Business Traveller Middle East articles from March 2003

Business Traveller Middle East archives from March 2003

This issue.
March 1, 2003... The thrill of watching the fastest horses in the world attracts crowds of enthusiasts to events such as the Dubai World Cup, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Melbourne Cup each year. In our cover story we look at how you can turn that...

Thumbs up to MAS. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... I have noticed that many of your readers' letters have been letters of complaint. Well, I have something good to say about a recent flight that I took with my family aboard Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai. Despite the...

Frequent flyer frown. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... I consider myself a faithful Air France client. It is usually my first choice for most destinations, since I find it convenient to stop over in Paris during business trips. However, I am not impressed with the airline's frequent flyer...

Small pressure. (Letter of the month).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... When I am travelling on business, I find it an immense distraction and annoyance to have babies and young children running around the lounge or making their presence felt in business or first class cabins. Some lounges exclude children...

Snow trouble. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... I was caught up in the chaos at London Heathrow on January 16. My British Airways flight to Dubai was firstly delayed four hours after passengers boarded and I remained on the plane for a further four hours before the flight was cancelled. As I...

Business as usual? (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2003... I have been reading the regional press avidly and find it surprising that many airlines are remaining tight-lipped about the impact of any conflict in the region. Let's hope the 'business as usual' utterances really do translate into smooth...

Hotel earmarked for tallest tower. (Hotels).(construction of Burj Dubai)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Plans for the world's biggest skyscraper have been unveiled in Dubai. Construction of Burj Dubai is scheduled to start this year near the existing high-rises on Sheikh Zayed Road, not far from Dusit Dubai. A hotel is scheduled as part of the...

Surfing in the sky. (Technology).(Deutsche Lufthansa AG and British Airways offer broadband internet access to passengers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Broadband internet access in the air is finally available with the launch of Lufthansa's FlyNet service which is being trialled for three months in all classes on a B747-400 aircraft on the Frankfurt. Washington route. The German carrier...

Discounted fares on relaunched website. (Technology).(www.mytravelchannel.com)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Regional travel website www.mytravelchannel.com--part of the MSN Arabia portal--claims to offer up to 4% discounts than the market-quoted fare on certain flights and will deliver tickets to your office. Designed by Emirates' eVentures division,...

And the winner is ... (Awards).
March 1, 2003... Don't forget to cast your vote for your favourite hotels, airlines and other travel companies in the biggest poll of business travellers in the Middle East. The Business Traveller Middle East poll winners will be announced during our annual...

Airlines cut back services and routes. (Airlines).(in anticipation of Iraq war)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Business travellers are bracing themselves for disruption as airlines start cutting and re-routing services in the expectation of an Iraq war. British Airways' services between London and Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Bahrain, Doha, Jeddah and...

BA offers upgrades on part exchange. (Frequent Flyer Schemes).(British Airways; www.ba.com upgraded )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Members of British Airways' Executive Club will be able to exchange points for upgrades and pay part points, part cash for flights from July 1 as part of a major overhaul of the frequent flyer programme. The booking time for redemption...

New publishing partnership for BTME. (Upfront).(Business Traveller Middle East to be published by Perry Publications and Motivate Publishing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Perry Publications have entered into a publishing partnership with Dubai-based Motivate Publishing for the Middle East edition of Business Traveller. The two companies will collaborate closely on the editorial, advertising and production...

Le Meridien Group and Visa have teamed up to offer cardholders 50% off rack rates in 23 Middle East and West Asian properties until the end of March. (Middle East).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Le Meridien Group and Visa have teamed up to offer cardholders 50% off rack rates in 23 Middle East and West Asian properties until the end of March. Le Meridien Getaways Programme also offers a fourth night free when paying for three...

The 674-room Dubai Grand Hyatt is expected to open on March 18. (Dubai).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The 674-room Dubai Grand Hyatt is expected to open on March 18. Each room will have digital phone lines, high speed modem points and interactive colour TV with internet, while hotel facilities will include indoor and outdoor pools, a spa,...

Save 50% on the rack rates of all categories of rooms and suites at The Ritz-Carlton in Dubai by buying the hotel's privilege card. (Dubai).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Save 50% on the rack rates of all categories of rooms and suites at The Ritz-Carlton in Dubai by buying the hotel's privilege card. Priced Dh1,000 ($272) for a year, the Gold Card also entities holders to a complimentary celebration dinner for...

