Road Warrior: New London rentals and women save on flights

New breed of rentals in heart of London

Saco, the serviced apartment rental company, has opened a new type of crossover property in the City of London. The Cannon is a hybrid of aparthotel and serviced accommodation.

It has a 24-hour reception and a curated social space with a fireplace and a library where you can work on your laptop and feel at home with a cup of tea. Rooms have HD televisions, Apple TV boxes and high-speed wifi.

Located in the Square Mile, the Cannon’s rates start from £154 (€194) per night.

Planning ahead saves women money

Women business travellers spend less on airfares than men, according to a survey by CWT Solutions Group.

In an analysis of 6.5 million transactions booked through the travel management company, women on average booked two days further in advance than men and their tickets cost $17.30 (€15.30) less.

AirPlus in the UK found a similar gap among its British customers.

On average women booked 23.3 days in advance and men booked 18.7 days in advance. More men flew business class too, at 8.4 per cent compared with 7.4 per cent for women.

Uber and Lyft riding high in the US

Competition between Uber and Lyft in the United States is increasing and having a knock-on effect on car rental as people opt for ride-sharing.

Business travellers are also beginning to opt for the app-based services over rental cars.

The two companies are spending millions on promotions and special offers and both have very deep pockets of cash.

Last month Uber passed the 50 million-ride mark in the US, while Lyft passed 11 million, up from seven million in October.

Ryanair aims to be even better

Ryanair’s “Always Getting Better” programme, which is now entering its third year, has some good news for business travellers.

A coat-hook may not seem like a big deal, but when you need to arrive uncreased for a meeting, it is very important, The one inch extra leg room may not seem like much, but it can make a big difference.

Auto check-in will also save all that scrabbling around trying to find the email with your booking. Fast-track at airports for Business Plus passengers will also speed things up as does the option to change your flight at no cost.

The app will also be getting a one-flick payment option and you will be able to rate your flight.