Flights rise at City airport July 9, 2009 CITY Airport yesterday won approval to increase its number of annual flights by 50 per cent by the end of 2010. The increase at the airport, where 70 per cent of passengers are business travellers, is expected to boost the number of people flying per year from 3.3m to 3.9m. The CBI welcomed the news, [...]
First gains of the week as Alcoa boosts the markets July 9, 2009 THE FTSE 100 closed 0.5 per cent higher yesterday, ending a three-day losing streak on the back of gains in miners after reassuring earnings from Alcoa. The index closed 18.43 points firmer at 4,158.66, having fallen 1.1 per cent the previous session to its lowest closing level in more than two months. However trading was [...]
Hopes up for Iberia deal July 9, 2009 SPANISH flag carrier Iberia appointed Antonio Vazquez as its new chairman and CEO yesterday, boosting hopes of a tie-up with British Airways (BA). Hard-nosed dealmaker Vazquez, who was already involved in the merger talks due to his role as director at Iberia, will kick-start discussions which have become bound up in red tape a year [...]
JACKSON CITY RACE INCENTIVE SCRAPPED July 7, 2009 THE fallout continues over tickets from the late Michael Jackson’s planned London tour – and this time, it has hit the City. Standard Chartered, those with elephant-like memories may recall, offered runners in their Great City Race next week the chance to see the King of Pop at the O2 Arena on 6 August, as [...]
June is a bumper month for Ryanair and EasyJet July 6, 2009 BUDGET airlines Ryanair and EasyJet yesterday said they had recorded year-on-year passenger increases after an exodus of passengers from premium rival British Airways (BA). Figures for June showed that Ryanair carried more passengers than ever before, with 5.8m people using the Irish airline. This represents a 13 per cent increase on passenger traffic from a [...]
BA staff in deal snub July 6, 2009 BRITISH Airways’ (BA) cost-cutting plans were dealt a blow yesterday, as 2,000 cabin crew rejected a plan to cut 3,500 jobs, freeze pay and change contracts. The flag carrier is trying to save money after reporting a record full-year loss of £401m earlier this year. BA and unions will reopen negotiations, chaired by conciliation service [...]
BA’s cost cuts are rejected by workers July 6, 2009 BRITAIN edged closer towards a summer of holiday disruption yesterday, as 2,000 cabin crew and ground staff rejected cost cutting plans put to them by British Airways (BA). The flag carrier is striving to cut costs after it reported a record loss of £401m earlier this year. BA had set a 30 June deadline to [...]
LONDON Where to revive July 6, 2009 Mandarin OrientalGo for the Ginger Ritual. This jet-lag busting treatment uses a finger pressure technique, whereby the therapist applies pressure to the body’s shiatsu points to stimulate the flow of energy. Ginger-infused hot towels over the kidneys and a deep massage boosts lymphatic flow and helps relieve the pain of cramped joints. 1 hour and [...]
CITY MOVES WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS July 5, 2009 Canada Life International The wealth management firm has appointed Mark Armstrong as its new head of operations. Armstrong joins from Axa in the Isle of Man, where he was director of technical and proposition support. He has over 20 years of experience in offshore financial services, having also previously worked as finance director at Allied [...]
BA calls in Acas to avert strike action July 1, 2009 BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) said it asked the conciliation service Acas to intervene in a bid to reach a deal with unions on jobs and pay yesterday. Talks between BA and the Unite and GMB unions aimed at agreeing a series of cost-cutting measures including a pay freeze and more than 3,500 job losses broke up [...]