AIR CANADA:

Calgary-Tokyo(NRT) effective May 2 will increase from 5x/week to 1x/DAY.
Toronto-Beijing effective June 1 will increase from 7x/week to 10x/week.
Toronto-Istanbul effective June 4 will BEGIN 3x/week service.
Toronto-Seoul effective June 2 will BEGIN 3x/week service.
Vancouver-Beijing effective June 1 will increase from 7x/week to 11x/week.

EGYPTAIR:

Cairo-Aleppo effective November 30 is temporarily SUSPENDED due to Syrian crisis (1x/day).
Cairo-Damascus effective November 30 is temporarily SUSPENDED due to Syrian crisis (2x/day).

SILVER AIRWAYS (Operating For UNITED AIRLINES):

Ft. Lauderdale-Orlando effective January 7 will BEGIN 17x/week service.
West Palm Bech-Tampa effective January 7 will BEGIN 12x/week service.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES:

Singapore-Bandar Seri Begawan effective January 9 to January 31 will be reduced from 5x/week to 4x/week.
Singapore-Kuala Lumpur effective January 9 to January 31 will be reduced from 17x/week to 16x/week.

TURKISH:

Istanbul-Basra effective December 20 will increase from 4x/week to 1x/DAY
Istanbul-Najaf effective December 19 will increase from 3x/week to 5x/week.
Istanbul-Santiago de Compostela effective May 21 will BEGIN 3x/week service.
Istanbul-Sulaymaniyah effective December 17 will increase from 4x/week to 5x/week.

PREVIOUS STAR ALLIANCE ROUTE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Courtesy: www.AirlineRoute.net

Lufthansa has released a brief update on it’s FlyNet in-flight broadband/WiFi system.

On it’s second anniversary, FlyNet is now installed on 80 aircraft and expectations are that by mid-December FlyNet will be available on all long haul flights (Except for flights operating over China and South Africa). According to Lufthansa, they have the largest fleet of long haul aircraft with broadband connectivity.

Lufthansa also indicated that any new 747-8i’s that join the fleet beginning next March will have FlyNet functioning on board. The 747-8i’s up til now are equipped for FlyNet, but have not been using it due in part to testing and FAA certification requirements.

To learn more about FlyNet, please visit Lufthansa’s FlyNet webpage.

Via their Facebook page, germanwings is hosting a contest that will award 100 winners a €100 Travel Voucher. The short contest starts and ends today, 30 November.

The terms/conditions state that the offer is only available to EU residents. The voucher will need to be redeemed by 30 March, and travel completed by 30 May, 2013.

To enter the contest, all you need to do is enter your name and email on this germanwings Facebook Page.

Winners will be notified via Email.

BRUSSELS AIRLINES has gotten into the Holiday Spirit by introducing 2 fare sales that both offer 50% discounts for travel from Brussels to destinations through Europe. One of the fare sales celebrates the end of the year, while the other looks forward to 2013 travel.

For the 2012 “Year End” sale, fares have been discounted 50% for travel to selected European destinations:

Berlin, Bilbao, Birmingham, Bologna, Bristol, Budapest, Copenhagen, Geneva, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Hannover, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Newcastle, Oslo, Prague, Rome, Stockholm, Toulouse, Turin, Venice, Vienna & Vilnius.

To take advantage of this fare sale, book your ticket by 3 DECEMBER and travel between 15 December and 31 March 2013.

For the 2013 “New Year” sale, fares have been discounted 50% for travel to ALL OF BRUSSELS’ European destinations:

Barcelona, Basel, Berlin, Bilbao, Birmingham, Bologna, Bristol, Budapest, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Geneva, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Hannover, Lisbon, London, Lyon, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Marseille, Milan, Newcastle, Nice, Oslo, Prague, Rome, Stockholm, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Turin, Venice, Vienna & Vilnius

To take advantage of this fare sale, book your ticket by 3 DECEMBER and travel between 1 January and 31 March 2013.

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EITHER FARE SALE, PLEASE CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO BRUSSELSAIRLINES.COM

To celebrate the Holidays, beginning on December 1 Lufthansa will launch their “Christmas List” contest on their Facebook page that will give away 13 fantastic prizes.

The contest will require visiting their Facebook site each day in order to complete a “Christmas List”. The list will actually be a jig-saw puzzle that will be assembled through pieces that are earned for each visit. The prizes themselves will comprise the jigsaw puzzles so when you complete a puzzle you will be entered to win that prize.

