Visitors entering Singapore at Changi Airport Terminal 1 do not need to fill out paper cards should they pre-register
Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is trialling an electronic arrival card for foreign visitors to the country, a system that will eventually replace the paper-based disembarkation/embarkation card.
The trial will be conducted for three months from October 4, 2018 at most of the country’s air, land and sea checkpoints. The checkpoints are Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, Changi Airport, and the four cruise/ferry terminals – Singapore Cruise Centre, Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Changi Point Ferry Terminal and Changi Ferry Terminal.
Visitors entering Singapore at Changi Airport Terminal 1 do not need to fill out paper cards should they pre-register
Travellers can submit their personal information and trip details through the ICA website or via a mobile application before arriving in Singapore. With this done, they will only need to produce their passports for immigration clearance upon arrival.
In the trial phase, it is not mandatory for foreign visitors who arrive at these checkpoints to have completed the paper-based card beforehand. ICA said in a statement that those that have not may be approached by ICA officers to participate in the trial, and to provide feedback.
Foreign visitors travelling with their families or in small groups will have the option of making a one-time group submission. Trip information such as flight details, last port of embarkation, expected date of arrival and departure, as well as address in Singapore will be automatically replicated for all persons in the group.
The mobile application will also allow travellers to save the information submitted from previous trips for use for their next trip to Singapore.
The trial will not affect Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term pass holders (e.g. students and workers) who are returning to Singapore, groups currently not required to produce a disembarkation/embarkation card when entering the country.
The electronic arrival card is a significant step towards ICA’s vision of paperless immigration clearance, and could save up to 48 million paper-based disembarkation/embarkation cards a year. More details of the implementation of the electronic arrival card will be announced at a later date, after completion of the trial.
Sabre has rolled out its Digital Airline Commercial Platform (DACP) with Aeroflot, Ethiopian Airlines and Etihad Airways on board as launch partners.
Announced earlier this year, the platform was designed to deliver end-to-end personalised retailing and help airlines retail, distribute and fulfil across all customer touchpoints.
Sabre launches retailing mobile platform with three airlines
DACP is said to be the industry’s only platform to enable complete digital transformation through intelligent retailing solutions including dynamic pricing capabilities, a flexible and open API hub, a shopping engine and a mobile-first, consumer-grade workspace for airport agents.
Russia’s Aeroflot and Ethiopian Airlines are the launch partners for Sabre’s Digital Workspace, which will enable airport agents to deliver a more seamless and personalised airport experience to customers via mobile devices. This solution is a complete redesign of Sabre’s Interact Interface.
Announced last month, Etihad is a launch partner for Dynamic Availability, the platform’s pricing optimisation technology.
Dave Shirk, Sabre president of travel solutions, said the DACP “will transform the way airlines do business moving forward” in today’s dynamic environment. “The platform gives airlines a competitive edge to differentiate themselves while further enhancing the travel experience with industry-first retailing capabilities,” he commented.
Tribute Portfolio Homes feature full kitchens, some similar to this chef’s kitchen in a bright and airy flat in London
Hailing its homesharing pilot in London a success, Marriott International is now expanding Tribute Portfolio Homes to Paris, Rome and Lisbon.
This follows on the heels of a five-month pilot initiated earlier this year in collaboration with Hostmaker, a London-based home rental sharing management company.
Tribute Portfolio Homes feature full kitchens, some similar to this chef’s kitchen in a bright and airy flat in London
Now, travellers can choose from more than 340 properties across four European markets with the ability to earn and redeem points across Marriott’s loyalty platform.
To roll out Tribute Portfolio Homes to Paris, Rome and Lisbon, Marriott extended its collaboration with Hostmaker, which currently operates in these European cities, to identify and curate a portfolio of homes that complements the quality, aesthetic and service values of Marriott.
According to a Marriott statement, homes are chosen based on their overall design, functionality and location. Marriott added that the chosen properties must also have met quality, safety and security standards.
Selected properties feature at least one bedroom, full kitchens and in-unit laundry. Guests also have access to 24/7 support as well as an in-person welcome/check-in experience through Hostmaker.
