Items filtered by date: Tuesday, 02 December 2014

Emirates today unveiled plans to increase capacity on the Dubai-Milan route with the deployment of a second daily A380. The migration from a Boeing 777-300ER to the iconic double decker represents a capacity increase of 1,834 seats per week between the two cities; enabling more A380 to A380 connections to and from key destinations in Australia, China, South Korea and South East Asia with just one stop in Dubai.

Commencing 1st October 2016, Emirates flights EK91/92 will be operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft in a 3-class configuration with 14 Private Suites in First Class, 76 flat-bed seats in Business Class and 401 comfortable seats in Economy Class. Passengers in all classes will enjoy access to free Wi-Fi and over 2500 channels of films, TV shows, music and games, with an impressive selection in Italian, through ice Digital Widescreen, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system. They will also experience the famed hospitality of the airline’s multi-cultural cabin crew, with Italian speakers on all flights to and from Italy, as well as fine Italian wines and regionally inspired cuisine prepared using the finest ingredients.

What’s more, First and Business Class passengers can travel to and from the airport in style with Emirates complimentary Chauffeur-drive service as well as enjoy Emirates exclusive lounges. Once onboard, passengers in premium class seating receive a luxurious amenity kit featuring Italian-made Bvlgari products and can enjoy the Emirates Onboard Lounge; First Class passengers can also take advantage of the Emirates Shower Spa to prepare for their arrival. At Milan Malpensa, Emirates offers an arrivals lounge where premium passengers can freshen up before being driven to their final destination.

Emirates’ flight EK91 departs from Dubai International Airport at 15:45hrs and arrives in Milan at 20:30hrs. The outbound flight EK92 departs from Milan at 22:20hrs and arrives in Dubai at 0625hrs the following day. The airline currently operates three daily services between Dubai and Milan, as well as a daily flight from Milan to New York JFK. From the airport, Emirates also enables seamless rail connections to over 700 train stations across Italy through its partnership with Trenitalia.

The links between Milan and Emirates extend far beyond the airline’s triple daily service. Emirates has been a proud sponsor of AC Milan since 2010, with the current shirt sponsorship contract in place until the end of the 2019/20 season.

Through its SkyCargo division, Emirates also facilitates the import and export of key products, connecting Italian companies to the world. In 2015, Emirates transported 22,000 tonnes of cargo from Milan including cars, marble, food products like cheese and olive oil, pharmaceuticals, clothing and shoes bound for the UAE, India, Hong Kong, USA, Australia and Mexico.

An emirates press release Wednesday 20 July 2016

ContainerCo (NZL) Limited (ContainerCo), the container depot operator, today announced that it will develop a major new container services facility in Hawke’s Bay as reported earlier in the year on MSCNewsWire

The new purpose built facility will be developed on a five hectare site in Mersey Street, within the Napier City Council’s industrial zone. Over time, it is expected that $5-10m will be invested in the site development.

ContainerCo’s managing director Ken Harris said that the investment both reflects and supports the growth of exports and imports in Hawke’s Bay as well as the continued success of Napier Port in attracting cargo to and from the wider region.

"The new site will future proof our presence in Hawke’s Bay. We have seen significant growth in the need for shipping company and shipper related services in recent years and we expect this to continue," he said.

The Mersey Street depot will accommodate more than 5,000 TEU (20 foot equivalent container units) and include onsite rail facilities that will reduce the regions reliance on road transport. It will also have specialist facilities suited for the horticultural sector.

The company has signed a long-term lease through to August 2036.

Ken Harris said, "The long term lease secures the land ContainerCo needs to expand its operations in order to be able to handle an expected increase in container movements in the future. It also enables us to replace two of the company’s current Napier facilities, the Battery Road and Austin Street container depots, and consolidate operations at Mersey Street.

ContainerCo is New Zealand’s largest independent container depot operator with depots in Tauranga, Auckland, Napier and Christchurch; adjacent to the country’s four largest container ports. Its customers include some of the world’s largest shipping lines.

