Dave

Delta is driving change for the Earth and the people on it

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Delta Air Lines is accelerating its efforts to build what it describes as ‘a more sustainable and people-first future for air travel’.

Starting in January 2022, the airline will refresh its onboard product offerings with artisan-made amenity kits, recycled bedding, reusable and biodegradable service ware and premium canned wine.

Together, the products will reduce onboard single-use plastic consumption by approximately 2.2 million kg per year – that’s roughly the weight of 1,500 standard-sized cars.

The airline says these initiatives significantly increase Delta’s support of minority- and women-run businesses.

Allison Ausband, Delta’s E.V.P. and Chief Customer Experience Officer explained:

Decisions we make on every aspect of our product are opportunities to make good on two core promises: to deliver exceptional customer experiences and build a better future for people and our planet.

These latest additions deliver something unique to our customers, reduce our environmental impact and enable job creation for the communities we serve around the world.

Over the past year, Delta has deepened its relationships with suppliers in key markets, which allows the airline to serve more locally sourced menu items, and introduced a beverage lineup that shines a light on the first U.S. black-owned distillery, Du Nord Social Spirits.

Amelia DeLuca, V.P. of Sustainability for Delta said:

Delta has always put people at the centre of everything we do. It’s this people-first focus that led Delta to source new products onboard that reduce waste, bolster diverse suppliers and build communities.

We want to protect our planet and the people on it, and the products we provide onboard are the latest way we’re living out this commitment.


Delta’s partnership with Someone Somewhere has created jobs for more than 250 people in five of Mexico’s most vulnerable states.

Delta One Amenity Kits by Someone Somewhere

Delta has chosen Mexican apparel brand Someone Somewhere to create the amenity kits for customers seated in Delta’s premium Delta One cabin.

Someone Somewhere is a Certified B Corporation that combines Mexican traditional handcrafts with innovative products.

The new amenity kit eliminates five single-use plastic items, reducing plastic use by up to 40,000kg on an annual basis. Someone Somewhere’s artisanal production processes also eliminate waste and utilise ‘regenerated cotton’.

The new kits will launch onboard beginning in February and will contain sustainable, wellness-focused products including a Someone Somewhere eye mask, Grown Alchemist natural lip balm and hand lotion, and a Humble Co. bamboo toothbrush.

Both Grown Alchemist products onboard will transition to aluminium packaging in April 2022.

Premium bedding helps to recycle 25 million bottles a year

Bedding made from recycled materials

Delta’s soft, comfortable and premium bedding sets are now made with more than 100 recycled plastic bottles, which will use 25 million recycled bottles annually.

The airline is among the first to use 100% recycled polyester (rPET) bedding.

Combined with the new use of reusable bedding packaging, the rPET bedding will reduce single-use plastic use by up to 117,000 kg per year.

The sets began appearing on board in December 2021.

Bamboo cutlery will be rolled out across Delta’s cabins this year

Refreshed serviceware

Delta continues to overhaul its onboard service ware globally by introducing products made from natural and recycled materials to replace and reduce plastic usage.

When the project is complete later this year, the transition will reduce annual plastic use by up to 1.95 million kg.

Delta now offers bamboo cutlery for domestic First Class fresh packaged meals and on select international flights.

Later this year, all international Main Cabin customers will also see new dishware made from biodegradable material, bamboo cutlery and a premium paper placemat.

Havinging grown up between her family’s two Sonoma wineries Jamie Benziger is blazing her own trail in the wine industry.

Imagery Estate Winery premium canned wine

Delta will now serve two new aluminium-canned wines from Imagery Estate Winery, a premium Sonoma winery led by award-winning winemaker Jamie Benziger.

In 2019, Jamie was named Best Winemaker at the International Women’s Wine Competition and named to Wine Enthusiast’s 40 Under 40 list.

Delta will offer Imagery’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay onboard starting with select coast-to-coast flights this month and will expand to all domestic flights later this year.

The wine’s aluminum packaging reduces annual plastic use by up to 113,000 kg.

Imagery’s wines are also sustainably grown, as certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.

Dave

My favourite hotel: The Sloane Square Hotel – Paul Baker

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Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management shares his favourite central London hotel and tells us why The Sloane Square Hotel provides the perfect central London accommodation.

Location

As Paul says, ‘you can’t get a better location that this’.

