MFA issues Egypt travel advisory
Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry has advised all Singaporeans to postpone all non-essential travel to Egypt.
This follows large-scale protests which have erupted in various parts of the country including downtown Cairo.
The ministry has also advised Singaporeans who are in cities such as Alexandria and Suez to remain indoors as far as possible and avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place.
Singaporeans already in Egypt should immediately register themselves through the MFA's website.
The ministry added that doing so will enable the Ministry as well as Singapore's embassy in Cairo to contact them and render consular assistance in case of emergencies.
Channel NewsAsia talked to Asyraf Kassim, a Singaporean who is studying at the Al Azhar University in Cairo.
He said: "Now the curfew time is 4pm till 8am in the morning. We can see all the Egyptians and everybody here are.....stocking up goods, just in case (the situation gets worse). Singaporeans here are about 200 plus, though I can't be sure. We are quite 'ok'. The student body of the Singaporean students here has contacted the embassy. If the situation here gets worse, we're ordered to evacuate."
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Heavy traffic expected at land checkpoints
Heavy traffic expected at land checkpoints during Lunar New Year
Heavy traffic is expected to flow through the land checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas next week given the approaching Lunar New Year holidays, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
For vehicles departing from Singapore, the traffic build-up is expected to start from February 1 and continue throughout the festive period.
For vehicles arriving into Singapore, traffic is expected to be particularly heavy on February 5 and last till February 6.
ICA said travellers using the land checkpoints during these periods can expect delays.
To avoid the surge of people and vehicles seeking clearance at the land checkpoints, travellers are advised to adjust their travel plans and avoid the peak periods altogether
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Heavy traffic is expected to flow through the land checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas next week given the approaching Lunar New Year holidays, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
For vehicles departing from Singapore, the traffic build-up is expected to start from February 1 and continue throughout the festive period.
For vehicles arriving into Singapore, traffic is expected to be particularly heavy on February 5 and last till February 6.
ICA said travellers using the land checkpoints during these periods can expect delays.
To avoid the surge of people and vehicles seeking clearance at the land checkpoints, travellers are advised to adjust their travel plans and avoid the peak periods altogether
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Tiger Airways Q3 net profit up 60%
Tiger Airways Q3 net profit up 60%
Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd. said its third quarter net profit rose by 60.3 per cent year-on-year due to higher average passenger fares and strict cost management.
The budget carrier, which is 34.4 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines, said it made a net profit of S$22.6 million in the October-December quarter, up from S$14.1 million in the year-ago quarter.
Revenue for the airline, which operates across Asia and Australia, grew 22.2 per cent to S$170.4 million during the same period.
The company warned that the recent weather events on the east coast of Australia would have an adverse impact on earnings for Tiger Airways Australia in the fourth quarter.
As a consequence, plans to increase the fleet beyond the current 10 aircraft in Australia have been deferred until April 2011, it said.
However, it said that given the growth opportunities in Asia, Tiger Airways Singapore would increase its capacity from April to October by 41 per cent year-on-year.
The company would also maintain its plan to grow its fleet by 40 per cent, from 25 aircraft currently to 35 aircraft by March 2012.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd. said its third quarter net profit rose by 60.3 per cent year-on-year due to higher average passenger fares and strict cost management.
The budget carrier, which is 34.4 per cent owned by Singapore Airlines, said it made a net profit of S$22.6 million in the October-December quarter, up from S$14.1 million in the year-ago quarter.
Revenue for the airline, which operates across Asia and Australia, grew 22.2 per cent to S$170.4 million during the same period.
The company warned that the recent weather events on the east coast of Australia would have an adverse impact on earnings for Tiger Airways Australia in the fourth quarter.
As a consequence, plans to increase the fleet beyond the current 10 aircraft in Australia have been deferred until April 2011, it said.
However, it said that given the growth opportunities in Asia, Tiger Airways Singapore would increase its capacity from April to October by 41 per cent year-on-year.
The company would also maintain its plan to grow its fleet by 40 per cent, from 25 aircraft currently to 35 aircraft by March 2012.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Jetstar expects 6 months delay for its first Boeing 787
Jetstar expects 6 months delay for its first Boeing 787
Jetstar said it is expecting delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner by the end of 2012 or early 2013.
That is a delay of at least six months as the airline had previously expected to receive its first Dreamliner by mid 2012.
In total, the Boeing 787 is now delayed by about 3 years.
But Jetstar is not unduly worried.
