Businesstraveller.com compiles festives stories from the world of business travel.
The gift that keeps on giving
According to a survey of 3,500 guests by budget hotel chain Travelodge, the credit crunch is leading to more and more Brits recycling last year’s gifts in a bid to save money. Among the most popular recycled “presents” are repackaged CDs and DVDs, unused toiletries, and unwanted jewellery. In our own bid to save on valuable editorial resources, we’ll be recycling this story in the new year...
It’s a wrap
On the subject of recycling, Gatwick Express is offering customers a free “environmentally-friendly” gift wrapping service this week. Travellers who bring along recycled wrapping materials to the operators’s onboard first class lounge will have their gifts beautifully wrapped on the spot. The service is available until 1800 on December 24, so plenty of time to get that last-minute gift from duty free.
Calendar girls
Ryanair has once again produced its infamous charity calendar, featuring cabin girls modelling in various aviation-themed poses. Last year’s edition raised €70,000 for the Angels Quest charity, and this year all proceeds from the calendar go to the Dublin Simon Community. Rumours that Michael O’Leary will be posing in a male edition of the calendar next year are unfounded.
Mission imp-possible
Budget carrier Iceland Express has decorated its cabins with Icelandic imps for the festive period. Legend has it that the 13 characters appear in the weeks before Christmas, causing havoc wherever they go. They also secretly leave gifts in the shoes of well-behaved children, which given the strict security rules at airports these days means you’ll probably find them hiding in the x-ray machines.
Lighten up
Any business travellers who end up consuming a few too many turkey dinners over the festive period, might like to tune into BBC World’s Fast Track travel show in January. The programme will be following two regular travellers as they attempt to become “fit to fly”, while encouraging viewers to do the same with advice on nutrition, sleep and rest, stress management, communication and building better business relationships. All this talk of getting fit has made me hungry – pass the mince pices…
Food for thought
British Airways is getting into the Christmas spirit by serving 38,000 Christmas turkey dinners to passengers over the festive period, along with 60,000 helpings of Christmas cake and 8,500 slices of chocolate log. There is however no truth in the rumour that Willie Walsh will welcome passengers dressed as Joseph alongside Branson’s Virgin Mary.
By Mark Caswell
