Air Arabia Launch Moscow Service

Air Arabia celebrate launch of Moscow service

Air Arabia and Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority have inaugurated a service to Moscow, Russia.
A delegation to Moscow to celebrate the launch was led by the chairman of Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qassimi and the chairman of Air Arabia Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohamed Al Thani.
Air Arabia will now serve the destination three times per week.
In addition to offering non-stop flights to the Russian capital, Air Arabia also currently provides service to Yekaterinburg, its second destination in Russia and the fourth-largest city in the country.

dnata Hogg Robinson moves to India

dnata with Hogg Robinson moves to Indian Territory

dnata has confirmed its first foray into the Indian market with the official launch of its travel services operation in India.
In partnership with the award-winning international corporate services company Hogg Robinson Group (HRG), the fourth largest air services provider in the world will offer corporate travel solutions in India.
Services will include a 24-hour contact centre facility for reservations, online corporate booking tools (TMS), visa services, travel insurance, worldwide car rentals, event management, incentives and VAT reclaim.
dnata will offer a broad spectrum of travel products and services to corporate customers in the country.
With two offices, located in Delhi (Noida) and Mumbai, the company has initiated operations in India with the manpower of 100 employees.
In the current economic environment when companies are exploring innovative ways to control costs in all spheres of their operations without impacting the service standards, dnata will deliver tailor-made solutions to meet the specific needs of the Indian corporate market.
With over 50 years of experience in the travel industry, dnata has developed its own technology platforms which will offer services in all aspects of travel including flight reservations and ticket purchase, hotel reservations, ground transportation, tailor-made packages, excursions and much more.
“As a rapidly expanding economy, India is a market of strategic importance to us and the travel business on the whole”, said Gary Chapman, president, dnata.
“Our expertise lies in sourcing, supplying, distributing and promoting the best in travel products from around the world and making them easily accessible.
“Cutting edge technology coupled with skilled and professional staff that can deliver travel-related products and services to international standards are what will set dnata apart from its competitors in India.”
dnata will first showcase its expertise and knowledge in India through the corporate travel segment, before implementing a phased approach to other travel verticals including: Retail/Leisure travel, online and the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) market.

Finnair UNICEF enters into final year

Finnair and UNICEF programme enters in final year

Finnair has announced that it is once more launching its Change for Good campaign on its international flights in cooperation with UNICEF Finland.

 The campaign’s aim is to raise funds for UNICEF's 'Clean Water and Environment for Children of India' programme, for the third and final year.

The programme places special emphasis on the importance of maintaining sanitation, hygiene and clean water. The target area in the north-east Indian state of Bihar is one of the country’s poorest and most densely populated areas.

With the project’s help, 224 schools have already received new water outlets and toilets. Teachers have been trained to teach children about the importance of washing their hands. When the project started, only three per cent of children washed their hands before eating; that figure has now risen to 91 per cent.

Finnair and UNICEF are now working together with Change for Good for the 16^th time. Change for Good is being carried out on almost all international Finnair flights over the six-week period from November 28, 2011.

A new element of the campaign is the option of donating Finnair Plus Points toward UNICEF Finland, available as of December 1, 2011.

“We are adding new support to the campaign because there are fewer currencies with the widespread use of the euro,” commented corporate communications and corporate responsibility, Finnair, Arja Suominen.

“We also want to offer our customers more ways to contribute to good causes, choosing the ones that are closest to themselves. As an international organisation, UNICEF suits us well because our customer base is also international.”

