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SITA: Tracking airline passenger bags drives 66% improvement in baggage delivery

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Airlines that are adding tracking at more points of the baggage journey are enjoying a huge improvement in bag delivery globally. The SITA 2019 Baggage IT Insights – officially launched at an event in Abu Dhabi International Airport today – shows that where tracking is done at check-in and loading onto the aircraft, the rate of improvement is as high as 66%.

These results come as the record drop in the baggage mishandling rate achieved globally over the past decade plateaus, with the rate steady at around 5.7 bags per thousand passengers over the past three years. In 2018, the rate was 5.69 per thousand passengers.

Over the past year, an increasing number of airlines and airports have started to introduce tracking at key points in the journey – check-in, loading onto the aircraft, transfers and arrival – to improve baggage management and further reduce the chances of a bag being mishandled. SITA’s research provides the first glimpse of the success of this tracking. It reveals that where bags were being tracked when loaded onto the aircraft, the rate of improvement ranged between 38% and 66% depending on the level of tracking introduced.

Peter Drummond, Director of Baggage at SITA, said: “While the mishandling rate has started to plateau over the past few years, this comes against a continued growth in passenger numbers and their bags. In 2018, 4.36 billion travelers checked in more than 4.27 billion bags. More bags makes things more challenging. Everyone across the industry needs to look beyond the process and technology improvements made in the past decade and adopt the latest technology such as tracking to make the next big cut in the rate of mishandled bags.”

Ahmed Juma Al Shamsi, Acting Chief Operations Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “For our passengers the timely delivery of baggage is key to ensuring a seamless passenger experience and therefore an area in which we continue to make further improvements. Looking forward, baggage tracking is fundamental to driving more accurate bag delivery not only at Abu Dhabi International Airport but across the entire passenger journey. We have led the way with the introduction of tracking on arrival and we have already seen significant improvements.”

Transferring baggage from one aircraft, or airline, to another remains a pinch point in the journey and in 2018 it was again the main reason for bags being mishandled. Transfer bags accounted for 46% of all mishandled bags.
Drummond added: “Transfer is by far the most difficult stage to track a bag as there are multiple airlines and airports involved. However, data from this year’s report shows that tracking at key points in the journey, such as transfers, will go a long way to eliminating mishandling and will allow airlines and their passengers to keep tabs on where their bags are at every step of the way.”

Over the past decade, total number of mishandled bags per annum has plummeted 47% from 46.9 million in 2007 to 24.8 million in 2018, while the annual bill footed by the industry has shrunk 43% to $2.4 billion, down from $4.22 billion in 2007.

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The perplexing search for purplicious luggage and the perils of windmills

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April is Stress Awareness Month, but it is also National Humor Month, so I thought I’d go out on a limb and talk about something that stresses a travel bargain’s aficionado. I have Scandinavian blood, so just like the Vikings, I have a natural inclination to go out and explore the world. But I’m part Scottish, so I don’t want to pay for it.

I watch google flights like a hawk – I grab dirt-cheap first-class tickets when I see the price drop to the $500 range from Honolulu to anywhere in the Great Lakes region. First class comes with 2 bags per person, up to 70 pounds per suitcase. I have 400 Aloha-themed Christmas cards I bought for 75 to 90 percent off in January, plus all kinds of other Hawaiiana treasures to take back to the mainland.

My perplexing search for Parisian goods at Scottish prices yielded over 100 possibilities on Facebook Marketplace; however, every single seller I encountered was a scam artist. Everything I looked at was counterfeit Louis Vuitton brought over from Shanghai where the seller probably paid $20 for each piece. The Facebook ads read “Authentic Louis Vuitton,” but upon inspection, it only took 30 seconds to see these were illegal knockoffs. Realistically, what real person buys 10 Louis Vuitton suitcases for $2,700 each, then turns around and sells them for $1,000 each on Marketplace before even using them once? Nobody does that. But people do buy $20 counterfeit Louis Vuitton items in China, then illegally sell them to unsuspecting Facebook buyers in Hawaii – at an obscene mark up.

