Travel News Weekly 4 November 09 by Now Media

Southern Africa’s Travel News Weekly

November 4 2009 I No. 2082

INSIDE

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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Feature

News

adventure tourism

Security risk ‘Porters’ at OR Tambo Page 6

A family affair

AgentZone Naked agent

Don’t turn business away!

Page 16

Page 18

One-way ticket to nowhere SAA’s new denied boarding policy has agents in a tizzy, reports Natalia Thomson

ESS than ecstatic; that’s the word from SA agents who have reacted negatively to news about South African Airways’ recently introduced denied boarding compensation policy. The airline had announced earlier this year it would be responding to requirements stipulated by the Consumer Protection Act by launching a policy for its passengers who were denied boarding. Effective September 24, a policy was launched, but according to agents not communicated to the industry at large. The policy states that passengers who have flexibility in their travel schedule will be offered an alternative flight and a free one-way ticket if denied boarding due to overbooking. To be eligible, the passenger must hold a confirmed reservation and meet all the check-in requirements.

“I’m not quite sure if one could classify this as compensation,” responded Stefan Lowe, a consultant for Trigon Travel in Cape Town. “In general, most airlines base their denied boarding compensation policy on value depending on the routing or length of flight. This value can be used towards a new ticket on the airline and has a cash-out/refund clause which is usually 50% of the value. This one could classify as compensation.” Sandown Travel consultant Laura Locatelli says SAA should give the passenger the value of the one-way in cash. “What can you do with a one-way ticket which will then cost more for the passenger to purchase a one-way ticket for the return portion?” “Firstly, we have not heard of this new policy and have indeed had business-class clients denied boarding due to the airline overbooking,”

says XL Rosebank Travel owner, Allan Wolman. “Compensation in the form of a one-way ticket is laughable – look at the cost of a one-way business-class ticket LHR-JNB. What about the passenger who is denied boarding and is not flexible?” Benchmark’s Advocate Louis Nel says the policy as it currently stands will probably not comply with the requirements of the Consumer Protection Act. “It is too restrictive and limited. Bearing in mind that this may well be an interim arrangement and that the Consumer Protection Act only comes into effect next year October, the policy does not comply because a supplier who makes or accepts a reservation and fails to deliver because of insufficient capacity must refund any amount paid with interest and must compensate the consumer for costs directly incidental to the breach.” ■

Want to celebrate with me? Matthew Fubbs, Naïade Holidays gm, is excited to offer a 35% discount on a number of Naïade properties in Mauritius, Réunion and the Maldives from November to January. “November marks both Naïade Holidays’ and my birthday and to celebrate we’re giving your clients 35% discount on the price of accommodation with no restrictions attached.” Matthew is quick to point out, however, that he’s not turning 35. “We just can’t afford to give as big a discount as my true age.” See story on page 8 for further details Photo: Tijana Huysamen

German embassy launches online appointment system Natasha Tippel THE German embassy has officially launched its new online appointment booking system for visa applications in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. The new system, which is

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operated by service provider, Visalink Intergate, has been implemented to assist travellers in booking an appointment at the German embassy in Pretoria, or Cape Town and Durban consulates, through a call centre or online for a fee of R75. Travellers

can choose to have their visas posted to them for an additional R150. Travellers can access the online booking calendar at www.visa-germany.co.za, and choose a date when they would like to visit the embassy. An automatic time,

selected chronologically, will be allocated to applicants but travellers can choose if they would like their appointment scheduled for after 11h00. To apply, travellers need to fill out the online booking form and pay by credit card. They also have the option of adding

family members’ details who will be attending the appointment with them. After completion, the applicant will receive sms notification and confirmation of their appointment as well as downloadable documents they will need to take with them. ■

NEWS

March launch for V Australia SA flights Natalia Thomson

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AUSTRALIA has announced a launch date of March 13, 2010, for its JohannesburgMelbourne flights. The airline’s Gordon Young, manager offline sales and interline, told TNW the threeclass (economy, premium economy and business) service, operated by a B777-300ER, would run on Tuesdays and Saturdays. “The flights will depart Johannesburg at 19h30 on Saturdays and Tuesdays and arrive in Melbourne at 18h00 next day. The return flight from Melbourne will

depart at 11h15, arriving in Johannesburg at 17h30.” Gordon says the choice of Melbourne as the Australian destination is due to the city’s large mining interests, as well as it being the second-largest city in Australia. According to Gordon, “very competitive” fares for the route have already been launched. “What is particularly noteworthy is that agents need only ticket and pay for these launch fares by November 11 (when they expire).” Leveraging off Virgin Blue’s extensive domestic network, passengers using

the V Australia service will be able to connect easily to New Zealand, Tasmania and certain South Pacific destinations. “Passengers can also take advantage of the Virgin Blue Airpass, as well as the lounge in Melbourne where they can buy individual entrance for A$35 (R244). A familiar face also returns to the travel sector with Isabel Hancock, former gm Swiss International Air Lines, joining the airline as its regional commercial manager Southern Africa. Isabel and her team will be based at the Virgin Atlantic offices in Hyde Park, Johannesburg.

About V Australia

“Green blood? I hate green Blood.”

TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY

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EDITORAL Editor: Natalia Thomson nataliat@nowmedia.co.za Sub-Editor: Ann Braun annb@nowmedia.co.za Cape Town Editor: Hilka Birns hilkab@nowmedia.co.za Journalists: Jeanette Phillips jeanettep@nowmedia.co.za Natasha Tippel natashat@nowmedia.co.za Melody Brandon melodyb@nowmedia.co.za Photo Journalist: Tijana Huysamen tijanah@nowmedia.co.za Founding Editors: John H Marsh (1914-1996) Leona Marsh (1923-2003) ADVERTISING Sales Manager Kate Nathan Advertising Coordinator: Lana Sachs PRODUCTION Design Head: Brendon Bester

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● Economy class (81cm pitch); premium economy class (97cm pitch) and business class (lie-flat 1,95m bed). ● V Australia offers non-stop flights between LA and Sydney, as well as LA and Brisbane. ● Domestic and regional connections available through Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue. ● Premium economy passengers have access to a stand-up bar, as do business-class passengers. ■

Join Marius at the 19th Travellers’ Choice marketing manager Marius Venter (pictured here) has the five-star exclusive deal of the month for you with his Le Telfair Golf and Spa Resort package from R10 880, plus taxes of about R1 800pps. “It’s the perfect destination for a relaxing or active break,” says Marius. The package, valid from November 30 to December 22, includes return economy flights on SAA or Air Mauritius from Johannesburg, Durban or Cape Town, return transfers, seven nights’ accommodation sharing in a double or twin room, and breakfast and dinner daily. Terms and conditions apply Photo: Tijana Huysamen

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2 n Wednesday November 4 2009

2009/10/08 11:41 PM

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NEWS

DBN airport ‘has reached its ending point’ – DOT

Tariff hikes – airlines’ protest is ‘irresponsible’

Hilka Birns

IT is not the government’s intention to allow unreasonably high tariff increases for airport and air navigation services, but it needs to ensure adequate development that meets the broader economic goals of the country, says Anwar Abdul Gany, chief director civil aviation of the Department of Transport. He was referring to Airport Company SA (Acsa) and the Air Traffic Navigation Services’ (ATNS) proposals for 133% and 33% respective tariff increases currently being considered by the aviation industry’s independent regulator. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) held near Hermanus, he criticised what he termed “irresponsible and immature behaviour” on the part of the airlines for “running off” to international forums and

OMAIR’s announced bid to buy Durban International Airport has been dismissed as a mere publicity stunt by the Department of Transport’s chief director civil aviation, Anwar Abdul Gany. “The fact is that there is no tender nor an intent to sell off the current airport to any party for the use of the property as a commercial airport and, let me add, this is not in any way anti-competitive,” he told

the 39th AGM of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa, held near Hermanus. He said the government was considering its options bearing in mind that Durban International was a prime spot of real estate. He defended the controversial development of La Mercy as an “absolute safety necessity”, referring to the recent Airlink accident, which claimed the life of the pilot and left the crew seriously hurt. “Critics may augment that we are now

maximising mileage from this ill-fated accident. I assure you this is not the case. The fact remains that the current Durban International Airport has reached its ending point.” He said La Mercy would be the catalyst for economic development in KZN. Addressing airlines’ concerns that they would pay for the new airport through hiked tariffs, he said fees paid by airlines for landing and parking at all Acsa airports were independently regulated. ■

to the point

☞

● Eurostar has launched ‘Trip Planner’, an interactive online tool on eurostar.com, allowing travellers to create their own personalised itineraries. The service provides information on Paris and London to firsttime visitors as well as appealing to regular visitors. It gives visitors information on hotels, restaurants, bars, activities and sights. Using the tool, visitors can also create itineraries according to their interests or choose from set itineraries loaded on the site. Travellers can print these, including a map of the chosen venues and vital information such as opening hours, nearest public transport and weather forecasts.

