Movenpick Hotels & Resorts moves forward with Abu Dhabi expansion

Having announced its decision to carry out an exclusive project on Al Reem Island in September, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has now signed an exclusive partnership agreement with ALDAR Properties calling for the development of three additional first class hotels in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

One management agreement has already been concluded for a modern 500-room luxury hotel on Yas Island that is supposed to open its doors in 2010.

“Thanks to our agreement with ALDAR Properties, we have a great opportunity to further establish Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in the emirate of Abu Dhabi,” stated Andreas Mattmüller, Senior Vice President Middle East and Asia Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. “The hotel planned for Yas Island will be in a prime location for entertainment, shopping as well as relaxation, and represents an ideal inaugural project for this long term partnership.”

The two other hotels are currently in the planning stages.

“We’re looking forward to a successful long term relationship with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts,” says Ron Barrott, CEO of ALDAR Properties. “This partnership highlights and strengthens our strategic intention of cooperating at exceptional locations with this internationally recognised hospitality brand, as well as our goal of positioning Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates as world class destinations.”

“ALDAR Properties is the right partner for us when it comes to moving forward with, on one hand, our expansion in the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi in particular, and on the other, the realisation of high quality hotel projects,” comments Jean Gabriel Pérès, President and CEO of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

Kurdish problem takes toll on Turkey's tourism

Turkey's troubles with Kurdish separatists and its proximity to the Iraq war have hit its travel and tourism market hard, a devastating blow to a country which depends heavily on an influx of foreign money. It is a trend the country, which straddles Asia and Europe both physically and culturally, is planning to reverse this year. "$8 million was spent last year to advertise Turkish tourism," said Hasan Zongur, Director of the Turkish Cultural and Tourism office in the US. "[The situation] is getting better, but after 9/11, tourism numbers dropped. For this year, it is getting better. This is mainly because of our public relations activities and promotional campaigns carried out in the US market and in the South American countries and Canada."

According to Business Monitor International (BMI), everything from terrorist attacks in Turkey to the war in Lebanon and a bird flu outbreak kept tourism numbers low in 2006 - 6.2 per cent lower year-on-year than in 2005.

"In line with the fall in foreign tourist arrivals, international tourist receipts declined in 2006 by around four per cent year-on-year to $18.6 billion. This followed a near 15 per cent year-on-year rise in international tourist receipts in the previous year," said BMI's third quarter report on Turkish tourism.

"While the country has repeatedly seen annual increases in the number of visitors of 10 per cent 15 per cent over the past 15 years, there have been several significant reversals in growth, such as during the 1991 Gulf War, which saw arrivals fall by more than 20 per cent, and the 2003 Gulf War."

But despite a rocky recent past, the future of Turkish tourism looks promising. The country has the eighth-highest tourism receipts in the world and is benefiting from a steadily strong euro, which gives it an advantage over rival destinations such as Greece.

Arrivals

BMI reported that the number of foreign arrivals reached almost 9.7 million between January and June 2007, an increase of almost 17 per cent of 2006's weak numbers. "Although BMI had anticipated a recovery in the tourism market in 2007, recent data are even stronger than expected," the report said.

Those are the kinds of numbers Turkey needs, considering the economic importance of its tourism market.

The travel and tourism market is expected to generate $62.6 billion in econ-omic activity this year, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. It also accounts for one in very 14.6 per cent of jobs - about 1.56 million in 2007.

Zongur said Turkey is looking to branch out into areas of tourism new to the country that boasts relics from the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman empires.

"Now we are developing our health tourism facilities," he said. "We also have great facilities for conferences." BMI expects Turkey's medical tourism sector to increasingly draw patients from Europe and the Middle East, but also named golf tourism as a likely growth area.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Alaska, USA.

Emirates IPO will be well received

Dubai: An Emirates initial public offering (IPO) would be welcome news for the market, although the company does not need to raise cash by selling shares, officials said.

"Emirates has more than Dh11 billion cash flow to finance future acquisitions, so it does not need an IPO to support the expansion," a source closed to Emirates told Gulf News.

The airline, which reported a Dh3.09 billion net profits during the last financial year ending March 2007 on Dh29.83 revenues, has Dh37 billion exposure to the financial institutions while its current orderbook stands at Dh110 billion.

"We have raised Dh44.77 billion to finance fleet expansion over the last ten years. Of this, over $2.28 billion equivalent has been in the form of bonds, including a sukuk for $550 million," an Emirates spokesperson told Gulf News.

"As of the March 2007 year end, Emirates' bank borrowing stood at Dh1,071 million [of which Dh951.6 million was long term]. Total debt to equity ratio was 103 per cent."

The markets would respond positively to the IPO, officials say. "Emirates is the most successful airline in the Arab world. It would generate a lot of interest in the market," Robert Ziegler, principal at A.T. Kearney (UAE) Limited, said. "It would be well received by the financial institutions. Other regional airlines would see it positively."

Mohammad Yasin, managing director of Shuaa Capital, said, "It will be one of the most sought after IPOs and will be attractive to international institutional investors. Both DP World and Emirates are great companies to subscribe to and I think this is good for the market."

An Emirates IPO would also silence its critics who accuse it of getting subsidies. "I think it's fair to say that this move [if it were to happen] might be considered an attempt to rebut the allegations that the airline's success is the result of unfair subsidies," said Dr. Andreas Knorr, a Germany-based aviation expert.

French Hotels the winners of the Rugby World Cup

Confirming MKG Hospitality’s observations after the first week of competition, the “Rugby World Cup” effect on the French hotel industry is clear. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has shown major growth, MKG Hospitality estimates that this event could result in an additional revenue of between 100 and 150 million euros.

On match days, the RevPAR in French host cities was increased by 37.5%, with a clear impact on hotel occupancy rates. The results registered during the quarter-final in Marseille and the semi-final in Paris were among the highest of the competition. The increase in room rates, controlled by the reservation center Mondiresa, remained moderate in comparison with previous sports events, such as the Football World Cup in Germany.

Popular success: the Rugby World Cup fills up the hotels

Despite the disappointment linked to the performance of the French team, the Rugby World Cup was a major success, as much in hotels as in the stadiums. As MKG Hospitality’s daily tracking indicators revealed, hoteliers in France won their competition. The kickoff began with a 43.6% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) in France for the opening match of France against Argentina. Performance indicators for establishments in French cities showed increasingly positive results throughout the months of September and October. Over the whole of the competition (except weekends and the final match), the hotel industry in host cities registered an average increase in RevPAR of 37.5% on match nights. Thanks to the number of supporters attending from all over the world and the media, the frequency of establishments also showed a major increase compared with the previous year (+11.3 points).

This influx of clientele enabled hoteliers to increase their average rates, however, the inflation remained moderate. The average rate increased by an average of 20.3% in host cities. The Football World Cup in Germany finished with an increase of nearly 40% in average rates on the whole of the hotel industry in the country during the month of June 2006. Controlled by the reservation center Mondiresa, French hoteliers proved that moderation in rate policy means a win-win situation for all.

Heightened activity on weekends in provincial cities

Since the majority of matches were on weekends, the World Cup created an increase in activity in a number of provincial metropoles where hotels are often less frequented on weekends. Nantes, Montpellier, Bordeaux, and Toulouse all showed high occupancy rates. Nantes, at full capacity on September 22 for the England–Samoa match, also saw revenue per room increase by 234.4%. Similarly, September 23 in Montpellier with the Australia–Fiji match resulted in 159.5% increase in RevPAR. In these cities, the hotel supply is less developed than in major cities like Paris, Lyon or Marseille. The influx of tourists and supporters translated in an inflation of performance indicators even stronger than elsewhere.

Matches during the week, often considered to be of less importance since the teams were considered to have less of a chance (such as Japan-Fiji or Romania-Portugal), had a weaker but yet significant impact on hotels. In Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux or Toulouse, supporters and journalists added to the “business” clientele who traditionally stay in these establishments during months of less economic activity. The results showed that these establishments were at a record 100% occupancy on match nights.

Paris and Marseille, champions of the competition

Paris and Marseille, the two cities which hosted the most matches, benefited most from the competition – especially during elimination matches. Marseille, which hosted two quarter-finals, showed major increases during the weekend of October 6-7. During this weekend, Mondiresa fixed a minimum of 2 nights stay for each reservation. In Paris, because of an influx of British tourist but also thanks to many New Zealanders and Australian supporters who had bet on their teams’ presence in the final, those trying to find a room on the night of the semi-final France–England found it nearly impossible due to a frequency rate of 98% and an average rate above 230 euros.

