Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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Urumqi Air launches its first scheduled international flight from Urumqi to Irkutsk, Siberia, on 27 June 2018 using its B737-800 aircraft.
On 27 June 2018, Urumqi Air flight UQ2665 departs from Urumqi for Irkutsk at 9.45 pm and arrives in Irkutsk at 1.35 am on 28 June 2018. It departs from Irkutsk at 3.35 am and returns to Urumqi under flight UQ2666 at 7.30 am.
Urumqi Air operates flights to Irkutsk twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Urumqi Air and Ctrip have started to sell the Urumqi Air international flight tickets online.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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Lanmei Airlines has added Nanning to its Siem Reap route network on 29 May 2018. It flies between Siem Reap and Nanning on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays using its A321 aircraft.
On 29 May 2019, Lanmei Airlines flight LQ920 departs from Siem Reap for Nanning at 8.40 am, arrives in Nanning at 12.05 pm before leaving Nanning for Siem Reap at 12.55 pm and touching down in Siem Reap at 2.25 pm under flight LQ921.
Lanmei Airlines flies from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Ho Chi Minh City, Macau, Changsha and Shijiazhuang while it has flights from Phnom Penh to Hanoi, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sihanoukville, Suvarnabhumi and Guangzhou using its fleet of A319 and A321 aircraft. It also has seasonal flights from Sihanoukville to Koror via Macau.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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Scoot Tigerair Pte Ltd is the first airline in the world to introduce brown rice hot meals onboard all its B787 and A320 flights from May 2018. The brown rice hot meal is vegetarian and it costs 2 Singapore Dollars less than its traditional white rice hot meals.
A traditional white rice hot meal of a Scoot flight costs 17 Singapore Dollars online.
Everyone hopes Scoot will introduce more brown rice and multi-grain rice hot meals to match the prices of the two-digit price tags.
All other airlines including Singapore Airlines serves white rice and noodles onboard.
Pictures by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
WOW air, Iceland's low-cost airline, extends its current Boston - Reykjavik flight to Delhi, India's capital on 6 December 2018, using one of its newly-leased A330-900neo aircraft. It becomes the first Icelandic airline to link the isolated European country with Asia from 6 December 2018.
On 5 December 2018, WOW air flight WW126 departs from Boston for Delhi via Reykjavik at 6.20 pm, transits in Reykjavik at 4.50 am on 6 December 2018 where Delhi-bound passengers will alight and board flight WW322 at 11.45 am which is scheduled to touch down in Delhi at 3.15 am on 7 December 2018.
On 7 December 2018, flight WW323 leaves Delhi for Reykjavik at 7 am, arrives in Reykjavik for Iceland-bound Asia passengers to alight at 1.20 pm before taking off from Reykjavik for Boston under flight WW125 at 3.50 pm and arriving in Boston at 4.50 pm local time.
The Boston - Reykjavik flight lasts for 5 hours 30 minutes while the Reykjavik - Delhi flight spans 10 hours. The Delhi - Reykjavik flight lasts for 11 hours 50 minutes and 6 hours for the onward flight from Reykjavik to Boston.
Flights depart from Boston to Reykjavik on Wednesdays, Fridays and Mondays and leaves Delhi for Reykjavik on Fridays, Sundays and Wednesdays.
Passengers leaving for Delhi from Boston and vice versa will have their check-in luggage tagged and transferred automatically to flight WW322/WW125 in Reykjavik according to WOW air's web-site.
One-way air fares from Boston and Reykjavik to Delhi start from 339.99 USD.
WOW air is evaluating possibilities to begin long-haul flights to destinations including Hong Kong and Honolulu using 4 A330-900neo aircraft which it plans to receive later this year from CIT Aerospace to operate flights to cities that are more than 10 hours of travel time from Reykjavik.
WOW Air hopes to attract Asian passengers initially to utilize its new flight service in Delhi for their travels to Iceland without spending too much for transit flights in the US and Europe.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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On 18 May 2018, Hong Kong Airlines flight HX2019 departs from Hong Kong for Vnukovo International Airport of Moscow at 3 pm, touches down in Vnukovo at 8.15 pm before departing from Vnukovo for Hong Kong at 1.22 am on 19 May 2018 under flight HX2018, according to the Vnukovo airport flight status database.
