Today's Hotels Pulse
FAA says Spirit’s LaGuardia slots belong with another low‑cost carrier
The FAA Administrator argues that the coveted take‑off slots Spirit Airlines holds at New York’s LaGuardia should be reallocated to a different low‑cost carrier. Meanwhile, Spirit is preparing to auction off those slots to the highest bidder.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Airbnb leads $58M Series C in WeRoad
Southwest Is Now Charging For Window Seats That Don’t Have Windows
Southwest Airlines now charges passengers for specific seat assignments, including “window” seats that on its Boeing 737‑800 and 737‑MAX 8 fleet sometimes sit beside a solid wall rather than an actual window. The practice mirrors recent consumer complaints that sparked class‑action lawsuits against United and Delta for selling identical seats. Travelers see a line‑item promising a window view, only to discover a wall when the aircraft doors open. The discrepancy raises questions about value for money and transparency in airline pricing.
Diners Are Becoming Less Loyal: Tillster
A Tillster survey of 2,144 U.S. diners shows brand loyalty slipping, with 45% changing their favorite restaurant in the past year, up from 33% in 2025. Consumers are cutting back on restaurant visits, favoring grocery and convenience‑store options, and 61%...
Buzzworks Chefs Train With Master Chefs Of Great Britain
Buzzworks’ culinary teams attended an elite patisserie masterclass organized by The Master Chefs of Great Britain at Prestonfield House in Edinburgh. The hands‑on session taught advanced pastry techniques, presentation standards, and creative innovation, forming part of a corporate sponsorship that...
Belize Highlights Natural Assets & Sustainability Focus Ahead of STC 2026
Belize’s tourism minister invited industry leaders to experience the nation’s natural wonders ahead of the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC) 2026, slated for April 27‑30 in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The event, organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, will showcase Belize’s second‑largest barrier...
Portugal’s Wellness Tourism & Spending Outpace European Averages, New Report Shows
The Global Wellness Institute and Portugal’s Associação Portuguesa de Ética Empresarial report that the country’s wellness economy reached $21.0 billion in 2024, representing 6.8% of GDP—above the global average. Inbound wellness tourism surged to 2.49 million trips, exceeding pre‑pandemic levels, with visitors...
Michigan Bill Requires Human Trafficking Hotlines Be Posted in Hotels
Michigan’s Senate has advanced Bill 481, which would require every hotel and motel in the state to display the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline number. The measure follows a 2024 report identifying 340 trafficking cases and 585 victims in...
Smiths Detection Achieves Certification for AI-Driven Baggage Screening Solution
Smiths Detection announced that its iCMORE APIDS AI‑driven cabin‑baggage screening solution has earned ECAC certification. The system, paired with the HI‑SCAN 6040 CTiX, now meets ECAC/EU APIDS Standard 1 performance criteria, enabling fully automated detection of prohibited items at checkpoints. The certification follows...
TUL Taps Meier For EVP, CCO
Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust (TAIT) has appointed Daniel Meier as executive vice president and chief commercial officer. Meier returns to Tulsa International Airport after serving as deputy director of aviation, marketing and air service at Palm Springs International Airport and...
New PPG Lounges Open At DFW
Plaza Premium Group (PPG) launched two new lounges in Dallas‑Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal D, including the first Plaza Premium First lounge in the United States. The premium‑first lounge offers dedicated ambassadors, a full buffet, sit‑down dining with items such as brisket...
Queensway Gets Green Light for Two Office-to-Hotel Conversions in the Capital
Queensway Group has obtained planning permission to convert two central London office buildings into hotels, creating a total of 341 rooms under its Point A Hotels brand. The larger project at 29 Clements Lane near Monument will deliver 236 rooms...
Weak Promo: Marriott Bonvoy® Week Is Back at Starbucks Through April 26th
Starbucks is running a second Marriott Bonvoy® Week from April 20‑26, letting members of the linked loyalty programs earn up to 100 Marriott Bonvoy points for three qualifying coffee purchases. The earnings cap has been trimmed from previous promotions that offered...
