Business travel

Brussels Airlines is launching its mobile application as a prelude to a year of digital innovation in 2017. Massive investments are promised for the coming months.

A study published by the Movinga removals platform may well put French business travellers into perspective. The cost of public transport in Paris is much lower than in other top business destinations, including in Europe. The same applies to communications and food.

Icelandair organised its annual Mid-Atlantic event from 26 to 29 January. This 25th edition, organised in Reykjavik, brought together some 800 participants, invited to celebrate the company's 80th anniversary at the same time. Birkir Hólm Guðnasson, CEO of the Icelandic airline, and Senior Vice President Helgi Mar Björgvinsson, explain the positioning of the carrier specialising in transatlantic routes. Interviewed in Reykjavik by Florian Guillemin.

Cathay Pacific is being forced to re-evaluate its strategy, as it is set to announce a probable loss for its last financial year. This will be only the third time in the company's history.

The announced departure of Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan, after a decade at the helm of the company, should mark a major change in the company's strategy. Etihad could separate itself from some of the European carriers in which it has invested.

Air France-KLM and China Eastern Airlines are offering companies joint contracts on routes between France and Shanghai. At the same time, China Eastern Airlines is joining Air France-KLM's free frequent flyer programme, BlueBiz.

Four Seasons, the Canadian luxury group, has just opened a new hotel in London's business district. This follows the inauguration of a hotel in Tianjin, China, and there are more to come.

Hilton Worldwide is continuing to expand by adding a new 'light' brand, Tapestry, designed to welcome independent upmarket hotels into its fold.

In March, Melia Hotels International will open the Gran Melia Nacional in Rio, the result of the renovation of a legendary hotel designed by Niemeyer. The Spanish group is also expecting a number of openings for its trendy ME brand and its Innside business brand.

Qwidam is taking on the business travel market. The social network for emergency situations is now available in a corporate version, QPro, which offers a collaborative response to the duty of care issue.

EasyJet has just signed a partnership agreement with Monacair, enabling it to offer business travellers flying from Nice to the Principality a helicopter flight to and from the airport. Journey time: 6 minutes.

Moriyuki Tanemura is Executive Vice President France & Benelux at All Nippon Airways (ANA). He reports on the development of traffic between France and Japan.

Farida Chikhaoui, Sales Director France for Aer Lingus, looks back over the airline's recent developments and plans, both in terms of its network and in-flight and ground services.

A new lease of life for the Hôtel du Louvre, new meeting spaces at the Hyatt Regency - The Churchill in London, the acquisition of the Miraval group and the arrival of a hotel in the French Alps under the Hyatt Centric banner: the last few days have been full of announcements for the American group.

Scandic Hotels, Scandinavia's leading hotel group, has acquired eight new hotels, including the Grand Hotel in Oslo. Also in the pipeline is a new establishment at Helsinki airport.

The Peninsula Beijing has regained all its prestige following an extensive renovation programme. As well as offering the largest rooms in the Chinese capital, the palace elegantly blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design.

Concur has examined the role played by Airbnb in the business travel segment, analysing spending on alternative accommodation over two years. The results are clear: business travellers are increasingly using Airbnb for their business trips in France, Germany and the UK.

On 12 January, the directors of Qatar Airways inaugurated the airline's new lounge at Paris-CDG. This was an opportunity to reaffirm their ambitions in the French market, ahead of the inauguration of a new flight to Nice.

The arrival of French Blue on Réunion at the end of 2016 is forcing all airlines to rethink their strategy. In particular, Air Austral, Réunion's "national" airline.

The Tour des Jardins de l'Arche, a new skyscraper with almost 700 rooms under the IHG banner, is due to open in 2022.