NEWS

Big freeze tightens grip in Europe

2012-02-03T15:17:00.002+02:00

Kiev - Temperatures plunged to new lows in Europe where a week-long cold snap has now claimed more than 200 lives as forecasters warned that the big freeze would tighten its grip at the weekend.

In the Czech Republic, the mercury dropped to as low as -38.1° overnight while even Rome was sprinkled in snow.

In the last seven days, a total of 218 people have died from the cold weather, according to an AFP tally.

Ukraine's emergencies ministry said that the cold snap had now claimed 101 lives, substantially raising the previous toll of 63. Sixty-four of the victims died on the streets, it added.

Almost 1 600 people have requested medical attention for frostbite and hypothermia.

As they try to prevent the toll from rising even further, authorities announced that 2 940 shelters had been set up across the country where people could find warmth and food and another 100 would be opened in the next hours.

River frozen

However there was no sign of an immediate let-up, with forecasters saying temperatures would hover between -25° to 30° at night and -16° to 21° in the day.

The ferocious temperatures killed eight more people over the last 24 hours in Poland, bringing the death toll to 37, since the deep freeze began a week ago, police said.

Temperatures plunged to as low as -35° in parts of Poland - but even that was three degrees warmer than the temperatures in the southwestern Sumava region of the Czech Republic.

Temperatures have been so cold in Bulgaria that parts of the River Danube have been frozen over.

Sixty percent of the surface near the port of Ruse was iced over, severely hindering navigation, the Danube exploration agency said.

Elsewhere in Bulgaria, another six people were found dead from the cold, bringing the overall tally to 16 in the last week, according to a tally of local media. No official figures have been released.

Schools closed

Most of the dead in the European Union's poorest country were people in villages, found frozen to death on the side of the road or in their unheated homes, the reports said.

More than 1 000 Bulgarian schools remained closed for a third day on Friday amid fresh snowfalls and piercing winds in the northeast of the country.

Residents in Rome experienced only their second day of snow in the last 15 years. Up to 5cm of snow fell in suburbs of the Italian capital, although there was little precipitation in the city centre.

Temperatures in the Alpine region of Piedmont in northern Italy went as low as -30°.

The interior ministry advised car drivers to avoid regions of central Italy due to the heavy snowfall and traffic was backed up on some motorways.

However trains resumed normal service across the country except in and around Bologna and on a local line near Rome, the state railways said in a statement after days of delays that affected thousands of passengers.

Freeze to continue

Three people have died due to the extreme weather in recent days, including a homeless man found in the centre of Milan on Thursday.

Snow and freezing temperatures are forecast to continue into Saturday.

Swathes of Britain were bracing for snow after temperatures plunged to -11° overnight in Chesham, southeast England.

Forecasters said many parts of the country would see several centimetres of snow, although it was likely to be powdery and would melt before long.

The Met Office said there was a danger that the cold weather would catch people off-guard after the warmer-than-normal winter so far.

Biting winds

"This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services," a spokesperson said.

Bright winter sunshine bathed two thirds of France, bringing a note of cheer.

But around a third of the country, mainly in the east and centre, remained exposed to biting winds from the Baltic region, with an alert in place for low temperatures.

The French have cranked up their heating systems, and on Monday are expected to break an all time power consumption record set in 2010.

In Brittany and on the Cote d'Azur, where the French power grid is least efficient, consumers have been asked to turn off appliances for at least four hours per day to avoid blackouts.

And the winner is: Linda Slyper.

2012-02-03T11:27:00.004+02:00

Emirates launches Lusaka and Harare routes

2012-02-03T08:20:00.002+02:00

Emirates has extended its reach into Africa with the launch of a new linked service to Lusaka and Harare. The airline now flies to 22 destinations in Africa, and the new service will connect Zambia and Zimbabwe to key markets across Europe, the Far East, Australasia and the Indian subcontinent.

The Dubai-Lusaka-Harare service operates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using an A330-200 aircraft in a three-class configuration. EK 713 departs Dubai at 09h25, arriving in Lusaka at 14h50. The onward connection to Harare departs Lusaka at 16h20, reaching the Zimbabwean capital at 17h20. The return flight leaves Harare at 19h20, arriving in Lusaka at 20h20. It departs Lusaka at 21h50, landing in Dubai at 07h10 the next day.

In other news, Emirates starts services from Dubai to Dallas on February 2, Seattle on March 1, Ho Chi Minh City on June 4 and Barcelona on July 3.

Heavy snow falls across continent

2012-02-03T08:17:00.001+02:00

EUROPE froze as the continent experienced some of its coldest temperatures in decades on Wednesday, the death toll from the weather topped 80 and countries battled to clear snow from roads and railways. At least 28 people froze to death overnight in eastern and central Europe, while countries further west and south began to feel the effects of a cold front spreading from Siberia.

Snow hit Italy, which struggled to clear motorways and railways after heavy falls, and the French Mediterranean island of Corsica. In Italy snow caused traffic chaos in the northern cities of Bologna and Milan and trucks have been banned from the roads in the central regions of Marche, Tuscany and Umbria until further notice. As bad weather halted all work around the beached cruise liner Costa Concordia, forecasters predicted more snow and colder temperatures in the days ahead, with a low of minus 20C in the Alps. Temperatures also plunged in France to seven degrees below the seasonal average, according to the national weather service, and southern areas were hit hard by snow and ice. In Corsica, most mountain passes were closed by heavy snow and power cuts hit some 60,000 homes in the island and neighbouring French mainland.

Meanwhile snow is set to fall across parts of the UK this weekend as freezing weather conditions continue to sweep across the nation. Daytime temperatures have fallen four or five degrees below the average for February at 1-4C but the mercury is expected to drop considerably over the coming days and the rain that is forecast for Saturday and Sunday is now expected to fall as snow.

A cold front spreading south east will mean Scotland and northern England are likely to see wintery showers on Saturday while the Midlands and the South East are expected to get a dusting of snow on Sunday. About half a centimetre of snow is expected to settle in some regions. In the UK on Thursday temperatures are unlikely to rise above 2C in London - well below the capital's average high of 7C for February. An amber warning is expected to remain in place through England until Friday. The biting conditions are expected to become milder on Monday.

Heavy snow falls across continent

2012-02-03T08:16:00.002+02:00

Green light for Chapman’s office block

2012-01-31T12:22:00.002+02:00

The Chapman’s Peak four-lane toll plaza and massive two-storey office will soon become a reality. Robin Carlisle, the Minister for Transport and Public Works in the Western Cape, confirmed construction would officially start early this week and should be completed by Easter 2013.

Hout Bay residents reported workers started preparations for the construction on Chapman’s Peak on Thursday last week. The preparations for construction come just days after a mass protest which drew over 2 000 Capetonians to Chapman’s Peak. Len Swimmer, Chairman of the Hout Bay Residents Association, says: “There were between 2 500 and 3 000 protesters but the city just didn’t take notice.” According to Swimmer, the association is in the process of seeking legal advice.

However, Minister Carlisle said he sincerely hoped the Hout Bay Residents Association would not go to court, as this would slow the process down considerably. He remained positive and said: “I think everything will go smoothly.” He added the public had a right to know and that there were no secrets whatsoever.

The minister recently issued a brochure to inform members of the public about the construction of the control centre and toll plaza on Chapman's Peak. “There is a great deal of confusion, misinformation, speculation and rumour regarding the tolling of Chappies,” Carlisle said. “Matters of public concern are best addressed when the people are fully informed. This brochure seeks to do just that.”

The document explains that without tolling, Chapman's Peak Drive will be permanently closed and that due process has been followed from the beginning. The SANParks land involved is in fact 0.,22% of 970 hectares sold by the province to SANParks in 2003, for R1 200.

According to the brochure the operations centre and toll plaza is vital to the operations and safety needed to manage Chapman's Peak Drive as a whole. Day passes can continue provided permanent tolling facilities are introduced.

Non-stop to China launched this morning

2012-01-31T12:21:00.004+02:00

SAA launched its new direct service between Johannesburg and Beijing in the early hours of this morning (January 31).

SAA ceo Siza Mzimela said at a function in Johannesburg last night that the Johannesburg Beijing route will also contribute significantly in establishing South Africa as an aviation hub between South America and China, linking three of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

To begin with, SAA will operate three flights a week using an Airbus A340-600. The 15 hour flight will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in both directions.

SAA strengthens Central Africa network

2012-01-31T12:21:00.002+02:00

In line with its strategy of expanding its presence in Central Africa, SAA commenced flights to Pointe Noire in the Congo, on January 26.

Pointe Noire is SAA’s fourth new destination on the continent for the 2011/12 financial year, joining Ndola (Zambia), Kigali (Rwanda) and Bujumbura (Burundi) as the airline’s most recent additions to its expansive route network in Africa.

Pointe Noire will be served twice a week, with an A319. These aircraft offer 120 seats with 95 economy and 25 in business class.

Members of SAA’s frequent flyer programme, Voyager, offers customers double Miles in all revenue fare classes between January 26 and March 31.

Flights operate on Thursdays and Sundays, departing Johannesburg 09h40, arriving in Pointe Noire at 13h00. The return service departs Pointe Noire at 13h50, arriving in Johannesburg at 19h05.

Comair suspends Nelspruit, Vilanculos routes

2012-01-31T12:20:00.001+02:00

COMAIR has announced that effective February 11, the airline will suspends it Johannesburg-Nelspruit service.

The airline also confirmed that it would discontinue services between Johannesburg and Vilanculos. In a notice, the airline said Federal Air would continue with the service under its own brand.

For more details, refer to an upcoming issue of TNW.

*Share your thoughts? Did you often book these routes for your clients? What alternatives is available that you will book for your clients?

Table Mountain Cableway closed for maintenance in July/August

2012-01-30T09:24:00.002+02:00

The Table Mountain Cableway will be closed for annual maintenance from July 23 to August 5 and will reopen on August 6 if weather permits.

The Cableway Visitor Centre will be open during this period and will operate normally, selling Cable Cards and other retail goods.

Qatar Airways announces launch dates for new routes

2012-01-30T09:23:00.001+02:00

Qatar Airways is gearing up for yet another year of massive expansion with the announcement of launch dates for new routes in Africa, Europe and Australia.

The African expansion drive is set to continue with scheduled services starting to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, on March 21. Zagreb will boost the airline’s European portfolio further with the launch of flights to the Croatian capital from May 9. Beginning July 3, the airline adds Perth as its second route in Australia.

Ahead of the newly announced launch dates, Qatar Airways is busy preparing for its 2012 route expansion programme which starts on February 1 with new services to the south-eastern European cities of Baku and Tbilisi (Azerbaijan and Georgia, respectively). Plans are also under way for flights to Zanzibar (Tanzania), Gassim (Saudi Arabia), Mombasa (Kenya) and Helsinki (Finland).

Last year, Qatar Airways’ expansion focused on Europe with the introduction of seven new routes – Bucharest, Budapest, Brussels, Stuttgart, Venice, Sofia and Oslo, taking its European capacity to 27 destinations.

The addition of Baku, Tbilisi and Zagreb is a significant move for the airline, probing underserved markets that have limited capacity. All three routes will provide excellent connections to diverse destinations across the airline’s rapidly-growing international network.

Kigali, rich in mining and a key African business centre, becomes the latest stop on the airline’s 16-strong African network that last year saw two destinations added – Entebbe and Benghazi. Operating via Entebbe, the daily Kigali flights provide excellent connections over Qatar Airways’ Doha hub to cities across the Middle East, Europe and Far East.

Flights to both Kigali and Zagreb will be operated with an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration –12 seats in business class and 132 seats in economy.

The Perth route will be operated with the long-range version of the airline’s flagship B777 aircraft featuring 259 seats, configured in two-classes – 42 seats in business class that convert into fully horizontal flat beds, and 217 seats in economy class.

Emirates increases services to Spain

2012-01-30T09:22:00.001+02:00

EMIRATES will ramp up services to Spain in July by doubling frequencies to Madrid and launching flights to Barcelona.

On July 1 the airline will launch a second daily service to Madrid, departing Dubai at 14h25, arriving in Madrid at 20h20. The return flight leaves Madrid at 22h10 and arrives in Dubai at 07h15 the next day.

Flights to Barcelona will start on July 3, departing Dubai daily at 06h55 and arriving in Barcelona at 12h00. The return service departs Barcelona at 16h40 arriving in Dubai at 01h00 the following day.

A three-class 360-seat B777-300ER will be used on both the Barcelona and Madrid flights with eight first class private suites and the ICE entertainment system in all cabins.

Belgian strike to cause travel chaos

2012-01-30T09:21:00.001+02:00

THE national strike set to take place in Belgium today is expected to cause major disruption across Belgian air and rail services. Three of the largest trade unions in Belgium have called for a general 24-hour strike in protest against social reforms. Air services will likely be disrupted as the Belgian Pilots Organization (BECA) has called on all airline pilots to participate in the general strike. This organization denounces what it calls "the incoherent government policies" around the plans and "a totally irresponsible reform project." It has also been confirmed that Belgium's low cost airport, Charleroi, used by airlines such as Ryanair, will be closed. The decision was reportedly made after Belgian unions said they would blockade the main entrance road to the terminal. Some flights to and from Brussels Charleroi Airport may be cancelled and passengers are advised to check its website for information.

Meanwhile no Thalys trains will run on the Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam-Cologne network on Monday and all Eurostar trains due to cross Belgium on Monday will also be cancelled. Eurostar has warned that its services to and from Brussels will be unable to operate from 22h00 CET on 29 January to 22h00 CET on 30 January. Eurostar has recommended that passengers travelling to or from Brussels on Monday 30 January should exchange their tickets for travel before or after.

Passengers are advised not to travel and to check for updates covering London departures timetabled for late on Sunday evening. Tuesday's services are expected to run normally.

National strike in Belgium

2012-01-27T08:08:00.002+02:00

THREE of the largest trade unions in Belgium have called for a general 24-hour strike on January 30 in protest against social reforms.

There is uncertainty at this stage as to the total impact of the strike on services, but air services will likely be disrupted as the Belgian Pilots Organisation (BECA) has called on all airline pilots to participate in the general strike.

