US Sikhs angry over turban plan

US Sikh organisations have expressed anger over changes allowing airport security staff to "pat down" turbans.

Until now turbans have been searched or removed only to resolve an unexplained alarm from an airport metal detector.

But now security will have greater discretion to inspect turbans so that they can be manually checked for objects such as non-metallic weapons.
However Sikh groups have responded to the new measures by describing them as outrageous and discriminatory.

Sikh men wear turbans to cover their hair, which they leave uncut in accordance with their religion.

Organisations representing Sikhs have only recently completed a publicity campaign to explain the significance of the kirpan, or religious sword, to security officials.

The Transportation Security Administration insisted the new policy was necessary to counter the threat of improvised bombs and chemical weapons.

In Britain, the government said recently that private searches of turbans might be necessary as part of airport security.(BBC News)

Aeroflot To Buy Boeing 787s, Airbus A350s

Russia's national airline, Aeroflot, will pay USD$5.81 billion for a total of 44 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, a discount of about 17 percent, Vedomosti business daily reported on Monday.

Aeroflot has agreed to pay USD$2.906 billion for 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and USD$2.904 billion for 22 of Airbus's A350 XWB planes, the paper said, citing a report by Interfax news agency.

Interfax cited company materials prepared for a shareholders meeting.

Aeroflot announced the deals earlier this year but has never said how much it was going to pay for the aircraft in one of the biggest-ever foreign plane orders by a Russian company.

The paper said each of the two 22-plane orders would have cost USD$3.5 billion according to list prices, indicating a discount of about 17 percent.

Analysts told the paper the discount was so large because Aeroflot had managed to play off both companies against each other.

Under the deals, Aeroflot will get its first Airbus in 2014 and the last in 2019, and its first Boeing in 2014 and the last in 2016, the paper said. (Reuters)

AirAsia In Talks For More A320s

Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia is in talks to buy more Airbus A320 planes due to increasing demand, AirAsia Deputy Chief Executive Kamarudin Meranum said.

AirAsia, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, has 150 firm orders for the single-aisle A320s and options on another 50.

"We are in discussions to increase our Airbus orders," Kamarudin said, but gave no further details.

"We will probably firm up some of the optional aircrafts and take additional optional aircrafts," he said.

AirAsia, Asia's largest budget carrier, introduced its low-fare, no-frills concept in December 2001, and has since embarked on an aggressive expansion. (Reuters)

UB Group Plans US Flights In 2008

India's UB Group plans to start flights to the United States by April 2008 through either Kingfisher Airlines or Air Deccan, in which it recently bought a stake, chairman Vijay Mallya said on Tuesday.

UB filed applications with U.S authorities two weeks ago for flights from India's IT hub of Bangalore to New York and San Francisco, he said.

India only permits airlines that have been operational for at least five years to fly overseas. Private airline operators have been lobbying for that rule to be relaxed as the domestic market gets increasingly crowded and competitive.

"Air Deccan will be five years old in 2008. If norms for flying abroad are not relaxed, we will fly Air Deccan," Mallya told reporters on the sidelines of a business conference.

UB (Holdings) owns 83 percent in two-year-old Kingfisher. It bought 26 percent in budget carrier Deccan Aviation in May and has made an open offer to buy a further 20 percent.

The offer was delayed after India's capital market regulator earlier this month raised queries on the funding for the offer.

Mallya said funds were already in place to cover the offer.

Deccan's managing director, G.R. Gopinath, said the firm hoped to start making a profit from the first quarter of the financial year 2008/09.

Kingfisher and Deccan, which together have more than 30 percent of the domestic market, compete with state-run Air India and private airlines including Jet Airways, SpiceJet, GoAir and IndiGo. (Reuters)

First A380 flight on 25-26 October

Airbus and Singapore Airlines have agreed to a delivery timetable for the first A380 aircraft. The aircraft is planned for handover by Airbus to Singapore Airlines on Monday 15 October at a ceremony in Toulouse, France.

It will be configured with 471 seats in three classes: Economy, Business and the new Singapore Airlines Suites: a class beyond First.

Within a few days of delivery, the aircraft will fly to Singapore`s Changi Airport: the world`s first A380 home airport. There will be a short period set aside for crew and ground staff familiarisation.