"That hasn't impact on our long haul growth plan because we have back through a lot of growth plans with additional A330 long haul aircraft, and that's given us the capability to routes like Melbourne-Singapore, Singapore-Auckland. And whatever we do at the end of the year, it will also be with additional A330 aircrafts," said Jetstar's Chief Executive Bruce Buchanan.
Boeing said it will deliver the first Dreamliner to All Nippon Airways (ANA) by the third quarter of this year.
Qantas Airways has previously ordered 50 of these jets for both Jetstar and itself to help expansion plans in the long haul market.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Jetstar said it is expecting delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner by the end of 2012 or early 2013.
That is a delay of at least six months as the airline had previously expected to receive its first Dreamliner by mid 2012.
In total, the Boeing 787 is now delayed by about 3 years.
But Jetstar is not unduly worried.
"That hasn't impact on our long haul growth plan because we have back through a lot of growth plans with additional A330 long haul aircraft, and that's given us the capability to routes like Melbourne-Singapore, Singapore-Auckland. And whatever we do at the end of the year, it will also be with additional A330 aircrafts," said Jetstar's Chief Executive Bruce Buchanan.
Boeing said it will deliver the first Dreamliner to All Nippon Airways (ANA) by the third quarter of this year.
Qantas Airways has previously ordered 50 of these jets for both Jetstar and itself to help expansion plans in the long haul market.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
More Bali flights scrapped due to volcano
More Bali flights scrapped due to volcano
A total of 16 international flights to and from the resort island of Bali were cancelled Friday, as dangerous ash continued to belch out from an Indonesian volcano, airlines said.
Thousands of foreign tourists, mostly from Australia, remain stranded on the island after a cloud of ash from Java's Mount Bromo drifted into airspace over Bali on Thursday.
The latest cancellations mean about 30 services have been scrapped in the past 24 hours due to volcanic ash.
Australian budget airline Jetstar said on Friday it had cancelled all seven of its return services from Australia and Singapore to Bali.
"We have to take a safety-first approach," Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway told Australian radio. "The complexity is that while visibility can come and go, there is volcanic ash in the vicinity of Denpasar airport."
A spokeswoman for the company said 1,600 of its passengers had been stranded in Bali by the cancellations, the Australian Associated Press reported.
Virgin Blue, also a budget airline from Australia, said it had cancelled five morning flights to and from Bali. Almost 900 of its travellers were stuck on the island, AAP said.
Cathay Pacific also scrapped two flights.
But a spokeswoman for Bali's Denpasar Airport, Sherly Yunita, said domestic and some international airlines were continuing to arrive and depart from the airport.
"It depends on the airline's decision," she said.
Singapore Airlines and China Airlines, which had cancelled some flights on Thursday, had resumed services, she added.
Mount Bromo began rumbling in November and the government had raised the eruption threat warning to the maximum red alert before lowering it last month.
The head of Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre, Surono, said Mount Bromo was "belching ash about 1,000 metres from the crater".
"It's actually the strong wind that caused the ash to go in certain directions. If airlines prefer to be cautious then it's up to them."
The Australian Government issued a travel notice on Friday, advising its citizens that the disruptions "could continue in Bali and could also occur in other parts of Indonesia".
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
A total of 16 international flights to and from the resort island of Bali were cancelled Friday, as dangerous ash continued to belch out from an Indonesian volcano, airlines said.
Thousands of foreign tourists, mostly from Australia, remain stranded on the island after a cloud of ash from Java's Mount Bromo drifted into airspace over Bali on Thursday.
The latest cancellations mean about 30 services have been scrapped in the past 24 hours due to volcanic ash.
Australian budget airline Jetstar said on Friday it had cancelled all seven of its return services from Australia and Singapore to Bali.
"We have to take a safety-first approach," Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway told Australian radio. "The complexity is that while visibility can come and go, there is volcanic ash in the vicinity of Denpasar airport."
A spokeswoman for the company said 1,600 of its passengers had been stranded in Bali by the cancellations, the Australian Associated Press reported.
Virgin Blue, also a budget airline from Australia, said it had cancelled five morning flights to and from Bali. Almost 900 of its travellers were stuck on the island, AAP said.
Cathay Pacific also scrapped two flights.
But a spokeswoman for Bali's Denpasar Airport, Sherly Yunita, said domestic and some international airlines were continuing to arrive and depart from the airport.
"It depends on the airline's decision," she said.
