Singapore Airlines To Start Singapore – Tokyo (Haneda) Flights In 2010

Air travellers flying between Singapore and Tokyo will enjoy greater convenience next year. Singapore Airlines has announced that it will begin services to Tokyo (Haneda) from October 2010, in addition to its existing operations at Tokyo (Narita).

 

The airline will operate twice daily between Singapore Changi International Airport and Haneda Airport, but has yet to reveal flight timings or capacity on the route. Singapore Airlines expects the new flights to cater for growth in demand and boost business and leisure travel between Singapore and Japan.

 

Located 30 minutes south of downtown Tokyo, Haneda Airport enjoys easy access by rail and road to the city, making it highly attractive to time conscious travellers compared to a 2-hour transfer to Narita. The new flights add a sixth international destination served from the airport, in addition to Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai and Ulan Bator. Passengers will also enjoy increased accessibility to other Japanese cities, connecting seamlessly to domestic flights which make up the bulk of the airport’s traffic.

 

Japan is opening up Haneda Airport to more international traffic in a bid to alleviate capacity restrictions at Narita Airport. A fourth runway is due to open in 2010, increasing the airport’s handling capacity and allowing for the opening of flights to new destinations and greater frequencies on existing routes.

 

Singapore Airlines currently flies twice daily to Tokyo (Narita), as well as services to Fukuoka, Nagoya and Osaka. For more information, visit www.singaporeair.com.

Garuda Indonesia To Reopen Jakarta – Amsterdam Service

Following a 5-year absence, Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is to return to Europe with the reopening of its flagship Jakarta-Amsterdam route, operated via Dubai, from June 2010. Amsterdam is the first of several European services planned by Garuda Indonesia, which was recently permitted to operate in the European Union following improvements to its safety standards.

 

Flight GA 088 departs Jakarta at 2100 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0209 hrs the next morning before departing again at 0315 hrs for a 0800 hrs arrival into Amsterdam. The return service, GA 089, takes off from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 1000 hrs, landing in Dubai at 1830 hrs and departing for Jakarta at 1945 hrs, where it lands at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 0710 hrs the next morning.

 

Garuda Indonesia will operate a 2-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft, configured with the airline’s latest cabin products. Passengers will enjoy 36 full-flat beds in Executive Class, while the Economy Class seats feature a 32-inch seat pitch and 6 inches of recline. Individual touch-screen monitors deliver audio-video on-demand entertainment in both classes.

 

The airline joins several airlines already established on the route, including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines. Garuda Indonesia currently flies to 17 international destinations including Bangkok, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Osaka, Perth, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.

 

For more information, visit www.garuda-indonesia.com.

Refurbished Mandarin Oriental Jakarta Opens

Following a comprehensive 20-month renovation, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has reopened the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and gala event attended by the Indonesian capital’s society elite. Located at Jalan M. H. Thamrin, the hotel is easily accessible to Soekarno-Hatta Interantional Airport and the business district.

 

The 272 rooms and suites have been outfitted in a classic, contemporary design by renowned interior design firm Lim, Teo & Wilkes, blending Indonesian culture with the group’s oriental heritage and modern amenities. Each room is furnished with luxury bedding, a large marble bathroom with mood lighting, separate rain shower and bathtub, in-room entertainment system with 42-inch LCD television, CD/DVD player and surround-sound stereo, iPod connectivity and multi-function data port, high-speed internet access, workdesk with telephone, in-room safe, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. 56 spacious Mandarin rooms measuring 64 square meters in size feature a living area that can be separated from the bedroom by sliding doors, while the luxurious Oriental and Mandarin Suites also offer guests complimentary use of the Executive Club Lounge facilities and the group’s renowned personalised service.

 

The hotel’s 4 new restaurants serve a range of international cuisine, including authentic Gallic fare at Lyon, the French fine dining restaurant. Each dish is carefully prepared according to traditional techniques with fresh seasonal ingredients, accompanied by the vintage selection from the wine cellar. Specialising in Cantonese and Szechuan cuisines, guests dine on authentic dishes, premium dim sum and a wide selection of Chinese teas amidst the ornate decor at Xin Hwa. For casual dining, Cinnamon showcases classic dishes from across Asia prepared at live cooking stations, while the signature Mandarin Oriental Cake Shop returns to offer guests freshly made pastries, cakes, chocolates and savouries, paired with afternoon tea in a casual and comfortable setting. Located on the 5th floor next to the swimming pool, guests will find exotic cocktails, smoothies, fresh juices and beverages at Azure, before partying the night away to the beats of the DJs at MO Bar.