The Sloane Square Hotel is not just in London, it’s at the very heart of central London. Nestled into the north side of Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

It’s a perfect location for business travellers. It’s in the middle of the very best locations in central London, surrounded by world-leading businesses, Kensington Olympia, High Commissions and Embassies.

But it’s also a perfect base from which to extend a business trip into some leisure time, as it’s so close to great shops, museums, the V&A, Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the Saatchi Gallery; West End theatres; Kensington Palace.

It’s no surprise that we’re often asked to extend midweek business trips to include a weekend with families.

And, importantly, it’s handy for a couple of football clubs: the best team in the area, Fulham, and some other team that plays in blue.

Rooms

The Sloane Square Hotel is located in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

The hotel offers 100 bedrooms, with an array of room types, overlooking Sloane Square, or the quiet calm of rooms opposite Holy Trinity Church.

The Junior Suite is great. 27 square metres, including a seating area in a bay window overlooking the Square; Wi-Fi; complimentary min-bar soft drinks; luxury bathroom; Nespresso coffee machine; neck and back massager; safe; television and, to celebrate a successful business trip, Champagne.

The Superior rooms are exactly that: with an excellent range of amenities and about 23 square metres of space.

And the Club Family room is really popular for business trips that are extended to include family, with accommodation for two adults and a child.

Design

The hotel was completely renovated and redesigned in 2005/6. But it retains plenty of the character of the hotel that has stood on the site for more than 120 years.

It’s no surprise that the hotel has welcomed some of the most stylish people, especially during Chelsea’s swinging sixties.

The Beatles are said to have stayed at the hotel. I can understand why. But you won’t experience a hard day’s night here.

Staff

I have always had a great welcome from all the staff at The Sloane Square Hotel.

If you can judge a hotel on its staff alone – and there’s much, much more to this hotel than just the staff – then this hotel is worth every single one of its stars.

The Junios Suite at The Sloane Square Hotel has a seating area in bay window overlooking Sloane Square. a bathroom with a free-standing bath and separate shower and a luxury King size bed with high-quality linen to make you feel special.

The Sloane Square Hotel has been a favourite of Global Travel Management’s for sometime now. It is ideal for leisure and business travellers, in part because of its location and for its access to no fewer than twelve London Underground stations, on the Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & Fulham and Piccadilly Lines. The Côte Brasserie restaurant offers an imaginative French inspired menu at great prices.

When you’re next visiting central London contact your GTM Account Manager to book the best rates at The Sloane Square Hotel.

Dave

British Airways and American Airlines unveil plans for enhancements to JFK

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British Airways and American Airlines announced more details regarding plans to co-locate operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 8 beginning 1 December 2022.

Enabled by a $400 million investment to redevelop, expand and enhance the terminal, the move will bring the Atlantic Joint Business partners closer together. Jointly, the terminal investments and co-location will offer a more seamless customer experience while supporting the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s ambitious plan to transform JFK into a leading global airport.

American is eager to welcome British Airways to their new home at JFK. Their move to Terminal 8 further deepens our longstanding partnership and makes it easier than ever for customers traveling between New York and London or onward across our global networks.

Alison Taylor, American’s Chief Customer Officer

British Airways and American were the first carriers to begin redevelopment efforts at JFK, breaking ground in January 2020 on five new widebody gates, four new widebody hardstand parking positions, an enhanced baggage handling system, new customer amenities and expanded premium guest offerings — including approximately 130,000 square feet of new and renovated terminal space.

New York holds a special place in our heart as one of our most well-loved and important destinations. Our move to the redeveloped and expanded Terminal 8 will bring a range of benefits for our customers, including a better transfer experience, enabling them to travel to more than 30 destinations across the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America with American Airlines.

British Airways will remain in Terminal 7 until 1 December, and we have continued to invest in the experience for our customers, including our check-in area, concessions and lounges.

Tom Stevens, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience

When complete later this year, premium customers traveling on both airlines and other oneworld partners will have access to a reimagined journey through JFK depicted by newly released artist illustrations.

As customers arrive at Terminal 8, a co-branded premium check-in area providing personalised, concierge-style service for top-tier guests will replace American’s former Flagship First Check-In space. Thoughtfully designed architectural elements will also define an exclusive new check-in space for eligible business customers.

Once through security, three distinctive custom lounges combining the best of both brands will provide a refined, welcoming preflight experience for select guests based on cabin of travel and loyalty program status. The expanded premium lounge offerings will incorporate seating for approximately 1,000 of American and British Airways’ most loyal customers.  Each lounge has been designed with original high-end finishes — evoking a unique sense of space while elevating the experience and service offered to every guest.

