Best World Airlines 2019 At Skytrax Awards

Qatar Airways has been named the world's best airline for 2019 at the annual World Airline Awards, announced at the Paris Air Show on Tuesday.

It's the fifth time the Middle East carrier has taken out the top gong at the awards run by research firm Skytrax, the first airline to win the world's best award five times since the rankings began in 1999.

As usual, the top 10 was dominated by Asian and Middle Eastern airlines.

Last year's winner, Singapore Airlines, dropped to second place, with Japan's All Nippon Airways remaining in third. Cathay Pacific climbed from sixth position to fourth, while Emirates dropped one spot to fifth.

Qantas continued to climb in the rankings, hitting eighth spot after climbing from 13th to 11th last year. However, Virgin Australia continued to drop on the list, falling to 25th position from 22nd last year. In 2017 the airline was ranked 13th.

Qantas dominated the regional awards, taking out best airline, first and business class for the Australia/Pacific, while Air New Zealand won best premium economy and best cabin cleanliness. Jetstar won best low-cost airline in the region.

It was a big year for Qatar Airways with the airline also winning for World's Best Business Class, Best Business Class Seat and best Middle Eastern Airline.

The airline unveiled its revolutionary new business class seats, the "QSuite" in 2017. The seats featured the world's first double-bed in business class, as well a face-to-face "party of four" configuration. Qatar Airways introduced the class on Australian routes in June last year.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker described the results as a proud moment.

Becoming the first airline to be named as 'Airline of the Year' for the fifth time is a landmark achievement, he said.

Edward Plaisted of Skytrax said: To be named as the World's Best Airline is a great recognition of Qatar Airways high standards, and recognises the hard work and dedication from every member of staff to satisfy customers.

In other key awards, Singapore Airlines took out the award for best cabin crew and best first class, Japan Airlines won best economy class, Emirates best inflight entertainment and AirAsia was named best low-cost carrier,

The World Airlines Awards are based on customer surveys conducted by Skytrax. According to Skytrax, more than 20 million survey entries were recorded between September 2018 and May 2019 for this year's awards, with voters coming from more than 100 different countries.

The World's Top 10 Airlines of 2019.

01 - Qatar Airways

02 - Singapore Airlines

03 - ANA All Nippon Airways

04 - Cathay Pacific

05 - Emirates

06 - EVA Air

07 - Hainan Airlines

08 - Qantas Airways

09 - Lufthansa

10- Thai Airways

World's Best Cabin Staff 2019

01 - Singapore Airlines

02 - Garuda Indonesia

03 - ANA All Nippon Airways

04 - Thai Airways

05 - EVA Air

06 - Cathay Pacific

07 - Hainan Airlines

08 - Japan Airlines

09 - Qatar Airways

10 - China Airlines

Best economy class

01 - Japan Airlines

02 - Singapore Airlines

03 - Qatar Airways

04 - Thai Airways

05 - ANA All Nippon Airways

06 - Emirates

07 - Cathay Pacific Airways

08 - Hainan Airlines

09 - Lufthansa

10 - EVA Air

Best business class

01 - Qatar Airways

02 - ANA All Nippon Airways

03 - Singapore Airlines

04 - Emirates

05 - Qantas

06 - Hainan Airlines

07 - Thai Airways

08 - Etihad Airways

09 - Cathay Pacific Airways

10 - Garuda Indonesia

Best premium economy

01 - Virgin Atlantic

02 - Singapore Airlines

03 - Air New Zealand

04 - Austrian Airlines

05 - Air Canada

06 - Qantas Airways

07 - Lufthansa

08 - Virgin Australia

09 - Aeroflot

10 - Air France

World's Best Low-Cost Airlines 2019

01 - AirAsia

02 - easyJet

03 - Norwegian

04 - Southwest Airlines

05 - AirAsiaX

06 - Jetstar Airways

07 - WestJet

08 - Indigo

09 - Ryanair

10 - Eurowings

The World's Cleanest Airlines

01 - EVA Air

02 - Japan Airlines

03 - ANA All Nippon Airways

04 - Singapore Airlines

05 - Asiana Airlines

06 - Hainan Airlines/

07 - Swiss Int'l Air Lines

08 - Cathay Pacific

09 - Qatar Airways

10 - Lufthansa

Best inflight entertainment

01 - Emirates

02 - Qatar Airways

03 - Singapore Airlines

04 - Virgin Atlantic

05 - Delta Air Lines

06 - Qantas Airways

07 - United Airlines

08 - Lufthansa

09 - Turkish Airlines

10 - American Airlines


Tourism Observer

INDIA: Airlines Offering Discount Offers On Domestic And International Flight Tickets

Airlines are offering a host of discount offers on domestic and international flight tickets.

The offers come amid high competition in the country's civil aviation market. Jet Airways is offering up to 30 per cent discount on base fare in premiere and economy class on select domestic as well as international flight tickets.

IndiGo is offering flight tickets at an all-inclusive starting price of Rs. 999. GoAir is offering flight tickets from Rs. 1,099, while AirAsia India has also announced flight tickets starting from Rs. 999 on select routes.

Jet Airways is offering up to 30 per cent discount on base fare in premiere and economy class on select domestic as well as international flight tickets.

Jet Airways' all-new Global Sale is valid for bookings done till September 7, 2018. According to the airline, the discount is available on 25 lakh seats.

However, tickets must be purchased a minimum of 8 days prior departure.

IndiGo is offering flight tickets at an all-inclusive starting price of Rs. 999. As part of its four-day special festival sale, the airline is offering 10 lakh seats.

The booking period of the offer ends on September 6, 2018. Under this scheme, IndiGo is offering domestic flight tickets starting at Rs. 999 and international flight tickets starting at Rs. 3,199.

The travel period of the offer starts on September 18, 2018 and ends on March 30, 2019.

GoAir is offering flight tickets at a starting all-inclusive price of Rs. 1,099. The booking period of the offer ends on September 5, 2018 and the travel period ends on March 31, 2019.

However, this scheme is valid across selective fare types and fare products, said the carrier.

AirAsia India has announced flight tickets starting from Rs. 999 on select routes under a limited-period offer. AirAsia India is offering flight tickets priced from an all-inclusive Rs. 999 on the Guwahati-Imphal, Bengaluru-Kochi and Bengaluru-Chennai routes, according to the airline's website - airasia.com.

Bookings under the sale offer are open till September 9, 2018.


Tourism Observer

INDONESIA: Garuda Indonesia Is A Leading Airline , Denpensar The Leading Airport In Asia

Denpasar is the main international airport on the Indonesian island of Bali.

It was the second largest Indonesian airport based on total departing capacity in 2017.

Denpasar was the fourth busiest Indonesian airport for departing domestic seats last year and the second largest for international capacity.

The available two-way seats on flights serving Denpasar grew from 10.63 million in 2008 to 29.18 million in 2017, representing a substantial 174% increase.

Between 2009 and 2017 the airport experienced double-digit, year-on-year growth on six occasions.

The single largest annual increase came in 2010, with available seat numbers boosted by nearly 20% over 2009 levels. Since 2008, Denpasar has only witnessed one annual capacity contraction.

This took place in 2015, and the cuts were marginal at less than one percent. From 2010 to 2017 available capacity to and from the Balinese airport more than doubled, increasing by 108%.

Denpasar has seen a relatively even split between capacity offered on domestic and international services over the past 10 years.

In 2008 there were 5.43 million two-way seats available on domestic services. By 2017 this had grown to 14.65 million, which is equivalent to a 170% increase.

Over the same period, international capacity increased by 174% from 5.20 million seats to 14.53 million. Domestic seats accounted for 51% of the airport’s two-way capacity in 2008 and around 50% in 2017.

Indonesian-based carriers accounted for nine of the top 12 airlines at Denpasar in 2017, based on annual departing seats.

This included the four largest airlines, and eight of the top 10. National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia was the biggest single capacity provider, with more than three million departing seats, 21% of the airport’s total.

Garuda will offer 323 flights from Denpasar across 29 destinations during the week commencing 15 May, with between 45 and 47 daily departures.

Jetstar Airways was the largest international carrier in 2017.

During the week commencing 15 May it will serve eight destinations from Denpasar with the highest frequency link being Perth, which it operates three times daily.

Most of the top 12 airlines expanded their capacity from Denpasar last year. The strongest growth came from Batik Air 620% increase and NAM Air 207%.

