A PAKSE-bound Lao Airlines flight crashed into the Mekong River yesterday afternoon in a tragic accident that is believed to have killed all 49 on board.

According to the aircraft maker in a press release, an ATR 72-600 flying from Vientiane was involved in an accident at around 16.00 (local time) near Pakse, Champasak province.

The ATR 72-600 is a twin turboprop engine aircraft with capacity for 68 to 74 passengers.

Although circumstances surrounding the incident have yet to be determined, Lao Airlines sources said that “the aircraft ran into extreme bad weather conditions” and that “there were no news of survivors at this time”.

A passenger manifest the state-owned airline faxed AP listed 44 people: 17 Lao, seven French, five Australians, five Thais, three South Koreans, two Vietnamese and one person each from Canada, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and the US.

The five crew members on board are also believed dead.

The airline has pledged to provide full assistance into the investigation, which will be led by Lao authorities.

“The concern and sympathy of ATR go to the families, friends and loved ones affected by the accident,” said a statement from ATR.

INDIA is set to extend the validity of business visas and scrap its two-month re-entry prohibition for Chinese travellers, the first time the country is revising its visa laws for China in a decade.

The Indian cabinet is expected to clear these proposals before the week is out, clearing the way for prime minister Manmohan Singh’s signing of a memorandum of understanding with Chinese authorities during his trip to Beijing next week.

Notifications from the Ministry of Home Affairs say that the validity period of multiple-entry business visas will be extended to one year from the current six months. India will also remove the rule barring Chinese visitors from returning within two months of the last visit.

Furthermore, the cabinet is likely to mandate that all conference, project and employment visa applications must be processed within 30 days. Currently, India’s authorities are given an indefinite timeline as they have to seek approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs before issuing visas, a task that takes months.

Commenting on the need to ease visa rules, Niu Qingbao, consul general of China in Mumbai, said: “There are numerous avenues for collaboration. India is an established player in the IT arena. Besides, it has made rapid strides in medical education and healthcare sectors. So, both countries should find ways to join hands.”

Sonal Swamy, director of Mumbai-based Syrisa Travels, said: “China and India are the two biggest markets for business and tourism, and any move to complement each other’s interface is likely to benefit not just the two countries bilaterally but also have spillover benefits for neighbouring countries in Asia.

“We expect a surge in Chinese inbound to India and as more business is facilitated, the number of business travellers and tourists will automatically grow.”

News of India’s intentions follows announcements by the UK earlier this week that it would streamline visa processes for Chinese travellers to increase arrivals (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 16, 2013).

IATA director general Tony Tyler has come out to explain the factors behind the aviation association’s revised projection for the industry this year, attributing the downward adjustment to­ high oil prices, a weak global economy, poor cargo performance and consolidation.

Previously set at US$12.7 billion in June, IATA is now anticipating US$11.7 billion in profit for this year (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 24, 2013).

During a media roundtable held yesterday in Singapore, Tyler said: “Running an airline is tough. And it would not take much in terms of a new tax, increased charge or change in the economic environment to significantly impact the bottom line.

“We expect some (oil) price relief in 2014…with a slight decline to US$105 per barrel from US$109 this year. But let’s remember that in 2004, oil was US$38.20 per barrel.”

According to Tyler, airlines will make a loss as long as global GDP growth is under two per cent. However, he noted: “This year we will see a decoupling of that relationship with airlines delivering a small profit with gross domestic product growth expected to be exactly two per cent.”

Tyler highlighted that Asia-Pacific airlines – while stronger than their European counterparts – “are not having an easy time”. He forecasted Asia-Pacific would earn US$3.6 billion in 2014 due to the continued strength of the domestic Chinese market and benefits of restructuring in Japan, but cautioned that India remained plagued by “high operating costs and infrastructure issues”.

Earlier last week, IATA also welcomed the historic agreement by member states of the ICAO to establish a global framework to curb the industry’s carbon emissions (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 7, 2013).

However, the European Commission has since published new proposals to extend the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to all flights within EU airspace. This would apply from January 1, 2014 until the planned global market-based measure kicks in.

Andrew Herdman, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, said in response: “The inclusion of international airlines without the consent of their respective governments is likely to meet with strong opposition, particularly from major developing countries…We cannot afford to jeopardise the good progress that has been made in reaching a consensus on the development of a global market-based measure to be implemented by 2020. That’s where our collective efforts should be focused.”

PATA will launch the pilot PATAcademy at the end of this year as part of efforts to develop human capital.

