Qantas files notice of intentions on HK and NZ routes

Qantas has applied to Australia’s International Air Services Commission (IASC) for  an allocation of capacity on the Hong Kong/Australia route, to consolidate multiple existing authorisations.

That airline has asked that:

• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with Jet Airways;
• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with British Airways; and
• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with Finnair. 

The Qantas move comes as another prominent carrier on the route, Virgin Atlantic, has given notice that it is pulling out and halting flights to Australia.

Qantas is seeking the determination for a period of five years and wants to be able to use it itself or with “another Australian carrier which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas” and/or with the carriers mentioned above.

Qantas lodged several applications with the IASC last week. Some were in connection with proposed code shares, notably those between Jetstar and Emirates, slated to take force from 6 April 2014 (see separate story: Emirates, Jetstar launch codeshare to NZ, S’pore, SE Asia.)

In another application, Qantas is seeking a new allocation of unlimited passenger and freight capacity on the New Zealand route.

The airline wants to include the following new conditions on the Tasman route:

• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with Japan Airlines;
• the capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with China Southern Airlines; and
• the capacity may be used by Jetstar to provide services jointly with American Airlines. 

Submissions have been invited on some of the applications and the IASC requires advance notice. Some of the dates are imminent.

To check, see the IASC website.

Written by Peter Needham

A New Experience at Yoursingapore At AIME 2014

A new experience is on show at the YourSingapore AIME stand this year.  To illustrate what MICE groups can do in Singapore, the Singapore Tourism Board has created a unique ‘Experience Zone’ at its AIME stand this year, showcasing another reason why organisations should choose the lion city for their next corporate event, conference or meeting.

At AIME 2014, the Experience Zone is proud to present a live interactive Sand Art performance by Singaporean artist Stephanie Stacey Lee.  During both days of AIME, Lee will be sharing the story of Singapore focusing on its famous food, culture and architecture through sand.  Her portfolio contains an array of performances with top corporate organisations including HSBC Bank, Pfizer, and Singapore’s Compulsory Education Unit.

The Experience Zone is meant to offer AIME attendees an insight into Singapore’s wide array of creative and team-building activities available for MICE groups to participate in, which range from culinary activities through to adventure, music and the arts, all providing a distinctively Singaporean cultural experience.

Sharon Lam, Area Director Oceania, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “We are excited not only to be launching the new Experience Zone at our AIME stand this year, but also to have Sand Performer Stephanie Stacey Lee onboard. While Singapore is an ever-changing destination with new venues and hotels, we also have an impressive pool of local talent, which is why we developed this initiative – to demonstrate the growing range of enjoyable and engaging activities which business event organisers and meeting planners can organise for groups in our lively city.”

On the stand, attendees will be able to discuss and explore other available team-building activities available in Singapore, including:

• Hawker for the Day – Hawker centres are an iconic and unique part of the Singaporean experience. Dignity Kitchen provides corporate groups an opportunity to come together on a hawker stall, learn to whip up hawker fare with the guidance of trainers and ultimately sell the food they make to their company peers. www.projectdignity.sg
• Heartlands Race– Singapore’s suburbs are called ‘heartlands’, so this is a chance to go beneath the surface of what visitors usually know (eg Orchard Road, Sentosa etc), to truly experience the destination.  Take the local bus, speak Singlish and engage in authentic local experiences to clear checkpoints in an Amazing Race-style challenge. www.break-through.sg
• Ubin Hunt – Didn’t think Singapore has a rural side? Take a step back in time and retreat to a popular offshore island to do biking, canoeing challenges and village cook-outs.www.outdoorinasia.com

For more information on the Singapore Tourism Board and the bespoke offerings available to the MICE industry, please visit: www.yoursingapore.com/mice 

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Stephanie Stacey Lee

Stephanie has been a sand artist for over 5 years. Starting off as a trained animator, she was inspired by sand art when she saw buskers perform on the street in London. In 2006 she then worked as a media arts trainer in a company, which provided the platform and opportunity to explore, learn and teach sand-art. She took the leap of faith in 2010 to concentrated solely on being a full time sand artist, and has never looked back since.

