Global Travel Management | Business Travel Specialists

‘How do you say “bottle of water”?’ and other important questions

20, March 2023/in News /by Dave

Americans have always been curious about British culture, but how well do Americans truly know the British?

British Airways and VisitBritain have joined forces in a new campaign that gives an insider’s view on modern Britain, with all its vibrancy and warmth, to inspire US visitors to book their next visit.

The campaign ‘Ask Britain Anything’, created with Uncommon Creative Studio, takes a deep dive into 50 of Americans’ most-searched online questions about the UK and puts these directly to British people to respond.

Some of the most-searched questions by Americans included:

What are British people like?
Why do British people like queuing?
Why travel to Britain?
What do British people eat for breakfast?
Is all British food beige?
What do British people mean when they say ‘hello love’?

The new campaign, which launches this week across the United States via television and social media, sees British Airways’ staff alongside people from across Britain answer some of these ‘burning’ questions.

Behind the campaign’s humour is a ‘bird’s-eye’ view of modern British society, with its unique people, cultures and quirks that make Britain such a special place to live and visit.

British Airways Inflight Manager Jason Consiglio, who took part in the campaign said,

The most surprising question was about British food being beige. I’ve been debating it among my friends ever since! Answering these questions gave me a chance to recognize how much I love being British, and the confidence to say how great we really are. We’re a beautiful country that champions traditions, cultures and people. I could not be happier to represent Britain, and British Airways, in this campaign.

British Airways Director of Marketing Hamish McVey said,

Everyone knows about Britain’s vibrant cities, historical sites and beautiful landscapes. But there is a curiosity around British culture – now more than ever. We’re incredibly proud of this campaign, which dispels the stereotypes, sheds light on who we truly are and why you should visit to get to know us better. And what better place to immerse yourself in the British spirit than on a British Airways flight.

VisitBritain Executive VP for The Americas, Australia and New Zealand Paul Gauger said,

We are delighted to launch this fun and engaging campaign, inviting our visitors to ‘Ask Britain Anything’ and extending a warm welcome to the US, Britain’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor market. By telling the story of our dynamic destinations and diverse culture, we’re inspiring visitors from the US to explore further, stay longer and discover the new and surprising experiences to be had in Britain all year-round.

The campaign includes a series of 12 unique and original films. More than 70 individuals were interviewed to take part in the series from across the UK’s nations and regions.

The cast included a Welsh rapper, an NHS neurosurgeon, Liverpudlian firefighters and a Scottish astrologer, to name a few, as well as British Airways colleagues.

British Airways’ plane v boat Red Nose Day challenge

17, March 2023/in News /by Dave

British Airways has raised an incredible £27.3 million for Flying Start, through the airline’s global charity partnership with Comic Relief. The money has been raised over the past 13 years, since the partnership’s launch in 2010.

To celebrate this ‘oarsome’ milestone, British Airways teamed up with Comic Relief celebrity supporters Alison Hammond, Rylan and Sir Steve Redgrave to find out if one of its aircraft could beat the GB Rowing team in a race next to London City Airport.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave brought together medal-winning members of the GB Rowing Team to take on the challenge.

The World Champions and Olympians in the mixed eight boat comprised a cox, four female and four male rowers, who took on a British Airways Cityflyer Embraer 190 Aircraft.

The race took place at London City Airport, next to the Royal Albert Docks with the runway running parallel to the water where many Olympic and World Champion rowers train.

Sir Steve Redgrave, an honorary trustee of Comic Relief and five-time Olympic gold medal rowing champion, said,

As a trustee for Comic Relief, it’s so fantastic to combine my passion for rowing with a cause so close to my heart. I trained at these docks for many years, so I know them well, but seeing a challenge like this was certainly a first for me. It was a lot of fun and a privilege to be a part of – I’m so pleased to have had the opportunity to help raise awareness for British Airways’ Flying Start charity partnership, that has helped millions of individuals worldwide with its fundraising.

Mary Brew, British Airways Community Investment Manager said,

We’re so proud to have reached the 13th year of our long-standing partnership with Comic Relief. It’s the generous donations of our customers and the fundraising efforts of our colleagues that has helped us reach another milestone this Red Nose Day.

