8 AUGUST 2016
- COMMENT: EK521 – Job well done
- Airport trains boost
- BA 747s new look
- Chris Amon
- Codeshare deals for flybe
- Dubai incident
- English Electric Canberra to fly again
- Expansion at Ben Gurion
- Heathrow's vision
- Hilton London's new look
- Hotel for T2 complex
- JetBlue No 1 for Cuba
- Luton extends free wi-fi
- New LAX lounge for Etihad
- Norwegian battle hots up
- Now Malaysia goes Premium
- Qatar boosts IAG stake
- Science at Aviation Festival
- Top speakers for AOA
- Travel advice
- Upgrade for Air Europa
- ON TOUR: Loafing through Lyon
- MOTORING UPDATE: SsangYong
- AND FINALLY: Hilton & Marriott
© 2022 Business Travel News Ltd.
Chris Amon
With the exception of the evergreen John Surtees perhaps the last of the1960's generation of motor racing greats that included Jack Brabham, Jim Clark and Graham Hill, Chris Amon (73) MBE has passed on. The New Zealander will go down in history as the only Ferrari No1 never to win a Grand Prix. He was undoubtedly one of the best.
Hilton London's new look
A £5.4m refurbishment covering a full revamp of meeting space, common areas and guest rooms and an extensive restaurant extension has been completed at the Hilton London Hyde Park.
Luton extends free wi-fi
Passengers flying through Luton Airport (LTN) can now access up to 4hr of free wi-fi at speeds of up to 1mbps.
The service, provided by Arqiva, puts LTN ahead of Stansted, which gives 60min of free wi-fi, and Gatwick, with 90min, and on a par with Heathrow. Super-fast 5mbps access is available for £3.
COMMENT: EK521 – Job well done
The death of a firefighter in the Emirates accident at Dubai International Airport was tragic but no one needs to be told how much worse things could have been. There were 282 passengers and 18 crew on the Boeing 777-300 and all were reported to have escaped with their lives, though 13 people were slightly injured.
Airport trains boost
In good news for passengers using Heathrow, Bakerloo Line trains began stopping again at Paddington station last Monday (1 August) after improvement work, including escalator renewal and preparation for Crossrail's Elizabeth Line, finished nearly two weeks ahead of schedule.
Codeshare deals for flybe
Flybe is extending its influence with two more significant partnerships, Singapore Airlines and Air Berlin. The Singapore Airlines partnership was greeted by the Far East carrier as a means of “vastly increasing its accessibility to UK consumers”.
Dubai incident
Three hundred passengers and crew were led to safety at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday (3 August) after an Emirates Boeing 777-300 on a flight from India caught fire after an apparent emergency landing.
English Electric Canberra to fly again
With the winding-down of Classic Flight, the group's English Electric Canberra WK163 (G-BVWC) has now been moved by road to the Vulcan in the Sky headquarters at Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield. The world-record-breaking aircraft joins Vulcan XH558 but unlike that remarkable aeroplane it is hoped that the Canberra will be flying again in time for the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force in 2018.
Expansion at Ben Gurion
Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion International Airport will return to full activity by next summer, the Israel Airports Authority announced last week.
Hotel for T2 complex
The Arora Group has announced it has been granted planning permission to develop a new hotel at Terminal 2, also known as the Queen’s Terminal, at Heathrow.
New LAX lounge for Etihad
Etihad Airways has officially opened its new First and Business Class Lounge in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (LAX) at Los Angeles International Airport to serve passengers on its daily B777 services from the US West Coast.
Qatar boosts IAG stake
A 15% stake in International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, by Qatar Airways was increased last week to 20.01% following a fall in IAG’s share price following the Brexit vote.
Travel advice
With an estimated 50% of travellers heading abroad without the right health protection, Boots UK has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the fact people need to protect more than just their skin from the sun when they visit far-flung destinations.
ON TOUR: Loafing through Lyon
BTN's Richard Cawthorne combined a visit to see developments at Lyon St-Exupéry Airport with a couple of days in the city it serves. As he reports, there is plenty to enjoy.
MOTORING UPDATE: SsangYong
Ted Wilkinson was not available for the regular car test this month and editor-in-chief Malcolm Ginsberg has returned to a previous life in producing this review. He is also a Luton Town fan and you can skip the first three paragraphs if you are not a football fan or do not have the slightest interest in the Hatters. The club shirt sponsor for at least the next two seasons is Korean car manufacturer SsangYong. As its most famous supporter might have said, “not a lot of people know that”. Here, Ginsberg gives something of an introduction to SsangYong and its top-selling Tivoli.
We also highlight the Shelby Mustang – if you are going on holiday this summer to the US, you might want to try the Hertz ‘Adrenalin’ Collection.
BA 747s new look
British Airways has completed a major makeover of 18 of its iconic Boeing 747 jumbo-jets, which the airline says gives the aircraft the look and feel of the newest members of its fleet.
Heathrow's vision
Architectural group Grimshaw has been chosen to bring Heathrow’s vision for expansion to life in what the airport says is “the clear signal to the government that Heathrow is a ready-to-go, privately-financed infrastructure project”.
JetBlue No 1 for Cuba
New York-based JetBlue Airways says it is on track to launch scheduled commercial flights between the US and Cuba on 31 August, with two other carriers close behind.
Norwegian battle hots up
The row over the refusal by the US to grant a foreign air carrier permit to Norwegian Air International, the Irish-based arm of low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle, escalated last week as the EU stepped into the debate.
Now Malaysia goes Premium
A Premium Economy class is on the way for Malaysia Airlines’ A380s and yet-to-be delivered A350s, the airlines’ new CEO, Peter Bellew, has announced.
Science at Aviation Festival
A first look at how Emirates and Oxford University are working together to develop a data-science lab to help to make the airline more efficient and customer-focused will be a feature of this year’s Aviation Festival at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, from 7-9 September.
Top speakers for AOA
Brussels Airport CEO Arnaud Feist and IAG head Willie Walsh are among high-profile speakers scheduled to appear at this year’s Airport Operators Association (AOA) annual conference, dinner and awards ceremony.
Bookings are now open for the event at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, London, on 21 and 22 November.
Upgrade for Air Europa
Spanish carrier Air Europa is upgrading its Business Class on long-haul flights by reconfiguring three Airbus A330s on the routes between Madrid and São Paulo and New York with 24 new fully-reclining flat-bed seats.