Eurostar to launch contactless fast-track service from St Pancras December 6, 2021 Eurostar announced this morning the launch of a contactless fast-track service operating from London St Pancras station. Developed alongside biometric technology manufacturer iProov, the service allows business travellers and loyalty card holders to complete ticket verification and UK exit checks on their phone before departure. Using iProov’s biometric technology, passengers can pass through smart gates, [...]
A hammer blow to the industry: Business travel body slams new restrictions December 5, 2021 The travel industry has reacted with fury following the re-introduction of pre-departure mandatory tests for those travelling to England. Clive Wratten, chief executive of the UK Business Travel Association (BTA), has slammed the government’s decision, calling it a “hammer blow to the business travel industry.” “Public safety is a priority, but businesses will fail, travellers [...]
Easyjet adopts a more aggressive strategy to face rivals December 5, 2021 Easyjet’s chief executive Johan Lundgren is reportedly adopting a more aggressive business strategy, following accusations of having behaved too cautiously during the pandemic. Lundgren stated that, after seeing encouraging signs for next summer, he expects demand to go back to pre-Covid levels, allowing the company to buy slots at airports such as London Gatwick. The [...]
Travel restrictions too late to halt Omicron, scientist warns December 5, 2021 University of Edinburgh’s professor of epidemiology Mark Woolhouse has deemed the latest travel restrictions – which require passengers to take pre-departure tests to stop the spread of the latest Covid variant – as “a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.” Speaking on BBC’s Andrew Marr this morning, Woolhouse – who [...]
Trump’s social media raises $1bn from investors December 5, 2021 TRUTH Social, the new social media launched by Donald Trump’s Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), has raised $1bn from investors, after entering a subscription agreement with spac Digital World Acquisition Corporation (DWAC). The former US President said the $1bn funding “sends an important message to Big Tech that censorship and political discrimination must end.” [...]
World has produced more vaccines than it can use, pharma boss warns December 5, 2021 Adar Poonawalla, chief executive of the Serum Institute of India, has warned the world has stockpiled more vaccines than it can use. Poonawalla – who has been at the helm of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer for 10 years – has said distribution, infrastructure challenges and a general vaccine hesitancy are the main causes behind [...]
Easyjet is coming to town: Airline announces second Lapland route December 3, 2021 Easyjet announced today the opening of its newest service to Lapland, with the first flight departing this morning. The new route – linking London Gatwick to the Finnish city of Kittila – joined an existing service connecting the British capital to Santa Claus’s hometown of Rovaniemi. Flights to Rovaniemi, which departed for the first time [...]
Used car prices hit record growth in six months December 3, 2021 Used car prices have registered five years’ worth of growth in six months, with costs increasing by £3,400 since May. Data from the Auto Trader Retail Price Index has shown that used car prices – now at an average of £17,366 – have gone up 28.6 per cent on a year-on-year basis, making November the [...]
BA first airline to use sustainable fuels from next year December 3, 2021 British Airways (BA) will become the world’s first airline to use sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) produced on a commercial scale in the UK for its flights starting from 2022. The carrier entered yesterday a multi-year supply agreement with US energy company Phillips 66 to use SAFs produced at the Humber refinery, the company’s factory in [...]
Struggling Clinigen enters £1bn talks with Triton Investment Management December 3, 2021 Struggling UK pharmaceutical services company Clinigen is reportedly in talks with private equity Triton Investment Management for a takeover proposal worth £1bn. After the “non-binding indicative proposal” was announced, the company’s shares rocketed by almost 25 per cent on the London market, reaching 786.41p and then closing at 741.30p. “The board of Clinigen is in [...]
