Bonvo - News Bites

15 October 2010
'One Passenger, One Hand Baggage' enforcement effective from 1st October 2010

With effect from 1st October 2010, Malaysia Airlines is strictly enforcing the ‘One Passenger, One Hand Baggage’ policy in all classes of travel at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). This ruling will also include the Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal (KLCAT) at KL Sentral.

Hand baggage for all passengers will be screened at all check-in channels, i.e. at the counters and at the bag drop-off areas for those who check-in via the web and kiosks.

MAHB (Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad) will enforce this ruling for all airlines operating into and from KLIA. Strict screening will be done at all entrance points for flights. Checks will also be conducted at the check-in counters and boarding gates.

Safety and Comfort in the Cabin

Limiting the number of hand baggage pieces facilitates better safety standards and comfort in the cabin for passengers and cabin crew:

It minimizes injuries caused by oversized baggage falling from the overhead compartments and ensures that each passenger has enough space to stow/keep their bags in the cabin.
Customers are able to move easily in and out of seats as the passageways are clear of baggage.
Embarkation and disembarkation from the aircraft cabin is quicker and more efficient.
Movement during transfers between flights/terminals is faster.
Most importantly, in the event of an emergency, the evacuation from the cabin is quick.

The number of hand baggage pieces is determined by the class of travel:
Economy Class passengers are allowed 1 piece while First and Business Class passengers are allowed 2 pieces.

The One Passenger, One Hand Baggage policy for all airlines at KLIA will be strictly enforced by MAHB and checks will be conducted at the entrance points for flights. For First and Business Class passengers who are allowed the 2nd piece of hand baggage, this piece must be tagged at the check-in counter.

In addition to the hand baggage, the following personal items are allowed *:

Handbag, pocket book or purse
Briefcase
An overcoat, wrap or blanket
Electronic equipment such as laptop, iPad & camera
A small camera or a pair of binoculars
A reasonable amount of reading material for the flight
An infant carry cot
Infant’s & children’s food for consumption in-flight
Fully collapsible baby stroller (on wide body aircraft only)
Walking sticks, canes or crutches, and/or braces/prosthetic devices, which the passenger is dependent on
Syringes or needles for personal medical use with needle guard in place. These have to be accompanied by the medication in its original labelled container.

*All hand baggage beyond the 1st piece must be tagged. Please enquire with the check-in/baggage drop-off counter staff.
Click HERE for more information on baggage dimensions

Checks at pre-embarkation and embarkation

Hand baggage test kits will be placed at the check-in area and departure hall entrances at all check-in counters at KLIA and KLCAT.

The staff of Malaysia Airlines, together with MAHB security personnel, will insist that the hand baggage is sighted/produced at check-in, entrance points for flights and at the boarding gate. If the hand baggage exceeds the weight limit of 5kg, customers might be required to have their bags placed in the cargo hold. These measures are necessary to ensure safety.

Passengers can refer to the MAS website for travel advisory notices and reminders. Signs are also in place at check-in islands at level 5, KLIA, and at KLCAT.

15 October 2010
Singapore Airlines (SQ) Imposes ‘No-Show’ Fees

With effect from 1st October 2010, passengers who have confirmed bookings with Singapore Airlines, but fail to turn up on the day of departure without cancelling the flight will be liable for ‘No Show Fees’.

The following is a schedule of ‘No Show’ Fees:

Class of Travel	No Show Fees (SGD)
Suites / First	450
Business	300
Economy	150

Fares/rates subject to change with or without prior notice

For enquiries, please contact Singapore Airlines at +65 6223 8888.

4 October 2010
Bonvo is now flu-pandemic prepared

Bonvo is now certified flu-pandemic prepared, based on SPRING Singapore’s flu-pandemic Business Continuity Guide 2009.

The SPRING Singapore Business Continuity Guide aims to minimize business disruption as a result of flu pandemic influences. For an organization, being flu-pandemic prepared ensures that it will continue to deliver its critical activities at an acceptable pre-defined level.

