thousands of airline passengers.
On Saturday morning, travelers at Terminal 5 reported on social media that the queues had died down.
According to local media, at least eight other incidents of long queues, crammed crowds, and a lack of access to water and bathroom facilities have been recorded between May and September.
In December 2020 – just days before Christmas – hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Heathrow Airport as flights became overbooked with Brits trying to escape recently-announced Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions, which forced families to stay at home and away from loved ones over the holiday season.
Light-engine plane crashed in Czech Republic today.Two people on board the plane died in crash.Two people were also killed in plane crash in France
Two people were killed in the crash of a light-engine sports plane near the town of Kladno near Prague in the Czech Republic.
The crash was reported on Saturday, September 4, by the representative of the Czech police Lucia Novotna.
“Two people died in a plane crash of a sports plane near the town of Kladno,” the police official said.
The crash happened just a little after 14:00 (2pm) Central European Time.
Czech police are currently investigating the causes of the incident.
Earlier on the same day, a light-engine plane crashed into the highway in northern France commune of Voignarou. Two people were also killed in that crash.
When COVID-19 first made its appearance, many companies were moved to create pandemic leave for those who came down with the coronavirus.Now that the Food and Drug Administration has an authorized vaccine against COVID-19, this is changing the face of what companies are willing to do for its employees who choose not to get vaccinated.Many new hires these days are required to show proof of vaccination to complete the hiring process.
The new policy will take effect in early October for the non-vaxxers, however, American Airlines employees who have been vaccinated are still covered by the pandemic leave policy and do not have to use their own sick days to take time off from work to get well.
This appears to be a trend among airlines, as Alaska Airlines has also prevented unvaxxed employees from using a special COVID-19 pay for missing work due to the virus.
Not only that, Alaska Airlines is also rewarding its employees with a $200 bonus for getting vaccinated, and all new employees going forward must show proof of vaccination before officially being hired. The airline is also requiring all non-vaccinated employees to participate in a vaccine education program.
Las month, United Airlines was the first US carrier to require vaccinations for all its domestic employees. United has 67,000 employees in the US and all new hires have had to show proof of vaccination since June of 2021. In the United company offices, unvaxxed employees must wear face masks.
Frontier Airlines will also require employees to be fully vaccinated by October 1 of this year. Those workers who opt not to get vaccinated will be required to participate in regular COVID-19 testing.
Other airlines are trying to get their employees to get vaccinated like Alaska Airlines has done by offering incentives such as extra pay or paid time off.
What is sparking these changes?
When the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pfizer as a vaccine, this opened the gates for companies to change their policies for COVID-19, as this was often the reason used by employees who do not want to get vaccinated – that no vaccine had officially been approved.
Airlines still do require all onboard to wear masks for the duration of the flight, except when eating or drinking, of course.
#rebuildingtravel
Turkey updates anti-COVID restrictions for foreign arrivals.Regulations aim to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.Updated rules set to go into effect tomorrow.
Turkey’s Interior Ministry issued a circular today, announcing new updates for requirements and restrictions for visitors arriving into the country from abroad.
The updates are implemented in a bid to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, and are set to go into effect on Saturday, August 4.
Red list: Brazil, South Africa, Nepal, and Sri Lanka
Suspension of direct flights from Brazil, South Africa, Nepal, and Sri Lanka will continue until further notice.
Passengers who have been to these countries in the last 14 days will be asked to submit a negative PCR test result obtained a maximum of 72 hours before entering Turkey.
They will also be quarantined for 14 days in locations determined by the governorships, at the end of which a negative test will be required one more time. If there is a positive test result, the patient will be kept under isolation, which will end with a negative result in the following 14 days.
Bangladesh, India and Pakistan
Travel rules for Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan have been eased, and passengers from these countries, or those who have been to these countries in the last 14 days, will be requested to submit a negative PCR test result obtained up to 72 hours beforehand.
