SilkAir joins Virgin Australia Velocity frequent flyer programme

By BA Staff

SilkAir (MI), the regional airline of Singapore Airlines, will become the latest airline partner to join Virgin Australia's Velocity frequent flyer program.

From October 10, 2013 onwards, Velocity members will be able to earn points and status credits or redeem their Points on the SilkAir network across South East Asia, India and China. This includes the ability to redeem points for reward seats or any seat up to 331 days in advance on any Virgin Australia marketed flights.

Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO Neil Thompson said:

“Today’s announcement builds on our existing offering with Singapore Airlines. Asia is a very important market for business and leisure travellers and we now offer the ability to earn Points and Status Credits to more destinations than ever before.”

Velocity’s Gold and Platinum members will also be able to use their Elite Benefits across the SilkAir network including priority check-in, priority boarding and complimentary lounge access for the member and a guest on day of travel.

SilkAir is Singapore Airline’s full service regional subsidiary flying to over 44 destinations across 12 countries. SilkAir flies from Darwin to Singapore, connecting the Northern Territory with Singapore Airlines’ global hub.

Read more »

Boeing Forecasts Growing Need for New Pilots in Asia Pacific Region

By BA Staff

Boeing projects that the Asia Pacific region will continue to lead the globe in demand for hundreds of thousands of new commercial airline pilots and maintenance technicians to support expanding demand for new airplane deliveries over the next two decades.

The 2013 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook calls for 192,300 new commercial airline pilots and 215,300 new technicians in the Asia Pacific region through 2032.

Bob Bellitto, the global sales director for Boeing Flight Services said

"There is a very real, urgent demand for competent aviation personnel globally, and the Asia Pacific region is particularly impacted. While Boeing is investing in cutting-edge technologies to attract and retain young people interested in careers in aviation, this is an industry-wide issue that can only be solved with industry-wide solutions. Aviation is a great field to be in. We have a responsibility to make sure it's a viable career option for the world's youth. Tomorrow's aviation workforce is going to be very different than their present-day peers. We need to focus on their expectations for learning, moving away from paper and chalkboard-based techniques to incorporate tablets, eBooks, gaming technology and three-dimensional models."

Leading the region in projected demand for new pilots and technicians:

• China – 77,400 pilots and 93,900 technicians
• Southeast Asia – 48,100 pilots and 50,300 technicians

Other parts of the region will also continue to see long-term demand in the tens of thousands of pilots and technicians:

• Southwest Asia will need 30,900 pilots and 28,500 technicians
• Northeast Asia will need 18,500 pilots and 25,500 technicians
• The Oceania region will need 17,400 pilots and 17,100 technicians

Read more »

Delta to add Seattle - Hong Kong and Seattle - Seoul

Yesterday, Atlanta-based full service carrier Delta Air Lines announced that it would be adding new daily nonstop services from its Asian gateway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Hong Kong International Airport and Seoul-Incheon International Airport. The flights will begin June 2nd, and June 16th, 2014 respectively, and come soon after the carrier ended services between Seattle and Osaka - Kansai Find more details below.

21st August 2013

SEATTLE, Aug. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) will add new daily nonstop service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Seoul-Incheon International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport (both subject to government approval) beginning June 2 and June 16, 2014, respectively. Tickets will be available for purchase Aug. 24, 2013.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090202/DELTALOGO )

"By offering new service from Seattle to Seoul and Hong Kong, Delta will now offer customers service to the top five destinations in Asia," said Mike Medeiros, Delta's vice president – Seattle. "Our expanding Seattle network, combined with investments in our aircraft, the airport and the community shows our commitment to become Seattle's premier international carrier."

Medeiros was recently tapped to lead Delta's overall Seattle strategy, which encompasses expanding airport operations, alliance partnerships, corporate customers and government and community involvement.

Delta is able to offer new service to Seoul and Hong Kong due to strong support of from its local Seattle and Pacific Northwest customers as well as its strategic partnership with Alaska Airlines. The new service will complement existing service to Shanghai, Beijing and Tokyo. All five destinations are the leading commercial centers in the region, a benefit for corporate customers traveling between the U.S. and Asia.

With these additions, Delta will serve 17 destinations in the Asia-Pacific region primarily via its U.S. gateways of Detroit, Seattle and Los Angeles, and via its hub in Narita. Since 2009, Delta's Pacific capacity has increased over 20 percent, driven in large part by the development of Detroit and Seattle into core Asia gateways.

Like all of Delta's trans-Pacific flights, the new Seoul and Hong Kong services feature full-flat bed seats in BusinessElite – each with direct aisle access – as well as Economy Comfort seating and in-flight entertainment in every seat throughout the aircraft. Delta's BusinessElite service includes a five-course gourmet meal, paired with a wine menu curated by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson. The in-flight experience is completed with Westin Heavenly In-Flight bedding, which includes exclusively designed pillows and comforters, as well as Tumi amenity kits with products from Malin+Goetz.  Every seat throughout the aircraft offers a personal on-demand entertainment system featuring an extensive library of movies, TV shows, music and games.

The Seoul flight will operate using a 210-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with 35 full-flat bed seats in BusinessElite, 32 seats in Economy Comfort and 143 Economy class seats.

Hong Kong service will operate using a 234-seat Airbus 330-200 aircraft with 34 full-flat bed seats in BusinessElite, 32 seats in Economy Comfort and 168 Economy class seats.

Seattle is one of Delta's fastest-growing international gateways and last month the airline announced new nonstop service to London-Heathrow Airport beginning in March 2014. Since May, Delta service in Seattle has expanded from 33 peak-day departures to 13 destinations to its current schedule of 44 peak-day departures to 18 destinations, including six international markets. Delta has also invested $14 million in its facilities at Sea-Tac, including its recently completed lobby renovations, new Delta Sky Club, Sky Priority services, new gate area power recharging stations and expanded ticket counters.

Flight details for Seattle-Seoul service

Delta 199

D: SEA at noon A: ICN at 3:30 p.m. (following day)

Begins June 2, 2014

Delta 198 D: ICN at 5:20 p.m. A: SEA at 12:05 p.m. (same day)

Begins June 3, 2014

Flight details for Seattle-Hong Kong service

Delta 139 D: SEA at 1:30 p.m. A: HKG at 6:45 p.m. (following day)

Begins June 16, 2014

Delta 138 D: HKG at 10:00 a.m. A:SEA at 7:55 a.m. (same day)

Begins June 18, 2014

Read more »

Hawaiian adds service to Beijing; when will India come on their radar?

by Vinay Bhaskara

Honolulu, Hawaii based full service carrier Hawaiian Airlines has announced new service to Beijing, China, with thrice weekly flights commencing in April 2014 utilizing 294 seat Airbus A330-200 aircraft configured as (18P/276Y).  The new service will be made possible because the existing 3 weekly flights to Manila in the Philippines will be cancelled from July 31st, 2013.

The new flights mark a continuation of the feverish Asian expansion begun by Hawaiian back in 2010, and fuelled by steady stream of A330 deliveries to sustain growth. Since June 2010, Hawaiian has added or announced new flights toSeoul Incheon, Osaka-Kansai, Fukuoka, Tokyo-Haneda, Sapporo, Brisbane, Auckland, Sendai, and Taipei. The flights are in large part a reflection of the changing nature of Hawaii’s tourism market; the traditional American and Japanese tourists are there in droves, but a rising number of affluent East Asians, especially Chinese, are making Hawaii a luxury destination of choice. And they are likely not done with growth to Asia, as Hawaiian has 11 more A330s scheduled for delivery.

As with China, Singapore, and the other East Asian nations, Indian tourism to China has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade. However, inbound arrivals to Hawaii are still nowhere near enough to support a nonstop flight. However, at current growth rates, within 5-6 years, demand should be strong enough to support direct one-stop flights between India and Hawaii. In fact to some degree, the market has actually been held back by a lack of convenient one-stop options between India and Hawaii. Currently, the only option is to connect onto United in Newark, which entails a journey of more than 28 hours. Especially once Hawaiian begins to take delivery of its Airbus A350 aircraft, with their lower operating costs, a one-stop tag to India from one of Hawaiian’s Asian destinations could be viable.

Read more »