Week In Review

It was a week of brutal weather and cold in the United States and Canada that saw many parts of the two countries reach temperatures colder than Mars! Not surprisingly that meant flight cancellations as USA Today reported more than 930 cancelled flights in the U.S. on Tuesday.

Looking to avoid delays and cancellations? Well, you may not be able to do anything about the weather, but check out CNN’s article listing the most punctual airlines and hubs. Latvia’s airBaltic, Hawaiian Airlines and Austrian Airlines top the list for on-time arrivals and when it comes to the most punctual hub, Munich is best.

Safety is top of mind these days given events like the recent crash of an AirAsia flight and the terror attack still unfolding in France. Reuters reports that Indonesia has cracked down on the sale of cheap tickets for domestic flights to ensure that airlines do not cut corners on safety. CNN covered AirlineRatings.com’s annual list of the world’s safest airlines with Australian airline Qantas grabbing the top spot. Runway Girl Network covers safety from a different angle reporting on new inflight safety apps that seek passenger attention and retention.

Dealing with ancillary fees is nothing new for travel managers. This TNOOZ article identifies even more potential areas within travel firms that ancillary fees could be tacked on to.

In GBTA News, Douglas Anderson, president and CEO of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, will take on the role of GBTA Foundation Board Chair. GBTA President & CEO Donna Kelliher also announced five other new members to the Foundation Board.

Finally, Buying Business Travel unveiled their Tech Trailblazers Hotlist for 2015. Tom Newcombe writes that technology developments in the managed travel sector have accelerated in recent years and companies are starting to see the potential of targeting business travelers. The list highlights companies that could see a big year in 2015 on this front.