The most exclusive lounge will have an all-new champagne bar, fireside lounge and a la carte dining room, which ‘reimagines American’s Flagship First Dining into a fully immersive experience’.
Adjacent, another premium lounge — with sweeping airside views, a wine bar, cocktail lounge, library and buffet — will offer ‘an elevated, lively experience’.

American’s Flagship Lounge and Concourse B Admirals Club will be repurposed into a contiguous lounge for eligible business class customers.

While disruptions to the customer journey remain limited, American’s Flagship First Check-in at JFK is expected to close from 1 February for construction. Premium customers traveling on eligible itineraries will be directed to temporary check-in counters located nearby. All lounge spaces will remain open and operational through the duration of the redevelopment project. Following completion, the Concourse B Admirals Club will close. The Concourse C Admirals Club will continue to serve members, qualifying elite customers and those traveling on eligible itineraries.

As Atlantic Joint Business partners, American and British Airways offer the most flights and the most competitive schedule for customers traveling between New York and London compared to any other partnership — with up to fourteen peak daily departures scheduled to operate between JFK and London Heathrow Airport this summer.

When co-located, American and British Airways customers will be able to realize even more value from established reciprocal benefits while enjoying unprecedented flexibility and a truly seamless connecting experience when traveling across airlines. Until operations are fully transitioned to Terminal 8 in December, British Airways will continue to provide a world-class experience for their customers at JFK’s Terminal 7.


Dave

Four Seasons: growth driven by development pipeline and enhanced commercial strategy

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Luxury hospitality company Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts continues to solidify its position through the strategic expansion of its portfolio of hotels, resorts and residential developments.

The company is also extending its luxury lifestyle offering through the growth of Private Retreats, its portfolio of luxury villa and vacation home rentals; its bespoke Private Jet experience; and through the Four Seasons at Home luxury goods collection.

Despite industry-wide challenges caused by the pandemic, Four Seasons outlook for 2022 builds upon the success of the past year, including the addition of highly anticipated new hotels, resorts and residences in key markets, and the extension of its standalone residential collection with new properties opening last year in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Supporting this growth, the company’s longstanding shareholder, an affiliate of Cascade Investment, L.L.C. (Cascade), closed this month on its acquisition of a majority stake in Four Seasons from its long-term investment partner, an affiliate of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC). The transaction marks a pivotal point for the company, further demonstrating Cascade’s commitment to provide Four Seasons with resources to accelerate growth, support the company’s properties and owners, and expand its strategic goals. KHC retains a 23.75% stake in Four Seasons and remains strongly dedicated to the company’s considerable opportunities.

John Davison – “Always remaining focused on our long-term goals and staying true to our strategic pillars has been the key to the company’s success”.

2022 marks an important moment in the evolution of Four Seasons as we sharpen our development focus in key markets, strengthen our leadership position as an iconic luxury brand and capitalise on new opportunities that will continue to drive and diversify our growth.

Realising these opportunities means investing in our greatest competitive advantage – our people. For more than 60 years, the strength of Four Seasons has been grounded in our unmatched commitment to service excellence.

As we grow with intention, so too do the opportunities for our people, ensuring we create an environment in which they can flourish.

Thriving employees ultimately deliver an exceptional guest experience. And as we adapt to the pandemic with innovations such as our Lead With Carehealth and safety program, the deep connection between the success of our employees and the service delivered to our guests has never been more important to Four Seasons long-term success.

John Davison, President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Private Retreats at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley

Four Seasons is building on the momentum of its successful 2021 openings in strategic markets, including in Napa Valley, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Taormina, Italy.

The company continues to accelerate expansion plans worldwide with four openings planned for 2022, including exciting new developments in Tamarindo, Mexico; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Along with the accelerated pace of new openings, the high valuations and increasing demand for existing Four Seasons properties managed on behalf of owners speaks to the strength of the Four Seasons brand.

Four Seasons has more than 50 new projects under planning or development, including in Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Colombia, Belize and across key markets in the US, all of which will add to the company’s existing portfolio of 122 hotels and resorts and 48 residential properties in 47 countries around the world.  

Four Seasons has a strong, strategic growth trajectory – an extensive pipeline of projects that will open in key global destinations, with visionary development partners who share our commitment to excellence. Our residential business in particular is a key pillar in our growth plans, with a five-year pipeline of USD 7 billion in gross sales value comprising more than 30 projects worldwide.

