Big fat airline wrap
There’s only one thing we read on Tuesdays, and that’s this fab airline wrap. Well, that and scanning our bank account to double-check how much we’ve spent on coffee this week.
SCOOT: Are you being too economy-ical?
Scoot offers a dedicated cabin at the front of its magnificent fleet of near new 787 Dreamliner’s for its ScootBiz passengers, and many passengers travelling for business to Asia are opting for a large leather reclining seat with headrest, and its generous 15 kg carry on plus 30KG check-in luggage for a great price, sometimes cheaper than economy on full-service carriers.
Throw in priority boarding, a meal and drink, ScooTV entertainment to stream, wifi on board, in-seat power and it makes sense, if you are heading to Singapore and beyond, when the prices on offer in the Back to Basics Biz Sale this week is from $289 all-in -including taxes – from Perth to Singapore. To Singapore from Sydney and Melbourne, the all-inclusive price is from $389 per way and from $349 ex Gold Coast.
Emirates treats customers to traditional Lunar New Year delights
Australian customers travelling on Emirates’ flights to and from select destinations in Asia including Singapore and Bangkok, during Lunar New Year are in for a special treat as the airline celebrates the festive season.
A special selection of delicacies and traditional Chinese fare await customers across all classes travelling between 4-6 February. To complete the travel experience, festive treats will also be available in the Emirates Lounges in Dubai, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore.
Emirates customers flying from Australia to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City can indulge in a selection of Lunar New Year desserts on board during this festive period.
First Class and Business Class customers can tuck into a mouth-watering lychee and raspberry mousse served with vanilla lychee compote, shaped in the design of a traditional Chinese firecracker.
First Class travellers will also receive a specially-curated goodie basket to complete the festive cheer, while Business Class passengers can also enjoy coconut and mandarin mousse, served with mandarin compote.
Discover South America for less with LATAM Airlines’ new sale
LATAM Airlines, South America’s leading airline, has launched a new sale offering huge savings of up to 46 per cent to destinations across South America.
Available to book until 22 February 2019, the deal is available on economy flights between 1 March 2019 to 30 November 2019, and business flights between 1 March 2019 to 30 June 2019.
Sale highlights include:
• Savings of up to 46 per cent on return flights from Australia to Uruguay’s cosmopolitan capital, Montevideo with prices starting from AUD$1,139* economy
• Savings of up to 39 per cent on return flights from Australia to Santiago, Chile, LATAM’s gateway to South America, with prices starting from AUD$1,049* economy
More info here.
British Airways launches Valentine’s in-flight entertainment channel
British Airways is celebrating Valentine’s Day by adding a romantic touch to the in-flight entertainment with a new category, Love is in the Air.
The channel, which will run until the end of February, hosts a collection of romantic films, TV shows, audiobooks and music.
From classics like Gone with the Wind to the newly released rom-com Crazy Rich Asians and the award-winning The Shape of Water, the channel will keep customers entertained even on the longest of long-haul flights.
As part of its TV show offering, First Dates: Valentine’s Special is available for viewing as well as cult classic Sex and the City and some love-themed episodes of Friends.
For audiobook fans, author and biographer Sue Roe reads In Montparnasse while music lovers can enjoy Elgar and Finzi’s Violin Concertos and Lisa Stansfield’s album, Deeper.
Qatar Airways Converts 10 of its 50 Airbus A321neo on Order to the Longer Range Airbus A321LR
Qatar Airways has announced that it will convert 10 of its 50 Airbus A321neo on order to the Airbus A321LR (long range) variant of the A320 family.
The A321LR is a type of A321neo, which has extra fuel tanks as well as a higher maximum take-off weight to give the aircraft additional range.
Qatar Airways will use the A321LR to connect Doha to new growing markets where today demand is not sufficient for wide body aircraft or where current narrow bodies (A320/A321) are unable to reach.
Alternatively, the new aircraft will be adopted to provide additional frequencies on existing Qatar Airways routes, giving our loyal passengers more choice and flexibility when they travel.
AirAsia unveils AI chatbot with website and mobile app facelift
AirAsia today unveiled a website and mobile app facelift, including a chatbot named AVA (AirAsia Virtual Allstar) powered by artificial intelligence.
The updates are designed with guests in mind, and are aimed at delivering a more seamless, user-friendly experience to airasia.com and the app’s 3.3 million monthly active users, from flight bookings to browsing for deals to online shopping and customer support.
New features include:
- New homepage
New comprehensive homepage designed for easier and faster navigation, including upcoming flight notice, search shortcut and recent searches, links to the best hotels, travel, duty-free shopping and activity deals, recommended destinations and link to BigPay, AirAsia’s money app.