Singapore Airlines and China Airlines, which had cancelled some flights on Thursday, had resumed services, she added.
Mount Bromo began rumbling in November and the government had raised the eruption threat warning to the maximum red alert before lowering it last month.
The head of Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre, Surono, said Mount Bromo was "belching ash about 1,000 metres from the crater".
"It's actually the strong wind that caused the ash to go in certain directions. If airlines prefer to be cautious then it's up to them."
The Australian Government issued a travel notice on Friday, advising its citizens that the disruptions "could continue in Bali and could also occur in other parts of Indonesia".
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Only nine bus operators at Bandar Tasik Selatan
Only nine bus operators at Bandar Tasik Selatan terminal
CROWDS are still nowhere to be seen at the Integrated Transportation Terminal-Bandar Tasik Selatan (ITT-BTS) as only nine bus operators have relocated to the building.
Fifty-one bus operators are supposed to relocate to the new terminal from the temporary one in Bukit Jalil.
The new terminal was quiet and empty with only a few passengers waiting for buses.
It is also learnt that besides the south-bound routes, Taiping is the only destination for express buses heading north.
There has also been a lot of confusion because some travellers were told to change their tickets as the ones bought at the temporary bus terminal in Bukit Jalil cannot be used.
Nur Eimie Nadia Moh, who bought her ticket to Malacca at the Bukit Jalil terminal last week had to exchange her ticket for a new one.
Another passenger Sundaram Padiachee, who was also waiting to board the bus to Malacca, said there was not much information about the relocation and many were still confused.
“Many of us still go to Bukit Jalil as there are still some bus operators in Bukit Jalil and this is confusing the people.
“There should be more notices informing passengers on the relocation otherwise people will be confused,” he said.
Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said most of the operators who had relocated to the new terminal were smaller companies without their own e-ticketing systems.
“The companies with their own ticketing systems will not be using the ITT-BTS system,
“Most of them are waiting for their own counters to be ready,” he said.
Initially, the terminal operator, Maju TMAS, had insisted that bus companies use its computerised ticketing system.
“We are also worried because some of the tickets have been sold months ahead before the relocation to the new terminal. This is causing some confusion and we do not want to have problems for travellers during the Chinese New Year period,” said Ashfar.
He said the RM1 ticket surcharge together with the operating cost of RM10 per entry and RM10 per exit for each bus imposed by Maju TMAS was also put on hold during the meeting.
“Maju TMAS has agreed in principle to lower the rates and give the bus operators more counters. We had a meeting on Friday, however, no decision has been made. We are still waiting for their decision this week.
“We hope that some sort of agreement can be made soon for the benefit of the bus operators and passengers,” said Ashfar.
Meanwhile, CVLB chairman Datuk Halimah Sadique said express bus operators serving the southern routes had been given until Jan 31 to shift to the new terminal. According to Halimah, the extension was given after discussions with bus operators.
“It is not easy to shift the operators and it will be done in two phases. she said,
Halimah said operators for KL to Malacca route were given until Jan 16 to shift, while those serving the KL- Johor Baru route will be given until Jan 31 to move.
Halimah said the main problem that hampered the move was the ticketing system which were being addressed.
-News courtesy of The Star-
CROWDS are still nowhere to be seen at the Integrated Transportation Terminal-Bandar Tasik Selatan (ITT-BTS) as only nine bus operators have relocated to the building.
Fifty-one bus operators are supposed to relocate to the new terminal from the temporary one in Bukit Jalil.
The new terminal was quiet and empty with only a few passengers waiting for buses.
It is also learnt that besides the south-bound routes, Taiping is the only destination for express buses heading north.
There has also been a lot of confusion because some travellers were told to change their tickets as the ones bought at the temporary bus terminal in Bukit Jalil cannot be used.
Nur Eimie Nadia Moh, who bought her ticket to Malacca at the Bukit Jalil terminal last week had to exchange her ticket for a new one.
Another passenger Sundaram Padiachee, who was also waiting to board the bus to Malacca, said there was not much information about the relocation and many were still confused.
“Many of us still go to Bukit Jalil as there are still some bus operators in Bukit Jalil and this is confusing the people.
“There should be more notices informing passengers on the relocation otherwise people will be confused,” he said.
Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said most of the operators who had relocated to the new terminal were smaller companies without their own e-ticketing systems.
“The companies with their own ticketing systems will not be using the ITT-BTS system,
“Most of them are waiting for their own counters to be ready,” he said.
