Air Seychelles Expands in Europe and Indian Ocean in 2017
Air Seychelles has plans for a major fleet and network expansion in 2017. The airline will introduce a second Airbus A330 aircraft with non-stop twice weekly services to Düsseldorf in Germany and Durban in South Africa from 30 March 2017. It will also upgrade its Paris service from three to four weekly flights from 28 March 2017. The new Durban flights will complement the existing five-a-week service to Johannesburg.
The new flights are on sale now and can be booked through travel agents, www.airseychelles.com, by visiting any of the airline’s sales offices or by contacting the Air Seychelles Call Centre on +248 439 1000, +33(0) 974755010 for calls from France, +49(0) 211 95589806 for calls from Germany or +27 11 326 440 for calls from South Africa.
British Airways BOTler Facebook Messenger Bot Offers Tips for London this Winter
As part of the airline’s London for Less special fare-led globaly winter campaign, British Airways has launched its new British Airways BOTler, a personal Facebook Messenegr BOT offering a ‘best of the best’ guide to travelling to London this winter. It will offer live updates on exclusive deals and personalise recommendations on top attractions and experiences tailored for individual users.
Enjoy deals such as stays at the Rosewood London at 30% less. When you present your boarding passes, you will also receive up to 60% off at Biscester Village and a VIP Pass and discounts at Westfield London.
British Airways is offering special fares to London Heathrow across almost 200 international destinations. Singaporean travellers can enjoy ‘London for Less’ this winter with return fares starting from S$1,218 in World Traveller economy class, from S$2,288 in World Traveller Plus premium economy, from S$6,088 in the award-winning Club World business class and from S$10,688 in First.
The special offer is available for outbound travel from Singapore between 1 December 2016 and 30 April 2017 and tickets must be booked from 1 December to 9 December 2016 on ba.com.
Jessie J and British Airways in Tokyo
The public was invited on board to meet Jessie J and participate in quizzes and karaoke contests to win prizes including British Airways return flights to London in World Traveller and Club World cabins as well as exclusive discount booking codes for ba.com.
The airline ran a Twitter competition to win a pair of World Traveller economy class tickets to London.
Jessie gave her top tips for the festive season: “London in December has such a vibe. Whether you want to wander around the famous Harrods in Knightsbridge or bring out your inner child at Hamleys toy shop on Regent Street (I used to work there) visit Hyde Park and drink mulled wine at winter wonderland. Taking a walk and discovering hidden gems to eat all over London. Go to pop up cinemas in Hackney or see the lights at Tower Bridge or ice skate at the Natural History Museum! It’s beautiful! Biggest tip for me in London is to look up. You discover beauty everywhere when you look up,” she said.
Cathay Pacific Heathrow Lounge Reopens 7 December
Cathay Pacific’s Heathrow lounge in Terminal 3 reopens 7 December officially featuring separate First and Business Class areas. It is the only lounge outside Hong Kong with these distinct zones. Just like the the lounges in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Haneda (Tokyo), Manila, Vancouver or Taipei, the Heathrow lounge is designed by London-based design studio led by Ilse Crawford of Studioilse.
The 1,200 sqm lounge is 30% larger than the old lounge. The lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows provide panoramic views of the airport’s apron and northerly runway. The lounge conveys Cathay Pacific’s brand ethos of a “Life Well Travelled”.
First Class Passengers can dine at The Dining Room which offers freshly prepared dishes as a table service, as well as The Pantry where grab and go items are available. Business Class passengers get to enjoy the airline’s signature Noodle Bar and The Food Hall that offers a wide variety of Western and International dishes, including traditional British fare. A full-service bar is also available.
Other amenities include eight shower suites and The Bureau to get some work done. The lounge is open to First, Business Class passengers and Marco Polo Club members who are Silver or above as well as oneworld members who are Sapphire or above. The lounge operates from 5.30am from Monday to Saturday and 7.30am on Sunday till 10.30pm.