- AVA chatbot
Meet AVA, an AI chatbot available on the new live chat feature to respond to guest inquiries instantly. AVA currently speaks eight languages – English, Bahasa Malaysia, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, Vietnamese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. AVA was built by the AirAsia Software Engineering and Technology (AASET) and Customer Happiness team using technology from Ada, a Toronto based company that specialises in AI-powered customer experience.
- New flight search with map
iOS users can now choose where to go using an interactive map that pinpoints all AirAsia’s destinations in a single page. This feature is the first among airline apps.
- Combined Station Picker
A first among airline apps, iOS users can now select the nearest departure and arrival airports and filter by number of stops and flight duration.
- Voice assistant
iOS users can now also check their upcoming flight status simply by asking Siri. To use this feature, just click the “Add to Siri” button under Flight Itinerary or My Bookings.
- FACES enrollment
Guest may now enroll to AirAsia’s Fast Airport Clearance Experience System (FACES) on their mobile app to clear security and board their flight seamlessly. Just click on My Account and My FACES to take a 5 seconds video of your face.
- More features
On top of that, guests can search for the lowest fares using the Low Fare Calendar, which has been integrated in the app, earn and pay using BIG Points and enjoy instant member discounts when they log in.
RwandAir and Amadeus extend partnership to boost continued growth in Africa and beyond
RwandAir, the national carrier of the Republic of Rwanda, is pleased to announce its expansion through its partnership with Amadeus, a world-class passenger service solution, to adopt technology that will allow its customers to benefit from improved efficiency, a better experience and increased convenience.
This is in line with further boosting Rwanda as a travel destination.
Rwanda is growing as an economic centre in East Africa and is becoming an increasingly important travel destination, for tourists and business travellers alike.
Last year Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali was ranked the third most popular destination in Africa to host international conferences.
RwandAir was recently named the 10th most-improved airline in the world by Skytrax and has built a reputation for excellent on-time performance.
Having previously provided RwandAir with distribution services, Amadeus will now roll out solutions across passenger systems, revenue management, loyalty management, payments, and data & analytics. The extended partnership intends to support RwandAir’s plans of expanding its network and fleet.
Emirates serves over 20,000 plant-based meals on board during ‘Veganuary’
Emirates served over 20,000 plant-based meals across all classes in January, known to Vegans worldwide as Veganuary. The worldwide movement, to encourage Veganism especially in January has seen on board requests for vegan meals increase by over 40% this month.
The airline caters to all its customers and has a range of dedicated menus for medical or religious meal requirements which are designed with a team of nutritionists and chefs. Vegan meals rank as the third most commonly requested special meal in Economy Class. Last month, travellers voted Emirates as the Best Airline for Vegan Meals in a poll by Vegan News.
Emirates has over 170 plant-based recipes in its kitchen to cater to its vegan customers. Emirates’ team of nutritionists and chefs use the freshest vegetables and unique grains to create the special meals. Known for its regionally inspired cuisine on board, Emirates takes the same approach for its vegan meals with recipes inspired by its destinations.
Some of the most popular dishes include Mushroom Ravioli, Vegetable Tagine served with couscous, and a Sweet Potato, Lentil and Spinach Ragout served with steaming brown rice. The meals are served complete with a special selection of mouth-watering vegan desserts such as Key Lime Parfait with date and citrus compote, Moist Chocolate Cake, or a Chia Seed Pudding.
Vegan meals, along with other special meals, are available on all Emirates flights and across all classes and can be requested 24 hours before departure. All the menus on board are changed monthly.
Stretch, relax and rejuvenate: Cathay Pacific opens The Sanctuary by Pure Yoga
A visit to Cathay Pacific’s Business Class lounge at The Pier in Hong Kong has just become even more beneficial for mind, body and soul following the opening of The Sanctuary by Pure Yoga.
Designed in partnership with The Pure Group, The Sanctuary by Pure Yoga is a 700 square-foot area divided into two zones – The Body Sanctuary, which is dedicated to yoga, and The Mind Sanctuary, where travellers can meditate to focus and calm the mind.
KLM connects people through a live hologram bar
What if travellers waiting to board a plane could exchange tips face-to-face with others who are heading in the opposite direction? KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has worked with creative agency DDB Unlimited to build a bar where travellers can meet to exchange local tips at airports in the Netherlands, Norway and Brazil. This new travel experience is called ‘Take-off Tips’ and is driven by 3-D facial scanning and hologram technology.
Rather than passively waiting for a flight, KLM has created an innovative way to share the kind of priceless local tips and cultural insights that their customers can’t get by reading a guidebook. Using a live connection, travellers can chat with a hologram of their counterparts, looking each other straight in the eye. Allowing travellers separated by thousands of miles to sit face to face – just as in real life. With KLM’s Take-off Tips bar, customers are able to talk to each other at airports in Amsterdam, Oslo, and Rio de Janeiro – strangers who would otherwise never have met.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
Air Asia Airline wrap british airways cathay pacific emirates klm latam qatar Rwandair scootLatest News
Travel Weekly announces a new team to helm Australia’s No.1 travel trade title
Some shameless self-promotion from us, but we thought you needed to know who's bringing you the news.
