Inflight Review by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
For passengers departing from Singapore Changi Airport, it is wise to remember that natural disasters at the airport appear in the form of bird strikes and animal attacks as these will lead to aircraft engine failure.
On 31 December 2019, a severe bird strike forced a Batik Air A320 aircraft registered PK-LAK to be grounded at Gate A12 of Changi Airport Terminal 3.
According to the the check-in staff's account, the passengers who had entered the boarding gate were only notified at 11.50 am that an earlier bird strike had forced Batik Air flight ID7154 to be stranded at Gate A12 although the passengers of the previous flight were safe.
There was miscommunication between Batik Air Head Office and the passengers of flight ID7154.
Passengers received email reminders before sunrise, at 9.20 am and at 12 pm plus to check-in for the flight three hours before departures. The check-in information remained unamended in Batik Air's reservation system. The affected passengers were not informed of the bird strike by Batik Air. Therefore, the flight-handling staff have to manually process and print Lion Air boarding passes for the affected passengers.
At 11.50 pm, the ID7154 passengers were given two options by the flight-handling staff, either transfer to Lion Air flight JT163 or wait for the grounded aircraft to resume flight at 4.35 pm under another flight code. Those who chose the 4.35 pm flight exited and checked-in again at 1.35 pm.
Ironically, the passengers who chose JT163 are blessed that they were able to continue their journey towards Jakarta and reach Soekarno-Hatta Airport Terminal 2, Cengkareng (CGK) safely. There were only about 10 Lion Air passengers on flight JT163.
However, for some passengers who had gone through sudden flight cancellations by Batik Air, they will think again whether to book Batik Air flights or proceed with another Batik Air flight. On the other hand, they are grateful for the fact that they can be transferred to the sister airline's flight for free since Lion Air and Batik Air operate flights on the same route as members of Lion Air Group.
Flight JT163 departed for CGK at around 1.35 pm actually and arrived at CGK 1 hour 50 minutes later.
A customer service officer of Batik Air at CGK told the reporter that full-service carrier Batik Air does not contact passengers in Singapore on flight delays as is the practice for Lion Air and Wings Air. These airlines only notify passengers in Indonesia on flight delays through SMS messages.
It is crucial the Lion Air Group of airlines must improve their international customer service quality to prevent further reductions in their profits.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced that in the summer of 2020, foreign tourists visiting Japan will be provided with 100,000 seats on domestic routes and 50,000 round-trip air tickets for free. The free tickets must be issued to overseas members of JAL Mileage Program on priority.
Applicants can choose to depart on domestic sectors from Haneda, Osaka Itami and Kansai. However, the applicant cannot select a destination. JAL will choose the applicant's destination. If the applicant agrees, the applicant will collect free tickets.
JAL plans to accept applications in late February 2020. The free domestic airline return tickets are effective for domestic travel from 1 July to 30 September 2020.
In conjunction with the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics 2020, the issuance of free domestic tickets is a freewill gesture from Japan Airlines and Nomura Research Institute, etc., as part of the publicity activities of the Japan Tourism Organization (JTO), allowing tourists to experience the charm of Japan during this period. Previously, JTO has set a target to welcome 40 million tourists by 2020.
The Tokyo Olympics is held from 24 July 2020 to 9 August 2020 while the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 begins on 25 August 2020 and ends on 6 September 2020.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Batik Air launches Batam's first scheduled flight to China on 27 December 2019 using its Airbus A320 aircraft.
On 27 December 2019, Batik flight ID7619 departs from Batam for Shenzhen at 7.45 pm, arrives in Shenzhen at 12.40 am on 28 December 2019 before leaving Shenzhen for Batam at 1.50 am and touching down in Batam at 4.45 am under flight ID7620.
Batik Air flies to Shenzhen on Fridays, Mondays and Wednesdays and returns to Batam on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Batam - Shenzhen route is Batik Air's exclusive route. Passengers from Batam may no longer stop over in Singapore Changi Airport for onward flights to Shenzhen.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Now, Hainan Airlines has regular scheduled flights linking Chongqing and Budapest on Mondays and Fridays using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
According to schedules, the outbound flight from Chongqing leaves the airport for Budapest at 1.40 am, arrives in Budapest at 5.30 am local time before leaving Chongqing for Budapest at 12.40 pm and touching down in Chongqing at 5.30 am after 10 hours.
