Business Traveller Middle East articles from November 2004

Business Traveller Middle East archives from November 2004

This issue.
November 1, 2004... The end of year report for the region's travel market makes favourable reading. Airlines and hotels enjoyed healthy loads and occupancies as new routes and properties came on stream. The only black spots were the Iraq conflict and rising...

That's entertainment.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Full marks to Emirates for its new entertainment package in the economy class of the B777s--a wide range of films on large screens complemented by an unrivalled selection of music, programmes and games. In fact, having flown business and...

Qatar flexibility.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... I flew from Dubai to Paris and back recently on Qatar Airways. Both flights were excellent and there was little I could fault. The fares were very reasonable, especially as it didn't hike the prices for flying peak season. Other airlines...

Currency conversion.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Travellers to Egypt should be aware that the rules governing the payment of hotel bills appear to have been changed. When checking out of an Alexandria hotel recently, I was informed that I had to pay the bill in foreign currency,...

Birmingham breeze.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Last year, for a change, I thought I'd fly from the Gulf to Birmingham instead of London and after repeating the journey again recently, I shan't be rushing back to the UK capital. I couldn't believe the speed with which you can pass...

Airlines in the dock.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... I hate it when my plane arrives at an airport and, instead of pulling right up to the docking ramp so we can just walk straight off and into the airport building, it stops out on the pavement and unloads passengers on to buses to take them to...

Wireless at the Palace.(Hotels)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Emirates Palace which opens in Abu Dhabi in December will offer wireless Internet access throughout the property. Technological touches are plentiful at the huge conference resort which contains 302 deluxe luxury rooms and 92 suites....

Raise your glass to Cathay.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The title of 'Best Business Class Cellar' went to Cathay Pacific at the inaugural Cellars in the Sky Awards with American Airlines, British Airways and Icelandair sharing second place. The awards, based on a two-day blind tasting of wines...

Discreet meets on the rise.(Hotels)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Hoteliers continue to seek more distinctive and novel concepts in the meetings arena. The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa's new package enables top-level managers to meet within its stylish 23 villas which overlook the Arabian Gulf. ...

Five stars jump to alert warning.(Hotels)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... A security alert recently issued by the US Embassy in Qatar caused concern among residents and travellers--and caught many hoteliers by surprise. US citizens were warned to keep a low profile and avoid all five-star hotels in Doha,...

Low-cost flying in Asia.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DID YOU KNOW THAT IT IS cheaper to fly the 200 miles from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur via Bangkok (a detour of 1,600 miles) than direct? That's the effect low-cost airlines are having. This flight would cost S$160 (53 [pounds sterling]) return...

Upwardly mobile.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Using your mobile phone in the air is one step nearer reality following Airbus' first in-flight trial. Several GSM mobiles were used simultaneously for calls and texting on board an A320 aircraft which departed and returned to Toulouse. ...

Global accolades for Dubai hotels.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai won 'best new business hotel in the world' and The Jumeirah Beach Hotel voted 'best resort hotel in the world' at the recent Business Traveller 2004 Awards in London. Emirates Towers Hotel also picked up the...

Abu Dhabi upgrades handling.(Airports)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Abu Dhabi International Airport's baggage handling system has undergone an AED19 million ($5.17 million) upgrade. The software-boosting deal, secured with Data Processing Services, extends to Al Ain International Airport and City Terminal...

Note change in Cuba.(Currency)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Remember to carry euros with you if you're heading to Cuba on business. President Fidel Castro pulled the greenback on November 8 and only Cuban pesos are now accepted in the country's shops and restaurants.

Etihad Airways.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Etihad Airways has placed orders for five B777-300ER--the first arrives in October next year and the remainder in November and December 2005. Etihad recently launched daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai.

Following the admission of Continental, KLM and NorthWest into the SkyTeam alliance, members can now accrue and redeem miles on nine partner airlines.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Following the admission of Continental, KLM and NorthWest into the SkyTeam alliance, members can now accrue and redeem miles on nine partner airlines. First and Business class passengers (plus a guest) can access any of 390 member lounges...

