Green hotels for business travellers

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Worldhotels are focusing increasingly on sustainability. Which locations offer green hotel rooms and meeting facilities.

The “green wave” has long since broken over the hotel industry. With efforts to reduce carbon footprints and minimise use of resources extending beyond people’s home environments. Global hotel group Worldhotels has numerous destinations in its portfolio that put sustainability and protecting the environment centre stage:

  • Airport Hotel Basel: One of just a handful of carbon neutral hotels in the world. Heated by steam from a local recycling centre.
  • Hotel Le Plaza Brussels in Belgium: On top of keeping water and energy use to a minimum, this green hotel separates all of its rubbish and encourages its guests to take public transport.
  • Atlantic Congress Hotel in Essen: The use of heat recovery fuelled air-con systems, energy-saving light bulbs, motion sensors and timers is all part of the appeal at this award-winning green hotel.
  • Royal Park Hotel, Rochester, USA: A partnership with Clean the World supports people who are unable to afford basic hygiene products. Soaps and shampoos that have been started by other guests are donated. All of the toiletries are 100% natural or certified organic.

From Munich with the Lufthansa A350

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The most modern and environmentally-friendly member of the Lufthansa fleet will connect Munich with new destinations.

Lufthansa’s A350-900 flies between Munich and Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Boston, Delhi and Mumbai. The start of February saw Seoul join that list, with Newark, Chicago, Denver and Singapore set to follow at the end of March. Vancouver will be added on 1 May.

The A350-900 is currently the most modern and environmentally-friendly, long-haul aircraft out there. It burns around 25 percent less kerosene, generates around 25 percent lower emissions and is significantly quieter than comparable aircraft at take off. It can accommodate up 293 passengers – 48 in business class, 21 in premium economy and 224 in economy class.

Fly up front on Austrian Airlines flights for a premium

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Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa are introducing a new premium for the front rows of economy class on long-haul flights.

The new economy seats now added to the Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines tariffs are known as “preferred seating zones”. Specifically, the change applies to the rows directly behind business class and premium economy class. According to the airlines, passengers are located closer to the exits and save time. But this saving comes at a price.

The fee, which ranges from EUR 30-50, depends on the length of the route. HON Circle Members and Senators can secure these spots free of charge (subject to availability). This concept has been in place elsewhere at the Lufthansa Group for some time, with subsidiary Swiss offering passengers the chance to sit in the front row of economy seats for a premium since 2014. You can continue to book these seats via your travel partner, as before.

Motel One opens its first hotel in Spain

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The new Motel One Barcelona-Ciutadella brings together exceptional design and a perfect location. Close to Barcelona’s historic city centre.

Motel One has just opened its latest hotel in Barcelona – its first in Spain. The old town and attractions such as La Rambla, Placa de Catalunya and the beach are only a short walk away. The inspiration for the name and design at Motel One Barcelona-Ciutadella comes from the Parc de la Ciutadella right next door. Flora, fauna and architectural highlights from the park are reflected in the brightly-coloured interiors. Come together to create a truly out-of-the-ordinary hotel design.

The 301 light and homely rooms are perfect for relaxing in. Guests can also expect box spring beds and bedclothes made from 100% Egyptian cotton. One of the highlights is the rooftop terrace and bar in summer, which even offers views of the nearby sea over the rooftops below.

Where the most germs can be found at airports

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Did you know that touchscreens are likely to be the most concentrated sources of germs at airports? An overview of the hygiene pitfalls for travellers.

The latest tests reveal hygiene blackspots at airports and aboard the plane. The risk of picking up an infection is not only high in winter. Due to the growth of international travel, pathogens are increasingly passing around the entire planet. A study looking at germs in airports has just been published in the USA. Everyone automatically assumes that toilets are the worst offenders when it comes to incubating bacteria. But that’s not true! Anyone that uses a self-service terminal runs a much higher risk of picking something up.

Travellers should also be extra vigilant when it comes to bench arm rests at the airport. Once on board, passengers should clean their hands after coming into contact with toilet flushes, fold-away tray tables or the buckle of their seat belt. Hand sanitising gel or disinfectant wipes are strongly recommended. But it is also worth bearing in mind that not all bacteria trigger illnesses – we need many of them to live.

According to the results of the test, although lots of bacteria were found on the buttons of water fountains, the majority were completely harmless. Whatever you do, we hope you stay healthy on your travels!

