Chengdu important in Chinas new economic surge: Canada Ambassador

Canada Ambassador to China David Mulroney said Chengdu is an important city in the new economic surge of China and stressed Canada and Chengdu will strengthen co-operations for future development.

Mr. Mulroney on Monday attended the ceremony to celebrate the establishment of

Chengdu Office of The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC). Mr. Mulroney said on

Tuesday at an interview with local media that the choice of the establishment in Chengdu

is due to the citys modernized infrastructure, educational and scientific resources and comprehensive competitiveness.

Canadian enterprises have wide-range investments in Chengdu, especially in the fields

of finance, aeronautics, education and telecommunications.

The Chengdu Office is one of CCCs 11 offices in China and the sole organization in western China.

Notes:

The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) is a federal Crown corporation mandated to promote and facilitate international trade on behalf of Canadian industry, particularly

within government markets.

Wipro sets up development center in Chengdu

Wipro Technologies on Thursday announced the inauguration of its global delivery centre at Chengdu to provide IT & BPO services to its customers.
The center will have secured facilities, labs and infrastructure for customer projects.
This center will extend Wipros e IT service to its customer with an initial focus in the fi rst year on testing and enterprise application services for the manufacturing, banking, financial services and insurance industries.
Chengdu was chosen as a location due to its conducive business environment, talented pool of IT professionals and the citys excellent infrastructure, according to Sambuddha Deb, executive vice president of Wipro Technologies.
Notes:
India-based Wipro Technologies, a division of Wipro Limited is one of the largest product engineering and
support service providers worldwide. Wipro provides comprehensive research and development services,
IT solutions and services, including systems integration, information systems outsourcing, package implementation, software application management, and datacenter managed services to corporations globally.

Malaysia Airlines add flights to Sydney

Malaysia Airlines offer 2 additional direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney and 3 new flights from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane effective 31 October 2010.

The 2 new flights to Sydney will depart every Tuesday and Thursday at 9.00am and arrive at 7.55pm. Collectively, MAS will offer 14 weekly flights to Sydney.

Customers will also enjoy 5 weekly flights to Brisbane except for Tuesday and Thursday. The 3 additional flights will depart Kuala Lumpur every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 9.40am and arrive in Brisbane at 7.55pm.

Tickets are now available for purchase at www.malaysiaairlines.com

Malaysia Airlines Senior General Manager Commercial Strategy, Dr Amin Khan said, “We are delighted to boost our services to Australia. Both Brisbane and Sydney have shown growth with an average load factor of 73%, 4% higher than last year. “

Apart from Sydney and Brisbane, Malaysia Airlines also connects to Melbourne 14 times weekly, Perth 10 times weekly and Adelaide 4 times weekly.

Hokkaido to KL charter flights on Malaysia Airlines

Apple Vacations & Conventions and Malaysia Airlines sealed a contract for direct charter flights between Kuala Lumpur and Hokkaido, Japan.
Dato' Desmond Lee said "Apple Vacations has been in the business for over 14 years specialising in in-depth tours for leisure travellers. Japan as one of our most popular destinations is a growing market, seeing an increase in tourists numbers for the past 10 years.

"Today's agreement with Malaysia Airlines is a milestone for us. With this, we are able to offer our customers with better service, comfort and the convenience of flying direct when they travel to Hokkaido starting December 13, 2010.

"We are pleased with the package offered by Malaysia Airlines and are confident that with over 60 years of experience in commercial flights that they will be able to provide the best service to Apple Vacations and our customers," he said.

The contract will enable Apple Vacations to facilitate three direct flights between the months of December 2010. The charter flight will utilise an A330-300 aircraft to cater for 288 passengers in a full flight.

In line with the Malaysia Airlines customer value proposition of MH=Malaysian Hospitality, passengers will enjoy premium inflight services like complimentary hot meals, comfortable seats and on-time departures.

Captain Nik said, "This is our first charter with Apple Vacations and we look forward to working closely with them to ensure a seamless travel experience for their customers.

"Currently there is no direct service between Hokkaido and Kuala Lumpur. These direct flights chartered on Malaysia Airlines will reduce travel time by a whopping 60% leaving holiday-makers more time to spend at the destination."

He added that Malaysia Airlines' Charter product for both passenger and freight movement is well known and much sought after by the government, associations and world renowned sports organizers like English Premier League and F1.

"This is due to their confidence in our exemplary track record in the areas of safety, quality service, comfort and customised hospitality of the highest degree on board," he said.

Malaysia Airlines flights ‬‪Kota Kinabalu to tokyo

Malaysia Airlines ‬‪expanded its operations into Japan by introducing three weekly flights from‬‪ ‬‪Kota Kinabalu into tokyo Haneda Airport, Tokyo, effective 15 November 2010. ‬‪

The flights will depart Kota Kinabalu at 4.35pm every Monday,Wednesday‬‪ ‬‪and Friday and arrive in tokyo Haneda at 11pm.

These new weekly services‬‪ ‬‪to Haneda will complement Malaysia Airlines' existing 11 weekly flights‬‪ ‬‪from Kuala Lumpur to Narita.

