Final yr right now, we greeted new associates who run a tour company within the Yucatan Peninsula with a pleasant “Feliz Navidad.” Then we piled into their van and headed off to the seaside.
The yr earlier than that, we visited Frida Kahlo’s house in Mexico Metropolis — referred to as “The Blue House” — crammed together with her eclectic artwork and artifacts. Later, we checked out the giant murals painted by her husband, Diego Rivera.
Christmas journey to Mexico appeared like one of the best vacation plan for us.
Not this yr, although. Oh, I’ve bought a pocket stuffed with pesos burning a gap in my pocket. However like many Alaskans, we’re hunkered down. On the recommendation of public well being officers, we’ve canceled journeys and we’re avoiding indoor gatherings with these exterior our family. We’re carrying masks and having Zoom calls with our household and family members. It’s the best factor to do as doses of a vaccine will quickly be distributed to states.
However that doesn’t imply the world of journey is grinding to a halt. Corporations are doing their greatest to forecast who will journey the place in 2021.
For United Airlines, meaning chopping worldwide and home routes for the winter. Domestically, the airline is cutting quite a few transcontinental flights, together with San Francisco-Boston and Newark-Seattle. On the West Coast, the service is chopping Los Angeles-Seattle flights. Internationally, flights from Chicago to Tel Aviv, from Washington to London and from Houston to Aruba all bought the ax, among other routes.
The cuts are efficient Jan. 5 and don’t have an effect on United’s flights between Anchorage and Denver. United is fast to level out that it plans so as to add the routes again within the spring. We’ll see.
Delta Airways is doubling down on its cleansing and sanitizing routine, in addition to its dedication to keep middle seats empty by means of March 30.
Qantas, the long-lasting Australian airline, cut off international flights altogether a number of months in the past. Late final month, the airline’s CEO, Alan Joyce, mentioned that when the airline resumes flights, Qantas would require that each one passengers prove they were vaccinated towards COVID-19. In an interview with Australia’s 9 Community, Joyce mentioned the transfer could be “a necessity” when vaccines can be found.
Keep in mind the 737 MAX? The planes have been grounded since March 2019. The FAA has since lifted the ban on the planes. GOL, Brazil’s largest airline, is the first carrier to offer revenue flights from its base in Sao Paulo.
Alaska Airways is betting huge on the 737 MAX and plans to start flying the planes subsequent March. There presently aren’t any scheduled flights to Alaska, however that might change.
Cruise corporations proceed to work with the CDC to provide you with a workable protocol to renew sailings. Within the meantime, Princess and Holland America Line have canceled all cruises which might be longer than seven or eight days. Princess lists the ships and itineraries, which embody all Alaska itineraries for the Coral Princess, the Crown Princess, the Grand Princess, the Royal Princess and the Ruby Princess.
Kirby Day with Princess Cruises in Juneau mentioned there are nonetheless 5 ships devoted to Alaska. “After the primary of the yr, we’ll have a significantly better sense of how the season will play out,” he mentioned.
Alaska Airways has been working for some time to affix the oneworld airline alliance. Thus far, Alaska Airways has cobbled collectively an fascinating mixture of different airways so as to add worth to its mileage plan and supply additional advantages to its frequent flyers. Accomplice airways embody Emirates, Condor, Icelandair, British Air, Cathay Pacific and American Airways, amongst others.
When Alaska started cooperating with American Airways, the writing was on the wall that Alaska would formally be part of oneworld (American is the alliance’s founding companion).
Starting March 15, Qatar Airways, a oneworld companion, will begin nonstop service to Seattle from its base in Doha, Qatar. The airline will use an A350-900 for the 14-hour flight. Alaska Air and Qatar Airways have inked a frequent flyer deal for reciprocal mileage incomes and burning.
Later, on March 31, Alaska Air frequent flyers will have the ability to earn miles on all oneworld companion airways, together with Qatar Airways. Redeeming miles on oneworld companion airways is just not but accessible, however is anticipated later within the spring or summer season.
Emirates, one other common Alaska Air companion, will resume its nonstop Seattle-Dubai flights on March 28.
Additional, top-tier Alaska flyers will have the ability to parlay their MVP, MVP Gold and MVP Gold 75K standing into worldwide status on all oneworld companions as Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald elite vacationers.
Moreover, Alaska is simplifying the {qualifications} for elite-level standing. Proper now, for those who fly 20,000 miles on Alaska Air inside a single yr, you’ll be an MVP traveler. However for those who fly on companion airways, you’d need to fly 25,000 miles. That companion miles penalty now could be gone for all companion airways, whether or not or not they’re within the oneworld alliance. That’s excellent news for vacationers on Condor Airways between Anchorage and Frankfurt.
There aren’t any huge journey plans for us this Christmas. Watching the COVID-19 numbers rise precipitously, we’re paying shut consideration to to public well being officers who urge us to remain protected at house. However because the vaccine is distributed, there’s gentle on the horizon for subsequent yr. And we’ve bought huge journey plans.
