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SriLankan Airlines adds
to India offerings
Taking advantage of the Indian open skies policy
effective from December 1 to February 28, SriLankan Airlines will add new
flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Trichy during that period.
From December 1, weekly services from Colombo to New
Delhi increased from six to seven, to Mumbai and Trichy from five to six,
and to Bangalore from four to five. From December 15, SriLankan will operate
daily to Mumbai and Trichy and offer six flights each week to Bangalore.
From December 16 to February 17, two more flights to Chennai will be added
each week, raising weekly services to 17.
SriLankan offers 45 services each week to eight cities in
India, including Gaya, Trivandrum and Cochin.
SriLankan’s head of commercial, G T Jeyaseelan, said,
“The limited open skies policy gives us the opportunity to better serve
the Indian population. Last year visitors from India to Sri Lanka comprised
the largest number of visitors from any one country to the island.”
Meanwhile SriLankan Airlines has also launched air taxi
operations from the international airport at Katunayake, to major tourist
destinations within the island including Galle, Bentota, Kandy and Dambulla
in December. The air taxis will reduce travel time from four to six hours by
road to a 30-minute flight. Once established, more destinations will be
added to the service. (TTG Asia)
Swiss Air farewell party
for station manager
Brian
Sinclair-Thompson, general manager of Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
hosted a dinner to bid farewell to outgoing Marianne Aufrane and to welcome
Heinz Wagner as station manager of Swiss International Air Lines Ltd. at
Henry J. Beans Bar and Grill at the Amari Watergate Hotel. Photo shows (L to
R): Pierre Andre Pelletier, general manager of Amari Watergate Hotel, Walter
Rufli, managing director of Amari Hotels & Resorts, Marianne Aufrane,
Heinz Wagner, Brian Sinclair-Thompson and Supsit Riensavatik.
Thomas Cook offers
‘The Whole World of Travel’
The international leisure group works across the travel
value chain - airline, hotels, tour operators, travel and incoming agencies
- thus providing its customers with the right product in all market segments
across the globe.
 The
foundation for this group was laid by two shareholders, Deutsche Lufthansa
AG and Karstadt Quelle by merging the airline Condor Flugdienst GMbh and
Neckermann in 1998. Through the takeover of the French travel group Havas
Voyages in 2000 and the acquisition of the British travel group Thomas Cook
holdings in 2001, the company has been transformed into one of the world’s
leading leisure groups.
The group encompasses 32 tour operators, about 3,600
travel agencies, a portfolio of 76,000 controlled hotel beds, a fleet of 87
aircraft and a workforce numbering some 28,000. The company is represented
in the sales markets of Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Egypt, India, Canada and now - Thailand - by offering flights from Bangkok
or Phuket to Frankfurt and Munich with promotional fares from 23,500 baht
plus tax.
As a part of the group’s new brand strategy, the
incoming operator Thai Asia Travel was renamed to Thomas Cook Thailand in
November 2002.
The airline Thomas Cook powered by Condor carries more
than seven million passengers per year. On average, the airline serves more
than 60 international destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. The
carrier was voted best German airline by the independent consumer watchdog
“Stiftung Warentest” known for its superior service and quality
standards as well as its modern fleet of aircraft.
AirAsia to take off with 99 baht flights
The latest regional low-cost airline is to take to the
sky with 810 flights from Phuket to Malaysia, and 900 baht flights from
Bangkok to Singapore, before offering 99 baht promotional flights from
Bangkok to Phuket and Chiang Mai in January next year.
Announcing the launch of AirAsia the airline’s
Executive President Tony Fernandez said that the airline’s inaugural
flights between Phuket and Kuala Lumpur would begin on December 8 this year,
with tickets costing 810 baht.
A second route linking Bangkok with Johor Bahru would be
launched on February 2, 2004, with one-way tickets priced at 900 baht, he
said, adding that the routes would be serviced by 148-seater planes.
Fernandez also announced plans to launch domestic flights
from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, costing no more than 900 baht, and from Bangkok
to Phuket, priced between 500 baht and 600 baht.
The flights would begin on January 8, 2004, with an
average of 6-7 flights on each route per day. (TNA)
Bus transport increased to handle New Year travelers
Ministry of Transport (MOT) is confident that the number
of buses will be adequate to serve the higher demand of tourists traveling
during New Year’s festival.
Deputy Transport Minister, Nikorn Jamnong said that the
Transport Company Limited would increase bus frequency during the New
Year’s period to cater to the large number of commuters during the festive
season.
Nikhon said that the authorities would tighten security
at the bus stations in major tourist attractions to ensure the safety of
Thai and foreign commuters.
The ministry is considering cutting VIP 24-seater bus
fares, currently priced at 755 baht, to compete against the low cost
airlines. The reduction can be offered to travelers if there is no food
service during the trip, Nikorn said. (TNA)
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