So I turned to a reputable store, one which is very popular in the American South, called Belk. They specialize in products that Baptist women with really big hair love to purchase. At least that’s what my Baptist aunts with 3-feet tall hair told me. You know, the taller the hair, the closer to God.

I found a great bargain: purple luggage set of 3, regularly $160, on clearance for $19.99. The description says the luggage “is featured in a vibrant purple hue so you never have to worry about your belongings or loosing [sic] your luggage on the baggage claim belt.” What exactly does that imply? Is it such a hideous shade of purple that nobody would caught dead with it? I don’t mind purple – the symbol of Scotland is the purple thistle, so with a few decals and gaudy embellishments they would make the perfect accessory for a red hat lady or a gay Scot.

I know a lot of women who love purple. The last time I bought a suitcase from the Aloha Swap Meet, it was purple, with hibiscus, and had the words “Aloha” and “Hawaii” printed on it. After using it to fly to Detroit, I placed an ad to sell it online – and it sold in under one minute.  So maybe purple suitcases would be something I should carefully reconsider, especially if they are prone to getting brodied by big-haired women.

When I read Belk’s small print for this item I noticed the warning: “This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause Cancer and Reproductive Harm.” Are they referring to pregnant women, or are they referring to my little soldiers under the category of “reproductive harm”?  I have to keep my little soldiers unharmed just in case Dolly Parton asks me to marry her. I know she’s 73 and probably has no plan to reproduce with me, but she’s got big hair and she would really appreciate my Pride of Dixie Belk luggage. And she’s the only woman on the planet who could turn me straight. Well, maybe Jane Seymour could, but I’d need to consult my shrink first. The $64,000 question, or the $19.99 question: are the purple suitcases worth getting cancer?

There has been much buzz about Mr. President’s announcement that windmills cause cancer. I guess that’s why all the people in Holland are dead. He said it had something to do with the spinning motion.  Now, these suitcases are “spinners” meaning you can spin them 360 degrees.

I’m Scottish by culture, but my DNA is Scandinavian. Scandinavians always place a high value on safety, which is why I bought a Volvo C70 convertible. Being both Scandinavian and Scottish led me to a great existential crisis – who am I – a cheap Scot or a safety-conscious Scandinavian? Is the bargain worth the stress of possibly getting cancer?

For a few minutes I pondered the issue. Maybe the cancer was caused by the spinning action. I thought, well, if I spin them backwards, would it cure cancer?

Having lost both grandmothers to cerebral tumors, I have a lot of emotional baggage when it comes to that topic. Except for basal cell carcinoma (a common problem for blue-eyed blond Scandinavians living in Hawaii) I have lived pretty much unscathed by cancer’s evil.

In the end, the Scandinavian “safety first” side of me won out. As much as I love bargains, I might have gotten more than I bargained for from this luggage set. There is always the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet to top off my 280 pound (4 suitcases) first-class checked-baggage allowance.  Any excuse to go to the Swap Meet is a Scot’s delight.

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From airport terminal to glamorous holiday destination: Designer pop-up shop

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Marie France Van Damme, the Hong Kong-based designer known for her globally influenced line of luxury resort, swim, and ready-to-wear, continues to expand her presence worldwide with the opening of a Paris pop-up shop inside Le Bon Marché on May 1, which will operate through June 1. Best known for her silk caftans and timeless collection of elegant resort wear, Marie France Van Damme’s designs have become a “must-have” for the jet set and those who appreciate a timeless luxury product.