Emirates Step up on-time Departures

EK closing its check-in counters 60 minutes prior

Towards further enhancing the customer experience and ensuring on-time departures at Terminal 3 Dubai Airport, Emirates - considered the Middle East’s Leading Airline Economy Class by the prestigious World Travel Awards will be closing its check-in counters 60 minutes prior to a flight’s scheduled time of departure.
Check-in counters are open at least three hours before the flight departure and will now close 60 minutes prior to departure from 1st December 2011. However, passengers are requested to report to the check-in counters no later than 90 minutes prior to departure, in keeping with the airline’s commitment towards greater efficiency and an enhanced travel experience. Customers who check-in with less than 60 minutes to their scheduled flight will not be accepted to board the aircraft, ensuring that passengers who have already checked-in and boarded will not be inconvenienced by delays and possible missed connections.
“Emirates have taken these measures not only to ensure greater efficiency and on-time departures, but also in consideration of our customers who arrive on time for their flights. These steps will provide customers with a more seamless and comfortable travel experience and will give us the necessary minutes to ensure that the aircraft departs as scheduled,” said Mohammed H. Mattar – Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Airport Services.
Passengers who have opted for the online check-in facility with check-in baggage, are also required to check-in their luggage no later than 90 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of their flight. Passengers holding an eboarding pass and travelling with carry-on bags only, can proceed directly for security clearance. All passengers are requested to be at the boarding gate no later than 35 minutes before departure and boarding gates will close 15 minutes before departure time. 
Transit passengers from flights arriving late into Dubai will be escorted by airport staff through formalities to ensure they make their onward connections.

Passengers will also be given verbal reminders about the gate closure policy when they check in.  Written reminders have also been placed on boarding cards, quick transfer wallets, onboard airshow slides and other touch points.

GF Top Trips Promotional Fares

Promotional Fares ahead of Entebbe Launch
Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the largest network operator in the Middle East, today announced its promotional initiative “Top Trips” with discounted fares on flights from Entebbe to select GCC and Indian Subcontinent destinations.
Gulf Air will start flying to Uganda’s commercial capital Entebbe from 5 December with four flights a week.
The promotional fares start from USD 200 for travel from Entebbe to select GCC and Indian Subcontinent destinations. This offer is open for booking and outbound travel until 31 December and valid for return travel up to 31 March 2012.
Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer Mr. Karim Makhlouf commented, “As we are all set to commence service to Entebbe, our fourth destination in Africa, we would like to mark it with a promotional initiative tailored to the travel needs and requirements of our Ugandan customers.
“This promotional initiative is just one of the many future endeavours towards developing our relationship between Uganda and Bahrain and enabling more people to travel at an affordable fare while enjoying the latest inflight service and amenities onboard our brand new aircraft.
As the Middle East’s largest network carrier, Gulf Air is well positioned to connect Entebbe to several key destinations in the region providing excellent connectivity via Bahrain to key destinations such as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Bombay in India or the Far East.
Gulf Air offers are available on the official Gulf Air website www.gulfair.com or through “Let’s Go Travel” the airline’s Passenger Sales Agent.
“Let’s Go Travel”’s main office is located on the first floor in Garden City Shopping Centre on Yusuf Lule Road in Kampala. Alternately, customers may contact the sales agency’s offices on +256 414 346667 or +256 414 346668.
Entebbe is the fourth destination in the African continent for Gulf Air. The airline will fly four times a week between Bahrain and Entebbe operating an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration of 16 seats in Falcon Gold and 120 in Economy with the capacity to carry four tons of freight. 
As part of its network strategy to expand into niche markets, Gulf Air started services to 8 new destinations since January 2011 in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and has recently announced the launch of services to Rome, the Italian capital, from 30 Nov and Juba, in South Sudan from 7 Feb 2012. Adding Juba brings to 3 the airline’s destinations within East Africa and 55 globally.

