Four Corners
LATIN AMERICA Preparing for today and tomorrow
The eyes of the world have been on London for the Olympic Games. And not just for the sport, but also for how the city has handled the staging of the games. The event is a massive logistical challenge for the travel industry.
Christopher Pickard
chairman of the Latin American Travel Assocation (LATA)
“Brazil is already investing in
infrastructure for the World Cup and 2016.”
MIDDLE EAST Focus on luxury Linda Celestino
general manager inflight services, Oman Air
“At a time when air
travel is so lacking in imagination, the
Middle East’s focus on luxury is very welcome”
The Middle East region has a fast growing reputation for being home to many of the world’s top luxury airlines. Gulf carriers have laid claim to more ‘Top Ten’ airline awards than their relatively small geographical area might suggest. Such kudos draws heavily on the Middle East’s culture of hospitality and, at a time when nearly every aspect of air travel in other parts of the world can be so lacking in imagination, the Middle East’s focus on luxury is very welcome. Here, service is paramount. The airlines based in this exciting hub, connecting Europe and Asia, are bringing back the glamour, style and service associated with the early days of luxury air travel. They
compare themselves with the best hotels, resorts and destinations and considerable research and investment is made into ensuring all aspects of the travel experience are elevated to beyond where customer expectations usually lie. And the region’s impeccably high standards are delivered by impressively-trained staff, recruited from the four corners of the earth. It is not unusual for 100 nationalities to be represented within a cabin crew community and internal branding plays a vital role here, providing the foundations for crew training and setting the standards. When you can have crew from the Far East, Australasia, Europe, Africa and Scandinavia ALL
delivering a service and product consistently on the one flight, and with the same smile, you know that the training is working and that the internal branding rings true. All this has turned inflight recruitment and training into a vital part of every Middle East airline’s operations, as each one strives to both provide the highest possible standards and differentiate their service from that of their competitors.
Ultimately, the customer is the winner, as they get to enjoy fantastic service, great onboard product and competitive pricing. Middle East airlines seem to be leading the way in heralding a new Golden Age of Air Travel.
www.onboardhospitality.com 51
When the Mayor of London handed on the Olympic flag to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, the eyes of the world turned to Brazil. And not only because of the Olympics, but also the FIFA World Cup in 2014. The World Cup is a bigger logistical challenge in terms of air transportation and accommodation than the Olympics. In 2014 Brazil will have a record 12 host cities, and due to the size of the country that means that teams and fans will fly
fly between games. These won’t be short flights.
Brazil, for example, will play the opening game in São Paulo and its second game in Fortaleza, some 3,000 km to the north. If Brazil gets to the final in Rio it will involve six flights covering a distance of nearly 12,000 km.
Domestically Brazil has seen Revenue Passenger Kilometres increase about 11.2% per year since 2000 and TAM Airlines, Brazil’s major carrier, estimates that there will be an additional 2.5 million passengers during the World Cup from international arrivals and domestic flights. Air traffic will rise to the levels predicted for 2020. Demand from Brazil has already
impacted on Europe, BAA noting that at its UK airports, traffic with Brazil grew more than 20% over the first half of 2012.
Brazil is already investing in infrastructure for the World Cup and 2016. Many cities have modern airports in place that can handle international flights, but the government knows that it now has to invest in the main gateways of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Not just for 2014 and 2016, but because demand for air travel is growing rapidly. Airlines are looking for airports in Brazil to deliver the best possible experience to their passengers, allowing them to concentrate on offering the best experience in the air.
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