MALAYSIA Airlines’ flight MH370 weighed heavily on the minds of aviation industry leaders at an IATA conference today, with the association announcing the formation of a task force for global aircraft tracking and passenger data to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

Tony Tyler, director general and CEO, said at the opening of the IATA OPS Conference in Kuala Lumpur that MH370 had proven the airline industry has two clear challenges that need to be overcome – aircraft tracking and passenger data.

“In a world where our every move seems to be tracked, there is disbelief both that an aircraft could simply disappear and that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders are so difficult to recover…We cannot let another aircraft simply vanish,” he said.

“IATA will convene an expert task force that will include ICAO participation to ensure that the work is well-coordinated. This group will examine all of the options available for tracking commercial aircraft against the parameters of implementation, investment, time and complexity to achieve the desired coverage. The group will report its conclusions by December 2014, reflecting the need for urgent action and careful analysis,” Tyler explained.

Meanwhile, he urged governments to review processes for vetting and using passenger data, as well as to standardise passenger data collected on ICAO criteria; eliminate collection of data in paper; and create a single harmonised window through which airlines can submit electronic data to governments.

Tyler shared that IATA has set up the Global Aviation Data Management project as a comprehensive safety data warehouse, collecting analysis reports on accidents, incidents, ground damage, maintenance and audits. It also covers data from over 1.8 million flights in the last 15 months

The association also released its commercial aviation safety performance report for 2013 today.

According to the report there were 210 fatalities from accidents in 2013, down from 414 in 2012. In 2013, 81 accidents took place. This is up from 75 in 2012 but below the five-year average of 86 per year.

Sixteen of these accidents in 2013 were fatal, higher than the 15 in 2012 and below the five-year average of 19.

Accidents occurring during aircraft departure from a runway on landing or takeoff were the most common type of accident, making up 23 per cent of all accidents in the last five years, though chances of survival in such cases were high.

– Read Painful lessons from MH370

DMC Khiri Travel is extending an upscale option for passengers travelling on the train between Luang Prabang and Hanoi via its luxury carriage.

The public train service was restarted in June last year and carries passengers on part of the former Indochinese colonial rail network.

While demand from budget travellers has been healthy, Western clients are also keen to travel this route in more comfort, said Willem Niemeijer, CEO of Khiri Travel.

The DMC has thus added a six-pax luxury carriage that comes with air-conditioned sleeper cabins, a lounge with F&B service and enlarged windows for better views. The overnight journeys ends in the destination in the mid-morning the next day.

Departures leave Laos’ Luang Prabang on Tuesday and Saturday mornings, with the return leg leaving Hanoi on Thursdays and Mondays.

The first departure leaves today and rides are fully booked until mid-May. “We have been very impressed by the demand from western European travellers seeking an authentic Mekong travel experience,” said Niemeijer.

Travel tariffs for the trips depend on the season. Travel consultants can email luxtrain@khiri.com and quote booking code, “Midnight Express”, for more information.

*There’s no Midnight Express. Happy April Fools’! 

HYATT Hotels & Resorts today opened the doors of its first Hyatt Regency in Shanghai, which is also the first international upscale resort on Chongming Island.

Located on the retreat destination of Chongming Island, the hotel is 90 minutes away from downtown Shanghai and linked to the mainland by a tunnel and bridge. It is situated beside the Dongtan Wetlands Park and a migratory bird reserve.

Christopher Koehler, vice president of operations, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, China, said: “Hyatt has already established a strong brand presence with four hotels in Shanghai, and we are excited to further expand our brand presence in this important market with the introduction of the Hyatt Regency brand. Hyatt Regency Chongming demonstrates our commitment to thoughtful and harmonious growth in China by bringing convenience and hospitality to a previously untapped nature-based lifestyle destination.”

The 235-key hotel comprises of five buildings connected by a covered Chinese-style walkway and extensive landscaped gardens. Rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi access and mini bar, MP3 player docking stations and private balconies or courtyards with ocean or garden views.

Furthermore, it will also be the first pet-friendly Hyatt hotel in China with 25 dedicated dog-friendly rooms with enclosed outdoor courtyards and “special canine comforts”.

The Regency Club is housed separately and offers Regency Club guests free breakfast, all-day refreshments, evening cocktails, use of the boardroom and outdoor terrace.

Guests can dine at any of five F&B outlets on site, including Pin Yue for Chongming and Shanghai cuisine and the Tea House for Chinese snacks.

The hotel is also the first Hyatt property to introduce The Campus meetings and events concept in China, which aims to evoke the nostalgia of university life. The Campus comprises a Lecture Hall, three Classrooms, a versatile space called the Cafeteria and six Song & Games rooms totalling 1,440m² in space. There is also a 630m² Regency Ballroom opening out to a walled garden, five salons and boardrooms and a Regency Lawn for larger al fresco events.

ONEWORLD has welcomed two airlines into its fold for a combined 20 per cent increase in annual flight capacity across the alliance.

