Dave

Heathrow sees huge rise in passenger numbers and record satisfaction levels

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Heathrow has provided an update on its passenger numbers and “satisfaction levels” as the airport continues its strong recovery from the pandemic.

The airport has announced that more than 5.4 million passengers travelled through Heathrow in January, the busiest start of the year since 2020.

Heathrow: named best UK airport in Travel Weekly’s Globe Travel Awards 2023

Following detailed surveying of passengers, Heathrow also pointed out that overall passenger satisfaction is now at or above pre-pandemic levels. In January, 98% of passengers waited less than 10 minutes for security.

Border Force are trialling the use of eGates for children aged 10 and 11 in Terminal 5 over half term, and the airport says it is “fully supportive of Border Force’s aspirations to expand the use of eGates to more families and visa holders, assisting with smooth and seamless journeys”.

British Airways and Virgin recently announced restarting ticket sales to China, reopening a key market for British exports once more. Following the pandemic, the airport has worked with airline partners to rebuild the world-class connectivity Heathrow offers to passengers.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: 

Heathrow is back to its best, with passenger satisfaction scores meeting or exceeding 2019 levels. We are giving a warm welcome to families over the half term getaway by delivering excellent service and bringing back the magic of travel.

Terminal passengers were 5.482 million in January 2023, up 111% on January 2022.

Dave

Virgin pulls out of Pakistan

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Virgin Atlantic have announced the suspension of services between London Heathrow and Lahore and Islamabad.

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said:

As we continue to ramp up our flying programme in 2023, we’ve taken the opportunity to review our entire network and decided to make a few changes.

Following this review, it is with regret that we’ve taken the difficult decision to suspend our services between London Heathrow and Pakistan. Since commencing operations in December 2020, we have been proud to offer choice for customers travelling between London and Manchester in the UK, and Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan. During that time, we have also provided important cargo capacity, as well as delivering vital medical supplies.

This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and we’d like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.  We would like to wholeheartedly thank everyone in Pakistan; our customers, teams, partners and the authorities for their support over the past two years.

Virgin Atlantic will continue to operate services between London and Lahore until 1 May and between London and Islamabad until 9 July.

Following the announcement, Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management said,

It’s always sad to see a great airline dropping routes. Virgin Atlantic has served Pakistan well for a number of years. But the airline can continue to provide brilliant service to customers on other, growing routes.

For UK-based business travellers, there will continue to be a wide range of airlines serving UK-Pakistan routes, including British Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines. As always, we welcome inquiries from customers looking to travel to Pakistan from London and can advise on the best, most suitable and efficient routes.

Dave

Cathay Pacific’s The Deck is now open

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Cathay Pacific has announced the reopening of its airport lounge, “The Deck”, at Hong Kong International Airport, providing passengers with more options to relax before their flight.

The Deck: pamper yourself before your flight, people-watch from atop, enjoy cocktails and sunset views from The Terrace, or savour your favourite dishes from the signature Noodle Bar

The airline is also planning to reopen its other lounges, including “The Pier”, “First”, “Business” and “The Wing” within the next six months as it increases its flight schedule.

Cathay Pacific is also gradually reopening its lounges globally, with several lounges in different airports set to reopen in February, March, April, and the second and third quarters of 2023.

The airline’s signature lounges, including those at San Francisco International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport, are expected to reopen in 2023.

Cathay Pacific has already opened several of its lounges, including “First and Business class lounges” at London Heathrow Airport and lounges at Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Tokyo (Haneda) International Airport.

The Deck, Hong Kong

To mark the reopening of The Deck, the airline has added a selection of new dishes served in The Noodle Bar, an iconic favourite among guests at its signature lounges.

As well as new food options at The Noodle Bar Cathay Pacific has continued to offer international dishes at The Food Hall.

The Deck is located near Gate 6 in Terminal 1 and features a unique open-ceiling terrace with seating options to enjoy views of the airport’s apron, taxi-ways and northern runway.

Cathay Pacific Lounge at Narita (Tokyo)

The Cathay Pacific Lounge at Narita has been relocated to a larger space near Gate 71 and offers customers a more spacious environment with excellent views of the airport apron.

The lounge features new artwork created by local Japanese studios and offers a curated food and beverage menu including traditional Japanese dishes, such as sushi, grilled fish, miso soup and curry with rice, as well as light and healthy options.

Cathay Pacific Lounge, Bangkok and Manila

Cathay Pacific has also made enhancements to its Bangkok and Manila lounges ahead of their reopening. Both lounges have received a refresh to their interior décor, fixtures and furniture, providing guests with a rejuvenated ambience. This is in addition to the equipment checks and deep cleaning that all lounges undergo before reopening to ensure the wellbeing and comfort of customers.

