Boeing and ANA Begin 787 Service Readiness Validation in Japan

Boeing and ANA has begun an important validation of their readiness for the 787 Dreamliner’s entry into service from July 4.

Throughout the coming days, ANA pilots, together with Boeing, will fly a 787 on actual airline routes in Japan using airline dispatch and flight rules. ANA’s mechanics and ground crews also will gain experience with the airplane in a simulated operational environment.

“ANA is proud to be the first airline in the world that will operate the 787,” said Shinichiro Ito, ANA president and CEO. “The Dreamliner is an integral part of our plans to become Asia’s number one airline and will allow us to bring new standards of comfort and service to our passengers. Validating all of our training and preparations for the Dreamliner is critical to help ensure a smoother entry into service for our passengers and crews later this year.”

The 787 debuted in Asia yesterday with a landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo at 6:21 a.m. (local time). More than a thousand media, ANA employees and aviation enthusiasts gathered to witness the 787′s arrival and welcome ANA pilots Captains Masayuki Ishii and Masami Tsukamoto and Boeing pilots Captains Mike Carriker, Heather Ross and Ted Grady. Sporting ANA’s livery, the 787 flight test airplane ZA002 flew non-stop to Tokyo from Seattle.

“Boeing is honored to celebrate the historic first landing of the 787 Dreamliner in Japan, home of our launch customer ANA and many of our 787 partners,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “ANA is a tremendous airline, and the 787 is a better airplane because of their input and involvement in the program.”
Throughout the week-long validation, the 787 will experience simulated day-to-day airline operations. Maintenance, servicing and flight crew operations will be conducted at five airports in Tokyo, Osaka (Itami and Kansai), Okayama and Hiroshima. ANA’s first scheduled service with the 787 will be either the Haneda-Okayama or Haneda-Hiroshima route when deliveries begin later this year.

ANA has 55 Dreamliners on order. ANA will deploy the 787 across its route network as an integral part of its strategy to strengthen its position and support its growth and expansion plans.

Boeing plans to deliver the first 787 to ANA in the August to September timeframe.

Source: Boeing

Qatar Airways CEO Hails Extension Of Global Footprint To Canada

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker spoke of the airline’s entry into the Canadian market as a significant step in its expansion strategy, further cementing the award-winning carrier’s global footprint.

The launch of long-awaited non-stop scheduled flights between the airline’s Doha hub and Montreal – Canada’s second largest city – would “hopefully be the start of more things to come in Canada”, he said.
Montreal is the eighth new route launched by the Five Star-ranked carrier – also named last week as Airline of the Year 2011 – with a further seven destinations being added by November.

Speaking at a press conference in Montreal, Al Baker reiterated the rapid pace at which the airline is growing, substantiated by the upcoming new routes, increased frequency and additional aircraft orders announced at the Paris Air Show last week.

“Qatar Airways has strategically positioned itself as a global connector, flying passengers seamlessly across continents, from East to West in comfort and style, with service onboard that I am sure will impress the Canadian market,” he said.

“By entering Canada, Qatar Airways is giving the travelling public more choice and more options they fully deserve. But with only three flights a week to Montreal, we are constrained by the limited capacity.

“Qatar Airways would look to expand its presence in Canada with additional capacity in response to a growing passenger base here, who travel to many destinations we serve across the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. This will not only benefit the travelling public, but also serve as a huge job creation opportunity and boost local economies.

“We are among shining stars from the Middle East and will continue to explore new growth opportunities to cater for growing air travel demand.”

Added Al Baker: “Last week’s endorsement by the prestigious industry audit Skytrax naming Qatar Airways as Airline of the Year 2011 in their annual awards only confirmed the travelling public’s faith in our outstanding inflight product and operational excellence.

“Qatar Airways beat stiff competition from four Asian carriers in the category to cling the top honour. For an airline that has achieved so much in the 14 short few years it has been operating, winning countless awards for service and excellence, is a remarkable achievement.”

The Doha – Montreal route is operated by the airline’s long-haul flagship aircraft, the Boeing 777, featuring 42 seats in Business Class and 217 in Economy. Each seat onboard features individual television screens with an in-flight audio and video system offering more than 900 entertainment options.

Montreal becomes the airline’s fourth destination in North America. It currently operates daily flights to New York, Washington and Houston direct from Doha, the second busiest airport in the Gulf region.

Over the next few months, Qatar Airways launches flights to the following destinations, further strengthening its global reach. Medina (Saudi Arabia) on July 14; Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta (India) on July 27; Sofia (Bulgaria) on September 14; Oslo (Norway) on October 5; Entebbe (Uganda) on November 2; Baku (Azerbaijan) and Tbilisi (Georgia) on November 30.

Qatar Airways now flies to over 100 diverse business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America with a modern fleet of 98 aircraft. During the Paris Air Show last week, Qatar Airways placed orders with Boeing for six additional 777s.

The Qatar Airways’ group of companies includes a corporate jet division, Qatar Executive, which operates four all-new Canadian-built Bombardier aircraft.

The Doha-based executive jet operation, which began in 2009 with two Bombardier Challenger 605s, has received an exceptional response in the corporate market.

It also operates a Global Express XRS and Global 5000 with a further two corporate jets due to be delivered over the next few weeks. Qatar Executive recently opened a new dedicated 6,300 square metre maintenance hangar at Doha International Airport, where the Qatar Executive maintenance team also serves other business aircraft operators.

Source: Qatar Airways

ABB in Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has specially designed and developed power supply and power traction systems and products for China’s fast growing electrified high-speed rail network. Most recently, a variety of ABB systems and products have been deployed in the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, officially starting operation on June 30, ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the world’s longest high-speed rail.
Bernd Muehe, Senior Vice President of ABB China and Head of the Power Products Division, North Asia Region and China, said, “ABB is a world leading supplier of rolling stock and rail line infrastructure equipment, capable of delivering a wide variety of systems, equipment, and products backed by our advanced technology. We are proud of participating in the world class high-speed rail project linking Beijing and Shanghai. It marks the recognition by Chinese customers of the strength of ABB’s railway transportation technology. In addition, ABB has also taken part in a number of other key railway projects in the country, such as the Wuhan-Guangzhou and Shanghai-Nanjing, Zhengzhou-Xi’an, and Wuhan-Hefei high-speed lines, contributing to the fast development of the country’s railway industry.”
The substation is a key aspect of rail line infrastructure, ensuring the power supply to the locomotives, telecommunications and signal systems. In the Beijing-Shanghai railway, ABB GIS switchgears and circuit breakers were deployed in the power supply systems of the railway substations. ABB ZX 1.5 R GIS switchgear was specially developed for China’s electrified high-speed railway. It features a compact design using 70% less space and sealed high-voltage components for improved safety. ABB compact box-type substations and ring main units were used in the rail signaling system to secure reliable signal service.
Traction transformers are core equipment in the rolling stocks power system, supplying reliable power for high-speed locomotives. ABB traction transformers were used in CRH380BL electric multiple unit (EMU) trains specially designed for the Beijing-Shanghai line. ABB traction transformers feature a compact design and high temperature and mechanical shock resistance, while improving the energy efficiency of EMU trains. The CRH380BL trains run at a consistent speed of 350km/hour with a top speed of 380km/hour and boast the world’s top class standards in power, safety, and environmental performance.
High-speed railway projects include rolling stock equipment and rail line infrastructure construction. ABB is able to provide a full range of equipment for rolling stock manufacturers and rail operators, including traction system, power supply equipment, FACTS, network management solution and SCADA system.
ABB has also taken part in numerous high-speed railway projects in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, and Britain. ABB traction transformers and power supply system were deployed in the French V150 high-speed train to set a new speed record of 574.8 km/hour. ABB also provided a full range of traction transformers and power distribution systems to the world’s longest railway tunnel in the Swiss Lotschberg line, as well as a turn key traction power supply solution to the English-France Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 124,000 people. ABB has a full range of business activities in China, including R&D, manufacturing, sales and services, with 16,300 employees, 31 local companies, and an extensive sales and service network across 80 cities.

