Head For The Slopes With Emirates Holidays New Ski Brochure

27th October 2008 With memories of the summer fading fast, people’s thoughts are shifting to the impending winter holiday season and where better to turn to than the new Emirates Holidays Ski brochure 2008-2009. Packed full of exciting all-inclusive winter holidays for individuals, groups and families alike, in some of the world’s most fashionable and glamorous resorts, this year’s brochure is a must for winter travellers. Whether it is skiing in the U.S., snowboarding in France, or ice skating in Austria, there is more choice than ever before. With 17 ski resorts and 72 hotels in seven countries, the new Ski brochure provides an extensive range of flexible and affordable quality packages. Emirates Holidays winter destinations offer skiing for all competency levels as well as a diverse range of other activities including snowboarding, ice skating, tobogganing, cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, dog sledding and sleigh rides. Not to be forgotten are the wonderful, vibrant après-ski options for those who prefer to be off the slopes cosy bars and cafes, lively nightclubs, excellent restaurants and a wide choice of shopping are available to keep the less adventurous occupied. The Emirates Holidays Ski brochure 2008-2009 features the U.S. as the newest winter holiday destination providing another attractive alternative to Europe with two fabulous resorts to choose from Aspen/Snowmass in Denver, Colorado and Park City/Deer Valley in Utah. Famous for its pristine beauty, diverse terrain, amazing restaurants and legendary nightlife, Aspen/Snowmass is one of the best-known ski-resort destinations in the world. Frequented by the world’s rich and famous, Aspen is renowned for its extensive mix of cultural events and cosmopolitan nightlife, as well as for offering many variations of black and double black runs, cruisers and glades for both skiers and snowboarders. Aspen is the place to be seen. Emirates Holidays offers a great value ski package in Aspen, valid between 1st November 2008 and 12th April 2009. From AED 16,750 per person, based on twin-sharing basis, this package includes seven nights accommodation with American breakfast at the five-star St Regis Aspen Resort, return Economy Class fare between Dubai, Houston and Denver, room tax and service charges. Located in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains which form part of the Rocky Mountain Range renowned for its champagne powder snow, Park City is an old historic silver mining town with its own unique character more suited to the serious skier. Distinctive turn-of-the-century architecture and a festival-like atmosphere set this ski town apart from other winter destinations. The Deer Valley Resort offers undisturbed silence, the clearest of skies and unrivalled beauty, its natural magnificence sets a high standard. From AED 9,420 per person, based on twin-sharing accommodation, travellers can take advantage of a fantastic package holiday at the Yarrow Resort Hotel in Park City. This includes seven nights accommodation with American breakfast, room tax, service charges and return Economy Class fare between Dubai, Houston and Salt Lake City, valid from 14th November 2008 until 18th April 2009. For those who prefer to stay a little closer to home, Emirates Holidays offers great European destinations including Kitzbühel in Austria, Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, Courchevel in France, and Zermatt and St Moritz in Switzerland. Take advantage of various packages on offer including seven nights accommodation in the five-star Cristallo Reconditioning & Beauty Hotel inclusive of Continental breakfast, room tax and service charges and return Economy Class fare between Dubai and Venice, from AED 11,090 per person on twin-sharing basis. This package is valid between 11th January and 29th March 2009. Prices are reduced by five per cent for packages booked, paid for and ticketed at least 21 days before the departure. Members of Skywards, Emirates frequent flyer programme, booking their winter holiday will receive up to 20 per cent bonus Miles when they book hotel accommodation for a minimum of three nights. Comprehensive insurance can also be provided by Emirates Holidays through Ski-Guard, a specialist winter sports travel insurance company that offers a wide range of benefits covering almost any eventuality, including lost equipment, airport delays, cancellation and medical expenses. In the event of piste closure Ski-Guard also covers transportation to the nearest available alternative as well as providing avalanche cover. For those who want to learn how to ski or snowboard or just want to warm up before their holiday, Emirates Holidays also offers a unique snow experience at Ski Dubai in Mall of The Emirates. Travellers can book their winter holiday packages with Emirates Holidays through preferred travel agents or direct with Emirates Holidays on 800 5252 or at www.emirates-holidays.com

Exciting New Hotel Booking Website Offers the Internet&194;’s Best Hotel Rates Guaranteed

Miami, FL April 29, 2008 -

&194;– With one of the largest room reservation engines on the internet, newly launched staybooked.com offers travelers a choice of more than 98,000 hotels from Asia to Europe to North America and beyond. Users are assured to find the lowest hotel rates offered on the web.

Guaranteed rates found at Staybooked.com are unbeatable. If travelers find a lower rate on another website for the same room, at the same hotel, on the same dates, within 24 hours of making a booking with them, staybooked.com guarantees to match it plus pay 10 percent of the difference in price.

Staybooked.com&194;’s unique three-step booking process allows users to quickly and securely reserve the most discounted rates available for hotel accommodations. Bookings are instantly confirmed via email and rooms are secured within moments.

In addition to hotel accommodations, the innovative web resource offers more than 20,000 destinations, unbiased travel booking advice, and honest hotel reviews. Users can chose to search by hotel, attraction, or by city throughout various regions of the world including northern or southern Africa, eastern or western Europe, Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and North and South America.

The new site, already voted the easiest website for booking hotel rooms, will soon release a host of additional features, including one click rebooking of regular hotels, in depth professional hotel reviews, a generous reward program, emailed destination weather forecasts, and car rental discounts.

Global site staybooked.com is included in the Travelocity Partner Network and boasts a Best Rate Guarantee, allowing the site to negotiate their low rates with hotels and hotel suppliers based on their bulk purchasing capabilities. Staybooked.com also utilizes the Thawte secure site software to protect users&194;’ credit card and other sensitive material.

Test the engine, book your holiday now on the travel assistant staybooked.com by visiting http://www.staybooked.com.

Media contact:

Jesse Hemson-Struthers

http://www.staybooked.com
Marketing Director

StayBooked.com

00 27 83 634 7838

jesse @ staybooked.com

Will this be Godolphin’s year ‘Down Under

Emirates to host royalty in its Indian-themed marquee DUBAI, U.A.E., 29th October 2009 - Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor look likely to be double handed with Kirklees and Crime Scene in this year’s Emirates Melbourne Cup on 3rd November. Sponsored by Emirates, Godolphin has had 12 runners since 1998 in Australia’s most famous race, and came close to victory in both 1999 and 2001 with the second places of Central Park and Give The Slip. Kirklees, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, has already had an outing in Australia when finishing seventh, behind 2008 Emirates Melbourne Cup winner Viewed in the Caulfield Cup on 17th October, a race won last year by Godolphin’s All The Good. Crime Scene, the mount of Kerrin McEvoy, had been off the track for almost three months, before finishing a respectable sixth in the Geelong Cup on 21st October, in his first Australian run. Emirates Melbourne Cup training legend, Bart Cummings will be looking for his 13th victory in the ‘race that stops a nation He already has two live chances in Viewed, current race favourite, and Cox Plate winner So You Think. Away from the racing action, the focus of this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, which begins on Saturday with Derby Day, will be the Emirates Marquee located in the famed Birdcage at Flemington Racecourse. Throughout the Carnival, EK airlines be hosting its guests in its destination-themed marquee, which is based on the vibrant colours; cosmopolitan culture and the rich heritage of India. Flemington Racecourse’s Birdcage Enclosure features an array of unique hospitality marquees lining the narrow walkways. This world famous enclosure is known for being an international celebrity hub during the Carnival. This year, EK airlines be hosting Zara Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, and the reigning World Champion in Eventing. Following her trip to Melbourne, Miss Phillips will relax at Emirates new luxury conservation-based resort, Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, located between two of Australia’s most prominent national parks and bordering the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Amongst the celebrities joining Miss Phillips in the Emirates Marquee will be Cricket Australia’s vice captain Michael Clarke and his fiancé Lara Bingle; actresses Sybilla Dean, from Gossip Girl; Lost star Sonya Walger, now starring in FlashForward; comedians Hamish Blake and Andy Lee; Olympian Steve Hooker; actor Benji Hart and British pop sensation Paloma Faith; as well as stars from the sports teams sponsored by Emirates including Collingwood and Emirates Western Force. Emirates is the title sponsor of the Emirates Melbourne Cup and Principal Partner of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, which runs from 31st October to the 7th November. Around the world, Emirates is an Official Partner of the Breeders Cup World Championships, the richest racemeeting in the world with over US$25 million in prize money, title sponsor of the Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest race, and supporter of racing in Europe and Asia. Emirates airline flies to 10 destinations across India, the world’s second most populous country non-stop from Dubai, including Delhi in the north, Kochi in the south, Mumbai in the west and Kolkata in the east.

EK Aviation College on target for 15 per cent increase in student numbers

DUBAI, U.A.E.,13th September 2009: With the new semester due to start directly after Eid, Emirates Aviation College is on target to see an increase of 15 per cent on last year’s total student numbers. Just over a week out from the start of the new term, the college has seen a rise in the number of new student registrations, as well as students returning to complete their studies. The college enlists the services of the very best teachers from across the globe to ensure that the students are ahead of the curve on completion of their academic studies. All courses offered at the Emirates Aviation College are certified by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education. The Emirates Aviation College offers a variety of courses from Academic Programmes to Diplomas, Higher Diplomas as well as several MBA programmes. Since the college opened in late 1991 a total of 8,000 students have successfully completed their studies across a variety of specialisations. Many of these students have since gone on to rewarding and successful careers in aviation across the globe. Current courses on offer for the 2009-2010 academic year include: Academic Programmes: Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering and Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration - Air Transport Management. Diplomas and Higher Diplomas in Aerospace Engineering, Business Studies, Electronics and Computer, Computer Software Development and Tourism Management. Top-up Degrees in a variety of specialisations including; Aviation Management, Aerospace Technology, Applied Business, Electronics Engineering are also available. Those looking to complete their MBA can enroll in; Aviation Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management and IT Management. The college will also be offering English Foundation programmes and Flight Operations Management courses. Registration is still open for students who are interested in attending the Emirates Aviation College. Further information can be found at www.emiratesaviationcollege.com or by calling the college administration office on +9714 2824000.

