First African Hotel for St. Regis

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, has announced the debut of The St. Regis Mauritius Resort, marking the brand’s first hotel in Africa. Situated on the south-western tip of the island, the resort is located on the white natural beaches at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Le Morne, bordered by a turquoise lagoon. The resort features 172 guestrooms and suites, ranging from 700 to 2300 square feet, all with terraces and views of the Indian Ocean. The beachfront St. Regis Villa features a private entrance, four luxurious bedrooms with private pools and gardens, entertainment and dining areas, an infinity pool, a bar and private spa treatment room. Simply India offers a dining experience created by Michelin-starred celebrity chef Atul Kochhar, with a modern interpretation of authentic Indian cuisine. There are six other dining experiences, ranging from a blend of French and traditional Mauritian cuisine, to a modern Asian menu. Inspired by the legendary St. Regis New York hotel which opened in 1904, there’s the 1904 Bar, whilst the region’s first Iridium Spa includes a full-service salon, relaxation lounge, jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms, as well as a dedicated men’s grooming salon and a 24-hour fitness club. There are a wide range of aquatic activities, including wind and kite surfing, deep-sea fishing, diving, snorkelling, canoeing and kayaking, as well as catamaran and sunset cruises. The Kite Flyers Club offers complimentary childcare services for children from four to 12, including beach bonfires and kite-making, indoor and outdoor play areas, the children’s kitchen corner, and a swimming pool. Optional activities include guided excursions to the zoo and sugarcane museum, cooking classes and horseback riding. Situated in the heart of the resort, the manor house comprises seven luxurious suites with in-room spa facilities, a private 24-seat cinema, a drawing room for indoor entertainment and games, a swimming pool, as well as a library and conservatory. Other leisure facilities at the resort include a beachside swimming pool, a tennis court and a resort boutique. For private celebrations, the Astor Room can be booked for events hosting up to 100 people.

Premier O.R .Tambo is 4-star

Premier Hotel O.R. Tambo has received a 4-star grading from the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa. The grading comes off the back of the hotel’s latest upgrades, which include a new 40-seater conferencing venue (the Harvard Room), a range of state-of-the-art conferencing technology and equipment upgrades, and a new spa. The results of the grading report reflect these upgrades, with special mention of the hotel’s ‘vast attention to detail regarding electronics, electrical equipment, amenities and guest comfort.’ The report also makes mention of the hotel’s food, which is listed as ‘highly professional’, and the team who are ‘professional with extensive leadership (and) management’. The 275-room hotel is down the road from O.R. Tambo International Airport, and 800 metres from the Rhodesfield Gautrain station.

Marriott to Launch in Lagos

Plans have been concluded to bring the Marriott Hotels brand to Nigeria, following the multi-billion naira agreement signed by Quantum Luxury Properties Limited and Marriott Hotels. The planned 5-star hotel, which will be located on the Ozumba Mbadiwe waterfront on Victoria Island, will comprise 150 rooms. The Lagos Marriott Hotel is expected to be launched in 2014. Marriott International began operations in Africa in 1982 with the Cairo Marriott Hotel, and it has a regional presence consisting of nine properties in three countries offering 3,941 rooms. Nigeria has recently witnessed an upsurge in hotel development, with international brands such as Radisson Blu, Four Points by Sheraton, Ibis and Legacy, all establishing a presence in Lagos. Other groups have hotels under construction, including Accor, Hilton, IHG and Protea. Other groups who have signed deals with the hope of entering Nigeria’s robust market for the first time, include Kempinski, Mantis and Wyndham.