Located on the second floor of Le Bon Marché  (24 Rue de Sevres, 75007 Paris, France) in the Savoir Faire department, the new 100 square-foot pop-up shop will offer Marie France Van Damme’s summer 2019 collection of ‘Dolce Vita’ essentials, including luxe day resort wear, elegant summer dresses and evening wear, glamorous bathing suits, and flowy silk caftans. The pop-up shop will be designed to mimic an airport, complete with a dashboard listing departure flight numbers. Inspired by the legendary Splendido hotel and Hotel du Cap, the installation will transport its clientele to a glamorous beach destination replete with silver coated palm trees, inflatable buoys, and branded metallic beach bags.

Designed by renowned lifestyle curator Marie France Van Damme, the shop is inspired by a concept she calls the MFVD holiday jet-set ‘Jet Pack,’ which represents a selection of featherweight garments designed to pack in a small travel bag that you don’t have to check in. As the designer guides you through her world with the perfect ‘Jet Pack’ this summer, the pieces available in the pop-up shop will take the Marie France Van Damme woman from city to resort and resort to city, and provide the best of both worlds: luxe day resort wear and chic evening looks.

“Packing can be stressful and most people are guilty of stuffing their suitcases full of items they’ll never wear, just in case. The answer is, of course, to think carefully about what to bring, and to buy cleverly. The challenge is getting the right mix, to buy things that slide perfectly from day to night, items that can be dressed up or pared down,” says Marie France Van Damme. “Like me, our customer travels around the world, and she needs to find things that will look beautiful during the day as well as at night; from the beach to a cocktail or dinner in the evening. We are honored to open a pop-up in time for the holiday season in one of the world’s most exclusive luxury shopping destinations.”

Marie France Van Damme’s new Summer 2019 collection is a return to the glamorous roots of resort wear and offers striking essentials, designed to have a wear-anywhere appeal from Portofino to Paris. Signature pieces from the new collection include metallic swimsuits, vaporous cover-ups, silk boubou caftans, and effortless summer dresses.

For the perfect look, the pop-up shop will also offer onsite beach makeup services for customers, and an opportunity to design their own one and only boubou caftan. Customers can choose from a selection in a book, one fabric and one trim, which Marie France Van Damme will then produce in her atelier. Customers who purchase the limited-edition caftan can enter a raffle to win a two-night stay at a One&Only Resort. To celebrate the opening, the store will host a series of special events.

Travel News | eTurboNews

What smart travelers know

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A record-breaking number of Americans are traveling, but most are unprepared for the journey – more than 90% of US travelers don’t know their rights, according to AirHelp, advocate for air passengers.

For easy reference, they have compiled a brief overview of U.S. air passenger rights below, along with insider tips for smart travelers. Knowing your rights could make you eligible to claim compensation. These include what to do regarding:

  • Flight Delays
  • Cancellations
  • Bumping, Denied Boarding and Overbooking
  • Lost Luggage
  • Missed Connections
  • When to fly
  • How to pack
  • And more

Disruptions: If you are flying within the U.S. and you are denied boarding due to an overbooked flight, you may be eligible to claim 400% of the one-way fare to your destination in compensation, of a value up to $1,350. Also, for flight cancellations or lengthy delays, if you’re flying to the EU on an EU airline, or departing from an EU airport, you may be eligible to claim up to $700 per person in compensation under European law EC 261.

Lost Luggage: Did you know airlines that lose or damage travelers’ luggage are obligated to pay out compensation of $1,500 – $3,500 to impacted passengers and reimburse them for lost items? Many travelers are unaware of these rights. Whether a traveler is flying within the U.S. or to one of the other 120 countries that ratified the Montreal Convention, if that person experiences luggage issues while traveling, they may be entitled to compensation under air passenger rights laws, including U.S. national law and the Montreal Convention. In order to successfully get the compensation that they are entitled to, a passenger must file a claim before leaving the airport. Travelers should fill out a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) claim for misplaced luggage, including the case number of their bags. The more detailed the claim, the better off that passenger will be, including an itemized list of the contents of their luggage, including the value of each item.

