Flight Suspension Notice : Scoot's Hong Kong flights

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

Scoot stops flying to Hong Kong from Singapore from 30 October 2016 onwards. Its final flights TZ322 (SIN-HKG)/TZ321(HKG-SIN) will be operated on 28 October 2016.

Scoot explains that the flight suspensions to and from Hong Kong are to allow it to maximize its resources and expand its network to more destinations.

Passengers who have booked with Scoot for travel from 30 October 2016 will be transferred to Scoot's team partner Tigerair. They will have been notified through email of the transfers and their options by 30 September 2016. If they did not wish to fly with Tigerair to Hong Kong and preferred another destination in Tigerair's network, Tigerair allows passengers to change the route under their valid bookings with change fees applied.

Currently, both Scoot and Tigerair handle each other's check-in procedures at Changi Airport very well under the Scoot-Tigerair Team. Both carriers have been owned by a holding company named Budget Aviation Holdings since 18 May 2016. The holding company administration is overseen by Singapore Airlines although the national airline does not interfere in the route developments of Scoot and Tigerair.

Spring Japan launches daily flight to Osaka on 28 September 2016

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

Spring Japan, in short for Spring Airlines Japan  the Narita-based subsidiary of Spring Airlines, exhibited at JATA Tourism Expo Japan 2016 last week and announced daily flights from Narita to Osaka begin on 28 September 2016.

On 28 September today, Spring Japan flight IJ651 departs from Narita for Osaka at 11.50 am, arrives in Osaka at 1.20 pm before leaving Osaka at 2 pm and touching down in Narita at 3.25 pm under flight IJ652.

Spring Japan was formed in September 2012 with a capital of 1.5 billion Yen and currently owns a fleet of 3 Boeing B737-800 aircraft. Two more such aircraft will join the fleet by 2017. It flies from Narita to Hiroshima, Saga, Sapporo, Takamatsu in Japan and from Narita to Chongqing and Wuhan. It has connecting flights with Spring Airlines to Singapore, Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai, Kota Kinabalu via Shanghai-Pudong.

The Japanese low-cost airline is part of the greater Spring Group based in Japan which also oversees administration and management of Spring Airlines, Spring Tour, Spring Travel Japan, Spring Sunny Hotel in Nagoya Tokoname and Karaksa Spring Hotel in Osaka-Kansai region.

Ethiopian Airlines launches direct Dreamliner flight to Singapore on 1 June 2017 and Moroni

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

After postponing direct flight to Singapore twice in late 2015, the largest African carrier and member of Star Alliance, Ethiopian Airlines, is now geared to launch direct B787-800 Dreamliner flight from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to Singapore on 1 June 2017. The flight will be operated on a daily basis without stopover in Suvarnabhumi.

On 1 June 2017, Ethiopian flight ET638 departs from Addis Ababa for Singapore at 12.30 am, arrives in Singapore at 3.15 pm on the same day. It departs from Singapore for Addis Ababa at 12.45 am on 2 June 2017 and touches down in Addis Ababa at 6.30 am local time under flight ET639.

The lowest one-way fare on the Addis Ababa-Singapore and Singapore-Addis Ababa route sectors starts from 589.50 Singapore Dollars and is available for reservation at www.ethiopianairlines.com.

Currently, the only African airline that flies to Singapore directly is Air Mauritius from Port Louis. Passengers in Singapore to other Ethiopian Airlines destinations in Africa like Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Windhoek, Dar Es Salaam, Moroni, Lagos and Gaborone have to transit in Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong, Port Louis or Johannesburg for onward flights to these destinations. 

Ethiopian Airlines launches flight to Moroni in the Comoros near Mauritius via Dar Es Salaam from Addis Ababa on 2 November 2016 using B737-800 aircraft with flight ET825 departing for Moroni at 9.10 am, arriving in Moroni at 2.20 pm before leaving Moroni at 3.20 pm and touching down in Addis Ababa at 8.20 pm under ET824 on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Mondays.

Japan's only seaplane operator Setouchi Seaplanes flies from Onomichi

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

Japan's only seaplane operator Setouchi Seaplanes was formed in November 2014 in Onomichi, the city in Hiroshima prefecture and launched scheduled sightseeing flights across the Setouchi Inland Sea in July 2016 with its Kodiak 100 amphibious aircraft.

