Rotana has announced the near completion of the Al Ain Rotana Hotel expansion project, which will be finished in April 2008. Al Ain is situated close to the Abu Dhabi/Oman border and is the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates. The impressive expansion project adds 72 luxurious rooms, 12 suites and two new chalets to the existing five-star hotel. The new recreation facilities include two squash courts and a state of the art Bodylines health & fitness centre.

Since its opening in 1999, the Al Ain Rotana Hotel has been popular with business travellers and holidaymakers. The expansion is designed to accommodate that mix of guests, with state of the art in-room facilities, that meet visitors’ needs precisely. 

Al Ain is known as The Garden City of the Gulf. The city’s history dates back to the 4th millennium BC and is now a green and fertile destination with tree lined boulevards, gardens and parks. Its attractions include historical museums, several restored forts, the Hili archaeological site dating back to the Bronze Age, the Al Ain Oasis, a zoo, an amusement park and a heritage village. Sheikh Zayed's vision and commitment has seen Al Ain grow into a modern city and one of the greenest in Arabia today.

4/1/2008 3:22:19 AM UTC     

On April 2, 2008, JAL will unveil at Narita Airport Terminal 2 - the airline's main international hub - a new economy class check-in area. The improved area will enable JAL to provide its passengers with a more convenient, user-friendly, stress free check-in experience at the airport.

Passengers will be able to check themselves in using one of 36 of the latest easy-to-use Self Check-in Machines (SCM) installed in the area to speed up the whole departure process. After doing this, if they have luggage to check in they must then proceed to a nearby luggage check-in counter, otherwise they can head directly to immigration.  

In addition to the self check-in machines, economy class passengers without luggage can also check-in at a new express counter conveniently located in the departure lobby close to the south entrance for immigration control.

4/1/2008 3:21:29 AM UTC     

Some holidays to not effect the entire country but are regional. The list is based on information available at time of going to press, and subject to change.

Tuesday 1 April 2008
Cyprus, India, Iran, San Marino

Wednesday 2 April 2008
Argentina, Romania

Thursday 3 April 2008
Guinea, Romania

Friday 4 April 2008
Angola, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Romania, Taiwan

Sunday 6 April 2008
Burundi, Thailand

Monday 7 April 2008
Burundi, India, Mauritius, Mozambique, Philippines, Rwanda, Tanzania, Thailand

Tuesday 8 April 2008
Dominica, Maldives

Wednesday 9 April 2008 
Georgia, Iraq, Tunisia

Thursday 10 April 2008
Nepal

Sunday 13 April 2008
Cambodia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Monday 14 April 2008
Bangladesh, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras, India, Nepal, Thailand

Tuesday 15 April 2008
Cambodia, North Korea, Thailand, Vietnam

Wednesday 16 April 2008

Cambodia, Thailand

Thursday 17 April 2008
American Samoa, Gabon, Iraq, Syria

Friday 18 April 2008
Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland, India, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe

Saturday 19 April 2008
Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Uruguay, Venezuela

Sunday 20 April 2008
Israel,

Monday 21 April 2008
Brazil, Canada, Falkland Islands, Puerto Rico

Wednesday 23 April 2008
Brazil, Spain, Turkey

Thursday 24 April 2008
Iceland, Nepal

Friday 25 April 2008
Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Macedonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Portugal, Serbia, Swaziland, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Saturday 26 April 2008
Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Tanzania, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Sunday 27 April 2008
Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Lebanon, Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sierra Leone Slovenia, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Ukraine

Monday 28 April 2008
Afghanistan, Albania, Barbados, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Ukraine

Tuesday 29 April 2008
Cyprus, Japan

Wednesday 30 April 2008
Aruba, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Sweden, Vietnam

4/1/2008 3:20:13 AM UTC     

The 10th Bordeaux Wine Festival will take place this year from the 26th to the 29th of June. The Bordeaux Town Hall and the Tourist Office invite lovers of wine, food, festivity and culture to share these celebrations in the heart of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The tourist office have come up with a few ideas including the ’BORDEAUX FÊTE LE VIN’ package deal which includes:

·       Two nights in a double room in a 2, 3 or 4-star hotel

·       A tasting pass (including 13 tastings and other services)

·       A meal at Bordo Mundo

·       A vineyard pass

·       A free access card (available on request) valid for 2 days for the urban public transport network

·       A guided tour of the city

·       A free access card for the main sites, monuments and museums.

