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Tag: asia

  • Garuda flights delayed because of ‘technical constraint’

    Garuda flights delayed because of ‘technical constraint’

    PT Garuda Indonesia has confirmed the delay of 68 flights from Friday to Saturday as a result of a “technical constraint” at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport’s Terminal 3, resulting in long waits for passengers.

    The delays at the airport in Tangerang, Banten, had affected both domestic and international flights, including those to Japan and China, Garuda Indonesia said in a press statement on Saturday.

    “We apologize for the inconveniences in the situation, which is out of our authority, and we will continue to give our best effort to coordinate and reduce the length of the delays,” Garuda Indonesia spokesperson Hengki Heriandono said.

    Citing details provided by state air navigation firm AirNav, he explained that the cause of the delay was the limited movement at the newly opened terminal. “We have implemented a delay management policy to all affected passengers to ensure passenger rights can be fulfilled,” Hengki added.

    Last month, 30 Garuda Indonesia flights were delayed for hours because of an electrical system failure at the new terminal. (dis/ags)

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  • NEC Introduces Smart Communications System SL2100 to Asian Market

    NEC Introduces Smart Communications System SL2100 to Asian Market

    NEC Asia Pacific today announced the launch of the Smart Communications System SL2100 for small- and mid-sized businesses in the Asian market.

    With wide-ranging, enterprise-grade voice over IP (VoIP), mobility and Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) features, the SL2100 also offers industry specific features for retail, healthcare, food service and entertainment, as well as hospitality features for small hotels and motels.

    “The way the business world communicates is rapidly changing, especially in consumer-facing industries, where excellent customer experience is a must,” said Shigeru Matsuura, General Manager, Global Platform Division, NEC Corporation. “NEC’s SL2100 offers a new design for Hardware and Endpoints. Combined with the value-added features, such as Smartphone Integration and web-based Video Conferencing & Collaboration, the SL2100 is an ideal fit for service oriented small- and mid-sized businesses.”

    SL2100’s key features include:

    • Built-in VoIP technologies (Standard 8ch. Expandable to 128 ch)
    • Web-based UC Client
    • Web-based Video Conferencing & Collaboration
    • Voice Response System/Voicemail
    • Outbound & Inbound audio conference
    • Geographical Multi-site operation over IP Network
    • ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) for small Contact Center
    • Hotel Features with PMS API

    The SL2100 also offers an array of add-on Smart Mobility options, such as Remote/Home Office Support, Smartphone SIP App and Mobile Extension.

    The SL2100 will be released to Asian countries sequentially starting from July 2017.

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  • Multi-million dollar deals inked between Vietnamese, German firms

    Multi-million dollar deals inked between Vietnamese, German firms

    Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is hoping expert German support will help accelerate Vietnam’s automobile industry. Vietnamese and German businesses signed 28 agreements totaling 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) on Thursday during Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s trip to the European powerhouse.

    Trade between the two countries reached $9 billion last year, making up 20 percent of the total turnover between Vietnam and the European Union.

    German investment in Vietnam recently hit $1.8 billion, PM Phuc told a business forum on the same day.

    Phuc went on to say that Vietnam has been taking great strides in improving its business environment and opening up its market, with 12 free-trade-agreements already signed with different countries and blocs.

    With the automobile industry developing fast in Vietnam, he asked German firms to invest in the country’s support industries to enable it to produce more parts domestically, as well as cooperate with Vietnam in the energy sector.

    Responding to Phuc’s suggestion, a representative of leading German auto firm BMW said the company was interested in exploring investment opportunities and building an auto components plant in Vietnam.

    AeroGround Flughafen München GmbH, which offers ground handling services, said it was willing to train airport staff in Vietnam, while BPCE International expressed an interest in cooperating with Vietnamese lenders to pilot a new banking model.

    PM welcomed the interest, and said the Vietnamese government will create favorable conditions for foreign investors to operate in the country.