This organisation denounces what it calls "the incoherent government policies" around the plans and "a totally irresponsible reform project."

It has also been confirmed that Belgium's low cost airport Charleroi, used by airlines such as Ryanair, will be closed. The decision was reportedly made after Belgian unions said they would blockade the main entrance road to the terminal.

BA – 80 years of flying to Cape Town

2012-01-27T08:07:00.004+02:00

BRITISH Airways is celebrating the 80th anniversary of its services to Cape Town.

Speaking at a media briefing in Cape Town, BA’s strategic commercial development manager, Daniel Bainbridge, said the first service from London to Cape Town landed on January 20, 1932. It was a biplane carrying mail and was operated by Imperial Airways, a predecessor to BA. Three months later, the first passengers flew between the two cities. Their journey was daunting and long. It took 10 days and included travelling on a Handley Page HP42 aircraft, on a train, on a Kent Flying Boat, an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, on a Calcutta Flying Boat and finally on a De Havilland DH66 Hercules. In 1938 the service was increased to two flights a week and in 1939 the flight time was cut to just four-and-a-half days.

During World War II the direct route over Europe was cut and Imperial Airways’ successor, BOAC, began a weekly ‘Horseshoe’ route from Durban to Sydney via Cairo and Karachi. A few months later a flying boat service linked Poole and Lagos as part of the route across central Africa to Durban.

After the war, BOAC introduced the world’s first commercial passenger jet service in 1952 when a BOAC Comet flew from London to Johannesburg via Rome, Beirut, Khartoum and Livingstone. It did not continue to Cape Town but the 23-hour journey nearly halved the previous travel time.

The advent of jet services in the 70s brought long-haul leisure travel. BA started operating a direct Boeing 747 service to Cape Town in 1984 and increased these to two flights a week in 1990.

Post democracy, Cape Town really began to feature as an international tourist destination and the airline began an often frustrating campaign for more capacity to the Mother City, governed by the regular renegotiation of bilateral air services agreement between the UK and South Africa. In 2006 it was eventually awarded double-daily services to the city over the busy summer season. Today it operates two daily services offering nearly 5 000 seats a week each way and carrying more than 1300 people every day during the SA summer, reverting to a daily service in the SA winter when there is less demand.

To celebrate the occasion, the airline is offering special fares from the Mother City to several of its international destinations.

The sale runs until February 12 for outbound travel between January 16 and June 21 this year. Prices to London and other UK destinations start from R8 764 and to European cities from R8 418. Fares to the US are from R12 803 and to Canada from R13 329.

Etihad buys into Air Seychelles

2012-01-27T08:07:00.002+02:00

The Seychelles government and Etihad Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Etihad to acquire a 40% stake in Air Seychelles as part of a strategic partnership alliance initiative between the airlines.

Etihad’s investment of US$20 million will be matched by an equivalent capital injection from the Seychelles government. In addition, Etihad will also provide a shareholder’s loan of US$ 25 million to meet working capital requirements and support network development.

“The aviation industry is under enormous pressure right now, with small airlines especially vulnerable to global economic instability and ongoing oil price volatility. In this context, consolidation offers the best possible solution for Air Seychelles. This agreement will allow Air Seychelles to share the benefits of the visionary strategy of one of the world’s leading airlines and leverage its economies of scale and synergies,” said Joel Morgan, Seychelles Minister of Home Affairs, Environment, Transport and Energy.

The agreement, which is believed to be the first of its kind in Africa, provides for a five-year management contract for Etihad Airways which will see the implementation of strategic measures to encourage Air Seychelles’ long-term commercial growth.

The partnership will also see Etihad seeking to increase frequency of flights between Abu Dhabi and Mahé from four a week to daily, as well as providing new services to the islands.

Etihad will also work in conjunction with Air Seychelles to develop a renewed fleet and network growth plan for the carrier.

The airlines will sign a comprehensive codeshare agreement to include Etihad Airways-marketed flights across Air Seychelles’ network and Air Seychelles-marketed flights to Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways’ destinations across Europe, the Middle East, the GCC, Asia and Australia.

The agreement will also see the airlines’ frequent flyer programmes integrated to include mileage earning and redemption on each other’s flights.

There’s no substitute for a travel agent -

2012-01-27T08:06:00.001+02:00

“We don’t sell widgets. We are actually in the business of fulfilling dreams.”

So said Gavin Tollman, president and ceo of Trafalgar worldwide, speaking to travel agents at a special luncheon in Johannesburg this week.

At the luncheon at The Saxon Hotel, Tollman reiterated the value of travel agents in arranging holidays, in this day of convenient Internet travel bookings – and the support that Trafalgar continued to give the trade.

Travel agents prove their worth through offering clients great service, expertise and in-depth knowledge, which cannot be replicated on websites. But travels agents bear the responsibility of giving their clientele the correct advice and being seen to be taking care of them every step of the way.

“They come to you because they believe you add value to the buy cycle,” Tollman said. “The importance of a travel agent now is greater than ever. We are unequivocally behind the trade.”

A good example of the value of travel agents, he added, was during the recent Costa Concordia maritime disaster. He related the story of an American passenger who received short shrift from Italian authorities and the ship’s owners regarding her travel arrangements but eventually managed to sort them out only after contacting her travel agent in Houston.

“The only people who could get anywhere, were those who had booked (their cruise) through a travel agent,” he said.

Tollman also explained Trafalgar’s new branding, including the new “red door” imagery inviting travellers to discover Insider Experiences on Trafalgar’s guided holidays.

Central to Trafalgar’s rebranding is its positioning as the world’s most knowledgeable tour operator, he said: “If we want someone to travel with us, we have got to know more about the destination than anyone else.”

Trafalgar offers its guests this through initiatives such as Be My Guest, in which they enjoy an authentic meal in the home of local hosts, or through teaching them a little of the local language and sending them to local markets to source fresh produce for use in a cooking lesson. Tollman said that Be My Guest had “fundamentally transformed our offering”.

In order to reach a wider audience and counter stereotypical perceptions that guided holidays were regimented and inflexible, Trafalgar in 2010 also launched At Leisure, in which guests are given more free time to explore destinations and have more flexible starts every day.

In addition, Trafalgar’s Family Experiences – holidays geared specifically towards families – had proved very successful, providing children in particular with opportunities to learn about other places and cultures through fun and adventurous activities.

BA to resume Libya flights

2012-01-25T08:01:00.002+02:00

British Airways plans to resume flights to Tripoli from May 1.

The return of services between Heathrow and Tripoli follows a thorough security review in conjunction with the UK Government and the Libyan authorities.

British Airways’ chief executive, Keith Williams, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Libya. Our flights to Tripoli have provided a vital economic link for many years and it is good news for everyone that we can now restart operations.”

The return flights will operate three times a week.

Emirates, Alaska Airlines launch frequent flier partnership

2012-01-25T08:00:00.002+02:00

Emirates and Alaska Airlines have announced the launch of a new frequent flier partnership that will offer travellers the opportunity to accrue Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles when they fly to any of Emirates' 118 destinations worldwide, including points across Africa, India and the Middle East.

Under the new partnership, travellers connecting between any point on Emirates’ and Alaska Airlines’ networks will be able to check in for their flights at either carrier's counter, receive their boarding passes and check their bags to their final destination.

Emirates Skywards members can also accrue miles across Alaska Airlines’ network in the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada and Mexico.

Emirates will operate daily non-stop flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Dubai using an ultra-long-range B777-300ER from March 1.

Miles flown on Emirates will count toward qualification for Alaska’s MVP elite level programme.

Tropical cyclone continues to threaten Mozambique

2012-01-25T07:59:00.002+02:00

TROPICAL cyclone Funso has continued to lash central Mozambique with flooding rain and damaging winds, even as it drifts away from the immediate coast. At least 10 people in Mozambique have been killed, and thousands of people have been driven from their homes, owing to a series of storms that began early last week, AP said on Monday.

The Category 2 to Category 3 storm was nearly stationary off the coast between the towns of Angoche and Quelimane from Friday to Sunday, when its centre began to pull slowly away to the southeast. Funso remains in the Mozambique Channel, and the National Meteorology Institute (INAM) on Monday warned that it would continue to affect the weather in the coming days along the coasts of Zambezia, Sofala and Inhambane provinces.

On Monday morning the cyclonic winds were measured at 185 kilometres an hour. By Wednesday morning the wind speed is predicted to increase. By then the centre of the storm is expected to be about 300 kilometres south-east of Beira. Official forecasts, such as those from the JTWC, have Funso remaining a powerful, dangerous cyclone over water for much of the week. Intensity is expected to reach Category 4 status. Movement is forecast to be mostly towards the east between Mozambique and Madagascar. The most likely path would steer the worst of the storm's potentially catastrophic winds away from land. Even so there is at least a small chance for a turn towards land.

Air Zim placed under judicial management

2012-01-25T07:58:00.001+02:00

AIR Zimbabwe has been placed under judicial management and may face possible liquidation.

This follows an application, which was filed by the National Airways Workers Union and Air Transport Union and granted by the Zimbabwe High Court.

The unions are demanding compensation of US$35 million in arrear salary payments dating back to 2009.

The High Court has since appointed a judicial manager and barred the Air Zimbabwe board from any involvement with the company.

The New Zimbabwe reports that Air Zimbabwe is battling a US$140 million debt pile including obligations to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), National Social Security Authority (NSSA) as well as the workers’ medical aid and pension schemes.

Curfew relaxed after Nigeria blasts

2012-01-24T07:59:00.002+02:00

AUTHORITIES on Sunday relaxed a 24-hour curfew imposed on Kano after co-ordinated bombings and shootouts killed at least 162 people. The curfew was imposed on Kano in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north after it exploded in violence on Friday evening, with eight police and immigration offices or residences targeted. “Following the return of relative calm in the city, the government hereby relaxes the 24-hour curfew,” Faruk Jubril, Kano state government spokesman said. Curfew times will now be from dusk-to-dawn.

Meanwhile the death toll two days after co-ordinated bomb attacks in the northern Nigerian city of Kano had risen to 180, hospital sources said on Sunday. Rescue workers spent Saturday picking up bodies that littered the streets following the attacks that came after Muslim Friday prayers. A purported spokesman for Islamist group, Boko Haram, had claimed responsibility for the violence, saying it was in response to authorities' refusal to release its members from custody. Some 20 huge blasts went off in the city targeting a number of police offices including police headquarters, a secret police building and immigration offices. In the light of Friday's attacks, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently advising against all but essential travel to Kano and for those in the city to remain vigilant and to exercise caution.

Iberia reaches agreement with ground staff

2012-01-24T07:58:00.001+02:00

IBERIA has extended the validity of the employment guarantee with key ground staff unions until December 31.

In a statement, the airline said the guarantee had been extended in accordance with what it had already stated – that the creation of Iberia Express would not affect the employment or working conditions of current employees.

It also agreed to consider extending it for an additional year, until the end of 2015, on the condition that the 20th collective bargain agreement (union contract) with ground staff was signed before December 31, 2014.

The airline said it hoped to reach similar agreements with the rest of the unions representing company employees.

At the same time, the company hopes that the SEPLA pilots unions will reconsider its position, call off the strike and resume negotiations of the collective bargaining agreement. SEPLA has announced strike dates for January 25, 27 and 30.

Cyclone threatens Mozambique coast

2012-01-24T07:57:00.001+02:00

A TROPICAL cyclone in the Mozambique Channel is threatening the southeastern coast of Africa with potentially damaging winds and flooding rain this week. Tropical cyclone Funso is currently within 120 kilometres of the Mozambique coastline with sustained winds of over 170 kph. The showers and thunderstorms from Funso have already triggered localized flooding downpours on both sides of the Channel. Funso's slow-moving nature has added to the problem, bringing a continuous stream of rain into some places. Funso is expected to turn away from land and continues to strengthen as it gains some distance from land. The current forecast has the system’s sustained winds approaching 200 kph later this week. The system will be moving away from land, south through the channel during the week. Once it begins moving southward, it shouldn't pose as much of a threat to land as it currently does. However, the heavy rainfall Swaziland was expecting to see on Wednesday might only show up over the weekend. The heavy rainfall set to drench the country sometime this week is due to the presence of a Funso over northern parts of the Mozambican Channel.

Forecasters in Swaziland expected rains this week but yesterday said a new cyclone had formed, which is keeping tropical cyclone Funso in its position over the Channel, a stretch of warm ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar.

The battle for Chapman's Peak

2012-01-24T07:56:00.001+02:00

The Western Cape government recently approved a R54m toll plaza development to be built on the Table Moutain National Park (TMNP). The site is on Chapman's Peak Drive, one of the city's top tourist attractions, and is currently managed by SANParks.

The development will comprise a two-storey office block serving as headquarters for Entilini, the private company that runs the toll road. The new plaza will also be upgraded to encompass four-lane tollbooths.

Hout Bay residents are up in arms about the proposed new development. The Residents Association of Hout Bay has threatened to undertake legal action if the project ever becomes a reality. Len Swimmer, Chairman of the association, explains a resolution of the National Assembly is required in order to withdraw the declaration of an area as a national park. TMNP is still a national park and according to Swimmer the area must continue to be managed by SANParks. He says: "Chapman's Peak and Table Mountain National Park belongs to the people of South Africa, not to big business, bureaucrats and deal-making politicians!"

According to SANParks however, Chapman's Peak Drive is not a SANParks' project. David Mabunda, SANParks CEO, says: "We are not the primary proponents of the project but an affected and interested party because of the portion of the park that may be impacted by the project." He explains the process of de-proclamation by the national assembly will only begin when the Western Cape Department of Transport, the owners and custodians of the project, submit an application to the National Department of Environmental Affairs. "Should the Department of Environmental Affairs support the application, it will make recommendations to the parliamentary process for de-proclamation," he adds.

Robin Carlysle, Western Cape's Minister of Transport and Public Works, says he understands Hout Bay and Noordhoek residents are aggrieved by the Chapman's Peak toll road. According to Carlysle however, he was never in favour of the toll road and merely inherited a binding contract that had been conceived "in sin or insanity; there is no other possibility". He explains the pass was more often closed than not as the concessionaire had the power to close the pass at will. He adds: "I was determined to renegotiate the contract to eliminate its worst aspects. With the aid of the new majority interest in Entilini and with the assistance of National Treasury, we were able to amend the contract to one that is significantly more beneficial to the users, the taxpayer and the province."

