Lucky Air launches direct scheduled flight to Kuala Lumpur on 23 January 2017, plans more long-haul flights

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

Lucky Air, the Kunming Changshui Airport-based low-cost subsidiary of Hainan Airlines, is launching non-stop scheduled flight from Kunming to Kuala Lumpur using one of its B737 aircraft on 23 January 2017. Flights are operated on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Kunming Changshui International Airport to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang.

On 23 January 2017, Lucky Air flight 8L9595 departs from Kunming Changshui for KLIA at 8.50 am, arrives in KLIA at 12.35 pm before leaving KLIA at 1.35 pm and touching down in Kunming Changshui at 5.15 pm under flight 8L9596.

To celebrate the opening of its Kunming-Kuala Lumpur route, Lucky Air is selling one-way ticket from a promotion fare of 120 RMB (estimated 25 Singapore Dollars) and a return ticket from an unbelievable fare of 210 RMB (estimated 44 Singapore Dollars) at www.luckyair.net. Members of the public may participate in its online contest to win free return tickets to Kuala Lumpur or collect free Lucky inflight pillows or 30 cm-long Lucky Air aircraft models.

It is not the first time Lucky Air is launching flight to Malaysia. On 20 December 2016, it launched its first weekly flight to Penang at 8.50 am, arrived in Penang at 12.20 pm under flight 8L9513 and left for Kunming Changshui at 1.45 pm and arrived in Kunming at 5 pm under flight 8L9514. Flights between Kunming and Penang are on Tuesdays and Saturdays. On 6 July 2016, it launched its first regular flight to Kota Kinabalu from Kunming using Airbus A320 aircraft. Flights between Kunming and Kota Kinabalu are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Besides Kuala Lumpur, Lucky Air has plans to resume flights to Singapore without transit in Guiyang as early as in 2017, operate non-stop flights to Manila, Colombo, Kathmandu, Mumbai, Delhi and Dhaka as well as open international routes to Europe, Australasia and North America via Chengdu and Zhengzhou.

Hainan Airlines launches scheduled flights from Haikou to 2 Lao cities

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

Hainan Airlines launches scheduled flights from Haikou to Luang Prabang and Vientiane, two Lao cities, using its Boeing B737-800 aircraft. Passengers from Hainan will no longer require to transit in Suvarnabhumi, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Singapore for connection flights to Vientiane or Luang Prabang.

The first scheduled flight to Luang Prabang from Haikou under HU459 takes off at 6.55 am, arrives in Luang Prabang at 7.40 am before leaving Luang Prabang at 9 am and touching down in Haikou at 11.45 am under flight HU460 on 30 December 2016. The return flight operates on Fridays.

Hainan Airlines launches its first scheduled flight to Vientiane from Haikou on 1 January 2017. The return flight to Vientiane departs from Haikou and lands in Haikou at the same timings as the return Luang Prabang flight. The differences are the outgoing flight code to Vientiane is HU461 while HU462 is the flight code on the Vientiane - Haikou route sector. The return flights are conducted on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Haikou is the fifth non-stop Chinese destination on the route network of Wattay Airport, Vientiane, after Kunming, Guangzhou, Changsha and Changzhou and the third Chinese destination on Luang Prabang airport's route network after Jinghong and Chengdu.

Air Guilin launches scheduled flights to Hainan's third civilian airport in Qionghai with effect from 29 December 2016

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

Air Guilin, Hainan Airlines' youngest low-cost subsidiary headquartered in Guilin, launches the first scheduled flight to Hainan's third civilian airport, Boao Airport located in the city of Qionghai, Hainan Province, on 29 December 2016, using its Airbus A319 aircraft.

On 29 December 2016, Air Guilin flight GT1088 departs from Guilin for Boao at 8 am, arrives in Boao at 9.30 am before leaving Boao for Guilin at 10.20 am and touching down in Guilin at 11.50 am under flight GT1089.