Our continued growth in residential, a space in which we’ve been a leader since 1985, speaks to our deep understanding of the luxury consumer – those who want to live and experience the Four Seasons lifestyle. With our development partners, we continue to capitalise on the right opportunities in markets that are relevant to luxury consumers, elevating our residential offering and ensuring that Four Seasons is the address of choice in every location where we operate.

Bart Carnahan, President, Global Business Development and Portfolio Management, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Four Seasons Private Residences Dubai at Jumeirah

New standalone Private Residences, developments not connected to a hotel or resort, set to open in the coming years include Four Seasons Private Residences Dubai at Jumeirah – a project that fully sold out before public sales began – Four Seasons Private Residences Lake Austin and Four Seasons Private Residences Marrakech at M Avenue. These new standalone developments join the company’s current collection in London, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Other upcoming residential developments connected to an existing or soon-to-open Four Seasons property include Fort Lauderdale, Minneapolis, Nashville, Mumbai, Cartagena and Belize.

As Four Seasons extends its portfolio globally, the company does so with consideration for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) priorities.

Four Seasons claims to be committed to sustainable hospitality, including reducing carbon emissions, conserving water, eliminating waste, and sourcing responsibly.

To further its commitments to address waste and protect local ecosystems, the company aims to remove all single-use plastic from the guest experience by the end of 2022.

Four Seasons has a long history of employee care, community support and philanthropy. Central to Four Seasons employee experience and social impact programming is the company’s commitment to supporting cancer research, and the advancement of diversity, inclusion, equality and belonging at Four Seasons corporate offices and properties worldwide.

Last year, Four Seasons announced the appointment of Marc Speichert as the company’s first Chief Commercial Officer.

Four Seasons’ personalisation and guest-focused lens extends to Four Seasons digital ecosystem and investments in technology across these platforms continue to roll out globally, focused on gaining deeper insights to enhance the guest experience.

The evolution of the company’s digital capabilities, driven by Four Seasons award-winning App and Chat and FourSeasons.com, will further personalise every touch point of the guest journey.

With usage growing by nearly 300% since 2019, the App’s industry-leading technology empowers guests and residents to control their Four Seasons experience, engaging with real Four Seasons employees on property who deliver curated service characterised by personal connections and emotional intelligence.

New App and Chat features to be rolled out also include the introduction of a mobile key and mobile payments, as well as enhancements to the restaurant and bar digital experience.

Contact your GTM Account Manager to book rooms at Four Seasons properties, anywhere in the world.

Dave

Gatwick’s recovery continues with Vueling’s expansion at the airport

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Gatwick has announced that Vueling is to expand their operations at the airport – including five new routes – which are now available to book for a well-earned Easter or Summer holiday, city break or trip to see friends and family.

Vueling’s expansion will see two aircraft based at Gatwick and – in addition to increased frequencies to its existing direct routes from Gatwick to Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia, Santiago de Compostela, Paris-Orly, Rome and Florence – the airline will fly the five new routes to Malaga, Menorca, La Coruña, Sevilla and Granada. Two daily services to Malaga. 

Vuelling’s expansion builds on other recent announcements supporting Gatwick’s recovery with British Airways, Wizz Air, Emirates, TUI, Turkish and Westjet also increasing their schedules toward pre-pandemic levels, in addition to easyJet increasing the number of slots they will fly from the airport during the summer season.

Stephanie Wear, Vice President of Aviation Development, Gatwick Airport said: 

We are delighted to welcome Vueling’s expansion at Gatwick Airport. Their commitment to Gatwick is really positive news for both the airport, our partners and the local economy, as we continue to grow back following the impacts of COVID. The news also shows how attractive airport slots are at Gatwick.

The additional services Vueling will now be able to offer to Spain and Italy – including new routes to Sevilla, Granada and Menorca – is excellent news for passengers across London and the South East, providing more choice and competition to popular destinations.

Gatwick is the UK’s second largest airport and flies a range of both short and long-haul point-to-point services.

Dave

Customer tales: Crossing the Atlantic the hard way

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Sleep deprivation, hallucinations and hunger aren’t usually problems that Global Travel Management customers suffer, when crossing the Atlantic.

