Jetsettersblog

In March 2012 a team from Secret Compass will mount the first commercial expedition to climb a little known mountain in the Iraqi Kurdish mountains. It is a bold attempt on the country’s highest mountain only summited twice previously in a remote area bordering Iran.

Most people will assume that the team have a death-wish. Or at least a kidnap-wish. In 2011 four Americans were released after nearly two years languishing in an Iranian jail after being accused of spying in Iran. In fact they were naïve young hikers who got a bit lost. The prospective British team, led by Jon Beswick insists that they will not fall into the same trap.

“For one, I have climbed the mountain before and know the way, so we won’t cross the unmarked border into Iran. Secondly, we will have an escort from the Kurdistani army giving us protection and authority.”

Beswick, who made the first ever winter summit of Cheekah Dar- which translates as ‘Black Tent’- is an impressive figure. At only 29, he has made a circumnavigation of Africa, climbed numerous peaks on all the continents and is making an unsupported attempt on the South Pole in January 2012.

Iraq’s highest peak is 3611 metres and sits on a high jagged ridge that forms that natural border with Iran. It is a relatively straightforward mountain to climb and isn’t technically difficult and therefore an expedition of this kind is open to anyone with a bit of trekking experience and a sense of adventure.

‘We specialise in undertaking expeditions to post-conflict zones’ says Secret Compass expedition leader Lev Wood, who himself has led teams in Afghanistan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Colombia. He has travelled extensively in Iraq and Kurdistan during the allied invasion in 2003.

‘It is a beautiful part of the world and virtually undiscovered – due to Iraq’s reputation for bloodshed.’ He says with the air of someone who knows what he is talking about (He was also an Officer in the British Army). ‘The expedition will fly into the Kurdish town of Erbil and take a bumpy 4WD through the eastern plains towards to the Zagros mountains and take a total of eight days to summit and return. It will be an arduous trek but the snow and scenery will be breath-taking and more than compensate. Plus – how many people can say they have climbed Iraq’s highest mountain?’

Secret Compass are currently looking for adventurous people to join the expedition team. The dates are set at 10-18 March. Places are limited and interest is high. Secret Compass is a pioneering expeditionary company. Set up by ex-Parachute Regiment officers, it conducts exploratory expeditions to remote regions and post conflict zones. See www.secretcompass.com  for more details.

Baghdad, IRAQ — Emirates touched down in Baghdad today, marking its first flight to the capital city of Iraq.

Passengers onboard the flight to Baghdad made good use of Emirates’ extensive network connecting through Dubai from a number of global destinations such as; Australia, England, the US, India, Pakistan and the UAE. Amongst the passengers onboard the inaugural was Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran with his special guests HH Sheikh Juma Al Maktoum, Chairman SJM Group of Companies, Salah Al Ansari, Director Visitor Information Bureau, Department of Tourism and Commerce, Saood Kankazar, Director Air Transport and International Affairs, Dubai Civil Aviation, Wadee Ayyed, Chairman Al Handal International Group, Mohammed Ayyed, CEO Al Handal International Group and other VIPs.

On landing in Baghdad the aircraft received a water-cannon salute before local Iraqi media attended an official welcoming ceremony and press conference inside the airport terminal.

“Baghdad holds significant potential for Emirates given the city’s mandate to rebuild,” said Mr Khoory.

“As seen from today’s flight Baghdad is an important destination for many of our markets, with a good mix of leisure and trade traffic travelling into the capital from more than a dozen international cities. We have been working closely with the GCAA to make this destination possible for our passengers and it is gratifying to finally be here.”

Baghdad is the second destination that Emirates has launched in Iraq this year, with Basra successfully launching in February.

“We are seeing robust booking levels in both directions for Basra and expect the same level of interest for Baghdad. These markets are high revenue generating making them key destinations for the airline,” added Khoory.

In October Emirates visited Baghdad for a pre-launch roadshow with a strong turnout from local businesses and key Iraqi Government Officials.

Emirates is operating an Airbus 330 between Dubai and Baghdad, in a three-class configuration. EK941 departs Dubai at 07:55am touching down at Baghdad International Airport at 09:40am the same day. At 11:35am, return flight EK942 will depart Baghdad arriving in Dubai at 14:55pm the same day. The service will operate on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The airline currently has a fleet of 162 aircraft and is the largest operator of both the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777. Over the next six months, Emirates will launch a further seven destinations including; Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Dublin, Lusaka, Harare, Seattle and Dallas.

Picture caption – before departing for Baghdad, from left to right – Arif Rehman Sharieff, Emirates’ Manager Commercial Business Development – Gulf, Middle East and Iran; Mohammed Noori Al Handal, General Director of Al Handal; Salah Rashod Al Ansari, Director, Visitor Information Bureaus, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing; HH Sheikh Juma Al Maktoum; Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, GCC, Middle East & Iran; Hardan Noori Al Handal, Vice Chairman of Al Handal; Thani Al Ansari, Emirates’ Commercial Manager and Budoor Al Mazmi, Emirates’ Cargo Commercial Manager.

Emirates on Nov. 13 made its first flight from Dubai to Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq. “Baghdad holds significant potential for Emirates given the city’s mandate to rebuild,” said Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ senior vice president-commercial operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran. “As seen from today’s flight Baghdad is an important destination for many of our markets, with a good mix of leisure and trade traffic travelling into the capital from more than a dozen international cities. We have been working closely with the GCAA to make this destination possible for our passengers and it is gratifying to finally be here.”

Baghdad is the second destination that Emirates has launched in Iraq this year, with Basra successfully launching in February. “We are seeing robust booking levels in both directions for Basra and expect the same level of interest for Baghdad,” said Khoory. “These markets are high revenue generating making them key destinations for the airline.”

Emirates is operating an Airbus 330 between Dubai and Baghdad, in a three-class configuration. EK941 departs Dubai at 07:55am touching down at Baghdad International Airport at 09:40am the same day. At 11:35am, return flight EK942 will depart Baghdad arriving in Dubai at 14:55pm the same day. The service will operate on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Savings of more than $2100 per person are now available on a nine-night New Year’s Eve cruise/land package around the fascinating Arabian Gulf region on the Costa Favolosa in December 2012, when you book by November 30 this year.

Celebrate the beginning of 2012 on this round-trip itinerary from Dubai which involves port visits to the Omani capital Muscat, the emirate of Fujayrah, Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and the port of Khasab in Oman.

The new low price of from $3119 per person twin share (was $5289) also includes return economy airfares from Sydney and Melbourne, all taxes, on-board gratuities, two nights at Raffles in Dubai and a 4wd desert safari with dinner and a belly dancing show.

Children aged up to 18 cruise for free (except for port charges) sharing a cabin with two adults.

Costa Favolosa has a choice of five restaurants and 13 bars, swimming pools and Jacuzzis, casino, shopping centre, video arcade and a Formula One Grand Prix simulator.

More details from ecruising.travel on 1300 369 848 or check-out their new website www.ecruising.travel.com

First flight scheduled for 13th November 2011

DUBAI, U.A.E. –– Emirates will commence passenger flights to Baghdad from the 13th November 2011, marking the airlines’ second destination in Iraq.

Operating four times per week Baghdad will be Emirates’ fifth international destination to launch in 2011 with Basra and Geneva already operational and Copenhagen and St Petersburg to follow on 1st August and 1st November respectively.

“Baghdad is a strategically important destination for Emirates,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group. “Its geographical location, coupled with the fact that few international carriers operate there, makes it the perfect destination for us to tap into and drive revenue from. With more than five million residents in Baghdad, and its surrounding districts, this new service will provide them with direct access to our vast global network.”

“Our launch into Basra, Iraq in February this year has been a resounding success with flights operating in both directions at capacity. In the four months since we began operations to Iraq thousands of passengers have flown with Emirates between Basra and Dubai seeing the route perform well above expectations.”

With 14 new passenger aircraft still to be delivered in 2011, Emirates continues to grow its network, identifying new markets with strong revenue and existing demand. The airline’s strength in recognising potential in new destination continues to hold it in good stead, following its record financial results released recently.

EK941 will depart Dubai at 07:55am touching down at Baghdad International Airport at 09:40am the same day. At 11:35am, return flight EK942 will depart Baghdad arriving in Dubai at 14:55pm the same day. The service will operate on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The service will be operated by an Airbus 330 in a three class configuration.