The observations during practically the whole of the competition confirm the estimation of an additional revenue of between 100 and 150 million euros for hotel establishments in host cities.

After the Rugby World Cup, the fall season continues to show promise for the French hotel industry. Since the beginning of the year, hotel performance indicators show significant progression. Upcoming revenue-generating events which traditionally come with an increased demand for housing, such as the salon Batimat in November, justify the optimism the industry holds for the end of the year. The increase in RevPAR over the whole of 2007 should be between 8% and 10%, as predicted at the beginning of the year by the specialised consultant firm MKG Hospitality.

New global convention alliance has energy focus

The formation of an Energy Cities Alliance between three leading convention bureaux and a convention centre was announced at the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) conference in Pattaya today (30 October 2007). The founding alliance partners are: Aberdeen Convention Bureau, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Calgary TELUS Convention Centre and Perth Convention Bureau.

In creating the strategic marketing alliance, the partners are aiming to obtain a competitive edge in the international marketplace, particularly in the field of energy-related conferences.

A key focus of the alliance is the exchange of sales leads, to be known as the Energy Transfer Advantage that also incorporates a support package for conference organisers.

The major benefits available to planners include lobbying and marketing support within the partner destinations to maximize delegate registrations for their conferences.

A special branding has been established to position the alliance as a group sharing common goals and aspiring to world’s best practice as convention destinations.

Announcing the initiative, the Perth Convention Bureau’s Director of Corporate Services, Christine McLean, said strategic alliances are the way of the future.

She said: “Given today’s competitive environment, it is becoming increasingly evident of the need to develop strategic alliances that enable the partners to leverage their collective knowledge and skills to give them a marketing edge.”

“It is a critical advantage to the participating partners to be able to exchange leads on conferences and assist each other in the securing of these. The ultimate aim is for associations and corporates around the world to recognise our cities as being dynamic leaders with a clear vision for the future, offering clients access to a network of like minded destinations who can assist in delivering high caliber and successful conferences. While the common link that has brought us together is the fact that we are centres for thriving energy industries, the scope of our alliance will extend beyond energy-related conferences.”

A major element of the alliance is a dedicated website that will provide planners with access to the collective support package with links to the partners’ websites.

Ms Jacky Selway, Manager of the Aberdeen Convention Bureau, said her organisation had ‘enthusiastically embraced’ the concept of the alliance when it was mooted.

She added: “Energy Cities Alliance is an exciting forward thinking initiative and I am delighted that Aberdeen Convention Bureau is a partner. I look forward immensely to working in partnership with our international colleagues in raising the profile of our destinations and delivering successful high calibre conferences.”

Mr Ahmed Hussein, Deputy Director General Tourism Operations with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, said that his organisation was “excited to be part of this Alliance with some of the leading, dynamic and most respected meetings industry destinations in the world”.

He added: “Business Tourism is one of the key areas of growth and opportunity that Abu Dhabi intends to capitalise on and we are delighted that our Energy Alliance partners share this same vision, optimism and commitment. We look forward to working closely with them, to sharing with our clients the opportunity to tap into our joint energy and vibrancy, to delivering best practice and to a great future.”

Ms Marcia Lyons, General Manager of the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, welcoming the Alliance, said: “What attracted us to the Energy Cities Alliance was the uniqueness of the partnership. One common factor each of us has is a powerful and dynamic energy industry.”

“To take this a step further into our tourism, meetings and conventions sectors is a great strategic move forward. Everyone will benefit from the sales leads, to public relations and destination awareness of our cities. I know our team at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre is anxious to get things rolling.”

Europe awards the ten best rural tourist destinations

Vice President Gunter Verheugen awarded the "European Destinations of Excellence" (EDEN) to the ten best emerging rural destinations at the European Annual Tourism Forum in Portugal on 26th of October. The aim of EDEN is twofold: to draw attention to the value, diversity and shared characteristics of European tourist destinations and to promote destinations where commercial success goes hand in hand with social, cultural and environmental sustainability. It also creates awareness of Europe’s tourist diversity and quality, besides promoting Europe as the foremost tourism destination in the world.

Commission Vice-President Gunter Verheugen, responsible for enterprise and industry policy, said: “The EDEN Project supports European tourism and enhances the visibility of several non traditional destinations. It is a platform for the exchange of good practices at European level while rewarding sustainable forms of tourism and successful business models. It will contribute to creating new and upgrading existing jobs.”

Ten countries participated in the EDEN Awards, for which national juries made the selections. Next year seven additional Member States of the EU (Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, France, Lithuania, Spain and Romania) and Turkey will participate in the EDEN Awards. The ten winning destinations of excellence in 2007 are:

Austria: Pielachtal, Dirndl is the valley’s trademark

The Pielachtal is a valley in the Alpine foothills of the province of Lower Austria. Its culture, nature, way of life, handicrafts and specialty foods are combined to form a network of innovative offers. The Dirndl, or Cornel, popularly known as a cherry, is cultivated as the valley’s “trademark”.

Belgium: Durbuy, the smallest city of the world

The community Durbuy is situated in Wallonia in the Ardennes, and consists of 40 small villages. Durbuy is registered as "city" since the Middle Ages for its efficient justice and trade organization. Thus the old town of Durbuy became "the smallest city of the world".

Croatia: Sveti Martin na Muri, preserved natural heritage

The district of Sveti Martin na Muri is located in the North, close to the tri-border with Slovenia and Hungary, where the River Mura enters the territory of Croatia. The destination has been profiled as a rural as well as a spa destination. It has a thermal spring of medicinal water and is the largest and one of the most beautiful spas in Croatia.

Cyprus: Troodos, A relaxing break away from cosmopolitan coastal resorts

Troodos has five distinct regions, grouped around Mount Olympus. The area offers an abundance of things to do and see: walking or cycling through forest nature trails, attending local village festivals, experiencing the local traditional cuisine and discovering the cultural treasures of UNESCO World Heritage sites are among the main pursuits.

Greece: Florina, Conciliating tourism and rural environment

The region of Florina is located in Northern Greece in West Macedonia. Geographically, it consists of mountainous and semi mountainous areas and lowlands. The mountains of Varnoutas, Vernon and Voras contain the ski centre and European Alpine routes whose peaks reach out to the fertile valleys and the six lakes of Prespes.

Hungary: Orseg, Characteristic landscape in harmony with nature

The Orseg region is located in the most western corner of Hungary. The unique landscape is characterized by a variety of natural beauties: hills and valleys, deciduous and coniferous woodlands, green hayfields, moors, springs and streams. Besides these beauties, the unchanged folk traditions and customs, traditional crafts and the products of self-sufficient farming and lifestyle also attract visitors.

Ireland: Clonakilty District, amenities of natural beauty

The Clonakilty District is situated on the coast in South West Ireland. There are many amenities of natural beauty which are easily accessed. In addition to an abundance of activities on land and sea, music sessions and fresh local produce there are also a full range of heritage sites, galleries, pubs, walking routes and fishing points.

Italy: Specchia, Tradition meets innovation

Specchia is located in Southern Italy (Province of Lecce, Puglia Region). It is a site of great natural and cultural value and an important centre for the rural economy in the region. Specchia is a shining example of a place where tradition meets innovation. For example, there is the Protonobilissimo castle, which dates back to the XV century, as well as a public access Centre for advanced digital services.

Latvia: Kuldiga, The Latvian Venice

Kuldiga town in the Kurzeme region with its historical part and Valley of the River Venta is known as “The Latvian Venice”. Its tourism recourses are based on its historical and cultural heritage and the Venta River which is one of the largest and most picturesque rivers of Latvia. “Ventas Rumba” is the widest waterfall in Europe (240m).

Malta: Nadur, Scenic beauty which are unique and rather rare

Nadur is situated on the easternmost hill of the island of Gozo, Malta's sister-island. Fresh fruit such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, oranges, lemons and melons from the fields of Nadur are distributed around Malta and Gozo. Nadur also has a plenty of cultural heritage and offers a number of areas of scenic beauty which are unique and rather rare.

New worldwide partnership to reduce global warming

A coalition of European countries, U.S. states, Canadian provinces, New Zealand and Norway has yesterday (29 October 2007) in Lisbon, Portugal announced the formation of the International Carbon Action Partnership (www.ICAPCarbonAction.com) to fight global warming.

