Airline News: July 2009, Business class airfares, tickets

Business Travel in China and Japan is expected to increase at a huge pace within a span of 5 years.The development in this sector is said to exceed even the US Growth. Additionally developing countries like India,Vietnam,Iran and Indonesia will also witness a major growth within the timeframe of 5 years.

The above findings are a result of a study conducted by National Business Travel Association (NBTA) as well as travel management company Egencia.The United States symbolizes a major segment of global business travel spend with $261 billion or 28% of the world total, next being China at 10% and Japan at 8%.

Regardless of the U.S. position as the worldwide leaders in business travel spend, Asia Pacific is assured for extensive growth over the next five years, while U.S. growth is expected to decline.China's spend, at $93.8 billion in 2008, has tripled over the elapsed 10 years and is anticipated to go ahead in market growth between 2008 and 2013, followed by Japan and South Korea. Measured in terms of the dollar boost in business travel spending,the U.S. is estimated to be fourth in development, after India.

Labels: Business Flights, business travel airline, National Business Travel Association

Saturday, July 25, 2009

United Airlines might shift its office to Willis Tower

United Airlines is communicating with the owners of Willis tower in its efforts to shifting its office from the existing airline's Elk Grove Township to the popular Chicago Skyscraper, according to sources familiar with negotiations.This move, if it were to take place,would allow United parent UAL Corp. to slash operating expenses while giving the nation's tallest building,known till lately as Sears Tower,a chief tenant.

Willis Group Holdings, the London-based insurer which won the christening rights for Sears Tower this spring,covers 140,000 square feet of the 110-story skyscraper.Molly Sullivan,the spokeswoman for Chicago's department of community development conveyed that they have been approached regarding TIF funds and it is something that they are discussing, but nothing has been finalized yet.Discussions are continuing currently regarding this."

The office of the United Airlines was situated in Elk Grove Township campus near O'Hare International Airport since 1961. The Elk Grove Township site, with more than 1 million square feet of office space, accommodates around 2,800 United employees.The site was the United Airlines' headquarters until 2006, when, in exchange for hefty tax breaks as well as incentives from the city, the carrier shifted its headquarters to 77 W. Wacker Dr, where it employs 600 workers.

United Airlines has however refused to confirm the talks.

Labels: United Airlines business class, Willis tower

Thursday, July 23, 2009

German airline Lufthansa introduces all business class flights

Complete business class flights introduced by Lufthansa in the route between Mumbai(India) and Munich(Europe).It will be operated by Boeing B737 consisting of 44 Business class seats. This flight replaces the previous flights which consists of all class seats and Lufthansa offers the top level service for these flights.

The following is the schedule for this flight(LH 764):
The flight will depart from Munich at 11.15 am and will arrive in Mumbai at 10:50 pm the same day.
The flight will depart from Mumbai at 12:00am and will reach Munich at 5:55 am the next day.

These business class flights will be introduced from August 22.The introduction of these business class flights will increase aviation facilities for people traveling between India and Europe frequently.

Labels: Business class flights, Business flight, Lufthansa

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

British Airways to launch a daily Business class service

The timing may seem a bit off with business travel in the dumps, but in late September British Airways plans to commence a daily,all-business-class service between New York'' John F. Kennedy International Airport and London City Airport.

British Airways is hoping to draw business travelers who want to stay away from London's crowded Heathrow Airport and instead fly into the smaller airport near London's financial district. Because of the size of the airport, the airline said, passengers have the convenience of checking in just 15 minutes before departure.

The service will be on Airbus A318 aircraft configured to fit just 32 business-class seats.The plane, usually used by low-cost carriers, has about 100 coach seats.The flights will be the first long-haul international service to operate from London City Airport, the closest airport to the city. In a nod to aviation history, the flights will be dubbed BA001 and BA002, codes that were used by the supersonic Concorde before it was grounded in 2003.

(latimes.com)

Labels: British Aiways, Business Class Air, Business Flights, Business Travel

Friday, July 17, 2009

AirIndia cancels two flights, reschedules five for bandh

AirIndia has cancelled two flights from N S C Bose International Airport here and rescheduled five others in view of the 12-hour WestBengal bandh by Congress tomorrow.

