Tips To breeze Through AirporT securiTy

What to expect for UAE’s first Crowne Plaza Resort in 2015

AccorChinese business travellers going places

1 October 2012

Business

Expedia hits Malaysia

Connect with Garuda

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2 27 June 2012

Contents10 Ways to Get Through Airport Security Fast 4

Expedia !nally hits Malaysia 6

Connect with Garuda 6

First UAE Crowne Plaza Resort opening in 2015 7

Chinese business travellers going places 9

Publisher Raymond Wong

James Chen Nabila GohBelle Cheng Shawn Lui

Web Sam Soh Ophilia Leung

Eve Wee

Asia Xclusives Pte Ltd

Editor’s Speak

James ChenEditor, Asia Travel Exclusivesjames.chen@asiaxclusives.com

Business Travel Xclusives 1 October 2012

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Elite Status. Most airlines allow at least their mid-tier and high-tier elites to access the priority security lines. !is bene"t is usually extended to any companions trav-elling with the elite member, so it’s always good thing to follow them.

Fly Premium Class. In addition to allowing those with elite status to enter the priority security lanes, those #y-ing in First or Business class are also allowed to use these lanes. Some airports, such as Honolulu, will put a stamp on your boarding pass when you check-in that will allow those seated in a premium class to use the faster security lines.

TSA Pre-Check. !e purpose is to test modi"ed screen-ing procedures for selected passengers traveling through certain security checkpoints within the U.S. Custom-ers with certain elite status levels as well as members of Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Global Entry, SENTRI, and NEXUS Trusted Traveler programs who are U.S. citizens may be eligible to participate in this pilot program. Eligible members must opt-in to be considered for Pre-Check.

Members may opt in by updating and saving their Secure Flight Passenger Data, or by adding their Trusted Traveler / Membership Number / PassID in the Known Traveler "eld in the Secure Flight section on airlines’ sites. !e great thing if you are selected, you don’t have to waste time on taking o$ shoes, belt, or jackets and you can leave laptop computers in the bag. Depending on the check point, this is only available for passengers #ying on Delta, United, American, U.S. Airways and Alaska Airlines.

Ask Nicely! It doesn’t hurt to ask nicely as the main agents manning the priority security lines are independ-ent airport contract workers. If you are travelling with small children, they might send you through the priority line.

10 Ways To Get Through Airport Security Fast

TEXT BY BELLE CHENG

Fly hassle-free with these ten tips

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CLEAR. !is is an innovative program that helps travellers zip through airport security using the biometric CLEARcard. !e standard unlimited annual pricing plan is $179. !e current locations of CLEAR are at Denver International Airport (DEN), Orlando International Airport (MCO), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Dallas/Ft Worth (DFW).

American Airlines Flagship Check-In. !ere is a designated premium security line with expedited access. For the Flagship Check-in service, you must fall into one of the following groups: Five Star Service passengers, ConciergeKey members, those traveling "rst class onboard an international American or British Airways, Cathay Paci"c, Japan Airlines and Qantas #ight.

Choose your security line. Most airports have multiple entries into the airport. You can sometimes save time by entering a further security checkpoint and then transiting once in the terminal.

Dress appropriately for taking certain items o! and put them back on. Have your ID ready when approaching the TSA agent right before going through screening. Remove shoes , belts and everything in your pockets before entering the screening technology and put your shoes directly on the belt to go through the X-ray machine instead of in a bin with other items. iPads, cameras and other devices can stay in your bag. Take your liquids out of your bag and place them in a clear plastic bag.

Adjust approach for children and seniors. In-fants and children need to be taken out of baby carriers and strollers before they can go through the metal detector. Strollers and baby carriers can go through the X-ray machine with your bags. Children 12 and under can leave their shoes on during screening. For seniors, modi-"ed screening measures allow passengers 75 and older to leave on shoes and light jackets through security checkpoints.

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Don’t be an idiot.Snarky responses and rude behavior to front-line employees are not going to make a change in policy. Like it or not, TSA agents actually have a decent amount of power, so if you try to make stupid jokes or give them a hard time, you’re stalling the process for your-self and everyone else in the line.

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Wi! and mobile services to be available by end of the year

Garuda Indonesia is in talks to o$er wi" and mobile services on its long-haul #ight.

!e service is called OnAir where passengers will pay to connect to an online GSM network or an onboard wi" hotspot using their own devices. !e rates for OnAir and whether voice calls are allowed on board are still uncon"rmed.

!e service will be installed on all 28 A330 aircra% in November. It will also be installed on its 21 new air-cra%s.

Singapore airlines has also launched in-#ight connec-tivity services this month and it will gradually intro-duce this service to all of its #eet.

