Business Traveller Middle East articles from November 2005

Business Traveller Middle East archives from November 2005

This issue.(on travel industry)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... It sounds like 2005 has been a good one for travelling executives, at least if the responses from directors in our 'year in review' are typical. Better in-fliqht entertainment, improved service levels (by and large) and ever-smarter gadgets...

Chinese delays.(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... This is to record the rather unpleasant ordeal that I was put through during a recent rendezvous with Air China. I was returning to Dubai from Guong Zhou (via Beijing). Though the scheduled Air China flight from Guong Zhou to Beijing was at...

Nocturnal comfort.(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... I had the chance to catch a night-time Business Class flight on Lufthansa from Dubai to Frankfurt recently and must admit I quite enjoyed it. The airport lounge was not as comfortable or roomy as Emirates' Business Class lounge, but it was...

Automation overload?(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... Self-service kiosks, Internet check-ins, e-ticketing--the way things are going we may soon lose the human face of travel altogether. Call me old fashioned, but I continue to use my travel agent for arranging my trips--this arrangement has...

Boss in the back.(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... On a recent Cathay Pacific flight to Kuala Lumpur, I noticed that my neighbour looked remarkably like Philip Chen, the airline's CEO, whose photo I've seen several times. After doing a double-check on my boarding pass--to make sure I...

Ramadan business.(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... There seemed to be more Suhour corporate functions in Ramadan this year--perhaps in recognition that asking people to meet up around Iftar is just too difficult with everyone's busy work-loads. Arranging leisurely networking get-togethers in...

Emirates revamps economy, expands kiosk service and launches online check-in.(Emirates Airline)
November 1, 2005... EMIRATES HAS SHAKEN up all stages of its business, from bookings and check-in to on-board services. Economy sections have been spruced up with ergonomically designed seats and meals are now served on matching pearl-themed trays and...

Radisson bridges hospitality gap.(Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts in Dubai)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... EXECUTIVES VISITING and working in Dubai Media City will soon see their hospitality options mushroom with the opening of the first hotel in the rapidly developing communications district. The 246-room hotel, operated by Radisson SAS Hotels...

Travel planner for mobile PDA users.(personal digital assistants)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... PDA-PRODDING executives now have a useful travel planning tool when they're out on the road. PocketFlight taps into Galileo Emirates' global database, enabling travellers to check availability of flights, hotels and car rentals. The...

Royal Jet rises to the Challenger.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... ABU DHABI-BASED Royal Jet is taking delivery of three new aircraft and aims to operate an 11-strong fleet by early 2006. The order, comprising two Bombardier Business Jets and one Bombardier Challenger 300, will be announced at the Dubai...

Ritz-Carlton rings the changes.(Ritz Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C. renovates)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... A RITZ-CARLTON CLUB, 31 suites and 42 Club rooms are among the executive-minded features of the new-look Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa. The hotel's 245 rooms and suites range from 31 square metres to 152 square metres following the...

Jumeirah will manage the 500-room Essex House Hotel in New York from January.(Jumeirah Beach Hotel)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... * Jumeirah will manage the 500-room Essex House Hotel in New York from January. The property is earmarked for a $50 million renovation which will be completed by the end of 2006. Jumeirah will also manage a select group of five-star luxury...

The recently opened InterContinental Jericho contains 181 deluxe rooms, 14 junior suites and Club InterContinental floor (all rooms equipped with data ports), as well as three function and meeting rooms, three restaurants, a business centre and fitness club.(HOTEL BRIEFS)
November 1, 2005... * The recently opened InterContinental Jericho contains 181 deluxe rooms, 14 junior suites and Club InterContinental floor (all rooms equipped with data ports), as well as three function and meeting rooms, three restaurants, a business centre...

Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts is raising its US profile.(HOTEL BRIEFS)
November 1, 2005... * Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts is raising its US profile with a 147-room hotel opening in Miami in 2008 and a Chicago property opening a year later.

Hit the right note.(Baglioni Hotel offers piano service)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Guests staying at the Baglioni Hotel at Hyde Park Gate in central London now have a melodious alternative to the TV or in-room DVD player--they can ask for a Yamaha piano to be wheeled into their room. General manager Luca Virgilio decided...

Airbus hit by compensation claims.(from airlines)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... FRUSTRATED REGIONAL airlines have lodged compensation claims with Airbus for delayed A380s deliveries. The European manufacturer, which has three A380 customers in the region, declined to release details about specific claims or contracts....

Jet care facility boosts corporates.(ExecuJet Middle East opens branch at Dubai International Airport)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... THE REGION'S FIRST and only Bombardier-approved maintenance and spare-parts facility recently opened at Dubai International Airport. The development is good news for time-conscious executives as corporate jets can now be serviced more...

Spain linked up to Gulf.(by Qatar Airways)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... ONE OF THE STRANGER airline route anomalies is about to be laid to rest, with Qatar Airways set to become the first airline to start direct scheduled flights between the Gulf and Madrid from December 2. The airline will operate three...

