Business Traveller Middle East articles from May 2005

Business Traveller Middle East archives from May 2005

Double-decker milestone.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... So the first A380 has taken off and landed without any noticeable hiccups. One imagines the media frenzy accompanying the maiden flight will now die down as the comprehensive tests and analysis are undertaken before the aircraft enters...

Boarding by zones.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... We would be pleased to comment on Tony Newton's letter in the last issue ('Boarding School'). For many years Lufthansa has been applying zone boarding on most of its flights. During check in, every passenger gets a zone number printed on his or...

Portioning blame.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... Is it me or are airlines serving us too much food in business class? While I accept that food is a key part of an airline's service offering, do we really need all those snacks, breads, salads, first courses, main courses, desserts and endless...

Rapid response.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... Flying from one city to another used to take a fair few weeks' organisation and planning, but in the rapidly developing Middle East, that's no longer the case. Some airline schedules are starting to resemble bus timetables, swarming with...

Worlds apart.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I planned a trip to the US and UK recently and wanted to have my girlfriend join me out of Florida to the the UK and on to Hong Kong using some of the miles about to expire under my Asia Miles programme. I thought about trying to buy that much...

Prompt action.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I have been flying for the past 25 years. In fact, my friends say I 'live in the skies'. Yet, I have never had such an incredible experience as I did on let Airways recently. I arrived at Mumbai domestic airport at 0715 for a 0750 flight...

Show time.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... It was interesting to see so much entertainment around the stands at this year's Arabian Travel Market. I can understand the need to create a fun atmosphere for delegates, particularly if you're walking around those halls for hours on end. I...

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2005... The InterContinental Phoenicia in Beirut actually has 494 guestrooms and 78 suites, and not the amount stated in the previous issue.

Emirates embarks on global hotel chain.(HOTELS)(Emirates Group)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A 70-STOREY HOTEL is to be developed by Emirates on Sheikh Zayed Road, breaking new ground for the city and the airline. The 350-metre building--estimated to cost AED 800 million ($268 million)--will be the city's tallest hotel when it...

Free Wifi at Doha lounges.(AIRPORTS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... BROWSING THE INTERNET at Doha International Airport is now easy following the introduction of free wireless internet at Qatar Airways' First, Business Class and Oryx lounges. The service is also available to economy passengers using the Al Maha...

Hotel hop on The Pearl-Qatar.(HOTELS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... THREE ISLANDS ON The Pearl-Qatar have been sold to a private Gulf investor for hotel development. The upmarket properties will be built on Marsa Arabia, Viva Centrale and Marsa Malaz Island. "The positioning of the island hotels is...

Habtoor arrives at the double.(HOTELS)(Habtoor Hospitality)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... HABTOOR HOSPITALITY--formerly Metropolitan Hotels International--marks its arrival on the regional scene with two hotel openings this summer. The 442-room Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa opens shortly on Dubai's Jumeirah beach, complete with...

Starwood lines up W for trendy cities.(HOTELS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... FASHIONABLE CITIES SUCH AS Beirut and Dubai have been earmarked for Starwood's W brand. While Sheraton properties proliferate the GCC, Starwood is biding its time before unveiling what it believes is its unique top-end brand in the Middle...

Lap it up.(TECHNOLOGY)(Toshiba Portege M300)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... TOSHIBA'S NEW SLIMLINE NOTEBOOK is designed to be an all-embracing communication tool for travelling executives. The WiFi-compliant Portege M300 boasts high-speed Ethernet and multimedia slot which you can hook up to your digital camera or...

Five-star upgrades.(HOTELS)(Hyatt Regency Dubai, InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... TWO LANDMARK HOTELS IN THE region are sporting fresh looks after extensive renovations. The Hyatt Regency Dubai marks 25 years in May with a more contemporary interior design. Phase one sees Regency Club rooms and suites and the business...

Courting new Dubai business.(HOTELS)(Marriott Green Community Dubai)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A NEW HOTEL PLEDGING 'premium services at moderate prices' is targeting business travellers looking for a base out of central Dubai. The 165-room Courtyard by Marriott Green Community Dubai, located within the 67-hectare Greens Community,...

Lufthansa snaps up Swiss and launches private jet service.(AIRLINES)
May 1, 2005... LUFTHANSA'S MUCH-HERALDED takeover of Swiss international Airlines has finally received the green light. The takeover enables Lufthansa to form a formidable triangular European hub--combining Swiss-strong Zurich with Munich and...

Flying Blue takes off.(AIRLINES)(Air France-KLM)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... THE NEW FREQUENT FLYER programme for Air France-KLM, Flying Blue, starts in June. The group believes up to 10 million passengers will soon be carrying one of its Ivory, Silver, Gold or Platinum cards. Executives can carry over miles...

