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China Southern puts off launch
of Dhaka flights
Holiday Report
China Southern Airlines, the fourth largest airline of the world and Asia's number one, has put off launch direct flights to Dhaka from Guangzhou for a month.
The flights were scheduled to start on July 5. Sources close to the airline said the airline will now launch flights from August, but could neither give any confirmed dates nor cause behind the delay.
"China Southern Airlines will offer three direct flights from Dhaka to Guangzhou, which will help the travellers save their time as well as money," Group Captain M Mofizur Rahman, afwc, psc (Retd), Managing Director, Novo Air, General Sales Agent (GSA) of China Southern Airlines in Bangladesh, said earlier.
The flights will be operated with Airbus A320 configured with eight Business Class and 148 Economy class seats, he added.
"We will start operation as BSP airline in Bangladesh, so agents will get e-ticketing facility, which is less time consuming," he said.
With flight operations based at Guangzhou's brand-new, award-winning Baiyun International Airport, China Southern Airlines' company logo can be seen around the globe with a brilliant red kapok delicately adoring a blue vertical tail fin.
Its other operation hubs are Beijing Capital International Airport, Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, Changchun Longjia International Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport and Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport.
China Southern Airlines- the newest member of SkyTeam - operates the largest and most technologically advanced airline fleet as well as the most extensive domestic air network in the People's Republic of China.
It operates the largest and most technologically advanced airline fleet with Boeing B777, B747, B757, B737, Airbus A330, A321, A320, A319, A300 and McDonnell Douglas aircraft. The very latest Airbus 380 as well as Boeing B787 Dreamliner will be added to the fleet soon.
China Southern operates on 905 routes including 701 domestic, 179 international and 25 routes in Hong Kong and Macau. They have a fleet of 342 aircraft connecting 169 countries and regions, and cities worldwide.
In 2007, the airline carried nearly 57 million passengers, ranked as the largest airline in China for 29 consecutive years and is the only carrier in mainland China entering into the world's Top 10 passenger airlines - based on annual passenger traffic volume.
China Southern is accredited by IATA with the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) for its safety practices.
Earlier on July 16, 2008, China Southern Airlines achieved more than 5 million safe flight hours and carried 2.5 hundred million passengers safely and was honored the Five-Star Flight Safety Award by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) - the current most prestigious award for safe flight operations in the Chinese aviation industry, becoming the only Chinese carrier maintaining the longest safety record and occupying a leading position in the international aviation industry.
China Southern Airlines attaches key importance to its branded products strategy, offering a host of reliable and convenient on-time services. The airline currently has the largest frequent flyer program in China - The Sky Pearl Club - with more than 4.2 million members, enjoying numerous opportunities for free flights and flight upgrades.
China Southern Airlines is the first airline in China to own and operate its own terminals - Terminal One at Beijing Capital International Airport, Terminal One at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and Terminal Three at Urumqi Diwobao International Airport.
The airline was recently named "Best Business Class Airline in China" at the annual TTG China Travel Award ceremony. The award by TTG China Magazine is the fourth for China's largest airline, including:
2002 - "Best China Airline;" 2004 - "Best China Airline;" and 2008 - "Best Business Airline in China."
This new honor from TTG China Magazine comes on the heels of China Southern Airlines named "Best Airline China 2009" in the annual Skytrax survey.
Skytrax Award recognises China Southern's quality of service and size of network, reflecting its continued growth as a quality international airline company.
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United Airways flies to Dubai from July 10
Holiday Report
United Airways, which procured its first MD-83 aircraft recently, will start flights to Dubai from July 10. The airline will operate seven flights a week on the route with a 160-seat aircraft.
United Airways, a business initiative of non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) in United Kingdom, has also received permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to operate three flights a week to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, and four flights to Kathmandu, said Capt. Tasbirul Ahmed Choudhury, Chairman and Managing Director of the airline, while receiving the aircraft at Zia International Airport.
