JetBlue Orders 30 Additional A321 Aircraft

New York-based JetBlue Airways has amended its purchase agreement with Airbus to include an additional 15 Airbus A321ceo (current engine option) and 15 A321neo (new engine option) aircraft.

The airline, which already operates A321s, has not yet announced its engine selection for the newly ordered aircraft. Beginning in 2019, JetBlue has the flexibility to configure the New Engine Option aircraft to the Longer Range version of the A321 – the A321LR.

“Airbus has been our partner since the beginning, and we are proud that our partnership continues today,” said Robin Hayes, president and CEO, JetBlue. “The A321 is an incredible aircraft that is delivering results for our business. We intend to deploy many of these aircraft to expand our successful Mint experience and our west coast presence.”

Many of JetBlue’s newly ordered A321 aircraft are expected to be delivered from Airbus’ newest manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama. The first aircraft to be produced at Airbus’ U.S. Manufacturing Facility – a JetBlue A321 known as “BluesMobile” – is on public display at the EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. BluesMobile was delivered to the airline and entered service this spring.

“When we decided to build an assembly line in the U.S., we did it to help meet the increasing demand from our U.S. customers,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “The A320 Family is a market leader worldwide – one that has found particularly great success in the United States because of its economics, efficiency and comfort. We look forward to delivering more and more aircraft from our U.S. facility to our customers here in America.”

JetBlue currently operates a fleet of 160 A320 Family aircraft, including 130 A320s and 30 A321s. Including the order announced today, the airline’s backlog of Airbus aircraft comprises 116 planes: 25 A320neo, 31 A321ceo, and 60 A321neo aircraft.

The A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single aisle product line with almost 12,600 orders since launch and more than 7,100 aircraft delivered to more than 320 operators worldwide. Thanks to their widest cabin, all members of the A320 Family offer unmatched comfort in all classes and Airbus’ 18” wide seats in economy as standard. With one aircraft in four sizes, the A320 Family, seating from 100 to 240 passengers, seamlessly covers the entire single-aisle segment from low to high-density domestic to longer range routes.

AUSTRALIA: Virgin Australia Posts $225 Million Loss

Virgin Australia will post an annual loss of $224.7 million due to the impairments and charges it expects to record from its plans to position the airline for future profitability.

Australia’s second biggest carrier reports its full year results on August 5, but in a fourth quarter trading update has warned of the impact of the changes the airline says will save up to $300 million per year by the end of 2018/19.

Underlying profit for the 12 months to June 30 will meet guidance at $41 million, an improvement on the previous year’s $49 million, but the bottom line will be hit by previously announced impairments – most of which were recorded in the fourth quarter.

Virgin Australia said it will post a net loss of $228 million for the final three months of 2015/16, and a full year net loss of $224.7 million.

The airline’s changes include the streamlining of its fleet of aircraft and efforts to improve the efficiency of its crew and ground operations.

Virgin Australia cut domestic capacity by two per cent in the final three months of the 2015/16 year to reflect demand, and said its underlying pre-tax loss for the period narrowed by $15 million to $21.9 million.

“The group improved its underlying performance, passenger numbers and load factors in the fourth quarter in a challenging operating environment,” chief executive John Borghetti said.

“During the quarter, the group took action in response to operating conditions through strategic capacity reductions in line with demand.”

Lufthansa To Eliminate 700 Jobs

Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s plane-servicing business is cutting 700 engine-maintenance jobs as new, low-maintenance engines and fresh competitors put a dent in earnings at its most profitable unit.

Most of the cuts will come at Lufthansa Technik’s Hamburg site, which employs 1,800 people, spokesman Jens Krueger said by phone. The unit has 2,000 workers throughout Germany. The airline will rely on measures such as early retirement to achieve the reductions in the next five-to-eight years, Krueger said. The challenge facing the division is that modern engines need to be serviced less frequently, he said.

Lufthansa Technik has said its global market share shrunk to 8 percent last year from 13 percent in 2009. Lufthansa Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr said earlier this month the division would seek to cut 70 million euros ($77 million) from administrative expenses by 2018. The reductions are part of a earnings-improvement drive across Lufthansa, with job cuts also on the table in the cargo and catering units.

TURKISH: Turkish Airlines Fires Personnel After Failed Coup

Turkey’s national flag carrier Turkish Airlines has fired more than 100 employees, including management and cabin crew, as part of the ongoing investigations into state institutions against the supporters of the July 15 failed coup attempt, media reports have said, Hurriyet reported.

The dismissals at the national carrier occurred late on July 24 after it was determined the employees had links to the movement of U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, which the ruling Justice and Government Party (AKP) says masterminded the failed bid.

An official at Turkish Airlines, Europe’s fourth-biggest carrier, declined to comment.

Other reports said the dismissals were due to “inefficiency.” Thelira.com, a financial-news website, said about 250 cabin crew personnel were dismissed, along with 100 management and administrative staff.

Among those let go was a deputy chief executive responsible for the airline’s financial affairs.

Authorities have fired, suspended or detained thousands of people, mainly public-sector employees, across Turkey since the failed coup attempt.

Separately, landline operator Türk Telekom, which is 30 percent state-owned, sacked 198 people on July 22 in “cooperation with the security forces” and said some managers had been summoned by prosecutors to give testimony in connection with the ongoing investigation, according to emailed statements.

More than 240 people were killed and 2,000 injured in the violence surrounding the failed coup attempt on July 15.

Turkish Airlines shares were up 2.83 percent at 5.08 Turkish Liras on July 25, in line with the main index. Türk Telekom outpaced the index, rising 3.59 percent to 6.06 liras.

Malaysia Airlines Purchases 50 Boeing 737 MAX

Malaysia Airlines has announced an order for 25 Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes. The deal is valued at $2.75 billion dollars at current list prices. The order also includes purchase rights for additional 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 airplanes.

“This deal is a game-changer for Malaysia Airlines with much lower costs and greater efficiency which we will pass on to our loyal customers with lower fares,” said Peter Bellew, Malaysia Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer.

“With the 737 MAX’s longer range capabilities, we will be able to connect our passengers to more destinations, in greater comfort and with superior economics.”

The Malaysian national carrier has operated almost every derivative of the 737 airplane family and took delivery of its 100th 737 in December 2014. Malaysia Airlines currently operates more than 50 737-800s.

“The 737 MAX will continue the superior operating economics and reliability of the 737 that Malaysia Airlines has depended for more than 40 years,” said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, Asia Pacific & India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

The 737 MAX will deliver 20 percent lower fuel use than the first Next-Generation 737s and the lowest operating costs in its class – 8 percent per seat less than its nearest competitor. The new single-aisle airplane incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

THAILAND: THAI To Resume Flights To US

Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) aims to resume flights to the United States, though they would be routed through either Seattle or San Francisco instead of Los Angeles, which was the previous destination.

THAI president Charamporn Jotikasthira said the the timing of the move to resume flights to the US depends on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) withdrawing its “red flag”, and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) upgrading the country’s aviation status.

He revealed the goal at a seminar on aviation safety held on Monday.

THAI suspended its flights from Bangkok to Los Angeles in October last year in line with its rehabilitation plan following years of losses.

With increasing demand, the national flag carrier is now considering flights to either Seattle or San Francisco because passengers could transfer to other destinations, Mr Charamporn said, adding the flights are expected to be launched next year.

Thailand was downgraded by the FAA on Dec 1 last year to Category II, meaning Thai-registered airlines were not allowed to open new routes, increase the frequency of existing flights to the US, or change aircraft types deployed on current services.

This came after the ICAO issued a “red flag”, indicating significant safety concerns, in June last year following Thailand’s failure to meet standards in regulating aviation businesses and granting air operator certificates (AOCs).

“If the Thai aviation regulator solves the problem and the red flag is lifted, the FAA would also allow Thai-registered carriers to fly in and out of the country [US] as usual,” he said.

The opening of the new route to the US would come when THAI receives two new Boeing aircraft next year, he added.

Mr Charamporn said non-stop flights would be offered on the route, which is a major selling point as no other carriers offer this service. In the past, THAI operated flights to the US with a stop in either Japan or South Korea, he said.

Mr Charamporn restated the Thai national carrier’s plan to open a new route to Tehran in October. Iran is a potentially lucrative market for business and tourism with a population of 77.5 million.

THAI also aims to resume services to Moscow which were also suspended last year during the company’s restructuring. Seven flights will operate every week, up from four in the original plan.

THAI also is gearing up efforts to improve service to meet passenger demand in a bid to boost market share and ensure aviation safety following the ICAO’s decision to issue the red flag, he said.

