Singapore Airlines A380 Flies To Tokyo From 20 May 2008

Tokyo will become the fourth city in the world to receive A380 commercial flights, when Singapore Airlines starts services to the Japanese capital on 20 May 2008.

The inaugural A380 flight to Tokyo - SQ636 - will depart Singapore’s Changi Airport on Tuesday, 20 May 2008, at 0040hrs and arrive at Tokyo’s Narita Airport at 0830hrs (all times local), on a special schedule to coincide with the 30th anniversary celebrations of Narita Airport.

The return flight, SQ637, will depart Narita at 1300hrs on Tuesday, 20 May 2008. The aircraft will touch down at Changi Airport on the same day at 1905hrs.

Thereafter, the Singapore Airlines A380 will commence regular scheduled services, operating SQ638 daily on the Singapore-Tokyo sector from 20 May 2008, and on SQ637 for the return leg from 21 May 2008. A schedule of the flight times can be found in Annex 1.

Singapore Airlines is the first to fly the A380: the world’s largest commercial aircraft. Tokyo is Singapore Airlines’ third A380 destination, following the commencement of the Singapore-Sydney service on 25 October 2007 and the Singapore-London service on 18 March 2008.

“We are proud to operate the inaugural A380 flight into Japan, the A380’s first Asian destination. The fact that Tokyo is the A380’s first Asian city highlights Singapore Airlines’ 40 years of dedicated service to the Japanese market,” said Mr. Huang Cheng Eng, Singapore Airlines’ Executive Vice President, Marketing and the Regions.

“We are sure that our Japanese customers will be delighted to try our extensive range of new cabin products and the state-of-the-art entertainment system on board the A380,” Mr Huang added.

Besides operating to Tokyo 20 times weekly, Singapore Airlines also flies daily to Nagoya, five times weekly to Fukuoka and 17 times weekly to Osaka.

Those who wish to be part of this landmark experience may purchase tickets via the Singapore Airlines website, singaporeair.com, or through their travel agents.

Customers who hold ticketed bookings on flights to be operated by the A380 will be automatically accommodated on the new aircraft without any change required to their tickets. Customers holding bookings, but not yet ticketed, may need to check if there have been changes to their fares as a result of the aircraft change.

Qatar Airways Takes Part In World's Biggest Travel Trade Fair In Germany

Qatar Airways' imposing exhibition stand during ITB Berlin, at which the airline showcased its long-haul First Class seat (right) and a pair of Business Class seats pictured in the foreground

Berlin, GERMANY – Qatar Airways hailed its presence at the world’s largest travel fair in Berlin last week a great success with a huge exhibition stand and show-stopping entertainment promoting its new routes to China and America this year.

Qatar Airways was once again delighted to take part in the annual show, which attracted more than 150,000 visitors and over 10,000 exhibitors. The airline exhibited with a 200sqm two-tier stand, showcasing its world-renowned hospitality.

On display was Qatar Airways’ award-winning First and Business Class seats and a model of the New Doha International Airport, which is due to open in 2010. Qatar Airways also had a fabulous line-up on entertainment for visitors to enjoy.

To celebrate the launch of flights to the southern industrial city of Guangzhou in China on March 31, Qatar Airways had Chinese lion dancers performing regularly on the stand throughout the show.

Tourism officials from Houston are pictured with American cowgirl entertainers on Qatar Airways' stand promoting the airline's new route to the State of Texas later this year

And American cowgirls showed off their dancing talents with jaw-dropping entertainment attracting scores of visitors as the airline was also promoting its new flights to Houston, due to begin on November 10.

During an ITB Berlin conference panel discussion on climate change, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker spoke of the airline’s environmental drive – in particular, its move towards using gas-to-fuel (liquefied gas) technology to power its aircraft in the future. Such a move would, he said, significantly reduce carbon emissions and create greater operational efficiency.

Qatar Airways walked off with the runner-up prize at the 2008 Golden City Gate International Film awards at ITB Berlin for its TV vignettes produced by CNN International.

Al Baker, who headed a delegation from head office in Doha to the five-day event, held a press conference on the opening day of ITB Berlin, where he spoke of the airline’s summer expansion plans focusing on additional flights to more than a dozen cities worldwide.