Lin Wen-tang Takes Hong Kong Open after Dramatic Play-off

24th November 2008 - Lin Wen-tang claimed his first victory on the European Tour on Sunday, after a dramatic three-way play-off in the Hong Kong Open. Emirates is the Official Airline of the tournament, which is the second leg in the ‘Race To Dubai Wen-tang scored a birdie on the second play-off hole to beat Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Francesco Molinari of Italy to claim the title in the 50th edition of the tournament. During the tournament, Emirates sponsored the seventh hole, the Emirates A380 par 4, and made a donation to the Youth Outreach charity for every professional who birdied the hole over the four days of play; a total of 68 birdies were recorded. This charity donation was supplemented by proceeds from a nearest to the pin event and a charity hole in one competition also run by Emirates in support of their partnership. A total of five return Emirates Business Class tickets to Dubai and a two night stay in Emirates Hotels & Resort’s city-based hotel, The Harbour Hotel & Residence, were won by spectators during the tournament in addition to 200,000 Miles from Skywards, Emirates frequent flyer programme. During the tournament, Emirates announced that it was extending its sponsorship of the Hong Kong Open for a further three years.

SRS-WORLDHOTELS Announces Positive Results for 2003, Encouraging Outlook for 2004 at Record Annual Hotelier Conference in Portugal

February 13, 2004

Frankfurt, Germany-based SRS-WORLDHOTELS held its 2004 Hotelier Conference at the Ria Park Hotel in the Portuguese town of Almancil, near Faro, January 31 to February 2.

A record 300 delegates from over 38 countries, representing more than 75 percent of the hotel group&194;’s 450 members, gathered for the three-day conference.

Under the conference theme "Be Connected," SRS-WORLDHOTELS unveiled its 2003 results, as well as its goals and strategies for 2004. CEO Michael Ball announced a 9 percent increase in room nights over the previous year, together with increases in yield, and an 11 percent increase in revenues delivered by its reservation systems for the organization&194;’s hotel portfolio.

In addition, the organization&194;’s portfolio grew by a record 56 independent hotels in 2003, among them the Lotte Hotel Seoul, Rocco Forte&194;’s Browns Hotel in London, the Dai-ichi in Tokyo and major landmark hotels in The People&194;’s Republic of China. In addition, a number of new member hotels represent new destinations for the company, including Detroit, Mich., Las Vegas, Nev., Krakow, Poland, and Vilnius, Lithuania.

For 2004, Michael Ball commented that the background business landscape had improved significantly in most major markets. He added that SRS-WORLDHOTELS was targeting double-digit growth in room nights and system-delivered revenues. Under its newly defined &194;“Create and Capture Demand Strategy,&194;” the company outlined its plans to grow business across a range of market segments. These include the new industry standard WORLDEVENTS product for meeting planners, as well as a range of initiatives focused on corporations (including a new self-booking tool called WORLDLINK) and the retail agency community.

Roland Jegge, vice president for Asia/Pacific, announced the successful opening of a new office in Shanghai to spearhead SRS-WORLDHOTELS&194;’ expansion in that region.

His counterpart in the Americas, Tom Griffiths, reported that the company will open a new office in Miami and that new marketing partnerships have been formed with American Airlines and other partners in the U.S.

Unveiling the company&194;’s new &194;“Capturing Demand&194;” strategy, Claudia Hammerstein, vice president of operations, also highlighted several new technology-based &194;“firsts&194;” for the company. These include: a new web site that incorporates a booking engine in English, Spanish, Italian, French, German and Japanese; increased connections to worldwide online retailers; a suite of new CRM customer tracking and reporting capabilities for both internal and hotel customers; and new group and corporate RFP products from the company-owned subsidiary Nexus World Services.

Hammerstein said that SRS-WORLDHOTELS has set a goal to increase the number of room nights booked via the Internet by more than 20 percent by the end of 2004. She added that while the company was committed to rapidly expanding its distribution, and had signed a range of new agreements with online retailers in the past few months, hoteliers must nevertheless remain watchful that yield does not suffer by over-reliance on the specialized &194;“Internet discounters.&194;”

The theme of managing yield effectively was also taken up by one of the conference&194;’s guest speakers, David Scwosill, CEO of Opodo, the Pan-European online travel company. Other guest speakers included Per Lydmar, founder of the famous Lydmar Hotel in Stockholm, who encouraged the audience to incorporate ideas of innovation and branding from other industries into the hotel sector in an inspiring presentation. The conference&194;’s workshops, seminars and exhibition Tech Tank also included featured presentations from Sabre/Travel Network Galileo, Amadeus, iHamms and CNN. Vodafone also provided delegates with full wireless Internet connections throughout the hotel.

In his closing remarks, Michael Ball commented again on the positive outlook for the industry and the company, and in particular how international hotel sales, marketing and distribution industries were increasing both in complexity and scope. He pointed out that this works to the advantage of independent hotels who increasingly can -- and should --&194;“celebrate their character, individuality and independence,&194;” harnessing an ever-widening number of channels and opportunities offered by SRS-WORLDHOTELS.

SRS-WORLDHOTELS is one of the world&39;s leading hotel sales, marketing and distribution organizations. This progressive and steadily expanding corporation provides independently operated hotels and hotel groups with innovative sales, marketing and distribution services. SRS-WORLDHOTELS represents over 450 member properties in 65 countries spanning all continents. Unique in its approach, SRS-WORLDHOTELS meets the requirements of business travelers and vacationers alike by providing three different hotel categories: the exclusive Deluxe Collection, the First Class Collection, ideal for the discerning guest, and the Comfort Collection, renowned for offering excellent value for money. Visit SRS-WORLDHOTELS on the Internet: http://www.srs-worldhotels.com.

Cornell Center For Hospitality Research Releases Comprehensive Compilation of Wage-and-Hour Laws

Ithaca, NY October 8, 2009

A new Roundtable Retrospective from Cornell&39;s Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) seeks to unravel the remarkable tangle of wage-and-hour regulations throughout the United States. Based on an investigation that began with the center&39;s Labor and Employment Law Roundtables, authors Carolyn Richmond and David Sherwyn developed this guide to wage-and-hour regulations in all fifty U.S. states, as well as other jurisdictions, such as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. They were assisted in this research by Martha Lomanno, Darren Rumack, and Jason Shapiro.

The Roundtable Retrospective, "Restaurants at the Crossroads: A State-by-State Summary of Key Wage-and-Hour Provisions," is available at no charge from the CHR at http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/roundtableproceedings/ .

"Federal regulations control in all jurisdictions, unless the state has enacted more stringent rules," explained Sherwyn, an associate professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. "The problem for restaurant operators--and other employers--is that operators can be tripped up by this tangle of state wage-and-hour regulations. It is important to know what your state requires and when federal regulations are in effect. Carolyn Richmond and the research team have done a great service to the restaurant industry by compiling these regulations." Richmond is a partner and co-chair of the Hospitality Practice Group of Fox Rothschild LLP, a partner of the CHR.

In addition to the breakdown of specific wage-and-hour regulations, the document outlines recent case law where restaurateurs have been found in violation of wage-and-hour regulations, to their detriment. Awards to the plaintiff employees in some cases amounted to several million dollars. The wage-and-hour regulations specify such matters as how often employees must be paid, minimum wages, premium pay rates, employees&39; break and lunch patterns, and how to handle service charges and tip pools.

Thanks to the support of the CHR partners listed below, all publications posted on the center&39;s website are available free of charge, at http://www.chr.cornell.edu .

About The Center for Hospitality Research

A unit of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) sponsors research designed to improve practices in the hospitality industry. Under the lead of the center&39;s 76 corporate affiliates, experienced scholars work closely with business executives to discover new insights into strategic, managerial and operating practices. The center also publishes the award-winning hospitality journal, the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. To learn more about the center and its projects, visit http://www.chr.cornell.edu .

Center Senior Partners: American Airlines Admirals Club, job.travel, McDonald&39;s USA, Philips Hospitality, Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc., Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, and TIG Global

Center Partners: AIG Global Real Estate Investment, Davis&Gilbert LLP, Deloitte&Touche USA LLP, Denihan Hospitality Group, eCornell&Executive Education, Expedia, Inc., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Fox Rothschild LLP, French Quarter Holdings, Inc., FX Real Estate and Entertainment, Inc., HVS, InterContinental Hotels Group, Jumeirah Group, LRP Publications, Marriott International, Inc., Marsh&39;s Hospitality Practice, Mobil Travel Guide, Inc., PricewaterhouseCoopers, Proskauer Rose LLP, SAS, Smith Travel Research, SynXis (a Sabre Holdings Corporation), Thayer Lodging Group, Thompson Hotels, Travelport, WATG, and WhiteSand Consulting

Center friends: 4Hoteliers.com American Tescor, LLC Argyle Executive Forum Cody Kramer Imports Cruise Industry News DK Shifflet&Associates ehotelier.com EyeforTravel Gerencia de Hoteles&Restaurantes Global Hospitality Resources Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) hospitalityInside.com hospitalitynet.org Hospitality Technology Magazine Hotel Asia Pacific Hotel China HotelExecutive.com Hotel Interactive Hotel Resource HotelWorld Network International CHRIE International Hotel Conference International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) iPerceptions Lodging Hospitality Lodging Magazine Milestone Internet Marketing MindFolio Parasol PhoCusWright, Inc. PKF Hospitality Research The Resort Trades RealShare Hotel Investment&Finance Summit Resort+Recreation Magazine RestaurantEdge.com Shibata Publishing Co. Synovate The Lodging Conference TravelCLICK UniFocus WageWatch, Inc. WIWIH.COM

Just in Time for Summer Travel Planning, Travel Wisdom - Tips, Tools, and Tactics for All Travelers Offers a Smorgasbord of Timely Travel Advice.

April 14, 2004

Whether you are planning to sip champagne at the Eiffel Tower, cruise the sunny Caribbean, walk The Great Wall of China, drive across America, or vacation close to home, Travel Wisdom: Tips, Tools, and Tactics for All Travelers provides the tried-and-true solutions and strategies travelers are seeking.

Travel experts Lynne and Hank Christen have crafted a guide that presents the new reality of travel including how to avoid or minimize the pitfalls that may emerge. More than a problem solver, this book shows you how to maximize the entire travel experience from start to finish.

