Dennis Schaal

One key unanswered question is how this TripAdvisor-Priceline Group Book on TripAdvisor deal will work. Are other big online travel agencies such as Expedia free to join and under what terms?

Professor Vasquez' insights were 'good' and we have no need to add a 'but' to that assessment.

Startups can develop and push out tests in their sites and apps in a matter of days. The lucky ones will recognize when they have a winner and then run with it.

When the day comes that air travelers don't have to pay $37 for Wi-Fi on a long-haul flight, then that will be a good thing for both airlines and passengers.

Reporters are bombarded with often useless press releases. What works? A pitch from a public relations representative whom you know isn't a spin doctor and actually wants to convey some real, concrete, needle-moving NEWS.

Virgin Atlantic's CEO realizes what the 39-aircraft carrier is capable of and what it isn't and is attempting to focus on its strengths. There was lots of candor from Craig Kreeger in the session about Virgin's lack of capabilities in competing against Gulf carriers in terms of premium-class services.

It was telling that when the U.S. Department of Justice reviewed hotel competitors during its analysis of Expedia's acquisition of Orbitz Worldwide, the antitrust division cited TripAdvisor and Google as rising competitors but didn't mention Amazon.

Booking.com's participation in Book on TripAdvisor is a major win for TripAdvisor, which launched its Instant Booking product a couple of years ago and was slow to get hotels, and especially big online travel agencies to join. The U.S. Justice Department was correct, during the Expedia-Orbitz merger review, to see TripAdvisor Instant Booking as an emerging player to heighten competition.

Nothing helps building a fruitful online travel agency-hotel relationship for Expedia and Marriott than than the latter's wooing another suitor like TripAdvisor. All is fair in love and travel.

The TUI Group auctioned off LateRooms.com to Cox & Kings, which probably got a very good deal on the under-performing asset.