Resort cities offer free fuel as latest tourist attraction

As prices rise, gasoline giveaways becoming common

PORTLAND, MAINE - Resort towns worried that high gas prices will keep visitors away are offering an incentive: a free tank of gas.

Towns are tapping into motorists' angst over high gas prices during the summer tourism season to offer encouragement to drive a little farther. For some, the promotions have been so successful that they're becoming a summer tradition.

California's Big Bear Lake recently extended its spring promotion — a $25 gas voucher — for the entire summer because it was so successful.

"It's a good incentive, especially considering gas prices in southern California," said Dan Dunning, who lives in Irvine, Calif., 90 miles away.

Such gas giveaways have become an increasingly popular marketing tool as gas prices continue to rise, said Justin McNaull of the American Automobile Association.

Gas prices surged an average of 8 cents a gallon over the past two weeks, with the average for all three grades hitting $2.24 a gallon Friday, said Trilby Lundberg, who publishes the Lundberg Survey of 7,000 gas stations.

"Gas prices are certainly something that people talk about. Even if high gas prices play a comparatively small part of your overall travel costs, some people perceive them as a much larger factor than they actually are," McNaull said.

Gas giveaways are an effective outreach tool because they show that the tourism industry empathizes with cost-conscious travelers, said Cathy Keefe, spokeswoman for the Travel Industry Association of America in Washington.

In spite of the gas expense, AAA has forecast the July 4th weekend will be the most highly traveled holiday weekend ever, with 40.3 million people traveling more than 50 miles away from home, 84 percent of them by car.

The Travel Industry Association first identified the trend toward free gas cards in 2001, when gas prices were high and the economy was stagnant. Some resorts kept the promotions in place, while others bring them back whenever gas prices spike.

In Bethel, Maine, a "Tanks for the Memories" promotion gives travelers $20 cash for gas for staying with participating innkeepers. In Colorado, Aspen is giving visitors $50 in gas vouchers. In West Virginia, people who booked a visit to Snowshoe Mountain by June 22 were rewarded with $25 in their "Fill Up Your Summer With Fun" promotion.

Bethel, Snowshoe, Aspen and Big Bear Lake are all home to ski resorts, but they'd like to get people to visit in the summer, as well.

Robin Zinchuk of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce said there's more to the town than Maine's Sunday River ski resort. There's also golfing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing and plenty of hiking in the mountains of western Maine.

The gas promotion was designed to grab the attention of travelers headed to Maine's rocky coast and give them a nudge to drive inland, she said.

Resorts aren't the only ones getting into the act. Others include some auto rental chains, hotels.com and BedandBreakfast.com.

Source: DAVID SHARP - Associated Press

Saudia Announces New Regulations

Saudi Arabian Airlines will begin issuing boarding passes 15 days before the travel date at all its offices in the Kingdom. This applies to first and business class seats going to Cairo, Alexandria, Sharm El-Sheikh, Beirut and Europe, except Istanbul, starting from July 1 and continuing until August 20. This is to offer better services to the large numbers of passengers on waiting lists. The new regulation is the result of many travelers not showing up for their flight even after confirming their reservations. The problem becomes particularly acute during the summer. Based on the new regulation, all reservations that have not been confirmed at Saudia offices seven days before the travel date by 6 pm will be automatically canceled. Travelers are also instructed to confirm their return flights at Saudia offices 72 hours before their travel back to the Kingdom. They should also leave a contact number with Saudia offices.

Allow private airlines to operate in Kerala-Gulf sector

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: NORKA-Roots Chairman and former Minister M. M. Hassan has urged the Centre to allow private airlines to operate services in the Kerala-Gulf sector.

Hassan told reporters here on Monday that the entry of private airlines in the sector would force the Air-India to reduce the tariff and provide more facilities to passengers.

He said that despite a high tariff, there were widespread complaints about the facilities being provided by the Air-India. There were several instances of flight cancellation by the Air-India owing to technical reasons and of passengers getting off-loaded in the last minute.

He said that the Air-India should operate more flights during the peak season. A memorandum in this regard had been submitted to the authorities, he said. ‘‘Unless the Air-India initiated measures to resolve these issues, the growing resentment among the passengers towards the national career will explode,’’ he said.

Source: newindpress.com

UAE outbound travel survey

Dubai based Market Vision released the first comprehensive report on the UAE outbound travel market today: 64% of UAE travellers travel abroad at least once a year, the majority of them travelling for leisure and visiting friends and family. Over two-thirds travel with family, and one-half stay in four and five star hotels or furnished apartments. On an average they spend 24 nights abroad per trip with an average expenditure per trip of $1,700, higher than the European average of $1,200.

Source: AME Info FZ LLC

online travel shoppers 50% buy from travel agencies, 50% - from airline Web sites

Nielsen//NetRatings reported that while the majority, or 54%, of online travel shoppers begin travel research with an online travel agency, consumers are evenly split between travel agencies and airline Web sites when it comes to the actual purchase of online travel. As far as researching goes, 37% of online travel shoppers begin research at a travel supplier Web site, and 9% begin with a travel meta-search provider.

With nearly 50% of airline ticket sales and reservations conducted exclusively online in the first half of 2005, online airline suppliers have a stronger foothold in conversion. Agencies fared better in drawing visitors to the site for price comparison shopping, destination searches and multi-trip bookings.

Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and Delta ranked as the three most visited airline Web sites during April 2005. Southwest led with 8.1 mln unique Web surfers, compared to 5.7 mln and 4.9 mln that visited American and Delta, respectively. Southwest converted the most lookers into bookers with a 14% visitor conversion rate, followed by Delta and American with 10 and 9%.

Source: ZDNet

New ferry cruises are launched on canal

A new boat will ferry scores of passengers along the Forth and Clyde canal this summer.
Voyager will carry up to 55 passengers along the canal - recently repened as part of the £84.5million Millennium Link project.
It took Glasgow-based Heritage Engineering about a year to build and is the largest new passenger canal boat to be launched on the canal for 100 years.
An official naming ceremony was performed by East Dunbartonshire MP and Evening Times columnist Jo Swinson.
The ceremony also formed part of the Forth & Clyde Canal

Society's 25th anniversary celebrations.
Guthrie Hutton, of the society, said: "We are thrilled to have revived the type of craft that had virtually disappeared in Scotland.
"It will be an enormous factor in helping to keep the tradition of canal passenger boats alive."

Source: Newsquest (Herald & Times) Limited

Boeing delivers China Eastern's First 737-700s with High-Altitude Package

China Eastern Airlines (Yunnan) has taken delivery of its first two Next-Generation Boeing 737-700s modified for operations in some of the most remote, high-altitude regions.

The modifications include one hour of additional emergency oxygen supply and enhancements to the cabin pressure control system that allows operations at airports located at up to 14,500 feet. These airplanes can use the high-elevation airports in Western China such as Lhasa and Bangda.

"The high-altitude and extensive oxygen package will provide additional capability for China's carriers as they support the country's initiative to improve access and service to western China," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vice President, China Sales Rob Laird

Souce: ASIA Travel Tips .com

Emirates invests over US$38 million to build Luxury Conservation Resort in Australia

Emirates is to invest Dhs 142 million (approx. US$38.8 million) to build a luxury conservation resort in Australia's Blue Mountains - its first such hospitality development outside of the U.A.E.
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates, and the Hon. Sandra Nori MP, New South Wales' Minister for Tourism, today announced the resort's development plans at a media conference in Sydney.

