NokScoot’s Japan flights ready for June take-off
NokScoot, the joint venture offspring of Singapore’s Scoot and Thailand’s Nok Air, will begin a daily service between Bangkok and Tokyo from June 1.
XW102 will depart Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport at 02.20 and arrive in Tokyo’s Narita Airport at 10.25. The return flight XW101 will depart Narita at 13.55 and arrive in Bangkok at 18.25.
NokScoot will operate the Bangkok-Narita services with a Boeing 777-200 wide-bodied, twin-aisle jet. Configured with a total of 415 seats, the 777 offers 24 Business Class seats and 391 Economy seats.
This will be the airline’s first foray into the Japanese market.
Hong Kong Airlines flies daily to Manila
Hong Kong Airlines will operate daily flights between Hong Kong and Manila from June 1.
On Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, HX781 will depart Hong Kong at 21.10 and arrive in Manila at 23.00. On the other days of the week, HX781 will depart at 21.30 and arrive at 23.00.
Return flights will all be at the same timing, where HX782 will depart Manila at 06.55 and arrive back in Hong Kong at 08.55.
Hong Kong Airlines will deploy an Airbus A320 on the new route, which will be outfitted with a single-class configuration and offer 174 seats in Economy Class.
SIA, SilkAir to codeshare with Fiji Airways
Singapore Airlines (SIA), SilkAir and Fiji Airways have signed a codeshare agreement that will provide more convenient
Under the agreement, SIA and SilkAir customers can access Fiji Airways’ non-stop flights between Singapore and Nadi, including the airline’s third weekly seasonal service that was launched on April 4. Customers can also travel on codeshare flights between Nadi and three domestic destinations, including the Fijian capital Suva, Labasa and Savusavu.
In turn, Fiji Airways customers will be able to access SIA and SilkAir- operated flights to destinations in China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the UK.
China Airlines and Air France become codeshare partners
China Airlines and Air France have begun operating direct flights between Taipei and Paris since April 16 on a codeshare basis.
The inaugural flight from Paris to Taipei arrived at Taoyuan International Airport at 08.15 on April 17.
The route will be flown by Air France thrice weekly.
Qantas adjusts its network in Asia
Qantas has made a number of adjustments across its network in Asia in response to demand and to better utilise its fleet.
From October 28, Qantas will be adding a Tuesday A330 service between Sydney and Manila (QF19/20), resulting in a daily flight between both cities.
Between July 5-13 as well as August 3-28, Qantas will operate an Airbus A380 on the QF81/82 Sydney-Singapore service, increasing the number of seats during the peak travel season.
From December 7, Qantas will operate an additional A330 service between Sydney and Osaka (QF33/34), increasing the service, which began in December last year, to four times per week.
And from October 28, the Sydney-Beijing service (QF107/108) will be reduced to five times per week, removing flights on lower demand days of Tuesday and Thursday.
Tourism spend is on the rise globally, with the Chinese coming in as the top spenders and Russia and Brazil making strong recovery last year, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.
All top 25 source markets, comprising emerging and advanced economies, in the barometer reported higher spending on international tourism in 2017.
The BRIC economies are a standout. China consolidated its leadership as the biggest spender in travel abroad in 2017 with US$258 billion in expenditure (+5 per cent in local currency). The other BRIC economies also all substantially increased expenditure in 2017.
Rebounding from weaker spending in previous years are Russia, which climbed three places to re-enter the top 10 at eighth place with US$31 billion (+13 per cent), and Brazil, which moved up eight places to number 16 with US$19 billion (+20 per cent).
India, another key emerging outbound market, continued its rise with nine per cent growth in spending to US$18 billion, moving up four places in the ranking to 17th.
Advanced markets also reported robust performance in 2017, led by the US as the second largest outbound market to spend US$135 billion (+ nine per cent).
Expenditure from Germany (the third largest market) and the UK (fourth) both increased three per cent, and France (fifth) saw a one per cent increased.
Australia (sixth) reported seven per cent growth and Canada (seventh) a nine per cent increase. Completing the top 10 are South Korea (ninth), where expenditure grew by nine per cent, and Italy (10th), which increased by six per cent.
Beyond the top 10, notable increases in tourism spending were seen in Sweden (+14 per cent) and Spain (+12 per cent).
These strong results in outbound tourism are consistent with the seven per cent increase in international tourist arrivals in 2017. Demand for travel was particularly high in Europe, where arrivals increased eight per cent last year.