The Guilin-Boao-Guilin-two-way flight is operated once only as Air Guilin is launching regular scheduled flights from Boao to its other existing destinations in Yangzhou, Jieyang (gateway to Shantou), Xuzhou and Nanchang on 6 January 2017.

On 4 January 2017, Air Guilin flight GT1011 leaves from Guilin for Boao via Yangzhou at 5.50 pm, arrives in Yangzhou at 8 pm where passengers will alight and stay overnight in Yangzhou before departing from Yangzhou at 1.40 pm for Boao on 5 January 2017 and touching down in Boao at 4.40 pm under flight GT1048. The return flight GT1047 departs from Boao for Yangzhou at 10 am and arrives in Yangzhou at 12.50 pm on 6 January 2017. Flights between Boao and Yangzhou are on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

There are scheduled flights to Yangzhou from Suvarnabhumi and Phuket with Spring Airlines and to Guilin from Hong Kong with Cathay Dragon and from Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia.

On 5 January 2017, Air Guilin flight GT1020 departs from Jieyang for Boao at 9.45 pm, arrives in Boao at 11.35 pm after leaving Boao for Jieyang at 7 pm and arriving in Jieyang at 8.50 pm under flight GT1019. Flights are operated on Thursdays and Sundays.

From 18 January 2017 onwards, flight GT1020 departs from Jieyang for Boao at 9.35 am, arrives in Boao at 11.25 am after embarking on the outbound journey from Boao to Jieyang at 7 am and arriving in Jieyang at 8.50 am under flight GT1019. Flights will be on Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays.

There are flights to Jieyang from Singapore with Jetstar Asia Airways, from Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia and from Suvarnabhumi with China Southern.

On 6 January 2017, flight GT1033 departs from Guilin for Boao via Xuzhou at 7 am, arrives in Xuzhou at 9.10 am where passengers will transfer to flight GT1050 that will take off from Xuzhou for Boao at 1.10 pm and touch down in Boao Airport at 4.05 pm. The outbound flight to Xuzhou from Boao takes place at  9.30 am and lands in Xuzhou at 12.20 pm under flight GT1049. Flights between Boao and Xuzhou are operated on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays.

There are scheduled flights to Xuzhou from Hong Kong with Hong Kong Airlines and Spring Airlines and charter flights to Xuzhou from Don Mueang with New Gen Airways.

Passengers continuing their journeys to Guilin from Xuzhou will depart on the next days at 10 am and arrive in Guilin at 12.20 pm.

On the same day of 6 January 2017, another Air Guilin flight GT1038 departs from Nanchang for Boao at 8.20 pm, arrives in Boao at 10.30 pm before leaving Boao at 5.30 pm and touching down in Nanchang at 7.35 pm under flight GT1037. Flights are conducted on Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays and Tuesdays.

With the flights from Guilin, Yangzhou, Xuzhou, Jieyang and Nanchang, Air Guilin becomes the largest airline tenant of Boao Airport. 

Construction of Boao Airport starts on 19 March 2015 and was completed in January 2016. After it is certified to start air traffic control operations on 11 March 2016, the airport first opens to the first test flight on 17 March 2016 when Hainan Airlines flight HU7777 from Beijing successfully landed on the tarmac of the airport at 12.40 pm. The airport is approved by CAAC on 11 December 2016 to open new domestic routes. 

Following the successful launch of Air Guilin's scheduled flight to Boao on 29 December 2016, the airport aims to open to international air traffic later in 2017, after the international terminal building construction is complete in January. International flights will proceed with charter flights in time for the Forbes Asia Boao Forum.

In the intermittent, other Chinese airline tenants that will operate new flights to Boao will include Hainan Airlines, Lucky Air, Shandong Airlines, China United Airlines, Chengdu Airlines, Hebei Airlines, Juneyao Airlines and China Eastern. Cities to be covered will include Taiyuan, Lanzhou, Beijing, Chengdu, Hefei, Guiyang, Xichang, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Ningbo, Kunming, Shijiazhuang, Harbin, Jinan and Qingdao. The operations of scheduled air services routes from Boao will alleviate air traffic congestion at both airports of Haikou and Sanya eventually.

