OKAir launches flight from Changsha to Kalibo on 29 October 2017

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

OKAir launches direct scheduled flight from Changsha to Kalibo on 29 October 2017 using its B737-800 aircraft. It flies to Kalibo, the gateway to Boracay, from Changsha on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

On 29 October 2017, OKAir flight BK2761 departs from Changsha for Kalibo at 9.55 am, arrives in Kalibo at 1.15 pm before leaving Kalibo for Changsha at 2015 pm and touching down in Changsha at 5.35 pm on the same day under flight BK2762.

With the opening of the Changsha-Kalibo route, travelers from Hunan province and other central and northern provinces of China need not connect in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore and Manila for flights to Kalibo.

Two South Korean airlines start new flights to Vientiane from 29 October 2017

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

Following the new Shenzhen-Vientiane service by Hainan Airlines on 24 October 2017, two South Korean airlines are commencing new flights to Vientiane within one week. They are Jeju Air and Air Busan.

Jeju Air commences scheduled flight from Incheon to Vientiane on 29 October 2017. It operates flights to Vientiane on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays using B737 aircraft.

On 29 October 2017, Jeju Air flight 7C4303 departs from Incheon for Vientiane at 7.10 pm, touches down in Vientiane at 10.50 pm before embarking on the return journey to Incheon at 11.50 pm and arriving in Incheon at 6.35 am on 30 October 2017 under flight 7C4304.


Jeju Air faces direct competition on the Incheon-Vientiane route from Jin Air and Lao Airlines.

Air Busan, the Busan-based low-cost subsidiary of Asiana Airlines, launches thrice-weekly scheduled flights from Busan to Vientiane with effect from 30 October 2017. It flies to Vientiane on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

On 30 October 2017, Air Busan's Airbus A321 flight BX745 departs from Busan for Vientiane at 9 am, arrives in Vientiane at 12.30 pm before leaving Busan at 1.30 pm and touching down in Busan at 8 pm under flight BX746.

Air Busan faces direct competition on the route from Lao Airlines.

With these new flights, Vientiane's Wattay International Airport ranks fifth in the number of Korean LCC flights in Southeast Asia after Kota Kinabalu, Cebu, Suvarnabhumi and Siem Reap.

Hainan Airlines' first flight from Shenzhen to Vientiane on 24 October 2017

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

Hainan Airlines launches inaugural scheduled flight from Shenzhen to Vientiane, capital of Lao PDR, on 24 October 2017 using B737 aircraft.

On 24 October 2017, Hainan Airlines flight HU445 departs from Shenzhen for Vientiane at 5.05 pm, touches down in Vientiane at 6.20 pm before leaving from Vientiane for Shenzhen at 7.20 pm and arriving in Shenzhen at 10.20 pm local time under flight HU446.

Shenzhen is Hainan Airlines's second destination on its Lao flight network. Hainan Airlines already operates all-year-round services on the Haikou to Vientiane route. It also launched flight from Shenzhen to Luang Prabang on 19 October 2017.

Air Mauritius takes delivery of its first A350-900 jet on 20 October 2017

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

Air Mauritius in its 50th year of flight operations is taking delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 passenger jet on 20 October 2017. According to the airline's announcement on 18 October 2017, the aircraft is expected to arrive in Mauritius at 3 pm on that day.

The first A350-900 aircraft of Air Mauritius is expected to fly over east of Mauritius, over the Fuel State, the Anjalay Stadium in the North, Port Louis, Cascavelle in the West as well as over Bagatelle before proceeding to the international airport of Mauritius.

The Chief Guest at the delivery ceremony in Mauritius Airport is the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Honourable Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

The A350-900 also known as A350 XWB features one of the latest aerodynamic designs, carbon fiber fuselage and wings and new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these technologies lead to a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions and significantly lower maintenance costs. The spaciousness, quietness, beautiful interior and mood lighting in the cabin contribute to superior levels of comfort and well-being, and enhance the overall flight experience of passengers.

After receiving the first A350-900, Air Mauritius is deploying the aircraft on its first long-haul scheduled flight, from Mauritius to Singapore, on 23 October 2017.

Air Mauritius A350-900 flight MK646 departs from Mauritius for Singapore at 8.40 pm on 23 October 2017, arrives in Singapore at 7.35 am on 24 October 2017 before leaving Singapore for Mauritius at 4.05 pm after a stopover in Kuala Lumpur and touching down in Mauritius at 7 pm Mauritian time under flight MK647.

