Airlines press for compensation as Europe's skies reopen
As Europe's airspace reopened and weary passengers boarded long-delayed flights home, airline executives pressed for government compensation to cover the industry's massive losses.
Eurocontrol, Europe's air safety authority, said they expected air traffic to be "almost 100 percent" on Thursday, estimating that 75 percent of the 28,000 flights normally scheduled Wednesday had flown.
All Europe's main air hubs were up and running Wednesday and experts in Iceland said the Eyjafjjoell volcano had lost most of its intensity.
But a week after a volcanic eruption in Iceland caused the worst disruption to aviation since World War II, airline bosses were counting their losses -- and wanted to know who would foot the bill.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) put the overall cost to the airline industry at 1.7 billion dollars (1.3 billion euros): at its peak, said IATA, the crisis was costing 400 million dollars a day.
"For an industry that lost 9.4 billion dollars last year and was forecast to lose a further 2.8 billion dollars in 2010, this crisis is devastating," said IATA chief Giovanni Bisignani in Berlin.
"Airspace was being closed based on theoretical models, not on facts."
Now governments needed to look at how to compensate the airlines, he said.
"I am the first one to say that this industry does not want or need bailouts. But this crisis is not the result of running our business badly."
An extraordinary situation had been exacerbated by "poor decision-making" from the governments," he argued.
"Governments should help carriers recover the cost of this disruption."
British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh had already branded the ban unnecessary, and British opposition leader David Cameron called for a public inquiry into the government's handling of the crisis.
Conservative leader Cameron, who is locked in an election battle with Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, said there had been "muddle and confusion" in the government over the crisis.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Thursday 22 April 2010
New bridges and art park
New bridges and art park to open on Saturday evening
THE new 4.5m "mountain" at Marina Bay is not the highest in the world, but it means the world to 15-year-old Joyce Seah.
The then Maha Bodhi School pupil had designed it in a 2006 competition for Marina Bay's new art park. The "mountain" symbolised her aspirations to do well for her PSLE, and her goal to be an artist or designer. Joyce's creation is among 27 works of art by Singapore youths, selected from 136 entries, to feature in the park.
The art park has been named the Youth Olympic Park to mark Singapore's hosting of the first Youth Olympic Games from Aug 14 to 26.
The pocket of greenery, and the nearby 280m "double helix" pedestrian bridge and vehicular bridge will be officially opened by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan on Saturday, with pyrotechnic displays and performances, including those of martial arts.
The public can access the park and the pedestrian bridge from 9.30pm on Saturday. The vehicular bridge, which runs parallel to the Benjamin Sheares Bridge and connects to the new Bayfront Avenue, opens to traffic from 3pm on Sunday. Members of the public are invited to Saturday's celebrations, which start at 7.30pm.
-News courtesy of Omy-
THE new 4.5m "mountain" at Marina Bay is not the highest in the world, but it means the world to 15-year-old Joyce Seah.
The then Maha Bodhi School pupil had designed it in a 2006 competition for Marina Bay's new art park. The "mountain" symbolised her aspirations to do well for her PSLE, and her goal to be an artist or designer. Joyce's creation is among 27 works of art by Singapore youths, selected from 136 entries, to feature in the park.
The art park has been named the Youth Olympic Park to mark Singapore's hosting of the first Youth Olympic Games from Aug 14 to 26.
The pocket of greenery, and the nearby 280m "double helix" pedestrian bridge and vehicular bridge will be officially opened by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan on Saturday, with pyrotechnic displays and performances, including those of martial arts.
The public can access the park and the pedestrian bridge from 9.30pm on Saturday. The vehicular bridge, which runs parallel to the Benjamin Sheares Bridge and connects to the new Bayfront Avenue, opens to traffic from 3pm on Sunday. Members of the public are invited to Saturday's celebrations, which start at 7.30pm.
-News courtesy of Omy-
Chinese wedding museum opens
Chinese wedding museum opens
HERE'S a museum that allows you to rent its displays as props and backdrops for wedding photoshoots.
An antique 100-year-old sedan car, a bridal chamber and make-up tables all these are available for rent at the new Heritage Wedding Gallery in Chinatown.
The gallery, the latest of about five private museums here, cost more than $300,000 to build, of which $100,000 was co-funded by the National Heritage Board.
It showcases every stage and setting of traditional Chinese weddings, from visiting the date analyst to choose an auspicious wedding date to the bridal chamber.
All these exhibits can be used as props and backdrops for bridal shoots, at a fee of $300 to $500 an hour. Even traditional costumes can be rented, via a partner bridal boutique.
