VietJet Air and Thai VietJet Air launch five new international routes between 30 October and 12 December 2016

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

VietJet Air, a Vietnamese low-cost airline, and its younger sister airline Thai VietJet Air are launching a total of five new routes between 30 October and 12 December 2016 using their Airbus A320 aircraft. 

On 30 October 2016, VietJet flight VJ945 leaves Hanoi for Taipei-Taoyuan at 3.25 pm, arrives in Taoyuan at 7.20 pm before departing from Taoyuan at 8.30 pm for Hanoi under flight VJ946 and arriving in Hanoi at 10.40 pm. Services are operated on a daily basis.

On 12 December 2016, VietJet Air opens its new Ho Chi Minh City-Kaohsiung and Haiphong-Incheon routes. Haiphong is popularly known as the "Flamboyant City" due to the ubiquitous flame-of-the-forest trees in Vietnam's third largest city located to the east of Hanoi. It is also the nearest gateway to the picturesque Halong Bay and the popular mountainous retreat of Sapa.

Flight VJ886 departs from Ho Chi Minh City for Kaohsiung on 12 December 2016 at 2.10 am, arrives in Kaohsiung at 6.30 am before leaving Kaohsiung for Ho Chi Minh City at 8.15 am and arriving in Ho Chi Minh City at 10.45 am under flight VJ885. Scheduled services are operated four times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

On 12 December 2016, flight VJ921 departs from Haiphong for Incheon at 11.45 pm, arrives in Incheon the next day at 6 am before taking off from Incheon at 7.15 am for Haiphong and touching down in Haiphong at 10.40 am under flight VJ922. Scheduled services are operated on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

By 12 December 2016, VietJet Air will operate the most number of scheduled flights to Taiwan from Southeast Asia as it has frequent flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Taoyuan, Tainan and now Kaohsiung. It is the first low-cost international airline to fly to Tainan from Southeast Asia.

The Haiphong-Incheon route is the second international route of Haiphong Cat Bi International Airport, after Thai VietJet Air's Bangkok Suvarnabhumi-Haiphong route which will be launched on 9 November 2016 with flight VZ920 departing from Haiphong for Suvarnabhumi at 3.20 pm, arriving in Suvarnabhumi at 5.10 pm before leaving Suvarnabhumi for Haiphong at 6.05 pm and touching down in Haiphong at 7.55 pm under flight VZ921. 

Thai VietJet Air's services to Haiphong are operated on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It will also operate daily flights from Suvarnabhumi to Ho Chi Minh City with effect from 30 October 2016.

Inflight Review : Singapore Airlines

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

Airline : Singapore Airlines. 

Routes : A330-300 on short/medium-haul routes from Singapore.*****

Aircraft : The A330 seat legroom is spacious. Inflight entertainment is available. *****.

Baggage Requirements : Standard requirement. A carry-on baggage measuring 115 cm in total is accepted. ****

Safety Demonstrations : Adequate.  *****

Inflight Service / Entertainment / Onboard Meals and Refreshments : Excellent.*****

There is a dedicated menu onboard each sector flight. Meals, refreshments and beverages are free. Two rounds serving depending on flight sector.***** 

Postcard / Stationery : The A330 flight issues an A350 postcard set which comes with the A350 advertisement postcard and A350 Premium Economy Class postcard published and printed by Singapore Airlines. Pens and A330 playing cards are available. ***** 

Inflight Magazine  : Silver Kris is complimentary. You can take home a hardcopy. It is available on ground in ION Orchard office of Singapore Airlines as well.*****

Sky Shop : Available. Exclusive Singapore Airlines A350-900 WX 1:500 and B777-300ER 1:500 aircraft models, A380 Changi Airport aircraft playing sets will be available for inflight sales starting from 1 November 2016. Aircraft models are prized at 59 Singapore Dollars each. From September 2016, all flights start selling Singapore Airlines' Hello Kitty Singapore Girl toys at 39 Singapore Dollars each. There is a 10 per cent discount on each purchase for KrisFlyer Elite Gold Members. Passengers may take away a complimentary hardcopy of Kris Shop inflight duty-free magazine home and order on-line before collecting the merchandize onboard the next flight.****

