TransAsia launches A330 flights on its Taipei-Singapore-Taipei route sectors from 1 January 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to www.just4airlines.com

TransAsia Airways has announced that its first new Airbus A330-300 aircraft will be deployed on its Taipei-Singapore-Taipei route sectors with effect from 1 January 2013.

On 1 January, flight code GE887 departs from Taipei Taoyuan International Airport for Singapore at 6.55 pm and arrives in Changi International Airport at 11.10 pm. The first TransAsia A330-300 aircraft flight departs for Taoyuan from Changi at 12.55 am under flight code GE888 and touches down in Taoyuan at 5.30 am on 2 January 2013.

The return flights to Taoyuan are operated daily sometimes with A330 or A320 aircraft, subject to passenger load considerations. With the new flight schedules, TransAsia Airways branch office at Changi Airport is opened for booking at nights after normal office hours.

Limited updated TransAsia flight schedules are available at KUCINTA SETIA while stocks last. Readers can email to asianperu@gmail.com their addresses and the journalist will mail a free copy to the readers for their references.

ITE & MICE 2013 covers Hong Kong and China under one roof

Edited by : Gan Yung Chyan

                / KUCINTA SETIA

In 2011, the number of Hong Kong tourists to Singapore and Thailand were respectively 464,375 (an increase of 19.8%) and 386,139 (a rise of 33.5%). Hong Kong incurred US$19.1 billion (+9.6%) on international tourism expenditure, and has a per capita spending per even higher than Japan! Click here to see the details.

Respectively, 20% and 73% of 12,000 buyers and trade visitors of ITE & MICE 2012  in the two trade days came from China and Hong Kong, with over 5700 from travel agents and from 3300 corporations and MICE industry. Therefore ITE & MICE is the effective platform covering under the same roof in these two significant source markets. The next ITE & MICE will be held from 13 to 16 June 2013 at Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Besides meeting visitors at booths, the Travel Expo's password-enabled online system allows exhibitors and buyers to make pre-appointments weeks before opening, and exhibitors can join the onsite Business Matching. ITE also assist exhibitors to hold seminars, including publishing on the Expo's trade websites for online pre-registrations by trade visitors.

ITE & MICE 2012 drew from 54 countries and regions worldwide 665 international exhibitors, 85% of which came from abroad. There were 30 official pavilions / participations including those ASEAN countries like Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia (Sabah, Penang & Malaysia Tourism Health Council), the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Bhutan, Mongolia and Macau.

The Expo ITE & MICE highlights trendy themes like Wellness & Medical Tourism, Cruise, Honeymooning & Overseas Wedding, Study Tours, and Travel Photography etc.

The two public days in 2012 draw some 70,000 quality visitors. Surveys found over 70 % of them prefer travelling in FIT; 18% made 5 or more overnight leisure trips in the past twelve months; and over 20% did or showed interest in booking tours and purchasing travel products.

ITE & MICE is supported by China National Tourism Administration, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Macau Government Tourist Office, and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong. 

Source : TKS Exhibition Services Ltd, Hong Kong

Note : As the representative media of Singapore, Kucinta Setia has covered the travel and tourism products and news of ITE & MICE during the last three years in the online publication Sayacinta - Airpost and hopes to report on ITE & MICE again in the next two years. Selected pictures from ITE & MICE in those years will be re-featured soon.

AirAsia launches connecting flights to Shanghai-Pudong from Singapore on 19 February 2013

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan
                     / KUCINTA SETIA
Also available at asiaperu.multiply.com till 30 November 2012

At least one week since the launch of budget Phuket-Shanghai flights by Juneyao Airlines, another airline has brought the Shanghai budget skies closer to home. Effective 19 February 2013, AirAsia and its long-haul affliate AirAsia X will launch direct connecting flights to Shanghai-Pudong via Kuala Lumpur International Airport-Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (KLIA-LCCT).

According to AirAsia's web-site, the code-sharing flight from Singapore to Pudong begins at 1.25 pm with flight code AK1810 and arrives in Shanghai-Pudong under AirAsia X flight code D7330 at 12.45 am on 20 February 2013 after at least an-hour transfer at LCCT.

AirAsia X departs from Shanghai-Pudong at 1.45 am on 20 February 2013 and returns to Singapore via a transfer at LCCT in a code-sharing arrangement with AirAsia under D7331/AK1809 at 12.45 pm.

All return flights are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays using A320 and A330/A340 aircrafts.

Currently, AirAsia X has connecting or code-sharing flights to Singapore from Chengdu, Beijing and Hangzhou in China via KLIA-LCCT. They are not considered as officially-direct as AirAsia X has not been given the light to launch direct scheduled flights to Singapore independently. It also has dozens or more connecting flights to Singapore from other parts of Asia-Pacific such as Bandar Seri Begawan, Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul, Gold Coast and Melbourne in the same arrangement with AirAsia. All flights do not involve any clearance at Malaysian Immigrations and Customs at KLIA-LCCT.

