After initially being accommodating over COVID-19 travel cancellations, the airlines are now frantically trying to stay afloat. “What we’re seeing is the airlines, who are facing unprecedented financial distress, are trying to find ways to get around having to offer consumers refunds because that’s cash that comes out of their bottom line,” John Breyault, head of public policy for the National Consumers League in Washington, D.C. tells the Chicago Tribune. “They’re aggressively trying to push vouchers instead of cash refunds. But for many consumers facing tough times, a voucher for travel a year from now just isn’t an option when …

Airbnb bookings might largely be gone, but the travel booking webs doesn’t want to be forgotten. The company is bringing its Experiences platform online. Consumers will be able to “virtually take classes or experience distant and not-so-distant places as you might normally through Airbnb Experiences, except, you know, you'll still be at home like you always are now,” per Thrillist.

Burger King has modified its “Home of the Whopper” tagline, adding “Stay” at the front, to encourage consumers to stay home to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Referring to fans who remain inside as 'couch po-ta-triots,' the spot, created by FCB, seeks to galvanize Burger King customers to do their part to save their community by having their food delivered directly to them, instead of venturing outside,” according to The Drum. “To encourage them to do so, Burger King is waiving all delivery fees on orders over $10 through its mobile app.”

Move over, seniors, Costco is adding first responders to those who get priority access to shopping. The retailer updated its coronavirus priority policies to give access to health care workers and first responders.  The update comes in addition to special hours it has allocated for people 60 and over, who public health officials have said are particularly vulnerable. Healthcare workers and first responders who present a Costco membership card and official identification of their role will be allowed to move to the front of any line to enter the warehouse.

Chick-fil-A is installing handwashing stations at all drive-through and mall locations by April 11. The fast food retailer said it is instructing its team members wash their hands a minimum of every 30 minutes and every time they interact with cash. The handwashing stations will be located near the drive-through. “We also have provided Purell Wipes as a way for Team Members to regularly sanitize their hands in addition to handwashing,” the company tells Nation’s Restaurant News. “They also are frequently disinfecting other items they may touch.”

Like many Chinese restaurants, Panda Express has been facing racism and xenophobia as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its origin in China. “Being an American Chinese company at this time, albeit one beloved by so many, has highlighted the misunderstanding of culture and ethnic identity in the most unfortunate of ways,” the company’s founders write in Fast Company. “The most heartbreaking part is seeing the rising violence against the Asian community. When we are all fighting against the same ‘invisible enemy’ and literally fighting for our lives, why is there …

In three months, video conferencing tool Zoom has gone from an average of 10 million daily users to 200 million daily users thanks to millions of meetings and social gatherings now being conducted online due to “stay at home” mandates. Along with the increased usage came some hiccups -- but CEO Eric S. Yuan says the company will stop developing new features and devote all of its engineering resources to fixing privacy and security issues.

Kroger, Walmart, Hy-Vee and Giant Food are among the retailers aiming to make it safer for shoppers in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Initiatives include one-way aisles and limits on customer count in stores. Shoppers are being guided by floor markers and direction from associates at Walmart, which disclosed stores will now allow no more than five customers for each 1,000 square feet at a time, or about 20% of a store’s capacity.

Many had been expecting Microsoft to cancel its Ignite IT conference -- scheduled for New Orleans in September --and make it virtual instead.But Microsoft intends to make all its events through July 2021 digital only, including Ignite The Tour, the MVP Summit 2021 and Build 2021. “The thinking in canceling so early is the more lead time the company has, the better its virtual events will be,” according to ZDNet.com.

Allstate will return $600 million in auto insurance premiums to customers because fewer motorists are on the road as a result of COVID-19. The insurer will offer a “shelter-in-place payback” to its Allstate, Esurance and Encompass customers, who will receive 15% of their monthly premium in April and May. State Farm is also considering a rebate. American Family Insurance also will return $200 million to its auto insurance customers.