Source: ABB

ASTA: Changing the Way the Travel Industry Meets

ASTA is changing the way the travel industry meets with the newly revamped Travel Retailing & Destination Expo (Las Vegas, Sept. 11-13), its one-of-a-kind International Destination Expo (Lima, Peru, March 1-3, 2012) and highly segmented member meetings, bringing the industry’s topmost executives together under one roof for in-depth discussion.
“ASTA’s Travel Retailing & Destination Expo is upping the education ante with a complete overhaul of its sessions and speakers, thanks to a redesign by Bruce Tepper, MBA, CTC,” said ASTA CEO Tony Gonchar. “What’s more, no other organization can match our International Destination Expo, which sets the standard for experiential education and presages the next great travel hot spot for consumers.
“Beyond our on-site educational meetings, ASTA’s segmented member meetings, such as our Premium Member Summit and Corporate Advisory Council, gather the industry’s brightest minds together for high-caliber discussions and problem solving. When we come together, no other industry group has this kind of deep leadership experience in one room,” added Gonchar.
Among the new and enhanced features of ASTA’s Travel Retailing & Destination Expo (TheTradeShow) are:
•a fresh take on travel agent education, focusing on high-tech, interactive seminars developed by industry expert Bruce Tepper;
•the much sought-after Hosted Buyers program, which this year will offer complimentary registrations or accommodations to qualified agents from Hilton Hotels, the Bellagio, Starwood Hotels, the Aria Hotel and Vdara Hotel;.
•exclusive events, such as the Advocacy Dinner and the Leadership Luncheon, a new event that will recognize leading industry entities and ASTA’s strongest supporters.
Going beyond the tried-and-true meeting location, ASTA is expanding its destination roster and for 2012 is moving the show to Los Angeles, and considering other destinations for future conferences.

On the international front, ASTA’s International Destination Expo goes beyond the expected with its unique focus on experiential learning and targeted events, offering the best in networking, entertainment and sightseeing opportunities. ASTA’s International Destination Expo, which takes travel agents to the next great destination each year, provides agents with a host of tools and resources to help them further their specialty and grow their market share, including:

•a trade show, featuring local and international suppliers that can’t be found at any other trade show and that provides the inside track on new tours, marketing opportunities and client prospects;
•networking events such as the International Travel Agents Summit that translate into future sales;
•industry-recognized destination certification that can be used to showcase their expertise to their clients at home – now and in the future; and
•complimentary sightseeing tours that take them to the places their clients want to visit.
When it comes to segmented member meetings, ASTA attracts the top executives from the trade’s leading organizations, be they highly-specialized boutique agencies or multi-level international firms. Through ASTA’s Premium Member Summits, for example, high-level representatives from every spectrum of the industry come together for exceptional networking opportunities, peer-to-peer exchange and in-depth, thought-provoking discussions on some of the industry’s most pressing issues.
“Each of these meetings allows for today’s top industry executives to actively participate in the events shaping the travel industry,” noted Gonchar. “They offer a rare opportunity to meet and participate in discussions that address the core issues defining our industry and its future.”
ASTA’s Corporate Advisory Council meetings provide a forum in which industry leaders from major travel agency consortia, franchise organizations and independent agencies can focus on the issues that will affect both their business and their customers. Today, this group, which was originally formed in support of positioning ASTA as the “one voice of the travel industry,” leverages its position within the industry to effect positive change for the travel agency community.

Source: ASTA

BIOMETRIC PASSPORT – Scan before you enter.

