Business Traveller magazine: 2008 stories

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All January stories can be accessed from this web page

New Year roundup
Maxjet files for bankruptcy; Air France buys VLM; baggage restrictions to remain at Gatwick?

Just landed
Businesstraveller.com compiles this week's stories from the lighter side of business travel

 

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10 January 2008 stories

All January stories can be accessed from this web page

BA announces start date of Open Skies transatlantic venture
British Airways will become the first UK scheduled airline to fly non-stop from mainland Europe to the US in June this year

Malaysia Airlines to serve Gatwick
It will soon be possible to fly from London Gatwick to Kuala Lumpur and beyond with Malaysia Airlines

Qatar to add more flights to Europe
Doha-based Qatar Airways is set to increase its presence in the UK and mainland Europe this summer

Airmiles revamps loyalty scheme
Airmiles has made significant changes to its airline loyalty scheme, including introducing redemption values which include airport taxes and charges

Just landed
Businesstraveller.com compiles this week's stories from the lighter side of business travel

SIA to boost Sydney route
Fans of SIA will soon find it easier to secure a seat between Singapore and Sydney, a sector where flights run full as a matter of routine

Business class round-up
Eos helicopter transfers; Silverjet and L'Avion seat sales; BA woos Maxjet

Air China to move into Beijing's T3
Air China is to start operating from the huge new Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital airport from March 2008

Book now for the Business Travel Show
The Business Travel Show, now in its 14th year, will take place at London's Earls Court Two from February 5-7, 2008

 

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17 January 2008 stories

All January stories can be accessed from this web page

Green news
BA relaunches offsetting scheme; Virgin to fly biofuel plane; Fairmont partners with WWF

Flybe and Easyjet launch loyalty credit cards
Budget carriers Flybe and Easyjet have both launched credit cards offering free flights

BA Great Escape
British Airways has launched its annual miles accumulator promotion, with up to 150,000 bonus miles on offer for regular flyers

Oneworld's Explorer to cut flight sectors
The arrival of e-ticketing means that possible flight sectors offered by the Explorer round-the-world ticket will be cut from 20 to 16

Fewer tube trains to Heathrow T4
The number of Piccadilly line trains serving Heathrow Terminal 4 has been cut by 50 per cent, so allow more time for your journey

Trainline introduces booking fees
Online rail agent The Trainline has quietly brought in booking fees, meaning passengers might find it cheaper to book their tickets direct with the train companies

Lufthansa improves LCY-Frankfurt flights
Lufthansa is busy changing flight timings on the London City to Frankfurt route

Singapore opens new lounges at Changi
Singapore Airlines premium customers can now experience two new lounges at Changi airport's recently opened Terminal 3

Heathrow to launch pod transportation
In a world first, Heathrow airport is to launch a new form of public transport with 18 low-energy vehicles which will link the new Terminal 5 to the business car park

Smart traveller: budget hotel airport openings
It looks like being a busy year for the airport budget hotel sector, with several brands opening properties at major UK hubs in early 2008

 

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24 January 2008 stories

All January stories can be accessed from this web page

Will SIA operate all-business class Singapore-USA?
High oil prices could spell an end to economy class seating on SIA’s non-stop flights linking Singapore with Los Angeles and New York Newark

Starwood announces Westin Birmingham
Starwood Hotels and Resorts is to open its second Westin property in the UK in 2010

Ryanair baggage and check-in charges rise again
"Low-cost" carrier Ryanair has increased charges for checking in at the airport and putting baggage in the hold

Just landed
Businesstraveller.com compiles this week's stories from the lighter side of business travel

Dubai-New York could be Emirates' first A380 route
Emirates will operate the A380 on its daily non-stop route to New York from October 1

Mövenpick to launch in Vietnam
Swiss hotel group Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts is to open city-centre hotels in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh later this year

Global Hotel Alliance gains two more members
The Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) has two new members, expanding its network to nine major hotel groups

El Al offers to check in bags "at home"
Passengers flying with El Al from Israel can now avoid lengthy security delays by checking in their bags a day ahead of flying - from their hotel room

Oasis tweaks business class offering
Low-cost carrier Oasis has made some enhancements to its long-haul business class service, including a "restaurant-quality" meal service

