Travelers may encounter longer flights and higher ticket prices as the airline industry faces travel restrictions and high oil prices due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, reports Yahoo. Airlines are bracing for potentially lengthy blockages of key East-West flight corridors after the US, European Union, Canada, and Moscow issued reciprocal airspace bans this week in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions have caused flight cancellations and detours, impacting the airline industry's pandemic recovery. The move by the US to ban Russian planes is expected to provoke a response from Moscow; this could impact carriers like United Airlines, which uses Russian airspace for flights from Delhi. American Airlines has already said it will not use any Russian airspace for international flights and will suspend interline deals with Russian carriers Aeroflot and S7 Airlines indefinitely. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines has suspended its codesharing partnership with Russian national airline Aeroflot.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced its first expansion of the PreCheck program to an international location at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas. TSA PreCheck is available for eligible travelers when departing from Nassau, or a US airport with the program, including when connecting on domestic flights after returning to the US. TSA PreCheck is now available at more than 200 airports in the US and Nassau. “This has been an excellent partnership throughout the trial period at Lynden Pindling International Airport, and it serves as a model for further extending TSA PreCheck,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said. Ten airlines with flights within the US maintain regular routes between Nassau and the following US cities: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, Orlando, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Providence, San Juan, Sanford, Tampa, Topeka, and Washington, DC.

Delta Air Lines has announced that it will unveil several major airport infrastructure milestones as part of its $12 billion project to modernize the traveler experience at hubs in Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. At Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Delta will begin the first phase of the new Delta Sky Way at LAX, a multi-year terminal transformation project scheduled to open in mid-April at Terminal 3, with consolidated locations for check-in, security, and baggage claim. New facial recognition technology will allow qualifying travelers to check bags, pass through security, and board flights through the use of their digital identity. In addition, the carrier will open a new Delta Sky Club at LAX at the same time. At New York City’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), travelers will experience a centralized terminal equipped with hands-free bag drop and security check-in. The upgrades are part of the carrier’s $4 billion investment that begins to open in the spring. Other changes to LGA include a world-class art program, larger gate areas, dining options, and service animal relief areas. At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Delta is working with the Port of Seattle on the construction of a new 450,000-square-foot International Arrivals Facility, which is being designed to enhance the traveler experience. The new area is scheduled to open this spring and will increase the airport’s number of international capable gates from 12 to 20 and more than double passenger capacity to 2,600 passengers per hour, up from 1,200 currently.

American Airlines has announced the launch of its reimagined AAdvantage loyalty program, designed to reward members with enhanced benefits and more ways to earn status. As of March 1, the AAdvantage program will track elite-tier qualifications using one metric, loyalty points. One qualifying mile earned equals one loyalty point, according to the airline. Members can earn points by flying American and its partners or from purchases made with an AAdvantage credit card. For 2022, AAdvantage members must accumulate 30,000 points for Gold status, 75,000 for Platinum status, 125,000 for Platinum Pro status, and 200,000 for Executive Platinum status. Once a member has attained a status level, it will be valid through March 31 of the following year. Additionally, American is expanding complimentary upgrade access for AAdvantage Gold and AAdvantage Platinum members to include all flights on American within North America regardless of the flight distance. For travel starting March 2, an upgrade will automatically be requested if everyone in the reservation is eligible for a complimentary upgrade. Members will only need to use 500-mile upgrades if they want to upgrade travel companions who do not hold AAdvantage status. Later this year, the carrier will extend complimentary upgrades to one companion traveling on the same flight as the status member. At that time, all existing 500-mile upgrades in members’ accounts will each convert to 250 Loyalty Points toward the 2022 status qualification period.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is set to begin work on key components of its $1.62 billion overhaul project at Terminals 4 and 5 this month, reports Airport Technology. As part of this initiative, LAX closed the eastern half of the Terminal 4 headhouse last week in order to execute demolition works. The western part of the building will continue to be operational. Later this year, LAX plans to build a new south concourse within Terminal 4. It will comprise extra space for concessions, restrooms, hold rooms, and a bus gate that will cater to both domestic and international travelers. Additionally, the north concourse will be enhanced to enable better traveler movements. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) CEO Justin Erbacci said, “Every aspect of the LAX experience is being modernized and reimagined, and the work progressing now inside Terminals 4 and 5 will breathe additional new life into the airport’s facilities."

Hawaii governor David Ige has announced that the state's Safe Travels program, established to slow the spread of COVID-19 through safety precautions for travelers, will come to an end on March 25, reports CNN. Domestic travelers arriving in Hawaii after the program ends won't need to follow earlier regulations, including showing proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to bypass quarantine. "It is important to remember that we're talking about domestic travel only, this does not apply to international travelers which have different requirements set by the federal government," Ige said. "It's also equally important to note that all Safe Travels requirements must be met by incoming domestic passengers prior to March 25." Throughout the pandemic, Hawaii has maintained some of the strictest travel measures of any state and had relatively low COVID-19 numbers compared to other states. Officials are continuing to review the state's indoor masking requirements, Ige said. "Masks will continue to be required for indoor workplaces and airports even with Safe Travels and employee vaccination and testing requirements going away," Ige said.