Weight, not number of pieces: Etihad reduces luggage allowance

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Etihad Airways has introduced new baggage regulations. The amount of luggage included in the ticket price is now calculated by weight.

Until now, Etihad Airways famously had some of the most generous allowances out there. Looking at other airlines, Etihad decided to follow suit and has moved over to a piece-based system. The new regulations affect all tickets issued since 31 January 2018. For tickets booked before this day, the old rules still apply.

On the majority of routes, the checked-in allowance for economy passengers is 23, 30 or 35 kg (depending on tariff), up to 40kg for business class and up to 50kg for first class. Higher allowances are available for members of the Etihad Guest programme.

Check the website for details.

 

Careful: automatic check-in at Lufthansa

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Lufthansa automatically sends customers a mobile boarding pass 23 hours before departure. Anyone that wants to opt out has to change their profile.

As reported last year, there is a new profile function for Miles & More members. Customers are automatically checked in 23 hours before departure. This only applies for Lufthansa flights in the Schengen area. Until now, passengers wishing to use this option have had to activate the setting themselves. But from now on this will be done automatically for all Miles & More customers and passengers with an LH ID profile. All that is required is a mobile telephone number or e-mail address in the individual profile.

IMPORTANT: If you DO NOT wish to use this function we recommend checking your Miles & More or LH ID profile and making the necessary changes. You will still be able to change seats after check in, if the desired alternative is still available.

Our service team can help with subsequent rebookings or cancellations, to the extent they are permitted under the tariff. Please note that you need to be “checked out” again beforehand. As practical as this function may appear at first glance, you should always bear in mind that short-notice changes can result in additional costs.

 

Our congress pros newly MedTech certified

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Compliance support for medical technology companies! Our colleagues from Austropa recently became one of the first PCOs in Austria to qualify as a Trusted Partner of MedTech Europe.

At the end of 2017, Austropa Interconvention – a Verkehrsbüro MICE Services brand – was officially certified by MedTech Europe as a Trusted Partner, making it one of the first professional congress organisers to receive this certification. The Trusted Partner seal of approval confirms that a company’s employees are aware of the code of conduct and work in full compliance with its provisions.

Compliance support for medical technology companies

The classic sponsorship activities in this area are being replaced with educational grants, which are made available to health facilities. In addition, conferences that receive financial support from a MedTech member company must be rated as compliant in accordance with its conference vetting system. In future, the Austropa Interconvention team will be available to provide support in all of these areas.

The new code of conduct

MedTech Europe is the European industrial association representing the in vitro diagnostic and medical technology industries. The new code of conduct governing ethical business relationships sets out clear and transparent requirements when it comes to interaction between industry and medical specialists and healthcare facilities. Generally speaking, the code of conduct focuses on the topic of financial support of doctors and medical specialists for internal corporate events, research, and medical training and education programmes.

Miles & More: Change of award miles

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In the future, the price of flights will be the new basis of calculation, only in exceptional cases will miles continue to be awarded for routes.

Lufthansa, Austrian, SWISS, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings together with Miles & More will introduce a revenue-based system for calculating award miles for flight bookings. For flights booked from March 12, 2018, the fare will be the new basis of calculation (issued for airlines within the Lufthansa Group!). There are exceptions when booking through an Alliance partner. If, for example, a Lufthansa flight is issued with a ticket from a Star Alliance partner (e.g., “operated by Air Canada”), the existing route-based system will be used. The old calculation will also be used for status, select and HON Circle miles. When booking through our Business Travel Center, the same process applies. Details about the new calculation model from Miles & More can be found here.

Aeroflot rated highly by vegetarians on board

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The airline was named in a ranking compiled by the international Food Awareness Movement Proveg.

In-flight catering is a key element of Aeroflot customer service. The Russian airline takes the wide variety of passenger wishes regarding taste, religious conviction and nutritional requirements into consideration. Especially vegetarians will be satisfied. There are 17 special menu choices with a number of vegetarian options including vegan, Asian vegetarian and fruitarian. Aeroflot was named by vegetarian passengers in a ranking of the international “Food Awareness Movement Proveg” as one of the world’s best airlines. “ProVeg’s” debut survey about vegetarian in-flight catering covered more than 50 of the world’s largest airlines. The vegetarian menus that were rated were all from the economy class and were scored based on amount, availability, or rather availability of information on the website and of the particular order. Information about all special meals by Aeroflot can be found on the website at: https://www.aeroflot.ru/us-en/information/preparation/meals