Business Traveller Middle East articles from July 2010

Business Traveller Middle East archives from July 2010

This issue.
July 1, 2010... New routes, new plane orders, new hotels--it would appear that normal service has resumed in the Middle East in recent weeks, after the challenges posed by the downturn and the Icelandic volcano. It promises to be a long summer though, with...

Oman Air wifi and mobile phones.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I would like to thank you for having carried the story [in March/April's Upfront] about Oman Air's introduction of Onair wifi and mobile phone connectivity, but the article also raises doubt about whether we were the...

Passenger rights.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2010... I am confused with regards to my experience with British Airways recently. I was due to travel on flight BA0106 on March 29 in Club World from Dubai to London Heathrow. After checking in online and choosing my seat, I went to Dubai International...

Volcanic reactions.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2010... How about surveying the different airlines' attitudes and shaming those who are abusing passengers and taking advantage of the [volcanic ash] situation? I was supposed to travel from London Heathrow to Glasgow with Bmi on Friday April 17. The...

Millennium eyes regional push for three-star Studio M.(Upfront)
July 1, 2010... Millennium Hotels and Resorts aims to shake up the three-star sector by rolling out Studio M properties across the region within the next year. The brand, which recently opened in Singapore, features a contemporary, urban-inspired loft with a...

Spanish group says 'hola' to Dubai.(Upfront)
July 1, 2010... The five-star Melia Dubai hotel, due to open in the city at the beginning of 2011, will mark Sol Melias first venture in the UAE and the first hotel run by a Spanish hotel group regionally. The 167-room property, located in A1 Raffa, Bur...

Kanoo appointed United GSA in Bahrain deal.(Upfront)
July 1, 2010... Kanoo Travel will handle reservations and sales and marketing for United Airlines in Bahrain after winning the GSA contract. United inaugurated its direct flight between Washington DC and Manama in April, the first US carrier offering a direct...

Emirates A380 order raises capacity stakes.(Upfront)
July 1, 2010... Emirates' international network aspirations and desire to place Dubai at the centre of global air travel were underlined with the airline's latest $i 1.5bn order with Airbus for an additional 32 A380 aircraft. The deal, coming on top of the...

Lifestyle brands in vogue as VENU and EDITION prepare for launch.(Upfront)
July 1, 2010... Jumeirah Group is planning to open its first VENU lifestyle property by the end of 2010 and is in "advanced stages of negotiation" with developers in the MENA, Eastern Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman of...

Vat refunds on the spot in Paris.(Kanoo Foreign Exchange Services )(Brief article)
July 1, 2010... Kanoo Foreign Exchange Services and Premier Tax Free have opened a VAT refund office at the Printemps department store in Paris, enabling executives to receive instant VAT cash vouchers and refunds on day of purchase before travelling to airport...

Starwood and ADNEC forge dream team for Olympics.(Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company)(Brief article)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Starwood brand Aloft Hotels aims to capitalise on Olympics business by opening a 252-room hotel at London ExCeL in 2012. The new hotel, the brand's first entry into the UK market, is being developed by ExCeL London's...

Oryx Rotana merges work and leisure.(Upfront)
July 1, 2010... The first Rotana-managed hotel in Doha, Oryx Rotana, will open its doors this summer, blending retro and modern designs and aiming to blur the traditional boundaries between work and leisure. The 400-room property, a new build owned by Qatar...

Qatar Airways received the customary water salute after it's inaugural flight from Doha to Barcelona, and bathed in the bragging rights as being the only Gulf carrier flying direct to Spain--although that distinction ends early August, when Emirates starts flights to Madrid.(Upfront)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Qatar Airways received the customary water salute after it's inaugural flight from Doha to Barcelona, and bathed in the bragging rights as being the only Gulf carrier flying direct to Spain--although that distinction...

Tulip Inn Royal Suites.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2010... The 259-apartment Tulip Inn Royal Suites Ajman, located on the Corniche Road, has become Golden Tulip Hospitality Group's ninth hotel in the UAE. Alongside food and beverage outlets, guests can make use of a fitness centre, beach access and...