ACI Outlines Role of Renewable Diesel in Reducing Airport Emissions
The ACI Asia‑Pacific & Middle East webinar highlighted renewable diesel as a near‑term solution for cutting airport emissions. Speakers noted that the fuel can slash lifecycle emissions by up to 95% without engine changes. Case studies from Changi Airport and...
GreenRow Announces New Hospitality Partnership with Inn at Serenbe
GreenRow, Williams‑Sonoma’s sustainable home brand, has partnered with The Inn at Serenbe to debut the GreenRow Lake House, a reimagined four‑bedroom lakefront cottage. The cottage showcases heirloom‑quality, vintage‑inspired furniture and responsibly sourced textiles, aligning with Serenbe’s 2,000‑acre wellness community that...
Cruise Ships Safely Transit Through Strait of Hormuz
Cruise ships stranded in the Arabian Gulf amid the Iran‑Israel conflict successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz after Iran briefly reopened the waterway on April 17. MSC Cruises confirmed its MSC Euribia passed through the strait and is now heading...
ADA Cosmetics Now Cradle to Cradle Certified Full Scope Silver
ADA Cosmetics has recertified its entire hotel amenity portfolio under the Cradle to Cradle Certified Full Scope Silver standard, now using the more rigorous Version 4.0 criteria. The certification, which assesses material health, circularity, climate impact, water stewardship and social fairness,...
AHLA Foundation’s FORWARD/26 Honors Leaders Advancing Women in Hospitality
The AHLA Foundation’s FORWARD/26 event in Atlanta honored two leaders advancing women in hospitality. Sarai Jacko of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts received the Paving the Way Award for her mentorship and training programs, while Apple Hospitality REIT CEO Justin Knight...
Jersey Mike’s Could Go Public
Jersey Mike’s Submarines is preparing for an initial public offering after filing a confidential S‑1 with the SEC. The sandwich chain expanded from 2,387 stores in early 2023 to 3,227 locations by early 2026, driven by a majority‑stake purchase by...
Avinor to Open New New Mo I Rana Airport in September 2027
Avinor announced that the new Mo I Rana/Helgeland Arctic Circle Airport will open on 30 September 2027, nine months earlier than a previously feared delay. The operator will take control of the site from contractor AF Gruppen on 19 February 2027, initiating the operational readiness and transition...
Studio 6 Grows Footprint with 35+ New Locations in 2026
G6 Hospitality, the parent of Motel 6 and Studio 6, opened more than 35 new Studio 6 locations in the first quarter of 2026, spanning cities such as Birmingham, Sacramento, Chicago, Seattle and Washington, DC. The rollout includes a mix...
Thomas Cook Chief Alan French to Join Europe's Sunweb Group
Sunweb Group, a fast‑growing European holiday operator, has appointed former Thomas Cook executive Alan French as Chief Product and Technology Officer, effective 11 May. French brings a track record of digital transformation at Thomas Cook and eSky, positioning him to lead AI‑driven product...
Hyatt Deploys ChatGPT Enterprise Across Global Workforce
Hyatt has implemented ChatGPT Enterprise across its global corporate and hotel workforce, giving employees access to OpenAI’s latest models, including GPT‑5.4 and Codex. The AI suite is slated to support finance, marketing, operations, business development, real‑estate, and product teams, accelerating...
Marriott Opens 220th Indian Hotel in Karnal, Targeting Tier‑2 Luxury Market
Marriott International opened Noormahal, a 176‑room Autograph Collection hotel in Karnal, Haryana, marking its 220th property in India and a strategic shift toward tier‑2 and tier‑3 cities. The move reflects growing demand for upscale accommodation outside traditional metros and highlights...
HB on the Scene: Newport Hospitality Group Brings ‘Living Hospitality’ to Life
Newport Hospitality Group hosted its 2026 Leadership Retreat at the Ellie Resort in Myrtle Beach, centering on the “Living Hospitality” theme. CEO Andrew Carey emphasized building a shared identity that transcends individual hotel brands, while offering practical tools to improve...
The Technomic Top 500: Another Tough Year for Chain Restaurants
Technomic’s 2026 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report shows U.S. chain sales rose just 3% to $451.5 billion, lagging the 3.8% menu‑price inflation and marking the slowest growth since the Great Recession. Median sales growth was only 2.5%, translating to a 1.3% real‑dollar...
