Hotel Review : Royal Chennai Residency

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

Royal Chennai Residency the best airport hotel of southern India

Royal Chennai Residency is an established four-star budget hotel in the Chennai airport area of Pallavaram with the most number of toiletries and complimentary kits for its guests in a room. It is the best airport hotel of southern India.

Toiletries include shaver, shaver cream, soap, shampoo, body lotion, towels, face towels, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Complimentary kits to my surprise include a sewing kit,  paper clips, a comb and a bandage kit besides a hair dryer.  The manager Vinodh is very sensitive to guests' needs. As a resident of St Thomas Mount, he is aware of slippery terrain in much of dusty Chennai that his hotel has a rich stock of bandage available for guests. Thanks to the hotel, tourists' lives are saved.

Royal Chennai Residency is the only hotel in Asia that provides such a wide variety of toiletries and kits for guests and surpasses the number of amenities available in four-star hotels of Shijiazhuang and Chongqing, China. 

Beds are cosy and comfortable.

In each room, free bottles of mineral water are served everyday upon request. An electric kettle and a digital alarm are also available on the small study table.

The restaurant of Royal Chennai Residency serves complimentary breakfast known as Royal Standard Breakfast South Indian style meals. It also sells other breakfast and self-cooked meals for lunch. 

Royal Chennai Residency also arranges with Mary Brown Fast Food restaurant and a neighbouring hotel restaurant to serve guests with delivered Indian and Chinese dishes until 10 pm local time.

Nearest to the hotel is a private clinic and miles away are shophouses including a pharmacy and a grocery shop. There is no shopping centre near Chennai airport.

The lift in this hotel is an Indian-style lift. Guests have to open two doors in order to enter the lift.

The hotel arranges city tours and day trips to towns outside Chennai.

It costs around 45 Singapore Dollars per night to stay in a Single Room of this hotel and experience authentic Tamil Nadu hospitality if one books at Agoda.com or TripAdvisor. One-way transfer to the hotel from the airport and vice versa costs 250 Indian Rupees per guest.

I recommend travellers who wish to stay in the airport area of Chennai safely to consider Royal Chennai Residency strongly.

Advisory : Walk in Chennai with a pair of tracking shoes instead of a pair of sports shoes due to the uneven terrain of the city.

U.S. Pavilion to be the largest of the certified ITB Asia travel mart this year

ITB Asia 2015 Press Release by :  Ketchum Singapore
Title, Pictures and Captions by : Gan Yung Chyan
                                                   / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Following an impressive showing last year, the U.S. Pavilion at ITB Asia 2015 has been certified by the U.S Department of Commerce (DOC), endorsing the travel trade fair as an excellent platform for showcasing U.S. travel products and services.

With this significant development, ITB Asia is set to welcome its largest ever U.S. contingent at this year’s show as the Department of Commerce, will support their outreach and promotional efforts to help expand U.S. exhibitor and qualified buyer participation at ITB Asia. The eighth instalment of the leading regional trade show, organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore), will take place from 21 – 23 October 2015 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands.

“The U.S. DOC certification takes into consideration ITB Asia’s track record in providing opportunities for U.S. exhibitors to tap the growing travel markets in the region. It is testament to the world class stature and expansive reach of the show. We experienced a strong 20% year-on-year increase in U.S. exhibitors at last year’s show, and are confident that with this endorsement, the pool of both U.S. buyers and exhibitors at the 2015 show will grow further and help make it the most diverse and comprehensive show yet,” said Katrina Leung, Executive Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organiser of ITB Asia.

The U.S. presence at ITB Asia has grown significantly over the past few years, from eight individual U.S. exhibitors in 2012 to a full-fledged Brand USA sponsored pavilion in 2014. With plans to introduce representatives from more American Pacific destinations, such as Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, this year’s show is set to have the strongest U.S. representation yet.  

“We are delighted to work together with ITB Asia to promote the United States as not only one, but as a multitude of the world’s premiere travel destinations, spanning our fifty diverse states and the District of Columbia. We look forward to a close working relationship with the goal of expanding the pool of U.S. exhibitors and buyers at this year’s show,” said Arun M. Kumar, Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service and Assistant Secretary for Global Markets, U.S. Department of 

Commerce.

As a premier meeting place for Asia’s travel trade industry, ITB Asia provides attendees a platform to meet all sectors of the industry, along the entire travel trade value chain. As the region’s most international travel show, last year recorded close to 750 exhibitors from 76 countries and 850 buyers from 62 countries, as well as record breaking 9650 attendees from 108 countries, a 6% increase from 2013.

Inflight Review : Air India Express

Inflight Review by : Gan Yung Chyan
                            / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press Media & Travel Professionals

Airline : Air India Express B737-800 in Changi Airport.

Routes : Air India  Express flies from Singapore to Tiruchirapalli and Chennai. It also operates flights to Chennai and Mumbai from Kuala Lumpur and from various Indian cities to the Middle East.

Aircraft : The B737-800 is the same as Airbus A321. It has spacious legroom. ***

Safety Demonstrations : Adequate. On transit in Tiruchirapalli, passengers bound for Chennai can witness the security checks and cabin cleaning process onboard before the flight take off. It is an educational treat. *****

Inflight Service : In contrast with previous criticisms about its cabin, the cabin is clean and hygienic. Service on international flights is good while service on the domestic flight from Tiruchirapalli to Chennai is better. Air India Express said some Indian passengers may be inconsiderate. They may dirty the toilets.  *** 

Postcard / Stationery : There are no aircraft postcards. Only immigration forms are issued. ***

Inflight Magazine : Air India Express has no inflight magazine onboard, including Shubh-Yatra, Air India's Inflight Magazine, and no other forms of inflight entertainment. The only item worth collecting is its safety card. It shows the management name of Air India Charters Limited below the Air India Express logo. ***

Sky Shop : There is no inflight duty-free service onboard all Air India Express' flights. Therefore the low-cost airline can offer budget fares with free inflight service. *****

Onboard Meals and Refreshments : There is only one standard free vegetarian hot meal onboard to my surprise. There are two rounds of free mineral water distribution on international flights and one round of free mineral water distribution on the hour flight from Tiruchirapalli to Chennai.*****

Surcharge :  Passengers do not need to pay a surcharge if they want to sit at the emergency rows.  Air India Express' fuel surcharge is the highest among low-cost airlines in Changi Airport, at 134 Singapore Dollars while fares at 0 Dollars can be sold for a long time. ***

Bookings : Air India Express' web-site accepts online Mastercard and VISA payments from the world. Electronic tickets are issued at its official web-site and received via email. There is no pdf itinerary attachment.  Ticket cancellations and changes of flight dates are permitted subject to fees and fare differences. Web-check-in boarding is not provided. Walk-in bookings are done in all downtown branches and agents of the airline. ***

Check-In and Departures : Check-in at Changi Airport Terminal 2. Flights depart on time frequently.***

Ground service in  response  to passengers' requests and enquiries : Good. It takes a long time to communicate with the airline in India to address issues on baggage packing. ***

Overall Impression : Air India Express has improved its service standards to be a three-star airline of India. Children and families considering free meals on flights to Chennai and Tiruchirapalli at budget fares can consider travel with this airline. ***

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

HK Express suspends flights to Penang from 25 April 2015

Press Release : HK Express
Edited by : Gan Yung Chyan
                 / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

HK Express confirmed the suspension of its services to Penang, Malaysia with effect from 25 April 2015, in response to the continued weak market demand and challenging tourism business. 

The decision to withdraw from Penang was not taken lightly and followed an in-depth and ongoing review of the market situation. 

HK Express remains committed to serving the South-East Asia region, and will continue to launch new destinations in the region throughout 2015. 

Flights to and from Penang between now and 24 April will operate as normal. 

Affected passengers who are booked on  Flights UO1745 and UO1748 on or after 25 April will be given three options. The first option is choosing new dates of travel to Penang before 25 April (all travel must be completed by this date; fare difference does not apply). Alternatively, choose a new destination on the HK Express network (fare difference does apply; new travel dates should be within two weeks of original scheduled travel) or apply for a full refund. 

Affected passengers are encouraged to contact HK Express' Guest Service hotline +852 3902 0288 to modify their travel plans. The airline has contacted all affected passengers via email and SMS to inform them of the changes.

V Air launches scheduled flight to Macau on 10 April 2015

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan

                   / KUCINTA SETIA

Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

V Air has confirmed that it is commencing a direct scheduled air service between Taipei and Macau on 10 April 2015 (Friday). 

On 10 April, V Air flight ZV155 is scheduled to depart from Taipei at 8.10 pm and arrives in Macau at 9.55 pm before departing from Macau under ZV156  at 10.55 pm and arriving at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport at 12.45 am on 11 April. 

Starting initially with 3 round-trip flights per week on Fridays, Mondays and Wednesdays, the schedule is expected to be increased to daily service in early June after an Airbus A320 aircraft joins the fleet.

V Air currently owns one A321 aircraft and aims to grow its fleet to a minimum of 5 aircraft by the end of 2015.

Tigerair flies four times a week to Ipoh from 29 May 2015

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

According to Tigerair, it will become the first airline to operate an Airbus A320 aircraft to Ipoh when it launches its inaugural scheduled flight to Ipoh on 29 May 2015 (Friday). Tigerair operates four times a week to Ipoh at different timings on Fridays, Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays.

