Qantas / Emirates Deal Gets Initial Approval
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a draft decision proposing to authorise a five-year alliance between Qantas and Emirates. The ACCC said that “the alliance was likely to result in material, although not substantial benefits to Australian consumers”.
Alan Joyce, Qantas Group Chief...
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – from the Irish Travel Trade News Team
As we prepare to ‘sign off’ for the Christmas and New Year holiday, everyone in the Irish Travel Trade News Team sends season’s greetings to all our readers throughout the Irish travel industry and worldwide. Our eBulletins service will resume in the first week...
Darjeelin Brings Crowdsourcing to Travel Sector
New France-based online company Darjeelin aims to bring ‘crowdsourcing’ to the travel and flight search sector. Founded in 2012 by Thibault Lorcy and Charles Guilhamon, Darjeelin provides:
savings of hundreds of euro on long-haul flights, compared to traditional agencies or metasearch engines
major time saving
competition between...
Fire Closes Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express, the main line linking London to the airport, has been closed by fire as thousands of passengers attempt to board flights for the Christmas holiday.
The branch route to Heathrow was shut after water penetrated a line-side transformer at its junction with the...
Falcon Predicts Busy January Bookings
Falcon Holidays is predicting a traditional January booking period, with the New Year getting off to a strong start. Director Helen Caron said: “January is traditionally one of the busiest booking periods in the holiday industry and we are preparing for a particularly busy...
Emirates Sponsors TIGS at Island GC
The Travel Industry Golf Society held its last outing of the year this month at The Island Golf Club in Donabate. A great day was had
by all despite the delayed start due to frost.
The outing was sponsored by Emirates and Michael Meagher, Emirates Cargo Manager...
Aer Lingus Partners with G-Mac Foundation
Aer Lingus has announced that, for the second year running, it will partner with Graeme McDowell and his charity, The G-Mac Foundation, to bring children recovering from illness and their families on a trip of a lifetime next spring to Orlando, Florida. The children...
Government Unimpressed by Ryanair’s Remedies Package for Aer Lingus Acquisition
“The Cabinet has considered the sale of the State’s 25% shareholding in Aer Lingus. The Government remains committed to the sale of the stake in Aer Lingus at the right time under the right conditions. However, the Government is not prepared to support any...
Fastjet Signs Option Agreement to Buy 1time
Fastjet, Tanzania’s new low-cost carrier that launched commercial services in late November and is in talks with Emirates about creating a partnership, has entered into an option agreement to buy the entire issued share capital of South African 1time Airline from its parent company,...
Shanghai to Extend Visa-Free Stays to 72 Hours
From 1st January 2013, Shanghai is to extend visa-free stays to 72 hours for passengers from 45 countries.
The 45 countries covered by the 72-hour visa-free policy are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,...
British Airways Launches New Flight to Chengdu
British Airways has announced a new route to Chengdu in China, just weeks after starting services to Seoul in South Korea.
To celebrate the launch, and reflecting the Chinese belief that eight is an auspicious number, flights to Chengdu are available from £508 if booked...
Eight Irish Agents Enjoy 4-Day Dubai Fam
Eight Irish travel agents – Maura O’Connor, Abbey Travel; Mary Jones, Lee Travel; Helen Stokes, Topflight; Ann Marie Griffith, Trailfinders; Margaret Kelly, Travel Counsellors; Lorraine Harrington, Travelfox; Denise Breen, Travelmood; and Hugh Staunton, Tropical Sky – joined Ingrid Aagesen of Dubai Tourism and Commerce...
Ingrid Aagesen ‘TalksBack’ at Irish Travel Trade Awards!
Dubai won the Best Middle East / Africa Destination Award at the 21st anniversary Irish Travel Trade Awards Gala Dinner at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, on 30th November 2012. During the event, Ingrid Aagesen, Senior Manager of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing,...
Dubai Wins Third IAGTO Award in Decade
In a glittering ceremony in the Algarve, Portugal, to honour the best golfing destinations around the world, Dubai, for the third time in a decade, walked away with the International Association of Golf Tour Operators’ Destination of the Year Award for Africa, Gulf States...
DTCM Wins at 21st Northern Ireland Travel & Tourism Awards
Dubai Tourism picked up the award for Tourist Board of the Year at the 21st Northern Ireland Travel & Tourism Awards ceremony, held on 19th October and compared by TV personality Roy Walker.
Over 400 decision-makers from all sectors of the travel industry attended the...
18 World Travel Awards 2012 for Dubai
When the World Travel Awards 2012 were announced in New Delhi, India, this month, Dubai was voted as World’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination and World’s Leading Cruise Port – and no less than 16 other Awards went to companies in Dubai.
Among airline awards, Emirates...
Dubai Tourism in Ireland – the Year in Pictures
The Government of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing had a busy – and highly successful – year in Ireland in 2012.
March: Travel Counsellors Ireland’s annual conference
May: DTCM / Etihad Airways / Jebel Ali event at the Radisson Blu, Dublin
June: DTCM / Etihad...
easyJet to fly over 90,000 pax to getaway for Christmas
easyJet announced today that it will be flying over 90,000 passengers, up by 10% on the same date last year across 1190 scheduled flights as they travel for the great Christmas Getaway on its busiest day of the period on Friday 21 December 2012.
In...
Tom Wins Second BookaBed iPad
Congratulations to Tom Britton of Marble City Travel on winning the second iPad in as many weeks with BookaBed.
“The competition was well received and bookings for the same two weeks were great,” said Lee Osborne, Business Development Manager, BookaBed. “We will be running some...
New International Body Represents Cruise Industry
Nine cruise industry associations have agreed to operate under a common organisation with a unified structure to serve as the voice and advocacy leader of the global cruise industry.
The Passenger Shipping Association and the Association of Cruise Experts are among the nine cruise associations...
