Airlines and Aviation

Emirates expands flight schedules across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban

Kanchan Nath Sep 27, 2022

Emirates will be bringing new travel opportunities, choice and convenience for customers traveling to and from South Africa with additional services to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas Resumes Flights To Johannesburg After A Lengthy Absence

Joe Cusmano Jan 11, 2022

Qantas will resume its operation in South Africa, with the flight landing to Johannesburg for the first time since early 2020 and the first “rescue flights” to bring Australians back home.

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates to fly A380 to Johannesburg

Mark Elliott Jul 28, 2016

tes will deploy its Airbus A380 aircraft to Johannesburg next year, as it upgrades one of its four daily flights to the South African city. Effective 1 February 2017, flights EK761…

Airlines and Aviation

BA to deploy A380 to Johannesburg

Mark Elliott Sep 17, 2013

British Airways will use an Airbus A380 on its route between Heathrow and Johannesburg from next year. The A380 service will commence in February next year, following the aircraft’s…

Airlines and Aviation

RwandAir launches Johannesburg flights

Mark Elliott Jan 21, 2010

Hardly two months after taking delivery of its new aircraft, RwandAir has released a new schedule effective February 2010 announcing direct flights into Johannesburg every Monday,…

Airlines and Aviation

oneworld does charity work in Johannesburg

Mark Elliott Oct 30, 2007

They will be spending the week in the Johannesburg area in a programme they are calling "oneworld against poverty". It's being led by the Qantas Cabin Crew Team, a flight attendants'…

Hotels

Hyatt’s transformative growth across Europe, the Middle East & Africa 

Kanchan Nath Mar 7, 2023

Hyatt Hotels Corporation  shared that 45 percent of the properties that joined Hyatt’s system in 2022 were based in EAME markets and the region’s contribution to the Hyatt growth journey…

Airlines and Aviation

British Airways codeshares with Airlink

Kanchan Nath Feb 9, 2023

British Airways has announced a codeshare partnership with Airlink, improving connectivity between the UK, Europe, North America and more than 15 destinations in Southern Africa. 

Tourism Boards

South African Tourism launches Phase 2 of the ‘More&More’ campaign featuring Indian influencers

Kanchan Nath Jan 25, 2023

After witnessing immense success in the initial phase of the ‘More & More’ campaign, South African Tourism is back with its second leg

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates’ flagship A380 returns to Morocco

Kanchan Nath Jan 24, 2023

Emirates has announced that it will reintroduce its flagship A380 to Casablanca as part of the airline’s ramp up of operations to Morocco.

Airlines and Aviation

THAI and Singapore Airlines forge new strategic partnership

Kristin Mariano Dec 6, 2022

Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form a new strategic partnership. This will result in the airlines progressively code sharing more…

Associations

UNWTO welcomes 18 new affiliate members

Kanchan Nath Nov 28, 2022

The newly admitted UNWTO members reflect the diversity of the broad tourism sector, with private companies, Destination Management Organizations, universities, professional associations,…

Guest Column

Sounds of Africa in Bangkok – The South Africa ball SATCC

Andrew J Wood Oct 3, 2022

A fabulous evening of camaraderie, great music, fantastic food and a brilliant array of wines and drinks at the high-tech, high-energy refurbished Montien Hotel in the heart of Bangkok. 

Air

The End Of The Iconic Queen Of The Sky

Joe Cusmano Sep 22, 2022

The Boeing 747 is undoubtedly the most well-known jet aircraft in history. Over fifty years ago, in Everett, Washington, the first 747 ever built took to the skies. Because it was larger…

Airlines and Aviation

Fly Delta daily direct Cape Town to Atlanta

Kanchan Nath Sep 12, 2022

Its new triangle route offers more flights from the Western Cape and Johannesburg to the U.S.

Airlines and Aviation

Delta goes daily from Cape Town to Atlanta

Kristin Mariano Sep 12, 2022

Delta Air Lines is expanding its South Africa network, introducing a new, seasonal “triangular” route from Atlanta-Johannesburg-Cape Town-Atlanta starting December 2, 2022. The…

Air

Jet setting with Four Seasons Private Jet Journeys for 2024

Kanchan Nath Aug 18, 2022

Four Seasons announces the first set of 2024 itineraries for the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience. While limited availability remains on select 2023 itineraries.

Tourism

St Helena removes quarantine rules for travellers

Megha Paul Aug 12, 2022

St Helena was famously one of the least accessible destinations on the planet until its small airport opened in 2017, previously reached only by a five-day voyage from Cape Town

Air

South African Tourism rolls out digital campaign for India

Megha Paul Jul 29, 2022

Through this targeted digital campaign, South African Tourism hopes to engage with millennials, double-income-no-kid households, and Indian families

TD Syndicated Partner

Computer glitch shuts down Swiss airspace

Harry Johnson Jun 15, 2022

Switzerland’s major airports in Zurich and Geneva were paralyzed today, halting all landings and takeoffs after the air traffic control service Skyguide grounded all flights early on…

Features

These are cheapest places to visit for the most sunshine

Megha Paul May 24, 2022

New research has analysed how many hours of sunshine different holiday destinations around the world receive each day alongside the average cost of staying in each destination to reveal the…

Selo Group appoints renowned sustainability expert Piet Van Zyl as Chief Regenerative Officer

Chris Head Mar 25, 2022

, Selo Group, an award-winning and fully integrated development company based in Singapore, announced the appointment of Piet Van Zyl as chief regenerative officer. Drawing on his wealth of…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas Offers A Slew Of Benefits For Direct Bookings,

Joe Cusmano Jan 25, 2022

Qantas is making a concerted effort to make it easier than ever for consumers to book flights directly.

Meetings Africa 2022 gears up to reignite Africa’s business events industry

Megha Paul Jan 12, 2022

Following the announcement by South African Tourism (SAT) last year that the trade show will be staged in a physical format after an absence in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

TD Syndicated Partner

A Glimmer Of Hope Cases Of Omicron In South Africa Plummet

Joe Cusmano Jan 4, 2022

According to medical specialists, South Africa’s recent reduction in new COVID-19 cases could indicate that the country’s significant omicron-driven increase has peaked.

Over a third of UAE hotel guests seek homely experience

Megha Paul Dec 9, 2021

New global travel survey has found that UAE travelers seek a homely experience when staying in a hotel, with 36% saying they like to feel like they’re visiting a friend’s home

Four Seasons announces 2023 Private Jet journeys in response to pent-up demand

Kristin Mariano Dec 8, 2021

Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts has announced its 2023 Private Jet itineraries for the ultimate luxe experience in the sky and on the ground, exploring Egypt, Bora Bora, London, Thailand, and…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates suspends flights to and from Southern Africa

Joe Cusmano Nov 30, 2021

Following the detection of the new, more infectious strain in several countries, many governments have begun closing their borders to nationals from countries where the new variant of the…

Which airlines are operating international flights from Sydney?

Joe Cusmano Nov 2, 2021

More flights will depart Australia beginning this month, as Qantas and Jetstar have moved forwards the restart of some international routes.

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas will resume the A380 services from April 2022

Joe Cusmano Oct 29, 2021

Three months earlier than previously planned; Qantas will resume the A380 service with two superjumbo jets beginning service to Los Angeles in April 2022.

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas and Jetstar staff to return to work to handle the demand

Joe Cusmano Oct 27, 2021

Qantas has recently announced an accelerated return to service, bringing back more international flights from Sydney and announcing the debut of non-stop flights to India.

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas and Virgin’s bring forward flight schedules

Joe Cusmano Oct 19, 2021

Qantas has moved international flights to London and Los Angeles forwards by nearly three weeks, with flights to these locations now departing on November 1.

Qantas announces second wave of international flights

Joe Cusmano Oct 5, 2021

Qantas intends to resume international flights to the second group of overseas destinations on March 27, 2022, two years after the pandemic-related grounding.

Features

Here is Qantas’ new international flight schedule

Joe Cusmano Sep 10, 2021

Qantas has published the first international flights on Monday, December 20, 2021, resuming service after a whopping 21 months of absence.

Airlines and Aviation

What the future of flying looks like post lockdown

Joe Cusmano Sep 1, 2021

Comes Christmas, it may be cheaper to go and visit friends and relatives in London than flying from Sydney to Perth “provided the state opens its border”.

Air

South African Airways to restart operations after one-year hiatus

Megha Paul Aug 30, 2021

South Africa’s state-owned national carrier South African Airways (SAA) will resume flying between limited destinations from 23 September

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas reveals international travel start date

Joe Cusmano Aug 27, 2021

According to Qantas, flights to Singapore, the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom are expected to resume in mid-December, while flights to Bali and Thailand will resume in April of…

Tourism

Doha overtakes Dubai

Joe Cusmano Jul 23, 2021

ForwardKeys, which has the world’s freshest and most comprehensive flight booking data, reveals that in the first half of 2021, Doha seized and consolidated a lead over Dubai.

Interviews

Why passengers can rely on Qatar Airways for a safe journey

Kristin Mariano Mar 11, 2021

Here is a story of an airline that embraced the change and immediately adapted to the “new normal” while keeping the mission of “connecting families” at its core.

Hyatt Regency Cape Town opens marking group’s second hotel in South Africa

Kristin Mariano Dec 18, 2020

The hotel is the first Hyatt-branded property in the “Mother City.”