The route's ceremonial flight was conducted on 27 December 2019.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Image courtesy : Fly Gangwon
Fly Gangwon, the self-acclaimed Tourism Convergence Carrier of South Korea, launches its first international route, to Taoyuan from Yangyang on 26 December 2019 (Thursday) using its Boeing B737-800 aircraft. It flies five times a week to Taoyuan, on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays and Tuesdays at different timings. From 1 January 2020, it flies daily.
The detailed flight schedules of Fly Gangwon to Taoyuan are as follows:-
Flight Route Timing
4V201 Yangyang - Taoyuan 9.50 am - 11.50 am, Thus
4V202 Taoyuan - Yangyang 12.45 pm - 4.25 pm, Thus
4V201 Yangyang - Taoyuan 8.50 am - 10.50 am, Fris
4V202 Taoyuan - Yangyang 11.45 am - 3.25 pm, Fris
4V201 Yangyang - Taoyuan 10.10 am - 12.10 pm, Sats
4V202 Taoyuan - Yangyang 1.05 pm - 4.45 pm, Sats
4V201 Yangyang - Taoyuan 9.40 am - 11.40 am, Mons
4V202 Taoyuan - Yangyang 12.35 pm - 4.15 pm, Mons
4V201 Yangyang - Taoyuan 10.05 am - 12.05 pm, Tues
4V202 Taoyuan - Yangyang 1 pm - 4.40 pm, Tues
4V201 Yangyang - Taoyuan 8.35 am - 10.35 am, Weds
4V202 Taoyuan - Yangyang 11.30 am - 3.10 pm, Weds
4V201 Yangyang - Taoyuan 8 am - 10 am, Suns
4V202 Taoyuan - Yangyang 10.55 am - 2.35 pm, Suns
According to the General Sales Agent of Fly Gangwon in Taipei, Fly Gangwon is not a low-cost airline in fact. Its objective is to attract foreign tourists to visit Yangyang and other cities in Gangwon including Pyeongchang where the Winter Olympic Games was held in South Korea.
Fly Gangwon operates the above services to Taoyuan Airport Terminal 1.
Fly Gangwon plans to launch flights next from Yangyang to Kaohsiung and Taichung, cities in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. Its only domestic route is to Jeju.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Hunan is about to usher in its first domestic airline, Hunan Hongtu Airlines.
According to the introduction by the Hunan Provincial Airport Management Group at the Hunan Provincial Party Committee's Economic Work Conference in Changsha on 20 December 2019, the company name of Yunnan Hongtu Airlines Co., Ltd. has recently been changed to Hunan Hongtu Airlines Co., Ltd., and the business license registration has been completed in Hunan. After the registration approval process is completed, Hunan Hongtu Airlines will become the first local airline in Hunan.
Hongtu Airlines, known commercially as Air Travel, mainly engages in domestic air passenger and cargo transportation business. Its main operating base is located at Kunming Changshui International Airport. When it is settled in Hunan, it will be based in Changsha Huanghua International Airport.
This year, Hunan has accelerated the construction of Changsha's "four-hour aviation economic circle." Changsha Huanghua International Airport has become the airport with the largest number of routes and the highest flight density in central China to Southeast Asian countries, and is accelerating the establishment of a regional international aviation hub.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Starlux Airlines' second Airbus A321neo, piloted by the airline founder Zhang Guowei, departed from Hamburg on 20 December 2019. It stopped over in Dubai on 21 December 2019. After Dubai, it transits in Danang, and is expected to stop over in Kaohsiung at 6.30 am on 23 December 2019 before its final descent to Taoyuan at 8.30 am.
Starlux's inaugural flights to Macau, Danang and Penang from Taoyuan are fully-booked within minutes of the inaugural ticket launches on 16 December 2019. The over-whelming response is due to the attractiveness of the airline's Michelin-graded inflight menu.
