AZERBAIJAN: Buta Airways Goes To Russia

Buta Airways, a newly founded low-fares subsidiary of Azerbaijan’s national aviation holding AZAL, has announced seven new destinations to be added to its route network. Three of these are in Russia.

Buta has launched flights from its base at Heydar Aliyev Airport in Baku to Moscow’s Vnukovo. AZAL currently operates this route as Azaljet. The other two planned destinations in Russia are Kazan and Mineralnye Vody.

Buta will also fly to Antalya (Turkey), Kyiv (Ukraine), Tbilisi (Georgia), and Tehran (Iran). With the beginning of the winter schedule on October 29 the carrier will add flights to St. Petersburg and Istanbul.

Azerbaijan’s first LCC is gearing up to operate its first commercial flight, to Tbilisi, on September 1. Sales will be launched shortly, the airline says, adding that one-way air fares will start at 29 euros.

The least expensive tickets will be non-refundable. Standard-rate tickets will be refundable at a 50% fine.

The airline will offer a standard set of extra paid options, such as hold and carry-on baggage, hot meals on board, and the choice of seat. Water and sandwiches will be offered free of charge.

Buta Airways was founded in December 2016. It currently has one Embraer Е170LR and four Embraer Е190s. The airline’s brand livery was presented in June 2017


Tourism Observer

UZBEKISTAN: Uzbekistan Airways Drops From Its Fleet Soviet-made Aircraft

Uzbekistan Airways was the world’s last remaining commercial operator of the Ilyushin IL-114-100.

Uzbekistan Airways officially phased out the last of its Ilyushin IL-114-100 regional turboprops on May 1, thus bringing to an end the era of Soviet-built aircraft in its fleet.

The switch makes the airline an all-jet operator, in a move which is expected to increase the efficiency and the commercial yield of its operations, the airline explains.

Uzbekistan’s national carrier is believed to be the last major airline in the territory of the former Soviet Union to say goodbye to its Russian/Soviet-made passenger aircraft.

Most recently at the end of 2016, Russia’s closest ally, Belarus’ flag carrier Belavia, has replaced its last Tupolev Tu-154s with Boeing 737-800s.

Uzbekistan Airways was the world’s only commercial operator of the Ilyushin IL-114-100, which it used on domestic flights.

The aircraft fleet with registration numbers UK-91104, UK-91105, UK-91106, UK-91107, UK-91108 and UK-91109, were built between 2006 and 2012 and were delivered to the airline between 2008 and 2013 under a series of contracts with local Tashkent Chkalov Aviation Production Company, now known as Tashkent Mechanical Plant.

Now all six of the 52-seat aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW-127Н engines, are being offered for sale or lease, with one potential customer believed to be Kyrgyzstan’s Air KG.

Uzbekistan Airways says its IL-114 flight crews are currently being re-trained and type rated for Boeing and Airbus aircraft types.

The carrier currently operates 21 passenger aircraft, including two Boeing 787-8s, six Boeing 767-300ERs, four Boeing 757-200s and nine Airbus A320s.

Four more aircraft, one B757 and three Avro RJ85 regional jets are believed to be in storage. The airline also operates two Boeing 767-300F freighters and two government VIP aircraft – a B767-300ER and an A320.


Tourism Observer

RUSSIA: Red Wings First CS300 Deliveries Expected May 2019

Russian airline Red Wings, which is due to be the launch operator of the new Bombardier CS300 jet in the region, it is to start taking delivery of them in May 2019, the airline’s general director Evgeny Klyucharev has revealed to a media gathering.

The airline, owned by lessor Ilyushin Finance Co (IFC), first revealed its order for the operational leases of six Bombardier CS300 narrow-body aircraft in April this year.

The aircraft, initially part of IFC’s portfolio, are to be ceded to Russian State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK), which will act as a lessor for the deal, it is believed.

The CS300s will be formally registered in the fleet of Moscow-based Red Wings, but will be shared in a joint network undertaking with partner airline Arkhangelsk-headquartered Nordavia.

The two airlines formed an alliance in October 2017 and have since been developing synergies.

Klyucharev explained that line maintenance capabilities for the aircraft will be set up in Russia. Both airlines have joined forces and are prepared to fund the training of their MRO partners’ technical staff for the job.

Responsibility for the airworthiness credentials of Red Wings’ current fleet of four Airbus A320s and seven A321s will continue with S7 Technics, UTG, Ural Airlines’ Engineering Centre and the St Petersburg-based Nayak Aircraft Services.

As for heavy maintenance checks, the operator is considering the possibility of outsourcing this requirement to Lufthansa Technik.

The logic behind the choice of the German technical engineering specialist is that Lufthansa Group’s subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines is the global launch customer and largest operator of the Bombardier CSeries.

Nevertheless, the first heavy maintenance checks are not due to occur until two years after the aircraft’s entry into the Russian airline’s service.

With Red Wings’ IFC owner being 48 per cent-owned by state-run United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) – a consortium of Russian aircraft manufacturing companies and other assets engaged in the manufacture, design and sale of aircraft the airline has no option but to operate Russian-built aircraft too.

The Tupolev Tu-204, its original core type, of which only four are currently operational, will eventually be replaced by Russia’s new-generation MC-21 narrow-body.

Red Wings is a launch customer for the type and has 16 of them on order, which are scheduled for delivery between late 2019 and the end of 2020, Klyucharev says.

Meanwhile, the airline, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, is preparing a change to its corporate brand style.

In the years that have passed, and particularly the last two, we have gone through a lot of change and these transformations are worthy of a new face, the top executive comments.

In 2018, Red Wings projects that its traffic will reach some 2.9 million passengers and generate more than 1.5 billion rubles of profits.

