Air France to launch daily A380 Paris-Dubai route in December

Air France (AF) will start operating Airbus A380 aircraft on a daily Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Dubai (DXB) route Dec. 5, and on a 2X-daily CDG to Los Angeles (LAX) route May 28, 2012.

The CDG-DXB service will be a seasonal A380 route, made possible by the aircraft’s redeployment from Tokyo Narita to DXB for the winter season, resulting from lower seasonal demand to Tokyo, AF said. The CDG-LAX route is part of the transatlantic joint venture operated by AF KLM, Alitalia and Delta Air Lines.

AF said it will operate six A380s in the current winter schedule on five routes (CDG to New York JFK, Johannesburg, Montreal, Washington Dulles and DXB) and eight A380s in the next summer schedule to six destinations (LAX, JFK, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Montreal and Washington).

Heathrow and London City flights cancelled due to fog

Air passengers have faced disruption after a number of flights to and from Heathrow and London City airports were cancelled due to fog.

At Heathrow, a total of 18 flights - nine arrivals and nine departures - were cancelled on Wednesday morning.

At London City, nine flights - four arrivals and five departures - were cancelled, while further flights were diverted or delayed.

At 11:00 GMT, a Heathrow spokesman said the fog was "clearing rapidly".

Flights to and from Heathrow and London City airports were also disrupted on Sunday and Monday due to fog.

A Heathrow Airport spokesman said Wednesday's cancellations were due to "reduced capacity on the runways caused by the thick fog".

"It is hoped that few, or no, further cancellations will be necessary as the fog is expected to clear," he added.

"Passengers should check with their airline that their flight is going ahead."

At London City Airport, nine flights - four arrivals and five departures - were cancelled, while further flights were diverted or delayed.

An airport spokeswoman said: "We are asking customers to contact their airlines and are constantly updating our website to keep customers informed."

Cheap Flights to Australia: Tourist Destination and Travel Information

Australia is one of the exciting tourist destinations of the world, you can enjoy the most thrilling and adventurous tour of your life in the country of Australia. This travel article will provide you with the basic and general information on the country of Australia that will make your tour of Australia convenient.

Australia Tourist destinations are numerous; tourists from all over the world visit the country. The attractions in Australia are all inclusive ranging from spectacular natural wonders that includes beaches, vast landscapes, gardens and wildlife parks to modern architecture, historical landmarks and other entertainment options.

As far as natural wonders are concerned, there is no dearth of it in the country. The country is home to some of the most exquisite and pristine beaches. The long sandy beaches in the country will enable you to enjoy some splendid sceneries of natural beauty. Besides this, most of the beaches boast of avant-garde dining options and are sites of water sports. Apart from these there are also hilly areas and valleys in the country that have become major tourist destinations. Different states in the country feature wild life parks that feature a wide array of flora and fauna.

Besides natural wonders, there are numerous historical landmarks in the country. Sites like Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia and countless museums in the country bear testimony to colonial past and heritage of the country. There are other landmarks in the country that have achieved iconic status and have become synonymous with the existence of the country. Sites like Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge in Sydney are much photographed and have become the most recognized sites of the country.

Geography of Australia comprises of a variety of biogeographic regions. Australia is the smallest continent and yet the sixth largest country in the world. Most of the population of Australia lies on the eastern and south eastern coasts.

It is always recommended that you try and keep your luggage to a minimum. Carry things which you are surely going to use. If you are not sure about certain things, you could leave them out since it will definitely be available in Australia if you need it.

Most restaurants, shopping malls, and hotels accept major credit cards. It is recommended that you travel with as much less cash as possible. Credit cards are always there to bail you out in case your run short on cash. A sizeable amount of foreign exchange could also be carried.
Medical facilities and services in Australia are good. There are a number of pharmacies, hospitals and medical shops from where one can get all sorts of medical assistance that one may require.
If you are traveling to Australia during winters, do not forget to carry a few warm jumpers. It gets very cold during the winters and sometimes it rains too.
The currency of Australia is Australian dollars. Some restaurants and hotels do accept US Dollars. There are numerous money changers located all over Australia.

