2 NOVEMBER 2020
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- ON THE SOAPBOX: An Aviation Call to Arms – Does Westminster Know Best?
- Canary Islands in clampdown
- Arora airport hotels offer Covid-19 testing
- BA 747 for preservation
- Berlin Brandenburg finally opens
- British Airways to drop M&S?
- Caircraft 'A new voice for air travel’
- Cargo and the Aviation Club
- Covid-19 testing explained
- Fuel saving and Wizz Air
- Good news for London City Airport
- Heathrow’s frank admission
- IAG further results
- IATA news
- ITB 2021 cancelled
- Jet2 boss in outburst
- Mitsubishi suspends aircraft development
- Shorts Belfast becomes Spirit
- Testing at Heathrow
- Thomas Cook survey
- United Boost for Heathrow
- ON TOUR: Douglas Ward – Cruising and Covid-19
- CRUISE NEWS: November 2020
- AND FINALLY: The BTN year end puzzlement
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Arora airport hotels offer Covid-19 testing
Travellers staying overnight at the Sofitel London Heathrow, which is directly connected to Terminal 5, can now book a self-administered saliva-based PCR Covid-19 test kit.
A joint statement by Airlines UK and the Airport Operators Association (AOA) following the Prime Minister’s announcement Saturday evening (31 October).
LOCKDOWN UPDATE: More in Monday.
BA pulls Gatwick. Manchester Airport only to operate from T1 after Tuesday. Newquay Airport closed.
Do check with your airport and airline before leaving home.
Denmark removed from the Government’s list of travel corridors.
ON THE SOAPBOX: An Aviation Call to Arms – Does Westminster Know Best?
Jason Holt (56) is the former Chief Executive of Swissport Western Europe, the UK & Ireland’s largest airport ground handling business. He has previously held senior leadership appointments at easyJet and Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. The views expressed are his own.
Berlin Brandenburg finally opens
Beset by problems and up to ten years late Berlin’s new airport opened with a damp squib last Saturday (31 October).
British Airways to drop M&S?
The Sun has reported that British Airways is to drop Marks & Spencer as its on-board supplier of purchasable catering for its Euro Traveller cabin.
Caircraft 'A new voice for air travel’
BTN contributor Chris Tarry is amongst a diversified group teaming up to try and persuade government that it has got it wrong with regard to coronavirus airport testing.
Covid-19 testing explained
The Collinson, Swissport and Heathrow Airport consortium have issued a statement explaining the background to Covid-19 testing.
Good news for London City Airport
Tunnelling work to modernise and expand Bank Underground station has been completed, marking a major milestone in the project.
Heathrow’s frank admission
In an astonishing admittance Heathrow has highlighted that Paris is now Europe’s top airport, at least for September. A pointer to Government!
IAG further results
Following last week’s preliminary third-quarter results and update IAG has quickly followed with what might be termed ‘actual’ figures. (See IAG results in last week's BTN.)
Jet2 boss in outburst
Not one to normally shout about, or even be seen, Jet2 boss Steve Heapy, burst onto a virtual tourism conference in Majorca with an astonishing outpouring.
Testing at Heathrow
Collinson, together with Swissport and Heathrow Airport, for the time being only are providing Covid-19 facilities, for flights to Hong Kong (HKG) in T2 and T5. A date for the New York services is yet to be announced.
ON TOUR: Douglas Ward – Cruising and Covid-19
The doyen of British cruising, Douglas Ward, he of the Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships, has recently been to sea on MSC Grandiosa.
CRUISE NEWS: November 2020
The International Cruise Summit is taking place today (and yesterday) bringing together ‘virtually’ the cruise industry from around the globe with the big news that the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lifted its No-Sail order. But don't expect overnight resumption. The agency has listed a lengthy process cruise lines must meet to begin carrying passengers.
AND FINALLY: The BTN year end puzzlement
Just a short introduction to the 2020 Christmas Quiz.
Canary Islands in clampdown
The Government of the Canary Islands has approved a decree-law of extraordinary measures designed to manage the health and economic crisis caused by the pandemic. The Canaries are on the UK travel corridor list. 
BA 747 for preservation
An airport once the base for the Royal Air Force “Red Arrows” legendary demonstration team is to become the permanent home for a former British Airways 747 as a major visitor attraction.
Cargo and the Aviation Club
Following two very successful virtual lunches the Aviation Club of the United Kingdom members and their guests are invited to join Club Chairman, Karl Brünjes and guest speaker Richard Forson, President and CEO, Cargolux Airlines International, to a webinar on 12 November at noon.
Fuel saving and Wizz Air
Wizz Air has announced ten new fuel saving initiatives as part of its continued commitment to cut carbon emissions by a further 33% by 2030.
IATA news
The airline industry trade association IATA ran a media briefing last week designed to keep travellers and the aviation world up to date with its activities and efforts to keep people flying.
ITB 2021 cancelled
Always claimed to be the world’s largest travel trade gathering, ITB has been cancelled for 2021.
Mitsubishi suspends aircraft development
In what is effectively the first aircraft programme to collapse due to the Covid-19 epidemic Mitsubishi (MHI) has suspended its Spacejet programme, once called MRJ.
Shorts Belfast becomes Spirit
Following the conclusion of a deal between Bombardier Group and Spirit AeroSystems, the one-time home of Short Brothers & Harland at Belfast changed hands last Friday 30 October.
Thomas Cook survey
Nothing seems to have changed with Thomas Cook, innovative when first created back in 1841 and now equally forward thinking, reborn as a web-based online holiday operator under the ownership of the Chinese Fosun Tourism Group.
United Boost for Heathrow
London’s Heathrow Airport is likely to be seen as the winner when United Airlines launches a three times weekly Covid-19 tested flight from New York Newark (EWR) to Heathrow (LHR) from 16 November, for a four-week run.