Hilka Birns

putting Acsa and ATNS in a poor light with an alleged fait accompli that they would increase their tariffs astronomically without any explanation. “We will not allow a situation wherein South Africa is, without merit, named and shamed. This is irresponsible and immature given the context of the openness and transparency in which business is conducted in South Africa. If we are to work together and respect each other fully then let’s act the part.” He said the reality was that South Africa was in a developing stage and that development costs were therefore higher. The reality was also, he added, that the cost of money was expensive in the current economic climate. “Hopefully the financial world will turn the corner…this may allow for a more acceptable financial funding model in future.” ■

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Don’t miss this train!

Last few suites left!

One departure 09. 10 December, 20 Here comes the opportunity of a lifetime… The Blue Train – SA’s most famous luxury train Book your clients on this once-off Blue Train & BushBreak Reservations special.

Thornybush Collection – SA’s most famous luxury lodges Look at these prices! 2 nights on the Blue Train, 2 nights in a lodge Serondella & Waterbuck Game Lodge R12 500 per person sharing Thornybush Game Lodge R13 750 per person sharing Includes R500 per suite Spa Voucher Simbambili

R14 995 per person sharing

Includes R500 per suite Spa Voucher

10% commission paid to travel agents

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Departs Pta 10 December only! Prices include: Dawn & Dusk Game Drives, all meals and local drinks, transfer to & from Hoedspruit Station, cocktail party at The Blue Train Lounge (Pta),De Luxe suites on The Blue Train. Standard terms and conditions apply. 50% single supp. applicable.

Contact BushBreak Reservations on 0861 00 44 55 www.bushbreaks.co.za

NEWS

‘Porters’ pose security risk at Ortia parking Natasha Tippel

SOUTH African airline recently released a memo advising staff that Acsa and Bosasa Security had reported an increase in muggings and robberies in the multi-level parking at Ortia. Reportedly the criminals, who pretend to be trolley porters or often try to point out parking spots, target women travelling alone. They do not wear the mandatory orange overalls and do not have Acsa permits. Acsa spokesperson, Solomon Makgale, says neither Acsa nor Bosasa Security has officially released a statement regarding such incidents and that for an airline to circulate emails saying otherwise is irresponsible. Travel agents have also noted problems with security at Ortia’s international parking.

Groups manager at SA Reynolds Travel Centre, Heather Beadle, recently lodged a complaint with customer care at Acsa about security of the area between the airport terminal building and the bus holding area behind the Intercontinental Airport Sun Hotel.

Harassment

“We have a group from America that come out every year, whom we meet and assist to their waiting coach behind the Intercontinental Airport Sun Hotel. This year we experienced a problem with the porters. These are not Acsa porters. They are in plain clothes posing as porters. These ‘porters’ harass the clients. They are persistent and forceful even when the clients make it very clear that they do not require assistance.

They still try and push the trolleys, hold on to the bags or just generally walk around the group ‘directing them’. Even when they have provided no service they try to solicit money at exorbitant fees. “This area is not policed and I felt very threatened and afraid for mine and my colleague’s personal safety and for the safety and security of our clients. When our driver started to load the bags on to the bus one of the ‘porters’ tried to assist our driver and I told him that his assistance was not required. He then became aggressive and pushed me and threatened me. Luckily the gentlemen in the vicinity intervened. “The bus driver told me that several times there had been incidences of theft, and soliciting tips from unsuspecting tourists was a

frequent problem in this area of the airport.” Acsa responded saying: “We are very much concerned with your unfortunate experience with regard to illegal porters harassing our clients and their safety at large. We have brought this matter to the attention of our security management who assured us that arrangements will be made to deploy members of SAPS around that area for 24 hours.”

Cellphones, camera stolen

Another agent experienced a similar situation where he was robbed of two cellphones and a digital camera at international arrivals while waiting for his driver. The agent was surrounded by ‘porters’ trying to show him where he could get a cab or exit the parking and later discovered

one of his bags was missing. He later retrieved the bag but the phones and camera had been stolen. “Is Acsa not putting out a statement about safety simply to cover their shortcomings?” says another airline representative in response to eTNW’s news story ‘Parking security at OR Tambo – is there a problem?’ published on October 23. “Surely it’s the right thing to do. To warn people that there is a risk, thereby giving them the opportunity to make alternative arrangements rather than exposing the people to unnecessary trauma? Good for the airline. They obviously have more empathy towards their staff and others at the airport while Acsa would rather keep bad news under cover than protect the safety of their stakeholders and public.” ■

Travelinfo,s Cecile Scharneck selects the top specials from Travelinfo Introducing

Nkhwazi Holidays Air Malawi’s In-House Tours & Packages To Malawi For More information contact: Felie or Bridget 011 390 1211 felie@airmalawi.com bridget@airmalawi.com TNW5058

● Afriqiyah Airways. Special launch fares ex-Johannesburg to Europe from R2 885 in economy class. Stay must include a Saturday night, maximum stay is two months. Valid for sales until November 18. Includes airport taxes. ● Beachcomber Tours – wedding anniversary specials for Mauritius and the Seychelles. Couples celebrating a wedding anniversary in multiples of five (5, 10, 15 years etc.) qualify for a saving on the wife’s accommodation. Discounts apply to travel during the following periods: November 1 to December 19 and January 6 to March 2 – 30% off the wife’s accommodation and April 18 to October 31 2010 – 50% off the wife’s accommodation. ● Absolute Skiing Light is offering special rates in Livigno from R6 900 per person. Includes return airport transfers ex-Zurich, accommodation in a de-luxe pension, continental breakfast daily and the services of a resort representative. Valid December from 12 to 19. Excludes flights. ● Protea Hotels is offering a special opening rate at Protea Hotel OR Tambo of R788 per person sharing, room only. No minimum stay applies and the rate is valid seven days a week. Full pre-payment is required. Valid November 1 to 30.

Speciapolst S

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NEWS

SAA grows African footprint Jeanette Phillips

AA has further enhanced its Africa route network increasing capacity to a number of destinations on the continent. Flights between Johannesburg and Dar es Salaam have increased from seven to nine per week. The two additional flights will

operate on Saturdays and Sundays. SAA has also increased its flights between Johannesburg and Windhoek from 14 to 20 per week, effectively introducing three flights per day excluding Saturdays on the route. A new schedule on the Windhoek route has also been introduced to offer the most effective options for

business-class customers. Flights between Johannesburg and Accra, Ghana, now operate daily, increased from just four per week. SAA recently announced strong growth in its market share in Africa, which remains its most profitable market following a strategic decision to concentrate on growth plans in the region.

SAA’s new schedules: Windhoek

at 17h30, arriving in Windhoek at 19h30 daily. ● The return service departs Windhoek 07h30, the following day, arriving in Johannesburg at 09h20.

Dar es Salaam

● SA188 departs JNB at 14h55, arriving in Dar es Salaam at 19h25 Monday-Sunday. ● SA189 departs Dar es Salaam at 07h25, arriving in Johannesburg at 10h10. ● SA186 departs Johannesburg

at 10h25, arriving in Dar es Salaam at 14h45 on Saturdays and Sundays. ● SA187, departs Dar es Salaam at 15h30, arriving in Johannesburg at 18h10.

Accra

● SA060 departs Johannesburg at 23h50, arriving in Accra at 06h05 Monday-Sunday. ● The return service, SA061, departs Accra at 19h45, arriving in Johannesburg at 05h30 on the same days. ■

Ethiopian Airlines celebrated its top 10 performing travel agents at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton on October 20. Tourvest walked away with top honours, with Flight Centre runner-up and Wings Corporate Travel in third spot. Ranking fourth to tenth were: Travellers’ Choice, Harvey World Travel, Motalas Travel, African Holdings, Yochee Katz Travel, Travel with Flair and Club Travel. Receiving the award on behalf of Tourvest is Floris Olivier (middle) seen here with Gavin Simpson, ceo Holiday Aviation (left) and Tekleab Paulos, Ethiopian Airlines regional manager for Southern Africa. The airline has also increased frequencies in the 2009/2010 winter season to its 11 destinations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It has added four weekly flights to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, two weekly flights to Accra, Delhi and Beijing, and one weekly flight to Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Bamako, Dakar, Juba and Lubumbashi. There are also new services to Mombasa, Monrovia and Conakry. Ethiopian’s frequent flyer programme, ShebaMiles, is celebrating the new destinations by offering promotional mileage for its members

AV/TNW/NOV09

● SA074 departs Johannesburg at 09h45, arriving in Windhoek at 11h45 Mondays-Sundays. ● The return service, SA075, will depart Windhoek at 12h35, arriving in Johannesburg at 14h25. ● SA076 departs Johannesburg at 13h20, arriving in Windhoek at 15h20 Mondays-Sundays. ● SA077, departs Windhoek at 16h10, arriving in Johannesburg at 18h00. ● SA078 departs Johannesburg