Stephanie has been in huge demand and has performed for many well-known companies such as, PSA, HUTTONS, ABS (The Association of Banks Singapore), CAPITAL LAND, ABS (Singapore Manufacturer’s Federation), PHILIPS, ORACLE, MENARINI, PFIZER. She has performed in front of Singapore President Tony Tan and the Baron of Germany at the Nobel Prize Laureate in Lindau, Germany. She has also performed in Japan, Malaysia and Thailand.

www.staceyleeart.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Caz Wright | Adhesive PR | caz@adhesivepr.com.au | (02) 9319 1770

Aircraft Like No Other For Air New Zealand...

Air New Zealand's first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft has been delivered in Seattle, USA and will touch down in Auckland on Christmas Eve morning, bringing the Kiwi designed economy Skycouch to New Zealand for the first time.

"This is the best Christmas present we could possibly imagine," says Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe.

"Four long years of planning and design to create an absolute world-first interior and passenger experience is now a reality."

In Seattle to accept the aircraft, Group General Manager International Airline Ed Sims said the aircraft heralds a whole new long-haul flying experience for Air New Zealand customers.

"The majority of our long-haul flights are overnight and we fly on average 90 minutes longer than any other airline. That's why we set out to overcome the seemingly impossible challenge of finding a way for people to lie down in economy without compromising affordability.

"Few airlines have invested time and money beyond First Class, whereas we have focused on the areas where most of our passengers sit by reinventing every aspect of our Economy and Premium Economy customer experience.

"We've created the world's first economy seating that enables people to lie down and a Premium Economy seat that many airlines would call Business Class.

"We're also the first commercial airline to introduce induction ovens for all cabins to give our customers freshly prepared food and have developed an inflight entertainment (IFE) system to give people greater control over the way their journey will unfold," says Mr Sims.

More than 30 airlines have been in contact with Air New Zealand regarding the new seats and formal negotiations are underway with carriers from Asia, North America and Europe to licence the seats following an 18 month period of exclusivity for Air New Zealand.

Highlights of the new aircraft interior include:
- Skycouch - affectionately known as Cuddle Class, giving couples and families the opportunity to lie down like they would on their couch at home.
- Two distinctive Premium Economy seating designs to meet the demands of both individual travellers and couples.
- The first commercial airline to have induction ovens in all cabins, giving customers the opportunity to have steak cooked the way they want it, fresh pizza and burgers, toast and eggs.
- A kiwi-designed pillow that slips onto the winged headrest in economy (meaning the challenge of pillow slippage is gone forever).
- Unique bathroom imagery with wallpaper depicting book cases, chandeliers and other home interior elements.
- An on-demand food and beverage service via the IFE system in every class
- Children's story-time in the rear galley hosted by our cabin crew.
- Inflight wine tasting in the forward galley hosted by our Inflight Concierges.

The aircraft, registration ZK-OKM, is due to leave the Boeing facility in Seattle at 3pm local time today, 22 December, flying to Los Angeles before arriving into Auckland at 8.45am on Christmas Eve 24 December.

Air New Zealand has five Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on order, with the second due for delivery in February followed by a third in April. The 338 seat 777-300 aircraft is configured with 244 in Economy (including 60 seats creating 20 Skycouch combinations), 50 in Premium Economy and 44 in Business Premier.

The first routes to guarantee travellers the next generation of long-haul travel will be on dedicated return services on NZ1 and NZ2 between Auckland and Los Angeles and through to London from April 2011.

Ends

Note to editors:
Background document on inflight products and photographs attached.

Issued by Air New Zealand Public Affairs ph +64 21 747 320

Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award, Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Blue1, bmi, Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. Air India and Ethiopian Airlines have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers 21,000 daily flights to 1,160 airports in 181 countries.
For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com


For more information on the Air New Zealand Group, visit Air New Zealand online
at http://www.airnewzealand.com

The 20th Monaco Yacht Show

Monaco Engulfed by Sea of Super Yachts - This month Monaco will be engulfed by a sea of super yachts. The 20th Monaco Yacht Show takes place this week (from 22 - 25 September) and puts on a show of the most beautiful armada in the world.

