Top Stories
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Qantas creates custom books to read in-flight
TransportAussie airline Qantas is asking consumers to ditch their Kindles and curl up with a good book — one that’s been specially penned by the airline so that fliers they’ll manage to finish just as their plane touches down. Droga5 Sydney, which won the client’s business last year, teamed with publishing house Hachette to create a push [...]
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U.S. airline customers are happier in 2013, nevermind social media complainers
TransportNorth American airlines earned their highest rating for passenger satisfaction since 2006, before the advent of baggage fees, in a survey showing the value of smiling employees, onboard Wi-Fi and mobile applications. Customers reported better experiences with both segments of the industry, the traditional full-service carriers such as Delta Air Lines Inc. and low-cost competitors [...]
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Corrected: Cathay Pacific on self-boarding tech at Hong Kong airport
TransportCorrection: Cathay spokesperson says the SCMP story is not accurate. ”Unfortunately, the story in the South China Morning Post is not accurate. Our representative simply confirmed our interest in the concept of a self-boarding device, not that any plans were underway. Any infrastructure changes would be an initiative of the airport authority.” Original curated post: Cathay Pacific [...]
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UK’s best-known foodies to revamp Heathrow’s food offerings
TransportTwo of UK’s best-known foodies have been appointed as the official taste buds of Heathrow. BBC’s Masterchef show star chefs John Torode and Gregg Wallace were tasked with eating their way around the UK’s only hub airport in 80 plates and to set Heathrow a six-month challenge to improve the airport dining experience. The duo [...]
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Abu Dhabi airport’s cool new sleeping pods launch, with internet access built in
TransportAbu Dhabi Airports Company has launched “GoSleep” sleeping pods at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)…it is a chair that converts into a private flat bed. Ten sleeping pods have now been installed in Terminal 3 and in the Al Dhabi Lounge in Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, with a further 35 on order for [...]
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Sleep, the next big trend in the hotel industry
RoomsThe latest craze? Giving customers a good night’s sleep. At the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Colorado, the hotel recently brought on a Sleep Ambassador to train employees on the art of a restful night’s sleep. The hotel offers a Sound Sleep TV Channel…oxygen canisters to adjust to the altitude and slumber massages…In Berlin, the [...]
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Morgans Hotel creative head talks luxury, branding and boutique properties
RoomsKim Walker was the sixth employee at Morgans Hotel Group. Straight out of Boston University, with a degree in finance and a minor in hotel management, she was hired nearly 22 years ago by none other than Ian Schrager. The famed American real-estate developer — credited with creating the “boutique hotel” segment and known for [...]
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The case for flipping the airport design model
TransportIf ticketing no longer holds much significance, why does the ticketing lobby still dominate the architecture of a terminal? The idea of celebrating ticketing and check-in as the beginning of a journey is now anachronism. The arrival of a passenger to a community is the most significant moment in travel today, but airports continue to [...]
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Qantas takes off pork from menu on Dubai flights after Emirates tie-up
TransportAustralian airline Qantas Airways has removed food items containing pork and alcohol from its in-flight menu on routes that transit through Dubai. The move comes following the launch of a major global alliance between Qantas and Dubai-based Emirates Airline that came into force on April 1. The tie-up will see the two carriers collaborate on [...]
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U.S. airline passengers are getting grumpier — can you blame them?
TransportU.S. airlines improved their performance last year in two key areas: the number of mishandled bags and on-time arrivals. Even so, passenger complaints rose nearly 20 percent, a new study shows. The study, the annual Airline Quality Rating report, looks at four major areas of airline performance: mishandled bags, on-time arrivals, denied boardings and customer [...]