 

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31 January stories

All January stories can be accessed from this web page

SIA announces A380 UK debut
Singapore Airlines has revealed that March 18 will be the launch date for its A380 flights to London

Green news
T5’s green credentials; Air France announces environmental pledge; Hertz teams up with HSBC for green giveaway

Just landed
Businesstraveller.com compiles this week's stories from the lighter side of business travel

Thistle announces revamp
Thistle Hotels will invest more than £100 million this year on rebranding 25 of its 32 UK hotels by May

Hilton plans T5 property
Hilton is to join the growing number of hotel groups locating in or around Heathrow's T5

AA launches mobile internet site, in-flight wifi to follow
American Airlines has announced two innovations for 2008 - a mobile version of its website, and the forthcoming launch of broadband internet in-flight

Loyalty update
Hilton removes black-out restrictions; Jet adds real-time online redemptions; Aer Arann launches Silver Club

Premier Inn to open second hotel in Reading
Britain's largest hotel group is to open a new hotel in the centre of Reading this April

Flight numbers
Businesstraveller.com brings you the news which counts. This week: Park Plaza, Oneworld, Swiss Airlines, Brisbane airport, Millennium Hotels, Virgin Galactic, lost luggage and the Waldorf Hilton

Qatar launches two-for-one promotion
Doha-based airline Qatar Airways is offering free companion tickets on selected routes from Gatwick for bookings made before February 15, 2008

 

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8 February 2008 stories

All February stories can be accessed from this web page

Business Traveller Cellars in the Sky Awards
Business Traveller reveals the results of the annual Cellars in the Sky Awards, celebrating the best airline wines served on long-haul flights in business class and first class

Emirates A380 to serve Oz and NZ from next year
Emirates is expected to offer A380 flights to Australia and New Zealand from February 2009

Tiara to open Palm Jumeirah property
As reported in the February issue of Business Traveller, the five-star deluxe Tiara Hotels and Resorts is debuting this year on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai

Air France cuts LHR-LAX business class fares
The US Open Skies agreement may still be a number of weeks away but Los Angeles-bound passengers are already reaping the benefits

Hilton to launch Doubletree in UK
Hilton is stepping up plans to double its portfolio of hotels in the UK and Ireland over the next five years, with the announcement of the first Doubletree by Hilton property in the UK

Varig to drop London, Frankfurt and Rome
Brazilian carrier Varig has decided to cut the number of European destinations from five to two

Park Plaza opens County Hall property
Park Plaza Hotels has opened its largest hotel to date - the Park Plaza County Hall on London's South Bank

China to open nearly 100 new airports
For those concerned about the environmental implications of a third runway at Heathrow, consider this - China has plans to open 97 new airports by 2020

BA to launch New York flights from LCY
British Airways will be the first carrier to offer transatlantic routes from London City airport, when it launches flights to New York from next year

 

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14 February 2008 stories

All February stories can be accessed from this web site

Web exclusive: Jet Airways expands eastwards
Business Traveller's consumer editor Alex McWhirter talks to Jet Airways about its expansion plans

Train firms to adopt Smart ticketing
Smartcard rail ticketing will arrive in the UK in 2009. Leading train firms are set to adopt this paperless technology over the coming years, but online agent The Trainline will be first off the mark

Eos announces London-Dubai service
Eos has announced the launch of daily flights from London to Dubai, and a new service from Stansted to New York Newark

Delta to introduce three new business classes
Most carriers offer one type of long-haul business class seat. Some offer two. But Delta is to configure its planes with no fewer than three versions

Just landed - Valentine's Day special
Businesstraveller.com compiles the romantic travel stories of the week

Air France and KLM install denser B777 economy seating
Air France and Dutch carrier KLM have both upped the number of economy class seats on their new B777-300ERs to ten across

Sheraton to go smoke-free
Starwood's Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton brands are to go smoke-free across the US, Caribbean and Canada

Dot2Dot adds Canary Wharf transfers
Airport transfer service Dot2Dot has expanded to include transfers between Heathrow and London's Canary Wharf

Three-day shutdown for ryanair.com
Ryanair's website reservations system will be unavailable for just over three days later this month

