Qantas Announces Upgrade

The Qantas Group has announced that it will upgrade its entire fleet of Airbus A330s and order new Boeing 737-800s to drive its strategy in the international and domestic markets. Beginning in late 2014, the group will reconfigure the interior of 10 Airbus A330-300s and 20 A330-200s with a new flat seat in Business Class, refreshed Economy cabin and a new inflight entertainment offering. The A330-300s will be operated by Qantas International on its network between Australia and Asia, while the A330-200s will be operated by Qantas Domestic on routes between the east coast and Perth – enabling the final retirement of the group’s Boeing 767s. Qantas will also purchase five additional Boeing 737-800 aircraft for Qantas Domestic (for delivery during 2014) and extend the leases on two existing B737-800s this year. The A330 reconfiguration program and the additional B737-800 orders do not affect the group’s planned capital expenditure of $1.6 billion in 2012/13 and $1.5 billion in 2013/14.

KQ and Etihad Enter into Codeshare

 Kenya Airways has announced the expansion of its global network through a new codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways. KQ will also launch a new three times a week service between Nairobi and Abu Dhabi, effective June. Under the new codeshare agreement, Kenya Airways will initially place its KQ code on Etihad Airways’ existing daily service between Nairobi and Abu Dhabi, and onwards to 32 destinations on Etihad’s global network.
 In return, Etihad Airways will place its EY code on Kenya Airways flights from Abu Dhabi to Nairobi, and onwards to 27 destinations across the Kenya Airways network in Africa. The connections will provide passengers with connections over Nairobi to destinations in East, West and Southern Africa.
The agreement with Etihad Airways brings the number of strategic codeshares that Kenya Airways has signed with other international carriers to 18.
In turn, the codeshare with the national carrier of Kenya brings to 42 the number of codeshare partners for Etihad Airways, providing the airline with a combined network of more than 349 destinations, more than any other Middle East airline.
The agreement paves the way for greater collaboration between the two airlines on joint procurement of services for ground handling, line and heavy maintenance, training and cargo operations.
The airlines are working on the integration of their respective frequent flyer programmes, Etihad Guest and Kenya Airway’s Flying Blue, to provide travellers with enhanced premium service benefits, enabling them to earn and redeem miles on each other’s flights. The new codeshare services between Etihad Airways and Kenya Airways go on sale on 15 March, for travel from 1 April onwards.

BA Boasting New First Class

 British Airways is rolling out its new flagship First Class cabin, across its long-haul fleet. The same cabin will also grace its 12 A380s, the first of which will be delivered in July this year.
 The suites in the new cabin are wider, and the seat, which folds down into a 6ft 6” bed at the turn of an i-drive-like dial, is more comfortable, with a sprung diaphragm replacing the earlier foam mattress. Customers have their own double windows, with an electronic blind, similar to those on private jets.
There’s also a personal wardrobe, with space to hang a jacket or suit, and a shoe compartment. As well as the main table, a side table has been incorporated into the arm of the suite for people who want to continue working while they eat.
The main table can also be folded in half to become a writing desk, complete with leather trim. Although the suite doesn’t quite double as a private cinema, at 15-inches the in-flight entertainment screen is almost twice the size of its predecessor. As well as an array of in-flight movies, music and entertainment, it also allows customers to view content from personal MP3 players on the main screen.
The trademark First pyjamas remain a staple offering and while changing, an onboard turndown service converts the seat into a bed complete with an Egyptian-cotton mattress, duvet and pillow. Practical perks include three items of luggage weighing up to 32kgs each, a dedicated check-in area and access to the fast-track security channels. There’s also the network of over 60 dedicated British Airways lounges and 90 partner lounges worldwide.
 The crown jewels are the Galleries Lounges in Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Here the Concorde Room provides a fully-serviced Concorde Bar and restaurant, concierge desk and boardroom. This exclusive facility is mirrored at New York’s JFK airport. There’s also the larger Galleries First Lounge, with its Gold Bar, Wine Gallery and work and entertainment zones.
Two large Elemis Travel Spas, with six treatment rooms each and a slightly smaller four-room version in the satellite terminal, enable customers to de-stress before a flight. For customers arriving at Terminal 5, there’s the Galleries Arrivals lounge, also offering an Elimis Travel Spa as well as 94 shower rooms, cabanas with infinity bathrooms and a valet service.

