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.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
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.
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.”
“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.
“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.
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.
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