Missed Connections: If flights are booked together under one reference code, passengers can claim $300 – $700 in compensation from the airlines if they miss a connecting flight due to an earlier disruption under EC 261.

Fly during off-peak days or times to avoid the largest crowds at airports. The late night flights are often the least crowded, which means that your flight may be less likely to be overbooked, and your wait time at security will be shorter.

Consider flying out of alternate airports, if your airport is known to have delays. If flights from one airport typically experience significant disruptions, you can anticipate the new screenings will create longer lines at security and additional delays. Look into flights through different airports that fit your travel needs.

Leave extra time for traveling to the airport. No matter when people are traveling, they should anticipate traffic near the airport and overcrowding inside, thanks to overtourism. Pack the car with your luggage the night before departing to help save precious time the day of. Schedule extra time for driving, plan to arrive at the airport at least three hours before takeoff, and be sure to leave ample time to get through lines at security in case of large crowds. If it is easy enough, travelers can also consider public transportation to eliminate parking fees and cut costs.

Be ready for longer lines at security. With larger flights, waiting for luggage can take a lot of extra time at the airport. For short trips, travelers may consider using only a carry-on item, as long as all items fall under TSA requirements.

Strategically pack your luggage to have your ID and all liquid items at the top so that they’re easily accessible to TSA staff.

Pack larger electronics at the top. In July 2018, the TSA announced rules that require electronics larger than a cellphone to be placed in separate screening bins. If you’re one of the many travelers who are opting to bring bags on board rather than pay money to check them, pack larger electronics at the top so they’re easy to remove and place in a separate screening bin.

Consider wearing a pullover jacket or sweatshirt instead of a zip-up – this will allow you to quickly get through security without having to worry about removing articles of clothing.

Bring chargers and extra entertainment for the airport. Sometimes, flight disruptions are inevitable, so consider packing an extra phone charger and book to take on the flight.

Travel News | eTurboNews

American Airlines: New cabin, larger overhead luggage bins

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American Airlines is starting scheduled flights with the first of its 100 new Airbus A321neo aircraft on order. These aircraft come equipped with an all-new cabin interior designed for enhanced passenger comfort and convenience, including larger Airspace XL overhead luggage bins that increase carry-on bag capacity.

American is the launch customer for the Airspace XL bins, which provide approximately 40 percent more overhead storage space for passengers on board the 196-seat aircraft. In addition to equipping its new A321neos with the XL bins, American also plans to retrofit its entire in-service fleet of earlier A321 models – more than 200 aircraft – with the cabin features included on the new A321neos.

Ingo Wuggetzer, Airbus’ Vice President of Cabin Marketing said: “We are very pleased that American Airlines’ first A321neos with the Airspace XL bins are now entering service. We constantly work with airline customers to improve our aircraft cabins, and American in particular played an instrumental role with us in developing our biggest and best overhead bins to date.”

The Airspace XL bins accommodate larger luggage – up 24” x 16” x 10” – allowing standard roll-on bags to be loaded on their sides instead of being inserted flat. This creates room for up to four bags in each bin instead of the current three. The larger bins will significantly reduce the number of passenger bags checked at the gate, and sent to the cargo hold.

American‘s selected cabin layout allows the airline greater flexibility in seating arrangements and use of cabin space. The two class cabin will gain an additional row of first-class seats, bringing the total to 20. Outfitting the A321neo with a free wireless inflight-entertainment (IFE) system allows passengers to select a wide-range of options from their own devices. LED mood lighting will enhance the cabin environment.

Powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines and ETOPS certified for lengthy over water flights, the A321neo will allow American to carry larger loads on its longer, more densely travelled routes such as Los Angeles and Phoenix to Orlando, or West Coast hubs to Hawaii.

