Month: November 2012

Harbourside hospitality

Posted on by Ben Debski

Harbour Grand Hong Kong, the latest deluxe property managed by Harbour Plaza Hotels and Resorts, is situated on the waterfront in the heart of Hong Kong Island and within walking distance of the city’s convenient metro system. This glamorous hotel has received over 18 awards since opening, including the Overall 2012 World Luxury Hotel Awards, and Business Destinations’ Best Luxury Hotel in China, 2012.

All 828 contemporarily-designed guestrooms – including 86 luxurious suites and 202 executive Harbour Club rooms – feature stunning views of the world-renowned Victoria Harbour. Selected rooms even have private patios with heated Jacuzzis. The five restaurants offer an exquisite dining experience and the hotel boasts an abundance of function space. Guests will be enticed by the spacious Grand Ballroom and the dazzling sea views in the salon rooms. Harbour Grand Hong Kong is one of the most prestigious five-star hotels in Hong Kong.

“We are delighted to provide a luxurious harbourside experience for our distinguished guests. Whether they are in their hotel rooms, our wining and dining venues, or other hotel facilities, they will always be accompanied by the world-renowned Victoria Harbour,” says Benedict Chow, the hotel’s General Manager. “In addition to unsurpassed hospitality, it is the different perspectives of the harbour view that make our hotel unique.”

Making an entrance
A gigantic Swarovski chandelier, one of the largest in Hong Kong’s hotels, welcomes guests as they step into the oval-shaped Art Nouveau lobby. Under the glittering 37ft-high ceiling, beautiful melodies from the hotel’s harpist captivate guests and alleviate the stress of the business traveller. “If you have any special requests, our Service Ambassadors will always be there to assist,” says Chow.

A tranquil sanctuary from the bustling city, each room has been specially designed to surround guests in the comfort and sophistication of modern ergonomic design. Featuring all the hi-tech conveniences of home, some rooms and suites present a pleasant juxtaposition of modern and classic Oriental design, while others welcome guests with a calming grey-blue theme.

After a busy day, guests can refresh in the luxurious bathrooms, equipped with rainforest showers and circular bathtubs, before snuggling under a cosy duvet with a pillow of their choice for the perfect night’s sleep. In most suites, the two-metre long workstation is set next to the sparkling harbour view. Most suites are equipped with pantries to cater for those occupants on longer stays.

To meet the increasingly demanding requirements of business travellers, guestrooms on the executive Harbour Club floor come equipped with multi-purpose printers, allowing faxing, copying and scanning. Bathrooms also come with TV monitors to keep busy executives up-to-date with the latest news.

High dining
From Western favourites to expertly prepared Cantonese and Japanese specialities, the hotel’s dining venues offer guests luscious cuisine against the panoramic backdrop of Hong Kong’s harbour. Surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, Le 188° Restaurant and Lounge offers a 188° view from the very top of the hotel. The signature restaurant is the hotel’s crown jewel, with the Oyster Bar serving modern European cuisine and seafood delights in a romantic and intimate environment.

Kwan Cheuk Heen provides traditional Cantonese cuisine in an exquisite setting that tastefully combines modern and traditional Chinese designs in both the main restaurant and the private dining room.

Harbour Grand Café offers casual all-day à la carte and buffet dining, while Lobby Lounge is a place to sit back and relax, sip tea, or enjoy an evening cocktail in a contemporary setting. Nagomi – a feast for the eyes as well as the palate – tantalises guests’ taste buds with expertly prepared Japanese sushi and sashimi in a secluded Zen garden setting.

Space for business
Boasting 12,685 square feet of meeting and function facilities, the hotel prides itself on the pillar-less Grand Ballroom, which accommodates up to 600 guests in a theatre setting or 280 guests in a classroom-style setting. Located on the first floor, the Grand Ballroom provides the perfect ambience for weddings and other special functions with special effect lighting generating 256 colours.

