Ethiopian Airlines links East Africa with Singapore for the first time from 3 September 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Changi Airport will mark a significant milestone in its operations history when Ethiopian Airlines, the largest African mainland airline launches scheduled flights from Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia in East Africa, to Singapore via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport on 3 September 2013.

On 3 September, Ethiopian Airlines departs from Addis Ababa at 12.40 am, stops in Suvarnabhumi for refueling before flying onward to Singapore at 2.45 pm and arrives in Singapore at 6.30 pm under flight code ET626. Four hours later, ET627 leaves Singapore for Addis Ababa via Suvarnabhumi at 10.55 pm and touches down in Addis Ababa at 6.20 am on 4 September.

Ethiopian Airlines has no local traffic rights on the Bangkok-Singapore route, meaning that no passengers will board the Ethiopian flight to Singapore in Suvarnabhumi.

It is understood that Ethiopian Airlines has regarded Singapore as an important destination in Asia but has yet to launch any scheduled flight to Singapore for many years as it prefers Bangkok as its Asian hub for onward flights to China and Hong Kong. At the same time, Changi Airport has been working very hard to attract Ethiopian Airlines and other East African airlines to introduce direct flights to Singapore as there is no African mainland carrier operating flights to Singapore hitherto since South African Airways stopped flying from Africa (Johannesburg) to Singapore ten years ago.

Ethiopian Airlines has cancelled plans to launch flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Manila via Bangkok in favour for a flight extension to Singapore via Bangkok. The African airline will continue to monitor the market demand for direct East African flights before introducing any direct flight linking Addis Ababa and Singapore in the years ahead.

Ethiopian Airlines currently has code-sharing flight arrangements with Singapore Airlines on the Dubai-Addis Ababa-Dubai routes and has a sales office in Chinatown Point, Singapore.

Hunnu Air started direct weekly flight to Bangkok on 23 June 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Hunnu Air, Mongolia's second international and domestic airline, has begun direct weekly flights from Ulaanbaatar to Bangkok Don Mueang. It started its first scheduled flight to Bangkok on 23 June 2013, two months ahead of its original flight date and it will operate once-a-week between the two destinations every Sunday.

Hunnu Air hopes to attract Southeast Asian tourists to visit Mongolia via Bangkok and it hopes to fly to Singapore in the next two years. The airline has excellent domestic flight connections in Ulaanbaatar.

For further information, please visit Hunnu Air's web-site at www.hunnuair.com

The oldest church premises of Hong Kong

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                  / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Readers

There are very few churches in Hong Kong Island. The oldest church found in Hong Kong is located in the Happy Valley district, accessible by taxi from Exit A of Causeway Bay MTR Station in Hong Kong Island.

The English-speaking congregation worship at Hong Kong Adventist International Church which is located in the former premises of Hong Kong San Yu High School. Most of the members are Filipino workers. Brother Peter Chow from Singapore Chinese SDA Church has been worshiping at this church for ten years.

The Chinese-speaking congregation worship at the oldest building named Pioneer Adventist Church. There are worship services on Sabbath (Friday nights, Saturdays) and even  gatherings on Sundays.

Hong Kong Tourism Board should consider adding the church premises to its list of cultural architectural relics in Hong Kong.

For further information, please visit the web-site of Hong Kong Adventist International Church at www.adventists.hk.

AirAsia Indonesia starts flights to Medan and Surabaya from Singapore in August 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Contrary to local media reports, AirAsia Indonesia commences scheduled flights from Singapore to Medan and Surabaya on 14 August 2013, according to AirAsia.

On 14 August, the first AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ664 departs from Medan for Singapore at 9.20 am and arrives in Singapore at 11.45 am before taking off at 12.15 pm under QZ665 and touching down in Medan at 12.35 pm. The next QZ flight of the day departs for Singapore at 6 pm from Medan under QZ668 and arrives in Singapore at 8.25 pm, returning to Medan at 8.55 pm and arriving in Medan at 9.15 pm.

