Economy fliers, you don't want to see this

Posh business-class cabins

By Chaney Kwak | Conde Nast Traveler 

(Photo: Korean Air)

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Taking care of business at 35,000 feet is no easy feat — unless you're flying in one of these ultra-plush business class cabins. We had business-travel road warriors and big shots tell us what they think are the poshest, cushiest cabins in the air.

Korean Air

Korean Air's Airbus 380 features an all-business upper deck, the world's first on-board duty-free boutique and Celestial Bar, seen here.

(Photo: Turkish Airlines)

Turkish Airlines

Turkish boasts an on-board chef preparing award-winning food. Designer Nanette Lepore is a huge fan. She describes Turkish's business class as "beyond posh."

(Photo: Air France)

Air France

Air France's Affaires class is a classy affair, with hypoallergenic feather pillows and noise-canceling headsets. Our own Wendy Perrin commends the "excellent selection of films" from all around the world.

(Photo: Qantas)

Qantas

Fully flat Skybed seats ensure comfort on those long flights down under.

(Photo: Delta)

Delta

Delta's Business Elite gets some of the highest ratings in America, and has been hailed as "the best flight experience to Africa."

(Photo: Air Canada)

Air Canada

Hotel executive Daniel Kerzner counts Air Canada as North America's best business offering. "The bright and modern décor of the cabin provide an ideal backdrop for your private 'suite' in the sky," he says.

(Photo: Cathay Pacific)

Cathay Pacific

Our readers ranked Cathay Pacific highly in our business travel poll. No surprise there. Financier Christof Wittig of Kii Capital says the airline is his "first and only choice for travel to Asia."

(Photo: Etihad)

Etihad

Etihad Airways Pearl Business Class (a highly ranked airline on our poll) boasts stylish seats that double as massage chairs.

(Photo: British Airways)

British Airways

You can mind your own business in British Airways' Club World with a touch-screen privacy screen.

(Photo: Emirates)

Emirates

Emirates received the second highest score in our readers' poll of best airlines for business travel.

New connections to the heart of Africa

RwandAir, the national carrier of Rwanda and Africa's fastest growing airline, is increasing its frequencies to and from Dubai.

Business between the African nation and the Arab states is increasing and from November onwards the airline will serve Kigali with a daily flight.

The new schedule is giving more choice to business travelers between Rwanda and the UAE, at times when the two countries are fostering cooperation in various areas. 

Simultaneously, the additional flights allow fast and seamless connections in Kigali to the RwandAir network. In a major overhaul of its operations and with brand new aircraft joining the fleet this month, RwandAir also adjusted frequencies to other existing cities served. Lagos, Brazzaville, Libreville and Johannesburg are conveniently connected to the Dubai flights. Closer to its base in Kigali, RwandAir offers equally immaculate connections to Nairobi, Entebbe, Kilimanjaro, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Mwanza and Bujumbura. 

In a statement to the press, RwandAir CEO John Mirenge said: “We are looking forward to welcome more travellers onto our brand new aircraft. Connecting through Kigali now becomes a real alternative”. 

The airline’s Commercial Director, Bert van der Stege, said: “With the arrival of two new aircraft and the re-design of our current pattern of operations, we are able to enhance the efficiency of our network. Improving connectivity is key for our airline to attract more passengers”.   

RwandAir connects passengers through Kigali International Airport. Still relatively small in size, the airport and the airline are able to provide seamless transfers and a much more personalized service.

Virgin Atlantic Debuts New Upper Class Cabin

The longest full flat bed in business class flights to New York.

If you love Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class Suite, you're really going to love the new Upper Class Suite. Four years of research, imagination and expert design have gone into re-engineering the award-winning seat to create something even more remarkable.

They’ve re-engineered and reinvented the Upper Class Suite, creating a fabulous new onboard experience, with great new features including...

Giving you a more luxurious and comfortable sleep than ever, with a huge 87 inch (220 cm/7 foot 2 inch) bed surface - longer than any other airlines' business class bed.

The new espresso coloured leather seat is more spacious than ever, with an extra 1.5 inch seat width and reclines up to 50% more - perfect for a snooze on our shorter flights.

