Big Night for Legend Golf & Safari Resort

Legend Golf & Safari Resort at the Big 5 Entabeni Safari Conservancy in the Waterberg area of Limpopo, South Africa, has been named ‘Africa's Leading Sports Resort’ and ‘South Africa’s Leading Golf Resort’ at the prestigious World Travel Awards, for the second year running.

Situated in the African bush it boasts a world-first Signature Golf Course designed by 18 of the world's leading golfers, a golf academy, a unique 10-hole Tribute golf course, in addition to conference facilities, a Field of Legends sports complex, a wildlife and cultural centre and a host of other facilities and activities.

The resort received global acclaim when more than three million people across the world experienced online the longest and highest par-3 golf hole in the world, thanks to a short video of former Open Champion Padraig Harrington in a play-off against French tour star Raphael Jacquelin.

“The resort is proving to be a great success and increasingly popular with tour operators, conference and event organisers and travellers from around the world”, said  Peet Cilliers, CEO of Legend Lodges, Hotels & Resorts. "We continue to strive to deliver a truly 21^st century experience in the heart of the African bush”.

The resort has plans to build a new clubhouse and a new additional conference centre, due to be completed in early 2012.

Award for EgyptAir

The World Travel Awards took place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt recently, and EgyptAir ensured some joy for the host country, by being awarded the ‘Best African Business Class Carrier’ award for 2011.

Not content just to sit on their laurels, EgyptAir have also improved their offering, by launching a live web support service, whereby passengers can obtain information about reservations, frequent flier enquiries or general travel information.

The service, which is controlled by a contact centre in Cairo, is only available when selecting Egypt as country of residence on the EgyptAir website, and is available daily from 8am to 8pm in English and Arabic.

Further to that, EgyptAir will introduce a new route between Alexandria and Athens twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays, from the 31^st of October. Daily flights are also available from Cairo to Kuala Lumpur aboard the new Boeing 777-300ER. 

Hertz Keeps Clients Cool

In an effort to ensure comfort for all of its clients for the summer, all new vehicles in the new Hertz fleet will be equipped with air conditioning, as of 1 November.

“We pride ourselves on our incredibly high service levels and our innovative approach”, said CEO Joel Stransky. “This strategic improvement keeps us at the forefront of the industry, as we become the first South African car hire company to make this luxury available on our entire fleet.”

Both local and international clients will be able to enjoy air conditioning, as even the entry level Hertz vehicles have been adjusted.

Kenya Tourist Board To Host Expo

About 180 tour operators and travel agents from KTB’s key source markets in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Oceania, and North America will be invited to attend the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) inaugural international travel expo, The Magical Kenya Travel Expo, on October 19 and 20 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).

The Expo, which has been scheduled to coincide with a familiarization trip hosted by KTB, will be open to the  trade on the first day and the second to consumers.

Companies that have registered to attend will receive a shell scheme stand at the venue on both days, an invitation to the networking cocktail at the revolving restaurant at the KICC, and the opportunity to network with the international trade.

New Inflight Entertainment System for Qantas

Qantas domestic flight customers will be the first in the world to experience the latest technology in in-flight entertainment (IFE), enabling streaming onto individual tablets supplied by Qantas whilst inflight.

The IFE product uses Q Streaming, which utilises cutting-edge wireless technology to enable customers to connect to the Qantas on-demand IFE system, with their Wi-Fi devices, providing them with a greater variety of choice from a wide range of content.

Qantas will put this wireless streaming product on trial for six weeks on board a B767-300, which will run from the end of October through to early December this year. Later on in the trial, customers will also be able to watch Qantas's in-flight entertainment on their laptop computer, smartphone, tablet or other Wi-Fi-enabled device later on in the trial.

Following the trial, Qantas will assess opportunities for the application of Q Streaming across both the domestic and international fleet.

New Aircraft For ExecuJet

ExecuJet Europe is enlarging its managed fleet with the addition of six new aircraft since April, whilst ExecuJet Middle East has also added a new Challenger 850 to its managed aircraft fleet, which is available for charter flights.

New additions include a Danish-registered Falcon 7X, G-registered Falcon 900 EXy and 2000 based in Geneva, an Embraer Legacy 600 and a Hawker 800B based in Marseilles and Palma de Mallorca, and a new Isle of Man M-registered Falcon 7X, operated for private use and based at London City Airport. Four of the six new aircraft (the Falcon 900 EXy, the Falcon 2000, the Hawker 800B and the Legacy 600) are available for third party charter. 

