16 MAY 2022
- COMMENT: Disappearing First Class *
- LETTER OF THE WEEK
- Better food on Eurostar
- British Airways management shake-up
- Cathay to restart daily LHR – Hong Kong flights
- City move for Gleneagles
- Enter Air
- Face mask requirement dropped in Europe
- Farnborough Airport and Edmiston co-operate
- Hatfield finale
- Heathrow upbeat
- Luton Airport welcomes Ukrainian refugees
- New Zealand re-opens
- Passport advice update
- Radisson in Istanbul
- Seat reduction on easyJet
- Seville Autograph
- Sri Lanka
- SWISS Air Rail
- Swissport expands Aspire
- Teesside to Heathrow cancelled *
- Zero emissions transatlantic
- ON TOUR: Carnival Pride
- SALON PRIVE QUIZ RESULT
- AND FINALLY: Hotel service
© 2022 Business Travel News Ltd.
COMMENT: Disappearing First Class *
Jeff Mills, BTN’s Editor-at-Large, asks have we seen the last of really civilised business travel?
British Airways management shake-up
A senior management shake-up at British Airways (BA) has been confirmed as it tackles issues ranging from IT failures to staff shortages and flight cancellations.
Cathay to restart daily LHR – Hong Kong flights
Daily flights between London’s Heathrow (LHR) and Hong Kong are to be restarted by Cathay Pacific next month as strict Covid rules start being lifted in the former Crown Colony.
City move for Gleneagles
The first venture of Gleneagles Hotel beyond the Perthshire hills in its almost 100-year history, the Gleneagles Townhouse in Edinburgh, plans to open its doors on Monday 6 June.
Enter Air
It is not a known airline in the UK, but Enter Air has been around since 2010 and is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange since its IPO on 14 December 2015.
Farnborough Airport and Edmiston co-operate
Private jet airport Farnborough and yacht brokerage company Edmiston have announced a collaboration deal to provide a fully immersive experience for passengers travelling through the airport. This follows a similar deal between Edmiston and London Heliport.
Hatfield finale
Perhaps the last link with de Havilland and Hatfield, Falko Regional Aircraft, has been sold to Chorus Aviation Inc, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Heathrow upbeat
For the month of April Heathrow reported 5m passengers travelled through its terminals, with outbound leisure travellers and Brits cashing in airline travel vouchers driving the recovery in passenger demand which is expected to last throughout the summer.
New Zealand re-opens
Very much the leader of her country during the pandemic New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a major package of reforms, which include an early opening of the border and a simplification of immigration settings, to address the immediate skill shortages in New Zealand and speed up the economic recovery from Covid-19.
Radisson in Istanbul
Situated in the heart of the historic part of Istanbul, Radisson has announced the opening of Royan Hotel Hagia Sophia.
Seat reduction on easyJet
EasyJet is reducing the number of seats on its UK A319 aircraft this summer, to allow it to operate the planes with three cabin crew members instead of four. Civil Aviation Authority rules state that airlines must have one cabin crew member for every 50 passengers (or part thereof).
Teesside to Heathrow cancelled *
The cost of operating into Heathrow has been blamed for the termination of the Loganair services to and from Teesside
Better food on Eurostar
A new summer menu for Business Premier passengers has been introduced by Eurostar. The on-board menu, designed by chef Raymond Blanc of Manoir aux Quat'Saisons fame, features dishes inspired by destinations on Eurostar’s network and sets out to champion seasonal, local and responsibly-sourced ingredients.
Face mask requirement dropped in Europe
The requirement to wear face masks in airports and on board European flights has been dropped from today (16 May) following EU authorities’ ruling that the practice is “no longer recommended”.
Luton Airport welcomes Ukrainian refugees
A humanitarian hub has been set up at Luton Airport to provide practical support for air passengers arriving from war-torn Ukraine.
Passport advice update
Travel advice for those visiting European Union countries has been updated by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in a bid to clarify the requirements for passport validity.
Seville Autograph
The former headquarters of the Banco de Andalucía has come to life as Querencia de Sevilla, Autograph Collection.
Sri Lanka
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has upgraded its Sri Lanka travel advisory. Only essential travel to the country is recommended owing to "ongoing political and economic instability".
SWISS Air Rail
Munich for SWISS Air.
SWISS International Air Lines is enhancing its cooperation with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) to serve new destinations.
Swissport expands Aspire
Aspire, Britain’s largest airport lounge operator is going even more global.
Zero emissions transatlantic
A zero emissions transatlantic flight is expected to happen in 2023 according to UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps speaking in the United States last week.