 

The A321neo is the largest member of the A320 Family, seating up to 240 passengers, depending on cabin configuration. Incorporating the latest engines, aerodynamic advances, and cabin innovations, the A321neo offers a reduction in fuel consumption of at least 15 percent per seat from day

Travel News | eTurboNews

How fast things can get lost… and found again at Frankfurt Airport

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New online search function speeds up processes in the Lost & Found Office at Frankfurt Airport

Fiddlesticks! The family has just settled into their seats in the plane and are full of excitement about their holiday. When suddenly the youngest child cries, “my teddy bear is gone!” Now what? It’s a shame that she’ll have to do without her favorite cuddly animal during the trip. But it would at least be great to know that it will be in safe hands in Frankfurt Airport’s lost & found office until they return―it would be a huge relief, in fact.

But how can they find out? Fortunately, it has just become considerably easier for the owners of missing objects to report their losses to the lost & found office online―any time of the day or night. With luck, the lost item will already be in the database. A new system now automatically compares search requests and returned items, identifies matches, and notifies owners as soon as their missing property turns up.

In the search portal on the airport website, it is possible to specify attributes such as the item’s brand, color, size, unique inscriptions etc. and when and where it was lost. A photograph of it can even be uploaded. “The new system greatly facilitates our work,” says Rike Krüger of the lost & found office at Frankfurt Airport. Passengers can easily select search parameters themselves. In the past, it was necessary for airport employees to laboriously copy this information from emails or faxes or call owners to ask for details. Especially on busy days, this can take awhile. “Travelers now enjoy an improved service. They can actively support the search process themselves and no longer have to constantly worry during their trip, hoping against hope that we will have found their property by the time they return,” adds Krüger. “We can now let them know right away as soon as their lost smartphone, backpack, umbrella, saxophone or whatever appears in our system.” The image analysis function will also be improved even further very soon; the software will then be able to automatically identify and correlate more attributes of missing objects. This will make it faster and more convenient both to submit search requests and to identify found items.

Once it’s clear that the lost & found office has a missing object, its owner has various options for recovering their property. They can of course personally retrieve it from the lost & found office right after returning, or else authorize someone else to do it for them. For a small fee and the cost of postage, the staff of the lost & found office will also send items to anywhere in the world.

Good to know

The Lost & Found Office at Frankfurt Airport is a service of Fraport, the airport’s operator. Its 10 employees deal with up to 70 returned items and 50 search requests a day. Currently about 10,000 objects are stored in the lost & found office in Terminal 1 located at the entrance to the Airport city Mall on Level 0. They range from items such as jewelry and electrical appliances, across clothing and accessories, toys and travel bags, all the way to curiosities such chainsaws, wheelchairs and microwave ovens. They are kept for three months and then auctioned off if they haven’t been claimed by that time. The proceeds are kept for three years, just in case owners make themselves known by then. The lost & found office is open to the public every day between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Passengers and visitors can find more information on the lost & found office and many other services on Frankfurt Airport’s website, Service Shop, or Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube social media pages.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Passenger satisfaction at baggage collection jumps to new high with mobile notifications

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While the adoption of technology has improved passenger satisfaction across the airport journey, the biggest jump by far over the past year was at baggage collection. 2019 Passenger IT Insights shows that passengers are demanding more mobile services in relation to their baggage and where these are available, satisfaction levels have surged.

The research shows that 26% of passengers in 2018 used their mobile device to receive status updates on their baggage at arrival, up from 14% in 2017. At the same time, there is a growing demand from passengers to receive more baggage information via their mobile devices. A majority of passengers said they would definitely use mobile notifications providing information on baggage at arrival while a similar proportion said they would use their mobiles to track their bags or to report mishandled baggage.

These mobile services have dramatically improved passenger satisfaction levels. In 2018, those travelers who used their mobile to receive updates at baggage collection were 8.6% more satisfied than those who relied on traditional voice announcements or flight information screens for information. In fact, those who relied on traditional voice or screen announcements for updates ranked baggage collection as one of the lowest points in their journey while those receiving mobile updates perceived this step as one where they were most satisfied.