Jordan Maritime Complex.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2010... Jordan Maritime Complex for Real Estate Investments has signed a management agreement with Hilton Worldwide for the Doubletree by Hilton Aqaba. Set for opening by the third quarter, the 181-room hotel comprises five food and beverage outlets,...

Layia Hospitality.(Brief article)
July 1, 2010... Layia Hospitality has opened Opal Living Courts, the fourth under its Living Courts brand. Located in the Al Barsha area, near Mall of the Emirates, it is targeting overnight and long-term visitors. The property comprises 48 spacious one and...

Fraser Suites.(Brief article)
July 1, 2010... Fraser Suites Dubai, managed by Singapore-based Frasers Hospitality, has opened its doors on Sheikh Zayed Road, on the fringes of Media city and Internet City. The 158-suites serviced residence, located on the upper 23 levels of the 45-storey...

Salalah Marriott Resort.(Hotel news update)
July 1, 2010... Regular rates at Salalah Marriott Resort in Mirbat, Oman, are being slashed by 20 per cent until September 9, on any stay during weekdays and weekends. Executives looking to beat the Gulf's heat can visit during July's monsoon season and take in...

Qatar Airways.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2010... Qatar Airways plans to daily flights to Phuket (October 11, via Kuala Lumpur), four-a-week services to Hanoi (November 1, via Bangkok), thrice-weekly flights to Nice (via Milan), four-a-week services to Bucharest (January 17, and on to...

Oman Air.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2010... Oman Air has started flights to Lahore and Islamabad, its 36th and 37th destinations respectively, and the airline's second and third destination in Pakistan, after Karachi.

Emirates.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2010... Emirates' services to Prague and Baghdad roll out on July 1, flights to Madrid begin August 1 and flights to Dakar operate from September 1. A twice weekly summer service has also been announced for Medina, running from July 2-September 24.

Air Arabia.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2010... Low-cost airline Air Arabia has started two-a-week flights between Sharjah and Najaf, its first destination in Iraq (Tuesdays and Fridays). Air Arabia Egypt, a joint venture between the airline and Travco Group, was officially launched in Cairo...

IATA.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2010... IATA is predicting a $2.5bn profit for airlines in 2010, up from a $2.8bn loss projected last March. Middle Eastern carriers are expected to post a $100m profit, their first since 2005.

Emirates has teamed up with The Armani Hotel Dubai and The Address Downtown Dubai to offer its First and Business Class passengers flying to or via Dubai, who hold a valid return ticket, complimentary hotel stays until August 31.(Airline news update)
July 1, 2010... Emirates has teamed up with The Armani Hotel Dubai and The Address Downtown Dubai to offer its First and Business Class passengers flying to or via Dubai, who hold a valid return ticket, complimentary hotel stays until August 31. First Class...

British Airways.(Airline news update)(Brief article)
July 1, 2010... British Airways has selected 30 small and medium-sized UAE enterprises for Business Opportunity Grants in the UAE, part of the airline's commitment to keep entrepreneurship alive and foster face-to-face meetings while travel budgets remain...

Etihad expands self-service check in at Abu Dhabi.(Upfront)
July 1, 2010... Etihad Airways has introduced eight kiosks in the economy check-in area of Terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, complementing two kiosks already available in the terminal's premium check-in area. To check in, passengers can key in...

Media One.(Tried & Tested)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--DUBAI, UAE WHERE IS IT? As the name suggests, this hotel is located in the middle of Media City and has fast become the local hang out for trendy media types. WHAT'S IT LIKE? In a word, different....

The Address Dubai Marina.
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--DUBAI, UAE WHERE IS IT? Dubai Marina is the location for this luxurious five-star hotel. It's minutes from Internet and Media Cities, the Yacht Club and half an hour from Dubai International Airport....

