BUSINESS CLASS - EXECUTIVE TRAVEL IN ASIA TODAY.

Business Class for Nov 24, 2005. A weekly summary of news for business travellers in Asia and the Pacific, prepared by Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, market intelligence and business opportunities.

Compiled by Simon Parker

AMERICAN AIRLINES BEGINS NON-STOP CHICAGO-DELHI FLIGHTS

CHICAGO - American Airlines has launched its new daily nonstop services between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The route to Delhi is nearly 7,500 miles and is the longest nonstop route in American's international network. The new flight is being operated with Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

www.aa.com

EXPRESS BY HOLIDAY INN CAUSEWAY BAY OPENS IN HONG KONG

HONG KONG - InterContinental Hotels Group has opened Express by Holiday Inn Causeway Bay in Hong Kong. The new hotel is located next to the Times Square mall, in the heart of Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island and close to the Mass Transit Railway (MTR). The hotel has 269 guest rooms equipped with broadband Internet access and satellite TV, as well as a business centre and two meeting rooms. Additional services offered include video-on-demand and laundry pick-up, while breakfast is included in the room rate.

www.ichotelsgroup.com

ACCOR TO OPEN TWO MORE HOTELS IN BEIJING, PRE-OLYMPIC GAMES

BEIJING - Accor plans to open two new hotels, the 312-room Novotel Phoenix Beijing and 405-room Ibis Phoenix Beijing, in early 2008. The Phoenix Plaza will comprise 9 towers of office buildings, the Novotel and Ibis hotels, and a large shopping mall. It is a 15 minute drive from both Beijing International Airport and the new Olympic Village. Two new subway lines will cross under Phoenix Plaza, connecting the development with Beijing's CBD and Zhongguangcun, Beijing's Silicon Valley.

www.accorhotels.com

MILLENNIUM HOTEL TO RUN NEW PROPERTY IN SHANGHAI

SHANGHAI - The Millennium Hotel will soon manage its first hotel in China, the Millennium Hongqiao Shanghai. The five-star, 350-room, Millennium Hongqiao Shanghai, is situated along Yanan West Road in the heart of the city's commercial and residential district in Hongqiao. The hotel is also close to the Shanghai Exhibition and Convention Centre and a 10 minute drive from the city's domestic Hongqiao Airport. The hotel is scheduled to open mid-2006.

www.millenniumhotels.com

QANTAS TO LAUNCH AUSTRALIA-CANADA SERVICE

SYDNEY - Qantas is to launch seasonal services between Australia and Vancouver from 14 June to 13 August 2006. Qantas will offer three services per-week between Sydney and Vancouver via San Francisco, operating three-class Boeing 747-400 aircraft fitted with Qantas' Skybed in Business Class. The services will operate from Sydney on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 1.55 pm and arrive in San Francisco at 10.15 am, then depart at 12.05 pm to arrive in Vancouver at 2.20 pm. Same-day return services will depart Vancouver at 6.30 pm, arrive in San Francisco at 8.50 pm, and then depart at 10.40 pm to arrive in Sydney at 6.15 am two days later. Qantas will also operate services to Vancouver for the December 2006 and January 2007 period. Flights go on sale in December.

www.qantas.com

JET AIRWAYS TO LAUNCH CHENNAI-SINGAPORE SERVICE

CHENNAI - Jet Airways is set to expand its network between Singapore and India with the launch of flights to Chennai effective 7 December 2005. Flight (9W015) will depart from Singapore at 11:30 hours arriving in India at 13:30 hours. The return flight (9W016) departs from Chennai at 10:15 hours and arrives in Singapore at 17:10 hours. The daily flight will be operated by a B737-800 aircraft. To celebrate the launch the airline, until 7 December 2005, is offering a Special Companion Fly-For-Free for bookings on both Club Premiere and Economy class travel. The fare for two persons to travel on Club Premiere is S$3000 (US$1,771), and S$1200 for two on Economy Class.

www.jetairways.com

AIR ARABIA TO BOOST SERVICES TO MUMBAI

SHARJAH - Air Arabia plans to add an additional daily flight to Mumbai between 1 December and 31 January, to cater to increasing demand over the winter holiday season. Flights will depart Sharjah Airport twice daily for Mumbai at 16:45 and 23:25 arriving at 21.00 and 03:40 local time, and depart Mumbai at 21:45 and 04:25 arriving in Sharjah at 23:20 and 06:00 local time.

www.airarabia.com

SILKAIR TO BEGIN SINGAPORE-KOTA KINABALU SERVICES

SINGAPORE - SilkAir is to launch direct twice-weekly flights between Singapore and Kota Kinabalu on 12 December. The scheduled services to Kota Kinabalu will be codeshared with Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines. SilkAir's twice-weekly service on Monday and Friday will complement Malaysia Airlines thrice-weekly flights on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Flight MI 398 will depart from Singapore Changi Airport at 1540 hours and arrive at Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 1800 hours. The return flight MI 397 will depart from Kota Kinabalu at 1845 hours and arrive in Singapore at 2055 hours the same day. To commemorate the launch of its new flights, SilkAir is introducing an inaugural fare of S$188 (US$111) to Kota Kinabalu for bookings made by 17 December.

www.silkair.com

CATHAY PACIFIC TO INCREASE FLIGHT FREQUENCY TO BALI

JAKARTA - Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific said it plans to increase flights to Indonesia, and especially tourist flights to Bali next year. Currently Cathay serves flights in three routes to Indonesia, including twice a day between Hong Kong and Jakarta and four times between Hong Kong and Denpasar and Surabaya.

www.cathaypacific.com

VIETNAM AIRLINES, AMERICAN AIRLINES TO CONDUCT JOINT FLIGHTS

HANOI - From early 2006, Vietnam Airlines and American Airlines will begin joint operations on routes linking the two countries and to Japan and Europe. Under an agreement, the Vietnamese national flag carrier to use its "VN" trademark on American Airlines flights from the US to Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, Paris, France and Frankfurt, Germany. The two airlines will also share codes on their flights from the US to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Similiar benefits will come to American Airlines.

www.aa.com

www.vietnamairlines.com

JETSTAR ASIA ACCEPTS BOOKINGS FOR PHNOM PENH, SIEM REAP FLIGHTS

SINGAPORE - Jetstar Asia flights to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) are now open for bookings. Jetstar Asia will fly direct to each Cambodian destination from Singapore three-times weekly. To celebrate the launch, special fares from S$128 (US$76) to both destinations will be offered for bookings made by November 27 for travel completed by March 25, 2006. Every day fares to both destinations will start from S$178.

www.jetstarasia.com

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ASIA PULSE 24-11 1553