Normal visitors who pay a $5 entry fee each will be allowed only to view the exhibits, which have signboards alongside them that provide the details of the wedding traditions.
At yesterday's soft opening of the museum, managing director Sean Lui said the call to set up the gallery had come from an increasing number of "confused" couples.
These couples had visited the gallery's parent company a traditional-wedding consultancy as they were unsure of the customs and procedures in a traditional Chinese wedding.
The gallery is located at:
38 North Canal Road.
-News courtesy of OMY-
HERE'S a museum that allows you to rent its displays as props and backdrops for wedding photoshoots.
An antique 100-year-old sedan car, a bridal chamber and make-up tables all these are available for rent at the new Heritage Wedding Gallery in Chinatown.
The gallery, the latest of about five private museums here, cost more than $300,000 to build, of which $100,000 was co-funded by the National Heritage Board.
It showcases every stage and setting of traditional Chinese weddings, from visiting the date analyst to choose an auspicious wedding date to the bridal chamber.
All these exhibits can be used as props and backdrops for bridal shoots, at a fee of $300 to $500 an hour. Even traditional costumes can be rented, via a partner bridal boutique.
Normal visitors who pay a $5 entry fee each will be allowed only to view the exhibits, which have signboards alongside them that provide the details of the wedding traditions.
At yesterday's soft opening of the museum, managing director Sean Lui said the call to set up the gallery had come from an increasing number of "confused" couples.
These couples had visited the gallery's parent company a traditional-wedding consultancy as they were unsure of the customs and procedures in a traditional Chinese wedding.
The gallery is located at:
38 North Canal Road.
-News courtesy of OMY-
Sunday 18 April 2010
Europe flight misery to drag on
Millions of stranded travellers face further air chaos as the volcanic ash from Iceland that has closed most of Europe's airspace continues to spread.
An estimated three-quarters of flights were cancelled on Saturday. About 20 countries closed their airspace - some have extended flight bans into Monday.
Disruption is now said to be greater than that after 9/11 and the volcanic activity shows no sign of abating.
Two air lines have carried out test flights to see if it is safe to fly.
The Netherlands' KLM said one of its planes, a Boeing 737, had reached its maximum operating altitude of about 13km in the skies over the Netherlands, and there had been no problems during the flight.
The aircraft and its engines were being inspected for possible damage. After the results of that technical inspection the airline hopes to get permission from the aviation authorities to start up operations again.
Germany's Lufthansa said it had flown several planes to Frankfurt from Munich.
"All airplanes have been inspected on arrival in Frankfurt but there was no damage to the cockpit windows or fuselage and no impact on the engines," a spokesman said.
Britain has extended a ban on most flights in its airspace until at least 1800 GMT Sunday, air authorities have said.
A spokesman for the international airline industry said: "We don't see the light at the end of the tunnel yet."
-News courtesy of BBC-
An estimated three-quarters of flights were cancelled on Saturday. About 20 countries closed their airspace - some have extended flight bans into Monday.
Disruption is now said to be greater than that after 9/11 and the volcanic activity shows no sign of abating.
Two air lines have carried out test flights to see if it is safe to fly.
The Netherlands' KLM said one of its planes, a Boeing 737, had reached its maximum operating altitude of about 13km in the skies over the Netherlands, and there had been no problems during the flight.
The aircraft and its engines were being inspected for possible damage. After the results of that technical inspection the airline hopes to get permission from the aviation authorities to start up operations again.
Germany's Lufthansa said it had flown several planes to Frankfurt from Munich.
"All airplanes have been inspected on arrival in Frankfurt but there was no damage to the cockpit windows or fuselage and no impact on the engines," a spokesman said.
Britain has extended a ban on most flights in its airspace until at least 1800 GMT Sunday, air authorities have said.
A spokesman for the international airline industry said: "We don't see the light at the end of the tunnel yet."
-News courtesy of BBC-
Saturday 17 April 2010
Cancellations of flights from S'pore to Europe
Thousands of travellers are affected by cancellations of flights from Singapore to Europe due to ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland.
So far, 21 flights on British Air, Air France, KLM and Singapore Airlines have been cancelled.
As the huge cloud of volcanic ash spreads over half of Europe on Friday, thousands of flights were cancelled, in the biggest airspace shutdown since World War Two.
In Singapore, passengers spent the night at the airport, unable to fly as flight disruptions to places like France and the United Kingdom spread to other airports worldwide.
To ease traffic at the airport, authorities and airlines are trying to get accommodation for the passengers, but they said there is a shortage of hotel rooms in Singapore right now.
And quite a few travellers are at a loss at what to do.