The airline also launched the Safety Beyond Compliance project last year to boost safety standards in the aviation industry in compliance with European Aviation Safety Agency standards.

THAI will also work with Scandinavian airlines to share aviation safety data in a system called Enplore to devise measures to ensure safety.

Referring to the impact of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, Mr Charamporn said British travellers may avoid going to the US due to the weakening pound so they might decide to come to Thailand more.

China is Rolling out AG600 Amphibious Aircraft

China’s home-made amphibious aircraft AG600, the world’s largest such plane, makes its official debut in Zhuhai.

The aircraft, with a maximum takeoff weight of 53.5 tonnes and a maximum range of more than 5,000 kilometers, can absorb 12 tonnes of water within 20 seconds, which is ideal for performing multiple operations including forest fire fighting, over-water Search and Rescue, marine environment monitoring, resource exploration, passenger and freight transportation and other operating tasks.

Its amphibious function makes it possible to take off from both land and water, rescuing 50 people at most on water at one time.

Workers are currently assembling the fuselage of the world’s largest amphibious aircraft. The AVIC General Aircraft Company has won 17 orders for the amphibious aircraft AG600, including two at 2014 Zhuhai Air Show.

Embraer Introduces New Evolution Of The Phenom 100

Embraer Executive Jets has launched an evolution of its entry-level Phenom 100 business jet, the Phenom 100 EV, at the EAA AirVenture Fly-In and Convention.

Featuring a new avionics suite with the Prodigy Touch flight deck, based on the Garmin G3000, and modified Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617F1-E engines, offering more speed with superior hot-and-high performance, the Phenom 100 EV will enter the market in the first half of 2017.

The aircraft will enjoy dual launch customers, each with unique operating requirements. Mexico’s Across, a premium business aviation services provider, will benefit from the aircraft’s hot-and-high performance out of its base at Toluca International Airport (TLC).

Emirates Flight Training Academy, the new world class training facility due to open later this year set up by Emirates Airlines, recently upgraded its earlier order for five Phenom 100E to Phenom 100EV becoming the first flight training organization to train cadet pilots using this platform.

INDIA: IndiGo Makes Emergency Landing After ISIS Speech

A Kozhikode-bound Indigo airlines flight from Dubai made an emergency landing at Mumbai airport after a passenger made a speech in support of the dreaded terror outfit Islamic State on Thursday morning.

The man, who is suspected to be a Keralite, started speaking for the ISIS and its ideals when the the flight was airborne.

He refused to yield to the requests from co-passengers to stop. He was overpowered by fellow passengers when he turned violent.

The passenger is being interrogated by the CISF at Mumbai airport. More details are awaited.

USA: Private Plane Crashes Kills 4 At Northern California Airport

Authorities say a small private plane crashed at the airport in the Northern California town of Columbia, killing all four people on board.

The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department says the plane crashed as it tried to land on the runway but veered to the left.

It says the Cessna 310 was fully engulfed in flames when emergency crews arrived.

The department said the aircraft was coming from the north but didn’t say where exactly.

The sheriff’s department says investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board will arrive Thursday.

The crash also caused a small vegetation fire that was quickly extinguished.No other information was immediately released.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong Flights Suspended Due To Typhoon Nida

Flight departures and arrivals at Hong Kong International Airport will be suspended from 10pm on Monday (Aug 1) till 2pm on Tuesday (Aug 2), Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair said in a joint press statement.

A check on the Hong Kong International Airport website showed that a large majority of flights from other airlines departing during the affected times have also been cancelled.

Cathay and Dragonair said passengers who booked the flights travelling departing on Monday and Tuesday are encouraged to postpone non-essential travel.

Both airlines said they will waive fees on re-booking, re-routing and cancellation and refund for all tickets issued worldwide on or before Monday for travel involving Hong Kong between Monday and Wednesday.

RAAF’s Major Multinational Large-Force Employment Exercise Begins

RAAF’s major multinational large-force employment exercise, Pitch Black, is under way.

Up to 115 aircraft and 2,500 personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and the US are participating in the three-week long Exercise Pitch Black 2016, which officially began on July 29 and continues through to August 19. Flying operations began on Monday with aircraft operating out of RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal in the Northern Territory to utilise the Northern Territory’s vast Delamere Range Facility and Bradshaw Field Training Area.

Major exercises such as Pitch Black are essential in ensuring Air Force remains ready to respond whenever the Australian Government requires Air Commodore Christopher Sawade, Head of Special Events, said.

Fast jets participating in Pitch Black include Thai and Indonesian F-16As, Singaporean F-15SGs and F-16Ds and RAAF Hornets and Super Hornets. Transport aircraft include Canadian and USMC KC-130 Hercules tankers, a Royal Thai Air Force C-130H Hercules and a New Caledonian-based French air force CN-235, as well the RAAF’s KC-30A tanker transport.

The general public can get a taste of Pitch Black with an aircraft handling display over Darwin’s Mindil Beach on Thursday August 11 and an open day at RAAF Base Darwin on Saturday August 13. There is also a publicly accessible viewing area located off Amy Johnson Avenue on the eastern side of RAAF Base Darwin.

POLAND: Poland Set To Launch Talks With Air China

Warsaw is set to launch talks with Air China over the sale of a 49% stake in state-owned Lot Polish Airlines, local media reported on August 3.

Following years of losses, and restructuring with the help of public money, Lot is on course to post a profit of PLN30mn (€6.8mn) from core operations after the first six months of 2016, the company said in late June. That should put Poland in a better position to attract a strategic investor. While the Law and Justice (PiS) government is generally opposed to privatisation, officials admitted earlier this year that concluding a multi-year hunt for an investor swiftly is a priority for Lot's survival.

The likely valuation of the minority stake in the Polish carrier is unclear. Rzeczpospolita speculates it may be $100mn (€89.3mn), based on an independent valuation carried out by transport consultancy Tor.

Both Lot and Air China have been showing interest in developing activity in one another's home market. Lot would like to expand its current Chinese routes to include at least one city other than Beijing. Air China is opening a route to Warsaw in September.

However, a deal would serve a more fundamental service for the Polish flag carrier. Like many of its European peers, Poland has been looking for a strategic investor for the loss-making airline for years. However, EU rules insisting investors from outside the bloc cannot control any airline within it have scuppered more than one deal across the continent, including plans by Turkish Airlines to buy Lot.

Lot’s need for an investor is met by the lure for Asian and Middle Eastern airlines to establish European hubs. At the same time, China is pushing to deepen business and investment ties in many sectors across the bloc, with Central & Eastern European states seen as a bridgehead.

Beijing is busy signing deals across CEE, with host countries keen to secure a slice of its massive investment warchest. For the government in Warsaw, cooperation with China offers the chance of capital inflows while Western investors are weighing the political risks attached to the current administration. Poland signed a strategic partnership deal with China in June.

Should the Chinese buy into Lot eventually, the transaction would be similar to Korean Air’s acqisition of a 44% stake in Czech airlines CSA in 2013. The deal gave CSA a solid financial footing after years of losses and a failed privatisation attempt. Chinese company CEFC, which has been busy buying up a variety of smaller assets in the country, bought into CSA earlier this year, and is reportedly hoping to expand its holding.

INDIA: Jet Airways to launch daily Mangalore-Sharjah flights

Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, has announced that it will launch a new daily route from Mangaluru (Mangalore) in southern India to Sharjah in the UAE from 7 August 2016. Mangaluru is the main port city of Karnataka, India’s twelfth largest state by population.

Jet Airways is India’s second largest airline operating flights to 73 destinations, including 22 international flights and 51 domestic flights. Beginning in August, the Indian carrier will fly daily from Mangaluru at 9.30am, arriving in Sharjah International Airport at 11.45am local time. Return flights will leave Sharjah at 12.45pm and reach Mangaluru at 5.55pm. Jet already operates daily direct flights from Kochi in the Indian state of Kerala to Sharjah.

India is well connected to Sharjah, with international low cost airline Air India Express operating flights to the emirate from six Indian destinations and Sharjah-headquartered Air Arabia operating flights between Sharjah and 13 key Indian destinations.

The UAE is a popular business and tourism destination for India, which currently ranks as the Emirates’ third largest trade partner after China and the USA. Indian investment in the UAE is estimated at about US$ 52 billion (AED 190b), with India being the largest single origin of investors for Sharjah’s Hamriyah Free Zone and Sharjah International Airport Free Zone (SAIF Zone). SAIF Zone organised an extensive marketing roadshow in India over the early part of this year to target Indian investors.

Sharjah International Airport, registered a 12 percent increase in overall passenger traffic during the first three months of 2016, with a record 2.7 million passengers being handled by the airport, compared with 2.4 million during the first quarter of 2015. Total passenger numbers passing through Sharjah airport topped 10 million for the first time during 2015.