Lufthansa witnesses 400% rise in holiday booking

Megha Paul Dec 7, 2020

Lufthansa has witnessed a sharp increase in intercontinental and intra-European bookings for the upcoming Christmas and New Year travel season

Podcast: Rwanda

Kate Webster Nov 9, 2020

You could be mistaken for being in a different country when visiting Rwanda. It is unlike other African countries, maybe even unlike any other country in the world. You can forget the raw,…

Seychelles reopens doors to African countries

Megha Paul Oct 20, 2020

Seychelles authorities have given permission for travellers from ten African countries to re-enter the country from 19 October 2020

United Airlines adding new nonstop flights to Africa, India and Hawaii

Harry S. Johnson Sep 10, 2020

United Airlines today announced plans to expand its global route network with new nonstop service to Africa, India and Hawaii. With these new routes, United will offer more nonstop service…

Middle East

Emirates launch new round of repatriation flights

Alastair Newport Apr 24, 2020

Emirates have announced plans to run services to Frankfurt (25, 27, 29 April), Jakarta (26 April), Johannesburg (25 April), Lagos (26 April), London Heathrow (23, 24, 26, 28, 30 April),…

Emirates SkyCargo scales up network for transport of essential commodities

Megha Paul Apr 13, 2020

Emirates SkyCargo is delivering food, medical supplies and other essential commodities to markets across the world during the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline has scaled up its cargo…

Global

Lufthansa reworks global services to get people home

Alastair Newport Apr 3, 2020

Lufthansa has announced that it will extend its repatriation flight schedule, which was originally scheduled to run until 19 April, to 3 May. This also means that all remaining flights of…

In Memoriam: Legendary hotelier Sol Kerzner passes away

Megha Paul Mar 23, 2020

Legendary hotelier Solomon ‘Sol’ Kerzner, who was instrumental in revolutionising the Maldives tourism industry, has passed away. The South African hotel mogul, 84, died of cancer at his…

Caribbean

BA picks up St Lucia service after Virgin Atlantic drops popular winter sun destination

Alastair Newport Feb 13, 2020

British Airways has announced a new tranche of flights for passengers travelling to winter-sun hot-spots St Lucia, Cape Town and Cancun from London Gatwick. The airline will launch the…

Hot hotel openings: COMO Cocoa Islands and more

Christian Tolentino Dec 6, 2019

On this week's round-up of hot hotel openings, COMO Cocoa Islands heats up in the Maldives, Rotana opens a five-star retreat in Dar es Salaam, Ritz-Carlton reopens in the US Virgin Islands…

Hot hotel openings: IHG and Accor launch in the Maldives and more

Christian Tolentino Sep 27, 2019

On this week’s round-up of hot hotel openings, IHG and Accor go head-to-head with new resorts in the Maldives, LEGOLAND announces its Pirate Island Hotel and more.

Air

Alitalia back to Milan Bergamo after eight-year hiatus

Megha Paul Jul 31, 2019

Milan Bergamo Airport (SACBO) marked the celebration of the return of Italian flag carrier Alitalia to its carrier roll call, as well as the addition of Rome Fiumicino to the airport’s…

Tourism

‘Meet Your South Africa’ guides at Experience Africa 2019 in London

Megha Paul Jun 17, 2019

South African Tourism will be one of the lead sponsors of Experience Africa this year which will take place between 24-26 June at the CCT Venues Plus in London. South African Tourism…

Tourism Boards

Why St Helena must be on your 2019 travel bucket list

Mili Jan 3, 2019

Helena Bennett, director of St Helena Tourism, gives us an exclusive lowdown and some much-needed inspiration for our 2019 travel plans.

OTAs & Tour Operators

Cosmos launches 25 exotic itineraries across four continents

Christian Tolentino Sep 10, 2018

UK-based escort touring provider, Cosmos, has launched 25 new tours to exotic destinations in South and Central America, Asia, Africa and the South Pacific.

United States

Kenya Airways and Delta deal “elevates the travel experience”

Alastair Newport Aug 20, 2018

American aviation giant Delta Air Lines has announced a new partnership with Kenya Airways. The codeshare agreement, on Kenyan airline flights from Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Accra to…

Cruise

Azamara Club Cruises unveils 2020 itineraries

Kristin Mariano May 22, 2018

Azamara Club Cruises reveals the 2020 itineraries that will take guests to new destinations in South Africa, French Polynesia, and Hawaii.

Hospitality

Autograph Collection debuts in South Africa with African Pride

Christian Tolentino May 18, 2018

Marriott International’s distinctive Autograph Collection Hotels, welcomed five African Pride Hotels to its growing global portfolio, marking the brand’s debut in South Africa.

Air

Direct flights from Durban to London to debut on 29 October

Kristin Mariano May 11, 2018

Great news for British passengers heading to Durban in South Africa as British Airways announced that it will offer a direct flight from London Heathrow Airport to King Shaka International…

Airlines and Aviation

St Helena Airport gets commercial flight

Jill Sayles Oct 16, 2017 16

The first ever commercial flight to St Helena from South Africa touched down on the island at the weekend.  Airlink brought in this inaugural flight from Johannesburg, following a six…

OTAs & Tour Operators

Premier Holidays launches South Africa campaign

Jill Sayles Sep 26, 2017

Premier Holidays has unveiled a series of tactical offers to South Africa as part of a new campaign to promote the destination.  The operator has teamed up with South African Tourism…

Appointments

Faith Coetzee appointed new GM Singapore/Hong Kong/Manila for A2A Safaris

michael Sep 8, 2017

A2A Safaris had made Faith Coetzee its new GM for its Singapore, Hong Kong and Manila team as demand for luxury travel services to Africa and Latin America booms, the company said in a…

South Africa

South Atlantic island of St Helena gets flight route

Jill Sayles Jul 25, 2017

South Africa Airlink will offer scheduled commercial air services to St Helena when it starts flights between South Africa and St Helena later this year.  This follows a period of…

Ireland

KLM adds additional frequency on Dublin route

Maria Airey May 16, 2017

From 10 July, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will operate an additional frequency on the Dublin to Amsterdam route, further increasing the capital’s connectivity with Amsterdam, and the world.…

United States

Asilia Expands Into Southern Tanzania With Two New Safari Properties This Year

Simon Willmore Apr 12, 2017 0

In August this year, Asilia will open Roho ya Selous in the Selous Game Reserve, an area known for its varied landscape of grasslands and waterways and one of the largest wilderness areas on…

Airlines and Aviation

BA reveals major investment programme

Gemma Greenwood Apr 7, 2017

British Airways has launched its investment plans for customers, focusing on excellence in the premium cabins and more choice and quality for passengers. The investments include £400m in…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas forms Asian connections with Israel

Mark Elliott Feb 23, 2017

Qantas and El Al have formed a new partnership aimed at improving flight connectivity between Australia and Israel. Under the new agreement, the national carriers will connect with…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad reports year of sustained growth as it evolves into EAG

Gemma Greenwood Feb 8, 2017

Etihad Airways delivered another year of sustained growth in 2016, helped by new aircraft, additional frequencies and the introduction of further world-class products. The airline…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad flies latest aircraft to Far East

Mark Elliott Jan 26, 2017

Etihad Airways has unveiled plans to fly its newest aircraft to three major cities in the Far East. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier will take delivery of nine more Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in…

Appointments

The latest appointments, including Sabre’s Frank Trampert and Nikki Beach’s new president

Mark Elliott Jan 18, 2017

FRANK TRAMPERT has been appointed as the new managing director & chief commercial officer for Sabre's hospitality business in Asia Pacific. Trampert has extensive experience in the…

Five Must Visit Countries in Southern Africa

Simon Willmore Jan 10, 2017 0

The African continent is usually visited by region, due to its vast size, and also inherently different travel experiences. As such, tourists will either head to East Africa (Kenya,…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates A380 returns to Tokyo

Mark Elliott Jan 4, 2017

Emirates will resume its Airbus A380 services to Tokyo in March 2017, increasing seat capacity on the route by 38%. Effective 26 March, the airline will start operating the 489-seat,…

Attractions & Tours

The World’s tallest building celebrates Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour

Gemma Greenwood Dec 17, 2016

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May were welcomed to Dubai with a huge projection onto the world’s tallest building, The Burj Khalifa, as they arrived in the city for the final…

Airlines and Aviation

Fly round the world in the Southern Hemisphere

Mark Elliott Dec 2, 2016

A new round-the-world fare has been launched by oneworld that offers travel solely within the Southern Hemisphere. The new option has been enabled by the recent launch of LATAM Airlines'…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways adds 158 more seats daily to Cape Town

Gemma Greenwood Nov 21, 2016

Qatar Airways has increased daily capacity to the popular family holiday destination Cape Town, with the introduction of a Boeing 777 serving the route from this month. This means an…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways in codeshare deal with Air Botswana

Gemma Greenwood Nov 4, 2016

Qatar Airways has announced a code-share partnership with Air Botswana, offering Qatar Airways travellers enhanced access to three key destinations in Botswana, Africa.  The…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad introduces Dreamliner on Jo’burg route

Gemma Greenwood Nov 4, 2016

A state-of-the-art Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has touched down in Johannesburg for the first time.  Etihad Airways will now operate the next-general aircraft daily on the…

Travel Tech

Travelport and BidTravel Africa renew long-term deal

Gemma Greenwood Oct 31, 2016

Travelport, a leading Travel Commerce Platform and BidTravel, the travel services division of Bidvest, and Africa’s largest travel group, have signed a new long-term agreement. The…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Dreamliner touches down in Riyadh

Gemma Greenwood Oct 30, 2016

Etihad Airways’ latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner route was launched today with the state-of-the art aircraft touching down in Riyadh, capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The occasion…

Airlines and Aviation

Air India launches world’s longest flight

Mark Elliott Oct 23, 2016

Air India has flown into the record books by operating the world's longest commercial flight. The national carrier has switched its Delhi-San Francisco service, which had previously…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad extends its reach in Africa in LCC tie-up

Gemma Greenwood Oct 3, 2016

Etihad Airways has boosted presence in Africa through a new codeshare agreement with kulula, South Africa’s award-winning low-cost carrier. The codeshare deal offers Etihad Airways…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad to roll out Dreamliner on Riyadh service

Gemma Greenwood Sep 27, 2016

Etihad Airways is to deploy a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on one of its twice-daily scheduled flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, with effect from 30 October 2016. The upgrade from a single…