Getting to Australia

There are frequent direct and indirect flights by major airlines from destinations throughout Europe, North America, the East and Australasia to South Africa.

From the United Kingdom, South African Airways and British Airways offer the most direct flights but there are numerous European Airlines offering the same flight. London to Johannesburg is an eleven and a half hour direct flight and London to Cape Town direct is twelve hours flying time.

Best Time to Visit Australia

The northern states are best visited during the winters, from July to September while the summer months are ideal for visiting the southern states. On the whole, September and October are the best, when it is neither too hot nor too cold.

For more details or booking cheap flights to Australia please call our reservation experts on 02079936219 or visit our website http://www.flightsmaster.co.uk.

Starbow Airlines promises affordable flights in Ghana

Aero Surveys Limited, an airline company trading under the commercial name, Starbow, which is the latest addition to Ghana’s aviation industry, say they are poised to offer affordable and reliable air service in Ghana and the West African Sub Region.

Starbow started domestic flights out of Kotoka International Airport on September 26 serving Kumasi, Tamale, and embarking on its first trip to Takoradi on Tuesday November 8.

The Airline plans to expand its operations to Abidjan, Monrovia, Abuja and other places in West Africa.

The Starbow fleet consists of two BAe 146-300 jets. Each aircraft has 94 passenger seats, of which 8 are in business class.

Speaking to Radio Maxx after the first inaugural flight to Takoradi, the Chief Executive of Starbow Airline, Dr. Brock Friesen, said the Airline has come to stay and would deliver to meet the demands of travellers as its gears up to provide a 7-day service to travellers in and out of various cities.

Dr. Friesen, who doubles as the Chief Operating Officer of Starbow Airlines says their affordable prices and reliable service is likely to whip up interest in domestic air travel.

In the first three weeks of its launch, Starbow gave a highly competitive promotional offer where flights from Accra to Kumasi cost only GHS 99, whilst that from Accra to Tamale cost GHS149.

“The primary thing is that we have made air travel much more affordable in Ghana. The cost of domestic travel in Ghana and in West Africa is very high by World standards. It’s much cheaper to fly anywhere in North America than it is to fly a similar route such as Accra to Tamale. The cost is 50 to a 100 percent higher than it will be in Europe or North America. So all we have done is to bring the prices closer to the world price levels so that more people can afford to fly” Dr. Friesen said.

Starbow’s motto “It’s all about You” embodies the philosophy of the Starbow brand, including the values and principles that we follow in our daily activities. Starbow adheres to the highest safety and operational standards.

Some passengers who were on the first Takoradi Trip described the flight as smooth, and lauded the air hostesses for their warmth gestures and unique services. They urged the management of Starbow to maintain the standards in order to win more clients.

Lufthansa is committed to increasing services in Ghana - Becker

Accra, Mr Claus Becker, the Managing Director of Lufthansa Airlines has reiterated the airline’s commitment to increasing its services in Ghana and West African sub region.

He said this in Accra on Saturday when the airline organised a press briefing to introduce him as the new Managing Director for West and Central Africa and to announce their newly introduced daily flights to Accra in Ghana.

Mr Becker said Africa was very important to Lufthansa as it was a major part of their business.

He said he has worked with the airline for about 30 years in various capacities including product management, marketing and sales saying his first in Ghana was in 2008 when he came to witness the eclipse of the sun.

Mr Becker said he would be based in Lagos where the airline has its headquarters but has pledged to work closely with the Ghana office. “I look forward to working here with you to develop the Lufthansa business.”

Mr Becker said the main challenges facing the airline were inadequate infrastructure including airports, air traffic control, security, transportation among others adding that as the airline industry grows and passenger numbers increase, infrastructure must be developed to handle them, especially as airport taxes are passed on to the passengers in ticket prices.

