TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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SOuTHERN AFRiCA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLYJanuary 20 2010 I No. 2090

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agENTzoNEnAkeD Agent

Job satisfaction shines through

fEaTurEVictoriA FAlls

Back on the safari circiut

NEWSDeceMber HoliDAy seAson

Better than expected in Cape

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Melody Brandon

AIRLINES expect a draft decision to be released soon from

the Independent Economic Regulator on Acsa’s proposed 133% tariff increase, a move considered to be a threat to air travel in the country.

Acsa fees, including passenger charge, landing fees and rentals, amount to R81 per passenger. Should Acsa’s application be granted, this would rise to over R185 per person per single trip.

The proposed hike has caused a furore with Iata announcing recently it had added Acsa to the air transport industry’s ‘hall of shame’ for the proposed fee increase.

“This is just in time to greet all of the visitors who will be coming to the next Soccer World Cup,” says Iata dg and ceo, Giovanni Bisignani.

Airline representatives agree that Acsa’s early implementation of the new charges are indeed aimed at catching some of the 2010 World Cup traffic.

In a note to the Tourism Ministry, airline representatives says they believed the hike was an “attempt to improve the visitor and media perception of the country through grand and impressive ports of entry and to provide capacity for a single event with

a duration of one month at the expense of airlines as the majority of the cost increases are in the form of increases to the airlines themselves”.

Highlighting what they call “a widely publicised smoke screen”, airlines say the increased user fees and taxes, which are levied on airlines operating to and from South Africa rather than passed on directly to the passenger by Acsa, allow the organisation to “show in rand terms that the passenger contribution to Acsa is only a fraction of the real cost”. The note alleges that people are often told that Acsa charges (shown as tax on the ticket) are “minuscule in comparison to the airline fees and surcharges”, but this is “not reality”. According to the note, “the true cost of what airlines pay to Acsa forms part of the ticket price” and is hence in any case passed on to the passenger, who can choose not to fly with a carrier they believe is overcharging and to fly with a carrier that is “subsidised to counter the effects of the increased cost of doing business”.

Iata hit out at Acsa last year (see TNW November 4) over the proposed increase, warning it would further damage an industry buckling under financial pressure.

Aasa (Airlines Association of Southern Africa) has too added its voice. Acsa executive

finance director, Priscillah Mabelane, and Comair cfo, Aasa member, Yasas Sri-Chandana, were embroiled in a public war of words over the proposed hike.

Priscillah argued that the proposed increase would enable the company to reward its investors adequately for their investments.

She said the company had previously warned the Independent Economic Regulator it would need to prefund its R19bn infrastructure development, resulting in steep increases.

“Like Eskom, Acsa is calling on users of its airports to fund its financial shortfall. For the past few years Acsa has made profit margins of over 24% and has paid billions of rands worth of dividends to its shareholders,” Yasas retorted.

“When you consider a low-cost flight between Johannesburg and Durban costs on average R300, Acsa charges will make up more than half the cost of a ticket.”

1time ceo, Rodney James, says the proposed increase is crazy. “Increasing tariffs by 133% to adequately reward its investors is not enough reason to stifle the recovery of domestic air travel in South Africa. What a fantastic business. A captive market and you can turn on the profit tap whenever you feel like it!”

Acsa slated for ‘crazy’ hike

Etihad has launched a new iPhone application for its loyalty programme members, billed as “the first application of its kind to offer real-time loyalty points redemption for its users”. The application, available free to download and use from the Apple iPhone store, will provide Etihad Guest members with a user-friendly tool designed to assist them manage their accounts and stay informed about the latest Etihad Guest promotions. Members can redeem their points immediately, check the latest partner promotions and view their account information. Going mobile is Etihad Airways country manager Craig Thomas (pictured here) Photo: Tijana Huysamen

natalia thoMson

MALAYSIA Airlines will launch two new weekly non-stop flights from Johannesburg to Kuala Lumpur from March 30,

bringing to four the number of flights per week the carrier will operate from South Africa.

Departing 13h40, with arrivals in Kuala Lumpur at

Free to download

Four weekly for MH

To page 12To page 12

NEWS

2 n Wednesday January 6/13 2010 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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EDITORIAL Editor: Natalia Thomson nataliat@nowmedia.co.za Sub -Editor: Ann Braun annb@nowmedia.co.za Cape Town Editor: Hilka Birns hilkab@nowmedia.co.za Journalists: Jeanette Phillips jeanettep@nowmedia.co.zaNatasha Tippel natashat@nowmedia.co.zaMelody Brandon melodyb@nowmedia.co.za Photo Journalist: Tijana Huysamen tijanah@nowmedia.co.zaFounding Editors: John H Marsh (1914-1996) Leona Marsh (1923-2003)

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Hilka Birns

TOURISM to the Western Cape made a surprise comeback in the second

half of December after a slow start to the season because of shorter school holidays and a recession-linked curb on spending, says Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU) ceo, Calvyn Gilfellan.

“We expected a much lower season judging by the slow start but, according to feedback from all our regional tourism offices, it appeared tourism made a surprise comeback in the second half of the month,” he told TNW.

He said it appeared people had begun their holidays later and, after bargain hunting, had vacationed for a shorter period.

Calvyn said tourism establishments on the West Coast had reported good numbers but shorter stays.

He said media hype and heightened awareness of the drought on the Garden Route resulted in some people avoiding the area, although tourism there had picked up over Christmas and New Year.

In Cape Town, four- and five-star establishments struggled, but two-, three-star and other budget accommodation

providers fared better. This was confirmed by

Fedhasa Cape chairman, Phillip Couvaras, who said premium hotel occupancies were down 10% to 20% year-on-year, while lower budget hotels had recorded much improved results. Before December 25, occupancies at some hotels were down 40% on the year before because of a combination of factors, including a decline in international arrivals and the strengthening of the rand.

He said many hotels had either held their prices or were forced to discount because of more beds in the market with the introduction of new hotels around Cape Town. He said consumers had also benefited from good value packages and bargain hunting.

Restaurants and catering segment chairman, Rey Franco, said patronage had picked up towards the end of December, but numbers were still down on previous years. He said restaurants were full at night but quiet during the day as visitors spent their days outdoors and watched their spending.

Cape Town Tourism destination marketing manager, Lianne Burton, said: “While Cape Town certainly

noticed the effects of a global recession this summer in a more conservative travel budget, the domestic tourism sector was active and our attractions reported steady trade.

Big events like the FIFA Final Draw, the V&A Waterfront’s Aqua Festival and the SA versus England test cricket were big drivers for trade in the surrounding areas’ restaurant and bar trade.”

An unusual increase in foreign visitors for this time of the year was ascribed to accompanying UK cricket fans.

International tourism to the Western Cape normally declines over December, but peaks in February and March because of better prices and less crowding.

