Departure Gate No 9 at airport restricted to illegals

Dubai: Illegal passengers at Dubai International Airport who are either leaving the country or arriving are to be kept at one of the departure gates.

"Instead of spreading all over the airport for an unspecified period, this arrangement has been taken recently by the Civil Aviation Department because of the irritation the illegal passengers are causing for other airport travellers," said an official from the airport.

He said those illegal passengers used to sleep and eat and loiter around the departure areas.

"Those illegal passengers have created a bad image at the airport," he added.

He said the move had been planned in order to restrict them from using all the airport facilities or to stay for a long time.

He added that there are at the moment 36 illegal travellers of various nationalities who were kept at Gate No. 9 awaiting their departure.

Deportation

He said that Gate No. 9 was allocated to them and they are restricted from leaving it till they are deported.

"The step was taken four days ago and those who try to enter the country illegally or those who are supposed to leave the country because they are being deported or have expired visas or for any other reason they attempt to stay inside the airport are also kept there," he said.

He added that a Dnata team is responsible for arranging flights for those illegal passengers to go to back to their countries.

He said each one of those passengers who are kept at Gate No. 9 is awaiting his or her flight home.

"The moment they are sure of the departure time and flight number of the illegal traveller he or she will be taken to the gate designated for their departure," the official said.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES TO INCREASE FUEL SURCHARGE

As a result of a sustained escalation in the price of jet fuel in recent months, Singapore Airlines will increase its fuel surcharge for tickets issued on or after 24 October 2007. The new levels will apply to Singapore Airlines and SilkAir flights as follows:

• On regional routes, US$24 (up from US$22) per sector, for flights between Singapore and ASEAN countries.
• US$104 (up from US$98) per sector, for flights between Singapore and gateways in the United States and Canada on a single-sector basis; and
• US$67 (up from US$63) per sector, on all other flights.

The price of jet fuel has been steadily climbing in recent weeks, and is now over US$95 per barrel.

The new surcharge is subject to official approval in some markets, and some local variations may apply where regulatory approvals dictate.

The adjustments will offer only partial relief of higher operating costs arising from increases in the price of jet fuel.

Singapore Airlines will continue to monitor the price of jet fuel and keep the application of the fuel surcharge under active review.

Vietnam To Finalize Aircraft Deals By Year End

Reuters-Vietnam Airlines should speed up talks with Boeing to sign an agreement to buy 12 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft before November 16, the Vietnamese government said in a statement on Friday.

It also ordered the national flag carrier to finalize an agreement to buy 10 Airbus A350-900XWB passenger jets and 20 single-aisle A321 jets before December 21.

The state-run airline signed draft agreements with the aircraft makers on the purchases earlier this month.

The government said Vietnam Airlines did not have to go through a tender process for the purchases.

It said the Finance Ministry would provide guarantees for any funds used to buy planes and engines by Vietnam Airlines and also by the newly established Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company, in which the airline has more than 10 percent of stake.

The government also agreed to allocate 904 billion dong (USD$56 million) for the purchase of four Boeing 787-8 planes for which Vietnam Airlines signed a contract with the US planemaker in 2005 for delivery in 2009 and 2010.

Early this month, the airline signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of 12 Boeing 787-8s in a deal valued by Boeing at USD$1.9 billion based on list prices. The first plane would be delivered in 2015.

The carrier also signed a draft agreement for 10 A350 jets during a visit to Paris by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The deals are worth USD$3.8 billion at list prices, including USD$2.4 billion for the crucial A350 order where the competition between Boeing and Airbus is at its fiercest.

The 787 and A350 are competing head to head in one of the most promising parts of the aviation market, though Boeing has a five-year lead and a strong lead in sales over its rival.

Vietnam Airlines would buy a total of 43 aircraft during the 2006-2020 period, including 20 A321s, eight Boeing 787-8s, five ATR-72s and 10 A350s, the government statement said.

In another development, the government asked the Finance Ministry to implement a project to partially privatize Vietnam Airlines. It gave no timeframe.

The airline aimed to expand its fleet to have 60 planes in 2010, 85 in 2015 and 107 in 2020, the government statement said.

