Author: Shawon Hannan
Hertz Global Holdings, a US-based car rental company that provides services across the globe, is expanding its customer service offerings. The company is currently offering mobile and on-site service options, as part of its ‘Travelling at the Speed of Hertz’ campaign, in a bid to improve customer services. The company chairman and chief executive officer, Mark P Frissora, said, ‘Hertz is responding to the exponential growth of mobile technology to streamline consumers’ lives, including business and leisure travel. Customers love our Mobile Gold ‘Carfirmations’ because the service provides consumers confidence that their rental vehicle is ready to go. Hertz’s suite…
Cathay Pacific Airways, a Hong Kong based airline operator, is offering new, lower fares on some of its routes for a limited time period. The airline is offering fares commencing at $1,125 for roundtrip economy class travel from New York JFK, Chicago, San Francisco or Los Angeles, in the US, to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, followed by connecting flights to Chengdu, Xi’an or Guilin in China with the airline’s sister carrier, Dragonair. The sale ends June 15, 2012, for travel between September 3 and November 30, 2012. Travellers booking this deal online can enter a sweepstakes to win a…
Monarch Airlines, a UK-based airline company, has introduced its Summer 2012 programme from its new base in the East Midlands Airport in the UK. The services from East Midlands Airport for Summer 2012 will commence from August 31, 2012, and will include daily flights to Malaga, Alicante, and Faro, in Portugal; and Palma in Majorca. The flights are currently open for bookings at the airline website, www.monarch.co.uk. Commenting on the new routes, the airline managing director, Kevin George, said, ‘We are delighted to launch our first programme of Summer 2012 flights from East Midlands Airport, providing greater choice to customers…
Flybe, a UK-based airline company, has entered into a code share agreement with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the national airline of the Netherlands. The code share agreement is currently in force on two routes between Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and Southampton Airport in England; and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Inverness Airport, in Scotland. With the new code share, KLM is offering its customers three daily flights to Southampton from Amsterdam; and a daily flight to Inverness from Amsterdam; the agreement has been effective since May 30, 2012. The new code share will allow KLM passengers to travel to around 150 destinations…
Swan Hellenic, a UK-based cruise line, is offering a new schedule for its newly remodelled cruise liner, Minerva. The cruise ship will be calling at 16 new ports of call during its 2013-2014 schedules, including maiden calls at Spitsbergen, Norway; Bangor, Northern Ireland; Dingle, Ireland; Cartagena, Colombia; and the San Blas Islands, Panama. The new 2013 brochure is offering a total of 184 ports for its passengers to choose from, and the brochure is available online at www.swanhellenic.us. The cruise itineraries include 11 to 21 days of cruising, as part of the company’s Summer 2013 programme to The British Isles,…
Ryanair, an Ireland-based low cost airline, has announced the launch of a new route from East Midlands Airport in England, to Cork in the Republic of Ireland. The new, three times weekly route will commence operations from September 1, 2012, taking Ryanair’s total routes from East Midlands Airport to 37. The company head of communications, Stephen McNamara, said, ‘Ryanair is pleased to announce a new East Midlands-Cork service starting in September 2012, which will be the 37th Ryanair route operating to/from East Midlands Airport.’ The airline is offering a celebratory fare of £12.99 for one million seats on flights to…
The Dominican Republic is gaining popularity amongst travellers, says Expedia, a US-based online travel company, in a recently published report. In the report the company claims that the Dominican Republic has become the second most popular destination for US travellers journeying to Latin America and the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic is also the largest Caribbean destination, and is just a flight away from the US cities of Miami, New York City, Atlanta, in addition to several of the major cities in Europe. Miriam Hernandez, the head of the Dominic Republic market for Expedia, said, ‘The Dominican Republic has never been…
International Airlines Group (IAG), the UK-based parent company of British Airways, has completed the sale of its subsidiary, bmi Regional airline, to Sector Aviation Holdings, a Scotland-based holding company. The completion of the sale of the regional division of British Midland International (bmi), a UK-based airline, to the UK consortium of investors will allow the bmi Regional brand to continue as an independent airline. Ian Woodley, the chairman of bmi Regional, said, ‘We are continuing with the existing route network while BA will provide support during the transitional phase of the operation and we will be working closely with them…
Mallorca Marriott Son Antem Golf Resort and Spa, a Marriott Hotels & Resorts property in the popular destination of Mallorca, in Spain, has completed a renovation project. The hotel is currently open again after completing a yearlong renovation project. It included the transformation of the hotel’s public spaces, which the hotel claims, offer its guests a more contemporary yet luxurious ambience. The renovation project included all 142 guestrooms and 8 suites with adjoining balconies, as well as the lobby and lobby bar. Jorg Meile, the hotel general manager, said, ‘We are delighted with the results of the refurbishment and look…
Although mobile payments are nothing new, only a meagre 5 percent of companies are using the technology for their travel payments. Mobile payment offers a payment option through a smart phone, without the use of debit cards, credit cards or cash. The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) and AirPlus International, a US-based company that provides a suite of business travel payment solutions, has released a white paper on mobile payment and the changes it can bring to the travel industry, especially business travel and expense management. The paper has estimated that around half of corporate companies are expected to…