By the end of the first four months the airline had become Russia’s fastest growing airline, having enjoyed a 209 per cent year-on-year rise in traffic.

This remarkable improvement was achieved through adding Airbus aircraft to its fleet, the carrier explains.


Tourism Observer

Hotel Booking Sites Must Be Honest And Truthful

Hotel booking sites must review the way they rank and display rooms, the UK's competition watchdog has said.

Some sites may be making misleading claims about discounts, the Competition and Markets Authority said.

It is also examining whether sites are giving a false impression of room availability and rushing customers into booking decisions.

The CMA did not name which companies it has been investigating, but leading sites include Expedia and Booking.com.

The extent to which a hotel's ranking may be influenced by the size of the commission it pays was another issue highlighted by the CMA.

The CMA, which launched its investigation into online booking sites in October, says it has sent warning letters to a range of sites, demanding they review their practices to make sure they are fair and comply with consumer protection law.

How search result rankings are influenced by factors irrelevant to consumers, such as how much commission a hotel pays the site.

Whether a false impression is created by claims about how many people are looking at the same room, how many rooms are left, and how long a price is available.

Clarity over discounts, including whether a weekday rate is being compared to a previous weekend rate

Whether holidaymakers are hit with unexpected extra charges such as taxes and booking fees later in the booking process

About 70% of people who shop around for accommodation use hotel booking sites, according to the CMA.

Booking sites can make it so much easier to choose your holiday, but only if people are able to trust them, said Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA.

We are now demanding that sites think again about how they are presenting information to their customers and make sure they are complying with the law. Our next step is to take any necessary action, including through the courts if needed to ensure people get a fair deal.

Expedia, one of the leading sites, said: Expedia Group continuously aims to deliver attractive travel options at affordable prices in transparent, clear and easy to understand ways, so that our customers can make informed travel choices.

Expedia will continue to engage with the CMA on these consumer matters, as it continues its inquiries in the travel sector.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality which represents hoteliers, welcomed the CMA's announcement saying it would bring reassurance for customers.

She added that the inquiry should lead to a wider review of the charges that these booking sites levied on hotels, which led to higher prices for holidaymakers.

This is another example of digital businesses stealing an unfair lead on honest, regulated operators whose first concern is to deliver good service to their customers, she said.

Lavinia Dagostine has run a nine-room guest house in Dorset for 11 years and said that these sites could make life difficult for traditional providers.

She relies on her own website and return guests before sending vacancies to a booking site.

It means that smaller B&Bs get left out because they can't afford to pay commission on top of all their other expenses, she said.

I agree it is easier for the booker but the commissions they charge the hotel or B&B sometimes take away any small profit that can be made, making us have to increase our prices.

The watchdog has ordered the sites, which it has not officially named, to review their practices, and to respond within the next few months.

At the end of the review, the sites can either give a legally-binding commitment to change the way they operate, or argue their case that their practices do not break the law.

If the CMA disagrees with their arguments, it can take the companies to court, where unlimited fines can be levied.

It has also raised various price guarantee claims with the Advertising Standards Authority.

Separately, the new EU Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations come into force on Sunday.

The changes mean that package holidays consisting of a flight, hotel, car-hire or other tourist services - either bought online for an all-in price or through linked web pages - will get the same protection as packages bought in travel agencies.

These protections include being flown home or a refund if a travel company or airline goes bust.


Tourism Observer

RUSSIA: Ural Airlines Earns Loyalty Awards Russia-2018

Ural Airlines won the Loyalty Awards Russia-2018 award in a For Effective Use of CRM in Loyalty Program nominated category.

The award honors the integration of CRM in the Wings Loyalty Program. Its participants get an opportunity to use bonuses when buying tickets for any destination with a discount of up to 100% of the tariff.

Ural Airlines ranks among top Russian airlines in terms of passenger traffic. At year-end 2017, it carried 8,000,474 passengers.

45 Airbus airliners (24 A320, 14 A321, and 7 A319) of the carrier serve more than 200 routes.

Ural Airlines is the owner of such international and national awards as Wings of Russia, Safety Leaders Awards, Best Russian Social Projects, National Geographic Traveler Awards, Time for Innovations, and others.

Ural Airlines is an airline based in Yekaterinburg, Russia, operates scheduled and chartered domestic and international flights out of Koltsovo International Airport. In 2012, the company transported 3.5 million passengers.

The airline was founded in 1943 as Sverdlovsk State Air Enterprises, and later became part of Aeroflot, the Soviet state airline, being in charge of Yekaterinburg Airport.

Following the split-up of Aeroflot, Ural Airlines became a joint stock company incorporated under the laws of the Russian Federation on 28 December 1993, and the airline business was separated from the airport.

In 2010, Ural Airlines retired all of its Antonov An-24s, Ilyushin Il-86s and Tupolev Tu-154B2s. The airline's Tupolev Tu-154M, in 164-seat two-class configuration, was retired on October 16, 2011.

Ural Airlines has 2262 employees. The technical base of the airline is one of the biggest and most modern in Russia. Its technical equipment and experienced engineers allow Ural Airlines to provide necessary services in-house. In 2012, the airline opened its training complex for pilots.

The system of training for Airbus A320 was 7.5 million euro. The complex included the construction works too, with 9 million euros. The airline's CEO says that pilot training now is not 4 days, but 4 hours. The airline also plans to buy the training complex for the Airbus A330-300.

In 2017, Skytrax gave Ural Airlines 3 stars, which made it the fourth airline with three stars in Russia and CIS after S7 Airlines, Uzbekistan Airlines and Air Moldova.

Currently, main hubs of Ural Airlines are Moscow-Domodedovo and Yekaterinburg. In plans of Ural Airlines is to increase its number of hubs, by developing hubs at Moscow-Sheremetyevo and Moscow-Zhukovsky.

