“Go shopping with Budget!” Now you can enjoy the benefits of Budget’s Door2Door and Chauffeur Rewards Programme. Simply make 5 return or 10 one way reservations on either of these services to earn a R200 shopping voucher. You’re always a winner with Budget.
1512E
Southern Africa’s Travel News Weekly
September 9 2009 I No. 2074
Terms and conditions apply.
086 11 00 424
www.budget.co.za
INSIDE
TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY
TNW3536SD
Report
Feature
Good communication can seal the deal!
South Africans go ape Page 8
State of industry survey Page 2
East Africa
How to
Monitor your client’s creditworthiness Linda Dempster’s tips Page 10
End of an era... OA’s JNB route axed Natalia Thomson
I
T enjoyed a tumultuous history and now after 41 years of flying the AthensJohannesburg route it looks likely Olympic Airlines’ services to South Africa will end this month. After years of state bail outs, the Greek government yielded to EU pressures and sold the airline to Marfin Investment Group in March. A new airline, Olympic Air, has been formed (as reported in TNW August 5, 2009) and will begin operations from October 1. Olympic Airlines’ long-haul inventory from that date has already been removed from the GDS and its website. An Olympic Airlines staff member told TNW that no flights on the Johannesburg-Athens route could be booked after that date and that the local office had not been advised as to the airline’s future plans. Olympic Airlines’ head office confirmed that any enquiries relating to the airline after September 30 would have to be referred to the new airline, Olympic Air. ITT outbound department co-ordinator, Stacey Rampersadh, says the Durban-based operator has not been definitely advised
TNW3526SD
of the axed flights. “We were Olympic Airlines’ number one supporter in the SA market in 2008 and had been big supporters before then. One has to remember that despite the impression the airline’s departure will leave on the trade, the public may also be reluctant to use them again if they withdraw from the market in this condition.” Stacey predicts prices for packages to the Greek islands will likely increase as operators and agents are forced to factor in euro-pricing for domestic air segments in Greece. “Olympic Airlines offered us rand-based fares to the islands and we’ll now have to pay euro-based fares for the domestic leg. At least 90% of the packages we sell are Athens-islands combinations so prices will definitely go up.” According to Stacey, the airline has at least four months to decide whether it is going to carry SA traffic. “The timing is OK because from October to the end of March, travel to the Greek islands stops as the destination goes into winter.” Etihad Airways country manager Craig Thomas confirmed Etihad currently operated three flights a week from Athens to Johannesburg
via Abu Dhabi. “With a transit time of under three hours, Etihad offers the fastest transit between Greece and South Africa via the UAE.” Northbound services involve a transit of nine and a half hours, but passengers do not require a visa for direct airside transits through Abu Dhabi, says Craig. He says flights to Athens will be increasing to five a week on October 28 and to daily on December 31. “There’s been a significant increase in the level of support for our Athens route from the SA trade, with a high proportion of passengers stopping over in Abu Dhabi for a couple of days en route to Athens.” Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines announced this week it would be increasing its flights from Istanbul to Athens from 18 to 21 weekly. Turkish Airlines commercial manager in South Africa, Orhan Karaoglu, said: “Turkish Airlines flies to Athens three times daily with a flight time of about an hour and a half. “We are also planning to increase frequency from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Istanbul and we will also be increasing our IstanbulAthens route due to increased demand.” To page 12
Be an early bird with Beachcomber... A little birdie told TNW agents can save their clients up to 10% on accommodation and all-inclusive packages when paying early! Valid for packages for travel before October 31 with payment 30 days in advance of travel date, the early-bird special can be combined with any other special on offer. See Travelinfo for details. The special comes as Beachcomber launches its R40m “enhanced” Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa on Mauritius’s Le Morne peninsula. Dinarobin, officially opened on September 4, has been positioned as the ultimate fivestar property with no fewer than six swimming pools (five heated), redone bar, furniture changes and an additional restaurant, taking the number of restaurants available just at Dinarobin to four. Guests at Dinarobin may also use the restaurant facilities at neighbouring Paradis which offers five restaurants. Additional decking and water features have been added to make the property into a tropical paradise. Flocking together like birds of a feather are Beachcomber sales executives (from left) Gina Stanford and Nikki Fonzari who urge you to get your clients to the spruced up Dinarobin Photo: Tijana Huysamen