Thread: Airline News

Air New Zealand have introduced a new safety video with a difference for their flights...all uniforms worn are just body paint...

I should have said that it's an ongoing part of their advertising campaign using the tag line 'under my skin'...

Phuket-based Happy Air will operate Bangkok-Loei flights starting next month, the one-way airfare about 3,200 baht.


The airline, which already connects Chiang Mai, Nan, Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Hat Yai, Phuket, Luang Prabang (Laos) and Langkawi (Malaysia), is expected to unveil its flight schedule on the new route at the end of this month.


It is also planning flights between Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.


For details, call 076-327-777 to 80 or visit www.happyair.co.th.

Boeing 747LCF Dreamlifter on final approach


flightglobal.com

Phuket Airpark Fly-in and Bikini Competition

Event details
Date
Jan 15 - 16, 2011 Hours 10:00 am - 7:00 pm Location

Phuket Airpark, Pak Klok, Phuket Contact

Khun Robert or Tom Claytor Phone +66-76-529543 Email

robert[at]thephuketairpark.com Website

www.phuketairparkfly-inpilots.blogspot.com

PHUKET: Two days of private airplanes flying in from all over Thailand and Malaysia. Meet the pilots, view their machines, and find out why they love what they do. Flying games, BBQ, and a bikini contest for the coveted Miss Phuket Airpark 2011 award.

Only the beauty of the planes themselves will be able to compete with the contestants, flown in from all over Thailand to walk the Airpark's second runway – painted on the floor of the Clubhouse.

This event is sponsored by the Phuket Gazette and Bikini Banana Dot Com.

phuketgazette.net

Siem Reap, Yangon flights set for takeoff
Soeun Say
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JEREMY MULLINS
Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Direct flights between Cambodia and Myanmar will start next month, Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said.A twice-weekly service from Siem Reap to Yangon, to be operated by Myanmar Airways International, will start on February 23, he said after a signing ceremony in Phnom Penh today.

Direct flights were “about [creating] connectivity among ASEAN members to boost ASEAN tourism”, he said.

Thong Khon and his Myanmar counterpart Soe Naing signed the agreement to officially launch the route at the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra hotel.

The two nations began exploring direct flights in 2007, and Prime Minister Hun Sen and Myanmar Prime Minister U Thein Sein discussed the possibility of beginning direct flights at a Phnom Penh summit in November last year.

Say Sokhan, civil aviation adviser to the Council of Ministers, said he welcomed the establishment of direct flights to Myanmar.

“This is the first time for both countries,” he said, expressing hopes the route would help both nations boost tourism.

Cambodia received 2,614 visitors in 2010 who claimed Myanmar as their country of residence, according to Ministry of Tourism statistics.

Officials also requested that Russia and Japan begin regular direct flights to the Kingdom during the ongoing ASEAN Tourism Forum in Phnom Penh.

“We are hopeful that if we have direct flights with Russia and Japan, tourists will increasingly come to our country,” said Thong Khon.phnompenhpost.com

THAI may raise fuel surcharge soon
Sarun Saelee



BANGKOK, 26 February 2011 (NNT) – Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) may have to increase its fuel surcharge due to impacts from the continuously increasing oil price, which is resulted from the current unrest and political demonstrations in the Middle East.

THAI President Piyasvasti Amranand admitted that the aviation business is being affected by the rising crude oil price in the world market. He attributed the problem to expanding riots in the Middle East, such as those in Libya.

Mr Piyasvasti further stated that the crude oil price currently reaches 130 US dollars per barrel, which is higher than estimation and tends to rise further. He noted that the situation posed a risk factor deserving close monitoring.

The president admitted that THAI might need to adjust its fuel surcharge following the rising oil price although it has insurance policies against oil price fluctuations. The company just raised its fuel surcharge on 17 February 2011.