Tourvest is tops for ET

We are proud to take the first step. At Avis we’ve achieved a lot of “rsts”. We were the rst to t radial ply tyres to our eet for safer driving. First to rent automatic and air-conditioned cars. We were the rst car rental company at airports and to run hybrid vehicles in our eet. Now, in our ongoing commitment to ensure the protection of the environment, Avis has become the rst car rental company in South Africa to attain CarbonNeutral® accreditation*. Visit www.avis.co.za to book a car or learn more about our CarbonNeutral® journey.

www.avis.co.za or call 0861 021 111 Avis rents VW and other fine cars

*In accordance with international protocol

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Wednesday November 4 2009 n 7

NEWS

Naïade waives 45-day restriction Melody Brandon

AÏADE Holidays has waived its 45-day purchase restriction on its newly introduced 35% discount for its properties in Mauritius, Maldives and Réunion. “This is really good news for those passengers planning to book their holiday closer to their planned departure date,” said Naïade Holidays marketing manager, Mandy Watson. Passengers can expect 35% discounts on the five-star de-luxe Beau Rivage and the four-star all-inclusive Tamassa

in Mauritius, the five-star de-luxe Diva in the Maldives and the three-star Hotel Le Recif in Réunion. The special includes the festive season and Easter 2010. Savings are valid until April 30, 2010 for Beau Rivage, Diva and Hotel Le Recif. Tamassa specials are valid from December 20 to April 30, 2010. All Mauritius and Réunion rates are per adult sharing ex-Johannesburg and include return flights on Air Mauritius/ Air Austral, return airport/ hotel transfers, seven nights’ accommodation, dinner and breakfast daily (Beau Rivage),

all-inclusive (Tamassa) or breakfast daily (Hotel Le Recif), travel bag or wallet. Mauritius travellers qualify for a free full-day excursion to the private Ile des Deux Cocos, including transfers, Mauritian barbecue lunch and local drinks. Rates exclude airport departure taxes of about R1 650 for Mauritius and R1 300 for Réunion. The Diva rate is land only and includes access to private Diva Lounge in Malé airport, return seaplane transfers, seven nights’ accommodation, breakfast daily, travel bag or wallet. ■

AirHeads SkyTeam centralises its organisation

SKYTEAM has announced significant milestones in the creation of a new centralised organisation for the alliance. Since naming a managing director in April, SkyTeam has recruited six executives from its partner airlines to serve on the core management team. While a key function of the management team is to collaborate on alliance business, the dedicated SkyTeam staff are also responsible for helping to enhance existing benefits as well as develop new benefits for passengers. SkyTeam’s core management team will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of the alliance – marketing, sales, airport synergies and transfer product, cargo, advertising and brand, alliance operations, finance, corporate communications and alliance administration. Meanwhile, SkyTeam has selected Amsterdam as the location for its global headquarters with offices at the World Trade Centre Schiphol Airport.

EY resumes Sri Lanka flights

ETIHAD will resume its flights to Colombo, Sri Lanka, starting in January 2010. The flights will operate four times a week, using an A320 aircraft. Flights will depart Abu Dhabi on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 21h55, arriving in Colombo at 03h45 the following day. The return service will depart Colombo on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 04h45, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 08h00 the same day. To coincide with the resumption of Etihad’s Colombo service, Sri Lankan Airlines will now also add its ‘UL’ code on Etihad’s Abu Dhabi-Colombo flights. Etihad will operate a two-class Airbus A320 to Colombo, configured with 20 seats in business class and 120 in economy class.

More 1time flights to Zanzibar

Come cruising! Angelo Capurro, Costa Cruises sales director Europe and new markets, and Francesca Barlozzetti, Costa Cruises sales representative, join Development Promotions sales and marketing director, Jackie Adami, and Jonathan Gerber from Travel Assignment Group for a cocktail at The Saxon in Johannesburg to learn more about Costa Cruises’ latest offerings to the SA market. Check out eTNW’s Take 5 with Angelo Photo: Melody Brandon

1TIME has announced that it has loaded additional flights between Johannesburg and Zanzibar over the festive season. The flights will operate on December 19, December 26 and January 2, 2010. The additional flights will depart JNB at 09h50, arriving Zanzibar at 14h30. The return service will depart Zanzibar at 15h00, arriving in JNB at 17h30. Flights will be operated with a 130-seat MD87 aircraft.

BAA sells Gatwick

British airport operator BAA has announced that it has agreed to sell its 100% interest in Gatwick Airport to an entity controlled by Global Infrastructure Partners for £1,5bn (R18,6bn). Of the sale price, £55m (R683m) is conditional on future traffic performance and the buyer’s future capital structure. The sale is subject to, among other things, EU merger regulation clearance. Completion of the sale is scheduled for December and proceeds of the sale will primarily repay part of BAA’s existing debt.

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NEWS

Sinfonia heads to SA Jeanette Phillips

HE MSC Sinfonia departed Livorno, Italy, on October 24 on its 20-day maiden cruise to Durban for the start of its first cruise season in the Indian Ocean. The ship’s southbound course will take it from the Mediterranean into the Atlantic and finally to the Indian Ocean on a classic route, which will include

10 ports of call and 12 full days at sea. The ship stops at Monte Carlo in Monaco and Valencia in Spain before cruising down the west coast of Africa, stopping in Casablanca and Agadir in Morocco, Dakar in Senegal and Walvis Bay in Namibia. Its first port of call in South Africa will be Cape Town on November 10, departing the same day for Durban, where it will dock on November 13.

A brief look at this week's hotel news Tinga remains in African Pride portfolio

MSC Sinfonia will operate out of Durban for the entire summer cruise season. A full schedule of long and short cruises to Mozambique and the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, Comores, Mauritius and Réunion continue through to April 2010. The ship will depart Durban for its opening cruise of the summer season on November 14. ■

to the point

PillowTalk

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The following changes have been made to the check-in procedure for SAA passengers at Lagos’s Murtalla Muhammed International Airport: ● Check-in times for SA061 are 17h00 to 20h00 (two hours prior to departure). ● Customers must check in themselves. No proxy check in (also referred to as protocol service) is allowed. There will be no exception to this rule. ● Whenever possible first- and business-class passengers must check in at the designated check-in counters. They should not join the economy-class queue to accompany friends and or colleagues who are travelling in economy class. ● The boarding gate closes 20 minutes before scheduled departure time. The public address system at the airport is hardly audible and, as such, announcements might not be heard by customers. Please advise travellers to be at the boarding gate on time.

FURTHER to the joint statement released regarding the new strategic partnership between the Three Cities Group and Queensgate Hotels and Leisure, Tinga would like to clarify that Tinga Private Game Lodge still remains a member of the African Pride Portfolio of Hotels, Lodges and Country Houses and that African Pride remains the sales and marketing partner and contact to Tinga Private Game Lodge.

Waterbuck Lodge joins Thornybush

WATERBUCK Lodge, in the southern part of the Thornybush Nature Reserve, has joined the Thornybush Collection. The four-suite lodge features a central entertainment and dining area, swimming pool and bar area. The tanning deck is a look-out point for wildlife that come to the waterhole adjacent to the lodge. The property adds a unique comfortable lodge to the growing collection in the southern part of the reserve, says Nic Griffin, ceo of The Thornybush Collection. Waterbuck Lodge becomes the eighth offering in the Thornybush Collection of four- and five-star lodges and one self-catering lodge, Nkelenga.

Name change for Premier Hotel Regent

PREMIER Hotels and Resorts will change the name of the Premier Hotel Regent to Premier Hotel East London. All contact numbers, including GDS codes, etc. will remain unchanged.

Tourism is vital to our country. So we support you from the start.

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10/23/09 10:55:37 AM

Wednesday November 4 2009 n 9

Pete’s Greet

“Flying the flag” was the theme of our annual executive conference which was held this year in Polokwane, our last big get together before next year’s FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup. It was a great opportunity for our head office staff and our managers around the country to take a step back from their current day-today activities to focus on this one-in-alifetime event.

Front of Road Lodge Umhlanga Ridge

With around 80% of our inventory contracted to MATCH, the World Cup is a huge thing in our lives. All of our staff – from cleaners through to general managers – are being primed for the event, which has got to be the best opportunity our country has ever had to attract repeat visitors. Our aim is for each of our hotels to be “patriotic hotspots” that will advertise our country to the world and stimulate a genuine desire for people to return to our shores for future visits and to tell friends, family and colleagues back home that ours is a land definitely worth visiting. Talking about our conference, it’s amazing how it has grown over the years. I can remember when it numbered 20-odd people – this year it was 60-plus, demonstrating how we have grown over the years. It’s becoming quite a logistical challenge to get everyone to and from the conference venue! With spring and the final quarter of the year well underway, 2009 is fast running out of time – so let’s all make the best of the business days that are left before the “silly season” gets really silly. Oh, and watch out, the Barmy Army will soon to be on their way to support the English cricket team’s SA tour. The barmy thing is that at least four of their players, including the captain, were born in South Africa.

Peter TNW4994

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mhlanga Ridgefused the popular Umhlanga area U e g d o L d a o R t e e M Ridge, has in dge and Lodge Umhlanga r existing City Lo

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Did you know? Did you know that the City Lodge Hotels group will turn 25 years old on August 1, 2010?