Batik Air was a new entrant to the top 12 in 2017 increasing the number of one-way seats on offer from Denpasar from 65,000 in 2016, to 468,000 last year.

The Indonesian airline more than trebled its domestic capacity in 2017 and introduced international services to Perth and Kuala Lumpur.

Two of the top-ranked airlines cut capacity from the Bali facility last year. The largest reduction came from Indonesia AirAsia, with the LCC removing 5.4% of its seats compared to 2016.

Half of the top 12 routes from Denpasar in 2017 were domestic services. This included its biggest single link to Jakarta.

There were 3.21 million one-way seats available on the capital city connection, representing 22% of the airport’s total capacity.

Six airlines will offer 232 combined flights from Denpasar to Jakarta during the week commencing 15 May.

Three of the top-ranked routes last year were international services, with Singapore the largest of these. The biggest international country market was Australia, with nine links and 1.74 million seats available.

The largest country market outside of Asia Pacific was Qatar, which finished in seventh place.

Denpasar’s top two routes remained unchanged in 2017, with the majority of the top-ranked routes witnessing a year-on-year capacity boost comapred to 2016.

The largest increases came on services to Kuala Lumpur 60% increase over 2016 , Jakarta 24% and Doha (23%).

The Kuala Lumpur link experienced growth from existing operators, plus the introduction of services by Batik Air and AirAsia X.

The Malaysian destination subsequently overtook Surabaya to become the third largest route from Denpasar.

Three connections witnessed a year-on-year decline in seat numbers. The largest cuts came on domestic services to Surabaya 16% reduction. Melbourne dropped out of the top 12 and was replaced by Doha.

One new route has already launched to Denpasar in 2018 and that at least three more are scheduled to begin.

These include Qantas and Malindo Air introducing services to Melbourne, and Emirates adding a link to Auckland. All three services are due to commence in June.


Tourism Observer

MALAYSIA: AirAsia Founder Tony Fernandes Wants Digital Services

Facing bribery claims in India, AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes was nevertheless at his relaxed best onstage at an innovation conference in Singapore.

No mention was made of those claims, and the centre of discussion was AirAsia’s next big act.

The former Warner Music executive has built AirAsia into Southeast Asia’s biggest low-cost carrier in the space of only sixteen years.

Starting with two leased planes, AirAsia now has a fleet of 230 aircraft and carried 89 million passengers in the past year.

Now the Kuala Lumpur-based company wants to mine its 300 million-strong database of customers for gold.

We’re in this fantastic revolution now, Fernandes said to a packed hall at the Innovest Unbound conference on Tuesday morning.

Data is changing the world. Extracting new value from customers and providing them with services.

I actually have loads and loads of customers.

AirAsia is looking at the travel eco-system and seeking ways to provide additional services to its customers, he said.

We see financial services as a huge opportunity. Our customers are paying high fees for remittances and foreign exchange.

The airline is also looking at how to use the data to generate deals for customers and footfall for merchants, he said, citing the example of tourists from Malaysia, Indonesia coming to Singapore to shop.

Fernandes also said he’s a big believer in digital currencies.

AirAsia is in the midst of turning its frequent-flyer rewards plan into a cryptocurrency-backed programme.

Fernandes has been quoted as saying the company is considering an initial coin offering at some point.

The company is also looking at funding promising start-ups to meet a gap where entrepreneurs find it difficult to get capital, he said on Tuesday.

Fernandes is currently the subject of an investigation in India over his role in getting government officials to change rules to get overseas flying rights, according to The Economic Times.

Shares of the Kuala Lumpur-traded company also fell after he apologised for endorsing former prime minister Najib Razak in Malaysia’s recent general election.

Fernandes built AirAsia into Southeast Asia’s biggest low-cost carrier partly by challenging established norms and reluctant governments in the region.

Along the way, he dabbled in Formula One, which he has called a huge mistake and bought a majority stake in English football club Queen’s Park Rangers.

Newly-married, Fernandes was asked why he struck out to create AirAsia.

In a familiar answer that he has used over the years, he said he was not deterred by what governments or analysts said but was fixated on 6 per cent, which used to be the proportion of Malaysians who had flown on an airline.

With e-commerce and other digital services in Southeast Asia taking off but still at a relatively slow pace, Fernandes said that the region should get together so that we don’t get marginalised by China or India.


Tourism Observer

THAILAND: Thai Airways To Buy 30 Planes

Thai Airways International said it plans to modernise its fleet by replacing almost 30 older aircraft over the next five years, adding to the climbing demand for planes in Asia.

The state-run airline is seeking new generation aircraft offering greater comfort and fuel efficiency, and is talking with both Airbus and Boeing, chairman Areepong Bhoocha-Oom said.

The portfolio of our airline will have new aircraft almost 100%, Areepong said. It’s the right step for Thai Airways partly because fuel costs could be volatile in future even though they are low currently, he said.

Thai Airways’ purchases would add to the hundreds of aircraft worth billions of dollars ordered by Asian airlines, such as AirAsia and IndiGo in India, amid a surge in the number of people travelling by air in the region.

Boeing forecasts a $6.05tn jetliner market in the next two decades globally.

The Bangkok-based carrier is trying to turn around performance after posting losses in three of the past four years.

The company’s shares fell 6.1% yesterday, the most in almost two months, and are down 75% from a high in 1999. The stock has eight sell recommendations, nine holds and one buy rating.

Concerns that the aircraft purchases could weigh on Thai Airways’ financial health appear to have hurt the stock yesterday, according to Siam Tiyanont, an analyst at Phillip Securities (Thailand) Co in Bangkok.

The airline’s financial status has recently improved after years of challenges, Siam said. The plan for new aircraft purchases may be too early and could result in a jump in debt.

Thai Airways presently has a 100-strong fleet and will seek Cabinet approval for the plane replacement plan by the end of July, Areepong said in the interview Thursday on the sidelines of a conference in Bangkok.

Airbus’s A380 superjumbos will remain a significant part of the company’s fleet, while older Boeing 747s will be replaced in the years ahead, he added.

An overhaul of marketing and reservation contributed to record passenger cabin factor of about 85% in the first quarter and the full-year target is 80%, Areepong said.

The airline’s goal is to exceed last year’s net income, Areepong said. Thai Airways swung to a profit of 15.1mn baht ($445,000) in 2016. It lost money in each of the three prior years.

The airline needs new airplanes to modernise its fleet and boost competitiveness, said Raenoo Bhandasukdi, an analyst at KT Zmico Securities Co in Bangkok.

Thai Airways is expected to bolster profits this year, which would be a good outcome given that some other full-service carriers have struggled against competition from low-cost rivals, Raenoo said.

The carrier signed an agreement with Airbus in March to explore joint development of a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at U-Tapao International Airport near the tourist destination of Pattaya.

The project could involve about $1bn investment and the plans may be finalised in 2018, Areepong said at the conference in Bangkok on Thursday.

THAILAND: AirAsia Began Daily Direct Flights From Da Nang To Don Mueang Airport

AirAsia began daily direct flights from Da Nang to Bangkok’ s Don Mueang Airport on Friday (June 9) with a promotional fare starting at Bt1,090.

The special price is available until June 18 for travel from today until January 14 via all ticketing channels and www.AirAsia.com.

The route marks the first time Thai AirAsia has introduced a third destination within one country and it now offers flights to the north, central and southern regions of Vietnam.

We believe the route will be to the liking of both Vietnamese and Thai travellers as it offers great savings in both time and cost and we will be promoting it heavily to both Thai and international travellers interested in visiting Vietnam for tourism or investment.

We are proud to be able to play a role in supporting the economy and tourism of both countries, said its director of commercial operations, Santisuk Klongchaiya.

According to the Da Nang Department of Tourism, Thailand has been among the top international tourist markets for Da Nang in recent years with more than 24,300 Thai tourists visiting the city in 2016.

With Bangkok being one of Southeast Asia’s major trade and tourism centres and the hub of a wide international network, the opening of the Bangkok-Da Nang route helps connect Da Nang tourism to a global market and should allow tourists, especially from Western European countries such as England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy who have been visa-free since July 2015, to reach Da Nang more easily via Bangkok.

At the same time, the new route offers greater convenience for Da Nang residents to experience tourism in Thailand or seek investment opportunities.