SAA to Implement New Strategy

According to News24, South African Airways has briefed the country’s members of parliament at the public enterprises portfolio committee about presenting a turnaround plan at the end of next month, which might involve cutting some flight routes. SAA board acting chairperson Dudu Myeni said that this would be the ninth plan developed by the airline in 13 years, after discovering that there were eight strategies that were developed but never implemented. SAA's new board is 'hard at work' finalising a new plan, which will be presented to the government on either 28 March or 2 April. Myeni described the 20-year plan as "cutting-edge", and vowed it would be more successful than its predecessors, because "it will be developed and owned by our own people". Responding to questions about why the latest plan would be more credible than previous ones, SAA Acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout said the latest "holistic" strategy aimed to achieve "sustainable" business and will take the best elements of the previous ones. SAA is also set to take "a very hard look" at the routes it flies. Bezuidenhout also called for changes to SAA's fleet. According to its 2011/12 annual report, the carrier operates 53 aircraft. "If we have the wrong tools for the job, we're not going to make it,” he said. “Our long-haul fleet will not be profitable unless we adapt and change our fleet."

Onomo International to Build New Hotel

 According to businesscameroon.com, the president of Onomo International Phillippe Colleu has announced the construction of a new hotel in the seaside resort town of Kribi, which is located in the south of Cameroon. The African international hotel chain has purchased ten thousand square metres of land in Kribi for the new hotel, which will have over 120 rooms. Following Onomo Dakar Airport and Onomo Libreville in January 2012, along with Onomo Abidjan Airport hotel, there are two Onomo hotels are under construction in Lomé (Togo) and Bamako (Mali), and a dozen other projects are under study in Nigeria, Chad, Guinea, Mauritania and Burkina Faso. The Onomo concept is based on accessible, durable, and modern hotel business in principal destinations

FastJet Told to Pay Up

 According to eturbonews.com, Tanzanian authorities, led by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority, have issued FastJet’s local management with an ‘either/or’ option, to pay their debts, including debt incurred by Fly540 Tanzania, or deal with the consequences. TCAA are vigorously pursuing payment within the stipulated timeframe, failing which TCAA may pull the plug on the airline’s operations, or ground one or all of their aircraft, to ensure that no further debts accrue and that the carrier pay outstanding dues from current and past operations. FastJet launched operations between Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro, with onward flights to Mwanza, in December last year, but it is currently locked in a battle with Fly540 over the payment of the debt cited.

Ethiopian Expands African Network

 According to eturbonews.com, Ethiopian Airlines has announced further expansion, with new flights to Blantyre, Malawi, and Ndola, Zambia, starting 31 March. Blantyre, the commercial and industrial capital of Malawi, will be Ethiopian’s 44th destination in Africa, with a new schedule of three flights per week. Ndola will be Ethiopian's 45th African and 72nd international destination, but its second destination in Zambia next to Lusaka. “Ethiopian, as a flagship carrier of Africa, is pleased to add Blantyre and Ndola to its wide route network, and to offer passengers to and from these cities the best possible connectivity through its Addis Ababa hub,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. Passengers travelling to and from Blantyre and Ndola will enjoy connections to destinations on Ethiopian Airlines' route network, such as Washington, DC, Toronto, London, Hong Kong and Dubai, among others.

SAA Appoints Interim CEO

According to Fin24.com, South African Airways has appointed Mango chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout to oversee the business in the interim, while it sits with a suspended Acting CEO. "Nico is a very experienced colleague and airline executive, having been appointed CEO of Mango in 2006. We are very pleased that he agreed to oversee operations and we have every confidence that he will provide the necessary leadership during this period," said SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni. This follows the SAA board’s announcement on Tuesday to suspend Acting CEO Vuyisile Kona with immediate effect, based on allegations which it had a fiduciary duty to investigate. The SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union has welcomed Kona's suspension.