On the same day, AirAsia Indonesia departs from Surabaya for Singapore at 7.30 am and arrives in Singapore at 10.40 am under QZ8501. At 11.10 am, it departs for Surabaya at 11.10 am under QZ8502 and arrives in Surabaya at 12.20 pm.

Regent Airways launches flight to Kuala Lumpur on 7 July 2013, plans to add Singapore and Hong Kong to its network

Report by :  Gan Yung Chyan
                        / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Regent Airways, a Bangladeshi private airline owned by Chittagong-based Habib Group, plans to operate its first international flight to Kuala Lumpur from Dhaka on 7 July 2013 with two Boeing 737-700 aircraft leased from International Lease Finance Corporation for six years.

With configuration for 12-business and 114-economy class seats, the B737-700 aircraft is equipped with modern avionics for flight safety and fuel-saving winglets.

According to Regent Airways' web-site, Regent flight RX782 departs for Kuala Lumpur from Dhaka at 12.30 am and arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 6.15 am before leaving Kuala Lumpur at 8.20 am and touches down in Dhaka at 10.10 am under flight RX783.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, United Airways and Malaysia Airlines now operate on this route, which grew over 10 percent in the last couple of years, said Asif.

The carrier also plans to open flights to Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong and Kolkata this year.

Regent Airways received permission from Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh last year to launch international flights after Best Air and GMG Airlines ceased international commercial flights. The relatively young carrier currently operates flights on domestic destinations, namely Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar and Jessore.

Regent Airways started flight operations in November 2010.

ITE & MICE Hong Kong 2013 Report III : MIAT Mongolian Airlines brings fresh offers to ITE visitors and tourists in Hong Kong

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

MIAT Mongolian Airlines appeared at ITE & MICE Hong Kong for the third time this year and showcased the different facets of Mongolian cultures to the people of the world as they embrace the increasingly popular trends of Mongolia educational tours, charter groups, incentive travels, photographic tours and other forms of tours.

At Booth L115, MIAT Mongolian Airlines held 2 seminars on the public days, sponsored 2 Hong Kong-Ulaanbaatar roundtrip tickets for Auction from 1 Hong Kong Dollar! It has also introduced a Family Promotional Fare for summer 2013. More discounted fares are given to every additional household member. Each family can entitle to 3 complimentary tickets or enjoy up to 14,000 Hong Kong Dollar discounts. Besides, it has launched a Facebook "Photo Naming" compeition at www.facebook.com/miat.hk.

MIAT Mongolian Airlines launched the direct route between Hong Kong and Ulaanbaatar on 2 June 2011. Served by a Boeing B737-800 aircraft, it now provides four-weekly services on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays and since 6 June 2013, it has started to operate the Boeing B767-300ER aircraft on the Ulaanbaatar-Hong Kong-Ulaanbaatar routes and will increase its frequency to five flights weekly in July 2013.

Since its foundation in 1956, MIAT Mongolian Airlines has connected Ulaanbaatar with important cities of the world including Beijing, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Moscow, Berlin and Hong Kong on a scheduled basis.

It is doing a feasibility study on possible scheduled flights from Ulaanbaatar to Singapore. The airline flies once a year on a charter basis in June to Singapore from Ulaanbaatar via Beijing.

MIAT Mongolian Airlines issued B767-300ER aircraft brochures and limited new goodies at ITE & MICE 2013.

For further information, please contact Sandy Cheung, Senior Sales & Marketing Manager, Passenger & Cargo, MIAT Mongolian Airlines, at sandycheung@pam.com.hk.

ITE & MICE 2013 Hong Kong Report II : Hunnu Air plans to introduce flights to Bangkok and Singapore

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Hunnu Air, renamed from Mongolian Airlines in May 2013, revealed at ITE & MICE 2013 for the first time that the Mongolian airline is planning to start scheduled flights from Ulaanbaatar to Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok in August 2013. It is also studying the possibility of opening new flights to Singapore.