Sayacinta - airpost hopes that Scoot will be allowed to launch true-yellow direct low-cost long-haul flights from Singapore to Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai, Tokyo, Shizuoka and Seoul-Incheon using one type of aircraft in the years ahead.

Tiger's daily services to Surabaya begin on 4 January 2013

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan

                    / KUCINTA SETIA

Distributed to www.just4airlines.com

 

Passengers looking for a cheap morning flight to Surabaya from Singapore need look no further as Tiger Airways is launching its first daily flight to Surabaya through its Indonesian affliate Mandala on 4 January 2013.

On 4 January, flight code RI880 departs from Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 10.25 am after flight code RI881 arrives in Singapore from Surabaya at 9.45 am. The first Mandala's Surabaya-Singapore flight takes place at 6.20 am. RI881 touches down in Surabaya at 11.50 am.

The Surabaya-Singapore-Surabaya flights are operated by Mandala using Tiger Airways' A320 aircraft.

Mandala's Surabaya flights to and from Singapore to Surabaya are the only budget morning flights for passengers departing from Changi Airport. All other Surabaya flights take off in the afternoons. Lion Air, SilkAir, China Airlines and Valuair fly to Surabaya from Singapore currently.

Airline GSA introduces global railway ticketing services

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan
                   / KUCINTA SETIA

Deks Air, the General Sales Agent (GSA) of Air Niugini, Kenya Airways, Kuwait Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Vietnam Airlines in Singapore, has joined hands with major rail network operators like German rail network operator DB Bahn, Japanese Shinkansen, BritRail, American Amtrak  and ACP Rail International to introduce railway passes, packages and discounts for the budget traveller.

From now on, budget travellers flying to Europe, Australia, Japan and the United States can take advantage of railway passes offered by Deks Air to travel domestically or across borders from major cities of the world like Tokyo, Sydney, Brisbane, Frankfurt, Berlin and London without booking their own tickets through Internet at home.

A comprehensive selection of railway routes and itineraries offered by the railway partners of Deks Air is featured in Deks Air's newest publication entitled Deks Air Global Rail Network available at Deks Air's office at #03-01 Beach Centre, Singapore.

Enjoy fabulous discounts on railway travel in the United Kingdom, Germany, across Europe and obtain rail passes of Australia, Japan and the United States before flying over to these countries right in Singapore.
The railway ticketing services of Deks Air are not available at its branches in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.

The shift of ticketing services from airline ticketing to railway ticketing is a signal to the travel trade that many travellers in Singapore have indeed chosen to book their air tickets online and they lack the knowledge of railway ticketing for cross-border or intercity overseas travels in their itineraries.

For further information on overseas railway services, email Deks Air at rail@deksair.com.sg.

Low-cost Phuket-Shanghai flights begin on 10 November 2012

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan

                 / KUCINTA SETIA

 

 

Passengers on low-cost airlines from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi and Singapore can now connect to Shanghai budget flights in Phuket with ease as low-cost Phuket-Shanghai direct flights begin on 10 November 2012.

On 10 November 2012, Juneyao Airlines, Shanghai's second budget carrier, launched its first Airbus A320 Phuket-outbound flight to Shanghai Pudong International Airport from Phuket International Airport Terminal 2 at 3.45 am under flight code HO1312. HO1312 arrived in Pudong at 8.55 am.

Juneyao Airlines' Airbus A320 under flight code HO1311 first flew to Phuket International Airport Terminal 2 from Pudong at 10.35 pm on 9 November 2012 and arrived in Phuket at 2.45 am on 10 November 2012.

The Pudong-Phuket budget flights take place four times a week, on Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays while Phuket-Pudong flights take off on Saturdays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

The Wednesday Pudong-Phuket flights of Juneyao Airlines follow the Friday schedule while the Thursday Phuket-Pudong flights follow the Saturday schedule.

On Mondays and Saturdays, HO1311 departs from Shanghai Pudong at 8.35 pm, arrives in Phuket at 12.45 am, takes off for Pudong on Tuesdays and Sundays at 1.45 am and touches down in Pudong at 7.15 am.

Phuket is Juneyao Airlines' first Southeast Asian scheduled destination. It plans to introduce new flights to other Southeast Asian cities in the next few years such as Singapore, Manila and Kuala Lumpur depending on market demand. Currently, its other international destinations include Hong Kong, Macau and Naha, Okinawa.

Juneyao Airlines is not the only Shanghai private airline to fly to Thailand. In July 2012, Spring Airlines, China's first low-cost airline, started regular scheduled flights from Shanghai to Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok. For passengers, Juneyao Airlines' new Phuket flights are good news as overall travel expenses to Shanghai via Phuket are lower than connecting via Suvarnabhumi.

Lao Airlines now flies four times a week to Singapore, introduces new flights to Guangzhou, Danang and Seoul in November and December 2012

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan

                     / KUCINTA SETIA
Published in www.just4airlines.com

Lao Airlines has announced its latest new flight schedules through its inflight magazine Champa Holidays.