Qatar Airways proudly showcases its brand at the entrance of Messe Berlin, venue for the world's largest travel trade show - ITB Berlin

“ITB Berlin was once again a great event bringing together the world’s travel industry for five days of business,” he said.

“The show was a perfect platform to meet industry colleagues, make new and renew business relationships, but most of all, tell the world about our ever continuing success story.

“Over the years we have used the occasion at ITB Berlin to showcase our latest products, announce our newest routes and present our superb Arabic hospitality. And this year was no exception as we announced our new routes to Guangzhou and Houston, as well as unveil details of our summer capacity expansion.”

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 62 Airbus and Boeing aircraft to 81 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Far East and North America.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker, pictured second night, showing guests on the exhibition stand a mock-up model of the New Doha International Airport which is due to open in 2010

Bombardier Sells Six CRJ900 NextGen Airliners To Iraq

Bombardier Aerospace announced today that the Government of Iraq has placed a firm order for six CRJ900 NextGen airliners which will be used for civilian airline services in Iraq. The transaction includes options on an additional four CRJ900 NextGen aircraft.

Based on the list price for the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft, the value of the firm contract is approximately $239 million U.S. If all options are exercised, the contract value could rise to approximately $400 million U.S..

“We are pleased that the Government of Iraq has selected the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft to help rebuild the domestic and regional airline services in Iraq,” said Steven Ridolfi, President, Bombardier Regional Aircraft. “We are confident that the CRJ900 NextGen airliner will serve commercial airline operations in the country very well.”

The order announced today increases firm orders for CRJ900/CRJ900 NextGen airliners to 248. As of January 31, 2008, Bombardier had delivered 1,471 CRJ Series aircraft - including 145 CRJ900/CRJ900 NextGen airliners - to operators around the world.

Source: Bombardier

Ministry of Civil Aviation to complete modernisation of non-metro airports by March 2010

The Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Praful Patel informed the Parliament the target date for completion of modernization process of the 35 non-metro airports by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), is March 2010.

New Terminal Buildings expandable on modular basis are being constructed at Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Aurangabad, Agatti, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Goa, Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore, Khajuraho, Madurai, Mangalore, Port Blair, Ranchi, Raipur, Rajkot, Trivandrum, Trichy, Udaipur, Varanasi and Vishakhapatnam airports. Modification/expansion of existing Terminal Buildings is being undertaken at airports in Agra, Agartala, Coimbatore, Dimapur, Guwahati, Imphal, Jammu, Nagpur, Patna, Pune and Vadodara.

Airside works including expansion and strengthening of runway for wide bodied aircraft operations, extension/new construction of Apron for more parking of aircrafts, link taxiways and parallel taxi tracks are being taken up at these airports as per requirement. At 24 of these airports, cityside development through Public Private Partnership is being undertaken. Bids for pre-qualification have been received for Amritsar and Udaipur airports.

SriLankan Airlines carries 3.2 million passengers in 2007

SriLankan Airlines carried 3.2 million passengers around its global network in 2007, an increase of more than 100,000 over the previous year.

It was the largest number of passengers carried by the airline in a calendar year since its inception in 1979.

Significant increases were recorded in all regions – Europe, India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The largest improvements were in traffic to and from Frankfurt, Bahrain, Doha, Bangkok, and Singapore.

Manoj Gunawardena, Head of Worldwide Passenger Sales, said: “our worldwide team has achieved an excellent performance during the calendar year 2007. We remained strong in all regions, and our focus on the Indian market yielded excellent results”.

In India substantial increases were seen in the number of passengers carried to and from Mumbai, Calicut, Goa, Madras, and Bangalore. SriLankan last November became the first foreign carrier to operate 100 flights per week to India and now serves 11 cities there. During 2007 it launched services to Coimbatore and increased services to several other cities, including its double-daily service to Mumbai.

“It was not an easy year since some tourists were deterred by strong travel advisories issued by key tourist generating countries. We also faced increased competition from other carriers in India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia,” said Gunawardena.

