Innholdsfortegnelse for September - October 2024 i Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition

TURKISH AIRLINES HAS UNVEILED its new Crystal Business Class suite that will feature on new A350 aircraft and retrofitted 777s. The suite features seats with an adjustable door and privacy panel, plus an enhanced 23-inch width, increased footwell space, direct aisle access for all passengers, a lighter and warmer colour scheme, plus marble-style tables and rose-gold finishes. As with the previous product, the suite will include adjustable lights, universal power outlets, USB-C charging units, wireless charging, a 22-inch IFE screen with a noise-cancelling audio jack, adjustable mirror and a seatback cushion.…

SINGAPORE AIRLINES HAS REFURBISHED its business and first class SilverKris lounges at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 2. The main change is the 16 per cent increase in seating capacity, offering room for up to 242 customers across both lounges – including additional seating at the business class cocktail bar. There has been no structural change, but Singapore Airlines has introduced new fixtures and furnishings throughout – while keeping the existing Batik design screens and props by Culinary Concepts. Marble tabletops have been polished and restored, and now feature integrated USB charging ports, while productivity pods allow guests to work in a private environment, while the shimmering blue-grey design and metallic accents is a vast improvement on the previous beige colour scheme.…

HYATT has entered into a management agreement with CR Land for a Park Hyatt hotel in Xi’an, China. The project will be located in the Centre Culture Business District CCBD, one of the key mixed-use commercial complexes along Xi’an’s central axis, Hyatt said. Park Hyatt Xi’an will offer 192 rooms and suites, as well as “world-class culinary and wellness experiences, and inspiring spaces for meetings and events”. Designed by the renowned Thomas Heatherwick, CCBD has been designated as a key project contributing to the development of the city’s technology and cultural sectors. Hyatt and CR Land have collaborated previously on several projects, including Grand Hyatt Shenzhen, Grand Hyatt Dalian, Park Hyatt Hangzhou, Grand Hyatt Hefei, Grand Hyatt Shenyang, Andaz Xiamen and Andaz Shenzhen Bay…

HONG KONG-BASED Oneworld member Cathay Pacific has released its traffic figures for June 2024, which saw a new record achieved. On June 30, 2024 Cathay Pacific and low-cost HK Express carried about 92,000 passengers combined, the highest daily number since the pandemic. In the first six months of 2024, the two airlines carried a total of approximately 13.5 million passengers. Cathay carried a total of 1,837,706 passengers in June 2024, an increase of 18.7 per cent compared with June 2023. In the first six months of 2024, the number of passengers carried increased by 36.4 per cent to a total of 10,659,601, as compared with the same period for 2023. As a group, Cathay has announced ten new destinations so far this year, seven of which have commenced services.…

VIETNAM AIRLINES has announced the launch of a nonstop service between Hanoi and Phnom Penh. Additionally, the airline has signed cooperation agreements with key partners in Cambodia to foster aviation and tourism development between the two countries. The new route is set to commence on October 27, 2024, with a frequency of four flights a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays on two-class Airbus A321 aircraft, including 2-2 recliners in business class. Vietnam Airlines currently offers a one-stop service to Phnom Penh via Vientiane. Recently, Vietnam Airlines took delivery of the first of three Airbus A320neo aircraft to join its fleet this year. The carrier said the addition of the new-technology A320neo reaffirms its commitment to fleet modernisation and making operational enhancements to meet increasing travel demand, especially during…

THINK TWICE if you’re about to leave some of your inflight meal on the plate: IATA has revealed that the aviation sector produces more than 3.6 million tonnes of cabin and catering waste annually. IATA’s Cabin Waste Composition Audit was trialled on 25 short-, medium- and long-haul flights at Singapore’s Changi Airport in November 2023 and April 2024. It found that food and beverage waste accounts for 65 per cent of cabin and catering waste, with untouched meals accounting for 18 per cent of all waste. Airlines are increasingly focusing on reducing food waste inflight through various means including discounting fresh food items on the last flights of each day, promoting meal pre-ordering to better forecast what needs to be loaded onboard, or employing AI to determine the number of…

EUROPEAN AIRPORT trade body ACI EUROPE has released its latest traffic figures, which it said “finally confirm a full recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic for the airport industry” . Passenger volumes at European airports in the first half of this year were up 0.4 per cent on 2019 levels, driven by a 10.3 per cent growth in international traffic in H1 compared to the same period in 2023. This follows ACI’s last update in June, when it said passenger volumes were “a hair’s breadth away from full recovery” . There was an overall growth in passenger numbers of 8 per cent in the second quarter of 2024 compared to last year, down slightly on the first quarter growth figures wwof 10.2 per cent. London Heathrow was the busiest European airport…

MALAYSIA: OMBAK FESTIVAL, DESARU COAST RESORT, JOHOR; SEPTEMBER 13-15 This music festival brings a constellation of stars to the tip of Peninsular Malaysia. Appearing are funk legends Nile Rodgers & Chic (pictured), The Cardigans, Grace Jones, Macy Gray, and British DJ and producer Quantic. It takes place at the One & Only Desaru Coast luxury resort, and a shuttle bus and ferry run between there and Singapore. A one-day pass is priced at RM550+ (US$125), while a two-day pass costs RM990+ (US$205). GERMANY: OKTOBERFEST, MUNICH; SEPTEMBER 21OCTOBER 6 Despite its name, the Bavarian beer festival kicks off at the end of September on the Theresienwiese – marking its 189th edition. Expect plenty of beer, food stalls, parades and fairground rides for the two-week period. USA: FLOWER PIANO, SAN FRANCISCO; 13-22…

DESTINATION Surabaya, Indonesia’s secondlargest city, is renowned for being the site of a fierce 1945 battle during the Indonesian National Revolution. Soon after the nation declared independence in August of that year, its forces fought against the British and their allies some weeks later. The republican forces prevailed, and Heroes’ Day is celebrated nationwide each year on November 10. Eight decades on, Surabaya is making the most of its position as one of the country’s most prominent business centres. The city – the capital of East Java province – is an important port (and has been for centuries), with a population of more than 3 million. It is home to several foreign consulates, banks and big corporations and, as a major regional centre, is well served by airlines: Indonesia’s Batik…

DESTINATION Hong Kong’s post-pandemic bounceback might not have been wholly convincing, but the city continues to be what it’s long been - a hub in numerous ways, including for the MICE industry. While Hong Kong’s economy hasn’t been doing brilliantly over the past few years, it hasn’t been doing disastrously either, particularly considering everything it’s had to deal with, from the pandemic to social unrest. Hong Kong’s GDP has yo-yoed up and down somewhat: according to official statistics, it rose by 3.2 per cent in 2023 after falling in 2022, rising in 2021 and falling in 2020. The government is predicting 2.5 to 3.5 per cent growth for 2024. Meanwhile, after the city’s population peaked at 7.5 million in 2019, then fell back to 7.4 million by the end of…

4 HOURS IN … 1 MAHANAKHON SKYWALK Thailand’s tallest building opened in Silom in 2016. The Mahanakhon Tower’s residents include The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon hotel, a shopping mall and some seriously swanky residences. We suggest heading straight to the rooftop observation deck on the 78th floor. After soaking up the views, test your nerves on the somewhat strangely named Glass Tray, where (after donning shoe covers) you can walk across a section of reinforced glass 310m above street level. There’s another observation deck on the 74th floor – this one is indoors, but the 360-degree views are just as stunning, and digital displays explain exactly what you’re looking at. kingpowermahanakhon.co.th/skywalk 2 BENJAKITTI FOREST PARK Stare down on Bangkok from Mahanakhon Tower’s observation decks and you’ll be struck by the vast…

ETIHAD AIRWAYS has announced plans for a fourth A380 route, with the addition of superjumbo services to Singapore next year. The Gulf carrier’s A380 aircraft will fly daily between Abu Dhabi and Singapore from February 1, 2025, replacing the Boeing 787-10 which currently plies the route. The A380 schedules will see flight EY0496 depart Abu Dhabi at 2205, arriving in Singapore at 0935 the following day, with the return leg EY0497 leaving Changi at 1925 and landing back in the UAE at 2320. It had been reported earlier this year that Etihad would increase its Singapore route to twice-daily from mid-December, but it seems the carrier has now opted to instead boost capacity by rostering the larger A380 onto the route. The move marks a continued renaissance for Etihad’s superjumbos.…

UPFRONT ONEWORLD MEMBER Malaysia Airlines and China Southern Airlines have announced an expansion of their codeshare flights to include the Guangzhou-Penang (CAN-PEN), Kuala Lumpur-Beijing Daxing (KUL-PKX) and Kuala Lumpur-Shanghai Pudong (KUL-PVG) routes from July 10, 2024. China Southern flies CAN-PEN daily with A320 narrowbody aircraft, while Malaysia Airlines serves Daxing daily with its A330 widebody aircraft, and Shanghai Pudong currently ten times a week, also with the long-haul A330. The new codeshares follow the launch of the carriers’ codeshare cooperation on the Guangzhou-Kuala Lumpur route on July 6, 2023, boosting connectivity between the two countries and enabling travellers to enjoy diversified travel options. China Southern Airlines said it is endeavouring to increase its capacity in the Malaysian market to 73 flights a week to meet demand. Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines currently…

PLAZA PREMIUM GROUP has opened its first city centre lounge, located next to Osaka station in the city’s Umeda district. The group says the facility is intended “to serve all travellers, regardless of whether they are taking a plane, train or bus”, with the nearby station offering connections to the city’s rail network, bus terminal and Kansai International Airport. Amenities include lounge seating, wifi, luggage storage and delivery services, light snacks, a selection of instant soups, Costa coffee drinks, a currency exchange counter and an umbrella loan service. Customers looking to use restrooms are directed to the Osaka Shin Hankyu hotel situated next to the lounge. The City Terminal by Plaza Premium Lounge is a joint venture between Plaza Premium and Japanese travel firm Jwide, with future plans to create…

SKYTEAM member Korean Air has received its first Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. Its inaugural flight with the new aircraft was on July 25, 2024, from Seoul Incheon to Tokyo Narita. The next-generation 787-10 debuts Korean Air’s new Prestige Class cabin interiors, offering business class passengers enclosed suites in a 1-2-1 configuration, as well as wireless phone charging, dual 220V/110V outlets, two high-speed USB-C ports, and 24-inch IFE screens with Bluetooth audio support. In-flight wifi service is also available. Korean Air’s 787-10 aircraft are configured with 325 seats, including 36 Prestige Class suites and 289 economy class seats in a 3-3-3 setup. The 787-10 will initially be deployed on short-haul routes for crew familiarisation, before being deployed on long-haul routes including Seoul Incheon-Vancouver. Korean Air was to launch a premium economy product…

SHERATON HOTELS & RESORTS, part of Marriott Bonvoy, has announced the opening of Sheraton Lanzhou Anning in Lanzhou, in China’s Gansu province. The opening also marks the 100th Sheraton Hotel in Greater China, where the brand made its market debut 50 years ago. The hotel has a scenic setting on the bank of the Yellow River and is near Lanzhou’s industrial and educational centre, the Anning District. Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport is approximately 55km away from the property; while it is 6km to Lanzhou West Railway Station. Sheraton Lanzhou Anning features 354 guest rooms and suites, ranging from 42 sqm to 190 sqm. The hotel has a Sheraton Club for Marriott Bonvoy Elite members and guests staying in its Executive Floor rooms. It offers various food and beverage outlets, including…

When it comes to diverse landscapes, it’s hard to beat Bali, an Indonesian island where you’ll find everything from forested valleys and verdant paddy fields to wave-washed beaches and tropical lagoons. What’s more, its hotels and resorts are just as diverse. But which one is right for you? Below are listed the properties best suited to your holiday plans. Best for zen-seekers: Hoshinoya Bali There are 30 thatched villas at this beautiful riverside resort in Ubud, which has always been a magnet for those seeking some time out. Traditional Balinese massage is the speciality at the gorgeous spa, although other treatments on offer include boreh (herbal body wraps) and Royal Lulur massages, once used as a prewedding treatment by members of the royal family. If you can prise yourself off…

