Today British Airways has launched a sale offering a pair of Club World (business class) seats from just £2019 return.
There are a range of destinations available for £2019 return for two, including top US destinations such as New York, Miami, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Washington and Dallas. Further afield the £2019 fare for two will take travellers to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Other destinations are available for marginally more including Beijing, Hong Kong and Bangkok for £2998, Mumbai, Chennai, Lagos and Abuja for £2999, Antigua for £2305, Barbados for £2332 return and Toronto for £2399.
BA Holidays deals are also available, including:
Dubai: Club World flights plus three nights at a 4* hotel from £1069 per person
New York: Club World flights plus three nights at a 4* hotel from £1199 per person
Las Vegas: Club World flights plus three nights at a 4* hotel from £1149 per person
Dominican Republic: Club World flights plus seven nights all-inclusive at a 4* hotel from just £1359 per person
And there are deals to be had in other cabins too with two First class seats to New York and Miami respectively available from £3019.
Members of the airline’s Executive Club will benefit by saving with Avios part payment, securing the same £2019 deal for two people travelling together in Club World by paying just £619 return and 261,000 Avios.
Travel is for selected dates between August 13 and September 30, 2019 and customers need to book by August 19.
To book please visit ba.com/luxury-offers.
Ends August 12, 2019
Notes to editors:
Full terms and conditions can be found at ba.com/luxury-offers.
The sale runs between 12pm today, August 12, 2019 and 11.59pm on August 19, 2019.
Newly opened hotel in the heart of Yantian District of Shenzhen brings Hyatt Regency brand’s signature hospitality and connecting guests to the booming city
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) today announced the opening of Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian in the east Guangdong Province, China. The 298-room hotel aims to bring the Hyatt Regency brand’s signature intuitive service and energizing experiences to business and leisure guests alike.
As part of a newly concepted Recreational Business District, Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian is located in the heart of Yantian District, neighboring Dameisha Beach and Overseas Chinese Town East along a 12 mile (19.5 kilometer) golden coast. Within an hour’s drive to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, the hotel is also half an hour to Shenzhen Railway Station and only a five minute drive to the Shatoujiao port of entry to Hong Kong.
“We sincerely appreciate the support from our owner Shenzhen Vanke Binhai Real Estate Ltd. and are excited to see the Hyatt Regency brand footprint grow in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA),” said Stephen Ho, president, Greater China, global operations at Hyatt. “We look forward to welcoming our guests to Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian with confidence for a world-class hospitality experience.”
Guestrooms
Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian was designed by the renowned HEITZ PARSONS SADEK and features 298 contemporary guest rooms with varied dimensions ranging from 462 square feet to more than 2,300 square feet (43 square meters to 215 square meters). There are 20 suites, four Regency Executive Suites and one Presidential Suite, all of which are spacious and located on the 41st to the 50th floor. Select rooms offer gorgeous ocean views and all rooms feature high-quality amenities and panoramic French windows. Guests staying in Club Access Rooms and Suites can enjoy the exclusive Regency Club benefits on the 49th floor.
Dining and Drinking
The hotel offers several fine dining restaurants that cater to varying tastes and group sizes, including:
XIANGYUE, a Chinese Restaurant on the 6th floor providing authentic Cantonese flavors as well as cuisines of neighboring areas. A comfortable experience that feels like dining in a country village, the restaurant’s layout includes a “Dai Pai Don” style open kitchen offering guests a high-touch taste of Cantonese life.
Market Café is a stylish all-day dining restaurant where guests can enjoy a collection of global delicacies. Whether buffet breakfast and dinner, or all-day a la carte service, Market Café will satisfy any taste with a flavorful option. The Lounge is the ideal place to gather friends or family and enjoy themed afternoon tea and various hand-crafted cocktails. Guests can also visit the Sky Lobby, ideal for connecting with colleagues over a vibrant scenery. For a stress-free meal, the hotel offers 24-hour in-room dining services with a range of selections available anytime.
Meetings and Events
To build a dynamic experience for groups that feels connected, motivated and inspired, the hotel events team will be at hand to support customers during conferences, special events and weddings. The hotel offers nearly 25,000 square feet (2,321 square meters) of meeting and event space in total, including a 12,916 square foot (1,200-square meter) pillar-free grand ballroom and five salons equipped with high-tech audio and video systems. Additionally, the ballroom foyer provides more than 6,500 square feet (612 square meters) of flexible pre-functional space to perfectly showcase the creativity of any event.