The airline’s other traditional markets continued to be rock solid, including London, Male, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Trivandrum, Trichy, and Cochin. All of the airline’s offices contributed by supporting sales efforts throughout the route network.

Services to new destinations launched in 2007 – Coimbatore and Jeddah – lived up to their potential, and more is expected from them in the future.

Apart from carrying travellers to and from Sri Lanka, the airline has focused on turning Colombo into a hub in the region, connecting East and West and serving as the gateway to India.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines considers suspending domestic routes

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is considering suspending all domestic routes, with the exception of Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong, which will remain on the network due to their large expatriate population.

The move is part of the carrier’s turnaround plan, which focuses on rebuilding its international network. According to a member of Biman’s Fleet Committee, Capt Shah Alam, “we don't want to enter in that saturated and small market; we want to do our core business and that is operating international flights".

Over the years Biman has been forced to discontinue or reduce frequency on many of its international services due to aircraft shortages. With its latest aircraft order, the carrier hopes to resume operations on its profitable international routes.

As domestic competition in Bangladesh heats up, the government is expected to deregulate the domestic market for private airlines. Several local entrants launching operations this year, including United Airways, Best Air, Royal Bengal and A2Air.

Biman reported a USD100 million net loss in the 12 months ended 30-Jun-07, due to rising fuel prices and weak passenger demand. The government has since launched an emergency rescue plan, which included transforming the carrier as a public company in Jul-07 and retrenching a large number of staff. Biman currently operates to 19 international destinations with a fleet of 12 aircraft, although only eight are currently in service.

Dubai International Airport installs new landing system

A new category of Instrument Landing System became fully operational following certification from the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on 10 March 2008 at . Diversion and delay of flights due to fog are now a thing of the past at Dubai International Airport. A major upgrade over the Cat I and Cat II systems that were in use at Dubai International Airport, the newly certified CAT IIIA Instrument Landing System (ILS) enables a pilot to land even with visibility as low as 200 metres. Dubai international airport is the first CAT IIIA compliant airport in the region, including the subcontinent.

Welcoming the certification from GCAA, UAE's federal authority, HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), and Chairman of Dubai Airports, said 'It is a big achievement for Dubai Airports and will positively impact our operations at Dubai International. Disruption or diversion of flights due to low visibility is a major inconvenience for passengers and a logistical challenge for the airlines and airports alike. The new system will translate into great benefits for the passengers, airlines and Dubai International airport by enabling low visibility operations.'

The new category of landing system has been in use for some time at Dubai International according to Mohammed Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and CEO of Air Traffic Services (ATS).

'We have been using the system for some time now; as a prerequisite for the certification from the federal authority we have tested it for 6,000 hours,' he said.

He added: 'This upgrade was part of our plans for Dubai International for a long time now but could not have been fully operational due to activities connected to the expansion project.'

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said that it is part of the company's strategy to constantly work on enhancing our efficiency to benefit our customers. 'This technological upgrade certainly will go a long way in ensuring better services for our customers, both airlines and passengers,' he said.

Griffiths added: 'We will continue to assess our systems to determine the best possible upgrade requirements. While the new system, Cat IIIA, is fully operational, we will be working over the next few months to upgrade it to Cat IIIB. We intend to accomplish this by October 2008,' he said.

According to Griffiths, Dubai does not need a Cat IIIC which is a category that allows landing even when visibility is zero. 'UAE experiences fog for only two or three weeks a year and it is not as dense as in Europe. The next upgrade (Cat IIIB) will enable us to operate in visibility of 50 metres,' he explained. About Dubai Airports

Dubai Airports owns and manages Dubai International Airport and the upcoming Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International.

A319 joins Royal Jordanian fleet

Thursday March 13, 2008, witnesses the delivery of Royal Jordanian's first of four Airbus A319, named Al-Mafraq, one of the main cities in northeastern Jordan. RJ, a oneworld member, contracted to introduce this type of aircraft into its fleet during this year and the beginning of next year, in line with its aircraft modernization plan. The twin-engine aircraft carries 110 passengers; 96 on economy class and 14 on crown class. Its speed reaches 960 km/hour and it has a cargo capacity of three tons.
The newly manufactured Airbus A319 brings a new standard of amenities and comfort to RJ passengers traveling to medium-range destinations in Europe, the Indian Subcontinent and the Arab Gulf. The airliner is distinguished by modern features, such as spacious seat pitch and state-of-the-art audio channels and personal video screens available for each passenger on economy and crown classes.

