Yep, British Airways owner IAG has taken a €148m hit from the weaker pound July 29, 2016 What with terrorism, the falling pound and an attempted coup in Turkey, the past six months have not been a great time to be an airline. The figures International Airlines Group (IAG), which owns British Airways and Aer Lingus (after much wrangling), reported operating profit before exceptional items of €710m (£597m) in the six months to [...]
The Mark Hotel review: Checking in to the New York hotel with a $75,000 per night, five-bedroom luxury suite October 6, 2017 There are myriad ways of seeing NYC – but if you want to do it in style, there is only one. The Mark Hotel on the Upper East Side is so beautifully put together that stepping into its lobby is like stepping into a piece of pop art. Designer Jacques Grange has been given carte [...]
Belmond Andean Explorer review and prices: All aboard one of the highest train routes in the world January 24, 2018 South America’s first luxury sleeper train traverses Peru’s high Andes along one of the highest train routes in the world. Lizzie Pook packs her altitude sickness tablets and checks in. It’s 2am and there’s a loud, metallic clank outside my train cabin. I’d be alarmed, but I already know what it is: oxygen tanks. The [...]
Thousands of British Airways cabin crew to vote on industrial action after “performance” scheme is introduced, according to Unite July 18, 2016 Thousands of British Airways staff are to vote on whether to take industrial action after a "performance" scheme was introduced, according to the UK's biggest union. Unite said that around 8,800 cabin crew will vote on whether to take strike action over what it calls a new "bureaucratic" performance scheme that has led to fears [...]
Qatar Airways ramps up stake in British Airways owner IAG May 18, 2016 Qatar Airways yesterday said it has increased its stake in British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), at a time when the Gulf state is overhauling its business strategy due to the challenging oil market. The Gulf airline, which is fully government owned, has raised its holding in the FTSE 100-quoted airline group to [...]
Monarch thinks a ‘mood-enhancing’ menu featuring liquorice ice cream can cure flying jitters August 23, 2017 Liquorice ice cream which can boost your immunity; stress busting lavender cakes; these creations wouldn’t sound out of place in Willy Wonka’s factory. In fact, they are part of Monarch’s new “mood food” in-flight menu, which has been designed to improve the flying experience and get them in the holiday mood. In hopes of revolutionising [...]
British Airways could be about to charge for food on short-haul flights May 16, 2016 British Airways looks set to cave in to the pressure from low-cost airlines and start charging economy passengers for in-flight meals on its short-haul flights, according to reports this afternoon. The flag-carrier has clutched on to its in-flight perks as a key point of differentiation with the likes of Easyjet and Ryanair after the budget [...]
Guess which British stalwart has just been named the UK’s favourite brand again February 27, 2017 British Airways may have hit some turbulence thanks to the weak pound, but when it comes to its brand value, the airline is sailing smoothly on, after it topped a ranking of the UK's favourite brands – again. It's the fourth year in a row BA has topped the Superbrands index, an annual survey of consumers' views [...]
Heathrow airport eyes a series of “viaducts” over the M25 as a simpler solution to its £17bn third runway June 4, 2017 Heathrow Airport is considering plans to construct its third runway across a series of “viaducts” that would cross above the M25. These would consist of three parallel bridges, the widest of which would be the runway itself and two thinner ones which would be taxiways for planes. The plans were presented to an engineering conference [...]
London Bridge attack: Tourism chiefs hold emergency summit over terrorism threat to £130bn industry June 5, 2017 Tourism chiefs gathered for an emergency meeting on Monday amid fears the UK's £130bn industry will be hit by the spate of recent terrorist attacks. City A.M. understands the Tourism Industry Emergency Response (Tier) Group convened to discuss what impact the latest London atrocities will have on the industry. Meetings have previously been called [...]