AirAsia travellers from Da Nang can enjoy its Fly Thru service at Don Mueang Airport which allows them to easily continue to destinations both domestic and international across Asean and Asia.

At present, AirAsia boasts the most routes in Asean with flights going from Thailand to 13 destinations in 7 ASEAN countries, offering a total of 17 routes.

The airline currently serves direct flights from Vietnam to Bangkok (Don Mueang Airport) on two routes, Hanoi-Bangkok two flights a day and Ho Chi Minh-Bangkok three flights a day.

The airline also offers direct flights from Da Nang to Kuala Lumpur with the route recently increasing its frequency from four flights weekly to daily in December 2016 and 10 flights weekly starting this month.

PHILIPPINES: About Palawan

Palawan is an island province of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Puerto Princesa and it is the largest province in terms of land area. It is considered as the last frontier of the Philippines.

Palawan officially the Province of Palawan is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the Mimaropa region. It is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. Its capital is the City of Puerto Princesa, but it is governed independently from the province as a highly urbanized city.

The islands of Palawan stretch between Mindoro in the northeast and Borneo in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island (09°30′N 118°30′E), measuring 450 kilometres (280 mi) long, and 50 kilometres (31 mi) wide.

The island of Palawan stretches from Mindoro to Borneo in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea in the northwest and Sulu Sea in the southeast. Palawan is considered to be the Philippines' last ecological frontier. The province boasts many splendid beaches and resorts and it is where the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River two of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are located.

Cities and Towns

Puerto Princesa - the island's administrative capital
Quezon - It is where the Tabon man lived a long time ago. Some referred to Tabon Cave as the cradle of Philippine civilization.
Busuanga
Coron - wreck diving
El Nido - major tourist destination with parties, limestone cliffs, lagoons, and beautiful beaches away from the main town
Port Barton - quiet town with a great beach
Sabang - town with a long underground river in the National Park
San Jose
Brooke's Point Mostly fishing and farming, but some beautiful scenery
Roxas
Taytay

Other destinations

Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park
Aborlan - a rural university town
San Vicente - town on the northwest edge of Palawan comprising several barangays and islands. It has one of the longest beaches in the world, the cream-coloured "long beach" which is 14km long and at some places up to 80m wide. With the near completion of an airport in the city, some are saying the beach could rival Boracay.
Calauit - game preserve and wildlife sanctuary
Narra - The Rice Granary of Palawan.
Palawan Butterfly Garden - located at South of Puerto Princesa

The province has two types of climate. The first, which occurs in the northern and southern extremities and the entire western coast, has two distinct seasons – six months dry and six months wet. The other, which prevails in the eastern coast, has a short dry season of one to three months and no pronounced rainy period during the rest of the year.

The southern part of the province is virtually free from tropical depressions but northern Palawan experiences torrential rains during the months of July and August. Summer months serve as peak season for Palawan. Sea voyages are most favorable from March to early June when the seas are calm. The average maximum temperature is 31 °C (88 °F) with little variation all year.

The predominant religion in Palawan is Roman Catholicism. In 2014, the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Prinsesa had a 68% adherence while the Roman Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay (Northern Palawan) had an 88% adherence.One of the religious orders that had a significant mission in the islands is the Order of Augustinian Recollects.

The island of Palawan is divided into two Apostolic Vicariates: the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa in Southern Palawan and the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay in Northern Palawan.

While the formerly Muslim majority population in Mindanao was reduced to 40% as a result of the influx of Christian Filipino settlers in the 20th century, as of 2015 Muslims were reported by the Routledge Handbook of Southeast Asian Democratization as forming an "overwhelming majority" in Palawan, as well as the Sulu Archipelago.

However, other sources had earlier reported a 50-50 split between Muslims and Christians—with Muslims concentrated mostly in the south of Palawan.

There are 52 languages and dialects in the province, with Tagalog being spoken by more than 50 percent of the people. Other languages are Cuyonon (26.27 percent), Hiligaynon (19 percent), and Palawano (4.0 percent).

Language

Palawan is home to dozens of local languages, since the island is home to numerous indigenous gatherer hunter groups.

Until a few decades ago the most widely spoken language was Cuyonan, which became prominent as a trade language as a result of the favored economic status enjoyed by the nearby island of Cuyo under American colonialism.

Today, Tagalog is also widely spoken as the result of a massive influx of immigrants, from Luzon, over the past half-century. The Philippine government in 2005 officially changed the administrative designation of Palawan to be a member of region IVB, an area recognized as Tagalog-speaking.

However, this decision was later reversed, partly as a result of lobbying by the many Cebuano immigrants from Mindanao; many speak English and a group of expatriate Swiss also operate a shortwave radio network using Swiss-German!

Attractions

Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary

A game reserve and wildlife sanctuary of exotic African animals and endangered endemic animals of Palawan. The reserve was established on August 31, 1976 by virtue of the Presidential Decree No.1578, this was initiated in response to the appeal of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to help save African wildlife when former President Ferdinand Marcos attended the 3rd World Conference in Kenya.

By virtue of the Republic Act 7611 (SEP), administrative jurisdiction of DENR was given to the local government of Palawan, effective December 31, 1993. Management of the area is the responsibility of the Office of the Palawan Council of Sustainable Development (PCSD). It is located in Calauit Island in Busuanga.

Seven lakes surrounded by craggy limestone cliffs attract hundreds of nature lovers to Coron Reefs in Northern Palawan, near the town of Coron. Busuanga Island, whose main town is Coron, is the jump-off point for numerous dive operators. The principal dive sites are 12 World War II Japanese shipwrecks sunk on September 24, 1944 by US Navy action.

They range in depth from the surface to 40 meters. This large variety offers exciting wreck exploration for enthusiasts, from novice divers and snorkelers and recreational divers to experienced TEC divers. The aquatic views from the sunken Japanese warships off Coron Island are listed in Forbes Traveler Magazine's top 10 best scuba sites in the world.

- El Nido Marine Reserve Park
- El Nido, Palawan
- The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.
- Whitetip reef shark at the Tubbataha Reef.

The January 2008 issue of international magazine Travel + Leisure, published by the American Express Co. (which partnered with Conservation International) listed El Nido's sister hotel resorts El Nido Lagen Island and El Nido Miniloc Island in Miniloc and Lagen Islands as "conservation-minded places on a mission to protect the local environment".

Travel + Leisure's 20 Favorite Green Hotels scored El Nido Resort's protection of Palawan's giant clam gardens and the re-introduction of endangered Philippine cockatoos: "8. El Nido Resorts, Philippines: Guest cottages on stilts are set above the crystalline ocean. The resorts are active in both reef and island conservation."

Malampaya Sound Land and Seascape Protected Area

Located in the Municipality of Taytay, this important ecological and economic zone is a watershed and fishing ground, and the habitat of Bottle-nosed and Irrawaddy dolphins. UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park

This park features a large limestone karst landscape with an underground river. One of the river's distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full 'mountain-to-sea' ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.

Tubbataha Reef Marine Park (1993)

The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park covers 332 km2, including the North and South Reefs. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. The site is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100 m perpendicular wall, extensive lagoons and two coral islands.

Ursula Island

This game refuge and bird sanctuary is situated near the Municipality of Brooke's Point in southern Palawan. The islet is a migratory and wintering ground for shorebirds and seabirds.

Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary

This 1,983-hectare (4,900-acre) protected area located in the municipality of Narra is a nesting ground of the endemic Philippine cockatoo or katala. It also harbors other rare bird species and marine turtles.

Entering Palawan

Puerto Princesa International Airport is the main gateway to Palawan, major airlines serve international and domestic flights; Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Zest have flights to and from Manila and Cebu, PAL Express (Air Philippines) have flights to and from Busuanga.

El Nido Airport, charter flights are provided by Island Transvoyager Inc. (ITI) while Seasonal flights are offered by SEAIR.

A new community airport is near completion in San Vicente.

International

- Puerto Princesa International Airport, Puerto Princesa

National Airport

San Vicente Airport
Francisco B. Reyes Airport, Coron (Busuanga Island)
El Nido Airport, El Nido

Community Airports

Cuyo Airport, Magsaysay
Taytay Airport, Taytay
Del Pilar Airport, Roxas
Bugsuk (Bonbon) Airport, Balabac (Bugsuk Island)
Tagbita Airport, Rizal
Balabac Airport, Balabac
Rio Tuba Airport, Bataraza

Cheapest option while getting around is the local jeepney, tricycles are also available. Getting from one island to another is possible; daily boat trips are available. Car and van rentals are also available.

