On board the first post-Covid BA flight to the US November 15, 2021 What is the collective noun for a group of journalists? Google suggests “pack”, “herd”, “scoop”, and “crowd”. But the word that sprung to my mind while on the BA 001 flight to JFK, fourth glass of champagne in hand, was frenzy. A palpable excitement swelled inside our cabin as the Airbus A350 took to the [...]
Baglioni Hotel: A slice of Italy beside Hyde Park November 15, 2021 The world may be making a spirited attempt to put Covid behind it, but that doesn’t mean international travel is suddenly a breeze. Couple this with over-booked and over-priced UK staycation destinations such as Cornwall and York, and you have a holiday dilemma. So why not take the sting out of a weekend break by [...]
Uber’s model was rife with flaws but the gig economy deserves saving November 15, 2021 It has been less than ten years since Uber started operating in London. In that short time, the ride-hailing service has transformed the way many urban dwellers think about their transportation needs and their expectations of connectivity. By the beginning of 2020, just before the pandemic, Londoners took it for granted that Uber—or Bolt Kapten [...]
Heathrow lambasted by Virgin Atlantic and BA’s owner over fees November 14, 2021 British Airways’ (BA) former boss Willie Walsh alongside Luis Gallego – the chief executive of BA’s owner IAG – and Virgin Atlantic’s chief Shai Wess has lambasted Heathrow airport for its decision to increase fees. Walsh, Weiss and Gallego, writing on the Sunday Telegraph, have criticised the London hub saying it is ‘”back at its [...]
The Spotify of micromobility: How a different business model can carve a niche in London’s e-bike market November 13, 2021 As COP26 has drawn to a close, many were disappointed by world leaders lacking to focus on one of the biggest weapons we have to achieve net zero targets: bikes. On Wednesday – COP26’s Transport Day – dozens of people in Glasgow rang their bicycle bells in protest against active travel solutions being a mere [...]
Focus On: Get yourself into a Pickle in booming Bermondsey November 12, 2021 Located in the south-easterly London Borough of Southwark, Bermondsey has a fascinating past. Back in the 1800s it was known for its industrial plants for processing animal hides (hence some road names such as Tanner Street and Leathermarket), as well as slums for local workers and the notorious docks that inspired scenes in Dickensian novels [...]
Editorial: Time to stare down the militant union jeopardising the night tube November 12, 2021 So, we’re back to RMT unrest on the tube. It’s almost enough for us to pine for lockdown again. The barney is thus: in the before times, the night tube relied on around two hundred part-time staff. Those posts were scrapped during the pandemic (for blindingly obvious reasons) and those staff gradually brought in to [...]
Night tube drivers plot series of strikes later this month November 11, 2021 Tube workers are calling a strike action over the reopening of Night Tube services, the National Union of Rail Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) announced. The union has cited “the imposition of unacceptable and intolerable demand” made by Transport for London (TfL) as the main reason for the strike action, saying it made efforts to [...]
Business cannot afford to ignore disabled people November 11, 2021 DiverCity® Podcast · SPECIAL EPISODE – Disability: Champions, Challenges, and Change In discussions around diversity and inclusion, disability is too often the forgotten dimension. But post-Covid, with debate evolving about organisational structures and working models, it is time for businesses to make themselves truly accessible to disabled people. Sophie Christiansen and Christiane Link joined the [...]
London Assembly call on mayor to reopen the Night Tube in full November 11, 2021 The London Assembly has called on the mayor to set a timeline for reopening Night Tube services in full after more than 150,000 Londoners signed a petition. London Assembly member Emma Best said: “Sadiq Khan must fully reopen the Night Tube; two lines are simply not enough to keep women, girls and vulnerable Londoners safe [...]