Midwest Book Review enthusiastically recommends Travel Wisdom: Tips, Tools, and Tactics for All Travelers as "a highly practical guide to packing like a pro, managing travel money, shopping smart, bargaining for goods and services, dealing with setbacks, enjoying traveling with a group or going solo, creating travel lasting memories, and so much more. Travel Wisdom offers no-nonsense health, safety, and financial advice and is enthusiastically recommended for those about to travel the country or around the world for business, pleasure, or both." Small Press Bookwatch, Category Travel, http://www.midwestbookreview.com.

Independent Publishing Reviews calls Travel Wisdom &194;– Tips, Tools, and Tactics for All Travelers "a well-organized guide with helpful chapters on every travel subject imaginable. Not a dry read. Funny little travel predicaments and stories are interspersed throughout. A great love for travel comes through on every page." http://www.bookpromotion.net

Duncan T. Black, a travel writer living in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico says, "These authors have packaged checklists and practical advice that are the best I have seen. As a writer and frequent traveler, I found this book essential for the experienced globetrotter and a revelation for those who are novices. Anyone will find fresh and instantly useable info on planning, packing, shopping, and savoring their trip. Can&39;t recommend it highly enough!"

Lynne Christen, formerly a flight attendant with a major airline for 22 years, is a freelance travel writer and speaker. Hank Christen is a nationally recognized expert in counter-terrorism threat assessment and disaster management. The Christens have traveled to 44 countries and throughout the United States. They are often requested as guest speakers by the media and at conferences and trade shows. Hank Christen is also co-author of four books in the disaster field, including Understanding Terrorism and Managing the Consequences.

If you are interested in reviewing Travel Wisdom: Tips, Tools, and Tactics for All Travelers or interviewing the Christens. Contact Lynne and Hank Christen by calling 1-888-587-5582 (toll-free) or by email at travelwisdom@cox.net.

The Travel Wisdom website:

http://www.travel-wisdom.com

New charges agreement strengthens CPH’s position as Scandinavian hub

“It is absolutely essential to the airport, to the Capital Region and to Denmark in general that CPH is able to maintain and expand its position as a Scandinavian hub by remaining an attractive partner to airlines with many transfer passengers, including SAS. The new charges agreement, which will be in force for the coming five and a half years, provides for this. With a changed price structure, a reduction of the take-off charge for the largest aircraft and locked charges for 18 months, the agreement will serve to consolidate CPH’s position as the region’s key hub in the coming years, says Brian Petersen, CEO of Copenhagen Airports.

This means that the agreement will strengthen one part of CPH’s strategy; to continually expand the hub and promote the development of intercontinental routes. The other part of the strategy, to ensure continual growth in the low-cost segment, will be provided for 2010 with the opening of the low-cost pier CPH Swift, where charges will be negotiated separately.

Charges locked
The existing charges agreement is due to be renewed by the end of the year, and under the new agreement charges will be locked from October 2009 until April 2011 in order to help airlines as well as the airport to overcome the current crisis. For the remainder of the contract period, charges will be subject to annual increases equivalent to Statistic Denmark's consumer price index plus one per cent. This means that the airlines know the level of expenditure well into the future.

In addition, CPH undertakes to invest more than DKK 2.6 billion in the aeronautical part of the business, i.e. in the expansion and improvement of infrastructure.

“Over the coming five years we will invest some DKK 500 million a year in baggage handling, jet bridges, gates and check-in facilities for the benefit of both airlines and passengers. These investments will serve to strengthen CPH in the mounting competition with other northern European airports, explains Brian Petersen.

New price structure
The agreement includes a restructuring of the relationship between take-off and passenger charges. The take-off charge will generally be reduced by 25% and the passenger charge will be increased by 18.6%. Consequently, the airport charge will constitute a larger part of the price of tickets in future, but this will be set off by the reduction of the take-off charge paid by airlines.

As the higher passenger charge is offset by the lower take-off charge and the transfer discount, the new agreement will not affect CPH’s revenue.

Environmentally friendly agreement
A NOx-based emissions charge to be introduced as of 1 April 2010 is aimed at encouraging airlines to use more environmentally friendly aircraft. The details of the emissions charge have not yet been finalised.

The new charges agreement takes effect on 1 October 2009 and has been approved by CPH on one side and on the other by SAS, Cimber Sterling and IATA together representing 86% of all traffic at Copenhagen Airport.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the majority of the airlines. This agreement accommodates the needs of an industry currently under pressure, and we believe it to be the best possible agreement in the circumstances, says Brian Petersen.

Drop in passenger numbers continues to affect CPH

The total number of passengers dropped 7.1% in Q3 2009 compared to last year. The first nine months of 2009 saw a 10.9% lower number of passengers than in the same period last year, but it was an improvement compared with the first six months of 2009 when traffic was 13.0% lower than last year. This improvement was achieved due to the reasonable traffic level during the summer, with a number of airlines continuing to expand and open new routes.

“Although a number of airlines continue to expand and open new routes and Q3 has shown and improving trend relative to the first half, we have to say that times are generally hard for the industry. This has a clear effect on our financial results, and we can see that 2009 will be one of the toughest years ever for the aviation industry, said Copenhagen Airports CEO Brian Petersen.

Investing in better service
CPH’s revenue dropped by 6.6% to DKK 2,217 million, and pre-tax profit was DKK 668 million, which was 27.5% less than for the first nine months of 2008.

CPH faced higher depreciation charges as a result of investment in service improvements, increased one off staff costs due to restructuring, and higher financial costs following a refinancing completed earlier this year]. Combined with the falling trend in passenger numbers, these factors had a negative impact on both revenue and earnings.

Increase accessibility
“To reflect the difficult economic environment, we adjusted our organisation earlier this year, and we’re going to have to look at our income side going forward. We need to grow by adding more routes and attracting more customers, which will also improve access to the region, said Petersen.

In the course of the third quarter 2009, CPH signed a 5½-year agreement on the charges paid by airlines for use of Copenhagen Airport, which took effect on 1 October 2009. The charges structure was changed and charges were frozen for the initial 18 months of the term of the agreement. After the end of that period, the total airport charges will increase equivalent to development of the Danish Consumer Price Index (“CPI plus one per cent. The agreement sets out the level and the structure of charges that the airlines will pay for the use of facilities at Copenhagen Airport in the period from 1 October 2009 to 31 March 2015.Develop

Copenhagen as a destination
Under the charges agreement that became effective October 1st 2009, CPH also undertakes to invest DKK 2.6 billion in expansion and improvement of facilities such as baggage handling, passenger bridges, gates and check-in facilities for the benefit of both airlines and passengers - investments which will strengthen the competitive position of Copenhagen Airport vis-à-vis other northern European airports. CPH is committed to developing Copenhagen as a hub and destination. CPH will be working with local and national government as well as private companies and airlines to market Copenhagen and Denmark abroad.

“We have a responsibility to keep on helping develop Copenhagen as a destination, and will be investing heavily in the coming years in developing and improving the airport to benefit network and low-cost airlines and especially passengers. The new charges agreement supports that, said Brian Petersen.

Emirates airlines Dhs1.8billion Park Towers Property On Track

Emirates Awards Hotel Contract to Marriott International DUBAI, U.A.E., 5th May 2009 Emirates airline and Group, the largest aviation and travel services provider in the Middle East, has signed a contract to partner with Marriott International, the leading multi-brand hotel management company. Marriott has been appointed hotel operator of the Park Towers, a 1,614-room twin-tower hotel and apartment property, which Emirates is currently constructing on Sheikh Zayed Road, adjacent to Dubai’s premier Business Bay district. Under Marriott management, the property will be branded as one of the top-of-the-line JW Marriott Marquis luxury hotels. This will include two guest room towers rising from a six-story building housing lobby and public space. The first 807-room tower is scheduled to open in 2011 and the second tower in 2013. Both parties have been collaborating on the details of the new hotel’s design, which will see it emerge as one of Dubai’s top properties. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline and Group said: “Emirates has always supported Dubai’s continued growth. The development of this new 1,614 room property reflects our commitment to, and confidence in, the city’s ongoing success. “As a leading international hotel management group operating several successful brands, Marriott has the track-record and the global infrastructure to maximise the value of our Dhs1.8 billion city centre investment. We believe this property will emerge as one of Dubai’s top hotels and will contribute to attracting both leisure and business travellers to the city. We very much look forward to working together to add to Dubai’s five-star luxury experience.

Need A Break Visit Emirates Holidays World

Over 30 countries will be showcased at the travel event Visitors to receive a discount voucher on any Emirates Holiday package Three AED 10,000 travel vouchers to be won DUBAI, U.A.E., 27th April 2009 – Whether you are a family, a couple or an individual traveler who needs some time away, start your holiday this Friday (1st May) by visiting the Emirates Holidays World event at the InterContinental Hotel Convention Centre, Dubai Festival City. Following the recent unveiling of its new A World of Choice brochure, Emirates Holidays is hosting one of most awaited travel events in the Dubai calendar. With over 30 countries represented, visitors will be able to meet local travel experts face to face, including National Tourist Offices, showcasing an extensive range of family holidays, city breaks, beach holidays, tours, safaris, cruises, adventure holidays, theme parks, spa breaks and honeymoons from every corner of the world. Emirates Holidays World will host an array of cultural activities and entertainment from many of the exhibitors. Everyone attending the travel event will receive a five per cent discount voucher which can be used for any Emirates Holidays package taken before the 31st August 2009. Visitors will also have the chance to enter into a free Grand Raffle where three vouchers valued at AED 10,000 can be won. The travel event will also feature a range of activities for children including stilt-walkers and clowns, mascots and face painting all in a dedicated children’s activity area. The public open day will run from 1600hrs to 2100hrs this coming Friday 1st May. Entrance is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Free parking will be available at the adjoining Dubai Festival City.

Chengdu to start cargo freight to Yantian Port

Chengdu Customs have signed an agree-ment with Yantian Port Holdings to open con-tainer cargo freight to Yantian International Container Cargo Port in Shenzhen in south-eastern Chinas Guangdong province.Trial operation of the cargo freight will start on July 12 and its offi cial operation is scheduled to be launched on August 9.
The new freight opens up an easier route for cargo export from Chengdu and will drastically
reduce the journey duration of cargo freight from the city and the expenditure of exporting companies, experts said.