The Salon Rooms on the fifth floor embrace seven versatile function rooms, ranging from 450 to 1,023 square feet, which can be swiftly configured to meet the needs of each specific event. All Salon Rooms feature adjustable partitions and can be opened up completely into a function space of 6,000 square feet, accommodating banquet seating for over 270 guests. With the spectacular harbour view as a backdrop, these rooms are the ideal venues for events of any scale.

After a long day of meetings, guests are invited to relax and unwind at Harbour Grand Hong Kong’s state-of-the-art Fitness Centre. For complete stress relief, therapeutic massages are available in the tranquillity of the spa.

With a new perspective on Victoria Harbour and a commitment to personalised guest services, Harbour Grand Hong Kong offers waterside opulence and redefines standards of luxury hospitality.

Further information: email: hghk@harbourgrand.com; Tel: (852) 2121 2688;
www.harbourgrand.com/hongkong

The height of sophistication

Posted on by Ben Debski

The Torch has proudly announced its entrance onto the luxury hotels market, as the flagship project situated at the heart of Doha’s Sport City. At 300m high and with 360 degree panoramic views across the whole of Doha, the hotel is a haven for the discerning traveller, be they sports enthusiasts, business leaders or health and wellness seekers.

Located in the middle of Aspire Zone – Doha’s Sports City – The Torch is the premier venue for those who are searching for state-of-the-art sporting, leisure and rehabilitation facilities. The tower is the result of comprehensive architectural, engineering and technical design, and is shaped to represent a colossal torch; namely, the torch of the 15th Asian Games in 2006, which was held atop the hotel during the competition; the highest-positioned Olympic flame to date.

The beginning of 2012 marked the visit of world-class football teams Schalke ’04, Paris Saint Germain and the national Australian football team. The teams took advantage of the excellent conditions available during their training camps in Doha, from the weather to the practice and hotel facilities.

The unique structure of The Torch Doha features 17 floors of five-star hotel accommodation. This includes 163 rooms and suites, three signature restaurants, a breathtaking revolving restaurant at 240m above ground, four health club levels – with cantilevered swimming pool 80m above ground, fitness facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, a business centre, as well as walkway access to Doha’s largest shopping mall, Villaggio.

World-class cuisine
With a mission to provide an exquisite dining experience, The Torch Doha prides itself on the calibre of its cuisine. The talented chefs offer a sophisticated experience drawing on the very best of international flavours.

Flying Carpet is the all-day dining restaurant, which combines international cuisine with a modern approach. Just like the legendary story, this restaurant gains its reputation from the fact that chefs were flown in from all over the world with their talent and secret recipes, creating a cosmopolitan buzz. The restaurant also showcases live cooking stations, which allow a unique interaction between service, chefs and guests.

A must-see on every Doha travel itinerary, Three Sixty offers a panoramic view of Doha that simply takes the breath away. Located on the 47th floor, Three Sixty is the only revolving restaurant in Doha. Higher up on the 50th floor you can find Panorama, another breathtaking restaurant which will open its doors at the end of 2012.

Excellence through innovation
Along with Aspire Katara Investment, and in collaboration with Aspire Zone Foundation, The Torch Doha embraces new technology and recently introduced the iPad based ‘In-Room Solution’ for the first time in the Middle East.

Sherif Sabry, Hotel Manager at The Torch Doha, said: “We have redefined the idea of luxury service in Middle Eastern hospitality. Introducing the iPad system in all rooms and suites shows that our vision focuses on guest convenience, control and speed of service. Guests can now enjoy a new found autonomy while we streamline our operation.”

The In-Room iPad Solution is custom-built to allow guests to place do-not-disturb and make-up requests for the room, control the mood light system and the curtains, listen to music, watch TV and access online newspapers and books. The Torch has downloaded a Qibla locator app on all iPads which shows the multi-faceted functionality of the bi-lingual system (featuring Arabic and English).

“There is no greater satisfaction for us, as a newly opened property, than achieving this performance on our first year of operation. We are glad to be able to enhance customer experience and pioneer customer engagement technology in Qatar. Ultimately, we trust that guests will enjoy our interactive services and spread the word for us,” says Sabry.

