Oman Air launches inaugural direct scheduled flight to Singapore from Muscat on 29 March 2015

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

Oman Air, the national flag carrier of the Middle East country Oman, is operating daily scheduled flights from Muscat, Oman's capital, to Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 from 29 March 2015 using its Airbus A330-300.  It becomes the first Middle East airline to launch direct flights to Singapore in the past five years and the first foreign airline to launch an inaugural scheduled flight from a previously-unconnected city to Singapore in 2015.

According to Oman Air's web-site omanair.aero, flight WY821 departs from Muscat for Singapore at 9.45 am on 29 March and arrives in Singapore at 9 pm on the same day. It leaves Singapore for Muscat for the first time at 9.20 am on 30 March and touches down in Muscat at 12.35 pm after 7 hours 15 minutes under WY822.

Oman Air has appointed Singapore GSA for United Airways Bangladesh, Serangoon Air Travels at The Verge, to market and promote Oman Air flight services, destinations and holiday packages to Singapore travellers and sales agents. For further information, contact arpan@serangoonair.com. 

Oman Air plans to operate flights to Singapore for three months on a probationary basis to monitor the local market demand for Oman travel. If demand is very high, it will operate the flights permanently thereafter. A branch office will also be opened in Singapore.

Travellers in Singapore will also be able to embark on a short trip to Kuala Lumpur with Oman Air's Airbus A330-300 aircraft from Singapore on 29 March.

Besides the direct flight, Oman Air has existing code-sharing flights to Singapore from Muscat via Male, Colombo, Suvarnabhumi and Kuala Lumpur with SriLankan Airlines and Malaysia Airlines.

HK Express launches thrice-weekly flights to Siem Reap from 1 October 2015

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

Hong Kong's low-fare airline, HK Express, has just announced its new route to Siem Reap, Cambodia. With effect from 1 October 2015, it operates thrice-weekly morning scheduled flights from Hong Kong to Siem Reap on Thursdays, Sundays and Tuesdays.

On 1 October 2015, HK Express flight UO706 leaves Hong Kong for Siem Reap at 7.15 am, arrives in Siem Reap at 8.40 am before departing at 9.35 am from Siem Reap and touching down in Hong Kong at 1.10 pm under UO707.

To celebrate the inaugural flight, HK Express offers one-way fare to Siem Reap from as low as 180 Hong Kong Dollars till 9 February 2015 for travel from 1 October to 26 March 2016.

HK Express faces competition on the route from rival carrier Dragonair.

HK Express is also offering limited return-for-free on-line tickets to its Japanese city destinations of Tokyo and Nagoya.

Travel Trade Invitation from the Organizer of ITE & MICE 2015

Invitation from : TKS Exhibition Services Ltd., Hong Kong

Edited by / Picture by : Gan Yung Chyan

                                     / KUCINTA SETIA

Distributed to the Singapore Travel Trade

In the first 11 months of 2014, Hong Kong tourists to Singapore increase by 18% to 580,000, to Japan up 10% to 810,000, to Taiwan up 17% to 1.24 million*, and to South Korea up 39% to 500,000!

Travel Expo - ITE & MICE covers leading source markets of China and Hong Kong

In 2014, ITE & MICE Hong Kong drew 12300 buyers and trade visitors (74% from Hong Kong & 19% from China mainly Guangdong etc; 6522 from travel agents & 2588 from MICE), so it covers both Hong Kong and China; and in two public days 75300 visitors (83% prefer FIT/private group).

ITE & MICE 2014 has around 650 exhibitors (85% overseas) coming from some 50 countries and regions, and travel themes like Overseas Wedding, Wellness and Sport Tourism etc are highlighted. In its trade days are some 20 seminars either for, say, helping agents plan new travel products; Business Matching facilitating exhibitors meeting buyers; and admitting only those who successfully registered etc. In the public days are some 80 seminars about enjoying overseas holiday etc, and cultural performances etc.

We would invite Singapore enterprises to exhibit in our ITE & MICE, which covers travel agents, MICE and affluent FIT, to further develop these two important markets of Hong Kong and southern China.

ITE & MICE 2015, which is a co-location of the 29^th ITE and the 10^th ITE MICE for synergy, which will be held from June 11 to 14, 2015 at Halls 1A to 1E of the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

For participating or details like outbound figures, prices and services etc, please visit our trade website www.itehk.com or contact Ms Holly Leung at travel@tkshk.com.

Organizer : TKS Exhibition Services Ltd.

Laos' fifth international airport opens to commercial traffic on 2 April 2015

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

Laos' fifth international airport in Attapeu, known on Lao Airlines' ticket search-booking engine also as Attopeu, opens to commercial air traffic on 2 April 2015 when Lao Airlines launches its ATR72-500/-600 aircraft flight from Vientiane to Attapeu, one month ahead of the original planned completion of the airport.

On 2 April 2015, Lao Airlines flight QV331 departs from Vientiane for Attapeu at 2.40 pm and arrives in Attapeu at 4 pm. At 4.40 pm, flight QV332 leaves Attapeu for Vientiane and touches down in Vientiane at 7.05 pm. Lao Airlines will operate the new route on Thursdays, Saturdays and Tuesdays. International flights may later be launched to link Attapeu with Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Danang and Suvarnabhumi.