In fact, getting from one side of ‘the Pond’ to the other is almost always completely straightforward and simple for nearly every Global Travel Management customer.  But there’s one very clear exception.  We have taken a look at an unusual set of circumstances.

Perform Logistics Managing Director Neil Mason: ‘a reliable travel management company is priceless and allows our team to concentrate on their own job at hand’

Perform Logistics is a UK-based freight transport, supply chain and logistics business, based in Colnbrook, Berkshire, close to London’s Heathrow Airport.  

The company specialises in moving and setting up consignments nationally and internationally predominantly in the events and exhibition sector. 

They work with a number of blue-chip clients, including Harrods, London’s Excel exhibition centre, Evolution Sport and Cignpost Diagnostic, the healthcare and diagnosis company that manages Covid-19 testing facilities for clients like the BBC, Netflix and the PGA European Tour. 

Perform also works with competitors in the world-famous endurance event, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, known as “the world’s toughest row” organised and run by Atlantic Campaigns. 

Perform’s Founder and Managing Director Neil Mason explained: 

We work directly with several competitors in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, transporting boats to the starting point at La Gomera in the Canary Islands and meeting and collecting them, 3,000 miles away in Antigua.

The event starts in December and the participants endure gruelling conditions, suffering from lack of sleep, malnourishment and even hallucinatory events as they navigate their craft, mile after mile, for weeks on end. 

As usual, Perform carried out their task of delivering boats on time to the start-line in their usual, no-fuss way.  But, as Neil explained, there was a new challenge this year. 

Changes due to Brexit meant our central European participants couldn’t bring their boats to the UK prior to the event without the new Customs requirements as is normally the case.  So we re-planned to ensure there were no customs and Brexit hold-ups and moved our own start line for these entrants to The Netherlands. 

Swiss Raw completed the challenge in eighteen minutes less than 35 days. The Perform Logistics team recovered Swiss Raw in Antigua, and ensured the boat was pressure washed before being safely loaded into its container ahead of its journey back to Europe. The logistics exercise took months of planning and included collaborations and partnerships across the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain and Antigua made sure it was a successful project.

After the race started, it was clear Perform needed to change plans again.

We monitor the event in real-time back in the UK.  This year, the conditions changed part-way through the event and the participants made better time than originally planned.  That’s great for those taking part, but our team had to change flight dates, hastily. 

The team at GTM helped us and took care of all the flight changes and alterations to all itineraries required to get our people out to Antigua earlier than originally anticipated and ensure they were there to greet one of our clients – the overall event winner who finished, in an amazing 34 days, 23 hours and 42 minutes!

Congratulations to Roman Möckli, Ingvar Groza, Jan Hurni, and Samuel Widmer – the first ever team from Switzerland to win the race. 

Global Travel Management Managing Director Scott Pawley explained 

We’re used to organising complex travel itineraries and it’s not unusual for plans to have to change at the last minute.  So, when Perform’s staff had to get to Antigua several days earlier than originally planned, we got straight onto it.  I am happy we had the chance to help Perform meet their obligations.

Neil explained more of the complexity of the event 

The leading participants can take around 35 days to complete the event.  But other crews – some of them being solo competitors – can take more than twice that length of time to reach Antigua.  So we need to monitor the race closely to ensure our team is there to meet each boat as it finishes. Given this may be weeks apart, having a reliable travel management company to oversee and manage this on our behalf is priceless and allows our team to concentrate on their own job at hand .

Scott explained that re-arranging a full set of itineraries was far easier than the obstacles the participants in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge faced. 

We had to make sure the flights and travel were booked in the right timescale for our clients.  We absolutely couldn’t let our clients down. Because if we failed to re-arrange the itineraries, some very tired sea-farers might have had to turn around and row all the way back again!

Congratulations to the successful Swiss Raw team,
completing the 3,000 mile event ahead every other team
(video from Atlantic Campaigns/YouTube)
Dave

London City Airport predicts strong passenger recovery in 2022

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London City Airport expects pent up passenger demand to fuel a surge in growth in 2022, with the introduction of new routes and the return of top-selling destinations, resulting in more than three quarters of 2019 routes operating at the airport this year.

The prediction follows the announcement of a busy summer schedule for British Airways, the airport’s biggest customer, and the easing of Covid restrictions, which is helping to fuel a return to business and leisure travel.

Flights to Milan, one of the airport’s top performing routes, and which alone carried 275,000 passengers from the centre of London to the centre of Milan in 2019, will be reinstated this year.

