Corporate Travel News - June 2024

 

Airport updates

Edinburgh Airport begins trialling 1-hour free parking for customers using its twilight bag drop

Edinburgh Airport is trialling a new initiative where customers are given free access to the 1-hour parking area the night before their travel to make using the twilight bag drop service easier. The service is currently available to British Airways customers, who can drop their bags between 4 pm-8 pm Monday to Sunday for flights departing before midday the next day.

 

KLM partners with Teesside International Airport to offer premium passengers direct lounge access

KLM SkyPriority customers departing from Teesside International Airport in County Durham can now be escorted by a lounge host directly from the Rockliffe Lounge onto their aircraft. SkyPriority is available to customers flying in business or Premium Comfort Class, economy Flex ticketholders travelling within Europe, Flying Blue Gold, Platinum or Ultimate members, and Skyteam Elite Plus members.

 

Milan Linate introduces new biometric facial recognition system

The new FaceBoarding service allows travellers to progress through the airport and board their flights without showing any documents or boarding passes. Passengers who hold biometric passports or identity cards can register for this service at kiosks in the dedicated area near check-in island 8, and they can choose to register for just one flight or for a year.

 

Manchester Airport’s private terminal is reopening for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic

Manchester Airports Group has announced the reopening of its private terminal, previously named PremiAir. The terminal will reopen on 4th November under the new name ‘aether’, with reservations open from 6 June. The terminal has also partnered with BMW to offer a chauffeur service from the terminal to designated gates.

 

 

Airline updates

Delta rolls out new app features including virtual assistant

The latest set of updates to Delta’s Fly Delta App includes an all-new Help Centre view, always-available access to boarding information and connectivity to our Virtual Assistant. As well as this, customers will soon be able to use their Delta SkyMiles credentials directly from the app to seamlessly connect to onboard Wi-Fi. Read more

 

 

Virgin Atlantic publishes report from 100% SAF flight in November 2023

Virgin flew the first commercial transatlantic flight powered entirely by SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) from London Heathrow to New York JFK last November. Six months later, Virgin’s report reveals that the flight saved 95 tonnes of CO2 compared to a standard Virgin flight along the same route, which amounts to a 64% reduction of emissions. Read more

 

 

Delta to restart daily service between Amsterdam and Tampa this winter

Beginning on 26 October, Delta will restart its daily service linking Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Tampa International Airport. The new service will operate on the Airbus A330-300 aircraft, featuring four product experiences: Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin. Read more

 

 

British Airways announces launch of new Customer Access Advisory Panel to enhance accessibility offering for customers

British Airways’ first meeting of its new Customer Access Advisory Panel has held its first meeting, engaging with members of the disabled community with an aim to improve the end-to-end experience for its customers with accessibility requirements. The airline will meet regularly with the panel to gain feedback and discuss service improvements so that customers with visible and non-visible disabilities can travel in safety, comfort and with dignity. Read more

 

British Airways to resume flights between Heathrow and Jeddah

British Airways will relaunch its service to Jeddah with a four-times-weekly service from 4 November 2024, which will end a five-year hiatus driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. The year-round service will be operated by BA’s Boeing 787 aircraft. Read more

 

 

Emirates plans to refurbish another 43 A380s and 28 Boeing 777 aircraft

Emirates will introduce cutting-edge cabin products on more of their A380s and Boeing 777s, demonstrating their commitment to elevating the customer experience with a best-in-class suite of products across every cabin. So far, Emirates has retrofitted 22 A380 aircraft and the first Boeing 777 will undergo an interior refresh in July. Read more

 

 

British Airways launches first ever flights to Tromsø, Norway this winter

Operating from 1 December 2024, Tromsø joins British Airways’ network as its most northernly destination globally. With Tromsø being one of the best places in the world to see the aurora borealis and its abundance of snow making it a hotspot for skiing, mountaineering and whale watching, the destination can be a wonderful option for once-in-a-lifetime incentive trips. Flights will be operated on Thursdays and Sundays, onboard an A320neo. Read more

 

 

New exclusive Bulgari amenity kits now available for Emirates First and Business Class passengers

