Dennis Schaal Archives

Dennis Schaal is Skift's Founding Editor and Executive Editor. Dennis has been a reporter focusing on online travel and short-term rentals for more than two decades at Skift, Tnooz, USA Today, and Travel Weekly. He is well-known for tough one-on-one interviews on stage at Skift events, including with the CEOs and top execs of Expedia, Uber, Booking Holdings, Priceline, Kayak, Hopper, and more.

Cruises

Norwegian Cruise Line Seeks to Distinguish Itself from 'Inferior' Competitors

NCL is building a big niche with its new Breakaway and Getaway sister ships, but it is tough to compete when larger rivals have the resources to arrive in new destinations first, and with more scale.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Online Travel

JetBlue Could Spin Off Its LiveTV Subsidiary

With in-flight connectivity and entertainment such a hot commodity, JetBlue could spin off LiveTV or sell it to monetize an asset for its shareholders.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Hotels

Skift Q&A: How JW Marriott Is Targeting the Accomplished Traveler

Some may consider JW Marriott a bit stodgy, but the luxury brand knows what it is and who its guests are, and it is busy curating experiences to win their passions. With only 63 hotels currently, and another 35 on the way, JW Marriott must be doing something right.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Hotels

Traxo Delivers Hotel Recommendations Based on a User's Loyalty History

Whether Traxo is the company that ends up bringing personalized hotel recommendations to throngs of travelers or another company does it, this is where online and mobile travel is heading. The airlines are trying to do this, as well.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Ground Transport

Uber Apologizes For Over-the Top Aggressive Tactics in New York

The ride-sharing sector is getting uber-aggressive, city-by-city. Were Uber's tactics against Gett the product of one rogue sales force or the way business is done across the country? Uber has told its sales teams to cut out this crap.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Ground Transport

Google Gets Patent To Link Restaurant Advertisements To Free Taxi Service

Did Uber's valuation just tick up a billion dollars or so? Google's patent for transportation-aware restaurant ads coupled with free taxi service turns online ads into a concierge service of sorts that will deepen ties between taxi services and restaurants and other businesses.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

American Could Help Alaska Airlines Fend Off Delta in the Battle for Seattle

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Airlines

Boeing Just Started Producing Dreamliners Even Faster, Oh Joy

More efficient manufacture of the troubled Boeing 787 Dreamliner should accrue to Boeing's bottom line if hurrying up the production process doesn't lead to quality lapses. You can't really count on the FAA to keep close tabs on the process unless further problems surface.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Online Travel

HotelTonight's Speedy Booking App Just Got Even Faster

HotelTonight's new Shake feature in its iPhone app streamlines an already streamlined hotel-booking app. It won't be useful for users who want to check out available properties and aren't concerned with the lowest rate. But, for HotelTonight customers in a hurry and looking for the lowest rate, this tweak should speed things up.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Airlines

The Paranoia Ends Now As Southwest Rules Out Charging Bag or Change Fees In 2014

Some pundits favorite sport -- speculating that Southwest will scrap Bags Fly Free -- can end right now. Southwest makes a lot of money in the form of customer retention and growth by not charging fees for first and second checked bags, as well as for changing flights, and there won't be any changes in these signature policies in 2014. So ruled CEO Gary Kelly.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago