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Malindo Air launch ‘Early Bird Gets the Deal’ Promo

Malindo Air is delighted to announce that the airline will be offering exclusive fares to Business and Economy Class travellers during the Malindo Air Early Bird gets the Deal, to fully enjoy a premium service.

The promotional fares are available from 27 Feb until 5 March 2017 and are valid for all purchases made online, over the counter at all Malindo Air ticketing offices and through travel agencies in Australia & New Zealand. Travel validity is from 1 April 2017 until 30 November 2017.

PERTH to Penang, Langkawi, Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Bali, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi , starting from AUD 299 in economy and starting from AUD 599 in business. 

Malaysia Airlines Earns IATA Fast Travel Green

Malaysia Airlines has become the first Malaysian carrier to receive the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Fast Travel Green certificate in recognition of the airline’s efforts in making passengers’ travel more flexible and convenient via its self-service facilities.

IATA’s Fast Travel Programme covers six areas of passenger travel which includes check-in, bags ready-to-go, document check, flight re-booking, self-boarding, and bag recovery. Airlines will then be ranked on the usage of these services by IATA.

By 2020, IATA aims for 80 per cent of global passengers to be offered a complete self-service suite throughout their journey, based on IATA’s industry standards.

Under this programme, Malaysia Airlines has earned the Green ranking by meeting five of the requirements which are check-in, bags ready-to-go, flight re-booking, self-boarding and bag recovery.

Direct Cairns flights boost Korean numbers

Jin Air’s direct flights from South Korea to Cairns delivered a $9 million boost to Cairns & Great Barrier Reef with almost 6000 Korean visitors arriving between mid-December and early February.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive Officer Alex de Waal said the airline had found the 16 flights from Seoul successful with 97 per cent of the seats sold.

“Jin Air and nine Korean wholesalers sold package tours which included the Great Barrier Reef, Wet Tropics rainforest, Kuranda, Port Douglas, the Atherton Tablelands and Cassowary Coast,”  de Waal said.

 Rex releases half-year results

The Regional Express (Rex) Group today announced its first half financial year 2017 (1H FY17) results. Rex announced a statutory Profit Before Tax (PBT) of $8.6 million (M) on a turnover of $144.3M compared to a statutory Loss Before Tax of $13.2M in the 1H FY16 period.

Its operational PAT of $6.2M represents an 88% improvement over last financial year’s 1H operational PAT of $3.3M.

Rex Chief Operating Officer Neville Howell said, “With Qantas, Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand all reporting significant drops in profits or even losses, we are pleased that Rex was not only able to buck the trend but has managed to improve its performance convincingly.”

“We see indications of the bottoming of the decline in regional travel in the first half of the FY. If this trend continues in the second half, then this would strongly suggest the beginning of a recovery in the Australian regional economy.

“Rex is well positioned to take full advantage of a recovery in the regional economy and we are confident of turning in very strong results when the rebound happens.”

Qantas and El Al Enter Codeshare Partnership

Customers of both airlines will be able to book on select flights operated by the other, as well as earn and redeem frequent flyer points.  The partnership focuses on linking Qantas’ flights between Australia and Asia to EL AL’s flights between Asia and Israel’s financial centre and technology hub, Tel Aviv.  It will also connect Qantas’ flights from Sydney to Johannesburg with EL AL’s services from Tel Aviv to the South African city.  

Qantas International CEO Gareth Evans and EL AL President and CEO David Maimon have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen the relationship between the two carriers. The MoU signing followed the Prime Ministers’ signing of a new Air Services Agreement between Australia and Israel. Under the MoU signed today, Qantas plans to add its QF code to EL AL operated flights to three Qantas destinations – Hong Kong, Bangkok and Johannesburg – and Tel Aviv.

EL AL plans to add its code to Qantas services that operate between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hong Kong; between Sydney and Bangkok; and between Sydney and Johannesburg. Reciprocal lounge access will be available for eligible customers of both airlines in Tel Aviv, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hong Kong. Eligible customers will also be able to access lounges available to Qantas customers in Bangkok and Johannesburg. 

The codeshare flights will go on sale during the second half of the calendar year.

Tiger Air launch budget direct flights between Melbourne and Townsville

Tigerair Australia has introduced new route between Melbourne and Townsville, providing four weekly return direct low cost services between the two cities, with over 1,400 additional visitor seats each week between the two destinations. 

From Thursday 22 June, Tigerair will operate weekly return flights between the Victorian capital and North Queensland destination on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. 

To celebrate today’s announcement, Tigerair has released a special sale, with one way fares available between Melbourne and Townsville from just $10* each way on the inaugural services on 22 June and one way fares from $69* each way are also on sale for travel between 23 June and 14 September 2017. This sale launches at 10.30am AEST today and runs until 11am AEST Saturday 25 February (or until fares sell out). Fares between the two destinations will be regularly on sale from $129* each way.

All routes on sale from today  as part of the Tigerair Queensland sale (from 22 February 2017 10:30am AEST) and running 11am AEST Sat 25 February 2017 (or until sold out). 

THAI Fully Prepared for Suvarnabhumi Airport Runway Repairs

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) said that it is prepared for Suvarnabhumi Airport maintenance, which involves scheduled repairs on one runway for two months with a contingency plan in place to prevent flight delays.

Mrs. Usanee Sangsingkeo, THAI Acting President, said that the scheduled partial closure of runway 01R/19L from 3 March to 5 May 2017 for 60 days will affect aircraft takeoff and landing during a period of time.

THAI’s contingency plan ensures flight operation readiness with full consideration for safety, whereby consideration will be made on increasing the amount of jet fuel carried on each flight for the air traffic conditions concerned. Furthermore, the Company is prepared to use an alternate airport if necessary and has set up an operations center to coordinate and resolve any issues that may arise due to temporary runway repairs.

THAI is fully aware that its passengers may be inconvenienced during this period and staff will be on hand to provide additional assistance to passengers with flight connections. Passengers are advised to spare extra time for connecting flights. Passengers traveling on all THAI flights will be looked after with extra care to ensure maximum comfort and convenience.