Lao Airlines flies four times a week from Vientiane to Singapore with effect from today, 28 October 2012, which marks the beginning of its winter schedule. It is also further expanding its scheduled flight network by launching new scheduled flights to Guangzhou in China, Danang in Vietnam, Seoul-Incheon, Busan in South Korea and continues charter flights to Tokyo in Japan during the winter season.

Lao Airlines flies from Vientiane to Singapore and returns to Vientiane on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the following timings : Airbus A320 under flight code QV535 departs from Vientiane for Singapore at 3.40 pm, touches down in Singapore at 7.40 pm, takes off for Vientiane at 8.40 pm and arrives in Vientiane at 10.40 pm.

Besides the new frequency flight to Singapore, Lao Airlines is further expanding its scheduled route network by launching new flights to Guangzhou, Danang and Seoul in November and December 2012.

Lao Airlines' first flight to Guangzhou takes place on 24 November 2012 at 1.10 pm under flight code QV881, which arrives in Guangzhou at 4.10 pm and leaves for Vientiane at 5.10 pm, touching down in Vientiane at 6.10 pm under QV882. Flights are on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Flights to Danang which were previously operated on a charter basis from Vientiane via Savannakhet in April 2012 will be operated on a regular scheduled basis from 4 December 2012 via Savannakhet and Pakse. On that day, Lao Airlines' ATR72 aircraft under flight code QV211 departs from Vientiane at 7 am, transits in Savannakhet and Pakse at 8,40 am, 9.50 am before arriving in Danang at 10.40 am. The return leg of the journey takes place at 11.40 am, transits in Pakse, Savannakhet at 12.30 pm and 1.40 pm before touching down in Vientiane at 3.20 pm.

Lao Airlines becomes the latest Indochinese airline to serve Seoul-Incheon International Airport when its first flight (QV911) departs for Seoul-Incheon at 11 am, arriving in Seoul-Incheon at 6 pm before embarking on the return journey at 7 pm, arriving in Vientiane at 10 pm on 23 November 2012.

Flights to Busan will begin on 30 December 2012 while four weekly charter flights to Tokyo which started on 25 April 2012 will continue throughout the winter season.

The new flight frequencies are operated due to increasing demand for business traffic to Vientiane from Singapore, China, South Korea and Japan.

In this updated route map, Lao Airlines in the long run plans to launch new flights to Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Denpasar, Osaka, Fukuoka, Manila and Varanasi in order to cater to the growing interest in travel to Laos.

SWISS begins non-stop direct flights from Zurich to Singapore on 12 May 2013

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan

                     / KUCINTA SETIA

 

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) begins non-stop direct daily scheduled flights from Zurich to Singapore from 12 May 2013. On that day, flight code LX178 departs from Zurich at 10.45 pm for Singapore and touches down in Singapore Changi Airport at 5.10 am on 13 May 2013. At 11.05 pm on 13 May, flight code LX179 takes off for Zurich at 11.05 pm and arrives in Zurich at 6.10 am Swiss time on 14 May 2013.

Cebu Pacific Air commences flights between Iloilo and Singapore from 9 November 2012

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan
                     / KUCINTA SETIA
Published in www.just4airlines.com

Cebu Pacific Air is further enhancing direct transportation links between the Philippines and Singapore by commencing scheduled flights between Iloilo and Singapore from 9 November 2012.

The first-ever Iloilo-Singapore scheduled flight takes off under Cebu Pacific flight code 5J255 at 10.25 pm on 9 November 2012 and arrives at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 1.55 am on 10 November 2012 for the inaugural Singapore-Iloilo commercial flight to depart Terminal 2 under flight code 5J256 at 2.40 am, touching down in Iloilo International Airport at 6.10 am.

The Iloilo international flight to Singapore follows Hong Kong which will be linked with another commercial scheduled Iloilo Cebu Pacific flight one day earlier.

Iloilo International Airport is the fifth international gateway to the Philippines after Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao and it was recently unveiled as the second biggest international airport in the country which will also accept cargo flights from Panay, Hong Kong and Japan in the near future.

Jetstar flies direct from Singapore to Osaka from 1 November 2012

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan
                     / KUCINTA SETIA
Published in www.just4airlines.com


Beginning 1 November 2012, Jetstar Airways in cooperation with Jetstar Asia Airways flies directly from Singapore to Osaka, the city famous for its castle and Shinsaibashi shopping street, among other attractions and exciting food cultures.

Onboard Jetstar's Airbus A330 flights to Osaka, passengers can experience Business Class comfort, which comes complete with an entire host of privileges, such as 30kg luggage allowance, complimentary meals and drinks and a comfortable leather seat with a 38-inch seat pitch.

