extends – The News Desk

Lufthansa Group extends Green Fares to selected long-haul routes – Business Traveller

2Dec

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Lufthansa Group extends Green Fares to selected long-haul routes – Business Traveller

Lufthansa Group has further extended its carbon offsetting Green Fares, with the option now available on 12 long-haul routes. The group first announced plans for the fare option in August last year, which allows passengers to purchase a ticket which includes the offsetting of their individual flight-related CO2 emissions, along with other benefits including additional status miles and a free rebooking option. The initiative was originally launched as a pilot project, before being rolled out across the group’s European and North African routes in February this year. The fares will now be tested on the following long-haul routes with group carriers Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and SWISS: Zurich – Los Angeles (ZRH – LAX) Frankfurt – Miami (FRA – MIA) Sao Paulo – Zurich (...

Thailand extends visa-free entry to Indian tourists for six months

6Nov

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Thailand extends visa-free entry to Indian tourists for six months

Thailand has decided to grant visa-free entry to tourists from India and Taiwan from November 10, 2023 to May 10, 2024, in a bid to attract more visitors as the tourism season approaches. This move, as stated by a Thai government official to Reuters, allows travellers from India and Taiwan to stay in Thailand for 30 days. The authorities anticipate that this initiative will entice an additional 1.4 million tourists, generating approximately 55 billion baht or $1.5 billion in revenue. Previously, Indian and Taiwanese tourists were required to apply for a 15-day visa-on-arrival at immigration checkpoints, along with providing bank statements and proof of accommodation. In September of this year, Thailand had already waived tourist visa requirements for Chinese nationals, as China was the l...

Qantas extends neighbour-free seat trial to more international routes – Business Traveller

21Oct

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Qantas extends neighbour-free seat trial to more international routes – Business Traveller

Following a trial on domestic services earlier this year, Australia’s Qantas Airways is now extending its Neighbour-Free seating trial to 19 international routes. Destinations included in the current trial include Singapore, Auckland, Christchurch, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Honolulu. The service is available to eligible passengers booked in economy class. Premium economy or business class passengers will not be offered this option. Neighbour-Free seating will start from A$45 on trans-Tasman flights, A$100 (US$63) between Australia and Singapore, and A$225 between Australia and the United States. Customers booked on a flight with spare seats will be emailed 48 hours before departure to purchase a Neighbour-Free seat. The service is available on Qantas marketed and operated fl...

Atlantis Dubai extends 1 USD conservation programme for another year – Business Traveller

11Oct

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Atlantis Dubai extends 1 USD conservation programme for another year – Business Traveller

Atlantis Dubai has selected nine local and international conservation and sustainability projects to receive funding from its Atlantis Atlas Project 1 USD initiative. From June 2022 to May 2023, for every marine animal experience participated in by a guest, Atlantis Dubai contributed US$1, resulting in a US$140,000 fund. In the programme’s first year, Atlantis contributed US$120,000 of funding, and since launching in June 2021, the 1 USD contribution initiative has raised over a quarter of a million dollars. Since April, organisations around the world were invited to apply for funding, after which proposals were solicited and assessed by the internal Atlantis Conservation and Science Committee. Atlantis Atlas Project currently focuses on four key groups of wildlife; sharks, rays, dolphin...

5Oct

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Gatwick extends flight cap until 15 October – Business Traveller

Gatwick airport has extended its temporary cap on daily flight numbers until the middle of October, as it continues to work through issues caused by air traffic control staff absences. On 25 September the airport imposed a limit of 800 daily departing and arriving flights, which had originally been due to last until Sunday 1 October. At the time Gatwick said the decision had been made alongside NATS, which operates the airport’s air traffic control tower, with 30 per cent of tower staff “currently unavailable for a variety of medical reasons including Covid”. The airport has now confirmed that following discussions with NATS and airlines, the cap will remain in place until 15 October “as a precautionary measure”. In a statement provided to Business Traveller, a spokesperson for Gatwick s...

Emirates extends meal pre-ordering service across European routes – Business Traveller

16Sep

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Emirates extends meal pre-ordering service across European routes – Business Traveller

Emirates is rolling out its new meal pre-ordering service for business class customers across its European network. The service was piloted on all flights between Dubai and London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports this summer, and will now be extended to routes including Warsaw, Venice, Rome, Bologna, Prague, Vienna, Moscow, Istanbul, Dublin, Hamburg, St Petersburg, Brussels and Madrid, as well as to and from the Seychelles and Mauritius. Business class passengers can preselect their main course meal between 14 days and 24 before their departure, which Emirates said would ensure customers “they get their preferred choice every time”, as well as helping to reduce food wastage. The carrier said it had received positive feedback from passengers on the initiative, and would be rollin...

United extends Bag Drop Shortcut service to Heathrow – Business Traveller

13Aug

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United extends Bag Drop Shortcut service to Heathrow – Business Traveller

United Airlines customers departing London Heathrow can now use the carrier’s Bag Drop Shortcut. The service works in conjunction with the United app to allow customers to check in their bag “in a minute or less on average”. It was initially trialled at Newark on 2021, and has since been rolled out at airports across the US, with Heathrow being the first international location to offer the service. United launches Bag Drop Shortcut service Customers complete check-in on the United app or website, and select the number of bags they are checking in. They then locate the bag drop shortcut location within zone D at Heathrow R2, place their bags on the scale, and tap their phone using the United app. Staff will check the customer’s ID, and apply the bag tag, with United stating that the serv...

British Airways Holidays further extends double tier points offer – Business Traveller

24Jul

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British Airways Holidays further extends double tier points offer – Business Traveller

British Airways has once again extended its double tier points offer on flights taken as part of selected package holidays. The carrier first launched the offer in 2021 to encourage customers to book during the Covid pandemic, but has extended the promotion several times, most recently in May of this year. The offer is now valid for travel up until 31 December, 2024, for customers booking a minimum five-night package (flight and hotel or flight and car hire). Note that bookings must originate in the UK to be eligible for the double tier points, and the terms and conditions for the offer stipulate that the hotel/car element of the package must be used (hotel occupied and or car rental hired) for the full booked duration. A reminder for those readers still holding British Airways eVouchers...

Amsterdam Schiphol extends pre-booked security check time slots to all destinations – Business Traveller

10Jul

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Amsterdam Schiphol extends pre-booked security check time slots to all destinations – Business Traveller

Amsterdam Schiphol has expended its service enabling customers to pre-book time slots for their departure security checks. The initiative was launched earlier this year for departures to Schengen destinations, and has now been extended to include non-Schengen routes. The service is free of charge, with passengers able to reserve slots up to three days before departure on the Schiphol website or app. They will then receive a confirmation email containing a QR code, which can be scanned at the airport by a member of staff, who will direct the customer to the correct security check entry point. Time slots are open for 15 minutes, and travellers are advised to wait at Plaza area if they arrive early as it may not yet be active. Those that are late, however, may have to use the regular route ...