Lianne said international bookings were now “coming in nicely, but a little later than unusual. Economic conservatism definitely impacts travel, but we are fortunate to have a big event just ahead of us and this takes out the sting a little. However, we urge the tourism sector not to over-price themselves during the FIFA World Cup.

“It could lead to empty beds during the event and for a very long time after.” n

HOW many of you have not had a fall-out with business partners? You simply must ensure that you and your ‘partners’ have the following in place: ● A signed relationship agreement (i.e. shareholders, partnership or association agreement) ● Letters of appointment: the relationship agreement alone is not adequate and there should be a separate employment contract for (even between) partners, members and directors on the one hand and the partnership, close

corporation and company on the other. ● A disciplinary code and

procedure: If you have a fall-out, you may not only face a breach of contract claim but may be dragged off to the CCMA as well, thereby adding insult to injury!

However, if all parties’ rights and obligations are reflected in the agreements alluded to above and ideally linked to a service level agreement, it can be dealt with effectively and objectively.

The benefit is not only that you can avoid a costly conflict but that your business, and hopefully your friendship, will survive! n

Last-minute upswing saves holiday season

From the BenchBenchmark’s Advocate Louis Nel advises the industry on the requirements to establish a sound business partnership…

Advocate Louis Nel

NEWS

QUICK READ FOR bUSIESt pEOplE Wednesday January 20 2010 n 3

ADMs got you stumped?natalia tHomson

DEVELOPMENT & Training Strategies (DTS) is launching a seminar

aimed at helping consultants understand and interpret the reason for ADMs and whether they can dispute them.

The seminar, says DTS, has examples of a variety of ADMs and each case is discussed as to why the ADM was received

and how it could have been avoided. The seminar also covers ticketing and refunds.

The first course kicks off in Johannesburg on February 9, followed by seminars in Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein on February 10 and 24 respectively. Additional seminars are being held in George on March 3, Cape Town on March 17 and Durban on April 21. Also on offer

this year are several other seminars including domestic reissues, refunds and virtual MPDs; fares management for domestic consultants; refund calculations for international consultants and reissues and virtual MPDs for expert international consultants dealing with foreign currency issues, different pricing units and mixed fare bases, among other issues. n

Chevone knows her stuff!

AirHeadsRwandAir – new aircraft on JNB routeRWANDAIR has introduced its two newly acquired Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft on its Nairobi, Entebbe and Johannesburg routes. The two 50-seater regional jets are expected to bring an end to the carrier’s wet-lease arrangements. The aircraft have been painted in a new livery to reflect Rwanda’s cultural ‘vibrancy’ and the uniqueness of the land and its people. The airline also announced that, to provide travellers with the best possible interline linkages to Europe, the Middle East and Asia, it has amended its winter schedule to factor in convenient connection times from regional hubs at Entebbe and Nairobi. The Nairobi flights now depart Kigali at 11h00 on Mondays and Wednesdays and at 10h00 on all other days. Departures from Kigali to Kamembe have been changed to 07h00. Goma in the eastern DRC will soon become RwandAir’s first new destination this year as part of its network expansion plans. The airline plans to operate a Kigali-Kamembe-Goma-Kigali service on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Canada to implement full body scannersJOHN Baird, Canada’s Transport Minister, and Rob Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport), have announced that the Canadian government was investing in full body scanners to enhance security at Canadian airports. The decision follows the recent attempted terrorist attack on December 25, 2009 on a US-bound flight when a passenger ignited a small explosive device before landing. Starting this month, the scanners will be installed at major Canadian airports. Passengers can choose between a full body scan and a physical search. This latest passenger screening technology and passenger behaviour screening will be added to layers of security that will provide a “robust” defence to further protect air travellers.

Protea Hotel OR Tambo, which opened in November, launched a competition on Travelinfo recently to test consultants’ knowledge of the property. The winner, Chevone Heyneke from XL Bedfordview Travel (right), who won a two-night stay at Protea Hotel OR Tambo, including dinner and breakfast, is pictured here with marketing plan co-ordinator, Beatrix Koen (left) and guest relations manager, Jaz Dreyer

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4 n Wednesday January 20 2010 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

NEWS

Melody Brandon

TIME is money” as the adage goes. However, tour operators contend

that getting a quote out in 24 hours is not always possible, in spite of how much this may annoy travel agents.

“It is highly frustrating when you have an urgent booking and a tour operator refers to the rule of 24-hour turnaround. Worse is when they come back to you 24 hours later, and after three emails and a few phone calls you ask them to book and confirm the quote only to be told that there is no longer availability,” says Kobus Coetsee, owner and manager of Travelswift in Pretoria.

One agent, who asked to remain anonymous, says time delays with quotes often result in clients going elsewhere.

Almarie Nel, groups manager at STA Travel in Johannesburg, says she generally gets her quotes in less than 24 hours. “There is a delay when it comes to group enquiries but that is understandable as quotes come from abroad. It would be nice if that turnaround time was better.”

Unavoidable delaysWhile tour operators

appreciate agents’ frustration, many say time delays are sometimes unavoidable.

“It is all very well asking for an immediate quote but this depends on the request,” explains Jan Watkinson, director of Far East Tours. “There are many destinations where it is still necessary

to send the request to the country concerned to get a quotation. If the request is for an actual booking and the client requires the quote, we would always go through to the destination to check availability of services required. This can take 24 hours.”

Time differenceJan says agents must bear

in mind that there is a time difference between countries. “Asia is six hours ahead of us. When agents phone us at 3pm, they need to understand that they cannot get an immediate reply because everyone is still sleeping in that part of the world.”

Far East Tours, however, has embraced new media and uses Skype as a back-up if there is a delay.

“If an agent sends a quote before 12h00 and it has to be referred, a reply should be sent through immediately,” Jan explains.

Other challengesInternational destinations

are not the only ones where tour operators face communication challenges.

Stephen Jordan, ce of Access to Africa, says poor infrastructure in various African countries makes it difficult to have a quote ready in 24 hours at all times.

“Email, mobile and landline connections can be down for days on end. Also, there seems to be a very different way of doing business [in Africa]. That frustrates us as well as the rest of the world,” he says.

Currently three tour operators – Thompsons Holidays, Beachcomber and Freeway Holidays – offer agents online real time booking or quoting facilities.

Beachcomber Tours launched beachcomber.co.za at the beginning of the year. The online quoting system, which has been in development for six years, offers travel agents access to instant quotations, 24 hours a day.

“Consultants must register and will obtain a username and password to allow access into the site. Full details of the booking are fed into the information grid and in a matter of minutes a detailed quote will be emailed to the consultant to pass on to their client,” explains Beachcomber marketing manager, Colleen Broadley. Thompsons Online offers agents allocations and last-minute live availability for all its suppliers.