New planes and look for MEA. (Airlines).(Middle East Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Travellers from Beirut can look forward to more comfort, upgraded facilities and brand new aircraft if they travel on Middle East Airlines (MEA) this year. Lebanon's national carrier has ordered nine new Airbus aircraft, its first new aircraft...

Laptops in luxury. (Hotels).(Conrad Bangkok Hotel offer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... If you are looking for a five-star room with all the latest 'techie' connectivity in Bangkok during April, then the new Conrad Bangkok Hotel has a great deal. Conrad has just opened its first property in Bangkok and posted an $87-a-night...

Club Airways flies members only. (Airlines).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Rushed executives for whom money is no object can now join a members-only airline. Club Airways is launching flights on eight-seater private jets to Frankfurt from March 10, and hopes to extend services to other cities including Brussels,...

Stub it out in Cairo. (Airports).(smoking ban at Cairo International Airport)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Trying to catch a crafty smoke in Cairo International Airport? Watch out for the $15 fines. The Egyptian Government is trying to deter smoking and has introduced a ban in many areas in both airport terminals at Cairo. Airport staff have...

Oman offers easier visas. (Visas).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Oman Government is now offering a visas-on-arrival service to citizens of 65 countries. A visit visa for stays of under two weeks issued on arrival at airports and land border posts costs RO7.000 ($17.95), rising an additional RO7.000 for...

New economy airline rejects low cost route. (Airlines).(Gulf Air to start new all-economy airline)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Gulf Air is launching an all-economy class airline in June which will replace its current service on routes to the Indian subcontinent and parts of the Middle East. But business travellers hoping for the sort of low-cost regional carrier...

Butlers lend IT support. (Hotels).(at Abu Dhabi Grand)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... If your modem won't work or your laptop fails to fire up, then guests at the Abu Dhabi Grand have help at hand The hotel, due to be rebranded Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi in June, has just taken on information technology butlers who are on call...

British Airways. (Airline briefs).(introduces flatbed seats)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... British Airways has now introduced flatbed seats in Club World (business class) on its remaining Gulf flights. The seats, which fully recline to form a six-foot long flatbed, are now available on services to Bahrain, Doha and Riyadh from...

KLM. (Airline briefs).(KLM Royal Dutch Airlines upgrades loyalty programme)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... KLM has upgraded its Flying Dutchman loyalty programme, introducing a new membership level system comprising Blue Plus, Silver Elite, Gold Elite and Platinum Elite tiers. Passengers redeem benefits against Award and Level Miles and the scheme...

Kenya Airways. (Airline briefs).(introducing flat beds)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Kenya Airways is also introducing flat beds by eliminating first class on its Boeing 767 aircraft and replacing it with an extended Premier World business class. The new cabin has already been introduced on three of Kenya's five B767s on routes...

Cyprus Airways. (Airline briefs).(increases service between Dubai and Lamaca)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Cyprus Airways is to increase its services between Dubai and Lamaca to three a week from April 1 to cater for increased summer traffic. The new service will be on Tuesdays, adding to current return flights between Dubai and Cyprus every...

Emirates. (Airline briefs).(Emirates Airlines now flies to Indian state of Kerala)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Emirates now flies to the south-western Indian state of Kerala with the introduction of non-stop flights between Dubai and Cochin. The service operates three times a week using Airbus A330-200 aircraft and increases the airline's destinations...

Qatar Airways. (Airline briefs).(adds BBC World television to service)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Qatar Airways passengers can now keep up-to-date with the latest news and information with the addition of the BBC World television channel to in-flight entertainment services. www.qatarairways.com

Borg El Arab. (Airline briefs).(closed until July 15; Egypt)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Egypt's Borg El Arab airport is closed until July 15 for runway upgrading. Flights to Alexandria are being switched to Nouzha airport, eight kilometres from the city centre.

Emirates. (Airline briefs).(Emirates Airline Foundation: non-profit charity for disadvantaged children)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Emirates Airline Foundation is a new non-profit charity for disadvantaged children.

There may be travel ahead: executives are being warned to be more cautious when flying around the region, although Ben Smalley finds most frequent flyers are reluctant to alter their itineraries. (Up front).
March 1, 2003... UAE national Fareed Mohammed Al Jasmi says he is not concerned about travelling, but some of his clients are, and this has affected his marine engine and boat business. "I do a lot of business with companies in Sweden and Norway and for...

Test drive: it pays to weigh up monitoring times and road access before booking your plane ticket--particularly in the UAE where valuable minutes can be saved by modern highways. (Airports).
March 1, 2003... Business Traveller Middle East's Rachael Jolley and Gary Woolmer set off from Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, in opposite directions, one towards Dubai International Airport, the other to Abu Dhabi International Airport to compare journey times. The...

