27 SEPTEMBER 2021
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- SOAPBOX SPECIAL: Professor David Starkie
- LETTER OF THE WEEK
- Prince Edward sells London
- Airbus – Wing of Tomorrow
- Airline Economics Conference
- Airline start-ups
- BA abandons Gatwick short-haul
- British Airways Executive Club *
- EasyJet Berlin
- Electric plane
- EMR Intercity and First Class
- IATA at Boston
- Norse Atlantic Airways make more progress
- Oz – New Zealand problems
- Parliament's Transport Committee (Part 1) *
- Parliament's Transport Committee (Part 2)
- Pegasus expands in the UK
- Scottish travel about turn *
- Stansted’s new bus service
- Travelodge boost
- West Coast Main Line
- Willie Walsh at the Aviation Club *
- ON TOUR: COP 26 - John Bell and Derek Guthrie with a Glasgow preview
- AND FINALLY: Familiar profile? No real change in nearly 100 years
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Scottish travel about turn *
Fully-vaccinated people travelling to Scotland from overseas will no longer have to take pre-departure Covid tests, the Scottish Government has confirmed.
Prince Edward sells London
Mixing it in with a later visit to the Chelsea Flower Show HRH Prince Edward was the surprise Guest of Honour at an Apollo Theatre reception hosting for an important group of American travel experts last week.
Airline Economics Conference
Steven Udvar-Hazy, the man who virtually invented the airline leasing business with International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) in 1973, and now chairs Air Lease Corporation, was the star speaker at the Airline Economist conference in London last week.
Airline start-ups
Cirium, the airline data provider, reports in its Ascend data programme that since the start of the pandemic at least 68 airlines have either entered or exited bankruptcy protection and/or have been liquidated.
BA abandons Gatwick short-haul
After comments by Business Travel News (and other publications) British Airways (BA) has confirmed to Sky News that it has abandoned its short-haul Gatwick operations. This leaves easyJet, Norwegian and Wizz Air a golden opportunity to expand services at the UK’s second busiest airport. BA’s sister company Vueling could use the slots?
British Airways Executive Club *
Strenuous efforts are being made by British Airways (BA) to retain the loyalty of Executive Club Members who have been frustrated with the lack of travel opportunities and are concerned that they might lose their membership status.
EasyJet Berlin
The new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) has been chosen by easyJet for its first engineering base outside the United Kingdom. It is also the largest operator at the airport.
Electric plane
Rolls-Royce has unveiled its 2021 breakthrough electric revolution ‘The Spirit of Innovation’. It goes back nearly 100 years to the Supermarine S.6N of 1931, and does not look substantially different (but no floats).
IATA at Boston
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced the programme and speakers for the World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which starts next Sunday (3 October), Boston (USA).
Media attendance is very much dependent on approval by individual embassies dealing with a Presidential Proclamation for the event.
Norse Atlantic Airways make more progress
In what must be the first ever collaboration of its type the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) and an aspiring airline, Norse Atlantic Airways, have announced a working partnership destined to bring hundreds of jobs to the UK.
Pegasus expands in the UK
Following the announcement that Turkey moved onto England’s amber list, leading low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines has expanded its schedule services from Manchester and Stansted airports.
Willie Walsh at the Aviation Club *
Guest of Honour at next the Aviation Club of the United Kingdom RAC luncheon is Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA.
ON TOUR: COP 26 - John Bell and Derek Guthrie with a Glasgow preview
With the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) looming up, it officially starts 1 November, BTN previews the host city, but with acknowledgement to the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh.
John Bell, the former BBC Radio transport correspondent leads off, a Londoner, followed by Derek Guthrie, he also once of the ITN and CNN but much into art and born in Scotland’s first city.
Airbus – Wing of Tomorrow
‘Wing of Tomorrow’, a major Airbus research and technology programme, has reached a key milestone with the assembly of its first full-size wing prototype.
EMR Intercity and First Class
East Midlands Railways (EMR) has introduced an improved First Class menu including hot breakfast items.
Oz – New Zealand problems
Travel between Australia and New Zealand remains severely restricted until at least the last part of November.
Parliament's Transport Committee (Part 1) *
The House of Commons, Transport Select Committee, under the chairmanship of Hugh Merriman, came under praise last week from Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, for its efforts in persuading the Government to change the England entry rules.
Parliament's Transport Committee (Part 2)
In what proved to be a very busy week for Grant Shapps, Minster for Transport (not enough HVG drivers is part of his portfolio), his grilling last Wednesday at the Commons Select Committee was eagerly awaited and followed the industry’s appearance the previous day.
Stansted’s new bus service
Megabus has introduced a 24hr coach service between Stratford and Stansted Airport. Prices start at £7 paid in advance.
Travelodge boost
The slow return to domestic travel for both business and family reasons is being supported by Travelodge, the UK’s largest innkeeper, releasing over 80,000 rooms for £29 or less this October half-term. There are currently 578 Travelodge properties in the UK.
West Coast Main Line
Avanti West Coast has kicked-off the UK’s biggest ever train fleet upgrade.