Nominated for the first time in the Business Destinations awards in the Best Luxury Hotel category, The Torch Doha was the proud winner of the Business Destinations’ Best Luxury Hotel in Qatar 2012 award. Recently, The Torch Doha has also been nominated in the MENA Awards as Qatar’s Leading New Hotel.

Other important awards enhancing the hotel’s record are the Gold Medal awarded to one of the Torch chef’s in the Italian-themed competition at Doha’s Taste and Fun Food Festival 2012; and two medals, one silver and the other bronze, obtained at Diyafa 2011 Salon Culinaire Exhibition. “All the recognition received proves that we are serious about what we do,” said General Manager Gerhard Foltin.

The Torch, a member of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’, also offers opportunities to university students. Through the newly implemented internship programme, the hotel aims to increase global understanding and competence. The internships allow students to gain practical experience working alongside professionals. The programme covers a wide range of subjects including culinary, lodging, housekeeping, food and beverage, accounting, human resources and marketing, and sets an example in quality hospitality education with its high standards.

“The hotel is proud to offer internships to Qatari students and enables them to practice theory while giving them the opportunity to develop themselves into future hospitality managers,” said Foltin.

Recently The Torch Doha also welcomed a delegation from Qatar’s municipality, on a photo shoot aimed at establishing and promoting best hygiene practices across Qatar’s hospitality industry.

The highest standards
Municipality officials took photos of all related hygiene standards used at The Torch Doha. Several aspects, such as food preparation, storage measures, temperature control and standard operation procedures, were examined during the visit and received positive remarks.

The municipality delegation took pictures of best practice examples that should take place in any kitchen and also put together techniques that can be used to avoid cross-contamination of foods. Also examined was the cleanliness of the facility and hygiene equipment such as knife steriliser cabinets and cutting board racks. Storage equipment and storage facilities were also inspected in order to ensure that clean equipment is kept hygienic. All images taken at The Torch Doha will be used for future reference in municipality brochures and best-practice guides.

“It is an honour to receive great feedback from the municipality in terms of hygiene practice,” says Foltin.

“We are glad to invite students from universities and proud to teach sustained best hygiene practices from scratch. Within the first months of  our operation we received particular recognition for our food and beverage department. It is definitely rewarding to see, and that sort of confidence enables us to continually develop our services.”

Further information: www.thetorchdoha.com

A new focus

Posted on by Ben Debski

Over the past 12 months, most industry associations and networking clubs have been guests at the Bel Air Hotel, The Hague. General Manager Stephan van der Meulen has been taking every opportunity to show off the fact that his hotel does more than just overnight accommodation. The conference facilities in particular, he believes, have not been getting enough exposure.

Bel Air Hotel, next to the World Forum Convention Centre, is the largest hotel in The Hague, with more than 300 guest rooms and suites. Jazz fans and musicians from all over the world reside here during the North Sea Jazz Festival. Many of the performing artists make the Bel Air Hotel their home and spend nights at the Embassy Jazz Bar performing spontaneous jam sessions.

“Most people have only experienced our hotel through jazz or as a tourist,” says van der Meulen. Having been appointed General Manager in April 2010, his task was to expand the experience, establishing the hotel as a premium business destination.

Until 2009, the Bel Air Hotel operated under the Golden Tulip flag. When the brand hit rock bottom financially, Bel Air became part of Worldhotels. “With Golden Tulip, the chain defined the strategy and organisation and took care of all the marketing material. Worldhotels is soft branding; we work together organisationally and benefit from their expertise, but the sales and marketing is up to us.”

During his introduction period he was pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and service of the current staff, but with the sales and marketing of the hotel there was still a long way to go.

Hidden spaces
Crucially, van der Meulen noted a lack of promotional materials for the A1 Conference and Event Hall. Where the in-house pool was previously situated, a beautifully appointed congress hall had been constructed.

