Posts

Dave

Cathay Pacific’s The Deck is now open

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Cathay Pacific has announced the reopening of its airport lounge, “The Deck”, at Hong Kong International Airport, providing passengers with more options to relax before their flight.

The Deck: pamper yourself before your flight, people-watch from atop, enjoy cocktails and sunset views from The Terrace, or savour your favourite dishes from the signature Noodle Bar

The airline is also planning to reopen its other lounges, including “The Pier”, “First”, “Business” and “The Wing” within the next six months as it increases its flight schedule.

Cathay Pacific is also gradually reopening its lounges globally, with several lounges in different airports set to reopen in February, March, April, and the second and third quarters of 2023.

The airline’s signature lounges, including those at San Francisco International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport, are expected to reopen in 2023.

Cathay Pacific has already opened several of its lounges, including “First and Business class lounges” at London Heathrow Airport and lounges at Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Tokyo (Haneda) International Airport.

The Deck, Hong Kong

To mark the reopening of The Deck, the airline has added a selection of new dishes served in The Noodle Bar, an iconic favourite among guests at its signature lounges.

As well as new food options at The Noodle Bar Cathay Pacific has continued to offer international dishes at The Food Hall.

The Deck is located near Gate 6 in Terminal 1 and features a unique open-ceiling terrace with seating options to enjoy views of the airport’s apron, taxi-ways and northern runway.

Cathay Pacific Lounge at Narita (Tokyo)

The Cathay Pacific Lounge at Narita has been relocated to a larger space near Gate 71 and offers customers a more spacious environment with excellent views of the airport apron.

The lounge features new artwork created by local Japanese studios and offers a curated food and beverage menu including traditional Japanese dishes, such as sushi, grilled fish, miso soup and curry with rice, as well as light and healthy options.

Cathay Pacific Lounge, Bangkok and Manila

Cathay Pacific has also made enhancements to its Bangkok and Manila lounges ahead of their reopening. Both lounges have received a refresh to their interior décor, fixtures and furniture, providing guests with a rejuvenated ambience. This is in addition to the equipment checks and deep cleaning that all lounges undergo before reopening to ensure the wellbeing and comfort of customers.

Dave

JAL introduces touchless check-in

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Japan Airlines has announced the decision to trial new touchless technology at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, starting 24 August.

Touchless check-in: passengers can make selections by holding their finger 3 cm from the screen

Located at Terminal 1 South Wing of Tokyo Hanadea Airport, the two kiosks have been installed for a trial period, initially until 15 September.

Developed by Mitsubishi Electric and Oki Electric Industry Co, the new kiosks are equipped with state-of-the-art touchless sensors. These enable passengers to complete the whole check-in process without having to touch the screen at any point in the process.

The kiosks use infrared technology, so passengers are able to make selections by holding their finger 3 cm away from the check-in screen.

JAL say they will continue to embrace new technology to provide customers with a safe and secure travel experience.

Dave

United reinstates some international flights…

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United Airlines has announced it will continue to fly six daily operations to and from a number of destinations in Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and the Middle East “in an effort to get customers where they need to be.

The airline has describe the situation as “fluid” but claims that “United continues to play a role in connecting people and uniting the world, especially in these challenging times”.

United Airlines flights continuing until and through May:

  • Newark/New York – Frankfurt (Flights 960/961)
  • Newark/New York – London (Flights 16/17)
  • Newark/New York – Tel Aviv (Flights 90/91)
  • Houston – Sao Paulo (Flights 62/63)
  • San Francisco – Tokyo-Narita (Flights 837/838)
  • San Francisco – Sydney (Flights 863/870)

In addition to the above, United Airlines has reinstated the following flights to help displaced customers who still need to get home.