Dream Hotel Group has named Kitmun Fung as vice president of Development, Asia-Pacific, following the company’s recent appointment of Sunny Li for a similar role for China and North Asia.
Based in Singapore, Fung will oversee the development of new projects and source for new deals in the Asia-Pacific region for the hotel group and its portfolio of lifestyle brands.
Fung has a background in business strategy, finance, and mergers and acquisitions with nearly 10 years working in financial services, and another decade of hospitality experience.
She most recently served as director of development (Greater China) at Hilton. Fung has also worked with Raffles International, as well as companies such as Intraco, Daimler-Benz and Merrill Lynch International Bank.
Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore
The city-state’s first Kempinski hotel stands in the downtown Civic and Cultural District, offering 157 guestrooms and suites spanning almost 50 unique configurations. In all eight room categories however, guests can expect regular mod-cons such as a Sonos audio system, complimentary Wi-Fi, complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, and a generous work desk area. For suite guests, a stay includes complimentary daily breakfast.
For meetings and events, the property offers event spaces ranging from the Private Room, good for 12 guests, to the Salon, which can hold 220 pax theatre-style. Other facilities include a spa, gym and saltwater pool. Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore will also have several F&B offerings in the months to come, anchored by its signature restaurant that has been conceptualised by a three-Michelin-star chef.
Pullman Tokyo, Japan
The first Pullman to open in Japan stands in Tamachi, an up-and-coming business district. The property offers 143 rooms including suites across six categories. Room sizes start from 29m2, and go up to the 81m2 Pullman Suite. All spaces come furnished with mod cons such as a Pullman bed from Takumi Otsuka, LCD TV, blackout shades, complimentary Wi-Fi, minibar, coffee machine and Bose wireless speaker.
For functions, Pullman Tokyo offers four banquet rooms all located on the ninth floor, the largest of which can take up to 64 pax banquet-style. There’s also a meeting room on the second floor that can take 15 pax in boardroom configuration. Other facilities include the Platform 9 rooftop bar, all-day dining restaurant Kasa and fitness centre.
Novotel and ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4, Thailand
The second dual-hotel brand concept in Bangkok has opened in the heart of Sukhumvit, within the Thai capital’s CBD. Guests staying at either of the two hotels can avail amenities such as the all-day diner Food Exchange, RedSquare Rooftop Bar on level 24, fitness centre and swimming pool.
Featuring modern Thai interiors, Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 boasts 185 Deluxe and Grand Deluxe rooms that overlook the city skyline. Guestrooms feature a 49-inch Smart TV, a connectivity panel, minibar, safety deposit box, and work desk.
The newly-built 133-room ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 features double and twin bedding, where each guestroom comes furnished with a 42-inch TV, a minifridge, and tea and coffee making facilities.
Oakwood Apartments Yangzhou, China
The first international serviced apartment brand to open in Yizheng, Yangzhou offers 144 keys. The 17-storey building’s apartments range from studios to three-bedrooms, and includes fully-equipped kitchens, household appliances and complimentary Wi-Fi. Guests will be able to enjoy a host of facilities such as a fitness centre, resident’s lounge, an F&B outlet, meeting rooms and bilingual concierge support.
Singapore Airlines will begin its Singapore to Los Angeles service in November using A350-900ULR aircraft.
SINGAPORE
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has embarked on a three-year transformation programme, with a strong focus on scaling up its digital capabilities and capacity amid stiff competition.
A significant step in its transformation is the upcoming integration of SilkAir into SIA, after the regional arm undergoes significant upgrades of more than S$100 million (US$73 million) to its cabins, including new lie-flat seats in business class and the installation of seat-back in-flight entertainment systems in both business class and economy class.
These upgrades are expected to start in 2020, which will ensure greater product and service consistency across SIA Group’s full-service network.
Singapore Airlines will begin its Singapore to Los Angeles service in November using A350-900ULR aircraft.
SIA plans to open up ultra-long-range (ULR) services with its upcoming fleet of A350-900ULR aircraft, starting with non-stop flights between Singapore and Los Angeles on November 2.