The subsequent long-haul flights of the first Air Mauritius A350-900 jet are scheduled to be conducted on the routes from Mauritius to Johannesburg, London-Heathrow and Paris-Charles De Gaulle on 27 October 2017, 11 November 2017 and 1 December 2017 respectively.

The A350-900 aircraft delivery marks the start of Air Mauritius's fleet modernization programme that sees 4 A350-900 on direct purchase from Airbus joining the fleet by 2019, two A350-900 jets on lease from AerCap Holdings within the next five years. The first A350-900 jet originates from Airbus.

With the addition of A350-900 on 20 October 2017, Air Mauritius will have a total of 11 aircraft that include 6 A340-300, 2 A330-200 and 2 A319 aircraft.

Air Mauritius celebrates 50 years of company operations on 14 June 2017.

Singapore Haiku - Beard Blueberries

Heritage Pictures, Haiku and Notes by : Gan Yung Chyan
                                                              / KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to Everyone

Hairy leaves widen;

The largest offers berries

From the damp forest.

These beard blueberries

Ended silent invasion

Of Koster's curses.

Singa clidemia

Lost power of invasion

In a range.

Do not taste like blueberry

From the heart comes water

Limits

Notes:-

Plant's Scientific Name : Clidemia hirta

American English Name : soapbush

Fijian English Name : Koster's Curse

Singapore vernacular names : Senduduk (in Malay, also refers to Singapore rhododendron, referring to the white flowers),

beard blueberry (in Singapore English, referring to the appearance of the fruits)

Chinese Name : 毛野牡丹 (in Malaysia, not commonly used in Singapore. Local residents in Ang Mo Kio call them affectionately as "蓝莓" or "blueberries" but these are not authentic blueberries.)

Fruit Harvest Season in Singapore : August to October

Use in Singapore : Free. The Singapore variety does not taste like blueberry. It tastes watery. The plants in Singapore are not invasive. No commercial stocks.

HK Express completed its inaugural scheduled return flight to Zhangjiajie on 18 October 2017

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

HK Express has completed its inaugural scheduled return flight to Zhangjiajie from Hong Kong on 18 October 2017.

On 18 October 2017, HK Express flight UO2266 departs from Hong Kong for Zhangjiajie at 12 pm, arrives in Zhangjiajie at 2.05 pm before leaving Zhangjiajie for Hong Kong at 3.05 pm and touching down in Hong Kong at 5.15 pm under flight UO2267.

HK Express flies from Hong Kong to Zhangjiajie every Wednesday and Saturday. From 29 October 2017 onwards, its flights to Zhangjiajie will be on Thursdays and Sundays at different timings. It becomes the third non-China low-cost airline to fly to Zhangjiajie after Tigerair Taiwan (from Taoyuan) and Air Busan (from Busan).  

Zhangjiajie or its nickname Dayong is the nearest gateway to the UNESCO Heritage Site of Wulingyuan Scenic National Park, known for its quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks. It is a city for adventurous tourists. 

With the launch of Hong Kong-Zhangjiajie flight, tourists from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia need not transfer in Changsha or other Chinese cities for onward travel to Zhangjiajie. Tourists may transfer in Zhangjiajie instead for onward flights to other cities like Hengyang, Shijiazhuang, Xi'an and Tianjin.

Promotional airfare costs from 598 HK Dollars and is available for sale at www.hkexpress.com.

Cambodia Bayon Airlines self-imposed one-month flight suspension as more new airlines seek AOC approval

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

Cambodia Bayon Airlines, the Cambodian subsidiary of Joy Air, has self-imposed a one-month flight suspension as its marketing executive quit recently to join proposed new airline start-up Prince International Airlines and new pilots are being employed. According to Variflight, one of the last flights of Cambodia Bayon Airlines plying on the Sihanoukville-Siem Reap route took place on 20 September 2017.

Passengers affected by the flight suspension should immediately contact Cambodia Bayon Airlines Head Office or ticket offices at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports for immediate refunds as the airline did not announce the suspension publicly.

According to Facebook, Cambodia Bayon Airlines is resuming flights from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville on 28 October 2017. It has withheld plans to start Airbus A320 operations as suitable pilot candidacy has yet to be confirmed after a round of employment campaign in Taipei to employ ex-Transasia pilots.

Prince International Airlines is an airline start-up project of the Chinese investors behind Prince Real Estate, headed by the former executive of Cambodia Bayon Airlines. It plans to launch flights in early 2018 with Airbus A320 aircraft serving tourism charter markets in China, South Korea and Japan and 2 Gulfstream jets for local business VIP flights.

