Citadines opens in Munich
Serviced apartment company Ascott Group has opened its first Citadines property in Munich.
The Citadines Munich Arnulfpark is the second Citadines to open in Germany, after the Citadines Berlin Olivaer Platz opened in 2002.
The €21.8m property has 146 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and is located in the Arnulfpark business and residential district, which is home to a number of company headquarters. The Central Railway Station is a 10-minute walk away.
Apartments come with a fully-equipped kitchen, en suite bathroom, home entertainment system and free broadband internet access. The property also has a meeting room for guests to use and a fitness corner.
Mr Lim Ming Yan, ceo of The Ascott Group, said: "Germany is a key market in Europe for Ascott. The country's strong economic ethos and increasing interest in serviced residences provides a conducive investment environment for Ascott to continue to seek out new opportunities for further development in the country."
www.citadines.com [1] www.theascottgroup.com [2]
Pilots' strike threat slammed by Finnair
Finnair pilots who are members of the Finnish Airline Pilots' Association have threatened to strike from November 16.
Anssi Komulainen, Finnair's senior vice president of human resources, has slammed the pilots threat, saying it is "unforgiveable that a key group of the company should show such a complete lack of judgement in the current economical situation".
The pilots have also announced an overtime ban, now in place, which the airline says is "illegal".
"By this action, the pilots are endangering the customers' travel plans as well as the jobs of all other Finnair staff," said Mr Komulainen.
"The central question behind the issue is who has the right to decide the use of the company's aircraft: the management or one of the employees' associations."
Finnair's pilots want to continue under the terms of employment agreement that expired a year ago, which the airline says "have become quite impossible under the current economic conditions".
www.finnair.com [3]
Swissotel launches mobile booking
Swissotel has unveiled a mobile website, which lets guests to book and manage reservations using their mobile phone.
Web enabled mobile devices will automatically be redirected to the mobile version from Swissotel's homepage, www.swissotel.com [4].
The site offers a contact directory, as well as allowing travellers to find and book a hotel by location, view and amend or cancel existing reservations and see special offers.
Barbara Pezzi, director of webmarketing & ecommerce, said: "Increased accessibility will allow us to reach a broader client base and will grant our guests the convenience of accessing the website anywhere, both at home and on the road, which has become essential in today's increasingly mobile lifestyle."
In other news from the hotel group, its first Middle East property is set to open in 2011. Swissôtel Makkah in Saudi Arabia will have have 1571 guest rooms, including 88 suites, spread over 53 floors, plus four restaurants serving Arabic and European cuisine, an Executive Lounge, two 75 sqm meeting rooms and a Business Centre.
KLM to trial bio-fuel
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is set to fly a demonstration flight on November 23 using the bio-fuel bio-kerosene.
The flight will be on a B747, with one of the engines running on a fuel mixture made up of 50% sustainable bio-fuel and 50% traditional kerosene.
Peter Hartman, KLM's ceo, said: "This is an important step on the road to completely sustainable aviation.
"KLM has joined forces with its partners to vigorously stimulate the further development of alternative fuels. In so doing, we need to rely on the input and support of all the relevant parties: the business community, government and society at large.''
Jan Ernst de Groot, KLM's managing director, said: "In the decades ahead, the airline industry will be largely dependent on the availability of alternative fuels in its drive to lower CO2 emissions."
www.klm.com [5]
ATME to partner Travdex
The Association of Travel Marketing Executives (ATME) has announced it will be a promotional partner at the trade show Travdex in May 2010.
Kristin Zern, ATME's executive director, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with Travdex and will be presenting a Think Tank on the morning of May 5, entitled "Where Marketing & Technology Intersect" that is designed to help travel marketers use technology while keeping their brand intact and creating consumer-friendly experiences."
The show, from travel industry research company PhoCusWright, is set to take place between May 5 and 7 at the Cobb Gallera Centre in Atlanta.
www.travdex.com [6]
Heathrow Express launches free wifi
Customers using the Heathrow Express can now access free wifi on their way to the airport, using the TMobile Wi-Fi Hotspot.
It has a typical broadband connection speed of 2MBps and is available throughout the 20-minute journey.
Fidelity increases stake in Vueling
US investment fund Fidelity has increased its stake in Spanish low-cost airline Vueling to more than 4%, after buying around 3% at €11 per share.
www.fidelity.com [8] www.vueling.com [9]