Meanwhile, the existing service to Los Angeles via Seoul will cease after November 30, but the daily service to Los Angeles via Tokyo will remain. Los Angeles will be served 17 times per week by the airline.
SIA will also launch the world’s longest non-stop flights between Singapore and New York from October 11. The thrice-weekly service will take almost 19 hours on the new A350-900ULR, which will have no economy class seating.
In addition, SIA will increase its existing daily non-stop Singapore-San Francisco services to 10 flights per week from November 28. Its route to San Francisco via Hong Kong will remain in operation.
These new developments will raise SIA’s number of weekly non-stop flights between Singapore and the US to 27 by end-2018.
The latest destinations added to SIA’s longhaul network from Singapore include non-stop services to San Francisco, Dusseldorf and Stockholm via Moscow. On the medium-haul, SIA now serves Canberra and Wellington. – Pamela Chow
THAILAND
Recent years have proven to be rather tumultuous for Thai Airways International, as the carrier continues its plan launched in April 2015 as part of cost restructuring effort while battling Thailand’s aviation downgrades that limited its expansion plans.
Things started looking up for Thai Airways with ICAO’s removal of Thailand’s red flag status last October, giving the carrier “more flexibility on route planning for both longhaul and regional routes”, commented the airline’s executive vice president, commercial, Wiwat Piyawiroj.
Thai Airways expects the US Federal Aviation Administration to upgrade Thailand to Category 1 within this year, which would pave the way for the launch of US routes. The airline has not operated services to the US since suspending its Bangkok-Los Angeles service in October 2015.
“Our plans for the US market are to enhance codeshare cooperation with our Star Alliance partners in order to offer an expanded network for customers,” said Wiwat.
Thai Airways passengers currently can fly to 14 destinations in North America through the airline’s codeshare agreements.
Europe, a key market for Thai Airways, is meanwhile showing improved performance as the European economy picks up growth.
“European travellers visiting Thailand in 2018 already showed an increase of 7.5 per cent while in 2017 it was at 5.4 per cent,” Wiwat shared. “Our European routes performed very well for the first five months this year, especially to Germany for both Frankfurt and Munich, and to the three Scandinavian destinations as well as Zurich.”
He added: “No new destinations (in Europe) are planned at the moment, as we do not have sufficient aircraft for expansion. Our strategy for now is to grow the non-daily flights to daily for routes such as Brussels, Vienna and the two Italian destinations – Milan and Rome.”
Thai Airways’ longhaul fleet number will be maintained for now, as its aircraft acquisition plan is pending government approval, Wiwat told TTG Asia. THAI took delivery of seven aircraft in 2017, comprising five Airbus A350-900s and two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
In September, the Thai flag carrier has proposed a revised turnaround plan to the State Enterprises Policy Commission. – Xinyi Liang-Pholensa
PHILIPPINES
Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) longhaul network – comprising only six destinations across the US, Canada and the UK – is getting a much-needed boost with its current fleet modernisation.
The carrier has six firm orders for Airbus A350-900 XWB, four of which are up for delivery starting June this year and two in mid-2019, with options for an additional six. The A350-900s will be deployed on the new non-stop flight from Manila to JFK Airport in New York beginning October and on the daily Manila-London (Heathrow) service by end-October this year.
The US is one of the Philippines’ biggest inbound markets served by PAL through non-stop flights from Manila to Los Angeles, San Francisco and soon New York.
The nonstop flight from Cebu to Los Angeles, which was temporarily shelved due to the lack of bigger aircraft, is expected to be resumed with the delivery of the A350-900s.
PAL president and COO Jaime Bautista said that “services to other points in North America and/or Europe are expected to follow as more aircraft join the fleet over the next 12 months, including possible routes to Seattle, Chicago and a point in western Europe”.
The refleeting with “more innovations and product refinements” is aligned with (PAL’s) goal to be rated five-star on Skytrax from the current four-star, Bautista said.
Bautista said that PAL “will take in 27 new aircraft” starting with the new A350-900s and the six A321neos for delivery this year until next, two of which have already arrived in Manila.