Funds raised through the Flying Start partnership support projects both in the UK and around the world in destinations that British Airways flies to. Examples include Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland which provides tailored support to families with children affected by spina bifida and /or hydrocephalus, and Butterflies in New Delhi, which works with children living or working on the streets to give them life skills to prosper. Butterflies has supported an estimated 2,250 children in New Delhi over the last two years.

Visit www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday or follow @ComicRelief on social media for the latest Red Nose Day content, news and information.

United invests $5 Million in algae-based fuel producer Viridos

14, March 2023/in News /by Dave

United wants to turn microalgae into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through the first new investment of its recently announced UAV Sustainable Flight Fund since its launch: algae biofuel company Viridos.

This $5 million investment will support the production of SAF made from algae, an abundant and scalable resource that can be grown and harvested without impacting the food supply chain.

Viridos specialises in the bioengineering of microalgae and its proprietary technology accelerates the amount of oil that can be produced from microalgae. This algae oil could then be used to scale the future production of SAF.

SAF is an alternative to conventional jet fuel that, on a lifecycle basis, reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with air travel compared to conventional jet fuel alone.

SAF is made from used cooking oil and agricultural waste, and in the future could be made from other feedstocks, including household waste, forest waste or algae.

*“Best tool we have to reduce our carbon emissions” – Mike Leskinen*

To date, United Airlines has invested in the future production of over three billion gallons of SAF, which the airline claims is the most of any airline in the world.

United Airlines Ventures President Mike Leskinen said,

SAF is proven, scalable, and the best tool we have to reduce our carbon emissions from flying, but we face a significant shortage of available feedstock.
As the global aviation leader in SAF production investment United remains committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions, without relying on traditional carbon offsets, by 2050.
Viridos’ algae-based biofuel technology has the potential to help solve our supply problem without the need for farmland or other agricultural resources and marks our inaugural investment in our new cross-industry UAV Sustainable Flight Fund.

“*The foundation for a biofuel future” – Viridos CEO Oliver Fetzer*

Viridos, a biofuel company focused on decarbonising industries, is leading the bioengineering of microalgae and has already achieved seven times the oil productivity compared to typical wild-type algae.

This creates an opportunity for potentially scalable and more sustainable production of algae oil, that could later be used to produce SAF.

Oliver Fetzer, Viridos Chief Executive Officer said.

By establishing production sites to grow Viridos-engineered microalgae in saltwater, we are creating the foundation for a biofuel future that moves away from fossil fuels without competing for precious resources such as fresh water and arable land.
We are excited to have the support from United Airlines. Together we can build the ecosystem needed to bring algae biofuels to the market.

Based on current estimates, SAF created by Viridos’ algae oil is expected to have a 70% reduced carbon footprint on a lifecycle basis when compared to traditional jet fuel.

British Airways and American Airlines open Bridge Bar at JFK T8 lounge

14, March 2023/in News /by Dave

British Airways and American Airlines are enhancing the newly renovated Terminal 8 at JFK airport with the unveiling of the first of its kind, Bridge Bar.

Featuring a variety of non-alcoholic and spirited cocktails, including Aviation American Gin and Betty Buzz, the premium bar will be part of the Greenwich Lounge experience, within the joint premium Lounges offered by the two airline partners.

*Aviation American Gin* infuses a blend of botanicals and is fronted by actor Ryan Reynolds; and *Betty Buzz*, a range of non-alcoholic sparkling mixers founded by actress Blake Lively.

The new Bridge Bar is designed to celebrate the love of flying and offers customers a place to relax pre-flight, while enjoying delicious cocktails and mocktails.

Betty Buzz prides itself on using clean ingredients like real juice and no artificial flavours, colours or sweeteners. Menu creations include drinks featuring one of five Betty Buzz flavors such as the tasty ‘Blushing Betty’ and the sparkling ‘Adventure Awaits’.

Customers can also enjoy a range of non-alcoholic or spirited Aviation American Gin cocktail creations at their leisure.