Tabon Caves in Quezon. The Caves were the discovery site of the skull cap remains of the Tabon Man estimated to be 22,000 years old. Explore its 138 hectares of rugged cliffs and deep slopes and breathtaking sea view.

What To Do

Try to eat Tamilok food

1) Hike The Taraw Peak

2) Get wet at Nagkalit kalit Falls

MALAYSIA: Johor Government Targeting A Million Tourists From China

The Johor government is targeting one million tourist arrivals from China this year with the introduction of the Guangzhou-Johor Baru route by AirAsia.

Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong is confident Johor would receive more tourists from China and thus boost the tourism sector.

“I expect tourists arrivals from China to increase by 30 percent this year to more than one million people,” he said after welcoming passengers of the inaugural flight from Guangzhou to Johor Baru at Senai International Airport (SIA) here recently.

Tee said AsiaAsia Berhad took timely action in introducing the route in line with the rising number of tourists, traders and investors from China, especially Guangzhou.

This initiative can shorten the travelling time by three hours and facilitate arrival of the people of both cities, he added.

The Guangzhou-Johor Baru flight arrived at 6.50am with 176 passengers comprising 95 percent Chinese nationals while the rest were Malaysians.

Tourist arrivals from China rose from 628,087 in 2014 to 797,862 last year (2015) or an increase of 169,775 people.

Meanwhile, Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Md Derick Basir said they set aside RM7mil for upgrading of SIA from July until the middle of December.

The upgrading work include separating the domestic and international divisions. After renovation, gate one and two will be for international flights while gate three and four are for domestic flights.

Others include seven new check-in counters to make it a total of 23 counters, restructuring of the immigration counters and the addition of 16 retail business and food and beverage premises.

We will also put up signs in various languages including Bahasa Malaysia, English and other foreign languages depending on the majority of users in line with the government’s desire to make SIA of global standard.

Meanwhile, AS a township development that utilises cutting-edge technology, i-City has been consistently upgrading its infrastructure to create a 72-acre freehold ultrapolis which combines residential, commercial, retail, entertainment and tourism elements.

It became the first private sector development in the country to be awarded the MSC Cybercentre status, and remains the only urban centre in Shah Alam to-date. i-City was also among the first connected communities in the South East Asian region a decade ago to provide fibre connectivity and high speed broadband to the home when dial-ups were still the standard bearers.

This visionary intelligent city has transformed into a tentpole of luxurious development. Among the outstanding properties that have emerged is the Hill10 Residence, an upscale smart residential development with its 200 Internet of Things (IoT)-ready homes offering quality hotel living.

In December 2014, I-Bhd signed an agreement with Hilton Worldwide to develop the DoubleTree by Hilton in i-City as part of the township’s RM9bil master plan.

The hotel commands 300 elegant rooms and has a gross development value (GDV) of RM250mil.

In a recent interview, Hilton Worldwide vice-president of operations for South-East Asia and India William Costley was quoted as saying that the hotel chain’s position is to choose the right brand at the right location.

He said the location of DoubleTree by Hilton need not be in the heart of a city because Hilton’s brands were suited to fit different target audiences in various locations.

As in the case of DoubleTree by Hilton in i-City, the hotel can be at a strategic location in Shah Alam, yet the guests will be able to enjoy the same quality service of Hilton.

Occupying the same tower block and above DoubleTree by Hilton is the Hill10 Residence. Both hotel and the residences share a double-volume entrance driveway on the ground floor. Coupled with Hill10′s own cantilever rooftop infinity pool at level 43, there are just some of the many world-class facilities on offer.

DoubleTree by Hilton will occupy the ground floor to Level 22, while the Hill10 Residence will occupy the upper floors from Level 22 Mezzanine to Level 43.

Extending the prestige of Hilton Worldwide, Hill10 Residence will be fully fitted and furnished with interior design concepts similar to the hotel rooms. The stylish suites will be complemented by modern conveniences, making them the ultimate dream homes for those who enjoy a lifestyle of luxury.

Despite its elegant design and prestigious pedigree, Hill10 suites are priced from RM500,000 each, making it a steal considering buyers and investors will be able to acquire a home that is crafted to match the opulent lifestyle that can only be found in a worldwide hotel chain.

Residents of Hill10 suites will be able to come home to attentive room and housekeeping service as well as a 24- hour coffee house.

After being greeted by the double-volume driveway, residents can unwind and relax at the cantilevered rooftop infinity pool, the landscaped gardens, a recreation zone, a gym and other world-class facilities that complete the dream of owning a home on top of the world.

Upon entering the room, residents may not be able to stop themselves from jumping on the bed as children do in a hotel room. Don’t worry about messing up the bed – Hill10 promises round-the-clock services and top-notch living experience.

Similarly, those looking for a place to relax or work in the middle of the night can head for the 24-hour coffee house.

Residents need not have to worry about cleaning the house. Their living space will be neat and tidy when they return from their activities.

Simply put, Hill10′s residents own “the luxury, the world and the moment”. The exclusive suites come at an enviable price for those who desire the concept of holiday living.

One of the defining features of Hill10 Residence will be the application of IoT.

DoubleTree by Hilton and subsequently Hill10 Residence will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, such as a guestroom management system with efficient and centrally-managed energy consumption and room services. This system will promote environment sustainability while enhancing the living experience.

At the hotel, rooms will be precooled once a guest checks in at the concierge. Upon entering the room, the guest will discover more user-friendly intelligent features.

At Hill10 Residence, some of the home-sharing features are to be found in its basic structural layouts.

The development offers Standard, Deluxe and Executive suites, with built-ups of one bedroom, one study room and one bath, as well as two bedroom and two baths. This not only caters to the demands of modern life but also enables investors to rent out the rooms with little hassle.

For those interested in owning a luxurious suite to let, directly or through home-sharing services, they can assure their tenants of privacy. Each floor has only 11 suites which are serviced by four lifts.
With the establishment of the three worldwide brands in the likes of Hilton Worldwide, the Central Group of Thailand and the currently-operating Best Western Hotel,
coupled with the unveiling of Hill10 Residence, i-City’s stature as a beacon of leading-edge developments in the vicinity of Greater Kuala Lumpur shines ever brighter.

The Hill10 Residence and DoubleTree by Hilton tower block is expected to be completed in 2020.

CHINA: Minsk-Guangzhou Flights To Begin, Guangzhou is building 1,000 Kilometer-long Mountain Climbing Trails

There are plans to launch a direct flight between Minsk and Guangzhou (China), Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said on 4 May during the meeting with representatives of Chinese central and regional mass media partaking in the press tour to Belarus, BelTA has learned.

The head of state pointed out that Belarus is interested in bolstering ties with China's Guangdong Province. The sides have advanced trade and achieved considerable results in tourism and science.

Guangdong Province is also ready to set up light emitting diode companies in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone.

Currently we are discussing the launch of direct air service between Minsk and Guangzhou. The prospects are quite promising, Alexander Lukashenko remarked.

Belarus is ready to bolster ties with other Chinese regions. There are no forbidden topics or problems in our relations. You may rest assured that all your initiatives in Belarus will be supported. I invite you to come over and offer ideas.

We will receive and support you with pleasure, the president underlined. Guangzhou is the capital of China's most developed province Guangdong. The city is the political, economic, scientific and technical, educational, cultural and transport center of South China.

Guangzhou's Airport Economic Demonstration Zone is off to a robust start by attracting big investments and more than 100 new projects.

The zone already is becoming a hot spot for investment and development..

Benefiting from the city's status as a major aviation hub, the zone was established to boost and guide the development of high-end manufacturing and modern service industries.

Based on the air transportation business, the zone is intended to become a modern industrial base, a regional logistics center, and a technological innovation venue and cooperation platform.

The Baiyun airport's location, efficiency and multi-level services supported the Philippines' AirAsia's opening of direct flights between Guangzhou and Manila on April 28, the 12th new airline flying into and from the airport this year.

The opening of more international routes showcases the increasingly enhanced functionality of the Baiyun airport.

According to data released by airport officials, Baiyun's passenger throughput in 2016 reached 59.78 million, up 8.2 percent over the previous year, making it one of the world’s top 15 international airports and establishing its position as a gateway to Southeast Asia and Australia.

