Germany


 

Current News

 

01.08.2008  
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Planned for Bremen, Germany

Marriott International will open a new 155-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Bremen, Germany in 2010. The hotel will be housed in two connected buildings, one of which will be the redevelopment/renovation of the historic Lloyd building, which dates to 1913 and was formerly used as a railway building for emigrants to the U.S. The building is partly listed and will contain the hotel’s restaurant, the fitness area, 69 guest rooms and approximately 3,650 square meters of office space. A six-story, new-build structure will house the remaining guest rooms and conference facilities. Both buildings will be connected by the hotel’s lobby and lounge.

The building site is directly located at the main train station and less than a kilometre from Bremen old town and a five-minute walk from a tram stop which connects Bremen to the main airport. The Bremen Exhibition Centre is approximately a 5-minute walk from the hotel.

“We are delighted with this addition to our upper-moderately-priced Courtyard hotel portfolio in Germany and to be represented in this important historic city,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s chief financial officer and president of Continental Europe.

The largest of Marriott International’s hotel brands with nearly 800 properties worldwide, Courtyard by Marriott hotels appeal to business travellers who actively balance the demands of business with their own demands for personal time. These travellers have an optimistic view of business travel and see the experience as an opportunity to get out and do new things.

For dining and entertainment, the Courtyard by Marriott Bremen will have a casual restaurant serving three meals daily and a spacious, lively lobby lounge and bar that will encourage impromptu social or mini-gatherings.

Recreational amenities will include a fitness centre and sauna. Additional amenities will encompass a business centre, a guest laundry and The Market which offers sundries and a selection of deli options for travellers on-the-go.

For conferences and social events, the hotel will have 3,841 square feet of function space in varying configurations and two boardrooms.

Currently, there are 12 Courtyard by Marriott hotels in Germany. The Marriott International portfolio in Germany today consists of 28 properties. Top

 

25.04.2008  
Delta Launches First Trans-Atlantic Flight from Salt Lake City to Paris

Delta Air Lines started a nonstop service between Salt Lake City International Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport on June 2, 2008. The flights, operating as part of Delta’s joint venture with SkyTeam partner Air France, will be the first trans-Atlantic service ever offered by any airline from Salt Lake City and will be the only nonstop service operated by a U.S. carrier between the Western United States and Paris. Delta will operate daily service with a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft seating up to 216 passengers.

Additionally, customers flying in the business cabin on Delta’s new flights between Salt Lake City and Paris will enjoy enhanced service including new seats with improved cushioning and the same 60 inches of legroom and wide-angle recline that have made BusinessElite® a customer favorite. Customers will experience new innovative food offerings designed by celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein, original wine selections by Andrea Robinson, exclusively designed signature cocktails by nightlife proprietor Rande Gerber and industry-leading, on-demand, personal in-seat entertainment boasting more than 20 first-run and popular classic movies, a variety of TV programs, a broad range of music, and a suite of 12 video games. Delta recently added full-size pillows, duvets and modern and stylish dinnerware to its onboard offerings. Top

 

29.04.2008  
Lufthansa introduces boarding via mobile phone - Paperless travel thanks to innovative barcode technology

Since 28 April, passengers flying Lufthansa from Hamburg to Munich or Frankfurt will be able to use the new mobile boarding pass service. With this innovative service, passengers who have an Internet-enabled phone can be sent an electronic boarding pass by email or SMS link. The mobile boarding pass contains the relevant flight data, such as the name of the traveller, flight number and departure time, plus a 2-D barcode. Passengers travelling with hand luggage only can then proceed straight to the security checkpoint and to the gate, where the barcode on their mobile boarding pass will be read by a scanner. This means they can then board the aircraft without a printed paper document.

To take advantage of this new service, passengers simply have to select the option “Mobile Boarding Pass” after checking in online via the mobile.lufthansa.com portal. Once they have entered and confirmed their email address on the next screen, an electronic document will be sent to them immediately. Alternatively, they can check in via an SMS link. In this case, an SMS with a link to an Internet page containing all the flight information and a 2-D barcode is sent to the number of the Internet-enabled mobile phone number entered by the passenger on the screen. All that passengers have to do before boarding is call up and display the Internet page. From May, the SMS check-in service will also be available to status customers.

After an eight-week pilot phase, the mobile boarding pass will be gradually introduced on most domestic routes in Germany this summer. From August, this latest electronic boarding pass optionwill also be available to passengers checking in online via lufthansa.com.

