What's Up in Business Travel | Google buys Spirit Airlines Data for $10M

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the What’s Up in Business Travel  podcast for Week 34 of 2026.  This weekly podcast is great for those who need to know what’s happening in the world of business travel - in under 15 minutes.On this week's podcast, we cover the following stories:Google bids $10 million for Spirit dataBaggage mishandling drops sharplyBusiness trip costs jump 35%Global airline capacity grows despite regional disruptionU.S. hotel outlook gets another upgradeETIAS delayed again with no firm launch dateUnited changes agency seat requestsDerek Jeter invests in college-town hospitalityKorean Air and Asiana approve mergerEtihad and Starlux expand loyalty partnershipDelta expands AI assistant to all SkyMiles membersClear launches corporate travel membershipsAmerican operates first U.S. commercial eSAF flightAir Canada unbundles premium faresNavan connects directly to Singapore Airlines NDCSAP Concur links meetings with GroupizeAmex GBT brings AI into managed travelYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to The BTA Podcast.  In these podcasts we will endeavour to share our thoughts, concerns, optimism and build those all-important human connections with our Partners, Members and Guests.Episode Overview:In this episode of The BTA Pulse, hosts Clive Wrattan and Andrew Clarke record together in person for a change — fresh from a full day planning next month's Autumn Conference in Benidorm.Andrew, on moderating duty this year, previews a stacked agenda including Steve Richards on post-recess politics, Andy Burnham's return to the Commons, and a rare session on the TMC commercial model from the BTA's own board directors.Elsewhere, the pair reflect on a busy podcast run — including upcoming episodes with Cvent on AI in events and Fly Victor on private jets — before turning to the Commonwealth Games' first-ever combined Para and able-bodied format, and what its accommodation and logistics challenges mean ahead of the BTA's Mobility Conference on 15 September in London.They close by looking to a busy September, with government back from recess and the industry gearing up post-summer.You can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created by The BTA and edited & distributed by BusinessTravel360.  For more information about The BTA visit TheBTA.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe NoJetStress Podcast is a traveler wellbeing podcast for frequent business travelers covering health and peak performance on the road as well as to help business travelers maintain optimal health and avoid burnout no matter how much they travel.  Christopher Babayode, a Corporate Travel Wellness Expert shares his insights on Traveler Wellness.In this podcast, Chris discusses:The 48-Hour Pre-Flight Protocol – Why your travel strategy must start two days before boarding, not at the airport.Place of Most Leverage (PoML) in action – Turning PoML from a concept into a concrete pre-flight routine.T‑48h: Biological baseline – Hydration front-loading, micro-shift sleep, and strategic nutrition to reduce fatigue before you fly.T‑24h: Tactical execution – Go Bag finalisation, cortisol management, and targeted light exposure to protect your final night’s sleep.Why it matters – Safeguarding executive function so you land ready to negotiate, lead, and decide—not battle jet lag and stress.Next steps – If there’s demand, a one-page checklist/tool will be created; comment “T minus 48 hours and counting” on the LinkedIn post to signal interest.You can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created by Christopher Babayode and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  For more information about NoJetStress, visit us at NoJetStress.com and check out the P.H.A.R.E Well Audit Checklist.Support the showSupport the show

Send us Fan MailLinking the Travel Industry is a business travel podcast where we review the top travel industry stories that are posted on LinkedIn by LinkedIn members.  We curate the top posts and discuss with them with travel industry veterans in a live session with audience members.  You can join the live recording session by visiting BusinessTravel360.comYour Hosts are Riaan van Schoor, Ann Cederhall and Aash ShravahStories covered on this podcast episode include:The trip management solution provider Engine acquires the TMC Options Travel. Expedia acquires the Berlin based AI travel planning startup solution Layla AI Travel Agent.The most recent Amadeus earnings results show that air bookings dropped by 7.6% during the second quarter of this year.The Vietnamese airline Bamboo Airways ceases operations.Air India Limited appoints former Ethiopian Airlines executive Tewolde Gebremariam as their new CEO.Apollo Global Management, Inc. wins the easyJet bidding war with their $7.7 Billion offer.You can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the What’s Up in Business Travel  podcast for Week 32 of 2026.  This weekly podcast is great for those who need to know what’s happening in the world of business travel - in under 15 minutes.On this week's podcast, we cover the following stories:Global business travel tops $1.7 trillionOn-time performance slips across North AmericaBleisure demand continues to growFAA orders inspections of Boeing 737 MAX fleetSouthwest ships its own jet fuelWestJet strike comes to an endSouthwest accelerates corporate travel strategyFrontier gains after Spirit exitApollo seals EasyJet takeoverGray Dawes expands in North AmericaEngine acquires Options Travel Southwest expands international partnershipsJetBlue unveils BlueFirstPerk simplifies visa applicationsAmerican Airlines expands digital travel toolsAllegiant adds first-class cabinsYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

