News Archive

25th Aug - ACCOR HOTELS PLAN EXPANSION

The world’s fourth-largest hotel group, Accor, plans to almost double the number of hotels in its global portfolio to 7,000 in the next seven years. The €1.4bn expansion will see a new hotel opening every week in Asia, and the targeting of high-growth emerging markets, particularly in Brazil and India. Chairman and CEO Gilles Pélisson ruled out a blanket expansion across all emerging markets, with the group exercising particular caution in China, where with 96 hotels already, there was a danger of oversupply.

24th Aug - BANGKOK RAIL LINK OPENS

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport rail link has finally opened after numerous setbacks and delays. The new link provides both a 15-minute Express and a 30-minute "City Line" Service between Suvarnabhumi Airport and the City Air Terminal (CAT) in Makkasan. A baggage check-in service will be available at the CAT from 2011, with the link able to handle up to 50,000 passengers a day.

23rd Aug - DELTA UPS LHR SERVICES

Delta Airlines has announced that it will be increasing its capacity at Heathrow by adding a second Atlanta to Heathrow on four days a week, and with Detroit - Heathrow on an additional three. The new services are due to operate from November 1st, the Atlanta flights departing on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and the Detroit flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

20th Aug - MANCHESTER CERTIFIED A380 READY

The CAA this week certified Manchester Airport 'A380 ready', making it one of just 17 airports worldwide that can receive the world's largest passenger jet. It has cost the airport some £10 million in upgrades to achieve the certification, including a new state-of-the-art stand. Come September 1st, when Emirates will operate the aircraft to Manchester, it will become the first regional airport to be served by the A380. As part of the expansion of its fleet, Emirates also plans to start running the A380 from Dubai to Hong Kong via Bangkok, with services commencing October 1st.

19th Aug - BAA STRIKE DEAL REVEALED

BAA’s offer to avoid crippling strikes comprised an unconditional 2% pay increase and a £500 minimum profit-related bonus for 2010. The rise will be backdated to January 1st, while the bonus could rise to as much as £900, if performance targets are met. BAA, which operates Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow, Southampton, and Stansted airports, said the Unite union had agreed to recommend the new offer to its members, following Monday’s talks at conciliation service ACAS.

18th Aug - KISS FLIGHTS CEASE TRADING

Flight Options, parent company to Kiss Flights has ceased trading. According to CAA estimates, around 13,000 people are currently abroad and a further 60,000 people have future bookings. The London-based outfit, who specialised in sports tours and dynamic packaging, issued the following statement, going on to cite numerous factors contributing to their downfall: "In 2010, the companies suffered major setbacks due to very difficult and challenging conditions in the UK travel market resulting in poor yields and poor demand."

17th Aug - BAA STRIKE THREAT AVERTED

The threat of a strike this month by staff at the six UK airports owned by BAA has been lifted after a new pay deal was offered. The Unite union and BAA agreed a "basis for settlement" following talks on Monday. The strike threatened Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow Heathrow, Southampton and Stansted after fire-fighters and other ground staff rejected a 1.5% pay deal. The agreement to call off the threat of industrial action came after nine hours of talks; however no details of the new settlement were released.

16th Aug - ACAS HOPE FOR STRIKE RESOLUTION

Talks between BAA and the Unite union are due to begin later today in an attempt to avert a strike that could close six UK airports later this month. The talks are being held by the conciliation service ACAS and are set to address the concerns of airport staff who voted to strike over a 1.5% pay offer. If the security staff, engineers, and fire-fighters go ahead with the strike then it could close Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports, BAA has warned.

13th Aug - STRIKE ACTION THREATENS UK AIRPORTS

Airports in the UK could be crippled over the August Bank Holiday weekend after Unite members voted three to one in favour of strikes following what the union described as a 'derisory' one per cent pay offer. BAA said any action by engineers, fire-fighters, security guards and other key workers will force a total shutdown of its UK airports. In a statement, BAA said: "We regret the uncertainty this vote has already caused our passengers and airline customers. We hope that the union will engage with us quickly to conclude an agreement. Fewer than half of those people eligible to vote have done so and we do not believe this result provides a clear mandate for strike action."

