Business Traveller Middle East articles from November 2007

Business Traveller Middle East archives from November 2007

This issue.(Editorial)
November 1, 2007... How times have changed. It used to be the case that, after a hard day's work, weary corporate travellers might take time out of their busy schedules to relax by playing a few rounds of golf; nowadays, however, they're much more likely to head...

KLIA is top choice for ME travellers.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I have travelled to Singapore several times and have been quite fascinated with the services and sheer sense of space at Changi Airport, leading me to presume that it's perhaps the best airport in Southeast Asia. But on a recent work trip to...

Yotel works.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I stayed at the new Yotel at Gatwick (see BTME July/ August, page 6, IFA opens first Yotel at Gatwick airport) while transferring for a long-haul flight and really enjoyed it. To actually be located in the terminal building at such a reasonable...

Heading down under.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... As I have Silver status with Etihad, it's good news that the airline is now flying to Brisbane (see BTME September/October, page 23, Flight check)--its services are really impeccable. Etihad is difficult to match, running the most modern and...

Club world is comfy.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... Despite what I have read about problems with the seat and AVOD (audio and video on demand) on British Airways' new Club World (see BTME March/April, page 58, BA's new Club World), I had no such issues on a trip back from Dubai. The seat was...

BA delays.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I would like to share my experience flying with British Airways six times within three weeks to Moscow, London and Nice. Of the six flights that I took, three were delayed. I do understand that some things are beyond anyone's control, but...

To celebrate the launch of its new non-stop service to Brazil, Emirates is offering first-class passengers a three-night complimentary stay at the Hilton Morumbi Hotel in Sao Paulo (offer valid until 31 January 2008).(AIRLINE UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... To celebrate the launch of its new non-stop service to Brazil, Emirates is offering first-class passengers a three-night complimentary stay at the Hilton Morumbi Hotel in Sao Paulo (offer valid until 31 January 2008). Passengers who fly...

Lufthansa is offering special online fares (until 16 December) to Europe promoting the re-introduction of its daily flights from Dubai to Munich and has also just added three day flights from Dubai to Frankfurt.(AIRLINE UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... Lufthansa is offering special online fares (until 16 December) to Europe promoting the re-introduction of its daily flights from Dubai to Munich and has also just added three day flights from Dubai to Frankfurt. Until 30 November, passengers...

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), the national airline for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, has launched a three-times-a-week, non-stop flight.(AIRLINE UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), the national airline for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, has launched a three-times-a-week, non-stop flight from Dubai to the Danish capital of Copenhagen.

Qatar Airways has upgraded the aircraft on its Doha-Kuala Lumpur-Bali and Doha-Algiers routes to an Airbus A330 offering passengers better in-seat entertainment.(AIRLINE UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... Qatar Airways has upgraded the aircraft on its Doha-Kuala Lumpur-Bali and Doha-Algiers routes to an Airbus A330 offering passengers better in-seat entertainment. Starting from 27 November, the carrier will launch four flights a week to...

British Airways will fly six more times a week between Dubai and Heathrow.(AIRLINE UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... British Airways will fly six more times a week between Dubai and Heathrow from 17 December until March 2008.

Emirates debuts new on-board product across long-haul fleet.(UPfront)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Emirates is rolling out a new product onboard its long-had aircraft. The product, which debuted on Emirates' Boeing 777-300ER, will also be fitted on the 30 new aircraft the airline is set to receive from now until January 2009. Emirates'...

Kempinski continues expansion mode in MEA.(UPfront)(Middle East and Africa)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Luxury hotel brand Kempinski is expanding in the Middle East and Africa, with a new property in Jordan and five new projects in Egypt, Morocco and Syria. The 200-room Kempinski Hotel Aqaba will bring luxury and...

Hyatt's first foray into UAE capital.(UPfront)(Hyatt International)(United Arab Emirates)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Hyatt International will make its debut in the UAF's capital city as part of Abu Dhabi's landmark Capital Centre development. The 200-room, five-star Hyatt at Capital Centre will be located in the Capital Gate building of Capital Centre, a $2.2...

The Burj Dubai towers above competitors.(UPfront)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The Burj Dubai, now the world's tallest free-standing structure, has scaled 154 storeys. The Emaar Properties' iconic structure has already surpassed the 31-year-old record of the CN Tower in Toronto. The final height of the Burj Dubai, on...

Doha is site of ME region's first W hotel.(UPfront)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hotels will make its Middle East debut in Doha, offering the city more luxury accommodation. W Doha, expected to open by mid-2008, will be located in the prime West Bay area and include 291 rooms, 156 serviced...

