Author: News Team

American Airlines, an airline subsidiary of US-based holding company, AMR Corporation, will be introducing its new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for service to London Heathrow Airport in the UK, from Dallas Fort Worth in the US, from January 31, 2013. The new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will be equipped with lie-flat seating, aisle access for all passengers, Wi-Fi capability and 15.4-inch TV screens. The airline will be taking delivery of 10 Boeing 777-300ERs by the end of 2012. The planes will be offering three-classes of seating, including First and Business Class seats, and Main Cabin Extra. The airline is taking advance bookings…

Hertz Global Holdings, a US-based car rental company offering services around the world, has announced the expansion of its Hertz Gold Plus Rewards programme. The loyalty programme is currently being extended to Australia, New Zealand and Brazil as well as nine European countries, including the UK. The extended programme allows its members to redeem their points for rentals in the new countries. Mark P Frissora, the company chairman and chief executive officer, said, ‘With the addition of Australia, New Zealand and Brazil to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, we have taken another step in expanding our customer loyalty program across the…

Crystal Cruises, a US-based cruise company, is offering an expanded entertainment programme for its European voyages in 2012. The cruise line is offering performances by celebrated local performers, showcasing the culture and customs of their homelands. The cruise entertainment programme will be including Flamenco in Barcelona, Irish step dancing in Dublin, as well as shows by local dancers, singers, and musicians in Italy, France, Spain, Monaco, Ireland, Turkey, Sweden and Ukraine, on 26 luxury cruises aboard the Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity ships. Chris Corrigall, the company entertainment manager, said, ‘Travellers trying to catch a very popular act in a…

Edinburgh Central Princes Street Travelodge is now open in Edinburgh, Scotland. Travelodge Hotels Inc, a US-based company that owns and operates hotel properties, has developed the hotel, which is located above the Topshop store in the Princes Street area of Edinburgh. The new hotel has been constructed with an investment of £10m, and has 96 rooms. The company has also opened the 85-room, Edinburgh Central Queen Street Travelodge hotel, on Queens Street, Edinburgh. The hotel is the product of a GBP8.5m investment, and the two new hotels are expected to provide 40 new jobs in the area. The room rates…

Wales will witness the opening of a new Hotel Indigo, with the Hotel Indigo Queen Street Cardiff to open in the Welsh Capital city. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), a UK-based owner, manager and franchiser of hotels and resorts, has entered into an agreement to open its first Hotel Indigo brand property in Wales. The property will be managed by Sanguine Hospitality Ltd, which is currently operating four other Hotel Indigo properties, including the Hotel Indigo Birmingham and Hotel Indigo Liverpool. The chief executive officer of Sanguine Hospitality, Robin Wicks, said, ‘Cardiff is the political and cultural capital of Wales, with…

British travellers may not be suitably insured while on holiday, says a survey by Hiscox, a UK-based insurance provider. The survey indicates that around 19 percent of the respondents have reported that they have not taken out any travel policy for holidays, or think that they are covered under another policy, such as health etc, or do not know if they are covered or not. The study showed that around 18 percent of respondents assume that their travel agent or airline will compensate their flight cancellation, 21 percent felt that a travel industry body would cover them for a flight…

Heathrow Express, a UK-based express train service from London Heathrow Airport (Heathrow) to London Paddington station, is offering refurbished trains for its corporate customers. The company is offering newly redesigned first-class and standard cabins, specifically based on the requirements of business travellers, and offering a lounge environment in the first class carriages. The new cabins, which were refurbished at a cost of £16 million, have quilted seat covers, larger HD TV screens that provide a range of travel information, and tables with integrated power sockets. The company carries five million passengers per year, of which business travellers’ account for 65…

Water Chariots, a UK-based boat service, is offering a canal boat service for visitors to the UK for the 2012 London Olympic Games. The company is the official 2012 Games Canal Boat operator, and is offering 12 canal boats in a scheduled service, and 18 sloop boats available for charter. Water Chariots is offering departures from Limehouse Marina and Tottenham Hale, and travel via the River Lea, for the closest entry to the Olympic Park, which also hosts the Olympic Stadium and VIP hospitality area. Passengers will also be able to access hospitality areas at the departure points, which include…

City Cruises, a UK-based river cruises operator, will be participating in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant on June 3, 2012. The company is participating in the celebratory flotilla on the river Thames in London with its fleet of 15 boats. The boats will be carrying around 2,000 passengers, and will be moored on the river before and after taking part in the flotilla. The company managing director, Kyle Haughton, said, ‘2012 is an exciting time for London and this historic jubilee is something everyone wants to be involved in and City Cruises is proud to be flying the flag for…

The golden days of the British “staycation”, or family holiday with the caravan in tow or even just a simple camping trip, used to mean trips to the sea during the summer and log-cabin getaways in the winter. It was once fashionable to vacation within the country, but that fell out of favour with cheap air travel and increasing desires to see the world. The British staycation is back, as high gas prices and the airfare hikes that come with ballooning oil costs have made travel to foreign countries prohibitively expensive. The U.K.’s Camping and Caravanning Club reported a 50%…