Emirates expects the passenger mix travelling in and out of Iraq to come from a variety of sources, with a significant skew towards industry and Government personnel. The construction, telecommunications and oil sectors are expected to make up three of the largest industry segments.

Iraqi nationals, both in Baghdad and residing outside of Iraq are also expected to be strong users of this new service. The new service out of Baghdad will provide travellers in the capital with good onward connections to many of Emirates’ global destinations including the GCC, Levant, India, China and the UK via Dubai.

Emirates currently operates a four weekly service to Basra in Iraq and has offices located in both Basra and Baghdad.

Marriott International has signed agreements with Empire Iraq to manage a 200-room Marriott Hotels & Resorts-branded hotel and a 75-unit deluxe Marriott Executive Apartments property in Erbil, Iraq. Both are planned to open simultaneously in 2014. The addition of these two hotels, Marriott’s first in Iraq, extends the company’s hotel portfolio to 71 countries around the world.

The two hotels will be part of a large mixed-use project called “Empire World,” now under construction, which includes residential towers, private villas, office towers and retail and leisure space. Located in Kurdistan in the northern part of Iraq, Erbil is served nonstop from Europe and the Middle East by a number of international airlines, including Lufthansa, Etihad, Turkish, Royal Jordanian and Fly Dubai.

“Erbil is an encouraging destination with a lot of economic and commercial opportunity,” said Ed Fuller, president and managing director of international lodging for Marriott International. “The city serves as a gateway to a region with vast deposits of oil and gas, fertile soil for agriculture and antiquities. We are pleased to be working with Empire Iraq on this prestigious project and look forward to doing what we can to help instill a sense of market confidence in terms of the area’s security.”

The 200-room Erbil Marriott will provide a range of amenities, connectivity and services to help business travelers. Its interior will blend the latest in residential design, color and real comfort. Recreational amenities will include an extensive fitness facility, an on-site spa and an outdoor swimming pool. The hotel’s four restaurants and lounges will focus on modern classics made with quality ingredients, featuring foundational cooking and updated presentations. Guests will be able to choose among a casual all-day dining experience and two specialty restaurants, one of which will offer seasonal outdoor terrace seating.

A lobby lounge, also offering seasonal terrace seating, will be part of multi-purpose space that will serve as a social center for guests and local residents. Other amenities will include an executive level, a business center, a lobby gift shop, 24-hour room service, in-room mini bar and safes, flat-screen TV and Internet connectivity. The hotel will have 11,400 square feet of meeting space comprised of an 8,000-square-foot ballroom which will be divisible into three sections, three 800-square-foot interconnecting meeting rooms and two 500-square-foot board rooms.

The 75-unit Marriott Executive Apartments Erbil will offer a five-star, full-service service with the space, ambience and privacy of residential living. It will be located in a separate building adjacent to the hotel, but residents will be able to use the services and amenities offered by the Erbil Marriott. The property will offer a mix of studios, and one- and two-bedroom units, each with a fully equipped kitchen, contemporary furnishings, state of the art connectivity, flat-screen television, a washer-dryer, maid service, on-site storage and other services. For more information, visit www.marriott.com

Emirates has marked its 110th international destination today with its inaugural flight to Basra, the airline’s first service into Iraq.

Emirates is the largest international carrier to operate services into Iraq, helping link the country to the rest of the world through its convenient connections in Dubai.

“Iraq is experiencing a surge in growth and it is our goal to help the country prosper and flourish. The potential for this destination is significant and Emirates is committed to working alongside the Iraqi authorities to make Basra a success,” said Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline.

“Our strong forward bookings for Basra indicate the high demand for services to this destination, particularly from the corporate sector as the city rebuilds. Iraq is a key destination for Emirates and we expect our operations to Basra to thrive alongside the city’s growth,” added Clark.

Basra is the first new destination for Emirates in 2011 with Geneva to launch on 1st June, followed by Copenhagen on 1st August.

Flight EK945 departed Dubai at 13:45 hours today with a full load of passengers including; Adel Al Redha, Emirates Executive Vice President Engineering and Operations, Dr. Abdulla Al Hashimi, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President Group Security, Ahmed Khoory, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Gulf, Middle East and Iran and Mahmood Abdulraheem, Emirates Vice President Treasury.

