We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel news stories we think you need to know today.
1. Air New Zealand considers ditching Virgin Australia shares
It’s been a busy week for the Virgin brand with Virgin America mulling over a buyout and Virgin Australia potentially losing its biggest shareholder, Air New Zealand.
The Kiwi carrier, which owns just over a quarter of Virgin Australia, is considering selling off all, or part of its shareholding.
The carrier has recruited assistance from First NZ Capital and Credit Suisse to look over the current financial position and advise on its options.
2. Ensemble Travel Group launches in Australia
North American travel agency group, Ensemble Travel, has officially launched in Australia and New Zealand and is signing up new members.
The global expansion comes after the organisation has invested time and resources adapting products and services that meet the unique needs of the Australia and New Zealand markets.
The Ensemble launch event, held at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday night, was a chance to bring their top industry partners together to kick off their campaign to sign new members to their travel network.
Senior Vice President and General Manager, Trish Shepherd, said the company launches with “an exceptional roster” of preferred suppliers in the region.
“I think it speaks volumes about the quality of the Ensemble offering that so many regional suppliers are willing to work with us in these early days.”
Trish Shepherd, Ensemble Travel Group Senior Vice President and General Manager
According to the company, travel agencies that join the Ensemble travel network will have access to a broad range of preferred supplier partnerships from around the globe.
3. Fiji Airways takes off with Girl Power
Fiji Airways was flying high on Facebook yesterday when its social media team shared a picture of an all-female flight crew, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to girl power.
The picture of the six ladies – two pilots and four flights attendants – was shared with the caption: “A rare special occasion indeed! One of our first all-female flight crew”.
Less than 24 hours after posting, the image has received over 7,000 likes on Fiji Airway’s page along with 603 shares and over 240 comments.
4. DFAT urges Aussies to ‘reconsider’ travel to Istanbul
The Australian government has upgraded its advice for Turkey after admitting it still continues “to receive information that indicates that terrorists may be planning attacks” in the country.
DFAT is now urging Aussies to exercise a ‘high degree of caution’ in the destination with concerns of further attacks in urban centres.
However, the advice for Ankara and popular tourist city, Istanbul, now sits at ‘reconsider your need to travel’ due to “the high threat of terrorist attack”.
5. KarryOn brews up with Mumbrella for the Travel Marketing Summit
If you’re in Sydney on Wednesday the 6th April, then get yourself down to the Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit because the espresso is on us.
Aside from great coffee and of course actually getting to catch up with us lovely KarryOn folk in person, there’s also a day of killer presentations and workshops to be had from some of the leading marketing guns in the industry.
So get your tablets and phones charged up and your eyes and ears at the ready for some forward thinking insights and stimulating discussion on the ever evolving travel marketing landscape.
6. COUNTDOWN: 7 days until facetime
The countdown is on!
There’s officially one week left until industry friends gather for one of the most requested events – facetime.
Free drinks will flow as the DJ spins fun tunes all the while attendees mingle and potentially go home with some of those incredible prizes.
If you haven’t RSVPd yet, you can still do so by clicking here.
7. United is officially living the Dream-liner in Aus
United Airlines is officially an all Dreamliner fleet from Australia, with its first 787-9 arriving at Sydney International Airport earlier this week.
The Dreamliner has replaced the Boeing 777-200s on the carrier’s trans-Pacific services from Sydney to both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Along with the daily nonstop Melbourne-Los Angeles service which has been operated by Boeing 787-9 since 2014, Australia has become an all-Dreamliner market for United.
The 787-9 has a total of 252 seats in two cabins – 48 in United BusinessFirst, with seats arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration, and 204 in United Economy, including 88 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and increased personal space.
United BusinessFirst offers a superior business-class service. The BusinessFirst seat reclines 180 degrees into a 1.98-m lie-flat bed and features a personal on-demand entertainment system with a 39-cm touch-screen monitor. BusinessFirst amenities include laptop power, USB ports and a multi-course meal with complimentary wines.
United Economy offers complimentary food, beer, wine, soft drinks and inflight entertainment. Seats feature an adjustable headrest and a 22.8-cm personal seat-back monitor delivering a personal on-demand inflight entertainment system.
United Economy Plus offers up to 7.6cm of extra legroom. Located near the front of the Economy cabin, the seats give the added benefit of allowing a swifter exit from the plane upon arrival.
Satellite-based Wi-Fi has been installed on all United B787-9 aircraft.
8. Christchurch Airport receives a newbuild property
AccorHotels has revealed it will open a brand new Novotel hotel at Christchurch Airport late next year.
The 200-room will be located next to the Christchurch International Terminal and is being designed by Warren and Mahoney Architects, the same team behind the award-winning Novotel Auckland Airport hotel.
Novotel Christchurch Airport will feature a restaurant and bar, function and meeting room facilities.
Christchurch Airport Chief Executive, Malcolm Johns, said the airport will invest $80 million in land and improvements for the hotel development. He says the new hotel will be the second on the airport campus and is a direct response to airline and passenger inquiries for increased short-term airport accommodation.
Novotel Christchurch Airport will complement AccorHotels two existing airport hotels in New Zealand – Novotel Auckland Airport and ibis Budget Auckland Airport.
Construction of the Novotel hotel will commence in May 2016 with the hotel due to open late 2017.
9. Magellan agents explore the Netherlands
Magellan agents were recently swept away on an (enviable) famil to the Netherlands.
Around six agents flew with Qatar Airways to Europe where they explored Lille, Ypres and Amiens.
The picture above captured one of the only lighter moments of the WW1 tour. Consultants described it as a “Christmas moment” when hostilities stopped and the Brits played Germany in a game of soccer in no man’s land.
10. Australian travellers take HOW MANY pictures a day?
If there’s one thing we can say for certain it’s that Aussies DO NOT shy away from taking photos while on holidays, in fact they’re so clicker happy, they’re taking around 77 photos a day.
Say what?!
According to a study commissioned by the Singapore Tourism Board, Australian families are snapping an average of 77 photos EVERY DAY of their holiday.
