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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

Emirates to expand mainland China operations, resumes passenger services to Shanghai and Beijing

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Emirates will ramp up its operations in China ahead of the New Lunar Year in response to strong travel demand, boosting connectivity to its gateways Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing as the country reopens its borders and eases its Covid-related entry restrictions.

Shanghai: service resumption from 20 January 2023 with twice weekly service, gradually increasing to daily service from 1 March

Emirates will resume passenger services to Shanghai starting with two weekly flights operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft from 20 January 2023, with EK302 departing from Dubai to Shanghai non-stop and EK303 making a short stop in Bangkok before returning to Dubai. This service will ramp up in frequency to four weekly flights operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from 02 February 2023.

Emirates will further boost its Dubai-Shanghai route from 1 March 2023 with a daily non-stop service.

Guangzhou: daily nonstop from 1 February 2023

Emirates currently operates a non-stop flight from Dubai to Guangzhou as EK362, and a return flight from Guangzhou to Dubai via Bangkok as EK363, four times a week.

Starting from 1 February 2023, the airline will increase services between Dubai and Guangzhou with EK362/EK363 operating as daily non-stop flights with the flagship Emirates A380.

Beijing: service resumption from 15 March 2023

Operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, Emirates’ flight EK308/ EK307 will return to China’s capital city Beijing with a daily non-stop service from Dubai, starting from 15 March 2023.

This will bring the airline’s operations in the market up to 21 weekly flights, providing increased choice and flexibility for business travellers.

Emirates has been serving China for nearly two decades and has established its presence in the Chinese market through strategic partnerships and a continued commitment to the local community throughout the pandemic.

Emirates offers travellers increased connectivity to 24 domestic points via Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai,  as well as six regional points via Guangzhou through its partnership with China Southern Airline, while simultaneously providing its partner-airline’s customers access to six destinations within the Middle East and Africa regions.

Travellers can also benefit from Emirates’ existing interline agreements with Air China, China Eastern and Cathay Pacific to access even more domestic Chinese cities.

The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers offering fourteen First Class suites, 76 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 426 ergonomically designed seats in Economy Class.

The airline states that “customers travelling to and from Guangzhou can look forward to enjoying its spacious and comfortable cabins, signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites and Shower Spa. Customers travelling to and from Shanghai and Beijing can benefit from Emirates’ award-winning service and industry-leading products on board the airline’s three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which offers eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class”.

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

Coronavirus – a guide to the latest travel news and medical advice

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For the latest updates on the Coronavirus situation, make sure you are following the GTM Twitter account – details here: http://ow.ly/QYmh50yghXK

To see how Global Travel Management are ensuring clients’ travel plans are managed smoothly, despite the disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak, please see here:
https://gtm.uk.com/how-were-tackling-coronavirus-for-business-travellers/

UPDATE: 22 MAY 16:45



UPDATE: 15 MAY 16:45

UPDATE: 12 MAY 16:30

There are reports that the UK Government will instigate a quarantine policy on arriving passengers, from early next months – an announcement heavily criticised by IAG‘s Willie Walsh. Elsewhere…

UPDATE: 8 MAY 16:30

Virgin Atlantic has announced plans to cut jobs. KLM mandates face masks. Finland opens borders. IATA oppose the blocking of middle seats, favouring face masks. Eurowings asked passengers for new ideas. Qatar increases operations. Hong Kong Airport introduces full body disinfection booths.

UPDATE: 4 MAY 08:00

Travel providers continue to make plans and adjustments in the on-going fight against the pandemic. Airports are sharing plans and results, hotel groups are enhancing their product and offerings, while airlines and rail companies continue to update their arrangements.

And, finally, on this day in 2018, Heathrow Airport celebrated “Star Wars Day” with an announcement of several new destinations, from Tatooine to the Death Star…

UPDATE: 28 APRIL 10:00

Airlines have announced further suspensions and arranged further repatriation flights; the UK government is discussing passenger quarantine; Gatwick issues a gloomy prediction; while The Londoner’s opening is postponed.

UPDATE: 24 APRIL 16:00

IATA announce the end of cheap travel and predict the UK will see 140m fewer flights; airlines continue to suspend services; airlines mandate use of masks and PPE; while airlines and hotel groups offer further concessions to customers.