On landing in Basra Emirates delegates were met by His Excellency Shaltagh Aboud Al-Mayahi, Governor of Basra, His Excellency, Jabbar Amin Jaber Latif, Head of Basra Council and Abdulameer Ghanim Abdullah, Basra Airport Manager.

During a press conference held at Basra Airport Adel Al Redha thanked the Iraqi authorities for making Emirates’ first flight to Iraq possible.

“Today’s first flight into Basra marks an exciting time for Emirates. Basra has showed itself to be a prosperous city with a determination to succeed. For Emirates, Basra represents not only the growth of our vast network but also an opportunity to help Iraq rebuild and I am honoured to be here today as we touchdown in Iraq for the first time,” said Adel Al Redha.

Emirates will operate both passenger and cargo services to and from Basra with an estimated 130 tonnes of freight per week between Dubai and Basra.

In addition to transporting equipment for oil and petroleum companies Emirates expects to carry a diverse range of goods from all corners of the globe, including perishable foodstuffs, medical products, car parts, garments, textiles and various electronic items such as mobile phones. Goods travelling in the other direction – to the likes of the United States, USA, China, India and the UK – will include petroleum products, grains, wool and dates.

The service will operate four times a week each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The flight will be operated by an Airbus A330, in a three class configuration, First Class, Business Class and Economy Class on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and in a two class configuration, Business Class and Economy Class, on Mondays.

EK 945 will depart Dubai at 13:45 hours and touch down at Basra International Airport at 14:45 hours the same day. At 16:15 hours, return flight EK 946 will depart Basra touching down in Dubai at 19:10 hours. The service connects seamlessly with key industry hubs in the US and Europe.

Dubai, U.A.E – Underlining their relentless commitment to offering the best inflight entertainment in the air, Emirates has won the ‘World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment’ award for the sixth year running at the 2010 Skytrax World Airline Awards.

Emirates faced stiff competition from other leading airlines to win the accolade at the 2010 Skytrax World Airline Awards which took place in Hamburg on 20th May, 2010.

In an extremely competitive marketplace where many airlines are spending significant sums in their inflight entertainment (IFE) products, Emirates has maintained its leadership position by concentrating on technical innovation and quality content. Since developing ice (information, communications and entertainment), its ground-breaking audio and video-on-demand system, in late 2003, Emirates has continually improved and expanded its IFE offering and has become the benchmark for all other airlines.

Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ Vice President Corporate Communications (Product, Publishing, Digital & Events), who received the award, said: “When we won this prestigious award for the fifth time in a row last year we knew that we could not rest on our laurels, and we immediately focused on improving ice even further. We’re thrilled that so many Emirates passengers have recognised this by voting for us.”

ice, which is available on over 80 per cent of the Emirates fleet, offers a staggering choice of up to 1200 channels of entertainment including 230 movies from around the world.

In 2009-2010 Emirates selected movies from over 15 countries that were available in over 20 languages, as well as many with the option to choose Closed Captions for the hard of hearing, still a first in the airline industry.

Since becoming the first airline in the world to install TVs on every seat, on every aircraft in 1992,

Emirates has made significant investments to offer the widest range of entertainment to passengers.

Edward Plaisted, Skytrax Chairman said: “Emirates continues to excel in this category, and yet again are a repeat winner of the Best Airline Inflight Entertainment Award.

This aspect of the travel experience gains in importance each year as customers become more demanding, and Emirates are clearly matching these expectations to have been voted the world’s best by passengers.”

The awards follow a 10 month survey between July 2009 and April 2010 of 17.9 million air travellers from over 100 different nationalities.

The survey measures over 38 different items of customer satisfaction for each airline’s product and service standards.

Hotel expects to boost sales by 10 per cent in 2010 through new sales and marketing partnership with Preferred Hotel Group

April 1, 2010

Cristal Hotel and Resorts, a luxury hospitality company, has announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with Preferred Hotel Group (PHG), a global sales and marketing conglomerate, in a move that will significantly expand Cristal Hotel’s global market presence and boost sales by an estimated 10 per cent in 2010.

