LANGKAWI, 18 December 2024: The Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), government agencies and local tourism industry stakeholders welcomed the inaugural flight of IndiGo from Bengaluru, India, to Langkawi, Malaysia, 16 December.
This new service marks the third direct flight to Langkawi, following those from Scoot Air, Singapore and FlyDubai, UAE.
IndiGo’s daily flight departs from Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR), to Langkawi International Airport (LGK). The airline deploys an Airbus A320 aircraft with a capacity of 186 passengers. The inaugural flight landed at 1025 on 16 December with 192 passengers, including crew.
Introducing this route should bring economic benefits to Langkawi’s economy through an influx of tourists from India. LADA estimates that 300,000 tourists will visit Langkawi in December 2024.
As of the second quarter of 2024, Langkawi welcomed 124,203 Indian visitors. LADA is confident that the IndiGo direct flight will enhance accessibility for Indian tourists, leading to increased arrivals compared to 2023, which recorded 132,000 Indian tourists.
The Malaysian government has announced a 30-day visa exemption for Indian nationals, effective from 1 December 2023 to 31 December 2024. This exemption, which includes the waiver of visa fees, facilitates easier travel for tourists from India, especially by air.
BANGKOK, 18 December 2024: Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is proud to highlight an exceptional year for Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, the brand’s debut property in Japan.
The 33-storey landmark has quickly established itself as a standout destination in Osaka’s vibrant Namba district, achieving global recognition with multiple prestigious awards, including its design accolade.
Centara Grand Hotel Osaka was honoured with the Sky Design Award in the Interior Design – Hotel & Resort category. The property’s first design accolade celebrates its breathtaking aesthetics and originality, with judges also recognising the hotel’s ability to enhance the community, underscoring its transformative approach to modern hospitality.
Further adding to its achievements, the hotel received seven wins across the Hotel, Spa, and Restaurant categories at the World Luxury Hotel Awards, including Luxury New Hotel – Continent Winner: Asia, Luxury Traditional Thai Spa – Global Winner for SPA Cenvaree, and Innovative Cuisine – Continent Winner: Asia for Innovative French KUNSEI. Based on votes from over 300,000 industry professionals and guests, these prestigious awards acknowledged the property’s seamless fusion of Thai and Japanese cultural elements, impeccable service, and commitment to excellence.
The hotel’s innovative steakhouse, Steakhouse WhiskeyNova, also earned a spot on the shortlist for the AHEAD Asia 2024 Awards in the Bar, Club or Lounge category. Renowned for celebrating excellence in hospitality design, AHEAD highlighted Steakhouse WhiskeyNova’s captivating interiors, panoramic city views, and unique guest experience.
“We are incredibly proud of Centara Grand Hotel Osaka’s achievements in its first full year of operation. These accolades are a testament to the creativity and dedication of our team, as well as our commitment to delivering exceptional hospitality and design that inspire our guests and the communities we serve,” said Centara Hotels & Resorts Chief Operating Officer Michael Henssler.
Celebrating its first anniversary in July 2024, Centara Grand Hotel Osaka has redefined urban hospitality in Japan, blending world-class design with authentic cultural experiences. As the year ends, these recognitions reinforce its position as The Place to Be in the region.
Centrally located in Osaka’s lively Namba district, Centara Grand Hotel Osaka is a contemporary architectural marvel featuring 515 elegantly designed rooms, diverse dining experiences, award-winning wellness facilities, and state-of-the-art event spaces. The property blends Thai warmth with Japanese precision to offer a truly unforgettable stay.
SINGAPORE, 18 December 2024: TTS – Travel Technology and Solutions will adopt Travelport’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) into TTS Corporate during the first quarter of 2025.
TTS, a developer of innovative travel agency solutions, describes it as a “significant upgrade that will provide corporate travel agents with access to a wider range of booking content and more competitive pricing.”
TTS Corporate users will gain access to richer content, while corporate travel agents will gain access to an expanded range of options, empowering them to offer better pricing and access to improved rates.
“NDC is a game-changer for corporate travel agents,” said TTS CEO João Santos. “This integration reflects our commitment to ensure our users have the tools they need to deliver exceptional service to their clients in a rapidly evolving market.”
Launch timeline
A select group of pilot users will have early access in the first quarter of 2025 to ensure stability and reliability. Their feedback will be critical in the lead-up to the full launch.