The scenic surroundings at Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian create the perfect backdrop for weddings of all sizes. A bridal suite with separate fitting room and living room is situated right beside the grand ballroom to deliver a brilliant wedding experience.
Wellbeing
Guests can relax in the hotel’s refreshing outdoor pool or work out anytime at the hotel’s fully equipped fitness center featuring state-of-the-art equipment.
“Inspired by the hotel’s surroundings, the hotel was built with the concept of bringing the forest into the city, offering guests a place to take a deep breath of fresh air and bask in the beautiful scenery,” said Mary Liu, general manager of Hyatt Regency Shenzhen Yantian. “As a bridge between GBA and the Pearl River Delta area, Shenzhen is at the core of this booming region. We are delighted to deliver Hyatt’s well-known expertise in food and beverage and full range of services and amenities for a productive stay.
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today proudly announced it has been named the number one domestic airline in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2019. Each year, the readers of Travel + Leisure, the largest travel brand in the United States, vote on their favorite airlines, destinations, hotels, and more. Now approaching 20 years of low-fare flying, JetBlue continues to put the customer at the center of the travel experience in ways no airline can match.
“Whether it’s new planes on new routes, our customer comfort and inflight connectivity, or our airport amenities and caring crewmembers, JetBlue strives to lead the industry in every aspect of air travel,” said Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer. “Honors like this from Travel + Leisure show that the dedication of our 22,000+ crewmembers is truly making a difference in the experiences of our customers each day and we couldn’t be prouder.”
This recognition comes as JetBlue recently took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo aircraft and announced future orders for the A321LR, A321XLR and A220-300 aircraft. Together the aircraft will usher in the next chapter of the JetBlue story with unmatched fuel savings, a best-in-class customer experience from award-winning crewmembers, and the promise to broaden the customer-focused airline’s reach within the Americas and into Europe in the years ahead.
At the same time, JetBlue continues to make significant investments in its current fleet and customer experience through the restyling of its A320 aircraft. JetBlue’s newest Airbus A320 cabin experience officially took flight this spring and introduces a new era of comfort and connectivity to travelers, bringing to the skies the widest seats available for this aircraft and the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (a). The refreshed experience also offers an unparalleled inflight entertainment (IFE) experience with 100+ channels of DIRECTV® and hundreds of free movies and shows, expanded coverage of free Fly-Fi® broadband connectivity almost everywhere JetBlue flies (b) and much more.
Additionally, JetBlue continues to expand its award-winning premium Mint experience on cross-country routes and in the Caribbean and Latin America. Currently, the airline operates more than 80 daily Mint flights in 15 JetBlue cities. On most of these routes, JetBlue is the only airline to offer regularly scheduled flights with a lie flat seat, which complements other Mint amenities including tapas-style dining, Hayward and Hopper amenity kits, dessert from local artisanal ice cream makers and award-winning service from hospitality-trained crewmembers.
“For 24 years, our readers have been voting in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards,” said Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief, Travel + Leisure. “This annual franchise is a global collection of the top hotels, islands, cities, cruise lines, airlines, and more. Brands and properties from all over the world—from Peru to Japan, India to Italy, and right here at home in the United States—are recognized by our audience because they deliver on exceptional experiences, rooted in a sense of place. I congratulate all of this year’s winners, who have worked so hard to be among the world’s best.”
JetBlue’s honor from Travel + Leisure comes on the heels of JetBlue being named Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Low Cost Carriers in the J.D. Power 2019 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. The airline has also recently picked up awards for its TrueBlue loyalty program, the JetBlue mobile app and was awarded for “Best Regional Business Class” and Overall “Passenger Comfort” in North America by TripAdvisor.
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV), in partnership with Discovery Channel, launched a campaign bringing the fun of Shark Week to flying fans this summer. The carrier is celebrating Shark Week throughout July, ahead of Shark Week on Discovery beginning Sunday, July 28.