The futuristic new onboard bar has a changed orientation, it’s separate from the cabin and it has great new spaces to sit and socialise with fellow passengers.

Each suite has a 12.1 inch touch screen monitor with a touch screen handset, loaded with our brand new entertainment system called JAM.  Connect your phone, USB stick or tablet to watch, read or listen to your own content, plus charge your device.

Experience the new Upper Class Suite for yourself, with our interactive flash tour - pan around the cabin 360 degress and hover over hotspots, to watch videos about the Suite's new features.

Interact with the new Upper Class Suite

 

Easing you into any mood

Our new mood lighting system is programmed to create unique, calming environments for you to work, dine, socialise and sleep.

 

A suite, with a view

A new window has been built into the wall of each suite, giving you more light and space, but its unique opaque design offers the same levels of privacy our Upper Class Suite is famous for.

 

Luxurious style

The cabin has a fabulous new look, with a stylish, uplifting interior, flashes of our famous red, and Swarovski crystal accents for that touch of Virgin Atlantic spark

Aviation Stakeholders Decry Arik Air’s Ban Order

By Seriki Adinoyi

Arik Air has been accused of showing utter disrespect to the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), which directed all the parties to sheath their swords, following the feud between the airline and aviation workers’ union.

A statement signed by the President of the Stakeholders Squaretable, Capt. Balarabe Usman, described the act as incorrigible and arrogant display of disregard for constituted authority.

“We were amazed by a circular from the airline which permanently blacklisted the Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriese, from boarding any of its flights, barely 24 hours after a peace meeting chaired by the SGF, Senator Pius Anyim Pius, who directed all parties to sheath their swords.”

Usman said the action by Arik Air as a further confirmation of its unethical behaviour and disrespect for the persons and offices of Anyim.

Anyim, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Chairperson House of Representative Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkiru Onyejeoka, Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, and the Managing Directors of FAAN, NCAA, AIB, NIMET among several others were part of the highly-publicised meeting where the decision was taken.

The statement reads: “Their resort to listing the MD alongside accused drug traffickers smacks off vendetta and wicked intentions. In any case, the MD or any other Nigerian is not obliged to fly Arik Air.

“We call on the friends of Arik Air to encourage them to begin to adopt acceptable business practices and own up to their liabilities, and discharge their obligations faithfully to their clients.”

Etihad Airways to increase flights to Istanbul

Abu Dhabi: Starting January 1, 2013, Etihad Airways will operate daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Istanbul, boosting services to the Turkish city. The Abu Dhabi-based airline first launched its services to Istanbul with four non-stop flights a week in June 2009 and later that same year increased the number to five services per week. To date, Etihad Airways has flown more than 200,000 guests on the route, the airline said in a statement on Thursday.

It added that the daily service will support traffic growth between Abu Dhabi and Turkey as well as connecting traffic to onward destinations across the GCC, Indian Subcontinent, North Asia and Australia. “Since launching, we have observed a high point-to-point traffic flow between Istanbul and Abu Dhabi, accounting for the largest share of travellers on the route. This is indicative of the thriving trade and commercial relationship between these two countries, as well as world-class tourism programs,” James Hogan, Etihad Airways President & Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement, adding that the airline continues to look at ways to enhance its codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines in order to develop presence in Turkey.

Official: Only 71 private jets in Nigeria

Simon Ateba/Aviation correspondent

Contrary to media reports that there are more than 100 private jets in Nigeria, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, said on Tuesday that there are only 71 operating in Nigeria.

The NCAA’s spokesperson, Mr. Sam Adurogboye disclosed in an interview with our correspondent today that only ten private jets are registered in Nigeria while 61 others are registered in foreign countries.

“Foreign registered means the aircraft is registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of another sovereign state or country while Nigeria registered means it is under the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority registry of aircraft,” Adurogboye said.

“Where you register your aircraft has the oversight (function) over the aircraft. Any aircraft that has 5N at the tail means it is Nigeria registered. 5N was given to Nigeria by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation),” he said.

Such aircraft, Adurogboye added, “fly in and out. They can be here today and elsewhere tomorrow. They pay for landing, parking, overflying and fueling.”