UPDATE: 21 APRIL 17:00

Global Travel Management continues to publish regular tweets, every day, to update followers on all aspects of business travel, including the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. You can follow GTM’s Twitter account here – @GlobalTravelMgt h– meanwhile, here are some recent tweets:

UPDATE: 17 APRIL 17:00

Airlines have taken further actions amid warnings of revenues diminishing significantly, while another rail company is seeking government help and a U.S. airline has taken an innovative approach to reducing onboard touchpoints.

UPDATE: 15 APRIL 12:00

Airlines, airports, hotel groups and national governments all continue to react to the global pandemic.

UPDATE: 13 APRIL 18:00

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is taking full advantage of the aircraft downtime as a result of the coronavirus pandemic to conduct an extensive maintenance and cabin refresh programme.

UPDATE: 12 APRIL 15:00

Air Asia and Air France KLM have been reported in the news this weekend:

UPDATE: 11 APRIL 10:00

Brussels Airlines has released footage of the process of storing their fleet of aircraft, now grounded at Brussels Airport. Each A330 takes about 400 man hours to store and the airline’s Maintenance and Engineering teams meticulously follow Airbus’ instructions to ensure they’re properly and appropriately parked up. Thirty employees are now working, full-time performing weekly inspections and turning the aircraft wheels every day to ensure even wearing, despite the weight of the aircraft.

© 2020 Brussels Airlines

UPDATE: 10 APRIL 16:00

Airlines continue to reduce services and make other savings, while Stansted has opened a testing centre and repatriation flights are planned for stranded travellers in India.

UPDATE: 9 APRIL 12:00 NOON

As airlines reduce their schedules further, Airbus has reacted by cutting planned production. Meanwhile, Marriott Bonvoy joins the increasing number of travel providers taking decisions to protect and extend earned status.

UPDATE: 8 APRIL 15:00

Airlines continue to adapt schedules and aircraft, while an airport in London opens up a drive-through coronavirus testing facility.

UPDATE: 7 APRIL 15:00

Airlines and airports are taking further measures to combat Covid-19, while Google and Etihad have announced technology advances.

UPDATE: 6 APRIL 11:00

Airlines have been told to give prompt refunds, more airlines reduce flight schedules and extend policies, rescue flights from India commence, one UK airport bucks the European trend and robots are deployed to help with cleaning…

UPDATE: 4 APRIL 12:00

Airlines and hotel companies continue to make changes to their schedules and services in reaction to decreased demand in the light of the coronavirus outbreak.

UPDATE: 3 APRIL 16:00

Airports Council International has issued a gloomy prediction for the length of the air travel crisis, but airlines, car hire companies and even museums have released better news.

UPDATE: 2 APRIL 11:45

Airlines continue to announce changes, cuts and suspensions as they continue to battle the effect of the coronavirus outbreak.

UPDATE: 1 APRIL 11:30

British, Chinese, Philippine and Singapore airlines adjust schedules, including routes to and from London, while the Indian Government launches an online resource for stranded foreign nationals and Virgin Australia donates toilet paper to charity:

UPDATE: 31 MARCH 15:00

More travel providers have suspended and reduced services and further restrictions have been announced:

UPDATE: 26 MARCH 09:15

Airlines and airports worldwide have continued to suspend and limit services, including:

UPDATE: 24 MARCH 16:00

Airlines, cities and national governments have applied further restrictions:

Meanwhile, in India:

But, yet again, there are some, small pieces of good news:

UPDATE: 20 MARCH 10:00

Several more governments have issued cross-border and internal movement restrictions:

  • Australia and New Zealand have barred foreign nationals from entering the country.
  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued a nationwide, 0700-2100 curfew on Sunday.
  • Malaysia is on a movement control order until 31 March.
  • The State of California has started a lockdown, which will remain in place until further notice.

Airlines and other travel providers have announced more suspensions and cancellations:

But there is also some news that is more positive:

UPDATE: 19 MARCH 09:00

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued an Exceptional Travel Advisory Notice. The FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel

As the Covid-19 outbreak continues, more travel suppliers have released information about their short-term plans.