Dublin and Johannesburg will be served by Gulf Air from Bahrain beginning December 2 (both three flights a week).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Dublin and Johannesburg will be served by Gulf Air from Bahrain beginning December 2 (both three flights a week). The airline has put on two additional flights per week from Bahrain to Bangalore and Chennai and five more flights per week to...

Low-cost newcomer Jazeera Airways has taken delivery of the first of four A320s.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)
November 1, 2005... Low-cost newcomer Jazeera Airways has taken delivery of the first of four A320s which will be used on regional services--flights to Dubai are already underway.

Air France's Flying Blue frequent flyers in the region can earn double miles when flying between Dubai-Paris, Jeddah-Paris and Riyadh-Paris until December 15.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Air France's Flying Blue frequent flyers in the region can earn double miles when flying between Dubai-Paris, Jeddah-Paris and Riyadh-Paris until December 15. The airline has introduced its B777-200 on its daily night flight to Dubai (56 seats...

Air Arabia recently started two-a-week flights.(AIRLINE BRIFES)
November 1, 2005... Air Arabia recently started two-a-week flights between Sharjah and Aqaba.

bmi will start three-a-week services between London Heathrow and Jeddah.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)
November 1, 2005... bmi will start three-a-week services between London Heathrow and Jeddah next year and operate daily services to Mumbai.

Jet Airways is buying 10 A330-200s.(AIRLINE BRIEFS)
November 1, 2005... Jet Airways is buying 10 A330-200s with deliveries starting early 2007.

Kempinski Hotel Taschenbergpalais Dresden.(Brief Article)(Hotel Review)
November 1, 2005... WHAT'S IT LIKE? Until 10 years ago, nothing but rubble and ruin. Originally a palace built in 1709 by King August 'the Strong' for his mistress, Countess Anna Constanze Van Cosel, it was bombed during World War II. The hotel rose from the ashes...

Aphrodite Astir Palace.(Hotel Review)
November 1, 2005... FIRST IMPRESSIONS The most casual of the three hotels on the Vouliagmeni peninsula and popular with families and business travellers alike. This property, refurbished in 2001, offers 164 rooms and while the sun terrace is a surrogate beach due...

Ritz-Carlton Central Park and Battery Park hotel.(Ritz Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C.)(Hotel Review)
November 1, 2005... FIRST IMPRESSIONS What views! At Central Park, my top-floor Park View guestroom looked out over the magnificent sprawl of Central Park, while the Statue of Liberty stood to attention outside my Battery Park Harbour View guestroom. Central Park...

Slowly but surely: by promoting its museum-rich culture and moving forward with measured expansion plans, Sharjah is distinguishing itself from its more high-profile neighbour.(Cover Story)
November 1, 2005... It is 11pm on a balmy October night and the AED 25 million ($6.85 million) Eye of the Emirates--Sharjah's answer to the London Eye--is yet to finish its nightly rounds. From the refuge of the observatory wheel's 42 soaring, air-conditioned...

Ask Alex: Alex McWhirter answers your travel queries.
November 1, 2005... Dear Alex, I understand that some big airlines in Europe are now refusing to through check passengers who make connections when they travel with separate tickets. How can this be? I would have thought the airlines would make every effort...

Chaos theory: as historic as it is chaotic, Cairo holds a story behind every building, artefact and social ritual. Dan Richardson journeys through past and present in Egypt's capital.
November 1, 2005... Cairo has been the largest city in Africa and the Middle East since the 13th century and it's still growing. A thousand settlers arrive daily, and each morning its population of some 18 million is swollen further by a million commuters from the...

Small comforts: some managers avoid airport check-ins and even First Class--for them, travel is simply a revenue-eating distraction. They want exclusive jet services which can save them valuable time on the ground and in the air.(Executive jets)
November 1, 2005... If I'd received a dirham for every time someone told me executive jet travel is becoming more affordable, I'd be halfway to owning my own aircraft by now. Look at how your manager travels, or even your manager's manager, and I am sure he or she...

Emerging opportunities.(aircraft industry)
November 1, 2005... Mike Berry, managing director of ExecuJet Middle East, said there had been a noticeable upturn in the regional market in the last 12 months, fuelled by new customer interest, a growth in charters--its hours have doubled--and owner purchasing....

Small jet gains in Saudi Arabia.(Jet Aviation International Inc.)(Interview)
November 1, 2005... Toni Gisler, general manager of Jet Aviation Saudi Arabia, talks about the growth of the industry in the Kingdom. So do you charter outside of Saudi Arabia? No, this is done purely through our headquarters in Switzerland. Here we do...

Meeting expectations: as a place to entertain, there are few places that match Budapest.
November 1, 2005... Budapest is more popular with travellers every year. The latest figures show that in the first half of 2005, numbers from the UK were up by almost 50 per cent compared with the comparable period for 2004, making the UK the second biggest market...

Enough on their plates: far beneath the Andaman Sea and far beyond it, Phuket continues to wrestle with its post-tsunami identity one year on.
November 1, 2005... "You know we had an alert in the night," said Zahid Ali, Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket's marketing communications manager, as we sit in a quiet Italian restaurant overlooking a brochure-calm pool fringed with palms. "We had to evacuate some...

