Business Traveller Middle East articles from March 2004

Business Traveller Middle East archives from March 2004

This issue.(Middle East airline industry)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... Looking at the Middle East airline industry is a bit like watching one of those plays where the actors 'double-up' and perform a range of different roles. There's so much going on at any one time, so many scenes constantly in a state of change,...

Trays at bay.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... I wish some airlines would speed up their inflight meal services. I've lost count how many times stewards and stewardesses serve the trays and then leave them in front of you for ages--often you could have eaten two meals in the time it takes...

Lounge stars.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Recently I took my whole family--a party of eight--on a trip to New York. On the day we were to return to Singapore, we had to check out of the hotel before 1200, although our flight on Singapore Airlines was not until 2100. Wanting to do...

Separate issue.(Letter of the Month)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... I would like to propose to airlines that they allocate a small section of the plane for women only, especially on long-haul or overnight flights. As a woman who frequently flys alone, in economy class, I feel quite distressed to find myself...

Display dismay.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... I was recently meeting a family member at Dubai International Airport, arriving from Manchester via a connecting flight in Doha with Qatar Airways. t was admittedly a little confused about the arrival time, and had mistakenly left the flight...

Service upgrade for Korean Air.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Business travellers can look forward to improved in-flight services on Korean Air in the next decade. The airline is spending a huge 10.6 trillion won ($9 billion) as part of an extensive fleet upgrade. Around $6.6 billion will be spent on...

Second Thai link.(mass transit rail expands in Bangok)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... A SECOND MASS TRANSIT RAIL SYSTEM IS DUE TO OPEN IN Bangkok in August. The subway, carrying at least 250,000 commuters daily, will run under two major thoroughfares linking the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) with dozens of...

Fingers on the online pulse.(Airports; fingerprinting)
March 1, 2004... As the march towards biometric testing continues, new claims are being made about the possibility of using fingerprint analysis to book tickets online. Graham Titterington, principle analyst at technology consultants Ovum Consulting,...

Highland Tiger.(Hotels)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... TIGER WOODS GOT HIS EYE IN BEFORE THE DUBAI Desert Classic by hitting a few drives off the helipad of Burj Al Arab. Let's just hope no executives were unwinding in the warm waters 1,000 feet below or they may have had to dive for cover. It must...

BA levies paper charge.(British Airways PLC)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) IS INTRODUCING A 25 [pounds sterling] ($40) CHARGE for passengers requesting paper tickets on its e-ticket routes from April. The charges swing into effect as part of BAs drive issue all tickets electronically by the...

Final call for entries.(Awards)
March 1, 2004... MAKE SURE YOU SUBMIT YOUR FORMS FOR THE Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2004 by mid April The winners of the eight principal categories, covering airlines, airports, hotels and car rental, will be announced in a glittering ceremony...

Fast track to Bahrain.(Corporate Entertainment)
March 1, 2004... Formula One fever has gripped Bahrain as the small island state prepares to host the likes of Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya at the Middle East's first Grand Prix on April 4. >From the merchandising outlets at the airport to the...

Click into work gear.(Motoring)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... YOU CAN KEEP UP TO SPEED WITH ALL THOSE IMPORTANT messages when travelling in BMW 5, 6 or 7 series models from March. The ConnectedDrive concept uses an online portal which allows emails to be beamed on to the cockpit navigation or rear...

Seven-star Saudi hotel.(Hotels; Hilton's Jeddah Palace)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... EIGHT EXECUTIVE SUITES AND 16 EXECUTIVE ROOMS ARE among the features of the exclusive Jeddah Palace, which is due to opcn later dais year. The first 'seven-star' Hilton property in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will also contain 12 royal...

Royal Jet secures Al Habtoor account.(Airline)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ROYAL JET HAS STRUCK AN EXCLUSIVE DEAL WITH Al Habtoor Group to handle all the company's business travel in the next two years. The deal represents the longest contract signed between Royal Jet and another company: Mohammed Al Habtoor,...

The big screen.(Airports)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... American authorities are keen to step up their global war on terror by checking passengers at international hubs before they travel to the US. The controversial proposal, already criticised by pilots' leaders, would see inspectors vet...

Dedicated offering.(Airports)(special business traveller flights)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... AIR FRANCE IS FOLLOWING LUFTHANSA IN LAUNCHING special business traveller flights. The Dedicate service, operating on 82-seater A319s, is designed for executives looking to enter inaccessible destinations or those not well served by...

Qatar Airways is setting itself a more modest target of four new services this year.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Qatar Airways is setting itself a more modest target of four new services this year, with new flights to Luxor and Istanbul (both June), followed by Zurich (July) and Kabul (November). www.qatarairways.com

Low cost airline Air Arabia has released its summer schedule.(Airline briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Low cost airline Air Arabia has released its summer schedule for flights between April 1-October 30. www.airarabia.com

ExecuJet Middle East has doubled its workforce.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ExecuJet Middle East has doubled its workforce to 45 to meet increased demand for business jet travel in the region. www.execujet.net

Movenpick.(Hotels Round Up)(Movenpick Hotels International)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The days of the business centre could be numbered following the launch of universal wireless connectivity at the Movenpick Hotel Bur Dubai. With a 1 MB/second dedicated lease line, guests can access their mail or internet from their room or in...

