British Airways unveils seating plans for new aircraft

BA will be the first airline in Europe to operate the Dreamliner and A380

With the first of the airline’s new long-haul aircraft only six months away from delivery, British Airways has announced the cabin design and layout for its Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 aircraft.

Two hundred and fourteen customers will enjoy the comforts of the new British Airways Dreamliner and the A380 will be the largest aircraft in the British Airways fleet, with 469 customers.

The 24 Dreamliners and 12 A380s will feature the elegant cabin designs fitted on British Airways’ new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which have proved hugely popular with customers.

All eight 787-8s will feature a new Club World 2:3:2 layout, the latest generation World Traveller and World Traveller Plus seats.

In addition, the new A380 will also have an enhanced version of First.

The exact seating plans of another 16 787-9s on order have yet to be finalised, they could have three or four-cabin configurations.

British Airways is set to be the first European airline to operate both new aircraft types, with its first Dreamliner arriving in May and A380 deliveries starting in July.

Speaking in Seoul, Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group (IAG), said: “We are investing £5bn in British Airways’ new and upgraded aircraft, innovative technologies and customer services.

“We now have six Boeing 777-300ERs all fitted with our latest cabins.

“Our customer feedback and satisfaction scores show the seat and cabin designs have achieved the highest ratings we have ever seen.

“By next Spring we will have finished installing our new First cabins.

“The nine new aircraft we take delivery of in 2013 will feature our latest signature designs to ensure the customer experience maintains the highest standard across our fleet.”

The British Airways Dreamliner will have 35 seats for customers in the new Club World triple configuration of 2:3:2; 25 seats in a World Traveller Plus layout of 2:3:2; and a further 154 seats for those travelling in World Traveller, with a 3:3:3 configuration.

On the British Airways A380 there will be 14 seats in First on the main deck, with extra personal and stowage space; the Club World cabin will feature 44 seats in a 2:4:2 configuration; and there will be 199 seats in World Traveller, with a 3:4:3 layout.

The A380 upper deck will feature 53 seats in the new Club World triple configuration of 2:3:2; 55 seats in a 2:3:2 World Traveller Plus layout; and World Traveller will have 104 seats in a 2:4:2 configuration.

Both new aircraft will also feature the airline’s latest Thales in-flight entertainment system, which offers customers 50 per cent more movies, 200 per cent more TV shows and 200 per cent more audio programmes and music.

British Airways will announce the routes the new aircraft will operate in spring 2013.

Rotana opens two new properties in Dubai

Rotana has announced the opening of two of its newest properties, Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana, situated in the heart of Dubai.

Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana is a luxurious five-star property boasting 428 rooms and suites, each furnished with modern amenities and conveniences.

It is the latest addition to Rotana’s Rayhaan portfolio, which features a collection of some of the most desirable properties in leading destinations in the Middle East and Africa.

Meanwhile, Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana will offer a first class residential experience and features 192 well-appointed apartments, equipped with modern conveniences and amenities.

Key appointments for the properties include Mark McCarthy, a respected veteran of the hospitality industry with more than 19 years of experience in the business, as general manager.

He will lead a team of seasoned hotel professionals who are expected to play strategic roles in leading Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana’s bid to capture a large share of business in the Deira district, one of Dubai’s busiest destinations for both business and leisure travellers.

Armin Weller joins McCarthy in the executive management team, taking on the position of F&B Director for both properties.

Weller will be primarily responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the F&B department, encompassing all outlets, meeting rooms, as well as events and catering operations.

Turkish Airlines launches more flights to Africa

Istanbul - Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) – Mombasa (Kenya) are the next new destinations which Turkish Airlines will add to its extensive and growing African network.

Flights from Istanbul to the two new points are scheduled to begin on December 5th, 2012 and will be operated outbound from Istanbul on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with the returns operated 5 days a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Alitalia begins direct flights from Rome to Abu Dhabi

Alitalia, Italy’s flag carrier has begun direct services from Rome to Abu Dhabi with a celebratory flight to the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Alitalia are operating the new flights in conjunction with codeshare partner Etihad Airways.  The launch of the new direct Rome-Abu Dhabi service follows last August’s announcement that the Italian carrier would fly four weekly return Airbus A330 services between the two capitals.

H. E. Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, UAE Minister for Foreign Trade, said: “It is always a pleasure to see the relationship between the UAE and its friends growing into actual business ventures and economic cooperation.

“Alitalia’s decision to come to Abu Dhabi demonstrates the capital’s growing importance as a trade and tourism hub in the Middle East. Abu Dhabi is looking forward to further deepening such opportunities in ways which are beneficial to all parties,” he added.

H. E. Ali Majed Al Mansoori, Chairman of ADAC, said: “Abu Dhabi is witnessing continuous growth in air traffic movements as a result of joint Government and corporate’ efforts to provide world-class airports and aviation services, and the position Abu Dhabi holds as a key connecting destination in the region.  ADAC is proud to welcome Alitalia to Abu Dhabi International Airport and is committed to offering the airline unparalleled service, whilst welcoming Italian passengers to the world-class city of Abu Dhabi.”

