Skift Business Traveler: Hertz Falls Further Behind

What to Know Now

Far be it from the Skift Business Traveler team to cast shade on company so grand as Hertz, but the data crossing our desks just keeps getting worse. This week, the company reported income 68% lower than expected as the company continues to reshuffle its management team and get its act together following the catastrophic reign of its former CEO. The news comes on the tail of a massive reorganization within the company and the closure of over 200 locations.

The nadir, one hopes, has finally been reached, but Hertz has a lot of ground to make up after a really demoralizing year.

Social Quote of the Day

.@Hertz overcharged me by $200 so I bought $200 in Twitter ads to let people know how terrible they are –

– @mdp | Mark Percival

Airlines

The Future of Flying Could Be More Like a Cruise: The future of commercial aviation may not be as bleak as previously imagined, and a new people-friendly flying experience could be closer than many think. Read more at Skift

Cathay Pacific on Designing Brand Experience from the Ground Up: Throughout the last year Cathay Pacific has been working on a subtle yet significant brand overhaul that has touched everything from its livery to its lounges. Read more at Skift

Ryanair May Partner on Long-Haul Flights With Virgin, Norwegian and More: Ryanair Holdings Plc said it’s in talks about providing feeder traffic to IAG SA, Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA and Portugal’s TAP in a move that would mark a major shift from its previous strategy. Read more at Skift

Baggage Complaints Are on the Rise for U.S. Airline Passengers: If U.S. airline passengers seem slightly more agitated than last year, it’s not a coincidence. Overall complaints lodged against U.S. and foreign airlines are up about 20% year-over-year for the first six months of 2015. Read more at Skift

Airports

New LaGuardia Flying Rules Could Make New York Airport a Boon For Transcontinental Travelers: One of the best things about New York’s LaGuardia airport is its proximity to Manhattan and Brooklyn. Right now, however, that quick access can only be enjoyed by those flying into LaGuardia inside of a 1,500 mile radius, a halo outside of which the airport restricts flights. Read more at Skift

London’s Heathrow Airport Welcomes Friends—Both Real and Imaginary: Some airports want to be known for being the most comfortable or having the best food. But London’s Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, wants travelers to know that they’re equipped for your invisible friend. Read more at Condé Nast Traveler

Study Shows U.S. Air Traffic Controllers Suffer From Chronic Fatigue: Air traffic controllers’ work schedules often lead to chronic fatigue, making them less alert and endangering the safety of the national air traffic system, according to a study the government has kept secret for nearly four years. Read more at Skift

Tech

8 Charts On Where Next Generation of Big-Spending Business Travelers Will Come From: While the U.S. and China compete for more inbound business travelers during the next five years other countries in Asia-Pacific will boldly attract more business traveler spending and rake in billions of dollars in the process. Read more at Skift

Travel Brands, Stop Hate-Selling to Your Customers: A weekend morning before the rest of the family wakes up is the best time to research and book a trip. It requires attention and certain amount of tolerance for being aggressively sold to, which these languid early mornings give allowance for. Read more at Skift

5 New Travel Startups Helping Bike Rentals Become More Accessible: In several cosmopolitan cities around the world a biking renaissance is occurring that’s charting a new course for alternative travel and a sustainable future. Read more at Skift

Hertz Has Another Lousy Quarter as Net Income Tumbles: Hertz Global Holdings Inc., after an era of weak financial oversight, said second-quarter net income fell 68 percent. The earnings missed analysts’ estimates and the shares fell. Read more at Skift

Hotels

Bill Gates Considering a Takeover of Strategic Hotels & Resorts: Bill Gates’s Cascade Investment has increased its stake in Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. and indicated that it may potentially be involved in a takeover as the luxury-hotel owner explores a sale. Read more at Skift

Trump Hotels Gets Its First Non-Trump Chief Executive: Donald Trump’s Trump Organization hired Eric Danziger as chief executive officer of the company’s hospitality-management wing, the Trump Hotel Collection. Read more at Skift

High-End Hotels Bemoan Competition From Airbnb in Paris: Nowhere in the world has more accommodation available on Airbnb than Paris. Now the home-sharing website that has transformed budget travel to the French capital is giving its super-deluxe hotels a fright too. Read more at Skift

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Tips and Comments

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

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