Thai AirAsia launches daily flights from Pattaya to Macau and Singapore on 27 November 2015

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

Thai AirAsia launches daily flights from Utapao International Airport of Pattaya to Macau and Singapore on 27 November 2015. 

One-way fare from Singapore to Pattaya starts from 5 Singapore Dollars and is available for purchase until 11 October 2015 and good for travel until 29 October 2016. Flights to Macau from Utapao start at press time from 78.25 Singapore Dollars.

On 27 November, Thai AirAsia flight FD203 departs from Utapao for Singapore at 5.35 pm, arrives in Singapore at 8.40 pm before taking off for Utapao at 9.15 pm and touching down in Utapao at 10.20 pm under flight FD204. The flights FD203/FD204 follow the earlier Macau flights FD450/FD451.

On 27 November, flight FD450 leaves Utapao for Macau at 11.15 am, arrives in Macau at 2.50 pm before departing from Macau at 3.25 pm and touching down in Utapao at 5.10 pm under FD451.

The launches of direct flights to Singapore and Macau from Pattaya aim to alleviate tourist traffic congestion at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports of Bangkok and will gradually bring down prices of Bangkok budget air fares as many customers would choose to fly directly to Pattaya.

The developing coastal city of Pattaya has a diverse range of exciting tourist attractions such as the amazing Khao Chi Chan "Buddha Mountain", Thailand's only international theme park Cartoon Network Amazone and the haunted and hilarious Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum besides the incredible Sanctuary of Truth temple of Indian, Khmer, Thai architectural influences, the colourful Pattaya Floating Market and Thai Alangkarn Theatre.

To learn more about Pattaya's tourist attractions and how to travel to Pattaya from Utapao, visit
http://www.airasia.com/travel3sixty/destinations/pattaya?icid=iaf387hpsba.

Thai AirAsia flies to Nanchang from Pattaya on 26 September 2015

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

Thai AirAsia is launching Thailand's first inaugural scheduled flight to Nanchang from Utapao International Airport, gateway to Pattaya and Rayong Province of Thailand today (26 September 2015). The airline faces no competition on the route from any other airline.

On 26 September, flight FD301 departs from Utapao at 10 am, arrives in Nanchang at 2.25 pm before leaving Nanchang at 3.10 pm and returning to Utapao at 5.35 pm under flight FD302.

Thai AirAsia plans to launch direct flights to Udon Thani and Singapore from Utapao on 27 November 2015 as it seeks to develop the airport as another hub after Don Mueang and Phuket. It already flies to Hangzhou and Nanning from Utapao on a scheduled basis.

NokScoot flies to Taipei on 25 October 2015

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

Scoot's Don Mueang-based subsidiary, NokScoot, is launching scheduled flight to Taoyuan International Airport of Taipei on 25 October 2015.

On 25 October, NokScoot flight XW182 departs from Don Mueang for Taoyuan at 11.55 pm, arrives in Taoyuan at 4.25 am before leaving Taoyuan at 5.35 am and arriving in Don Mueang at 8.10 am under XW181 on 26 October 2015.

NokScoot will fly to Taoyuan on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays while the outbound flight to Don Mueang will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It currently flies to Nanjing and Osaka from Don Mueang.

NokScoot faces competition on the Taoyuan route from Tigerair Taiwan and V Air, the budget airlines of Taiwan.

XiamenAir adjusts Singapore-Hangzhou-Xi'an winter flight schedules with fare promotions

Press Release by : XiamenAir Singapore Office
English News Edited by : Gan Yung Chyan
                                        / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

In order to enhance XiamenAir's flight connections between Singapore and China, and provide more options to passengers, XiamenAir has revised its  Singapore-Hangzhou-Xi'an flight schedules. With effect from 25 October 2015, flight MF842 takes off from Singapore at 9.20 am with a stopover in Hangzhou at 2.10 pm before finally arriving at 5.40 pm in Xi'an. The return flight MF841 leaves Xi'an at 2.35 pm with a stopover in Hangzhou at 5.50 pm and arriving in Singapore at 11 pm on 26 October 2015. Tickets can be booked at http://www.xiamenair.com/sg/en/. To celebrate the new schedules, XiamenAir now offers one-way fare to Hangzhou from 150 Singapore Dollars, return fares to Hangzhou from 160 Singapore Dollars, one-way fare to Xi'an from 200 Singapore Dollars and return fares to Xi'an from 250 Singapore Dollars. Sales period of these fares are until 30 November 2015 for valid travel from  to 15 January 2016. The fares do not include taxes and administrative surcharges. U class fare entitles an Economy Class check-in weight allowance up to 30 kg. Terms and Conditions (1)Refunds and Changes: The ticket is valid for the flight/date shown only. Changes, endorsements are not permitted. Partly used is non-refundable.  Refunds Fee is 120SGD. (2)Child & Infant Fares: Infants and children are the same fares as adults. This promotion does not apply to unaccompanied minors. Passengers traveling with infants should consult with Xiamen Airlines’ Singapore Office Phone number: +65-62210770 before purchasing tickets. (3) Maximum stay: 30 days.