·        

Prices per person range from €185.00 (£146.00) for a 2-star hotel, to €300 (£238.00) for a 4-star hotel.

www.bordeaux-fete-le-vin.com

3/30/2008 9:26:58 AM UTC     

Ireland's Aer Lingus is to offer increased services to the USA from Dublin and Shannon airports.

From the end of October, Aer Lingus will operate double daily flights from Dublin to New York, daily flights from Dublin to Boston, four flights a week from Dublin to both Washington and San Francisco and three flights a week from Dublin to Los Angeles and Orlando.

From Shannon the airline will operate daily direct flights to Boston and New York and daily flights to Chicago via Dublin.

The recent Open Skies agreement and the addition of two additional Airbus A330 long haul aircraft have enabled Aer Lingus to expand into new markets in North America and to further consolidate its position on North Atlantic routes.

www.aerlingus.com

3/30/2008 9:21:28 AM UTC     

Hotel Jen, a new hotel in Hong Kong has opened for business. Taking its name from the Chinese character, which symbolises the Confucian ideal of love and goodwill towards people, the 280 room independent hotel provides travellers with the essentials of a quality hotel room without the expensive extras. A clean and functional room, a comfortable bed and a great shower are at the heart of the Hotel Jen experience.

Hotel Jen is located in the western district, just down the hill from Hong Kong University. The Western District still preserves the flavour of old Hong Kong, yet is just 10 minutes from Hong Kong’s Central business district, the Airport Express and the city’s hottest nightlife centres of Soho and Lan Kwai Fong.

For the convenience of guests, Hotel Jen operates a regular shuttle bus throughout the day to Macau Ferry (Sheung Wan MTR), Central Star Ferry, Airport Express Hong Kong Station (ifc mall) and Admiralty MTR (Pacific Place).

www.hoteljen.com

3/30/2008 9:19:13 AM UTC     

Star Alliance has outlined the timetable for changes at London Heathrow.

Air Canada
Now in T3 and will remain in T3 until 2012

Air China
Now in T3 and will remain in T3 until 2012

Air New Zealand
Now in T3 but moving to T1 on June 10

ANA
Now in T3 and will remain in T3 until 2012

Asiana Airlines
Now in T1 and not moving

Austrian
Now in T2 but moving to T1 in November 2008

Blue1
Currently not serving Heathrow but will operate from T3 as of March 30 and remain in T3 until 2012

bmi
Now in T1 and not moving

Croatia Airlines
Now in T2 and moving to T1 in November 2008

LOT Polish Airlines
Now in T1 and not moving

Lufthansa
Now in T2 but moving to T1 November 2008

Scandinavian Airlines
Now in T3 and will remain in T3 until 2012

Singapore Airlines
Now in T3 and will remain in T3 until 2012

South African Airways
Now in T1 and not moving

SWISS
Now in T2 but moving to T1 in October 2008

TAP Portugal
Now in T2 but moving to T1 in November 2008

THAI
Now in T3 and will remain in T3 until 2012

Turkish Airlines
Now in T3 and will remain in T3 until 2012

United
Now in T3 but moving to T1 on June 10

US Airways
Currently not serving Heathrow but starting from T1 on March 30

www.staralliance.com

3/30/2008 9:16:19 AM UTC     

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts are to open their second property in Taiwan, the Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Tainan, during third quarter of 2008.

www.shangri-la.com

3/30/2008 9:14:23 AM UTC     

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts has launched its brand new website that aims to complement the style of the international hotel chain. Its layout reflects the company’s corporate identity in a clear, modern and contemporary design.

“The new website with its appealing “look and feel” matches our deluxe hotels and our image perfectly,” explains Petra Goetting, Vice President Marketing & Sales at Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts.

