Month: November 2019

JOHANNESBURG. 31 October 2019. South African Airways (SAA) today took delivery of the first of four new Airbus A350-900s, which improves the airline’s customer offering and commercial prospects.

“We welcome the first A350 home on South African soil. The introduction of the A350s offers a new beginning for the airline and will contribute to the airline’s operational efficiencies, and get SAA back on track. It is an important step-change as we continue to make progress to transform our business and return the airline to financial sustainability in the shortest time possible,” says Zuks Ramasia, SAA’s Acting CEO.

The first aircraft arrived amidst much excitement with employees welcoming the new acquisition as the latest arrival to boost SAA’s fleet with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, which presents a superior customer experience.

The aircraft will operate on one of SAA’s ultra-long haul routes between Johannesburg and New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), replacing the Airbus A340-600 on this route and will still be operated on a nonstop basis. As additional aircraft are introduced, more routes will be operated by the Airbus A350-900s.

Business and Economy Class customers will enjoy the quieter cabin, a more relaxing environment during flight. The Airbus A350-900 is configured with a maximum of 339 seats, of which 30 are Business Class seats and 309 are Economy Class seats, with the first six rows in Economy Class offering extra legroom to provide a more comfortable experience, especially on longer flights. The Business Class cabin has lie flat beds.

The aircraft also offers a modern In-flight Entertainment (IFE) system throughout the cabin.

SAA is set to receive four Airbus A350-900s over a period of six weeks, and all four are expected to operate commercially by mid-December following regulatory approvals and training. SAA will operate the aircraft for three years.

The first two aircraft are nine months old and previously flew commercially with another carrier. Aircraft number two and three are scheduled for arrival during the first week of November and the fourth aircraft will arrive in early December.

The last two aircraft are brand new and will be delivered to SAA directly from the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France. These two aircraft are sub-leased from Air Mauritius and will also fly with SAA for three years.

The commonality and common type rating between the Airbus A350-900 XWB powered aircraft and the other Airbus aircraft in SAA’s fleet translate directly into cost saving for training pilots, crew, engineers and technicians as well as for spares inventory.

The A350-900 XWB has excellent range/payload performance on long-haul flights departing from Johannesburg (the hot-and-high consideration). SAA will achieve approximately 25% lower operating costs (cash) operating the A350-900 XWB, over a 5-year period, compared with some of its four-engine aircraft generation that has similar range and payload capabilities. 

SAA will achieve approximately 25% savings in fuel consumption and emissions. Besides lower operating costs, it will also reduce SAA’s exposure to South Africa’s recently imposed Carbon Tax because it is more environmentally friendly and help it achieves global emissions offset mechanism targets for international aviation requirements.

SAA will also benefit from the approximately 40% lower cost for maintaining the A350-900 XWB’s airframe over a 5-year period, that is, the aircraft excluding the engines, compared with some of its four-engine aircraft generation it will replace on the Johannesburg-New York-Johannesburg and other routes.

The aircraft will be equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Since entering service in 2015, the Trent XWB engines have flown more than five million hours and is regarded as the world’s most efficient large aero-engine.

“With this we extend our relationship with Rolls-Royce and the Trent family of engines by adding the Trent XWB to a fleet that already includes the Trent 700, powering the Airbus A330s,” says Ramasia.

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Source: www.flysaa.com

4th International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao will commence in December. Acclaimed Hong Kong film director Peter Chan, film star Carina Lau and popular Korean boy band EXO’s leader Suho came on board for IFFAM

Kuala Lumpur, 7 November 2019 – The 4th International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao (IFFAM) will be staged from 5th to 10th December this year. Famous Hong Kong Director Peter Chan will be Jury President of the Competition; acclaimed best actress of Chinese films, Carina Lau, and popular Korean boy band EXO’s leader Suho will be Talent Ambassadors respectively in the 4th IFFAM.

The International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao celebrates the extraordinary contributions of filmmakers to the Asian film world and pays special tribute to classic film works, while enhancing the experience Macao has to offer as an international city and showing to the world the city’s diverse new dynamic of the cultural and creative development.

Three Festival Ambassadors of the year include Korean director of the film series “Along with the Gods”, Kim Yong-Hwa, acclaimed Indian film director, actor, producer and TV program host Karan Johar, as well as Chinese independent film director Wang Xiaoshuai.