Currently Hunnu Air has a fleet of Airbus A319 and Fokker 50 aircrafts operating domestic routes in Mongolia and international scheduled routes to Hong Kong and Shanghai. The Airbus A319 Great Mongol aircraft still dons the wordings Mongolian Airlines. Full transition to the new name Hunnu Air on its fleet will complete by August.

Hunnu Air also operates charter flights to Bangkok, Tianjin, Jeju and a city in Hainan Province, China and domestic flights in Mongolia.

Hunnu Air issued Summer 2013 Timetables at ITE & MICE 2013.  Hunnu Air is the only new airline to exhibit their products and services for the first time at this famous travel show of Hong Kong this year.

For further information on Hunnu Air, please contact Badral Erdenebaatar, General Manager, Hong Kong Representative Office of Hunnu Air at badral@hunnuair.com.

ITE & MICE Hong Kong 2013 Report I : Overview and News from various Airline Exhbitors

Overview Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                               / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

ITE & MICE 2013, the only international travel market event of Hong Kong, Macau and southern China markets-combined, opened on 13 June 2013, one day after the Dragon Boat Festival, a public  holiday in Hong Kong and China, at 10.30 pm. It ends on 16 June 2013 (Sunday).

Besides the largest contingent led by China this year, the travel market has attracted more exhibitors from Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, the Philippines, Georgia and Mongolia.

ITE & MICE 2013 this year attracts more than 6 airlines to showcase their products and services through either their booths or through their GSAs, PSAs or tourism bureaus.

The independent airline exhibitors are MIAT Mongolian Airlines, Hunnu Air (formerly Mongolian Airlines),  Air Astana, Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways and Vietnam Airlines.

Many of these airlines issued news and product brochures. News from MIAT Mongolian Airlines and Hunnu Air will follow after this overview report.

Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong Express Airways handed out combined Timetables, inflight magazines, frequent flier programme brochures and fare packages.

Airlines appearing at the national tourism bodies' booths include Egyptair Guangzhou office, China Airlines, Eva Air, Mandarin Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines (RB), Air India, Air Seychelles, Cebu Pacific Air, Peach Aviation, Turkish Airlines and Jeju Air.

Air India at the India Tourism booth distributed rare Air India Dreamliner B787 desktop table aircraft cards, aircraft brochures and Summer 2013 Timetables.

Air Seychelles promoted staff fare travel from HK$1900 and companion fare of HK$2200 one-way until 30 June 2013. Like its presence at ITB Asia 2012, postcards and inflight magazine hardcopies were not distributed.

Peach Aviation promoted low-cost air travel from Hong Kong to Osaka starting from 888 Hong Kong Dollars during summer and will increase flight frequencies during this season. It distributed aircraft stickers.

Egyptair handed out its Chinese-language Egypt golf recreational maps while China Airlines, Mandarin Airlines and Eva Air promoted packages to Taiwan from Hong Kong.

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) for the first time unveiled its new image and new livery to the Hong Kong public through its Hong Kong brochures and hardcopies of Muhibah showing the new livery of the airline.

Jeju Air issued airline pens and fridge magnets at the Jeju Tourism booth.

Turkish Airlines distributed hardcopies of Skylife May 2013 to mark 80 years of foundation at the Turkish tourism booth while Vietnam Airlines marked 20 years of flight services at ITE with free distributions of its inflight magazines and marketing brochures.

Airlines appearing through their GSAs and PSAs include Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and S7 Airlines under the booth of their GSA, Global Union Transportation (HK) Pte Ltd, and Air Pacific soon to be named Fiji Airways at the booth of Sun N Sea Holidays.

Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines promoted international travel to Paro from Singapore, its 30 years of flight operations history and her latest route network  which shows the new Kolkata-Dhaka route which commenced in May 2013 through brochures produced by Global Union Transportation (HK) Pte Ltd.

Hawaiian Airlines revealed that it is beginning new scheduled flights from Honolulu to Sendai from 25 June 2013, to Taipei from 9 July 2013 and plans to start transcontinental flights to Beijing on 16 April 2014, subject to government approval.

