The business of travelling for work
Jurys Inn makes the cut for meetings
THE MEETINGS Industry Association will give Jurys Inns in Dublin, Cork and Belfast the AIM kitemark for accredited venues and service providers for meetings, conferences and events.
Jurys Inns complied with a detailed inspection of their hotels in providing suitable and efficient spaces for meetings and events.
Each Jurys Inn has a dedicated event co-ordinator, free wireless and wired internet, projectors, flipcharts, blackout facilities, and other stationery needs associated with meetings from five to 400 people. If the hotel fails to deliver on agreed service points, customers will be offered a 20 per discount on the final invoice.
New Air Canada services to Toronto
AIR CANADA WILL be returning to the Dublin-Toronto route from June 8th with up to seven flights per week. From June 18th, they will provide an Executive First Service from Dublin on Mondays and Wednesdays. On other days of the week the Comfort Plus service will be available.
The service will continue until September 30 and Executive Plus passengers will have the use of the Business Lounge in Dublin and the Maple Leaf Lounge in Toronto. Executive First fares cost from €1,507 return.
Figures look good for Hyatt Hotels
IS IT A SIGN of optimism when three major hotel corporations are reporting higher room occupancy and rising rates?
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has seen global occupancy rise by 2.7 per cent and strong corporate demand pushing rates in North America, up by nine per cent. The average daily rate at Choice Hotels International increased by 2.5 per cent and at Millennium and Copthorne Hotels occupancy increased by three percentage point. Singapore and London were the strongest growth markets with 7.7 and seven per cent increases.
Willy Brandt postponement
BERLIN’S NEW airport, Willy Brandt, has postponed the opening on June 3rd to a date in August due to fire safeguards that will not be completed in time.
BA returns to Dublin route after 21 years
TWENTY-ONE YEARS after they ended their Irish routes, British Airways will again be flying the Dublin to Heathrow route. Following the completion of the purchase of bmi (British Midland International) from Lufthansa last month, British Airway livery will again be seen in Dublin. The integration process is currently underway and flights will be bookable on BA.comshortly.
British Airways had been flying from Heathrow to Dublin for 44 years when the route was terminated in 1991 because of significant losses. The Cork and Shannon routes were also ended. At that time there were three airlines on the Heathrow corridor, British Midland had arrived on the scene in 1989 and reduced the cost of business class fares by about £100 return, with the introduction of the D class fare.
It will be good news for business travellers seeking a seamless service to onwards destinations on the British Airways network. It will also be seamless in collecting Avios – BA’s frequent flier awards. Flights from Ireland will continue to go into Terminal 1. Members of the bmi Diamond Club will be automatically enrolled in the BA programme.
Freddies 2012 - who came top
IN THE ANNUAL Freddie Awards – given for the best frequent flyer/guest loyalty programmes – two of the overall winners in the aviation category operate from Ireland – American Airlines and Turkish Airlines. AA Advantage programme took the award for the Americas and Turkish Airlines Miles and Smiles programme for Europe and Africa.
In the hotels category, the winners of the overall awards in the Americas were Marriott Rewards, in Europe/Africa, Starwood Preferred Guest and in the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, the overall winner was Taj Hotels’ Inner Circle programme.
Other category winners operating from Ireland were Etihad with the best redemption ability and Lufthansa with the best customer service and earning promotion,
The Freddies are named after aviation pioneer Freddie Laker and were founded in 1988 by Randy Petersen of Inside Flyer magazine. More than a million votes were cast by business travellers for their favourite airlines and hotels.
Stay in Heathrow with Staycity
STAYCITY, THE IRISH serviced apartment company, is opening a new development at High Point Village near Heathrow on June 1st.
The apartments are a brand new development and come with free wifi, parking, Sky Sports channels, and
24-hour reception. Opening prices are from £50 per night. The apartments are located next to Hayes and Harlington Station, only five minutes from Heathrow via Heathrow Connect service and 15 minutes from Paddington.
Operating for the past eight years, staycity.comhas serviced apartments in Dublin, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Paris. Central reservations is in Dublin on 01-67766600.