Rocco announces Abu Dhabi hotel
The Rocco Forte Collection has announced its first property in the Middle East, due to open in 2010

One Alfred Place opens
A new private members club has opened in London, designed specifically for business use

 

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22 February 2008 stories

All February stories can be accessed from this web page

T5 countdown: The premium passenger
As preparations for the opening of Terminal 5 enter the final stages, Business Traveller takes a look around the facilities on offer for business and first class passengers

Continental Open Skies Expansion
Business Traveller's editor-in-chief Tom Otley talks to Continental Airlines about its forthcoming Heathrow launch

BA and Virgin launch refund website
Dig out your old boarding passes - BA and Virgin passengers can now register for a refund of illegal fuel surcharges made by the airlines

Park Plaza to introduce HD IPTV's
Flatscreen TVs have become the norm in many hotel chains, but Park Plaza is to go one step further, by installing high-definition internet television systems in its guest rooms

KD Avia goes daily from Gatwick
KD Avia will start a daily service from Gatwick to its Kaliningrad hub this summer, increasing the options for UK travellers to secondary cities in Russia

 

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28 February 2008 stories

All February stories can be accessed from this web page

T5 countdown: The on-airport hotel
With T5 just weeks from opening, Business Traveller takes a look at the forthcoming Sofitel London Heathrow

Just landed
Businesstraveller.com compiles this week's stories from the lighter side of business travel

Bmibaby adds three new routes from Manchester
Low-cost carrier Bmibaby has announced three new routes from Manchester to Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona

Flight numbers
Businesstraveller.com brings you the news that counts. This week: Qantas, Gatwick airport, Finnair, Heathrow T5, smoke-free hotels, Rezidor, London cabs and Korean Air

Mercure adds Edinburgh hotel
Hotel group Accor has added a Mercure property to its portfolio of Edinburgh hotels

Car rental round-up
Europcar adds CO2 data; Avis extends “three-minute promise”; Budget adds 80 German locations

 

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6 March 2008 stories

All March stories can be accessed from this web page

SIA to operate all-business class US flights from May
Singapore Airlines has now confirmed it will operate its non-stop transpacific flights in an all-business class layout starting this May

American postpones second Stansted-JFK flight
American Airlines had planned to double flight frequency on its recently launched London Stansted to New York JFK service from April 8, but this second daily service has now been postponed until August 1

Qatar to fly Doha-Houston non-stop
Connections between the Gulf and the US will get even better from November 10 when Qatar Airways launches non-stop flights to Houston, Texas

Emirates will fly to Guangzhou from July 1
Europeans visiting the bustling southern Chinese city of Guangzhou (Canton) will have another flight option from this summer

Green News
KLM introduces carbon offsetting; Chateau Mcely awarded EU eco certificate; Mercure goes carbon neutral in Oz; SAS targets 20 per cent emissions reduction

Eos revamps loyalty scheme
Eos Airlines has made a number of changes to its Club 48 loyalty scheme including tiered membership levels and points for all classes of travel

New rail link planned for Heathrow T5
By 2014 passengers living in wide areas to the south and west of London should have easier rail access to Heathrow

Virgin unveils new Boston Clubhouse
Virgin Atlantic has opened a new £1 million Clubhouse at Boston’s Logan International airport, with room for up to 75 passengers

 

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13 March 2008 stories

All March stories can be accessed from this web page

Breaking news: Emirates to make LAX its third US gateway
Emirates will become the first airline to serve Los Angeles non-stop from the Middle Eastern or Gulf region when it launches daily flights from Dubai this September

Exclusive: Kingfisher to serve Heathrow this summer
Indian airline Kingfisher is hardly known outside its own country, but this is set to change later this year when the carrier spreads its wings overseas

Kempinski leaves London
Luxury European hotelier Kempinski Hotels and Resorts is debranding its two London properties at the end of this year

SIA to make Tokyo its third A380 destination
Fans of Singapore Airlines will soon be able to sample the A380 within Asia, when the carrier begins flights to Tokyo in May

Emirates publishes timings and seat plans for A380 flights to Oz/NZ
As exclusively predicted by Business Traveller, Emirates has confirmed it will roster its A380 superjumbos to operate daily flights linking Dubai with both Sydney and Auckland