Meanwhile, many airline companies are flocking to the airport, further accelerating the development of the economic zone. In late March, Baiyun welcomed a new airline company - Guangdong Longhao Aviation Group. It took only nine months from preparation to construction for its first flight.

Longhao is not the only company that thinks highly of the airport's economic zone. Other international and national airline enterprises also are arriving in a steady stream.

Also, China Southern Airlines signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Guangzhou with American Airlines, the largest airline in the world, opening up a new epoch for international cooperation of large airline companies.

In terms of transportation development in the economic zone, progress has been made, according to Sun Xiuqing, director of the zone’s administrative committee.

The northern extension of the airport's second highway is already under construction; the expansion of intercity rail lines like Guangzhou to Qingyuan, Guangzhou to Foshan, and Guangzhou to Dongguan to Shenzhen is accelerating; Metro Line 9 and Huadu-Dongguan highway are under intense construction.

Apart from the construction of infrastructure and facilities, the economic zone has made breakthroughs in attracting investments and projects.

The zone's authorities have signed strategic cooperation and investment agreements with many companies, including YTO, Minsheng E-Commerce, DHL, China Air Cargo Corporation, and Baoneng, with the total investment reaching 26.96 billion yuan. Also, 500 enterprises have registered in the zone, and a batch of giant projects have started construction.

Among the businesses operating in the zone thus far, e-commerce is the most prevalent.

Guangzhou is building 1,000-kilometer-long mountain climbing trails as part of the National Trails System (NTS) in line with international standards.

The trails will make optimal use of the city's natural resources, history and culture to foster an upscale tourist business, and help enhance public awareness of ecological and cultural protection, while also providing sightseeing and recreational activities in beautiful natural environments, an official of Conghua Bureau of Culture, Broadcasting, Press and Publication said.

The first trail open to the public in Guangzhou is located in Liangkou village, Conghua district, with a length of 60 kilometers. Far away from the bustling metropolis, the Conghua trail is divided into four levels of difficulty to meet the needs of various people.

Summit Challenge Route, the most difficult section on the Conghua trail, offers good opportunities to climb the 1,210-meter Tiantang Peak, the highest mountain in Guangzhou, and enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Huangchayuan Mountain.

Hiking Route, a less difficult trek, is the longest route of the trail.

Leisure Travel Route is a more leisurely hike for people to enjoy the natural beauty and countryside scenery, such as a star observation platform, Qianlonggou Waterfall, Xitou village and Apoliu village.

Lake Loop Route, the easiest of the four, allows visitors to walk by the riverside, linking up four reservoirs – Dashuikou, Baishuidai, Xiabazi and Lianxi, as well as streams and waterfalls.

The NTS refers to the network of scenic, historic and recreation trails created by the U.S. National Trails System Act of 1968. The NTS will help Conghua become a leader in the development of Guangzhou’s trails and rural tourism. It will serve as a model on sustainable use of ecological and cultural resources.

Guangzhou’s foreign trade got off to a strong start in the first quarter, with import and export volume growing 31.9 percent over the same period in 2016 to 242.8 billion yuan.

At the same time, the import and export volume of Guangdong province increased by 15.4 percent year-on-year to 1.45 trillion yuan, according to data released by Guangzhou customs office.

On March 6, Guangzhou officially launched a national pilot mode of market procurement trade, which is a convenient, efficient, sharing and online regulatory platform for market procurement trade.

The platform has 172 businesses with over 10,000 products, of which 155 are foreign trade runners. The market procurement export value in Guangzhou through this platform reached 3.25 billion yuan through March 31.

In the first two months, Guangzhou’s cross-border e-commerce business grew by 16.2 percent over a year ago, ranking first among 60 cities engaged in e-commerce business.

Moreover, Guangzhou’s import of automobiles and diamonds showed good development momentum. Over 4,000 cars reached the Nansha port in Q1, 1.5 times as many as in the same period last year, while total diamond imports increased 26.2 percent.

According to an official of the Guangzhou Municipal Commission of Commerce, in order to enhance the development of foreign trade, Guangzhou continues to attract investments through multiple channels.

In the first three months, over 38,000 enterprises worth 300 billion yuan in registered capital were established in Guangzhou, a growth of 54.1 percent over the same period in 2016. Also, about 300 Fortune Global 500 corporations have launched nearly 800 projects in Guangzhou, according to officials.

Sakai Display Products Corp., a subsidiary of the world's largest electronics contractor, Foxconn Technology Group, plans to invest 61 billion yuan to produce 10.5 generation panel, substrate glass and related product lines in Guangzhou. It is by far the biggest foreign investment project in four decades in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou will accelerate the development of new types of business, including financial leasing, automobile imports and the diamond trade, and will further promote the import and export of high-tech and high-value-added products, such as automobiles, ships, aircraft, electronic products and medical equipment to enhance the transformation and upgrading of trade.

SINGAPORE: Airlines To Cash On Higher Tourist Arrivals

Singapore not only welcomed a record number of visitors. More significantly, those who came spent more.

Tourism receipts grew by almost 14 per cent year-on-year to $24.8 billion, far outstripping the 7.7 per cent jump in the number of visitors, which hit 16.4 million.

Preliminary data collated by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) put Indonesia, which accounted for 17.7 per cent of total arrivals, and China, at 17.5 per cent, neck-and-neck in the race for the top market spot.

Malaysia and India took third and fourth positions, respectively.

The good showing did bode well for the economy, specifically the tourism-related sectors, including retail, entertainment and food and beverage.

Hotels and other accommodation providers also benefited.

For the aviation sector, the knock-on effect was more patchy.

The positive impact was obvious for Changi Airport. More visitors - the bulk of whom would have come by air - meant more business for the airport, which also handled a record number of passengers last year.

There is a strong correlation between STB's visitor arrival numbers and Changi's passenger movements, particularly for key markets such as China, Indonesia and India.

Among Changi's top 10 markets last year, China saw the fastest growth at 15 per cent.

The airport has been actively growing the Chinese market by establishing new city links in China and welcoming new Chinese airlines to the airport - an added boost to the tourism sector here, said airport spokesman Ivan Tan.

Spending at airport shops and restaurants also increased, with total sales hitting a record high of $2.3 billion last year, 5 per cent higher than in 2015.

Travellers from China were the biggest spenders, accounting for about 30 per cent of the airport's retail market.

Other top spenders were from Indonesia, India and Australia.

For Changi, which collects rent from tenants as well as a percentage of sales, increasing revenue from commercial activities is key to keeping the airport competitive.

This is because part of the takings are used to subsidise aircraft parking and landing, as well as other aeronautical charges.

With Jewel Changi Airport due to open in early 2019, commercial takings should get another shot in the arm.

The multi-storey complex being built in front of Terminal 1 will offer mainly retail and dining options.

While Changi benefits from the increase in overall visitor arrivals, it is also important for the airport to grow its transit traffic to boost Singapore's status as an air hub.

Currently, stopover traffic makes up about a third of the airport's total passenger traffic.

As the airport continues to strengthen its connectivity to secondary cities in China, Indonesia and India, air travel to and from these key markets should remain healthy this year.

With much of the growth in visitor numbers coming from Asian markets, and especially second- and third-tier cities in China and India, budget airlines and full-service carriers that operate mainly regional flights are the key beneficiaries of the upswing.

For others, such as Singapore Airlines, the key is to grow its home base and work closely with its low-cost subsidiaries, such as Tigerair and Scoot, and regional arm SilkAir, to not only bring more people to Singapore, but also from here to other destinations within the group's network.

Budget carriers, such as Tigerair, Scoot, Jetstar and AirAsia, play a key role in boosting Singapore's visitor numbers, with a growing number of flights to regional destinations.

AirAsia's Singapore chief executive Logan Velaitham said: "Flights on our key trunk routes, like Kuala Lumpur-Singapore, are consistently operating at loads of 95 per cent, while services to second-tier cities in the region are achieving average loads of about 77 per cent."

While fuel and other operating costs such as salaries also factor into the bottom line, volumes are critical for budget carriers that earn not just from the fares they charge, but also add-ons, such as food and priority seating fees.

For airlines and ground handlers that do passenger and baggage check-in, and firms that repair and maintain planes, a rise in passenger numbers and flights is welcome, but competition will keep a lid on profits.

As the demand for intra-Asian air travel continues to grow - and with ongoing efforts to remove travel restrictions, for example, the push for a single visa for all Asean countries - tourism numbers will rise.

