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AVIATION
Abacus, Cathay Pacific to reward travel agents
Asia Pacific’s Leading Global Distribution Service (GDS) provider
Abacus together with leading Airline in the world Cathay Pacific airways
announced the launch of an exciting promotion to reward Sri Lankan
travel agents.
Travel agents who use Abacus to book and sell Cathay Pacific airways
to their customers will stand a great chance to win fabulous prizes such
as a return air ticket to Bangkok or a 3G Nokia phones.
Ridha Al ayad Manager Airline Business Development of Abacus
International Lanka (Pvt) Ltd said “Abacus was glad to join hands with
Cathay Pacific airways, our partner Carrier, in order to bring forth
this exciting promotion.
Abacus has run several such promotions in the past with very
encouraging response from travel agency partners and look forward to
many more rewarding programs and promotions in the future too.”
Ruhan Abbas, Sales and Marketing Manager of Cathay Pacific airways
was enthusiastic about the potential the promotion presented.
“Cathay Pacific is pleased to join forces with Abacus and provide
this wonderful opportunity for travel agents to be rewarded with
attractive prizes for taking flight bookings to greater heights.”
Singapore-based Abacus International is Asia-Pacific’s leading travel
facilitator recently voted in for the 10th consecutive year as the Best
GDS by TTG Asia, covering 24 countries in the region.
Abacus International Lanka (Pvt) Ltd is a Joint venture between
Softlogic Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. and Abacus International (Singapore) Pte.
Ltd. Abacus Lanka has combined international technology and best
practices together with local expertise to offer a range of travel
products and solutions tailor-made to meet the specific requirements of
the sub-continent region travel agencies.
Abacus International is owned by Sabre, the US-based leader in the
electronic distribution of travel and travel related services and a
consortium of Asian airlines including Cathay Pacific.
This business partnership brings together two leaders in their own
fields to create efficiencies that benefit passengers across the world.
Emirates welcomes first flight to Los Angeles
Emirates, one of the world’s fastest-growing international airlines
commenced its Los Angeles service on October 27, as Flight 215 touched
down at Tom Bradley Terminal, Los Angeles International Airport at
approximately 1:05 p.m. local time.
The Los Angeles route marks the first non-stop operation connecting
Dubai to Los Angeles.
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Greeted by a traditional water canon
salute, Emirates flight 215 touched down recently at Tom
Bradley Terminal, Los Angeles International Airport. |
Emirates is flying its Boeing 777-200LR on the route, offering 266
seats in a three class configuration and providing up to ten tonnes of
cargo capacity.
Initially, service will be offered three times per week-Wednesdays,
Fridays and Sundays - before offering daily service upon the arrival of
additional aircraft.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum Chairman and Chief Executive,
Emirates Airline and Group said, “Los Angeles represents Emirates’
commitment to the American market. We have evaluated the U.S. for
expansion opportunities and have carefully examined our existing
services in Houston and New York-both of which have been very
successful.
We look forward to recreating this success by connecting Los Angeles
to Dubai and beyond.” “This route opens a new destination for business
and leisure travellers in the Gulf region, a part of the world not
previously served from Los Angeles.
It will also enable travellers to reach every region of the world
non-stop from LAX,” said Los Angeles Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. The
new flight runs a distance of 8,339 miles, clocking a journey time of 16
hours and 45 minutes from Dubai to Los Angeles, while the shorter return
flight is just less than 16 hours. Flight 215 departs Dubai at 8:20
a.m., arriving in Los Angeles at 1:05 p.m. (local times).
The return route, Flight 216, departs Los Angeles at 4:00 p.m.,
arriving in Dubai at 7:55 p.m. local time the following day.
Singapore airlines updates route network
Singapore Airlines is making adjustments to its network during the
Northern Winter schedule to better match capacity with demand.
These changes, listed below, will take place progressively throughout
the five-month-long Northern Winter schedule, which takes effect from
October 26.
Flights to Penang and Ho Chi Minh will be gradually reduced during
the Northern Winter period. As a result, Singapore Airlines will operate
18 weekly flights to Penang and 17 weekly flights to Ho Chi Minh.
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Singapore Airlines Aircraft |
Service to and from Seoul will be reduced progressively from the
start of the winter season with a reduction in frequency. The flights
will be suspended from service completely from 2 February to 28 March
2009, when the winter season ends.
Osaka will be served once a day from November 2.
Frequencies to Bangalore and Chennai will also be reduced during the
Northern Winter schedule. The affected flights are SQ 500 and SQ 501, on
the Singapore-Bangalore route, and SQ 526, and SQ527, between Singapore
and Chennai. Both cities in India will continue to be served daily.
These changes come as Singapore Airlines increases services to the
Middle East.
Last week, the frequency of Singapore Airlines flights to Istanbul,
via Dubai, was boosted from four to six flights per week.
The Airline will also commence operations to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on
14 December 2008. The four-times weekly service will operate via Dubai
every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Singapore Airlines will be operating 20 times a week to Dubai with
the start of operations to Riyadh.
In the current operating environment, Singapore Airlines remains
committed to providing customers the highest standard of service, while
ensuring capacity is allocated carefully to match demand. Where demand
falls, capacity adjustments will be made quickly.
Qatar Airways has launched scheduled flights to New York’s JFK
International Airport with a new non-stop service linking America’s
financial centre with Doha, capital of the State of Qatar.
 The new route gives Qatar Airways its second daily non-stop service
to America, supplementing existing daily services to the Capital,
Washington DC.
The JFK service replaces Qatar Airways’ one-stop, six-times-a-week
operation between Doha and Newark Liberty International Airport, gateway
to New York City, which was introduced in June 2007.
Passenger demand to New York’s JFK International prompted Qatar
Airways to move the flights. As part of the new schedules, Qatar
Airways’ Geneva service, which was linked to Newark, is now a dedicated
non-stop service from Doha, operating four-times-a-week.
The JFK route offers passengers excellent connections across the
Middle East, South Asia, and parts of the Far East, via Doha, the
airline’s operational hub.
Beginning 30th March 2009, Qatar Airways will step up its presence in
the US market by linking Doha and Houston - the energy capitals of the
Middle East and America respectively.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “On behalf
of Qatar Airways, I am delighted to see our aircraft now operating to
one of America’s premier airports.
The Economy
Qantas begins new air bus service
Australian airline Qantas recently launched commercial services of
its new Airbus A380 superjumbo, becoming the first carrier to fly paying
passengers into Los Angeles on the giant jet.
The plane took off from Melbourne at 11.15 a.m. (0015 GMT) and will
be met in Los Angeles about 12 hours later by movie star, pilot and
Qantas “ambassador” John Travolta as well as Australian singer Olivia
Newton-John. Qantas Chief Executive Geoff Dixon said the decision to fly
its first A380 commercial service to the US West Coast showed a
commitment to expanding the trans-Pacific market, an extremely lucrative
route for airlines.
MELBOURNE, Oct 20, 2008 AFP
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