Accor’s New Chief Strategist Unveils Plans

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, February 29. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel.

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Episode Notes

Gilda Perez-Alvarado surprised some hotel industry insiders when she left JLL to become Accor’s chief strategy officer last October. Perez-Alvarado outlined her plans for Accor in her first interview since taking the new role. 

Perez-Alvarado touched on Accor’s efforts to make inroads in the U.S., among other subjects, with Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. She said Accor would target markets and segments in the country where the company believes it should be present. Perez-Alvarado added that Accor would be increasingly open to dealmaking with interest rates stabilizing.

Next, the Federal Aviation Administration told Boeing it has 90 days to create a plan to tackle its quality control issues, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. 

FAA chief Michael Whitaker revealed the timeline after the agency had an all-day discussion with the planemaker. Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft has been plagued with a litany of issues, including a blowout aboard an Alaska Airlines flight this January. Whitaker said he expects the plan to take into account the latest results from the FAA’s audit of Boeing’s production processes.

Finally, Vacasa’s workforce is undergoing major changes again. The company announced it is laying off 320 employees while Chief Operating Officer John Banczak is leaving the vacation rental operator, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.

Schaal writes Vacasa’s latest round of layoffs, which represent 5% of the company’s overall workforce, will cost it between $4 million and $5 million. Meanwhile, Banczak will stay on in his current role through March 31. Vacasa said his departure as chief operating officer isn’t the result of any disagreements between him and the company.