Business travel
1 Mar 10
Scanners go live
AIRPORT SECURITY>
Body-scanning equipment was launched at Heathrow and Manchester Airports in February.
The technology, used to detect concealed items through clothing, is “one significant step towards a more robust defence against the changing and unpredictable threat posed by terrorists,” according to BAA security director Ian Hutchinson.
Only selected passengers will be required to undergo the additional screening after going through the standard security process. The Government expects the scanning process to take about seven seconds. All screening images of passengers are to be destroyed after being examined by security officers.
Transport minister Lord Adonis announced to Parliament the Government’s intention to roll out the technology to other airports in the “coming months”.
He also said: “In the immediate future, only a small proportion of airline passengers will be selected for scanning. If a passenger is selected for scanning and declines, they will not be permitted to fly.”
www.dft.gov.uk
Cuddle class
Air New Zealand will be the first airline to introduce lie-flat seats in economy class later this year.
As well as individual seats, the carrier can also provide a “Skycouch”, a row of three seats adapted as a single lie-flat space – for kids or adults.
Airline CEO Rob Fyfe says: “For those who choose, the days of sitting in economy and yearning to lie down and sleep are gone. The dream is now a reality, one that you can even share with a travelling companion – just keep your clothes on, thanks!”
www.airnewzealand.co.uk
NEXT MONTH> In New York
TO VISIT...
New York’s Tartan Day Parade (10 April)
Of all the days to be a Scot in the Big Apple, this is it. Part of Tartan Week, the parade brings together about 2,000 pipers and drummers for a celebration of all things Scottish – including whisky. A Post-Parade Party, starting at 4.30pm and running until the late hours at the bar Stout, will also feature the best in live Scottish music. Tartan Week also includes the Dressed to Kilt fashion show www.dressedtokilt.com on 5 April. www.tartanweek.com
TO STAY...
Hotel on Rivington
New York is a city of views – an iconic cityscape that visitors can behold from such lofty perches as the Empire State Building or the Rockefeller Centre. But what about waking up with a stunning vista to greet you? The rooms at the 21-storey Hotel on Rivington boast floor-to-ceiling windows offering unobstructed views across the city. It’s a tower of glass amid the 19th-century tenements in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, within walking distance of Nolita, Chinatown, Tribeca and SoHo. As well as the view, there are other amenities to keep your senses active. An in-room spa offers services such as massage and reflexology, as well as haircuts. The private lobby and lounge for guests even has a library. Get a room for about $260.
www.hotelonrivington.com
GADGET WATCH>
Sony Ericsson Aspen
Sony Ericsson is taking on the kids on Blackberry’s block with a smartphone for the eco-conscious businessperson.
For people who don’t have a penchant for touchscreens, the phone has a real, tactile qwerty keyboard as well as all the usual smartphone functions, including email and web browsing. There is also a load of applications to keep you networking electronically – via Facebook, Twitter and instant messaging.
To capture impressive vistas on your travels, there is a 3.6 megapixel camera built in as well. The device is part of Sony Ericsson’s portfolio of GreenHeart phones. Apparently, their production, and operation by being more energy efficient, isn’t as damaging to the environment as predecessors.
Room rates drop
A challenging year for the hotel market is giving corporate travellers the power to secure better rates and free extra services, according to Hogg Robinson Group (HRG).
The company’s annual hotel survey for 2009 found that all regions around the world reported falls in average room rates.
London was one city that avoided a double-digit drop experienced in many other major cities. However, it still saw a 5 per cent decline in average rates.
Margaret Bowler of HRG says: “Corporate travellers have increasingly been able to secure value-added services as part of negotiated rates such as Internet access, parking and breakfast.
“In the difficult trading conditions in 2009, corporates realised that hotels hold the potential for significant savings in their travel programmes.”
WEATHER WATCH>
www.umbrellatoday.com
Even as a nation of weather watchers, forecast fatigue can sometimes set in. Do we really need to know that pressure is pushing in from the east? Don’t we just need someone to answer the one question that many of us scrutinise the reports for – do
I need an umbrella?
Well, this website does exactly that. Type in a city and it will give you the sage answer of either “yes” or “no” for that given day. Give your email address and the site will email you on days when you will need an umbrella.
There is a text message service, but the site does warn that messages could be up to 12 hours late as it uses a free service plagued with delays.
ROUTE WATCH>
Oxford to Edinburgh
New airline Varsity Express will debut with a route between Oxford and Edinburgh. The cost of a place on one of the 18-seat aircraft will start from about £49 one way. The airline promises “an end to the frustration of crowded, congested airports”.
www.flyvarsity.com
Vilnius to Edinburgh
Low-cost Lithuanian carrier Star1 Airlines will operate a route between Vilnius and Edinburgh from 28 March twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays.
Manchester to Riga
Latvian carrier Air Baltic will begin flying between Manchester and Riga three times a week.
www.airbaltic.com