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Airbnb will lay off 25 percent of its workforce due to COVID-19
Airbnb is laying off 1,900 workers, or 25 percent of its workforce, as the COVID-19 pandemic puts the travel industry on hold.
Virgin Galactic's spaceship flies from its new home base for the first time
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo has finally completed a flight from its home spaceport for the first time, edging closer to commercial journeys to space.
Airbnb is taking its travel experiences online using Zoom
What do you when people can't travel? When you're Airbnb, the answer it turns out is to allow people to connect online.
Google makes it easier to find COVID-19 travel advisories
As the coronavirus continues to spread and countries introduce various travel restrictions, Google has seen an uptick in searches for travel advisories and cancellation policies. In response, it's making some changes to help users find that information even faster.
Airbnb expands cancellation policy to cover stays affected by coronavirus
More than a few travel plans have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, and Airbnb is acknowledging that with a broader cancellation policy. The service is expanding its worldwide Extenuating Circumstances coverage to allow no-penalty cancellations for stays and Experiences made on or before March 14th, with check-in dates between March 14th and April 14th. This won't cover mainland China, where normal business is expected to resume on April 1st.
Virgin Galactic will let people hop to the front of the line for tickets
Are you determined to hop aboard one of Virgin Galactic's tourist spaceflights before any of your friends? The company is happy to accommodate you -- if you're willing to pay. Alongside its latest earnings (more on those in a moment), Virgin has announced a One Small Step program that will bump qualified customers to the front of the line for "firm" reservations. Beginning on February 26th at 3AM Eastern, serious travellers can register online with a $1,000 refundable deposit to get into orbit sooner when tickets are once again available.
IKEA gave Dubai customers discounts based on their Google Maps travel times
IKEA's sprawling blue and yellow stores are usually located on the outskirts of cities, so for most people a trip to the Swedish furniture kingdom is a big event in itself. To reward its customers for making the trek, the company has now launched an initiative called "Buy With Your Time," where shoppers can purchase products with currency accumulated on the basis of their travel time to the store.
Nintendo will host Switch pop-up lounges in four US airports
Waiting for your plane to board is boring at best and excruciating at worst. Nintendo will help passengers at four US airports pass the time with its pop-up lounges, where they can play hit Switch games, charge their devices and grab some freebies. Nintendo hopes people stop by to get a taste of how a system that converts from a home console to a handheld portable could be a great companion for travelers. The company's hit games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Party will be available to play in both TV mode and portable mode.
Google suggests the best times to travel and where to stay
There's a lot more to booking a trip than finding the best possible price, and Google is updating its travel site to acknowledge that fact. Swing by the site and you'll find a "when to visit" tab that shows when to go based on crowds, pricing and weather. You might avoid the worst of tourist season by flying in later than usual. And if price is still a pressing factor, a "what you'll pay" tab indicates whether or not the costs will be reasonable at the time you're hoping to go.
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg out as 737 Max fallout continues
Following the months-long fallout from the two fatal 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg is stepping down from his position as the top executive at the aerospace manufacturer. Boeing announced the change in a press release on Monday. Muilenburg will be replaced by David Calhoun, the company's current chairman of the board, on January 13th, with CFO Greg Smith leading the company during the short interim period. From the wording in Boeing's press release, it sounds like Muilenburg resigned after it became clear that the board no longer had confidence in his leadership.
Boeing will freeze 737 Max production as FAA review carries on
As you've probably noticed, Boeing's flawed 737 Max still hasn't received the regulatory all-clear as 2019 draws to a close -- and that's now affecting manufacturing. Boeing said it will suspend 737 Max production in January now that the FAA expects its safety evaluation to continue in 2020. It's uncertain how long the freeze will last, but that's likely to hinge on when (and if) the aircraft is allowed to fly again. While airlines have ruled out using the 737 Max until March or later, there's no guarantee they'll be allowed to fly by then.