World aviation history will be made when the Singapore Airlines A380 makes its First Flight - SQ380 - to Sydney`s Kingsford Smith Airport on Thursday 25 October, and returns to Singapore on Friday 26 October.

Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Mr Chew Choon Seng, said the delivery would mark the beginning of a new chapter for the aviation industry.

"Everyone at Singapore Airlines is keenly anticipating the delivery of this new plane, and our people are working hard on final preparation for its entry into service. The first flight promises to be one of the most exciting occasions in aviation history."

"We are overwhelmed by the support of the community - from all over the world - for the charity auction. And I would like to thank the many partners and service providers that have followed the lead of our fuel supplier, ExxonMobil, and eBay, in donating their services for the First Flight`s charitable causes.

"While occasions like this are few and far between, we hope this enthusiasm generates support for very worthwhile causes,"Mr Chew said.

Seats across all three classes will be auctioned on the global online marketplace, eBay. There will be plenty of seats put to auction, allowing many opportunities for travelers keen to be part of history to join the First Flight experience.

For the new Singapore Airlines Suites, the A380`s First Flight will be the first ever occasion to fly on what will be a product that totally redefines luxury in the sky.

Entry into scheduled service will commence on the Sydney route soon after the First Flight.

Charity Auction Starts 27 August

The auction of seats on the First Flight will commence on Monday 27 August 2007. Seats in all three classes will be sold progressively, across both legs of the flight. Bids will be staggered to finish at various times over a period of just over two weeks, with the auction cycle being completed on 10 September 2007.

The auction will be for single, double and multiple seats in each class.

All seats will be sold on a one-way basis, so people wanting to fly on both legs of the First Flight will need to bid twice.

To participate in the auction, a bidder will need the following:

• An eBay user ID ... it`s free and easy to get
• The names and passport numbers of those travelling
• For bids on packages in the premium classes (Business & Suites), or bids over USD1,000 in Economy Class, pre-qualification will be required. This ensures bids are not artificially inflated, and gives bidders confidence they are bidding only against genuine and pre-qualified bidders

Prequalification is initiated online. Singapore Airlines` global auction management agency, Auctionwire, has developed numerous ways for bidders to pre-qualify and lodge security deposits for bids requiring pre-qualification.

All information on packages available, bid prequalification and how to get an eBay user ID is available on the Singapore Airlines website, singaporeair.com/a380.

100% of the proceeds of the auction will be donated to charities. They are:

• One-third to Singapore`s Community Chest
• One-third split between the Sydney Children`s Hospital, Randwick, and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, both in Sydney
• One-third to Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders.

Vicky Karantzavelou - Monday, August 20, 2007

No passengers injured from China Airlines` flight CI 120

China Airlines announced that Flight CI 120 from Taipei to Okinawa caught fire during taxi operations at Okinawa Airport, but stressed that all passengers were safe.The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was carrying eight business class and 147 economy class passengers. All 155 passengers and two infants, plus eight crew members, were safe.

The passenger list included 114 Taiwanese nationals and 19 Japanese, with the remaining passengers from other countries. The crew included two pilots and six cabin attendants; one of the cabin attendants was Japanese. The captain, Yu Chien-Kuo, 48 years old, has been flying 737-800 aircraft for CAL for six years, accumulating 7,874 flying hours. The co-pilot, first officer PhillipTseng, 26 years old, has accumulated 845 flying hours. He earned his own CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) and joined CAL one year and two months ago.

China Airlines, CI-122, from Taipei to Okinawa, has departed from Taipei at 16:10 (Monday 20 August). The passengers on flight CI- 120 may claim their baggage losses from China Airlines, according to regulations, and CAL will do everything it can to assist this process.

The maintenance record check showed that the aircraft, before the accident, had undergone the usual strict checks without showing any unusual findings. The two CFM56-7B26 engines, manufactured by CFM, had just completed aroutine inspection.