SilkAir operates thrice-weekly morning flight to Colombo on behalf of Singapore Airlines from 8 April 2017

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

In a code-sharing agreement signed recently with Singapore Airlines, SilkAir's Boeing B737-800 aircraft is slated to operate morning flights to Colombo from Singapore with effect from 8 April 2017. SilkAir's flights to Colombo will be conducted on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

On 8 April 2017, SilkAir flight MI428 departs from Singapore for Colombo at 8.50 am, arrives in Colombo at 10.05 am before leaving Colombo for Singapore at 11.30 am and touching down finally in Singapore at 6 pm under flight MI427.

The corresponding Singapore Airlines flight codes on the same morning flights are SQ5338 (to Colombo) and SQ5337 (from Colombo).

The new SilkAir flights replace the prior Singapore Airlines flights to and from Colombo under the codes SQ466 and SQ467. Singapore Airlines flight SQ468 will continue to operate evening flights from Singapore to Colombo at 10.40 pm, arrive in Colombo at 11.55 pm before taking off under flight SQ469 from Colombo at 1.10 am and landing in Singapore at 7.40 am.

SilkAir's/Singapore Airlines' flight tickets to Colombo are currently on sale at Singapore Airlines' web-site www.singaporeair.com. SilkAir will sell the Colombo flight tickets on its web-site www.silkair.com from January 2017 onwards.

Thai Smile Airways launches daily flight to Zhengzhou from Bangkok on 27 January 2017

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

Thai Smile Airways, the regional budget-premium service subsidiary of Thai Airways International, is launching daily scheduled flight from Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok to Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province, China, on 27 January 2017 using its Airbus A320-200 aircraft.

On 27 January 2017, Thai Smile flight WE680 departs from Suvarnabhumi for Zhengzhou at 2.20 am, arrives in Zhengzhou at 7.30 am before leaving Zhengzhou for Suvarnabhumi at 8.30 am and touching down in Suvarnabhumi at 11.40 am on the same day under flight WE681.

One-way Thai Smile fare from Zhengzhou to Suvarnabhumi starts from a promotion fare of 810 Thai Baht (less than 100 Singapore Dollars). Zhengzhou is Thai Smile Airways' third China destination after Changsha and Chongqing. The Thai airline also operates scheduled flights to Yangon, Penang, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Macau, Gaya, Varanasi, Lucknow and Jaipur from Suvarnabhumi and domestic flights.

Suggestions for service improvements at Phuket International Airport

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

There have been negative reviews posted on Facebook and Skytrax over the immigration queues of the newly-expanded Phuket International Airport, which now consists of a separate international passenger terminal for charter and scheduled flights, Terminal X for private jet flights and the smaller domestic passenger terminal. Complaints are about longer queues before immigration and inadequate immigration staff. Last week, the reporter of this medium took the opportunity to fly with Tigerair to Phuket for a last minute review of the new international passenger terminal before Christmas with the aim to testify if the queues are longer than previously. There are also more discoveries in the airport premises.

The Tigerair flight flew past above the scenic Mai Khao Beach and landed on the runway passing by the Domestic Terminal and finally arrived at the International Terminal. The roof of the international terminal is wave-shaped, reminding passengers that Phuket is for relaxation and beach recreation. The International Terminal is larger than the older one. It has bigger and cleaner windows than those of Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Passengers can see the aircraft parking at the tarmac more clearly than at Suvarnabhumi. Obviously, this is an advantage for landing and transiting at Phuket International Airport. 

Morning queues before Immigration are typically long as there are more tourists from Europe on inbound flights and typically it takes Europeans more time to clear the immigration to claim their luggage. 