In addition, effective 15 January 2011, Malaysia Airlines will be increasing its flights to Kansai‬‪ ‬‪from 6 weekly flights to 8 weekly. There will be 6 weekly flights‬‪ ‬‪from Kuala Lumpur and twice weekly flights from Kota Kinabalu. ‬‪

Malaysia Airlines Senior General Manager Commercial Strategy, Dr. Amin Khan said,‬‪ ‬‪"Our services into Haneda will be offered on the new B737-800 aircraft.‬‪ ‬‪Customers will enjoy roomier interior and the comfort of the latest generation seats.‬‪ ‬‪Every business and economy class seat will be equiped with the latest inflight entertainment‬‪ ‬‪system offering both audio and video on demand.

"We are confident that these services will be very well received as the new flights into Haneda Airport will provide customers with easier and speedier access into the city of Tokyo."‬‪

Kuala Lumpur to Bandung on Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines started nonstop flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bandung in Indonesia and marked another milestone by being the first full service carrier to fly to the city, a well known shopping haven.



Malaysia Airlines offers daily flights to Bandung. In total, it offers 88 weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to 6 key gateways in Indonesia; Bandung, Jakarta, Surabaya, Jogjakarta, Denpasar and Medan.

Kong said, "The demand for travel between Malaysia and Indonesia remains high. Malaysia Airlines carried some 800,000 passengers between the 2 countries last year. And I am delighted that Malaysia Airlines is now extending its reach to Bandung."
He added, "We are complementing the planned growth of our network with our fleet refresh plans. We have ordered up to 55 B738-800s, 25 A330s and 6 A380s which will be delivered from 2010 until 2015. By 2015, we will have one of the youngest and most environmentally friendly fleets in the region.

"The B737-800 will be used for domestic and regional routes. The A330-300s will serve the growing markets of South Asia, China, North Asia, Australia and Middle East while the A380s will be deployed for Sydney and London."

In addition, the airline has been adding new flights and frequencies to key cities in ASEAN, South Asia, Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The network expansion and fleet refresh will complement the airline's key business initiatives under its 5-year Business Transformation Plan to transform into The World's Five Star Value Carrier, offering quality air travel and real value for money.

Malaysia Airlines started its first flight to Indonesia in 1972 by flying to Jakarta and Medan two times a week. Its current 88 weekly flights to Indonesia comprise Jakarta (38 flights), Denpasar (21), Medan (12), Surabaya (7), Bandung (7) and Jogjakarta (3).
Malaysia Airlines have plans to expand its reach in Indonesia. Malaysia Airlines Managing Director/ CEO, Tengku Dato' Azmil Zahruddin said, "We would like to provide more frequencies, add capacity, introduce new destinations and new aircraft for the routes. Our aim is to increase market share between Indonesia and Malaysia, and encourage more travellers to fly with us to destinations such as Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Australia, UK and Europe."

Malaysia Airlines flights to Dammam via Dubai

1 April 2010: Malaysia Airlines has started twice weekly flights to the Saudi Arabian city of Dammam via Dubai from May 5.

The operations will commence on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting May 5.

“The new A330s aircraft is expected to add capacity and will enable us to offer more frequencies to key destinations as well as fly to new destinations in the Middle East, including Dammam,” he said.

Malaysia Airlines currently operates flights into Dubai, Jeddah, Istanbul and Beirut. The national carrier also serves Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait and Muscat via code share partners Etihad, Gulf Air, Qatar Airlines and Egypt Air.

“In many ways, Dammam has evolved as the link between Saudi Arabia and the outside world, exporting the Kingdom's products and importing its needs and thriving on the interaction between Saudi Arabia and other countries.

“It is not only a major oil producing and exporting area, but also a commercial and shipping center. With the introduction of Dammam as a new destination, Malaysia Airlines will be providing a vital link for those conducting business in the city,” he added.
“This is in line with our strategy to continuously invest in human capital, systems as well as infrastructure to grow this year through the modernization of our fleet and expansion of capacity with additional frequencies and new destinations.


Yesterday Malaysia Airlines firmed up orders with Airbus for up to 25 A330-300 widebody aircraft covering the firm order of 15 A330-300 with options for another 10. In addition, the airline has also placed new orders for up to 4 A330-200F freighters comprising two firm orders and another 2 options.

For more information on these offers, customers can check out Malaysia Airlines' website www.malaysiaairlines.com, its nationwide ticket offices or call its 24-hours toll-free Call Centre at 1-300-88-3000.

Mas Offers More UK Destinations Online booking

Malaysia Airlines has made it even easier for passengers to book flights online to or from six key destinations in the UK and Ireland.

Passengers arriving or departing Aberdeen, Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester can now book their flights online at www.malaysiaairlines.com.

Malaysia Airlines already serves these routes through a code-share with British Midlands (bmi) but previously, these tickets could only be purchased from ticketing offices or travel agents.

Malaysia Airlines Senior General Manager, Network & Revenue Management, Dr Amin Khan said, "Travelling with Malaysia Airlines to UK and Ireland is even easier now that customers can book the code share tickets online.