Giving on behalf of our guests Airport City Lodge OR Tambo

Development update It’s all systems go on the development front with no fewer than eight new hotels currently underway, the most new hotels our group has ever had on the go at the same time: ● City Lodge OR Tambo Airport (303 rooms) ● City Lodge Fourways (211 rooms)

While our main aim as a hotel group is to look after the needs of our guests, we’re also doing what we can to benefit less fortunate communities and worthy causes. As a result of guests choosing from three charities on our website, we donated a tidy sum of R118,986 from online bookings to Operation Hunger, the Society for Animals in Distress and the Golf Development Board for the six months to June 30. Even more impressive was our donation to the Cancer Association of South Africa for the same period – a whopping R129,000, with the group donating R2.50 for every cup of tea and coffee purchased at Road Lodges around the country.

● City Lodge Lynnwood (205 rooms) ● City Lodge Hatfield (187 rooms) ● Town Lodge Port Elizabeth (204 rooms) ● Road Lodge Port Elizabeth Airport (90 rooms) ● Road Lodge Southgate (118 rooms) ● Road Lodge Bloemfontein Airport (66 rooms) And watch this space for news on Town Lodge Umhlanga, set to get underway soon!

tein y Lodge Bloemfon Coffee shop, Cit

Bloemfontein’s coming up roses Boardroom, City Lodge Bloemfontein

Competition

City Lodge Bloemfontein, ideally situated in South Africa’s “city of roses”, is blooming anew after a major makeover of its commercial area. Just another way in which we are constantly ensuring that our hotels remain fresh and contemporary, even if it means a bit of pruning and replanting from time to time!

Win a free weekend at any Courtyard, City Lodge or Town Lodge.

How many rooms will there be at City Lodge OR Tambo Airport? Send your entries to: SCaplin@citylodge.co.za. Entries close on 2 December 2009

And the winner is….

The winner of ou r previous competit ion is Naziem Mento r from Rennies Tr avel in Stellenbosch.

NEWS

Airline seating discrimination – fact or fiction? Natasha Tippel

O airlines seat passengers according to how much they spend on their tickets? TNW recently received a letter to the editor from a travel agent expressing concern that airlines are practising a new trend where passengers paying full airfares are given better seats than those travelling on a special or reduced fare. However, airlines have denied this practice, explaining that their seating policies do not refuse the passenger the option of requesting a specific seat. Commercial director Southern Africa and Angola for Air France KLM, Ralf Karsenbarg, says: “From three months prior to departure anyone holding an Air France or KLM booking can arrange pre-seating on our aircraft. This service is free of charge and irrespective of the fare paid.” Passengers flying with Air France KLM will automatically be able to pre-select seating when checking in online 30 hours prior to departure. “We

facilitate this service as we find that passengers want to be in control of their own travel experience and seating is a very important element of this,” says Ralf. Etihad Airways country manager for South Africa, Craig Thomas, affirms that the airline allows passengers to request seats up to 330 days in advance of travel. “Seating requests can be done at the time of reservation through a travel agent, Etihad office or directly online through our website. A limited number of seats are made available for advance assignment, with all exit and bulkhead rows blocked off for advanced seating in order to fulfil our obligations with regard to safety and to passengers requiring special assistance. Seat assignments are subject to change, as occasionally occurs with a change in aircraft type or capacity allocation.” Online check-in for Etihad flights opens 24 hours prior to departure, allowing all passengers to select their preferred seats and check in online. “Etihad provides

this service for all ticketed commercial passengers, irrespective of fare class or fare paid,” says Craig. Qantas manager Africa, Michi Messner, notes that preseating is never guaranteed for operational reasons. “Qantas allows agents and passengers to pre-seat as long as the allocation is still available to do so. If the pre-seating is closed, then agents and

“From three months prior to departure anyone holding an Air France or KLM booking can arrange pre-seating.” passengers are welcome to make their requests. Qantas Customer Management system will pre-seat the remainder of the passengers automatically if no request was made and passengers are welcome to change this at time of check-in subject to availability. It is important to know that if seats are available and confirmed back to the agents, these are

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not guaranteed.” SAA acting head group corporate affairs, Vimla Maistry, says although SAA’s current fare structure does not allow customers booking discounted fares to pre-seat, the airline is working on a system whereby this will be possible for a fee. “Customers on discounted fares can in the meantime still check in online, 24 hours before departure and select their seat, or do this by using the Customer Self-Service check-in machines at airports. Customers are advised that seating cannot be guaranteed as last-minute changes may override the selected choice. Customers who have chosen seats at

aircraft exits, but who are unable to assist with opening these doors in an emergency, will forfeit their pre-seated choice when on board.” Preferred seating is often a benefit of belonging to an airline loyalty programme. For example, Qantas offers an International Advance Seat Selection to premium customers in recognition of their loyalty to the airline. These passengers have exclusive access to preferred seating requests. Ralf agrees: “We have some additional perks for our top tiers within our Flying Blue loyalty programme, but this is not at the expense of other passengers.”

What other agents had to say “Seating should be done on a first come, first served basis. A passenger who books months in advance, regardless of the fare paid, should be allowed to be seated where he or she wants. The airline is earning interest on monies paid in advance and it is usually cheaper fares that passengers book early. Seating is a service offered by the travel agent or airline. Denying clients this privilege can cause them to be anti that airline. Any complaints I have had were because the seat booked and confirmed to a passenger was not the seat he or she received once they checked in.” Anonymous “Fortunately, we have not had such an experience before. However, if what the travel agent says is true, it is really a sad state of

affairs. I fail to understand why airlines would prohibit a paying passenger from asking for a specific seat. I have never boarded an aircraft to find that there are some seats in the same section that are specially designed or covered in goldplated fabric. Why would you wish to move people around and make your own decisions on seating unless you regard the passengers as a box of goods rather than a valued traveller? If the issue is money, why not create a peanut section in the aircraft like we have between business and economy class. At least then you are transparent. When saying one thing and blatantly doing another you merely tarnish a good reputation built up over many years.” Chris Cromhout, owner Uniglobe Crigel Travel, Centurion ■

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12 n Wednesday November 4 2009

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

NEWS Letter to the editor

Travelbags – who we are…

olls are always interesting. They often draw attention to issues that people (or in this case, organisations) may be blissfully unaware of! I refer to the poll in TNW, July 15 2009 (see right), where 54% of consultants polled by TNW said they did not know what Travelbags was. Being a Johannesburgbased club may be one of the reasons why many TNW readers are not aware of who we are or what we do. Most luncheons are hosted in northern Johannesburg as this is where most of our members are based. We are, however, always looking at new and exciting venues and welcome any suggestions from our members or anyone interested in becoming a member. To be eligible for membership, you need to be involved in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. If you have not yet attended a luncheon, we invite you to contact us for further details and to book for our forthcoming functions/ luncheons. We trust you will be so impressed and excited that you’ll sign up to become a member immediately. We regret that we are currently only Johannesburgbased but envision that, in the future, we will grow our club nationally. There are also many other prestigious travel-related clubs based nationally that also offer great networking opportunities and with whom we have close associations.

What do we do?

Travelbags is a networking organisation that meets once a month. Luncheons are

Enjoy OzOnUs!

What is Travelbags? Do you attend Travelbags lunches regularly? ■ Yes, I love it! 6% ■ No 40% ■ What is Travelbags? 54% hosted that enable industry members to learn more about various products and to network and make great contacts within the industry. Travelbags launched its ‘Top 100 Male Membership’ in 2004 as part of the club, to incorporate valued male members in the industry, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in September 2008. Monies raised from raffles go a long way to assist others less fortunate than ourselves. We have raised much-needed donations for charities such as the Krugersdorp squatter camp (over R74 400, plus food vouchers sponsored, and clothing and items for the children). Further projects are currently under way. We recently raised R25 600 for the Down’s Syndrome Association of Gauteng at our annual fund raiser, which was a fun-filled ‘Da Island style’ get together at Cool Runnings Fourways. In 2008 an oxygen machine was donated to the Hillside Clinic in Randfontein, with funds raised at our very popular Christmas year-end luncheons. The building of a recreation room for the Rus ‘n Wijl oldage home in Pretoria was completed recently. Travelbags has been fortunate to receive assistance and wonderful sponsorship

contributions, most recently an amazing contribution of 1 000kg of dog food sponsored by Nestle arranged by one of our male members. The committee has worked relentlessly on handing out rusk hampers to many old age homes throughout Johannesburg. Each month a charity is selected by the sponsors and they benefit not only with money, but very often with contributions from our members, ranging from pet food to clothing and blankets, from the young to the elderly. Visit our website www. travelbags.co.za to view our photo gallery and some great photos depicting the fun we have at networking luncheons as well as the great contributions Travelbags is able to provide. If you would like to become a member or have any suggestions, we would love to hear from you. Email us at info@travelbags.co.za, or call our club secretary (Dalene) on 011 472 7924. If you would like to join us for a luncheon and see what we are about, please get in touch and book. Luncheons are charged at R195 per person for non-members. Our next event is at Leriba Lodge on October 30. Belinda Coetzee, Travelbags President ■