Dave

Lufthansa’s ramps up north American Dreamliner capacity

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Lufthansa has announced the deployment of the Boeing 787-9 on routes to the United States and Canada from this Summer.

Environmentally friendly: The Dreamliner offers 30% better fuel efficiency than the aircraft is replaces

From 26 March, Lufthansa’s newest aircraft, the Boeing 787-9, is heading to further North American destinations starting with the summer flight schedule as of 26 March.

The 787-9 is a wide-body, twin-engine aircraft manufactured by Boeing and operated by Lufthansa, the German airline. It is part of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family and usually accommodates approximately 290 passengers in a two-cabin configuration (business and economy class). The 787-9 is known for its fuel efficiency and advanced technology, including a quieter cabin, larger windows, and improved air quality systems.

The Dreamliner will fly six times a week from Frankfurt to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Lufthansa will offer four weekly flights to Montreal, Canada and ramp this up on 1 May to daily flights. Also early in May, Lufthansa will fly its Dreamliner daily to Denver, Colorado, three times weekly to Austin, Texas and on 13 February begin serving Detroit, Michigan.

Since October last year the Dreamliner has flown daily to Newark.

Currently, Lufthansa operates three Boeing 787-9s. Two additional Dreamliners will be delivered shortly.

The Boeing 787-9 offers passengers a much improved travel experience.

The cabin is very quiet and depending on the time of day, is lit by an innovative lighting system. The higher entrance area gives a pleasant feeling of more space and the large windows offer the opportunity for better viewing or can be dimmed at the touch of a button.

Business Class guests enjoy improved seating with, among other things, direct aisle access.

The state of the art long-haul Dreamliner is one of the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly long-haul Lufthansa aircraft. On average, it consumes 2.5 litres of kerosene per passenger per 100 kilometers flown or 30% less than aircraft of the preceding generation.

By 2027, Lufthansa Group will take delivery a total of 32 new Boeing 787-9s.

Dave

British Airways announces resumption of flights to mainland China

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After a two-year absence, British Airways has announced it will resume flights between the UK and mainland China. Tickets have gone on sale for flights to Shanghai from 23 April and Beijing from 3 June.

Noella Ferns: We can’t wait to welcome our customers back to Shanghai and Beijing

British Airways first flew to China in 1980 and continued to do so until the pandemic.

The airline has been working to reintroduce these important routes to enable passengers to resume trips to and beyond these crucial destinations.

  • From 23 April, flights will operate daily between London Heathrow and Shanghai Pudong International Airport – flight numbers BA168 and BA169.
  • From 3 June, flights will operate four times per week between London Heathrow and the new Beijing Daxing Airport – flight numbers BA88 and BA89.

Noella Ferns, British Airways’ Head of Sales, Asia Pacific, said:

We can’t wait to welcome our customers back on board our flights from Shanghai and Beijing. We know they’ve been looking forward to reuniting with family and friends, coming to study in the UK and resuming business between China and the UK.

We have an incredibly rich history of flying to mainland China, having connected the two countries for more than 40 years. We look forward to resuming these routes again.

In a statement, the airline said “safety has always been at the heart of everything British Airways does and the airline has a number of measures in place at the airport and on board to look after the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew. The air on all British Airways’ flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with more than 99.9% efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating theatre standards. Additionally, British Airways always follows local regulations to ensure customers experience safe and smooth travel.

Shanghai and Beijing flights are now available to book through Global Travel Management.

Dave

The last ever 747 delivered to its customer by Boeing

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Boeing and Atlas Air Worldwide joined thousands of people – including current and former employees as well as customers and suppliers – to celebrate the delivery of the final 747 to Atlas, bringing to a close more than a half century of production.

Boeing employees who designed and built the first 747, known as the “Incredibles,” returned to be honored at the Everett factory where the journey of the 747 began in 1967. The factory produced 1,574 airplanes over the life of the program.

Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said

This monumental day is a testament to the generations of Boeing employees who brought to life the airplane that ‘shrank the world,’ and revolutionized travel and air cargo as the first widebody. It is fitting to deliver this final 747-8 Freighter to the largest operator of the 747, Atlas Air, where the ‘Queen’ will continue to inspire and empower innovation in air cargo.

John Dietrich, president and chief executive officer, Atlas Air Worldwide said

We are honored to continue our long history of flying this iconic aircraft for our customers around the world. Atlas Air was founded over 30 years ago with a single 747-200 converted freighter, and since then, we have spanned the globe operating nearly every fleet type of the 747, including the Dreamlifter, Boeing’s 747 Large Cargo Freighter, for the transport of 787 Dreamliner parts. We are grateful to Boeing for their shared commitment to safety, quality, innovation and the environment, and for their partnership to ensure the continued success of the 747 program as we operate the aircraft for decades to come.