ICAP will provide an international forum in which governments and public authorities adopting mandatory greenhouse gas emissions cap and trade systems will share experiences and best practices on the design of emissions trading schemes. This cooperation will ensure that the programs are more compatible and are able to work together as the foundation of a global carbon market. Such a market will boost demand for low-carbon products and services, promote innovation, and allow cost effective reductions so as to allow swift and ambitious global reductions in global warming emissions.

The ground-breaking international and interregional agreement was signed yesterday (29 October 2007) by U.S. and Canadian members of the Western Climate Initiative, northeastern U.S. members of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, as well as European members including the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, and the European Commission. New Zealand and Norway joined on behalf of their emissions trading programs.

Leaders attending the summit included: President Jose Socrates, Council of the European Union and Prime Minister of Portugal; European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso; Governor Jon Corzine, New Jersey; Governor Eliot Spitzer, New York and Premier Gordon Campbell, British Columbia. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, participated with video messages.

ICAP will open lines of communication for sharing valuable information, such as research, effective policy initiatives, lessons learned and new developments. By working together to establish similar design principles, ICAP partners are ensuring that future market systems, in conjunction with regulation in the form of enforceable caps, will boost worldwide demand for low-carbon products and services, provide a larger market for innovators, and achieve global emissions reductions at the swiftest pace and lowest cost possible. The new partnership supports the current ongoing efforts undertaken under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which all ICAP members agree has a central role in fighting global warming.

Global warming is a problem that requires a global solution. ICAP will facilitate such a global solution by:

• Rigorously and accurately monitoring, reporting and verifying emissions and working to determine reliable sources appropriate for inclusion in a globally linked program.
• Encouraging common approaches and furthering partners/ability to link together to expand the global carbon market, helping to prevent leakage.
• Creating a clear price incentive to innovate, develop and use clean technologies.
• Encouraging private investors to chose low carbon projects and technologies, generating the flow of money needed to support a shift to a low-carbon future.
• Providing flexible compliance mechanisms that ensure reliable reductions at the fastest pace and lowest cost.

AIRPORT NEWS

Copenhagen Airport passes 2 million mark

Copenhagen Airport has increased its passenger throughput during the first nine months of the year by 2.5% to 16.3 million passengers. The number rose by 1.4% in September to almost 2 million. Scheduled traffic increased by 0.8% in September while charter traffic went up 5.8%.

The outlook for the rest of the year is a bit uncertain since SAS Airlines has decided to withdraw Dash 8 operations permanently following some near-crashes. The airport says it is working hard with SAS to minimise any disruptions this may cause for passengers. However, it is most likely that the cancellations will affect the airport’s traffic performance for the last quarter.
With regard to its terminal operations, the airport has put in use a new central security checkpoint this summer that significantly improved passenger screening time, as 98% of all passengers were being screened within 10 minutes. Furthermore, the airport’s sale per passenger increased due to the opening of a new duty free shop.
As of October 2007 passengers travelling to and from the Danish capital can use a Metro connection to more conveniently travel between Copenhagen’s city centre and the airport. The new airport station is above ground with access from Terminal 3. It is expected that the daily throughput at the Metro station will be around 6,500 passengers by 2010.
The new Metro connection will make Copenhagen one of the most accessible airports in the world, the Danish believe. “We have the Øresund bridge, the motorway, regional and intercity trains and, from 2007, also a Metro service directly to the airport,” said Mogens Kornbo, vice-president with Copenhagen Airports.

Steady growth for Prague Airport

Over 1.2 million passengers travelled via Prague Airport in September, a year-on-year increase of 4.8%. Most passengers flew internationally, while the airport handled just over 11,000 domestic passengers. As the airport handled 9.4 million passengers during the first nine months of the year, it is well on track to exceed last year’s total throughput of 11.6 million passengers.
Prague airport forecasts a seat capacity increase of 13% per cent for the upcoming winter season. Higher frequencies of flights and the deployment of higher capacity aircraft will contribute to this increase. The winter timetable will also see three carriers commencing scheduled services to Prague. Ryanair will fly seven times a week between the Czech capital and Dublin while Iberia of Spain will fly every working day between Prague and Madrid. Cimber Air will operate a daily flight to Copenhagen.
As of October 28, Prague airport designated Terminal 2 exclusively for Schengen flights. Although passport control continues until the end of the winter season, non-Schengen flights will be handled at Terminal 1 in the future.
To facilitate the increasing number of passengers flying via Prague, the airport opened Terminal 2 in early 2006. This terminal has been designed so that its capacity can be progressively increased with the addition of further boarding bridges and the construction of new handling piers (Pier D, and if necessary Pier E). The airport development study envisages an annual capacity of 20 million passengers in the future.

Official Libo opening

According to a Libo County official, the Libo Airport will officially start operation on November 5th after getting approval from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China.
The total investment in the airport is RMB396.36 million (US$ 52.85 million). The construction work started in August 2003 and the airport is designed to handle 220,000 passengers annually.
It has a 2,300m long, 45m wide runway which is able to serve Boeing 737 series planes. The whole Libo airport project passed its final inspection in August this year and is now fully ready for operation before the opening of the Second Guizhou Tourist Summit to be held in South of GuiZhou Province (Qiannan) in November.
Shenzhen Airport Co., Ltd. has signed an agreement with the government of Qiannan Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou Province on purchasing the 100% stake in the Airport.

New security measures at Abu Dhabi

New aviation security measures will be implemented at Abu Dhabi International Airport beginning on 1 November 1, 2007. The new measures, which apply for flights departing from Terminals 1 and 1A, including passengers transiting at these terminals, restrict the amount of liquids, aerosols and gels that passengers can carry onboard in their hand luggage. The new measures are in line with guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the directives of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
The new security measures have already been implemented at Terminal 2. The Airport Operations Department described the implementation as generally smooth. “Traffic flow was smooth, and all flights left on time, thanks to the collective efforts of all organizations operating at the airport” it said in a statement.
To aid passengers, the airport will deploy airport ambassadors at both terminals to assist with queries, and information panels will be set up in different locations to remind passengers of the new restrictions.

Sacramento celebrates 40 years

As the airport celebrated its 40th anniversary last week, officials looked ahead to the next forty years. They are going to make some big changes to the airport.
County and airport officials plan to take down aging Terminal B and will build a new one that will sit in the middle of where terminals A and B are now. There will be a new hotel for the structure as well as a new Starbucks near the gates.
The biggest changes include an automated people mover and an above ground train that should make it easier for passengers to travel in between the terminals and parking areas.
Terminal A is also getting a few new restaurants and shops, including Brooks Brothers and a Quiznos.

Poll shows worst airports

Heathrow’s reputation took a further knock yesterday when it was voted the world’s joint least favourite airport. It shared the title with Chicago in a survey of 2,500 travellers by the travel organisation TripAdvisor. The poll asked respondents to rate 36 airports in terms of how easy they were to navigate, cleanliness of their lavatories and the quality of their parking facilities.
TripAdvisor’s findings echoed the criticisms of Heathrow voiced by political and business leaders over the past year, who said the airport shamed London. News of the airport’s poor placing emerged as American Airlines started a New York service from Stansted while British Airways continued its search for continental slots for transatlantic flights.
Passengers have frequently faced delays of up to an hour to negotiate security and check-in queues before reaching their planes. Getting into the country has often been just as bad with new scanning equipment doubling the time needed to process passports.
Slots at Heathrow remain in demand however and other airlines, such as Continental, plan on using the airport for transatlantic flights. However, at the same time, the open skies agreement between the European Union and the US will make it possible for airlines to operate from airports outside their home base. British Airways has earmarked a number of continental airports for potential transatlantic flights, including Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Milan and Madrid. A spokesman for BA said the move was not a vote of no confidence in Heathrow, but a desire to take advantage of the business opportunities offered by open skies, which comes into force next March.
Other poor performers in the poll included New York’s JFK, Atlanta Hartsfield and Los Angeles International. They were followed by Miami, New York’s LaGuardia and Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Chinese outbound travelers like to travel in comfort

Chinese tourists from the three key cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou like to travel in comfort when they travel overseas, according to a report released by The Nielsen Company. The Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor 2007 found more than one third of Chinese outbound travelers choose to stay in four-star hotels, with a further 10 percent opting for five-star luxury accommodation when heading overseas.

