Corporate Travel News For South Pacific

Virgin Australia announced (25-May-2017) it will begin selling codeshare services on Air Canada between Los Angeles and three major Canadian cities, increasing connections between Australia and Canada. The announcement represents the implementation of the first phase of the strategic cooperation agreement between the carriers, following an MoU in Dec-2016. The codeshare includes allowing customers travelling on Virgin Australia's 18 times weekly Australia-Los Angeles services to book travel on Air Canada's services between Los Angeles and Toronto, Calgary and Montreal. Virgin Australia group executive John Thomas stated: "This codeshare agreement will make it easier for Australians to visit Canada and for Canadians to explore more of Australia. Canada is an important inbound tourism market for Australia, with visitors spending AUD800 million (USD595.4 million) in 2016 and visitor arrivals increasing in 2016 by seven per cent year on year". [more - original PR]

Australia's Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester commented (26-May-2017) on the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics' most recent International Airline Activity report, stating a highlight of the report was passenger traffic between Australia and China reaching 2.48 million in 2016, an increase of 28.7% year on year. Australia experienced a 7.9% increase in its international aviation passenger numbers in 2016, a number which will double passenger numbers in less than 10 years if the rate continues. [more - original PR]

Bendigo Airport officially revealed (26-May-2017) its AUD15 million (USD11 million) redevelopment project. Works include development of a 1600m runway, three new taxiways, 25 hangars, lighting, signage and fencing infrastructure, as well as strengthening existing apron and taxiways. The work will enable larger aircraft carrying 70 passengers or up to 30 tonnes to land at the airport. more - original PR]

Australia's Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) reports (26-May-2017) the following international traffic highlights to/from Australia for 2016:

• Passengers: 37.6 million, +7.9% year-on-year;
• Available seats: 49.3 million, +9.9%;
• Flights: 190,376, +8.0%;
• Freight: 1.0 million tonnes, +3.9%;
• Mail: 36,631 tonnes, -2.0%;
• Aircraft movements: 193,607, +7.7%;
• Share of operated seats by region:
  • Southeast Asia: 36.0%;
  • New Zealand: 19.9%;
  • Northeast Asia: 17.7%;
  • Middle East: 11.3%;
  • North America: 8.6%;
  • Oceania: 4.7%;
  • Africa: 1.0%;
  • South America: 0.4%;
  • South Asia: 0.3%;
• Top 10 countries by passenger movements:
  • New Zealand;
  • Singapore;
  • United Arab Emirates;
  • USA;
  • Indonesia;
  • Hong Kong;
  • China;
  • Malaysia;
  • Thailand;
  • Japan;
• Top 10 international carriers:
• Share of passengers carried:
  • Qantas:15.6%;
  • Jetstar: 9.5%;
  • Emirates: 8.8%;
  • Singapore Airlines: 8.1%;
  • Air New Zealand: 6.8%;
  • Virgin Australia: 6.3%;
  • Cathay Pacific: 4.9%;
  • AirAsia X: 3.9%;
  • Etihad Airways: 3.1%;
  • China Southern Airlines: 2.9%;
  • Others: 30.2%;
• LCCs share: 18.2%, +1.8ppts. [more - original PR]

Air New Zealand announced (26-May-2017) it will operate 52 additional one-way services to Auckland and Dunedin during Mar-2018, to assist with increased demand as a result of the scheduled Ed Sheeran concerts in each location. The additional services will utilise the carrier's A320 and ATR aircraft in the days leading up to and after the singer's two Dunedin shows and three Auckland performances. [more - original PR]

Samoa's Bureau of Statistics reported (25-May-2017) visitor arrivals to Samoa increased 4.9% year-on-year in Dec-2016. Details include:

• Dec-2016:
  • Visitor arrivals: 18,677, +4.9% year-on-year;
    • New Zealand: 8378;
    • Australia: 4551;
    • USA: 1064;
• 2016:
  • Visitor arrivals: 145,740. [more - original PR]

Samoa's Minister of Finance Sili Epa Tuioti believes Polynesian Airlines must have a very solid business case for the Government to revive its international operations (Samoa Observer, 26-May-2017). Mr Sili stated: "The government is trying to make sure that we leverage other people resources, more services by Fiji Airways, more services by Air New Zealand, more services from Australia and we are looking at that. We appreciate that there is Fiji Airways flight that comes to us from Honolulu, maybe there's an opportunity for an additional flight or we invite Hawaiian Airlines to fly directly instead of us going to Pago".

Australia's Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) welcomed (25-May-2017) the Tasmanian Government's announcement of tourism funding within its 2017-18 Budget. TTF CEO Margy Osmond, congratulated the Hodgman Government on delivering the funding needed to further develop tourism as a key long-term driver of economic and jobs growth across the State. The Tasmanian Government allocated AUD11 million (USD8.2 million) to draw more tourists from around Australia and the world to Tasmania, AUD3.2 million (USD2.4 million) to transform TasTAFE's Drysdale campus into a Centre of Excellence for hospitality, and an additional AUD100 million (USD74.4 million) for the replacement of the Bass Strait passenger ferries. [more - original PR]

Tigerair Australia announced (26-May-2017) plans to increase Melbourne-Canberra frequency from seven to eight times weekly, effective 15-Sep-2017. The additional service is scheduled for Fridays. Tigerair Australia CEO Rob Sharp stated: "We have had a fantastic customer response to our Melbourne-Canberra service since we launched them in December last year". Canberra Airport MD Stephen Byron said Tigerair's faith in the potential of low cost flights had been endorsed by the enthusiastic response from Canberrans and travellers from the wider region. [more - original PR]

Qantas issued (24-May-2017) a request to Australia's International Air Services Commission (IASC) seeking to renew Determination [2008] IASC 103 on the US route. The renewal of this allocation includes unlimited passenger and cargo capacity for a period of 10 years and includes the following conditions:

• The capacity may be utilised by Qantas or another Australian carrier which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas;
• The capacity may be used by Qantas to provide joint services with any wholly-owned subsidiary and by any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Qantas Group to provide joint services with Qantas;
• The capacity may be used by Qantas to provide services jointly with American Airlines. [more - original PR]