News for The Americas

Air Canada announced (13-Oct-2022) the following planned frequency adjustments for summer 2023, in comparison with the carrier's summer 2022 schedule:

• Montreal-Algiers: Increase from three to four times weekly;
• Montreal-Frankfurt: Increase from twice daily to 19 times weekly (in partnership with Lufthansa)
• Montreal-Geneva: Increase from six times weekly to daily;
• Montreal-Nice: Increase from three to four times weekly;
• Montreal-Sao Paulo: Increase from three to five times weekly;
• Montreal-Tel Aviv: Increase from three to four times weekly;
• Montreal-Toyko Narita: Increase from twice weekly to daily;
• Toronto-Barcelona: Increase from five times weekly to daily;
• Toronto-Copenhagen: Increase from three to five times weekly;
• Toronto-Dubai: Increase from three times weekly to daily;
• Toronto-Edinburgh: Increase from six times weekly to daily;
• Toronto-London Heathrow: Increase from three to four times daily;
• Toronto-Madrid: Increase from five to six times weekly;
• Toronto-Tokyo Narita: Increase from five times weekly to daily;
• Vancouver-Brisbane: Increase from four times weekly to daily;
• Vancouver-Hong Kong: Increase from three times weekly to daily. [more - original PR]

Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) CEO Suzanne Neufang stated the organisation forecasts corporate travel bookings to recover to 65% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022 (Skift, 11-Oct-2022). Ms Neufang added GBTA does not expect a full recovery of corporate travel until 2026 when large Asia-Pacific markets, including China, fully open.

United Airlines VP sales strategy & effectiveness Glenn Hollister reported corporate travel bookings recovered to over 70% of pre-pandemic levels in Sep-2022 (Skift, 11-Oct-2022). Mr Hollister stated the carrier expects improved corporate booking activity trends to continue in 4Q2022.

Delta Air Lines confirmed (11-Oct-2022) plans to relocate operations from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport from 12-Oct-2022. The carrier's new check-in lobby will feature new kiosks and self-service bag drops. The terminal migration enables Delta to operate from the same terminal as its SkyTeam and joint venture partners, eliminating the need for international passengers to transfer terminals and re-enter security. The carrier invested USD50 million into the newly refurbished terminal, which will also house a new 22,000sqft Delta Sky Club with a seating capacity of 400 guests. [more - original PR]

Zamibia Tourism Agency, via its official Facebook account, announced (01-Oct-2022) tourist visa requirements were waived for Australia, Canada, China, European Union, Gulf States, Japan, Norway, South Korea, UK and US, effective 01-Oct-2022.

LATAM Airlines Brasil announced (08-Oct-2022) plans to launch three times weekly Sao Paulo-Johannesburg service in Jul-2023. The service will be operated with 300 seat (30 premium business and 270 economy) Boeing 787-9 aircraft. [more - original PR - Portuguese]

United Airlines scheduled to resume twice daily San Francisco-Hong Kong service from 04-Jan-2023, according to OAG. The service will be operated using Boeing 777 equipment. The carrier last operated the service in Jul-2020. Cathay Pacific is also scheduled to operate the route.

Air New Zealand announced (03-Oct-2022) for services from Australia, via Auckland, to New York, effective for sales from 06-Oct-2022, an allowance of one checked in bag of up to 23kgs will be available for all economy passengers. There is no change to the baggage allowance for premium economy and Business Premier passengers. [more - original PR]

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom stated (27-Sep-2022) claims that business travel will not return post-pandemic are "wrong, wrong, wrong". US Travel Association forecasts a strong business travel comeback in 2H2022/1H2023. [more - original PR]

Amadeus reported (27-Sep-2022) modernising business travel "will yield tens of billions in economic value", according to a study commissioned by the company. Amadeus commissioned the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) to model the economic benefits should the industry apply the latest digital spend management technology. Based on research with corporate travel and finance teams from large companies in the US, UK, France and Germany, Amadeus stated CEBR's work highlights the economic opportunities of digitally transforming travel and expense. According to the study, end-to-end digital spend management delivers economic benefits in the following areas:

• Productivity improvements for travellers, managers and finance teams from digitalising expenses save 147 minutes per expense claim, equating to 188,000 full time equivalent employees and USD20.6 billion in gross economic value across the four economies;
• Direct travel spend efficiencies result in savings of USD31.4 billion or 8.2% of direct travel spend made by large companies across the four markets. Savings are achieved through reductions in fraud and error and more consistent application of company travel policies;
• End-to-end digital spend management enables travellers to be provided with a virtual card containing a pre-agreed budget for the trip. Travellers no longer need to submit expense reports and finance teams also gain efficiencies in accounting, auditing, reimbursement, control, budgeting, forecasting and international VAT reclaim. [more - original PR]