Apart from the fuel surcharge adjustment, Mr Piyasvasti said the company might have to reconsider its plan to purchase shares in its low-cost airline Nok Air from Krung Thai Bank at 30 baht per share.

thainews.prd.go.th

Cathay's female flight attendants 'at risk' in Saudi Arabia
March 10, 2011 - 10:13AM


Cathay Pacific flight attendants have experienced harassment while staying overnight in Riyadh.

The union for Cathay Pacific flight attendants has urged the airline to stop overnight crew stays in the Saudi capital over fears for the safety of female staff, a spokesman said yesterday.

The demand follows an incident last month in which a man tried to force his way into the hotel room of a junior Cathay attendant, Tsang Kwok Fung, general secretary of the Cathay Pacific Flight Attendants Union, said.

Other complaints have been made involving unwanted telephone calls to female staff also staying at the Marriott Hotel in Riyadh, he added.

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Last month, Cathay switched its layovers to Riyadh from the Gulf state of Bahrain because of political unrest that has swept across much of the region.

The union has now called for overnight stops to be moved to Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates, but is yet to receive a "positive response" from management, according to Tsang.

"We will write to the government on this matter if (the airline) does not act swiftly," he said. "The safety of our staff is of utmost importance."

In a statement, a Cathay spokeswoman said the airline was "taking this very seriously and are monitoring the situation closely to ensure that all crew are safe and well taken care of."

The airline spoke to the hotel's management immediately after the incident was reported, she said, adding that the hotel responded by enhancing security and closed-circuit television inside lifts.

On February 28, the female flight attendant answered a knock on her door by a man dressed in "Arab clothing" who then tried to force himself inside the room, Tsang said.

The woman screamed and tried to push the door closed while threatening to call police. The man then left.

Other female cabin crew members staying in Riyadh received unwanted calls in their rooms on the same day, Tsang said, adding Cathay's female cabin crew have now refused to leave their hotel rooms while staying in the city.

AFP

Air France will begin operating a new service to Cambodia



Air France will begin operating a new service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. Flight bookings and ticket sales are now open…

From 27 March 2011, Air France will begin operating a new service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital. Flight bookings and ticket sales are now open.

The three weekly flights between Paris and Phnom Penh, with a stopover in Bangkok, will be operated by Airbus A340-300 equipped with 275 seats (30 in Business, 21 in Premium Voyageur and 224 in Voyageur-Economy), and subsequently during summer 2011 by Boeing 777-200ER equipped with 309 seats (35 in Business, 24 in Premium Voyageur and 250 in Voyageur-Economy).

Flight schedules between Paris and Phnom Penh

• Paris-CDG / Phnom Penh

AF 274, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays Departing at 19:30, and arriving in Bangkok at 11:50, the following day, Departing for Phnom Penh the same day at 13:20, arriving at 14.35

• Phnom Penh / Paris-CDG

AF 273, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays Departing at 20:15, and arriving in Bangkok at 21:30 Departing for Paris the same day at 22:55, and arriving at 06:10, the following day Flight times allow customers to benefit from convenient connecting opportunities to and from destinations worldwide at Paris-Charles de Gaulle

breakingtravelnews.com

Other female cabin crew members staying in Riyadh received unwanted calls in their rooms on the same day, Tsang said, adding Cathay's female cabin crew have now refused to leave their hotel rooms while staying in the city.

I must have missed this. Seriously, are they fucking mad? Why would single women WANT to go out in Riyadh anyway?

And Bahrain would have been fine if you stayed at the fucking Movenpick which is opposite the airport car park, instead of a cheaper hotel in Manama which is near where all the trouble kicked off (and no longer kicks off, by the way).

Honestly, I want one of these cushy airline jobs, you don't appear to have to use your brain at all unless you're in the front seats.

Air France's plane touches down at PP airport after 37-year hiatus
April 01, 2011

A plane of the French flag carrier, Air France, landed at the Phnom Penh International Airport on Thursday afternoon after a 37-year hiatus on flight connection between the two nations.

At the airport, the Air France's Airbus A340 was welcomed by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Council of Ministers Sok An, and other senior government officials, diplomats, and students.