People who document receiving two doses of COVID-19 vaccines granted approval by the World Health Organization or Turkey or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 14 days before entering Turkey will be exempted from quarantine.
UK, Iran, Egypt and Singapore
Passengers coming from the UK, Iran, Egypt, or Singapore will be required to submit a negative result from PCR tests done a maximum of 72 hours before entry.
For passengers traveling from Afghanistan, those who can provide a document showing they were administered a COVID-19 vaccine in the last 14 days or recovery from COVID-19 infection in the last six months will not require a test result or quarantine.
Lufthansa Group announces new executive appointment.New Head of Strategy & Organizational Development named.Jorg Eberhart will assume the position on November 1, 2021.
On October 1, 2021, Jörg Eberhart, currently CEO of Air Dolomiti, will assume the position of “Head of Strategy & Organizational Development” at Lufthansa Group. He will succeed William Wilms, who was appointed to the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik on 1 September 2021.
Jörg Eberhart has served as President and CEO of Air Dolomiti since 2014. During this time, he was also a member of the Executive Board of Lufthansa CityLine. Prior to this, he held a number of management positions at Lufthansa Group that included being part of the establishment of Aerologic GmbH and the implementation of the SCORE project.
Jörg Eberhart studied business administration at the University of Tübingen and holds a pilot’s license for the Airbus A320.
The Lufthansa Group is an aviation group with operations worldwide. With 110,065 employees, the Lufthansa Group generated revenue of EUR 13,589m in the financial year 2020.
The Lufthansa Group is composed of the segments Network Airlines, Eurowings and Aviation Services.
Aviation Services comprises the segments Logistics, MRO, Catering and Additional Businesses and Group Functions.
The latter also include Lufthansa AirPlus, Lufthansa Aviation Training and the IT companies. All segments occupy a leading position in their respective markets.
Bled Strategic Forum is an international conference in Centrals and South-Eastern Europe.COVID-19 pandemic has posed many questions for tourism.The role of tourism at the EU level needs to be rethought.
The Bled Strategic Forum has evolved into a leading international conference in Central and South-Eastern Europe. The 16th edition took place 31 August – 2 September in a hybrid form. The tourism panel held on 2 September brought together top experts from Slovenia and renowned institutions, including EC, UNWTO, WTTC, OECD, ETC, HOTREC, ECM, to discuss the future of (European) tourism.
Prominent international and Slovenian experts, guests, panelists and representatives of Slovenian tourism were addressed by Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek, Director-General for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs at the European Commission Kerstin Jorna, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board MSc. Maja Pak, Director of Regional Department for Europe at UNWTO Prof. Alessandra Priante and Director of the Portugal National Tourist Board and President of the European Tourism Commission (ETC) Luis Araújo.
COVID-19 pandemic has posed many questions for tourism, among the most pressing ones are survival and recovery, along with the transformation of the tourism industry into more resilient and sustainable one. Despite the difficult situation, optimistic forecasts of key international tourism institutions are on the rise. This year’s Tourism Panel has discussed the question What will the future bring to European tourism.
Panelists agreed that the pandemic has had a major impact on tourism industry and posed many challenges, as well as opportunities. It is time to address the shortcomings of tourism industry that have resulted from the expansion in the last 50 years and transform tourism into a much greener, digital and inclusive industry. Key conclusions identified at the panel were:
Tourist’s confidence in travel needs to be rebuilt.Travel protocols and communication and coordination between the Member States concerning travel restrictions, COVID tests and quarantine rules need to be improved.Roadmap for sustainable transition is necessary.New performance indicators are needed.Digital transformation of the tourism industry needs to be supported and promoted.Investments and EU funding allocation towards sustainability and digitalization of the tourism industry is required.The role of tourism at the EU level needs to be rethought.DMO transition in their role to actively facilitate the industry transition process to green, inclusive and digital needs to be supported.
