Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
LongJiang Airlines (or LJ Air in short), the private full-service airline of Harbin, launches its first scheduled flight from Harbin to Nanchang on 22 January 2018 using its Airbus A321 aircraft.
On 22 January 2018, LJ Air flight LT4303 departs from Harbin for Nanchang at 10.20 am, arrives in Nanchang at 2 pm before leaving Nanchang for Harbin at 2.50 pm and touching down in Harbin at 6.20 pm under flight LT4304.
LJ Air flies between Harbin and Nanchang on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
LJ Air first launched its commercial flights to Hefei and Zhuhai on 10 February 2017 from Harbin. It plans to open new routes to other domestic airports of cities such as Shijiazhuang, Xi'an and Chengdu in the months to come.
LJ Air web-site : www.longjianghk.com
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
Qingdao Airlines launches daily scheduled flight from Hailaer to Lanzhou via Tianjin on 27 January 2018 using one of its 14 Airbus A320 jets.
On 27 January 2018, Qingdao Airlines flight QW9837 departs from Hailaer for Tianjin at 2.30 pm, arrives in Tianjin at 5.20 pm to pick up more passengers for Lanzhou, departs from Tianjin for Lanzhou at 6.25 pm and arrives in Lanzhou at 8.50 pm.
The A320 aircraft will station in Lanzhou overnight before leaving Lanzhou for Hailaer via Tianjin at 7 am, arriving in Tianjin at 8.55 am before taking off for Hailaer at 9.55 am and touching down in Hailaer at 12.30 pm on 28 January 2018 under flight QW9838.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
Hainan Airlines launches twice-weekly scheduled flight from Shenzhen to Madrid on 22 March 2018 using its B787 Dreamliner aircraft.
On 22 March 2018, Hainan Airlines flight HU7983 departs from Shenzhen to Madrid at 2.35 pm, arrives in Madrid at 9.50 pm before departing from Madrid for Shenzhen at 12 am on 23 March 2018 and touching down in Shenzhen at 7.55 pm on the same day under flight HU7984.
Flights are operated from Shenzhen to Madrid on Thursdays and Sundays while flights to Shenzhen from Madrid are on Fridays and Mondays.
Madrid is the fourth long-haul destination of Hainan Airlines from its Shenzhen base after Auckland, Brisbane and Cairns, flights of which are also recently launched.
With the convenient flights, passengers from Shenzhen no longer need to transit in Hong Kong or Guangzhou for onward flights to the above destinations.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
According to the website of China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), China Express Airlines has successfully passed the audit on the 17th working meeting of the 17th Commission of the Securities and Futures Commission on 17 January 2018. This will be the first China's regional airline and the seventh Chinese airline that holds A-shares.
Headquartered in Chongqing, China Express Airlines focuses on regional air passenger and freight services with air hubs in Guiyang, Chongqing, Dalian, Hohhot and Xi'an Xianyang. As of the end of June 2017, the airline flies to more than 80 destinations, of which 96 per cent of the routes are feeder routes and two international routes to Don Mueang and Phnom Penh from Zhanjiang.
According to the documents submitted by China Express Airlines to CSRC, from 2014 to 2016, its operating revenues were RMB1.287 billion, RMB1.792 billion and RMB2.551 billion respectively, with net profits of RMB124 million, RMB260 million and RMB337 million respectively. Revenue and net profit for the first half of 2017 were RMB1,534 million and RMB172 million respectively. The number of aircraft has increased from 14 at the end of 2014 to 31 at the end of June 2017. China Express Airlines has 355 pilots.
In 2017, China Express Airlines' safe operation steadily improved. It has 35 aircraft, and more than 70,000 aircraft movements, of which 77.15 per cent are punctual flights.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
XiamenAir has launched Beijing Capital International Airport's first daily scheduled flight to east Malaysia.
On 16 January 2018, XiamenAir flight MF8001 departs from Beijing Capital for Kota Kinabalu at 6.25 am, arrives in Kota Kinabalu at 12.15 pm before leaving Kota Kinabalu for Beijing at 7 pm and touching down in Beijing Capital at 12.20 am on 17 January 2018 under flight MF8002.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
MIAT Mongolian Airlines has decided to suspend flights from Ulaanbaatar to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi after 21 March 2018 due to insufficient passenger numbers on this route.