Further to that, two new offices for charter sales have been opened in Geneva and in Palma de Mallorca, with Palma one of Europe’s busiest private terminals during the summer, handling many charter enquiries over the last weeks.

“We are currently seeing a growing demand for a varied mix of aircraft and a trend among brokers and clients to request smaller cabin aircraft, not just long range aircraft, when seeking charter requests,” said ExecuJet Managing Director: Europe, Cedric Migeon.

The new Challenger 850, owned by a repeat customer of ExecuJet Middle East, is a first of this type on ExecuJet Middle East’s commercial register and is expected to benefit from ExecuJet’s complete management services package and in-house maintenance capabilities

TGV Rhine-Rhone Introduces New High Speed Line

TGV Rhine-Rhone will provide a new way of travelling by rail within France and between France, Switzerland & Germany, starting on 11 December.

This line will offer new opportunities of travel within, to and or from France's Eastern regions (Alsace, Burgundy, Franche-Comte and Rhone-Alpes), and between Germany and the Mediterranean Sea by the creation of a new, north-south corridor.

6 TGV services will run daily between Strasbourg and Lyon, with 5 heading down to the Mediterranean coast (Marselle, Montpellier, etc) with approximately 1 hour less journey time.

Approximately 30 minutes journey time will also be spared on all Lyria trains, including the trains to Basel & Zurich from Gare de Lyon. Sales will open from 11 October.

Air France-KLM Recognised as Responsible Leader

 For the seventh time in a row Air France-KLM has been recognised as ‘Air Transport Leader for 2011’ in the field of corporate social responsibility and confirmed in two Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.

The group has also been named the leader of the entire “Transport and Leisure” sector for the third time.

In 2010-11, Air France-KLM made progress in areas such as the development of sustainable biofuels, the implementation of recycling uniforms and meals trays served on board, as well as supporting several humanitarian projects.

The airline has been committed to reducing its environmental impact, to implement a responsible social policy, contribute to regional development, while offering its customers a quality service and innovative products.

Air France-KLM was confirmed in the two Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes - DJSI World and DJSI Europe - which select the leading companies every year in terms of social responsibility, following a review process conducted by the Swiss group SAM (Sustainable Asset Management Indexes GmbH).

 Air France-KLM’s sustainable development report for 2010-11 can be viewed online at www.airfranceklm.com.

Kenya Airways Receives New Aircraft

In line with plans to build capacity that is more efficient for the airline’s Africa market, Kenya Airways has received a new Embraer E190 jet, which will be deployed to operate to the South, Central and North Africa regions.

The introduction of the new 96-seater aircraft has been necessitated by growing regional passenger and cargo demand and a rapidly expanding route network.

Registered as 5Y-KYR, the E190 touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from Sao Jose dos Campos - Embraer headquarters in Brazil - whilst another Kenya Airways E190 underwent its maiden test flight in Brazil and is expected to be delivered to Nairobi by next month.

Recently, Embraer and Kenya Airways finalised the contract for the acquisition of 10 Embraer 190 jets. The deal also includes purchase rights for 16 aircraft, which could be the Embraer 190 or other models of the E-Jet family.

This fleet modernisation 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.

ExecuJet Launches Special Charter Packages

An increased charter demand for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand has seen ExecuJet Australasia, in cooperation with travel company Quintessentially, launch special packages that allow ‘time poor’ rugby supporters to still be at the heart of the action.

Packages include flying by private jet from any one of Australia’s major cities into the choice of three destinations - Auckland, Queenstown or Wellington, on the day of the match, being transferred to and from the stadium, before a chartered flight home after the game.

ExecuJet Australasia has already seen an increase in normal charter activity and demand of up to 35%.  The airline has secured a number of charters to the various games on their heavy jet fleet, with one client booking a Falcon 900C for the entire month of October to ensure that he and his guests get to both semi-finals and the final.

In November 2010, ExecuJet was issued with a New Zealand Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, allowing the company to commence base aircraft operations in the country.

The ExecuJet Aviation Group, which manages 150 business jets worldwide, has operations in six regions – Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

Air Namibia retains direct flights from Joburg to Walvis Bay

Air Namibia has decided to retain directly operated flights from Johannesburg to Walvis Bay.