But there’s also some good news:

In Venice, the city’s canals are reported to have cleared up for the first time in many years due to the drop in visitors.

UPDATE: 17 MARCH 11:05

Last night, the European Commission proposed a ban on travel to the European Union. This was covered on the GTM website, here.

Meanwhile, a number of travel providers have made further announcements, including:

UPDATE: 16 MARCH 11:00

The impact of the Covid-19 outbreak continues to be seen across airlines. Aer Lingus and Delta have released statements aimed to reduce the volume of calls to their call centres. While British Airways has warned of potential job cuts.

Several more airlines have announced reductions in their services:

  • Air New Zealand will reduce its long-haul capacity by 85% per cent over the coming months.
  • American Airlines will implement “a phased suspension of additional long-haul international flights from the US” from today.
  • Emirates has suspended flights between Dubai and Italy.
  • Finnair will cut capacity by 90%.
  • Low-cost carrier Jet 2 has suspended all flights to Spain.
  • Low-cost carrier Norwegian has announced it will ground 40% of its long-haul fleet.
  • SAS has announced it will temporarily halt “most of its traffic” from today.

However, some airlines have made more positive announcements:

UPDATE: 15 MARCH 12:00

Further to the announcement that the United States has extended its travel ban (see below), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has updated its travel advice for the United States, as follows:

The FCO advise against all but essential travel to the USA, due to restrictions put in place by the US government with effect from 03:59 GMT 17 March in response to the outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19) 

UPDATE: 14 MARCH 17:00

President Trump and Vice President Pence have extended the United States Schengen-area travel ban to include the United Kingdom and Repulic of Ireland. Please see this breaking news story.

UPDATE: 13 MARCH 15:00

The travel industry continues to react to the coronavirus outbreak. An increaesing number of airlines are suspending services reflecting reduced demand, while several new travel restrictions have been put in place.

The following airlines have recently announced suspensions of service:

Some airlines have introduced relaxation to rules regarding change fees and cancellation fees:

Meanwhile, some governments have introduced increased visa restrictions:

  • India has suspended all tourist visas and e-visas.
  • Thailand has suspended granting of visas on arrival to nationals of Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Vanuatu.
  • The United States has imposed a temporary travel ban for travellers from 26 European countries.
  • Vietnam has suspended visa-free travel for people from the UK, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

UPDATE: 10 MARCH 12:00

Rail companies and airlines have announced further suspensions of services, fee waivers and details of cleaning and disinfection regimes. These include:

  • Amtrak issues guidance, waives fees and suspends New York-DC service – Amtrak has issued customer guidance and advice on preventative measures; waived change and cancellation fees on all tickets purchased before 30 April; and suspended its non-stop route between New York and Washington DC.
  • Cathay Pacific suspends Japan service – All Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and Fukuoka, Nagoya, Sapporo, and Tokyo Haneda are suspended until 28 March.
  • Emirates announces enhanced cleaning and disinfection and fee waivers – Emirates has announced enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures on all aircraft from Dubai and a newly-introduced waiver policy for all booked tickets issued until 31 March 2020.
  • Lufthansa Group plans 50% flight reductions – Lufthansa Group has announced a plan to reduce its number of flights across the group by 50% and to examine the extent to which its entire A380 fleet can be temporarily decommissioned.
  • Qantas cuts international flights and grounds eight A380s – The Qantas Group has announced cuts to its international network which will see a 23% reduction in capacity until mid-September.

UPDATE: 6 MARCH 12:00

More airlines have announced cancellations, schedule changes and restrictions due to the on-going Covid-19 outbreak. These include:

  • Aeroflot suspends flights to Hong Kong Aeroflot will temporarily suspend flights from Moscow to Hong Kong amid growing fears over the spread of the coronavirus.
  • American Airlines suspends flights to Seoul American has suspended its daily operation between Seoul Incheon Airport and Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.
  • British Airways to waive flight change fees British Airways has announced it will waive flight change fees for customers who book until 16 March.
  • Delta suspends JFK-Milan Delta Air Lines has suspended its daily route between New York JFK and Milan Malpensa amid global concern over the spread of the coronavirus. The service is set to resume on 1 May. Delta’s daily flights from JFK and Atlanta to Rome remain unaffected.
  • Delta cuts Japan flights Delta Air Lines will reduce its weekly flying schedule to Japan until 30 April and suspend its summer seasonal service between Seattle and Osaka this year.
  • Delta waives change fees for bookings in March Delta Air Lines will waive change fees for all flights booked between 1 March and 31 March to any destinations the airline serves.
  • Finnair announces China cancellations and more frequency reductions Finnair will cancel all flights to mainland China (Guangzhou, Nanjing, Beijing Capital, Beijing Daxing, Shanghai and Xi’an) until 30 April 30. Daily flights to Seoul will be suspended from 9 March to 16 April. Throughout April it will fly to Hong Kong once daily rather than twice daily. It will also reduce its Osaka route from 12 to 10 weekly frequencies from 29 March to 24 October.
  • Finnair suspends all flights between Helsinki and Milan Finnair flights between Helsinki and Milan will be suspended between 9 March and 7 April, following an updated travel advisory from the Finnish Foreign Ministry on travel to Milan.
  • KLM cancels flights to Hong Kong and extends China flight suspensions KLM has adjusted its flights to mainland China and Hong Kong. KLM has suspended its services to Beijing and Shanghai until 28 March and to Chengdu, Hangzhou and Xiamen until 3 May. KLM is also offering flights to Hong Kong every other day instead of daily flights until 3 May.
  • Lufthansa Group airlines to suspend flights to Israel The Lufthansa Group has announced that all flights to Israel will be suspended from 8 March until 28 March due to an Israeli government travel ban.
  • Norwegian cuts transatlantic services Norwegian says it will cancel a total of 22 long-haul flights between 28 March and 5 May. Affected routes include London-New York (where the three daily departures will be reduced to two on some days), and services from Rome to Los Angeles, Boston and New York.
  • Vietnam Airlines suspends all South Korea flights Vietnam Airlines said it will temporarily suspend all flights between Vietnam and South Korea starting 5 March.
  • Virgin Atlantic waives flight change fees for March bookings Virgin Atlantic has announced it will not charge passengers a fee for changing flights for travel booked from Wednesday 4 March until Tuesday 31 March.

UPDATE: 2 MARCH 12:00

Several airlines have announced updates and changes due to the on-going Covid-19 outbreak. Here is a summary of some of the latest announcements:

  • British Airways reduces flights to Italy, Seoul and Singapore British Airways is “merging” a number of flights to Italy, Singapore and Seoul, as it reacts to a fall in demand called by coronavirus.
  • American Airlines suspends flights to Milan American Airlines has announced it is suspending flights to and from Milan, Italy from both New York (JFK) and Miami (MIA) from March until 25 April 2020.
  • Korean Air cuts international flights Korean Air has suspended and reduced flights to a number of international destinations due to the outbreak in South Korea.
  • Delta to cut flights to Seoul until end of April Delta is temporarily reducing flights it operates between the US and Seoul Incheon Airport.
  • Juneyao Airlines to delay the launch of three Europe routes Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines will delay the launch of three new transcontinental routes from Shanghai to Dublin, Manchester and Reykjavik, all with a stop in Helsinki, which it initially planned to launch in late March this year.
  • Lufthansa Group to cut short-haul operations by “up to 25 per cent” Lufthansa Group says it will cut its short-haul operations in the coming weeks, “As a result of the current situation caused by the accelerated spread of the coronavirus”.
  • easyJet to halt recruitment and offer unpaid leave easyJet said that it had seen “a significant softening of demand and load factors into and out of our Northern Italian bases”, as well “slower demand across our other European markets”. The airline said that as a result it would be cancelling “some flights, particularly those into and out of Italy, while continuing to monitor the situation and adapting our flying programme to support demand”.

UPDATE: 26 FEBRUARY 14:01

The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) has provided updated general advice for foreign travel and how individuals can help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 outbreak and specific advice for those travelling to category one locations (Wuhan city and Hubei Province (China); Iran; Daegu or Cheongdo (South Korea); and any Italian town under containment measures) or category two locations (Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, north Italy, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Myanmar, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam).

