KING SHAKA FLIGHTS TO OPERATE FROM MAY 01

Airlines have received official confirmation that the cutover date for flights from the existing Durban airport to the new King Shaka Airport will take place on May 1.

Airlink, said to be the first airline to operate from the airport, has announced that all flights, up to and including April 30, will land at the existing Durban International Airport and all its flights will officially operate from King Shaka Airport from May 1.

Airlink says the new airport is approximately 65km from the current airport, and says it’s vital that all passengers are made aware of the cutover date.

Other airlines affected by the airport move are:

1time Airlines/Air Mauritius/Airlink/TTA/Airlink/Comair/kulula.com/Emirates/Interlink/Mango/South African Airways/South African Express

UPDATE ON CHILE TOURISM

Santiago Airport national and international flights operating:
The airport has started national and international flights again already last Wednesday and is gradually increasing its operations. Special procedures are in place at the moment and travelers are asked to report to the airport 3 hours ahead of their departure flights.
The Airport highway to Santiago as well as the roads of Santiago and surroundings are in good condition.

The country:
Chile is a Country which stretches over 4300 km. It has been divided into 15 regions and only 2 of those (region XII and region XIII) have suffered damages. These areas happen not to be any tourist destinations.

Tourist areas operating as usual:
The popular Atacama Desert in the North of Chile had not been affected by the earthquake at all and all programs are being offered as usual.
Same counts for the pristine Easter Island, which lies 2,300 miles from the coast as well as for the exciting area of the Lake region, North and South Patagonia with the famous “Torres del Paine National Park”.

Santiago back to normal:
Hotels and Restaurants have not suffered any major damage.
At times small paint jobs and repair works were needed which have either been completed already or in some cases are still underway. City tours of Santiago and to Valparaiso are being offered as usual. Santiago itself has hardly been affected as the capital is located 330km (205miles) SW of the epicenter

LUFTHANSA OFFERS BEER GARDEN AT MUNICH LOUNGE

While waiting for their flight, Lufthansa customers can now wait in a traditional beer garden
overlooking the Bavarian Alps.

In cooperation with Munich’s Franziskaner brewery, qualifying passengers can relax at traditional beer tables, enjoying draught beer tapped from the barrel with Bavarian pretzels. The beer garden is located at the refurbished Business Lounge in the Schengen departures area of Terminal 2 - Munich

FLY TO THE WORLD CUP WITH QANTAS SOCCEROOS

Qantas today announced that football fans will be able to book seats on a dedicated delivery flight carrying the Australian team to the FIFA World Cup.

Qantas will fly the ‘Qantas Socceroos’ on its specially painted Boeing 747 from Melbourne to Johannesburg on 26 May 2010.

Fans would be able to purchase seats in the First, Premium Economy and Economy cabins

MALAYSIA OFFERS KL SIGHTSEEING FOR TRANSIT PAX

Passengers in transit at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) now have the option of touring some of the city’s most famous attractions with the introduction of the Showcase KL tour.

For just MYR95 (US$28) per person, passengers with a minimum transit time of five hours to spare can take a trip on the KL Hop-On Hop-Off (KL HOHO) bus. The tour allows participants to experience up to 43 Attractions in the city.

Showcase KL tour also entitles passengers to special discounts on entrance fees and shopping including Aquaria KLCC, the KL Bird Park and Kuala Lumpur Tower

HOSPITALITY GIANTS MOVE TO EARTHCHECK

Several leaders in the sustainable travel and tourism industry, including hospitality giants IHG, Carlson Asia Pacifi c, Sandals Resorts International, Langham, Banyan Tree, Alila, Six Senses and Dusit, have signed-up to have their operations monitored by EarthCheck.

The scheme, jointly developed by the Australian government funded Sustainable Tourism
Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC) and Brisbane-based company EC3 Global, measures
companies’ environmental performance, such as waste reduction and non-renewable resource management.

LONGEST BIKE RIDE IN ASIA

Asian cycling tour operator, SpiceRoads, is planning its longest ever itinerary – an epic 3,000km, 39-day bike ride from Hanoi to Phuket.

The ride, scheduled to start mid-September, will take travellers through Vietnam,
Laos and Thailand, including a well-deserved rest in Luang Prabang