Aero Mongolia conducts ERJ145 test flights on 20 June 2018

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

According to Magnificent Mongolia of G.A.S., Aero Mongolia took delivery of its first Embraer regional jet ERJ145 on 11 May 2018 and conducts test flights from Ulaanbaatar to domestic aerodromes of Khovd, Ulgii, Uvs, Bayankhingor and Gobi-Altai on 20 June 2018.

With its new 50-seater ERJ1145 aircraft (registered JU-1800), Aero Mongolia plans to expand its route network to cover Tianjin, Pudong, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Astana and even Cheongju and Tokyo.

Aero Mongolia is one of Mongolia's national airlines. It first started flight service in 2003 with Fokker F50 turboprop and its current international destinations are Irkutsk in Siberia and Hohhot in Inner Mongolia.

Inflight Review : MIAT Mongolian Airlines

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

During the week of Hong Kong's premier travel mart ITE & MICE 2018, the reporter of this travel news medium embarked on his inaugural flight to Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, from Beijing, with MIAT Mongolian Airlines B737-800 on 11 June 2018, and returned to Singapore on 16 June 2018 with the following review on MIAT flights. Hong Kong was not chosen as the stopover point as air fares from Singapore to and from Ulaanbaatar via Hong Kong are higher than via Beijing and there was extremely bad weather in and around Hong Kong. Besides, MIAT Mongolian Airlines does not have its booth at ITE this year. 

Airline and Routes : MIAT Mongolian Airlines operates a fleet of B737-800 aircraft on international flights from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing, Hong Kong, Incheon, Busan and Narita while its B767-300ER aircraft operates charter flights to Sanya, Singapore, Suvarnabhumi, Jeju, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Delhi and Dubai as well as routes to Hong Kong, Beijing, Incheon, Narita, Moscow, Berlin and Frankfurt. It is a full-service airline that competes with Air China and other airlines for passengers to Ulaanbaatar. MIAT has code-sharing flights with Cathay Pacific to Singapore, Suvarnabhumi, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Manila, Denpasar and Jakarta using Cathay Pacific aircraft.  It has connecting flight arrangements to Kuala Lumpur with Cathay Dragon.

News : MIAT Mongolian Airlines plans to launch scheduled flight to Guangzhou in 2018 but this was deferred to 31 March 2019.

Livery : The official horse logo colours of MIAT Mongolian Airlines, white and blue, do not appear on the MIAT aircraft's body, However, this makes the livery sleek and induces travel desire with MIAT in any weather, haze included. The livery itself connotes smooth and luxurious travel experience.  ****

Aircraft : The B737-800 seat legroom is spacious. ****

Baggage Requirements : A carry-on baggage measuring 115 cm in total to be stowed in the overhead compartment and a small item to be stowed under the seat are accepted. Total carry-on baggage weight is maximum 5 kg only, however. MIAT needs to consider raising the carry-on baggage weight allowance to 7 kg or 10 kg in order to compete with other full-service airlines for passengers since it is not a budget airline like Spring Airlines and West Air.**

Safety Demonstrations : Adequate. ****

Inflight Magazine : MIAT Mongolian Airlines Inflight Magazine is the official inflight magazine of MIAT Mongolian Airlines. MIAT also provides copies of Mongolia Forbes magazine onboard. Inflight magazine copies are not available at its ticketing offices outside Ulaanbaatar. It is the best tool to market MIAT's flight services, corporate image and Mongolia tourism, however. The airline needs to widen distribution channels for its literature.***

Inflight Service / Entertainment / Onboard Meals and Refreshments : The air stewardesses serve mixed nuts first followed by more than one standard Economy Class complimentary meal and drinks. The journalist ordered tasty Mongolian vegetarian meal as above, which includes cheese, fruits and more nuts but no noodles or rice. There is no inflight audio-visual entertainment to match the expensive fares. ***

Postcard / Stationery : No aircraft postcards onboard all MIAT Mongolian Airlines flights as the crew have never seen an aircraft postcard. Postcards are only collected at MIAT Building or at travel marts which MIAT exhibit at such as JATA Tourism Expo and ITB Berlin. Therefore, MIAT Mongolian Airlines has extended inflight travel experience to the ground. Scribble on MIAT barf bags instead if one has no paper to write on to kill time onboard. No Mongolian immigration forms onboard as these are aplenty at the Immigration section of the small Ulaanbaatar airport.***