Peter Drummond, Director of Baggage at SITA, said: “Today airports and airlines are increasingly tracking bags at key points across their journey. While this tracking data is primarily used to provide better oversight of baggage and reduce mishandling, many operators are providing some, or all, of this information to passengers as a mobile service. This is being done either through the airline or airport mobile app or other notifications such as SMS.

“As we have seen from the survey, this service has a tremendously positive impact on passengers’ airport experience. It provides a significant positive boost to the way they perceive their travel, while reducing anxiety around baggage. It is a strong endorsement of the benefits of baggage tracking in addition to the improvements in mishandling rates we have already seen where tracking solutions are in place,” said Drummond.

A potential force driving adoption of mobile baggage services is the growing number of checked bags in 2018.

Drummond added: “More than 4.3 billion bags were checked in by passengers globally. This is an average of 1.2 bags per person, up from 1.08 bags per passenger in 2017. The rise in checked baggage is likely to drive demand for more services as passengers want to know where their bags are at all times. Those airports that track bags across the journey are well placed to offer this service.”

The key findings of the report are based on a survey of passengers from 20 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa, representing over 70% of global passenger traffic.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Czech Memorial Scrolls survived the Holocaust and travel to New York City

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The fact that a few of the 1,564 Czech Memorial Scrolls were all in one place at the same time, was almost a miracle. It took detailed planning and the cooperation of many institutions to bring these historical documents to New York City’s Temple Emanu-El for one-evening. It is only through the efforts of the Herbert & Eileen Bernard Museum and the auspices of the Memorial Scrolls Trust of London that this first-time phenomenon took place in New York.

Importance of the Scrolls

Scholars have determined that it would be difficult to identify examples of Jewish culture and religion more suitable than the Torah scrolls. The reading from a parchment manuscript, containing the Hebrew text of the Five Books of Moses, the Divine Teaching handed over to the people of Israel, is the cornerstone to the Jewish synagogue ritual.

More Than Parchment

The Torah scroll is a strip of parchment, prepared from the skin of a kosher animal. Many inches in length, it is supported by two wooden rollers (atzei hayyim, “trees of life”) at each end. Considered to be holy, the text and the scroll hold an exceptional position in Judaism. If the scroll is appropriate for reading in the synagogue, the Torah scroll must be written in Hebrew square script with permanent ink by a professional scribe (sofer). The scroll cannot have textual errors and the letters must be legible. While certain errors and imperfections may be corrected by the scribe, if the damage is wide-ranging, the parchment cannot be used.

Jeffrey Ohrenstein, Chair, Memorial Scrolls Trust, London, UK “These scrolls are survivors and silent witnesses of the Shoah.”

Amazing Grace

The fact that the Torah Scrolls exist at all is a marvel.  They were saved from the Czechoslovakian regions of Bohemia and Moravia during WWII, surviving the planned destruction of everything Jewish and the horrors of the communist regime that controlled the country in 1948.

It is thought that the artifacts survived because Prague, although badly damaged, was not leveled during the fighting. The scrolls were stored in a synagogue in a Prague suburb and they remained (decomposing) in this building until 1963, when the Czech government sought a buyer for the treasures. Eric Estorick, a British art dealer, introduced the opportunity to Ralph Yablon, a founding member of London’s Westminster Synagogue. Yablon purchased the scrolls and donated them to his synagogue.

On February 7, 1964, 1,564 scrolls were delivered to London. According to Jeffrey Ohrenstein, “They were in plastic bags, like body bags.” Many of the scrolls were in disrepair. Fortunately, Rabbi David Brand, a sofer, was looking for work, and presumed that the synagogue would have at least one scroll in need of repair; he was shown an entire floor of scrolls in need of his attention. He worked in the synagogue for nearly 30 years, repairing all the scrolls – personally.