Adurogboye disclosed that private jets do not need an Airline Operator’s Certificate or AOC, to operate.

“First and foremost, the private aircraft owners are not expected to be an AOC holder. All it requires is that if you have your aircraft, you come and register with NCAA just like other registrations are done.

“After the registration, you are expected to put it under an AOC holder because as a private jet owner, the regulation does not require you to have an AOC. You put it (your jet) under an AOC holder and of course by so doing you enter into an agreement with them. And it is that AOC holder that is responsible for the maintenance and every other thing as per meeting our compliance to safety standards. And if there are violations, it is that AOC holder that bears the brunch,” Adurogboye said.

He did not disclose how much it costs to register a private jet with the NCAA but said “it is a little amount of money.”

He said, the figure of 130 private jets in Nigeria published in the local and foreign media, including in Forbes, was false.

“I don’t know how they got their figures. As I am explaining to you, we just have 10 Nigeria registered private aircraft owners and 61 foreign registered.”
He said all the aircraft in Nigeria were registered in company’s names rather than private names.

He could not, however, give our correspondent the name of the companies, whose owners can easily be found from the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.

Asked if foreign registered private jets belonged to wealthy Nigerians, Adurogboye said, “I wouldn’t know. That is difficult for me to answer,”

A report in Nigeria, republished in Forbes said that that in the last five years, wealthy Nigerians had spent over $6.5 billion acquiring new private jets, which made it the continent’s biggest market for private planes.

According to the report, the number of privately-owned aircraft in the country has risen by 650 per cent between 2007 and 2012. The report claimed that in 2007, there were a total of 20 private jets in the country; today there are over 150.

Adurogboye said those reports are false.

Record numbers expected for World Route Development Strategy Summit

ABU DHABI -  In an exclusive pre-summit interview, Captain Chris Schroeder, Qatar Airways’ head of CSR, environment and fuel projects explains his views on how environmental issues and the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape surrounding them will impact his airline:

“Environmental issues are high on the agenda, with the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), a growing patchwork of ETS’s around the world, the evolving role of ICAO and the much anticipated global framework as an outcome of the forthcoming ICAO General Assembly in 2013. Will aviation have to pay even more due to added taxes for emissions other than CO2? What is the impact on air fares?”

Qatar Airways, one of the fastest growing airlines on the planet, has grand ambitions - not only to add more routes and carry more passengers and cargo, something at which it is already succeeding. The airline plans to play a leading role in shaping the future of sustainability within aviation, which is one of Captain Schroeder’s main responsibilities. “We are at the forefront of the development of alternative fuels. Our national bio jet fuel R&D project will be delivering results in the next few years. The New Doha International Airport will be supplied exclusively with Gas to Liquid Blend Jet Fuel.”

In reference to the upcoming summit which takes place in Abu Dhabi on September 30 – October 1 Captain Schroeder goes on to say “The Summit provides a unique platform to discuss all pressing issues aviation is faced with and will be faced with. Regional as well as international issues can be addressed among a group of caliber aviation professionals and government representatives. The networking opportunities are second to none and attendance of this important event is a must for every aviation professional.”

With over 40 airline CEOs confirmed, in addition to hundreds of other leaders from airports, governments, industry associations, every stakeholder from across the aviation spectrum is represented at this summit.

Travelport and Gulf Air renew agreement

DUBAI - The deal, which takes effect immediately, ensures all travel agents using Travelport’sGalileo Worldspan and Apollo platforms, have full access to the most up-to-date routes and fares from Gulf Air.

“Gulf Air is a long-standing airline partner of Travelport and we are delighted to be working with them to maximize their distribution capabilities,” said Will Owen Hughes, Senior Airline Director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport. “This renewed full content agreement, which includes web fares, will help the carrier increase accessibility as they expand their route network across the globe.”

Known for its traditional Arabian hospitality, Gulf Air is one of the oldest and most well-established airlines in the Middle East region. The airline is also reputed for its adoption of the latest distribution technologies, along with its award-winning in-flight products and services.