12th Aug - SPANISH ATC DELAY STRIKE ACTION

Spanish air traffic controllers have decided to delay any strike action this August in the wake of latent public hostility towards the move. The controllers, who voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over changes to pay and conditions last week, were due to start their industrial action at the height of the holiday season. The planned disruption has proven very unpopular in Spain where controllers can earn in excess of €350000 from the public purse, despite national austerity measures aimed at controlling a spiralling budget deficit.

11th Aug - CATHAY EXPANDS FLEET AS PROFITS RISE

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways has announced it is to buy 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft and exercise existing purchase rights for a further six Boeing 777-300ERs in a move valued at £6bn at list prices. The 30 A350-900s, to be delivered between 2016 and 2019, will be used both to replace older aircraft and accommodate the airline’s future growth. News of the planned growth comes as the Cathay Pacific Group announced a rise in net profit to HK$6.84bn (£552m) for the first six months of 2010, up from HK$812m a year ago.

10th Aug - MOSCOW WEATHER DISRUPTION CONTINUES

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is advising air travellers to consult their air line before travelling to Moscow, for the latest information on any disruption to flights. The disruption to and from Moscow airports in recent days is due to poor visibility from the wildfires still raging around the Russian capital. Anyone flying into or out of Moscow should check with their airline before departing for the airport as the situation may continue for some time. International travellers transiting through Moscow should be aware that British Nationals require a visa to enter the Russian Federation, and are advised to consult their airlines prior to travel on what arrangements they will make if disruption to flights occurs one they have arrived for transit.

9th Aug - US TO CHARGE FOR ESTA

The US immigration authority has announced that from next month, European travellers to the US will have to pay for electronic visas. The Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), have been compulsory for European tourists since January 2009. Currently free, from September 8th the US will start charging $14 for the ESTA, in a move that has been criticised by the European Union. As the ESTA lasts for two years, (or until the applicant's passport expires) people planning a trip to the US are being urged to apply now, before the new charge comes into force.

6th Aug - LAST SRI LANKA FCO WARNING LIFTED

The last remaining travel restrictions on Sri Lanka have been lifted by the UK government, a year after the end of the country’s civil war. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) no longer advises against travel to the four northern districts of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, and Vavuniya though Sri Lankan government permission is still required. A spokesman for the Sri Lankan Government said: "This decision marks yet another indication of the return to a state of peace in Sri Lanka following the end of our 30 year war against terrorism.

5th Aug - SPANISH ATC STRIKE CONFIRMED

Spanish Air Traffic Controllers have voted to strike over changes to pay and working conditions proposed by the Spanish government, with action potentially starting from the 18th August. The reforms are part of an austerity budget aimed at lowering a public finance deficit, which at 11.2% is the 3rd highest in Europe. Currently paid at €350,000, the change would lower the average salary by 40% to €200,000, a sum that is still looked on by many in Spain as extraordinary. There was recent outrage when it was discovered that, after overtime, some Spanish controllers were earning in excess of €800,000 per year from the public purse.

4th Aug - SPANISH ATC STRIKE THREAT

Spanish air traffic controllers are threatening strike action in mid August which could see hundreds of thousands of UK passengers affected. If confirmed, it is expected to begin on August 18, though exact details of dates & duration are not confirmed. With more than 2,000 controllers involved, the Spanish government has said in the event of action it will seek to provide 'minimum services'. The dispute centres around changes to working conditions and pay.

3rd Aug - BA AND UNITE FAIL TO AGREE AGAIN

Talks aimed at resolving the ongoing industrial row between the Unite trade union and British Airways have ended without agreement. Talks held on Monday broke down at a meeting held at the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) as the two sides continued to negotiate towards a compromise over pay and conditions at the airline. Hopes of a possible resolution were raised by a further meeting being scheduled for next week.

2nd Aug - BRITISH AIRWAYS REVEALS £164m LOSS

British Airways says it is still on track to break even at the end of this financial year despite a pre-tax loss of £164 million for Q1. The loss was £16m higher than for the same quarter in 2009, though the airline's operating loss was down to £72m, a drop of £22m from last year. Chief executive Willie Walsh said "Despite both revenues and cost being hit by the closure of UK airspace following the Icelandic volcanic eruption and the impact of industrial action, our financial performance improved during the quarter from underlying revenue increases and further cost reductions."