Development Promotions, in conjunction with Qantas Holidays, Qantas Airways, Tourism Australia and the tourist boards of Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, is launching a two-pronged Australian promotion to motivate readers to learn more about Australia. Potential travellers to Australia can stand to win their trip free if they book and pay between October 15 and December 31, irrespective of date of travel. As long as they book their flights on Qantas Airways and their land arrangements through Qantas Holidays, the winner will be reimbursed to the maximum value of R30 000. Details can be entered through a specially dedicated website www.OzOnUs.co.za. The second tier takes the form of a crossword puzzle where participants stand a chance to win a R1 000 shopping voucher. This competition can also be found on www. OzOnUs.co.za which has links to the respective regions’ websites. Pictured here joining the OzOnUs bandwagon are (from left) Jane Rezac, marketing Development Promotions; Jackie Adami, sales and marketing director Development Promotions; and Michi Messner, Qantas Airways manager Africa Photo: Tijana Huysamen

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Wednesday November 4 2009 n 13

NEWS FC launches ticket service Natalia Thomson FLIGHT Centre SA has launched centralised ticketing services to the industry. Smaller agencies are sometimes unable to process their own tickets owing to the financial constraints of buying an Iata licence resulting in their having to rely on individual airlines to ticket for them, explains Sarel du Plessis, Flight Centre ticketing division business leader. Services include a 24-hour emergency service available seven days a week. Flight

Centre will also re-issue tickets, do date changes and name changes at no extra cost, and provide weekly progress and billing reports, monthly meetings, ADM disputes, refund services and access to selected Flight Centre private fares. By providing an efficient back office, FC also gives its clients access to finance staff who will reconcile all billings. A joining fee of R1 000 per agency applies with ticketing charges ranging from R60 to R90 (including VAT) depending on ticket type. ■

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Airlines poorer, airports richer Kate Nathan

IZA Mzimela, chairperson of Aasa (Airlines Association of Southern Africa), says post recession, things will never be the way they were and the industry should now look ahead to the “new normal”. She told delegates at the recent Aasa conference that there had been a domino effect over the entire industry and participants, and now both airlines and their suppliers should be looking at new ways of doing business. And while airlines report erosion of their income, suppliers to the airline industry declare bigger profits. Chris Zweigenthal, Aasa ce, concurred, admitting there seemed to be a ‘tug of war’ between industry

The XL Group has signed an exclusive deal with Galileo Southern Africa. With the support of Travelport internationally and the future positioning of Galileo in the SA market, the XL board, says ce Rod Rutter, is “confident” the future of travel technology lies in the hands of the GDS service providers. Sealing the deal are (from front left) Galileo Southern Africa acting ce, Arthur Oppenheimer and XL ce Rod Rutter with XL board members (from back left) Mary Shiletto, Brian Singer and Dudley Randall Photo: Natalia Thomson

players – airlines, airports, air traffic services and manufacturers. He said there was a disconnect, demonstrated by Acsa’s

“While airlines report erosion of their income, suppliers to the airline industry declare bigger profits.” request for a 133% tariff increase and ATNS for a 33% increase, followed by smaller increases year on year for both. This came at a time when the airline industry had gone from a US$5,6bn (R41,8bn) profit in 2007 to a $10bn (R74,6bn) loss in 2008 and airlines found it unacceptable. He said these requested increases would place Acsa and ATNS

in an almost ideal financial position almost immediately, contrary to the position of the stakeholders. The airlines would respond with some alternatives. “Acsa and ATNS need to share our pain,” said Chris. Chris said while it seemed the end of the decline had arrived and the decreases in traffic were smaller, airlines’ profitability was extremely low, and much lower than that of service providers like Acsa, which, he pointed out, had for many years paid its shareholder (the government) a significant yearly dividend. Chris said Acsa’s La Mercy project (largely funded by increases in airline tariffs) had been accelerated prematurely to meet the opening of the World Cup. ■

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Natalia Thomson SIGNATURE Life Hotels has signed a deal with Extreme Hotels to launch three properties in South Africa in 2010. Extreme Hotels previously made a foray into the SA market when it partnered with Protea Hotels in 2006 in what is now Protea Hotel Fire and Ice!. Now, working with Signature Life, Extreme

Hotels will be launching two properties in Durban, Extreme Hotel Gordon Road with 36 rooms, and Extreme Hotel Durban Waterfront with 90 rooms, as well as Extreme Hotel Johannesburg International with 124 rooms. The Extreme brand incorporates a collection of cutting-edge extreme sportsinspired hotels providing guests with “an inspiring experience; not just a place

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E-mail: info@indonga.co.za Website: www.indonga.co.za 14 n Wednesday November 4 2009

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

NEWS

to the point

Trafalgar launches video sales tool Staff reporter

RAFALAR has released its first mini-movie, The Experience, an experiential selling tool presenting Trafalgar’s touring experience. Nicolas Le Roux, gm Trafalgar Tours, says the new six-minute movie showcases a couple’s exciting experience on a Trafalgar European tour. “The DVD takes travellers inside our modern, airconditioned coaches, offers

a glimpse into our first-class accommodation and renders the benefits of travelling through Europe with our expert tour directors, drivers and knowledgeable local guides. “The Experience DVD touches on the exclusive inclusions featured on our itineraries, which are designed to give consumers truly authentic holiday experiences. It includes footage of one of our exclusive Be My Guest dining experiences, where clients are invited into

‘Mama’s’ family home to enjoy an authentic Italian meal, as well as other gastronomic treats. “The Experience is a helpful training and educational resource for consultants who have not experienced an escorted tour with us. In conjunction with our comprehensive brochures, our new DVD provides agents with an additional selling tool for their clients and will help convert consumer interest into sales.” ■

● Legacy Hotels and Resorts’ Sunnyside Park Hotel in Johannesburg has announced the opening of its new Gatehouse wing. The new three-storey wing has 42 rooms, some with views of the Wilds, and others overlook the landscaped gardens. The Gatehouse rooms have two double beds and an en-suite bathroom with separate bath and shower. There are four new conference and meeting venues.

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The Holiday Factory gets Brains THE Holiday Factory has installed the Brains reservation system for travel consultants. Brains, says director Adrian Hollis, has proved to be well liked by the trade in terms of its speed,

efficiency and reflection of agents’ commission on the invoice. “Brains enables The Holiday Factory to process quotes and reservations in real time, as well as offering multiple product options

instantaneously that can be emailed to agents immediately on request.” Adrian says a travel agent’s best chance of securing a booking is while their customer is sitting in front of them. ■

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Wednesday November 4 2009 n 15

Adventure Adventure travel is on the rise with an increasing number of thrill seekers looking for unusual activities. Sue Lewitton reports…

Adventure is a family affair

HE old cliché that adventure travel is only for backpacking youths in their physical prime no longer holds true. Adventure tour operators are reporting that families, both extended and nuclear and across all generations, are eager to travel to unusual destinations to experience new adventures. The Adventure Travel Trade Association (Atta) has said that the number of families booking adventure trips is on the rise, making up about 25% to 30% of the global adventure travel market. Linda Willemse, sales and marketing manager of Wild Frontiers, says parents and children are now looking to take part in adventurous activities together. “Activities include hiking, cycling and rowing – basically just enjoying a more active holiday,” she says. “Wild Frontiers has offered adventure travel packages to families for many years. We have seen many father and son teams summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, mothers and daughters running our Victoria Falls Marathon together and parents and their children rafting, rowing canoes or taking part in walking safaris in Africa,” says Linda.

As families get involved in adventurous holidays, so too has the nature of the adventure changed, says Rung Button, director of ITT. “We have found that travel has changed a little and passengers are no longer just visiting a country to see sights and culture but are looking to include some type of experience on an active holiday. More passengers are looking to include a dive, swim with dolphins, 4x4 safari, camel ride, cooking experience, seeing the Northern Lights or a bush walk in SA,” says Rung. The more strenuous the adventure, the less likely it is that entire families will join in on the activity. Debra Bouwer, owner of Nomadic Adventures says her product usually involves trips that include highaltitude trekking or mountain biking where the overall adventure risk level is higher than lower altitude treks or kayaking. In this case, she often finds that the family still go along for the trip, and while one or two adult members of the party will cycle or hike, the others will go along in a land cruiser. When booking an adventure trip for a family, it’s important for the agent to really find out what type

of experiences and activities their clients enjoy. Rung says family adventure packages are sometimes more expensive than standard packages as they include equipment and insurances. “But it’s worth it – a family active holiday bonds everyone together.”

Tips for selling family adventure trips

● Always get clued up on the health requirements for the country your clients are planning to visit. ● Book travel with reputable adventure operators. ● Make the planning part of the adventure. Get the family involved in group discussion and research on the area they are going to and the cultures that they will be engaging with. ● Make sure your clients have adequate travel and medical insurance. ● Ensure that you know exactly what the trip entails and whether this is something your client’s family will be able to handle. ● Select destinations that will be of interest to all members of the family but if this isn’t possible, find a trip where at least some of your clients’ needs can be met.

