News for Europe/MEA

Iberia announced (29-Nov-2022) that due to the COVID-19 pandemic's disruptions to customer's travel, the level of all Iberia Plus loyalty programme members will be maintained until the end of Mar-2023. The group added that customers who have managed to maintain their travel levels by their own means will receive a bonus of additional Elite Points, necessary to raise or maintain their level in the next review in Mar-2023. [more - original PR - Spanish]

Air France announced (28-Nov-2022) plans to increase Paris CDG-Antananarivo frequency from four to five times weekly from summer 2023. The route will be operated using A350-900 aircraft for the first time, equipped with 34 seats in business, 24 in premium economy and 266 in economy. [more - original PR]

Etihad Airways announced (28-Nov-2022) the termination of its codeshare agreement with Malaysia Airlines effective 30-Oct-2022. Select Malaysia Airlines services no longer operate under an Etihad flight number. Passengers travelling with Etihad are still able to transfer directly onto Malaysian Airlines flights from Kuala Lumpur on the same ticket, with connecting flights able to be booked through the carriers' interline agreement, which remains in place. Etihad stated it has been working with Malaysia Airlines to rebook affected passengers on the same Malaysian Airlines flight as originally purchased, as an interline booking. [more - original PR]

LATAM Airlines Brasil plans to resume three times weekly Sao Paulo Guarulhos-Johannesburg service from 03-Aug-2023, as per a 28-Nov-2022 GDS inventory and timetable display. The airline will operate the service with Boeing 787-9 equipment.

Fiji Airways commenced (25-Nov-2022) twice weekly Nadi-Vancouver service on 25-Nov-2022, using A330-200 aircraft equipped with 273 seats. Vancouver International Airport stated the year round service is expected to generate CAD12.2 million (USD9.08 million) in tourism dollars and an additional 86 jobs at the airport and British Columbia's hotel, restaurants and tourist attractions. According to OAG, Fiji Airways is the sole scheduled operator of the route. [more - original PR]

German Travel Association (DRV), via its 'Chefsache Business Travel 2022' report, stated (24-Nov-2022) only 3% of German business travellers would cancel business travel appointments due to an upcoming spike in COVID-19 infections. Respondents indicated however, that they are open to any form of support for safe travel, whether from their own company or from other sources, with 55% stating they would like detailed information about changes in entry and exit regulations. DRV highlighted companies have improved their risk management, with 72% supporting employees with professional risk management, "​​significantly more" than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 19% of these companies established functions for risk management measures following the outbreak of COVID-19, and 16% after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [more - original PR - German]

SAS announced (24-Nov-2022) plans to launch five times weekly Copenhagen-New York JFK service on 09-Feb-2023. The carrier will operate into terminal 7 at New York JFK, and plans to increase the frequency to daily during summer 2023. SAS currently operates Copenhagen-New York Newark service, and will offer nine services from Copenhagen to the US and Canada in 2023. EVP and CCO network and revenue management Erik Westman commented: "The US is a strategic market for SAS, and we will continue to develop new routes and destinations whenever the right opportunity presents itself". [more - original PR] [more - original PR - Danish]

Germany's Association of German Travel Management (VDR) received (22-Nov-2022) funding from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) for its pilot study aiming to reduce the CO2 share of business travel.  VDR aims to develop an end-to-end process covering aspects including avoidance, intelligent booking, transparent billing, compensation of CO2 emissions, sustainable purchasing and communication with the process stakeholders. The project is being carried out in partnership with Intelligent Business Concepts (IBC), with a pilot project planned for the beginning of 2023. [more - original PR - German]

HRS Group CEO HRS Pay Kurt Knackstedt, speaking at the CTC Australasia Corporate Travel Summit & Sustainability Awards, stated (22-Nov-2022) "You have to make sure you're adapting the user experience to the tool". Mr Knackstedt noted up until the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a lot of industry investment in new tech development, and an "understanding that systems needed to be unified through technology". He added: "Then the pandemic hit and all of that stopped, and we had two years of nothing, now there is progress towards stitching the systems together". 

Etihad Airways GM Australia & New Zealand Sarah Built, speaking at the CTC Australasia Corporate Travel Summit & Sustainability Awards, stated (22-Nov-2022) the airline has had "the same issues as everybody else" due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including supply chain and aircraft challenges. Ms Built said Etihad is focused on rebuilding trust, traveller confidence and capacity which will "come in time". She noted sustainability "is at the heart of everything we do, and we've really pushed that agenda forward".