QF A380s could be grounded for weeks
SYDNEY, 12 November 2010 – Qantas grounded its Airbus A380 superjumbos until further notice Thursday, a week after a mid-air engine blast prompted serious safety worries over the world’s biggest passenger jet.
The Australian carrier revamped its flight schedule to exclude the six flagship A380s, potentially for “weeks”, after the blow-out which also led to Singapore Airlines putting three of its superjumbos out of action.
SQ grounds three A380s
SINGAPORE, 10 November 2010 – Singapore Airlines said Wednesday it had grounded three Airbus A380 planes to carry out “precautionary” engine changes following a mid-air engine failure on a Qantas-operated superjumbo.
“Based on further analysis of inspection findings as the investigation into last week’s incident involving another operator’s Airbus A380 is progressing, Singapore Airlines will be carrying out precautionary engine changes on three A380s,” the carrier said in a statement.
QF points to engine design failure
SYDNEY, 5 November 2010 – Qantas said Friday an engine design fault may have caused a dramatic mid-air emergency involving a flagship Airbus A380 superjumbo, raising possible questions over the giant long-haul craft.
Chief executive, Alan Joyce, said early signs pointed to a “material failure or a design issue” in the Rolls-Royce engines after one exploded just minutes into flight QF32 from Singapore to Sydney, prompting an emergency landing.
MAI hopes elections have a silver lining
SINGAPORE, 26 October 2010 – Struggling flag carrier Myanmar Airways International is hopeful that next month’s elections will usher in a new era of growth for the country’s tourism sector, a senior executive said Friday.
“We are hoping that after the elections, the country will be opened up and we believe there will be more tourists coming in,” Ye Jhan, the airline’s assistant general manager, said at an aviation forum, late last week in Singapore.
ITB Asia opens on optimistic note
SINGAPORE, 20 October 2010 – ITB Asia 2010 opened today with hosts Singapore and Messe Berlin declaring a marginal growth in both exhibitors and hosted buyers.
Exhibitor numbers at the three-day B2B travel show organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore) improved 6% on last year with 720 organisations booking booth space compared with 620 in 2009.
Hosted buyers increased marginally from 550 in 2009 to 580 this year, but Messe Berlin said it had introduced a vetting system that improved quality. There was an increase in participation from European buyers, who represented 25% of all hosted buyers up from16% last year. Approximately 64% of all buyers are from the Asia Pacific region, but in response to exhibitor comments last year, the organisers increased the share of European buyers.
SQ reports lower load factor
October 18, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
SINGAPORE, 18 OCTOBER 2010 – Singapore Airlines closed September with a 69.9% load factor across the network in both passenger and cargo uplifted, the airline reported Friday.
The figure is a slight improvement on August’s 68.1%, but lowers than the 70.3% achieved in September last year.
Excluding cargo load factor, the airline’s passenger load factor dipped by 0.6 percentage point to 80.3% last month.
Singapore heritage under the hammer
SINGAPORE, 15 October 2010 – No more glittering shopping malls, chic restaurants and expensive condos, please!
The fate of a shabby but historic Malaysia-owned train station tucked away in an obscure corner of ultra-modern Singapore’s port and business district is stirring nostalgia for a bygone age.
The Tanjong Pagar station, built during British colonial rule over the two countries, is to be vacated by July 2011 under a recent deal to settle a longstanding land dispute between the two neighbours.
Egypt partners with ITB Asia
October 14, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
SINGAPORE, 14 October 2010 – Egypt is the official partner country for the 2010 ITB Asia, the show organisers, Messe Berlin Singapore, announced Thursday. .
Egypt, which positions itself under the tagline, “Where it all begins,” will use Egypt Night when ITB Asia opens on 20 October to showcase the destination to delegates attending the B2B travel mart.
ITB Asia on your mobile phone
October 13, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
SINGAPORE, 13 October 2010 – Visitors to this year’s ITB Asia can download a free guide to the show on their mobile phones, the organisers reported Tuesday.
This is the second year that ITB Asia Mobile Guide has been made available to show visitors.
The service offers a list of exhibitors, a floor plan and information on press conferences and sightseeing in Singapore, provided by GIATA and TOURIAS.
Singapore incentives on a roll
October 7, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
BANGKOK, 7 October 2010 – Four new attractions and facilities will draw more incentive groups from Thailand, Singapore Tourism Board conventions and meetings director, Oliver Chong Wee Meng, reported Wednesday.
Mr Chong said business tourism was at the core of the city state’s tourism strategy and a new international cruise terminal, the Garden by the Bay; Mandai River Safari and National Arts Gallery would play key roles in attracting regional incentives groups.
