Dave

Supporting International Women’s Day

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Global Travel Management embraces a gender free world of work.

We live what we hope the rest of the world should be able to imagine, ‘a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated’. These words are from the International Women’s Day website and they’re words we strive to ensure we meet, every day, at Global Travel Management.

For us, gender equality is ‘business as usual’. But we recognise that there are women around the world, and in other industries, for whom equality is far from normal.

So we have asked inspirational women leaders in the travel industry around the world to share their insights, what they do right and how they inspire their colleagues. We hope you enjoy, embrace and emulate these words so that, collectively, we can #BreakTheBias.

Bev Fearis
‘Over the years I have worked with some amazing people

Bev Fearis

Editor

The Business Travel Magazine

Bev Fearis is the Editor of The Business Travel Magazine, a multi-award-winning, bi-monthly, full-colour magazine – ‘a must-read for everyone involved with booking and managing business travel, ranging from Personal Assistants and Executive Assistants to full-time Travel Managers and procurement personnel’.

Who has inspired you?

The news reporter Kate Adie.

I remember as a child watching her on the TV reporting from war zones around the world and knowing I wanted to be a journalist.

My first job interview was with BBC radio for a position as a news reporter but I completely messed it up. They gave us a test where we had to edit five or six news stories into a two-minute news broadcast. This was back in the days of typewriters. I was so nervous that by the time I’d managed to feed the paper into the type writer, the time was up!

What steps have you taken to support and encourage women colleagues in their roles?

Over the years, I’ve worked with some amazing people – women and men – and when I’ve been able to I’ve taken them with me when I’ve moved to new publications. I’ve also mentored students on work experience who have proved themselves worthy of joining the team and have gone on to be very successful journalists. It’s really satisfying to watch them progress.

If you could offer words of support to women, what would they be?

To women working in business travel I would say how wonderful it is to see so many more women in senior positions in the industry than when I first began reporting on this sector back in the mid 1990s, so keep up the good work.

Revital Kristal:
Everything is possible if you have the right mindset

Revital Kristal

Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

reTravel.io

Revital Kristal has a passion for the travel industry and founded reTravel.io create and combine cutting-edge technologies that help travel companies drive growth through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver laser-focused marketing messages.

Who has inspired you?

I think my grandmother is the person who most affected my personality and made me who I am. During WW2, when she was just 10 years old, she lost her entire family. After running and arriving to Israel, she found herself all alone and in a foreign country, yet she prevailed. She was determined to make a better life for herself, never give up on her dreams, and live life to its fullest.

I’ve always been inspired by how she kept going, and always had a positive outlook on everything. Every difficulty became a challenge, every challenge became a victory.

What steps have you taken to support and encourage women colleagues in their roles?

Besides being involved in a few women’s empowerment groups, I’m actively mentoring other female entrepreneurs, sharing my knowledge, network and experience.

If you could offer words of support to women, what would they be?

Stay focused, fierce, and never stop at anything. Everything is possible if you keep the right mindset.

Elkie Nicholas:
We are kindred spirits on an important mission

Elkie Nicholas

Chief Tree Hugger and Co-founder

Trees4Travel

Elkie Nicholas founded Trees4Travel, the leading carbon compensation organisation that enables travellers to remove the carbon of trips by purchasing and arranging the planting of trees in reforestation projects around the world to help restore eco-systems, biodiversity and support local communities. Trees4Travel also always assigns each tree with a share of an investment into a United Nations Certified Emissions Reduction renewable energy programme, essentially doubling their promise – making travel planet and people positive.

Who has inspired you?

My immediate thought is of course the ultimate she/her of us all ‘Mother Nature’ or ‘Mother Earth’ as she’s sometimes called.

She breathes, she grows, she changes, she’s resilient, strong, intelligent, provides us with food and water, always working to achieve and maintain harmony and balance for our environment. Mother Nature heals, nurtures, and supports all life on this planet. Ultimately all life and health depend on her.

She is magnificent, astounding, beautiful – she is my inspiration.

What steps have you taken to support and encourage women colleagues in their roles?

As a start-up and because of the ‘nature’ of our business, ever-changing and fast-moving, our work environment can be challenging at times – continual appreciation and recognition of my colleagues is therefore of utmost importance to me.

Encouraging openness, trust, curiosity and creativity are much needed when you think of the task in hand, helping in the fight against climate change. Ultimately, we understand and accept that we are all learning and growing together and that it is our shared passion to make a difference in our industry and our world that creates a deep-rooted connection between us.

Just like trees in a forest, they appear to be standing alone (we all work remotely and in different countries) but in fact they are members of an interconnected ‘wood-wide -web’ community, above and below ground – we are kindred spirits on an important mission.

