Travel Technology
prnewswire | July 03, 2023
Shoes on or off? Full recline or no recline? Is skipping the security line ever OK? What about standing at the gate before your boarding zone is called? These are all questions we've asked ourselves when flying and likely have strong opinions about yet aren't quite sure what is considered socially acceptable versus outright rude. KAYAK is here to help. Known for searching hundreds of travel sites to find people the perfect flight, hotel or rental car, the world's leading travel search engine is taking it one step further by conducting an extensive search across the Internet, leaving no digital stone unturned to uncover how Americans truly feel about travel etiquette.
The search included blog posts, social media platforms, news outlets, online forums, and other sources to identify the most hotly debated topics surrounding air travel. From there, the company conducted a survey with aytm (Ask Your Target Market) revealing 64% of travelers have witnessed bad plane etiquette underscoring the urgency for establishing travel rules ahead of the most popular holiday travel weekend of the summer (July Fourth)**.
That's why KAYAK is posting the Unspoken Rules of Air Travel in the one place no one argues: the Internet. So now travelers will know what IS and IS NOT OK when taking their next trip.
These comprehensive rules address a wide array of topics, ranging from whether it's OK to put your feet on the chair in front of you (which 68% agree it's not) to the food you should never bring on a flight (spoiler alert: it's hard boiled eggs, according to 74% of North Americans.) Let this be your travel moral compass (which apparently we all need): Simply scroll through the rules on your own or share them with someone who needs them.
So… what ARE the Unspoken Rules of Air Travel? According to a survey conducted in partnership with aytm and work facilitated by Brandwatch's Consumer Research Platform, here are the Unspoken Rules of Air Travel as defined by all travelers:
Sit back and Relax. 88% of people say it's OK to recline your seat. But timing is important to some with 1 in 3 saying it's only okay to recline your seat on a long or overnight flight.
Arm rests are up for grabs. 57% say the middle seat is not entitled to both arm rests
Socks stay ON. 76% say you're NOT allowed to take your socks off.
Stinky foods stay at home. 92% of people agree that you should not bring any food with strong smells on a plane. That includes the biggest offenders: tinned fish (89%), hard boiled eggs (74%) and a rack of ribs (84%).
Keep your feet on the floor. 68% say you are NOT allowed to put your feet up against the back of the seat in front of you.
Noise control. 70% say you are not allowed to watch something without headphones. And, headphones on is the equivalent to do not disturb according to 94% of people.
Sleeping is not a valid excuse… for just about anything. Leaning on a stranger's shoulder (77%), snoring loudly (66%) and refusing to wake up to let the passenger next to you get up (66%) are not welcome.
Hold the phone…call. 69% agree you are NOT allowed to call someone before you get off the plane.
Nail care is a no-no. 92% say you are NOT allowed to clip or paint your nails at your seat. Filing your nails is also a no no, according to 81% of people.
Storage wars (overhead bin edition). 73% say you are allowed to store small items or jackets in the overhead bin
Below are some additional findings that KAYAK was shocked to learn:
Shoes ON during flights. 56% of North Americans agree your shoes should stay on during a flight. But, the fact that this was SO close (56% vs 44%) is a bit disturbing…
Furthermore… 1 in 5 people believe it's OK to use the restroom without shoes on. That means someone in your row likely did this during your flight… gross!
No Babies on Board. 1 in 4 people (26%) say it's NOT okay to bring a baby on a flight… ever. Wahhh.
Who called the fun police? 58% say you are not allowed to laugh loudly at a movie when on a plane.
Long Hair, Don't Care. Over 1 in 4 people (26%) say it's OK to hang your hair over the headrest/onto the front of the seat behind you.
It's NOT Crunch time. 55% of people say no to eating crunchy food on a plane.