InterContinental Dubai Festival City.(Tried & Tested)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--DUBAI, UAE WHERE IS IT? Ten minutes from the airport at the top of Dubai's Creek with views of the Dubai skyline and over to the dhow building yard across the water. Sheikh Zayed Road and its respective...

Apex London Wall
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--LONDON, UK WHERE IS IT? This four-star boutique hotel in the heart of London's financial district, is close to the Bank of England and other key landmarks such as St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of...

Hotel Majestic.(Tried & Tested)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--BARCELONA, SPAIN WHERE IS IT? Twenty minutes from the airport, 15 minutes from the beach, 10 minutes from the Spanish icon of the Sagrada Familia and on the same street as many of Gaudi's other...

Hot property: business sentiment remains strong in Saudi which is now widely seen as the Gulf's premier regional investment opportunity.
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Everything's being redrawn in the Gulf, with Dubai's sky-high boom turning to a more measured approach to development, while next door, Saudi Arabia, traditionally seen as the conservative bastion, seems to be in the...

Historical flavours: Hong Kong may be renowned for its modern glistening skyscrapers--but some of its restaurants provide a tangible taste of its heritage.(HONG KONG)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There can be many different opinions about Hong Kong, but one undisputed fact is that it is a transient place. People come and people go. Things get built, replaced and rebuilt within a few...

The deep south: China has cemented its place in the economic heavyweights during the downturn. Laura Collacott delves into the country's Southern powerhouse to trace the rise.
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Be the first to the field and last to the couch," goes the famous Chinese proverb. Celebrated or otherwise, the expression pretty much sums up the collective national psyche in the world's...

Cash & carry: buying currency for regular trips can be complicated and often costly. Maggie Squires reports on the best way to deal with foreign exchange.(FINANCE)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Between prepping meeting materials, packing the bare essentials into our hand luggage and scanning a map to see if any nearby volcanoes are due to erupt, it's no wonder that changing money for a trip is often left until...

Ask Alex: Alex McWhirter answers your travel queries.
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] QUESTION: Late last year I booked with the South African Airways website (flysaa.com) to fly from London Heathrow to Walvis Bay via Johannesburg. I used South African Express for the sector between Johannesburg and...

Padded value: luggage makers continue to roll out bags built for comfort and speed.(ESSENTIALS)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DELSEY WWW.DELSEY.COM You've heard of 24K gold--now get ready for the new gemstone-like Karat suitcase from Delsey. Designed like a 'contemporary work of art', the light, avant-garde model from completely from...

Join the club: hotel club lounges are a business traveller's ultimate retreat, a place to switch off, unwind and be waited on hand and foot. BTME uncovers some of the best the world has to offer.
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1 Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai This five-star business hotel has extraordinary Club Executive facilities located on level 42. It's known as a place where those accustomed to the finer things in life can go to...

Kiev: formerly part of the Russian motherland, the proudly independent Ukrainian capital now barely has traces of the Soviet era.
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1 ST. ANDREW'S DESCENT Not only is St. Andrew's Descent in one of the most picturesque settings m the city (cobbled hill, gleaming goldroofed cathedral, market...

Clever cuisine: what we consume on the road can have a direct impact on how we perform in business. Felicity Cousins asks the experts what we should eat to keep our minds focused.(HEALTH AND WELL BEING)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] From early-morning airport coffees and huge hotel breakfasts to sweet pastries during meetings and hearty lunches, the food we eat when travelling is often not the best for keeping our brains alert. Here are some words...

Win two nights in a luxury room at Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach.
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Located in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residences, Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach occupies a prime waterfront site in Dubai Marina. Opening directly onto The Walk--Dubai's most popular beachside shopping and recreation...

Rock up to Portugal.(GREAT ESCAPE)
July 1, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The best lunches are always those that slip into cocktail hour. On the sun-splashed terrace at the chic As Dunas restaurant, I'd been grazing for almost four hours on a smorgasbord of fresh fish, meats and cheeses. ...