Off the Wing - News

Archived news

From Donna's Desk

As yet another year end closes in on us and we get ourselves ready for the Christmas holidays and New Year to come, our team would like to say “thank-you” to all of our new and existing clients and travel partners for your continued support and loyalty throughout 2008.  We, also take this opportunity to wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday from all of us at DBT Corporate, Cruisescene and Flightscene.  We will look forward to seeing and working with you all again in 2009!

Breaking News

West coast start for V Australia - V AUSTRALIA has confirmed that the nation's newest international airline will start flying to the US west coast on February 27.  But it says its Brisbane-LA service will be delayed until at least early April.  The airline gets its first Boeing 777-300ER from the US manufacturer on January 26 but faces increased competition as Qantas starts operating a second Airbus A380 on Sydney-Los Angeles from December 22.  The second superjumbo will allow the Flying Kangaroo to increase its A380 services to Los Angeles from Melbourne and Sydney to up to six flights a week. V Australia will initially launch with a thrice-weekly service from Sydney, heading to LA on Fridays, Sundays and Wednesdays.   But a second aircraft due to arrive in February will allow the airline to boost the Sydney-LA service to daily from March 21. "We're very excited and enthusiastic," V Australia executive general manager Scott Swift said yesterday. "We're reinvigorated for the launch of the new airline." The airline will be flying a three-class configuration, with business class featuring a bar and lie-flat seats, a premium economy cabin and economy seats it believes provide more room than Qantas.
Its launch was put back from mid-December after the deliveries of its first planes were delayed by a strike at Boeing, a problem understood to have cost an additional $3 million. The Brisbane service had been due to launch on March 1 but the airline has been keen to better stagger the delivery of its first four planes.

QF/Woolworths pact QANTAS has entered into an exclusive Heads of Agreement with Woolworths Limited that will see Woolworths customers earn QF Frequent Flyer points when shopping.  The loyalty alliance enables 2.7 million registered customers of Woolworths’ Everyday Rewards program to accumulate FF points when purchasing groceries, fuel, packaged liquor, general merchandise and more. QF CEO Alan Joyce said the pact would offer its Frequent Flyer’s 5.4 million members another way to accelerate their points earning ability for QF/JQ ‘Classic Awards’ and ‘Any Seat Rewards’ programs. From mid-2009, Everyday Reward customers will be able to add QF FF points at Woolworths & Safeway supermarkets, Big W, Dick Smith Electronics, Dan Murphy’s, BWS & Caltex/Woolworths fuel outlets.

QF gets its 2nd A380 - OVERNIGHT Qantas took delivery of its second Airbus A380 aircraft, named Hudson Fysh, in Toulouse, France. QF’s latest superjumbo will arrive in Sydney tomorrow, where it will team up with the carrier’s first A380, operating services between MEL/LAX and SYD/LAX, from 22 Dec.
A third A380, to be named Paul McGinness, will be delivered just after Christmas, on 27 Dec.

BRITISH AIRWAYS - Checked baggage - From 26 November 2008, a flat fee of GBP 25 will be applied to any checked bag weighing more than 23kg (51lbs). Any item weighing more than 32kg (70lbs) cannot be accepted as checked baggage.
Allowances for Europe and all other international routes excluding USA, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, South America, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana

QANTAS - Important Changes to your Checked Baggage Allowance - From 1st December 2008, Qantas is introducing a new checked baggage allowance that will make it easier when your customers travel with Qantas.  The new allowances will apply to any tickets purchased from 1st December 2008 for travel from 1st March 2009 inclusive.  New Checked Baggage Allowance – Qantas have aligned our Domestic and International checked baggage allowances using a weight system. For customers travelling in economy on a Domestic or International flight with Qantas, you will now have a maximum free baggage allowance of up to 23kgs.  For more details click here.

QF board gives ok - THE board of Qantas Airways Ltd has given executives the thumbs up for merger talks with British Airways to continue. Reports say the board has agreed for talks to proceed, subject to
concerns on the merger ratio, shareholder value, BA’s defined benefit plan & Australian regulatory requirement being addressed.

