Airline News and Hotel Updates

Friday 28 October 2011

Strong Q3 2011 for Eurostar

Eurostar delivered a solid performance in Q3 2011 with sales revenues up 7% (?197m in 2011 vs ?183m in 2010).

Year to date, total sales revenue figures have grown by 5% compared to the same period in 2010 (?617m in 2011 vs ?588m in 2010).

The total number of passengers travelling on Eurostar services between January and September 2011, rose by 1% compared to the same period last year (7.3m in 2011 vs 7.2m in 2010) and excluding the estimated impact of the ash cloud disruption in 2010, the underlying increase in passenger numbers for the year to date was 3%.

Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive, Eurostar, said, "We have delivered a solid performance during both the third quarter and the year as a whole although the tough trading environment across Europe demands a cautious watching brief. Since the beginning of the year we have seen growth in both our sales revenues and passenger numbers reinforcing our popularity with regular and new travellers alike."

In spite of an uncertain economic climate, Business Premier sales revenues grew 2% in Q3 2011 vs Q3 2010 and the number of leisure travellers for the year to date grew by 2%.

Eurostar enjoyed strong growth in international passenger numbers, up 21% for the year to date and 15% for the third quarter compared with same periods in 2010.

Despite the global economic backdrop, London and Europe continues to be a big draw for international travellers. With London 2012 now less than a year away, Eurostar anticipates increased interest in the UK as a destination as the world's focus turns to the Games next year.

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Finnair Improves Carbon Disclosure and Emissions Reduction

The Carbon Disclosure Project has commended Finnair for its efforts to substantially by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving reporting capabilities, and recognizing the strategic business risks associated with climate change.

In the CDP's Nordic Report 2011, Finnair earned a score of 76 out of 100, a strong improvement over its 2010 score of 61. A score greater than 70 puts a company in the ?high? category of climate change-aware firms. In such companies, the report explains, ?senior management understand the business issues related to climate change and are building climate related risks and opportunities into core business.?

The CDP report singled out Finnair for its leadership on biofuels and for its travel agencies? significant emissions reductions. CDP reports from the rest of the world are forthcoming later this year.

?This is a really positive step forward,? said Kati Iham?ki, Vice President, Sustainable Development. ?It?s a clear signal that we?re on the right track to reduce emissions over the long term and will hold a competitive advantage when we begin to participate in forthcoming emissions trading schemes.?

Since 1999, Finnair has reduced its emissions per seat by a quarter. By 2017, the airline is aiming to further reducing its emissions per seat by 24% from 2009 levels. In pursuit of the eventual long-term goal of carbon-neutral aviation, the airline follows a four-pillar strategy: technological advancement, operational improvement, infrastructure development, and support for a global emissions trading scheme.

More than 3,000 organizations in 60 countries measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions, water management and climate change strategies through the Carbon Disclosure Project, an independent, not-for-profit NGO that assists companies in setting reduction targets and making performance improvements. CDP gathers data on behalf of 551 institutional investors holding US$71 trillion in assets (51 trillion euros).

?Company responses this year are an abundant source of examples of innovation,? said Amanda Haworth Wiklund, Director of CDP Nordic. ?Nordic companies are showing that superior products can be made using less energy and fewer scarce natural resources.?

Finnair began participating in the CDP in 2007.

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India Names Hong Kong Cricket Sixes Team

Dinesh Karthik will hope to follow in the footsteps of Robin Singh and lead India to a second Cup title at the Karp Group Hong Kong Sixes at the Kowloon Cricket Club on Sunday.

Former Hong Kong coach Singh was at the helm of the only Indian side to win the title, when he played a match-winning role to lead the crowd favourites to a four-wicket triumph over the West Indies in the 2005 Cup final.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Karthik will hope to emulate that feat with a new-look India team that will be banking on a mix of youth and experience to pull off what would undoubtedly be a popular win with the hordes of Indian fans.

Karthik will be at the helm of a side that includes Ranji Trophy players Shalabh Srivastava, Sridhran Sriram, Vignesh Ganapathy, Mayank Agarwal, Manvidner Basla and Rajoo Bhaktal.