Big Upgrade for Singapore

Singapore Airlines will be investing nearly $77 million to refit ten Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with new long-haul cabin products. The cabin upgrade programme will provide greater product consistency across the airline’s long-haul fleet, with Business Class seats that convert into full-flat beds and larger in-flight entertainment screen sizes for both Business Class and Economy Class. Upgraded B777-200ERs will be deployed to more destinations in Europe and to points in India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand as additional aircraft are refitted. In Business Class, the upholstered leather seat reclines up to 125 degrees and unfolds into a 76-inch full-flat bed. Also featured on the airline’s Airbus A340-500, A380 and B777-300ER fleets, the forward-facing, four-abreast 1-2-1 configuration offers all customers direct access to the aisle. The KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system also features a 15.4-inch LCD monitor and an extensive selection of audio and video programmes. In Economy Class, personal LCD monitors will be upgraded to nine inches from 6.5 inches.

SAA Suspends Acting CEO

According to News24, South African Airways acting CEO Vuyisile Kona has been placed on ‘precautionary suspension’, as per the instructions of the SAA board of directors. In a statement, SAA said the suspension was based on certain allegations that came to the attention of the board, in respect of which the board had a fiduciary duty to investigate. "It must be stressed that the board has not come to any conclusion as to the veracity or otherwise of these allegations," said the statement. The suspension is effective the 11th of February. Kona was appointed in October last year, following the resignation of Siza Mzimela as chief executive and the exodus of 14 board members in September 2012, including chairperson Cheryl Carolus. SAA is still in the process of recruiting a permanent CEO.

Arik Air On Nigerian

Visas According to Business Travel Now, Arik Air has advised South African agents to contact the Nigerian consul general to verify which documents and paperwork are required by clients arriving at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Agents can contact the Consulate General Johannesburg on  +27 11 442 3620. Arik Air also reminds agents that the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria no longer issues Nigerian visas.

Ethiopian Airlines Expands Asian Routes

 Ethiopian Airlines plans to adjust its Asian network from the 18th of June, adding three new destinations — Ho Chi Minh, Manila and Seoul Incheon. The airline will delink Bangkok from its Addis Ababa-Hong Kong service, with Hong Kong to be served directly from Addis Ababa instead of four weekly flights routed through Bangkok. Effective 18 June, the daily Bangkok services will extend to Kuala Lumpur and a new destination, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Until June, the Star Alliance member will continue to operate four weekly Addis Ababa – Bangkok – Hong Kong services, and three weekly Addis Ababa – Bangkok – Kuala Lumpur services, using a 767-300ER. Hong Kong will be served directly by daily flights from the Ethiopian capital with flights extending to Seoul or Manila. Three of the daily Addis Ababa – Hong Kong services will fly on to Manila and the remaining four weekly services will serve Seoul Incheon. Three of the daily flights to Bangkok will extend to Ho Chi Minh using a 246-seat 767-300ER. Reservations for Ho Chi Minh City are not yet open. The Addis Ababa – Bangkok – Kuala Lumpur service will increase from three to four weekly flights.

Rezidor Opens Maputo Radisson Blu

 Rezidor has opened the very first Radisson Blu property in Mozambique – the First Class Radisson Blu Hotel, Maputo. The 154-rooms hotel enjoys a prominent location overlooking the Indian Ocean, within easy reach of Maputo International Airport and downtown. The Radisson Blu Hotel, Maputo is located near famous sights such as the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Fatima, the Coconuts Entertainment Centre, the Polana Casino, the Natural History Museum and the Associação Núcleo de Arte, home to the studios of more than 100 artists, sculptors and ceramicists. Guests enjoy a range of amenities and Radisson Blu signature services, such as free high-speed Internet access. The Filini Bar & Restaurant serves delicious Italian cuisine and wines. With its terrace, the airy restaurant is a great setting for a business lunch or dinner. The chic Oceano Bar is a lively place to catch up with friends; and the trendy Palmeira Lounge is another good option. There’s also the glamorous Pool Bar. Guests can relax in the hotel's sun tanning area or take a dip in the large outdoor swimming pool. They can also step up their work out routine in the hotel's fitness room, kitted out with the latest equipment. The Radisson Blu Hotel, Maputo is also ideal for events ranging from large conferences to board meetings: Facilities include three meeting rooms, a conference room spanning 252 square meters that can be divided into three, and a flexible pre-function area of 153 square meters.