Air Arabia Launches Fifth Route This Year

Sharjah-headquartered Air Arabia PJSC (AIRARABI:DFM), the largest low-cost carrier operator in the Middle East and North Africa, has added five new international routes since the beginning of 2016. The airline now operates flights to over 120 destinations in 33 countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Asia, and Europe from its five international hubs.

This month, Air Arabia began operating twice weekly flights from Sharjah to Batumi, the second largest city of Georgia on the Black Sea. The carrier launched a new route from Fez (Morocco) to Toulouse (France) during February 2016, followed by the opening of new routes from Sharjah to Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) in March, plus new routes from Marrakesh (Morocco) to Pau (France) and from Amman (Jordan) to Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) in April.

Air Arabia began operations in October 2003 from its main hub at Sharjah International Airport in the UAE and now has additional international hubs at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan, Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport in Morocco, Alexandria’s Borg Al Arab International Airport in Egypt and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport in the UAE.

More than 7.6 million passengers flew with Air Arabia in 2015, a 12 percent increase on the previous year. The airline also had a strong start to 2016, carrying more than 2.1 million passengers between January and March 2016, up 17 percent on the same period last year.

The budget carrier’s home base, Sharjah International Airport, registered a 12 percent increase in overall passenger traffic during the first three months of 2016, with a record 2.7 million passengers being handled by the airport, compared with 2.4 million during the first quarter of 2015. Total passenger numbers passing through Sharjah airport topped 10 million for the first time during 2015.

UAE: Basma Group Awards AED 120m (US$ 32.7m) Novotel Sharjah Expo Contract

Basma Group Sharjah has awarded the AED 120 million (US$ 32.7m) construction contract for the Novotel Sharjah Expo to Klampfer Middle East LLC, a joint venture between Basma Group and KBW Investments. The new 4-star hotel will be located adjacent to the international exhibition and conference centre in Sharjah city’s central business district.

The Gulf region’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market is estimated to be worth about US$1.3 billion (AED 4.8b) annually. Expo Centre Sharjah was the first exhibition centre to be established in the United Arab Emirates and has been hosting international fairs and exhibitions since 1977.

The Novotel Sharjah Expo will have 200 rooms including standard rooms, club floor rooms and executive suites, plus world-class amenities and business services. The location is also conveniently located near Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The new Novotel will have a business centre and two meeting halls including a large meeting-cum-function hall of approximately 200 square metres.

The Novotel Sharjah Expo will be managed by Accor Hotel Services Middle East, one of the fastest growing hospitality groups in the region. The group now has several upcoming hotel projects in Sharjah, including a 188-room Pullman hotel being developed by Al Manzil Group, which will also be located near to Expo Centre Sharjah, and the 5-star Majlis Grand Mercure Sharjah luxury beachfront hotel and resort, which was announced by Basma Group and Sharjah and Khaled bin Alwaleed (KBW) Group last year.

Klampfer Middle East LLC, which was established by KBW Investments and Basma Group Sharjah in April 2016, is also undertaking the construction of the Majlis Grand Mercure Sharjah on the corniche.

Sharjah’s Tourism Vision 2021 strategy plans to attract more than 10 million tourists to the emirate by year 2021. Sharjah already offers a wide range of hotel services and has a total of about 10,000 hotel rooms, with an estimated 4,000 additional hotel rooms becoming available during the next three years.

UAE: Emirates Crash In Dubai

An Emirates plane has crash-landed at Dubai International Airport and caught fire.

All 300 people on board were able to escape from the burning aircraft, but a firefighter was killed tackling the blaze.

The Boeing 777 appeared to have landed on its belly, and images showed thick black smoke rising into the sky.

Emirates chairman Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum paid tribute to the firefighter who lost his life fighting the blaze.

The aircraft was flying to Dubai from the southern Indian state of Kerala.

Flights to and from the airport were suspended for several hours but have now resumed.

The Emirates chairman told a press conference that evacuation procedures were executed professionally and the cabin crew were the last to leave the plane.

Thirteen people had suffered minor injuries, he said.

"As we were landing there was smoke coming out in the cabin," said Sharon Maryam Sharji.

"People were screaming and we had a very hard landing. We left by going down the emergency slides and as we were leaving on the runway, we could see the whole plane catch fire."

Emirates said there were 282 passengers and 18 crew on board from 20 nationalities, most of them Indian, with 24 Britons and 11 people from the United Arab Emirates.

The captain and the first officer have over 7,000 hours of flying experience each, the airline said.

The pilots and crew were the last to abandon the aircraft, Al Maktoum said, praising the "maximum level of professionalism they have demonstrated."

Dubai airport, which was closed following the accident and all departures and arrivals halted, re-opened at 6:30 pm local time (14:30 GMT), according to Dubai Airports.

The escaping passengers were then taken to a corner of the tarmac where some were being treated for their injuries.

The aircraft is sitting on the ground without its landing gear, but it is not clear why the wheels are not down.

The crew were making a normal, rather than an emergency approach, when air traffic controllers told them to abandon the landing and start climbing again, for unknown reasons.

Whatever the cause, it is a testament to the crew that they got everyone off the plane.

Flight EK521, direct from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai, is popular with hundreds of thousands of Kerala residents who work in the Gulf countries.

Emirates is the Middle East's biggest airline, and has an excellent safety record.

It ranked seventh in a survey of the world's safest airlines by AirlineRatings.com, an independent plane safety website.

Dubai International Airport is a major transport hub, one of the world's busiest for international passengers, operating with only two runways.

UAE: Sharjah Airport Passengers Rise By 12%

Commercial passenger traffic at Sharjah International Airport increased by 11.55 percent during the first half of this year, compared with the same period in 2015, according to Sharjah Airport Authority. A total of 5.35 million passengers passed through the airport from January to June 2016, compared to 4.79 million in the same period last year.

Aircraft movements at Sharjah airport increased by 5.74 percent from 34,270 take-offs and landings during the first six months of 2015 to more than 36,237 during the same period of 2016. The freight handled for the same period of this year recorded 92,000 tons.

Sharjah International Airport’s passenger growth is underpinned by the ongoing expansion of Sharjah-headquartered Air Arabia, the largest low-cost carrier operator in the Middle East and North Africa. The airline has expanded its route network to more than 120 destinations, launching five new international routes since the beginning of 2016, including two new routes from its Sharjah hub.

Sharjah International Airport is already a hub for a number of international passenger and cargo airlines including Air Arabia, Air India, Air India Express, Jet Airways (India), Qatar Airways, SpiceJet (India) and Sri Lankan Airlines. Turkish airline AtlasGlobal launched a new daily service between Istanbul Atatürk International Airport and Sharjah International Airport earlier this year, while Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, will add a new daily route from Mangaluru (Mangalore) in southern India to Sharjah from 7 August 2016.

Business aviation services company Gama Aviation has also expanded its fixed base operation (FBO) at Sharjah International Airport, establishing its own executive aviation terminal and investing in a new maintenance hangar. The company’s private aviation services in Sharjah are highly competitive with other hubs around the region.

Sharjah airport added a new super-jumbo capable AED 500 million (US$ 136m) airport runway in 2014, significantly expanding the airport’s capacity, in line with its goal of handling 25 million passengers by the year 2025. Total passenger numbers passing through the airport topped 10 million for the first time during 2015, growing at a rate of 5.5 percent over 2014.

Lufthansa Adds Cape Town-Frankfurt Route

In light of the growing importance of the Cape Town-Europe route due to an increase in interest, particularly from European businesses and leisure travellers, Lufthansa German Airlines will extend the direct flight service between Frankfurt and Cape Town to year-round starting 2 December 2016. This follows an announcement made earlier in the year that it would offer direct flights between Frankfurt and Cape Town for the seasonal period.

“Cape Town’s importance and popularity are growing significantly. Following the decision to offer direct flights between Frankfurt and Cape Town earlier this year, the future demand for this route proved to be quite robust, prompting us to increase the schedule to a year-round service,” says Dr. André Schulz, Lufthansa general manager for Southern Africa.

Interest in the direct route between Frankfurt and Cape Town came not only from German travellers but from many of Lufthansa’s customers in Europe that favoured a direct route between the continent and the City of Cape Town.

“While many European airlines offer a service between their major airports and South Africa, the direct route to Cape Town remains a limited option. Lufthansa’s Munich and Frankfurt airports are the leading travel hubs for European travel, as well as for over 200 other connecting destinations. Even ahead of the December launch, the direct route to and from Cape Town proved to be very popular with travellers that wanted to decrease the amount of flight connections, and preferred flight time options that would suit their business and leisure preferences We have chosen departure and arrival times carefully to offer travellers the best possible options to access connections to the entire Lufthansa Group network, particularly for onward European and North American connections” says Schulz.