Initially, the terminal operator, Maju TMAS, had insisted that bus companies use its computerised ticketing system.
“We are also worried because some of the tickets have been sold months ahead before the relocation to the new terminal. This is causing some confusion and we do not want to have problems for travellers during the Chinese New Year period,” said Ashfar.
He said the RM1 ticket surcharge together with the operating cost of RM10 per entry and RM10 per exit for each bus imposed by Maju TMAS was also put on hold during the meeting.
“Maju TMAS has agreed in principle to lower the rates and give the bus operators more counters. We had a meeting on Friday, however, no decision has been made. We are still waiting for their decision this week.
“We hope that some sort of agreement can be made soon for the benefit of the bus operators and passengers,” said Ashfar.
Meanwhile, CVLB chairman Datuk Halimah Sadique said express bus operators serving the southern routes had been given until Jan 31 to shift to the new terminal. According to Halimah, the extension was given after discussions with bus operators.
“It is not easy to shift the operators and it will be done in two phases. she said,
Halimah said operators for KL to Malacca route were given until Jan 16 to shift, while those serving the KL- Johor Baru route will be given until Jan 31 to move.
Halimah said the main problem that hampered the move was the ticketing system which were being addressed.
-News courtesy of The Star-
Monday, January 17, 2011
Qantas resumes A380 flights to USA
Qantas resumes A380 flights to USA
Qantas has resumed its A380 service to USA, which was grounded last November after a mid-air engine blast.
QF93 left Melbourne at noon on Sunday.
The airline said the resumption of its Los Angeles-Australia route comes after extensive engineering analysis and consultation with Rolls-Royce, Airbus and the European and Australian regulators.
Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said the airline is progressively re-introducing A380s to its network as engine inspection continues.
Qantas will operate 14 A380 services per week for the remainder of January, and frequency will steadily increase from February onwards.
Qantas grounded its fleet of six A380s for intensive safety checks more than two months ago after the mid-air engine blast which forced the Singapore-Australia flight to turn back to Singapore.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Qantas has resumed its A380 service to USA, which was grounded last November after a mid-air engine blast.
QF93 left Melbourne at noon on Sunday.
The airline said the resumption of its Los Angeles-Australia route comes after extensive engineering analysis and consultation with Rolls-Royce, Airbus and the European and Australian regulators.
Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said the airline is progressively re-introducing A380s to its network as engine inspection continues.
Qantas will operate 14 A380 services per week for the remainder of January, and frequency will steadily increase from February onwards.
Qantas grounded its fleet of six A380s for intensive safety checks more than two months ago after the mid-air engine blast which forced the Singapore-Australia flight to turn back to Singapore.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Terminal bus Bandar Tasik Selatan opens tomorrow
Terminal bus Bandar Tasik Selatan opens tomorrow
The Integrated Transportation Terminal Bandar Tasik Selatan (ITT-BTS) is set to open tomorrow despite a Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry directive postponing it to Feb 2.
The ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib, said the terminal would be opened on Feb 2 simultaneously with the Puduraya bus terminal.
“In accordance to the views of residents, the ministry is urging the Public Private Partnership Unit (Ukas) and Maju TMAS (Terminal Management & Services) to review the distribution of the retail lots and price,” said Phesal.
Phesal added that the ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) as well as the Federal Territories Lands and Mines Office would make sure that the areas that needed to be handed over to the government for recreational purposes would be implemented as determined in the development order issued by the DBKL.
“The DBKL has also issued notices to the company to remove obstructions which prevented people from entering the recreational areas. If the obstructions are not removed, the DBKL will take action,” he said.
However, Maju TMAS managing director Roslan Datuk Shariff confirmed that the terminal would be open tomorrow as scheduled.
“Our instructions are to open on Jan 1. We have checked and the order still stands,” he said.
The terminal will cater to buses plying routes to the south and will take over a major part of the services of the Puduraya terminal.
“We opened our doors a month ago to the public to view the place before it is officially open,” said Roslan.
Set in the heart of Bandar Tasik Selatan, the terminal is well linked to the ERL, Ampang LRT line as well as the KTM Komuter. There are intercity buses and taxis as well as city buses and taxis to provide access both in and out of the terminal.
The terminal has 55 platform bays and 110 holding bays. No operator will be given the same platform which will reduce any hogging at the bays.
Invitation letters were sent to the 190 bus operators to engage them in discussions with Maju. A total of 10 have responded so far.