Try to avoid queues that are closer to the right. The average waiting time for a passenger to clear the Immigration is not more than 10 minutes. However, an immigration officer from an unoccupied immigration desk will come out to channel tourist queues to an immigration desk that has just been opened. There are more occupied immigration desks in the middle and towards the left but it takes a passenger including the reporter 20 minutes, never an hour, to wait for his turn to get his passport stamped. 

Two suggestions to the airport: Add the ASEAN tourist sign to two immigration desks next to the immigration desk with the Thai / Diplomatic / Official sign on the right. Many inbound international tourists are of ASEAN nationalities. Employ two security officers to channel tourist queues.

An advice to the tourist: Try to choose a morning inbound flight to Phuket and depart from the Phuket airport in the evening. Never transit for an outbound flight in the afternoon from Phuket due to the morning immigration queues. Avoid Thai AirAsia 1 pm fight to Phuket from Singapore if one is on transit to another afternoon point-to-point flight from Phuket. 


The immigration queues are not the only situations that create hassles among tourists. 

First-time visitors will note that there is no restaurant, no food stall and no food court at the Arrival hall. The Arrival hall provides tourism information and there are taxi and mini-bus counters where one can buy tickets for travel to Patong and other parts of Phuket. Above the Arrival area is a Rest zone located before the 7-11 convenience store.

To find food to eat, it is advisable to go down to the basement, turn left, and turn right to the Departure hall on the third floor. One needs to get the luggage scanned again in order to reach the Departure hall. At the Departure hall, go up the escalator to the fourth floor where restaurant chains like ThaiExpress and Ajisan Ramen are located. Besides the restaurants, one can also find rows of beach chairs where one can take a nap on. This is located next to the ice cream stall.

The Airlines' offices are located on the second floor. Again, one needs to get the luggage scanned on the first floor before entering the second floor via a lift. These offices are now smaller than the previous airlines' offices at the old international terminal which is now being converted into the Domestic Terminal. 

Unfortunately, apart from Emirates office, one is unable to find many brochures and inflight magazines at offices of Cathay Dragon and Qatar Airways. While timetables are aplenty at SilkAir office in the airport in the mornings, there are none at Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways offices and it is impossible to find the airport office of FireFly. The office of Thomas Cook Airlines, Arkefly and other European airlines that fly to Phuket is located on the basement of the car park building opposite the international terminal but it is out of bounds to tourists most of the time.

There is a free 24-hour airport shuttle bus service to the Domestic Terminal on the third floor. It takes about 10 minutes including waiting time to reach the Domestic Terminal from the international terminal as the driver waits for the bus to have at least 80 per cent seating occupancy before moving onward to the Domestic Terminal.

The bus stop of the airport shuttle bus service is unfortunately located in the smoking zone. Tour buses also stop here. Another suggestion to the airport: Keep the bus stop free from tobacco smoke by imposing fines for smoking. Designate another stop for tour buses so that it is easier for tourists to look for the airport shuttle bus.

On the road turning towards the direction to the Domestic Terminal, it is congested. Please take note that the Domestic Terminal is under renovation from November 2016 to 11 December 2017. Congestion is expected. There will be a link bridge corridor from the Domestic Terminal to the new International Terminal in December 2017 once renovation and upgrading works are complete.

The Domestic Terminal is smaller and congested. The only restaurant opening for business to domestic and transit passengers is the Phuket Airport Restaurant operated by Thai Airways International. Formerly, it was a lounge restaurant for Thai Airways passengers only. Waitress service is polite and friendly. Vegetarian food is available. Free water is served.

Shuttle travel from the Domestic Terminal to the International Terminal takes 5 minutes.

The toilets are clean but the auto-soap dispensers run out of soap quickly. Users find difficulty in looking for and alerting the toilet cleaners on soap insufficiency. A suggestion to the airport : Install a telephone line in each toilet so that users may contact the toilet cleaner easily to replenish the auto-soap dispensers and toilet paper.

