News In Brief

 

Alaska Airlines upgrades West Coast airport lounges (Alaska Airlines) Alaska Airlines has invested $30 million to upgrade and expand its West Coast airport lounges. "We're investing in more space and better products as we strive to ensure our members have a terrific experience when they step inside any of our locations," said Sangita Woerner, senior vice president of marketing and guest experience.  Full Story: Alaska Airlines Blog (11/17),  Simple Flying (11/17)

US airlines prepare for Thanksgiving travel, winter weather Weather forecasts indicate that winter storms could impact travel during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday as heavy snow affected flights this past weekend in Buffalo, N.Y. "US airline employees -- including pilots, flight attendants, grounds crews, flight dispatchers and maintenance technicians -- are all highly trained and prepared to account for winter weather," Airlines for America writes in a blog post, and "the safety of all travelers is our top priority."  Full Story: TravelPulse (11/20),  A Better Flight Plan blog (11/18),  The Washington Post (11/17)  Delta offers free Wi-Fi to frequent flyers (NurPhoto/Getty Images) Delta Air Lines is offering free Wi-Fi on many flights for SkyMiles members. "We want Wi-Fi to be exactly the same for you at 35,000 feet up as it is on the ground for our customers," said Delta Chief Customer Experience Officer Allison Ausband.  Full Story: The Points Guy (11/16),  Simple Flying (11/18)  Hilton to offer Hallmark holiday suites at 3 properties (Mike Coppola/Getty Images) Hilton Hotels will be decorating suites at three properties -- in San Diego, Chicago and Las Vegas -- with Hallmark holiday themes in a "Countdown to Christmas." Guests also can watch Hallmark Christmas favorites and a nightly Christmas tree lighting.  Full Story: TravelPulse (11/15)    Golf rewards is a hole-in-one for hotels (Pixabay) Hotel brands like Marriott International, Hyatt Hotels and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts are using golf to attract loyalty club members with stay-and-play options. Wyndham offered a digital scavenger hunt using QR codes, while Marriott created the Marriott Bonvoy Costa Rica Golf Cup.  Full Story: Forbes (tiered subscription model) (11/21)  SHRM Employee Engagement Survey Gather insights from your employees using SHRM's Employee Engagement Survey to cultivate a culture that supports satisfaction, engagement and performance. Request a demo.