"Travel etiquette is one of those things that is universally acknowledged yet frequently debated," said Matt Clarke VP of NA Marketing. "Even within our own team at KAYAK, we couldn't all agree whether it was or was not OK to recline your seat on a flight. So, we wanted to put an end to the debate once and for all. By launching these rules as summer travel really picks up, we hope to create a more enjoyable and agreeable summer travel experience for all."
The rules will be running on digital displays in major airports throughout summer and will also be available via a modernized seatback manual downloadable at www.kayak.com/rules starting Tuesday, June 27.
"In a perfect world these would grace the seat back pockets of every US flight. But, we recognize this ambitious endeavor cannot be achieved singlehandedly," continued Clarke. "In solidarity with flight crews everywhere, we hope that airlines will get on board with establishing official etiquette guidelines on all future flights. Imagine hearing 'please stow your rack of ribs' or 'keep your socks on when using the bathroom.' Planes everywhere would be a better, happier and overall more enjoyable place."
About KAYAK:
KAYAK is part of Booking Holdings Inc, one of the world's most prominent search engines for travel. It helps people find the vacation package, hotel, rental or shared car, and flights they want. The company enables travelers to search for the best flight deals and book with flexibility, as it's pretty reliable and completely free to use. With trip planning tools like a flight tracker, trip planner, and bag measure, KAYAK ensures that travelers' overall experience is more than just a flight search site!
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Business Travel
businesswire | August 03, 2023
AlertMedia, the world’s leading provider of threat intelligence, emergency communication, and travel risk management solutions, today launched an integration with Concur Travel. The integration allows joint AlertMedia and Concur Travel customers the ability to automatically sync travel data from Concur® Travel into AlertMedia Travel Risk Management, providing travel risk and security teams a real-time view of employees’ locations while traveling for work along with a powerful suite of tools to prepare employees ahead of business trips, monitor emerging travel risks, and respond quickly to keep travelers out of harm’s way.
“The volume of business trips continues to grow, and more trips mean more risk for organizations—for the traveler and the business itself,” said Christopher Kenessey, CEO of AlertMedia. “Our integration with Concur Travel provides organizations a seamless, unified interface designed to help minimize travel-related risks, rapidly communicate critical information, and protect their most valuable assets—their people—in a world that is constantly changing.”
Available to customers worldwide, the AlertMedia turnkey integration with Concur Travel drastically reduces the time required to identify, correlate, and respond to travel risks that may impact active trips or upcoming trips. Additional benefits include:
Frictionless travel data management: Unify travel safety and risk management workflows within a single pane of glass to enable a faster, more consistent response.
Accurate, non-invasive location monitoring: Know where your traveling employees are at all times and their proximity to emerging risks with the AlertMedia mobile app and powerful mapping features.
Automatic, multichannel notifications to at-risk travelers: Accelerate response times to critical events with automated, multichannel notifications sent directly to impacted travelers or security teams.
AlertMedia Travel Risk Management is now available in the SAP Concur App Center.
About AlertMedia
AlertMedia helps organizations protect their people and business through all phases of an emergency. Our award-winning threat intelligence, emergency communication, and travel risk management solutions help companies of all sizes identify, respond to, and recover from critical events faster and with greater confidence. AlertMedia supports critical communication for thousands of leading businesses—including DHL, JetBlue, Coca-Cola Bottling, In-N-Out, and Walmart—in more than 130 countries.
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Travel Technology
prnewswire | July 14, 2023
GetYourGuide, leading online travel booking platform, announced today the launch of four new 'Originals by GetYourGuide' — curated, one-of-a-kind experiences exclusively available on the platform — that will respectfully immerse travelers in Kyoto's rich culture and well-known traditions, offering unique access to never-before-seen locations. Created in collaboration with the Kyoto City Tourism Association (DMO Kyoto), GetYourGuide will open centuries-old doors, allowing travelers to appreciate the local heritage of the city and dive deep into Japanese culture at a time when travel to Asia-Pacific destinations is expected to rise by 94%.3
"After reopening to the world late last year, travelers are once again eager for a glimpse of Japan's history and traditions, and Kyoto, which has one of the largest collections of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is at the top of their list," said Jean-Gabriel Duveau, VP of Brand at GetYourGuide. "Many of Japan's culturally significant sites are hard to access — or even off-limits to visitors — until now. Our newest Originals by GetYourGuide will help travelers discover Kyoto's sacred traditions and rich culture through immersive experiences that take them off the beaten path."