Based at Onomichi Floating Port (Bella Vista Marina) in Onomichi, which is located 60 minutes by car from Hiroshima airport, Setouchi Seaplanes has four flights per day across the Onomichi Channel to Innoshima, Ikuchi, Nishima islands and between Iwagi and Ikuchi islands within a duration of 50 minutes. The departure and arrival timings vary from month to month.

Passengers also can reach Onomichi Floating Bay from JR Onomichi Station on the Sanyo Main Line within 50 minutes by car.

Onomichi is famous for its numerous Shinto temples, Japan national cultural asset Yoshihara House, various Innoshima Suigun Castle, Onomichi Castle, Fukuyama Domain Bancho, flower centres, Onomichi City Museum of Cinema, Mt Takami National Park, the Path of Literature, to name some interesting sites.

The best way to visit Onomichi Floating Port is via Hiroshima, to which HK Express and Dragonair have frequent flights from Hong Kong. 

Visit setouchi-seaplanes.com for updated flight schedules and ticket prices.

Watch out for Finnair's first A350 flight to Singapore in October 2016

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

Finnair at JATA Tourism Expo 2016 revealed that its A350 first flight to Singapore from Helsinki will be operated on 16 October 2016. So, watch out for its A350 flight to Singapore on that date.

MIAT Mongolian Airlines operates summer flights to Narita 5 times a week in 2017

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

MIAT Mongolian Airlines at JATA Tourism Expo 2016 announced that it will operate non-stop flights five times a week during summer of 2017 from Ulaanbaatar to Tokyo Narita.

From 27 March 2017 to 29 September 2017, MIAT flight OM501 departs from Ulaanbaatar for Narita at 8.55 am, arrives in Narita at 1.40 pm before leaving Narita at 2.40 pm and arriving in Ulaanbaatar at 8.10 pm. These flights are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The new Sunday flight to Narita from Ulaanbaatar commences on 4 June 2017 at the same timing as the Monday flight under flights OM501 and OM502 while the new Tuesday flight will be introduced at the same timing on 4 July 2017 and ends on 29 August 2017.

From 1 July 2017 to 26 August 2017, twice-Saturday flights between Ulaanbaatar and Narita will be operated. From 1 July to 26 August 2017, OM501 departs for Narita at 8.55 am, arrives in Narita at 1.40 pm before leaving Narita at 2.40 pm and touching down in Ulaanbaatar at 8.10 pm. 

Another flight, OM503 leaves Ulaanbaatar for Narita at 2.45 pm on 1 July 2016, arrives in Narita at 7.30 pm and takes off for Ulaanbaatar at 8.30 pm and arriving in Ulaanbaatar at 2 am under OM504.

The Saturday flights OM501/OM502 will end on 23 September 2016.

MIAT Mongolian Airlines will fly between Ulaanbaatar and Narita on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 30 October 2016 to 24 March 2017. It also plans to resume commercial flights from Ulaanbaatar to Osaka during the summer of 2017.

JATA Tourism Expo Japan 2016 attracts foreign leaders and more than 20 airline exhibitors

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

The largest international travel exposition in Asia, JATA Tourism Expo Japan, is held from 22 to 25 September 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight Convention and Exhibition Centre in Odaiba island of Tokyo. This year, it attracts many foreign leaders including the Prime Minister of Thailand and foreign tourism authority leaders from Sudan, Zimbabwe and Europe to grace the press opening ceremony held at Belle Salle, Tokyo Nihombashi Tower.

At the press conference on 22 September, both Norio Yamaguchi, Chairman & CEO of Japan Travel & Tourism Association and Hironi Tagawa, Chairman of Japan Association of Travel Agents, welcome delegates from more than 140 countries and 47 regions in Japan participating in this year's Travel Showcase.

In the Global Tourism Forum, under the main theme consisted of "New Opportunities for Sustainable Destinations - Japan and the World", discussions were held in the fields of overseas travel, domestic travel and inbound travel to Japan as Japan faces the challenge of becoming a leading tourism country.

Key speakers in various topics covered in the Global Tourism Forum include Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of UNWTO, Mr David Scowsill, President & CEO of WTTC.