30th July - AA COMPLETES NEW LOUNGE

American Airlines have completed the extensive renovations of the Admirals Club lounge at in Boston's Logan International Airport .The new club's upgraded facilities and refurbished décor make the lounge a cutting edge sanctuary, set apart from the busy airport terminal. Set in Terminal B near Gate 36, the 10,000-square-foot space boasts an enhanced floor plan designed to create a spacious, open atmosphere, and offers seating for 214 guests.

29th July - COALITION MULLS PASSENGER LEVY

The new government is planning to revisit the idea of an additional passenger levy to cover the cost of repatriating stranded passengers when airlines go bust. The potential levy, which has been condemned by British Airways, could add £1 to the cost of every ticket purchased in the UK. The original plans were scrapped by the previous administration, but have been revived after pressure from leading airlines.

28th July - EU OK'S UNITED AND CONTINENTAL MOVE

The European Commission has granted unconditional clearance to the planned merger between United Airlines and Continental Airlines. The Commission said the merger will not give rise to competition concerns on any specific route. The airlines still need approval from the US authorities but believe they are on track to complete the merger by the end of this year.

27th July - AIR BERLIN TO JOIN ONEWORLD

European budget carrier Air Berlin is set to join airline marketing alliance OneWorld. Sponsored by OneWorld founding member British Airways, Air Berlin is also due to "develop co-operative agreements with group members American Airlines and Finnair" a OneWorld spokesperson said. After Lufthansa which is a founder member of the rival Star Alliance, Air Berlin is Germany's second largest airline. With a European, transatlantic and Middle East network, Air Berlin carried some 28 million passengers in the past year.

26th July - BAA STRIKE THREAT LOOMS

Millions of airline passengers face the threat of severe disruption after the Unite trade union launched a strike ballot at BAA. The owner of the UK's largest airports including Heathrow, Stansted, Edinburgh and Glasgow is embroiled in a pay dispute with Unite which represents nearly two-thirds of BAA's workforce, some 6000 members. The strike poll closes on August 12th and means that the earliest Unite could order strike action for would be the 19th if members backed a walkout, making the August bank holiday weekend a potential candidate for industrial action.

23rd July - EUROSTAR UPS PARIS CAPACITY

Eurostar has added an extra 20 trains during August to meet higher demand for seats to Paris. The new services will run at weekends, at an additional 4 trains per day and tickets for these trains - 15,000 seats in total - were all priced at £69 return. Eurostar confirmed the rise in demand was partly due to the volcanic ash crisis, but claimed also that it reflected a general trend within the market and a strengthening of both business and leisure travel.

22nd July - MORE 777s FOR QATAR

Qatar Airways has ordered two more Boeing 777-200 long range aircraft as part of the continued expansion of its fleet in an order valued at US$501m. The Middle Eastern airline also brought forward the delivery of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with the first now scheduled to arrive from September 2011. All told, the airline is to have five 787 aircraft in service by the end of the first quarter of 2012.

21st July - BA'S NEW GOTHENBURG SERVICE GOES ON SALE

British Airways flights to Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city, are now on sale. The twice daily service from Heathrow Terminal 5 will commence operations on November 28 2010 with flights priced from £55.50 one-way. Richard Tams, British Airways' head of UK & Ireland sales, said: "Gothenburg boasts Michelin star restaurants, culture and Liseberg, the biggest amusement park in Scandinavia. The schedule is perfect for day trips from the UK and timely connections onto our worldwide network".

20th July - ETIHAD ADDS NEW ROUTE

Etihad Airways has announced it will add a 65th destination to its network in the form of a new route to Seoul. This latest addition to the airline's services will begin on December 12, with the Middle East carrier running a daily return service to the South Korean capital’s Incheon Airport using A330-200s in a three cabin configuration. Etihad’s CEO James Hogan said the new route was now viable as Korean business has been growing significantly in the UAE.

17th July - PUNCTUALITY NOT SO EASY

EasyJet's punctuality figures have slipped dramatically, with fewer than 50% of its flights from Gatwick departing on time last month, a figure worse than Air Zimbabwe. It is said that airport operator BAA has raised the matter with easyJet, with the airline blaming air-traffic control strikes on the Continent.

