Whilst I was away last week, the Irish Government finally agreed to sell its stake in Aer Lingus to the parent company of British Airways, IAG. The only obstacle to a deal is now Ryanair which holds a .....

Whilst I was away last week, the Irish Government finally agreed to sell its stake in Aer Lingus to the parent .....

4 Jun 20154 June 2015 by Rob Burgess • 29 comments

News in brief: Accor’s 3-4-2 global sale returns Accor, parent of Ibis, Novotel, Sofitel (Sofitel St James pictured below), Mercure, Pullman, M Gallery and other chains, has brought back its .....

News in brief: Accor’s 3-4-2 global sale returns Accor, parent of Ibis, Novotel, Sofitel (Sofitel St .....

29 Mar 201529 March 2015 by Rob Burgess • 4 comments

I have been threatening to put together a full list of flights from UK regional airports which can be booked with Avios points for some weeks.  The job has proved messier than I imagined. I have .....

I have been threatening to put together a full list of flights from UK regional airports which can be booked .....

10 Mar 201510 March 2015 by Rob Burgess • 59 comments

The on / off takeover of Aer Lingus by International Airlines Group, the Iberia and British Airways holding company, is still in the balance. The Irish Government, with its 25% shareholding in Aer .....

The on / off takeover of Aer Lingus by International Airlines Group, the Iberia and British Airways holding .....

4 Mar 20154 March 2015 by Rob Burgess • 20 comments

Executive summary:  BA has not yet released its new partner earning rates but we know that changes – for the worst – are coming to certain airlines Key link: ‘Club Changes’ .....

Executive summary:  BA has not yet released its new partner earning rates but we know that changes – .....

3 Feb 20153 February 2015 by Rob Burgess • 33 comments

News in brief: Hilton Paris Opera opens It is hard to believe that, for the last couple of years, Hilton has not had a single property in central Paris.  There was the hotel at La Defence but that is .....

News in brief: Hilton Paris Opera opens It is hard to believe that, for the last couple of years, Hilton has .....

25 Jan 201525 January 2015 by Rob Burgess • 22 comments

British Airways’s parent company, International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, announced yesterday that it had made a takeover approach to Aer Lingus.  The board of Aer Lingus rejected the .....

British Airways’s parent company, International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, announced yesterday that .....

19 Dec 201419 December 2014 by Rob Burgess • 31 comments

American Express has launched two new discount deals with airline partners. South African Airways is offering £75 cashback when you spend £750 or more on an SAA flight via their flysaa website. You .....

American Express has launched two new discount deals with airline partners. South African Airways is offering .....

9 Nov 20149 November 2014 by Rob Burgess • 7 comments

On Wednesday I reviewed the new Plaza Premium lounge in Heathrow Terminal 2.  On the same day, I also got the chance to review the other lounge in the main terminal – here is my review of the .....

On Wednesday I reviewed the new Plaza Premium lounge in Heathrow Terminal 2.  On the same day, I also got .....

19 Sep 201419 September 2014 by Rob Burgess • 13 comments

Next week I will be running a full review of the Plaza Premium lounge in the new Terminal 2 at Heathrow. I was lucky enough to be given a private tour last week. I was told at the time that they were .....

Next week I will be running a full review of the Plaza Premium lounge in the new Terminal 2 at Heathrow. I was .....

14 Sep 201414 September 2014 by Rob Burgess • 8 comments

I reported back in April that the Aer Lingus CEO had told the media that the airline was planning to introduce lie-flat seating.  There was no further information given apart from a hint that San .....

I reported back in April that the Aer Lingus CEO had told the media that the airline was planning to introduce .....

12 Aug 201412 August 2014 by Rob Burgess • 39 comments

If you have never been to the Servisair (eg Priority Pass etc) lounge in Heathrow Terminal 1 then you won’t understand the humour in this.  Anyone who has ever set foot in the Servisair lounge .....

If you have never been to the Servisair (eg Priority Pass etc) lounge in Heathrow Terminal 1 then you .....

3 Aug 20143 August 2014 by Rob Burgess • 24 comments

Over the next couple of days I will be writing some pieces on the new Heathrow Terminal 2.  I finally had the chance to try it out last week. My timing was rubbish.  I was flying to Dublin on Aer .....

Over the next couple of days I will be writing some pieces on the new Heathrow Terminal 2.  I finally had .....

31 Jul 201431 July 2014 by Rob Burgess • 15 comments

Aer Lingus launched its new route to San Francisco last week.  This will be followed by the new Dublin to Toronto route on April 21st. The San Francisco service is operating five times a week, .....

Aer Lingus launched its new route to San Francisco last week.  This will be followed by the new Dublin to .....

9 Apr 20149 April 2014 by Rob Burgess • 24 comments