UK

Face to face: Carl Cross, managing director, On The Go Tours

Gemma Greenwood Sep 13, 2016

What makes On the Go Tours different to other adventure specialists?  We started from humble beginnings as a small family owned company selling trips to North Africa, with a…

Airlines and Aviation

BA completes B747 cabin refresh

Gemma Greenwood Aug 7, 2016

British Airways (BA) has completed the major makeover of 18 of the airline’s iconic Boeing 747s to give them the look and feel of their newest aircraft. Each jumbo jet now features a…

Airlines and Aviation

SAA makes history with Africa’s first sustainable biofuel flights

Gemma Greenwood Jul 22, 2016

South African Airways (SAA) made history last week when a plane flying to Cape Town from Johannesburg became Africa’s first to fly on jet fuel made from tobacco plants. On 15 July, Boeing…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Serbia and Air Seychelles sign codeshare deal

Aaron Greenwood Jul 4, 2016

Air Serbia and Air Seychelles have signed a new codeshare agreement.  The codeshare deal will see Air Serbia place its JU flight code on four routes operated by Air Seychelles, from…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad upgrades Australian routes with newest aircraft

Mark Elliott Jun 2, 2016

Etihad Airways has upgraded its Australian network with the deployment of new aircraft to two destinations. The UAE-based airline’s Airbus A380 will touch down in Melbourne today (2 July…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa to revive UK-Frankfurt-Cape Town route

Aaron Greenwood May 30, 2016

This winter Lufthansa will resume operations of its UK - Frankfurt - Cape Town route in its flight schedule. From 2 December, UK flights to Frankfurt will offer connections to Cape Town…

Hotels

MENA Hospitality shows dipping stats: STR

Mark Elliott May 26, 2016

Recent reports from STR on hotels in the Middle East reported negative results, while hotels in Africa reported mixed results for April 2016. When compared with April 2015, the Middle…

Airlines and Aviation

Fly Blue Crane signs up with Travelport

Mark Elliott May 2, 2016

Travelport has partnered with Fly Blue Crane to offer its merchandising solution, Travelport Rich Content and Branding. The airline was launched in September 2015 and offers travel…

Airlines and Aviation

SAA launches Spring sale

Aaron Greenwood Apr 28, 2016

South African Airways (SAA) has launched its spring 2016 sale offering discounted fares to select destinations in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. Sale fares are…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Airways to add more capacity to South Africa

Mark Elliott Apr 5, 2016

Etihad Airways has announced its intent to add three additional passenger flights per week between Johannesburg and Abu Dhabi during months of July until September (inclusive) to cater…

Tourism

TCA Abu Dhabi targets Africa

Mark Elliott Apr 4, 2016

The lure of the growing potential of Africa is being explored by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi). The tourism authority will be joined by key attractions and…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Airways expands Istanbul services

Mark Elliott Mar 27, 2016

Etihad Airways recently announced its intent to expand its services to Istanbul during 2016 with a new four times weekly service to Sabiha Gokcen Airport. The service will commence on…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Airways, Taste Festivals roll out global partnership

Mark Elliott Mar 13, 2016

Etihad Airways will highlight its culinary experiences – inflight and in its airport lounges – through a new multi-year partnership with Taste Festivals Ltd. The airline, together…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates launches Dubai-Auckland – the world’s longest air route

Mark Elliott Mar 3, 2016

Emirates has launched its first direct flight between Dubai and Auckland, which becomes the world's longest scheduled air route. The inaugural 14,203km flight took off for the first…

Corporate & Business

North America dominates UK business travel bookings: report

Aaron Greenwood Feb 26, 2016

New data from American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) highlights the destinations most booked by UK-based business travellers in 2015, with traditional global business hubs leading the…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways in new codeshare with Comair in Africa

Mark Elliott Feb 17, 2016

Qatar Airways has announced a new code-share agreement with Comair, a franchise of British Airways, that will add three new African destinations to the Qatar Airways route map.  It…

UK

UK ranks as Abu Dhabi’s top inbound European market

Aaron Greenwood Jan 25, 2016

The UK ranked as Abu Dhabi’s number one European inbound tourism market and third-largest overall in 2015, according to new data from Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu…

OTAs & Tour Operators

Wendy Wu launches new tour destinations

Gemma Greenwood Jan 19, 2016

Wendy Wu Tours has expanded its popular portfolio of escorted tours beyond Asia for the first time with the launch of new tours to South America and South Africa. The new group tours…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates boosts its services to Athens

Mark Elliott Jan 13, 2016

Emirates recently unveiled plans to boost capacity to Athens with addition of a second daily flight. The new service will commence from 1 March 2016. The addition of a second daily…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Airways closes 2015 on a strong growth note

Mark Elliott Jan 13, 2016

The last year turned out to be a successful close for Etihad Airways. The airline carried 17.4 million passengers resulting in a significant increase of 17% over 2014, and operated…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways celebrates its Durban launch

Mark Elliott Dec 22, 2015

Qatar Airways has marked the launch of its Durban service with two days of celebrations. The airline will connect the new city with a four-times-weekly service. Qatar Airways’…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad’s Dreamliner spreads wings with five new routes

Mark Elliott Dec 18, 2015

Etihad Airways has unveiled plans to fly its Boeing 787 Dreamliners to five more destinations in 2016. With five new B787-9s due to join the airline's fleet over a seven-month period from…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways to expand South Africa network

Mark Elliott Dec 17, 2015

Qatar Airways announced its intent to launch new services between Doha and Durban. The four-times-weekly service to Durban further complements the airline’s existing daily flights to…

Hotels

Design Hotels becomes Starwood’s “11th brand”

Mark Elliott Dec 2, 2015

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has expanded partnership with Design Hotels, in a move that sees the independent hotel collection become the "11th Starwood brand". Starwood acquired a 49.8%…

Airlines and Aviation

New York top destination this winter for Brits

Aaron Greenwood Nov 19, 2015

New York is shaping as the most-popular winter holiday destination for Brits, according to the latest data issued by travel search engine momondo.co.uk.  The website analysed its UK…

Hotels

Hotel occupancies for MEA region on positive trend: STR Global

Mark Elliott Oct 28, 2015

Recent statistics released by STR Global for September 2015 stated that hotels in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region reported positive results in the three key performance areas.…

Airlines and Aviation

South African Airways launches flash sale

Gemma Greenwood Oct 13, 2015

South African Airways is offering discounted fares to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, and Namibia’s Windhoek. The airline’s SPRINGBAK sale offers discounts on…

Hotels

Marriott International expands in South Africa

Mark Elliott Sep 16, 2015

Marriott International Inc continued to expand its footprint across the African continent. The expansion was reported with the signing of two new properties in South Africa, in…

Tourism

Abu Dhabi targets the South African market

Mark Elliott Sep 16, 2015

Abu Dhabi is keen to explore more numbers from South Africa. In a recent development, the authority will be launching a three-city road show along with 12 local and South…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet expands South African codeshare

Mark Elliott Aug 31, 2015

Jet Airways has expanded its codeshare agreement with South African Airways (SAA). With immediate effect, passengers will be able to book through Jet for SAA's services from Abu Dhabi…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet expands student travel programme

Mark Elliott Aug 21, 2015

Jet Airways has extended its 'eduJetter' programme for students to include codeshare flights operated by Etihad Airways. The programme offers benefits to students who have secured…

Airlines and Aviation

Air China to fly direct to Mumbai

Mark Elliott Aug 20, 2015

Air China has confirmed plans to launch flights connecting Beijing and Mumbai. The new direct service will commence on 25 October 2015, operating four times a week. Flights will…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates to launch world’s longest flight

Mark Elliott Aug 14, 2015

Emirates has unveiled plans to launch services to Panama City, which will become the longest non-stop commercial flight in the world. Commencing on 1 February 2016, the new route will…

Airlines and Aviation

China Southern flies direct to Africa

Mark Elliott Aug 5, 2015

China Southern Airlines has launched its first ever non-stop flights to Africa. The Guangzhou-based carrier commenced direct services to Kenya's capital Nairobi on 5 August 2015, and…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa upgrades F&B in long-haul business class

Mark Elliott Aug 3, 2015

Lufthansa has started rolling its new 'Restaurant Service' F&B concept for business class passengers on long-haul flights. Effective this month, premium passengers on Lufthansa's…

Airlines and Aviation

Air France to launch Mexico’s first A380 flights

Mark Elliott Jul 20, 2015

Air France will deploy its Airbus A380 to Mexico next year, marking the first time the world's largest passenger aircraft has operated a scheduled service to the country. From January…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates opens Japan lounge

Mark Elliott Jun 14, 2015

Emirates recently announced the opening of its 38th dedicated lounge at Terminal 2 of Narita International Airport. The new lounge at Narita International Airport is the first…

Airlines and Aviation

Abu Dhabi International Airport’s busiest summer ever

Mark Elliott May 31, 2015

Abu Dhabi International Airport is readying itself for its busiest ever summer.  It is scheduled to note 1,504 flights departing from the UAE capital each week, 22% more than in the…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet Airways expands codeshare with Etihad

Mark Elliott May 18, 2015

Jet Airways is expanding its route map with the addition of new joint codeshare services with its partner, Etihad Airways. Under a new arrangement, Mumbai-based Jet will start placing…

Airlines and Aviation

THAI posts surprise profit in Q1

Mark Elliott May 14, 2015

Thai Airways International (THAI) rebounded with a surprise net profit of THB4.55 billion (US$135.1 million) in the first quarter of 2015. The airline, which suffered a net loss of…

Airlines and Aviation

Chinese airlines add African flights

Mark Elliott May 11, 2015

Two of China's largest airlines will expand their networks to Africa in the second half of 2015. On 5 August, China Southern Airlines will launch three weekly flights to the Kenyan…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways to boost Bengaluru

