EMIRATES TOWERS OVER NEWCASTLE

The Newcastle Emirates Tower at Newcastle Airport, pictured with an Emirates aircraft in the foreground. Emirates Airline launched daily non-stop flights between Dubai and Newcastle on 1st September 2007.

NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND, 5th September 2007 - Britain's newest air traffic control centre was today named The Newcastle Emirates Tower as the Dubai-based international airline announced a new sponsorship partnership with Newcastle International Airport.

The airport, scene of the launch of its first ever scheduled long haul service between Dubai and Newcastle last Saturday, unveiled the state-of-the-art tower at a ceremony attended by Emirates Airline President Tim Clark and the Right Honourable Nick Brown, MP, UK government minister for the North East.

The new tower, standing 45 metres high, commands a panoramic view of Newcastle and the surrounding coast and countryside and is being heralded as a new icon for the region.

The Newcastle Emirates Tower will carry the award-winning airline’s logo and today gave VIP guests the perfect view of the incoming Emirates flight EK035.

Mr Clark said today: “Our sponsorship of this stunning new tower reflects the close co-operation we have enjoyed with Newcastle Airport in the successful launch of our daily service between Newcastle and Dubai.

“This is another first for Emirates and the tower reflects our own vision – modern, innovative, and designed with the customer in mind.”

David Laws, Chief Operating Officer of Newcastle International Airport, said: “We are delighted that Emirates is joining us in a partnership that supports a modern, progressive future for our operation. It is fitting that such a cutting-edge facility will carry the Emirates name.”

The £8.2 million landmark development stands at twice the height of the Angel of The North and replaces the previous tower which served the airport for 40 years. The UK’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) has installed the latest systems making it the one of the most technologically advanced control towers in the UK.

DCAA receives China and Maldives team

Dubai: The director-general of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Mohammad Ahli, received at his office two separate high profile delegations from China and Maldives recently. The delegation from Maldives was led by Ali Hussain Didi, CEO of the Maldives Airports Company. Discussion at the meeting revolved around Maldivian plans to build as many as 10 airports on the archipelago as a strategic move to boost the island nation's tourism.

Finnair Traffic Up On Asia Flights

Finnish national carrier Finnair's total passenger traffic increased in August, boosted by strong growth in demand for flights to Asia and Europe, it said on Friday.

Finnair's total revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) rose 19.8 percent to 1.77 billion in August, after a 16.5 percent climb in July, the company said in a statement.

Traffic was up 35 percent on Asian routes and nearly 30 percent on European flights, Finnair said in a statement, but added that demand for North America flights dropped 5 percent.

The carrier's overall passenger load factor remained unchanged year-on-year at 77.1 percent.

Finnair carried about 709,800 passengers in August. (Reuters)

Nepal Air Sacrifices Goats To Appease Sky God

Officials at Nepal Airlines, Nepal's state-run airline, have sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical problems with one of its Boeing 757 aircraft, the carrier said Tuesday.

Nepal Airlines, which has two Boeing aircraft, has had to suspend some services in recent weeks due to the problem.

The goats were sacrificed in front of the troublesome aircraft on Sunday at Nepal's international airport in Kathmandu in accordance with Hindu traditions, an official said.

"The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights," said Raju K.C., a senior airline official, without explaining what the problem had been.

Local media last week blamed the company's woes on an electrical fault. The carrier runs international flights to five cities in Asia.

It is common in Nepal to sacrifice animals such as goats and buffaloes to appease different Hindu deities. (Reuters)

TUI and Carnival withdraw anti-trust filing for joint venture

TUI AG and Carnival Corporation will withdraw their anti-trust filing with the relevant authorities for a joint venture to develop a new cruise brand. TUI and Carnival had planned a joint venture and had filed this with the relevant authorities.

Reason for the withdrawal is the extremely difficult environment with regards to competitive law making it impossible to close the transaction in Carnival’s current business year. Failure to do so would create adverse tax consequences for the companies and would have a severe impact on the economies of the transaction. TUI and Carnival have, therefore, decided not to implement the joint venture in the proposed form.

TUI AG will stick to its plans to expand its own cruise activities. This will now happen mainly within the framework of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises today operates four cruise liners and is one of the leading operators of premium and luxury cruises in the German speaking market. The fleet includes the MS Europa, the only ship in the world rated with “5-Stars Plus” by the Berlitz Cruise Guide. In the British market, TUI’s subsidiary, TUI Travel, also operates five cruise liners under the Thomson Cruises brand as well as two ships under the Island Cruises brand.