Air Berlin crisis

Potential oneworld partner, loss making Air Berlin, seems to be in some sort of crisis with the resignation last week of founder Joachim Hunold and the announcement of an eight aircraft reduction of it fleet.  Staff will be reduced too.

The move of its London to Hannover route from Stansted to Gatwick has not proved the outstanding success first predicted, easyJet and British Airways providing stiff competition.  That has definitely gone.  The Gatwick service to Nuremburg seems to have survived the cull although Air Berlin was not able to confirm details of the ex-UK operation at the time of going to press.  Manchester is definitely dropped with the loss of Paderborn flights.

Indications are that the introduction of a German airline tax and a general downgrading of the economy has not helped the airline.  Egypt was an important market for Air Berlin and this has been decimated.  Whether the 2012 oneworld relationship is still on course remains to be seen, likewise the British Airways route sharing arrangement. www.airberlin.com

Index/Home page
 

Chongqing gets Qatar flights

Best known as the launch city for Yangtze River cruises through the Three Gorges Dam, Chongqing is to be served three times per week by Qatar Airways from its hub at Doha.  The flights will be operated by two-class Airbus A330 aircraft featuring a Business and Economy layout.  Chongqing is the fifth Chinese destination for Qatar Airways taking the carrier’s capacity to the People’s Republic up to 28 flights a week.

Chongqing is a major manufacturing centre and a key transportation hub located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, a vitally important shipping waterway in China.  With Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, it is also one of only four municipalities in China that report directly to the national government.

Main local industries in Chongqing are consumer goods and the processing of food, automobiles, chemicals, textiles and machinery.  The city is the largest in China for the production of motorcycles and third biggest for motor vehicles. www.qatarairways.com

Index/Home page
 

Falko has arrived

The name Falko will probably mean nothing to the vast majority of readers, and will not for the future, but it is the sole surviving part of the once mighty British commercial aircraft industry. 

Falko is essentially an aircraft asset management company based on the old de Havilland site at Hatfield, offering, initially at least, a portfolio of 103 jets and 40 turboprops, the majority previously BAe aircraft. 

The business is now owned by Fortress Investment Group of New York which at the end of June 2011 had US$43.8bn under management.

“Our acquisition of the BAE Systems Asset Management business with the backing of the Fortress Investment Group of New York, will unleash the potential of a talented, experienced and ambitious team who will now focus on building a future rather than dealing with a legacy,” said Jeremy Barnes, Chief Executive Officer of the new company.  Mr Barnes was with Obis Capital, a specialist aerospace boutique company which he created in 2001.  He started his finance career with Citibank before joining the then BAe in 1993, and became Head of Corporate Finance before moving to XL Capital.

He added: “We have the support of a very powerful financial backer that has made a considerable investment in the business and is looking to deploy more capital to support and grow the business.  We are now free of past constraints and have greater scope to be entrepreneurial.” www.falko.com

Index/Home page
 

Grand Hyatt Goa opens

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced the opening of Grand Hyatt Goa on India’s west coast.  Grand Hyatt Goa joins Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa, located in south Goa, one of India’s top resort destinations. 

Located on the calm and inviting waters of Bambolim Bay, this enchanting destination resort and spa is situated just over four miles (7kms) from the capital city of Panaji and is located 20mins from the airport by car.  A contemporary resort, it is built in the architectural style of a 17th century Indo-Portuguese palace.

Spread across 28 acres of lush tropical gardens and rolling green lawns, the hotel has 314 guestrooms and suites, including a Royal Villa, seven restaurants and bars, an extensive outdoor pool complex, and an indoor swimming pool.  Shamana Spa at Grand Hyatt Goa is a destination spa with 19 treatment suites offering Thai, Balinese and Indian treatments in serene and luxurious facilities spread across 34,000sq ft (3,200sq m).  Grand in scale and design, the resort also offers the largest banquet space in Goa with state-of-the-art meeting and business facilities. www.hyatt.com

Index/Home page
 

Luxury Travel Fair for London

Olympia, London, will again host the Luxury Travel Fair from Thursday, 3 November to Sunday, 6 November 2011.  Now in its 6th year, it is the only event of its kind in the UK aimed at discerning travellers either considering quality business hotels or up market holidays.

In association with Condé Nast Traveller, the Fair plays host to over 100 hotels, travel companies and destinations from around the world, making sure that visitors will be able to enjoy unique, unusual and unforgettable travel experiences.

This year there are more than 30 new exhibitors taking part for the first time, including the new Siam KempinskiHotel in Bangkok; Vil Llein Italia showing its range of luxury holiday villas; the Mallorca Tourist Board and Quintessentially Travel, who offer tailor-made personalised hotel experiences.

Regular exhibitors once again appearing include Abercrombie & Kent, The Oxford Ski Company and ITC Classics, as well as tour operators, Into Japan, Okavango Tours & Safaris, Viking River Cruises and Mundy Cruising.

Visitors will enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the beautifully designed Fair, where they can enjoy champagne and cocktails in the luxury Lotus Bar in the heart of the Fair and try some of caterer Mosimann's delicious salads and platters.  They can also attend a wide range of celebrity talks in the extremely popular ‘Meet the Experts Theatre’.

