Business Travel

IATA signs Global Declaration on Aviation and Climate Change

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has signed a historic commitment to tackle climate change. IATA Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani was joined by the industry’s other top leaders in a signing ceremony at the third Aviation and Environment Summit in Geneva, Switzerland.

“This declaration is a great step,” said Bisignani. “IATA’s four-pillar strategy on climate change is now an industry commitment. This commitment will drive us forward - first to our 25% fuel efficiency improvement target and more importantly towards our vision of carbon neutral growth leading to a carbon emission free industry.”

“Environmental responsibility is a core promise of the aviation industry, alongside safety and security. We have taken this responsibility seriously long before Kyoto with impressive results - a 70% improvement in fuel efficiency over the last four decades. All the industry partners have a common goal - to keep aviation as a benchmark of environmental responsibility for others to follow,” said Bisignani.

“Today’s commitment is unique. What other industry is so united in its approach to environment?”

“But governments must play their part if we are truly to succeed.

They must invest more effectively in environmental technologies - from alternative fuels to radical dynamics. And they need to match our efforts at efficiency - such as implementing next generation traffic management systems globally. A Single European Sky could save 12 million tonnes of CO2 at a stroke,” said Bisignani.

SriLankan receives second global award from Airbus Industrie

SriLankan Arilines will receive the global award for Operational Excellence among all small airlines that operate the Airbus A340 aircraft.

This is the second such prestigious award won by SriLankan from Airbus Industrie, one of the world’s two largest manufacturers of commercial aircraft.

Airbus in 2004 presented Sri Lanka’s National Carrier with the global Operational Excellence Award for another Type of aircraft - the twin-engined A330.

Senior Manager Aircraft Engineering D.A.G. Jayasuriya said: “We at SriLankan Airlines emphasize the need for the most efficient use of our aircraft, so as to provide the finest delay-free service to our passengers. We are delighted that our continuous efforts have been recognised as being among the best, by none other than the aricraft’s manufacturer.”

SriLankan was the first carrier in Asia to operate the wide-bodied long-haul A340-300 aircraft, the first of which it received in August 1994. It now has five A340 aircraft in its all-Airbus fleet.

Senior Manager Flight Operations Capt. Milinda Ratnayake said: “This award is a tribute to all those who are responsible for the efficient operations of our fleet - from Aircraft Engineers and Technicians to Pilots, Cabin Staff, Airport Service staff, Cargo staff, Cleaning staff, and so many others.”

The airlines has a multi-disciplined Punctuality Improvement Committee, which meets daily to evaluate even the slightest flight delay, identifies causes for individual delays, and takes action to prevent their recurrence. These include maintenance reasons and human factors.

The award is for a two -year period from November 2005 to October 2007. It is based on wide-ranging selection criteria which include number of hours flown, number of take-offs, operational interruptions due to maintenance issues and flight delays.

New world of entertainment with Singapore Airlines

Imagine viewing pictures you had just taken, on a 23” large LCD screen as you lounge in your very own private cabin. Imagine plugging in and listening to your preferred list of music and songs even while you are in the air. Imagine finding movies and opera, music and games, learning and even office applications all rolled into one, user-friendly console; accessible every time you fly.

When you travel with Singapore Airlines, KrisWorld makes all these and more possible. Boasting new PC applications such as the Media Player, Photo Viewer and PDF Reader, customers can access their personal favourite media files even in the air.

Indulge your senses. Simply bring and plug-in your own USB thumbdrives, USB storage devices or digital camera, and you can view your photos or documents through the 1280 x 768 high-resolution screens across all three classes.

Drink in the rich colours and vibrant images on the larger screens, in all three classes, and soak in your choice of music with the custom-designed headphones.

For those who love their music, romance and drama on a grandiose scale, Singapore Airlines’ KrisWorld fulfils your cravings with a whole new entertainment category - the Opera.

Now, enjoy some of the most famous, riveting performances from Verdi’s Il Trovatore with its swift, spontaneous music and complex story; to one of the best known operas in the world - Bizet’s Carmen, a musical drama of passion, betrayal and revenge, to being serenaded by Luciano Pavarotti and The Philharmonia Orchestra.

Die-hard gamers will not be disappointed with the suite of updated games. Exciting and addictive titles include those from leading casual game providers such as PopCap Games(r), GameHouse(r) and MumboJumbo include Inflight Sudoku, Zuma, Big Money and Bejeweled 2.

“Being the first to launch the eX2, applications were introduced on a familiar platform and our immediate focus was to provide for a wide and comprehensive suite of applications.

This is to cater to the growing needs of our customers of varying ages. What you see now is only the beginning and more will be added,” said, Singapore Airlines Senior Vice-President Product and Services, Yap Kim Wah.

Travellers can expect more exciting enhancements to KrisWorld in the coming months.

For example, the interactive ZagatSurvey(r) Restaurant and Hotel Guide is an exciting addition where customers will be able to search for recommendations and virtually explore where to eat or stay at their destinations even before they reach their destination.

Qatar Airways’ China week a huge success

Qatar Airways wrapped up a week of high-profile promotional activities across China hailing the visit by management from head office and Asia a huge success.

Concluding a whistle-stop tour of three cities - Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai - Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker expressed his sheer delight at the hospitality and warmth of the people of China.

Al Baker opened Qatar Airways’ new sales and reservation offices in the heart of the business districts of each of the three cities. He rounded off launch activities in Guangzhou, the airline’s newest route to the southern Chinese industrial city, by hosting a lavish gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

More than 300 guests drawn from corporates, travel trade and the media attended the Five Star event, which featured show-stopping entertainment direct from the Middle East. Earlier, during a packed press conference, Al Baker briefed Chinese and international media on the airline’s expansion plans.

Qatar Airways operates 20 scheduled flights a week from its hub in Doha, capital of the State of Qatar, to China.

The capital Beijing is served four-times-a-week; Shanghai five weekly; Hong Kong daily; and Guangzhou with four flights-a-week, rising to five services from May 1.

Al Baker said: “The State of Qatar and China are celebrating 20 years of bilateral relations this year and the relationship between both countries has grown from strength to strength. “Since Qatar Airways entered the Chinese market in 2003 with flights to Shanghai, we have steadily increased our presence to this dynamic part of the world to now cover three other important gateway cities, including our latest route to Guangzhou.

“It is an honour for me as Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways to be able to offer the travelling public to and from China a wider choice of flights and to serve the increasingly important business traveller.”

He stressed that as trade between the two countries increases, and indeed business between other countries and China steps up, Qatar Airways and its diverse network of destinations worldwide is able to facilitate travel to China’s prosperous political, financial and cosmopolitan cities.

‘US exit proposal a step backward’

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has condemned the new US Government proposal that airlines and their employees collect biometric information from all non-US citizens when departing the US in the US Exit Plan.

The US Government plan would require airlines to invest billions in new equipment and the staff to operate it. “Border protection and immigration are government responsibilities.

Airline counter staff are not a substitute for trained border patrol officers. Outsourcing exit formalities to airlines is not a responsible approach,” said IATA’s Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani.

“Airlines are committed to working with governments to help facilitate efficient immigration and border protection. We need solutions that are efficient, effective and convenient. Today’s proposal does not meet any of these criteria,” said Bisignani.

“Governments need to focus on modern solutions. Airlines spent the last four years using technology to respond to the traveller’s desire for self-service. Our Simplifying the Business program is moving passenger check-in online or to kiosks. Sending passengers back into counter queues is a big step backward,” said Bisignani.