Flights will depart from Frankfurt every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Flight LH343 leaves Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub at 10.10pm and arrives in Cape Town the following morning at 11am. The return journey departs from Cape Town in the early evening at 6.30pm and touches down in Frankfurt the following morning at 5.30am.

The Cape Town route will be served by a newly retrofitted Airbus A340-300, which boasts over 279 seats and offers the new Intercontinental Business Class (30), new Premium Economy (28) Class, and Economy Class (221).

Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro, says, “If you take into account all the flights coming into South Africa by the airlines owned by the Lufthansa Group - Lufthansa Passenger Airlines, SWISS (Swiss International Air Lines) and Edelweiss - then the Lufthansa group’s investment into the SA-Europe connection is clear. The group transports hundreds of thousands of passengers between South African and the group’s Zurich, Munich, and Frankfurt hubs each year, with the Lufthansa non-stop route between Cape Town and Frankfurt representing a significant number of these travellers.”

Air Mauritius Adds New Direct Flight To China

Air Mauritius is launching a direct flight to China's business and industrial centre of Guangzhou on 12 July 2016. This will be the airline's fifth direct route to the country, continuing its development of the Chinese market, which has recorded a growth rate of 77% since the start of operations to this market.

This new direct flight offered by Air Mauritius will additionally benefit passengers from the South West Indian Ocean region, as well as the South and East Africa region, to travel to Guangzhou, by using Mauritius as a hub.

Air Mauritius’ new operations within the Chinese market has played a major role in sustaining Chinese tourist arrivals in Mauritius. Previously, Hong Kong was the only Chinese destination served by the national carrier. As the airline introduced news services to Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu successively, the number of passengers carried increased from 67,000 in Financial Year 2011/2012 to 155,555 in Financial Year 2015/2016. Air Mauritius carried an additional 17,000 passengers in 2015/2016 compared to 2014/2015, which confirms the growth trend observed in the Chinese market.

With the launch of Guangzhou and one additional flight to Shanghai, to be introduced in July, Air Mauritius will operate a total of eight weekly flights to China, namely to Chengdu, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

SOUTH AFRICA: 20 Years Of Flying To Ghana

South African Airways (SAA) is celebrating 20 years of flying to Accra, Ghana, which is a key route in a country that is strategic for South Africa. In a statement on Tuesday, the national carrier said the 20-year milestone of flying to Ghana is important, as Ghana is South Africa's second-largest trading partner in the West African region.

"It presents a key growth market for South African goods and services, as well as an investment destination for South African companies," said SAA.

SAA first landed a B767-200 aircraft at the Kotoka International Airport in April 1996. The route has grown from three frequencies to eight frequencies per week.

"High service standards and attention to customer service delivery have resulted in growing frequent flyers and high load factors. Our customers enjoy Africa's warmest hospitality on board and the reliability of our flight schedules," said Gloria Mensah, SAA country manager in Ghana.

In October 2013, more South African companies showed an interest in Ghana. This, in turn, stimulated further growth, which directly resulted in the introduction of a daily flight service.

As a further investment in the route, SAA introduced flights between Accra and Washington DC in the United States in August 2015. The airline was granted traffic rights, making it the first African carrier to offer a direct service between Accra and Washington.

"The Accra to Washington DC route is tremendously popular and has shown steady growth. It received favourable customer ratings for excellent onboard service and on-time departures. We thank our loyal customers for their patronage and our dedicated team at the South African Airways Ghana office," Mensah said.

South Africa and Ghana established diplomatic relations in 1994. To date, the two countries have signed 19 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding.

Are SA Passengers Ready For Self-service technologies?

With time being the most valuable commodity, self-service check-in technology is becoming increasingly important, especially in the airport environment where every minute counts. Each year, millions of passengers catch flights from the continent's airports, but the question remains: How do we ensure that we get passengers ready for self-service check-in technologies?

Sumeshin Naidoo, technical executive at GIBB, one of the largest black-owned engineering consultancies presented a paper at the Aviation Festival Africa 2016. Naidoo spearheaded the study Passenger Readiness for Aviation Self-Service Technologies which he illustrated during the festival.

The aim of the research as Naidoo explained was, “to gain an understanding of the South African passenger and how they relate to each of the check-in modes and how the various self-service check-in technologies differ from each other”.

According to Naidoo, “We also wanted to gauge the effects of Technology Readiness (TI) on these passengers and their attitudes toward, adoption of and responses to the use of these Self-Service Check-In Technologies in South Africa (SSCIT).”

The study is necessary in assisting airport authorities, airlines and the greater aviation community at large to be better equipped to firstly understand the relevant self-service check-in technologies that were suitable for the South African environment (the African context) and to understand factors influencing the technology readiness of passengers.

The study would enable key parties to plan rollout of adequate and appropriate airport infrastructure for passenger check in, meet the passenger demand for growth and choice of check-in technology and ultimately to be able to anticipate passenger behaviours and attributes in respect to their Technology Readiness factors – critical to the successful execution of self-service check- in technologies.

An online survey was sent out to databases of airline passengers of which 770 responses were received. Their interactions and response to the various technologies viz. counter check-in, kiosk check-in, internet check-in and mobile check-in determined just some of the following recommendations and conclusion:

• Strategy focused primarily on technology based services may not realise profitability unless bundled with other customer benefits.

• Technology must be combined with personal attributes of service delivery for successful implementations.

• Airlines and Airport Authorities must provide simple and user friendly equipment, provide better education and guidance, set realistic goals of adoption in line with customers’ TR and support passengers through the self-service journey.

• Consistency should also play a role in ensuring that passengers are exposed to the same technology, equipment, location, ambience, etc. when travelling the various airports.

• Product designs should be state of the art technology, aesthetically appealing and possibly with visual and audio effects, interactive voice response systems giving consumers increased choice as to place and comfort.

Naidoo concluded, “These results reinforce the role Technology Readiness plays in customer Self-Service Check-In Technologies interaction and is expected fundamental for long-term business success.”

Bakwena Invests In Biotank For Wildlife Conservation

To assist in local wildlife conservation, the N1N4 Road Concessionaire, Bakwena, invested in an Air Liquide Liquid Nitrogen Biotank which will form a key link in biomedical conservation research initiatives in South Africa by establishing a library of specific collections of biospecimens.

Dr Paul Bartels of the Department of Nature Conservations, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) is the project manager of the Biobank. He is also a board member of the Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), the European, Middle-eastern and African Society for Biopreservation and Biobanking (ESBB) and the Magaliesberg Biosphere.

Charmaine van Wyk, public relations manager for Bakwena, says, “This sponsorship by Bakwena was identified as one of the more significant ways in which a corporate can make a meaningful difference to wildlife conservation. Having a wide array of biospecimens - including blood, cell cultures, and purified DNA - stored in the biotank means that the project will make a significant impact on conservation activities for South Africa, well into the future.”

Dr Bartels adds that the establishment of a biodiversity biobank and database will facilitate the collection and management of DNA and other tissue samples, thereby improving genetic management of wildlife by contributing to healthy and resilient populations. It will also provide a critical resource for the prosecution of wildlife poachers; as well as assisted reproduction technology, where needed.

Bakwena is responsible not only for the maintenance and upgrades of the N1N4 Corridor but also the adjacent environment, and to this end has included wildlife conservation and support of local businesses such as tourism among its corporate social responsibility goals.

Van Wyk offers the following insight into what could be achieved in the future through the use of the biobank. “For instance, the potential exists that by using stored cells derived from ear-notching a Northern white rhino, research production of stem cells may one day result in the birth of pure Northern white rhinos where a Southern white rhino could possibly act as a surrogate mother. This is very exciting for many conservationists around the world.”

This particular biobank project was selected due to the credible institutional backup involved in the project, with both WESSA and TUT being involved, and Dr Bartels himself retaining, as his own personal legacy, a share in the biotank. The biotank is already on site at the Biobank facility in Pelindaba, Pretoria.

Facts About The New Bombardier CS100

SWISS will introduce the new Bombardier CS100 passenger aircraft to its fleet on 15 July, making it the first passenger airline company that has the aircraft as part of its fleet. The LX 638, departing at 12:30 from Zurich to Paris Charles de Gaulle will be the first commercial C Series SWISS operated flight.

Here are a few fun facts about the CS100, so you can get a better idea of the new aircraft:

• 177,901 Lindor gift boxes are necessary to fill the cargo hold of the CS100 (freight volume = 23.7 m3).