Sky Shop : Yes.****

Surcharges :  None. ***

Bookings : One can book a  MIAT Mongolian Airlines ticket at www.miat.com, Skyscanner, Ctrip, Zuji, Alternative Airlines and MIAT's ticketing and GSA offices. The Mongolian TDB bank gateway accepts online payments from the world. However, flight amendment and cancellation cannot be performed on-line. It is advisable to book at Ctrip, MIAT's ticketing offices and agents.***

Check-In and Departures : Check-in at international airports opens 2 hours 30 minutes before departure and closes 30 minutes before departure.  If one arrives 3 hours and more at Ulaanbaatar airport before departure, please wait at the Passenger Send-off Section of the terminal building for the check-in call. The airport staff do not check the weight of carry-on baggage and passengers can easily walk off with 7 kg carry-on baggage. Although MIAT Mongolian Airlines has records of flight delays from its destinations, the travel experience with MIAT is rewarding. ****

Ground service in response  to passengers' requests and enquiries : MIAT Building (as above) staff's customer service is the best. Overseas ticketing office communication experience needs to improve. For example, ticketing staff need to inform passengers the true scenario, that the airport staff do not check the passenger name on the debit/credit card used for each online booking and not raise the fact that different name on credit card from the passport may lead to boarding denial as long as the passenger has a valid passport and visa and the passenger's name on the itinerary is the same as that on the passport and visa. Singaporeans do not require tourist entry visas to Mongolia for one month.***

Overall Impression :  MIAT Mongolian Airlines should raise carry-on baggage weight allowance and open more branch offices overseas to promote Mongolia travel and deliver the correct information on ticketing and check-in matters. Owing to the acceptable inflight and excellent ground service quality of MIAT, it is a three-star airline that is approaching four-star service quality.***

** Poor / two-star
*** Good / three-star

**** Very good / four-star
****** Excellent / six-star (the highest category)

VietJet Air launches inaugural flight to Osaka Kansai on 8 November 2018

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

VietJet Air officially launches its first direct flight service to Osaka Kansai International Airport from Hanoi on 8 November 2018 using one of its Airbus A320 aircraft. The Hanoi - Osaka Kansai flight will operate on a daily basis.

There are two airports in Osaka. Osaka Kansai or Kansai in short, which serves all international flights and a few domestic flights on an island outside Osaka city proper, is the premier international gateway to Osaka. The authentic city airport Osaka International Airport or Itami Airport only serves most domestic flights to and from Osaka.

The VietJet A320 plans to depart from Hanoi for Kansai at 1.45 am, arrives in Kansai at around 7.50 am before taking off from Kansai for Hanoi at 9.20 am and landing in Hanoi at 1.10 pm local time.

VietJet Air's new service to Kansai will bring the airline's total number of international routes up to 45. The airline's domestic network includes 38 routes.

Cambodia Airways launches flights to Sihanoukville and Macau on 14 and 22 July 2018

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

Cambodia Airways, the newest airline of Cambodia to receive its first Airbus A319 aircraft on 25 May 2018 (no logo on the aircraft) and shortly operates daily flights to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh, plans to launch new scheduled flights to Sihanoukville and Macau from Phnom Penh on 14 July and 22 July 2018.

On 14 July 2018, Cambodia Airways A319 flight KR833 departs from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville at 5.55 pm, arrives in Sihanoukville at 6.40 pm before leaving Sihanoukville for Phnom Penh at 7.35 pm and touching down in Phnom Penh at 8.20 pm under flight KR834. Flights operate between these cities on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

On 22 July 2018, Cambodia Airways flight KR511 leaves Phnom Penh for Macau at 10.25 am, arrives in Macau at 2.05 pm before taking off from Macau for Phnom Penh at 9.40 pm under flight KR512 and arriving in Phnom Penh at 11.25 pm. KR flights to Macau are operated on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Cambodia Airways flies once a day from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap under flight KR801 at 9.50 am, touches down in Siem Reap at 10.35 am before leaving Siem Reap for Phnom Penh at 11.40 am and arriving in Phnom Penh at 12.20 pm under flight KR802. The dates available on this route for ticket booking at www.cambodia-airways.com are from 10 July 2018 onwards.