Still No Go For FlyGoAir

 Last year, FlyGoAir announced its intention to become a new South Africa-based low-cost carrier in time for the festive season, but it has yet to commence operations following its inaugural flight in December. Tourism Update reports Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport’s management saying that it had distanced itself from any of FlyGoAir’s operations, after the airline failed to communicate its reasons for not operating services as planned. The airline was meant to operate its first route between Lanseria in Johannesburg and KMIA, and planned to offer in-flight services such as meals, beverages and alcohol, as well as plans for a unique loyalty reward programme, in which passengers would have qualified for a free flight after every six flights flown.

SA Express Concerned Over Fuel Hike

 According to EWN, SA Express chief executive Inati Ntshanga said that the airline was struggling due to the rising cost of fuel. The price of petrol in South Africa went up by 41 cents a litre, while diesel rose by almost 18 cents. The airline admitted that it was facing tough times financially and said that its goal for the year is to work closer with its ‘brother’ South African Airways, and to remain sustainable. Ntshanga said that while the airline was staying afloat and providing a good service, business was not necessarily booming. “It’s borderline,” he said. “We have to watch every penny we make in the business and we have to tighten our belts.” Despite the demise of 1time Airlines and Velvet Sky, Ntshanga said that he was not concerned that the airline may have to close up shop. “If the prices of fuel continue to rise we’ll all be afraid,” he said. He added that if that were to happen, SA Express may be forced to offer fewer flights.

Ekurhuleni to Host Airport Cities World Conference

 The Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition 2013 is to take place on African soil for the first time in its 11-year history. The event will be staged at the Emperors Palace Hotel in the City of Ekurhuleni, South Africa, from April 24-26. The City of Ekurhuleni was chosen to host the event as it is home to O.R. Tambo International Airport – the busiest gateway in Africa - and already has a strategic road map in place to become ‘Africa’s first Aerotropolis’. The Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition champions the concept that today airports are more than just gateways for the transportation of goods and people from one region or country to another. This historic perception has now given way to a much broader concept of the airport as a business destination in its own right and as an economic engine for its region and local communities. Last year, Denver International Airport – now rebranded as Airport City Denver – played host to 800 delegates, 50 major corporate sponsors and more than 60 exhibitors. The ACE event is globally renowned for attracting key decision makers from the banking, financial, investment and real estate sectors, as well as economic development councils and other local governments from over the world. ACE 2013 is expecting to welcome at least 800 delegates, including 110 airport operators representing 45 nations, and more than 60 airport chief executive officers or executive directors. The 2013 conference also hopes to attract investment to the City of Ekurhuleni and to broaden economic relationships between the city and international businesses, as well as highlighting the potential economic opportunities of establishing other ‘aerotropoli’ across Africa.

Mango Launches Zanzibar Flights

According to News24, South African low-cost carrier Mango, in association with travel agency AfricaStay, will operate charter flights to Zanzibar from 12 March, with an aircraft capacity of 185 passengers. The charters will be operated with a B737-800 on Tuesdays, with a similar slot to the Zanzibar flights formerly operated by now defunct budget airline 1time. Cobus Vermeulen, sales and marketing director for AfricaStay, told Tourism Update that the flights would be well priced and would be cheaper than indirect services. A Saturday-operated flight is also planned for December. Precision Air is the only other airline to operate the route from South Africa, with a Friday flight from Johannesburg to Zanzibar.

ExecuJet Africa And MS Risk Launch New Service

ExecuJet Africa is partnering with international risk management company MS Risk to offer emergency response plans for clients with staff based at remote locations in Africa. The company launched this new service, called Urgent Response Plan (URP), at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town. ExecuJet and MS Risk will work with clients’ HR and safety managers to develop evacuation plans for those companies who do not currently have one in place, or integrate services into an existing programme. The URP will also include intelligence reporting, remote site visits, ground and air service options, and logistics coordination. “We’ve had an increase in requests from companies to urgently extract key foreign staff based in remote locations within Africa, which led us to launch this service with MS Risk. An evacuation exercise requires thorough planning well in advance to integrate the air service with other logistics involved, and this is beyond the scope of most other air service providers,” said Chris Frost, Business Development Manager for Flight Operations at ExecuJet. “Often companies have a plan in place to handle a crisis, but in our experience most are out of date before they are implemented. Together with ExecuJet, we will work with companies to ensure their policies are up-to-date and robust enough to deal with any emergency situation,” said Simon Barry, Senior Consultant at MS Risk.