If you could offer words of support to women, what would they be?

Women are like trees, every single one of us is a different shape, size, every single one of us is unique and special – so embrace in your uniqueness, stand tall, stand proud, believe in yourself.

As trees, bend in the wind, learn to be flexible and adaptable, stay grounded, remember your roots, and keep growing!

Kelly Packington:
Always aim to build people up

Kelly Packington

Operations Director

Global Travel Management

Kelly Packington is the Operations Director of Global Travel Management and was the most-recent addition to the company’s board, having been promoted from her role within the reservations team at the company.

Who has inspired you?

Many people have inspired me. But, if I were to select just one, without hesitating – and at the risk of sounding ‘corny’ – I would choose my Mum.

Not just because she raised me or for everything she’s done for me, not just for being my biggest cheerleader. But, because the way in which she faced her biggest hurdles, never complaining, never becoming excessively emotional, always providing strength for all of her family. She was a hard-working, ordinary superhuman.

A more widely-known inspirational woman I was lucky enough to meet was Rebecca Stephens. A journalist, a visiting fellow at Ashridge Business School, a trainer in Strategic Influencing, an author and charity fundraiser. And her own personal Everest? Well, that was becoming the first British woman to climb Everest, of course.

What steps have you taken to support and encourage women colleagues in their roles?

Three things spring immediately to mind:

I ensure we accommodate the challenges and pressures that my team members face. Whether that’s child care requirements, care commitments or even childcare requirements for pet dogs. So, typically, we have team meetings after the school runs have finished; work rotas are adjusted to fit in with domestic needs; and the office often has four-legged friends running round the office!

I make sure I surround myself with colleagues so I can hear, understand and appreciate my team’s issues, plans, suggestions and recommendations… and take them to board meetings myself. It’s one way in which I try to ensure everyone’s views are heard and acted on.

And I stick to the simple principle that you should always aim to build people up.

If you could offer words of support to women, what would they be?

I have three quotes I like to turn to, when thinking about women supporting other women:

Maya Angelou said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style”.

Margaret Thatcher was quoted as saying, “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman”.

And, more recently, Malala Yousafzi very succinctly and very accurately declared, “We cannot succeed when half of us are held back”.

Natalie Pawley:
We ensure gender is never a hurdle to success at Global Travel Management

Natalie Pawley

Director

Global Travel Management

Natalie Pawley is the longest-serving board member of Global Travel Management, having been the first-ever member of the board on its launch in 1997.

Who has inspired you?

Like any mother, I’ve been inspired by the development of my first-born child, someone who has matured and blossomed, while facing and successfully overcoming difficult challenges.  I am lucky to have someone so inspirational in my close family. 

What steps have you taken to support and encourage women colleagues in their roles?

We treat our business like a close-knit family group. 

So our natural inclination is to support the women who work for us by making the working environment perfectly suitable to them.  That starts by arranging work meetings for times that accommodate women’s priorities. 

We teach women, we recruit women, we train women, we promote women and we share with women the successes we achieve.  But we do so without discriminating. 

In short, we ensure gender is never a hurdle to success at Global Travel Management. 

If you could offer words of support to women, what would they be? 

We can only be what we see.  So, as women, it’s vital we see successful women.  That means two things. 

First, seek out successful women and celebrate their successes with them.  And second, share your success with others when you achieve it. 

In short, ‘be the successful woman you would like to see’.

Abby Penston:
Be the woman you aspire to be and don’t settle for less

Abby Penston

Chief Executive Officer

The Focus Travel Partnership

Abby Penston is the CEO of the Focus Travel Partnership, the UK’s leading business travel consortium for Travel Management Companies. Launched in 1999 as a division of the Advantage Travel Group, Focus has a wealth of knowledge as well as industry contacts and, across its central team, has more than 160 years of business travel experience.

Who has inspired you? 

I am blessed to have a huge army of amazing women in my life and feel inspired daily by them, from my girlfriends, family members, my awesome team at Focus and my daughter all of whom inspire and drive me as business woman, friend and mother each day.

Inspiration can come in so many formats but having a group of ladies at home and at work who really are your ride or die family makes the many challenges we all face bearable and over the last two years those challenges have come in hard and fast.

What steps have you taken to support and encourage women colleagues in their roles? 

I would like to think by providing a platform and opportunities to progress is something I have always delivered. I would like to think I am open and supportive when it comes to progression and will always share my career highs and lows as examples, good, bad and the ugly!

To speak freely with my teams I hope in itself is a supportive approach, life isn’t always easy and we all make mistakes but its how we manage those lows as well as the highs that determines the type of leader we chose to be.

