africa Travel M A G A Z I N E AIRLINE PROFILE COVER STORY Airlines Airports Aircraft Fly the World Fly Africa Fly-Drive Fly- Rail Fly-Cruise AFRAA Air Cargo Air Routes Air Security AirHighways Africa Travel Magazine 1 WHAT IS AFRICAʼS ROLE IN THE 16TH ANNUAL WORLD AIRLINES “ROUTES” CONVENTION IN VANCOUVER INTRODUCTION a natural by Editor Jerry W, Bird t for the 2010 Routes Rick Antonson (left), Larry Berg, conference, Michael Woodward, Michael which is Howarth expected to have a direct Rick Antonson, CEO of Tour- economic ism Vancouver has good reason impact of to be proud. His city is not only $1.9-million hosting the 2010 Winter Olym- on the local pics, it boasts a new world class economy. Convention Center ,which will Perfect the honor of writing a cover piece be the site of the 16th World Timing for the book and will providing Route Development Forum. YVR will be the local host for excerpts in our coming editions. Known simply as “Routes, ” the the convention, and the timing For more, visit www/africa-ata. event in September 2010 will couldn¿t be better. With the con- org/books.htm bring 2,000 decision-makers to ference taking place following the the city; key persons respon- First in North America 2010 Winter Olympics, delegates Routes, which has never before sible for determining which will enjoy the cultural legacies of been held in North America, is airlines y where in the world. the Games, while experiencing the key forum for international The announcement was made at YVR’s new International Termi- route planners from airlines and the 2007 Routes Conference in nal facilities and the Canada Line airports to meet during scheduled Stockholm, Sweden, at a sign- rapid transit link to downtown. one-on-one meetings to strike air ing ceremony attended by local For the Airport Authority’s avia- access deals. The Airport Author- travel and aviation representa- tion marketing group, Routes ity and Tourism Vancouver’s joint tives and international industry 2010 will also provide a great fo- proposal, which was endorsed by experts. rum for promoting new passenger BC Premier Gordon Campbell, The Africa Connection and cargo routes to YVR - another was selected through a competi- OK you ask- where does Africa opportunity to put our province tive bid process. Both the Airport t in the picture? Give me sever- and our airport on the global map. Authority’s Larry Berg and Tour- al hours or more please! To begin YVR. Vancouver ism Vancouver’s Rick Antonson with, Rick Antonson has close International Airport were on hand to celebrate the win. ties to Africa, similar to mine, Canada’s second busiest airport, Our growing status as a global with a love for the Continent YVR welcomed 17.5 million trade and travel destination and and its people. Along with my passengers, was the gateway for our role as host of the 2010 Win- friend Mr. Africa, Ogo Sow, who 226,234 tonnes of cargo, and had ter Olympics make Vancouver broadcasts from Atlanta, I had 274,410 runway takeoffs and the pleasure of interviewing Rick landings in 2007. Common-use regarding his recent book, “To self-service check-in kiosks al- Timbuktu for a Haircut.” I later low passengers to access multiple arranged a similar interview with airlines from one machine, check Sandy Dhuyvetter of TravelTalk in faster, and avoid line-ups. The Radio in San Francisco. I had kiosks are free, easy to use, and Africa Travel Magazine WHAT IS AFRICAʼS ROLE IN THE 16TH ANNUAL WORLD AIRLINES “ROUTES” CONVENTION IN VANCOUVER Coevorden, an old city in The Netherlands.[1] The population of the city of Vancouver is 578,041[2] and the population of Metro Vancouver is 2,116,581 (2007 estimate).[3] can be used by all guests. It takes lounge provides business class Vancouver is also part of the approximately 60 seconds to and rst class passengers ying slightly larger Lower Main- check in at a kiosk, making them with British Airways, Cathay land metropolitan area which a quick and convenient alternative Pacic, China Airlines, Mexicana comprises a total population of to traditional check-in processes. or Singapore Airlines a dedicated 2,285,900[3], making it the larg- YVR’s common-use self-ser- and comfortable full-service est metropolitan area in Western vice check-in kiosks are located check-in area. Passengers using Canada and the third largest in the throughout the terminals, in the YVR’s FasTrack Premium check- country.[4] Vancouver is ethni- parkade, at the Fairmont Vancou- in service are entitled to an expe- cally diverse, with 52% of city ver Airport Hotel, and at off-air- dited, hassle-free premium check- residents[5][6] and 43% of Metro port locations such as the Delta in experience. residents[7] having a rst lan- Vancouver Airport Hotel in Rich- Website:http://www.yvr.ca/index. guage other than English. mond, the Delta Vancouver Suites asp Vancouver was rst settled in the Hotel in downtown Vancouver, Why Vancouver? 