We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for the top ten travel stories you need to know today.
1. Scoot’s touches Down Under
Image: Scoot Airlines
Scoot has put its new 787-9 Dreamliner straight to work, sending the aircraft to Australia.
The Singapore Airlines offshoot officially took delivery of the 787 named ‘Dream Start’ on Tuesday last week and sent her off on her first commercial flight on Friday from Singapore to Perth.
She is the first of 20 787s the aircraft plans to fly over the coming years.
2. Where are Travel Counsellors expanding to next?
Travel Counsellors has stepped up its growth in Australia, by officially launching franchise operations in (drum roll)… Western Australia!
The company’s business officially expanded into Perth last week at an exclusive launch event on Wednesday.
Held at Fraser’s Restaurant in Kings Park, the event was attended by the a number of Travel Counsellors keen to find out about the company. There was also an array of key suppliers, media and staff from head office.
3. Flight disruptions – Germany & Guatemala
Your clients travelling to either Germany or Guatemala today may experience flight delays as airports deal with disruptions.
Over in Germany, trade union Verdi has called security personnel to go on strike at three regional airports – Hamburg, Stuttgart and Hannover.
The strike is to increase pressure over stalled wage negotiations, Reuters reported.
Only minor flight delays are expected, with Lufthansa cancelling a total of 18 services.
MT @guatemala_dgac: Runway cleaning ops at La Aurora Airport #Guatemala City after #VolcánDeFuego ashfall. #aviation pic.twitter.com/QcUh64Pw97
— The Disaster Channel (@DisasterChannL) February 8, 2015
Meanwhile over in Central America, authorities are working on cleaning up the runway at La Aurora Airport after a local volcano erupted and spewed ash towards the gateway.
The airport was shut on Saturday and hopes to resume operations today.
CNN reported that the volcano threw ash up to 5,500 metres above sea level.
As well as airport closure, local residents were ordered to take shelter, cover their water tanks and wear masks.
4. Buffalo moves into Asia Pacific
Buffalo Tours is going after growing demand for travel to the Asia Pacific region by launching operations into Singapore, Malaysia, China and Hong Kong.
The operator says the launch last week is an ‘aggressive’ expansion into the region this year and will see Buffalo’s geographic reach increase from five markets to eleven.
Other destinations the company will launch into this year include Indonesia and Japan.
As well as introducing new destinations, the company said it is introducing more ‘authentic experiential’ experiences to woo travellers who want to ‘live like a local’.
5. Bookings open for Koningsdam
Bookings now open for sailings on Holland America’s forthcoming vessel.
Your clients can secure their spot on Holland America’s forthcoming ship as the line opens bookings for summer 2016 European cruises.
Launching in February next year, ms Koningsdam will be the largest in the HAL fleet carrying 2,650 passengers – 543 pax more than the current largest, ms Niew Amsterdam.
Bookings for the ship’s inaugural season opened in December last year and according to the line’s president have been very popular. First itineraries include seven and six-day cruises of the Mediterranean.
Now guests can book for the ship’s summer 2016 European cruises, which include a 13-day Christening Cruise departing 9 May from Civitavecchia, Italy, to Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
From May throughout the summer, the ship will sail roundtrip from Amsterdam on itineraries to Norway, the Baltic, British Isles and Iceland. The May 9 Christening Cruise will feature the ship’s official naming celebration on May 21 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, followed by an overnight at Amsterdam.
“The summer season cruises on Koningsdam offer unique itineraries, so we recommend guests book early to reserve their preferred sailing date and stateroom.”
Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line president
From its summer homeport of Amsterdam, Koningsdam will begin a series of seven- and 14-day cruises to Norway that showcase the country’s stunning scenery and dramatic fjords.
In August, the ship sails a British Isles and Iceland itinerary that features three calls in Iceland and visits to ports in England, Scotland and Norway.
On two 14-day itineraries in June and September, guests can embark on a journey to the Baltic and visit historical and cultural sites in Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden.
The ship’s fall and winter itineraries will be announced in the coming months.
