What to Know Now

Lost in the haze of news about Jetblue luggage fees and new AmEx lounges last week was the latest chapter in the battle for more space at London’s Heathrow airport.

The problem, you’re recall, is that Heathrow has an embarrassingly low number of runways (2) for a world class airport — and that business travelers like you and me end up wasting precious time circling above London waiting for our turn to land.

Expansion so far has been hampered by grumpy neighbors who don’t want to give up space to the hemorrhaging airport. Prime Minister Cameron promises some sort of conclusion to the affair this year, although his earlier symbolic effort may foreshadow the results. At the very least, we’ll soon know whether Heathrow is a viable transit option.

Social Quote of the Day

Third Heathrow runway to be disguised by cave mouth and collapsible palm trees http://t.co/mY2GsW9ZNI

@TheDailyMash | Satire.

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Airlines

Delta Debuts TUMI Amenity Kits With Review of Amenity Kits Past: Delta Airlines has debuted new TUMI cabin amenity kits for its Delta One customers. Read more at Skift

To Build the Airline of the Future Carriers Must Think Beyond the Seat: To the degree that a cabin continues to be no more than a comfortable illusion artfully created within a volatile high-speed cylinder flying high above the clouds, the laws of physics and the laws governing airline safety will continue to limit just how far airlines can go with their greatest ambitions. Read more at Skift

Proving U.S. Airline Price Collusion Won’t Be Easy for the Justice Department: As the Justice Department launches an investigation into possible collusion in the airline industry, experts say the government faces the burden of proving that carriers were deliberately signaling business decisions to each other. Read more at Skift

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Airports

Tips for Business Travelers To Stay Online On the Road: Plenty of employers expect workers to make themselves available virtually all the time, especially when they’re traveling for business. Unfortunately, that expectation overestimates how well technology has adapted to with our work-obsessed culture. Read more at Skift

Traveller shames Edinburgh Airport over egg and bacon roll: A disgruntled traveller has attempted to shame airport caterers by posting a hilarious picture of his £3.20 “bacon and egg” roll. Read more at The Scotsman

TSA under fire for shaming passenger by tweeting photo of luggage: The Transportation Security Administration may have missed 95% of explosives and weapons during recent undercover tests, but it passes with flying colors when it comes to sniffing out your money. Read more at Road Warrior Voices

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Tech

Yelp Is No Longer Actively Looking for a Buyer: Yelp Inc., which hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to find a buyer, has temporarily decided not to pursue a sale, people with knowledge of the matter said. Read more at Skift

Uber Buys Part of Bing Mapping Technology and Team: Uber Technologies Inc. is acquiring a portion of Microsoft Corp.’s Bing mapping unit, part of the mobile car-booking application’s push to broaden its in-house technology for drivers. Read more at Skift

You Don’t Need An Oculus Rift to Enjoy Qantas New Immersive Tour of Hamilton Island: If you don’t have the money to pay for an Oculus Rift, and always wanted to take one of those 360 degree tours people go on about, worry not: Qantas, Samsung, and Google have it sorted. Read more at Skift

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Hotels

Customer satisfaction surveys should be abolished: Recently, I was asked to fill out a questionnaire during check-out at a hotel in India. I was very pleased with my stay so I agreed to provide feedback. When I offer feedback, I am in one of two extreme emotions: I either love the service or, more commonly, I loathe it. There is no time to talk about the average. And I have given up on Comcast. Read more at Quartz

Are Hotels Dangerous? ARE hotels a hotbed of poverty, oppression and danger? Or are they relatively benign institutions of temporary respite, offering the traveler the basic comforts of a minibar, hot shower and clean sheets? Read more at the New York Times

Your Turn

Via one of my favorite writers Will McGrath, “A brilliant piece of longform journalism about…wait for it…bowling“.

Tips and Comments

Can be sent to gm[at]skift[dot]com or to @grantkmartin

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Photo credit: Heathrow, Terminal 2A, top level entrance from vehicle drop-off point. Heathrow Airports Limited

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