After customer feedback, low-cost carrier Bonza has launched a new website that allows flyers to make bookings.
Travellers can use the new website to book flights and Bonza
Holiday packages,
which include flights, baggage, accommodation and the option to add travel insurance, car hire or airport transfers.
Prior to the new website, Bonza customers could only book flights on the carrier’s app. The first airline globally to prioritise app
bookings, the airline says its Fly Bonza app has been downloaded over 1.8 million times since launching just over a year ago.
. it will continue to be the only way to check in, obtain boarding passes, make menu purchases and enjoy entertainment onboard.
The airline’s new website lets customers book tailored package holidays to any of their 21 destinations, with activities and attractions
also coming soon. Each Bonza Holiday package includes a 23kg checked bag, 8kg hand luggage and standard ‘Pick’ seats.
Plus, the carrier offers a price match guarantee, in which it will refund the difference if customers find a cheaper holiday within 24 hours
of booking.
In February, the airline announced it would link the Sunshine Coast and Tasmania for the first time.
Apparently the demand for the ability to book via a website was a critical part of flyer feedback to Bonza. Well done
Bonza for being responsive to its customer's requests !
I hope this initiative results in even greater support for this low-cost airline.
Accor opens 22 new properties in Japan - in a single day!
Accor has announced the opening of 22 hotels and over 6,000 rooms in Japan. With these
openings, the Group’s footprint in Japan will instantly double increasing Accor’s portfolio of hotels in Japan to 46 properties.
The hotels, comprising 12 Grand Mercure and 10 Mercure hotels, range in location from the northernmost prefecture of
Hokkaido to the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa and are located close to local hidden gems such as Cape Zanpa in Okinawa, Asuka village in Nara, Shiroi Koibito Park in Hokkaido and Senri Beach in Wakayama. Each hotel offers a range of guestrooms, restaurants, and
wellness facilities such as onsen, saunas and swimming pools.
Prior to the addition of these new hotels, Accor was operating 24 hotels in Japan, under eight brands: MGallery; Pullman; Swissôtel;
Mercure; Novotel; ibis; ibis Styles and ibis budget. In addition to the 22 Grand Mercure and Mercure hotels that joined Accor’s
network on 1 April 2024, there are two more properties currently in the group’s pipeline.
Grand Mercure Hotels & Resorts
Grand Mercure Sapporo Odori Park
Grand Mercure Nasu Highlands Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Yatsugatake Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Minamiboso Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Lake Hamana Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Ise-shima Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Nara Kashihara
Grand Mercure Wakayama Minabe Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Awaji Island Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Beppu Bay Resort & Spa
Grand Mercure Okinawa Cape Zanpa Resort
Mercure Hotels & Resorts
Mercure Miyagi Zao Resort & Spa
Mercure Urabandai Resort & Spa
Mercure Nagano Matsushiro Resort & Spa
Mercure Toyama Tonami Resort & Spa
Mercure Wakayama Kushimoto Resort & Spa
Mercure Kyoto Miyazu Resort & Spa
Mercure Tottori Daisen Resort & Spa
Mercure Kochi Tosa Resort & Spa
Mercure Fukuoka Munakata Resort & Spa
Mercure Saga Karatsu Resort.
I expect these will all participate in the Accor Live Limitless program. For information refer to our guide
to Accor ALL.
Langham Launches New Loyalty Program
Langham Hospitality Group has announced the launch ofBrilliant by
Langham,
a new loyalty platform designed to meet the dynamic and evolving needs of its guests.
Similar to both Accor Live Limitless and Marriott Bonvoy, the new program will reward members with not only stays, but also
curated experiences.
Beyond traditional perks, Brilliant additionally allows for the introduction of personalised experiential offerings, from whimsical
excursions and cultural immersions to unforgettable wellness and culinary delights. Examples of such offerings are said to include:
Private cooking lessons and dinners with celebrity chefs
Behind-the-scenes dance and musical performance encounters
Nature walks with guided mindfulness sessions
Off-the-beaten-path tours hosted by local guides
Traditional crafting workshops with seasoned artisans
Themed tea parties in picturesque locations
Brilliant will go live on 29th February 2024 and thereafter serve as Langham sole loyalty program.