Peter Chan will be Jury President of the Competition

Coming on board as the Jury President of the Competition in the 4th IFFAM, Peter Chan is an accomplished filmmaker, film director, producer and screenwriter. Since the 1990s, Chan has directed many critically-acclaimed films that also hit high box office records and garnered a range of film awards.

With her outstanding acting performances, famous Hong Kong film star Carina Lau has gained the honor of best actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards, Golden Bauhinia Awards, Golden Roosters and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, Osaka Asian Film Festival, Festival of the 3 Continents. In 2017, she was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Suho is a widely-acclaimed artist in Korea and around the world. As a singer, he and other EXO members have reached the pinnacles of success with their outstanding accomplishments in the Korean and Asian world of modern music. His radiant talents have also extended into musicals, TV dramas and movies in recent years.

Cinematic feast for audiences

The Film Festival will screen an extravaganza of around 50 feature and short films from the East and West through various sections as follows: opening and closing films; three competition sections namely International Competition, New Chinese Cinema and Shorts Competition; six non-competition sections including World Panorama, Flying Daggers, Gala, Special Presentations, “20th Anniversary Macao Special Presentations” and Director’s Choice, among other sections in the program.

The ten entries in the International Competition include Bellbird, Bombay Rose, Buoyancy, Family Members, Give Me Liberty, Goldie, Homecoming, Lynn + Lucy, Two of Us and Two/One and etc.

Opening movie won People's Choice Award in Toronto International Film Festival

Jojo Rabbit is a satirical black comedy film and a screen adaptation of Christine Leunens’ novel Caging Skies. The story is set against the backdrop of the Second World War, about a young German boy (portrayed by Roman Griffin Davis) in face of various disputes in the times of turbulence. The movie creates a humorous portrayal of solemn and sensitive issues through the eyes of a child, turning a hilarious black satirical comedy into life.

4th International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao will feature “20th Anniversary Macao Special Presentations”

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region, this edition of IFFAM will present a special section titled “20th Anniversary Macao Special Presentations”. A selection of local films will be screened in this non-competition section, including Ina and The Blue Tiger Sauna, Let’s Sing, Patio of Illusion, Strings of Sorrow and Years of Macao, to bring outstanding local film productions into the limelight on the international stage, showcase the diverse dynamic of the cultural and creative industries in Macao and pay tribute to the city’s film industry professionals.

The Film Festival will feature a new competition “SHORTS” this year, joining universities from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao to accept short film entries created by their students. Ten entries will be selected for screening during the 4th IFFAM and the best short film will be chosen.

“New Chinese Cinema” adds competition element

The “New Chinese Cinema” this year will be adding competition element and five accolades, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress, will be conferred to commend filmmakers for their extraordinary artistry.

Organized by MGTO and MFTPA, the Film Festival is committed to become a major gathering for international filmmakers to enhance cultural exchange, while putting forward Asian film talent and film works onto the global stage. As an annual international event in Macao, the Film Festival will continue to push forward the development of Macao’s film, cultural and creative industries, enhance exchange opportunities with international movies as well as unveil a wider landscape for development of cultural and artistic platforms, tourism and other fields.

Ticketing starts tomorrow

Films in the IFFAM programme will be shown to the public at Macao Cultural Centre, Macau Tower, Cinematheque・Passion and Macao Old Court Building. Residents and visitors can buy the film tickets through www.macauticket.com starting from now, or at the screening venues during the Film Festival.

For more information about the 4th International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao, please visit: http://www.iffamacao.com/ (Source: Organizing Committee of International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao)

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Hawaiian now offers three daily nonstop flights between Tokyo Haneda and Hawai‘i

HONOLULU – Hawaiian Airlines today announced ticket sales have begun for a third daily nonstop flight between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) and the Hawaiian Islands. The new daily service from Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) to HND begins on March 28, 2020, several months ahead of the 2020 Olympic Summer Games.

The airline received U.S. Department of Transportation approval this summer for the new slot, allowing earlier departure and arrival times at Tokyo Haneda and enabling substantially more connections for guests traveling to and from cities throughout Japan with codeshare partner Japan Airlines. 

“As the leading U.S. carrier for service between Japan and Hawai‘i, we are pleased to offer our guests convenient and effortless travel options by adding a third daily flight between Tokyo Haneda and Hawai‘i,” said Theo Panagiotoulias, senior vice president of global sales and alliances at Hawaiian Airlines.