About the new construction project, Carlysle says: "The alleged office block is a two-storey building, each floor of 200sqm. It is designed not to be intrusive and, by way of example, it cannot be seen from Hout Bay harbour." He adds the new toll plaza will be built into the unsightly quarry on the mountain, and will mitigate what is the ugliest feature on the mountain. "Construction is not happening at the expense of pristine fynbos or any other protected fauna," he says.

Although construction is imminent according to Swimmer, Provincial Transport Ministry Head, Hector Elliot, explains there are no dates yet for the start of the construction as the province is first awaiting the outcome of the court before starting any construction.

1time, Excalibur share agreement lapses

2012-01-24T07:55:00.001+02:00

1time has confirmed and has advised its shareholders that the sale of shares to Excalibur Aerospace has lapsed due to the failure to fulfil certain suspensive conditions timeously.

In September last year, 1time Holdings confirmed that Excalibur Aerospace had acquired a 29,6% stake in 1time Holdings through the purchase of 83 million shares at 45 cents a share for R37,35m to be effected over a four-month period.

“Meanwhile, 1time Holdings continues to look for a strong shareholder to invest in the company,” says ceo, Blacky Komani.

Hahn Air’s booking portal is live

2012-01-23T09:20:00.004+02:00

Hahn Air's Booking Portal, available to travel agencies participating in the worldwide network of Hahn Air Ticketing Centres, is live.

The Booking Portal can be found on www.hahnair.com in the Booking section. It is available to all Hahn Air City and Airport Ticketing Centres, offering unlimited flight options of over 250 Hahn Air partner airlines; access to all published fares and the ability to book flights of airlines that have not been available previously. Members of Hahn Air's quality circle are able to apply for the virtual HR UATP Corporate Card, which is the only accepted form of payment. The free online application is located on Hahn Air's website.

Becoming a Hahn Air Ticketing Centre with access to the Booking Portal is free of charge. Travel agents only need to register on Hahn Air's website, activate their registration and upgrade their status to either Hahn Air City or Airport Ticketing Centre on behalf of their agency

Carnival Corp orders safety review

2012-01-23T09:20:00.002+02:00

Carnival Corporation & plc, parent company of Costa Cruises and nine cruise lines around the world, today announced a comprehensive audit and review of all safety and emergency response procedures across all the company’s cruise lines.

Micky Arison, chairman and ceo of Carnival Corporation and plc said: “Carnival Corporation & plc and the cruise industry as a whole have maintained an excellent safety record over the years. However, this tragedy has called into question our company’s safety and emergency response procedures and practices.

“While I have every confidence in the safety of our vessels and the professionalism of our crews, this review will evaluate all practices and procedures to make sure that this kind of accident doesn’t happen again.”

The review is being led by Captain James Hunn, a retired US Navy Captain and currently the company’s senior vice president of Maritime Policy & Compliance.

Hunn and senior health and safety executives from each of the lines will review all safety and emergency response policies and procedures, officer and crew training and evaluation, bridge management and company-wide response and support efforts. Hunn will report to the Health, Environment, Safety & Security Committee of the Board, and to Howard Frank, vice chairman and chief operations officer of Carnival Corporation & plc.

In addition, the Health, Environment, Safety & Security Committee is engaging outside industry-leading experts in the fields of emergency response organization, training and implementation to conduct an audit of all of the company’s emergency response and safety procedures and to conduct a thorough review of the Costa Concordia accident.

Frank said, “This company-wide initiative will identify lessons learned and best practices to further ensure the security and safety of all of our passengers and crew.”

Carnival Corporation & plc also supports the call for a comprehensive evaluation of safety regulations by the International Maritime Organization, which was requested by the Cruise Lines International Association.

Christine Duffy, President and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association, speaking on behalf of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), European Cruise Council (ECC) and Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) called on the International Maritime Organization to undertake what she termed: 'a comprehensive evaluation from the findings of the Costa Concordia investigation'.

Speaking at the Passenger Ship Safety Conference in London, Duffy emphasised the importance of the evaluation to ensure that: 'the cruise industry remains one of the safest recreational industries globally'.

She added: 'the cruise industry is heavily regulated in compliance with the strict standards of the International Maritime Organisation, the UN agency that mandates global standards.'

Obama streamlines visa process for visitors

2012-01-23T09:18:00.001+02:00

US President Barack Obama has embarked on a national strategy for travel and tourism to boost travel in the United States, and has also streamlined the visa process for foreign visitors.

"I want America to be the top tourist destination in the world," Obama said. "The more folks who visit America, the more Americans we get back to work. It is that simple." Obama promised the new steps would help cut through red tape and make it easier for foreign tourists to come to the United States.

Obama will also sign an Executive Order and charge several government agencies to take part in efforts and new initiatives to significantly increase travel. Some of the initiatives include: a new pilot programme and rule change for visa processing in China and Brazil, a final rule to expand and make the Global Entry programme permanent, the appointment of new members to the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, and the nomination of Taiwan to the Visa Waiver Programme.

“We commend the administration’s new efforts, which correspond directly with the mandate of Brand USA, which is to promote travel to the United States, thereby increasing US export revenues and creating new American jobs,” said Brand USA chairman, Stephen J. Cloobeck.

More strikes for Iberia

2012-01-23T09:17:00.001+02:00

Iberia pilots, represented by the SEPLA union, have announced further strikes in protest at the company’s plans to create Iberia Express, a low-cost carrier.

Pilots have announced their intention to strike on January 25, 27 and 30.

Meanwhile the airline’s ground workers and cabin crew have also announced possible strike action.

At the moment, the airline is proceeding to cancel flights and looking for alternatives for each customer who had a reservation on these flights. Reservations on the flights affected by the strike might suffer modifications in the following hours.

New Airport proposed for South of England

2012-01-20T08:30:00.005+02:00

Having ruled out further expansion to existing airports in the South of England the UK government is looking to build a new airport in the Thames Estuary. This airport will ensure that the UK maintains its position as an aviation hub.

The Thames Estuary Research and Development Company (TER&DCo) has been established to make sure that the UK is in the best possible position to make good use of the infrastructure possibilities offered by the Estuary.

The UK government promises to regard the decision whether or not to build the airport carefully due to the large number of concerns raised, such as the environmental impact the airport might have on the water and surrounding wildlife.

“As we come out of the economic downturn it is critical that we make the right decisions, not only to create long term economic prosperity, but also ensure that the UK is fit for purpose as we move through the 21st century, and that we can meet the challenges we will face, through the need for better and more efficient transportation, low carbon energy sources and the need to adapt to climate change,” says Sir David King, director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford.

Etihad inflight connectivity takes off

2012-01-20T08:30:00.003+02:00

ETIHAD’s first aircraft to offer inflight connectivity for passengers have officially taken to the skies.

The airline has equipped three A330-300s and one A320 with inflight passenger connectivity services. Another connectivity-enabled A320 will be delivered in March.

On the A320, passengers will have full mobile connectivity, enabling them to use their own mobile phones and Smartphones to make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages and emails, and access mobile data services. The A320 is used primarily for short-haul routes throughout the Middle East, and some medium-range routes such as Istanbul, Athens, Minsk, Cochin, Bangalore and Mahé in the Seychelles.

On board the A330-300s, guests will have the same mobile connectivity in addition to Wi-Fi Internet capability for personal laptop and tablet use. The A330-300 is used for long-haul destinations across the network, such as London, Frankfurt, Paris, Geneva, Casablanca and Seoul.

During the launch phase, Etihad will offer inflight mobile and tablet connectivity from US$10 and laptop Wi-Fi Internet connectivity from US$20. Mobile telephone calls will be charged according to the international roaming rates of guests’ mobile network provider.

Winde to intensify fight against cruise liner ban at Waterfront

2012-01-20T08:24:00.002+02:00

At a meeting attended by officials from the Home Affairs Immigration office, National Intelligence Agency, Transnet Ports Authority and the Western Cape Government, it was restated by top immigration officials that cruise liners below 200m would not be permitted to dock at Jetty Two of the V&A Waterfront due to security concerns.

In response, MEC Alan Winde, has stated that he is determined to see the decision reversed and plans to take the matter up with the National Minister of Home Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

“For 20 years, security and immigration procedures have been managed without incident at Jetty Two of the V&A Waterfront, and the sudden about-turn by Home Affairs, with no permanent facility yet established in the main harbour and no firm plans to build one in place, is not in the interests of international passengers visiting the destination or of our tourism industry,” said Winde. “It is also not in the interests of the new owners of the V&A Waterfront, the Public Investment Corporation, an entity that manages public sector funds.

“There are two clear alternatives: cruise liner passengers can arrive safely, proceed through immigration and disembark at one of the country’s foremost tourist locations, as they have done for decades without contravening immigration laws, or they can arrive amongst the containers at the cold storage yard of the Cape Town port,” said Winde.

Etihad commences Tripoli flights

2012-01-19T10:27:00.002+02:00

ETIHAD has commenced operations from Abu Dhabi to Tripoli, the airline’s first new destination for 2012.

The service, which will operate three times a week, is operated with a two-class A330.

Flights depart Abu Dhabi on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 07h45, arriving in Tripoli at 12h15. The return service operates on the same days departing Tripoli at 13h40, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 20h40.

Tropical cyclone poses threat to SE Africa

2012-01-19T10:26:00.001+02:00

A NEW tropical cyclone may be taking shape between Mozambique and Madagascar. As such, this weather system, which has already helped to trigger torrential rain, can also threaten damaging winds on either side of the Mozambique Channel.

On Tuesday, the centre of tropical low pressure seemed to be near the narrowest gap between Africa and Madagascar. Weather forecast tools available to AccuWeather.com forecasters indicate that this low will deepen as it drifts south over water through Thursday. Were the low to keep over water, it could become a named tropical cyclone by late Thursday. Madagascar and Mozambique have already seen adverse tropical weather this month.

Tropical Cyclone Chandra buffeted western and southern Madagascar on the 8th and 9th of the month. So far this week, a tropical depression has already landed in southern Mozambique near Maputo, triggering local flooding. Moreover, torrential rain in northern Mozambique has been related to the present tropical low.

Flood chaos at Kruger National Park

2012-01-19T09:50:00.002+02:00

Following heavy rains in and around the Kruger area, South African National Parks (SanParks) has issued an urgent warning.

The following areas have been affected:

Entrance Gates:

•Crocodile Bridge
•Giriyondo Border post

The road between Letaba and Olifants is not accessible. All gravel roads and low-level bridges must be avoided.

Currently, the following three facilities are closed:

•Biyamiti Bush Camp
•Shimuwini Bush Camp
•Talamati Bush Camp
•Tshokwane Picnic site

The road between Letaba and Phalaborwa is flooded and Letaba Camp is without electricity as the generator room is flooded.

Federal Air confirmed that the airline did experience flight cancellations yesterday due to the weather, however at this stage all flights are planned to resume on the normal schedule tomorrow. The airline said that it will update its information accordingly

The causeway on the road between Skukuza and Malelane/ Pretoriuskop (6km from Skukuza) is flooded.

The Tinga Private Lodge was being evacuated and guests who were on the Sweni Wilderness Trail have already been evacuated. The National Parks helicopter is currently being used for evacuations where necessary.

The causeway on the road between Skukuza and Malelane/ Pretoriuskop (6km from Skukuza) is flooded.

Additionally:

1. The tar road between Nwamanzi Lookout and Olifants River Highlevel bridge on H1-4 has been extensively damaged and is closed.
2. The causeway over Nshawu River on the tar road between Mopani and Letaba (H1-5) is flooded.
3.The causeway over Letaba River on the tar road between Mopani and Phalaborwa Gate (H14) is flooded.
4.The causeway on the tar road between Letaba and Phalaborwa Gate (H9) near Letaba is flooded.
5.The Phalaborwa Gate is closed.é
6.The causeway on the tar road between Skukuza and Malelane/ Pretoriuskop at Delaporte Waterhole is flooded.
7.As a result of the above, Olifants and Letaba cannot be accessed at the moment.

Federal Air confirmed that the airline did experience flight
cancellations yesterday due to the weather, however at this stage all
flights are planned to resume on the normal schedule for today. The
airline said that it will update its information accordingly.

Santaco operations delayed to April

2012-01-19T09:40:00.001+02:00

The new low-cost carrier, Santaco Airlines, will only take the skies in April this year, as the start of commercial operations has been delayed due to administrative hurdles.
At the launch of Santaco Airlines in September last year, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) announced the airline would start commercial operations in November 2011, offering services from Johannesburg to Bisho and Cape Town.

Spokesperson Thabisho Molelekwa said however the airline is still awaiting the outcome of the license application. According to Molelekwa the license application has been a more complicated process than the airline had anticipated. He said: “We have definitely not abandoned the idea of the airline and are still very enthusiastic about it.

We are expecting the airline to be fully operational by April this year.”

Molelekwa added Santaco is even looking at increasing its routes to include KwaZulu Natal and the Northern Cape.

Ash closes Argentinian airport

2012-01-18T08:17:00.005+02:00

A CLOUD of ash caused by a volcano in Chile has closed an airport in neighbouring Argentina just days after it had reopened.

According to the BBC, the closure of the airport in Bariloche comes three days after flights had resumed following a seven-month suspension due to the ash. The reopening had been welcomed by local media with triumphant headlines. Bariloche and nearby towns have seen visitor numbers drop sharply since the Puyehue volcano erupted in June. Airlines cancelled all flights flying in and out of Bariloche in Patagonia, on Monday. Bariloche, and nearby Villa la Angostura and San Martin de los Andes are popular destinations for people wanting to ski in winter, and go trekking and fishing in summer. But the lack of flights has badly hit the tourism industry in the area.

Qatar switches service at Madrid airport

2012-01-18T08:17:00.002+02:00

QATAR Airways has moved operations at Madrid Barajas International Airport from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4.