Flight HX2018 arrives in Hong Kong Terminal 1 at 3.40 pm on 19 May 2018, 25 minutes late behind its intended flight schedule.
The return flight to Vnukovo from Hong Kong marks Asia's first return flight to the oldest international airport of Moscow. Vnukovo is Hong Kong Airlines' first European destination airport and the closest international airport to the Moscow city centre.
Moscow has 3 international airports. The other airline that flies to Moscow from Hong Kong, Aeroflot Russian Airlines, lands in the furthest Sheremetyevo International Airport.
Hong Kong Airlines flies to Vnukovo on Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays and lands in Hong Kong from Vnukovo on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays. The Tuesday flight of HX2019 departs from Hong Kong for Vnukovo at 4.15 pm and arrives in Vnukovo estimated at 9.25 pm.
Press Release by : Singapore Airlines
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Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) regional wing, SilkAir, is to undergo a significant investment programme to upgrade its cabin products as part of a multi-year initiative that will ultimately see it merged into SIA.
The programme will comprise investment of more than $100 million to upgrade the wholly owned subsidiary’s cabins with new lie-flat seats in Business Class, and the installation of seat-back in-flight entertainment systems in both Business Class and Economy Class. This will ensure closer product and service consistency across the SIA Group’s full-service network.
Aircraft cabin upgrades are expected to start in 2020 due to lead times required by seat suppliers, including to complete certification processes. The merger will take place only after a sufficient number of aircraft have been fitted with the new cabin products. Specific details will be announced progressively as the programme develops and timelines are finalised.
Consistent with ongoing efforts to optimise the SIA Group’s network, there will also be transfers of routes and aircraft between the different airlines in the portfolio.
“Singapore Airlines is one year into our three-year Transformation Programme and today’s announcement is a significant development to provide more growth opportunities and prepare the Group for an even stronger future,” said SIA CEO, Mr Goh Choon Phong.
“Importantly, it will be positive for our customers. It is another example of the major investment we are making to ensure that our products and services continue to lead the industry across short-, medium- and long-haul routes.”
SilkAir is the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, operating a fleet of 11 Airbus A320-family aircraft and 22 Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft. It is currently transitioning to an all-737 fleet, and serves 49 destinations in 16 countries.
It launched in 1989 as Tradewinds the Airline, initially focusing on holiday destinations in Southeast Asia. Renamed SilkAir in 1992, it expanded progressively across Asia in subsequent years as it evolved from a holiday resort airline to a full-fledged, full-service regional carrier.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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GX Airlines, short for Guangxi Beibu Gulf Airlines, launches its first scheduled international flight to Southeast Asia from Nanning on 29 May 2018 using one of its Airbus A320 aircraft.
On 29 May 2018, GX Airlines flight GX8905 departs from Nanning for Siem Reap at 11.05 pm, arrives in Siem Reap at 12.30 am on 30 May 2018 before leaving Siem Reap for Nanning at 1.30 am and touching down in Nanning at 5 am under flight GX8906.
Flights operate between Nanning and Siem Reap on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
GX Airlines plans to launch flights to Thailand, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur from Nanning later this year.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
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Cathay Pacific takes delivery of its first A350-1000 jet on 19 June 2018, according to Airbus. The Hong Kong-based airline will later issue a press release once the new aircraft has been delivered.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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From 19 May 2018, China Southern Airlines and 11 other airlines will transfer and operate flight services at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport Terminal 2 after 2 am. The transfer time is based on the scheduled flight time. Planned flight departures at 2 am on 19 May are still guaranteed at Terminal 1. After 2 am, the scheduled flights to and from Guangzhou will be transferred to Terminal 2. A total of 16 Chinese and foreign airlines operate flight services at Terminal 2 as of 19 May 2018.
