10 I Upfront
ETIHAD GUEST Members who gain
Silver, Gold or Platinum Tier status will
now retain their status for one year, as
part of a number of changes to its rewards
programme from October.
Previously, members who flew with
another partner airline for the first time
would receive 500 welcome bonus miles butINTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS Group has announced its
new midscale brand, Avid Hotels, will operate under a franchise
model and be positioned beneath Holiday Inn Express (priced
about $10-15 less). Rooms will be a mix of 220sq ft King (65 per
cent) and 275sq ft Queens (35 per cent), featuring a built-in work
space, open closet storage with luggage shelf, shower and smart
TV. Public spaces will be designed for travellers looking to spend
30-45 minutes in the lobby working, socialising or enjoying a
complimentary breakfast.
The group originally announced plans for the new brand in
June (then going under the working title of Project Horizon), with
plans “to target more than 14 million guests in a vastly under
served segment of the US midscale market, estimated to be worth
$20 billion in annual industry revenues”. IHG says that over 150
owners have expressed an interest in the Avid brand, with the first
properties slated to open in early 2019.- Hilton will bring its Hilton Garden Inn brand to Jeddah in 2021
(the 155-room hotel will be located on Hamad al Jaser Street)
and a DoubleTree by Hilton will open in Sharjah’s Tilal Mall in
the same year.
Etihad rings loyalty programme changes
IHG’s Avid targets mid-market growth
Changi T4 to launch this month
Citizen M on the march
this is now restricted to members whose first
flight is with Etihad Airways, Air Serbia or
Air Seychelles. There will also be an increase
in miles required for upgrades.
Members flying on Etihad Airways
operated flights will be eligible to use the
Etihad Airways Business Class Lounge in
Terminal 1 and 3 at Abu Dhabi InternationalAirport. This is subject to available capacity,
so during peak periods guests will be
offered access to the Al Reem Lounge in
Terminal 1.
The airline is increasing the number of
Etihad Guest Miles being awarded. J class
will go to 200 per cent and F will go to 275
per cent (from January 15).THE NEW Terminal 4 building at Singapore’s Changi Airport
is set to commence operations on October 31. Construction
on the new terminal was completed earlier this year, and
while trial operations have been conducted, a confirmed
opening date had previously not been announced. Airlines
gearing up to move over to the new terminal include Cathay
Pacific, Korean
Air, Vietnam
Airlines, Cebu
Pacific, Spring
Airlines and all
four of Air Asia
Group’s individual
carriers.LIFESTYLE BRAND Citizen M is set to launch properties
in 15 cities worldwide by 2020. Speaking to Business Traveller,
chief marketing officer Robin Chadha said that the group has
ambitious expansion plans in North America, Asia and Europe,
following the launch of its third Paris property at Gare du Lyon.
In the US, the group has secured two properties in Los
Angeles and another two in San Francisco, a second property
in New York on the Bowery, one in Seattle, Boston and
another in Washington DC, located between the national mall
and the waterfront. A second site in Seattle and another in
Miami are in the works but not yet confirmed.TRANSPORT FOR London’s decision not to
renew Uber’s licence has once again put the
ride-hailing app on a collision course with
regulators. TfL said the operator was not “fit and proper”
to hold its licence but the decision prompted more than
785,000 to sign the ‘Save Your Uber In London’ petition on
Change.org. Uber has 21 days to appeal the decision.Uber parked in London