Finally, after checking-in for an outbound flight from Phuket, the immigration queues are shorter. A maximum of 2 passengers are allowed to queue forward before an immigration officer. It takes about 5 minutes per passengers to clear the immigration. Thumbs up for the immigration clearance here!

The duty-free shopping area of Phuket International Airport is now bigger than previously. The Royal Orchid Plus lounge of Thai Airways International is an open concept. Non-members on-transit or preparing to depart from the airport may enter the lounge via a door next to the viewing gallery-cum-smoking zone to take snapshots of aircraft arriving and departing on the runway. They can also take photographs and videos of aircraft arrivals and departures at the open viewing gallery, on transit. However, the airport should consider setting up a public aircraft viewing gallery outside the Departure hall at the future link bridge corridor linking both terminals or construct a separate aviation building where tourists can enter 24 hours to shoot pictures of aircraft flying, landing and departing.

With a public enclosure for aircraft photography, there will be no necessity to penalize tourists and the public for taking photos or videos of aircraft at the restricted zone of Mai Khao Beach with a death penalty, a life sentence or a jail term of between 5 to 20 years as per the Air Aviation Act 1978 of Thailand.

The Phuket International Airport currently has a warning system in Thai, English and Chinese at the restricted zone of Mai Khao Beach. The zone covers the end of the runway near the beach where many people gather to take photographs of aircraft when they land. Sometimes, the planes fly so low and close to the fence, thus posing higher risk of flight accidents. Failure to comply with the Aviation Act will incur legal suits and the mentioned court sentences in Phuket.

As the airport appears dis-organized and directions within the airport are insufficient, Phuket International Airport is a second-class airport. If the air-conditioners failed to work, it would have been a third-class airport.

Sayacinta - Airpost wishes all readers arriving in Phuket many Happy Wonderful Holiday Experiences!

SilkAir, Jetstar and Tigerair operate daily scheduled flights to Phuket from Singapore. From Phuket, one can fly onward to Chiang Mai with VietJet Air Thailand and Nok Air, and to Don Mueang with Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Nok Air, and to Suvarnabhumi with Bangkok Airways, Thai Airways, Thai Smile Airways and VietJet Air Thailand. Orient Thai Airlines operates charter flights only.

The first direct flight between Harbin and Southeast Asia takes off on 17 December 2016

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

The first direct flight service between Harbin and Southeast Asia was operated by Asia Atlantic Airlines, a private airline of Thailand headquartered in Bangkok.

On 17 December 2016, Asia Atlantic Airlines flight HB806 departed from Suvarnabhumi for Harbin at 2.45 am, arrived in Harbin at 9.15 am before leaving Harbin at 12 pm and arriving in Suvarnabhumi at 4.40 pm under HB807.

On 21 December 2016, flight HB804 departs from Phuket for Harbin at 2 am, arrives in Harbin at 9.15 am before taking off from Harbin for Phuket at 12 pm and touching down in Phuket at 5.50 pm under HB805.

The flights to Harbin are on Wednesdays and Saturdays using Asia Atlantic Airlines' Boeing B767-300ER aircraft with a configuration of 18 Business Class and 238 Economy Class seats. Besides the regular flights to Harbin, Asia Atlantic Airlines operates flights from Suvarnabhumi to Incheon, Tokyo-Narita and Sapporo.

TransAsia will be renamed "Far Eastern United Airlines" once takeover by FAT is granted

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

In an unexpected move, Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT), which began scheduled flights from Kaohsiung to Macau on 1 December 2016, has proposed to the bank creditors group of TransAsia Airways to absorb TransAsia debts, take over TransAsia's fleet of 7 ATR72-600 and 12 Airbus A321-200 and rename it as Far Eastern United Airlines (远东联合航空公司, FEUA). FAT's Chief Operating Officer Zeng Jin Chi revealed this to the local civil aviation media yesterday and said FAT has discussed with TransAsia management and its bank creditors on these matters.