China Airlines headquarters, and its branch office in Okinawa, have organized an emergency team to handle the accident and investigation.
Michael Verikios - Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Emirates and Airbus conclude tests

Seven days, 100 tests, and more than 2000 people involved: the A380`s compatibility at Dubai International Airport has been successfully demonstrated. With an onboard team of almost 80 Airbus personnel that participated in the test programme, the 21st century flagship aircraft took off from Dubai at 10:00 hours on 21 August, having effectively concluded a rigorous campaign of operability tests, both in normal and extreme temperature conditions.

During its week-long Dubai visit, marking one of the longest customer trials for Airbus, the aircraft, MSN 007, was the centrepiece of numerous compatibility tests including taxiway, runway and ground support equipment tests, as well as docking trials at the terminal gate and in the state-of-the-art Emirates Engineering Centre.

Seeking to familiarise its staff with the world`s largest commercial passenger aircraft, Emirates, jointly with Airbus, conducted four test flights that brought into play all key units of the airline such as Airport Services, Inflight Catering, Cabin Crew, Flight Operations, Cargo, Inflight Systems, Engineering and Maintenance, Group Security, and Dnata Airport Operations.

From the time the test campaign was conceived, Emirates was clear - tests must be as real as possible and conducted under typical airline conditions. Two of the test flights were operated in the morning when Dubai International Airport was at its busiest, followed by two flights later in the afternoon. The flights, each two hours in duration and flown over the UAE, were operated at almost 80 percent load factor - the average seat factor experienced by the Dubai-based airline.

Even with 40 percent more passengers on average per flight, the A380`s turnaround time between each of the two test flights on 17th and 18th August was fixed at 90 minutes. Boarding of passengers, comprising mostly airline staff, was conducted via double-decker aerobridges as well as off stand through buses on tarmac.

The hot weather operability tests culminated with the smooth docking of the A380 at Hangar C in Emirates Engineering Centre later in the week. The dock fabricated and commissioned by UAE-based Excel Industries will allow full access to all areas of the aircraft for heavy maintenance, while at the same time ensure a safe, stable and efficient working environment up to 24 metres above ground level.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates` Executive Vice President, Engineering and Operations said: "Emirates is delighted at the successful completion of a long and comprehensive test campaign with Airbus. Emirates` staff, drawn from various operational departments, were able to familiarise themselves with the aircraft, ahead of its entry into the airline?s fleet."

"Our staff from all corners of the world including Australia, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, Korea and Mauritius arrived into Dubai to volunteer as passengers for the test flights, bearing testimony to the campaign's overwhelming response. It was an extremely gratifying moment when the first flight lifted off the runway amidst a ripple of applause, both from the onboard passengers and from ground staff on the tarmac."

Al Redha added: "Emirates has worked closely with Airbus in the design and development of the A380, as the airframe moved from concept to the drawing board and on to the production line. We will continue to work together to test the aircraft's systems between now and August 2008 when Emirates is expected to take delivery of its first A380."

Emirates has ordered 55 A380s. With forecasts indicating a doubling of air traffic in the next 15 years, and a corresponding increase in flight frequencies not being an option on many routes due to slot constraints, the A380 - the world`s largest aircraft - is aptly designed for world growth, while at the same time minimizing impact on the environment.

Viva Macau granted approval for Sydney service

Viva Macau is to start Sydney service following receipt of approval from Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in Australia. The airline will commence flying directly from Macau to Sydney three times a week. The first return service from Sydney to Macau will start August 23, 2007.

Con Korfiatis, Viva Macau’s Chief Executive is grateful for the understanding of all affected passengers who were scheduled to fly with the airline on August 15 -16, August 18 -19, and August 20 -21, 2007.

All affected passengers were re-accommodated with either alternative flight arrangements on a similar schedule provided, a full refund or re-booked on a future Viva Macau flight. A free return ticket to any of Viva Macau’s scheduled destinations was also offered to each passenger, redeemable within twelve months.

“Last week’s postponement was unexpected and outside Viva Macau’s control, but with our reacting immediately and offering of all possible travel alternatives to our customers, the customer’s feedback and understanding have been very positive and encouraging,” Korfiatis said.

In addition, Korfiatis also expressed his thanks to CASA in granting the approval.

“We greatly appreciate the support we have been given by CASA during the process of approval. Viva Macau is pleased to be able to take off for Sydney,” Korfiatis said.