It replaces the group’s existing loyalty programs, Langham Supper Club and 1865 Privilege by Langham, both of which will cease to operate on
28th February.
Members from the closing programs will have their past loyalty rewarded with an invitation to join Brilliant at higher starting membership
tiers.
Analysis of the new Brilliant program will follow, once the T&C's have been released.
Qatar Airways Holidays launch fan packages for the Formula 1
Qatar Airways, the Global Partner and Official Airline of F1, in partnership with Qatar Airways Holidays, announced on 19 February the
launch of its fan packages for the upcoming FIA Formula One World Championship.
The packages allow fans travelling from more than 40 countries to be up-close to high-octane action and enjoy unique experiences.
From the beginning to end of their journey, the packages are designed for fans to enjoy a seamless motorsport extravaganza, with the inclusion of return flights, hotel accommodation, F1 Paddock Club or Grandstand race tickets, and return airport transfers for all
global races (excluding Qatar).
Packages are available for purchase at: qatarairways.com/f1.
Similar to the inaugural packages, this year’s fan packages include an array of flexible and competitively priced options for select
F1® 2024 race destinations.
This year, fans are also encouraged to experience guided track tours, pit lane walks and more with the F1® Paddock Club™ packages, featuring
savings of up to 20 per cent on global race packages.
One of the best spots to watch the action, offering world-class cuisine and free-flowing beverages, the Paddock Club™ is the
pinnacle of F1® hospitality.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club members
In addition, Qatar Airways Privilege Club members can collect Avios and Qpoints on all fan packages, accumulating rewards to use towards
future travel and experiences while helping them retain and quickly reach their next tier.
Members can also purchase their package using Cash + Avios.
Alternatively, members can bid for the packages using Avios. How will the Formula 1 deals work?
Packages have been secured for the following races:
Melbourne Grand Prix, 24th March (now open for bidding)
Miami Grand Prix, 5th May
Monaco Grand Prix, 26th May
British Grand Prix, 7th July
Las Vegas Grand Prix, 24th November
Qatar Grand Prix, 1st December
The Privilege Club Collection website is only open for bidding on the Melbourne Grand Prix at the moment, so we don’t know exactly what will
be available for each race.
However, each package will include two Paddock Club™ VIP passes and hotel accommodationfor the entire
race period, usually three days.
Paddock Club is the highest level of hospitality available and includes track tours and pit lane walks.
How can you bid for Privilege Club experiences?
Privilege Club Collection will eventually have a mix of ‘buy it now’ and auction experiences, although everything currently listed is for
auction.
Here are two very important points to note:
(1) You must have Avios in a Qatar Airways Privilege Club account before you can bid. It is NOT good enough to have
Avios in say a British Airways Executive Club account which is linked to your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account. You must have physically
moved Avios across to your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account.
(One snag here is that you can’t use the entire balance of a British Airways Executive Club household account to bid. The only Avios you can
move into a Qatar Airways Privilege Club account are those in your own personal account. If you have 200,000 Avios and your
partner has 50,000 Avios to give you a household balance of 150,000 Avios, the most you could use to bid for a single Privilege Club
Collection auction is 200,000 – ie your own balance.)
(2) You must have enough Avios in your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account to match your maximum bid. You cannot bid
more than your current Avios balance, and you cannot set a future auto-bid which is higher than your balance. Transfers are free, instant
and can be reversed at any time.
Recycling luxury luggage is good for the environment...and you ! At Vestiaire Collection
(advertiser), brands
and quantities vary almost daily but include
Louis Vuitton, Celine, YSL, Dior, Chanel, Prada, Burberry, Fendi, Gucci, Loewe,Hermes,
Balenciaga andBottega
Veneta.
Don't forget to also check the Virgin
Australia Happy
Hour
- discounted fares offered between 4pm and 11 pm (AEST) each Thursday.
T&C's apply
Top Tips For Travellers' Health
There’s an ever-expanding body of scientific evidence that (whether behind a desk at work or during a long plane trip or
train ride), being seated for prolonged periods can be harmful. We provide tips to boost your health and reduce the
harmful impact on your body while travelling.