Emirates is offering First and Business Class customers a range of exclusive amenity kits throughout the summer season. Customers will enjoy Bulgari fragrances, a keepsake gold-lacquered Bulgari mirror, plenty of self-care travel treats, and new additions of foam ear plugs and soft elastic hair ties. Read more

 

 

Emirates announces Lyon, Bologna, and Edinburgh among first to join its A350 network

Emirates has announced the return of Edinburgh to its network, with daily flights set to begin from 4 November. Lyon and Bologna will also be served by the A350 from 1 December, which featuring 32 seats in business class, 21 in premium economy, and 259 in economy. Read more

 

 

Emirates takes delivery of largest volume of SAF at London Heathrow Airport

Emirates has taken delivery of over 3,000 metric tonnes of neat SAF blended with conventional jet fuel to be supplied into the fuelling infrastructure network of the airport until the end of summer 2024, the largest volume the airline has purchased to date. Read more

 

 

SWISS equips Boeing 777-300ER with new AeroSHARK film to reduce fuel consumption

SWISS has applied AeroSHARK film to its fleet of 12 Boeing 777-300ER long-haul aircraft, which is designed to replicate the hydrodynamic properties of a shark’s skin to reduce air resistance in flight, lowering fuel consumption and in turn, carbon emissions. The transparent film is applied to the aircraft’s fuselage and engine nacelles. Equipping just part of its Boeing 777 fleet with the technology last year lowered SWISS’s kerosene consumption by over 2,200 tonnes, leading to a 7,100-tonne reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Read more

 

Singapore Airlines Group agrees to purchase 1,000 tonnes of SAF (sustainable aviation fuel)

SIA Group has signed an agreement with Neste to purchase 1,000 tonnes of neat Nest MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel, marking an important milestone in the airline group’s journey to have a minimum of 5% sustainable aviation fuel in their total fuel uplift by 2030. Read more

 

 

ITA Airways launches nonstop route between Rome and Toronto

Initially operating six times per week, the frequency will increase to daily from June to September, before reducing down to five flights per week in October. Each flight will be operated by ITA’s A330-900 aircraft, which has 30 fully flat seats in business class, 24 in premium economy and 237 in economy.

 

 

Air France to open new check-in area for La Première customers at Paris CDG in July

Set to open in time for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the new dedicated check-in area will feature a dedicated concierge to attend to luggage, 15 seats and two private lounges, and shower facilities available to inbound passengers. Once departing passengers are checked-in, they’re escorted to a dedicated security checkpoint via a private passageway and then onto the 1,000 square metre La Premiere lounge with a dining and wine menu and a Sisley spa area. The new facilities come ahead of the launch of Air France’s new La Première cabin this winter.

 

ITA Airways to launch nonstop Rome-Riyadh route

ITA Airways will begin operating a nonstop service between Rome Fiumicino and Dubai on 27 October. The route will be operated five times per week onboard a new A321neo aircraft, with 12 fully flat seats in business class, 12 seats in premium economy and 141 in economy (including 12 Comfort Economy seats). Read more

 

 

Hotel updates

Hyatt signs agreement for two new branded hotels in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

Hyatt has entered into management agreements for two new Hyatt-branded hotels, Hyatt House Madina KEC and Hyatt Centric Madinah KEC, which will add a combined total of 573 keys to Hyatt’s KSA portfolio. Both properties will be located within a highly anticipated development, Knowledge Economic City, offering direct connection with Madinah’s five most important roads, including the road linking to Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport. Read more

 

Millennium Hotels and Resorts opens new Millennium Place Doha

Located in the heart of the city with an emphases on sustainability as part of the guest experience, the newly opened Millennium Place Doha houses 150 modern superior and deluxe guest rooms, plus six executive suites, with some rooms featuring private balconies with views of the city. There is also a spa with multiple treatment rooms, indoor swimming pool with jacuzzi and an outdoor rooftop swimming pool.

 

Dalata to open four Maldron hotels across England this summer

Dalata Hotel Group has announced it will open four new properties under its Maldron brand this summer, in Manchester, Liverpool, Brighton and London. The first to open will be the 188-room Maldron Hotel Manchester Cathedral Quarter, located on Chapel Street nearby the Arndale shopping centre. Maldron Hotel Liverpool on Park Lane will follow with 269 rooms available for reservations from 2 July and the Maldron Hotel Brighton is set to open with 221 rooms in late July, close to the beachfront and i360 observation tower. Finally, the Maldron Hotel Shoreditch is taking reservations from 9 August, featuring 157 rooms.