Betty Buzz Founder Blake Lively said,

We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the entire British Airways and American Airlines crew, as we celebrate the opening of this beautiful new lounge.

Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, said:

Following our recent investment in our new JFK lounges – Chelsea and Soho – we are excited to unveil a new experience in the Greenwich Lounge^T. With Betty Buzz and Aviation American Gin, we have created the perfect space for customers to relax pre-flight, offering a varied and delicious cocktail selection and flavours to suit every taste.

The guest journey through the Greenwich Lounge^T experience culminates in the Bridge Bar’s open space that transports select customers to the Golden Age of Travel. The space has been created to offer a rich and sophisticated take on mid-century modern design with a classic 1960’s feel.

Kim Cisek, Vice President of Customer Experience at American Airlines said,

We understand travellers are looking for a customised travel experience that starts on the ground and our joint premium lounges with British Airways give our customers the opportunity to do so. The opening of the Bridge Bar and Tasting Room is the latest piece of our premium lounge experience at JFK.

The Greenwich Lounge experience is part of the American Airlines and British Airways joint premium Lounges at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Terminal 8.

*JFK Terminal 8 Greenwich Lounge Tasting Room*

The lounge now also features the new Tasting Room, formerly known as the Flagship First Dining space.

It features a soft refresh featuring a high-end tap room, making visitors feel like they are inside a beer tavern.

Brooklyn Brewery, the Brooklyn-based leading global independent craft brewer and a pioneer of the American craft beer revolution is the first brand featured in the space.

Customers can relax and sip on an array of Brooklyn Brewery products, including beers on draft, and beer flights ahead of their travels.

A lighter fare menu is also available to enjoy with their beer pairings including Beer Braised Bratwurst, French Onion Grilled Cheese, and a Beer Float dessert.

The Greenwich Lounge experience is accessible to British Airways Club customers, American Airlines customers traveling on Flagship Business and AAdvantage members with AAdvantage Platinum status who are traveling on Flagship Long Haul International itineraries, and oneworld Sapphire and oneworld Business Class customers.

IHG to expand lifestyle portfolio In Saudi Arabia

9, March 2023/in News /by Dave

IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the signing of a Management Agreement with Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City for a new Hotel Indigo within the city near the Irqah area along Wadi Hanifa in Riyadh.

Set to open in 2025, with basement works already completed, the new hotel adds to IHG’s robust growth plans across various new developments that align with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 tourism strategy.

Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City is the first nonprofit City of its kind, set to be an incubator for youth and for local and international institutions supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and future leaders.

**Hotel Indigo**: Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City

The hotel will be located next to the City’s Al Mishraq Zone and serve as a living laboratory where IHG says “innovation and social life will thrive, and creativity will meet science and technology”.

Guests will be able to take advantage of the City’s cultural experiences by using a vibrant pedestrian-only main street as part of the City’s “15 minute” planning concept, with connections to cultural offerings as well as elevated fine dining restaurants overlooking the stunning Wadi Hanifah and views of Riyadh’s city skyline.

The City will deliver a platform to experiment with new products and technologies, and will offer interactive retail environments providing customers with immersive experiences. The infrastructure will include a comprehenisve mobility solution, supported by a sustainable cooling and shading system.

**David Henry**: Another world class hotel

The new-build Hotel Indigo will feature 234 guestrooms and suites, as well as 138 serviced apartments.

The hotel is situated just fifteen minutes from Riyadh city centre and ten minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage Site, At-Turaif District in Al-Dir’iyah.

It also has access to beautiful, diverse landscapes, together with iconic and innovative building structures including the Misk Art Institute, Mohammed bin Salman Foundation “Misk” headquarters, and a conference centre, all located within the development.

The lifestyle hotel will boast three dining options for guests, including a neighbourhood café, specialty dining venue, and an exquisite lobby lounge.

Hotel Indigo Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City Riyadh will also offer state-of-the-art facilities, including four multi-purpose meeting spaces, a contemporary health club and a swimming pool, making it “the ultimate destination for a range of guests”.

