Northstar

NEWS www.travelweeklyweb.com SIA's full year profi ts went down to S$336 million The SIA Group's audited fi nancial results for the fi nancial year ended March 31, 2012 was out last week and it has attributed high fuel prices and increasing yield pressure to be push factors that weigh heavily on the Group's earnings. Profits went down by almost 70 per cent to S$336 million. Against this backdrop, revenue went up by two per cent (S$333 million) while passenger carriage saw an improvement of 3.6 per cent. Spending however, rose at a faster pace with a 32 per cent spike year-on- year in average jet fuel prices to US$133 per barrel. This contributed to a 10 per cent increase in the Group's spending. The Group's operating profi t fell by 77 per cent to S$286 million. In the year to March 2013, SIA plans to take delivery of three A380- 800s and one A330-300, while three B777s and one B747-400 aircraft will be decommissioned. Two B777-200ERs will return to the fl eet upon expiry of the lease to Royal Brunei Airlines. This will bring the company's operating fl eet to a total of 102 aircraft by March 2013. Capacity growth of about three per cent is planned for the full year. The Boeing B777-200 Luxury goes mobile with Ritz-Carlton MARYLAND – Having an overdose of mobile applications and the likes now that they are readily available for your travel needs? How about one that goes well beyond basic hotel search and reservation functionality? The Ritz-Carlton app serves up exclusive tips, tours and integrates with the brand's other social platforms such as Foursquare World Concierge. Most notable also is the Presidential Tips, from the president and chief operating officer of the luxury hotel himself, Herve Humler. From secluded garden in Sanya to exclusive one-of-a-kind Viennese crystal chandelier in Doha, Humler shares his favourite tips about each hotel with the users, creating a more personalised touch to the mobile app. "In my role, I am fortunate to be able to visit all of our stunning e locations around the world. I want to enrich a Ritz-Carlton experience for our guests further with details about the things I have found to be quite memorable and marvellous in my travels. With the Ritz-Carlton app I can now do that very easily and in real time," said Humler. But the unique aspects of the app do not stop short at exclusive tips and tours. GPS technology also allows the application to recognise when a guest has arrived at a Ritz-Carlton, providing location specific advice, information and even exclusive offers. With the tap of a finger, guests can learn more about local culture and customs, concierge tips, the hotel's art collection and new destination and landmark tips which are populated by Ritz-Carlton's concierge experts from all over the world on a weekly basis. Download the Ritz-Carlton app at www.RitzCarlton.com/App. In addition, the Ritz-Carlton app will debut with 20 hotels providing QR code experience tours on property. Among the fi rst hotels to launch are: • The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, where guests can participate in a cultural art tour led by QR codes that will allow them to learn more about the hotel's art collection. • The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, where guests will be able to learn more about wine pairings at the Highest Hotel in the World. • The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin, where young guests will be able to enjoy a digital scavenger hunt, led exclusively by QR codes and clues at each stop. • The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park, the hotel's signature 10- The Ritz-Carlton app's interface year anniversary cocktail will be served on a napkin that features a special QR code; it holds the cocktail's recipe for guests to take home with them. TravelWeekly Asia – The Indispensable Travel Industry read • In-depth analyses and exclusive commentaries Your ESSENTIAL marketing tool for Asia dynamic Travel industries • Portable, searchable and printable e-book format e • News updates across travel industr ry section www.travelweeklyweb.com Over 9,900* subscribers and growing rapidly with every issue out Reached to decision makers in over 20 countries in Asia Distributed at major Travel tradeshows in Asia Wide range of advertising options available in digital magazine and website For more information on advertising opportunities, please contact Loraine See at +65 6521 9742 or email loraine.see@tenalpsasia.com 8 MAY 2012 | TRAVELWEEKLY ASIA ■ | 3 *Google Analytics Report in March 2012 Photo: Singapore Airlines

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