By Bev Fearis, published 21/10/20

Here’s a round-up of other business travel news this week:

British Airways has been fined £20m by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a data breach affecting more than 400,000 customers in 2018, which the airline didn’t detect for more than two months. The fine was significantly reduced due to the impact of Covid-19 on the aviation sector but is still the biggest ever imposed by the ICO.

The BTA has partnered with global serviced apartment specialists, CAP Worldwide, to provide its members with a range of exclusive deals and solutions. They will be able to access over 1.3 million extended-stay providers and serviced apartments globally through an exclusive microsite being developed. All accommodation booked through the programme will be verified to meet the required safe and secure, Covid-19 clean and local legal requirements.

American Airlines is making it easier for travel advisors to book and manage group travel through the launch of a new digital platform. The new platform provides real-time visibility into every aspect of a group’s itinerary and access to modify bookings 24/7. It will be rolled out to all travel advisors who manage points of sale in Europe by the end of 2020 and to those booking group travel from the U.S. and Canada in the first half of 2021. It is expected the new platform will become globally available in the next couple of years.

The ATPI Group has expanded its international partner network in key markets across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America. In Africa it has signed up Sun International in Egypt, Metroways et Tourisme in the Ivory Coast and Hemisphere Voyages in Senegal; in Europe ST Travel in Czech Republic; in Asia Business & Sport Travel in Kazakhstan; the Middle East with House of Travel in Qatar, and South America with Continental Travel in Peru.

Venuedirectory.com is providing a free automatic three-month extension to all venues distribution subscriptions to support the industry through the pandemic. As a further initiative, it is replacing its annual subscription model with a perpetual monthly model.