Using the same philosophy as Emirates' acclaimed Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa reserve in Dubai, the new conservation project plans to be one of Australia's most environmentally sympathetic developments, and will provide world-leading hospitality facilities and services to guests.

The project is located in the Wolgan Valley of the Blue Mountains, where 3,600 acres of freehold land will be incorporated into a conservancy reserve. The site is currently farmland that borders the Gardens of Stone National Park, in an area where there are many threats to wildlife and conservation. Guest facilities will occupy less than two per cent of the total land.
Sheikh Ahmed said, "We want to take this beautiful, but sadly distressed rural farming site and turn it into a sanctuary to further showcase Australia to the world."

He added, "Emirates' plan is to protect this site and enhance its environmental values, starting with the removal of invasive plants and feral fauna that has placed pressure on indigenous wildlife. Working closely with environmental and government agencies, we even hope to reintroduce some threatened species to this conservancy. We want this project to gain the same recognition for Australia that we have received for Al Maha and the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in Dubai."

The resort is expected to have all final government approvals in place in the next few months with opening planned for 2007.
NSW Minister for Tourism Ms Nori said the Blue Mountains resort would be a welcome addition to nature-based tourism and a major draw card for international visitors.
She said, "Few global cities can boast a pristine, World-Heritage listed attraction like the Blue Mountains, on their door-step, just over an hour from the centre of Sydney. This conservation resort will show there's no place in the world like Sydney.

She added, "The resort will also generate jobs - from environmental guides to hotel staff. And of course, local businesses in the region also stand to benefit."

Emirates has already engaged in hundreds of hours of consultations with government and community organisations in Australia to ensure the project will meet and exceed standards for environment protection and quality hospitality. It will also become a corporate member of The Australian Wildlife Conservancy, whose expertise is well known in the conservation area. Along with National Parks & Wildlife Service and local conservation groups, their knowledge and experience will be invaluable during the creation of the Wolgan Valley project.
Local Wolgan Valley species already identified as under pressure that will be encouraged to expand within the sanctuary include koalas, spotted-tailed quolls, yellow-bellied gliders and brush-tailed rock wallabies.

Emirates is not new to the hospitality industry. It owns, manages and operates the Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, a conservation-based resort set in a 225 square kilometre nature reserve.
In May this year, Emirates announced that it will build a new 5-star, Dhs 800 million (US $218 million) luxury hotel in Dubai. The 70-storey, 350 metres high building will be among the world's five tallest hotels, and also one of the largest in the U.A.E.

Emirates also owns the 218-room Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, situated on a superb stretch of the private Al Aqah Beach, in the picturesque emirate of Fujairah.

Source: ASIA Travel Tips .com

Jumeirah International Rebrands

Jumeirah International, the Dubai based luxury hospitality group, has rebranded with the company being known from today as ‘Jumeirah’.

The group also unveiled a new corporate identity, and announced that it will rebrand its existing portfolio of luxury before year end in an aim to create a single, memorable identity for the company. The new brand was unveiled during a press conference held at The Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah’s first hotel which opened in November 1997.

The aim of the rebranding is to create a strong brand platform for local, regional and international expansion, and to strengthen Jumeirah’s position as one of the world’s leading luxury hospitality groups.

The group’s existing portfolio of hotels will be renamed, with the brand ‘Jumeirah’ to be incorporated with the experience name – for example, Emirates Towers Hotel will be rebranded Jumeirah Emirates Towers, and its logo will change to reflect the new corporate identity of the brand.

Burj Al Arab will however retain its existing identity, reflecting its position as the icon of Dubai in addition to being one of the world’s most luxurious hotels. The hotel will continue to be presented as the flagship of Jumeirah.

Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of Jumeirah Bill Walshe said, “Today’s brand launch is the first step in a journey that will see us rebrand our hotels over the coming few months. To promote our new brand, we will then launch a multi-million dirham international advertising campaign in the 4th quarter of this year”.

At today’s launch, the group also unveiled the corporate identity of Jumeirah Hospitality & Leisure, a Dubai Holding entity and the parent brand of Jumeirah.

Gerald Lawless, CEO of Jumeirah commented, “The rebranding of the company is a reflection of our commitment to become the world’s leading luxury hospitality operator. Since becoming part of Dubai Holding, Jumeirah is enjoying strong synergistic relationships with other member entities which will help to achieve the expansion strategy of the group. We have accelerated our growth plans both in the region and internationally and today’s launch of ‘Jumeirah’ as our hotel and resort brand will enable us to enhance our profile around the world”.

Source: ASIA Travel Tips .com

Airline offers discounts on accommodation, services - Bahrain

Air Arabia yesterday announced a tie-up with discount accommodation broker OctopusTravel.com.

The airline Website, airarabia.com, signed the deal with the broker Website, benefitting thousands of passengers this summer, the airline's Bahrain and Eastern Province general manager, Mohammed Jaffer Mahmood, said.
"Hotels are available immediately offering Air Arabia customers the opportunity to book discount accommodation and services including, villas, apartments, sightseeing and private transfers."

He said OctopusTravel provides links to a co-branded Website with special rates and promotions for the carrier which offers a portfolio of over 20,000 hotels discounted by up to 70 per cent off rack rates in more than 3,300 cities in 112 countries, from budget to five-star deluxe with a detailed, independent report on every one."

Mahmood said travellers can also choose from 3,000 apartments and villas with real-time availability, instant confirmation and a printable voucher and location map.

The site also features a facility to search and book all kinds of hotel rooms and multiple bookings in one transaction. "Private transfers and tailor-made private sightseeing bookings are available in more than 2,000 sightseeing tours and excursions."

He said Air Arabia now offers a complete holiday product for the benefit of leisure and business travellers in the region.

"We decided to partner with Octopus Travel because of its industry-leading technical platform which can present information in over 20 languages including Arabic, its vast selection of accommodation, its competitive prices and its strong focus on customer service," he said.

Source:

Kiwi tourists boost total travel spend

Kiwis taking time out to explore the highways and byways of their own backyard helped push up tourist spending to $17 billion last year.

Though growth in international spending dropped 2.4 per cent to $7.4 billion in the year to March 2004, spending by domestic tourists rose 2.6 per cent to $9.8 billion compared to the previous year.

Overall, spending from both groups rose a slim 0.4 per cent to $17.2 billion, but visitor numbers were up 4.9 per cent to 2.16 million, according to the latest Tourism Satellite Account.

The biggest jump in visitor numbers was from Oceania, including Australia, which rose 14 per cent during the period.

Visitor arrivals from Asian countries dropped 10 per cent in the 12 months to March last year. The biggest fall was in numbers from the price-conscious Chinese and Japanese markets, put off by the high Kiwi dollar.

According to the satellite account, the $7.4 billion spent by overseas tourists meant tourism overtook dairy at $5.7 billion, meat at $4.3 billion and forestry at $3 billion as an export earner.

The satellite account takes in both international and domestic tourist spending and money spent on airfares, and is the most comprehensive record of tourism spending each year.

AdvertisementAdvertisementTourism Ministry research manager Bruce Bassett sounded a note of warning about the figures, saying they pre-dated the cheap trans-Tasman airfares to some extent and anecdotal evidence was that domestic tourist spending could soften as more New Zealanders head offshore.

According to the satellite account, tourism contributed $6.2 billion, or 9.4 per cent, of New Zealand's gross domestic product in the year to March 2004. A further $5.8 billion was spent in flow-on sectors such as transport, accommodation and restaurant meals. It is estimated that tourism directly employs almost 103,000 people.