STB and Changi Airport will no doubt work closely with key players, in both the tourism and aviation sectors, to capture a big chunk of the traffic.

USA: American Travel Restrictions To Hurt Many Countries Including The USA

Seeking to capitalise on U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial new travel restrictions, companies and officials in Asia said they would target greater tourism and education ties with Muslims worried about the curbs.

Trump's Friday directive put a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria and a 90-day bar on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

In Muslim-majority Malaysia, the group CEO of Asia's largest budget airline, AirAsia, suggested countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could cash in.

"With the world now getting more isolationist it's time for ASEAN to start making it easier for tourists to come," Tony Fernandes said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Malaysia is a popular destination for tourists from the Middle East, with nearly 200,000 arriving in 2016 from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Qatar.

The country is also a key destination for medical tourism and halal tourism, with food and other products largely halal-certified.

In neighbouring Thailand, tourism officials said the U.S. ban could lift visitor numbers.

"The Middle East is a big market for us, especially in the medical tourism sector. They may choose to visit Thailand more and this may also boost our sector," Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.

Trump has presented his ban as a way to protect the United States from Islamist militants, but it has been condemned by a growing list of foreign leaders and drawn protests by tens of thousands in American cities.

With concerns about safety and security building, some Asians were reconsidering U.S. travel plans and seeking alternatives, even though their countries were not subject to the restrictions.

"When you want to travel, especially for leisure, then you want peace of mind," said Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Singapore's Dynasty Travel.

"Right now people are planning for their March-April onwards travel. They will put their travel plans (to the United States) on hold at this juncture in time."

Singaporeans may either chose to travel to the United States later in the year or explore alternative locations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada or within Asia, she said.

Trump has argued tougher vetting of immigrants is needed to protect America from attacks, but critics complain that his order unfairly singles out Muslims and defiles America's historic reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants.

Keysar Trad, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said Trump's travel restrictions were not only hurting innocent people but were "bringing great damage to his own economy and to the standings of Americans internationally".

"Everyone who has relatives in America, whether they are from the countries listed or not, they are petrified of what this man is going to do to America and to their relatives," Trad told Reuters.

Some education providers had seen early signs of an impact.

Rod Jones, CEO of Australian-listed education firm Navitas Ltd, said the company had seen a downturn in inquiries for their U.S.-based English language courses.

"We have started to see students back off from the U.S. because of their concerns about potential issues they may face," Jones told analysts on an earnings call.

"But they still want to go somewhere," Jones added, identifying Canada and Australia as important alternatives. "The Canadian Prime Minister has come out and said 'if the U.S. doesn't want you, we'd love to have you' and I think it is the approach of Australia too."

Aulia Adila, 24, a young professional in the media industry in Jakarta, had been considering the United States as an option for postgraduate study.

"When Trump had a chance of winning the election this made me reconsider going to the States to study. Now that he won, and with the Muslim ban and the new migrant policy, it's becoming even more impossible and unsafe to be in America," Adila said.

"I'm considering another country where I'll feel safe."

MALAYSIA: AirAsia has been named the World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline

AirAsia has been named the World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline for the fourth year in a row and its maiden title as the World's Leading Inflight Service at the 23rd World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final held in Male, Maldives.

Asia's largest low-cost carrier beat contenders from five continents to secure the award, including Ryanair, easyJet, Jetstar Airways, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Norwegian, Kulula, Mango, fastjet, flydubai, Air Arabia, flynas and West Air. "What a thrill to win World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline for the fourth straight year.

It's a great honour to round out what has been a great year for AirAsia, not just financially but in terms of recognition from the industry," Group Chief Executive Officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said today. AirAsia also won the World's Leading Inflight Service title for the first time ever, beating full-service carriers Etihad Airways, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Qantas Airways, Lufthansa, American Airlines and Air Canada.

The win builds on AirAsia's success earlier this year when it secured Asia's Leading Inflight Service award from WTA for the first time. "I’m also super proud of our first World’s Leading Inflight Service award. I've always said we have amazing crew and amazing inflight products, and we've proven it by beating not one, not two, not three, but eight full-service carriers for the prize," he said in a statement.

He said there are more to come for AirAsia as the airline is always working on more innovations, and not just for inflight. "Right now, we are exploring ways to make the airport experience better. One thing we're looking at is fast-tracking guests who share their travel profile with immigration authorities.

We expect to run the trial at selected airports in Asean in the not-too-distant future, so keep an eye out for it," he said. The WTA serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the travel and tourism industry, as chosen by thousands of travel professionals and high-end tourism consumers.

Airlines are judged on customer satisfaction and service quality, overall business performance, product innovation, staff relations and development, corporate social responsibility and contribution to local community, commitment to sustainable policies and fulfillment of long-term corporate vision. AirAsia is Asia's leading low-cost carrier, with an extensive network of more than 120 destinations in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa.

It is also the only airline to fly direct to all 10 Asean countries, including some 60 unique routes in the region. AirAsia was also named World's Best Low-Cost Airline for the eighth year in a row at the 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards in July. --Bernama

PHILIPPINES: Terminal Fees With Airline Ticket Prices For Intergration

THE Philippines Department of Tourism (DoT) disclosed earlier this week that major airlines operating in the country have agreed, in principle, to the integration of terminal fees into departing passengers’ airline ticket payments.

DoT secretary Wanda Teo said the consensus transpired during the third consultation meeting held at the NTO’s headquarters, attended by officials of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) and airline executives.

If all goes to plan, the domestic passenger service charge (DPSC), commonly known as the terminal fee, will be collected by airlines as part of ticket payments in an effort to ease the queuing and delays at Philippine airport terminals.

“We are working together with the different airlines and our partner government agencies in making it easier for the traveling public. And we do that by integrating the various fees that are collected,” said DoT undersecretary for development planning, Benito Bengzon Jr.

He noted, however, that adequate lead time is required before getting the word out, which includes at least a month for IATA to prepare to ensure "the level of acceptance and support would be higher”.

But local air carriers and the CAAP board must first agree with the terms and conditions in the memorandum of agreement presented by the DoT.

“Hopefully, once we finalise the memorandum we can have the principals all sign the document, and we can make that big announcement, which I am sure the traveling public would appreciate,” Bengzon added.

Local carriers, including Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Sea Air, SkyJet, Air Juan, and AirAsia are expected to submit the draft memorandum of agreement in time for CAAP’s board meeting to be held next week.

If approved, the plan would be implemented at all airports under the CAAP’s management. There are 81 CAAP terminals, but only 38 of which are performing commercial operations and collecting terminal fees.

“These initiatives address the long-standing choke points that beset tourism growth, such as physical airport capacity, travel facilitation and passenger mobility,” commented Teo.

CHINA: Tourism Authority Blacklists Tourists Who Threw Hot Water And Noodles At Thai Flight Attendant

Four mainland tourists who threw hot water and noodles at a Thai flight attendant after being angered over their seating arrangement and the lack of a receipt for their purchase will be blacklisted by the tourism authority.

The Jiangsu Provincial Tourism Bureau said on Monday that they had asked the provincial tourism association to blacklist the rowdy group that disrupted the Thai AirAsia flight from Bangkok to Nanjing last Thursday.

The bureau did not say, however, what penalties those on the blacklist were subjected to. The tour guide who led the group has also had their licence suspended for a year, the bureau said.

The announcement came after the National Tourism Administration said over the weekend that the group had “badly damaged the overall image of the Chinese people”.

The group had a series of confrontations with the budget airline’s crew members, according to passengers onboard the plane.

They were upset after being told they could not be seated together, even after a flight attendant helped to change their seats.

One male passenger later lost his temper when a crew member told him that change for his purchase – a cup of hot water – could be given only in Thai baht. He demanded his change in renminbi as well as a receipt.

When the attendant said she could not do so, the passenger berated her. His companion, a woman from Anhui, then threw the hot water and noodles at the attendant.

“The attendant burst into tears immediately,” as other passengers looked on.

The chief attendant asked the Anhui woman to apologise to the crew member or the plane would return to Bangkok, the witnesses said.

“We could feel the plane descending, but the woman passenger refused to apologise,” they said.

During the stand-off, the Anhui woman ran to the back row and knocked against window, threatening to jump out of the plane.

A video shot by a passenger onboard and aired by state broadcaster CCTV showed the woman and her companion threatening to bomb the plane.