 Mr Yannick Aplogan, General Manager of Lufthansa in Ghana, said the airline had from November 1, 2011 increased its Accra/Frankfurt service from five weekly flights to a daily service with a brand new Boeing 737-800 intercontinental.

He said this was to satisfy customer demands and to provide greater flexibility and convenience for their customers.

Aplogan said Lufthansa was working closely with the Ghana Airports Company Limited to address challenges at the Kotoka International Airport such as inadequate parking bays for aircrafts.

“In spite of these challenges, we have been able to build a superior product for our customers, we have established a strong brand which stands for reliability and safety,” he said.

African aviation industry must improve safety - IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for a renewed focus on aviation safety to help Africa reap the benefits of aviation connectivity, as it expressed concern over the continent’s accident rate.

In 2005 Africa recorded nearly 10 hull losses per million flights with Western built jets. By 2008 that had been reduced to two. “That was still 2.5 times worse than the global average, but it was a significant step forward. In 2009, the rate jumped back to 9.94 and in 2010 it was 7.41. Two hull losses so far in 2011 put the rate at 4.33 against a global average of 0.37. The trend is once again in the right direction. And there have been no hull losses this year with IATA carriers. But aviation must be safe for all airlines and in all regions. And that means we have much work to do in Africa,” said IATA CEO and Director-General Tony TylerTyler, who was addressing airline CEOs, government leaders, policy makers and industry stakeholders at the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) AGM in Marrakech, Morocco.

“It is time again to muster the political will that we found in 2005 to improve safety. I have high expectations for the African Safety Summit’s two ambitious goals for 2015: to reduce Africa’s accident rate to the global average and to remove African carriers from the European list of banned airlines. IATA does not believe that banning carriers improves safety. Implementing global standards and best practices—as we do with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)—delivers results. None-the-less, the list of banned airlines is a political reality that is not going to disappear. And improving safety is incumbent on all in this industry. So we need to work together,” said Tyler.

In May the European Commission announced that airlines from 15 African countries were banned from flying to the European Union (EU) due to safety concerns.

Runway excursions are the biggest safety challenge for Africa, IATA said. Working with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a revised Runway Excursion Risk Reduction Toolkit was produced this year. “For the toolkit to improve safety, it needs to be used - by airlines, air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and airports,” said Tyler.

Tyler praised Nigerian Director General of Civil Aviation, Dr. Harold Demuren, who will complete his tenure in February 2012, for achievements in Nigeria. In 2005 it had the worst safety record on the continent with four of the eight hull losses in that year. Since 2007 Nigeria has had no hull losses. “Dr. Demuren’s leadership proved that world-class safety is possible in Africa. His work and many innovations should be an inspiration. Included among these, IOSA was made a requirement for long-haul operations from Nigeria. I urge other African governments to follow his example,” said Tyler.

IATA also called for a strong partnership to drive innovative solutions to the other challenges facing aviation in the region: security, environmental sustainability and infrastructure.

With COP-17 opening next week in Durban South Africa, Tyler repeated aviation’s commitment to environmental sustainability, through its targets of fuel efficiency improvements of 1.5% per year to 2020, carbon neutral growth from 2020, and a cut in net emissions of 50% by 2050 compared to 2005. He also noted the great opportunities for sustainable biofuels. “With the potential to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint by up to 80%, sustainable biofuels are an innovation that is a potential game changer. The challenge is commercialization. There is huge potential for Africa to develop local biofuels industries that could spread economic opportunities even in the most remote corner of the continent,” he said. Mozambique is already producing raw biofuel, which is being processed abroad and used by Lufthansa.

Regarding infrastructure, Tyler said the development of cost-effective infrastructure is crucial to the future health of African aviation. But infrastructure development fees are being imposed on airlines with little prior notification or consultation. The combined annual cost to airlines of three introduced since 2008 in Mali, Senegal and the DR Congo is over US$100 million, more than the African industry made in 2010. “Airlines and infrastructure providers share a common future. But we must safeguard and be guided by ICAO principles of non-discrimination, consultation, transparency, cost-relatedness and without pre-financing,” said Tyler.