Rezidor SAS Hospitality plans to open an 148-room Park Inn in Al Khobar in the first three months of 2007 as well as the 212-room Park Inn Olaya.(HOTEL BRIEFS)
May 1, 2005... Rezidor SAS Hospitality plans to open an 148-room Park Inn in Al Khobar in the first three months of 2007 as well as the 212-room Park Inn Olaya, Riyadh in the middle of the same year.

The newly opened Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna has launched its Business Plus Package, valid from Saturdays to Wednesday mornings until May 31.(HOTEL BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The newly opened Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna has launched its Business Plus Package, valid from Saturdays to Wednesday mornings until May 31. Prices for minimum 10-delegate bookings are AED 590 (before 16% tax) a night which includes...

The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain is closing for refurbishment between May 13-November 1 although the hotel's 22 villas, food and beverage outlets, meetings and health facilities remain open.(HOTEL BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain is closing for refurbishment between May 13-November 1 although the hotel's 22 villas, food and beverage outlets, meetings and health facilities remain open. A 333-room Ritz Carlton hotel opened in the Mega Kuningan...

Marriott Rewards has cut the number of points needed to redeem stays until September 30.(HOTEL BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Marriott Rewards has cut the number of points needed to redeem stays until September 30. Click on http://marriott. com/rewards for full details.

The Sheraton Residence Abu Dhabi has been renamed The Sheraton Suites Abu Dhabi as part of a AED 35 million ($9.53 million) facelift which sees 40 new rooms.(HOTEL BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The Sheraton Residence Abu Dhabi has been renamed The Sheraton Suites Abu Dhabi as part of a AED 35 million ($9.53 million) facelift which sees 40 new rooms. All 195 rooms are now equipped with high speed internet access, IDD telephone, voice...

A 220-room Taj Exotica Resort & Spa will open.(HOTEL BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A 220-room Taj Exotica Resort & Spa will open on The Palm Island Jumeirah in 2007.

The Shangri-La Hotel Dubai has launched its Club Connoisseur membership programme.(HOTEL BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The Shangri-La Hotel Dubai has launched its Club Connoisseur membership programme. Its Platinum card offers 20% off at the hotel's food and beverage outlets and spa treatments (also 20% discount at The Junction and Chameleon Bar at sister...

A $62 million hotel-come-residential resort is due to open on Ras Al Khaimah beachfront within two years (developed by Orascom Hotels and Development).(HOTEL BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * A $62 million hotel-come-residential resort is due to open on Ras Al Khaimah beachfront within two years (developed by Orascom Hotels and Development). The hotel will have 289 suites and 120 regular rooms. Hilton will open a second hotel in...

Carriers upgrade A330 services.(AIRLINES)(Qatar Airways)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... SEATS WITH 60 INCHES OF PITCH which convert into two-metre beds are the features of the new business class seats being rolled out on Qatar Airways' A330 long-haul fleet. Each seat has a 15-inch LCD TV screen, laptop power point, phone,...

Spring into slumber.(HOTELS)(Sheraton Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... SHERATON HOTELS IN EUROPE, Middle East and Africa are being fitted with new beds which contain special sealed springs designed to give business travellers a good night's sleep. The 'Sheraton sweet sleeper bed'--which is being rolled out in...

Emirates.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Emirates started daily non-stop services from Dubai to Seoul on May 1. First class passengers are eligible for three complimentary nights in a Deluxe Room at the Ritz-Carlton Seoul, while business class passengers can enjoy two free nights...

Skywards'.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Skywards' Gold Card members resident in the UAE or in countries listed as visa waivered can now use Dubai immigration's e-gate card (available for AED 150/$40), which allows a speedy entry and exit through the airport.

Qatar Airways.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * To mark the launch of its new flights to Tunis and Algiers, Qatar Airways is offering double Qmiles to its Privilege Club members until June 1. Qatar Airways has launched two non-stop flights between Doha and Jakarta each week (the other...

Air France.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * You can now walk into any UAE travel agent and be issued an e-ticket for Air France. Click on www.airfrance.com/ae for more details.

Air Arabia.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Air Arabia has started daily services between Sharjah and Mumbai with a one-way ticket starting from Rs2,999 ($68.52) excluding taxes and surcharges.

Jazeera Airways.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Jazeera Airways takes to the skies in October, flying from Kuwait to Dubai, Beirut, Bahrain, Damascus, Amman, Luxor and Alexandria.

Lufthansa.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Deutsche Lufthansa AG)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Lufthansa has introduced its new business class sleeper seats on flights from Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh to Frankfurt. The seats evolve into a two-metre bed and contain a 10.4-inch TV monitor. The airline has also started daily...