Thierry Mariana, secretary of state in charge of French Transportation, also traveled with the plane to join the inauguration of flight resumption between Phnom Penh and Paris- Charles de Gaulle.

Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, Sok An said that the Air France aircraft criss-crossed the skies over Cambodia between 1947 and 1974, and halted its flight in 1975 when the Khmer Rouge came to power.

"The resumption of Air France to Phnom Penh today reflected the confidence of both local and foreign investors in Cambodia's political stability and economic growth," he said. "This can be considered as the re-start of good relations on air transports between Cambodia and France as well as with other countries in Europe."

Including the Air France, there have been 20 international airlines companies operating regular flights in Cambodia and about 10-15 companies have been operating charter flights to Cambodia's three international airports -- each in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap province and Preah Sihanouk province, added Sok An.

Thierry Mariana said that the resumption of flight between Phnom Penh and Paris reflects closer cooperation, and it would bridge better relations on trades and investments between the two nations.

"The new flight is a part of the integration among the countries in the Mekong sub-region," he said, adding that to date, more than 50 French companies have opened branches in Cambodia.

Pierre Henri Gourgeon, CEO of Air France-KLM, said the launch of this route represents a new landmark in relations between Cambodia and France.

"In putting Phnom Penh only a few hours away from Paris, Air France hopes to give new impetus to the economic vitality of Cambodia, facilitating exchanges of business leaders, and enabling French and European firms to develop their presence, their operations and their trade with their Cambodian counterparts," he said.

Meanwhile, he announced that the company plans in May to replace the Airbus A340 with a Boeing 777, with a greater capacity.

"I want to underscore the fact that we return to Phnom Penh is part of a broader development strategy for Air France-KLM in Asia, where our strong points are the Mekong region and neighboring China, in particular," he said.

The three weekly flights between Phnom Penh and Paris will be operated via Bangkok by Airbus A340 equipped with 275 seats and subsequently by Boeing 777-200 equipped with 309 seats in May.

The flights will contribute to the development of tourism sector, said Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon, adding that last year, Cambodia received 2.5 million foreign tourists. Of the figure, 489,400 were from European countries including 113,285 from France.

Ho Vandy, co-chair of the working group for government and private sector on tourism, and managing director of representative of tourism industry in Cambodia said, currently, there are three kinds of flights flying to Cambodia that are direct flights from foreign countries to Phnom Penh; direct flights from foreign countries to Siem Reap; and domestic flights from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh and Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

He said the new arrival of direct flight from France to Cambodia Thursday by Air France is a good sign for Cambodia. It indicates a clear potential of tourism boost for Cambodia.

Source: Xinhua

english.people.com.cn

Seems most tourists are from Korea, is it the bride buyers, or weapons salesmen?

I wonder how long this service will continue - unfortunate choice of their sole NZ airport - Christchurch - direct from KL to cater for high Malaysian student and tourist numbers, both categories will have lost their appeal after the earthquake.

First AirAsia flight lands in Christchurch, New Zealand
02/04/2011

Cut-price airline Air Asia X has landed in Christchurch and pledged a six-figure sum to help restore the earthquake-ravaged city's heritage.

The first flight from Kuala Lumpur landed at Christchurch International Airport just before midnight to applause and cheers from the approximately 300 passengers who were greeted with a Maori powhiri as they disembarked.

At a ceremony at Westfield Riccarton late this morning, the airline announced a percentage of all tickets bought by travellers coming and out of New Zealand will go into a heritage restoration fund to help repair and rebuild many of the city's iconic heritage buildings hit in February's earthquake.

Air Asia X chief executive Azran Osman-Rani said the airline had set itself a target of $220,000 and hoped to reach that figure within a year.

''We appreciate all the support we are getting from our guests and hope this financial gesture will assist in some way to restore Christchurch's heritage icons,'' he said.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the money was another amazing gesture from the company which had shown its commitment to the city even after the devastating earthquake.

Some other airlines were reviewing their services into the and out of the city but Parker said Air Asia X had never once reconsidered its agreement with Christchurch.