BA Maps out Seat Plans on New Aircraft

With the first of the airline’s new long-haul aircraft only six months away from delivery, British Airways has announced the cabin design and layout for its Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 aircraft. 214 customers will enjoy the comforts of the new BA Dreamliner, and the A380 will be the largest aircraft in the BA fleet, with 469 customers. The 24 Dreamliners and 12 A380s will feature the elegant cabin designs fitted on British Airways’ new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. All eight 787-8s will feature a new Club World 2:3:2 layout, the latest generation World Traveller and World Traveller Plus seats. In addition, the new A380 will also have an enhanced version of First. British Airways is set to be the first European airline to operate both new aircraft types, with its first Dreamliner arriving in May and A380 deliveries starting in July. The BA Dreamliner will have 35 seats for customers in the new Club World triple configuration of 2:3:2; 25 seats in a World Traveller Plus layout of 2:3:2; and a further 154 seats for those travelling in World Traveller, with a 3:3:3 configuration. On the British Airways A380, there will be 14 seats in First on the main deck, with extra personal and stowage space; the Club World cabin will feature 44 seats in a 2:4:2 configuration; and there will be 199 seats in World Traveller, with a 3:4:3 layout. The A380 upper deck will feature 53 seats in the new Club World triple configuration of 2:3:2; 55 seats in a 2:3:2 World Traveller Plus layout; and World Traveller will have 104 seats in a 2:4:2 configuration. Both new aircraft will also feature the airline’s latest Thales in-flight entertainment system. Customers will also benefit from new larger screens in all cabins and an easier to use system with shortcut buttons. They will also be able to connect personal devices, such as laptops and use the in-seat power available for the first time in all cabins.

Delta and Virgin Atlantic to Form Alliance

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways have reached an agreement for a new joint venture that will create an expanded trans-Atlantic network and enhance competition between the UK and North America. As part of this joint venture agreement, Delta will invest $360 million in Virgin Atlantic, acquiring a 49% stake currently held by Singapore Airlines. Virgin Group and Sir Richard Branson will retain the majority 51% stake and Virgin Atlantic Airways will retain its brand and operating certificate. Highlights of the agreement include: a fully-integrated joint venture that will operate on a “metal neutral” basis, with both airlines sharing the costs and revenues from all joint venture flights; a combined trans-Atlantic network between the UK and North America, with 31 peak-day round-trip flights; enhanced benefits for customers, including co-operation on services between New York and London, with a combined total of nine daily round-trip flights from London-Heathrow to John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport; reciprocal frequent flyer benefits; shared access to Delta Sky Club and Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse airport lounges for elite passengers. The share purchase and the joint venture are expected to be implemented by the end of 2013. All of Delta’s flights between the U.S. and London-Heathrow feature fully-flat bed seats, offering direct aisle access in the BusinessElite cabin. These flights also offer Delta’s popular Economy Comfort seating in the forward section of the Economy cabin. Economy Comfort offers four additional inches of legroom and 50% more recline, compared to standard Economy seats. All cabins offer in-seat audio and video-on-demand, with a broad range of in-flight entertainment options. Delta also will begin introducing in-flight Wi-Fi service on international flights in 2013. Virgin Atlantic has recently completed a £150m upgrade program. A new Upper Class cabin has been introduced across its Airbus A330 aircraft, which features the longest fully-flat bed in the sky. This is complemented by a redesigned onboard bar and new Clubhouses at both JFK and Newark airports. The airline’s Boeing 747 leisure fleet has been completely refitted and features onboard connectivity and VERA Touch – Virgin Atlantic’s award-winning touch screen in-flight entertainment system – offering passengers hours of entertainment at their fingertips.

Hilton to Open Second Hotel in Alexandria

Hilton Worldwide is set to further strengthen its presence in Egypt, following the signing of a management agreement with Delta for Tourism & Hotels Company, to introduce a new Hilton Hotels & Resorts property to the city of Alexandria. The new 158-room Hilton Alexandria Corniche, a conversion property, is expected to open as a Hilton-branded hotel in 2013, and will be Hilton Worldwide’s 19th property in Egypt and it’s second in Alexandria. Hilton Alexandria Corniche will enjoy a prime location and imposing presence in Alexandria’s most upscale district on the city’s Corniche. Surrounded by stylish residences and boasting stunning views of the beachfront and Mediterranean Sea, the property will feature two large function rooms, four meeting rooms, a business centre, three restaurants - two of which will be speciality - and two bars. Leisure facilities will include a health club and spa, private beach and an outdoor pool.

