Miscellaneous

✈️ In 2024, business travel demand rose, with global travel expenditure increasing despite challenges. Airline fares increased by 2.6%, while Business Class and Premium Economy fares rose 5.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Airlines are redefining corporate contracts, making discounts tougher to secure. NDC adoption is growing, offering competitive fares. Travel managers must adapt to evolving airline strategies, focusing on joint ventures, loyalty programs, and NDC to maintain efficiency and traveler satisfaction. Looking forward to 2026, agility is crucial.

🍴 Old Course Hotel in St Andrews will launch a chef series at Road Hole Restaurant. On November 1, 2025, Alex Dilling, a two-Michelin-star chef from Hotel Café Royal, will present a menu featuring dishes like roasted organic chicken with haggis. The series continues on March 7, 2026, with Irish chef Rachel Allen, who will offer Irish-inspired dishes and a special afternoon tea for International Women’s Day on March 8. Local produce from Fife will be highlighted throughout.

🏦 Air Canada, 2023, Europe & beyond: Bag Tracking feature now available for flights from London, Paris, Dublin, Edinburgh, Rome, Milan, Copenhagen, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Bogotá, Cancun, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Mexico City, Punta Cana, and Tulum. The Air Canada app offers real-time luggage tracking, including carousel and transfer details, plus notifications for delays. Originally launched in 2023, this service enhances travel peace of mind.

🍴 Bret Thorn, a senior food & beverage editor at Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, has been with NRN since 1999. He studied at Tufts University (BA in history, 1990) and Le Cordon Bleu, Paris (1986). Thorn authored entries for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food (2012) and the Oxford Companion to Sugar (2015). In 2014, he was inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier. Thorn resides in Brooklyn, NY, and has expertise in food trends, French cuisine, and Asian cuisines.

🍴 Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor at Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999, resides in Brooklyn. He graduated magna cum laude from Tufts in 1990 and studied French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu. He worked in Thailand before joining the New York Sun (2005-2008). Thorn authored entries in the Oxford Encyclopedia (2012, 2015) and won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award. Inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014, he presided over IFEC in 2005.

🍳 Former chef with 17 years of experience shares insights on menu design in hotels. He argues that chefs shouldn't write menus, emphasizing comfort food over cleverness for guest satisfaction. Highlighting kitchen pressures like staffing and equipment issues, he advises against chef-focused menus in favor of guest-preferred dishes. Chef-led restaurants have their place, but most hotel dining should prioritize guest cravings for repeated patronage.

🔹 Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old father, was assassinated last week in front of thousands, sparking widespread grief. Despite controversy surrounding him, he inspired many with his debates and beliefs. Approximately 1,000 followers unfollowed the author for mourning Kirk's death, emphasizing a call for love over hate. Kirk's death highlights the need for unity, transcending political divides, and fostering beauty and kindness. The author, a follower of Jesus, urges creating beauty and living by values worth dying for.

✈️ Partners of GO7 can now activate reciprocal interlining with 300+ carriers globally through FLEXFLIGHT. FLEXFLIGHT recently joined IATA’s Multilateral Interline Traffic Agreement (MITA), simplifying airline cooperation. This allows access to 190+ markets worldwide by signing a one-page MITA concurrence via IATA's portal. Peer Winter from GO7 highlights the streamlined process enhances connectivity and revenue. FLEXFLIGHT, a W2-coded carrier, recently achieved IOSA certification and full IATA membership, reinforcing its global aviation standards.

📩 PKFARE partners with Argentina's Flybondi, a leading low-cost carrier, to offer exclusive rates via its API to over 2,000 distribution partners. Flybondi can now extend its reach to key markets in LATAM, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America. Intra-regional travel in 2025 has increased by 10.2%, with Flybondi's routes covering Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru. PKFARE has direct connections with over 40 airlines, enhancing competitive fares and broadening travel options globally.

🍴 Arthur's Market opens this autumn on King’s Road with unique offerings. It features premium groceries, an exclusive fish counter, and a butcher. ASA Izakaya, a 12-seat sushi bar, extends to a 30-seat dining space by night, with dishes like Squid Kasudzuke Nigiri. Salvador offers 25 counter seats and European small plates. Chef Shaulan Steenson leads ASA, focusing on fresh Japanese cuisine. Arthur's Market collaborates with Prince Arthur for unique wine and supplies premium local and imported produce.