The airline has enhanced its schedule on the route with a flight departing at 7:45 in Johannesburg, to arrive at Walvis Bay at 10:00. A flight from Walvis Bay would depart at 18:25, arriving in Johannesburg at 20:40.

Air Namibia has also decided to pay travel agents an additional 1% BSP commission, over and above the 7.01% Domestic and Regional commission, commencing on 1 September until 31 October.

This commission is based on all published fares based on the BSP billing point of sale of the following countries: BSP ZA – South Africa and Namibia; BSP BW – Botswana; BSP GH – Ghana; BSP ZM – ZAMBIA

KLM introduces flights to Angola

 KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will launch a flight service between Amsterdam and de Fevereiro International Airport in Luanda, Angola effective from 14 November.

KLM, together with Air France, will offer four weekly flights to Luanda using Boeing 777-200 equipment, which offers seats for 318 passengers - 35 in Business Class and 283 Economy Class.

The first flight will depart from Schiphol on Monday 14 November at 13:20 and arrive in Luanda on the same day at 21:55. The return flight will depart from Luanda at 23:55, arriving back in Amsterdam on the following day at 8:30.

 Luanda is to be KLM’s 71st intercontinental destination.

New Award for SWISS

Swiss International Air Lines has been named “Europe’s Leading Airline Business Class” in this year’s World Travel Awards, coinciding with the installation of the advanced new SWISS Business Class on all the company’s long-haul aircraft. SWISS travellers can now enjoy the new Business cabin on all long-haul flights, with a seat that reclines into a two-metre-long lie-flat air-cushioned bed. 

The seat is also fitted with individually-adjustable firmness or softness settings and a special massage function.

The retrofit of the new Business Class cabin into all 15 of its Airbus A340s is one element in SWISS’s extensive programme of investments in its product and its aircraft fleet, which began with the service entry of the first of its 10 new Airbus A330-300 long-haul twinjets in 2009.

SWISS has withdrawn service of its last Airbus A330-200 and is the only airline in Europe to offer a three-class cabin product – First, Business and Economy – on all its intercontinental flights.

Qantas B747 passengers to get A380 experience

Extensive refurbishment work has begun on a $250 million project to overhaul the interiors of nine Qantas Boeing 747-400 aircraft with the installation of state-of-the-art Airbus A380 style seats and in-flight entertainment units.


The quarter of a billion dollar investment is part of the first phase of the Qantas Group’s five-year plan to build a modern, customer-focused and competitive global airline business.


Qantas CEO Alan Joyce and Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu today visited the Qantas heavy maintenance facility at Avalon Airfield to inspect works on the first aircraft.
“The new interiors will vastly improve the flying experience for tens of thousands of Qantas passengers every year,” Mr Joyce said.


“Installing A380 style interiors on these B747 aircraft will provide passengers with more style, more comfort, more space and more entertainment,” Mr Joyce said.
“Since Qantas introduced the A380 in October 2008, there has been unprecedented demand for seats on these aircraft. This refurbishment program will give more passengers the opportunity to fly to more destinations with a premium flying experience.”


Each of the aircraft will be fitted with 364 seats: 58 Business, 36 Premium Economy and 270 Economy.


The seats in all three cabins have won awards for their design and comfort, including the 2009 Australian International Design Award for the Economy seat.


Other new features include: Panasonic on-demand in-flight entertainment in every seat with over 1500 entertainment options, and a self-service snack bar in economy.


The project will see the current B747 cabin including seats, electrical wiring, fittings, galleys and in-flight entertainment stripped from the aircraft and brand new cabin fittings, in-flight entertainment and equipment installed. It takes six weeks for the interior of each aircraft to be overhauled.


Mr Joyce said the project had secured 120 jobs at the Avalon engineering and maintenance facility, with a further 400 people being employed on other work at the facility.


“The project was awarded to Avalon after a competitive tender process and after beating strong competition from overseas,” he said.


“Qantas is proud that 90 per cent of its aircraft heavy maintenance is done here in Australia. Qantas has facilities in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and at Avalon Airfield. No other major airline does any heavy maintenance in Australia.”


The first reconfigured Boeing 747 will commence services between Brisbane and Los Angeles in October, operating three return services per week.


The remaining eight aircraft will be introduced across the international network by the end of 2012. Qantas is yet to determine which route the aircraft will fly.


Qantas will have a fleet of 14 A380s and nine reconfigured B747 aircraft by the end of next year.