Airport authorities sources said, IC 229 Kolkata-Guwahati and IC 211 Kolkata-Aizawl flights which depart at noon have been cancelled.

IC 253 Kolkata-Silchar flight will leave at 10 am instead of 1 pm, while IC 201 Kolkata-New Delhi will leave at 7 pm instead of 5 pm, they said, adding IC 765 Kolkata-Chennai will leave at 7 pm instead of 6.30 pm.

The two others rescheduled are IC 771 Kolkata-Bangalore flight which will leave at 7.30 pm instead of 6 pm and IC 2727 Kolkata-Agartala flight which will leave at 9.45 am on Saturday instead of 5 pm tomorrow.

Labels: Airline Tickets, Cheap business class flights, Discount, Travel Airfare

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Ethiopian Airlines Wins the 2009 Airline of the Year Award

Ethiopian Airlines is pleased to announce that it has been named the 'Airline of the Year 2009' at the African Business Awards organized by the London-based African Business and the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC).The award was presented to Ethiopian Airlines at the African Business Awards ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Ballroom, in London on July 06, 2009. According to the 2009 judging panels of the African Business Awards, the winners of the Airline of the Year 2009 were chosen from a pool of nominees based on "solid financial results coupled with distinctive customer service, punctuality and innovative products and services for consumers, especially in opening new routes."

After receiving the award, Mr. Yeneneh Tekelyes, Director for Advertising and Promotions of Ethiopian Airlines said, "While we rejoice for winning the award, the recognition of our overall excellence among other African Airlines motivates and encourages us to provide and deliver even more products and better services."

The award organizer, IC Publications has over 40 years' experience in publishing magazines, newsletters, country supplements, industry reports and market intelligence on Africa and the Middle East.

Present at this festive and memorable African night were prominent government leaders including H.E Mr. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and several other ministers from different African countries.

Labels: Airfares, Cheap business class flights, Travel airline

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Air France-KLM CEO - Keep Lowering Headcount

Air France-KLM plans to continue scaling back its employee headcount as there is no sign of a rebound in business this summer or even this autumn, Chief Executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said Thursday.

"We will keep reducing headcount...at a similar rhythm in the years to come," Gourgeon told the annual shareholder meeting here. He was referring to the 2.5% reduction in jobs in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009.

To reach that headcount reduction target, Gourgeon said,Air France-KLM will use early retirements, sabbaticals, more temporary work contracts and increased mobility of its employees between different activities and regions.

The executive also told shareholders the company's fuel bill, after hedging, will rise over the current and following two fiscal years.

He said Air France-KLM expects to spend EUR6.8 billion on fuel in fiscal 2010 ending next March 31, then EUR8 billion for fiscal 2011 and EUR8.5 billion in fiscal 2012.

He added the company expects to save $1.8 billion this fiscal year due to the recent decline in oil prices. The ultimate size of the savings, however, will depend on the dollar's exchange rate with the euro, he added.

Separately, supervisory board chief Jean-Cyril Spinetta said Air France is still studying introducing train passenger services in France in partnership with the big French transport and environmental services group Veolia Environnement SA (VE). But he said the companies haven't yet determined how profitable such a venture would be.

Spinetta also said he doesn't expect an improvement in the global economy in the coming months. "This is why we decided not to grant a dividend," he told shareholders.

(online.wsj.com)

Labels: Air France-KLM, Airfares, Travel

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Air Berlin to fly Prishtina International Airport

Air Berlin,the second largest German airliner has signed a contract with Kosova Airlines wich will enable the German company to fly Prishtina International Airport, reports the Kosovar online portal. Air Berlin will start with 10 weekly flights between Prishtina and Zürich.

After the signing ceremony in the Prishtina Airport, representatives of Kosova Airlines said that thousands of other flights of Air Berlin from and to the Prishtina International Airport will follow soon, including destinations in Germany, Austria and USA.

The CEO of Air Berlin Mr.Joachim Hunold, who signed the contract on behalf of its company, said that customers in Kosovo will now have better and cheaper connections to destinations all over the world, including the USA.