The sector is expected to generate further demand for services, with container volumes experiencing compound annual growth of 4.3% over the last 5 years. This growth is projected to accelerate due to the increasing containerisation of New Zealand’s bulk cargo. Since 2012, 40 foot and 20 foot container volumes entering and leaving New Zealand have grown by 16% and 8%, respectively. The increase in container volumes is putting pressure on port facilities, creating demand for standalone container storage and repair depots.

Ken Harris said, "Demand for off-port container processing and storage has steadily grown and this site is important as it is near port and rail infrastructure, reducing truck movements and exporter and importer costs.

"The cost of container handling needs to be as low as possible to ensure that exporters are competitive and costs are minimised, therefore container parks need to be as close to the port and rail as possible."

A ContainerCo press release

ContainerCo (NZL) Limited (ContainerCo), the container depot operator, today announced that it will develop a major new container services facility in Hawke’s Bay as reported earlier in the year on MSCNewsWire

The new purpose built facility will be developed on a five hectare site in Mersey Street, within the Napier City Council’s industrial zone. Over time, it is expected that $5-10m will be invested in the site development.

ContainerCo’s managing director Ken Harris said that the investment both reflects and supports the growth of exports and imports in Hawke’s Bay as well as the continued success of Napier Port in attracting cargo to and from the wider region.

"The new site will future proof our presence in Hawke’s Bay. We have seen significant growth in the need for shipping company and shipper related services in recent years and we expect this to continue," he said.

The Mersey Street depot will accommodate more than 5,000 TEU (20 foot equivalent container units) and include onsite rail facilities that will reduce the regions reliance on road transport. It will also have specialist facilities suited for the horticultural sector.

The company has signed a long-term lease through to August 2036.

Ken Harris said, "The long term lease secures the land ContainerCo needs to expand its operations in order to be able to handle an expected increase in container movements in the future. It also enables us to replace two of the company’s current Napier facilities, the Battery Road and Austin Street container depots, and consolidate operations at Mersey Street.

ContainerCo is New Zealand’s largest independent container depot operator with depots in Tauranga, Auckland, Napier and Christchurch; adjacent to the country’s four largest container ports. Its customers include some of the world’s largest shipping lines.

The sector is expected to generate further demand for services, with container volumes experiencing compound annual growth of 4.3% over the last 5 years. This growth is projected to accelerate due to the increasing containerisation of New Zealand’s bulk cargo. Since 2012, 40 foot and 20 foot container volumes entering and leaving New Zealand have grown by 16% and 8%, respectively. The increase in container volumes is putting pressure on port facilities, creating demand for standalone container storage and repair depots.

Ken Harris said, "Demand for off-port container processing and storage has steadily grown and this site is important as it is near port and rail infrastructure, reducing truck movements and exporter and importer costs.

"The cost of container handling needs to be as low as possible to ensure that exporters are competitive and costs are minimised, therefore container parks need to be as close to the port and rail as possible."

A ContainerCo press release

New Zealand’s first Grand Millennium hotel will open in Auckland on 7 September.

The Grand Millennium, on Mayoral Drive and currently operating as Rendezvous Grand Hotel, joins the already established Millennium, Copthorne and Kingsgate portfolio in New Zealand.

Alison Smith, director of conferences and incentives with Millennium Hotels and Resorts, says Rendezvous has done a great job at the hotel. ‘We are looking forward to working with the staff there. We are excited at the prospect of having such a great hotel with large conference facilities in our portfolio.’

The hotel, the largest in New Zealand with a total of 452 guestrooms, will join Grand Millennium Hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, Al Wahda, Amman, Dubai, Muscat, Sulaimani, Kuala Lumpur as well as the international network of Millennium and Copthorne properties in Asia, Middle East, Europe and the USA.

The hotel facilities include 1,619 square metres of conference space comprising an 830 square metre ballroom and various meeting venues. It has two restaurants, lounge bar, swimming pool, gym and covered car parks.

The centrally located Grand Millennium Auckland is close to Aotea Square, Auckland Town Hall and the city’s main arterial routes. The development in the immediate vicinity of the New Zealand International Convention Centre, City Rail Link and Aotea Square Station is expected to add significant value to the hotel in coming years.