Barbara Pezzi, Director Web Marketing & E-commerce declares: “Additional functions such as RSS feeds, hotel videos and podcasts will shortly be added to our easy-to-navigate website, and will ideally complement the spectrum of services on offer. After all, the importance of the internet as a booking channel is increasing at an immense rate year-for-year. In 2007 we saw an increase of 42 per cent relative to the previous year. With the new website, we are expecting this to rise even further in 2008.”

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with over 85 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.

www.swissotel.com

3/30/2008 9:11:14 AM UTC     

Alamo Rent A Car has significantly enhanced its online booking website to ensure customers have absolutely no doubt over what is and isn’t included in their rental rate. 

Customers can now see exactly what’s included in the rental rate - particularly useful for customers taking inclusive offers such as Alamo Gold - plus the cost of any additional items they have selected, prior to confirmation.  Most importantly, the cost for any items to be paid locally is now shown both in local currency and with an approximate GBP conversion.

Tom Middleditch, Marketing Manager for Alamo said: “The last thing we want our customers to worry about when they arrive at one of our locations is unexpected costs or currency conversions.  These enhancements to the site will therefore make it much easier for customers to identify any additional items they need and anticipate what charges will be made at the destination. This latest update is part of Alamo’s ongoing commitment to help customers enjoy high quality, cost-effective car rental around the world.”

www.alamo.co.uk

3/30/2008 9:09:32 AM UTC     

Communications watchdog Ofcom has granted UK airlines approval for in-flight mobile use within European airspace, subject to approval of onboard systems by the Civil Aviation Authority.

A British Airways spokeswoman said the airline would not rush into a trial.

‘We are in the early stages of research and we will have to think very carefully about this,’ she said. ‘We will be led by customer feedback.’

She added that preliminary work with Executive Club members had shown they were in favour of allowing texting rather than spoken conversations onboard.

3/30/2008 9:06:19 AM UTC     

Etihad Airways has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the Ferrari F1 team, the current Formula One world championship holders.

Eithad’s Chief Executive Mr Hogan said: “Sports sponsorship is a major part of Etihad’s marketing strategy and the growing association we are building with Formula One is a key driver to enable us to reach a global audience.

“With a TV audience of 2.5 billion people in nearly 200 countries, the association with Ferrari will give Etihad enormous worldwide exposure and help bring Abu Dhabi to the world.

“Ferrari is already developing a close association with our Abu Dhabi home base, through an exciting new theme park being built in the city, so this deal represents a natural partnership for Etihad. We share similar ambitions, to be the best in our respective fields.”

The iconic Ferrari racing brand is set to open a USD 600 million, 2,500 acre theme park in 2009 that will include 24 attractions.

The Ferrari F1 team sponsorship deal follows a separate three-year deal signed by Etihad Airways in December 2007 to become the title sponsor of the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, starting with the inaugural event in 2009.

The deal will see the F1 race in the UAE’s capital city named the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix until 2011.

Etihad’s involvement with the Ferrari F1 team is the latest high-profile sports sponsorship for the airline, and complements existing partnerships with Chelsea Football Club, Harlequins Rugby Football Club and the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

www.etihadairways.com

3/30/2008 9:00:20 AM UTC     

Eos, who’s latest route between London Stansted and Newark’s Liberty International Airport will commence on 5 May 2008, are offering passengers who book a round-trip ticket on their web site between now and 11 April 2008 and enter promotion code EWR10, will receive a 10% discount off all published fares. This introductory fare offer is only valid for online bookings and travel must be completed by 7 September 2008 (terms and conditions apply).

www.eosclass.com

3/30/2008 8:58:00 AM UTC     

Puzzled pilot refuses to land at new airport

It has been reported that a KLM pilot took his passengers on a 1,200-mile detour after refusing to land at a new airport in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, claiming he had never heard of it. The KLM pilot diverted 233 passengers to New Delhi, was denied permission to land and finally arrived in Bombay two hours later.

Delta to charge $25 for 2nd checked bag

 

Delta Air Lines, the third-largest U.S. carrier, will follow United Airlines in charging $25 for a second checked bag. First Class and most frequent flyers will not be charged.

