IN THE AIR ➔ Etihad sets record straight
in less than half the time (seven years) of major competitors – ie, 13 years for Qatar Airways and 18 years for Emirates. As we went to press, the airline was about to announce two routes to Europe and Asia. Hogan said the next battle is
BTM NEWS
THE first keynote speaker at BTM was Etihad CEO
James Hogan. Bullish as ever over growth, new routes and his airline’s standing in the market, his speech also tried to explode the myths that Etihad was a subsidised airline. “The mandate I was given
was to be best in class and to make a return,” he stated. “We built an airline with a clean
ABERDEEN'S NEW AIR LINK
LUFTHANSA is launching a new three-times-daily service between Aberdeen and its Frankfurt hub when its winter timetable comes into operation at the end of October. The timings of the new flights enable passengers to access onward connections to the carrier's network of over 211 destinations across the world. “This new service from Europe’s oil and energy capital is a direct response to business traveller demand and will strengthen Lufthansa’s position in the world’s key oil and energy markets where we serve almost 80 destinations in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and the Americas,“ says Marianne Sammann, Lufthansa's general manager UK and Ireland.
sheet of paper, that’s unusual, but it is a myth that we have free fuel, no airport charges etc. There are no free kicks,” he said. “Our mantra is about the customer. The average age of our fleet is three years and the trick is to continue to keep one step ahead of the game.” Hogan explained that Etihad
has achieved similar passenger volume of around eight million,
that of the hubs, radiating out from Abu Dhabi as a natural geographic hub. “Our first opportunity is the GCC states and Bangladesh for worker and religious traffic,” Hogan explained. The airline’s network strategy includes partnerships with strong home-based airline partners; currently it has 31 codeshare partners. Hogan cited the importance of
the UK in its medium-haul route plan, with Etihad’s thrice daily service into Heathrow, (where its A380s will be deployed from 2014) and double daily service into Manchester from August 1. “Heathrow and Manchester are our only two cities on our UK road map,” he said.
SIA REVEALS LOW-COST CARRIER
Five minutes with... Stuart McNair
PROFILE
Global Sales and Communications Director THE APPOINTMENT GROUP
Stuart has over 13 years experience in the travel industry. Currently heading up the sales and marketing team at The Appointment Group, he previously worked for Key Travel and then Hillgate Travel.
What is your most memorable business travel trip and why? My first business trip for The Appointment Group to New York: 25 meetings in five days, plus lunches, dinners and a few parties – and my girlfriend flying in from the Bahamas! Then I flew to Los Angeles to do exactly the same. It was the most exhausting but most productive trip I’ve ever had.
What is your worst business travel experience and why? Amazingly, no major dramas so far. Sitting in my Los Angeles hotel room looking at the rain pouring down outside, over a weekend, while missing my three children is as bad as it gets. I’ve been very lucky!
What is your favourite destination worldwide and why? Both New York and Sydney. I have always loved Sydney since my first trip there in 1998 – it’s a beautiful city. I will never tire of travelling to New York. I love the edge, energy and enthusiasm of New Yorkers. When I’m not at our New York office, I hang out in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
SINGAPORE Airlines has revealed plans to launch a low-cost airline subsidiary operating widebody aircraft on medium and long-haul routes, with operations expected to begin within the next 12 months. The SIA Group says the move comes following a period of extensive review and analysis and will allow it to serve a largely untapped market and “cater to the growing demand among consumers for low-fare travel.“ Says SIA ceo Goh Choon Phong, “We are very excited about what our new low-fare subsidiary will offer to
consumers. We are seeing a new market segment being created and this will provide another growth opportunity for the SIA Group. “As we have observed on short-haul routes within Asia, low-fare airlines help stimulate demand for travel, and we expect this will also prove true for longer flights.” More information will be announced soon, including details of the new airline's management team, branding, product specifications and route network, which would presumably include UK and other European destinations.
What three items do you never leave home without when on business? My iPhone, a new book – though I rarely get a chance to read it – and I always have photos of my children.
What single thing could be done to improve your business travelling life? Teleportation? While I’m waiting for that, I’ll settle for common sense airport security measures.
What destinations would you like to visit next and why? I love holidays. I plan on making sure my children are well travelled and we are going on a family holiday to India at Christmas. I’m also planning a South American trip soon, without the children.
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