Tan Son Nhat Airport upgrades Wi-Fi speed, plans new parking lot

Tan Son Nhat International Airport, apparently in face saving mode, has launched high-speed Internet services and announced a five-story parking lot which it says can meet the demand of passengers in the next five years.

Tan Son Nhat international airport

Dang Tuan Tu, director of the Ho Chi Minh City-based airport, said it has installed 164 wireless routers, including 108 at the international terminal, and each of them can serve more than 100 users at the same time.
The free services have been available since Monday and the signal has been stable, Tu said, adding that the system can support passenger growth in the next five years.
Inspectors from the Central Aviation Authority of Vietnam early this month said weak Wi-Fi signal is one of many services that the airport needs to improve to serve around 26 million passengers it receives every year.
Tu said the airport is also building a five-story parking lot that is four times the size of the current one. The new facility is expected to be put into use in March.

Overload

In response to the aviation inspectors’ criticism that its domestic terminal is often overloaded at the check-in and security screening sections, the airport has relocated the security check area for VietJet Air passengers.
The aviation inspectors also found that the airport toilets are not clean during peak hours. There are not enough signs to help passengers find food courts and restaurants, which do not have many options on the menus and do not serve after 11 p.m.
At the international terminal, exchange currency counters also close after 11 p.m., they found.
The inspectors said the airport is operating above its capacity and it usually does not have enough runways and parking spots for aircraft during rush hours.
Some passengers have also complained about customs officials demanding bribes or having their valuable items stolen from their luggage.
Tan Son Nhat was ranked 8th in the annual list of the worst airports in the world compiled by travel website Sleeping in Airports that was released in October.

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Entrance fees at My Son Sanctuary set to increase next year

Visiting My Son Sanctuary in central Vietnam next year? Be prepared to pay more for the experience.
The management of the UNESCO-recognized ancient Hindu temple site has recently announced that it would increase entrance fees by 40-50 percent from January 1.
Accordingly, the fees would go from VND100,000 (US$4.5) to VND150,000 ($6.7) for foreigners, and from VND60,000 to VND100,000 for locals.

Tourist in My Son Quang Nam - the world heritage of Unesco

Huynh Tan Lap, deputy head of My Son’s management board, said the fee hike would be in line with the introduction of some new services, including electric vehicles carrying tourists from Khe The Bridge to the relic site and Cham music performances at the site.
Lap also said that My Son’s relevant facilities such as ticket booths, toilets and the parking lot had been revamped.
Investments into the new services and the facility improvement cost more than VND13 billion ($577,000), said Lap.
My Son, a popular tourist destination with a cluster of 4th century Hindu temples, is some 40 kilometers from Hoi An, an old town and another favorite place in the central province of Quang Nam.

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Vietnam Airlines Launches Flights to Vietnam from London

The Historic first commercial flight from Vietnam to United Kingdom touched down just after 6 am this morning, a few minutes ahead of schedule, after a 6,000 mile non-stop flight from Hanoi.

Vietnam Airlines Chief Executive, Pham Ngoc Minh, was personally welcomed to London by Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive of Gatwick Airport, who presided over a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Gatwick's lavishly-refurbished North Terminal.

While guests toasted Vietnam Airlines success, fare-paying passengers checked in for the return flight to Hanoi on board Vietnam Airline's blue and gold liveried Boeing 777-200ER, due to depart at midday for the 11h40m non-stop service.

The new service is now operating four times weekly from Gatwick North Terminal; twice to Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, and twice to the largest commercial centre, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).

Book your Vietnam Airlines flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Alternative Airlines for secure online booking and great fares, starting from just £660 return, including taxes and charges.

Source : Vietnam Airlines

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Vietjet gives away 1.5 million promotional tickets just from VND68,000

To welcome its greatest ever promotion in 2015 named “Fly into an amazing fairy tale with Vietjet," Vietjet is giving away 1.5 million promotional tickets just from VND68,000 for a grab.

VietJet Air clients 

The promotion, applied for all passengers flying with Vietjet on all domestic routes and international routes connecting Seoul, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok and Yangon from January 5 to October 31, 2016 (excluding public holidays), runs from December 15 to December 22, 2015.
“Fly into an amazing fairy tale with Vietjet," the airline’s greatest ever promotion in 2015 gives away thousands of special gifts for passengers who fly with Vietjet from December 1, 2015 until February 15, 2016.

Among daily and weekly awards, passengers can participate in a lucky draw on board for one of thousands of smart phones, Vietjet’s tickets for international routes and a free holiday at five-star resorts across Vietnam. The luckiest passenger will win a luxurious apartment of Dragon City worth VND2 billion.

Moreover, the airline holds entertaining activities that enable passengers to meet with fairy characters or receive special gifts at all stations in Vietnam and abroad.
Tickets can be booked at www.vietjetair.com (also compatible with smartphones at https://m.vietjetair.com) or at www.facebook.com/vietjetvietnam (just click the “Booking” tab). Payment can be easily made with Visa, MasterCard, JCB, American Express, and ATM cards issued by 24 Vietnam banks that have been registered with internet banking.

With its non-stop developing fleet of modern aircraft, passengers will experience the full suite of Vietjet’s high-quality services, including SkyBoss as well as opportunities to win economical fares and special surprises from the airline’s promotional campaigns.

