BTN Expert Q&A

About a decade after founding and leading flight shopping information hub Routehappy, Bob Albert is stepping down. Albert pioneered a vast database of details about flights and amenities, creating such terms as "Universal Ticket Attributes" to show perks and restrictions that come with a ticket and "Universal Product... Keep Reading

During the past several months, the International Air Transport Association has been cooperating with travel industry and medical groups to develop a "restart" program that advises of the most effective measures of preventing Covid-19 spread as airlines restore and rebuild service. IATA director of passenger and facilitation... Keep Reading

Over the next few weeks, Qatar Airways will increase service to the United States. The carrier had maintained service to Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago, and on Friday, it will resume flights to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. On July 1, it will resume service to Boston, Los Angeles and Washington Dulles. Eric... Keep Reading

The former Travel Leaders Group in the past month made several moves to reorganize its structure, including unveiling its new name, Internova. The travel agency group also merged its Travel Leaders Corporate and Altour agencies under the latter's name and said it would do likewise for Tzell and Protravel. CEO... Keep Reading

With some air travel demand expected to return this summer, airlines are establishing new protocols that they hope not only will minimize Covid-19 spread but also will assure travelers that it is safe to return to the skies. To achieve the latter, airlines might at times have to go beyond the recommendations of the science... Keep Reading

RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation earlier this year acquired the North American division of U.K.-based Addison Lee Group, creating a combined network of more than 25,000 customers and 20 million annual passengers. RMA CEO Robert Alexander and Addison Lee Group North America president Michael Fogarty spoke recently to... Keep Reading

The entire world is reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic. Healix International/HX Global chief medical officer Dr. Adrian Hyzler answered some of the questions the company has been receiving from clients and partners around the globe. ... Keep Reading

On the heels of layoffs at the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, Global Business Travel Association chief operations officer and executive director Scott Solombrino told BTN editorial director Elizabeth West that GBTA, too, has suffered losses. The association has reduced staff by one-third, even as lobbying... Keep Reading

After changing its name from GoEuro last year, Berlin-based multimodal travel booking platform Omio has followed through with plans to expand its borders beyond Europe, adding North American suppliers including Amtrak, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways. Omio VP of commercial Julian Persaud, who joined the company three... Keep Reading

Accor Live Limitless, or ALL, is the new loyalty program officially launched in mid-January from the Parisian-based hotel company. The program features some standard elements, like tiered benefits that include—depending on status level—member discounts, early check-in/late check-out, welcome drink, upgrades, executive lounge... Keep Reading