IHG reveals plans for Brisbane’s first Kimpton in 2028
Just another reason to book that trip to Brisvegas. But don't jump the gun, it's not open until 2028.
Cruiseabout’s first store in five years opens in Perth
Perth gets a break from being behind the rest of the country with the addition of the first Cruiseabout store.
ATAS complaints process acknowledges non-economic loss
A High Court case win over 'disappointment and distress' on a cruise gone wrong prompts ATIA complaints change.
Cunard previews new Queen Anne
Yep, this one does exactly what it says on the tin.
Bunnik Tours unveils latest expansion to Iceland
Just as the Icelandic vikings did many years ago, Bunnik is expanding into new territories.
Australia’s first glamping retreat turns 25
25th anniversary gifts usually come in silver. Ours comes in the way of a news story.
Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun
If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]
Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull departs
Turnbull hints her new role will see her staying in the tourism and hospitality industry and who can blame her?
DriveAway launches Brit-Euro Blitz campaign
If agents can put the foot down quick enough and get involved, there are some great prizes to be won.
Fly and Stay Free with the Great Southern
Unlike those dodgy scam phone calls you're getting more and more of, there's no strings attached to this deal.
Sober travel and TikTok guide Australian Gen Z trips
Can you call it a sober holiday if you enjoy a few glasses of red on the flight? We think yes.
Travel DAZE Exec Agenda REVEALED: top execs to speak on airline competition
As the industry reels from Bonza's implosion, it is more important than ever to ask the big questions.
TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips
The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]
Skroo says Rex will need deep pockets to fill lost Bonza slots
The door is open for Rex, and anyone else who wants to launch a regional Aussie airline...
Sno’n’Ski Holidays unveils 2025 mega famil to Colorado!
Let the games begin - this is certainly not a famil that you will want to miss!
Walk Japan launches Kyoto: Mountains to the sea walking tour
There are two types of people, one who enjoys walking on holiday and another who enjoys sipping Mojitos by the pool.
Which destination had a 48% boost in bookings following 10 MILLION TikTok views?
Here's a clue: it's not Malabar Beach.
Asher Telford appointed General Manager of SeaLink Whitsundays
Telford has plenty of reasons to smile after SeaLink doubles down and makes him GM after buying his tourism operation.
Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak
Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]
Hilton Expands Presence in North Queensland with the signing of Hilton Garden Inn Townsville
Heading to a North Queensland Cowboys clash? Hilton Garden Inn Townsville is set to open, but not until 2026.
Rail Europe ANZ: making dream journeys come true
Rail Europe's running a lottery! You're not going to win millions, but you might just snag a free holiday.
Bonza’s future on knife edge
It would seem a long road back from here, perhaps a knife's edge is too much credit.
Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa
Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]
Nielsen Data reveals brands spending big to attract Aussie tourists
Trip A Deal, Virgin and Ignite Travel walk into a bar, blow their cash on travel advertising instead of the pokies.
Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards
Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]
Jetstar offers 200,000 return for free flights to celebrate 20th anniversary
Jetstar hits 20 and everyone else gets the presents with free return flights to domestic and international destinations.
Amora Hotels & Resorts set to double APAC portfolio, announces new Sydney office
Staff in the new Sydney office have been welcomed by a week of rain on the forecast.
RIU opens Chicago hotel and rooftop bar a few steps from the world-famous Magnificent Mile
Rooftop cocktails hold a dear place in your heart? Look no further than RIU Chicago.
How can travel agents best sell cruises? Uniworld’s Alice Ager tells all: Travel Weekly TV
Agents, you don't want to miss this. Yes, that's the case with everything in the newsletter, but we really mean it here!
South Africa bookings are back in action
It's a wrap! South Africa in the news with resumed flights, film fest and booking tech.
Agents’ chance to score free spot on Intrepid trip to Antarctica
This is the trip of a lifetime, even if you are scared of the cold!
Bonza nosediving amid mass cancellations and reports of repossessed planes
Bonza's days appear to be numbered as the low-cost carrier today announced mass cancellations around the country.
Amy Poehler joins Vivid Sydney event
Oh Joy! Hit comedian Amy Poehler will make an emotional appearance at the Sydney Opera House for Vivid.
Pullman Sydney Penrith ties up with Trilogy Hotels, announces new GM
The crew from Trilogy hotels doing their best impression of the Penrith front row here.
Linkd appoints Carolyn Nightingale and Lawson Dibb to new roles
Linkd Tourism sings praises of Carolyn Nightingale and dubs Lawson Dibb as Kyushu Tourism Office guru.