Menu

Month: August 2019

Home / 2019 / August
Aeroflot Becomes FIBA’s Global Partner and Official Airline of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019

Aeroflot Becomes FIBA’s Global Partner and Official Airline of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019

Photo: FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Ambassador Yao Ming, Director General of FIBA Media and Marketing Services (FMMS) Frank Leenders with Aeroflot stewardesses launching the Trophy Tour (May 23, Beijing)

Aeroflot, one of the world's premium airline brands and Russia's flag carrier, has become a FIBA Partner and the Official Airline of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

This summer Aeroflot and FIBA are taking the Basketball World Cup Trophy to cities around the globe, delivering an exciting World Cup experience to fans and showcasing its greatest prize as part of basketball celebrations and FIBA's flagship competition.

Under the agreement, Aeroflot holds the Presenting Partner rights for the Trophy Tour and the Trophy Ceremony that will occur following the Final in Beijing on September 15.

The contractual rights also include Aeroflot’s brand visibility on all basketball courts across the eight host cities of the World Cup and Presenting Partner rights for the "Best Flying Moments" that celebrate the most spectacular actions of the competition across FIBA's official digital platforms.

FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis said: "We are extremely pleased to welcome Aeroflot as a FIBA Global Partner. It's an immense honor to partner with such a leading and renowned company, which we believe, will be a great partner in our mission of developing and growing basketball worldwide. We are confident the partnership will be successful for both organizations and we look forward to a fruitful cooperation."

Aeroflot Deputy CEO for Strategy and Marketing Andrey Panov said: "Since the start of Aeroflot global partnerships, its brand awareness has doubled in key markets. We believe that our partnership with FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 will positively impact on recognition of the Aeroflot brand and further reinforce our position in one of our key markets – China – where this year's World Cup is taking place. We are also honored to be the first airline that takes part in the first ever global FIBA Trophy Tour."

Founded in 1923, Aeroflot today flies to 159 destinations in 54 countries and is the world's most recognized airline brand according to the world's leading independent brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

The agreement was brokered by FIBA Marketing, the strategic partnership between FIBA and Infront.

Source: www.fiba.basketball

Seabourn Returns to Istanbul, Turkey, In 2020 with Four Seven-Day Eastern Mediterranean Voyages on Seabourn Ovation

Seabourn Returns to Istanbul, Turkey, In 2020 with Four Seven-Day Eastern Mediterranean Voyages on Seabourn Ovation

 Seabourn, the world’s finest ultra-luxury travel experience, is returning to Istanbul, Turkey, in October 2020 aboard the line’s newest ship, Seabourn Ovation. The 300-suite ship – all with verandas - will sail four seven-day eastern Mediterranean voyages between Istanbul and Athens, Greece, or Athens to Istanbul exploring the iconic Greek Isles and richly historic cities in Turkey.

Guests will either embark or debark in Istanbul during the four new week-long itineraries, which will include:

  • Seven-day Ephesus & Greek Isles (October 10 and October 24, 2020) – Seabourn Ovation will depart Athens and sail to the beautiful Greek Islands, including Patmos; Agios Nikolaos, Crete; Mykonos, and Skiathos, as well as Bozcaada and Kusadasi, Turkey, before arriving at Istanbul. The ship’s visit to Kusadasi will feature Seabourn’s signature complimentary “Evening at Ephesus,” a private classical concert in the ancient ruins under the stars that became a favorite for guests. 
  • Seven-day Turkish & Aegean Treasures (October 17 and October 31, 2020) – The ship will depart Istanbul and traverse the waters of the Aegean Sea to Myrina, Rhodes, Santorini, and Spétsai in Greece, while also visiting Çesme and Bodrum along the turquoise coast of Turkey, before arriving at Athens.

“Istanbul is a fascinating city steeped in history, with stunning architectural wonders and cultural sites,” said Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn. “These sailings – with so much heritage accessible in every port – are perfect for anyone considering a trip to the Eastern Mediterranean in 2020.”

Travelers wishing to explore Turkey more in-depth may combine the two seven-day voyages for a longer and more immersive 14-day experience. In addition to receiving a memorable journey in Turkey and Greece, guests will also receive savings of up to 10% off of regular cruise fares when they book back-to-back sailings.

In addition, Seabourn Odyssey will also visit several cities in Turkey in 2020, including Cesme, Kusadasi, Fethiye, and Bodrum during the ship’s eastern Mediterranean season.