Spending on accommodation rose 5 per cent to $1.5 billion, food and drink was up by 1.4 per cent and transport rose 3.7 per cent, but growth in all areas slowed.

The worst-hit sector was airfares, which dropped almost 4 per cent to $3.2 billion.

Tourism Minister Mark Burton said the figures showed the importance of the tourism industry to New Zealand.

Last year, the Government's marketing arm Tourism New Zealand spent about $25 million on advertising New Zealand offshore through its 100% Pure New Zealand campaign.

Source: SUE ALLEN - http://www.stuff.co.nz/

Airlines try to nudge up airfares

The four biggest U.S. airlines are testing higher fares as a way to offset increasingly costly jet fuel.

United raised fares 3 percent on all flights, Northwest hiked U.S. fares 3 percent and American and Delta boosted fares $5 each way, USA Today reported Thursday.

With oil continuing to trade at historically high levels, all industries must act responsibly to offset rising costs, said United marketing chief John Tague.

Although crude oil prices fell 81 cents to $58.09 per barrel Wednesday, the futures contract flirted with $60 a barrel Monday, closing at a nominal record of $59.37.

Source: Big News Network

Emirates, Etihad airlines to get new Boeing aircrafts

Aviation giant, Boeing will deliver 11-15, 777-300ER aircrafts to the Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways in the next five months, said a top company executive.

"The Emirates Airlines will receive 6-10 aircraft with a list price of $1.5 billion, while five aircraft will be delivered to Etihad Airways having a list price of $1.2 billion", said Lee Monson, vice president of Boeing airplane sales, Middle East and Africa.

He added that Etihad Airways will receive the first delivery in October followed by two other deliveries in November and December.

The Emirates Airlines which already received two aircrafts in March wants to increase its fleet through lease and direct purchases by late 2007, making it one of the world's largest 777 operators.

Monson also said that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will also get its first 777-200LR Worldliner in January 2006.

"To-date, four airlines have ordered or announced commitments for the Worldliner — PIA, EVA Airways, Air Canada and Air India. Orders and commitments for the 777-200LR have more than tripled since the airplane was unveiled in February 2005", he said.

He said that the 777-200LR will enable airlines to launch new non-stop flights. "Non-stop travel is set to grow over the next couple of decades and Boeing’s product strategy, which includes the Worldliner, will help airlines leverage this trend. "

Source: aljazeera.com

Plane traveling from Chicago makes emergency landing in Colorado

A United Airlines plane en route to Las Vegas from Chicago declared an emergency and made an unscheduled landing at Pueblo Memorial Airport Wednesday after its crew initially reported smoke in the cockpit, an airport official said.
None of the 156 people aboard Flight 1525 were injured, airport manager Jerry Brienza said. Passengers waited at least four hours for another airplane to arrive.

Find the latest airline industry news in our Flights section.

United did not immediately return a phone message.

Karen Byrd, of the Federal Aviation Administration, said the crew reported a vibration in the cabin. Brienza said the crew reported smelling smoke but later said it was a problem with some avionics equipment in the cockpit.

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m.

Source: The Associated Press

Safety tips for solo travel

Street smarts and safety precautions can be as key to travel plans as tickets and reservations.

Here are some quick safety suggestions for solo travelers this summer from the Women's Travel Club. More are available at www.womenstravelclub.com.

• Hotels: Choose one on a busy, well-trafficked street. Ask for a room on a top floor away from the emergency exit, which someone could pry open.

• Rental cars: If another car hits yours, don't stop until you reach a busy, well-lighted area.

• On the street: Study maps ahead of time so you can stay alert on the street. Dress down, but avoid the sloppy-tourist look, too. Remember to take off name tags after a meeting or conference.

Source: KRT News Service

Travel agencies say Hawaii is hot this summer

Travel agents say Hawaii remains one of the top five U.S. travel destinations this summer, AAA reports.

Travel agency managers cited Hawaii as having one of the most attractive discounts or values for summer travel this year, along with Orlando, Seattle, Las Vegas, and California generally. Hawaii did not make the top five last summer; New York did.

"Despite generally higher prices for gasoline, hotels and other vacation costs, Americans continue to hit the road, rails, skies and sea," said Sandra Hughes, AAA Travel vice president. "Our travel agents expect international travel to remain strong this summer as Americans find ways to go where they want to, when they want to."

Internationally they said the top summer destinations were London, Cancun, Rome, the Caribbean generally, and Montego Bay. Last year the top five were London, Rome, Paris, Vancouver and Ireland.

The survey finds that 69 percent of travel agents are seeing increases in overall summer travel bookings compared to last year despite higher fuel costs, rising hotel rates, and a weak U.S. dollar.

Source: American City Business Journals Inc

Online Travel Shoppers Split Between Airlines, Agency Websites

While more than half of online travel shoppers begin their search with a travel agency, they're evenly split between those sites and ones from airlines when it comes time to book flights, a research firm said Tuesday.
Fully, 54 percent of travel shoppers begin their research at an online travel agency, compared to 37 percent that start with airlines, and 9 percent with a travel meta-search provider, according to Nielsen/NetRatings in its Quarterly Travel Benchmarking Survey.

"The wide selection of travel suppliers drive the majority of travel shoppers to begin their research with agencies and meta-search providers before directly visiting a supplier," Heather Dougherty, senior Internet analyst for Nielsen/NetRatings, said in statement. "At that point, suppliers are in a strong position to capture a potential sale as consumers visit their sites to confirm pricing and frequent flyer benefits before making the final purchase.

"Additionally, the growth of travel meta-search players, such as Kayak and SideStep, provide suppliers with sales opportunities through side-by-side price comparisons with agencies."

With nearly half of all airline ticket sales and reservations conducted online during the last six months, airlines had a stronger record for converting shoppers to buyers, while agencies fared better in drawing visitors to the site for comparison shopping, destination searches and multi-trip bookings.

Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and Delta ranked as the three most visited airline websites during April 2005. Southwest led with 8.1 million unique Web surfers, compared to 5.7 million and 4.9 million that visited American and Delta, respectively, the research firm said. Southwest converted the most "lookers into bookers" with a 14 percent visitor conversion rate, followed by Delta and American with 10 and 9 percent.

Online travel agencies attracted up to twice the number of visitors as airlines during April 2005. Expedia drew 16.3 million unique visitors to its site, with Travelocity and Orbitz ranking as the second and third most popular online travel agency with nearly 12 million each, Nielsen/NetRatings said. Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity secured conversion rates of nearly 5 percent, 4 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Source: InternetWeek

Travel warning for Malaysia

AUSTRALIANS are being warned to avoid travelling to the east coast of the Malaysian state of Sabah amid reports terrorists are planning to kidnap foreigners.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued updated travel advice tonight warning travellers of reports that terrorists were planning kidnapping attacks on foreign tourist resorts.

"Australians are advised to avoid all travel to coastal resorts, islands and dive sites off the east coast of Sabah," DFAT said on its travel advisory website.

"We have received credible reports that terrorists are planning kidnapping attacks targeting resorts frequented by foreigners."

Terrorists in the past have kidnapped foreigners from the eastern part of mainland Sabah, and from islands and sea off its east coast, the department said.

"Kidnapping attacks in other parts of coast and offshore Sabah cannot be ruled out."

Sabah is on the island of Borneo.

Source: theaustralian.news.com.au/

Air India expands operation in Bangladesh

India's state airlines Air India on Saturday launched a new route, flying from New Delhi to Dhaka, then to Kolkata and London.

