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Low Costs Add Up |
In a recent worldwide survey, 69% of
airline executives claim charging
fees for services, instead of
including benefits in the price of a
ticket, will become more prevalent.
The survey lists 19 additional items
(a la carte fees) charged by low
cost airlines. Add to that the
passengers’ costs where the airline
gains commission, travel insurance
for instance, plus hotel and car
hire, and the end price is no longer
cheap. Sales of duty-free and
consumer products add to the
revenue. Ryanair even charges for
the use of debit cards. A la carte
pricing has become especially
prevalent in the USA, where major
airlines have made an unprecedented
rush to new fees for checked
baggage, in-flight services, and
frequent flier benefits.
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South African Aviation
Authority Hits Back |
Claims that the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA) is facing possible
downgrading by the US Federal
Aviation Association (FAA) are not
true, a company spokesperson said.
Following an FAA audit last year,
the CAA was informed in January that
it was compliant with all
international aviation standards.
"We maintained our category one
status," she said.
She said a follow-up visit that took
place at the end of July was to
monitor progress on training, among
other things. "As a leading aviation
nation on the sub-continent, the FAA
was keen to see whether we had
achieved our stated goal of not only
being compliant with international
standards, but rather far exceeding
the minimum requirements. They left
satisfied that we had now indeed
achieved our goal."
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Mobile Phones On Emirates
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Emirates first B777-300 is now fully
operational with the AeroMobile
system. Passengers can now use their
mobile phones to make voice calls
and send SMS messages.
The roll out is continuing with
currently 10 aircraft installed.
Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ vice
president of passenger
communications and visual services
says: “The nightmare scenarios of
everyone jabbering away just aren’t
happening. We can see that people
are using the system to SMS rather
than make voice calls. Social
conditioning means people know how
to behave: they don’t want to
disturb others, and they don’t want
to be overheard”. The cost is
determined by the individual’s phone
operator, and is treated as a
roaming agreement.
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On A High In Moscow – New
Hotel To Open December 08
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The Grand Hyatt Residences & Spa
which opens in December will be the
highest hotel in Russia, and part of
the $12 billion Moscow-City Project
4km northwest of the Kremlin on the
Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment. The
completed Tower West (62 floors),
will house the Grand Hyatt
Residences & Spa; while Tower East
(94 floors,) scheduled for
completion in 2010 will house the
368-guestroom Grand Hyatt Moscow.
The second tower will be the tallest
in Europe, and will have its
reception on the 91st floor. Glass
bridges will link both towers and
the 506-metre spire located
in-between, providing access to
high-speed elevators. The restaurant
will be on the 62nd floor with
seating for 160.
Ed’s note; Before telling your
cab driver where you’re going you
need to practice saying
Krasnopresnenska.
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Virgin Atlantic To Sell
Virgin Nigeria Stake |
Virgin Atlantic is reviewing its 49%
shareholding in Virgin Nigeria and
is in talks with potential
purchasers. Sir Richard Branson,
president of Virgin Atlantic says:
“It is regrettable that events have
caused us to review our shareholding
and whether it is appropriate that
the Virgin brand should remain
linked to Virgin Nigeria.” But,
Branson says the intention has
always been for the airline to be
wholly owned by Nigerian investors.
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Vic Falls
Safari Lodge
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Includes:
•
Return
airfare
from
Cape
Town
to
Victoria
Falls
on
SAA
•
Return
airport
transfers
•
Accommodation
for
2
nights
including
breakfast
daily
• 1x
Dinner
at
The
Boma
“Place
of
Eating”
• 1x
Sunset
Cruise
per
person
•
Pre-payable
airport
taxes
Valid
until
31
December
2008
Web
ref:
ST1609
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Festive
Season in
Cape Town
|
 |
|
4 Nights
|
Park
Inn
Greenmarket
Square
from
R2
795
pps
Web
ref:
ST1376
Quayside
Hotel
from
R2
845
pps
Web
ref:
ST1058
Lagoon
Beach
Hotel
from
R2
965
pps
Web
ref:
ST1996
Includes:
• 4
Nights
accommodation
including
breakfast
daily
• 4
Days
Budget
group
S
car
rental
with
standard
cover
and
200
free
km’s
per
day
*
Self-drive
rate
excludes
flights
&
taxes
&
includes
car
hire
Limited
guaranteed
rooms
from
10
December
2008
– 10
January
2009!