The airlines transferred to T2 on 19 May 2018 included China Southern Airlines, Chongqing Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Hebei Airlines, China Airlines, Air France, Korean Air, Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International and Japan Airlines, joining the first batch of airlines (Xiamen Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, SAUDIA Saudi Arabian Airlines, and Kenya Airways), which had been stationed previously.
According to the Guangzhou Airport flight schedule, passengers travelling on an outbound flight at 2 am must check-in at Terminal 1. After 2 am, the inbound and outbound flights are all transferred to Terminal 2.
The majority of passengers should pay special attention to the fact that this transit time will always be based on the time of departure and scheduled flight plan. Passengers planning to take off before 2 am on 19 May will still board at Terminal 1 even if the flight delays to 2 am. Do not run to Terminal 2.
The T2 airline check-in areas of Baiyun Airport are allocated as follows: D, E, F, G and J are domestic flight check-in areas, and handle five airlines namely China Southern, XiamenAir, Chongqing Airlines, Hebei Airlines and Sichuan Airlines.
Check-in procedures for the international flights at check-in areas M, N, P: M zone check-in rows are used by Japan Airlines, Kenya Airways, SAUDIA and Garuda Indonesia; N zone check-in rows are for checking-in flights of Korean Air, China Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Thai Airways International. Aeroflot Russian Airlines and Sichuan Airlines. P is used by China Southern Airlines. C and Q are the domestic and international first-class business class passengers' ticketing areas of China Southern Airlines. H and L are domestic self-service consignment areas and international self-service consignment areas. The K check-in area is currently a reserved area. Passengers carrying "big, fragile, irregular" baggage can go to the oversized baggage counter located behind the check-in area.
Inadvertently travelling to the wrong terminal, Baiyun Airport reminds that there are two free transportation methods. Passengers can choose to board the free shuttle bus between the two terminals. Board the Shuttle Bus via Gate 10 of the Terminal 1 Departures Hall. The boarding point at Terminal 2 is located at Gate 42 of the Departures Hall. It takes 5 to 15 minutes to travel between both terminals and the shuttle service is available 24 hours. Passengers can also choose to board Guangzhou subway. During the operating hours, passengers can travel between Airport South Station (Terminal 1) and Airport North Station (Terminal 2) free of charge.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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Scoot, operated by Scoot Tigerair Pte Ltd, launches its first scheduled flight to Pekanbaru from Singapore using its Airbus A320 aircraft on 4 June 2018 with flight TR252 departing from Singapore at 12.10 pm, arriving in Pekanbaru at 12.15 pm within 35 minutes before leaving Pekanbaru for Singapore at 1.05 pm under flight TR253 and touching down in Singapore at 2.55 pm. This is the shortest air route for Changi Airport.
Scoot's flights leave Singapore for Pekanbaru on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Promotion fare starts from 35 Singapore Dollars and is available on sale at www.flyscoot.com.
Scoot faces direct competition on the route from Jetstar Asia.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
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Austrian Airlines celebrates its 60th Anniversary of international flight operations on 31 March 2018 and unveils its new livery on its new Boeing B777-200ER (Registration OE-LPF) aircraft in Hong Kong on 2 May 2018. The aircraft will soon join the Austrian Airlines long-distance fleet in Vienna in mid-May 2018. The livery of the new aircraft is successfully completed and is currently undergoing conversion in Hong Kong.
The B777 new livery adopts Austrian Airlines' 60th anniversary special brand image, which consists of an extra large “60” on the right side of the flight direction, and two flying figures with human figures on both sides of the fuselage. The design of the flying stance was inspired by Austrian Airlines’ 60th anniversary celebration. Under this background, the employees of Austrian Airlines appeared on the fuselage in a flying posture, as if to certify the Austrian Airlines slogan “Austria is flying”.
The number “60” and four patterns on the Boeing 777’s body consist of personal photos of approximately 2,300 Austrian aviation employees. The photographs were specially taken by the staff for this celebration to make the Boeing 777 smile. The "60" on the fuselage is 11.3 meters high and 5.6 meters wide. The pattern is 7 meters high. The size of each photo is 17 x 11.2 cm, which is larger than a postcards.
