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Chinese airlines add flight links to KUL

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 28 February 2025: Tourism Malaysia welcomed the arrival of China Southern Airlines’ inaugural flight from Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, earlier this week. 

The flight makes a stopover in Guangzhou on its way to Kuala Lumpur (KUL). 

The route from northwestern China to Kuala Lumpur operates twice weekly (Monday and Saturday) using a Boeing 737 with 152 seats. The airline plans to expand to daily flights starting in April 2025. The new service complements the airline’s direct Guangzhou-Kuala Lumpur flights, which operate five times weekly.

Guests on the inaugural flight from Urumqi were welcomed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 by a delegation led by the Tourism Malaysia director-general YBhg Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, representatives from China Southern Airlines, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), and Aero Darat, the airline’s ground handling agency.

Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines introduced direct flights between Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province in central China, and Kuala Lumpur on 23 February.

Xi’an is a significant urban hub in northwestern China, witnessing rapid population growth, especially among middle-class families with rising disposable income.

This new route will operate daily with a 156-seat A320 aircraft and complements China Eastern Airlines’ existing daily Kunming-Kuala Lumpur service.

AirAsia X also serves the Xi’an-Kuala Lumpur route, offering four weekly flights. (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday).

Codeshare fares open for Lufthansa Group airlines

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TTR WEEKLY
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ROME, 28 February 2025: Italian-based ITA Airways announces the launch of ticket sales for codeshare flights with five airlines from the Lufthansa Group: Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Air Dolomiti, for travel starting 30 March.

With these codeshare agreements, passengers can book a single ticket, check in at the departure airport, and collect their baggage at their final destination.

ITA Airways passengers will enjoy greater choice and flexibility, with access to over 100 new connections starting from the upcoming summer season.

“The codeshare agreements with the Lufthansa Group airlines represent a key step towards a major increase in connectivity for our passengers, who will benefit from connections to more than a hundred new destinations,” said ITA Airways CEO and General Manager Joerg Eberhart. “This collaboration will not only enhance our customers’ travel experience but also mark the beginning of a phase of strategic synergies to strengthen our market position”.

Likewise, Lufthansa Group customers can easily reach destinations served by ITA Airways’ extensive network, including Italy’s most sought-after tourist locations, such as Sicily, Sardinia, Calabria, and Apulia. They will have access to both domestic destinations (such as Brindisi, Florence, Milan Linate, Palermo, Turin, and Venice) and international destinations, including Tirana, Sofia, Malta, and Athens, via ITA Airways’ hubs in Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate.

ITA Airways passengers will be able to fly under the AZ code on Lufthansa-operated flights from Frankfurt and Munich to several cities in Italy (Verona, Cagliari, Olbia, Bologna, Catania, Milan Linate and Malpensa, Rome, Naples, Venice, Florence, and Turin), in Germany (Hamburg, Berlin, Hanover, Düsseldorf, Dresden, and Bremen), and selected international destinations (Prague, Dublin and Krakow).

Through the partnership with SWISS, ITA Airways passengers will have access from Zurich to the major Italian cities (Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan, Venice, and Naples) as well as multiple international destinations within the Swiss carrier’s network, such as Warsaw, Copenhagen, and Stockholm.

The agreement with Austrian Airlines will allow ITA Airways customers to reach destinations served by the Austrian airline from Vienna, both in Italy (Rome, Cagliari, Naples, Palermo, Bari, Milan Malpensa, and Florence) and across Europe, including Innsbruck, Warsaw, Podgorica, Chișinău, and Varna.

Additionally, with Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways passengers can travel from Brussels to several Italian destinations (Milan Malpensa, Venice, Bologna). Air Dolomiti will offer numerous connections to within Italty (Venice, Florence, Turin, Milan Linate and Malpensa, Verona, Bologna, Cagliari) from Munich and Frankfurt, as well as one international route to Krakow.

In addition to the convenience of a single ticket, allowing check-in at the departure airport and baggage collection at the final destination, members of ITA Airways’ loyalty program, Volare, will be able to earn and redeem points on flights operated by Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines.

Moreover, an exclusive commercial offer will enable them to earn extra points on their flights between 1 March and 15 April 2025. Similarly, the 36 million members of Miles & More, Lufthansa Group’s frequent flyer programme, can earn and redeem points on all ITA Airways flights.

These new commercial agreements, along with the partnership between Volare and Miles & More, mark the first major synergies between the Italian carrier and Lufthansa Group, following the completion of the transaction that officially brought ITA Airways into the German Group. 

Khiri Travel showcases sensory and colonial-themed tours

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 28 February 2025: Khiri Travel will present a new lineup of sensory urban day tours in five Southeast Asian countries and multi-day colonial tours featuring ornate 19th-century mansions and heritage hotels at the ITB Berlin from 4 to 6 March.

