Passport applications

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

Well I must say how impressed I am with the about turn home affairs have done since my last dealings with them. Did an application earlier this year – 28 jan 2010 – really took me less than an hour from filling in the form to thumb prints. Recieved an sms on 08 Feb 2010 – to say passport is ready. Went today to collect and I was inand out in 15 minutes with passport in hand. Added to this great new efficiency is the awesome new looking passport. To mention a few things I picked up on:

  • Hologram
  • Engraved details page
  • Watermark
  • Passport number punched on all the pages

So the question is now are the UK going to revert their visa status and change the visa requirements to suit the new securer South African passports or do you think the UK enjoy milking the SA public to revoke the visa requirements for their country?

Southern sun self check-in and check-out

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel
Southern Sun’s Garden Court eliminates queues with innovative self check-in and check-out facilities
In February Southern Sun Garden Court Sandton City, will launch Africa’s very first hotel self check-in and check-out kiosks.
“A great day begins and ends with a great stay,” says Priya Naidoo General Manager of Communications at Southern Sun. “Southern Sun’s extensive guest research has pin-pointed that today’s traveller is pushed for time. We are delighted to provide an alternative, time-saving check-in and check-out service for our business guests and for families travelling with children, where a speedy check-in is always fundamental.”
This innovative technology at Southern Sun Garden Court Sandton City, reinforces the group’s brand philosophy of being a vanguard of hospitality innovation. More and more consumers are embracing technologies geared towards self-service. Managing Director of Southern Sun; Graham Wood says “Our guests already use self check-in facilities at airports and the movies, and at economy, economy plus and brand hotels overseas. Generally, they welcome technology that enables them to ‘do it themselves’ – not to mention quickly.”
The kiosk allows guests to check-in and out and to perform certain in-house functions within the hotel environment. The touch screen application facilitates easy interaction. To use the self check-in service, guests simply identify themselves at the kiosk with a reservation number or credit card, for example. The kiosk integrates with the hotel’s operational system, allocates a room, authorises a debit or credit and dispenses a room key card. Through a similar identification process, it also allows guests to check-out, charging to a debit or credit card, or billing back to the guest’s company or travel agent.
“The self-service environment permits guests to make choices at their own pace. It instills a sense of control, provides a quick service and maintains privacy. For those who prefer anonymity, self check-in is the perfect vehicle,” Wood explains.
For those seeking a human interaction, Garden Court Sandton City hostesses will continue to provide check-in services at reception, and will also be available to assist customers with the self check-in terminals if needed.
The Garden Court promise to guests encompasses energised service delivery. “We continually endeavour to bring innovation to the forefront, to implement new technologies and new ways of working, and to generate new processes that truly benefit our guests” says Wood.

Southern Sun’s Garden Court eliminates queues with innovative self check-in and check-out facilities In February Southern Sun Garden Court Sandton City, will launch Africa’s very first hotel self check-in and check-out kiosks. “A great day begins and ends with a great stay,” says Priya Naidoo General Manager of Communications at Southern Sun. “Southern Sun’s extensive guest research has pin-pointed that today’s traveller is pushed for time. We are delighted to provide an alternative, time-saving check-in and check-out service for our business guests and for families travelling with children, where a speedy check-in is always fundamental.” This innovative technology at Southern Sun Garden Court Sandton City, reinforces the group’s brand philosophy of being a vanguard of hospitality innovation. More and more consumers are embracing technologies geared towards self-service. Managing Director of Southern Sun; Graham Wood says “Our guests already use self check-in facilities at airports and the movies, and at economy, economy plus and brand hotels overseas. Generally, they welcome technology that enables them to ‘do it themselves’ – not to mention quickly.” The kiosk allows guests to check-in and out and to perform certain in-house functions within the hotel environment. The touch screen application facilitates easy interaction. To use the self check-in service, guests simply identify themselves at the kiosk with a reservation number or credit card, for example. The kiosk integrates with the hotel’s operational system, allocates a room, authorises a debit or credit and dispenses a room key card. Through a similar identification process, it also allows guests to check-out, charging to a debit or credit card, or billing back to the guest’s company or travel agent. “The self-service environment permits guests to make choices at their own pace. It instills a sense of control, provides a quick service and maintains privacy. For those who prefer anonymity, self check-in is the perfect vehicle,” Wood explains. For those seeking a human interaction, Garden Court Sandton City hostesses will continue to provide check-in services at reception, and will also be available to assist customers with the self check-in terminals if needed. The Garden Court promise to guests encompasses energised service delivery. “We continually endeavour to bring innovation to the forefront, to implement new technologies and new ways of working, and to generate new processes that truly benefit our guests” says Wood.