Beijing Plans New Ways to Ease Congestion|beijing travel

　　On May 31, the Beijing municipal government said that the city will use its odd-even license plate system to reduce the number of cars on the road during important festivals, events and cases of extreme weather.

　　The system will allow cars to drive on alternating days based on license plate numbers, according to a traffic control program posted on the municipal government's website.

　　The exact execution date of the program is yet to be released.

　　According to the program, the city will continue to advocate public transportation and accelerate the construction of its subways.

　　Facilities such as traffic monitoring systems will continue to be built in order to ease congestion, the program said.

　　In 2010, more than 700,000 new cars were sold in Beijing, bringing the city's total number of automobiles to more than 4.7 million, statistics from the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport (BMCT) showed.

　　Beijing previously imposed a traffic ban based on an odd-even license plate system during the 2008 Olympics, which took 45 percent of the city's cars off the roads and helped clear the skies.

　　However, traffic jams returned as soon as the ban was lifted.

　　A new regulation limiting the purchase of cars took effect at the beginning of this year, with potential buyers being required to participate in a lottery to get new purchase permits.

Growth continues at Copenhagen Airport

Revenue increased 2.5% to DKK 721.3 million. Profit before tax, when excluding one-off items, declined to DKK 162.4 million, which was primarily due to the divestment of CPH’s stake in a number of Mexican airports (ITA), the termination of a long-term rental contract with SAS Cargo in 2010 and higher net financing costs. In addition, costs were kept at a stable level. When excluding the effect of the divestment of ITA, the termination of the SAS Cargo contract and one-off items, the rate of underlying EBITDA growth was 6.2%.

In 2010, seven new intercontinental routes were opened at Copenhagen Airport, and this growth is continuing in 2011. Emirates has announced the opening of a new year-round service to Dubai on 1 August, and Gulf Air recently announced that they will open a new route to Bahrain on 1 July.

“We are pleased to see that the growth is continuing following our good performance in 2010. With respect to traffic revenue, we are now seeing the full-year effect of the many new routes opened last year, and sales in the shopping centre have increased as a result of higher spend per passenger. This was achieved, not least, after the implementation of our new strategy for the shopping centre, under which the range of shops has been widened through the opening of a number of new shows in a different price segment than previously seen at the airport, said Per Madsen, CFO for Copenhagen Airports A/S.

New shops increase sales
In the first quarter of 2011, Hamleys, Molo and Lagkagehuset were examples of the chains to open new outlets at Copenhagen Airport. Together with JOE & THE JUICE, Tiger, Pieces and Pandora, all of which opened in 2010, these new shops contributed to an overall increase in spend per passenger in the shopping centre.

Revenue from parking increased by 6.8% as a result of a number of campaigns featuring reduced rates for online bookings which mainly attracted the leisure market.

Better loan terms
In March 2011, CPH cancelled undrawn bank facilities equivalent to DKK 924.9 million maturing in March 2012. Concurrently, CPH established four five-year committed bilateral bank facilities totalling DKK 2.0 billion. The new facilities have resulted in significantly improved terms for CPH and further address all identified short- to medium-term refinancing risk. Moreover, the new facilities ensure that CPH will be able to meet its commitments under the charges agreement to invest DKK 2,625 million in the period from 1 October 2009 to 31 March 2015, whilst providing sufficient financial resources to fund additional investments.

New CEO
In late March 2011, CPH announced the appointment of Thomas Woldbye, former Group CEO of Norfolkline, (formerly AP Moeller Maersk) as CEO of Copenhagen Airports A/S, starting on 1 May 2011. Thomas Woldbye held a range of senior management positions whilst at Norfolkline, where he led a number of strategic change projects and has substantial experience in infrastructure development.

Outlook
Based on the expected traffic programme for 2011, the total number of passengers is expected to continue to increase. Operating costs are expected to be higher, primarily due to the forecast growth in passenger numbers, cost inflation and depreciation as a result of the higher level of investments. Overall, profit before tax is expected to be on a level with 2010 excluding one-off items.

Under the charges agreement, CPH is committed to investing an average of DKK 500 million annually supplemented by commercial investments for the benefit of airlines and passengers.

Unisys Signs Multi-million Dollar Data Centre Hosting Contract with Cathay Pacific

Singapore May 17, 2006

Unisys has signed a multi-million dollar contract with Cathay Pacific Airways to host the airline’s core business applications. The contract is for three years, with an option to extend for another two. Unisys will move Cathay’s reservations, departure control, and cargo platforms to the Unisys data centre in Rhodes, just west of Sydney.

“Cathay chose Unisys because of its technical expertise, its deep experience of the airline industry, its competitive pricing and a low-risk migration plan for moving our systems,?said Anthony Yeung, General Manager, Information Management, Cathay Pacific. “We needed to be assured of high availability for these critical systems as well as having sufficient flexibility to cater for growth and fluctuations in demand.?/p>

The contract encompasses Unisys hosting of the airline’s passenger reservations, departure control and cargo management systems. Unisys has been providing these services as a sub-contractor for nine years, and the new contract includes new services added to the scope. These include the management of middleware applications and the migration from legacy communications handlers to a Unisys Online Message Switching Engine. Cathay runs the Unisys USAS airline application software and a related contract covers extensions to these USAS licenses.

“Cathay has used Unisys reservations, departure control and cargo applications for more than two decades and during that time we have demonstrated a commitment and expertise in supporting the airline’s IT applications,?said Andrew Barkla, Vice President, Unisys Asia-Pacific. “Organisations need to strike a balance between security as defence and protection, and security as confidence and trust. Unisys is in the business of providing solutions that allow customers to run their operations securely in all key aspects ?secure in the technology sense, secure in knowing that their service provider understands their business, and secure in the belief that their business will run effectively every day.?/p>

Cathay Pacific Airways is an international airline registered and based in Hong Kong, offering scheduled cargo and passenger services to more than 90 destinations around the world.

About Unisys

Unisys is a worldwide technology services and solutions company. Our consultants apply Unisys expertise in consulting, systems integration, outsourcing, infrastructure, and server technology to help our clients achieve secure business operations. We build more secure organisations by creating visibility into clients?business operations. Leveraging Unisys 3D Visible Enterprise, we make visible the impact of their decisions ?ahead of investments, opportunities and risks. For more information, visit http://www.unisys.com.

About Unisys Asia Pacific

Unisys Asia Pacific helps clients eliminate business and IT complexity providing specialized services delivered by trusted consultants. Drawing on a history of industry innovation and expertise, Unisys Asia Pacific delivers services and solutions through subsidiaries in Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand and through distributors or resellers in other countries in the region.

Passengers have rated Copenhagen Airport best in northern Europe

“We are only as good as our passengers think we are. We listen and learn all the time so that we can develop the airport in the areas that create the greatest value for our customers. In recent years, we have worked intensively to improve passenger experience at Copenhagen Airport as a whole said Iben Eiby-Johannesen, Director for Strategy & Market at Copenhagen Airports, and continued: “The award award, Best Airport Northern Europe, is a recognition and a guide that shows we have made the right investments. br />
Better passenger experience
One of the areas of focus at Copenhagen Airport during 2010 was on establishing a more varied shopping mix. Moreover, the airport has enhanced communications to passengers, including by offering digital options such as apps for smartphones, including Androids, which provide better wayfinding for passengers and make passengers travel experience more pleasant and free of stress. According to Iben Eiby-Johannesen, those are some of the initiatives that have led to the good rating.

The 10th best in the world
Hong Kong International Airport was rated “Airport of the Year 2010 and Copenhagen Airport advanced from number 15 in 2010 to number 10 in 2011 on the list of the world’s best airports. The “World Airport Award is based on responses from 11 million passengers worldwide. The survey evaluates passenger experience all the way from check-in to transfer and shopping opportunities.

Asiana Launches Jewel in the Palace Airliner

Fort Lee, NJ May 14, 2006

Asiana airlines had an unveiling ceremony of the “Daejanggeum Airliner?(pronounced daeh-jang-geum) or “Jewel in the Palace Airliner? on May 10th at the Asiana Terminal in Incheon Airport, Korea. The ceremony was attended by several VIPs of the airline and travel industry, including Asiana’s President Mr. Kang. The ‘Daejanggeum Airliner?is a B767 and has a 3m x 4m (9.8 ft x 13 ft) image of the Daejanggeum (“Jewel in the Palace? the leading character of the famous Korean TV series) wrapped on its side. This airplane will be flying passengers from those countries where the drama “Daejanggeum?has been a hit. These countries include China, Japan, and those in Southeast Asia. Through the launching of this Daejanggeum airliner, Asiana introduced the concept of combining the airline industry with contents of Hallyu (the Korean media wave) to further promote tourism. Asiana hopes to maximize the promotion of the ‘Daejanggeum Tour?involving over 70 travel agencies. Since June of 2004, Asiana has introduced ‘Daejanggeum Royal Court? an in-flight meal, which has been a huge hit among the passengers, including authentic Korean delicacies. This launching may also help promote the traditional in-flight meal service, further expanding the Korean experience of the passenger.

For more information on the Daejanggeum Airliner contact Luis A. Maravi at 201-585-0909 or for general travel information to visit Korea please visit http://www.tour2korea.com

Alaska Air Cargo Delivers Season's First Copper River Salmon To Seattle At Daybreak

Alaska Air Cargo delivered the season's first shipment of Copper River salmon to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just after sunrise. The arrival of Copper River salmon marks the start of the summer salmon season and is anticipated by seafood lovers throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Alaska Air Cargo's fish-filled freighter arrived at approximately 7:45 a.m. Pacific time with Copper River king and sockeye salmon from three seafood processors: Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Trident Seafoods and Copper River Seafoods. At least two more Alaska Airlines flights will transport salmon from Cordova, Alaska, to Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska, and across the country.

One of Seattle's newest residents, University of Washington Husky Football Coach Steve Sarkisian, was on hand to catch the honorary first salmon of the season. Coach Sarkisian then passed the 40-pound king salmon to the highest bidder of a KJR radio-sponsored charity auction.

Alaska Airlines plays a significant role in supporting the Alaska seafood industry, which is recognized worldwide for its sustainable fishing practices. Last year, the carrier flew more than 15 million pounds of fresh Alaska seafood to the Lower 48 states and beyond, including nearly 400,000 pounds of Copper River salmon.