"Purchase and flying are now seamless and hassle free. We fly to London twice daily while bmi offers many daily flights to these 6 destinations. We will soon make available online all the European destinations that we are code sharing currently with KLM."

He added, “This is also in line with our hub-and-spoke strategy to improve feeder traffic into our trunk routes. We expect to generate more than RM10 million annually through the partnership with bmi”.

Malaysia Airlines offers two daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to London, departing at 10.45am and 11.55pm respectively.

Bmi connects to Glasgow 27 times weekly, Aberdeen 24 times, Dublin 21 times, Belfast 20 times, Edinburgh 19 times, and Manchester 17 times weekly.

Extra Baggage Allowance for Enrich Blue/Silver Members

Malaysia Airlines' Frequent Flyer Programme, Enrich is offering 5kg extra baggage allowance to Enrich Blue and 10kg to Enrich Silver members this January. The New Year offer is available to customers travelling from now until 31 January 2010 to all destinations operated by Malaysia Airlines.

To enjoy the extra baggage allowance, members just need to show their Enrich card upon check-in.

MAS' General Manager, Corporate Marketing & Loyalty Programme, Raja Dato' Nordiana Zainal Shah said, "Today, Enrich membership is 1.6 million spread over 240 countries, with the highest in Malaysia at about 60%, followed by Australia, UK, US and Singapore. Our growth would not be possible without the support of the members."

"In conjunction with our 10th anniversary, we are rewarding our customers for their support with the extra baggage allowance. Members can look forward to more surprises and exclusive offers throughout the year." she added.

Enrich Gold and Enrich Platinum baggage entitlements remain as per current privilege of 1.5 times of ticket entitlement for Gold and 2 times for Platinum. Enrich Miles earned can be used as free travel, seat upgrades, vouchers for Temptations Inflight Shopping, excess baggage payment vouchers, Golden Lounge access, MASholidays packages and many more.

MH Self Check-in Kiosk At KLIA For Domestic Flights

Effective 1 August 2011, passengers travelling economy class on Malaysia Airlines’ domestic flights will be able to do self check-in to process their departure formalities and baggage check-in at KL International Airport (KLIA).
The counter check-in process will be slowly phased out and replaced by the self check-in kiosk by August. Malaysia Airports Berhad will reposition 22 existing check-in kiosks at KLIA to the front of the conventional check-in counters, at rows A - F for this purpose.
This latest convenience for our customers will ensure that they have better control over their travel including seat selections during kiosk check-in. Customers will be guided by the national carrier’s employees who will be on hand to offer assistance.
“With the switch over to self check-in kiosks, our customers will have yet another check-in option at the airport in addition to the existing self-service convenience offered through our MH Mobile Check-in, MH Web Check-in and MH Buddy Check-in through Facebook,” said Malaysia Airlines’ Director of Operations, Capt Mohamed Azharuddin Osman.

“This will enable our customers and frontline employees to interact in a friendlier and more customer-focused atmosphere, while the self check-in kiosk facility will help to further automate processes. Customers are reminded to have their 13 digit e-ticket number for self check-in,” he added.

Immediately after self check in, customers are shown to the baggage drop-off points where necessary, to hand over their checked-in baggage to the airline employees.

Customers still need to comply with all the existing travel and safety requirements for air travel out of KLIA.

The self check-in facility provides added convenience for customers as they can now check-in as early as 48 hours before flight departure. Although this facility closes 40 minutes before flight departure customers are encouraged to arrive early to clear their travel formalities.

Malaysia Airlines will offer the following enhanced passenger services at the counters in Row B of the KLIA departure level 5.

Baggage Drop Off
Check-in for passengers with special needs
Standby Passengers registration and acceptance
Passenger services
This consolidated airport check-in convenience is one of the many initiatives rolled out by Malaysia Airlines to improve customer experience when they travel with the national carrier.

Malaysia Airlines seasonal flights to Riyadh

Malaysia Airlines has started 15 scheduled Boeing 777-200 flights between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur, catering for the encouraging interest by Saudi Arabians who chose Malaysia as the preferred vacation destination for their summer holidays.

The thrice weekly service is being operated from 24 June 2011 to 27 July 2011 with flight MH153 departing on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from Riyadh, at 0050 hours local time to arrive Kuala Lumpur at 1400 hours the same day.

The return flight MH152 from Kuala Lumpur departs on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 2000 hours to arrive Riyadh the same day at 2320 hours.

Malaysia Airlines Regional Senior Vice President for Middle East, Africa & South America, Puan Merina Abu Tahir said, “Malaysia is a value for money and convenient destination for the Saudi nationals as they do not need visas to visit Malaysia. We thank the Saudi authorities for their timely assistance for us to mount these flights,”

‘Malaysia Airlines is encouraged by the response from Saudi nationals who have always preferred Malaysia as their summer vacation destination. This service will cater to the needs of those from Riyadh and the Central Province of Saudi Arabia,” Puan Merina added.

Malaysia Airlines has had a long presence in Saudi Arabia with the commencement of annual Haj services between Kuala Lumpur and Jeddah on 1 April 1974. By 4 June 1978, Jeddah was added to Malaysia Airlines network of scheduled services.