Bahrain Maldives & Seychells on EY

Etihad Airways now connects Bahrain to Maldives and Seychelles

Etihad Airways - considered the World’s Leading Airline by the prestigious World Travel Awards - now connects Bahrain to the Maldives with a daily service and flies four times a week to the Seychelles.
The new Etihad two class daily return service from Bahrain International Airport to Malé International Airport offers1, 904 seats each week. The flights to the Seychelles International Airport in Mahé from Bahrain will offer 1,800 seats each week, also on an A320.
Hussam Al-Aseeri, general manager of Northern Gulf for Etihad, said, “The Maldives and Seychelles have been long favourite destinations among our discerning leisure travellers, not only from Bahrain and the Gulf but also from Europe.”
Forward bookings for both routes indicate they are already very popular.
Etihad Airways’ schedule offers an attractive afternoon arrival and evening departure and Bahraini travellers can take advantage of overnight flights in both directions, offering them a full extra day in the Maldives and Seychelles.
Etihad Holidays has a range of holiday options selected from the most spectacular islands of the Seychelles and the Maldives.
Offering experiences for all budgets, Etihad Holidays can create packages for any type of traveller, whether it is for honeymooners or families, sun worshippers or divers.
Packages include flights, hotel accommodation, island transfers and any number of the many tours and excursions on offer.

Falconflyer a huge Success

Gulf Air Falconflyer programme a great Success

Bahrain’s national carrier Gulf Air recently launched the Falconflyer programme, a revamped and improved version of its popular Frequent Flyer programme, has received overwhelming support from customers. Over 20,000 new members have signed up for the new Falconflyer since its launch with the ‘Enrol Now and Win’ contest a few months ago.
Celebrating the success of the Falconflyer programme, Gulf Air recently honoured winners of the contest from across its network, including Mr. Mohammad Saheb from the United Arab Emirates.
Mr. Saheb, randomly selected from the newly enrolled members of the Falconflyer programme, received a Falcon Gold return ticket to travel to any one of Gulf Air’s four newest destinations-Copenhagen, Milan, Geneva and Nairobi- and enjoy the exclusive products and service that Gulf Air’s Falcon Gold offers.
Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer Mr. Karim Makhlouf commented, “We have given our Falconflyer programme a facelift that reflects the several exciting developments at Gulf Air in bringing us closer to our customers. The response we have received from our customers thus far proves that we are indeed on the right track.”
“Our customers are the most important factor steering our business to success. Therefore, we are very keen to introduce a number of enhancements in line with market changes on the one hand and our passengers’ needs on the other hand. The revamped Falconflyer programme is a result of this effort,” he said.
“I am confident that our passengers will enjoy the new features of the improved loyalty programme that offers even more generous benefits and incentives to our Falconflyers. I also urge our Falconflyers to provide their feedback to us so that we can continue to serve them in the best way possible,” concluded Mr. Makhlouf.
The new loyalty programme ‘Falconflyer’ is packed with privileges for all three categories of the programme’s card holders. For instance, Gold, Silver and Blue members get three free economy tickets to the GCC and Middle East region when travelling once to Manila on Falcon Gold.
Other advantages of the programme include the best redemption rates and the best miles earning system for a premium class in the GCC and Middle East region, special online booking bonuses, a generous baggage allowance, three years miles validity, unlimited lounge access, priority baggage handling, and guaranteed seats among many other benefits that will make the travelling experience more enjoyable and rewarding.

Hakkasan fine dining now in Dubai

Hakkasan opened in Emirates Towers
Cantonese fine dining restaurant Hakkasan Dubai officially opened at Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai international Financial Centre.
Guests can enter the new 152-cover restaurant via its long slate-stone corridor. An outside terrace features cascading wooden pavilions surrounded by a wall of vegetation and seats an addition 88 people.
Designed by Gilles and Boissier, the venue features two private-dining rooms inside and two semi-private sections outside with opulent architecture, as well as the Ling-Ling lounge decorated in black, gold and white for a more relaxed retreat.
Located in the Boulevard, on the ground level of the Emirates Towers hotel, Hakkasan has its own private entrance with valet parking for its customers.
Hakkasan Dubai is the sixth restaurant for the hotel brand globally, and the second in the UAE, the emirates’ first opened in Abu Dhabi at Emirates Palace hotel last summer.
Hakkasan CEO Niall Howard said: “Following the success of our Abu Dhabi restaurant, we are proud to bring Hakkasan to Dubai gourmet customers.
“With its opulent décor, elegant ambience, and iconic menu, we are confident Hakkasan will become a landmark of Dubai’s fine dining scene.”
Heading the Hakkasan Dubai kitchen is Chef de Cuisine Pang Pin Lee from Hakkasan Abu Dhabi, who brings more than 10 years’ experience in gourmet Cantonese and the art of Dim Sum.
Chef Pang Pin Lee has infused his own style to the menu with new dishes that have been specifically crafted for the UAE market sitting alongside celebrated Hakkasan classics such as the Peking duck with Royal Beluga caviar, steamed dim sum platters and grilled Wagyu beef with King Soya sauce.
Since its opening in Abu Dhabi last June, Hakkasan has attracted celebrities including Uma Thurman, Morgan Freeman, and Clive Owen
Hakkasan Dubai is open daily to the public for lunch from 12pm-3pm and from 6pm-2am for dinner, drinks and bar snacks, with last dinner orders taken at 12am.