"Alaska Airlines flies more Copper River salmon throughout the season than any other airline," said Joe Sprague, Alaska's vice president of cargo. "With enhanced food quality procedures and additional flights to support the Alaska seafood industry, we are going the extra mile to deliver fresh seafood throughout the country."

"About 95 percent of the salmon caught in the United States comes from Alaska, and Ocean Beauty is one of the largest processors serving the state," said Tom Sunderland, director of marketing for Ocean Beauty Seafoods. "We are proud to be Alaska Airlines' partner in presenting the first Copper River salmon to the charity auction winner."

New system-wide training program
Copper River salmon shipped on Alaska Air Cargo this season will arrive as fresh as possible to grocery stores and restaurants across the nation thanks in part to a new training program required of all employees who handle perishables such as Alaska seafood. Employees are required to adhere to strict seafood quality standards and pass an annual food quality course.
Defined by the seafood industry as "cool chain," seafood processors and shippers follow these standards to ensure a temperature-controlled environment for proper food handling. The goal is to keep seafood moving expeditiously throughout its journey on Alaska Airlines and maintain a consistent temperature range from the time it leaves the water to when it arrives at stores and restaurants.

Together with sister carrier Horizon Air, Alaska Airlines transports more than
150 million pounds of cargo annually, including seafood, mail and freight, and operates the most extensive air cargo operation on the U.S. West Coast of any passenger airline.

For reservations, visit alaskaair.com or alaskacargo.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

Calogi web portal expands its presence to neighbouring regions

22nd December 2009 : With a substantial customer base in the Dubai air cargo community built following its successful launch in Dubai over a year ago, Calogi, the innovative business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) air cargo web portal, is now making its cargo business solutions available to the air cargo community in Sharjah. The Calogi portal, first launched in May 2008, is an internet-based platform that allows all stakeholders in the cargo community to conduct their business transactions online. Calogi’s wide range of online cargo services offers a network of business solutions to air cargo businesses including freight forwarders, airlines, third party logistics providers, customs and government agencies and will soon extend this provision to shippers and consignees. The launch of Calogi in Sharjah heralds a new era for the region’s air cargo industry as it links these communities via a common platform. Calogi’s subscribers to the Sharjah air cargo community will now be able to finalise their business transactions on a real-time basis and to conduct business with the current UAE subscriber base. SNTTA Cargo, the Sharjah-based GSA provider, which serves a number of the worlds leading international airlines, became the first member from Sharjah to sign a contract for using the Calogi GSA solution, c-Power. SNTTA’s endorsement highlights the first step of Calogi’s ambitious plan for engaging the industry’s key regional players and in the near future also a wider global audience. Unlike the air cargo systems that are independently developed by each stakeholder in the community to meet their own specific requirements, Calogi is distinctive in that it caters to the needs of the community under a single umbrella. In that respect, the Calogi portal is the first of its kind. Since the portal’s launch, the number of subscribers and resulting transactions in Dubai has seen continuous growth. Currently over 60% of all air waybills and delivery orders being transacted with Dnata cargo terminals are executed through Calogi. In addition to various online functions including rating, space bookings, air waybill execution, delivery order printing, track and trace and flight schedules, Calogi has also added a number of innovative features recently to the benefit of its subscribers which are now also available to companies in Sharjah. These include the advertising engine c-Reach, enabling online web page advertising; a comprehensive credit module c-Trade and finally, the GSA-airline sales module feature c-Power. With another four major IT releases due in the coming year, Calogi is fast becoming an all encompassing air cargo web portal providing a “one-stop shop for the entire air cargo community locally. It is planned for these benefits to soon become available to other regional markets in the GCC and beyond.

City outlines health industry development

Departments of Chengdu municipal government publicized a document this week on the future development of the health care industry of the city.

Government officials said at a press conference on Wednesday that the city was to put more than RMB60 bl to boost the development of the industry in the coming seven years, which will benefit the general population of the city.

Seven fields were cited as the key aspects in the development plan, including the international medical complex in Wenjiang District, TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine) industry, introducing modern institutions, IT access to medical care information and improving medical care management and education.

Local government also believes that the health care industry would prove a promising sector for Chengdus economic development and the goal of the plan is to make the city an internationally famous destination for health care and healthful life styles.

Notes: The health care industry is one of the worlds largest and fastest-growing industries. Consuming over 10 percent of gross domestic product of most developed nations, health care can form an enormous part of a countrys economy. The development of the industry in China lags behind that in developed countries and it only makes up about 5% of the countrys GDP. In 2003, health care costs consumed 15.3% of the GDP of the United States, the largest of any country in the world.

Festival of cultural heritage to open in Chengdu

The Second International Festival of Intangible Cultural Heritage will be held June 1-13 in Chengdu.

The head of the Chengdu Culture Bureau said the festival to be held will draw wide attention with UNESCO becoming a sponsor of the event for the first time.

Various exhibitions will be staged during the event, including the exhibition of some 90 items from all over the world listed in UNESCOs cultural heritage of humanity.

A special exhibition of the protection of Qiang culture will also be held. The Qiang people live in areas in northern Sichuan, which were devastated during the May 12 earthquake.

Local cultural items, such as traditional wine-making techniques, medical herb processing, Sichuan Opera and shadow play, will be presented before visitors during the event.

At the opening ceremony of the festival, a grand parade will be displayed by teams from over ten countries and regions, including Russia, Scotland, Israel, Australia, Colombia, Pakistan, Madagascar and South Africa.

Travel easy with Emirates

Purchase your 30-day or 96-hour UAE visa on www.emirates.com DUBAI, U.A.E., 17th May 2010: Emirates airline has introduced yet another initiative to simplify travel with the launch of ‘Purchase your UAE visa online Emirates is the only airline in the Middle East to offer this complete online visa solution to its passengers visiting its hub Dubai, UAE - for business or leisure. The feature an extension of the online flight booking process on www.emirates.com - can be accessed by valid Emirates ticket holders from 35 select countries. Only 30-day and 96-hour visit visas to Dubai, UAE are available through the new feature, subject to all pre-requisites being met. The pre-requisites are defined by Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) as it takes the decision to grant the visa. (www.dnrd.gov.ae ). A 96-hour visa will cost US$ 44 while a 30-day visa will cost US$ 57. Service fees are applied separately. Visas are delivered via email within four international working days. Passengers can continually track the status of their applications via www.emirates.com Richard Vaughan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Worldwide noted: “Advancements in aviation are often related to simplifications in the travel process. I’m delighted Emirates is advancing travel convenience by allowing its customers to apply, purchase and track their UAE visa online - another initiative in a series of self-service tools that offer more convenience, flexibility and control to passengers. Taking place from the comfort of one’s home, office or hotel, it requires none of the running around often associated with submitting forms, securing approvals and collecting visas. “It also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to Dubai and its tourism industry. The timely introduction of this feature ahead of the summer rush will facilitate travel for scores of tourists visiting the emirate during the Dubai Summer Surprises. Groups and families stand to gain significantly as the feature accepts multiple requests of up to nine people as long as they are on the same booking. It is available to Emirates ticket holders regardless of whether the booking is facilitated via www.emirates.com, an Emirates office or a travel agent. In its initial phase the facility is being rolled out in 35 countries* in the Far East, Indian sub-continent, Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. In the second phase, due to roll out in the coming weeks, offline markets will be targeted. These comprise countries that do not have Emirates services, but which connect to nearby gateways of the Dubai-based airline. Passengers click ‘Manage Your Booking on www.emirates.com and proceed with seven simple steps to complete the transaction. Passengers have the flexibility to request visas at the time of or after the flight booking has been completed. Emirates has partnered with VFS Global to introduce this feature. VFS Global - a part of Switzerland-based Kuoni Travel Group is a specialist partner for diplomatic missions worldwide, processing over 7 million (contracted) visa applications per year. It operates the Dubai Visa Processing Centre (DVPC) in 11 countries. DVPC does not process work visas.

Emirates arrives in Amsterdam to Queens birthday celebrations

2nd May 2010: Emirates has touched down in Amsterdam, celebrating its latest European destination while the Netherlands celebrated the Queens Birthday. As the nation buzzed for Koninginnedag, or Queens day, Emirates received a VIP welcome at Schiphol International Airport for its VIP delegation and other passengers aboard the inaugural flight from Dubai. Those making the 1st May trip to open Emirates 23rd route in Europe included Salem Obaidalla, Emirates Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe & Russian Federation; Rob Broere, Vice President, Passenger Services Systems, Emirates Group IT; Jean-Luc Grillet, Emirates Manager France & Benelux; Gilles Beschoor Plug, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Arab Emirates; Kees van Spronsen, Kingdom of the Netherlands Consul-General in Dubai and Eric van Wijk, Managing Director, The Hospitality Company. Ambassador Plug said: The new Emirates service between Dubai and Amsterdam is a positive development in the growing relationship between the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands. There is a long history of trade between the Netherlands and the Arab region, and trade between the Netherlands and the UAE now runs into billions of Euros annually, while a large number of Dutch companies have a presence in the UAE. Ambassador Plug added: We know new air links stimulate commerce and tourism and we are confident that this daily flight will result in more visitors to our countries, for the purposes of both business and pleasure. Mr Obaidalla said: We are very excited about the product we are bringing to the route - we have the latest 777 aircraft - and we are especially proud that we are the only carrier offering First Class between here and Dubai. We know that many thousands of people from the Netherlands already enjoy flying with Emirates, taking our flights out of Dusseldorf. Our new daily service will make life much more convenient for those heading to Dubai and onwards to our more than 100 destinations. Amongst the welcoming delegation in Amsterdam were Maarten de Groof, Executive Vice President & CCO Schiphol Group and His Excellency Ali Thani Alsuwaidi, UAE Ambassador to the Netherlands. All passengers were given commemorative tulips on arrival. Served by a combination of the latest Boeing 777-300ER and 200LR, EK flight 145 leaves Dubai daily at 0825hrs and arrives in Amsterdam at 1330hrs. From Amsterdam, EK 146 departs at 1530hrs and arrives in Dubai at 2359hrs. Queens Day in the Netherlands falls on 30th April and is the Official Birthday of Queen Beatrix. It is a major public holiday in the country and many take extended breaks to mark the occasion, which includes music concerts, street markets and childrens games. The largest celebrations are in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam.

