InterContinental Hotels Group has today announced the first European Holiday Inn Hotels to open as part of its US$1 billion global brand relaunch.

The relaunch aims to revitalise the Holiday Inn brand to create a more contemporary brand image.

Features of the new style hotels include new signage, redesigned entrance areas, upgraded guest rooms and new service standards.

Eleven Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as 19 in the US and six across the Asia Pacific will showcase the new-look brand to gather owner and guest feedback.

The company says the global roll-out, which will include over 4000 hotels, is expected to be completed by 2010.

Scandinavian Airlines claims to be at the forefront of attempts to cut aviation greenhouse gas emissions through the use of ‘green approach flights’.

The technique calculates the aircraft’s landing time in advance and thus allows the pilot to glide the aircraft for the final stage of the flight with engines operating at a lower speed.

“If we can introduce the green approach concept around the world, the fuel and environmental savings will be enormous,” said Scandinavian Airlines' GM Australia Lars Olofsson.

Emirates has announced that from 26 October this year it will add its fourth US destination - daily direct services between Dubai and San Francisco.

Emirates will operate its new Boeing 777-200LR on the route, with 266 seats in three classes.

The flight will take about 16 hours, with the route being Emirates’ fifth new destination announced this year.