Big Fat Airline Wrap
![Big Fat Airline Wrap](https://www.travelweekly.com.au/wp-content/themes/bandtv1/img/default.png)
Our favourite thing about Tuesdays is this airline wrap. Oh, and the fact that it’s no longer Monday. Basically, we’re counting down to the weekend from now.
Emirates named Best International Airline at International Traveller Reader’s Choice Awards
Emirates has beennamedBestInternational Airlineat theInternational Traveller 2018 Readers Choice Awards, held in June.
Tim Harrowell, Emirates Regional Manager NSW & ACT, accepted the award on behalf of Emirates at the exclusive industry lunch and thanked his team, customers, and travel industry peers for their continuous support.
Australian travellers can enjoy seamless connectivity across Emirates’ network, with the 91 flights per week from Australia to Dubai and onwards connections to 41 European destinations including newly launched destinations Edinburgh and London Stansted.
Passengers onboard Emirates can enjoy its award-winning in-flight entertainment system ice, with up to 3,500 channels on demand across movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks and games. Emirates also offers generous baggage allowance and gourmet dining across all classes.
Vietnam Airlines upgrades to new Airbus A350 on Melbourne routes
Vietnam Airlines has today announced an aircraft upgrade to their daily Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City flight. From 29 July to the end of October 2018 all Boeing 787 aircraft travelling on the route in and outbound to Melbourne will be replaced by the new Airbus A350. This is the first time the new aircraft will be available to Australian passengers travelling with Vietnam Airlines.
The new aircraft implementation comes as the increase in demand for flights on the Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City route has spiked in recent months. The Airbus A350 allows an extra 10 per cent customer capacity than the long-standing Boeing 787.
Similarities are seen between the aircraft, both being long range, wide-bodied and featuring a twin-engine, with the largest change between the planes being the increase in passenger accommodation, with the Airbus A350 allowing for an additional 29 passengers each way. The Airbus A350 boasts a 212 ft five inch (64.75m) wingspan, which is 15 ft (4.75m) wider than the Boeing 787.
The new aircraft also offer more legroom and increased passenger mobility, with Premium Economy on the Airbus featuring near-flat reclining seats, a bountiful 38 in (96.5cm) pitch and recline up to 20cm. Passengers will be able to enjoy the latest in entertainment on 10.6 in (27cm) private screens.
Emirates launches second daily flight on Dubai-Prague route
Emirates has launched a second daily flight between Dubai and Prague, to meet the increasing demand for travel on the route. Emirates has been serving the Czech market since 2010 and during this time has carried some 1.7 million passengers on the route. To meet the rising demand for both inbound and outbound travel, the airline has added this new daily flight operated by a Boeing 777-300ER with a capacity of 360 seats, boosting tourism into the Czech Republic by 262,800 seats a year.
The new flight will accommodate three classes on board, with eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 310 spacious seats in Economy.
Flight EK137 leaves Dubai at 15:30 and arrives in Prague at 19:55. The return flight EK138 leaves Prague at 21:35 and arrives in Dubai at 05:30 the following day, giving travellers the full day in Dubai to kick-start their holiday, short break, or business trip, and take advantage of the wealth of activity and dining options the cosmopolitan city has to offer.
The service also provides seamless connectivity to Prague from several popular destinations in Emirates’ and flydubai’s combined route network, including Bali, Bangkok, Colombo, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Maldives, Mauritius and Singapore, with a convenient afternoon departure time from Dubai.
Vietnam is a top destination for travellers from the Czech market, with Emirates serving both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. With this new service, customers travelling from Prague to Ho Chi Minh City will be able to take advantage of enhanced connection times in Dubai.
Royal Jordanian enhances Crown Class meals
Royal Jordanian upgraded its meals featured in the Crown Class service on board, starting with July 1, 2018. The upgrades, which are carried out in coordination with dnata Jordan, RJ’s catering provider, are the result of RJ’s continuous efforts to further enrich its guests’ experience onboard its Crown Class.
The newly introduced appetizer and dessert plates were carefully selected to pair well with the choices of hot meals RJ serves onboard and to suit different tastes.
The superior appetizers on Crown Class offer two choices: Arabic mezze and Western hors-d’oeuvres. They consist of a variety of meat and seafood choices, including smoked salmon, shrimps, calamari and roast beef, or stuffed vine leaves, Tabbouleh, Shankleesh and Mutabbal. These choices will be changed every two weeks, during different cycles; at the same time, the choices offered to passengers flying onboard RJ from Amman will be different from the choices offered out of Amman.
Emirates partners with Dubai Parks and Resorts for an exclusive pass
Emirates has partnered with Dubai Parks and Resorts to offer its customers special privileges to Dubai’s exciting theme parks.
Emirates customers can enjoy a special bundle offer with added value at Dubai Parks and Resorts, the largest integrated theme park destination in the region, when they purchase a two-day entry pass which gives them access to all four parks including MOTIONGATE™ Dubai, BOLLYWOOD PARKS™ Dubai, LEGOLAND® Dubai and LEGOLAND® Water Park. Customers with an existing Emirates booking can simply go the ‘Manage your booking’ tab on emirates.com/auto book the two-day entry to Dubai Parks and Resorts.
Customers can choose to visit any of the four parks over two days for AED495 for adults and AED 435 for children. The destination offers over 100 rides and attractions, as well as retail, dining and entertainment options.
The exclusive pass from Emirates and Dubai Parks and Resorts comes with a special RFID (Radio-frequency identification) wristband giving customers extra privileges.
Etihad Airways launched dedicated in-flight guest medical services
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has launched two specialised services for air travellers with pre-existing medical conditions, ensuring continuity of care and in-flight safety.
The one-stop-shop services – the first in the region to be offered by an airline – will be carried out by members of the Etihad medical team, all of whom are qualified in aviation and transport medicine.
The first service allows guests, who require medical clearance prior to travel, the opportunity to request an Etihad aviation doctor to visit them and conduct an evaluation in consultation with their attending physician.
All medical forms and assessments will be completed by the Etihad doctor on-site, leading to a recommendation about their “fit to fly” status within one day.
Emirates Engineering reconfigures second Boeing 777-200LR aircraft
Emirates Engineering has successfully completed the reconfiguration of the second Boeing 777-200LR aircraft in its fleet. The conversion of the aircraft from three to two cabin classes was executed fully in-house at the Emirates Engineering hangars in Dubai. The reconfigured aircraft also features new, wider Business class seats in a 2-2-2 format, a new social area in business class, as well as a fully refreshed Economy class providing customers a superior in-flight experience.
The first reconfigured Emirates Boeing 777-200LR aircraft took to the skies in early March 2018. The eight remaining Boeing 777-200LR aircraft in Emirates’ fleet will be progressively reconfigured by mid-2019 and deployed to a number of other cities on the airline’s global network including Santiago, Chile- Emirates’ latest destination in South America. Emirates has invested over US$150 million to reconfigure the Boeing 777-200LR aircraft in its fleet.
Working with internal stakeholders as well as external suppliers, it only took Emirates Engineering 22 months from the time the decision was made to reconfigure the airline’s Boeing 777-200LR fleet to the first reconfigured aircraft rolling out of the hangars ready for its first commercial flight.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
emirates etihad airways Royal Jordanian Vietnam AirlinesLatest 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?