Online check-in with additional functions
Online check-in will also have other advantages for Lufthansa customers in future. From the beginning of May, passengers will be able to enter travel data such as passport and visa details via www.lufthansa.com while checking in on their PC at home or at the office. Check-in via the Internet will thus also be possible for flights to Canada, Mexico, South America and selected destinations in the Middle East and Africa. As identification, passengers will then be able to use a Miles & More or credit card or a frequent flyer card for other Star Alliance member Airlines such as British Midland, US Airways, TAP Air Portugal or Spanair. Another innovation is that families with children aged at least two will also be able to check in online. Top

 

12.03.2008  
Scandinavian Airlines to launch San Francisco route

SAS Scandinavian Airlines is planning to commence its Copenhagen - San Francisco route during spring next year. It will be SAS' fifth new intercontinental route within a two-year period, including the new Copenhagen - Delhi route that will launch on October 27.

"This new route shows our commitment to provide our customers with more direct intercontinental links to and from Northern Europe," says Lars Sandahl Sørensen, Chief Executive Officer, SAS International. "In the last year we have launched Stockholm - Beijing, Stockholm - Bangkok and Copenhagen - Dubai, while we will also commence flights between Copenhagen and Delhi later this year."

"San Francisco becomes our fifth US destination and the second on the West Coast after Seattle," adds Sandahl Sørensen. "For years we have offered our customers flights to San Francisco via our gateways of Seattle and Chicago, so we are particularly excited about offering a direct link between San Francisco and Northern Europe."

The Copenhagen - San Francisco route will be served by an Airbus A340-300 with a three class configuration of Business, Economy Extra and Economy. SAS will be one of very few airlines to offer a premium Economy class between Europe and San Francisco. SAS' Economy Extra class, which features a number of Business class benefits, was also upgraded last month and now includes dedicated cabin crew, an improved meal service and better comfort onboard. Top

 

05.03.2008  
Delta Air Lines First U.S. Carrier to Take Delivery of Boeing 777-200LR

Delta Air Lines takes another step forward in its strategy to become customers’ global airline of choice with delivery of the first of eight Boeing 777-200LR Longer Range jets scheduled to enter its fleet by early 2009. By adding the world’s longest range commercial jetliner to its fleet, Delta bolsters its ability to connect customers and cargo between virtually any two cities around the globe, nonstop. The aircraft will enter scheduled service March 8 flying between Atlanta and Los Angeles and will fly on March 9 from Atlanta to Tokyo.

The new 777-200LR is the flagship aircraft for Delta’s new global product, including fully horizontal personal sleeper suites in BusinessElite®, next-generation, more comfortable seats in coach, and Delta’s on-demand entertainment system on larger screens at every seat.

BusinessElite customers will enjoy new features, including:

  • Reclining seats that adjust to multiple comfortable positions, including a completely flat 6-foot 3-inch bed;
  • Privacy screens incorporating pull-out meal table, fold-out 10.6-inch personal video screen, integrated footrest and personal stowage compartment for bags, shoes or blankets;
  • Immediate access to the aisle so customers do not have to disturb another passenger when exiting their seat;
  • USB ports offering charging ability for personal MP3 players.

Delta plans to offer sleeper suites with these amenities on its entire 777 fleet by 2010. Top

 

07.02.2008  
Scandinavian Airlines upgrades Economy Extra on long-haul routes

SAS Scandinavian Airlines has upgraded its premium economy class, Economy Extra, on its long-haul route network. The service class, which is aimed at both business travelers and discerning leisure travelers, now has dedicated crew, an improved meal service and an enhanced attention to detail.

"Constant improvement is important in our ambition to keep Economy Extra at the leading edge of the airline industry," says Gunilla Ait El Mekki, Director Product Concepts, SAS International. "We are continuously reviewing our product offerings and we felt it was natural to upgrade certain in-flight aspects. We have focused both on the quantity and quality of food, as well as how we present it."

"Economy Extra is a unique selling point for SAS, and is a service class that attracts both business travelers and leisure travelers wanting an alternative to Economy," says Lars Sandahl Sørensen, Chief Executive Officer, SAS International. "Economy Extra offers our customers a wide range of superior benefits, such as Business class check-in; bigger, wider and more comfortable seats; audio/video-on-demand; and a more attentive service. It is therefore key for us to continuously review our product offering to ensure it is a class of its own."

The recent Economy Extra upgrade, which was introduced 1 February, 2008, includes improved quality of ingredients and the introduction of new starters and desserts. Passengers now receive a larger meal tray, with an Orrefors wineglass, and a larger second meal service.

Scandinavian Airlines introduced Economy Extra in 2002 on all long-haul routes. Compared to Economy class, Economy Extra passengers enjoy wider (47cm/18"), more comfortable seats with almost a metre (38") of legroom in a separate cabin. Customers can check in at Business class counters and are eligible for Fast Track security (where available), as well as priority boarding. Passengers are also entitled to greater baggage allowance, both for check-in and an additional piece of hand luggage to take onboard.

Onboard, Economy Extra passengers receive a pre-departure drink; a cocktail and snack; a three-course dinner and coffee/tea with liqueurs; drinks, fruit and cold snacks between meals; and a meal prior to landing. All Economy Extra passengers also receive a comfort kit and a personal water bottle. Top