TransAsia Airways owes its bank creditors 70 billion Taiwan New Dollars and an aircraft leasing firm 38 billion Taiwan New Dollars for 2 long-range Airbus A330 aircraft lease.

Zeng Jin Chi said FAT will be able to shoulder TransAsia's debt burden of 70 billion New Taiwan Dollars as it prepares to fork out 20 billion New Taiwan Dollars in returns to the bank creditors and the balance of 50 billion New Taiwan Dollars will be in financial loans from banking institutions. TransAsia on the other hand has to settle the A330 aircraft lease payment.

FAT next plans to apply to the civil aviation authority of Taiwan to take over TransAsia's flight rights on its domestic and international routes. It hopes to re-employ TransAsia's 1000 ex-employees to work at Far Eastern United Airlines. If the takeover is granted, both airlines will remain independent entities in the same Headquarters of FAT to reduce operation costs and increase productivity.

It is understood that China Airlines has also applied to the civil aviation authority of Taiwan to gain flight rights on TransAsia's routes.

If the takeover arrangement is approved, the whole takeover process may complete by February 2017. FAT hopes to inculcate flight safety culture in the new airline and resume TransAsia's flights on routes from Taipei Songshan to Hualien, Kinmen and Makung by March in the name of Far Eastern United Airlines before going on to resume international flights previously operated by TransAsia to the Philippines, Thailand,  Japan, Singapore and China.

FAT, one of Taiwan's private airlines, was established in 1957 and has a turbulent history of flight operations. It operated services from Taipei Songshan and Kaohsiung to 5 regional cities, Siem Reap, South Korea and Palau. On and beyond 13 May 2008, it suspended flights due to over-investment, poor management in its defunct-Cambodian subsidiary Angkor Airways, breach of trust and bankruptcy. It resumed domestic flight services in Taiwan on 18 April 2011, emerged from bankruptcy restructuring on 16 October 2015 and it is operating profitable flights to destinations that include Chengdu, Fukuoka, Hohhot, Hefei, Kinmen, Kumamoto, Kaohsiung, Makung, Osaka, Niigata, Macau, Shijiazhuang, Taichung, Taoyuan, Songshan, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Yichang and Zhengzhou. It also operates charter flights from Makung to Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific launches direct scheduled flight from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv, Israel on 26 March 2017

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

Cathay Pacific Airways launches its first long-haul flight from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv, the commercial capital and largest city of Israel, on 26 March 2017 using its Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The official inauguration address ceremony hosted for the media before flight departure will be held in Hong Kong on 25 March 2017.

On 26 March 2017, Cathay Pacific flight CX675 departs from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv at 1 am, arrives in Tel Aviv at 7.40 am local time before leaving Tel Aviv for Hong Kong at 1.50 pm and touching down in Hong Kong at 5.10 am on 27 March 2017 under flight CX674.

Cathay Pacific operates on the Hong Kong-Tel Aviv route sectors on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and arrives in Hong Kong on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It is the second Far East airline to operate scheduled flights to Tel Aviv from Asia after Hainan Airlines' direct flights from Beijing to Tel Aviv.

Although Cathay Pacific faces direct competition from EL AL Israel Airlines on the same route sectors, the new route will attract more bookings from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia travel markets as the airline has more frequent onward flights from Tel Aviv via Hong Kong to more Southeast Asian cities than EL AL. EL AL operates direct weekly scheduled services to Suvarnabhumi, its only gateway to Southeast Asia from Tel Aviv.

Besides holders of many passports including Hong Kong and Singapore are visa-exempt for entering Tel Aviv.  Passports are no longer stamped in Tel Aviv.  

Travelers to Tel Aviv should take note that the Sabbath for humanity (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) is observed in Israel. Trains and buses do not run on Sabbath in Israel although taxis and shared minivans operate within Tel Aviv and between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Sabbath for humanity convenience.

