Corporate Travel News - March 2026

Airline updates

Virgin Atlantic adds more summer services between Manchester and Orlando

Virgin Atlantic has announced it will boost its Manchester to Orlando capacity by 12% during the peak summer period with additional flights. By winter, capacity will increase by a further 17% as the service will be upgraded to A250-1000 aircraft. Read more

 

 

Air Canada orders eight Airbus A350-1000 widebody aircraft

The first delivery of the state-of-the-art new aircraft is expected in 2030 and Air Canada has plans to purchase an additional eight. These aircraft will deliver a 25%  reduction in fuel consumption compared to the previous generation and a potential range of approximately 9,000 nautical miles. It’s also designed to be pressurised to just 6,000 feet, reducing stress on the body, jet lag, and improving comfort. Read more

 

Emirates brings upgraded Premium Economy experience to new routes

Emirates’ Premium Economy experience will be retrofitted across additional aircraft, bringing the upgraded experience to the following routes from March: New York JFK, Zurich, Milan, Dublin, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Entebbe, Basra and Mauritius. Read more

 

 

Etihad Airways launches first-ever nonstop flights between UAE and Calgary

The new service linking Abu Dhabi and Calgary will launch on 3 November 2026, operating on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday onboard Etihad’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, featuring the airline’s latest award-winning widebody Business and Economy cabins. Read more

 

 

Air France launches direct flights from Cannes to New York and Los Angeles

Air France will operate special direct flights from Los Angeles to Nice in May, as a long-standing partner of the Cannes Film Festival. Special flights will also operate from New York-JFK in June for the Cannes Lions Festival. Both services will be operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, featuring the new La Premiere cabin. Read more

 

 

Lufthansa City Airlines opens new hub in Frankfurt

Lufthansa City Airlines has officially begun flight operations from the Lufthansa Group’s largest hub at Frankfurt Airport. The flight schedule will offer connections to Manchester, Berlin, Valencia, Dusseldorf, and Malaga, with additional destinations to follow in the summer. Read more

 

 

Singapore Airlines announces new non-stop service linking Singapore and Riyadh

From June 2026, Singapore Airlines will operate four-times weekly non-stop flights between Singapore and Riyadh. The service will operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday onboard the Airbus A350-900 aircraft with 303 seats across Business Class (40 seats) and Economy Class (263 seats). Read more

 

 

Air India will introduce new and retrofitted aircraft on London flights

From 1 July, Air India passengers travelling between Mumbai and London Heathrow will experience all-new cabin interiors. Flights will be operated using a combination of the carrier’s incoming new B787-9 and retrofitted B787-8 aircraft. From 1 August, Bengaluru-London Heathrow flights will operate with retrofitted B878-8 aircraft, introducing Premium Economy on the route. Additionally, flights to Birmingham from Amritsar and Delhi and to London Gatwick from Ahmedabad and Amritsar will be operated with legacy B777-300ER, introducing first class on these routes. Read more

 

Hotel updates

Works begin on Travelodge Watford Riverwell hotel

Travelodge has begun construction on its second hotel in Watford, a 131-room hotel in the heart of Riverwell Square. It will feature a Tesco and Greggs on the bottom floor and dedicated car parking in the adjacent multi-storey car park.

 

 

Hyatt Regency London Olympia accepting bookings from 26 May

The new 196-room property is set to open at the redeveloped Olympia Exhibition and Conference Centre in Kensington, West London. Featured facilities include a dining room, conservatory, garden cafe, lounge cafe, and “grab and go” market. The hotel is directly linked to Olympia’s event spaces and has three of its own meeting rooms.

 

 

70-room Palazzo San Gottardo Lake Como joins Radisson Collection

Set between Piazza Cavour and Pizza Volta, the historic hotel is just steps from Como’s historic city centre. It features 70 refined rooms and suites, three dining concepts, an intimate spa, and exclusive private lake experiences. The hotel dates back to 1926 and has been thoughtfully restored to preserve the original facades, rounded corner volumes, stone cornices and geometric motifs. Read more

 

Radisson Individuals debuts in Spain

Wellness-focused hotels Blau Gran Hotel Las Caldas, a member of Radisson Individuals and Blau Hotel Las Caldas, a member of Radisson Individuals have joined the brand portfolio. The two properties offer 156 rooms and suites, large gardens, spa facilities and flexible event spaces. Read more

 

 

Ground updates

LNER previews upcoming East Coast Main Line train fleet, ‘Serenza’

LNER has released details of the 10 state-of-the-art intercity trains planned for the East Cost Main Line. The new Class 897 train fleet will be the UK’s first tri-mode long-distance trains. Each 10-carriage train will have a total of 569 seats, improved seating comfort, new digital screens, redesigned bike storage areas, and five water bottle refill stations throughout. Read more