Cathay Pacific operates five daily flights between Hong Kong and Heathrow.
Etihad Airways Mannequin Challenge
The world has gone beserk with the Mannequin Challenge. Etihad Airways has reimagined the challenge in its own way offering a view of its flagship Airbus A380 that features the three room suite in the sky called The Residence. Instead of using real people, real mannequins were used . Quite cute, don’t you agree?
The airline was awarded Best First Class and Best Long Haul Airline in Middle East and Africa y AirlineRatings.com 2017 Airline Excellence Awards. It was also named in the global Top Ten. The 2017 AirlineRatings.com awards come just weeks after the UAE flag carrier received a Skytrax Certified 5-Star Airline Rating. This followed Skytrax awards for the World’s Best First Class Airline, World’s Best First Class Onboard Catering, and World’s Best First Class Airline Seat for its Airbus A380 First Apartment in July 2016.
Etihad Airways Launches Six New Business Class Amenity Kit Designs
Etihad Airways has launched six new amenity kit designs by LUXE City Guides inspired by iconic cities from its network. These six new designs influenced predominantly by the architectural features of each city are added to the previous six designs launched in October last year. The five new cities include Melbourne, New York, São Paulo, Rome and Bangkok. The Abu Dhabi kit has been refreshed with a new design and and updated city guide. Each kit comes with a city guide that showcases the destination’s best hotels, restaurants, spas, bars, boutiques and shopping as well as services, specialists and personal tour guides. The amenities in the kit such as the facial moisturiser and lip balm are from Scaramouche + Fandango. The new kits also include a sleep pack containing socks and eye masks, and a dental pack and earplugs. Etihad Airways’ Business Class amenity kits have received the Gold Seal for Excellence at the Travelplus Awards earlier this year.
Jet Airways Serves Singapore Dishes and Introduces Daily Direct Flights between Singapore and Bengaluru
Jet Airways has been offering a series of Singapore local favourites in First Class and Première on its flights between Singapore and India. In the month of November, Singapore Prawn Laksa was served on all its daily direct flights departing Singapore for Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
From 14 December 2016, Jet Airways will launch daily direct flights on its Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft from Singapore to Bengaluru. This offers guests from Singapore connectivity to Hyderbad, Mangaluru, Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram through Bengaluru. 9W023 will depart Singapore Changi Airport at 7.15pm and arrive in Bengaluru at 9.15pm. The return flight, 9W024 departs Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport at 11.10am and arrive in Singapore at 6.10pm.
Jetstar Launches S$2017 Long Weekend Package for Seven Guaranteed Return Trips
To herald in the new year, Jetstar is offering the Ultimate Long Weekend Flight Package priced at S$2017 nett. This package offers seven return flight to seven top destinations in Asia over seven long weekends in 2017. The sale kicks off 6 December at 9am for one day only while stocks last. This package translates to just S$288 nett per return flight ticket.
The price is inclusive of taxes, fees, credit card booking fees and 20kg checked baggage allowance for all flights. Destinations and travel dates:
- Hong Kong: Friday, 14 April to Monday, 17 April – Good Friday
- Penang: Saturday, 29 April to Monday, 1 May – Labour Day
- Perth: Wednesday 10 May to Sunday 14 May – Vesak Day
- Bali: Saturday, 24 June to Monday, 26 June – Hari Raya Puasa
- Bangkok: Wednesday, 9 August to Sunday, 13 August – National Day
- Ho Chi Minh City: Friday, 1 September to Sunday, 3 September – Hari Raya Haji
- Taipei: Saturday, 14 October to Tuesday, 17 October – Deepavali
The flight package will be sold on a first-come first-served basis, limited to four packages per customer.
