Travel

Skift Take Will AI replace the Tim Williams (Trivago Guy) and William Shatner (the Priceline Negotiator) types? Could be. Trivago, meanwhile, is already testing a second AI-infused commercial. Dennis Schaal Tim Williams, the Texas-born actor who played the Trivago Guy didn’t know he’d been replaced until he saw a new Trivago commercial last December. There

Skift Take Thousands of fed-up residents took to the streets of Tenerife. Activists want a new tourism model that puts locals first. But businesses seek sustained growth from a tourism sector that drives about a third of the local economy. Sean O’Neill Thousands took part in a Saturday protest against tourism growth in Tenerife, the

Achieving Airbnb superhost status usually means more money in your pocket, and it comes with several perks. But some hosts are critical about the program’s current status on Airbnb.  The main complaint: That Guest Favorites have overshadowed superhosts. Guest Favorites highlight properties most liked and booked by guests and superhost status highlights hosts who go above

Skift Take The Emirates President’s honest assessment of the situation after Tuesday’s record rainfall in Dubai indicates that the airline is determined to be better prepared for similar events in the future. Peden Doma Bhutia Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates has had to cancel nearly 400 flights and delay many more in the 3 days following

Skift Take Nevada wants people to know that it has more than casinos and entertainment attractions like The Sphere. The state is investing in tourism that supports its local communities outside of Las Vegas. Jesse Chase-Lubitz Nevada has set its sights on a different kind of tourism. Rather than tout the famous casinos of Las

Skift Take The eclipse brought historic tourism revenue to hotels. But not all local businesses felt the same impact. Dawit Habtemariam Hotels in cities in the path of the total solar eclipse on April 8 saw record revenue increases, according to a new analysis published by CoStar’s STR. The night before the eclipse, U.S. hotel

Skift Take Paul Griffiths says he’s never seen anything like it as his airport cancels hundreds of flights a day. Josh Corder Over 1,200 flights have been canceled and 40 diverted in Dubai since an immense flash flood ground the city to a halt on Tuesday. It’s been three days since the storm and Dubai

Skift Take Despite taking a hit from the Max 9 grounding, Alaska Airlines saw an uptick in travel demand, fueled by a full return of business travel. Meghna Maharishi Even as the grounding of the Max 9 prompted Alaska Airlines to cancel thousands of flights in January, the carrier came out relatively unscathed in the

Skift Take Today’s podcast looks at Airbnb CEO’s compensation package, TUI’s sustainability bonds, and Google’s greener travel. Rashaad Jorden Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, April 18. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. Listen Now 🎧 Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts Episode Notes Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s 10-year pay

Skift Take United reported a strong first quarter, even as it faces an FAA safety review, Boeing delivery delays and rising tensions in the Middle East. Meghna Maharishi From Boeing delivery delays and increased Federal Aviation Administration oversight to escalations in the Middle East, it would seem like United Airlines might be in hot water. 

Skift Take Union bosses have said the agreement sets a new benchmark for U.S. flight attendants across the industry. Gordon Smith Flight attendants at Allegiant Airlines have agreed to a “game-changer” new labor deal. The breakthrough will see 1,700 crew members receive immediate wage increases.  The average pay rise is 25%, however the exact amount

Skift Take United is making some adjustments to its long-term fleet plans after the FAA placed production constraints on Boeing. Meghna Maharishi United Airlines reported it took a $200 million hit during the first-quarter from the Max 9 grounding, according to a regulatory filing posted Tuesday.  The Federal Aviation Administration grounded the Max 9 for

Skift Take Loyalty programs are huge business for many airlines, with fierce competition for well-heeled frequent fliers. BA will be hoping these changes make its Avios scheme more attractive to existing and future customers. Gordon Smith British Airways has announced a big change to redemptions in its loyalty program. The airline is making every flight

Skift Take The pilots’ union is alleging that American is compromising on safety protocols. The union said it has raised these concerns and the response from management has been “encouraging.” Meghna Maharishi The American Airlines pilots’ union said it has noticed a “significant spike” in safety and maintenance-related incidents.  “While United Airlines is currently under

Skift Take Vistara employees are seeking greater clarity about how their roles might look within the soon-to-be merged airline. Peden Doma Bhutia Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan has outlined a roadmap for the airline’s impending merger with Air India, following staff concerns and recent operational disruption. In his latest communication to employees sent over the weekend,

Skift Take America’s economy hotels experienced a case of the first-quarter blues as the budget travel crowd appeared to spend less. Could inflation be to blame? Sean O’Neill U.S. budget hotels performed less well in the first few months of the year than they did a year ago. Does that weakness signal some U.S. travelers

Skift Take Geir Karlsen leads an airline that defied the odds (and many critics) to bounce back from the edge of extinction. Gordon Smith In the modern airline business, companies are usually divided by their “low-cost” or “legacy” models. The upstarts versus the old guard. But is there room for a little Scandinavian pragmatism in

Skift Take Airlines are halting service to Israel as tensions in the Middle East escalate due to Iran’s “imminent attack” on Israel. Meghna Maharishi and Gordon Smith, Skift There has been a dramatic escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran. Reuters reports that Iran has launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel. The widely