Mark Elliott May 5, 2015

Qatar Airways will increase the number of seats it offers to and from Bengaluru this summer. From 1 August 2015, the Doha-based airline will start flying a 335-seat, two-class Boeing…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet Airways joins forces with Air Seychelles

Mark Elliott May 5, 2015

India's Jet Airways has formed a new partnership with Air Seychelles. The agreement will initially include codesharing on each other's routes, but Jet said it also "heralds an era of…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Airways expands its East Africa presence

Mark Elliott May 3, 2015

Etihad Airways recently strengthened its presence in East Africa with the launch of new services to Entebbe, in central Uganda. The Inaugural flight EY645 departed Abu Dhabi at 7.50am…

Tourism

Africa on TCA Abu Dhabi’s sights

Mark Elliott Apr 27, 2015

The South African Travel industry recently got a glimpse of Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) highlighted its key tourism attractions at the…

Guest Column

Recalibrate to win in the Age of Traveller Power

Mark Elliott Apr 24, 2015

In 1952 the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) started flying passengers from London to Johannesburg aboard shiny de Havilland Comets and a new age of commercial aviation was…

Airlines and Aviation

BA celebrates new A380 route

Aaron Greenwood Apr 20, 2015

British Airways has commenced A380 flights to San Francisco, marking the second destination in California after Los Angeles to receive the superjumbo.  Washington DC was the first…

Tourism

South African Tourism to take adventure VR on the road

Aaron Greenwood Apr 8, 2015

Visitors to bars in London and Manchester looking for some escapism in April may get more than they bargained for, with South African Tourism launching its ‘Five-minute holiday’ promotion.…

Airlines and Aviation

New air routes: Delta and Virgin expand partnership; Emirates, Etihad and Qatar confirm new destinations

Aaron Greenwood Apr 2, 2015

Garuda Indonesia has announced its summer schedule, extending its service from London Gatwick to Jakarta to six days a week from 23 July to 28 October. The route, via Amsterdam, will…

Airlines and Aviation

SAA expands in India with Etihad, Jet

Mark Elliott Mar 23, 2015

South African Airways (SAA) will add several more destinations in India next month, following the launch of a new codeshare partnership with Etihad and Jet Airways. Effective 1 April…

Tourism Boards

India could become South Africa’s biggest source market

Mark Elliott Mar 17, 2015

India could overtake the UK to become South Africa's biggest source of visitor arrivals by 2020, a senior South African tourism official has said. The Financial Express reported the…

Hotels

Park Hyatt Zanzibar opens for business

Mark Elliott Mar 15, 2015

Hyatt Hotels Corporation recently announced the opening of Park Hyatt Zanzibar. This is the Group’s first property in East Africa and 36th Park Hyatt hotel worldwide. The new property…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways’ charts out A350XB route plan

Mark Elliott Mar 5, 2015

Qatar Airways recently announced the new routes for the A350XB throughout 2015. The expansion was announced with new routes of Durban, via Johannesburg in South Africa, which will…

Airlines and Aviation

Air China to take over SAA’s Beijing-Jo’burg route

Mark Elliott Mar 3, 2015

Air China will take over the operation of the Beijing-Johannesburg route, which is currently served by South African Airways (SAA), China's People's Daily has reported. The state-run…

Tourism

TCA Abu Dhabi expands in South Africa

Mark Elliott Feb 19, 2015

The South African market recently welcomed the new opening of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) representation. The country witnessed the appointment of…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways launches daily Durban flights

Mark Elliott Feb 19, 2015

Qatar Airways recently announced its intent to expand its presence in South Africa. The airline in line with its expansion plan has launched a new destination Durban while…

Hotels

IHG expands its presence in South Africa

Mark Elliott Jan 29, 2015

In an effort to expand its presence in the African continent, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) recently inked a franchise agreement with Choice Decisions 65 (Pty) Ltd. The…

Hotels

Four Seasons: ‘Exciting time’ for Joburg

Mark Elliott Jan 5, 2015

The general manager of the new Four Seasons hotel in Johannesburg has described this period as an ‘exciting time’ for the city as developments continue. Sebastian Carre said since…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Seychelles launches flights to India

Mark Elliott Dec 4, 2014

Air Seychelles has launched its first flights to India. The carrier commenced services from Mahe to Mumbai this week, and will now operate the route three times a week using a…

Hotels

Anantara opens second Africa property

Mark Elliott Oct 8, 2014

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas recently announced the opening of its second property in Africa. The resort in Mozambique - Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort & Spa is a 12-room…

Airlines and Aviation

Virgin Australia expands international links

Mark Elliott Oct 3, 2014

Virgin Australia has expanded its network of international connections, following the launch of new codeshare routes. An expanded codeshare agreement with Delta Air Lines will see the…

Airlines and Aviation

H1 profits up for Air Seychelles

Mark Elliott Sep 28, 2014

The first half of 2014 worked out with double digit growth in revenue and passenger volumes for Air Seychelles. The airline posted total revenues of US$50 million (up from US$42 m in…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Seychelles launches direct Mumbai flight

Mark Elliott Sep 21, 2014

Air Seychelles recently announced the launch of direct flights to Mumbai commencing 2 December 2014. Subject to regulatory approvals, the new three times per week service will be…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Seychelles to fly to Mumbai

Mark Elliott Sep 21, 2014

Air Seychelles has announced plans to launch direct flights to Mumbai. Commencing on 2 December 2014, the new service will operate three times a week, using a two-class Airbus A320…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates celebrates its worldwide lounge network

Mark Elliott Sep 18, 2014

The Emirates Lounge have catered to over 22 million customers since the airline opened its first international lounge outside of its Dubai hub. In the financial year ending March 2014,…

Airlines and Aviation

Virgin Atlantic drops four services to focus on US

Mark Elliott Sep 3, 2014

Virgin Atlantic has announced it will stop flights on several routes as it looks to reach sustained profitability by 2018. The carrier will cancel services from Heathrow to Tokyo…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways to fly Dreamliner to Cape Town

Mark Elliott Sep 3, 2014

Qatar Airways has announced plans to launch direct flights to Cape Town using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Commencing on 3 November 2014, the new route will run five times a week…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Airways’ schedule change for South Africa

Mark Elliott Aug 24, 2014

Effective 26 October 2014, Etihad Airways announced changes to its schedule between Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg. Xenia Adamou, Etihad Airways’ general manager, South Africa, said: “The…

Airlines and Aviation

Airbus A350 steps closer to inauguration

Mark Elliott Aug 19, 2014

The Airbus A350-900 has successfully completed a series of Route Proving trials following a tour of 14 global cities. The A350 XWB completed its Route Proving after landing in…

Airlines and Aviation

Global aviation at “low risk” from Ebola outbreak

Mark Elliott Aug 19, 2014

Global aviation is at low risk of Ebola transmission and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reiterates that travel bans in Ebola-affected West Africa are unnecessary as…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Seychelles’ new aircraft addition

Mark Elliott Jul 31, 2014

Air Seychelles will soon take delivery of its first Airbus A320 aircraft in December 2014. This new addition signifies enhancements to its international flight schedule at the same time.…

Airlines and Aviation

Airbus to embark on A350 world tour

Mark Elliott Jul 27, 2014

Airbus will take its brand new A350 aircraft on a world tour, prior to its entry into service later this year. This three-week mission will see the wide-body jet embark on four…

Airlines and Aviation

SAA commences food campaign

Mark Elliott Jul 24, 2014

South African Airways has launched a new food campaign as it also announced a new catering partner.  Taste of South Africa focuses on social media with the chance to win a holiday for…

Appointments

New Appointments

Mark Elliott Jul 7, 2014

BELHASSEN FTOUHI has been appointed operations manager for the Troon-managed Golf Club at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. He brings a wealth of experience to his role, which will see him play…

Airlines and Aviation

Aegean Airlines lands in Abu Dhabi

Mark Elliott Jun 16, 2014

Abu Dhabi International Airport (ADIA) welcomed the first flight of Aegean Airline from Athens. The 168-seat Airbus A320 received a water cannon salute on arrival.   The new service…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Seychelles pax numbers rise

Mark Elliott Jun 12, 2014

Air Seychelles recently announced its first quarter performance for 2014. As per the results, the airline witnessed a 38.2% increase in passenger numbers to 95,372, compared to 2013…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad Airways gets green signal on Jet Airways codeshare

Mark Elliott Jun 3, 2014

Etihad Airways has received necessary regulatory approvals to codeshare with Jet Airways. The airline in light of this development has announced a major expansion on 43 additional…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad boosts Indian connections with Jet

Mark Elliott Jun 2, 2014

Etihad Airways has announced a major expansion of its codeshare agreement with Jet Airways, offering more connections to destinations across India. The two airlines have obtained…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa’s premium economy class opens for booking

Mark Elliott May 20, 2014

Lufthansa has started taking bookings for its new premium economy seats. The new product will be rolled out on the airline's Boeing 747-8 aircraft from 10 December 2014, initially on…

Appointments

The latest industry appointments

Mark Elliott Mar 26, 2014

MARK MEEHAN has been appointed as Travelport's new managing director for Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. Meehan has spent 15 years with the travel technology company in a variety of…

Airlines and Aviation

South Africa tops Emirates’ Africa passenger destinations

Mark Elliott Mar 25, 2014

South Africa is Emirates’ leading destination for both passenger traffic and as a holiday destination in Africa, the airline has revealed.  “Africa holds such enormous potential for…

Airlines and Aviation

Air France to fly A380 to Hong Kong

Mark Elliott Feb 25, 2014

Air France will deploy its Airbus A380 on the Paris-Hong Kong route this summer. From 27 May to 8 June 2014, the double-decker jet will operate four weekly services (Tuesdays,…

Airlines and Aviation

BA to fly A380 to Singapore

Mark Elliott Feb 19, 2014

British Airways will start flying its Airbus A380 on the London-Singapore route later this year. Commencing on 28 October 2014, the UK's national carrier will deploy the double-decker…