Hilton: The way forward
Business Traveller speaks to Hilton about its expansion plans in the UK, and gets a sneak preview of the forthcoming Garden Inn and Hampton brands

Easyjet launches frequent flyer card
Budget carrier Easyjet has launched a frequent flyer card designed for frequent passengers looking to benefit from priority check-in and boarding facilities

Update: Tiara Palm
Tiara Hotels and Resorts has released new details of its first resort on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai

Singapore plans fourth Changi terminal
Not content with its existing three terminals (the last one opened only two months ago), Changi airport will be adding a fourth

Lufthansa introduces PAs for premium customers
German carrier Lufthansa is now offering a personal assistant service to first class passengers and HON Circle members using Heathrow and London City airports

Air France improves LCY-Switzerland schedules
Air France is rescheduling certain flights from London City, which should provide more convenient timings for business travellers

 

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20 March 2008 stories

All March stories can be accessed from this web page

Jet Airways to fly Mumbai to Hong Kong
Jet Airways will launch daily non-stop flights to Hong Kong starting April 14

A380 flight arrives in London
The first A380 passenger flight between Singapore and London arrived into Heathrow this week, and Business Traveller was on board

Flight numbers
Businesstraveller.com brings you the news which counts. This week: Air New Zealand, Easyjet, Southampton airport, Qantas, Etihad, all-business class flights, Changi, Singapore Airlines and the A380

Low-cost round-up
Emirates to "assist" Dubai's new low-cost airline; Ryanair goes domestic in France and Germany; Premier Inn opens third Bournemouth property

Park Plaza announces Marrakech Art Hotel
Park Plaza Hotels is to open an Art Hotel-branded property in the Moroccan city of Marrakech in 2009

Bmibaby adds Cardiff-Barcelona route
Bmibaby will become the first carrier to offer flights from Cardiff to Barcelona, when it starts a twice-weekly service in May

Lounge check: Swiss First Lounge, Zurich
Business Traveller takes a look around the new Swiss first class lounge at Zurich airport

 

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27 March 2008 stories

All March stories can be accessed from this web page

Terminal 5 opens
BAA's £4.3 billion Heathrow T5 officially opened for business today, over 15 years after formal planning applications were first submitted

Turboprop beats jet for VLM
Belgian carrier VLM has withdrawn its BAe146 jet aircraft from service, reverting to plying the LCY-Rotterdam route with its familar F50 turboprops

US carriers cut baggage allowance for domestic passengers
From May 5 both United and US Airways will begin charging some economy class domestic passengers when they check in more than one piece of baggage

Gatwick to lift "one-bag" rule
Gatwick airport is finally lifting restrictions limiting passengers to one piece of hand luggage, nearly three months after the limit was removed at other BAA airports

Jet confirms Mumbai-Shanghai-San Francisco schedules
After months of negotiations with the Chinese authorities Jet Airways is gearing up to launch its first transpacific service on May 5

Radisson SAS extends free internet access
Hotel brand Radisson SAS has extended its free internet access offering to non-residents visiting its properties for meetings

Sri Lankan Airlines launches FFP
Sri Lanka’s national carrier has announced the launch of its own frequent flyer programme, Smiles, which will start from April 1

Dot2Dot launches T5 service
Airport transfer firm Dot2Dot has announced a Terminal 5 door-to-door service

Just landed
Businesstraveller.com brings you stories from the lighter side of business travel. This week: Ritz-Carlton, Etihad Airways, Mandarin Oriental, Eos and British Airways

First mobile phone calls allowed on Emirates
The first authorised in-flight mobile phone calls were made today on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Casablanca

 

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4 April 2008 stories

All April stories can be accessed from this web page

Turkish joins Star Alliance
Turkish Airlines has become the 20th member of Star Alliance, in the same year as it celebrates its 75th anniversary

Wonderful, Spectacular and Fabulous
And that's just the room types. Businesstraveller.com takes a look around the brand new W Istanbul, the first European property from the trendy Starwood brand

United's B777 schedules now returning to normal
United's B777-operated flights departing the UK are now operating normally, following safety checks which grounded the 52-strong fleet yesterday