“At present our portfolio features more than 300 South African hotels and the number is growing daily. At the moment, we’re taking about 1 000 bookings a month on the site and we aim to double this over the next six months,” says John Ridler, Thompsons Holidays media and PR manager.

“Technology today is so fantastic that we should all be using and have access to online quotes and availability. Perhaps 2010 is a year of change and things will improve,” says an optimistic Jauné Shrives, assistant manager at Flight Centre Ballito. n

● Emirates Airline. Special fares to Australia and New Zealand ex-Johannesburg from R7 743 return. Valid for sale immediately and for travel from February 1 to March 31. Includes all airport taxes.● Holiday Tours – Constance Ephelia Resort (Seychelles) opening special from R9 710 per person sharing (save R7 880 per person). Includes return

airfare ex-Johannesburg, six nights’ accommodation with dinner and breakfast, return transfers and non-motorised water sports. Valid from February 1 until March 21. Excludes taxes.

● In-Vogue Tours is offering ‘Magical Malindi’ specials from R11 190 per person sharing. Includes return flights ex-Johannesburg, airport taxes, return transfers and accommodation on an all-inclusive basis. Book seven nights and get one free. Valid until March 31.

● Freeway Holidays is offering special accommodation rates in Monaco from R834

per room per night for a double room. The rate includes breakfast and is valid until March 31. Book three nights and only pay for two.

Slow turnaround irks agents

Travelinfo ,s Cecile Scharneck selects the top specials from Travelinfo

Specials Spot

Kate els

ZANZIBAR is still without electricity after a broken connector caused a power outage last month. While most hotels have standby

generators, they cannot run them 24 hours a day due to the cost. The power failure has led to two water-bottling firms shutting down, leaving the island hit by a water shortage as well. n

Zanzibar still in the dark

“

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QUICK READ FOR bUSIESt pEOplE Wednesday January 20 2010 n 5

NEWS

Jeanette PhilliPs

TINGA Private Game Lodge is the latest addition to the Three

Cities Group, with two lodges – Legends and Narina – each offering nine suites.

“We’re looking forward to offering our five-star travellers a true African experience through routes like David Livingstone Safari Lodge & Spa in Zambia, Tinga Private Game Lodge in Kruger and Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa in the Winelands,” said Shaun Landing, newly appointed sales director of Three Cities.

Legends Lodge is built around a jackalberry tree that is reputed to be over 200 years old. The deck

affords magnificent views of the Sabie River, and each suite has a private plunge pool. Legends also offers two executive boardrooms accommodating eight and 20 guests respectively.

Narina has a distinctly African feel and is unobtrusive, blending with the riverine forest vegetation. The main deck is on stilts overlooking the Sabie River, and is connected to all suites by an elevated wooden walkway.

Tinga is a five-star luxury safari lodge situated in an exclusive 5 000-hectare concession with prime game-viewing areas and 35 kilometres of river frontage along the Sabie and Sand rivers in the Kruger National Park. n

Tinga joins Three Cities

Q&A

Shirley Kelly’s dream to travel came true, but not in the way she expected

Melody Brandon

SHIRLEY Kelly’s childhood dreams of becoming an air hostess gave way to a career, still in travel, but as a travel agent for BurnsCunningham Corporate Travel in Isando.

“I started in recruitment and decided I wanted to go into travel. I started as a rep and eventually found myself as an agent, booking groups and dealing with events. I really enjoyed it and have been in travel ever since,” explains Shirley. Although she deals primarily with corporate accounts, Shirley says she enjoys the odd leisure booking she handles. “With corporate bookings you are concerned with costs. You deal with company secretaries and the quote requested is very specific. With leisure travel you are making someone’s dream come true. I do miss it, but enjoy the odd leisure booking I do as a spin-off from my corporate accounts,” she said.

Best travel memory? Travelling through Egypt in 2008. We were there for a week and did lots of exploring. Worst travel memory?I booked a client on an Alaska cruise and did not realise that he needed a Canadian visa. Fortunately I was able to fly him from one port to the next while the ship passed Canada!

Guaranteed pick me up? Speaking to a really friendly client. Where will we find you on a Sunday? Relaxing at home, reading a good book. Favourite movie?The Da Vinci Code and Avatar.Where will your next trip be? On the MSC Sinfonia from Durban to the Portuguese

Islands in March.Where do you see yourself in 10 years?In a cottage by the sea, hopefully Houghton Bay.Life motto? Silence is more powerful than violence. What do you enjoy about TNW?I enjoy the profiles, getting to know who is who and of course all the articles are very informative. n

Travelinfo ,s Cecile Scharneck selects the top specials from Travelinfo

Air hostess hopeful turns to retail

to the point ☞● US visa applicants are no longer ineligible if they are HIV positive, says the US embassy in SA. Foreign citizens are no longer required to take an HIV test during medical examinations for visa purposes and HIV-positive applicants no longer require a waiver by the US Department of Homeland Security.

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NEWS

6 n Wednesday January 20 2010 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Hilton opens Doubletree hotels in Tanzania HILTON World Wide has recently opened two Doubletree hotels in Tanzania in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Hilton Hotels’ Europe and Africa senior development vp, Patrick Fitzgibbon, said the group had decided to set up more hotels in Tanzania because of the increase in international tourist arrivals registered, as well as domestic and intra-regional travels, leading to high demand for quality accommodation. Situated on the shores of Oysterbay in the suburb of the Msasani Peninsula, the Doubletree by Hilton Dar es Salaam features 150 rooms and suites. The hotel has two restaurants and three bars. The Doubletree by Hilton Resort Zanzibar is located at one of the best beaches in Nungwi. It has 98 spacious rooms and suites with a wide range of amenities, all with a pool and sea view and with direct access to Nungwi beach.

More accommodation options in Vienna WITH 52 000 beds in 400 accommodations ranging from luxury five-star hotels to simple single-star pensions, Vienna offers visitors an array of options and 2010 will bring a number of new additions. Early this year the new Fleming’s Deluxe Hotel Wien-City will open in Josefstadt, Vienna’s upmarket eighth district. The four-star hotel will offer 207 rooms, two restaurants, a bar, six meeting rooms and a gym area complete with sauna and workout room. In October the Accor group will open a Sofitel hotel in a new building in Vienna’s second district. The property will be situated on the Danube Canal. Besides the 360-bed five-star Sofitel, the 19-storey building will also be occupied by shops and offices and have a rooftop public restaurant. There is also something for budget travellers — a new Wombat’s will open mid-year on Naschmarkt. This is the hostel group’s fifth Vienna site and with 440 beds it will be the largest so far.

