Corporate Travel News

Lufthansa Group, via its official LinkedIn account, announced (20-Nov-2023) the expansion of the BusinessToGo innovative travel solution to the UK and France, in partnership with Navan. The expansion follows the platform's introduction in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium in 2022. The platform, which can be accessed by web and mobile devices, provides companies with an all in one solution to book travel services. Lufthansa Group's loyalty programme PartnerPlusBenefit is also integrated into BusinessToGo, enabling users to earn points when booking Lufthansa flights.

Air China, via its official Twitter account, announced (21-Nov-2023) it resumed twice weekly Beijing Capital-Washington Dulles service with Boeing 777-300ER equipment on 21-Nov-2023, following a suspension since Feb-2020. United Airlines will resume service on the route from Jan-2024, according to OAG.

Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA Airways) and Korean Air signed (20-Nov-2023) a codeshare agreement for connectivity via Rome Fiumicino Airport and Seoul Incheon International Airport. The partnership is expected to facilitate trade relations and increase tourist flows between Italy and South Korea. Effective 21-Nov-2023, Korean Air will codeshare on ITA Airways' services connecting Rome to Bologna, Venice, Turin, Trieste, Genoa, Bari, Brindisi, Florence, Catania, Palermo, Naples, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Cairo and Munich. ITA Airways will codeshare on Korean Air services connecting Seoul Incheon to Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa Airport, Busan, Daegu, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo. The carriers are also working to expand the scope of cooperation, with the aim of offering additional travel combinations. [more - original PR - Italian]

Flight Centre announced (20-Nov-2023) Corporate Traveller analysed the change in same day and one to six day domestic flight bookings in Australia from 01-May-2023 to 31-Oct-2023, compared to the same period in 2022. Short stay trips decreased by an average of 3.9% year-on-year while longer trips increased by an average of 4.6%. The company reported decreases in same day (-2.3%), two day (-1%) and three day (-8.4%) trips. Bookings consistently increased for trips longer than three days, with 3.8% growth in four day trips, 4.2% growth in five day trips and 5.8% growth in six day trips. Global MD Tom Walley stated: "The shift to longer business trips is influenced, in part, by changing work patterns. Many executives in hybrid and flexible working arrangements can base themselves anywhere on their remote working days and remain productive. This flexibility is encouraging business travellers to take extended stays, which then gives them freedom outside of working hours to add on leisure activities in a new destination". [more - original PR]

American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) partnered (16-Nov-2023) with humanitarian relief organisation Airlink to enable rapid response travel to disaster areas for non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers. Amex GBT will deploy bespoke travel booking solutions and services for Airlink and NGO partners to streamline rapid response travel. The partnership is expected to be operational in early 2024. [more - original PR]

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport reported (20-Nov-2023) it handled 3.5 million passengers in Oct-2023, an increase of 17.6% year-on-year and a decline of 12.4% compared to Oct-2019. The airport reported a 45% increase in the number of South Korean passport holders in Oct-2023, owing to "strong seat capacity between Sydney and Seoul". CEO Geoff Culbert added: "In the 12 months to October, almost 14 million passengers have passed through our international terminal, more than double the number we saw in the previous 12 months. We continue to see markets roaring back to life. In the run up to Christmas there is extra capacity coming on across several key overseas destinations including China, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam". [more - original PR]

Alaska Airlines, via its official website, announced (16-Nov-2023) the following changes to its Alaska Lounge membership, effective 01-Feb-2024:

• Paid member access: Upon lounge entry, guests must present a valid boarding pass for a flight that day with Alaska, a oneworld member airline or any Alaska global airline partner. Previously, members were able to access lounges prior to any flight;
• Annual lounge membership pricing:
  • Alaska Lounge:
    • USD450 for elite status members, up from USD400;
    • USD550 for non-elite members, up from USD500;
  • Alaska Lounge+ (including all Alaska Lounge locations and over 90 partner lounges:
    • USD650 for elite status members, up from USD550;
    • USD750 for non-elite members, up from USD650.

Beond commenced (16-Nov-2023) scheduled operations on 16-Nov-2023 with the launch of twice weekly Male-Munich service with A319 equipment. The Maldives based start-up airline plans to commence Male-Zurich and Male-Riyadh service in the coming days, followed by the launch of services to Milan and Dubai in spring 2024. [more - original PR] [more - original PR - Munich Airport]

UK's Home Office and Visas and Immigration announced (15-Nov-2023) the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme officially opened for travellers from Qatar, effective 15-Nov-2023, for travel to the UK. Qataris have been able to apply for an ETA since 25-Oct-2023, with most doing so via a mobile app. Nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates will need an ETA to travel to the UK from 22-Feb-2024, with ETA applications to open on 01-Feb-2024. UK's Ambassador to Qatar Jon Wilks added: "I am delighted to announce the official opening of the electronic travel authorisation scheme for Qatari nationals, who will be the first in the world to benefit from the scheme. This initiative not only simplifies the travel process for Qataris visiting the UK but also reflects the strength of our bilateral relationship". [more - original PR]

WestJet announced (15-Nov-2023) plans to resume the following services under its summer 2024 schedule:

• Toronto-Dublin: Daily from 01-Mar-2024;
• Halifax-London Gatwick: Four times weekly from 28-Apr-2024;
• St John's-London Gatwick: Three times weekly from 01-May-2024;
• Toronto-Edinburgh: Daily from 14-May-2024;
• Halifax-Dublin: Four times weekly from 19-Jun-2024.

According to OAG, the carrier last operated St John's-London Gatwick service in Oct-2017, while the remaining services were last operated in Aug/Oct-2022. WestJet EVP and CCO John Weatherill stated: "As we continue to expand upon our growth story, we are not only providing increased accessibility to Canadians but fostering crucial connectivity between communities and driving economic growth through inbound leisure and business travel". [more - original PR -I] [more - original PR - II] [more - original PR - III] [more - original PR - IV]