Business travel

On Monday, Rennes airport became the 20th in easyJet's French network, with the inauguration of a Lyon-Rennes route that should attract many business travellers.

After Emirates and Qatar Airways, it is now the turn of Australia's Qantas to offer a very long-haul flight, linking London and Australia non-stop for the first time. While we wait for a non-stop service between Paris and Australia?

Meridiana, the regional carrier acquired by Qatar Airways, has become Air Italy. Its ambition is to become the benchmark for air transport in Italy.

Düsseldorf and Munich will be taking over most of the long-haul routes operated by Eurowings from Cologne. The idea is also to attract business travellers.

The Trenitalia subsidiary, which operates a night service between Paris and Rome and day trains between Marseille and Milan, plans to respond to regional calls for tenders for TER services and to take part in the opening up of TGV lines to competition in 2020.

Air France plans to operate the vast majority of its flights on 23 March, despite the strike. Another notice has been given for 30 March.

Ryanair's entry into the capital of the new LaudaMotion airline makes Vienna one of the low-cost air transport capitals of Europe.

At his annual press conference in Berlin, the Chairman of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, reaffirmed the carrier's determination to continue to assert itself as a global air transport giant.

The Global Meeting Exchange event organised in Montreal gave AccorHotels group executives the opportunity to meet event organisers from around the world and showcase their international ambitions in the luxury and upmarket segments.

With Sure Hotel by Best Western in the economy segment and the BW Signature Collection by Best Western in the upper mid-range, Best Western has two new brands to strengthen its presence in France. All this, without forgetting to pursue its strategy of moving upmarket.

Launched in 2014, the Lille-Amsterdam route will be discontinued by Thalys on 10 December 2018 due to traffic levels deemed too low by the rail company. This decision has been criticised by politicians and business travellers in the Lille area.

Trainline has published the results of a survey carried out by OpinionWay, analysing the relationship between passengers, mobile technology and rail transport.

With 35 new hotels in Europe, 2017 was one of the most prolific years for the Marriott group, which is looking to build on its success in 2018.

The Fairmont Austin hotel opened its doors on 5 March this year, becoming the brand's second largest international property. The new address, next door to the Convention Center, is particularly aimed at meetings and events customers.

The takeover of ultra-design hotels in Berlin and St Petersburg, the conversion of a former Sofitel designed by Jean Nouvel in Vienna, the arrival of So/ in Auckland: So/, the lifestyle arm of Sofitel, is taking off.

A new name, a new collection of lifestyle hotels, a more generous loyalty programme: a new era is dawning for the former Carlson Rezidor group, renamed Radisson Hotel Group.

Lufthansa has recently been testing a humanoid robot called Josie Pepper in Terminal 2 at Munich airport. A first for a German platform.

Whitbread's acquisition of 3,110 rooms adds to the hotel group's portfolio. The British company intends to continue its conquest of this market.

Dassault's new business jet, the Falcon X6, outperforms its predecessor in terms of range and comfort. It marks the end of the technical setbacks experienced by the aircraft manufacturer, with delays caused by faulty engines designed by Safran.

New design, new meeting rooms, restaurant: with new openings expected from next year, in Paris in particular, Okko Hôtels is developing its hotel concept, which is both design-led and business-oriented.