One said: "It's an absolute nightmare. Nobody tells you anything. They said they were going to come down and tell us within the hour, and nobody came down to tell us anything until the next day."
"Very tired. We want to go back home," another said.
"Yeah, it's been very inconvenient, very difficult. While most are frustrated with the situation, others are taking it in their stride," a third added.
Another traveller said: "They're providing us with food and water and drinks and blankets. Obviously the floor's hard, (but) we got through the night."
The travellers are tired and unhappy as they are being told repeatedly that it is not known whether the flights will be cancelled yet again. In fact, some passengers got a little aggressive earlier on, as they confronted the counter staff. But this did not improve the situation and all that was left for them to do is to wait.
Meanwhile, the various airlines said they are monitoring the situation closely.
Nicholas Ionides, vice-president of Public Affairs, Singapore Airlines, said: "The situation now is that we don't know when those airports will be reopened, those airports that are closed.
"So we're in very close contact with authorities in those areas, and we're trying to find out, as soon as we can, when those airports will be opened.
"As soon as we are aware of what the situation is going to be, we're going to be mounting flights wherever we can, and accommodating those customers who have been affected by the cancellations that have been taking place so far.
Channel NewsAsia understands that SIA is paying about S$200 per family per night to help defray part of the additional expenses its passengers will incur.
Changi Airport Group has been working with the airlines and airport partners to minimise inconvenience to affected passengers. It has mobilised resources and activated its contingency plans to assist those affected. For example, areas have been set up at Changi Airport's transit areas for passengers remaining at the airport to take a rest and their meals.
A number of passengers have been accommodated in hotels at the airport and downtown, while others have decided to return home. For example, a passenger who travelled from Sydney to Singapore for an onward flight to London, may have chosen to return to Sydney.
For passengers remaining in the airport, they have been provided with blankets, sleeping bags, phone cards to call home and free use of the airport's shower facilities. More than 300 also took up the offer of a free tour of the city.
Airlines have informed passengers whose flights have been cancelled not to proceed to the airport. Passengers are also checking with their airlines on the status of their flights They are advised to check with their airlines on the latest updates before going to the airport.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
So far, 21 flights on British Air, Air France, KLM and Singapore Airlines have been cancelled.
As the huge cloud of volcanic ash spreads over half of Europe on Friday, thousands of flights were cancelled, in the biggest airspace shutdown since World War Two.
In Singapore, passengers spent the night at the airport, unable to fly as flight disruptions to places like France and the United Kingdom spread to other airports worldwide.
To ease traffic at the airport, authorities and airlines are trying to get accommodation for the passengers, but they said there is a shortage of hotel rooms in Singapore right now.
And quite a few travellers are at a loss at what to do.
One said: "It's an absolute nightmare. Nobody tells you anything. They said they were going to come down and tell us within the hour, and nobody came down to tell us anything until the next day."
"Very tired. We want to go back home," another said.
"Yeah, it's been very inconvenient, very difficult. While most are frustrated with the situation, others are taking it in their stride," a third added.
Another traveller said: "They're providing us with food and water and drinks and blankets. Obviously the floor's hard, (but) we got through the night."
The travellers are tired and unhappy as they are being told repeatedly that it is not known whether the flights will be cancelled yet again. In fact, some passengers got a little aggressive earlier on, as they confronted the counter staff. But this did not improve the situation and all that was left for them to do is to wait.
Meanwhile, the various airlines said they are monitoring the situation closely.
Nicholas Ionides, vice-president of Public Affairs, Singapore Airlines, said: "The situation now is that we don't know when those airports will be reopened, those airports that are closed.
"So we're in very close contact with authorities in those areas, and we're trying to find out, as soon as we can, when those airports will be opened.
"As soon as we are aware of what the situation is going to be, we're going to be mounting flights wherever we can, and accommodating those customers who have been affected by the cancellations that have been taking place so far.
Channel NewsAsia understands that SIA is paying about S$200 per family per night to help defray part of the additional expenses its passengers will incur.
Changi Airport Group has been working with the airlines and airport partners to minimise inconvenience to affected passengers. It has mobilised resources and activated its contingency plans to assist those affected. For example, areas have been set up at Changi Airport's transit areas for passengers remaining at the airport to take a rest and their meals.
A number of passengers have been accommodated in hotels at the airport and downtown, while others have decided to return home. For example, a passenger who travelled from Sydney to Singapore for an onward flight to London, may have chosen to return to Sydney.
For passengers remaining in the airport, they have been provided with blankets, sleeping bags, phone cards to call home and free use of the airport's shower facilities. More than 300 also took up the offer of a free tour of the city.