The move will allow passengers access to improved amenities, enhanced baggage facilities and a wider selection of restaurants and retail shopping outlets. Terminal 4 is conveniently accessed from Madrid by metro, buses and trains, and passengers can also take advantage of the ample parking facilities available at the airport.

Passengers flying in business class will have access to Iberia’s exclusive VIP lounge, which features executive facilities, including a business centre, a variety of dining areas, WiFi Internet access and televisions and much more.

Nigeria fuel strike suspended

2012-01-18T08:16:00.004+02:00

NIGERIA'S unions have suspended their strike after the president agreed to cut the cost of petrol following a week of protests. The strike was called after prices doubled when President Goodluck Jonathan removed a fuel subsidy on 1 January.

Earlier on Monday, he announced that he would restore part of this subsidy. Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer but it imports almost all of its refined fuel.

Correspondents say many Nigerians see cheap fuel as the only benefit they get from their country's oil wealth, much of which is pocketed by corrupt officials. The unions said they acted to save lives, after receiving information that the security forces had been ordered to use all means to end protests.

The decision came as the police and army maintained a heavy presence on the streets of most cities. Police in the commercial capital, Lagos, fired live bullets into the air and used tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters on Monday. Army checkpoints were seen in parts of the city for the first time since the protests began a week ago.

SAA launches new African routes

2012-01-18T08:16:00.002+02:00

SAA has launched flights to two more destinations in Africa – from Johannesburg to Kigali, Rwanda, and onwards to Bujumbura in Burundi.

"SAA is focused on strengthening its intra-Africa network in line with its Africa expansion strategy. Adding even more destinations to our already extensive Africa route network gives our customers more travel options to exciting destinations that were previously difficult to reach by air," says Theunis Potgieter, SAA General Manager Commercial.

The Johannesburg-Kigali-Bujumbura route will be serviced three times a week by an A319 that accommodates 120 passengers in business and economy class. The flight is scheduled to connect with the rest of SAA's African and international route network.

In celebration of the launch of the new routes, Voyager, South African Airways' frequent flyer programme, offers Voyager members double Miles on both routes. This promotion ends on March 31.

Emirates ups capacity to Durban

2012-01-18T07:43:00.002+02:00

EMIRATES has confirmed that it will increase capacity to Durban with the introduction of a 354-seat B777-300ER aircraft, starting June 1. The airline currently operates an A330-200 on the route.

The move will see a capacity boost of almost 30% and a first-class cabin will also be introduced.

The B777-300ER was introduced in response to strong demand. In 2011, Emirates carried over 165,000 passengers between Durban and Dubai with a high average seat factor of 83%.

"During the last three years, we have experienced positive passenger growth, which we attribute to the growing recognition of this city as a popular tourist destination and its increasing influence as one of the key trading hubs in South Africa," said Jean Luc Grillet, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations - Africa. "As a result, we have enhanced our services here with the introduction of a larger B777-300ER aircraft that will cater for more passengers travelling from Durban to our extensive global network."

The aircraft offers eight private suites in first class, 42 lie-flat beds in business class and 304 generously-sized economy class seats.

All classes are equipped with Emirates’ award-winning ICE entertainment system, with more than 1,200 hundred channels of on-demand entertainment, including 200 movies, 100 TV channels, more than 500 audio channels, 100 video games and news, sports and business headlines. Customers can also look forward to gourmet food in all cabins and seamless transfers to the Emirates extensive global network through Emirates' state-of-the-art Terminal 3 hub in Dubai

Flights depart Durban at 18h40, arriving in Dubai at 05h20 the following day. Flights from Dubai depart at 10h25, arriving at King Shaka International Airport in Durban at 17h10.

Emirates heads to Vietnam

2012-01-16T09:16:00.004+02:00

STARTING June 4, Emirates will launch flights to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
The airline will operate the route using an A330-200 in a two-class configuration and from October 28, the service will be operated by a B777-300, also in a two-class configuration.

The daily non-stop flight will depart Dubai at 09h25, arriving at Tan Son Nhat International Airport at 19h20. The return service will depart Vietnam at 20h50, arriving in Dubai at 00h45 the following day.

OR Tambo pre-booking parking service suspended

2012-01-16T09:16:00.002+02:00

O.R. Tambo International Airport’s Pre-Booking Parking Service is temporarly unavailable due to a technical problem experienced. The service will be restored as soon as the problem has been resolved.

ACSA is advising all airport users who were double charged for parking over the December 2011 period, to contact its parking offices for reimbursement.

The problem was the result of a technical problem with the Car Park Pre-Booking System. ACSA Technicians are working on rectifying the problem to avoid any further inconvenience to passenger and airport users.

Clients who were double charged can e-mail their 16 credit card digit number, their copy of the original booking and a copy of the double charge to Martjie.vandermerve@airports.co.za Nthabiseng.Ramonti@airports.co.za, Dineshri.Aboo@airports.co.za or Pumeza.Dongo@airports.co.za for reimbursement.

Alternatively, clients can bring their credit card number to the parking offices at O.R. Tambo International Airport for reimbursement. For further queries passengers can contact Customer Care at Customercare@airports.co.za or our Help Desk (011) 921 6262.

Comair pulls Maputo route

2012-01-16T09:15:00.001+02:00

COMAIR has confirmed that it will suspend flights from Johannesburg (Lanseria) to Maputo.

Commenting on the announcement, Heidi Brauer, Executive Manager - Group Marketing, Loyalty and Strategic Partnership, said the group had decided that, in the current economic climate and with present loads on the route, it was best to suspend the route for now.

“The market cannot support fares that are high enough to keep the route profitable. We will keep our eye on this and look at re-introducing it in the future.”

At the end of August last year, 1time also exited the route. At the time, 1time Airline ceo, Rodney James said insufficient seats were allocated to the airline as it was restricted to five flights a week, with one frequency per day. At the time of the announcement, 1time had an allocation of 560 seats a week, which Rodney felt was not enough to capture the business market, which is key to making the route viable.

New Luxury travel show to launch in SA this year

2012-01-13T09:12:00.002+02:00

A new travel expo will launch in SA in August this year. The Luxury Travel Show will be held at the Sandton Convention centre from August 3 – 5, showcasing travel and accommodation options available in SA, the rest of Africa and abroad.

Products to be showcased include luxury trains, boats and planes, private game reserves, lodges and safaris, hotels, resorts, golf resorts and concierge and chauffeur services. The show will also include exhibitions from spas, specialist operators, cruise companies, tourist boards and destination marketing companies.

The show aims to create a visitor experience through interactive show programmes, competitions and a ‘chill area’ for travel planning discussions.

Mike Armstrong, show director says, “The Luxury Travel Show is the first of its kind in South Africa and planned to be an annual event on the travel calendar.”

Kenya Tourism Federation clarifies ‘no-go’ and safe areas

2012-01-13T09:11:00.002+02:00

In light of security concerns, the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) has released a statement advising that the country enjoyed a peaceful Christmas season but that regions close to the Kenya-Somalia border remain ‘no-go’ areas.

“It is worth pointing out that there are no touristic attractions in these locations and no tours are presently being conducted there,” says the statement.

KTF advises that the major towns of Nairobi and Mombasa continue to maintain a very high level of security alertness. “Visitors should expect to see high levels of security checks in most places visited, including shopping malls and general public areas. These checks are not in response to any specific known threat, but are precautions to ensure the safety of all visiting these locations.”

“The past security concerns regarding Lamu and its environs were addressed through improved surveillance and patrols. Although the area remains within the 150km that is of concern to most source markets, KTF is confident that recent security measures introduced by the government have gone a long way towards making the areas safe for resumed visitation.”

Parks and reserves continue to be safe locations for visitors, says the KTF.

In the coastal area of Mombasa, visitors were previously prevented from having beach beds right on the beach, but this restriction has been lifted as part of the Kenya Wildlife Service’s (KWS) pilot Beach Management Programme. “Visitors to the 12km stretch between Serena and Nyali can now be assured of peaceful enjoyment of the beach,” says KTF. “KWS will patrol the beach day and night so as to ensure the maximum security for guests. The programme will be extended to other beach areas after the pilot period.”

Finally, KTF urged all visitors to book through reputable and licensed tour operators, as they are kept aware of any developments in tourist locations throughout Kenya via the federation’s 24-hour Safety and Communication Centre.

The KTF Safety and Communication Centre can be reached on:

Tel : +254 20 8001000
Cell : +254 722 745645
Email: operations@ktf.co.ke

Vic Falls Bungee introduces new precautionary measures

2012-01-11T08:25:00.004+02:00

Victoria Falls Bungee has advised of several preliminary measures that have been implemented following the bungee accident that took place at its operations on New Year’s Eve.

The preliminary measures include:

- The removal of all bungee cords from the system, which were made with the same batch of rubber as that used to make the failed cord. These have been retained for further testing.
- An entirely new set of bungee cords have been installed on the system. These have been extensively load tested and inspected thoroughly.
- The entire bungee system has been thoroughly inspected and checked and Victoria Falls Bungee is “fully confident” that everything is safe to jump on.
- Additional daily and intermittent checks on the bungee cords will take place.
- Victoria Falls Bungee own crew are conducting test jumps before the commencement of daily operations and throughout the day.
- Experts in South Africa have been contacted and will be on site next week to assist with ongoing investigations into the cause of the incident.
- The broken cord has been stored and will be sent to South Africa for forensic testing
- A qualified river guide with first aid certification and necessary safety and recovery equipment will be positioned in the gorge below the bridge.

Arik Air flight cancellations

2012-01-11T08:25:00.002+02:00

AS a result of strike action in Nigeria, Arik Air has cancelled all flights for January 10 and 11. Flights affected are:

W3 103/10JAN LOS JNB due to arrive 0550 11JAN
W3 104/11JAN JNB LOS due to depart at 08h35

The airline’s reservations department is in the process of re accommodating passengers on these flights.

Australia, Canada increases visa costs

2012-01-11T08:24:00.002+02:00

SWIFTLINE Visa and Courier Services has advised that the Australian and Canadian High Commissions have increased their visa fees with immediate effect:

Australia:

Tourist visa R930
Business Visa R1 180

Canada:

Single entry R600
Multiple entry R1 200

The Canadian adjustments are due to exchange fluctuations.

Malaysia Airline flights suspension

2012-01-11T08:23:00.001+02:00

MALAYSIA Airlines has confirmed that its last flight out of Johannesburg will be on January 28 and on February 2 out of Cape Town.

Online payment introduced for UK visas

2012-01-11T08:22:00.001+02:00

The UK Border Agency is moving globally to an online payment as well as application process where almost all customers will apply and pay for their visas online by 2013/14.

This change will affect applicants in South Africa from January 16 2012, after which date payment will only be available online.

• This means that from January 16 2012 all applications for a UK visa made in South Africa must be completed fully and the relevant visa fee paid via the online application system using either Mastercard or Visa credit/debit card before the applicant can go to one of the visa application centres to submit a printed copy of the application form and biometric data (fingerprints and photograph). In addition, the appointment to submit an application at the visa application centre must be booked online. This should be done at the same time as completing the online application form.

• Initially it will only be possible to pay the relevant visa fee in South African Rand (ZAR). Payment in other currencies, including sterling and US dollars, is expected in due course. This should then allow customers to choose the currency with the most favourable exchange rate at the time of the transaction.

In a statement the UK border agency said that this move will deliver a more streamlined application process and is consistent with the wider global trend to online transactions and payments. It will also be a safer system for both customers and staff as it reduces the risk associated with handling large amounts of cash during the visa application process.

Most "social" airports in the world

2011-12-15T11:26:00.003+02:00

According to msnbc.com, the airport where the most travelers "check in" on Facebook, or a third party application, is none other than Los Angeles' LAX Airport.

In a report released by the social media giant, Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare, San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Sydney (Australia), Phoenix, Las Vegas and Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok, Thailand) all followed suit to make up the top ten most social airports on the planet.

"Travel is inherently a social thing," said Travis Katz, founder and CEO of the social-travel site Gogobot.com. "People check in at airports because they want to let people know they're leaving home or landing somewhere new."

That desire may also explain some of the report's other findings. Last year, check ins were 20 times higher than average on Dec. 18 with additional spikes occurring on Dec. 23 and 24, presumably as people headed to the airport to catch holiday flights.

After Christmas, the chatter died down again before spiking between Dec. 29-31 in anticipation of New Year's Eve.

Unfortunately, Facebook didn't suggest why LAX was the most social airport, although one could be forgiven for thinking the city's celebrity culture might play a role.

"Checking in is a self-serving sort of activity and L.A. is a hotbed of self-centeredness," said Nick O'Neill, founder of Holler.com, a location-based mobile planning and search app. "Celebrities and people like that are all about broadcasting about their awesome lives."

Ryanair introduces reserved seating on all flights

2011-12-14T09:02:00.001+02:00

RYANAIR is to extend its reserved seating service to all its routes after successfully trialling the initiative since May.

The pre-booking service, which will be available from January 10, costs €10 (R109) each way and includes priority boarding. The optional service allows passengers to pre-reserve seats in the front two rows or in seats with more leg-room.

Ryanair will continue to offer its Priority Boarding service for €5 (R54), with priority and reserved seating passengers allowed to board the aircraft first.

Acsa ready for holiday season

2011-12-14T09:01:00.002+02:00

The Airports Company South Africa and Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) teams have stepped up their festive season plans ahead of the busy summer season.
Passenger numbers for November show an increase of 6% compared with the same period last year with a total of just under 760 000 arriving and departing passengers in Cape Town.

November saw just under 300 000 domestic arrivals, a 4% increase compared with November last year, while there was a 6% increase in departures. International arrivals for November showed an impressive increase of 14% and international departures grew by 10% compared with last year.

Total arriving passengers grew by 6% for the month compared with last November. Total departures grew slightly more.

“To date the airport has processed just over 7, 6 million passengers, with an average of 23 000 passengers moving through the airport per day,” says Deidre Davids, communications manager at the airport. “As is always the case, at this time of year the operational teams put various plans in place to ensure that the airport is able to deal with the number of passengers and visitors passing through the airport.”

Plans to deal with the influx of passengers include deploying staff and resources in line with the peaks, additional services in the unaccompanied minors area and more trolley staff.

