Calling all BA On Business members!

Provided your company is a member of British Airways’ On Business program, then you are eligible for both, reduced price long-haul travel, and a one-way upgrade to First Class…what more could you ask for!

On Business members gain access to Business Bespoke fares which are both refundable and changeable in World Tarveller, World Traveller Plus, Club World and First!

Book a reduced Club World return fare in booking classes R, D or C before Monday 27th January and qualify for a complimentary one-way upgrade to First.

On Business members are also eligible for travel on American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Iberia, JAL & Qantas!

 

Important update: new e-visa requirement for Turkey.

The decision by the Turkish authorities to remove their “visa on arrival” service means that from 10 April 2014 everyone must obtain an e-visa; it’s a straight forward process and will remove the need to queue.

However, it is essential all travellers to Turkey are aware of the requirement. Clearly this is particularly important for customers who have already booked their holidays and business trips. Lastly, please also bear in mind that any visa, stamped or electronic, is only relevant to the passport on which the application was made.

The web site for the new e-visa is : https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/

U.S Storm Disruption Update.

U.S. airlines on Wednesday made progress in getting operations back to normal after several days of storms and record cold weather forced cancellations of thousands of flights.

Airlines had cancelled more than 1,000 flights on Wednesday, according to FlightAware.com data, down from 2,700 on Tuesday. Since January 1, carriers have cancelled more than 19,300 flights, FlightAware showed.

Among major U.S. carriers, Delta Air Lines had cancelled four flights and Southwest Airlines had halted 37 as of early Wednesday, the data showed.  “The regional carriers are still the last to catch up today,” said Daniel Baker, chief executive of FlightAware.com. “I think things will be back to normal late today and by tomorrow.”
Record cold temperatures in the United States in recent days had hobbled airline operations, disabling equipment used to fuel planes.

JetBlue Airways, which resumed flights to four New York area and Boston airports on Tuesday after suspending operations in those locations Monday evening to reposition crew and planes, showed 13 cancellations early on the day Wednesday.  “It’s looking really good today,” JetBlue spokesman Anders Lindstrom said in an email. “Operations are back to being close to fully 100 percent operable.”

American Airlines had cancelled just 50 flights early Wednesday, most of them with its American Eagle regional unit, spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said.
“The cold temperatures at many outstations are still making things challenging for Eagle,” Huguely added in an email.

British Airways Club World to First Upgrade Promotion Is Back!

Britsh Airways has once again launched its popular Club World to First upgrade offer.

Customers can book a reduced cost semi-flexible fare in booking classes R, D & C from today until 27 January 2014. Outbound travel can take place up to 21 March 2014 and inbound travel must be completed by 11 April 2014.

For those corporate clients with a British Airways On Business account, the aforementioned booking classes may also be used in conjunction with the upgrade offer.

Thereafter 27 January, only booking class J (this relates to BA’s fully flexible fares) may be used in conjunction with the upgrade offer. Book by 21 March – outbound travel must commence at the latest on this date too and all travel must be completed by 11 April 2014.

Please note that there are some exceptions to the above rules, so please call us for clarification.

Italy: 24 hour strike called for Rome 8th January

The strike will affect Metro, buses, trams, and all other local transportation (Roma-Lido, Termini-Giardinetti, and Roma-Viterbo). Most runs will stop from 08:30-17:00 and from 20:00 till end of runs.

Please make sure you have alternative arrangements for travel to airports.

India: Dense fog forecast to delay flights at several airports on Tuesday

Flight delays are likely due to dense fog forecast at the following airports for Tuesday
7 January:

Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, Amritsar
Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow
Lal Bahadur Shashtri International Airport, Varanasi
Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Airport, Patna
Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata
Bangalore Airport

USA: Update – More than 2000 flights cancelled as storm hits the Northeast.

Snow, high winds and a glacial chill hit the northeastern United States Friday as a blast of brutal wintry weather bore down on many states and major cities, snarling air traffic. Temperatures in New York were expected to drop to 9 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 13 degrees Celsius), according to forecasts.

Some 2,200 flights within, into or out of the United States had been cancelled.
The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings and advisories for a huge area spanning states from Chicago through New York, New England and even the US capital, Washington. Severe weather was also hitting the country’s Midwest, dropping a blanket of snow and cancelling flights at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
The northeastern winter warning was in effect in New York from Thursday evening through midday Friday, with forecasters predicting four to eight inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of snow and winds that could reach up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour. New York City residents were urged to stay off the streets.

The National Weather Service said blizzard conditions were possible for eastern Long Island and the coast of Massachusetts. “Bitter cold will move into the Midwest and East following the storm,” it warned.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo activated the State Emergency Operations Center and also urged people to use mass transit, warning of possible highway closures due to inclement weather. In neighbouring New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency in anticipation of what was to come.

In Boston, where strong snowfall is expected until Friday, temperatures were expected to dip to minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit. School classes and state offices were cancelled for Friday in Massachusetts.

Airports across the region — including Boston’s Logan International — saw major weather-related woes that were expected to extend into Friday.
At New York’s airports, more than 500 f lights were cancelled over the course of the day, with hundreds others delayed.

Please check with your Airline before you travel if you are scheduled for the next few days, or contact us for more information.

USA: At Least 600 Flights Cancelled At Chicago’s O’Hare Airport As Winter Storm Hits

Some of the USA’s largest cities are due to be affected by a large amount of snowfall in the next few days. Chicago’s O’Hare airport has cancelled in excess of 600 flights due to snowfall on the 1st of January. Boston and New York are expecting similar adverse weather between the 2nd and the 6th of January. If you are due to travel during this time please check your flight status with your airline, or contact us for information.

Dense fog disrupts flights at Delhi airport.

Local reports indicated that more than 150 domestic and international flights to and from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport(DEL) have been delayed, diverted or cancelled amidst dense fog in the Indian capital for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, 17 December.

The reduced visibility also affected land travel, with dozens of trains to and from New Delhi being delayed or cancelled, and reports of vehicular traffic disruptions in the capital and in other affected areas of northern India, including Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and north-west Rajasthan.

Flight delays(London)

London Heathrow (LHR) and London City (LCY) are both currently reporting flight disruption due to fog conditions. Others will have issues.
Travel networks are also impacted as planes are in the wrong places this morning (from last night’s situation).
The UK Met office has issued another weather warning.