Indholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2023 i Business Traveller

BRITISH AIRWAYS HAS ANNOUNCED plans to open a new bar at its Heathrow Terminal 5B lounge in partnership with Whispering Angel. Set to open this summer near the terminal's B gates, the lounge will exclusively offer rosé wine by Caves d'Esclans. The new bar will be coloured pale pink “to emulate the light tones of the rosé” and will coincide with a wider refresh of the lounge, including new and reupholstered furniture and a revamped layout. BA also provided an update on the upcoming rotation of English sparkling wine options served in Club World. Balfour Rosé de Noirs will be offered from July, followed by Simpsons Chalklands Cuvée Brut NV from October, and Wiston Estate Brut NV from January 2024.…

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL IS the latest major hotel group to announce plans for a new extended stay concept. Hot on the heels of Hilton's ‘Project H3’ lower-midscale concept, and the upper midscale Hyatt Studios offering (both unveiled this year), Marriott says it will launch an “affordable midscale extended stay brand” in the US and Canada. With a working title of Project MidX Studios, Marriott said the brand has been designed “for guests in search of affordable, flexible accommodations for an extended stay, typically 20+ nights”. Rates would be around US$80 per night, depending on the market and demand. Features will include on-site laundry facilities and a fitness centre, while suites will come with in-room kitchens. Marriott plans to partner with Concord Hospitality for the first three properties, which are expected to…

THE INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA) has published a revised oudook for 2023, with airline profits set to be higher than originally forecast, and the number of people taking flights closing in on pre-pandemic levels. The association said that airline industry net profits are expected to reach US$9.8 billion this year, more than double the previous forecast of $4.7 billion which was published in December 2022. IATA also said that it now expects 4.35 billion people to fly in 2023, not far off the 4.54 billion people who took a flight in 2019 before the onset of the pandemic. Polling carried out in May this year indicates that more than three quarters (77 per cent) of respondents are now travelling as much or more than they did before Covid-19.…

PRIORITY PASS AND LOUNGEKEY members are once again able to access Plaza Premium Lounges globally, following a hiatus of almost two years. Access was cut in July 2021, following Plaza Premium Group's decision not to renew its contract with the lounge providers. Collinson, which operates Priority Pass and LoungeKey, said it had reached a new global agreement with the group, enabling members to access 63 lounges within Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. A total of 21 lounges will be added across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, alongside 15 in North America, and 27 in the Asia Pacific region.…

SAN FRANCISCO'S WORLD-FAMOUS cable cars are celebrating 150 years of traversing the Californian city this August. First tested on 2 August, 1873 by Andrew Smith Hallidie, a Scottish-born engineer and inventor, the cars entered public service on 1 September of the same year. Fast forward to 2023 and there are now three manually operated cable car lines: the Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde and California Street Cable Cars. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is celebrating the national historic landmark with events such as the first-ever public tours of the Muni shop, where the cars are built and maintained, and an exhibition at the San Francisco Public Library featuring historic photos, original documents and ephemera. Visitors can also purchase a special US$5 unlimited day pass until the end of 2023, which enables…

SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES (SAS) opened seat reservations for its first commercial electric services in early June, although customers will have to wait another five years for the flights to take off. The carrier opened reservations for 90 seats across three inaugural flights in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, with customers able to reserve a maximum of two seats each atflysas.com/electric. The price of the service is SEK/NOK/DKK 1,946 (a tribute to when SAS first started flying), although no charge will be made until 30 days prior to the flight, which is “expected to take place during the course of 2028”. The reservation is really just an expression of interest at present, as both the date and place of departure for the flights has yet to be decided. SAS has committed to reaching…

KYMPTON BLYTHSWOOD SQUARE HOTEL in Glasgow is swapping the traditional minibar with wellnessfocused products as part of a 24-hour ‘Stay Well’ package, coinciding with the hotel's spa relaunch in July. Guests can expect kombucha, CBD tincture and iodine-filled seaweed capsules. The package includes an ishga self-care bath experience kit, with body oil and bath salts, along with Swell sound therapy, yoga mats, an exercise ball and foam rollers. A ‘Shroom Service’ with Four Sigmatic's mushroom-infused coffee, can be delivered to your door. The package costs £130 and is available until 31 August, 2023.…