Source: meeting newz

Background

The telecommunications industry is the backbone of today’s mobile landscape, deploying voice, data, graphics and video at ever increasing speeds and in a growing number of ways. Wireline telephone communication was once the primary service of the industry, now wireless communication and satellite distribution are becoming increasingly dominant. Specialists in telecommunications engineering, are needed to keep up with this ever changing fast-paced industry.The basics of telecommunications

Telecommunications engineering is a discipline founded around the exchange of information across channels via wired or wireless means. It brings together all of the elements of electrical engineering including computer engineering and system engineering to create and improve telecommunications systems.

Telecom engineers work to develop, design and maintain voice and data communications systems including fiber, satellite, wired and unwired, as well as the encoding, encryption and compression of data. Put simply, telecommunications engineering can be found in just about every aspect of our lives, from GPS navigation to the internet.

telecommunications engineering

The work of a telecommunications engineer ranges from creating basic circuit designs to deploying wireless networks. They are responsible for designing and overseeing the installation of telecommunications equipment and facilities, such as complex electronic switching systems, copper wire telephone facilities, fiber optics cabling or IP data systems.

Some of the main areas of focus for telecommunications engineers are the installation of high-speed broadband computer networks, optical communications and wireless or satellite communications. To give a better idea of the scope of work a telecom engineer operates within, here are some career opportunities for individuals working within the discipline, according to the University of Texas at Dallas.

• Computer communications and networking
• Mobile communications
• Voice and data networks
• TV and radio broadcasting
• Optical networking
• Remote sensing, measurement and control
• Next-generation networks

Roles

Telecommunications engineers are part of every process of creating a telecom system, dealing with both software and hardware. Here are some roles a telecom engineer might take on.

Design – electronic components, software, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, medical, military or scientific applications;

Develop – maintenance and testing procedures for electronic components and equipment;

Test – Evaluate systems and recommend design modifications or equipment repair;

Debug – Inspect electronic equipment, instruments and systems to make sure that they are safe.The future

With 5G and the expansion of the internet of things (IoT) ahead, telecommunications engineering will be as important as ever. The discipline will help expand both LPWAN networks and networks that produce data speeds never before seen. Telecom engineers will have the important task of ensuring that telecommunications systems, from small components to entire networks, are running as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Source: By Phillip Tracy on July 20, 2016 Fundamentals, Network Infrastructure, Software

Prospects for growth in the global economy have diminished despite very stimulatory monetary policy and low oil prices. Significant downside risks remain. Financial market volatility increased following the UK referendum and long-term interest rates have fallen.

Domestic growth is expected to remain supported by strong inward migration, construction activity, tourism, and accommodative monetary policy. However, low dairy prices are depressing incomes in the dairy sector and weighing on farm spending and investment.

There continue to be many uncertainties around the outlook. Internationally, these relate to the prospects for global growth and commodity prices, the fragility of global financial markets, and political risks. Domestic uncertainties relate to inflation expectations and the potential for continued high net immigration, ongoing pressures in the housing market, and the high New Zealand dollar exchange rate.

The trade-weighted exchange rate is 6 percent higher than assumed in the June Statement, and is notably higher than in the alternative scenario presented in that Statement. The high exchange rate is adding further pressure to the dairy and manufacturing sectors and, together with weak global inflation, is holding down tradable goods inflation. This makes it difficult for the Bank to meet its inflation objective. A decline in the exchange rate is needed.

House price inflation remains excessive and has become more broad-based across the regions, adding to concerns about financial stability. The Bank is currently consulting on stronger macro-prudential measures aimed at mitigating risks to financial stability from the current boom in house prices.

Annual CPI inflation was 0.4 percent in the year to June 2016. Headline inflation is being held below the target band by continuing negative tradables inflation. Long-term inflation expectations are well-anchored at 2 percent, but short-term inflation expectations remain low.

Despite rising capacity pressures and some recent increase in fuel prices, the stronger exchange rate implies that the outlook for inflation has weakened since the June Statement.