Port Hercule provides the stunning backdrop for the 100 moorings reserved for boats from 25 to 85 metres long, many of these yachts making their first appearance on the international market.

The Monaco Yacht Show has created a reputation as the world leader in luxury yacht shows with prestigious brands vying to contribute to the 20th anniversary celebrations.

As every year, Monaco's commitment to environmental sustainability will be demonstrated by donating part of the income from ticket sales to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to support environmental projects.

By the end of the year the new Monaco Yacht Club will be open, providing another spectacular flagship building on the waterfront to accommodate yachts large and small, breathing even more life into the busy port. The new Yacht Club signals the extension of Port Hercule's facilities and combines sea, sport, luxury, culture and sustainable development.

Taste the Tarkine with Underbelly Star and Celebrity MasterChef Contestant Simon Westaway on Two Limited Tarkine Tours

The popular business Tarkine Trails, which has drawn visitors to Tasmania’s ancient Tarkine forests on the North West Coast for years, has added an exciting new element to their tours – Underbelly star and Celebrity MasterChef contestant, Simon Westaway.
Simon, who is passionate about food and the wilderness, will join Tarkine Trails on two new and limited Taste of the Tarkine experiences, which will only run on 7 December 2010 and 8 March 2011. Guests on the six-day Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine tour will have the opportunity to spend time with Simon on their journey through the majestic rainforests and spectacular coastlines of the Tarkine wilderness, and enjoy the exquisite food he prepares using fresh, local, top-quality ingredients, themed around the Tarkine region. Places on the Simon Westaway Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine tour cost $2599 per person and are limited; they can be purchased through www.tarkinetrails.com.au

The Simon Westaway Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine experience includes:
• A six day walking tour including river cruises, canoeing and rainforest and coastal walks
• Two nights’ accommodation at our exclusive wilderness retreat at the stunning Tiger Ridge rainforest
• Two nights at Corinna’s eco-cabins
• One night in large, comfortable canvas tents at our exclusive wilderness camp at Kings Run, Arthur River
• Two experienced, professional and passionate guides
• A dusk wildlife tour and a rare encounter with wild Tasmanian Devils
• A delightful selection of fresh, high-quality, Tasmanian food and wine prepared and served by Celebrity MasterChef contestant and Underbelly Star, Simon Westaway
• A restaurant meal at Tannin, Corinna’s Tarkine restaurant
• A return ferry trip down the Pieman River to the wild Tarkine coast

The intimate tour accommodates only 10 people, providing a personalized, eco-friendly experience that has a minimal impact on the largely untouched environment. Carefully designed to accommodate individuals of all fitness levels, the tour includes a maximum of 4 – 5 hours of walking each day with light-weight day packs.

To celebrate the exciting partnership with Simon Westaway, Tourism Tasmania and Tarkine Trails is offering one lucky nature and gourmet lover and his/her guest the chance to go on an all-expenses paid, Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine experience, including two return flights from any major capital city airport. To enter the competition, participants can either visit the Tarkine Trails website and click on the competition link, or go directly to their Facebook page. To be eligible to win, contestants must either

1. Sign up to the e-newsletter, done automatically when entering details for the competition and or;
2. Become a fan of the Tarkine Trails Facebook page.

The winners will be announced in early October. The winners will join the Celebrity Chef in the Tarkine trip on December 7.

Background Notes
Tourism Tasmania is a Tasmanian Government organisation whose role is to lead the industry in jointly delivering marketing and development programs that drive benefits for Tasmania from domestic and international tourism.

Part of the wider Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Tourism Tasmania links government and the private sector in marketing Tasmania's unique assets.

Tourism Tasmania’s new strategic direction has been shaped by the recognition of the changed world for tourism in Tasmania and the need for the organisation to continue to change to meet the challenges of this new world.