Double Points, Double Miles for IHG's Priority Club Members

InterContinental Hotels Group has launched a promotion which gives its Priority Club members with double Priority Club points or double air miles at any InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites for stays between 16 May and 15 August 2011.

To participate in the promotion, Priority Club members must register online and earn double beginning with the second stay except at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites where double points begin with the first stay.

U.S. Visitors Top Royal Wedding Flights

British  Airways  says  it  will  be  carrying  more  than  250,000  people  into  London  next  week  ahead  of  the  Royal  Wedding  celebrations.

The  event  is  proving  a  huge  draw  for  tourists  from  the  USA  in  particular,  with  the  top  six  busiest  routes  into  London  proving  to  be  New  York,  Boston,  Washington,  Los  Angeles,  Miami  and  San  Francisco.

Scotland  leads  the  way  for  short  haul  travel  with  flights  from  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow  very  full.

Germanwings Chooses Travelport E-Ticket Database Technology

Travelport  has  signed  a  new  airline  IT  services  agreement  with  Germanwings,  the  growing  low-cost  carrier  owned  by  Deutsche  Lufthansa  AG  and  based  in  Cologne,  Germany.

Germanwings  has  implemented  the  Travelport  ETDBase,  a  leading  e-ticket  database  hosting  service  in  use  by  airlines  globally  to  store  and  manage  electronic  ticket  data  for  online  and  interline  e-ticketing.

For  the  first  time,  the  Travelport  ETDBase  gives  Germanwings  the  ability  to  accept  electronic  tickets  plated  by  Lufthansa  Airlines  and  its  accredited  travel  agencies  for  travel  on  Germanwings-operated  flights.

Suntec Singapore’s Green Power

In  less  than  one  and  a  half  years  since  embarking  on  a  new  and  green  initiative  to  convert  used  cooking  oil  to  biodiesel,  Suntec  Singapore  has  recycled  more  than  15,200  litres  of  cooking  oil,  which  if  not  properly  disposed  of,  could  contaminate  up  to  304  million  litres  of  water.  This  is  an  impressive  increase  of  90%  since  June  2009.

As  part  of  Suntec  Singapore’s  corporate  social  responsibility  (CSR)  efforts,  its  kitchen  hands  pitched  in  their  part  for  the  environment  when  it  reduced  its  net  carbon  footprint  by  13,879.07  kg  of  carbon  dioxide  last  year.

Shangri-La Opens Third Hotel in Inner Mongolia

Shangri-La  has  expanded  its  growing  portfolio  of  hotels  in  the  region  with  the  opening  of  the  Shangri-La  Hotel,  Manzhouli.

The  city  in  northeast  China  shares  a  54-kilometre  border  with  Russia  and  is  China’s  busiest  land  port  entry.  Shangri-La  Hotel,  Manzhouli  is  the  group’s  third  hotel  in  Inner  Mongolia  following  its  sister  properties  in  Huhhot  and  Baotou.

Shangri-La  Hotel,  Manzhouli  is  a  short  stroll  from  the  main  shopping  and  entertainment  district,  20  minutes  from  the  airport  and  within  a  five-minute  drive  of  the  railway  station.

Nobu Hotel Planned for Abu Dhabi

Reem  Investments  has  signed  a  non-binding  letter  of  intent  with  Nobu  Hospitality  to  operate  and  manage  the  planned  Nobu  Hotel  at  Najmat,  Reem  Island,  Abu  Dhabi.

The  development  will  occupy  a  prime  position  on  Najmat  Marina  and  Canal,  delivering  panoramic  views  of  the  Abu  Dhabi  skyline.

Guests  will  have  exclusive  access  to  a  variety  of  destination  dining  and  entertainment  facilities  in  addition  to  a  Nobu  Restaurant,  as  well  as  a  private  beach.

Australians Dominate Phuket Cricket Sixes

Finals  Day  of  the  2011  Phuket  International  Cricket  Sixes  took  place  on  Sunday  in  glorious  sunshine  and  soaring  temperatures,  interrupted  only  briefly  by  a  tropical  downpour  at  Karon  Stadium  in  Phuket,  Thailand.

The  finale  of  the  Spoon  Division  brought  together  two  Australian  teams,  the  Cockatoos  from  Adelaide  and,  making  their  debut  at  the  Sixes,  the  Gold  Coast  Falcons  from  Queensland.  The  Cockatoos  featured  former  Australian  national  team  captain  Karen  Rolton,  and  she  took  to  the  wayward  Falcons  bowling  immediately  in  a  brief  and  breezy  innings  of  20  not  out  off  just  4  balls  before  retiring.  Eddy  was  also  in  bludgeoning  mood  as  he  also  retired  having  made  21,  the  Cockatoos  posting  75  without  loss.  The  Falcons  were  pegged  back  by  accurate  ‘Toos  bowling,  particularly  by  Treens,  Karen  Rolton  and  Rah  Rah,  and  although  Zaac  retired  on  20  not  out  the  Falcons  ended  their  run  chase  with  45,  giving  the  Adelaide  outfit  the  win  and  the  silverware.

Cathay Pacific Updates Japan Flight Schedules

Cathay  Pacific  has  unveiled  its  latest  flight  schedules  to  and  from  Japan  for  the  period  16  April  to  31  May  2011.