Three new Hyatt Hotels for ChinaHYATT Hotels has announced the signing of management agreements for three hotels in China’s Jiangsu province. Grand Hyatt Nanjing is scheduled to open in 2013 and Hyatt Regency Wuxi and Hyatt Regency Xuzhou in 2012. The 400-room Grand Hyatt Nanjing will form part of a mixed use development, Suning Plaza, consisting of luxury serviced residences, a shopping mall and facilities for dining, leisure and entertainment. The hotel will feature food and beverage concepts, a grand ballroom, meeting rooms and spa and fitness centre. The 350-room Hyatt Regency Wuxi will be part of a two-tower mixed-use development in Wuxi. The hotel will be on the upper levels of 70-storey North Tower. The 41-storey South Tower will contain additional serviced apartments. An eight-storey wing of the South Tower will house a shopping arcade, food and beverage outlets, a cinema and other leisure facilities. Hyatt Regency Wuxi will boast four restaurants and bars, a ballroom and 10 multi-function rooms, a spa and a fitness centre. The 350-room Hyatt Regency Xuzhou will be located in the upper levels of a 60-storey tower, one of five that will make up Suning Plaza in the city centre. The lower levels will have serviced apartments and offices. A separate wing will contain a shopping mall, restaurants and bars and leisure facilities. The hotel will offer the latest technology tools, restaurants and lounges, a grand ballroom, meeting venues, a spa and fitness centre.

Marriott expands into South AmericaMARRIOTT International has announced plans for its first Residence Inn in South America in Ecuador in 2012 – the 134-room Residence Inn by Marriott Guayaquil. It will offer 143 suites, ranging from studio to two-bedroom accommodations. Designed for stays of five nights or more, each suite includes a fully equipped kitchen and separate living and working area, complimentary high-speed Internet access, flat-screen TV and Marriott’s highly acclaimed bed and bath linen. Rates vary depending on length of stay. Other facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, fitness and business centre, and a complimentary weekly social hour. There are two meeting rooms designed to accommodate small meetings or events.

PillowTalkA brief look at this week's hotel newsto the point ☞

● GAP Adventures, represented by Development Promotions, has announced that for all new bookings, travellers no longer have to pay a portion of their tour price on the first day of the tour. What was previously separated as a local payment for its tours is now being included in the upfront tour pricing as displayed on the website. Certain park fees and local charges will still apply on some tours; only the GAP Adventures local payment has been discontinued.

Chill Out in Africawww.andBeyond.com

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MYTHBUSTER

QUICK READ FOR bUSIESt pEOplE Wednesday January 20 2010 n 7

Natasha tippel

CLUB Med Kani in the Maldives is set to open in July.

The 5 Trident Luxury Space will feature 75 lagoon suites on stilts, 24 renovated connecting superior rooms, and four new beach villas in addition to the existing 20

de-luxe beach rooms and 125 superior rooms.

The main restaurant, Velhi, will be renovated and the speciality restaurant, Kendo, extended. The property also features the Club Med Spa and offers various sports activities for guests, such as wind-surfing, sailing, snorkelling, and kayaking. n

liesl VeNter

NOT a likely occurrence, says aviation expert Linden Birns. “Depend-

ing on the age of the aircraft, you are going to run the risk of signal interference, but will it make the aeroplane crash? Not likely.”

Linden says it is, however, advisable to keep mobile phones switched off on planes, especially in South Africa where most aircraft are still operating without systems to stop cellphone interference.

In 2004, Airbus completed the first mobile phone flight trial and multiple wireless-cabin technology pilot projects allowing for mobile phones to be used on board their new aircraft.

In 2007, Airbus received certification for its on-board mobile phone system and passengers on their newest aircraft can now make and receive calls in addition to being able to send and receive e-mails and text messages.

The service, however, is controlled by the cabin crew, who can easily select a voice-off mode, which only allows for SMS and e-mails, or when necessary – or risky – restrict the service completely by turning it off.

Linden says the system, operated at the crew’s discretion, is not yet available on any South African aircraft and it remains advisable to keep your phones switched off.

“The odds of something happening are very small, but it cannot be discounted.

“I have been in an aircraft where a ringing cellphone disengaged the autopilot of

the plane. The pilot was very vigilant and managed to get it back on.”

Most experts agree while nothing will happen in the cockpit when you forget to switch your phone off, it cannot be assured.

Interference is basically guaranteed – just put your cellphone next to a radio or PC speaker and hear the interference, they say.

Adds Linden: “Most aircraft are designed in such a way to be able to take all kinds of interference into account, but they were also built long before cellphones were invented.

“We are only now starting to see the systems being put in place that will ensure the navigational systems are not disturbed. Without those systems, it is just not a risk worth taking to keep your phone on.”

All airlines, however, make it very clear that cellphones must be switched off for the duration of the flight. n

“The odds of something happening are very small, but it

cannot be discounted. I have been in an

aircraft where a ringing cellphone disengaged

the autopilot.”

Using a cellphone interferes with the plane’s navigation systems

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E-mail: katen@nowmedia.co.za

Southern AfricA’S trAvel newS weekly

South Africans are wondering where they can go to get a break from the

hype around the 2010 Soccer events.

Agents need to find good deals for those making the escape. Here’s a chance to highlight your product

to these influential retailers!

8 n Wednesday January 20 2010 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Victoria Kate Els takes some time out in the Victoria Falls area and finds there’s a lot more to offer than a waterfall…

Africa Albida brings back the safari circuit

Getting thereBritish Airways offers daily return flights from Johannesburg into both Victoria Falls and Livingstone.

JNB-VFA departs 11h25 arrives 13h10 VFA-JNB departs 13h50 arrives 15h30JNB-LVI departs 11h00 arrives 12h45LVI-JNB departs 13h00 arrives 15h15

Transfers are available through Matair Zimbabwe, an air charter company that offers convenient transfers from the Victoria Falls Airport.

AFRICAN Sun Limited has recently acquired the Royal Chundu Zambezi River Lodge in Zambia. This not only launches the group’s presence in Zambia but also introduces the first five-star luxury lodge to its portfolio.

The lodge is situated on the Livingstone side of the Victoria Falls, at the junction of Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. It features 14 rooms, described as Mainland or Island Suite Lodges.

Activities available at the lodge include bird watching, canoe trips, game viewing and fishing as well as tours to the nearby Katambora Tribal Village. Other features include an infinity swimming pool on the mainland and private plunge pools on the island. A de-luxe spa will also be available.

Royal Chundu Zambezi River Lodge is expected to open its doors in December after refurbishments.

SAFARI & Adventure Co. has announced the addition of Davison’s Camp in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, to its portfolio.

The camp is situated in the south-east of the park and within easy distance, by road or air, of the Victoria Falls. The Linkwasha Concession, in which Davison’s Camp is located, offers a mix of diverse habitats and wildlife.

The camp consists of nine twin-bedded tents situated in the shade of a grove of false mopane trees. It is open year round and can accommodate children of six years and older.

The tents and the main area, comprising lounge, dining room, and open campfire area, all overlook the waterhole.