Air Pacific soon to be named Fiji Airways announced that the transition to the new official name Fiji Airways completes on 27 June 2013. The Hong Kong office of Air Pacific will unveil the Fiji Airways logo at its Excel Centre location on 30 June. It distributed brochures showing the new aircraft livery, new corporate logo and route map at ITE.

Overall, ITE & MICE 2013 is an excellent venue to gather new travel trends of the Hong Kong and China markets and discover new products and services offered by the airlines and tourism bureaus, especially airlines that do not fly to Singapore and Southeast Asia like Hunnu Air and MIAT Mongolian Airlines.

The next ITE & MICE Hong Kong will be held from 12 to 15 June 2013 at Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

TransAsia Airways flies to Chiang Mai on a scheduled basis from 3 July 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

TransAsia Airways, Taiwan's first private airline, will convert its Taipei Taoyuan-Chiang Mai charter flight services to full-scheduled flights in July 2013. From 3 July, the airline will fly the Taoyuan-Chiang Mai-Taoyuan twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays with its Airbus A320 aircraft.

On 3 July, TransAsia fight GE631 departs from Taipei Taoyuan International Airport at 4.10 pm for Chiang Mai and arrives in Chiang Mai at 7 pm (8 pm, Singapore time). One hour later, flight GE632 takes off at 8.05 pm  (9.05 pm Singapore time) for Taoyuan and touches down in Taoyuan on the next day at 12.50 am.

Chiang Mai is the second scheduled Thailand destination of TransAsia Airways after the airline began non-stop scheduled daily flights from Taoyuan to Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok on 15 March 2013 using Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

TransAsia Airways has also introduced direct scheduled flights from Taoyuan to Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province, China, in May 2013 and will convert its Hualien-Tianjin seasonal charter flights services to regular scheduled flight services this month.

ITE & MICE Hong Kong 2013: A Bigger Travel Expo has more to offer

                                           

HONG KONG- Noted for its highly international profile of exhibitors, its regional trade visitors and affluent FIT public visitors, ITE & MICE this year grows by some 6% in scale!

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR The Hon C Y Leung sent his Message to welcome all participants, and officiating the opening on June 13 are Mr Philip YUNG, JP, Commissioner for Tourism, Tourism Commission of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR and Mr Wang Zhifa, Vice Chairman of China National Tourism Administration.

Some large official pavilions repeating their presences with substantial expansions, which is a major factor for the Expo’s overall increase in scale, and they include Japan, Seychelles, Taiwan, Turkey, and Sabah of Malaysia. Another key factor is the increased presence of local travel agents, with new exhibitors and substantial expansion by repeated exhibitors. Meanwhile, China, Egypt, South Korea, Macau and Hong Kong etc maintain their significant presences.

Newly exhibiting destinations in the Travel Expo this year come from Cyprus, Finland, India, Iraq, Morocco, Nepal, Phuket of Thailand, Svalbard of Norway, and USA, and they include both official participations and individual exhibitors. New also is the pavilion of China’s Ningxia Province, which though being part of the China’s Pavilion has its own design.

In all, there are 680 exhibitors from around 47 countries and regions, with some 30 official stands / pavilions and over 80% of the exhibitors coming from abroad. The Travel Expo in Hong Kong will use Halls 1A to 1E in the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre with total area of some 16000 SQM.

Trade associations such as The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), the Hong Kong Wedding Management Association (HKWMA), the Asia Cruise Association (ACA), Hong Kong Institute of Marketing (HKIM), and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Hotel General Manager Association etc will hold in ITE & MICE this year their Forum, seminar and function.

Also highlighted are the new travel theme of Sport Tourism and repeating themes like Cruise, Study Tours, Travel Photography, Wellness and  Honeymooning & Overseas Weddings. The second trade day on June 14 is designated MICE / CORPORATE DAY with a series of related seminars.

The Expo runs a number of programs facilitating contacts between buyers and sellers, who can make pre-appointments directly via our password-enabled online system, or meet in our Business Matching held onsite. We also run limited scheme of assigned pre-appointments. But above all, there are plenty of opportunities for face to face interactions like at exhibitors’ stands or in social functions.