With the commencement of the service, Viva Macau is Macau’s first airline offering transcontinental route which marks a significant milestone in Macau’s aviation.

Viva Macau’s inaugural flight closely coincides with the opening of the world’s largest integrated resort next Tuesday. Korfiatis added that Viva Macau is confident in bringing in a significant amount of new tourists from Australia to Macau, Asia’s Las Vegas.

“The world is very excited about the vibrant development of Macau. With Macau’s mixed cultural charisma, uniquely rich historical background and heritage, convenient accessibility to Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, on top of all these new leisure, entertainment, MICE facilities being developed, Viva Macau will continue to contribute in boosting Macau’s tourism,” Korfiatis said.
Vicky Karantzavelou - Thursday, August 23, 2007

ARINC introduces portable wireless connection for airlines

ARINC Incorporated introduced a wireless data communications module designed to bring portable connectivity to airline passenger cabin operations. The ARINC Mobile Communications Gateway (MCG) is specifically designed to support airlines’ on-board sales and credit card transactions, but it can also be used for other applications.

The ARINC MCG provides wireless connectivity and a recharging power source for in-flight electronic devices, allowing airline crews to download sales data wirelessly after a flight. It is the first on-board solution to offer this capability.

ARINC plans soon to announce flight trials of the MCG system with cooperating airlines that use the popular AbancoTM In-Flight payment solution.

ARINC and Abanco signed a marketing and reseller agreement last month.“The ARINC Mobile Communications Gateway is a revolution in connectivity for airlines," states Rolf Stefani, Senior Director of the ARINC Technology Innovation Center. "It brings an affordable and portable solution to the airplane that can be used for many different purposes."

By adopting the MCG system for wireless downloading, airlines can eliminate the need for crews to remove point-of-sale devices from the aircraft after each flight. The MCG supports wireless data downloading by several devices simultaneously in a single session. Airline crews can leave point-of-sale devices on board the plane, recharge them with the MCG power source, and receive wireless inventory uploads over the MCG as well.

“By introducing the MCG our goal was to streamline the on-board sales and data reporting process,” states Andrew Kemmetmueller, ARINC Service Director. “The MCG promises to reduce labor cost and inventory loss significantly. We also find it can reduce costs and provide new functionality in other airline operations as well.” Specifically designed for commercial airline operations, the MCG unit may be left permanently on board a commercial aircraft. It does not rely on airport infrastructure, and airlines can adopt the MCG for use even at airports without Wi-Fi service. Several airlines have suggested new ways to apply MCG technology, and ARINC expects to announce other possible applications of the device in airline operations in the near future.
Vicky Karantzavelou - Thursday, August 16, 2007

New medical intelligence system will help identify public health threats

The European Commission has developed a medical intelligence system that constantly collects and sorts information from more than 1000 news and 120 public health websites in 32 languages. Complementing traditional approaches, the system, called MediSys, will provide health authorities with real-time knowledge about disease outbreaks or industrial accidents, thereby helping to identify such incidents as early as possible and so react in a timely way. It can also provide invaluable information to authorities tackling a major incident such as a bio-terrorist attack.

Traditional surveillance systems monitor death rates, the utilisation of health services (e.g. emergency room admissions, drug prescriptions), abnormal patterns, changing laboratory characteristics and exposure to risks related to the environment, food or animals. Yet, certain public or animal health threats may go unnoticed but can be reported in the local press or by other less known sources. The challenge is how to find them.

Using pre-defined keywords and combinations, MediSys crawls through the web and sorts information into three primary categories: "Diseases", "Bioterrorism", and "Other Threats". Articles or "hits" are then classified in more precise categories such as "AIDS-HIV", "Respiratory infections", "Avian flu", "Legionella", "Anthrax" or "Nuclear safety". Statistics are stored on the filtered categories and "breaking news" is detected in a given category. Based on the level of new articles retrieved and the detected keywords, an automatic alert can then be sent by e-mail and SMS to decision-makers who are on permanent standby. For example, in the recent case of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK, MediSys detected a sudden jump in news reports and automatically sent email and SMS alerts to Public Health officials across Europe.