 

Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA set to open first hotel in Jeddah

The five-star 252 key hotel features three food and beverage offerings, a health club, outdoor swimming pools and nine versatile function rooms equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi, sophisticated AV technology and ergonomic furniture. Millennium Jeddah is located a two-minute drive away from Al Hamra Beach and 24 kilometres from King Abdul Aziz International Airport.

 

New Asian restaurant now open within the Copthorne Tara Hotel London Kensington

The menu for the newly opened Bugis Kitchen features a mixture of authentic Singaporean dishes, influenced by Malaysian, Chinese and Thai cuisines and made using locally sourced, fresh ingredients. Dishes include Hainanese Chicken, Singapore Laksa, Sambal Cornish Sea Bass and much more. Read more

 

 

Radisson Hotel Group to debut Radisson Collection in Paris, steps away from the Louvre

Radisson Hotel Group will open its first property under the Radisson Collection brand name. The 57-room hotel will be developed from an existing heritage-protected Haussman building and will feature a seventh-floor restaurant and rooftop bar, which provide an uninterrupted 360-view of all Parisian landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, and Notre Dame. Read more

 

Hilton debuts its DoubleTree brand in Malta, with new upscale hotel for leisure and business

Located a 35 minute drive away from Malta International Airport on St. Paul’s Bay, the new DoubleTree by Hilton Malta features 485 guest rooms, exclusive dining experiences, a spa, multiple swimming pools and meeting spaces. The meeting and events spaces have capacity for up to 800 guests, with over 2,000 square metres of meeting space, a 971 square metre ballroom for larger events, 16 meeting rooms, and an auditorium – all equipped with the latest AV technology. Read more

 

Radisson opens highly anticipated art’otel London Hoxton in Shoreditch

The new art’otel London Hoxton has opened in the heart of bustling Shoreditch, close to Old Street Underground Station, which gives travellers easy access to the City, Liverpool Street Station, the new Elizabeth Line, and all the capital’s major airports. There are 357 guest rooms and suites, an all-day Grand Café, Lounge and Bar with an outdoor terrace, plus an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and gym. Read more

 

Hilton’s European debut of premium economy brand, Spark by Hilton will open in Romford

Scheduled to open in the coming weeks, Spark by Hilton London Romford will feature 125 rooms equipped with practical amenities and streamlined furniture. Based in the heart of Romford town centre adjacent to Romford Station, the hotel gives guests easy access to more than 400 shops, restaurants and cafes, and easy transport links to central London, Stansted Airport and Heathrow Airport via the Elizabeth Line. Read more

 

Hilton announces Conrad Hotels & Resorts debut in Bahrain, opening in the SAYACORP Tower

Just minutes away from key attractions and business venues such as Bahrain Financial Harbour, Bahrain World Trade Centre and The Avenues – Bahrain. Each of the 98 suites are furnished with floor-to-ceiling windows and a dedicated Conrad concierge is assigned to each guest. Guests can also enjoy a rooftop infinity pool with 360-degree views of the city and a 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness centre. Read more

 

 

Hilton announces opening of newest European hotel, Legacy Hotel Cascais, Curio Collection by Hilton

The intimate 59-room hotel is located in the idyllic town of Cascais, within easy reach of Lisbon by car or public transport just 28 kilometres away. Alongside indoor and outdoor pools, the hotel offers a modern fitness centre and tranquil spa equipped with three treatment rooms and a sauna. A great option for incentive trips, the hotel is a short walk away from the old town, long beaches on the Portuguese Riviera, and plenty of must-see attractions. It’s also a hotspot for surfing and sailing, nightlife, and luxury restaurants and bars. Read more

 

Ground updates

LNER shares sneak peek of how Darlington Station will look after £140 million overhaul

The transformation will add two new platforms to the eastern side of the station, a new multi-storey car park for more than 650 cars and a transport interchange and gateway entrance connected to Central Park. Read more