Expedia finally hits MalaysiaMalaysian travellers now have an online platform to book airfares and accommodations

Expedia, Inc., the world’s largest online travel company has launched in Malaysia to o$er travellers a$ordable airfares and hotel accommodations all year round.

!e partnership between Malaysian airlines (MAS) and Expedia ap-points Expedia as one of MAS’s o&cial ticketing agents. Consumers in Malaysia now have an easy to use online booking channel for them to "nalise their travel arrangements.Travellers can now compete with Expedia’s “Best Price Guarantee”, whereby if you do "nd a cheaper price online for the same #ight, Expe-dia will give you a RM150 travel voucher and match the price that you have found.

Expedia is also o$ering a$ordable travel packages to over 30 local and international destinations like Langkawi, Bali and London from RM110 to celebrate the site’s launch.

Expedia also o$ers 24-hour phone support and cancellation or changes of bookings will not be charged.Planning your next business trip will be much easier with virtual tours, detailed hotel overviews and even independent reviews on the site.

With over 400 airlines and 150,000 hotels globally, travellers now have a user friendly platform for their own convenience.

For more information, please visit http://www.expedia.com.my/.

TEXT BY NABILA GOH

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Business Travel Xclusives 1 October 2012

First UAE Crowne Plaza Resort opening in 2015

!e "rst Crowne Plaza Resort in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will open in Ras Al Khaimah in 2015, InterConti-nental Hotels Group (IHG) recently an-nounced.

!e 442-room hotel, located on Marjan Island, will span 18,000sqm and contain nine F&B outlets, six meeting rooms, spa, "tness centre and beauty salon.

One wing comprises of 148 rooms which has been "nished and work continues on the second wing, which will ultimately provide 301 rooms.

Renovations will start in May next year with a complete renovation of the lobby, and the two restaurants, Spice Island and Harry’s Place.

Bill Sheppard, Director of Operations UAE, said the num-ber of suites will be reduced to 32. “When this hotel opened 20 years ago it had a large number of suites - things have changed, and we’ve looked at how o%en they’re used - some of the space will be converted into a larger club lounge.”

For a welcoming gesture, business travellers, the hotel will introduce free wi" for basic internet use from October, although charges will apply for large "le downloads. !e hotel has introduced a useful MediaHub on the desk which has a range of adaptor "xtures which can connect to travellers’ devices and TV.

Crowne Plaza has 390 branches across the world, so travellers can look forward to the latest resort in 2015.

TEXT BY BELLE CHENG

Crowne Plaza adds the United Arab Emirates to its host of hotels

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Chinese business travellers going places

Accor has revealed the "ndings of its third annual Accor Asia-Paci"c Business Traveller Research, which seeks to better understand the travel and behavioural preferences of business travellers based in the region. !e survey inter-viewed almost 2,600 respondents representing 26,000 busi-ness trips from nine countries in Asia-Paci"c, who made business tripsin the "rst half of the year.

According to the survey, Mainland Chinese executives posted the highest increase in volume, with the average Chinese business traveller going on 17 trips in the "rst half versus nine trips over the same period last year. !e next highest increase was among Indian travellers, who took 13 trips compared to seven last year. !e average number of trips taken by Asia-Paci"c executives increased by 67% in the "rst half of the year, with ten trips reported in the "rst half of 2012 versus six trips over the same period last year.

!e survey found Singapore emerging as the region’s most popular business destination in the "rst half of 2012 – the city-state appeared in the “Top 3” destination lists of nine key markets surveyed. Last year, Singapore and Hong Kong vied for top honours. !ailand emerged as another key business destination in the "rst half, appearing the “Top 3” lists of travellers from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Mainland China and Indonesia.

!e planned destinations for the remaining half of 2012 are similar to those countries travelled to in the "rst six months of the year, with the exception that Japan moves into the “Top 3” for Chinese and !ai business travellers for the "rst time since Accor began the annual survey in 2010.

Another key "nding from the survey is that Indian business travellers were the most bullish, with 47% of Indians citing an upswing in business as a main reason for increasing their travel plans.

On the whole, allocated hotel budgets increased slightly, with the average nightly room budget creeping up by 3.3% to US$125 from US$121 last year. Singapore-based business travellers increased their average nightly hotel spend more than any other country, budgeting 16.4% more per night than last year, followed by Australian (9.5%) and Indian (3.9%) busi-ness travellers. Indonesian travellers had the sharpest budget decrease (12%) and the lowest accommodation budget, at an average of US$81 per night.

TEXT BY JAMES CHEN

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Accor’s annual Business Traveller Research reveals

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10 27 June 2012Business Travel Xclusives 1 October 2012