James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said:  “Today’s flight is yet another positive milestone in our expanding partnership with Alitalia.  It underscores our commitment to grow the partnership by providing this new and fantastic proposition for both airlines’ business and leisure customers, giving them direct access to Rome and Abu Dhabi respectively, and beyond across both networks.  In addition, it allows customers to earn and burn frequent flyer miles on both airlines’ combined networks.  We look forward to further developing our relationship and exploring more codeshare opportunities in the future.”

Andrea Tucci, Alitalia Vice President Alliances & Network Agreements, said: “Today marks the first time Alitalia lands at Abu Dhabi International Airport, one of the most important hubs in the world. The new Alitalia Rome-Abu Dhabi route strengthens the partnership between Alitalia and Etihad Airways, developed in December 2009 with a codesharing agreement. Thanks to this new flight, Italian travellers now have the opportunity to travel to the UAE with a direct link from Rome and, via an easy connection at Abu Dhabi International Airport with Etihad Airways, to many important tourist destinations across Australia, Thailand, Oman, Bahrain and South Africa.”

Flights from Abu Dhabi depart at 8:15am on Thursdays and Sundays, and at 2:25am on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Flights from Rome depart at 9:45pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays and at 11:15am on Tuesdays and Sundays.

The split schedule ensures maximum connectivity over Abu Dhabi International Airport – Etihad Airways’ hub – to codeshare destinations such as Bahrain, Muscat, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Melbourne and Sydney.

Equally, the new service will ensure efficient codeshare connectivity beyond Rome to the cities of Athens, Milan, Frankfurt, Munich, Geneva, Venice and Zurich.

In addition to the codeshare with Alitalia, Etihad Airways has 40 other codeshare agreements in place with airlines across the world. Codeshare partnerships, along with equity acquisitions and organic growth, form the three pillars of Etihad Airways’ expansion plans.

Routes Americas outlines 2013 agenda

The sixth Routes Americas, held in association with ALTA, will take place on February 10th-12th 2013 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia hosted by Sociedad Aeroportuaria de la Costa.

The event, which is the annual gathering of air service decision makers for the entire Americas region, will bring together more than 350 delegates from airports, airlines, tourism authorities and other industry stakeholders from across the Americas to discuss air service development.

The event is expected to attract over 60 airlines from across the Americas and beyond and with over 35 carriers already registered to attend this figure is expected to rise further.

All four US network carriers; US Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and the world’s largest airline, United Airlines (who attended the event for the first time this year) have already confirmed that they will be in Colombia for the event along with the top low-cost carriers in the US (JetBlue, Southwest, and Spirit).

From elsewhere in the region registrations have so far included Volaris, COPA Airlines, Aeromexico and Colombia’s home carrier, Avianca-TACA.

Moreover, a strong presence from Canada looks likely with registrations confirmed from Air Canada, who will return to the event for the first time since 2009, and leading low cost carrier, WestJet which boast an extensive network into the Caribbean, have also confirmed their attendance and will also take meetings for their new subsidiary WestJet Encore whose initial schedule will be announced in January 2013.

Alaska Airlines and WestJet Encore have also confirmed that they will deliver a Route Exchange Airline Briefing during the event; these briefings will provide attending airports with a unique insight into the carrier’s planning process.

It is expected that further briefings will be confirmed over the coming weeks.

Routes Americas attracts senior key decision makers, from a variety of airlines, who are responsible for making decisions on both new and existing routes and the 2013 event looks set to see attendance from many senior airline delegates.

Icelandair orders 12 737 MAXs from Boeing

Boeing and Icelandair have announced a commitment for 12 737 MAXs, valued at more than $1.2 billion at list prices.

The commitment by the Icelandic carrier includes 737 MAX 8s and 9s.

Boeing looks forward to working with Icelandair to finalize the details, at which time the order will be posted as a firm order to the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website.

“This commitment is the result of our research into what aircraft manufacturers have on offer to help us strengthen and grow our fleet and our network towards the future,” said Bjorgolfur Johannsson, Icelandair Group president.

“We have had a successful relationship with Boeing for decades and we are pleased to continue our cooperation for years to come.”

The 737 MAX is a new-engine variant of the world’s best-selling airplane and builds on the strengths of today’s Next-Generation 737.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest-technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

Airlines operating the 737 MAX will see a 13 percent fuel-use improvement over today’s most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes.

Ryanair to introduce 6 new routes

Ryanair today announced significant summer 2013 growth in Scotland, with 38 routes (6 new) at Edinburgh and 27 routes (2 new) at Glasgow Prestwick, which will deliver a combined total of over 3m passengers and sustain over 3,000* “on site jobs” at both Edinburgh and Glasgow Prestwick airports.

Ryanair cut its winter 2012 schedule at Edinburgh following the breakdown of cost negotiations with the previous owners of Edinburgh, the BAA. After reaching agreement with Edinburgh Airport’s new owners, Global Infrastructure Partners, Ryanair will now grow again at Edinburgh as follows:

38 routes (up 11%).
6 new routes to/from Bologna, Beziers, Cagliari, Corfu, Katowice & Santander
Increased frequencies on 5 other routes
From 232 to 246 weekly flights (up 5%).
From 1.6m to 1.8m pax p.a (up 11%).
1,800* jobs at Edinburgh Airport.