 

Terminal shift

 

Four more airlines have joined Singapore Airlines at Singapore Changi Airport's new Terminal.  China Eastern Airlines, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways and United Airlines will shift their operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3.  Singapore Airlines has been operating at Terminal 3 since the terminal begins operations on 9 January 2008.

 

 

3/30/2008 8:56:33 AM UTC     

Central Vietnam hots up for the summer with amazing offers from the regions most luxurious beach resort, The Nam Hai.

The Summer Season Packages are available from 1st April to 30th September 2008 and offer incredible value at all grades of villa from one bedroom villa to five bedroom pool villas including free nights accommodation and complimentary spa treatments at the award winning spa. The Nam Hai, Hoi An is situated on 35-hectares of beautiful landscaped gardens on Ha My Beach, a picture perfect section of the world famous China Beach with unspoilt stretches of white sands.

The Nam Hai features 60 stylish one bedroom villas and 40 stunning pool villas each boasting views of the South China Sea and nearby Cham Islands.

For the exclusive period only, any bookings for the one bedroom villas include a choice of a complimentary 2-way private airport transfer or a 60 minute Vietnamese Massage at The Spa at The Nam Hai per guest per stay if booking for two nights or more.  Guests choosing to book for three nights or more also receive one nights accommodation free.

The Nam Hai is offering Pay 2 nights/Stay 3 nights or Pay 3 nights/ Stay 4 nights on all pool villas.  Guests booking three nights or more also receive a complimentary 60 minute Vietnamese Massage per guest at The Spa at The Nam Hai.

Club benefits for guests staying in the pool villas include return airport limousine transfer, check in at either reception or in privacy of the villa, personal butler for the duration of the booking, daily breakfast, complimentary in room mini-bar, daily afternoon tea served in the villa, complimentary cocktails and snacks served daily in the villa, complimentary laundry service and limousine service to Hoi An and Da Nang City.

Ideally located 11km north of the historical city of Hoi An, The Nam Hai complements spectacular beachfront living with renowned cultural and historical attractions that reflect the true spirit of Indochina.  In keeping with GHM’s tradition of providing guests with a culturally inviting experience, The Nam Hai stands for all the charms of true Vietnamese hospitality.

The best time to visit Central Vietnam due to the local micro-climate is between March and September. 

www.ghmhotels.com

3/28/2008 5:40:30 AM UTC     

Reval Hotels, the largest hotel group in the Baltic region, opened the doors of it latest addition – the Reval Hotel Neris in Kaunas, Lithuania. With 208 rooms, a fully-equipped conference and event centre with capacity for 1000 guests, the 140-seat Diverso restaurant and chic Ginger Bar, the Reval Hotel Neris opens up the region to both holidaymakers and the MICE market as an exciting, fresh and natural alternative.

Guests at the Reval Hotel Neris will have a wide selection of room styles and lifestyle options to choose from during their stay. Of the 208 modern and comfortable guest rooms there are 37 single standard class rooms, 153 double Reval class rooms, 17 executive class rooms and one suite. A free internet station for hotel residents as well as wireless internet in all hotel areas is also available.
 
The hotel is situated in the very heart of Kaunas – near the main, linden tree-lined and pedestrianised Laisves Avenue. City highlights include the 14th-century Kaunas Castle, the Kaunas Cathedral Basilica (the largest Gothic building in Lithuania and the lively town hall and square – perfect for a chat and lively beer (or two) with friends. Easily reached from the Kaunas bus station, train station and airport, it’s a great base for explorations of the Lithuanian countryside.

“The second largest Lithuanian city of Kaunas offers a convenient geographic position and has huge potential in becoming a business and tourism centre,” adds Ruksenas. “We expect Reval Hotel Neris to promote this goal by being the first hotel in the city to have capacity in providing wide-scale conference services.”

Opening rates at the Reval Hotel Neris start from just 49€ per room, per night.

www.revalhotels.com.

3/28/2008 5:39:24 AM UTC     

Japan Airlines (JAL) will introduce its new domestic first class service to the Tokyo - Sapporo route from June 1, 2008. The new first class service, the first-ever introduced on Japan domestic flights, will be offered on two round trip flights per day between Tokyo (Haneda) and Sapporo (Chitose), the largest city in Hokkaido. The flight time between the two cities is approximately an hour and a half.