• The C Series has sufficient capacity to fly with 10 elephants aboard.

• The C Series can transport double the amount of baggage than the weight of a fully-grown Orca (approximately 3,600 kg).

• The Mont Blanc massif has an elevation of 4,809 meters. The maximum elevation reached by the CS100 is 2.5 times that of the Mont Blanc.

• Measuring the length of the corridor of the CS100 would require 1,512 one franc coins to be placed side by side.

• 400 liters of milk are required to produce a wheel of Gruyere cheese, which weighs around 35 kg. With the 23,700 litres of milk, which is equivalent to the cargo holds capacity, 2,073,75 kg of Gruyère could be produced. This is equivalent to 59 wheels of cheese!

• The length of the CS100 corresponds roughly to the length of 8 VW Golfs placed side by side (The CS100 measures around 35 m in length, while the VW Golf measures 4.225 meters).

• On average, the C Series’ fuel consumption is around 2 litres/100 km per passenger. For comparison: On average, the Golf 2016 by Volkswagen uses around 6.4 liters per 100 km.

• The engine of the C Series measures 73 inches in diameter. A person 1.85 m tall (6.08 feet), can stand upright in the engine.

• The C Series can reach a maximum altitude of 12,4997m. This is equivalent to 40 times the height of the Eiffel tower and five times the height of the Rhone glacier.

Emirates Earns World's Best Airline Award

In addition to scooping up the awards for World's Best Inflight Entertainment for the 12th year in a row and Best Airline in the Middle East, Emirates has been recognised as the World's Best Airline 2016 at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2016.

Based on the results of the largest airline passenger satisfaction survey in the industry, the World’s Best Airline Awards are considered a global benchmark of airline excellence. This year’s Skytrax awards were based on a total of 19.2 million completed surveys covering 280 airlines, by customers hailing from more than 104 countries. The Skytrax survey measures quality standards across 41 key performance indicators of front-line products and services in the airline industry.

This is the fourth time Emirates has won the top accolade since the airline awards were introduced 15 years ago; the airline won the first ever Skytrax World’s Best Airline in 2001, again in 2002 and in 2013. In total, Emirates has won a total of 20 Skytrax World Airline Awards since 2001.

Emirates is the world’s largest international airline, with an extensive network that has grown to offer its customers a choice of 154 destinations in 81 countries across six continents, with convenient connections through its hub in Dubai. The airline operates one of the world’s youngest modern wide-body fleets. These aircraft are not only more efficient to operate but are also more comfortable for passengers to fly in – enabling Emirates to install and offer the latest onboard products.

Over the past 12 months, Emirates has rolled out a number of new product and service investments, including the unveiling of a new 777-300ER Business Class seat; expanding its global Emirates Lounge network to 39 with the opening of new facilities in Cape Town; launching new children’s toys and activity kits both on board and in the lounges and new amenity kit bags for First and Business Class travellers, investing over US$140 million in its wine programme for all cabin classes in 2015 alone, and much more.

On most of Emirates’ fleet, including all of its A380 aircraft, passengers in all classes can enjoy unprecedented Wi-Fi connectivity. On average, over a quarter of all passengers use the internet during their flight. This figure increases to half on flights over 12 hours.

Emirates’ unbeaten 12-year run as winner of the World’s Best Inflight Entertainment award, is thanks to its industry-leading ice entertainment system, which currently has 2,689 different channels for passengers to choose from – including over 90 dedicated children’s channels. Ranging from the latest blockbuster movies, award-winning television box sets, comedy series, live TV, music and computer games, ice is constantly expanding to offer even greater choice.

Since winning the Skytrax award a year ago, ice has seen:

• 35% more TV channels introduced
• 20% more TV Box Sets introduced
• 35% more audio channels introduced
• An enhanced selection of content for hearing and visually impaired customers with Audio Description and Closed Captions
• Content offered in 37 languages

The airline has also expanded Live TV across its fleet including Live TV Sports Channels featuring high-profile sporting events, including this year’s Rio Olympics.

SEYCHELLES: Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove Opens The Sea For Visitors

To help curious travellers experience and explore the Seychelles and ignite their inspiratin with an incredible underwater encounter, Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove have launched "Unlock the Sea." Created in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles, this unique, interactive programme helps guest discover a treasure trove of marine life around the island through a curated snorkeling experience and learn and educate themselves on the importance of marine conservation.

Guests can also witness an underwater art gallery or post a postcard to friends or family from under water.

“Today’s travellers are looking for active adventure and new ways of experiencing a destination. Seychelles, with its pristine white sands lapped by topaz waters, coral sunsets, and enchanting underwater sites provides all this and more,” said Romain Chanet, general manager Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove, Seychelles. “Drawing inspiration from the brand’s commitment to helping travellers unlock destinations through the Filters of Discovery - Coordinates, Culture, and Cuisine, we hope this initiative will help us create an enriching guest experience.”

Marine experts from the Marine Conservation Society will guide the guest journey through five underwater zones. This includes the Welcome zone which is the seagrass bed, the Coral Village which houses the dramatic and beautiful coral reefs, Blue or the open waters, the Reef Town where the reef elevates from the sandy bottom towards the rocks and the Fish Ville, the untouched and preserved area. Through these zones not only can guests see a variety of fish but also gain insights into the ecosystem and how we can preserve it.

What is more, while unravelling the mysteries of the underwater world, guests can get a glimpse of an underwater art gallery curated as part of the Arterial Network’s Giant Tortoise Art Project, inspired by a number of celebrated street art projects in major cities across the world. Painted by celebrated artists from Seychelles, the Giant Tortoise Art Project is a showcase of the local art scene on the Island and underpins the fragility of the ecosystem in the face of global warming and rising sea levels.

Proceeds from the donations collected through the programme will go to sustain the marine conservation projects led by The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles.

GHANA: Ghana Introduces Visa On Arrival, Uganda No Visa On Arrival

For all African Union Nationals whose countries do not have a visa-free agreement with Ghana, the country has started a visa-on-arrival scheme at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

All AU nationals affected by the policy who arrive in the country must have a passport, valid for at least three months from the date of entry; they must have a return ticket or evidence of onward travel; they must show evidence of sufficient funds and proof of accommodation before they are granted visas according to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).

This is great news for many travellers. However, what does it mean for the tourism and hospitality industries? Jumia Travel looks at the advantages and disadvantages of this development to these industries:

For many travellers from African Union countries who plan on coming to Ghana either for business or for a vacation, this is welcoming news. What this basically means is that there is no need for running around embassies hustling for a visa before entering Ghana. All you have to do is be on that plane and you can acquire the visa once you arrive at the airport in Ghana. This eliminates the headache most travellers get from the processes and the bureaucracy involved. Coming to Ghana has never been easier than this.

Secondly, the visa on arrival saves time and money. For many travellers, it was very time consuming filling out various forms and assembling many supporting documents to process a visa. The stress involved even discourages travelers and they tend to end the process as fast as they begin it. The monies involved in acquiring these visas are also exorbitant. From transportation costs to visa fees and agent fees, some travellers end up spending so much money to secure a simple visa to Ghana can be discouraging.

The new system means that more people will be willing to visit Ghana as it has become very convenient, cheaper and less time consuming. For the hospitality industry, the more people who arrive in Ghana, the more need for accommodation (hotels) and the more use of restaurants which means more business for stakeholders in the industry. For the Tourism sector, as more people are able to travel freely to Ghana, sales at tourist sites will be boosted and referrals from tourists to other travellers will also increase. There will be increased pressure on stakeholders to improve infrastructure and services in order to accommodate the large numbers of tourists trickling into the country.

On the other hand, many hotels are already selling their rooms at high rates due to certain socioeconomic factors. If the number of foreign entry increases a bit more, then rates will be out of range because of the need to compete and provide adequate and efficient services to these travellers. This will have an adverse effect on the hospitality sector and a rippling effect on tourism. If travellers have to pay huge fees to get comfortable accommodation, they will hardly have any money left to tour and visit historic destinations and attractions that will fetch good revenue for the nation.

Significantly, the issuance of visas on arrival is a very limiting service. Although highly beneficial, it is limited to only air travellers and doesn’t make room currently for travellers who enter Ghana by road and sea. This means that many African travellers who cannot afford to travel by air would not benefit and this will stop them from planning trips to many beautiful destinations in Ghana. What this also means is that there will be long queues at the airport as every African traveller will be in line for a visa on arrival at the airport. This may be frustrating especially for the old, children or disabled.