 The Travel Expo opens only to trade on June 13 and 14, and public can visit it on June 15 and 16 with tickets available at the entrance. 

In the public days are some 80 travel seminars with either celebrity or expert as speakers, round the clock cultural performances by overseas troupes sponsored by their respective tourism boards, special offers from exhibitors, auctioning of travel products, travel photo exhibitions by experts and celebrities, a travel agent zone and individual stands of travel agents to facilitate onsite booking of tours, and grand lucky draw with air tickets as prizes.

Organized by TKS Exhibition Services Ltd., ITE & MICE is supported by China National Tourism Administration, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong and Macau Government Tourist Office, trade associations of travel agents and event industries from Hong Kong and in the region.

Source : TKS Exhibition Services Ltd

Asian Wings Airways to introduce regional flights from 25 June 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                    / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Two-year old Myanmese airline, Asian Wings Airways, plans to introduce new flights between Yangon and other Southeast Asian and East Asian cities. Other local airlines of Myanmar also have plans to expand their flight networks to other Asian cities.

On 25 June 2013, Asian Wings Airways starts its first regional service on the Yangon-Chiang Mai route.

Other regional destinations of Asian Wings Airways are planned for October 2013.

“We are planning more regional services this October but it depends on the readiness of our reservations system to secure overseas bookings,” said Asian Wings Airways marketing and reservations manager, Cho Mar Nwe.

Eventually, Asian Wings Airways plans to fly from Yangon to Bangkok, Phuket, Seoul, Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and from Mandalay to Chiang Mai, Gaya and Kunming.

Expansions to regional destinations will require more aircraft. Currently Asian Wings Airways has three ATR72s and a single Airbus A321. It plans to add one more ATR and a A321. Considering its ambitious plans to add nine more regional routes, in addition to its Chiang Mai service, it will require more aircraft to sustain reliable on-time services.

“We need to act quickly to catch up with competitors who are expanding services to Myanmar from Thailand, China, Korea,” said Ms Cho Mar Nwe.

For example, Myanmar Airways International has signed an agreement with Korean Air to begin code-sharing flights from Yangon to Seoul . Air Mandalay plans to resume flights from Yangon to Chiang Mai and launch new flights to Phuket  later this year while Air Bagan plans to resume flights to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi in October 2013 and to Singapore possibly in 2014.

Mandala resumes thrice-weekly flights to Hong Kong from 24 July 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press and Travel Professionals

Mandala, the partner airline of Tiger Airways headquartered in Jakarta, resumes thrice-weekly flights to Hong Kong from Jakarta from 24 July 2013.

On 24 July, Mandala's Airbus A320 leased from Tiger Airways departs from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Terminal 3 at 8.10 pm for Hong Kong and arrives in Hong Kong at 1.50 am on 25 July under flight code RI840. Scheduled flights on this route are on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

On 25 July, Mandala's flight RI841 takes off from Hong Kong at 2.30 am and arrives in Jakarta at 6.30 am. Services on the return leg of the journey are on  Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays.

Hong Kong was one of the three international destinations along with Singapore and Macau that Mandala briefly flew to in 2009-2010,  before it suspended flights to be fully-restructured to become Tiger Airways' Indonesian subsidiary in 2012.

Currently, Mandala flies internationally from Medan and Jakarta to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

Singapore's first budget flight to Makassar on 1 July 2013

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press and Travel Professionals

On 1 July 2013, AirAsia Singapore station will celebrate a new budget flight link to eastern Indonesia when AirAsia Indonesia begins its inaugural flights from Makassar to Singapore and from Singapore to Makassar without any transit stop in Jakarta.

On 1 July, AirAsia Indonesia's Airbus A320 flight QZ8203 departs from Makassar at 7.40 am and lands in Singapore at 10.10 am before taking off from Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 10.45 am for Makassar and touches down in Makassar at 1.15 pm under flight code QZ8202.

Budget flights to Makassar are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.