    Brigitte Zypries, German minister for economics and energy, said Germany wants to raise bilateral trade to $15-20 billion by 2020, while taking advantage of the free trade agreement Vietnam and the EU are about to sign.

    During his trip to Germany, the PM will attend the G20 summit on Friday and Saturday.

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  • Apple continues Asia expansion with its first retail store in Taiwan

    Apple continues Asia expansion with its first retail store in Taiwan

    Apple has continued to expand its retail footprint in Asia after the iPhone-maker opened its first store in Taiwan this weekend.

    The inaugural Apple Store is located in Taipei 101, a landmark skyscraper in Taipei, and it is staffed with an initial workforce of 130 employees, Apple said. Doors in Taiwan opened at 11am local time on Saturday, but eager fans had queued for as long as 68 hours in some cases.

    Beyond selling products and offering repairs, the Apple Taipei 101 store is aimed at being a place for community and learning. Apple said it will offer visitors access to its ‘Today at Apple’ programs that cover topics like photography and video, art, design, music and coding.

    Like in other parts of Asia, Apple customers in Taiwan had until now had to rely on Apple’s website or third-party resellers to buy products and handle repair options. That’s despite the fact that many of Apple’s key manufacturing partners, including Foxconn, are headquartered in Taiwan but operate their factories in China.

    Exact numbers aren’t clear, but Apple is consistently among the top five smartphone sellers in Taiwan with upwards of 15 percent marketshare, although that spikes significantly around new device launches.

    This Taiwan launch comes hot on the heels of the opening of Apple’s first retail store in Singapore, and the announcement of plans for an Apple Store in Korea. The company is also working to expand its stores to India. Apple, which has already begun assembling some devices in the country, said it recently held “constructive” dialogue with government officials on the topic.

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  • Hong Kong investor stakes $500 million to build racecourse in southern Vietnam

    Hong Kong investor stakes $500 million to build racecourse in southern Vietnam

    The company claims the track could earn $2.2 billion a year now that betting has been legalized in Vietnam. A Hong Kong-based company has been given the all clear to conduct a feasibility study for a racecourse in Vietnam’s southern city of Can Tho.

    SIBC International Ltd. met with the city’s leaders on Wednesday to discuss plans to build an entertainment complex that would cover over 150 hectares (370 acres).

    The project, which also includes a hotel, park and golf course, is expected to cost $500 million, it said.

    Once completed, the track could host up to 16 races a day and earn VND50 trillion ($2.2 billion) a year, the company said, adding that it would contribute VND10 trillion in tax each year and create around 20,000 jobs.

    Can Tho officials said the racecourse would help boost local tourism, but given its scale, the city would have to consult the central government before making a final decision.

    The Mekong Delta’s urban center attracted more than 5.3 million tourists in 2016, which was up 14 percent from a year ago and included 22,600 foreigners. Tourism earned the city more than VND1.8 trillion last year.

    Vietnam legalized sports betting earlier this year, allowing its citizens to bet on international soccer games and horse and greyhound races from March 31. The historic decision, made after years of deliberation, has made racecourses a viable investment option.

    The country currently has one greyhound track in the southern beach town of Vung Tau, and a $100 million horse-racing course was opened in the southern province of Binh Duong two months ago. Hanoi has plans to build a $500 million racecourse, but progress has been delayed.

  • Omnichannel retailing to deliver market win

    Omnichannel retailing to deliver market win

    The omnichannel model has become a new weapon in the race to maintain and expand market share in the electronics retail industry.

    The coveted Top 3

    A latecomer taking on established competitors, FPT Shop only started to strengthen its e-commerce channel in 2014. Within a single year, revenue from this business segment was only VND318 billion out of the total VND5.226 trillion ($13.98 million out of $229.91 million). FPT Shop’s website’s traffic reached a modest 100,000 visitors per day.

    In 2015, the firm’s e-commerce revenue posted VND568 billion ($24.98 million) and traffic doubled. In 2016, revenue from online sales grew by over 200 per cent, registering VND1.2 trillion ($52.79 million) and contributing approximately 10 per cent of its total revenue. Traffic was 800,000 visitors per day.