Pay with your MasterCard to fly on Austrian Airlines, Singapore Airlines (anywhere on either network), Thai Airways (anywhere except Manila or Jakarta), Lufthansa (anywhere in Europe, US and Canada) before May 31 from the UAE and receive 10% off business and economy class fares (last outbound travel June 30).(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Pay with your MasterCard to fly on Austrian Airlines, Singapore Airlines (anywhere on either network), Thai Airways (anywhere except Manila or Jakarta), Lufthansa (anywhere in Europe, US and Canada) before May 31 from the UAE and receive 10%...

Thai Airways.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Thai Airways has taken delivery of the first of four A340-500s.

Scandinavian Airlines.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)(Scandinavian Airlines System)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... * Scandinavian Airlines is installing new business class seats on its long-haul routes early next year. New features include a large viewing screen fixed to the seat in front with video on demand.

Bab al Shams desert resort & spa.(HOTEL CHECK: DUBAI)
May 1, 2005... WHAT'S IT LIKE? This attractive Arabian-themed resort makes the desert more accessible to Dubai-visiting executives--hitherto, the only overnight option has been the exclusive Al Maha Desert Resort. With its many light-refracting lanterns and...

Park Inn.(HOTEL CHECK: LONDON HEATHROW)
May 1, 2005... FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Formerly Le Meridien, the hotel is now owned by Rezidor. It is the largest of the Heathrow hotels, popular with cabin crew and also an established conference venue. GETTING THERE: The Park Inn is one of the closest hotels...

Emirates business class.(AIRLINE CHECK: CHRISTCHURCH-MELBOURNE-DUBAI)
May 1, 2005... FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Christchurch's international departures terminal has a domestic feel about it, accentuated by the close proximity of the small drop-off area to check-in, and rapid processing of my e-ticket into a boarding pass. On paying the...

Business Traveller Middle East: readers' poll 2005: The results of the fourth Business Traveller Middle East poll announced in the Godolphin Ballroom, Emirates Towers Hotel were a fitting curtain-raiser to the largest ever Arabian Travel Market. The awards were presented by BBC correspondent Kate Adie and disABILITY champion Michael McGrath.(Awards)
May 1, 2005... What a difference a year makes. After two chefs, Keith Floyd and Jean-Christophe Novelli, cooked up a fun-filled lunchtime ceremony at Mina A'Salam in 2004, it was all change for the 2005 Business Traveller Middle East Awards. Dinner...

Style and substance: as the five-star boom accelerates in the region, operators are torn between pursuing luxury and realising that the development of a respectable mid-market may prove just as lucrative.(Arabian Travel Market)
May 1, 2005... Last year we didn't have roaring dinosaurs, rotating mid-air astronauts or such a breadth of indigenous entertainment on display from many of the Arabian Travel Market stands. After the euphoria of Dubai's on and off-shore developments in...

Etihad Airways is introducing daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Bangkok from June 1 and will increase its flights to Colombo from three to five weekly.(Airline news in brief)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Etihad Airways is introducing daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Bangkok from June 1 and will increase its flights to Colombo from three to five weekly. It has also started services to Frankfurt.

British Airways would like to add more capacity on its London-Doha/Bahrain route as demand for energy-related business rises, but the airline's fuel bill is likely to be 300 million [pounds sterling] more in 2005 than 2004, said Area Manager Steve Harrison.(Airline news in brief)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... British Airways would like to add more capacity on its London-Doha/Bahrain route as demand for energy-related business rises, but the airline's fuel bill is likely to be 300 million [pounds sterling] more in 2005 than 2004, said Area Manager...

Place against time: the city that always has one eye on tomorrow is grappling with more challenges day-to-day.(Dubai)
May 1, 2005... Just about every superlative has been used to describe the glitz and glamour of Dubai. The city 'provides some of the most luxurious accommodation in the world' (Daily Telegraph), 'perhaps no place on earth embraces over-the-top excess as much'...

Hotel nears completion.(DEVELOPMENT UPDATE)(Grosvenor House West Marina Beach, Dubai)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Grosvenor House West Marina Beach by Le Meridien opens its doors at Dubai Marina in June. The 45-storey hotel will have 217 sea-facing rooms with 205 apartments offering marina views. The top 11 floors will be dedicated to the Grosvenor Club,...

Raffles eyes regional push.(DEVELOPMENT UPDATE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Raffles is planning to open a 240-room at Wafi City in central Dubai by 2007, its first venture in the Middle East. The Singapore-based group, which will manage and operate the Pyramid-shaped hotel, hopes to use the property as a...