“Our Shark Week partnership brings fun through unique offerings for our Customers and Employees,” said Brandy King, Director of External Communication who oversees the airline’s Brand Partnerships and Entertainment Public Relations initiatives. “Whether on the ground with augmented reality experiences and gate games hosted by our Employees, to inflight exclusive content on our Shark Week On-Demand Channel, or through our social channels with engaging content and a special sweepstakes, we’ll be celebrating Sharks all month.”
Southwest brings Shark Week to fans through all phases of travel and, this year, extends the immersion straight into their homes. Through an augmented reality experience, Shark Week fans engaging with Southwest through the carrier’s social channels and in airports across the country will be encouraged to “swim with sharks” by using the augmented reality experience, accessible via swa.is/sharkweek. Fans can download a filter on their cell phones to select from the five most-popular sharks featured in Shark Week programming (Great White Shark, Hammerhead Shark, Mako Shark, Tiger Shark, and Bull Shark) to swim across their screens, and share a photo or video of the experience to their social channels using #SharksTakeFlight.
Customers traveling this summer will be able to experience the fun of Shark Week in a variety of ways. While inflight, Customers can enjoy jawsome content via the Onboard Entertainment Portal’s custom Shark Week TV Series Channel. The Shark Week TV Series Channel houses a library of Shark Week episodes that Customers can sink their teeth into, plus a never-before-seen episode, Extinct or Alive: The Lost Shark, which Customers can watch nearly 30 days ahead of its premiere during Shark Week. The feeding frenzy continues as Southwest Customers tune in to Shark Week on Discovery Channel beginning Sunday, July 28, and continuing through Sunday, August 4, via Live TV onboard Southwest WiFi-equipped flights.
Southwest Employees also are getting in on Shark Week fun! Beginning July 8, Employees in 40 Southwest airports will display Shark Week materials in gate areas with which Customers can interact. Delivering on Southwest’s legendary Customer Service and Hospitality, Southwest Employees will host gate games to entertain fliers and celebrate the 31st anniversary of Shark Week, one of the most popular and longest-running televised summer events in history.
For fans who want to experience a diving excursion, Southwest is hosting a Dare to Dive sweepstakes from July 1-31 giving a chance to land a trip to Nassau, Bahamas, to enjoy a diving experience*. Anyone may visit Southwest.com/sharkweek for a chance to win roundtrip air travel (does not include taxes and fees of at least $5.60 per one-way flight) for winner and three guests, a $3,000 gift card to The Island House, a boutique hotel, and a $375 gift card to Stuart Cove’s for a diving excursion.
One of the most popular and longest-running televised summer events, Shark Week has celebrated cartilaginous creatures for more than 30 years. This year, viewers can enjoy hours of new content that will answer some of your most pressing shark-related questions. This year’s programming will immerse fans in the lives of sharks all around the world, from the Caribbean Sea to the island of Guadalupe, and many places in between.
*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of 50 United States and the District of Columbia, excluding Alaska, age 19 years or older at time of entry. Limit one entry per person per day. All fields must be completed. Approximate retail value of prize: $4,975.00. For complete details and Official Rules, visit http://www.southwest.com/sharkweek. By submitting an entry, you agree to the Official Rules. By entering, information collected will be used in accordance with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy at Southwest.com. Sponsor: Southwest Airlines Co., 2702 Love Field Dr. Dallas, TX 75235. Enter by July 31, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. E.T. Air travel does not include taxes and fees of at least $5.60 per one-way flight.
Addition of Alila Hotels provides World of Hyatt loyalty members even more places to earn and redeem points and connect to exclusive experiences across distinct hotels and resorts
CHICAGO (June 25, 2019) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) today announced the introduction of Alila Hotels into the World of Hyatt loyalty program beginning June 25, 2019. This program expansion allows World of Hyatt members to enjoy more unique stay options, the ability to earn and redeem points and enjoy in-hotel benefits at 16 participating Alila properties located throughout Asia, Southwest Asia and the U.S. This program addition quickly follows Hyatt’s November 2018 acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality and its recent integration of the Thompson Hotels and Joie de Vivre brands, with the Destination Hotels brand set to follow later this year.