Finally, making it easy for African travellers to get visas on arrival in Ghana means that a few people might enter the country and not return to their various home countries. This will have grave effects on the demographics of certain areas of the country, putting excess pressure on the already scarce resources.

The new visa on arrival policy for AU countries is a good initiative and all stakeholders must ensure that it operates smoothly and with little disadvantages so as to grow the hospitality and tourism industries and cause a positive effect on foreign exchange and Ghana’s GDP.

SOUTH AFRICA: Fly Blue Crane To The Eastern Cape

Fly Blue Crane will initially offer only two flights a day between Mthatha and Johannesburg. Routes will be added to connect the former Transkei capital to other cities.

Fly Blue Crane airport operations head Stompie Tshesane said that, unlike other low-cost operators, the airline will provide free meals and beverages.

"We will be operating an Andrea 145, a 50-seat jet," she said.

TANZANIA: Bakhresa and Verde Hotels Join Hands

The Tanzanian-based Bakhresa Group has appointed South Africa's Verde Hotels to develop and manage the total overhaul and upgrading of Mtoni Marine Hotel in Zanzibar. The new five-star property will be known as Hotel Verde, Zanzibar's greenest hotel.

“We are serious about being the leaders of the Green Economy sector and therefore we approached the developers of Africa’s Greenest Hotel, Verde Hotels to ensure that Hotel Verde Zanzibar will be the Greenest hotel in East Africa” stated Said Salim Awadh Bakhresa, Chairman of the Bakhresa Group. Hotel Verde Zanzibar is set to take sustainable development to new heights in East Africa and become a flagship for tourism in Zanzibar and Tanzania.

Bahkresa has commissioned the Verde Hotels Group to manage the development and operate the hotel as a certified sustainable establishment that offers a carbon neutral hotel experience. Verde Hotels will work with Estim Construction who have a strong reputation for project excellence in the East African region. Hotel Verde Zanzibar will be pursuing independent certification, utilising the Green Star rating tool from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).

Verde Hotels intends to integrate sustainability into every facet of their involvement in the construction, as well as throughout the hotel’s daily operation.

Sustainability strategies that will be implemented in the redevelopment phase include passive and active design that optimise resource efficiency. These include: renewable energy generation, regenerative drive elevators, a grey water recycling system, responsible procurement, waste minimisation and management and indoor environmental quality optimisation, to mention just a few.

Hotel Verde Zanzibar will showcase the integration of 5-star luxury and environmental best practice. The hotel will feature 142 ultra-stylish rooms, luxury suites, a spa, gym, restaurants, entertainment and marina. The contemporary design fused with local Tanzanian elements will be an attraction for local and international guests to enjoy whilst keeping to the standards and practices of responsible tourism principals.

Verde Hotels is a sustainable hotel operator who is responsible for the success of Hotel Verde in Cape Town, South Africa. Hotel Verde, Cape Town is Africa’s greenest hotel and the first hotel in the world to be certified with a Platinum LEED green building certification for both the 'Design and Construction' and 'Operations and Maintenance.

In May 2014, Hotel Verde became the first hotel in Africa to offer a carbon neutral accommodation and conferencing experience, at no extra cost to the guest. Hotel Verde has won a number of local and international awards for its sustainable initiatives, including the Internorga Company Trendsetter award in Hamburg and the award for World’s Best City Hotel for Responsible Tourism at World Travel Market London.

As a hotel management group, Verde Hotels specialises in a turnkey management approach that includes the construction phase of new hotels and the renovation phase of existing buildings that are subsequently operated and managed by Verde Hotels, with sustainability at their core. The aim is to transcend conventional hotel and business standards whilst entering into a new era of environmental consciousness and responsible tourism.

Verde Hotels is proud to have signed this management contract with the Bakhresa Group, proving that going “green” is not only viable on the triple bottom line but makes good business sense” stated Samantha Annandale, CEO of Verde Hotels.

The Ethos of the Verde Group and Hotel Verde Zanzibar will align itself with a core belief of the Bakhresa Group “ in continuously improving environmental performance through efficient operations, reduced impacts, natural resource and cost savings.”

CHINA: Uber And Didi Merge

Ride-sharing giant Uber is to give up its ferocious battle for market share in China by merging its operations with local rival Didi Chuxing, reports said Monday.

The deal will give Uber a 20 percent share in the combined firm, which will be valued at $35 billion, Bloomberg News reported.

Both companies have spent billions of dollars on subsidies for drivers and passengers, as well as trading vitriolic accusations, as they fought for dominance in the potentially lucrative market.

As reported, the structure of the agreement leaves Didi Chuxing in unquestioned control of the sector in the world's second-largest economy.

By "shedding its massive losses" in the country Uber will help clear its way to a future flotation, Bloomberg said.

The Wall Street Journal said a formal announcement could come as early as Monday.

A blog post circulating on Chinese social media purportedly written by Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said: "I've learned that being successful is about listening to your head as well as following your heart."

Uber China had "exceeded even my wildest dreams" as "most US technology companies struggle to crack the code there", he said.

But both firms were "investing billions of dollars in China and both companies have yet to turn a profit there", he added.

"Getting to profitability is the only way to build a sustainable business that can best serve Chinese riders, drivers and cities over the long term."

China-based spokesmen for both Uber China and Didi Chuxing did not immediately respond to requests for comment by AFP.

The reports come days after Chinese authorities announced new rules governing ridesharing, making clear for the first time that they may operate legally in the country.

The new rules will also forbid ridesharing platforms to operate below cost, possibly restricting their scope to offer subsidies.

Rides in major cities with Uber and Didi have often cost significantly less than regular cab fares due to the subsidies, and many drivers work for both companies at the same time.

Earlier this year Uber said it lost $1 billion annually in China, and Didi was thought to be dropping similar amounts of money.

One Didi driver was reluctant to believe the news of the merger Monday. "I think the combination news is a rumour," the man, surnamed Su, told AFP.

"I don’t think that would happen. If it is true, the allowance offered by Didi or Uber now will certainly decrease."

Didi, which claims almost 90 percent of the China ride-hailing market, said last month that it had recently raised $7.3 billion $1 billion of which came from Apple in one of the world's largest private equity financing rounds.

As part of the merger, Didi Chuxing will invest $1 billion in Uber, valuing the US firm at $68 billion, reports said.

Uber has become one of the world's most valuable startups as it has expanded to more than 50 countries, but it has faced regulatory hurdles and protests from established taxi operators in most locations where it has launched.

Its China business partners include internet search giant Baidu and state-owned Citic Securities, while Didi's backers include e-commerce titans Alibaba and Tencent, along with China Life, the country's biggest life insurer.

Analysts noted that the deal would create a massive single company with near-monopoly power in China.

Others saw it as a capitulation by Uber in the face of an overwhelming local rival.

"Uber knows when to fold them in China, after being engaged in an incredibly expensive ride war with Didi there," technology journalist Kara Swisher wrote on her recode.net site.

"Cutting the massive losses in China and turning it into a more solid investment" would clear the way for an expected Uber public stock offering next year, she added.

Reports in May said Didi was also mulling an initial public offering in New York in 2017.

NIGERIA: 60 Million Nigerian Fraudster Arrested By Interpol

A Nigerian behind an online fraud network which engineered scams worth more than $60 million (54 million euros) has been arrested in southern oil city of Port Harcourt, Interpol said on Monday.

“The 40-year-old Nigerian national, known as ‘Mike’, is believed to be behind scams totalling more than $60 million involving hundreds of victims worldwide,” the international police organisation said in a statement.

“In one case, a target was conned into paying out $15.4 million,” Interpol said, indicating that the arrest was carried out with the support of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“The network compromised email accounts of small to medium businesses around the world including in Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Romania, South Africa, Thailand and the United States,” it said.

The suspect ran a network of at least 40 people working from Nigeria, Malaysia and South Africa which used malware and carried out the fraud, and he also had money laundering contacts in China, Europe and the US who provided bank account details for the illicit cash flow.

“Following his arrest in Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria, a forensic examination of devices seized by the EFCC showed he had been involved in a range of criminal activities including business e-mail compromise and romance scams,” it said.

The suspect and a fellow fraudster, 38, who was also arrested in the city, face charges including hacking, conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences.

BRAZIL: Copacabana Beach Famous Beach In The World

Copacabana Beach one of the most famous beaches in the world

Located in Zona Sul, Copacabana Beach is one of the most famous and most beautiful beaches in the world. The atmosphere is very vibrant and the people are colorful and fun loving. Get to her by taking the subway on Line 1 or take one of the pubic buses. Copacabana beach runs between Princesa Isabel Avenue and lifeguard Post 6.