The third A321neo of Starlux Airlines will arrive in Taoyuan by mid-January 2020.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Image courtesy : Pham Duc Manh
On 16 December 2019, Starlux Airlines officially sells its tickets on its web-site. Its operator code is JX. Its first scheduled flight is the 7.25 am flight to Macau on 23 January 2020. This flight is full.
Starlux Airlines has scheduled three flights a day for its Macau route, two flights a day to Danang and one flight a day to Penang, assuming that it has three Airbus A321neo aircraft by January 2020. Flights depart from Taoyuan Terminal 1. Meanwhile, its only A321neo is stored at a remote spot of Taoyuan airport far from the two terminals.
The detailed flight schedules of Starlux Airlines are as follows:-
Flight Route Timing
JX0201 Taoyuan - Macau 7.25 am - 9.25 am, Thus, Sats, Suns, Weds
JX0201 Taoyuan - Macau 7.30 am - 9.25 am, Fris
JX0203 Taoyuan - Macau 1.15 pm - 3.10 pm, Thus, Sats, Suns to Weds
JX0203 Taoyuan - Macau 1.05 pm - 3.10 pm, Fris
JX0205 Taoyuan - Macau 6.50 pm - 8.40 pm, Thus, Fris, Suns to Weds
JX0202 Macau - Taoyuan 10.30 am - 12.15 pm, Daily
JX0204 Macau - Taoyuan 4.10 pm - 5.55 pm, Thus to Weds
JX0206 Macau - Taoyuan 9.40 pm - 11.20 pm, Thus to Weds
JX0701 Taoyuan - Danang 7.40 am - 9.35 am, Thus to Sats
JX0701 Taoyuan - Danang 7.50 am - 9.35 am, Suns
JX1701 Taoyuan - Danang 3.20 pm - 5.15 pm, Thus to Weds
JX0702 Danang - Taoyuan 10.35 am - 2.20 pm, Thus to Weds
JX1702 Danang - Taoyuan 6.25 pm - 10.10 pm, Thus, Suns
JX1702 Danang - Taoyuan 6.35 pm - 10.20 pm, Fris, Sats
JX1702 Danang - Taoyuan 6.15 pm - 10 pm, Tues
JX0721 Taoyuan- Penang 9.20 am - 2 pm, Thus to Weds
JX0722 Penang - Taoyuan 3 pm - 7.45 pm, Thus, Fris, Suns, Mons to Weds
JX0722 Penang - Taoyuan 3.10 pm - 8 pm, Sats
Interested customers may sign up as COSMILE members, earn 1000 miles free and book the flights to accumulate further mileage. COSMILE is the frequent flyer program of Starlux Airlines.
Starlux Airlines says from 16 December to 19 December only tickets for departures from Taoyuan can be purchased. From 20 December 2019 onwards, outbound tickets for departures from Macau, Danang and Penang can be purchased.
A full fare to Macau from Taoyuan costs around 480 Singapore Dollars while full fares to Danang and Penang cost around 690 Singapore Dollars. Starlux Airlines' ticket categories are Saving, Basic and Full. Saving fares are not available until further notice after the Chinese New Year period. Meanwhile, interested customers can book any date within one year from 16 December.
The online seat map of Starlux Airlines is useful. It indicates Seats 25A and 25K are windowless seats. That is all.
To modify seat selection, contact Starlux three hours before departures or approach its ticketing counter in Taoyuan before check-in. However, seats that have been selected and paid for cannot be amended online. This applies to changes in travel dates. One has to call its customer service hotline or go to online chats to request for amendments and wait for the agents' response.
There is a long way to go for Starlux to improve their customer service.
Starlux Airlines expects to receive its second A321neo before end of December 2019 and its third A321neo in early January 2020.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
On 16 December 2019, Singapore Airlines issued a press release stating its intention to launch regular scheduled non-stop flight from Singapore to Brussels using its Airbus A350-900 aircraft on 25 October 2020.
On 25 October 2020, Singapore Airlines flight SQ304 departs from Singapore for Brussels at 11.55 pm, arrives in Brussels at 6.50 am on 26 October 2020 before leaving Brussels for Singapore at 11.20 am and touching down in Singapore at 6.55 am on 27 October 2020 under flight SQ303.
SQ304 leaves for Brussels on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays while SQ303 lands in Singapore on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Ticket-selling begins on 17 December 2019.