Currently MIAT flight OM701 departs from Ulaanbaatar to Suvarnabhumi at 4.20 pm, arrives in Suvarnabhumi at 9.40 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays before leaving Suvarnabhumi for Ulaanbaatar at 10.40 pm and touching down in Ulaanbaatar at 5.50 am the next days under flight OM702.
MIAT Mongolian Airlines continues to operate flights to Busan and its traditional destinations Beijing, Incheon, Narita, Hong Kong, Moscow, Berlin and Frankfurt during summer.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
Vistara, Singapore Airlines' Indian subsidiary, is launching daily flight from Delhi to Chennai on 15 February 2018 and this route extends to reach Port Blair in the Andaman Sea on 1 March 2018. Services are operated by Vistara's A320 aircraft.
On 15 February 2018, Vistara flight UK835 departs from Delhi for Chennai at 7.45 pm, arrives in Chennai at 10.40 pm where it will remain in Chennai airport overnight before leaving Chennai for Delhi at 7.50 am and touching down in Delhi at 10.30 am under flight UK832 on 16 February 2018.
On 1 March 2018, flight UK833 departs from Delhi for Chennai at 7.20 am, reaches Chennai at 10.10 am before leaving Chennai for Port Blair at 11.10 am and arriving in Port Blair at 1.35 pm. At 2.20 pm, flight UK834 takes off from Port Blair for Chennai, transits in Chennai at 4.40 pm before departing from Chennai for Delhi at 5.30 pm and arriving in Delhi at 8.20 pm.
Vistara currently flies to Port Blair directly from Delhi and Kolkata.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
Scoot launches non-stop scheduled flight from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 to Berlin Tegel Airport on 20 June 2018 with its B787-800 Dreamliner aircraft. It will operate the flight four times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays.
On 20 June 2018, Scoot flight TR734 departs from Singapore for Berlin Tegel at 12.20 am, arrives in Berlin Tegel at 7.25 am before leaving Berlin for Singapore at 9.25 am and touching down in Singapore at 3.35 am on 21 June 2018 under TR735.
One-way fare to Berlin Tegel starts from 339 Singapore Dollars at press time.
Berlin is Scoot's second European destination after Athens. Scoot is the only Asian low-cost airline to fly to Berlin and the second Asian airline to fly to Berlin Tegel after MIAT Mongolian Airlines from Ulaanbaatar.
Prior to the inaugural flight, travellers from Singapore need to transit in Hong Kong, Beijing or Suvarnabhumi, and Ulaanbaatar for the onward MIAT flight to Berlin Tegel.
Scoot will move over its flight service to Berlin Brandenburg Airport when the new Berlin international airport replacing Berlin Tegel and Berlin Schonefeld Airports opens to commercial traffic by 2021 after years of construction completion delays.
Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals
JC International Airlines postponed its inaugural daily flight to Singapore from Phnom Penh from 29 August 2017 to 25 January 2018 using its A320 aircraft.
On 25 January 2018, JC flight QD675 departs from Phnom Penh for Singapore Changi Airport T4 at 9.15 am, arrives in Singapore at 12.15 pm before leaving Singapore for Phnom Penh at 12.55 pm and touching down in Phnom Penh at 1.55 pm under QD676.
Alternative names of JC International Airlines include JC International Airline, Cambodia JC International Airlines and JC (Cambodia) International Airlines.
Tickets are on sale at JC International Airlines web-site at www.jcairlines.com only and issued by its Phnom Penh Ticketing Office at Canadia Tower. JC International Airlines has no commercial representative and sales office in Singapore.
After launching flight to Singapore, JC International Airlines plans to open new scheduled flights to more cities in China such as Guiyang, Hangzhou, Kunming, Ningbo, Sanya, Osaka-Kansai and Sapporo in Japan and Incheon in South Korea. It currently has regular flights to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei, Chongqing, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville from Phnom Penh and charter flights to Huai' An.
