Embraer and the Pride of Africa Kenya Airways have finalized the contract for the acquisition of 10 EMBRAER 190 jets. This agreement completes contract negotiations following the signing of a Letter of Intent during the 49th Paris Air Show in June 2011. The deal also includes purchase rights for 16 aircraft, which could be either the EMBRAER 190 or other models of the E-Jet family.
“This final agreement from Kenya Airways for more aircraft in its fleet demonstrates not only its confidence in the future but also its endorsement of the versatility of our family of E-Jets”, said Paulo César de Souza e Silva, Embraer President, Commercial Aviation. “This confirmation is a sign that our E-Jets have been instrumental in the growth of our largest operator in Sub Saharan Africa, and provided it with an optimal tool to develop new routes while providing their customers with a reliable and comfortable aircraft.”
Kenya Airways’ E190s will be configured in a dual-class layout with 96 seats: 12 in business class and 84 in economy. Furthermore, all passengers will benefit from a modern in-flight entertainment system with individual touch screens. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2012.
This fleet modernization will boost the airline's aggressive network expansion strategy and in particular, boost plans to fly to all African capital cities by the end of 2013.
“The EMBRAER 190 fleet will be key in ensuring Kenya Airways becomes the leading carrier on the continent, interlinking African cities and, through our Nairobi hub, connecting Africa to the world,” said Dr. Titus Naikuni, Group Managing Director & Chief Executive of Kenya Airways. “The EMBRAER 190’s excellent range, efficiency, size and superior level comfort will allow us to increase frequencies and start new routes along with improving the overall passenger flying experience throughout Africa.”
With this new contract, the total number of E-Jets ordered by Kenya Airways is boosted to 20, considering aircraft acquired directly from Embraer or through leasing companies. Today, the airline is today operating five E170s and two E190s under agreement with leasing companies. Three E190 jets from a previous order have still to be delivered this year and in 2012.
Kenya Airways has embarked on an aggressive network expansion program to cater for the growing travel market. The combination of the E170 and 190 in Kenya Airways network will offer greater flexibility in right sizing the aircraft to meet route demand, using the same crew and ensuring consistent service level.
For more information, contact Tracey King at Kenya Airways on Tel: +27 11 881 9783, Fax: +27 11 881 9691, Email: tracey.king@kenya-airways.com or visit www.kenya-airways.com.
GLA Hotels is to open its first property in Marrakech early next year. The palace hotel is situated in a 15-acre park to the south of the city centre, close to three golf courses and featuring a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, and a private collection of Arabian horses available for hire. Scheduled to open in January 2012, the Selman will offer 56 rooms and suites, as well as five private riads, two restaurants, a library bar, and spa facilities with 15 treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a hammam, Turkish bath and gym. The property will also be home to 16 Arabian horses – ten thoroughbreds and six further horses which can be hired by guests during their stay. The hotel has been designed by Jacques Garcia, a French designer responsible for properties including the Royal Monceau in Paris, and is being developed and marketed by GLA Hotels. The property is located around five minutes’ drive from the city’s Medina, and close to three golf courses to the south of Marrakech.
Swiss International Air Lines is to offer a new daily non-stop service between Zurich and Beijing
from February 2012. SWISS will also be increasing its capacity over the North Atlantic from summer of next year, deploying its own (bigger) aircraft on the Zurich-Newark route. And SWISS is further expanding its services from Geneva, adding Nice to the network and increasing frequencies to Madrid, Moscow and London (City) Airport. SWISS is to introduce daily non-stop flights between Zurich and Beijing. The new service to China’s capital, which will commence on 11 February 2012, marks a further expansion in SWISS’s service of the growing Chinese market, a development that began with the addition of Shanghai to the network in May 2008.
“I am delighted that, as the airline of Switzerland, we can meet the needs of Swiss business and further expand our non-stop services to and from the growing Chinese market,” says SWISS CEO Harry Hohmeister. “At the same time,we are also seeing a growing demand for tourist travel in both directions.” Beijing and Shanghai are the two most important business and trading centres in China. SWISS also serves a third Chinese destination, Hong Kong. The new route marks a return to Beijing for SWISS: the airline previously served China’s capital until June 2003.
SWISS will also be modifying arrangements on its Zurich-Newark route, which is currently operated by an all-business-class PrivatAir Boeing 737. From 31 March 2012 onwards, SWISS will use its own long-haul aircraft on the route with a three-class cabin configuration and substantially-increased seating capacity. The operation will also be expanded to daily
www.swiss.com
Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways will offer a daily service to the Kenyan capital Nairobi from April next year. Flights will commence on 1 April 2012, using A320 aircraft configured for 16 Pearl Business class seats and 120 Coral Economy seats. The carrier will join Gulf Airlines in offering flights to Nairobi – Qatar Airways offers a double daily service from Doha using A320 aircraft, while Emirates also operates a double daily service using a mixture of A330 and B777 aircraft. Gulf Air also recently reintroduced flights to the Kenyan capital, with a four-times weekly service commencing on 5 July.
Lonrho, a prominent African business group, has selected Utell Hotels & Resorts to provide international sales, marketing and representation services for the fast-expanding arm of their hotel business.
Lonrho invests and builds businesses in Africa, and has a corporate strategy focused on facilitating the economical development of the Continent. Operating in five industry sectors –infrastructure, transport, agribusiness, hotels and support services –Lonrho is dedicated to building tangible operational businesses that promote job creation, assist poverty reduction, and are an integral part of African economic development.
Primarily targeting business travellers, Lonrho Hotels is committed to providing guests with a high standard of accommodation and facilities through their selection of four- and five-star properties. These include the Hotel Cardoso in Mozambique and the Grand Karavia in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Additionally, Lonrho will very shortly open a five-star hotel in Libreville, Gabon, and is in the process of acquiring more properties whichwill be added to the Utell portfolio.
Each property will benefit from Utell’s vast range of business-generating solutions, including access to corporate business through Utell’s global preferred partnerships and programmes with international TMC’s (travel management companies), online distributors and global corporate markets.
“This strategic alliance with Utell is a bold and value-enhancing move for Lonrho Hotels,” said Ewan Cameron, CEO of Lonrho Hotels. Utell’s strengths in GDS and corporate travel are key to our focus on generating new business and providing enhanced revenue-driving tactics. Consistent with our commitment to the business traveller, this partnership makes Lonrho Hotels easier to book, offering business travel agencies real-time access to each of our properties.
“We are making a long-term investment to ensure both business travel agencies and business travellers know they benefit whenever they choose Lonrho Hotels. It is our intention that all Lonrho Hotels’ luxury properties will be added to the Utell portfolio and bookable under the UI chain code. Furthermore, travel agents will have their commission payments guaranteed through Utell’s essential agency commissions programme ‘Travelcom’ to ensure their fees are paid quickly and accurately,” added Cameron.
Additionally, Utell will provide Lonrho Hotels with voice reservations in multiple languages via a global network, which includes a local toll-free South African telephone number – 09 800 73427871.
John Owens, Senior Vice President of Global Sales for Utell said, “Lonrho provides an exciting and varied addition to the Utell portfolio. We are delighted to welcome the group, and look forward to delivering international reservations through our wide network of sales,marketing and distribution programmes, proven to empower partner hotels with key new business opportunities.”
Lonrho Hotels will be available from 17 August 2011 on the GDSs under Utell’s chain code, UI, and at the dedicated travel agent Web site www.UtellAgent.com.
