TSA Tells Airlines to Ask Passengers If They've Been to China
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has told airlines to ask passengers on international flights if they’ve been to mainland China in the past two weeks.
The TSA issued the directive Saturday to go into effect Sunday at 5 p.m. ET in light of the new coronavirus spreading to 14,000 cases in more than 20 countries and territories, CNN reported.
U.S. citizens who have traveled to China in the past 14 days will be allowed to enter the country in one of seven airports: Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle-Tacoma, Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta and John F. Kennedy International airports, TSA administrator David Pekoske said in an email sent Saturday to employees.
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You May See Fewer Starbucks Coffee Shops at U.S. Airports: Here’s Why
You soon may see fewer Starbucks stores at U.S. airports, after HMS Host, which operates all of the roughly 400 terminal locations nationwide, severed its nearly 30-year-old exclusivity agreement with the famous coffee chain.
Since 1991, HMS Host has been the only concession company that could partner with Starbucks at U.S. airports. Starbucks has been a boon for business, with some airports choosing HMS Host to operate many of their food and beverage outlets because they wanted the iconic coffee company. But interests change, and in recent years, Starbucks hasn’t been the draw for airports it once was.
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How Airlines Are Relying More on Design Improvements to Make Flying Better
Travelers often complain the airline industry rarely innovates on products, with most airlines trotting out the same experience, with a few tweaks, year-after-year.
There’s a reason. In cabins, airlines have little room for error. If they take a chance on a new seating option — say a backwards/forwards economy class configuration, or even a proprietary business class suite — and passengers do not like it, they may lose share to competitors.
That’s not all. Airlines fear new products may not stand up to the rigors of three or four flights per day. Some airlines are willing to take a chance, but many prefer the most reliable products, ensuring they never will remove airplanes from service to fix a wobbly seat or a faulty entertainment screen.
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