The Ritz-Carlton Dubai. (Hotel Check).
March 1, 2003... First impressions: This up-market hotel used to seem miles away from the city but now the ever-expanding Jumeirah district has swept up the coast reaching to the edge of the hotel grounds. The slip road leading past the hotel withstanding,...

Emirates economy class. (Flight check: Bahrain-Dubai).(Emirates Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... First impressions: Arriving an hour before my 09.15 flight, there was no queue at check-in and, with only hand luggage, I was soon issued with a boarding card and headed to passport control. An immigration officer pointed me towards a counter...

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. (Hotel Check).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... First impressions: Voted Best Business Hotel in the World in two consecutive years by readers of Business Travel Middle East's sister magazine in Asia, the Singapore Shang clearly sets some major standards. The large and traditional lobby does...

Gulf Air first class. (Flight check: Abu Dhabi-London Heathrow).
March 1, 2003... First impressions: My complimentary limousine turned up a little early, sending me into a luggage frenzy, but once I settled back in a lovely comfortable seat with air-conditioning on full blast I could relax. The smooth journey took an...

Dubai immigration E-card. (Technology Check).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Registration: It's time to embrace the Star Trek travel era and bypass passport control and immigration queues at Dubai International Airport with nothing more than a smart card and my fingerprints. I headed to the Dubai Immigration Department...

Sydney's super savers: a combination of a low dollar and sluggish occupancies makes five-star rooms a snip in Australia's biggest city. Chris Pritchard checks out the bargains. (Sydney Hotels).
March 1, 2003... Divide by two. Admittedly the picture isn't quite that rosy, but you get the drift. Despite the country's well-performing economy, Australia's dollar has languished this year at little better than two to the greenback. But inflation remains...

Ask Alex.(questions and answers about air travel)
March 1, 2003... Dear Alex In April I plan to book a Star Alliance round-the-world ticket. My first flights will be with Singapore Airlines (SIA) to Singapore and then on to Sydney. From here I will use Air New Zealand to Auckland and then on to Los...

In for the short haul: you may only be in the air briefly but is a regional business class ticket still worth it for the perks on-board and on the ground? (Regional business travel).
March 1, 2003... Few regional senior executives think twice about flying business class for long-haul trips but for a short trip it can be more difficult to justify. For some executives, the decision is taken out of their hands. Sue Nigoghossian, PA...

Four hours in Auckland: Margie T Logarta takes you on her whirlwind tour of artistic and cultural hot spots within New Zealand's former capital which is still buzzing after the recent America's Cup. (Four hour guide).
March 1, 2003... (1) Auckland Museum Set in the heart of genteel Auckland domain, this cultural and spiritual touchstone is the best place to get an insight into New Zealand's colourful past. The museum features an excellent and extensive range of Maori...

Heirs and races: in the run-up to the Dubai World Cup on March 29, Ben Smalley looks at opportunities to do business at the world's greatest race meetings. (Horse racing).(Cover Story)
March 1, 2003... Horse racing has always been renowned as an excellent opportunity for corporate bonding, a sport where the aspirational and influential interact in dynamic and glamorous settings. Countless deals have been struck in hospitality boxes...

Rise and dine: finding time for meetings can be problematic in busy cities such as London but Rachael Jolley finds that getting up with the lark can provide you with plenty of appetising rewards. (Business breakfasts).
March 1, 2003... Taking a slice out of the working day to hold a meeting with clients leaves plenty of working hours back in the office. Business breakfasts are particularly popular in workaholic London, (the Brits work the longest hours in Europe), and here we...

Minting it: travel and tourism are set to be the lynch-pins in the Marrakech economy as the Moroccan city embraces foreign investment and privatisation programmes. (Marrakech).
March 1, 2003... One of Morocco's four Imperial Cities, Marrakech was traditionally the meeting point for southern tribesmen, traders and northern Berber villagers from the surrounding Atlas Mountains. Today it is second only to Casablanca as a Moroccan...

Kuala Lumpur International Airport: opened in 1998, Kuala Lumpur's gleaming new gateway at Sepang is so huge it even incorporates a Formula One motor-racing circuit. (Airport Update).
March 1, 2003... Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is a massive, modern facility with plenty of room to expand. Completed in 1998, 55 kilometres from the city centre, it has a main terminal and Satellite A, linked together by the 'Aerotrain...