If you could offer words of support to women, what would they be? 

Be true to yourself, trust in your instinct and surround yourself with a supportive network. Be in a position to let people lean on you when needed but be brave enough to know when to lean on others as well, it really is ok to ask for help. The people and organisations we surround ourselves reflect just as much on you than you do yourself, chose your company wisely.

Integrity for me is the value I protect the fiercest, be the woman you aspire to be and don’t settle for less, above all else try and have some fun along the way!

Kathryn Wallington:
Never stop challenging yourself, but always be respectful

Kathryn Wallington

Head of Middle East and Africa

Travelport

Kathryn Wallington heads up the Middle East and Africa regions for global travel platform Travelport, focusing on enabling more content, providing better travel retailing capabilities and driving down the costs of travel and managing journeys.

Who has inspired you?

There are so many inspirational women that have impacted my life, most of all my mother who continues to push me every day; J.K. Rowling whose personal story is inspirational; and one that has inspired me since I was a little girl: Princess Diana. Her life was tragically cut short, but her inspiring work with AIDS suffers and anti- landmine campaigns secured Princess Diana’s legacy. She truly was ‘The People’s Princess’.

To me Diana was a lot more than a Princess standing by the side of her Prince. Like every woman she had a million different roles – of a loving mother of two children, of an independent woman, who became an example and inspiration for millions of people.

One of Diana famous quotes, of which I am a true advocate and I regularly recite to my children, is ‘carry out a random act of kindness, with no exception of reward, safe in the knowledge that, one day, someone might do the same for you’.  

What steps have you taken to support and encourage women colleagues in their roles? 

Being a good example and sharing my experiences where I can.

I am a great listener and have mentored and supported colleagues to place an importance on self -confidence as well as challenging them.

I love to – and always do – celebrate women’s accomplishments and encourage them to do more.

If you could offer words of support to women, what would they be? 

It is important to be confident and secure in who you are if you want to succeed.

I am also a firm advocate in challenging yourself to the extent of being out of your comfort zone, which supports you to grow. Never stop challenging yourself, but always be respectful. Be hungry to learn and always invest in your team – you cannot do it alone.

Enjoy and embrace change effectively, as it’s inevitable. Embrace it.

Dave

SWISS to be the world’s first airline to use ‘sun-to-liquid’ fuel

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SWISS and the Lufthansa Group have concluded a strategic collaboration with the Synhelion company to bring its solar aviation fuel to market. This will make SWISS the first airline in the world to use ‘sun-to-liquid’ fuel.

The process devised by Synhelion uses concentrated sunlight to produce carbon-neutral kerosene. With this collaboration, SWISS and Synhelion are playing a pioneering role in the production and the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels.

SWISS Chief Executive Officer Dieter Vranckx explained,

Our team-up with Synhelion is founded on our shared vision to make carbon-neutral flying in regular flight operations possible through the use of solar fuel.

We are proud that SWISS will be the first airline in the world to fly with solar kerosene.

In partnering with Synhelion, we are supporting Swiss innovation and are actively pursuing and promoting the development, the market introduction and the scaling-up of this highly promising technology for producing sustainable fuels.

Dr. Philipp Furler, Synhelion’s co-founder and CEO said,

We believe in a globalised world connected by climate-friendly mobility.

Our next-generation carbon-neutral solar kerosene is an economically and ecologically viable substitute for fossil fuels.

The commitment of SWISS and the Lufthansa Group underlines the aviation sector’s keen interest in our solar fuel. And we are looking forward already to the day the first SWISS aircraft takes off with our solar kerosene.

Synhelion has developed a key technology for manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from renewable energy sources. The unique procedure uses concentrated solar heat to manufacture syngas which can then be synthesised into kerosene using standard industrial processes.

This sun-to-liquid fuel closes the fuel carbon cycle: when combusted, it will only produce as much CO2 as was used in its manufacture. The new fuel thus makes a major contribution to effectively decarbonising air transport.

Synhelion will build the world’s first-ever facility for the industrial production of solar fuel in Jülich, Germany this year.

The strategic collaboration between SWISS, Lufthansa Group and Synhelion.

SWISS is set to become the first customer for the solar kerosene in 2023. Under the collaboration now concluded, SWISS and the Lufthansa Group will also support the development of Synhelion’s planned commercial fuel production facility in Spain.

Swiss pioneer Synhelion, SWISS, Edelweiss and the Lufthansa Group have been working together since 2020 to help reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of Swiss aviation through the use of solar fuels.

The Lufthansa Group and SWISS have been pursuing and promoting comprehensive measures to minimise their carbon dioxide emissions for several years now, and work closely with their partners to steadily further reduce the environmental impact of their business and operational activities.

