Guidelines
By
Rehab Saad
Airlines and airports
New technology at Egyptian airports
A NEW IT system in Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, Abu Simbel, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan airports will be able to deal with large numbers of passengers and luggage at one time, Amira Ibrahim reports.
According to Aviation Information Technology (AVIT) Chairman Maged El-Masry, the six airports have been linked to one main control centre at the Aviation Ministry in Cairo. "This control centre hosts the airport operational database that manages the movement of all aircraft, passengers and baggage," he said.
He added that during a second phase of the project, AVIT will cooperate with Sita, an American aviation solutions company, on a $16 million project for the Cairo International Airport and the new, yet unfinished, Luxor airport. The project will be completed in 10 months. El-Masry explained that the new project will provide passengers with flight information for each airport via the Internet.
Back to terminal two
OFFICIALS at Cairo International Airport have announced their decision to return all domestic arrivals and departures from terminal one in the old airport to terminal two in the new airport.
During the umra (off season pilgrimage) and the eid holiday, the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation had moved some flights to Luxor, Aswan, Borg Al-Arab, the New Valley and Assiut to terminal one in the old airport.
Also during that time, only flights to Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada left from terminal two. Now all domestic flights are operating from terminal two of the new airport, with no exceptions.
Lufthansa-Aeroflot cooperation
GERMANY'S Lufthansa and Russia's Aeroflot have recently signed a new aircraft maintenance and pilot training agreement. According to the agreement, Aeroflot will have access to Lufthansa services for maintenance and overhaul of its Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft, as well as for pilot training for its A320s. Aeroflot is one of Lufthansa Technik's major customers in the growing Russian and CIS market.
Lufthansa Technik provides maintenance support for the Airbus A310s, Boeing 737s and Boeing 777s in the Russian airline's fleet of about 100 aircraft. Its services range from overhaul of components, engines and airframes to the supply of materials, engineering services and technical training, as well as personnel support and servicing at all stations worldwide.
Hotels
Starwood expansions
STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced this month a number of expansion plans in Egypt and the Middle East. Starwood's Sheraton Heliopolis Hotel Towers and Casino is set for a multi-million dollar extension. A new deluxe Westin luxury hotel will rise beside the Sheraton Heliopolis, the first one in Egypt and the second in Africa and the Middle East. The new hotel will have oasis-like surroundings and offer 250 luxury rooms and suites, an international conference centre for 1,700 people, indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and beauty centre, as well as a variety of cuisine. According to Starwood officials, the opening of the Westin marks a new era in market demand for luxury accommodation. The project is expected to be completed by 2006.
In addition, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced the signing of a long-term management agreement with Societe Marhaba- Belvedere to operate a 291-room hotel through its Sheraton brand in Tunisia, effective October 2003. The hotel, which opened in 1926, has undergone a $20 million renovation that was completed in October. Most of the rooms were upgraded and 50 additional rooms were added. The lobby and the reception area have been tripled in size and a complete fitness and spa centre has been opened, in addition to indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Travel news
An online partnership agreement
EGYPT'S online booking and travel Web site, www.intoegypt.com has recently concluded a partnership agreement with WorldRes.com, one of the world's leading online central reservation systems. The www.worldres.com and www.placestostay.com Web sites connect 40,000 hotels, inns and resorts in 140 countries to more than 2,000 other Web sites around the world.
This is one of the first steps taken by intoegypt.com towards expanding its inbound travel operations. The agreement will result in increasing regional and international exposure, as well as sales opportunities for intoegypt.com's online travel network of hotels and Nile cruises. The greatest benefit will be for local hotel chains, as most international chains are already clients of WorldRes.
The agreement allows hotels on www.intoegypt.com that are not WorldRes clients to be featured on www.worldres.com and www.placestostay.com. The agreement will benefit around 120 local chains and hotels on www.intoegypt.com's hotel database.
Intoegypt.com provides marketing and sales assistance to more than 150 hotels and 32 Nile cruises throughout Egypt.