The Travel Showcase of JATA Tourism Expo began from 23 to 25 September 2016 as the previous day is Japan's public holiday designated as the beginning of autumn but downpours persisted on 22 September. A special "Japan Night" celebration was held accordingly in the district of Nihombashi as part of the organizers' "Visit Japan" Golden Week to welcome the delegates and tourists to Tokyo.

The Travel Showcase welcomes the participation of more than 20 airline exhibitors showing their flight products, services and holiday packages. Many new airline exhibitors include Scoot, Setouchi Seaplanes, Spring Airlines Japan, Tigerair Taiwan, Cambodia Angkor Air, Sichuan Airlines, and traditional favourite exhibitors such as Jeju Air, IranAir, China Airlines, AeroMexico, LOT Polish Airlines, MIAT Mongolian Airlines and Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines. 

IranAir's Japan GSA Persia Tourism distributes the world's first GSA tourism magazine, in this case, on Iran tourism and IranAir flights from Narita.

With the exception of Drukair, most other airline exhibitors distribute their Timetables in Japanese with a few distributing aircraft transparent files. China Airlines celebrates 50 years of flights from Taiwan to Japan by distributing the airline's postcards in Japanese.

Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines said customers until 25 September 2016 have the chance to book an online ticket on any of its routes including Bangkok and Singapore and an offer to purchase a return domestic ticket to Gelephu and Bumthang in Bhutan from 130 US Dollars at the Expo.

In the following pictorial news over the days, this web-site covers MIAT Mongolian Airlines, Finnair, Setouchi Seaplanes and Spring Airlines Japan, to name a few.

Stimulating travel through distribution of timetables and creating awareness of travel products and services are ways to bolster a country's tourism growth. There are other ways to stimulate tourism growth with preferred objectives in mind.

JATA Tourism Expo, first launched in 2014, focus on all countries and regions throughout Japan where travel demand is declining due to issues ranging from natural disasters to political and diplomatic subversion. As it attracts every trade in the travel and tourism industries as well as the public, the organizers are leveraging the strengths of this travel exposition to show everyone the current situation of these countries and regions and their efforts to tackle the issues. The purpose of the Expo is to create opportunities, spur efforts and inspire action among attendees of the Expo.

This year, the Expo allows the travel and tourism industries and members of the public to show Kumamoto Prefecture and France their support to revive tourism in these places after the Kumamoto earthquake and the Paris terrorist attacks.

The next edition of JATA Tourism Expo will be held in Tokyo Big Sight from 22 to 24 September 2017.

Inflight Review : Hong Kong Airlines

Inflight Review by : Gan Yung Chyan
                              / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

Airline : Hong Kong Airlines marks 10 years of safety flights in June 2016 but it was formed as early as 28 March 2001 as CR Airways. CR Airways changed its name to Hong Kong Airlines on 27 June 2006 after the holdings of the airline were transferred to Grand China Air, a new holding company of Hainan Airlines. 

Hong Kong Airlines is a full-service airline offering discounted prices on its routes but it is not absolutely low-cost. It depends on the route sector one has chosen to fly. It used to operate passenger flights from Hong Kong to Singapore but insufficient marketing of its service and image to Singaporeans leads to flight cancellation. Nowadays it only operates cargo flights to Singapore using its A330-200F aircraft.

Livery : On the airline livery, the prefix "Hong" is immediately in front of "Kong" without a space in between. The press is used to spell it as Hong Kong Airlines. Until the world is used to spell the city as "Hongkong", the livery should have stated it as HONG KONG AIRLINES so that the airline identity can be easily deciphered. The details of the airline's bauhinia logo on the aircraft body are not clear enough to be noticed.***

 

Routes : Using its fleet of 8 A330-300, 9 A330-200 and 11 A320 passenger aircraft, Hong Kong Airlines operates short-haul, regional routes to China, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and long-haul routes to Cairns, Gold Coast and from 10 November 2016 to Auckland and from December 2016 to Colombo. In this review, the routes are from Hong Kong to Sanya and Haikou to Hong Kong operated by A320 aircraft.*****

Aircraft : The A320 seat legroom is not spacious. Inflight entertainment is available but limited. ***.