“We can hold up to 325 people in theatre style, and all 325 people can also stay with us,” says van der Meulen.

The general manager launched a separate website to promote the meeting space and a host of new events. “There was only one picture of the A1 Conference Hall available,” he says, but he had also spotted more missed opportunities. “We regularly have embassy lunches, which were held in other spaces. I couldn’t understand why we didn’t use the most beautiful meeting space in the hotel to show them what’s available and what we are capable of doing.”

Peace palace
Over the last two years, the Bel Air Hotel has demonstrated its multi-functionality. This September, the A1 hosted its third ‘Museum Night’, during which the meeting space was transformed into an exhibition space. On another occasion, the hotel facilitated a press conference and car launch in the hall. The room has large side windows that provide plenty of natural daylight, but electrically operated screens can easily black out the space too.

Rooms on the ninth floor of the hotel have been temporarily designed as offices for law firms, including judges and witness rooms. “We’ll take anything the Peace Palace can’t handle,” laughs Van der Meulen. “The high speed data lines we put in place are still there, so when in need it’s easy for us to put offices back on the top floor.

“It shows our flexibility. Sometimes I’ll walk into my office and to my surprise it’s converted into a boardroom. My staff rented it out for the day – guess I’m working from the lobby!”

Private gardens, penthouse meetings
The hotel and the A1 hall enclose private gardens. This proved its value during the hotel’s 40th anniversary celebrations. During a sunny evening, 250 guests were invited to enjoy the reception, experience the terrific acoustics of the conference hall and indulge in refreshments and food in the private garden.

Aside from the A1 Congress Hall, the Bel Air Hotel has about 1,200 square metres of meeting space (which can be divided into six smaller conference rooms), eight boardrooms and the Penthouse Boardroom on the ninth floor, overlooking the city.

Endless possibilities
In recent months, van der Meulen has clearly demonstrated his intentions. His focus on the meetings market and business travel has meant that in a short span of time the hotel has hosted a variety of industry and business meetings. The general manager’s strategy is simple: the more meetings there are, the more business travellers under his roof.

“I started here after 30 years’ experience in the hotel industry: 15 years in operations and 15 years in sales and marketing, with chains such as InterContinental Hotels Group, Accor and Amrâth. Of course, it’s easiest to start within your own network – that’s how we started working together with Shell on their meetings.

“I’m always looking for opportunities. When something is happening around you, you need to jump on it immediately. There are endless possibilities. You just need to pick the right apple from the right tree.”

The Hague: international city
Van der Meulen also has an ambition to put Bel Air on the map internationally as a convention hotel. This starts by raising the profile of The Hague as an interesting destination for international meetings; hence his seat on the workgroup SIC (Cooperation International Congresses) from The Hague Marketing.

He is confident in the potential of new business: “We choose markets where others have less of a focus. The Hague has so much to offer – from the presence of the embassies, the Peace Palace and The Spanish Court, to many interesting museums.”

Moving fast
“When I hear that a company or association is coming to the Netherlands for a site inspection, I do everything to get in front of them. We want to showcase our hotel. They are looking at Amsterdam? We will pick them up and drive them back.”

This strategy and direction is paying off, says van der Meulen. “The seeds we have planted are starting to grow and we are harvesting the results sooner than expected. We currently have 20 percent more conferences on the books in 2013 and 2014 compared to previous years. Our hotel has become a favourite for the business traveller.”

Further information: Conference and events: conference@belairhotel.nl; Reservations: reservations@belairhotel.nl; Tel: +31 70 3525354; www.belairhotel.nl

Meeting aspirations

Posted on by Ben Debski

Conference and event organisers are constantly on the lookout for unique and multidimensional destinations in which to host their functions. Qatar’s Aspire Zone provides one of the most fascinating examples of such facilities, with its impressive features earning it the title of Business Destinations’ Best Meetings and Conference Centre, Middle East, 2012. It’s not hard to see why this spectacular location makes such a huge impact on those that attend its many, varied events.

