31 AUGUST 2020
YOUR WORDS
Readers are invited to add their comments to any story. Click on the article to see and add.
BTN DISTRIBUTION
BTN also goes out by email every Sunday night at midnight (UK time). To view this edition click here.
- HOLLAND-KAYE GOES LIVE
- The Travel Corridors
- ON THE SOAPBOX: Charlie Cornish – CEO Manchester Airports Group
- Accor expands
- Airfields an endangered species
- Amsterdam cuts jobs
- Aurigny management changes
- Belfast City Aer Lingus Regional services get under way
- Brittany Ferries new ship
- Brooklands open and more
- CAA passenger figures
- Churchill Hotel London
- El Al to Abu Dhabi
- Eurostar to Amsterdam
- Gatwick’s half year
- IATA and face coverings
- Manchester Airport closure
- Norwegian reports
- Schönefeld (SXF) to become BER T5
- Southend Airport cabin baggage screening trial
- UKickstart means what it says
- Virgin Atlantic – full update
- Vistara Airlines comes to London
- ON TOUR: Perspectives on passenger air transport in a Covid-19 world
- AND FINALLY “Isolate or rough it! The choice is yours”
The Business Travel News
PO Box 758
Edgware HA8 4QF
United Kingdom
info@btnews.co.uk
© 2022 Business Travel News Ltd.
Brittany Ferries new ship
In December Brittany Ferries will welcome its new 40,000 ton passenger and vehicle ferry Galicia at Portsmouth. Once into service she will sail two round trips a week connecting to Santander in Northern Spain.
HOLLAND-KAYE GOES LIVE
On Wednesday (2 September) John Holland-Kaye, Chief Executive of Heathrow Airport Ltd will effectively ‘go live’ with a webinar address to members and their guests of the Aviation Club UK.
ON THE SOAPBOX: Charlie Cornish – CEO Manchester Airports Group
Charlie Cornish has been Chief Executive of the Manchester Airports Group (MAG) since 2010 and was previously Managing Director of Utility Solutions having worked for a number of manufacturing and service companies including Plessey Telecommunications, British Aerospace and Associated British Foods (ABF). His words serve as a useful background for the Webinar with Heathrow’s John Holland-Kaye on Wednesday 2 September. They work for a common cause.
Airfields an endangered species
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on General Aviation (APPG-GA) has signalled its concern about the lack of protection for airfields within the newly proposed changes to planning rules in the UK.
Aurigny management changes
Mark Darby, Chief Executive Officer at Aurigny, is to retire after seven years in the post.
Belfast City Aer Lingus Regional services get under way
Aer Lingus Regional has now launched new routes from George Best Belfast City Airport to Edinburgh and Exeter. (First reported by BTN 27 July).
El Al to Abu Dhabi
Whilst totally grounded until 30 September El Al was today expected to mount a special flight to Abu Dhabi (See BTN 17 August).
Gatwick’s half year
Whilst reporting the inevitable huge loss for the first half year Gatwick Airport's Chief Executive Officer, Stewart Wingate, has confirmed plans to the bring the existing northern (stand-by) runway into routine use next year.
Norwegian reports
Already struggling before the outbreak of the pandemic Norwegian Air has reported dire figures for the first half of 2020.
Virgin Atlantic – full update
On the financial front the recapitalisation of Virgin Atlantic (VS) is likely to be approved (all things being well) on 4 September after a UK court hearing on the 2nd and US court hearing on 3rd. This follows a significant milestone last Tuesday (25 August) when it secured the support of all four creditor classes who voted on the plan.
Vistara Airlines comes to London
Only founded in 2015 Vistara Airlines arrived at Heathrow from Delhi 06:00 on Saturday (29 August). In its short history it has carried nearly 20m passengers with a fleet of mainly A320 series aircraft.
ON TOUR: Perspectives on passenger air transport in a Covid-19 world
In this exclusive paper which provides cause for some deep thinking, BTN’s regular contributor Chris Tarry has partnered with his “Five Aero” aviation consultancy team colleague, Rowland Hayler, to offer their perspectives on a number of key challenges facing the industry.
AND FINALLY “Isolate or rough it! The choice is yours”
Gibraltar Airport is notorious for its missed approaches and landing cancellations due to high winds.
Accor expands
The continuing Covid-19 pandemic has not stopped the French hotel group Accor from expanding.
Amsterdam cuts jobs
The major British airports are not the only European gateways to suffer job cuts due to the pandemic.
Brooklands open and more
Friday 4 September will see a memorial service at the Brooklands Museum for the 88 civilians killed at the then Vickers Aviation plant in a German Air Raid on 4 September 1940. At that time the site was manufacturing Wellington Bombers and Hawker Hurricanes for the Battle of Britain.
CAA passenger figures
The UK Civil Aviation Authority is very good at publishing airport actual passenger numbers, usually two months behind, but is at the mercy of the airports in quickly supplying statistics.
Churchill Hotel London
One of London’s most prestigious hotels, Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill, is to re-open on Monday 7 September.
Eurostar to Amsterdam
A direct return service by Eurostar is to open from London to Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
IATA and face coverings
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has made an impassioned plea appealing to all travellers to wear face covering during the travel journey for the safety of all passengers and crew during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Schönefeld (SXF) to become BER T5
With the commissioning of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), Schönefeld Airport (SXF), on the other side of the existing runway, and the former East German gateway to Berlin, is to be part of the BER as Terminal 5.
Southend Airport cabin baggage screening trial
A new cabin baggage screening system to enhance the passenger journey is trialling at Southend Airport.
UKickstart means what it says
Nick de Bois, Chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board is to join the panel of UK events industry leaders taking part in the high-level discussion at UKickstart, the nationwide live and virtual gathering of event professionals taking place Tuesday week 8 September.