Park Plaza, Feel Air, Concur, Radius, Evolvi, Travelport, Finnair, Alitalia, Mexicana and Oneworld
Park Plaza Westminster Bridge to open in February
The official launch of London's biggest hotel to open in a decade will take place in February.
After a soft opening in January, the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge will open to paying guests in February, although the exact date is yet to be announced.
When complete, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge will have 1,021 bedrooms with features including flat screen televisions, work desks and coffee machines. Many of the rooms will also have kitchenettes, and the average room size will be 25 sqm.
The hotel will also have extensive conference facilities, including a ballroom with a capacity for 1,500 people. The business centre will be on the lower floors, with additional boardrooms located on the higher floors with views of the city.
Guests can currently book rooms online from April, but this date looks likely to be brought forward as opening plans are finalized.
New LCC for Scandinavia
A new low cost carrier offering long haul services is to be set up in Scandinavia.
Backers of FEEL AIR are working with Norwegian investment bank DnBNOR Markets to raise $42m to finance the operation.
The aim is to launch the first flights from Oslo and Stockholm next spring to New York and Bangkok.
Kai Holmberg, FEEL AIR's ceo, said fares would be "50% lower than existing competition".
He said the airline would be based on the Ryanair and AirAsiaX models but with a "Virgin-style employment and branding philosophy."
Concur promotes new app
Concur, a global expense management system provider, has made its Concur Mobile product available as an Apple App.
The product enables iPhone users to manage and change their itinerary, make bookings and capture expenses while on the road.
The newly available app is an extension another product, Concur Travel &Expense.
Katherine Sullivan, Concur's senior director, solution marketing, said iPhones were now "an indispensable productivity tool for business travellers."
She added: "We're excited that the millions of users of Concur's powerful enterprise application - Concur Travel & Expense - can now leverage this intuitive mobile platform to help them manage their travel and expenses while on the road."
Radius recruits new member
Radius, a worldwide network of travel management companies, has recruited a new member in Israel.
Amsalem Business Travel, based in Tiberias, was set up in 1983 and has more than 300 employees in locations around the world.
Radius has 90 members in 80 countries around the world with combined annual sales of $19bn.
Evolvi enhances booking engine
Evolvi has enhanced its award winning online rail booking and ticketing system
The first new features will enable corporate clients to control access to first class travel based on the duration of the journey. This will ensure greater compliance to company travel policy.
The second addition is a display of fares types, starting with the lowest when travellers ask for an "Open return".
Jon Reeve, Evolvi's trade relations director, said the enhancements were "in direct response to the feedback provided by corporate clients to our TMC customers".
Travelport signs deal with JetBlue
Travelport, owners of GDSs Galileo and Worldspan, has signed a full content deal with US carrier JetBlue.
The multi-year agreement will give the GDSs' agents immediate access to the airline's full range of published fares.
The deal also includes an upgrade to e-ticketing, Interactive Sell, and Interactive Seats which are due to be available early in 2010.
www.travelport.com www.jetblue.com
Finnair launches mobile boarding
Finnair has launched mobile boarding passes for its UK passengers flying from Manchester or Heathrow.
The boarding passes can be sent directly to a mobile phone and used instead of a paper boarding pass to check in at the airport, clear security and board a flight.
The mobile pass contains a 2D bar code, information on baggage and internet links for further information.
Tomi Hänninen, Finnair's UK Sales Director, said: "The mobile boarding pass system cuts passengers' carbon footprint by removing the need for passengers to print out and keep track of a paper boarding pass, thus eliminating waste paper.
"Customers will also see a tangible benefit through using the mobile boarding pass system as it will speed up the check in process, affording Finnair flyers even greater stress free travel."
Alitalia moves to T4
Italian airline Alitalia has moved into Terminal 4 to join its SkyTeam partners.
Business class passengers, and eligible members of the airlines' loyalty programme Club Freccia, can now use the SkyTeam VIP lounge, with wellness centre, wine bar and dedicated business areas.
Mexicana joins Oneworld
Central American airline Mexicana has joined the Oneworld alliance, adding Mexico and other Central American destinations to Oneworld's network.
Manuel Borja, Mexicana's ceo, said: "As a member of Oneworld, we can now offer our customers more choice and convenience, a much more extensive global network, more opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer rewards, more lounges, more customer service support and better value - services and benefits beyond the reach of any individual airline."
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