Wildlife frequently encountered in the concession and at the waterhole include lion, large herds of elephant, buffalo, leopard, white rhino, spotted hyena, giraffe and sable. In summer, wildebeest, zebra and eland are found in abundance on the open plains, while in winter the waterholes are magnets for elephants, which congregate in enormous numbers to drink.

Learning about wild dogs

ALTHOUGH the draw for travellers to the Vic Falls area is obviously its outstanding World Heritage Site and the ‘smoke that thunders’, there are other draw cards to pass

the time within a short travelling distance.Africa Albida Tourism (AAT), a Zimbabwean-based hospitality

company, is reviving Zimbabwe’s famous safari circuit with light aircraft transfers between Victoria Falls, Hwange and Kariba. The route, known as the Milk Run, operates between the group’s flagship Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, the newly reopened Bumi Hills Safari Lodge on Lake Kariba and The Hide located in the Hwange National Park.

All these accommodation establishments are located relatively close to each other. While Hwange can be visited by road or air, the trip to Bumi Hills is under one-and-a-half hours by air.

Africa Albida Tourism is offering packages for guests who want to experience the Milk Run starting from R17 853pps. These packages include two nights’ stay at The Hide and two nights at Bumi Hills Safari Lodge.Also included are all meals and various activities.

African Sun acquires first Zambian property

Davison’s Camp joins Safari & Adventure Co.

Vic Falls campaign gains momentumMARKETING campaign, GoToVicFalls.com, is gaining momentum, with the possibility of extending the area the campaign covers to include a 500km radius of the Falls. The campaign would then include Hwange National Park, Lake Kariba, Livingstone and a portion of Botswana, to name a few.

Using the extended area as a hub in the region would give tour operators access to 25 000 bed nights, 26 national parks and eight international airports.

RECENTLY opened Painted Dog Conservation is an environmental centre just outside Hwange National Park that aims to teach both locals and tourists about the endangered wild dog. The centre does not charge an entrance fee but rather sells crafts from local artists to support its operations. Groups of up to 100 people

are welcome, but large groups should book in advance to ensure availability.

The centre comprises an interpretative hall, a raised boardwalk through the wild dog enclosure, a children’s bush camp and a rehabilitation facility. Voluntourists are also welcome at the centre.

● Air Holidays is offering two fantastic specials to Victoria Falls until February 28 from R2 195 per person including three nights’ accommodation, return flights, return cross-border transfers, breakfasts, two hotel dinners and a sunset cruise.

● KDR Travel and Tours also has a three-night Victoria Falls Safari Lodge special from R3 254 including a complimentary traditional boma dinner.

Book it!

Book it!

Falls

QUICK READ FOR bUSIESt pEOplE Wednesday January 20 2010 n 9

THE opening of Santonga, a biopark planned for Victoria Falls, has been postponed until the end of 2011. The park will include public areas as well as various ‘biomes’ including a butterfly park, a reptile park and possibly a nocturnal park, among others.

The park will offer a half-day activity in the Falls area ideal for families and will also offer cultural performances. Santonga will be situated on the same concession as the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge and will be managed by Africa Albida Tourism.

Bumi Hills Safari Lodge on Lake Kariba has completed the refurbishment of its lake-facing premier rooms. The property now also offers spa treatments under a thatched boma overlooking the lake. Air-conditioning has been installed in the rooms for guests’ comfort Photo: Africa Albida Tourism

Santonga opening postponed until 2011

Bumi Hills completes premier roomsWILD Frontiers Zimbabwe is a new safari operation – a joint venture between Robin and Jo Brown of Canoeing Safaris and John and Debbie Addison of Wild Frontiers. The operational base will be in Victoria Falls and all vehicles, guides and equipment will be Zimbabwean based. The vision of the company is to offer a middle to upmarket mobile safari solution for Zimbabwe.

Included in the itineraries will be Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls, Matopos, Matusadona, Mana Pools and the Lower Zambezi. The safari style will be similar to Wild Frontiers’ operation in Tanzania and consists of en-suite tents, exclusive sites, meals and guides, with safari crew going ahead of guests. Walking, canoeing, and other activities synonymous with the region will form part of the itineraries.

THE inaugural Victoria Falls Mountain Bike Challenge has been scheduled for June 18-20.

The three-day event will be held in and around the Victoria Falls and its national parks and forestry area. The majority of the route is within the World Heritage Site.

The challenge will consist of: Day 1: Riding out of Victoria Falls through forestry concession and into communal areas and back through the Victoria Falls National Park on a single track along the edge of the Batoka Zambezi Gorge. Cyclists will travel a total of 75 kilometres.

Day 2: Riding out of Victoria Falls into a private concession and communal land then through forestry and return to Victoria Falls. Cyclists will travel a total of 70 kilometres. Day 3: All bikes will be taken to the Botswana border where the participants will be transferred to the starting point in luxury buses. From there cyclists will ride through the Matetsi safari area to meet the Zambezi National Park. Then they will ride along the Zambezi River for 50 kilometres back to Victoria Falls. Cyclists will travel a total of 80 kilometres.Email clive@wildhorizons.co.zw for more details.

African Encounters has a two-night Victoria Falls special from R3 358 per person at Gorges Lodge.

Travellers’ Choice’s two-night Zimbabwe special includes certain meals, return flights, and a Falls visit, among others, for R3 999.

Vic Falls Mountain Bike challenge scheduled for June

Book it!

Book it!

New safari option for Zimbabwe

THE Hide in Hwange National Park has added outdoor baths and showers to two of its suites, making these ideal for honeymoon couples.

The camp also offers couples the chance

to stay at the ‘Dove’s Nest’, a secure tree house overlooking an open area of the park. Couples will be left alone for the night and are provided with food and drink to last until they are picked up the next morning.

The Hide gets romantic

IN V ITATIONG’Day,you’re invited to join us for the Australia Travel Workshops to meet with Aussies and learn more about the destination and experiences it has to offer your clients.

If you’re passionate about Australia and keen to boost your knowledge and selling skills, the upcoming Australia Travel Workshops are a must. With increased flight capacity on the South Africa-Australia routes and amazing new hotels and experiences on offer, there’s never been a better time to sell more Australia.

Tuesday 02 March – JohannesburgWednesday 03 March – DurbanThursday 04 March – Cape Town

For FREE registration, please email Este at este@lloydorr.com or fax your registration to 011 463 4830

WIN All attendees will be in for a chance to win one of seven spaces to fly to Australia on Qantas to attend Corroboree - a unique educational and training event in Melbourne, Victoria in May 2010.