Today Malaysia Airlines’ operations between Kuala Lumpur and Middle East cover Jeddah (6 times a week), Dubai (daily flight), Istanbul (3 times a week) and Dammam (2 times a week).

Malaysia Airlines also serves Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Muscat, Doha and Amman through codeshare partners Etihad, Oman Air, Gulf Air, Qatar Airlines and Royal Jordanian respectively to enhance our network connectivity to better serve our customers.

Malaysia Airlines Urges legacy Carriers To Transform

legacy Carriers must transform themselves and their industry if they wished to succeed and not be driven into oblivion.

Malaysia Airlines Chairman Tan Sri Dr. Munir Majid said this at the end of his presentation at the SITA IT Summit in Brussels on Thursday.

"While IT is a strong tool and enabler which can drive strong benefits, it would be foolhardy to think of it as an end in itself. Unless the software is internally developed and proprietary, the first-mover advantages from Its adaptation do not last long enough before the enablers are commoditized and we are back to square one insofar as the competitive terrain is concerned," he warned.

Dr. Munir asked which major industry in the world has as many as 230 companies, just going by membership of IATA and not counting the formidable low cost carriers, competing for the same piece of the action. There is such a waste of resources in terms of duplication of costs, he declared.

"No wonder profit margins are so tight and are so easily wiped off when cost items such as jet fuel rise. So what are we in business for?" he further asked.

For the world's first truly global business, the legacy Carriers industry is the least global in mind, Dr. Munir said. It has become too dependent on protection and closed skies, riding on a nationalistic credo out of place in a globalized and competitive world.

He called on the industry to embrace change more fundamental than the adaptation of enabling technology which is necessary but not sufficient.

He said internal strengthening alone would not work. A full-scale reappraisal, a strategic clean slate transformation of organization and business activities, was necessary. Full service carriers must have their low cost arm as this was where business growth was greatest. They must develop and diversify ancillary activities to boost revenue and profits, such as in maintenance, repair and overhaul activities, the cargo business and training.

"Most of all," Dr. Munir pronounced, "there must be consolidation of the industry across boundaries and businesses. There have to be big time mergers and acquisitions, significant joint ventures. The airline alliances were only half-way houses which stopped far too short of their full promise. We must move fast on consolidation. otherwise many, many airlines will be driven into oblivion."

In his presentation on IT enablers, Dr. Munir related how Malaysia Airlines had scored many firsts with its MHmobile for booking, check-in, flight status updates, timetables and baggage tracing, use of iPad for ticketing known as MHkiosk and launch of Augmented Reality using the GPS on the iPhone.

He also called for a bigger and more interactive role for the function of chief information officer, both with the chief executive and with colleagues across the business organization whose structure has too many silos.

Malaysia Airlines Order more 737 Next-Generation

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysia Airlines today announced the airline has exercised an option to purchase 10 additional Next-Generation 737-800s.

“Today we celebrate Malaysia Airlines as key member of the Next-Generation 737 family of operators and we welcome this occasion to strengthen our long-term relationship with a valued partner,” Dailey said. “The selection of the Next –Generation 737 to support the airline’s strategic fleet modernization plan reinforces the superior economics of the most fuel efficient single-aisle airplane operating in today's market.”

Malaysia Airlines 737-800s are the first in Asia to sport the passenger-pleasing “Boeing Sky Interior” and are fitted with Blended Winglets, which improve fuel efficiency by up to four percent, increase flying range, and reduce CO2 emissions and takeoff noise.

“The option we exercised today marks another step in Malaysia Airlines’ mission to strengthen and build upon the airline’s award-winning service and passenger value, efforts that support the company’s business transformation strategy to profitable operation,” said Tengku Azmil. “Boeing’s Next-Generation 737, with its economic advantages, including unmatched fuel efficiency, is the right airplane to support our business and our customers.”

The digitally designed Next-Generation 737 is the most technologically advanced airplane family in the single-aisle market. The 737-800, which can seat up to 189 passengers, is 771 kilograms (1,700 pounds) lighter, can fly 583 kilometers (315 nautical miles) farther while carrying 12 more passengers than the competing model.

Malaysia Airlines, with a 64-year history as the national carrier of Malaysia, operates a mixed fleet of short- and long-haul airplanes, including Boeing 747 passenger and freighter, 777, 737-800s and Classic 737 airplanes. The airline flies nearly 45,000 passengers daily to more than 100 destinations worldwide.

Enrich elite qualification more attainable

Malaysia Airlines’ Frequent Flyer Programme (FFP), Enrich, today announced significant improvements and exciting enhancements in a move that will strengthen its position as Asia’s pre-eminent loyalty programme.

Key highlights of the new Enrich include new, more attainable elite qualification criteria; enhanced elite tier bonuses for earning faster miles; easing of Platinum qualification; greater savings for online flight redemptions with 15% discount; new awards charts for less miles travelled; and the introduction of electronic lounge vouchers for hassle-free and paperless convenience.
In addition, members earn miles when staying at Enrich hotel partners or when renting a car from a partner company as well as non-travel-related partners including assorted financial and retail partners.
These improvements reflect a deeper understanding of its member segments and their needs. The timely and strategic enhancement of the national carrier’s frequent flyer programme boasts greater recognition, flexibility and wider rewards for its members.