Appointments

New Appointments

Mark Elliott Feb 9, 2014

GISELA CIANCIO has been appointed director of human resources at Four Seasons Hotel Doha. In addition to overseeing the Hotel’s HR functions, she will also serve as a member of the…

Hotels

Four Seasons plots international expansion

Mark Elliott Jan 29, 2014

Four Seasons has unveiled plans to expand its portfolio across several continents in the coming years. The luxury hotel company, which currently operates 92 hotels, will open at least…

Airlines and Aviation

Malaysia Airlines to cut last American route

Mark Elliott Jan 27, 2014

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will suspend its flights to Los Angeles - its last destination in the Americas - as part of a major cost-cutting drive. The national carrier, which is expected…

Airlines and Aviation

BA to fly Dreamliners to China and India

Mark Elliott Dec 11, 2013

British Airways will expand its new fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners to China and India next year. The airline has confirmed that it will commence Dreamliner flights to the Indian city…

Airlines and Aviation

International schedule expansion for Air Seychelles

Mark Elliott Dec 4, 2013

Air Seychelles recently announced, subject to regulatory approval, it will launch flights to Paris-Orly as part of an expansion to its international schedule. Plans for an optimised…

Airlines and Aviation

China Southern extends ‘Canton Route’ to Africa

Mark Elliott Dec 2, 2013

China Southern Airlines had formed a new codeshare partnership that will extend its 'Canton Route' to Africa. Designed to challenge the traditional 'Kangaroo Route' operators flying…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Seychelles pens Cathay codeshare

Mark Elliott Nov 22, 2013

Air Seychelles and Cathay Pacific have penned a new codeshare agreement that will see the two carriers cooperate on several routes, including those to Australia. Under the terms of…

Airlines and Aviation

International passenger numbers up 91% for Air Seychelles

Mark Elliott Nov 10, 2013

Air Seychelles reported positive numbers for Q3 of 2013. The airline’s international passenger operations witnessed a growth of 91% to 55,238 passengers (Q3 2012: 28,847). Overall…

Airlines and Aviation

Korean Air expands Etihad codeshare

Mark Elliott Oct 21, 2013

Korean Air has expanded its codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways to include six new destinations. In the second phase of cooperation between the two carriers, Etihad will place its…

Airlines and Aviation

Air France receives ninth A380

Mark Elliott Sep 16, 2013

Air France has taken delivery of its ninth Airbus A380. The latest double-decker aircraft was handed over to the French national carrier at the Airbus factory in Hamburg last week,…

Airlines and Aviation

MAS returns to Dubai

Mark Elliott Aug 6, 2013

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has resumed flights to Dubai, 18 months after it suspended services to the city. The new Kuala Lumpur-Dubai service took off on Monday 5 August 2013, and will…

Tourism

South Africa launches travel guide

Mark Elliott Aug 5, 2013

The South African Tourism Board has launched a travel guide in the Indian market.  The “My Travel Escapades in South Africa” is written by the tourism board’s Ambassador, Jonty…

Airlines and Aviation

Alitalia unveils turnaround strategy

Mark Elliott Jul 5, 2013

Italian carrier Alitalia has unveiled a new plan to return to profits in three years’ time. In the plan, the main Alitalia brand will focus on using Rome Fiumicino Airport as a hub…

Airlines and Aviation

SIA teams up with Changi for South Africa

Mark Elliott Jun 6, 2013

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has formed a new partnership with Changi Airport aimed at boosting travel between Singapore and South Africa. Under the agreement, the two companies will work…

Global

Air Seychelles inks code-share with SAA

Mark Elliott Apr 29, 2013 15

Air Seychelles has entered into a code-share agreement with South African Airways (SAA).  The first phase of the agreement will see South African Airways place its code on Air…

Global

Jet Airways, SAA ink code-share

Mark Elliott Apr 18, 2013 17

Jet Airways and South African Airways (SAA) announced a code-share agreement enhancing connectivity between India and South Africa.  Under the code-share arrangement Jet Airways will…

Global

52% outbound UK travel on low-cost airlines: Amadeus

Mark Elliott Apr 16, 2013 8

More than half of outbound air travel from the UK was on a low-cost airline, new figures from Amadeus have suggested. The travel technology company’s latest number crunch found 52%…

Airlines and Aviation

MAS losses narrow in 2012

Mar 3, 2013 5

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) reduced its losses considerably in 2012, following a major cost-saving programme. For the 12-months to 31 December 2012, the Kuala Lumpur-based national…

Airlines and Aviation

SAA sets ‘unprecedented’ January

Mark Elliott Feb 25, 2013 18

South African Airways (SAA) has seen an ‘unprecedented’ January this year following the launch of its winter adventure campaign. The airline said the launch of its ‘Extreme Fares’…

Airlines and Aviation

Garuda expands Etihad codeshare

Feb 25, 2013 15

Garuda Indonesia has added several new destinations to its codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways. The Indonesian national carrier will now place its 'GA' code on Etihad’s flights to…

Human Resources

ATR opens Singapore training centre

Dec 19, 2012 16

Turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR has officially opened its new training centre. The facility, which will train both for pilots and maintenance crew, is located in the Seletar Aerospace…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates adds permanent A380 flight to Singapore

Sep 18, 2012 0

Emirates will boost its Singapore route with the introduction of a permanent Airbus A380 service from 1 December 2012. The Dubai-based airline is offering a limited A380 services to…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas offers chauffeur service

Sep 7, 2012 15

Qantas will launch a new chauffeur service as part of its partnership with Emirates. Chauffeur Drive, which is planned to start in April 2013, will be offered to Qantas passengers…

Airlines and Aviation

Boeing delivers Africa’s first Dreamliner

Aug 15, 2012 14

Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines have celebrated the delivery of the airline's first B787 Dreamliner. The companies took part in a handover ceremony at the US planemaker's factory in…

Airlines and Aviation

South African boosts Mumbai-J’burg

Mark Elliott Aug 2, 2012 16

South African Airways has announced it will boost its services on Mumbai-Johannesburg sector. The airline will up capacity from its current five flights to flying seven times a week from 3…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates flies A380 to Amsterdam

Aug 2, 2012 12

Emirates has become the first airline to fly the Airbus A380 to Amsterdam. The new service, which launched yesterday (Wednesday 1 August) will now operate daily to the city's Schiphol…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways expands African operations

Mark Elliott Jul 28, 2012 9

Qatar Airways has expanded operations in Africa with the launch of daily scheduled flights to Kilimanjaro. This marks the 18th gateway on the Continent and second destination in Tanzania.…

Tourism Boards

Africa news round-up (04/07/12)

Mark Elliott Jul 4, 2012 9

Airline, tour operator, hotel and tourism news from the Africa region.  FastJet to launch in October Africa’s new low-cost carrier FastJet has announced it will launch with the…

Africa

African Briefs

Jul 4, 2012 6

Rwanda Africa’s fastest-growing air market Rwanda is the fastest growing aviation market in Africa, according to a new report. OAG’s latest Market Analysis report revealed that the number…

Airlines and Aviation

Etihad ‘kicks-off’ flights to Nigeria

Mark Elliott Jul 2, 2012 7

Etihad Airways' has started six flights a week between Abu Dhabi and Lagos. To celebrate the new service and Nigeria's love of football, the airline has operated its sky-blue A330-200…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways expands into Mozambique

Mark Elliott Jun 21, 2012 0

Qatar Airways announced a further expansion with plans to launch scheduled flights to Mozambique, effective October 31st, 2012. The route will be serviced with thrice-weekly flights…

Airlines and Aviation

MAS to double Asia Pacific routes – chairman

Jun 18, 2012 15

Malaysia Airline (MAS) plans to almost double its Asia Pacific destinations in the next three years, the company's Chairman has revealed. In an interview with Bloomberg last week, Md Nor Md…

Airlines and Aviation

Africa news round-up 6/6/12

Mark Elliott Jun 6, 2012 12

SAA scraps direct Cape Town flights South African Airways (SAA) is to stop flying direct to Cape Town from 16 August. The airline announced it is to fly to the city via Johannesburg or…

Airlines and Aviation

Airline briefs 05/06/12

Mark Elliott Jun 5, 2012 16

bmi Regional completes sale bmi Regional is to continue operating flights from Manchester and East Midlands after its sale to Sector Aviation Holdings was completed last week. Forty jobs…

Airlines and Aviation

SAA scraps direct Cape Town flights

Mark Elliott Jun 5, 2012 0

South African Airways (SAA) is to stop flying direct to Cape Town from 16 August. The airline announced it is to fly to the city via Johannesburg or Tambo International Airport using larger…

Africa

Africa news round-up

Mark Elliott May 15, 2012 20

Airline and hotel news from Africa's tourism product. Kempinski signs Nairobi hotel Kempinski Hotels has announced it will expand its Africa portfolio with a new property in…

Airlines and Aviation

Asian routes dominate global air traffic – Amadeus

May 10, 2012 17

The Asia Pacific region is home to eight out of the world’s 10 busiest inter-city air routes, Amadeus has revealed. According to analysis by the travel technology company’s Amadeus Total…

Airlines and Aviation

Travelport acquires Galileo Southern Africa

Mark Elliott May 5, 2012 7

Travelport announced the conclusion of an agreement with South African Airways (SAA) to acquire Galileo Southern Africa.  The new, combined entity will be known as Travelport Southern…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar eyes more Indian stations

Mark Elliott Nov 25, 2011 13

Qatar Airways is mulling on adding two more stations in India in order to expand operations in the country. Akbar Al Baker, CEO for Qatar Airways, said that as per a bilateral agreement…

Airlines and Aviation

Air France to redeploy Tokyo A380

Mark Elliott Nov 9, 2011 1

Air France remove Tokyo's Narita airport from its Airbus A380 network later this year. From 5 December 2011, the airline will redeploy its super jumbo to Dubai for the winter season as a…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa flies A380 to Singapore

