Etihad announced last Sunday (February 2), that it has set a 30-day deadline to finalise a possible investment in Alitalia. The two airlines in a joint statement said “Any issues that may prevent the establishment of an appropriate business plan will have to be resolved to ensure the plan can be implemented to move Alitalia to sustainable profitability,” The statement was released while Italy’s prime minister, Enrico Letta, was on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates. The announcement came after a month long review of Alitalia’s finances by Etihad. The Italian carrier is…
Most tatooed man refused passport
The most tattooed man in the UK has had his passport application refused. The passport office refused his reneal on the grounds his new name was not appropriate. Mr Mathew Whelan legally changed his name to ‘King of Ink Land King Body Art The Extreme Ink-Ite’ last March. He goes by Body Art for short. He has a driver’s licence in his new name. The British passport office stated that a policy regarding ‘strings of words or phrases’ meant his name was not permissible. Mr Art complained: :”They want to put my birth name on my passport. But that is…
My “Scoot” to Singapore!
Singapore airline launched Scoot in 2011 as a low cost carrier. I think their intention is to position Scoot between ultra low cost Tiger and regional subsidiary Silk Air. Late last year, Scoot announced an arrangement with Thailand’s Nok air to extend the brand from Thailand so I think Scoot is here to stay for a while. Scoot has gone with a vibrant youth focused vibe. It feels somewhat more “hip” than its parent. For example, they refer to “cuddly” passengers who they encourage to buy two seats. Booking: 10 out of 10 Their booking engine (www.flyscoot.com), available in Cantonese, English,…
No Visa? No Entry?
For some people, the first they think of a visa is when they arrive at the airline check in and are asked if they have a visa for their destination. That’s the last place you want to be working that out because in many cases: no visa, no arrival. I was on a bus in South America when one passenger, found to his horror he would need a visa to enter the next country. He protested: I am a US citizen -why do I need a visa? A visa is a document or mark showing…
Lion cancels 787s
Last Monday, Indonesian budget airline Lion Air cancelled its order for five Boeing 787s and ordered 737s in their stead. The carrier said it needed widebody aircraft to accommodate more than the capacity of the 787-8 for domestic high demand routes and will place a new order for aircraft in 2015. The dreamliners had been ordered in June 2012. They had been intended for Lion Air’s full service subsidiary Batik Air, launched in March 2013. The list price for the package was $US 967.5 million. Batik provides a personal TV (in-flight entertainment system) at every seat, snacks and meal, plus more generous…
Norwegian 787 unhappier and unhappier
Budget carrier, Norwegian Air Shuttle is Europe’s fourth largest low cost carrier (after Ryanair, Easyjet and Air Berlin).It has pinned its long haul expansion hopes on the 787 and the plane keeps letting them down. The airline has endured a number of maintenance issues with its three 787s from brakes to cockpit sensors to grounding to hydraulic pumps. The latest was a fuel gushing from a valve on the plane’s wing at Bangkok airport. The situation was photographed by a passenger and went viral. Passengers had a lengthy delay and the plane flew back to Stockholm for…
Toomey Quits & Jet Airways expands
Anyone know why Jet Airways chief executive officer Gary Toomey announced his immediate departure from the airline last week after four months? Jet Airways announced on January 16; “Gary Kenneth Toomey, chief executive of the company has resigned with immediate effect…Ravishankar Gopalakrishnan, the chief financial officer of the airline, will officiate as the “acting chief executive officer” till the board appoints a new chief“. Mr Toomey said: “I have enjoyed my time at Jet Airways working with the Chairman, the management team and the wonderful staff. I am confident that the Company will be successful in…
Happening Ho Chi Minh City
My first time in HCMC, Vietnam! When I visit a city, I like to rate it across some criteria which gives me a comparison. You can check other city reviews at the end of today’s post. Ho Chi Minh officially replaced Saigon in 1976, after the Vietnamese leader who asserted independence from France in 1946. Saigon was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina from 1859 to 1945 and then the capital of the independent republic of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. Many of us associate Saigon with the long war in that…
More guns at US airports
Most of the Western world knows that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for safety and security at US airports. TSA agents are visible as the screeners at the airport security points. We know them as the folks who sometimes yell at us or sometimes cajole us us to take our belts and shoes off. They xray carry-on luggage and will sometimes hand-search it for contents in the bag itself and in any hidden pockets and false walls. They are responsible for confiscating any dangerous goods including knives and guns. The number of guns…
Qatar 5 star: Hanoi to Bangkok
Qatar have been my favourite airline for over a year now. Based in the Middle Eastern kingdom of the same name, the airline has been growing aggressively adding destinations, planes and crew at a rapid pace. Along the way, they seem to have maintained their quality. The airline, has in more recent years become profitable. Last year, they joined the One World network and this week announced they were forming a Saudi Arabian subsidiary: Al Maha. Skytrax list Qatar as one of the few five star airlines in the world, along with Asiana, ANA, Cathay…
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