Flights through until 27 March, outbound

  • Newark/New York – Amsterdam (Flights 70/71)
  • Newark/New York – Munich (Flights 30/31)
  • Newark/New York – Brussels (Flights 999/998)
  • Washington-Dulles – London (Flights 918/919)
  • San Francisco – Frankfurt (Flights 58/59)
  • Newark/New York – Sao Paulo (Flights 149/148)

Flights until 29 March, outbound

  • San Francisco – Seoul (Flights 893/892)

In destinations where government actions have barred the airline from flying, United Airlines are looking for ways to bring customers who have been impacted by travel restrictions back to the United States. This includes working with the U.S. State Department and the local governments to gain permission to operate service.

If you need help planning how to get home, contact your GTM Account Manager.

Paul

American Airlines applies for additional service at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport

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American Airlines has submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation to operate additional services to Tokyo Haneda from Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

American’s application is a result of the U.S. and Japan reaching a tentative agreement to expand access at Haneda, which would open up to twelve additional daytime slot pairs for U.S. carrier operations.

American Airlines President Robert Isom said,

Tokyo is an important hub for our Pacific Joint Business with Japan Airlines. Enhanced service at Haneda would give our customers better access to downtown Tokyo and open up JAL’s domestic network with flights to destinations like Osaka, Sapporo and Fukuoka.

American currently operates one daily flight between Los Angeles and Haneda, which began in 2016. An additional flight from Los Angeles would provide American’s customers with even more options and a convenient schedule between Tokyo and the airline’s West Coast hub. Additionally, Dallas Fort Worth, American’s largest hub, serves as an important gateway to Asia with proven local and connecting traffic. With two daily flights, customers travelling from Haneda to Dallas Fort Worth would be able to connect to and from more than 800 daily flights and more than 200 destinations throughout American’s vast network.

American’s proposed Haneda service would be operated as part of the airline’s Pacific Joint Business with JAL. The Pacific Joint Business was established in 2011 and covers travel among 11 countries in Asia and North America. It allows the two airlines to coordinate schedules, network and service to give more than 3.1 million annual customers access to up to 23 daily trans-Pacific flights from 15 gateway cities in Asia and North America.

UNITED AIRLINES APPLIES FOR SIX NEW ROUTES FROM HANEDA AIRPORT
Paul

United Airlines applies to serve Tokyo from six US airports

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United Airlines has announced that it has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation for a total of six daily non-stop flights to Tokyo Haneda Airport from Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Guam’s A.B. Won Pat International Airport.

Pending completion of an aviation agreement between the U.S. and Japanese governments later this year, and slots awarded by DOT, the flights are expected to begin service by the summer of 2020.

United has presented a proposal maximised to meet consumer demand: the flights from five U.S. mainland hub cities and Guam will connect Tokyo Haneda with 112 U.S. airports, representing approximately two thirds of U.S.-Tokyo demand, or more than three million annual Tokyo bookings.

With United’s proposed routes representing five of the six largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. mainland and a combined population of nearly 56 million, the new flights requested in this proceeding will provide consumers with more choices and more convenient options when selecting Tokyo Haneda for their travel plans.

United President Scott Kirby said:

If awarded by the DOT, these new nonstop flights would expand United’s best-in-class Japan route network to better meet demand from U.S. consumers and businesses. Tokyo is a hub of 21st century global commerce and innovation. Our proposed flights to Tokyo Haneda will offer an unrivalled experience and maximise choice and convenience for our customers traveling between the United States and Tokyo for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and beyond.

United’s proposed daily flights from Newark/New York, Los Angeles and Guam would supplement the airline’s existing daily flights between those hubs and Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, while United would shift existing daily nonstop Chicago, Washington D.C. and Houston flights from Tokyo Narita to Tokyo Haneda.

In 2019, United is focusing more than ever on its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers’ best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to this announcement, United recently released a re-imagined version of the most downloaded app in the airline industry and made DIRECTV free for every passenger on 211 aircraft, offering more than 100 channels on seat back monitors on more than 30,000 seats. The multimillion-dollar investment in improving inflight entertainment options will benefit the more than 29 million people expected to fly United’s DIRECTV-enabled planes this year.