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office continues to publish travel advice to China South Korea, Italy and other destinations via its public pages.

The Department for Health and Social Care and Public Health England have published the latest public advice on Coronavirus (COVID-19) here and will update this page with the latest situation in the UK at 14:00 every day, until further notice.

UPDATE: 7 FEBRUARY 13:30

Virgin Atlantic has issued the following advice:

Due to the ongoing situation with the Coronavirus the following Governments have made the decision to restrict entry for foreign visitors who have travelled to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau).

Customers due to travel to:

  • Antigua or Barbuda who have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 28 days, will not be allowed to travel

Antiguan nationals are exempt from the restriction however will be subject to quarantine for 14 days on arrival if they have travelled to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 28 days 

  • Montego Bay Jamaica who have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days, will not be allowed to travel

Jamaican nationals are exempt from the restriction however will be subject to quarantine for 14 days on arrival if they have travelled to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days

  • Tel Aviv Israel who have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days, will not be allowed to travel

Israeli nationals are exempt from the restriction however may be subject to quarantine on arrival if they have travelled to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days

  • Mumbai, Delhi India who have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days, will not be allowed to travel

Indian nationals are exempt from the restriction however may be subject to quarantine on arrival if they have travelled to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days

  • St. Lucia who have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days, will not be allowed to travel

St Lucia nationals are exempt from the restriction however will be subject to quarantine for 14 days on arrival if they have travelled to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days

  • Grenada who have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days, will not be allowed to travel

Grenada nationals are exempt from the restriction however will be subject to quarantine for 14 days on arrival if they have travelled to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days

  • Trinidad and Tobago who have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days, will not be allowed to travel

Trinidad and Tobago nationals are exempt from the restriction however may be subject to quarantine on arrival if they have travelled to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the last 14 days.

Contact your GTM Account Manager for details of any refunds due on flights booked.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office continues to offer the following advice:

1. The FCO advise against all travel to Hubei Province due to the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak.

2. The FCO advise against all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China (not including Hong Kong and Macao). The British Consulates-General in Wuhan and Chongqing are currently closed. If you’re in China and able to leave, you should do so. The elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions may be at heightened risk.

3. The Chinese government continues to impose further restrictions on movement within China in response to the coronavirus outbreak. These restrictions include the closure of some provincial highways and inter-city high speed rail, tight control on entry and exit to villages and townships across the country, and restrictions on movement within some provinces, cities and municipalities including Chongqing, Zhejiang and Anhui. Some airlines, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, have announced a suspension of flights to and from mainland China. Other commercial airlines are still operating, but it may become harder to access departure options over the coming weeks.

4. A number of countries have announced restrictions on entry by travellers from China in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Given the fast-changing situation, you should check the latest FCO travel advice (including entry requirements) for your destination and anywhere you are transiting through, and check with your airline before you travel.

UPDATE: 30 JANUARY 16:10

British Airways has issued a customer update confirming the planned end date of their current cancellations, in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The airline confirms that Shanghai and Beijing flights will be cancelled for all dates up to and including 29 February 2020. Flights to Hong Kong are unaffected.


British Airways issued a customer statement on 30 January, providing confirmation of the dates during which flights to mainland China will be cancelled.

UPDATE: 29 JANUARY 14:30

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued the following, additional information for travellers to China:

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to Hubei Province due to the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak. If you’re in this area and able to leave, you should do so.

The FCO advise against all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China (not including Hong Kong and Macao). The Chinese government continue to impose further restrictions on movement within China in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Some airlines, including British Airways, have suspended flights to and from mainland China. Other commercial airlines are still operating, but it may become harder over the coming weeks for those who wish to leave China to do so. If you feel that you may want to leave China soon, you should consider making plans to do so before any further restrictions may be imposed.

Due to increasing travel restrictions and difficulty accessing medical assistance, the FCO is working to make an option available for British nationals to leave Hubei Province. This may happen quickly and with short notice. If you’re a British national in Hubei Province and need assistance, contact our 24/7 number +86 (0) 10 8529 6600 or the FCO in London on (+44) (0)207 008 1500. If you have registered your desire to leave, you will be contacted once arrangements are confirmed.