Ryanair will also grow at Glasgow Prestwick as follows:

27 routes (up 7%).
2 new routes to/from Rzeszow & Warsaw Modlin
Increased frequencies on 4 other routes
From 86 to 95 weekly flights (up 10%).
From 1.2m to 1.4m pax p.a (up 6%).
1,400* jobs at Edinburgh Airport.

Ryanair celebrated its Edinburgh and Glasgow summer 2013 schedules by launching a 100,000 seat sale with fares starting from £18 for travel across its European network in January which are available for booking until midnight (24:00hrs) Thur (6 Dec). Ryanair’s 6 new Edinburgh routes and 2 new Glasgow routes will begin in April and are on sale on www.ryanair.com now.

In Glasgow today, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“Ryanair is delighted to announce its Scottish summer 2013 schedule, which will deliver over 3m passengers p.a. and sustain over 3,000 jobs at Edinburgh and Glasgow Prestwick Airports.

Following successful negotiations with Edinburgh Airport’s new owners, Global Infrastructure Partners, Ryanair will grow its summer 2013 operations at Edinburgh by 11%, with 38 routes, including 6 new routes to/from Bologna, Beziers, Cagliari, Corfu, Katowice and Santander from April 2013, which will help deliver a total of 1.8m pax p.a. and sustain 1,800* “on-site” jobs at Edinburgh Airport. This is a prime example of what can be achieved by dismantling the BAA monopoly and we look forward to further growth at Edinburgh Airport under its new ownership.

Our summer 2013 schedule will see us operate 27 routes at Glasgow Prestwick, including 2 new routes to Rzeszow and Warsaw Modlin, which will help deliver a total of 1.4m pax p.a. and sustain 1,400* “on-site” jobs Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Ryanair’s summer new Scottish routes will begin in April and will be available for booking on www.ryanair.com tomorrow.

To celebrate our new Edinburgh & Glasgow Prestwick routes, we are launching a 100,000 seat sale with fares starting from £18 for travel across Europe in January, which are available for booking until midnight Thursday (6 Dec). Since seats at these crazy low prices will be snapped up quickly, we urge passengers to book them immediately on www.ryanair.com.”

Gordon Dewar, Edinburgh Airport CEO, said:

“I welcome Ryanair’s return to growth and investment at Edinburgh Airport.  When I came to Edinburgh Airport in the summer, it was clear that we had to repair the relationship with Ryanair and work with them to provide more choice for Scottish passengers. I’m pleased that today we can announce a new relationship and new routes.  This announcement underlines the fact that Edinburgh and Scotland is an attractive market for a variety of operators and that we as an airport are open and willing to do business to expand our network and encourage growth.”

Iain Cochrane, Glasgow Prestwick CEO, said:

“We’re delighted with Ryanair’s latest commitment to grow its business from Glasgow Prestwick which is another sign of its continuing confidence in our airport. The decision to increase its Prestwick operations for next summer, along with new routes to Rzeszow and Warsaw is great news both for the airport and the region too. It gives travellers an even greater choice of value-for-money destinations next year and a further boost for the local economy, with more visitors to Scotland coming through the airport gateway.

British Airways to cut cabin crew

UK flag-carrier British Airways has confirmed it will cut 400 senior cabin crew roles.

The measures will affect both long- and short-haul routes the carrier said earlier.

All redundancies will be voluntary, according to International Airlines Group-operated British Airways.
A 90-day consultation period has begun, with the first posts expected to be abolished in March 2013.

The airline has about 14,000 cabin crew staff in total.

Sister airline Iberia confirmed it would shed as many as 4,000 jobs last month as it seeks a return to profitability.

fastjet in talks for bankrupt South African airline 1time

British-owned low-cost airline, Fastjet is in talks to buy failed budget airline 1time from its liquidators. The transaction would involve Fastjet paying a nominal fee for the purchase of 1time. 

The deal would also involve reaching a settlement with 1time's creditors. FastJet is the holding company for African airline Fly540, which operates from Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola.

Last month, reports said that Fastjet had pulled out of last minute negotiations to save the airline, prompting 1time to file for liquidation. 

According to CEO of 1time, Blacky Komane they had pinned their hopes on a cash injection from British investors. Three days after the airlines fleet was grounded, he told the SABC: "We're still in talks with the UK - so within the next 48 hours we should know which way the company is going."

He added that the survival of the airline company depended on the capital injection.

The national carrier, filed for liquidation at the beginning of November, grounding all its flights and leaving passengers stranded countrywide. 

The news of the airlines liquidation came as a surprise. Despite being under business rescue, the airline had announced it was doing well.

The airline owes various institutions, including Airports Company South Africa, around R350 million. 

Arik Air launches new Lagos-Kinshasa flights

Arik Air is expanding its regional African network with the addition of new flight services from Lagos, Nigeria to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

The first commercial flight on the route will take place tomorrow, December 5th, and subsequently operate twice weekly on Wednesday and Sunday.

The announcement means Kinshasa has now become Arik Air’s third destination in Central Africa, following the inclusion of flights to Luanda, Angola in 2011 and Douala, Cameroon in August this year.

The new Lagos-Kinshasa service will operate via Douala, Cameroon with outbound flights departing from the MurtalaMuhammed International Airport, Lagos at 11:10 and arrive at Douala International Airport at 12:40.

Flights will then continue onto Kinshasa, departing from Douala at 13:25 and arriving at N’djili International Airport, Kinshasa at 3:25 pm (local time).