The direct flight lands early in Osaka, giving passengers a full day to explore the city or transfer to flights of Jetstar Japan's domestic network, which includes Naha (capital of Okinawa), Fukuoka, Tokyo-Narita and Sapporo.

The thrice-weekly service increases to four times a week from mid-December. Currently, Jetstar Asia Airways flies up to three times daily to Osaka via Taipei or Manila.

The expansion of Jetstar flights to Japan has nevertheless resulted in the suspension of flights to Guilin from Singapore but more flights to Manila, Osaka, Phnom Penh and Yangon have been introduced in recent months.

Jetstar Airways and Jetstar Asia Airways have recently been voted as the top Low-Cost Airline Australia/Pacific at the 2012 Skytrax Awards and are two of the Global Top 10 Low-Cost Airlines.

Timeline of Past Inaugural Flight Dates to Singapore

Summarized by : Gan Yung Chyan
                          / KUCINTA SETIA

In the past five years or so, Sayacinta - Airpost has reported about and predicted the realization of inaugural flights to Singapore. Below is the timeline of past inaugural flight dates to Singapore which were featured in www.just4airlines.com.

• 18 September 2012- Singapore-Taipei Taoyuan-Singapore by Scoot
• 28 August 2012- Paro-Singapore by Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines
• 23 August 2012- Singapore-Tianjin-Singapore by Scoot
• 10 August 2012- Singapore-Kota Bahru-Singapore by Firefly
• 5 July 2012- Singapore-Suvarnabhumi-Singapore by Scoot
• 12 June 2012- Singapore-Gold Coast-Singapore by Scoot
• 4 June 2012- Singapore-Sydney-Singapore by Scoot
• 24 April 2012- Singapore-Wuhan-Singapore by SilkAir
• 20 April 2012- Medan-Singapore-Medan by Mandala
• 26 March 2012- Singapore-Darwin-Singapore by SilkAir
• 24 November 2011- Vientiane-Singapore-Vientiane by Lao Airlines
• 21 October 2011- Vladivostok-Hong Kong-Singapore-Hong Kong-Vladivostok by Vladivostok Air
• 15 September 2011- Delhi-Singapore-Delhi by IndiGo
• 9 September 2011- Singapore-Ningbo-Singapore by Jetstar
• 28 July 2011- Bandung-Singapore-Bandung by Batavia Air
• 30 June 2011- Taipei Taoyuan-Singapore-Taipei Taoyuan by TransAsia Airways
• 1 June 2011- Makassar-Singapore-Makassar by Garuda Indonesia
• 30 May 2011- Helsinki-Singapore-Helsinki by Finnair
• 22 March 2011- Singapore-Hangzhou-Singapore by Jetstar
• 15 January  2011- Hong Kong-Singapore-Hong Kong by Hong Kong Airlines
• 3 January 2011- Macau-Singapore-Macau (resumption) by Air Macau
• 16 December 2010- Clark-Singapore-Clark by SEAIR Southeast Asian Airlines
• 1 December 2010- Manila-Singapore-Manila by Airphil Express
• 3 November 2010- Singapore-Guilin-Singapore by Jetstar
• 29 August 2010- Hefei-Singapore-Hefei-Dalian by Hainan Airlines
• 25 June 2010- Jakarta-Singapore-Jakarta and Balikpapan-Singapore-Balikpapan by Mandala
• 25 November 2009- Jakarta-Singapore-Jakarta by Batavia Air
• 3 July 2009- Subang-Singapore-Subang by Firefly
• 18 December 2008- Jakarta-Singapore-Jakarta by Sriwijaya Air
• 3 November 2007- Nanning-Singapore-Nanning by Shenzhen Airlines
• 24 September 2007- Colombo-Singapore-Colombo by Mihin Lanka
• 28 September 2007- Abu Dhabi-Singapore-Brisbane by Etihad Airways
• 7 September 2007- Yangon-Singapore-Yangon by Air Bagan
• 29 October 2006- Chennai-Singapore-Chennai by Air India Express
• 28 October 2005- Jakarta-Singapore-Jakarta by Adam Air
• 12 May 2005- Delhi-Singapore-Delhi by Air Sahara
• 15 April 2005- Mumbai-Singapore-Mumbai by Jet Airways
• 13 December 2004- Jetstar Asia Airways' first flight
• 22 November 2004- Harare-Singapore-Beijing by Air Zimbabwe
• 31 October 2004- Moscow-Singapore-Moscow by Transaero Airlines
• 15 September 2004- Tiger Airways' first flight
• 29 May 2004- Jinan-Singapore-Jinan by Shandong Airlines
• 5 May 2004- Valuair's first flight

Sayacinta - Airpost was launched with the journalist's first flight out of Singapore with Valuair on 5 May 2004.

Through the years, the online newspaper has not given up its objective to provide readers with accurate inaugural and final flight dates of airlines operating to Singapore. For example, it reported about Air Seychelles' withdrawal of flights from Singapore on 24 November 2011 and earlier the switch of Air Zimbabwe's flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

KUCINTA SETIA will continue to provide readers with fresh aviation and travel news and tips through its news medium Sayacinta - Airpost in the years ahead.