At Chitose airport, JAL will provide dedicated first class check-in counters, and passengers will be able to enjoy priority boarding, priority baggage claim and access to the Sakura Lounge.

JAL's domestic first class service was first introduced on the Haneda, Tokyo - Itami, Osaka route from December 1 2007 and from April 1 2008 the service will also be introduced on flights between Haneda, Tokyo and Fukuoka. By the beginning of May, JAL will have increased the number of flights the first class service is available to 10 flights per day on the Osaka route and 6 flights per day on the Fukuoka route.

Also during June, JAL will serve in first class on all of these routes as its recommended drink of the month a range of sake produced by 11 members of the Hokkaido Sake Brewers Association. The sake, specially branded under the name saikatouya, have been produced to mark the holding of the G8 Summit in Toyako, Hokkaido in July 2008. 

3/27/2008 4:53:26 AM UTC     

Anantara Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel brand in Asia Pacific, today announced the formation of a joint venture with Kempinski Hotels & Resorts for strategic development opportunities in Europe and Asia.

With extensive knowledge and experience in the Asia market, Anantara Hotels & Resorts is well placed to seek out development opportunities on behalf of the Kempinski group and offer technical service skills which match the brand’s growth strategy. In turn, key locations being tapped for expansion by Anantara Hotels & Resorts include the Mediterranean basin, where Kempinski have a selection of existing properties and a strong depth of experience. 

William Heinecke, CEO of Anantara’s parent company, Minor International commented “This is truly an exciting time for Anantara Resorts, as the brand is very focused on developing in key markets which enable our guests to feed their passion for exploration and experience. Partnering with Kempinski, one of Europe’s most established and premium hotel brand, allows us to extend the synergies and development opportunities between our two hotel groups.”

The agreement sets the stage for Anantara and Kempinski to move quickly with local knowledge in ever increasingly competitive markets. Kempinski’s Chairman Michael Selby added, “Kempinski is pleased and excited about the joint venture with Anantara Resorts. Anantara has been growing at an impressive rate within the South East Asia region and has developed a reputation for quality in service as well as unique and attractive hotel properties. Kempinski is a major operator of Five Star Hotels throughout the world and we believe that the joint venture agreement will allow the pooling of the resources within both groups to provide a range of exceptional guest stay experiences.”

Over the next 10 years, Anantara Resorts expects to continue the extensive development to include at least 40 resorts in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and indeed Europe.

3/27/2008 4:52:36 AM UTC     

A new chapter in the history of Heathrow Airport begins today when at 04.50hrs, the first passengers arrived at Terminal 5, from Hong Kong on flight BA26.

Mark Bullock, Managing Director of BAA Heathrow said: “This is an incredibly exciting day for BAA and one which marks a turning point for Heathrow. We have waited over 20 years to welcome passengers to Terminal 5 and during that time Heathrow has got increasingly congested.  Terminal 5 signifies a new beginning for Heathrow and I am immensely proud that we open the doors of this magnificent building today, exactly when we said we would. 

Designed for 21st century travel, every aspect of the terminal, from the arrangement of check-in desks and high-tech baggage system, through to the 9,000 seats, has been designed for passengers’ comfort and ease. Over 30,000 square metres of glazing provides a light and airy environment with clear views across the airfield.  Located beneath the terminal is a modern and spacious rail station, providing direct transport links to London including the Heathrow Express service and London Underground’s Piccadilly Line .

The start of operations at Terminal 5 signals a new beginning for Heathrow; it will provide the airport with much needed additional capacity so that the transformation of existing terminal facilities can continue at pace. Over the next five years, BAA will invest around £4bn in a development programme that includes closing Terminal 2 and replacing it with a modern, energy efficient terminal.

Terminal 5 is one of the most successful construction projects ever undertaken in the UK. The hugely complex programme of work was carried out on a 260ha site, situated between with the world’s busiest runways. A former Thames Water sludge works, the site now includes Terminal 5A – the UK’s largest free-standing structure - and its satellite building Terminal 5B. A second satellite building, Terminal 5C will open in 2010. 