About TTS – Travel Technology and Solutions TTS is a global leader in developing innovative solutions for travel agencies and has operations in over 90 countries. TTS is a Premium Travelport Partner, part of the Travelport Developer Network.
SINGAPORE, 18 December 2024: Sabre Corporation, a leading software and technology provider for the global travel industry, announced a new agreement this week with Garuda Indonesia focusing on three fare management solutions.
Indonesia’s national flag carrier has selected Sabre’s Fares Manager, Contract Manager and Fares Optimizer to improve revenue opportunities through intelligent pricing recommendations.
Photo credit: Sabre Corporation.
Sabre will enhance the airline’s pricing management capabilities, streamline operations, and improve its competitive positioning.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Garuda Indonesia to the growing list of airlines that trust Sabre’s proven fare management solutions,” said Sabre’s Vice President, Regional General Manager, Asia Pacific, Travel Solutions Airline Sales Rakesh Narayanan. “Sabre’s Fares Manager, Contract Manager, and Fares Optimizer will play a pivotal role in helping Garuda Indonesia navigate market complexities and achieve its revenue goals.”
When combined, Sabre’s Fares Manager, Contract Manager, and Fares Optimizer help airlines tackle industry challenges linked to displaying competitively priced fares.
Sabre sales pitch: Automates fare management process and captures revenue opportunities; Implements optimal pricing through the use of advanced analytics and real-time insights; Enhances agility in a dynamic market, ensuring airlines have a competitive edge; Integrates end-to-end automation featuring advanced intelligence to adjust fares proactively in real-time.
JEDDAH, 18 December 2024: Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, is embarking on an ambitious phase of growth with significant fleet expansion and modernisation initiatives.
These initiatives align with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy, supporting its goal to establish Saudi Arabia as a leading global aviation hub.
Photo credit: Saudia.
Fleet expansion
Saudia has announced an order for 49 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. These fuel-efficient, long-haul jets will support the airline’s international expansion and enhance its ability to connect Saudi Arabia to major global destinations.
Saudia will also acquire 54 Airbus A321neo aircraft. These aircraft boast a spacious cabin with a stylish interior design, latest amenities, and technology.
The new aircraft directly support Saudia’s objectives to connect the world with the Kingdom, aligning with several key pillars of Saudi Vision 2030. These include the transportation and logistics objective to increase guests’ capacity to 330 million and expand destinations to 250 by 2030. The tourism target is to attract 150 million visits by 2030, in addition to the Hajj and Umrah objective of increasing the capacity of Umrah pilgrims to 30 million by 2030.
Fleet modernisation
Saudia has partnered with Collins Aerospace to install newly designed business and economy class seats on its incoming Boeing 787 fleet, beginning in early 2026. This partnership includes a comprehensive retrofit programme for its Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 fleet, set to commence in late 2025 and conclude by 2027. All wide-body aircraft will feature private business-class suites.
Saudia has signed an agreement with Panasonic Avionics to equip up to 30 aircraft with its cutting-edge Astrova in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) system. This advanced solution will feature ultra-HD 4K OLED screens and personalised entertainment options. The agreement includes installations on 12 Airbus A330s and 18 Boeing 777s, showcasing Saudia’s commitment to redefining digital experiences on board.
GURUGRAM, 18 December 2024: Air India has confirmed significant updates this week scheduled for its international route network starting January 2025.
The changes will see Air India deploy its newest aircraft to key gateways in Southeast Asia and Europe, complementing the earlier deployment of its flagship A350 and B777 with upgraded cabin interiors on multiple US and UK routes.
Photo credit: Air India.
The updates also lead to optimised flight schedules for key international routes, offering greater flexibility to travellers and enabling seamless intercontinental travel between North America or Europe and Australia or Southeast Asia via Air India’s hubs in Delhi and Mumbai.
Retrofitted A320neo on Delhi-Bangkok route
Air India will deploy its retrofitted A320neo on all flights between Delhi and Bangkok from 16 January 2025. The retrofitted aircraft will feature fully refreshed interiors across three classes: Economy, premium economy, and business class.
Vista Stream, Air India’s complimentary wireless inflight entertainment (IFE) streaming service, is available on these aircraft. Travellers can access 1600 hours of rich entertainment content on their personal electronic devices.
Air India will also begin operating a fourth daily Delhi-Bangkok service from 1 January 2025, increasing from three times daily.
The new service leads to evenly spaced departures to and from Bangkok throughout the day. The increased frequency connects Bangkok to several destinations in North America and Europe via Air India’s hub in Delhi.