Seychelles has welcomed over 15,000 tourists from the UAE so far this year.Safety measures and straightforward protocols have been conveniently designed to ease travel between the destinations.Emirates operates seven flights a week to the Seychelles from Dubai and is the second leading source market to the islands.
The partnership will include a series of campaigns aiming to bring the Seychelles Islands maximum visibility as the ultimate leisure destination throughout the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) market through integrated Seychelles-related content that will be visible on Emirates’ social media platforms as well as through email marketing and joint radio advertisements.
The collaboration will keep guests up to date with information on travel the archipelago, which has welcomed over 15,000 tourists from the UAE so far this year and which, as of Sunday, August 29, 2021, stands as the second leading source market to the destination.
Furthermore, the campaigns will strengthen travel trade relations and enhance product knowledge through online training and workshops as well as familiarization trips, focused on areas whose borders have now opened for travel.
Keeping safety at the heart of travel to Seychelles, the collaboration will also highlight the journey from Dubai to the island nation, including important details such as safety measures and straightforward protocols conveniently designed to ease travel. In addition, guests will be able to discover what the Seychelles Islands hold in store for them before they even land on its sandy shores.
Commenting on the collaboration, Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs. Sherin Francis, said, “The partnership with Emirates is one that has grown from strength to strength, and we are happy for the support they have extended to the destination and Tourism Seychelles over the year. This year’s partnership is no different. However, in a time when our industry is slowly recovering and where building travel confidence is very important, partnerships such as this one has new meaning and definition. Through this collaborative work, it will be a win for both airline and destination.”
With Emirates operating seven flights a week to the Seychelles from Dubai, UAE nationals and residents can now plan an exotic getaway to the land of turquoise waters, pearly shores and emerald mountains, choosing from one of the many luxurious resorts or charming guesthouses for their stay.
Entry to Seychelles requires proof of a negative COVID-19 test, conducted within 72 hours of the date of travel and approval from the Health Travel Authorization app. More information in regard to travel to the island paradise can be found at ‘seychelles.advisory.travel.’
Abu Dhabi removes quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated visitors.Abu Dhabi expects huge surge in demand for travel to the emirate.Etihad Airways prepared for a boost in travel to Abu Dhabi.
The government of Abu Dhabi announced the removal of the quarantine requirement for all vaccinated travelers arriving to the emirate from abroad.
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is prepared for a boost in travel to and from Abu Dhabi following the government’s announcement.
Fully vaccinated travelers (with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization) can arrive from all international destinations without the need to quarantine. All travelers will require a PCR test within 48 hours of departure, a test on arrival and retesting on select days depending on the country they have travelled from. Unvaccinated travelers, however, should follow the rules according to the destination they are arriving from.
Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad, commented: “The news is perfectly timed to begin welcoming the world back to Abu Dhabi. We expect a huge surge in demand from tourists and visiting friends and relatives from around the world. This will also give UAE residents greater flexibility and peace of mind when travelling globally.
“The emirate has delivered one of the world’s best public health programs to protect the population with an extremely high vaccination rate, and smart technologically-driven solutions such as the Al Hosn app to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.
“This is a huge step forward as the UAE prepares to host the EXPO 2020, the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and many more global events over the coming months.
“Etihad is currently operating to 65 passenger destinations with one of the world’s youngest and most sustainable fleets. We look forward to welcoming our guests to Abu Dhabi with Etihad to enjoy this world-class destination – an emirate and capital city we’re so proud to call our home.”
Flying with Etihad is supported by the Etihad Wellness program which has been introduced to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Etihad was the first airline in the world to fully vaccinate its crew on board. Etihad also requires 100% of its passengers to show a negative PCR test before boarding to protect the inflight environment, which is now recognized to be one of the best in the world.
The airline has implemented an extensive sanitization and wellness program and is practicing the highest standards of hygiene at every part of the customer journey. This includes catering, aircraft and cabin deep-cleaning, check-in, health screening, boarding, inflight, crew interaction, meal service, disembarkation and ground transportation, among others.