AIRPORT NEWS

China seeks military airfield solution

China's civil aviation regulator has asked the military to let low-cost airlines use secondary airports across the country. Despite soaring demand, the development of low-cost airlines in China has been hampered by a lack of secondary airports, ticket price controls and high import taxes for aircraft and parts. In the United States and Europe, by contrast, budget carriers make heavy use of their networks of secondary airports.

In an effort to boost economic growth, the Chinese government will also spend US$133million (Yuan 1 billion) a year to subsidise small and medium-sized airports and airlines flying to smaller cities, top regulator Yang Yuanyuan said in an interview on Wednesday.

"At the moment, it's one city, one airport, and that's the main airport, which is big and has very full schedules. But we are devoted to developing low-cost airlines," says Yang. "I really appreciate what the boss of Malaysia's Air Asia has as his slogan: 'Now everyone can fly'. This is great. This is my dream," adds Yang, who used to be a pilot.

The government has invested billions of dollars upgrading old airports and building new ones, but many lose money and either have few flights or none at all as they are in remote, economically backward areas. To help alleviate this situation, regional airports will get US$80 million (Yuan 600 million) annually to improve their finances, and airlines US$40 million (Yuan 300 million) to fly to these cities (see: Subsidies planned for China’s small airports

Changi secures Jordan consultancy deal

Singapore’s Changi Airports International (CAI) has secured a deal to draw up a master plan for the development of the King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba, Jordan. Under the agreement with the Aqaba Development Corporation, CAI will also provide other consultancy services, including studies of nearby land to attract aviation-related investments and to minimise damage to nearby Red Sea coral reefs.

The Singapore company did not say how much the deal was worth. A consortium led by French operator Aeroports de Paris in April won a US$450 million deal to rebuild and operate Amman’s Queen Alia airport and treble capacity at Jordan’s main international gateway.

Three airport development alternatives will be drawn up by CAI, taking into account an anticipated increase in traffic. Air travel in the Middle East has been growing by at least 18% annually. The airport is located within the Aqaba Special Economic Zone – a major development zone in the Middle East. Jordan is seeking to turn the airport into a world-class facility, serving the entire region.

Changi Airports is a subsidiary of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, which runs the city-state’s main airport. Changi Airports’ other projects include the development of airport management and retail programmes at Chengdu and Qingdao airports in China, and the drafting of an improvement plan for India’s Mumbai International Airport.

SIA takes delivery of first A380 at Changi’s Terminal 3

Singapore Airlines yesterday took delivery of the first Airbus A380, which flew into Changi Airport Terminal 3 after a 12-hour flight from Toulouse, France.

Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong says, “The launch of the A380 is a milestone, not just for SIA, but also for Changi Airport. Changi is the first airport in the world to handle commercial A380 operations.”

SIA has purchased 19 double-decked A380 planes and five of these are due to be delivered next year. The new plane will make its inaugural commercial flight from Singapore Changi to Sydney next Thursday (25 October). The airline has raised some US$1.3 million for charity through an auction of the seats on board.

The plane will operate a daily service between Singapore and Sydney. Daily A380 services to London will be launched next year.

Virgin launches “world’s fastest” check-in at Heathrow’s T3

Virgin launches “world’s fastest” check-in at Heathrow’s T3
Virgin Atlantic has announced plans to launch what it claims will be the world’s fastest airport check-in at its new Upper Class Wing at London Heathrow’s Terminal 3. The airline claims its new Wing, which opens on 2 November, will enable business passengers to speed from limo to lounge in under 10 minutes.

Passengers will use a dedicated security channel to emerge in the heart of the terminal building, a short walk from the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.

The service is open to Virgin’s Upper Class passengers and Flying Club Gold members who can check-in at the Upper Class Check-In, in Zone A of the main terminal, before taking a priority lift straight to the dedicated security channel.

The Upper Class Wing was designed by architects Foster + Partners in conjunction with Virgin Atlantic’s in-house design team and is part of BAA’s £1 billion investment in Terminal 3 over the next ten years. Later this year, Virgin will launch a wider, brighter and more spacious check-in area for premium economy and economy passengers in Zone A.

