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Dave

Seven of the best

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Twenty five years ago, Frankie Dettori achieved the remarkable feat of riding seven out of seven winners at British Champions’ Day at Ascot Racecourse.

Dettori’s achievement – winning aboard Wall Street, Diffident, Mark of Esteem, Decorated Hero, Fatefully, Lochangel and Fujiyama Crest – became known as The Magnificent Seven.

And now, to help Ascot Racecourse and Frankie Dettori to celebrate the quarter century anniversary, we have asked our clients, partners, colleagues and friends to tell us their favourite airlines and airports, in order to produce our own Magnificent Seven.

Here’s what they came up with…

Magnificent Seven airlines

British Airways, easyJet, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways, SAS, Swiss

And some selected comments about these airlines

British Airways “I like to travel with British Airways personally especially for long flights as I find them more comfortable and they provide  decent food and drinks”.

easyJet “Of course low-cost is what it is, but I believe they are a cut above the rest in how you are treated, and how fair and clear they are about their policies and extra charges. With most of the other low-cost carriers, I always get the feeling that they are trying to somehow trick you into spending extra at every single step, be it online check in, or lack thereof, constantly changing cabin bag size limits, etc, but easyJet are much more upfront about everything, and you know where you stand”.

Lufthansa “Lufthansa offers everything I need for business trips and seems to get better and better every year”.

Qantas “Modern cabins, good schedules, but above all, their people are amazing throughout, from check in to baggage reclaim through, of course their cabin crew. I´ve flown both business and economy with them, and they treat you like a star all the way, every time, every class of service”.

Qatar Airways “Long haul I like Qatar Airlines – definitely the best business class I have experienced.  Only once been upgraded to first which was brilliant!”

SAS “Efficient. On time. The routes serve my purposes perfectly”.

Swiss “I have only ever had excellent services when flying on Swiss”.

Some of the other airlines mentioned in the favourite category include Virgin Atlantic, Ryanair and, pre-pandemic, Flybe.

Magnificent seven airports

London City, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Dublin, Manchester, Singapore Changi, Southampton

The poll was unscientific and based entirely on opinions. Do you agree with the lists? Do you have a different favourite airline or airport? If so, join the conversation on Twitter, with the hashtag #MagnificentSeven and tweet us on @globaltravelmgt

Dave

South African Airways announces plans to close regional, international routes from 29 February

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SAA has announced a tranche of urgent measures to conserve cashflow, including the axing of several regional and international routes from the end of February 2020.

SAA will close the following regional and international services from Johannesburg to Abidjan via Accra, Entebbe, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Luanda, Munich, Ndola, and Sao Paulo. But will continue to operate all international services between Johannesburg and Frankfurt, London Heathrow, New York, Perth and Washington via Accra.

On the domestic route network, SAA will continue to serve Cape Town on a reduced basis. But all other domestic destinations, including Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, will cease to be operated by SAA on 29 February 2020.

Domestic routes operated by Mango will not be affected by the changes.

The flight schedule for the rest of February 2020 remains unchanged and the airline states that it “does not intend to make any further significant network changes”.

Paul

Delta & Virgin to co-locate at Heathrow.

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Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines have announced plans to align their services at London Heathrow airport, as their transatlantic joint venture gets ready for take off.

The two airlines have revealed details of their new combined schedule which will start on 30th March 2014. Among the changes, Delta will move flights on its key business routes (New York JFK, Boston and Seattle) to Heathrow’s Terminal 3, in order to co-locate with Virgin Atlantic from 2nd April. All of Delta Air Lines’ flights are currently based at Terminal 4.

Craig Kreeger, Virgin Atlantic’s CEO, said: “We already co-locate together at New York’s JFK airport and moving some of Delta’s key business flights to join Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 will enhance convenience and reduce connection times.

As part of the move, all business class passengers with both carriers will be given access to Virgin’s Clubhouse lounge in Terminal 3.

