Carlson Wagonlit Travel is looking for a new CEO after Carlson Companies named Hubert Joly president and CEO, effective 1 March. He will succeed Marilyn Carlson Nelson, who will remain as chairman of the board. Carlson encompasses several hotel, restaurant and marketing brands, and holds a 55 percent stake in CWT. CWT also named Jack O'Neill president for North America, dropping the regional COO position he had held, and Håkan Ericson as president of the Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America regions. Ericson previously worked for cash handling firm Loomis AB, freight and logistics company DHL, and Scandinavian airline SAS. He will replace Richard Lovell, who is retiring in March.

The U.K. Department for Transport lifted the one-item limit on hand baggage for flights departing from more than 20 airports, including Edinburgh, London City, London Heathrow, London Stansted and Manchester. British Airways' passengers flying from Heathrow would be able to carry on two pieces of baggage, and the airline said it wants carry-on restrictions at London Gatwick to end "as quickly as possible." EasyJet said it would maintain the one-bag limit for all passengers departing from U.K. airports "to minimize customer confusion." In addition to Gatwick, the limit remains in place at EasyJet stations in Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool and London Luton.

The U.S. Department of Transportation finalized its decision to award four airlines rights for 2009 passenger services to China. American Airlines plans to operate Chicago-Beijing service, Continental Airlines intends to fly between Newark and Shanghai, Northwest Airlines will offer Detroit-Shanghai service and US Airways will serve Philadelphia-Beijing. DOT previously approved new China flights for 2008, including Delta Air Lines' Atlanta-Shanghai service and United Airlines' San Francisco-Guangzhou service.

Commerzbank cut carbon dioxide emissions from business travel by 2 percent in 2006 to 8,915 metric tons, despite a slight increase in the number of kilometers traveled, to just under 60 million. The bank's 2007 corporate responsibility report also indicated it is testing the use of webconferences, while video broadcasts have been preferred over business trips since 2001. Commerzbank next year will begin tracking emissions produced by "company cars and pool vehicles."

Virgin Atlantic and its cabin crew union reached a new deal, preventing worker strikes and certain flight cancellations that would have started on 9 January.

American Airlines named 12-year company veteran Kurt Stache vice president and general sales manager, responsible for all worldwide sales activities. Stache most recently served as president for AAdvantage Marketing Programs. Former senior vice president of global sales David Cush recently took a job as CEO of Virgin America.

German online booking system provider i:FAO said its newest product release, Cytric version 7.8, includes "flexible" configurations for corporate travel policies, a travel agency tool providing "full access" to customer bookings and additional hotel booking features.

Atlas Travel International partnered with NativeEnergy Travel Offsets to provide corporate clients with carbon-offset options. The travel management company's customers can calculate the emissions associated with their business travel using a NativeEnergy calculator and donate to offset programs either trip-by-trip or in a yearly lump sum.

Lufthansa will buy 19 percent of JetBlue for about $300 million, gaining a board director. The carriers said they "also look forward to exploring potential opportunities for further cooperation for the benefit of their customers. No specific areas of potential cooperation have been agreed upon."

The Star Alliance formally invited Air India to join the global network.