Calling on its members to celebrate these “new experiences”, Raja Dato’ Nordiana Zainal Shah, Senior Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Loyalty Programme said that, “the loyalty programme has been refined to adequately recognise its high value contributors who are the carrier’s short haul travellers, reward frequent economy travellers, and ensure the programme’s competitiveness in its award structure.”


“With its new simplified, innovative and bold identity, Enrich will continue to support the airlines’ strategy in enhancing its business-to-consumer (B2C) reach through privileges that anticipate the needs of its members and by offering greater recognition and unmatched value-added redemption benefits,” she added.

Malaysia Airlines premium check-in facility at KL Airport

Malaysia Airlines today launched the Frontend Check-in Lounge, an upgraded and exclusive premium check-in facility at KL International Airport (KLIA) for its First Class and Business Class passengers as well as Enrich Platinum Loyalty and Frequent Flyer members.


This transformed environment will enable the airline’s personnel and passengers to interact in a classier, friendlier and cosier atmosphere while the new check-in technologies introduced in this facility will help to further automate processes and improve workforce productivity.

First Class and Business Class passengers of Malaysia Airlines will now enjoy Malaysia Airlines hospitality in an exclusive check-in lounge where their departure formalities at KLIA will be processed with ease and comfort. The Enrich Platinum members will continue to enjoy the ‘Meet and Greet’ service which will now be part of the new Frontend Check-in Lounge.

Malaysia Airlines also took the opportunity to officially announce its ‘Chef-on-Call First’ service which was introduced earlier this year. Chef-on-Call-First is a special enhanced dining experience currently offered to First Class passengers on Malaysia Airlines flights between Kuala Lumpur and the cities of London, Amsterdam and Sydney.

This service allows passengers to pre-order their preferred choice of main course from a wider range of menu selections. Every two months, the menu will be revised where 5 dishes are taken out and replaced with new dishes to ensure the menu listing choices does not become monotonous. Passengers can avail this service 24 hours before their travel with just one call or by logging their request online through a designated web page.

At the launch today in KLIA, Malaysia Airlines also showcased a new design headphone with technology to generate high performance sound quality that has been introduced in the First Class and Business Class cabins of Malaysia Airlines’ B747 and B777 flights between KLIA and its European destinations, including London. These headsets made with full-size ear cup for extreme comfort and swivel, fold flat for compact storage. They also come with black leatherette replaceable ear pad and active noise cancellation.

In his speech at the launch ceremony, Tan Sri Munir said, “At Malaysia Airlines we are indeed mindful of the need to enhance our customers’ experiences through continuous upgrade of our products and services across the board. We acknowledged it when we embarked on this transformation since 2006 in our quest to increase premium travellers on our flights, whilst setting our goal to become the No 1 airline in Asia. Throughout our journey, we focused on introducing many initiatives, not only for the front-end customers, but also those travelling economy class. These in turn will greatly improve our yields and profitability and more importantly support the government’s Economic Transformation Plan (ETP) objectives for Malaysia’s increased foreign exchange earnings through the tourism industry.”

Apart from these endeavours, Malaysia Airlines has improved the booking facilities for the convenience of all our customers via our enhanced web-site and MHBuddy on Facebook. Checking in for customers on the go can also be done via mobile, self-serve terminals and Fast Check-in kiosks at selected airports. Malaysia Airlines also plans to have Ticketing and Enrich Services on the departure level of KLIA for the further convenience of its customers.

MH New Airbus a333 to Brisbane

Malaysia Airlines has launched its new A330-300 aircraft today, amidst a ceremonious event at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The new Airbus A330-300 is the first of 15 aircrafts to be delivered to Malaysia Airlines over the next four years, as part of the airline's fleet renewal programme. It is the second fleet after the B737-800 to sport the dynamic livery with red and blue lines representing the Malaysia Airlines’ corporate colours.
Starting with a launch flight MH8888 from KLIA, guests were taken for a short journey to experience the new interiors and features of the aircraft. Upon arrival, the traditional water salute welcomed the latest aircraft to the Malaysia Airlines fleet, followed by a mixed drum ensemble. An eclectic dance performance symbolised the potpourri of cultures, as the passengers disembarked from the aircraft.

Malaysia Airlines’ Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Tengku Dato’ Sri Azmil Zahruddin said, “We are delighted to launch our first A330-300 five months after the delivery of the new B737-800 in November. The latest fleet is aimed at creating a strong and sustained platform for us to serve our discerning customers and for Malaysia Airlines to remain profitable. These aircrafts will serve the growing markets of South Asia, China, North Asia and Australia.”


The enhanced A330-300 has a total capacity of 283 seats, 36 seats in Business class and 247 seats in Economy class. All seats are equipped with AC power supply and USB port for laptops and electronic equipment. The new interiors are installed with mood lighting in all cabins and spacious overhead baggage compartments.

