CX’s Smart Saver Fares

BANGKOK, 3 February 2012: Cathay Pacific Airways currently offers saver fares online with discounts ranging from 16% to 25% on selected routes in Asia and North America until 31 March.

This round of Smart Saver fares remains valid until 31 March for booking and travel ex-Bangkok.

Based on the lowest regular online fares, discounts on business class fares are between 7% and 33%. They are available for 14 Asian destinations as well as Los Angeles. Read more

Cebu Pacific opts for long-haul

CEBU, 3 February 2012: Philippines’ low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific, will commence long-haul flights in the third quarter of 2013. The airline will lease eight Airbus A330-300 aircraft to serve new markets. “We are exploring cities where large Filipino communities reside — Europe, Middle East, Oceania and the US. Data indicates that more than half of Filipinos deployed in these regions take multiple stops and connecting flights because no home carrier can fly them there nonstop,” said Cebu Pacific president and CEO, Lance Gokongwei. Read more

Garuda cuts sole Euro service

Jakarta, 2 February 2012: Garuda Indonesia will reduce flights to Amsterdam in March and expand its Asian network including new services to Japan and Taiwan.

Blaming economic conditions in Europe  Garuda said it was reducing  its daily service Jakarta – Dubai – Amsterdam to four a week starting 1 March.

Amsterdam is Garuda’s only destination in Europe, launched in June 2010 after the airline was removed from EU’s safety blacklist. Read more

AA to layoff staff

NEW YORK, 2 February 2012: American Airlines said Wednesday it needed to cut costs by 20% to stay afloat, as it met with union representatives to detail a plan for layoffs that reports said would total 13,000 workers.

“All workgroups will have total costs reduced by 20%, including management,” Tom Horton, chief executive of American parent AMR Corporation, said in a letter to employees Wednesday.

“While the savings from each work group will be achieved somewhat differently, each will experience the same percentage reduction.” Read more

SA air link to Beijing

JOHANNESBURG, 2 February 2012: South African Airways launched non-stop flights to Beijing on Tuesday, a move it said would cement ties with China which has become South Africa’s largest trade partner.

The state-owned airline said it will make three round-trips a week on the Johannesburg-Beijing route, roughly a 15-hour flight, operating an Airbus A340-600.

The new link will boost trade and tourism within the 15-nation Southern African Development Community, SAA chief Siza Mzimela said in a statement. Read more

Airline traffic up 5.9%

GENEVA, 2 February 2012: Global airline passenger traffic rose 5.9% last year despite weak conditions, the International Air Transport Association said Wednesday, with 2012 likely to be difficult for the industry.

“Given the weak conditions in Western economies the passenger market held up well in 2011,” IATA said in a statement, describing the year as one of contrasts.

“Healthy passenger growth, primarily in the first half of the year, was offset by a declining cargo market,” it said.

Read more

LCCs off the hook on fares

BANGKOK, 1 February 2012: Thai consumers have stopped filing complaints on misleading airline fare advertising , but they are taking airlines to task for a lack of services and reservations related problems, according to Thailand’s Office of Consumer Protection Board.

OCPB was responding to news, late last month, that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission filed a case against Malaysia’s AirAsia for an alleged failure to display prices inclusive of all taxes, duties, fees and other charges. According to Australian law, businesses that choose to advertise a part of the price of a particular product, or service, must also prominently specify a single total price. The matter is listed for an hearing on 2 March.

In Thailand, OCPB fined Thai AirAsia and Nok Air some years back, based on complaints by airline passengers.

Read more

QF and BA rationalise services

BANGKOK, 31 January 2012: Qantas and British Airways will cut London and Sydney services  transiting in Bangkok this March for services that turnaround in the Thai capital.

Both airlines will continue serving the  popular Sydney-London Kangaroo route through Singapore, which has been positioned as the primary Asian hub in a restructured Joint Services Agreement signed August last year.

As part of the JSA changes, British Airways will cease its Bangkok-Sydney service  which means all of its flights from London will turnaround in Bangkok effective 3 March. Read more

Dumping Delhi fares

BANGKOK, 31 January 2012: Airline seat capacity on the competitive Bangkok-Delhi route will drop significantly, 24 March, when Thai AirAsia terminates its service claiming fuel prices were prohibitive.

Indian-based carriers will now slug it out in the budget travel sector with yields continuing to drop against rising fuel costs.

Thai AirAsia launched its service 14 December 2010  offering a daily service. It will stagger the pull-out starting with a reduction of services, 14 February, from daily to four a week. It will close the route entirely 24 March.

Read more

Emirates increases Spanish link

BANGKOK, 30 January 2012: Emirates will launch a Barcelona service 3 July and up Madrid’s frequency from one to two flights daily from 1 July.

The Barcelona-bound flight, EK 185, will depart Dubai daily at 0655 and arrive in Barcelona at 1200. The return service, EK 186, departs Barcelona 1640 and arrives in Dubai 0100 on the following day.

The service will be served by a 360-seat Boeing 777-300ER, in a three-class arrangement.

Read more

Next Page »