The return flights will leave Kinshasa at 16:10, arriving in Douala at 18:10 and will thereafter leave Douala at 18:55, arriving in Lagos at 20:25.

The Lagos to Kinshasa route will be served with a Boeing 737-700 Next Generation aircraft.

The 737-700 is a two class compartment and the configuration is 12 Business Class seats and 112 Economy Class.

Lufthansa expands its broadband Internet service

Lufthansa passengers travelling on long-haul flights can now once again enjoy the full freedom of online communication. Together with its long-standing partners Panasonic Avionics Corporation and Deutsche Telekom. Lufthansa will be the first airline to offer its customers broadband Internet access on intercontinental routes. The service, which will initially be provided on selected North Atlantic routes, will be available on nearly the entire Lufthansa intercontinental network by the end of 2011. “Inflight Internet on board our longhaul flights is an innovation in the interests of our customers,” says Thierry Antinori, member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board. “FlyNet complements the consistent communications service offering for Lufthansa customers at all points of the travel chain. It provides them with completely new and unique opportunities to spend their time on board or while waiting for connecting flights.”

The extremely fast, high-performance inflight Internet service gives passengers with a WLAN-enabled laptop or smartphone unlimited online access. Thanks to the high bandwidth, emails – including those with large file attachments – can be sent and received without any time delay. Business travellers can also access their company’s Virtual Private Network (VPN). In spring 2011, inflight data communication should also be possible using the mobile phone standards GSM and GPRS. In addition to the wireless Internet (WLAN) service, Lufthansa customers will then be able to use their mobile phones to send and receive SMS text messages and transfer data with smart phones such as the iPhone or PDAs such as BlackBerry.

FlyNet is incredibly easy to use. Passengers—no matter where they are sitting on the aircraft – can logon to the Internet with any WLAN-enabled device, just as at any public hotspot, or in the near future set up a connection with a GSM/GPRS-enabled device. After opening the browser, they can automatically access the exclusive, free Lufthansa FlyNet portal, where they will find constantly updated news about economics, politics, sports and entertainment. Via this portal they can access the Internet service provided by Deutsche Telekom, which is to be paid from February 2011 on. Service provider information detailing the various billing options is available on this portal as well, including payment via credit card, via integrated roaming partners or by redeeming Miles & More award miles. The price for one hour’s online access is 10.95 euros or 3,500 miles, while the 24-hour flat rate is 19.95 euros or 7,000 miles. Under the 24-hour flat rate agreement, passengers can access the Internet on all Lufthansa connecting flights equipped with a hotspot during the period of validity as well as after the flight in Lufthansa lounges. Thanks to the introductory FlyNet offer, inflight Internet access will be available for free on FlyNet-equipped aircraft until January 31, 2011.

Lufthansa operated the world’s first scheduled flight with broadband Internet access on 15 January 2003. From May 2004 until the end of 2006, when Lufthansa’s then-partner Connexion by Boeing discontinued the service, wireless broadband Internet enjoyed increasing popularity. The technology also proved very reliable. By the end of 2006, some 69 of Lufthansa’s long-range aircraft were equipped with FlyNet, making the Lufthansa fleet the largest Internet-enabled long-haul fleet in the world, with about 30,000 users per month.

SA could be next travel hub

Cape Town - South Africa is perfectly situated to become a major travel hub for the southern hemisphere, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said on Thursday.

"There is a major opportunity to establish ourselves as a hub for south, south travel... we are perfectly situated to be that hub... we're in the middle of the corridor," he told the Cape Town Press Club.

The minister used a map of global flight traffic to prove his point, which showed moving planes as bright yellow dots.

Huge yellow clusters could be seen spraying over North America and spreading out from Europe. Smaller clusters could be seen over India and China.

The southern hemisphere had less air space presence, with smaller yellow clumps concentrated over parts of South America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Australia.

The minister said the United Kingdom continued to be the country's largest tourism market, with over 215,000 people visiting our shores in the first six months of this year.

The United States and Germany were the next biggest markets.

In emerging tourism markets, there was an 88.4 percent jump in visitors from China in the first half of this year. In the same period, 68.3 percent more Brazilians visited the country.

Despite increased spending on these emerging markets, the spending on traditional markets was bigger and would remain so for many years still, the minister said.
Van Schalkwyk was questioned whether there was still a need for national carrier SA Airways (SAA) from a tourism perspective.

"The answer to that, probably, is many countries don't need a national carrier but in my view, South Africa as a long-haul destination needs a national carrier."

He emphasised the need was for a well-capitalised and well-managed SAA.

The carrier had, earlier this year, requested a cash injection of R4 billion to R6 billion for recapitalisation.

"We gave, as Cabinet, a very clear mandate to SAA and that is they must start cutting their losses, that they must manage themselves better and make sure that it's not a drag on the taxpayer."

The minister welcomed healthy competition in the sector. The number of airlines flying in and out of the country had increased from around 26 to over 50 since the implementation of the airlift strategy in 2006. This strategy sought to increase flight growth and capacity over five years.

"Better competition, more competition, driving down prices, more choice, that's what we want."

3 African Countries Ranked Among Top Tourist Destinations In The World

Courtesy -VENTURES AFRICA

Mozambique, Malawi and Rwanda have been named among the top 10 world adventurous places for 2013 by Globe Spots, an international travel guide for tourists.