Surcharges :  No. ****

Bookings : At all Singapore Airlines' offices, agents and web-sites. Passengers who are KrisFlyer members on group tours can request for mileage to be accumulated by just a call to Singapore Airlines Call Centre. *****

Check-In and Departures : Check-in online or at the relevant airports two hours before international departures. Flights may not depart on time.*****

Ground service in  response  to passengers' requests and enquiries : Excellent. 24-hours hotline.******

Overall Impression :  Singapore Airlines constantly maintains the highest level of aircraft safety, inflight and ground services. Keep it up.******

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

ASEAN to mark 50 years of unity and diversity in 2017 with "VisitASEAN@50" tourism campaign

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

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) revealed the branding for its “Visit ASEAN@50 Golden Celebration 2017” tourism campaign on 6 September 2016.

The branding was unveiled by the 10 ASEAN heads of state at the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos today.

The new campaign will promote the twin objectives of commemorating the 50th anniversary of ASEAN in 2017, and embracing the ASEAN region of Southeast Asia as a single and united, yet diverse, tourism destination.

Further objectives of the Visit ASEAN@50 campaign include raising international visitor arrivals to Southeast Asia from 108.9 million in 2015 to 121 million by the end of 2017 and increasing tourism receipts from USD75 billion in 2014 to USD83 billion, also by the end of next year.

Multiple activities and promotions will be announced to drive the campaign. Visit ASEAN@50 partners will be revealed at the ITB Asia travel industry show in Singapore in October 2016. Special travel experiences and offers will be announced at the World Travel Market in London in November 2016.

“ASEAN’s Golden Jubilee serves as a great opportunity for our 10 member states to celebrate Southeast Asia’s strength through diversity as the world’s fastest growing tourism destination,” said Mr Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of Lao PDR and Chairman of the ASEAN Summit. “Visit ASEAN@50 will contribute towards our vision of creating a cohesive ASEAN economy,” he said.

Key target markets for ASEAN’s 50^th anniversary tourism campaign in 2017 will be long-haul markets such as Europe, Middle East and North America, as well as intra-ASEAN, China, Japan, Korea, India and Australia.

The ASEAN Tourism Competitiveness Committee, which is responsible for the tourism campaign implementation with partners, says planned ASEAN@50 marketing activities include:
 

• “VisitASEAN@50” official launch at the ASEAN Tourism Forum early January 2017 in Singapore
• Media familiarisation trips showcasing ASEAN connectivity and multi-country travel routes
• Special tour packages with offers, special airfares, shopping discounts for travel in 2017 (details to be revealed at WTM London, November 2016)
• Campaign promotion in international travel trade shows in key source markets
• Cooperative marketing programs with travel, media and airline partners (to be announced at ITB Asia in October 2016)
• Print and online advertising, as well as TV, video and promotions
• Social media campaigns to enhance consumer engagement
• Promotional programs by ASEAN’s national tourism offices targeting trade, consumer and MICE markets throughout 2017.

The 2017 50^th anniversary tourism campaign is part of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025, which was adopted by the association’s tourism ministers in Manila in January 2016.

Chongqing Airlines launches non-stop flight from Chongqing to Singapore on 9 September 2016

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

Chongqing Airlines the Chongqing-based subsidiary of China Southern Airlines is launching non-stop scheduled flight from Chongqing to Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 on 9 September 2016.

On 9 September 2016, Chongqing Airlines flight OQ2395 departs from Chongqing for Singapore at 12.15 pm, arrives in Singapore at 5.20 pm before leaving Singapore for Chongqing at 6.20 pm and touching down in Chongqing at 11.15 pm under flight OQ2396.

Flights operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays by Chongqing Airlines' Airbus A320 aircraft with a configuration of 120 Economy Class, 24 Pearl Economy Class and 8 Business Class seats on behalf of China Southern from Chongqing to Singapore have corresponding China Southern flight codes CZ8195 (outbound from Chongqing) and CZ8196 (outbound from Singapore).