The increasing threat of fraud identity necessitates the strengthening of security features in passports. To minimise this threatening concern various countries are issuing Biometric passport to the passport applicants. Airport security has been one of the major causes of worry for most of the countries, especially considering the rising rate of militancy. For stronger airport security check the authorities have started implementing ePassport also known as biometric passport for authentic verification of the traveller’s entity. Biometric technology has emerged as a powerful security support system to ensure access control at various international as well as domestic entry points. Biometric passport is a combined paper and electronic passport that contains biometric information of an individual that can be used to authenticate the identity of the traveller. It uses contactless smart card technology, including a microprocessor computer chip and antenna (for both power to the chip and communication) embedded in the front or back cover, or centre page, of the passport. The document and chip characteristics are documented in the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The passport’s vital information is both printed on the data page of the passport and stored in the chip. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is used to authenticate the data stored electronically in the passport chip making it expensive and difficult to forge when all security mechanisms are fully and correctly implemented. The passport’s chip stores the traveller’s name, date of birth, photographs of the traveller’s face and fingerprints. The currently standardised biometrics used for verifying the identity is facial recognition, fingerprint recognition and iris recognition. Biometric passport is one of the most significant breakthroughs in the field, used to ensure a number of security aspects: • Automated and secure immigration checks • Detection of manipulation of documents and information • Identification and verification of the passport holder • Avoidance of militancy attacks at the air terminals Worldwide Acceptance: Malaysia was the first country in the world to issue biometric passports in 1998, after a local company, IRIS Corporation, developed the technology. The countries in the European Union and other parts of the world have taken up initiatives to adopt biometric passports in the recent years, UK being the first to make it compulsory for issuing biometric passports to new applicants and to those applying for a renewal. In the year 2009, the countries like Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia and many more have replaced the traditional passports with new biometric passports. India has recently initiated first phase exercise of Biometric e-Passport for Diplomatic Passport holders in India and abroad. Biometric passport’ validity can range from 3 to 10 years, under the laws in force in the country of issue. Its validity can be extended one or more times under the law. There are around 100 million biometric passports in circulation all around the world out of which 50 countries worldwide use the technology for better safety. More countries are planning to introduce ePassport for prohibiting the entry of militants or fraud characters in the country and undergoing unlawful deed or on a bigger part terrorising the nation through various dreadful attacks. Introducing Biometric passport will filter lesser illegitimate people during preliminary security check-in in the country. After all, “prevention is better than cure”.

UNWTO launches new energy efficiency project in Indonesia

UNWTO and the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT) have launched a new energy efficiency project in Indonesia. The project, “Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran”(STREAM), aims to serve as a model of innovative climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in tourism destinations in Indonesia and South-East Asia.

The project will implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in Pangandaran – a popular tourism destination in Java, Indonesia – adopting an energy efficiency approach, while strengthening local structures for the long-term success of the destination. Measures include seminars and workshops to increase the knowledge and capacity of local tourism stakeholders; applying energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in hotels and public buildings; low-carbon tourism planning tools; and adaptation measures such as the rehabilitation of mangroves and coral reefs which naturally capture and store carbon emissions.

As such, the project will significantly increase the climate change resilience of Pangandaran and the competitiveness of its tourism sector, thereby serving as a model for other destinations in Indonesia and South-East Asia.

“This project is a clear example that the tourism sector is taking its responsibility to contribute to the reduction of global greenhouse gases emission and climate change adaptation seriously”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

The Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, stressed the importance of local initiatives as a step towards national policy on climate change mitigation, adaptation and tourism development. “We are happy to cooperate with UNWTO in this project as its activities represent strategic development steps for Indonesia and its tourism sector, in line with our four-pronged strategy – pro-growth, pro-job, pro-poor, and pro-environment”, he said.

The “Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran” project is part of the International Climate Initiative of the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

The official presentation was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, at an event attended by the UNWTO Secretary-General, the Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism, representatives from other Ministries, representatives from the West Java province and the Ciamis district, and tourism associations. The event coincided with the presence in Jakarta of the UNWTO Secretary-General to participate in the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2011.