The cherry on top Delta is keeping its passengers cool with the return of its Delta One dessert cart on international flights where customers can build their own ice cream sundaes, choosing from toppings such as whipped cream, cookie crumble, fruit compote and chocolate chips. United Airlines also offers this service to its business class passengers on long-haul routes. Sky-high tea You might be heading overseas, but Virgin Atlantic will cure any homesickness with its Mile High Tea, served in Upper Class and Premium. Passengers are offered three finger sandwiches along with a warm scone with cream and jam and mini patisseries, including a red, white and blue Battenburg, naturally. Custom cuisine JetBlue has partnered with New York's restaurant group Dig to provide its economy passengers on transatlantic services with…

You've caught the same early flight 100 times and you know the drill – pack light, make sure you have enough time for a shot of caffeine in the lounge, board early to stow your hand luggage, then sit back and relax for take off But what about the two hours before that moment? Being at the airport is easy – how you get there is another matter. Carolyn Pearson, CEO of Maiden Voyage, an inclusive business travel consultancy, agrees the first part of the trip is stressful: “The first mile I'm thinking what have I forgotten? I'm constantly checking my bag and thinking of a Plan B.” Ground transport is a part of the business trip that is reliant on the traveller making the right decision for themselves, and…

There's a whiff of a revolution in the air. Or so you would think, if you were to listen to some of the debates going on in the wings of travel management conferences. The heresy being espoused by some mavericks is a more egalitarian approach to corporate travel policies. Some are whispering that it is no longer appropriate for senior executives to travel up front while the more lowly languish down the back. In my earlier column about purposeful travel, published in the March 2023 issue, I wrote about the growing tendency to see business travel as a strategic investment in people, rather than an avoidable cost to a company. Proponents of a ‘one class for all’ approach argue that if travel is to be more purposeful, then it ceases…

BACKGROUND MGallery is Accor's boutique hotel brand, with more than 100 properties globally. Opened last July, this is the second of the brand's design-conscious hotels in Hong Kong following the opening of the Silveri in Tung Chung in June 2022. WHERE IS IT? Located away from the main Wan Chai bustle on a quiet corner of Jaffe Road, the hotel is a ten-minute walk from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), five minutes from Wan Chai MTR station and a threeminute stroll from the new Exhibition Centre MTR station. It's well-placed to explore the many bars and restaurants along Lockhart Road and the sleek malls of Causeway Bay. WHAT'S IT LIKE? Housed in an impressive glass structure, AKI Hong Kong channels a Japanese minimalist aesthetic with light natural…

UPFRONT VIRGIN ATLANTIC HAS ANNOUNCED a raft of route launches including its return to Dubai after a gap of more than four years. The carrier will offer a four-times-weekly seasonal service to the UAE city between 28 October, 2023 and March 2024, operated by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft configured with 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 economy seats. Meanwhile Virgin is also set to launch daily flights from Heathrow to Bengaluru in March 2024, followed by São Paulo in May next year. The airline had previously announced plans to serve the Brazilian city in 2019, but the launch was first delayed by the onset of Covid-19 and then abandoned altogether. The carrier is also set to resume flights from Manchester to Las Vegas next summer, joining its existing service…

FINNAIR HAS OUTLINED schedule changes for next summer, with increased frequencies to several destinations in the UK and Ireland. From April next year the carrier will offer 12 flights per week to Manchester, up from eight this summer, and seven weekly services to Edinburgh, up from five. Meanwhile Dublin will benefit from both increased frequencies – up from the current seven weekly flights to ten next summer and extra capacity due to an aircraft upgrade from the E190 to the larger A319. The Helsinki-Heathrow route will see a total of 29 weekly flights for summer 2024. Further afield, Finnair's routes to Osaka and Tokyo Narita will both gain two weekly flights next summer, bringing them to five and six weekly services respectively.…

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL HAS OPENED a property under its lifestyle Moxy brand in Britain's Ocean City. The 200-room Moxy Plymouth is situated on Millbay Boulevard, a project which has transformed the former Bath Road, adjacent to the Plymouth Pavilions entertainment venue, into a wider boulevard linking the city centre and waterfront area. The new-build hotel is a big deal for Plymouth, which despites its status as the second largest city in South West England has had few new hotel openings in recent years, with a notable exception being the Crowne Plaza Plymouth – a rebranding of a former Holiday Inn property following refurbishment in 2018. Interior design has been inspired by the city's maritime history, with a nauticalthemed lobby, murals depicting ships and Plymouth's iconic Smeaton's Tower lighthouse, and lighting made…