It will operate six flights on the Delhi-London route every week, Air India officials in Dhaka said.

This is the third long haul flight of the international flag carrier launched from Delhi in the past three months. The other two were Delhi-Frankfurt-Los Angeles and Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto.

Currently, Bangladesh airlines Biman operates two weekly flights to New Delhi, while Biman and Indian Airlines operate several flights between Dhaka and Kolkata daily.

European jetmaker Airbus took the lion's share of a record $50 billion in plane deals announced at the Paris Air Show as it added last-minute transactions worth $3.6 billion on Friday.

Airbus has outsold Boeing Co. by a margin of more than two to one at the world's biggest aviation jamboree, held at Le Bourget this week.

Yet Boeing is beating Airbus in sales this year in the key market for mid-sized planes, and many industry analysts expect it to wrest leadership in overall orders from Airbus in 2005.

In a surprise turnaround, Airbus sales chief John Leahy suggested Airbus would retain its lead in new orders over Boeing, despite forecasts to the contrary from Airbus parent company EADS as well as from Boeing and analysts.

The two rivals reported a record $48.7 billion in air show deals, with Airbus accounting for $33.5 billion and Boeing $15.2 billion, company data and Reuters calculations based on list prices showed.

Smaller companies added to the overall tally, with Brazilian plane-maker Embraer among those landing deals.

The volley of announcements fuelled upbeat forecasts for an industry clambering its way out of a post-2001 recession, with the help of emerging aviation powers including a string of commitments from airlines in India.

Industry analysts said they were impressed with the pace of the turnaround while touring the "chalets" at Le Bourget -- a purpose-built bazaar where executives wine, dine, do business and talk shop every two years.

The Paris show in 2003 was overshadowed by travel fears due to the war in Iraq, a boycott by U.S. military top brass due to tensions with France and an industry downturn.

Commercial aviation pulled out of its steep dive in 2004, but it is only since the dollar also perked up earlier this year that aircraft makers and their suppliers have sounded confident.

"Orders are strong, and dollar pressure has eased somewhat," French bank Exane BNP Paribas said in a note to clients on the air show, adding that high oil prices remained a worry.

Airbus said its deals on Friday included one for 40 of its single-aisle A320 family of planes by an unidentified airline, which would make an announcement soon.

It also sold 18 A319 jets worth $55 million each to low-cost airline germanwings.

An unnamed Saudi buyer snapped up a long-range, four-engine A340-600 jet for private use. It seats 380 passengers, and its $215 million price tag excludes specially fitted interiors.

Chalet War

"Considering all the PR and the statements from the Boeing chalet that they would dominate the market this year, we wanted to point out that we outsold them in every year since 2000 and intend to do so this year," Airbus's Leahy told reporters.

"We maintain our position that our goal is approximately 50 percent of the market."

Leahy hit out at Boeing but was clearly frustrated after EADS Chief Financial Officer Hans Peter Ring suggested early this month that Airbus would lag Boeing in orders in 2005.

Boeing does not forecast orders but has said it expects to be ahead for the first time since 2000.

Boeing effectively conceded the Paris show to Airbus earlier in the week by letting it be known there would be no "blockbuster" deals. Airbus's critics say it deliberately groups together orders to grab a concentrated dose of publicity and point out that many Airbus announcements remain provisional.

The U.S. planemaker announced deals for about 150 planes, of which 88 were firm orders.

That compares with firm orders for 10 Airbus planes out of the 280 planes in deals it announced. Analysts note, however, that the vast majority of tentative commitments do turn into firm orders, usually within six months.

Analysts said Airbus had recovered faster than expected from a months-long onslaught from Boeing in the new and expanding market for mid-sized long-range jets.

Boeing has a strong lead in the lucrative segment, with 266 commitments for its 787 Dreamliner.

Airbus hit back this week with 95 for its planned A350, which it hopes to get board backing to start building later this year.

It expects a board decision on the 4.5 billion euro ($5.5 billion) programme in September, a delay which Airbus Chief Executive Noel Forgeard said this week was prompted in part by a desire to cool a major international trade row over aircraft subsidies with Boeing.

Three flights a week will cater for the growing numbers of Sikhs and Punjabis travelling to their ancestral homes from North America and the UK.

The first 10 flights from Raja Sansi airport are sold out, officials say.

The service is expected to boost religious tourism around the Sikhs' holiest shrine, the Golden Temple.

Airport makeover

Sunday's inaugural flight was flagged off by the federal civil aviation minister, Praful Patel, and Punjab's chief minister, Capt Amarinder Singh.

The Punjabi community has long demanded a direct air connection between their home state and Western countries where a large number of them are settled.

To handle the increased air traffic, the airport at Amritsar is being given a $15m makeover which includes a new terminal building and modern landing aids.

Air India's Regional Director for India, Capt PP Singh, told the BBC that "the response has been huge".

As well as the first 10 flights already selling out, "there are heavy bookings for subsequent days".

'Prosperity'

One woman visiting Punjab from her home in New York, Rubina Boparai, said: "All this is most exciting. I am now waiting for the day when I will be able to fly directly to New York from Amritsar and be spared the harassment of a day-long drive to Delhi."

Kirpal Singh Duggal, a frequent traveller to the UK, said: "It is like flying directly from one home to another."

Mr Patel said the new flight would initiate a phase of growth and prosperity in Punjab.

He said the Amritsar-Toronto service would soon be upgraded to a daily one and in the coming months, both Air India and the state's domestic carrier, Indian Airlines, would start other passenger and cargo services from the city.

Services will also be extended to include new, budget Air India Express flights from Amritsar to the Gulf countries and other Western destinations.

Air India currently caters approximately 44 destinations throughought the world. It also has code-sharing agreements with many international airlines to expand coverage. The airline ferried 3.39 million passengers during the financial year ending March 2003 and achieved a load factor of 71.6 per cent, substantially higher than the 66 per cent load factor recorded in the preceding year. The airline strives to achieve the best in-flight standards and receives a 4 star rating for cabin safety procedures from skytrax airline quality review.

Three classes of seats are offered - First class, Executive class and Economy class. Flat bed seats are offered for first class passengers. The airline also offers a frequent flyer programme alone and in collaboration with many of its alliances. The airline also offers luxury lounges in its ground terminals for its First and Executive class travellers in select destinations within India.

Air-India has duty free sale on board its flights effective June 1, 2003 named 'sky bazaar', meaning Market in the sky. Air India has recently placed a order for 50 Boeing Dreamliner Aircrafts . The contract is worth more than 6 billion US $ and will make Air India one of the largest air carriers in Asia .

Cargo Operations

In 1954, Air-India commenced its freighter operations with a DC3 Dakota aircraft, giving Air-India the distinction of being the first Asian airline to operate freighters. Currently, the airline operates regular Cargo flights to many destinations of the world. The airline also has ground truck-transportation arrangements on select destinations.

An active member of IATA, Air-India carries all types of cargo including dangerous goods (hazardous materials) and live animals, provided such shipments are tendered according to IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and IATA Live Animals Regulations, respectively.

At the warehouse in Mumbai, Air India has developed an indigenous system of inventory management for cargo handling of import/export functions. This takes care of the entire management of cargo, supports Electronic Data Interface (EDI) messages with Indian Customs and replaces to a great extent existing paper correspondence between Customs, Airlines, and the custodians. This also replaces manual handling and binning of cargo at the warehouse in Mumbai by Air India.