A preview of the Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor was launched recently at the PATA Travel Mart in Bali, Indonesia. Conducted in October 2007 via a combination of telephone and online interviews, the Nielsen Travel Monitor provides insight into Chinese travelers from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Nielsen Travel Monitor highlights Chinese travelers' behaviour, attitudes and opinions towards various destinations, and provides insight into decision making processes, information sourcing, booking choices, accommodation and more – across both leisure and business travel. Findings of a further 23 cities throughout China will be released in early 2008.

The comprehensive Nielsen research study has been conducted in partnership with PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association).

According to the Nielsen China Outbound Travel Monitor 2007, Chinese outbound travelers spent an average close to US$3,000 per trip per person (including expenses prior to the trip, such as prepaid packages, airfares and accommodation). Travelers to Europe were the biggest spenders, splashing out an average US$5,253 per trip, while travelers to Asia spent just a bit more than a third the amount of those Europe-bound, outlaying US$1,904 a head, with the exception of those headed to Hong Kong and Macau, where the average spend was US$2,185, reflecting these destinations’ status as shopping and entertainment meccas.

“Asia remains the most popular destination for Chinese travellers because of the region’s proximity; however, trips to Europe and America are increasing rapidly in numbers, particularly when it comes to business travel,” commented Dr. Grace Pan, head of Travel & Leisure Research for The Nielsen Company, China.
“We also found that while mass-market travellers focus on budget travel, there is a fast-emerging affluent market segment prepared to indulge themselves in luxury travel.”

With China now supplying millions of visitors to overseas destinations, operators in destination countries will need to shape their strategies accordingly, to cater to this unique and high potential group of ‘customers’, and benefit from the growing opportunities presented by Chinese tourists.

“Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and the travel industry needs to monitor changes and trends in their travel preferences, attitudes and perceptions towards various destinations,” Dr. Pan said. “While Chinese travelers appear to seek comfort, they are also becoming wise and well-prepared as they plan their trips leveraging all the information available to them on the Internet.”

Historic night race for F1 Singapore grand prix receives approval

The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has granted approval*, via the Singapore Motor Sports Council, for the FORMULA ONETM Singapore Grand Prix to hold the first night race in the sport’s history.

Mr Lim Neo Chian, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board said: "The in-principle approval by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) for Singapore to host a night race is yet another positive step in our preparations to present to the world a truly unique Formula OneTM race. Subject to final safety approvals, FORMULA ONETM fans worldwide will be able to enjoy a race experience like no other in Singapore from next year - a dramatic night street race set against our beautiful city skyline."

“We are well on our way to creating history – with two positive lighting tests under our belt, we are on track to delivering the first night-race in Formula Onetm history,” commented Mr Colin Syn, Deputy Chairman of Singapore GP.

The electric night-time atmosphere will deliver a different perspective for FORMULA ONETM fans around the globe. The later start time will also ensure maximum exposure of the race to the important European television markets.

“Given that one of our objectives is to showcase Singapore to FORMULA ONETM fans around the world, our late start-time will help us achieve this. The stunning city skyline backdrop will be an added bonus” added Mr Syn.

Gulf Air Expands Cooperation with Saudi Arabian Airlines

Responding to increasing demand and to provide enhanced customer service as part of its new network strategy, Gulf Air has extended its cooperation with Saudi Arabian Airlines by operating two weekly non-stop code-shared flights on the Dammam-Katmandu route.

Served by Airbus A340-300 aircraft, the flights will, for the first time, link King Fahad International Airport in Dammam with non-stop services with the Capital of Nepal. These two flights are part of the existing successful code-share arrangement with the national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia effective from Gulf Air’s winter 2007/2008 schedule.

In addition to above code-share arrangement, Saudi Arabian Airlines has added its code on the Gulf Air-operated two flights on Riyadh-Bahrain–Bangkok route as well as on the two flights on Riyadh-Bahrain-Katmandu route. Moreover, Gulf Air and Saudi Arabian Airlines have a comprehensive code-share arrangement, which covers all flights and routes between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi Arabian Airlines is a very important and key strategic partner to Gulf Air,” says Acting Executive Vice President Network Hashim Mahmood.

“This code-share agreement will further improve and enhance our services to our customers. The expansion is part of our new network strategy and I am very pleased we can begin to see results so quickly.”

Gulf Air introduced a complete revamped flight schedule beginning July 2007, which was received very positively by the trade and the customers. Gulf Air plans to continue this success story for the winter 2007/2008 schedule and onwards. The Gulf Air new network offers as many as 588 flights every week in the Middle East with more non-stop flights than any other Middle Eastern airline.

“This new agreement means that travelers will have more travel options throughout the week to and from Katmandu. With these two non-stop services to Katmandu we are bringing the total number of Gulf Air frequencies to 11 per week making Gulf Air to be one of the dominant players serving the highly sought- after Kathmandu market,” concludes Mr. Mahmood.

Airasia enters Laos market

AirAsia has placed another flight to its ASEAN network with Vientiane. The airline has carried over 40 million passengers to date, grown from a 2-aircraft fleet to 62 today and now, the final ASEAN country has given the airline the approval to enter the city as part of the airline’s extensive route network – all within the grasp of six years in operation. The airline is set to commence its inaugural flight into the capital of Laos on 1 December 2007.

AirAsia will start with three (3) direct flights per week to Vientiane from LCC Terminal, Kuala Lumpur using its new Airbus aircraft. Situated on the Mekong river, Vientiane is an unassuming city reachable within two hours and 35 minutes flight from Kuala Lumpur.

Kathleen Tan, Regional Head of Commercial, AirAsia, said, “There is a latent demand for this route to be established from the first day we started the airline, and now to see us launching direct flights to Vientiane is like a missing jigsaw puzzle to be fitted into the AirAsia chapter. We are now a truly ASEAN airline, covering all the 10 countries serving over 80 routes within the region.”

“We strongly believe that our amazing low fares will help to stimulate travel in Laos and its surrounding areas especially tapping the backpacking travelers looking for an adventurous trail through Indochina and Thailand. We are also very happy to be able to serve the Malaysians working in Laos who have been very excited with our announcement. We trust our entry into Laos will further strengthen our position as the preferred airline of the region in enabling more people to fly,” added Kathleen.

Air France KLM highlights expansion in the Gulf region

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air France are participating in the Business Travel show these coming 2 days at the Madinat Arena, Madinat Jumeirah Conference Centre in Dubai. At this occasion, both airlines are taking the opportunity to highlight their added frequencies from UAE with their winter schedule which has already started.

KLM will have 4 more weekly frequencies and a total of 14 weekly flights from Dubai to Amsterdam this winter until 29th March 2008. All flights are operated by a Boeing 777-200ER.

Air France will have 1 added weekly frequency from Dubai to Paris from 30th October 2007 and a total of 13 weekly flights from Dubai to Paris Charles de Gaulle until 29th March 2008. All flights are operated by a Boeing 777-200ER and an Airbus A330-200.

Air France and KLM combinable product offers 4 daily flights from Dubai to Paris or Amsterdam and 1 daily flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam connecting to 728 destinations worldwide with the Skyteam network.

Air France and KLM will have a total of 79 flights from the region to their respective Hubs in Paris and Amsterdam from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Tehran.

KLM has announced the launch of the route Muscat – Amsterdam from 3rd December with 5 weekly frequencies. The flights will be operated using an A330-200 aircraft and will be transiting via Kuwait.

“We are proud to resume service to Muscat and at this occasion we will thank our frequent flyer members with a double miles promotion in Economy Class and triple miles promotion in Business Class between Muscat and Amsterdam until 31st March 2008” says Mr. A.M. Vasudevan, Commercial Manager for Air France KLM - Northwest Airlines in Oman & Yemen.

Royal Jet sings new aircraft management deal

Royal Jet has sealed another aircraft management deal to operate a luxury long-range Gulfstream GIVSP on behalf of a GCC national owner. “The GIVSP will have considerable appeal with its ability to accomplish flights of up to 5,000 nautical miles making it a time-saving option for travel from the Gulf to many European destinations, such as Abu Dhabi to London” said Shane O’Hare, President and CEO, Royal Jet.

“We believe Royal Jet will have significant impact in the aircraft management sector with further negotiations currently under way with individual owners. We intend to devote serious effort and resources to ensuring Royal Jet becomes the preferred operator for private owners.”