Our pick of events taking place around the world DOMESTIC: EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL, 12-28 AUGUST Aside from the renowned FRINGE festival this summer, the Scottish capital is also hosting its annual celebration of the written word. The 40th edition of the festival features more than 500 events dotted in and around Edinburgh College of Art, with a matching number of authors, illustrators and thinkers from around the world, including Greta Thunberg, Gordon Brown and Bernardine Evaristo. Around 100 of the events will also be livestreamed, with a ‘Pay What You Can’ ticket price. Ticket prices vary; edbookfest.co.uk SHORT-HAUL: ZURICH STREET PARADE, 12 AUGUST The 30th anniversary of the Swiss city's street parade takes place this summer around Zurich's lake basin. The party kicks off at 1pm, with techno and…

READ: 1964: Eyes of the Storm, Paul McCartney This book features 275 of McCartney's photos taken on a 35mm camera during the eruption of Beatlemania from the end of 1963 through to the start of 1964. Expect photos from Liverpool, London, Paris, Washington DC, New York and Miami, and images of bandmembers including this one of John Lennon (Paris, 1964). £60; Allen Lane. WATCH: WHAM! This feature length documentary captures the incredible story of 80s pop group WHAM! and its members, Andrew Ridgeley and the late George Michael. Sing along to the catchy hits and experience never-before-seen footage and previously unheard interviews with the duo. Available on Netflix from 5 July. LISTEN: VS This new weekly podcast from Intelligence Squared discusses the little debates that spark big discussions. Hosted by…

LONDON CITY AIRPORT published its 2022 Sustainability Report in June, revealing the airport's progress on the road to achieving net zero carbon by 2030. The centrally located airport became one of only two UK airports to achieve Level 4+ in the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, while data has shown that 68 per cent of passengers accessed the airport by public and sustainable transport – the highest percentage of any UK airport. While passenger numbers increased from 714,000 in 2021 to three million in 2022, the airport's overall direct emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) did not. Additionally, trial flights are underway for the Embraer E195-E2, which offers improved fuel, noise and emissions performance, and the aircraft is expected to enter commercial operations later this year. The report also noted LCY's elimination…

DESTINATION Under sunny skies and towering palm trees, sunglass-bespectacled screenwriters circle studio sidewalks, carrying “Writer's Strike!” signs scribbled with quips: “I told ChatGPT to write a picket sign and it sucked.” “Spoiler alert: you need writers.” Here in Los Angeles, this ongoing strike has parts of the entertainment business and the Californian city stuck in slow gear. In May, the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) authorised a strike after failing to come to a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the organising coalition of Hollywood's studios and streaming services – Universal, Walt Disney Pictures, Amazon Studios and Netflix, among others. At the time of writing, SAG-AFTRA, the corresponding actors’ union, is expected to take similar action if a deal can't be worked out around similar…

■ Citymapper is well known for helping travellers navigate cities and their public transport systems. It covers Europe, USA, Canada (Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver) and cities in Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei), Australia (Melbourne and Sydney) as well as Mexico City and São Paulo. The news section is useful for strikes and updates on different public transport systems. ■ Cabify is a ride-hailing taxi service available in more than 90 cities across Spain and South America. ■ Eurail will help you with your train travel across Europe. You can find stations, train times and plan routes. It works offline too. ■ Gett is similar to Uber and has partnered with 2,000 ground transport options around the world, covering Dubai and Zurich as well as cities in the UK, Israel…

BACKGROUND Air France launched its new long-haul business class product on the Boeing 777-300 earlier this year, featuring the “three F”s – fully-flat, full aisle access and full privacy. So far six of its 12 777s have been retrofitted with the new product, with the remaining six due to be complete by the end of the year. Currently the upgraded product serves flights to New York JFK, Rio de Janeiro, Dakar and Johannesburg from Paris Charles de Gaulle, with upcoming destinations to include Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai. The carrier has also announced it will be introducing a new La Première (first class) product this year, with details yet to be released. CHECK-IN I arrived at JFK Terminal 1 at 1420 for the 1730 flight AF15 to Paris Charles De Gaulle.…

BACK GROUND The Hoxton, Brussels opened in May 2023, marking the brand's entry into Belgium. The brand is part of Ennismore, in which Accor holds a majority stake, and has 12 properties in Europe and North America. WHERE IS IT? The hotel occupies 12 floors of the 22-storey Victoria Tower in the city's Northern Quarter, once home to IBM's European headquarters. The Hoxton brings life to this high-rise-heavy business district, with the city's beautiful botanical gardens on its doorstep. It's a 15-minute walk to the city centre and a ten-minute tram or metro ride to Brussels Midi train station, where you can catch the Eurostar to London St Pancras. WHAT'S IT LIKE? The brutalist exterior is offset with leafy botanical interiors and retro 1970s decor. A medley of colourful clashing…

