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SINGAPORE Airlines is donating US$3 million in its first major involvement in a large-scale green project with long-term, sustainable benefits for the global environment.
Funds donated by the Airline will go towards supporting the Harapan Rainforest Initiative, a unique collaboration between international non-governmental organisations including BirdLife International and Burung Indonesia (BirdLife Partner in Indonesia).
Representatives from Singapore Airlines, BirdLife International and Yayasan KEHI sealed the agreement at a signing ceremony in Singapore. The Yayasan is an Indonesian not-for-profit foundation charged by the BirdLife consortium with the day-to-day management of the project.
Straddling Indonesia’s Jambi and South Sumatra provinces, Harapan Rainforest spans almost 100,000 hectares – an area about one-and-a-half times the size of Canberra.
The forest concession for Harapan was recently licensed to the BirdLife consortium by the Indonesian Government under a new regulation that allows forests, initially slated for felling or plantations, to be managed for long-term conservation and restoration.
Harapan is one of the world’s first forest protection and restoration concessions of this type, and the licences have been granted for almost 100 years.
Singapore Airlines’ contribution towards the protection and restoration of one of the most extensive tracts of lowland rainforest left in Indonesia reflects its strong belief that environmental efforts must focus on making a real and direct difference to the well-being of our planet, and sustain our shared environment for future generations.
Some of the wildlife in the Harapan Rainforest is at risk of extinction including the critically endangered Sumatran tiger, the clouded leopard, Malayan tapir and Asian elephant. The forest also boasts over 290 bird species, of which over 60 are considered under threat. New species are being discovered as regular scientific surveys are carried out in the area.
Harapan also plays a significant role in terms of engaging the local indigenous community. Around 800 people from the Bathin Sembilan indigenous group depend on the forest for their livelihood.
BirdLife International is the world's largest Partnership of national nature conservation organisations. The Nature Society (Singapore) is the BirdLife Partner in Singapore.
To find out more about the Harapan Rainforest Initiative, log on to http://harapanrainforest.org/.

Virgin chases growth

THE Virgin Blue Group of Airlines (VBA) Chief Executive Officer John Borghetti today announced the first phase of the Group’s network review aimed at delivering increased competition and capturing growth opportunities.
Mr Borghetti said: “As we enter a new era for Virgin Blue it is vital that we have the right aircraft on the right routes if we are to fully exploit our competitive advantages in the context of the Group’s three core business: domestic short haul, international medium haul and international long haul.
“We are adding capacity to routes with strong revenue potential and accordingly, removing capacity from services which are underperforming,” he said.
Key route and frequency changes
Pacific Blue international expansion (including previously announced increases)
• From 6 August 2010, Brisbane - Hamilton (New Zealand) flights increase from three to four flights per week.
Sydney – Hamilton flights ceased on 30 July;
• From 18 August 2010, Denpasar - Melbourne direct flights will increase from five flights per week to daily;
• From 19 August 2010, Perth – Phuket services will increase from two to three flights per week;
• From 17 September 2010, Brisbane – Dunedin services will increase from three to four flights per week; and
• From 31 October 2010, Christchurch – Melbourne frequency will increase from four flights per week to a daily service.
V Australia capacity increase into USA, South Africa and SE Asia
• From 19 October 2010, V Australia’s Sydney - Los Angeles schedules will be adjusted to a morning departure
from Sydney to provide travellers convenient same-day connections to the US East Coast;
• From 19 October, capacity on V Australia medium haul flights to Fiji will be taken up by Pacific Blue*;
• From December 2010, V Australia will operate daily services between Sydney and Los Angeles; and
• From December 2010 V Australia will also operate an additional service weekly between Melbourne and Johannesburg; Melbourne and Los Angeles; and Melbourne and Phuket.
Virgin Blue
Virgin Blue will continue to focus on strengthening its domestic operations, building on its recently increased frequency and capacity on key routes and the bi-lateral agreement with Sky West, increasing its reach into the burgeoning Western Australian intrastate market.

