AVIATION

SriLankan focuses on Business Class

SriLankan Airlines is focusing on enhancing the luxuries enjoyed by high-end passengers as demand for its Business Class cabins intensifies.

SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe, said: “Sri Lanka is being positioned as a destination of choice among global tourists and SriLankan Airlines is attracting many more passengers who prefer to pay the premium rate for the luxury of Business Class. We are therefore increasing our focus on Business Class to provide our passengers with the best value for money.” The Government is implementing a policy of attracting high end tourists, and recently raised minimum rates among certain categories of hotels.

The airline is about to transform and enlarge the Business Class cabins in its A330 and A340 wide-body aircraft. The upgrading of comforts includes the installation of Flat Bed Seating and the most sophisticated Audio-Video-On-Demand (AVOD) entertainment systems. By the end of 2011, each A330 will have 18 Business Class seats, and each A340 will have 24.

“While we are also adding value to our Economy Class cabins, the demand for Business Class will mean that some of the privileges enjoyed by Economy Class passengers in terms of involuntary upgrading will be suspended. All airlines earn a significant amount of revenue from their Business Class cabins, and some devote as much as 40% of their seating to Business Class,” Wickremasinghe said.

Cathay Pacific CSR initiative

Cathay Pacific Airways is committed to investing in the long term development of the communities in which we serve. They engage in a range of voluntary activities centred around aviation, education, health and the environment both in Hong Kong and around the world.

By providing opportunities for employees to volunteer in a range of projects, they motivate and encourage to make a difference.

Cathay Pacific has conducted numerous CSR initiatives in Sri Lanka since they started operations 18 years ago.

The local focus has mainly been towards improving the lives of future generations and to help them fly higher in life.

The most recent CSR project was completed in July 2011 at the Parakrama Boys home in Ragama, which provides refuge for 35 disadvantaged children.

The staff of the Colombo office volunteered to devote their Poya day holiday to spending time upgrading the facilities and decorating the home. The one day project included the colour washing of two large dormitories and fixing furniture and fittings.

The newly renovated dormitories were returned with a refreshed look and feel. The Cathay Pacific team hosted a tea party for the children to celebrate the refurbishment.

As a form of appreciation the team was treated to a display of songs beautifully sung and a few performances by the children, which truly made the day.

Emirates opens new office in Colombo

Emirates, has opened a new city office in Colombo, in a further demonstration of its commitment to the destination.

The new Emirates office on the seventh floor of Hemas House, Colombo 2, brings together the passenger and cargo offices of the airline, which were previously located on the ninth and fifth floors of the same building, for the greater convenience of customers.

The opening of the new office took place by the UAE Ambassador in Sri Lanka Mahmood Al Mahmood, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (West Asia and Indian Ocean) Majid Al Mualla and Hemas Holdings CEO Hussein Esufally who represented Forbes Air Services, the Emirates General Sales Agent (GSA) in Colombo. Speaking at the ceremony, Al Mualla noted that Emirates launched services to Colombo in April 1986, and has served Sri Lanka continuously, for the past 25 years.

“We are committed to this market and to support the growth of tourism and the country’s dynamic export sector,” he said.

“The refurbishment and relocation of our city office in Colombo is also a symbolic expression of our commitment to the destination.” Emirates currently operates 28 services a week to Sri Lanka.

Amex internet payment gateway with Classic Travels

American Express credit card recently partnered with Classic Travels to enable online payments using American Express Credit cards for all purchases done on the Classic Travels website www.classictravel.lk

Priyantha Talwatte, commenting on the partnership stated “American Express Credit Cards is delighted to partner with Classic Travels to facilitate speedy and convenient travel planning to our travel savvy cardmembers by enabling online transactions at Classic Travels using their American Express Card.”

Classic Travels Chief Executive Officer Suresh Mendis commenting on the launch of the Internet Payment Gateway stated, “We are indeed honored to be partnering with American Express to facilitate our online payment gateway. It is a great opportunity for us to enhance our services to our customers where they could make payments 24/7 using their American express cards through our Classic Travel website.”

Classic Travels is a member of the Expo Lanka Group of companies and is renowned as a “one stop travel shop” providing a wide array of travel related services such as airline ticketing and reservations, worldwide hotel reservations, assistance in handling visas, travel insurance, foreign exchange services and worldwide cruise packages. Currently American Express credit cardmembers have the convenience of using their credit card for online payments at 39 merchant websites including the latest addition; Classic Travels.