Week in Review

When the Boeing 707 entered the aviation world in 1958, the seat pitch measured at 34 inches. Today, that measurement varies widely depending on the airline and distance being travelled. The Telegraph shares varying statistics on legroom, including the best and worst airlines for legroom and seat widths today compared to 30 years ago.

In anticipation of Brexit, the United Kingdom is planning on hiring 1,000 new Border Force staff “to make sure that every area is made secure”, Business Traveller reports.

Delta Air Lines and Korean Air have received clearance to launch their transpacific joint venture, Buying Business Travel reports.

Qantas made history this week, with the launch of a 17-hour direct flight from Australia to London, USA TODAY reports.

Following in Marriott’s footsteps, Hilton is cutting the commissions it pays to third-party group and meetings planners at hotels in the U.S. and Canada, HotelMarketing’com reports.

According to Bloomberg, Qantas plans to expand its schedule of ultra-long-haul routes and is evaluating the addition of a direct flight from Australia to Chicago.

On the latest episode of our The Business of Travel podcast, Jon Gray of Rockport Analytics breaks down key takeaways from our annual business travel spending forecast and discusses what each means for the business travel industry.

Delta Sky Clubs are now offering biometric check-in options for its members who are enrolled in CLEAR, Business Traveler notes.

According to Skift, expense technology providers are using big data techniques and machine learning to make it easier for travel managers and financial departments to design smarter travel policies.

Following the new tax bill that was signed in December, much of the hotel industry is hoping that lower corporate taxes will revive corporate meetings, The New York Times reports.

Bloomberg reports airlines are drawing scrutiny from the U.K. government over ancillary fees. In 2016 alone, 66 airlines generated $45 billion in ancillary revenue.

Early this week, Uber sold its Southeast Asian ride-hailing business to Singapore-based rival Grab, Skift reports. However, TechCrunch reports regulators in Singapore believe the purchase violates competition laws.

USA TODAY shares a list highlighting the USA’s best airlines for on-time flights.