Free wireless inflight entertainment for SilkAir passengers

Free wireless inflight entertainment for SilkAir passengers

The growing competition in the skies has prompted airlines to raise their service offerings to attract passengers.

In a latest move, SilkAir has started a wireless inflight entertainment system trial on one of its Airbus A-320 aircraft.

The system allows passengers to stream movies, TV programmes and music directly onto their personal devices while on a flight.

They can then access the content through their laptops, tablets and smartphones.

And this service will be free to customers.

SilkAir, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, has partnered Panasonic Avionics Corporation for the trial.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Changi's Terminal 4 opening in 2017

Changi's Terminal 4 opening in 2017



A centralised double-volume Arrival Hall gives passengers a sense of space in natural light, providing a warm welcome. (PHOTO: CHANGI AIRPORT GROUP)

Changi Airport's Terminal 4 (T4) will come with two new roads, two carparks, a bigger taxi-holding area and a new control tower. The total cost: $985 million.

The job will be undertaken by Japanese firm Takenaka Corporation, which has worked on previous Changi projects as well as other airports in Asia and Africa.

When T4 opens in 2017, its gross floor area of 195,000 sq m will cater for up to 16 million passengers a year, Changi Airport Group said yesterday.

The two carparks - a multi-storey and an open-air space in front of the terminal - will provide 1,500 spaces.

Taxis will wait for arriving passengers at a multi-storey holding area big enough for 250 cabs.

To improve access to T4, a new slip road will be built to provide a direct link to the East Coast Parkway. It will be located after the existing slip road that leads to the Pan-Island Expressway.

The new terminal will provide aircraft stands with aerobridges for 17 small planes and four wide-bodied aircraft.

If greater capacity is required, passengers will be ferried by bus along a new bridge to where more planes are parked.

When T4 opens, it will provide a different travel experience, offering greater automation and more do-it-yourself options for check-in and boarding, as well as other processes.

The construction of the new terminal is among several expansion and improvement works being undertaken by Changi as part of its efforts to raise its ability to compete effectively with other airports for airlines and travellers.

The other key project is Jewel, a $1.47-billion mixed-use building that will open in 2018.

T4 will cater mainly for full-service regional carriers as well as budget airlines.

~News courtesy of Omy~

Merry Christmas

Tigerair spreads its wings in Asia

Tigerair spreads its wings in Asia

Budget carrier Tigerair yesterday announced three new agreements with other airlines in a move to expand its network in key Asian markets, such as India.

The low-cost carrier will partner China Airlines to establish a new Taiwan-based budget carrier named Tigerair Taiwan.

It has also signed a three-year deal with Indian budget carrier SpiceJet, which will allow passengers to travel to and from 14 Indian cities to Singapore via Hyderabad from next month. The interline arrangement will allow passengers connecting to flights on either of the airlines to transfer without having to check in their luggage again.

Tigerair plans to better align its flights with budget carrier Scoot to offer local travellers more flexibility and flight options.

Tigerair will own a 10 per cent stake in Tigerair Taiwan, which will have a paid-up capital of about NT$2 billion (S$85 million). The joint venture will operate under the Tigerair brand and use Tigerair's website as its main sales platform. It will be run by a separate board and management team.

Tigerair Group chief executive Koay Peng Yen said the new budget airline is expected to start flying next year and will target China, Korea, Japan and South-east Asia. He added that the airline will start using Tigerair's Airbus A320 jets and grow its fleet to 12 aircraft in two to three years.

Analyst Brendan Sobie from the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation said the new airline gives Tigerair another outlet for expansion from Taiwan, which is under-used by low-cost carriers. He noted that while the low stake means low risk, "if there are future disagreements, having 10 per cent doesn't give much say at the board level".

Tigerair and Scoot will submit an application to the Competition Commission of Singapore for anti-trust immunity after agreeing to expand on their alliance. If approved, the airlines could jointly operate and sell parallel routes, as well as align policies and pricing.

Separately, Scoot - the fully-owned budget offshoot of Singapore Airlines - announced that it would form a new low-cost airline with Thai carrier Nok Air. The new airline will be named NokScoot and be based at Don Muang International Airport in Bangkok.

It will operate wide-body aircraft on medium- and long-haul international routes and have an initial investment of 2 billion baht (S$78 million). Details about its fleet, products and route network will be announced later.

~News courtesy of Omy~