As it symbolises movement and speed, the Centaur, a stylised version of Sagittarius, was selected as Air-India's logo.

Air India's mascot, the Maharaja, is a turban clad king with over-sized moustache and a royal dress. "He may look like royalty, but he isn't royal" - these are the words of Bobby Kooka, the man who conceived the Maharajah. This figure first made his appearance in Air-India way back in 1946, when Bobby Kooka as Air-India's Commercial Director and Umesh Rao, an artist with J.Walter Thompson Ltd., Mumbai, together created the Maharajah.

Fleet

As of May 2005 the airline has the following fleet:

· BOEING B777-200 - 3

· BOEING B747-400 - 12

· BOEING B747-200 - 2

· BOEING B747-300 - 2

· AIRBUS A310-300 - 19 (+3 to be delivered June-July 2005)

· BOEING B737-800 - 3

Future Plans

Air-India has registered a profit of Rs 133.85 crores (Approx USD 30 Millions) in the financial year ending March 31, 2003, after taking into account the deferred tax benefit. In the year 2002, it recorded a net profit of Rs 15.44 crores. Air-India earned a total revenue of Rs 5658 crores (Approx USD 1.26 Billions) in 2002-03 as against Rs 5017 crores (Approx USD 1.1 Billions) in the previous year. The airline has ambitious plans to expand its network and acquire new aircraft. The newly elected Government of India has appointed Mr.Praful Patel, as the Minister for Civil Aviation who plans to make the airline "A Maharaja of the Skies ". It is planning to buy 50 Long range planes in the time frame of next 10 years. Boeing, with its Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 are in the cards. As of December 2004, Air India has leased 3 Boeing 777s from United Airlines. The first of the three is on its way to India, which will be put in Mumbai-London operations. Air India has started a new operation linking Toronto , Amritsar and New Delhi .

History

Air India traces its roots back to October 15, 1932 when its founder, J. R. D. Tata flew a single engined De Havilland Puss Moth registed VT-ADN carrying air mail from Karachi's Drigh Road Aerodrome to Bombay's Juhu Airstrip via Ahmedabad. The aircraft continued to Madras via Bellary piloted by a Royal Air Force pilot named Neville Vincent.

That same year, the airline was formally established as Tata Airlines, a division of Tata Sons Ltd. (now Tata Group), the large Indian industrial house. Following the end of World War II, regular commercial service was restored in India and Tata Airlines was converted into a public company under the name Air India in 1946.

1948 was a very significant year in the history of the airline as 49% of the airline was acquired by the Government of India, with an option to purchase an additional 2% at any time. In return, the airline was granted status to operate international services from India as the designated flag carrier under the name Air India International.

On June 8, 1948 a Lockheed Constellation L-749A named Malabar Princess and registered VT-CQP took off from Bombay bound for London via Cairo and Geneva. This marked the airline's first longhaul international flight, soon followed by service to Nairobi via Aden.

In 1953, the Government of India chose to exercise its option to purchase a majority stake in the carrier and Air India International Limited was born as one of the fruit of the Air Corporations Act that nationalised the air transportation industry.

In 1954, the airline took delivery of its first L-1049 Super Constellations and inaugurated services to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Air India International entered the jet age in 1960 as its first Boeing 707 named Nandadevi and registered VT-DJJ was delivered. Jet service to New York via London was inaugurated that same year. On June 8, 1962 the airline's name was officially truncated to its current form of Air India. On June 11, 1962 Air India became the world's first all-jet airline.

In 1970, Air India moved its offices into its own custom built skyscraper in downtown Bombay. The next year, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747-200 named Emperor Ashoka and registered VT-EBD. This coincided with the introduction of the 'Palace In The Sky' livery and branding.

In 1986, Air India made the decision to supplement its fleet with Airbus A310s and began to accept delivery of these aircraft later that year. The airline would later become (and remains today) the world's largest operator of this type in passenger service. In 1988, Air India also took delivery of two Boeing 747-300s in mixed passenger-cargo configuration.

747-400

In 1989, to supplant its "Flying Palace" livery, Air India introduced a new livery that was mostly white but had a golden sun on a red tail. However, that livery, which was applied to only about half of Air India's fleet, was never very popular, especially among Air India employees, and it lasted only four years.

In 1993, Air India took delivery of the new flagship of its fleet when the first Boeing 747-400 named Konark and registered VT-ESM made history by operating the first ever nonstop flight between New York and Delhi. In 1996, the airline inaugurated service to its second US gateway at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. In 1999, the airline opened its dedicated Terminal 2-C at the newly renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.

The 21st century has seen Air India introduce new service to Shanghai in China, as well as two new US gateways at Newark Liberty International Airport and LAX.

In March 2004, Air India started non-stop flights from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to London, Heathrow, making it the 3rd station from India (after Mumbai and Delhi).

In December 2004, Air India leased three Boeing 777-222ER aircraft from United Airlines, using them on the Bombay-London route. One was delivered by December 2004, while the other two are expected to be delivered by mid-January 2005.

Source: Independent-Bangladesh.com

InterGlobe to launch low-cost airline in India

Continuing its spree of big announcements, InterGlobe Enterprises has announced its plans of launching IndiGo, an Indian low cost airline venture. InterGlobe is a diversified Indian multinational corporation with significant presence in aviation management, travel technology, travel distribution services and hospitality industries. (6/21/2005)

The venture is being jointly promoted by InterGlobe Enterprises and aviation industry professional Rakesh Gangwal, and IndiGo has committed for 100 firm A320 family aircraft with Airbus. The nation-wide low-cost airline expected to be launched late this year or early next year, has come up with largest firm order placed by a domestic airline, with deal with Airbus worth US$6billion .

Airbus said it had received a letter of intent for the purchase of 100 A320 planes from IndiGo. This announcement follows the orders placed by private Indian carriers like Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and the yet-to-be-launched Paramount Airways.

As per the information available, in the first year of its operation, IndiGo plans to connect 17 cities across the country, with a target of flying two million passengers. The local media says IndiGo plans to start operations with six carriers - depending on delivery schedule by Airbus - and further enhance it to 18 over a two-year period. The airline plans to employ the full fleet of 100 carriers over eight-year period. Over the first two years of operation, InterGlobe Aviation, plans to invest up to US$91 million, with plans to break-even in 15 months.

In the recent past, InterGlobe introduced ITQ (InterGlobe Technology Quotient), which is being termed as India’s pioneering operational technology consultant and converged solutions provider for the travel industry. ITQ will evaluate current technologies capabilities, recommend solutions and implement them across travel agents, airlines, cruises, hotels, tourism bureaus, car rental companies, portals and corporations in India.

The second initiative is the launch of InterGlobe Hotels, a JV with Accor Asia Pacific to develop a series of Ibis brand economy hotels across India and South Asia.

“The new ventures (ITQ and JV with Accor) have broadened the operating boundaries of InterGlobe and we are constantly in the process of identifying new goals and horizons,” said InterGlobe.

Source: eyefortravel.com

Dubai group plans to run 40 luxury hotels

Dubai's state-owned firm Jumeirah, which boasts the world's only seven-star hotel, announced Tuesday an ambition plan to own or manage 40 luxurious hotels at home and abroad within the next five years.

"We want to run 40 hotels nationally and internationally" within five years, Jumeirah chief executive officer Gerald Lawless told a press conference during which the firm said it would run 14 hotels at home and 25 others abroad.