The inaugural scheduled flight to Ipoh leaves Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 4 pm on 29 May under flight TR2482, arriving in Ipoh at 5.20 pm before taking off for Singapore at 6 pm and touching down in Singapore at 7.20 pm under TR2483. The other Friday flights follow this timing.

On Sundays (inaugural Sunday flight on 31 May), TR2482 leaves Singapore for Ipoh at 1.45 pm, arrives in Ipoh at 3.05 pm before departing from Ipoh at 3.55 pm and arriving in Singapore at 5.15 pm under TR2483.

On Mondays (first Monday flight on 1 June), TR2482 leaves Singapore for Ipoh at 3.10 pm, arrives in Ipoh at 4.40 pm before departing from Ipoh at 5.20 pm and arriving in Singapore at 6.40 pm under TR2483.

On Wednesdays (first Wednesday flight on 3 June), TR2482 leaves Singapore for Ipoh at 3.20 pm, arrives in Ipoh at 4.40 pm before departing from Ipoh at 5.20 pm and arriving in Singapore at 6.40 pm under TR2483.

Tigerair flights to Ipoh are subject to bilateral regulatory approval and face direct competiton from Firefly which operates on the route daily.

Passengers of Tigerair, Scoot and Singapore Airlines can earn KrisFlyer miles if they travel on the new Ipoh route of Tigerair.

Inflight Review : Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321

Inflight Review by : Gan Yung Chyan
                            / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press Media & Travel Professionals

Airline : Vietnam Airlines Airbus A321 in Changi Airport.

Routes : Vietnam Airlines' Airbus A321 jets fly from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc to Singapore.

Aircraft : The Airbus A321 has spacious legroom. ****

Safety Demonstrations : Adequate. *****

Inflight Service : Service is very good.  ***** 

Postcard / Stationery : There are no postcards. Only immigration forms are issued. ***

Inflight Magazine : Heritage and Heritage Fashion are  the official inflight magazines of Vietnam Airlines. *****

Sky Shop : There is no inflight duty-free service onboard all Vietnam Airlines' flights. Therefore the full-service airline can offer budget fares with free inflight service. *****


Onboard Meals and Refreshments : Onboard hot meals and refreshments cannot be booked online in advance.  Passengers have to visit or call the downtown office to request for specific vegetarian meals 48 hours in advance. Otherwise passengers that prefer vegetarian will have to bear with meat-based options onboard.*****

Surcharge :  Passengers do not need to pay a surcharge if they want to sit at the emergency rows. ******

Bookings : Vietnam Airlines' web-site accepts online Mastercard and VISA payments from the world. Electronic tickets are issued at its official web-site and received via email. There is a pdf itinerary attachment.  Refunds for ticket cancellations are subject to different fare category conditions. Web-check-in boarding is not provided. Walk-in bookings are done in all downtown branches of the airline and are payable by cash only. ****

Check-In and Departures : Check-in at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Flights depart on time.****

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

Overall Impression : Vietnam Airlines is a five-star airline of Vietnam. Children and families will like to travel with this  reliable airline. The logo of Viietnam Airlines is the golden lotus, the national flower of Vietnam.*****

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

Kenya Airways links Vietnam with Africa with direct flights to Hanoi

Trucks spray water at a Boeing aircraft of Kenya Airways in Hanoi on 31 March Tuesday as part of the launching ceremony of its direct route from Nairobi to Hanoi. Photo credit: Dan Tri.

Kenya Airways has become the first African carrier to fly non-stop to Vietnam by opening a direct route between Kenya’s capital Nairobi and Hanoi on 31 March 2015.

A source from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam said Kenya Airways will provide three weekly flights from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Noi Bai International Airport with Boeing aircraft, local media reported.

The airline is charging promotion fares of US$699 a round tickets in economy class and $2,362 for business class.

The non-stop route is expected to cut the travel time to around nine hours, saving passengers more than four hours of transit in Thailand's capital Bangkok.

Mbuvi Ngunze, CEO of Kenya Airways, said at the launching ceremony in Hanoi that Vietnam has become a new destination in the region for African businesses.

He said there has been big attention to the new route, like from Angola which started to receive workers from Vietnam in early 2014.

Representatives of Kenya Airways expected that Hanoi as its 52nd destination will raise the revenue contribution from Asia to 10 percent. The carrier's profit is around $1.1 billion a year.

Kenya Airways is cooperating with Vietnam Airlines, a co-member of SkyTeam alliance, with plans to expand service to Ho Chi Minh City and other Asian countries including Japan, China, Malaysia and South Korea.

Source : Thanh Nien News, Hanoi. Edited by Gan Yung Chyan / KUCINTA SETIA.