Big Fat Airline Wrap
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It’s Tuesday and that means Airline Wrap day. It’s also cheap steak day at our local, so don’t expect any emails after 2pm.
Emirates teams up with Nigel Owens for a series of videos
Emirates and Welsh Rugby Referee Nigel Owens have teamed up in a series of humorous videos filmed at Emirates’ world-class lounge in Sydney.
The videos make light of Owens’ role as a referee, stopping departing couples from hugging due to “not releasing” as they say goodbye.
You can see one of the videos here.
Marhaba open its first airport lounge in Australia, for all airline passengers
Opening on the 12th September is Marhaba, Melbourne airport’s first premium airport lounge open to all airline passengers departing Melbourne.
Marhaba Melbourne is set to enhance the experience of international travel for all travellers, with a spacious 200 seat guest lounge featuring a quiet zone, shower facilities, and buffet cuisines from around the globe and a selection of Australia’s finest wines. And to assist with travel fatigue much-loved coffee provider Hudson Coffee is also onsite, preparing fresh coffee from its café.
Open seven days a week from 6am till midnight, the friendly, peaceful lounge allows passengers to relax in style no matter airline or class of travel.
Book now and dream ahead as Emirates launches early bird sale
Emirates is encouraging Australians to book now and dream ahead as it releases a range of competitive fares on more than 39 destinations as part of its early bird sale.
From 11 September until 4 October 2017, Emirates passengers will be able to take advantage of Emirates’ expansive European route network and superior service at competitive prices when flying to European hotspots such as London, Zagreb, Dublin and Barcelona.
Passengers can enjoy over 2,500 channels on its award-winning inflight entertainment system ice, generous baggage allowances and gourmet food and wine across all classes. Emirates has enhanced its onboard Wi-Fi offering, providing passengers up to 20MB of complementary Wi-Fi.
Emirates recently launched its 39th European destination with the addition of Zagreb, Croatia to its global route network as part of its continued commitment to improving passenger connectivity. Emirates is also set to launch a third daily service between Dubai and Brisbane on 1 December 2017, operated by a B777-200LR, in addition its existing two daily services.
Cathay Pacific’s Taste of Asia and Christmas Sales are now available
Last week Cathay Pacific launched two incredible promotions on fares to a range of destinations across the globe to encourage Aussies to end 2017 feeling well-travelled and inspired by culture.
Taste of Asia Sale:
The Taste of Asia Sale is an exciting promotion on companion fares from all Australian ports to over 60 popular cities across Asia.
This promotion offers Aussies looking to travel with their partner, family or friend the perfect opportunity to embark on a culinary adventure together across Asia. Fares start from just $659* return per person to Beijing and $782* return per person to Tokyo. The sale is on offer from 8 – 27 September 2017 for passengers looking to travel between 8 September 2017 and 31 January 2018.
On all flights passengers can experience Cathay Pacific’s award winning Economy Class, which is designed to make the travel journey a comfortable and seamless experience.
Christmas Sale:
For Aussies looking to celebrate Christmas a little differently this year, Cathay Pacific has also launched a sale on fares to Europe and North America.
This promotion offers great-value fares from all Australian ports to the UK, Europe, USA, Canada and Israel, with the travel period of 8 September to 31 January 2018. Fares start from just $1,470* return per person to Europe and $1,614* return per person to North America. This sale is ideal for those considering to take a last-minute holiday for a celebration, a break from work, or to spend the festive holiday season in the Northern Hemisphere and enjoy a merry White Christmas.
Rex launches Port Augusta services
Binge-Viewing On Bumper Box Sets With Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways’ award-winning in-flight entertainment system Oryx One now offers so many box sets of hit TV shows and major movies that a passenger could fly 20 times around the world before watching them all.
An incredible 920 hours of must-see movies and unmissable TV shows have been carefully chosen to feature in special box sets and collated collections to satisfy even the most dedicated binge-viewers, thanks to Qatar Airways’ award-winning in-flight entertainment offering.
That’s enough to keep an avid viewer entertained watching every single minute of all 106 box sets, collections and branded channels on board a Qatar Airways aircraft while it continuously circled the globe 20 times.
AirAsia and PublicisQ partner with Guy Sebastian to encourage Aussies to Fly Smarter
Ahead of its 10th anniversary of operations in Australia, AirAsia and creative agency PublicisQ are encouraging Australians to fly smarter with a new campaign that features Guy Sebastian in a 30-second commercial.
Sebastian was chosen for the campaign because of his appeal to everyday Aussies, his sense of humour and personal style, and affinity with the brand due to his Malaysian and Australian heritage.
The campaign also features a series of online videos on the many ways AirAsia keeps costs low for long-haul travel to Asia, with savings passed directly back to its passengers.
AirAsia has continued to focus on offering a great travel experience for Australians who love to fly for less with low fares but with added value. For example, passengers can book a premium flatbed for the same price as economy fares on full service airlines. Guests can also pre-book their inflight meals and inflight entertainment before they fly for greater savings.
Air Astana to offer passengers in-flight broadband speed connectivity
Passengers flying on Air Astana are now able to experience high-speed broadband In-Flight connectivity, with the airline’s first Boeing 767 featuring the service. The award-winning Kazakh air carrier has installed the Rockwell Collins cabin system, which utilises Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) Aviation capabilities to provide In-Flight connectivity.
The new service enables Air Astana passengers to surf the Internet, use various instant messenger applications, social networks, listen to audio and check e-mails via personal computers, tablets and smartphones. Broadband speed connectivity will be available to Business and Economy class passengers on all three of Air Astana’s Boeing 767s.
Depending on their individual needs, Air Astana passengers will be able to choose from three connectivity packages: The Light option will cover 15 Mb, the Business option will cover 50 Mb, and the Super option will cover 100 Mb. All services are estimated to operate at an average speed of two to five Mbps.
Sabre commentary of Asian airports adopting technology – attributed to Anupam Bokil, Vice President, Technology, Sabre Travel Network Asia Pacific
China Eastern delivers daily Shanghai – Brisbane flights
Just nine months after launching four times weekly flights between Brisbane and Shanghai, China Eastern has confirmed it will boost services to daily from November 2017.China is currently the second largest international visitor market for Brisbane Airport, averaging 14 per cent growth per year in the last five years, equating to 310,000+ inbound passengers from China each year.
Queensland is set to welcome more than 120,000 new visitors over the next four years with China Eastern Airlines to increase its direct Shanghai-Brisbane flights to daily.
The Palaszczuk Government is investing $33.5 million through the Advance Queensland: Connecting with Asia Strategy matched by industry contributions to increase the growth of visitors from across Asia.
KAYAK.com.au launches the first KAYAK ‘Xclusive’ hot deals in Australia with Scoot
KAYAK.com.au has made bagging the best bargain even easier with the launch of its first airline partner promotional campaign with Scoot – KAYAK ‘Xclusive’. The promotion will offer exclusive low fares for one-way flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, or Gold Coast to amazing destinations in Asia and Europe starting from $125. These deals can only be found on KAYAK.com.au and nowhere else.
When users search for Scoot flights to destinations in Asia and Europe on KAYAK.com.au, they will be presented with exclusive discounted fares. By clicking through the “View Deal” button, users will be re-directed to Scoot’s booking page to complete the booking.
The KAYAK ‘Xclusive’ offer will be available from September 7th to September 11th, 2017, for the travel period between September 7th to October 28th, 2017. Users will see delightful deals to a range of exotic and popular destinations such as Singapore, Bangkok, Athens, Hong Kong, Denpasar, Chennai, Maldives and more.
AirAsia’s Network-wide Mega Sale is back!
The 2017 Skytrax World’s Best Low-Cost Carrier AirAsia is offering its extremely popular Mega Sale fares to Asia from Australia from as low as $99* one-way for a limited time.
Travellers can fly to Kuala Lumpur from Perth from $109*; from Sydney from $149*; Gold Coast and Melbourne from $159*, and from Gold Coast to Auckland from $129*per person, one-way.
Fares are available to Bali one-way from Perth from $99* and from Darwin from $95*.
The Mega Sale fares are available for booking from 11 September 2017 to 17 September 2017 with the fares valid for travel from 01 March 2018 to 21 November 2018. Bookings to www.airasia.com.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
air astana airasia cathay pacific china eastern airlines emirates Guy Sebastian KAYAK.com.au Marhaba Nigel Owens PublicisQ qatar airways rex sabreLatest News
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Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash
It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]
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SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024
AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]
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Journey Beyond launches first brand-led campaign during Paris Olympics
Journey Beyond is pushing the boundaries. On The Ghan, you can't even see them!
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Ascott Australia partners with Hotels for Trees
Hoteliers can take a 'Lyf' out of this book and improve their green credentials.
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Victoria’s TAC Top Tourism Town Award winners for 2024
Keep looking in our own backyard. There are plenty of places to go.
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Uniworld partners with Camilla Franks with Egyptian-inspired collection
We are in de-Nile about making puns combining Crocs and leopard prints, given this luxe partnership.