The difficulty of the puzzle will depend on the value of the gift. The higher the value of the gift, the more complex the puzzle.

Each person will be given one Christmas List and can earn an additional 3 Christmas Lists by inviting their “Facebook Friends” to join the contest. The objective there is to obviously earn more entries by referring others to the contest.

Information at the moment is limited, and the contest is not yet published on their Facebook page. The contest will run from December 1 to December 24 and based on the terms and conditions, will be open to everyone regardless of country of residence.

The list of prizes for this contest is impressive:

2 Roundtrip Intercontinental Tickets
50,000 Miles & More Miles
Apple iPad (64GB/Black)
Lufthansa Airlight Multiwheel XL+ Suitcase
Fujifilm Finepix XP150 Digi-cam
Bric’s Life Holdall
Lufthansa Radar Watch
Wenger Patriot 2 Laptop Trolley Case
Sennheiser HD 218i Headphones
Philips LivingColors Bloom Color Changing Lamp
Deuter ACT Trail 28 backpack
Airbus A380-800 Model (1:200 scale)
Titan Trolley Case

Most of these prizes are in the Worldshop Catalog if you’d like to take a closer look at them.

AUSTRIAN has added new seasonal destinations to it’s Summer 2013 Timetable. The new destinations are as follows:

Graz-Thira effective May 27 to September 30 will operate 1x/week (Monday) – The return flight will fly to Graz via Linz.

Flight OS9159 will depart Graz at 1:10pm and arrive in Thira at 4:40pm
Flight OS9160 will depart Thira at 09:25am, arrive at Linz at 11:00am, depart Linz at 11:45am and arrive in Graz at 12:25pm.

The route will be flown by an Airbus A319.

Linz-Kos effective May 13 to September 30 will operate 1x/week (Monday).

Flight OS9139 will depart Linz at 10:40am and arrive in Kos at 2:30pm.
Flight OS9140 will depart Kos at 3:05pm and arrive in Linz at 4:50pm.

The route will be flown by a Bombardier Q400.

Vienna-Palermo effective April 26 will operate 1x/week service (Friday).

Flight OS9803 will depart Vienna at 11:40am and arrive in Palermo at 1:50pm.
Flight OS9804 will depart Palermo at 2:35pm and arrive in Vienna at 4:45pm.

The route will be flown by an Airbus A319.

courtesy: www.AirlineRoute.net

This year, I’ve joined Passports With Purpose to help raise funds for Water.org as they seek to expand the availability of fresh drinking water in Haiti. The objective for Water.org is to build two new wells for two communities in Haiti. If you’ve followed the news over recent years Haiti has been decimated by natural disasters and her citizens continue to struggle with their recovery efforts.

Normally I don’t come to you for your help, but in this case I thought the plight of the Haitian people deserves all of our attention. Passports With Purpose is hoping to raise $100,000.00 to help make these Fresh Water Wells a reality.

They’ve developed a great fund raiser for this cause that not only will raise the money needed for the project, but will give YOU an opportunity to win a fantastic gift as a small token of thanks for your contribution.

The way the fundraiser works is as follows:

The Fundraiser starts on November 28 and ends on December 11 at Midnight (EST)

Each blogger who is participating in this fundraiser has arranged for a prize to be donated to the prize pool that has been built by participating blogs.

With each $10 donation, you are able to choose which gift you would like to be entered to win from among all the donated prizes from all the participating blogs. If you want to enter to win this bag, please make sure to find LufthansaFlyer on the list of participating blogs.

Prize Winners will be contacted on December 18.

Everyone is eligible to enter, just make sure that the prize you choose offers shipping to your country.

I approached American luggage legend Tom Bihn to help with my efforts for this fundraiser and they have been superbly helpful and have donated a Forest Green Western Flyer which is one of their most popular business/overnight travel cases. In addition, the case comes with their optional “Absolute Strap”. The value of the contribution is $240.00 and I am grateful for their contribution!!

The Tom Bihn Western Flyer:

I’ve been a loyal fan of Tom Bihn’s products ever since I purchased a “Super Ego” bag from them. It has traveled over 100,000 miles this year and has been absolutely the perfect bag that compliments my carry-on trolley.

I hope that during this Holiday Season that you can take a moment and for the cost of a pack of cigarettes or a movie ticket can help someone get access to fresh drinking water.

Please use this link to go to PassportsWithPurpose.org and submit your donation.

After your donation is made, you will then be asked to choose which gift you would like to win.

Thank You in advance for your support and I ask that you share/tweet/post this to your social networks. If you can be so kind, please leave a comment on this thread if you had made a donation. I’d like to see how many people participated.

