In this issue

Manila - New infrastructure projects make the Philippine capital easier to navigate.
Why airline alliances work - An overview of airline partnerships tells you benefits and drawbacks.
Future of First Class - With ongoing improvements in business, first class needs to outdo itself to survive.
Sri Lanka - We visit the Yala National Park for close encounters with leopards and elephants.
Smart Traveller - A look at VPNs.

Our guide to... VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)

We all know that online activity needs to be private and secure. If you suspected that the business-critical information you're about to share with a colleague is at risk of being seen much more widely, you would hesitate to send it.

5 mins

Raffles London at The OWO

BACKGROUND The first Raffles hotel in London, owned by the Hinduja Group and operated by Accor, opened in September 2023. It is housed in The OWO, a legendary Edwardian Baroque-style building, with the guest experience built around its exceptional history. The Grade II Old War Office was built for the British Army in 1906.

2 mins

Hilton Colombo

BACKGROUND Hilton Colombo has been operating in Sri Lanka's capital since 1987. Given its long-standing status and rather dated design, renovations of its guest rooms are underway, with all 345 set to be complete by the time of going to press. Hilton has three more properties in Sri Lanka, including Hilton Yala Resort (see page 44).

2 mins

The Leela Palace Bengaluru

BACKGROUND The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts operates 12 properties in India, in locations including Bengaluru, Chennai, Jaipur, New Delhi, Mumbai and Udaipur, with hotels to follow in Hyderabad, Agra and Sikkim. The group is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance, and Preferred Hotels and Resorts.

4 mins

Air France Boeing 777-300 premium economy PARIS-NEW YORK

BACKGROUND Air France has been upgrading its Boeing 777-300 aircraft with its latest premium economy product, already seen on its A350. The 777-300 features 48 seats in the premium economy cabin, arranged in a slightly staggered 2-4-2 formation.

5 mins

Qatar Airways A330-300 business class DOHA-COLOMBO

BACKGROUND Qatar Airways has eight Airbus A330-300 aircraft in its fleet, which are often used for the carrier's medium-haul services such as this Doha-Colombo flight.

5 mins

Pre-flight checks

There's a familiar list of announcements when boarding a plane, but what do they actually mean? Our undercover pilot shines a light on pre-flight procedures

3 mins

Auckland

Thrill-seeking activities, mind-bending art - and performing the haka

3 mins

Yearning for Yala

Searching for leopards and nibbling wild sage in Sri Lanka's Yala National Park

6 mins

RISKY BUSINESS

Business travellers need their wits about them more than ever these days - with strategies in place should the worst happen

7 mins

Does first class have a future?

With ongoing improvements in business, first class needs to outdo itself to survive

7 mins

Manila's makeover

New infrastructure projects make it easier to navigate this bustling metropolis and discover the growing crop of creative districts

6 mins

Why airline alliances work for global travellers

From smoother journeys to frequent flyer perks, partnerships in the skies offer benefits to all

6 mins

PLAZA PREMIUM GROUP OPENS BAR ON HONG KONG AIRPORT'S SKYBRIDGE

PLAZA PREMIUM GROUP has opened a new bar at Hong Kong International airport. Intervals will be located on the recently opened, 200-metre-long Skybridge which enables travellers to connect between the airport’s Terminal 1 and its satellite concourse T1S.

1 min

Qantas doubles down on Asia-Pacific growth

QANTAS will boost its international network with extra flights, more aircraft and new routes as it restores capacity in line with strong travel demand and the broader recovery of the aviation industry.

1 min

ETIHAD UNVEILS NEW BUSINESS STUDIO PRODUCT

ETIHAD AIRWAYS will launch a suite of new products and enhancements for its Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the third quarter of this year. These are an evolution of the airline’s Business Studio product launched on the Airbus A350-1000 fleet in 2022.

1 min

SIA rolls out free wifi

SINGAPORE AIRLINES (SIA) customers will enjoy the most comprehensive free unlimited wifi access in the airline industry from July 1, when the service is extended to all its KrisFlyer members in all cabin classes, including in premium economy and economy.

1 min

RADISSON OPENS 11 NEW PROPERTIES ACROSS INDIA

RADISSON HOTEL Group has significantly grown its presence in India with the signing of 11 new hotels across brands in the first quarter of 2023.

1 min

Our guide to... New and forthcoming start-up airlines

Over the last three years the aviation industry has experienced turmoil, with Covid-19 and travel restrictions grounding airlines’ fleets worldwide, which led to huge bailouts and several carriers going out of business.

6 mins

Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto

BACKGROUND Four Seasons debuted in Kyoto in 2016 with this 123-room property, which also has 57 residences. The hotel group has two additional hotels in Tokyo (see businesstraveller.com for reviews).

2 mins

The Barracks Hotel Sentosa, Singapore

BACKGROUND The 40-room boutique hotel is located on the site of a former military barracks, housed in two conserved colonial buildings that date back to 1904.

2 mins

Air France Boeing 777-300 business class NEW YORK-PARIS

BACKGROUND Air France launched its new long-haul business class product on the Boeing 777-300 earlier this year, featuring the \"three Fs\" - fully-flat, full aisle access and full privacy.

5 mins

Korean Air Boeing 777-300ER Prestige Class SEOUL-LONDON

BACKGROUND Korean Air's route from Seoul Incheon to London Heathrow is operated daily by a Boeing 777-300ER configured with 291 seats across three cabins: first class (eight seats), Prestige (business class, 56 seats) and economy (227 seats). Korean Air also operates a 277-seater version of the aircraft, with upgraded first and business-class products.

5 mins

SEOUL

Buddhist temples, palaces and traditional street food in the downtown Jongno-gu area of the South Korean capital

3 mins

Luxury is the word

Forget gold taps, these days luxury could wriggling through the mud on an exclusive boot camp adventure

5 mins

Inflight appetite

From menu planning to logistics, we look at the behind-the-scenes process of catering onboard meals

8 mins

Singapore's appetite for more

Luxury experiences, cultural attractions and culinary innovation are playing a central role in Singapore's growing appeal as a destination in its own right

7 mins

Terminal velocity

Travel might have slowed down for passengers in the last few years, but development on airport infrastructure has been full steam ahead

9 mins

Five airline loyalty scheme changes to watch out for

The last three years have seen unprecedented intervention by airlines in their frequent flyer programmes, with status benefits extended several times to ensure members did not lose out as a result of travel restrictions

3 mins

Meliá Chiang Mai

Meliá Chiang Mai opened in April, 2022, the first five-star hotel to open in the city after the global pandemic

3 mins

Read all stories from Business Traveller Asia-Pacific

Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Magazine Description:

Business Traveller has become the leading magazine around the world for the frequent business traveller who seeks an independent view of worldwide travel issues, providing information on all aspects of travel including airlines, airports, hotels, loyalty programs and more. We review travel products, including the latest gadgets, technology and accessories designed to make the traveller’s life easier and more efficient. And we look at destinations — where to stay, what to eat, what to see, and how to behave, all delivered by our own writers and journalists around the world.