Business travel

With the inauguration of the new Paris-Charles de Gaulle - Montpellier route on 29 July, easyJet is launching its first domestic flight to the Montpellier hub, a route that should be of interest to business travellers.

Air France has confirmed the purchase of 60 Airbus A220-300s, which will serve the national airline's short- and medium-haul network. As for the A380, it will bid a final farewell in 2022.

Contrary to Boeing's optimistic announcements a few months ago, the Boeing 737 MAX is still grounded following the revelation of new technological problems. There is now talk of the flight ban being lifted at the very end of the year. Boeing is even beginning to talk seriously about stopping production of the aircraft.

According to the latest study published by OAG, aircraft punctuality on European routes continues to deteriorate, with an average departure delay of 12 minutes.

Air Caraïbes is continuing to expand, with new frequencies, new aircraft - including the first Airbus A350, which entered service on 29 July - and new cabin layouts, as Edmond Richard, Commercial Director Europe of Air Caraïbes, explains.

The renovation of Lille airport will require a total closure for 39 hours, from 5 to 7 August. Scheduled flights will be transferred to other airports, notably Paris-CDG.

Airbnb has given its search tool a slight makeover. The Business Travel tab is now displayed at the start of the navigation, to better filter suitable accommodation.

By replacing the boarding pass or even the passport, new biometric devices are significantly reducing the time taken by travellers. Facial recognition is being trialled by a growing number of airports and airlines, but raises questions about privacy.

Business travellers can now watch France 24 live on medium-haul flights operated by Air France.

Air France-KLM and Air Europa will soon be joining forces between Europe and South America as part of a joint venture. The two groups are awaiting approval from the relevant authorities.

By their very nature, business travellers are in a hurry and expect a simple, efficient service. Car hire companies are responding by digitalising the entire process, from booking to returning the vehicle, while developing new mobility solutions to meet changing travel patterns. at the same time as developing new mobility solutions in response to changing travel patterns.

While many Asian countries are worried about the economic slowdown in China affecting tourism growth, the hotel industry in Taiwan is still booming. Since 2015, the steady decline in Chinese arrivals to the island has in fact better prepared the hotel sector to cushion the blow of sluggish growth.

Larger and more modern, the new Air France lounge at Washington airport has reopened its doors to business travellers.

Air France plans to retire its Airbus A380s by 2023/2024. A decision which shows that the giant European aircraft manufacturer is doomed to enter the aviation history books sooner than expected.

Radisson has just launched its new reservations site, integrating the seven brands in its portfolio. A new mobile app will also be available shortly.

The Loews Regency San Francisco hotel, located in the heart of the financial district, will be transferred to the Four Seasons banner next year, giving the hotel two representatives in the business destination.

At the end of October, Transavia will be inaugurating two new routes from Nantes airport, to Geneva and Istanbul. The airline, which will be the only one on the Nantes-Turkey route, should attract business customers.

The Wojo network is taking on the regions with the inauguration of two new coworking spaces, in Monaco and Le Havre, within two Novotel establishments.

Marriott recently inaugurated its first Aloft address on the Spanish market, right in the heart of Madrid. The hotel group has also announced the arrival of W in Argentina.

Professor at Montpellier Business School and Associate Researcher at Ecole Polytechnique, Paul Chiambaretto is a specialist in air transport. He talks to Business Travel about the introduction of an ecotax in 2020 and its impact on the French air transport sector.