ETHIOPIAN:

Addis Ababa-Oman planned service due to start November 27 has been CANCELED.

SWISS:

Geneva-Catania effective May 8 will BEGIN 3x/week service.
Geneva-Olbia effective May 9 will BEGIN 2x/week service.

THAI:

Bangkok-Paris(CDG) effective between February 16 and March 30 will decrease from 10x/week to 9x/week.

SAS (SCANDINAVIAN):

Bergen-Antalya effective July 3 to August 7 will operate 1x/week.
Bergen–Antalya effective July 3 to August 7 will operate 1x/week.
Bergen–Dubrovnik effective July 1 to August 5 will operate 1x/week.
Copenhagen–Alanya effective July 1 to August 16 will operate 3x/week.
Copenhagen–Biarritz effective June 28 to August 16 will operate 2x/week.
Copenhagen–Budapest effective March 31 will BEGIN 6x/week service.
Copenhagen–Cagliari effective July 4 to August 15 will operate 1x/week.
Copenhagen–Newcastle effective February 4 will BEGIN 6x/week service.
Copenhagen–Palermo effective June 21 to August 16 will operate 1x/week.
Copenhagen–Prague effective March 31 will BEGIN 6x/week service.
Copenhagen–Pula effective June 25 to August 13 will operate 1x/week.
Copenhagen–San Francisco effective April 8 will BEGIN 6x/week service.
Copenhagen–Thessaloniki effective July 3 to August 16 will operate 2x/week.
Gothenburg–Nice effective July 2 to August 16 will operate 2x/week.
Gothenburg–Ostersund effective February 9 to March 16 will operate 1x/week.
Gothenburg–Pristina effective July 4 to August 15 will operate 1x/week.
Helsinki–Geneva effecitve January 12 to March 23 will operate 1x/week.
Helsinki–Ostersund effective February 3 to March 31 will operate 2x/week.
Helsinki–Paris effective March 31 to October 20 (frequency to be determined).
Helsinki–Prague effective March 31 to October 20 (frequency to be determined).
Helsinki–Rome effective April 6 to October 26 (frequency to be determined).
Oslo–Athens effective June 27 to August 11 will operate 3x/week.
Oslo–Berlin(TXL) effective March 31 will BEGIN 3x/week service.
Oslo–Budapest effective March 31 will BEGIN 3x/week service.
Oslo–Cagliari effective July 3 to August 6 will operate 1x/week.
Oslo–Lisbon effective June 25 to August 15 will operate 2x/week.
Oslo–Malta effective June 27 to August 15 will operate 2x/week.
Oslo–Palermo effective July 5 to August 9 will operate 1x/week.
Oslo–Pristina effective July 2 to August 27 will operate 1x/week.
Oslo–Pula effective June 26 to August 7 will operate 1x/week.
Oslo–Salzburg effective Jan 26 to March 2 will operate 1x/week.
Oslo–Thira LAUNCH DATE AND TIMETABLE TO BE DETERMINED.
Oslo–Tenerife effective July 3 to August 14 will operate 1x/week.
Oslo–Valencia effective June 25 to August 15 will operate 2x/week.
Stavanger–Antalya effective July 3 to August 7 will operate 1x/week.
Stockholm–Alanya effective June 21 to August 16 will operate 2x/week.
Stockholm–Cagliari effective June 29 to August 17 will operate 1x/week.
Stockholm–Innsbruck effective January 24 to March 24 will operate 2x/week.
Stockholm–Palermo effective June 29 to August 17 will operate 1x/week.
Stockholm–Pristina effective July 4 to August 29 will operate 2x/week.
Stockholm–Pula effective June 22 to August 17 will operate 1x/week.
Stockholm–Thessaloniki effective June 22 to August 17 will operate 2x/week.
Stockholm–Tel Aviv effective June 21 to August 16 will operate 2x/week.
Tampere–Kittila effective December 22 to April 6 will operate 1x/week.
Trondheim–Split effective June 26 to August 7 will operate 1x/week.
Turku–Kittila effective February 2 to April 6 will operate 1x/week.

PREVIOUS STAR ALLIANCE ROUTE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Courtesy: www.AirlineRoute.net

During my latest trip to Hong Kong, I discovered a wonderful waterfront park quite by accident. Thanks to getting a good night’s sleep on my first night in Hong Kong, I was up and walking around the city at 7:00am on my first full day there. After a brief MTR (Subway) ride from Kowloon to Hong Kong, I found myself walking around some of the early morning markets that open before most retail shops and attractions.