H and baggage has always gone hand-in-hand with short business trips, saving you time at the airport and protecting you from the risk of lost luggage. It's no longer as efficient and cheap as it once was, however. Low-cost carriers have long restricted hand baggage allowances to just one bag that fits under the seat, with some full-service carriers starting to adopt the practice, citing time-saving improvements and limited overhead locker space as the reasons for the change in policy. In these cases, passengers have to purchase more expensive fares, dramatically downsize their packing, or check in their luggage. Other airlines give passengers the freedom to bring a case and a “personal item” that is small enough to fit under the seat in front backpacks, briefcases, handbags or laptop bags…

UPFRONT QANTAS HAS UNVEILED DESIGNS for the economy and premium economy cabins that will feature on the carrier's A350 nonstop fights from Australia to New York and London from late 2025. There will be 40 premium economy seats configured in a 2-4-2 layout, with a 40-inch seat pitch, three amenity and personal storage pockets, a calf rest and an eight-inch winged privacy headrest. Meanwhile economy will be configured 3-3-3 with a total of 140 seats, offering a 33-inch pitch, a six-way adjustable headrest, seatback table and a shelf for personal devices. Seats in both cabins will feature 13.3-inch IFE screens with Bluetooth connectivity and two USB-C charging ports. A much-touted Wellbeing Zone will be positioned between the economy and premium economy cabins, and will offer integrated “stretch handles”, a guided…

JETBLUE HAS UNVEILED its revamped livery design on one of the carrier's new A321 aircraft – the first complete paint design refresh since the airline launched in 2000. The first A321 to sport the new livery has been named ‘A Defining MoMint’ – a nod to the airline's premium Mint product. The carrier's iconic colourful tailfin will feature the new Mint Leaves pattern, which will appear on all future Mint aircraft. There's now an all-blue fuselage, a larger JetBlue logo, “colourful winglets” and the logo is displayed on the bottom of the aircraft. The tailfins of JetBlue aircraft have depicted dozens of designs over the years, and the carrier said that all standard liveries would be refreshed “as part of the normal aircraft painting cycle”, with refreshed patterns “and a…

IHG HOTELS AND RESORTS has launched a new service enabling guests to automatically connect to wifi when arriving at any of more than 5,000 properties worldwide. Customers can opt in to the ‘Wi-Fi Auto Connect’ feature through the IHG One Rewards app. A one-time set-up is required where the user enables auto connection via settings, and then the device will automatically access individual hotels’ wifi connection without the need for manual log-in or a password. IHG says that it currently has 5.3 million monthly win log-ins. Other app improvements include a lock screen widget enabling guests to see their points balance and upcoming stays, and a booking feature where guests can select enhanced features such as views or space.…

SUSTAINABLE TRAVELLER THE SET COLLECTION has partnered with global carbon offsetting platform CHOOOSE to make carbon contributions in line with emissions produced during a guest stay. The initiative is available at all hotels in its portfolio, including the Hotel Café Royal in London, Hotel Lutetia in Paris and The Conservatorium in Amsterdam, each of which have been awarded Green Globe Certification. The hotels will make these carbon contributions for each stay automatically, meaning that guests won't need to opt-in. There will be no additional charges for guests, with The Set Collection incurring the costs. The offsetting will support C02-reducing climate projects verified by international standards,…

IT HAS THE WORLD'S HIGHEST tourism tax at US$200 per adult, per night, but the Kingdom of Bhutan is now encouraging longer stays by launching incentives for travellers forking out the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF). Visitors booking stays until 31 December, 2024 can now gain four additional nights without the daily levy if they book for four nights – and the same goes for seven nights. Those paying the levy for 12 nights will receive up to 18 additional nights without the daily levy. Travellers will now have ample opportunity to discover the Kingdom's 20 provinces, which include highland communities, remote villages and hiking hotspots. An SDF calculator (visit.doi.gov.bt) enables visitors to find the best deal for the number of nights they wish to visit. Each visitor will also be…

BUSINESS TRAVELLER has teamed up with Myth Drinks to offer a lucky reader the chance to win a branded tote bag and 50cl bottles of its non-alcoholic spirits: Myth Dark Spiced and Myth Coconut. Myth Drinks is an award-winning zero alcohol, vegan and gluten-free spirits company, which offers fun and sunshine whatever the occasion. Myth– a drink that thinks outside the bottle. For full terms and conditions and to enter, visit businesstraveller.com/competitions…