“The renewed agreement provides travel agents with greater and wider accessibility to Gulf Air’s full range of published fares and inventory, which means customers have a better choice when planning their travel with Gulf Air,” said Mr. Karim Maklouf, Chief Commercial Officer, Gulf Air. “It also suits well with our expansion plans, especially as we resume our operations to eight destinations in Iran and Iraq.

“Working with leading GDS partners like Travelport has always been a part of our distribution strategy, complementing our commitment to the highest quality offering. We are pleased that the deal we have reached with Travelport will enable us to offer our products and services to the global travel agency community efficiently and at the best possible cost.” 

Exhibitions Calendar

October - December 2012

2-4 October 2012
IT & CMA / CTW
Bangkok, Thailand
Official website

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3-5 October 2012
ITB Asia
Singapore
Official website

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3-5 October 2012CULTOURFAIR
Granada, Spain
Official website

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4-6 October 2012
INWETEX-CIS TRAVEL MARKET
St. Petersburg, Russia
Official website

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4-6 October 2012
UITM (ITTFA)
Kiev, Ukraine
Official website 

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5-6 October 2012
IT &ME SHOW
Chicago, U.S.A.
Official website

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6-14 October 2012
SALONE NAUTICO INTERNAZIONALE
Genova, Italy
Official website 

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9-11 October 2012
IMEX America
Las Vegas, U.S.A.
Official website 

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17-18 October 2012
TTW Montreux
Zurich, Switzerland
Official website

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18-19 October 2012
MAP Pro
Paris, France
Official website

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18-20 October 2012
TTG INCONTRI (ITTFA)
Rimini, Italy
Official website

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19-21 October 2012
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM & TRAVEL SHOW
Montreal, Canada
Official website

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20-24 October 2012
51st ICCA Congress
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Official website

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24-27 October 2012
TOUR SALON 
Poznan, Poland
Official website

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29 Oct. - 1 Nov. 2012
FIT America Latina
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Official website

Survey shows couples use road trips for "quality time" that allows them to reconnect

Tatiana Rokou - 26 September 2012

Taking a road trip with your significant other? Chances are good the time together will improve your relationship.

In fact, 91% of couples have taken road trips together, and 84% agree the experience has strengthened their relationship, according to a new survey of more than 1,000 couples released by YourTango.com collaborating with Ford Motor Company.

YourTango.com found other interesting relationship tidbits in its survey, as well. For instance, plenty of couples have a "back-seat driver" on board who "helps" the real driver negotiate the road:

• 32% tell the driver they're driving too fast
• 27% tell them they're going the wrong way
• 22%t tell them they're not paying enough attention to their surroundings/traffic
• 15%t chide them for driving too slowly

After guiding the driver, the second most popular back-seat driving technique involves physical actions like holding the dashboard or pressing an invisible brake. In third place comes gasping and making other sounds of fright.

Finding quality time

Togetherness on the road presents an opportunity for quality time among couples in all sorts of ways.

63% of respondents agree or strongly agree they are affectionate with their partner while driving; they hold hands or share a kiss at a red light. Fifty-seven percent say driving is a good time to discuss important topics with their spouse or partner.

In fact, respondents said their three favorite ways to pass the time are:

• Talking and catching up with each other (63%)
• Blasting our favorite music (60%)
• Getting some quiet time and taking in the sights (37%)

"We were excited to learn Ford is eager to provide couples a space to communicate and enjoy quality time together on the road ‒ such an insightful, worthwhile objective," says YourTango CEO Andrea Miller. "With so many couples struggling with stress and looking for ways to stay connected, we can now offer a new, easy answer: Try going on a road trip!"

The responses to the survey were gratifying to Ford.

"Ford has always believed that getting there is more than half the fun; that's why we're so excited about the new Fusion," said Samantha Hoyt, Ford Fusion Marketing manager. "With its sleek styling, comfortable interior and customer-centered technology, it's all about taking those good times on the road."

Comfort is definitely a factor, agree YourTango respondents. Seventy-three percent say a car's interior affects their level of comfort on the road; 42% say the noises their car makes affects their driving experience; and 77% say an upgrade to the features of their vehicle would improve their togetherness in the car.