1860s as a result of immigration and at the Vancouver Tourist Info Vancouver is a coastal city and caused by the Fraser Canyon Gold Centre, next door to the Fairmont major seaport located in the Rush, particularly from the United Waterfront Hotel in downtown Lower Mainland of southwestern States, although many immigrants Vancouver. British Columbia, Canada. It is did not remain after the rush. They are also located in Whis- the largest city in British Colum- The city developed rapidly from tler at the following off-airport bia and the second largest in the a small lumber mill town into a locations: Hilton Whistler, Delta Pacic Northwest region. It is metropolitan centre following Whistler, Tourism Whistler, Wes- bounded by the Strait of Georgia, the arrival of the transcontinen- tin Whistler, Four Seasons Whis- Burrard Inlet, the Fraser River, the tal railway in 1887. The Port of tler and Chateau Whistler. city of Burnaby, and the Univer- Vancouver became internation- Passengers checking in with the sity Endowment Lands. Vancou- ally signicant after the comple- kiosk system will receive a board- ver is named after Captain George tion of the Panama Canal, which ing pass to take with them to their Vancouver, a British explorer. The reduced freight rates in the 1920s gate at YVR, either directly or name Vancouver itself originates and made it viable to ship export- after dropping off their baggage from the bound prairie grain west through with the airline. Dutch Vancouver.[8] It has since become Premium “van Co- the busiest seaport in Canada, and Check-In evorden”, exports more cargo than any other YVR’s FasTrack denoting port in North America.[9] Premium check-in some- The economy of Vancouver has lounge is located body traditionally relied on British Co- just within the main from (in lumbia’s resource sectors: forest- doors of the interna- Dutch: ry, mining, shing and agriculture. tional terminal. The “van”) Continued on page 46 Africa Travel Magazine 3 FLYING THE WORLDʼS AIR HIGHWAYS TO AND FROM AFRICA WITH MORE DESTINATIONS AND ROUTES The following items are courtesy within reach and of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Thome who ever overtaken by BRUSSELS AIRLINES resides in Kampla Uganda and new demands when SEEKS 5TH A330 TO writes about activities in East ICAO’s regulatory ADD TO FLEET Africa and the Indian Ocean area. regime was amended, It was learned earlier in A monumental assignment, which likely as a result of the week that Brussels he performs with the style and the post 9/11 fallout Airlines was in the dedication of a true professional. for aviation safety process of procuring a 5th Africa Travel Magazine is pleased and security. Only A330-200 aircraft to add to receive his weekly reports, a handful of countries in Africa to their eet ahead of a planned which adds greatly to the fabric of have the highly valued status, network and frequency expansion our publications. including South Africa, Ethiopia to the African continent, as the and Egypt, where the respective world is coming out of the long UGANDA AND US SIGN OPEN national airlines all y to the US global recession, which has SKIES AGREEMENT and in turn permit US carriers to impacted on the performance of A new bilateral air services y to their main airport. Kenya many airlines. agreement was signed last week, was said to be close last year to In Eastern Africa SN serves which – upon meeting other be granted the Cat 1 status but the Entebbe, Bujumbura, Kigali and conditionalities – will permit the planned ights by Delta Airlines Nairobi but has no 5th freedom start of direct ights between were unceremoniously halted by rights for their ‘triangular’ Entebbe and any airport in US authorities on the eve of the ights which always include a the United States. One of the inaugural ight, citing unspecied waypoint, while in West Africa remaining prerequisites is the and obscure ‘security concerns’ the respective governments need to attain FAA Category and setting back the new route by were happy to extend this One status, often in the past at least a year. Africa Travel Magazine FLYING THE WORLDʼS AIR HIGHWAYS TO AND FROM AFRICA WITH MORE DESTINATIONS AND ROUTES privilege to the carrier to enhance Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa, connectivity between major ensuring high visibility amongst a by 31st January 2010. It could cities. This column’s SN contact key consumer group. not be established if the recent would however not be drawn introduction of yet another tax into discussions whether SN BA OFFERS SPECIAL on air travel by the UK’ labour has actively sought 5th freedom CHRISTMAS FARES government is responsible for rights for ights say between British Airways has now launched the extraordinarily high element Kigali and Entebbe or between their Christmas sales with a of taxes and other charges on the Kigali, Bujumbura and Entebbe to fare to London – no details are ticket, which if true may make the Nairobi or vice versa, depending available for other European use of other carriers preferable, on how the ights operate.