The A321neo is now in use for the Manila-Brisbane service launched in May and has increased its weekly services from three to five since July.
PAL has also configured its A330-343 aircraft to increase the overall capacity by 22 per cent to stimulate leisure and business travel. The 414 seats were reduced to 309 for wider legroom and fewer seats on each row, and cabin amenities enhanced.
Since June, the thrice-weekly Manila-Auckland service is using the tri-class A330-343 with 18 business class, 24 premium economy and 267 economy seats. Other medium-haul destinations using the reconfigured A330 include Honolulu, Sydney and Melbourne. – Rosa Ocampo
INDONESIA
Following the lifting of the EU’s ban on Indonesian airlines in June, Europe is now coming into greater focus for Garuda Indonesia as the carrier plots its longhaul expansion strategy.
The airline has started to assess several destinations in Europe, with the Jakarta-Paris route scheduled for launch in winter 2019, while it will increase the Jakarta-Amsterdam service from six-times weekly to daily in November 2018.
Sigit Muhartono, director of international cargo & commerce at Garuda Indonesia, said Paris is chosen for its hub status in Europe.
“The market potential in France is the highest among others (in Europe), for both business and leisure markets,” he explained.
Sigit added that France is Indonesia’s biggest source market in Europe. Data from the Visit Indonesia Tourism Office in France show that 162,288 Parisians visited Bali in 2017, rising 10.1 per cent from 147,413 visitors in 2016.
He added: “We also look at the patterns of Indonesians travelling to Europe. Most of them start from Amsterdam, then travel around Europe by land and end the journey in Paris and fly out from there.”
At press time, Garuda Indonesia is also in the midst of signing a codeshare agreement with Air France to offer customers daily connections between Jakarta and Paris, adding to the carrier’s codeshare partnership with KLM to fly in 19 destinations.
“We are also working on a codeshare agreement with Aeroflot, (not only for the Russian market but) for East Europe in general, (as part of our) focus to strengthen our network in Europe,” said Sigit.
Next on Garuda’s radar is to add Turkey onto its flight network to position it as a hub for both East Europe and the Middle East.
Sigit added: “Turkey is very strategic, close to Eastern Europe (and Aeroflot has many flights here). We want to connect Indonesia with Eastern Europe this way.”
Meanwhile, Garuda is looking connect to Los Angeles via Tokyo. Said Sigit: “We are still waiting for the route permission from the government of Japan to enable the service to transit in Tokyo. Once this is done, we will fly the Jakarta-Los Angeles route.” – Tiara Maharani
HONG KONG
Barely two years since the airline began its transformation campaign, Cathay Pacific (CX) has launched non-stop routes to a slew of longhaul destinations served by the Airbus A350 fleet, including Barcelona, Brussels, Christchurch, Copenhagen, London-Gatwick, Tel Aviv, and, most recently, Dublin.
Economy class in Cathay Pacific
Frequencies on a number of the airline’s most popular routes, including Barcelona and Tel Aviv, are also boosted in 2018.
A spokesperson said: “One of the goals of (CX’s) transformation is to find new sources of revenue by flying to destinations that people want to visit and connecting Hong Kong directly to new places for the first time. Examples include Tel Aviv, Barcelona, Christchurch, Brussels, Copenhagen, Washington DC, Cape Town, Nanning and Jinan, Medan and Davao, etc.
“We are opening a record nine new destinations this year. In addition to the destinations already launched so far this year, i.e. Brussels (March), Copenhagen (May) and Dublin (June), we will be commencing flights to Washington DC (September) and Cape Town (November) this year.”
As of June 2018, CX and Cathay Dragon have a combined fleet of 195 aircraft. Of the 78 new aircraft expected to be delivered by 2024, the airline received its first A350-1000 aircraft in June, with a total of eight A350-1000s set for delivery in 2018.
CX chief customer and commercial officer, Paul Loo, said: “We already have one of the youngest long-haul fleets in the sky, and with the arrival of the Airbus A350-1000, our fleet is only going to get younger. The aircraft follows the successful entry of the -900 variant which has enabled us to expand our longhaul network at a near unprecedented rate, providing our customers with a wider range of non-stop travel choices.”