Barcelona will return to the London City network for the first time in almost a decade, while new routes such as Thessaloniki join established summer favourites like Split, Mykonos and Faro.

The upturn in confidence at the airport reflects the easing of travel restrictions and the proactive role London City Airport has played to work with and support its airline partners as the industry looks to bounce back from the worst of the pandemic.

Business traffic will be further strengthened in 2022 with British Airways moving the majority of its Luxembourg traffic to London City Airport, to complement the five daily flights soon to be offered by Luxair.

The impact of Covid-19 can be seen in the airport’s 2021 results. 714,000 passengers used London City, down 21% on 2020 and 86% on 2019. However, in the first six months of the year, when extensive global travel restrictions were in place, the airport handled only 75,184 passengers. In the last six months, as restrictions were eased, 638,785 passengers used the airport and very strong month on month growth was achieved.

Business travel returned strongly on all domestic routes in 2021, with Edinburgh the best performer. Internationally, Amsterdam was the airport’s busiest route, with KLM growing to four rotations per day in the autumn, with high passenger load factors. Other key business routes have included Zurich and Geneva, operated by SWISS and Frankfurt, operated by Lufthansa.

In October and November last year, business travel accounted for over 46% of all London City Airport journeys, which was the total year average in 2019. Between late September and late November, over 30,000 passengers used the airport each week, peaking at 37,000 in late October.

The announcement of additional testing and self-isolation requirements by Government to combat the Omicron variant saw passenger demand fall by 40% in December.

Commenting on the year ahead and on the 2021 passenger figures, airport CEO Robert Sinclair said:

At the start of the pandemic we made a conscious decision to work with and support our airlines, as we recognised they were facing the same challenges as we were. Investing in these relationships in the hard times has facilitated what we believe will be a strong bounce back starting with a really exciting summer schedule from London City.

2021 was certainly tough for everyone. However, despite predictions from some to the contrary, we did see the emergence of positive business travel trends, which we believe will continue in 2022 and will be so critical for the economic recovery of London and the UK more widely.

I am optimistic that the restrictions that remain today, particularly for vaccinated passengers, will be eased and in time, removed altogether so we can return to the simple and affordable ways of flying before the pandemic.

London City will be a huge asset for London in the years ahead and we look forward to welcoming more passengers and building relationships with new airlines so we can connect the capital to more destinations and opportunities across the world.

Dave

Your Concierge – the AI-based business travel essential

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Global Travel Management has launched an artificial intelligence traveller companion service that provides bespoke travel advice and information, delivered directly to business travellers in real time, as they need it.

Your Concierge is an artificial intelligence-based business travel essential.
Business travellers are provided with bespoke, on-demand information and assistance pre-trip and en route. Your Concierge is available for all GTM customers’ travel bookings.

Your Concierge is a service that provides on-the-move travel service information from the time a business trip is booked to the moment it ends.

Created in conjunction with travel tech start-up company ReTravel, Your Concierge delivers bespoke trip information to any business traveller or travel booker.

Scott Pawley, Managing Director of GTM explained

Your Concierge is a concept we created in order to ensure every GTM customer has all the information they need to hand with them at every part of the trip. But Your Concierge only provides useful information, timed perfectly for when the traveller needs it.

Scott gave an example of how it works

If you book a flight from, say, London to Chicago, Your Concierge will send you a message to remind you to check-in online. It will provide you a link and take you straight to the right page so you can do it straight away, whether that’s on your phone, laptop, PC or whatever works best for you. And the machine learning built into Your Concierge will mean that the message is sent to you at exactly the right time – Your Concierge learns how and when to send the message to you.

But there are other services built into Your Concierge, which Scott explained

The link you get will take you straight to the check-in page. But it will also offer you the chance to look at other information relevant to your trip, like the Covid status of the destination, what vaccination and testing requirements are currently in place, a link to book a test. So you will know that you have all the information and all the testing you need, in place, as you approach the day and time of your flight.

And the information is always provided in real time. This means if, for example, the Covid information on a specific destination is updated after the traveller receives the link, they will still see the most up to date information when they click it. It’s the right, reliable information at exactly the right time.

But that’s not all:

Your Concierge will also give you the chance to book parking at the airport you’re leaving from; book hotel accommodation. Of course, if you have already booked these, then Your Concierge will know, and not offer you the service. But if Your Concierge knows you need it, Your Concierge will give you the info you need to take care of everything on your trip.