Start spreading the news - Emirates A380 will return to New York from October

19th May 2010: Emirates A380 superjumbo will make a much-anticipated return to New York on 31st October, the airline has announced. The aircrafts reinstatement on one of Emirates double daily JFK routes comes as the carrier reported a significant increase in revenue for the Americas in 2009-10, representing a year-on-year rise of 8.1 percent. Growth in the Americas helped steer the airline to a net profit of AED 3.5 billion (US$ 964 million), while 27.5 million passengers flew with Emirates over the last financial year, over 20 percent more than in 2008- 09. Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said: We promised to return the A380 to New York as soon as demand recovered and we have been true to our word. He continued: Against some of the toughest operating conditions ever faced, the results for the Americas have been hugely encouraging. This achievement reflects our success in maintaining our business as usual approach and remaining faithful to our strategy of product and service excellence. As we look to 2010-11 and beyond, Emirates will continue to invest in its products and services to build on the resurgent demand for air travel within the Americas. Our plans for the future also include adding new US cities to our four existing gateways: New York, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Emirates expansion plans for the region will be boosted by a significant increase in capacity. The airline is scheduled to receive 11 new wide-body aircraft in 2010, including Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s. Emirates currently operates eight A380 aircraft, serving London Heathrow, Toronto, Paris, Jeddah, Bangkok, Seoul, Sydney and Auckland. In March 2010, the airline also announced the start of A380 services to Beijing from 1st August and Manchester from September. The much-praised superjumbos offer an Onboard Lounge for First Class and Business Class passengers, with a wide range of drinks and canapés, as well as the space to socialise or simply relax. Passengers in all classes can lose themselves in the quietness of the aircraft and the much-enjoyed ice entertainment system. There are more than 1,000 channels of on-demand entertainment including 200 movies from around the world, 100 TV channels, more than 500 audio channels, 100 video games and news, sports and business headlines. From 31st October, Flight EK201 will be operated by an A380 aircraft departing Dubai (DXB) at 08:30, arriving New York (JFK) at 14:15 the same day. EK202 departs JFK at 23:00, arriving Dubai at 19:45 the following day. The daily A380 service will complement Emirates second daily flight aboard the Boeing 777-300ER.

Press statement - Flight disruptions

25th April 2010 - Emirates continues to look for creative solutions to help passengers across its network complete their journeys following the volcanic ash disruption. In addition to deploying extra services on a number of routes, the airline is maximising its fleet and getting thousands more passengers to their required destination by adding an extra stop on suitable routes. Between 26th to 29th April inclusive, Emirates flight EK347 from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai will be re-routed via Bangkok, picking up passengers and easing the operational backlog in the Thai capital. In a further sign that business is returning to normal, the online check-in service will be back in operation from 08:00 GMT tomorrow. Richard Vaughan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Worldwide, said: We are continually assessing every option available as we strive to resume normal service across the network. Re-routing the Kuala Lumpar flight for four days will be a great boost to operations in Bangkok, which also benefited from two extra flights from Dubai yesterday. After several days of additional services to the UK, including three extra flights to Gatwick today, our services to Europe are nearing business as usual. However, there are still pockets of disrupted passengers on the network and we are doing absolutely everything we can to get them to their final destination as soon as possible. We are very grateful for the patience and understanding of these last few passengers. We acknowledge it has been a stressful time and they are now very much the focal point of our global recovery operation. The flight stopping in Bangkok will operate as EK8347, departing Kuala Lumpur at 17:30 and arriving at Bangkok at 18:35, while the onward connection will leave Bangkok at 20:00 arriving in Dubai at 23:05. Emirates will continue to serve the Kuala Lumpur-Dubai route with two daily non-stop services, EK408/409 and EK342/343. Emirates has advised that passengers travelling to and from the UK and Europe via Dubai, who held bookings for travel during the disruption, are now being accepted, provided they hold confirmed bookings on their new flights. All passengers are advised to check the status of their flight before leaving for the airport on www.emirates.com. Passengers are asked not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed seat on a flight. Online check-in is suspended until 08:00 GMT on 26th April for all Emirates flights. Emirates customers affected by the disruption can cancel their booking or change their onward destination without charge. All re-issue and cancellation fees will be waived while the disruption is ongoing.

Tweet your way to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final with Emirates

DUBAI, U.A.E. 1st June 2010: Wherever you are in the world, Emirates, an Official FIFA Partner, is ensuring you can cheer on your team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and be in with a chance of winning a dream trip to South Africa. Emirates is bringing the 2010 FIFA World Cup to a truly global audience through its search for the longest virtual Mexican Wave - or ‘twexican wave - through the use of Twitter and www.twexicanwave.com Inspired by the Mexican Wave phenomenon that took off at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, the aim is to take the cult celebration from the stadium and put it into the digital space. At www.twexicanwave.com you can change your Twitter profile picture to one with your arms in the air, re-enacting the Mexican wave. To win a chance to be at the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg on 11th July*, you need to be part of the longest Twexican Wave. A new wave starts the second someone with an arms-in-the-air profile picture tweets #twexicanwave. The wave is broken when someone tweets #twexicanwave without a new profile picture. At www.twexicanwave.com the waves length is then logged and visualised from all the different profile pictures that make up the latest Twexican Wave. At the end of the competition the longest wave created wins. If you are part of that wave, you are entered into the prize draw to win a pair of tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. One winner from each participating country will win a pair of tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. * - The prize is only open to residents of Brazil, UK, Australia, Germany, India, Japan and the UAE

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation to Strengthen Cooperation in

Ruan Chengfa, the member of standing committee of Hubei Provincial Committee of the CPC and secretary of Wuhan Municipal Committee and Tang Liangzhi, the mayor of Wuhan Municipal Government met with Xu Dazhe, the secretary and general manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation yesterday. It is said that the corporation will strengthen cooperation in Wuhan.

In this March, Wuhan Municipal Government signed strategic cooperative contract with the company in Beijing. And the group will develop 3 businesses including Aeronautic Defense, Information Technology and Equipment Manufacturing in the city.

Paradise of Shopping Wuhan Department Store

Paradise of Shopping
The Shopping Center of Wuhan Department Store: the Giant in Commerce of Wuhan
The shopping center is composed of House Appliances Section of Wuhan Department Store, Wuhan Plaza, and World Trade Plaza, which is funded cooperatively by Wuhan Department Store Group and Dexin Group of Hong Kong. Integrating the functions of shopping, entertainment, business, amusement, and blending oriental and occidental cultures, it is a first class luxurious shopping center throughout China. Covering a business area of 80,000 square meters, there are 200,000 international famous brands and national popular commodities.

Alaska Airlines Inaugurates Sacramento-Maui Service

SACRAMENTO, Calif.Alaska Airlines will launch daily service between Sacramento, Calif., and Kahului, Maui. To mark the occasion, passengers will board the "Follow Apolo to Hawaii" plane, a specially-themed Boeing 737-800 highlighting the opportunity to enter for a chance to win a Maui vacation for two with the celebrated short-track speed skater.

"Customers now will be able to enjoy Alaska's unique brand of service and earn Mileage Plan miles whether they're booking a flight or a complete vacation package to the beautiful islands of Hawaii," said Joe Sprague, Alaska's vice president of marketing. "We invite travelers to enjoy Maui's tropical beaches this summer by entering to win a tropical Hawaiian vacation with Apolo at www.followapolo.com"

Participants can register for the "Follow Apolo to Hawaii" sweepstakes, through April 15, at www.followapolo.com. They can earn up to 33 additional entries by using social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace to share the opportunity with friends who also register. They can also earn five entries by providing their Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan number, joining Mileage Plan, or signing up to receive the Mileage Plan newsletter.

Five sweepstakes winners and their guests will join Ohno in June for a Hawaiian vacation, including roundtrip tickets to Maui on Alaska Airlines, a private luau with Ohno and luxury accommodations for four nights and five days at the Grand Wailea in Maui.
Each registered sweepstakes participant can earn up to 44 entries. Winners will be announced at www.followapolo.com in late-April.

Summary of new service:

Start date

City pair

Departure time Arrival time Day of week Mar 26 Sacramento-Maui 8:15 a.m. 10:50 a.m. Daily Mar 26 Maui-Sacramento 11:50 a.m.* 8 p.m.* Daily

Times are based on local time zones
* Schedule changes April 11, 2010. See alaskaair.com for details.

The new flights are operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, accommodating 16 passengers in first class and 141 in the main cabin. All flights to Hawaii offer Hawaiian-themed beverages and meal service. Customers in the main cabin are offered complimentary Mauna Loa macadamia nuts and a complimentary Mai Tai or POG juice, as well as a Hawaiian-themed meal-for-purchase option for $6. Customers in first class enjoy exotic meals such as Polynesian petite beef tenderloin.

Inflight service includes Alaska Airlines' digEplayer, a personal entertainment system offering a variety of movies, television shows, music and other features.

Alaska Airlines Vacations offers a full line of vacation packages for travel to the islands of Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii. Packages include air transportation, hotel accommodations, ground transportation and tours. For more information about Alaska Airlines Vacations, visit www.alasksaair.com/vacations.

The new flights are available for purchase online at www.alasksaair.com or by calling (800) ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522 or TTY/TDD line 800-392-0228).

Note to news media: High quality broadcast footage can be downloaded at www.alaskaair.com/media or by contacting Alaska Airlines Media Relations.

For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom .

Paying the price for a Hong Kong tour | china travel

Li Hau-chun, a Hong Kong tour guide, who was filmed berating a group of mainland visitors for failing to spend enough at a jewellery store. She has since apologised for her outburst. Edmond Tang / China Daily

Hsu Chinyin, an accountant who worked for a Hong Kong travel agency for 10 years, described the business as gambling."Every day is a bet and every tour is a bet," he said.An open letter highlighting some of the issues "people avoid talking about at Tourism Industry Council meetings" was sent to the tourism commission under the city's Commerce and Economic Bureau last month. It was signed: "A tourist industry veteran"."One (shopping) tour calculated at 20 people per group is the equivalent of betting at least HK$30,000," the anonymous author wrote. "Bosses are not doing charity. The actual situation in the industry is very cruel and some tour guides are a little crazy."After facing universal criticism on television and in the press, more than 400 Hong Kong tour guides gathered at a restaurant on July 22 to put their side of the story across and protest about the harsh conditions they face.Many guides complained that they receive no basic salary and must even pay drivers' tips, admission fares and parking fees for agencies, which they sometimes never get back.In the letter by the "tourism industry veteran", the author stated that travel agencies owe guides as much as HK$10 million for charges they have paid up front. This puts intense pressure on guides to wring every penny out of their clients, by fair or foul play."They are totally living on commission," said Wong Ka-ngai, chairman of Hong Kong Tour Guide General Union (TGGU). "So the only way they can make money is to rip off tourists."