Sheraton.(Hotels Round Up)(Sheraton Kuwait)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The 21-floor Four Points by Sheraton Hotel is among the latest new ligatures in the financial centre of Kuwait. The 160 room hotel, located within 15 minutes of the airport, contains 'art deco' design interiors. www.sheraton.com

Oman.(Hotels Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Plans have been unveiled for an $805 million resort comprising hotels, restaurants, shops, a golf course, marina and yacht club on 7.3 kilometres of beachfront west of Muscat.

Marriott.(Hotels Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Around 2,700 Marriott Rewards' Platinum members have been upgraded to Platinum Premier status and now have access to a 'one stop shop' service provided by trained representatives. www.marriott.com

Shangri-la.(Hotels Round Up)(Shangri-La International)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Traders Hotel Dubai, a Shangri-La Hotel, is set to open in the Delta district in April (opposite the JW Marriott) and it is specifically targeting the business travel 250 rooms feature broadband internet access, IDD telephone with voice mail,...

Kempinski.(Hotels Round Up)(Kempinski Hotels and Resorts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Kempinski Hotels & Resorts is opening a five-star resort at Mall of the Emirates on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai in September 2005, its first hotel in the city. The property will contain 400 suites, including 24 duplex ski chalets offering...

Dusit.(Hotels Round Up)(Dusit Hotels and Resorts)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... High speed broadband internet access is now available in all Dusk Dubai's bedrooms, meeting rooms and several public areas. Laptops can be connected in the rooms via a simple 'plug and play' function and through wired or wireless connections in...

Intercontinental.(Hotels Round Up)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Middle Fast members of Priority, Club Rewards can clock up to 3,000 bonus points or 500 bonus miles with every third night they stay at any InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn properties until April 30. The nights do not have to he...

Le Meridien.(Hotels Round Up)(Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The 58-room Le Meridien Fairway is the latest hotel to open its doors in the heart of Dubai, providing cost and space-conscious executives with a more intimate alternative to the city's numerable five-stars. Le Meridian Dubai has introduced a...

Four seasons hotel Cairo at the first residence: with its abundant artistic treasures, striking Nile-side views and excellent food, this five-star property could pass for a country house--were it not based in the heart of one of the world's most populous cities.(Tried and tested)
March 1, 2004... HOTEL CHECK CAIRO First impressions: Drawing back the suite curtains to see the sun setting behind the Pyramids wasn't the first impression--but it certainly was the lasting one. The two shimmering black and gold towers, the hotel and...

Investment invasion: the cranes are shooting up in confidence-brimming Kuwait as investors make up for lost time following the fall of Saddam.(Kuwait)
March 1, 2004... On August 2 1990, Kuwait's world came crashing down. Overnight, Iraqi forces had swept down from the north unopposed, annexing the oil-rich state as its 19th province. More than seven months later, those same forces were driven out by Allied...

Harbouring dreams: the Kingdom is not only gearing up for its inaugural grand prix in April but busy taking steps to prevent any regional overtaking in the financial hub stakes.(Bahrain)
March 1, 2004... There is a buzz of excitement in the Bahrain air. The small island Kingdom is basking in the glow of being selected as the first country in the Middle East to host a round of the FIA Formula One World Championships between April 4-7. For...

Ask Alex: the quality of airline food is often a cause for complaint, but what happens when you don't get any at all?
March 1, 2004... Is there a... ... cheap way of flying between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur or Singapore? We are staying with friends in Bangkok later this year and may decide to make a short visit to either of these cities. I have checked prices with...

Building a reputation: after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the German capital was a vast building site for much of the nineties. Now, 14 years on, it is almost complete.(Berlin)
March 1, 2004... The skyline of cranes that lot so long characterised Berlin is finally disappearing. Once seemingly fantastical plans for Potsdamer Platz have come to fruition. After decades of neglect as a no man's land, sliced into east and west Berlin by...

Alive and well: Clerkenwell is now one of London's trendiest areas to live, work and party but, as Lauren Custance explains, this wasn't always the case.(London)
March 1, 2004... Twelve years ago, Clerkenwell was one of many shabby areas in innercity London that property developers liked to call up-and-coming. Property was cheap, there were few restaurants and the closest supermarket was over a mile away. Trade for the...

Food for thought: no business trip is complete without sampling the local cuisine and some dishes are sure to stretch the imagination.(Eating out)
March 1, 2004... The business traveller must open his mind and mouth to all things--even ants. Singapore's Hong Reng Tang Imperial Kitchen above the Metropole Hotel is the world's first and so far only award-winning gourmet insect restaurant. Four Chinese...

4 hours in Geneva: Mark Frary tours Geneva and discovers antique watches worn by the famous, the 500-foot hiqh, 113-year old Jet d'Eau, breathtakinq views of the Alps and some pretty incredible ice-cream.
March 1, 2004... 1 PATEK PHILIPPE MUSEUM Switzerland exports 27 million watches every year and Geneva has been at the forefront of the industry since the 1600s. The city's original clock and watch museum shut down a few years ago after thieves stole almost...