Much will depend on Karthik, who has played 23 tests and 45 one-day internationals for India, and the feisty batsman could take a leaf out of Singh?s book. In 2005, Singh led from the front, scoring an invaluable unbeaten 34 in the final as well as excelling in the field with some tidy wicket-keeping.

Prior to 2005, India had twice been losing finalists in the Cup competition (1992 and 1996), and the Chennai-born Karthik will be hoping his side can go all the way this time.

All eyes will be on Agarwal, 20, an explosive right-hand opening batsman from Bangalore who has modelled his style of play on Virender Sehwag. Agarwal toured Australia in 2009 with the U-19 side and hit a match-winning 160 in a one-dayer.

Another player to watch out for is opening batsman Bisla, who has been an IPL regular since 2009. Bisla, who now plays for the Kolkota Knight Riders, has also represented India at the Under-19 level.

India has been drawn with rivals Pakistan, South Africa and hosts Hong Kong in the preliminary round.

India: Shalabh Srivastava, Sridharan Sriram, Dinesh Karthik, Vignesh Ganapathy, Rajoo Bhaktal, Manvinder Bisla, Mayank Agarwal

Pool A: All Stars, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Scotland.
Pool B: Australia, England, Bangladesh and Ireland.
Pool C: Pakistan, South Africa, India and Hong Kong.

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ANA Launches Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Japan?s All Nippon Airways made aviation history on Tuesday by operating the first ever passenger flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The specially chartered flight took off from Narita Airport, Tokyo, with more than 240 passengers of board just after midday and landed four and an half hours later in Hong Kong.

Built mainly from carbon fiber composite material, the Dreamliner?s innovations include:

- Passenger-friendly cabin air pressure - Passenger comfort will be improved by maintaining air pressure inside the cabin at the equivalent of an altitude of 6,000 feet (1,800m), noticeably lower than the 8,000 feet (2,400m) maintained on conventional aircraft. The plane?s composite materials also allow for humidity to be maintained at a more comfortable level for passengers.

- Auto-dimming windows - The 787?s windows are 30% larger than those on the Boeing 767. A higher eye level means passengers can maintain a view of the horizon throughout the flight while smart glass ?auto-dimming? windows use electro-chromatic technology to reduce cabin glare at a touch of a button while allowing passengers to still see outside.

- Largest overhead compartments yet - approximately 30% larger than those on the Boeing 777, the overhead compartments have enough space to hold four large-size carry-on bags.

The 787 Dreamliner has strong links with Japan, with Japanese manufacturers providing approximately 35% of all the aircraft parts, including key sections of the wings and fuselage.

ANA has ordered 55 Dreamliners from Boeing and has already received two planes, with a total of 20 expected to be delivered by the end of FY2012. The Dreamliners are expected to eventually help ANA save ?10 billion a year (US$130m) through fuel savings.

Scheduled services featuring the Dreamliner will begin on 1 November to domestic Japanese destinations and international services on ANA will commence in the following two months with flights initially to Beijing and Frankfurt.

Two domestic excursion flights, departing and landing at Narita and lasting approximately an hour, are also planned following the flight to Hong Kong to allow more ANA customers to experience the increased level of comfort resulting from the plane?s innovative features.

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New AGM of Landmark Lancaster Hotel Group - Thailand

Mr. Albert Cheong has been appointed as Area General Manager of the Landmark Lancaster Hotel Group, Thailand.

In Mr. Cheong?s new role, he will be responsible for the group?s existing hotel, The Landmark Bangkok, as well as its upcoming sister hotel, Lancaster Bangkok which is slated to soft-open during the second-half of 2012.

At each hotel, Mr. Cheong is supported by a Hotel Manager who oversees daily operations.

Mr. Cheong was with Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts for more than 28 years where he held various many management positions, including being General Manager of the company?s hotels in Bali, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Singapore, Yangon and Beijing.

The Landmark Lancaster Hotel Group owns and operates hotels of the same names, including the K West brand in both London and Bangkok.

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Ascott Signs New Serviced Residence in Malaysia

Ascott has been awarded a contract to manage its first serviced residence in Iskandar, the southern gateway of Malaysia.