It's rush hour when I arrive at Gate Gourmet's airline catering centre near Heathrow airport. A number of transatlantic flights have just landed and it's time to offload the equipment. Cars are replaced by bumper to-bumper aluminium carts, while beeping horns are substituted by the cacophonous clattering of crockery. Trollies are wheeled towards industrial-sized dishwashers, where containers of all shapes, sizes and materials are deposited onto conveyor belts, not dissimilar to those at airport security. Within five minutes, they roll out spick and span (if only I could have one of these appliances at home). This might sound like the end of a story, but it's just the beginning. Washed and ready, these containers are about to embark on their next journey, carried in carts labelled with airport codes TLV…

Griffith Park This urban nature escape is a favourite among locals and visitors alike, with more than 1,600 hectares of terrain comprising the LA Zoo, the Autry Museum of the American West, the Griffith Observatory, along with miles of chaparral-covered trails. It's a perfect snapshot of LA past and present. Iaparks.org/griffithpark The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures This movie-centric museum is set to showcase its ‘Hollywoodland’ exhibition from November 12, chronicling the founding of major studios and independent film production in LA. Tickets from US$25. academymuseum.org La Brea Tar Pits and Museum Still an active fossil excavation site, the tar pits transport you 50,000 years back in time to the Ice Age. More than 3.5 million specimens have been uncovered here, including sabertooth cats, mammoths, and ancient sloths. Tickets from…

READER EVENT Business Traveller readers enjoyed an evening of networking, dinner and wine tasting on May 24,2023 at an event with The Wine Flyer. The Wine Flyer is a recendy formed subsidiary of IAG Loyalty, enabling customers to earn and redeem Avios on purchases of wines, beers, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks. Since its launch in October last year, members have enjoyed a quarter of a million bottles, and the offering continues to expand. At the event, more than 60 attendees were treated to a showcase of some of the wines available during a three-course dinner at No.4 Hamilton Place in London's Mayfair. The starter featured smoked Goosnargh duck, watermelon and cashew satay paired with a Patricius Dry Furmint 2020 (Tokaji, Hungary) and a Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling 2020…

CRUISING As travel slowly reemerges from the 2020-2021 “dark era,” EY's Future Consumer Index reveals that consumers have a strong desire to stop reacting to events and instead begin creating the lives they want. Today, many are doing exactly that and rewarding themselves with “bucket list” cruise holidays. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland reports that holidaymakers from this region alone took approximately 1.7 million cruises last year, nearing demand levels last seen in 2019. Up to 85 per cent of cruise passengers intend to take a holiday at sea again, while 70 per cent of holidaymakers who've never cruised before will consider it in the next few years. Cruisers simply can't wait to gaze at wild penguins in Antarctica, sip wines at vineyards along European rivers, or…

BACK GROUND This dual-branded Heathrow property opened in 2020 with Radisson RED and Radisson Hotels in two separate wings. The hotels received a £16 million investment and include 858 rooms plus extensive meeting facilities. WHERE IS IT? On the hotel-packed Bath Road, a ten-minute drive to Heathrow's terminals. You can get a Hotel Hoppa bus to terminals 2, 3 and 5 between 4.15am and 10pm daily, with a journey time of 20-30 minutes. The hotel has a partnership with WeKnowLondon, an electric car company, for punctual transfers to the terminals – my trip to Terminal 5 at 5am took ten minutes. WHAT'S IT LIKE? The modern hotel is well signposted from the main road. Closer to the entrance, a glam driveway features a mirrored ceiling, with a terrace to the…

BACKGROUND Marriott International's flagship hotel in Berlin opened in 2004. The property had a €17 million renovation in 2013, followed by a €9 million renovation of its 378 guest rooms, suites (apart from the Capitol Suite) and hallways in 2020. This included various tech-savvy additions such as USB combination sockets, fast charging stations, and new smart TVs with 55-inch displays. Guests can also use their phones to open the room door, order room service and chat with the team. WHERE IS IT? Centrally located in downtown Berlin, on a quiet square off the busier Potsdamer Platz. The ten-floor hotel is just down the road from Tiergarten Park and a 15-minute walk to Brandenburg Gate. WHAT'S IT LIKE? The hotel feels fresh thanks to timeless decor and its recent renovation. Geometric-style…