US Airways and Sao Paulo-based TAM Airlines officially joined the airline alliance yesterday, marking their departures from Star Alliance. The addition of both airlines give Oneworld close to 100 new destinations and a 20 per cent boost in annual capacity.

US Airways’ regional affiliates, operating as US Airways Express, will be Oneworld affiliate members under American Airlines Group until US Airways completes its full integration with American Airlines under its merger (TTG Asia e-Daily, November 14, 2014).

US Airways and its affiliates fly to over 200 destinations in 30 countries.

TAM’s partner in LATAM Airlines Group, LAN Airlines, has been a member of Oneworld since 2000, while TAM serves 61 destinations across 16 countries in Latin America, the US and Europe. It brings to Oneworld 45 destinations in Brazil.

With TAM and US Airways under the Oneworld umbrella, their frequent flyer programmes have also been aligned with the alliance’s. Loyalty programme members will retain all points or miles earned and the move to Oneworld has no impact on their tier status.

TAM Fidelidade Black and Red Plus cardholders and US Airways Dividend Miles Chairman’s Preferred cardholders now have the top Emerald status in the Oneworld programme.

Top-tier members will have access to a host of benefits across the Oneworld alliance network including use of lounges and quicker check-ins.

WAKA Hotels & Resorts has relaunched the WakaGangga resort in Bali following a multi-million dollar complete upgrade and expansion, in the wake of a major corporate restructuring last year.

The 27-villa resort retains its low density, eco-friendly concept and traditional elements that blend into the natural landscape, while incorporating modern facilities such as flat-screen televisions and Wi-Fi access that it did not offer previously.

On Waka Hotels & Resorts’ restructuring, Kamal Kaul, president & CEO, said: “This is an exciting project for Waka Hotels & Resorts as it marks a new beginning for the company.”

“We wanted to consolidate the brand and bring it back to its roots and focus on giving our guests a quality, Balinese experience.”

The former Waka Group hospitality division, which has managed and owned a number of resorts, cruises and beach clubs in Bali since 1970s, created a new corporate brand – Waka Hotels & Resorts – in December 2012.

To manage Waka Hotels & Resorts, the Waka brand owners and K2 Consulting, a hotel management and consultancy company established by Kaul, have jointly incorporated WHM Indonesia.

The consolidation in 2012 saw four resorts leaving the group. Waka Hotels & Resorts now operates the WakaGangga resort in Tabanan and NusaBay by WHM on Nusa Lemabongan Island, WakaSailing ocean cruiser, WakaLandCruise that offers adventure day trips on Land Rovers, and WakaBeachClub on Lembongan Island, as well as Waka Residences.

Apart from the WakaGangga, the company’s other products have also been undergoing upgrading for consistency in product design and service delivery across all units, according to Kaul.

LANGKAWI’S first integrated leisure, retail, residential and commercial project is set to come up in the north-west Pantai Kok-Teluk Burau area of the island in the next decade, while a Movie Animation Park Studios theme park is slated for development in Meru, Perak.

Property and leisure group Tradewinds is pumping in some RM4 billion (US$1.2 billion) into the first project, Perdana Quay, and is targeting luxury travellers, reported Malaysian newspapers yesterday.

The project spans 10 to 12 years and will be built in six construction phases covering a total of 96 hectares of land. Phase one and two will include nature and family-oriented attractions such as butterfly, forest and water-themed adventure parks.

According to a recent report in Malaysian daily The Star, phase three will see the development of retail outlets, hotel and convention facilities aimed at Malaysia’s traditional tourist markets – China, Middle East and the UK.

The report further added that phase four and six will roll out the marina, waterfront, foothills and lakeside-serviced residences while phase five will see the construction of a spa and wellness centre.

Tradewinds’ group chief executive officer, Shaharul Farez Hassan, was quoted as saying: “It is a unique destination providing an enviable mix of luxurious resort hotels, vibrant yet refined shopping and entertainment, unique nature-themed tourist attractions and distinctive residential properties.”

Meanwhile Australia-based multi-national corporation, Sanderson Group, is making its inaugural investment in Malaysia to develop a Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS) which is scheduled for completion by end-2015.

Located on a 20.8-hectare site in Meru, off the North-south Expressway, the project is a partnership between Sanderson Group and Perak Corporation.

MAPS will feature six zones and will bring to life DreamWorks animated features such as Mr Peabody & Sherman and Casper the Friendly Ghost.

*This article originally reported that the new MAPS theme park would be located in Meru, Selangor instead of Meru, Perak. It has been rectified for accuracy. 

OKINAWA expects to handle more visitors with last month’s opening of a brand new international terminal at Naha Airport.

In response to increasing international traffic over the past years, the new four-storey terminal was constructed to be almost four times bigger than the previous one. Spanning 23,700m², it features 20 check-in counters, two F&B outlets, two souvenir shops and an observation deck on the top floor.