Airline News

Qantas commences non-stop services from Sydney to Buenos Aires Latest News - Sydney, 24 November 2008 - Qantas today became the first airline to operate non-stop services between Australia and South America. The inaugural Sydney to Buenos Aires flight left Sydney this morning and is scheduled to land in Buenos Aires at 11.00am local time.  Qantas Group General Manager Sales and Distribution, Mr Rob Gurney, said response to the new Buenos Aires services had been very positive.  "Argentina is a popular destination for Australian travellers and we are seeing continued passenger growth between Australia and South America," he said.  "These new services will enable us to grow business and leisure travel to and from Argentina and strengthen tourism and trade links.  "They will also offer passengers connections to other destinations in South America, including Brazil."  Qantas will operate three return services per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, using three-class B747-400 aircraft.  The airline previously offered one-stop services to Buenos Aires, via Auckland, between 1998 and 2002.  "We have maintained services to South America via our successful codeshare with Oneworld™ partner LAN since then and will continue to offer six services per week from Sydney via Auckland to Santiago, Chile," Mr Gurney said.

VIRGIN BLUE PREMIUM ECONOMY GETS AN UPGRADE - Wednesday 26 November 2008: Virgin Blue today announced it has boosted its new Premium Economy product to provide even more value for travellers seeking to maximise their travel spend.  The airline introduced its Premium Economy option on 15th March this year following feedback from an increasing number of business Guests enthusiastic for an enhanced business friendly fare that incorporated additional benefits.  From 27 November 2008, Premium Economy additions will include complimentary on board food and beverages (including alcohol) as well as complimentary use of Virgin Blue’s individual seat back in-flight entertainment system so flyers can catch the latest breaking news, market wrap or latest Hollywood movie.*

QantasLink to Commence New Services Between Mt Isa and Townsville - QantasLink announced it would commence services between Townsville and Mt Isa from March 2009, subject to regulatory approvals.  Qantas Group General Manager Regional Airlines, Mr. Narendra Kumar, said the airline would offer 11 return services each week between the two regional destinations.  "The service will be operated by new 72-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft that will be joining our fleet in early 2009.

Riyadh joins SIA network - SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) launched its inaugural flight to Riyadh December 14.  SIA EVP marketing and the regions, Huang Cheng Eng, said the addition of Riyadh strengthens SIA’s presence in Saudi Arabia.  “We are delighted to welcome Riyadh as the latest destination in our global network, and we look forward to extending our welcome to customers on this new service. The warm relationship between Singapore and Saudi Arabia has grown over the years, and we believe the introduction of Singapore Airlines’ new service between the two cities will help foster even closer bilateral trade links,” he said.  Riyadh is the second city in Saudi Arabia to which Singapore Airlines operates, after Jeddah.

AC 1yr anniversary - AIR Canada today marks the one-year anniversary since it began operating its direct service between Sydney-Vancouver. Previously, Vancouver bound flights on AC made a transit stop in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jeannie Foster general manager, Australia & NZ, Air Canada said, “We knew the non-stop service was going to be popular but our success on this route has well and truly exceeded our expectations”.

El Al Israel to Brazil -  EL Al Israel Airlines plans to launch direct flights to Sao Paulo, its first new destination in a decade, in its spring season as part of the company’s 2010 vision to grow on long-distance flights. “South America and Brazil in general fit in particularly well into this strategy” said El Al
Money president Haim Romano.

AA links DFW/MAD - AMERICAN Airlines has announced plans to launch a daily Dallas/Fort Worth to Madrid service, the hub of Spanish airline Iberia, by 01 May 09, using a Boeing 767 aircraft on the route.

JQ winds back Avalon - JETSTAR plans to shelve 13 weekly return services to Avalon Airport for at least three months from Feb, following the downturn in the airline industry. The decision to cut nearly 20% of services to the airport (of which it is the only airline to operate from) is fuelled by the global economic crisis. “It’s about sustainable growth over the long term” said Jetstar’s spokesman Simon Westaway. “We would like to further expand buts it’s got to be done in a sustainable way”. The reduction in services will see JQ’s capacity out of Avalon return to 2006 levels. Those services that are on the temporary chopping block include 10 roundtrip flights to Sydney, and three flights to Brisbane.
Westaway said the move is designed to ensure Jetstar would operate at its maximum efficiency.