3/27/2008 4:51:31 AM UTC     

Starwood’s anticipated new lifestyle brand aloft hotels, are open for bookings for stays starting between August 14 and October 8, 2008, for five of its U.S. properties: Charleston Airport and Convention Centre, South Carolina (September 4), Lexington, Massachusetts (September 1), Ontario-Rancho Cucamonga, California (August 14), Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania (October 8) and Rogers-Bentonville, Arkansas (August 14).

Starwood claim that aloft is shaking up the lodging industry with its urban-influenced design, accessible technology, style and a social atmosphere. aloft offers rooms featuring loft-like, nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows to create a bright, airy environment.

The centrepiece of the aloft room is the ultra-comfortable signature bed, and large stylish bathrooms with oversized walk-in showers and amenities created by bliss(R) spa.

Each aloft room is also a combination high-tech office and entertainment centre, featuring wireless internet access and a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry such as PDAs, cell phones, mp3 players and laptops - all linked to a 42' flat panel HDTV ready television for optimal sound and viewing.

www.alofthotels.com  

3/24/2008 11:32:48 AM UTC     

Millennium and Copthorne Hotels are opening five new hotels in China during 2008, in Beijing, Chengdu, Qingdao, Xiamen and Wuxi.

The 352-room Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen is a corporate oasis near the commercial city centre with easy access to the airport. Together with state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities, the hotel ensures a unique business experience that is professional, comfortable, and unforgettable.

The Millennium Wuxi Hotel is situated at the heart of Yangtze River Delta Region on the southeast coast of China, close to the international metropolis of Shanghai. Wuxi is also known as “little Shanghai” due to its developed industry and flourishing economy. The Millennium Wuxi Hotel is predominately aimed at the Japanese market and is furnished with classical Japanese inspired interiors and provides its residents with quality facilities and services.

The Grand Millennium Beijing opens in April 2008 in time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In the heart of China’s capital city this premium five-star hotel offers 521 grand and spacious guestrooms. The hotel is well facilitated with hotel-wide broadband access, the latest in meeting & conference services, three levels of spa & fitness facilities and restaurants offering a fine spread of international cuisines

Other hotels scehduled to open in 2008 are the Millennium Hotel Chengdu and the Copthorne Hotel Qingdao.

www.millenniumhotels.co.uk

3/24/2008 11:21:29 AM UTC     

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has announced the opening of InterContinental Al Khobar, the group's 20th property in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The property is ideally situated just a few minutes from Al Khobar's corniche in the heart of the city. It is also close to the business and commercial centre, making the luxury hotel an ideal choice for both business and leisure travellers.

InterContinental Al Khobar boasts 120 well-appointed, luxurious guestrooms and suites complete with a full range of amenities including plasma screen interactive TVs and Wi-Fi access.

www.ichotelsgroup.com    

3/24/2008 11:10:21 AM UTC     

Air China is set to move all of its Beijing Capital International Airport operations to New Terminal 3 at midnight on March 26, 2008. Better services and better facilities mean that all passengers will benefit.

As the world's largest airport terminal, Terminal 3 boasts state-of-the-art equipment and impressive architecture, but getting acclimatized to this new environment may take time. For passengers to have sufficient time to get to know the new facility, check-in counters for Air China's domestic flights will close 45 minutes before the scheduled flight departure time, and passengers for the company's international and regional flights will close 60 minutes before the scheduled flight departure time. Boarding gates for all of the company's flights will close 10 minutes before the scheduled flight departure time.

www.airchina.co.uk

3/24/2008 11:05:00 AM UTC     

easyJet today launched services from Luton to Jersey and Pisa. One-way fares including taxes start from £21.99 to Jersey and from £23.99 to Pisa. The airline expects to carry 100k passengers on each route over the next 12 months.

www.easyjet.com    

3/24/2008 11:00:05 AM UTC     

Innovative on-line flight booking site, Alternative Airlines, has teamed up with Royal Jordanian Airlines to offer discount fares to Amman and Aqaba in Jordan, Aleppo in Syria, Sanaa and Aden in Yemen plus Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia.

www.alternativeairlines.com

3/24/2008 10:49:49 AM UTC     

Following tests carried out on a Boeing 767-300 aircraft between April 2007 and January 2008, Qantas is to roll out new technology on its domestic aircraft from late 2008 to allow customers to send and receive e-mail and SMS via mobile phone or personal electronic device. The roll out does not include incoming or outgoing calls.

www.qantas.com

3/24/2008 10:45:54 AM UTC     

The Government of Dubai has confirmed it is to operate a low-cost airline model with its own brand and identity.