Travellers from New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Toronto, Vancouver, London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, and Amsterdam can enjoy one-stop flights to Bangkok via the Delhi hub.
Air India deploys former Vistara A321neo and B787-9s
Delhi-Frankfurt and Mumbai-Frankfurt: Now operating on B787-9.
Delhi-Singapore: Once daily on B787-9 and twice daily on A321neo (from 1 January 2025).
Mumbai-Singapore: Twice daily on A321neo (from 01 January 2025).
This fleet deployment will provide the latest-generation cabin interiors, including fully flat beds in business class and the consistent availability of premium economy on these routes. Air India offers fully flat beds in business class on its single-aisle A321neo aircraft. These A321neo and B787-9 aircraft provide an inflight entertainment experience on HD screens across cabins and WiFi internet connectivity on board.
Delhi or Mumbai can also connect travellers to and from Singapore to destinations in the UK, Canada, and Europe.
Optimised schedules for long-haul flights
Effective 1 February 2025, Air India has optimised the schedule of its flights on the Delhi-Frankfurt and Delhi-Paris routes. The new flight times offer daytime and nighttime departures on each route in both directions.
Air India has also retimed its daily flights on Delhi-Sydney and Delhi-Melbourne routes to enable two-way connectivity between Europe and Australia or points in Southeast Asia via Delhi.
Travellers from London, Paris, and Frankfurt can now take one-stop connections to Sydney and Melbourne in Australia and points like Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Ho Chi Minh City in Southeast Asia via Delhi.
PHUKET, 18 December 2024: The Tourism Authority of Thailand welcomed NEOS Air’s first Ostrava-Phuket charter flight last week, organised by Čedok, a Czech Republic tour operator.
The Neos six-flight charter series connects Milan, Italy, to Ostrava, Czech Republic, before continuing directly to Phuket.
Photo credit: TAT: TAT officials welcome the first NEOS charter passengers.
Operated by NEOS Air’s 327-seat 787-9 Dreamliner, the series runs until 6 March 2025. Based on NEOS Air’s additional charters from Prague and Brno, Čedok provides 5,940 seats on 26 flights between the Czech Republic and Thailand.
NEOS Air’s routes from the Czech and Slovak Republics:
Prague-Krabi (7 January to 25 March 2025).
Brno-Phuket (31 October 2024 to 28 March 2025, with the final flight to Thailand on 20 March 2025).
Bratislava-Phuket (7 November 2024 to 13 March 2025).
These operations add up to a capacity of 51,971 seats between Thailand and Eastern Europe for the winter 2024-2025 season.
Market standouts
The Czech Republic is one of Thailand’s fastest-recovering markets post-Covid-19. This year, between 1 January and 12 December, Thailand welcomed 53,559 Czech tourists, a 23.51% increase compared to the same period in 2023. By year-end, arrivals should reach 60,000, generating THB5 billion in revenue.
Last year, 48,940 Czech tourists visited Thailand, marking a 170% increase year-on-year and an 89.6% recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Czech tourists stay an average of 17.9 days in Thailand, with a trip expenditure of THB68,603, ranking second among Central and Eastern European markets. TAT anticipates that 78,000 Czech tourists will visit Thailand in 2025.
BANGKOK, 18 December 2024: Eight international airlines launched direct flights to Thailand’s four main tourism gateway destinations — Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai in 2024 — and three more are lining up direct flights in 2025. That’s an impressive 11 airlines adding direct flights in 2024/2025.
Thailand Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau says it is “heartened by the increased flight connectivity between our MICE* cities and diverse overseas markets”.
Photo credit: TCEB.
The four major cities that have gained direct flights welcome more visitors from Europe, Central Asia, Sub-Continent, East Asia, and the Middle East. In the long run, they will draw more meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibition delegates to convene in Thailand.
On 28 October, British Airways resumed direct flights between London and Bangkok, starting with three flights weekly and increasing to five in January and February 2025 and then reducing to four in March for the remainder of the year.
Italy’s ITA Airways started direct flights between Rome and Bangkok on 17 November with five weekly flights. On 1 December, Thai Airways International resumed direct flights between Bangkok and Brussels.
Norse Atlantic Airways schedules direct flights between Stockholm and Bangkok starting 29 October 2 2025.