A spokesperson for the airport told TTG Asia e-Daily that the linking of the new building with the domestic terminal is being considered for construction depending on demand, the soonest being five years’ time.

Naha Airport has also commenced the construction of a second runway end-March, which is expected to complete in 2019.

Currently, the airport’s traffic from Asia is largely contributed by source markets Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and South Korea, which offer regular direct flights to Okinawa.

The Okinawan government is targeting to attract more visitors from other destinations in the region, such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

In the pipeline are plans to commence direct flights from Singapore, as part of the MoU signed on March 25 between Singapore Changi Airport and Okinawa Prefecture (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 26, 2014).

There were also plans to facilitate traffic flow from Malaysia, which are on hold now, according to Sen Tamaki, manager for overseas marketing at Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We had been in talks with Malaysia Airlines for the possibility of chartered services from Malaysia; unfortunately the discussion is now shelved due to the recent incident of the missing MH370 flight,” revealed Tamaki.

The airport infrastructure enhancement is a step towards expanding the international market, which is still a small source compared to the domestic market.

Tamaki said about 91 per cent of overall annual arrivals come from mainland Japan, out of which almost 50 per cent hail from Tokyo.

STARWOOD Hotels and Resorts Worldwide is bringing the Aloft brand into the Australian market for the first time, having signed a management agreement with BGC affiliate, BAAC, for Aloft Perth Rivervale.

Scheduled to open in late 2016, the 224-key hotel is situated in the suburb of Rivervale, located east of Perth’s central business district. It forms part of a riverfront commercial and residential precinct.

Matthew Fry, senior vice president, acquisitions & development, Asia-Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said: “Perth is undergoing a rapid transformation with the opening of restaurants, bars and retail outlets, and a US$750 million investment in its airport, all of which are creating a growing need for new, innovative and affordable accommodations.”

“Perth is a dynamic market, and this is the right time and destination for us to introduce the Aloft brand to Australia.”

The hotel will offer Aloft’s signature W XYZ Bar, grab-and-go Re:fuel F&B area, a full service restaurant, fitness centre, swimming pool with outdoor terrace area, 550m² of meeting space, additional rooftop function space and guest parking.

Aloft Perth Rivervale will also feature the brand’s Smart Check In initiative that allows guests to use their smartphones to check in to the hotel and open their guestroom door, bypassing the front desk.

The new property joins Starwood’s portfolio of 10 operating hotels across Australia and is the third Accor hotel in Perth, after Four Points by Sheraton Perth that opened in 2012 and The Westin Perth, due to open in early 2017.

UNIWORLD Boutique River Cruise Collection launched its latest luxury river cruise ship, theSS Catherine, following a christening ceremony last week.

The ship will offer extra capacity on Uniworld’s Burgundy and Provence and Grand France itineraries, according to Guy Young, president of Uniworld.

Featuring 80 staterooms, five suites and one Royal Presidential Suite, SS Catherine was designed by Beatrice Tollman, president and founder of Uniworld’s sister company, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, her daughter Toni Tollman, and Brian Brennan, projects director at Uniworld.

On-board facilities include a signature Bar du Leopard complete with cinema functions, a Van Gogh Lounge, Cezanne Restaurant, cozy bistro, coffee and tea bar, swimming pool, spa and fitness centre.

SS Catherine also boasts original commissioned and antique artwork.

INDONESIAN airport authority Angkasa Pura Airports is increasing airport taxes on domestic and international flights at five airports in the country with effect from tomorrow.

Otherwise known as passenger service charges (PSC), taxes at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Sepinggan International Airport in Balikpapan and Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport will increase from Rp40,000 (US$3.50) to Rp75,000 for domestic flights and Rp150,000 to Rp200,000 for international flights.

Lombok International Airport’s PSC will increase from Rp25,000 to Rp45,000 for domestic flights and Rp100,000 to Rp150,000 for international flights. At Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport fees will jump from Rp40,000 to Rp50,000 and Rp100,000 to Rp150,000 respectively.

The new charges will be effective April 1 except at the Bali airport, where the fee hike will be implemented on August 1.

Angkasa Pura Airports’ corporate secretary, Farid Indra Nugraha, said in an announcement: “The tariff adjustment is part of Angkasa Pura Airports’ efforts in maintaining quality of services to passengers and airport service customers. It is also (due) to the size of the investment in the development of expansion of airports, such as Ngurah Rai’s international terminal, the Terminal 2 of Juanda and the new terminal at Sepinggan, the development (of which) is meant to provide comfort, convenience, safety for customers.”

In the meantime, Garuda Indonesia and Citilink, which incorporate PSC in their ticket prices, have announced they have made adjustments accordingly.

Garuda vice president corporate communications, Pujobroto, said: “Garuda has made the adjustment (in the system) on March 28. Passengers who have bought their ticket for departure from these airports for departures April 1 onwards, and August 1 onwards for Bali, before March 28 will need to pay the balance when they check in.”

Most airlines in Indonesia do not incorporate airport tax in the tickets.