To celebrate the launch of Chongqing Airlines' service to Singapore, its third international destination after Bangkok and Phuket, Chongqing Airlines is offering round-trip promotion fare from 450 RMB (less than 95 Singapore Dollars) excluding airport taxes. Tickets can be purchased from Chongqing Airlines in Chongqing, other China Southern Airlines offices in China and Singapore.

Chongqing Airlines is a joint-venture of China Southern Airlines and Chongqing Municipal Development & Investment Company with an inclusive domestic flight network covering 29 cities in China.

Peach launches flights from Shanghai-Pudong to Haneda and Osaka on 2 November 2016

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

Japanese low-cost airline Peach Aviation, known in short as Peach, launches new direct flights from Shanghai-Pudong to Tokyo-Haneda and Osaka on 2 November 2016 using its two Airbus A320-200 aircraft. It is the first time a Japanese airline is basing its aircraft in a Chinese airport.

On 2 November 2016, Peach flight MM1078 departs from Pudong for Haneda at 1.25 am, arrives in Haneda at 4.55 am before leaving Haneda for Pudong at 2.10 am and arriving in Pudong at 5 am under flight MM1079.  Information from Peach web-site is correct at the time this news is published, subject to any flight service amendment.

Peach's flights from Pudong to Haneda are operated on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

On 2 November 2016, Peach flight MM080 leaves Pudong for Osaka at 6.05 am, arrives in Osaka at 9.15 am before leaving Osaka at 10.25 pm and touching down in Pudong at 12.20 am under flight MM079. Services from Pudong to Osaka are operated on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and the weekends while flights from Osaka to Pudong are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Peach currently has flights from Osaka and Naha to Hong Kong, flights from Osaka and Narita to Incheon, Busan, flights from Osaka to Kaohsiung, and flights from Osaka and Haneda to Incheon, Taoyuan and many other domestic destinations in Japan including Fukuoka, Sapporo, Sendai, Kagoshima and Ishigaki. 

Headquartered in Osaka, Peach first started operations on 1 March 2012 with a domestic flight from Osaka to Sapporo.

Tibet Airlines now flies to Samui, plans new flights to Kathmandu and Sochi

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

Tibet Airlines now flies to Samui from Chengdu and has plans to operate new international flights to Kathmandu in October 2016 and to Sochi, Russia, in November 2016 with its A319 and A330 aircraft.

Tibet Airlines flies between Chengdu and Samui on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Its flight TV9897 operated by Airbus A330 departs from Chengdu for Samui at 12.55 pm, arrives in Samui at 3.40 pm before leaving Samui for Chengdu at 4.40 pm and arriving in Chengdu at 8.55 pm under flight TV9898.

The airline's first flight from Chengdu to Samui is launched on 17 July 2016.

Chengdu is the Tibetan airline's domestic and international hub where it has onward connecting flights to Lhasa and other Chinese cities.

Spring Airlines and OKAir exercise passenger age-health discrimination

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

Two Chinese private airlines now require elderly travelers intending to board their flights to issue body and health fitness certification documents on-line before they purchase their tickets. These airlines are Spring Airlines and OKAir. 

Elderly passengers aged 70 and above who intend to fly with Spring Airlines from Singapore to Shanghai-Pudong and within China to any part of the route networks of Spring Airlines or from other international destinations of Spring Airlines are advised to show the airline headquartered in Shanghai and its branch offices if any outside Shanghai their body and health fitness certification documents prior to purchasing an on-line ticket. Likewise and with more stringent requirements are from OKAir on elderly passengers of this age range.

The certification documents should include comprehensive medical health data, X-ray photo and report and a health professional declaration stating that the elderly passengers are fit to travel onboard a flight before purchasing a ticket. This is to ensure the passengers' health do not affect normal flight operations and to reduce frequency of passenger health emergencies due to inflight turbulence and flight diversions as a result of passenger emergencies due to health reasons which may cause unforeseen flight delays.

An elderly passenger aged 70 years old and above has to capture shots of the X-rays before emailing the relevant certification documents and health data to Spring Airlines. For further information, please contact Spring Airlines at its Facebook page and for OKAir at its web-site www.okair.net.

