Business travel

EasyJet has signed an agreement with American Express Global Business Travel, which should enable the low-cost airline to strengthen its position in the business customer market.

The record results recorded in 2011 have prompted Nice airport to set its sights high: plans for a third terminal were unveiled on Monday morning, and could be completed by 2018.

On 23 January, SITA and Orange Business Services unveiled their latest advances in contactless technology (Near Field Communication, NFC), which should soon make it possible to radically change screening procedures for greater simplicity and security. According to SITA, the use of mobile phones during boarding should become the norm within six years.

Vueling has just unveiled its new application for Android-based smartphones. Travellers can now purchase tickets from their phone.

Indonesia has recently welcomed the Crowne Plaza brand's second establishment, based in the heart of the business district in central Java.

Five Belgian establishments in the Thon group specialising in business customers have just joined the Great Hotel of the World MICE network, thanks to the quality of their facilities for business customers.

Iberia is to launch a new combined air and bus service to serve more destinations. The airline has signed an agreement with a Spanish bus company to offer an intermodal service that is unprecedented in Europe.

Lufthansa will be offering a programme of flights from Montpellier for the first time. The German airline will operate one flight a week to Munich from March 2012.

Strasbourg airport will soon be welcoming a new airline: Vueling will be making its debut at the Alsace hub in April.

Melia is planning to establish a third hotel on the UK market, with the opening of an Innside property in Manchester.

"Very good results": this is how the Balladins group looks back on the past year, highlighting a sharp rise in sales (+19.2%), achieved while maintaining the brand's image.

CityJet is preparing to launch a new route between Brest and London City airport. Air France's Irish subsidiary will operate two flights a week from 30 March.

The Accor group is to sell the Pullman Rive Gauche hotel to Bouygues Immobilier for €77 million. The hotel is due to close during 2012 due to a lack of profitability. The Novotel New York in Times Square is set to suffer the same fate.

Orbitz for Business, the business section of the booking site, is extending its range of services for business travellers with the signing of a new partnership with Limos.com. The aim is to integrate top-of-the-range vehicle hire more effectively into the company's travel policy, and in particular to facilitate reporting.

London Luton airport has big ambitions, announcing a development project that will see the hub increase its capacity by up to 50%.

Accor's sales rose significantly in 2011 (+5.21TP3Q), enabling the hotel group to confirm its operating target.

Two strikes are disrupting air traffic in France today. In Lille, air traffic controllers are continuing the action begun the day before, while in Corsica Air France staff are disrupting operations.

Hotel group InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is planning to launch a new brand dedicated to China over the next six months.

As expected, the strike action launched this Tuesday morning by the air traffic controllers at Lille-Lesquin has led to the cancellation of the vast majority of flights.

The Hilton Group has announced the opening of a new hotel in Riyadh. This will be the company's fourth hotel in the Saudi capital.