FlyersRights calls for oversight hearings with airline CEOs, labor and passenger representatives.Airlines were given massive federal subsidies since 2020.There are questions whether taxpayers money has been misused by airlines.
FlyersRights President Paul Hudson called for US Senate Commerce Committee oversight hearings with airline CEOs plus labor and passenger representatives.
FlyersRights President Paul Hudson
Paul Hudson explained, “Airlines were given massive federal subsidies since 2020 to keep public air service strong and reduce COVID infections. But recent record-high cancellations, flight delays, plus airline opposition to some CDC guidelines call into question whether taxpayer money has been misused by airline management.”
US airlines received over $79 billion in bailout money across three COVID-related bills in 2020-2021 to help them, their employees, and the air travel industry survive the worst of the COVID pandemic. Congress intended this money to go to pilots, flight attendants, and other airline and airport employees to ensure they were paid during the severely depressed demand period and to ensure that the airlines would have the capacity to meet the increased travel demand as soon as the COVID-19 situation improved.
The airlines, particularly American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, completely failed the American people. Throughout the summer, airlines have cancelled hundreds of flights per day because they did not have enough employees ready to go. On its worst day, Spirit Airlines cancelled over half of its scheduled flights.
This is unacceptable, and Senator Maria Cantwell, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, sent a letter on this subject to the airlines in July. FlyersRights.org met with her staff to discuss the issue and to propose the solution to the latest of airline abuses.
FlyersRights.org proposed committee oversight hearings to force Doug Parker, Gary Kelly, Ted Christie and other airline CEOs to explain what they did with the COVID relief money and why their airlines have failed to deliver what the law intended.
Oversight hearings should also include passenger representatives and labor representatives. FlyersRights.org proposed a stimulus and social distancing plan that would have kept the airlines profitable, running at a higher capacity during the pandemic, and would have ensured air travel was safer, all at a lower cost than the bailout packages.
Plane crashed into industrial building in Connecticut.All people onboard Cessna Citation business jet killed in crash.Local firefighters are tackling the fire started by the crash.
Rescue teams in Farmington, Connecticut are battling a fire at a local industrial complex that started after a Cessna Citation business jet crashed into the building on Thursday morning, apparently killing all four people onboard.
Farmington Police Department confirmed that a plane had crashed into a building on Hyde Road, and said in a tweet that emergency services were on the ground working to “evacuate the immediate area”.
Four people were onboard the plane, reportedly a Cessna Citation business jet, according to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). None of the four is thought to have survived.
Four people were onboard the plane, reportedly a Cessna Citation business jet, according to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). None of the four is thought to have survived.
According to Farmington police, there were no injuries reported inside the building, which is owned by the German tool manufacturer Trumpf.
In imagery shared from the scene on social media, smoke could be seen billowing from the site of the crash, with firefighters tackling the sizable blaze that erupted from one section of the building.
Farmington is located in Connecticut’s Hartford County, roughly 10 miles (16km) from the state capital.
Lufthansa returns mobile check-in to flights from non-risk areas.Travelers again can have their boarding passes issued directly on their smartphone.With digital boarding pass, no additional document is necessary at check-in counter.
Lufthansa is once again offering its passengers a more convenient check-in process. On all 2000 weekly flights from non-risk areas of the Schengen area (currently from Spain, Italy or Sweden, for example) to Germany, travelers can once again have their boarding pass issued directly on their smartphone when checking in.
This is made possible by the automatic and digital verification of EU vaccination certificates, which prove full vaccination protection, and COVID-19 test results from the Centogene laboratory.
During mobile check-in, the QR codes of the paper certificates can now be scanned and thus checked quickly and conveniently. This means that the digital boarding pass can be issued and an additional document check at the check-in counter at the airport is no longer necessary.