Working with the University of Helsinki, an automatic incident detection system has also been put in place. This analyses English reports and extracts structured data on the number of cases, the location and the date. This then feeds an automatic incident database used by the Member States and the European Commission. Citizens can also have free access to this automatic information scanning tool, which includes alert statistics, articles in various languages, and e-mail alerts.
Theodore Koumelis - Friday, August 17, 2007

Bermuda's Tourism Minister to speak at second WTMS

Dr. The Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP, Premier and Minister of Tourism and Transport, Government of Bermuda, has accepted the invitation as the Strategic Global Partner and distinguished Speaker of the 2nd World Tourism Marketing Summit (WTMS), which will take place in Beijing, China, October 28-30, 2007.

The announcement was made by Sujit Chowdhury, Secretary General of the Summit and President of the Canada- based World Trade University Global Secretariat (WTU). The Summit, hosted by the Beijing Tourism Administration of the People`s Republic of China, will bring together more than 400 travel and tourism industry leaders from over 50 countries around the globe.

"We view Bermuda`s support of this World Tourism Marketing Summit in China as a natural part of our tourism objectives and strategy, keeping up with the rapidly and radically changing travel industry. Many of these changes are driven by a more mature, experienced and demanding consumer. Now, more than ever, it is essential that our marketing, advertising and product development teams obtain the knowledge and in-depth analysis of what travelers truly desire. I am confident that the Summit in Beijing, with its high level speakers and experts from around the globe, will provide the Bermuda delegation an opportunity to glean new ideas for expanding our tourism reach and explore new joint venture opportunities," said Dr. The Hon. Ewart F. Brown.

Mr. Chowdhury, in making the announcement, said “Dr. The Hon. Ewart F. Brown,

The Premier, will bring to the Summit the outstanding leadership and creative thinking that he has already brought not only to Bermuda`s tourism strategy, but also to the Caribbean Region as a whole.” Following the success of the historic first Summit in Nanjing China in 2004, the 2nd World Tourism Marketing Summit will provide an opportunity to network, explore joint ventures and learn from the brightest how to develop strategies to enhance cooperation between the international business community and one of the world`s largest tourist markets.

Registration for ITB Asia starts

The countdown for the new market place for the global travel industry has now begun. October 2008 will mark the debut of ITB Asia, aimed primarily at buyers from the Asian-Pacific region and taking place annually in Singapore as the Asian meeting platform for the travel industry. It will be held at the Suntec Exhibition and Convention Centre. The three-day B2B trade show will be accompanied by a convention and take place from 22 to 24 October 2008.

ITB Asia offers a highly attractive product for small and medium-sized companies of the Asian travel industry. Provided they are not state-owned or part of a franchise, companies with up to 50 employees can present their innovative products and services at special rates.

In addition to traditional travel products, ITB Asia will also focus on the rapidly expanding areas of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events) as well as business travel. International exhibitors from all parts of the value-added chain will be represented at ITB Asia, including the main destinations of all continents, international tour operators, airlines and hotels, as well as online and other reservation systems. This presentation of the entire spectrum of the global travel industry at ITB Asia will enable buyers from Asia to search for new products in order to market them throughout Asia and the world, as well as assisting international sellers to expand into new markets.

One of the main features of ITB Asia will be the conference taking place at the same time. Based on the successful ITB Berlin Convention “Market, Trends & Innovations”, which has now evolved into the largest event of its kind in Europe, the ITB Asia Convention is also tailored to meet the needs of the new generation of Asian travel entrepreneurs.

Dr. Martin Buck, Vice President CompetenceCenter Travel & Logistics of Messe Berlin: “Asia is already the continent that is driving the global economy. For many Asian countries, tourism is not only an important industry but, as a result of the growing economies of these regions, it is enabling growing numbers of people from Asia to travel, not only within Asia, but also to other parts of the world. With our expertise of over forty years of ITB Berlin, and together with Singapore as the ideal venue for buyers from all over Asia, we believe that ITB Asia will provide a market place for the travel industry of the future, which accurately reflects the importance of this continent both as a destination and as a source of tourists.”
Michael Verikios - Friday, August 17, 2007

A380 world tour Ccontinues with major airports in Asia and US

Airbus‘ A380 will embark for a series of demonstration tours starting on 30th August. Key airports in South-East-Asia and the U.S. will be visited. The Asia-A380-tour will be conducted with flight-test-aircraft MSN (Manufacturer`s Serial Number) 007, powered by four Rolls Royce Trend 900 engines. The world’s largest and most innovative passenger jet flying today is equipped with a full passenger cabin, which can comfortably carry 520 pssengers in an extra quiet and relaxing three-class cabin-environment.