Airlines are capitalising on India's economic boom with Air France-KLM introducing a daily A340 service between Paris and Mumbai this winter and Virgin Atlantic planning direct daily flights between London and Delhi and Mumbai.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Airlines are capitalising on India's economic boom with Air France-KLM introducing a daily A340 service between Paris and Mumbai this winter and Virgin Atlantic planning direct daily flights between London and Delhi and Mumbai. India's first...

Air France-KLM.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Air France-KLM has finalised its post-merger winter schedule, offering 'shuttle-type services' between Paris and Amsterdam, daily non-stop Air France services from Paris to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Guang Zhou, and a deal with Qantas...

Royal Jet.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Royal Jet is building a new executive airport terminal in Abu Dhabi which will open in 2007.

Gulf Air and BMI have expanded their codeshare agreement, enabling passengers holding tickets of either airline to fly with the other carrier.(Airline Briefs)(BMI British Midland Airways)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Gulf Air and BMI have expanded their codeshare agreement, enabling passengers holding tickets of either airline to fly with the other carrier. The agreement has been extended to Gulf Air flights operating between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi,...

Swiss International Air Lines.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... New members who sign up to Swiss International Air Lines' frequent flyer programme receive double miles when buying return tickets before December 31. Log on to www.swiss.com/travelclub

Turkish Airlines.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Turkish Airlines has ordered 19 A320s, 12 A321s and five A330-200s with deliveries scheduled from October 2005 until 2008.

Qatar Airways.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Qatar Airways speeds into 2005 with new services to Yangon (January 8), Johannesburg (January 16), Cape Town (January 17) and Osaka (March 31). Flights are also earmarked to Athens, Tunis, Algiers and Melbourne.

Air Arabia.(Airline Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Air Arabia recently started two-a-week services between Sharjah and Sana'a. One-way fares cost from AED 300 ($81.68) excluding taxes.

All change at Gulf Air.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... More comfortable flatbeds in Business Class and a dedicated First Class changing room are among the features of Gulf Air's $10 million front-of-plane upgrade. The first new-look seats come into circulation on the airline's A330s in...

Freshen up in London.(Airlines)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Emirates has extended its Good Morning London service for First and Business Class passengers flying overnight to London Heathrow and Gatwick. Passengers arriving at Gatwick could already make use of the showers, changing rooms and...

Clocking the competition.(Car Rental)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Business travellers are sitting pretty as the UAE's car rental scene goes into overdrive. Booking a Hertz car is now possible any time of the day or night through its 24-hour call centre. Travellers can also dial up for reservations,...

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts plans to manage a waterfront hotel at Dubai Festival City.(Hotel Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts plans to manage a waterfront hotel at Dubai Festival City and oversee Al Badia 18-hole championship golf course, clubhouse and associated amenities.

Sign up for Hilton's Premium Club dining card and receive discounts on breakfast, lunch and dinner at 100 properties.(Hotel Briefs)(Hilton Hotels Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Sign up for Hilton's Premium Club dining card and receive discounts on breakfast, lunch and dinner at 100 properties. Reductions are calculated by dividing the total food bill by the number of persons dining (25% for one, 50% for two, 33% for...

Tot up points at The Ritz-Carlton Dubai's Executive Reservation Service Appreciation Awards Programme and redeem them for prizes such as beach access, spa treatments or dinners.(Hotel Briefs)(Ritz Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Tot up points at The Ritz-Carlton Dubai's Executive Reservation Service Appreciation Awards Programme and redeem them for prizes such as beach access, spa treatments or dinners. The top booker between now and August 31 2005 receives a...

Le Meridien Tower has opened in Kuwait City, the company's first Art+Tech hotel in the region, with rates costing from KD 60 ($203) per night.(Hotel Briefs)(Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts Ltd.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Le Meridien Tower has opened in Kuwait City, the company's first Art+Tech hotel in the region, with rates costing from KD 60 ($203) per night. The trendy 70-room boutique hotel combines stylish decor with modern technology and has done away...