The sensory urban day tours have been launched in five countries — Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam — with Laos, Philippines, and Myanmar coming soon. In each of the private, guided tours, guests will experience sights such as sunsets from golden stupas, the smell of fresh turmeric as they make a herbal drink, the sound of Balinese gamelan or Sri Lankan baila music, mind-boggling tastes – need we say more, this is Asia – and the physical touch of a good massage or yoga session.

Consolidating its role as a product-first DMC, Khiri Travel has also launched a series of heritage and history tours ranging from nine to 13 days in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Laos, with Myanmar to follow. The focus is on colonial-era mansions, antique decor and grand estates from the times of Henri Mouhot and Francis Garnier.

Guests get to stay at heritage-era buildings repurposed as hotels, such as The Phoenix Hotel in Yogyakarta, Azerai La Residence in Hue, 137 Pillars in Chiang Mai, and Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan. They can also enjoy expert insights from historians such as Francis Engelmann in Luang Prabang and, in Hoi An, Rehahn, an award-winning photographer specialising in the ethnic groups of Vietnam. 

“Whether you are an architecture enthusiast, a history lover, or simply seeking a journey through time, our history and heritage mansion house tours promise a deep connection to the elegance, intrigue, and timeless beauty of Asia’s colonial-related past,” says Khiri Travel Group Product Coordinator Sofia Tan.

Enhanced Agent Hub

In-depth details on each of the senses and mansions tour series have been uploaded to Khiri Travel’s online Agent Hub, which is being upgraded and will be released as a soft launch at ITB Berlin, 4-6 March. Agents can also view all newly featured Khiri specialist tours, sample itineraries, and an online photo gallery. They can use the Hub’s images to market and promote Khiri products.

Norse will wing winter runaways to Bangkok

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 28 February 2025: Norse Atlantic Airways will introduce a new direct route between London Gatwick and Bangkok, starting with the winter timetable 2025, effective 26 October.

The new service from London Gatwick (LGW) to Bangkok (BKK) will launch on Sunday, 26 October 2025. Flights will operate up to four times weekly, with return fares starting from UKP295, including taxes.

Weekly flights between Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) and Bangkok (BKK) will increase from two to four starting Friday, 5 December 2025. One-way fares, including taxes, will start from SEK3,546.

Flights between Oslo (OSL) and Bangkok (BKK) will increase from three to four times weekly beginning Wednesday, 3 December 2025, with one-way fares from NOK2,578, including taxes.

London Gatwick is Norse Atlantic’s UK home and a strategic hub for the airline. The airline currently has daily flights to key destinations across the Atlantic and to South Africa. Asia will join the network once the winter timetable kicks in, starting with Bangkok. The airline will fly to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). 

Bangkok has been a favoured destination among Norse Atlantic passengers from Oslo, Norway, since 2023. The new direct connectivity out of London Gatwikc, UK, and Stockholm, Sweden, during the winter months of November 2025 to March 2026, is part of the airline’s expanded winter schedule.

“We’re excited to launch direct flights between London Gatwick and Bangkok, a top choice among our travellers. This addition strengthens our existing network between Asia and builds on our routes from London Gatwick to destinations across the Atlantic and South Africa. 

For us, it’s all about offering more travel options at great prices without compromising on comfort and service for those looking to enjoy a beautiful and warm winter sunshine destination,” said Norse Atlantic Airways Chief Executive Officer and Founder Bjørn Tore Larsen

About Norse Atlantic Airways 
Founded by CEO and major shareholder Bjørn Tore Larsen in March 2021, Norse Atlantic operates a modern fleet of fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliners. These aircraft seat 338 passengers and offer premium economy and economy classes. They serve a growing network of destinations across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.]
Passengers can fly with Norse Atlantic to cities like New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, Bangkok, Cape Town, Oslo, Athens, London, Berlin, Rome, and Paris.

NATAS Fair partners with Etiga Insurance

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 27 February 2025: Etiqa Insurance Singapore returns as the Official Travel Insurer for the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) Travel Fair 2025. 

Themed ‘Travel, Explore, Live It!’, Singapore’s largest consumer travel fair, will be held at the Singapore Expo from 28 February to 2 March 2025.

Etiqa will provide insurance coverage to patrons, including discounts of up to 35% off Etiqa’s Travel Infinite* insurance plan to ensure comprehensive travel protection for all Singaporean travellers. 

Travellers can choose the cover that best suits their needs, ensuring they have the proper protection for their trip.

“At Etiqa Insurance Singapore, our mission is to protect what matters most; our customers. We are excited to continue our partnership with NATAS and help more travellers explore the world with confidence,” said  Etiqa Insurance Singapore CEO Raymond Ong,

Etiqa will also offer one lucky visitor a chance to win SGD3,000 worth of travel vouchers with any policy purchase at the fair. In addition, all participating customers who purchase Etiqa’s travel insurance products at the fair will receive a complimentary gift, subject to a minimum premium of SGD50.

