Business Traveller rounds up some of the top stories from the world of business travel during 2012.
January
- UK government gives go-ahead to HS2 high-speed rail line
- Air Asia X announces Gatwick withdrawal
- Carlson and Rezidor align brands
- Spanair suspends operations
- Thai Airways axes non-stop US service
February
- Starwood revamps SPG loyalty scheme
- Malev ceases operations
- Iberia moves to Heathrow T5
- BA and JAL unveil joint business agreement
- Delta ceases Gatwick services
March
- Travelodge opens 500th hotel
- AA launches Main Cabin Extra seat
- Virgin Atlantic unveils new JFK Clubhouse
- Qatar Airways unveils Dreamliner seats
- Lufthansa unveils new fully-flat business class
- Kingfisher cuts international routes
- Air Berlin joins Oneworld
- Eva Air announces Star Alliance membership
April
- EU approves IAG purchase of Bmi
- BA unveils Olympic Dove livery
- Heathrow passes 70 million passengers mark
- Thomson announces first Dreamliner routes
- Virgin unveils revamped Upper Class suite
- KLM confirms business class revamp
May
- Etihad buys stake in Aer Lingus
- BA announces return to Seoul
- Hilton Doha opens its doors
- BA starts Bmi integration
- Virgin drops Nairobi route
- Berlin airport delayed until 2013
- Saudia joins Skyteam
June
- SAA axes London-Cape Town route
- China Southern begins Heathrow flights
- Sri Lankan Airlines announces Oneworld membership
- Delta confirms wifi on long-haul flights
- Middle East Airlines joins Skyteam
July
- Malaysia Airlines launches A380 on London route
- United buys 150 Boeing 737 aircraft
- Hilton London Wembley opens
- United reveals Dreamliner livery
- BA confirms fully-flat seating on Bmi A321s
- Qatar Airways confirms Birmingham flights
- Air New Zealand unveils revamped logo and livery
- Starwood to open world's largest Sheraton
August
- Malta unveils new livery
- Holiday Inn celebrates 60th birthday
- SIA to launch new premium seating
- Virgin to launch Heathrow-Manchester flights
- United to fly Dreamliner to Heathrow
- Aerolineas Argentinas joins Skyteam
September
- Berlin airport delayed until October 2013
- Easyjet to roll out allocated seating
- Qantas forms global partnership with Emirates
- Bmibaby ceases operations
- Lufthansa to create budget brand
- United takes delivery of first Dreamliner
- BA to trial automatic check-in service
October
- West Coast Main Line franchise cancelled
- Qatar Airways to join Oneworld
- BAA brand to disappear
- Easyjet wins Moscow rights
- BA to drop Gatwick-Manchester route
November
- Air New Zealand to drop Hong Kong-London service
- IAG confirms Vueling bid
- Iberia losing €1.7 million per day
- LOT takes delivery of first Dreamliner
- Virgin wins Bmi Heathrow slots
- BA relaxes IFE restrictions
December
- Lufthansa plans premium economy seat
- Virgin confirms short-haul details
- BA confirms B787 and A380 layouts
- Delta to purchase 49 per cent stake in Virgin Atlantic
- Andaz Tokyo to open in 2014
- BA confirms Chengdu route
- Air Canada Rouge to launch with Edinburgh-Toronto service
What have we missed? What were your most important travel stories of 2012? Leave your comments below, or have your say in our forum.