Shortly after their arrival in London, a trust was created to care for the scrolls and repairs were initiated. Over the next 30 years, over 1,400 scrolls were sent to synagogues around the world. Now the Trust focuses on raising awareness of the responsibility attached to the housing of these historic documents. Synagogues and institutions are asked to devote one Shabbat during the year to the Memorial Congregation to coincide with the anniversary of the deportation of that community and to memorialize the many murdered Jews by remembering their names on that Shabbat and Yom HaShoah and Yum Kippur.

The Czech Torah Scrolls Viewed in Manhattan @ Temple Emanu-El, February 5, 2019

With more than 75 scrolls from over 10 different states and countries on view, hundreds of people crowded the auditorium at Temple Emanu-El. The scrolls are identified by number and no longer have their original mantles. The current scroll covers range from sumptuous velvet to tartan plaid with an outstanding cover designed in the stripes of a concentration camp prison uniform. The Torahs were carried by Temple members as well as representatives from nearby synagogues and Houses of Worship. The scroll procession was accompanied by a violin playing Etz Hayim (A tree of life) from Proverbs.

 

 

In his emotionally moving words to the audience, Jeffrey Ohrenstein said: “The Torah is the one thing that binds all Jews together. We would like our scroll holders to use the scrolls in a way that reminds people of what we have in common rather than what divides us.”

For additional information, go to memorialscrollstrust.org.

© Dr. Elinor Garely. This copyright article, including photos, may not be reproduced without written permission from the author.

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Single-use plastic ban, food waste and local produce top priorities in Centara’s 2019 Sustainability Plan

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Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is focusing on three key sustainability initiatives as part of the company’s recently announced 2019 Sustainability Plan: eliminating single-use plastic products; reducing its food waste footprint; and expanding its support of local farming and produce-growing communities.

  1. No Single-Use Plastic Products by end-2019

The elimination of single-use plastic items is part of the “Centara Earth Care” program aimed at encouraging hotel guests and tourists to be proactive about energy saving, waste reduction and sustainable environmental tourism. The sustainability plan covers five types of single-use plastic items, including drinking straws, laundry bags, take-away food containers, fitness center and poolside plastic bottles, and plastic guest room amenities. They are being replaced with items made from materials designed to minimize environmental impact.

“Centara strives to operate ethically and sustainably in a balanced manner across the entire portfolio whilst providing an exceptional level of Thai hospitality,” said Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer. “We are committed to selecting environmentally friendly produce which, in turn, enables us to further incorporate sustainable strategies and development into our products and services, creating shared value at an environmental, social and economic level wherever we operate. We are also committed to ensuring a respectful, safe and healthy environment to the larger society and our future generations.”

Centara began phasing in its elimination of single-use plastic products in 2018 across all 39 of its operating properties. Under the plan, alternative products which are reusable and made from environmentally friendlier materials, including plant-based, compostable and bio-degradable plastics, will be fully phased in by year-end.

  • Phase I, targeting the elimination of plastic straws, began in August 2018. The single-use plastic straws being eliminated take up to 200 years to decompose; the new bio-straws replacing them decompose within six months. Once the change is fully enacted throughout all Centara properties, the reduction in plastic straw consumption will total nearly 2.2 million straws per year.

 

  • Phase II, eliminating the use of plastic laundry bags, began in December 2018. Moving forward, these practices will also become Centara’s standards for all existing and new properties.

  1. Food Waste Reduction

Centara’s new and continuing food-related sustainability initiatives include:

  • further reducing food waste and minimizing each property’s carbon footprint with expanded purchasing of fresh local foods from herb, fruit and vegetable growers
  • making same-day donations of surplus food to charities located near each property
  • providing local farms with pre-separated organic waste for composting
  • transforming waste at select properties into biogas fuel, a blend of mostly methane and carbon dioxide gases which can be used in place of fossil fuels.

