Rental Car Shortages are Impacting Travelers.
Rental car companies are experiencing extreme shortages in availability due to the pandemic. Many rental vendors were forced to implement cost saving measures including smaller fleets sizes. With people getting vaccinated and travel starting to pick back up, the industry hasn’t been able to keep up with the demand in 2021 as the supply is short leaving little to no inventory at certain times. This week, we have received feedback that cars have not been available, especially last minute. We strongly encourage clients to book their rental cars as far in advance as possible.
CDC Issues Updated Guidance on Travel for Fully Vaccinated People
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its travel guidance for fully vaccinated people to reflect the latest evidence and science. Given recent studies evaluating the real-world effects of vaccination, CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last recommended dose of vaccine.
Fully vaccinated people can travel within the United States and do not need COVID-19 testing or post-travel self-quarantine as long as they continue to take COVID-19 precautions while traveling – wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, socially distancing, and washing hands frequently...read more
Delta to stop blocking middle seats May 1
Delta Air Lines said Wednesday it will stop blocking seats on its planes starting May 1, the last U.S. airline to end the pandemic-era policy as more travelers return to the skies.
Delta first started blocking middle seats and limiting capacity on smaller planes in April near the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Other airlines had similar policies, including Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines, but they have since gone back to selling all seats...read more
Governor Cuomo Announces Quarantine for Domestic Travel Will No Longer Be Required Starting April 1st
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that domestic travelers will no longer be required to quarantine after entering New York from another U.S. State or U.S. Territory starting April 1st. While no longer required, the NYS Department of Health still recommends quarantine after domestic travel as an added precaution. Mandatory quarantine remains in effect for international travelers. All travelers must continue to fill out the Traveler Health Form. Individuals should continue strict adherence to all safety guidelines to stop the spread - wearing masks, socially distancing and avoiding gatherings...read more
April U.S. Travel Restrictions By State–Vaccinations, Quarantine, Covid-19 Test Requirements
This race to save and restart lives rests on how fast people can be vaccinated in relation to how much they can move about freely without endangering other people–and the news from the U.S. looks good. So, whilst daily infection rates are currently increasing across 30 states, President Biden’s pledge to offer the vaccine to any adult by the end of May has meant that many states are in the process of rolling out the vaccine far and wide.
For the travel industry, this is promising–the view of travel restrictions across the country in April shows a more relaxed attitude to people taking trips:
The U.S. has vaccinated more people than any other country, with more than 40% of adults and 75% of more senior people having received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
The CDC has also said that fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19 meaning that it is safe for fully-vaccinated people to travel safely within the U.S.–they now only need to get tested and quarantine if their destination requires it....read more
American and United Extend Deadlines On Unused Flight Credits
Unused airline tickets are getting extra shelf life as the steep drop in travel demand extends into a second year due to Covid-19. Fewer flight credits are on the verge of lapsing after United Airlines Holdings Inc. and American Airlines Group Inc. recently extended expiration dates into 2022, following similar moves earlier in the crisis by rivals. About 11% of all open, unused tickets are now set to expire this year, down from 55% as of Jan. 29, according to TripActions, a corporate travel management firm. “It’s pretty clear that the shift is a reflection of the fact that airlines are adjusting dates to accommodate customers, both business and leisure, in this fluid travel environment,” said Kelly Soderlund, a spokeswoman for TripActions....read more
One Year Later: How COVID has Changed Sports Forever
Remember what it like to go to a sold-out game? Waiting in line with others for seemingly forever before getting your ticket scanned, walking into the concourse and trying to avoid bumping into other people while finding a hot dog and soda, then going to your seats to check out the early scene. Maybe you left your spot for a few minutes to pick up some merchandise, pulled cash out of your wallet to pay for it before returning to your family’s seats with everybody else filling in for a few hours of excitement and sound.
For the few that have been able to attend a sporting event the past year, the fan experience is radically different. Mobile tickets and temperature checks. Contactless transactions for food, drinks and merchandise. Nobody within at least six feet of your seat. And if you are not wearing a mask, you could get ejected. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a re-think to every facet of the sports world no matter the level of play or size of venue...read more
Going on Roadtrip?
Of course, until the pandemic is fully over, coronavirus will still be a factor in how you travel. With states lifting restrictions and mandates, you will still have to pay attention to local guidelines on quarantines, mask ordinances, curfews and dining restrictions. Your best resources are the government websites of wherever you are headed, or you can use AAA’s COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map.
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