Free Holiday Season W-Fi for Mango Flyers

G-Connect in-flight Wi-Fi will be available free of charge to Mango customers on all enabled flights between Durban and Johannesburg, in both directions. The airline’s Wi-Fi service was launched in May this year. The gratis period takes place during December, through to 31 January 2013. Mango expects to transport more than 75,000 customers on the Durban and Johannesburg route between 11 December and 31 January 2013. With an up-time of over 95% and average speeds of 1Mbs on enabled aircraft, the G-Connect In-Flight Wi-Fi service exceeds many terrestrial line speeds. Next year, Mango and G-Connect plan to introduce on-demand entertainment, live television and limited games across its In-Flight Wi-Fi network. Recently, Mango became the first South African airline to offer a booking and payment channel through its mobi site, with plans afoot to launch an iPad application soon.

Lufthansa Plans Premium Economy

 Lufthansa is expanding its product portfolio and will equip the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet with a Premium Economy. The supervisory board has approved the investment capital for the introductory project to achieve this.
 At the beginning of next year, a project group will be formed to manage the introduction and define the precise features of the product, as well as a detailed timetable. Premium Economy will be installed on the entire intercontinental fleet.
This substantially upgraded Economy product will fill the gap between the superior Business Class segment, which features a seat that can be converted into a fully-flat bed on one side, and the classic Economy Class on the other. This will appeal to both leisure travellers seeking additional comfort and business travellers.

Maputo Route for BA

Comair Limited, operator of British Airways in southern Africa, will commence with scheduled services between Maputo International Airport and Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport in May next year. The flight schedule comprising daily return flights with a double daily service on Tuesdays and Saturdays, is timed to enable ease of connectivity for international travellers transferring through O.R. Tambo International Airport to Maputo. Bookings to-and-from Maputo are already available for sale. Flights will also be added to ba.com as well as integrated and sold through the kulula.com website shortly. For travel agents operating in Mozambique, selling systems are currently being activated and will be available early next year.

BA Ramps Up Inflight Entertainment

British Airways has become the first UK airline to enable customers to watch their in-flight entertainment screens from the second they reach their seat to the moment they arrive at their destination. BA customers will now be able to spend even more time – up to an hour more – enjoying movies, top TV shows and a wide selection of music onboard the airline’s flights. The extension to in-flight entertainment is part of a £5 billion investment programme by British Airways, which includes new aircraft, refurbished cabins and better lounges. In line with other UK carriers, BA currently starts its in-flight entertainment system once the aircraft has taken off and following various announcements, and turns it off 15-20 minutes before the aircraft lands. The airline was given the green light by the Civil Aviation Authority to introduce extended in-flight entertainment on its fleet of long haul aircraft.

ExecuJet Africa Adds Helicopters

 ExecuJet Africa has teamed up with Acher Aviation to offer a range of services, including helicopter management and charter, as well as specialised support to the oil, gas, mining and resource exploration sectors.
ExecuJet’s fleet now includes three helicopters from Acher Aviation, including a Bell 407, an Agusta 109 Power and the Eurocopter EC310, plus access to other models. The six-passenger Eurocopter EC310 is currently based at ExecuJet’s Lanseria facility and completed its first charter flight during November.
The specialised services available to the oil, gas and mining sectors include hoisting operations, oil pipeline inspections, equipment and cargo transportation, and remote location support. ExecuJet clients have access to all the benefits of helicopter ownership. The company takes care of aviation legislation compliance, aircraft maintenance co-ordination, staff recruitment and productive aircraft operation.