A favourite hideaway

A private island, favourite hideaway

Sometimes a vacation escape can feel more like a tourist trap.  The beach isn't as secluded as you thought it would be. Hence the 8:00 a.m. run to the lounge chair to "secure" your spot with a towel, for example. Since not everyone can afford to whisk off to Necker Island (Richard Branson's famous island resort).

We’re back and opened for business! Our team has been working extremely hard since the fire on 22nd August that destroyed the Great House.
Plans to rebuild the Great House are already under way and in the meantime the island will be able to cater for slightly smaller groups to stay on island with the newly refurbished six Bali Houses, as well as Sir Richard Branson’s private home Temple House and his 105ft luxury catamaran Necker Belle, to substitute for the bedrooms lost in the Great House.
As for the Great House itself, much of the beautiful features of the former Great house will be incorporated into the new design to ensure it retains its authentic Balinese style with panoramic views of the Caribbean but will include a couple of new and innovative twists!

Etihad $1bn deal

Etihad Airways $1bn deal with Panasonic Avionics

Etihad Airways has selected Panasonic Avionics Corporation to provide the in-flight entertainment systems and in-flight connectivity, including broadband Internet and live TV, for the airline’s entire long-haul fleet of wide body aircraft.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive officer, and Paul Margis, Panasonic Avionics’ chief executive officer, today signed a letter of intent for a 10-year exclusive agreement for in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) solutions, including mobile phone services in conjunction with AeroMobile.
The deal currently being finalised, which is valued at more than $1 billion at list prices, will include a full service maintenance contract, a statement said.
Etihad Airways and Panasonic are developing a plan to deploy Panasonic's eX2 and eX3 IFEC systems on 100 new aircraft, in addition to the 16 aircraft already equipped with the eX2 system.
Under the agreement, Etihad Airways will install Panasonic’s eX2 system on its new Airbus A380s, Boeing 787s, and Boeing 777-300Ers, and will use Panasonic’s eX3 solution for its new Airbus A350 aircraft. 
The deal also includes the installation of Panasonic’s Global Communications Suite, which provides in-flight broadband connectivity, mobile phone service and live television content, across Etihad Airways’ entire fleet of existing and to-be-delivered wide body aircraft.
Hogan said: “It is essential that we offer the most engaging and dynamic in-flight entertainment for our guests – especially on long haul flights. We went through a comprehensive technical and commercial evaluation of what was out there in the market. Panasonic will support Etihad Airways’ commitment to delivering a system that will enable us to stay at the leading edge in this all-important area.”
Margis said: “We are very honoured at the opportunity to work with one of the world’s leading airlines on an IFEC solution for its aircraft, including the new Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 aircraft. Etihad Airways is a very important and valued customer for Panasonic, and we look forward to delivering an uncompromising IFEC solution and in-flight connectivity service that offers passengers an unparalleled entertainment experience.”