New AUH terminal - ETIHAD is set to shortly begin phasing in operations at its new Terminal 3 in Abu Dhabi. T3 will add ten new gates at the airport, two of which will be Airbus A380 compatible. EY said that from 15 Dec selected flights will depart from the new terminal, with details on dedicated information pages at www.etihadairways.com/t3.  “This is a very exciting time and we look forward to offering travellers new levels of comfort and service when the terminal is fully operational over the coming weeks,” the carrier said.

United sells planes - IN a bid to raise the airlines cash flow, United Airlines has sold 15 Boeing 757s to East Shore Aircraft for $150m, meaning the carrier has now raised $250m of the $300m additional liquidity the company expected to raise by the end of the fourth quarter in 2008. United plans to continue to operate & maintain the planes by leasing them back from East Shore.

Frequent Flyer Update

QF’s FF not for sale - QANTAS chief executive Alan Joyce stated on Fri the group has no current intentions of spinning off its Frequent Flyer program.  Joyce told reporters “We’re not ready to sell it”, after announcing its new loyalty program with Woolworths Limited (TD Mon). MEANWHILE, Joyce also said the group has seen some weakness in int’l market sales heading into Christmas, particularly to India, Thailand and Bali.

New LAX lounge - A NEW lounge has opened at Los Angeles International Airport, which can be accessed by all passengers. Dubbed reLAX, the lounge in the Tom Bradley Int’l Terminal costs US$25 for three hours of use and includes free snacks, drinks, wireless internet and business services.

Money Talks

WELCOME to Money Talk, DBT’s feature on what the Australian dollar is doing. 

THE Australian dollar rose to one month highs overnight with the A$ starting the day trading just below US$0.67.  There’s speculation the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by at least 50 basis points tonight, which could hurt the A$.  Other markets have remained steady over the past week.

Oil remains hovering around the mid-US$40 mark.

Wholesale rates this morning:
US $0.666
UK £0.434
NZ $1.19
Euro €0.485
Japan ¥60.5
Thailand ß23.2
China ¥4.41
South Africa R6.66
Canada $0.817

Travel Tips

“In the current economic climate, every cent counts whether the travel budget is coming from your own pocket or from your employers, so the new “upgraded” Premium Economy offering is going to add more value at a time when many companies are looking to trim their travel costs rather than their frequency of travelling.”

Virgin Blue Premium Economy now offers Travellers Complimentary food, beverages and individual seat back satellite TV's* including movie channels will join a suite of benefits already being enjoyed by Premium Economy travellers including:

• Priority Check-in at major Australian domestic terminals
• Priority boarding.
1. Extra space and comfort in the first three rows with enhanced room seating (aisle or window seat only) at the front of the aircraft.
2. Complimentary access to The Lounge (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra domestic terminals)
3. Complimentary checked baggage allowance up to 32kg
4. Fully flexible and refundable fare
5. Velocity Points and Status Credits

3 corporate travel tips:         

1. Book in advance.  Airfares can be cut by 10% by booking flights at least a week ahead. If fares have to be bought at the last minute, insist on best fare of the day even if travellers complain it is not their favourite airline. “Also ask yourself: does the ticket need to be flexible,”. Maybe the fare can be fixed one way and flexible the other, delivering average 20 to 30% saving.
2. Eat Healthy Meals when travelling. It's easy to grab fast food, but your quality of life won't improve. Make a real effort to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, leaner meats and fish, and cut out the starch wherever you can.
3. Keep Your Laptop Clean. Regularly clean your cache, defrag the hard drive, purge unnecessary programs, empty the trash and update your virus protection systems.

Health & DFAT Warnings

USA Visa Waiver rules - EXCEPTIONS will be made for travellers heading to the US under the Visa Waiver Program, which requires visitors to lodge an electronic authorisation prior to travel, from 12 Jan.  Customs & Border Protection say there will be no penalty for airlines allowing passengers to travel without the approval on the date, as it can’t “reach 15m travellers on one day”.