The remaining 12 A350-1000 order will arrive by 2021. After initial rounds of regional services, starting with Taipei on July 1, 2018, the new Washington DC service will be launched on September 25 on the A350-1000, which at 8,153 miles (13,121km) makes it the longest on the airline’s network.
This aircraft will also serve Madrid, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, Manchester and Zurich from the coming winter. – Prudence Lui
JAPAN
Japan Airlines (JAL), the nation’s flag carrier, has announced a dramatic departure from its long-held aversion to operating a LCC and will commence commercial operations with a new budget airline from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport from summer 2020, ultimately targeting longhaul travellers.
“The company decided to establish a new carrier to accommodate a new generation of visitors who are expected to visit Japan heading into 2020 and beyond,” Tetsuya Onuki, managing executive officer of JAL’s international route marketing division, told TTG Asia.
“JAL currently has a LCC investment in Jetstar Japan, which is an airline built on a business plan featuring shorthaul routes,” said Onuki. “On the other hand, the new LCC business will focus on medium- to longhaul international routes.
The as yet unnamed airline will initially operate Boeing 787-8 aircraft in order to rival similar LCCs on regional routes before spreading its wings into Europe and the Americas, Onuki added.
During this summer season, JAL is operating 140 flights a week between the Americas and Japan, as well as 42 from European destinations and a further 14 from Australasian cities, giving a total of 392 round-trips per week between Japan and longhaul destinations.
The latest addition to the company’s longhaul repertoire was the September 2017 launch of daily flights to Melbourne, a result of growing demand on the route thanks to the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement of 2015.
In FY2019, JAL will seasonally increase flights between Tokyo (Narita) and Chicago (O’Hare) from June 8 to September 3, 2019, featuring 11 flights per week.
On flights between Osaka (Kansai) and Los Angeles, JAL will now feature full-flat seats in business class, in addition to the introduction of premium economy class service with the JAL Sky Suite 787-9 aircraft.
On its existing longhaul routes, JAL operates the Boeing 777-300ER, 777-200ER, 787-8 or 787-9 aircraft for the “technical advantages” available on the aircraft.
The carrier began rolling out the JAL Sky Suite in 2013 to enhance the passenger experience, featuring top-of-the-range options including wider seats in economy class. – Julian Ryall
MALAYSIA
Amid concerns of escalating fuel prices, Malaysia Airlines does not have plans to introduce any new longhaul routes or add capacity on existing routes, but will instead focus on marketing the premium segment to cushion the airline from rising costs, TTG Asia understands.
On January 15, the airline replaced its Airbus A380 operations with the more fuel-efficient A350-900 on the twice-daily Kuala Lumpur-London sector.
The 486-seat A380 was deemed too large for optimal efficiency on the London route and hence the airline made a decision to reduce capacity by over 40 per cent with the smaller A350-900 aircraft fitted with 286 seats.
London is currently the only destination in Europe the airline flies to, while it depends on the Oneworld alliance airlines to connect to the rest of Europe and North America.
The airline had suspended flights to Los Angeles since April 2014 as part of a route rationalisation exercise to stem losses.
Malaysia Airlines has relaunched four-times weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to Brisbane on June 1. This route had previously been axed from the network in 2015 amid a network rationalisation exercise.
Loads since the reinstatement has been described by Malaysia Airlines as “encouraging” in an email reply end-June. – S Puvaneswary
Hong Kong airlines given the green light to levy fuel surcharge
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department (CAD) is lifting a 22-month suspension on fuel surcharge, allowing airlines to make their own commercial decisions on whether to levy a surcharge and the amount to charge.
Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon have swiftly responded to the change and announced surcharges – HK$146 (US$18.60) and HK$652 for shorthaul and longhaul flights from Hong Kong respectively, for tickets issued or re-issued from November 2, 2018 onwards.
Hong Kong airlines given the green light to levy fuel surcharge on passengers
The surcharge is on a per flight sector basis irrespective of fare type, and will be revised on monthly based on fuel prices.