Domestic passengers are reminded to arrive 90 minutes before their flight and international passengers, two and a half hours before. Online check-in is also recommended.

Europcar expands further into Africa

2011-12-14T09:00:00.001+02:00

EUROPCAR has expanded its operations in Africa with the opening of a new branch in Maun - the third largest town in Botswana and the gateway to the Okavango Delta for both business and leisure travellers.

The company has also successfully secured the number-one parking position at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone, making the walk from kiosk to car a quick one. Other developments include the move to a new head office and depot facilities in Gaborone and a bid for facilities inside the new Francistown International Airport terminal.

“We are constantly committed to providing our customers with excellent service and we are delighted to enhance our offering to our customers. We look forward to experiencing continued growth in the region and ensuring that both our commercial and tourist business to and in Maun benefit from our added services as well as contributing to Botswana’s economic growth through tourism,” says Dawn Nathan-Jones, ceo of Europcar.

Kruger to enforce gate quotas over festive season

2011-12-14T08:58:00.001+02:00

Gate quotas will apply to day visitors to the Kruger National Park (KNP) over the 2011 festive season. The park is advising day visitors to make prior booking arrangements to secure entry.

"The gate quotas are mostly reached on long weekends and public holidays. They vary from gate to gate and also depend on how fully booked the park is. If anyone is planning a visit on those days, it is recommended that they either arrive at the gate very early in the morning as the service is on a first come, first served basis, or pre-book their entrance via Central Reservations on +27 (0)12 428 9111," explained the KNP's head of Public Relations, William Mabasa.

Day visitors who pre-book their visit are expected to pay a non-refundable deposit of R28 per adult and R16 per child, which is meant to secure their space.

Mabasa advised day visitors to note that, even if they had pre-booked for their visit, this did not exempt them from queuing at the gates and from paying conservation fees upon arrival, but secured them entry. Day visitors with advance bookings are also expected to arrive at the booked gate by no later than 13h00 on the date of the booking because after 13h00 the booking lapses.

All visitors are also reminded to bring along their identity documents or some alternative form of identity to avoid problems at the gates.

To increase efficiency at the gates, various field and honorary rangers will be deployed to assist gate staff with managing the queues and other different services available at the gates.

Each gate has its limited number of day visitors that can be allowed per day. For example, Phalaborwa's limit is 600 and small gates like Pafuri have a limit of 300. The KNP has 10 entrance gates.

UK on alert as severe weather warnings issued

2011-12-14T08:48:00.001+02:00

THE Met Office has issued yellow "be aware" warnings for wind and rain for all regions of the UK except eastern England and Orkney and Shetland. This week will mark one of the stormiest periods of weather for several years, BBC News reports. On Monday into Tuesday, the Met Office said heavy showers could fall as well as snow on hills above 100m in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the East Midlands. There may also be slushy accumulations of snow at lower levels and some roads will become icy. Winds were already gusting in excess of 60mph in south-west England and the south coast on Monday evening. They were expected to move over the country and pick up strength again in the north. Scotland's transport minister, Keith Brown, has warned that snow and high winds could lead to rush-hour disruption for drivers on Tuesday.

Environment Agency Wales (EAW) has advised people to remain alert for localised flooding, with heavy rain and strong winds forecast. EAW said parts of south Wales were expected to be worst affected.

The Environment Agency has flood warnings in place - meaning that flooding is expected and immediate action required - mainly around rivers in south-west England. In the south-west warnings have been issued for the River Wriggle, the River Dart from Buckfastleigh to Totnes, the River Torridge from Dolton to Bideford and the River Axe from Winsham to Axminster. In the north-east a warning was issued for the River Swale at the Brompton-on-Swale caravan park. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency also issued flood warnings for areas in Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire and Arran and west central Scotland.

In Devon and Cornwall on Monday night, the Met Office warned that gusts could reach 70mph, with the potential to cause damage. Heavy rain was also expected, with conditions unlikely to improve until the early hours of Tuesday. The severe weather has resulted in the cancellation of Brittany Ferries services to and from France. The Met Office says early indications suggest there is a potential for another storm system to affect parts of England and Wales later on Thursday and into Friday.

Thalys launches new destination

2011-12-13T08:35:00.002+02:00

EUROPEAN high-speed train, Thalys, has extended its network to Zaventem airport in Brussels, just a few kilometres outside the city.

A daily service runs between Zaventem and Paris, with a journey time of less than two hours.

Prices start from €25 (R271) in second class and €59 (R641) in first.
The rail operator has also announced plans to launch a new range of fares for travel from March 13.

The basic pricing will remain in line with current pricing but the rules will be simplified. Fares will be split into three categories:

• Fully flexible fares – only available in first class, will be exchangeable and 100% refundable before departure
• Semi -flexible fares – available in first and second class, will be exchangeable once and 50% refundable before departure
• Non-flexible fares – available only in second class and will not be exchangeable or refundable

In other news, Thalys tickets with ‘Amsterdam Central’ or ‘Rotterdam Central’ as origin or destination no longer give free access to the local trains in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

The following stations are therefore no longer accessible with a Thalys ticket:

Rotterdam area
Rotterdam Alexander, Rotterdam Bergweg, Blaak, Hofplein, Rotterdam de Kleiweg, Rotterdam Lombardije, Rotterdam Noord, Rotterdam Wilgenpass, Rotterdam Zuid, Capelle Schollevar, Schiedam Nieuwland and Schiedam Centrum.
Amsterdam area
Amsterdam Amstel, Bijlmer, Lelylaan, Muiderpoort, Amsterdam RAI, Sloterdijk, Amsterdam Zuid/WTC, Diemen-Zuid, Duiverndrecht and Schiphol.

Tanzanian property joins Protea Hotels’ portfolio

2011-12-13T08:34:00.002+02:00

The Amani Beach Hotel in Tanzania has joined the Protea Hotels portfolio.

The luxury retreat is just over 30km from Dar es Salaam, with its 10 beach bungalows set among tropical gardens and overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Activities include snorkelling, swimming, fishing, beach volleyball and tennis. Guests can also opt for a private massage in their bungalow. Horse riding facilities are also located nearby.

Facilities include an open-sided beach bar and restaurant.

Protea Hospitality Group Director of Sales, Marketing and Revenue, Danny Bryer, said the Protea Hotel Amani Beach brought to four the number of new Protea Hotels outside South Africa this year.

He added that the group would continue to expand on the on the continent next year.

Edinburgh considers ‘tourist tax’

2011-12-13T08:33:00.001+02:00

TOURISTS planning to travel to Edinburgh could soon be paying extra after the city announced it was considering introducing a controversial ‘tourist tax’. This week the city council held discussions about bringing in the fee, which could bring in between £5 and £10million extra in revenue each year.

On top of their accommodation cost, guests in the city would pay an extra ‘bed tax’ charge of either £1 or £2 a night. Edinburgh Council officials are hugely in favour of the new tax. Implementation would require Scottish Parliament legislation to enable the City of Edinburgh Council to introduce a transient visitor levy, however hoteliers in the city have reacted negatively way to the proposal.

Tourist taxes are not a new idea, and have already been introduced in major cities across the world – including Vancouver and, recently, Venice.

Velvet Sky ups festive season flights

2011-12-13T08:32:00.004+02:00

VELVET Sky has added an additional 22 flights ahead of the festive period.

Chief Operating Officer, Gary Webb, announced that, due to exceptional demand during December, the airline had added more flights within the ‘golden triangle’ – Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. He encouraged those who had not yet booked flights to visit www.flyvelvetsky.com to check when and on what routes flights had been added.

On peak days such as December 22, three additional flights have been added on the Cape Town/Durban route. There will be another three flights on December 23 on both the Cape Town/Johannesburg and Cape Town/Durban routes. Six flights spread across all three routes have been added on December 27.

The extra flights are over and above the additional flights that resulted from the addition of a Durban/Port Elizabeth/Cape Town route in November. Velvet Sky had already increased its flight frequency between Johannesburg and Cape Town to seven flights daily on peak days and introduced a Durban overnight aircraft. The airline has already doubled flights on Saturdays and improved some slot allocations ahead of the busy summer holiday period.

Webb pointed out that tough times meant South Africans had opted for domestic destinations this holiday season, placing additional pressure on domestic airlines. Added to this, travellers who have up until now used road travel to reach their destinations had decided to try flying for the first time. “We believe that our fares are competitive enough to make flying an option. Given the high price of petrol and toll fees, air travel offers a value-for-money alternative. Given the carnage on our roads over the festive season, this is also a far safer choice.”

UK braced for a second battering

2011-12-13T08:32:00.002+02:00

SCOTLAND is preparing for its second battering in the space of a week as violent storms and severe gales look set to hit the country later this week, forecasters warned, with travel disruption expected throughout the weekend before Christmas. Strengthening winds and heavy rain are likely late on Thursday and into Friday, prompting the Met Office to issue a series of warnings. Yesterday engineers were working to restore power to the remaining few hundred homes across the nation affected by last week’s storm but gales and icy conditions look set to dominate the next few days.

While the worst weather is forecast for the end of this week, drivers are being urged to take care on the roads today due to icy conditions. Yellow warnings are also in place for “very windy” conditions tomorrow throughout the central belt and the south. Overnight Thursday and into Friday, however, the Met Office believes “rapidly strengthening winds” and heavy rain will arrive, bringing the potential for further disruption.

Energy firms yesterday reassured customers that nearly everyone who had been cut off by the storms would have their connections reinstated by the end of the day.

Meanwhile, southern England will get its first snow of the winter this week as 80mph winds and heavy rain lash Britain, forecasters say. After weeks of milder-than-usual weather, southern counties are braced for a taste of the storms that brought travel chaos to Scotland and the north of England last week.

The Met Office last night warned of “potentially disruptive” strong winds and heavy rain for most of England for today, with the south-west and southern coast areas to be hit hardest. Residents were warned to expect strong winds and between two and three inches of rainfall, brining the “risk of surface water flooding” until Tuesday. Athough the winds are expected to ease in the middle of the week, snow is expected to fall on higher ground in parts of southern England including Dartmoor and Exmoor, as well as large areas of the north from Wales through to the Humber. After a brief respite, the stormy conditions will return late on Thursday and into Friday, bringing winds of up to 80mph, heavy rain and flood warnings.

Top tips for air ticket bookings this December

2011-12-09T08:22:00.001+02:00

The leave forms are in and the end of year functions are in full swing. Most of the year's work is done and many people are winding down what's left of the year by searching the Internet for Christmas gifts and holiday travel specials. While the decision on where to go on holiday is usually the easy part -deciding on the actual travel arrangements can often be a lot more taxing.
There are a number of determining factors that come into play when people purchase an airline ticket. These can include brand affinity, advertising, travel habits and past experience, referencing and peer evaluation, and most importantly disposable income. These, individually or combined, can lead to a traveller getting the best deal possible in relation to what they are paying - or they could end up with long-lasting regrets from making the wrong choice.
To help ensure holiday makers make the right choice this December, Fouad Caunhye, Emirates Regional Manager for Southern Africa, gives his top tips for booking airline tickets.
Do your homework
According to Caunhye, the best thing that any traveller can do when purchasing an airline ticket is to shop around. "Searching for good airline deals has become very easy because of the technologies we have at our disposal nowadays. The internet is usually the first place people visit to look for good deals on airline tickets, especially for travellers whose buying decision is based mainly on price. Technology has made it easy and quick to shop around. You can just punch in your destination and all the information about available flights and fares is literally available at your fingertips," he adds.
Take advice
While more people are taking to the internet to book their flights directly, 80 percent of all travellers still prefer to go via travel agents for their bookings. "This is because as consumers, we acknowledge travel agents as experts in the field of air travel. It could also be because we received good service or a good deal from a particular agent in the past," observes Caunhye. "As experts, the advice given by travel agents is always invaluable."
"Peer evaluations and referrals also rank high as key influencers in the purchasing decision of air travellers, especially those seeking a particular flight experience," adds Caunhye. "Our personal desire could be for a certain type of cuisine, in-flight entertainment, general comfort or service level. In such cases, there is nobody better placed than our well-travelled friends and family to point us in the right direction."
"However, when you do take advice, even expert advice, make sure you are not paying for someone else's dream holiday. Your holiday should start from the moment you leave home. So make sure the final purchasing decision is yours. From your flights to your chosen destination and the activities you do when you arrive, holidays are precious and should be exactly what you envisioned them to be," advises Caunhye.
Beware of teasers
The holiday season is characterised by special offers on tickets prices. While some discounts represent real value, Caunhye warns that many of these special offers are just teasers with a tiny window of availability. "Often, only an extremely limited number of seats are allocated in many of these "special offers". A thorough enquiry and a good read of the fine print and the terms and conditions will help you distinguish between genuine deals and what is just a teaser," concludes Caunhye.

Volcanic eruption closes Indonesian airport

2011-12-06T08:27:00.002+02:00

A domestic airport in eastern Indonesia was closed on Monday after a volcano spewed ash 2,000 metres into the air, an official said. Mount Gamalama, which forms the entire island of Ternate in North Maluku province, erupted late Sunday and forced the airport in Ternate town to close Monday, transport ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said. "It's a safety measure. The volcanic ash may pose a risk to planes. If there is no more eruption, the airport may be opened tomorrow," he added. The 1,715-metre volcano caused some panic when it erupted. There were no reports of casualties or injuries but people did panic for a while, screaming as they ran out of their homes. The situation has since calmed down and many residents have returned to their homes.

Currency surcharge guarantee from MSC

2011-12-06T08:26:00.004+02:00

MSC Starlight Cruises has announced a “No Currency Surcharge Guarantee” for the upcoming local cruise season incorporating MSC Sinfonia and MSC Melody. This guarantee is a first in the local market and will ensure holiday makers great comfort and security when selecting a cruise holiday.

“Even though the rand has depreciated by as much as 18% in the past year against the US dollar and other foreign currencies, MSC Starlight cruises can now guarantee that SA rand fares published in the brochure will not be increased,” says Allan Foggitt of MSC Starlight Cruises.

This, in essence, means that holiday makers choosing the cruise option have peace of mind as opposed to other travel options that are affected by the volatile rand. MSC Starlight Cruises will therefore carry the risk if the currency is affected.

