12 OCTOBER 2020
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- The Foreign Office Travel Guidelines
- COMMENT: Which? and the travel industry
- Jumbo departures
- ABTA Travel Convention
- Air Canada hoovers up Air Transat
- Airlines 2050 – beyond the crisis
- Airport testing scheme
- Annual loss for easyJet
- Aspire lounges open
- Aurigny and Eastern
- Belfast City – What happens next?
- Berlin Brandenburg and trains
- CAA and Heathrow in charges row
- Cabin safety – A US Appraisal
- First Class on BA
- Freeports for the UK
- Gatwick to charge for drop off
- Heathrow at the Supreme Court
- IATA and Covid-19
- New flying chief for the CAA
- Ryanair and the EU Council
- Wizz Air Norway expansion
- FLYING AT THE BACK END: Eastern – Southampton to Belfast
- ON TOUR: Salon Prive - A full review
- OCTOBER ROAD TEST: Honda CR-V Hybrid
- AND FINALLY: British Airways and BTN has 747 seats for sale
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First Class on BA
British Airways has taken delivery of a Boeing 777-300ER fitted with its latest First Class Suite, with three more being delivered this autumn.
The Foreign Office Travel Guidelines
This is the up to date exempt list as issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and includes the Greek islands.
COMMENT: Which? and the travel industry
It is not often that anyone involved in travel will praise the consumer publication Which? but for once Travel Editor Rory Boland has struck the right note with a statement reflecting on easyJet’s dreadful results.
Jumbo departures
British Airways said goodbye to the last of its Boeing 747s at Heathrow on Thursday (8 October), the good news being that with the pandemic, and the airport not busy, it was able to wave off G-CIVB and G-CIVY in a proper manner. But not synchronised as planned on parallel runways due to bad weather.
Airlines 2050 – beyond the crisis
His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, Group CEO of Qatar Airways, has been added to the list of senior figures involved in the air transport business due to speak at a live streamed morning only (BST) Airlines 2050 conference next Monday (19 October).
Airport testing scheme
The Government seems to have finally acknowledged a requirement for a Covid-19 airport testing scheme after strong representations by the air travel industry. As things stand passengers will have to pay for their own tests with a price suggested of £150.
Annual loss for easyJet
EasyJet expects a pre-tax loss of up to £845m for its fiscal year just ended.
Cabin safety – A US Appraisal
The American Medical Association (AMA) has summarised the situation regarding taking a commercial flight in these Covid-19 times. Its appraisal is much in line with IATA’s review which BTN also covers.
Gatwick to charge for drop off
Heathrow looks like becoming the only major London airport not to charge for dropping off passengers when Gatwick moves ahead with a scheme next year.
Heathrow at the Supreme Court
A two-day virtual hearing took place last week at the Supreme Court as Heathrow Airport attempted to overturn a ruling at the Court of Appeal stopping the proposed third runway.
IATA and Covid-19
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has demonstrated the low incidence of inflight Covid-19 transmission with an updated tally of published cases.
Ryanair and the EU Council
Ahead of the EU Council meeting on Tuesday (13 October), Ryanair, which is Europe’s largest airline, has called on all EU Governments to adopt a “Traffic Light” System without delay.
FLYING AT THE BACK END: Eastern – Southampton to Belfast
Photo-Journalist Geoff Moore reports as Eastern Airways announces a daily service between Cardiff and Belfast City starting 11 January. Eastern Airways already serves Southampton and Teesside from Belfast City plus Anglesey from Cardiff.
ON TOUR: Salon Prive - A full review
The Salon Privé has issued their own review of the event which takes a different look at the occasion and with this a motoring issue we have sought the permission to re-publish.
AND FINALLY: British Airways and BTN has 747 seats for sale
Only £999 in Club World to Miami, Dallas and Cape Town. No more than seven hundred and forty seven customers at the bargain price.
But Business Travel News has something even better.
ABTA Travel Convention
Normally held sometimes in rather exotic places the 2020 ABTA Travel Convention is this year a one day affair today (Monday 12 October) bringing together the biggest players in the tourism business, and for the first time Alex Cruz of British Airways and Shai Weis of Virgin Atlantic.
Air Canada hoovers up Air Transat
Air Transat is to become part of Air Canada, once a dream partnership, now less so with the devastating impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus on the air transport industry.
Aspire lounges open
With the reopening of its lounge at Aberdeen Airport Swissport has updated its website to include all its offerings worldwide.
Aurigny and Eastern
Two of Britain’s smallest airlines have got together to create a relationship strengthening their own position and financially benefiting the public. 
Belfast City – What happens next?
Aer Lingus has published a tender for the operation of its Aer Lingus Regional brand ahead of the expiration of its existing contract with with Dublin-based Stobart Air at the end of 2022.
Berlin Brandenburg and trains
As reported last week, Berlin’s new airport is to open on 25 October and from this date, Schönefeld Airport will be known as Terminal 5 and will lose its IATA code SXF. Terminals 1 and 2 will be at the new location, on the opposite side of the runways to Terminal 5.
CAA and Heathrow in charges row
In July Heathrow Airport Ltd requested to the CAA that it changes its approach to the airport’s airline charges due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its revenues in 2020 and 2021. It wants to put up prices.
Freeports for the UK
In what is a boost for the country’s struggling airports the Government has outlined plans for Freeports in the era of post-Brexit trade.
New flying chief for the CAA
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has appointed Glenn Bradley as its new Head of Flight Operations.
Wizz Air Norway expansion
Wizz Air has revealed plans to open a base in Norway next month and launch three domestic Norwegian routes as it continues to expand its presence across Western Europe.