In Brief

Emirates, InterContinental Group Tie-Up

Emirates has now signed up with the InterContinental Hotels Group to offer hotel rates to customers online. Emirates customers can go to www.emirates.com and book their hotel stay at any of the InterContinental Hotels Group properties through the group's online reservations system.

This agreement comes at a time when customers can take advantage of the best hotel rates during the summer season in the northern hemisphere and also receive bonus Skywards Miles when booking online.

Members of Skywards, the frequent flyer programme of Emirates and SriLankan Airlines, will receive 500 bonus Skywards Miles on booking a hotel online in addition to receiving 500 Skywards Miles when they produce their Skywards card at any InterContinental property. This offer will be valid until 30th September 2005.

Terms and conditions apply on the above offer, which can be booked via a co-branded micro-site: www.ichotelsgroup.com and through Emirates' worldwide websites.

AmEx Launches Co-Branded Card With IA

American Express has expanded its co-branded card portfolio with the launch of its new Indian Airlines American Express credit card. The new globally valid credit card offers passengers discounts on all economy and business class fares in Indian Airlines plus additional savings on all class fares when purchased through the American Express help line. This offer is valid up to October 2005. Other facilities include revolving credit at 1.9 per cent per month and a complimentary upgrade voucher on enrollment. As a welcome offer, customers applying before August 2005 can enjoy a fee waiver for the first year membership fees.

In addition to the money-saving benefits, the card also provides customers access to American Express Membership Reward Programme that offers members rewards points every time they spend on the Indian Airlines American Express credit card. These points can be redeemed for rewards including free shopping, dining and holidays or earn free flights on various airlines. Above all, card members can also avail services including tele-ticketing, travel and emergency assistance, flight insurance, foreign exchange services, and reservation of hotels in 800 destinations with savings of up to 40 per cent.

Jet India To Acquire More A330s

Jet Airways announced its plans to acquire 10 Airbus A330-200/300 aircraft with options for 10 more. These deliveries are scheduled for the first quarter of 2007. However, Jet will become the first Indian operator of the Airbus A330 before that when it takes delivery of the first of several aircraft leased from ILFC in May 2006. Confirming their new plans, senior officials disclosed that the airline has recently inducted three leased Airbus A340-300E aircraft into the fleet, which are being used for the daily, non-stop service between Mumbai and London Heathrow. The feedback has been most encouraging The Airbus A330 also has the versatility to be economical and the cockpit commonality between the A330 and A340 would help ensure a smooth A330 introduction into their fleet.

Kingfisher Signs Contract With Airbus

Kingfisher Airlines has become the first Indian carrier to sign a firm contract with Airbus for the A350 - its newest - and A380 - its largest - aircraft, as well as for the A330. The order is for five A350-800s plus five A380s for intercontinental services, and five A330-200s for regional routes. Delivery of these A330s are due to begin in the third quarter of 2007, those of the double-deck A380s in 2010, and those of the A350s in 2012. Engine selections have yet to be announced.

The airline will reportedly use its A330s on regional routes, including flights to Europe, while the A350 and A380 are ear-marked for longer non-stop flights. Kingfisher Airlines is already an Airbus customer - it has ordered 10 A320s and three A319s, and has options on a further 20 single-aisle aircraft. With regard to its passenger appeal, the airline has introduced aspects such as personal video-screens.

In a bid to keep up with growing competition, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has forged a deal with Boeing - a business unit of The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA). The airline has selected Connexion as its provider of high-speed in-flight Internet and live global TV service. The agreement calls for both in-line and retrofit installation of the Connexion on the airline's fleet of 25 aircraft, including Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, and Airbus A330, A340 and A380 aircraft. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Etihad Airways is expected initially to offer the Connexion service on routes between the Gulf region and Europe and North America. Once installations are complete, passengers will have access to the Web, e-mail, corporate intranets - including virtual private network capability and live TV. In mid 2006, Etihad Airways will become the first airline in the world to offer live television and Internet access at every seat.

EK Offers Special Monsoon Package

Emirates is offering its First and Business Class passengers a special monsoon offer. Those flying Emirates beyond Dubai will receive a complimentary hotel stay in Dubai city, and can choose from a number of activities amongst different lifestyle and leisure activities free of charge. This offer is valid from June to 31st August 2005.

The First Class travellers will receive a complimentary two nights' stay at the Ritz-Carlton and will have a choice of one value-added service from amongst three on offer. The Business Class passengers, on the other hand, will get a night's stay in the Emirates Towers Hotel with a choice of one service from amongst two offers.

Both offers include a 96-hour visa and daily breakfast in the hotels but are limited to adult passengers only. The airline currently operates 43 non-stop flights per week from India to Dubai with 19 from Mumbai, seven from Delhi, four from Chennai, eight from Hyderabad and five from Kochi.

JetStar, Valuair Form New Airline Company

Singaporean-based airlines Jetstar Asia and Valuair recently announced the formation of a new Singaporean company that will own and operate both airlines. The new company will be chaired by Geoff Dixon, who is chairman of Jetstar Asia and chief executive officer of Qantas Airways.

Dixon said that the chief executive officer of Jetstar Asia, Ken Ryan, had been appointed as chief executive of both Valuair and Jetstar Asia and would run both airlines.

Dixon said Jetstar Asia and Valuair would operate in their own right for the foreseeable future, with little or no change to the service offered by either airline. He said that both airlines would be well placed to participate in growth opportunities within the region.

Mumbai Gets A-I Toll Free Number

Air-India has launched a toll free number, 1600 22 77 22, to facilitate easy and round-the-clock access to its reservations offices in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Bhopal and Indore. Calls to this number are handled by Customer Service Agents who provide travel-related services such as reservations and re-bookings, and flight information.

The toll free number is at present accessible to landline and mobile phones subscribers of MTNL and BSNL. Users of other mobile and landline service providers, such as Orange, Airtel, Tata Indicom, Reliance etc can call (022) 25489999.

Airbus Reshuffle For CEO Post

Engineer Gustav Humbert, appointed as CEO of Airbus. He is the first German to head the France-based plane manufacturers maker in its 35-year history. He replaces Frenchman Noel Forgeard, whose promotion to EADS as a co-CEO had been on hold.

Automaker Daimler-Chrysler, EAD's top German shareholder, wanted to make sure that management power would continue to reflect the equal 30 per cent stakes among its German and French shareholders. That could be tricky as Airbus generated 79 per cent of EAD's operating profit last year, overshadowing its largely Germany-based defense business.

Humbert will have to drive forward a delayed, over budget 12-billion euro (US $14.50 billion) programme to build the world's biggest airliner, the A380, while gaining board backing to start building the planned mid-size A350.