Business Traveller Novembre 2019

Recent protests by Extinction Rebellion have once again focused attention on the environment and sustainability. Airports are a frequent target, with the latest action being aimed at London City because of its predominance of business travellers, according to the group. At the same time, last month saw a widely reported proposal for an “escalating air miles levy” on frequent flyers and to ban airline loyalty schemes. The recommendations came in a report commissioned by the government’s Committee on Climate Change (CCC). It also suggested that people reduce the amount of meat and dairy they consume, make more journeys by bikes and change their gas boilers for electric ones, but those proposals weren’t as newsworthy. It pointed out that while aviation made up 12 per cent of a UK household’s carbon footprint,…

APRIL HUTCHINSON April is editor of TTG Luxury, the UK’s foremost B2B premium travel magazine. She has worked with brand owner TTG Media for 12 years, part of a 24-year career in travel publishing, and is regularly called on as an expert in luxury travel trends – including those in the Maldives, where she has visited more than 20 resorts. See her recommendations for all manner of breaks on its islands on page 40. JENNI REID Our staff writer Jenni writes about all aspects of business travel for the magazine and website. Named best newcomer at last month’s Business Travel Journalism Awards (see Upfront, page 15), her past articles have tackled the likes of hotel accessibility, airport biometrics and sustainability in aviation. Here she looks at how UK airports are gearing up to…

QANTAS REFITS A380 QANTAS HAS UNVEILED its first new-look A380, with upgraded business class seats and a redesigned lounge area. Premium economy and business class are on the upper deck, while first class and economy are downstairs. The aircraft has 27 per cent more premium seating, while the 1-2-1 business class layout provides direct aisle access for all. The on-board lounge, which has deep-green leather couches and wood-panelled walls, seats ten and has a self-service bar; meals and cocktails can also be ordered from there. AEROTEL LANDS AT HEATHROW AND DAXING PLAZA PREMIUM GROUP’S AEROTEL BRAND has opened properties at London Heathrow and the new Beijing Daxing International airport. The 82-room Heathrow hotel (pictured) is located landside in Terminal 3, a few minutes’ walk from arrivals. Rooms are bookable for between six and…

Have you discovered new music on your travels? Yes, I improvised with a group of Arabic musicians accompanying a belly dancer last year. I listened to lots of Arabic music before I went and really loved the sounds and rhythms of that culture. Favourite venue? New York’s Carnegie Hall for its acoustics and backstage photos on the walls of so many incredible artists that have performed there – Beniamino Gigli, Enrico Caruso and The Beatles, to name a few. Most unusual experience abroad? When the orchestra’s luggage got lost and we had to play a concert wearing the clothes we had on. I wore shorts and an old T-shirt in front of a very posh and well-dressed Swiss audience. It was quite liberating not wearing my tails. Favourite piece to perform? Mozart’s Symphony No 40. Most rewarding experiences? Being…

LISTEN: The Missing Crypto Queen This BBC Sounds podcast hosted by technology researcher and author Jamie Bartlett investigates the multimillion-pound OneCoin cryptocurrency scam, travelling to the Bulgarian Riviera and rural Uganda to search for missing founder Dr Ruja Ignatova. Download free from BBC Sounds. READ: North Korea Journal , Michael Palin Palin’s new book chronicles in memorable fashion his visit to the cut-off country. Already serialised in a Channel 5 documentary, the journal shares more of his experiences, including conversations with inhabitants. £14.99; Penguin. WATCH: The Morning Show News programming is ripe fodder for drama and this series from Apple’s streaming platform promises not to hold back, exploring male/female workplace dynamics. Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carrell star. £4.99 per month on Apple TV Plus.…

ASCENT AMERICAN AIRLINES will launch a daily service between London Heathrow and Boston on March 29, operated by a B777-200 aircraft. The carrier says that the flight times (departing the UK in the morning and the US in the late evening) will complement the four daily flights offered by its joint venture partner British Airways. AUSTRIAN AIRWAYS will debut at Birmingham airport next year. Four-times weekly flights to Vienna operated by an Embraer 195 will begin on January 1. AIR INDIA was about to launch the first nonstop route between London Stansted and India as we went to press. Three-times weekly flights to Amritsar are operated by a two-class B787 Dreamliner. DESCENT Slovenia’s ADRIA AIRLINES suspended all operations in September. It was the fourth European carrier to do so that month, following French carriers XL…