A variety of special events and packages will be launched to coincide with the musical extravaganza. Performers will include international artistes as well as those from the Caribbean and South America, forming an impressive line-up of vocal and instrumental talent that reflects the Island’s eclectic cuisine, heritage and culture.
They will also be able to use laptops and the seat-back inflight entertainment screen to access the Internet and use webmail and instant messaging. The OnAir service is based on Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband.
OnAir's service will be fitted on the seven new Airbus A330 aircraft to be delivered to Oman Air in 2009. The aircraft will fly on long-haul routes from Oman to both Asia and Europe.
Ziad Karim Al Haremi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air, said, "Oman Air has consistently contributed to the technological advance of commercial aviation. We always aim to improve our services and as we introduce our long-haul routes, we are very pleased to be one of the first airlines to offer the full range of passenger communications options."
Mobile OnAir will allow unlimited text messages and emails including attachments to be received and sent, and will allow up to 12 simultaneous voice calls. A central feature of the service is the crew's ability to turn it off at any time, or switch it to 'silent' - text and email only - mode, enabling the airline to customize the services to its passengers' preferences. For example, airlines could turn off the voice element, or even the whole service, during quiet times.
The new route will be operated by Spirit’s Airbus fleet, the youngest in the Americas.
Panama City is one of many new routes that are part of Spirit’s aggressive 2008 expansion plan. Already the largest carrier at Fort Lauderdale, Spirit is well on its way to increasing its South Florida operations by 40 percent this year.
In addition to Panama City, Spirit has also announced that it will begin new and/or expanded service to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; San Antonio and Boston, among other destinations to be announced over the coming weeks.
“Our passengers have spoken and we’re giving them what they want – more ultra low fares to even more destinations throughout the U.S., Latin America and Caribbean,” said Barry Biffle, Spirit’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) services have been suspended because of a derailed train near Deptford Bridge station.
There are no trains running between Lewisham and Cutty Sark after a train hit an object at 6.15am today (April 4).
Transport for London has not said what the object was but it is not being treated as suspicious.
Staff made sure everyone got off the train safely and no-one was injured.
Talks are to take place with London Underground workers over the next few days in a bid to avert a three-day strike that could see travel chaos.
Tube workers last week voted in favour of a three-day strike in protest at safety on the Underground.
The walk-out is scheduled to start from 6.30pm on Sunday, April 6 to 6.30pm on Wednesday, April 9.
The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and Transport Salaried Staffs Association claim standards will be compromised if plans go ahead to close 40 ticket offices and cut opening hours.
Transport for London (TfL) insist the measures do not relate to safety and dismissed the need for industrial action.
Howard Collins, TfL's deputy chief operating officer, said: "All of the issues raised by the RMT are already being addressed through the normal negotiating process. Significant progress has already been made and most of the issues have been agreed."
The building design used an existing structure and locally sourced materials such as reclaimed hardwoods and old Shanghai bricks. Passive solar shades, rain water retention basins and water-based air conditioning have been used to decrease the hotel’s environmental impact. For the health and wellbeing of each guest, 6 square meters of green is space allocated per person, low-VOC paints used and interiors are cleaned with environmentally sensitive products.
What carbon emissions the hotel does produce - such as staff travel, stock deliveries and the energy consumed by each guest - will be tracked and offset by investing in clean energy development and energy efficiency projects elsewhere in China. Guests can also buy international standard carbon credits from the hotel to offset their flights.
Economic factors influenced the decision to introduce green measures, as the hotel will be cheaper to run in the long term. Over the next three years, 20 URBN hotels and resorts are set to open in Beijing, Hangzhou, Dalian, and Suzhou, containing up to 70 rooms each.
(AP) NICOSIA, Cyprus - Greek and Turkish Cypriot authorities reopened the divided capital’s Ledra Street on Thursday, but were forced to close it for nearly two hours following a dispute over how to police the street, long considered a symbol of the island’s partitioning.
The opening of the street, located in a central Nicosia shopping district, was meant to serve as a catalyst for peace negotiations between Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
But the festive atmosphere quickly soured after the crossing was temporarily closed.
Stefanos Stefanou, a spokesman for the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government, said Turkish Cypriot police illegally patrolled part of the street by entering the U.N.-controlled buffer zone.
"We have been very clear that violations cannot be tolerated," Stefanou told The Associated Press.