Mozambique placed second, Rwanda ranked sixth while Malawi was rated as the ninth top destination to travel globally. Portugal was ranked number one while others on the list are Kyrgyzstan, Panama, Armenia, Cuba, Ukraine, and Canada.

For the fifth year, the travel guide magazine has captured what’s happening on the travel scene. They focused on destinations they think will be hot – or at least should be – with some of it based on travel experience.

The travel guide categorized the destinations into three spheres: Classic travel for great sights and convenient travel, adventurous places for those who are going above and beyond, seeking out the best travel and  Hardcore places for those who are willing to travel anywhere just for the buzz.

“Mozambique is a great spot for a change of scenery if you’re experiencing safari fatigue from your excursions in the neighbouring countries,” Globe spot says categorising it as a hardcore place.

Of Malawi, a place it positioned for those who are seeking out the best travel, Global spot says: “Having earned their country the nickname of the Warm Heart of Africa, the seemingly always smiling Malawians are without a doubt one of Malawi’s main attractions.”

Some of the tourist attraction mentioned in the country include the Lake Malawi, which provides ample beaches for sunbathing, islands for kayaking, fish for snorkelling and diving, parks boasting the Big Five, the chance to walk and cycle with zebras and antelopes, mountains providing days upon days of spectacular hiking, an ancient steamboat and sunset cruises along the hippo-filled Shire River to the mix.

Meanwhile he travel guide adjudged that there is more to visit in Rwanda than gorillas and Genocide sites, such as stunning ubiquitous mountains, national parks, excellent lake beaches, great culture, and a dynamic capital city.

“The country has a lot to offer its visitors and is working really hard to convince them to forget about its dreadful past. And with its incredibly well-paved roads, clean and safe streets, and friendly helpful people, Rwanda makes a perfectly smooth introduction to Africa,” it says.

Head of tourism and conservation at Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rica Rwigamba, said that the ranking provides confidence to tourists.

“In Rwanda we have much more to offer to tourists beyond the mountain gorillas. And we are proud of that. We are committed to showcase Rwanda’s beauty to the world,” she told Rwanda local newspaper, The New Times.

Rwanda has hosted about 493,744 visitors in 2012, representing an increase of 22 per cent compared to the same period in 2011. It recorded a remarkable 16 per cent increase in leisure visitors as well as an eight per cent increase in business visitors.

Tourist sites in Rwanda include mountain gorillas, canopy walk, national museums, lake Kivu, bird watching, Congo Nile trail, Akagera and Nyungwe National parks, culture, among others.

Africa’s fastest growing online travel agency tackles Turkey

South African online travel agency Travelstart has broadened its operations to include Turkey. With its head office in Cape Town, the business has rapidly grown to include operations in Tanzania, Namibia, Kenya, Nigeria and most recently Turkey.

Travelstart will be launching in Egypt in January with plans to add more African countries in early 2013. With planned expansion throughout Africa, Travelstart is the largest and fastest growing travel group on the continent.

Travelstart was launched in South Africa in 2006 by online travel entrepreneur Stephan Ekbergh, who says “Launching in Turkey has been a huge initiative for us and one that we are very excited about. It’s our newest baby and will strengthen our position as a global travel brand!”

Ekbergh continues: “While other emerging markets have provided their own challenges for us, we look forward to being in Turkey - a country which is already rich with strong local online travel competition. However, we are confident that our own flair will differentiate us by bringing consumers simplicity and low prices with a strong focus on customer service.”

The company will trade as Geziko in Turkey – Geziko comes from the word Gezi meaning Travel/Trip/Journey – creating a local brand specifically for Turkey.

World's Best Airline

Singapore Airlines is No.1 for the 17th straight year. (Photo: Courtesy of Singapore Airlines)

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Buckling your airplane seat belt and weight-loss personality Richard Simmons aren't things you'd necessarily think go together. But if you flew on Air New Zealand in the recent past, that's who may have video-instructed you how to buckle up.

Great companies always think outside the box, and Air New Zealand is no exception. In the most recent Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards survey, the Kiwi airline came in No. 2. And while readers didn't specifically rank in-flight entertainment, ANZ's fresh, amusing spin on the standard safety video surely gave passengers a memorable impression of the airline. 

The factors our readers did vote on, across 76 global airlines: cabin comfort, in-flight service, customer service, value, and food. No one was surprised to see Singapore Airlines topping the list; they've been the No. 1 airline for the past 17 years. And they must be doing something right—they didn't even have Richard Simmons entertaining their passengers.


No. 1 Singapore Airlines

For the 17th year in a row—ever since T+L inaugurated the World’s Best Awards—Singapore Airlines has been readers’ overall favorite. This year, the airline came out on top in every category: cabin comfort, food, in-flight service, customer service, and value. The 32-inch seat pitch in economy class helps, as do the flight attendants, famous for their above-and-beyond service and sarong and kebaya uniforms. Bedtime turndown service is even part of the flying experience for those with pockets deep enough to book the A380 first-class suites that feature sliding doors, 23-inch TVs, and stand-alone beds hand-stitched by master Italian craftsmen Poltrona Frau.


