Business travel

The new CEO of Malaysia Airlines, Christoph Mueller, has just told Reuters that the restructuring of Malaysia Airlines is not a simple "patch-up" but a "quasi-creation on a new basis".

On Thursday, Singapore Airlines presented its Premium Economy and in particular the new seats which will soon equip the airline's new class, as well as the services which will be offered to business travellers. Two years of work - and an investment of 80 million dollars - will have been necessary to design this new offer.

Even before the Ritz and Crillon, its oldest palaces, reopen in sublime style, a host of new hotels are preparing to conquer Paris.

The global hotel industry is taking a contemporary look at its future, launching a flurry of new brands with an avant-garde flavour.

Lufthansa has equipped half of its long-haul fleet with the new Premium Economy cabin, and expects to have completed this fitting on all long-haul aircraft by autumn 2015.

Can today's business traveller do without an Internet connection, even if only for a few hours? Given the efforts made by airlines to provide WiFi on board their aircraft, it would appear not!

The SNCF has just unveiled two new offers aimed at business travel customers: the Fréquence 25 season ticket, and the SNCF Pro Contract for SMEs, VSEs and self-employed professionals. These two solutions will be available from 12 May. 

The major hotel companies are now working with the architectural elite to build the most prestigious venues. From Madrid to Dubai, London to Shanghai, the phenomenon is growing, transforming the landscape of our cities and the traveller's experience.

The 27th edition of the Freddie Awardsthe benchmark for frequent flyer programmes, has crowned Air France's Flying Blue and Le Club Accorhotels as the best in the European market. The two programmes succeed SAS's EuroBonus and the IHG Rewards Club respectively.

Rarely has a region had such a rapid - and profound - impact on the airline industry as the Middle East. The Gulf airlines are now punching above their weight, firstly through the acquisition of other carriers, and also through their global offer, which is competing with European hubs.

With no fewer than 4.52 million passengers recorded, Pegasus Airines posted a marked increase in traffic (+10.8%) during the first quarter of 2015.

The IHG Group has just signed an agreement with Diamond Developers, which should lead to the opening of a second Hotel Indigo in the United Arab Emirates in 2017. The first will be powered exclusively by solar energy.

Already up and running in the UK, the easyBus shuttle bus will be linking Paris-CDG airport with the city centre in just a few days' time. 

In the heart of the German capital, the Wyndham Grand Berlin Potsdamer Platz has officially been replaced by the Crowne Plaza Berlin - Potsdamer Platz.

With a plethora of hotels to choose from and booking solutions that are not entirely effective, companies have long found it difficult to control their hotel expenditure. But the sector is changing fast. And, above all, it's moving in the right direction.

On Wednesday, Concur and the Club des Directeurs de Sécurité des Entreprises (CDSE) formalised a partnership designed to "put employee safety at the heart of companies' strategic challenges".

Booking.com is now offering a 'business' section aimed at business travellers and travel managers. The Booking Business site has recently been launched on the French market, targeting small businesses in particular.

Audi has just launched Audi on demand on the American market, a car rental system operating via a mobile application and featuring a concierge service. 

Ford has published a European study showing that professionals are more stressed by the journey to and from work than by the work itself.

Korean Airlines continues to do well on the French market. Korea's flag carrier, which offers the largest seat capacity to and from Paris between Seoul and Europe, is strengthening its position further this summer. From 11 May until 3 October, Korean Air will be offering an eighth weekly flight. Every Saturday, a Boeing 777-200 will be put into service for an evening flight, offering additional capacity of 248 seats, including 8 in first class and 28 in business class.