To provide enhanced experience and comfort, the sophisticated features and interiors of the new A330-300 Business Class cabin offer comfortable angled lie flat seats, a fold-out privacy divider and six-way adjustable headrest, among others, presenting the traveller with both a mini office, as well as a place to unwind.

The Economy Class cabin, features lightweight and slim design seats with four-way headrest. Each seat is equipped with individual audio-video on demand smart screens. The latest movies, TV programs, moving map and games are available for both cabins.

The first commercial flight on the new A330-300 will be from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane departing on 20 April 2011, followed by flights to Shanghai, Osaka, Beijing, Perth and Delhi on later dates.

malaysia airlines introduce french speaking cabin crew

It was indeed a grand celebratory affair, when the 2nd batch of 25 French speaking cabin crew from Malaysia Airlines, celebrated their graduation which was held at the Malaysia Airlines Academy in Kelana Jaya. Malaysia Airlines cabin crew has established a consistent record of providing one of the highest standards of inflight service in the airline industry. It has also received the accolade of “World’s Best Cabin Staff” by Skytrax over six years, 2001-2004, 2007 and 2009 – the most for any airline.

Following the completion of the training, graduates will be equipped with basic communication skills to enable them to interact better with French speaking passengers. They will also be able to make announcements in the language on board the aircraft. In order to keep these skills constantly polished, the crew will be assigned at least six flights a year to French speaking routes.

Malaysia Airlines’ Executive Vice President In-flight Services, Dato Mohd Salleh Ahmad Tabrani said, “With globalization, travelers are becoming more particular about the kind of service they get in-flight. This initiative is undertaken to better meet our customer expectations through a stronger focus on route specific needs. With the added ability of our crew to converse in French, we also hope to make our French-speaking passengers feel more at home and this is an added value to our ‘Malaysian Hospitality’.

“The introduction of French speaking cabin crew is in line with our aim to provide customised service while we continue to deliver quality service onboard Malaysia Airlines flights,” he said. In 2010, the airline trained 50 cabin crews in the Arabic language and plans to train another 50 crew members to master the Spanish and German languages, which are to be kicked off in the 2nd Quarter of 2011.

bmi Diamond Club Jet Airways FF miles partnership

Jet Airways entered into a reciprocal frequent flyer partnership with bmi, the second largest airline at London Heathrow, one of the world's busiest and best-connected international airports.

JetPrivilege members may now earn and redeem their JPMiles on the entire network of bmi. Similarly, bmi's Diamond Club members may earn and redeem frequent flyer miles on the entire network of Jet Airways and Jet Airways Konnect.According to Mr. Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways,

“Jet Airways offers guests unmatched pan-India connectivity as well as a growing 23-destination strong international network, while bmi’s network spans the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, via the airline’s hub at London Heathrow. As such, the partnership is a mutually beneficial one, enabling guests to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles, while tapping into both carriers’ networks.”

Jet Airways currently has frequent flyer partnership agreements with twenty-two leading international airlines, including Air France, All-Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Austrian Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Dragon Air, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, JetLite, Kenya Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, South African Airways, Swiss Air, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.For more information, guests may log on to jetairways.com.

JAL SkyRecliner debut on Vancouver/SIN route

Japan Airlines (JAL) will introduce a new executive class seat, dubbed the "JAL Sky Recliner", on its short and mid-haul routes with the delivery of its four Boeing 767-300ER. These will be rolled out on flights bound for Singapore and Beijing from this month (October 2010).

To/From tokyo Narita
Singapore
Hanoi
Vancouver*
*Flight available from March 27, 2011

To/From tokyo Haneda
Beijing
Singapore

Modeled after the luxurious JAL First Class seat on domestic routes, the JAL Sky Recliner is shaped like a plush-sofa with removable armrests and made with fine upholstery that further enhances the sense of being pampered. The seats have a pitch of 129.5cm (51 inch), reclines to 132 degrees and are arranged in a spacious 2-2-2 configuration, ensuring ample leg room and comfort throughout the flight. Features of the new design include an optional large partition that separates both seats and thus provide passengers with heightened privacy, as well as expanded seat pockets for better storage of personal belongings. Incorporating the concept of Universal Design, the buttons of the seat control are large and ergonomic.

Complementing the updated in-flight entertainment system MAGIC V - the JAL Sky Recliner comes with a personal 10.6 inch TV monitor, new video input capability, a USB port as well as an electrical power outlet.

Passengers in every cabin class will have the flexibility of accessing their own videos or photographs by connecting a personal gadget such as an iPod, digital camera or video camera to the system. Another highlight of MAGIC V is the Picture In Picture (PIP) feature which enables passengers to display a small flight map simultaneously with other programmes. They can use the Interactive Map function to select how they wish to view the flight map.

The medium-sized Boeing 767-300ER is one of the main models in JAL's international fleet. The aircraft equipped with JAL Sky Recliner will be scheduled on routes to destinations like Singapore and Beijing from this month.

JAL/AA oneworld Lounges At Haneda airport

Japan Airlines (JAL) will commence operations of its international lounges - First Class Lounge, Sakura Lounge and Arrival Lounge at Haneda from October 21, 2010 - the official opening day of the newest international terminal building, Tokyo International Airport Terminal (TIAT).