In Tel Aviv, convenience stores, hospitals, some bars and most non-Kosher (non Israeli) restaurants remain open on Sabbath for the same reason. Tel Aviv international airport is open on Sabbath to serve non-EL AL flights. EL AL flights do not operate on Sabbath from the airport. 

The Israeli government has established comprehensive measures both on the ground and in the air to ensure Tel Aviv's airport Ben Gurion is one of the safest and best protected in the world. Passengers are advised to allow at least three hours to pass through airport security before departure.

Cathay Pacific says there has already been a healthy pick-up in advance bookings with its GSA in Tel Aviv led by Israel country manager Jonathan Bailey providing strong support on the sales front.

Cathay Pacific is selling connecting fares to Tel Aviv from Singapore at less than 2000 Singapore Dollars on its web-site.

XiamenAir introduces low-cost fare to mark its inaugural flight from Fuzhou to New York on 15 February 2017

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

Travelers scouting for cheap fares to New York from Asia can fly next year from Fuzhou as XiamenAir launches its Boeing B787 Dreamliner long-haul flight from Fuzhou to New York on 15 February 2017. To celebrate the opening of this new route, the airline is selling on-line ticket fare from 1300 Chinese Yuan or 374 Singapore Dollars. Buy it on-line while fares last.

On 15 February 2017, XiamenAir flight MF849 departs from Fuzhou for New York Kennedy Terminal 4 at 9.15 am, arrives in New York Kennedy at 10.55 am local time on the same day before leaving New York Kennedy at 12.55 pm and touching down in Fuzhou at 5 pm on 16 February 2016 under flight MF850.

XiamenAir says the above flight schedules are only effective during the winter season. During Summer 2017, MF849 will arrive in New York Kennedy at 11.55 am and depart for Fuzhou from New York Kennedy at 1.55 pm under flight MF850 and return to Fuzhou at 5 pm the next day.

Flights from Fuzhou to New York operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and touch down in Fuzhou from New York on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Meanwhile, XiamenAir is promoting connecting flights to Vancouver and Seattle from Singapore via Xiamen from 980 Singapore Dollars. For more details, visit www.xiamenair.com/en-sg/. Future cheap connecting fares from Singapore to New York via Fuzhou may be introduced.

Construction of Changi Airport Terminal 4 Completed

Original Press Release from : Changi Airport Group
Pictures in the middle of the Press Release by : Gan Yung Chyan
                                                                            / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

Airport staff and workers gather at Changi Airport's Terminal 4 facade to mark the completion of construction SINGAPORE, 16 December 2016 – Changi Airport Group (CAG) announced today the completion of construction for its new passenger terminal building, Terminal 4 (T4). Having achieved the Temporary Occupancy Permit for T4 this month, marking the completion of the construction phase, the next stage of development will be focused on its interior fittings, as well as preparing it for operations. Construction work on the new terminal, located at the southern end of Changi Airport, commenced in early 2014.In addition to the two-storey passenger terminal building, the construction involved the development of two multi-storey car parks providing 1,700 parking spaces, a two-storey taxi holding area, as well as three vehicular and pedestrian bridges spanning across Airport Boulevard to create new channels of access to T4. A 68-metre high ramp control tower has also been constructed to enhance air traffic controllers’ management of aircraft movements in the apron and taxiways around the terminal. Completed in under three years, the T4 project involved over 4,000 workers at the peak of its construction works. Mr Yam Kum Weng, CAG’s Executive Vice President, Air Hub Development, said “The past three years have been an intense and exciting journey for CAG and our project partners. We worked closely with the architects and contractors to ensure that the development works were carried out according to plan, and witnessed the transition of our vision from architectural blueprints to fruition.We thank all our partners and contractors for their contributions towards the successful completion of the terminal’s construction, while achieving a clean safety record of 26.1 million accident-free man hours.For the next phase, we look forward to working with the airport community to prepare the terminal for opening in the second half of 2017.” For the first time at Changi Airport, T4 will see a terminal-wide implementation of fast and seamless travel (FAST) initiatives to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency. The preparatory works in the lead-up to its opening will involve the installation and testing of key airport systems and processes including the new FAST self-service and automated options covering check-in, bag-drop, immigration clearance and boarding.There will also be training and familiarisation programmes organised for airport staff and partners, to prepare them for operations in the new terminal.