"We want to develop a global super-brand ... to create the world's most luxurious hotel group," said the head of the hotels firm which owns one of Dubai's main landmarks, the sail-shaped Burj al-Arab luxury hotel.

"We want to be a player on the world stage," said Jumeirah chief sales and marketing officer Bill Walshe.

Jumeirah, created in 1997, currently owns six luxury hotels in Dubai and two in London.

Lawless said planned to run hotels in Sydney, New York, Beijing, Shanghai as well as in South Africa, the Maldives and Mauritius. Jumeirah is part of the state holding firm Dubai Holding which runs mega projects aimed at turning the affluent Gulf emirate into a business and leisure hub.

Source: AFP

Local Airlines to Halt Service to Phuket

The nation¡¯s two flag carriers, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, will suspend their operations to Phuket, Thailand, next week.

The Construction and Transportation Ministry said yesterday that the airlines applied for closures of operations to the resort island due to a decrease in the number of passengers, and the applications were admitted.

Korean Air will scrap its Seoul-Phuket route on June 29, and the Pusan-Phuket route on June 30. Asiana Airlines will also stop operating its flights between Seoul and Phuket on June 28.

The decision to stop the operations came from a decline in the number of passengers to Phuket, especially honeymooners, as people still feel reluctant to visit the island, which was hit by a deadly tsunami.

The tsunami, which struck Southeast Asian countries last December, claimed 5,400 lives, mainly those in southern Thailand including Phuket, and some 2,800 are still missing.

The two airlines began operating charter flights between Seoul and Phuket in 2002. Asiana Airlines started two regular flights per week for the route last July, while Korean Air also launch two weekly services last September.

Korean Air also provided service between Pusan and Phuket since last October.

The route had been popular, especially among newlyweds, with boarding rate on Seoul-Phuket flights reaching 98 percent in July 2004, 99 percent in August, 97 percent in September, 94 percent in October, 92 percent in November, and 76 percent last December.

But the two carriers had suspended operations since the end of last year after the giant wave from the earthquake brought catastrophe to large areas of the tourist destination.

Those planning to travel to Phuket will be able to use the flights of Orient Thai Airlines, which operates two weekly services between Seoul and Phuket. Phuket Air will also start operating two flights per week on July 16.

Korean Air plans to resume its operations on Oct. 2 and Asiana Airlines in the middle of December.

Source: Kim Rahn - koreatimes.co.kr

Microjet taxis may transform travel

If the nation's 429 commercial airports are too crowded, there is an alternative, aviation visionaries say: using a new generation of microjets, with two engines and just five or six seats, as air taxis or charters to connect the 5,400 airports scattered around the country that now have no scheduled service at all.

It may be a Buck Rogers fantasy, or it may be the early phase of a new transportation network of point-to-point travel between little-known cities like this one.

Using new or improved technology, including satellites and on-board computers, to handle air traffic at places with no control towers and to provide better navigation support than airliners receive at big airports, the new mode of transportation could be safe and reliable, say advocates for the new generation of technologies, known as the Small Aircraft Transportation System. Following the inevitable tradition of aviation, it is known by its acronym, SATS.

"The only thing small about SATS is the size of the aircraft," said Marion C. Blakey, who heads the Federal Aviation Administration. "The system itself holds enormous potential for the way we fly as a nation."

The aviation agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, half a dozen universities and a variety of private companies showed off possibilities at a three-day technology demonstration here this month. One of the more audacious was a robot air traffic controller, essentially a computer box on the ground that receives requests for permission to land from planes a few miles away. The computer system, devised by NASA, gives the planes a number in the queue.

The system is said to be able to manage 12 to 15 takeoffs and landings an hour, even in bad visibility. At the moment, many small airports are lucky to see four takeoffs or landings an hour, especially when the weather is poor.

Source: MATTHEW L. WALD - New York Times News Service

Airbus wins $6bn order from India

India's skies are filling up with new private airlines

Fledgling Indian budget airline IndiGo has ordered 100 A320 jets from Airbus, the European planemaker said.
Although Airbus did not reveal the agreed price, the catalogue value of the planes is $6bn (£3.29bn).

IndiGo is not yet flying. Airbus said the new airline has "high-quality executives" and was sure to be "a successful new player".

Airbus also received orders for 20 A320s from Brazil's TAM and a further 10 from Mexico's ABC Aerolineas.

TAM also signed a non-binding commitment for 10 of the group's A350 planes which it hopes to launch later this year.

But, Indian airlines have emerged as big buyers at this year's Paris Air Show placing orders worth roughly $12bn.

India's strong economic growth has boosted the market for internal travel - both business and leisure - and the budget airline business model is catching on rapidly there.

New battleground

Industry analysts believe the India's aviation market is poised for 20% annual growth as private airlines multiply.

Both Airbus and rival US planemaker Boeing have benefited from big Indian orders at the Paris Air Show.

Boeing won an order from Jet Airways for at least 20 planes with a catalogue value of $2.8bn, made up of 737-800s and 777s.

Kingfisher, another low-cost carrier backed by beer magnate Vijay Mallya, ordered 15 aircraft worth up to $3bn from Airbus.

IndiGo is being backed by travel company InterGlobe Enterprises, and by entrepreneur Rakesh Gangwal, who was president and chief executive of US Airways until 2001.

"IndiGo is the result of extensive analysis and planning by very experienced airline executives and we're convinced it will be a successful new player," said Airbus chief executive Noel Forgeard.

BOEING v AIRBUS ORDERS
* Qatar Airways - 20 Boeing 777s worth $4.6bn
* Qatar Airways - up to 60 Airbus A350s worth $10.6bn
* ILF - 20 Boeing planes, including next generation 737, in $2.9bn deal
* Kingfisher - to buy "multiple" Airbus aircraft in a deal worth $2.5bn
* Jet Airways - 20 Boeing planes worth more than $2.8bn
* Jet Airways - 10 Airbus A330s for $1.5bn
* GECAS - 20 next generation Boeing 737s worth $1.1bn
* GECAS - 10 Airbus A350s worth $1.6bn
* ALAFCO -12 Airbus A350s worth $2.5bn
* IndiGo - 100 Airbus A320s in $6bn deal
* TAM - 20 A320s and eight A350s
* ABC Aerolineas - 10 Airbus A320s

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk

Airlines test water-vapor sensing system

The day may come when aircraft collect water-vapor data around the world and weather balloons become a thing of the past, Colorado researchers say.

An air sampler developed by the University Corp. for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colo., plus a diode laser developed by SpectraSensors Inc., San Dimas, Calif., make up the Water Vapor Sensing System II, or WVSS II.

Water vapor sounds boring, but it's essential to almost everything that happens in the atmosphere, said retired researcher Rex Fleming, who designed the air sampler that also received U.S. federal funding.

Better water-vapor data can improve a host of weather-related forecasts -- including sudden storms that the Federal Aviation Administration estimates cost the U.S. airline industry $1 billion a year -- and long-term climate changes.

This month, 25 United Parcel Service aircraft based in Louisville, Ky., are comparing WVSS II data with that from traditional weather balloons and satellites, said the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Other U.S. airlines as well as airlines in Australia, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa will also test WVSS II.

Source: Big News Network

US extends biometric passport deadline

Washington has officially announced it will extend the deadline for visa-free EU countries to introduce biometric passports.

US officials informed a summit of G8 justice and home affairs ministers in Sheffield, UK, on Wednesday (15 June) that the deadline was to be put back.

The decision marks a significant shift in US policy, as authorities had earlier warned they would not extend the deadline for the second time.

