p5 news Jan 22 20/1/10 19:26 Page 5
ttglive.com
news
In brief
■ Air France adds lighter seats to aircraft
Air France has introduced a new seat on its
short-haul flights which provides extra legroom
and is 40% lighter than conventional airline
seats. The carrier has introduced the new seats
on its Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft
operating on domestic flights. It estimates that
the new seats will save 5,200 tonnes of carbon
dioxide emissions per year. A team of surgeons from medical charity Merlin headed to Haiti, via the Dom Rep, with Thomas Cook
■ MSC Cruises to base Opera at Southampton
MSC Cruises is to base a ship at Southampton
instead of Dover from 2011. MSC Opera will sail
Industry sends aid to
from the Hampshire port between May and
August 2011 when it will run a series of eight to
10-night voyages around Europe and the Baltic.
MSC has previously run its ex-UK cruises from Haiti quake victims
Dover and Opera will continue to sail from the
Kent port in 2010.
Chris Gray.
supplies to the island during its regular calls at
BRITISH Airways will today send a Boeing 747 Labadee beach. NCL collected supplies for Royal
■ Post Office reveals best places for the pound cargo aircraft from Stansted to the Dominican Caribbean to transport.
Jamaica, Egypt and Dubai have become better Republic loaded with 100 tons of aid from Independent Caribbean tour operators, as well
value destinations for Britons over the last charities including Oxfam, the Red Cross and as other operators and agencies, have been
year due to falling exchange rates, according Unicef to be delivered to neighbouring Haiti. raising money and donating percentages of sales
to research from the Post Office. The Jamaican It will be followed tomorrow by a Thomas Cook to the relief effort.
dollar has declined by 21% against the pound flight from Manchester carrying 14 tons of The offers of help from airlines proved vital to
while the Egyptian pound and UAE dirham have equipment and water supplies from the medical aid agencies who struggled to get supplies to
dropped by 14% and 13% respectively. The Post charity Merlin as well as regular passengers. Haiti in the days after the earthquake.
Office compared the prices of a basket of eight The two flights are the latest consignments Alvaro Villanueva, head of logistics for Merlin
goods and services used by tourists across 30 of aid set to reach the victims of the devastating in London, said Cook’s supply of free seats and
destinations. Hungary, Thailand and Bulgaria earthquake with the help of the travel industry. freight space had proved “absolutely invaluable”.
were the cheapest destinations while Spain BA’s cargo flight carrying land cruisers, food It had allowed the charity to send the surgical
offered the best value in the eurozone. and blankets follows a specially converted team and 4.8 tons of medical equipment includ-
passenger aircraft that took out supplies earlier ing medication, bedding, surgical drills, genera-
■ Travelport to float on stock exchange in the week. Thomas Cook’s Manchester flight tors, solar kits and chlorine tablets.
Technology firm Travelport has confirmed it follows another that took out a team of surgeons Unicef UK executive director David Bull said
will float on the London Stock Exchange. The from Merlin. the supplies flown in by Thomas Cook would
Berkshire-based company, which runs the Galileo Their efforts were mirrored by Virgin Atlantic provide water for thousands of people.
and Worldspan global distribution systems, and Tui, which offered cargo space and free
hopes to raise $1.775 billion from the listing seats, and Royal Caribbean, which delivered ■ Comment: Kuoni’s Derek Jones, p16
which will be used to reduce Travelport’s debts.
It has already raised $225 million in funding in
CAMPAIGN.
exchange for a 7.2% shareholding thanks to a
deal with the Government of Singapore
Flambert pushes for new tourist board
Investment Corporation.
SETTING up a tourist board to promote Haiti is Flambert plans to import Haitian art to be sold
■ Varsity Express to link Oxford to Edinburgh one of the long-term goals of the man leading a at fundraising events in the UK.
A new regional airline will start operating a trade campaign to help the country. He also praised Royal Caribbean for continu-
weekday service between Oxford and Edinburgh Haiti-born Jean-Marc Flambert, director of ing to call at the Haitian port of Labadee as it
airports from March 1. Varsity Express will run a Your Tourism Partner and former UK boss of the provided income for local people.
full service operation using an 18-seat British Sri Lanka Tourist Board, said: “We need to use
Aerospace Jetstream 31 aircraft. The aircraft this awareness to promote Haiti as a destination.
being leased previously flew for British Airways’ My goal in two or three years would be a tourism How you can help: You can donate to the
franchise operator Sun-Air. board for Haiti.” Disasters Emergency Committee at
dec.org.uk
The first fundraising event will be held for the or to Just a Drop’s Just Help Haiti appeal at
ttglive.com
For the latest news, reviews and comment
travel industry in London in early February – the
justgiving.com/justadrophaitiappeal
from the travel industry, visit
ttglive.com date and venue have yet to be confirmed.
22.01.2010 05
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