 

Business travellers at the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta have a fully-equipped business center at their disposal, with a comprehensive range of secretarial, translation and interpretation services. The hotel also offers 9 flexible function rooms, including a Grand Ballroom which seats up to 350 guests for a dinner banquet. Following a day of meetings, guests can relax in the freeform swimming pool, or enjoy a workout at the state-of-the-art fitness center. The hotel can also book a round of golf for guests at one of the numerous courses in Jakarta.

 

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group currently operates hotels and resorts around the world in the Americas, Asia and Europe, including Bangkok, Geneva, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Manila, New York, Prague, San Francisco, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington DC. The group’s portfolio is slated to further expand with new developments announced in Barcelona, Beijing, Chicago, Las Vegas, Macau, Marrakech, Moscow and Paris.

 

For more information, visit www.mandarinoriental.com.

New Southeast Asian Route Updates From KLM, Silkair

Beginning in December 2009, KLM and Silkair will add new flights to Bali and Penang respectively. The new services mark KLM’s return to the Indonesian resort island, while Silkair takes over the morning flight from sister carrier Singapore Airlines.

 

3 Times Weekly Amsterdam-Singapore-Bali Flights From KLM

Following a 12-year absence, KLM resumes services to Bali in Indonesia from 6 December 2009. KLM will operate a 2-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft configured with 35 seats in World Business Class and 390 seats in Economy Class on the route.

 

Flight KL 835 departs from Amsterdam at 2100 hrs on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Singapore at 1620 hrs the next day before taking off at 1730 hrs for a 2010 hrs landing at Ngurah Rai International Airport. The return flight, KL 836, departs Bali at 2130 hrs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, landing in Changi International Airport at 0005 hrs the next morning before continuing back to Amsterdam at 0120 hrs where it arrives at 0800 hrs.

 

The tropical destination is popular amongst Dutch and European holidaymakers. With the new flights, KLM will operate 10 flights each week between the Netherlands and Indonesia, where it also flies to the capital Jakarta via Kuala Lumpur.

 

For more information, visit www.klm.com.

 

Silkair To Fly Triple-Daily On Singapore-Penang Route

Singapore-based regional carrier Silkair will increase flights on the Singapore-Penang route from 1 December 2009 when it takes over the daily morning service from affiliate Singapore Airlines. Rich in culture, history and heritage, Penang is one of Malaysia’s top tourist destinations with its charming colonial buildings and famous food such as the Penang laksa and char kway teow.

 

Flight MI 352 will depart Changi International Airport Terminal 2 at 0850 hrs, arriving in Penang International Airport at 0930 hrs. The aircraft returns as flight MI 351 at 1025 hrs, landing back in Singapore at 1150 hrs.

 

Passengers who have made bookings to travel between Singapore and Penang on Singapore Airlines will be re-accomodated on Silkair flights. The airline, which began flying the route in June this year, currently operates an afternoon and evening flight using a 2-class Airbus A320. Silkair also flies to Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Langkawi in Malaysia.

 

For more information, visit www.silkair.com.

Singapore Airlines Inaugurates A380 Flights To Melbourne

Singapore Airlines has launched a daily A380 flight to Melbourne. The inaugural flight, SQ 227, departed from Changi International Airport Terminal 3 at 2101 hrs yesterday and arrived in Tullamarine International Airport at 0543 hrs this morning.

 

Melbourne is the second Australian destination and sixth city in the Singapore Airlines network to receive A380 service, after Hong Kong, London, Paris, Sydney and Tokyo. The airline currently operates 21 weekly flights between Singapore and Melbourne, using Boeing 777 aircraft.

 

Flight SQ 227 departs Singapore at 2100 hrs daily, arriving in Melbourne at 0610 hrs the next morning. The return flight, SQ 228, takes off from Tullamarine International Airport at 1550 hrs for a 2140 hrs landing back at Changi International Airport.

 

Singapore Airlines currently has 10 A380s in its fleet, with a further 9 aircraft on order. The airline is the second operator of the aircraft type in Melbourne, following Australian carrier Qantas, which flies the double-deck aircraft from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

 

For more information, visit www.singaporeair.com.

Malaysia’s First Hard Rock Hotel Opens

The Malaysian island of Penang is home to the newest addition to Hard Rock International’s hotel portfolio. Adorned with pieces from Hard Rock’s world-famous memorabilia collection and set amidst the beaches of Penang’s famed Batu Ferringhi district, the 6-storey Hard Rock Hotel Penang is 45 minutes from the airport and 30 minutes from Georgetown.

 

233 guestrooms and 17 suites feature contemporary design and modern amenities. All rooms feature the brand’s signature Sleep Like a Rock bedding, a spacious bathroom with Hansgermany rain shower, 32-inch LCD television, CD/DVD player, iPod docking station, complimentary streaming music, high-speed internet-access, in-room safe, IDD telephone, minibar and coffee-/tea-making facilities. Guests staying in the Kings Club enjoy privileges such as the exclusive use of the Kings Club Lounge and premium room amenities, while Suite guests enjoy the privacy of a separate living room. Most rooms offer private balconies and views of the beach, with the ground floor rooms facing the swimming pool having swim-up patios with wood trellis covers.

