The ongoing Hollywood and UAW strikes are affecting business travel

Toss a rock into a pond and you can expect its impact to ripple outward. The same can be said for the ongoing UAW and Hollywood strikes, which are affecting those outside of just the entertainment and automotive industries – including Delta Air Lines.

According to remarks made by company president Glen Hauenstein yesterday, the strikes are having a drag on business travel to and from both LA (entertainment) and Detroit (automotive) – two cities where Delta hosts major operations. The airline has a more than 70% market share at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and a nearly 20% share at Los Angeles International Airport, more than any other carrier, according to data reported by CNBC.

For business travel overall, however – the magic eight-ball says outlook is good. Delta said it’s seen a pickup in business travel since Labor Day, especially from the technology and financial services industries, which posted double-digit growth in the third quarter. Also – a company survey of corporate customers found a majority expect their travel to stay the same or increase in the last three months of this year and into 2024.

Strike update(s): Talks broke down between actors and Hollywood studios this week, while the UAW strike is entering its fifth week and keeps escalating.