As all international holidays involve a foreign currency component, any rand depreciation after the tour has been costed will increase the final amount payable for holiday makers. Local cruise offerings therefore become an attractive and acceptable holiday alternative ensuring passengers an ‘international level experience’ without the financial risk of other holiday options.

Cruising offers many other benefits, with accommodation, meals and entertainment all included in the fare, so the ‘No Currency Surcharge Guarantee’ covers passengers for all these expenses that would normally be affected by a weakening rand. Children under 18 also cruise and eat free, which holds massive benefits for families in these trying financial times.

As a foreign flag vessel with an international crew earning wages in euros and dollars, MSC Cruises has a large foreign exchange exposure, but in its on-going commitment to growing the South African cruising market, a decision had to be made to guarantee cruisers that no currency surcharge would be applied to the fares for the upcoming cruise season, regardless of what happens to the rand in the coming months.

MSC Sinfonia and MSC Melody returned to SA waters in November and December respectively.

Cape Town is not overpriced!

2011-12-06T08:26:00.002+02:00

CAPE Town hotels are not overpriced, as is often alleged. In fact, its four-star hotels are 25% cheaper than those in comparable cities around the world, while rates at most of its five-star hotel are on a par with those of their international competitors.

This is the result of a Fedhasa Cape survey conducted over 30 weeks this year between April and November, during which hotel prices in Cape Town were compared with those in similar cities, including Melbourne, Barcelona, Vancouver, Boston, Nice, Hong Kong and Munich.

Fedhasa Cape chairman, Dirk Elzinga, says the periods when the prices were compared fell mainly during spring and autumn. This is because while Southern hemisphere seasons coincided, seasons differed when compared with Northern hemisphere hotels. Dirk says prices in the eight cities were compared every week by converting them into the same currency (euros). He declines to give details of the rates, saying the organisation wanted to keep this information in-house.

“The outcome is that, in terms of pricing, Cape Town is on a par with all these cities, which is good news. Secondly, the analysis confirmed that Cape Town has a significantly wider variety of inventory and room types (more than 200 hotels and guesthouses) available than most other cities, offering enormous choice for visitors across all price ranges. It is therefore not true that Cape Town is more expensive than the rest of the world. As a destination, we are extremely competitive,” he says.

Dirk says the survey was done to gain clarity on the contributing factors that led to the perception that Cape Town was more expensive. It was also done in response to many “experts” in and outside the industry having suggested during the recession that tourists would return if hotels dropped their rates.

He says most Cape Town hotels took the decision to try and retain their average room rates over the recession period to avoid a price war, although specials were offered from time to time.

He explains that hotels worldwide adopted one of two strategies to cope with the recession: either cutting rates to compete on price, or retaining their room rates and accepting a loss on occupancy. “It is apparent that those that retained their rates were able to recover faster than those that decided to cut their rates. Smaller establishments are finding themselves in a better position to recover faster, given that they have fewer overheads,” he says.

Travelstart resigns from Asata

2011-12-06T08:25:00.001+02:00

TRAVELSTART has resigned its membership of Asata.

The online travel agency released a statement saying it took the decision after Stephan Ekbergh, ceo of Travelstart, was summoned by Asata to appear at a disciplinary hearing as a result of the company’s publishing and commenting on the results of the controversial survey conducted by Synovate and commissioned by Travelstart to research how online fares compare to traditional travel agency fares.

“Asata has made its intentions clear. To the relief of its traditional travel agency members, Travelstart could be expelled as a member and be forced to pay a fine. No attempt has been made to discuss the matter, notwithstanding a requirement to do so in the Asata constitution,” says Stephan.

“We have done nothing wrong other than highlight some areas of concern in industry practice, which Asata seems to be defending,” he continues. “It would be foolish of us to say that we were surprised at the reaction that various articles and interviews generated, however we were left dumbfounded at Asata’s response.

“In a fair and just world, an industry body is mandated to look after the interests of all its members with equal objectivity. Industry bodies are tasked to position themselves as an independent and impartial entity that observes an industry at a high level. When disruptions arise, one would expect an industry body to act in an objective manner, while facilitating discussion between its members to resolve any challenges.”
Stephan goes on to say that Asata was informed by Travelstart , prior to the publication of the survey’s findings, that the company would be releasing the results of the Synovate market research, but received no response. “Asata’s reaction in the media after the results were published was surprising and unwarranted. They commented without having looked at the research,” says Stephan.

“Asata stated that they would not have a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction, however this has sadly been their stance since the press release was made public. They are strongly biased towards their main travel agency membership base and have effectively illustrated how up-and-coming sub industries, such as online travel, are marginalised rather than encouraged.

“Travelstart did not release the results of the market research to pick a fight with the industry. We are part of it. However, when there is such a marked inconsistency in pricing, why should it be hidden from our customers?” Stephan says. “The findings of the research compelled us to take action. The price discrepancy between same agency branches on the same route and carrier was something we strongly believe customers should be aware of. Poor customer service was another point of contention that came to light. Surprisingly, the industry had very little to say about this and has focused on the issue around pricing.

“Just remember, the Internet is here to stay. It’s become an integral part of our daily lives. Online travel has grown exponentially both globally and in the South African market. It’s only going to get bigger,” he concludes.

Meanwhile, Asata confirmed it had accepted Travelstart’s resignation from the organisation. “Following on from the call that Asata made for a disciplinary enquiry, Travestart has elected to resign from the association with immediate effect,” Asata said in a statement.

“Asata remains vigilant in upholding the consciences and integrity of our members and continues with its responsibility of ensuring that the ethics contained in the code of conduct are adhered to at all times.”

1time Lanseria flights to take off in 2012

2011-12-06T08:24:00.001+02:00

1time Airline is set to begin operating from Lanseria International Airport in March, 2012. It will operate two daily return flights to both Durban and Cape Town, catering mainly for the increased business activity and holiday market in March and April.

1time CEO, Rodney James notes that the route will significantly help the airline grow its business.

“Lanseria Airport is a convenient option for passengers staying or operating in the northern or north-western suburbs of Johannesburg, as it provides a great alternative to OR Tambo International. The airport also presents a great opportunity to significantly increase our passenger share.

“We are, therefore, very excited about flying from the airport and plan to ensure that our usual high standard of service and value for money continues with our Lanseria routes.”

The new Lanseria routes represent 1time’s first venture to a so-called ‘secondary airport’, which is consistent with the trend of low-cost carriers the world over.

“These new routes are indicative of our positive view of 2012, and demonstrate that we are growing and developing all the time. Moving forward, we are looking for further avenues to explore to make flying easy and affordable, with routes to other exciting destinations on the horizon.”

Ethiopian Airlines Receives first 737 featuring new interior

2011-12-05T08:17:00.001+02:00

Ethiopian Airlines has received its first next-generation B737-800 featuring the new Boeing Sky Interior. This is the first of ten B737-800s featuring the interior to be delivered over the next four years.

“This new airplane will not only benefit Ethiopian because of its unmatched operating costs, but will also offer more comfort to our passengers. Moreover, these new aircraft generate far fewer carbon emissions than older aircraft, minimizing our carbon footprint. Our goal is to be the most environmentally friendly airline in Africa, and the new 737-800 is in line with this goal,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, ceo of Ethiopian Airlines.

The new aircraft will initially be deployed on Ethiopian’s daily flight to Dar es Salaam during the day and Ethiopian’s daily flight to Riyadh at night.

The Boeing Sky Interior introduces new cove lighting and curving architecture that create a distinctive entry way. Passengers will enjoy a more open cabin and a soft blue sky overhead simulated by light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, which could easily be controlled on a touch screen control board.

1time ups flights over December

2011-11-30T08:22:00.001+02:00

1time Airline has increased the number of flights available in its December schedule.

The airline is now offering 52 additional flights on the George-Johannesburg route, 16 extra flights between Cape Town and East London, 32 more flights between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth, as well as 26 additional frequencies between Johannesburg and East London.

CEO, Rodney James, says the increase across the carrier’s schedule was effected to offer passengers more flexibility over the holiday period.

“We understand that the end of year period is a busy time for travellers and therefore 1time undertook the strategic decision to increase the number of daily flights available in December. This increase supports domestic tourism, and affords our leisure and business travellers more flexibility.”

He further notes that the decision to increase flights was not only motivated by an increased customer demand that normally accompanies the December period, but general market optimism as well.

Comair to implement ‘Change of Booking Fee’

2011-11-30T08:21:00.001+02:00

EFFECTIVE January 2012, British Airways Comair will amend its fares on ‘Budget’ and ‘Fully Restrictive Traveller’ fares to incorporate ‘Change of Booking Fee’.

The Change of Booking Fee will be collected inclusive of VAT using the ‘OD’ tax code. This will apply for all domestic and regional bookings ticketed on or after January 3, 2012 and must be applied according to the relevant fare rule per booking class.

American Airlines files Chapter 11 ‘reorganisation’

2011-11-30T08:20:00.001+02:00

AMERICAN AIRLINES has confirmed that its parent company, AMR Corporation, and certain US-based subsidiaries have voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 reorganisation under US law.

In a statement, the airline said the action had been taken to achieve a cost and debt structure that was competitive in the airline industry so that it could continue delivering a “world-class” travel experience to its customers.

It continued to say that it expected to continue normal business operations throughout the reorganisation process, and the business would continue to be operated by the company's management. The United States Chapter 11 reorganisation process enables a company to maintain normal business operations while it establishes a competitive cost and debt structure. This action has no direct legal impact on any American Airlines’ operations outside the United States.

American Airlines is operating normal flight schedules, honouring tickets and reservations as usual, and making normal refunds and exchanges. American's AAdvantage frequent flyer programme is not affected. American remains part of the oneworld alliance, of which it is a founding member, and all of its codeshare partnerships continue, enabling customers to earn and redeem miles on convenient flight options worldwide.

UK: Police to man borders

2011-11-30T08:18:00.001+02:00

BORDER controls will not be relaxed to ease queues at airports on Wednesday during a strike by public sector workers, the government has said.

According to the BBC, Home Office minister Lord Henley said the security of the UK border "remains our top priority" and contingency plans were in place. Meanwhile, Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell, whose constituency includes Heathrow, has called for the airport to be shut on Wednesday on safety grounds. Although attempts had been made to bring in extra people, it still meant that safety and security would be "in the hands of workers who are untrained in airport security or, at most, have had an inadequate couple of days' training," McDonnell said.

The UK Border Agency said it was exploring options to reduce disruption. Police officers will reportedly be expected to man airports and ports during the public sector strike after just 90 minutes' training, it can be disclosed. Officers from forces all over the country, who are on secondment to the UK Border Agency, will be drafted in on Wednesday. The Border Agency has already sought to recruit civil servants from across Whitehall as well as those based abroad to help man immigration desks and carry out passport checks.

The officers, who work for the agency under section 97 of the Police Act, are deemed to be temporarily serving the Secretary of State outside their force. They are believed to have received just an hour and a half's training to take on the roles. Heathrow operator BAA has warned of possible "gridlock" on Wednesday and said passengers could face potential 12-hour delays getting through immigration at Heathrow. Airlines have also been asked to halve the number of passengers flying into Heathrow to avoid potential gridlock.

Passengers are urged to check their flight status with their respective airlines before heading to the airport.

Egypt elections go ahead despite violence

2011-11-29T08:20:00.004+02:00

EGYPT’S elections have begun despite the last week of violence that has gripped the country. Egyptians are voting in the opening stage of the first elections since former President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February.

As dawn broke, people were already queuing to cast their ballots outside polling stations in the capital, Cairo. But protesters who want the vote to be postponed still occupy Tahrir Square. Monday's voting begins an election timetable that lasts until March. The first stage of the poll, running until January, covers elections to the 508-member People's Assembly.

Over the last nine days there has been a revival of the protest movement that forced Mubarak from office, with hundreds gathered at its hub in Tahrir Square. At least 41 protesters have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded as tensions flared in recent days. The protesters fear the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) - which is headed by Field Marshall Tantawi and is overseeing the transition to democratic rule - is trying to retain power.

On Monday morning the numbers in Tahrir Square were small, while queues were forming outside polling stations in the city before they opened at 08h00 local time (06h00 GMT). Field Marshall Tantawi said the army would ensure security at the polling booths and reiterated that the vote would go ahead on schedule despite the protests.

Further compensation for Qantas pax

2011-11-29T08:20:00.002+02:00

QANTAS has advised that it is in the process of contacting passengers who were directly affected by the grounding of its fleet on October 29.

In addition to the fare refunds, flexible re-booking options and relevant compensation, the airline is offering customers who reside outside Australia and who purchased their tickets outside Australia, a Qantas travel voucher with the equivalent of A$250 in local currency as stored credit for future travel on Qantas.

Where possible, the airline will contact customers via email to inform them of this offer. Emails will be distributed between November 28 and November 30.

Should the airline be unable to contact a customer via email, these customers are urged to register for this offer via qantas.com.

If you are aware of any customers who are eligible* please invite them to register for this offer by visiting qantas.com

Arik Air launches ‘Savannah Express’ service

2011-11-29T08:19:00.001+02:00

Arik Air has reinforced expansion plans for its regional West African services with the announcement of scheduled flights between Lagos and three new destinations via Dakar (Senegal) - Cotonou (Benin), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Bamako (Mali).

The new service, Arik’s ‘Savannah Express’, will be re-launched on December 6, operating twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

The flight will depart Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 18h00, arriving in Cotonou at 18h30. The flight will depart Cotonou at 19h00, arriving in Ouagadougou at 19h30. It will then depart for Bamako at 20h15, arriving at 21h40. The flight departs Bamako at 22h10 and terminates in Dakar at midnight.

The inbound flight will depart Dakar at 00:45 next day, arriving in Bamako at 02h35. It departs for Ouagadougou at 03h05, arriving at 04h30. It departs for Cotonou at 05h15, arriving at 07h45. The flight departs Cotonou at 08h15 and terminates in Lagos at 08h45.

The Savannah Express route will be served with a state-of-the-art Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft. The CRJ900 is configured to seat 10 passengers in business class and 64 in economy.