16 Alila hotels are joining World of Hyatt beginning June 25, 2019 through July 16, 2019, including:
Ventana Big Sur – an Alila Resort – Big Sur, California (June 25)
Alila Solo – Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia (June 25)
Alila Seminyak – Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia (June 25)
Studios at Alila Seminyak – Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia (June 25)
Alila Ubud – Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia (June 25)
Alila Villas Uluwatu – Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia (June 25)
Alila Manggis – Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia (June 26)
Alila SCBD – Jakarta, Java, Indonesia (June 26)
Alila Diwa Goa – Salcette, Goa, India (July 15)
The Diwa Club by Alila – Salcette, Goa, India (July 15)
Alila Jabal Akhdar – Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman (July 15)
Alila Fort Bishangarh – Jaipur, Rajasthan, India (July 16)
Alila Anji – Anji, Zhejiang, China (July 16)
Alila Wuzhen – Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China (July 16)
“Following the additions of the Thompson Hotels and Joie de Vivre brands into World of Hyatt, we are thrilled to introduce Alila as the next former Two Roads brand to join the loyalty program,” said Amy Weinberg, senior vice president, World of Hyatt. “Alila is an award-winning brand known for its combination of innovative design and eco-luxury in unique locations, set apart by an unprecedented level of private space, crafted artisanship, personalized hospitality, and bespoke journeys. We are looking forward to offering our World of Hyatt members the opportunity to discover even more unique destinations and exclusive experiences at these remarkable properties while enjoying the rewards they’ve come to expect from World of Hyatt.”
Following the completion of the Alila Hotels integration on July 16, 2019, more than 40 hotels across the Thompson Hotels, Joie de Vivre and Alila brands will have joined World of Hyatt in many new destinations including Zihuatanejo, Mexico, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, and more.
Exclusive Alila FIND Experiences
Additionally, as part of the Alila brand integration, World of Hyatt members will be able to participate in uniquely crafted, authentic experiences at participating Alila hotels and resorts through the FIND experience platform, all of which will align with Hyatt’s three landmarks of wellbeing: Feel, Fuel and Function. Available for members to redeem using points, these specially curated experiences will be focused on enhancing mind and body, through offerings like the Balinese Beauty Ritual at Alila Seminyak, Seminyak, Indonesia; Journey to Gastronomy at Alila Villas Uluwatu, Uluwatu, Indonesia; Payangan “Private Bali” Trekking to explore rice terraces and riverside views at Alila Ubud, Gianyar, Indonesia; and Snorkeling the Blue Lagoon in Bali at Alila Manggis, Karangasem, Indonesia.
Exclusive World of Hyatt Member Offer
To celebrate, members can earn 2,000 Bonus Points for their first
qualifying stay exploring each of the new brands for a total of up to
8,000 Bonus Points, plus a free night when they experience all four
brands this year. Eligible stays at participating hotels begin once each
property participates in World of Hyatt and are valid through December
31, 2019. No registration is required. Full terms for these offers are
below. These offers are combinable with other program offers, and are
part of World of Hyatt’s continued commitment to increasing rewarding
offerings for its global members.
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. casino operator Eldorado Resorts Inc has agreed to merge with Caesars Entertainment Corp in a cash and stock deal that values its peer at about $18 billion including debt, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.
The agreement comes three months after Reuters reported that Caesars had agreed to give Eldorado access to its books under pressure from billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who earlier this year was awarded seats on Caesars’ board.
The deal, which is expected to be announced on Monday, values Caesars at close to $13 a share, according to the sources. The combined company’s ownership would be split roughly between Eldorado and Caesars shareholders, the sources said.
The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. An Eldorado spokesman said the company did not comment on rumors or speculation. Caesars did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The combination of the two companies would create a serious competitor to larger casino industry players, such as Las Vegas Sands Corp, Wynn Resorts Ltd and MGM Resorts International.
Caesars’ shares closed on Friday at $9.99. The company, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2017, operates casinos with the Harrah’s and Horseshoe brands. It had 53 properties in 14 U.S. states and five countries outside the United States at the end of December.
Eldorado has a market value of $4 billion. It also had long-term debt at the end of March of $3.1 billion. It owns and operates 26 properties in 12 U.S. states.
(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis; Editing by Peter Cooney)
LAS VEGAS, June 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT) today reported preliminary passenger traffic results for May 2019.
