Airlines upgrade to offset losses

LOS ANGELES: Facing soaring oil costs and a dwindling demand in leisure travel, airlines, hotels and travel service providers have turned toward business travelers, heeding their calls for not just space and comfort but also eco-friendliness and efficient travel management.

Airlines are also following businesses wherever they go, cutting domestic lines while adding Asian lines to cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

At the July 28-30 National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International Convention and Exposition, several airlines unveiled larger, more luxurious businesses and first-class seats.