This type of aircraft, belonging to the Airbus A320 family, will boost the company's services, enabling it to better serve the regional and medium-haul route network. It will also augment RJ's existing fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft assimilated in the fleet in the past two years.

The second Airbus A319 will join the fleet in October this year and the remaining two in February and March next year. Four other planes will be introduced during the coming three months; two Airbus A321 and two Embraer 175, whereas two Airbus A321 will be phased out. The number of aircraft will reach 30 in June this year, reaching over 55 worldwide destinations.

The airline designated names of Jordanian cities on its new aircraft that joined the fleet in the last two years and the ones that will join as a part of its mission of promoting Jordan to the world.

CAAS to expand Singapore’s Budget Terminal

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced plans to invest USD7.2 million expanding Singapore’s Budget Terminal (BT). The expansion project, which will commence from Jul-08 to early 2009, will increase Singapore’s Budget Terminal’s handling capacity from the current 2.7 million passengers p/a to 7 million. In addition, the expansion will also increase the floor area of the terminal from 25,000 sqm to 28,700 sqm.

After almost two years of operations, the terminal’s expansion is necessary to keep ahead of the air traffic growth at the BT. In 2007, 1.77 million passengers passed through the BT. In all, the BT has served about 2.9 million passengers since it opened on 26 March 2006. The number of weekly scheduled flights at the BT, operated by Tiger Airways and Philippines-based carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, has also increased from 124 in Mar-06 to 248 in Feb-08, representing a growth of 100%.

CAAS Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lim Kim Choon, said " When we first decided to build the Budget Terminal about three years ago, no one could accurately predict the success of low cost travel in this region. With increased air transport liberalisation in this region, airlines, including low cost carriers, have now greater opportunities to rapidly expand their air network and increase their flight operations.”

The expansion project will include the addition of seven check-in counters as well as the installation of additional baggage handling equipment. Three more passenger boarding gates will be constructed, bringing the total number of boarding gates to ten.

Mr Lim Kim Choon added, “The expansion of the Budget Terminal to increase its handling capacity is timely as we expect passenger traffic to increase further with ASEAN’s goal to remove all restrictions on passenger flights between ASEAN capitals by Dec-08. The increased handling capacity can last us through the next few years.”

PATA honours IHG'S Low

BANGKOK – The 2008 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Face of the Future is Kenneth Low, Director Strategy, Asia Pacific for the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

Low will receive his honour during the PATA Foundation Gala Dinner at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka on April 6.

Based in Singapore, Low, who just turned 35, is responsible for planning IHG's growth strategy in Asia Pacific, with a particular focus on the key markets of China (PRC), India and Japan.

He joined IHG in November 2005 from Abacus International, where he was Head of Corporate Planning and Development.

Announcing the award, PATA President and CEO Peter de Jong said Low was a high achiever who had risen rapidly though the management ranks of two highly successful travel companies.

Low was chosen from an impressive shortlist of candidates from private and public sector organisations across the region.

AIRPORT NEWS

China clamps down on airport security

Right: New measures are designed to increase security on domestic flights ahead of this summer's Olympic Games

New measures to tighten airport security have been introduced today (Thursday 13 March 2008) by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The measures are designed to prevent a recurrence of a failed attack last Friday in which a terrorist attempted to set fire to a plane en-route to Beijing using petroleum carried onto the plane.

Passengers are now prohibited from carrying any liquids on domestic flights in China. The prohibition follows 12 months after the CAAC introduced restrictions, which permitted domestic passengers to carry up to one litre of liquid (not including alcohol), providing it was opened for inspection by security officials. Under these former restrictions, any additional liquids had to be checked-in.

CAAC has also announced a crackdown on security procedures in VIP lounges at some airports in China. The administration is concerned that some VIP lounges allow passengers to pay to board planes with minimal security checks. It is threatening to close any lounges that fail to comply.