Paul

Business travel to China and South East Asia

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At Global Travel Management we are experts in all types of business travel to all parts of the world.  But one area we are finding a lot more demand for is South East Asia.  So, whether you’re making your first business trip to Shanghai or Beijing or you’re a regular traveller to Hong Kong or Singapore, we have the partnerships, relationships and experience to ensure your trip runs as smoothly as possible.  And we can advise on everything from flight planning to hotels, from visas to passports and from lounge passes to frequent flyer rewards.

  • Flights 

It’s easy to find a flight at a good price from the UK to China or elsewhere in the region.  But finding a flight is very different from finding the right flight.  Our team works hard to ensure your itinerary works for you.  So we search every airline and every route while securing the best price in the right class of travel for your flight.  And many times we will find a route you may not have considered.

Want to save money?  We will search the lowest price on the right flight for you.  Want to save time? Let us build you the best itinerary.  Want to make sure you maximise your frequent flyer rewards on the trip?  Leave it to us.

So, if you simply need to fly from London to Beijing, don’t be surprised if we find you an exceptional fare, via the “short route”.  We might find you a great fare in a better class than you had planned for.  And we will “go the extra mile” to make sure your frequent flyer membership gets topped up with every leg of the journey.

Check out our Facebook page for some of the best news from airlines flying from Europe to China.

  • Passports and Visas

Leave us with the hassle of your visas and passports.  We keep your records so we can remind you when you need a visa for an up-coming trip to China or when your passport is due for renewal.  And we partner with suppliers that make the process as easy as possible for you.

  • Hotels 

Do you have a preferred hotel brand?  Let us know and we will book it for you.  Need advice on hotels in a city you’ve never stayed in before?  We can help.  Whatever you need from your hotel, let us know.  You’ll set off knowing your hotel booking’s been taken care of and you can spend your time preparing for meetings, not trying to find somewhere to stay.

  • Anything else? 

Do you need car hire? A train booking?  Ferries?  Let us know – we can get straight onto it.

At Global Travel Management, we have been at the forefront of business travel, worldwide, for more than two decades.  And, as more businesses are needing to travel to China and South East Asia, we are very proud of our ability to provide an excellent service for travel to the region.

If your business needs to make trips to China and South East Asia, give me a call on 01483 227 369.  I will be happy to explain how Global Travel Management will help save you money on your trips and provide a reliable, first-class service to manage all of your business travel. 

Paul Baker 

Paul

Amazing Finnair Prices to Asia!

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Book air fares to China & Japan from just £62!

For a limited period only Finnair are selling flights from London & Manchester to various destinations in China & Japan, however, the selling period ends on 12th November 2012. The headline fare of £62 applies to Chongqing in China. The highest fare to any of the following destinations is only £123 (prices exclude airport taxes and fuel surcharge) : Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Osaka & Nagoya.

Whilst the sales period ends on 12 November, travel can take place right through to 31st March 2013.

NB. Finnair flights connect via Helsinki, which is widely regarded as an efficent airport to transfer in, with minimal time spent on the ground.

 

Paul

Super Typhoon Jelawat.

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Super Typhoon Jelawat is forecast to bring rain and heavy winds to Taiwan and China’s eastern coastal areas over the next couple of days. When last tracked yesterday, Jelawat’s center was located about 770 kilometers southeast of Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving northwest at 15 kilometers per hour.

Strong winds are forecast to begin hitting Taiwan as well as coastal Fujian province during the next 24 hours. The Washington Post has also reported that the typhoon could hit Okinawa before a possible encounter with mainland Japan, depending on how the storm tracks.
 
Jelawat is currently a Category 4 storm, however, it is expected to gradually weaken because of decreasing water temperatures and should be a Category 1 or 2 storm as it nears the vicinity of Okinawa on Saturday, before weakenning further to a minimal hurricane or tropical storm with a possible landfall south of Tokyo on Sunday and into Monday.

As Jelawat may cause flight delays or cancellations travellers are advised to monitor local media and remain aware of further devleopments.