Source – UNWTO

Tension Over Japanese Nuclear Plant Explosion

Japanese media has reported that an explosion took place at the earthquake-hit Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant which has caused serious injuries to several people. According to the reports smoke was billowing from the reactor. Radioactivity levels is also said to have risen outside the reactor.

According to an official with Japan’s nuclear safety commission, a reactor meltdown remains a possibility at the power plant. People are being evacuated from the area.

Officials said that more than a thousand may have been killed in the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and the subsequent tsunami waves that caused massive destruction on Japan’s northeastern coast. This has been labeled as the fifth most powerful earthquake to strike the world in the past century and Japan’s most severe ever.

Rescue and clean-up works are now being carried out. According to reports, about 600 people have been confirmed killed so far and 200 bodies reportedly found in the devastated northeastern coastal city of Sendai.

The quake set off tsunami warnings for countries across the Pacific and the west coast of the United States and Latin America. However the waves dissipated after crossing the ocean across the ocean and damage to U.S. and Canadian coastal areas was comparatively minor.

Egypt army trying to restore order

Innumerable people have crowded at the square today, in spite of the army’s efforts to clear the area, which was the central point of the uprising leading to Mubarak’s departure. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair described the events as a ‘pivot’ that ‘could move the whole of the Middle East towards democracy’. He indicated that the events were a huge opportunity for change. Despite this, the FCO continues to advise travellers and English-Egyptian nationals against all but essential travel to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Suez.

Bmibaby’s extra flights for MIPIM conference

Low cost airline bmibaby has increased the number of its flights between Birmingham Airport and Nice to accommodate the large number of delegates heading to the South of France for the MIPIM conference next month. Running from March 8-11, 2011, MIPIM is aiming for the international property professionals. The event brings together more than 17,000 delegates from all over the world for four days of seminars, networking and business development. Due to the growing demand bmibaby has added six extra flights between Birmingham and Nice for the event. In total the airline will operate ten flights between Birmingham and Nice over the course of the event, allowing people to travel to and from MIPIM. According to the airline, the flights are already proving popular and the airline expects to carry around 1,400 passengers during this time.

Kempinski is best brand of 2011

Europe’s oldest hotel group won the Best Brands award, in the category of Best Service Provider. The luxury hotel group was ranked No. 1, followed by German’s largest bank, Direktbank ING DiBa, and Lufthansa. This brings Kempinski to the same league as Volkswagen, Lego and Apple, among the most successful brands in Germany. Kempinski was honoured with this award during a lavish gala held in Munich last night. Over the years, Kempinski has developed into an innovative and highly respected collection of luxury properties. Each offers superior standards of service combined with a style reflecting the individuality of the hotel and its location. In China, Kempinski continues to expand and develop its portfolio. As of today, Kempinski manages nine properties in China, with 12 under construction. Kempinski enjoys high brand awareness as a luxury hotel operator with exceptional products in key destinations including Beijing, Dalian, Shenyang, Xi’an, Yinchuan, Suzhou, Wuxi, Chengdu and Shenzhen. In 2011, there will be openings in Huizhou, Guiyang, Shanghai and Haitang Bay, Hainan Island. What is special about the Best Brands Awards is that the winner isn’t defined by a jury, but by the consumers themselves. Brands were subjected to a study carried out by the renowned German market and consumer research company GfK, in which they are evaluated in several categories. In the category of Best Service Provider, the focus was placed heavily on decision makers and opinion leaders. For this year’s ranking, 850 people were surveyed in October and November 2010, and were asked about indicators such as performance, reliability, availability and reputation. Those surveyed were divided according to their professional level (52% executives, 22% self-employed with at least 10 staff, 17% freelancers, and 9% civil servants), all of whom earn more than EUR 3,500 per month. A shortlist featuring the most well-known brands was used as a base for the survey. Brands such as Gucci, Google and Canon have also won Best Brands Awards in recent years.