(Photo: Courtesy of Air New Zealand)


No. 2 Air New Zealand

The Kiwi carrier has been steadily climbing up the ranks of the world’s best airlines. Two years ago, Air New Zealand ranked seventh, and last year, it was fourth. Cabin comfort, food, and especially improved in-flight service vaulted it into the No. 2 position this year. T+L readers felt that the airline’s value had improved during the past year, and its innovative OneUp program, which allows you to bid for an upgrade seven days before you fly internationally, beats paying through the nose for business or first. Another popular innovation: cuddle class, an economy row of three seats that can convert to a bed.

(Photo: Courtesy of Emirates)

No. 3 Emirates

Emirates has slipped slightly from No. 2, a spot it held for the past two years. While the airline maintained steady scores for cabin comfort, in-flight service, and food, readers demoted both the airline’s customer service and value scores this year. Still, there’s nothing wrong about coming in third. And forward-thinking innovations like the airline’s signature Shower Spa in first class should keep the airline up to speed with the very best.







(Photo: Courtesy of Korean Air)
No. 4 Korean Air

Korean Air vaulted up the list from last year’s ninth place, thanks to major improvements in readers’ perceptions of in-flight service and food, as well as cabin comfort and value. Tastier Western, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean dishes have certainly helped. But, taking a page out of Singapore Airlines’ book, it’s the improved level of service that has brought this airline into the rarefied ranking of our top five carriers.




(Photo: Courtesy of Cathay Pacific Airways)
No. 5 Cathay Pacific Airways

Cathay Pacific went up the list from seventh place last year. The airline worked hard and offered improvements in every area, according to our readers, but especially in the areas of value and food. Leave it to Hong Kong–based Cathay to be among the first to have rice cookers on board. Each seat is outfitted with power outlets and iPod and USB ports—not to mention a 32-inch seat pitch in economy class—and these special touches keep the airline highly ranked for cabin comfort. 


(Photo: Courtesy of Asiana Airlines/Star Alliance)
No. 6 Asiana Airlines

Asiana is the comeback kid this year. The carrier fell to No. 13 in our 2011 rankings, but in 2010, it was No. 6. What’s the story? According to T+L readers, Asiana has upgraded its cabin comfort, in-flight service, customer service, and value. It fell a little short in its food ranking, but it was so much better in the other critical areas that it’s firmly back in our top 10. Now that Asiana, like its formidable Asian peers, offers suites, it’s clearly a contender.


(Photo: Courtesy of Virgin America)
No. 7 Virgin America

Virgin America remains the highest-ranking U.S. airline in our survey, despite slipping two slots in the overall rankings from last year. (It holds up even better among the survey’s domestic rankings with a No. 1 rank in every category.) The Red touch-screen system that allows you to order snacks and drinks, shop, and give back to fight cancer or to offset your carbon footprint is a prime example of how Virgin America is truly in step with the expectations of 21st-century travelers.


(Photo: Courtesy of Qatar Airways)
No. 8 Qatar Airways

Ranked No. 11 in 2011, Qatar has made a move into the top 10, although not yet back to the No. 3 ranking it earned from readers in 2010 or 2009’s No. 2 spot. Readers did give kudos to improvements in the airline’s in-flight service and to welcome changes in cabin comfort, namely the 32-inch seat pitch. Hiring celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa to oversee the in-flight menu is another crowd-pleaser. 




(Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic)
No. 9 Virgin Atlantic Airways

Virgin Atlantic ranked eighth last year and could use a little maintenance in the eyes of T+L readers. The airline fell a bit short in every category this year, but most especially when it came to food, in-flight service, and value. Even cabin comfort was found to be less comforting this year compared to last. That said, the airline still made it into the survey’s top 10—and continues to make headlines for its cheeky spirit. Earlier this year, for instance, Upper Class passengers had the distinct pleasure of drinks served with ice cubes crafted to resemble Sir Richard Branson’s head. 

(Photo: Courtesy of Thai Airways International)No. 10 Thai International Airways

Ensconced at No. 10, as it was in 2011, Thai Airways pretty much maintained the status quo, according to our survey, although readers did feel that the airline offered more value than it had in the past. Thai has certainly been keeping up with other quality carriers, installing niceties like Audio Visual on Demand (AVOD). But since most of its flights are within Asia or to Europe (with North American service only to Los Angeles), it lacks the visibility of the top-dog Asian airlines. Regardless, our readers think it deserves top 10 status.

Why Lufthansa, Aviation Ministry MoU was revoked – FG

The Federal Government has given reasons why it revoked the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with German national carrier, Lufthansa, saying the deal was scorching the nation’s aviation sector but soothing the airline and the German economy.

In the MoU, the airline was to provide platform for the training of pilots, engineers and ground handling personnel, while the carrier enjoys increased frequency on the Lagos-Frankfurt route. But the government said the airline hurriedly swung into action to enjoy increased frquencies, while abandoning the other side of the deal.

This forced the government to terminate the MoU on November 7, 2012, after the government discovered that Lufthansa did not adhere to the terms of the agreement. A source at the Aviation Ministry, who disclosed the development to Daily Sun, said the MoU between the Nigerian government and Lufthansa dates back to May 31, 2002, when a Commercial Agreement between Nigeria Airways Ltd and Lufthansa was signed; whereby the airline would pay 11% per passenger ticket fee as no Nigerian airline was reciprocating.