Homeland Security wants airport face scans for US citizens
Homeland Security is joining the ranks of government agencies pushing for wider use of facial recognition for US travelers. The department has proposed that US citizens, not just visa holders and visitors, should go through a mandatory facial recognition check when they enter or leave the country. This would ostensibly help officials catch terrorists using stolen travel documents to move about. The existing rules specifically exempt citizens and permanent residents from face scans.
AMC Games' first title is the intentionally boring 'Airplane Mode'
Desert Bus won't be the only big name in town for games that are purposefully, excruciatingly boring. AMC is marking the start of its game publishing division by unveiling Airplane Mode, a game from Bacronym that tasks you with sitting through a nearly six-hour transatlantic flight... in real time. You have to stave off the tedium using the all-too-familiar resources of a cramped coach seat, including the (sometimes flaky) in-air WiFi, outdated shows on the seatback entertainment system and crossword puzzles in the airline's travel magazine. It's not even predictable -- you may have to deal with random delays, turbulence and crying babies.
Airbnb will verify every listing in the name of safety
Airbnb isn't done implementing safety features in the wake of the Halloween shooting in Orinda, California. The home rental service's Brian Chesky has revealed that the company will review every listed property to give people "peace of mind." This will include basics like address and photos as well as the authenticity of the hosts and a location's safety standards. The review should be complete by the end of 2020, Chesky said.
Airbnb bans 'party houses' following Halloween shooting
Airbnb is tightening its rental policies following a Halloween shooting that left five dead in Orinda, California. CEO Brian Chesky has announced that the service is banning rentals for "party houses" like the mansion at the heart of the shooting, where over 100 people had gathered before the shooting started that night. Chesky also promised "immediate action" against people found violating the policy, including removing them from the service.
Qantas completes record 19-hour flight to test limits of air travel
Qantas just broke a record for air travel, and it may have helped science in the process. The Australian airline has completed the first non-stop commercial flight from New York City to Sydney as part of a project researching the effects of very long flights -- in this case, 19 hours and 16 minutes. The study measured pilots' brain waves, melatonin and overall alertness, while passengers helped gauge the effectiveness of anti-jetlag measures like changes to cabin lighting and meals. Travelers even participated in exercises to keep their bodies limber.
Japanese airline's robots could let the elderly 'travel' from home
If your inability to travel prevents you from embarking on a dream vacation, a robot might one day stand in your place. Japan's All Nippon Airways has unveiled plans to deploy 1,000 "Newme" telepresence robots as surrogates for people whose health prevents them from traveling far. It could attend a big game in your place or go shopping on your behalf, ANA said.
The Pakt Coffee Kit is a nearly perfect pour-over solution for travel
For the last three years, I've tried in vain to put together a travel coffee kit for CES. Because we're in Las Vegas for so long, I really want the comforts of home in the form of a good cup of coffee. Sorry, Residence Inn, but the stuff in the lobby is terrible. I usually piece things together with a small hand grinder and an Aeropress. Since this isn't an all-in-one setup, I either leave pieces behind or have to deal with heating water in a pot and trying not to spill it -- or buying a kettle that I'll just leave in the room. Thankfully Pakt, a company that makes travel gear that helps you pack efficiently, came up with a stellar solution.
Google Flights will refund the difference if prices drop unexpectedly
Just after shutting down its Trips travel-planning app, Google has announced a raft of travel-related features for other products, including a flight price guarantee. For a limited time, when it tells you prices won't drop on a trip you book through Google Flights, it'll refund the difference if it's wrong and the cost does get lower before you take off.
Google shuts down its Trips travel planning app
Google is killing yet another app, although you might not mind quite as much with this one. The company is shutting down its Trips travel app as of August 5th (that's today, if you're reading in time) in favor of steering users to both its reworked travel search as well as Google Maps. Your information and tools aren't going away -- you will, however, need to look for them in other places.