JAL International Lounge Eligibility

JAL First Class Lounge
JMB Diamond, JGC Premium, AAdvantage Executive Platinum,oneworld Emerald members and JAL First Class customers.

Sakura Lounge
JMB Sapphire, JAL Global Club (JGC) , AAdvantage Platinum,oneworld Sapphire members, JAL Executive Class and Premium Economy class customers.

JAL Arrival Lounge
JMB Diamond and JGC Premium members and First Class customers.
oneworld is an alliance of 12 of the world's leading airlines – American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Mexicana, Qantas Airways, and Royal Jordanian, S7,

1. International Lounges at TIAT

Japan Airlines will serve 10 overseas destinations from Haneda with 26 roundtrip flights throughout most of the day. Conveniently located, JAL’s international lounges will be opened from early morning to late at night, providing quality space and amenities to support the needs of eligible JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) members, First Class and Executive Class passengers.

a. First Class Lounge

Modeled after the airline’s flagship lounge at Narita Airport, the First Class Lounge in Haneda too is designed to pamper customers with luxurious personal space.

b. Sakura Lounge

Sakura Lounge offers 3 distinct zones that cater to the varying needs of customers.
c. Lounge Services

In collaboration with Haneda airport’s popular restaurants such as KIHACHI and Akasaka Rikyu, JAL will provide proper meals at its departure lounges that will fulfill the appetites of passengers departing on late-night flights and who wish to have dinner before boarding.

JAL’s departure and arrival lounges at Haneda will serve bread from Maison Kaiser - a reputable French bakery that has been well-received at the airline’s premium lounges at Narita. The departure lounges will also offer carefully selected seasonal wines by Fumiko Arisaka, one of Japan's leading and most experienced wine advisors.
The wide-ranging amenities available include luxuriously spacious shower rooms, PC power outlets, free wireless and cable internet connection, special printer services that allow customers to print attached files, and a variety of other business functions.
Arrival Lounge
Eligible passengers landing in Japan early in the morning will be able to refresh themselves at JAL’s first-ever international Arrival Lounge. Equipped with 6 shower suites, semi-private rooms with sofa seats, free internet connection and where light snacks are served, the Arrival Lounge is certain to help corporate travelers swiftly accustom from a flight to business mode in time for a productive day at the office or at meetings in Tokyo.
Campaign to celebrate JAL’s inaugural Arrival Lounge

From November 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011, in addition to the above eligible users, JMB Sapphire and JGC members as well as JAL Executive Class customers will be able to use the Arrival Lounge.

oneworld airlines service at Haneda airport

oneworld(R) is set to be the leading airline alliance at Asia's newest international hub when Tokyo Haneda opens to scheduled international flights at the end of this month. Speaking on behalf of the alliance's on-line airlines there, Japan Airlines President Masaru Onishi said: "oneworld is not just the world's premier alliance - but will also be the pre-eminent alliance at Tokyo Haneda. In the spirit of oneworld, Japan Airlines and our partners are determined to extend our sincere hospitality and offer valued customers the best quality services and network at this exciting new international gateway for our nation's capital."

oneworld's member airlines there will offer:
- The airport's most extensive international network, including the only flights between Haneda and - Europe, with services to both London Heathrow and Paris CDG. - New York and San Francisco, in the USA.
- More international capacity to and from Tokyo Haneda than any other alliance.
- The biggest domestic schedule at what is also Japan's biggest domestic hub.
- Minimum international-to-domestic connecting times considerably faster than competition, at just 70 minutes.
- A host of new facilities for passengers, to ensure the smoothest and most comfortable of journeys on the ground whether they are arriving, departing or transitting.
Haneda is the most convenient airport serving Tokyo for customers travelling to or from the city centre. From its own station served by the Tokyo Monorail and the Keikyu train line, it takes less than 30 minutes to travel to or from downtown.
As Japan's main hub for domestic flights, it also provides the widest range of options for connections to and from cities throughout the country.
It is being reopened to international scheduled services after a 32-year break as it inaugurates a fourth runway and third passenger terminal - a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to international flights.

United ANA Trans-Pacific Joint Venture

United Airlines, Continental Airlines and ANA were granted antitrust immunity (ATI) by the Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism, in accordance with the Civil Aeronautics Act, enabling the carriers to establish a joint venture and to combine their trans-Pacific networks.
"Our network of service to eight Japanese cities will be enhanced by giving our customers more options for using our flights in conjunction with United and ANA for trips both within the region as well as on trans-Pacific routes," said Larry Kellner, Continental's chairman and chief executive officer.

"This joint venture, coupled with the recently announced open skies agreement between the U.S. and Japan, will significantly enhance our ability to serve customers in Japan and throughout Asia and offer new choice and convenience for customers," said Glenn Tilton, United's chairman and chief executive officer.


The U.S. Dept. of Transportation granted United, Continental and ANA tentative ATI approval on Oct. 6, 2010. Upon final approval by DOT and completion of an open skies agreement between the United States and Japan, the three carriers intend to begin implementation of their joint venture in spring 2011.