Ural Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

- Azerbaijan Airlines

- Czech Airlines (SkyTeam)

- S7 Airlines (Oneworld)

- Uzbekistan Airways

Ural Airlines also started considering updating its fleet with newer Airbus A320neo family or Boeing 737 Next Generation and is still considering purchasing Airbus A330. The airline also considered purchasing Irkut MC-21, however the plans were most likely withdrawn.

Lately, Ural Airlines announced the purchase of 2 Airbus A321neoLR, that will be delivered in 2019, with a possible replacement of older Airbus A321-200.

The airline moved up its plans to increase its fleet size from 43 to 50 in 2018, moving up its original plans to do so by 2020.

As of June 2018, the Ural Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:

- Airbus A319-100: 7

- Airbus A320-200: 24

- Airbus A321-200: 14

- Total: 45


Tourism Observer

NETHERLANDS: Hotel Website Booking.com Expands Services

Amsterdam-based Booking.com is expanding its activities with the aim of becoming a complete travel department store.

Customers from around the world will be able to book flights, attractions, food and drink offerings as well as local travel through the Booking-com website.

For years Booking,com has offered only hotel rooms and other accommodation.

CEO Gillian Tans told the paper the company is poised to enter the broader travel market partly due to the rise of smart phones.

Tans: People have more confidence in smart phone technology so that they book more last-minute deals. They believe it is no longer necessary to plan far ahead. I’ll just go. Book the first hotel when I arrive in Bangkok and then see what happens.

Amsterdam Booking.com captured a good share of the hotel booking market shortly after it was founded in Amsterdam in 1996.

As a result, the number of tour operators and travel agencies fell back as travellers began booking hotel rooms on their personal computers.

Now the company is investing millions in new technologies used in machine learning and artificial intelligence to personalise bookings.

Booking.com needs to change course as competition increases from sites like Airbnb which also offer tourist attractions like historic walks, offbeat concerts and kayaking.

Airlines like Ryanair and KLM are also expanding their range of offerings with deals that include car hire and accommodation.

US bourse-listed Priceline acquired Booking.com for $135m in 2005 ad is now one of Priceline’s best performing units.

It is about to change its name to Booking Holding. The bourse valuation of the company is more than $100bn.



Tourism Observer

NETHERLANDS: Air France-KLM’s New CEO Be An Aviation Specialist

The entire board of the Air France KLM airline combine are gathered in Amstelveen on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the naming of a new CEO.

There is so much opposition to the naming of Philippe Capron as CEO that the group is now considering naming separate CEOs for the holding company and Air France itself.

The situation within the combine is explosive. Capron’s name emerged last week as a possible new CEO for the group.

But both KLM and Delta Airlines, another shareholder and partner of Air France KLM, object on the grounds that Capron had no experience in the aviation industry nor in the role of CEO.

Like his predecessors at Air France KLM, Capron has a privileged relationship with the French government and is a graduate of the prestigious École nationale d’administration, the FD said.

Air France KLM is seeking a replacement for Jean-Marc Janaillac, who quit in May over lack of support for a new pay and conditions pact.

He was also largely blamed for the many days lost to strikes which cost the combine some €400m so far this year.

KLM is very profitable while Air France keeps running losses which further undermines the fragile alliance.

Meanwhile, Accor is pressing ahead with plans to buy a stake in state-backed airline Air France-KLM, approaching European investors to ask them to team up with the French hotelier, said three people familiar with the situation.

The search for regional partners is in part to address any concerns that Accor could breach EU aviation regulations, which demand that European airlines must have at least 50 per cent of their capital owned by European investors in order to secure their right to fly.

At least a quarter of Accor’s capital is owned by non-European investors, which could prove to be an issue in buying a stake in the French airline, said one person with knowledge of the situation.

European investors could ease any concerns about the extent of overseas ownership of the stake.

Accor earlier this month confirmed it was looking at buying the French state’s 14 per cent stake in Air France-KLM, which is valued at about €430m.

While some Accor investors have said they see an industrial logic to a potential tie-up between Accor and the airline, with the potential for working together in areas such as loyalty programmes, data and technology, some have questioned why Accor needs to spend €430m on a stake to do this.

By teaming up with other investors, Accor could help alleviate these concerns, said a person familiar with the deal.

Accor’s move comes during a turbulent period for the French-Dutch airline which is trying to find a new chief executive to replace Jean-Marc Janaillac, who quit in May after putting his job on the line in an effort to end strikes over pay.

The board of Air-France KLM was meeting in Amsterdam on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the chief executive search and the company’s strategy.

Philippe Capron, chief financial officer at French water and waste company Veolia, has been mooted as a favourite for the role among the nomination committee, which is led by Air France-KLM interim chief executive Anne-Marie Couderc.

According to people familiar with the matter, KLM and shareholders Delta and China Eastern Airlines, which each hold 8 per cent of the group, have expressed concern with Mr Capron’s appointment, partly because of his lack of aviation experience.

French finance minister Bruno Le Maire on Sunday suggested the race is still open: Capron is one of the possible candidates but he is not the only one. It takes experience.

The French government, whose 14 per cent stake in the company comes with voting rights of 23 per cent, has said it would like to see a new chief executive of the airline installed before making any decisions on changes to its ownership.

However, that uncertainty could in turn make the hunt for a new chief executive more difficult because candidates already facing a battle with unions may be reluctant to commit before they have visibility on any changes in the group’s shareholder structure.

Chinese tourism company Jinjiang International Company Limited owns about 12.32 per cent of Accor. The Qatar Investment Authority has 10.17 per cent, and 5.69 per cent is held by the Kingdom Holding Company of Saudi Arabia, according to Accor’s shareholder register at December 31.