The new destinations in the West Coast will add to the airline’s existing five – Accra (Ghana), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Banjul (Gambia), Dakar (Senegal) and Monrovia (Liberia) – bringing its total international network coverage to 11 destinations with eight regional points now connected to the hubs in Lagos and Abuja.

UK Border Agency strike: airlines cancel flights

2011-11-29T08:18:00.001+02:00

Due to the UK Border Agency strike scheduled for November 30, passengers travelling to UK airports are advised to check their airline’s flight status and ensure flights are operating on schedule prior to heading to the airport.

Passengers should also allow for extra time for security clearance at the airport as extreme delays will be experienced in these areas.

Most airlines have urged passengers to consider rescheduling their flight plans for this date due to the anticipated delays. Many airlines are waiving change fees.

Agents and passengers are urged to check the respective airlines’ websites for details on their policies for rescheduling travel plans.

Etihad Airways has made several changes to its London-bound flights ahead of the 24-hour strike.

Three Etihad flights have been cancelled to spare the airline’s guests the expected disruption in Heathrow airport and the long delays in waiting to clear immigration. Authorities predict these could last up to 12 hours.

The cancelled flights are EY019 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, EY020 from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and EY017 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow.

Also, at the request of authorities at Heathrow, flight EY011 from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow will operate on November 30 with a reduced passenger capacity. Guests booked on these flights are currently being rebooked by Etihad on to alternative flights. Meanwhile flights to Manchester will operate as scheduled.

Emirates has confirmed that it has cancelled the following services:

EK029 - Dubai International Airport to London Heathrow on November 30
EK030 - London Heathrow to Dubai International Airport on November 30

The following airlines have issued advisories for the day:

British Airways: http://www.speedbirdclub.com/za/all-news/news/twothousandeleven/november/ukindactionupdate/

Cathay Pacific: http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_HK/helpingyoutravel/traveladvisories?refID=2f291b1c809d3310VgnVCM1000000ad21c39____

Virgin Atlantic: http://virginatlantic.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/644
Singapore Airlines: http://www.singaporeair.com/jsp/cms/en_UK/press_release_news/111126-ukstrikeaction.jsp

Qatar Airways: http://www.qatarairways.com/za/en/travel-alerts.page

Qantas: http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/disruptions/global/en

A statement issued by Gatwick Airport said the strike was likely to affect arriving flights at airports across the UK.

Scott Stanley, the airport’s Chief Operating Officer said: “Gatwick continues to work closely with the UK Border Agency and its airlines to ensure robust contingency measures are put in place to ensure disruption to passengers and airport operations is kept to a minimum.

”We have had face to face meetings with our major airline carriers to discuss contingency plans for the day and have called on them to offer their arriving passengers the opportunity, where possible, to rebook their flights either in the days immediately before or after November 30. We would advise passengers to check with their airline to find out what plans and arrangements have been put in place.

“We recognise that this will be a challenging time for all airport passengers, and we would warn them to be prepared for the potential for significant disruption at the border zones on November 30.

“Unfortunately, airport staff cannot man the desks at the Border Zone but we will provide all necessary assistance to the Border Agency and we are determined to make sure that the needs and welfare of all our passengers will be met on the day.

“Hundreds of airport volunteers are planning to come in to provide the support and assistance needed on the day. All non-essential work and meetings have been cancelled and all staff and managers will be out in the terminals providing information, refreshments and advice and to make passengers feel as comfortable as is practicable, given the challenges we expect to face.

Passengers are urged to check with their respective airlines to find out what plans and arrangements they have in place for November 30.

Passengers arriving at Gatwick on November 30 can assist the airport and the UK Border Agency by:

Having travel documents, including passports, available and taken out of any wallets
Using automatic e-Passport gates (where available)
Having landing cards fully completed and ready
Staying in family groups

People collecting arriving passengers on that day can assist Gatwick Airport and the Border Agency by checking the flight arrivals time for people they are picking up, before they leave home.

Heathrow has said it is “very concerned” by the prospect of a strike by immigration officers.
In a statement on its website, the airport said it was in the process of discussing contingency plans about how to minimise the impact on passengers.

Heathrow is also recommending that passengers check the status of their flights with their airlines before travelling to the airport.

Newcastle International Airport in a statement said that it would be operating as normal for inbound and outbound customers during the planned strike.

The UK Border Agency has advised that some staff based at the airport may take part in the planned day of action. However, the agency has also advised that “robust contingency plans are being prepared to ensure that border controls remain secure if strike action goes ahead.”

The only potential impact is that it may take longer to process inbound international customers. There is no impact on those departing on flights from Newcastle. Customers due to fly on November 30 are advised to arrive at the airport as normal.

SAA’s Beijing service to take off in January

2011-11-29T08:12:00.001+02:00

SAA has confirmed that it will introduce direct flights to Beijing, China, starting in January.
The inaugural flight is scheduled to depart from Johannesburg on January 31.

The flights are available from today for reservations in the global distribution system and via SAA’s website, flysaa.com.

SAA will operate the route three times a week using an A340-600, which has the capacity to operate the route all year with no passenger payload restrictions. Flying time between Johannesburg and Beijing takes an average of 15 hours.

Flights will depart Johannesburg at 08h00 on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Beijing at 04h40 the following day. The return service will depart Beijing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 06h40, arriving in Johannesburg at 15h40 the following day

UK Public Sector Industrial Action - Wednesday 30 November 2011

2011-11-25T10:14:00.001+02:00

Passengers on flights arriving at a UK airport between 0001-2359 BST on Wednesday 30 November 2011 will experience queues and delays at passport control as a result of industrial action by public sector staff including the UK Border Agency staff.

The management of UK Border Agency will do everything they can to minimise disruption for passengers travelling to the UK whilst ensuring that the UK Border remains secure.

Passengers who have registered for Iris or EU citizens who have an e-passport should use the automatic gates as they may provide a quicker option. It is anticipated there will be less UK Border Agency Staff on duty at the airports therefore fast track channels will not be available
For up to date information please check the UK Border Agency website at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Rebooking options for passengers due to land in London Heathrow, London Gatwick or Manchester on Wednesday 30 November 2011
Our flying programme is unaffected by the industrial action on the ground however those passengers scheduled to land in a UK Airport on Wednesday 30 November, who would prefer to avoid the strike day may change their date of travel free of charge.
Rebook to a later flight departing before 4 December 2011
Rebooking is subject to availability in the same ticket class.

Or
Rebook to an earlier flight up to and including 29 November 2011
Rebooking is subject to availability in the same ticket class

Passengers on through tickets involving other carriers can also amend their connection subject to availability in the same ticket class.
Please be aware that if passengers choose to change their date of travel, Virgin Atlantic will not be responsible for or reimburse any consequential costs or losses they may incur, this includes the cost/loss of accommodation, ground transport or connecting flights.

Refunds

As we are still operating our normal flying programme passengers holding non refundable tickets who no longer wish to travel will incur cancellation charges in accordance with the relevant fare rules.

Qantas customers can book with confidence

2011-11-25T08:24:00.001+02:00

Qantas customers can book flights with absolute confidence and the certainty that there will be no industrial action by the pilots’ union, licensed engineers’ union and Transport Workers’ Union for up to the next four years, says the airline.

The Transport Workers’ Union has confirmed that it will not launch an appeal or stay against the decision by Fair Work Australia to terminate all industrial action.

Qantas Group Executive Government and Corporate Affairs, Olivia Wirth, said the new workplace agreements would now be determined by the independent umpire for all three unions.

Fair Work Australia put a stop to all industrial action over three weeks ago. The FWA ruling means that the three unions are unable to take industrial action for the upcoming period of arbitration and for the period of the EBA determination by Fair Work Australia - which could be up to four years.

On November 24, Fair Work Australia will hold directions hearings for arbitration between Qantas and the TWU and separately between Qantas and the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association. A date for a directions hearing for arbitration between Qantas and the Australian and International Pilots Association has yet to be set by Fair Work Australia.

KLM to commence Lusaka service

2011-11-25T08:23:00.001+02:00

Starting May 15, 2012, KLM will launch flights to Lusaka, Zambia, making it the airline’s 72nd intercontinental destination.

Flights will operate three times a week using a 243-seat A330-200 aircraft, with 30 seats in World Business class and 213 in economy class.

Flights will depart Schiphol on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 12h30, arriving in Lusaka at 22h10 on the same day.

The return service will depart Lusaka at 23h55 on the same days, arriving in Amsterdam at 09h55 the following morning.

Together with Kenya Airways, KLM offers another 13 flights a week to Lusaka via Nairobi.

Air Namibia Johannesburg-Walvis Bay flight cancellation

2011-11-25T08:22:00.001+02:00

AIR Namibia has advised that it will cancel its flights between Johannesburg and Walvis Bay return effective December 2, to March 24 due to operational reasons.

All affected passengers have been rebooked via Windhoek.

Automated baggage drop-off at Paris airports

2011-11-24T07:45:00.001+02:00

DESIGNED by the teams of Aeroports de Paris, a new system of automated baggage drop-off will enable passengers to check in their bags in only 30 seconds.

A statement issued by the group said the service met a double challenge – it offers airlines a system that enables smooth flow of the baggage drop-off step and assists passengers who have been asking to be increasingly self-reliant. The service is currently being tested at Paris-Orly Airport.

Passengers print their boarding pass at a self-serve kiosk (should they not have one already) then proceed to the automated baggage area, scan their boarding pass and insert their baggage into the machine.

The name of the owner and weight of baggage are verified then transmitted to the airline. A 'baggage receipt' is automatically delivered to the passenger. A machine-integrated secure sliding door guarantees against intrusion of banned items. In 30 seconds, the bag is checked in and is then automatically re-routed to a traditional circuit where it is inspected and secured before being loaded into the aircraft hold.

Volcanic ash disrupts air travel

2011-11-24T07:44:00.004+02:00

FLIGHTS were cancelled this week in Uruguay and Argentina because of volcanic ash from the four-month-long eruption of the Puyehue volcano in Chile, airport authorities said. Laura Vanoli, Uruguay's chief aeronautic meteorologist, said the country was almost entirely covered by an ash cloud.

About a dozen flights were suspended in Uruguay and other flights were delayed, according to the website of Montevideo’s Carrasco International Airport. In Buenos Aires, airport authorities reported the cancellation of about 20 domestic and international flights, and said other flights were being delayed because of poor visibility due to the presence of ash over the city.

Since the volcano's eruption on June 4, air travel to and from Uruguay, Argentina and as far away as Australia has been periodically disrupted by ash clouds streaming east out of the Chilean Andes. Chile's National Geology and Mining Service said ashes from Puyehue -- which continues erupting, though at a lower intensity -- could affect air travel for months.

UK Border Agency announces strike

2011-11-24T07:44:00.002+02:00

MEMBERS of the UK’s Public and Civil Servants Union have voted in favour of industrial action on November 30. The action will involve staff from the UK Border Agency, who look after passport control and immigration at all airports. The strike is, therefore, likely to affect arriving flights at airports across the UK and may cause some delays to passengers. The industrial action is very unlikely to have any effect on departing passengers.

Meanwhile, UK Border Agency staff in embassies across the world are reportedly being offered taxpayer-funded flights to Britain if they are willing to work at ports and airports in next week's strike against public-sector pension reform. According to the Guardian, the government has asked immigration officials from India, South Africa and Russia to return to the UK on Wednesday when thousands of their colleagues plan to take industrial action. Staff willing to return and cross a picket line would also be allowed to extend their stay to spend time with their families. On November 30, a month before the deadline for a deal between the government and union leaders on pension reform, up to three million public sector workers are likely to strike. Around 18,000 immigration officials are believed to be among them

Thai tourist association wants advisories lifted

2011-11-22T08:20:00.004+02:00

THE Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) has asked for the co-operation of foreign governments to reduce and/or lift travel advisories and warnings issued for Thailand.

According to PTA President, Somboon Jirayus, the sensationalized images presented through foreign media have caused a decreasing number of tourists to the island. Somboon called for countries to lower or remove their blanket travel warnings, as he insisted that the Andaman region had not been affected by the floods and was thus safe for tourists to visit.

Gatwick launches new-look terminal

2011-11-22T08:20:00.002+02:00

On November 17, Gatwick Airport officially opened its new-look North Terminal following the completion of the multimillion-pound project that will see the building accommodating 20 million passengers a year by 2020.

The eastern end of the terminal has been extended to provide additional check-in and baggage reclaim capacity. There are 18 new check-in desks taking the total to 144, of which 70 are self-service options. There are also four new reclaim belts, three for international and one domestic belt. According to a statement released by the airport, the addition of new arrival reclaim belts will significantly cut time spent waiting for luggage, and make a substantial difference to passengers.

The extended North Terminal follows the completion of work earlier in the year to revitalise and expand the forecourt and construct a new interchange to provide a modern new entrance into the terminal building.

Arrivals and departures are now located on different levels, improving passenger circulation and way-finding. Passengers being dropped off outside the new entrance can use one of two moving walkways or lifts where they will meet passengers from the new inter-terminal shuttle. From here, all passengers will head to the extended check-in area.

Passengers arriving home or tourists entering the UK will come through on the ground floor with a direct route into the car park and to car rental. They will also have easy access to the airport’s taxi service or inter-terminal shuttle in order to catch a train for their onward journey.

The next phase of the development will involve the upgrade of the baggage system. Gatwick will replace the whole system in the main baggage hall and will go from six to two sorters, making the system more reliable, efficient and flexible. Early bag store facilities will be put in place to enable passengers to drop their luggage off as soon as they arrive at the airport.

No word on Zambezi Airlines suspension

2011-11-22T08:18:00.001+02:00

FOLLOWING Zambezi Airlines’ suspension earlier this month, there has been no word from the airline about when or if it will resume flights.

However, the Lusaka Times reported that one of its aircraft, which was damaged at Lusaka International Airport earlier this year, has been returned following six months of repair work in South Africa.

The B737-500 aircraft was reportedly damaged by the loader at the airport when it landed in May this year.

Speaking at an interview over the past weekend, director of flight operations for the airline, Captain George Sinkala, was quoted as saying that the aircraft returned to Lusaka and was certified air worthy and was “now fit to fly”. He, however, gave no indication as to the airline’s plans to resume flights.