Prior to the four new itineraries, Seabourn Ovation will spend the summer of 2020 in Northern Europe, offering seven- and 14-day voyages, including in the Baltic between Copenhagen and Stockholm, as well as along the North Cape and to St. Petersburg, Russia. Then the ship will head to the British Isles and travel around the continent from Dover to Lisbon via Paris. In the fall, Seabourn Ovation will sail the Mediterranean from the Iberian Peninsula to Morocco, the French and Italian Rivieras, and on to Greece and Turkey. These voyages may also be combined and booked back-to-back for an in-depth travel experience.

Seabourn represents the pinnacle of ultra-luxury travel with intimate ships offering key elements that set the line apart: spacious, thoughtfully appointed suites, many with verandas and all oceanfront; superb dining in a choice of venues; complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times; award-winning service and a relaxed, sociable atmosphere that makes guests feel at home on board. The ships travel the globe to many of the world’s most desirable destinations including marquee cities, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and lesser-known ports and hideaways.

Regular guests of Seabourn will continue to find a number of innovative offerings and programs, including partnerships with a select group of companies and individuals whose dedication to superior quality, exceptional service and consistent customer satisfaction matches Seabourn.

Such programs include ‘An Evening with Tim Rice’, the new evening entertainment experience created exclusively for the line in association with Belinda King Creative Productions; ‘Shopping with the Chef’ excursions in select ports, with an expert Seabourn chef as guide to learn about regional markets and see how the freshest ingredients are selected; ‘Seabourn Conversations’ with special guest speaker including knowledgeable historians, naturalists, marine biologists, destination experts and more; Spa and Wellness with Dr. Andrew Weil, offering guests a holistic spa and wellness experience that integrates physical, social, environmental and spiritual well-being; and The Grill by Thomas Keller, reminiscent of the classic American restaurant from the 50’s and 60’s. Exclusive to Seabourn, The Grill is a unique culinary concept for Chef Keller, focusing on updated versions of iconic dishes. Guests will be treated to table-side preparations of Caesar salad and ice cream sundaes, as well as a range of other favorites like premium steaks, whole roasted chicken, and Lobster Thermidor, presented à la carte. 

Rail Europe: 8 Swiss places you can only reach by public transport

Rail Europe: 8 Swiss places you can only reach by public transport

Impressive mountains, crystal clear lakes and rolling hillscapes: The diversity of the Swiss natural scenery can be explored in many different ways. Some locations even offer a uniquely exclusive piece of Switzerland, as they are only accessible by public transport – a comfortable as well as eventful experience. Here are our Top 8:

1: Zermatt, Wallis.

The holiday resort Zermatt is located at the foot of the Matterhorn in the middle of a landscape bursting with adventure possibilities and panoramic views. The village with strong ties to the probably most famous of Swiss mountains can only be reached on foot or by public transport. Also, having arrived by train, there are only two ways to continue the journey: on foot or in one of the e-taxis belonging to the village – an additional feature that lends charm to the place. All the panoramic mountains like Gornergrat or Sunnegga can also be comfortably reached by cogwheel train respectively cableway.

2: Stoos, Schwyz.

Nestling in a lovely Alpine landscape at the foot of the Fronalpstock lies the car-free holiday resort Stoos on the sunny plateau of the same name. The ascent to 1,300 metres is an adventure in itself: Since its opening in December 2017, the world’s steepest funicular has been running from Schwyz up to the Stoos and delights guests from far and wide. Innovative state-of-the-art engineering makes it possible for the cabins to perfectly adjust to the extreme gradient and thus enables a comfortable and spectacular journey to the village – despite a gradient of 110%. Those who consider this too steep can always opt for the cableway from Morschach.

3: Alp Grüm, Graubünden.

Surrounded by a magnificent mountainscape and pristine nature lies the small station Alp Grüm.  No cars can reach the picturesque station building of ashlar masonry at an altitude of 2,091 metres – this gem can only be accessed by a Rhaetian Railways train or on foot. But the excursion to this hidden paradise is absolutely worthwhile: The charms of the beautiful Bernina massif and the eternal ice of the Palü Glacier are overwhelming. The distinctive view over the entire Val Poschiavo stretching down to Italy caps off this wonderful panoramic experience.

4: Wengen, Bern.

Wengen lies on a sheltered sun terrace at the foot of the Jungfrau, 400 metres above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. This holiday resort at 1,274 metres altitude offers a wealth of tradition as well as a family-friendly skiing and hiking area. With its nostalgic timber cottages, numerous holiday chalets dotting the landscape, and the hotels from the “Belle Epoque”, the resort in the Bernese Oberland has preserved its picture-perfect mountain village character. Since 1893, the car-free Wengen has been accessible from Lauterbrunnen with the Wengernalp Railway. Since June 2018, a new open-air cableway has been leading up to the Männlichen from Wengen and promises a fantastic view of snow-capped mountains and the Lauterbrunnen Valley.

5: Mürren, Bern. 

Mürren is the highest-situated, permanently inhabited village of the Canton of Bern. It lies on a terrace of 1,650 metres, high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The former Walser settlement at the foot of the Schilthorn can only be reached by public transport and offers a view of the untouched mountainscape on the opposite side of the valley. From Lauterbrunnen a shuttle railway leads up to the plateau, and from Stechelberg a cableway runs right to the heart of the car-free village – past roaring waterfalls and sheer rock faces. From both stations, a cableway makes the Schilthorn at 2,970 metres altitude accessible. Visitors delight in a fantastic panoramic view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

6: Rigi Kaltbad, Central Switzerland.

Mount Rigi impresses with a breathtaking all-around panoramic view – onto Lake Lucerne, Lake Zug and Lake Lauerzersee among other gems – and belongs to the most formidable mountains of the Voralpen. Surrounded by a fantastic “water world”, Rigi offers a piece of pristine natural beauty far away from car traffic. The eventful journey starts with a historic ride on Europe’s first cog railway. The railway built in 1871 runs from Vitznau to the station Rigi Kaltbad at 1,798 metres altitude – stunning panoramic views included. Having arrived at the top, a direct cableway connection down to Weggis is available, where the Alps and Lake Lucerne combine into a wonderfully mystical scenery.

7: Quinten, St. Gallen.

On a small strip of land projecting out into Lake Walensee lie Quinten and the hamlet Au – a lovely spot that is bounded by the lake on the one side and the precipitous rock faces of the Churfirsten mountain chain on the other. Quinten can be reached on foot from either Weesen or Walenstadt, or else via boat. Thanks to the very mild climate, grapes, figs, kiwis and other tropical fruits thrive here and lend a distinctly Mediterranean flair to this excursion destination. The boat cruise to the car-free village is a unique experience and delights with fairy-tale views of the hiking region of Mount Flumserberg and the towering rock walls rising 

8: Rütli, Uri.

Experiencing a piece of history: For the Swiss, the Rütli represents the pinnacle of the Swiss founding myth. It is the history-steeped location where allegiance was sworn by the original Swiss confederates in 1291 – a myth fuelled by the impressive drama “Wilhelm Tell” by Friedrich Schiller. The “birthplace of Switzerland” is not accessible except by public transport or on foot. The Rütli can be reached on a roughly one-hour hike on the “path of Switzerland” from Seelisberg or by boat from either Brunnen or Flüelen. The spectacular boat cruise from Lucerne takes a good two hours.

Source: www.mystsnet.com

United Airlines Adds Service to Tokyo, Haneda with Routes from Chicago, Los Angeles, New York/Newark and Washington, D.C.

United Airlines Adds Service to Tokyo, Haneda with Routes from Chicago, Los Angeles, New York/Newark and Washington, D.C.

United Airlines today announced it will begin service between four of its U.S. hubs and Tokyo's Haneda International Airport, located approximately 15 minutes from downtown Tokyo. United will begin operating nonstop service between Chicago, Los Angeles, New York/Newark and Washington, D.C. and Haneda on March 28, 2020, subject to government approval. United currently offers daily nonstop service between San Francisco and Haneda. Tickets for United's new Haneda flights will be available for purchase starting Saturday, August 17.

In addition to United's new Haneda flights, Tokyo's Narita International airport will continue to be a hub for United with nonstop daily service between Narita and Denver, Guam, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark and San Francisco. With the start of these new routes, United will no longer serve Narita from its Chicago and Washington D.C. hubs, and will shift these flights from Narita to Haneda.

"Our new service to Haneda gives our customers more choice and connections to more than 65 destinations throughout Asia. With service beginning next spring, we look forward to providing convenient service for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and beyond," said Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of International Network. "United has offered nonstop service between the U.S. and Japan for more than 40 years and we are excited to expand our Japan network at Tokyo's Haneda Airport and continue to be the largest U.S. carrier to Japan."

United commends the efforts of Secretary Elaine Chao, her team at the U.S. Department of Transportation and officials at the U.S. State Department in making additional services at Tokyo Haneda a reality starting spring 2020.