Meanwhile, the budget-priced carrier also today announced a 24-hour sale starting midnight Tuesday that offered a 15 percent discount on all flights out of Christchurch.

The sale means travellers can fly to Kuala Lumpur from as low as $279 one way and $799 on its premium class flatbed service.

I would have expected a heavier penalty for this man - I wonder if it had been a flight going the other way and he was instead arrested, drunk, in Malaysia. Might have got a caning too?

Drunk graduate 'behaved like terrorist'
Steve Butcher
April 15, 2011


Khairulddin Mohammad Yahya.

A MAGISTRATE has told a Melbourne University honours graduate, who had to be handcuffed and then bound to his seat by crew during a flight from Malaysia, that he had behaved like a terrorist.

Khairulddin Mohammad Yahya swore loudly at the inflight supervisor and poked him in the chest before the captain left the cockpit to deal with him.

Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday heard that Yahya, 22, swore loudly at the supervisor while a passenger told his mother to shut him up because he was frightening people. Prosecutor Aman Dhillon told the court that Yahya repeatedly left his economy seat and sat next to his mother in business class after her requests for his upgrade were refused.

Mr Dhillon said hours after the Malyasian Airlines flight left Kuala Lumpur on July 22 last year, he was seen in the vacant seat next to his mother. He complied with a request to return to his seat but, soon after, reappeared whereupon the supervisor detected alcohol on him.

Mr Dhillon said that several hours before landing Yahya again sat in business where he called the supervisor a ''motherf---'' and to ''f--- all of you''.

The captain, who noticed Yahya slurred his words and smelt of alcohol, asked his mother to tell him to return to his seat and stop harassing the crew.

Yahya complied, but later returned four times to business class before he was handcuffed in his seat and then was restrained with his ankles tied with tape.

Mr Dhillon said his mother tried to loosen the handcuffs and lead Yahya to the toilet, then she began screaming hysterically and fell to the floor as he shouted threats.

When the plane landed, he co-operated with police. Mr Dhillon said some crew felt threatened and some passengers appeared stressed and frightened. One was crying.

Defence lawyer Anna Balmer said Yahya was ''somewhat intoxicated'' but wanted to sit with his mother who had medical conditions that included chronic anxiety, neurosis and depression.

Ms Balmer said Yahya, a chemical engineer, acted uncharacteristically with poor judgment and behaviour, and that a conviction could jeopardise his visa status and work.

Senior magistrate Dan Muling told Yahya, who pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour on an aircraft, that he was out of control. ''It's like you're a terrorist on a plane,'' Mr Muling said.

Yahya was convicted and fined $1500.

Accident: United Airlines A320 at New Orleans on Apr 4th 2011, smoke in cockpit, complete electronic failure

A United Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N409UA performing flight UA-497 from New Orleans,LA to San Francisco,CA (USA) with 109 people on board, was in the initial climb when the crew reported smoke in the cockpit, levelled off at 5000 feet and returned to New Orleans. The crew reported before joining downwind that they had lost all instruments and requested to be talked down by ATC via Precision Approach Radar (PAR). The crew descended to 600 feet where they got visual contact with the water of Lake Pontchartrain and continued visually for a landing on runway 19 about 10 minutes after departure. During landing the aircraft blew both right hand main gear tyres, went left off the runway, stopped with all gear just off the paved surface north of the intersection with runway 10/28, and was evacuated via slides.


I thought this was a very interesting story and about as close to a crash as a plane can come without doing so, yet it has completely disappeared from the news. Not even an update on what the mechanics found when they examined the plane.

The best airline safety video ever? Or the worst?
March 28, 2011

Air New Zealand has again courted controversy with an in-flight safety video, this time featuring retro fitness guru Richard Simmons and a New Zealand broadcaster who quit breakfast television over racist remarks.

The new, Simmon-hosted 'Mile High Madness' video is the latest in a series of fun safety videos from Air New Zealand, including one where the staff are naked apart from body paint, and another featuring top All Blacks and coach Graham Henry.

