Airports and power stations to be hit hardest by business rates changes March 27, 2023 Airports, power stations and business headquarters are set to be hit hardest by property tax changes when new valuations come into force next week, according to research. Revenues from business rates – the property tax on commercial buildings – are expected to rise by £1.4 billion, or 4.9 per cent , to £29.9 billion when [...]
Tui: Share price crashes 9.4 per cent over travel giant’s plan to raise £1.6bn for Covid loan repayment March 24, 2023 Shares in Tui today plummeted by more than 9.4 per cent after the travel company announced plans to raise €1.8bn (£1.6bn) to repay loans given to it by the German government during Covid-19. Tui, the world’s largest travel company, today set out plans to sell 328,910,448 new shares, at a 29.85 per cent discount of [...]
37 per cent of flights delayed last year – but London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports not worst offenders March 22, 2023 More than a third of flights to and from UK airports last year were delayed, new figures show. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said an “unacceptable” 37 per cent of flights were at least 15 minutes late in 2022. That is up from 17 per cent in both of the preceding two years and 25 [...]
Cork is the drinking-man’s city break a short hop from London March 21, 2023 There’s a video doing the rounds of Cillian Murphy being asked where’s the best city to go drinking. Without hesitating he replies ‘Cork’. Filled with rickety old pubs that seem to grow organically from the city’s architecture, like some alcoholic Hogwarts, it’s ideal for a weekend of enthusiastic bar-hopping. Getting there With Cork’s airport a [...]
The Fairmont Royal York Toronto: The business traveller’s dream February 25, 2023 One of the oldest and most prestigious hotels in Toronto, the Fairmont Royal York has a discreet “hotel within a hotel” complete with private check-in, executive lounge and butler services. Here’s everything you need to know. THE HOTEL: Located across the street from the CN Tower and Union station, this landmark property opened in 1929 [...]
British Airways: Owner IAG shells out £352m to sweep up remainder of Spanish carrier February 24, 2023 British Airways’ owner International Airlines Group (IAG) will pay €400m (£352m) to Spanish firm Globalia for the remaining 80 per cent stake of its Air Europa carrier. IAG said the move will allow it to tap into the Latin America and Caribbean market as well as to increase ties to Asia. The owner of Britain’s [...]
Tui reduces loss to £135m but warns of threat posed by soaring fuel prices and cost-of-living crisis February 14, 2023 Travel firm Tui has posted a €153m (£135m) loss for the final three months of 2022 as the German company warned of potentially tougher times to come. The Hanover-based firm said the cost-of-living crisis could see demand for its holidays to fall as cash-strapped Europeans cancel trips abroad. Tui warned that the war in Ukraine [...]
Paris on Valentine’s Day a cliché? Not at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée February 13, 2023 THE WEEKEND: Long-stemmed Jacqueminot roses. Flutes of fizzing Feuillatte. Boxes of bonbons by Belgian chocolatiers. A romantic weekend in Paris. You may call it cliché, but I call it classic. Besides, everyone knows Paris is a good idea—especially now, when there are new reasons to pay a visit to the City of Love. THE STAY: [...]
London Heathrow back to its best? 5.4m passengers passed through in January as satisfaction soars February 13, 2023 More than 5.4m people travelled through London’s Heathrow airport this January, marking the busiest start to the year since 2020. Sharp upticks in travelers from Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific region bolstered the London airport’s passenger figures to heights last seen before Covid-19, Heathrow said. The airport also saw customer satisfaction return to [...]
Half-term holiday bonanza: Britons flock abroad with departures soaring 44 per cent February 9, 2023 Britons are capitalising on the first restriction-free February half-term in two years to flock abroad, according to new data. Figures released today by aviation analytics firm Cirium showed that departures during the coming half term are up 44 per cent on last year’s levels, as 15,455 flights are scheduled to take off from UK airports [...]