Economic crisis did little to curb cost of air travel: survey

03 March 2010 (TravelWeekly) - HONG KONG – Despite expectations that the global financial crisis would produce significant savings for travellers, results from the fourth quarter 2009 American Express Business Travel Monitor indicate a mixed picture.

The results reveal that year-on-year, published airfares increased one per cent overall in the Asia Pacific; and comparing the third to the fourth quarter of 2009, there were price increases across Business and Economy classes.

MORE

Consulting

If you are looking for an innovative and professional consulting service, with specific skills in corporate travel management and procurement technique, look no further.
For more information on Consulting please visit www.hrgworldwide.com.

Airline News

• Cathay Pacific will start operating to Moscow on July 13 with three flights a week
  
• Continental Airlines is re-launching its non-stop service to Guam from Hong Kong
  
• Air Canada (AC) inaugurated on Saturday its first non-stop flight between Calgary and Tokyo
  
• Shenzen Airlines flies Xi’an-Kuala Lumpur route
  
• China Airlines (CAL) and its subsidiary, Mandarin Airlines, plan to fly larger Airbus A330-300 aircraft between Taoyuan International Airport and Xian, Shenyang, Changsha and Zhengzhou
  
• Japan Airlines (JAL) and British Airways (BA), both oneworld members, have reached an agreement to expand their code-share partnership
  
• Air China launched its first non-stop flight between Beijing and Manila on March 29
  
• China Southern Airlines is expanding its Premium Economy Class service to all its domestic routes

Hotel News

• Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Bangkok opened on Wednesday, March 31
  
• Preferred Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of its first hotel in Shanghai – Les Suites Orient, Bund Shanghai
  
• Wynn Resorts is set to open its new all-suite boutique hotel, Encore in Macau
  
• Frasers Hospitality Pte Ltd has opened Fraser Suites Seef Bahrain
  
• Hotel Éclat, a new boutique hotel, has opened in Taipei’s fashionable Da-An district
  
• Wyndham Grand Collection adds Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Oriental Shanghai, Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Furongguo Changsha in Hunan’s capital city; and the Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale West Lake Hangzhou
  
• Four Points by Sheraton will ramp up its portfolio by 16 properties this year
  
• Marriott International has announced the launch of the Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon

• Indonesia launches biometric verification for border control
  
• Delhi Airports' T3 opens in July
  
• Chennai Airport expansion on schedule
• Baggage performance improves in 2009 - SITA

• HK buses go green
• Hertz USA has a new one-stop pay direct car rental product which includes the liability insurance supplement (LIS) that was previously a separate charge
  
• Dubai to develop pedestrian bridges

Travel Tips

• Economic crisis did little to curb cost of air travel: survey
  
• Asian hotel recovery continues in February