Did you know?

LAM Mozambique Airlines is currently offering special fares from Johannesburg to some of the best scuba diving locations in Mozambique. Flights to Pemba start from R1 500, flights to Vilanculos from R1 150 and Inhambane from R1 000. Conditions apply.

Cruising with kids THE cruising industry is noticing a surge in demand for cruises catering specifically for families as it offers on-shore and on-board activities for a range of age groups. “As more clients realise the benefits of a cruising holiday, so are our bookings increasing,” says Tracey Krog, product manager for Cruises International’s The Contemporary Portfolio. “Where else can families enjoy a water park on a private island or see a Broadway-style show in the middle of the ocean?” Tracey says Royal Caribbean International is the most popular of Cruises International’s products for families. Royal Caribbean offers on-board activities with children in mind, 16 n Wednesday November 4 2009

such as ice-skating, karaoke, rock-climbing walls, mini-golf, inline skating, FlowRider surf simulation and talent shows. The newest ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas offer a ‘Boardwalk’ neighbourhood as a tribute to old-fashioned seaside amusement parks. They feature an arcade, zip line and carousel. Shore and land excursions also offer opportunities for family adventure, with Royal Caribbean’s private destinations, CocoCay and Labadee. Both are islands that feature family beach activities like aqua parks, parasailing and snorkelling. Young children between the ages of three and eight, accompanied by their parents, can even go on a special driving adventure on the Fisher-Price Power Wheels Track at CocoCay. QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

Travellers’ tip Turkish Airlines has launched a direct service from Izmir to Athens, a destination that is fast becoming a favourite among adventure travellers. As the founding city of the Olympic Games, it’s not surprising that it has a lot to offer in terms of outdoor and indoor activities. Water sports are

particularly popular, including canoeing, water skiing, jet skiing, windsurfing and sailing. There is also a selection of hiking trails, mountain bike trails and rock climbing routes to choose from. Turkish Airlines flights operate four times a week on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Cycle in Cuba and Vietnam with Nomadic Adventures Naïade Holidays’ Kids Club offers adventurous activities for children

Family adventure with Naïade NAÏADE Holidays offers a wide range of adventure activities in its Mauritius, Réunion, and Maldives portfolio. These include diving, quad biking, hiking, undersea water adventures, swimming with the dolphins and whales (Réunion), mountain biking and helicopter flips. But now Naïade has taken adventure travel to a new level through its formation of Naïade Events. The programme runs adventure events throughout the year, with a difference. “Our experience is that either one or both parents want to take part in an adventure but the issue of family adventure activities is always dependent on the age of the children in relation to the nature of the activity,” says gm of Naïade Holidays, Matthew Fubbs. Naïade Holidays packages its Naïade Events in such a way that parents can take

part in the event while the hotel’s Kids Club, staffed by professionally qualified personnel, runs an exciting daily programme for the children. Some of the unique Naïade Events that occur annually are: ● La Regatta (Nov 28 to Nov 30) – La Regatta Mauritius is an international sailing event held in traditional Mauritian wooden boats called pirogues ● Sea Kayak Tour (Dec 6 to Dec 13) – A unique annual event for those who love kayaking ● Marlin Masters (Feb 8 to Feb 13, 2010) – The Marlin Masters Tag and Release fishing tournament takes place on the west and southwest coast of Mauritius ● Also in 2010 is the Royal Raid mountain race, the Surf Ski World Cup, the Ocean Indian Triathlon, and the Kite Surf Festival.

NOMADIC Adventures has launched two new cycling tours, one in Vietnam and one in Cuba. Debra Bouwer, owner of Nomadic Adventures, says both tours have met with a great response from the industry. She says the tours have been designed to allow the traveller to enjoy the setting without battling through difficult mountain passes and high altitude conditions. The Vietnam cycling tour lasts 15 days and departs

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TNW3627SD TNW3685SD

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A combination of history and activities! December ‘09: from R 15 340 pps + R 1480 taxes April-May ‘10: from R 17 250 pps + R 1480 taxes 7 night package including breakfast, dinner, transportation in Jordan and economy class airfare ex JNB on MS. Experience a guided hike through the magnificent Wadi Mujab gorge, abseil down waterfalls, enjoy a jeep ride and Bedouin tent camping in the magical desert of Wadi Rum. “Swim” in the Dead Sea and explore the Rose Red City of Petra.

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basis. Travellers will be taken through the streets of Havana and surrounding areas by bicycle. Highlights will include two World Heritage Sites (Old Havana and Viñales Valley), Laz Terrazas Biosphere Reserve and the white coral beach of Cayo Jutias. Most meals are included and a local English-speaking guide will accompany the group. The services of a private tour bus are also available throughout the tour.

The world has never been so delicious to fly around.

ITT is offering a festive season special on its ‘Enchanting Egypt’ tour for bookings from December t! 19 until December 28. i k The tour is eight nights and costs R17 330pps, Boo including taxes and gratuities. The package includes flights from Johannesburg, transfers, five-star accommodation, sightseeing and a five-star Nile cruise.

For more details go to www.fedair.com or email zimbabwe@fedair.com TNW3686SD

from Hanoi. An average day of cycling will be between 56km and 90km, with rest days scheduled in between. Destinations visited include Hoa Binh, Mai Chau, Moc Chau, Yen Chau, Son La, Tuan Giao and Sapa. Accommodation is in hotels and guesthouses and most meals and bikes are provided. The Cuba cycling tour lasts eight days with accommodation provided in hotels on a bed and breakfast

www.lam.co.mz TNW5059

Wednesday November 4 2009 n 17

AGENTZONE the

agent

AGENT ALERTS

Don’t turn business away! Scenario: A company incentive for four staff members in the last week of November to Pemba, Mozambique (based on Holiday Tours’ package)

Sure African Inprint Travel, Pretoria The agency is located on a busy road in Hatfield. The consultant was welcoming and had a friendly demeanour and asked me what my budget was, when I expected to travel and what type of accommodation we were looking for. I specifically mentioned the Holiday Tours package to Pemba, but she was not aware of the package and didn’t have any Holiday Tours brochures in her office. She did, however, scratch around for brochures on Mozambique which were scattered around the office. She couldn’t give me any immediate information, but promised to get back to me within 24 hours, which she didn’t.

★★ Intertrans Travel Bureau, Pretoria

Winning operator : Shannon Gillmer

Shannon was bubb ly She used personal and enthusiastic. experience to persuade me that a incentive for my sta cruise was the best ff

Student Flights Hatfield, Hatfield Plaza The Student Flight branch was busy when I entered it, but it was neat and looked professional. There were even books for sale that students could buy before embarking on their travels. The consultant was professional, but seemed to lack energy. Again, no Holiday Tours brochures but she did ask pertinent questions like type of accommodation and budget, and if we definitely wanted to go to Pemba. She was unable to assist us there and then with the request, but promised to get back to us by the next day, which she did on the same day and also followed up several times thereafter by phone.

★★★

Editor’s note: On this Naked Agent adventure, I stopped in at two other agencies in the area, which receive special mention in this report. The first agency was attractive and professional looking and the consultant who assisted, obliging and full of great ideas. However, when asked to provide information on the Holiday Tours package, I was told emphatically by all three consultants in the store that the tour operator was “dodgy”, was “going under” due to the “recession” and that the consultants in the store

had been “instructed” not to sell it. They then promptly tried to offer me a package through another tour operator; surprise, surprise… a preferred. I found this supplier-bashing inappropriate and slanderous, especially if (as I suspect) it was an attempt to offsell a non-preferred. The second agency, predominantly a corporate agency, was located on a very busy road. Not only did the consultant not even bother to look up when I arrived, she didn’t even have chairs behind her desk for

visitors. A more disinterested and un-engaging a consultant I have never dealt with during a Naked Agent. So, uninspired by her lack of interest, I eventually got up and left without bothering to give her my full details. Either this consultant was having a very busy day or my little booking just simply wasn’t interesting enough to entice her. Either way, the agency must be doing exceedingly well for this agent simply not to care less about the extra business.

Disclaimer: TNW will not enter into any further correspondence on the contents of the Naked Agent, nor will it reveal the identity of the agents mentioned in this report. 18 n Wednesday November 4 2009

FROM October 17, SAA has introduced a new fare product offering between South Africa and Ghana called Instant Upgrade Fare. The fares are business-class fares with the applicable fare basis which is JUP, however it is bookable in A class (first class). This will give passengers the opportunity to purchase a first-class ticket for the business-class fare when travelling on a B747-400, subject to A-class seats being available. Business-class rulings will apply for the JUP fares. Fares are available from R27 450 ex-JNB and US$3 399 ex-LOS. Fares exclude taxes. The product is available for sale and travel until February 28, 2010.