Speaking on the new signing announcement, Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG said:

We are delighted to partner with Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City, a flourishing community of creative thinkers and innovative pioneers that will build the future of Saudi Arabia. The City is devoted to encouraging youth leadership for a better future in the Kingdom, and our partnership is a wonderful opportunity to continue our support for Saudi youth and Vision 2030.
Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City is an ideal destination, as it represents a vast oasis within the City, and close to the historical capital, Riyadh. The new Hotel Indigo in Riyadh will cater to guests visiting Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City and looking to experience its business innovation, recreational entertainment options, cultural learning opportunities, outdoor destinations, and various other unique activities.

David Henry, Chief Executive Officer of Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City said,

I am very pleased that IHG has selected our City for another world class hotel offering that will be designed to provide a range of services that align with our youth-oriented focus. We are also delighted that the Ministry of Culture will oversee the inclusion of Saudi artwork in the hotel, thereby aligning with the missions of the Foundation’s Misk Art Institute, and the Hotel Indigo brand.

IHG currently operates 37 hotels across five brands in Saudi Arabia, including: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, and voco, with 31 hotels in the development pipeline planned to open within the next three to five years.

SWISS reveals its new air travel experience

6, March 2023/in News /by Dave

Swiss International Airlines is to offer its customers a totally new and more personalised ‘SWISS Senses’ air travel experience from 2025 onwards.

The centrepiece of the new customer product is a redesigned cabin for the airline’s long-haul aircraft fleet.

SWISS First, SWISS Business and SWISS Economy are being totally redesigned, while the popular SWISS Premium Economy which was introduced in 2022 will also be retained.

SWISS will gradually install the new cabins throughout its long-haul fleet from 2025 onwards. Its new Airbus A350-900s will be delivered with the new interior installed.

SWISS is to offer its customers a totally new and more personalized ‘SWISS Senses’ air travel experience from 2025 onwards. The centrepiece of the new customer product is an entirely redesigned cabin for the airline’s long-haul aircraft fleet. SWISS unveiled its new cabin interiors to the public today.

SWISS Chief Executive Officer Dieter Vranckx said,

This is the most comprehensive cabin renewal in the history of our company. As a premium airline, we want to pay due and full regard to our customers’ desire for more individuality. And with this extremely high-quality product, we can continue to meet all our high aspirations.

The totally redesigned long-haul cabin features a timeless colour scheme and top-quality materials. The warm and muted tones such as claret, anthracite and beige convey a particular sense of comfort and calm. The new concept also extends to SWISS’s first-ever suites, which will be offered in SWISS First and parts of SWISS Business. All seating classes will also feature new Human-Centric Lighting which helps alleviate jet lag’s effects. A new state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system with bigger screens and connection options for the customer’s own personal devices will also be provided in all seating classes.

SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour said,

With ‘SWISS Senses’ we’re making our customers’ air travel an even more personal and more sensual experience. With its deep devotion to detail, our new long-haul cabin will give our passengers a particular feeling of warmth and well-being – a cosy and comfortable yet also functional environment in all our travel classes.

SWISS Senses: “the next generation inflight experience”

SWISS First

The new SWISS First suites offer their guests total privacy with closable sliding doors, a spacious personal wardrobe, a large seat table, seat heating and cooling, a wireless charging station and a screen display that is as wide as the suite itself.

The cabin’s centre suite can also be configured to suit two persons travelling together.

The suites’ warm colours and wood features convey a strong sense of comfort and calm within top-quality surrounds.

An advanced and spacious new washroom has also been developed for the new SWISS First cabin.

The facility draws its inspiration from the famous spring in Vals in Canton Graubünden: a slate-black exterior, and a green interior that alludes to the spring’s fresh and cooling water.

SWISS Business

The totally redesigned SWISS Business cabin is intentionally conceived to meet a wide range of wishes and needs.

In addition to ‘classic’ Business Class seats, the new cabin offers various further seating options such as double seats for passengers travelling together.

Selected seats can also be closed off with a sliding door.

All the new SWISS Business seats feature seat heating and cooling and a wireless charging station.