Attapeu International Airport in the Lao PDR city of Attapeu is located 600 kilometres southeast of Vientiane and was built at a sum of 36-million-US Dollars by Vietamese company Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group. Besides ATR72, it can handle aircraft landings of Fokker 70, Fokker 100 and MA60. Upon completion, it will be wholly managed by the Lao Government.

The other international airports of Laos are in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and Savannakhet.

Attapeu's tourist attractions include the 16th-century pagoda Ban Saysetthatthirath, ruins of the Kingdom of Champasak (1713-1904, a political model for the Angkor Empire, Sriwijaya Empire of Sumatra, Majapahit Empire of Java), three waterfalls on Xepain River and Attapeu pottery vases used to store rice wine. 

SilkAir launches direct charter flight to Naypyidaw on 25 January 2015

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

In conjunction with ASEAN Tourism Forum to be held in Naypyidaw, the administrative capital of Myanmar in the coming week, SilkAir is launching its first direct charter flight to Naypyidaw on 25 January 2015 which will return to Singapore via Yangon on the same day.

On 25 January 2015, passengers attending the ASEAN Tourism Forum will depart from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 with SilkAir at 12.05 pm and reach Naypyidaw at 1.50 pm under flight MI522. The same flight will leave Naypyidaw at 2.45 pm on 30 January, transit in Yangon at 3.45 pm before departing from Yangon at 4.40 pm and arriving in Singapore at 9.15 pm.

SilkAir's second charter flight to Naypyidaw is on 30 January.

Passengers can book seats on SilkAir's web-site.

SilkAir had a plan to launch flights to Naypyidaw from Singapore in December 2014 but this did not proceed due to its year-end charter flights to Taichung, Naha, Jeju and Busan.

HK Express launches thrice-weekly flights to Danang on 1 April 2015

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

ITE & MICE 2014 airline exhibitor HK Express has just announced that it is launching thrice-weekly scheduled flights to Danang from Hong Kong on 1 April 2015 using its own Airbus A320 aircraft. Ticket fare one-way starts from 16 Hong Kong Dollars.

On 1 April 2015 (Wednesday), HK Express flight UO1558 departs from Hong Kong for Danang at 7.40 am, arrives in Danang at 8.35 am before embarking on the return journey to Hong Kong at 6.10 pm and touching down in Hong Kong at 9 pm under UO1559. The return flight schedules which run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Mondays allow passengers to shop in Danang city before returning to Hong Kong at nights.

Besides Danang, HK Express has also launched charter flights between Hong Kong and Yantai. It has suspended flights to Kota Kinabalu and Quanzhou.

XiamenAir launches charter flights to Denpasar and Naha from 27 January 2015

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

XiamenAir is launching limited charter flights between China and Denpasar and Naha from 27 January 2015.

On 27 January 2015. XiamenAir flight MF8907 departs from Xiamen for Denpasar at 12 pm, arrives in Denpasar at 5.15 pm before departing from Denpasar at 6.15 pm and touching down in Xiamen at 11.30 pm. It will operate the charter flights once after every three days till 24 February 2015.

Charter flights to Naha, Okinawa, begin from Fuzhou under the codes MF8009 and MF8010, on 20 February and 24 February 2015. XiamenAir plans to launch scheduled flights later linking Fuzhou with Nagoya, resuming flights from Xiamen to Osaka and opening flights to other Japanese cities in the year ahead.

On 14 January 2015, XiamenAir launched its first charter flight from Changsha to Gangwon, South Korea under flights MF8011 ad MF8012. It is operating 10 charter flights on this route till 25 February 2015.

Meanwhile, XiamenAir announced that Jiangxi Airlines and XiamenAir are canvassing from the public openly for the Best Jiangxi Airlines logo Design in a competition. Participants are not limited to Chinese residents but the logo designs must be based on Jiangxi cultures and heritage in relation to the to-be-launched subsidiary carrier Jiangxi Airlines by June 2015. Competition closes on 31 January 2015 and the winner will be announced in February 2015. 

For more information, visit www.xiamenair.com.

Qatar Airways, Air Niugini and Hunnu Air re-locate Singapore offices

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                  / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

Qatar Airways, Air Niugini, Hunnu Air, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Kuwait Airways have re-located their Singapore offices.

Qatar Airways launches its new sales and ticketing business at 3 Church Street, Samsung Hub, near Golden Shoe on 19 January 2015. Specific address is #13-01 Samsung Hub, Singapore 049483. Tel : 67329277. It moved from 18th Floor of its former Orchard Road office next to Tong Bulding. Qatar Airways flies daily from Singapore to Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Air Niugini moved to 300 Beach Road #13-05A, The Concourse Building, Singapore 199555 under the GSA Deks Air (S) Pte Ltd on 16 January 2015. Due to Deks Air's shift, Hunnu Air, Royal Jordanian and Kuwait Airways moved to the office next to Air Niugini, which is #13-05. Previously, Hunnu Air, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Kuwait Airways were located on the third floor of Beach Centre while Air Niugini was located on the second floor.  