Under the ruling, the 27 states that enjoy visa-free travel to the US will have one extra year to introduce full-scale biometric passports, according to the Financial Times.

They were orginally supposed to start issuing documents with special microchips containing genetic information about the passport holders by 26 October, or face visa obligations when entering the US.

But due to pressure from the American travel industry and the European Commission, Washington has agreed to accept passports with digital photos, as a substitute for biometric data.

It is still not clear what kind of provisions will be set for France and Italy, the only two countries still using laminated pictures for their citizens' travel documents.

Officials last night confimed that the French and Italian issue had been "addressed and resolved", while not making it clear if the two states would be granted visa-free access after October or not.

Source: euobserver.com

Luxury Marco Beach Ocean Resort Aims at 5th Diamond, Leverages The Concierge Assistant

Guest service streamlined by tapping guest histories to anticipate individual tastes, delight visitors

If you are flying to Southern Florida in your Gulfstream V executive jet and need a luxury 4-Diamond resort with an award winning chef and, by the way, a nearby airfield big enough to accommodate your plane, the Marco Beach Ocean Resort will probably be where you spend the night.

Marco Beach Ocean Resort is a 100-suite independent destination on Florida’s Marco Island built by the Gulf Bay Group of Companies to 5-Star, 5-Diamond standards. The property --with its own private Fiddler’s Creek golf club and deep-draft marina -- opened only eight months ago and already has one of the highest ratings Triple A grants and aims higher. Phillip Starling, Marco Beach Ocean Resort’s managing director, said, “We offer one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. With our entire management team experienced in operating luxury properties, our goal is to earn the AAA 5-Diamond designation soon as possible. At the top of the luxury market the differentiator is guest service; that is our focus. We stock guests’ rooms with their favorite foods and beverages, contact them before and after their stay, and track each person’s interests and activities in the property’s Concierge Assistant software system.”

“What attracted us to The Concierge Assistant was that it gives us power over our guest history information and puts that data to work in ways no property management system could,” said Starling. “The guest profiles we build in our concierge system contain all past stay information, as well as their off-property transportation requests, favorite restaurants, and travel details. We could even include a digital photo of the guest in their file to boost guest recognition. This is a tool that lets us know what guests will want before they ask, and is a key tool as we work toward earning our fifth diamond.”

Guest data is secured

The property’s guest service team contacts guests prior to their arrival to help plan their visit and ensure their itinerary of events is known by the resort. “We log each guest’s activities in The Concierge Assistant software; already knowing what they enjoy lets us offer suggestions that are tailored to their unique preferences. The system runs on the property’s networked server so all appropriate staff members can access a guest’s data at anytime; this guarantees we can answer questions from any touch point in the resort. Also, since The Concierge Assistant is property-based we do not have to worry about hackers or identity theft over the Internet.”

To provide the utmost in convenience the Marco Beach Ocean Resort contracts with a luggage transport company that picks up guests’ luggage at their homes and ships it directly to the property, relieving visitors of delays associated with airport security. “Our goal is to provide guests with a stress-free travel experience,” said Starling. “Our managers personally call each guest during their stay to judge the service they are receiving. Visitors tell us they relish being here more than at a larger flagged hotel because we make them feel important.” The resort also uses a ‘cartless’ housekeeping service and staff that operates from centralized closets to eliminate clutter in hallways, just as their guest services software eliminates clutter at the concierge desk.

One item at the top of most guest interest lists at the Marco Beach Ocean Resort is the property’s signature restaurant, Sale e Pepe. Featuring Northern Italian cuisine, its master chef, Alberto Varetto, who was featured at the James Beard Foundation, flies in ingredients directly from Italy to create a stunning dining experience. “Guests love Sale e Pepe and its 3,000-bottle wine cellar; which we just learned will be given an award in the August issue of Wine Spectator,” explained Starling. The property also offers relaxed dining at the Gator Grill at its Fiddler’s Creek golf club, as well as waterfront dining at Backwater Nick’s at the private Isle of Capri Marina. “When guests first reserve with us we create a personal profile for them in The Concierge Assistant system that tracks their dining preferences, on property and off, as well as, favorite tee times, and individual spa treatments,” Starling said. “We focus on customized service, name recognition and surpassing guest expectations. In addition to vacationing guests, we host many executive groups who value our high-tech meeting facilities and the wide variety of venues and activities we offer.”

Marco Beach Ocean Resort provides meeting space for professional and social groups of up to 100 attendees and prides itself in delivering the highest quality working environment for visiting business people. To host large parties in style for special occasions the resort features its beautiful Gulf Ballroom on the beach facing the ocean. “Many groups prefer to fly directly in to Marco Island’s large private airfield, attend meetings, and play golf, take cruises, or fish after their business is wrapped up,” said managing director Phillip Starling. “Some companies buy out one of our restaurants one evening, and then have other events offsite at Fiddler’s Creek or the marina on subsequent days. We provide limo service from our own company to maintain the highest service level and flexibility. Some luxury properties offer a ‘Club Level’ with special consideration for their highest-rated guests; we provide that level of service for all our guests.”

In a surprise move the property intentionally hired 60 percent of its line staff without previous hotel experience so the management team could train them to its own high standards for refined service and create an atmosphere of friendliness. The Concierge Assistant reinforces that care by automating most guest service activities and reporting, thus creating orderliness and accuracy throughout the concierge process, and greatly reducing report generation activity for management oversight. “We are using technology to standardize the highest quality of guest service,” concluded Starling.


At HITEC 2005 in Los Angeles be sure to visit the Gold Key Solutions team at Booth 240 to receive a complete demonstration of The Concierge Assistant.


About The Marco Beach Ocean Resort
Perfectly situated on the Gulf of Mexico, Marco Beach Ocean Resort opened in 2001 bringing world class service and exquisite dining to Southwest Florida. Rated 4-Diamonds by AAA, it is one of Florida’s most luxurious beach resorts and a member of Preferred Hotels and ResortsÒ Worldwide. The all-suite independent hotel offers 84 luxurious one-bedroom and 15 elegant two-bedroom suites on the beach. All units are equipped with high thread-count European feather bedding, rich wood furnishings, kitchens, luxurious marble showers with separate bathtubs, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors. Spacious balconies from many suites command sweeping panoramic views of the blue green water of the Gulf of Mexico. A concierge is on duty 24 hours a day, and maid service is provided twice daily with turn down service. Guests are invited to enjoy the fitness facilities, personal fitness training, sauna and steam rooms, as well as an array of massages, body therapies and facials. Formal dining at the resort is truly a transporting experience. The recently opened Sale e Pepe restaurant transports guests to the ancient hills of Tuscany and the savory regions of the Southern Italy. The enchanting Toulouse Lounge enables guests to relax with cocktails and to dream about turn-of-the century Paris, while admiring the reproductions of this great French artist. Beachside and poolside bars are never far away dispensing cool refreshments.

About Gold Key Solutions
Gold Key Solutions’ The Concierge Assistant improves guest services and staff communication by creating orderliness and accuracy throughout the entire Concierge process for hotels of all types. The Windows-based software application increases staff efficiency and reduces expenses by automating all guest services activities and reporting, allowing managers to put in place a standard of excellence that may be continually refined. The Concierge Assistant is used by over 170 full-service Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Hyatt, Starwood, St. Regis, and other high-end properties. The Concierge Assistant is also employed by many residential living properties and by personal assistant and professional concierge companies to optimize services to each client.