Click here to see what your clients can expect onboard the vessel.
6. Agent call out! Get your votes in
Albatross Tours is asking travel agents to help to choose the best travel pictures in this year’s ‘Festive Europe’ Photo Competition.
Agents can pick one from each of the three photo competition categories – Extraordinary Places, Spectacular Scenery and Unforgettable Moments – all taken by Albatross travellers whilst on tour in Europe over Christmas.
With over 350 photos entered in the competition, the Albatross team have selected the best of the best, with many of the photos already earmarked to appear in future marketing material.
As well as showcasing travellers’ photo talents, images submitted for the ‘Our Festive Europe Photo Competition’ are often used for the company’s brochures and website.
To assist Albatross in selecting a winner for each photo category, agents can vote for their favourite photos by visiting http://www.albatrosstours.com.au/festive-europe-photo-competition-finalists
Voting closes at 10.00am AEST on 13 February 2015.
7. Rocky Mountaineer’s tasty update
Rocky Mountaineer has enhanced its SilverLeaf service with new gourmet options and local dishes.
The change comes as the tour operator celebrates its 25th anniversary of operating around Canada.
New to the menu designed by Rocky Mountaineer’s Michelin-Star Executive Chefs is the ‘Seat Side Service’ – where guests are served dishes while they are still in their seats. Each SilverLeaf coach will have a dedicated culinary team member in addition to two Onboard Hosts.
There’s also more beverage choices such as complimentary wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks.
New gourmet home-made snacks will keep guests full throughout the journey. And for the first time, SilverLeaf passengers will be able to customise portions of their meals.
SilverLeaf Service is available on three routes: First Passage to the West, Journey Through the Clouds, and Coastal Passage.
8. TransAsia Airways grounded
The airline has been grounded as pilots undergo tests. Image: Airbus
The airline that made headlines last week when one of its planes was filmed hitting a bridge and crashing into a river has been grounded until Tuesday.
The decision, which led to the cancellation of some 122 domestic flights, was made after flight data from the deadly crash in Taipei indicated that fuel to the aircraft’s left engine was manually switched off once the right engine had malfunctioned.
Data raised concern that the pilots may have accidentally cut fuel, which led the Flight 235’s quick descent only minutes after takeoff, The Wall Street Journal reported.
During the airline’s grounding, authorities will perform extensive tests on the airline’s pilots to ensure they’re equipped to handle emergency situations.
Wednesday’s second TransAsia crash left 40 people dead, 15 injured and three unaccounted for.
As well as the airline’s grounding, it has also been banned from adding new international routes for up to 12 months.
9. Homeless couple takes shelter at Heathrow
A couple have made Heathrow Airport their new home after losing their $2.2 million (£500,000) house.
According to UK’s Sunday Express, Alan Lane and Katrina Smith have drifted from terminal to terminal to avoid life on the streets.
The publication said Mr Lane, who is now 71, was a communications consultant earning around £80,000 and Ms Smith, 62, was a nanny to the rich and famous.
But things went downhill for the couple when Mr Lane lost a lucrative contract – they lost their three-bedroom home in Poole and moved into a flat, which they can no longer afford to rent.
So now they spend five days a week moving around the airport with three suitcases of their belongings and on the other two nights they stay at a B&B for £50 a night.
Their situation was picked up by UK media and a GoFundMe page was set up for them.
To date, they’ve attracted £9,270 from 477 people.
Ms Smith told the Daily Mail that the couple was ‘gobsmacked’ by people’s kindness.
“It’s amazing and totally renews faith in the human spirit.”
Katrina Smith
10. 5 things you didn’t know about flying
Image: smoderek/Shutterstock
If you’ve ever wondered how flight attendants handle (or punish) annoying passengers or what they get up to during lay overs – you finally have the answer
News.com.au talked to a former flight attendant, Shawn Kathleen and creator of the website Passenger Shaming as well as scoured the anonymous flight attendant posts on the website to find out what goes on behind the scenes.
The findings are actually quite interesting (and hilarious).