But the same applies to many other Lufthansa flights: anyone who is concerned that they do not have the right certificates for the trip can have them checked by a Lufthansa Service Center up to 72 hours before departure. These can be proof of tests, a survived COVID-19 disease and vaccinations. Confirmations of digital entry applications can also be checked in this way. Thanks to new digital solutions, the check is now partly automatic and therefore much faster, also at the Service Center.
The airline advises its guests that in addition to the digital proof, the printed original certificates must still be carried on the trip until further notice.
In a letter to Envoy Air management dated August 25, 2021, New York attorney Lee Seham takes Envoy Air, an Affiliate with American Airlines to task for terminating three employees for referring to themselves as “slaves” and quoting a line from the Jackie Chan movie Rush Hour as a means of explaining that the reference was not intended to offend others. The three employees – Losaolima Fonokalafi, Faye Tuala, and Asefash Asfaha – each have over twenty (20) years of seniority. They are, respectively, immigrants from Tonga, Samoa, and Eritrea (Africa) and were employed by Envoy as Inventory Control Specialists.Envoy found cause to terminate Ms. Fonokalafi because, in response to a comment by an aircraft mechanic that she was working too hard, she agreed that she and her co-worker’s worked like “slaves.”
The following week, a white co-worker confronted Ms. Fonokalafi about her comment and asserted that “Black lives matter.” Ms. Asfaha – an African-American born in Eritrea – came to her colleague’s defense by explaining that Ms. Fonokalafi was from Tonga and had a different life experience from her white accuser.
Ms. Asfaha compared to a colleague to the innocent Chinese police detective in a hit movie who inadvertently made an offensive remark in a bar patronized exclusively African-Americans, and appealed to Ms. Tuala for help in recalling the movie and the scene. Ms. Tuala supplied the movie name and relevant quote to assist Ms. Asfaha in explaining Ms. Fonokalafi’s innocence.
Envoy terminated Ms. Fonokalafi and Ms. Tuala for allegedly making an improper “slave” reference and because they “quoted movie lines” that were offensive. Envoy terminated Ms. Asfaha for allegedly quoting the same movie lines.
Mr. Seham’s August 25 letter provided Envoy with precedent from the National Labor Relations Board held that an employee has a right under federal labor law to articulate complaints concerning her working conditions using such language. He also argued:
Every race has been enslaved and has enslaved others. Our republic’s first international conflict was in response to African pirates who had enslaved over a million European and white American sailors. In the English language, the term “working like a slave” or “wage slave” is a common idiomatic expression meaning nothing more than the individual is working hard for paltry compensation.
Seham further argued that terminating life-long employees for a reference to a popular movie that grossed over $245 million worldwide could not be justified, particularly when the purpose of the reference was not to offend but to promote understanding. Moreover, the only African-American present at the time was Ms. Asfaha, whom Envoy terminated.
On August 30, Envoy responded to Mr. Seham that it was “working on collecting data for this case….”
Termination letters and August 25 letter
International and domestic air travel demand showed significant momentum in July 2021.Government-imposed travel restrictions continue to delay recovery in international markets.Total domestic demand was down 15.6% versus pre-crisis levels.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that both international and domestic air travel demand showed significant momentum in July 2021 compared to June, but demand remained far below pre-COVID-19-pandemic levels. Extensive government-imposed travel restrictions continue to delay recovery in international markets.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General
Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons are to July 2019, which followed a normal demand pattern.
Total demand for air travel in July 2021 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 53.1% compared to July 2019. This is a significant improvement from June when demand was 60% below June 2019 levels.
International passenger demand in July was 73.6% below July 2019, bettering the 80.9% decline recorded in June 2021 versus two years ago. All regions showed improvement and North American airlines posted the smallest decline in international RPKs (July traffic data from Africa was not available).
Total domestic demand was down 15.6% versus pre-crisis levels (July 2019), compared to the 22.1% decline recorded in June over June 2019. Russia posted the best result for another month, with RPKs up 28.9% vs. July 2019.