The Accor Group will operate the 1,240-unit Zamzam Tower under its Sofitel brand when it opens in Makkah in June 2006.(Hotel Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The Accor Group will operate the 1,240-unit Zamzam Tower under its Sofitel brand when it opens in Makkah in June 2006.

Work at Al Areen Desert Spa & Resort--Bahrain's first major tourism development--gets under way soon.(Hotel Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Work at Al Areen Desert Spa & Resort--Bahrain's first major tourism development--gets under way soon. The $600 million project will feature an Oasis Spa (complete with 60 Bedouin-style tents), themed hotels, residential communities and aqua...

Skywards members receive double miles for all qualifying stays at Fairmont properties until December 31.(Hotel Briefs)(Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Skywards members receive double miles for all qualifying stays at Fairmont properties until December 31.

Qatar Airways First Class.(Airline check: Doha-Istanbul)
November 1, 2004... First impressions: Doha Airport has come a long way since I first landed there in 1999. It's still the same airport--the new one won't be ready until 2007--but it has undergone more than a facelift in recent years. It's smart, and the systems...

Gulf Air First Class.(Airline check: Dubai-Bahrain-Singapore)
November 1, 2004... First impressions: Uneventful 80-minute hop over to Bahrain from Dubai in business class but the six-hour wait for the connecting flight to Singapore was a bit of a bore. The tedium was lifted by the plush First Class lounge at Bahrain...

Dar Al Masyaf Madinat Jumeirah.(Hotel check: Dubai)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... What's it like? Elegant Arabian artefact-crammed summer houses (29 buildings in all). It's Venice meets Arabia as an abra (water taxi) picks you up at the vast Madinat Jumeirah resort and drops you off at the quayside next to your house. ...

Hyatt Regency London--The Churchill.(Hotel check: London)
November 1, 2004... What's it like? Classical 445-room property with a pleasant mix of history and modernity. The ground level seems to go on and on, with reception to the right, lifts and restaurants to the left and a succession of meeting and banquet facilities...

Secure in the knowledge: beyond the headline-grabbing incidents and political tensions, Will McSheehy finds Egyptians are busy laying the foundations for future growth.(Cairo)
November 1, 2004... Sitting on a bench beside the Nile is enough to earn you a visit from the Cairo police these days. "Not many people sit here" says an unassuming man wearing a revolver on his tight jeans and cigarette stains on his teeth. "Why are you sitting...

Ambition in transition: there's far more to resources-rich Qatar than oil and gas. Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey went out to find the human face of a country expanding at all levels.(Qatar)
November 1, 2004... Qatar is on a roll. The capital, Doha, has an ever-changing skyline that will be put it on a construction par with Abu Dhabi and Dubai before the decade is over, and new hotels are being built to accommodate an expected ever-increasing influx...

The show must go on: renovation work to bring Milan's La Scala into the 21st century will soon be finished. With its grand opening due in December, Jonathan Futrell gets a sneak preview of its second act.(Milan)
November 1, 2004... Opera, in full throttle and with a cast of thousands, has the power to invigorate the soul and ignite the senses like no other music. But in recent years a different sort of drama has engulfed La Scala--Milan's famous opera house and venerated...

Celebrity Atlanta: there's more to this city than just corporate headquarters. Lauren David Peden provides a star-gazers' guide.(Atlanta)
November 1, 2004... Pssst! Check out that table over there--Elton John is having dinner with Janet Jackson, her tapper--producer boyfriend, Jermaine Dupri, and Collective Soul lead singer Ed Roland. And isn't that Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown sitting two booths...

Port of promise: with its European-style precincts and plentiful restaurants, Tianjin is Northern China's best-kept secret.(Tianjin)
November 1, 2004... "I'm mad about Tianjin," says former Sydney-native and long-term resident of Tianjin, Michael Bateman. "Even if this is an industrial town, there's a lot to see and do here. We've got our own section of the Great Wall, and the Qing Tombs here...

Out of the darkness: Warsaw has had a troubled history, but now EU membership is finally helping the city look to the future.(Warsaw)
November 1, 2004... Warsaw is a weird one. Few people seem to have a nice word to say about the plucky city at the crossroads of Europe. You can't get through a whole paragraph of city literature without 'grim' or 'grimy' spinning out at you like shocking...

