Travel Alerts
The latest news and travel alerts from Meon Valley Business Travel.
France to relax travel rules from the UK
January 13, 2022
France is relaxing restrictions for vaccinated travellers from the UK from January 14 – You will no longer need a compelling reason to enter the country and will no longer need to self-isolate when you arrive but you will need a negative Covid test, taken 24 hours before leaving.
Stansted using CCTV to combat fare dodgers
January 11, 2022
London Stansted Airport is using new CCTV technology to eliminate tailgating as drivers attempt to leave the drop-off zones and short term car parks without paying. Travellers using the Express Set Down face a fee of £7 for up to 15 minutes and £25 for stays over this and any driver that re-enters within 30 minutes of first entering, is charged a further £20.
Virgin Atlantic to Launch direct London to Austin Service in May 2022
January 10, 2022
Virgin Atlantic will launch new direct service between London’s Heathrow Airport and Texas’ Austin-Bergstrom International Airport beginning May 25, 2022. It is the carrier’s first new route to the United States since 2015. Operating four times a week, Virgin will service the route with a Boeing 787-9 aircraft configured with 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium, and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats, departing London at 11:35am. and arriving in Austin at 6:05pm.
BA reveal destinations for its new Gatwick subsidiary
December 14, 2021
During the pandemic, several routes were moved to Heathrow airport, some of which will return to Gatwick, as well as being maintained at Heathrow, including Faro, Ibiza, Malaga, Marrakech and Tenerife. In addition, new routes will be added at Gatwick including Athens, Berlin, Madrid, Milan Malpensa and Santorini.
Eurostar extending fee-free exchange
December 2, 2021
With the French government new travel restrictions coming into effect on 4 December 2021, Eurostar has decided to extend fee-free exchange until 10 January 2022 meaning that if your journey is affected by the new restrictions, you can exchange your tickets before departure at no extra cost.
Scoot Launches First-Ever UK Route
November 16, 2021
Scoot will be the only low-cost carrier to offer non-stop flights between London Gatwick and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. The new service will commence with flights from 16 December 2021. This will be followed by three-time weekly scheduled seasonal services from March 2022.
International Hotel Groups Create Sustainability Framework
November 11, 2021
Multiple international hotel companies have joined forces to set a common definition of hotel sustainability “to drive responsible travel and tourism”, The Basic Sustainability framework is in the development phase and is due to be introduced in March 2022.
Blake Lively's Betty Buzz launches in BA's US Lounges
November 10, 2021
Blake Lively’s new range of non-alcoholic sparkling mixers called Butty Buzz will be rolling out across British Airways’ US lounges starting with JFK International Airport and San Francisco International Airport. Made with clean ingredients like real juice and no artificial flavours, colours or sweeteners. Ideal for serving with spirits or tasty enough to be enjoyed on their own.
British Airways' Powers Transatlantic Flight with Sustainable Aviation Fuel
November 8, 2021
British Airways flight BA001 became the airline’s first flight to depart for the US this morning, as the country lifted restrictions imposed on British travellers for more than 18 months. The flight is being directly powered by a 35% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) provided by bp and made from used cooking oil. It is believed to be the first commercial transatlantic flight ever to be operated with such a significant level of the fuel blended with traditional jet fuel.
Lumo: New Train Service Between London and Edinburgh
October 22, 2021
First Group’s new 100% electric rail service, Lumo, will start travelling from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh from Monday, October 25. With airline-style seating, complete with a plug socket and 2 USB points, it’s perfect for those last-minute presentation changes and until December 1, Lumo will offer one-way fares for a maximum of £19.90 if booked at least a day in advance.
Pullman Singapore Orchard to open in 2022
October 14, 2021
Accor is bringing its Pullman brand to Singapore’s Orchard Road next year. The hotel will open next year following a refurbishment and be part of a mixed-use development with commercial and retail outlets including the flagship Apple store. With two MRT stations on its doorstep, guests have easy access to the city’s best attractions.
Singapore starts to reopen
October 11, 2021
Singapore has introduced a vaccinated travel lane (VTL) for travellers from the UK, effective from October 19. The decision means that British travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to enter Singapore without the requirement to undergo the usual ten-day quarantine.
Eurostar expanding timetable with growing demand
October 5, 2021
Eurostar is ramping up its services. From October 22, Eurostar will operate nine daily services between London and Paris and increase to five in each direction on the London to Brussels route, of which two will extend to Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
JetBlue Launches London Gatwick to New York JFK
October 4, 2021
Jetblue has launched flights between New York JFK and London’s Gatwick airport. The new service is set to increase from four-times-weekly to daily in November – are currently the only nonstop service between the US and London Gatwick. The route is being operated aboard their new A321LR aircraft, which offers 24 Mint business class suites, and 114 economy seats.
More airlines move to Manchester’s new terminal two
September 28, 2021
KLM and Air France have migrated to Manchester Airport’s new ‘Super-Terminal’, which opened in mid-July. KLM’s will fly to Amsterdam while Air France goes to Paris Charles de Gaulle.
America opens up to fully vaccinated travellers
September 23, 2021
From November, foreign travellers will be allowed to go to the USA if they are fully vaccinated, test to fly and complete contact tracing forms.
Contactless bag drop being trailed at Heathrow airport
September 11, 2021
The system allows passengers to check-in their luggage without touching the screen. Using an infra-red proximity sensor installed along the top edge of the bag drop screen and can detect your finger as far as three cm from the screen surface.
