Q&A WITH KATIE SKRZEK, VICE PRESIDENT/DIGITAL DIRECTOR

In our December issue, vice president/digital director Katie Skrzek discussed her travel highlights from the year and additional locales for 2020. This inspired the questions: What were some of your favorite 2019 travel memories, and do you have any exciting trips planned for 2020? A few readers wrote in with responses:

Our 2020 travel plans are pretty light right now — just Jamaica for a wedding and Puerto Rico for a couple’s getaway — but there’s bound to be more on our list by the end of the year. Perhaps a cruise!

JENNIFER REELING, via email

2019 was a busy year. I traveled on my own to four countries for work and a family trip over the summer to our friend’s house in Palm Springs.

ROBERT JACKSON, via email

LETTER TO THE PUBLISHER

In response to a recent publisher’s letter discussing the GT Tested Reader Survey awards (held annually in December), an avid reader wrote in with some travel plans and recent experiences of his own:

We recently returned from a whirlwind eight-day trip touring Iceland, coupled with a few days in London at The Trafalgar St. James (Curio Collection by Hilton) and some time in Paris at the newly renovated (and wonderful) Hôtel du Louvre, a Hyatt property. Next up was Christmas in New York City and New Year’s in Florida. More exciting is our planned trip on the Queen Mary 2 in June coupled with a few weeks in Greece.

JONATHAN FUCHS, via email

BRILLIANT HOSPITALITY IN BEIJING

Last month, frequent traveler, avid reader and Globility Board member Mike Russo wrote in with compliments regarding his recent trip to Beijing:

Last month I spent six nights on a quick getaway to Beijing. I decided to encamp at the Regent Beijing, my first stay with that brand since its acquisition by InterContinental Hotels Group. It was absolutely brilliant! Upon arrival I was happy to be upgraded to a large suite with Regent Club access on a high floor on the Forbidden City side of the hotel; the accommodations were superb. But the incredible staff’s attention to detail made this particular stay so memorable. This stay overlapped my birthday, and the attention from the staff definitely stood out from any other birthday stays at other hotels in the past. The Regent Club staff consistently said “Happy birthday” and knew my name on sight — at breakfast, afternoon tea and the nightly cocktail and canapé reception. Even walking back into the main hotel lobby mid-afternoon, the lobby greeter greeted me by name with birthday wishes. The Regent Club prepared an off-menu breakfast noodle dish that was to die for as a surprise in the morning, and a huge cake awaited in my suite when I got back at the end of the day. Regent definitely gained a future loyal customer during this stay!

MIKE RUSSO, via email

UNITED TRANSITION

In our Dec. 17 issue of eFlyer USA, we discussed the major change in United’s leadership, impacting airline operations. The news of United transitioning CEO Oscar Munoz out by May 2020 and J. Scott Kirby (from the president’s seat) in as the new CEO inspired an avid reader and traveler to write in with thoughts:

Thank you for the informative piece regarding United’s leadership transition. I have been pleased with Mr. Munoz’s tenure as CEO. I’m a frequent flyer in Houston, a United hub city, and I think customer support and in-flight crew training have been at their highest in recent years. With the recent rewards program changes, I fear a change for the worse coming. The changes implemented for 2020 reward only money spent, not as much miles actually traveled. For example, a person booking one $10,000 flight “counts” more than one booking 10 flights costing $999 each. The airline claims the changes are to reward the most loyal travelers. I guess time will tell.

BROOKE CHODZINSKI, via email

NEW AIRLINE MOXY

In our Dec. 23, issue of eFlyer USA, we reported on the new regional carrier, Moxy, to operate out of Salt Lake City (SLC). The new airline is brought to the region by David Neeleman, who previously started Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue and Azul Brazilian Airlines. This news inspired an avid traveler to write in:

Years ago, when I worked for the BLM in Cody, Wyoming, air travel for work was, if not frequent, a fairly normal part of life, even as a bottom- level management guy. For us, the regional hub was Denver, but Salt Lake’s role as a hub for business and recreation is super-obvious, and I doubt national carriers are looking after small markets. Since my time (I’m now in Vero Beach, a Florida resort town served by tiny Elite Air), the West has become infested with wealthy ski enclaves, Boise boomed, and Utah has been growing a non- natural resources economy. There are lots of places five hours from Salt Lake City by road that have enough potential travelers to support air travel, at least seasonally, and a smart airline might be able to juggle planes between summer and winter demand. Neeleman has a history of creativity. Could he be thinking the Salt Lake City region is a little bit like New Zealand?

I live in Florida, where the cities are close enough together to make air travel impractical. We will soon have Virgin Trains operating from Orlando Airport and perhaps Disney to stops on the southeast coast from Stuart south through West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami … an interesting experiment.

DAVID MARTIN, via email

Q&A WITH YASSER OGANDO, PRODUCTION AND ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Solo female travel has significantly increased over the past few years. Whether for business or leisure, some women find themselves craving the challenge, freedom, independence and confidence a solo trip can bring.

One of the items on my bucket list is a solo trip to Cuba; however, I know this can be quite difficult if it’s your first time. Seasoned solo travelers, what are some exciting destinations and pro tips for first-timers?

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