Nakheel Grants $144 Million Contract to Build Island B Infrastructure, Paving Way for Luxury Hotels
Nakheel, part of Dubai Holding Real Estate, awarded Al Nasr Contracting a AED527 million ($144 million) contract to build core infrastructure on Island B of Dubai Islands. The work will enable residential, mixed‑use and high‑end hotel projects, marking a major step toward expanding Dubai’s...
American Airlines Offered A Stranded Business Class Passenger A Motel 6 — Never Let The Airline Pick Your Hotel
American Airlines offered a stranded business‑class passenger a Motel 6 after an overnight flight cancellation, exposing the gap between airline obligations and passenger expectations. U.S. law requires airlines to provide complimentary hotel rooms but does not set quality standards, allowing carriers...
GoldenAgers.in Is Redefining Travel for India’s Seniors
GoldenAgers.in, the flagship brand of Indiafly Golden Tours, launches a travel platform dedicated to Indian seniors aged 60 and above. Founded by Moneek and Nidhi Mehra, the service pairs older travelers with compassionate companion guides who prioritize slow itineraries, safety,...
Kuala Lumpur Baggage Delivery Meltdown, Up To 4 Hours Wait For Your Bags At KLIA
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) experienced a four‑hour baggage‑handling outage after a substation voltage dip tripped the distribution system. The failure left arriving passengers waiting between two and four hours for their luggage. Malaysia's transport ministry convened an emergency meeting,...
British Airways Launches St Louis and Guernsey Routes
British Airways announced two new London Heathrow routes, linking the capital to St Louis, Missouri and the Channel Island of Guernsey. The St Louis service, BA’s 27th US destination, will run four times weekly this summer on Boeing 787s equipped with Starlink Wi‑Fi....
Hong Kong Expects 980k Mainland Tourists, up 7%
The Hong Kong Immigration Department is projecting ~980k mainland tourists will enter the city through various control points during the Labour Day Golden Week, up 7% on 2025.
Speaker Q&A: Bharti Radix
Bharti Radix, a former finance professional turned hospitality founder, built six London venues during the pandemic and will speak at the FD Show about the CFO‑to‑CEO pathway. She emphasizes that finance leaders must adopt an open‑mind, gain cross‑functional experience, and...
Minor Hotels to Debut Colbert Collection in London
Minor Hotels will open The WestDill Mayfair Hotel later this year, marking the UK debut of its premium soft‑brand Colbert Collection. The Grade II‑listed former bank on Piccadilly will house 50 guest rooms and suites across six floors, plus a restaurant...
How Is Spirit Still Flying?
Spirit Airlines remains operational despite a precarious Chapter 11 reorganization. The carrier has halved its fleet and narrowed its network to core hubs in Florida, Detroit and New York while presenting a revised plan that projects a -7.4% operating margin...
Prague as a Hub of Global Tourism. The Capital Hosts Czechia Travel Trade Day 2026
The Czech Tourist Authority hosted Czechia Travel Trade Day 2026 in Prague on April 20‑21, gathering buyers and operators from more than 20 countries. The two‑day event featured pre‑arranged business meetings, familiarisation trips to five regional destinations and a gala...
AI Will Help Wine Sales in Hospitality but Won’t Replace Humans
Artificial intelligence is reshaping wine service in hospitality by delivering real‑time, personalized recommendations that match guests with the right glass. At a Preferabli‑hosted webinar, Napa Valley Marriott GM Rachel Wilson explained how AI tools boost revenue, extend dwell time, and...
Marriott Bonvoy Homes & Villas 40,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points For A Stay April 27 – January 3, 2027 (Book April...
Marriott Bonvoy has introduced a limited‑time Homes & Villas promotion that awards 40,000 bonus points for stays booked between April 20‑26 2026 and completed from April 27 2026 through January 3 2027. To qualify, members must be elite (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium or Ambassador), register for...
Gen Z’s Solo‑Travel Surge Drives New Adventure‑Focused Hotel Concepts
A week at a Bali surf camp showed that solo‑traveling Gen Zers are seeking adrenaline‑filled experiences and built‑in community. Hotel operators are now eyeing activity‑centric packages to capture this fast‑growing market.
