Marriott Names New CEO. Flying Taxis Coming to the Skies in a Few Years?

Marriott has a new CEO. And flying taxis are reportedly on the way (though I thought we already kind of have them…).

Those are some of the day’s travel headlines I thought you, too, may find interesting.

Tony Capuano: New Marriott CEO

Marriott International named a new CEO, following the death of Arne Sorensen. Tony Capuano was promoted from group president, global development, design and operations services to the big cheese.

Another major Marriott exec, Stephanie Linnartz, was in the running. And some people are wondering if gender played a role in the decision.

Skift breaks down the company’s decision:

A handful of industry sources, men and women, argued that gender had nothing to do with the selection — or at least they hoped it didn’t.

A Marriott spokeswoman declined to comment for this story.

“Although I would have loved to see a woman take the helm, if you look at background and experience, Tony has strong development and ops experience, while Stephanie has far more commercial expertise,” said hospitality and technology consultant Flo Lugli, a former executive vice president of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Splitting Arne’s role between the two looks like they are leveraging their individual strengths in the right way.”

“They may have really wanted to appoint a woman, and Stephanie is absolutely brilliant,” [a] longtime hotel executive said. “I suspect in the end it may have been a choice between consumer services and unit growth experience, not gender.”

Flying Taxis: Coming Soon to a Sky Near You?

Futurist and writer Devin Liddell says:

[W]e believe that the first flying taxis entering service in the next three to five years will feature some surprising moments for first-time passengers. The first of these aerial vehicles will operate on short, intracity routes with about 10 minutes of flight time, taking passengers between one place and another via the shortest possible route.

I hate to rain on Mr. Liddell’s parade — especially because pretty much anything involving flying sounds fun to me. But don’t we already sort of have flying taxis? Blade operates helicopters to/from airports in Los Angeles and New York.

Maybe the flying taxis about which Mr. Liddell writes will bring some more competitive and affordable pricing for more travelers, though. That would be fantastic.

Elsewhere:

The Traveler Mindset One Year Into COVID-19 Pandemic

If wildfire ignites, plane with high-tech will hit Southern California’s skies

‘I’m paying $400 a night’: Inside quarantine hotel, reluctant guests while away hours, lament late meals and costs