DELHI, 1 August 2024: Continuing its rapid growth, Air India Express announces the expansion of its operations to Dhaka, making the capital of Bangladesh the airline’s 15th international destination.
From 3 September 2024, the airline will operate six weekly flights, each connecting Dhaka to Kolkata and Chennai, enhancing connectivity and fostering economic growth between India and Bangladesh.
Air India Express flights to and from Dhaka can be booked on the airline’s award-winning website, airindiaexpress.com, mobile app, and other major booking channels. The airline offers attractive introductory fares: Kolkata-Dhaka at INR3600, Dhaka-Kolkata at INR4800, Chennai-Dhaka at INR5000, and Dhaka-Chennai at INR7400.
Commenting on the launch, Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh said: “With the introduction of direct flights to Dhaka from Kolkata and Chennai, Air India Express continues to enhance connectivity across the Indian sub-continent. These new routes are a significant step towards providing more convenient travel experiences infused with the warmth of Indian hospitality, further strengthening regional ties and fostering greater accessibility within the sub-continent. Apart from trade and tourism, these flights will also help guests from Bangladesh travel for medical treatments at speciality hospitals in Chennai and Kolkata. The services will also provide connections to Air India Express flights to the Gulf region and Air India long-haul international flights.”
Guests from cities such as Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi, Imphal, Jaipur, Surat, and Varanasi will now benefit from convenient one-stop connectivity to Dhaka. Guests from Dhaka can also now easily travel to these cities via Kolkata or Chennai.
With this expansion of its network to Dhaka, Kolkata has become the airline’s third-largest station. It offers 158 weekly flights that connect the ‘City of Joy’ to 13 destinations directly and 20 destinations through one-stop itineraries.
Air India Express operates over 85 weekly flights from Chennai, connecting 13 destinations directly and 24 through one-stop itineraries.
Last week, Air India Express announced the addition of Agartala as its 32nd domestic destination. Daily direct flights connect the capital city of Tripura to Kolkata and Guwahati.
BANGKOK, 1 August 2024: Thai AirAsia (FD) confirmed this week it will suspend services between Phuket and Hong Kong effective 1 September 2024 due to poor consumer response and fleet management pressures.
Thai AirAsia flew the route four times weekly (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat) but faced stiff competition from three Hong Kong-based airlines: Cathay Pacific (daily), Hong Kong Express (twice daily), and Hong Kong Airlines (daily). The average roundtrip fare on the route is USD210. The flight time is three hours and 18 minutes using an A320.
In a travel advisory, the airline said: “Decisions like this are never taken lightly, and we understand any inconvenience this may cause our guests.”
It promised to minimise any inconvenience to affected guests while offering options for those who wish to make alternate travel plans.
Credit Account: the value of the fare can be redeemed within two calendar years from the date of issue. Full refund: Obtain a full refund equivalent to the original booking.
“Thai AirAsia will notify affected guests directly via their registered member email account, SMS notification, or ask BO (AI-powered concierge). Thai AirAsia strongly encourages guests to keep their email addresses and mobile numbers with their country code prefix updated in their AirAsia member profiles at Manage My Booking via airasia.com to ensure they are contactable for further assistance.”
The above options are applicable for direct online bookings made via airasia.com or airasia MOVE only. For other types of bookings, such as those made through travel agents, passengers should contact the respective booking channel, such as online or traditional travel agencies.
KUCHING Sarawak, 31 July 2024: Niah Caves National Park in Sarawak, Malaysia, has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) confirmed on Sunday.
The citation followed last week’s 46th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, hosted in Delhi, India. At that session, the 21 member states that make up the committee announced the addition of 24 sites worldwide to the 1,999 sites already recognised.
Photo credit: Sarawak Tourism Board. Niah Caves National Park.
“Including the latest addition, Malaysia has five Unesco World Heritage Sites. The others are Sarawak’s Mount Mulu National Park (2000), Sabah’s Kinabalu Park (2000), Melaka and George Town Historical Cities (2008) and Perak’s Lenggong Valley Archaeological Site (2012),” Motac noted in its press statement.
The UNESCO World Heritage Convention has recognised 1,199 sites as world heritage sites under the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
In its citations for the 24 additions, the World Heritage Convention identified the distinct attributes of each property posted on its website.