There are 18 ticketing counters, two e-ticketing counters and one for disabled users. There will not be individual counters for each bus operator, thus eradicating the tout problem that has been rampant at Puduraya and the temporary terminal in Bukit Jalil.
“Passengers will go to the ticketing counter and choose a bus operator departing at that time. They can choose from the available seats and a ticket will be issued with their name, seat number and bus number,” added Roslan.
“You are in a bus terminal but the atmosphere is of an airport,” he added.
There are 1,800 seats in the terminal and the public information display system will keep passengers informed of bus arrivals and departures.
Before boarding the bus, passengers will have to scan their tickets and proceed to the departure bay within 15 minutes.
For now there is a fast food restaurant, a food court, money changer, outlets selling apparel and shoes as well as ATM machines.
During a media familiarisation trip to the terminal yesterday, reporters were taken on a walkabout to understand the operations better.
Roslan said the architecture of both the arrival and departure bays were designed to provide a well ventilated terminal.
“We have machines to check the carbon emission from the buses as well as a suction machine to absorb the smoke,” he added.
Parking will not pose a problem as there are more than 1,000 parking bays and plans are under way to provide at least 300 bays for women only.
To ensure the safety of passengers, there are about 500 closed circuit cameras as well as 250 auxilliary police officers with a police beat in the arrival hall.
He hoped to bring in north-bound bus operators since the terminal was equipped to handle a large crowd.
-News courtesy of The Star-
The Integrated Transportation Terminal Bandar Tasik Selatan (ITT-BTS) is set to open tomorrow despite a Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry directive postponing it to Feb 2.
The ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib, said the terminal would be opened on Feb 2 simultaneously with the Puduraya bus terminal.
“In accordance to the views of residents, the ministry is urging the Public Private Partnership Unit (Ukas) and Maju TMAS (Terminal Management & Services) to review the distribution of the retail lots and price,” said Phesal.
Phesal added that the ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) as well as the Federal Territories Lands and Mines Office would make sure that the areas that needed to be handed over to the government for recreational purposes would be implemented as determined in the development order issued by the DBKL.
“The DBKL has also issued notices to the company to remove obstructions which prevented people from entering the recreational areas. If the obstructions are not removed, the DBKL will take action,” he said.
However, Maju TMAS managing director Roslan Datuk Shariff confirmed that the terminal would be open tomorrow as scheduled.
“Our instructions are to open on Jan 1. We have checked and the order still stands,” he said.
The terminal will cater to buses plying routes to the south and will take over a major part of the services of the Puduraya terminal.
“We opened our doors a month ago to the public to view the place before it is officially open,” said Roslan.
Set in the heart of Bandar Tasik Selatan, the terminal is well linked to the ERL, Ampang LRT line as well as the KTM Komuter. There are intercity buses and taxis as well as city buses and taxis to provide access both in and out of the terminal.
The terminal has 55 platform bays and 110 holding bays. No operator will be given the same platform which will reduce any hogging at the bays.
Invitation letters were sent to the 190 bus operators to engage them in discussions with Maju. A total of 10 have responded so far.
There are 18 ticketing counters, two e-ticketing counters and one for disabled users. There will not be individual counters for each bus operator, thus eradicating the tout problem that has been rampant at Puduraya and the temporary terminal in Bukit Jalil.
“Passengers will go to the ticketing counter and choose a bus operator departing at that time. They can choose from the available seats and a ticket will be issued with their name, seat number and bus number,” added Roslan.
“You are in a bus terminal but the atmosphere is of an airport,” he added.
There are 1,800 seats in the terminal and the public information display system will keep passengers informed of bus arrivals and departures.
Before boarding the bus, passengers will have to scan their tickets and proceed to the departure bay within 15 minutes.
For now there is a fast food restaurant, a food court, money changer, outlets selling apparel and shoes as well as ATM machines.
During a media familiarisation trip to the terminal yesterday, reporters were taken on a walkabout to understand the operations better.
Roslan said the architecture of both the arrival and departure bays were designed to provide a well ventilated terminal.
“We have machines to check the carbon emission from the buses as well as a suction machine to absorb the smoke,” he added.
Parking will not pose a problem as there are more than 1,000 parking bays and plans are under way to provide at least 300 bays for women only.
To ensure the safety of passengers, there are about 500 closed circuit cameras as well as 250 auxilliary police officers with a police beat in the arrival hall.
He hoped to bring in north-bound bus operators since the terminal was equipped to handle a large crowd.
-News courtesy of The Star-
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