 

Leading the selection of dining options at the hotel is the signature Hard Rock Cafe serving authentic American specialty dishes, with live band performances every night. An all-day dining venue, the Starz Diner, offers Asian and International cuisine with a show kitchen for guests to observe the chefs at work, while the Lobby Lounge commands an unsurpassed view of the Andaman Sea. The Pizzeria and The Shack ensure guests enjoy pizzas, snacks and beverages by the hotel’s poolside.

 

Hard Rock Hotel Penang is home to the island’s largest free form swimming pool at 2,400 square meters, complete with its own sand islands, water slides and poolside cabanas. The hotel also features the Body Rock Gym and Rock Spa, where guests can have their treatments in gazebos facing the sea, before finishing with a hair and beauty session at the Hair Salon. Younger guests have their own spaces at the Lil’ Rock Kids Club and Teens Club to keep them busy with activities while the adults shop at the 2 Hard Rock merchandise stores.

 

Meeting and event planners have up to 350 square meters of space at their disposal, including a unique marquee ballroom capable of accomodating up to 300 guests, pre-function garden area and 3 meeting rooms. All venues feature state-of-the-art audio-visual techonology and are supported by a full service business center.

 

The Hard Rock Hotel Penang is the brand’s 3rd property in Southeast Asia, joining the Hard Rock Hotel Bali and Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya. There are now 12 Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos around the world, with new properties upcoming in Atlanta, Dubai, Hungary, Palm Springs, Panama and Singapore’s Resorts World integrated resort.

 

For more information, visit www.hardrockhotels.com.

Kingfisher Takes Off For Hong Kong, Singapore

Kingfisher Airlines has launched flights to Hong Kong from Mumbai yesterday, with a non-stop service to Singapore to follow later today. Hong Kong and Singapore are the latest destinations to join Kingfisher’s growing international network from India, which also includes Bangkok, Colombo, Dhaka, Dubai and London.

 

Mumbai-Hong Kong

Flight IT 071 will depart Mumbai daily at 2255 hrs and arrive in Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2 at 0805 hrs the next morning. The return flight, IT 072, will take off from Hong Kong at 1405 hrs, landing back in Mumbai at 1750 hrs in the evening.

 

Mumbai-Singapore

Flight IT 029 takes off from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport daily at 2305 hrs, landing in Singapore Changi International Airport at 0705 hrs the next morning. The aircraft returns to Mumbai as flight IT 030 at 1015 hrs, arriving back in India at 1305 hrs.

 

The flights have been scheduled to allow for greater connectivity with the airline’s extensive domestic network. Kingfisher will operate its 2-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft on both routes, . The twin-engined jet is configured with 30 Kingfisher First seats and 187 seats in Kingfisher Class, with premium travellers also enjoying the use of an onboard social area comprising a full bar and comfortable couches.

 

Bangalore-based Kingfisher Airlines is India’s only 5-star airline and currently operates a fleet of 71 aircraft to 65 cities in India and 7 international destinations.

 

For more information, visit www.flykingfisher.com.

Singapore Airlines Opens New Lounge In Hong Kong

Singapore Airlines has opened a new Silver Kris Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport. The new facility is located on level 6 at the Main Departure Hall after the immigration/security area and offers convenient access to the boarding gates frequently used by the airline. 

 

Nearly twice the size of the old lounge, more than 210 premium passengers can relax, dine and work in comfort. Designed in modern-contemporary style, the new Silver Kris Lounge features 3 seating areas for travellers to relax in comfort before their flight, while keeping up-to-date with the latest news and other entertainment programmes from the 4 LCD televisions. An extensive selection of local and international magazines and newspapers is available to passengers who prefer to read. Passengers who need to catch up with work or surf the internet can do so from the convenience of their own computers, with wireless high-speed internet access available in the entire lounge. There are also 16 internet-ready PC and Mac workstations with power connectors for mobile devices.

 

The food and beverage offerings include a beverage and snack bar, as well as a full dining area with marble tables furnished in a long-bar setting and an intimate coffee shop-styled area. A selection of savoury snacks, ranging from dim sum to sandwiches, hot and cold foods, soups, pastries, fruits, cheese and ice cream will be served, complemented by alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including champagne, wines, beers, liquor, fresh juices and soft drinks.

 

The Silver Kris Lounge is available to all Suite, First and Business Class passengers travelling on Singapore Airlines from Hong Kong. Passengers who are holding Solitaire PPS and Star Alliance Gold status and travelling in Economy Class on Singapore Airlines or any Star Alliance member airline are also entitled to utilize the facilities in the lounge.