More hotels at festival city.(DEVELOPMENT UPDATE)(Dubai Festival City)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A 300-room boutique hotel and 300-room budget resort will join the Four Seasons, InterContinental and Crowne Plaza hotels at Dubai Festival City. The first retail phase opens in November. The 18-hole Al Badia Golf Course is now open for...

Ritz-Carlton signs up to international finance hub.(DEVELOPMENT UPDATE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Union Properties will open a 330-room property at The Dubai International Finance Centre in 2008. The 15-storey property--the hotel chain's second Dubai property and first in the city--will blend 'modern style...

Sail to Australasia.(DEVELOPMENT UPDATE)(Investment Dar, EFAD Holding, island resorts)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Two top-end hotels, one of which will incorporate a spa resort, are to be built on the Australasia section of The World, the luxury islands being developed by Nakheel off the Jumeirah coastline. The group of islands, bought by Investment...

Luxury and humility: Oman is carefully driving down the five-star route while remaining faithful to its heritage.
May 1, 2005... Omanis will celebrate 35 years of the reign of Sultan Qaboos bin Said in November. His tenure has sought a return to the sultanate's past internationalism while simultaneously developing a modern and diversified economy. It's been no easy...

London's grand hotels: are London's famous names resting on their laurels or are they still at the cutting edge? Business Traveller tests their claims to greatness.(London hotels)
May 1, 2005... Nowadays, we think of London's grand hotels as traditional places, where guests have been visiting for years, and change is resisted rather than welcomed. Yet for much of their history, the opposite was true. Both The Savoy and the Ritz were...

High on Delhi: India's historic capital is expanding in all directions, creating new suburbs that feature shopping malls and high-rise apartment blocks. Yet Margie T Logarta discovers the city has retained its leafy charm and found reasons to party hard.
May 1, 2005... The family--more like a clan with father, mother, grandparents, youngsters, aunts and uncles--in front of me seems like they've never seen an escalator before. They watch in utter fascination as the steel stairs make their steady march up to...

The buck starts here: Swish lounges, major airport developments and the impending arrival of the A380s are providing fresh impetus to New Zealand's aviation scene.(Airports)
May 1, 2005... The Kiwis accept that spending hours on end in the air is an inescapable fact of life--a bit like losing to the Aussies at cricket. But while the black caps may have endured a torrid few months at the hands of their arch rivals, it's been...

Going the extra mileage: it pays to keep hold of those original boarding passes.(Ask Alex)
May 1, 2005... Dear Alex, Last June I flew on a Star Alliance first class round-the-world (RTW) ticket using United, SIA, ANA and Thai Airways. My routing was London-New York-Chicago-Los Angeles-Tokyo Osaka-Manila-Singapore-London. When I checked in...

Fit to work: there's no longer any excuse to be idle on your business trips as hotels race to offer better health facilities.(Travel Fitness)
May 1, 2005... There's no doubt that business travel is bad for you. If DVT doesn't get you then exhaustion, jetlag, mind-numbing meetings and the strain of absence on your relationships probably will. Luckily, however, there are alternatives to watching your...

A Somerset rises in Dubai: business travellers on short- or long-term assignment in Dubai can expect not just the same contemporary design and business-friendly services that the Somerset brand is best known for but also spectacular views of what is arguably the largest waterfront development project in the world.(ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE)(Advertisement)
May 1, 2005... ROAD WARRIORS will find a combination of luxurious contemporary living and the quiet efficiency of a home office at the new Somerset Al Majara. This is Ascott International's first property in Middle East, and one that promises chic waterfront...

4 hours in Boston: the birthplace of the American Revolution, 'Beantown' has blossomed into a city of champions. Bob Curley gets in touch with Red Sox Nation and America's historical heartland during an afternoon's stroll around the city of Boston.
May 1, 2005... [1] NORTH END The North End's narrow, winding streets are filled with restaurants and bakeries founded by Italian-American immigrants who began arriving here around 1870. No fewer than 14 Italian festivals take place in the North End each...

Golfing around Christchurch: plenty of tree-lined greens and idyllic fairways lie within easy reach of New Zealand's Garden City.(Golf)
May 1, 2005... Russley Golf Club Where is it? A few minutes from the International Airport and 10 minutes from the city centre. How to get there: The entrance is well signposted on the left as you're driving into the city. What's it like? The...

Game show: Will McSheehy takes in the varied sights and sounds of Tanzania's national parks.(Great escape Tanzania)
May 1, 2005... Stretching from Lake Tanganyika in the west to the former Omani possession of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean, the charms of Tanzania are often eclipsed in foreign visitors' minds by the more aggressive self-marketing of neighbouring Kenya. ...