As part of the business continuity programme (BPE), respective department managers in Bonvo have been appointed as the company’s Flu Managers. Each Flu Manager is then supported by their respective site team and the management committee to carry out necessary procedures in the event of a flu pandemic.

The roles, responsibilities, accountabilities and authorities for Bonvo’s senior management and key employees of the BPE have been defined and documented. A budget is in place for necessary resources such as training & awareness, infrastructure, segregation of workforce, cleaning and disinfection services, and purchase of pandemic preparedness equipment such as gloves and masks. Staff polices (including policies on business and personal travel, leave of absence, and high risk groups as defined by MOH) have also been defined and communicated to all employees internally.

Bonvo’s Flu-Pandemic Preparedness status ensures strict adherence to the guidelines set by MOH (Ministry of Health) & MOM (Ministry of Manpower) advisories, providing the assurance to partners and clients that all business and travel arrangements will not be disrupted in the event of a flu pandemic.

This is yet another initiative undertaken by Bonvo to ensure that our service continues to be delivered at the high level that our clients have come to expect of us.

15 September 2010
TRAVEL ALERT: Mandatory TSA requirement for all travel to and from the US

In an effort to tighten flight security, the United States government has mandated the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to implement mandatory Secure Flight requirements on all travellers to and from the US. From 15 September 2010, all carriers will have to furnish the TSA with the following details of all passengers:

Full name (as listed on the government-issued ID with which they travel)
Birth date
Gender
Redress number (if applicable)

The Redress Number is a unique identification number assigned to travellers under the Department of Homeland Security Traveller Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP). Travellers who have been repeatedly identified for additional screening during the check-in process are invited to apply for Redress to help prevent watch list misidentifications in the future.

All passengers must provide Secure Flight data whenever they make a flight booking to or from the US, whether online or through a travel agency. For all Bonvo clients, your travel consultant will ask you for the personal details listed above when you make a reservation. Failure to provide information may result in very steep penalties passed along by the airlines, cancellation of tickets, denied boarding passes, or any and all related charges incurred.

By the end of 2010, TSA regulations will require all airlines to collect Secure Flight data at least 72 hours prior to flight departure, or at time of booking for flights booked within 72 hours of departure time.

Should you have any enquiries or concerns, please contact Daniel Tan at tel: +65 64910915, or at daniel.tan@bonvo.com

1September 2010
Bonvo takes off to greater heights with our new office

We’re very pleased to announce that from today, Bonvo Travel will be operating from our new office. We have not ventured far from the old office, simply moving from the 8th floor up to the 26th floor of Tower Fifteen in Hoe Chiang Road.

With the rapid growth in our business this year, the expansion of our business units, and more developments in the pipeline, we needed a bigger space to be able to operate more efficiently and continue to provide all our clients with the same high level of service you’ve come to expect. We look forward to welcoming you to our new office.

To ensure a seamless transition of service, only our address and fax number have been changed. All other contact details remain the same:

Address:
15 Hoe Chiang Road
#26-01/02 Tower Fifteen
Singapore 089316

Main line: +65 6491 0898
Fax: +65 6491 0866
Website: www.bonvo.com

31 August 2010
Bonvo continues to save the planet

In a continuing commitment to offset the carbon footprint of the number of flights they book a year, Bonvo Travel has made another quarterly contribution to the Heart of Borneo foundation to plant saplings in a reforestation programme under the auspices of the Brunei government.

The partnership with the Heart of Borneo foundation was initiated earlier this year, and this is the second contribution Bonvo has made. The pledge is to plant one sapling for every 5 air tickets issued, and on 19 August 2010, the foundation planted 208 trees on Bonvo's behalf. Among the varieties of trees were Casuarinas, Yellow Palms and various native fruit trees. Bonvo is pleased to be able to contribute to efforts to reduce pollution and the negative impact of man on the environment, and will continue to look for meaningful ways to save the planet.

For more information on the Heart of Borneo foundation, please visit http://www.forestry.gov.bn/heart.htm.

4 May 2010
BONVO’s Heart for the Heart of Borneo Project

Bonvo Travel is proud to bear the distinction of being the first private sector corporation outside of Brunei to participate in the Brunei: Heart of Borneo Project, a joint initiative by the Government of Brunei and WWF to plant trees to re-populate the vanishing rainforests of Borneo.

