AVIATION

Etihad Airways postpones flights to Addis Ababa

Etihad Airways confirmed that the airline had been forced to postpone the launch of its flights to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, after the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority rejected the airline’s application for the required operating permit. This is despite the existence of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concluded by the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of Abu Dhabi in June 2007.

Based on this agreement, Ethiopian Airlines commenced scheduled passenger flights to Abu Dhabi in July 2008, suspending the service twelve months later.

The national airline of the United Arab Emirates five times per week service was scheduled to commence on November.

Over a period of six months, the UAE Government has held several meetings to resolve this situation, with the final meeting in Addis Ababa ending in failure last week.

Unfortunately, due to lack of any positive outcome Etihad Airways has had no alternative but to postpone the launch of flights between Addis Ababa and Abu Dhabi until further notice.

The airline said: “The actions of the Ethiopian CAA ignore the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between Abu Dhabi and Ethiopia. They are also very much against the best interests of consumers, who are being denied the opportunity to experience Etihad Airways’ award-winning service. “We will continue to push for terms of the MoU to be honoured. In the meantime, we deeply regret any inconvenience caused to our customers and business partners by this delay.”

Emirates expands ‘Cash + Miles’ offer in Colombo

Emirates’ sensational ‘Cash + Miles’ offer in Sri Lanka has been extended and expanded with more destinations in response to popular demand, the award-winning airline announced this week.

Valid for Sri Lanka-resident members of Skywards, the frequent flyer programme of Emirates, the offer now enables travellers to save on fares to nine popular destinations -- triple that of the original offer -- by paying part of the fare with accumulated Skywards Miles. Extended for bookings made between October 25 and November 30, on all three classes of travel, this exciting offer is applicable for outward bound travel before December 10, to London (Heathrow), Dubai, Frankfurt, Milan, Rome, Venice, Paris, Singapore and Malé. All existing members of Skywards or passengers who become members of the programme before November 30 are eligible to purchase tickets under this offer.

Air Seychelles to fly Hong Kong

Air Seychelles announced it would introduce services to Hong Kong in February 2013, subject to regulatory approvals, following the delivery of its second Airbus A330-200 aircraft in January 2013. The airline will operate three return services per week from the Seychelles to Hong Kong via Abu Dhabi.

Cramer Ball, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer, said “The Seychelles needs a national carrier which can support the growing number of travellers into the archipelago, not just from our historical markets in Europe, but also the powerful emerging ones.

“Hong Kong’s economy is among the fastest growing in the world, supporting a booming middle class with a high disposable income per capita by global standards.

“These factors have brought a remarkable increase in the number of travellers coming out of the region in recent years. In fact, since 2010, the number of travellers coming to the Seychelles from Hong Kong has more than doubled.

“We see Hong Kong as a significant driver for future tourism growth in the Seychelles, so we are positioning Air Seychelles to seize the opportunity and support this vital market.” The Seychelles is a visa-free destination, meaning all visitors can receive visas on arrival. Seychellois citizens are also not required to have visas for travel to Hong Kong.

Further, Hong Kong is a potential gateway to expand the airline’s reach within the region, with convenient connections to more than 30 destinations across mainland China, Japan and Australasia.

Guests travelling between the Seychelles and Hong Kong will remain on the same aircraft and keep the same seat for both legs of the journey, allowing a seamless journey over Abu Dhabi.

By operating the flights over Abu Dhabi, Air Seychelles can also code share with Etihad Airways to support further traffic to and from China. This dual approach will enable the airline to capture a significant market share.

The airline has also confirmed an increase in services to Abu Dhabi, from four to seven return services per week, a key part of a larger business plan approved by the airline’s Board of Directors.

Ball said “Through our partnership with Etihad Airways, we have been able to serve a much larger network and make improvements to the business that we could not have achieved independently. We are on track to break even this year, ensuring that Air Seychelles will continue to grow and thrive for many years to come.”

Enjoy special cash vouchers on transit in Changi Airport

In collaboration with Singapore Changi Airport Group, SIA is pleased to announce that passengers purchasing tickets on Singapore Airlines and SilkAir now have the privilege of enjoying the S$20 Changi Dollar Voucher (CDV) when transiting in Singapore.

This voucher will be valid for one-time use at all retail, food and service outlets located at the transit and public areas of Terminals one, two and three (excluding outlets in the Arrival Baggage Claim Halls). Also these vouchers can be used in conjunction with the Boarding Pass Privileges at participating outlets at Changi Airport for additional privileges and discounts.

For customers who wish to have a reprieve from their travel, the Changi Dollar Voucher can also be redeemed for one-time access to the Ambassador Transit Lounge at Terminals two and three for up to three hours. Lounge usage includes showers with basic toiletries, light refreshments, free flow of non-alcoholic beverages and complimentary WiFi. To claim the vouchers passengers need to present both their electronic ticket and boarding pass of their Singapore-bound flight to. This can be done at all seven Information Counters in the transit areas of Terminals two and three.