The International Airports to be visited are:

• Thailand Bangkok / Chiang Mai: 31st August – 2nd September
• Vietnam Hanoi: 2nd – 3rd September
• China Hongkong (Asian Aerospace): 3rd – 5th September
• Korea Seoul: 5th – 7th September

The US-tour will take the A380 flight-test-aircraft MSN009, powered by four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines, to the United States. The visits are part of the ongoing route proving process for this aircraft/engine-combination. The aircraft, which has no passenger-cabin, is on static display at the following airports:

• Connecticut Bradley International Airport (BDL): 2nd – 3rd October
• Kentucky Cincinnati/N. Kentucky Airport (CVG): 3rd – 4th October
• California San Francisco International Airport (SFO): 4th – 5th October

Both demonstration tours are part of the extensive campaign to prepare the A380 for a smooth entry into service. Operating under typical airline conditions, both aircraft will undergo airport compatibility checks, ground handling and maintenance procedures to confirm its readiness to enter service. The A380 has already visited more than 45 airports and by 2011, more than 70 airports will be ready for A380 operations.

Total orders and commitments for the A380 are 173 by 14 customers. The first customer A380 will be delivered to Singapore Airlines in October. Subsequent aircraft, for delivery to Singapore Airlines, Emirates Airlines and Qantas, are also well on track.
Vicky Karantzavelou - Friday, August 17, 2007

Jet Airways launches Mumbai to New York services

Jet Airways launched its historic flight connecting India with United States with daily flights from Mumbai to New York (Newark) via its European hub in Brussels. Jet Airways will use a brand new Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft to fly this very important route, which will carry 312 passengers in a three-class layout.

Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, Chief Executive Officer, Jet Airways said, “This is truly a historic moment for us, to commence service on this important sector connecting India with the United States. We are also proud to present to our traveling public, this state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ER aircraft offering superior cabin comfort, equipped with the world’s best flat beds and an In-flight Entertainment system (IFE) which promises to offer unmatched passenger delight. We are proud to be launching our transatlantic service, and taking the spirit of New India, into one of the world’s most important markets.

”For the operations of the Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, Jet Airways have signed up with Lufthansa Technik for maintenance support and assignment of qualified engineers.
Vicky Karantzavelou - Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Royal Jet expands air fleet

Royal Jet, the international luxury executive flight services company, headquartered in the UAE, has expanded its current fleet of executive jets with the addition of a fifth Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). The multi-million dollar deal has been made in partnership with First Gulf Bank (FGB) which has financed the purchase of the aircraft. This is the second such financing deal that Royal Jet has made with FGB.

At the contract signing ceremony, which was attended by Royal Jet’s President and CEO Shane O’Hare and Andre Sayegh, CEO, First Gulf Bank, O’Hare said that this latest purchase is a direct response to massive demand for the current fleet of Royal Jet’s BBJs.

“Each of our BBJs is typically flying around 1,300 hours each year. They are based all over the world, not limiting themselves purely to local markets. They can be found in Africa, China, India, North America and Europe and are a highly popular and cost effective choice for businesses not wishing to be tied down by restricted flight times offered by commercial airline companies,” O’Hare stated.

In addition to the two CEOs, the signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Nadir Ahmed Al Hamadi – a Royal Jet Board Member, and Mr. Ramzi Zaroubi – Royal Jet’s Chief Finance Officer, together with Mr. Shafiqur Rahman Adhami – FGB’s Senior Vice President Corporate Banking Group, Head of Financial Institutions, Syndications, MNC and Energy and Oil Sector.