New livery to apply on entire fleet
This wide-body aircraft is also known as "37" in the industry and is the first Austrian Airlines aircraft to adopt a brand new image. The red area of the aircraft extends from the rear wing down to the fuselage, magnifying the visual effect of the tail wing. This makes the logo more dynamic and looks bigger. The "Austrian" word mark in the front area of the fuselage is also displayed on a large surface area, clearly visible from a distance. The jet engine is painted in gorgeous white, which makes the arrow pattern and the “Austrian” word mark more visually pleasing and more charming. The belly holds Austrian Airlines's classic slogan “Servus (meaning Hello in German)”. In the next 7 years, Austrian Airlines will re-paint all its aircraft one by one.
Currently, Austrian Airlines' livery on the majority of its aircraft looks like this :
OE-LPF is still being modified in Hong Kong
The B777-200ER (Registration No. OE-LPF) is currently being converted in Hong Kong to comply with Austrian Airlines standards. In mid-May 2018, this wide-body aircraft will be transferred from Hong Kong to Vienna and put into operation. With a height of 18.8 metres, a length of 63.7 metres and a wing width of 60.9 metres, the 777-200ER is the largest aircraft in the Austrian aviation fleet. After the OE-LPF is incorporated into the fleet, Austrian Airlines' B777-200ER fleet will reach six aircraft.
Austrian Airlines 60th Anniversary
Austrian Airlines' first international maiden flight is on 31 March 1958 when a Vickers Viscount 779 aircraft takes off from Vienna for scheduled services to Zurich and London. The airline traces its company history to 1923 at the founding of Austrian Airways.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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Vietjet Air's Airbus A320 aircraft launches new flights to Taichung and Daegu.
On 22 June 2018, Vietjet flight VJ948 departs from Hanoi for Taichung at 1 pm, arrives in Taichung at 4.30 pm before leaving Taichung for Hanoi at 5.30 pm and arriving in Hanoi at 7.20 pm under flight VJ949. Flights between Hanoi and Taichung operate on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
On 19 July 2018, Vietjet Air opens Southeast Asia's first low-cost flight from Danang to Daegu with flight VJ870 taking off from Danang for Daegu at 12.15 am, arriving in Daegu at 6.30 am before leaving Daegu for Danang at 7.30 am and touching down in Danang at 10 am under flight VJ871. Flights from Danang to Daegu operate daily.
Vietjet Air has withdrawn its Ho Chi Minh City-Jakarta route service and is said to consider opening a new route to Delhi from either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City until further notice. It is also planning to launch its first long-haul route to Brisbane from Ho Chi Minh City in 2019.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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Juneyao Airlines has announced that it is operating twice-weekly scheduled flights from Shanghai Pudong to Irkutsk in Siberia on 4 June 2018 using its Airbus A320 aircraft. Flights operate on Mondays and Thursdays.
On 4 June 2018, Juneyao Airlines flight HO1625 departs from Pudong for Irkutsk at 10.30 am, arrives in Irkutsk at 3 pm before leaving Irkutsk for Pudong at 4.10 pm and touching down in Pudong at 8.55 pm under flight HO1626.
Irkutsk is the gateway to Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia.
Juneyao Airlines meanwhile has simplified its brand name to "Juneyao Air". It plans to unveil its new livery officially showing the words "JUNEYAO AIR" when its receives its first B787-900 Dreamliner aircraft in the future.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
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Cathay Pacific’s first Airbus A350-1000 has completed its first engine operation and it is expected to take off for its first flight delivery to Hong Kong soon.
The A35K, which is registered as B-LXA, is the first of Cathay Pacific's 20 A35K orders. Upon delivery, Cathay Pacific will become the second A35K operator after Qatar Airways.
Cathay Pacific's A35K passenger cabin has a total of 334 C46/W32/Y256 cabins. The Hong Kong's largest airline has announced that the A35K's commercial test flights will be to Sydney, among other destinations and its first regular international long-haul route will be Hong Kong to Washington on 15 September 2018.
See also : http://kucinta-setia.blogspot.sg/2018/02/cathay-pacific-to-deploy-a350-1000-on.html
