ROAD WARRIOR:THE BUSINESS OF TRAVELLING FOR WORK
It takes a Sharklet to save fuel. That is what the new wing tips being fitted to Air Berlin’s fleet of A320/321 aircraft are called. The two-and-a-half metre extensions which point upwards reduce vortices and improve aerodynamics. Lowering fuel burn by 3.5 per cent will mean a reduction of 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum of each aircraft.
Air Berlin is Germany’s second airline and carried 35 million passengers on its 165 aircraft last year.
By royal approval
London City Airport, the only airport in London as it loves to stress, particularly since Southend Airport recently acquired the designation of London, is celebrating 25 years in business. There have been 35.5 million passenger trips through the boutique airport and more than one million flights.
Plans are being made to increase traffic movements from 70,000 to 120,000 per year and maintain the 20/10 proposition – 20 minutes from check-in to flight and 10 minutes from touch down to taxi or train. The Queen paid a visit to London City Airport when she was on her way to the Olympic Stadium, 10 minutes away.
Bird's-eye Barcelona
If you were staying in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona and had a few hours to kill, you could take a city tour by helicopter. The hotel has panoramic flights which will whizz you over Sagrada Familia, the Olympic Stadium, Camp Nou and more, lasting from 10 minutes to three hours from €100 to €350 per person.
Watch fares drop on the Dublin-London Heathrow route when British Airways increases flights to eight per day each way and seven on Saturday on the winter timetable. Aer Lingus already operates 12 flights a day to Heathrow, with 11 at the weekends, and price cutting is the only way to dominate the route.
British Airways may also be trying to win back east-bound long-haul traffic from the Emirates-based carriers. Watch out for good value long-haul fares. Passengers passing through Heathrow are not subject to the UK’s expensive Air Passenger Duty if travelling on a through ticket.
Dublin-London fare wars loom In a different class
Meanwhile, the ink is dry on the contract and staff have already begun taking bookings for one of the biggest travel accounts in the country – the Government. Carlson Wagonlit Travel won the contract after a rigorous bid process by the National Procurement Process. The six new staff will handle the travel arrangements for Government departments, bodies, offices and missions abroad.
The middle-class option is growing among US airlines, with more corporates downsizing on business and first-class seats for staff. Premium economy seats with more legroom and flexibility on tickets have been around for some time on international carriers such as British Airways, Air France and Japan Airlines. Now US carriers are beginning to add the extra class with names such as Economy Comfort on Delta, Main Cabin Extra on American and Economy Plus on United.
