Spain Heats Up, Airlines Adopt AI and Ryanair Goes Paperless

Skift Daily Briefing Podcast

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Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, March 6. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Spanish authorities are developing a plan to help protect tourists from deadly heatwaves, writes Climate Reporter Darin Graham.

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism told Skift that the Spain 2030 Sustainable Tourism Strategy will address climate challenges. Officials in Spain’s health ministry have warned that extreme heat could drive tourists away from the country’s most popular destinations and increase hotel costs. 

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Graham notes that some Spanish regions have decided to take action on their own. Authorities in Catalonia have called on travel businesses to guarantee essential services like water, healthcare, and transportation during peak tourist seasons. 

Next, it took awhile for airlines to hop on the generative AI bandwagon after it was launched in 2022, but a growing number are using customer-facing artificial intelligence tools. Travel Technology Technology Reporter Justin Dawes provides examples of how airlines are using AI in their operations.  

United Airlines has used generative AI on its website to expedite customer searches and integrated the technology into a flight status notification system. Southwest Airlines said it’s using AI to power marketing campaigns, including assisting with writing copy. And Delta Air Lines has released an AI-powered assistant on its app that the company says can help customers plan trips.  

Finally, Ryanair unveiled plans on Wednesday for a “100% paperless” system for boarding passengers. However, Airlines Editor Gordon Smith reports there are exceptions to the rule.

Although Ryanair says all passengers will have to use the digital boarding pass generated in its app from November 3, Smith notes not all airports in its network accept digital boarding passes. Only one of Ryanair’s Turkish airports offers mobile options while all Moroccan airports require paper boarding passes. 

Skift’s in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift’s editorial team.