Starting with the inaugural flight on March 28, HA863 will depart HNL at 12:35 p.m., with an estimated 5:15 p.m. arrival at HND the following day. The return flight, HA864, will depart HND at 8:15 p.m. and arrive at HNL at 8:10 a.m. the same day, giving guests plenty of time to enjoy their first day on O‘ahu or connect to neighboring Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian became the first U.S. carrier to serve Tokyo Haneda in 2010, stimulating further growth in the market over the last nine years by providing consistent and uninterrupted service. The carrier added additional service from Tokyo Haneda in 2016, serving Honolulu four times per week and Kona three times per week. That same year, Hawaiian also launched service between Tokyo’s Narita airport and Honolulu. Today, the Honolulu/Tokyo market is the largest U.S.-Japan city pair with more than 2,300 passengers per day each way.

Hawaiian, which today operates a leading 31 weekly nonstop flights between Japan and Hawai‘i with wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft, will further expand its network on Nov. 26 when it begins four weekly flights between Fukuoka and Honolulu. The airline also offers flights between Hawai‘i and both Kansai International Airport in Osaka and New Chitose Airport in Sapporo.

Tickets can be purchased at www.HawaiianAirlines.com, through travel agencies, or by calling Hawaiian's Reservations Department toll-free at 800-367-5320.

Source:  www.hawaiianairlines.com

Aeroflot announces the launch of its Winter schedule, which will operate from 27 October 2019 through 29 March 2020.

Increased flight frequencies on a number of existing routes is the highlight of the coming winter timetable compared to summer season.

Aeroflot will considerably expand the number of flights to popular leisure destinations: Dubai (from 21 to 28 flights per week), Bangkok (from 7 to 14 flights per week) and Phuket (from 5 to 15 flights per week). To meet seasonal demand Aeroflot will increase frequency of flights to Miami (from 4 to 5 flights per week), Male (from 5 tо 7 flights per week), Ho Chi Minh City (from 2 to 3 flights per week). Russia’s leading carrier will offer more services on routes from Moscow to Denpasar (from 2 tо 3 flights per week) and Colombo (from 2 tо 5 flights per week) with flights operated jointly with subsidiary Rossiya Airlines.   

Flight frequencies will increase for the following destinations from Moscow to cities in Russia and CIS: Volgograd (from 35 to 42 flights per week), Ekaterinburg (from 63 to 70 flights per week),  Krasnoyarsk (from 21 to 28 flights per week), Mineralnye Vody (from 35 to 42 flights per week), Nizhnevartovsk (from 14 tо 21 flights per week), Orenburg (from 14 tо 28 flights per week), Rostov-on-Don (from 28 to 56 flights per week), Saint-Petersburg (from 140 tо 154 flights per week), Sochi (from 77 tо 84 flights per week), Chelyabinsk (from 35 tо 42 flights per week) and Ufa (from 49 tо 56 flights per week), as well as Minsk (from 35 tо 42 flights per week). Besides, Aeroflot will launch 7 own flights per week on Moscow – Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk line in addition to daily services operated by subsidiary Rossiya Airlines.

This winter season Aeroflot will operate flights to 149 destinations in 53 countries. The airline’s route network will span 55 routes across Russia, 17 points in seven CIS countries and 77 international destinations.  

Aeroflot’s expansive route network is supplemented by services offered by its subsidiary airlines.  Rossiya Airlines will operate flights under Aeroflot’s commercial management on 47 routes (42 unique routes): 39 services from Saint-Petersburg and 8 services from Moscow. In Russia’s Far East, Aurora Airlines will offer flights on 16 routes under Aeroflot’s commercial management. Low-cost carrier Pobeda developing a unique route network will fly to 86 destinations (35 unique routes).

In Winter 2019-2020, Aeroflot Group will fly its scheduled flights on 298 routes (242 unique routes) to 56 countries.

Aeroflot Group’s offerings are enhanced by code-sharing agreements with partner airlines. Code-sharing agreements allow Aeroflot to offer travel to an additional 162 non-repetitive destinations and 19 countries: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ghana, Iceland, Kenya, Laos, Luxemburg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

In total, inclusive of partner airline flights, Aeroflot Group in Winter 2019-2020 will fly 460 routes (404 non-repetitive routes) to 75 countries.

Source: www.aeroflot.ru