Researchers believe turbulence will only gain pace alongside global warming In a pleasing case of nominative determinism, British Airways’ Flying with Confidence director, captain Steve Allright, once reassured me: “Remember that turbulence is uncomfortable but rarely dangerous. It is a perfectly normal part of flying caused by nature.” And he’s right: out of the circa-400 million flights that took place between 2009 and 2022, there were – according to data from the US Federal Aviation Administration – 34 passengers and 129 crew members recorded as seriously injured due to turbulence. The last fatality caused by turbulence on a commercial flight was in 1997, during United Airlines’ Flight 826 from Tokyo to Honolulu. That was, until the spring of 2024. On May 21, severe turbulence on Singapore Airlines’ flight SQ321 saw…

With tourism one of Hong Kong’s key industries, the government is keen to diversify what the city has to offer away from the clichés of shopping and eating. As a result, it’s made a big play for the cultural tourism dollar, particularly in the shape of the West Kowloon Cultural District. The giant complex, close to the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula and within walking distance of Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, which connects the city to China’s extensive high-speed rail network, features venues for everything from theatre to Chinese opera. The two biggest star attractions, though, are M+, a world-class modern and contemporary art museum; and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, boasting artefacts from its legendary Beijing sister. For an even deeper immersion in all things artistic, head to…

BACKGROUND Singapore Airlines became the launch customer for the double-decker Airbus A380 in 2007, and is the second-largest operator of the aircraft after Emirates. There are currently 12 A380s in the fleet, which includes five new aircraft (delivered in 2018 – Airbus stopped production in 2021), while the rest of the fleet has been retrofitted, with a new business class seat product. The new layout sees all premium seats on the upper deck, while premium economy and economy occupy the lower deck. CHECK IN I arrived at London Heathrow Terminal 2 at 0930 for flight SQ317. I hadn’t been able to download my boarding pass ahead of time, so I went to the business class counter where staff checked I’d filled in the arrival card for Singapore. I was handed…

BACK GROUND British brand Marshall is well known for its audio products and rock ‘n’ roll legacy. The Bluetooth wireless Major V over-ear headphones, released in April 2024, are an upgrade on the Major IV. THE PRODUCT The stylish vegan-leather headphones have a retro feel, with a fully black design apart from the familiar white Marshall logo on the textured ears and a striking gold control knob on the right ear. The shape of the well-cushioned pads are a lovely nod to the brand’s square amps. They don’t come with a case, but are rugged, lightweight and collapse inwards – compact enough to fit snugly into a backpack. While wireless, there’s also a 3.5mm audio cord – though this is outdated for smartphones without a jack port. The headphones have…

BRITISH AIRWAYS is suspending its flights between Heathrow and Beijing at the end of the summer schedule, and the carrier has confirmed to Business Traveller that it is “pausing” the route from October 26. BA said the suspension currently affects flights until November 2025, although it also said it would keep its schedules under review. The airline’s flight times to Asia have been extended due to its current inability to use Russian airspace, which is not the case for Chinese carriers. BA said the restrictions meant flight times were “considerably longer”, which in turn had “a commercial implication”. The carrier only resumed flights to Beijing in June last year, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The decision – along with the move to cut flights to Hong Kong…

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (HKIA) has launched a new Smartphone Express Bag Drop Service, which aims to reduce the amount of time it takes customers to drop their bags at the airport. The service builds on HKIA’s Flight Token technology, which allows passengers to complete online check-in and scan their travel documents with their smartphones before heading to the airport. Customers can now proceed directly to the Express Bag Drop counters and use their smartphones to deposit their luggage “in under one minute”. The airport said this is a significant reduction on the average of three minutes its takes to drop bags at airline counters of Smart Check-in kiosks. The service is available to all HK Express passengers, as well as Cathay Pacific customers travelling to all destinations except the…