Airlines have informed passengers whose flights have been cancelled not to proceed to the airport. Passengers are also checking with their airlines on the status of their flights They are advised to check with their airlines on the latest updates before going to the airport.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Monday 5 April 2010
Caught for allegedly cheating at RWS casino
Three foreigners caught for allegedly cheating at RWS casino
Three foreigners were caught for allegedly cheating at the casino at Resorts World Sentosa on Saturday.
Two of them are French nationals, while a third is from Spain.
The three, aged between 46 and 64, are alleged to have entered the casino on several occasions.
Police said they were caught for committing past-posting at the roulette table on at least three occasions. Past-posting is the act of placing the bet after the result is known.
On Friday and Saturday, they were paid winnings of S$13,400 by the dealers.
However, their acts were detected by casino surveillance and they were detained on Saturday at about 1.30pm by casino security officers, who referred them to the police.
The three are in Singapore on Social Visit Passes.
The three men will be charged in court on Monday with cheating.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Three foreigners were caught for allegedly cheating at the casino at Resorts World Sentosa on Saturday.
Two of them are French nationals, while a third is from Spain.
The three, aged between 46 and 64, are alleged to have entered the casino on several occasions.
Police said they were caught for committing past-posting at the roulette table on at least three occasions. Past-posting is the act of placing the bet after the result is known.
On Friday and Saturday, they were paid winnings of S$13,400 by the dealers.
However, their acts were detected by casino surveillance and they were detained on Saturday at about 1.30pm by casino security officers, who referred them to the police.
The three are in Singapore on Social Visit Passes.
The three men will be charged in court on Monday with cheating.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Friday 2 April 2010
Ailing Tom Jones cancels shows
Ailing Tom Jones cancels shows in Singapore, Seoul
Welsh crooner Tom Jones was forced Thursday to cancel shows in Singapore and South Korea after doctors warned he risked "serious permanent damage" to his legendary vocal chords if he performed.
The ageing sex symbol was due to perform at Singapore's Resorts World Sentosa casino resort on Thursday evening, and in Seoul on Saturday.
The 69-year-old star, whose hits include "It's Not Unusual" and "Delilah", has been laid up in Singapore for a week after abruptly cutting short a previous show last Friday because of acute laryngitis.
"Due to doctor's orders, it is with deep regret that we have been forced to cancel tonight's performance in Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa and Saturday's show scheduled for Seoul, Korea at the Olympic Fencing Stadium," Tom Jones's management said in a statement.
"Sir Tom has been resting his voice all week in Singapore, with regular checkups with local specialists. Unfortunately, the doctors are nevertheless unable to guarantee that Sir Tom would be able to perform the full show tonight at 100 percent vocal strength," it said.
"In addition, they have warned that by performing, Sir Tom could risk serious permanent damage to his vocals."
Last week, he sang only two songs before begging off.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Welsh crooner Tom Jones was forced Thursday to cancel shows in Singapore and South Korea after doctors warned he risked "serious permanent damage" to his legendary vocal chords if he performed.
The ageing sex symbol was due to perform at Singapore's Resorts World Sentosa casino resort on Thursday evening, and in Seoul on Saturday.
The 69-year-old star, whose hits include "It's Not Unusual" and "Delilah", has been laid up in Singapore for a week after abruptly cutting short a previous show last Friday because of acute laryngitis.
"Due to doctor's orders, it is with deep regret that we have been forced to cancel tonight's performance in Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa and Saturday's show scheduled for Seoul, Korea at the Olympic Fencing Stadium," Tom Jones's management said in a statement.
"Sir Tom has been resting his voice all week in Singapore, with regular checkups with local specialists. Unfortunately, the doctors are nevertheless unable to guarantee that Sir Tom would be able to perform the full show tonight at 100 percent vocal strength," it said.
"In addition, they have warned that by performing, Sir Tom could risk serious permanent damage to his vocals."
Last week, he sang only two songs before begging off.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
Istana Changing of Guards ceremony
Istana Changing of Guards ceremony on Sunday
The Changing of Guards ceremony by the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command will take place at 6pm on Sunday at the Istana main gate.
The new guards will march off from Yen San Building, along Orchard Road, towards the Istana to take over from the old guards.
The Singapore Armed Forces band will be performing during the ceremony.
The public is welcome to witness the ceremony.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
The Changing of Guards ceremony by the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Command will take place at 6pm on Sunday at the Istana main gate.
The new guards will march off from Yen San Building, along Orchard Road, towards the Istana to take over from the old guards.
The Singapore Armed Forces band will be performing during the ceremony.
The public is welcome to witness the ceremony.
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
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