The closure ended after scores of protesters gathered on both sides, chanting "Cyprus belongs to its people," and U.N. officials mediated between rival police forces.
"After consultations with the U.N., we have been given assurances that this will not happen again," said Kypros Michailidis, Nicosia’s Greek Cypriot police chief.
There was no immediate comment from Turkish Cypriot officials.
The brief closure contrasted with the opening ceremony earlier Thursday, when officials from both sides of the divide cut the ribbons of colored helium balloons to mark the occasion. Crews had swept away debris, repaved the street, installed lighting and reinforced abandoned buildings along the 230-foot stretch of Ledra Street that runs through a U.N. controlled buffer zone.
"We managed to turn the world’s attention on us today, and hours later we’ve managed to mess things up," said protester Valentina Sofocleous, who headed a citizens’ campaign to reopen Ledra Street.
"This is absurd, but we believe it’s a problem that will be overcome and that Greek and Turkish Cypriots will live together."
The street in the center of Nicosia’s medieval quarter was split in 1964 during an outbreak of communal fighting when British peacekeepers laid barbed wire between the street’s Greek and Turkish Cypriot sectors.
Ten years later, the entire island was divided after Turkey’s army invaded after a failed coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece.
Turkish Cypriots relaxed boundary restrictions in 2003, and since then five other crossings have opened. But ID cards or passports are still needed to move between the two sides.
Hopes of reaching a settlement in Cyprus were given a boost earlier this year with the election of Christofias, who replaced a hard-liner and pledged to restart talks with Talat. The two agreed to open Ledra Street during their first meeting last month.
Both men have also agreed to end a four-year stalemate in peace talks and are preparing for full-fledged negotiations.
Christofias said the next step was to agree on pulling back soldiers manning guard posts on either side of the buffer zone inside the capital’s center that is ringed by 16th Century Venetian walls.
He also said he would try to open another crossing point near Limnitis in the island’s remote northwest.
Some officials had warned against being overly optimistic during the opening ceremony.
"The road has opened, but the bullet-pocked buildings remind us that there is still a long way to go," Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou said during the initial celebrations.
"Time will tell whether this road will become the avenue for reunification."
Carnival Corporation has announced a voluntary refund of the company’s fuel supplement for applicable U.S. bookings that were made prior to November 7, 2007, under an agreement with the Florida Attorney General’s Office.
The fuel supplement, announced November 7, 2007, was applied to all U.S. bookings for voyages departing on or after February 1, 2008, regardless of when the booking was made, for cruises on the Carnival Corporation & plc brands Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn. However, this effective date allowed guests already booked at the time of the announcement the opportunity to cancel and receive a full refund.
The company will now refund the fuel supplement for those guests who were already booked at the time the supplement was announced. Refunds for affected guests will be implemented based on cruise departure date according to the following schedule:
The fuel supplement remains in effect for all bookings made on or after November 7, 2007. The $5 per person per day fuel supplement applies only to the first and second guests in a stateroom and will not exceed $70 per person per voyage. Also, at the time the fuel supplement was announced, travel agents whose clients had existing reservations were offered $10 per booking in administrative compensation for notifying those clients of the supplement. Those travel agents will still receive the $10 per booking.
This announcement will have no impact on the company’s previously reported 2008 first quarter financial results or its March 20, 2008, guidance for the second quarter and full year 2008 since the company did not recognize fuel supplement revenues associated with bookings made prior to November 7, 2007, while the Florida Attorney General’s Office was conducting its review the company stated.
In response to recent development activity and the addition of several new international destinations, Fairmont announced several key appointments. Taking on new roles within the company are Steven Jones, vice president, design & construction, Middle East & Africa, Paul Nelson, regional director, brand marketing, Europe, Africa & Middle East, and Trudy Moreno, director, sales & marketing, Fairmont Beijing.
With several development projects underway in the Middle East and Africa, Jones will be responsible for upholding Fairmont’s design and construction standards, as well as overseeing major capital investment projects within the region. Working alongside various internal functional groups, Jones will also oversee the day to day activity of all design and construction initiatives in the region, ensuring all are on budget, competitive, and executed in a timely fashion. Jones most recently held the position of vice president, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Middle East & Africa and brings over 16 years of design experience to his new role.
