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SCMP Reporter

DETAILS of the Cathay Pacific frequent flier programme will be announced at the end of this month.

    It will be for first and business class passengers only. Passengers who register (membership will be free) can start to earn points from July, and to use them after the summer peak, from September.

  Members will also be able to use their points on the other airlines in the scheme, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, even if they earn them on Cathay - and vice versa.

  There will also be other travel services in the scheme, such as hotels and tours, as well as associate airlines.

  There are a few key factors to determine how generous a programme is:    How many points are earned (airlines usually have 11/2-2 times the flight's official mileage for business class, and 2-3 times in first class).

   How much it costs to ''buy'' a ticket.

   Whether it can be used to buy economy class as well as other classes, and at what fare level the ticket is based. If this is at full published fare level, the offer will not be so good.

  For instance, on the London route, the full economy Air Tariff fare is just under $13,000 one-way, although few use this fare as there are so many discounts available.

THE Peninsula hotel group starts its summer rate offers from June 15.

  The best offer is at its hotel in New York. Regular rooms in this programme cost US$245 (HK$1,900). Full H&TI rates start at US$295. Another good offer is in Los Angeles at its Beverly Hills hotel, where the offer rate is US$240 (US$265), including full breakfast.

  Rates at its other hotels outside Hongkong probably reflect stronger market demand in those cities. Its special rate at the Manila Peninsula is US$145 (US$195), including full breakfast, and the Palace hotel in Beijing, where demand in summer is strong, Peninsula has fixed a rate of US$155 (US$180).

  Contact Peninsula reservations, phone 840-7722, fax 845-5508.

THERE are some changes on flight schedules into Indochina.

  Dragonair has joined Kampuchean Airlines in postponing its planned Hongkong-Phnom Penh service, which was due to start this week. No new dates have been announced. Contact Dragonair reservations on 590-1188, fax 590-1331.

  There is an increase in the number of flights to Vietnam, however.

  To Ho Chi Minh City, starting July 2, Cathay Pacific's Friday flight will be operated by a Boeing 747-300 instead of the usual Tri-Stars. (The Sunday flights were switched to B-747s in April.) Contact Cathay Pacific reservations, phone 747-1888.

  To Hanoi, a joint Vietnam Airlines/Cathay Pacific service will also operate on Fridays starting also on July 2, making five each week.

 Contact Cathay, as above, or Vietnam Airlines, phone 810-6680 and fax 869-8915.

THE two Inter-Continental hotels in Japan, in Tokyo and Yokohama, have introduced a package for JPY34,000 (HK$2,400) for one night in each hotel, including breakfast, service charge and tax.

  The new Inter-Continental in Yokohama is more of a resort hotel.

  Contact Inter-Continental reservations on 827-0000, fax 827-0505.

FROM the start of next month, Delta is finally due to convert its Los Angeles flights, which operate via Anchorage, to non-stop. The problem has been the aircraft.

  Delta bought MacDonnell Douglas MD11s for its long-range capability, but the aircraft type turned out to be incapable of operating non-stop over the route. Now, MD11s newly-delivered to Delta have extra fuel capacity (meaning less cargo capacity) to givethem adequate range for a non-stop to Los Angeles. Contact Delta on 526-5875, fax 537-1900.

THE Worldwide Fund For Nature has recommended an ecologically sound destination in Indonesia from its list of approved destinations. (However, note that WWF is changing its philosophy, and sometimes supports resorts that are locally-owned, rather than those that might be more ecologically sound, but are foreign owned).

  The recommended resort is Kerinci-Seblat National Park on the island of Sumatra (available through Eco-Cultural Development Travel in Sungai Penugh). Compiled by Travel Database, P O Box 12761, Hongkong. Fax 507-4620.



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Cathay Pacific frequent flier programme on final approach

Cathay Pacific