Durban International prepares for 2010 World Cup

As predicted in PassengerTerminalToday.com, work has officially started on a new international airport in Durban to cope with the expected influx of tourists for the 2010 World Cup.

South African transport minister Jeff Radebe says the new airport will be able to handle 7.5 million passengers annually and accommodate long-haul and the largest new generation commercial passenger aircraft. "The work we are doing here should bury whatever doubts that might still exist about our state of readiness for hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup," he said at a ceremony marking the start of construction and the start of a 1,000-day countdown to the tournament.

King Shaka International airport is being constructed by the Ilembe consortium, led by Group Five and Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon. The Indiza group, which included Grinaker-LTA.

Officials are playing down suggestions that the Indiza consortium, led by Grinaker-LTA, will challenge the tender award in the courts. Radebe says the contract was fairly awarded to the Illembe consortium. "It is now all systems go for the construction," he said.

Rohan Persad, CEO of Dube Tradeport, which awarded the contract, says, “It is not a threat at all.” He says the consortium lodged a dual application and that Dube Tradeport is prepared to defend its decision in court.

South Africa is undergoing a major overhaul of its transport system in preparation for the World Cup, which it hopes will act as a catalyst for economic growth and a boom in tourism. The airports at Johannesburg and Cape Town are being expanded, new roads are being built and rail links upgraded in a package costing more than US$5.6 billion.

Golden triangle services before year end

By the end of the year, business executives will be able to fly on a so-called ‘golden triangle’ of direct routes between the main business centres in China, Japan and Korea. Services between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport will begin on 29 September, while flights to Seoul's Kimpo Airport will begin shortly.

There will be four exchange flights between Haneda Airport and Hongqiao Airport every day. Two Japanese carriers, JAL and ANA, and two Chinese Carriers, China Eastern and Shanghai Airline, will operate the flights.

Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) is located only 13km from Shanghai's city centre, and central Tokyo is 16km, or just under 30 minutes, from Haneda Airport. "Most of the passengers are travelling on business," says a representative of ANA Sky's business department.

Interestingly, both Hongqiao and Haneda are domestic airports. Hongqiao switched to domestic flights when Pudong Airport was finished in 1999.

Monkey business in New Delhi

Airport officials in New Delhi were forced to close the VIP lounge and security area for more than an hour when a monkey scampered into the international departures terminal. Wildlife experts were called upon to capture the animal, and they used fruit to lure it into a net. The animal reportedly entered the building through a hole in the ceiling during construction work.

Phuket Airport reopens after crash

Phuket International Airport has reopened following Sunday's crash of a budget passenger airliner in which 89 people were killed and more than 40 injured. More than a thousand passengers were stranded at the airport after the crash, and services were suspended Sunday afternoon. The crashed plane, which was operated by Thai budget carrier One-Two-Go, skidded off a runway at Phuket International Airport during a landing attempt in heavy rain and strong crosswinds.

Gulf Air heralds new aviation era for the Kingdom

Bahrain`s aviation achieved a new milestone as the Kingdom`s flag carrier Gulf Air made its first flight with a Bahrain registered aircraft. Flight GF056, operated by Airbus A340 under the Bahraini registration A9C-LB, flew to Mumbai, India on the maiden voyage under the command of Bahraini Gulf Air Captain Nabeel Al Khayyer.

Bahrain Finance Minister H.E. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa with Gulf Air Board Chairman Mahmood Al Kooheji and Civil Aviation Undersecretary Captain Abdulrahman Al Gaoud with other senior Civil Aviation and Gulf Air Management officials at the airport to see first Bahrain-registered Gulf Air aircraft take off.

"This is a milestone for the Kingdom of Bahrain, and it also reflects the commitment of the whole country towards the flag carrier," says Gulf Air Board Chairman Mahmood Al Kooheji.

"After the successful implementation of the new network, Gulf Air adds Bahrain`s aircraft registration as another milestone in its flight plan to success." "We want to thank everyone involved in the aircraft registration process, especially the Civil Aviation team, working under the guidance of H.H. Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and headed by Captain Abdulrahman AlGaoud for their outstanding support and professionalism to make this happen," says Gulf Air Board Chairman Mahmood Al Kooheji.