SWISS claims it will be substantially increasing its use of sustainable aviation fuels in the next few years to help achieve its climate objectives. In view of the limited availability of biofuels, however, alternatives will be required.

Vranckx said,

This is why we are actively supporting the development of solar fuels. We want to be a pioneer in their use. So our involvement with Synhelion is a key element in our long-term sustainability strategy.

Dave

Airbus to pioneer hydrogen combustion technology

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Airbus has signed a partnership agreement with CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines, to collaborate on a hydrogen demonstration programme that will take flight around the middle of this  decade.   

The programme’s objective is to ground and flight test a direct combustion engine  fueled by hydrogen, in preparation for entry-into-service of a zero-emission aircraft by 2035. The demonstration will use a A380 flying testbed equipped with liquid hydrogen tanks prepared at Airbus facilities in France and Germany. Airbus will also define the hydrogen propulsion system requirements, oversee flight testing, and provide the A380 platform to test the hydrogen combustion engine in cruise phase. 

CFM International will modify the combustor, fuel system, and control system of a GE Passport turbofan to run on hydrogen. The engine, which is assembled in the US, was selected for this program because of its physical size, advanced turbo machinery, and fuel flow capability. It will be mounted along the rear fuselage of the flying testbed to allow engine emissions, including contrails, to be monitored separately from those of the engines powering the aircraft. CFM will execute an extensive ground test program ahead of the A380 flight test.

Sabine Klauke, Airbus Chief Technical Officer said,

This is the most significant step undertaken at Airbus to usher in a new era of hydrogen-powered flight since the unveiling of our ZEROe concepts back in September 2020.

By leveraging the expertise of American and European engine manufacturers to make progress on hydrogen combustion technology, this international partnership sends a clear message that our industry is committed to making zero-emission flight a reality.

Hydrogen combustion capability is one of the foundational technologies we are developing and maturing as part of the CFM RISE Program,” said Gaël Méheust, president & CEO of CFM. “Bringing together the collective capabilities and experience of CFM, our parent companies, and Airbus, we really do have the dream team in place to successfully demonstrate a hydrogen propulsion system.

Airbus has a long-standing relationship with CFM and its parent companies, GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines and, together, the partners have established a great track record of delivering high-performance products that meet the needs of airline customers.

Unveiled in 2022, the ZEROe demonstrator uses an A380 multimodal platform to test hydrogen combustion technology.


Dave

Star Alliance lounge at Los Angeles International Airport now offers expanded, paid access

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Star Alliance has expanded its paid lounge access product to their award-winning, state-of-the-art lounge at Los Angeles International Airport.

The lounge will now welcome guests who otherwise would not be eligible, on a paid access basis.

This is the second of the six Star Alliance lounges to offer paid access, following the launch of the product at the Star Alliance lounge at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires in November 2021.

Named Star Alliance Lounge Access, the product offers customers the ability to pre-book and purchase online vouchers.

Valid for a specific date and subject to availability at time of booking, Star Alliance Lounge Access vouchers can also be purchased for the flyer’s family members, friends, or colleagues when they are flying together.

Customers can also receive a discount if they are a member of frequent flyer program of an Alliance member carrier.

After purchase, customers receive a receipt email and QR code valid for the day(s) and time(s) selected.

Star Alliance VP Customer Experience Christian Draeger said,

Our award-winning lounge at LAX is a must-visit. Eligible Star Alliance flyers have benefitted from the lounge experience for years, and we are now pleased to be able to allow access to guests on a paid basis.

Our focus on technology-led products and services such as Star Alliance Lounge Access also provides a sound business case for underutilised lounge capacity at airports.

We look forward to making the product available to all Star Alliance branded lounges in the near future.

Star Alliance was named Airline Alliance of the Year at the Air Transport Awards 2022

Located at Los Angeles International Airport Bradley Terminal, the Star Alliance lounge offers guests an outdoor terrace with enviable views over the airfield and distant Hollywood hills.

A visual delight by the day, it turns into a vibrant energetic space with fire-lit ambience by the evening.

For those preferring a peaceful moment before their flight, the lounge offers numerous areas to relax, work and dine.

Well-appointed shower suites are accessible to guests to freshen up before flying.  

As with all Star Alliance branded lounges, the lounge at LAX maintains specific health and hygiene safety measures to further protect customer well-being.

The Star Alliance Lounge at LAX has received the Skytrax World Airline Award for the World’s Best Airline Alliance Lounge five years running, as well as receiving the Leading Airport Lounge in North America by the World Travel Awards the past two years. 

The Star Alliance Lounge Access product will be progressively rolled out to other Star Alliance branded lounges worldwide.