Emirates and Garuda Indonesia scale-up benefits

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI UAE, 27 February 2025: Emirates and Garuda Indonesia have unlocked new opportunities for frequent flyer members with the launch of a joint loyalty programme offering this week. 

Emirates Skywards and GarudaMiles members can now earn and redeem Miles while travelling across a combined network of more than 200 destinations.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of Aviation Festival Asia 2025 by Dr Nejib Ben Khedher, Divisional Senior Vice President Emirates Skywards, and Rahmaniar, Miles & Ancillary Group Head Garuda Indonesia.

The two carriers launched a codeshare agreement in 2022 and have since expanded their partnership to offer loyalty programme members more destinations, more ‘Miles’, and more rewards.

Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim said: “At Emirates Skywards, we’re always exploring new ways to offer more choice, value, and opportunities for our members. Our exciting new partnership with Garuda Indonesia will significantly benefit both Skywards and GarudaMiles members.

This strategic collaboration aligns with Skywards’ vision of creating a truly global loyalty experience for our members worldwide. It will open new doors for frequent flyers to earn and redeem miles across our combined networks while also expanding our renowned loyalty offering in Southeast Asia. We look forward to growing this partnership and delivering even greater value to our members.”

Garuda Indonesia President & CEO Wamildan Tsani Panjaitan explained: “We are thrilled to present this enhanced value partnership for both Garuda Indonesia and Emirates loyal passengers. With this new joint loyalty programme, Garuda Indonesia represents its commitment to always delivering exciting offers to our GarudaMiles members while adding more benefits for Skywards members.”

‘Earn better’ and ‘Spend better’

Emirates Skywards is renowned for its extensive brand partnership portfolio. The loyalty programme’s new partnership with Garuda Indonesia means Skywards members can now unlock exclusive benefits while travelling in the following five ways.

Explore and earn: Earn and redeem Miles while travelling with Garuda Indonesia to 37 destinations in the archipelago and to more than 15 destinations worldwide.

Pile on the Miles: Earn up to 1 Skywards Mile per mile flown in economy class; 1.25 Skywards Miles in business class, and two Skywards Miles in First Class.

More ways to redeem: Redeem Miles for travel on Garuda Indonesia flights in Economy Class and Business Class, with redemptions starting at 8,000 Miles.

Rewards flow both ways: The partnership will also enable GarudaMiles members to ‘make every Mile count’ and ‘unlock rewards faster.’ GarudaMiles Members can earn and spend Miles across Emirates’ global network, including flight rewards on Emirates Economy and Business Class cabins. 

Seamless connectivity:  Emirates currently operates double daily flights to Jakarta and Bali with its iconic Emirates A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft – connecting Indonesian customers to more than 140 destinations across six continents. The airline’s codeshare agreement with Garuda Indonesia offers customers seamless connectivity across the Americas, Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Award-winning loyalty programme

Emirates Skywards has more than 34 million members worldwide. The loyalty programme offers four tiers of membership: Blue, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, with each tier earning exclusive privileges. Members can also earn Miles with many partners across hotels, car rentals, retail, lifestyle and more worldwide.

Miles can be redeemed for an extensive range of rewards, including flight tickets on partner airlines, flight upgrades, gift cards, hotel stays, hospitality at sporting and cultural events, tours, and money-can’t-buy experiences.

For more information on flights and to make a booking visit: www.emirates.com. 

Qatar Airways speeds up ‘Starlink’ rollout

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TTR WEEKLY
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DOHA, 27 February 2025: Qatar Airways has achieved a new milestone by installing Starlink on its 30th aircraft and successfully equipping over 50% of its Boeing 777 fleet ahead of schedule. 

The achievement comes four months after the airline launched the world’s first Boeing 777 Starlink-enabled flight and two months after surpassing its initial 2024 target of 12 installations by upgrading 15 aircraft with Starlink connectivity.

Qatar Airways has significantly accelerated its Starlink rollout, cutting installation time per aircraft from three or two days to just 9.5 hours, reducing the retrofit by nearly three-quarters of the initial timeline. The airline has ensured a seamless process without impacting operations or flight schedules by carefully timing the installations to fit within a 12-hour overnight timeframe.

The installation was initially planned to be completed in two years. However, the airline has optimised its process and will complete the entire Boeing 777 fleet rollout in the second quarter of 2025. 

Sheraton flag unfurls over new-build Phuket resort

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TTR WEEKLY
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BANGKOK, 27 February 2025: Marriott International recently signed an agreement with property developer Jee Teng Hospitality to open Sheraton Nai Harn Beach. The new-build resort will mark the debut of the iconic Sheraton Hotels & Resorts brand in Phuket. 