“On the 10th November, 2008 during the visit of the President of Germany to Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Aviation (FMA) signed an MoU with Lufthansa with the strategic aim of one, increasing Lofthansa frequencies to daily flight from Frankfurt to Abuja. Two, the airline and other identified Nigerian carriers (where Arik Air was picked) were to use of Abuja as a hub in West Africa with cautious and mutually agreeable cabotage and fifth freedom rights,” the source said. Part of the agreement was for Lufthansa to provide training and employment of Nigerian at management levels, as well as flight attendants on respective flights to and from Nigeria.

Another thing the MoU sought to achieve was to carry out a comprehensive study, by both parties at a mutually acceptable date, on pilot training, aircraft maintenance, ground handling, operations, security, safety and quality management and other fields of cooperation. Daily Sun further gathered that there were two visits to Germany by the Aviation Minister, Fidelia Njeze, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Aviation, Capt Usman Shehu Iyal SSA and other top government officials to work out modalities for the implementation of the MoU using the above stated as guidelines.

The source at the ministry further said that “the report of the 17th May, 2009 meeting with Aviation Minister of Aviation, Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Capt. S.U. Iyal, with Lufthansa clearly stated that Lufthansa would not pay cash for Commercial Agreement but would rather offer other services (training etc) which Mr. President noted and also Permanent Secretary of the Aviation Ministry directed further action. More so, a training Committee headed by Capt. Adebayo Araba, then Rector of NCAT was given the task to coordinate the training requirements of the Ministry and its Agencies for onward to Lufthansa. Lufthansa was also to work in collaboration with Arik Air to development the Nigerian airline”, he explained.

In all, Lufthansa reportedly took advantage of the extra frequencies granted it without working on the training and maintenance part of the MoU. Following the lopsided implementation of the agreement, the incumbent Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah of requested Mr. President’s approval to revoke the MoU with Lufthansa as the benefits of training, employment, etc have not been done. “ Eventually the MoU was revoked on 7th November, 2012 as the Ministry has not seen any appreciable benefit of the MoU with Lufthansa, the source said.

Fastjet unveils new aircraft ahead of launch

fastjet has unveiled its first fully branded aircraft ahead of commencing flight operations in Tanzania in two days’ time.

At an industry event in Dar es Salaam, government officials, fastjet executives and aviation experts watched the Fastjet Airbus A319 take to the skies for the first time.

From Thursday fastjet will operate twice daily flights on its first two routes, Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, both popular domestic destinations.

Tickets went on sale two weeks ago and fastjet has recorded strong demand; outstripping its initial expectations.

Average fares are expected to be $80 but now start from as low as US$20 one-way (excluding taxes and charges) for customers who book early.

Representing the Tanzanian ministry of transport, deputy minister Charles Tizeba was present at the launch and welcomed fastjet’s entry to Tanzania; demonstrating the government’s support for the new airline.

Speaking today in Dar es Salaam, fastjet chief executive Ed Winter said: “Today is an incredibly exciting day not just for fastjet, but for Tanzania and Africa as a whole.

“For years, the African aviation-market has been significantly underserved, lagging a very long way behind the rest of the world.

“GDP growth is fuelling a real increase in disposable incomes and consumer spending and although this is accompanied with a growing demand for travel, the African people just haven’t had a reliable and affordable air travel option available to them.

“fastjet will now serve to fill that gap and we look forward to bringing the people of Tanzania and indeed the whole continent the first pan African low cost, point-to-point, all jet airline, operating to international standards of safety and quality.”

Iberia staff consider strike action against job cuts

Union officials at Spanish flag-carrier Iberia have warned they may call workers out on strike over Christmas in protest against job cuts at the airline.

Members of the UGT union, the second biggest in the country, are considering strike action between December 14th and 21st.

“All of the unions are in intense talks to fix dates for action against the plan to dismantle Iberia,” a spokesman for the group said.

Iberia is part of the International Airlines Group.

As part of an overhaul designed to return the airline to profitability, IAG said last month it would cut about a quarter of the Spanish airline’s workforce.

Cuts are also set to be made to capacity as part of a restructuring plan to make it more competitive.

Etihad Airways named best long-haul airline

Etihad Airways has won Best Long-haul Airline at Belgium’s 15th annual Travel Magazine Awards, held in Antwerp.

This is the first time Etihad Airways has won the prestigious Belgian travel industry award, beating five other long-haul carriers operating to and from Brussels International Airport.

The judging panel consisted of almost 400 Belgian travel industry professionals, tour operators, travel agencies, airlines, and cruise lines.

Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Baumgartner, said the airline was delighted to win the coveted title.

“This award cements us as the airline of choice for long-haul guests travelling to and from Brussels, a strategically important market for Etihad Airways.

“It is testament to the strength and success of our whole product experience, whether it be Diamond First, Pearl Business, or Coral Economy. The award also recognises our success in inspiring our guests from the moment their journey begins, right through to journey’s end — in the air and on the ground.”
Etihad Airways operates eight times a week between Brussels and Abu Dhabi, offering onward connections to more than 80 destinations.

Emirates declared Top Airline at Middle East Business Awards

DUBAI – Emirates has been named Airline of the Year at the Arabian Business Achievement Awards 2012.