France’s transport minister on Thursday said it was important that Air France-KLM’s new CEO be a specialist of air transport.

Minister Elisabeth Borne also said that it would be good to appoint the new CEO in July.

French media have reported that KLM, the Dutch airline part of the group, and Delta Airlines - which has an 8.8 percent stake - had expressed opposition toward possible plans to name Veolia chief financial officer Philippe Capron as new Air France KLM CEO over his lack of experience in the sector.

Without getting into more details Borne said Capron was one of the candidates, Air France-KLM is facing global competition and I think it is important that we find someone who is a specialist of the aviation sector and can quickly take leadership in the company, which faces important challenges.

Air France-KLM said on Wednesday that its search for a new chief executive was continuing, adding it hoped to reach a decision “as quickly as possible”.


Tourism Observer

Sponsorship Letter For Schengen Visa

Planning to visit a loved one in any Schengen State?

Going on a month-long holiday to a friend’s home in a Schengen state?

The Schengen states are one of the most alluring and exciting countries in the world. They feature on the Top 5 travel destinations list of any travel enthusiast and tourist.

The Schengen states also happen to be one of the most difficult to enter, having one of the most stringent visa application processes in the world.

Not only are you required to submit a suitcase-full of documents, but you also need to write a covering letter, invitation letter or submit a sponsorship letter to the embassy, to even qualify for the visa.

In this article, you’ll learn about the sponsorship letter for Schengen visa, how to write a sponsorship letter for visa application, what it is for, sample sponsor letter to the consulate and letter from the sponsor for visa.

What is a sponsorship letter?

A visa sponsorship letter is a letter that is written by the person who is sponsoring your visit to a Schengen state.

Let’s say that your sister lives in Paris and she wants you to come out for a visit. She’s taking care of everything, right from the flight bookings to the stay to the on-site visits & entertainment and finally the travel back home.

In most cases, you pay for all these expenses yourself. But, when somebody else is sponsoring your international trip for you, there is no proof of your financial credibility or your intentions.

As part of their stringent security checks, the Schengen embassies ask you to provide a letter written by your sponsor, informing the embassy of their intention to foot all your bills, with proof of all the payments they have already made on behalf of you for this visit.

This letter which you and your sponsor need to furnish is called the Sponsorship letter. Without it, you can rest assured that your dreams of visiting the Schengen state are over.

Importance of writing a sponsorship letter for the Visa application

Six reasons why your Schengen Visa application may be rejected:

- You don’t provide a convincing reason for travel to the Schengen states

- You don’t display proof of funds or a credible credit record

- You furnish incomplete or unacceptable documents for verification

- There is concern that you may not return to your country of origin

- You do not have travel insurance documents in your name or the travel insurance is insufficient

- There are processing errors during the filing

The first four of these reasons can be easily tackled with the help of a thorough sponsorship letter.

In the letter, you can include the entire information which the embassy seeks, in a completely transparent way, ensuring that your visa application is accepted.

Writing the Schengen sponsorship letter for the Visa application

Of all the documents that you need to submit for the Schengen visa application, the sponsorship letter is one that is so important.

Often times, you may not have the time to get the sponsorship letter mailed to you by your loved one residing in the Schengen country.

During these times, writing the sponsorship letter yourself seems like the best option.

Writing the sponsorship letter for the Schengen visa can be a challenge, especially if you don’t have practice writing it before.

To help you overcome any problems that you may experience while writing the letter and to answer any questions that you may have, i’ve made a list of everything you should know and look out for when drafting a sponsorship letter.

The tone of the sponsorship letter

The sponsorship letter is exactly like the Visa application cover letter, with a single difference that this letter is written by the sponsor, instead of you, the traveler.

Since the sponsorship letter comes from the sponsor himself/herself, you will need to write the letter in the third person narrative and use words like he, she and they.

Basically, the letter should be similar to a letter written by a third-party for you.

Please remember that while you can write the sponsorship letter yourself, the signature added at the end of the letter needs to be bona fide and genuine.

Forging someone else’s signature is a crime punishable by law and you need to make sure that you provide verifiable evidence that the sponsor has genuinely signed and dated the letter.

Make sure you email the letter to your loved one and get the signature necessary. Although a printout of the digital signature will suffice, its best practice to have the original document with the signature mailed to you.

Major elements of the sponsorship letter

- The ‘To’ address

The ‘To’ address for a sponsorship letter is the address of the Schengen embassy in the home country of the traveler.

- Opening salutations

Although the staff at the embassy consists of government-employed officials, they do not have any specific formal title by which to address them. A simple ‘Dear sir/madam’ will suffice.

- The intention of the letter

The first thing you need to write after the salutation is the reason for submission of the letter.

In this case, it is a letter of proof that the sponsor is covering all the expenses that the visitor may incur during their visit to the Schengen country.

- The intention of the visit

Here, you will need to state why the traveler wishes to visit the Schengen country. For a sponsorship letter by a friend or relative, the reason would be tourism or family visit.

- Dates of travel

The embassy uses the traveler’s dates of travel to allot the visa dates. These are the dates between which the traveler can visit the Schengen country, after which they must return to the country of origin.

Mention that you’ve booked the flight tickets for the specific dates between which the traveler is said to enter and exit the Schengen states.

- Details of residence and details about the employer

In the case of the sponsorship letter, the residence and employer details pertain to the sponsor’s and not the travelers. The sponsor needs to mention where they live, who the owner of the house is, and provide property documents as proof.

They also need to mention where they are working/studying, who their manager/dean is, proof of employment/enrollment and indication that the employer/university is aware of their intention to host the traveler in the country.

- List of documents to be attached along with the letter

The sponsor too may need to submit documents to verify their ability and interest to host the traveler at their home.

