Business travel

Air Caraïbes has just launched a new all-digital press offer, via the iZipress application. The tool, developed by Adaptive Channel, allows business travellers to download up to 21 titles - daily newspapers, magazines, novels and the airline's own magazines - onto their iPad and other Android tablets, to browse through during the flight.

HRS and EPSA have published a study on hotel expenditure in French business travel, based on the views of both buyers and travellers. The document provides a relevant overview of the sector, and identifies attractive potential for optimisation for the various players involved.

Eric Dodin, Managing Director of Europcar in France, intends to give the car rental company new impetus in the French market, particularly with business customers. In a difficult economic environment, he intends to base Europcar's dynamism on the values of excellence in customer relations and on new approaches to mobility.

The "hand baggage only" fares introduced by British Airways in early 2013 are now available at Heathrow and London City. Nine short-haul destinations are concerned, including Paris. The airline is also launching a new range of fares tailored to business customers: Semi-flex.

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is strengthening its offer for French business travellers by introducing a daily frequency between Paris and St Petersburg, via Kiev.

Business travellers in Northern France will soon be able to count on a new option for their business trips to the Netherlands. Thalys will be adding a new link between Lille and Amsterdam from April 2014.

HRS and AirPlus signed a strategic partnership agreement on Wednesday, enabling the leading online hotel reservation service for businesses to integrate AirPlus payment solutions into its "Global Payment" offering.

The IHG group will be opening a new hotel in London in 2015: the Crowne Plaza London - Albert Embankment aims to establish itself as a new leading business address for meetings in the British capital.

EasyJet is stepping up its presence at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, with the launch of new flights to Seville and Krakow. The airline is also increasing the frequency of several routes.

Rafet Sisman heads up the Turkish Airlines teams in Paris. Building on the airline's good results over the last few years, he takes an ambitious look at its position in France and around the world. 

Emirates is adding a new business destination to its already extensive catalogue: the airline will be linking Dubai with Kabul's Khwaja Rawash airport (Afghanistan) from 4 December.

The Hilton Sukhumvit hotel has opened its doors in Bangkok. It's a symbolic opening for the American hotel chain, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Thailand in 2013.

The FlightStats website has published its punctuality rankings for August. Finnair is ahead of South African and Tyrolean Airways. Tokyo airport recorded the best results.

Qatar Airways and British Airways are extending their frequent flyer programmes for business travellers. Business travellers can now earn and reuse Miles on the British Airways Executive Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club programmes.

The Starwood Group will launch its St. Regis luxury brand in Istanbul in the first half of 2014, in the upmarket Nişantaşı district.

The Langham, Chicago opened its doors on Tuesday. After New York, Los Angeles and Boston, the Windy City is the fourth American city to welcome the hotel chain founded in 1865.

Accor is to open three new hotels in Moscow between now and 2015 as part of a new complex near Kievskaya station in the city centre. The hotel group is thus confirming its ambitions in Russia and the region, where it aims to have fifty establishments by the end of 2016.

Ibis will be launching its new season ticket for business travellers on 25 September. "ibis BUSINESS" is designed to simplify business travel by offering a range of advantages in terms of savings and flexibility.

The impact of the strike planned for Tuesday 10 September on the SNCF network should remain limited. The railway company is talking about "localised disruption".

The Marriott group is launching a practical new option for business travellers: mobile check-in, available in over 300 establishments in the United States.