16th July - LOTUS BUSINESS TRAVEL JOINS THE PA CLUB

Lotus Business Travel is proud to say that we have joined The PA Club, a members club for high-flying Personal Assistants. The PA Club has 2,500 senior PAs and over 100 Corporate Members and membership is ONLY by invitation or recommendation from another member. PAs are accepted based on their seniority and spending power and all PAs in the club have to work for a CEO, Director, Partner or Chairman. We greatly look forward to building lasting relationships within the club and we'll see you at a networking event very soon!

15th July - IBERIA & BRITISH AIRWAYS MERGER APPROVED

The European Union has given British Airways and Iberia the all clear to merge in a move expected by the end of 2010. The two airlines have also been given final regulatory approval along with American Airlines by the European Commission on a joint business agreement on transatlantic flights. Now that the agreement has been rubber stamped by the EU, the three airlines can expect a final decision on anti-trust immunity from the US Department of Transportation. British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said: "We await the DOT’s final decision but welcome this important and vital step forward."

14th July - DREAMLINER BECOMES REALITY

The long-awaited and much delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliner will make finally its UK debut at the Farnborough Airshow this weekend. Informally named "the limousine of the skies", the highly fuel-efficient plane will offer passengers more space with wider seats & aisles and a smoother and quieter flight. The jet also features bigger windows than previous aircraft and an LED lighting system which mimics sunrise and sunset to help passengers avoid jetlag and acclimatise to new time zones.

13th July - 777-300ER FIRST FOR BA

British Airways has become the first UK airline to receive the new Boeing 777-300ER. The 297-seat aircraft offers four classes: First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller. BA is to receive a further two aircraft by 2011 and an additional three by early 2012, bringing the total compliment up to 6.

12th July - EASYJET ADDS THREE NEW ROUTES

Budget carrier Easyjet plans to launch three new routes from Manchester. The new services to Amsterdam will start from November 1st, with Hamburg following on November 26th and Gothenburg on December 10th. With further new routes also being looked at, there may yet be more additions to the 22 routes currently operated from Manchester by the low-cost carrier.

9th July - NO INVASION OF BODY SCANNERS IN DUBAI

Dubai has announced that it will not introduce full-body scanners as part of their security programme at airports. The decision comes after the devices were said not to correspond with national customs and ethics. Brig Ahmed bin Thani, the Dubai Police's director of airport security said "I do not feel that it is necessary for us to implement such a technology while we are operating different methods and have different avenues that have worked so far. The use of such a device violates personal privacy and it raises a very sensitive issue for passengers, in addition to the fact that it does not complement our national ethics."

8th July - NEW FRANKFURT ROUTE FOR FLYBE

Flybe has announced it is to add a route to Frankfurt from Glasgow, via Southampton. With up to 12 flights a week, the service will operate year round and will complement existing Frankfurt flights to and from Birmingham, Manchester and Southampton. Flights will operate on four to six days a week with an overall travel time of 3hr 45 min.

7th July - ALITALIA JOINS AIR FRANCE-KLM & DELTA

Alitalia is the latest airline to join a transatlantic revenue and cost-sharing Joint Venture first launched back in April 2009 by Air France-KLM and Delta. The scheme now accounts for some 26% of total transatlantic capacity, with annual revenues estimated at more than $10bn. All told, the four airlines service approximately 250 flights with 55,000 transatlantic seats a day, now including 20 daily Alitalia services to five US destinations from Italy.

6th July - EMIRATES INCREASES CAPACITY AT BIRMINGHAM

Emirates is increasing its capacity from Birmingham to Dubai. The Middle East carrier is introducing a second Boeing 777-300ER so that now both timings operate the larger aircraft. The higher number of seats on the aircraft means an increase in passenger capacity of 22% - offering 78 more seats per day than currently available. Emirates area manager UK North, Laurie Berryman, said: "The introduction of this larger aircraft, along with the opening of our new dedicated lounge facility, reaffirms our commitment to further developing our operation from Birmingham."

5th July - NEW GATWICK TERMIAL SHUTTLE OPENS

A new shuttle link between Gatwick's North and South terminals opened on July 1st, the latest part of a £1billion investment by new owners Global Infrastructure Partners.

The link cost £43m and boasts new shuttle cars and better accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility. Both the track and the terminal stations have also been upgraded as part of the programme. The link was opened two months ahead of schedule, by NASA astronaut James von Hoften, who is a member of the Gatwick Board.

Mr von Hoften said "The new facilities are excellent but it's one small step in our plan to make Gatwick a great airport that passengers love to use."