Royal Jet CEO Shane O’Hare added, that FGB had been chosen as the preferred business partner because it was the most competitive in terms of pricing and flexibility and its fast turnaround of loan documentation. FGB had been selected out of five competing proposals. “Royal Jet has a long-standing relationship with First Gulf Bank, and together offer financing and operations solutions allowing corporations and individuals to acquire their own business/private aircraft,” he said.

Commenting on the deal, Andre Sayegh, CEO, First Gulf Bank, said that the institution viewed Royal Jet as one of its premier customers and was very pleased to have been selected once again as Royal Jet’s partner of choice.

“First Gulf Bank continues to take impressive strides to ensure its status as a fully-fledged financial institution. This growth is buoyed by our commitment to expanding our offerings, delivering world-class financial services and products, and developing new client investment opportunities. As a leader in its field, Royal Jet fits this strategy and our partnership is one that brings great benefits to both parties,” he said.

Royal Jet has steadily built up an enviable fleet, which, in the past year, has grown from eight to 12 fixed wing aircraft and a VIP helicopter.

The BBJ is a derivative of Boeing’s New-Generation 737-700 series of commercial passenger aircraft. It can be arranged in multiple configurations to carry between 36 and 52 passengers, including the option of having a private bedroom aboard, a conference/dining area, and a living area in the most common layouts. It has a maximum range of 5,500 nautical miles – equivalent to about 10 hours flying time – at altitudes of up to 41,000 ft (12,500m).

“We are constantly striving to increase our presence in important international markets and we always assess industry movements to keep up with the increasing demand for aviation services,” said Ramzi Zaroubi, CFO, Royal Jet. “Last year alone, Royal Jet reported a 60 percent increase in charter services revenue, and with our expanding fleet, we are well placed to capitalise on the ever-growing demand for private aviation services.”

“This BBJ addition will be subject to high demand like all its earlier companion aircraft and will allow us to successfully grow out business regionally and internationally,” Ramzi added.

Vicky Karantzavelou - Monday, August 13, 2007

Singapore to begin works for F1 grand prix circuit

The process to get the street circuit ready for the inaugural Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix in 2008 has been set in motion. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is slated to begin road works sometime next month, while the design of the Paddock building is also being finalised.

This milestone comes after three months of intense planning by various government agencies with the race promoter, Singapore GP Pte Ltd, since Singapore announced it will host the world’s third most-watched sporting event from next year. A fortnight ago, on 27 July 2007, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA, or the World Motor Sports Council) set the date of the first Singapore Grand Prix as 28 September 2008.

The 5.05km long street circuit offers a number of overtaking opportunities, fast turns and technically challenging sections for F1 race drivers, which, in turn, will present viewers with compelling race action to keep them on the edge of their seats. More than 70 per cent of the street circuit is made up of Singapore’s existing road network. The Paddock building will house the control tower, garages for the teams, hospitality lounges, Press Room and other facilities.

Mr Lim Neo Chian, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board, who chairs the event’s working committee, said, “I am pleased that the planning for the F1 Singapore Grand Prix is progressing well. We have refined the proposed street circuit and submitted the plans to the FIA, the international governing body for motorsports, for its assessment and endorsement. Concurrently, we are combing through the details for the rest of the infrastructure works, such as finalising the design concept and construction schedule of the Paddock building. We are confident that both the circuit and Paddock building will be officially endorsed very soon.”

The project team needs to work within a tight timeframe of fewer than 16 months to put in place the necessary infrastructure for the 2008 race. A high level of coordination between Government agencies and related stakeholders is required to ensure that the necessary infrastructure can be delivered in time.

Mr Lim added, “It is heartening to note the commitment and professionalism demonstrated by every member of the team in delivering a Grand Prix that all Singaporeans will be proud of.”

Mr Colin Syn, deputy chairman of Singapore GP, said that while the track layout, “hasn’t changed dramatically” from what was originally released, over the past two months the circuit has developed from a couple of lines sketched on a map into something that resembles a proper racetrack, with all the attendant infrastructure marked in.

“It’s going to be very exciting to see all this take shape. The sheer scale of the task required is simply staggering, but the support that we’ve received from all the government agencies involved has been tremendous,” he added.