The sponsor needs to mention and attach with the letter a copy of their passport, a copy of citizenship/permanent residency/extended student or work visa they possess, copies of bank statement proving financial credibility, salary slips and finally a proof of residence.

Photos may be requested and must be attached if advised to.

- List of places traveling to

If the traveler is planning to visit multiple cities or countries in the Schengen states, the sponsor must make known that they are well-aware of these plans by mentioning the names of the places in the order of travel.

They must also make known how they are sponsoring the travel and stay at these places by providing details of travel insurance, transport tickets, and any other information which they are expected to furnish.

- Comprehensive itinerary

The cover letter by the traveler usually contains the itinerary. But since the trip is sponsored, it is assumed that the sponsor is planning the itinerary.

The sponsor may provide a detailed account of the day-to-day travel, visit, and stay plans of the traveler in the Schengen countries, if they choose to.

Proof of bookings may be requested, in which case, the sponsor would need to submit all reservation tickets to the embassy.

- Ending salutations

Finally, end the letter with a formal request to the embassy to grant the traveler the visa and a re-affirmation that you the sponsor are completely responsible for the traveler and what happens during the visit.

Include a warm ‘Thank You’, accompanied by the sponsor’s signature, name, and the date of signing. Please remember that the signature needs to be genuine.

Be sure to send the letter to the sponsor for the signature at the earliest.

Add the sponsor’s telephone number and email address at the end.

Common mistakes to avoid when drafting the Schengen sponsorship letter

- Not writing the sponsorship letter in the right tone.

- Not mentioning if the letter is a covering letter or a sponsorship letter for the Visa application.

- Not listing the places to be visited.

- Not providing proper evidence of your or the sponsor’s ability to fund and manage the visit.

- Not providing details of employment and personal residence in the Schengen country.

- Not providing an itinerary in the letter.

- Not confirming payment of travel tickets, hotel bookings, and other expenses.

- Not attaching a docket of documents needed to be furnished.

- Not providing a genuine signature.

Things to do when writing the sponsorship letter

- Always be transparent and honest.

- Include all the information necessary.

- Use correct spellings and grammar.

- Write the letter as convincing as possible.


Tourism Observer

BARBADOS: American Airlines Has Introduced Daily Flights To Barbados From Charlotte

American Airlines has announced the addition of non-stop, daily service from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) beginning December 19, 2018.

This announcement comes just weeks after the carrier unveiled its third daily flight from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Barbados, which is also set to launch December 19.

The island anticipates a demand for additional flight service given the growth in US arrival numbers, which have risen year after year.

In 2017, Barbados welcomed 188,970 US visitors – a 30-year high – and the country is showing no signs of slowing down.

Our airline partners have been instrumental in the growth of visitation from the United States.

This new service signals tremendous confidence in Barbados and constitutes a 100 percent increase in seat capacity into and out of the island said Barbados’ newly appointed minister of tourism and international transport, Kerrie Symmonds.

Increased service to these important cities will help to ensure another year of record passenger arrivals to our destination.

High-level airline partnerships have been a cornerstone effort for the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI). This strategy has led to increased airlift and the introduction of new gateways including Fort Lauderdale, Boston and Newark.

Alfredo Gonzalez, managing director – Caribbean, American Airlines, described Barbados as a destination in high demand and noted.

One month after announcing additional service to Barbados from our Miami hub, we’re thrilled to continue growing our presence in the island with new daily service from our Charlotte hub, both operating during the winter.

As the demand continues to grow over the years, today we’re proud to serve as the leading U.S. airline in the island with up to 28 weekly flights.

Tickets for the new route went on sale June 17.


Tourism Observer

ST MAARTEN & ST MARTIN: Tourism Recovering With New Flights And Hotels Reopening

The tourism industry in St Maarten/St Martin continues to recover at a rapid pace as airlines add new service and hotels reopen following the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria last September.

American Airlines recently announced that it has increased seat capacity on its daily flight from Miami upgrading their Miami International Airport (MIA) – Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) route to a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, accommodating 160 passengers.

In addition, American Airlines will be adding a daily nonstop flight to St Maarten from its hub at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) starting November 4, 2018, as well as a second daily nonstop from Miami effective December 19, 2018.

Both new flights are currently bookable and will be operated by Airbus A319 aircraft with a capacity of 128 passengers.

St Maarten’s Princess Juliana Airport (SXM) continues to report great progress in terms of improved connectivity as the year progresses.

As of May 2018, two-thirds of all carriers that provided flights to and from the award-winning airport have resumed regular service.

From the United States, travelers can fly to St Maarten with United Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines, and Seaborne Airlines.

Service from Toronto is available on WestJet, and Dominican carrier Air Century, and Panama-based Copa Airlines have returned as well.

Due to the collaborative efforts by all stakeholders and the community at large, St Maarten has been able to make a quick turnaround, said St Maarten minister of tourism, Cornelius De Weever. We are grateful to the return of all airlines and the reopening of our properties.

This shows the confidence American Airlines has in the comeback of St Maarten/St Martin, the public and private sector have been working continuously with American Airlines to ensure that the flights return in a balanced way complementing the re-opening of various accommodations, added St Maarten’s interim head of tourism, May-Ling Chun.

As of May 2018, there are just fewer than 2,000 bookable rooms available across the entire island.

122 villas and condos are open for business island-wide, boutique hotels and guest houses are ready to accommodate travelers, and several larger properties have conducted soft openings in order to welcome back guests.

Some 87 percent of all on-island activities are also available for guests to enjoy.


Tourism Observer

ST THOMAS: Spirit To Start Flights From Orlando To St Thomas

On the heels of the launch of new service between Fort Lauderdale and St Croix, Spirit Airlines has announced even more flights to the US Virgin Islands from the Sunshine State.

