Travel 01 (May 08 - Jun 11)

[kennynah]

so difficult....go holiday oso must plan so much....better stay home, watch TV

[durio]

i avoid holiday stress, please choose to travel during non-holidays

[winston]

Hong Kong airport workers threaten to strike over cut bonuses

Hong Kong - Airport workers in Hong Kong were Friday reportedly considering strike action that could paralyse one of the world's busiest transport hubs.

Unions representing some 3,000 workers at Chek Lap Kok airport protested over a usual year-end bonus worth two months' salaries being halved.

Talks were due to take place Friday or Saturday and a union leader warned that some workers wanted to stage a strike if the Airport Authority refused to reinstate their bonuses.

'There are some workers saying we should strike if the company refuses to listen to us,' Ip Wai-ming, deputy general secretary of the airport workers' main union, told Friday's South China Morning Post.

'The last thing we want is to see airport services paralysed during the peak holiday period, but it all depends on the company's response.'

The strike threat at Hong Kong airport comes just weeks after Bangkok's international airport was shut down by political activists, effectively cutting off Thailand from the world.

A spokesman for Hong Kong's Labour Department said it was mediating between the Airport Authority and the unions. 'We hope both sides can handle the issue rationally,' he told the newspaper.

Hong Kong International Airport is the fifth busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger numbers. In 2007, it handled 47.8 million passengers and 3.74 million tons of cargo.

[winston]

Flights at Hong Kong airport disrupted by strike of ground staff

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Agence France-Presse | 12/27/2008 8:21 PM

HONG KONG - Flights into and out of Hong Kong were heavily disrupted Saturday afternoon after more than 500 airport ground staff went on strike in protest at a cut in their annual bonus.

The three-hour strike resulted in major delays to the departure or baggage delivery of 66 flights, a spokeswoman for the Airport Authority told AFP. Some passengers told broadcaster Cable TV on arrival they had to wait for two hours before they could get their luggage.

The industrial action took place after Hong Kong Airport Services, one of the three companies providing ground services to the airport, refused on Saturday morning to drop their decision to scrap the annual performance-based bonus for their 3,000 staff which usually amounted to one month's salary.

Instead, the company said it would give the staff a one-off payment of only 750 Hong Kong dollars (96.2 US).

"The company has made a profit this year despite the financial crisis. It is unfair for it to cut our bonus simply because of its concerns about what could happen to the company next year," Man Ng, a committee member of the Staff and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines, told AFP.

"Our strike is to tell the world the way we are being treated by the company. We have tried our best to minimise our disruption to flight passengers by keeping the strike to only three hours," he said.

Ng said the bonus meant a lot to them because of their low salaries, which ranged from 6,400 to 10,000 dollars a month.

The union, which entered into another round of negotiations with the company on Saturday evening, said there could be further action depending on the outcome of the talks.

The Airport Authority said it had asked the other two ground services companies to stand by in case of further industrial action from the Hong Kong Airport Services staff.

[winston]

It's Good to Know: The Flat-Tire "Rule"

You're headed to the airport when your car gets a flat - and you miss your flight. No way will the airline waive a rebooking fee or the difference in the price of a later flight, right? Especially not in these days of $50 checked baggage and no free peanuts.

But, actually, airlines will sometimes put you on standby for a later flight - for free - if unforeseen circumstances prevent you from making it on time. The emphasis, here, is on the word "sometimes" - and you have to know how to talk to them. These situations are handled by airline reps on a case-by-case basis. And remember that when air traffic is heavy - and flights are already overbooked - they are less likely to fulfill this request. They just won't have room for you.

First thing to keep in mind is that you can't be more than two hours late for your missed flight.
If you know you're going to be late, call the airline as soon as possible and explain the situation.
Don't mention the "flat-tire rule"! It's not an official policy, but an unwritten "understanding" at some airlines - and the rep might not know what you're talking about. Simply explain why you were late and ask politely if you can be rebooked for no fees.
Have a legitimate excuse for being late. Traffic, hurricane, car accident = good. Side trip to the mall = bad.
(Source: Aviation.com and Airfarewatchdog.com)

[kennynah]

anyone, flew budget to vietnam (ho chi minh city) recently ? any complains on those flights? like to obtain your flight experience...

thanks !

[iam802]

a friend just came back from HCM via budget.

No complains about it. Guess that should be a compliment, right?

[kennynah]

thanks 802.... looks like it may be economical afterall to fly budget to HCM

[winston]

DJ HK's Airport Staff Rule Out Future Strikes After Pay Deal

HONG KONG (AFP)--Ground staff at Hong Kong's International Airport on Tuesday ruled out further strikes after their employer agreed to drop a proposal to scrap their annual bonus. Following a 15-hour negotiating session that ended at 6:00 a.m. (2200 GMT Monday), representatives of staff at Hong Kong Airport Services said the company had agreed to pay each full-time employee a bonus equivalent to 18 days' pay. On top of that, the company will also give a one-off additional payment of HKD1,000 ($130) to all staff.

'Although we cannot say we are 100% happy about the company's final decision, their offer is acceptable,' said Ng Wai-yee, spokeswoman for the 3,000 staff affected, adding there would be no further strikes. The company is the largest of the three major ground services providers at the airport. The negotiations took place after more than 500 staff went on strike on Dec. 27 in protest against the company's plan to drop their annual performance-based bonus.

The three-hour industrial action resulted in major disruptions to departures and baggage delivery for more than 80 flights, with passengers complaining they had to wait up to three hours before they could pick up their luggage. It also led to the intervention of the Airport Authority and the government in a bid to settle the dispute.

[winston]

S'poreans must apply for authorisation 72 hours before flying to US By Ca-Mie De Souza, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: From January 12, Singaporeans heading to the United States must obtain travel authorisation at least three days ahead of their trip.

Otherwise, they may be denied boarding, experience delayed processing, or be refused admission at a US port of entry.

The US embassy in Singapore said travellers can apply through the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) at the Department of Homeland Security's ESTA website at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.

There is no fee for ESTA authorisation.

Once approved, ESTA applications are valid for multiple entries into the US for up to two years, or until the traveller's passport expires - whichever comes first.

Additional information about ESTA can be found at http://www.cbp.gov/esta.

More information about visa application procedures is available at http://singapore.usembassy.gov.

Singapore is one of 35 countries eligible under the US Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens from eligible countries to visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa.

- CNA/yb