Aviation

School vacation package from Cathay Pacific

With school vacations, Cathay Pacific Airways offers holiday packages to Bangkok. Cathay Pacific's special Bangkok holiday package includes return air ticket, hotel accommodation for two nights with breakfast, return airport transfers and a tour of Bangkok's breathtaking temples. The package also offers a discount voucher at King Power Duty Free Shop.

There is a good range of budget to 5 star hotels to choose from and an extend can be done holiday at a nominal rate for each extra night you stay.

Upgrading to Cathay Pacific's award winning Business Class is also available. Reservations and ticketing are now open and travel period ends on 30 September.

Ms. Ruhan Abbas, Sales and Marketing Manager for Cathay Pacific Airways Colombo said, that they delighted to offer a great opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable holiday with this exciting package timed for the school vacation.

"It is specially designed to provide young families a great chance to experience the sights and sounds of Bangkok while relaxing together," she said.

Launching special packages:

Best Air from today

Favorite Group, the General Sales Agent for the Best Air Bangladesh which will be launching direct flights to Colombo from tomorrow are looking at launching special packages.

“We are now talking to banks and trying to introduce an interest free easy payment scheme,” said CEO, Aviation and Aerospace Favorite Group, Denham Schokman.

He said there is lot tourism potential to Bangladesh as the hotels are economical. “We are looking at tapping this potential in addition to the business, and student traffic,” he said.

The frequency too is designed in such a way flights operate on Fridays and Mondays (via Male) which makes it possible to travel for the week end.

He said though they only offer economy class they are not a budget airline. Best Aviation started operations in 1999 as a helicopter operator, pioneering this service in Bangladesh and today the airlines fly to Kolkata, Jaipur, Bangkok and Kunming.

He said they are also offering the lowest fare to the Maldives. “Once again passengers can use Best Air if they want to have a holiday in the Maldives as well,” he said.

In an interview with ‘Daily News Business’ Chairman Best Aviation Ltd., M. Haider Uzzaman said the cargo potential is another area they would focus on.

Emirates unveils London’s newest landmark

Emirates Airline has unveiled a new landmark for London, a giant model of an Airbus A380 at the gateway to Heathrow Airport.

The 45-tonne world record contender was unveiled at the Emirates Roundabout by the airline’s President Tim Clark.

The completion of the giant A380 replica is the culmination of an ambitious 18-month project to place the Dubai-based carrier at the gateway to the world’s busiest international airport, and at one of the most prestigious advertising sites in the UK.

Tim Clark said: “The gateway to the world’s busiest international airport is a fitting home for Emirates. We expect this landmark site to become an icon for both Heathrow and Emirates. While the previous Concorde model represented the past, our A380 represents the future - and it is a future of cleaner, quieter aircraft.”

Clark added: “People will be seeing the Emirates A380 at Heathrow for real from December 1st, and in the near future, Emirates will be the largest operator of A380s at this airport. In the meantime, our model is a taste of things to come - eye-catching, stylish and innovative.”

Duncan Garrood, Commercial Director of BAA, which owns the site, said: “The Emirates Roundabout at Heathrow is one of the most high-profile advertising sites in the UK. Over 55,000 vehicles a day and approximately 25 million passengers a year, pass this site. BAA are absolutely delighted to be working with one of our key business partners, Emirates, to produce a model of what we believe, is one of the most iconic images of 21st century air travel, the A380.” Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers, John Leahy, was on hand to see the model unveiled. He said: “It is fitting that the world’s largest commercial aircraft is replicated by what we believe is the world’s biggest aircraft model at the world’s busiest international airport. The A380 cements Airbus’ reputation for innovation and cutting edge technology, allowing the world’s premier airlines like Emirates to do more with less: more passengers with less fuel, more comfort with less noise, and more travel with less environmental impact.”

The one third-scale model was flown in ten component parts to Heathrow on July 5. Since then, specialist teams have been working around the clock to launch Emirates’ “first” A380.

The replica was built by US-based Penwal at its manufacturing base in California over a six month period, using plans provided by the A380’s manufacturer, Airbus in Toulouse. It was then transported by giant truck to Ontario Airport in Los Angeles where it was flown to Heathrow aboard a massive Antonov cargo plane, organised by the Emirates SkyCargo team.

A special mechanical ramp was flown into London from Germany to offload the plane as it was too heavy for the Antonov’s winch crane. The wing section of the plane required a police escort as it was driven from Heathrow to the roundabout site.

The world’s leading aviation museum, The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, has stated it is the largest known aircraft model in existence. A world record submission is currently with Guinness World Records.

Emirates currently flies to 101 cities in 61 countries across six continents. The Emirates’ network is continuing to expand and in addition to services to Cape Town, Guangzhou, and Calicut which launched earlier this year, Los Angeles and San Francisco will start later in 2008.