Cambodia Airways is 100 per cent owned by Prince International Airlines under pure Cambodian private investor management and registered in Phnom Penh with a paid-up capital of 200 million US Dollars. The management is currently constructing Cambodia Airways Tower the new Head Office building for Cambodia Airways as seen in the pictures below. 

Cambodia Airways was approved to be established in August 2017 and receives its Certificate of Incorporation from the Cambodian business authority MOC in September 2017. With main operating bases in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, it plans to acquire 20 A320 family aircraft within the next five years. 

According to its route map, Cambodia Airways plans to open scheduled flights to Taoyuan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Taichung in 2018 and 2019. Further afield, it plans to fly to Incheon, Japan, destinations in China and long-haul flights to Europe and Australia between 2019 and 2023.

The official logo of Cambodia Airways is the Angkor Wat surrounded in front by auspicious clouds with local characteristics, suggesting the airline is an ambassador of Cambodian cultural and traditional heritage to the destinations it flies to.

Cambodia Airways holds its first roadshow at Aeon Mall in Phnom Penh on 18 June 2018. Souvenirs such as plush toys, key chains and luggage tags are distributed. According to Cambodia Airways, popular collectibles such as its aircraft postcards and inflight magazine copies will be available onboard flights gradually.

Delta Airlines closes its Seattle-Hong Kong route on 4 October 2018

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

Delta Airlines withdraws its flights on its Seattle-Hong Kong route on 4 October 2018, and will change to the Seattle-Incheon-Hong Kong route operated by Delta’s associate partner, Korean Air.

Matteo Curcio, Vice President of Delta Airlines' Asia Pacific region, said,“Opening the Seattle-Osaka Kansai route is another milestone for us and Korean Air to form the best joint venture in the industry. It will provide customers with more U.S.-Asian flight options.”

At the same time, the Incheon route will be Delta’s second trans-Pacific direct route originating from its Minneapolis/St. Paul hub, complementing Delta’s existing Haneda route.

MIAT Mongolian Airlines' first non-stop charter flight to Singapore on 9 June 2018

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

MIAT Mongolian Airlines' B767-300ER started the Mongolia national flag carrier's first non-stop charter flight from Ulaanbaatar to Singapore on 9 June 2018 and ended after the second outbound flight to Ulaanbaatar departs on 16 June 2018.

According to Universal Travels that chartered the direct flight without the stopover in Beijing, MIAT flight OM7701 departs from Ulaanbaatar for Singapore at 6 am, arrives in Singapore Changi Airport T3 at 1.20 pm before leaving under flight OM7702 with the 8-Days group tour travellers at 2.20 pm and touching down in Ulaanbaatar at 9.40 pm.

On 16 June 2018 (Saturday), flight OM7701 departs from Ulaanbaatar for Singapore at 9.10 am, arrives in Singapore at 4.16 pm (original scheduled time at 4.30 pm) before leaving Singapore at 6.15 pm (original scheduled time at 5.30 pm) and arriving in Ulaanbaatar at 1.24 am on 17 June 2018 (original scheduled at 12.50 am) under flight OM7702.

Other than charter flights MIAT Mongolian Airlines has code-sharing flight arrangements to Singapore with Cathay Pacific every week. Non-stop charter flights between Ulaanbaatar on Singapore are extremely rare.

Meanwhile, MIAT has announced its intention to launch a new summer service to Guangzhou from Ulaanbaatar by October 2018 and it will operate seasonal scheduled flights during winter to Suvarnabhumi from Ulaanbaatar. Details will be released later if any is available.

The Air Services Agreement between Mongolia and Singapore is first signed in May 1993 and the first charter flight of MIAT Mongolian Airlines to Singapore takes off in June 1994 from Ulaanbaatar via Guangzhou. Scheduled flights to Singapore via Beijing from Ulaanbaatar are launched in 2014 and ended in 2015.

HK Express launches charter flight to Dunhuang T2

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

According to Xinhua News Agency, HK Express becomes the first international airline to land in the newly-opened Dunhuang Airport Terminal 2 on 4 June 2018.

