Business Traveller magazine: October 2006 stories

[QF WP]

Eurostar makes a bid for the green vote
The battle lines are being drawn. Modern travellers are increasingly aware of the effect their travel has on the environment, and the industry is rushing to reassure them that all that can be done is being done
Full story...

Hilton opens latest "lifestyle" hotel
Open this week: the Hilton London Tower Bridge
Full story...

Bmed stops Tashkent service
Bmed will no longer serve Tashkent (Uzbekistan) after the end of October because the route is no longer profitable
Full story...

Easyjet adds Gatwick-Glasgow
Budget airline Easyjet has just launched a new Anglo-Scottish route
Full story...

SIA poised to unveil A380 cabin layout
SIA will reveal details of its Airbus A380's seating at an event in Singapore on October 17
Full story...

Cape Town's gain is Hong Kong's loss
Virgin Atlantic will be flying daily to Cape Town this winter
Full story...

 

[QF WP]

Silverjet will launch New York service with £799 offer
As exclusively revealed in Business Traveller, Silverjet will launch its London Luton to New York Newark service with a £799 return introductory fare
Full story...

£50 upgrade to Club Europe
British Airways will now upgrade economy passengers into Club Europe (business class) for £50 a flight
Full story...

Free Connexion
Several of the airlines which currently offer the Connexion by Boeing internet service will be giving it away for free until the end of the year
Full story...

Emirates to launch Hamburg-New York with £1,100 business return
Emirates will launch its first transatlantic service from mainland Europe with some of the lowest fares on the market
Full story...

Jumeirah reopens boutique Lowndes property
The Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel reopens next month, after a year long, £8 million refurbishment
Full story...

BA to increase Dubai flights
The busy Dubai market will get even more crowded this winter
Full story...

Delta goes lie-flat
Delta has trumped its US rivals by becoming the first US airline to launch proper lie-flat beds in Business Elite (its business class brand)
Full story...

 

[QF WP]

20 October 2006 stories

SIA announces upgrade plans
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is spending some US$360 million on new first, business and economy classes which will enable the carrier to remain competitive into the next decade
Full story...

Oneworld members boost key Asian routes
Finnair and Cathay Pacific are improving services on several key Asian routes
Full story...

Budget carriers expand at Madrid
Additional runway and terminal capacity are enabling the budget carriers to expand services at Madrid
Full story...

Asiana's new business class
Next week Asiana will launch a new and improved business class on the London to Seoul route
Full story...

Six new services for London City
Lufthansa is adding Hamburg and Nuremburg to its growing network of flights from London's City airport (LCY)
Full story...

Hertz goes green
Hertz is the latest travel provider to set out its green credentials
Full story...

 

[JohnK]

£50 upgrade to Club Europe
British Airways will now upgrade economy passengers into Club Europe (business class) for £50 a flight

A coincidence that I have been looking at LHR/LGW-ATH/SKG flights for next year and when booking economy tickets on BA website the offers to upgrade to business class are sometimes less than £50 per flight.

On LHR-ATH booking it asks for £146 to upgrade the outbound flight and £50 to upgrade the inbound flight. On LHR-SKG booking it asks for £50 to upgrade the outbound flight and £10 to upgrade the inbound flight.

I guess other routes could require even less to upgrade to Club Europe.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

With BA intra-europe, do not assume the proferred upgrade is the best you can do. It may be cheaper to get paid business class through booking class I - these are often cheaper than paid economy plus the requested upfare. Check out Flyer Talk's BA forum for information.

 

[JohnK]

With BA intra-europe, do not assume the proferred upgrade is the best you can do.

Thanks I will keep that in my mind. At this stage I am not looking for status runs as I only want to get to ATH/SKG and spend as much time as possible in Greece. In this case the upgrade offered after booking economy class was cheaper than booking club Europe directly.

If time permits I may add some status runs later.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Enjoy Greece. Are you visiting any of the islands while there?

 

[JohnK]

Considering that I was born there and have been back on 2 occassions I have never set foot on a Greek Island.

Depending on available time the plan is to visit Kithnos, Serifos, Sifnos, Kimolos and Milos. High up on the list is also Tinos, Patmos and possibly Santorini.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Sounds like a very nice trip planned.

 

[QF WP]

27 October 2006 stories

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Elite status with one Delta trip
It's probably the fastest way to become an elite frequent flyer
Full story...

Thai's paid for upgrades
Thai Airways is offering Bangkok-bound travellers the opportunity to step up a class
Full story...

W Hotels moves from urban oases to "fantasy island"
Luxury US lifestyle hotel brand, W Hotels, has opened its first resort hotel, the W Retreat and Spa - Maldives
Full story...

Bmi suspends London-Mumbai route indefinitely
A major technical problem with one of its long distance planes has forced Bmi to indefinitely suspend its London Heathrow to Mumbai service
Full story...

December 5 debut for SIA's new seating
Singapore Airlines' (SIA) eagerly awaited new seating will arrive on the Paris route on December 5
Full story...


Oasis' first flight delayed
Yesterday's inaugural flight of Oasis' new budget service from Hong Kong to London Gatwick never took place.
Full story...