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Emirates wins best Middle East/African Airline Award
H.E. Mr. Salim Isa Al Kattam Al Zaabi (right), Ambassador
of the United Arab Emirates to Thailand, congratulates Soonthorn Suree,
Emirates manager for Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos on winning the
Best Middle East/African Airline Award from the 14th Annual Travel Awards
2002 organized by TTG Asia, at the Sofitel Central Plaza Bangkok.
TTG Travel Awards were presented to winners in the following categories:
Airlines, Hotels, Business Travel, Travel Agencies, Best Airport, Best Car
Rental Company, Best GDS, Best Cruise Operator, Best NTO, and Best Theme
Attraction, nominated by readers of TTG Asia and TTG China.
Figures show more tourists arrivals in Thailand
Tourism Minister Sonthaya Khunpluem recently announced
that tourist arrivals for this time of year were up by 16 percent. He said
that this increase indicated that some holidaymakers may have changed their
plans and chose Thailand out of safety concerns after the recent bomb attack
in Bali.
Although the Thai Hotels Association reported mass hotel
cancellations shortly after travel warnings to South East Asia were issued
by various countries, the majority of hotels in the country say they have
felt little impact.
Sonthaya said the Tourism and Sports Ministry has set up
a tourist cooperation center which will serve as the major source of
information on tourism to deal with concerns stemming from warnings by
governments to their citizens regarding travel in Thailand.
To deal with the negative reports about touring in this
region, the TAT has allocated 50 million baht to public relations activities
overseas in an effort to reinforce the country’s positive image.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hopes that major
events such as the New Year festival will attract visitors to the kingdom.
TAT has forecast that tourist arrivals will increase 6
percent to 10.5 million this year. Despite the slowdown in the airline
industry after the Sept. 11 attacks in the USA last year, tourist arrivals
to Thailand grew by nearly 6 percent to 10.03 million. (TNA)
Air New Zealand increases capacity on international routes
This week Air New Zealand commenced its new international
flight schedule (effective November 2002 - end March 2003) with increased
capacity on several routes. The airline has increased the frequency of
flights, in particular to Los Angeles and Sydney, and increased seat
capacity on some services by up-gauging the aircraft type. This is in
addition to increases introduced for Japan earlier in the year.
Air New Zealand senior vice president sales &
distribution, Norm Thompson said the increased frequency and capacity to
these key international destinations was in response to growing demand in
some key markets with a resurgence of interest in New Zealand as a
destination.
“Air New Zealand has made some significant changes to
our schedules this year, reflecting an increased investment in the
international inbound tourism market,” Thompson said.
“A particular milestone for the airline is that we will
be operating two daily services to Los Angeles. In addition to the increased
passengers services, New Zealand exporters and importers will benefit from
the additional cargo capacity in particular on this route and the
Auckland-Hong Kong route.”
The increased international services are:
To Asia and Japan
* Auckland -Tokyo: daily services (from five per week)
introduced in April
* Auckland-Kansai: daily services (from six per week)
* Auckland - Nagoya: from three to four services per week
* Auckland-Hong Kong: daily services (from five per week)
* Auckland-Singapore: daily services
* Re-introduction of regular Japan charter flights from
27 November
To North America
* Auckland -Los Angeles: twice daily non-stop service
(from ten per week)
* Sydney-Los Angeles: from three to five flights weekly
* Auckland-Honolulu: from two to three flights weekly
To Australia
* Auckland-Sydney: from four to five flights daily
In addition, Air New Zealand’s Pacific services through
to Los Angeles are realigned as follows:
* Nadi - Los Angeles: from two to three flights weekly
* Papeete - Los Angeles: from three to four flights
weekly; and
* Rarotonga-Papeete increases from one to three flights
weekly.
TNT launches new express direct China/Europe airfreight service
TNT Express, the world’s leading business-to-business
express carrier will provide direct and quicker turnaround deliveries for
cargo between Europe and China, and synergizes the two economies via a
dedicated, purpose-built freight airport in Liege, Belgium.
The new partnership based upon a code-share agreement
between TNT Airways and China Southern Airlines, China’s largest airline,
will bring together industry leading, expertise from these major airfreight
players and leverage TNT’s comprehensive air and road network in Europe.