The travel agents give guides implicit consent to "cheat" clients should take the blame, he added. "Tour guides are just scapegoats.""Once tour guides get on the coach, companies have already lost HK$1,000 (on transport costs)," explained the retired city guide, who spent two decades working in the industry. "For companies, guides who can rip off tourists are good guides. Today, they are just salespeople."He added that there are far more aggressive guides operating in Hong Kong than Li Qiaozhen, while some companies are famous within the industry for the dirty tactics they employ on tourists.Getting commission on purchases can be extremely lucrative, said accountant Hsu, who revealed that, for every HK$100 spent, about HK$58 will go to the travel agency and about HK$10 to tour guides.Wong at the TGGU said guides generally take a commission of between 1 and 7 percent, with the highest paid on jewelry items.However, because of the need to pay commission, vendors can sell their wares at up to 11 times the cost price, read the letter by the "tourism industry veteran".A statement issued on July 22 by Li Wah-ming, a member of the Legislative Council, said the annual revenue of 60 registered shops (all stores where guides take tourists must register with the Tourism Industry Council) is about HK$20 billion.To ensure great professionalism, tourism board chairman Tien suggested tour guides be licensed by the government, rather than by the industry's regulating body, the Tourism Industry Council. He also questioned the current level of supervision.Taking a cutThe mainland has already banned travel agencies from organizing tours for prices less than the cost, deeming it "unfair competition that disrupts the market", according to Shao Qiwei, director of the National Tourism Administration. However, Hong Kong has yet to rule against the practice.

Guangdong tightens rules on foreigners living and working there | china travel

GUANGZHOU - Guangdong province has tightened up rules governing foreigners living and working there as part of efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

A provincial regulation, which takes effect on May 1, encourages people to report malpractice involving foreigners, such as illegal entry, overstaying, working without permits or conducting business without a license.

The regulation, approved by the provincial government on Jan 21, was posted on the local government website recently and is the first of its kind concerning management of foreigners on the mainland.

The six-chapter, 67-article regulation stipulates that no one is allowed to provide accommodation for foreigners who have overstayed or are without a valid passport.

Property owners violating the rule will be fined three times the amount of the monthly rent they charge.

The regulation came as the booming province has attracted a growing number of foreigners seeking employment and trade opportunities.

More than 63,000 permanent foreign residents are registered in Guangdong and more than 4 million foreigners visit the province annually. But the province has witnessed a growing number of illegal immigrants working or doing business.

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To tackle the problem, the regulation stipulates that an employer of a foreigner without a valid work or residence permit will be fined of up to 3,000 yuan ($450).

Any firm or individual who provides accommodation or bank accounts to foreigners without valid travel documents, or whose visas have expired, will be fined up to 10,000 yuan.

Max J. Zenglein, regional manager of the German Chamber of Commerce in China (South China), said the new provisions will not affect foreign companies in Guangdong.

"We still have to wait for some time to see whether the new rule will have any impact on foreigners' employment in the province," he told China Daily on Tuesday.

Zheng Fenming, director of the Scientific Development and Public Policy Center at the Guangdong Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, said that the new rule does not discriminate against foreigners.

Zheng said the number of foreigners who come to Guangdong to work and do business will continue to grow because of its rapid economic growth and myriad business opportunities.

According to the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court, one third of fraud cases between 2002 and 2008 involved foreigners.

Many companies in Guangdong have been found illegally using workers from Africa, the Middle East, Vietnam and Myanmar for cheap labor.

Citi, China Life invest more in Guangdong bank | china travel

Citigroup and China Life have fully participated in the $2.2 billion rights issue of Guangdong Development Bank, maintaining their leading stakes in the Chinese lender, China Life said on Friday.

The world's biggest life insurer by market value had invested an additional 3 billion yuan ($450 million) in Guangdong Development Bank, maintaining its 20 percent stake, while Citigroup also kept its holdings at that level through buying newly-issued shares.

Related readings:
Guangdong Development Bank H1 profit up 79.7%
GDB gets shareholders' nod to raise 15b yuan
Guangdong bank aims for IPO next year - source
Lenders shifting forex units to Shanghai

The move would "increase our overall investment returns, improve our asset-liability structure and help maintain our interest in the bank," China Life said in a statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

"It would also benefit long-term development of Guangdong Development Bank, and promote cooperation between banks and insurers."

Guangdong Development Bank, which sold controlling stakes to Citigroup, China Life and several other strategic investors in a restructuring in 2006, is preparing for an initial public offering as soon as next year, after turning itself into a profitable business from an insolvent government-controlled lender.

The Guangdong-based bank said in April that it would issue new shares to raise up to 15 billion yuan to boost its capital, with existing shareholders entitled for 2.858 additional shares for every 10 held at 4.38 yuan apiece.

Guangdong Development Bank made a profit of 3.39 billion yuan in 2009, while its capital adequacy ratio stood at 8.98 percent at the end of last year, compared with a regulatory minimum of 8 percent.

Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air Offer Fall Fare Sale

Alaska Airlines (IATA CODE AS) and Horizon Air have launched a fall sale featuring low fares to many of the carriers' destinations in the contiguous United States, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico.

Tickets must be purchased by Aug. 31 for travel from Sept. 8 through Oct. 5, 2010, to Mexico and from Sept. 8 through Dec. 15, 2010, for all other markets. A 14-day advance purchase is required, except for service to Hawaii and Mexico. Day-of-week travel restrictions apply, except for Hawaii, Mexico and intra-Alaska travel.

Sample one-way fares:

Between

One-way fare

Portland, Ore., and Sacramento $59* Seattle and San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland, Calif. $69* Portland, Ore., and Phoenix $79* Spokane, Wash., and Los Angeles $99* Washington, D. C. and Los Angeles $119* San Jose, Calif., and Los Cabos, Mexico $139* Ketchikan, Alaska, and Seattle $189* *See terms and conditions below for more information Flights are available for booking at www.alaskaair.com and www.horizonair.com
or by calling 1-800-ALASKAAIR (800-252-7522 or TTY/TDD line 800-392-0228).

Terms and conditions for one-way fares: Tickets must be purchased by Aug. 31, 2010, for travel starting Sept. 8, 2010. Fares must be purchased 14 days in advance, except for travel to Hawaii and Mexico. All travel must be completed by Dec. 15, except for Mexico, which must be completed by Oct. 5, 2010. Prices listed are good for travel on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday only, except for Mexico, Hawaii and intra-Alaska. Blackout dates for travel are Nov. 20-30, 2010. Some markets may not operate daily service. More information is available on alaskaair.com or horizonair.com.

General terms and conditions: Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or all days. A ticket purchased at an Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air airport location or through a reservation call center will cost $15 more per person than the advertised fare. Travelers are responsible for the following taxes and fees, as applicable: Airport Passenger Facility Charges of up to $9 (amount depends on itinerary), Federal Segment Tax of $3.70 per segment (takeoff and landing) and Sept. 11 Security Fee of $2.50 per enplanement.

Additional fees for Mexico travel: U.S. Immigration User Fee of $7, U.S. Aphis Fee of $5, U.S. International Transportation Tax of $16.10, Mexico International Departure Tax of up to $33 (fluctuates with dollar-peso exchange rate), Mexico Tourism Tax of up to $24 (fluctuates with dollar-peso exchange rate) and Mexico Transportation Tax of 4 percent of the fare (fluctuates with dollar-peso exchange rate). Additional U.S. taxes may apply to itineraries involving a U.S. stopover lasting more than 12 hours.

All taxes and fees shown are based on one-way travel and may be doubled if traveling roundtrip. All fares, taxes and fees are in U.S. dollars and are subject to change without notice and other restrictions apply. Tickets are nonrefundable. Changes made at alaskaair.com or horizonair.com incur a $75 per person change fee and any difference in fare. Ticket changes made through an Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air reservation call center or airport ticket counter incur a $100 per person change fee and any difference in fare. A $20 baggage fee will apply for each of the first three bags. Additional fees apply to check more than three bags and for overweight or oversized items. See checked baggage policy at alaskaair.com for more details.

Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009 and 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction StudiesSM. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com or www.horizonair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

Alaska Airlines Debuts Enhanced Onboard Entertainment System

Alaska Airlines (IATA CODE AS)' advanced new digEplayer devices took to the skies this week, expanding the inflight entertainment option of customers on longer flights. The new system offers touch-screen navigation and is lighter weight and smaller than the previous system.

Alaska's digEplayers boast a varied selection of content, including more new-release movies and television programs, the NFL Network, ReelzChannel Hollywood programming and interactive games. The device can also be connected to the Internet via Alaska Airlines' Gogo inflight Wi-Fi network for an additional fee.

"We're pleased to offer our customers an enhanced entertainment option on our flights," said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing. "The new digEplayer is smaller and lighter than a laptop, has a much longer battery life, and provides exciting and unique content for our travelers."

The new digEplayers are available on most Alaska Airlines flights longer than three hours. The price is $14 on flights longer than 4.5 hours and $8 on flights less than 4.5 hours. Customers receive a $2 discount when they reserve a digEplayer in advance via the airline's alaskaair.com website.

Alaska Airlines debuted its custom-designed digEplayer system in 2003, becoming the first carrier in the world to offer customers portable video-on-demand technology from a convenient handheld device.

Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009 and 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies SM. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

Air China Expands With Second Daily Nonstop Flight From Los Angeles To Beijing

Steady growth of China’s exclusive national carrier continues
with the addition of a second daily nonstop flight in September 2011

More seats will be available for business and leisure travelers to and from the United States and Mainland China as of September 1, 2011 when Air China starts its second daily nonstop flight between Los Angeles and Beijing. The flight, operated by a B747-400, is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles at 11 a.m., and depart for Beijing at 1:20 p.m. This additional flight will not only double the choices for passengers, especially business travelers destined to Beijing or onward to domestic Chinese cities, but it also creates excellent connections to such important Asian destinations such as India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand.