厦门航空新加坡-杭州-西安航班时刻调整。

为旅客提供更多出行便利，厦航将于2015年10月25日起调整新加坡-杭州-西安往返直航航线时刻，为庆祝 新时刻给予新加坡始发的旅客新加坡-西安SGD250往返和单程200新币，新加坡-杭州往返160新币和单程150新币特价优惠。 新加坡-杭州-西安航班号为MF842/1，每天1班，去程时刻为09：20从新加坡起飞，14：10经停杭州，17：40到达西安，回程时刻为14：35从西安起飞，17:50经停杭州，23：00到达新加坡。厦门航空新加坡官方网站抢购价格，重重惊喜， 数量有限，先到先得......

出行日期：新加坡-西安航段2015年9月8日-2016年01月15日；新加坡-杭州航段2015年9月8日-2016年1月15日

适用对象：新加坡MF842/841始发的航班

厦门航空新加坡官方订票网站：http://www.xiamenair.com/sg/cn/

新加坡-西安往返特价：出票日为2015年11月30日 之前。

新加坡-杭州单程/往返特价：出票日为2015年11月30日之前。

备注：以上价格不含税费

购买U舱票价可享受30KG经济舱免费行李额。

厦航新增新加坡-厦门航班促销活动适用条件：

（一）退改签规则:当班有效，不允许任何变更，不能改签，不退燃油附加费。退票费120新币，部分使用不允许退票。

（二）婴儿儿童折扣：婴儿、儿童与成人同价。不适用于无成人陪产品。携带婴儿的购票旅客，购买前请咨询厦门航空新加坡办事处。

咨询电话：+65-62210770

（三）票最长停留期：30天

VietJet Air flies to Pleiku and Yangon

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

ITB Asia 2014 Exhibitor VietJet Air launches new scheduled flights to Pleiku and Yangon from the cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.

VietJet Air launches a daily scheduled flight to Pleiku from Hanoi on 1 October 2015. On this day, flight VJ427 departs from Hanoi for Pleiku at 2.55 pm, arrives in Pleiku at 4.30 pm before leaving Pleiku at 5.10 pm and returning to Hanoi at 6.45 pm under VJ428.

Later on 1 October 2015, flight VJ394 departs from Ho Chi Minh for Pleiku at 4.35 pm, touches down in Pleiku at 5.35 pm before taking off from Pleiku at 6.10 pm and arriving in Ho Chi Minh at 7.10 pm under VJ395.

Pleiku is the central Vietnamese highland city and capital of Gia Lai Province. It is home to Hoang Anh Gia Lai Football Club who play in the top division in Vietnamese soccer, V.League 1.

Pleiku Airport was officially re-opened for commercial air traffic on 5 September 2015. To further honor the occasion, VietJet Air announced that it would donate 200 health insurance cards to poor and needy individuals in Gia Lai Province.

On the next day 2 October 2015, VietJet Air begins its foray into Myanmar by inaugurating its first scheduled flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Yangon at 10.25 am under VJ831, arriving in Yangon at 12.10 pm before taking off for Ho Chi Minh at 1 pm and touching down in Ho Chi Minh at 3.45 pm. Flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Yangon take place on Mondays Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

VietJet Air's daily flights to Yangon from Hanoi begin on 1 November 2015. On this day, flight VJ521 leaves Hanoi at 12.30 pm for Yangon, arrives in Yangon at 1.55 pm before departing from Yangon at 2.45 pm and touching down in Hanoi at 5.10 pm under VJ522.

VietJet Air faces direct competition from Vietnam Airlines on the above routes.