    Although FPT Shop’s e-commerce revenue in 2016 was only half of its largest competitor The Gioi Di Dong, this is considered an optimistic sign of greater opportunities as FPT Shop enters the potential e-commerce playground.

    According to Ngo Quoc Bao, director of business development of FPT Retail, FPT Shop has set a more ambitious target. “E-commerce revenue will double in 2017, crossing the VND2 trillion ($87.98 million) threshold,” said Bao. Such acceleration of growth shows FPT Shop’s intention toward professional omnichannel retailing. “We will continue the strong development of offline and online channels and the strategic partnership with companies like Google and Facebook to boost customer outreach,” remarked Bao.

    In order to achieve this, FPT Shop implemented comprehensive HR restructuring at the e-Commerce Centre from upper management to business strategy. While it used to open 5-7 stores a month, now the rate is only 1-2 stores per month, with no plans for further physical store expansion in the near future. Its current store count is 430.

    According to Bao, as FPT Shop entered the online arena later than its competitors, it has to reach one million customers this year. To achieve this, FPT Shop must boost traffic, optimise user experience to increase returning visitors, ensure confidentiality, convenience, and timeliness in online payments.

    The Gioi Di Dong (MWG) is arguably the first entrant to the online retail realm. This major name is in possession of the largest market share, with 10 per cent, thanks to a formidable online presence that is considered superior to that of Lazada (mostly owned by Alibaba) and Zalora (wholly owned by Nguyen Kim and Central Group).

    According to market research firm Euromonitor International, although market shares fluctuate year to year, MWG continues asserting its dominance among online retailers since 2011. MWG determined hefty targets for online retail as revenue from this source is set to double over-year to VND6.65 trillion ($292.55 million). The company’s total supermarket count will reach 1,207, of which thegioididong.com accounts for 951, Dien may XANH 256 for supermarkets and 40 for stores. Along with all this, Vuivui.com, a dedicated e-commerce site, will play a crucial role in the company’s strategy.

    Nguyen Duc Tai, president of MWG, commented that middle and high-school students tend to make more and more online purchases. Vuivui.com is the company’s investment for this future consumer base. The platform may even become MWG’s growth driver by 2020. “But for now, physical stores remain MWG’s chief money maker,” said Tai.

    Talks of the race to expand among the likes of FPT Shop and MWG cannot leave out Vien Thong A, a name ringing fewer bells, who is currently ranked third in the online retail arena. This retailer had an impressive year in 2016, where it opened 63 new supermarkets nationwide, boosting total count to nearly 300. Additionally, the retailer’s revenue went up by 30 per cent on-year.

    Besides tackling the coverage target and growth at least of 30 per cent, this year Vien Thong A will expand its online sales activities, which in 2016 generated only 5 per cent of the revenue made through traditional channels.

    Hoang Ngoc Vy, CEO of Vien Thong A, said the company is looking to expand its B2B online business in order to meet the ever-increasing demand. “The development of omnichannel tactics to offer services regardless of location and timing is our top priority,” remarked Vy.

    In order to jumpstart this business segment, Vien Thong A has to meticulously identify a strategic investor as its partner in this race.

    A game of speed

    According to Euromonitor International, by 2020, online electronics retail will grow at 30.9 per cent CAGR, reaching VND20.985 trillion ($923.18 million). Meanwhile, purchasing behaviour is changing, shifting to more time spent online, leading the offline channel to saturation, with increasingly limited room for growth.

    In reality, omnichannel retailing has been steadily gaining ground for the past three years in Vietnam as mini-scale online stores started mushrooming on Facebook with numerous online sales tactics.

    Especially, Zalo (VNG) launched Zalo Shop to provide independent online merchants with a direct platform to 60 million customers without acquiring technical capabilities. Zalo users can conveniently “browse” thousands of stores on the uniform interface of Zalo Shop and easily make purchases without searching on Facebook or Google. Boasting these advantages, the online channel, more than ever before, has become considerably lucrative.