The Beach
The view to the left of Copacabana beach is the towering mountain of Sugar Loaf and Fort Duque de Caxias built in 1779. On the right is Copacabana Fort, which dates back to 1914. It houses the Army Historical Museum. The beach runs for 2.2 miles (4 km) in an east west direction running from Postos Dois to Posto Seis. Stop by one of the several beach bars and enjoy a gold cup of chopp (draft beer) and refeicao (herbed meat and fried onions). Take a walk along the beach to enjoy some of the most incredible sand sculptures and when you get thirsty try some of the agua de coco or coconut water straight from the coconut.

Sports on the Beach
The locals or Cariocas really enjoy their sports. As a result the government has provided many sports facilities along the beach. Volleyball nets are strung along the shores. There are also football courts. Cariocas also like to stay in shape, there are several places on the beach with training equipment where locals can pump iron and build muscles.

Around the Beach
Running for 2.2 miles (4km) parallel to the beach is the promenade. Completion of the project was in 1970. Designed by Roberto Burle Marx it is made of a black and white wave design. It is a popular route for cyclers, joggers and roller-skaters. Across the street from the promenade are some first class hotels including the 5 star Copacabana Palace Hotel, Sofitel, JW Marriott, and the more affordable Tulip Inn. There are several excellent Brazilian restaurants in the area. Try Siri Mole (Seafood), Carretão (Churrascaria) or Amir (Arabic food). Try also Rondinela or Taberna on Av. Atlantica for some real local cooking. Order peixe frito na brasa, a fried fish plate or aipim com carne seca which is dry meat with a fried root called manioc.

Carioca Tips
Enjoy the Sunday at Avenida Atlantica, half closed to cars. From Friday to Sunday there is a touristic fair in front of Rio Othon Hotel that starts at 6pm. There you can find great souvenirs and artwork. Have breakfast at Confeitaria Colombo at Copacabana Fort, one of the best places to eat in the shine mornings in Rio de Janeiro.

Hippie Fair
A group of hippies started a Sunday market in Ipanema in 1968 and the traditional fair continues with over 700 stalls set up at the Feira Hippie de Ipanema. This is a great place to find authentic Brazilian folk and contemporary art, jewelry, clothing and lots of food. Plenty of tourists flock to the fair that is extremely popular today. If you are looking for souvenirs then the fair is the best place to find a good bargain. Ceramic figurines, embroidery, lace, gemstones – are a few examples of the great folk arts and crafts you will find at the Hippie Fair. Come rain or sun shine, the fair must go on every Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.

You will find plenty of local people at the fair, which is a wonderful place to spend a few hours. The best thing is that most merchants selling their ware are open to bargaining so you can end up with a number of fairly-priced art pieces for yourself. The general rule is to bargain for 2/3rd of the asking price. The idea is to have some fun and knowing the Brazilians, you can expect to have a friendly chat with each vendor, even though most speak only a little English.
Wet Your Appetite at the Fair

Apart from arts and crafts there are a few Bahia food stalls that sell traditional dishes including bacalhau, a codfish omelet and plenty of sweet dishes such as coconut candy. The Flower Power generation was used to wearing sandals and you will find handmade leather sandals at an affordable price.

The Hippie Fair is held every Sunday at Praça General Osório, a square that takes up an entire city block that is bordered by Rua Prudente de Morais and Rua Visconde de Pirajá. The fair has evolved into a major arts and craft market with several of the city’s artisans highlighting their works. Forget about the hassles of sticking to a budget when shopping at the fair. Chances are you will end up buying much more than you expected and still have a good deal of money left over for a few Caipirinhas and batidas.

Don’t leave the fair without trying the Acarajé. It is a croquette, fried in Dendê (Palm) oil, filled with spicy shrimp. The Hippie Fair is a great place to find bikinis. They are made in severeal models and colors and it’s a great way to dress like a native or just have it as souvenirs

Rio Sul Shopping Center
On April 28, 1980 the first mall in Rio de Janeiro opened its doors to the shopping public. With over 400 shops and a very tasty food court, this incredible building is still one of the premiere shopping facilities in Rio.

There are eight floors of some of the most amazing shopping in Rio. Women and men’s fashions, children’s clothing, electronics and jewelry are all featured at this mall. There is even a large home furnishing section. Children will love the toy stores and men will make a beeline to the home theater center. Music, books and souvenirs all have a home here. Some of the best stores

The 2 food courts have several cafes where a tired shopper can sip a cup of eye-opening Brazilian coffee and enjoy a show on one of the large screen projectors. Or, if sugar is the key to keep you shopping, stop in at one of the candy stores. The restaurants run the gamut from quick and easy fast food to high-end gourmet establishments. Italian, Asian, French and Mexican food is just some of the specialties served here. A great option for Mediterranean, Italian and Brazilian food is Rascal at the first floor.

This mall has more than meets the eye. There are four movie theaters showing all the latest blockbusters. A fitness center and full service day spa will keep you looking trim and beautiful. There is a travel agency where you can book your return trip to Rio as well as bank to keep your wallet filled while shopping and a money exchanger. A pharmacy, post office and police station are also on premises. Try to visit H Stern Store, where you can see a huge variety of Brazilian semi precious stones famous world wide. Celebrities as Angelina Jolie has worn them.

The Riosul is just north of Copacabana Beach on Avenida Lauro Muller in the Botafogo district. Free buses from the beach and nearby hotels will take you directly there. There is also a free bus that goes from Cardeal Arcoverde Subway Station to the mall and back, from 10 am to 10 pm, from Monday to Saturdays and from 3 pm to 9 pm on Sundays.. The large parking garage has valet parking so tired toes do not have to traipse across several hundred feet of parking lot at the end of a busy shopping day.

The Riosul is the shopping mecca of Rio de Janeiro. With something for everyone and prices that are sometimes reasonable but most times cheap, this mall is a fun place to spend an afternoon or evening. Just be sure it is the last stop of your day as you are bound to leave staggering under the weight of all your purchases.

Havaianas
Absolutely sensational! Havaianas are heaven for the feet! These amazingly comfortable sandals have been a hit in Brazil since they were first designed in the 1960s. Today, they are storming onto the international fashion scene. Popular with models, movie stars and moguls, they are now available to the world at affordable prices and in colorful and mod designs. Now, Havaianas has its own website and many stores in Rio (a great one in Rio Sul Mall) where you can find many different models that will fit your taste and feet.

Fashioned after the Japanese sandal called the Zori, made with rice straw soles and cloth straps, these sandals were designed for comfort and durability. In 1994, the inspiration to create monochromatic sandals was inspired by surfers in Brazil who would remove the straps, turn the sandal over and then reattach the straps. In 2006, the Havaianas Slim was created with a more delicate strap for women. This is the most popular style today. 2007 marked the permanent introduction of Havaianas into the United States and in 2008 Havaianas moved into Europe when their international base was set up in Madrid.

More than 40 types of Havaianas are now available. Color options increase your choice to 350 possible styles. The design options have also become more radical. Psychedelic swirls, geometric prints and Hawaiian floral are among the most popular in today’s market. Swarovski crystals, metallic and camouflage are all available. Havaianas are also made for young children and toddlers. A special elastic strap keeps them on little feet.

These flip-flops are often manufactured to celebrate special events. Sandals with team colors were available for the World Soccer Cup. The 2016 Olympics will most likely have their own special design. The most recent limited edition is a Slim Crystal Mesh in silver, gold or pewter. The straps are embellished with sparkling crystals. These sandals retail for $148.00. However, standard styles are very affordable.

When visiting Rio be sure not to leave the city without at least one pair of Havaianas for yourself. These also make a great gift for friends and family at home. Teenagers will especially love the crazy and nouveau designs. Adults will appreciate their comfort and durability. After all, these sandals never lose their shape or their straps. And, best of all, they do not hold foot odor and always smell fresh.

Rio Carnival
From the beautiful and sexy beaches of Rio de Janeiro to Rio Carnival and the Rio Nightlife, the type of energy that the city of Rio emulates is just simply electrifying. What is even more exhilarating are the deliciously bronzed samba dancers, the pulsating music, the energy and applause of the spectators filled with Cariocas and visitors from around the world who call come to the same place to experience the world famous Rio Carnival.

Held every year during the week leading up to Lent, Rio Carnival attracts visitors from all corners the globe.

It is inconceivable to think of Rio without thinking of its unrivaled Carnival. Anticipation builds and the excitement grows as Carnival time gets closer and closer. Without a doubt, this is the favorite holiday celebration in Rio. The city glows with the smiles and energy of the locals — or Cariocas. Samba music can be heard coming from neighborhoods throughout the city and crowds gather to dance and play all day, night and straight into the next morning.