Under the strategic alliance, a B747 aircraft under
wet-lease from Atlas Air will fly twice weekly form the TNT Express European
hub in Liege, Belgium, to Shenzhen and Shanghai. This arrangement ensures
quicker turn-around times; faster custom clearances and transfer of goods
form the 100-metric ton freighter to TNT’s dedicated European air and road
network. Plans are underway to increase the loop service to four rotations a
week by 1st quarter 2003.
Christian Drenthen, TNT airways chief Executive Officer,
said, “TNT Airways is pleased to announce this new extension to our
already unsurpassed air and read network in Europe. We will continue to
progressively enhance our service offerings for all our customers, in the
areas of speed, flexibility and outreach across the world.” A wet-lease
arrangement includes hire of aircraft and crewmembers.
“TNT is especially proud that this new partnership will
facilitate our clients’ business growth in the world markets of Europe and
China, and particularly now in China, which is indisputably the world’s
newest and fastest growing economy. The new enhanced connectivity will
further facilitate two-way services and support for our joint European and
Chinese customers. And ensure greater control over their shipments within
definite and quicker delivery times,” Drenthen added.
Of the new partnership, Wong Chang Shun, President, China
Southern Airlines, said, “China Southern is dedicated to achieving close
cooperation with our business partners around the world. We are proud to be
part of this win-win relationship with the world’s leading carriers. In
partnering TNT Airways, we are confident that together, we will provide more
superior services to our customers and facilitate grater access to the
European markets.”
The partnership will also provide TNT customers with
extensive access to China as China Southern operates more than 385 routes
and has 5 subsidiary airlines in Hainan, Henan, Hubei, and Shenzhen.
TNT’s extensive air network capabilities, excluding its
new link to China, already operates in 55 airports across the UK,
Scandinavia, Germany, Eastern Europe, Switzerland, Italy, France,
Spain/Portugal, Denmark, Belgium and more. TNT’s extensive European road
network connects over 31 countries including Demark Germany, Turkey,
Luxembourg and Ireland.
Cathay Pacific supports charity ballet for UNICEF
Cindy Lam, Cathay Pacific Airways’ S.E. Asia assistant
regional manager, accepts an honorary plaque on behalf of Cathay Pacific
from Gamini Abeysekera (left), representing the UNICEF Office for Thailand.
The airline was honored for its role as a key sponsor of ‘Pra Apai
Manee’, a Thai charity ballet recently hosted by the Dance Center. This is
the 2nd year running that Cathay Pacific Airways has supported this charity
event dedicated to raising funds for the relief projects of UNICEF and the
Raks Thai Foundation in order to support children and needy people across
Thailand.
South African Airways appoints Annie Tsima as general manager for Thailand
Annie
Tsima
South African Airways recently announced
the appointment of Annie Tsima as general manager for Thailand. Annie Tsima
has been working with South African Airways for 7 years. She worked in
flight operations, alliances & global passengers services departments
before joining the global sales department. In the past year, Ms Tsima
worked as the regional sales & marketing coordinator - Asia Pacific for
South African Airways based in Thailand.
FedEx Expands Bangna station
FedEx, the world’s largest express transportation
company, has tripled the size of its Bangna Station facilities, with office
and operational areas now covering 800 square meters. The expanded station
includes an additional 16-van line-up to enhance the company’s fast and
reliable ground services.
The FedEx Bangna station provides express services to
customers in Samut Prakan, Chachoengsao, Chonburi and the Eastern Bangkok
area, including Prachin Buri, Chanthaburi and Rayong with 30 vehicles,
including express delivery vans, motorbikes and trucks for large
consignments.
The 800-square meter facility offers services from Monday
through Saturday from 9.00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Shipments are transported to Don Muang International
Airport on the same day that they arrive in Bangna. They are then routed
worldwide via FedEx’s Asia Pacific Hub in Subic Bay, Philippines. FedEx
delivers packages overnight to Asian cities through its AsiaOne Network and
to more than 211 countries in 24-48 hours.
“The expansion at Bangna demonstrates FedEx’s
commitment to Thailand, with the continuous expansion and upgrading of our
facilities and services in the Kingdom,” said Rhicke Jennings, managing
director of FedEx Thailand.
Jennings added, “With the expansion of the Bangna
station, we increase our presence in Thailand to better serve our customers
wherever they are. These new facilities illustrate our company’s efforts
to customers wherever they are and illustrate our company’s efforts to
support the development of the Chonburi area and the dynamic Eastern
seaboard, two regions with real needs for fast and reliable international
air express services.”
