The business of travelling for work
American Airlines gets personal
Expect a more personalised service from next summer when you fly with American Airlines as 17,000 of its flight attendants will be issued with Samsung Galaxy Note tablets that will give them a wealth of passenger and flight data. If you like a Scotch on the rocks, two pillows or not to be disturbed, expect your preferences to end up in your personal file, especially if you are a high-value customer. The tablets will also help attendants to receive information about flight changes, onward connections and, in the future, to process on board transactions.
Easy art in Zurich
You can enhance your stay at the Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich this autumn with a tour of the hotel’s art collection using a specially loaded iPad.
Owner Urs Schwarzenbach's collection includes works by such artists as Salvador Dali, Joan Miró, Henry Moore and Marc Quinn. Andy Warhol's enormous 10-metre Big Retrospective Painting hangs over reception (above). See thedoldergrand.com.
BA links with JAL
British Airways and Japan Airlines will start revenue-sharing on all non-stop flights to Japan. The code share on eight JAL routes and 23 BA routes within Europe will mean more destinations and enhanced frequent flyer benefits.
Lufthansa and Japan’s All Nippon Airways have received Japanese government approval to extend their joint venture to include Swiss International and Austrian Airlines, both Lufthansa Group carriers.
The airlines will launch joint sales initiatives and pricing of products from spring. Customers will see an improvement in transfers and better connections via Vienna and Zurich.
Hotels site growing
Roomkey.com, the hotel search and booking website owned by a number of major hotel groups, continues its march to add more brands.
Leading Hotels of the World, Millennium Hotels and La Quinta Inns and Suites are joining this autumn, almost doubling the number of hotels available. Roomkey launched earlier this year with Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Choice, Wyndham and Marriott. Google Analytics is showing more than 14 millions site visits per month.
Talk about travel
People who are involved in the business travel industry have an opportunity to meet colleagues in the sector at Business Travel Club events.
Organised in London, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries, the events are free to attend, and promise no hard sells, presentations or talks, just an opportunity to share news and views. The next event is in London on October 9th in Corney and Barrow on Broadgate Circle from 6.30pm. See thebusinesstravelclub.com