A sporting host
Located in Doha, the capital of Qatar, Aspire Zone is an international sports and entertainment destination with a vision to be recognised as a global leader in sports excellence. It offers world-class infrastructure, boasts international-standard services and hosts wide-ranging sports events.

Yet Aspire Zone is not only a hub for international sports; it has also proved attractive to a spectrum of other conference and event organisers. Cirque Du Soleil made use of the Aspire Dome to perform its signature show Saltimbanco to a sold-out audience, the International Centre for Safety and Security held its inaugural conference there, while the United Nations Office for Sport and Development for Peace puts on an annual event at Aspire Zone to develop future leaders.

The Aspire Dome, which sits at the heart of the precinct, is an incredible multi-purpose facility that can simultaneously accommodate up to 13 separate or integrated activities. Its flexibility was demonstrated when it hosted the Middle East’s leading sports business congress – the third ASPIRE4SPORT Congress and Exhibition – in November 2012.

ASPIRE4SPORT concurrently holds a range of sport clinics for children in multi-purpose halls, and networking seminars in the vast array of meeting rooms. Due to the versatility of the dome, all of this can happen under one roof.

Technological innovation
Aspire Zone is at the forefront of technology in order to enhance the event experience.
Combining all facets of the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industries, Aspire Zone has developed its own venue and event management system that seamlessly integrates a catalogue of functional areas including facility bookings, accreditation, volunteer management, security and catering.

The technological developments made by Aspire Zone have improved the experience of both the event organiser itself and its customers, and are now being marketed to other international venues.

Events within Aspire Zone are managed through Aspire Logistics, a member-organisation of Aspire Zone Foundation. Aspire Logistics has become well known for its optimal venue operations and services. These include event planning and venue management – giving clients detailed insight into the layout and facilities of a venue, as well as the services and logistics best suited to their specific event.

Aspire Logistics’ catering and hospitality facility provides guests with the highest service deliverables at events, ranging from the provision of concession stands and kiosks, to royal banquets for more than 1,000 attendees.

The logistics and equipment services include high-quality event furniture, crowd control apparatus and a large fleet of club cars, while its landscape department can provide stunning, international-standard playing fields. Aspire Logistics’ efforts were recognised in 2010 when the company received three international certificates in facilities management.

Hotels galore
Adding to the appeal of Aspire Zone as an international business and event destination, the precinct is home to two hotels – the Torch Doha Hotel and the Grand Heritage Doha
Hotel and Spa.

The iconic Torch Hotel is the tallest building in Qatar and boasts five-star luxury views and facilities. Standing at 300 metres, and with 360 degree panoramic views across Doha, the structure was designed to embody the spirit of the torch used to light the cauldron of the 2006 Asian Games. It features 167 rooms and suites, three signature restaurants, a breathtaking revolving restaurant 240 metres above ground, four levels of health club, each with a cantilevered swimming pool, fitness facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, a business centre, as well as walkway access to Doha’s largest shopping mall, Villaggio.

A short walk from the shopping mall, the Grand Heritage Doha Hotel and Spa displays a magnificent Victorian façade, providing a taster of the opulence running through the building’s interior. Charming tearooms and a multitude of wellness facilities ensure a stay there will always be a pleasure.

Facilities and amenities
Aspire Zone offers guests a range of features including:
– Indoor football pitch with 5,500 seats
– Indoor athletics track
– 1,200 seat amphitheatre with LED screens and audio, translation and broadcast facilities
– Offices, function rooms, VIP corporate suites, club cars
– Adjacent hotels, including the five-star Torch Doha Hotel and Grand Heritage Doha Hotel and Spa
– Catering service offering banquets for thousands of guests
– Extensive IT and media electronics services
– Integrated security, protocol and parking
– Medical support from Aspetar hospital

Further information: www.aspirezone.qa

On track

Posted on by Ben Debski

If you are travelling for business, with CrossCountry you can arrive fresh, relaxed and ready to start your day. Whether you are gearing up for a big meeting or winding down after one, you will find everything you need on board a CrossCountry train.