The carriers intend to jointly develop flight schedules and sales activities. As a result, those customers traveling between the Americas and Asia will enjoy a more convenient flight schedule with a wider range of fare and product options.
ANA (All Nippon Airways Cp., Ltd.) is a leading Japanese provider of air transportation services, with the highest priorities on exceptional service and safe operations, carrying more than 47 million passengers a year. ANA operates as one of the world’s largest airlines, serving 126 domestic Japanese routes with 936 daily flights and 38 international and regional routes to 27 cities in Asia, Europe and North America, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Honolulu.

As a member of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance, ANA passengers enjoy access to a network of 1,172 airport destinations in 181 countries, and reciprocal benefits such as mileage accrual and reception and lounge access.

Singapore Airlines Flights to Haneda airport

Singapore Airlines has launched flights from Singapore Changi Airport to Tokyo Haneda Airport, marking a new chapter in the Airline's operations to Japan.

The inaugural flight departed at 1546hrs and is scheduled to arrive in Haneda at 2305hrs. The return service, SQ633, is scheduled to depart Haneda at 0030hrs on 1 November and arrive in Singapore at 0655hrs. A celebratory event will also be organised for customers on the inaugural flight from Haneda.

With the introduction of twice-daily Tokyo Haneda flights, which are served with Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, SIA is now offering customers even greater choice and convenience for travel to the Japanese capital.
The move follows a recent proposition by the Japanese government of permitting Haneda to handle more international traffic to allow the more convenient but domestic-focused airport to become Japan's second international hub.

"Haneda has more domestic flight connections and is nearer Tokyo's business districts," stated a spokesperson for Singapore Airlines. "The new flights will cater for growth in demand and boost travel between Singapore and Japan for both business and tourism."
Said Mr Bey Soo Khiang, SIA's Senior Executive Vice President Marketing and Corporate Services: "Our twin operations to both Narita and Haneda airports enable us to offer our customers the best of both worlds. There is surely something for every traveller to Tokyo -- be it Haneda's ease of access to Tokyo's main commercial districts and strong domestic network, or Narita's international connectivity and proximity to Northeastern Tokyo and the Kanto region."

Singapore Airlines now operates a total of 47 weekly flights to and from Japan. In addition to twice-daily flights to both Tokyo Narita and Tokyo Haneda, the Airline operates daily to both Nagoya and Osaka, and five-times-weekly to Fukuoka.

new flights Gold Coast Airport to Europe

Gold Coast Airport welcomes news today that airline partner AirAsia X direct services between Kuala Lumpur and Europe in February 2011. The new service will operate from AirAsia X’s hub in Kuala Lumpur to Paris-Orly International Airport four times per week. Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer Paul Donovan said the commencement of the service will make travel between Australia and Europe more affordable for South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales residents.
The new route will be serviced by the Airbus A340 aircraft with 327 passenger capacity including 18 Premium seats. Guests flying on this new route will have the chance to experience the new comfortable ‘Premium FlatBed seats’ which are standard business class specifications of 20” width, 61” pitch and stretches out to 77” in full recline position. The seats feature universal power sockets, adjustable headrests and built-in personal utilities such as tray table, drink holder, reading light and privacy screen. This new improvement offers unmatched comfort to the guests and position AirAsia as the market leader, further bolstering the brand as the epitome of innovation and excellence.

The new service by AirAsia X will offer the people of Paris and its surrounding regions four times weekly flights to Kuala Lumpur, the gateway to South East Asia and beyond. With the commencement of flights to Kuala Lumpur from Paris, guests may hop on to the AirAsia X network onward to Taiwan, Gold Coast, Australia and New Zealand or within the AirAsia short haul network across South East Asia and beyond.

Gold Coast to Sydney 23 flights per day

Gold Coast Airport has proven to be a major winner in the airfare sales battle, with recently released figures from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics revealing that the Gold Coast – Sydney route had temporarily become the 3rd most popular domestic route in Australia for the month of February, bumping the Brisbane – Melbourne route back to 4th place.
Gold Coast Airport currently offers 23 direct flights per day to Sydney, with Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Tiger Airways all servicing the route; as well as a host of other domestic and international locations with these and other airlines including AirAsia X, Air New Zealand Pacific Blue and Air North.
The Gold Coast – Sydney route enjoyed an incredible 21.8 % increase in passengers compared to the same period in 2009, with 199,000 passengers using the route during February. Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer Paul Donovan said there has never been a better time to travel, with fantastic sale fares available across all airline carriers. “This is the first time in Gold Coast Airport history that we have managed to secure a position as one of the top three domestic routes in Australia. “We’ve been very close to a top three position for some time now so to have achieved this milestone in February is a great achievement and recognition our continually strong working relationship with all our airline partners to ensure capacity we have is filled.

“There has never been a better time to travel and even as we head into the winter months each of our airlines have some fantastic fares on offer for both domestic and international travel,” Mr Donovan said. In March 2010 Gold Coast Airport reached 5 million passengers for the financial year to date; this is an impressive increase on the 4.6 million passengers the airport recorded for the 2008/2009 financial year in total.

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