Aside from the expansion of the Bangna station, FedEx
continuously reinforces its services nationwide with the recent opening of
two new stations, one in Korat and the other in Laem Chabang, near the
Industrial parks and the Export Processing Zone (EPZ).
With annual revenues of $21 billion, FedEx Corp. is the
premier global provider of transportation, e-commerce and supply chain
management services. The company offers integrated business solutions
through a network of subsidiaries operating independently, including: FedEx
Express, the world’s largest express transportation company; FedEx Ground,
North America’s second largest provider of small-package ground delivery
service; FedEx Freight, the largest U.S provider of regional
less-than-truckload time-critical shipments; and FedEx Trade Networks, a
provider of customs clearance, international freight forwarding and trade
facilitation.
Forming subtle relationships on the reefs of Cozumel Island
by Chalerm Raksanti
Cozumel Island is just off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula,
and not far from Cuba. Investigating life forms on the outer edges of
cliff-like Atlantic reefs, where sheer faces covered with coral can plunge
from the shallows down thousands of feet to the sea floor, is a journey into
a hidden realm of outer-limits. These deep reefs lay in a murky world,
somewhere between day and night, and rocky maws harbor a fairyland of
colorful, varied and tightly integrated animals.
A crust
colony of tube sponges makes a friendly home site to small sea creatures.
A
scarlet wedge nestles snugly between tube sponges as it waits for a meal of
small crustaceans.
Sports divers usually stay in the shallows and rarely
venture below 200 feet. Marine biologists often dive more than twice that
depth to study the watery world of the marine life which is found in these
waters. But at any depth, the marine life in these waters is rich in variety
and abundant.
Scarlet wedges nestle amongst sponges. Nassau groupers
feed along the coral cliffs. Algae living in the coal tissues give off life
sustaining oxygen in return for the carbon dioxide they need for
photosynthesis. This extra oxygen added to the water spurs rapid growth of
coral and thus makes possible the formation of ever-enlarging reefs.
Subtle relationships are formed on coral reefs. Like
antique pots spilled from an ancient shipwreck, tube sponges bulge eerily
along the reef. These natural casks make cozy homes for many sea creatures.
The brittle star and spider crab will both share their habitat and the tube
sponge is the host. Snails and shark-nose gobies find security in crusty
colonies of funnel sponges.
The
blackcap basslet, a relative of the large species of groupers, uses its
bulging eyes to find food while it scavenges on the coral reef.
The
crimson sea star is a bottom dweller and grazes for algae along the ocean
floor.
Blazes of rainbow hues and brilliant patterns splash most
reef fish, from shoreline swimmers to those at the ocean bottom. The fairy
basslet and blackcap basslet are but two of the many small, lustrous
relatives of groupers which feed on plankton and thrive in sponge colonies.
Sedentary animals, the funnel sponges cement loose, dead
parts of the reef together, and provide against rapid decay. A sponge
filters out microscopic food by drawing water through tiny spores in its
body wall and then expelling it through its top opening.
The tiny cleaner shrimps rely on gestures for their daily
food. As they perch on sea anemone they remain unharmed by the anemone’s
globular stinging tentacles. In fact, they are protected by them from larger
prey. As they pose, the little shrimp rock from side to side, waving their
long white antennae.
Reef fish swim amongst the venomous anemones to remove
parasites. The red hind reef fish which is wounded or has open sores
receives a thorough cleaning and will heal faster as a result.
This symbiotic partnership with sponges extends to the
spine-laden brittle star which lazes atop the sponge. Jellylike mucus on
each of the starfish’s arms traps food and delicate tube feet transport it
to its centrally located mouth.
Another sea creature which needs friends to survive is
the small spider crab which finds camouflage in the canopy of living
sponges. It scavenges plankton that clings to black coral. Black coral has
highly polished trunks and branches of black coral found on the reefs of
Hawaii have been prized for generations in the making of jewelry.
The heart of any reef, corals provide a firm base and
hiding places for a kaleidoscope of life forms. Hard corals are the sea’s
masons - always building a skeleton that becomes the reef itself, and which
supports other growth.
Some corals, however, leave no lasting structure when they die. The
delicate, lacy soft coral whose branches harbor crabs, shrimp and small fish
dissolve and leave no building blocks for the reef.
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