Welcome to Sayacinta - Airpost published by KUCINTA SETIA

Important Message by : Aviation and Travel News Department
                                    / KUCINTA SETIA

Welcome to Sayacinta - Airpost, the online Asian Aviation and Travel News published by KUCINTA SETIA. After 7 years of using the Multiply platform to disseminate civil aviation and travel news of Singapore and the Asian region, Kucinta Setia has finally found the better channel to distribute regional civil aviation and travel trade news to more readers in its own name.

From 1 December 2012, all  relevant civil aviation and travel news that were previously published and disseminated via the Multiply platform will have been migrated to the Blogger platform.

After examinations of various web-site providers, we believe that the Blogger platform is the most suitable platform to package and present travel news in a more professional way. We hope this platform will gather more readers to share and disseminate the news to a further larger audience as they plan their budget trips in the years ahead.

More civil aviation and travel trade news will follow... stay tune.

Happy reading and flight-planning!

Thai Smile flies to Singapore from Phuket with effect from 31 March 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                / KUCINTA SETIA

Thai Smile Air (Thai Smile, in short), the low-fare subsidiary of Thai Airways International which has recently launched its inaugural flight to Macau on 2 July 2012, is introducing direct scheduled daily flights to Singapore from Phuket on 31 March 2013.

On 31 March, Thai Smile departs for Singapore under flight code TG791 at 9.40 am and arrives in Singapore at 12.30 pm. The return flight under TG792 takes place at 1.30 pm and touches down in Phuket at 2.15 pm. The daily flights are operated by Airbus A320 which has a seat configuration of 30 Smile Plus Business Class seats and 144 Smile Economy Class seats.

Singapore will be the third international destination of Thai Smile after Macau and Hyderabad. Hyderabad will be served by a direct Thai Smile flight from Bangkok on 16 September 2012. On the domestic front, Thai Smile links Bangkok with Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phuket and Surat Thani.

Thai Smile at present uses Sawasdee (Thai Airways International Inflight Magazine) as its inflight reading material but it plans to introduce its own brand inflight magazine later in 2013.

AirAsia Philippines flies to Singapore from Clark from 15 December 2012

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Published in www.just4airlines.com

AirAsia Philippines begins daily flights from Clark to Singapore on 15 December 2012. Its first flight PQ7491 takes off from Clark at 6.10 am and arrives in Singapore at 9.40 am. Thirty minutes later, it departs for Clark under PQ7492 and touches down in Clark at 1.40 pm.

AirAsia Philippines joins a handful of budget airlines that serve Changi Airport from Clark including SEAIR Southeast Asian Airlines, Airphil Express and Cebu Pacific Air.

Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines' first historic flight to Singapore from Paro on 28 August 2012

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan
                     / KUCINTA SETIA

On 28 August 2012, Changi Airport welcomes the arrival of Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines' inaugural state charter flight with a half-page advertisement spread in The Straits Times heralding the cement of civil aviation ties with the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan.

This is also the first time in Changi Airport's history that a foreign airline's first direct charter flight has been announced in the form of an airport advertisement in the local newspaper. Previous inaugural charter flights operated by off-line airlines to Singapore like China Northwest Airlines, MIAT Mongolian Airlines, Air Koryo, Air Macau and S7 Airlines were never advertised by the airport.

The special charter flight from the Bhutanese city of Paro landed at Changi Airport in the afternoon with Her Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck, the eldest princess of the Bhutan royal family, on board. Her Royal Highness is leading a delegation in Singapore to inaugurate the commencement of Drukair’s direct service between Paro and Singapore. She was accompanied by the Bhutan Minister of Information and Communication, and Chairman of Druk Holdings and Investment, the parent company of Drukair, among other senior government officials.

Drukair’s Paro-Singapore route begins commercial scheduled flight service on 1 September 2012. The commencement of this twice-weekly service means passengers departing from Singapore can now reach Bhutan in under six hours, saving an overnight transfer stay in Thailand or India as visitors had to do. Singapore is only the fifth country to be linked to Bhutan by air.

Singapore boasts strong ties with Bhutan. Apart from cooperation at both the government and people-to-people levels in areas such as education, healthcare and media, there has been a strong increase in the number of Singapore travellers heading to Bhutan. In 2011, about 1,300 visitors from Singapore headed for Bhutan, representing an increase of more than 70% over 2010. Bhutan received over 64,000 visitors in 2011.

Drukair operates a two-class configuration using the A319 aircraft on the Paro-Singapore service from 1 September. The flight departs Paro at 0720 hours and arrives in Singapore at 3.05 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while the return flight from Singapore to Paro features an early morning departure out of Changi at 6 am on Thursdays and Sundays. The flight reaches Paro at 9.45 am, allowing travellers the entire day ahead to explore Bhutan. There is a 30-minute stopover in Kolkata on both legs of the flight. Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines operates flights from Changi Airport’s Terminal 1.

