Corporate Travel News For The Americas

Delta Air Lines subsidiary Delta Private Jets appointed (18-Jul-2017) Virgin Australia former COO Gary Hammes as president. Mr Hammes will be responsible for both financial and operational performance, growing the Delta Private Jets brand and the travel solution, as well as transforming the customer service platform. [more - original PR]

Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) reported (14-Jul-2017) Australian Overseas Arrival Data shows China is set to overtake New Zealand for the first time as Australia's biggest source of international visitors "within months if current trends continue". TTF also stated that the "incredible" resurgence of travellers from the US to Australia "continues to be this year's surprise success story". [more - original PR]

Fiji Airways announced (13-Jul-2017) its business class guests as Los Angeles International Airport will have access to the oneworld Lounge, located on Level 5 of the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Access to the lounge will be offered exclusively to Fiji Airways guests seated in business class and eligible Tabua Members. [more - original PR]

Virgin Australia issued (11-Jul-2017) a request to Australia's International Air Services Commission (IASC) seeking to renew the following determinations allocating capacity on routes which are due to expire within the next 12 months:

• [2007] IASC 118, allocating capacity on the New Zealand route;
• [2008] IASC 110, allocating capacity on the United States route;
• [2013] IASC 106 and [2013] IASC 107, allocating capacity on the Fiji route;
• [2013] IASC 108 and [2013] IASC 109, allocating capacity on the Vanuatu route. [more - original PR]

Virgin Australia, via its official website, announced (10-Jul-2017) changes to its frequent flyer programme with Air New Zealand. From 01-Nov-2017, points can only be earned for travel on Air New Zealand operated domestic flights within New Zealand and Air New Zealand operated Trans Tasman flights. Other changes to the programme include Velocity points and status credits not being earned on Air New Zealand Trans Pacific flights to and from the Americas.

Flight Centre Travel Group secured (07-Jul-2017) two separate deals to acquire Olympus Tours, a Mexico based destination management company and Bespoke Hospitality Management Asia, a Thailand based regional operator of design and lifestyle leisure hotels. Flight Centre Travel Group MD Graham Turner stated: "Expanding our in-destination network is a key global strategy and we are starting to develop strong foundations in this sector through our tour operators, destination management companies and hotel management businesses". [more - original PR]

Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) updated (05-Jul-2017) its FY2017 guidance after a solid second half recovery. FLT expects to achieve an underlying profit before tax of AUD325-330 million (USD247-251 million) for the year ending 30-Jun-2017, after achieving record full year sales and solid second half profit growth. FY2017 total transaction value is expected to top AUD20 billion (USD15 billion), in line with the company's expectations. FLT MD Graham Turner stated the company's second half profit growth had been underpinned by strong results in North America, with the US business now on track for a record profit and the Canada business set to record significant year-on-year improvement. [more - original PR]

JetGo Australia announced (04-Jul-2017) plans to launch service from Illawarra Regional Airport (IRA) in Oct-2017, subject to final regulatory approval. The services will include nine times weekly Illawarra-Melbourne (Essendon) and six times weekly Illawarra-Brisbane services utilising 44 seat Embraer ERJ-140LR regional jet aircraft. Shellharbour City Mayor Marianne Saliba stated: "This announcement represents a significant milestone for our regional community. Our partnership with JetGo will directly link our region to the second and third most populous cities in Australia, providing a significant boost to our regional economy and tourism sector by offering greater connectivity for families, businesses and other services". JetGo MD Paul Bredereck stated the organisation chose IRA because it was the only major Australian population centre that did not have its own scheduled airline services. [more - original PR]

Destination NSW announced (05-Jul-2017) NSW overtook Queensland as the most popular State in Australia for international travellers to experience Aboriginal tourism, with the sector growing by 62% in visitor participation in the year ending Mar-2017. NSW's Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall stated the NSW Aboriginal tourism sector attracted visitors from around the world, including travellers from China, the US and UK. More than 332,000 international travellers to NSW took part in an Aboriginal cultural experience in the year ending Mar-2017. These visitors spent an estimated AUD1.3 billion (USD1 billion) during their visit. [more - original PR]

Australia's Government launched (01-Jul-2017) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between Australia and the Pacific Alliance - the Latin American trading bloc made up of Mexico, Chile, Peru and Colombia. Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo stated: "An FTA with the Pacific Alliance will create new export opportunities for Australian farmers, miners, manufacturers, educators, service providers and investors in some of Latin America's major economies". Australia is one of the first countries to launch FTA negotiations with the Pacific Alliance. [more - original PR]