There are no changes to the security restrictions for passengers who are departing from China on international or regional flights. They will continue to be allowed to take up to 100 millilitres of liquid in each container and the container in which the liquid is kept must be put in a small transparent plastic bag that can be re-sealed. Any extra liquids must be delivered as luggage in a transparent plastic bag. International passengers who need to transfer between flights in China will be required to abide by these rules.

Zurich enjoys buoyant February

During February 2008 more than 1.5 million passengers passed through Zurich Airport, up 13.1% compared with February 2007.

The number of transfer passengers rose 13.3% to 512,738 in February and the number of local passengers (originating or departing from Zurich) rose by 13.7% to 1,019,453.

Zurich officials say the low cost market grew by 39.9% in February, raising its share of Zurich traffic to 10.3%.

Hanoi to grow by 2010

The Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi is to be expanded with a new passenger terminal, due to be finished in 2010. The country’s Civil Aviation Administration says the enlarged airport will have a capacity of 50 million passengers a year.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung says construction of the terminal should begin in October 2008 and will be finished within two years.

Have bones will travel

Right: Munich customs officers found some of the remains of a man in a sealed suitcase this week

When Munich customs officers asked two women to open their sealed suitcase this week, they discovered that the travellers, both in their 60s, had placed the skull and several bones of a man inside.

Flying to Italy via Munich from Brazil, the women had brought along the man’s remains to fulfil his wish of finding his final resting place in Italy. According to documents, he had died 11 years earlier in Sao Paolo.

While the Bavarian officials were understandably surprised about the mode of transport, they did allow the women to continue their journey as they had all the necessary documents to bring the bones to Naples.

Branson plans V Australia launch

Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson will visit Australia at the end of this month to reveal details of the much-anticipated V Australia operation. V Australia is the new airline formed to operate trans-Pacific services between Australia and the US, and potentially other routes.

The trans-Pacific route has been virtually controlled by Qantas until last month’s signing of an open skies agreement between the US and Australian governments. United Airlines offers a lower-quality service on the route but the majority of passengers are flown by Qantas.

Branson’s participation in the public launch of the airline’s plans will ensure optimum publicity for the new airline. He is also expected to announce a new Australian airport to be served by Malaysia-based AirAsia X in which Virgin Group has a 20% stake. That airline has been evaluating offers from Melbourne International Airport and Avalon, near Geelong, Victoria.

Branson will visit Melbourne on 27 March with AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes and AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani.

Lufthansa refurbishes network lounges

Lufthansa has revealed plans to invest approximately US$233 million (Euros 150 million) to refurbish lounges at airports throughout its global route network over the next six years.

“We never stop working on expanding our position as a premium carrier and lounges are a key element of our product philosophy,” says Thierry Antinori, executive vice president marketing and sales at Lufthansa Passenger Airlines.

Recently Lufthansa opened new Senator and Business lounges at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Centrally located within the new departures and arrivals concourse, the lounges encompass 800m² and accommodate 170 guests.

At Hamburg Airport, lounges are currently undergoing expansion and renovation and are due to be completed this summer.

In the new Terminal area at Frankfurt Airport a completely new lounge concept is being developed between gates C and D. Passengers will board flights from two levels, with the upper level reserved exclusively for First- and Business-Class travellers as well as status customers. A new Senator Lounge with priority gate connections and a new Lufthansa Business lounge are also being planned.

Enhancements are not confined to Germany. Improvements are being made to Lufthansa lounges throughout the world, including the expansion and modernisation of the lounges at New York’s John F Kennedy Airport where a new third level that is dedicated exclusively for First-Class and HON Circle customers is scheduled to open in late 2008.

At Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, the renovation and expansion of existing facilities is due to be completed in spring 2009. Renovations and new projects are also planned at other international airports, among them Mumbai.

Cocaine seized at Vienna

Police at Vienna’s Schwechat International Airport have seized more than 20 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of US$3 million.

Authorities say the drugs were intercepted on 17 January and that three suspects, two men and a woman from the Dominican Republic, were arrested. Details of the case were withheld until this week.

Police say the cocaine was hidden in bottles and containers.