The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s Caves ComplexMalaysia
“This complex of colossal, interconnected caverns is located near the west coast of Borneo Island at the centre of Niah National Park. It contains the longest known records of human interaction with rainforests, spanning at least 50,000 years, from the Pleistocene to the Mid-Holocene periods. The rich archaeological deposits, prehistoric rock paintings, and boat-shaped burials found at the northern edge of the massif illustrate biological and human life during this time and contribute greatly to the knowledge of human development, adaptation and migration in Southeast Asia, as well as in a global context. Local communities still observe an ancient tradition of ‘molong’ — ‘take only what you need’ — when harvesting guano and valuable edible bird’s nests from the caves.”
Malaysia’s application for Niah National Park to be considered by the World Heritage Convention commenced in 2019, with the official submission presented to the committee in 2021.
Criteria for selection
To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. Until the end of 2004, World Heritage sites were selected based on six cultural and four natural criteria. With the adoption of the revised Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, only one set of 10 criteria exists.
Selection criteria
(i) Represents a masterpiece of human creative genius;
(ii) to exhibit an important interchange of human values over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;
(iii) to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilisation which is living or which has disappeared;
(iv) to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;
(v) to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land use, or sea use which is representative of a culture (or cultures) or human interaction with the environment, especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
(vi) to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, ideas, or beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);
(vii) to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
(viii) to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth’s history, including the record of life, significant ongoing geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;
(ix) to be outstanding examples representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
(x) to contain the most significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.
Committee makeup
The World Heritage Committee is one of the two bodies governing the Convention for the Protection of the World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage. It comprises the representatives of 21 States, elected from the 195 member states that are signatories to the Convention.
SINGAPORE, 31 July 2024: With the long hot summer in full swing for the northern hemisphere and the chill of winter kicking in for friends in the south, now is the perfect time to plan your Asian escape with Pandaw.
With a host of enticing offers available for a limited time, Pandaw makes it even easier to book that dream vacation and enjoy the warm climates, tasty local foods and exceptional company as you sail peacefully along the waterways of Asia.
10% Discovery Discount is also available on select dates. You can take advantage of some last-minute discounts for expeditions through April and save while sailing.
Enjoy no single supplement on a wide range of expeditions and sailing dates through April 2025. There is no need to pay more when travelling alone with Pandaw, and expeditions are famously single-friendly.
Travelling solo doesn’t have to be limiting or cost twice the price. Pandaw is proud to be nominated as the best solo cruise operator in the world* thanks to our unique approach to singles;
Pandaw guarantees no single supplement on the broadest range of dates in river cruising, including the peak season.
Meeting like-minded travellers is easy thanks to the famous ‘Pandaw spirit’, our spacious and comfortable public areas, plus daily cocktail hours.
Special singles tables are available on request during meals, or join with your newly found friends.
*2023 WAVE awards, Pandaw nominated ‘Best for Solo Travellers’.
Pandaw has also recently released its sailing schedule for the 2025/26 season and has included a very limited number of early bird Discovery Discounts for all itineraries. For those looking to plan their travels further ahead, bookings are now open for early bird bookers to secure their preferred staterooms.
Book a Pandaw expedition today to take advantage of these offers. To book, visit pandaw.com or contact the Pandaw team at [email protected].
River expeditions
Pandaw has 17 beautifully crafted ships in operation, built in-house from decades of unrivalled experience sailing Asia’s rivers. Each ship is hand-finished in brass and teak by traditional craftsmen, making it a real beauty as it sails the iconic rivers of India and Southeast Asia.
The secret of Pandaw’s success is that while luxury and comfort are ever-present on its ships, the colonial-era character, Asia’s renowned hospitality and friendly atmosphere reign supreme. All Pandaw river vessels have ultra-shallow drafts and can travel to remote areas that are unreachable by other passenger-carrying vessels, let alone overland.
SINGAPORE, 31 July 2024: Oceania Cruises offers voyages across Asia in the first half of 2025 from Hong Kong and Singapore, visiting iconic destinations in China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam on the cruise lines’ Regatta.
Oceania cruise ships carry at most 1,250 guests and can access some of the region’s most remote ports or destinations lacking cruise terminals.
Credit: Oceania Cruises. Hong Kong City Skyline.Credit: Oceania Cruises. Night view of the Supertree Grove in the Graden by the Bay in Singapore
Itineraries range from six to 24-day journeys to explore iconic destinations across Asia.