Tokyo

•  CX524  HK-Narita  (daily)  will  stay  cancelled  until  31  May  except  28/29  April  and  5/8  May
•  CX501  Narita-HK  (daily)  will  be  cancelled  except  28/29  April  and  5  May  and  will  resume  from  7  May
•  CX509  Narita-HK  (daily)  will  be  cancelled  from  9  May  to  31  May

Qatar Airways to Launch Dedicated Cargo Services on Three Routes

Qatar Airways Cargo is to launch dedicated freighter services to Hanoi, Kozhikode and Bengaluru.

Freighter operations to Kozhikode and onto Bengaluru, formerly known as Bangalore, will be served with an Airbus A300 freighter on the route boosting Qatar Airways Cargo freighter capacity in India by an additional 40 metric tonnes a week.

Singapore Airlines Cargo Adds Kolkata and Penang to Network

Singapore Airlines Cargo has added two destinations to its network.

On 30 March, the airline resumed Boeing 747-400 freighter operations to Kolkata in India after a two-year hiatus, while on 8 April it started serving a new destination, Penang in Malaysia.

The new freighter capacity will complement the ‘bellyhold’ space available from Singapore Airlines’ daily passenger services between Singapore and Kolkata.

Pan Pacific to Open ParkRoyal Flagship in Singapore

Pan Pacific will open its flagship ParkRoyal hotel, the ParkRoyal on Pickering on Upper Pickering Street, in Singapore in 2012.

Designed by award-winning design firm WOHA, ParkRoyal on Pickering features a hotel-in-a-garden concept and sustainable features that have already earned it a Green Mark Platinum score, the nation’s highest green rating. WOHA are the architects behind iconic buildings such as The Met in Bangkok, and in Singapore, the School of the Arts and Stadium Mass Rapid Transit Station.

Garuda to Launch Singapore - Indonesia Promotion

Indonesia’s national airline, Garuda Indonesia, is launching a two-day sale from 8 – 9 April 2011 with special fares between Singapore and Indonesia.

Travellers who need to arrive in Jakarta early can take advantage of the 7.30am flight which is on sale with a promotional all-inclusive return fare from SGD155 each. Flights at six other timings throughout the day are also available from SGD195 onwards.

United Continental and ANA launch Trans-Pacific JV

United Continental Holdings and ANA have launched their trans-Pacific joint venture, through which United Airlines and Continental Airlines may coordinate sales and marketing with ANA and improve benefits offered to each airline’s frequent flyers.

Through the joint venture, enabled by the U.S.-Japan Open Skies agreement and antitrust immunity granted by U.S. and Japanese regulators, the airlines can now align schedules, fares, and terms and conditions.

Singapore Airlines Launches Sao Paulo Flights

Singapore Airlines has launched flights from Singapore Changi Airport to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport via Barcelona.

Sao Paulo is Singapore Airlines’ first destination in South America, which has become the sixth continent in its route network.

Bangkok Airways Cancels All Flights to Samui

Bangkok Airways cancelled all its flights in and out of Samui between 11:00 and 22:00 on Monday due to severe thunder storms hitting the island.

The airline, that likes to call itself Asia's Boutique Airline, has also postponed all flights in and out of Samui from 06.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. today (Tuesday). The airline said it expected to resume services after 12.00 p.m. but this is entirely subject to weather conditions.

Singapore Airlines to Increase Fuel Surcharge

Singapore Airlines is to increase its fuel surcharge for tickets issued on or after 17 March 2011, as a result of the continued escalation in the price of jet fuel.

The price of jet fuel is now above US$130 per barrel, which is the highest in two years.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Launches Royal Wedding Promotion

The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has launched a special Royal Wedding Tour that provides a suitably regal itinerary to commemorate the Royal Wedding taking place this coming April.

The tour boasts special access and hosted tours by first-hand family members and associates of the royal family to Kensington Palace, Chartwell, Spencer House, Althorp and Westminster Abbey, many venues which members of the public have not had access to before.

Qatar Airways to Launch Flights to Montreal

Qatar Airways is to make its Canada debut with the launch of scheduled flights to Montreal, effective 29 June 2011.

Canada’s second largest city will be served with three-flights-a-week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays using the airline’s flagship Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft.

Etihad Airways Opens Dublin Airport Lounge

Etihad Airways has opened its new premium lounge at Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 (T2). The new lounge offers Etihad’s premium customers a range of top quality facilities and services that include:

- a high-tech “Business Centre”, offering Mac workstations with broadband access and printer facilities, along with free WiFi for those that prefer to work from their own laptops;
- shower rooms
- a luggage room for bag storage
- a comfortable main lounge area boasting a library of books, magazines and newspapers from around the world, furnished with Italian leather chairs and soft sofas
- a full bar
- a wide variety of food for customers travelling out of Ireland, including an a la carte menu, international buffet, and a special children’s menu
- a dedicated “family room” for younger travellers, stocked with toys, books and a TV to help keep them inspired and entertained.

Air Astana Wins Injunction Against Amadeus in Spanish Civil Court

On 6 January 2011, Amadeus served Air Astana a notice for termination of distribution services effective 21 January 2011, based on an alleged breach of contract.

Air Astana immediately contested the alleged breach, asking Amadeus to withdraw the termination notice.