Dig the new breed: Barcelona keeps re-inventing itself, but it is the city's design hotels that are at the forefront of its architectural revolution. Nick Redman sings the praises of the newest creations.(Barcelona; Hotel Omm)
March 1, 2004... In uptown, upmarket Barcelona, where Passeig de Gracia intersects ,with Carrer Rosello, a new building is turning the heads of well-shod shoppers this spring. Born to a metropolis with audacious design in its DNA, the latest addition to the...

Singapore swing: The Lion City is in tigerish mood as it displays a More liberal attitude to social issues.(Singapore)
March 1, 2004... The glossy women's magazines scream no-holds-barred headlines while most of their female readers dance well into the early hours--some on top of bars, which would have landed them a spell in prison last year. There can be no doubt that...

Slim and trim.(Focused on diversity: cameras continue to do far more than take pictures and these models could satisfy your business and leisure needs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Panasonic claims its SV-AS10 is the world's slimmest camera with built-in LCD monitor. It contains the postage stampsized SD Memory Card that offers portable, high-speed data transmission and huge storage capacity. It also functions as a video...

Talking pictures.(Focused on diversity: cameras continue to do far more than take pictures and these models could satisfy your business and leisure needs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Samsung SGH-i500 blurs the communication boundaries with its in built megapixel camera. Its distinctive, small sub-display on the casing allows you to preview shots and the built-in flash is also unusual. Price: $699 [ILLUSTRATION...

Cover your options.(Focused on diversity: cameras continue to do far more than take pictures and these models could satisfy your business and leisure needs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Designed as an all-in-one personal digital entertainment centre, BenQ's DCS30 is one of the first models to take photographs, play music and record voice memos. The DCS30 combines a digital camera, MP3 Player, and an FM radio digital camcorder,...

Click and send.(Focused on diversity: cameras continue to do far more than take pictures and these models could satisfy your business and leisure needs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Kodak's Easyshare digital cameras are designed for quick printing and email, accommodating up to 32 addresses. The CX7430 (four megapixels and 3x zoom), CX7300 (three megapixels and fixed focus lens) and CX7220 (two megapixels, 2x zoom) offer...

Golfing around ... Shanghai: from a banned sport, golf has become the hottest pastime of an upwardly mobile local population.(Golf Shanghai)
March 1, 2004... Wherever you find a booming economy, it's a fair bet that you'll also discover a booming golfing industry. It's now the case in China's showcase city of Shanghai. Golf is not new to Shanghai. In its heyday in the 1930s, there were four...

Easy come, easy Goa: from new-age dreamers to hard-working heads of state, Goa has hosted them all.(Great escape)
March 1, 2004... How much more removed from the stresses of most urban environments is the southern Indian state of Goa? From the lush scenery, enduring hippie culture and out of-this-world tropical fruit juices, to the open-air massages, yoga sessions at...

Banter and canter.(Global traveller)(The Dubai World Cup on March 27)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Expect plenty of high-powered networking and no shortage of corporate indulgence at The Dubai World Cup on March 27. The build-up to the world's richest horse race meeting--a staggering $15.25 million purse culminates in the $6 million...

Marathon not a sprint.(Global traveller)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... London comes to a standstill on April 18 for the annual Marathon which this year boasts the finest male field. Kenyan Paul Tergat, who last year smashed the world record and became the first man to break the 2hrs 5mins barrier will line up...

Hong Kong.(World in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... HONG KONG: More than 200 movies will be shown at the international film festival between April 6-21.

Frankfurt.(World in brief)
March 1, 2004... FRANKFURT: If you can't sleep on April 24, head out to any of the city's 50 museums which are open until 4am.

Venice.(World in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... VENICE: Men give all the women in their lives flowers on San Marco Day (April 25) as part of the Festa del Boccolo.

Budapest.(World in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BUDAPEST: The Spring Festival (March 19-April 4) is Hungary's largest annual cultural event featuring music, film screenings and performances.

Augusta.(World in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... AUGUSTA: Golf lovers will be flocking to the US Masters between April 5-11.

Liverpool.(World in brief)(Aintree Martell Grand National)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LIVERPOOL: Expect a large racing crowd to attend The Aintree Martell Grand National on April 3.

Paris.(World in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... PARIS: It will be a highly charged atmosphere in the Stade de France on March 27 as the French take on the English in the Six Nations Championship, Dublin will be packed too as Ireland do battle with Scotland.

London.(World in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LONDON: Covent Garden Market hosts a free street concert of traditional English folk music for St George's Day on April 23.

Gaucin.(World in brief)(Spain)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... GAUCIN: Locals and visitors in this Andalucian village test their courage by chasing a bull through the streets in the annual toro de cuerda (bull on a cord).

Sydney.(World in brief)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... SYDNEY: More than 30,000 people are expected to gather at Darling Harbour on March 21 for the Greek Festival of Sydney.