Prime Travel News

March 2010

Welcome to the second edition of the Prime Travel News. This month you will find that we are celebrating everything Irish with news of our promotion at The Walk, Jumeria Beach Residences and some great holiday offers to the Emerald Isle.

This month we have also again teamed up with Emirates Holidays to showcase a selection of Family Getaways to Singapore, Mauritius, Cyprus, Malaysia, Thailand, South Africa and the USA. Also in this edition find out about ‘The Signature Collection’ our luxury villa products on the paradise islands of Koh Samui and Phuket in Thailand, details of our latest sports offers and news from the airline industry.

I hope you enjoy and thank you once again for your custom and loyalty to Prime Travel.

Aiden Walsh
Assistant Travel Manager

Ireland comes to Dubai

This March in conjunction with Tourism Ireland, Prime Travel will be holding an event on The Walk at JBR on the 12th and 13th March to learn more about holidaying in Ireland. The event will include Irish dancers, music, face painting for kids and the opportunity to win your own holiday to Ireland. Also on hand will be Prime Travel‘s ‘Irish Experts’ who can put your perfect trip to Ireland together.

For details on our great offers to Ireland click here

Family Getaways

Prime Travel and Emirates Holidays have done it again with some great value Family Getaways. With a lead in offer of AED 3,332, for three nights’ accommodation at the impressive 5 Star Aphrodite Hills resort in Cyprus including breakfast and transfers, it has never been a better time to take the family away.

For more great family getaways click here

Luxury Thailand

Why not spoil yourself at a luxury villa in the amazing destinations of Phuket or Kho Samui. Prime Travel are the exclusive agents for the ‘The Signature Collection’ which offer an amazing holiday experience including your own private chef, butler all in your own private villa with pool.

For more details on our luxury villa collection click here

Anyone for Tennis

Prime Travel exclusive agent for Thomas Cook Sports in the UAE has packages available to the greatest tennis grand slam event Wimbledon. Packages include tickets, accommodation and flights to London. So why not see your hero’s and experience the tradition of the all England Lawn Tennis Club.

Click here for more details

Airline News

Etihad to upgrade capacity on Manchester to Abu Dhabi route

Etihad Airways today announced it would increase capacity by close to 60 per cent on its Manchester services from June, upgrading its current two-class A330-200 aircraft to a two-class B777-300.

Etihad currently operates seven return services per week between Manchester and Abu Dhabi, with onward connections to Etihad’s expanding global network, including popular destinations Sydney, Melbourne, Bangkok, Cape Town and Islamabad. The capacity increase will mean an additional 2,100 seats per week on the route.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad’s chief commercial officer, said: “Our services to Manchester have been performing very strongly, with load factors of close to 80 per cent in 2009. The business and investment ties between Manchester and Abu Dhabi have never been stronger and the introduction of the B777 furthers our commitment to this important route.

Countdown to Emirates’ Tokyo launch begins

Airline takes off for Japan’s capital on 28th March

DUBAI, U.A.E., 19th February 2010: The countdown to the launch of Emirates’ non-stop flights to Tokyo began on Thursday in Japan’s capital city with the award-winning international airline hosting a road show for over 450 travel industry professionals.

Tokyo is the first of a number of exciting route launches in 2010 for Emirates, as the airline’s network expands across the six continents that it currently flies to non-stop from Dubai. Tokyo’s 28th March launch is followed by the start of services to Amsterdam on 1st May, Prague on 1st July and the Spanish city of Madrid on 1st August

A total of 11 B777-200s will be refitted with the Airline’s most recent cabin offerings, to provide additional space, comfort and greater product consistency across the fleet. The refitted B777-200s will be configured with 38 Business Class and 228 Economy Class seats.

Business Class will feature a genuine leather, incline lie-flat seat in a modern design. Also found on Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A330-300 aircraft, it boasts a personal partition and advanced control panel that enables the customer to personalise seating preferences or select from various preset options. A six-way adjustable headrest and lumbar support will provide maximum ergonomic support for a more comfortable rest.

The Economy Class cabin will be refurbished with a new contemporary look. Seat covers, designed by Givenchy, will feature soothing colours as well as richer and softer fabrics, similar to those found on Singapore Airlines’ new Airbus A380 and B777-300ER aircraft.

British Airways ups its game with new First Class

British Airways has announced that it will spend £100 million on upgrades to all of its First Class cabins – bringing to an end months of austerity ushered in by the economic downturn.

The flag carrier began revamping its Boeing 777 and 747 aircraft earlier this week, after consulting designers who have worked with the likes of Jaguar and Aston Martin.

The clear aim is for British Airways to reinvigorate its luxury in-flight service - something once considered synonymous with the flag carrier, but which in recent times has become more associated with the likes of Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines.