Innholdsfortegnelse for April - June 2023 i Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition

UPFRONT QANTAS HAS UNVEILED THE PROTOTYPE premium cabins for its planned nonstop flights from Australia to New York and London. The business class seats convert into a two-metre bed, and offer a large dining table and generous storage. The first class suites have been designed “to make customers feel like they are in a mini boutique hotel room”, with an “extra-wide fixed bed”, separate recliner chair, wardrobe, dining table for two, and 32-inch TV screen. There are six first class suites in a 1-1-1 layout and 52 business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.…

BOEING BROUGHT DOWN THE CURTAIN on production of the B747 jumbo last month, with a ceremony attended by thousands of employees, customers and suppliers. The 1,574th and final jumbo – a B747-8 Freighter – was delivered to Atlas Air, marking the end of 55 years of production of the iconic aircraft. The B747 first entered service with Pan Am in January 1970, and passenger and freighter versions of the aircraft continue to be flown by around 70 airlines worldwide. But many major carriers have retired their B747 fleets in recent years, in favour of more fuel-efficient aircraft, and in July 2020 the manufacturer announced plans to cease production of its jumbo aircraft.…

SHINTA MANI HOTELS' two exclusive properties in Cambodia – Shinta Mani Angkor in Siem Reap, and Shinta Mani Wild in the South Cardamom National Park – place heavy focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR), operating in conjunction with the Shinta Mani Foundation, which supports local communities through the education and development of young adults, as well as through health and micro-loan projects. Executive retreats and corporate workshops are offered for both hotels, with activities including a visit to the Phare Acrobatic Circus in Siem Reap, one of the country's most innovative social enterprise models, or joining the Wildlife Alliance NGO rangers on anti-poaching patrols at Shinta Mani Wild, tracking previously unrecorded wildlife activity and doing other vital conservation work in the area (the camp's ranger station is funded through the…

EMIRATES RECYCLED MORE than 500,000kg of plastic and glass last year – almost equivalent to the weight of one of its A380 aircraft when fully loaded. Cabin crew separate glass and plastic bottles collected onboard, then send them to a recycling plant in Dubai, diverting thousands of kilograms of waste from landfills each year. Glass is separated by colour, crushed and then reused by UAE glass manufacturers. The plastic bottles, meanwhile, are cleaned, chopped into flakes, melted into pellets, and sent to manufacturers to make other plastic products. Emirates uses the recycled plastic bottles to create sustainable blankets for economy class passengers on long-haul flights, as well as complimentary toy bags, baby amenity kits and toys.…

PLAZA PREMIUM Group has opened two new lounges at Kuala Lumpur International airport, as the firm gears up to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Both the Plaza Premium Lounge and Plaza Premium First facilities are located in the airport's Terminal 1, and feature works by local Malaysian artists. Guests at the Plaza Premium Lounge can choose from a buffet dining menu, while those visiting the Plaza Premium First space will be offered an à la carte menu. Both lounges have access to shower facilities, and there are different zones for relaxation, dining and working. Opening rates for the new lounges (valid until June 30, 2023) are from RM202 (US$46) for a two-hour visit to the Plaza Premium First space, and RM146 (US$33) for a two-hour visit to the Plaza Premium Lounge.…

1 THE HO CHI MINH CITY PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE Wherever you are staying, the first moment you have spare time in Ho Chi Minh City you will want to head for Nguyen Hue, a tree-lined boulevard which owes its width to the fact that it was once the Kinh Lon Canal running from the Saigon river into the city. Covered and turned into Boulevard Charner, it was renamed Nguyen Hue Street in 1956 and has a wide pedestrianised centre with traffic running down each side. It reaches a stunning conclusion with the French Colonial architecture of the former Hôtel de Ville (1901-1908), now known as the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee building. You can't go in, but you can mill around outside, take some photos, hang out with locals, and,…

BACK GROUND Four Seasons opened its second hotel in Tokyo in September 2020. Located in the business district of Otemachi, it is larger than its sister property and has 170 rooms and 20 suites, four F&B venues, a spa and events space. WHERE IS IT? The hotel occupies the top six floors of the 39-storey Otemachi One Tower. It is close to various multinational companies and adjacent to Otemachi station, with direct access from exits C4 and C5. The Imperial Palace lies opposite. WHAT'S IT LIKE? The hotel has a more conspicuous arrival area than its sister property in Marunouchi, with a redorange timber entrance designed to pay homage to Japanese torii gates. The real experience begins on the 39th floor. As the lift doors open, it feels like you…

BACKGROUND One&Only debuted in the South African legislative capital in 2009. The hotel completed a refurbishment of its 133 rooms and suites and public spaces last year, inspired by the city's natural beauty and landmarks such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Table Mountain. WHERE IS IT? The main entrance is on Dock Road in the city's marina, a short stroll to the V&A Waterfront where there are plenty of retail and dining areas. The resort is approximately 25 minutes' drive from the airport, though traffic is heavy at peak times. WHAT'S IT LIKE? The hotel has a calming resort feel, with a series of canals passing through the property frequented by small boats and paddleboarders. A bridge connects the main building (Marina Rise) to two islands (spa and Main…

The last three years have seen unprecedented intervention by airlines in their frequent flyer programmes, with status benefits extended several times to ensure members did not lose out as a result of travel restrictions. As we move into a post-Covid era most of these temporary adjustments have now ceased, enabling airline groups to refocus on strategic changes to their schemes, some of which were originally announced before the pandemic but have been on hold. Here we list the major changes coming in the next 12 months. BRITISH AIRWAYS AND IBERIA In November 2022 the Iberia Plus programme announced plans to move away from the current model of Avios earning being linked to the distance flown, in favour of Avios being awarded per flight expenditure. Iberia Plus members now earn Avios…

HANNAH BRANDLER Hannah is features editor for Business Traveller's UK edition, and as such reports on all aspects of business travel for the magazine. In this issue, as well as reviewing various airlines and hotels (see pages 56 to 59), she explores the history, culture and homegrown businesses to be found in Kyoto, one of Japan's most beautiful cities; see page 24. ALEX MCWHIRTER Alex has more than 50 years' experience in the business travel industry, including more than 40 years as Business Traveller's consumer champion. In this issue he discusses the viability of ultra long-haul flights, and explains why some airlines have given up on them while others not only still offer them but are planning new, even longer routes; see page 50. TOM OTLEY As editorial director of…

UPFRONT VIRGIN ATLANTIC HAS officially joined Skyteam, becoming the alliance's first UK member carrier. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members now receive SkyPriority airport services where available, and Flying Club members can earn and redeem points on Skyteam member airlines. As part of the move Skyteam has confirmed the lounge arrangement for members flying out of Heathrow's Terminal 3. Elite Plus members travelling on Virgin Atlantic, Delta or Aeromexico services will have access to Virgin's Clubhouse, while those travelling with other Skyteam carriers will be directed to their airline-designated lounge at T3. Skyteam carriers Air France and KLM have also now announced plans to switch back from Heathrow T3 to T4 by the end of March. It's not clear what lounge arrangements will be in place at T4, given the…

ACCOR AND ENNISMORE'S Mondrian brand is set to debut in Singapore this month, with a property in the Duxton Hills neighbourhood. The 304-room Mondrian Singapore Duxton features design by Los Angeles-based Studio Carter, which combines historic architecture from traditional Singaporean shophouses with modern, contemporary influences. Facilities include Italian restaurant Bottega di Carna, the Jungle Ballroom bar, all-day spot Christina's, and rooftop bar Canyon Club which includes poolside cabanas and views of the Singapore skyline.…

UPFRONT BOEING AND ONEWORLD alliance member Japan Airlines (JAL) have finalised an order for 21 B737 Max 8 aircraft. The new Max aircraft will replace the Japanese flag carrier's B737-800 fleet. JAL says the ‘versatile' Max 8 will position it to strengthen its domestic and regional network as passenger traffic continues to return to pre-pandemic levels. The airline intends to begin introducing the 737 Max 8 into its fleet from 2026. “We are delighted to select the Boeing 737-8… to replace our Boeing 737-800s, which make up the largest proportion of the JAL Group's fleet,” said Yuji Akasaka, president of Japan Airlines. “We look forward to carrying our passengers in the utmost safety and comfort and to moving closer to our 2050 carbon-neutral goals, thanks to a combination of these…

TWO FIVE-STAR RESORTS in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani, are aiming to generate over 50 per cent of their electricity from renewable energy by the middle of this year. The initiative has been financed by a US$10 million funding provided by German-headquartered Aareal Bank, which will be used to install things like solar panels and photovoltaic systems. Soneva has been carbon neutral since 2012, and a 2 per cent environmental levy is added to every guest stay with proceeds helping to offset carbon emissions.…