The flight eventually returned to Bangkok and local police asked the rowdy group to disembark, while the remaining passengers went on their way and landed in Nanjing at 3am the next day – five hours later than scheduled.

The group paid 50,000 Thai baht (HK$11,800) compensation to the flight attendant and was fined 500 Thai baht.

By the time the group of four returned to Nanjing the next day, their behaviour had made headlines across the country and beyond, triggering heated discussion on social media.

The group then staged a protest upon touchdown, refusing to leave the jet bridge at the Nanjing airport unless the airline issued a statement saying that the media coverage was untruthful.

They said the crew member had been scalded by accident during a tussle, mainland media reported.

Thai AirAsia said the company would not issue any public statement acceding to the group’s request.

Airbus Closed Gap With Boeing In Battle For Airliner Orders

Airbus virtually closed the gap with Boeing in their intense battle for airliner orders in July after booking about half of the 197 firm sales unveiled at last month's Farnborough Airshow, according to the latest data from both companies.

Amid a broad slowdown in purchases, the European planemaker said it had sold a total of 373 jets between January and July, or 323 after adjusting for cancellations.

That compares with 383 airplane sales, or 333 after cancellations, notched up by US rival Boeing.

Combined orders at the world's dominant planemakers fell 17 per cent from the same period last year, weighed by concerns over the economy and relatively low oil prices which have taken the edge off demand for new fuel-saving models.

Both planemakers are also struggling to book new sales in a market that is seen as somewhat oversupplied with jets, especially larger wide-body models, industry experts said.

The slowdown has raised some questions about whether they will maintain plans to boost output later this decade.

Both have also faced a slew of order deferrals in recent weeks, while insisting the trend of postponements is stable.

Two industry sources said Indonesia's Lion Air, one of the largest Asian jet buyers with hundreds of jets on order from Boeing and Airbus, is aiming to defer about 25 Airbus jets.

Airbus declined comment and Lion Air was not available.

The planemaker was also hammering out last details of an order for 100 more planes from Lion Air's regional rival AirAsia , announced in a shower of publicity at Farnborough.

After a slow start to the year, Airbus had looked set to end the Farnborough Airshow with 380 net orders for the year to date including the AirAsia deal, which it described as a firm order.

The deal did not make it into the new tally, however, and an Airbus spokesman said paperwork was being finalised. A person close to the talks said they only involved tying up loose ends.

Latest Airbus data also suggested that another order secured at the height of an industry boom in 2012 had been trimmed back.

Mexican low-cost carrier Interjet has cancelled five of 40 A320neo jets it has on order, according to Thursday's update.

No immediate comment was available from the airline on the disclosure, which comes as Mexican consumer confidence drops to its lowest level in two years amid a weak economy.

While Boeing remains ahead by a whisker in the race for new orders, it maintains a solid lead on deliveries which drive revenues, handing over 432 jets between January and July.

Airbus delivered 339 jets between January and July, down 4 percent on the year, due in part to a shortage of Pratt & Whitney (UTX.N> engines for its latest model, the revamped A320neo.

Airbus delivered just three of the jets in July, including two powered by Pratt & Whitney and the first to be delivered with alternative engines from CFM International .

So far this year it has delivered 11 A320neos and 15 of its widebody A350s, another model suffering delays due in part to problems with suppliers. It aims to deliver 50 A350s this year.

Industry sources say that besides widely reported problems with cabin equipment such as toilets, the A350 has faced some other glitches including quality problems with wing spoilers from Austrian parts maker FACC. An Airbus spokesman said these problems had been resolved. FACC declined to comment.

New Airbus data also incorporated the cancellation by Qatar Airways of the first of 50 A320neo-family jets it has ordered.

The Gulf airline has criticised Airbus and Pratt & Whitney over A320neo delays and said in June it would exercise a clause to abandon the first jet, one of several parked in Qatar livery outside the French factory waiting for engines.

Parent Airbus Group said last week that upgraded versions of the engines were now being delivered.

Meanwhile, Qatar Airways is in talks with Boeing for rival 737 MAX jets to diversify its fast-expanding fleet.

PHILIPPINES: European Union Lifts Safety Ban on Philippine Carriers

With the hard work shown by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and aviation authorities, all Philippine carriers are now free from the blacklist after the European Union decided to lift the ban on all airlines in the Philippines.

On Thursday, June 25, the European Union announced to lift the ban. The safety ban prevents all Philippine carriers to fly above the European air space. These airlines will join with the Philippines' leading airlines: Philippine Airlines, which was lifted by EU on July 2013, and Cebu Pacific, which was lifted by EU last year.

Airlines that are now allowed to fly to Europe includes AirAsia, AirAsia Zest, PAL Express, Island Aviation, Magnum Air or SkyJet Airlines, Southeast Asian Airlines International and Cebgo (formerly Tigerair Philippines).

“After 5 years of hard work, we are finally able to release the airlines certified in the Philippines from the European Air Safety List. The Philippines is an important country with a sizeable and rapidly growing aviation sector,” European Union Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc said.

“Today’s result can serve as an example for other countries which have difficulty to match their safety oversight capabilities with the growth of their industry,” Bulc added.

According to EU Chargé d’ Affaires, Lubomir Frebort, "it is the first time for the entire aviation sector of one country to be removed from the air safety list or the list of banned airlines in Europe."

The European Union's decision was due to the positive results of the EU Assessment Team's evaluation of each airline in the Philippines last April. While airlines compete largely in the domestic market, the EU decision will still benefit them, according to Eric Apolonio, spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

INDONESIA: Lion Group Increased 57 Aircraft In 2015, Overtaking AirAsia

Indonesia's Lion Group continued to expand its fleet rapidly in 2015 as several of its competitors in Southeast Asia slowed growth or restructured. Lion added a remarkable 57 aircraft in 2015 – its highest figure ever – and ended the year with 236 aircraft.

In doing so Lion overtook AirAsia as the largest airline group in Southeast Asia, growing its fleet by 32% in 2015 while the AirAsia fleet shrank slightly. The Lion Group is expected to add a similar number of aircraft in 2016, further widening the gap with AirAsia.

All five Lion Group carriers grew their fleets in 2015 by at least seven aircraft. Lion currently has 191 aircraft in its home market of Indonesia, 27 in Malaysia and 18 in Thailand.

INDONESIA: Lion Group To Expand Internationally

Indonesia’s Lion Group is preparing to build up its presence in the international market after focusing almost entirely on domestic operations in its initial 15 years. Lion is the largest domestic airline group outside China and the US, but has a small international operation that is only about the size of Poland’s LOT.

In a precursor to international expansion, the group has been raising its standards and seeking IOSA certification for all five airlines in its portfolio. Its Indonesian subsidiaries are also now in the process of securing an exemption from the EU blacklist.

IOSA certification and EASA approval should make it easier for the airlines under the Lion Group to secure approval from civil aviation authorities in several countries. It should also strengthen the Lion brand overseas and facilitate new codeshare partnerships.

Lion is one of the world’s 15 largest airline groups based on current seat capacity. The Lion Group currently has more than 1.7 million weekly seats, making it the largest in Southeast East – ahead of AirAsia’s approximately 1.4 million weekly seats.

Approximately 93% of Lion Group’s seat capacity is now domestic.

However, Lion has a larger concentration of domestic capacity than any of the other top 15 airline groups except Southwest Airlines. Approximately 93% of Lion Group’s seat capacity is now domestic, according to CAPA and OAG data.

In comparison, Lion’s arch-rival AirAsia allocates approximately 50% of its current seat capacity to the international market. Lion currently has approximately 125,000 weekly international seats compared with more than 700,000 for AirAsia (including AirAsia X).

Lion is more than double the size of AirAsia in domestic markets with approximately 1.6 million weekly seats, compared with approximately 700,000 for AirAsia. Globally only seven airlines, the four main US airline groups and the three main Chinese airline groups, have more domestic capacity than Lion.

Lion has started growing its international operation.

Lion’s international capacity has been increasing in recent years, but from a very low base. In 2015 the group’s annual international capacity was up nearly 20% compared with 2014, and was more than double the 2012 levels.

Lion Group’s current weekly seat capacity is up nearly 60% year-over-year compared with Apr-2015, when the group had approximately 80,000 weekly international seats. Compared with Apr-2014 it has doubled.

