Skift Business Traveler: Winter Storm Jonas Breaks Early Week Business Travel

What to Know Now

Fallout from the weekend’s blockbuster snowstorm along the Atlantic coast is slowing down business travel early this week. Even though the storm has long past, massive efforts are still underway to clear public transit lines and airport taxiways, a process that may last well into mid-week. Already, according to FlightAware’s Misery Map, there are 81 cancelled flights out of the New York Area and eight throughout Washington DC.

Most airports are finally back open, though airlines are only slowly restoring service. Over at JFK, operations are warming up to a hum, but Newark, with nowhere to put snow, is still struggling.

All told, the airlines will have canceled over 10,000 flights from the weekend’s madness. If you’ve got flexibility in your schedule, take advantage of the weather waiver and move your trip to later in the week.

Social Quote of the Day

@United running a tiny EWR operation due to snow clearing issues.

@AmericanAir back in the air

@Delta doing ok

– @AirlineFlyer | Jason Rabinowitz, #AvGeek researching and writing things about airlines, airplanes, transit and travel.

Airlines

Southwest CEO Likes Airline’s Position Even As It Faces More Competition Than Ever: Southwest isn’t going to boost its capacity outlook based on the drop in oil prices and CEO Gary Kelly believes the carrier has the flexibility to react if the U.S. economy goes into a swoon. Read more at Skift

Is the Boeing 747 nearing its end? The Boeing 747 has been a popular intercontinental aircraft since its first commercial passenger flight in 1970, but now the iconic jumbo jet’s days may be numbered. Read more at Travel Skills

Airlines Lead Travel Advertising on TV, But Cruise Lines Are Growing Fast: If the first three weeks of 2016 are a barometer, then this is going to be a banner year for U.S. travel industry TV advertising, which jumped 54.1 percent to $88.8 million. Read more at Skift

Airports

U.S. Airlines Cancel Over 6,600 Flights Due to Blizzard in the Northeast: Airlines canceled more than 6,600 flights this weekend as the blizzard hitting the East Coast brings major cities to a standstill. Read more at Skift

An Airport Survival Guide for the Winter Storm: How to make the most of your wait? You can settle in with a neck pillow and the latest Stephen King tome, of course, purchased at the airport bookshop. Or for something more non-bookishly novel, check into a micro-hotel, listen to a string quartet, visit a museum or explore the quick service efforts of a rash of celebrity chefs at many of the following domestic terminals in 10 major airports across the country. Read more at The New York Times

Airlines Have Already Started Cutting Monday Flights in the U.S.: After cancelling nearly 7,000 weekend flights, airlines have started to cut Monday service as the ripple effects of driving snow and ice that brought many East Coast airports to a standstill drifted into the next work week. Read more at Skift

Tech

Airbus Isn’t Making a Huge Fuss Yet About Its New Plane: New airplanes, among the sexiest beasts in the sky, generally debut with the type of glitzy ceremony befitting a Hollywood blockbuster. Read more at Skift

Battling Lyft for Market Share, Uber Again Turns to Discounting: It’s becoming a bit of a holiday tradition for Uber: ringing in the new year by lowering fares. Amid a price war with rival Lyft, the ride-hailing leader reduced its rates by 10 percent to 45 percent in 100 cities across North America. Read more at Skift

Hotels

Hilton’s CEO Promises to Grow Without Mergers or Acquisitions: Hilton Worldwide CEO Chris Nassetta is confident that his hotel company doesn’t need to merge or acquire another chain to compete. Read more at Skift

Radisson Hotels Owner Is Considering a Sale or Merger: Radisson hotels owner Carlson Cos Inc is exploring strategic alternatives for its hotel business, including a sale, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Read more at Skift

American Express Execs Wait to Find out Fate of Starwood’s Loyalty Program Like Everyone Else: One of the big questions yet to be determined following Marriott International’s acquisition of Starwood Hotels and Resorts is the fate of Starwood’s beloved Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) loyalty program. Read more at Skift

Commune Hotels & Resorts and Destination Hotels Set to Merge: Commune Hotels & Resorts and Destination Hotels announced plans for a merger Friday afternoon, forming a combined company managing more than 90 hotels in seven countries. Read more at Skift

Tips and Comments

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

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