    According to statistics by Google, Vietnam is second in the world in terms of the number of online retail merchants. Whether this form of retail can grow sustainably remains, however, a question as customers are hesitant to accept/trust these independent small-scale businesses.

    Such prospects push retailers towards change. They admit the never-before-seen potential of omnichannel in awakening the market and capturing new customer segments.

    Bao commented that FPT Shop must expand its coverage and get ahead of market demand. However the Vietnamese consumers are naturally sceptical. Online buyers would visit offline stores to browse the merchandise, compare the products and prices. Therefore, it is advisable that companies stay mindful of their physical chains.

    Logistics above all

    “Never coerce consumers to online channels, since physical visits are conducive to unintended additional purchases. It depends on geographic and taste factors that enterprises coordinate their channels, hence enhancing brand recognition,” said Bao.

    In the race of omnichannel retailing, the essential survival tip is understanding, satisfying, and building trust with customers. To achieve this, retailers are responsible for guaranteeing the authenticity, quality, and timeliness of merchandise. Logistics, therefore, should be an investment priority.

    The Gioi Di Dong used to outsource its logistics but has since developed its own delivery capabilities. FPT Shop utilises its own store staff for delivery.

    “In that way, our delivery staff can directly consult the customers on product use and ensure our reputation,” commented Bao.

    Regarding logistics, Luong Duy Hoai, CEO of Giao hang nhanh (GHN) said, in the future, a product from abroad can easily reach Vietnamese consumers. The same goes for Vietnamese goods sold to other countries.

    Therefore, it is no longer a matter of speed but of agility to comprehend and lead the industry landscape by market shares. The challenge for modern retailing is the shipment of million, even tens of millions, of orders on a daily basis. The ultimate success factor lies in a delivery network that can address the complexities of increasingly customised demands. It is up to each retailer to rapidly transform its model according to the current technological trends.

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  • McDonald’s Is Now Serving Minion-Shaped Fries

    McDonald’s Is Now Serving Minion-Shaped Fries

    For those who can’t make it to the Minions-themed café in Japan, don’t worry — we’ve got you covered with the next best thing. In celebration of the premiere of Despicable Me 3, McDonald’s now introduces a special menu inspired by the beloved characters of the animated film. In particular, fans will probably go bananas over the Minion-shaped fries.

    Characterized by its cute, hollow eye and mouth, this potato goodness will likely become the next big food craze on social media. Check out the images below to see it for yourself.

    The Minion fries are currently only available at McDonald’s locations in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.

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  • Ksubi returns to retail with global flagship

    Ksubi returns to retail with global flagship

    Ksubi is on a fashion comeback with the opening of its global flagship store in Sydney. Located on the prime shopping strip of Oxford Street in Paddington, Ksubi has set up its return to retail within the coveted ‘The Intersection’ shopping hub in Sydney’s inner east

    The new boutique adds to the current distribution of Ksubi, which sees its jeans, apparel and accessories stocked inside the store walls of youth fashion retailer General Pants Group, who acquired distribution rights to the brand in 2014.

    The new Ksubi store comes after years of financial woes for the Sydney fashion label, after it was rescued twice from administration.

    Ksubi was founded as a streetwear label in 1999 by Gareth Moody, Dan Single, George Gorrow, Paul Wilson and Oscar Wright. Known for its impeccable denim cuts and high-octane aesthetic, the label soared to cult status among trend-lead fashionistas for several years and was stocked globally in niche boutiques.

    However, in 2010, claims of mismanagement and quarrels internally saw it fumble into administration, and it was sold to clothing manufacturer Bleach Group for around A$5 million.

    In late 2013, the Australian fashion label was then placed in receivership again after 14 years in the business, with Bleach Group chief executive Mark Byers blaming challenges in the Asian supply chain. Some 60 staff were fired from the brand’s head office, while its seven stores were also closed.