UPFRONT MARRIOTT'S LIFESTYLE MOXY brand has opened its first property in New York's hip Brooklyn borough with the Moxy Williamsburg. The 216-room hotel is located on Bedford Avenue, with easy access to Manhattan. Interiors by BASILE Studio and Lightstone Design have been inspired by the the local neighbourhood, with light-filled interiors, and flexible co-working spaces. There are four F&B options conceptualised by Bar Lab Hospitality: Mesiba for East Mediterranean cuisine; Bar Bedford for cocktails; Jolene for nightclub vibes; and LilliStar, a rooftop bar with a terrace overlooking the skyline due to open this spring.…

UPFRONT VIETNAM AIRLINES has recently resumed daily flights between Vietnam and India. The SkyTeam alliance member will operate four flights a week on the Hanoi–Delhi route, as well as three weekly flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Delhi. The increase in flights will translate into 30 per cent more capacity between Vietnam and India on Vietnam Airlines, and the carrier's Airbus A321 aircraft will be used on both routes. These aircraft feature 16 business class recliner seats across a 2-2 configuration and 168 standard economy class seats in a 3-3 layout.…

AVIATION Welcome to our round-up of long-haul business class seats currently available on Asian and Australasian airlines. In the previous issue we looked at European carriers, and we will be covering both Middle Eastern airlines and US carriers in upcoming issues of Business Traveller Asia- Pacific. As a reminder, here we are focusing on the seats available rather than service elements, such as food and drink, inflight entertainment, etc. If you visit businesstraveller.com you will find numerous reviews of most of the airlines here where those aspects are discussed and assessed. The good news for travellers is that the majority of airlines offering longhaul flights now have seats that recline fully flat in business class. Most airlines choose from one of several designs, and then, to a greater or lesser…

CELLARS IN THE SKY AWARDS SUPPORTED BY Following two years of route disruptions and restrictions on inflight services, the world has reopened and travel is back in full force. This also signalled the end of socially distanced tastings and the return to a normal judging process for our Cellars in the Sky awards, which have been running since 1985. Late last year, a panel of expert judges convened at Haberdashers' Hall, in Smithfield, London, to select the best bottles served by airlines in business and first class in 2022. The judges were John Worontschak, Helen McGinn, Masters of Wine Peter McCombie and Sarah Abbott, and head judge Charles Metcalfe, founder of the International Wine Challenge. “The standard has been higher even than previous years,” explains Metcalfe. “There were very few…

BACK GROUND All Nippon Airways' route from Tokyo Narita to Singapore Changi is operated by a B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft configured with 246 seats across three cabins: business, premium economy and economy. ANA also flies a 215-seat B787 aircraft. At time of writing, to travel to Singapore you needed to complete an electronic SG Arrival Card up to three days before entry, requiring upload of vaccination certificates and travel details. CHECK-IN From Tokyo Station the excellent Narita Express takes 53 minutes. I arrived at 1600 for the 1820 departure. ANA operates from Terminal 1, with check-in for business class passengers in Section C (many escalators up from the Narita Express arrival). There were lots of manned desks on one side, with a self bag drop on the other side. Everything was…

BACK GROUND This upscale property began life as Hotel Vic on the Harbour, part of a mixed-use waterfront development by Sun Hung Kai Properties. However, in 2019 it was rebranded as the first Hyatt Centric in the Greater China region. WHERE IS IT? On the waterfront in Hong Kong Island's North Point district. Next door is the huge Harbour North shopping and leisure complex, the MTR station is steps away, as is the North Point Ferry Pier (with ferries to Hung Hom and other points in Kowloon) and a bus terminus. WHAT'S IT LIKE? Facing away from the harbour, the entrance combines a ‘port cochere' with greenery to create an attractive first impression, despite facing the less appealing Java Road Food Market across the road. The 665-room hotel comprises East…

THAILAND is poised to get another airline – Bangkok-based Really Cool Airlines. The airline says it hopes to launch A350 flights from Thailand to both Australia and Europe, as well as services between popular Asian destinations. Really Cool Airlines promises an “extraordinary experience for passengers”, where “the norm of standard cabin configurations… is shattered, replaced with a premium experience that's beyond your wildest dreams”. The start-up is the brainchild of Patee Sarasin, a previous chief executive officer of Thailand-based low-cost carrier Nok Air. The airline will compete against under-rehabilitation Thai flag carrier Thai Airways International (THAI), which significantly reduced its operations during the pandemic, shedding many aircraft in its fleet, including all its A380s and Boeing 747-400s. The new airline hopes to take delivery of A350 aircraft by the end…

