The weekly Head for Points travel trade newsletter
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Welcome to your weekly trade round-up of UK business travel and travel loyalty news as well as our latest reviews and features.
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Malcolm’s new monthly forward-looking Travel News Update is available at travelnewsupdate.co.uk.
The latest UK business travel news:
The Luton Airport DART transit opened this week, offering direct connections to the terminal from the railway station. We gave it a go, along with the new Luton Airport Express train from St Pancras.
The security staff strikes at Heathrow T5 continue all week.
British Airways is relaunching flights to Sharm El Sheikh this Winter.
Air France and KLM will start charging seat selection fees in business class.
British Airways is adding English sparkling wines to its Club World menu.
Virgin Atlantic has extended its IndiGo codeshare to 34 Indian airports.
Air Canada has extended its Edinburgh to Toronto service into the Autumn.
Royal Air Maroc will launch flights from London to Tangier, bookable on Avios.
Get a decent Finnair business class deal to Delhi.
A new Hampton by Hilton hotel is opening in Whitechapel.
Business travel stories we recommend from other sites:
Manchester becomes first UK city to impose a hotel ‘tourist tax’ (BBC News)
UK Government to review noise objectives for night flight policy (International Airport Review)
Lufthansa opens new Senator and business class lounges at Berlin airport (Business Traveller)
TfL is to split London Overground into six separately named lines (Londonist)
UK Government agrees to weigh up London Luton Airport’s growth plans (Simple Flying)
Leeds Bradford Airport set to open refurbished lounges (Passenger Terminal Today)
Our latest reviews:
Rob heads to the opening of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh where he met Sir Richard Branson and reviewed the hotel. Image above.
Rob visits the Qatar Airways Platinum lounge in Doha. This is the status lounge for BA Gold members and other oneworld Emerald passengers.
Feature:
What can we learn from the Flybe administration report?
The latest UK travel loyalty news:
Where does Virgin Atlantic fly? We take a look at the route map.
Hotel.com Rewards, the agnostic loyalty scheme, has been gutted. Returns are dropping from 10% to 2% of spend.
Virgin Atlantic is offering 20% off Economy Virgin Points redemptions on selected routes.
Get up to 20% off your next LNER train trip with an app offer.
Review: the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card. Why do we recommend this card to miles and points beginners?
Get a 100% bonus buying Hilton Honors points. You can buy here.
Thank you for reading
Thank you for reading. Please drop me a note at rob@headforpoints.com with any feedback.
See you next Monday.
Rob, Rhys and Sinead @ Head for Points
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