Arik Flies to Kinshasa

Arik Air is expanding its regional African network with the addition of new flight services from Lagos, Nigeria to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. The first commercial flight on the route takes place on Wednesday, 5 December and will subsequently operate twice weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays.
The announcement means Kinshasa has now become Arik Air’s third destination in Central Africa, following the inclusion of flights to Luanda, Angola in 2011 and Douala, Cameroon in August this year.
 The new Lagos-Kinshasa service will operate via Douala, Cameroon with outbound flights departing from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at 11h10 and arriving at Douala International Airport at 12h40. Flights will then continue on to Kinshasa, departing from Douala at 13h25 and arriving at N'djili International Airport in Kinshasa at 15h25.
The return flights will leave Kinshasa at 16h10, arriving in Douala at 18h10 and will thereafter leave Douala at 18h55, arriving in Lagos at 20h25. Passengers can still take advantage of the existing thrice weekly flights between Lagos and Douala on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. This service departs Lagos at 11h10 and arrives in Douala at 12h40. The return flight departs Douala at 13h25 and arrives in Lagos at 14h55. The Lagos-Kinshasa route will be served with a Boeing 737-700 Next Generation aircraft. The 737-700 is a two-class compartment and the configuration is 12 Business Class seats and 112 Economy Class. Business Class passengers will enjoy a 44-inch seat pitch with cradle-style seats, while Economy Class passengers will have a seat pitch of 34 inches. Kinshasa is Arik’s 12th African destination.

Trouble for Air Malawi

Independent Online reports that the government of Malawi has announced that its national airline has been placed in voluntary liquidation. A new company, Air Malawi (2012), has been created and the government intends to select an investor to help recapitalise the airline.
So far, 11 local and international companies, including Ethiopian Airlines, South Africa's Comair and Botswana's Global Business Network, have expressed an interest in partnering with the airline. Air Malawi is saddled with debt of over $50 million, according to airline sources, arising mainly from the grounding of two of its four aircraft. The government will settle all of the company's debts.
 Two Air Malawi Boeing 737 aircraft have been parked at a maintenance hangar in South Africa for three years, after the airline failed to pay for repairs and storage fees. The carrier has had to fly leased aircraft at “enormous cost and reduced frequency on the profitable routes” within the country and in the region.

SAA Upgrades Food Menu

South African Airways has brought Tsogo Sun’s Executive Chef, Benny Masekwameng onboard to upgrade its premium and regional onboard menu. Masekwameng is the Executive Chef of the Tsogo Sun hotel group and a MasterChef South Africa judge, and his signature dishes will be introduced on all of SAA’s international premium class and regional flights. SAA refreshes its food and beverage menu annually. Each SAA customer is offered a menu selection, which includes Halaal, Kosher and Vegetarian options.

New Johannesburg Business Hotel

 Sun International has announced its intention to develop a business hotel-focused brand, starting with its new hotel in Johannesburg, early next year. The Maslow Hotel, Sun International’s new business hotel, is due to open on the 7th of January, following a R250-million refurbishment of the hotel formally known as The Grayston.
The scope of work encompassed a complete internal and external refurbishment, including guestrooms, modernisation of the public areas, food and beverage outlets, landscaping of the gardens, reconstruction of the conference centre, and the addition of individual meeting rooms.
“We were inspired by the psychologist Abraham Maslow and his well-known ‘Hierarchy of Needs’, hence the new name of the hotel, and have applied his straightforward approach to understanding customers’ needs in our service philosophy,” said General Manager, Johan Scheepers.
Situated in the heart of Sandton’s business district, on the corner of Rivonia Road and Grayston Drive, The Maslow will offer complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, 13 meeting rooms, a conference centre with a multi-divisible ballroom and auditorium, and techno gym.
The average size of the rooms is 32m² and each unit is fitted with a power shower, a media hub, 40-inch flat-screen TV and speciality coffee maker.
 The rooms are also soundproofed with blackout curtains. From a food and beverage perspective, the Lacuna Bistro and Bar is referred to as a “sophisticated urban bistro serving international cuisine”. The bistro menu features tapas, sandwiches, tarts, salads and pasta dishes. At the heart of the lobby is the signature Wayfarer Lounge, a business class type lounge, featuring washrooms with showers, and a supply of power sockets. The Maslow Hotel is also one of the first properties within Sun International to feature the Africology Spa. Sun International is hoping to roll out the Maslow brand to other hotels across Africa, in the future.

