Implementation of the REAL ID Act
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Implementation of the REAL ID Act

Do you have a driver’s license issued by the state of Washington, Minnesota, or Missouri? As of late January 2018, you may be unable to use it to fly domestically within the United States. From 2008 to 2011, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authorized $263 million in grants to improve the security of state-issued…

Week in Review
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Week in Review

A new report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research’s (Cebr) finds face-to-face meetings contribute £193 billion to the UK economy on an annual basis. According to Travel Daily News, Cebr suggests companies stand to gain an average of £147,200 per year when conducting face-to-face business. The Washington Post reports TripAdvisor has received a license to book…

Alert: DOT Prohibits all Samsung Galaxy Note7 Phones on Airplanes
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Alert: DOT Prohibits all Samsung Galaxy Note7 Phones on Airplanes

*The following blog post was also distributed as a member email.* Dear GBTA Members, The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that it is issuing an emergency order to ban all Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone devices from air transportation in the United States. Individuals who own or possess a Samsung Galaxy Note7 device may…

Week in Review
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Week in Review

Samsung Galaxy Note 7s, airplanes and spontaneous combustion. Oh my! The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued an emergency order banning all Samsung Galaxy Note7s from air transportation, carry-on baggage and checked baggage on flights to, from or within the United States effective Saturday, October 15. BBC reports carriers in Australia, Asia and Europe followed…

Week in Review
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Week in Review

Remember the computer glitches and delays from this past summer? They’re back! Reuters reports thousands of passengers faced delays worldwide after a United Airlines computer glitch late Thursday night. According to The Independent, the problem was resolved as of 3 a.m. ET, but led to the delay of at least 60 flights. Bloomberg states airlines…

Getting the Most from Your Travel Spend in 2017
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Getting the Most from Your Travel Spend in 2017

With the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, currency fluctuations, emerging markets, and various geopolitical events at play, planning and developing a travel budget can be challenging. As companies around the globe prepare for the new fiscal year, travel professionals are working diligently to determine how these factors will impact their travel spend. In order to assist with…

Amadeus’ Jay Richmond Talks Complexity, Data & Integration with GBTA
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Amadeus’ Jay Richmond Talks Complexity, Data & Integration with GBTA

During Convention this summer, Jay Richmond, Head of Business Travel for Amadeus North America, sat down with GBTA’s Ed Barrett at the Broadcast Studio to talk travel technology. Jay flagged complexity, data and integration as the key areas to address in the coming years. Jay also shared a challenge coming quickly down the pipeline that…

Week in Review
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Week in Review

Congress approved a short-term spending bill earlier this week avoiding a shutdown and keeping the government running through December 9. GBTA was pleased to see language included that will allow TSA to continue to fund increased personnel, however, a long-term solution is necessary. Travelers crave price transparency, according to Christopher Elliott in a USA Today…

GBTA Pleased TSA Funding Language Included in Continuing Resolution
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GBTA Pleased TSA Funding Language Included in Continuing Resolution

The Senate filed a Continuing Resolution (CR) today that would keep the government running through December 9 of this year avoiding a government shutdown on October 1. The CR includes the following language on funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA): GBTA is pleased to see this language included, which will allow TSA to continue…

Week in Review
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Week in Review

Marriott International and Starwood have completed a $13 billion merger as of today, Buying Business Travel reports, making the new hotel company the owner of 30 hotel brands. Skift notes Marriott International is now the world’s largest hotel operator and plans to prioritize combining the Marriott and Starwood loyalty programs. According to Skift, Google has announced…