Week in Review – May 3, 2013

writingAir travel topped the news this week with rumbles of a flight attendant strike at Piedmont Airlines, a US Airways Express carrier. Piedmont operates approximately 440 daily to the eastern U.S. and Canada. The union representing the flight attendants has sought a release from the National Mediation Board for a 30-day “cooling off” period, after which the union could being work stoppages. A spokesperson for US Airways and Piedmont downplayed talk of a strike, characterizing it as a “normal course of action during negotiations.”

This week in air travel also saw an important milestone in the saga of Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner as the plane began commercial revenue service for the first time since the plane’s grounding. Ethiopian Airlines operated the flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Nairobi, Kenya. Dreamliner tickets for LOT Polish Airlines are also now on sale for travel agents, and authorities in Japan have likewise cleared the aircraft to return to service.

In cruise news, Travel Agent was looking ahead to Mother’s Day as we profiled a series of mother and daughter cruise teams in honor of the holiday. Also, in case you missed it, don’t forget that Carnival is offering a bonus commission on FIT bookings through May 15.

Elsewhere in the world, the buzz continued to center around Cuba this week as Globus announced its return to Cuba travel. The company’s two programs allow travelers to spend a week in Havana or focus on Havana and the areas of Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Playa Girón (Bay of Pigs).

Finally, our Mexico editor just returned from a trip to the new Hard Rock Cancun, where she was impressed with the property’s stylish take on the all-inclusive concept.

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