Global Airlines has flown its first fully-owned A380 aircraft to Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland. The aircraft, which departed from Mojave Air & Space Port in California, was flown to the UK to access greater infrastructure and expertise.  Plans for a complete interior refurbishment and development of new maintenance capabilities at the airport are underway.  Now named 9H-GLOBL, the aircraft was acquired by the transatlantic carrier in February. It was formerly operated by China Southern Airlines. James Asquith, CEO and Founder of Global Airlines, said: “Getting to Eur ..read more

So, you’re now three weeks in to your new role. What have you been up to? So, I’ve been busy getting up to speed, learning all about Advantage and its TMC members. Obviously I partnered with Advantage from a supplier relationship perspective when I was at American Express and EasyJet, so I know many of the members, but in the last few weeks I’ve been getting under the inner workings of Advantage and meeting everyone, networking, and connecting – and absolutely loving it. You mentioned your previous supplier roles, but you’ve also worked for TMCs and on the buyer side? Yes, I’ve worked at Ameri ..read more

Spotnana has signed a global strategic partnership with JTB Business Travel, a JTB USA, Inc. brand, which specialises in SME clients. The deal sees Spotnana’s cloud-based travel platform “enhance, simplify, and modernise” business travel management for JTB Business Travel’s clients and strategic partners.  These include Goodwings, the Denmark-based sustainable travel specialist in which JTB holds a minority stake. “Too often in the travel industry, cutting-edge technology and service excellence are mutually exclusive,” says JTB USA President and Chief Executive Officer Tosh Tatezawa. “Tod ..read more

33% The percentage of a travel manager’s time taken up with managing suppliers and TMCs 9% The percentage of a travel manager’s time taken up with programme strategy and governance 600 The number of delegates at this year’s conference – the highest ever? 90% The percentage of Delta Air Line’s top 500 corporate customers who say their business travel spend will be the same or more in 2024, according to Bob Somers, Senior VP Global Sales 250-300 The number of airlines that haven’t yet started their NDC journey, some of which perhaps never will 11% The net savings achieved on average spend per ni ..read more

YOTEL has partnered with Singapore-based Frasers Hospitality to open the first YOTEL hotel in Japan in early 2025. YOTEL Tokyo Ginza is only a 15-minute walk from Tokyo Station, providing easy access to most parts of Japan via the main Shinkansen high-speed rail terminal and serving as the city’s main gateway to Narita International Airport through the Narita Express. Featuring 244 rooms, the hotel will include a signature robotic concierge, motorised SmartBeds and fully integrated technologies.  Expensify has added the capability for expense tracking for self-employed professi ..read more

The female traveller Francesca Mendola, Vice President, Global Travel Collection UK Solo business travel for female professionals presents a myriad of challenges that aren’t isolated incidents but rather part of everyday reality. It’s not just about hopping on a plane; each trip requires meticulous planning to ensure safety and success. As a seasoned traveller, I’ve encountered my fair share of difficult experiences. Recently, I visited New Orleans and although I generally feel safe in the US, I hadn’t had the chance to research this destination. During my taxi ride from the airport, the driv ..read more

The needle hasn’t moved much over the past six months when it comes to NDC implementation and readiness, according to the latest survey of buyers by the GBTA. Results of the association’s April sentiment check found a deviation of only a few percentage points versus results from the GBTA’s October 2023 poll. The latest survey found: Just over half (51%) of buyers say they have not started to implement NDC, versus 50% in the October 2023 poll 71% of respondents, the same percentage in October, acknowledge a need for more information and education about NDC  A significant portion (45%) ar ..read more

An overwhelming 85% of business travel professionals say they love (32%) or like (53%) working in the industry, according to the latest sentiment poll released this week by the Global Business Travel Association. The results echoed the findings in The Business Travel Magazine‘s travel buyers survey earlier this year. But the GBTA survey found suppliers (37%) are more likely to say they love working in industry compared to buyers (28%).  Moreover, the vast majority (82%) plan to stay in the business travel industry in the coming year, with a high intention to remain with their current employer ..read more

AltoVita has recruited Beverly King as its new Vice President of Client Partnerships.  She joins from relocation management company Graebel, where she was Vice President, Business Development & Consulting, EMEA & APAC & DEI Council Regional Lead – EMEA. Before that she has held various roles in travel, mobility and relocation including at Toshiba, Panasonic and Liberty Mutual. She will now play an integral role in expanding AltoVita’s international business, focusing on consultative and strategic partnerships with key clients. “In this time of significant industry evolution, A ..read more

Trees4Travel has partnered with Cirium to provide more accurate flight emission calculations on its platform. Through Cirium’s Emerald Sky solution, it will be able to show clients more precise calculations of the fuel consumption and CO2 output of aircraft. The partnership offers accurate insights into air travel emissions, both during the booking process and for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting. Crucial factors are considered, including specific aircraft and engine configuration, age and flight duration (both physical taxi and airtime), as well as passenger and cargo load ..read more