Air New Zealand non-stop to Bali

Air New Zealand is pleased to announce that they will operate a third season of their non-stop flights between Auckland and Bali in response to high passenger demand for the 2013 season, particularly during the school holiday periods.

The twice weekly Boeing 767-300 service will operate seasonally with a slightly longer travel period of 31 May – 19 October 2014 and additionally over the peak demand period of 01 July - 12 October 2014 they will be introducing a third weekly service, so overall a 40% increase to capacity compared to the previous season. An increased number of length stay options will now be possible with the third frequency.

Destination: Chile

So, you want to visit South America but don’t know quite where to start? Why not consider Chile as your destination?

There is something in Chile for everyone. Sports and Adventure, Natural Inspiration, Food and Wine, Culture and Heritage, and Wellness and Relaxation.

Here is an overview of the regions.

In the North:

The Atacama Desert is the most arid in the world. Over a relatively short distance it is possible to see volcanoes, extensive salt flats, geysers, enormous sand dunes, natural hot springs, fertile valleys, solitary beaches and varied wildlife.

The city of La Serena (located 470 km North of Santiago) is your starting point for Astronomical tourism. This area has clear skies, 340 nights each year.

Santiago and the Central Zone:

The New York Times named Santiago as a premier travel destination thanks to its growing cultural life, new infrastructure dedicated to the arts, and first-class hotel options. In the neighbourhoods of Lastarria, Italia and the bohemian Bellavista there is an array of restaurants, design shops, bars and cafés, creating a truly vibrant experience. Just a few kilometers from Santiago you’ll find ski resorts and vineyards.

The wine routes in the Maipo, Casablanca and Colchagua valleys offer daily visiting schedules, tastings, wine shops and excellent restaurants.

In the South:

The Biobio River marks the beginning of the south of Chile. It is a place of great beauty, perfect for enjoying sporting activities and excursions the year round. Skiing in the Winter, and water sports, trekking, canopy rides, rafting and volcano climbing in the Summer.

90 kilometers from the city of Temuco you’ll find a wonderful ethnic tourism circuit that lets visitors sample local cuisine, sleep in a traditional dwelling (known as “ruca”), and enjoy rowboat excursions on Lake Budi, South America’s only saltwater lake.

Patagonia and the extreme South:

From one end to the other you’ll find landscapes containing endless wonders, including its majestic mountains, Campos de Hielo (the Ice Fields), Torres del Paine and Cerro Castillo (Mount Castillo). Torres del Paine is one of the most impressive destinations that Chile has to offer.

A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this 240,000 hectare protected space features lakes, glaciers, rivers, waterfalls, forests and its unique granite towers. Activities include visiting the General Carrera lake whose waters have hewn caves and grottos in marble.

Both the Northern and Southern Ice Fields offer breathtaking views of glaciers. The Baker river is known for its excellent fly-fishing thanks to its abundance of rainbow and brown trout.

Torres del Paine National Park features a variety of circuits for trekking. You can explore the park by bike, following paths that offer gorgeous panoramic views. Kayaking is another option, navigating the Serrano River and exploring pristine areas surrounded by impressive vegetation and glaciers.

Between mid-November and mid-March, a number of ships offer transportation to Antarctica. Its landscapes are truly unique and magnificent, with a variety of wildlife to observe, photograph and film.

Chile is also the country from where you can visit Easter Island, the Juan Fernandez Islands and Chiloe. So much history and heritage to discover.

Target Travel would love to help you put together the trip of a lifetime. We can book you on tours from many providers.

Links:
Turismo Chile
Tierra Patagonia
Terra Luna Patagonia
Hotel Las Torres Patagonia
Explore Worldwide
AP Touring
Cox and Kings
Scenic Tours
Adventure World
Intrepid Travel

* images supplied by Turismo Chile

The Great Race

First Travel Group has a team in the Air New Zealand Great Race.

We at Target Travel would like to wish them all the best in this competition. 

We can help them by following them on Instagram #grhteamfirst and on their Great Race page.  Points are awarded for interaction. Likes and Comments add up!

Qantas International Network Improvements

Qantas today announced a series of improvements to its international network that will deliver new options and more choice for customers traveling to Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Auckland and Christchurch.

The improvements are:                        

• Starting a new route, Perth–Auckland*, to be offered on a seasonal basis between early December and the end of January, operated by a Qantas A330 aircraft twice per week.
• Upgrading one return Sydney–Hong Kong service to an Airbus A380 aircraft, increasing the number of A380 return services on this route from four to five per week.
• Increasing frequency to daily on Brisbane–Los Angeles* using the aircraft made available by the A380 upgrade on the Hong Kong route.
• Retiming Qantas’ existing Sydney–Christchurch* service so that it connects with more international services from Sydney and complements the existing Emirates service on this route.

*subject to regulatory approval

Are Travel Agents Really Necessary?

Recently the American edition of Woman’s Day ran an article titled ‘Ten Things Travel Agents Won’t Tell You’.

It has created quite a storm. Here’s a follow up article, which includes the response of the The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) to the magazine.

The simple fact is, as travel agents, we work really hard for you. We want you to have a good experience with your travel. And we are there for you when things go wrong overseas (and they can)!

At Target Travel we strive to give you the best service, as many of our clients can attest to.

