NEW YORK, 29 February 2012: Boeing said Tuesday it has received an order from China Southern Airlines for 10 long-haul 777 aircraft in a deal valued at nearly US$3 billion at list price.
China Southern Airlines has agreed to buy 10 Boeing 777-300ERs, “as the airline plans to expand its capacity to meet demand in Asia-Pacific and China,” Boeing said in a statement.
Boeing said it would work the airline to obtain the required approval from the Chinese government for the purchase.
“We’re very pleased that China Southern, which has been a staunch 777 supporter from the very beginning of the program, has once again selected the 777-300ER to serve its passengers and to deliver value to its bottom line,” said Ihssane Mounir, vice president of sales at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The plane ordered is an extended-range version of the twin-engine 777.
Boeing did not reveal the value of the sale; aircraft are typically sold at a discount from the list price.
To date 36 art troupes from 26 countries and territories have registered to participate in Hue Festival 2012, according to organisers.
Europe and America will send 14 troupes, Asia 11, and the rest will come from other continents, said representatives of the Hue Festival Centre.
France remains the traditional and special partner at this year’s festival, which will send Smooth band (hiphop , funk and jazz), Carabosse troupe from Poitou Charentes region, street band Jazz Combo Box, and artist Francois Audrain to the event.
Two Russian art troupes will take part in the festival, the Piatnisky Song and Dance Ensemble, specialising in Russian folk music, and the Raduga dancing group.
The UK, Belgium, Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Australia, Poland, Japan and the Republic of Korea are expected to give impressive performances at the festival, said organisers.
More than 300 media workers have registered to cover the event. There will be 17 official information sponsors, including Vietnam Television (VTV), Voice of Vietnam (VOV), and Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
This year’s festival will take place from April 7-15 to mark the National Tourism Year in the North-Central Midland region.
VietJetAir, the budget airline, has announced that it will open two more routes this summer, the HCM City-Da Nang route from April 27th with two flights per day and the Hanoi-Nha Trang route from April 19th until the end of August with one flight per day.
Promotional and budget tickets are expected to be announced soon.
At present, VietJetAir’s website is posting two prices of VND 1.892 million and 2.8 million per ticket for flights to Da Nang and Nha Trang.
Notably, the airline plans to double its flights between Hanoi and HCM City to 8 flights per day before April 30th to meet growing demands.
Until February 27th, VietJetAir has operated nearly 360 safe flights, carrying more than 40,000 passengers after two months of operation.
posted Feb 27, 2012 7:09 PM by Dong Travel Ticketing
BANGKOK, 27 February 20121: RAK Airways, the national carrier of Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven states in the United Arab Emirates will join two other UAE airlines– Etihad Airways and Emirates — offering services to Bangkok, effective 1 June.
RAK Airways will start with four flights weekly departing from Ras Al Khaimah at 2000 and arriving in Bangkok at 0440. The return flight will depart at 0540 and arrive at its home base at 1000.
The starting fare from Ras Al Khaimah is quoted at AED1,800, or around Bt14,900, but fare are still not bookable online.
The airline is a hybrid between full-service and the budget travel model. It gives passengers 30 kg baggage allowance and free airport transfers from points in the UAE including Dubai and Sharjah, while meals and non-alcoholic drinks are free, but alcoholic drinks cost extra.
RAK Airways was founded in 2006 and launched in 2007, but was hard hit by the financial crisis beginning in 2007 forcing it to close in 2009. Services resumed late 2010.
Currently it operates to 11 destinations in the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa with a fleet of four Boeings: B757-200; B737-400 and two 737-800. It has another two B737-800s on order.
Unlike Emirates and Etihad, it is essentially a point-to-point carrier serving the UAE without much network depth to offer connecting services beyond its home-base to destinations further afield in Africa or Europe.
posted Feb 26, 2012 9:13 PM by Dong Travel Ticketing
The 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival will take place at Park No. 23/9 in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1.
According to the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the event is part of the city’s 2012 Tourism Festival, scheduled for April 12-15, including a tourism trade fair and cuisine activities.
Since it was first held in Hanoi in April 2009, the Japanese cherry blossom festival has become an annual event in Vietnam.
posted Feb 26, 2012 9:11 PM by Dong Travel Ticketing
The Spirit of Adventure (photo for illustration only)
The Saigontourist travel agency has welcomed the high-class cruise ship, the “Spirit of Adventure”, with 750 foreign visitors and crew from the United Kingdom onboard, to the Cai Lan Port for a 7-day trans-Viet tour from February 24th.
The tourists visited Ha Long Bay, Bai Chay Town and Vung Vieng Village to learn more about local people’s daily lives, then President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the One-Pillar Pagoda.