The new 204-unit Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar is scheduled to open in the Nusajaya flagship economic zone in 2013.

The contract was awarded by Nusajaya Consolidated, a joint venture between established Malaysian developers United Malayan Land Bhd and UEM Land Berhad.

Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar is located within Nusajaya, home to developments such as EduCity which houses several world-class university campuses, Medini which encompasses business and leisure districts, the Southern Industrial and Logistics Clusters and Afiat Healthpark.

The serviced residence is within walking distance to Kota Iskandar, the Johor State?s new administrative centre. It is a 20-minute drive from the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link and 25 minutes away from Johor's Senai International Airport. It is also easily accessible via the soon to be opened coastal highway which links Nusajaya to the main Johor city centre and the Johor-Singapore Causeway.

Travellers can enjoy excellent connectivity to other parts of the Iskandar region via the water transport terminal, bus terminal and light rail transit station situated in the property?svicinity.

As part of the luxurious waterfront development of Puteri Harbour, Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar is near quayside lifestyle stores, fine dining restaurants, alfresco caf?s and an indoor theme park featuring popular children?s characters such as Hello Kitty, Thomas and Friends, Barney and Bob the Builder.

Furthermore, it is just 10 minutes away from the first Legoland theme park in Asia which is expected to open in 2012.

Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar will offer apartments that range from studios to three-bedroom units that come fully furnished with modern amenities.

Facilities will include a gymnasium, swimming pool, restaurant and residents? lounge.

Mr Alfred Ong, Ascott?s Managing Director for Southeast Asia and Australia, said, ?Ascott expanded into Cyberjaya and Petaling Jaya earlier this year and we are pleased to add another city to our Malaysian network. Our entry into Iskandar further strengthens Ascott?s leadership position as the largest international serviced residence owner and operator in Malaysia. We currently operate five properties with close to 700 apartment units. With this new property in Iskandar, we now have a strong growth pipeline of more than 900 units which are scheduled to open in Malaysia over the next five years. In total, this brings our Malaysian portfolio to over 1,600 units. We will continue to look for opportunities to expand our footprint in Malaysia.?

Besides Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar, Ascott plans to open Citadines Uplands Kuching in 2012, Ascott Sentral Kuala Lumpur in 2013, Citadines D'Pulze Cyberjaya in 2014 and Somerset Damansara Uptown Petaling Jaya in 2016.

Ascott currently operates Ascott Kuala Lumpur, Somerset Ampang Kuala Lumpur, Somerset Seri Bukit Ceylon Kuala Lumpur and two properties for corporate lease in Malaysia.

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Tourism Australia Partners Jetstar

Tourism Australia has signed a $10 million marketing deal with Jetstar aimed at boosting Japanese inbound tourism and further expanding brand Australia?s presence in Asia Pacific.

The three year agreement runs to mid 2014 and will see Tourism Australia and Jetstar each contribute at least $1.6 million per year on a range of joint marketing, digital and social media activities.

The partners will work cooperatively to leverage more affordable air travel and Australia?s unique attractions to increase arrivals from Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand.

The first tranche of $2 million will be directed to rejuvenating the Japanese market, which has slipped from Australia?s second to fifth largest source market for international tourists over the past ten years.

"It unlocks real value by leveraging the combined skills, expertise and resources which both our organizations have long demonstrated in Asia. We aim to use our well-established and successful There?s nothing like Australia campaign messaging alongside Jetstar.com to drive bookings and inbound travel," said Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy. "Like Tourism Australia, Jetstar has ambitious expansion plans for wider Asia and sees sustained and large growth opportunities, led by the greater China market, and numerable South East and North Asian markets including Japan, which will clearly remain in the top half dozen of Australia's tourism export markets. There's strong alignment and a real natural fit."

Japan is currently Australia?s fifth largest source market for international tourists, spending approximately $1.5 billion in 2010. There were 350,200 visitor arrivals from Japan for the twelve months ending August 2011, a drop of 11%. Tourism Australia believes his market has the potential to grow to between A$2.7 billion and A$3.3 billion in total expenditure by 2020.

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