Forget Japan, head to ChinaKiwi travellers looking for more bang for their buck should pass on Japan, Hong Kong and Brazil and instead head for China, South Korea or Argentina.That’s the suggestion of travel website, Expedia.co.nz, which released its annual Value Tracker today showcasing the best value international destinations for New Zealand travellers.The report is based on the performance of the Kiwi dollar against global currencies combined with the average cost of flights and accommodation booked from New Zealand.The managing director of Expedia Brand for Australia and New Zealand, Georg Ruebensal, says it is a useful guide for Kiwis who…

Cathay Pacific has special fares on sale until 19 September including return Premium Economy class to London from $4,429.Business class fares are available from $6,689 for a return trip to Zurich and return business class fares to Rome are available from $6,649.These fares are available for departure from now until 30 November 2016 and 15 January to 31 March 2017.Cathay Pacific also has a last minute one way deal to Frankfurt from $999 economy class for departures between now and 15 November 2016, on sale until 31 August. All fares include taxes and fly via Hong Kong. TravelInc

JetBlue Technology Ventures has announced an investment in Mozio. The start-up technology company connects customers and local companies to provide information about how to travel to and from the airport. It covers all kinds of transportation such as taxi, shuttle or bus, and allows passengers to book their ground transportation of choice. JetBlue Technology Ventures, which launched earlier this year, aims to work with and develop start-up companies in the technology, travel and hospitality sectors. This is the lab’s second investment, following an investment in FLYR. Bonny Simi, President of JetBlue Technology Ventures, said: “We love to see technology like…

Once the rollout is completed, iPass customers will be able to use United Airlines’ Wi-Fi network across 700 aircraft. iPass customers will be able to connect to the United Airlines Wi-Fi network, after it announced a partnership with the airline. iPass, which enables subscribers to automatically connect to local hotspots, claims to be the largest Wi-Fi network in the world, with over 57 million hotspots across a wide variety of locations. The agreement means that many iPass customers flying on United will have a seamless Wi-Fi experience as they move from the terminal to the aircraft. The rollout will begin…

Monday, August 8, 2016 — DUBAI, U.A.E., 8th August 2016: Emirates announced today an 11% capacity increase to Manchester with the deployment of a third daily A380 on the route. As of 1st January 2017, the replacement of the Boeing 777-300ER will mean that all Emirates flights to Manchester will be operated by the iconic double decker aircraft. The airline also unveiled plans to swap its current A380 service at Birmingham from the morning to the afternoon departure slot, in order to offer customers even more connections beyond Dubai to other Emirates A380 destinations – ensuring a seamless “A380 to…

Virgin Australia will introduce a new fare structure from 7 September 2016, which it says will offer travellors  more choice, value and flexibility when booking a flight.Fares For You, will provide a range of fares across all domestic and international routes. Virgin Australia says guests will have greater control over inclusions in their fare. All domestic passengers will receive complimentary food, baggage and entertainment on every flight regardless of the fare type they select.Fares For You will replace the existing fare structure, offering a total of nine fare brands across the entire domestic and international routes for sale. TravelInc Memo

International airfares have been falling in real terms for decades, with discounting and sales periodically pushing them lower, but some fares currently on offer are truly astonishing. Finder.com.au draws attention to a current deal offering airfares to London (Heathrow) from Melbourne, available from AUD 898 return. The carrier is Royal Brunei and the site http://iwantthatflight.com.au is pushing the offers. About 20 years ago, it cost more to fly Sydney/Perth. Travel dates are limited to departures between 2 October and 9 November 2016, but finder.com.au points out that for AUD 926 return, travellers can also travel from 1 May until 8…

It is seen as a positive development in the maintenance, repair and overhaul business of the aviation sector in Malaysia. KUALA LUMPUR: The AirAsia Group is serious about entering the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business. It is currently holding direct negotiations with Airbus Group SE to purchase its wholly owned Sepang Aircraft Engineering Sdn Bhd (SAE). The deal is worth between USD14 million and USD20 million, people close to the talks told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR). Analysts see this as a positive development for the MRO sector and the growth of the aviation-based industry in Malaysia. AirAsia and Airbus…

Construction of the new Three-Runway System (3RS) at Hong Kong International Airport started August 1. The eight-year construction of 3RS is expected to be completed in 2024, with the commissioning of the new runway in 2022. Jack So Chak-kwong, chairman of the Airport Authority of Hong Kong; professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport and Housing; professor K C Chan, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, and airport CEO, Fred Lam, were the VIP guests at today's launch ceremony. Four contracts for 3RS reclamation-related works were also signed by representatives of the AAHK and the contractors at…

Go Bus Transport, New Zealand’s largest and most diverse bus operator, is to acquire the business and brand of Johnston’s Coachlines. The deal is conditional at this stage but is expected to be completed before 1 September Go Bus currently operates a range of bus and coach services across New Zealand, including metropolitan urban passenger services and school buses. Johnston’s is a dedicated premium coach line which has operated for 80 years, with depots in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown. Go Bus Managing Director Calum Haslop says the acquisition of Johnston’s, essentially a family operation, is a great fit for Go…

Tuesday, August 2, 2016 — DUBAI, U.A.E., 2 AUGUST 2016 – Emirates has announced that it will resume flights to Conakry, the capital of Guinea, from 30th October 2016. The flight to Conakry will be linked to Emirates’ four times weekly service between Dubai and Dakar, and will once again provide both business and leisure travellers in Guinea global connectivity through the airline’s network, particularly to destinations in the Middle East, West Asia and the Far East, with one convenient flight connection at its Dubai hub. Key destinations for travellers from Guinea include Dubai, Saudi Arabia, China, Thailand, South Korea,…