WH Smith shares jump on buyback plan after pension buy-out frees up cash September 11, 2024 WH Smith has announced strong revenue growth, driven by a boost in its airport and train station stores and a £50m share buyback programme. It also announced a £85m cash benefit as the result of its pension fund buy-out. Shares in WH Smith rose more than 12 per cent in early trades. Revenue at the [...]
Thomas Cook snapped up by Polish tech firm in £30m buyout September 5, 2024 British travel agency Thomas Cook has been acquired by a Polish tech firm, marking its return to Europe after spending four years under Chinese ownership. The acquisition by eSky, a Katowice-headquartered search engine and reservation system provider for airlines, will see its current owner, Fosun, hand over all but the Chinese arm of the business [...]
Swissport makes first UK profit since 2018 as sales finally recover from Covid September 5, 2024 The UK arm of Swissport has returned to the black for the first time since 2018 as its turnover recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The Cheshire-headquartered division of the aviation services giant also created 1,400 jobs during its latest financial year but its total headcount is still significantly lower than it was in 2019. Swissport has [...]
Ryanair and Wizz Air smash passenger records as summer travel demand booms September 3, 2024 Low-cost rivals Ryanair and Wizz Air reported record passenger numbers in August as travel demand booms in the peak summer period.
The authentic part of the Bahamas, with secret beaches and amazing food September 2, 2024 Arriving into a tiny airport after a twenty minute hop from Nassau International, we’re driving down the dusty palms highway to Freeport. The trees are ragged, stripped of their leaves and dead. Fields of new ones have been planted, but like anything beautiful in nature, patience is the virtue. It’s something the Grand Bahamians have [...]
Europcar: Airport passengers help UK sales pass milestone August 28, 2024 An increase in people hiring cars at airports helped revenue at the UK arm of Europcar surpass £400m during its latest financial year. The Leicester-headquartered division has reported a revenue of £403.8m for 2023, up from the £363.5m it posted for 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show that its pre-tax profit jumped from [...]
Aircraft orders still lagging behind despite UK airlines hitting 2024 high August 23, 2024 The number of aircrafts being ordered by UK airlines hit its highest monthly figure in July as a slew of deals at the Farnborough Airshow helped the industry weather wider supply chain issues. Some 131 orders were placed over the month, outpacing every other month in 2024 and representing the largest July delivery rate on [...]
Inside the real foodie Chicago that inspired The Bear August 16, 2024 Ash Hiden explores why America’s Second City should be first on your list for a stateside city break following the massive success of culinary drama The Bear The Bear is an astonishingly good watch. As hard to turn away from as lead star Jeremy Allen White’s Calvin Klein underwear ads, it is a celebration of [...]
Can the poshest wellness retreat in Thailand cure me? August 10, 2024 Thailand has kind people and a vast history of traditional wellness. But can it cure a tired Millennial? Adam Bloodworth finds out A textbook Bangkok afternoon: the sun is doing its darnedest to incinerate anyone who dares go outside, but luckily I’m indoors, laying in a bath with a towel covering my modesty. Chernkwan, a [...]
Italy holidays: Why the Dolomites are perfect for summer August 6, 2024 Italy holidays: this mountain is at its best in the summer months, says Libby Brodie If you ever wondered what it’s like visiting a ski destination in summer, let me tell you that the rumours are true: it really is like stepping into a Hans Christian Anderson fairytale. At least, this was my first impression [...]