Cape town airport

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

Well this airport has come leaps and bounds since my last visit a few months ago. The arrivals area still needs work – the temporary toilets are *temporary*  thank goodness – is is a mess between car rental drop offs and departing. Theses are short lived and over looked once you enter the main building, it is stunning! Well done all, this certainly is going to be  majestic airport to be very proud of. After a quick efficient check in we were off to the departure lounge, we Raphsody’s – excellent efficient service, lovely meals and a wow – awesome departure lounge – there are loads of seats, panoramic views of the beautiful mountain range and the runways, this is what it feels like being at a top class airport. Great work Cape Town!  One small comment and critic about a store in the departure lounge – went all out to spoil my boys with a gift from CPT, sure R390 and the goods were stuffed into a flimsy plastic bag that should not have even fitted a part of the boys gift. You are going to have people spend thousands of rands at your store, your products are over priced, sure, however lets try and give value for money and walk away from your store satisfied with some sort of feeling of great value – this could quickly be achieved with a 90c paper bag.

Cracks showing in availability?

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

Latest on the Travel wire is an email from Qantas:

Due to the high volume of enquiries and demand for overseas holidays during the World Cup 2010, QANTAS has opened availability from V class upwards for departures during June & July.  Fares are being sold at published levels as follows:

PER -  from ZAR 6720 low season (on/before 13 June) and ZAR 8200 shoulder season (on/after 14 June)
SYD/MEL/ADL/BNE – from ZAR 7910 low season (on/before 13 June) and ZAR 9420 shoulder season (on/after 14 June)
AKL/WLG/CHC – from ZAR 9560 low season (on/before 13 June) and ZAR 11070 shoulder season (on/after 14 June)

This I believe is the start of the onslaught of specials and *folding of hands* by the airlines to happen over the next few weeks. Airlines have kept their availability close to their chest in anticipation of ludicrous fares during the World Cup 2010. Timing is of the essence for the airlines and their yield management teams, if they hold on to long and not sell they will have empty seats. So question now is, is this just the start of the availability opening up? I certainly hope so for the sake of travellers looking to travel in bound and out bound during 2010.

Lags

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

LAG stands for Liquids, Aerosols and Gels. If you can POUR it, PUMP it, SQUEEZE it, SPREAD it, SMEAR it, SPRAY it or SPILL it, it is considered a LAG.

Notice that with the addition and changes in security with the airlines – here is a release from Emirates:

Please note LAGS restriction will apply to passengers transiting in selected countries adhering to the following measures:

If passengers are transiting through countries where they are required to disembark along with their hand baggage and go through security check, they will not be able to take duty free liquid goods past the transit security check.

Passengers travelling to Australia transiting through KUL/SIN/BKK are required to disembark and go through security check hence will not be allowed to take their duty free liquid goods. These items will be confiscated by airport authorities.

Countries where LAGS already implemented:
Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, European Union, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, UAE, Uganda, USA, Yemen.

SA airlink cancels routes

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

The routes between George and Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth to East London, Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein and Nelspruit to Livingstone, Zambia will be permanently scrapped.

Source

Pre paid seating on BA

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

Paid For Seating Update – Preferred Exit Row Seat Booking Available Online

From 19th January, customers wishing to request and pay for Preferred Exit Row seating will be able to do so online at ba.com without contacting the call centres. (This date is subject to any last minute disruption, should this date change you will be advised in a further Update.) Customers will be offered this option in their confirmation email and the functionality will be available in either “Manage My Booking”, for direct-booked customers, or MMB cul-de-sac for Trade customers (to ensure that we do not drive direct sales through this initiative).  We will be encouraging customers either directly or through the Trade to follow this process and not to contact the call centres.
Customers should only phone the call centre to amend or upgrade an existing Paid Seating booking, all other Paid Seating bookings and queries can now be made online.

Haiti earth quake

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

Here is a TV report of the devastation on Haiti

Burj – world tallest building Jan 2010

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

wifi free at Mc Donalds USA

Posted by: admin  /  Category: Travel

NEW YORK (Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp plans to offer free Wi-Fi service at most of its U.S. restaurants, starting on January 15, a spokeswoman said on Monday.

source

Is that just not the greatest move for clients that will certainly own a new wave of service for clients. This is for the benefit of their clients certainly for the locals and travellers alike. Yes certainly I believe we are years away before we see anything of this magnitude here in SA. We are generally a few years behind such bold developments however as an end use I am certainly excited at the scope and bold step of Mc Donalds.

This is certainly what is called trend setting! Lets hope we see this trend at airports in the near future…

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