IN THE AIR ➔ New look for Finnair


three years old, says Konttinen. “Customer surveys suggest we're among the best in our market in terms of quality, and that we're small enough as a company to make a change and be different.“ The new image will be rolled


out from this month, with long- haul aircraft all carrying the new livery by the end of the year, and the short-haul fleet complete by 2013. Says Finnair's president and


FINNAIR is launching a new corporate identity in a bid to strengthen its position in the competitive Europe to Asia market. The development is part of the carrier's long-term Vision 2020 plan. Jarkko Konttinen, head of global marketing for Finnair, says, “We are now 87 years old and around a year ago we


AIRBERLIN MOVES IN AT GATWICK


AIRBERLIN has announced it will use London Gatwick as a new UK base, offering direct scheduled services to the German cities of Nuremberg and Hanover. The two routes will begin operating in February, and will see Gatwick become the only UK airport with direct flights to Nuremberg. Airberlin is the second European airline in the last 18 months to choose Gatwick as its London base, with Norwegian moving its entire operation from Stansted to Gatwick in mid- 2009. The airport is currently investing £1billion to mod- ernise facilities, improve customer services and bolster public transport links with London in a bid to attract 40million passengers a year by 2018.


concluded that we had to change our identity to better compete in this market. The new look will be across every- thing the passenger sees – that's the logo, the uniforms, in lounges, the aircraft livery and cabin interiors.“ There will be no new seat design as the average age of Finnair aircraft and product is


ceo Mika Vehviläinen, “Our growth will come mainly from Europe-Asia traffic. Success in this highly competitive international market requires that we stand out positively and boldly both externally and in terms of service content.“ He continues, “All customers


are important to us. Our target group, however, consists of the passengers who travel in their work between Asia and Europe irrespective of travel class,“ adds Vehviläinen.


ETIHAD'S NORTHERN INVESTMENT


Five minutes with... Michael Schaefer


PROFILE


General Manager WYNDHAM GRAND LONDON CHELSEA HARBOUR


Michael has over twenty years experience in the hotel industry, latterly as general manager at the Wyndham Grand, London, where has been pivotal in firmly establishing the hotel as the global flagship property of Wyndham Worldwide. He prides himself on providing guests a five-star experience with unsurpassed service.


What is your most memorable business travel trip and why? The first business trip I remember was a trip to Epernay, while I was doing my apprenticeship. Not really a business trip in the true sense of the word, but remarkable nonetheless. It is all about organisation, which is made easier if you have a beautiful location for the meeting in the first place. I still remember the trip not only because it included a lengthy Champagne tasting and an elaborate dinner, but also because the actual business part of the trip appeared to happen effortlessly.


What is your worst business travel experience and why? I had to go to Dublin and unfortunately chose to go with a budget carrier. That in itself was an experience – I don’t believe that these operators actually offer as good a value, as they promise. At that time Dublin airport was nothing but a big pub and on the way back we were delayed what felt like all day. Airport operators really should focus on the passenger areas that are not given over to retail in order to improve the experience. Although I have to say that Dublin is somewhat better now and I really like the facilities at Heathrow’s Terminal 5.


ETIHAD Airways has opened a premium lounge in Manchester Airport as part of its ongoing commitment to drive business in the Northwest, a route which has seen a 60 per cent increase in capacity. Located in terminal one, the


318m2 lounge offers five-star dining facilities with a selection of international cuisine, a business centre providing individual workstations, a family room, a relaxation area, high-comfort leather chairs and reading material, luxurious bathrooms and shower facilities


and a prayer room. The new lounge out of Manchester follows similar ventures in Abu Dhabi, London, and Frankfurt. Manchester’s addition includes specially designed gallery showcasing memorabilia of Manchester City Football Club, which Etihad has sponsored since 2009. Andrew Harrison, Manchester Airport’s managing director says, “Etihad's Abu Dhabi service is a crucial link between our two regions and the addition of a premium lounge demonstrates real confidence in this relationship.”


What is your favourite destination? Tokyo. I love the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. It is alien and familiar at the same time, the facilities are very good and I like the way things are organised. It is remarkably easy to find your way around.


What three items do you never leave home without when on business? My iPhone, MacBook Pro and my Tempur travel pillow.


What single thing could be done to improve your role in business travel? I love being chauffeur driven, so having my own full-time chauffeur would be a real treat.


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