Additional survey findings include:

56% say the best driving conversations focus on the present – sights, news, other drivers, followed by 19% who say the best discussions involve the future: marriage, kids, home buying, etc.
35% of couples surveyed have been on eight or more road trips together
68% describe their road trips as "fun-filled" or "relaxing"

Qatar Airways to extend footprint in Iraq

Qatar Airways continues its network expansion with the announcement of scheduled flights to Najaf - its third route in the Republic of Iraq, effective January 23.

The southern city of Najaf, home to the holy Imam Ali mosque, joins the capital Baghdad and northern city of Erbil, two routes launched earlier this year. The addition of Najaf takes Qatar Airways' frequency to Iraq from eight flights to 12 services a week.

The Doha-based airline will operate four-flights-a-week non-stop to Najaf, offering travellers a greater choice of travel options to more than 100 destinations around the world served by the airline via its hub.

The Najaf route will be operated with an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration of 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy.

Situated 160 kilometres from Baghdad, Najaf receives millions of pilgrims annually who travel to visit the Imam Ali shrine, one of the most revered holy Islamic sites.

With many upcoming construction projects, Najaf has become a model for other provinces in Iraq offering an early sign of huge investment opportunities in the country.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said he was delighted the airline was boosting services to Iraq, a market where the carrier this year alone had launched services to two prime cities.

"Iraq is proving to be an important market for Qatar Airways; we currently operate four-flights-a-week between Doha and the cities of Baghdad and Erbil. We are confident that Najaf will prove to be a popular destination for our passengers, especially those from the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific and those returning to visit their homeland," he said.

"With major infrastructure developments and vast untapped tourist potential, we are very excited about our launch of flights to Najaf."

Added Al Baker: "Qatar Airways constantly looks at new market opportunities and the launch of flights to Najaf will enable us to quickly meet the growing demand for travel to this increasingly popular destination. The start of our services to three cities in Iraq within a short span of time emphasises the value and importance of tourism, trade and business links between Qatar and Iraq. Doha is well positioned as a gateway to destinations across continents and our customers from Najaf will be well served by Qatar Airways' extensive global network. Passengers will be able to travel seamlessly through our Doha hub to popular cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, London, Paris, New York and Washington."

Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 15 years of operations, currently operating a modern fleet of 111 aircraft to 118 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.

Since the beginning of 2012, Qatar Airways has launched flights to Baku (Azerbaijan); Tbilisi (Georgia); Kigali (Rwanda); Zagreb (Croatia), Erbil (Iraq), Baghdad (Iraq), Perth (Australia) and Kilimanjaro (Tanzania).

Over the next few months, Qatar Airways will launch services to a diverse portfolio of new routes, including Yangon, Myanmar (October 3); Maputo, Mozambique (October 31); Belgrade, Serbia (November 20); Warsaw, Poland (December 5), Gassim, Saudi Arabia (January 7); and Chicago, USA (10 April 2013).

Destination guide

Brussels

Brussels, with the EU within its walls, is Europe’s political center, but that is not the only reason for its resurgence onto the world map. Visitors are starting to notice things about this capital that sets it apart from others – little clues of eccentricity and individuality show that it is not just a city of bureaucrats, beer and Tintin. First of all there is its rich history. The streets themselves are lined with every style from gothic and baroque to surprising additions of art nouveau and art deco, two styles that Brussels pioneered. Surrealism also made a debut in Brussels when two of its residents, René Magritte and Paul Delvaux, initiated this bizarre movement. Secondly there is the cuisine. Although its name has been given to a sprout, Brussels is in fact fast becoming another capital; that of gastronomy.   A gourmet revival has recently been cleaning up traditional Belgium recipes, revamping street cafés and bringing multiple awards and accolades to restaurants. Lastly, there is Belgium itself, a country of astonishing variety flexed between Flemish and French. Its wealthy past has given rise to multiple cities all within close proximity – Bruges, Antwerp and Gent are all easily assessable from the capital, as are the canals of the Low Countries and the Ardennes. However you prioritize your itinerary we have selected the very best to help you pick and choose your way through Europe’s capital.