“Our second flight out of LAX will allow passengers to conveniently and easily proceed to other cities in China, Asia and elsewhere in the world, effectively increasing our competitiveness, market share and penetration. Beijing and beyond will be well served by this new flight, making China’s capital city a true global hub,” Dr. Zhihang Chi, Air China’s Vice President and General Manger for North America, stated.

Monarch expands its winter flying programme for 2010/2011

10 08 2010

Award winning low fares airline Monarch is expanding its winter flying programme for 2010/2011 and adding additional frequencies to existing routes as well as launching new winter services. All winter flights are now available to book via www.monarch.co.uk.

New to the programme for winter 2010/11 is Palma, with the airline now operating year-round flights to the Balearic Island of Majorca. Thrice-weekly services will operate throughout the winter from both Gatwick and Manchester, offering over 51,000 seats to the Island’s capital, with fares from just £38.99 one way including taxes and charges (£61.99 return).

In addition to the new flights to Majorca, Monarch is also increasing frequencies to mainland Spain and other Spanish Islands throughout the winter. Services to Alicante are being bolstered by additional flights from Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester. These will also be supported by flights from Luton, which will rejoin the winter schedule and offer three new flights a week.

Malaga, Menorca and Gran Canaria will also operate with higher frequencies during the winter months, as will Gibraltar, which will increase to six flights a week from Luton.

Commenting on the expanded flying programme, Managing Director of Monarch Airlines, Tim Jeans said, “Our customers have been requesting year-round flights to Majorca for some time, so it is great news that we are now able to respond to this and offer a winter service. Flights to Palma from Gatwick only launched in July and demand for them has been staggering with almost 15,000 passengers booked to travel already.

“The additional flying across the Monarch network over the winter months is reflective of the booking strength we are already seeing for flights to core destinations such as Alicante and Malaga. Our winter flying programme has been on sale since January 2010 and demand for flights to our Spanish destinations has continued to grow since then.”

Monarch operates scheduled flights to Spain, Gibraltar, Portugal, Cyprus and Turkey from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester airports. In addition to year-round low fares, Monarch also offers a unique range of tasty hot and cold meals that can be pre-booked or purchased onboard with prices from £2.00. To enable customers to select where in the cabin they sit and ensure that families and groups sit together, seats can be pre-booked at £7.50 per one-way flight, or from only £15, extra-legroom seats are available, which offer up to six inches of extra space.

Passengers travelling on scheduled flights can also avoid the queues at the airport and take advantage of online check-in which is available between seven days and 4.5 hours prior to departure.

In addition to flights, Monarch also now offers a huge range of great value holidays, accommodation options, car hire and travel insurance.

For further information or to book Monarch flights, Monarch Holidays or Monarch Hotels, please visit www.monarch.co.uk.

- ends -

Notes to editors
New winter flights
• Gatwick – Majorca: three flights per week, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
• Manchester – Majorca: three flights per week: Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
• Luton – Alicante: three flights per week, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday

Additional winter frequencies
• Luton – Gibraltar
• Luton – Mahon
• Gatwick – Alicante
• Gatwick – Malaga
• Gatwick – Gran Canaria
• Birmingham – Alicante
• Manchester – Malaga
• Manchester – Alicante

Chinese Hotels to Have Flexible Check-out Schedules

Sound sleepers will likely to have a privilege of extending sleeping hours in Chinese hotels and not worrying about extra room rate, after the country moves to encourage hotels to have flexible check-out schedules.

In the latest version of professional standards of hotels, which was issued by the the China Tourist Hotels Association(CTHA) recently, hotels are allowed to arrange their own check-out schedules, Saturday's Beijing Times reported.

Previously, hotel guests in China are required to leave their room before midday. The former edition of the professional standards, which was issued in 2002, stipulate that half day room rate is applicable for extended check-out until 18:00 and full rate for late check-out after 18:00.

The new standards, however, is not compulsory and only serves as a reference, according to CTHA.

The new standards stipulate that hotels should inform clients at prominent locations in the lobby of check-out time schedule and room rate if change is made and make sure the clients are informed in an appropriate manner.

Analysts say the move would bring more competition to the hotel industry as giving hotels more decision-making power in forming check-out schedules would help them formulate plans to attract customers.

The revision to the former standards would also bring inconveniences for customers as they may face a variety of check-out schedules and differentiated room rates, a CTHA-affiliated lawyer who only identifies himself as Liu told the newspaper.

In some places of China, practice such as negotiations with hotels on the check-out time and settlement method have already existed. Hotels usually offer a luggage storage service for guests if they are required to leave at noon.

Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railway put into operation (4)

Passengers buy the tickets of the high speed train from Shanghai to Hangzhou on an automatic ticket machine at Hongqiao Railway Station in east China's Shanghai Municipality, Oct. 26, 2010. The 202km Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railway, with a design speed of 350km per hour, began its operation on Tuesday morning. (Xinhua/Chen Fei)
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Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail to fully operate at end of June

The Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway will open and begin operations by the end of June 2011, and the Beijing Railway Administration will simultaneously launch the telephone booking and Internet booking services, said Huang Guizhang, NPC member and president of the Beijing Railway Administration, during a group discussion at the Fourth Session of the 11th National People's Congress on March 7.

The Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway runs through seven provinces and cities, namely Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shanghai. It is 1,318 kilometers long and the laying of the entire line was completed in November 2010. The design speed of the railway stands at 350 kilometers per hour and it is the world's longest high-speed railway line constructed in a single phase.

After the opening of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, the rail travel time between the two cities will be shortened from more than nine hours to about four hours.

Huang said that the Beijing railway service quality will also have profound changes along with the opening of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. Judging from the operation experience of the Beijing-Tianjin inter-city high-speed railway, passengers prefer self-service, such as vending machines.

Therefore, the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway will simultaneously open telephone booking and Internet booking functions, and comprehensively upgrade services of related stations.

By Li Yancheng, People's Daily Online

（Editor：李艳程?/p> http://posts.people.com.cn/bbs_new/bid=4229556&channel_id=90000&id=7313085

RMB99, Discount Over 87% , Flight Ticket from Zhengzhou to Shanghai

RMB99 only, and you can fly from Zhengzhou to Shanghai, RMB170 to Chongqing, and just RMB270 to Guangzhou...The flight price on sale as that of “Chinese Cabbage” has occurred with the coming of Christmas and the New Year, a season would have seen flight tickets price rise. This situation is estimated to last till the Spring Festival Transportation Peak. Yesterday, the reporter got information from Zhengzhou Branch of Hainan Airlines that tickets of special price at about 80% discount will be available from this day to Jan. 11 of 2010.

●Special price of RMB99 sold online

Flight from Zhengzhou to Shanghai is always a favorite route, but yesterday, Mr. Zheng bought a flight ticket of special price with only RMB99 from a website. He said, he had never got such a cheap ticket before, but yesterday, he tried with a swift imagination and got it out of expectation.

“The 99-series special ticket s account for over 50% of total”, said Lei Zhang, the spokesman of Spring Airlines, especially for the 99-tickets, the final discount of over 87%.

Tickets are cheap not only for flights to Shanghai, but also for those from Zhengzhou to other cities, the reporter investigated and found yesterday. “Since the National Day, the ticket prices mostly have been discounted more than 70%”, according to Chang Minghan from the Zhengzhou Branch of Hainan Airlines, who released the prices for the flight tickets before Jan. 10, 2010, “almost all are discounted more than 70%”, among which, the price for the single ticket from Zhengzhou to Guangzhou is RMB270, a 80% discount, and RMB820 with a 76% discount from Zhengzhou to Haikou.

“We planned to raise the prices during the holidays of Christmas and the New Year, but the plan is ruined”, said a principal from the marketing department of an airline company, if one company began to down-regulate the flight ticket prices, the others would follow suit in order to compete for passengers.

●Over 100 tickets with 80% discount on one flight

“There are more business passengers on the flights of cities like Beijing and Shanghai, and more tourists for routes of cities like Haikou and Hangzhou. This year the economy is in recession, for which the companies are reducing expenses of business trips and the common people are not enthusiastic for trips, subsequently the ticket prices are definitely lower than previous years.” As for the numerous discounted flight tickets, Zhang Lei, the spokesman of Spring Airlines, believed that that was resulted from the relationship between supply and demand, “Less passengers, naturally lower prices”.

The current ticket prices are probably the lowest in history. Several airline companies hold the same opinion, this time is different from the previous price gimmick with a few special-price tickets, there are more. For example, the special-price tickets of 99-series from Zhengzhou to Shanghai, issued by the Spring Airlines, account for more than 50% of the total. Like the flight tickets with 80% discount from Zhengzhou to Guangzhou, issued by the Hainan Airlines, there are about 100 tickets on every flight.

Why the airline companies complain about loss on one side, and down-regulate the ticket prices on the other side to compete for the passengers with railway transport? Insiders said, the airline companies were forced to do so, because if the flight was canceled, the airline company would lose the air routes right on this air line, not to say the market share.

●Special-price tickets will not be canceled, be cautious when booking

The Spring Festival Transportation Peak is around the corner. According to the previous years' experiences, the ticket during Spring Festival would have been sold out one month in advance, with a 30% discount or even no discount. The current flight tickets with an 80% discount, cheaper than train sleeping tickets, should be booked for home-returning during the Spring Festival? “If it has been scheduled when you return home, you may book tickets, and the earlier the ticket booked, the cheaper”, said Qiu Juan, the general manager of the Zhengzhou Branch of Spring Airlines, tickets like the 99-series of special prices, is sold online 45 days in advance.

If the returning date had not been scheduled, you’d better not book tickets eagerly, Chang Minghan said, the special-price tickets could not be canceled or changed. If there were any accident, the flight ticket would be invalid. He believed, judged from the present market situation, it would be very difficult for the flight market to be as popular as previous years during the Spring Festival, and at least that would be like this before Jan. 10, 2010. The citizens might choose to book tickets when the Spring Festival draws near and the schedule has been determined.