Foot in both cultures: United Commercial Assurance's well-travelled chairman, Jacques Sacy, has a thorough knowledge of Arabian and Western ways of working. (Frequent traveller).
March 1, 2003... Jacques Sacy has been globe-trotting for more than 30 years, conducting business in the Middle East and Europe, as the chairman of the Lebanese insurance company United Commercial Assurance. He lived in Saudi Arabia and London for 12 years...

Horn of plenty: depressed wages and high inflation top Turkey's list of economic set-backs but since the latest elections and an injection of IMF funding, things are looking up. (Istanbul).
March 1, 2003... From the gaggle of all-weather anglers that line the Galata Bridge, casting their rods for supper into the choppy Golden Horn, to the stressed business executives yapping into their mobiles as they race through the business district of Taksim,...

Moorish melting pot: the trading city of Tunis is steeped in history and has plenty to attract even the most cosmopolitan crowd. (Great escape).
March 1, 2003... Guessing tourists' nationalities seems to be a popular pastime in Tunis. Walking the alleyways of the medina, one gregarious salesman asked "Turkish?", while another greeted me with a Spanish "hola!". Even our guide interrupted his flow to...

Kansai conundrum: make it in Osaka and you make it in Japan--or so the commercial theory goes. But as Eva Leonard explains, you'll need more than a basic grasp of Japanese to be successful. (Osaka).
March 1, 2003... It should come as no surprise that the city which gave the world karaoke, video games, ATMs and the instant noodle is internationally revered by marketing gurus as the ultimate test-market for consumer products. "In our business, the Osaka...

Competition: win a weekend for two in a Royal Club room at the new five-star Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort on the UAE East Coast.
March 1, 2003... A new five-star resort facing the Indian Ocean has opened, complete with private beach and on-site diving. It is surrounded by mountains and within easy driving distance of Dubai. Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah is already...

Qatar Masters. (Qatar).
March 1, 2003... The PGA European Tour breezes into Doha for the Qatar Masters between March 13-16. The PGA European Tour and its American counterpart, the PGA Tour, are the richest and most celebrated golfing competitions in the world. Last year's prize...

ICC Cricket World Cup. (South Africa).
March 1, 2003... Sports fans are sure to be tuning into the ICC Cricket World Cup which features 44 days of thrilling one-day action, culminating in the final in Johannesburg on March 23. The top three from each seven-team pool have moved into the next...

Salzburg Theatre. (Austria).
March 1, 2003... If you happen to be visiting Salzburg mid-April then look out for the classical plays and concerts scheduled at the Salzburger Marionettentheater. A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro and Tchaikovsky's The...

Prague: an Andy Warhol Retrospective is being held at Prague's Trade Fair Palace. (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * PRAGUE: An Andy Warhol Retrospective is being held at Prague's Trade Fair Palace with 59 famous works of the American painter and film-maker on show until March 18, call (42) 2 2430 1167,

London: the Flora London Marathon on April 13 attracts massive crowds around the city. (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * LONDON: The Flora London Marathon on April 13 attracts massive crowds around the city, but also stops the traffic, so if you are heading for the airport it's best to check out where to avoid,

London: catch all the excitement of the Six Nations' rugby at Twickenham. (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * LONDON: Catch all the excitement of the Six Nations' rugby at Twickenham where England battle it out with Scotland on March 22, call (44) 20 8892 2000.

London: five royal wedding dresses are being displayed for the first time in the Century of Queen's Wedding Dresses 1840-1947 exhibition. (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * LONDON: Five royal wedding dresses are being displayed for the first time in the Century of Queen's Wedding Dresses 1840-1947 exhibition at Kensington Palace until April 30, call (44) 20 7937 9561 or visit www.hrp.org.uk

Rome: you don't have to shop for expensive labels. (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * ROME: You don't have to shop for expensive labels--the city also has a monthly bargain market scheduled on March 16.

Sarran, France: ever wondered what gifts are bestowed upon VIPs on their travels? (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * SARRAN, FRANCE: Ever wondered what gifts are bestowed upon VIPs on their travels? The President Jacques Chirac museum is exhibiting 150 objects collected by the man himself until August 31, call (33) 5 5521 7777,

Sepang: the Malaysian Grand Prix. (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * SEPANG: The Malaysian Grand Prix is scheduled March 21-23.

Seoul: the Seoul International Marathon. (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * SEOUL: The Seoul International Marathon is being held on March 16,

Singapore: the Singapore Fashion Festival. (World in brief).
March 1, 2003... * SINGAPORE: The Singapore Fashion Festival is scheduled between March 21-April 6.