Carry on: Orbit rebrands, new Fiji link, cheapest getaway city and more

Orbit rebrand puts ‘fun’ in travel
House of Travel’s Orbit Corporate Travel arm is dropping its business-slanted name to become Orbit World Travel. Marketing manager Paul Halford says corporate travel isn’t always as fun and glamorous as a holiday. “Our business focus is about ensuring travel is easy and efficient so people have a chance to be inspired through work travel – both the trip itself and the process for organising it should be carefree,” he says. Orbit employs 250 staff in nine offices: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Nelson and Tauranga, each owned and run by a local director.

Iata delays model cabin bag plan
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) has paused the rollout of its Cabin OK initiative after objections from airlines in the US. The Cabin OK initiative was launched on June 9 with the aim of providing passengers with greater assurance that their carry-on bags will travel with them in the aircraft cabin, even when the flight is full. Iata says while a number of airlines have supported the initiative, others have expressed concern. Iata adds that the optimum-sized bag is a guideline only, is voluntary and does not dictate a maximum size for carry on luggage.

Fiji Airways launches new Wellington link
Fiji Airways is now the only airline flying all year round between Wellington and Nadi with the launch of a twice weekly service this week. The airline has also has doubled its capacity to Christchurch this winter, with the weekly Saturday flight complemented by a permanent additional service on Tuesdays. This also started this week. Wellington Airport chief executive Steve Sanderson says the new service will create an extra 34,000 seats a year.

Hercules replacement recovers from crash
An impressive flying display at the Paris Air Show by Airbus’ A400M military airlifter, the proposed replacement for a generation of Hercules-type logistics and transport aircraft, helped restored lost reputation after a deadly crash in May. Four Airbus crew died on May 9 during a test flight near Seville, Spain, where the aircraft is manufactured. Airbus has so far so delivered a dozen of its 174 orders for the aircraft, which is also tipped as a potential buy for the RNZAF. France has received six A400Ms, the UK and Turkey two each and one each for Germany and Malaysia.

Airbus edges Boeing in air show orders
Airbus finished ahead of Boeing as the biennial Paris Air Show at Le Bourget resulted in total aircraft sales of $US107.2 billion. This was just $US8.3 million down on the value of deals at Farnborough last year. The number of aircraft ordered was higher at 752 compared with 697, thanks to a late provisional order for 110 A321neo single-aisle planes from the Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air. With a list-price value of $US13 billion, the agreement took Airbus’ total for the show to 421 aircraft worth $US57 billion, with Boeing reporting deals to supply 331 planes with brochure prices amounting to $US50.2 billion.

SAA-Emirates ‘deal’ collapses
South African Airways (SAA) has reportedly reneged on an equity partnership agreement with Emirates Airline, which could have netted it more than two billion South African rand ($240 million). SAA chairwoman Dudu Myeni and chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout were set to meet top officials from Emirates in Paris to conclude the deal. But Ms Myeni didn't turn up and Mr Bezuidenhout was instructed not to sign the agreement. Though Emirates is often said to be interested in equity deals, it has consistently denied such reports.

Hanoi cheapest for getaway trip
A TripAdvisor survey finds the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi is the best value destination in the world for a city break. TripIndex Cities compares the cost of a three-night break during the winter travel months of June to August in 40 key tourist cities around the world, taking into account typical costs for two people. These include a four-star hotel for three nights, a visit to three attractions, lunch each day, a taxi to and from dinner each day, plus the cost of dinner itself. The cost of air flights is not included. The Polish capital of Warsaw was the next cheapest and Cancun, Mexico, the most expensive.