GENEVA: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is contacting aviation regulators worldwide to request that the rules governing the use of airport slots be suspended immediately and for the 2020 season, due to the impact of COVID-19. Around 43 percent of all passengers depart from over 200 slot coordinated airports worldwide. At present, the rules for slot allocation mean that airlines must operate at least 80 percent of their allocated slots under normal circumstances. Failure to comply with this means the airline loses its right to the slot the next equivalent season. In exceptional circumstances, regulators can relax this requirement.…
Author: holidayweekly
KARACHI: An Emergent meeting held at Karachi Head Office Of Travel Agents Association Of Pakistan (TAAP) on 28th February 2020 to address the concerns of Travel /Tour Operators, Umrah Pilgrims And Zaireens Stranded In Iran after Saudi Arabia suspends entry for Umrah pilgrimage as well as tourist –visa holders over coronavirus fears in attempt to ensure public safety by preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Although the Saudi officials stressed that the restrictions are temporary and will be continuously reviewed by the health authorities. The members of Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP) expressed their serious concerns/reservations that both Governments…
LONDON: British Airways and Radisson Hotel Group have become the latest hospitality organisations to outline plans to reduce dependence on single-use plastic. The British flag-carrier announced a new target to remove more than 700 tonnes of single-use plastic on board its flights in 2020. The airline said this would amount to more than a quarter of a billion individual items of plastic and equivalent to more than 30,000 suitcases full of single-use plastic. British Airways has already rolled out initiatives to remove 25 million individual items of single-use plastic on board each year, equivalent to 90 tonnes. To date, the…
ISLAMABAD: PIA, The national carrier of Pakistan on Monday, February 24, with immediate effect suspended all flight operations to China and Japan till March 15 amid the coronavirus outbreak. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) took the decision as a precautionary measure as the ongoing virus outbreak has claimed more than 2,400 lives – mostly in China. The decision to resume flight operations or further extend the suspension would be taken after a week. “PIA flights to Beijing and Tokyo will not depart from today,” the PIA spokesperson said. “Travelers of these cities have been notified in advance.” ‘Proper planning’ to tackle…
DOHA: Qatar Airways has signed a significant codeshare agreement with American Airlines in a move that will increase commercial cooperation, bolster connectivity and create hundreds of new travel options for millions of customers. The new agreement will establish a partnership at a global level between two of the world’s most connected airlines, linking some of the largest airport hubs in the US to Hamad International Airport in Doha, voted the Middle East’s best hub and holder of a place in the world’s top five airports for the last three years. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al…
Heathrow Airport in London has announced it’s become one of the world’s first major aviation hubs to become carbon neutral for its infrastructure, and the first to target zero carbon by the mid-2030s. Following investment of over £100 million in improving Heathrow’s energy efficiency and generating and purchasing renewable energy, Heathrow has reduced carbon emissions from airport buildings and infrastructure by 93% compared to 1990. The remaining 7% of airport infrastructure emissions – including those from heating – will now be offset through tree planting projects in Indonesia and Mexico certified through the Verified Carbon Standard. Offsetting will be an…
RIYADH: SaudiGulf Airlines has received the Level 4 New Distribution Capability (NDC) certification from International Air Transport Association (IATA) on schema 18.2. NDC is a key transformation project, launched by Iata to modernise airline distribution. The NDC Standard enhances the capability of communications between airlines and travel agents. NDC is aimed at modernising the 40-year-old data exchange for air ticket distribution developed before the internet was invented. As previously with 100 per cent electronic ticketing IATA program, NDC is a large-scale program that is triggering substantial changes across the industry. Karim Makhlouf, chief commercial officer, SaudiGulf Airlines, stated: “We are…
PESHAWAR: Chinese diplomat Chong Hee Chung on Thursday said that Pak-China friendship was time-tested and that it would further cement in the time to come. Speaking at the certificate award ceremony of Chinese language learning course at China Window Centre here, he said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project was a game-changer for both the countries as huge employment opportunities would be created for the youth in the region. Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) General Manager (Admin & Properties) Sajjad Hameed, diplomats and students of Chinese language course were present on the occasion. He said the youth should learn the…
NEW DELHI: Indian travel agents are unnerved by a possible five percent tax collection at source (TCS) imposed on travelers purchasing outbound tour packages, saying that it would hurt sales and increase their cost of compliance. The tax proposal is slated to be implemented from April 1, 2020. Indian travel agents fear sales would be affected by the proposed tax on outbound tour packages Vineet Raina, founder, and managing director, Pink Elephant Journeys, told TTG Asia that the move to levy TCS on sales of outbound tour packages would push her customers to book directly with foreign tour operators just…
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has introduced one-year multiple-entry visit visas for Pakistanis and all other applicants who have a valid UK, US or Schengen visa stamped on their passports, foreign media reported on Sunday. The new multiple-visa will be valid for one year and the visitors will also be allowed to perform Umrah. However, they are not allowed to perform Haj. Visitors can get visas on arrival at any international airport in Saudi Arabia but they must have a credit card to pay fees amounting to Rs18,000 as cash is not accepted. They will be allowed to stay for 90 days…