May 2019 estimated average fuel cost per gallon – system $2.32
Allegiant Travel Company
Las Vegas-based Allegiant (ALGT) is an integrated travel company with an airline at its heart, focused on connecting customers with premier leisure experiences – from vacations to hometown family entertainment. Since 1999, Allegiant Air has linked travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class vacation destinations, with all-nonstop flights and industry-low average fares, as well as hotel rooms and rental cars available exclusively through the company’s website, Allegiant.com. Today, Allegiant serves more than 450 routes across the country, with base airfares less than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. Allegiant’s Sunseeker Resorts division is currently under construction with its inaugural resort property, Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor in Southwest Florida – a unique waterside integrated resort like no other. A growing group of Allegiant Nonstop family entertainment centers offer state-of-the art indoor sports and games to thrill seekers of all ages, while TeeSnap helps golf courses thrive and enhance customer experience through an innovative suite of technology tools for course scheduling, point of sale and more. For more information, visit us at Allegiant.com. Media information, including photos, is available at http://gofly.us/iiFa303wrtF
ALGT/G
Note: This news release was accurate at the date of issuance. However, information contained in the release may have changed. If you plan to use the information contained herein for any purpose, verification of its continued accuracy is your responsibility.
LONDON (Reuters) – Thomas Cook has set a deadline of May 7 for expressions of interest in its airline business, with Indigo Partners and Lufthansa among the likely bidders, sources said.
The heavily-indebted British travel group put its profitable airline business up for sale in February after profit warnings in 2018 left it needing to raise cash.
Thomas Cook’s airlines business consists of Germany’s Condor, as well as British, Scandinavian and Spanish operations.
A sale of the business, in whole or in part, would enable the world’s oldest tour operator to invest more in its own hotels and improve its online sales.
A source familiar with the discussions said that Indigo and Germany’s Lufthansa appeared most interested in the business.
British Airways owner IAG should not be ruled out and easyJet has engaged in talks but is seen as less interested, the source added.
It is not clear whether Ireland’s Ryanair would bid.
Another source said that private equity groups KKR and Apollo might also look at taking over the whole of Thomas Cook.
The airlines business would provide access to valuable European slots linking Britain to Spain, Greece and Turkey.
Thomas Cook, Indigo, IAG and easyJet declined to comment, while Lufthansa and Ryanair were not immediately available.
Lufthansa executives have said repeatedly that the German airline wants to “play an active role” in consolidation.
Indigo, the private equity firm managed by Bill Franke, the veteran U.S. low-cost airline investor, has previously made investments in several airlines including Hungary’s Wizz.
Thomas
Cook has been revamping different parts of its business this year,
closing high street stores and reviewing its money division as it
focuses on holidays.
The company was hit badly in 2018 when a hot European summer deterred customers from booking holidays through the year.
One banking source said the airline would fetch less than 1 billion euros (£859 million). Thomas Cook has a current market value of just over £400 million.
Sources said that competition issues could influence which parts of the business different suitors go for.
Sky News has said China’s Fosun International, a Thomas Cook shareholder, was interested in its tour business.
(Reporting by Kate Holton and Clara Denina in London; additional reporting by Alistair Smout and Georgina Prodhan in London and Arno Schuetze in Frankfurt; Editing by Alexander Smith)
FILE PHOTO: A Thomas Cook Airbus A321-200 airplane takes off at the airport in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, July 28, 2018. REUTERS/Paul Hanna/File Photo
Lettering used in Eero Saarinen’s 1960s TWA Flight Center at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York provided the cues for the branding of the new hotel in the terminal building.
Graphic design firmPentagram was enlisted to create the new typeface for the TWA Hotel at JFK in Queens, New York City, which is slated to open 15 May following an extensive renovation of the old terminal.
Called Flight Center Gothic, the new typeface was based on the branding and way finding that Finnish-American architect Saarinen designed for the airport building when it opened in 1962.
Safdie Architects has revealed its plans to extend its Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore by adding a fourth tower.
The new stand-alone tower will contain more hotel rooms and take cues from the existing glass buildings, which were completed by Safdie Architects on Marina Bay in 2011.
Alongside the tower, the studio will also design a new entertainment district with a state of the art 15,000-seat music arena.
“Building on a long-term partnership with Las Vegas Sands corporation, we are delighted to embark upon a design for a major new addition to the iconic Marina Bay Sands in Singapore,” said the architecture studio in an Instagram post revealing the news.