On the vine trail: Cathay Pacific won several awards in the Cellars in the Sky. Tom Otley visits Bordeaux with the airline's wine experts.(Bordeaux)
November 1, 2004... It's an unseasonably sunny day in mid-June and we're standing in the vineyard of Chateau Branaire in Bordeaux. The first flowers are on the vines--small green buds that will soon begin to fill into grapes of the 2004 vintage. There's no way to...

4 hours in Melbourne: it's often described as one of the world's 'most liveable cities', but that hasn't made Melbourne rest on its laurels. Beverley Fearis discovers some great new attractions to keep visitors entertained.
November 1, 2004... 1 FEDERATION SQUARE Not everyone wanted it, but now that it's finally open, the architecturally controversial but unquestionably striking Federation Square (www.federationsquare.com.au) has been fully embraced by Melbournians. It has...

I recently booked ...(Ask Alex)
November 1, 2004... ... flights with Emirates from Johannesburg via Dubai to Damman where I was to deliver a series of business seminars. When I reached the airport in good time I was shocked to discover that the flight was overbooked and that I and 20 others were...

In most of ...(Ask Alex)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... ... China, Mandarin is of course the working language. But what is the situation in Guandong province, next to Hong Kong? Could a Mandarin speaker be understood in Guangzhou (Canton) or is it essential to speak Cantonese? David Taylor, Abu...

My colleague was ...(Ask Alex)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... ... recently travelling in Europe. He took an evening Lufthansa business class flight from Rome to Stuttgart via Frankfurt. The Frankfurt-Stuttgart connection (the last service of the day) was cancelled by the airline. A special bus was...

Grooming for success: long flights can leave you feeling weary and not looking your best. To keep you refreshed without packing the whole bathroom, Jo Fernandez rounds up some of the most stylish men's travel kits.(Accessories)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2004... Ren Travel Bag Ecologically-minded business travellers will appreciate this new travel kit. London-based skincare company Ren favours naturally derived ingredients (98% plant and mineral derived) and avoids all synthetic colours,...

Handheld heaven: computer and communications technology is getting better, and more compact, than ever before. Jonathan Futrell is dazzled by some of the best super-gadgets in the market place.(Gadgets)
November 1, 2004... BlackBerry smart phone The must-have business tool of the moment is the BlackBerry 7230 smart phone that looks like a standard PDA (personal digital assistant) but offers so much more. The BlackBerry service forwards emails, live, 24/7....

Entertaining business: the latest gadgets continue to blur the work-play boundaries.(IT focus)
November 1, 2004... Mobile entertainment LG has three models out which will keep you entertained on the road. The multimedia LG MF-HE700 can play up to eight hours of video and 20 hours of music. The compact LG MF-FE410 MP3 player features a bright display...

Win a superb break to Beirut or Kuwait.(Competition)
November 1, 2004... Two fantastic city breaks are on offer this issue and each centrally located property offers an unrivalled selection of facilities and services. The recently opened Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun in Beirut--the Starwood Group's second Four...

Golfing around ... Dublin: the Emerald Isle has no shortage of natural, and beautiful terrain to enjoy a round of golf on, Minty Clinch visits some of the rewarding courses within easy reach of Dublin.(Golfing around: Dublin)(Directory)
November 1, 2004... FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Tourism Ireland, 0800 0397 000, www.ireland.ie. GETTING THERE Dublin is served by Aer Lingus and Bmi from London Heathrow, by BA and Ryanair from Gatwick, and by Air France from City Airport (as well as...

Stars in your eyes: you're bound to see plenty of well-known faces at Ariel Sands--if not in the flesh, then certainly on the walls.(Great escape: Bermuda)
November 1, 2004... "To Dylan," said Brownie, with Jack Nicholson laughing behind us. "To Michael and Catherine," I said, raising my glass towards the happy couple. One of the world's most photogenic couples beamed from the picture frame on the wall-side bar. "To...