There’s a new way to show your age. Answer this question: Do you remember when flying was fun? If the answer is yes, you are old.

Sure, there were long lines and X-rays, but there was no shoe removal requiring you to leave just a layer of sock or stocking between your soles and all the germs in the world. Flight attendants would take kids to the cockpit to see how the whole operation works. You could even bring your own water bottle from home.

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft were positioned to replace some of the fun we lost through drone taxis.

VTOL deals have slowed over recent pandemic, but there appears to be some rebound. Wheels Up, a private aviation firm, has announced a partnership with Bell Textron, a Textron Inc. a producer of VTOL aircraft. The collaboration will support intra-urban travel from city-centers to regional airports. Other players include companies like Kittyhawk.

The list of high-demand markets is being reviewed and the partners expect to launch service in 2021.

Press release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wheels-up-and-bell-textron-announce-strategic-initiative-to-transform-the-dream-of-urban-mobility-into-a-reality-301265593.html

With some experts predicting a permanent 36% reduction in business travel between pre-pandemic and post-pandemic rates, B2B marketers will have to continue to leverage digital and hybrid events in lieu of in-person meetings. That’s according to Kaon Interactice who is hosting a virtual event on April 14 entitled The Future of Digital Events is Now: Engaging Customers Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond.

“The pendulum has swung too far in the direction of superficial online communications at a time when people are hungry for true human connection,” says scheduled keynote speaker David Meerman Scott. “In today’s digital-first world, we all have an opportunity to rethink how we reach and involve people to create those powerful connections that build fans.”

Press release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kaon-interactive-announces-david-meerman-scott-as-keynote-speaker-for-upcoming-virtual-event-301261492.html

“The majority of business travelers desire to return to the road before the end of the year,” says GoldSpring Consulting.

The company recently released the results of its Business Traveler Sentiment Survey. Key findings of the survey include that 63 percent of business travelers desire to travel within six months, or by October 1. According to GoldSpring, that puts the industry on track for a 70 percent recovery of pre-pandemic levels. 6% percent of business travelers declared and intention to resume travel by May 1.

Press release: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210408005948/en

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Kate Baggott is a former Managing Editor of B2BNN. Her technology and business journalism has appeared in the Technology Review, the Globe and Mail, Canada Computes, the Vancouver Sun and the Bay Street Bull. She is the author of the short story collections Love from Planet Wine Cooler and Dry Stories. Find links to recent articles by following her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-baggott-9a0306/

• B2B News for Friday, April 9, 2021: Will VTOL Make Flight Fun? Hybrid Events and the Return to Business Travel – April 9, 2021
• B2B News for Wednesday, April 7, 2021: Questions about Home Office Productivity, Tax Planning & Oil and Gas meet Vertical Grow Ops in Proposed Acquisition – April 6, 2021
• B2B News for Friday, April 2, 2021: a B2B Testing Solution Acquisition, a COVID Relief Partnership for SMEs and Low Bandwidth Meetings – April 1, 2021