The GIVSP, which is powered by Rolls Royce engines, can carry up to nine passengers in a VIP configuration and is serviced by two pilots and two of Royal Jet’s highly trained cabin crew and can carry up to 18 standard suitcases.

Aircraft management is one of Royal Jet’s five product lines, the others being VIP charter, the Royal Med aeromedical evacuation service, Guest Flight Control Centre and FBO operations for executive aircraft landing in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The GIVSP is the third major addition to the Royal Jet fleet in as many months. In August the company, which is the Middle East’s largest private jet operator with a 16% market share, took delivery of its fifth Boeing business jet.

Royal Jet is the largest operator of BBJs in the world. One month later the Abu Dhabi-headquartered operator launched the region’s most cost-effective Learjet service with a newly-acquired two twin-engined Learjet 35 offering inter-regional, point-to-point travel.

“Fleet expansion is paying dividends with demand for the BBJ in particular increasing long haul utilisation. From a previous average of four charters each quarter we are currently averaging four a month,” explained O’Hare. “We are now flying clients to a variety of long haul destinations such as the USA and Swaziland.”

Fleet expansion is part of Royal Jet’s ongoing development plan which is targeting 25% growth this year on its 2006 performance.

Qatar Airways Introduces New Fare Structure For Passengers Buying Tickets In Qatar

Doha, QATAR - Qatar Airways has unveiled a new fare structure giving passengers who buy tickets in Qatar with more choice, greater flexibility and excellent value for money.

Effective November 1 when the new ex-Doha fares go on sale, customers will be able to take advantage of a wider range of easy to understand fares that let the customer choose according to what they value - price, schedules or flexibility.

They are also designed to help customers better plan their travel arrangements and avoid the disappointment of trying to book during busy travel periods.

The three-tier structure is broken down into new Flexi-Value, Standard Value and Super Value fares for passengers travelling on business or leisure.

From Flexi-Value full flexibility fares allowing passengers to change their date of travel or obtain a refund without charge, to Super Value advance purchase fares where tickets are bought well ahead of the travel date, the new structure promises to appeal to a wider customer base.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the revamped fare structure was much-needed to give customers more choice and flexibility, but more importantly, greater value for money.

"In today's highly competitive aviation industry, passengers are more demanding and airlines are becoming more responsive to their needs," he said.

"Apart from product innovation, high service levels and having a modern, reliable fleet of aircraft which are the cornerstone of Qatar Airways' drive forward as one of the best airlines in the skies today, we cannot afford to ignore our fare structure.

"Qatar Airways has developed a new fare structure which we believe offers great value, is easy to understand for the consumer and meets the needs of all our customer segments, whether they travel on business, leisure or in groups."

The new fares will be available through Qatar Airways' ticket offices, travel agents and on our website - www.qatarairways.com - the fastest way to book your flights.

Members of Qatar Airways - award-winning Privilege Club loyalty programme, who book the new fares online at www.qatarairways.com between 1 November 2007 and 31 December 2007, will earn a bonus of 1,000 Qmiles.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 58 all-Airbus aircraft to 79 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Far East, Indian subcontinent and North America. The highlight of Qatar Airways' 2007 expansion has been the launch of flights to New York (Newark) and Washington DC - the airline's first move into the North American market.

Emirates Launches Ahmedabad and Toronto services

DUBAI, U.A.E., 29th October 2007 - Emirates Airline today launched two new non-stop services: a six-a-week service to Ahmedabad, India, and a thrice-weekly service to Toronto, Canada – marking a simultaneous expansion of its global route network eastwards and westwards from Dubai.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, travelled on the inaugural flight to Toronto, together with VIP guests HE Sara Hradecky, Canadian Ambassador in the UAE; and HE Hassan Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador in Canada.

Sheikh Ahmed also leads a delegation of senior Emirates executives to Toronto, comprising: Ghaith Al Ghaith, Executive Vice President Commercial Operations Worldwide; Ali Mubarak Al Soori, Divisional Senior Vice President Chairman's Office, Facilities, Projects Management and Procurement and Logistics (Non-Airline); Mike Simon, Divisional Senior Vice President Corporate Communications; and Peter Sedgeley, Senior Vice President Cargo Commercial Operations.

Representing Emirates on the airline's first flight to Ahmedabad were: Nabil Sultan, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations - Gulf Middle East and Iran; and Salem Obaidalla Vice President Commercial Operations - West Asia and Indian Ocean.

The Dubai-Toronto service heralds Emirates’ second destination in North America after New York; while the Ahmedabad service represents Emirates’ ninth gateway in India, strengthening the airline’s connections between Dubai and the subcontinent.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “Emirates is delighted to launch the keenly-anticipated flights to Ahmedabad and Toronto today, bringing to fruition many months of work preparing for the start of services to both cities. We are glad to be able to grow our route network, thus expanding the number of travel options available to our customers around the world.

“We are confident that both new Emirates services will be well-received by our customers, and we hope that the two new air connections forged today will be the harbinger of even closer ties for Dubai with Canada and India in the coming years.”

On its Dubai-Toronto route, Emirates will operate its long-haul Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, offering 12 First Class, 42 Business Class and 304 Economy Class seats, with on-demand personal entertainment in all classes.

To Ahmedabad, Emirates will operate a three-class configured Airbus A330-200 offering 12 First, 42 Business and 183 Economy Class seats, and its Boeing 777-200 in a two-class configuration, offering 42 Business and 304 Economy Class seats. Both offer industry-leading comforts including ergonomically designed seats, and personal entertainment systems in all classes.

With the launch of flights to Ahmedabad and Toronto, Emirates Airline now serves 87 passenger destinations across six continents. Its global route network currently spans 97 cities in 61 countries including cargo-only destinations. This year, Emirates has introduced passenger services to Venice, Newcastle and Sao Paulo, and it will soon start services to Houston in December.

DUBAI, U.A.E., 28th October 2007 – Starting today, Emirates, one of the fastest-growing international carriers will introduce an additional daily flight to Mumbai, offering passengers a second morning departure to India’s commercial hub and boosting the weekly service to 28 flights per week.

The Dubai-based airline has been steadily building up its presence in India owing to escalating demand for air travel triggered by the country’s burgeoning economy. Earlier this year, Emirates enhanced its existing 19-flights-per-week Mumbai service with the launch of two additional frequencies, taking the weekly total to 21 flights.

The airline also commenced a double-daily service to Chennai, and added three additional flights each to Cochin and Hyderabad.

Emirates flight EK 506, an Airbus A330 aircraft offering 12 First, 42 Business and 183 Economy class seats, and 17 tonnes of cargo capacity per week per direction, will depart Dubai at 09:30 hours every day of the week, touching down at Mumbai at 13:45 hours.

Return flight EK 507 will take off from Mumbai at 15:15 hours and arrive in Dubai at 17:00 hours.

The fourth daily service expands the current morning, afternoon and late night departures from Dubai to Mumbai.

Salem Obaidalla, Emirates Vice President, Commercial Operations West Asia & Indian Ocean said: “The growth of Emirates services to and from Mumbai has been market-driven. At every stage the increases we have introduced have been matched by higher and higher passenger levels and we are delighted to now offer our customers the convenience of this additional frequency.”

“The fourth daily flight will improve connectivity between the two commerce and trade hubs, and provide travellers with more flexible options. I am confident the new service will receive a rousing welcome from our passengers and travel trade partners.”

Emirates currently operates 92 flights per week to eight Indian gateways – Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and Bangalore. The airline will strengthen its Indian footprint with the launch of six flights per week to Ahmedabad, effective 29th October.

Air France Strike Continues After Weekend Of Chaos

Cabin crew members at Air France said they would continue with a strike that brought misery to thousands of travelers at Paris airports over the weekend.

The company said it expected "major costs" as a result of the dispute.

"The cost is very important," Air France Chief Operating Officer Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told French TV station LCI. He added there were no precise estimates at the moment for what the financial cost might be.

A joint statement by various trade unions representing more than 60 percent of Air France flight attendants said the strike would go on until midnight, local time, on October 29.

The strike began on October 25. The dispute centers on renegotiating a framework agreement on salaries and working conditions that is due to expire at the end of 2007.

The situation became serious enough for the French government to intervene over the weekend.

Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau issued a statement demanding a speedy resolution to the affair and Bussereau himself went to Paris Orly Airport on Sunday to assess the situation.

"I have come to see how the passengers are getting on," he told TV reporters at the airport.