Turkish Airlines Flies to Libreville

Turkish Airlines has added a 97th country to its route network by commencing flights to Libreville, Gabon, according to China.org.cn.
 The airline will operate flights from Istanbul, via Douala, to Libreville, which will be its 34th destination in Africa. Turkish Airlines will fly the route three days a week in both directions.
The inaugural phase will last until March, during which time the airline will schedule three rotational flights from Libreville every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 03h10 local time.
 Departure from Istanbul is set at 17h45 every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. The flights will arrive in the Gabonese capital at 02h10, after a stopover in Douala. Turkish Airlines is a member of Star Alliance.

Skywise Launch on Hold

 According to Tourism Update, Skywise, the South African low-cost airline established by the ex-founders of 1time, has had to delay its initial launch date, due to a request from the Department of Transport for additional information.
The airline did not receive its Air Service Licence last month as hoped.
The Department of Tourism told Tourism Update that once Skywise submits the additional documents, they would not have to wait until the next ASLC meeting for a decision to be made, but that the council will sort it out as soon as possible.
 Skywise originally earmarked 1 March as its launch date, but that date is no longer attainable. "The beginning of March was our target date, with the assumption of being issued an ASL at the beginning of the year. As soon as the ASL is hanging on our wall, we will set another target launch date," said Skywise co-founder, Rodney James.
 Skywise has already recruited management staff and office space in Cape Town, as well as finalised its branding, although the rest of the team will be recruited once the launch date is confirmed.

VistaJet to make a noise in Africa

International luxury aviation company VistaJet has placed an order for 56 new Bombardier Global aircraft, with 86 further options.
With a list price value of more than $7.8 billion, this is the single largest transaction placed with any aircraft manufacturer in the history of business aviation. Deliveries of this order will commence in 2014.
The new Global aircraft order – comprising 25 Global 5000, 25 Global 6000, and six Global 8000 aircraft, with options for a further 40 Global 5000, 40 Global 6000 and six Global 8000 jets – is a continuation of the company’s decision to fast-track the growth of the fleet, focusing on wide-cabin, long-range aircraft to provide non-stop point-to-point global coverage.
The new aircraft will directly service growth markets (including Russia, China, all of the Middle East and all of Africa), connecting them to the rest of the globe, as well as serving the east and west coasts of the United States for their intercontinental travel needs. VistaJet is the first commercial operator of the Global 6000 jet to lead the way in long-haul flights connecting the growth markets.
On the ground, VistaJet has doubled its dedicated sales force across these emerging markets, to establish further presence and support for existing and new customers. These additions to the sales team will be introduced during the course of Q1 2013.
VistaJet is headquartered in Switzerland and has operations in London, Moscow, Malta, Dubai, Lagos, Beijing, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Salzburg.

Boeing on Building Drive

 Boeing has begun assembly of the first Next-Generation 737, which is to be built at the rate of 38 airplanes per month. Over the past two years, production of the 737 has risen more than 20%, from 31.5 to 38 airplanes a month.
In 2014, the rate will go up again to 42 airplanes a month. Mechanics have completed loading initial parts of the spars - internal support structures in the wings – into an automated spar-assembly machine. The spar is the first step in building the wings and marks the start of major manufacturing for an airplane.
"The first spar load serves as the defining moment for our latest rate break, and the 737 team did it as planned, on schedule," said Beverly Wyse, Vice-President and General Manager of the 737 program.
 "We have more hard work ahead of us, but we are well on our way to another successful production rate increase."
Employee teams have been instrumental in reducing 737 production flow by developing and implementing innovative efficiency improvements. The first Next-Generation 737 built at the new rate is scheduled to be delivered in the second quarter of this year.

Mango Launches Apps

Mango has become the first South African domestic carrier to offer an App on the Apple platform. The product is available from the App Store. 

The airline plans to make the App available across most other mobile platforms during the next couple of months. In October last year, Mango launched the country’s first airline mobi-site with a booking functionality.