Covering the length and breadth of Britain, CrossCountry travels to more business destinations than any other train company –  its services connect many major cities including Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, Southampton, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Birmingham. CrossCountry trains serve most parts of the country and if there’s not a direct train you can get to many places by making just one change. Even if you need to travel abroad, there are direct trains to three major UK airports at Birmingham, Southampton and Stansted. For the business traveller time is very important; travelling by train allows passengers to leave the car at home, avoid traffic and work on the move.

First Class can make a CrossCountry journey even more enjoyable – travelling in First Class gives passengers wider, more comfortable seats with extra leg room and more table space, power points for laptops and mobiles, and complimentary WiFi when travelling on Voyager and High Speed Trains. If you prefer to switch off, simply sit back, relax and watch the world go by. On the majority of long-distance services, you can enjoy a range of complimentary drinks and light snacks, served at your seat by First Class hosts.

In Standard, an at-seat catering service is available on the majority of trains, with a great variety of hot drinks (including Twinings tea and Starbucks coffee), chilled soft drinks, sweet treats and confectionery, sandwiches, savoury snacks, beer, cider and wine. With money-saving offers, there’s always a great deal on board. WiFi access is also offered on all Voyager and High Speed Train services, with a number of different pricing options enabling passengers to select the best deal for their journey.

CrossCountry believes customers should be able to find the right train, at the right time and at the right price, that’s why they offer a range of fares to choose from in both Standard and First Class. Anytime fares give you complete flexibility, travel on any train at any time. Off-peak fares allow travel on a choice of services within a specific time period, and for the cheapest fares, take advantage of CrossCountry’s Advance tickets if you can travel on a specific date and time.CrossCountry’s free Train Tickets app is not only a fantastic booking tool, but a one-stop-shop to look up train times and check real-time running information for any specific service – a great asset for any business traveller who needs to be able to check details while on the move. If you are travelling on a CrossCountry service, it is even possible to have tickets sent direct to your mobile as an m-ticket, saving you valuable time at the station. The CrossCountry website is a great place to go for all the information you need, whether it’s a seat plan, product information, or the latest news and updates. The recently enhanced mobile site also means you can keep up to date while on the move.

To download the app simply text TRAVEL to 87080 or visit the website for more details
www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/business

World-class wings

Posted on by Ben Debski

The glamour of flying is far from gone. With Air Canada Jetz, VIP air travel is being redefined. The award-winning private jet service goes above and beyond the quality of everyday executive travel to offer exclusive, tailored details that add a real touch of panache. In flight since 2001, Air Canada Jetz has hosted a long guest list of high-profile clients, such as all seven Canadian National Hockey League (NHL) teams, as well as five American NHL teams, including last year’s Stanley Cup winners, the Los Angeles Kings. In true rock star style, the airline has also provided charter services for legendary rock bands, and many corporate clients.

It’s all in the details
There is a reason professional sports teams, celebrities and corporate elites count on
Air Canada Jetz: it is an experience unlike any other. From the moment the flight is
booked to the moment of your arrival, a dedicated team manages and tends to every detail of each journey, whether near or far.

Each discreet travel experience with Jetz can begin with a private terminal followed by glide through check-in and boarding with the help of an exclusive Concierge Agent. Once on board, each flight features unparalleled luxurious amenities. The special plane configuration consists of spacious Executive Class seats to stretch out and relax in, two large tables that are ideal as a workspace, and a vast selection of in-flight entertainment.

While the seats are cosy, there is added comfort in knowing that on board each jet is a specially selected crew from Air Canada.

In Flight Services and a mechanic from Air Canada Technical Services. Having a dedicated team available 24/7 helps passengers reach their destinations with peace of mind.

Flights for foodies
In-flight cuisine on a Jetz aircraft is first rate. Clients may choose from a personalised menu based on their individual tastes or make specific culinary requests from a restaurant wish list. Each appetite is catered to and served in style. Complementing each gourmet meal is an impressive choice of wines, spirits and beverages to suit even the most selective of palates.