“July results reflect people’s eagerness to travel during the Northern Hemisphere summer. Domestic traffic was back to 85% of pre-crisis levels, but international demand has only recovered just over a quarter of 2019 volumes. The problem is border control measures. Government decisions are not being driven by data, particularly with respect to the efficacy of vaccines. People traveled where they could, and that was primarily in domestic markets. A recovery of international travel needs governments to restore the freedom to travel. At a minimum, vaccinated travelers should not face restrictions. That would go a long way to reconnecting the world and reviving the travel and tourism sectors,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
EU removed the USA from the green list of countries.Portugal will still welcome US visitors, regardless of EU action.Travel requirements for mainland Portugal and the islands are different.
Portugal will remain open to travelers from the United States despite the announcement from the European Union this week that the USA will be removed from the green list rank of countries due to rising COVID-19 numbers with the Delta variant.
Portugal has confirmed that discretionary, non-essential travel is still allowed, provided visitors present a negative COVID-19 test result at boarding and entry into the country.
Requirements for mainland Portugal and the islands are different however. Arrival details for each are below:
Restrictions for MAINLAND PORTUGAL (Porto, Lisbon, Faro airports)
By the current restrictions, airlines and cruise lines should now allow passengers to board flights with destination or stopover in mainland Portugal after presenting at boarding:
NAAT – Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (RT-PCR, NEAR, TMA, LAMP, HDA, CRISPR, SDA, etc), performed 72hrs before boarding
OR an antigen test (TRAg) performed 48hrs before boarding and approved by the European Commission’s Directorate-General For Health And Food Safety
Exceptions: Children under 12 year old
Complete the Passenger Locator Card online for each passenger up to 48 hours before travelling
Travelers will also need to present the documentation above to the Borders Officers at arrival and no other test or quarantine will be required.
Restrictions for THE AZORES (Ponta Delgada and Terceira airports)
To travel to the Azores it Is mandatory to present:
RT-PCR Test – 72h before boarding
OR
Declaration of Immunity (for those who already had COVID-19, for example)Passengers may perform free test on arrival and await the result in prophylactic isolation (results are available between 12 to 24 hrs)
Exceptions: Children under 12yo
If the stay is longer than seven days, on the 6th day from the date the first CoVid 19 test was performed, the passenger must contact the Azores health services to schedule and perform a second testAll passengers must fill the questionnaire
With revenue still suppressed, airlines have a tough winter ahead of them.New COVID-19 variants could potentially reduce travelers’ willingness to fly.Labor costs will rise and financially difficult decisions must be made.
European airlines are set to face a tough winter due to the ongoing pandemic and travel confidence likely remaining suppressed. Low fares will be key to stimulating demand as travel restrictions are likely to continue.
With revenue still suppressed, airlines will have a tough winter ahead. During what is traditionally the offseason in Europe, the pandemic is likely to make operating conditions difficult.
Although demand was beginning to return this summer, winter could be a different story. COVID-19 cases could potentially rise, and further variants may develop, reducing travelers’ willingness to fly. With numerous governments ending furlough support, including the UK, labor costs will inevitably rise, and financially difficult decisions must be made. A delicate balance must be struck between serving numerous destinations and keeping operating costs under control. Airlines must be nimble to ensure survival.
Passengers may continue to delay travel plans this winter due to high uncertainty. Even though Europe’s vaccine rollout is progressing well, the Delta variant is a concern. With some countries struggling to contain the virus, travel restrictions look set to remain. Planning trips will continue to be complicated further by ever-changing restrictions such as the requirement for negative COVID-19 tests for entry into many territories. Furthermore, travel restrictions are the second biggest deterrent to travel, with 55% of respondents in the latest industry poll stating this reason for avoiding traveling. Route networks must focus on destinations with limited restrictions and an agile/responsive approach must be taken.