 Users will be able to book, pay, change flights, receive updated airline communication and participate in promotions, among others functions. An information wallet will also allow users to store generic travel detail for future ease-of-use. 

Since the launch of its mobi-site, Mango has logged in excess of 30,000 flight queries via the platform. Currently usage via Apple platforms dominates device types used, ranking at 60% of enquiry volume.

New Property for Nairobi

One of Asia’s most prominent hospitality groups, Dusit International, will be opening a new hotel property in Nairobi, Kenya in the third quarter of 2013.
DusitD2 Nairobi will be the group’s second property on the African continent, after the Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo, Egypt. The new property is located at 14 Riverside, an exclusive development in downtown Nairobi.
Flanked by high-end residences, universities, government offices and embassies, dusitD2 nairobi looks to be well located, offering a mix of all-day dining outlets, meeting facilities, a spa and terrace bar. The 17th of January saw the signing of the hotel management agreement between Nairobi-based Cape Hotels, Ltd and Dusit International, who will oversee the hotel’s operations.

Though this is the company’s second location on the continent, it is its first in sub-Saharan Africa. The company first entered the African market in 2009 with the opening of Dusit Thani Lake View. This latest venture marks a progression from the company’s operations in the Middle East.
“The favourable growth prospects and infrastructure of Kenya’s capital city provide an excellent foothold from which to further develop our brand on the African continent,” said Dusit International Managing Director and CEO, Chanin Donavanik.
 “In concert with our international expansion plans, we aim to solidify our presence in Africa and explore opportunities in locations such as Masai Mara, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam and Kampala.”

ITMSA Event

 The Institute of Travel and Meetings Southern Africa (ITMSA) is hosting a forum and its AGM at the Protea Hotel O.R. Tambo on the 21st of February. The forum is titled ‘What is Meetings Management?’ Strategic Meetings Management (SMMP) is the current global term used to manage meetings, conferences and “events” – in some instances it will also include incentive travel.
 By definition, it is the process of consolidating group travel, meetings and event planning into a centralised function, strategically determining how total spend, volumes, standards, suppliers and risk can be managed more effectively to align with the company strategy, maximise on resources and have a positive impact bottom line.
 The South African business environment, and in particular global companies, have started to explore this initiative in the hope that they can achieve the same results as with corporate travel management. It is, however a new and evolving initiative and still at the beginning stages, with a great deal of work to be done to achieve the full benefit.
The ITMSA will have two expert panels, with panellists including corporate travel buyers and SMMP industry specialists, who will be on hand to answer questions as well.
 Registration and breakfast are at 07h30, with the forum commencing at 08h00. The AGM will take place at 09h30. The forum is free for ITMSA buyer members, whilst the supplier member fee is R350. ITMSA connect members will have to pay R450, whilst non-members will have to pay R550. For more information, contact nicky.duplessis@itmsa.org.

KQ Celebrates 36 Years

For its 36th birthday, Kenya Airways has lined up a series of activities and events, including rewarding loyal customers with various prizes. KQ launched its first flight in February 1977, following the break-up of the East African Community and disbanding of East African Airways. With only six aircraft when it was launched by the Kenyan government - four inherited from the collapsed regional airline and two leased ones - the airline has since been privatised, and grown its fleet and route network significantly. Today, Kenya Airways flies to over 50 destinations across the world and operates a fleet of 41 aircraft. During its 36 years of existence, Kenya Airways has achieved several milestones, including striking a strategic partnership with KLM in 1995; issuing an Initial Public Offering in 1996; and the Rights Issue in 2012. In terms of passenger safety, Kenya Airways achieved the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit certification in 2005, making it the first airline in sub-Saharan Africa to do so. The 36th anniversary comes as the airline implements its 10-year growth plan, ‘Project Mawingu’, which aims at operating a fleet of 119 aircraft from 35, along with increasing its destinations from 58 to 115 routes, by the end of 2021. Kenya Airways is also part of the Sky Team, a global network of 19 international carriers, having joined in 2007.