More recently, rapper Snoop Dogg duetted with Air New Zealand mascot Rico in an advertisement.

On the video stowing luggage becomes an exercise with Simmons: "Stretch and slide, yeah! You're a giraffe." It also features Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan, who performs some freestyle aerobics.

Simmons has been in New Zealand to take a fitness class to raise funds for the Christchurch Earthquake Red Cross appeal. Simmons was a pioneer of fitness TV in the eighties, with his high energy and slightly unhinged The Richard Simmons Show.

Originally Posted by genghis61

Defence lawyer Anna Balmer said Yahya was ''somewhat intoxicated'' but wanted to sit with his mother who had medical conditions that included chronic anxiety, neurosis and depression.

Perhaps his mother could have moved back to economy class to sit with him? No empty seats? Funny how no one even thinks to ask that in this story.

Originally Posted by genghis61

On February 28, the female flight attendant answered a knock on her door by a man dressed in "Arab clothing" who then tried to force himself inside the room, Tsang said.

The woman screamed and tried to push the door closed while threatening to call police. The man then left.

Other female cabin crew members staying in Riyadh received unwanted calls in their rooms on the same day, Tsang said, adding Cathay's female cabin crew have now refused to leave their hotel rooms while staying in the city.

Fat fucking towel heads - don't they know these girls only want other Asian guys or us "handsome" westerners? At least we know how to be manly and nice to them at the same time.

Originally Posted by genghis61

Ms Balmer said Yahya, a chemical engineer, acted uncharacteristically with poor judgment and behaviour, and that a conviction could jeopardise his visa status and work.

Tough!

Originally Posted by genghis61

Yahya was convicted and fined $1500.

Excellent result!

Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer

Fat fucking towel heads

How do you know he was fat?

And it's "fucking rag-heads" not towel heads, please!

SIA and SilkAir raising fuel surcharges 3rd time in 2011
Karamjit Kaur
Apr 16, 2011


Singapore Airlines (SIA) and subsidiary SilkAir are raising fuel surcharges again - for the third time in 2011.
ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) and subsidiary SilkAir are raising fuel surcharges again - for the third time in 2011 - for tickets issued on or after April 21.

This time, surcharges will go up by between US$4 (S$4.98) and US$32 per sector.

For economy travellers, it works out to US$34 for a short-haul flight, say to Bangkok, and US$266 for a flight to the United States.

SIA - which announced the increase on Friday - said jet fuel prices have jumped more than 30 per cent since the start of 2011, to more than US$138 per barrel. As always, the airline said the adjustments will offer only partial relief from the higher operating costs arising from increases in the price of jet fuel.

Separately, SIA said earlier on Friday that its total passenger traffic in March fell 1.9 per cent over a year earlier, to 1.38 million.

Total capacity, measured in total number of seats multiplied by distance flown, grew 6.4 per cent. With a fall in passenger numbers, the net impact was a drop in the total number of seats filled. SIA filled just 73.2 per cent of total seats in March, compared to 80.8 per cent in March 2010.

straitstimes.com

^
The price of tickets to America at present is through the roof. Double what one would expect for this time of year.

Originally Posted by genghis61

Ms Balmer said Yahya, a chemical engineer, acted uncharacteristically with poor judgment and behaviour, and that a conviction could jeopardise his visa status and work.

Senior magistrate Dan Muling told Yahya, who pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour on an aircraft, that he was out of control. ''It's like you're a terrorist on a plane,'' Mr Muling said.

Yahya was convicted and fined $1500.

I presume the visa status referred to is his right to work in Australia; he'll be a marked man now whenever he flies in/out of the country. Welcome to Malaysian Airlines - they'll be happy to see him again.

Won't a conviction like this rule him out of ever visiting USA?

Sure glad I got my kids tickets 4 months ago. BKK/SFO for under 40,000 even with the unaccompanied minor charges.

Originally Posted by The Bold Rodney

How do you know he was fat?

Aren't they all?