Air Niugini flies five times a week between Singapore and Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. The other airlines that Deks Air represents do not fly to Singapore.

Inflight Review : Tigerair Taiwan

Inflight Review by : Gan Yung Chyan
                            / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press Media & Travel Professionals

Routes : Singapore - Taipei Taoyuan - Singapore, Taoyuan - Don Mueang - Taoyuan, Taoyuan - Chiang Mai - Taoyuan, Taoyuan - Macau - Taoyuan, Kaohsiung - Macau - Taoyuan. Soon to open : Taoyuan - Jeju - Taoyuan, Taoyuan - Danang - Taoyuan. Taoyuan is the main international airport of Taipei.

Airline : Tigerair Taiwan's livery.

Aircraft : The Airbus A320 has narrow legroom. ***

Inflight Service : Service is excellent. The air hostesses are cheerful and passionate about their work. They attend to passengers' requests very well. They speak competently in Mandarin, Hokkien and English.  On Christmas Eve, there was a lucky draw onboard for two return free Tigerair Taiwan ticket vouchers.****

Safety Demonstrations : Adequate. 

Inflight Magazine : Tigertales Taiwan is the official inflight magazine of Tigerair Taiwan. It is very thin and easily bent. ***

Postcard / Stationery : Tigerair Taiwan issues free aircraft feedback cards, logo barf bags and Taiwan immigration arrival forms. On routes to Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Macau, respective immigration forms are issued.  In contrast, Tigerair Singapore has no such stationery except immigration forms. ****

Sky Shop : There is an inflight duty-free catalogue .  ***

Onboard Meals and Refreshments : Onboard hot meals cannot be booked online in advance and they are very oily and fatty. Tigerair Taiwan's inflight menu lists the nutrition contents of the hot meals per serving  and per 100 g, the only airline in the world to do so, and appears to serve the most fatty food among the LCCs in the world. For example, the tasty pork meat sauce with steamed rice holds 28.8 grams of total fat per serving. I am not sure if all Taiwanese food is oily. Suggest consuming refreshments and juices onboard.  ****

Surcharge :  Passengers may not need to pay a surcharge if they want to sit at the emergency rows as flights are always almost full. ***

Bookings : Electronic tickets are issued at official web-site www.tigerair.com and received via email. There is a pdf itinerary attachment.  There are no refunds for ticket cancellations.***

Check-In  : Check-in at Tigerair counters in Singapore. ***

Ground service in Singapore : Good. It would provide potential customers convenience if Tigerair Taiwan and Tigerair opened a downtown sales and ticketing office in the city centre of Singapore to facilitate off-line bookings and answer walk-in enquiries during office hours, just like Lion Air.   *****

Ground service in Taoyuan in response  to passengers' requests and enquiries : Good. ***

Overall Impression : Tigerair Taiwan, judging from various aspects of its services, is a three-star airline with room for service improvement. 

https://www.facebook.com/TigerairTaiwan

** Poor / two-star
*** Good / three-star
***** Very good / five-star
****** Excellent / six-star (the highest category)

Air New Zealand Singapore office re-opens

Picture by : Gan Yung Chyan
                   / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

Above: Air New Zealand Singapore Office

#16-05 United Square, 101 Thomson Road, Singapore 307591. 

Web-site: www.airnewzealand.com.sg

Air New Zealand resumes daily flights from Singapore to Auckland on 6 January 2015

Hunnu Air suspends flights to Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo-Narita, Paris and Erlian indefinitely

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

Hunnu Air has suspended flights to Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo-Narita, Paris and Erlian indefinitely due to poor passenger loads and a weakening Mongolian economy. It has returned its Airbus A319 aircraft to its leasor in early November 2014. 

Hunnu Air will also not be inducting a new Airbus A330 aircraft to its fleet for summer flights to Paris in 2015 as planned and has cancelled plans to launch Airbus A330 direct flights to Singapore in 2015.

Hunnu Air is concentrating on its domestic route expansion with its Fokker planes following the bankruptcy of Eznis Airways in May 2014 and it is maintaining its regional flights from Ulaanbaatar to Manzhouli and Hailar, China.

MIAT Mongolian Airlines remains as the national airline of Mongolia operating regular international flights from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing, Seoul-Incheon, Osaka, Tokyo, Moscow, Berlin, Hong Kong and Singapore. It is looking into the possibility of launching future scheduled flights to Yekaterinburg, Khanbumbat, Suvarnahumi, Delhi and Dubai. To cope with the intended route network and fleet expansion, the airline is said to look out for prospective entities to invest in the airline.

A Glance at Phu Quoc International Airport

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                  / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2 officially opened to scheduled passenger traffic on 1 January 2015. Before that, the newest international airport terminal is Phu Quoc International Airport. Sayacinta - Airpost would like to share with readers pictures of this airport.

Vietnam Airlines flies twice a week from Singapore to Phu Quoc using an Airbus A321 aircraft and since 12 December 2014 commenced weekly flights from Siem Reap to Phu Quoc.