New ASATA CEO

 The board of the Association of South African Travel Agents (ASATA) has announced the appointment of Otto de Vries as the new Chief Executive Officer of the association. He replaces Robyn Christie, who left to join Travelport in October. De Vries has 24 years of experience in the travel industry and the ASATA board want him to take the organisation into a new era.
“Otto brings a wealth of experience and a wonderful energy,” said Claude Vankeirsbilck, President of ASATA. “He is well versed with ASATA and its plans going forward, and I am confident he will implement the strategy of ‘Compliance, Confidence, Consensus’ most effectively.” De Vries will start at ASATA on 2 January. “I’m looking forward to the challenge and in particular working with the industry on issues that affect us all,” said De Vries. “ASATA will continue to make a difference and implementing the new strategy will be an exciting time for us all.”

Mango Launches New Routes

Low-cost South African airline, Mango will begin operating daily return flights between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth, as well as Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, from 5 December. A leased-in aircraft will initially be used to operate one return flight daily between the respective cities until early next year, when Mango expects to add additional capacity to its own fleet.
 “There is a requirement for a low-cost carrier on the Johannesburg-Port Elizabeth and Cape Town-Port Elizabeth routes, and with the recent exit of capacity, Mango has brought forward its plans by a few months in order to accommodate market demand,” said CEO Nico Bezuidenhout.
 He added that the new route is one of several planned for the next 18 months, with a focus on the east-African seaboard. Mango’s first flight between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth will depart on 5 December.

Delta Celebrates Time in Nigeria

Delta Air Lines will celebrate its fifth anniversary of service between Nigeria and the United States next month. Delta commenced scheduled services between Lagos and Atlanta in December 2007 and currently carries on average 3,000 passengers a week between Nigeria and the United States.
 This year, Delta has strengthened its commitment and business ties to the market with the introduction of flat-bed seats on its daily non-stop service between Lagos and Atlanta in September. Delta also introduced a dedicated Protocol Service at Lagos airport for BusinessElite customers, who receive a personal escort for its business customers through check-in, customs and immigration, lounge pick up and luggage assistance.
 In other Delta news, a second wave of recruits has joined Delta’s Business Internship Programme in Africa. The Delta-funded initiative, designed in conjunction with local business schools, was launched in 2011 in Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Kenya, and earlier this year in Liberia.
 The one-year programme offers African students valuable work experience and training in a number of key business areas such as sales, marketing and administration. Interns are fully integrated into the Delta sales force in each country, becoming a team member with specific projects and responsibilities. The end of the one-year programme culminates in a visit to the United States to meet with senior executives and learn more about how an international organisation such as Delta operates.

Dreamliner Delivery for Qatar

 Qatar Airways has become the first Middle Eastern airline to take delivery of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Space, comfort and luxury are key features of the aircraft, with Qatar Airways working closely with the manufacturer to have custom-made seats fitted.
The aircraft is also the world’s first 787 to be fully connected with wireless facilities, enabling all passengers in both Business and Economy cabins to remain connected with the ground through Wi-Fi and GSM telephony options, allowing for the sending of both text and MMS messages.
Personal power ports are available in every seat, equipped with USB, MP3 and other charger ports, including laptop power outlets. The fully interactive inflight entertainment system offers more than 1,000 video and audio options to every passenger. The Dreamliner is the first mid-size airplane capable of flying long-range routes. Qatar Airways’ customers will experience improved lighting, bigger windows, larger overhead bins, lower cabin altitude and enhanced ventilation systems, among other features.
The new 787s feature a total of 254 seats in a two-class configuration of 22 in Business Class and 232 in Economy. With a 1–2–1 configuration in Business Class, the layout features two less seats than competitors on conventional wide body aircraft.
There’s also a 22-inch wide armchair that converts at a touch of a button into different cradle positions, before reaching an 80-inch long, 30-inch wide flat-bed offering great legroom. The 787 is quieter than other aircraft, with the largest windows in the industry and first-of-its-kind electronic touch pad controls to adjust the amount of light entering the cabin. Dynamic mood lighting throughout the aircraft helps passengers adjust their body clocks according to the change in time zones, as lighting is automatically altered during the flight.