The FCO has published the following PDF document, setting out the advised travel restrictions in place across China (opens in external site)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e306fbe40f0b62c4b0f0aba/FCO_440_-_China_Travel_Advice_Ed3__WEB__pdf_200128.pdf

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued detailed travel advice for China. Please visit the FCO website for full details.

UPDATE: 27 JANUARY 20:45

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued the following, additional information for travellers to China:

The latest information is available on the FCO website, here:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china

UPDATE: 27 JANUARY 09:28

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued update travel advice:

We are working to make available an option for British nationals to leave Hubei province. If you are a British national in Hubei Province and require assistance, please contact:

· our 24/7 number +86 (0) 10 8529 6600
· or the FCO (+44) (0)207 008 1500

We continue to monitor developments closely and are in close touch with the Chinese authorities. The safety and security of British nationals is always our primary concern.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china

The TravelHealthPro website has further information on the spread of the Coronavirus outbreak https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/49/china#CIoutBreaks

Following media reports of an outbreak of a new virus, we have compiled a number of resources that provide the latest advice for business travellers.

About Wuhan novel coronavirus


Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others causing more severe disease such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronaviruses.

The source of the Wuhan novel coronavirus (WN-CoV) outbreak has yet to be determined. Preliminary investigations identified environmental samples positive for WN-CoV in Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan City.

Although evidence is still emerging, information to date indicates human-to-human transmission is occurring. 

Further information: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-background-information/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-epidemiology-virology-and-clinical-features (Public Health England website).

Travel advice

On 22 January 2020, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office issued advice against all but essential travel to Wuhan city, Hubei Province.

The FCO advice on travel to China can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china.

Coronavirus outbreak updates

Travel Health Pro continues to monitor coronavirus from its initial reports on 31 December 2019 and continues to do so as the virus evolves.

The latest information from Travel Health Pro is available here: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/updates.php?base=2896.

Enhanced monitoring

Enhanced monitoring has been put in place from all direct flights from Wuhan to the UK. The enhanced monitoring package includes a number of measures that will help to provide advice to travellers if they feel unwell.

For further information and the latest advice on travel to China, see the Public Health England page, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-and-avian-flu-advice-for-travel-to-china.

Dr Nick Phin, Deputy Director, National Infection Service, Public Health England, said:

This is a new and rapidly evolving situation where information on cases and the virus is being gathered and assessed daily.  Based on the available evidence, the current risk to the UK is considered low. We are working with the WHO and other international partners, have issued advice to the NHS and are keeping the situation under constant review.

The risk to visitors to Wuhan is moderate reflecting an increase in the number of cases being identified in China and evidence that the virus has limited spread from person to person. If you are travelling to the area, you should maintain good hand, respiratory and personal hygiene and should avoid visiting animal and bird markets or people who are ill with respiratory symptoms. Individuals should seek medical attention if they develop respiratory symptoms within 14 days of visiting Wuhan, either in China or on their return to the UK. They should phone ahead before attending any health services and mention their recent travel to the city.

A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesperson said:

In light of the latest medical information, including reports of some person-to-person transmission, and the Chinese authorities’ own advice, we are now advising against all but essential travel to Wuhan.

The safety and security of British nationals is always our primary concern, and we advise British nationals travelling to China to remain vigilant and check our travel advice on gov.uk.

Paul

Business travel to China and South East Asia

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At Global Travel Management we are experts in all types of business travel to all parts of the world.  But one area we are finding a lot more demand for is South East Asia.  So, whether you’re making your first business trip to Shanghai or Beijing or you’re a regular traveller to Hong Kong or Singapore, we have the partnerships, relationships and experience to ensure your trip runs as smoothly as possible.  And we can advise on everything from flight planning to hotels, from visas to passports and from lounge passes to frequent flyer rewards.

  • Flights 

It’s easy to find a flight at a good price from the UK to China or elsewhere in the region.  But finding a flight is very different from finding the right flight.  Our team works hard to ensure your itinerary works for you.  So we search every airline and every route while securing the best price in the right class of travel for your flight.  And many times we will find a route you may not have considered.