Source: Hotel News Resource

USC Health Thought Prescription for Travel

Along with the extra socks, suntan lotion and hiking boots packed in the suitcases of travelers this summer, care should be taken to remember adequate or even extra doses of medications needed while traveling.

Kari Trotter Wall, Pharm.D., director of the USC University Park Campus Pharmacy, advises travelers on “maintenance medications” such as those to regulate blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes or birth control, to plan ahead.

“Talk with the insurance benefits office to verify if they allow multiple months' supply of medications in the event of traveling,” says Trotter Wall. “The pharmacy may also be able to help patients determine if their insurance plan will cover a multiple month supply should they not have access to a pharmacy while traveling.”

Trotter Wall advises investigating these options at least two weeks before departing for the trip, in the event of any problems.

A second option for people vacationing away from home within the United States for more than a month is to transfer prescriptions between pharmacies over the phone. This enables them to be refilled on schedule at a pharmacy nearby.

Trotter Wall also recommends seeking pre-travel advice from a traveler's clinic or physician, particularly if you will be leaving the country. “Most travelers are exposed to diseases in other countries and become ill when a little pre-travel information and proper precautions could have avoided it.”

During travel, particularly if it is by plane, Trotter Wall advises keeping all medications in a carryon bag that you can keep close at hand. She also reminds people to read the instructions on the medications for proper storage.

“Some medications warrant refrigeration, so for those items it is good to check with the flight attendants to see if they can store items that absolutely need to be refrigerated,” says Trotter Wall.

It is also important to keep prescription drugs in their original containers. “For international travel, customs agents may at times be leery of the pill box with unlabeled medications,” says Trotter Wall.

In the event of a lost medication, travelers within the U.S. can call their home pharmacies to have their prescription transferred nearby, however they may have to pay for the replacement (unless their insurance has a provision for lost medications). International travelers may need to visit a travel clinic in the region for a new prescription, if their medications are available in the countries in which they are vacationing.

“If you are traveling internationally, it is best to treat your medications like you do your passport. Guard them carefully,” says Trotter Wall. “It is always a good idea to travel with a list of your current medications' doses and your physician's name and phone number.”

source: www.usc.edu

Arab airlines plan Arabesk alliance

Sabre Airline Solutions and the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO), in close coordination with six Arab airlines, are studying the creation of a new ground-breaking alliance.

Egypt Air, Gulf Air, Middle East Airlines, Oman Air, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines are participating in the study to create "Arabesk," the first airline alliance that coordinates the schedules of six close competitors.

The goal of creating this pan-Arab alliance is to provide financial benefits that the carriers could not achieve individually. According to Sabre, the benefits of such an alliance could be achieved by providing better separation of services, reducing the duplication of capacity, linking networks and destinations, generating market demand through improved customer connectivity and maximising capacity through route sharing and rationalisation. The combined network of the six carriers totals over 5,000 departures each week reaching from North America to the Far East, giving vast potential to the alliance.

Arabesk is being created on a strong analysis base. Sabre Airline Solutions is using its AirFlite suite of advanced network analysis tools, including Schedule Manager, Profit Manager and Fleet Manager in order to optimise the schedules of the six participating carriers.

In addition, Sabre Airline Solutions is using its unique data sources, including its Global Demand Dataset ('GDD') to ensure that the forecasted benefits are achieved. 'Our tools are being used in an innovative manner to create one 'virtual schedule' that combines the networks of the participating carriers. By optimising this schedule, the most profitable network for all of the carriers can be determined. The establishment of the Middle Eastern virtual alliance further expands Sabre Airline Solutions' presence in the region following recent contract announcements with Gulf Air, Egypt Air and Oman Air.

The step comes as a preparation to face an increase in European carrier operations. Middle Eastern airlines are coming under fire for their funding, financing and business practices, and European airlines might soon be offered more flights to the Gulf region as compensation, an industry onlooker said.

Missing from the Arabesk initiative is Emirates airlines, which was expected to order 50 widebody aircraft at the Paris Air Show, which is currently underway at Le Bourget in the north of the French capital, and whose fleet expansion will intensify calls from the industry for Gulf area countries to allow more competition in their regional aviation sector and for the airlines to be privatised, he added.

Al Diar Hotels and Etihad Airways stage joint promotion

Al Diar Hotels and Etihad Airways stage joint promotion Abu Dhabi, 15 June05 (WAM) - Al Diar hotels and resorts, part of Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH), has joined forces with Etihad Airways to offer guests free round-trip tickets to any of Etihad Airways' destinations.

Guests checking in at any Al Diar hotels between June 15, and August 31, will be automatically entered into a daily raffle to win air tickets to any of the airline's 17 destinations. These include Amman, Bahrain, Bangkok, Beirut, London and Delhi. Guests will also enjoy 50 per cent off normal room rates at all Al Diar hotels and resorts during the special summer promotion.

Khalfan Al Shamsi, Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Abu Dhabi National Hotels said: "Last year's joint promotion was extremely successful, so we decided to team up again with Etihad Airways to offer our guests the best possible value for this summer. To make this year's promotion extra special, we are inviting winners to choose their own destination served by Etihad - so that's yet another reason to choose Al Diar and enjoy the hospitality and service we are famous for!" The ADNH promotion runs at all eight Al Diar hotels and resorts in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah (Al Diar Sands Hotel, Mina Hotel, Regency Hotel, Palm Hotel, Gulf Hotel and resort, Capital Hotel, Dana Hotel and Siji Hotel).

Al Diar is part of the Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) group.

Manfred P. Simons, Director of Hotel Operations, Abu Dhabi National Hotels, said: "We are proud of our association with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE. Our capital is a diverse and vibrant city, it is growing rapidly as a destination for business and pleasure." Established in November 2003 as the national carrier of the UAE, Etihad is fast becoming one of the elite international airlines.

Raymond Korban, General Manager, South Gulf, Etihad Airways said: "Etihad Airways looks forward to again welcoming the winners of its summer promotional offer with Al Diar hotels and resorts.

"Etihad Airways has expanded rapidly since its launch and now serves 17 destinations in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Our success shows that guests recognise the premium experience they receive when flying with Etihad," added Korban.

Source: WAM/MAB 19 53 CCCCQQE

MAS honoured with Skytrax five-star rating

National carrier Malaysia Airlines has been given a five-star rating by an international aviation-ranking organisation, one of four accorded this honour by Skytrax.

The Skytrax World Airlines Star Ranking programme covering 375 airlines from across the globe emphasises front-line product and service, particularly in international flight operations.

Other core areas include airport service, onboard product amenities and cabin seating comfort, onboard catering and cabin staff service.

In a statement, Skytrax marketing director Peter Miller said MAS’ marketing tagline of “Going beyond expectations” was well portrayed by its front line staff and was the defining element of the elevation to its status as a five-star airline.

“MAS cabin staff service is renowned as one of the world’s best – it has the required hallmarks of efficiency.

“But what sets it apart is a distinctive charm and character of service that is so reflective of the Malaysian culture.

“We are pleased to welcome MAS into this exclusive group that represents the very best of air travel today,” Miller said.

The other three airlines given five-star rating are Cathay Pacific Airways, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines.

Source: thestar.com.my

Row looming between Dublin Airport and airlines

A row is looming between Dublin airport and the airlines over the cost of security.

The airport authority is seeking €3m from the airlines which it says it is owed because of increased security measures since 9/11.

The airlines contend that the cost of additional checks is covered by general airport charges.

The matter is now expec