News in Brief: Tuesday, January 8

News in Brief: Tuesday, January 8
By admin


Airberlin's interim chief executive Hartmut Mehdorn has stepped down, with former Jet Airways and British Midland International CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer stepping into the role.

Prock-Schauer admitted the carrier, partially owned by Etihad, faces "huge challenges" and stressed the need to create a "lean and smart" operation.

Mehdorn has held the CEO role on an interim basis since September 2011.

 

Trafalgar, Insight and Contiki are offering discounts of 7.5% on all 2013 Europe and Britain departures. The deal is available for the next eight weeks .

 

Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa has released a two night ‘temptation' package with prices from $725 per person per night for stays until March 31. It represents a saving on the usual price of $500 per person, the resort said.

 

British Airways continues to prop up Spanish carrier Iberia after International Airlines Group (IAG) posted a slight rise in December traffic. Revenue passenger kilometres climbed 0.3%, helped by a 4.6% rise in premium traffic. Non-premium traffic slipped 0.4%. IAG said underlying market conditions remain unchanged with "continued firmness" in trends at BA and weakness in Iberia.

 

Emirates will introduce a fifth daily service between Dubai and Bangkok from March 31. The same date will also see the launch of a fourth daily flights between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.

 

Oaks Hotels and Resorts has completed a $2.8 million refurbishment of the Oaks Oasis in Caloundra.

 

Foreign ownership of Sydney Airport has fallen from 35.8% to 36.7%. The airport must remain less than 40% owned by overseas interests.

 

Gulf Air will cancel three routes in February and March. Bahrain to Colombo will be suspended from February 10, Bahrain to Dhaka from March 4 and Bahrain to Kathmandu from March 24.

 

Travelport has signed a new global full content agreement with Copa Airlines, effective immediately. The multi-year agreement gives all Travelport-connected travel agents, corporate customers and online agencies access to the airline’s full range of published fares and inventory for booking through Galileo and Worldspan.

 

Sea Cloud Cruises is offering single travellers a special fare of $3,780 on an eight-day Easter cruise around the Caribbean aboard Sea Cloud, departing March 28.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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