Cebu Pacific Air's new winter routes on 17 December 2015 in the midst of rebranding

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

ITB Asia Exhibitor 2015, Cebu Pacific Air, is resuming Davao's first international Philippines direct flight to Singapore from Davao on 17 December 2015 in the midst of rebranding. It flies between both cities every Thursday and Sunday. 

Besides the resurrected Davao-Singapore-Davao flights, Cebu Pacific Air is launching its first budget flight to Fukuoka from Manila and its Cebu hub's inaugural flight to Taoyuan International Airport the international gateway to Taipei on the same day.

On 17 December 2015, Cebu Pacific flight 5J715 departs from Davao for Singapore at 5.35 pm, arrives in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 9.10 pm before leaving Singapore at 9.55 pm and touching down in Davao at 1.40 am under flight 5J716 on 18 December 2015.

Before the Davao-Singapore route debuts, flight 5J922 departs from Manila for Fukuoka at 2.15 pm, arrives in Fukuoka at 6.55 pm before taking off for the sky at 8 pm for Manila and touching down in Manila at 10.40 pm under flight 5J923 whereas flight 5J300 leaves Cebu for Taoyuan at 9.45 pm, touches down in Taoyuan at 12.25 am before departing from Taoyuan at 1.05 am on 18 December and arriving in Cebu at 3.45 am under fight 5J301 on the same day.

The above routes are confirmed to be operated by Cebu Pacific's Airbus A320 aircraft. Currently, Cebu Pacific Air has 10 A319, 31 A320, 6 A330 and 8 ATR 72-500 aircraft. Between 2015 and 2021, it will add seven more A320 and introduce 30 A321neo aircraft to its fleet.

Cebu Pacific has updated its brand image recently. Its Philippine eagle logo now looks sleeker, which conveys "a greater sense of purpose and energy" while it retains its official blue and green, the national colours of the Philippines sea, sky and terrain. The new logo is also logo of its domestic leisure flight subsidiary Cebgo, formerly known as Tigerair Philippines.

The rebranding exercise which started way back on 1 June 2015 is being rolled out in phases through 2016 in celebration of Cebu Pacific Air's twentieth anniversary on 8 March 2016. 

Cebu Pacific Air's Inflight Magazine Smile, its web-site, domestic ticketing offices and advertisements have adopted gradually the new brand image since June 2015. Further changes will include everything from crew uniforms to the entire fleet livery and will extend into Cebu Pacific's inflight systems to enhance travel experiences.

Visit Cebu Pacific Air at Booth F/B19, ITB Asia 2015 from 21-23 October. Watch this space for the picture.

Spring Airlines resumes flights to Singapore from 25 October 2015

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

Spring Airlines today announced that it is resuming direct scheduled flights to Singapore from Shanghai-Pudong with effect from 25 October 2015. It will operate services between both cities on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

On 25 October 2015, Spring Airlines flight 9C8549 leaves Shanghai-Pudong Terminal 2 at 4.55 pm, arrives in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 at 10.55 pm before departing for Shanghai-Pudong at 11.55 pm and touching down in Shanghai-Pudong at 5.05 am on 26 October under flight 9C8550.

Now, Spring Airlines operates from Changi Airport Terminal 1. Check-in at Row 11.

Lao Airlines operates twice-weekly scheduled flights to Changsha

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

Lao Airlines now operates twice-weekly scheduled flights to Changsha from Vientiane. 

The first scheduled full flight of Lao Airlines to Changsha took place on 31 August 2015 and the airline operates flights between both cities on Mondays and Fridays. Prior to 31 August, it operated three-return charter flights to Changsha from mid-August. 

On Mondays, flight QV855 departs from Vientiane for Changsha at 2.40 pm, arrives in Changsha at 6.15 pm before leaving Changsha at 7.15 pm and touching down in Vientiane at 8.40 pm under flight QV856.

On Fridays, flight QV855 departs from Vientiane for Changsha at 1.25 pm, arrives in Changsha at 5 pm before leaving Changsha at 6.05 pm and touching down in Vientiane at 7.30 pm under flight QV856.

Changsha is the site of Mao Zedong's conversion to the Chinese revolution. It is Lao Airlines' sixth Chinese destination after Kunming, Xishuangbanna, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Changzhou. 

Airport Review : Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2, Hanoi

Airport Review & Pictures : Gan Yung Chyan
                                             / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

Welcome to Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2 of Hanoi. It is larger than Don Mueang International Airport of Bangkok. It started operations on 4 January 2015.