Just landed
Businesstraveller.com compiles stories from the lighter side of business travel. This week: Easyjet, Swissotel, Hesperia Hotels, Garde Robe and Robert de Niro

Austrian celebrates 50th anniversary
Business Traveller looks at the future of Austrian Airlines, 50 years after its first commercial scheduled flight took off from Vienna bound for London

Flight numbers
Businesstraveller.com brings you the news that counts. This week: Sheraton, New York, Singapore, VLM, Finnair, Oman Air, Summit Hotels, Bmi and Easyjet

 

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17 April 2008 stories

All April stories can be accessed from this web page

Qatar to go horizontal in business
Qatar Airways is to fit fully-flat beds into business class cabins, scrap first class lounges on its aircraft, and expand its Premium Terminal in Doha - before knocking it down in 2011

Hyatt announces second Istanbul property and launches community website
Hyatt Hotels and Resorts is the latest group to announce a hotel opening in Istanbul, with a 90-room Park Hyatt property slated for this summer

New tax to push up cost of Dutch flights
Flights from the Netherlands will become more expensive from July 1 when an "environmental" tax comes into effect

Gulf Air to get revamp
Bahrain-based airline Gulf Air is to undergo a major revamp, with aircraft interiors, livery, uniforms and lounges all due to be redesigned

Five Seasons in four months
Four Seasons is to open five new hotels in the next four months, with properties in Mumbai, Istanbul, Mauritius, Bora Bora and Florence

Varig retreats from Europe
Brazilian airline Varig will drop its last two remaining European destinations in the coming months

PAL launches low-cost carrier
Philippine Airlines has launched PAL Express, a low-cost subsidiary using turbo-propeller aircraft

Second Park Inn for Manchester
Rezidor's Park Inn brand has announced a second hotel in Manchester, due to open in 2010

Maxjet relaunches
But fans of the airline shouldn’t get too excited - the defunct airline has been given a new lease of life as a US charter carrier

Aegean UK expansion
On May 15 Stansted will gain its first direct flights to Athens, when Aegean Airlines debuts in the UK with a twice-daily service to the Greek capital

Swissotel opens in Shanghai
Swissotel Hotels and Resorts has opened its third property in China, the Swissotel Grand Shanghai

BA to delay long-haul move to T5
British Airways has confirmed it is delaying the move of its long-haul services to T5 until June

 

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25 April 2008 stories

All April stories can be accessed from this web page

Winners and losers in British Airways New York shake-up
BA passengers will gain a “new” route from Gatwick to New York this autumn, but those based in the north will lose its Manchester service to the Big Apple

Easyhotel opens Luton property
Business Traveller talks exclusively to Stelios at the opening of the new Easyhotel in Luton

New Starwood Hotel brand
Starwood Hotels and Resorts has announced a new hotel brand for the long-stay business traveller - Element hotels

Flight numbers
Businesstraveller.com brings you the news that counts. This week: Delayed baggage, Changi airport, Cornwall tourism, Southampton airport, Swissotel, hotel rooms in Moscow, Ibahn, Open Skies and Lufthansa

BAA airports market investigation
Competition Commission sees potential for competition at all BAA airports in England and Scotland and calls for further evidence

Dublin's Westbury gets major makeover
Dublin's Westbury hotel is coming to the end of the first phase of a major refit, which has seen the lobby floor and all the guest rooms extensively refurbished

Hilton announces Beijing airport hotel
Hilton is to open a property attached to Beijing Capital airport's new Terminal 3 this summer

Delta adds international online check-in
Delta has announced the roll-out of its online check-in facility for international departures

Green news
Ramada Jarvis achieves green status; Finnair launches emissions calculator; Kimpton Hotels offers green meeting incentives; JAL launches "Eco Jet"; Novotel sets out green plans

 

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2 May 2008 stories

All May stories can be accessed from this web page

Exclusive: Air France announces premium economy class
Air France is to launch a premium-economy style seat across its long-haul fleet, with the first plane due to see the new product in around 15 months' time

American joins $25 second bag club
American Airlines announced this week that it will follow its major US rivals United, Delta and Northwest in charging passengers for every second piece of checked baggage