Banyan Tree branches out in Dubai.(UPfront)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Asian hotel group the Banyan Tree is soon to open its first property in Dubai. The two-tower Anqsana Hotel & Suites Dubai, which will open early 2008 on Sheikh Zayed Road with an Angsana Spa, is the first of six...

Ascott has opened Somerset Al Fateh, Manama, its first serviced residences project in Bahrain.(HOTEL UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... Ascott has opened Somerset Al Fateh, Manama, its first serviced residences project in Bahrain. The 118-unit property is ideal for business travellers. Ascott will open its third Gulf property, the Somerset West Bay, Doha in 2008.

The Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel is the Gulf's first Sheraton to launch Link@ Sheraton, intended to create a lively experience for guests working online.(HOTEL UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... The Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel is the Gulf's first Sheraton to launch Link@ Sheraton, intended to create a lively experience for guests working online. The service begins as guests enter the lobby and a communal lounge boast...

The new 164-unit Millennium Burooj Suites Hotel Apartments in Dubai is the first all-suite five-star hotel worldwide for Millennium Hotels & Resorts as well as the company's first Sharia-compliant residential property.(HOTEL UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... The new 164-unit Millennium Burooj Suites Hotel Apartments in Dubai is the first all-suite five-star hotel worldwide for Millennium Hotels & Resorts as well as the company's first Sharia-compliant residential property. It offers penthouse...

The 400-room Holiday Inn Hotel Bur Dubai, to open in Dubai in 2008.(HOTEL UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... The 400-room Holiday Inn Hotel Bur Dubai, to open in Dubai in 2008, will be the InterContinental Hotel Group's first Sharia-compliant property in the UAE.

South African golfing legend Gary Player is to design the first of two championship golf courses planned for Saadiyat Island.(HOTEL UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... South African golfing legend Gary Player is to design the first of two championship golf courses planned for Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.

Istithmar is investing $150 million in a luxury resort in Zanzibar at Muyuni Beach that will open by 2009.(HOTEL UPDATE)
November 1, 2007... Istithmar is investing $150 million in a luxury resort in Zanzibar at Muyuni Beach that will open by 2009. The property includes a 50-room residence, spa and a 150-room hotel.

IHG plans to grow portfolio in MEA.(UPfront)(InterContinental Hotels Group)(Middle East and Africa)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is looking to add 60 new hotels to its portfolio in the Middle East and North Africa by 2010. The news comes as John Bamsey takes on the role of Chief Operating Officer for the...

Silverjet launches business class-only service on DXB route.(UPfront)(Dubai International Airport)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] UK-based business class-only airline Silverjet is due to commence a new daily service between Dubai and London later this month. The airline, which currently flies between London and New York, has chosen Dubai as its...

Record passenger growth continues at Etihad.(UPfront)
November 1, 2007... UAE national airline Etihad Airways carried more than 3.3 million passengers during the first nine months of 2007, compared to 1.9 million for the same period in 2006, an increase of 70 per cent. The airline had average seat factors of 75...

British Airways unveils new Club World service.(UPfront)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] UK flagship carrier British Airways has unveiled its new business class seat, which will shortly be available to Middle East passengers as the airline's $205.7 million Club World makeover comes to fruition. ...

Raffles adds to Dubai's five-star luxury accommodation offer.(UPfront)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Luxury global hotel group Raffles has opened its first property in the Middle East at upscale entertainment and retail complex Waft City in Dubai. Inspired by the great pyramids of Egypt, the hotel's distinctive...

Lufthansa teams up with Kempinski on in-flight food.(UPfront)
November 1, 2007... Lufthansa has chosen a chef at Kempinski Mall of the Emirates in Dubai to create dishes exclusively for Lufthansa first and business class passengers on all outbound flights from the Gulf to Germany. Greek-born Doxis Bekris will participate in...

The business of travel: the region's first-ever Business Travel Show, held in Dubai in late October, was a classy affair that brought top buyers and suppliers together to meet and share ideas.(BUSINESS TRAVEL SHOW)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Middle East's inaugural Business Travel Show held at the Madinat Jumeirah Arena in Dubai from 29-30 October was a sophisticated show that drew not just executives from A-list travel and hospitality companies but...

Etihad pearl zone.(TRIED & tested)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FLIGHT CHECK--ABU DHABI-MILAN FIRST IMPRESSIONS The pearl zone (that's business class to those unaccustomed to flying with Etihad) check-in is located in a closed-off private area, far from the milling crowds of...