Designs indicate the resort will feature 600 rooms. Located on a 4.3-hectare beachfront site along Nai Harn Bay, most of the resort’s 600 rooms, suites and villas will offer uninterrupted views of the Andaman Sea. 

Artist impression: Sheraton Nai Harn Beach.

Plans include two swimming pools, a large fitness centre and spa, six treatment rooms, and a Kid’s Club. The property will also feature 763 sqm of function space to host events such as weddings.  

Nai Harn district is known for restaurants, boutique shops, a lively beachside night market, and the spectacular sunset and sunrise vistas of Promthep Cape, Phuket’s southernmost point, a 3km drive from the property. 

Sheraton Nai Harn Beach will become the fifth Sheraton-branded property in Thailand, complementing existing locations in Bangkok, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, and Pranburi. The current status regarding an opening date is “in the pipeline.” However, a Sheraton executive reckons it should be ready to accept guest bookings in 2029.

TransNusa starts Guangzhou flights

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TTR WEEKLY
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JAKARTA, 27 February: TransNusa confirms it will become the first Indonesian airline to launch scheduled flights from Bali, Indonesia, to Guangzhou, China, starting 13 April.

The flights from Guangzhou to Bali will connect with a recently launched service departing Bali for Perth in Western Australia.

TransNusa Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Bernard Francis said: “We are always looking at developing new routes to benefit our passengers. While traditional routes such as Bali to Perth and Bali to Guangzhou are important, we also strive to go the extra mile to provide fast and seamless connectivity to our passengers.

“With the launch of our new Bali-Guangzhou route, passengers can now enjoy one of the fastest scheduled connecting flights to either Guangzhou or Perth via the airline’s hub in Bali, with a transit duration of either one hour and 30 minutes or two hours and 35 minutes, depending on the day and time of the scheduled flights.

“From 13 April to 31 May, there will be three connecting flights from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to Perth International Airport, Australia, while from Perth, there will be two connecting flights weekly via Bali to Guangzhou,” Datuk Francis said, noting that connecting flight from Guangzhou will be every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday while the connecting flight from Perth to Guangzhou via Bali will be on Monday and Saturday.

The CEO elaborated that the airline will fly daily from Perth and Guangzhou to Bali from June onwards. Passengers can also enjoy daily connecting flights. The Guangzhou to Perth flight ticket price will start as low as CNY1899, USD259 and AUD399.

TransNusa kicked off 2025 by announcing the launch of its Bali-Perth route in January, with tickets priced as low as IDR1.799.000, AUD169, CNY782, and USD163.

At the initial stage, from 13 April to 31 May, TransNusa will operate four flights a week from Denpasar International Airport. The TransNusa 8B969 flight will depart Bali at 2015 and arrive at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 0100.

TransNusa flight 8B968, will depart Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 0205 and arrive in Bali at 0740. The TransNusa flight 8B969 will depart Bali to Guangzhou every Sunday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, while flights will depart Guangzhou on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. For the five-hour flight, TransNusa will deploy an A320neo configured with 174 seats

AAPA reports strong passenger traffic in January

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 27 February 2025: Preliminary January 2025 traffic figures released Wednesday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed that international passenger markets enjoyed a robust start to the year, driven by a surge in leisure travel during the Lunar New Year festive period.

The region’s carriers achieved a solid 19.9% year-on-year growth for the month, transporting 35.2 million international passengers. As measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), demand increased by 22.5%, surpassing the 17.4% year-on-year expansion in available seat capacity. Consequently, the average international passenger load factor rose by 3.5 percentage points to 83.7% in January.

Despite growing uncertainties in the broader trade environment, air cargo markets also sustained growth in the new year. Higher demand for consumer goods in anticipation of the festive season resulted in a 4.7% year-on-year increase in international air cargo demand as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), adding to the double-digit growth recorded in January 2024. Expansion in belly-hold space drove a 10.9% increase in offered freight capacity year-on-year. The average international freight load factor dipped 3.3 percentage points to 55.2% for the month.

AAPA Director General Subhas Menon commented on the results: “The year began on a positive note for Asia Pacific carriers, with both international air passenger and cargo markets posting encouraging growth, underpinned by the timing of the Lunar New Year holidays.”

Menon added, “The relatively high load factors reflect strong demand but also ongoing capacity constraints, compounded by the grounding of aircraft due to engine issues and delays in aircraft deliveries. These challenges have contributed to increased expenditure on maintenance, aircraft leasing, and labour, while greater competition saw lower yields and operating margins.”

He concluded: “Growth prospects remain promising in the coming months, against a backdrop of steady expansion in global economic activity. However, ongoing geopolitical and trade tensions pose potential risks to both business sentiment and consumer demand in the months ahead. The region’s airlines are closely monitoring developments whilst carefully managing costs to boost operating economics.”

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