African carriers posted a US$100 million profit in 2010. IATA expects the continent’s carriers to break even in 2011 and fall into losses of US$100 million in 2012. This is in line with a global trend of declining profitability in the face of global economic weakness.

“We must work together to ensure that every government in the continent understands aviation as an engine for sustainable development and a key pillar of economic strategy. Africa will benefit greatly by harnessing the power of a successful aviation industry. To ensure that aviation delivers on its potential, we must work together - industry and government - to ensure that aviation is safe secure, environmentally sustainable and well supported with efficient infrastructure,” said Tyler.

Qatar Airways to Add Seven New Routes in 2012

Qatar Airways will expand its network in Australia, Europe, Africa and Saudi Arabia. In 2012, the airline will offer flights to Perth, Helsinki, Zagreb, Zanzibar, Kigali, Mombasa and Gassim.

Qatar Airways has announced its 2012 route expansion program that focuses on Australia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. A gamut of new destinations is set to join the airline's international flight network.

The five-star rated airline made this major announcement on Friday at the Dubai Air Show.

In 2012, Qatar Airways will offer flights to Perth in Western Australia, the Finnish capital Helsinki, Croatia's capital city of Zagreb, Gassim in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and three East African cities – Zanzibar (Tanzania), Kigali (Rwanda) and Mombasa (Kenya).

All these seven new routes will operate from the airline's hub in Doha and will be operational over the next few months. Other than these, flights to Baku and Tbilisi, the capital cities of Azerbaijan and Georgia, respectively will also be operational from February.

Qatar Airways' Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker revealed the new destinations at the Dubai Air Show and spoke about the airline's aggressive expansion policy.

"We are continuing what we started back in 1997 when Qatar Airways was launched with new routes and new aircraft being introduced at an unprecedented rate to further strengthen what is truly a global network airline,” Al Baker was quoted in the company's press release published last week.

"Our mission has been to operate to key business and leisure destinations around the world, but also to underserved markets where others dare not venture into. We take bold decisions to serve certain markets because we believe it makes strong business sense.

"Today's announcement shows the confidence Qatar Airways has in such a diverse range of destinations. We look forward to offering even greater choice to the travelling public that they so deserve,” Al Baker added.

New Routes

Perth will be Qatar Airways' second route in Australia. Nearly two years ago, the airline launched its maiden flight to Australia - to Melbourne.

The addition of Helsinki and Zagreb in its European network will boost Qatar's presence in the continent. The carrier has already launched seven routes in Europe this year. After Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo, Helsinki will become the five-star airline's fourth Nordic route.

Qatar Airways will amplify its network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by adding fifth destination in the country, Gassim. Qatar Airways presently serves Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina.

As far as the African continent is concerned, the launch of three new routes will strengthen the presence of the airline in the region. While Kenya's Mombasa and Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean are hot holiday destinations, Kigali, Rwanda's capital city, is a prominent commercial hub of the region.

The launch of all these flights on significant international routes will surely lure travellers to book tickets with Qatar Airways, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world. Qatar may not be renowned for operating cheap flights but the airline is exceedingly popular as a full-service quality airline with top of the line in-flight services. Moreover, with the increase in the competition, budget travellers will have better chances of lapping up cheap flight tickets on the routes.

In 2011, the airline's aggressive expansion program witnessed launch of flights to 14 destinations - Bucharest (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Brussels (Belgium), Stuttgart (Germany), Aleppo (Syria), Shiraz (Iran), Venice (Italy), Montreal (Canada), Medina (Saudi Arabia), Kolkata (India), Sofia (Bulgaria), Oslo (Norway), Benghazi (Libya) and Entebbe (Uganda).