New Air France Economy Offer

Air France has launched its new Economy Class offer, which is a new fare available to 58 destinations on the short and medium-haul network. Customers have the choice between the all-inclusive Classic product and the MiNi product, which is a simplified product that does not earn Flying Blue miles and is aimed at customers travelling without checked baggage, at fares starting at 49 euros, including tax. Air France is targeting the 60% of customers who are looking for the best possible fares and the 40% of short and medium-haul customers travelling without checked baggage.

HPF Acquires Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel

 HPF Properties, a subsidiary of Hospitality Property Fund, has entered into a sale agreement with Savana Property for the purchase of the majority interest in the Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg. The hotel has 216 rooms, eight conference facilities, the Central One Restaurant and Bar, an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre. It’s also ideally located directly across the road from Sandton’s Gautrain station. In terms of the deal, HPF will acquire 78.2% of the hotel portion and 53 parking bays within the scheme for a combined purchase price of R346 million. Savana, the developer of the hotel, will remain a co-owner within the scheme and retain 21.8% of the hotel portion. Rezidor will continue to manage the property and business on behalf of the existing tenant, Ash Brook. It is expected that the registration of the transfer will take place in March.

Gaborone Industry Event

The first in a series of Spotlight Travel workshops and exhibitions will take place in Gaborone, Botswana on the 9th of February. The event will be promoting travel from Botswana to Southern Africa countries and the rest of Africa, as well as domestic leisure and conference tourism within Botswana. For delegates attending, there’s the opportunity to meet and network with 20 exhibitors from hotels, lodges, airlines, tourism boards and other suppliers. There will be two sessions on the 9th of February – the breakfast session takes place between 08h00 and 11h00, whilst the late afternoon session takes place between 17h00 and 19h00. The venue for the first workshop will be Cresta Lodge in Gaborone. For more detail, email norah@thebusinesscentre.co.bw or visit www.spotlightworkshops.co.za. Alternatively, contact Derek Houston - derek@houstonmarketing.co.za;  +27 82 464 0901.

BA Pilots Switch to iPads

British Airways is equipping its 3,600 pilots with iPads to further improve customer service and operational efficiency levels. The move, which follows the airline’s rollout of iPads across its cabin crew and ground operations teams, is part of the company’s £5bn investment in new products and technology. By having access to additional real-time operational data, shared with ground colleagues, pilots will be able to plan the flight more efficiently, using the most accurate information available pre-departure. This means flight crew can provide customers with faster and more accurate flight information. With the latest operational updates, customers will be better informed and able to make plans if their flight time has changed for any reason. Pilots will also be able to use historic and current data, supplied by the customer, to provide an even more personalised service during the flight.

KQ and RwandAir Seek Partnership

 Kenya Airways and RwandAir have announced their intention to form a strategic partnership and stronger relations between the two airlines. Kenya Airways currently offers four flights a day between Kigali and Nairobi, with a wide network available to the rest of the world. RwandAir currently flies to Nairobi three times a day, and also serves Mombasa from its base in Kigali. The combined flights will offer more choice to passengers and better connectivity at the Nairobi hub. The collaboration promises to also strengthen the areas of cargo, maintenance and flight training. Already, RwandAir is using KQ’s new flight simulators to train its pilots. Benefits for the consumer will initially be felt through improved synergies, in the form of scheduling and passenger handling. However, additional value will become apparent as the relationship evolves with further refinement of reservation systems, as well as a frequent flyer partnership between the two companies. The finer details of this agreement will be mapped out in various agreements, which the airlines are currently reviewing for finalisation.

Good News for Qantas and Emirates

Qantas and Emirates have welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s draft determination that proposes to grant authorisation for their partnership for five years. The partnership will provide customers with an international and Australian network, and frequent flyer benefits. ACCC approval is required for Emirates and Qantas to co-ordinate on pricing, sales and capacity. The ACCC has issued a draft determination, with a final decision due in March. The implementation of the partnership remains subject to the ACCC's final determination and regulatory approval in other jurisdictions. Since announcing the proposed partnership in September, Emirates and Qantas have started initial preparations that do not require regulatory approval, including connecting IT systems, designing frequent flyer benefits, and establishing an operational base for Qantas in Dubai.