Mark Elliott Nov 1, 2011 0

Lufthansa's Airbus A380 landed at Singapore's Changi Airport for the first time yesterday. The German national carrier will now operate the double-decker aircraft on its Singapore-Frankfurt…

Hotels

Travel Daily Asia: Five on Friday

Mark Elliott Oct 14, 2011 5

Renaissance Phuket celebrates anniversary with lucky draw Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa is celebrating its first birthday with an Anniversary Rewards Lucky Draw. Guests staying at…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates bows A380 in South Africa

Mark Elliott Oct 3, 2011

Johannesburg has welcomed its first scheduled Emirates A380 service, with flight EK761 from Dubai arriving at O R Tambo International Airport on Saturday. Johannesburg, the economic…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas flights delayed as union strikes

Mark Elliott Sep 30, 2011

Qantas has been hit by another strike today. An estimated 8,500 passengers are expected to be affected by Friday's industrial action, which saw members of the Transport Workers' Union…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa’s eighth A380 enters service

Mark Elliott Aug 23, 2011

Lufthansa's eighth Airbus A380 entered service yesterday, taking off from Frankfurt bound for Johannesburg. The aircraft, named 'Wien' after the Austrian capital Vienna, was scheduled to…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa launches latest A380

Mark Elliott Aug 22, 2011

Lufthansa's latest Airbus A380 will commence operations today (Monday 22 August). The German national carrier's eighth superjumbo, named 'Wien' after the Austrian capital Vienna, will…

Airlines and Aviation

Air capacity to rise 5% in August

Mark Elliott Aug 2, 2011

Global scheduled airline capacity is expected to increase by 5% in August, according to the latest data from OAG. The number of flights is also set to rise this month, although at a more…

Airlines and Aviation

Air capacity to rise 5% in August

Mark Elliott Aug 2, 2011

Global scheduled airline capacity is expected to increase by 5% in August, according to the latest data from OAG. The number of flights is also set to rise this month, although at a more…

Airlines and Aviation

SIA boosts Asian schedules

Mark Elliott Jul 17, 2011

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is increasing the frequency of services to several points in Southeast Asia, North Asia, the Indian subcontinent during the Northern Winter operating season (30…

Airlines and Aviation

THAI anoints two new aircraft

Mark Elliott Jun 21, 2011

Thai Airways International (THAI) has held a Buddhist anointing ceremony for two new wide-bodied aircraft. Today at 08.39am, Somdej Phra Maha Racha Mangkalajarn, the abbot of Wat Paknam,…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates to launch Jo’berg A380 service on 1 October

Mark Elliott Jun 20, 2011

Emirates has confirmed it will launch A380 services to Johannesburg, South Africa, on 1 October. The announcement of Emirates' first scheduled A380 service to Africa comes as the airline…

Tourism

Dubai in top 10 for international tourist arrivals

Mark Elliott Jun 5, 2011

Approximately eight million international tourists will visit Dubai in 2011, ranking the emirate at number nine of 132 cities across the world for visitor arrivals according to a new report…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa to fly A380 to Singapore

Mark Elliott May 20, 2011

Lufthansa has announced plans to fly its Airbus A380 daily to Singapore later this year. From 30 October 2011, the German national carrier will operate superjumbo services direct from…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa boosts A380 fleet

Mark Elliott May 12, 2011

Lufthansa has taken delivery of its seventh A380. The aircraft, which was ferried to Frankfurt from the Airbus plant at Hamburg-Finkenwerder last weekend, will further increase Lufthansa's…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa’s seventh A380 enters service

Mark Elliott May 11, 2011

Lufthansa has taken delivery of its seventh Airbus A380 aircraft. The new double-decker plane yesterday started operating daily services between Frankfurt and San Francisco. The German…

Airlines and Aviation

Iberia tags BA to gain access to Middle East

Mark Elliott Apr 10, 2011

British Airways and Iberia have extended their codeshare agreement to increase the UK's connectivity to Latin America and Iberia's customers to the Middle East. BA has placed its code on…

Airlines and Aviation

British Airways and Iberia extend codeshare

Mark Elliott Apr 6, 2011

British Airways and Iberia have extended their codeshare agreement to increase the UK's connectivity to Latin America and Iberia's customers to the Middle East. BA has placed its code on…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa boosts capacity for summer 2011

Mark Elliott Mar 16, 2011

Lufthansa has announced that it will increase its available seat capacity by 11.3% in summer 2011, compared to last year's summer season. This increase is largely attributable to the…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways launches Brussels flights

Mark Elliott Feb 1, 2011

Qatar Airways has continued its European expansion drive with the launch of scheduled flights to Brussels. Flight QR941 arrived at Brussels International Airport to a welcome ceremony…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa to launch A380 flights to San Francisco

Mark Elliott Jan 28, 2011

Lufthansa has announced that it will be launching daily A380 services between Frankfurt and San Francisco - the fifth destination for the German airline's superjumbo, and the first time…

Hotels

Agoda partners South Africa’s Protea hotels

Jan 11, 2011

Agoda.com, Asia's global hotel booking site and part of Nasdaq-listed Priceline.com Inc., today announced a partnership with the Protea hotel chain, South Africa's largest hotel group.…

Airlines and Aviation

Lufthansa names A380 after first destination, ‘Tokyo’

Mark Elliott Nov 25, 2010

The Governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, and Christoph Franz, Chairman of the Executive Board & CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, have officially launched the airline's…

Global

Rezidor launches two new South African hotels

Mark Elliott Nov 23, 2010

The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced two new South African hotels, including one in Cape Town and one in the world famous Kruger National Park. The Radisson Blu Safari Resort Kruger…

Global

Air Malawi signs Travelport deal

Mark Elliott Oct 25, 2010

Travelport has signed a full content agreement with Air Malawi. Under the agreement, the airline will provide its full inventory, including web fares, to Galileo and Worldspan…

Global

Wings makes its Middle East debut

Mark Elliott Oct 6, 2010

Global TMC Wings Travel Management has established a presence in the UAE.The Dubai operation will support the travel requirements of companies in the oil and gas, and marine sectors…

Global

Qantas expands Premium Economy services

Mark Elliott Aug 24, 2010

Qantas has announced that its will retro-fit six of its two class Boeing 747s to include 40 Premium Economy seats. The new class will be available on the airline's Tokyo route from October…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet, Kenya Airways sign codeshare deal

Mark Elliott Jul 16, 2010

New Delhi, July 15, 2010: Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, has entered into a Codeshare arrangement and network-wide frequent flyer partnership with…

Airlines and Aviation

AMEX, THAI celebrate 4th anniversary of partnership

Mark Elliott Jun 11, 2010

Bangkok, 9 June 2010 - American Express (Thai) Co., Limited together with Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) are celebrating the 4th Anniversary of the…

Global

Emirates to show World Cup games onboard and in airports

Mark Elliott Jun 10, 2010

Emirates will be broadcasting World Cup games in airports worldwide and aboard its flights. The airline's ice entertainment system will feature recordings of all the games within a few hours…

Airlines and Aviation

MAS to fly daily to Seoul

Mark Elliott Jun 6, 2010

Subang (7 June 2010) - Malaysia Airlines will be expanding its operations in Korea by introducing daily services between Kuala Lumpur and Seoul starting 15 November.The flight will…

Global

BA increases flight schedule

Mark Elliott Jun 1, 2010

British Airways has increased its flying schedule during Unite's five day strike due to the growing numbers of cabin crew willing to work as normal. During the industrial action from 5-9…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas goes daily to Jo’burg

Mark Elliott Jun 1, 2010

ADELAIDE, 31 May 2010: Qantas today announced it would move to a daily schedule on its Sydney-Johannesburg route from 21 September 2010.Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alan…

Global

Talks resume between BA and Unite

Mark Elliott May 27, 2010

British Airways and Unite met last night in an attempt to settle the ongoing dispute as strikes continue into its 11th day. "We spoke with Unite yesterday at Acas and talks will resume at a…

Global

Lufthansa claims quietest First Class on A380

Mark Elliott May 23, 2010

Lufthansa has taken delivery of its first Airbus A380 aircraft, which is equipped with what it claims is the world's quietest First Class cabin.The new cabin design features a range of…

Global

Lufthansa parades first A380

Mark Elliott May 20, 2010

Lufthansa has taken delivery of its first Airbus A380 aircraft, which is equipped with what it claims is the world's quietest First Class cabin.The new cabin design features a range of…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet sees seventh straight month of rising demand

Mark Elliott May 14, 2010

Mumbai, May 13, 2010: Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, today announced impressive growth figures for April 2010, which also mark the seventh…

Global

Olympic Air codeshares with Etihad Airways

Mark Elliott May 13, 2010

Olympic Air has signed a codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways. Through the agreement, Olympic Air will offer flights and tickets for the Athens-Abu Dhabi-Athens routes operated by…

Global

African air crash kills more than 100

Mark Elliott May 12, 2010

An Afriqiyah Airways aircraft has crashed in Libya, killing more than 100 people onboard. The Airbus 330 crashed on landing at Tripoli airport after a flight from Johannesburg. In a…

Global

Iberia triples seats to South Africa

Mark Elliott May 10, 2010

Iberia has almost tripled its seats to Johannesburg during the World Football Cup in South Africa this summer. Additional capacity will reach 170% by June and July, which is currently…

Features

The Smirnoff Experience returns to India

Mark Elliott May 3, 2010

Mumbai, Maharashtra, April 29, 2010 /India PRwire/ -- It's back! The ORIGINAL party Experience. Smirnoff Experience 2010 is coming to your city - The Grand, Delhi on May…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet Airways launch ‘Konnect Select’ premium service

Mark Elliott Apr 22, 2010

Mumbai, April 22, 2010: Buoyed by the improvement in the global economic environment and the resultant upswing in air travel demand, particularly business travel, Jet…