HK Express runs seasonal charter flights to Dunhuang.

Dunhuang Airport Terminal 2 is solely for international flights.

Hainan Airlines opens Shenzhen - Zurich route on 27 August 2018

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

Hainan Airlines launches direct scheduled flight from Shenzhen to Zurich on 27 August 2018 using its B787 Dreamliner aircraft.

On 27 August 2018, Hainan Airlines flight HU741 departs from Shenzhen for Zurich at 1.20 am, arrives in Zurich at local time 7.55 am before leaving Zurich for Shenzhen at 11.40 am and touching down in Shenzhen at 5 am on 28 August 2018 under flight HU742.

Flights from Shenzhen to Zurich are on Mondays and Fridays.

EL AL Israel Airlines signs code-sharing agreement with Hong Kong Airlines on 4 June 2018

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

EL AL Israel Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines have announced the signing of a code-sharing agreement. Subject to the approval of the relevant government agencies, EL AL will add its “LY” flight code to round-trip flights operated by Hong Kong Airlines from Hong Kong to Auckland, Narita, Osaka-Kansai and Incheon while Hong Kong Airlines will attach its flight code “HX” to EL AL's flights from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv. 

This code-sharing cooperation has opened up Tel Aviv, the brand new destination for Hong Kong Airlines passengers. As the center of Israel’s financial and scientific technology, Tel Aviv is hailed as the “smart city of the world” and one of the largest economies in the region. Every year, millions of travelers from all over the world come here to experience the inheritance of traditional Israeli culture, and its civilization. 

EL AL operates flights between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv with the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, six flights per week. The aircraft is equipped with three cabin levels and offers 32 Business Class seats, 28 Premium Economy Class seats and 222 Economy Class seats.

As an additional reward, Hong Kong Airlines’s frequent flyer program members will earn the same points on EL AL code-sharing flights, as flights operated by Hong Kong Airlines.

Korean Air launches non-stop scheduled flight to Zagreb on 1 September 2018

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

On 4 June 2018, Korean Air announced that it is launching scheduled non-stop flight from Incheon to Zagreb, the capital and largest city of Croatia in central Europe, using its 218-seater A330-200 aircraft on 1 September 2018.

On 1 September 2018, Korean Air flight KE919 departs from Incheon for Zagreb at 11.05 am, arrives in Zagreb at 3.45 pm local time before leaving Zagreb for Incheon at 5.20 pm and touching down in Incheon on 2 September 2018 at 11.30 am under flight KE920.

Scheduled flights for Zagreb depart from Incheon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Zagreb is rich in tourism resources. Among them, the Old Town of Trogir with its medieval features and the beautiful Plitvice Lakes National Park have been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. 

Korean Air has been operating seasonal charter flights to Zagreb from Incheon since 2010. It is only Asian airline to have flight services to Zagreb that will greatly facilitate travelers who wish to visit Croatia and even other parts of central Europe. 

Air China launches regular flights to Hotan from Chengdu

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

Air China launches regular flights to Hotan, Xinjiang, from Chengdu this week. Its official ceremonial inaugural flight, CA4037, departs from Chengdu for Hotan on 3 June 2018 at 6.40 am and arrives in Hotan at 11 am before leaving Hotan for Chengdu at 12 pm and touching down in Chengdu at 4 pm under flight CA4038.

Flights depart from Chengdu for Hotan on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays without any stopover in Urumqi. Prior to the inaugural flight, travellers need to waste up to 11 hours in Urumqi for the flight transfer to Hotan.

The first Tuesday and first Thursday flights on 5 and 7 June 2018 by CA4037 leave Chengdu for Hotan at 12.35 pm, touch down in Hotan at 4.55 pm before CA4038 takes off from Hotan for Chengdu at 5.45 pm and arrives in Chengdu at 9.45 pm.

A public relations officer of Air China said the A319-100 direct flight from Hotan to Chengdu will allow onward faster domestic and international flight connections to proceed and facilitate trade and tourism exchanges between Xinjiang and the world. Hotan, known as Hetian in Chinese, is known for Nephrite jade and it is Xinjiang's premier fabric and silk carpet production centre.