Monetary policy will continue to be accommodative. At this stage it seems likely that further policy easing will be required to ensure that future average inflation settles near the middle of the target range. We will continue to watch closely the emerging economic data.

A RBNZ press release Thursday 21 July 2016

Air New Zealand has teamed up with Hollywood actress Anna Faris and New Zealand actor and comedic legend Rhys Darby for its latest safety video, Safety in Hollywood.

The video, shot at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, explores several different Hollywood film genres as Darby tries to convince the star of the hit TV show Mom and the Scary Movie films to play a role in Air New Zealand’s new safety video with him.

Safety in Hollywood was filmed at four different sets at Warner Bros. with some of the filming locations seen in legendary movies such as Jurassic Park, Casablanca, War of the Worlds and TV series True Blood. More than 20 extras were also involved, including Chester the Chihuahua, who has appeared in Transformers and Grey’s Anatomy.

Air New Zealand Head of Global Brand Jodi Williams says it’s been fantastic to partner again with Warner Bros. which helped to produce the airline’s Hobbit inflight safety videos, and to work with the talented Rhys Darby and Anna Faris in Hollywood – the home of the US filmmaking industry.

“Anna and Rhys make a great comedic duo and really bring this safety video to life, entertaining customers while at the same time imparting key safety messages,” says Ms Williams.

“Our inflight safety videos are now world famous and we know people anticipate their release. The interest in them has been phenomenal and collectively they’ve attracted more than 83 million views online and featured in international news outlets like CNN, BBC, Time.com and The Daily Mail. This latest video will again draw eyeballs to New Zealand from around the globe and encourage visitors to travel to our wonderful country. It is also another great example of the diverse set of creative talent that our nation nurtures.”

Anna Faris says it’s been exciting and an honour to follow in the footsteps of acting legends like Emmy Award and Grammy Award winner Betty White, the All Blacks and the cast of The Hobbit to take Air New Zealand’s acclaimed safety videos in a new creative direction.

“I really wanted to be part of this project because Air New Zealand has really redefined safety videos with its fun and creative approach. And working with Kiwi actor Rhys Darby was an absolute treat. It’s so easy to tune out when watching a traditional safety video, so it comes as such a delightful surprise when you get something that’s really fun and funny.”

Rhys Darby says producing the safety video was a great experience and quite special given he is now based in Hollywood.

“Air New Zealand’s safety videos are a Kiwi staple and reflect the Kiwi sense of humour. I think people will really enjoy watching this safety video as it takes them on a magical ride through the movie making world, while still bringing to life the key safety messages.”

Safety in Hollywood will be rolled out across the airline’s fleet from today and can be viewed online here.

The CAAS funding will promote the use of self-service in Changi Airport to improve the passenger experience.

Over the next four years, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore will be funding $15 million to push the introduction of self-service processes for passengers at Changi Airport.

The corporation will be funding grants of between $400,000 and $2.5 million to help pay for the cost of introducing processes such as check-in kiosks, bag drop systems and self-boarding gates. This money is part of the Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) Fund and is triple the amount given to the Passenger Self Service Adoption Programme (PSAP), which launched in 2013.

PSAP helped to reduce the number of staff whilst improving the passenger experience and this latest push will aim to further improve that by using the latest technologies. It will work with the Changi Airport Group’s FAST initiative, which hopes to provide a full set of self-service programmes in airports. These drives could benefit up to 2,000 Passenger Service Agents (PSAs).

Lee Seow Hiang, Chief Executive Officer of CAG said: “The FAST Fund will accelerate the roll-out of our FAST@Changi initiative, which has gained steady traction with passengers as more airlines joined the FAST family over the past year.

“With the funding support and the increasing familiarity of travellers about self-service options, we invite more airlines to come on-board FAST@Changi to bring about an enhanced travel experience for their passengers.”

Source: Future Travel Experience

New Zealand remains underserved by airline capacity from around the word in spite of an influx of new services, according to Auckland Airport.