The Department of Tourism announced that Spirit Airlines will inaugurate service between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Cyril E. King Airport on St Thomas (STT) with three flights a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, beginning November 8, 2018.

The service augments existing daily flights between Fort Lauderdale and St Thomas.

These new flights represent the fruit of the hard work of our administration to add new service and increase flights to our destination, said US Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp.

New flights increase affordable opportunities for Virgin Islanders to travel to and from the mainland, while helping our bread and butter tourism industry recover, he added.

Working alongside our colleagues at the Virgin Islands Port Authority, we continue to invest heavily in our airlift development strategy and value our partnership with Spirit as they continue to prioritize travel to and from our territory, said Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Commissioner of Tourism for the US Virgin Islands.

As part of a wider announcement, Spirit will begin offering international service from Orlando International Airport to 11 new destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as three more domestic routes rolling out through the fall.

The announcement marks one of the largest expansions in the airline’s history and includes service to the US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

We have been proud to serve Orlando for 25 years, and after more than doubling service last year, we are so proud to be expanding there yet again, said Bob Fornaro, Spirit’s chief executive officer.

Orlando is now one of our largest markets, and we have no plans on stopping our growth. The region is not only a wonderful, family-friendly destination, but it is well-positioned to now serve as a gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America.

With Spirit’s expanding network, the airline continues to improve its on-time performance and guest satisfaction, while building upon its larger commitment to invest in the guest experience.

The airline recently announced that state-of-the-art, high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity will be installed on its entire fleet by summer of 2019.


Tourism Observer

ST MAARTEN: Winair Goes To St Maarten

Regional carrier Winair has announced the launch of several additional services from Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) in St Maarten.

First, the successful launch of the CN-Express, a flight operated by Winair in partnership with the Netherlands to connect St Maarten, St Eustatius and Bonaire.

This flight was made a reality through partnership between Winair and the Netherlands.

These flights will operate Mondays and Fridays connecting St Maarten, St Eustatius and Bonaire with direct air service, which will prove to be beneficial for tourism, business development and the employees of RCN.

Winair also relaunched services to Curacao, Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince utilizing the ATR-500/600 state of the art aircraft.

Winair will offer daily direct service to Curacao, five direct flights per week to Santo Domingo and two direct flights per week to Port-au-Prince.

These flights will fill the current void and lack of service in these markets. Winair is reintroducing service to these important markets from its hub in St Maarten at Princess Juliana International Airport.

These flights will enhance tourism, business development and have offered employment to our people after the devastating effects of hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Winair thanks their shareholders, its employees, PJIAE, the various Civil Aviation Authorities and most of all our customers by offering safe and dependable air transportation to these vital markets, said M.D. Cleaver, president and CEO of Winair.


Tourism Observer

BONAIRE: American Airlines Adds More Flights To Bonaire

In addition to its weekly Saturday service launching June 9, 2018, American Airlines will be adding three new non-stop flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Bonaire International Airport (BIA) from December 15, 2018, through March 30, 2019.

The additional flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

We are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement with American Airlines to provide additional non-stop service to Bonaire, commented Maurice Adriaens, director of Tourism Corporation Bonaire.

According to the American Airlines Network & Planning Department the Saturday flight is booking extremely well, and therefore they are confident that the extra flights will do well.

These flights will to allow us to generate more traffic to the island concurrent with the expansion of our hotel and villa inventory.

American Airlines flight AA1379 will depart MIA at 12:05pm, arriving in BON 4:13pm. The return flight AA1379 will depart BON 5:05pm, arriving in MIA 7:15pm.

These flight times allow for several convenient connections from the feeder banks on both flight segments.

American Airlines will utilize an Airbus 319 with eight first class seats and 120 economy seats.


Tourism Observer

GUYANA: WestJet Not Interested In Flying To Guyana

Canada’s second largest airline, Westjet, said that it has no plans to operate to Guyana, and distanced itself from a statement made by Wesley Kirton, director of the Roraima Group of Companies, at the Caribbean Aviation Handlers Association (CAHA) symposium in Guyana recently that the airline is looking to enter the Guyana market.

The airline said that it did not release or authorize Kirton’s statement apologising for the absence of the West Jet representative, Beverly Garcia- Cottrell due to a personal emergency:

“I am asked to convey to the meeting her regrets for not being here but to convey to the Guyanese authorities WestJet’s commitment to looking at serving the Guyana market and to advise that WestJet will send a delegation to Guyana shortly to initiate discussions with the authorities here.”

Kirton added that a one-on-one meeting had been set up for Garcia-Cottrell, a manager at WestJet, with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

WestJet has denied all of this.

WestJet representative, Lauren Steward, said WestJet did not issue any statement – the statement that you have is from your government not WestJet. As I mentioned, and reconfirmed, WestJet does not have any plans to operate to Guyana.

When asked to contact Garcia-Cottrell, WestJet did not answer that part of the email.

There are, however, unconfirmed reports that a date for Garcia-Cottrell to meet with the GCAA has been scheduled.

Toronto and New York City have a large Guyanese diaspora community and airlift from these cities to Guyana is very limited and of poor quality.

Meanwhile, GCAA director general, Egbert Field said that, while other carriers have signaled their intent to enter the Guyana market, there have been no concrete decisions made.

“We do not disclose anything until an application is made. Then we know that they are serious,” he added.


Tourism Observer

SURINAME: Copa Airlines To Fly To Suriname, Avianca Airlines Interested As Well

Suriname is not getting left behind after neighbouring Guyana soon opens an expanded and modern airport.

The Suriname government is actively looking to attract legacy carriers like Avianca and COPA after it recently announced the construction and modernization of a new arrival terminal and other upgrades for passenger comfort.