Proposed road works

The following works, which will be managed by LTA, are expected to commence in September 2007, once the race route is confirmed by FIA:

1. Construction of a 1.2 km road that will form the eastern section of the circuit
   
   
2. A new vehicular/pedestrian underpass and service road leading to the Pit Building
   
   
3. Widening of a stretch of the promenade between the existing outdoor seating gallery and floating platform in Marina Bay
   
   
4. Widening a section of Raffles Boulevard from Nicoll Highway to Temasek Avenue
   
   
5. Modifications to existing road kerbs and traffic islands

Michael Verikios - Monday, August 13, 2007

Egypt and Sudan combine tourism forces

Several meetings have taken place in Egypt to discuss means of cooperation and coordination of forces to help strengthen tourism between Egypt and Sudan. Representatives of the Egyptian Tourist Authority, Egyptian Tourism Federation and Egyptian Travel Agents Association met with members of the Sudanese Ministry of Tourism and the Embassy of Sudan in Egypt.

The discussion agenda included:

• Labour training in the Sudanese tourism sector
  
  
• Collaborating forces between the two parties for promoting Sudanese tourist products
  
  
• Investment facilities from the Sudanese Government granted to Egyptian

In order to help strengthen tourism integration between the two countries, the Sudanese delegation expressed that their Ministry of Tourism will invite the Egyptian party to visit Sudan in order to experience the Sudanese tourist product first hand.

Theodore Koumelis - Monday, August 13, 2007

Travellers want to spend at Indian Airports

In India, nearly half of all travellers expressed a willingness to spend at airports according to a new survey by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. 44% of Full Service Carrier (FSC) passengers, and nearly 40% of Low Cost Carrier (LCC) passengers would like to buy goods either at their departure or arrival airport.





In regard to retail behaviour, the findings reveal that there are only minor – near insignificant – differences between FSC and LCC buying sentiments. Furthermore, in each case, the propensity to buy appears strong across a range of products.

• 56% of FSC passengers and 52% of LCC passengers are attracted by the opportunity to buy chocolates at airports.
• 49% of LCC passengers would buy books, as compared to 44% for FSC.
• 47% of FSC passengers would be interested in purchasing luxury goods, as compared to 42% of LCS.

At present, India’s airports are still relatively under-developed in retail activity. These findings should be attractive to would-be retail operators, as the figures suggest that a real growth potential may exist in this sector.

Michael Verikios - Monday, August 13, 2007

Tahiti Plane Crash Voice Recorder Located

Search teams have located the cockpit flight recorder of a passenger aircraft that crashed last week killing at least 14 people, but authorities said they would need specialist deep-water equipment to recover it.

The conversation voice recorder on board the Twin Otter could tell investigators why the aircraft with 19 passengers and a pilot came down on Thursday shortly after taking off from the island of Moorea on a short hop to the local capital Papeete.

But local authorities in Papeete said none of their vessels was stable enough to provide a platform for the underwater robot being sent from Paris to recover the recorder, discovered at a depth of around 430 metres.

France may ask nearby countries to lend it a vessel to conduct the recovery operation, the authorities said in a statement late on Sunday.

Fourteen bodies have been recovered but six people remain missing and authorities hold out no hope of any survivors. Senior official Anne Bocquet said teams would continue to search for wreckage and bodies for a further two weeks and had asked local fishermen to report objects found at sea.

Two police air crash investigators have been sent to the zone to work with three civilian experts in situ since Saturday.

Moorea is one of around 118 islands scattered across an area the size of Europe in the South Pacific that make up France's overseas territory of French Polynesia.

(Reuters)

Pakistani Flight Attendant Caught With Weapon

A Pakistani flight attendant was caught trying to carry a pistol on board a Pakistan International Airlines flight on Monday, police and airlines officials said.

The stewardess, in her mid-20s, was carrying the pistol in her hand luggage as she tried to board a PIA flight from Karachi to the port city of Gwadar, they said.

"She was caught this morning by Airports Security Force personnel and has been handed over to the police now," Maqsood Ahmed, a Superintendent of Police said.

It was not immediately clear as to why the woman tried to take the weapon onto the flight. Ahmed said the police were investigating.

PIA spokesman Nasir Jamal confirmed the incident, but did not give more details.

"The matter is still under investigation," he said.

(Reuters)