UPFRONT QATAR AIRWAYS HAS announced a raft of new routes, service resumptions and frequency increases. Seven new destinations for this year include Chittagong (Bangladesh), Juba (South Sudan), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), Medan (Indonesia), Trabzon (Turkey), Lyon and Toulouse. The airline will also resume flights to 11 destinations including Beijing, Birmingham, Nice and Tokyo Haneda, and will increase flight frequency to Gatwick and Heathrow. Group CEO Akbar Al Baker also told Business Traveller that he expects the airline's route to Cardiff to resume this year, dependent on the speed of the repair project of the carrier's A350 aircraft.…

SUSTAINABLE TRAVELLER UNITED AIRLINES HAS created an investment fund to scale up the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund will be used to invest in start-ups focused on accelerating the research, production and technologies associated with SAF. Sustainable aviation fuel is made from cooking oil and agricultural waste and blended with conventional jet fuel to meet regulatory requirements. The fund has launched with more than US$100 million from inaugural partners Air Canada, JPMorgan Chase, GE Aerospace and Honeywell, and the carrier is encouraging passengers to contribute to the fund. Customers can give US$1, US$3.50 or US$7 to the fund, though the default option is set at US$3.50. United says that if the 152 million people who flew with the airline last year each…

For full terms and conditions and to enter, visit businesstraveller.com/competitions BUSINESS TRAVELLER has teamed up with Reethi Beach Resort Maldives to offer a lucky reader and guest the chance to win a five-night stay including breakfast at the resort. Reethi Beach Resort Maldives is a luxurious island resort situated on a private island in the only UNESCO Biosphere in the Maldives. The property features 129 villas and suites, five restaurants and bars and an array of activities including diving, snorkelling, sunset fishing trips and relaxing spa treatments.…

Many of Kyoto's 1,600 Buddhist temples boast UNESCO World Heritage status We crept forward in the pitchblack, using our hands to trace the Buddha beads running along the wall. I was in the womb of the Zuigu-bosatsu (the mother of Buddha), otherwise known as the tunnel of Tanai-meguri, preparing to make my wish to the Zuigo stone. The journey through the darkened temple corridor represents a form of spiritual rebirth. While perhaps not advisable for claustrophobics, the sensory deprivation can be a meditative experience. By focusing on my footsteps, I found my mind was freed of clutter. When we finally exited the tunnel and escaped the darkness, we had apparently gained an enlightened state. This spiritual journey takes place at the UNESCO World Heritage Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Many of Kyoto's 1,600…

The Neste refinery in Rotterdam isn't a beautiful place, even between rain showers. The current expansion of the site at Maasvlakte means it has a half-built look about it, and with a coal power station pumping smoke into the sky close by, Cosco and Evergreen tankers moored on the far side of the Yangtze Canal, and the constant noise of construction traffic penetrating even the mandatory ear plugs, it's hard to see it as the future of anything, let alone carbon-free flight. Yet when the refinery completes its €1.9 billion (US$2 billion) expansion in 2026, it will be one of the largest Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production facilities in the world. If you enjoy international travel, but find the subject of SAF boring, the next few years may be challenging.…

BACK GROUND Meliá Chiang Mai opened in April, 2022, the first five-star hotel to open in the city after the global pandemic. This is the third property in Thailand for the Spanish hotel group. WHERE IS IT? Close to the Ping River on Charoenprathet Road, with one of the city's biggest night bazaars on its doorstep. Chiang Mai International airport is six kilometres away – about 15 minutes by taxi. WHAT'S IT LIKE? This 254-room hotel comprises a striking seven-storey podium building – where the entrance is located – connected to a 22-floor tower. Both present a modernist exterior with geometric designs that ‘pay tribute to Chiang Mai's charming history and culture with a contemporary flair. E ' nter the spacious pillared lobby and you're met by a beaten silver…

BACK GROUND Frankfurt Airport Marriott Hotel opened in 2020 and merged with the existing Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel and Conference Center in 2021 following a threeyear renovation process. It is the first dualbrand property combining the Marriott and Sheraton brands in Europe. The property has 1,012 rooms and suites over nine floors, split into 779 rooms at the Sheraton and 233 at the Marriott. Each hotel has its own lobby, reception area and club lounge. WHERE IS IT? Directly connected to Terminal 1 of Frankfurt airport via a covered walkway. The free Skytrain offers access to Terminal 2 within a few minutes. The property is also connected to the AIRail ICE long-distance train station, and is a 20-minute drive from the city centre. WHAT'S IT LIKE? As you enter from…