Legacy Star Alliance member, COPA airlines, with a vast network connecting every city in Latin America and the Caribbean to its Panama hub, is looking to commence service to the Johan Pengel International Airport (JAP), Paramaribo.

Suriname is the only independent country in South America that the airline’s network doesn’t reach. This will change, according to reliable sources.

Suriname is isolated and lacks air connectivity to major capitals in the region. COPA airlines has put in writing its interest in serving the Suriname market and is expected to announce air operations to Suriname before the end of 2018.

The airline had met since 2015 with government, aviation and Surinam Airways (SLM) officials, but there was no agreement.

COPA officials assessed the local infrastructure, including the facilities at the Johan Pengel International Airport (JAP).

The airline wanted an incentive package, and now the airline is again in Suriname and seriously looking at the market.

Officials from Avianca Airlines, Latin America’s second largest airline, last week visited Suriname to meet with officials from the government and the airport authorities.

They also met with SLM. The Colombian airline is also looking to land at the Cheddi Jagan Airport, Guyana.

COPA focuses on North and South America and the Caribbean, while Avianca Colombia, besides Latin America and the Caribbean, has a growing European network.

Through its Star Alliance partnership, Avianca will link Georgetown and Paramaribo to its vast destinations in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The Bogota hub is well connected with the world and, for countries like Guyana and Suriname with very poor air connectivity.

An Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report in 2015 recommended that the Guyanas be connected to Panama City and Bogota.

Ethiopian, Emirates and Turkish Airlines are also looking to add Bogota to their networks.

The IDB report concluded that Suriname’s air agreement with Colombia is the most restrictive and one that protects Avianca, the Colombian carrier.

Flights out of Suriname are allowed only to land in Barranquilla and Cali, and can be routed via Port-of-Spain or Georgetown.

Hence, a lot of these issues have to be fleshed out before Avianca Airlines commences service to Paramaribo.

SLM is looking to cooperate with other airlines and in particular Avianca and Copa, but they must also benefit from any arrangement.

Meanwhile, it is alleged that SLM has a code-share agreement with Avianca, but to date, the two companies have yet to operate a single flight with their joint codes.

Perhaps a code-share agreement does exist but in name only.


Tourism Observer

ST KITTS: Air Canada Now Flying To St Kitts

For the first time in the island’s history, Air Canada will fly to St Kitts for a full six months for the 2018-2019 peak season.

The non-stop Saturday flights from Toronto will operate from November 3, 2018, all the way through April 27, 2019.

This is an unprecendented air service expansion by Air Canada that marks yet another historic first for St Kitts, said Lindsay Grant, minister of tourism, international trade, industry and commerce.

I could not be more pleased to welcome this additional flying, which expands the options for visitors and Diaspora from our key Canadian source market to get to island.

From November 3 through December 10, Air Canada will operate a 136-seat Airbus A319-100 Rouge aircraft with 124 economy class and 12 business class seats for the non-stop Saturday flights.

From December 15, 2018 through April 27, 2019, Air Canada will operate a 200-seat Airbus A321-200 Rouge aircraft with 184 economy class and 16 business class seats for these flights.

Air Canada’s decision to expand service into St Kitts is a testament to the strength of our growing tourism sector, said Racquel Brown, CEO of the St Kitts Tourism Authority.

As our airlift from North America expands to accommodate our recently announced new hotel developments and upgrades to existing hotel product which include all-inclusive options, Canadians now have a full range of vacation choices available.

This is truly is a complement to our existing North American airlift and gives us significantly increased capacity for this season and beyond.

Air Canada first began serving St Kitts non-stop on Fridays in peak season from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in 2011 and subsequently shifted to Saturday service.

It is the island’s only non-stop scheduled service from Canada. In previous years, the flight operated from late December through early April.

With the expanded service, St Kitts will receive an additional six weeks of non-stop flying that provides the potential for an increase in Canadian air passenger arrivals.


Tourism Observer

CUBA: Kempinski Hotel Group Expands Presence In Cuba

The German company Kempinski, based in Switzerland and manager of Cuba’s first five-star plus hotel, will open other tourist facilities in this Caribbean destination, after reporting a successful performance in its first year of operations in Havana.

We have opted for Cuba and we will continue to grow in alliance with the state entity Gaviota, announced Xavier Destribats, general manager of the Grand Hotel Manzana Kempinski, a six-floor, 246-room building, which opened on June 7 last year.

The executive stressed that the firm he represents, the oldest of its kind in Europe has several projects with that Cuban chain, mainly for the management of hotels located in spas.

Destribats described as successful the first year of operation of the Kempinski Block, which, he said, has received clients from several nations, such as France, Spain, Germany, Russia, China and Austria.

The opening of this installation represented the entrance of Kempinski in the Americas and its premiere in Cuba with a contract with Gaviota.

Data provided by the ministry of tourism note that in the island there are 21 foreign managers through 95 hotel administration and marketing contracts, responsible for 45,333 rooms (65 percent of capacity).

There are also 27 mixed companies that manage more than 5,000 four- and five– star accommodations.

The tourism sector represents the largest number of businesses in operation in the country with foreign investment, considered an essential element in the nation’s socio-economic development strategy.


Tourism Observer

OMAN: Pegasus Airlines To Start Flights To Muscat Airport Next Week

Oman's Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) has approved the operation of Turkish budget airline Pegasus Airlines starting from July 4, 2018.

The Authority today approved the operation of Turkish budget airline Pegasus Airlines for four weekly flights between Muscat and Sabiha Airport in Istanbul as of 4 July, 2018, PACA announced.

The authority added: We hope that the company's flights will provide economically competitive options for travel between the Sultanate and the airline's destinations.

Pegasus Airlines is a Turkish low-cost airline headquartered in the Kurtkoy area of Pendik, Istanbul with bases at several Turkish airports.