 

Singapore Airlines operates 5 non-stop flights daily between Hong Kong and Singapore, including the city’s only Airbus A380 service. The airline also connects Hong Kong with San Francisco daily, flying a 3-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft configured with 278 seats.

 

For more information, visit www.singaporeair.com.

Silversea To Sail Singapore – Sydney In December

Luxury cruise operator Silversea Cruises has announced a series of voyages onboard the all-suite Silver Whisper from Singapore. On 3 December 2009, the vessel makes its way from the Southeast Asian city-state to Sydney, offering guests the opportunity to sail 4 short cruise segments ranging from 6 to 10 days.

 

The first leg of the journey takes passengers on a 3-day sailing to Semarang, Indonesia, where guests can visit the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Borobudur temple complex, before re-boarding the ship to continue their journey south. Silver Whisper will spend the next 3 days at sea enroute to Darwin and guests will be able to enjoy the luxurious facilities onboard.

 

From Darwin, the vessel will sail the next leg to Cairns, arriving on the morning of 13 December 2009 to spend the day in port, before meandering through the pristine waters of the Australian east coast and Great Barrier Reef to Brisbane. Along the way, Silver Whisper will call at the ports of Townsville and Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday Islands group. The voyage concludes with a morning arrival in Sydney at 0800 hrs on the morning of 19 December 2009.

 

Silversea Cruises has lined up a series of shore excursions at each port for guests, ranging from private city tours to wildlife and nature experiences in the Australian outback. Guests will also be treated to the world-class accomodation, dining and facilities onboard the Silver Whisper, coupled with the highly personalised service from the crew.

 

Silversea Cruises is recognized as one of the world’s leading luxury cruise operators. The line currently operate 5 ships (Silver Cloud, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Wind and the expedition ship Prince Albert II) and is due to introduce the Silver Spirit, a new 36,000-GRT, 540-guest ultra-luxury vessel in late 2009.

 

For more information, visit www.silversea.com.

Air France Boosts London Heathrow – Charles de Gaulle Frequency, Routes Offering Premium Voyageur

Air France has announced that it will increase the number of daily flights between its base at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle International Airport and London Heathrow. The French flag carrier will also expand its Premium Voyageur premium economy product to 4 destinations in Asia and the Middle East.

 

More Paris (Charles de Gaulle)-London (Heathrow) Flights

From 25 October 2009, 2 additional flights will be added, boosting flight frequency to 9 roundtrips each day. The flights have been timed to fill gaps in Air France’s existing schedule on the route and cater to both business travellers and passengers connecting at Charles de Gaulle Airport.

 

The afternoon service, flight AF 1580, departs Paris at 1440 hrs, arriving in London at 1505 hrs. The aircraft returns as flight AF 1581 at 1710 hrs and lands back in Charles de Gaulle International Airport at 1935 hrs.

 

In the evening, flight AF 2080 takes off from Paris at 2050 hrs and lands in London at 2115 hrs. The aircraft overnights in the UK to operate flight AF 2081 at 0820 hrs for a 1050 hrs arrival back at Charles de Gaulle International Airport.

 

Both daily flights will be operated using 48-seat ATR42-500 turboprop aircraft leased from Airlinair, marking a change from the other 7 flights, which are operated with Airbus A319 and A321 jet aircraft.

 

4 New Destinations With Premium Voyageur Service

Air France will also extend its Premium Voyageur premium economy cabin on flights to Beirut, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing. Passengers will be able to enjoy the product on the former 2 routes from 28 December 2009, with the latter 2 destinations being introduced on 18 January 2010. As more aircraft are fitted with the cabin, the airline will also offer Premium Voyageur service on a second daily flight from Paris (Charles de Gaulle) to Tokyo from 7 December 2009 and New York from 8 December 2009.

 

First introduced in April 2009, the Premium Voyageur cabin offers passengers greater space and comfort onboard with a new shell seat measuring 48 centimeters wide and reclining to 123 degrees. 22 seats are arranged in the same area previously accomodating 40 Voyageur economy seats, allowing for a generous seat pitch of 97 centimeters. Each seat also features a 10.4-inch wide personal screen offering 500 hours of audio-video on-demand inflight entertainment and passengers enjoy amenities from the Affaires business class such as a travel kit, bottled water, noise-reducing headphones and a pure wool blanket. On the ground, Premium Voyageur passengers also enjoy dedicated check-in desks, a 30-kilogram baggage allowance, boarding at their convenience and priority baggage delivery.

 

By the end of 2010, the Premium Voyageur cabin will be available on the entire Air France long-haul network served by the airline’s Airbus A330, A340 and Boeing 777 aircraft.

 

For more information, visit www.airfrance.com.