The airline started its services on July 10, 2007, and is now operating flights to all major domestic destinations from Dhaka as well as the regional destination of Kolkata.
"One more MD-83 with 160 seats will be added to the airline's fleet soon to operate flights on Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur, Dhaka-Kathmandu and Dhaka-Bangkok sectors," Capt. Choudhury said.
United Airways, 95 per cent owned by Bangladeshis residing in the United Kingdom, also plans to operate to Canton in China and Yangon in Myanmar by the end of 2009.
The United Airways CMD said: "The allocation of more flight frequencies for the private airlines was due to a change in the government policy, as it seeks to inject competition in the aviation industry. The government is now very liberal."
He said that the government is encouraging the private sector to have its share of the growing market and "we must be ready to face competition and should improve our service quality."
Sources said, Bangladesh's air traffic grew 7.3 per cent last year, making it one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the region, but decades of poor performance by the other airlines has enabled foreign carriers to snatch almost 80 per cent of the market.
"We will soon procure Boeing B767-300ER to fly to European destinations including London," said Capt. Choudhury.
He said UK and Gulf are the most important markets for Bangladeshi airlines as one in two people who fly abroad goes to the six Gulf countries and UK, which employ more than 70 per cent of the country's over five million migrant workers.
Capt. Choudhury said, "We shall make all endeavors to secure a reasonable market share within a short span of time, thus retaining the hard earned foreign currency in the country and also contributing to the national economy."
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'Taste of Thailand' at Westin from July 15
Holiday Report
The Westin Dhaka will organise "Taste of Thailand" at the Taste restaurant. The festival will start from July 15 and will continue up to 25, showcasing the authentic Thai cuisine as well as cultural performance by a Thai team.
Chalermpol Thanchitt, Ambassador, Thai Embassy and Stephane R. Masse, General Manager, the Westin Dhaka will jointly cut the ribbon to inaugurate the festival on July 13. The festival will continue at Westin's all day dining restaurant-Taste till 25, 2009. The Festival will focus primarily on the authentic yet exciting new Thai creations, which will certainly inspire the food lovers to elevate their senses of food and culture.
Stephane R. Masse, General Manager of The Westin Dhaka said: "We are very delighted to be associated with such an event to present authentic Thai cuisine here at the Westin Dhaka. Thai cuisine is very famous in global palates with its intense flavors and eye-appealing presentations and is also attracting the interest of the food lovers of Dhaka. The food is hot and spicy, with strong and unique flavor profiles, great aromas and a tremendous variety of ingredients. Along with this unique taste, the cultural performance by a Thai cultural group will certainly offer a memorable dinner experience to everyone. We are very excited to introduce "Taste of Thailand" in Dhaka and also grateful to all the sponsors and partners who has made this festival happen".
The Food Festival is jointly organised by The Westin Dhaka and The Royal Thai Embassy. Thai Airways International is among the festival's supporters.
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Second BTTF 2009 from October 1
Holiday Report
The three-day Second Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair 2009 (BTTF 2009) will be held at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city from October 1.
Taufiq Uddin Ahmed, President, Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) said this while addressing a press conference at Hotel Ornate recently to announce the three-day Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair 2009.
The press conference was also addressed, among others, by Fashir Ahmed, Director (Planning), Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), Mahboob Islam Runu, Director, FBCCI Kazi M. Shahriar, General Manager, GMG Airlines and Nazeem Anwar Chowdhury of EBL.
The Fair will begin on October 1 at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre and it is expected to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of the country.
This will be the second travel and tourism fair to be organised by TOAB. The first BTTF was held in 2007.
TOAB sources said, the Association earned revenues amounting to about Tk 22 lakh from the BTTF 2007.
Besides host Bangladesh, tour operators and travel agents from Singapore, China, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, Indonesia and Myanmar are expected to participate in BTTF 2009 setting up around 155 stalls. Seminars and cultural shows will be held along with the Fair.
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