Budget airline HK Express, meanwhile, has yet to reveal details of a surcharge, but states that the amount will be based on market conditions.
According to a CAD spokesman, the decision is based on a study about international trends and practices on fuel surcharges regulation. The initial findings, released in 2017, concluded that there was a global fuel surcharge liberalisation trend to enhance competition and recommended that the CAD take a similar approach.
If an airline wishes to levy a passenger fuel surcharge (PFS) as part of the final price, it will be required to clearly show the itemised charge, as is the case with other “must pay” elements.
Lotus Tours’ managing director and COO Ken Ng said the PFS is a global practice now amid fluctuating oil prices, and airlines are likely to exercise discipline in setting the levy amount as they are supervised closely by many bodies.
“For sure, airfares will jack up about 30 per cent and this will dampen the frequency of shorthaul trips, but not in long term as fuel surcharge is not something new,” commented Ng.
Likewise, Sunflower Travel Service, general manager, Johnny So reckoned any impact would be short-term.
“Hong Kongers love travel so much. In fact, airfares in Hong Kong are pretty low when compared with other global destinations like Europe, plus the surge of LCCs have driven airfares down. Frankly, the fuel surcharge is widely implemented across the globe and even Macau hasn’t stopped charging.”
On whether there has been a scramble to purchase flight tickets before the surcharges kick in, So said he has seen an uptick in Cathay Pacific group bookings. As for FITs, there has not been a marked increase in bookings, although he is not discounting the possibility of a surge closer to implementation date.
Myanmar’s growing list of visa-exempt Asian nationalities now includes Hong Kong and Macau, the most recent additions after Japan and South Korea.
Since October 1, passport holders from Hong Kong and Macau can board a plane to visit Myanmar without making any prior visa arrangements. On arrival, no payment or proof of pre-arrangements is needed, according to a statement from Myanmar Tourism Marketing (MTM).
Yangon city with Shwedagon Pagoda in the background
The government will also grant Chinese nationals from mainland China for visas-on-arrival (VOA) at Yangon International Airport, Mandalay International Airport and Nay Pyi Taw International Airport, at a fee of US$50.
In early September, the government allowed all nationalities to enter Myanmar through the two overland borders, Tamu and Rih Khaw Dar, and continue to travel overland to Thailand using any of the four borders.
The entry visa through these borders can be approved within three days, MTM says.
Overland travellers who want to pass through Myanmar with their own motorised vehicle still need to apply for a caravan permit with the Ministry of Hotel & Tourism.
The above visas are all valid for 30 days, extendable at an immigration office within the country, or at a US$3/ day fee for overstay.
Thailand’s famed Maya Bay in Krabi, originally meant to reopen on October 1, will be closed to tourists indefinitely, the Bangkok Post reports.
The decision by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) was made in view of the extent of environmental damage caused by large numbers of tourists and the time it would take for recovery.
Maya Bay shot to fame as the backdrop to The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio
Over 1,000 corals have been planted across four hectares of the bay, an area set to be expanded.
Reportedly, DNP consulted experts who shared their concern over coral reef damage, but not local residents who may be reliant on tourism.
Quoting a local tourism business association chairman, the Bangkok Post article anticipate the closure of Maya Bay would have knock-on effects on tourism to the elsewhere in Krabi province.
Flight Centre Travel Group’s hotels and accommodation business BHMA has appointed Paul Wilson to the role of executive vice president commercial.
In his new role, Wilson will oversee sales, revenue, distribution, e-commerce and marketing communications for BHMA, offering extensive commercial experience leading major brands across the Asia-Pacific, London, South Africa and Australia.
Wilson was most recently vice president of sales, revenue and distribution for Thailand’s Centara Hotels & Resorts, where he was in charge of 16 global offices, 11 national account managers, property DOS teams and the company’s revenue and distribution structure.
The experienced hotelier has also worked as regional sales & marketing director and national conference & incentive director for the Australian Mantra Group and meeting and events director for Park Plaza Hotels and Resorts in London.
This appointment is effective from October 3, 2018.
The mobile application will also allow travellers to save the information submitted from previous trips for use for their next trip to Singapore.
