KARACHI: Travelport has reached a full content agreement with Pakistan’s national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines. Under the new multi-year agreement, Travelport will expand availability of PIA’s content to Travelport-connected agencies in the Americas and Asia Pacific, as well as continuing to provide access across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In doing so, over 68,000 agencies globally servicing hundreds of millions of travellers will now have real-time access to search, sell, and book the airlines’ full content and inventory. Commenting on the new deal, Ali Tahir, Chief Commercial Officer at Pakistan International Airlines, said: “Travelport has been a valued partner…
Author: holidayweekly
PARIS: Airbus SE secured a $35 billion jet deal from China during a state visit by President Xi Jinping to the French capital, dealing a blow to Boeing Co. as it grapples with the grounding of its best-selling jet. The order consists of 290 A320-series narrow-body planes and 10 A350 wide-bodies, Toulouse-based Airbus said after the transaction was announced in Paris on Monday, 25th March. The deal’s value is almost double that touted by French President Emmanuel Macron in January 2018 during a trip to Beijing. The Airbus coup comes while Boeing’s own 737 Max narrow-body, the chief global rival…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is gearing up for the launch of the Global Aviation Summit, which will take place from April 1-2 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. The summit, which will be held under the patronage of King Salman, will highlight the pivotal role the kingdom plays in the air transport industry, both at a regional and international level. The summit is being hosted by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and will be attended by several transport ministers, head of civil aviation authorities and specialists in international and regional organisations dealing with the aviation sector. The summit…
KARACHI: When already operating with small fleet, four passengers aircraft of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) were grounded; three in Karachi and one in Lahore- after being hit by birds within a week time. The grounding of two Boeing 777 and two Airbus 320 have disturbed the flight schedule besides causing financial loss to the loan ridden PIA. PIA spokesperson Mr. Mashood Tajwar said four of the airline’s aircraft have been grounded within a week after being hit by birds during landing. “The flight schedule has been badly disturbed and more than a dozen flights have been delayed. One international flight…
MUMBAI: The founder of cash-strapped Indian airline Jet Airways has stepped down as Chairman of the company. Mr. Naresh Goyal’s resignation is likely to pave the way for potential investors to save India’s oldest private carrier. They were held back by Goyal’s reluctance to give up control of the company, it stated. Jet’s debt exceeds $1 billion and the airline has grounded some flights as it is struggling to pay employees, suppliers and leasing companies. Within minutes of Monday’s announcement, the company’s stock jumped 12 per cent. The banks, led by State Bank of India (SBI), will take a controlling…
TOKOYO: Japan Airlines and Travelport Worldwide have agreed to form a joint venture to take ownership of Travelport Japan and Axess International Network, a subsidiary of the carrier. Under the unified Travelport Axess brand, the joint venture will operate a global distribution system tailored to the needs of the Japanese travel industry. Travelport Axess will continue to offer travel agents services through Axess’ global distribution system platform, Axess, and enable access to Travelport’s global distribution system platforms, Apollo and Galileo. The proposed joint venture will provide online, mobile and corporate travel propositions including global booking and expense management tools as…
ISTANBUL: Turkish Cargo, which serves 124 countries as the world’s fastest-growing air cargo brand, transported 186 historical works of art belonging to Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe and Topkapı Palaces to Tokyo for the Tulip Tradition in Treasures and the Ottoman Empire exhibition as part of the Turkish Cultural Year in Japan. According to a statement by the national flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY), prior to the move on the Istanbul-Narita route, historical works exhibited at Dolmabahçe and Topkapı Palace were first packed with protective materials to preserve their original texture and structure and later placed in 56 highly secure wooden crates. The…
MARYLAND: Marriott International has presented a three-year growth plan, which includes the opening more than 1,700 hotels around the world. At a meeting with institutional investors and security analysts at the New York Marriott Marquis, the company said it planned plan to add between 275,000 and 295,000 rooms by 2021, supported by the strength of its record 478,000-room pipeline, including roughly 214,000 rooms already under construction. Marriott argued its new room openings during this period could contribute $400 million in fee revenue in 2021 and $700 million annually when stabilised. The company’s three-year growth plan assumes, but does not forecast,…
CAPE TOWN: Africa Tourism is hot right now. Overlooked in the past, the tourism potential of the African continent is now becoming visible. The first African Tourism Board (ATB) is about to be launched in Cape Town during the upcoming World Travel Market Africa in South Africa on April 11 with a list of impressive speakers, ministers, private industry leaders, and stakeholders attending. A week before the ATB launch in Cape Town on April 11, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is getting ready for their annual summit in Seville, Spain. With a price tag of $4,000 for a…
BRASILIA: The Brazilian Government announced that Brazil would allow visa-free entry for citizens of The United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, effective in 90 days (June 17th). Until then, the current e-visa will be required. Citizens of those countries wishing to visit Brazil will no longer need to apply or pay for a visa. They will be able to stay in Brazil for 90 days from the date of first entry in the country, extendable for an equal period, provided that it does not exceed one hundred and eighty days, every twelve months, counted from the date of the first…