Qantas Launches Virtual Reality App
Qantas has launched Qantas VR, a new virtual reality app that lets discover and explore destinations before travelling there. The app is available for iPhone, Android, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive devices. The App showcases Australia’s distinctive landscape through a series of immersive videos and aerial footage of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. You can view in two modes – split screen if you are wearing a compatible headset or Google Cardboard and 2D landscape for viewing directly on a smartphone. You can even book your Qantas flights directly from the app. The app was created by Australian virtual reality company, Start VR. CEO and Creative Director of Start VR, Kain Tietzel. First launched on 11 November with thirteen videos, additional content will be progressively rolled out over the weeks.
The app can be downloaded free from the App Store, Google Play, or compatible headset app stores. For more information, visit Qantas.com/VR.
Qantas Gives Business Class Pyjamas a Makeover
Qantas has redesigned its iconic Business Class pyjamas for guests flying on international flights from 7 November 2016 to reflect the airline’s new logo and livery and flying kangaroo logo. The long sleeved pyjamas is made of cotton and feature a new raglan-style top with a seam from the underarm to the collar bone and drawstring pant in a more relaxed fit. The unisex pyjamas is still grey while the Kangaroo logo has been updated and changed to a navy blue. The shirt also features QANTAS printed on the back of the neck. Sleepwear was first introduced in the late 1990s and there has been tweaks and adjustments with each design update since.
These pyjamas are available to customers travelling in Business on select international flights between Australia and Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Francisco, Hawaii, Santiago, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Johannesburg, Shanghai, Vancouver, Dubai and London.
Qantas recently updated the sleepwear for customers travelling in First class, designed by Australian fashion designer, Martin Grant.
Qatar Airways To Introduce 15 new Gateways in 2017/18
Qatar Airways will introduce eight more destinations for 2017 and 2018 in addition to seven previously announced new cities for a total of 15 new gateways. The airline currently flies to 150 destinations on six continents around the world.
The eight new destinations announced on 28 November 2016 include:
- Auckland, New Zealand will start 5 February 2017 making it the world’s largest commercial flight
- Sarajevo, Bosnia
- Skopje, Macedonia
- Libreville, Gabon
- Nice, France
- Chiang Mai, the airline’s fourth destination in Thailand
- Douala, Cameroon
New SkyTeam Lounge in Beijing
SkyTeam’s newest lounge is the lounge managed by Beijing Aviation Ground Services at Beijing Capital International Airport. This is the second SkyTeam-branded lounge in the Greater China region and the sixth in the world. The other SkyTeam branded lounges are located in Dubai, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London Heathrow and Sydney. The 800sqm lounge is open to First and Business Class passengers and Elite Plus members flying on any of the 12 SkyTeam airlines serving the airport.
The lounge can seat 160 guests and features SkyTeam’s signature sleek, modern curves and natural accents of wood. Guests can enjoy buffet with hot and cold Chinese and International food offered throughout the day. Hot drinks, water and soft drinks as well as premium-label beers and spirits and wine. Natural light is abundant and you can enjoy views of the airport. Complimentary Wi-Fi and a business area with computers and numerous power outlets throughout the lounge as well as showers with towels and toiletries are available as well. A television room, relaxation area and a VIP room for added privacy.
The alliance offers over 3,700 weekly frequencies to and from Beijing Capital International Airport operated by member airlines including Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, KLM, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.
Vietnam Airlines Takes Delivery of 10th Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Vietnam Airlines took delivery of its 10th 787-9 Dreamliner only 16 months after taking delivery of the first Dreamliner on July 2015. The 787 is one of the keys to the airline’s fleet expansion plans. Vietnam Airlines is the national flag carrier of Vietnam and headquartered in Hanoi, Vietnam. The airline operates 92 routes to 20 domestic and 29 international destinations with average 400 daily flights. It is certified by SKYTRAX as a four-star airline and is a member of the SkyTeam Alliance since 2010. It operates the 787 Dreamliners on the domestic Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City route and international routes to and from London, Frankfurt, Narita and Beijing. Vietnam Airlines’ fleet of Boeing 787s has operated over 7,600 flights with 35,000 flight hours and has flown approximately 1.79 million passengers.