■ Brussels Airlines change of booking class

Tucked away in an office block on the edge of a shopping centre, this agency was on the fifth floor, locked behind a security gate. Despite admitting to being predominantly a corporate agency, Shannon Gillmer was very welcoming and enthusiastic saying she would love to help me. Again, I requested the Holiday Tours package and although she had not heard about it, ventured on to the supplier’s website to find details. In the midst of her search, she seemed to have an epiphany, instead asking me if I had perhaps considered a cruise as an incentive. Shannon brought in personal experience of cruising, was personable and convincing that the four staff members would have the time of their life on a cruise. If I hadn’t been the ‘Naked Agent’ I would have bought the cruise there and then. She finalised dates and cabin type I was interested in and promised to get back to me shortly. Within an hour, I had received an excited phone call from Shannon to give me a quote, followed by an email shortly thereafter. Shannon’s excitement and enthusiasm about the cruise were infectious.

★★★★

■ SAA launches ‘Instant upgrade fares’

EFFECTIVE October 25, Brussels Airlines has changed the booking class for EBA Flight Pass. The class, which was V, must be changed to W. Agents should look up their current reservations and check if they have passengers travelling from this date and change accordingly. The current procedures of operations remain the same.

■ Early bag check-in extended at Gatwick

BRITISH Airways passengers flying from Gatwick Airport will be able to check in ‘hold bags’ on all flights the day before departure. Customers could previously only check in bags if their flight departed before 15h15 the next day. It will now be extended to allow passengers to check in luggage between 16h00 and 22h00 for all British Airways flights scheduled to depart the following day. There are no other changes to the current process and customers checking in bags for the following day should continue to drop their bags at the appropriate Fast Bag Drop desk in Zone D.

■ Comair – agents only

COMAIR is offering agents and their partner the opportunity to book an all-inclusive flight from Johannesburg to Mauritius from R2 500pp (incl taxes). The fare will be valid from October 27 until November 30 and all travel must be completed by December 11. For bookings agents must complete a resolution 880 and fax it to the BA Staff Travel Department.

■ New mandatory security rules for US

EFFECTIVE October 31, all passengers travelling to, from, within or over the United States have to supply Secure Flight Passenger Data. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has developed the Secure Flight programme to enhance the security of domestic and international commercial travel through watch list matching. As a result of the new rules, all international airlines will be required to collect Secure Flight Passenger Data and transmit it to the USA’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ahead of travel. To avoid potential inconvenience to customers, travel agents are advised to enter the following information into affected passengers’ bookings via the agent’s GDS: ● Full name as it appears on the passenger’s passport ● Date of birth ● Gender ● Redress number (if available) The new rules will require the agent to obtain the information and enter it into the PNR at the time of booking. Qantas expects to have an automated process in place shortly for all Qantas US travel bookings, which will request that the travel agent enter Secure Flight data if it is missing at defined periods before departure. Further information on GDS commands for entering this information can be found on the Qantas Industry Sales Site at qantas.com/agents under the category of training and at gdstraining.qantas.com.au.

See Travelinfo for more details QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS

jobs

COMMUNITYNEWS

Births, deaths, marriages, promotions – we want to know! Please fax or e-mail TNW's Jeanette Phillips, at jeanettep@nowmedia.co.za or (011) 327 4094.

Community news

Three Cities plays for charity On October 9 the annual Three Cities golf day was held at The Royal Durban Golf Club, where golfing and enthusiasm joined hands to raise funds for two charities. The Three Cities charity golf day is run in support of preferred social responsibility partners, who for the past two years have been Child Welfare and the Cape Leopard Trust charities. After an early start for the golfers and a full day at the Royal Durban Golf Club, players and the Three Cities team moved to the Riverside Hotel & Spa, where prizegiving, ice-cold beers and a warm meal were ready. The prizegiving evening was hosted by East Coast Radio’s Rowan Clelland followed by some entertaining auctioneering by Rob Thunder. Together with the golfers’ fees, raffle tickets and auction proceeds, approximately R55 000 was raised. Pictured here are Wayne Bowen, Theo van Zyl, Grant Durose and Craig Maguire

our website is updated daily! visit www.specialized.co.za

Appointments ■ The Three Cities Group has announced the appointment of Andrew Merrill as gm of the Royal Palm Hotel in Umhlanga. Andrew has 14 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. Chantelle Mogg has joined the group as sales executive for the Cape region. Chantelle has 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. Fixed term contract positions available in operations, sales & marketing for a team focusing on 2010.

Pro-active and independent thinking applicants are invited to send CVs to neviller@simplebedzzz.com or fax to 011 783 9814. Knowledge of E-Res reservations software is an advantage.

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■ Karin White has been appointed gm: sales and marketing, at the Sandton Convention Centre (SCC). Karin brings more than nine years of sales, hospitality, finance, strategic planning and management experience to the SCC, having recently served as the groups and events manager at SCC’s sister hotel, Sandton Sun. Before joining the Sandton Sun, Karin spent six years as the head of department – event co-ordinating and sales and marketing at Oakfield Farm. eQUiTY CONNeCTiONS cc STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER Senior opening for strong, highly experienced Corporate Account Manager. In-depth knowledge of relationship, cost and service management essential. Great career opportunity. F.I.T EXPERT Broad South/Southern Africa knowhow plus F.I.T skills and minimum four years in-bound experience well rewarded. TEAM MANAGER Impress with excellent management skills, ability to motivate and lead the team and sound in-bound understanding. Groups & Incentives knowledge a plus. KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER Keen to be involved with 2010? Great contract position for skilled Groups & Incentives fundi! LEISURE CONSULTANT Do you have superior selling skills, excellent International destinations experience and desire to earn above average basic + fantastic commission? This could be for you! Call NadiNe (011) 803 0056 or e-mail equitycon@mweb.co.za for these and many others! TNW1997

Airline Marketing Manager – N/Suburbs Jhb Take on the marketing portfolio for well known international carrier. Draw up the budget and see to the execution of the strategy. Must have strong track record in this field and have an airline background. R22000 negotiable. Kati Marketing Executive – Sandton Play a vital role handling marketing functions for international airline. Will be involved in all aspects of marketing for South and Southern Africa handling press releases, dealing with advertising agencies and the media, road shows and branding. An airline background and strong marketing expertise is essential. R19000 plus cell allowance and benefits. Kati Cash Book Clerk - Sandton Be part of a busy accounts department handling the cash book function working on Pastel. This is a highly successful tourism company. Candidates do not have to have a travel/tourism background but must have strong cash book skills and be proficient on Pastel. Tracey Guest Relations – Game Lodge Five Star Lodge based in the Kruger Park area. Responsibilities include: receiving and hosting of guests, maintenance of the guest database, daily administration of the concierge and reception duties, communication with lodge front of house and back of house staff, kitchen and ranger or tracker to ensure that guest needs are met and that the lodge runs smoothly. Candidates must have previous experience within a 4 or 5 star establishment. Tracey Game Lodge Opportunities! Opportunities available: Executive Housekeeper, Assistant Lodge Manager, Reception Manager, Sous Chef, and Head Chef. Five star lodges based in Mpumalanga. Tracey Namibia based opportunity! Impressive operator with long-standing history and an excellent reputation requires a Reservations Manager for one of their business units. Will be responsible for a team of 5 with the focus on managing and developing the business unit in line with company goals. Relationship management, delivering service excellence and driving sales are core functions. Sound knowledge of the SADAC area and excellent knowledge of Namibia is required. Must have 3 years managerial experience. Tracey Front Office Manager –Pretoria Beautiful, modern 4 star Boutique Hotel. 80% of guests are international. Relevant experience and own transport is essential. Tracey General Manager Inbound Travel Well established incentive travel company with large blue-chip client base requires a GM for their inbound division. A highly negotiable package is on offer depending on experience and the company is prepared to pay a top salary for the right expertise. Kati Operations Manager Join well established incentive travel company. Candidates must have previous outbound incentives experience, have excellent leadership skills and a relevant business degree. A highly attractive salary in line with experience is on offer. Kati

Personnel with the personal touch FINANCIAL MANAGER/ISANDO

Highly negotiable pacakage offered by Market Leader AA CONFERENCE SUPPORT for your B.Comm/equivalent and ability to lead ADMINISTRATOR/JNB CBD department of 45 people!

Portuguese Inbound Consultant Must be able to speak, read and write Portuguese fluently plus have the ability to independently put together inbound travel programs. Will be rewarded with an attractive package and incentive bonus. Kati

Major Corporate requires your Conference/ Banqueting co-ordinating experience!! NATIONAL SALES MANAGER/ NORTHERN SUBURBS SENIOR INBOUND Hands on position with totalINCENTIVE responsibility for CONSUlTANT/SANDTON Key Account Managers and Business Super opportunity join Upmarket Development to Managers! Inbound Operator!! BRAND MANAGER/ SENIOR RETAIl CONSUlTANT/SANDTON NORTHERN SUBURBS Leading Inbound Person strongOperator in Marketingrequires invited toyour join retail consulting experience!! leading Wholesaler!