Labels: Air Berlin, business class airline tickets

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

ANA, JAL Plan to Cut Routes at Kansai Airport

All Nippon Airways Co. and Japan Airlines Corp. plan cuts to unprofitable routes at Japan's Kansai International Airport, Nikkei English News said, without citing anyone.JAL will end services connecting the Osaka airport with the Chinese cities of Dalian and Hangzhou, the report said. ANA will end domestic flights to Kochi, Matsuyama and Kagoshima, and reduce services to Fukuoka by half, the report said.

Both airlines expect to save about 10 billion yen($105 million) through the cuts, the Nikkei said.

Labels: Japan's Kansai International Airport, Nippon Airways

Monday, July 6, 2009

No job cuts in Air India, reiterates Patel

Civil aviation minister Praful Patel has again ruled out any job cuts in Air India, the state-run airline which needs a cash infusion to continue.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a Rs 50-crore aviation turbine fuel pipeline of Indian Oil Corporation from Manali to Chennai, the minister said:"Air India will not sack employees but financial and organisational restructuring is on the cards."

The plan, he said, will commence in the next 30 days. Terming the current period as a tough one, the minister said, "It is time to cooperate with each other to build a strong national carrier."

The borrowings of Air India rose to Rs 15,241 crore in June this year from Rs 6,550 crore in November 2007. They have gone up due to servicing of debt due to purchase of new aircraft and operating losses, which have compounded due to the present economic recession and the high oil prices last year.

(business-standard)

Labels: Air India

Friday, July 3, 2009

New Zealand airline issues safety video

New Zealand's national airline has adopted a cheeky way to encourage passengers to watch its in-flight safety video: The cabin crew's uniforms are nothing but body paint

The "Bare Essentials of Safety," screening in the cabins of planes flying Air New Zealand's main domestic routes, has gone viral online. It had 1.2 million YouTube views by Friday, four days after it was launched.

In the video, three cabin staff and a pilot, all in full body paint applied to look like their uniforms, talk viewers through the aircraft's safety procedures.

A demonstration seat belt, life jacket and arm rests are strategically positioned during the 3 1/2-minute video to protect the cabin crew's ... discretion. Passengers are shown ogling, mostly in appreciation.

The body paint idea is also being used in a series of television advertisements in New Zealand for the airline, which include the promise: "At Air New Zealand, our fares have nothing to hide." One ad even features chief executive Rob Fyfe in body paint.

"We think in tough times there's a premium for making people smile, and it gives the opportunity to stand out in a crowd," Air New Zealand's marketing general manager Steve Bayliss told The Associated Press. Each crew member spent about three hours having the body paint applied.

The video needed "a little bit of a hint, but every frame has to be as modest as anything you see at the local swimming pool or the beach in summer," Bayliss said.

After all, the people in the ads are not models or actors but work colleagues, he said.

To Watch Video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v7-Mq9HAE62Y

Labels: Business Airlines, Discount Tickets, First Class Travel

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Air China Launches Direct Beijing Tibet Flight

Air China will begin offering direct flights from Beijing to Tibet this month, cutting down the current travel time by two hours.

The new service to Lhasa, Tibet's capital, will depart Beijing daily starting July 10. Currently, all flights to Lhasa are routed through Chengdu, the capital of southwestern China's Sichuan province.

The new service is designed to boost tourism in the Himalayan region. Following the March 2008 riots, much of Lhasa's commercial district was destroyed. Subsequent travel bans and harsh government crackdown on Buddhist monasteries sent tourism plummeting. Arrivals in the first half of last year fell nearly 70 percent, with the nation only fully reopening to foreign tourists on April 5.

The new flight will leave at 7 a.m. everyday from the Beijing Capital International Airport, and arrive at the Lhasa Gonggar Airport at 10:50 a.m.

(travelagentcentral)

Labels: Business Flights, Cheap First Class, Discount Airlines

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The fares listed above are roundtrip business class airfares. The fares displayed are per adult traveler and in US dollars. The fares includes all taxes and fees and fuel surcharges. Minimum and maximum stay may apply. All fares and their restrictions are subject to change without prior notice. Seats availability is limited and may not be available on all flights or dates. Black out dates may apply. The fares are non-refundable and non-transferable, changes are allowed with a change fee. Transpacific flights to Asia originate from Los Angeles. Transatlantic flights to Europe originate from New York. Save Up to 70% is specified of a full retails published fares and may vary. Other restrictions may apply. Please do a flight search or contact a travel agent for less restrictive fares.