Earlier Report Refs : http://kucinta-setia.blogspot.sg/2017/08/jc-international-airlines-has-postponed.html;
http://kucinta-setia.blogspot.sg/2017/08/jc-international-airlines-launches-non.html
Inflight Review by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone
Airline : Lanmei Airlines
Routes under Review : Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Macau - Phnom Penh - Hanoi - Phnom Penh
Departure Dates : 4 January 2018 to 5 January 2018
Aircraft Operation Service : ***
Lanmei Airlines has returned its sole Airbus A320 leased from Myanmar Airways International to the Myanmar airline and uses its only wholly-owned A321 in its own livery on its international routes from Sihanoukville to Macau, Koror and Hong Kong.
As a result, in late December 2017, Lanmei Airlines took delivery of its first Airbus A319-100 (registered XU-983; see subject picture) leased from an unidentified European aircraft leasing firm and deployed the aircraft immediately on its routes, Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Macau - Phnom Penh - Hanoi - Phnom Penh on 4 and 5 January 2018. It has no time to re-paint the aircraft, which remains unmarked without the name and logo of Lanmei Airlines. The aircraft is 11.6 years old, which previously operated in TAM Airlines Brasil's livery. Flight following standard safety demonstration procedures is safe.
On 7 January 2018, XU-983 is scheduled to launch Lanmei Airlines' first return scheduled flight from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville under LQ970/LQ971. LQ970 departs from Phnom Penh for Sihanoukville at 6.30 am, arrives in Sihanoukville at 7.20 am before LQ971 leaves Sihanoukville for Phnom Penh at 5.30 pm and touches down in Phnom Penh at 6.10 pm on Sundays.
Lanmei Airlines schedules to operate flights between Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh using its A321 on Mondays and Wednesdays at different timings under LQ976/LQ977.
On Mondays, flight LQ976 departs from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh at 1.55 pm, arrives in Phnom Penh at 2.35 pm before leaving Phnom Penh for Sihanoukville at 11.40 pm and touching down in Sihanoukville at 12.20 am on Tuesdays under LQ977.
On Wednesdays, flight LQ976 departs from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh at 7.05 am, arrives in Phnom Penh at 7.45 am pm before leaving Phnom Penh for Sihanoukville at 5.35 pm and touching down in Sihanoukville at 6.15 pm on the same day under LQ977.
On days not operating to Phnom Penh, the A319 aircraft XU-983 operates on its route to Ho Chi Minh City from Siem Reap.
Lanmei Airlines plans to operate thrice-weekly scheduled flights from Phnom Penh to Singapore and daily flights to Bangkok from Phnom Penh later in 2018. It is currently advertising for a Commercial Representative from an experienced General Sales Agency (GSA) in Singapore.
For further detailed information, please contact Lanmei Airlines on Facebook.
Inflight Service : ***
Inflight announcements on domestic flights are in Mandarin and English. Air crew can translate into Khmer if the need arises. There are no free beverages or water to drink on Lanmei Airlines' flights. Passengers have to pay for water, beverages and hot meals on the flights to Macau and Hong Kong. Inflight magazines are entitled Khmer (in Khmer and Chinese) and SkyHigh (in English). SkyHigh is the Official Inflight Magazine of Lanmei Airlines. Printed copies of SkyHigh are available onboard from 7 January 2018 onwards.
Lanmei Airlines sells its A320 aircraft models onboard the flights. These can be omitted from its duty-free shopping catalogue.
Ground Service in response to passengers' requests and enquiries : ***
Inflight magazines are provided at the Phnom Penh ticketing office free-of-charge for customers to plan their Lanmei travel itineraries. This factor enabled me to give an attempt in booking this airline.
Stationery : **
Write on Lanmei Airlines' barf bags only. The airline may issue aircraft postcards in the late future.
Ticketing : ***
One can book Lanmei Airlines tickets via PayPal, Alipay and Unionpay, on Ctrip platform and on Lanmei Airlines web-site. Payment directly to the airline via PayPal using credit cards including AMEX is successful. However, Lanmei Airlines needs to increase the number of payment channels. Ticketing reconfirmation is not required.
Overall Impression : Lanmei Airlines is a three-star airline within a short span of time despite inconsistent brand imagery on its aircraft bodies.
** Poor / two-star
*** Good / three-star
***** Very good / five-star
****** Excellent / six-star (the highest category)
