Week in Review

In response to the Sri Lanka tragedy, Business Traveller reports several airlines are waiving cancellation and rescheduling fees for passengers flying to and from Colombo through April 24. Additionally, AirAsia is giving passengers options for a full refund, flight credit through their AirAsia BIG loyalty accounts or a one-time flight change.

4Hoteliers notes the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority have released a statement following the acts of terror.

New research reveals two in three travel programs have been impacted by a data breach. According to Buying Business Travel, nearly 70 percent of travel buyers say their travelers have been affected by a payment-related data breach from an outside vendor (e.g. airline, hotel, retailer) in the past year.

According to Security Magazine, travel buyers and IT managers are teaming up to secure company data by training business travelers on best practices to keep personal and company information safe. Some behaviors and tools being incorporated include developing better situational awareness, securing screens with privacy filters and carrying a travel-only laptop.

A study by ECA International reveals the most expensive destinations for business travel, CNN notes. In 2019, New York, Geneva, and Zurich top the list, based on the estimated daily rate for a traveling executive.

GBTA recently welcomed Mark Cuschieri as the new chair of the European Advisory Board. Cuschieri currently serves as the executive director for global travel at UBS and has over 25 years of experience in the corporate travel industry.

Due to client demands for cryptocurrency payments, Cryptoglobe reports Corporate Traveller is now accepting bitcoin and bitcoin cash payments. Corporate Traveller is the UK’s biggest business travel services provider.

As we approach the REAL ID deadline on October 1, 2020, TSA and DHS are urging travelers to renew their driver’s licenses or state ID cards and opt for compliant identification. Individuals with non-compliant forms of identification will not be able to use their driver’s license or state IDs to board domestic commercial flights. USA TODAY shares tips on how to check whether your identification is compliant.

According to Skift, the FAA will brief international aviation regulators on the safety and return of the Boeing 737 Max on May 23. Safety experts will answer questions as global safety regulators decide whether or not to allow the planes to resume flights in their countries.

Tesla plans to launch a driverless taxi service in 2020, HotelMarketing’com reports. Under this service, any owner can add or remove their car from the Tesla network and earn revenue. In areas with a small pool of vehicles available, Tesla will supply its own.

Business Traveller notes Paris Orly airport has unveiled a single terminal revamp. The former South and West Terminals are brought together under a single building layout now branded Orly 1-2-3-4.