Changi Airport Group’s Executive Vice President for Air Hub Development, Mr Yam Kum Weng, said, “In recent years, more people in Singapore and the region are looking forward to visiting Bhutan to experience its unspoilt, exotic beauty and rich culture. Drukair's commencement of flights from Paro to Singapore is timely in meeting this increasing market demand, and enhancing the people-to-people exchange between the two countries. Changi Airport Group is pleased to partner with the Tourism Council of Bhutan and Drukair to promote the Kingdom of Bhutan and the direct air link both in Singapore and the region.”

Mr Tandin Jamso, Chief Executive Officer of Drukair, said, “Drukair is honoured by the warm welcome given by Singapore. For Drukair, Singapore is not just another destination, but an opportunity to bring our two nations and people together. Drukair aims to connect Singapore to Bhutan, and afford its people an opportunity to experience a way of life that is slowly fading in many countries, an opportunity to experience happiness like the Bhutanese. The goal of Drukair is to eventually make Singapore our gateway to the world.”

Paro is a new city link for Changi Airport and follows the addition of the Gold Coast (Australia) and Kota Bahru (Malaysia) to the Changi network. As at 1 August 2012, Changi Airport serves some 100 airlines operating more than 6,200 weekly flights to over 220 cities in 60 countries and territories worldwide.

Tiger Airways resumes flights to Padang, flies to Denpasar under Mandala's livery from 1 December 2012

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan

                 / KUCINTA SETIA

Published in www.just4airlines.com

Tiger Airways has announced that it is resuming flights to Padang in Sumatra and commencing new direct flights to Denpasar, Bali on 1 December 2012 under its affliate Mandala's livery.

On 1 December, Mandala resumes the first flight for Tiger Airways from Padang to Singapore at 7.55 am under flight code RI892 and arrives in Singapore at 9.55 am. Then, Mandala departs for Denpasar from Singapore at 10.35 am under flight code RI835 on the same day and arrives in Denpasar at 1.10 pm.

Mandala takes off for Singapore at 5.45 pm from Denpasar under RI834 and arrives in Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 8.20 pm for passengers to alight before embarking on the journey to Padang at 8.55 pm under RI892 and touches down in Padang one hour later.

Flights of Mandala on the Padang-Singapore-Denpasar-Singapore-Padang route sectors are operated on a daily basis using an Airbus A320 aircraft donated by Tiger Airways.

Scoot flies to Shenyang and Qingdao from 27 November 2012

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA

                                              
Scoot, the long-haul low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, is launching thrice-weekly Boeing B777-200 scheduled flights to Qingdao via Shenyang from 27 November 2012. Shenyang and Qingdao are the second and third mainland Chinese destinations of Scoot after Tianjin.

According to Scoot's web-site, the first inaugural flight to Qingdao TZ 86 takes off from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 2 am and stops over in Shenyang at 8.35 am for passengers alighting before departing for Qingdao at 9.50 am. It touches down in Qingdao at 11.20 am.

About an hour later, Scoot's direct flight to Singapore TZ 85 leaves Qingdao at 12.35 pm, arriving in Singapore at 6.45 pm.

The new scheduled flight service of Scoot from Singapore to Qingdao operates on a circular routing every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

Shenzhen Airlines resumes flights to Singapore from Shenzhen from 28 October 2012

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                  / KUCINTA SETIA
Also published in www.just4airlines.com

According to Shenzhen Airlines Customer Service Hotline 95080, Shenzhen Airlines resumes scheduled flights to Singapore from Shenzhen with effect from 28 October 2012. There will be no flights from Nanning, Guangxi.

On 28 October 2012, Shenzhen Airlines departs for Singapore from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport Terminal D at 10.30 pm and arrives at Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 2.10 am the next morning.
Shenzhen Airlines' first resumed outbound flight for Shenzhen takes off at 8.15 am from Singapore and touches down in Shenzhen at 12.05 pm on 29 October 2012.

The two-way return flights to Shenzhen are operated on a daily basis.

Singapore is the first of a number of Southeast Asian destinations where Shenzhen Airlines is resuming flights to. The Chinese budget carrier is evaluating possibilities to resume flights to Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta and Bangkok, among other destinations, in the year ahead.

Scoot flies from Singapore to Tokyo-Narita via Taipei-Taoyuan from 29 October 2012

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA

                                                 

Scoot has announced finally that it is flying daily to Tokyo-Narita from Singapore via Taipei-Taoyuan from 29 October 2012.

On 29 October 2012, Scoot flight code TZ202 embarks on the journey to Tokyo-Narita at 12.55 am, touches down in Taipei-Taoyuan at 5.40 am, allowing Taipei passengers to alight before taking off for Tokyo-Narita at 6.50 am and arriving in Tokyo-Narita at 10.40 am.

