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Latest travel news. Air travel, hospitality and tourism news.

OnAir Adds Kingfisher and Shenzhen Airlines to In-Flight Communications Customers

by Travel News Editor

India’s Kingfisher Airlines and China’s Shenzhen Airlines have both agreed to install OnAir’s in-flight communications systems for phone and data. Two other Asian carriers, AirAsia and AirAsia X, also plan to offer OnAir services, bringing the number of Asian customers to four.

Demonstration systems will be installed on three Shenzhen Airlines planes by August of next year, at the time of the Beijing Olympics. By the middle of 2009, the OnAir will be available on all the carrier‘s aircraft. The airline will be the first in China with facilities for passengers to use their own communication devices while in the air. [Read more…]

Air Bagan Begins Yangon-Singapore Service

by Travel News Editor

Air Bagan recently launched daily roundtrip service between Singapore and Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. The flight, which uses an Airbus A310-200 aircraft, is the third scheduled carrier to fly the route. Adding Air Bagan’s 14 weekly scheduled flights to SilkAir’s 28 and Jetstar Asia’s six brings the weekly flight total between the two cities to 48.

The Yangon-Singapore leg leaves Yangon at 11:00 a.m., arriving at Singapore’s Changi International Airport at 3 p.m. The return flight depart Changi at 4:10 p.m. and reaches Yangon at 5:20. All times are local. [Read more…]

Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok To Open in October With Special Rates

by Travel News Editor

The 325-room five-star Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok, which will open this October on Asoke Road (Sukhumvit Soi 21), is offering introductory rates for November and December. The special nightly rate per room starts at 4,199 Thai baht (plus taxes and fees), approximately US $140 or Singapore $216. In honor of the opening, the Millennium Resort Patong Phuket has a special introductory rate starting at 4,100Thai baht (plus taxes and fees), or approximately US $136 or Singapore $210 per room per night during October. [Read more…]

Peninsula Hotel Tokyo Opens

by Travel News Editor

A Hong Kong tradition marked the opening of The Peninsula Tokyo on September 1st. A lion dance reflected the Hong Kong origins of the hotel, which is the eighth to bear the name of the original icon. The dance is intended to bring good fortune to the new enterprise.

The hotel is the first freestanding luxury hotel in Tokyo in more than ten years, as other luxury properties have been incorporated into office or mixed use complexes. The 24-story building, with 267 guest rooms plus 47 suites, is located opposite the Imperial Palace at the entrance of the Ginza and Maruonuchi districts, giving the rooms views of the Imperial Palace, Hibiya, and the city. The design reflects the architect’s view of the hotel as a traditional Japanese lantern. Earth tones, marble, wood, lacquer, and stone continue the Japanese theme. [Read more…]

Banyan Tree Resort Announced for Mauritius

by Travel News Editor

Banyan Tree will launch the first all-pool villa resort and residence property in Mauritius when sales of residential units begin in October, according to a recently announced management contract. Completion of the integrated luxury property is scheduled for 2010. [Read more…]

Aer Lingus Dublin-Washington DC Route First Under Open Skies

by Travel News Editor

Aer Lingus’ new Dublin-Washington DC flight on August 6th was the first to operate under the new Open Skies agreement that facilitates granting of new routes between the EU and the United States. Although the pact will not be fully implemented until March of 2008, Aer Lingus has been granted rights for three new routes before the end of this year. Flights to Orlando and San Francisco will be launched in October, bringing the number of US destinations served by the airline to seven. The new flights will provide for 6,200 additional passengers each week on Ireland – US routes. The Irish government obtained the new air rights in advance of other EU airlines. [Read more…]

Hong Kong Express Adds Bangkok and Phuket Routes

by Travel News Editor

Hong Kong Express Airways will open two new routes to Thailand this year, starting in early September with Bangkok. The four-times-weekly flight to Bangkok will be on its B737-800 aircraft. The airline started flying to Thailand in June of 2006 with service to Chiang Mai, and will add Phuket to its Thai destinations later this year. In addition to Phuket, Hong Kong Express will add four more regional routes in 2007. [Read more…]

Cathay Pacific Chooses Amadeus’ Altea Customer Management System

by Travel News Editor

Cathay Pacific Airways has chosen the Altéa Customer Management Solution (CMS) software from Amadeus as part of its commitment to new technology in support of the airline’s growth strategy. Cathay Pacific currently uses Amadeus’ internet booking package for its reservation systems. The Altéa suite has been chosen for management of the entire passenger service chain, including reservation, inventory, and departure control systems for Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary, Dragonair. The companies have agreed to a ten-year contract. [Read more…]

Qantas to Upgrade Perth Domestic Terminal

by Travel News Editor

Before the end of this year, Qantas will begin a $50 million upgrade of its Perth Airport domestic terminal. Improvements to pre-flight facilities will include increased space, addition QuickCheck kiosks, a new, more streamlined security screening area, and an expanded departure lounge. The Qantas Club lounge will also be upgraded and enlarged.Baggage handling capacity will be improved, and additional screening facilities for checked bags will be added, along with an expansion of the baggage claim area. Qantas will also add an aerobridge and upgrade an existing aircraft parking bay to give the terminal additional parking for wide-body aircraft. These changes will be made to reduce parking congestion during peak periods. [Read more…]

Frontier Flies Denver – Baton Rouge

by Travel News Editor

Frontier became the first and only budget airline to fly into Baton Rouge, Louisiana when it launched a twice-daily non-stop service from its Denver hub August 15th. The new route provides low-fare flights and connections to other cities served by Frontier, such as Las Vegas, Phoenix and Calgary.

Anthony J. Marino, Director of Aviation, Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport said, “The maiden voyage from Baton Rouge to Denver and vice versa will ensure the residents of Baton Rouge and the surrounding area more options, lower fares, and superior service.” [Read more…]