As the first twin-aisle airplane and “jumbo jet,” the “Queen of the Skies” enabled airlines to connect people across vast distances and provide non-stop trans-oceanic flights.

Its development solidified Boeing’s role as an industry leader in commercial aviation. The aeroplane’s core design with its distinctive hump and seating in the upper deck has delighted generations of passengers and operators alike.

Boeing continued to improve on the original design with models like the 747-400 in 1988 and the final 747-8 model that was launched in 2005; across all the models, the jet has delivered unmatched operating economics and efficiency to travel and air cargo markets.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial aeroplanes, defence products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries.

Dave

Health insurance requirement for travel to Doha, Qatar

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All visitors to Qatar must obtain health insurance prior to arrival in the country.

The Ministry of Public Health in Qatar has published updated entry requirements for the country from February 2023 specifying that health insurance must be obtained covering the intended stay in the country.

The Ministry provides an exclusive list of insurance providers from whom health insurance may be purchased. The list is available from the Ministry website, here.

The standard insurance premium is 50 Qatari Rial per month, which is approximately £11.50.

Please note that the entry requirement may be enforced strictly, resulting in passengers arriving at Doha without proof of health insurance purchased from one of the listed providers being denied entry.

Full details of the Ministry’s scheme have been published on the MOPH website, here.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, please do not hesitate to contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.

Dave

More than two-thirds of business travellers want to increase their use of lower carbon modes of transport

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New research by rail booking company Trainline has revealed more than two-thirds (72%) of UK business travellers surveyed would like to take a higher proportion of trips in 2023 by lower carbon modes of transport, such as rail.

More than six in ten business travellers also expressed concern as to their carbon footprint from business travel in 2022.

Champa Magesh:
“Business travellers are increasingly thinking about their carbon footprint”

More than half (53%) of the respondents stated their volume of business trips in 2022 was either similar to, or higher than, the number they took annually pre-pandemic.

In 2023, sustainability will ultimately be an important consideration for more than three-quarters (78%) of business travellers.

Trainline states that the survey results demonstrate the potential for changing behaviours when it comes to business travel, with clear support for using alternative travel options.

The research of 1,004 UK employees who travel for business (not commuting) was conducted by independent research company Censuswide in January 2023.

Champa Magesh, President at Trainline Partner Solutions, said,

We’re seeing a societal shift in the increasing importance people place on sustainability, which is naturally crossing over into their working lives. As this survey shows, this means business travellers are increasingly thinking about their carbon footprint, and likewise businesses are examining how travel contributes to their carbon disclosures. The good news is rail provides a natural answer to these challenges, offering a sustainable option to travellers and businesses alike.

Global Travel Management offers a full travel management service, including domestic and international rail.

Scott Pawley, Managing Director of GTM, said,

It’s great to see more travellers looking to increase their use of lower carbon transport like rail.  We’re happy to support all our customers by helping to plan, book, amend and service bookings on their domestic UK rail journeys as well as high speed, international rail trips across Europe and beyond. 

For businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact, GTM provides a comprehensive programme of reporting as well as the ability to plant trees which sequester carbon from the atmosphere. The GTM Carbon Offset Programme was introduced to enable business travellers to monitor and offset carbon emissions from flights. It has now been enhanced to include rail travel as well as car hire and hotel rooms.

Scott Pawley added,

Our customers are becoming more aware of their carbon footprint.  And many are determined to take the necessary action to address their carbon emissions and reduce their impact.  So we’re delighted that the GTM Carbon Offset Programme now enables business travellers to offset the carbon emissions from rail travel, as well as flights.  

You can learn more about the GTM Carbon Offset Programme in the article below.

We plant trees to offset carbon dioxide
Dave

easyJet appoint new Group People Director

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easyJet has announced that it has appointed Jane Storm to join the airline as Group People Director in the spring.

Jane Storm

Jane will succeed Ella Bennett who has decided to leave easyJet after nearly five years at the airline.

Jane will join easyJet from Saga Group where she is currently Chief People Officer.

Prior to Saga, Jane built her career in HR and retail at Tesco where she worked in a variety of roles over a period of 19 years.

Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet, said,

I am really pleased that Jane will be joining easyJet. Jane has experience of working in international plc businesses and brings with her strong transformation skills and commercial acumen alongside a strong focus on culture, talent and succession planning.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Ella for her huge contribution, commitment and passion over the past five years at easyJet.