The strike has affected between 30 and 40 percent of flights, causing major disruption at airports with many French families due to leave for school half-term holidays.

Talks between management and trade union members broke down over the weekend. Air France reiterated it was open to further negotiations and the airline has warned that the strike could have an adverse financial impact on the company.

Air France said it operated around 65 percent of flights on Saturday. It expected to operate more than 60 percent of flights on Sunday and at least 70 percent of flights on Monday.

It said it had run 71 percent of flights on Sunday morning.

Air France is part of the Air France KLM group, the world's largest airline by revenue. The French state holds around 18 percent of the Air France KLM share capital.

SAS Counts Cost Of Dash 8 Cancellations

Scandinavian airline SAS said on Monday a decision to stop operating its Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop planes would cost it SEK300 million to SEK400 million Swedish kronor (USD$47 million to USD$62 million) over the remainder of the year.

SAS cancelled more than 60 flights on Monday after a third plane from its fleet of Dash 8 Q400s crash-landed over the weekend following two similar incidents in September.

"An early estimate of the negative impact on the SAS Group's result is 300-400 million kronor for the remaining part of the year," the airline said in a statement.

The airline said it would permanently stop using its fleet of 27 Dash 8 Q400s after Saturday's crash-landing in Copenhagen.

No one was seriously injured in any of the three incidents, which all involved problems with landing gear.

The airline has already said it would seek compensation totaling about SEK500 million kronor (USD$78 million) from Bombardier relating to cancellations after the first two Dash 8 incidents, one in Denmark and one in Lithuania, which led to hundreds of flights being cancelled.

A spokesman for the airline, half of which is owned by Sweden, Norway and Denmark, said a total number of flights "in the 50s" from Denmark had been cancelled on Monday, plus nine from Norway.

An SAS statement said eight flights from Sweden had been cancelled.

AIRPORT NEWS

Taiwanese ‘air city’

An ambitious project to upgrade Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport into an ‘air city’ will make Taiwan a more competitive and attractive transport hub and business destination, supporters of the proposal said yesterday.
Speaking at a news conference in the Legislative Yuan, Taoyuan County Commissioner Chu Li-lun Chu said that the 30-year-old airport – formerly known as the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport – needs to sharpen its competitiveness as its ranking has dropped to 85th place among the world’s airports.
The airport must be made into a legally and professionally incorporated compound comprising a multinational business operations hub, free-trade zone, warehousing and distribution facilities, exhibition centres, tourism hotels, shopping malls and high-tech science park. The development will help stop the airport being shunted aside and again become globally competitive, Chu said.
Chu said he has crafted a program to create a ‘Taoyuan Aviation Park’, to be located in a 6,150-hectare plot of land adjacent to the airport that could house eight different areas and estimated that the Taoyuan Air City project would attract US$37 billion in investment, create 80,000 jobs and eventually pull in revenues of US$ 20 billion a year.
To date, 113 legislators, half of the total number of lawmakers, have endorsed the bill, which was referred to the Legislative Yuan on Friday afternoon for screening.

First flight for Tibet airport

The first civilian flight by an Air China’s Airbus A319 to Kangding Airport in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Sichuan province, on Sunday ends the lack of civilian flights in Ganzi.
With an altitude of 4,290m, this Kangding Airport is the second highest airport in the world – the highest is Qamdo Bangda Airport, 4,300m above sea level. Due to its rough terrain and high altitudes, the western region of Sichuan was notorious for being difficult to access in ancient times. Li Bai, a famed poet from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), wrote that travelling in Shu State (present day Sichuan) was more difficult than going to heaven.
The construction of Kangding airport started in September 2006 with a total investment of US$133 million. The runway will be 4,000m long and able to land Boeing 737 and Airbus A319 series aircraft. The airport is designed to handle 330,000 passengers and 1,980 tonnes of cargo annually.
The airport is 38km from the Kangding city, which is seven hours’ drive from Chengdu city. After completion in May 2008, the travel time from Kangding to Chengdu will be cut to one hour. It will surely boom the tourist industry in the Ganzi area, which is famous for its wonderful natural scenery and attract more tourists from south-east Asia, Europe and the USA.

Tourism award for Belfast International

Belfast International Airport has been honoured with a top tourism award. The airport won the Special Achievement Award at the 2007 Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Awards due in part to its rapid growth.
More than 40 direct flights now go from the airport to both North America and Europe, and Aer Lingus recently announced that it would develop a base at the airport, introducing a further nine routes.
John Doran, who is the managing director at Belfast International, said of the award: “Belfast International Airport provides passengers with the destinations they want to go to, when they want to go, all directly from their local airport.”

Gulf Air gets new Boeing 737-800

Gulf Air’s flight operations have received a further boost with the introduction of a new narrow-body aircraft to the airline’s fleet. “The Boeing 737-800, which joined the airline’s fleet, will enhance our capacity to meet our winter needs,” says Gulf Air Board Chairman Mahmood Al Kooheji.

“We want Gulf Air to be the airline of choice and this addition will further boost the operational efficiency of Bahrain’s flag carrier,” says Mr. Al Kooheji, adding that another Boeing 737-800 will join the fleet next month.

“As expected, our newly revamped network is already reaping its benefits and these new aircraft will further complement Gulf Air’s hub and spoke operations from Bahrain.”

Plane lands safely after bomb hoax

Dubai: A Malaysian Airline plane grounded in Karachi after a bomb threat, arrived safely in Dubai late Thursday after it was found to be a hoax, the airline manager here said.

The flight had left Kuala Lumpur and transited in Karachi, where airport security received a bomb threat, said Halimy Mahmoud, regional manager of the airline. The plane was inspected and it was determined the threat was a hoax, he said.

Clearancet

The flight arrived in Dubai on Thursday at 10:15pm after being delayed for five hours.

After receiving clearance from Dubai Airport, it left for Kuala Lumpur, transiting again through Karachi. Mahmoud said no problems were reported in Karachi on the return flight.

He said this was the first bomb threat targeting a foreign carrier in Pakistan. Previous threats had targeted Pakistan International Airlines.

Malaysian Airlines doubted that this incident would affect its operations or affect visitors to Malay-sia, which is trying to draw more tourists to celebrate the country's 50th anniversary of independence.

Jet unveils Brussels luxury lounge

Above and below: Views of Jet Airways' new first- and premiere-class lounge at Brussels Airport

Indian airline Jet Airways has today inaugurated a new lounge at Brussels Airport. A Hindu priest blessed the lounge before it was officially opened by Belgium’s deputy Prime Minister Freya van den Bossche.

The 522m² lounge is open to Jet’s first- and premiere-class passengers and offers a comfortable waiting area, including Italian leather design chairs, three entertainment zones, a business centre and meeting rooms. Passengers can also choose from a wide choice of Indian and European food in the buffet area. First class passengers may even take a shower.

It has capacity for 18 first-class and 59 premiere-class passengers at the same time.

“The Jet Airways lounge is arguably one of the finest in the world. No effort has been spared to give our passengers facilities and comfort in a luxurious setting,” says Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal.

Last spring, Jet Airways took the decision to set up a European hub at Brussels Airport in close cooperation with Brussels Airlines. The hub offers passengers the opportunity to fly to India or North America with Jet Airways, while feeder flights within Europe are operated by Brussels Airlines.

Jet’s European hub became operational last August. The airline already operates flights from Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai via Brussels to New York and Toronto.

Flybe opens four new airport lounges

Flybe, which claims to be Europe’s largest regional airline, has opened new executive lounges at Manchester, Exeter, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports and refurbished its existing lounge at Jersey. The new lounges boast panoramic views of the airport runways, plasma screen TV, work stations, cafe lounge seating area and refreshments. WiFi facilities will be available soon.

Ben-Gurion passenger tax set to soar

Airport tax at Ben-Gurion International Airport will rise by more than 50% next year to boost the airport’s security budget and allow improvements to infrastructure and technology. The Israel Airports Authority says the per-passenger tax will rise from US$13 to at least US$20.

Transportation Ministry director general Gideon Siterman claims the new, higher, airport tax will still be among the world’s lowest.

“We want to improve our service,” he says. “Today, the tax is US$13, and it was last raised in April 1994. Compare it to Heathrow in London. There, British citizens pay about US$80 and Israelis pay US$120,” Siterman says.

Hotel planned for Belfast City Airport

Plans have been revealed to build a hotel close to the terminal at Belfast City Airport, probably on the site of the short stay car park. A formal planning application will be made early next year. A spokesman says the airport will continue to explore commercial development in selected areas of its site despite recent objections from neighbouring residents opposed to development.

