Business travel

HRG has published a study of business travel transactions for its UK-based customers. The business travel agency (TMC) draws some optimistic conclusions, while highlighting the wide disparities between certain destinations, and the marked downturn in business class.

Six months ago, Hadrien Musitelli and Ahmed Kadhim founded MK Partnair, a company specialising in the chartering of private jets and airliners. Their aim: to democratise what he describes as the "taxi plane", by promoting the various advantages of business aviation in terms of time saving and efficiency.

The competition for the graces of the high-contribution passenger is not only in the air, but increasingly on the ground, in the lounges and VIP areas.

An architect by training, how did you come to design the Emirates mini-suite? Jacques Pierrejean – One day, during a Boeing 747 flight, I...

Despite the economic slowdown in Europe, airlines are not giving up. On the contrary, they are continuing to improve their business class products and develop their premium economy classes to win back business travellers.

The Marriott Opera Ambassador hotel replaces the former Radisson of the same name in the heart of the 9th arrondissement.^th Paris district. The American group's new business address has a total of 298 rooms, and is preparing to give its lobby a facelift.

Air Canada is launching its new premium class on 12 July. The new cabin, known as Privilege Economy, offers enhanced in-flight comfort, as well as a range of services for business travellers, such as priority boarding.

With an extremely healthy rate of growth and a resolutely contemporary move upmarket, urban residences are making their own music. In France and elsewhere.

The SNCF recently extended its door-to-door service to Gare de l'Est and Strasbourg. Reservations for taxis or chauffeur-driven vehicles will soon be available at the Gare de Lyon in Paris and at Lyon Part-Dieu.

The IHG group is inaugurating a Holiday Inn hotel at Guayaquil airport. This is the brand's second hotel in the country.

The Fairmont Baku hotel is taking up residence in the Flame Towers, to cater for the growing flow of business travellers to Azerbaijan.

Premium residential hotel brand Ascott will make its Indian debut in 2016 with the opening of Ascott Ireo City Gurgaon, in a prime business destination just a few kilometres from New Delhi.

Aéroports de Paris has just renovated the international hall dedicated to international passengers and other travellers from French overseas departments and territories in the South terminal at Paris-Orly airport, which now covers some 9,000 m².

The melia group will be opening a second hotel in Lima in three years' time: the Tryp by Wyndham hotel confirms the Spanish hotelier's interest in the Latin American market, already illustrated recently by the announcement of five Innside by Melia hotels in Chile.

Air France is continuing its drive to win back business customers with the launch of the "Best and Beyond" plan: an upmarket long-haul offer which will concern all classes from First to Economy, and will touch on all aspects of the travel experience, in particular in-flight comfort and personalised quality of service. For a total investment of over 500 million euros.

TAP Portugal is speeding up boarding for business travellers by introducing a new service at Orly West airport: fast track.

The hotel reservation platform Hotel Corporate System (HCorpo) is becoming a key player in the business travel market. So much so that it is aiming to become the the benchmark solution for business hotels, by developing a network of increasingly interesting partnerships, including with major TMCs. Chairman Stéphane de Laforcade talks about HCorpo's ambitions, objectives and plans for the coming months, including a new solution dedicated to Meetings & Events.

The opening up of cross-Channel rail services to competition is becoming clearer: the Intergovernmental Commission recently issued an operating licence allowing Deutsche Bahn to enter the Channel Tunnel. Eurotunnel is delighted with this step.