Currently, Air China has a fleet of various Airbus and Boeing aircraft including 33 A319-100, 61 A321-200, 30 A330-200, 120 B737-800, 18 B737-700 and an order for 10 A350-900 / A350 XWB jets. It carried out its first A350 XWB test flight in Toulouse, France, on 31 May 2018.

IndiGo launches ATR flight to Thoothukudi on 26 July 2018

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

IndiGo launches its first scheduled ATR72-600 passenger flight to Thoothukudi from Chennai on 26 July 2018. It flies thrice daily on the new route.

The first ATR72-600 flight of IndiGo departs from Chennai for Thoothukudi at 5.50 am under 6E7183, arrives in Thoothukudi at 7.30 am before taking off from Thoothukudi at 7.55 am under flight 6E7184 and touching down in Chennai at 9.30 am on 26 July 2018.

The second and third daily flight pairs are scheduled 6E7185 (departing from Chennai at 10.25 am, arriving in Thoothukudi at 12.05 pm) / 6E7186 (leaving Thoothukudi at 12.35 pm, arriving in Chennai at 2.15 pm) and 6E7187 (taking off from Chennai at 2.40 pm, touching down in Thoothukudi at 4.20 pm) / 6E7188 (leaving Thoothukudi at 4.40 pm and returning to Chennai at 6.15 pm).

Thoothukudi is nicknamed "Pearl City" and "Salt Capital of Tamil Nadu" as it is well-known for its pearl fishing and commercial sea port activities. The city known as Tuticorin in English serves other inland cities of southern India as one of Tamil Nadu's important sea gateways. It has ancient history that dates back to the 6th century AD. Its Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is host to 36000 species of flora and fauna, and is the city's most important tourist destination.

IndiGo first deployed ATR72-600 aircraft on its India domestic network in 2017 and it has 7 such aircraft in its fleet. It plans to receive 20 more ATR72-600 aircraft by December 2018 to expand its domestic flight network. From 2019, it receives gradually 25 A321neo-LR jets in order to operate long-haul flights from Chennai and its other hubs in India. Other aircraft types in IndiGo's fleet include A320-200 and A320neo.

The latest travel tips on international flights to Harbin

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

Scoot is the only Southeast Asia airline to fly non-stop from a slot at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 remote parking bay opposite Terminal 4 to Harbin Taiping International Airport. Its B787 Dreamliner aircraft arrives in Harbin in 7 hours.

Elsewhere, Spring Airlines Japan flies from Narita to Harbin. Aurora Airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have flights to Harbin from Vladivostok and Incheon respectively.

The International Terminal of Harbin where Scoot and the other international airlines mentioned arrive at is smaller than a school.

Please take note at the International Terminal, the forms of transport are the airport shuttle buses to the new spanking Terminal 2 and taxis.

If the tourist wants to reach his destination hotel in Harbin at lower budget, please board the airport shuttle bus at first sight to Terminal 2 where there are airport buses that will bring travellers to destinations in Harbin. 

The airport shuttle bus is immediately available when one steps out of the International Terminal. The reporter sat in one of the front seats of Scoot.

The waiting time in the airport shuttle bus for onward travel to Terminal 2 is 20 minutes. 

The airport shuttle bus driver does not check whether the tourist

has any valid domestic flight ticket at Terminal 2. Transfer is free-of-charge.

Taxis in Harbin are expensive to travel in. Better avoid Harbin taxis whenever you can. The taxi touts here are not aggressive.

The pictures in the travel tips show Harbin Taiping International Airport in reality. Airport buses are parked in a corner of Terminal 2.

Purchasing an airport bus ticket of Harbin is at the Arrival Hall of Terminal 2.  Enter Terminal 2 through either Gates 1 or 5. There are a total of 4 airport bus lines.

The International Terminal does not sell any airport bus ticket.

Let's pray Harbin Taiping International Airport will integrate Terminal 2 and Terminal 1 in due course successfully so that international flights to Harbin can bring more convenience to tourists. Meanwhile, please endure with the default delays in arriving at your Harbin hotel at low cost.

Notes : The reporter flew with Scoot to Harbin on 29 May 2018 and returned to Singapore on the same day via Qingdao with Scoot. The domestic flight to Qingdao from Harbin is operated by Qingdao Airlines.