Dennis Schaal Archives

Dennis Schaal is Skift’s Founding Editor and Executive Editor. Dennis has been a reporter focusing on online travel and short-term rentals for more than two decades at Skift, Tnooz, USA Today, and Travel Weekly. He is well-known for tough one-on-one interviews on stage at Skift events, including with the CEOs and top execs of Expedia, Uber, Booking Holdings, Priceline, Kayak, Hopper, and more.

Airlines

Delta and Spirit Called Out for Hate-Selling, We Mean Upselling, Tactics

Some airlines are getting very aggressive in their upselling tactics. It is apparently working financially for them at the moment although they are taking big risks in turning off their customers.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Tourism

Scheduled Airline Service to Cuba Could Be in Place Before the End of 2015

The resumption of scheduled air service between the U.S. and Cuba is certainly not a done deal as the Obama administration hopes to carry out an end-run around probable Congressional opposition.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Online Travel

TripAdvisor Takes New Steps Toward Offering the Ultimate Travel Guide App

The challenge for TripAdvisor is whether it will win by being an all-encompassing app or whether it is better to be more focused like Expedia's or HotelTonight's apps. In phasing out its City Guides app, TripAdvisor is putting itself in the comprehensive camp.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Hotels

American Hotel & Lodging Association Opposes Expedia-Orbitz Merger

Expedia's acquisition of Orbitz Worldwide would indeed limit consumer choice. However, what the American Hotel & Lodging Association doesn't mention is that Expedia-Orbitz would only control about 15 percent of the overall U.S. travel market when you consider hotels' own websites, phone lines and offline options in general.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Hotels

The Lodging Revolution Begins With One Customer, Says Priceline CEO

Convergence is happening big time these days as online travel companies around the world, driven by the varied and changing accommodations' needs of their customers, are rapidly expanding and will continue to broaden their array of lodging options.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Hotels

Will TripAdvisor Be the Next Airbnb? It Seems to Be Trying

TripAdvisor, with its hotel and restaurant reviews, hotel bookings and tours and activities, is a much more well-rounded travel site than the younger Airbnb at this stage. Still, TripAdvisor has some Airbnb envy, and wants to take advantage of the sea changes in the global lodging industry.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Hotels

Guests Will Wait Until 2017 for InterContinental’s New Reservations System

If Amadeus and InterContinental Hotels Group build a new guest reservations system for the "community," will the hotel industry community buy in and introduce the system? That's the hope, anyway.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Hotels

Expedia Tests Vacation Rentals in Europe Through HomeAway Partnership

Expedia's launch of vacation rentals in the U.S. in partnership with HomeAway has been a relative dud as Expedia hasn't shown much commitment to the effort. But Expedia has higher hopes for Europe, where vacation rentals are more commonly in travelers' consideration set.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

Online Travel

Expedia’s Tax Problems Go Global With VAT Challenges in Europe

Despite 88 filed lawsuits in the U.S. -- and now VAT issues in Europe -- the hotel occupancy tax issue has mostly been manageable for Expedia and the other online travel agencies. The sky indeed has not fallen.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago

SkiftX

The Next Great Untapped Airline Fee Is Getting off the Plane First

Deplaning early is a silly, impractical idea. But are we getting to the point that airlines are going to add a fee to have a charging station at your seat? Affirmative.

Dennis Schaal | 11 years ago