Carry on: Christchurch's new hotel, more international flights; A350 handover and more

Crowne Plaza to convert Christchurch office tower
InterContinental Hotel Group is planning to convert the former Forsyth Barr building overlooking Victoria Sq to replace its demolished Crowne Plaza Hotel. The 19-storey office tower will become the city’s largest hotel at 200 rooms, including five luxury suites. The hotel, which is expected to open in 2016, will also have two restaurants, a bar, fitness centre and function rooms. The former Crowne Plaza was on the other side of the square and was demolished in 2012. It had 297 rooms.

Christchurch Airport expands international services
Christchurch Airport is on a roll with extra international flights. Taiwan’s China Airlines this week began a three-weekly service from Taipei Tuoyan via Sydney using an A330-300 aircraft. This will run for three months until February 28. The airline’s chairman, Huang-Hsiang Sun, who travelled to Christchurch on the first flight, says this could be expanded to four months as early as next year, depending on the level of support.

Fiji Airways this week announced it would double its direct service to Nadi from June 23. The weekly Saturday flight will be complemented by one leaving Christchurch on Tuesday mornings. China Southern Airlines is testing the South Island tourist market with a one-off charter flight using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner arriving on February 3 during Chinese New Year.

Date set for first A350 XWB handover
Qatar Airways will officially receive the first of its 80 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft  on December 13, introducing a competitor to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the world’s latest all-new airliner. The A350 XWB is a family of mid-sized wide-body jets designed to enhance fuel, operating costs and environmental efficiencies during medium-to-long haul airline operations.

It features the very latest in aerodynamics, design and advanced technologies, with 70% of the airframe made from advanced materials combining composites (53%), titanium and aluminium alloys. The carbon fibre reinforced plastic fuselage results in lower fuel burn as well as easier maintenance. The first commercial service will be deployed on the Doha-Frankfurt route early in the new year.

Qatar boosts flights to Europe
Qatar Airways is adding more frequencies to four of its European cities from February. Doha to Barcelona and Manchester will become a double daily service, while Stockholm and Copenhagen will see services increase from a daily to 10 and 11 weekly service respectively. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways yesterday began its third A380 route by bringing forward the start date of its Bangkok service. The double-decker will fly one of the four-times-daily services. A380s are already flying from Doha to London and Paris. (See video below)

Lufthansa to launch another budget service
German airline Lufthansa is launching a budget long-haul service at the end of next year in collaboration with SunExpress, a joint venture with Turkish Airlines. Its first destinations will be Florida, southern Africa and the Indian Ocean. The flights – to be flown by SunExpress crews – will initially be operated by three Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The home base will initially be the Cologne-Bonn airport, rather than at Lufthansa’s hubs at Frankfurt and Munich. Lufthansa already has lower-cost offshoots in Germanwings and Eurowings.

Airbus clinches Chinese leasing deal
China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings (CALC) has finalised a $US10.2 billion deal to buy 100 aircraft from Airbus, subject to shareholder approval. The order includes 74 A320neos (new engine option), which is a revamped version of the 150-seat A320 and will be delivered from 2016-22..
Hong Kong-based CALC is part of an expanding number of leasing companies focusing on medium-haul aircraft for the China’s burgeoning domestic routes.