Corporate Travel News For South Pacific

Australia's Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) reported (31-May-2017) the following international traffic highlights to/from Australia for Mar-2017:

• Passengers: 3.1 million, +1.7% year-on-year;
• Available seats: 4.3 million, +6.2%;
• Flights: 16,155, +3.3%;
• Cargo: 96,220 tonnes, +9.6%;
• Aircraft movements: 16,155, +3.3%;
• Top 10 international carriers:
  • Share of passengers carried:
    • Qantas: 16.4%, +0.8ppt;
    • Jetstar: 9.3%, -0.4ppt;
    • Emirates: 8.3%, -1.0ppt;
    • Singapore Airlines: 8.2%, +0.2ppt;
    • Air New Zealand: 7.4%, -0.3ppt;
    • Virgin Australia: 5.9%, -0.8ppt;
    • Cathay Pacific Airways: 4.9%, -0.4ppt;
    • AirAsia X: 4.1%, +0.5ppt;
    • Etihad Airways: 3.1%, +0.2ppt;
    • China Southern Airlines: 2.9%, -0.1ppt;
  • Share of cargo carried:
    • Singapore Airlines: 16.3%, -1.3ppts;
    • Qantas: 12.8%, -1.0ppt;
    • Emirates: 10.0%, -2.8ppts;
    • Cathay Pacific Airways: 7.2%, -0.3ppt;
    • Air New Zealand: 5.5%, +0.4ppt;
    • Malaysia Airlines: 3.5%, +1.0ppt;
    • Etihad Airways: 3.2%, +0.2ppt;
    • Thai Airways: 3.2%, -0.3ppt;
    • Qatar Aiways: 3.0%, +0.5ppt;
    • China Southern Airlines: 3.0%, -0.2ppt. [more - original PR]

BITRE also reported LCCs AirAsia X, Cebu Pacific Air, Indonesia AirAsia, Jetstar, Jetstar Asia and Scoot accounted for 17.2% of total international passenger traffic to/from Australia in Mar-2017. LCC share in Mar-2016 was 17.8%.

Lihir Island Airport landowners threatened to suspend airport operations indefinitely following failed attempts at resolving compensation demands with the airport operator (Papua New Guinea Today, 31-May-2017). The airport handles regular scheduled service by Air Nuigini and PNG Air from Rabaul, Port Moresby and Kavieng, as well as medical, fly in fly out and other general aviation services.

Jetgo Australia, via its official Facebook page, announced (30-May-2017) the addition of an Albury-Brisbane frequency to its scheduled service. Commencing 22-Jul-2017, the additional frequency will result in Jetgo operating daily service on the route.

American Airlines adjusted operational equipment for Los Angeles-Auckland service, originally scheduled with Boeing 787-9 aircraft (Routes Online, 30-May-2017). Daily service will instead operate with 787-8 aircraft from 25-Mar-2018 to 03-May-2018.

Sydney Airport announced (30-May-2017) the following resolutions were approved during its annual general meeting on 30-May-2017:

• Adoption of remuneration report for the 12 months ended 31-Dec-2016;
• Re-election of Stephen Ward and Ann Sherry AO as directors for the following term;
• Giving termination benefits to outgoing CEO Kerrie Mather;
• Increase maximum aggregate remuneration payable to non-executive directors from AUD2 million (USD1.49 million) p/a to AUD2.5 million (USD1.86 million) p/a;
• Re-election of Patrick Gourley as a director of The Trust Company (Sydney Airport) Limited. [more - original PR]

Fiji Airways and the Fiji National University announced plans to establish the Fiji Aviation Academy leading to commercial pilot licences and certification (Fiji Times, 30-May-2017). Fiji National University vice chancellor Professor Nigel Healey said the two organisations would establish a jointly owned subsidiary which would manage the training school and provide flight simulator training utilising A330 and Boeing 737 aircraft. In the first instances the course will be for Fiji Airways' employees and then later made available for students for commercial licensing.

Tourism Australia launched (30-May-2017) a new website dedicated to assisting international organisations connect with Australians for business events. Tourism Australia undertook comprehensive research with international business events planners and decision makers, to ensure the new site delivers relevant up to the minute information on Australia in the most accessible and appealing ways. Tourism Australia MD John O'Sullivan stated "Australia is leading the way when it comes to delivering business events that exceed expectations, and our new website was created to ensure we also set a benchmark in providing planners and decision makers with an innovative, informative, visually-stunning and easy-to-use website". [more - original PR]

Air New Zealand announced (30-May-2017) it will operate additional flights to regional towns and cities in response to strong customer demand during the New Zealand rugby season. Air New Zealand intends to add at least 46 extra domestic services throughout the country over the next five weeks, adding 3500 seats over the period with a mix of extra A320, ATR and Q300 services. The additional services are to be operated between Auckland and Dunedin, Rotorua, Blenheim, Whangarei and Palmerston North and between Wellington and Christchurch, Tauranga and Gisborne. Air New Zealand also plans to operate several domestic charter services on dates where there will be very high demand, including two with Boeing 777-200 aircraft. [more - original PR]

Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi confirmed Polynesian Airlines entered negotiation with Fiji Airways related to plans to resume international operations, and is considering a partnership with Fiji Airways (Sunday Samoan, 28-May-2017). Negotiations are expected to cover five to six months, focusing on routes "not covered by our flights, yet are being covered by Fiji Airways" according to Mr Malielegaoi. Polynesian Airlines reportedly plans to lease at least one widebody aircraft from Fiji Airways. Samoa informed Virgin Australia Group earlier in May-2017 that it has decided not to renew their JV agreement.

Qantas provided (29-May-2017) a network update, covering additional and expanded codeshare arrangements with Fiji Airways. Qantas will add its code to Fiji Airways' twice weekly Adelaide-Nadi service, which commences on 30-Jun-2017. This adds to Qantas' existing codeshare arrangements on Fiji Airways services between Nadi, Suva and destinations in Australia, New Zealand and the US. Separately, Fiji Airways will add its code to Qantas service between Singapore and Perth. [more - original PR]