Singapore Airlines receives third A380

Singapore Airlines took delivery of its third A380, the world’s largest passenger plane, at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse, France, at noon yesterday (11 March - Toulouse time). After a delivery flight, the aircraft is expected to arrive in Singapore on Wednesday 12 March around 1010 hrs.

With the addition of this third aircraft into its fleet, Singapore Airlines will commence A380 flights to London Heathrow airport on Tuesday 18 March 2008. This will be the first-ever A380 commercial service to Europe.

Fitted with the luxurious Singapore Airlines Suites, the award-winning 4-abreast Business Class and a new, more comfortable Economy cabin, the A380 allows Singapore Airlines customers to travel to London in unprecedented comfort, space and luxury.

Scheduled daily services to London (SQ322) will commence from the evening of Tuesday 18 March, and on SQ 317 for the return leg from 19 March. Singapore Airlines currently operates daily A380 scheduled flights between Singapore and Sydney.

Singapore Airlines is the first to fly the A380, and currently the only airline in the world operating the aircraft. The Airline has firm orders for a further 16 A380s and options on six more.

Emirates launches flights to Los Angeles

Emirates is set to expand its network even further this year with the start of services to the West Coast of the U.S. On 1st September 2008 Emirates will open its third U.S. gateway with non-stop flights between the Californian city of Los Angeles and Dubai.

Operating daily, the service will be the first non-stop operation connecting Dubai, the Gateway to Arabia to L.A., the Gateway to Hollywood. Emirates will fly its Boeing 777-200LR on the route, offering 266 seats in a three class configuration.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “Los Angeles represents Emirates’ commitment to the American market. We have evaluated the U.S. for expansion opportunities and have carefully examined our existing services in Houston and New York- both of which have been very successful. We look forward to recreating this success by connecting Los Angeles to Dubai and beyond.”

Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles said: “I am pleased that Emirates has chosen L.A. as its U.S. West Coast gateway and I look forward to the start of service later this year. The route opens a new destination for business and leisure travellers in the Gulf region, a part of the world not previously served from Los Angeles. It will also enable travellers to reach every region of the world non-stop from LAX.”

The new service will operate out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX).

L.A. is the fourth new destination that Emirates has announced it will be introducing in 2008. The airline has already announced its plans to start services to Cape Town on 30th March plus Calicut, India and Guangzhou, China, both on 1st July of this year. The new route joins Emirates’ growing network of American destinations including a double daily service to New York’s JFK International Airport and its daily service to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

SriLankan Airlines set to launch new Frequent Flyer Progam

SriLankan Airlines will be launching a new Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) offering rewards to all its loyal passengers, commencing April 1, 2008. The FFP, which will include a range of benefits, prizes and ways to spend earned air miles, will be unveiled soon.

"Our new frequent flyer program will have its own unique identity and logo and its membership will be open to passengers who fly SriLankan Airlines to any destination on our route network of 54 destinations,” said Mohamed Fazeel, Regional Manager of the Commercial Department who will be spearheading the new FFP.

The program will take into consideration the preferences of the airline’s passengers around the network and it will include a range of new and improved offers to provide more convenience and benefits to frequent flyers said the carrier.

All current Skywards members holding mileage balances will have the option of transferring their miles to the new FFP.

All SriLankan Airlines’ Skywards members will continue their membership and rewards will continue to be available on Emirates flights and from other leisure and lifestyle partners. SriLankan’s agreement with Skywards will expire with the ending of the airline’s management contract with Emirates on 31 March 2008. Nevertheless, SriLankan Airlines will continue to honour Skywards reward tickets, for a further period of 12 months commencing 31st March 2008.

Jet Aviation Handling rebranded as Dnata Switzerland

Dnata, the airport services provider in the Middle East, welcomed Jet Aviation Handling AG into the group as Dnata Switzerland AG. The rebranding of the company is the final part of the process to integrate the two companies following the acquisition of Jet Aviation Handling AG, the airport handling division of Swiss-based Jet Aviation Group, by Dnata in November 2007.

