Business travel

Sébastien Calmejane, Sales Director in France for easyJet, looks back at the low-cost carrier's growth among business customers. New business services, the unbundling of low-cost airlines, competition from Ryanair, areas for development: S. Calmejane takes stock of developments in the European air travel market, in which the orange airline is determined to win new market share. 

Air France will be operating a daily A380 flight between Paris and Hong Kong from 27 May. The Asian business destination will thus become the seventh city served by the airline's wide-body aircraft this summer.

In a few days' time, the Citadines City Centre Frankfurt will open, the third German representative of the Ascott Group's chain of residences.

Thalys is extending the range of services it offers to the many business travellers who use its network every week. Business customers can now pre-book the menu served on board, and access an online media kiosk.

Turkish Airlines' Marseille-Istanbul flight will become a daily service from 30 March.

Regus is strengthening its offering for the many business travellers using Frankfurt airport by opening a new business centre, the 19th for the German business destination.

Hilton, which has been absent from Paris since the departure of the former Hilton Arc de Triomphe, now the Hôtel du Collectionneur, has found a new prestigious address with the takeover of the Concorde Opéra, opposite the Gare St Lazare.

Malaysia Airlines has just completed its plan to renovate the airline's business lounges at Kuala Lumpur and Penang airports.

The first Okko hotel opened its doors in Nantes at the beginning of February, inaugurating an innovative concept in the French urban hotel market. Olivier Devys, who founded the company with Paul Dubrule, sets out the brand's roadmap and explains the Okko philosophy. 

Announced in the third quarter of 2013, the opening of the Crowne Plaza Lyon, the result of the rebranding of the former Hôtel de la Cité-Concorde, took effect on 7 February.

Without being catastrophic, 2013 did not provide the boost expected by hoteliers after an already complicated 2012.

Germanwings has just announced a new route to Düsseldorf from Montpellier, which will operate twice a week.

Deutsche Bahn is launching the "m-ticket" mobile ticket for French business travellers, who can now receive their pass on their smartphone.

In view of the damage suffered by Véhicules de Tourisme avec Chauffeur since the introduction of the fifteen-minute time limit to protect taxis, the Conseil d'Etat has decided to suspend the measure until further notice.

Ten new routes will be added to TAP Portugal's schedule this summer, including a stopover in Nantes from July. The Portuguese airline will be operating the new Airbus aircraft that are about to be added to its fleet.

The Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport hotel officially opened its doors on 31 January, marking the brand's arrival in the Netherlands. Above all, it also paves the way for the mid-range brand's new European ambitions, which will take shape in two other business destinations - London and Zurich - with a continued focus on airports to target business travellers.

On 30 January, the Intercontinental group announced the opening of the Crowne Plaza JFK Airport New York City hotel. The brand's seventh representative in the Big Apple welcomes business travellers to the New York airport.

On the eve of its tenth anniversary, the Hôtel du Collectionneur is continuing on its own path since leaving the Hilton group. Voted France's best business hotel, it continues to move upmarket.

Frédéric Flageat-Simon, CEO of Alila, reveals the ambitions of the hotel group, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, where a new emblematic establishment will open its doors next March in Oman.  

On 29 January, at the KDS Now event, HRS will unveil its new identity "HRS Corporate - The Hotel Solutions Provider", designed to better embody the business positioning adopted by the hotel specialist, and in particular its advisory role for companies and business travellers.