    US-based firm Breakwater Management Group took on Ksubi soon after and at the time said it would focus on the brand’s online sales. Breakwater then inked a distribution agreement with Australian multi-brand retailer General Pants Co in 2014, to sell Ksubi items from its 40-plus Australian stores, thus reviving Ksubi’s brand reach in store.

    With the news of the latest Ksubi store in Sydney, no information has been disclosed concerning future store openings for the brand in Australia or overseas. Today, Ksubi is sold in the US, Japan, the UK, and New Zealand and in Bloomingdales in Kuwait.

  • DHL and Latvian Railways join forces to boost Baltic-China trade

    DHL and Latvian Railways join forces to boost Baltic-China trade

    Baltic and Nordic exporters can look forward to faster, cheaper and more reliable logistics connections to China’s immense export market, following the signing of a new agreement between Latvia’s State Joint Stock Company Latvijas dzelzceļš (LDz) and DHL Global Forwarding.

    The Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation (MUC) signed between both companies will see both organisations focus on establishing multimodal rail connections between China and Latvia, including both freight connections and consolidation services centred in Riga City. Under the MUC, new connections will include guaranteed transit times and simplified customs and handling procedures for inbound and outbound cargo, as well as support for more flexible shipments such as Less-than-Container Load (LCL) freight.

    “So far, very few Baltic or Nordic businesses have fully tapped into the immense market opportunities that China and the broader Asia Pacific region currently offer,” said Steve Huang, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Greater China. “The two regions’ exports made up only 0.7% of China’s imports on average between 2011 to 2015, despite China’s demand for overseas goods which both regions excel in — like high-quality food products, textiles, and pharmaceuticals — growing rapidly in this time.[1]”

    “With the economies of Latvia and its neighbours expected to grow faster than the rest of the European Union,[2] businesses in the region will need to look to new markets like China to fuel their expansion. By building rapid, reliable logistics connections between the Baltic and Asia Pacific, we hope to give the region’s businesses a strong foundation for ongoing growth.”

    The MUC comes as DHL begins service along its newest Asia-Europe multimodal route connecting Shenzhen to Minsk via rail. DHL holds similar agreements with national rail providers in Belarus, Chengdu, and other major hubs along China’s proposed “Belt and Road” trade routes.

    “DHL has led the way in realising the Belt and Road’s opportunities for numerous countries, including the Nordic states that its Shenzhen-Minsk route will directly service,” said president of LDz, Edvīns Bērziņš. “This new agreement will give Latvian businesses the flexibility and confidence to engage in freer trade with Chinese and Asian markets, as well as establish Latvia as a strategic gateway along the Belt and Road to other parts of Europe — a twofold boost to the country’s production and logistics industries.”

    The MUC also includes provisions for ocean freight and intermodal shipping between Latvia, Scandinavia, and the UK and Ireland, as well as air and road freight connections to major cities across continental Europe.

  • Bank Mandiri to expand in Malaysia as first ‘ASEAN bank’

    Bank Mandiri to expand in Malaysia as first ‘ASEAN bank’

    Bank Mandiri will expand operations in Malaysia by using its newly awarded status as a cross-regional lender, Indonesia’s largest state-owned bank said Thursday.

    Mandiri said it is the first bank in the region to be designated a qualified ASEAN bank — a concept developed by Association of Southeast Asian Nations members as part of an effort to create an open, integrated financial market providing services to companies investing and trading in the region.

    To obtain QAB status, banks must meet certain conditions, such as in capital adequacy, and pass screening under bilateral agreements between monetary authorities. Indonesia and Malaysia agreed in 2016 to grant QAB status to three banks from each other’s countries.

    Such Malaysian banks as CIMB Group Holdings and Malayan Banking already have major operations in Indonesia, while Indonesian banks have been seeking opportunities to grow outside the home market. “We highly appreciate the Malaysian banking authorities that support the presence of banks from Indonesia,” said Muliaman Hadad, chairman of Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority. “Indonesia has also treated Malaysian banks as their own. This is a step forward that can strengthen relations between Indonesia and Malaysia.”