Air New Zealand Wellington Disrupt Policy

More than 100 aftershocks have been recorded since the 6.5 earthquake in the Cook Strait just after 17.00 yesterday (Sunday). While some of the shocks are being felt hundreds of miles away, Wellington is experiencing the brunt of the impact. Best expert predictions are that the activity is likely to continue, so Air New Zealand is extending the following flexibility for customers who are already booked and ticketed to travel to/from Wellington.

General Rule Flexibility

The following flexibility will be permitted on all fare types for passengers ticketed to travel to/from Wellington up to and including Thursday 25th July 2013. This information relates specifically to tickets issued on Air New Zealand 086 ticket stock and covers both domestic and international travel.

Options are as follows:

• Passengers ticketed for travel to and from Wellington prior to and including Thursday 25th July 2013 may defer their travel to a later Air New Zealand flight in the same booking class inside 12-months of the original date of travel without penalty. If only higher booking classes are available, the fare differential will apply. If the proposed date of travel is unknown, then the value of the ticket may be held in credit for payment towards travel within the same 12-month validity.
• Passengers ticketed to travel to Wellington prior to and including Thursday 25th July 2013 may change their travel to another Air New Zealand destination without penalty. Any fare difference will apply
• Passengers who are ticketed to/from Wellington and wish to bring their travel forward to a date on/prior to Thursday 25th July 2013 may do so in the same cabin (regardless of booking class) without penalty and fare difference.  If a cabin upgrade is required the fare differential will apply.

Important note for all scenarios:

• This is an uncontrollable situation so any incidental costs and penalties incurred by customers as a result of flight disruptions (e.g. accommodation etc) will be their own responsibility.
• Normal refund policy/procedures apply, i.e. non-refundable tickets remain non-refundable.
• Passengers should be referred to their travel insurance policy to see if they are covered for any incidental/incremental costs.

Top 10 Airlines for Economy Class

From: TotalTravel

The Skytrax Airline Awards have named the 10 airlines that offer the best economy class seats.

Based on a survey of more than 18 million travellers, the awards also take into account factors like legroom, width and recline as well as cleanliness, food and service.

And the top 10 are:

10. Malaysia Airlines
9. Thai Airways
8. ANA All Nippon Airways
7. Oman Air
6. Japan Airlines
5. Qatar Airways
4. Singapore Airlines
3. Korean Air
2. Asiana Airlines
1. Garuda Indonesia

Malaysia Airlines Now Flying Daily Auckland – Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia Airlines is increasing its frequency from Auckland into Kuala Lumpur from six times weekly to daily services effective 25 November 2013.

Starting 25 November 2013, the additional daytime service MH130 will depart every Monday from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur in addition to Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 2.30pm and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 8.20pm. It returns as flight MH131 every Sunday in addition to Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, departing Kuala Lumpur at 9.50pm and arriving in Auckland the following day at 1.05pm.

The MH132 night service departs every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 1.35am and arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 7.25am. The returning flight MH133 departs Kuala Lumpur every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 8.50am and arrives in Auckland at 12.05 midnight the following day.

According to Lee Poh Kait, Malaysia Airlines Regional Senior Vice President for Australia and New Zealand, “Greater demand from the market has led us to put in an additional service between Auckland and Kuala Lumpur from the current 6 weekly services. The capacity we will offer on this route will match the encouraging demand, including better connectivity to other regions within the network. This is in line with Malaysia Airlines’ continued efforts to strengthen our position as a top airline for the New Zealand market”.

With Visit Malaysia Year 2014 kicking off soon, attending mega events and special programmes in Malaysia will be more accessible. “Malaysia promises our guests something special with our cultural diversity. This is a key attraction for tourists from New Zealand and around the world”, he added.

Malaysia Airlines has been steadily growing its reach and capacity in the past year. With the additional service from New Zealand, the airline will now fly 60 times weekly from 5 main cities in Australia and Auckland direct to Malaysia with onward connections to over 60 destinations around the world.

Malaysia Airlines Single Cabin Baggage Policy

Effective immediately, Malaysia Airlines will be carrying out further operational implementation at various customer touch points of our Single Cabin Baggage Policy (SHLP). This applies for all classes of travel system-wide.

This Policy will be strictly enforced to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers in the cabin. This includes minimizing injury caused by oversized baggage falling from overhead compartments, as well as ensuring sufficient stowage for all guests in the cabin.

Malaysia Airlines front liners will sight and check guests’ cabin baggage. We seek your support and assistance to communicate this Single Cabin Baggage Policy to minimize delays at the airport and avoid hassles of guests repacking baggage.

Single Cabin Baggage - defined

Economy class – one (1) piece cabin baggage up to a max. weight of 7 kg is allowed
First and Business Class - two (2) pieces of cabin baggage with a max. weight of 7 kg each

Each cabin baggage must not exceed 56 cm height, 36 cm length and 23 cm width.

Passengers may bring any ONE of the following items with their cabin baggage:

1 notebook/laptop OR a briefcase OR a camera bag OR a binoculars bag

Other items allowed, in addition to the Single Cabin Baggage:
1 small handbag
1 walking stick

Passengers travelling with infants (below 24 months old) are allowed an additional:
1 piece bag containing baby food and nappies, not more than 5 kg
1 carry-cot