Not an Aussie Specialist yet?For more information visit: www.AussieSpecialist.com

TAUK5101 Sth Africa Workshop Invite.indd 1 12/01/10 9:55 AM

TNW3765SD

AGENTZONEthe agent

10 n Wednesday January 20 2010 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Scenario: A seven-night getaway for two adults to Zanzibar.

agent tipsSee Travelinfo

for more details

AGENT ALERTS

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

★ ★ ★ ★

Kevin was incredibly efficient and wasted no time in sourcing the relevant packages

Winning agent:Kevin Chadayan

n Zambezi Airlines departure taxZJ DOES not collect the Zambian taxes on any e-tickets issued. Passengers must ensure that they have US$25 (R175) cash on departure from Zambia.

n Continental Airlines refund noticeEFFECTIVE immediately, Continental Airlines has implemented a fee for refund services in certain non-US domestic markets: primarily Europe, Middle East, Asian subcontinent, Africa and the Gulf countries. The current fee is the equivalent of US$30 (R210) per ticket.Travel agents must process refunds in accordance with the rules and regulations of the ticket purchased via the following channels:● BSP-GDS direct submission – via the travel agencies’ chosen GDS.● Iata BSPlink (refund application) – agencies request airline calculation and action.● Agency issued ticket (direct submission) If an agency processes a passenger refund directly through its GDS for all ticket types, there will be no refund service fee applicable.If an agency requests CO to process a refund, calculate the refund or has to process through BSPlink with the assistance of CO staff, then a service fee will be applicable.

n 9% commission with TurkishTurkish Airlines will be offering 9% commission on all destinations until March 31 for business- and economy-class tickets. Point of sale is for tickets departing South Africa.

n SAA updates passenger service chargeEffective for travel on/after April 1 and applicable for both domestic and international travel from SA airports:● R155 for departure from all SA airports to Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland with exceptions● R198 to other international destinations with exceptions● R86 to Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Durban● R76 to Bloemfontein, East London, Kimberley, George, and UpingtonPlease note that on all tickets issued prior to March 31 for travel commencing on/before March 31 and return travel on/after April 1, taxes to be levied will be the combination of the two applicable taxes. Eg. CPT-JNB travel January 10 – tax R70 (old); CPT-JNB travel dated April 1 – tax R86 (new). For further details see Travelinfo.

n QF/SA codeshare cancellationsSAA (codeshare with Qantas) has cancelled the following services:● QF303: 25, 31 March; 3, 8, 16, 21, 29 April; 12, 14, 20, 28 May; 2 June; 4, 12, 20, 25 August; 2, 17 September.● QF304: 24, 30 March; 2, 7, 15, 20, 28 April; 11, 13, 19, 27 May; 1 June; 3, 11, 19, 24 August; 1, 16 September.

All passengers booked QF303/PER-JNB and QF304 JNB-PER affected by the changes have been rebooked + 1 day.All passengers ticketed on/before January 7 affected by these changes, may rebook to other QF services subject to availability of the ticketed class of travel. These sectors must be rebooked by the original creator of the booking. See Travelinfo for details or contact QF res on qfjnbres@qantas.com.au with queries.

Job satisfaction shines through

● Greet customers in a friendly and polite manner (even if you’re having a bad day).● Ensure you can say you’ve done your best to satisfy a client before he leaves your agency.

Sure Travel Scene, Woodbridge Square, Glen Marais, Kempton Park

When I walked into this spacious, well-organised agency, I was surprised that none of the consultants on duty appeared to have noticed my arrival. Eventually one of the consultants looked up and signalled me to her desk. I got the impression that she wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible. She seemed very busy, made very little eye contact and scribbled down what was required. She then promised to research and email available packages to me. The consultation was over in less than five minutes. She did not go into any details about what I was interested in nor did she offer brochures on the destination. I asked about available specials, and again was told that she would send the relevant packages to me. The only information she shared was the need for yellow fever injections at least six weeks before departure, to which her colleague responded that it would be fine if we only had it 17 days before departure. I received four email quotations as promised the following day, but without mentioning which tour operator they were with.

Flight Specials, Northmead Mall, Benoni

I was greeted by what seemed to be a rather annoyed consultant, who briskly asked if she could help me. After telling her about my Zanzibar plans, she gestured for me to follow her and immediately started looking for brochures on Zanzibar but could not find any among several piles of other brochures in the agency. She eventually offered me a package with one tour operator. It was more expensive than a similar package I had seen with a specialist operator so I enquired about that one instead. She told me she was not aware of the package and immediately phoned the suggested operator to enquire about it. The consultant asked me what it was that I was looking for and what my budget was. She also seemed to be more enthusiastic about my enquiry. After speaking to the operator she gave me the quote and offered to email it to me, along with the more expensive package. She again looked for available brochures, but could not find any.

Flight Centre Kempton Park, Aston Manor Centre, Glen Marais

I was greeted by a friendly and welcoming Kevin Chadayan, assistant manager of the branch. Kevin wasted no time finding out what I was interested in and what my preferences were. He asked what my available budget was and fetched two sets of brochures and explained that he would phone the operators and get the quotes directly from them. After getting two sets of quotes, Kevin explained in detail the breakdown of the quotes as well as the highlights of each quote. He was also knowledgeable about the destinations quoted and could give me a better understanding of what they offered aside from what was in the brochures. He also explained that a yellow fever injection was required and that visitors had to pay a departure tax when leaving, but that the tax often formed part of the total package price. He then gave me the printed quotes and also offered to email it to me, which he did the same afternoon.

Community news

QUICK READ FOR bUSIESt pEOplE Wednesday January 20 2010 n 11

SpecialiZed Travel perSonnel

TNW

07

14

Office Hrs (011) 884-9113Website: www.specialized.co.za

e-mail: kati@sgroup.co.za

our website is updated daily!visit www.specialized.co.za

Snr Corporate Consultant – E/RandHighly regarded travel agency. Salary is highly negotiable depending on experience. Join this well run agency with very pleasant working environment. Tina

Int or Snr Consultant - SouthR9000/R20000 depending on experience. Well established corporate agency will consider either an Intermediate or Senior. Be part of a small team providing excellent service to blue chip clients. Excellent benefits. No Saturdays. Tina

Senior Consultant – Cape TownAmadeus & strong fares and ticketing expertise is required to join highly regarded travel company. Predominantly corporate travel, with some leisure bookings. Tina

Corporate Consultant – SandtonR12000/R15000. Must have international ticketing skills and the ability to cross & up-sell. Worldspan an advantage but not essential. Commence 01 March. Joyce

Intermediate Cons – Northcliff areaSmall, well established agency. Corporate/Leisure mix. Candidates must have min 3 years experience plus Galileo. Salary negotiable. Tina

Quality Controller – SandtonR13000/R20000. Utilise your strong international fares & ticketing expertise as well as BSP knowledge, ensuring that tickets & vouchers have been issued correctly. Be involved with BSP reconciliations & reporting. Commence March. Joyce

Jnr Consultant - GrahamstownAn excellent opportunity for young person. Will consider candidates who have worked in travel or travel college graduates, who have travelled overseas. Additional training given. Tina