UPFRONT QATAR AIRWAYS HAS REVEALED its “Qsuite Next Gen“ business class product, which is set to feature on board the carrier’s Boeing 777-9 aircraft by 2025. New and enhanced features include increased storage, space and privacy in each suite, plus upgraded tech including wireless charging, mood lighting and touchscreen panels. The redesigned Quad Suite, which seats up to four passengers, is now more open thanks to a manoeuvrable 4K OLED Panasonic Astrova IFE screen, which can be moved to the side to make space for socialising, dining or working. The Quad Suite will also include taller digitally controlled privacy dividers, plus wider lie-flat double beds – with a dedicated turn-down service. For those travelling as a pair, the airline has created a new Companion Suite, which combines window seats into…

KLM HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS to operate a demonstration flight in 2026 using ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engines. ZeroAvia is developing engines that will use liquid hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity, which will then be used to power motors to turn the propellers in turboprop aircraft. KLM cited a study by McKinsey & Company, which shows hydrogen-electric engines could reduce climate impact by up to 90 per cent compared to typical kerosene-fuelled flights, as the only emission is water vapour. KLM and ZeroAvia will collaborate to identify the optimal airport pair for the demonstration flights; they will also work towards obtaining regulatory flying permits, ensuring a supply of liquid hydrogen fuel and putting in place infrastructure for aircraft fuelling. The carrier said this would provide the evidence-base for cleaner flights on…

LEISURE Lombok: Beautiful beaches and a spectacular volcano Famous for its volcanic landscapes, beautiful beaches (particularly on its southern coast) and waterfalls, Lombok is easily accessible – it’s just 40km east of Bali and there are regular ferries between Padangbai, on Bali’s eastern coast, to Lembar harbour near Lombok’s south-western tip. West Lombok is where you’ll find the island’s biggest hotels, and there’s fantastic homestay accommodation in villages on its northern coastline – a great base for anyone hoping to reach the summit of Gunung Rinjani, a 3,726m peak on a volcanic caldera that takes between two to four days to ascend and return, depending on the route taken. Komodo National Park: Dragons and diving It takes just over an hour to fly from Bali to Labuan Bajo on Flores…

FUTURE TRENDS It’s 2034. You’re getting ready to head to the airport when Genie - your personal AI travel assistant - pings. Genie has a travel update: your flight from Perth to Hong Kong has been cancelled due to a typhoon in the latter. Before you can even start processing the inconvenience, Genie pings again. It has checked your diary and offers the best alternatives: either catch a layover via Kuala Lumpur leaving in six hours, or delay your flight until the next day. You choose option one. Genie confirms and advises that your taxi transfer has been rescheduled and a refund processed. (Genie has also reserved a massage for you in the lounge during your layover and pre-ordered your favourite welcome drink). It also drafts an email to your…

BACKGROUND Oneworld member Qatar Airways flies to Hong Kong from its Doha hub twice a day, with departures at 0145 and 0810. The airline has been deploying a rather unique subfleet on the Hong Kong route – a small number of ex-Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. These planes have been operating to Hong Kong for the past two years and they remain scheduled on both daily services into the foreseeable future, which at this stage means the published schedule through summer 2025. What is distinctive about these 777-300ER aircraft is that they largely retain their former Cathay cabins and seats, but feature Qatar Airways finishes, amenities and, of course, crew and in-flight service, including a dedicated first class product. The only other aircraft in the Qatar Airways fleet currently offering…

Don’t feel like getting the train into town? Fed up with queueing for a taxi? Hotel car late again? Here we round up airlines offering a chauffeur service for premium customers, providing them with an end-to-end luxury experience by organising transport from the airport to their home/hotel or vice-versa. Note that most services are complimentary, but are not applicable to codeshare or partner airlines, and are not available for reward flights or transfers between airport terminals. AIR CHINA China’s flag carrier offers a luxury car transfer for passengers within mainland China. Customers will be whisked from the airport to the city centre by a fleet of Mercedes-Benz E Class, Mercedes-Benz EQE and Hongqi H9 vehicles. Location: The service is available across cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Xi’an,…