On 1 December 1989 two businesses, Net and Silkar, partnered with Aer Lingus to create an inclusive tour charter airline called Pegasus Airlines and services were inaugurated on 15 April 1990 with two Boeing 737–400s.

In Greek mythology, Pegasus was a winged horse sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. However, four months after the launch, Iraq invaded Kuwait and the seven month occupation that followed had a serious effect on Turkish tourism.

By 1992, tourists began returning to the country and Pegasus grew with the acquisition of a third 737-400. The airline leased a further two Airbus A320s to meet the summer demand.

After two positive years, Aer Lingus and Net sold their shares in the company in 1994 to Istanbul-based Yapi Kredibank, making Pegasus a purely Turkish company.

On 4 September 1997, Pegasus placed an order for one 737-400 and one 737–800 from Boeing Commercial Airplanes making it the first Turkish carrier to place an order for the Boeing 737 Next Generation. The airline also signed lease agreements for a further 10 737-800s from the ILFC.

In January 2005, ESAS Holdings purchased Pegasus Airlines and placed Ali Sabanci as the chairman. Two months later, he changed the airline from a charter airline, to a low-cost airline.

In November 2005, Pegasus placed an order for 12 new 737-800s from Boeing which was backed up with an order for a further 12 737-800s in November 2008.

The latter order has flexibility in it as the orders can be changed to the 149-seat 737-700 or the 215-seat 737–900 depending on market demand.In 2018, Pegasus tried to acquire an A380 but later cancelled the order.

In 2007, Pegasus carried more passengers in Turkey than any other private airline. In 2008, it carried a total of 4.4 million passengers. In 2013 the passenger traffic grew even further to 16.8 million passengers carried.

In 2012, Pegasus Airlines, the second largest airline in Turkey, has signed for up to 100 A320neo Family aircraft (57 A320neo and 18 A321neo models), of which 75 are firm orders. Pegasus becomes a new Airbus customer and the first Turkish airline to order the A320neo.

This was the largest single commercial aircraft order ever placed by an airline in Turkey at that time, and was announced on December 18, 2012 at a ceremony attended by Binali Yıldırım, the Turkish Minister of Transport.

In June 2012, Pegasus Airlines bought 49% of the Kyrgyz air company Air Manas. 22 March 2013 the air company had operated its first flight under the brand name Pegasus Asia.

The company offered 34.5% of its shares of stock to the public. The shares began to be traded at the Borsa Istanbul as BİST: PGSUS on 26 April 2013.

In October 2016, Pegasus Airlines announced to offer three of its aircraft on the ACMI and leasing markets, stating severely decreasing passenger numbers.


Tourism Observer

UAE: Dubai International Airport Starts Its Busiest Day Of The Year, Expecting 1.1 Million Travellers

Airport officials are warning that over a million passengers are expected to pass through Dubai International Airport next weekend, with the start of the school holidays.

The busy period is expected to begin on June 28 – so if you’re travelling on Thursday, you’ll need to have your wits about you.

We are about to face the busiest days of the year here at Dubai International, said Eugene Barry, executive vice president commercial at Dubai Airports.

It is predicted that June 28 is going to be the first of our busy days during the summer holiday.

The weekend of July 5 to 8 is anticipated to be a busier time as the majority of local schools are breaking up for the summer.

We expect during those few days to welcome over 1.1m travellers.

DXB says preparations for the upcoming peak have been ongoing for the past couple of weeks.

For those travelling in the next few days, we would advise passengers to get to the airport early and encourage them to use the latest technologies we recently added, like the Smart Gates, to expedite their journey, said Essa Al Shamsi, vice president for terminal operations at Dubai Airports.

Did you know DXB has three baggage systems with a combined length of 175 kilometres, that can handle up to 25,000 bags an hour?

– Be sure to check which airport/terminal you are departing from before leaving home. Check dubaiairports.ae for flight status.

– Arrive early at the airport. It is best to leave a minimum of three hours for check-in and passport control. Take into consideration daily rush hours and available routes in calculating your commuting time to the airport.

– Use your Emirates ID to breeze through the Smart Gates.

– Make sure your suitcase complies with Dubai Airports’ baggage regulations. Remember, only bags that have a flat surface will be checked in.

– Make sure all liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) in your check-in baggage are in a clear re-sealable plastic bag. Each item should not be more than 100ml, and the total content of all items should not be more than one litre.

– Take off all metal items – like watches, belts, etc, before you go through the security screening.

– Check in online, when possible or use the self-service check-in kiosks in the departures hall.


Tourism Observer

UAE: First Emirati Restaurant At Dubai Airport Opens

Travellers passing through Dubai International airport can now get a taste of local Emirati cuisine while waiting to board their flight.

Located in Terminal 3, you’ll be able to sample local delicacies while waiting for your flight.

S34 Gahwa Mezza Bar is a traditional-style coffeehouse now open in Terminal 3 that draws its inspiration from the gahwas (coffeehouses) found dotted around the alleys of the Al Fahidi neighbourhood of Dubai.

The restaurant’s vibrant and contemporary dEcor contrasts a dine-in and take-away menu packed with classic Middle Eastern and Emirati favourites including samosas, sambousek, ras el hanout lamb shoulder, meaty kibbeh flan and more.

And of course, there’s a wide selection of teas and coffees on offer ranging from traditional Arabic coffee with cardamom to karak tea.

It’s good to know that even if don’t get the chance to set out of the airport and visit Dubai, they’ll still be able to sample some of the local delicacies.

We’re excited to check it out next time we pass through Terminal 3.

S34 Gahwa Mezza Bar, C35m Concourse C, Terminal 3, Dubai International Airport.


Tourism Observer