Road Warrior

Why use luggage when you can just pack your jacket?

The latest incarnation of wearable luggage is the Baubax. The innovative jacket is designed for road warriors and has a variety of pockets and uses.

There is a built-in place for your earphones, an inflatable neck pillow, an eye mask, pockets big enough for iPads, a variety of pockets for phones, sunglasses, passport, drinks etc. The zip is even a pen and stylus.

Baubax has raised more than $9 million on Kickstarter and you can order yours on Indigogo.

The jacket comes in a range of styles from sweatshirts to blazers from $149.

Airport TV is about to take off in Ireland West

Watch out for Airport TV at Ireland West Airport, where you could be the star.

The airport has launched a new online television channel where it will broadcast news stories, along with travel experiences of passengers who use the airport and holiday reviews.

Airport TV will also support local food producers and tourism providers in the region. The channel will be broadcast at the airport and online at irelandwestairport.com/airporttv.

Enjoying nice revenue streams in the wings

Some interesting figures on the generation of ancillary revenues by airlines have appeared in the Cartrawler Yearbook of Ancillary Revenue by IdeaWorksCompany.

Last year it accounted for $38 billion of revenues, up 21 per cent on the previous year.

Ryanair believes 25 per cent of its passengers are business travellers and 9,000 per day are buying the Business Plus fares, over half a million euro per day.

United earned $5.86 billion from passengers and on Jet2 ancillary fees averaged up to $56.28 each.

Lufthansa earned $90 million from its Miles and More programme.

Hotel managing firm announces €30m in funding

The PREM Group, a leading Irish hotel management company and suites provider has announced a funding package worth €30 million with Proventus Capital Partners.

In his blog, Jim Murphy, PREM Group's chief executive said the company intends to use the funds to finance its expansion into freehold hotels, serviced apartments and hotel management in Europe.

PREM’s portfolio includes 42 hotels and serviced apartment buildings in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands the UK and Ireland.