As part of its new health and safety measures amid the pandemic, Delta Air Lines says it is blocking middle seats on all of its flights through Sept. 30. 

All middle seats will either be shown as unavailable or not assignable when travelers make seat selections online. 

The company said it would also be blocking the selection of some aisle seats in planes with 2×2 seating configurations. 

The measures additionally include capping seating in every cabin through Sept. 30. 

That will include a 50 percent cap in first class; a 60 percent cap in the main cabin, Delta Comfort+ and Delta Premium Select; and a 75 percent cap in Delta One “to reduce the total number of customers on board.”

For flights where demand is high, the carrier said it would be looking to upsize to larger aircraft  or “add more flying.”

“Reducing the overall number of customers on every aircraft across the fleet is one of the most important steps we can take to ensure a safe experience for our customers and people,” said Chief Customer Experience Officer Bill Lentsch. “Delta is offering the highest standards in safety and cleanliness so we’re ready for customers when they’re ready to fly again.”

Delta has recently begun relaunching service on select routes to the Caribbean. 

— CJ

The post Delta to Block Middle Seats, Cap Seating appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Spirit Airlines is planning a major relaunch of its flight service to the Caribbean over the next two months, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The low-cost carrier is planning a roll-out of relaunched routes in June and July, kicking off as Caribbean destinations begin to open themselves up for travelers. 

The Caribbean relaunch is centered in Fort Lauderdale, which has been a growing hub for Spirit as it has expanded its regional network in recent years. 

“As summer approaches and our destinations begin to open, we have expanded our routes and schedules to be able to offer more flights to our passengers,” said John Kirby, vice president of route planning for Spirit Airlines. “As demand increases, we welcome a number of options, offering our Passengers the opportunity to travel safely and reunite them with family and friends.”

This month, Spirit is relaunching flights to St Thomas, USVI; St Croix, USVI; Cancun, Mexico and San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Indeed, the US Virgin Islands was the first Caribbean destination to officially reopen its doors for tourism at the beginning of June; there are more flights to the USVI from the mainland United States than to any other Caribbean destination right now. 

In July, Spirit will continue its Caribbean ramp-up, with relaunched flights from Fort Lauderdale to destinations including Aruba; Punta Cana and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic; St Maarten; Port-au-Prince, Haiti; San Jose, Costa Rica; Montego Bay, Jamaica and Santiago, Dominican Republic, among others. (It should be noted that some of these destinations have not yet officially opened, such as St Maarten). 

The relaunch comes as airlines begin to resume service to the Caribbean more broadly, most notably, Delta, which has announced a wave of resumed routes to similar destinations. 

For more, visit Spirit. 

— CJ

The post Spirit Airlines Is Relaunching Flights to the Caribbean appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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As Caribbean destinations from the United States Virgin Islands to Saint Lucia begin to reopen their borders to travelers, it’s a time of great change and opportunity for the Caribbean. 

This week’s Caribbean Travel Outlook webinar presented by Caribbean Journal (in partnership with Discover Puerto Rico) gathered top industry leaders from across the region to discuss what’s next for the Caribbean travel industry. 

The slate of executives included Frank Comito, CEO of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association; Diana Plazas, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the Caribbean and Latin America at Marriott International; Mariela Sanchez, General Manager for Specialty Sales Development at Delta Air Lines; Leah Chandler, CDME, CMO at Discover Puerto Rico; and Ronella Tjin-Asjoe-Croes, CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority. 

“As travelers begin to return to the Caribbean, airlines, hotels and destinations are faced with dual challenges: regenerating demand to travel, and building out the health and safety infrastructure to ensure travelers and locals feel safe and confident,” said Alexander Britell, Editor-in-Chief of Caribbean Journal. “From Delta’s impressive new protocols for safety to Marriott’s industry-leading health and hygiene measures, it’s remarkable to see how the region has responded to the new challenges presented by COVID-19.”

Watch the webinar in its entirety below:

Also find the presentation here. 

— CJ

The post From Marriott to Delta, Industry Leaders Give Outlook for Caribbean Travel appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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