Independent umpire to decide on pilots' dispute

2011-11-22T08:17:00.001+02:00

A statement issued by Qantas on November 21, confirmed that the airline had been unable to reach a new agreement with the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA).

Both parties have now concluded that Fair Work Australia will need to resolve the dispute.

In the statement, Qantas said it had negotiated in good faith for 15 months with the pilots’ union, with over 50 meetings and 19 days of meetings with Fair Work Australia over recent weeks.

Qantas CEO, Alan Joyce, said while Qantas’s preferred option had been to resolve the dispute through negotiations, it was now time to let Fair Work Australia bring the matter to a close.

“We haven’t been able to reach a new agreement with the Australian and International Pilots Association through negotiations so we will now let the independent umpire decide,” Joyce said.

“We did make some progress in negotiations with movement on both sides, however in the end we were unable to reach a new agreement for our 1600 long-haul pilots.

“We will continue to explore any opportunities with the pilots’ union to reduce the number of matters that need to be arbitrated on.

“Qantas did not terminate the negotiations today. Both parties concluded that an agreement could not be reached so the matter will be resolved by arbitration.

“Fair Work Australia ordered the Australian and International Pilots Association to stop all industrial action, which means it cannot take any action during the arbitration period and for the term of Fair Work Australia’s determination, which will be for a period of up to four years.

“The pilots’ union has launched a legal challenge against the decision by Fair Work Australia to terminate all industrial action. The Federal Government has indicated that they will vigorously defend the decision and are confident the union will not be successful. We are right behind the Government on this.”

Fog grounds flights in and out of UK

2011-11-21T11:51:00.002+02:00

London - Thousands of passengers faced severe disruption on Sunday after fog grounded hundreds of flights in and out of London's airports, including Heathrow, the country's busiest.

Heathrow Airport confirmed that 132 flights, including 50 British Airways services, were cancelled due to thick fog.

"We are aware of 74 departing flights that have been cancelled by airlines," read a statement issued by the airport, which handles around 1 300 flights a day.

"Some delays to flights are also occurring so we advise passengers to check with their airlines before travelling," it added.

Some 58 incoming flights were also cancelled.

London City Airport, in the British capital's east, also announced that 44 flights had been delayed or diverted due to poor weather.

The Met Office, the country's national weather service, warned that "dense fog" could become "more extensive" in many areas overnight.

Airlines said they had re-booked some stranded passengers and were finding overnight accommodation for others.

Acsa and stakeholders to improve baggage management

2011-11-21T07:50:00.001+02:00

AIRPORTS Company South Africa (Acsa) has announced key elements that are being implemented to ensure improved overall baggage management, in particular baggage security.

"The essential ingredient in improving baggage operations and security is closer collaboration with all the different role players, better leveraging of available real-time bag-tracking technology, improved processing of bags that are being transferred on to other destinations, and broader training of baggage-handling personnel," said Tebogo Mekgoe, assistant gm for Airport Operations at OR Tambo International Airport.

He emphasised the importance of understanding the baggage-handling processes and systems, which he said were complex and involved different stakeholders with various responsibilities. "By way of example, OR Tambo International handles about 27 000 outbound bags a day. We have very sophisticated equipment and highly trained personnel and are improving co-operation with stakeholders. That is why, over the past two years, we have seen a decline in mishandled bags from 18 per 1 000 departing passengers in January 2010 passengers to 10,4 per 1 000 departing passengers currently."

The global average for mishandled bags is 12 per 1 000 passengers. The International Air Transportation Association (Iata) has set a target for all stakeholders globally to reduce this to four mishandled bags per 1 000 passengers.

"There is a lot to be done before the industry can get to this ideal picture. Acsa and its stakeholders are fortunate because we are facing a declining trend and we will intensify our efforts to ensure that the trend continues," said Mekgoe.

Relating specifically to baggage pilferage, on average the number of reported pilfered bags has dropped from 174 bags per month in 2010 to 111 per month this year. The airport processes approximately 700 000 outbound bags every month.

With the festive season about to start, a period associated with increased number of bags per passenger, Acsa and its stakeholders are continuing with measures to improve baggage security. However, passengers should also heed the following guidelines:

* Lock baggage and secure it properly, as loose straps can catch in the conveyor belts;

* If possible, use a plastic shrink-wrap service and always attach identification tags;

* Do not place valuable items such as electronics and jewellery into checked-in baggage.

Trafalgar reinvents ‘the Family Holiday’

2011-11-15T08:53:00.004+02:00

TRAFALGAR has reinvented its ‘Family Holiday’ offering with a selection of overseas holidays for families to enjoy together, says managing director, Theresa Szejwallo.

Trafalgar’s 2012 Family Experiences tours contain a plethora of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, from the 16th-century Oxford dining hall that inspired Hogwarts Hall of Harry Potter fame, to the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

The list includes cowboy trails, active volcanoes, castles, glaciers, culinary adventures such as chocolate-making, world-famous historical sites, gladiator training, natural sights, dance lessons and exotic wildlife, to name but a few.

“Every single thing we offer on our Family Experiences tours is designed to be fun and exciting, unlike anything you’ll find at home, and for the entire family to enjoy together. And there’s a strong focus on the educational aspects of the holidays we offer – who would ever have thought that a family holiday could be so enjoyable and an unforgettable, interactive learning experience?” sa

Iberia boosts Madrid-Miami services

2011-11-15T08:53:00.002+02:00

IBERIA continues the growth of its Miami service with the recent launch of three additional return flights from Madrid, bringing the total to 10 a week, rising to 11 from April.
The three additional flights add 100 000 seats per year, a total of 345 000 seats on the route next year and a 37% increase over 2011.

The airline said in a statement that next year’s additional flight would help consolidate Iberia's position in the US market, where it has grown steadily in recent years. In 2011 the airline is offering more than a million seats between Europe and the United States, up 13% from the preceding year.

In addition to Miami, Iberia serves New York with two daily flights, Chicago with one, and Boston and Los Angeles with three flights per week from Madrid. It also operates three weekly return Barcelona-Miami flights.

Dublin Airport charges unchanged for 2012

2011-11-15T08:52:00.001+02:00

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has confirmed that there will be no overall increase in airport charges at the airport for 2012.

“Our pricing will be flat next year, which is good news for passengers and for airlines,” said DAA’s Director of Strategy, Vincent Harrison. “Independent surveys consistently confirm that Dublin Airport’s charges are hugely competitive, and our decision not to increase prices next year means we will continue to offer low prices compared to our peers,” said Harrison.

Dublin’s charges are governed by the independent Commission for Aviation Regulation, which sets an annual price cap – the average maximum charge per passenger that can be levied – for the airport. Under the regulator’s formula, there is an increase in next year’s price cap, however the DAA has decided not to pass on this increase to passengers.

The current average passenger charge is about €10.40.

Dublin’s proposed passenger charge for 2012 is 17% lower than the average €12.50 passenger charge levied in 2009 - the most recent year for which figures are available - by comparable European airports such as Stansted, Gatwick, Brussels, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Zurich, Vienna, Munich, and Oslo.

The proposals for 2012 include some rebalancing within the overall basket of charges to address the fact that demand is weaker during off-peak periods. The rebalancing will see airport charges reduced in the winter and increased by a lesser amount in the summer, with overall charges remaining flat for 2012.

Ethiopian Airlines postpones Seychelles flights

2011-11-15T08:51:00.001+02:00

ETHIOPIAN Airlines has confirmed that it has postponed the launch of its planned Seychelles service until further notice.

The service was scheduled to commence on November 15, however a statement from the airline said the postponement was due to operational reasons.

The airline says it will rebook alternative flights for all passengers with tickets and confirmed bookings.

UK introduces ‘Priority Visas’ SA

2011-11-15T08:50:00.001+02:00

The UK Border Agency in South Africa has introduced a Priority Visa Service, effective November 14.

Customers can now pay an additional fee to fast track their visa application and have it processed ahead of others. Only a limited number of Priority Visas will be sold each day on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Priority Visa Service will be available only for UK visit visa categories. To apply, customers must complete and submit a visa application online as normal and visit one of the UK’s Visa Application Centres operated by VFS Global in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth or Pretoria where they will be able to obtain further details about the Priority Service.

The cost of the Priority Visa Service will be R675, in addition to the visa application fee. The fee is payable at the Visa Application Centre only by Debit/Credit Card (Visa/MasterCard).

The British High Commissioner in South Africa, Dame Nicola Brewer, said: “I’m delighted that we will be enhancing our already excellent UK visa service to customers in South Africa. We turn around most visa applications very quickly but inevitably some people have to travel at the last minute and this Priority Service will speed up the process even further. Along with the ability to track progress of applications online, request SMS updates and courier returns, the Priority Service makes our visa operation one of the most modern and effective in South Africa.”

The VFS Global Country Manager in South Africa, Rishen Mahabeer, said:

“We are proud to partner with the British High Commission in providing this innovative service, which we are confident will add significant value to applicants.”

This service does not imply or guarantee in any way that applicants using the Priority Service will be successful in their visa application. All visa applicants must meet the requirements of the UK immigration rules.

Applicants should be aware that they may experience extended processing times if any of the following factors apply. If the applicant has:

1. Previously been refused a visa for the UK, and/or;
2. Previously been refused leave to enter the UK, and/or;
3. Previously been deported, removed, or otherwise required to leave the UK, and/or;
4. Overstayed a period of leave in the UK, and/or;
5. Been refused leave to remain in the UK by the Home Office, and/or;
6. Previously been refused a visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States of America or the Schengen countries.
7. Been convicted of a criminal offence in any country.
UK Border Agency’s published global customer service target for processing visit visa applications is 15 working days. Applicants in South Africa generally receive a quicker service with most applications processed in around five working days. The Priority Visa Service will offer an even faster service, however a specific turnaround time will not be guaranteed.

Further details on applying for a UK visa in South Africa are available at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/south-africa/?langname=UK%20English

Castle Lager takes on Europe’s finest

2011-11-14T08:13:00.001+02:00

Castle Lager has re-launched its Tavern Tour – a 12-day trip across Europe that will see a few lucky South Africans set out on a mission to find a beer to match the taste of ‘homegrown favourite’, Castle Lager.

The original Tavern Tour was introduced for the first time as far back as 1986 and ran every subsequent year until 1990. Next year sees the latest, newly revived instalment of this hugely popular initiative’s return to South Africa.

“We’re hugely excited to be bringing the Castle Tavern Tour back in 2012,” said Ally Hewitt, General Manager of Castle Lager. “The Tours have been epic in the past, filled with fun, friendship and laughter. We look forward to bringing together a new generation of South Africans for the experience of a lifetime.”

The Tavern Tour, which will take place in May 2012, will weave through the pubs and beer halls of England, Germany, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Austria, and will challenge participants to find a beer that matches the taste of Castle Lager, with one small catch: they won’t be able to enjoy a single pint of South Africa’s home brew, Castle Lager, until they return.

Participants will also face several educational beer-related challenges, such as proud beer drinkers in other countries trying their utmost to convince the South Africans of the merits of their beer and trips to European breweries led by brew-masters extolling the virtues of Europe’s finest beers.

“We are so confident in Castle Lager that we are willing to send these participants to taste Europe’s finest beers because, when all is said and done, there will be no doubt that there is no taste like home,” concludes Hewitt. “After all, it only comes together with a Castle.”

Qatar Airways eyes ‘underserved’ African destinations

2011-11-14T08:12:00.004+02:00

Qatar Airways’ entry into two African cities this week marks the first of potentially more route launches on the Continent as the airline’s ceo spelled out a commitment to grow its regional operations.

The Libyan port city of Benghazi and Ugandan city of Entebbe have joined Doha-based Qatar Airways’ global network taking the carrier’s African portfolio to 16 destinations. In addition to the passenger flights launched to Uganda yesterday, Qatar Airways also began the first of twice-weekly dedicated freighter services to Entebbe.

In a statement issued by Qatar it said that with the airline now serving more than 100 destinations globally, the African component represents a sizeable figure and is set to grow even further.

Qatar ceo, Akbar Al Baker, said that although it is premature to say where the airline plans to operate as it does not want to give a heads up to the competition, there are plenty of opportunities across Africa, which remains largely underserved by international airlines.

The daily Entebbe operation provides a non-stop link to the State of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf with onward connections to a vast array of destinations across the Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific.

In addition to the route launch, an interline partnership was recently announced between the airline and Tanzania’s largest carrier, Precision Air. The agreement gives passengers the option to purchase a single itinerary to combine flights on both carriers’ networks, offering the convenience of one-stop ticketing and baggage check-in.

Broadening the ties between the Doha-based carrier and East Africa, the new Precision Air partnership will provide Qatar Airways’ global passenger base with the option to connect seamlessly to a wide range of regional cities, including Moroni, Zanzibar, Mombasa, Arusha, Kigoma, Shinyanga, Musoma and Tabora.

Berlin considers imposing hotel tax

2011-11-14T08:12:00.002+02:00

ACCORDING to reports German cities are seeking to recover the funds they lost when the federal government more than halved the value-added tax the hotel sector is required to impose. They are now considering imposing a local tax on overnight stays to make up for the lost income with Berlin now seeking to join other big cities like Hamburg and Cologne along with smaller destinations like Weimar and Aachen in introducing a City Tax aimed at tourists. To date more than a dozen German cities have now introduced what is effectively a bed tax.

Both the German tourism association and the hotel and restaurant association are against the idea. The federal government's commissioner for tourism, Ernst Burgbacher, has also raised a warning finger, even though the amounts involved are likely to be small or an amount equivalent to a ticket on the city's public transport system - 2.30 Euros for the entire inner-city area. Either way Berlin would thus be cheaper than Cologne who charges 5 percent. But the union that represents fiscal workers has warned that the costs of administering the tax have to be set off against the additional income. Union boss Thomas Eigenthaler suspects there will not be much left after the new staff, the offices to house them and the computers for them to work on have been paid for. Berlin tried to introduce a tourist tax in 1994 but failed. Now the senate, where coalition negotiations are still underway following elections in September, seems set to try again. The main parties appear to agree on one thing: income from the tax should go straight back into the tourist sector.