Taking place at the same time is the Spirit of Christmas Fair and combined tickets are available. www.luxurytravelfair.com

Index/Home page
 

T3 lounge at Heathrow

Terminal 3 at Heathrow has a new airside lounge which boasts a spa, game rooms, à la carte dining and even sleeping facilities.  The facility has been put together by the London-based company, No. 1 Traveller, which already has lounges at Gatwick and Stansted airports.  It is located on the former Japan Airlines lounge site, situated above Gate 11 with panoramic views of the runway.

Entry costs £30 on the door per adult, and £25 if booked in advance online.  There are discount rates available for 2-11 year-olds, and toddlers (under two years) can enter for free.  The price includes a selection of hot and cold food, coffee, juice, wine and beer.  You can also enjoy the use of a mini-cinema, family room, relaxation areas and wi-fi.

The “Fun areas” for children are surrounded by soundproof glass walls, ensuring that any noise from these areas will not disturb other passengers.

At the end of the lounge there is a travel spa service which offers massage, nail and hair dressing treatments which are individually priced.

Those looking to get a quick nap will have to wait until September when the 12 room facility is due to open. www.no1lounges.com

Index/Home page
 

World airlines statistics package

Air Transport World, the much respected and long established US monthly magazine, has published its July issue, World Airline Report, in electronic format using Excel for the basic file.  The entire report is available at the point of purchase from the ATWOnline store as a download or can be delivered by email as a ZIP file.

The statistics package features data on 350+ airlines, plus world airline traffic for the last full year and financial results.   Airline rankings are given and details of fleets and summaries.

If you prefer a ‘hard copy’ magazine, the July issue features the world’s top 25 airlines, the leading budget carriers, an alliance revue, details of the highest rated 50 airports and all the fleet and airline data noted for the electronic version.  There is also an annual review of the 130 leading airlines. http://atwonline.com

Index/Home page
 

AERBT winner takes flight at Coventry

John Baker, winner of the AERBT Christmas quiz, has been welcomed to AIRBASE at Coventry Airport where he and his wife were able to fly in an Air Atlantique de Havilland Dragon Rapide on a sightseeing flight over Leamington, Warwick Castle and the Sir Frank Whittle memorial. 

He was joined by Flight Lieutenant Steve Stevens DFC, now 89, but back in 1939 turned down by the Royal Air Force for being too young.  After his own house was bombed he vowed to become a Lancaster pilot joining 617 Squadron in 1943.  A veteran of the Berlin Air Lift he finally retired from the RAF Voluntary Reserve in 1971.  As an author he has written Beaufighter Over the Balkans and Early Wings over Africa for the First Mission Fellowship.

Steve Stevens first flew a Rapide 59 years ago remarking this time that the engines from the passenger seats were very noisy.  “You never heard the racket when sitting up front,” he said. www.classicflight.com/airbase

Index/Home page
 

British Airways cabin crew are using the latest iPad

Cabin staff with British Airways are using the latest iPad model to bring a new dimension to customer service in the air.

The iPads enable cabin crew to have prior awareness of customer preferences and a greater understanding of each customer’s previous travel arrangements, allowing them to offer a truly bespoke, personalised service.

The iPad lets crew quickly identify where each customer is seated, who they are travelling with, their Executive Club status and any special meal requests.  It gives cabin crew a whole library of information at their fingertips including timetables, safety manuals and customer service updates.  It also means any issues can be logged with ground-based colleagues around the network prior to departure so solutions can be delivered while the flight is airborne.

When all the passengers have boarded and just before the doors are shut, cabin crew are currently handed a long scroll of paper, listing up to 337 customers.  With the new iPads cabin crew will simply refresh their screen when the doors have closed through wireless 3G networks and they will have a complete list of passengers on board.

The iPad is currently being trialled by around 100 cabin crew. www.ba.com

Index/Home page
 

Emotional health. That’s the way forward says Virgin

Virgin Atlantic is introducing an emotional health warning on films that have potential to be the biggest tearjerkers on board.  ‘Water for Elephants’ and ‘Just Go With It!’ will be the first movies to carry the new warning sign that will flash up before they start to advise passengers to have tissues at the ready and to press the call button for a shoulder to cry on.

In a recent survey Virgin found over half of respondents (55%) agreed their emotions become heightened when on a flight and 41% of men said they hid under blankets to hide their tears.  Meanwhile women said they were most likely to hide their tears by pretending they had something in their eye.  Virgin does not appear to have surveyed their cabin staff who might have other ideas regarding dealing with emotive passengers.

Corinne Sweet, Psychologist, said: “It is not surprising that high flyers feel emotional at altitude as their defences are lower than usual, as they put themselves in someone else’s safe hands.  The space created by long haul flying can allow for deep-seated feelings to surface, especially when triggered by tear-jerking films.  Heightened feelings in the rarefied atmosphere of an aircraft should be welcomed, not feared.” www.virginatlantic.com

Index/Home page
 

Goodwood Revival

With just one month to go, Goodwood has confirmed an impressive line-up of over 70 star drivers and riders attending the 2011 Revival (16-18 September).