This project is part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-led Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, a world-wide tree planting initiative which seeks to offset the carbon footprint caused by human civilization and its effects on the environment. The Heart of Borneo is one such project undertaken by the governments of Brunei, Kalimantan and Sabah to act on their commitment to create renewable and sustainable resources.

As a travel agency, BONVO Travel is dedicated to counteracting the effect of air travel on the balance of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. BONVO Travel has thus pledged to plant 1 tree for every 5 air-tickets issued to reduce its carbon footprint, and has committed to this rate of contribution with the government of Brunei for the Heart of Borneo project. On 23 April 2010, the inaugural group of 125 saplings was planted in Panchong Primary, Tutong, at coordinates N 04 38' 28.8", E 114 40' 30.2".

"Singapore, where BONVO is based, is geographically not able to support this sort of effort to the scale which we want to pledge our commitment," said Joachim K. Steffen, Managing Director of BONVO Travel. "We decided to participate in the Heart of Borneo project not just because of its proximity to us, but also because of the commitment shown by the Government of Brunei, which is inspiring. As a long-time advocate of green initiatives, BONVO would like to join hands with the Sultanate of Brunei to protect the environment by promoting sustainable management of natural resources, recycling and conservation of energy".

Under the Heart of Borneo initiative, the Sultanate of Brunei had pledged to place 74% of the country’s area under conservation and sustainable use. Together with Kalimantan and Sabah’s commitment, the island of Borneo will contain some 222,000 square kilometres of conserved land, making it one of the largest nature reserves in the world. This could be the last chance for unique animals such as Borneo’s rhinos, sunbears, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants, clouded leopards, orangutans, hornbills and bantengs to survive, including countless new species of plants and animals yet undiscovered by humans.

For more information on the UNEP Plant for the Planet project, visit www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign.

For more information on the Heart of Borneo project, please visit http://www.forestry.gov.bn/heart.htm.

For more information on the BONVO Travel commitment to the Heart of Borneo project, please contact Christine Moorthy at 9011 3357 or email christine.moorthy@bonvo.com.

20 April 2010
Bonvo Travel Advisory – Europe Air Traffic Disruption

The plume of volcanic ash drifting across Europe following the eruption of the volcano in the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland on 14 April has forced the closure of many European airports since Thursday 15 April. Volcanic ash contains tiny particles of rock and even glass, which may wreak havoc with machinery and jam aircraft engines.

According to Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for Safety of Air Navigation, around 63,000 flights crossing through European airspace have been cancelled since Thursday, and the airspace restriction is set to extend until Tuesday 20 April. This disruption of air traffic has left millions of people and businesses affected.

Please find below additional advice for Bonvo Travel clients and travellers:

Airline Web sites. Many travellers have experienced extended wait times when trying to call airlines. This is due to the enormous number of cancelled flights and the large number of travellers needing to rebook and, in some cases, rebook again if the subsequent flight is cancelled. To help in better managing call volume, please consult the airline websites to check flight status and other information available online.

Ground transportation/hotel. In Europe, many car hire/rental companies have announced they are no longer allowing international rentals. Rail carriers also have limited availability and may not be a viable option. As a result, we advise that travellers consider staying in their current location, contacting the hotel they are in now to extend their stay.

Insurance. If travellers have already checked in for their flights, they may be covered under their travel insurance policy under the travel delay section. But this will be subject to the terms and conditions of each policy. Do check with Bonvo if you are unsure about what is covered.

Official news. For the latest information on European airport closings and related news, consult www.eurocontrol.int, the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation’s site. Major news sites and airline websites also offer real-time updates for travellers.

Should you need further information or any assistance with regards to the above, please contact our Corporate Travel Division:
Daniel Tan
DID: +65 6491 0915
Email: daniel.tan@bonvo.com

Aileen Cayanong
DID: +65 6491 0781
Email: aileen.cayanong@bonvo.com

After office hours emergency line (GMT +8hours): +65 9726 2365