No queues for Club and First World passengers made boarding a breeze and once in my seat
BACKGROUND:: The only airline to fly straight to London from Cape Town all year around, British Airways offers 65 direct flights per week from Johannesburg to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, taking around nine hours and 10 minutes on its Airbus A380. The only drawback for South African passport holders wanting to fly British Airways via London onto a European destination, is that you have to set aside at least 21 working days beforehand to acquire a transit visa at an additional cost of R1050 ($75).
CHECK-IN: Since I’d already checked in online, this went smoother than the Crème de Cassis in BA’s Kir Royale signature drink. I dropped off my suitcase weighing 20 kilograms, well under the permitted two check-in bags with a combined weight of 64 kilograms that Club World allows, and ambled off to the British Airways Galleries Club Lounge at O.R. Tambo International Airport where I found free wi-fi, comfy chairs, magazines, palatable snacks – I’m a fussy ‘no-to-GMO’ eater – and a decent double espresso. White orchids added to the sense of hushed tranquillity.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2017-Ausgabe von Business Traveller Africa.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2017-Ausgabe von Business Traveller Africa.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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Dreamliner - Boeing's B787 Has Changed The Aviation Landscape
There’s something unique about a brand-new aircraft. It’s not just the fresh-out-of-the box smell, or the sight of an interior as the designer intended it, rather than following the wear and tear of hundreds of passengers. It’s not even the specially selected crew accompanying you on the inaugural flight, or the senior pilot chosen to fly it home. It’s the difference of approach, says Tom Otley of Business Traveller UK.
Made In Africa
Fashion has always been in vogue in Africa – but now it could be big business, too, as new designers and start-up brands target the global market.
Relais Des Plateaux
This art deco hotel has 46 neatly appointed, soundproofed, air-conditioned guestrooms, in four different categories.
British Airway Business Class
No queues for Club and First World passengers made boarding a breeze and once in my seat
Converting Opportunities
Hilton are making a big statement in Africa, committing $50 million over the next five years towards the Hilton Africa Growth Initiative, in the form of around 100 hotel conversions. Hilton made the announcement at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum in Kigali, Rwanda in October, where editor Dylan Rogers took the opportunity to sit down with Patrick Fitzgibbon, Senior Vice-President, Development: Europe, Middle East & Africa.
Peermont Metcourt Hotel
Emperors Palace Hotel, Casino, Convention and Entertainment Resort, located next to O.R. Tambo International Airport, has extended its select-services Peermont Metcourt hotel by 100 rooms, which includes 93 family sized rooms, six Classic King Rooms and one suite. The $8.5 million expansion project has increased the hotel’s capacity from 248 keys to a 348 key facility, expanding Emperors Palace’s room capacity to 757 across its four hotels.
More Than A Stopover
For so long overshadowed by its fellow emirate Dubai, Abu Dhabi is shedding that ‘underdog’ status after a couple of years of sustained growth and a more focused approach to what it offers its visitors – both business and leisure.
Island Style
It’s long been regarded as one of Africa’s luxury island destinations, and for good reason - stunning beaches, gorgeous views, great food, excellent service and stunning hotels that make the most of the beautiful surrounds. Now the Seychelles wants to be taken seriously as a MICE destination.
Changing Perception
The Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre has over the past 20 years built a reputation as a South African conferencing ‘giant’ with an impressive offering that caters to just about any event. But, like any good business, it needs to evolve and diversify, if it is to continue prospering. That’s according to Founder and Director, Kevin Clarence, who joined editor Dylan Rogers for a coffee in Johannesburg.
A Different Type of Value
The speed of technological development in the modern age and the rise of millennials in the workplace have resulted in many industries having to change the way they’ve traditionally done business. The loyalty space is no different, as Kate Kennedy discovered.