"I also want to extend my sincere appreciation to Gulf Air employees for their hardwork, dedication and commitment to bring in a new era for our airline," says Mr. Al Kooheji, who also expressed gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman for making the start of this registration process, a smooth transition.

Gulf Air`s acting Chief Executive Bjorn Naf echoed similar remarks and signaled a positive direction for Gulf Air.

"Gulf Air is the most established carrier in the region and this milestone will see the beginning of more positive things to come," says Mr. Naf.

"We are thankful to the entire team, which has made this changeover happen in a record time," says Mr. Naf, adding that the re-registration process for the entire Gulf Air fleet will be completed by the end of the year.

Swissport and easyJet conclude ground handling agreement for Zurich Airport

Swissport International has concluded a new collaboration agreement with easyJet for the provision of ground services at Zurich Airport. Under the new accord, Swissport Zurich will handle some 12 flights a week for the rapidly-growing low-cost carrier from September 18 onwards.

EasyJet will initially operate two services a day on its new Zurich-London (Luton) route. Following the example of their developing bases at Basel & Geneva, the company could potentially further expand its Zurich-based network, and operate daily services to various destinations throughout Europe.

“We’re very pleased to have concluded our new Swissport agreement,” says Jean-Marc Thevenaz, Managing Director of easyJet Switzerland. “Our collaborations at Basel and Geneva and elsewhere in Europe have been very fruitful; and it’s these positive experiences that have prompted us to put our faith in Swissport’s quality handling product for our new Zurich operations.”

“We welcome this extension of our easyJet collaboration,” adds Adrian Melliger, Swissport International’s Senior Vice President Ground Handling Switzerland & Germany. “And we’re delighted that the excellence of our value-for-money services elsewhere has convinced our partner to make use of them in Zurich, too.”

The low-fare segment remains extremely popular among air travellers, as its above-average growth continues to confirm. By 2010, one European passenger in three is expected to be travelling with a budget airline.

Changi Airport breaks record in international airport survey

In the latest poll conducted among business travellers in the United Kingdom and Europe, Singapore Changi Airport is lauded the ‘Best Airport in the World’ for 20 consecutive years. Changi Airport has held this title since 1988, making it the longest reigning champion in the history of this survey. Business Traveller (United Kingdom/Europe) magazine, which conducted the annual readers’ poll, presented the award to Changi at a ceremony in London on 17 September 2007.

Just three days ago at the 2007 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards ceremony, Changi clinched the ‘Best Airport in the World’ award for 16 years in a row, and another ‘Best Airport Duty Free in the World’ title, which it has held for the past 10 consecutive years. The Middle East edition of Business Traveller magazine also accorded Changi its fourth ‘Best Airport in the World’ award in April this year,

Besides maintaining a strong foothold in long-running surveys, Changi performed equally well in newer surveys. In a poll organised by two-year old UltraTravel, a British upmarket travel publication, Changi topped the charts when the magazine’s readers voted it the ‘Best Airport Worldwide’. An award was presented to Changi at The Ultras awards ceremony held in May 2007.

Changi also receives recognition for its efforts in its retail offerings. This year is the second time that saw Changi winning two ‘Airport Authority withthe Most Supportive Approach to Travel Retail’ awards from Duty Free News International & Travel Retailer International. One was presented at the Raven Fox Global Travel Retail Award while another at the Raven Fox Awards for Travel-Retail in Asia/Pacific 2007.

Other than these awards, Changi has also won best airport awards given out by two UK magazines - Buying Business Travel and Wanderlust, and two Asia Pacific publications – DestinAsian and Cargonews Asia. This brings to total 11 best airport awards so far this year.

Reflecting on Changi’s awards record, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore’s Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lim Kim Choon said, “Changi’s consistent performance in many of these international airport surveys may not surprise most people. Winning these awards is an endorsement that we are doing most things right. Nonetheless, we are also aware that there are areas we can do better and we are seeking ways to continuously improve our service standards and facilities further.”