July 10 2019 I No. 2551 SOUTHERN AFRICA’S TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY Uncapped WiFi at all locations GDS Access code CG www.clhg.com TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY TNW9264SD NEWS NEWS FEATURE MANGO CEO QANTAS FFP TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY Bezuidenhout to prioritise trade More seats and lower fees INSIDE Page 2 Page 3 Page 6 Thai – fourth TCs hit the road time lucky? ADELE MACKENZIE While operators say competitive pricing is key, it HE Tourism Authority should be realistic and not of Thailand (TAT) is in the “silly” R2 000 airfare Tnegotiations with Thai (excluding taxes) it offered Airways to reintroduce a direct previously. “It also needn’t be flight between South Africa a daily flight,” said product and Bangkok. and contracting manager Director of the TAT office in of kulula holidays, Wendy London, Chiravadee Khunsub, Goutier. She suggested could not say when the flights that the airline could fly two would be introduced but days a week and possibly expressed her confidence up its frequency during peak that negotiations would be season. successful. Lize Maartens, lead in “It ties in with our strategy marketing for STA Travel, to grow tourist numbers from reiterated a need for South Africa to 120 000 competitive fares, highlighting passengers – up from the that many travellers were 102 000 recorded in 2018 – happy to fly indirect. “They by the next financial year.” would pay a bit extra for When the national carrier convenience but only if the The Travel Counsellors recruitment team is travelling to cities throughout the country pulled out of South Africa price point is close.” to meet agents who are looking to start their own travel business. Roadshows will be for the third time in January Thompsons Holidays’ held in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town to meet the TC team, who will 2015, trade speculated that Vivienne Mellows, cautioned showcase TC’s tools and the support it offers agents, and answer any questions. The the extremely low fares and that a decision to re-introduce roadshows will take place on the following days: Pretoria – Sunday, July 14 at 14h00; seasonality of the destination a direct flight from South Johannesburg – Sunday, July 14 at 18h00; Durban – Monday, July 15 at 19h00; and had led to the decision to Africa would need to be long Cape Town – Tuesday, July 16 at 18h00. Pictured (from left): Lize Roodt, Kirsty Fourie withdraw. To page 16 and Chantel Smuts, all Travel Counsellors. Photo: Shannon Van Zyl Emirates gets serious about marriage SARAH ROBERTSON to clamp down on these. A violations occur. violation messages that may that even if a lower booking document outlining segment GDS users are now being be sent out include ‘ADM class is available separately EMIRATES is clamping down management guidelines notified through SSR OTHS applies due booking out of on two sectors of a flight on origin-destination and has been distributed to the messages on their PNR when sequence’, ‘Possible ADM due when requested independently, married segment violations, trade. Emirates says ADMs potential violations have BKD incomplete OD pair’ and no attempt should be made and is introducing a new will be issued to recover the occurred that may result in ‘ADMNBO booked as violation’. to link it to a long-haul process of managing PNRs funds the airline loses should ADMs. Examples of SSR The guidelines explain To page 2 TNW9248SD NEW STRIP ADS_finale black ad.indd 1 2019/06/20 12:45 NEWS Emirates gets serious Bezuidenhout to prioritise trade From page 1 married segments and that DEENA ROBINSON is in a better position than destination fare. marriages are effective for before. He says it nearly It also states that when both waitlisted and confirmed HE travel trade can broke even during the first requesting a fresh availability, segments. expect to hear more quarter of the year, a time agents are required to book The agent says, to the best from Mango following when demand is normally in sequence of travel. An of his knowledge, Emirates T the appointment of Nico low. The Federal Air division agent who books the airline was currently the only airline Bezuidenhout as ceo. Nico’s of the airline is profitable, the frequently told TNW: “If, sending out SSR messages appointment is effective Mozambique operations are as an example, you are warning of potential segment October 1. stabilising after a “difficult” booking a Johannesburg- violation ADMs. “One of my first priorities time and the codeshare with New York ticket, you must Emirates says ADMs for upon returning to Mango will LAM-Mozambique Airlines not first book the New these violations will cost be to engage actively with the York-Johannesburg flights US$250 (R3 545) for one- has proved useful to fastjet, on August 20, followed by way economy-class tickets; SA market, including the travel he