The first edition will run from December 11 to 14 at the PATA Engagement Hub in Bangkok, and mixes classroom interaction with leading practitioners such as Sukhumbhand Paripatra, governor of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and field visits to see best practices in action in and around Bangkok.

PATAcademy is expected to draw between 15 and 20 promising individuals with typically five years’ work experience.

Martin Craigs, CEO of PATA, said the course would give participants a full understanding of the association’s Complete Visitor Economy and “supports the urgent humanware needs of a travel industry that is too often limited by ‘silo’ mentality and fragmented advocacy”.

“The PATAcademy is not in competition with any existing full- or part-time academic courses. It is designed to complement the many offerings of PATA educational institution members,” he said.

Given that the travel industry often suffers labour skills and leadership shortages, “embracing a clear and focused campaign for human capital development addresses core needs of our members”, added Craigs.

BUDGET carrier Scoot has unveiled a third Australian service to its 13^th destination, Perth.

From December 19, Scoot will launch five-times-weekly flights between Singapore and Perth, operated with a Boeing 777-200.

Perth-bound flights depart at 12.50 and land at 18.20, while return flights leave Perth Airport at 19.30 to touch down in Singapore at 00.45 the next day.

The airline has rolled out promotional fares to mark the launch of the new flight, with S$88 (US$71) one-way tickets to Perth, inclusive of taxes. Booking is now available for this special promotion.

SWISS-BELHOTEL International will establish a presence in the Philippines with a new deal to manage a 426-room hotel in the capital.

Slated for a 2016 opening, the country’s first Swiss-Belhotel property will be located in Quezon City’s mixed development in North Triangle, a prime area that will become the next central business district and hub of all commercial activities in Metro Manila.

Commercial establishments, government institutions, hospitals and medical facilities as well as universities can be found in the immediate vicinity, and the hotel will be accessible from the main thoroughfare of EDSA and at least three MRT stations.

Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily, Gavin M Faull, chairman and president of Swiss-Belhotel International, said: “Swiss-Belhotel Quezon City will target business travellers, the government sector, and the meetings and incentives market as its location is well-suited to this business segment.”

Other hotel facilities will include eight multi-function rooms, a grand ballroom for up to 1,000 delegates, three executive club floors and a lounge as well as one floor dedicated to spa suites, a fitness centre and several restaurants.

The Hong Kong-based hotel operator relinquished management of The Linden Suites serviced residence in Ortigas to the property’s owners in 2011. Swiss-Belhotel is now “in the middle of negotiations with properties in Manila and Makati, which we hope to close as soon as possible”, revealed Faull.

Faull disclosed: “We are looking at growing our hospitality portfolio in the Philippines across all of our brands, which range from two-star to five-star, to complement the existing hotels we have in operation as well as those in the development pipeline that currently number 120 across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

“We have built a strong presence in Indonesia and will have 60 hotels operating in that market by the end of 2014, so we are certainly keen to bring our expertise and professionalism to the Philippines, which offers many opportunities, and build a presence of equal stature.”

SOFITEL Luxury Hotels will launch two new hotels in India by 2016 – Sofitel Mulund and Sofitel So Mumbai Mulund ­– after strong performance seen at Sofitel Mumbai BKC, the only Sofitel property in the country at the moment.

“Mulund is one of Mumbai’s first planned suburbs, and has become a testament today to India’s growing middle class and its aspirational style of living. We plan to cash in on this untouched location and make our mark as a unique luxury hotel,” said Markland Blaiklock, senior vice president, Sofitel Asia Pacific.”

The openings will also mark Sofitel So’s debut in India.

Speaking about India’s market potential, Blaiklock said: “There’s a good reason why foreign brands are tapping the Indian luxury market. Many Indians are now entering the ranks of the wealthy and developing a taste for luxury, in both the leisure and business segments. We are extremely positive about the growth of both segments in the Indian market.

Sofitel also hopes to be present in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Goa.

Blaiklock said that Sofitel’s flagship property in Mumbai had seen “phenomenal” response and “robust occupancy” a year after it opened. The hotel mainly caters to the business travellers due to its location in the Bandra Kurla Complex.

“Our restaurants and bars have become city landmarks,” said Blaiklock.

During a regional event at Sofitel Mumbai KBC recently, he outlined two high-priority brand objectives moving towards 2015: to increase brand value by pursuing targeted developments in key capital cities and major tourist destinations in the region, and to expand the brand portfolio to 150 hotels globally.