FROM end-March 2013, Air France will terminate direct thrice-weekly Paris-Phnom Penh services, which was launched in April 2011 with a transit stop in Ho Chi Minh City.

Said Air France-KLM’s general manager – Mekong, Herve Moulin: “Air France will maintain its presence in Cambodia with an office, continuing to service customers, trade and corporate clients. It will maintain Phnom Penh as a destination through its partnership with Bangkok Airways to codeshare connecting flights beyond Bangkok.”

Diethelm Travel (Cambodia)’s managing director, Pierre Jungo, said: “We are sorry to hear about the flight cancellation. Luckily, Qatar Airways is launching flights to Phnom Penh, and these flights will bring us more clients than Air France.”

Meanwhile, Myanmar Airways International’s (MAI) twice-weekly Yangon-Siem Reap-Phnom Penh-Yangon service, which was suspended since September 19, will be reinstated starting December 1, 2012. The triangular routing will be de-linked and MAI will operate twice-weekly Yangon-Phnom Penh and Yangon-Siem Reap services.

THE Philippines and Thailand have entered into an agreement to increase the number of flights between Manila and Bangkok, following talks in the Thai capital last week.

According to the Philippines’ Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), 1,480 seats will be added to the current 5,400 weekly seats connecting Manila and Bangkok, while both countries have given the green light to unlimited traffic rights between points outside the capital cities.

The additional seats translate to a daily flight to be divided between the country’s top carriers, Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific, both of which use smaller aircraft of up to 180-seat capacity on regional routes.

CAB records revealed that both carriers have yet to apply for routes outside Manila and Bangkok, but they are expected to take advantage of the regulations that will effectively open the Philippines’ secondary gateways to regional traffic.

Cebu Pacific, for instance, has expanded its regional hub outside of Manila as it continues to develop the gateways of Cebu and Iloilo in the Visayas and Davao in the south. Outside Manila, PAL’s hubs include Davao, Cebu and Bohol.

HOTELS looking to rid themselves of unsold rooms have a new option inCheckInTonight.asia, said to be South-east Asia’s first last-minute mobile hotel booking system.

Offering access to discounted hotels for same-day bookings, the mobile web application releases the three best hotel deals for each location – e.g. Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville – each day at 11.00. Users are then able to book and confirm their last-minute hotel directly from their smartphone or tablet. Only properties vetted byCheckInTonight.asia will be listed, and they are classified as boutique, classic or deluxe.

Currently available only for Cambodia properties, it will be expanded to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam by early 2013.

Mark Southby, managing director of CheckInTonight.asia, said: “We found that increasingly modern business travellers, tourists and even locals need to make short-term travel decisions. CheckInTonight.asia will now offer these travellers a quick and easy alternative to secure a last-minute room.”

“CheckInTonight.asia offers a great deal not only for travellers, but also for the hotels we work with,” Southby added. “For hotels, we are a marketplace to fill last-minute rooms that could otherwise remain empty. (The hoteliers) can decide themselves how much discount they want to offer in order to help sell their rooms for that night.”

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) is spreading its wings farther by adding its code to flights operated by Aegean Airlines to two cities in Greece and widening its agreement with Virgin Australia to cover more destinations in Australia.

The airline has inked a new pact to codeshare on its Star Alliance partner’s flights serving Athens from Frankfurt, London, Milan and Munich, and Thessaloniki from Frankfurt and Munich.

In return, Aegean will add its code to Singapore-bound flights out of Frankfurt, Milan and Munich, as well as beyond Singapore to Melbourne and Sydney. This will commence once the agreement receives regulatory approval.

SIA and Virgin have also expanded their codeshare agreement, which they entered into in 2011, with immediate effect.

SIA will place its code on all of Virgin’s domestic flights, covering 32 Australian cities, with plans to include flights between Australia and the New Zealand cities of Dunedin, Queenstown and Wellington in the future.