Baggage Requirements : Standard requirement. A carry-on baggage measuring 115 cm in total is accepted. *****

Safety Demonstrations : Adequate.  *****

Inflight Service / Entertainment / Onboard Meals and Refreshments : The crew provide very good service for a budget flight. Free fruit juice and bread on the flights to Haikou and Sanya. No full meals. No inflight menu on short-haul routes unlike HK Express.*** 

Postcard / Stationery : None. You can write on the barf bags.*** 

Inflight Magazine  : Complimentary Inflight magazine Aspire is in excellent condition on the Sanya flight but it is in good condition on the Haikou flight. You can take home a hardcopy. It is available on ground in the Bangkok and Hong Kong offices of the airline.*****

Sky Shop : Not Available on the routes to Sanya and Haikou.**

Surcharges :  No. *****

Bookings : The Sanya and Haikou fares of Hong Kong Airlines are extremely low. If you want to avoid paying too high a fare on Jetstar Asia's return flight to Sanya, it is recommended to fly with Tigerair to Hong Kong and from Hong Kong board Hong Kong Airlines' frequent weekly flight to Sanya. It costs me less than 80 Singapore Dollars including taxes to board the one-way Hong Kong-Sanya flight and estimated 60 Singapore Dollars for a Hong Kong Airlines flight to Hong Kong from Haikou. Hong Kong Airlines' special prices can be purchased on-line, at all Hong Kong Airlines' offices, agents and external Chinese air ticketing web-sites like Ctrip. On-line tickets in English bear the IATA logo. Passengers who are Fortune Wings Club members can request Hong Kong Airlines for mileage to be accumulated. *****

Check-In and Departures : Check-in online or at the relevant airports two to three hours before departures. Flights may not depart on time. Hong Kong Airlines' Sanya flight is the most memorable one as it flies over the picturesque Sanya Bay.****

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

Overall Impression :  Hong Kong Airlines needs to improve its public service image. Many call it the "Hainan Airlines of Hong Kong". The tail livery should consider indicating the airline's bauhinia logo. Hong Kong Airlines is a three-star airline.***

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

VietJet Air's inaugural flight to Hong Kong in December 2016

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

VietJet Air launches scheduled flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong on 9 December 2016. On this date, flight VJ876 departs from Ho Chi Minh City for Hong Kong at 3.10 pm, arrives in Hong Kong at 6.50 pm before leaving Hong Kong for Ho Chi Minh City at 8.15 pm and touching down in Ho Chi Minh City at 9.55 pm under flight VJ877.  According to VietJet Air Head Office, this will be the first low-cost flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.

HK Express flies twice a week to Nha Trang from 9 November 2016

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

HK Express, one of the world's safest low-cost airlines headquartered in Hong Kong, launches its inaugural scheduled flight to Nha Trang in central Vietnam on 9 November 2016 using its Airbus A320 aircraft. ahead of its plans to launch flights to Luang Prabang, Guam and Saipan.

On 9 November 2016, HK Express flight UO502 departs from Hong Kong for Nha Trang at 2.10 pm, arrives in Nha Trang at 3.30 pm before leaving Nha Trang for Hong Kong at 6.30 pm and touching down in Hong Kong at 9.40 pm under flight UO503.

Twice-weekly flights are on Wednesdays and Sundays. One-way special fare starts from 428 Hong Kong Dollars and can be purchased on www.hkexpress.com.

Nha Trang is home to rugged hills, many protected marine nature parks of Vietnam, Nha Trang Oceanography Institute and boasts world-class scuba dining with plenty of sea-side restaurants, parks and promenades. It has attracted hordes of tourists from China and Russia for two years. It is HK Express' second Vietnamese destination after Danang and HK Express is the first non-Vietnamese low-fare airline to fly to Nha Trang.

The inaugural flight dates of HK Express to Luang Prabang, Guam and Saipan are yet to be announced.

Donghai Airlines launches flight from Yingkou to Shenzhen via Yantai on 15 September 2016

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

Donghai Airlines, the private airline of Shenzhen, has launched daily scheduled flight from Yingkou to Shenzhen via Yantai on 15 September 2016.

On 15 September 2016, Donghai flight DZ6218 departs from Yingkou for Shenzhen via Yantai at 9.20 am, transits in Yantai at 10.30 am before leaving Yantai at 11.20 am and touching down in Shenzhen at 2.40 pm.