Dave

Australia “back on the map” as international travel returns

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Qantas flights from eight overseas destinations are touching down in Australia today, bringing the first international tourists in almost two years and an eagerly anticipated boost for the country’s tourism industry.

The Qantas Group will fly more than 14,000 passengers into Australia this week as quarantine and border barriers for international tourists come down.

QF12 from Los Angeles was the first to land at 6.20am and flights from other international destinations including Vancouver, Singapore and London arrive into Sydney throughout the day.

Jetstar’s first unrestricted international flight JQ18 will touch down in Melbourne from Phuket at 10.05am and QF70 from Delhi to Melbourne will arrive at 1.35pm.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said bookings had been strong since the Australian Government announced the country was opening to international visitors, and today’s arrivals will be the first of many.

It’s fair to say we’ve all been waiting a long time to welcome visitors back to Australia. The thousands of international tourists arriving this week and many more over the coming months will help kickstart the tourism industry which has done it tough for the past couple of years.

We’re in this position today thanks to the millions of Australians who rolled up their sleeves to get the jab and give the Australian Government and state and territory governments’ confidence that we can safely reopen to the world.

We can clearly see from the Australian Government’s announcement that people are very keen to come back to Australia, and we continue to see strong bookings out of the US and UK, as well as South Africa and Canada.

Qantas restarted its international network for Australian citizens and visa holders on 1 November 2021, with a number of routes coming online since then.

Dave

Mandarin Oriental announces a private island resort in the Maldives

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Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced that it will manage a new resort on a private island in the Maldives that is scheduled to open in 2025.

The resort is currently under development on a pristine Indian Ocean site and will stretch across three private islands on Bolidhuffaru Reef in South Male Atoll, accessed by a 20-minute speedboat ride from Male’s Velana international airport.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences. The Group now operates 36 hotels and seven residences in 24 countries and territories.

Surrounded by white sand beaches and the vibrant coral reefs for which the Maldives is renowned, the resort will provide a picturesque backdrop from which to enjoy a variety of activities including wellness experiences and watersports.

The accommodation comprises 120 stand-alone villas, made up of 56 overwater villas and 64 beachfront villas, including ten branded Residences at Mandarin Oriental.

Ranging in size from 200 to 1,000 square metres, the villas will be some of the largest in the market, each providing exclusivity and seclusion, with private pools and sweeping ocean views. 

The Group is working with a number of international consultants to ensure sustainability best practises are followed in all stages of the development.

Six dining outlets, including three speciality restaurants and a sunset bar, will ensure that guests have a varied choice of venues during their stay.

In addition, creative indoor and outdoor event space will provide unique locations for meetings, social gatherings and weddings.

Spacious wellness facilities will be located in the resort’s tropical gardens, and will include twelve treatment suites, vitality pools, sauna and steam rooms as well as a beauty salon.

Mandarin Oriental’s expert team of wellness practitioners will offer tailored experiences and the Group’s signature treatments.

Additional leisure activities will include a watersports and dive centre, tennis courts, a kids and teens club, a swimming pool and numerous private coves and beaches to explore.

James Riley, Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group said,

Mandarin Oriental is focused on developing its resort portfolio and has been looking to enter the Maldives for some time. This project represents the right opportunity for the Group.

The 34-hectare site is being developed by DAMAC Properties, part of Dubai-based DAMAC Group, one of the world’s foremost luxury real estate developers.

Hussain Sajwani, Chairman of DAMAC Group said,

The DAMAC brand is synonymous with luxury products and service, and so we felt the Maldives was a perfect fit for us. DAMAC has extended its global footprint outside of the Middle East, from the UK to Canada, and we are thrilled to have reached the Maldives as well.

We look forward to working with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group to manage our new resort on this beautiful island.

Dave

JetBlue orders 30 additional Airbus A220-300, raising its firm order to 100

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JetBlue has announced an agreement to exercise its option to add 30 additional Airbus A220-300 aircraft to its order book, bringing the total number of A220s in the airline’s fleet and on order to 100.

The aircraft’s strong economics and operational performance are a key to JetBlue’s long-term cost performance, while also enabling more sustainable flying, greater flexibility to support JetBlue’s network strategy, and the introduction of its all-new onboard experience to more customers.

Robin Hayes, chief executive officer of JetBlue said

We’re already seeing benefits from the eight A220s we’ve added to the fleet, and we’re very happy to have more on the way.

We’ve seen double-digit increases in customer satisfaction scores, and these fuel-efficient aircraft support our leadership in reducing carbon emissions.

With 30 additional A220s on order, we’re in a position to accelerate our fleet modernisation plans to deliver stronger cost performance and support our focus city network strategy.

Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International said:

It is very rewarding to see a happy customer coming back for more aircraft not even a year after entry into service of its first A220.

We salute our friends at JetBlue on this landmark deal.

Over 700 A220 orders to date underscore the strong market appetite for this all-new single aisle aircraft.

In 2018, JetBlue announced its initial order of 60 A220s and the option for 60 additional aircraft. JetBlue converted 10 of 60 options to firm orders in 2019, and the 30 A220s now announced will enable acceleration of the retirement of JetBlue’s Embraer E190 fleet.

JetBlue’s initial order for 60 A220 aircraft was announced in July 2018.

JetBlue say that the A220’s spacious and comfortable cabin makes it the perfect fit for JetBlue, which has consistently led U.S. airlines in onboard experience.

The airline’s A220s are outfitted with 140 Collins Meridian seats, customised around customer feedback and featuring a number of design elements with comfort and convenience in mind.

Seating is arranged in a two-by-three configuration offering multiple seating options for all party sizes and includes USB-C, USB-A and AC power at every seat.

JetBlue – which claims to offer the most legroom in ‘coach’ – makes great use of the A220’s ultra-modern design to create an elevated customer experience throughout the interior.

The airline explained that every aspect of the aircraft has been meticulously customised to create the perfect environment to deliver JetBlue’s award-winning service. Customer comfort is enhanced with bigger windows for better views and a more spacious feel, reconfigured overhead bins for additional carry-on bag capacity and custom LED mood lighting designed to provide a more soothing inflight experience with lighting scenarios that change with time of day or phase of flight.

Dave

British Airways and Phillips 66 Limited sign first-ever UK-produced sustainable aviation fuel supply agreement

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British Airways will become the first airline in the world to use sustainable aviation fuel produced on a commercial scale in the UK after signing a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66 Limited.

Thousands of tonnes of SAF will be produced for the first time in the UK at the Phillips 66 Humber Refinery near Immingham and will be supplied to British Airways to power a number of its flights from early 2022. 

The airline, which is driving to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, will purchase enough sustainable fuel to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by almost 100,000 tonnes, the equivalent of powering 700 net zero CO2 emissions flights between London and New York on its fuel-efficient Boeing 787 aircraft.

The SAF will be produced from sustainable waste feedstock at the Humber Refinery, which will deliver its SAF supply to British Airways via existing pipeline infrastructure that feeds directly into UK airports.

Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive, said:

This agreement marks another important step on our journey to net zero carbon emissions and forms part of our commitment, as part of International Airlines Group, to power 10% of flights with SAF by 2030.

The UK has the resources and capabilities to be a global leader in the development of SAF and scaling up the production of SAF requires a truly collaborative approach between industry and government.

We are excited to develop our relationship with Phillips 66 Limited further with a view to growing production capacity and using a wider range of sustainable waste feedstocks to supply our future flights.

The development of sustainable aviation fuel is a major focus for us and forms part of our commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 through a series of short-, medium- and long-term initiatives.

The airline’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), is investing $400 million over 20 years into the development of SAF.

British Airways has existing partnerships with a number of technology and fuel companies to develop SAF plants and purchase the fuel.

The airline claims SAF can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by over 80% compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces.

Darren Cunningham, General Manager of the Humber Refinery and UK Director of Phillips 66

Humber Refinery General Manager Darren Cunningham, the Lead Executive for Phillips 66 in the UK, said the announcement reflects the importance the aviation and energy industries are placing on sustainability and the continued development, adoption and scaling up of sustainable aviation fuel.

He said:

The Humber Refinery was the first in the UK to co-process waste oils to produce renewable fuels and now we will be the first to produce SAF at scale, and we are delighted British Airways is our first UK customer.

We’re currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start.

Markets for lower-carbon products are growing, and this agreement demonstrates our ability to supply them.

This agreement with British Airways aligns with our strategy to create a refinery of the future, where we’re producing fuels from waste, being a critical part of the electric vehicle supply chain, reducing the carbon intensity of our processes through carbon capture and using hydrogen to power the refinery.

It secures long-term business in an ever-changing world

Last year Phillips 66 Limited invested significantly to expand its production of fuels from waste feedstocks. The investment is part of a broader energy transition plan to reduce the carbon intensity of its refinery operations and products that support 1,000 Humber Refinery jobs. 

Dave

Finnair launches €200m investment in ‘ultimate customer experience’

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Finnair has launched the airline’s new spacious, long-haul look with a brand-new Business Class and exciting new Premium Economy cabin as part of a major investment to enhance the customer experience.

Finnair A350 Business Class seat

The Finnish flag carrier, known for connecting Asia and Europe via the short northern route, unveiled the €200 million investment at a press conference in Helsinki.