Cruises on Regatta
6 Days from Singapore to Singapore: This shorter voyage explores the Malay Peninsula and surrounding islands. 14 Days from Taipei to Kyoto: The cruise features overnight stays in Shanghai, Beijing, and Kyoto. 15 Days from Singapore to Taipei: Overnight stays in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hong Kong. 20 Days from Hong Kong to Bali: Overnight stays in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Singapore, and Bali. 24 Days from Tokyo to Singapore: Visits Boracay Island in the Philippines, the Sultanate of Brunei, Borneo, and overnight stays in Tokyo, Jakarta, and Bali.
HOI AN, 31 July 2024: Wafaifo Resort Hoi An, due to open on 11 October, has unveiled a range of food, drink, branding, and entertainment options to transform the dining scene in Vietnam’s UNESCO heritage city, Hoi An, which is located 29 km from Danang’s international airport.
The independent boutique resort will establish its “Own branding” and present its “TASTE by Wafaifo’’ theme acting as a mark of quality for Pedro Luis wines from Spain, Pilsner and IPA beers, fruit juices and Savall chocolates from nearby Danang. Locally sourced food and drinks with the “TASTE” branding will be available as takeaway options for delivery and for in-house diners.
“We aim to pleasantly surprise both international tourists and local residents with our unique mix of quality food and drink sensations and community happenings,” says Wafaifo’s Executive Chef Minh Nguyen.
Swim City
Much of the social activity at the resort will take place at the resort’s Swim City ‘entertain you’ activities zone. Guests and local residents can expect informal dining around the pool, DJ sounds, the Ra Khoi bar (with six draft beers, four craft), an eight-seat private cinema, televised sporting events and occasions, and a kids’ club with indoor and outdoor areas.
The covered alfresco terrace in front of the hotel is also expected to attract visitors from lunch to late night to enjoy Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Western and vegetarian bento platters while watching the water fountain show, which will be illuminated in the evenings.
The Bang Huu coffee outlet in the lobby has also been designed as an informal social hub and community meeting place.
Menus without borders
The Xua & Nay urban bistro will feature menus without borders and be the lifestyle resort’s main dining outlet. It will offer dry-aged meats, fermentation techniques, a mixology bar, a DJ booth, a terrace view of the water fountain show, and a private dining table for personal meals arranged by Chef Minh.
HONG KONG 31 July 2024: Trip.com announced this week the launch of ‘Trip.com Travel Smart’ for travellers through a partnership with AXA, a global insurance provider.
Travel Smart is an exclusive, tailor-made travel insurance product available to Trip.com customers. It offers three different plan options: One-way Trip, round-trip lite, and Round-trip Deluxe.
These plans provide comprehensive protection tailored to include coverage for medical expenses and personal accidents up to HKD1.5 million, personal liability up to HKD2 million, baggage, trip delays, and trip cancellations due to adverse weather conditions.
As part of the global strategic partnership powered by AXA Partners, AXA and Trip.com ensure seamless access to AXA’s travel insurance offerings.
Through enhanced collaboration and integration of AXA’s digital capabilities, customers can effortlessly purchase Travel Smart while booking their flights on Trip.com’s website or mobile app. With just one single click, travellers can instantly secure protection and enjoy a hassle-free travel experience during the online purchase process. Alternatively, they can separately purchase Travel Smart for standalone journeys. Trip.com customers will also enjoy the convenience of managing their insurance policies and submitting claims for any covered incidents through AXA’s Emma by AXA app.
BANGKOK, 31 July 2024: AirAsia Thailand (FD) is scheduling direct flights from Bangkok’s Don Mueang to Hyderabad, India, with four flights weekly starting 27 October 2024.
Two days later, on 29 October, it will inaugurate three weekly flights from the southern tourist island of Phuket to Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of the UNESCO World Heritage site Angkor Historical Park.
Phuket to Siem Reap
Flight FD612 departs Phuket at 1430 and arrives in Siem Reap (SAI) at 1605. Flight FD613 departs Siem Reap at 1650 and arrives in Phuket at 1835. Return fare online search (Skyscanner) SGD186. The flight time is one hour and 45 minutes.
Bangkok DMK to Hyderabad
Flight FD118 departs Bangkok Don Mueang Airport (DMK) at 2050 and arrives in Hyderabad at 2255. Flight FD119 departs Hyderabad at 2325 and arrives in Bangkok (DMK) at 0430. Flight time is three hours and 55 minutes. Return fare online search (Skyscanner) SGD266,
Up until 4 August, the airline offers promotional fares for flights on the Bangkok Don Mueang-Hyderabad route, starting at THB2,990 one way. The fare on the Phuket-Siem Reap route, pegged at THB1,550 one way, is bookable on the AirAsia MOVE app and the airasia.com website until 4 August for travel from 29 October 2024 to 29 March 2025.