Touring Car talent will be campaigning hard in 1960s saloons in the St Mary’s Trophy race, including DTM star (and eight-time Le Mans winner) Tom Kristensen, four-time World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, and BTCC legends John Cleland, Anthony Reid, Paul Radisich, Darren Tuner, Alec Poole, Tony Dron and Patrick Watts. 

These tip top racers will be joined by Scandinavian rallying greats Stig Blomqvist and Rauno Aaltonen, plus ex-Grand Prix stars Martin Brundle, Emanuele Pirro, Jochen Mass, Derek Bell, Richard Attwood, Tiff Needell, Desire Wilson, Brian Redman, Jackie Oliver, Vern Schuppan and Arturo Merzario, who are all sure to entertain the Revival spectators.

One highlight is expected to be the Fordwater Trophy, which this year is being held exclusively for competition Jaguar E-types as this iconic British sportscar celebrates its half-century.  Fashion is also part of the Goodwood extravaganza, visitors encouraged to wear the clothes from its famous past, the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.  Plenty of ‘off the track’ activities add to the real value of the event. www.goodwood.co.uk

Index/Home page
 

Holiday Inn wins Southend Airport contract

The brand new 4-star hotel located at Southend Airport is to be a Holiday Inn.  Building work has started on the £10m project sited on land adjacent to the Harp House Roundabout.  The striking 129-room property will be completed in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  Also on offer is a variety of conference and banqueting facilities, plus a choice of meeting rooms.

In a first for Holiday Inn in the UK, the five-storey hotel will also have a fully sound-proofed rooftop bar and restaurant.  It will be able to seat over 100 customers, as they gaze out at the spectacular panoramic views of the airport and surrounding area.

Already complete is a new control tower and the airport’s railway station.  Under construction the airport’s innovative terminal building will open before the end of the year and also under way is a runway extension.  In March 2011, Aer Arann introduced twice daily return flights to Galway and Waterford, and easyJet will commence 70 departures each week to Amsterdam, Alicante, Barcelona, Belfast, Faro, Ibiza, Malaga and Mallorca from April 2012. www.southendairport.com

Index/Home page
 

Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel, Warsaw

Warsaw is to shortly gain a second Radisson Blu.  Previously the Jan III Sobieski Hotel, it was designed and built in 1992 by an Austrian-Polish team, and was named after one of Europe’s greatest monarchs.  The Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel featuring 435 rooms is scheduled to be re-branded in Q3 2011.

The location of the hotel, in the southern part of Warsaw’s central business district, is a perfect complement to Rezidor’s existing Radisson Blu in Warsaw, which is roughly 4km north.  Warsaw’s Fryderyk Chopin Airport is 7km away, and the city’s main railway station 1km. With a prominent corner location on a major thoroughfare, the building enjoys excellent visibility and is already a local landmark.

Upon completion of the renovation in 2015, the Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel will comprise 467 guestrooms with Radisson Blu signature services including free high-speed internet access, and will offer two restaurants, a lounge, a wellness area with Jacuzzis, sauna and gym, one of the largest conference centres in Warsaw (1,400sq m), and retail outlets. www.radissonblu.com

Index/Home page
 

US security measures

Boston (Logan) Airport has been chosen by the US Transport Security Administration (TSA) for a new security development.  Essentially copying a security system developed by the Israelis over the years it will be on trail for 60 days.  Called ‘chat downs’ all passengers are being asked a series of questions by a Behaviour Detection Officer (BDO) as they have their identification verified at a checkpoint.

The type of interview has proved to be remarkably effective not only at Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv but also at outstations where the Israelis have been allowed to position staff.  In essence it involves a brief conversation with a specially trained agent taught to notice unsatisfactory physical cues or answers to questions during the dialogue. 

According to the TSA, the analysis helps to determine if a passenger should go through additional screening at the security checkpoint and identifies “potentially high-risk travellers.”

However, looking nervous and averting eye contact are not considered to be giveaway signs, says the TSA, who are reticent on giving away details of the project.

Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson, a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, tried to halt the implementation of the trial saying it lacked “scientific validation”. www.tsa.gov

Index/Home page
 

AND FINALLY: Flights for non-flyers

Non-flyers do read AERBT, and plenty of aficionados have friends who are nervous of getting into the air, courtesy of the Wright Brothers’ engineering (and others).

The mention of AIRBASE in this issue reminded us that the Coventry Airport operation does offer taxi rides in a flyable Douglas DC3 aircraft.  You can get on board, hear the commands of the cabin crew, and sit completely relaxed as the aircraft rushes down the runway but does not actually get airborne.  Even the tail wheel lifts, but you have not flown!

Grounded by EU regulations for passenger flights, it is rumoured that Air Atlantique's DC3s (known in the RAF as the Dakota) could make a spectacular return to the pleasure flying circus next year courtesy of the CAA. 

www.classicflight.com/airbase

Index/Home page