Competition among airlines in Europe was fierce pre-COVID and often price was the determining factor for travelers when selecting an airline. With demand uncertainty likely this winter, encouraging booking will be a key goal.
Lowering fares to stimulate demand will be a tactic deployed this winter to fill seats. This could attract the 57% of European respondents who rated price as the most important factor when selecting an airline brand, according to a recent poll. Price will be critical to encouraging travel in the interim and low-cost airlines are likely to be the dominant airlines this winter. With travelers continuing to travel closer to home, the expansive European network of these carriers should work to their advantage.
Study looked at the biggest US cities to discover most and least affordable travel destinations.Oklahoma City is the most affordable destination for US city breaks.New York City is the most expensive US vacation destination.
With travel restrictions meaning more Americans than ever are choosing to vacation close to home, travel experts have revealed the most affordable and most expensive US vacation destinations to inspire your next trip!
The study looked at the biggest cities in the country to discover which were the most affordable, based on factors such as food and drink, the cost of a hotel and transportation.
Top 10 most affordable destinations in the US
RankCityBeerWineRestaurant mealTaxi (1km fare)One-way local transport ticketNightly hotel price (weekend)Vacation affordability score /101Oklahoma City, Oklahoma$3.00$12.00$11.50$1.65$2.00$1068.582Indianapolis, Indiana$3.50$10.97$15.00$1.24$1.75$1798.003Tucson, Arizona$4.00$12.00$14.00$1.37$1.75$1347.964Memphis, Tennessee$4.50$10.00$15.00$1.49$1.75$1727.875San Antonio, Texas$3.60$12.00$15.00$1.52$1.50$1617.776Houston, Texas$5.00$12.00$15.00$1.44$1.25$1367.737Fort Worth, Texas$3.00$12.00$15.00$1.12$2.50$1457.708Louisville, Kentucky$5.50$10.00$15.00$1.43$1.75$1627.679Orlando, Floria$4.00$11.00$15.00$1.49$2.00$1607.6510Raleigh, North Carolina$5.00$12.50$15.00$1.40$1.25$1347.62
The study found Oklahoma City to be the most affordable destination for US city breaks. The city was the cheapest for half of the factors analyzed, costing just $3 for a beer, $11.50 for a meal in a restaurant, and $106 for a night in a hotel! If you’re fascinated by the Old West, then Oklahoma City is a must-visit, where you can visit the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, try your hand at roping and herding cattle and riding horses at a ranch, or take in a rodeo!
Indianapolis is another extremely affordable city to visit, ranking second place. Transportation is particularly cheap, with a one-way ticket on local transport costing just $1.75, and a 1km taxi fare averaging at $1.24. Followed by Tuscon, a popular choice for those wishing to visit the Saguaro National Park and one of the cheapest cities to visit!
Top 5 most expensive destinations in the US
RankCityBeerWineRestaurant mealTaxi (1km fare)One-way local transport ticketNightly hotel price (weekend)Vacation affordability score /101New York City, New York$7.81$15.00$20.00$1.86$2.75$3092.562San Francisco, California$7.50$15.00$20.00$1.86$3.00$2313.073Boston, Massachussetts$7.00$15.00$20.00$1.86$2.63$2733.164Brooklyn, New York$7.00$15.00$17.00$1.55$2.75$2803.765Philadelphia, Pennsylvania$5.00$15.00$15.00$3.42$2.50$2443.94
As one of the most popular tourist destinations, not just in the US but in the world, it’s little surprise to see that New York City is also the most expensive US vacation destination, whilst neighboring Brooklyn ranks 4th place. NYC was the most expensive city for four of the six metrics looked at: a beer ($7.81), bottle of wine ($15), restaurant meal ($20), and hotel stay ($309 per night).
Another hugely popular city takes second place, with San Francisco matching New York when it comes to some prices and not far behind on most others. As well as being a very popular destination due to its landmarks and architecture, the city is also one of the highest-earning in the US, which also drives prices up for visitors.
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