Emirates and HSBC offer zero-interest instalment scheme for air travel

Travel with Emirates from Colombo to any of 105 destinations on six continents has become infinitely more affordable for holders of credit cards issued by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).

Effective immediately, all HSBC Premier, Platinum, Gold and Classic cardholders may purchase air tickets from Emirates and make payments over three, six, nine or 12 months at zero interest, the award-winning international airline has announced.

The offer is valid for tickets purchased up to 31st December 2010, for all classes of travel and to any destination on the Emirates global network.

The HSBC zero interest facility is available to customers purchasing their tickets on-line at www.emirates.com/lk, at the Emirates Colombo city office counters or at four participating travel agents.

“This facility provides a great opportunity for leisure travellers in particular,” said Devika Ellepola, Emirates Sales Manager in Sri Lanka. “It could even be utilised for travel in 2011, provided tickets are purchased before the promotion ends.”

All travel on Emirates will earn passengers Skywards Miles from the airline’s frequent flyer programme. Emirates also offers passengers a generous baggage allowance of 30kg, 40kg and 50 kg respectively on Economy, Business and First Class.

The winner of more than 400 major international awards, Emirates operates 21 services a week between Colombo and Dubai, and daily flights to Singapore, making a total of 28 flights a week to and from Sri Lanka.

Emirates shuns airline alliances

Emirates will not enter into any commercial alliances as they are harmful to competitiveness, the airline’s president said in remarks published on Monday.

Tim Clark said the airline preferred to work on its own as alliances could hurt the quality of its services, according to comments in Arabic language daily Al Bayan.

Emirates, the Middle East’s largest carrier, is not a part of global airline clubs such as the ‘oneworld’ or Star Alliance.

Clark’s remarks come during an ongoing dispute over access to flight routes and competition.    

The rapid expansion of Emirates — as well as Gulf majors Etihad of Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways — has unnerved older airlines and fuelled mutual accusations of protectionism. Many carriers fear Gulf-based superjumbos will drain their own hubs.

Earlier this month, Canada’s military lost access to a military camp near Dubai, which it used to support troops in Afghanistan, after Ottawa refused to allow Emirates and Etihad to increase flights to Canada.  — Reuters