CAPA - Centre for Aviation executive chairman Peter Harbison, stated:
- 55% of inbound arrivals to Australia from mainland China travel on indirect services, adding: "They come via intermediate points". He identified Beijing-Brisbane, Nanjing-Melbourne and Beijing-Perth as three of the most travelled China-Australia routes where all passengers use indirect services.
- Batik Air - a Lion in sheep's clothing. "In 3 years Batik will shake up that Australian market."
- The four full serviced Gulf carriers recorded a 0.5% year-on-year increase in 2017 against a 10 year growth rate of 13% p/a. Mr Harbison reported Emirates recorded a 2.8% year-on-year increase in 2017, while Turkish Airlines was up 1.8%, Qatar Airways was up 0.8% and Etihad Airways was down 3.6%.
Delta Air Lines GM Australia and New Zealand & Virgin Australia JV Clare Wheatley:
- Delta is the second largest airline worldwide, handling more than 15,000 frequencies per day, serving more than 200 million customers p/a and employing more than 80,000 personnel.
- Delta is "leading the way in terms of pre tax profits in the airline industry". Ms Wheatley also described Delta as the market's highest valued airline and said the carrier expects to exceed the USD60 per share threshold in 2018.
- The Delta and Virgin Australia JV results in 20% of total seats on the US-Australia market. The is the second highest, following Qantas Airways.
- In the next five years Delta plans on investing USD12 billion in airport structure at LAX, ATL, SLC, SEA and LGA.
Corporate Travel Management (CTM) global COO executive director Australia/New Zealand and ANZ CEO Laura Ruffles:
- Providing "compelling, useful, usable technology" is one of its key customer value propositions. Ms Ruffles reported CTM released 33 technology updates in 2017 and said the "blend of service and technology is alive and well" at CTM. Ms Ruffles stated CTM implements a policy of developing regional technology hubs that can share information while also accommodating the different requirements and features of each individual region and market.
Bhutan & Beyond director and current Guinness World Record Holder for most countries visited in six months James Irving:
- He doubts his Aug-2002 to Feb-2003 Guinness World Record breaking trip to 191 countries in 167 days could be replicated in the present day due to the increase in the duration of the airport security screening process for passengers.
- The descent into Bhutan's Paro International Airport is "an absolute treat" and recommended travelling to Paro from Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport or Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport. Mr Irving also opined that Paro's reputation as one of the world's most dangerous airports is undeserved.
Queensland Department of Innovation, Tourism Industry Development & the Commonwealth Games Deputy Director Jeffrey McAlister:
- Since Feb-2015, the Queensland Government has helped secured 2 million additional inbound seats and AUD1.5 billion in overnight visitor expenditure.
- Queensland's current tourism development priorities include focusing on hotels, island resorts, access infrastructure, leisure attractions & ecotourism.