Features

Jet Airways launches Jo’burg flights

Mark Elliott Apr 19, 2010

Jet Airways inaugurated its first-ever daily direct service from Mumbai to Johannesburg on 14 April. Passengers travelling on Jet flights will also be able to book onward connections to…

Global

Jet Airways launches daily non-stop flights to South Africa

Mark Elliott Apr 15, 2010

Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, has launched non stop flights from Mumbai to Johannesburg aboard a state-of-the-art airbus 330-200 aircraft. The launch of this…

Global

RwandAir obtain Boeing aircraft

Mark Elliott Apr 15, 2010

RwandAir has signed an agreement today to receive two Boein 737-500s later this year.General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) will lease the aircraft to the airline in May and July…

Global

Jet Airways to launch Jo’burg flights this week

Mark Elliott Apr 11, 2010

Mumbai, April 9, 2010: Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, is set to open up the exotic and unexplored continent of Africa to Indian and international…

Global

Lufthansa offers A380 training for pilots

Mark Elliott Apr 11, 2010

Before the first of Lufthansa's A380s flies the German team to Johannesburg for the Football World Cup on Sunday, 6 June, Lufthansa pilots will carry out numerous flights with the…

Global

Jet launches South Africa social media contest

Mark Elliott Apr 8, 2010

Mumbai, April 8, 2010: Jet Airways, in association with South African Tourism and Sun International, today announced a social media contest, 'Why I should visit…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways adds Ankara to global network

Mark Elliott Apr 6, 2010

Tuesday 6 April 2010, Ankara, TURKEY - Qatar Airways is celebrating the launch of scheduled services to Ankara following the arrival of its inaugural flight from Doha to the…

Global

Delta takes delivery of 18th Boeing 777

Mark Elliott Mar 26, 2010

SEATTLE, March 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Honorees of Delta Air Lines' (NYSE:DAL) annual Chairman's Club employee recognition program today are accompanying the airline's 18th Boeing…

Global

THAI to lease three B777s from Jet Airways

Mark Elliott Mar 26, 2010

Mumbai, March 25, 2010: Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, today announced that as part of its strategic fleet and capacity rationalization…

Global

Emirates hosts Amsterdam gala event

Mark Elliott Mar 24, 2010

DUBAI, U.A.E., 23rd March 2010 - If you're hoping to deliver an 'out of this world' event, it always helps if an astronaut turns up. Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers joined…

Global

Jet registers fifth consecutive month of growth

Mark Elliott Mar 16, 2010

Mumbai, March 15, 2010: Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, today registered its fifth consecutive month of strong growth with the announcement of its…

Global

Emirates opens new UK lounge

Mark Elliott Mar 15, 2010

DUBAI, U.A.E., 14th March 2010 - Emirates has doubled its regional lounge offering in the UK within the space of just six months.A brand new luxury lounge has been officially…

Airlines and Aviation

Emirates doubles its UK lounge presence

Mark Elliott Mar 15, 2010

Emirates has doubled its premium lounge offering in the UK within the space of just six months.A new lounge has now opened in Birmingham representing the first such facility to be offered by…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet Airways’ record increased passengers

Mark Elliott Mar 15, 2010

Jet Airways has recorded an increase in its international and domestic seat factors.In its fifth consecutive revenue-rising month, the Indian airline's international traffic rose by…

Features

Jet Airways record increased passengers

Mark Elliott Mar 15, 2010

Jet Airways has recorded an increase in its international and domestic seat factors.In its fifth consecutive revenue-rising month, the Indian airline's international traffic rose by…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar Airways to serve South America

Mark Elliott Mar 12, 2010

11 March 2010, ITB Berlin - Qatar Airways yesterday announced plans to fly to Brazil and Argentina, spreading its award-winning service to the South American continent for the…

Airlines and Aviation

Qatar announces South American routes

Mark Elliott Mar 11, 2010

Qatar Airways has announced plans to fly to Brazil and Argentina, its first South American services. The continent's two largest cities - Sao Paulo in Brazil and the Argentinian…

Global

Emirates reports 12 months of growth

Mark Elliott Mar 11, 2010

Singapore, 11 March 2010 - More aircraft, more flights, new lounges and new recruits - these are just some of the developments the international airline of the UAE will share…

Global

Amadeus launches LinkHotel for independent hotels

Mark Elliott Mar 11, 2010

London, 10 March 2010: Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, today announces the launch of Amadeus…

Global

Air France-KLM summer schedule 2010

Mark Elliott Mar 5, 2010

In the wake of 2009, an extremely difficult year for the world economy and air transport in particular, tentative signs of recovery - depending on the country - have been…

Global

Fly to the World Cup with the Qantas Socceroos

Mark Elliott Mar 2, 2010

MELBOURNE, 2 March 2010: Qantas today announced Qantas Socceroos fans could book seats on a dedicated delivery flight carrying the team to the FIFA World Cup.Qantas will fly the Qantas…

Hotels

Rezidor Rwanda property

Feb 25, 2010

The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel groups worldwide, adds a 62nd nation to its portfolio with the announcement of the Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre,…

Global

UNWTO welcomes outcome of South Africa meet

Mark Elliott Feb 25, 2010

Johannesburg, South Africa / Madrid, Spain, 24 February 2010 - UNWTO welcomes the outcome of the First T.20 Ministers' Meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa (22-24…

Global

Starwood unveils Cisco TelePresence meetings suites

Mark Elliott Feb 25, 2010

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb 23, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) unveiled its first in-hotel Cisco TelePresence meeting suites…

Global

Airbus A380 arrives in Africa

Mark Elliott Feb 23, 2010

Thursday 18 February 2010: On 18 February 2010, Air France's Airbus A380 landed for the first time in Johannesburg after departing from Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 23.30 the night…

Global

UNWTO mega-event summit comes to South Africa

Mark Elliott Feb 23, 2010

South Africa will host the first ever UNWTO Summit on Tourism, Sport and Mega-events at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 24 to 26 February 2010. This event will bring…

Global

MAS returns to profitability in Q4

Mark Elliott Feb 22, 2010

Subang (22 February 2010): Malaysia Airlines returned to profitability for its fourth quarter ending 31 December 2009, posting a net profit of RM610 million, rebounding from RM300…

Global

Jet to launch Mumbai-Jo’burg services

Mark Elliott Feb 17, 2010

Mumbai, February 16, 2010: Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, today announced that it will commence daily non-stop flights from Mumbai to Johannesburg…

Airlines and Aviation

Jet Airways to launch daily SA flights

Mark Elliott Feb 16, 2010

Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, today announced that it will commence daily non-stop flights from Mumbai to Johannesburg from April 14th, 2010. The airline…

Global

THAI to cut Oslo, Moscow services

Mark Elliott Feb 16, 2010

13 Feb 10 (TravMedia.com): Thai Airways International Public Company Limited announced its flight schedules for the Summer Schedule 2010, effective 28 March - 30 October 2010.Mr.…

Airlines and Aviation

Thai announces summer schedule

Mark Elliott Feb 14, 2010

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited announced its flight schedules for the Summer Schedule 2010, effective 28 March - 30 October 2010.Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand,…

Airlines and Aviation

Air Partner predicts top 10 for private charter

Mark Elliott Feb 10, 2010

Air Partner, a world leading provider of private aviation services, has disclosed the top 10 cities for private air charter and predicted that new entrants will be joining the…

Global

THAI resumes Jo’burg flights, cancels three others

Mark Elliott Feb 7, 2010

05 Feb 10 (TravMedia.com): Thai Airways International (THAI) has decided to drop three under-performing regional routes but will reinstate services to Johannesburg starting from May.The…

Airlines and Aviation

Virgin launches Upper Class seat sale

Mark Elliott Jan 28, 2010

Virgin Atlantic has announced an Upper Class seat sale to many of its destinations. The fares are available to cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington,…

Airlines and Aviation

Ethiopia to expand its European Markets

Mark Elliott Jan 18, 2010

Ethiopian Airlines is working to strengthen its presence in Europe and is now focusing on the German market. Therefore AVIAREPS and Africa's largest airline recently signed a new GSA…

Global

Perth Airport upgrade to affect SAA flights

Mark Elliott Jan 7, 2010

07 Jan 10: South African Airways (SAA) has announced that due to scheduled works at Perth Airport to upgrade the main runway, its Saturday flight during the months of February and…

Airlines and Aviation

Alitalia and Etihad sign codeshare agreement

Mark Elliott Dec 20, 2009

Alitalia and Etihad Airways today exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that confirms the airlines' intention to operate a codeshare agreement from the start of the Northern Summer…

Global

Etihad, Alitalia sign MoU

Mark Elliott Dec 20, 2009

Alitalia and Etihad Airways today exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that confirms the airlines' intention to operate a codeshare agreement from the start of the Northern Summer…

Hotels

New Hyatt in South Africa

Dec 15, 2009

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts announced today that Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa, located on Herolds Bay in George, South Africa, has opened. The resort is the second Hyatt property…

Features

ebookers.com announces holiday hotspots for 2010

Mark Elliott Dec 15, 2009

ebookers.com, one of Europe's leading online travel agents, today reveals the top ten holiday destinations for 2010. Despite tightening the purse strings in 2009, Britons are…

Airlines and Aviation

Chapman Freeborn experiences high demand

Mark Elliott Dec 3, 2009

Global aircraft charter specialist Chapman Freeborn is reporting high demand for passenger charters to Johannesburg and other South African destinations ahead of next summer's World…

Global

DTCM conducts South Africa roadshow

Mark Elliott Nov 24, 2009

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) conducted three road shows in South Africa from November 17 to 20 as part of its agenda to promote and market the emirate as a…

Airlines and Aviation

Air France launches first trans-Atlantic A380 flight

Mark Elliott Nov 22, 2009

This morning, at 11:39 am, Air France's A380 took off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, operating flight AF 380, the first transatlantic flight between Europe and the United…