Although Emirates will initially support the new airline during the set-up period, it will not be part of the Emirates Group.

Initially the new airline, which as yet remains nameless, will operate regionally within the GCC area and surrounding countries.

3/24/2008 10:35:24 AM UTC     

Despite the majority of passengers surveyed over the last few years being against the use of mobile phones in-flight, Emirates has made a bold and somewhat controversial move in becoming the first major airline in the world to commercially launch an in-flight mobile telephone service.

The airline will be investing some US$27 million to fit its fleet with the AeroMobile system which ensures that passenger mobile phones operate at their absolute minimum power, thereby allowing their safe use on the aircraft. A second Emirates aircraft, a Boeing 777-300, has already been installed with the AeroMobile system and will be in operation very shortly.

The service will only be activated when the aircraft is at cruising altitude and the cabin crew will have full control over the system, including the ability to prevent voice calls at certain times such as during night flights. The number of calls that may be made at any one time is also limited to a maximum of five or six calls, the same number as for the current in-seat phones.

Emirates cabin staff and information videos will advise and encourage passengers to switch their phones to silent / vibrate mode when used in the aircraft.

In addition to calls, the service will also allow passengers to send and receive text messages, with charges in line with premium international roaming rates. Users will be billed on their regular phone bills by their own service providers as with any other roaming call.

Emirates and AeroMobile will be working to add further features such as the ability for BlackBerry-type email and other GPRS data applications later in 2008 and also to integrate AeroMobile with Emirates' ICE inflight entertainment system.

On aircraft where the AeroMobile system is not installed, existing rules banning the use of mobile phones by passengers remain in force at all times. Mobile phones must remain switched off for the duration of the flight in accordance with current aviation regulatory requirements.

www.emirates.com

3/24/2008 10:31:07 AM UTC     

Antalya will become the fourth point in Turkey available to oneworld carriers, when British Airways start services there from London Gatwick three times a week from 10 April.

Malev Hungarian Airlines is to start flights to Cluj-Napoca in Transylvania from its Budapest base twice daily from 30 March.

Poznan will bcome the alliance's fourth city in Poland when British Airways starts flying there from London Gatwick daily from 30 March.

Key new routes being launched to existing oneworld destinations during the coming months include:

• Budapest-Milan Malpensa, from the end of this month by Malev Hungarian Airlines twice daily.
• Budapest-New York JFK, resumed by Malev Hungarian Airlines daily from 12 May.
• Budapest-Toronto, resumed by Malev Hungarian Airlines five times a week from 26 May.
• Fort Lauderdale-Kingston (Jamaica), from 1 June by American Airlines with daily Boeing 737-800s.
• Hong Kong-Bangalore, by affiliate Dragonair from 1 May with daily Airbus A330-300s
• Hong Kong-Madras, by Cathay Pacific, from 1 June, with four flights a week.
• Madrid-Dubrovnik, by Iberia, from 7 June, with two A320s a week.
• Madrid-St Petersburg, by Iberia, from 1 April, with two A319s a week.
• New York-Barcelona, by American Airlines, from 1 May with daily Boeing 767-300s.
• New York-Milan Malpensa, also by American Airlines from 1 May with daily Boeing 767-300s.
• Tokyo Haneda-Beijing, by Japan Airlines, in time for the Olympics in the Chinese capital and in addition to its round trips from Tokyo Narita.

Finnair is to launch flights from its Helsinki hub to Yekaterinburg and increase frequencies to its two established Russian destinations. It will become the second oneworld carrier to serve Yekaterinburg, alongside Malev Hungarian Airlines. Although Finnair has not yet confirmed a start date for the new service, it will operate it three times a week.