    Malaysia will become the first overseas market for Mandiri to operate a full-fledged banking business in, the lender said. It plans to invest 300 million ringgit ($70 million) to upgrade a remittance office in Kuala Lumpur to a full branch and roll out wholesale and retail banking services.

    Mandiri is also exploring expansion into Myanmar and the Philippines, it said in a news release.

  • Tesla’s Model S fails to ace some tests in IIHS evaluation

    Tesla’s Model S fails to ace some tests in IIHS evaluation

    Tesla Inc’s Model S did not get the top score in certain tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the agency said on Thursday.

    Chevrolet Impala, Ford Motor Co’s Taurus and Tesla’s Model S were the three sedans that got “only an acceptable rating” in a test designed to simulate what happens when the front driver-side corner of a vehicle strikes a tree or another vehicle, the IIHS said.

    Ford’s Lincoln Continental, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Toyota Motor Corp’s Avalon received the highest rating overall, the agency said.

    In the test, the seat belt in Tesla’s Model S was not effective and could lead to the driver’s head striking the steering wheel hard through the air bag, according to the report.

    Tesla’s Model S received the highest rating in IIHS’s crash testing in every category except one, the small overlap front crash test, where it received the second highest rating available, a Tesla spokesperson said in an email.

    “IIHS and dozens of other private industry groups around the world have methods and motivations that suit their own subjective purposes,” the spokesperson said.

    Tesla said the most objective and accurate independent vehicle safety test is done by the U.S. government, which found Model S and Model X to have the lowest probability of injury of any cars that it has ever tested.

    In order to get the top IIHS rating, automakers must have a frontal crash prevention system with automatic braking capabilities to prevent a rear-end collision.

    The vehicles must stop or slow down without driver intervention before hitting a target in tests at 12 or 25 miles per hour among other factors, IIHS said.

    Toyota said in a statement it is committed to developing safe and reliable vehicles.

    General Motors Co declined to comment, while Ford and Mercedes were not immediately available for comment.

    The IIHS is a research arm of the insurance industry, and its crash tests are increasingly influential in guiding vehicle safety design. Automakers strive for top ratings in IIHS tests as they do on federal crash tests.

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  • Sephora to open store in Doota mall in Korea

    Sephora to open store in Doota mall in Korea

    Sephora, the world’s largest cosmetics multi shop, will open a store in Doota Mall, Dongdaemun, Seoul.

    According to officials, Sephora is in the process of making contract with Doota Mall.

    Sephora, that started in 1969 as a small cosmetics shop in France, is a famous cosmetics shop that is often found in famous shopping streets around the world, where customer can buy and test various cosmetic brands.

    Especially in 1997, the power of Sephora became stronger when it was sold to the LVMH group of world famous brand Louis Vuitton.

    It has been reported that Doosan’s owner, Park Seo-won, in charge of distribution strategy of Doosan (CSO), has contacted officials of Louis Vuitton and It is now presumed to open Sephora in Doota Mall.

    Park Seo-won met Bernard Arnault, who is president of LVMH group in the eve of Louis Vuitton Exhibition held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul in early June, and also attended the “Viva Technology” conference, a start-up company road show held in Paris, France.

    At the time of opening the Doota Duty Free Shop, Park visited Louis Vuitton and Chanel‘s headquarters to try and attract luxury brands. However, one year later, they are facing difficulties in attracting luxury brands compared to other duty free shops. In addition, Doota duty free sales was directly affected by Thaad.

    However, it is now possible to expect to boost the Doota mall through the opening of Sephora.

    Sephora is expected to attract not only foreign customers but also Korean customers by having a PB brand that can be sold only in Sephora as well as luxury cosmetics brands such as Dior, Hermes, Prada and Tom Ford.

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  • Foxconn to set up manufacturing hub in India

    Foxconn to set up manufacturing hub in India

    Foxconn will invest up to 320 billion rupees ($4.9 billion) to establish more manufacturing capabilities in India, in response to the nation’s recent legislative changes designed to incentivize local manufacturing.