On February 27th, 28th and 29th, the “Spirit of Adventure” will bring the visitors to Da Nang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City, respectively, to visit the Hoi An Ancient Town, Phong Nam Village, tour the cities by pedicab, enjoy sunset from the Bitexco building, watch water puppet performances and so on.
On March 1st, the cruise ship will leave Ho Chi Minh City and finish the tour.
The “Spirit of Adventure” is scheduled to return to Vietnam on the route between HCMC and Nha Trang from March 9th to 11th.
posted Feb 26, 2012 9:10 PM by Dong Travel Ticketing
The Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre held a programme titled “Da Nang Colour” to promote Da Nang tourism on February 24th in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to the organisers, there will be 34 major cultural, sporting and tourist events to be held in Da Nang during 2012.
Apart from the International Fireworks Contest in April, Da Nang will hold a number of impressive programme, such as the Da Nang International Paramotor Competition 2012, the International Cruising and Sailing Festival, International Jet-Skiing Championship and the Vietnam Open Paragliding Championship, to attract domestic and international tourists to the City this year.
Local officials also announced that the new international airport in the City will be operational and that a number of direct air routes between the City and South Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Japan and Laos will continue to operate, which will facilitate travellers to the City.
According to estimates, Da Nang will welcome some 4million visitors, including 1 million international ones in 2012.
posted Feb 24, 2012 8:57 PM by Dong Travel Ticketing
(VOV) - National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced that it will offer special promotional discounts on its Hanoi-Guangzhou air route.
Accordingly, passengers in Vietnam who buy Economy Class tickets for flights between the two cities from now until March 31 will get a free ticket on the same route.
According to the promotion, customers who purchase these tickets cannot change their flights or booked seats, extend their tickets or receive a refund. Those who wish to change their flights will have to pay US$20 for the ticket they have bought but, there is no charge for changing the free tickets.
A return ticket on the Hanoi-Guangzhou route is US$199 excluding taxes and other fees.
posted Feb 24, 2012 12:49 AM by Dong Travel Ticketing
Sushi, sashimi and grilled creations by chef Morio Sakayori - Photo: Courtesy of the Kisso Restaurant
Sushi lovers should not miss an opportunity to mingle with Japanese sushi chef Morio Sakayori from this Monday until March 3 at Kissho Restaurant in HCMC’s District 1.
The chef will prepare three types of sashimi, grilled teriyaki beef or seafood, three choices of Nigiri sushi, broiled mushroom salad, a choice of soup and green tea ice cream topped with fresh fruit and black honey.
During the meal, Sakayori will guide diners through the proper tasting etiquette to experience the full flavor of each dish.
He used to work at the Harbor Plaza Hotel in Hong Kong before he was called to Beijing to take on the role of restaurant manager and chef. This gave him the opportunity to open the popular Morio Restaurant in Hotel G. Known for its unique style of sushi, Morio Restaurant takes classic Japanese sushi and merges it with culinary influences from the U.S., Hong Kong, and Beijing.
The Kissho Restaurant which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. is located at 14 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, District 1, HCMC, tel: 08 3823.2223.
posted Feb 22, 2012 7:24 PM by Dong Travel Ticketing
SYDNEY, 22 February 2012: Australian carrier Qantas said Wednesday that Vietnam Airlines will take a majority share in its Jetstar Pacific offshoot from the Vietnamese State Capital Investment Corporation.
Under the arrangement, the Vietnamese airline will hold 69.93% of the low-cost airline, with Qantas owning 30%.
“This partnership brings together the proven low-cost model of Jetstar with the unique local knowledge and existing networks of national carrier Vietnam Airlines,” said Qantas chief Alan Joyce.
“We are confident this partnership between a low-cost carrier and a full-service airline in Vietnam can replicate the success of our Qantas and Jetstar strategy in Australia, and follows our recent partnership with Japan Airlines to form Jetstar Japan.”
Jetstar Pacific would receive a capital injection of A$25 million (US$26.6 million) for fleet renewal, with the five Boeing 737s used currently to be replaced with new Airbus A320s from the middle of 2012, Qantas added in a statement.
The airline hopes to have 15 A320s in its fleet within the next few years.
Qantas bought into Jetstar Pacific, then known as Pacific Airlines, in 2007 with the carrier operating almost 150 services a week to seven destinations within Vietnam.
It connects with Jetstar’s international network through flights to Singapore.
Qantas owns 100% of Jetstar Airways in Australia and 49% of Jetstar Asia Airways in Singapore.
Europe and America will send 14 troupes, Asia 11, and the rest will come from other continents, said representatives of the Hue Festival Centre.
