British Airways offers new online facilities

British Airways (BA) has launched advanced online services to make travelling easier and ?more pleasant?. As from now, any passenger will be able to retrieve, cancel or obtain refund for a booking and even check-in online. The facilities don?t stop there. Passengers can now choose their flight, request a seat, order their meal online. BA customers can also book a hotel, rent a car and plan their trip on the BA website.

Noblesse saved at the last minute

Noblesse, the shirt manufacturer, is going through tough times with the emergence of low-cost producers such as India or China. But it has been rescued from bankruptcy by one of the biggest local textile groups, Ciel. ?We want to avoid any job losses and I believe we should succeed,? declared the manager, Nicolas de Robillard. There is no question of buying the shirt factory out; Ciel will only take over the management of the company. Thanks to its ?experience, logistics and commercial strengths?, Nicolas de Robillard is sure that Ciel will bring a lot to Noblesse.

New Boeing 777-200LR to go further and quicker

The newborn Boeing was presented to the public in Seattle last week. The ?worldliner? doesn?t have a great capacity but it can travel up to 14 600 kilometres non-stop. It embodies the strategy of Boeing, which believes that airlines don?t need big aircraft but long-haul ones. As for Airbus, its strategy is totally different as it thinks that big aircraft are needed to carry more passengers while reducing airport traffic. Though the new Boeing aircraft could make non-stop trips from Mauritius to anywhere in the world, Air Mauritius is not interested in buying any for the moment. They have a bigger capacity than what the local airline needs.

Price of cement goes up

?The ex-Fort George price of Portland cement will increase from MUR 115 to MUR 135 per 150 kg bag with effect from 19 February.? This communiqué released by the minister of Trade will not please people who intend to build houses but it is now a fact and the rise is considered as inevitable. The price can reach up to Rs 144.50 for 50 kg in southern regions as the price involves the retailer?s profit margin as well as transport costs. During the last three years, the price of cement has risen by 60%.