The airline predicts 80% of its passengers at Heathrow will use online or kiosk check-in by the end of 2008.

Mark Bullock, BAA’s Heathrow managing director, says: “BAA has exciting plans for Terminal 3 and Virgin Atlantic’s new Upper Class Wing is a fantastic addition.”

Four Seasons Hotel Amman voted top hotel in Mid East

Four Seasons Hotel Amman has been voted the top Hotel in the Middle East in Conde Nast Traveler’s 20th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards. The results are derived from the largest independent poll of consumers’ preferences, the Readers’ Choice Survey, second in size only to the US Census. A record number of readers, over 28,000, voted this year.

The Readers’ Choice Awards gala took place earlier this month in New York and the complete results will be published in the November issue of Conde Nast Traveller.

“We are delighted to hear that Four Seasons Amman has been recognised by the readers of this very prestigious magazine as being the number one Hotel in the Middle East,” said Gerhard Stutz, General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Amman. “It is a tremendous achievement for everyone on the team and reinforces the aspirations of Four Seasons worldwide – to be the best hotel in each location where we operate.”

The 192-room Hotel opened in December 2002.

Aviation sets a benchmark on environmental performance for other industries to follow

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) challenged governments to put aside politics and join industry in delivering real results to further improve air transport’s good environmental performance. The challenge was delivered by IATA’s Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani at the World Air Transport Forum in Cannes, which is focused on sustainable development.

“Airlines are leading the debate on environment with a vision to become carbon neutral in the medium-term and zero carbon emissions in the long term. We are setting the benchmark on environmental performance for other industries to follow,” said Bisignani.

IATA’s 240 member airlines agreed a four-pillar strategy on climate change:

1. Invest in new technology



2. Build and use efficient infrastructure



3. Operate planes effectively
4. Consider positive economic measures while working with governments to define an emissions trading scheme that is fair, global and voluntary

“The strategy is not just words. We have delivered real results,” said Bisignani. In 2006, IATA’s fuel campaign saved six million tonnes of CO2 by shortening 350 routes; eight million tonnes of CO2 by working with airlines on best practice in fuel management; and one million tonnes of CO2 through better operational procedures.

“We cannot do it all on our own - governments must be involved,” said Bisignani. All 179 states attending the recent triennial Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization endorsed the IATA four-pillar strategy, including a target to improve fuel efficiency 25% by 2020.

“Our biggest disappointment was with the European States. They are taking a completely political and totally irresponsible approach by unilaterally pursuing emissions trading rather than taking a global approach. This will cause diplomatic trade battles, but will do nothing for the environment,” said Bisignani.

Specifically, Bisignani criticised Europe for the 12 million tonnes of CO2 wasted each year from the inefficiency of its air traffic management system, comprising 34 air navigation service providers. “Europe has been discussing a Single European Sky for 15 years, wasting a lot of hot air in discussions, with no action. On the environment it is acting like a hypocrite: charging for airline emissions without fixing the mess in its own air traffic management.”

Demand grows for Kathmandu flights

Etihad Airways is gearing-up for the launch of its new four flights a week service from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Kathmandu will be Etihad’s ninth new destination of 2007 and demand for the service has been strong with more than 65 per cent of seats in economy class booked throughout the month of November.

The new service joins Etihad’s expanding network across the Indian subcontinent which includes Dhaka, Delhi, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive, said: “Etihad continues to offer air travellers flights to the world’s most exciting destinations. Our new Kathmandu service will provide a valuable link for business and leisure travellers many of whom will fly from across the world connecting via our home base at Abu Dhabi airport.”

The flights will also provide a valuable link for the 90,000 Nepalese nationals living in the UAE and across the Middle East region, as well as the growing demand from holidaymakers keen to experience the ancient culture offered in Nepal and the world-famous Himalayan mountains.

Tourism in Nepal has developed considerably in recent years with thousands of travellers visiting the country each year to enjoy its spectacular scenery, wildlife and Everest, the world`s highest mountain.

Etihad will operate a two cabin Airbus A330-200 between Abu Dhabi and Kathmandu configured to carry 262 passengers, with 22 in business class and 240 in economy.