Source : VietJetAir

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New Zealand to launch direct flights to Vietnam

Air New Zealand has announced to launch direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City starting from next summer with three flights a week that aim to promote Vietnam tourism.

“We will fly three times a week between Auckland and Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport on a seasonal basis, operating from June to October in 2016 with the potential to expand the season in subsequent years,” the company said in a statement.
“We're expanding our Pacific Rim presence introducing New Zealand’s first direct service to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam,” it said.
The direct flight of about 11 hours will be operated by Boeing 767-300 aircraft.
The summer flights aim at promoting tourism in the two countries which marks 40th anniversary of bilateral ties this year.
Visitors to Vietnam can sample the regional food offerings, discover more than 3,000 kilometers of coastline and explore the country's history, the airline said.

Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam, one of popular tourist destinations that Air New Zealand aims to promote for Kiwi travelers.

From the beauty of Halong Bay and the mountains in the north, to the ancient port city of Hoi An, beach resorts on the southeast coast and the markets on the Mekong River - it's a holiday destination with wide appeal, it said.
Vietnam is growing in popularity as a holiday destination, attracting more than 15,000 New Zealanders in the past year.

 Source : News.Com

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Delta to acquire Embraer 190s and more Boeing 737-900 ERs

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta)

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will add up to 20 Embraer 190 and 20 new Boeing 737-900 ER jets acquired through a new agreement with The Boeing Company.

The agreement is part of the airline’s continued strategy to improve its efficiency by adding additional 737-900 ERs and upgauging its mainline fleet with the nearly 100-seat, twin-engine E190 jets while reducing the use of small regional aircraft.

The order announced today offered Delta more compelling economics over a previously cancelled order that also included Boeing-held E190s.

Expected to begin flying in early 2017, Embraer’s unique cabin design in the E190 includes two-by-two seating throughout the Main Cabin, one-by-two in First Class, and large overhead bins and oversized windows.

The additional Boeing 737-900 ERs will bring the total in Delta’s fleet to 120 by 2019. The aircraft features large overhead bins and audio/video seatback entertainment with 20 seats in First Class, 21 seats in Delta Comfort+ and 139 seats in the Main Cabin.

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The World's Top 100 Airlines in 2015

At the World Airline Awards ceremony at Paris Airshow, Skytrax announced the world's Top 100 Airlines in 2015, voted for by airline customers around the world.

Skytrax World Airline Awards, described as "the Oscars of the aviation industry", are coveted Quality accolades for the world airline industry, and a global benchmark of airline excellence.

1	Qatar Airways	2
2	Singapore Airlines	3
3	Cathay Pacific Airways	1
4	Turkish Airlines	5
5	Emirates	4
6	Etihad Airways	9
7	ANA All Nippon Airways	6
8	Garuda Indonesia	7
9	EVA Air	12
10	Qantas Airways	11
11	Asiana Airlines	8
12	Lufthansa	10
13	Austrian	21
14	Swiss Int'l Air Lines	13
15	Air France	25
16	Virgin Australia	15
17	Air New Zealand	16
18	Dragonair	28
19	Thai Airways	14
20	British Airways	17
21	Japan Airlines	23
22	Hainan Airlines	19
23	Bangkok Airways	20
24	Malaysia Airlines	18
25	AirAsia	31
26	Virgin America	46
27	Air Canada	24
28	KLM	32
29	Aegean Airlines	30
30	Hong Kong Airlines	29
31	Finnair	37
32	LAN Airlines	33
33	Norwegian	38
34	South African Airways	22
35	Oman Air	27
36	China Southern	35
37	Virgin Atlantic	34
38	Korean Air	26
39	easyJet	44
40	Air Astana	41
41	Jetstar Airways	39
42	SilkAir	40
43	AirAsia X	36
44	Indigo	43
45	Delta Air Lines	49
46	Aeroflot	51
47	WestJet	45
48	Porter Airlines	55
49	Avianca	47
50	jetBlue Airways	59
51	TAM Airlines	42
52	China Airlines	54
53	Jetstar Asia	50
54	Brussels Airlines	48
55	Vietnam Airlines	58
56	Iberia	67
57	SAS Scandinavian	52
58	Scoot	61
59	Thomson Airways	68
60	United Airlines	53
61	Aer Lingus	65
62	Azul  Airlines	63
63	Air Seychelles	62
64	Copa Airlines	57
65	Alaska Airlines	69
66	Azerbaijan Airlines	72
67	Southwest Airlines	71
68	Transaero Airlines	56
69	Air Mauritius	60
70	TAP Air Portugal	64
71	Air Berlin	70
72	Germanwings	82
73	SriLankan Airlines	73
74	Alitalia	76
75	Peach	80
76	Jet Airways	75
77	Ethiopian Airlines	74
78	American Eagle	79
79	American Airlines	89
80	Air Transat	90
81	Icelandair	81
82	Hawaiian Airlines	88
83	Air Nostrum	83
84	Saudi Arabian Airlines	77
85	China Eastern	94
86	Kenya Airways	84
87	Philippine Airlines	93
88	Gulf Air	86
89	Juneyao Airlines	118
90	TAAG Angola Airlines	92
91	Tianjin Airlines	66
92	Shenzhen Airlines	78
93	Air China	85
94	SpiceJet	87
95	Tiger Airways SIN	91
96	Mango	95
97	Vueling Airlines	96
98	NIKI	103
99	Kulula	100
100	Fiji Airways	97

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