Jersey Mike’s 'Confidentially' Files for IPO with $1B Target
Jersey Mike’s Subs has confidentially filed an S‑1 to pursue an initial public offering, targeting a $1 billion raise at a minimum $12 billion valuation. Backed by majority‑owner Blackstone, the company could debut as early as Q3 2026, positioning it among the top...
4 Places Where Your Catering Program Is Leaking Revenue
Catering can be a high‑margin growth engine for restaurants, but many programs lose money because they treat orders as one‑off transactions. Kelly Grogan outlines four revenue‑leak points—team alignment, customer follow‑up, product suitability, and partner reliability—and shows how a culture of...
Middle East War Clouds Egyptian Tourism Outlook
Egypt’s tourism sector surged to 19 million visitors in 2023, delivering more than $15 billion and supporting three million jobs. The government targets 30 million arrivals by 2030, but the Middle‑East conflict has triggered up to a 25% decline in hotel occupancy and heightened...
What Restaurants Are Doing Differently on TikTok and Why It’s Driving Visits
TikTok has become the top platform influencing U.S. dining choices, with over 200 million monthly active users and 75% of diners saying it shapes where they eat. The platform’s blend of authentic, creator‑driven videos and paid formats like Spark Ads and...
Why Restaurants Are Using Spice to Drive Flavor—And Repeat Traffic
Spice is now a staple on roughly 95% of U.S. restaurant menus, driven by the 65% of Americans who enjoy hot flavors. Operators are shifting from extreme heat to approachable, mid‑level heat that blends sweet, savory and global influences. Brands...
How H&H Bagels Managed 900 Orders on Opening Day without Selling Out
H&H Bagels opened its first Miami location in Pinecrest, processing over 900 orders in a ten‑hour launch without any menu sell‑outs. The 13‑person team leveraged targeted staffing, ultra‑efficient station layouts, and real‑time wait‑time communication to keep lines moving. Rigorous inventory...
Conrad Bengaluru Appoints Director of Sales
Dhruva Parate has been appointed director of sales at Conrad Bengaluru, bringing experience from Marriott International where he managed national accounts and drove revenue growth across multiple properties. In his new role he will lead sales strategy with an emphasis...
Africa Cannot Sell Itself in Pieces Anymore
Uganda and Egypt have launched a joint tourism promotion, showcasing a unified African travel experience. The partnership combines Uganda’s wildlife and Egypt’s historic sites, illustrating the African Tourism Board’s push for a continent‑wide brand. It highlights persistent challenges such as...
AlUla Development Company Commences Construction on NUMAJ, Marking a New Phase of AlUla's Development
AlUla Development Company (UDC), a Public Investment Fund entity, has broken ground on NUMAJ, a 250‑room Marriott Autograph Collection hotel slated to open in 2027. Designed by GioForma and named after the ancient star system Nu Ursae Majoris, the resort...
61% of Travel Business Surveyed Experimenting with or Scaling Agentic AI
Travel firms are rapidly moving beyond generative AI, with 61% experimenting with or scaling agentic AI that can perform real‑world tasks. Phocuswright’s report shows 6% are actively scaling and 22% are beginning to scale these solutions. Adoption is fueled by...
Genting Malaysia, Agibot Collaborate to Advance Embodied AI Robotics
Genting Malaysia Bhd has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shanghai‑based Agibot Innovation to develop embodied artificial‑intelligence robotics for its hospitality, entertainment and leisure venues. The partnership was formalised at the Agibot Partners Conference 2026 in Shanghai and will focus...
Etihad Airways Unveils Six New Destinations, Expanding Footprint Across the Africa Continent
Etihad Airways announced six new routes to African cities—including Accra, Asmara, Harare, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Lagos—operating from Abu Dhabi. The expansion targets high‑growth markets in trade, cargo and passenger demand, complementing recent China‑focused growth and a joint venture with Ethiopian...
Zayed International Airport Launches Visitor Pass for Non-Travellers
Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport introduced a Visitor Pass that lets non‑travellers enter terminal areas, shop, dine, and use lounges without a flight ticket. The pass costs $30 per day and includes biometric security for quick access. Airport officials project...