Delta is to also operate a second daily service between Heathrow and Detroit from 2nd June 2 2014, alongside its recently announced Heathrow-Seattle route, which is due to launch later this month on 30th March.

 

Paul

New BA Leisure Routes.

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British Airways is launching two new routes this year to Gran Canaria and Larnaca.

London Gatwick to Larnaca commences Sunday 30th June 2013 and will operate three times a week on Mondays, Wednesday & Sundays. Please note this new service is in addition to BA’s existing Larnaca service from London Heathrow.

Gran Canaria commences on Saturday 26th October 2013 from London Heathrow Terminal 5. This new service will operate once a week every Saturday until 29th March 2014.

Paul

US Airways Moves Charlotte Service To Heathrow.

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With immediate effect US Airways has switched its London Gatwick Charlotte service to Heathrow Airport.

Charlotte NC is US Airways’ largest hub airport and the switch supplements its existing London Heathrow to Philadelphia service. The Charlotte service is operated using an Airbus A330 aircraft with two cabins on board. Envoy, US Airways’ international Business Class, features a seat which converts in to a fully flat bed.

Flight US731 departs Heathrow daily at 1005am arrival 1410, with the return service departing Charlotte at 1905 arrival Heathrow the following morning at 0805.

Paul

UK Weather Update.

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Due to the light overnight snowfall in some parts of England we have been checking the operations at the UK’s major airports this morning (please find an update below).

However, the Met Office has also warned of a second, heavier, band of snow which will fall across some parts of the country this afternoon. Furthermore, with temperatures set to fall below freezing tonight, tomorrow’s flight schedule maybe worse hit. Therefore, please ensure you check in online for your flight today, or tomorrow, and ensure that either we, or your airline, have your mobile/cell phone number and email address.

1. London Heathrow – moderate delays but with an increasing trend.

2. London Gatwick – low delays, not predicted to worsen.

3. Manchester – low delays, not predicted to worsen.

4. Edinburgh – low delays, not predicted to worsen.

NB. Information correct at 0845.

Paul

New BA Route To Leeds Bradford.

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British Airways begins a new service between London Heathrow and Leeds Bradford Airport this weekend (Sunday 9th December).

The four times daily service will be operated using Airbus A319 aircraft and will operate to and from Heathrow Terminal 1. Prices will start from £55 for a one-way journey.

 

Paul

BA To Move SIN & SYD Services To T5.

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British Airways is to move its London Heathrow-Singapore-Sydney services to Terminal 5 from the end of March 2013.

The airline will also roster its new B777-300ER aircraft onto the route from this date. BA says the changes ”confirm British Airways’ commitment to Australia”, following the
news that Qantas will end its joint business agreement with BA and strike up a new partnership with Emirates.

BA’s Sydney flights currently depart from Terminal 3 using B747-400 aircraft, but will move to Terminal 5 from 31st March, from where the majority of the carrier’s flights
already operate. The airline’s new B777-300ER aircraft feature a four-class World Traveller, World Traveller Plus, Club World and First layout.

Paul

Easyjet To Begin Services To Moscow.

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Easyjet is to be allowed to operate flights from London to Moscow, in preference to Virgin Atlantic, thanks to a ruling by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The CAA has announced that Easyjet will join British Airways in being entitled to fly on the London-Moscow route under the bilateral agreement between the UK and Russian
governments. Easyjet plans to operate its Moscow service from London Gatwick, while BA will continue offering flights from London Heathrow. Bmi had been the second UK carrier
flying between London and Moscow under the bilateral deal but it has now stopped operating on the route following its takeover by BA.

Virgin had wanted to fly from Heathrow using the former Bmi slots which are being relinquished by BA, as part of its deal with European regulators to allow the purchase
to go ahead.

Easyjet is set to start its Moscow service in spring 2013 and said it would offer two daily flights on the Gatwick-Moscow Domodedovo route and expected to carry 230,000 passengers in its first year of operation.