After more than a decade of providing this premium service, Air Canada has been honoured with the Best Business Charter Airline Company in North America, 2012 award in the annual Business Destinations Travel Awards. The awards highlight those companies whose products and services represent the absolute best in the business travel industry.

With its current fleet of five A320 and one A319 aircrafts, Jetz continues to offer a superior VIP, personalised Executive Class service that raises the bar in elite business travel. The
Air Canada Jetz private jet service is an experience unlike any other, tailored to the individual way you like to travel.

Testimonials
“Chapman Freeborn Airchartering has used Air Canada Jetz on a number of occasions in recent years to fly, in particular, some very high profile music touring acts on their North American tours. Air Canada Jetz on each occasion delivered fantastic bespoke service, highly experienced and professional crews and immaculate aircraft.”
Julie Black, Manager VIP and Executive Charters (O.K., Europe), Chapman Freeborn Airchartering

“Our relationship with Air Canada Jetz has been tremendous. They consistently exude class and professionalism, and their dedication is unparalleled. The Kings are very pleased to utilise this world-class provider.”
Peter Mazur, Vice President, Finance, Los Angeles Kings Hockey Club

“The cooperation, customisation and execution of our goals and objectives have always been exceeded by the Jetz team. The crew is a valuable extension of our team and therefore a vital part of our overall client travel experience. We are always challenging the limits of what we can accomplish on your aircraft and we are extremely grateful at the sensitivity and professionalism that is displayed in providing us with the service we require.”
Angelo Kioussis, President at The Traveller Inc

Further information: email: john.hodder@aircanada.ca; Tel: 416 471 0725; www.aircanada.com/jetz

Walking on air

Posted on by Ben Debski

Luxembourg is known as an important centre for business thanks to the presence of numerous financial institutions, which require Luxair Luxembourg Airlines (Luxair) to play a key role in Luxembourg’s economy by connecting the country to many European cities and major business centres. As the main player at Luxembourg Airport, Luxair has become the natural choice for business travellers from the Greater Region who need fast access to other European locations.

Luxair, as the official Luxembourgish flag carrier, operates flights from the homeland to Barcelona, Berlin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, London City, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Nice, Paris, Porto, Rome, Saarbrücken, Vienna and a multitude of other summer season destinations, as well as flights from Saarbrücken airport to Berlin and Hamburg.

With the intention of improving connectivity for its business travellers, Luxair has extended its services to 34 new destinations within Europe, thanks to various code-share agreements signed with different airline partners. Luxair has performed in-depth market reasearch in order to secure a sound knowledge of its customer base, and inspired by this data, Luxair has revised its fare structure to brand it differently from its competitors, with dedicated ‘fare families’ corresponding to business and leisure customers.

In addition, Luxair is also taking care of those who are first-time flyers or are afraid of flying by offering a ‘fly without fear’ programme to aid customers in overcoming their aeroplane anxiety. As a result of these enhancements to the customer experience, Luxair transported approximately 808,450 passengers in 2011, in a modern and comfortable fleet of twin-engined aircrafts comprised of Boeing 737s, Embraer Regional Jets and the Bombardier Q400s.

Pre-flight amenities
Passengers can also enjoy a smooth journey through the airport with the very latest in e-services, including web check-in, mobile check-in, seat selection, iPhone and Andriod apps, mobile boarding passes, kiosk check-in, myLuxair, and SMS services – making travel from one destination just that little bit easier and a whole lot quicker.

Luxair’s self-checking terminals, checking and ticketing counters and passenger assistance staff are there to handle travellers quickly and efficiently on the way to their destinations. Before customers board their flights, the ‘Buy Bye Luxembourg’ airport shop offers them a wide choice of name brand gifts, including perfume, designer fashion labels, alcohol, tobacco and electronics, all of which are available at attractive prices.

Business class travellers have access to the Luxair Lounge where they can work as efficiently as if they were in the office, take a break from the stresses of corporate life, or enjoy snacks, refreshments, and the most up-to-date communication facilities.