AirAsia Thailand flies to 12 cities in India: Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur, Kochi, Bangalore, Gaya, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Tiruchirappalli, and Hyderabad. With the newest addition, it will offer 56 flights per week.
For direct flights to Cambodia, AirAsia Thailand offers three routes to two cities, namely, Bangkok (Don Mueang)-Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and Phuket-Siem Reap.
BANGKOK, 31 July 2024: Korean Air will deploy its first Boeing 787-10 on the Seoul Incheon – Bangkok route starting 1 August, making Thailand the first Southeast Asian country the airline serves with its newest widebody.
The SkyTeam Alliance carrier, which has four daily (28 weekly) flights on the Seoul Incheon – Bangkok route, will deploy the 787-10 on six of those weekly flights, using the airline’s first 787-10 delivered in late July. By 8 August, Korean Air 787-10 flights on the route will increase to 12 times weekly.
Korean Air’s 787-10 cabin features 289 economy-class and 36 business-class seats. The 787-10 is the first aircraft to feature Korean Air’s new business-class product: Prestige Suites 2.0, offering lie-flat seats with 46 inches (117 cm) of pitch and 21 inches (53 cm) of width.
Large 23.8-inch (60 cm) personal 4K monitors keep passengers entertained throughout their journey. The 1-2-1 configuration ensures easy aisle access for all Prestige Class passengers. The seats also include a wireless charging pad and powerful 60W USB-C charging ports.
Economy-class offers improved comfort with 13.3-inch (33cm) personal monitors, a seat pitch of 32 inches (81cm), and a width of 17.2 inches (44cm).
The new Boeing widebody, which has more seat capacity than the A330, is being deployed to Bangkok in response to growing passenger demand on the route, especially among business travellers.
“Thailand is a vital market for Korean Air. Many Korean companies are investing and doing business in Thailand, fuelling demand for business travel,” said Korean Air’s Thailand Country Manager Jong Min Kim. “We are committed to supporting Thailand’s tourism and economic missions. With 13 gateways in North America and 12 in Japan via Seoul Incheon Terminal 2, Korean Air is dedicated to serving Thailand through our extensive global network.”
According to data from Thailand’s tourism ministry, South Koreans were Thailand’s third largest source of international arrivals last year, with 1.65 million visits.
Meanwhile, according to the Korea Tourism Organization, Thailand is South Korea’s eighth most significant source of arrivals. It says 119,455 visitors from Thailand visited the country from January to April this year, accounting for 2.5% of South Korea’s total arrivals.
KUALA LUMPUR, 31 July 2024: International air passenger markets generated robust growth, fuelled by healthy demand for air travel approaching the peak summer holiday season, according to preliminary June 2024 traffic figures released Monday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).
International air cargo demand also expanded strongly, with a pick-up in manufacturing activity across the Asian economies, including China and India.
Overall, airlines in the Asia Pacific recorded a 21% year-on-year increase in the number of international passengers carried to a combined total of 28.9 million in June, with traffic volumes averaging 90.2% of the corresponding month in 2019. Correspondingly, demand in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) grew by 23.8% year-on-year, almost matching the 24% expansion in available seat capacity. As a result, the international passenger load factor edged 0.2 percentage points lower to an average of 82.2% in June.
Meanwhile, international air cargo demand as measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK) increased by an encouraging 16.4% year-on-year in June. Rising e-commerce appetite and security concerns in the Red Sea spurred demand for air freight shipments. After accounting for a 12.6% growth in offered freight capacity, the average international freight load factor climbed 2.0 percentage points higher to an average 62.8% for the month.
Commenting on the results, AAPA Director General Subhas Menon said: “Asian airlines are seeing robust traffic growth, in tandem with expansion in global economic activity and improvements to connectivity within the region and globally. In summary, during the first half of the year, the region’s airlines carried 173 million international passengers, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year.
“International air cargo demand grew by 16% during the same period, as a pick-up in export activity, coupled with disruptions to maritime shipping, drove an increase in air freight volumes carried across major trade lanes.”
Looking ahead, Menon said: “International air passenger and cargo markets are poised for further growth in the latter half of the year, driven by sustained positive momentum in the global economy, despite some uncertainties in the geopolitical landscape. Increased services to new and existing destinations will further boost travel demand, with traffic volumes expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the region’s carriers remain focused on safe and sustainable operations whilst maintaining cost efficiency.”