Global

Air France launches first trans-Atlantic A380 flight

Mark Elliott Nov 22, 2009

This morning, at 11:39 am, Air France's A380 took off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, operating flight AF 380, the first transatlantic flight between Europe and the United…

Events

Brits not so savvy about South Africa

Mark Elliott Nov 19, 2009

Ahead of the qualification play-offs this week and the draw that takes place in South Africa on the 4 December that will determine which teams England will play in the Group stages of the…

Global

Etihad double daily to Frankfurt

Mark Elliott Nov 12, 2009

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will increase its Abu Dhabi-Frankfurt services from 10 to 13 per week from 12 December, increasing to a…

Global

V Australia to launch Fiji flights for Christmas

Mark Elliott Nov 5, 2009

Thursday 5 November 2009, Brisbane, Australia: V Australia will launch direct daily flights between Australia and Fiji in time for Christmas following the decision handed down…

Global

Emirates boosts Singapore’s African connection

Mark Elliott Sep 29, 2009

Singapore, September 28, 2009: Singapore's links to the African continent will be given an additional boost when Dubai-based Emirates Airline adds Durban - one of the South…

Global

Emirates and V Australia in new codeshare deal

Mark Elliott Sep 16, 2009

16 Sep 09 (TravMedia.com): Virgin Blue Group's new international airline, V Australia and Dubai-based international airline, Emirates, today announced their first code share…

Global

SAA launches OAG’s new route mapping application

Mark Elliott Sep 15, 2009

LONDON, September 14/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- South African Airways (SAA) is anticipating an increase in customer satisfaction with its web site, http://www.flysaa.com, when…

Global

Travel Offers w/e 28 August 09

Mark Elliott Aug 28, 2009

20% discounts in Asia with LHW Enticing 20% discounts at some of the most luxurious and sensational private villas in Thailand, Vietnam and the Maldives are on offer through The…

Global

Emirates hits the road in Africa

Mark Elliott Aug 24, 2009

Emirates is hitting the road in Africa to lift the profile of its expansion plans on the continent. The Dubai-based carrier is expanding its network in South Africa and Angola, with…

Global

V Australia unveils second phase of expansion

Mark Elliott Aug 17, 2009

Australia's new international airline, V Australia, today announced Phuket and Johannesburg as its next two destinations along with a strengthened focus on Melbourne. The airline's…

Global

Emirates invests in lounges

Mark Elliott Jul 24, 2009

Emirates Airline has launched its first airport lounge in Africa at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Gulf News has reported. The new facility brings the airline's total…

Global

Etihad to launch Cape Town flights

Mark Elliott Jul 23, 2009

Etihad Airways will begin services from Abu Dhabi to Cape Town on 30 September.The new Cape Town flights will operate via Etihad's current daily, Airbus A330, service to South…

Global

Air India signs SAA codeshare

Mark Elliott Jul 21, 2009

South African Airways (SAA) and Air India have signed a codeshare agreement to improve travel options between their respective countries. The agreement allows Air India passengers to…

Global

EL AL connects London Luton to India, South Africa and the Far East

Mark Elliott Jun 1, 2009

May saw the departure of the first EL AL flight from London Luton to Tel Aviv with connecting flights to Mumbai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Beijing and Bangkok. Israel's flag…

Global

Shaheen Air receives second B737

Mark Elliott May 25, 2009

Pakistan's Shaheen Air International has taken delivery of the second of seven Boeing 737-200 aircraft leased from UAE-based KAL Aviation. All seven aircraft were last operated by Nationwide…

Global

SAA ups Mumbai frequency

Mark Elliott May 22, 2009

South African Airways (SAA) has added flights and increased its capacity on the route between Johannesburg and Mumbai. This comes as a result of an increase in demand for seats from…

Global

Shaheen Air to get seven B737s

Mark Elliott Apr 17, 2009

Pakistan-based Shaheen Air has received thefirst of seven Boeing 737-200 aircraft, which it has leased from UAE-based KALAviation.The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation reported that…

Global

Virgin Blue signs deal to strengthen South African routes

Mark Elliott Apr 6, 2009

Virgin Blue and South African Airways (SAA)have announced a deal to offer passengers greater choice, seamless transfersand more value fares to passengers travelling from Sydney and…

Features

THAI plans route changes

Mark Elliott Dec 24, 2008

Thai Airways (THAI) is considering rerouting and adding medium- and long-haul services next year, The Nation has reported.Among the present long-haul routes being evaluated are those…

Features

Staff Appointments w/e 04 December 08

Mark Elliott Dec 4, 2008

GAVIN SMITH has been appointed Managing Director of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd's operations in Australia. Smith will lead the Australia office and oversee all commercial and operational…

Airlines and Aviation

Delta to expand international services

Mark Elliott Nov 14, 2008

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has announced it is adding 15 new international routes for its Summer 2009 schedules, including service to 12 destinations not flown by any other US…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas to mark South Africa anniversary

Mark Elliott Nov 13, 2008

Qantas will celebrate the 60th anniversary of flights between Australia and South Africa - known as the Wallaby Route - on 14 November. The Aussie national carrier commenced…

Global

Dubai hosts road shows in USA, China and South Africa

Mark Elliott Nov 11, 2008

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has held a series of Dubai Road Shows to enhance global awareness of the Emirate. In the US, the DTCM team went to New…

Airlines and Aviation

Tanzania airport hopes to lure MAS

Mark Elliott Oct 15, 2008

Tanzania's Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar Es Salaam is hoping for Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to launch flights to the airport to cater for the growing number of Asian…

Features

Rezidor plans huge African growth

Mark Elliott Oct 9, 2008

Belgium-based hospitality company, Rezidor Hotel Group, has announced plans to open 35 new hotels in Africa by 2010. So far this year, Rezidor signed six new properties on the…

Global

Airport self-service bears baggage burden

Mark Elliott Oct 3, 2008

Self-service is fast becoming the norm for passengers but the main challenge to even broader adoption of "do-it-yourself" travel management is baggage, according to a…

Airlines and Aviation

BA moves more services into T5

Mark Elliott Sep 25, 2008

British Airways has moved more services into its new London Heathrow Terminal 5 home - and opened a 'Galleries' lounge in the facility's Satellite B. The latest flight switch involves…

Global

SAA taps into Middle East boom

Mark Elliott Sep 5, 2008

South African Airways (SAA) has increased its capacity to and from the Middle East by 81% due to increased demand, the Gulf News has reported. The number of UAE nationals visiting South…

Global

Etihad to launch Nigeria flights

Mark Elliott Aug 27, 2008

Etihad Airways is to start flights from Abu Dhabi to the Nigerian cities of Lagos and Abuja March next year. The two Nigerian hubs join Johannesburg, Cairo, Casablanca and Khartoum…

Guest Column

Face-to-Face with Cramer Ball, Etihad Airways

Mark Elliott Aug 19, 2008

Cramer BallEtihad AirwaysRegional General Manager for Asia Pacific South and AustralasiaQ1. Etihad recently announced huge, multi-billion dollar aircraft orders at the Farnborough Air…

Airlines and Aviation

THAI cuts routes

Mark Elliott Jun 9, 2008

Thai Airways International is retrenching staff and possibly cutting back on routes amid escalating oil prices. Announcing these as part of its 10-year business plan, THAI…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas premium economy to LA

Mark Elliott May 26, 2008

Qantas' new Premium Economy cabin is now available for sale on flights from Australia to Los Angeles. The seats will be available on selected services from Sydney to Los Angeles from 14…

Global

Emirates to Durban

Mark Elliott May 7, 2008

Following the successful launch of operations to Cape Town, Emirates Airline will launch another service to South Africa with the start of daily flights to Durban from December 1.The…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas welcomes premium economy

Mark Elliott Mar 11, 2008

Qantas has welcomed its first aircraft fitted with the airline's new Premium Economy cabin.Qantas Executive General Manager, John Borghetti, said the introduction of Premium…

Airlines and Aviation

Busy year ahead for Qatar Airways

Mark Elliott Mar 6, 2008

Qatar Airways has unveiled its summer 2008 expansion programme with capacity increases to some destinations.Expansion highlights include an extra daily flight to London Heathrow taking…

Airlines and Aviation

ANA, SQ codeshare

Mark Elliott Jul 30, 2007

The expansion starts September 1 this year.Five destinations in Japan as well as Chicago and Washington DC will be added to SIA network. Four cities in India, in addition to Jakarta and…

UK

IATA slams airport

Jun 12, 2007

While speaking in Vancouver, the IATA chief placed London and Paris on par with the exploitive Bangkok airport. "Combined they grabbed US$1.4bn in increases from the industry in 2006. This…

Airlines and Aviation

Qantas expands in Asia

Mark Elliott May 29, 2007

At Australian Tourism Exchange in Brisbane a spokesman for the carrier told attendees the changes were "a signal of Qantas' commitment to Australian tourism".Flights between Shanghai and…

Features

South Africa cup in 2010

Mark Elliott May 15, 2007

Despite some reports of concern that South Africa won't be ready, officials have reaffirmed their commitment to holding the tournament and are fully confident all infrastructure will be…

Features

South Africa Asian focus

Mark Elliott May 14, 2007

This week South African Tourism is holding its annual INDABA conference in the coastal city of Durban with delegates and buyers from across the globe.Last year visitation to South Africa…

OTAs & Tour Operators

GF to drop Singapore

Mark Elliott Apr 18, 2007

MIDDLE Eastern carrier Gulf Air will cease its flights to Singapore as part of a radical restructuring plan approved last week. Details of the cost-cutting program are now emerging,…

OTAs & Tour Operators

SQ load factor soars 6.6%

Mark Elliott Apr 17, 2007

Singapore Airlines this morning reported a 10.1% increase in March passenger numbers, with a capacity lift of just 0.9%, giving a strong load factor improvement to 82.4%. The carrier said…