Lufthansa extends all-biz class flights to the Gulf and India
German airline Lufthansa is to launch its all-business class product to Dubai and Pune (India) over the coming months

NXEC to showcase Anglo-Scottish trains with free tickets
Train firm National Express East Coast (NXEC) wants to woo Anglo-Scottish travellers from the “high road”


Rezidor openings to benefit EM travellers
Rezidor Hotel Group, owner of the Regent, Radisson SAS and Park Inn brands, is set to continue its emerging markets expansion with a slew of openings and signings in Russia, the CIS and Africa

Why Eos failed
All-business-class airline Eos ceased its daily London Stansted to New York JFK service this week after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

Korean Air update: Munich and Sao Paulo this summer
From June 1, Korean Air will add new gateways in Europe and Brazil

Lufthansa launches mobile website
Lufthansa passengers can now book flights and check in online via a mobile version of the carrier’s website

 

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Re: 2 May 2008 stories

All May stories can be accessed from this web page
American joins $25 second bag club
American Airlines announced this week that it will follow its major US rivals United, Delta and Northwest in charging passengers for every second piece of checked baggage

Interesting but with some nice exemptions:

The surcharge takes effect on May 13 but the following passengers will be exempt:

* International passengers making a direct connection (“international” covers flights beyond the US, Canada, Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico)
* Full fare economy, first or business class passengers
* High ranking loyalty club members either of American’s scheme or that of Oneworld.

So most of us should dodge that bullet

 

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8 May 2008 stories

All May stories can be accessed from this web page

BA OpenSkies from June 19?
BA’s subsidiary OpenSkies is set to launch in mid-June and will do so from Paris Orly with a codeshare agreement operating with all-business class carrier L’Avion

Easyhotel to open in Dubai; where next for the Palm?
The first Easyhotel in the Middle East will open in Dubai in 2009, under development by Nakheel, the real-estate developer responsible for reclamation projects including the Palm Jumeirah and the World

United to serve Dubai and Moscow
United Airlines has announced plans to fly non-stop from Washington to Dubai and Moscow from this October

GHA adds airline partners
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) has added four airline partners to its loyalty scheme – Emirates, Etihad, Jet and Singapore Airlines

Swissotel adds Izmir property
Swissotel has opened the doors of its latest Turkish property, the Swissotel Grand Efes, Izmir

Doubletree to debut in Scotland
The Doubletree by Hilton brand is set to continue its UK expansion, with the announcement of its first Scottish hotel in Dunblane

Sofitel opens in Luxembourg
Sofitel has opened its second hotel in the city of Luxembourg, The Sofitel Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal

Guest Hotels to expand and launch “Concierge Club”
The founders of Guest Invest, the first UK company to allow investors to buy their own hotel rooms in central London, are opening three new Guest Hotels properties

Barclaycard and IHG launch new credit card
Intercontinental Hotel Group has joined forces with Barclaycard to launch the Priority Club Rewards Visa, enabling Priority Club members to earn points on purchases and double points on hotel stays

Collins launches digital phrasebooks
Collins has launched a series of digital phrasebooks that travellers can download onto their iPod or mobile phones

 

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16 May 2008 stories

All May stories can be accessed from this web page

Mercure adds Gatwick hotel
Accor’s Mercure brand will add a Gatwick property to its portofolio, when it takes over the franchise of the Renaissance London Gatwick Hotel later this month

Tarom “on track” to join Skyteam
Romanian airline Tarom has signed a Skyteam Associate Adherence Agreement, paving the way for the carrier to join the alliance as an Associate member

Hotels and routes roundup
This week: BA Cityflyer, Finnair, Zoom, Clickair, Easyjet, Holiday Inn Express, Raffles, Incontinental, Radisson SAS and Westin

Just landed
Businesstraveller.com compiles stories from the lighter side of business travel. This week: De Vere Venues, Langham Hotels, Ebbsfleet Station and Park Plaza

Qantas' A380 set for October debut
Australian airline Qantas has decided to operate its first Airbus A380 across the Pacific to LA

Changi opens entertainment zone
Singapore’s Changi Airport has launched a new multi-media entertainment zone for the tech-savvy traveller – dubbed the Entertainment Deck

plus many more...