The executive of Prince International Airlines is also aiming to set up its sister airline Cambodia Airways. It aims to operate scheduled flights from Phnom Penh to Japan, South Korea, ASEAN cities and Europe using an eventual fleet of 10 A320s and 2 A330s.

Besides Prince International Airlines, Cambodia Airways and the earlier-reported Small Planet Airlines Co., Ltd and AirAsia Cambodia, two other proposed start-ups of Cambodia are Air Siem Reap and KC International Airlines.

Air Siem Reap is a proposed joint-venture airline between Bangkok Airways and Cambodian tycoon and ruling party Senator Ly Yong Phat. It aims to replicate the success of Siem Reap Airways International in Siem Reap before the defunct airline was banned to fly to Europe for safety reasons. Air Siem Reap's proposed destinations include Phnom Penh, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane, Pakse and Suvarnabhumi.

KC International Airlines is a 100 million dollar Chinese-Cambodian joint-venture with ties to Hun Sen's ruling party. Its Chinese director has 15 years of experience in aviation business. It plans to operate flights to underserved destinations from Phnom Penh, such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing and Urumqi.

Vietjet Air has two interline airline partners Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways

Press Release by : Vietjet Air
                             c/o Media Services HK
Edited by : KUCINTA SETIA
Distributed to All Press & Travel Professionals

Vietjet Air recently announced a two-phase interline partnership with Qatar Airways. It earlier announced an interline partnershp with Japan Airlines.

The first phase which came into effect tin September 2017 enables Qatar Airways’ passengers to travel to and from destinations in Vietnam and in Taiwan served directly by Vietjet. The next phase will soon allow Vietjet’s passengers to fly to more than 150 cities around the world served by Qatar Airways using a single reservation system that serves both airlines’ networks.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said, “We are delighted to welcome Vietjet Air to our growing roster of interline partners as they allow us to provide a more seamless experience for our passengers. The new agreement with Vietjet will offer our passengers even more choice, providing them an easy connection in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi before transferring to their Qatar Airways flights.”

Vietjet Air Vice President, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh, said, “This partnership is a pillar of Vietjet’s strategy to diversify our services with an aim at offering our passengers travel opportunities to points all over the world. We will continue to partner with other airlines based on advanced technology platforms to better benefit our passengers.”

Qatar Airways is commencing two non-stop operations connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Doha with frequencies of double daily flights and ten weekly flights, respectively.

Previously, Vietjet and Japan Airlines agreed to codeshare or interline on their flights between Japan and Vietnam, their domestic services and their flights between Vietnam and other Asian countries. The two carriers also cooperate in various areas including a frequent flier partnership, aircraft operations and maintenance, and ground handling services and training.

Air India Express launches budget flight from Coimbatore to Singapore on 18 November 2017

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

Air India Express launches thrice-weekly scheduled flight from Coimbatore to Singapore on 18 November 2017. It will fly from Coimbatore to Singapore using its B737-800 aircraft on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and depart from Singapore for Coimbatore on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

On 18 November 2017, Air India Express flight IX686 departs from Coimbatore for Singapore at 11.15 pm, arrives in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 6.15 am before leaving Singapore for Coimbatore at 10.40 am and touching down in Coimbatore at 12.30 pm local time under flight IX685.

The Coimbatore-Singapore flight lasts 4 hours 30 minutes while the return leg of the round trip lasts 4 hours 20 minutes.

With the launch of Air India Express flight from Coimbatore, Coimbatore will be one of the new budget travel destinations for passengers leaving Changi Airport during the upcoming winter season.

HK Express launches scheduled flight to Kumamoto on 16 November 2017

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

Hong Kong's only low-fare airline, HK Express, launches twice-weekly scheduled flight from Hong Kong to Kumamoto, the capital of Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan, on 16 November 2017. It flies between Hong Kong and Kumamoto on Thursdays and Sundays using its Airbus A320 aircraft.

On 16 November 2017, HK Express flight UO2804 departs from Hong Kong for Kumamoto at 12.05 pm, touches down in Kumamoto at 4.20 pm before leaving Kumamoto for Hong Kong at 5.10 pm and arriving in Hong Kong at 8.20 pm under flight UO2805.

One-way fare at each direction costs from 988 Hong Kong Dollars. Tickets are available for sale at www.hkexpress.com.

Arriving in Kumamoto, the traveller can choose to fly onward to Amakusa and Osaka-Itami (with Amakusa Airlines), Haneda (with Solaseed Air), Osaka-Itami and Narita (with Japan Airlines, Jetstar Japan and All Nippon Airways) or travel by JR Kumamoto Shinkansen to Fukuoka and other cities of Japan.