BA reopens exclusive Concorde lounges with new cocktails
September 1, 2021
First-class travellers will find the British Airways’ exclusive Concorde Room open again at London Heathrow and New York’s JFK with new bespoke cocktails and the introduction of ‘Forty Winks’ sleep pods as the UK carrier enters the next phase of its lounge reopening plan.
Emirates to restart flights between Dubai and Newcastle
August 24, 2021
Emirates will restart flights between Newcastle Airport and Dubai International from October 15 2021. By the end of October, the airline will offer 77 weekly flights to the UK.
BA adds the great British roast to its menu
August 23, 2021
British Airways passengers flying in First and Club World cabins will be welcomed back on board with new ‘Best of British Menus’ with the September edition featuring a traditional British Roast dinner.
Air France and KLM are moving to Heathrow Terminal 3
August 22, 2021
Air France and KLM are moving from Heathrow Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 as of Tuesday 24 August 2021. The change of terminal will reduce the time for passengers’ connecting flights to North America, offering a seamless transfer experience within the same terminal.
Emirates Reinstatement of Chauffeur Drive Service
August 16, 2021
Emirates has announced they are reinstating their Chauffeur Drive Services in the UK from the August 16 2021. The service will only be available for passengers travelling from Amber and Green countries based on the traffic light system.
EasyJet introduces uniforms made from recycled plastic
August 10, 2021
EasyJet has announced plans to roll out new cabin crew and pilot uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles. The new uniforms – which will go into cabin crew circulation this month – are each made from around 45 bottles, and will prevent over half a million plastic bottles from ending up in landfill or oceans each year
Cathay Pacific to increase in Business Class baggage allowance
August 10, 2021
Cathay have announced increased passenger baggage allowance for all classes with Premium economy increasing by 30% to 46kg and the new standard business class allowance will be 64kg with most classes of Economy increased to 30kg allowance.
Emirates Skywards offers one mile per minute spent in Dubai
August 9, 2021
Emirates is offering members of its Skywards loyalty programme the chance to earn bonus miles when staying in Dubai over the coming months. The promotion sees customers earn a mile for every minute they stay in the city between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, up to a maximum of 5,000 bonus miles.
Vodafone bringing back roaming charges from 2022
August 9, 2021
Vodafone will reintroduce roaming charges for new and upgrading customers travelling in Europe from January. Users will be charged at least £1 a day to use their mobile phone in EU destinations, on several tariffs.
British Airways' Flagship USA Lounge Reopens its Doors
July 30, 2021
British Airways’ flagship US lounge at JFK’s Terminal 7 will reopen its doors on Sunday 1 August, following a 16-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Virgin Atlantic reopens Clubhouse at New York JFK airport
July 27, 2021
Virgin Atlantic has announced the reopening of its Clubhouse at New York JFK airport from 19 July 2021. Upper Class customers, Flying Club Gold members as well as Delta’s Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallion members, can once again enjoy access to the airline’s flagship North America lounge enjoying a complimentary a la carte menu featuring five-star dining, tapas dishes and afternoon tea plus a wide selection of cocktails, wine and soft drinks.
Red List Arrivals into Heathrow
July 27, 2021
Heathrow Terminal 4 is now the designated terminal for all Red List country arrivals. The flights will arrive in T5 and any customer ending their journey will be coached to T4.
Maldron Hotel Opening in Glasgow Next Week
July 27, 2021
The new 4-star hotel will offer 300 air-conditioned Deluxe and Executive standard bedrooms, and a great dining experience in their Grain & Grill Bar & Restaurant plus much more. The new hotel opens on 3rd August, located on Renfrew Street.
Passengers Confident in Onboard Safety, Continue to Support Mask-wearing
July 21, 2021
The survey of 4,700 travellers in 11 markets around the world shows that 85% believe aircraft are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Passengers strongly support mask wearing onboard (83%) and strict enforcement of mask rules (86%), but a majority also believe the mask requirement should be ended as soon as possible, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported based on its latest passenger survey conducted in June.
British Airways create interactive map to help plan your travel
July 21, 2021
British Airways along with global tech company Sherpa has developed an online tool that provides you with the latest travel rules using the latest information for over 100 countries, providing thousands of sources, and using millions of data points to stay up to date. The map will also help you understand what is needed for your return the UK.
New destinations added to green list
July 15, 2021
Bulgaria and Hong Kong to be added to the green list while Croatia and Taiwan will be added to the green watchlist at 4am on Monday 19 July.
British Airways app allows economy passengers to order food to their seat
July 14, 2021
The app gives BA’s Euro Travellers the option to order additional snacks and drinks mid-flight, directly to their seat. The app will initially be available on selected routes from 19 July before rolling out across other eligible services.
United Airlines aims to launch electric aircraft by 2030
July 14, 2021
United Airlines Ventures (UAV) has invested in electric aircraft start up Heart Aerospace with the company developing a 19-seat electric aircraft that has the potential to fly customers up to 250 miles before the end of this decade. In addition to investment, United Airlines has conditionally agreed to purchase 100 aircraft, once it meets safety, business and operating requirements.
Cristiano Ronaldo hotel opens in New York
July 12, 2021
Footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo has taken his hotel chain to America with the opening of the Pestana CR7 Times Square in New York. Located on West 39th Street between 8th and 9th avenues, the 176-room hotel is near the New York Convention Centre. A lifestyle hospitality concept, Pestana CR7 was born out of a 2016 collaboration between Portugal’s Pestana Hotel Group and Ronaldo.
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