Junior Consultant Must have minimum 1 years consulting experience. Opportunities in Sandton & East Rand. Leisure travel. Tina

Incentives Account Manager – N/SuburbsHighly respected Outbound Incentives Co. Handle each project from start to finish including site inspections & travelling with the groups to various overseas destinations. Previous experience in this field is essential. R18000/R28000 ctc. Kati

Sales Executive – 5* HotelR24500 ctc. Call on corporate companies, government departments and TMC’s in Jhb and Pretoria promoting 5 star property. Will operate from a home base & work independently, reporting to a sales manager in Cpt. Strong sales background with proven track record is required. Emphasis on relationship management, new business development & loyalty programmes. Savash

Sales Executive – Based SandtonSalary up to R18000 depending on experience plus commission. Call on event companies, PCO’s and travel trade representing up-marketing conference facility . The facilities are superb & can be sold with great confidence! Savash

Sales Manager – N/SuburbsR27000/R32000 ctc. Be responsible for acquisition of new business for highly regarded travel incentives company. Previous experience in a similar role essential. Kati

General Accounts/BSP - EdenvaleR7000/R12000. Be part of busy accounts department of highly successful travel company. Handle BSP, specifically refunds, as well as recons. Candidates must be BSP accredited, have a solid accounts background and be able to work independently. Kati

Snr Bookkeeper - SandtonR20000/R25000. A travel agency background with exposure to BSP is essential. Handle senior accounting functions reporting to MD. Well established company. Joyce

THIS WEEK’S TOP JObSJOHANNESbURG JOHANNESbURG

CAPE TOWN CAPE TOWN

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lee botti & associates

See our website for a further selection of exciting vacancies!

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SENIOR FARES CONSULTANT - NORTHYour opportunity to shine with this prominent travel agent!

Your excellent fares experience including fare calculations and loading of private fares will see you winning this one! Airline

or travel agency fares background will be rewarded.

PROdUCT MANAGER – CbdPride yourself on knowing the whose who in the zoo of upmarket suppliers in Southern & East Africa. Blow your

travellers minds at this online Inbound Operator with stunning offices. Amazing team ethos! Only the best of the best get in here. Leadership abilities are essential. R17 000

SEASIdE OPPORTUNITY! – dURbAN NORTHLeading retail travel agency seeks experienced person

to handle domestic, regional & basic international reservations for their corporate clientele. Must have

Galileo experience and a sound geographical knowledge. Excellent opportunity for further growth. R4,000 neg

SENIOR REFUNdS FUNdI - NORTHGreat opportunity with well established, highly successful

travel agent! Flaunt your sound knowledge and experience in refunds on BSP Link and Galileo coupled with ADM clearing

experience. Salary negotiable plus medical aid and provident fund.

RIVETING RESERVATIONS – NORTHSenior Managerial role awaits you to oversee team leaders

and their immediate staff! Estab company with high spend FIT clientele into Southern, South & East Africa.

Suits someone from Reservations Manager function with solid Inbound expertise. Top end company with amazing

structures in place. Senior Salary.

ENERGIZER SUPERVISOR - HOUT bAYBring along your HR, finance & IT skills to this lovely Inbound operator to oversee small worker bee teams! Your attention to detail and excellent people skills coupled with previous solid

HR experience and financial acumen secures you this hot seat. From R15 000

Tel: Tracey (011) 803 6606 rivonia@nowjobs.co.za

Tel: Jill (031) 201 8330 durban@nowjobs.co.za

Tel: Wayne (021) 418 1084 capetown@nowjobs.co.za

To advertise on this page contact Natalie on

011 214 7330 or email

nataliew@nowmedia.co.za

TN

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Personnelwith the

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Contact Wendy/Kim(011) 704 4909 or e-mail: wtp@icon.co.za TN

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Highly negotiable pacakage offered by Market Leader for your B.Comm/equivalent and ability to lead

department of 45 people!

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Work closer to home and enjoy super benefits!!

INTERMEDIATE INBOUND CONSUlTANT/SANDTON

Good knowledge of South Africa, Botswana/Tanzania and Tourplan an

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Dynamic team require your indepth, hands-on Incentive expertise!!

PAYROll ADMINISTRATOR/RIVONIA

Minimum 3 years experience on VIP or similar package!!

jObsCOMMUNITYNEWs

Appointments

Births, deaths, marriages, promotions – we want to know! Please fax or e-mail TNW's Jeanette Phillips, at jeanettep@nowmedia.co.za or (011) 327 4094.

n Glenburn Lodge last year commemorated World Aids day by spreading Christmas cheer to local children. Lodge staff paid a surprise visit to Swartkops primary school and, together with school staff members and scholars, painted an Aids awareness wall. Extending the joy of giving to Emily Jordan House in Kagiso, Glenburn Lodge staff brought much-needed cheer to children suffering from Aids and who are presently receiving support, care and comfort from Champ Marobe.

n Signature Life Hotels has announced the appointment of Lerina McCall as group sales and marketing manager. Lerina joins the group with almost 22 years’ experience in the travel industry, including 12 years with Protea Hotels and seven with Southern Sun as regional sales manager KZN.

n The Three Cities Group and the Royal Palm Hotel have announced the promotion of Rheka Sohun from rooms division manager to deputy gm of the Royal Palm Hotel. Rheka is working towards completing her B-Tech in Hospitality Management.

n The Rezidor Hotel Group has appointed Maarten van den Nieuwenhuijsen regional director for Southern Africa. He will be responsible for the group’s existing hotels in South Africa as well as future openings in Ethiopia,

Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. Maarten first joined Rezidor as front office manager in Düsseldorf in 1994 and since then has held various management positions in Europe, the Middle East, China, Cape Town and Sandton.

n Lynda Terblanche has been appointed gm of the Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Residence. She has been with Cape Royale and Phelan Hospitality for the past 18 months heading up human resources as director and with full involvement across all the brands.

n Shaun Landing has been appointed group sales director for Three Cities Management effective December 7. Landing will be responsible for local and international sales. His sales management experience ranges from Hertz Car Rental, Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts, Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa through to One&Only Resorts. Edward Mitchell, currently national sales manager, will be leaving the group to pursue his passion for steam driven locomotives with Rovos Rail.

n Anuschka Davies-Jordaan has joined the team at Hotel Heinitzburg, Namibia, as the new gm. She has a vast knowledge of the service industry and has spent many years managing the only Virgin Active in Windhoek. She has completed her BComm, majoring in business management, accounting and internal auditing, and has completed additional courses in health and safety and is compliant with the implementation of OHSAA 18001.

