UK Business
travel increased last year and looks likely to
increase again in 2008 - despite analysts'
pessimistic economic forecasts - according to
the Barclaycard Business Travel Survey. Nearly
half of respondents (44%) travelled more in 2007
than they did the previous year, and a third
planned to travel more in 2008 &endash; with 77%
anticipating the same amount or more. Business
expansion in the UK and abroad were the main
reasons. However, the poll of more than 3,000
business travellers also shows spending is under
closer scrutiny, with fewer trips being taken
using 'business class' and more on budget
airlines. Companies seem to be focusing on
managing and minimising costs, with more than
55% of respondents saying they were most likely
to fly economy class when travelling for
business, compared with 46% in 2006. In 2001,
41% of respondents cited business class as their
main mode of air travel. Six years later just
11% said they travel business or first class.
Apr 10, 2008
UK Business
travellers are increasingly opting for low-cost
airlines for their work trips &endash; British
Airways (28%) was followed by easyJet (15%)
and Ryanair (8%) as the favoured airlines for
travel. Both budget carriers more than doubled
their share from 2006. In addition, luxury
accommodation is also on the decline for
corporate stays, with more than half of
travellers - 54% - choosing hotels based on
value for money, while 49% said cost was the
sole factor in their decision. Apr 10,
2008
The open
skies agreement between the U.S. and the EU
boosted the number of available seats across
the Atlantic by 20%. The result is lower fares
for travelers, but observers note that soaring
fuel prices have forced carriers to add
surcharges to fares. Apr 7, 2008
Air
One
Air One will
increase its presence from Milan Malpensa this
summer, using opportunities available as a
result of Alitalia's downscaling at the airport.
The Italian carrier will operate 138 weekly
flights from Milan MXP on a network featuring
domestic, European and long-haul routes. Last
month, Network, Marketing and Business
Development Director Giorgio de Roni said that
AP had applied to the US Dept. of Transportation
for authority to launch flights to the US. The
new transatlantic open skies agreement
eliminates the designation requirements but
still requires licensing. Alitalia previously
announced its intention to hub exclusively in
Rome. Apr 7, 2008
Privately held
Air One intends to launch fives-times-weekly
flights to Boston on June 14 and
six-times-weekly to Chicago O'Hare on June 21
aboard new Airbus A330-200s. Service to Boston
will be in codeshare with US Airways and flights
to ORD will include United Airlines' code. Air
One's first new A330 arrived in February and a
second is scheduled for delivery at the end of
May. Reportedly, it also intends to launch
flights to Miami next winter and Washington
Dulles or Toronto in summer 2009. It has a base
at Milan Linate from which it operates 12
domestic and two European routes. Air One
stressed that its Malpensa expansion project is
on a "standalone" basis and unrelated to any
interest it may maintain in bidding for
Alitalia. Apr 7, 2008
British
Airways, London Heathrow
British Airways
said on Friday it would delay moving around 120
flights to the airline's new problem-plagued
Terminal 5 at Heathrow in an effort to make sure
it can handle the extra passengers and baggage
involved. The airline initially planned to
switch almost all of its long-haul flights from
Terminal 4 to Terminal 5 on April 30. This has
now been put back until at least June 5, British
Air Chief Executive Willie Walsh told reporters.
By then passenger volumes are expected to be
lighter at Heathrow following the May school
breaks and a public holiday on May 26. The delay
marks the latest move as British Air works to
get Terminal 5 running properly following the
public relations disaster last month when
hundreds of flights were cancelled and tens of
thousands of bags went missing after disruption
amid baggage handling problems. In a joint
statement with airport operator BAA, the airline
said that since Tuesday it has been running a
normal flight schedule from Terminal 5. The two
companies said they were working to iron out
remaining problems, including the baggage system
and develop a robust timescale to move flights
to the new terminal. The delay affects about 60
daily departures and 60 arrivals. Earlier this
month, British Air said the T5 disruption had so
far cost it around GBP16 million pounds (USD$32
million). Apr 11, 2008
British Airways
said it had canceled 126 flights due to have
flown to and from London Heathrow today because
of heavy snowfall and persistent problems with
the airport's new terminal. A spokeswoman said
114 flights had been canceled because of snow
and 12 owing to computer glitches at the
recently opened Terminal 5. Heavy snowfall,
which fell across many parts of Britain
overnight and early today, also forced British
Air to cancel 32 flights arriving and departing
London Gatwick. A spokeswoman for BAA, the
operator of Heathrow, said both of the airport's
runways were briefly shut today to de-ice
tarmac. Apr 7, 2008
L'Avion
L'Avion, the
all-business class French airline, is increasing
its flight frequency on its second Boeing
757-200 jetliner. The airline, which already
offered flights seven days a week, has added an
additional flight on Monday and Thursday as of
April 3rd; it will add another on Wednesday
beginning May 18th. L'Avion also announced that
the airline has become eligible to provide
electronic ticketing through Sabre GDS sales.
L'Avion is now "e-ticketable" with Amadeus and
Sabre. Visit www.lavion.com. Apr 8,
2008
Apr 14,
2008