oneworld alliance expands

AIR BERLIN is to join oneworld, adding Europe's fifth largest airline and Germany's second biggest carrier to the airline alliance. Air Berlin group member Austria's NIKI will become an affiliate member of the alliance.
A memorandum of understanding between Air Berlin and oneworld was completed in the airline's Berlin home city this week, with a formal alliance membership agreement to be signed soon.
Air Berlin is expected to start flying as part of oneworld in early 2012 - just weeks before the opening of the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport, which is being built as a major new hub for Europe.
As a major player in the European air travel market, Air Berlin served in 2009 a total of 160 destinations in some 40 countries, operating almost 600 daily departures. It carried 28 million passengers, generating revenues of EUR 3.2 billion (US$4.5 billion). As of July 2010, Air Berlin operates a fleet of 165 aircraft, including Austria's NIKI, serving 168 destinations.
When it becomes part of oneworld, its customers will gain access to almost 75 gateways to the oneworld map, expand the alliance's coverage to almost 900 destinations in nearly 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of 2,500 aircraft operating some 9,500 flights a day and carrying 340 million passengers a year.
Members of Air Berlin's top bonus frequent flyer programme will be able to earn and redeem rewards on any of oneworld's 13 other carriers, with top tier members able to use any of the group's 550 plus airport lounges, and its network will be covered by oneworld's full range of alliance fares. Frequent flyer cardholders of oneworld's established airlines will be able to earn and redeem rewards when flying Air Berlin.
As a starting point in its oneworld implementation, Air Berlin will develop one-on-one co-operative agreements with key established members of the alliance American Airlines and Finnair, to take effect this coming winter season. Bilateral agreements with British Airways and Iberia are planned to follow.
British Airways will support Air Berlin through its oneworld implementation programme as its alliance sponsor.

Emirates to bring more tourists to Victoria

EMIRATES and the Victorian State Government have signed an agreement to market Melbourne and Victoria to overseas visitors in the UK, Singapore, Malaysia and the Middle East.
The partnership builds on the already strong relationship between the Victorian Government and the airline. It will also benefit the regional destinations in Victoria that Emirates now offers connecting services, through its code share partnership with Virgin Blue.
Richard Jewsbury, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Far East & Australasia: “Since launching in 1996 Emirates has forged a strong commitment to Melbourne and Victoria, growing from four flights per week between Melbourne and Dubai, to our current 21 flights per week between Melbourne and Dubai and daily flights to Auckland, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.
“Emirates now flies between more than 100 cities in over 60 countries, giving Victoria prime access to visitors from these regions including key UK regional hubs like Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow.
“We hope to continue to this commitment and growth in the years to come.”
Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding said: “It is an important move for Victoria’s tourism industry and for Melbourne as a premier gateway city to Australia.
“This agreement is a strong confirmation of our commitment to work in partnership with Emirates to strengthen ties between Victoria and the countries they service,” Mr Holding said.
Emirates has a strong connection with Victoria as sponsors of the Melbourne Cup, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and AFL team Collingwood.
The airline has also recently announced more than 1,400 additional seats per week between Melbourne and Dubai, and close to 700 additional seats between Melbourne and Auckland with an upgrade to a Boeing 777 aircraft on two services. The upgrades also increase cargo capacity for Emirates SkyCargo operations by 20 per cent.
Emirates operates three daily services to Melbourne from Dubai. Australia-wide, Emirates has 70 flights per week between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Dubai. Emirates also has 28 flights per week trans-Tasman including the Melbourne to Auckland route.
For flight information and bookings contact Emirates on 1300 303 777, visit your local travel agent or www.emirates.com/au
Etihad heads for Egypt

ETIHAD Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will start a four flights-a-week service to Alexandria in Egypt from July, subject to government approval.
The service will operate every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from Etihad’s home base in Abu Dhabi to El Nouzha airport in Alexandria.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways Chief Executive, said: “Etihad is pleased to announce this new service to Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city.
“Alexandria is an important strategic destination which will serve the Egyptian expatriate population living in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE, as well as growing numbers of business and leisure travellers looking to fly to the city.”
The new service will offer air travellers convenient onward connections via Abu Dhabi to a number of key destinations across the airline’s global network, including the GCC, Australia, China, Japan and the Indian Sub Continent.
Etihad will operate an Airbus A320 aircraft on the Abu Dhabi to Alexandria route which is configured to carry 136 passengers. The airline started flights Cairo in November 2004 and flies double daily to the Egyptian capital.
Mr. Hogan added: “Etihad Airways is grateful to the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority for their support, which has enabled us to move forward with these important new services.”

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