Air India and Kingfisher to launch non-stop Bangalore-San Francisco services

Air India and Kingfisher to launch non-stop Bangalore-San Francisco services
Air India announced plans to launch non-stop Bangalore-San Francisco service in Aug-08, using B777-300ER equipment. Kingfisher Airlines plans to launch international services on the same route on 27-Aug-08, with A340-500 equipment. Jet Airways is also reportedly considering launching Mumbai-San Francisco service via Shanghai. According to media reports, Executive Director Commercial, Jitender Bhargava, statedthe Bangalore-San Francisco route, “would connect India's silicon valley with the Silicon Valley of the US, which has a sizeable population of Indians.”

Kingfisher is yet to comment on Air India’s competitive move.

Air India currently operates one-stop services from India to Newark, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York JFK. The carrier also plans to offer more non-stop services to the US in the future, having expressed interest in launching services to Chicago, Newark, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth and Delhi-Washington DC.

The carrier forecasts revenues from the India-US sector to grow 26% year-on-year to USD832 million for the 12 months ending 31-Mar-08.

However, according to CMD, V. Thulasidas, load factors on new non-stop US services are still quite low, especially in economy class. He earlier stated, “It is doing well in business class, reasonably well in first class, but it has not done very well in economy class”. He added, "perhaps it was because the economy segment looks for a better price, and we had priced it higher than our normal economy fares”.

UAE Company to launch regional Indian carrier in October 2008

Emirates Trading Agency-Associated Construction (ETA-Ascon), a diversified UAE-based company, confirmed plans to launch a regional Indian based carrier in Oct-08, under a JV agreement. Local partner(s) were not disclosed.

According to IANS, ETA-Ascon’s Managing Director, Syed Salahuddin stated, “we have already got the license to start the airline. We are preparing for commercial launch around October 2008. It will be a regional airline… India provides the biggest opportunity for us and we see so much scope for growth”.

The upcoming carrier reportedly plans to establish a based in Chennai and/or Bangalore, and will launch services to South Indian destinations, including Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Vizag.

The company is also currently in discussions with Embraer, Bombardier and ATR to acquire 70-90-seat regional jets to launch the carrier’s operations.

ETA-Ascon recently launched leasing company, Star Aviation, with a portfolio of eight aircraft.

ETA-Ascon was established in 1973, and is jointly owned by Dubai's Al Ghurair Group and a group of non-resident Indian business men. The company has a diverse range of business operations including, real estate, hospitality, cement production, steel manufacturing, retail, jewellery and food services.

Pakistan International Airline's Flight Kitchen awarded HACCP Certification

Pakistan International Airline's (PIA) Flight Kitchen has been awarded the HACCP � Food Safety (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) Certification by Bureau Veritas Netherlands’s Pakistan Chapter.

To bring PIA’s Flight Kitchen at par with international standards, PIA management had entered into collaboration with SATS (Singapore Airport Terminal Services) two years back. With the combined efforts of PIA’s Flight services (Flight Kitchen), Works and Procurement & Logistics Divisions the entire kitchen was renovated with improvements in its systems and processes PIA is now HCCAP Certified by Bureau Veritas.

A simple ceremony was held in this regard at PIA Head Office. CEO of Bureau Veritas Pakistan Mr. Abul Kalam Siddiqui presented HACCP Certificated to Chairman PIA, Mr. Zaffar A Khan. Chairman PIA, Mr. Zaffar A Khan while addressing the gathering congratulated the employees of the airline on achieving the certification which he said was an achievement for PIA and will further improve standards and provide more credibility to the airline by increasing confidence in food safety reputation. Other than Safety and Reliability which is of paramount importance for national carrier, we should also focus on customer services which are an important gauge for passengers, he added.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is yard stick for measuring Food Safety Control and comprises several principles including analyzing food hazards and identifying critical control points starting from raw materials procurement, storage, processing/ production and finally distribution i.e. till it reaches the aircraft.

Bureau Veritas Certification (being the world’s largest accredited certification body) holds accreditations from more than thirty separate national and international accreditations bodies, allowing clients appropriate recognitions of their value all over the world. It is also backed by WHO, FAO and WTO.

The HACCP certification is valid for a period of three years with regular surveillance audits to be conducted very six months. With this Certification PIA will be able to provide inflight catering to airlines that prefer uplifting food from HACCP certified Flight Kitchens

SpiceJet offers Aviation Management programme to its employees

SpiceJet has partnered with University of Petroleum and Energy Studies to provide its employees full-time MBA and BBA programme in Aviation Management, as part of it human resource startegy to train, empower and retain its staff.

This programme is a fully sponsored opportunity from SpiceJet to its employees and also includes free facilities like travel and stay while employees attend classes at Gurgaon campus. This is the second major step towards employee empowerment announced by the airline, the first being ESOP offerings to all its employees.

Speaking on this, Siddhanta Sharma – Executive Chairman & CEO – SpiceJet Ltd. said,“Our people are our most valued assets and we believe in investing in our employees for their individual growth and for the development of the company. Programmes like these, offer opportunities to our young talents and help them groom to become tomorrows Managers.”

SpiceJet has selected first batch comprising of 15 students who have qualified for the MBA programme. The objective of starting this programme is to provide managerial education to junior and middle level managers and enable them to develop skills and talent required for higher managerial positions in the organization.

The Aviation Management programme imparts knowledge to the candidates on application of modern management concepts, methods and tools to the challenges of aviation industry. The special intricacies of aviation sector are woven into a strong, traditional business foundation and examined in greater detail through the wide variety of specified electives. The curriculum is oriented towards brand management, customer satisfaction, passenger services and fleet management, allied services and fueling management.

SpiceJet operate over 100 flights daily to 18 cities viz. Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bagdogra, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Guwahati, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Mumbai, Port Blair, Pune, Srinagar and Varanasi, and operates a fleet of 18 Boeing 737-800 / 737-900ER aircraft.

Tourism Australia to roll out new business at AIME 2008

SYDNEY – Tourism Australia (TA) is rolling out a new brand to underpin all marketing to position Australia as a Business Events destination.

The new brand will be showcased through TA’s bigger presence at the Asia-Pacific Incentive and Meetings Expo (AIME) to be held in Melbourne on February 19 and 20 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

TA managing director Geoff Buckley said TA’s increased profile at AIME 2008 would provide an excellent opportunity to highlight Australia’s credentials amongst increasingly tough international competition - many of which will be exhibiting.

Head of Tourism Events Australia, Joyce DiMascio said more destinations than ever were competing for the business events dollar and that Australia needed to have a strong positioning to be able to compete.

“Australia can connect businesses and people – whether it’s holding a meeting in our world-class facilities or rewarding employees with experiences that capture our unique environment and lifestyle,” Di Mascio said. “Australia combines professionalism and first class infrastructure with a track record of delivering outstanding business events,” she added.