Mount Grace Goes it Alone

 Mount Grace Country House & Spa in South Africa’s Magaliesburg, to the north-west of Johannesburg, is set to go it alone as an independent brand.
 The property, together with African Pride Hotels, has announced the conclusion of their five-year partnership, effective 1 February. Having collaborated with African Pride Hotels since 2008, the hotel operator extrabold Hotel Management said that it was confident that the time was right to position the hotel independently.
“The move to independently brand, sell and market the Mount Grace continues to be in line with our goal of establishing the hotel as one of the leading luxury destinations in South Africa,” said Managing Director Xander Nijnens.
Extrabold will continue its relationship with Protea Hotels through extended franchise agreements in respect of six Protea Hotels-branded properties. Mount Grace operations will continue to run under the current management team of extrabold.
Mount Grace has also recently expanded its sales and marketing team under the leadership of Chantelle Mogg.

Travelport Launches Business Intelligence Suite

Travelport has launched a new business intelligence suite - Agentivity - to benefit agents in the Middle East and Africa with handling data from anywhere in the world.
Agentivity brings together a wide range of tools that offer travel providers a unique and detailed insight into their agency’s activity, client behaviour, booking-related issues, and more.

The suite allows automation of corporate reporting by doing queue forwarding, corporate data mailing, as well as giving corporate clients direct access to their organisation’s booking data. Access is instant, online, and has data updates that are available 24/7 with no process changes for agents.
The process is fully automated and offers complete transparency over any bookings, and allows agents to address any problems timeously. Rabih Saab, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Travelport said Agentivity is an invaluable business service for busy travel agency customers by providing realtime data, 24/7, from anywhere in the world, and added that "it can significantly improve agent efficiency by aggregating data from multiple suppliers and sources in one place, as well as providing access to valuable customer data, such as advanced booking patterns.”
Agentivity was created for Travelport by Inside Group, a technology company that specialises in the travel industry.

ITMSA Travel Management Course

 It’s another busy year for the Institute of Travel and Meetings Southern Africa (ITMSA). It will be running a series of courses and events throughout 2013.
For starters, in conjunction with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the ITMSA is running a ‘Fundamentals of Business Travel Management’ course at the Protea Hotel Wanderers in Johannesburg on the 14th of March. For most companies, travel is the second largest controllable expense.

In order to control the expense, you must know how to manage travel spend. The ‘Fundamentals of Business Travel Management’ course is GBTA’s starter course, focusing on the basics of business travel management. This course is designed as a guide to the primary components of managed travel.
 Attendees will learn how each component intersects with the required competencies and skill sets needed in business travel management. The course teaches participants to maximise cost containment, improve efficiency and create a managed travel culture in a company.

 Attendees will hear expert course facilitators on the subjects of travel safety and security, travel spending trends and benchmark metrics. An overview of business travel technology will be included, along with a comprehensive discussion on travel policy, savings opportunities and calculating the ROI of a managed travel program. The core curriculum looks at: an overview of travel management; managing the supplier relationship; security and risk management; travel technology basics; measuring success; trends; forecasting and reporting value.
The course is recommended for administrative assistants, co-ordinators, travel managers new to travel management, regional/district sales managers for travel suppliers new to travel management, and anyone needing to gain a better understanding of business travel management practices. The course fee, including final exam, is R2125.00 for GBTA/ITMSA members and R2750.00 for non-members. For further information, visit www.gbta.org/africa or contact nicky.duplessis@itmsa.org or jacky.maulgue@itmsa.org.

Arrival of New Jet To Boost KQ's Network

Kenya Airways has received its new Embraer E-190 jet as it expands its eye on the African market which generates about half of the airline’s total revenue. It is the sixth of ten fully owned E-190 jets that Kenya Airways expects to take delivery of by mid 2013.
 The new aircraft which has 96 seats, 12 in business and 84 economy class, is suited for short regional routes within the Africa continent, where the airline is keen on boosting its presence. Dr Titus Naikuni, the Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer said the E190 is ideal for new routes development and increasing frequencies on existing routes .
In addition to the E-jets, Kenya Airways has also ordered nine Boeing 787 Dreamliners that are due for delivery by 2014. Under its 10-year strategic plan, Kenya Airways targets increasing its fleet to 119 by 2021 while growing the number of destinations to over 115 from the 50 that it currently flies to.