Business travel

Airbnb continues to occupy centre stage in the media. A few days after presenting its new visual identity, the collaborative booking platform is openly attacking the business travel clientele, via a partnership with Concur and a new page dedicated to business travel. More than thirty companies - including Evernote and Lyft - have already signed contracts with the new giant of accommodation 2.0. 

On Friday, Air France-KLM announced the group's results for the first half of 2014, marked in particular by an increase in turnover (+1% to 12.01 billion euros). These results show a marked improvement, with operating losses falling as the group's productivity improves. All that remains to be seen now is the new strategic direction of the Air France-KLM group, which will unveil its "Perform 2020" plan in September, following on from "Transform 2015".

Five years on, the Club Accorhotels loyalty programme has more than 15 million members. Isabelle Birem, Accor's Customer Relations and Loyalty Director, takes a look at this free, flexible and increasingly digital programme.

Frankfurt airport welcomed 5.6 million passengers in June, taking the German hub's half-year total to a record 27.8 million.

ARCEP (Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques et des postes) has given the go-ahead for airlines to offer 3G and 4G access on board their aircraft.

Air France was awarded two prestigious trophies at the World Airline Awards organised by Skytrax on 15 July in London. The La Première lounge at Roissy-CDG is now considered to be the best first-class lounge in the world.

Eurostar has posted positive results for the first half of 2014, with an increase in sales (+0.51 %) and passenger numbers (+2%). These good results have not gone unnoticed by corporate customers, with business travel recording above-average growth.

According to FlightStats, Iberia topped the list of the world's most punctual airlines in June.

The Eurostar lounge at Brussels-Midi station will soon be completely renovated to welcome business travellers in even greater comfort. The makeover will result in the temporary closure of the lounge at the end of the summer, until the beginning of October.

Etihad will be setting course for six new destinations in the first half of 2015. Madrid, Edinburgh, Calcutta, Entebbe, Hong Kong and Algiers will soon strengthen the catalogue of the national airline of the United Arab Emirates.

Car rental company Enterprise Rent-A-Car is launching its Enterprise Plus loyalty programme for European business travellers.

While there is a real craze for Premium Economy, with new adepts joining airlines every year, Business and First Class continue to be the focus of the industry's attention. A way of consolidating their aura of prestige...

Starwood is embracing connected objects and offering members of the SPG loyalty programme the chance to wear Google Glass to explore the group's range of products and services.

Since 1 July, business travellers have been able to connect to the Wi-Fi and GSM networks on board transatlantic flights operated by Iberia.

Since 25 June, the SNCF has been trialling a new luggage delivery solution in partnership with Mondial Relay. Business travellers can now drop off their suitcase at one of the 4,300 drop-off points, then collect it from a local shop at their destination.

The Le Mœvenpick Paris Neuilly hotel has completed its transformation to meet the expectations of business customers by raising its standards.

Super luxury for Air France and Etihad and greater comfort for SAS Scandinavian Airlines' business classes: the crisis is not putting an end to the need for innovation in high-contribution classes. Quite the contrary! And this cascade of new products follows the launch of new business classes by Austrian Airlines, JAL and Air Canada.

The 21st^th he Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge officially opened its doors on 25 June, offering 700m² of comfort to business travellers in the newly inaugurated Queen's Terminal.