10 MAY 2021
- SOAPBOX SPECIAL: Oz
- COMMENT: Willie Walsh & Grant Shapps
- LETTER OF THE WEEK
- ANA’s hands-free loo doors
- Avanti West Coast
- BA’s new PR chief
- BBC Travel Show and tech
- Cardiff gets two Aer Lingus routes
- Egencia purchased by AMEX
- EU and vaccination
- Festival of the Unexceptional
- General Aviation airports
- Green List Press Conference
- Hebridean Air
- IAG financial results
- Kempinski Palace Engelberg
- Northolt Airport opening hours
- P&O beats the lockdown
- Rail cracks
- Southend Airport statistics
- Take Five – Premier Inn Manchester
- Travel.Radio launches 'Travel Questions'
- Travelodge expands
- ON TOUR: London opens up
- MAY ROAD TEST: Fiat 500 convertible
- AND FINALLY: The UK’s busiest air routes April 2021
© 2022 Business Travel News Ltd.
LETTER OF THE WEEK
From Katherine Bell, Heysham, Lancashire.
Shapps & Transport Committee in row
Has anyone else wondered what those people who do not have a smartphone will do to travel in the future?
COMMENT: Willie Walsh & Grant Shapps
The former boss of BA owner IAG and now director general of IATA has issued one of the shortest press releases on record in response to the UK Government announcement of countries on the ‘Traffic Light’ scheme! See Green list press conference in this week's BTN.
ANA’s hands-free loo doors
Japanese airline ANA is installing a new lavatory door in its latest ‘Care Promise’ initiative to overcome Covid-19 challenges.
BA’s new PR chief
British Airways has named Lisa Tremble as its new corporate affairs director. She replaces Louise Evans who was previously with Sainsbury’s.
Cardiff gets two Aer Lingus routes
Stobart Air has added two new Aer Lingus Regional routes from Dublin and Belfast to Cardiff.
EU and vaccination
Commenting on the announcement by the European Commission that vaccinated passengers will be able to travel to the EU this summer, Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, the industry body representing UK-registered carriers, said:
General Aviation airports
They are a hugely valuable resource says industry group.
Green List Press Conference
The much-heralded international travel press conference took place last Friday (7 May) hosted by the secretary of state for transport, assisted by Dr Jenny Harries from the UK Health Security Agency, and Paul Lincoln, head of Border Control. (See COMMENT in this week's BTN)
Hebridean Air
Not to be confused with the small ship cruise line with a similar name, but also based at Oban, Hebridean Air has continued to fly essential services during the pandemic.
IAG financial results
British Airways owner IAG reported dreadful results last week, but it was hardly unexpected.
Rail cracks
Travellers using the Great Western Railway (GWR) and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) services over next few days should check carefully regarding departure times.
Take Five – Premier Inn Manchester
A fifth Premier Inn hotel in Manchester city centre has opened its doors.
ON TOUR: London opens up
With the first round of English reopenings starting on Monday 17 May this week’s ON TOUR is unusual.
MAY ROAD TEST: Fiat 500 convertible
Now that spring is on the way this must be the time to consider an open-top sports car writes Malcolm Ginsberg.
Avanti West Coast
An ‘At-Seat Order’ has been rolled out across Avanti West Coast rail network following a successful customer trial.
BBC Travel Show and tech
IT is quickly overtaking the world of travel, acknowledged by the BBC in its popular television programme The Travel Show.
Egencia purchased by AMEX
American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has made a binding offer to acquire Egencia, Expedia Group’s corporate travel arm. Expedia would become a shareholder in, and enter a long-term strategic commercial agreement with GBT.
Festival of the Unexceptional
With this motoring issue BTN seems justified with a mention for the ‘Festival of the Unexceptional’.
Kempinski Palace Engelberg
Opening shortly is the Kempinski Palace Engelberg (Switzerland), a beautiful Belle Epoque-era historic property that has been meticulously reinterpreted for the next generation.
P&O beats the lockdown
Sunday 16 May will see P&O stealing a march on its competitors in the cruise market.
Southend Airport statistics
Glyn Jones, managing director of Southend Airport, put on a bright face when talking to Sky News last Wednesday, but did not disguise the fact that the airport will have had no scheduled traffic for the first half of this year.
Travelodge expands
The last 15 months of tumult has been quickly put behind by Travelodge who last week announced it expects to open 17 new hotels across the UK in 2021.