In 2018, Centara supported the Bangkok-based foundation Scholars of Sustenance (SOS Thailand) by making same-day donations of more than 28,000 kilograms (kg) of quality surplus food. The donations provided over 86,000 servings to those in need, while the reduction in Centara’s food waste saved over 54,000 kg of GHG equivalent emissions.

Both Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien and Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket have biogas machines on-site capable of converting 30-100 kg of organic waste each day into an equivalent number of litres of organic compost and biogas comparable to nearly five kg/day of LPG fuel. Since July 2018, the Cowtec Composting & Biogas Production Machine installed at Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien has been processing organic waste from the property’s kitchens, staff canteens and landscaping works. By the end of 2018, the machine had composted more than 5,700 kg of organic waste and produced 262 kg of biogas equivalent LPG.

  1. Strengthen Local Communities

Centara’s 2019 Sustainability Plan further expands the company’s support for local communities’ small farms and producers who grow food for Centara hotels and resorts in their area.

The company attributes much of its carbon footprint reduction to making approximately 70% of total produce purchases from local sources. Beyond the economic benefits to the community, expanding farm-to-table dining enables each property to provide the freshest available food items to guests.

The company’s ongoing engagement with EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism, continues to yield consequential improvements in key sustainability metrics. To date, 15 Centara hotels and resorts have achieved EarthCheck certification and another four properties are enrolled in  EarthCheck’s Evaluate Plus program, leading to significant reductions in carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions across a number of Centara’s certified properties.

Most recently, the company’s leadership in environmental sustainability was recognized by the Stock Exchange of Thailand, which awarded Centara Hotels & Resorts (CENTEL) its “Thailand Sustainability Investment (THSI)” designation, an annual recognition for listed companies that operate with responsibility for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects.

Further recognition for properties includes the “Green Hotel 2018 Award” from the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion at Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, awarded to Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin and Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 68 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, China, Oman, Qatar and the UAE. Centara’s portfolio comprises six brands – Centara Grand Hotels & Resorts, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara, Centara Residences & Suites and COSI Hotels – ranging from 5-star city hotels and luxurious island retreats to family resorts and affordable lifestyle concepts supported by innovative technology.It also operates state-of-the-art convention centers and has its own award-winning spa brand, Cenvaree. Throughout the collection, Centara delivers and celebrates the hospitality and values Thailand is famous for including gracious service, exceptional food, pampering spas and the importance of families. Centara’s distinctive culture and diversity of formats allow it to serve and satisfy travelers of nearly every age and lifestyle.

Over the next five years Centara aims to double its size with additional properties in Thailand and new international markets, while spreading its footprint into new continents and market niches. As Centara continues to expand, a growing base of loyal customers will find the company’s unique style of hospitality in more locations. Centara’s global loyalty program, Centara The1, reinforces their loyalty with rewards, privileges and special member pricing.

Find out more about Centara at www.CentaraHotelsResorts.com

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Allegiant Airlines’ ancillary revenue initiatives among most innovative in the world

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Allegiant is based in Las Vegas, but it has never relied upon the notion of “luck” as part of its business strategy. The airline was born in 1997 and immediately challenged all the rules of how to start an airline.

Allegiant maintains its industry leading margins by distancing itself from competitors, and by being very different from everyone else. This distinctive style includes innovative ways to generate ancillary revenue:

• Allegiant’s Sunseeker Resort development in Florida is projected to contribute ancillary revenue in excess of $6 per passenger on a systemwide basis.

• The carrier’s new family entertainment centers allow it to build deeper customer relationships and capture more leisure spending within Allegiant’s network of smaller cities.

• More than $16 per passenger is generated by baggage revenue policies, which include fees for large carry-on bags, and allow those without large carry-on bags to board first.

• The Allegiant World Mastercard provides a free inflight beer or wine for cardholders and is expected to generate annual earnings (EBITDA) of $50 million by 2020.

• The installment payment option (pay monthly) yields online shopping carts nearly 300% larger than those paid in full.

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