Send us Fan MailLinking the Travel Industry is a business travel podcast where we review the top travel industry stories that are posted on LinkedIn by LinkedIn members.  We curate the top posts and discuss with them with travel industry veterans in a live session with audience members.  You can join the live recording session by visiting BusinessTravel360.comYour Hosts are Riaan van Schoor, Ann Cederhall and Aash ShravahStories covered on this podcast episode include:It's reported that some Swiss International Air Lines cabin crew are refusing to include the mandatory mention of the Lufthansa Group ownership in their cabin announcements.Two Iberia and Air Europa planes narrowly avoided a mid-air collision over the Atlantic Ocean after their Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) activated while the aircraft were flying toward each other at the same altitude.JetBlue spends $58.5m on ex Spirit Airlines slots at New York's LaGuardia airport.Saadia Zahidi from the World Economic Forum will become the next Director General at International Air Transport Association (IATA).Emirates rejects the first 10 Boeing 777X aircraft from its order of 270 jets, citing extensive design changes and years of programme delays. Austrian Airlines flight got delayed after crew discovered a man managed to enter the aircraft whilst it was parked overnight at Košice airport in Slovakia.Following other US airlines, United Airlines also introduces a ban on humanoid and animal-like robots on their aircraft. Emirates face a lot of backlash after keeping 373 passengers for 10 hours on an A380 aircraft whilst being stuck on the ground at an incorrect Chinese airport after a diversion.Both Lufthansa and Air France-KLM submit bids for a stake in TAP Air Portugal.A power bank catches fire in an overhead compartment on a China Eastern Airlines airbus whilst it was taxiing to the terminal.Both Navan and Vibe announce launches of Model Context Protocol servers that enable functionality through users' preferred AI environments.BCD Travel invests in Amgine with a specific focus on group booking flow automation.Ethiopian Airlines reports $4.5 BILLION in revenue in 6 months, a 14% rise from the previous period.You can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to The BTA Podcast.  In these podcasts we will endeavour to share our thoughts, concerns, optimism and build those all-important human connections with our Partners, Members and Guests.Episode Overview:Clive & Andrew dig into a busy few weeks for the Business Travel Association, starting with the APPG's visitor levy report and the BTA's pushback that business travel isn't a discretionary spend, alongside continued calls for a flat fixed fee and a consistent national framework. With the Budget submission window now open, Clive outlines the three priorities on the table: hotel levy, APD and rail investment.Elsewhere, a working group on ADMs is delivery real progress between airlines and TMCs, with content parity talks following next week. There's also fresh momentum on the APJC front with IATA and the new rail working group forming around European rail and Eurotunnel expansion.Looking ahead, the accessibility working party joins the Mobility Conference on 15 September at the London Transport Museum, tackling wheelchair-accessible vehicle supply and the shift to EVs.You can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created by The BTA and edited & distributed by BusinessTravel360.  For more information about The BTA visit TheBTA.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to the What’s Up in Business Travel  podcast for Week 30 of 2026.  This weekly podcast is great for those who need to know what’s happening in the world of business travel - in under 15 minutes.On this week's podcast, we cover the following stories:Airlines trim 2026 earnings outlookJD Power: Hotel satisfaction risesFAA boosts BoeingAmerican airports shift away from TSAThe battle for EasyJet intensifiesEU strengthens passenger rightsCongress advances aviation security billsUnited Airlines must face lawsuit over 'window seats'JetBlue wins Spirit slotsOmio acquires Rail EuropeAmex partners with AccorLyft expands taxi partnershipHyatt and Air Canada unite loyalty programsSouthwest adds Air PremiaSpotnana introduces AI travel agentsBCD launches AI analytics platformAmadeus expands AI advertising platformYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn Conversation With is a travel podcast where we speak with travel industry movers and shakers that are transforming business travel.  Get insights into the company they represent and learn about  how they are capitalizing on the future of travel.In this episode we speak with John Mangelaars, Chief Executive Officer at TravelportJohn has built a career leading transformational growth at major travel and technology companies. Most recently, as CEO of Skyscanner, he guided the company through the pandemic and into the generative AI era, growing it into the world's largest travel metasearch platform by web traffic, surpassing Google Flights while connecting more than 160 million users across 180 countries with over 1,200 travel partners.Before Skyscanner, John spent eight years as CEO of Travix International, where he expanded the company's global presence across more than 60 countries and grew annual flight bookings from 1.4 million to 3.7 million. His leadership ultimately led to Travix's successful acquisition by Trip.com Group in 2019.Your host: Riaan van SchoorYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome to The BTA Podcast.  In these podcasts we will endeavour to share our thoughts, concerns, optimism and build those all-important human connections with our Partners, Members and Guests.Episode Overview:In this episode of The BTA Pulse, hosts Clive Wratten and Andrew Clark cover a hot couple of weeks for the Business Travel Association, in more ways than one.Clive's been all over the airwaves discussing Heathrow drop-off charges, following RAC research into rising costs for the travelling public, while Andrew unpacks Edinburgh's new 5% hotel levy and what a similar set-fee model could mean for English cities.The pair also reflect on the Sustainability Conference, where buyer and industry voices explored SAF progress, ESG and accessibility, before looking ahead to a packed autumn — including the Mobility Conference and the eagerly-anticipated Autumn Conference in Alicante, now nearing capacity.There's also the latest on EES delays and the reported pushback of ETIAS, plus a look at how BTA members are supporting ground transport logistics behind the scenes of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.You can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created by The BTA and edited & distributed by BusinessTravel360.  For more information about The BTA visit TheBTA.org.ukSupport the show