GetYourGuide's four new, bucket list-worthy experiences in Kyoto include:
Unlock Ninna-Ji, a UNESCO World Heritage temple and learn the art of Wagashi:
Commissioned by the imperial family, Ninna-Ji Temple in western Kyoto houses one of the longest-standing temple buildings and is recognized as safeguarding some of the best examples of Japan's temple craftsmanship. In this once-in-a-lifetime experience, travelers will unlock the gates to the Ninna-Ji's imperial and spiritual history before it opens to the public. A resident monk will guide them through the halls, including areas usually closed to the public, until they arrive at Ninna-Ji's private tea house where they will learn how to make traditional Japanese confections known as wagashi and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony. Travelers will prepare these delicacies instructed by a wagashi chef who has been recognized as one of the best by the Japanese government.
Uncover the hidden world of Japanese maiko:
Kyoto, the former imperial capital, is the birthplace of geiko (Kyoto's geisha) culture, training female performance artists to entertain guests at teahouses and social events by singing, dancing, performing music, hosting tea ceremonies, and serving food and drinks. In an extraordinary opportunity to learn from and interact with a maiko — a geiko apprentice — travelers will be guided through the historic Gion district, Kyoto's famous geiko neighborhood, by a knowledgeable local guide. They will learn about the traditional customs and practices of maiko and geiko, then witness an authentic maiko performance inside a teahouse, get to play maiko games and ask questions directly from the apprentice — an opportunity that is rarely granted to the public.
Take in the ancient art of Noh theatre:
Travelers will venture to the beautiful, remote village of Ohara nestled in the mountains of northern Kyoto, where visitors to Kyoto rarely stray and a prominent Noh family resides. In a guided tour of the village, they will learn about Noh, an ancient performing art combining dance and theater that is still practiced today. Permitted inside a Noh Master's studio, travelers will see his costumes and centuries-old masks close up, and witness a private performance in his home. At the pinnacle of this experience, participants will be allowed to try Noh themselves — a rare event since traditionally, only Noh families may practice this art form.
Practice a guided meditation with a Zen monk:
Zen gardens and temples have long been a focal point for visitors to Kyoto and are the lifeblood of the city. In this exclusive experience, travelers will have a rare opportunity to experience the daily life of a Zen monk and gain insight into the history and practices of the temple as they enter the Jōju-ji Temple, a hidden gem known locally for its spectacular summer maple foliage. Here, they will learn about the history of Zen and its impact on Japanese culture, then experience a traditional Zen meditation with the temple's resident monk and get a glimpse into how this ancient wisdom lives on today. The exclusive visit will conclude with a lunch of Shojin, the traditional vegetarian fare of Zen Buddhist monks.
To book a visit to any of the four Kyoto Originals, please visit the GetYourGuide website. Reservations are available on a first come, first served basis on select dates through November 2023.
About GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide, is the leading global online marketplace for unforgettable travel experiences. Travelers use GetYourGuide to discover and book the best and most unique activities in any destination — including guided tours by local experts, culinary excursions, cooking and craft classes, skip-the-line tickets, as well as exclusive bucket list experiences.
Today, GetYourGuide offers more than 75,000 activities from over 16,000 experience creators. Since launch, travelers from over 150 countries have booked more than 80 million tours, activities and attraction tickets through GetYourGuide.
Powered by a global team of more than 700 travel and tech experts, the company is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and has 17 local offices around the world (including in the UK and USA).
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