Handy Tips & Visa Information Links Smart Traveller or DFAT – Visa Advice

TRAVEL DOCTOR TMVC have clinics all over Australia and NZ and advice on Vaccination & Health requirements with the most up-to-date info: click here

Hotels Update

Introducing...Hyatt Business Plan Package INCLUDES Business, Breakfast and Broadband - Business travel has never been more productive. Book the Hyatt Business Plan package at a cost of around $65 to $75 per room more than the Best rate of the day and receive daily breakfast, Internet access, daily refreshed water, daily newspaper and one piece of laundry pressed or washed per room per day. 

New York Hotel Winter Special - Surprise! It's Winter in the Northern Hemisphere!   Ok, so it's not that much of a surprise, but this offer is!  Book a room with us at the New York Hotel in January or February, 2008 and get a special rate of $139 + tax, per night, for one or two persons staying in one room, PLUS enjoy Continental Breakfast each morning of your stay, for up to two guests per room.

Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott opens - Hong Kong’s newest five star hotel, the Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott opened yesterday. The 658-room hotel is the only property in Hong Kong to offer guests golf packages with access to the adjacent SkyCity Nine Eagles golf course, and is the first to offer guests the territory’s only Marriott spa, Quan Spa.

New hotels set to open in Phuket - Development of new Phuket hotel properties remains strong, despite ongoing political issues in the country and the international financial downturn. Thirty new hotels are at various stages of development with over 4,918 rooms due to hit the supply side over the next three years through 2011, according to market research conducted by Thailand hospitality consulting firm, C9 Hotelworks.

InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto opens December 2008 - MELBOURNE – Melbourne’s iconic heritage hotel The Rialto has reopened as Intercontinental Melbourne The Rialto. The opening also marks the establishment of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in this city.  InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto‘s facilities and services include a variety of five-star dining establishments and bars, a Club InterContinental overlooking Collins Street, private business environments and a unique suite collection that take advantage of the building’s gothic heritage.

Hotel Imperial Kuala Lumpur to become Sheraton flagship in Malaysia - KUALA LUMPUR –Hotel Imperial, until now a member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection brand, starts off 2009 by becoming the Sheraton brand’s flagship hotel for Malaysia. The hotel’s new name will be the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel beginning January next year.  The Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel will join the fast growing network of over 400 Sheraton properties worldwide in over 75 countries. The brand currently has 98 properties within Asia-Pacific alone, including properties scheduled to open over the next year.

Rumours & Gossip

Italian speedy trains - ITALY’S state railways has announced a high speed train service to be established by next year and will cut travel time from Rome to Milan by 25% to 3 hours. The quicker train service is hoped to revive the bankrupt national airline Alitalia, who already dominates the Rome- Milan air route, with a group of Italian businessmen embarking on the project.

MALAYSIA FLAG TALKS QANTAS - Malaysia Airlines has said it is in talks with Qantas over a possible tie-up. Details remained sketchy but reports from Malaysia quoted the airline’s managing director and chief executive Idris Jala as saying it was pursuing a range of options. Qantas has confirmed talks have been held, but said no negotiations were currently taking place.

Vietnam no’s fall - ARRIVALS to Vietnam have plummeted amid the global economic crisis, down 22% from last year in Nov, the worst fall since the 2003 SARS epidemic. The Vietnam National Admin of Tourism has asked the gov’t for a US$20-30m global marketing campaign to draw visitors.

SEVEN hundred years after the legend of the pied piper’s visit to Hamelin, (where he spirited away the town’s children as punishment for the towns default of payment for rat removal), Hamelin’s town officials have called for the piper to return again. A plague, created by a rubbish dump on the town’s outskirts, has recently caused rat numbers to multiply to levels unseen since the great plague of 1284 (on which the legend is based). The town is now desperate to rid itself of its newest inhabitants by next year, in order to celebrate its 725th anniversary.