Phuket welcomed new flights in 2024. Air India launched a second daily flight (except Wednesday) from Delhi to Phuket on 1 June, while Air India Express will start four flights a week direct from Surat to Phuket on 24 December.
On 26 October, Air Astana started direct flights from Astana to Phuket. Likewise, Saudia Airlines began its inaugural Riyadh-Phuket flight on 2 December and Jeddah-Phuket flight on 4 December.
In northern Thailand, Chiang Mai welcomed direct flights launched by Hong Kong Airlines on 27 October, making it the third airline operating direct flights between Chiang Mai and Hong Kong. The other two are Thai Air Asia and Hong Kong Express.
On 4 November 2025, Etihad Airways will introduce four weekly direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai.
Pattaya welcomes S7 Airlines, which will fly five weekly direct flights starting 30 March 2025. Landing at U-Tapao Airport 32 km south of the resort city, flights from Irkutsk in Russia will operate from March to May.
While most of the new services cater to leisure travellers, the message is clear to business events organisers: Booking flights to Thailand’s MICE destinations is easier than ever.
“It is proof of Thailand’s status as a preferred destination for travellers from around the globe,” said TCEB president Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya. “The four MICE cities are prime destinations in Thailand, where TCEB is working with stakeholders to develop and craft new products for MICE planners and travellers.”
*MICE: Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions.
KUALA LUMPUR, 17 December 2024: Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airports welcomed Shanghai Airlines’ inaugural flight from Changchun, the capital of Northeast China’s Jilin province, last week.
Tourism Malaysia’s Deputy Director General (Promotion II), Lee Thai Hung and representatives from Malaysia Airports Holdings greeted 150 passengers on flight FM813 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on 13 December.
Photo credit: Shanghai Airlines.
Shanghai Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Eastern Air, operates daily flights to Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu and three-weekly flights to Penang.
Its latest service operates three times weekly from Changchun, routed via Yuncheng in Shanxi province. It arrives in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday using a Boeing 737-800.
Flight schedule
Changchun-Yuncheng-Kuala Lumpur Flight FM813 departs Changchun at 1425 and arrives in Yuncheng at 1705. (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). Flight FM813 departs Yuncheng at 1825 and arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 0015. (plus a day)
Kuala Lumpur-Yuncheng-Changchun Flight FM814 departs Kuala Lumpur at 0115 and arrives in Yuncheng at 0710. (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday). Flight FM814 departs Yuncheng at 0930 and arrives in Changchun at 1245.
The new flight will provide passengers in Jilin and Shanxi provinces with a more convenient air travel experience to Malaysia.
As of October 2024, Malaysia welcomed 2,822,247 arrivals from China, an exponential growth of 139% compared to 1,180,980 arrivals during the same period in 2023. Malaysia is targeting 27.3 million international tourist arrivals with MYR102.7 billion in tourism receipts in 2024.
SINGAPORE, 17 December 2024: Jetstar Asia (3K) celebrated its 20th birthday last Friday, marking two decades of connecting places across the region and offering passengers low fares.
As one of Asia’s first budget airlines, the Singapore low-cost carrier took to the skies on 13 December 2004, helping revolutionise air travel for Singaporeans and travellers across Southeast Asia.
Jetstar Asia recognised its most frequent flyer, Ban Poon Huat, who has travelled with the airline more than 860 times over 20 years.
Jetstar Asia has flown more than 50 million customers across its expanding network to key metropolitan cities and leisure destinations, with more than two-thirds of fares sold for less than SGD100 last year.
Jetstar Asia launched its 20 Years of Adventure Sale to mark the milestone, with one-way fares starting from just SGD70 for flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. Running until midnight on 16
December, the sale included deals to popular destinations such as Okinawa, Japan, Colombo, Sri Lanka and Medan, Indonesia.
Jetstar Asia’s Most Frequent Flyer
As part of the 20th birthday celebrations, Jetstar Asia also recognised its most frequent flyer, Ban Poon Huat, who has travelled with the airline more than 860 times over the past 20 years.
To thank him for his loyalty, Jetstar Asia’s Chief Operating Officer, Geof Lui, recently welcomed Ban at Changi Airport as he returned from his latest trip and presented him with a special Jetstar A320 aircraft model and a pair of return tickets to a destination of his choice as a token of appreciation.
Jetstar Asia’s Chief Operating Officer Geof Lui said: “Customers like Ban have been instrumental to Jetstar Asia’s journey, and so we wanted to find a way to show how grateful we are for their continued support”.