Nearly all of the group’s international expansion over the last couple of years has been generated by Malaysian Malindo Air. Currently Malindo has approximately 60,000 weekly international seats, while the rest of the group has approximately 65,000 weekly international seats. Malindo’s current international weekly seat capacity is nearly 60% above Apr-2015 levels and is more than three times the Apr-2014 levels.

Lion Group plans international expansion in 2016.

Malindo commenced operations in Mar-2013 and has been focusing its expansion almost entirely on the international market over the last two years, after an initial phase focused on the domestic market. Malindo currently operates 21 international routes, nine of which have been launched over the last year, and is planning further ambitious international expansion in 2H2016.

The rest of the group currently operates only 10 scheduled international routes. This includes eight for Lion Air, one for Thai Lion and one for the Indonesian full service subsidiary Batik Air. The group’s fifth airline, Wings Air, is a regional operator in Indonesia and only serves the domestic market.

Batik, Lion and Thai Lion are all planning international expansion in 2016. Thai Lion has the most aggressive plan, aiming to launch several international routes within Southeast Asia and to China over the next few months. Thai Lion commenced operations in Dec-2013 and focused in its initial phase on the Thai domestic market, where it has quickly built up a presence that is already almost as large as the long-established LCCs Nok Air and Thai AirAsia.

In Indonesia, the Lion Group strategy is generally to use the full service subsidiary Batik to expand in the international market. Batik launched its first international route, Jakarta-Singapore, in Aug-2015 and has Perth in its business plan for 2016. It is planning to accelerate international expansion in 2017 as it takes delivery of new longer-range A321neos.

The Lion Group clearly faces challenges in establishing a significant international presence. The group and its various airlines do not have known brands outside their home markets, and the group's reputation overseas has also been far from stellar.

Lion Group has been gradually working to raise its standards and improve its reputation. An initiative to certify all of its airlines under the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) began in 2014, following the establishment of a new corporate safety and quality team.

Thai Lion became the first airline to pass an IOSA audit in Sep-2015. Thai Lion was selected as the first Lion Group airline to go through the stringent IOSA process as it is the newest member of the group and was therefore the easiest at which to implement change.

The other four airlines are now in various stages of the IOSA certification process. Batik and Malindo are expected to be added to the IOSA registry within the next couple of months, followed by Lion Air in Jul-2016 and Wings Air in Sep-2016.

IOSA certification is a key milestone in Lion Group’s initiative to establish itself internationally, for several reasons.

From a regulatory standpoint, IOSA certification can make it easier to secure approvals from various authorities. For example, Batik is now in the process of seeking approval from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

No Lion Group airline currently has any codeshares with airlines outside the group
IOSA certification is also often a requirement for codeshare agreements with other airlines. No Lion Group airline currently has any codeshares with airlines outside the group.

However Malindo is now actively seeking to partner with several foreign airlines serving Malaysia, as part of its new full service airline strategy. Over the next couple of years other Lion Group members are also expected to start exploring partnerships with airlines outside the group.

IOSA certification is also a benefit because some corporates have policies requiring employees to fly with airlines on the IOSA registry. In addition, individual consumers often opt for IOSA certified airlines. As a result, IOSA can help Lion attract more international passengers and operate international routes that may only be viable with a heavy concentration of inbound traffic.

Lion Air could be removed from EU blacklist
An exemption from the EU blacklist will further aid Lion’s international efforts, since some authorities – and some corporates – follow EASA more closely than IOSA. Removal from the blacklist would also clearly help from a consumer standpoint.

Lion found itself blacklisted through no fault of its own. EASA automatically put all Indonesian airlines on its blacklist several years ago when it determined that Indonesian authorities did not meet its standards. Airlines are able to be removed individually after applying for an exemption and undergoing a rigorous process. For example, AirAsia Indonesia and Garuda Indonesia are currently exempt from the EU blacklist after following this process.

In Nov-2015 Batik, Lion, and the Garuda budget subsidiary Citilink applied for removal from the EU blacklist. A review by EASA is now under way, with a decision on all three airlines expected in Jun-2016.

If the Batik and Lion applications are successful, the Lion Group also plans to begin the process of seeking an exemption for Wings Air.

Lion seeks to raise its international profile as its 500 aircraft orders are delivered.

The certification work under IOSA and EASA is part of a wider initiative to raise standards, which should in turn help Lion boost its international profile.

The group is also now seeking EASA approval for its maintenance facility in Batam, which is expected to be secured within the next couple of months. Lion is also now seeking FAA approval for heavy airframe checks, which will facilitate efforts to start pursuing maintenance contracts with third party customers.

Separate projects are under way to improve several other areas of the operation, including on-time performance. Only approximately 80% of Lion Air flights are on time. Batik has had a much more reliable operation since launching, with an average on-time performance of nearly 99%, as have Malindo and Thai Lion.

Lion strategically needs a much larger international presence
The Lion Group clearly recognises that it needs to raise its standards if it is to succeed at improving its brand overseas and expanding internationally. Lion strategically needs a much larger international presence as it takes delivery of the approximately 500 aircraft it has on order.

There are huge challenges to overcome, but there is also huge potential for the Lion Group in the international market.

Collapse In Oil Prices Encourages AirAsia To Expand Philippines And Vietnam

A collapse in oil prices offers AirAsia room to further expand in the Philippines and in Vietnam as Asia's largest budget carrier by fleet seeks to bolster its operations in the Southeast Asian market where it already dominates.

The proposed move, which was first reported by Reuters citing AirAsia group chief executive Tony Fernandes in the U.S., was confirmed by the company.

AirAsia, despite giving up some gains accruing from low-fuel costs to weaker currencies in some of its key markets, views the current environment "an opportunity to expand, to regrow, to put capital investment in."

Through the recent years, airlines across Asia have aggressively added capacities buoyed by hopes of brisk traffic growth on the back of fast expanding economies. But, in some markets passenger growth failed to keep pace with expectations and intense competition hurt aviation business.

AirAsia too slowed its pace of expansion in the past year as it awaited a rebound in demand for air travel in its key markets of Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. While Malaysia grappled with a plunge in ringgit's value last year, consumer sentiment shrivelled following the launch of so-called goods and services tax that crimped discretionary spending.

AirAsia reported a net loss of 405.73 million ringgit ($95.9 million) in the third quarter ended September 30, compared with net profit of 5.4 million ringgit during the same quarter a year earlier as borrowing costs swelled following the U.S. dollar's gain against the Malaysian ringgit.

The Malaysian ringgit shed more than 23% of its value against the greenback last year, making it Asia's worst performing currency.

However, the carrier's traffic load rose 12% annually in the final three months of 2015 - a usually busy season - and operations in India recorded rapid volume growth.

AirAsia's recent goal to expand in the Philippines and Vietnam would allow it to tap into a combined market of 200 million people, many of who are first-time fliers, analysts said.

Economies of these Southeast Asian nations are growing at a steady pace, which have helped raise income levels of tens of thousands of consumers who can now afford air travel.

MIDF Amanah Investment Bank analyst Tay Yow Ken said apart from demographics, a successful expansion would allow AirAsia to enlarge its network to connect Southeast Asia and cement its position in the region.

But Fernandes has cautioned that securing route approvals was a problem, and limited room for operations at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport also weigh on the company's growth plan.

Although Clark International Airport offers a favourable alternative in the Philippines, a high-speed rail system linking it to Manila is essential to make the expansion work.

Klook Travel Teams Up With AirAsia BIG, WeChat

Tours and activity booking platform Klook Travel has joined hands with airline programme AirAsia BIG, offering loyalty members points for every Klook booking made.

In addition existing BIG Points can also be redeemed for some Klook activities through the AirAsia BIG redemption platform.

"With rising demand from consumers for more authentic and engaging travel experiences, we are excited to open up our innovative technology to partners, providing them seamless connectivity to Klook's curated activities in Asia," said Eric Gnock Fah, co-founder of Klook.

"The move further supports our regional footprint in providing local tours and activities operators greater reach across millions of users."

Klook also announced a groundbreaking partnership with messaging app WeChat.

WeChat Pay has officially launched in the Hong Kong market and Klook has integrated the WeChat Wallet as a more seamless form of payment for Hong Kong users.

Wechat Pay users can book and pay for Klook activities in just a few taps, the company says.

The two companies join Klook's growing network of partners such as Asia Miles, Skyscanner and Tiger Airways.