    The company plans to exponentially scale up its Indian operations, opening new factories and expanding its manufacturing footprint.

    India has just announced a 10% customs duty on the importation on phones and accessories in a bid to encourage local manufacturing. The move comes two years after he introduction of tax benefits for companies making handsets locally.

    It is currently unclear how the recently-announced GST of up to 18% of the cost of transactions will influence the benefits for local manufacturing.

    According to the report, India currently has the capacity to produce up to four million devices per month, manufacturing phones for companies including Xiaomi, Oppo, InFocus, Nokia and Gionee.

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  • Japan Airlines to outfit B787-9 Dreamliners with new Sky Suite offering

    Japan Airlines to outfit B787-9 Dreamliners with new Sky Suite offering

    Japan Airlines is introducing a new JAL Sky Suite configuration to its B787-9 Dreamliners that is set to debut on the airline’s Tokyo Narita to Kuala Lumpur route starting at the end of July this year.

    The new configuration is part of a wider plan by Japan’s national carrier to outfit its B777-300ER/-200ER, B767-300ER and B787-8/-9 with new Sky Suite layouts, which it has been introducing on select international routes. After Kuala Lumpur, the new B787-9 Dreamliner layout will be progressively introduced onto other international services.

    The revised layout will notably be retrofitted with the fully flat JAL Sky Suite III business class seat – the same as its B777-200ER, which first began sporting the seat last June. Meanwhile the business class cabin itself will increase in capacity to 52 seats compared to the 44 with the aircraft’s current layout.

    The JAL Sky Suite III seats are laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration (the current layout has seats 2-2-2), providing all passengers with direct aisle access – and offer a maximum bed length of about 78 inches, a width of 21 inches (which can be increased to 29 inches with the armrest is stowed), and a width of 20 inches. Additional features include a 17-inch monitor, a retractable privacy partition, a universal power outlet and a USB port.

    Premium economy and economy class, meanwhile, won’t see a capacity change – a notable detail as it means Japan Airlines will be retaining its eight-across configuration in economy. Industry norm is for the B787-9 Dreamliner to be configured with nine-across seating, and Japan Airlines claims it is the only airline to offer eight-abreast in economy on the aircraft.

    Seating in premium economy will be the JAL Sky Premium (35 seats in a 2-3-2 layout), which offer about 42 inches of pitch and 19 inches of width. Dividers, a 12.1-inch monitor (10.6 inches for bulkhead seats), a universal power outlet and USB port also feature.

    Meanwhile economy class sports the airline’s JAL Sky Wider II seats, which have a pitch of about 33 inches and – due to the eight-across layout – a width of around 19 inches. Seats also have a universal power outlet, USB port and 10.6-inch monitor.

    The seating isn’t all that will be changing, though. A new “Magic-VI” in-flight entertainment system with some 300 films will be available, as will in-flight wifi.

  • Ford’s China sales post strongest growth of year in June

    Ford’s China sales post strongest growth of year in June

    Ford Motor Co said its China sales surged 15 percent in June, their strongest pace of the year, as the industry puts the phasing out of a tax cut behind it, adding that it was optimistic about the outlook for the second half.

    Peter Fleet, Ford’s Asia-Pacific chief, said the first quarter had been difficult after a tax on car purchases rose to 7.5 percent from 5 percent previously.

    Although Ford’s China sales declined 7 percent in the first-half from the same period a year ago, they were up 7 percent in the second quarter. Sales for June alone climbed to more than 100,000 vehicles.

    “I would expect to see for the third-quarter strong single digit percentage growth (for) the industry. That’s certainly how it looks to us based on the run rate and how the month of July has opened up,” Fleet said.

    Ford’s level of discounting tracked an overall 4 percent price decline for the industry so far this year, he said.

    “I’m not interested in driving our prices down to drive market share,” Fleet said.

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