In-flight and post-flight care
Luxair is regularly awarded for its punctuality. Once in the air, passengers are pampered with a homemade catering service designed to please even the most demanding business traveller. Menus have been expertly crafted, with an emphasis on the quality and freshness of the ingredients and an attention to presentation not matched by other airlines.

Depending on the length of the journey, the in-flight catering offers passengers breakfast, lunch and dinner, or a refreshing snack, all with the same high-quality service. Business travellers also get a free range of newspapers in various languages, different thematic magazines, as well as Flydoscope, the Luxair on-board magazine.

Its passengers are also offered after-flight services such as a baggage assistance desk at Luxembourg Airport and a dedicated Luxair team at London City and Saarbrücken airports. A call centre service and a customer relations service with multilingual Luxair staff (Luxembourgish, German, French, English, Italian, Portuguese and more) also devote themselves to satisfying Luxair customers, responding to any concerns.

Flexible business travel
Luxair adapts its fare structure to the market’s constraints, and to the changing needs of the business traveller. As a result, the airline has recently introduced new business class promo fares. By choosing this fare, and subject to some advance purchase or minimum stay constraints, business travellers can fly in the business cabin with up to 30 percent off the full business class fare. They can experience an outstanding business class service for a completely relaxing continental journey.

Luxair decided also to introduce a new ‘Luxair Flex’ fare for business passengers flying in economy class. ‘Luxair Flex’ has been created to cater for the new travel policies of corporates who want their collaborators to fly in economy classes – in particular to short-haul destinations. Business travellers in economy class with a Luxair Flex ticket are also offered the possiblity of managing their journey freely by adapting their bookings according to their priorities and changing agenda. For example, rebooking is possible up to one hour before departure without additional charges.

Loyalty rewarded
Luxair is a fully integrated partner of Miles&More, allowing the airline to offer advantages to the most frequent travellers. Luxair has been a partner of Miles & More for many years and has increased its commitment to this loyalty programme step by step, becoming a fully integrated partner between 2008 and 2009.

Luxair passengers can benefit from the multiple advantages of Miles & More, Europe’s leading frequent flyer programme, with more than 22 million members worldwide. Miles & More members can earn both award and status miles with Luxair, Star Alliance carriers and other airline partners. Depending on the number of status miles, Miles & More members can enjoy many exclusive privileges in the air and on the ground as a ‘frequent traveller’, ‘senator’ or even ‘HON circle member’.

Luxair offers the possibility of earning up to 2,000 award and status miles per flight segment by travelling in business class. Members can also redeem their miles for Luxair flight awards or upgrade awards. It is easy for passengers to earn the miles for the award they want – whether they fly, rent a car, stay in a hotel or go shopping – they will earn valuable miles.

For businesses, the Mastercard Business Miles & More Luxair BCEE combines the advantages of a globally recognised credit card with the exclusive services offered by Europe’s largest frequent flyer programme. Every time that business customers use the new card, they will earn 1.5 award miles for each euro spent. Additional key features include a welcome bonus of 10,000 award miles, highly attractive preferential services on Luxair flights and travel, suspension of mileage expiration and exclusive insurance services.

The high life
Luxair offers a high level of security, service and comfort, and is thus continuously pushing for the highest standards in sustainability, to become a benchmark company and employer. In line with its company values – passion, care and responsibility – LuxairGroup has continued its efforts to integrate the challenges of sustainable development into its daily management, paying particular attention to the environment.

Luxair did not wait until it was told to commit to reducing its CO2 emissions. Measures aimed at improving energy efficiency were re- evaluated and refined in 2011. These concern flight procedures and parameters, as well as ever-more sophisticated techniques in fleet maintenance. Efforts towards protecting the environment have been undertaken continuously. Globally, these measures have resulted in the voluntary adhesion to ‘myenergy’ and the objective to improve energy efficiency by the end of 2016 by the more systematic use of green energy.

Further information: www.luxair.lu or www.luxair.co.uk