2018 CW Games in Gold

2018 Commonwealth Games bid won by Gold Coast, Australia

Australia’s Gold Coast has won the bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which promises to be the largest international event to be held in Australia over the next decade.
The Gold Coast is the sixth largest region in Australia and is one of the country’s most popular holiday destinations.
It is already famous for hosting some of the nation’s largest and most successful major events such as the Gold Coast HSBC Sevens Fever Pitch rugby tournament which is to take place later this month. 
The success of the Commonwealth Games bid has instigated what is set to be an unparalleled period of new investment and development in the region.
The Queensland Government has also announced a $500 million AUS dollar direct investment into venues and transport infrastructure.
Martin Winter, chief executive of Gold Coast Tourism, said there would be plenty to look forward to between now and 2018: “We believe more than 120,000 extra tourists will visit the Gold Coast for the 2018 Commonwealth Games with around a 50 per cent split between international and domestic visitors, so the opportunity for our AUS $4.5 billion tourism industry is exceptional.”
Anna Bligh, Queensland premier, said the Games could generate up to $2 billion AUS dollars in economic development with up to 30,000 jobs to be created between 2015 and 2020.
“Congratulations to the Gold Coast, to Queensland and Australia - we did it!” said Ms Bligh.
Tour operators are also responding well to the announcement. 
Ben Briggs, brand manager for Australia travel specialists Austravel, commented: “This recent announcement provides yet another great reason to visit Queensland.
“Such a high profile sporting event such as this will undoubtedly have positive effects on visitor numbers to Queensland and provide an opportunity for Australia specialists such as Austravel, to tailor make holiday promotions around the event.”
The Gold Coast will be investing in its infrastructure and sports facilities ahead of the Games, including the expansion of the Metricon stadium from 25,000 seats to 40,000 and the creation of new squash, badminton, mountain biking developments.

Third A380 to London Heathrow

Third A380 to London Heathrow

Given the popularity of Emirates A380s, Emirates will add a third A380 service from London starting from January 24, 2012. This will mean three of Emirates five daily flights from Heathrow will be operated with an A380, significantly boosting capacity on the route. The airline brought its own brand of double decker, equipped with an onboard lounge and shower spas, to the British capital in December 2008.
After supporting EK flights 001 and 002 between Dubai and Heathrow, EK 003 and EK 004 became A380 services in July of last year, the statement said.
The giant aircraft, known for its quietness and spaciousness, offers 14 flat-bed first class private suites with electrically operated doors and 76 fully-flat seats in business class - all with aisle access - on the upper deck. Downstairs, there are 427 comfortable contoured seats in economy, spread across four separate cabins.
Passengers in all classes can settle down to more than 1000 channels of films, television programmes, music and games carried on the ice entertainment system, it said.
A personal satellite phone is fitted to each seat, which also carries a seat-back sms and email service, along with seat-to-seat calling and a 'My USB' personal picture viewing facility.
The third A380 service into Heathrow is another major investment for Emirates in the UK, where it operates 105 weekly flights via six gateways; London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow.
I know this news will be well received by our customers flying between London Heathrow, Dubai and beyond. As these magnificent aircraft continue to join our fleet, we can offer more seats and choice in and out of high density points, while enabling a greater number of passengers to benefit from the Emirates’ A380 experience,” said Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ senior vice president, commercial operations, Europe & Russian Federation.
The international airline of the UAE has a fleet of 17 A380s amongst a total fleet of 162 aircraft, flying to 116 destinations – now including Baghdad.

Space Tourism Insurance

Space Tourism Insurance

Insurance company Allianz Global Assistance has signed the agreement with the international space organisation, in what it said was “in anticipation of the inevitable growth in space tourism and commercial space flight”.
Virgin Galactic plans to make its first commercial flights in October 2012 and the company hopes this will provide it with a new group of consumers.
“At Allianz Global Assistance, we are looking into space tourism as a new market for the next generation of travellers. Our partnership with the International Space Transport Association demonstrates our support and interest in the space travel industry,” said Erick Morazin, director of global accounts.
The insurance is being developed for space tourists, space scientists and space liners, the company said.