The airline, flying positively on the back of half year profits of AED 2.1 billion (US$ 575 million), picked up the award at a ceremony last night at Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai. Emirates was represented at the event by Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Executive Vice President, Engineering and Operations.

A specially selected panel of jurors, led by Arabtec founder Riad Kamal, shortlisted nominations to whittle down the list of winners.

Each year, the awards celebrate the very best in Arab business achievements, both on a corporate and individual level. Honouring the biggest names in the Gulf business community, previous winners have included HRH Prince Alwaleed, King Mohammed VI of Morocco and King Abdullah of Jordan.

In 2008, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline & Group, won a special Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to global business over the past two decades.

Emirates operates flights to 126 destinations in 74 countries and has won more than 500 awards for its products and service.

Great opportunities and challenges for African airlines

By: Keith Campbell
Aviation is a key enabler for the development of international trade and tourism for and within Africa, highlighted South African Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba in his keynote address to the forty-fourth annual general assembly of the African Airlines Association (Afraa) in Sandton, north of Johannesburg, on Monday.

Air transport was especially important because of the "vast lack" of road and rail infrastructure on the continent, he pointed out. There was "great potential" for intra-African trade.

"It has been said that the global economy has been going through extraordinarily difficult challenges," Gigaba stated. "The challenge to Africa is to seize the opportunities, as we are one of the growing regions in the world, with seven out of the ten fastest-growing economies in the world in Africa."

It was necessary, he affirmed, to strengthen intra-African trade, so as to benefit the continent and ensure collective and inclusive growth and development. "We, therefore, need to focus to ensure we use African aviation, African airlines more, to connect our countries and cities. We need to deal with the challenges of liberalisation of African skies in a manner, however, that benefits African airlines."

African countries should invest more in aviation, and the integration of the continent should be encouraged. The growing African middle-class presented opportunities for the continent's airlines.

Also speaking at the Afraa assembly, International Air Transport Association (IATA) senior VP Tom Windmuller reported that, if aviation-related tourism was included, aviation contributed $67.8-billion to Africa's gross domestic product. The African market was growing strongly with passenger traffic growth in economy class up 18% in comparison to the previous year, while business class traffic had increased 21%.

However, while some African airlines were doing well, others were not, and, on average, African airlines had made zero profits over the past four years. The problems facing the continent's airlines were safety, security, infrastructure and the regulatory and fiscal environment.

"Safety is our number one priority," asserted Windmuller. The situation in Africa was "a tale of two faces" with, on the one side, "tremendous progress in many African countries" with some countries now achieving almost world average safety rates, while, on the other, a "considerable safety gap" remained in parts of the continent. "Significant improvement is indeed possible."

Security is a global problem and, worldwide, "we need a new paradigm", he affirmed. IATA has been refining the concept of the 'checkpoint of the future' for passengers. For airfreight, "the answer is a secure supply chain. Our pilot [project] in Kenya has been a great success."

Regarding the regulatory and fiscal environment, he complained that across the continent "we see a patchwork of taxes and charges on fuel and passengers", which are often not transparent or levied in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation recommendations. These were damaging the African aviation industry.

Even so, prospects for African aviation remained "very bright", he assured. "If we can resolve the safety issues – and I am convinced we can – aviation will contribute to even greater growth."

Edited by: Creamer Media Reporter

Africa needs MORE new airlines

Africa will need 900 new airliners by 2031, vice-president of sales at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Van Rex Gallard, said on Monday.

He said he saw growth in four areas -- northern Africa, East Africa, South Africa and West Africa.

"In North Africa, they have had some issues because of the Arab Spring and so forth. But it [growth] is coming up, it is going to continue in countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Morocco," Gallard said in Johannesburg.

"There is a solid infrastructure in those countries. They actually have access to financing and they are technologically prepared to be competitive, with mainly Europe."

Growth in East Africa was also booming, with major industry players coming from Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda.

"Ethiopia is the second country in the world which has taken delivery of the [Boeing] 787, after the Japanese."

He said Ethiopia had committed itself to growing the aviation sector, and it viewed the industry as a tool to boost its economy.

"They have the full support of the government. Their goal is to have a very strong hub in that part of the world. The same could be said about Kenya."

Gallard said he was impressed with the growth of South African Airways (SAA), Comair and Kulula.com.

"SAA historically has survived and I think it's going to do well... since they have the full support of the government," he said.

South Africa has seen more than 10 airline companies go under in the past 21 years, the latest being 1Time, which was granted provisional liquidation earlier this month.

Gallard described Nigeria as a "jewel" in West Africa.

"It is because of the sheer size of that country, the wealth [it] has... I can see Nigeria being the anchor of West Africa."

Other nations whose aviation industries were on the rise were Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

"Competition is the key factor why many airlines are not making profits in the region [Africa].

"Also, the price of fuel is quite high. In some of the cases, it is up to 40 percent of the operating costs of the airlines," he said.

Africa had enjoyed growth of five percent over the past few years, and Boeing Commercial Airplanes forecast annual growth of 5.6 percent for the next 20 years.

Gallard said a total of 850 Boeing 787 Dreamliners had been sold since the aircraft was first launched. About 50 had been bought or leased by African carriers.

The growth of the aviation industry in Africa was the result of intra-continental trade, which was on the rise, Gallard said.