says. Johannesburg-New York on $400 (R5 674) for return trade, as I believe it to be an Nico’s focus in his last August 10. It is important economy-class tickets; important part of driving sales months at fastjet will be on to book all flights in the $400 (R5 674) for one- for Mango,” says Nico. the airline’s operations in sequence of travel in order way business- or first-class He admits that during his Zimbabwe. He also plans to avoid being issued with an tickets; and $700 (R9 929) three-year tenure at fastjet, to focus on the exit out of ADM.” for return business- or first- he was relatively quiet in the Tanzania, which still needs to South African market. be concluded. In December The airline also specifies class tickets. ADMs are Nico Bezuidenhout that the entire connection issued in the local currency He was previously ceo of 2018, fastjet suspended its must be sold together for of the POS. Mango for 13 years and left been close to my heart and Tanzania operations a month in 2016 to join fastjet as when I was asked to come after a change in ownership of ceo, where he is still currently across and help make a the Tanzania subsidiary. ® employed. difference in its operations, I Current deputy group ceo Rubes By Leigh Rubin “I’ve been at fastjet for was very interested,” he says. of fastjet, Mark Hurst, will be three years and had a specific As for fastjet, Nico believes the interim ceo, during which objective of stabilising the that while there is a lot of time the airline will look for a airline. Mango has always work to be done, the airline permanent appointment. Rooms and More no more KIM COCHRANE household name brands that Rooms and More paid through to smaller, boutique agency commissions. TRAVELPORT will retire properties, is already These sentiments echoed Rooms and More on available through Travelport those shared by the trade August 3 to focus instead Smartpoint and this will on Travelinfo’s Open Jaw on its multisource content continue to expand. Facebook group, with strategy, confirms a A handful of travel members commenting company spokesperson. consultants contacted by on web alternatives that “Product retirement is a TNW said they had not aggregated hotel content crucial part of an end-to- used Rooms and More, and preferably paid end product management opting instead for some commission as opposed to lifecycle. Our aim is to of the many alternative nett rates, now that Rooms continue to move toward accommodation platforms and More was retiring. aggregated hotel content available, such as The discussion also from multiple sources Bedsonline, 24x7rooms, highlighted the importance delivered through a single Plum Accommodation or of checking the credentials, point of sale – Travelport Totalstay. insurance cover and Smartpoint – to enhance “Personally, I haven’t had guarantees of any platform the user experience.” a call to use the platform,” selected, as well as the A wide range of global said one consultant, need for effective local hotel content, from although she did appreciate support. Founding Editors: John H Marsh (1914-1996) Leona Marsh (1923-2003) SAA – superjet non-stop to NYC EDITORIAL TRAVEL NEWS WEEKLY Managing Editor: Natasha Schmidt [email protected] www.etnw.co.za SOUTH African Airways is to features, a quieter cabin and a reduced operating costs. We Assistant Editor: Catherine Bower [email protected] Published by introduce its new Airbus A350- modern inflight entertainment know what the causes of the Journalists: Sarah Robertson 900 on the daily direct service system. Travel & Trade Publishing (Pty) Ltd Deena Robinson financial bleed are and we are Printed by Juka Printing (Pty) Ltd between Johannesburg and The A350 is expected to addressing them.” Phone: (011) 327-4062 Photographer: Shannon Van Zyl New York. reduce SAA’s fuel burn on The flight schedule is as Fax: (011) 327-4094 Production Editor: Ann Braun The airline is supplementing the route by up to 20%, follows: E-mail: [email protected] its existing long-haul fleet with contributing to significantly Flight SA203 departs Web: www.nowmedia.co.za PUBLISHER the new aircraft, which has reduced operational costs and Johannesburg at 21h00, Address: Now Media Centre, Natasha Schmidt [email protected] 32 Fricker Road, Illovo Boulevard, 246 economy-class seats, with improved carbon emissions. arriving in New York at 06h40 the first six rows offering extra Tlali Tlali, head of department: the following day. Illovo, Johannesburg. GROUP PUBLISHER PO Box 55251, Northlands, David Marsh [email protected] leg-room. Business-class seats Media Relations at SAA told Flight SA 204 departs New 2116, South Africa. recline to lie-flat beds. TNW: “The intention is improve York at 11h15, arriving in ADVERTISING The aircraft is state of the our overall performance on Johannesburg the following day Sales: Kate Nathan [email protected] art, offering the latest safety the route by focusing on at 08h05.