More than 890 flights have been canceled and more than 1,200 are delayed as Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s northwest coast as a Category 3 hurricane early Wednesday morning.
25.08.2023 - 13:55 / skift.com / Andrew Watterson / Edward Russell / Rashaad Jorden / Peden Doma Bhutia
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Southwest Airlines took a major beating from a massive meltdown that resulted in it canceling more than 17,000 flights last holiday season. So it’s implementing substantial steps to prevent a repeat of that enormous fiasco, reports Edward Russell, editor of Airline Weekly, a Skift brand.
Southwest said in a new report it’s focused on major improvements in three areas, most notably beefing up its winter weather operations. Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Watterson acknowledged at a U.S. Senate hearing in February that the carrier had done a poor job of preparing for inclement weather. Southwest will also make $1.3 billion in technology-related investments in 2023. The company’s outdated tech was widely believed to be a cause for the epic meltdown.
Next, India-based budget hotel operator Oyo revealed on Friday that it’s reducing its proposed $1.1 billion initial public offering nearly in half, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.
Bhutia writes Oyo filed its latest initial public offering paperwork with the Indian stock exchange on Friday. The company is likely to go public in mid-November once it receives approval from Indian authorities. A source close to the company said it hopes to raise between $400 million and $600 million from selling new shares to the public. Bhutia adds the sales could help improve Oyo’s financial positions and credibility in the Indian stock market.
Finally, the LGBTQ+ travelers have become one of the most powerful and lucrative segments in the travel industry in recent years, with travel brands increasingly looking to make inroads in the growing group. With its clout expected to increase even more in the future, Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden is taking a deep look at how Skift has covered issues pertaining to LGBTQ+ community throughout the years.
Jorden reports Skift has frequently addressed marketing efforts toward LGBTQ+ travelers, including hits and misses. Skift highlighted Fort Lauderdale in July 2015 as one success story. The Florida city attracted more than 1.5 million LGBTQ+ visitors the previous year. However, some industry executives believe travel brands struggle at times to effectively market themselves to LGBTQ+ travelers. One travel advisor described marketing to the community as narrow in a June 2021 article.
Jorden also lists LGBTQ+-related travel advances and setbacks Skift has covered. Skift reported on the U.S. joining countries like Canada and Germany by issuing its first ever non-binary passport in October 2021. Issues specifically affecting transgender travelers have also been
More than 890 flights have been canceled and more than 1,200 are delayed as Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s northwest coast as a Category 3 hurricane early Wednesday morning.
Southwest Airlines recently made changes to its pre-flight boarding policies by limiting the options for passengers to purchase a better spot in line for an extra fee.
United Airlines is taking a subtle dig at rival Southwest Airlines’ massive number of holiday season cancellations in an ad it’s airing during the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Two months. That’s how long Southwest Airlines expects there to be an impact on bookings from its massive holiday meltdown that disrupted millions of travelers over Christmas and New Years.
Malaysia’s Capital A will not be merging its airlines, but will instead move all the carriers under one existing structure, similar to how British Airways, Iberia Airline, and Aer Lingus operate under the International Airlines Group umbrella, said CEO Tony Fernandes on Monday.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, November 29. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
The U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) said it planned to seek higher penalties for airlines and others that broke consumer protection rules, saying they were necessary to deter future violations.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, January 3, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, December 30, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, January 4, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
U.S. Senate Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell on Wednesday said the panel intended to hold hearings after Southwest Airlines’ recent meltdown that led to nearly 16,000 flight cancellations in the week ending Dec. 29.
A group of 15 U.S. senators on Friday demanded Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Bob Jordan answer questions about the low-cost carrier’s holiday meltdown that led to nearly 16,000 flight cancellations.