The cabin’s top-quality materials in claret and anthracite help convey an extremely cosy and intimate ambience throughout.

SWISS Premium Economy

The highly popular SWISS Premium Economy Class with its greater seat comfort and superior cabin service will remain an integral feature within the new air travel experience.

SWISS was the first airline in the Lufthansa Group to introduce the new Premium Economy seat which, with its 48-centimetre width and its almost one-metre pitch, has set new industry benchmarks.

The recently-introduced SWISS Premium Economy Class has proved very popular with passengers, and will remain a key element in the airline’s new air travel experience.

SWISS Economy

The new SWISS Economy cabin will be equipped with new comfortable and functional seats.

Thanks to their optimum construction, seat pitch has been increased.

Every seat will also feature a more than 13-inch high-resolution screen, and the extensive new inflight entertainment system will help the time aloft fly by.

The new seats are further provided with an amenity storage facility and a USB port, and offer additional comfort in the first seat rows.

The new cabin interiors will be installed from 2025 onwards, initially on the SWISS Airbus A330-300 fleet and later on the company’s Boeing 777-300ERs.

The new Airbus A350-900s on order will be delivered with their new cabins already installed.

SAUDIA to launch routes from Birmingham

6, March 2023/in News /by Dave

The national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, SAUDIA has collaborated with the Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP) and Saudi Tourism Authority, to launch four new international destinations: Birmingham, Beijing, Kano (Nigeria) and Johannesburg.

Representing a significant expansion programme for 2023, the route development follows the national carrier’s signing of an agreement with ACP, and is in line with the program’s objective of enhancing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s point-to-point air connectivity and its reach to target international markets.

Ali Rajab, CEO of ACP said

The opening of four new air routes across three different regions is the result of strong collaboration between the Saudi tourism and aviation ecosystems. We are proud to have been part of these efforts. These new routes offer a diverse mix of travel opportunities in the Kingdom, unlocking its rich cultural heritage and inviting travelers from around the world to experience the beauty and diversity of this remarkable destination.
Air connectivity will play an increasingly important role in enabling tourism growth and creating new opportunities for businesses and tourists alike. We look forward to building on this momentum to unlock new destinations, and create a brighter future for the Kingdom.

Capt. Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, highlighted the airline’s ongoing commitment to investing in operational expansion. He said,

We are dedicated to continue optimizing our modern fleet to meet current and future expansion requirements. In addition to the recent launch of the new service “Your Ticket, Your Visa” which is the first of its kind in the world has increased airline’s competitive position with a market share of 40% for flights and seat capacity in the past year.

Koshy also stressed the importance of initiatives aimed at increasing SAUDIA’s international market share, simplifying and facilitating travel procedures, and enhancing the travel experience for guests, all of which are designed to increasing the Saudi Arabia’s air connectivity.

The new direct flight routes are said to have been launched as a response to the uptick in consumer demand from travellers looking to visit or transit through Saudi from Birmingham, Beijing, Kano and Johannesburg.

Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board of Saudi Tourism Authority said,

[The] announcement of four new routes demonstrates the power of the tourism ecosystem to work with airline partners to bring new capacity online. Through cross-government collaboration, we are continuing to build ease and connectivity to transform Saudi and meet our ambitious target to welcome 100m visits by 2030. This is significant as direct flight options are not only good news for international travellers but also create growth, opportunity and investment in Saudi and across the world.

Birmingham Airport recently marked the ten millionth customer flying through the airport in the financial year.

***10,000,000:*** *passengers named as Tony and Jen were awarded two business class flights on Turkish Airlines when they became the 10,000,000th customers to use Birmingham Airport in the financial year*

GBTA forecast expects key business travel markets in Europe to recover fully in 2026

27, February 2023/in News /by Dave

Europe is anticipated to be the fastest growing business travel market in 2023

The business travel industry in Europe continues its progress towards full recovery to its pre-pandemic spending levels of $392 billion, but the divergent recovery in business travel continues across the region.

Europe’s business travel spend now accounts for approximately 20% of global business travel spend compared to 27% in 2019.

