Nothing like some hardcore AV knowledge to kick start your week. So grab some lunch and get stuck into this news edition.

Malindo Air Launch Daily Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane

Malindo Air has launched its daily flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Brisbane International Airport via Denpasar in Bali. Promotional fares for one-way on this new route KUL – Brisbane start from RM1,049 for Economy Class and RM2,369 for Business Class, all inclusive of perks such as free baggage allowance, in-flight entertainment, and meals.

Flight OD157 departs KLIA daily at 6.05pm to Brisbane via Denpasar, Bali, and with a flight time of 3 hrs and 5 mins, it arrives Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar at 9.10pm. The flight then departs Denpasar at 10.00pm and arrives Brisbane at 5.40am, a journey that takes 5 hrs and 40 mins.

The returning flight OD158 departs Brisbane at 7.15am and arrives Denpasar at 11.45am. After a one hour transit, the flight departs Denpasar at 12.45pm and arrives KLIA at 3.45pm.

Hawaiian Airlines New Innovative A321neo Cabin Design

Hawaiian Airlines reveal a distinctive cabin design for its new A321neo fleet arriving later this year.

The Premium Cabin will be luxuriously appointed with leather recliners, thoughtful design details and a custom lighting fixture incorporating Hawaiian’s signature ‘wave’ motif. The 45 Extra Comfort premium economy seats will offer five more inches of legroom, priority boarding and other perks.

Seats in all cabins will be equipped with complimentary high-power USB outlets for device charging, while guests in the Premium Cabin and Extra Comfort seats will enjoy access to an additional AC power outlet. Pivoting overhead bins maximise the amount of space available for carry-on luggage.

Textiles and other materials throughout the cabin pay homage to traditional Hawaiian crafts, from bark cloth (kapa) to fishing nets, and a full LED mood-lighting system has been programmed to evoke Hawaii’s unmatched sunrises and sunsets.

Holders for personal hand-held devices and tablets will be integrated into the tray tables of the Premium Cabin as well as the first row of Extra Comfort, and built into the backrest of all other seats in the aircraft.

Fiji Airways Extends SFO Seasonal Flights Year-Round

Fiji Airways is extending its seasonal San Francisco – Nadi flights to a year-round service. It follows a successful first year of operating the direct San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Fiji (NAN) services that began mid-2016.

The new year-round services sees the Fijian carrier fly between SFO and NAN twice a week, increasing to three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) in the high season from June through August and December.

Fiji Airways’ San Francisco to Nadi, Fiji flight will depart 11.00 pm (local time) arriving in Nadi at 5.10 am (local time, +2 days). The flight will depart Nadi at 10:15 p.m. (local time), arriving in San Francisco 1:45 p.m. (local time, the same day).

Air New Zealand to begin flying the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from Sydney to Rarotonga

Accessing the Cook Islands untouched crystal clear turquoise lagoons just got a lot more comfortable, with Air New Zealand upgrading its aircraft to operate a 787-9 Dreamliner on the direct Sydney –Rarotonga service, commencing this week.

The aircraft will offer its award winning interior products including lie flat Business Premier beds and comfortable Premium Economy seats.

The service also introduces Air New Zealand’s unique Economy Skycouch™ to the Sydney – Rarotonga route for the first time, allowing customers to book a row of three economy seats with customised footrests that raise to a horizontal position, creating a flat flexible space to stretch out and relax.

The Sydney-Rarotonga service operates once per week and is six hours in duration, arriving Rarotonga early in the morning allowing for a full day of holiday enjoyment.

Insight Vacations Partner with British Airways

Insight Vacations has partnered with British Airways to allow guests who book any 2017 Europe or Britain summer tour with Insight Vacations or Luxury Gold, to combine them with a discounted Premium Economy, Business Class or First Class return airfare.

Guests can travel with the option to fly from $2,859 return to Europe in Premium Economy or fly from only $6,085 return to Europe in Business Class. For those wanting to travel in additional luxury, Insight also offers a First Class airfare to fly from $9,749. The fares are combinable allowing clients to fly Premium Economy one-way and Business Class the other, or, fly Business Class one-way and upgrade to First Class on return.

The offer is available until April 30 or until sold out. Agents can also combine this with Insight’s 5% Early Payment Discount where available on many 2017 European tours to save even more for their clients.

AirAsia launch new group booking system for travel agents

AirAsia has launched an enhanced group booking system for travel agents using the AirAsia

The new, automated group booking system enables agents to check and book fares and ancillary add-ons for up to 50 passengers, as well as manage customer details and payment options. Agents registered for the AirAsia SkyAgent portal can also contact a dedicated support email address or their account manager for queries regarding bookings made via the SkyAgent portal.

UTracks welcomes landmark London-Paris tourism deal

Tackling Brexit head on, Paris and London signed an historic tourism deal over the weekend between, in which the two cities will be jointly promoted to attract more overseas visitors.

UTracks, a leading active European holiday specialist,  have been promoting experiences that link both sides of the English Channel for some years now.

The deal marks the first time the two cities have cooperated to promote tourism and comes as UK begins the formal process of withdrawing from the European Union (EU).

“London and Paris both share an incredible culture and history and the new tourism pact opens the way for a host of new opportunities for the industry and unique experiences for the traveller,” said General Manager of UTracks, Kate Baker.

Virgin Australia launch Flights Between Melbourne and LA

Virgin Australia launch flights between Melbourne and Los Angeles onFlight VA23, operated by the airline’s flagship Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. It departed Melbourne at 11.30am and will land in Los Angeles at 9am, meaning both business and leisure travellers can enjoy a full day on the ground.

To celebrate, the Virgin Australia Melbourne Domestic Lounge will be serving Budweiser beer and offering delicious American-themed food until Friday 7 April.

The flight features more legroom than any other Australian airline with a seat pitch of 41 inches, an  intimate cabin size of 24 seats with a dedicated Business Class-trained crew and a 19.5 inch seat width with nine inches of recline. 

Departures for Melbourne to LA are 11:30/9:00 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Return departures from LA to Melbourne are 20:55/5:45 on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.