Inbound Consultants – Sandton Highly acclaimed inbound operator requires a Senior and Intermediate Inbound Consultant. This is a top company with an excellent infrastructure that provides very good support to the consultants. Tracey Snr Incentives Consultant R20000 plus hospital plan and incentive bonus. Handle outbound incentives for well established company dealing with blue-chip companies. Will create incentive programs, handling the process from beginning to end. Will also travel with the groups and undertake site inspections. Kati

SENIORCONSULTANT/BOKSBURG OUTBOUND INCENTIVES SENIOR CONSUlTANT/ WEST RAND Join well established, friendly company and work Here is a great to work closeropportunity to home! closer to home!! TNW2048 TNW2048

Please Take Note of Our New Telephone No.: 011 704 4909

PA to Hotel GM – Magaliesberg area A live-in position based at 5 star hotel. Your general PA skills will be appreciated. R7000 plus full board and lodging. Tracey

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lee botti & associates JOHANNESbURG

CAPE TOWN

GENERAL MANAGER - INbOUNd

PROdUCT SALES MANAGER – SOUTH

TNW4530

THIS WEEK’S TOP JObS dURbAN KEY ACCOUNTS!

Fantastic opp to join well est, successful incentive house! Varied functions await the hands-on Manager with a B.Comm marketing or similar qualification coupled with a proven track record within the inbound or incentives sector. Resp would include int’l sales trips, marketing and leading and managing a small dept. Highly neg offer.

Sipped Cocktails on most Indian Ocean Islands Paradises, travelled bare foot through the African plains along with being able to sell your amazing experiences to new direct FIT explorers with passion & confidence? Work from 9-6 missing peak traffic in this quaint seaside paradise.R15 000+ previous product exp.

Analytical role – for top retail agency servicing blue-chip corporate accounts! Focus on implementing & reviewing management + transaction fees, whilst ensuring increased revenue growth. Suits strong global key accounts b/ground, with strong customer liaison skills, and Powerpoint expertise! Structured package + perks.

JOHANNESbURG

CAPE TOWN

dURbAN

INCENTIVES GURU

Great opp to shine with personalized, fast paced team! Deal with the local corporate market putting together enticing incentive programmes to worldwide destinations. Must be able to travel with groups. Minimum of 4 years incentives experience will see you winning this one! To R20 000 dep on exp.

Tel: Tracey (011) 803 6606 rivonia@nowjobs.co.za

QUICK READ FOR busiest people

MICE WINNER! - NORTH

Exposure to Cruising Industry coupled with magmatic team management skills! Oversee inception to completion of programmes, already have relationships within MICE industry paired with excellent product power! Able to travel locally & internationally is essential. Tourplan exp beneficial. Senior salary bracket.

Tel: Wayne (021) 418 1084 capetown@nowjobs.co.za

Tel: Jill (031) 201 8330 durban@nowjobs.co.za

GAME LOdGE ROLES!

Only for the brave with a love for the outdoors! Various roles on offer within 5-star game lodge in Northern KZN, suitable for those with lodge / camp / hospitality mngt exp. Deal with elite clients using your top-notch customer service skills! Available for single-status people with own transport. R8k - R10k + perks.

See our website for a further selection of exciting vacancies! www.leebotti.co.za

Processor – Sandton Play a supportive role to a team of inbound travel consultants. Emphasis will be on preparing, processing and filing of documentation. An excellent opportunity for a junior to join highly regarded company with excellent reputation. Candidates must have above average English writing ability as well as excellent keyboard/typing skills. Tracey Office Admin Assistant – W/Suburbs A graduate with drivers license is required to handle various admin functions within a busy office, as well as take responsibility for submitting and collecting group visas and general collections and deliveries. Be part of a highly successful company. This is an AA opportunity. Kati Admin Controller – Sandton R10000/R12000. Join well known 3 star hotel and be part of a large hospitality group. Job description includes creditors, debtors, salaries and wages, and general administration of procedures and standards. Min two years bookkeeping experience required. Tracey Help Desk Consultant – N/Suburbs Take inbound calls and emails requesting assistance with online bookings and ticketing. Will also assist with training. Must be proficient on Galileo. R6000. Tracey

Office Hrs (011) 884-9113 Website: www.specialized.co.za e-mail: kati@sgroup.co.za tracey@sgroup.co.za

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CONTACT WENDY/KIM TEl: 011Contact 704 4909 FAx: 086 538 5889 Wendy/Kim E-MAIl: wtp@icon.co.za (011) 704 4909 or e-mail: wtp@icon.co.za

SpecialiZed Travel perSonnel

Wednesday November 4 2009 n 19

TNW NEWS

Iata hits out at ‘unjustified’ Acsa hikes Natalia Thomson

A lifetime in aviation John Morrison, former ceo and now director of Aasa, received an award from chairperson Siza Mzimela, for his 50-year contribution to aviation in Southern Africa. See coverage of this year’s Aasa conference in this issue of TNW Photo: Kate Nathan

IRLINES operating in and to South Africa are protesting the “unacceptable” price proposals submitted by Acsa. Acsa has submitted a request for a 132,9% increase in 2010-2011 and a further 24,4% increase during 2011-2012. Writing to the Department of Transport, Iata said it was “very concerned that these proposals would place Acsa’s charges as the highest in the world compared to airports of a similar size” and called on the DoT to urgently “dismiss” the proposals. Iata said the proposals were

Light at the end of the tunnel! October business has been good:

■ Yes: 57% ■ No: 43% As the global financial crisis seems to be subsiding, a majority of agents are saying that October was good for business.

To sponsor this poll contact Kate on 011 214 7334 or e-mail katen@nowmedia.co.za

“subsidised” by international carriers. “The scale and scope of investment of Acsa airports means international traffic will pay for the vast proportion of the expenditure (proposed by Acsa at R17,9bn) most of which is not driven by airline operational needs or is against their timing recommendations.” Central to this, says Iata, is the estimated R6,8bn investment cost for La Mercy. “International users will be paying for the greater portion of this development even if they do not use the facilities. “Current projections show the airport will not be operating at efficient capacity until at least 2020.” ■

Comair employing ‘punitive’ airfares during 2010 World Cup Hilka Birns

brought to you by eTNW and TRAVELINFO

“unjustified” and that Acsa was now seeking to recover all costs from its customers due to its “inability to control costs with set targets”. It said it was “unacceptable” to pass its liability on to airlines and the public. “Even after eliminating the effect of traffic and inflation, these proposals imply an additional cost to airlines of around US$1,6bn over the next five-year permission period. Additional costs of this magnitude will undermine efforts for airline recovery for routes into and within SA,” said the letter. Iata also alleges that charges levied on domestic and regional carriers are being

COMAIR has admitted it is employing “punitive” airfare increases to discourage individual air travel during the FIFA World Cup next year. Comair executive manager, Yasas Sri-Chandana, told the annual conference of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) that individuals should not be booking travel during that period and that Comair at this stage was employing “punitive rates to discourage people from travelling then”. “It’s a discouragement price increase,” he said. However, he added, FIFA expected airlines not to charge exorbitant fares once the World Cup arrived. Final ticket prices from April/June next year were likely to reflect demand instead. Comair, he added, would give preference to travel agents and tour operators who committed to passenger numbers. However, until the final draw was done in December, agents couldn’t give commitments, meaning Comair couldn’t yet finalise its schedule. SAA head: business

development, Jason Krause, said SAA would not penalise individual travellers but confirmed fares would be higher during the World Cup. “The average price will be set by supply and demand.” 1time ceo, Rodney James, admitted that in 2010 the carrier would be trading “as high as we can…but we can only sell as high as the market accepts”. Nevertheless, he was expecting yields to go up because of increased demand during the period. Air Zimbabwe group ceo, Peter Chikumba, agreed the airline would treat the World Cup as peak season with demand-driven pricing. Mango Airlines ceo, Nico Bezuidenhout, said the airline had a socio-economic responsibility to South Africans and its economy-class seats would be available on normal December fares. “Competition will set the pricing, but we have a responsibility not to out-price ourselves,” he said. Meanwhile Jason said SAA’s capacity planning for the World Cup was done through the World Cup Organizing Committee’s airline subcommittee. “Collectively, we

should be able to meet the demand. Once the final draw has been done, we will decide if SAA needs to bring in extra capacity.” Yasas said extra capacity would be needed in terms of pilots and technicians, because many maintenance crews had relocated overseas before the economic crisis. He predicted there would be a lot of “poaching of staff” amongst airlines in the run-up to the event. ATNS executive officer service delivery, Boni Dibate, said the entity faced staff capacity challenges because of a “brain-drain” of air traffic controllers to the Middle East, but she was “generally confident” ATNS would be able to manage increased traffic during the World Cup. At this stage, ATNS infrastructure was able to handle 72 aircraft movements per hour at Ortia; 40 at Cape Town International Airport; and 28 at Durban International Airport. “We need to know from the airlines as soon as possible if they are bringing in extra capacity, because this impacts on staff capacity at ATNS,” she stressed. ■

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20 n Wednesday November 4 2009

QUICK READ FOR DECISION-MAKERS