Meantime, it will increase frequencies to Moscow from April to two a day, besides code-sharing on another two dailies operated by Aeroflot, up from a combined three a day at present. Schedules to St Petersburg should also increase to double daily by summer 2009, with another two dailies operated by Rossiya also carrying the Finnair code, up again from the current three flights a day.

American Airlines and British Airways move a number of their London routes between the UK capital's Gatwick and Heathrow Airports later this month.

The UK carrier will transfer to Heathrow its flights serving Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston from 28 March and its Algiers operation from 30 March. Its services to Warsaw move in the opposite direction, to Gatwick.

American Airlines transfers to Heathrow one of its Dallas/Fort Worth dailies and its daily Raleigh/Durham service from 30 March, with its second Dallas/Fort Worth daily following on 13 April. American will then offer 18 daily departures from Heathrow - the same number of frequencies that are currently split between Heathrow and Gatwick - serving Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK besides Dallas/Fort Worth and Raleigh/Durham. It will add a second daily between London Stansted and New York JFK from 1 August.

www.oneworld.com

3/24/2008 10:19:55 AM UTC     

Communications watchdog Ofcom has granted UK airlines approval for in-flight mobile use within European airspace, subject to approval of onboard systems by the Civil Aviation Authority.

A British Airways spokeswoman said the airline would not rush into a trial.

‘We are in the early stages of research and we will have to think very carefully about this,’ she said. ‘We will be led by customer feedback.’

She added that preliminary work with Executive Club members had shown they were in favour of allowing texting rather than spoken conversations onboard.

3/24/2008 10:05:07 AM UTC     

China’s regulatory body the CAAC said it has adopted measures to curb flight delays in advance of this summer's Olympic Games.

According to the regulator, Chinese airlines based in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other Olympic-related cities are being ordered to have one or two backup aircraft on hand to guarantee on time performance. Carriers cancelling flights during the period must transfer passengers to other airlines and cover their fares in full.

From July through September, the regulator will forbid all domestic airlines from ticket over booking. Any carriers that do not perform adequately in terms of on time performance and mishandled baggage during the Olympic period won't be approved for any expansion or allowed set up a branch company for two years, CAAC said.

3/24/2008 10:03:05 AM UTC     

Star Alliance member US Airways has launched a dedicated UK web site, www.usairways.co.uk. It coincides with the airlines launch of its new service to Philadelphia from Heathrow, which begins on March 29^th.

The site, which a spokesperson said was already doing very well, is easy to navigate and payment is in pounds sterling. It compliments US Airways’ pan-European site, which is available for all European citizens who wish to make bookings in English and pay for their trip using the Euro.

US Airways will keep its Gatwick services to Philadelphia and Charlotte in place as well as its routes from Manchester and Glasgow.

www.usairways.co.uk  

3/24/2008 7:30:51 AM UTC     

Singapore Airlines, has set yet another milestone in the world of civil aviation, as the Airline today flies the world’s first commercial A380 flight to Europe. 

The inaugural Singapore Airlines A380 flight to London, SQ308, took off from Singapore’s Changi Airport at 0900 hours today (18 March 2008). The flight will land in London’s Heathrow Airport at 1505 hours today (all times local).

Singapore Airlines General Manager UK and Ireland, Marvin Tan said: “The arrival of the first commercial A380 flight to London will be a proud moment for Singapore Airlines but also for British aviation.  The Singapore Airlines A380 has wings made in Britain, it is powered by Britain and its interiors are designed in Britain.  The new aircraft also represents a significant step towards greener flying.  It is 20% more fuel-efficient and has a noise footprint half that of the B747-400 it is designed to replace.  Our aircraft will also carry a third more passengers than the B747-400, thus enabling us to satisfy demand without having to increase the number of flights.” 

Among the distinguished guests welcoming the A380’s historic arrival at London Heathrow Airport will be Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Pat McFadden MP and Aviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick MP. 

Mr McFadden commented: “Today’s flight represents a significant milestone. The A