At 3.45 pm, flight DZ6217 leaves Shenzhen for Yingkou via Yantai, transits in Yantai at 7.10 pm before embarking on the return journey for Yingkou at 8.10 pm and arriving in Yingkou at 9.20 pm on 15 September.

This is the first time Donghai Airlines is basing one of its B737-800 aircraft in Yingkou Lanqi Airport. Yingkou is the prefecture-level city of Liaoning Province, the port city of Bohai Sea on Liao River, a developing industrial city and home to the basketball club Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Pre-flight Review : Scoot runs travel scams at foreign airports

Review by : Gan Yung Chyan

                  / KUCINTA SETIA

To Everyone

Scoot runs travel scams at foreign airports. When I asked Scoot's Chinese-speaking and English-speaking staff whether a laptop messenger bag or a smaller bag containing important travel documents such as flight itineraries, lodging and accommodation bookings, travel maps, small umbrella, eye shade, ear plugs and handphone only is allowed, two staff confused me by saying that a laptop messenger bag or smaller bag containing without laptop but less than 115 cm in total dimensions was not allowed to be carried onboard all Scoot flights.

The Chinese-speaking staff of Scoot in Manila raised incidents at airports saying some Economy Class passengers of Scoot were forced to pay to check-in the smaller bags containing travel documents that are within 3 kg limit. This is ridiculous unprofessional way of checking-in for budget flights and these are travel scams run by Scoot staff at overseas airports.

Airports in the world will not allow passengers to pay to check-in smaller bags provided they have security features and if they have not exceeded Economy Class baggage allowance.

Laptop messenger bags and small bags containing passports, handphone and important travel documents and small umbrella must be taken onboard with the passengers, provided the passengers are in the Philippines where I understand small umbrellas must be removed from the small bags and checked in.

At the end the Scoot staff understood and said that maximum two baggage are allowed onboard Scoot flights including one 7 kg luggage and one smaller bag maximum 3 kg provided each baggage is within or less than 115 cm in total dimensions and the combined weight does not exceed 10 kg. Laptop need not be included in the smaller bag. However, Economy Class passengers must purchase baggage allowance of 42 SGD to bring onboard the second luggage that weighs maximum 7 kg.

Shenzhen Airlines launches daily flight between Guangzhou and Singapore on 23 September 2016

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

According to the global web-site of Shenzhen Airlines, global.shenzhenair.com/zh/main.jsp, Shenzhen Airlines launches daily flight between Guangzhou and Singapore on 23 September 2016 using one of its Airbus A320 aircraft.

On 23 September 2016, Shenzhen Airlines flight ZH9009 leaves Guangzhou for Singapore at 11.30 am, arrives in Singapore at 3.55 pm before departing from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 5.15 pm and arriving in Guangzhou at 9.10 pm under flight ZH9010. Air fare starts from 250 RMB one way and can be booked on the web-site, at Ctrip platform and other online Chinese air ticketing platforms.

The commencement of the new flight operated by the Guangzhou Branch of Shenzhen Airlines allows Singaporeans and other tourists to depart for Guangzhou at convenient timing. 

Shenzhen Airlines also flies between Shenzhen and Singapore every day on its own and in code-sharing basis with SilkAir using Shenzhen Airlines' A320 aircraft.

Oman Air starts direct scheduled flight to Muscat from Singapore on 31 October 2016

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

According to Oman Air's web-site www.omanair.aero today, Oman Air operates its final scheduled flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on 30 October 2016, and not 29 October 2016 as earlier reported. It starts to fly directly to Muscat from Singapore on 31 October 2016. Direct flights from Muscat to Singapore will continue. This will boost outbound tourism to Muscat from Singapore. 

On 31 October 2016, flight WY848 departs from Singapore for Muscat at 6.30 pm and arrives in Muscat at 9.55 pm local time. The whole journey is expected to take 7 hours 25 minutes.

Singaporean travellers have discovered Muscat is an attractive destination for onward flights to Dubai, Jeddah and other Middle Eastern and European destinations at lower prices than Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Saudia.

A check on Oman Air's web-site shows no direct flights from Singapore to Jakarta on and after 30 October 2016. Oman Air continues to fly directly from Muscat to Jakarta Cengkareng.