United Airlines to Tokyo Haneda Schedule, Effective March 28, 2020

Flight From To Depart Arrival Aircraft
UA 881 Chicago Haneda 12:45 p.m. 3:55 p.m. (+1) B777-200ER
UA 882 Haneda Chicago 5:45 p.m. 3:55 p.m. B777-200ER
UA 39 Los Angeles Haneda 12:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m. (+1) B787-10
UA 38 Haneda Los Angeles 6:20 p.m. 12:25 p.m. B787-10
UA 131 New York/Newark Haneda 10:40 a.m. 1:35 p.m. (+1) B777-200ER
UA 130 Haneda New York/Newark 5:15 p.m. 5:10 p.m. B777-200ER
UA 803 Washington Dulles Haneda 12:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. (+1) B777-200ER
UA 804 Haneda Washington Dulles 4:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m. B777-200ER
UA 875 San Francisco Haneda 10:45 a.m. 1:55 p.m. (+1) B787-9
UA 876 Haneda San Francisco 3:45 pm 9:05 a.m. B787-9

*Aircraft type and flight times are subject to change

*United currently serves Haneda from San Francisco

 United Airlines to Tokyo Narita Schedule, Effective March 28, 2020

Flight From To Depart Arrival Aircraft
UA 837 San Francisco Narita 11:30 a.m. 2:35 p.m. (+1) B777-300ER
UA 838 Narita San Francisco 5:05 p.m. 10:20 a.m. B777-300ER
UA 32 Los Angeles Narita 11:30 a.m. 3:10 p.m. (+1) B787-9
UA 33 Narita Los Angeles 5:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. B787-9
UA 143 Denver Narita 1:30 p.m. 4:20 p.m. (+1) B787-8
UA 142 Narita Denver 6:00 p.m. 1:35 p.m. B787-8
UA 7 Houston Narita 10:25 a.m. 2:00 p.m. (+1) B777-200ER
UA 6 Narita Houston 4:35 p.m. 2:30 p.m. B777-200ER
UA 79 New York/Newark Narita 11:05 a.m. 1:55 p.m. (+1) B777-300ER
UA 78 Narita New York/Newark 5:00 p.m. 4:50 p.m. B777-300ER
UA 903 Honolulu Narita 09:55 a.m. 1:25 p.m. (+1) B777-200ER
UA 902 Narita Honolulu 6:55 p.m. 7:00 a.m. B777-200ER
UA 828 Guam Narita 7:00 a.m. 9:55 a.m. B777-200 / B737-800
UA 196 Guam Narita 12:00 p.m. 2:55 p.m. B737-800
UA 873 Guam Narita 5:05 p.m. 7:50 p.m. B777-200 / B737-800
UA 827 Narita Guam 11:00 a.m. 3:45 p.m. B777-200 / B737-800
UA 197 Narita Guam 5:35 p.m. 10:35 p.m. B737-800
UA 874 Narita Guam 9:05 p.m. 1:45 a.m. (+1) B777-200 / B737-800

*Aircraft type and flight times are subject to change

Every customer. Every flight. Every day.

In 2019, United is focusing more than ever on its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers' best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to today's announcement, United recently announced that customers on all domestic flights can now choose from three complimentary inflight snack items, announced that luxury skincare line Sunday Riley will make products exclusively for United customers to experience in amenity kits, released a re-imagined version of the most downloaded app in the airline industry, introduced ConnectionSaver, a new tool dedicated to improving the experience for customers connecting from one United flight to the next and made DIRECTV free for every passenger on 211 aircraft, offering more than 100 channels on seat back monitors on more than 30,000 seats.

Aeroflot ranks No1 by punctuality in July among world’s top 20 airlines

Aeroflot ranks No1 by punctuality in July among world’s top 20 airlines

Aeroflot ranks first by punctuality in July among world’s 20 largest airlines, according to the leading global provider of travel data and insight OAG.

Acc. to the monthly OAG On-Time Performance Report, in July 2019, Aeroflot operated 86.7% of flights on schedule. The Russian carrier has showed top result among the largest global carriers making up the world’s top 20 airlines by operations ranking. Aeroflot has outperformed major competitors, and has greatly improved its punctuality result against that of June 2019 posting a 1.3 p.p growth.

Earlier this summer, Aeroflot received five-star punctuality rating from OAG, becoming the only Russian and the largest European airline by passenger traffic to receive the highest score. Aeroflot made it to the only 10% of On-Time Performance Star Ratings to receive the highest five-star rating.

 Aeroflot has been constantly improving its punctuality result through a host of effective measures. These included strict implementation of boarding regulations. Future plans include innovations based on the latest digital technologies, such as biometric controls, that will significantly accelerate pre-flight airport procedures for passengers.

Source: Aeroflot News