Nelson’s recent appointment will see him responsible for the development of Fairmont’s marketing communication plans in Europe, Africa & Middle East. As part of this newly minted role, Nelson will also be responsible for brand management and leveraging the Fairmont brand in all elements and aspects of the company’s operations overseas. Most recently, Nelson held the position of global marketing manager, Europe, Africa & Middle East at American Express.
Another new addition to Fairmont is Moreno, who brings over 24 years of experience to the Fairmont Beijing. In her new role, Moreno will be responsible for implementing an aggressive marketing plan at Fairmont’s flagship hotel in China, the Fairmont Beijing, which is expected to open later this year. She will also guide the media planning and spending for the hotel, while also overseeing the management of property specific marketing collateral. Moreno joins Fairmont from the Intercontinental, Doha Qatar where she served as director of marketing and sales.
Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts announced the appointment of Ivan Lee as the General Manager of Pan Pacific Singapore, and Vice President, Area Operations with effect from 1 April 2008. Ivan takes over the reins from Scott Swank as the new General Manager at the Pan Pacific Singapore and will be managing the hotel and steering its continued success globally. Scott will focus on his role as Senior Vice President of Operations at the Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts corporate office. Ivan’s role as Vice President, Area Operations will be progressively undertaken as Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts grows.
A seasoned professional with more than 30 years in the hospitality industry, Ivan has held several senior leadership positions with a number of hotel companies. Ivan was formerly the Chief Executive for Sino Group’s hotel division and the Chief Executive Officer of The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore during its pre-opening. He was most recently the Vice President and General Manager of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
“We are very pleased to have Ivan join Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts. He brings extensive hospitality experience to the team, which will help in achieving greater operational excellence and growth for the Pan Pacific Singapore and the other Pan Pacific hotels and resorts,” said Mr Gwee Lian Kheng, Group President & CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts.
Molinaro Koger (MK) announced that they have structured the sale of the Richmond Marriott Hotel to Apple REIT Seven, Inc., a Richmond-based investment company, on behalf of The Procaccianti Group. The 18-story, 401-room downtown convention center hotel has retained the Marriott flag and will be managed by White Lodging following the sale.
“As Richmond’s full-service hotel market leader, this asset attracted tremendous investor interest,” commented David Altobello, Vice President of MK, who marketed the asset and structured the transaction.
“The hotel is situated in the premier location in Richmond’s revitalized downtown area and is connected to the Greater Richmond Convention Center, a 700,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility,” remarked Mr. Altobello. “Potential purchasers were aware that this market position provides a strong defense against any future competition and were also attracted to the hotel’s strong RevPAR index and upside potential.”
The acquirer, Apple REIT Seven, Inc., was formed in 2006 to invest in hotels, apartments and other real estate and is headed by Glade M. Knight. Mr. Knight has formed several similar real estate investment trusts throughout his career. The acquisition adds the Richmond Marriott Hotel to its growing portfolio of Marriott and Hilton properties. Although Apple REIT Seven invests in hotels throughout the Eastern seaboard, they now own the major full-service asset in their home market.
During the last 18 months MK has structured more than $5 billion in hotel real estate transactions worldwide.
Gate Gourmet has chosen Inflight Service Europe AB (IFS) as its partner for all duty free-related sales aboard Norwegian Air Shuttle, which recently renewed and expanded its contract with Gate Gourmet to provide systemwide onboard catering and provisioning.
In addition to the duty free pre-pack business that IFS currently has on charter flights of Norwegian’s recently acquired subsidiary, FlyNordic, Gate Gourmet will also use IFS’ expertise to further develop the duty free impulse sales across the Norwegian system. The companies also will seek opportunities for further development of the pre-pack business into new segments of the Norwegian network.
“Gate Gourmet and IFS already have experience working together on a number of airlines within Scandinavia, and it has proven to be the best partner for the duty free sales on board Norwegian’s flights,” said Philippe Op de Beeck, Senior Vice President of gategroup and President of Gate Gourmet’s Central Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
“We are delighted to expand our relationship with Gate Gourmet and we look forward to the mutual opportunities serving the customers of Norwegian, one of the fastest growing low-fare airlines in Europe,” said IFS Chief Executive Peter Candell.
Radisson Hotels & Resorts announced the 204-room hotel in Tucson, Ariz., has been renamed as the Radisson Suites Hotel Tucson Airport. The hotel was recently converted as part of a plan to reposition the property and includes a renovation to all guestrooms and public areas that began in October 2007.
