Welcome to Edge Intelligence for November/December 2011
Letter from the Editor
It’s been quite a challenging year for the travel industry – from earthquakes to ash clouds and even an unprecedented grounding of Australia’s biggest airline. However, Executive Edge was there through it all – handling every man-made and natural disaster ensuring our clients’ travel needs and expectations were met and exceeded during each and every crisis.
Qantas is heavily in the news this month and continues to rally in leaps and bounds announcing a deal with the engineers union as well as three exciting new initiatives – First and Business Class Wi-Fi for the Australia - Los Angeles A380 route, Platinum One for loyal frequent fliers and Q Card international version for trans-Tasman ports. (see Industry News and Edge Intelligence)
In Virgin Australia news, as of December 13th, checked baggage fees have increased for selected international short haul flights. Details.
Grand Hyatt Melbourne has just completed its three year total transformation – nothing less than a metamorphosis of this city centre icon. The Residence, their innovative event space, will set a new benchmark in Australia. (see Business Hotel News)
As always, we thank you for your loyal support through this tumultuous year and we look forward to serving all your travel needs for 2012.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Rosbe
Marketing & Communications Manager
Industry News
Q Card goes international
The domestic success of Qantas' Q Card Readers has been so overwhelmingly positive that trans-Tasman ports are next on the agenda. Qantas will be introducing an international version of this award-winning check-in technology starting with Sydney and Auckland. The Q Card chip, radio frequency identification enabled, is embedded into the Q Cards of Platinum, Gold, Silver frequent flyers and Qantas Club members delivering faster levels of check-in speed. Passengers travelling between Australia and New Zealand will be able to scan their Qantas Card at the Q Card Reader port expediting check-in. The International Q Card Readers will also include a built-in passport reader allowing customers to scan their passport as part of the process streamlining check-in even further. Green lights confirm and a boarding pass is printed. Voila!
Qantas to trial in-flight Wi-Fi
Last week Qantas announced plans to trial Wi-Fi in the air on the Australia - Los Angeles route. No longer will corporate passengers have to wait the 14 hour flight to America to catch up on emails or go online. The Wi-Fi trial for personal use will commence in February on six of its fleet of Airbus 380s from Australia to LA. Wi-Fi will be available in First Class and Business Class only and enable passengers to communicate on the web via their laptops, tablets and smart phones. How is this possible you ask? The high-technology used to implement Wi-Fi in the air utilises satellite links from the plane in the air sending data to ground networks. Very impressive Qantas…
Qantas reaches union deal
Tuesday Qantas finally struck a deal with its engineers covering both parties through December 31st 2014. The agreement between Qantas and the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) still needs to be ratified by Fair Work Australia, the arbitrator of the carrier’s ongoing dispute with the pilots union and the Transport Workers Union, but it’s likely to go through. Although Qantas CEO Alan Joyce claims the deal was achievable 9 months ago, he is still audibly pleased about the positive resolution praising both parties in the press. From preliminary reports, ALAEA received a pay increase in exchange for relinquishing attempts to influence how the company is run. As the papers report, ‘one down, two to go.’ Next arbitration to complete is between the pilots union followed by the Transport Workers Union.
Business Hotel News
Featured Business Hotel: Grand Hyatt Melbourne
Grand Hyatt Melbourne has recently completed its three year total transformation of the iconic hotel spending $45 million for redevelopment of the public spaces and $20 million on its guest room redesign just in time to celebrate its 25th birthday. The ‘new’ Hyatt has undergone a redesign of all its guest rooms, public areas, lobbies, retail environment and restaurants – nothing less than a metamorphosis of this city centre of luxury. The new upper and lower lobbies epitomise striking modern decadence which flow seamlessly into the new restaurant Collins Kitchen, chic bar area and exclusive boutique shops from Bvlgari to Chanel. Every one of its 548 rooms has been customised to provide guests with an even greater level of comfort showcasing warm tones and a relaxing colour palate. Ideal for the business traveller, the Grand Hyatt has created a
new ‘Grand Executive’ room, a spacious and luxuriously appointed apartment-style self service suite designed for extended stay guests featuring a separate kitchenette, dining room and living areas plus an interconnecting room configured with king or twin beds.
The hotel is conveniently situated on Collins Street in the centre of Melbourne’s central business district and the heart of the city’s most prestigious shopping, dining and theatre precinct.
123 Collins Street Melbourne, Victoria melbourne.grand.hyatt.com
Edge Intelligence
New technology to avoid ash clouds
Everyone recalls the massive international chaos for travellers that ensued when Chile’s volcano erupted earlier this year creating an ash plume that extended around the globe grounding or disrupting flights from the Americas to New Zealand. Thousands of flights were cancelled and millions of people stranded. And who can forget Iceland’s volcano erupting in 2010 which resulted in almost 100,000 flights being cancelled and costing the industry over AUD 1.7 billion in revenue. For the airline industry, these repercussions were catastrophic. So in an attempt to prevent the grounding of flights during volcanic eruptions in the future, scientists have swung into action.
A new technology has been developed to make it possible for pilots to not only detect the impending presence of ash clouds but, more importantly, enable planes to safely navigate around them. It’s suitably called AVOID, the Airborne Volcanic Object Imaging Detector. The device was recently revealed in a test flight over Mt. Etna in Sicily and subsequently approved by low-cost airline EasyJet. British scientist Dr. Fred Prata designed AVOID claiming the technology could be the answer commercial airlines need to keep planes in the air after a volcano eruption while keeping passengers safe.
Qantas Platinum One takes off
Welcome Platinum One, an invite-only new initiative for loyal Qantas frequent flyers. Platinum One will provide a variety of benefits to members including flight upgrade awards, monitoring of travel experiences and complimentary membership in their food and wine club. Platinum One members are treated like VIPS and even receive personal notifications via SMS regarding their flight times.
The initiative is an exclusive offering only available for a select group of the airline’s most faithful customers according to flight activity. You will be notified of membership directly – similar to belonging to a secret club. Inclusion in the program is based upon flight activity throughout the year prior to November 1st, 2011. Once received, membership is determined and assessed during the year it was obtained.
'Say no to naff' UNICEF Christmas campaign
UNICEF is on a mission this Christmas season to make a difference to an underprivileged child’s life. The ‘Say No To Naff’ campaign aims to reduce the amount of ‘naff’ and instead encourage Australians to buy a gift that counts for a child in need over the holidays. Through UNICEF’s Inspired Gifts, Australians can purchase a gift from soccer balls to schoolbooks. UNICEF guarantees that 100 percent of the purchase price gets to the field. Your donation/gift can brighten a child’s Christmas in even the darkest of circumstances, so please go to this website or call today and do your part to help this holiday season. 1 300 365 943 or www.unicef.org.au/saynotonaff
Events and Conferences
ILTM Cannes celebrates 10 years
This month ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) celebrated its 10th
anniversary, successfully completing another banner experience for the industry’s elite who convened in Cannes in early December. The leading annual business to business invitation-only event for the global luxury travel community facilitated almost 50,000 individual meetings through introducing 1250 high-end suppliers to 1250 VIP buyers. ILTM is considered the most relevant and important travel show for the luxury industry and Executive Edge ensures our agency is represented at ILTM Asia every year. “Luxury travel is based upon relationships. Sending an Executive Edge consultant (or sometimes two) to ILTM Asia every year represents a critical opportunity to meet new suppliers and new faces for our existing suppliers. It’s essential for developing and maintaining our company’s presence amongst the luxury travel community,”
said Yvonne Verstandig, Leisure Director for Executive Edge Travel & Events.
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