I do this on purpose so that I can experience a version of Hong Kong that most visitors miss. At this time of day, small fruit, vegetable and meat markets are open throughout Hong Kong’s various neighborhoods and it gives a visitor like myself a great look into the daily life of Hong Kong’s residents. When I tour these markets, I purposely do not take photos or try to be any more obvious than I already am, I try to be the fly on the wall and not disturb anything.

As I was winding my way through the streets and alleys, I came down towards the waterfront near the Western Market and Macau Ferry Terminal. In this part of Hong Kong (Sheung Wan), you’ll find a large variety of dried seafood and other dried goods for sale by a multitude of shops. In this vicinity, across Connaught Rd, stands the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park with wonderful views of the Harbor and Kowloon.

This was my first visit to the park since I’m usually not the type to pause for long periods of time during my travels, but since I had an hour to pass before any of my favorite shops opened, I decided to take a break, buy a cup of tea and enjoy the park.

The park is named after a historic figure in China’s History. Dr. Sun Yat-sen is revered as the founding father and first President of the Republic of China. He played a pivotal role in the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Though he served as President of the Republic of China for only 2 months, his legacy has endured and is he is revered throughout Asia.

The park is a wonderful combination of green space and paths that allow people to enjoy themselves in a very quiet surrounding even though the park is surrounded by Hong Kong’s Skyscrapers. The park also has a soccer pitch and a few basketball courts as well. Hopefully the following photos give you a sense of the park’s space and attributes.

The east end of the park is set next to the Macau Ferry Terminal

More of the Macau Ferry Terminal adjacent to the park

A wonderful pathway lines the harbor along the entire park

Plenty of meticulously maintained green space

The park's location affords fantastic views of Kowloon

The park also has great views of Hong Kong's skyline as well

An open plaza encourages people to meditate and practice their morning exercises

This gentleman was practicing his sword work.......

The park excels at wonderful views.

The Memorial Lawn is the focal point of the park

A statue of Dr. San Yat-sen is centered on the Memorial Lawn

A sports complex (swimming pool) is located on the western end of the park.

Several Park Directories are located throughout the park to aide visitors.

The next time that you find yourself in Hong Kong, I would encourage you to find and enjoy this park. Especially in the mid morning hours, it is fairly empty and very quiet. There are many benches where you can take a seat and enjoy taking a break from the fast paced city that surrounds you. It’s a short walk from the Sheung Wan MTR station, and is also fairly close to the Hong Kong and Central MTR stations as well.

Lufthansa is currently offering attractive First Class airfares from the USA to European destinations. The most attractive fare is for travel to London (Approx. $4900 from the east coast). However, in many instances the flights to or from London are operated by United. There are some limited options to fly Lufthansa First Class to London through Germany, but not many. So be careful if you decide to take advantage of the low London fare, make sure you’re aware of who is operating the flight!

Otherwise, most fares from the East Coast to Europe range from the mid-$6000 to mid-$7000 range. From the West Coast, most fares range from the low-$7000 to low-$8000 range.

Lufthansa’s First Class service is among the best among in the world, and it’s never a bad idea to experience it, especially when you can book a seat for 30-50% less than the normal first class fare. I’ve experienced their First Class product many times, and each time it’s been a wonderful experience. With the introduction of a “renovated” First Class cabin on most long haul aircraft, it only gets better! In addition to the great inflight experiences, Lufthansa also knows how to take care of their First Class passengers on the ground.

For more fare options and booking information, please visit Lufthansa’s First Class Fare Sale webpage.

Terms and Conditions for the Fare Sale:

Tickets must be purchased by December 7
You must depart between December 22 and January 4.
You must return between December 25 and January 8.
Advance Purchase Period: 28 days.
First Class seating available on Lufthansa, Swiss and United (You’ll see that Lufthansa says that First Class is available on Austrian and Air Canada but they do not offer a first class cabin, so keep that in mind when reviewing options).
Saturday night stay required.

AUSTRIAN is offering a special €99 fare for travel from Vienna to Krakow, Poland (fares from other Austrian gateways are approximately €50-60 higher).

The fare sale is in place between November 23 and November 30 and travel must take place between January 1 and January 31, 2013.

A minimum stay of 5 Nights OR one Saturday is required. The maximum stay for this fare is 1 month. Additionally, this fare is eligible to earn ‘Miles & More’ miles for your account.

For more information and to book this fare, please visit AUSTRIAN’s fare sale webpage.