"Bringing the Radisson Suites Hotel Tucson Airport property under the Radisson brand greatly enhances our presence in the market and enables guests traveling to Tucson the opportunity to take advantage of innovative services the brand offers such as Express Yourself online check-in and share their stay preferences so they can stay their own way" said Nancy Johnson, executive vice president of Franchise Operations for Radisson Hotels & Resorts. "Immediate benefits of the renovation include completely refurbished guest rooms featuring the addition of the custom Sleep Number bed by Select Comfort."
"We are thrilled to be affiliated with Radisson and the advantages it offers – including business building tools and strategies such as revenue optimization, customer relationship management (CRM), and membership in the patented Look To Book program, the industry's most recognized online incentive program for travel agents," said Lisa Neff, director of Sales for the Radisson Suites Hotel Tucson Airport. "We're also excited to connect our customers with goldpoints plus, Radisson's frequent guest program which was recently re-launched with double the earning potential for members."
"Radisson is quickly earning a reputation as a leader in the global hospitality industry by striving to achieve total guest satisfaction and keeping attune to the needs of today's independent-minded frequent travelers," said Neff.
Emirates achieved a new milestone as it touched down to the vibrant beats of the African drums at Cape Town – its 100th global destination, and second gateway in South Africa. Signalling the start of daily, non-stop flights between Dubai, the nerve centre of the Middle East, and Cape Town, the inaugural flight EK 770 piloted by South African native, Captain Chris Rademan received a traditional water canon salute while onboard passengers were greeted by a pulsating performance by members of the Marimba band.
A high-level Emirates delegation comprising Nabil Sultan, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran, and Adnan Kazim, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Africa flew on the first flight accompanied by some 250 passengers hailing from 18 different countries, some coming from as far as the United States, France, Germany, Poland, Kuwait, Bahrain, India and Pakistan, in addition to Emirates' home base, the United Arab Emirates.
The arriving Emirates delegation and passengers were welcomed by Lynne Brown, Member of the Executive Council, Western Cape Province; Calvyn Gilfellan, Chief Executive Officer, Cape Town Routes Unlimited, the official tourism destination marketing organisation for Cape Town and the Western Cape; and over 50 representatives from Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and Emirates South Africa.
As a result of South Africa’s growing economy and the escalating demand for air travel, the Dubai-based airline has steadily built up its presence in the country. Last year, Emirates strengthened its 14-flights-per-week Johannesburg service with an additional frequency, taking the weekly total to 21 flights.
Adnan noted: “Emirates is grateful to the South African government and airport officials for assisting us in the successful start of our daily operations to Cape Town. The new service will provide its customers in Europe, Middle East, the Indian-sub continent and Asia-Pacific with direct access to Cape Town, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. At the same time it will also open up over 90 global destinations for Cape Town’s travellers who can now avoid travelling via Johannesburg.”
He concluded: “Cape Town represents Emirates’ commitment to the South African market. Our Johannesburg operation has been very successful and we look forward to recreating this success in Cape Town with the support of our partners.”
Provincial Minister Brown added: "The new flight will give us more direct air access to the Middle East, which is a very significant tourism market and world-wide hub for Cape Town and the Western Cape. It is also one of the markets we will focus on in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.”
Gilfellan said: “In many aspects the Middle East represents the inbound luxury tourism market for Cape Town and the Western Cape, with travellers often seeking a top-quality tourism experience: leading tourist attractions, spectacular golf courses, five-star hotels, elegant restaurants, and shopping for world-famous brands. Cape Town and the Western Cape easily deliver on each of these aspects. We believe this hassle-free, direct flight will definitely add to this luxury tourism experience and encourage more people to visit Cape Town and its surrounds.”
Cape Town represents the first new gateway to be launched by Emirates in 2008. The airline has already announced its plans to start services to Calicut, India and Guangzhou, China, both on 1st July followed by Los Angeles on 1st September.
To Cape Town, Emirates will introduce approximately 2000 seats and over 100 tonnes of cargo capacity per week - a development that will surely be welcomed by business and leisure travellers on either sides of the equator.
The day's events were concluded with the ceremonial cutting of a cake, and an exchange of gifts between the Emirates and South African delegations. Later that evening Emirates’ return flight bound for Dubai welcomed its first Cape Town passengers.