The complete cabin renewal covers all Finnair Airbus A350 and A330 long-haul aircraft, with new cabins to be fitted over the next two years, featuring an entirely new Business Class, a brand-new Premium Economy cabin, and a refreshed Economy Class.

The full experience, complete with renewed service concepts, will be available in spring 2022 on selected routes across Finnair’s long-haul network. The routes will be announced on 1 March 2022.

Topi Manner, Finnair CEO, said,

Our investment to enhance the long-haul customer experience demonstrates the continuing commitment of the whole Finnair team to deliver a premium experience in every cabin on our aircraft.

The pandemic has had a dramatic impact on our industry, but it has not changed our ambition to offer a modern premium experience as we continue to be the first choice for travellers connecting Europe and Asia.

Finnair is the launch customer for a brand-new concept in Business Class seats, developed in close collaboration with Collins Aerospace, maximising customer space and the freedom to move.

The unique fixed shell lounge space enables a wide variety of sitting and sleeping positions, allowing customers to make the space their own during a relaxing long-haul flight.

The seat concept was originally conceived by PriestmanGoode of London. The seat was further developed by Collins Aerospace, with customisation and final design execution by Finnair and its appointed design partner, Tangerine.

The seat’s innovative fixed contoured shell with no recline enables a wide variety of sitting and sleeping positions: you can sit at different angles, rest your feet on the ottoman or use infill panels to create a large flat surface.

A mattress and duvet turn the space into a comfortable bed, and you can use the cushy pillows to relax in a variety of sitting positions. The high cocoon like shell of the seat provides privacy, while the divider between central seats can be lowered when travelling with a companion.

Ole Orvér, Finnair Chief Commercial Officer, said,

Space is today’s luxury, and we have put a lot of thought and attention to detail into creating the best Business Class seat for our customers.

Both the seat and the whole Business Class experience is centered around customer comfort, space, and choice and is the culmination of our design ethos which will appear throughout our long-haul aircraft to redefine modern premium travel.

We look forward to welcoming our customers to experience the new Finnair, as we roll out the cabin renewal across our long-haul fleet over the next two years.”

Finnair’s ‘Nordic design language’ and the warm, dark, comforting colour scheme throughout the Business Class and Premium Economy follow the palette and design of Finnair’s renewed non-Schengen lounges, unveiled at Helsinki Airport in 2019.




The main entrance for all cabin classes has a stylish new entry area and a refreshment bar, creating a striking impression for customers and new service opportunities for cabin crew.

The Business Class cabin renewal also comes complete with renewed service concepts to further enhance the customer experience.

Customers will enjoy a choice of dishes served on new chinaware designed by top Finnish designer Harri Koskinen and Iittala specifically for Finnair.

Finnish design house Marimekko has designed a new collection of unique textiles to complement the warm and inviting onboard atmosphere to create a premium customer comfort experience. These include a duvet and pillows for the Business class, as well as a neck pillow and a woven blanket for Premium Economy.

Finnair’s new Premium Economy cabin is being installed in all its long-haul aircraft for the first time, offering the airline’s long-haul customers a comfortable and stylish new cabin choice.

Ole Orvér said,

Premium leisure is a trend that has been significantly accelerated during the pandemic, so we are confident our new Premium Economy travel class with its comfortable seats and more space will prove very popular with customers looking for an upgraded experience from Economy.




Finnair’s stylish and spacious Premium Economy cabin will offer a comfortable seating choice that provides approximately 50% more space than Economy Class.

Finnair has also invested in a refresh of its long-haul Economy Class, with new seats and larger Inflight Entertainment screens with an updated user interface for its A330 aircraft and three A350s.

The new Premium Economy seat has been optimised for enhanced comfort and ergonomics, featuring memory foam cushions, a deep 8” recline, waterfall leg rest and 6-way headrest.

Dedicated stowage for laptops and small personal items is incorporated to the design so that customers have everything they need at their fingertips throughout their flight.

The seat also features a large and sturdy single leaf meal tray for work and dining, as well as individual reading lights.

Customers can keep their devices charged with universal PC power and USB-A ports. Each seat features a redesigned in-flight entertainment system with 13” wide screens to make time onboard fly with blockbuster movies and top TV shows.

Sixteen of Finnair’s A350 aircraft will see their Economy cabins receive new seat covers and an updated Innflight Entertainment user experience to bring them in line with the designs of the new Business and Premium Economy cabins.


Finnair’s completely new long-haul travel experience is complemented by new Iittala tableware designed exclusively for Finnair by Harri Koskinen.

