Business travel

Singapore Airlines has just launched the world's longest commercial flight to New York from Changi airport, with a journey time of almost 18 hours between the two business destinations.

Istanbul's new airport, due to open on 29 October, will be a new European giant. Its capacity should reach 90 million passengers. The new hub will become the central hub for Turkish Airlines. As for the current Istanbul Atatürk airport, it could finally close towards the end of December, due to the gigantic scale of the move.

Business aviation company VistaJet is benefiting from the popularity of private jet hire, with strong growth in business in Europe and France in the first half of 2018.

The key to hub status is the ability to organise connections efficiently. Alongside the giants such as Paris CDG, London Heathrow and Frankfurt, some airports are taking advantage of their compact size to offer ultra-fast transfer times in Vienna or optimised connections to the United States in Dublin.

Next April, the airline will receive the first of its two A321neo aircraft. Jean-Charles Périno, Sales & Marketing Director of the 100% business class carrier, gives us an update on this new product and, more generally, on the airline's strategy.

Airlines' quest for maximum profitability is not without consequences for passengers. Cabin density is the order of the day, particularly in economy class. Paradoxically, while the interior design of aircraft theoretically makes them more comfortable, their layout often holds many surprises in store.

Sunset or boreal atmosphere, restaurant atmosphere at mealtimes: both Lufthansa and Finnair use light therapy to create soothing or energising atmospheres.

Will we ever travel standing up in an aeroplane? That's the challenge facing Italian seat manufacturer Aviointeriors with its SkyRider 2.0 'vertical' seat.

Recently in Paris to re-launch its image, Iberia is aiming to attract business travellers by reaffirming the excellence of its services and its role as the air bridge between Europe and Latin America. Marco Sansavini, CCO (Chief Commercial Officer) of the Spanish airline, explains.

Kimpton Hotels, the lifestyle counterpart to the luxury InterContinental, is starting to weave its international web.

AccorHotels has introduced an original offer, called Flying Nest: ephemeral hotels that can take shape in less than a day, for example during a major sporting or cultural event.

Eurostar is preparing to launch a new MICE service enabling companies to privatise all or part of a train, with themed events. Guillemette Jacob, Eurostar's Marketing and Brand Director, provides an update on this MICE product.

Although the project was launched in 2011, the first passengers will finally be able to board the Moroccan TGV, christened "Al Boraq" - the winged horse - by King Mohammed VI on 12 July 2018.

Dedicated to businesses, the Uber for Business solution enables journeys to be tracked using a personalised profile for each passenger.

Air France has outlined its in-flight connectivity plan, dubbed Air France Connect. The airline, whose fleet of 100%s will be equipped with WiFi by 2020, will be offering a free basic package - the "Message" pass - to which will be added two premium packages, for which a charge will be made.

A revamped long-haul economy class, a new Corporate Benefits Programme and an association with booking.com are the new features presented to the French market at the IFTM Top Resa trade fair.

Last weekend saw the inauguration in Hong Kong of the first high-speed rail link between the former British colony and China. An event which, over and above the attraction that such a means of transport represents for a financial metropolis, anchors Hong Kong a little more firmly to China.

Jean-Michel Mathieu, CEO of Joon, explains the airline's strategy and clarifies its positioning vis-à-vis the other brands of the Air France KLM group. Interview by Serge Barret

While new airlines are appearing in West Africa, such as Air Senegal, Ethiopian Airlines is strengthening its pre-eminent position on the continent by supporting the growth of small national airlines and expanding its range of destinations.

From reinvented and up-and-coming palaces to new boutique hotels and lifestyle chain establishments, there's always something going on in the Paris hotel scene. Introducing the new autumn-winter collection.