Your Concierge also takes care of some of the other items you may have on your wish-list for your trip

Say it’s your first trip to Chicago. You have a spare afternoon. What should you do? Your Concierge will give you a run-down on where to go and what’s on. You can even book tickets to events through Your Concierge.

Scott explained that further additions to Your Concierge are in planning. For example, a restaurant booking service:

Stuck for somewhere to eat on your trip to Chicago? But you also want to try out French-style, Asian inspired food, suitable for vegans? Your Concierge will be at your service and you may soon be enjoying your reservation in the splendour of Le Colonial in Oak Street.

Your Concierge is available to GTM customers on every business travel booking. Contact your Account Manager for more details.

Dave

British Airways launches new routes from London

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British Airways is launching four new routes across Europe. 

Operating from London City Airport, customers can now book to fly to Barcelona, Luxembourg, Milan and Thessaloniki – adding to BA CityFlyer’s already extensive network.

Flights to all destinations will operate on BA CityFlyer’s Embraer E190 aircraft. 

Luxembourg and Milan will take flight on 27 March and both will operate every day of the week.  From 19 June, Barcelona will operate six times a week – every day apart from Saturday.

Routes to Jersey and Guernsey are also returning: flights will operate on Monday and Friday from 20 June to 2 September.

Tom Stoddart, Managing Director of BA CityFlyer, which will operate the new services, said:

We wanted to offer new routes to some of the most popular European destinations.  Conveniently accessible from London City airport, they are a great addition to our extensive network.

Dave

Virgin Atlantic launches new services to Austin, Texas

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Virgin Atlantic is launching new direct services to Austin, the capital of the Lonestar state of Texas and the airline’s first new route to the US since 2015.

The four times a week service will launch on 25 May 2022 and will operate on the airline’s 787-9 aircraft boasting 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats.

Austin is the fourth most populated city in the state with 7.7million passengers travelling through the airport in 2019. The city is known as the “live music capital of the world” and is famed for its art and foodie scene as well as a wide range of outdoors activities.

Austin is also known as a growing tech hub with businesses such as Apple, Tesla, Facebook, IBM and Oracle all opening up bases, giving the city the nickname “Silicon Hills”.  This booming region is a key focus for Virgin Atlantic and its expanded joint venture partners, with Delta Air Lines offering connections from Austin to 10 US cities, Seattle, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Raleigh Durham, JFK. KLM also looks forward to launching three-times weekly services from Amsterdam to Austin on 28t March 2022 offering even more choice for customers both side of the Atlantic to connect between the US and Europe.

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented: 

We are incredibly excited to launch this new service to Austin, Texas. With an impressive food, arts and music scene, we know it’s a destination our customers will love to explore.

The US has been our heartland for more than 37 years since our first flight to New York City in 1984. Since US borders opened to UK travellers on 8 November, it feels extra special to be launching new flying, especially to the fantastic city of Austin.

There are so many synergies between Virgin Atlantic and the city of Austin. We love their philosophy and desire to celebrate local brands, businesses and communities and we cannot wait to welcome customers, both existing and new onboard, flying them safely to explore this fabulously quirky city.

Jacqueline Yaft , CEO, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport commented:

We are thrilled to welcome Virgin Atlantic to Austin and Central Texas. This exciting new partnership helps meet our goals of continued recovery from the impacts of the pandemic and furthers our commitment to being the Gateway of Central Texas for both leisure and business travelers alike.

As Virgin Atlantic recovers from the pandemic, the airline continues to work towards its vision of becoming the most loved travel company. With new Caribbean services to St Vincent and the Grenadines, Bahamas and St Lucia as well as new flying from Edinburgh to Barbados launching tin 2021, the airline is focussed on serving the destinations we know our customers love to visit. Later this year, Virgin Atlantic will be the first UK airline to receive the A330neo aircraft which not only boasts a step change to its Upper Class Suite and social space for customers but will help transform the fleet into one of the quietest and most fuel efficient in the sky.

Flights are on sale from Wednesday 12 January.

To help customers book with confidence, Virgin Atlantic has extended its policy of unlimited free date and flight changes for new bookings, giving further flexibility to customers to support future travel plans.  The updated flexible booking policy enables Virgin Atlantic customers making a new holiday or flight-only booking for travel up to 31 December 2022, to make as many changes as necessary to their travel dates, origin or destination, with the change fees waived, as well as one free name change.