The agreement also makes Cristal Hotel and Resorts the first Middle East hotel to become a member of Sterling Hotels, as part of the Sterling Design category, which is a worldwide collection of fashionable, affordable hotels that appeal to both business and leisure travellers.

The partnership agreement was signed on the sidelines of Cristal Hotel and Resorts’ participation in the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) that was held recently in Abu Dhabi.

Cristal Hotel and Resorts has revealed that it intends to leverage PHG’s 28 international sales offices, over 60 dedicated industry sales specialists and more than 300 major corporate accounts worldwide to cultivate new markets and broaden its target audience.

Furthermore, Cristal Hotel and Resorts disclosed that both parties have agreed to expand the partnership with upcoming projects.

Peter Blackburn, CEO of Cristal Hotels & Resorts, said: “The partnership with PHG provides greater leverage for Cristal Hotel and Resorts to sustain our market expansion program.

Being the first in the Middle East to be recognised as a Sterling Design Hotel will also greatly enhance our reputation as a world-class hotel destination, which is crucial in an increasingly competitive market environment. We are confident that the partnership will deliver immediate results, as we forecast an increase in sales of up to 10 per cent this year.”

John Ueberroth Chairman and CEO Preferred Hotel Group, said: “Cristal Hotel and Resorts exemplifies the ideals of the Sterling Design Hotel, which focus on modern and contemporary style, distinct architecture, bold interiors and state-of-the-art technology.

oreover, through this partnership, PHG will help enhance the business performance of Cristal Hotel by providing support in branding, global sales and marketing, and integrated reservation services, which are all designed to increase revenues and reduce overall costs.”

Cristal Hotel and Resorts has emerged as one of the top business hotel destinations in Abu Dhabi despite opening just under a year ago.

Cristal Hotel Abu Dhabi features 192 luxuriously appointed and spacious rooms, complemented by a complete range of business facilities and world-class customer service standards.

Excellent track record and close working relations with Iraqi aviation authorities makes Royal Jet carrier of choice

Abu Dhabi 10 February, 2010: Royal Jet – the international luxury executive flight services company based in Abu Dhabi and chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan – is proving to be the carrier of choice for businesses seeking safe and secure air transport to Iraq.

Royal Jet has completed over 100 successful flights to this region providing both VIP air charter services as well as emergency medical evacuation with Royal Jet Medical Evacuation Services. These are made possible through Royal Jet’s thorough security procedures and excellent working relations with Iraqi aviation authorities. As such, Royal Jet has established an excellent track record of experience and expertise that enables it to continue providing private air services to corporations and business executives wanting and needing to do business in Iraq.

“Royal Jet supports the UAE’s close trade and commerce ties with Iraq, having served the Iraq market for a number of years,” said Shane O’Hare, President and CEO of Royal Jet. “Following the 2003 conflict, Royal Jet became the first commercial flight provider to enter the market. Throughout this time, Royal Jet has worked closely with Iraqi authorities including the Iraq Civil Aviation Authority who are responsible for airspace policy, flight permissions, and safety and economic regulations.

“Whether to assist in the re-construction of the market, re-vitalize key industry sectors or help in the re-establishment of key government segments, Corporations now have the confidence to fly to Iraq with Royal Jet because of on-ground security and careful attention to details that we provide,” he continued.

Royal Jet has a team of highly qualified security officers working with specialised and highly-skilled security consultants on-the-ground in Baghdad and Basra. A comprehensive risk and threat analysis is provided and each case individually assessed by Royal Jet’s Head of Security. Supported by real time updates and intelligence information, security evaluations are then constantly conducted throughout the entire journey.

Reliability and discretion are the key components that Royal Jet focuses on, supported by the luxurious service which is the hallmark of every Royal Jet flight. In addition, aircraft can be configured to customers’ precise requirements, providing meeting rooms, dining areas or a private stateroom, for instance.

“Royal Jet’s well-established reliability, expertise and unparalleled service provide a distinct advantage when compared with competitors who are only now entering the market. It is these aspects that give meaning to the accolades, recognition and support Royal Jet has received over the years from the industry at large, government authorities and our corporate customers,” said O’Hare. “And in travelling and doing business in Iraq, a reliable, secure and at the same time unparalleled luxurious air travel via Royal Jet would be the most sensible investment that corporations should make.”