On the return leg journey, Scoot flight code TZ201 departs for Taipei-Taoyuan at 11.50 am from Tokyo-Narita, arrives in Taipei-Taoyuan at 2.35 pm to pick up Singapore-bound passengers. After 1 hour 10 minutes, it begins its journey back to Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 3.45 pm and arrives in Singapore at 8.10 pm.

With the additional flight from Taipei to Tokyo, a short twelve hours 20 minutes journey in Taipei will be shortened to about 10 hours on that day for Scoot's passengers on a one-day business trip in Taipei. Singapore passengers will also be able to reach home at least two hours earlier.

Currently, Scoot's Taipei-Taoyuan-Singapore flight touches down in Changi Airport at 10.25 pm. The last day of this flight timing is 27 October 2012.

Scoot is the only budget airline that flies to Tokyo-Narita from Singapore via Taipei as Jetstar flies from Singapore to Osaka directly from 1 November 2012 and via Taipei and Manila.

ITB Asia to expand to two floors at the newly-refurbished Suntec Convention Centre from 23 to 25 October 2013

Source : Messe Berlin (Singapore)

Edited by : Gan Yung Chyan

                  / KUCINTA SETIA 

                

Messe Berlin (Singapore), organiser of ITB Asia, ‘The Trade Show for the Asian Travel Market’, has announced that its 2013 event is set to be even bigger and better as plans are already underway to expand the show even further.

Organisers are planning to take up two floors of exhibition space next year (across level 6 and level 4) when it returns to the newly refurbished Suntec Singapore Convention Centre from 23 to 25 October 2013.

The fifth edition of ITB Asia came to a close on 19 October 2012 at The Sands Expo and Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore and has been its most successful event to date in terms of growth in exhibitors, quality buyers, conference partners and trade delegates.

Over the three days, the show recorded almost 8500 attendees, a 12% increase from 2011, representing 92 countries, making it one of the region’s most international travel trade events.

“This was a really exciting year for us in many aspects. ITB Asia celebrated its fifth anniversary in Singapore, we were at a new venue which gave the exhibition floor a fresh new look and feel and we also saw double digit growth in all aspects of the show,” said Dr. Martin Buck, Vice President, Messe Berlin (Singapore).

“Feedback from the show floor has also been extremely positive, with many exhibitors telling us that they have planned other business meetings and activities to coincide with ITB Asia so as to leverage the efficiencies and valuable synergies surrounding the event. This is another clear indication that ITB Asia is firmly establishing itself as the eminent travel trade show for the region,” added Buck.

This year, the show forged new partnerships with leading travel industry experts representing UNWTO, MCI, National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS), Panacea Publishing Asia, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), Asia Cruise Association (ACA) and strengthened existing programmes with WTTC, PhoCusWright, TTG Asia Media and Web In Travel, delivering over 3700 minutes of high quality content.

“Suntec has given us the flexibility to expand the second trade show floor next year depending on demand for space. Our aim is to grow ITB Asia year-on-year not just in terms of floor space but also in delivering high quality, relevant content that will be beneficial to delegates. We want to build this show as a knowledge platform and will continue to focus on bringing in an even more powerful line-up of speakers for next year’s event,” said Nino Gruettke, Executive Director of ITB Asia.

ITB Asia also launched a new strategic initiative this year, Future Leaders, to help attract and groom talent. The event will now be held annually and brings together eminent business leaders from the industry and over 100 of Singapore’s brightest sparks to provide a strategic solution to the industry’s manpower needs. ITB Asia 2012 is also a partner event of TravelRave, Asia’s most influential travel trade festival organised by the Singapore Tourism Board.

About ITB Asia 2013

ITB Asia 2013 will take place at the Suntec Singapore Exhibition & Convention Centre, 23 - 25 October. It is organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. The event will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, covering not only the leisure market, but also corporate and MICE travel. ITB Asia 2013 will include exhibition pavilions and tabletop presence for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) providing travel services. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities and travel technology companies are all expected to attend.

ITB Asia marks fifth Anniversary at Marina Bay Sands with great news from airlines and tourism authorities

Report by: Gan Yung Chyan

                 / KUCINTA SETIA

ITB Asia, the grand interational travel mart of Messe Berlin in Singapore, marks its fifth anniversary, at Marina Bay Sands from 17 to 19 October 2012.

The opening speech to the delegates and the press at 9 am was delivered by Horst Schulze, Chairman & CEO of Capella Hotel Group. In his speech, Horst urges hoteliers to focus on delivering personalised services to guests, and not just selling rooms at high costs with poor services. Guests want to be recognised once they come in contact with hotels. Hoteliers should not ignore the needs of guests. In the next two days, key seminars to the travel trade were delivered by reknown hoteliers like Best Western and Jin Jiang Hotel Management Co.

At 10 am, the ribbon cutting ceremony and VIP Guided Show tour led by Mr S Iswaran, Minister in Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Trade & Industry, Raimund Hosch, CEO of Messe Berlin and David Scowsill, President & CEO of World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) followed.

The following booths brought great news to the media.

After a year, AIR KBZ has experienced robust growth in the number of domestic passengers. It has started to work on an interline basis with Myanmar Airways International to attract more international passengers. AIR KBZ brought along aircraft postcards of last year due to overwhelming demand for such postcards last year. Copies of its inflight magazine Mai Hsoong were distributed.

AIR KBZ also informed the journalist of Sayacinta - airpost that the Immigration and Customs of Myanmar has relaxed rules of entry to journalists and writers two months ago. Authors and journalists may enter the country upon visa approval.

Vietnam Airlines revealed to Sayacinta - airpost that it is launching direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Jakarta on 28 October 2012. It flies to Jakarta on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 10.40 am and arrives in Jakarta at 1.40 pm. The outbound Vietnam Airlines flight from Jakarta takes off for Ho Chi Minh City ar 2.40 pm and touches down in Ho Chi Minh City at 5.40 pm. The flights are operated by its Airbus A321 jet..

Meanwhile, Vietnam Airlines has adjusted its direct Chengdu flights. Flights departing for Chengdu from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City now transit via Shanghai on a code-sharing basis with a Chinese airline. It has also introduced a new aircraft postcard to mark its entry to Skyteam but copies of the aircraft postcard are not available at ITB Asia 2012.

Vietnam Tourism also brought further good news to travellers. Foreign visitors and overseas Vietnamese can get Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds on purchases made in Vietnam from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2014 when they exit through the airports of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. They may claim back 85 per cent of the VAT charged on goods purchased in the country anytime within 24 hours daily.

To qualfy for a VAT refund, a tax refund declaration form must be issued within 30 days before the departure date cum a valid invoice for goods that cost at least VND2 million. To claim a VAT refund, a passport or identification papers must be shown.

If the purchases are not to take on board as hand luggage, Vietnam Tourism comments the visitor must present the goods and a relevant tax invoice at a VAT refund desk or to a customs officer prior to check-in.

Indonesia is the largest foreign national tourism pavilion this year such that Garuda Indonesia has set up again its booth. This time, it announced that it is adding new Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft to its fleet. The new aircraft are based in Medan, Makassar and Balikpapan hubs as part of its expansion plans.

Cambodia Ministry of Tourism updates the press with its new Destination Guide showing updated maps of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Silhanouville. It also introduced Cambodia's scenic flight oeprator Helistar Cambodia which organises charter and sightseeing flights to Angkor Wat. The tourism ministry aims to attract up to 7 million tourists to Cambodia by the year 2020.

Further news and products came from S7 Airlines at the SIBERIA booth, DAP Antartic Airways at the co-Argentina-and-Chile booth, LATAM Airlines Group, Gabontour and Tourism Solomon Islands, all of which are first-time exhibitors.

S7 Airlines, which did not appear at ITE HK 2012 as an exhibitor, shows up at ITB Asia 2012 as an exhibitor to market its route network to Singapore and other ASEAN travel buyers through its Asian flight schedules and its bilingual flight publication "Welcome to Russia". It is the preferred carrier to the Siberian cities of Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk. S7 Airlines has interline agreements with Cathay Pacific and Air China. ASEAN passengers outside Bangkok can connect to S7 Airlines' flights to Siberia from Hong Kong and Beijing.

DAP Antartic Airways markets its flights to Antartica from Punta Arenas, Chile, with a five-days tour for Asian passengers. It will have a new inflight magazine from November 2012. DAP flies from Punta Arenas to Porvenir, Ushuaia, Puerto Williams, Cabo De Hornos, Puerto Natales, Torres Del Paine and El Calafate besides Antartica with a BAe 146 and helicopter aircraft fleet.

Lan Airlines has postcards to share with buyers and the press this year. Aircraft postcards of TAM Airlines and Lan Airlines, as well as Latam Airlines Group brochure on TAM Airlines were distributed.

Gabontour, the national tourist office of Gabon, appeared to market the travel trade market of Gabon to Asia for the first time. Known as the Last Eden of Africa with 13 national parks to the country's name, it aims to find a new channel of tourists from Asia via Paris which is seven hours by flight to its capital Libreville.

Gabontour is the best African national tourism pavilion.

Tourism Solomon Islands marketed Solomon Airlines' flights via its tourism guide. Solomon Airlines is now known commercially as flysolomons and celebrates 50th Anniversary this year as the national airline of the Solomon Islands.

At ITB Asia 2012, there are many city tourism boards, including Zagreb, Phuket, Frankfurt and Munich. Phuket is the largest foreign city tourism booth as it has attracted a higher number of passengers from Singapore lately.

ITB Asia will return to Suntec City Exhibition and Convention Centre from 23 to 25 October 2013. It is the desire of the journalist to cover this travel mart which brings unexpected surprises again, next year.