Vienna expands terminal to meet traffic growth

Above: Expansion of Vienna's terminal will add 63 check-in counters and 17 new pier positions at the airport

Vienna International Airport (VIE) is expanding its existing terminal facilities to cope with the growth in passenger numbers and to separate Schengen and non-Schengen traffic. The airport recorded double-digit growth in traffic during September, increasing its passenger numbers by 10.7% to 1.8 million. Passenger traffic (scheduled and charter flights) to eastern Europe grew particularly strongly, up 23.1% compared with the same month last year.

During the first nine months of the year, the number of passengers handled by the airport rose 9.4% to 14 million and transfers increased by 6.1%.

Central to the capacity expansion programme will be the VIE-Skylink terminal, which is under construction and due to open in spring 2009. The VIE-Skylink terminal is designed to be flexible, allowing the airport to expand capacity as required. It will add 63 check-in counters to the airport, as well as 17 new pier positions, 52 shops and 3,500m² of food outlets.

Designed to maintain VIE’s one-roof concept, the VIE-Skylink terminal and the new pier allow the airport to guarantee airlines a minimum connecting time of 25-30 minutes.

VIE handled 16.9 million passengers in 2006 and the VIE-Skylink terminal will raise capacity to 18 million passengers initially, rising to 20 million by 2010.

China predicts doubling of air traffic in three years

Right: The number of flights from Chinese airports is set to double over the next three years

Top Chinese officials predict the country’s aviation industry will grow at a record rate over the next three years, effectively doubling in size during that period.

“The industry should grow at about 14% a year between now and 2010,” says Sha Hongjiang, deputy director of the planning and development department in the country’s General Administration of Civil Aviation.

Three factors are driving this growth: the Beijing Olympics next year, and the World Expo in Shanghai and Asian Games in Guangzhou, both in 2010.

Speaking yesterday at a two-day forum, organised by the China Air Transport Association and China Civil Airports Association, Sha said that by 2010 China’s annual passenger transport capacity will double to 270 million and the number of airports will increase to 186 from the current 147.

Private and foreign funding will be encouraged in the air cargo sector, added Sha, especially in the central and western parts of China.

He told delegates that challenges remain to future growth, including insufficient infrastructure, relatively poor airport management and the strict control of airspace.

AIRPORT NEWS

Pudong goes green with second phase expansion

Above: Environmental measures have informed the design of Pudong International Airport's new development

Pudong International Airport is planning an environmentally friendly air traffic hub for the second phase of construction at the airport. The new building should slash energy consumption to half of what was originally envisaged.

Officials hope the project will save about 130,000,000kW/h of electricity each year after the project, cutting the airport's annual energy consumption to US$20 (Yuan 150) per cubic metre. Payback on the US$13.33 million (Yuan 100 million) energy-saving project is expected within eight years.

One of the most impressive aspects of the design is a massive skylight feature (pictured right) comprising 138 separate skylights, which is not just an energy-saving measure, but also a way to showcase the airport's striking architecture. The project designers say it will cut about half of the airport's projected lighting consumption. The skylights are made from double-layer anti-radiation glass with high transparency and a 100mm heat preservation layer, and are designed to screen the interior from strong sunshine and heat radiation without hampering light flow.

Designers will include a series of ventilation holes on four sides of the terminal to make use of the high wind pressure around the airport to provide natural ventilation. The airport’s air conditioning system will be supplemented by two large steel water holders in the airport’s energy centre, which are cooled to freeze the water at night and used for cooling during the day.

Designers say water from the river around the airport will be treated and recycled for the terminal's toilet flushing and car washing operations.

These measures are expected to reduce tap water usage by about 2.5 million tonnes per year, say project designers.

Four more airlines to join SIA at T3

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has made an offer to four airlines to move their operations to Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 3. The four airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways and United Airlines, will join Singapore Airlines in operating from Terminal 3. Terminal 3, currently undergoing tests and trials, opens for flight operations on 9 January 2008.

The decision to offer the four airlines to move their operations to Terminal 3 was reached after careful and detailed assessments. CAAS had earlier written to all airlines at Changi Airport to check which airlines would be interested to be considered to operate from Terminal 3. Dialogues were also held with airlines to address their questions and concerns about moving their operations.

CAAS assessed the airlines’ interest to move to Terminal 3 based on the guiding principle of distributing capacity usage across all three terminals, so as to optimise the usage of airport capacity and facilities.

CAAS’ Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lim Kim Choon, said, “CAAS has made in-depth assessments of the airlines’ interest to move to Terminal 3. Our main aim is to optimise the usage of all three main terminals, which will provide capacity for airlines at each terminal to grow their operations. The four new airlines moving their operations to Terminal 3 will also enable Changi Airport to spread out usage of the three terminals in a balanced manner.”

Mr Lim added, “We look forward to welcoming the new airlines at Terminal 3 and Share their excitement about commencing flight operations at the new terminal.”

As at 1 October 2007, Changi Airport is served by 81 airlines operating some 4,220 weekly scheduled flights to 192 cities in 59 countries.

Online travel agents in China challenge conventional agencies

With nearly seven in 10 Chinese leisure travellers accessing destination websites, and about six in 10 using online travel discussion forums to source information, travel operators and tourism promotional bodies will need an effective Internet presence to capture the opportunities presented by Chinese outbound tourism, according to a new research study conducted by The Nielsen Company in partnership with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

The new China Outbound Travel Monitor 2007 reveals that traditional travel agents rank only second behind online sources (63%) as the most popular source of information for potential travellers while the use of traditional media is found to be much lower (40%) for newspapers and magazines.

Conducted in October 2007, via a combination of telephone and online interviews, the Monitor surveyed 1,500 travellers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, about their behaviour, attitudes and opinions of various destinations and provides insights into their decision-making processes, information sourcing, booking choices, accommodation preferences and more.

The Monitor covers all outbound leisure and business trips taken over a 12-month period between 2006 and 2007. Findings covering a further 23 cities throughout China will be released in early 2008.

"China`s outbound travel market is recognised as one of the key emerging outbound travel markets in the world and has evolved faster than any other Asian outbound market," said Dr Grace Pan, head of Travel & Leisure Research, The Nielsen Company, China.

"It is important for industry participants to keep a close eye on this lucrative market by tracking how Chinese travellers are evolving, in terms of their travel behaviour, travel motivations and satisfaction levels with tourism suppliers around the world."

PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre Director Mr John Koldowski said: "PATA is proud of our solid working relationship with The Nielsen Company. The Chinese outbound market in 2006 represented 35 million visits and continues to grow dramatically. We are confident this latest study will provide invaluable strategic insights, which in turn will help our members tap deeper into this burgeoning market."

Chinese outbound travellers from the three key cities are also turning to the Internet for their travel bookings. While the majority is currently using traditional travel agents (61%), Chinese travellers booking via online travel agents and hotel or transport operators websites (29% and 16% respectively) are on the rise, with their numbers expected to continue to increase.

"Given the astounding growth in China`s online population, the Internet will become the most efficient way to quickly understand consumers across China`s vast markets; marketers have to innovate to leverage the Internet to reach consumers as standard online advertising may not be adequate to capture the attention of the increasingly technology-savvy Chinese online population," continued Dr. Grace Pan.

Airbus A380 Completes First Commercial Flight

Reuters-An Airbus A380, the world's biggest jumbo jet, landed safely in Sydney on Thursday, ending its first commercial flight from Singapore.

The Singapore Airlines' Airbus A380 superjumbo emerged from low-lying cloud to touch down on time on a damp Sydney afternoon, completing its flight from Singapore's Changi Airport.

Watched by hundreds of airport staff and aviation enthusiasts lining fences outside the airport, passengers on the inaugural Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight disembarked without a hitch.

The wet Sydney afternoon did nothing to dampen passengers' enthusiasm.

"It was great being a part of history," Michael Sim, who said he had paid about 30 percent more for his ticket than he would have on other flights, said.

Passengers paid between USD$560 and USD$100,380 for seats on the inaugural flight, after bidding for the tickets as part of a charity auction.

"It was a very smooth rise, and much quieter than the 747," Rainer Silhavy said.

During the flight, first-class passengers reclined in suites modeled on luxury yacht interiors and slumbered in proper beds which the airline said can be converted into doubles.