Stewart Angus, Divisional Senior Vice President of Dnata, said: "Jet Aviation Handling has always provided quality service to its airline customers in Switzerland and we are very proud to be able to include Dnata Switzerland AG, as part of our global business. Dnata is committed to developing the strengths of Dnata Switzerland AG, and ensuring that its airline customers continue to enjoy the highest possible levels of customer service.”

Urs Zorn, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Jet Aviation Handling AG said: "We are proud to be joining the global Dnata group and look forward to carrying the name Dnata Switzerland AG forward as we embark on this new stage in our company’s history. These changes do not affect the underlying focus and direction of the company, which remains to provide the highest levels of service to our customer airlines in Zurich and Geneva.”

The former Jet Aviation corporate identity will be updated to reflect the change to Dnata Switzerland AG. The logo, uniforms, airport vehicles and sign-posting at Zurich and Geneva airports will receive a fresh new look and contact numbers and e-mail addresses will be updated accordingly.

ASTA survey determines most popular second honeymoon destinations

In its annual “Hot Spots for Summer” survey, ASTA polled 585 travel agency owners and managers to determine the most popular second honeymoon destinations and uncover other emerging travel trends for 2008.

“Agents typically recognize travel trends long before anyone else,” said Cheryl Hudak, CTC, ASTA president and CEO. “However, ASTA conducts these surveys to keep all of its members informed, especially those who specialize in one or two specific areas of travel and are generally less affected by trends. When agents are aware of current consumer demands, they are able to prepare and assist any client regardless of their travel expertise.”

According to respondents, Hawaii was the most popular second honeymoon destination with 24.4 percent share of the total response. While Hawaii can be more expensive than other destinations, respondents reported that money was less of a determining factor for couples who were taking a second honeymoon destination, compared to couples taking their first.

Cruising was ranked number two, with 11.6 percent share of the total response. Respondents routinely book cruises for second honeymooners because this type of vacation offers variety, convenience and, on-shore excursions, dining and shopping excluded, an all-inclusive package. The third most popular second honeymoon destination, the Caribbean, also offers travelers endless options due to the number of islands that comprise this tourist-friendly oasis.

Jamaica and Cancun, ranked fourth and fifth respectively, rounded out the top five most popular second honeymoon destinations. Although in the bottom half of the top 10, Europe, ranked number six, and Italy, ranked number seven, prove that interest in European vacations is still strong despite the current weakness of the US dollar. With 3.5 percent share of the total response, Mexico claimed the number eight position. Tahiti, with 3.2 percent, and St. Lucia, with 3.0 percent of the total response, fell into ninth and tenth place respectively.

DHS signs Visa Waiver Program agreements with Estonia and Latvia

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff signed yesterday (12 March) Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with Estonian Minister of Internal Affairs Juri Pihl in Tallinn, Estonia, and with Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Riekstins in Riga, Latvia. The agreements outline security enhancements that put both countries on the path toward visa-free travel to the U.S., and possible designation as VWP members later this year.

"I commend Estonia and Latvia for their commitment to these security measures, and for the leadership they demonstrate to other aspiring partners," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "We have a common adversary whose stated intent is to strike at our freedoms, wherever and whenever they can. But, we also have a common resolve and vision with the European Union and its member states to enhance security in a way that facilitates travel for our citizens. We respect European Union law and will continue to work collaboratively, particularly in the areas where the European Union has unique authority, as we enter into agreements with aspiring Visa Waiver Program countries."

The VWP has been authorized by U.S. law for over 20 years, with 27 current members from Asia and Europe. The U.S. Congress authorized DHS in August 2007 to reform the VWP and strengthen the security arrangements required of existing participant countries, as well as to expand the conditions for aspiring countries to join the program.

Among the security enhancements required, DHS will establish an electronic system of travel authorization for air passengers. VWP travelers will be asked to provide some basic information online, which will generate an authorization number for travel. DHS will announce complete details on how the authorization systems will work, and when they will begin, later this year. VWP partners also must ensure reporting of lost and stolen passports to avoid fraudulent use and enhance security measures for airports that originate flights to the U.S., to include permitting air marshals on certain flights.

The department signed the first enhanced VWP agreement with the Czech Republic on Feb. 26, 2008, who committed to meeting the new requirements of the program, to include an electronic system of travel authorization.