Above : Terminal 2 at night looks like an ark.

Above : Welcome to Terminal 2. Welcome to Hanoi.

 The four pictures below are the schematic maps of Noi Bai Terminal 2.

Above : Sleep Pod is outside the Transit Area of the second level of Terminal 2. Passengers on transit should refrain from transferring early six hours  before onward flight to another destination from Hanoi if they wished to sleep in Sleep Pod. Otherwise, proceed to Terminal 1 or the Domestic Terminal for another Sleep Pod by way of a shuttle bus on the first level of Terminal 2. There is no airport hotel next to the airport.

Above : The third level is the Departures Area. The fourth level consists of Vietnam Airlines and Business lounges for other airlines operating to Hanoi.

 Above : Immigration, Customs and Transfer areas on the second level.

Above : At the third level.

Above : Foot massage spa and barber shop on the fourth level.

Above : Business lounge on the fourth level. Applicable airlines include Hong Kong Airlines, Japan Airlines and China Southern Airlines.

Above and Below : The shops and restaurants at the Departures area.

Above : There are more than 35 gates in Terminal 2, almost double the size of Tan Son Nhat Airport Terminal 2 of Ho Chi Minh City. The seats are more comfortable than those found in the international airports of Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore. I slept flat for seven hours un-interrupted on the orange seats en route to Singapore.

Above : The picturesque scenery as seen from Terminal 2. Airlines frequently operating flights to Hanoi are Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air. VietJet Air will launch new flight to Pleiku from Hanoi on 1 October 2015.

Above : The Domestic Terminal. Note the Vietnam Airlines Dreamliner B787 aircraft which also operates flights to Ho Chi Minh City from this Terminal.  

Above : Noi Bai Airport air traffic control tower is linked by road to both Terminals 1 and 2. An expressway links Terminal 2 with the new Nhat Tan Bridge (Vietnam - Japanese Friendship Bridge).

Conclusion : Noi Bai Terminal 2 is the most comfortable airport of Vietnam to date.

Explore Seoul in two days

Captions & Pictures : Gan Yung Chyan
                                  / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

Above : Arrival in Seoul-Incheon from Singapore via Ho Chi Minh is the cheapest way of travel to Seoul, thanks to Vietnam Airlines which advertises round-trip fare from 200 Singapore Dollars. At peak period, it also costs less than Scoot to fly round-trip to Seoul-Incheon.

Above : Incheon Airport AREX Terminal.

 Above : AREX All-Stop train. One-way between Seoul Station and Incheon costs customers 4000 Korean Won.

Above : Incheon countryside.

Above : The hills of Incheon.

Above : Incheon LRT.

Above : The islands off Incheon along Gyeongin Ara Waterway.

Above : Near Gyeyang.

Above : The port of Incheon.

Above : Incheon Bridge.

 Above : Incheon tollway.

Above : Gimpo International Airport International Terminal.

Above : Bridge on Han River.

Above : Seoul Plaza.

Above : Deoksugung Palace Free Guide Tour.

Above : Common orange taxis next to Seoul Municipal Government Building.

Above (3 pictures) : Near City Hall Station.

Above : In Seoul.

Above : The fortress walls of Seoul near Hansung University Station (Korail Line 4).

Above : Seoul bus stop.

Above : Korean house and shops in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.

Above : Sisa Journal Building. Sisa Journal is the political magazine of South Korea. It publishes T'Way Air Magazine too.

Above : Jin Air Head Office in Gonghang-daero, Seoul, near Jeungmi Station (Korail Line 9).

Above : N. Seoul Tower.

Above (10 pictures) : Travel by cable car to Namsan where N. Seoul Tower is located.

Above : The symbolic palace gate of Seoul, Namdaemun.

Above : Old Seoul Station with conservation status.

Below : The new Seoul Station, its surroundings, Airport Railroad and City Airport Terminal in Seoul Station.

Pictures Below : AREX Express train is a bullet train system. One-way fare  between Seoul Station and Incheon Airport costs 8000 Korean Won.

Above : Exit from Express Train.

Conclusion : Hospitals are very far from the tourist routes in the above pictures. Tourists can be assured that they will not suffer from MERS once they step into crowded places of Seoul. Seoul is a safe metropolitan city. So is Incheon city.