African Pride Hotels has appointed nine additional sales executives to focus on the acquisition and maintenance of the domestic and international market for its superior de-luxe hotel offering. They are (pictured here) Cassidy van den Berg, African Pride Hotels – Melrose Arch; Natalie Burns, Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa; Lauren Berkowitz and Caroline Giles, both from 15 on Orange Hotel; Desaree van der Merwe, Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa; Candice Laubscher, Pumba Private Game Reserve and (centre back), Charmaine Hardwick, group sales director, African Pride Hotels.

Meet the Pride

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

TNW NEWS

12 n Wednesday January 20 2010 QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

To sponsor this poll contact Kate on 011 214 7334

or e-mail katen@nowmedia.co.za

brought to you by

eTNW and TRAVELINFO

On top of technologyTechnologically I am properly equipped to meet the changing needs of my travellers...

n Yes 72%n No 28%

“Our systems are far too slow.” Diane Acton, Uniglobe Travel

From page 1Mixed reactions

Denise Govender, senior consultant at Lets Go Travel, Durban, believes it is agents who will bear the brunt of the proposed increase. “When we quote a client, they do not understand that it is an Acsa fee and believe instead that it is our service fee. To make the sale, agents keep cutting their service fee, or else the client will book elsewhere, even if it is only R10 cheaper.”

Gail Vandenheever, senior consultant at Sure Travelmania Cape Town, says

her customers are already complaining about ‘exorbitant charges’. “The changes to airport infrastructure should have been made at the government’s expense. All these increases are making it more and more difficult for agents to survive.”

“I think it is justified for OR Tambo International. We can be proud of what it looks like now. I wouldn’t say the increase is justified for Durban or Cape Town, but definitely for Johannesburg,” says Dieter Moller, branch manager of STA Travel Morningside. n

From page 106h10, the two additional flights will operate on Tuesday and Friday, in addition to existing flights operating on Monday and Thursday.

The additional services, said newly appointed area manager South and Central Africa Yusnodjarwadi Said, will encourage corporate travel to this business capital of South East Asia.

“The new Friday services will also appeal to SA leisure travellers as they will be able to maximize their time away

by starting their holidays at the start of the weekend. Customers are also assured of easy connectivity to Kuala Lumpur and beyond with the early-morning flight arrival.”

The new weekly direct service will be operated using a B777-200 aircraft with 245 economy and 35 business class seats, providing a total weekly capacity of 560 seats in each direction.

Special low fares mainly to Malaysia, ASEAN, China and Australian destinations will be launched to the SA market. n

Melody Brandon

HOT on the heels of the CAA’s decision to lift the suspension of

one of Airlink’s 14 grounded Jetstream aircraft, the airline has announced the cancellation of three of its routes and is evaluating a further four.

“While uncertainty prevails as to when the remainder of Airlink’s Jetstreams return to service, we are exploring various business-sustaining scenarios and contingencies,” said Airlink sales and marketing manager, Karin Murray.

The airline has cancelled the PLZ-BFN, BFN-GRJ and JNB-AAM routes and DBN-GRJ, PLZ-ELS, NLP-LVI and CPT-UTN are under evaluation.

The decision to cancel and re-evaluate routes comes after 14 of the airline’s Jetstream aircraft were grounded by the CAA on December 24.

Four incidents in as many months, one of which involved an Airlink flight crashing into a Merebank school in Durban, resulted in an investigation by the CAA’s Accident and Incidents Division at the end of last year (see TNW Jan 6/13)

“The prerequisite aircraft inspections are already under way having commenced on Friday January 1. To date one Jetstream aircraft has successfully completed its recertification process and, as such, the commissioner for civil aviation has uplifted the suspension of the aircraft,” said CAA spokesman, Kabelo Ledwaba.

“The next three aircraft are being readied for inspection. It is not possible to predict how long it will take to complete the inspection process and have all Airlink Jetstreams returned to service,” said Karin.

In the meantime, Airlink will be leasing an additional four Embraer 135LR regional jets. The first two were expected to leave the US for South Africa last Friday and the second two are expected here by the end of the month.

Route monopolyAgents in Port Elizabeth and

Bloemfontein are concerned about the cancelled flights, with many unsure as to how they will re-route their corporate clients’ flights.

“This will have a very negative effect for agents, especially those who have many corporate clients who need to fly between George and Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein,” said Johan Le Roux, md of Astra Travel Bloemfontein.

The only option available to get clients to their destination would be for them to fly via Johannesburg or Cape Town, a time-consuming and costly exercise.

“I am disappointed to hear that the Port Elizabeth-Bloemfontein route has been cancelled but am more concerned that the Port Elizabeth-East London route is being re-evaluated,” said Denise Foster, branch manager of Carlson Wagonlit Port Elizabeth.

“Although East London is a three-hour drive, for a corporate that needs to be in the town for an hour-long meeting, this amounts to six hours’ driving and possibly a stay-over, which will cost far more than an air ticket,” she said. Denise also has corporate clients who need to fly from Cape Town to Upington. “I will have to think about what to do there as well,” she said.

Rachel Penaluna, from Sure Bleekers Travel, Johannesburg, said while most of its

corporate routes would not be affected, Upington would be a problem.

“There is no one else doing that route and there is business up there. MalaMala often uses charters as it has its own airstrip, so that is not too bad,” she said.

Who’ll pick up the slack?1time Airlines commercial

director, Desmond O’Connor, said it was not considering any of the routes.

“The cities (both cancelled and under review) don’t have the volume of traffic needed for a low-cost carrier, which needs high volume,” he said.

SAA acting head group corporate affairs, Vimla Maistry, said the airline had no plans to operate the cancelled routes.

Mango spokesman, Hein Kaiser, said should there be a strong business case to fly to a particular destination or take up a route, Mango would consider doing so.

“It would be premature to even note interest of any kind without internal research and study on route viability. Several factors influence decisions to fly to any destination, including, of course, whether any airline’s current fleet includes correct aircraft types to land at a particular airfield, the ground support and logistics. This is over and above commercial considerations,” he said.

Stuart Cochrane, executive manager sales and route development for Comair and kulula.com, said the airline was always looking for opportunities to expand its network.

“These routes, as well as others, are constantly under review and we hope to be making some announcements in the near future regarding our plans for network expansion.” n

Airlink cancels flights

Thompsons Holidays, in partnership with Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney World Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland, will host Disney workshops in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town in February consisting of a morning of interactive training by the ‘specialists’. The Johannesburg workshop will be held at the Monarch Hotel on February 2, the Durban workshop at Riverside Hotel on February 3 and the Cape Town workshop at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa on February 4. The workshops will run from 07h30-10h30 with ‘Magical prizes’ up for grabs

Wise up on DisneyAcsa slated for ‘crazy’ hike

What the increase will mean:Current Proposed

Passenger charge R49 R114Landing fees R29 R68Rentals and other costs R3 R3Total R81 R185Percentage of low-cost domestic fare 27% 62%Percentage of average domestic fare 11% 25%

Four weekly for MH