Two to tango: work trips don't have to mean spending your nights alone with the room service menu. Beverley Fearis talks to business travellers who find ways to take their partner along.
November 1, 2005... Some business travellers enjoy the frequent trips that come with their work and some don't, but most would agree that spending time apart from family and friends makes things difficult. Wouldn't it be great if we could, just occasionally, take...

Backwards and forwards: did you find travelling a breeze in 2005--or was the last year one you'd rather forget? We asked managers to recount their travel highs and lows of the last 12 months.
November 1, 2005... Graham Porter, Marketing Manager, Middle East and North Africa, Sun Microsystems (1) The 500 entertainment channels on Emirates. (2) Emirates raised my expectations and I then flew British Airways--they asked me to buy a headset for 3...

4 hours in cork: the Republic of Ireland's second city is enjoying the limelight as European Capital of Culture. Felicity Cousins explores this charming city by foot and rings a few bells along the way.
November 1, 2005... (1) St Anne's Church, Shandon Start on the north side of the river, up the steep hill where St Anne's church Shandon sits. The four faces of the church, clock all tell slightly different times and as a result, Shandon tower is known...

Beauty and the bonnet: more women executives are now going down the sporty road, discovers Methil Renuka.
November 1, 2005... Living life in the fast lane, Persis Daruwala, power suited and stiletto-heeled, steps on the accelerator of her new white Mercedes-Benz C240--sunroof pulled down--and reaches what she calls "a male speed" that would leave many motorists...

2006 Pajero.(from Mitsubishi Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The 2006 Pajero two-door three-litre model is a noticeable hit with women in middle and senior management. A factory-fresh, top of the line, 3.8 litre Pajero four-door model could cost as much as AED 124,000, complete with leather seats. The...

Jaquar's Super V8 Portfolio.(from Jaguar Cars Ltd.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Jaguar's limited edition Super V8 Portfolio is a version of the flagship XJ luxury saloon. It's powered by a 400bhp supercharged V8 engine and is big in the looks department with its sculpted aluminum power vents in the front wings and black...

Toyota Fortuner.(from Toyota Motor Corp.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... If you loved the Toyota RAV4, often billed the ladies' car, you may like the Toyota Fortuner. This SUV is placed above the RAV4 and below the Prado. This rugged 4WD will be swell for off-road driving if you want to go dune bashing after a...

Audi RS 4.(FOUR-WHEEL DESIRES)
November 1, 2005... If you fancy driving a sports car without missing out on any of the creature comforts, check out the new Audi RS 4. The main feature is its power--the saloon can top the 100 km/hr mark in 4.8 seconds. The lightweight model features aluminium...

2006 Honda Accord.(FOUR-WHEEL DESIRES)
November 1, 2005... The 2006 Honda Accord comes in four variants with a sporty look. Inside, the car has a redesigned steering wheel and new seats. The Honda Accord also comes in some contemporary colours too; Premium White Pearl, Alabaster Silver Metallic and...

Mercedes-Benz S-Class.(from Daimler-Benz AG)
November 1, 2005... The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class will arrive in early 2006. Its predecessor has been popular in the UAE--distributors Gargash Enterprises claim to have sold nearly 6,000 models of the luxury sedan. The new car will be high on safety features such...

Aston Martin.( Aston Martin V8 launched at Dubai )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Aston Martin V8, the sexy James Bond car, is coming to town, brought to Dubai by Al Habtoor Motors. Its understated design and simplicity is bound to wow the ladies. Inside, it's a treat in leather and aluminium. The sleek car will be...

Pros and cons of large and small.(cars evaluated)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Myth: It's easier to manoeuvre a small car. Truth: Bigger cars have better power steering and more powerful engines, so the time and effort taken to manoeuvre will be the same. Besides, as some drivers admit, while smaller cars may be...

Golfing around Sydney: Australia's premier city boasts over 50 courses within 10km of downtown, many of them open to non-member players. Chris Pritchard lists five visitor-friendly ones.
November 1, 2005... Golf is an Australian passion although--as with other sports--the locals successfully combine a deceptively relaxed attitude with a characteristically competitive streak. Sydney, the continent's biggest city, boasts over 50 courses within 10km...

Mind your business: they may be small, slim and light, but these sleek notebook PCs are big on wireless--and tireless--features that will keep your business going on the road.(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2005... TOSHIBA MINI-NOTEBOOK Toshiba's new 'libretto U100' mini-notebook PC weighs less than a kilogram, so is just right to carry on business trips. The battery can run for four-and-a-half hours, plus it also has battery backup of up to nine...

Ancient solitude: Kevin Pilley checks out the world's oldest hotel and finds his stay spiritually stimulating.(Hoshi Ryokan)
November 1, 2005... Her forehead brushing the tatami floor, Taeko bowed her way backwards out of my presence, leaving me to empty and purify my mind in a quiet place, as Buddha teaches. I did as instructed, listened to the wood whispering about me, watched the...