Boeing Reschedules First Flight and Delivery of the 787 Dreamliner - Boeing has moved the all-new 787 Dreamliner’s first flight into the second quarter of 2009 and first delivery into the first quarter of 2010.*

Conference & Venue News

Phuket’s first exhibition and conference centre opens December 2008 - PHUKET – This Island’s first dedicated exhibition and conference centre officially opened yesterday in Royal Marina Phuket. The 2,500-square metre RPM International Exhibition & Conference Centre is three times larger than any existing exhibition facility in Phuket and expects to host one or two high profile events every month.  Royal Phuket Marina is Thailand’s first world-class luxury lifestyle community.  Despite the troubles in Bangkok over the past few weeks, Phuket has been largely unaffected and high season hotel bookings and visitors to the Island are expected to be high.

Call our DBT Conference & Incentive Specialist Samantha Devlin at DBT on 02 98885555 to enquire about Conference or Incentive deals.

Cruisenews - deals

HOT SPECIALS CLICK HERE

New online quick-click Specials button at Cruisescene!

Guide to New Ships Lots of new ships will be sailing over the horizon in the next couple of years. This is the place to sort them all out and keep them straight. Here we list in a table how big, how many, who's got them, when they're coming.

MSC Cruises Welcomes ‘The Most Beautiful Ship in the World’ to its Fleet - Known as “The Most beautiful ship in the World”, the MSC Fantasia was delivered to MSC Cruises on this week, at the STX France shipyard in St Nazaire, France.

MSC Eliminates More Fuel Surcharges - Dec 16 - MSC Cruises earlier eliminated their fuel surcharge on all sailings April 1, 2009, and after. This morning the line announced they will extend the policy to all 2009 sailings January 1 and after.



For more great Cruise deals visit www.cruisescene.com.au or call our DBT Leisure & Cruise Specialists Michael Sing or Kevin Toye Phone 1800 678 555 or 02 9888 5555

Need a Holiday ?

Peak 2 Peak opens - THE Peak 2 Peak Gondola opened in Whistler on Fri, as the village prepares itself for its role as joint host for the 2010 Vancouver/Whistler Winter Olympics Games.  The gondola spans 4.4km between Blackcomb & Whistler Mountains and holds three world records - the Longest Continuous Lift System, the Highest Vertical point (436m) and the Longest Unsupported Freespan.  There are 28 cabins capable of holding 28 guests, two of which have glass bottoms - for more info see www.peak2peakgondola.com

PARIS is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with spectacular monuments, beautiful streets and amazing sights all year round.  Taking in the “City of Lights” and despite the cold weather it’s an ideal time of year to visit, with less crowds and stunning Christmas streetscapes.  As well as must-sees such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysee visitors can enjoy the shopping and unique Paris nightlife.  The Cityrama L’Open Tour is an ideal way to acclimatise upon arrival, with four hop-on hop-off bus routes, which give a great overview of the city and access to all the major sights.  Aussies will also enjoy a boat ride on the River Seine, offered by a number of operators including Bateaux Parisians, to see the city from another perspective. And don’t miss the Paris Story video presentation, which tells the amazing history of the romantic French capital, through times of Romans, Royalty and Revolution.




Two free nights on Hamilton Island - HAMILTON Island has a ‘Pay For 5 Nights, Stay 7’ deal at Hamilton Island’s Palm Bungalows, Whitsunday Holiday Apartments or the Reef View Hotel. Seven night package are priced from $737.50 ppts, valid for travel from 18 Jan - 31 Mar 09. For bookings call your DBT-Cruisescene Travel Manager on 02 98885555

Red Hot Deals

RED HOT DEALS

All include taxes
	Norfolk Island Holiday Package Air, 7nts, Car, Some Meals Bonus: Save $100*pp	$1339*
	Cook Islands Tropical Break Airfare, 5nts, breakfast + $50 F&B per night Bonus: 1 FREE night	$1569*
	Phuket Holiday Package Includes airfare, 8 nights, & breakfast Bonus: Stay 8 Nights - Pay 4	$2173*

	Fly to Paris with Singapore Airlines Includes airfare & taxes Bonus: Earlybird Special	$2304*
	Hong Kong Holiday Package Includes Flights & accommodation Bonus: FREE room upgrade	$1811*

Take a look at our destination holiday news and specials - here Updated every Wednesday!

Thought for the day:

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." Henry David Thoreau

Thought for Everyday:

"There has never been a sports team that has successfully operated without a coach, no matter how brilliant the players."  David Bentley, Naked Leadership