Want to save money?  We will search the lowest price on the right flight for you.  Want to save time? Let us build you the best itinerary.  Want to make sure you maximise your frequent flyer rewards on the trip?  Leave it to us.

So, if you simply need to fly from London to Beijing, don’t be surprised if we find you an exceptional fare, via the “short route”.  We might find you a great fare in a better class than you had planned for.  And we will “go the extra mile” to make sure your frequent flyer membership gets topped up with every leg of the journey.

Check out our Facebook page for some of the best news from airlines flying from Europe to China.

  • Passports and Visas

Leave us with the hassle of your visas and passports.  We keep your records so we can remind you when you need a visa for an up-coming trip to China or when your passport is due for renewal.  And we partner with suppliers that make the process as easy as possible for you.

  • Hotels 

Do you have a preferred hotel brand?  Let us know and we will book it for you.  Need advice on hotels in a city you’ve never stayed in before?  We can help.  Whatever you need from your hotel, let us know.  You’ll set off knowing your hotel booking’s been taken care of and you can spend your time preparing for meetings, not trying to find somewhere to stay.

  • Anything else? 

Do you need car hire? A train booking?  Ferries?  Let us know – we can get straight onto it.

At Global Travel Management, we have been at the forefront of business travel, worldwide, for more than two decades.  And, as more businesses are needing to travel to China and South East Asia, we are very proud of our ability to provide an excellent service for travel to the region.

If your business needs to make trips to China and South East Asia, give me a call on 01483 227 369.  I will be happy to explain how Global Travel Management will help save you money on your trips and provide a reliable, first-class service to manage all of your business travel. 

Paul Baker 

Paul

Important Chinese Visa Update.

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Please note that with immediate effect the Chinese Embassy (in the UK) have implemented new rules for non-UK passport holders.

Any non-UK passport holder now applying for a Chinese visa in the UK must also provide a residency card, or equivalent (depending upon their nationality), when submitting their application. For EU nationals the China Embassy will no longer accept applications without proof of UK residency.

Should you have any questions or concerns about your application then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Paul

Finnair Super Deals To The Far East.

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Fly Finnair to the Far East this winter for prices (excluding airport taxes) starting from just £49 (Delhi)! Be quick though, the selling period for this offer ends on the 11th December.

Fly from either London, or Manchester to : Hong Kong SAR, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore or India. Flights are via Helsinki, advertised as the shortcut route between Europe and Asia, due to the Trans-Siberian route flown by Finnair. There are some blackout dates, namely the Christmas holidays, but depending upon your destination, travel to some destinations is permitted right through to 30 June 2013.

Finnair is a One World alliance carrier : http://www.oneworld.com/

Paul

Amazing Finnair Prices to Asia!

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Book air fares to China & Japan from just £62!

For a limited period only Finnair are selling flights from London & Manchester to various destinations in China & Japan, however, the selling period ends on 12th November 2012. The headline fare of £62 applies to Chongqing in China. The highest fare to any of the following destinations is only £123 (prices exclude airport taxes and fuel surcharge) : Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Osaka & Nagoya.

Whilst the sales period ends on 12 November, travel can take place right through to 31st March 2013.

NB. Finnair flights connect via Helsinki, which is widely regarded as an efficent airport to transfer in, with minimal time spent on the ground.

 

Paul

Super Typhoon Jelawat.

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Super Typhoon Jelawat is forecast to bring rain and heavy winds to Taiwan and China’s eastern coastal areas over the next couple of days. When last tracked yesterday, Jelawat’s center was located about 770 kilometers southeast of Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving northwest at 15 kilometers per hour.

Strong winds are forecast to begin hitting Taiwan as well as coastal Fujian province during the next 24 hours. The Washington Post has also reported that the typhoon could hit Okinawa before a possible encounter with mainland Japan, depending on how the storm tracks.
 
Jelawat is currently a Category 4 storm, however, it is expected to gradually weaken because of decreasing water temperatures and should be a Category 1 or 2 storm as it nears the vicinity of Okinawa on Saturday, before weakenning further to a minimal hurricane or tropical storm with a possible landfall south of Tokyo on Sunday and into Monday.

As Jelawat may cause flight delays or cancellations travellers are advised to monitor local media and remain aware of further devleopments.