Business travel

200 rooms, an event space and a VIP lounge: the Hilton Group's luxury brand Waldorf Astoria has made its debut in Kuwait City.

Finnair has signed an agreement with Qatar Airways to launch flights from the three Scandinavian capitals - Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm - to Doha. The flights will be operated by Finnair Airbus A330s.

Lufthansa and SAS Scandinavian Airlines are still experiencing difficulties with their flight schedules. Both airlines have announced further flight cancellations over the coming months. Across the Atlantic, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines will also be cutting flights. But these will only affect domestic routes.

Around twenty Marriott hotels in the UK are about to be renovated before being rebranded as Delta Hotels. This is the first step in the brand's expansion outside North America.

São Paulo Guarulhos airport is to be equipped with a vertiport to accommodate flying taxis. It is expected to open in 2023.

Previously requiring changes in central London to link Heathrow to Canary Wharf, the Elizabeth Line will be fully connected to its business travel hubs from early November.

Zurich airport is to embark on a series of expansion and renovation projects. The Swiss hub will be building a spectacular new jetty made largely of wood, highlighting the fact that an airport can also develop according to sustainable criteria.

Accor's lifestyle brand Tribe has set up shop in the heart of London's Canary Wharf business district, with a 320-room design hotel.

Eurowings, the Lufthansa subsidiary, is responding to a strong upturn in business traffic with more flights between Germany and major European cities.

Opened in 1906, the Palace Lucerne has undergone a major transformation to become part of the Mandarin Oriental luxury chain. Reopening scheduled for September 24.

Bad news for passengers loyal to British Airways. The British carrier has just announced that it will be cutting some 10,000 flights from its schedule until March. Much to the delight of its rival Ryanair, which has announced a million more seats in the UK.

An eco-responsible alternative to diesel trains, the first hydrogen-powered train designed by Alstom is entering service in the Lower Saxony region of Germany.

Featuring a huge MICE area and 1,971 rooms, the New York Marriott Marquis has just completed a major transformation.

The summer season is not yet over, but the figures presented by MKG already show record levels of activity, particularly in Paris, boosted by the return of foreign customers.

The French government wants to limit the use of private business jets. Incentives or a law strictly regulating the use of private jets? Parliament could debate the issue in the autumn.

The Radisson Group is opening its first Radisson Collection hotel in Istanbul, the result of the transformation and upgrading of the former Radisson Blu Vadistanbul.

Nigeria has suspended foreign currency transfers out of the country in order to control its foreign exchange reserves. This is affecting airlines. Emirates announced its withdrawal from Nigeria on 1 September. Other airlines could follow if the situation does not improve.

In addition to the 100 TGVs of the future already ordered from Alstom, SNCF is adding 15 more trains. These will be four-voltage trains, in line with European traffic requirements.

According to DGAC statistics, French transport in the first half of 2022 recorded 61.71 million passengers, or 72.2% of the figures for the first half of 2019. At the end of 2021, traffic had only reached 39% of 2019 figures. The recovery is there, but could now be hampered by rising prices.

The results presented by the world's leading hotel companies for the second quarter show a virtual return to pre-covid levels. This upturn has been driven not only by price rises, but also by a recovery in international travel and demand from business groups.