At a press conference marking Sunday’s inaugural United Airlines service between Auckland and San Francisco, Auckland Airport chief executive Adrian Littlewood said the US market remained ‘underserved by about 30% even taking the new capacity into account’.

This follows an analysis entitled Growing Travel Markets, presented by the airport’s general manager, aeronautical commercial Norris Carter. It asserts the massive China market is underserved by 39%, Japan by 28% and South Korea by 53%. Even Australia is underserved by 32%, the report claims.

‘This is not a forecast, rather a modelled view of market possibilities which we’ve based on a mix of public and proprietary data,’ says Carter.

‘The modelling we’ve done indicates the US is a strong market for passenger growth. New Zealand is an attractive destination for US travellers. This is why we have seen United and American come on board, and we see room for further growth.’

Dave Hilfman, United’s senior vice president worldwide sales, says the airline is pleased with the early loadings it is seeing on the airline’s Auckland to San Francisco service. The carrier is confident enough to be increasing from three flights a week to daily from 30 October.

He says 70% to 75% of the traffic of the passengers on the service are United States point of sale.

‘That’s not surprising considering the size of the market but we are also seeing growth out of New Zealand.’

Kevin Bowler, chief executive of Tourism New Zealand, was not prepared to speak directly about the airports anaysis.

‘There’s no doubt though that we're seeing a high level of interest from new and existing airlines to add services, which supports the view that there is considerable potential for new capacity into New Zealand.’

Brent Thomas, commercial director at House of Travel, says that with significant growth in capacities trans-Tasman and in other market’s growth, outbound from New Zealand has definitely grown as well. ‘But not by those figures presented by Auckland Airport, so they are obviously talking inbound.’

However Thomas says extra capacity is welcomed by the trade and clients here. ‘Not only does it bring competitive pricing but also gives a choice of routes and more choice on the preferred travel times. That’s true even in the short-haul markets. If there is more capacity in peak times such as the coming school holidays, then that’s a boon for the customer.’

Source: TravelInc Wednesday 20 July 2016

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce has today announced a $35 million investment over four years for ‘Entrepreneurial Universities’, a new initiative to attract world-leading entrepreneurial researchers to New Zealand to further strengthen our universities and our broader fast-growing innovation ecosystem.

“Entrepreneurial Universities is all about attracting more of the world’s leading researchers and their teams to locate their labs here and base themselves in New Zealand,” Mr Joyce says. “We are especially wanting to recruit people with an established record in innovation and entrepreneurship in the top ‘maker’ disciplines, to help grow the pipeline of excellent innovative start-up companies in New Zealand, and train the next generation of scientific entrepreneurs.”

The Entrepreneurial Universities programme will involve the Government entering into a 50/50 partnership with individual universities to attract and support named researchers and their teams to work in the university for an initial period of three to five years.

“We will invite all the universities to bid for the opportunity, and expect up to 15-20 world-leading researchers and their teams to be brought to New Zealand over a three year period.”

The programme follows an approach to the Minister and the TEC earlier this year by the University of Auckland, and will be modelled on other similar programmes around the world including the US and the UK.

New Zealand’s universities already have a very good reputation for excellence with all eight universities ranked in the top three per cent in the world.

“However it’s a very competitive world out there, Mr Joyce says. “We need to keep challenging ourselves and keep adding to our hi-tech sector. Entrepreneurial Universities will strengthen our research and start-up capabilities and add to the learning opportunities for our undergraduates.

“The ‘Entrepreneurial Universities’ initiative is part of Budget 2016’s $761.4 million ‘Innovative New Zealand’ package and will complement big increases in the funds for researchers already based here in New Zealand.

“Across the Marsden Fund, the Endeavour Fund, the Catalyst Fund, the Health Research Council, and other associated investment mechanisms, the government is investing an extra $410 million over the next four years in New Zealand science. The Entrepreneurial Universities fund will add another dimension to that comprehensive investment.”

Entrepreneurial Universities is consistent with the National Statement of Science Investment, and is a key initiative in the Innovation stream of the Business Growth Agenda.

A Steven Joyce press release