If the elderly passenger is deemed not fit to travel by the two airlines due to heart disease and other health reasons, he will not be allowed to purchase a ticket of Spring Airlines or OKAir.

This is despite the availability of comprehensive travel insurance and passengers' health insurance.

Spring Airlines and OKAir have no such restrictions on younger passengers.

Spring Airlines flies from Singapore, Kota Kinabalu, Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong, Incheon, Japan, Siem Reap, Taipei and many more Asian destinations to Shanghai-Pudong. It also operates many flights from Suvarnabhumi to Shijiazhuang and other Chinese cities while OKAir has flights from Suvarnabhumi, Jeju to China and domestic flights in China.

For the news source in Chinese, please refer to the news from Beijing Evening Press below.

航司要求70岁以上须有体检报告 年龄歧视？

《北京晚报》代丽丽2016-08-29 15:45:42

眼下正是旅游旺季，不少老年人也想出去转转，有人在买机票时却被告知，必须先去医院做个体检，有了健康证明才能购买机票，否则航空公司就有权拒载。这种强硬的做法让不少老年人觉得自己受到了歧视——这是哪门子规定？我身体好好的，为什么要开证明才能坐飞机？

70岁以上坐飞机要先出示体检报告

孙健最近打算带父亲出去玩一趟。父亲72岁，于是他通过航空公司的网站订票，没想到还会遇到年龄上的限制——春秋航空公司的客服人员告诉他，70周岁以上老人订购机票需要提供180天内的乘机证明或者提供180天内的医院开具的医院体检报告才能乘机！

这份报告里要有心电图、心率数值、血压数值、呼吸道检查（也就是胸透）的结果。而且还要将这些检查报告拍照后发送到对方指定的邮箱，航空公司审核通过后，老人才能购票。如此复杂的乘机要求让孙健很迷惑。“我父亲才72岁，身体很好，现在为了坐个飞机还要专门去医院做个体检，这也太麻烦了！”孙健说，不仅要专门跑趟医院，一向节俭的父亲更是为这笔体检的费用耿耿于怀。“全做下来的话，大约百十块钱，为什么平白无故要多花这些钱呢？”

航空公司表示是为老人安全着想

有同样规定的还有奥凯航空公司，而且要求比春秋航空更加严格，他们把年龄的限制定在了75岁以上，要求体检在乘机前的一周之内，还得是县级以上或三甲医院的检查结果才行，要求检查老人的心脑血管、高血压、心脏病、冠心病等情况。起飞当天，老人需要带着体检结果去办乘机手续，各项检查指标在正常范围内才会被允许乘机。

“老人身体好好的，为什么非要多此一举让我们去医院做体检呢？”面对疑问，客服人员回答，这也是为了老人的乘机安全着想。“高空环境中，可能会因为气压的变化导致血压升高、呼吸困难、缺氧等情况，还有气流变化导致的颠簸等等，老人要是有心脏病、呼吸系统疾病就可能会有危险。我们也是为老人的乘机安全着想。”客服人员的解释听起来似乎也挺有道理。

但孙健又觉得，现在老年人的寿命都提高了，70岁尚且算“年轻”的，很多80多岁的老人依然精神矍铄，健步如飞，还硬生生地定一个70岁或者75岁的门槛，这不是给很多健康的老年人平添了烦恼吗？“要是真有高血压、心脏病之类的，老人和子女也不会轻易让老人坐飞机啊！”

仅是少数航空公司的自行规定

记者向其他航空公司咨询，发现这仅是少数航空公司的规定，像国航、南航、东航、海航这四大航空公司就没有这样的要求，厦门航空、山东航空等公司也不做特殊限制，只是有些公司会强调乘机的前提是老人身体健康，最好有年轻人陪同等，但并不强制要求出具体健康证明等。

对于老年人乘机是否需要出示健康证明的问题，记者咨询了荣达律师事务所律师刘小明。刘小明介绍，《中国民用航空旅客、行李国际运输规则》当中并没有对老年人乘机做出特殊要求，只是要求重病旅客购票应持有医疗单位出具适于乘机的证明。但刘小明同时也表示，飞机作为在高空飞行的一种特殊交通工具，航空公司要求乘客的年龄和身体健康状况也是为了保证乘客的安全，出发点是好的，乘客也应该给予理解，不必心存芥蒂，但航空公司应该尽量简化流程、方便乘客，别让好心变成了乘客的烦恼。

V Air suspends flights for one year

Press Report in Chinese by NOWnews, Taiwan
Summary Translation by : Gan Yung Chyan
                                          / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

On 28 August 2016, TransAsia Airways revealed that instead of permanently closing its low-cost subsidiary V Air on 1 October 2016, the low-cost airline will suspend all flight operations for one year from 4 October 2016 to 3 October 2017. During this period, V Air will be restructured. Dismissals of employees will be under discretion and according to Taiwan labour law.   

威航原定自今年10月1日起并回母公司复兴航空，以便进行资源整合，但复兴航空今下午表示，威航公司董事会决议撤销合并案，改为自10月4日至明(106)年10月3日停业1年，期间将进行公司整顿、处理后续相关事宜。

威航公司董事会决议撤销合并案，也将利用停业期间将用于整顿公司、处理后续相关事宜，复兴航空也表示，停业期间会确保威航停业程序，并保障旗下员工权益，符合相关劳动法规。

威航合并案通过，日前便传已提交大量资遣计画书却未与员工协商、公告，对此，威航表示，目前尚未正式递交计画书给台北市劳动局，外传8月17日提出恐为误解，而计画书内容尚在调整中，并未正式送件。

Myanmar National Airlines marked first anniversary of flight operations to Singapore, announced new route

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

Myanmar National Airlines, that celebrated its first anniversary of flight operations to Singapore from Yangon at Changi Airport on 17 August 2016, confirms that it is launching its first international direct flight from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Mandalay on 31 August 2016.

Myanmar National Airlines will fly direct to Mandalay from Suvarnabhumi on Wednesdays, Fridays and Mondays. However, the outbound flight from Mandalay to Suvarnabhumi continues to stop over in Yangon.

On 31 August 2016, flight UB020 departs from Suvarnabhumi for Mandalay at 9.20 am and arrives in Mandalay at 10.35 am. Flight is operated by its B737-800 aircraft.

To celebrate the new route, Myanmar National Airlines offers the cheapest one-way fare starting from 96 US Dollars and it is available for sale on the airline's web-site www.flymna.com.

Myanmar National Airlines will make its exhibition debut at ITB Asia in Singapore from 19 to 21 October 2016 where it may announce other new route plans.

Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines markets Bhutan domestic flights to Singapore

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

Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines at the second edition of Travel Revolution Fair 2016 markets domestic flights in Bhutan to Singapore travellers.

Purchase any round trip ticket on any international route sector of Drukair and pay only 130 Singapore Dollars for a round-trip ticket to Bumthang or Gelephu.

According to Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines, it normally costs 170 Singapore Dollars to purchase a one-way ticket to Bumthang or Gelephu from Paro. The promo through fare of 130 Singapore Dollars for a round trip is only available for purchase at the travel fair in Singapore until 21 August 2016.

Drukair domestic air services are operated by its sole ATR42-500 aircraft. The national flag carrier and ambassador of "Brand Bhutan" first launched its first domestic flight to Bumthang in December 2011. A test flight to Gelephu is opened on 17 December 2015 and the first scheduled flight to Gelephu from Paro is operated on 29 December 2015.

Bumthang, known offically as Jakar, is located in central-eastern Bhutan and is famous for the beautiful Bumthang Valley.

Gelephu is a town bordering India with the Bhutanese town of Phuntsoling located on the west of Gelephu and the town Sarpang on its eastern side. It is a part of a future Special Economic Zone of Bhutan known as Sarpang-Gelepang Development Corridor which is rich in forest resources. Recreational activities are available in Gelephu.

Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines flies to Paro from Singapore via Kolkata every week. Promo fares to Paro from Singapore at 899 Singapore Dollars and to Kolkata from 290 Singapore Dollars for winter travel after 12 December 2016 are available.

Visit www.drukair.com.sg or email info@drukasia.com for more information.