On its part, Virgin will codeshare with SIA on connections from Australia’s east coast to Europe and cities in Asia via the carrier’s Singapore hub, beginning 1Q2013. Virgin currently codeshares on SIA flights to Europe from Adelaide, Perth and Darwin.

Virgin’s customers will now have access to 64 destinations in Asia and 12 destinations in Europe on the SIA and SilkAir networks from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin.

FINNAIR and Malaysia Airlines (MAS) have established a new codeshare agreement, paving the way for more Scandinavian travellers to visit Kuala Lumpur.

Applicable for travel from December 1, selected MAS services between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong will carry the Finnair flight code. Likewise, MAS’ flight code will be used on selected Finnair services between Helsinki and London, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.

MAS senior vice president of government & international affairs, Germal Singh, said: “The arrangement with Finnair is part of our strategy to develop commercial cooperation with oneworld alliance members as we prepare towards becoming a full member of the alliance next year. This is also our initiative towards enhancing air connectivity with key priority markets overseas for increased tourist arrivals into Malaysia as required by our government’s Economic Transformation Programme.

“Through this partnership we can expand our reach in Europe without operating our own flights between Malaysia and the Scandinavian region.,,We are confident that more tourists from the Scandinavian region will use this codeshare and visit Malaysia.”

On February 1, 2013, MAS will join the oneworld alliance, of which Finnair is a member.

To promote these codeshare services, MAS is offering all-inclusive return fares starting from RM4,396 (US$1,438) for economy class and RM13,363 for business class.

HILTON Worldwide has launched the 250-key DoubleTree Resort by Hilton – Surin Beach in Phuket, marking the brand’s inaugural property in Thailand.

Formerly the Courtyard by Marriott, the rebranded, four-storey DoubleTree by Hilton resort features over 80 suites and three F&B outlets including Asia Alive, an all-day dining restaurant; The Boardwalk, a pool bar serving snacks; and a F&B retail outlet, The Food Store. There are four meetings rooms as well as a business centre, a fitness club, outdoor lagoon-style pools, water slides and a kids club.

“Thailand is a key focus market for us due to its enormous potential for growth and as we continue to expand our footprint here, the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton – Surin Beach marks the entry of one of our fastest growing brands, DoubleTree by Hilton, into Thailand,” said Martin Rinck, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide.

Hilton Worldwide currently manages six properties in Thailand – Conrad Bangkok, Millennium Hilton Bangkok, Hilton Pattaya, Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, Hilton Hua Hin Resort and Spa and Conrad Koh Samui – and is set to open Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok and DoubleTree by Hilton, Sukhumvit Bangkok in 2013.

RESORTS World Sentosa announced today that SEA Aquarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark ­­– the two attractions of the Marine Life Park – will welcome guests from November 22, as the integrated resort gears up for its grand opening on December 7.

 Said to be the world’s largest aquarium, SEA Aquarium comprises 10 different zones with 49 habitats, allowing encounters with manta rays, hammerhead sharks, bottlenose dolphins and other marine creatures. It is home to some 100,000 marine animals of over 800 species.

The oceanarium’s centrepiece is the Open Ocean habitat, whose viewing panel gives visitors the feeling of being on an ocean floor. It is flanked by a panoramic viewing area and a seafood restaurant operating on sustainability principles. Opposite the habitat are 11 Ocean Suites, offering guests a unique accommodation experience.

The Adventure Cove Waterpark, on the other hand, targets thrill seekers with its six water slides, a wave pool and a 620m lazy river. Incorporating marine life experiences, guests will have the opportunity to snorkel among fish, feed rays and interact with sharks and dolphins, which will be introduced next year.

Daily admissions to SEA Aquarium are priced at S$29 (US$23) for adults, S$20 for children and S$20 for senior citizens. One-day admission fees to Adventure Cove Waterpark are priced similarly. As not all attractions are ready for viewing yet, ticket prices will be partially rebated by a $5 meal voucher.

Opening hours for both attractions are 10.00-18.00 from now until December 7, and the SEA Aquarium will close at 19.00 from December 8.