EASA rebuffs cockpit claims

COLOGNE, 24 January 2013: The European Aviation Safety Agency today hit back at what it called a “current disinformation campaign organised by the European Cockpit Association.”

EASA has a proposal on the table to amend the current EU rules on flight and duty time limitations and rest requirements for commercial air transport.

However, the pilot association claims the proposals could lead to pilots flying for as many as 22 hours on night flying shifts.

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Fare bargains to Frankfurt

BANGKOK, 26 November 2012: Thai Airways International will deploy its first superjumbo A380 aircraft on the Bangkok-Frankfurt route, 15 December, lifting weekly capacity by around 4% after frequency adjustments.

THAI’s fares are not the cheapest on the route, but for nonstop services it can compete with other full-service carriers. The cheapest fare on the route is being offered by Turkish Airlines via its Istanbul home-base.

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Fly together savers

BANGKOK, 5 November 2012: Singapore Airlines renews its 2ToGo deals for travel until 30 September next year. The sales end 31 March 2013.

The 2ToGo promotion features 12 selected destinations: Singapore, Bt9,510; Jakarta, Bt15,375; Denpasar, Bt15,670; Male, Bt26,305; Tokyo, Bt28,470; Christchurch, Bt40,280; Sydney, Bt32,100; Perth,Bt26,160; Zurich, Bt42,025; Johannesburg, Bt42,580; London, Bt46,010 and New York, Bt61,385.

The fares are valid for travel through 30 September 2013, but a peak period surcharge applies, 24 to 31 December and 11 to 14 April 2013. The fares are eligible for 50% mileage accrual but not for upgrades. Fares quoted are for one person, but the deal requires two passengers to travel at the same time.

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THAI promotes A380 flights

BANGKOK, 15 October 2012: Thai Airways International is pushing its new A380 flights to Hong Kong and Singapore with mileage and package promotions.

Before deploying the super jumbo aircraft on long-haul flights to Frankfurt, from mid-December, it will use the aircraft to fly to  Singapore and Hong Kong.

The A380 flight to Hong Kong departs Bangkok at 0800 and returns at 1325, while the A380 flight to Singapore departs Bangkok at 1650 and returns at 2150.

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Bid to eject Easy jet boss

LONDON, 16 August 2012: British no-frills airline easyJet, earlier this week, fought off a bid by founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou to have the company’s chairman Michael Rake removed owing to his link with scandal-hit Barclays.

A resolution to eject Rake failed to win majority backing by shareholders, but the vote was nevertheless close, with 53.3% rejecting the proposal.

“EasyJet announces that the resolution to remove Sir Mike Rake as director and chairman of easyJet plc was today defeated by a majority of its shareholders,” the airline said in a statement.

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BA gives extra bag allowance

BANGKOK, 27 July 2012: British Airways gives Thai students travelling to the UK for educational purposes a 46 kg of baggage allowance, double the usual allowance.

This offer doubles the normal allowance for economy class passengers that is pegged at 23 kg and is valid for departure only when travelling ex-Bangkok by 31 December and not on return sectors to Thailand.

To be eligible, the passengers have to present their student visa upon buying the fare and when checking in at the airport. The one-year fares starts from Bt44,530, all-inclusive (subject to change due to currency fluctuation).

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Thai AirAsia eyes Myanmar capital

BANGKOK, 29 February 2012: Low-cost Thai AirAsia says it will start a service to Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw by year-end and add around five destinations during the first half of the year from three bases in Thailand.

Thai AirAsia CEO, Tassapon Bijleveld confirmed new services to Chongqing and Chennai, 23 March. So far, the airline has announced five new destinations for the first half of the year; of which two are domestic — Trang (15 Janaury), Nakhon Phanom (15 February). The others are regional flights starting with Colombo and Sri Lanka, (1 March).

Other regional services are planned from its bases in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai during the second half of the year. Mr Tassapon said the airline should add around the same numbers of destinations as in the first half of the year, but declined to name them except to say one was to Naypyidaw, the new capital city of Myanmar. Read more

Vietnam Airlines gains stake in Jetstar

HANOI, 8 December 2011: Vietnam Airlines has acquired a 70% stake in Jetstar Pacific Airlines, from the State Capital Investment Corporation.

Local media, Sai Gon Giai Phong reported over the weekend that Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam had confirmed the 70% sale by State Capital Investment Corporation that transfers a major stake in in Jetstar Pacific Airlines to the government controlled Vietnam Airlines.

Qantas, the mother company of Jetstar still holds 27%, while Saigon Tourist Holdings has a 3% stake. Read more

Nok Air ups frequency

BANGKOK, 11 January 2011 — Effective 1 February, Nok Air will increase services on seven domestic routes lifting daily services across its network from 30 a day to 39.

The Bangkok-Chiang Mai route will be served six times a day up from the present four. The airline claims it will have a flight departing at two hourly intervals.

Frequency on routes to Udon Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat will be lifted from three to four; Hat Yai, from four to five; Trang, from one to two; Phuket from two to four and Surat Thani from two to three.

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Finnair ups frequencies on Asian routes

BANGKOK, 11 January 2011 – Finnair will embark on expansion in Asia, this year, with a new non-stop service from Helsinki to Singapore plus frequency increases on several key routes between Europe and Asia.

Two A340s will join the fleet specifically to add a capacity on routes to Asia.

No changes are planned for Bangkok, the airline’s oldest station in Asia dating back to charter flights in the 70s. Today, the airline operates twice daily services during the winter season, but scales back to a single daily service during the summer timetable.

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