Birthday and Greetings Message by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Congratulations to China Airlines on its 60th year of flight operations on 16 December 2019! May China Airlines continue to soar in the turbulent skies of the world.
Merry Christmas to all friends of China Airlines and readers of Dynasty and Sayacinta - Airpost!
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
According to a report featured in Zimbabwe Voice on 14 December 2019 and a prior report featured in Zimbabwe newspaper Newsday on 13 December 2019, Air Zimbabwe is planning to resume regional and international flights in 2020 with five aircraft.
Out of the five aircraft, two are Boeing B777-200 aircraft which previously belonged to Malaysia Airlines, the existing B777 in the former Zimbabwe Airways livery and two Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft. One of the Embraer aircraft will be leased from an African airline, according to Mthli Ncube, Zimbabwe's Finance and Economic Development Minister.
The two B777-200ER aircraft currently under renovation is expected to arrive in Harare from Kuala Lumpur before end of 2019 in the name of Air Zimbabwe.
According to the B777 aircraft purchaser Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mangudya, quoted by Newsday, the Zimbabwe Airways project did not take off as Zimbabwe Airways was a shelf company. There is no plan to launch another national airline in the name of Zimbabwe Airways.
John's objective of the aircraft purchase is to see Air Zimbabwe reclaiming its status as a reliable national airline of Zimbabwe in southern Africa and the world.
Air Zimbabwe plans to resume African domestic and regional routes with the Embraer while the Boeing aircraft will be utilized on routes to London, Johannesburg, Beijing, Guangzhou, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other terminated international destinations.
Air Zimbabwe's B767 has ad hoc charter flights to Singapore, of which its final flight from Singapore was fetching the dictator Mugabe's body back to Harare for memorial service in 2019. Its flights to Johannesburg, Dar Es Salaam, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls were cancelled intermittently due to mechanical faults.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Vietnam Airlines launches Hanoi - Macau scheduled flight on 16 December 2019 using its Airbus A321 aircraft.
On 16 December 2019, Vietnam Airlines flight VN456 departs from Hanoi for Macau at 7.45 pm, arrives in Macau at 10.15 pm before leaving Macau for Hanoi at 11.50 pm and landing in Hanoi at 12.45 am on 17 December 2019 under flight VN457. These flights are effective for travel on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, flight VN458 leaves for Macau from Hanoi at 4 am, touches down in Macau at 6.30 am before taking off for Hanoi at 8.35 am and arriving in Hanoi at 9.30 am under flight VN459.
The launch of Vietnam Airlines' Hanoi - Macau is an important step in the airline's strategy to develop, expand and complete its flight network and enhance its position and competitiveness in the global aviation market.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Three out of nine Cambodian airlines have already ceased operations. They are Cambodia Bayon Airlines, KC International Airlines and Small Planet Airlines Cambodia. Another airline with only two aircraft, Bassaka Air, is struggling to be airborne.
Cambodia Bayon Airlines, which reduced its flight network to a domestic route linking Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville in January 2019, has filed for bankruptcy in February 2019, after a stake of 24 per cent in its parent airline company Joy Air was bought over by Tianjin-based Okay Airways Company Limited and Xi'an-based Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) withdrew its investment from the Cambodian subsidiary.
KC International Airlines, or KC Air in short, has ceased operations in May 2019 and its only aircraft was transferred to Lanmei Airlines.
Small Planet Airlines Cambodia has gone into receivership after its Lithuanian parent company Small Planet Airlines has closed down its associate in Germany.
Bassaka Air has cancelled scheduled regular flights to Macau and Siem Reap in early 2019 and all its charter flights to Macau, Guiyang, Changsha, Hangzhou and Qingdao remain ad hoc amidst fierce competition from Lanmei Airlines, JC International Airlines, Skywings Asia Airlines, Cambodia Airways and Cambodia Angkor Air in the Cambodia - China travel market.
The pictures in this update are in tribute to these Cambodian airlines that have flown regularly in the Cambodian skies from 2014 to 2019 (Cambodia Bayon Airlines, Bassaka Air), from 2017 to 2018 (Small Planet Airlines Cambodia) and from February to May 2019 (KC Air).