It is the inherent spirit of the Cariocas and their true joie de vivre that makes Rio Carnival such a glorious success year after year!

Rio Carnival 2017
Here you will learn all about the events of Rio Carnival 2017: the glorious Sambadrome Parades, with Rio de Janeiro’s 12 most elite samba schools making up the Special Group parading at the main two parades on Carnivals Sunday and Monday — the other 15 samba schools that make up the Access Group parade down the Samba runway on on Friday February 24th and Saturday February 25th, in a fierce competition for a spot among the Special Group in the following year’s Rio Carnival.

Explore the stage of Rio Carnival, the Sambadrome, its sectors and purchase tickets for the big show. Find an entire section about costumes that can be used to assist those who want to take part in the biggest party on the planet and parade with a real samba school.

Book hotel accommodations and tickets to the parade and directions on how to get to sambadrome using the safe subway system.

While preparations continue for the Carnival all year round, technical rehearsals by the samba schools are held at the Sambadrome for a few weeks before the big weekend of competition. This is the prelude to the most extravagant, beautiful, and sexy spectacle, which the whole world waits for with baited breath.

For every Carioca, this is a sign that their much awaited four-day holiday is around the corner. The Carnival is watched on television sets all over the world. The energy and spirit of the celebration transcend the one-dimensional view from the TV to captivate each viewer and draw him or her into the excitement and ecstasy of the festival.

All else comes to a halt on the four days of the Carnival, with the exception of samba, women, beer, and partying all night long. Once the Sambadrome empties, the parties continue at every street corner all over the city. Throughout the neighborhoods of Rio Cariocas celebrate the arrival of the Carnival.

People dance along the streets singing the songs of the Samba. Everyone comes together in friendship and fun to enjoy the balls, street parades and the excitement of the Sambadrome. Cariocas make no distinction between locals and foreigners, who are most welcome to participate in the event. In fact, visitors can grab a place on the samba strip as a participant with one of the samba schools. All you need is to buy one of the school specific costumes.

Costumes will be available in mid-November

There are many theories as to the origin of the Carnival with stories of it being a pagan celebration in ancient Rome. Carnival balls became popular in Rio in the nineteenth century with legendary balls held at the Copacabana Palace Hotel and the Municipal Theater.

The inevitable influence of Afro-Brazilian culture in the form of the samba heralded the beginning of the Samba Parade in the 1930s. It is the ethnic melting pot of Rio that makes this festival unlike any in the world. The combination of the cultural diversity and Brazilian swing rhythm is what makes the Carnival in Rio so unique.

Women are at the head of the parade of each samba school. They have the job of conquering not only the spectators’ hearts, which is not too difficult, but those of the judges too. The Porta Bandeira, the flag bearer of the samba school, in an intricate sequin and feather costume is the first to enter the samba strip as the crowds stand and cheer as she passes by performing the most elaborate samba steps.

Accompanying the Porta Bandeira is her protector the Mestre Sala. Inspired by the nobility of the eighteenth century, the couple is adorned with very elaborate costumes. His job is to guide and watch over her as she dances along the parade route. Originally, he would guard her armed with a knife so other Samba schools could not distract her and cause her to lose points. The Porta Bandeira must dance and interact with the Mestre Sala as well as the audience. She cannot allow the flag she carries to touch her body or wind around the flagpole. To do so would result in a loss of points for her troupe.

Then come the floats with beautiful women sensually dancing the samba in the tiniest of costumes, accompanied on either side of the floats by ‘alas’ or sections of the samba school. Each section has a different type of costume, all of them breathtaking to say the least.

Each samba school has 80 minutes to parade down the strip at the Sambadrome. The Rio Carnival kicks off with the opening ceremony on Friday where King Momo is crowned by Rio’s mayor. In the evening a children’s parade sets the tone for the next four days of revelry combined with an intense show of dance, theater, arts and music. On Saturday, members of the Access Group strut their stuff in the hopes of joining the major league players. Sunday and Monday are reserved for the 12 best samba schools vying for the championship spot where six of the finest march on each day.

The schools of samba are a musical genre symbolizing Brazil. At the Sambadrome each school plays out its own story with a common theme ranging from politics to arts and sports. What everyone looks forward to apart from the dancers is each team’s unique song, creative costumes, and choreography. Each Samba School tries to be more creative than its competitor. From levitation to a flying astronaut, the Sambadrome is always full of surprises. And each year the schools seem more and more creative as rich imagination give way to show stopping flights of fancy.

All roads lead to the Rio Sambadrome on Carnival nights. It is advisable to take the subway or a taxi to reach the stadium. Admission is around $70 for the grand stand, with seating arrangements starting at $200′s. However, it is even more fun joining the samba parade. To be able to participate in a Samba School parade, all you need to do is pre-order a costume with us. Yes, your costume is your ticket to parading.

SOUTH AFRICA: Some Sanity Prevails At South Africa Airways

The national carrier pulled the plug on the controversial R256 million deal with unlicensed boutique financier BnP Capital. The abandonment of the deal, which was heavily pursued by SAA’s chairwomen and Zuma confidant Dudu Myeni, comes after a massive outcry over the airline’s failure to follow proper tender procedures.

The board of SAA allegedly went against the advice of its own treasury by agreeing to pay BnP Capital a R256 million success fee to advise the airline on R15 billion debt restructuring and fundraising without putting the contract out to tender.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has been against the deal calling for it to be cancelled. There were even threats of taking SAA to court.

Earlier this week SAA said in a statement: “South African Airways has taken a decision to terminate the services of BnP Capital as a financial services provider to the airline… The effect of this decision means that SAA has terminated both its appointment of BnP Capital as transaction adviser and the appointment to source funds on behalf of the airline.”

SAA said the decision was communicated to BnP Capital on Wednesday.

The airline said it had initially taken a decision to arrange debt consolidation as part of management decisions taken to introduce interventions aimed at managing the airline’s revenue and/or financial resources more efficiently.

It denied that it had breached any procurement procedures, saying that management followed a process provided for in the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Policy, to deviate from open tender and go on a confinement process.

“The process, which is also recognised by National Treasury as one of the justified methods under specified circumstances, was duly approved,” SAA said.

One of the claims against BnP Capital was that it had failed to disclose the suspension of its licence by the Financial Services Board (FSB).

This came after Webber Wentzel, the legal representatives appointed by Outa, contacted SAA raising concerns on a range of issues including the licence standing of BnP Capital.

SAA on Thursday said it contacted BnP Capital to enquire specifically about claims that had been made involving the FSB licence, and BnP Capital duly responded to enquiries.

“After considering all relevant information received from BnP Capital, SAA management took a decision to terminate all BnP services to the airline as a prospective financial service provider in relation to SAA’s initiative on debt consolidation,” SAA said.

“No payments had been made to BNP Capital. The decision to terminate the service was arrived at after a review of the award to BnP Capital.”

SYRIA: Russian Military Helicopter Shot Down In Idlib

The Observatory said it could not confirm whether the helicopter was Syrian or Russian.

Images shared on social media purportedly showed a dead body and Russian identity documents taken from the crashed helicopter.

Russian forces are supporting President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's five-year-old civil war.

The Russian Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The pro-opposition television news outlet Orient News said rebels had shot down a Russian military helicopter, and that the pilot had died.

FINLAND: Birds Fly From Finland To Uganda

An Osprey bird has found haven at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre(UWEC), after flying all the way from Finland in Europe. The bird, of the hawk family, was discovered at runway turf of Entebbe International Airport, by ground staff recently.

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, said that specialists were dispatched when the centre received an emergency call from the airport.

“Our team rushed to the scene where they found the Osprey that had collided with a plane and had both of its wings shattered. We had to amputate them when we got it back to the centre,” Mr Mujansi said.

The official said the 1.8 feet long Osprey had a tag ring which identified it to belong to the Finnish Museum of Natural History found in Finland.

“When we contacted the Finland museum, its call centre confirmed the bird belonged to them. They were very grateful to know its whereabouts,” he said.
“This proved to us that bird flew all the way from Helsinki Finland,” he added.

Ms Barbara Arapo, a medical personnel at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, said the Osprey is one of the many species of seasonal migratory birds with each having its own behavioural pattern for migration.

“Some bird species fly away due to climate changes, others are looking for food and some migrate to breed,” Ms Arapo said.
Mr Mujansi also said there has been an increase in the number of migratory bird species recorded at the UWEC centre since December last year.

The Osprey is also called the Sea Hawk and is a diurnal fish eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60cm (24 in) in length and 180cm (71 in) across the wings.

It is brown on the upper part and predominantly greyish on the head and under part. The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply and is found on all continents except Antarctica.