Emerging Europe and Western Europe were the only regions globally to experience spending declines in 2021, as Covid impacted domestic and regional business travel markets.

However, Western Europe is expected to experience one of the sharpest recoveries by 2026. This is according to the most recent Business Travel Index™ Outlook annual forecast and outlook, from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s largest business travel association.

Catherine Logan, Regional Vice President, EMEA and APAC for GBTA said

In 2021, Western European business travel spend continued to be hit by the pandemic more than any other region in the world. As restrictions eased and borders re-opened, a significant pent-up demand led to a surge in business travel across the region.
Europe regained ground in 2022 and is now forecast to become the fastest growing business travel market in 2023.
Europe’s business travel spend is expected to grow by 25.3% in 2023.

Key Takeaways for Europe from the Latest GBTA BTI Outlook:

The recovery in both Western and Emerging Europe lagged relative to North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East. In 2020, Europe’s business travel spend declined 58.1%, the second largest percentage drop of any global region. In 2021, most of the world saw a modest recovery, however, Europe was the only region that saw business travel spend continue to fall, declining an additional 15.4% to $139 billion.
Despite earlier declines, Europe remains the third largest business travel region in the world with 20% of global spend in 2022. Western Europe accounts for 86% of Europe’s business travel spend, while Emerging Europe accounts for the remaining 14%.

Six countries — UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and The Netherlands — accounted for 65.1% of business travel expenditures in the region last year.

The Recovery in Europe

In 2022, Europe was forecasted to be the fastest growing business travel market with spend growing 61.7%. Europe’s business travel spend is expected to grow another 25.3% in 2023.
Western European business travel spending climbed 23% in 2022, recovering to $194 billion, or 58% of pre-pandemic spending levels, whereas Emerging Europe business travel spend recovered 53% to $30.8 billion.
The two largest markets European markets, UK and Germany, have recovered less (in percentage terms) than the broader region. France, Spain, and three of the four Nordic markets — Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have recovered more than the broader region.
Two Emerging Europe markets are showing particularly strong forecasts: Turkey has returned to 87.1% and Poland to 72.1% of its pre-pandemic spend.

Norwegian Reward to be relaunched

27, February 2023/in News /by Dave

The Norwegian Reward loyalty programme is to be relaunched, with new benefits.

The airline says that “during springtime”, several extra benefits for the most frequent flyers will be introduced.

Norwegian Reward is Norwegian’s award-winning loyalty programme. Norwegian Reward is to be renewed with the same aim as before – to give Norwegian’s customers cheaper flights and an even smoother journey.

Earning CashPoints and benefits are still at the core of the programme. The more Reward members choose to fly with Norwegian, the more benefits they receive.

Norwegian is also adding a range of new benefits for the most frequent flyers.

Reward members will receive a new benefit for every eighth flight taken within twelve months, including stopovers. The first benefit is always 2% extra CashPoints on all Norwegian flight tickets.

After the next eight flights, members can choose which benefit they would like next. On top of choosing from free checked baggage, seat reservation, Fast Track or an additional 2% earning of CashPoints, members can now also choose to claim an overhead cabin bag as their next benefit.

Christoffer Sundby, Chief Marketing and Customer Officer Norwegian said,

Our members have told us that the benefits they can choose from are among the loyalty programme’s most important perks. In addition to greater flexibility when choosing benefits, we are now also adding free overhead cabin bag as a benefit to choose from.
More and more business travellers are choosing to fly with Norwegian. This customer group particularly appreciates our punctuality and regularity. That is why we are now introducing exclusive benefits for our most frequent flyers. Our aim is to offer comfortable, seamless, and efficient journeys. We are looking forward to rolling out the new benefits during the spring,

**Sundby**: More and more business travellers are choosing to fly with Norwegian

During the next couple of months, Norwegian will launch several unique benefits for the most frequent flyers.

Travellers with more than 32 flights or more within twelve months will have access to all benefits in the Reward programme, in addition to some new benefits that will become available “throughout the spring”.

These include free coffee and tea on board flights with catering, Priority Boarding, no expiry date on CashPoints and priority customer service.