India's youngest-at-heart airline Air Carnival plans flights to Bengaluru, Hyderabad in 2017

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

The reporter of this travel news medium embarked on his inaugural flight to Coimbatore from Chennai with Air Carnival on 10 December 2016 to discover the world of Air Carnival.

Airline and Routes : Air Carnival is India's youngest scheduled passenger airline headquartered in Coimbatore. As a subsidiary of Coimbatore Marine College (CMC) Group, it launches its first domestic scheduled flight from Coimbatore to Chennai and to Madurai on 18 July 2016 using its only ATR72-500 aircraft. On 17 November 2016, it adds the temple town of Tirupati to its Coimbatore route network. Prior to operating scheduled flights, Air Carnival was a local chartered flight operator based in Delhi in the name of Air Carnival Charter Services using another Indian airline's aircraft for charter flights for three years. 

News : Air Carnival plans to introduce new scheduled flights from Coimbatore to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Trivandrum and Tuticorin in 2017 once the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation has approved the flight plans and as soon as it has gained the landing slots. Another ATR72 aircraft may be added to meet flight network expansion requirements.*****

Livery : The airline logo is too simple and pretty straight forward. It consists of the words "Air Carnival" and a stylized "A" design. Pink is the predominant colour of the livery. It represents youth, gentleness and the stage at the pink of health. However, the colour does not relate to the achievement of flight safety which is one of the goals of Air Carnival.***

Aircraft : The ATR72 seat legroom is not spacious. There is no inflight entertainment. **.

Baggage Requirements : In India, a carry-on baggage measuring 115 cm in total is not accepted on an ATR72 domestic flight. One baggage up to 7 kg only can be carried onboard. There is free 15 kg check-in allowance for Economy Class passengers on each Indian domestic flight.***

Safety Demonstrations : Adequate.  *****

Inflight Magazine  : There is no official inflight magazine of Air Carnival. However, passengers can browse a Tamil children magazine named Dilamani as well as major Indian newspapers such as Coimbatore Express. Air Carnival should consider introducing its inflight newsletter or magazine highlighting travel news of the airline and travel stories of its destinations and Tamil Nadu to attract new customers. **

Inflight Service / Entertainment / Onboard Meals and Refreshments : Pros are the crew provide very good service for a budget flight. Free sandwich and mineral water are served in the 1 hour 10 minutes flight. They also do not scold passengers for snapshots of crew onboard, unlike IndiGo staff. They are friendly. At the end of the flight in December this year, they give each passenger a complimentary gift of chocolate to celebrate Christmas. It is an unforgettable moment.**** 

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

Sky Shop : Not Available.**

Surcharges :  No. *****

Bookings : International customers cannot complete booking online for Air Carnival tickets at www.aircarnival.in as an Indian state is to be specified in the booking details. Book at MakeMyTrip, i.e. www.makemytrip.com where there is no need for foreigners to indicate Indian state in their booking details and where debit card / credit card payments from Singapore are welcome.**

Check-In and Departures : Check-in at the relevant airports two hours before departures. Flights may not depart on time although it is Air Carnival's objective to depart on-time, every time. ***

Ground service in  response  to passengers' requests and enquiries : Very Good in Coimbatore. Average in Chennai.***

Overall Impression :  Air Carnival needs to improve its public service image and provide marketing and inflight products. The airline may attract more business if it were renamed as Air Coimbatore. At the present moment. Air Carnival is a three-star youngest-at-heart airline that can do more to serve its passengers.

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