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Aussies at Paris Olympics anxious about travel risks, with incidents already recorded
Fortunately one of our biggest gold medal hopes still held onto his pedals.
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Banyan Tree Seaview Villas elevates Laguna Lang Co
If you've ever played golf in the tropics, start early. LIke way early. It's hot! Damn hot.
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Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales
Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]
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Wendy Wu unveils new Japan travel brochure and itineraries
Get outta town! Off-beat Japan will be a lot less congested we figure than the usual tourist hotspots.
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UK and Europe event organisers look to venues with sustainability integrity, ICC Sydney survey finds
Here in Sydney, you can even eat the table centrepieces. Although we advise they be cooked first.
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Renos Rologas new general manager ANZ for FCM Travel
Two decades in the travel game! Let's hope Renos is in for the long haul at FCM.
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Untamed Escapes to offer Cultural Day Tour from Port Lincoln in partnership with Maba Idi
International visitors travel thousands of kilometres for this experience. Time to share.
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Luxe Finish Line Penthouses offer the best vantage point for the finish of the Sydney-Hobart
Long have we been following the yachts leavings Sydney Harbour and one day, we will see the finish, from this place!
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In a busy world, proximity to nature is the new luxury
Forget Raffles, treat your nearest and dearest to a stay at the local campsite. They'll be super close to nature.
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Circular Quay welcomes new Korean dining experience to Sydney Place
We once took Korean-American chef David Chang around Koreatown, Eastwood. Not happy about driving rain, loved the food.
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MSC Cruises unveils a new outdoor kid-friendly attraction on World America
Drop your kid down the jaws of a shark and they come out 11 decks below. Sounds good to me.
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Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy
Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]
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Australian travellers abandon peer-to-peer stays and gravitate back to big hotels, survey finds
Doom scrolling Airbnb for the best-possible stay options two days out from departure was wearing us down, apparently.
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Quark Expeditions launches the Ultimate Summer in the Arctic sweepstakes for travel advisors
Summer in the Arctic still means it's freezing. But hopefully a winning sweepstakes tickets will warm your cockles.
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‘I bet it smells weird’ – Internet divided over floating restaurant in China
I you are still feeling peckish at the end of your meal, their fish tank is full. But can you eat koi?
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‘Turn up in the Northern Territory this Spring’ campaign deals
Agents and airlines get all hot and sweaty over these enticing deals. Or did someone just turn the air-conditioning up?
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‘Like nothing on earth’: Saudi Arabia’s new Treyam resort set in a Star Wars-style landscape
As long as Jar Jar Binks is not there, we would like a seat at the Mos Eisley Cantina please.
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Raffles Hotels and Resorts is set to open in Tokyo in 2028
Time to get your vision boards at the ready! Raffles is landing in Tokyo!
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‘A true honour’ – Andrew Stark wins Flight Centre Director’s Award for the second time
Congratulations Andrew! If you're a fan of British reality TV you might notice a familiar face.
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Club Med debuts travel agent portal 2.0 with bonus prize for tops sales
See those people by the pool. That could be you. Start selling through the portal people!
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Envoyage announces 2024 Australian Icons and rewards event in the Maldives
We were going to edit our name into the list but we chickened out.
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HIF Global signs collaboration agreement with Airbus on eFuels
We know it's a good thing but can a jet fuel geek out there send in a diagram explaining this please.
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Crystal announces release dates for 2026 itineraries
If you have started collecting 2026 itineraries then here is another one for you.
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Cairns Airport unveils display of support for FNQ youth
If you were craving some winter sun now you have a cultural reason for booking a flight to Cairns.
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Viking announces six new cruise itineraries
Now's the time to start learning Putonghua, Nihongo and Lhasa. Or maybe even know where these are spoken.
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Join Qatar Airways, Celebrity Cruises & Klook – Showcase Your Brand at Click Frenzy Travel August 2024!
Clicking calmly will also be welcome when it comes to this particular deal. Click calmly here to find out more.
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InsideAsia Tours launches new incentive that doubles agent commission
Double commission! We like the sound of that. Hope their system doesn't crash as a result.
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Push to revive Parramatta’s iconic Roxy Theatre into entertainment destination
Long have we wished for this iconic heritage cinema to be revived as a tourist destination. Still waiting.
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Qatar Airways signs an expansion to Boeing 777-9 aircraft order
Known as a quiet rural town in England, the entire global aviation industry now has its eyes on Farnborough.
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Flight Centre shares down following revised profit guidance
The stock market moves fast. What will the rest of the week hold for Flight Centre?