Club executive, Jumeirah Emirates Towers.(TRIED & tested)(Hotel review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--DUBAI, UAE WHAT'S IT LIKE? Located in the business-slick Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Club Executive is designed specifically for the business traveller. Offering spectacular views across the...

Emirates business class.(TRIED & tested)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FLIGHT CHECK--DUBAI-NEWCASTLE FIRST IMPRESSIONS Being on an inaugural flight has its pluses: the ambience at departure is cheerful and the staff are extra-nice. I arrived at Emirates' business class check-in...

Malaysia Airlines business class.(TRIED & tested)
November 1, 2007... FLIGHT CHECK--KUALA LUMPUR-DUBAI FIRST IMPRESSIONS Check-in and immigration at Kuala Lumpur International Airport for the 10.05am flight was quick and effortless. After browsing through the many souvenir shops at duty free, I rode the...

Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel Residence & Spa.(TRIED & tested)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--MANAMA, BAHRAIN WHAT'S IT LIKE? An'oasis within an oasis' according to the hotel's PR department and, to be honest, they're not wrong. The Residence only opened last year and offers long-stay guests...

Hyatt Regency--The Churchill.(TRIED & tested)(Hotel review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--LONDON, UK WHAT'S IT LIKE? The Churchill has just emerged from an 18-month, multimillion-dollar refurbishment that has completely revived this modern classic of a property. The style is elegant yet...

Hilton Molino Stucky Venice.(TRIED & tested)(Hotel review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--VENICE, ITALY WHAT'S IT LIKE? The pointed turrets and stark neo-gothic frontage of this former 19th century flourmill--complete with its original bell that chimed workers to the factory--makes quite...

The Setai.(TRIED & tested)(Hotel review)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--MIAMI, US WHAT'S IT LIKE? This elegant resort boasts the best presidential suite in the city, a 40-storey tower, tropical gardens, three huge outdoor pools and a stunning stretch of powdery white...

Marriott Maida Vale.(TRIED & tested)(Marriott Hotel Maida Vale)(Hotel review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--LONDON, UK WHAT'S IT LIKE? A four-star business hotel conveniently located in tranquil Maida Vale in northwest London, bordering the swish St John's Wood area, and with fantastic transport links:...

The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo.(TRIED & tested)(Hotel review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOTEL CHECK--TOKYO, JAPAN WHAT'S IT LIKE? Even before a courteous white-gloved hand has opened a single door, this hotel has everything you need to impress a client in Tokyo. It occupies the 45th to 53rd floors...

Comfort zones: after a long day, a detour to the spa instead of your hotel room can help overhaul body and mind. And these serene sanctuaries are an important component of the hotel business across the Middle East, as Methil Renuka finds out.(HOTEL SPAS)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How many times have you longed to silence your BlackBerry and gracefully sign off a tiring day in a tranquil space, far from the narrow confines of your flight seat, workstation or hotel room? Fortunately for...

In with the new: Dubai now has a virtual city within a city a rapidly expanding 'New Dubai' continues to pull in residents, investors, executives and tourists. Dominic Ellis looks at the never-ending tide of major developments in a district that only knows top gear.(DUBAI)
November 1, 2007... From the 14th floor of the Thuraya Tower in Dubai Media City, a sizeable chunk of 'New Dubai' is laid out like a map. Dominating the panorama is the Palm Jumeirah, the daring engineering marvel, transformed from Ruler's dream into concrete...

Island of opportunity: Cyprus is on the cusp of change. Blessed with natural beauty and a vibrant tourism industry, the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean is finally beginning to realise its latent potential and intends to become an important global property market.(CYPRUS)(Industry overview)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] While Cyprus has been talked up as a property hot spot in the past, it appears that talk is finally becoming reality. Earlier this year the Where On Earth Hot Property Index described Cyprus as one of the best...

Play away: Dubai's golf courses have established a solid reputation for themselves internationally. Tony Smart guides you round the emirate's greens.(DUBAI GOLF)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The name Dubai is likely to evoke many different memories in the minds of those who've been there: glitzy, high-rise hotels; haggling for bargains with traders in the famous gold souk; trips out to the endlessly...

The art of giving: giving someone a gift might seem a relatively straightforward act, but when it comes to business an inappropriate offering can ruin a carefully forged relationship. Brian Johnston steers us round the pitfalls of presents.(BUSINESS ETIQUETTE)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Beware of Greeks bearing gifts' goes an old saying. Not that we have anything against the Greeks these days; the expression dates from the time of the Trojan Wars, when the Greeks presented Troy with a wooden...

