THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE I 39 THE REVIEW ›› THE ALTERNATIVE NEWS BA goes back in time
Red noses, airport gyms, wine tasting and James Bond – welcome to The Business Travel Magazine's Alternative News
BRITISH Airways has turned back the clock to celebrate 25 years of Red Nose Day. The airline is hosting an 80s ‘Gig in the Sky’ (featuring Bananarama, Tony Hadley, Kim Wilde and Go West) as a fund-raiser for its charity partner, as well as digging through its archives to find out what was hot – and what was not – in 1988. Duck a l’orange and English summer pudding were on the menu for its passengers; films being screened on board included Three Men and a Baby and Cry Freedom; and music options included Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder. A poll by the airline also revealed
GYM CLASS
A STRENUOUS workout is perhaps the last thing many passengers would choose to kill time while in transit, but Essential Travel says an increasing number of airports have gyms for those who feel the need to hop on a treadmill or lift some weights. Its top airport health and
fitness facilities include: Zurich Airport’s Fitness and Wellness Club, complete with a sauna in the shape of an aeroplane; Minneapolis Saint Paul’s ‘Start’ facility, which includes a 1.4-mile walking path around the terminals; San Francisco International’s Yoga Room; Singapore Changi’s Ambassador Hotel Fitness Centre, which can loan out gym kit; and, closer to home, the Marriott Leisure Club at Manchester Airport which has a solarium, just in case you feel the need to top up that tan.
the most popular travel-related songs from the decade, with Guns N Roses’ Paradise City closely followed by Wham’s Club Tropicana and Madonna’s Holiday. BA’s Heritage Collection
curator, Paul Jarvis, says, “The 80s was an exciting time for travel. In 1988 when the first Red Nose Day took place, far-flung countries were becoming more accessible. But there are some things that we’re happy to leave behind in the 80s, and smoking on board is definitely number one!”
GRAPE EXPECTATIONS
WE'RE not sure whether to envy or sympathise with master sommelier Andrea Robinson (pictured) whose task it was to select the wines for Delta Air Lines’ BusinessElite cabin. She sampled an astonishing
1,600 wines from more than 50 vineyards across the world – and whittled the selection down to just 22 that will be served onboard throughout the year. The week-long process saw
Andrea work her way through wines from Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Australia, Chile, South Africa and California, knowing that her efforts would lead to 1.5 million bottles of each selected wine being served in Business Elite in the year ahead. Factors such as the wine’s complexity and intensity
were taken into account, as well as the logistics of supply, together with the fact that reduced cabin humidity and pressure changes at 30,000 feet affect the taste buds. Robinson was particularly pleased with two selections she considers ‘discoveries’: the Banfi Rosa Regale dessert wine and the Barco Reale di Carmignano. “We want to inspire passengers to discover the world through our selection of wines and meals,” she says.
EAST COAST HAS LICENSE TO THRILL
EAST COAST has unveiled a new James Bond-themed train to mark the release of Skyfall on DVD. Wrapped in eye- catching artwork from the film and bearing the name Skyfall, the train will operate between Edinburgh and London – including the four-hour Flying Scotsman service – and was launched by the latest Miss Moneypenny actress, Naomie Harris. Skyfall features two classic train scenes, including a thrilling chase on the Istanbul railway in the opening sequence, but the inaugural journey of East Coast train 91007 was a little tamer and featured a blu-ray lounge screening the film and special Skyfall Martinis for its VIP passengers.
CONCIERGE CONUNDRUMS
LONDON'S Park Plaza County Hall hotel has several contenders for most unusual concierge request of 2012, but asking to visit Buckingham Palace by boat – because of course it has a moat – is our favourite. Another guest was left deflated when the hotel couldn’t arrange for her to skydive in Trafalgar Square; and one guest was horrified that she couldn’t have a certain kind of pet food couriered home to Egypt on a weekly basis.
48 THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE
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