Premium Economy customers can enjoy two meal services as well as a selection of drinks throughout the flight. A three-course meal will be served on new chinaware designed exclusively for Finnair by top Finnish designer Harri Koskinen and Finnish design icon, Iittala. There is also a light meal service just before landing.

One of Finland’s best-known contemporary designers, Koskinen created the Kuulas collection to be used in Finnair’s long-haul business class, the new premium economy travel class, and short-haul business class.

The tableware is designed for an in-flight environment and is almost 20% lighter than Finnair’s previous tableware, which supports Finnair’s weight reduction and emission targets.

Long-haul flights are key to Finnair’s strategy, with the Finnish carrier specialising in connecting Europe and Asia via the short, fuel-efficient northern route, as well as offering excellent connections to the US.

In summer 2022, Finnair plans to serve nearly 100 destinations in Europe, Asia and the US.

To elevate your travel experience to new heights, step inside Finnair’s fully redesigned long-haul cabin – and why not have a look at the renewed Business Class, all-new travel class Premium Economy and updated Economy Class?
Dave

Marina Bay Sands unveils billion-dollar reinvestment

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Marina Bay Sands has embarked on a major reinvestment programme for its existing property, spanning hotel rooms and suites, new food and beverage offerings and other enhancements that will position the ‘Integrated Resort’ for strong growth as the recovery of global tourism continues.

Marina Bay Sands’ night-time façade

The US$1 billion reinvestment is the biggest since the opening of the Integrated Resort (IR) in 2010, demonstrating parent company Las Vegas Sands’ confidence in Singapore and ongoing commitment to Singapore’s tourism industry.

The reinvestment is in addition to the multi-billion-dollar expansion announced in April 2019, which will include the development of a state-of-the-art entertainment arena, an ultra-luxury hotel tower and additional MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions & exhibitions) space, adjacent to the current IR.

The reinvestment encompasses extensive upgrading of all rooms and suites in Towers 1 and 2 of the Hotel.

Renovation works will be completed in phases over 2022 and 2023, transforming the design and significantly elevating the hospitality experience in the luxury travel segment, which is predicted to lead the tourism recovery.

It will also see the IR introducing signature experiences across the 55th floor of all three hotel towers – including a revamped Executive Club Lounge, premium fine dining, and health and wellness offerings – to offer new luxury lifestyle amenities for high-value travellers. Marina Sands claim more details will be announced at a later date.

Robert G. Goldstein, Las Vegas Sands’ Chairman and CEO said,

We are firmly of the view that Asia will continue to lead as a primary driver of growth in travel, and Singapore will remain a top destination of choice. Our reinvestment as well as our planned multi-billion-dollar expansion that we announced in 2019 represent a further demonstration of our long-term support for Singapore. It reaffirms our confidence in the future and our commitment to offering industry-leading luxury products and hospitality experiences to our guests.

The US$1 billion reinvestment for Marina Bay Sands is part of Las Vegas Sands’ ongoing programme to elevate design and the customer experience across its properties in Singapore and Macao. In Macao, this includes investment of approximately US$2.2 billion in The Londoner Macao, Grand Suites at Four Seasons Macao and The Londoner Court.

Paul Town, Marina Bay Sands’ Chief Operating Officer, said:

Marina Bay Sands’ new room and suite offerings will bring luxury lifestyle experiences not seen in the market before, as we reimagine the future of luxury hospitality and travel. We are excited to unveil them to guests from around the world in the months ahead as international travel returns following the easing of border restrictions. Singapore has been a leader in working towards the safe return of global travel through its Vaccinated Travel Lanes, and we are grateful to the Government for its calibrated approach and unwavering support for the industry.

Marina Bay Sands also continues to introduce new dining and retail concepts, exciting entertainment programmes as well as cutting-edge exhibitions. Adding to its spectacular lineup of celebrity chef and signature restaurants, Wakuda, created by legendary Chef Tetsuya Wakuda and restaurateur John Kunkel of the 50 Eggs Hospitality Group, will be unveiled soon. The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands also continues to develop and present fresh and unique shopping experiences by bringing in new-to-Singapore concepts.

Marina Bay Sands’ hybrid broadcast studio

The reinvestment announcement comes as the IR enters its second decade of operations following its 10th anniversary in 2020. Since opening in 2010 at a development cost of US$5.6 billion, Marina Bay Sands has provided significant benefits to Singapore’s tourism sector, with over 380 million visitors to the property and helping to attract more than 1,000 all-new MICE events to the country.

Marina Bay Sands has also benefited the economy of Singapore through the creation of new jobs and support for local businesses. The IR directly employs nearly 10,000 staff, of which more than two-thirds are Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, with the figure expected to rise in the coming years to support the expansion of the business.