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Amazing Rio
de Janeiro
and Buzios
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|
7 Nights
from R15 679
pps
|
Included:
•
Return
international
airfares
ex
Cape
Town
to
Sao
Paulo
•
Return
domestic
airfares
on
TAM
Airlines
•
All
arrival
and
departure
transfers
•
English
speaking
local
guides
• 4
Nights
accommodation
at
the
3
Star
Rio
Copa
in
Rio
de
Janeiro
with
breakfast
daily
• 3
Nights
accommodation
at
the
3
Star
Abracadabra
Pousada
in
Buzios
with
breakfast
daily
• In
Rio
de
Janeiro:
Full
day
Corcovado
and
Sugar
Loaf
tour
Valid
until
17
November
2008
Web
ref:
ST1868 |
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Return Flights ex Cape Town
|
| Airline |
Route |
Class |
Price |
Validity |
Air
Namibia |
via Windhoek
to London
|
Business Class |
R20
340 |
Valid for
sale and travel until further notice
|
|
South African Airways |
via
Johannesburg
to Singapore
|
Business Class |
R53 500 |
Valid for
sale and travel until further notice |
|
Iberia Airlines |
via Johannesburg
via Madrid
to Paris
|
Business Class |
R32 660 |
Valid for
sale and travel until further notice |
|
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1time Reports Half Year Loss |
Low cost airline 1time Holdings on
Tuesday reported a headline loss of
R6.3m for the six months ended June
compared to a profit of R14.9m for
the previous comparable half-year.
It said the headline loss should be
viewed in the context of the most
difficult trading period in global
aviation history. "The net loss is
largely attributed to the 91%
increase in average rand jet fuel
prices compared to the same period
last year. The increased fuel costs
were partially recouped by 1time
airline's exceptional revenue
performance, increasing passenger
revenue by 54% from R275.5m last
year to R422.9m on the back of
higher yields and a 28% passenger
growth achieved in a stagnant
market," the airline said. "Should
crude oil and the rand dollar
exchange rate remain at current
levels the group is confident that
it will achieve headline profits for
the full year," it stated.
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TAAG Angola To Charge For
No-Shows |
With immediate effect, TAAG will
charge no-show penalties of US$330
(R2 545) for first and business
class and US$150 (R1 157) for
economy class. If you’re cancelling
your trip, make sure you advise your
Sure Travel managing consultant.
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Alitalia Seeks Bankruptcy
Measure |
Italian airline Alitalia has applied
for bankruptcy protection as it
tries to agree a deal to ensure its
long-term survival. Roberto
Colaninno, appointed to take charge
of the new entity that emerges from
the restructuring said "No one can
buy Alitalia in the state it's in.
With all respect, I am not Merlin
the magician. The business is toast.
It doesn't exist anymore. There's
nothing left."
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Virgin Aims To Block BA-AA
Tie-Up |
Sir Richard Branson is launching a
campaign to try to block the
proposed tie-up between British
Airways (BA) and American Airlines
(AA). The Virgin boss has already
attacked the plans, claiming it
would create a "monster monopoly".
"We are going to wage a major battle
to stop the two largest airlines in
the world effectively working as one
carrier," Sir Richard told the BBC.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh
countered that a tie-up with AA
would be "great news for the
consumer”.
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Eurostar Increases Services
After Chunnel Fire |
Eurostar has increased the number of
services to Paris and Brussels after
the disruption caused by a fire
which broke out on a freight train
about seven miles into the Tunnel
from Calais on September 11th.
Although still operating a
restricted timetable, 15 trains will
run to Paris daily and 6 to
Brussels. Normally there are 21 and
10 services a day respectively to
the two cities.
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Icarus Site Opens Up |
ICARUS, the highly regarded CSR
programme of the UK and Ireland
Institute of Travel Management
(ITM), has moved to a stand-alone
website open to non-members.
The site, to which anyone can now
subscribe, is aimed at business
travel managers and travellers
wishing to cut their carbon
"footprints." The site is regarded
as one of the best of its kind in
the industry. Paul Tilstone, ITM's
executive director, said the site
had received thousands of hits in
the last year from more than 30
countries.
Visit the Sure Corporate website
for the link to the Icarus site.
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Fares include ALL taxes &
surcharges. Surcharges will apply in
peak season. Price variations may
occur due to the increase of the oil
price (based on the US Dollar) and
exchange rate fluctuations affecting
taxes & surcharges. SEAT
AVAILABILITY
Sure Travel Policy: We do not
advertise fares that have minimal or
no availability.
Airfares and
packages are subject to availability
and currency fluctuations and
include airport and security
taxes/surcharges where applicable
and professional fees. Terms and
conditions apply. E & OE. Prices
based on per person sharing.
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