French design house Givenchy designed the bedding, while passengers ate off fine bone chinaware and drank from crystal glasses bought in by the same designer.

"Of course it was the first flight, so you get most of the first class treatment, I hope they keep that up," said Sim.

The A380 can seat more than 800 passengers although Singapore Airlines, the first airline to take delivery of the plane, has configured the aircraft to seat 470 over two decks, hoping to attract more top-paying passengers.

The superjumbo replaces the Boeing 747 as the world's largest airliner in service.

Hundreds of airport staff and passengers armed with camera phones earlier watched the take-off from Singapore.

"I'm a big airplane freak and I love everything about planes," said Ernest Graaff, an A380 passenger as he waited to board the jet among beaming SIA flight attendants.

Graaff paid USD$40,000 for two business-class tickets on the jet. "I'm excited about being a part of history."

The aircraft will return to Singapore on Friday.

"Flying the aircraft itself is like flying any other big jet," said pilot Robert Ting, who was one of four pilots and a crew of 30 aboard the flight.

"This aircraft comes with the latest technology... for example this is an aircraft where we come with an electronic flight plan whereby we will have electronic manuals on board, we no longer carry paper copies," he told local television.

SIA is to take delivery of another five A380s in 2008. The airline plans to introduce the A380 on long-haul flights to London, Tokyo and San Francisco from early 2008.

Competitive and sustainable destinations discussed at European Tourism Forum

Strategies to make EU tourism destinations competitive by embracing sustainability will be the focal point of discussions at the 6th European Tourism Forum, which takes place today (26 October 2007) in Portimao, Algarve in Portugal. At the occasion of this conference, European Commission Vice President Gunter Verheugen will present the awards to the winners of the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) today. At the forum the European Commission will also present its new communication launching a strategy to foster sustainable and competitive tourism in Europe. It invites all stakeholders to strengthen the contribution of sustainable practices to making Europe the most attractive tourism destination.

Commission Vice-President Gunter Verheugen, responsible for enterprise and industry policy, said: "The success and growth potential of Europe as a tourist destination of the future will depend on our capacity to preserve and reinforce the assets of Europe through a combination of reasonable development and innovation of the tourism product."

Ministers of Tourism from Member States as well as Portuguese and European tourism authorities will participate in the European Tourism Forum to discuss the following topics:

• management and conservation of the natural and cultural heritage;
• management of resources and waste;
• sustainable management: corporate responsibility for competitiveness and job creation.

On Friday 19 October 2007, the Commission launched the “Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European Tourism”, which follows on the renewed EU Tourism Policy (see IP/06/344). In order to achieve a competitive and sustainable development of tourism in Europe the Commission invites all actors to embrace the following principles:

Take a holistic and integrated approach: All the various impacts of tourism should be taken into account in its planning and development.

Plan for the long term: Sustainable development is about taking care of the needs of future generations as well as our own. Long term planning requires the ability to sustain actions over time.

Achieve an appropriate pace and rhythm of development: The level, pace and shape of development should reflect and respect the character, resources and needs of host communities and destinations.

Involve all stakeholders: A sustainable approach requires widespread and committed participation in decision making and practical implementation by all those implicated in the outcome.

Use best available knowledge: Policies and actions should be informed by the latest and best knowledge available. Information on tourism trends and impacts, and skills and experience, should be shared across Europe. Minimise and manage risk: Where there is uncertainty about outcomes, there should be full evaluation and preventative action should be taken to avoid damage to the environment or society.

Reflect impacts in costs: Prices should reflect the real costs to society of consumption and production activities. This has implications not simply for pollution but for charging for the use of facilities that have significant management costs attached to them.

Set and respect limits, where appropriate: The carrying capacity of individual sites and wider areas should be recognised, with a readiness and ability to limit, where and when appropriate, the amount of tourism development and volume of tourist flows.

Undertake continuous monitoring: Sustainability is all about understanding impacts and being alert to them all the time, so that the necessary changes and improvements can be made.

The Commission`s Agenda aims at strengthening a voluntary and continuous process. It should be promoted by all tourism stakeholders in Europe: the different levels of government – local authorities, destination management organisations, regions, Member States – , businesses, tourists and all other bodies that can stimulate (trade unions, universities, research establishments, ...).

The Communication also contains a message of commitment by the Commission to this Agenda process. It builds the framework for the implementation of supportive European policies and actions in the tourism domain and in all other policy areas which exert an impact on the development of tourism and on its sustainability.

The European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) Awards Ceremony will also be held in Algarve on the 26th October, with the participation of the winning destinations from across Europe. Both the European Tourism Forum and the EDEN Awards Ceremony will be web-streamed live from Algarve on the 26th October.

British Airways To End UK Franchise Agreement

British Airways said on Thursday it was ending its UK franchise agreement with GB Airways from March 2008 and planned to start services on some of the routes operated under the franchise.

GB Airways earlier agreed to be bought by budget airline easyJet.

"UK franchises have outlived their purpose. EasyJet has made an offer to buy GB Airways and this has enabled us to end the franchise agreement early. We had an option to buy GB Airways but we rejected it," British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh said in a statement.

easyJet agrees to acquire GB Airways

easyJet announced that it has agreed to acquire the entire issued share capital of GB Airways Ltd, excluding its slots at Heathrow Airport, from the Bland Group Limited, for a cash consideration of £103.5 million. GB Airways is primarily a London Gatwick based point-to-point airline operating to destinations across Southern Europe and North Africa under a franchise agreement with British Airways PLC (“British Airways”).

It serves 31 destinations and operates 15 Airbus aircraft (9 A320s and 6 A321s) with an average age of 4.1 years, which are complementary to the easyJet fleet of 107 A319s. In total it operates 39 routes – 28 from Gatwick, 6 from Manchester, 5 from Heathrow.

Based upon its statutory accounts under UK GAAP for the year ended 31 March 2007, GB Airways reported profit before tax of £2.6 million and EBITDAR of £35 million on revenues of £250 million; it carried 2.8 million passengers; had gross assets of £182 million and net assets of £33 million.

The acquisition of GB Airways is consistent with easyJet’s expansion strategy and, importantly, strengthens its customer offering at Gatwick, the airline’s biggest base which has a highly attractive catchment area in London and South East England. The purchase adds valuable take-off and landing slots at Gatwick and the opportunity to accelerate easyJet’s route development. Following the acquisition, easyJet will operate 24% of Gatwick’s slots and will fly approximately 8 million passengers across 62 routes from Gatwick.

By Winter 2008/09, GB Airways will be fully consolidated into the easyJet business model, releasing cost savings. The acquisition will be positive to easyJet’s earnings per share and return on equity in easyJet’s current financial year, before one-off integration costs. easyJet anticipates GB Airways’ seat profitability reaching a similar level to its own at Gatwick in the first full financial year of operation.

Andy Harrison, Chief Executive of easyJet, said: “This is an acquisition which both strengthens our customer offering at London Gatwick, our biggest base with an attractive catchment area, and allows us to fully capitalise on the potential of the airport through a larger number of slots. The deal will bring major benefits to both easyJet and GB Airways customers, delivering a wider choice of destinations at easyJet’s great prices, and creating clear value for our shareholders. We expect the acquisition to be earnings positive in our current financial year and in the longer-term we will transition the GB Airways operation to easyJet’s cost base and operating margin levels. We expect to achieve both cost and revenue synergies as we expand our business at Gatwick.”

easyJet will co-operate with British Airways to ensure a smooth and orderly transition for customers. To this end GB Airways will continue to operate all routes under the British Airways brand until March 29th, 2008 after which flights will operate under the easyJet brand.

Kevin Hatton, Chief Executive of GB Airways, said: “The sale agreement brings to an end a period of uncertainty about the future direction of our company. We are pleased that the business and customer base built up by GB Airways will now be secured and strengthened under the ownership of the UK’s largest airline by passenger numbers, and one of the industry’s most powerful brands. We will fulfil our outstanding obligation as a franchise partner to British Airways and then look forward to a smooth operational merger with easyJet.”

The total consideration of £103.5 million is payable in cash of which £11.5 million is held in escrow as security for any claims under the acquisition agreement. GB Airways’ Heathrow slots will be exchanged under three separate agreements, the consideration for which will be passed on to the Bland Group (net of costs) on receipt. Completion is subject to the usual conditions, including approval from the relevant regulatory authorities. The transaction is expected to complete no later than 31st January 2008.