High hopes: emirates continues to step up its fleet size, launch a wide variety of new routes and introduce state-of-the-art in-flight products. Tim Clark, President of the award-winning Dubai-based airline, speaks to Methil Renuka about future plans and why competition from regional carriers is welcome.(Interview)
November 1, 2007... Emirates has had a busy year so far, with new services launched to Venice, Newcastle, Sao Paulo, Ahmedabad, Toronto and Houston (due to be inaugurated on 3 December). In September, the airline opened a new Emirates-branded air traffic control...

4 hours in ... Muscat: Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, is no dusty desert outpost but an immaculately clean and leafy city fringed by majestic mountains, as Methil Renuka discovers.
November 1, 2007... [1] THE GRAND MOSQUE For an impressive start to your trip, take a morning tour of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a magnificent monument located in Al Udhaybah, which is within the city centre and also close to Seeb International Airport....

O2 Xda Flame.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The O2 Xda Flame is the first PDA-phone to harness the full multimedia capabilities of a 3D graphics processor. The improved speed gives you console-class 3D gaming, DVD-quality video, as well as the ability to...

Samsung U100.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Samsung has another addition to its Ultra Edition II series: the Samsung U100, dubbed the world's slimmest phone. It's thin enough to disappear if turned on its side but packed with innovative features such as a...

i-mate Ultimate series.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)(Ultimate 6150)(Ultimate 8150)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The iconic i-mate has launched its Ultimate 6150 and Ultimate 8150 series that combine both phone and PDA. One of its advanced and exclusive features is the XGA direct video output that allows users to present...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Panasonic's Lumix cameras have always been best-sellers. The new Lumix DMC-FZ18 features a 26mm wide-angle Leica DC lens with enhanced 18x optical zoom and 8J-megapixel capabilities. The FZ18 is a more stylish camera...

Sony Cyber-shot T series.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)
November 1, 2007... Want to freeze-frame successful moments at a corporate party? With its new smile shutter technology--here's a first--Sony's Cyber-shot T200 and T70 automatically takes the picture the moment the subject smiles. It boasts an intelligent auto...

MOTO Q8.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)(motorola Q8)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This light MOTO Q8 handset is a smartphone providing features including five-way navigation button and thumb-wheel allowing single-handed control of email and messaging, quad-band GPRS and capabilities to deliver...

Creative Aurvana X-Fi headphones.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)
November 1, 2007... Creative's Aurvana X-Fi noise-cancelling headphones help improve audio playback for the iPhone, iPod or any other portable entertainment device, providing hours of comfortable listening during a long flight. The headphones deliver virtual...

Sanyo Xacti CA65.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)(Xacti VPC-CA65)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... If you have spare time and want to go diving on your next work trip, take the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA65 along. Enveloped in a waterproof material, it's the first digital movie camera specifically designed for underwater photography as it can operate...

Nokia N73 Special Edition.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)
November 1, 2007... The Nokia N73 Special Edition includes applications carefully tailored to meet the needs of consumers in the Arab world. Available in white, it comes with a 2GB mini SD memory card, matching leather pouch and stereo headset. In addition to a...

HTC TyTN II.(The right connection: it's business with pleasure for professionals on the move as these new devices on the market demonstrate)(high tech computer corporation.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The HTC TyTN II is meant for flying executives with its suite of business applications including push e-mail and PDF viewer. It has a full QWERTY keyboard and allows users to get connected in any country, it has...

Ask Alex.
November 1, 2007... Q What efforts do airline alliances take to ensure that new entrants conform to common standards? I know they do when it comes to technical systems but my question relates to service and safety standards. I recently took a flight with Turkish...

Win a break at a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi: lap up the exclusivity and serene surroundings of the Al Raha Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi for two nights.(Competition)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Since its inception in 2005, Al Raha Beach Hotel, Abu Dhabi's premier boutique hotel and a member of the prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, has collected many regional and international awards. A short...

Beyond the Pharaohs: there's more to Luxor than ancient, dusty temples and tombs. Brian Johnston takes a walk along the Corniche to discover its other, more modern side.(GREAT escape)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Luxor. It might be one of the most famous towns in Egypt, but nobody really visits it. True, a few backpackers hop off long-distance coaches and scurry through the streets towards the river. Tour groups descend at...