Reward members continue to earn CashPoints every time they fly with Norwegian, make a purchase with one of Norwegian Reward’s partners or use their Norwegian credit card.

How many CashPoints passengers earn on their flights depends on the ticket type:

1% CashPoints on LowFare tickets
2% CashPoints on LowFare+ tickets
5% CashPoints on Flex tickets

CashPoints can be used to pay for flight tickets (either partially or in full), checked baggage, seat reservations, pre-booked meals and more. One CashPoint corresponds to one Norwegian krone. There are no restrictions on the number of available seats per flight for those who want to use their earned CashPoints. This is the core of the Reward programme’s popularity and one of the main reasons it has been voted the best loyalty programme in Europe, several times.

The changes to Norwegian Reward take effect on 28 March 2023.

Emirates recycles more than 500,000 kg of plastic and glass in one year

23, February 2023/in News /by Dave

Emirates recycled more than 500,000 kilograms of plastic and glass over the course of 2022, by collecting discarded bottles onboard for repurposing. 500,000 kilograms is almost the same weight as a fully loaded Emirates flagship A380 aircraft.

Onboard every flight that lands in Dubai, Emirates Cabin Crew work to separate glass and plastic bottles, before they are sent to a recycling plant in Dubai.

The glass is separated by colour and crushed. This ‘cullet’ or recycled glass that is ready to be re-melted, is then sent to glass manufacturers in the UAE to include in their batch mix for new bottles.

The plastic bottles are cleaned, chopped into flakes, melted into pellets, and sent to manufacturers to make other plastic products.

As a result, Emirates and Emirates Flight Catering divert thousands of kilograms of glass and plastic away from landfill each year.

The glass and plastic recycling initiative onboard was suggested by environmentally conscious Emirates Cabin Crew in 2019, as part of regular webinars and events where they are given a platform to share feedback and encouraged to share innovative ideas to key departments. The proposal was implemented within weeks.

Emirates blankets made from recycled plastic

**Blankets**: Over six years, Emirates blankets have prevented more than 95 million plastic bottles from going to landfill.

For the last six years, Emirates has offered cosy sustainable blankets made from recycled plastic bottles to Economy passengers on long haul flights.

The soft and warm blankets are made from 28 recycled plastic bottles.

The bottles are shredded into plastic chips before being turned into yarn, creating a fleece material.

The fine thread is then woven into soft blankets.

As the largest sustainable blanket programme on board in the airline industry, the manufacturing process of using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) also reduces energy emissions by around 70%.

Prioritising responsible sourcing

Consuming responsibly is a key environmental focus area for Emirates, who have embedded an environmental requirement in the supplier code of conduct and consider the entire lifecycle of products from the design stage.

For example, wooden tea and coffee stirrers, paper straws and inflight retail bags are made using wood and paper from responsibly managed forests.

Emirates children’s toys made from sustainably sourced material

**Toys**: Each Emirates kids’ backpack is made from 5.5 recycled plastic bottles and each duffle bag is made from 7. The production of the Emirates children’s bags has saved 8 million plastic bottles from landfill.

For Emirates’ youngest customers, the airline’s complimentary toy bags, baby amenity kits and plush toys are also made from recycled plastic bottles and other sustainable materials.

Belt bags, duffle bags and backpacks are designed with specific age groups in mind and are constructed from a yarn that is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

The swing tags are made from recycled card, and even the outer cases that the products are shipped in are made from recycled card that can be recycled again.

Emirates reusable onboard amenity kits

**Fire, water, earth, air**: Emirates amenity kits

Emirates’ Premium Economy and Economy Class range of amenity kits are complimentary for customers on long-haul flights, and feature designs that represent the four essential elements of nature – fire, water, earth, and air.

The pouches are reusable and made from washable kraft paper with bespoke art printed in non-toxic soy-based ink. The contents include a selection of durable travel essentials made from environmentally friendly materials.

The toothbrush is made from a combination of wheat straw and plastic, and the socks and eyeshades are made from recycled plastic, in this case, rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate).

The packaging used for the dental kit, socks and eyeshades is made from 90% rice paper.

Interesting links