Dave

Air France unveils the names of its seventeen partner chefs

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To mark the Bocuse d’Or 2023 event of which Air France is an official partner from in January 2023, the airline has unveiled the names of the renowned chefs with whom it will be working this year.

In 2023, seventeen talented chefs promoting French excellence will take turns to sign exceptional dishes in La Première and Business and in airport lounges over the coming months.

By partnering with so many distinguished names in the world of cuisine, Air France is reasserting its role as ambassador of French fine dining around the world.

The airline plans to introduce its customers to the quality and diversity of France’s gastronomic heritage, as part of an increasingly responsible approach, by focusing on fresh, seasonal and local produce and a systematic choice of vegetarian dish in all travel cabins.

Air France designs these menus with the help of some of the most prestigious chefs with the expertise of its catering partner, Servair, a global leader in in-flight dining and its culinary Studio.

On board long-haul flights from Paris, French Michelin-starred chefs Arnaud Lallement, Régis Marcon, Anne-Sophie Pic, Emmanuel Renaut and Michel Roth will this year take turns to sign exclusive dishes for Air France on the La Première and Business cabin menus.

For the first time, Mauro Colagreco and Thierry Marx will also be contributing their unique skills to this exceptional team of chefs. With vegetarian compositions, red and white meats from France, and fish from sustainable fishing, all the chefs are committed to showcasing the local produce of their regions in France and sharing their culinary heritage and passion.

In the La Première suites, the company’s most exclusive travel cabins, the Meilleur Ouvrier de France pastry chefs Philippe Urraca and for the first time Angelo Musa will bring an elegant and sweet touch to the menus in this cabin worthy of the finest restaurants.

Air France also continues to offer menus signed by top French chefs on long-haul flights departing from airports worldwide. The company continues to work with the triple Michelin-starred chef Julien Royer in the La Première and Business cabins on departure from Singapore. Originally from Auvergne, Julien Royer is at the helm of the Odette and Claudine restaurants in Singapore.

On departure from Reunion Island, in the Business cabin, the menus are designed by chef Jofrane Dailly from Reunion Island, who works at the Diana Dea Lodge in Sainte-Anne.

In 2023, Air France will offer menus created by chef Olivier Perret on flights departing from Air France’s destinations in Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Quebec and Vancouver). He will focus on offering French gastronomy with fresh ingredients for menus in the Business cabin. Originally from Burgundy, the chef also presides at the restaurant Le Renoir at the Sofitel Montréal Le Carré Doré.

Air France intends to further develop its partnership with these exceptional signature chefs, notably on departure from the French Caribbean, USA and Japan.

On its medium-haul network, in the Business cabin, Servair corporate chef François Adamski, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and Bocuse d’Or winner, offers the lunch or dinner dishes served on board all year round.

Air France also collaborates with several chefs in its Paris airport lounges.

At Paris-Charles de Gaulle, the Alain Ducasse teams have thus created dishes for the Air France La Première lounge. And in the other lounges located in terminal 2 E (halls K, L and M), Ducasse Paris regularly unveils new dishes to be enjoyed among the entire offer. In the lounge located in terminal 2F, François Adamski teams up with talented chefs to sign innovative, seasonal menus. Following in the footsteps of Chloé Charles, Amandine Chaignot will be illustrating her talent for the company’s customers. At Paris-Orly, Guy Martin, who is used to signing the menus served on board Air France flights, will for the first time sign a dish on offer in the long-haul lounge at Orly 3. Finally, in the short-haul lounge at Orly 2, customers will be able to continue to enjoy the choux pastries signed by pastry chef Philippe Urraca.

Currently, on all its flights departing from Paris, Air France commits to offering 100% French meat, dairy produce and eggs as well as fish from sustainable fisheries in all its travel cabins and its lounges at Paris airports. The airline offers a selection of fresh, local and seasonal products. A vegetarian option is also available in all cabins and dishes are systematically labelled with Nutri-Score A or B certification in Economy and Premium Economy cabins. In addition, kids and infants’ menus are exclusively made from organically sourced products.

Air France is also committed to recycling and eliminating 90% of single-use plastic on board its aircraft by the end or March 2023. On board its flights, the company continues to roll out plastic-free containers including paper cups, small dishes made from cellulose, serving dishes made of bagasse and Kraft paper “Bon Appétit” bags. On the ground and on board flights, the company pays particular attention to the selective sorting and recycling of catering items. In accordance with French regulations, it also provides its customers with water fountains in its lounges in France. In its fight against food waste, Air France also offers its long-haul Business customers the possibility to pre-select their hot dish prior to departure. This service combines the guarantee of customer choice and a more rational consumption.