News | TAG Group

Written on 17^th May 2018

Fly Virgin all the way to the UK under new Virgin partnership

Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic have put flights on sale under their codeshare partnership, which will allow guests to travel effortlessly between Australia and the United Kingdom (UK). This is exciting news for the airlines’ customers, as the codeshare will provide them with more flexibility when booking long-haul services between the two countries.

Written on 3^rd May 2018

TAG features on Buying Business Travel Top 50 TMCs list 2018

With a business travel gross sales of £170. 6m in 2017, The Appointment Group(TAG) ranks number 16 in Buying Business Travel's guide to the top travel management companies in the UK – TMCs listed, demonstrating a momentous year in which we processed more than 343,000 transactions.

Written on 2^nd May 2018

Qantas orders six more Dreamliners

Qantas has announced an order for six additional Boeing 787-9s to fly on its international network, bringing its fleet of Dreamliners to 14 by the end of 2020. The arrival of the new aircraft will enable the airline to accelerate retirement of its last six Boeing 747s – an aircraft type that has been in its fleet in various forms since 1971.

Written on 25^th April 2018

Qantas International Network Update

Qantas is making several adjustments across its international network in response to demand and to better utilise its fleet. From 3rd December 2018, Qantas’ last remaining Boeing 747 services operating into Los Angeles will be replaced by a combination of Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircrafts.

Written on 19^th April 2018

TAG Australia offices closed Wednesday, 25th April 2018

Please be advised that all TAG Australia offices will be closed on Wednesday, 25th April 2018 in observance of Anzac Day. If you need assistance please contact our dedicated 24 Hours Emergency team at +61 3 8888 8955 or e-mail emergency@appointmentgroup.

Written on 18^th April 2018

Virgin Australia adds to Australia to New Zealand Network

Virgin Australia announced a suite of changes to its Trans-Tasman services, including two new routes and increased frequency into key markets. The changes will take effect at the beginning of the Northern Winter flying season.

Written on 13^th April 2018

TAG now has access to global rates from Virtuoso

The Appointment Group (TAG) has been a valued member of the Virtuoso luxury travel consortium in the United States. Now, from April 2018, our TAG Global Private Clients teams will be able to offer all Virtuoso’s exclusive benefits across all of our operations in the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore and Australia.

Written on 11^th April 2018

Air New Zealand is TripAdvisor's second ranked airline in the World

Air New Zealand has once again been recognised for its outstanding product and service in the second annual 2018 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice™ Awards, with significant wins across multiple categories. The airline has been ranked second of all airlines globally as well as taking out Best Airline in the South Pacific.

Written on 11^th April 2018

Atlanta remains the world's busiest airport

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), the hub of Delta Air Lines, remains the world’s busiest for passenger traffic, according to new preliminary figures from Airports Council International (ACI). It takes the title of the world's busiest as the city is within a two-hour flight of 80% of the United States population of more than 300 million people.

Written on 5^th April 2018

Virgin Australia announces services between Brisbane and Alice Springs

Virgin Australia has recently announced it will commence services between Brisbane and Alice Springs, increasing its regional domestic network offering. From 19 June 2018, Virgin Australia will operate a twice-weekly return service on Tuesdays and Thursdays under a wet lease agreement with Alliance Airlines (Alliance), operated by Alliance’s Fokker 100 and Fokker 70 fleet of aircraft.

Written on 5^th April 2018

United partner with Air New Zealand to add non-stop route from Chicago to Auckland

United were excited to announce their new nonstop service between Auckland and Chicago, operated as a joint venture with partner, Air New Zealand. This flight service will begin November 30, 2018.

Written on 5^th April 2018

Lufthansa launches flights from Munich

Lufthansa has launched A380 operations from its Munich hub, with superjumbo flights to Los Angeles, Beijing and Hong Kong. As reported last year, the German carrier has shifted five of its 509-seater A380s from to Munich, leaving nine superjumbos at Frankfurt.

Written on 27^th March 2018

The Appointment Group (TAG) Easter opening hours

Please note that The Appointment Group UK and Australian offices will be closed in observance of Easter next Friday 30th March and Monday 2nd April 2018. The TAG Singapore office will be closed on 30th March.

Written on 27^th March 2018

Changi Airport is named the world's best airport for the sixth consecutive year

Changi Airport Singapore achieved great success at the 2018 World Airport Awards, being voted by air travellers as the World’s Best Airport for the sixth consecutive year. This is the first time in the history of the awards that an airport has won this prestige title for six consecutive years.

Written on 27^th March 2018

Qantas starts history-making flight non-stop to London

Qantas’ first Perth to London flight has taken off, marking the start of the only non-stop air link between Australia and Europe – and the fastest way of traveling between the two continents. Operated by a Boeing 787-9, the flight reduces total travel time by eliminating stopovers and taking advantage of the most favourable winds on any given day without having to factor in a mid-point in the Middle East or Asia when choosing a flight path.

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Written on 19^th March 2018

Qantas unveils menu to help reduce jetlag on long haul flights

Healthy poke bowls and a herbal tea designed especially for Qantas, are among the new dining choices on Qantas’ new 787 Dreamliner Perth to London menus to increase hydration and help reduce jetlag. The airline’s Creative Director of Food, Beverage & Service Neil Perry said the new menus combined research from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre with inhouse experience of the Qantas and Rockpool teams to create dishes that encourage sleep at optimal times during the flight.

Written on 15^th February 2018

Cathay Dragon to launch new service to Jinan in March

The Cathay Pacific Group’s expansion across mainland China continues apace, with the announcement that Cathay Dragon will commence a new four-times-weekly service between Hong Kong and Jinan, the capital of Shandong province, from 26th March 2018. The new service, which will complement the airline’s existing flights to Qingdao, will be operated by the airline’s fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft in a two-class configuration.

Written on 15^th February 2018

Qantas unveils special indigenous aircraft livery

Qantas has unveiled a special livery honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians on its latest Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The new livery features the work of the late Northern Territory artist and senior Anmatyerre woman, Emily Kame Kngwarreye.

Written on 8^th February 2018

Hong Kong Airlines partners with local chef Gabriel Choy for new Business Class inflight menu

Hong Kong Airlines has collaborated with home grown chef Gabriel Choy to offer a range of Western dishes with an Asian twist to its Business Class passengers on all flights departing from Hong Kong. * Born in Hong Kong, Chef Gabriel was the first Asian winner of the Gordon Ramsay Scholar competition back in 2005.

Written on 8^th February 2018

Delta takeaway: Asian chef all-stars inspire traditional, local fare in flight

Delta travelers out of Asia with an eye for the authentic will soon feast on staples-turned-standouts like oven-baked sesame dumplings, kuro-buta pork and Bibimbap alongside other regionally sourced culinary centerpieces on select Delta flights. Beginning March 1st, regionally inspired meals designed by Delta's new, exclusive culinary consulting partners and chefs Jereme Leung and Norio Ueno and will launch and pay respect to their Chinese and Japanese cultures so intimately steeped in food traditions.

Written on 1^st February 2018

Singapore Airlines forges ahead with Digital Innovation Blueprint

Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced the launch of its Digital Innovation Blueprint through the unveiling of key bilateral partnerships with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Economic Development Board (EDB) and National University of Singapore (NUS). The Digital Innovation Blueprint is part of SIA’s ongoing transformation programme under which it is significantly boosting its digital capabilities.

Written on 24^th January 2018

TAG Australia offices closed Friday, 26th January 2018

Please be advised that all TAG Australia offices will be closed on Friday, 26th January 2018 in observance of Australia Day. If you need assistance please contact our dedicated 24 Hours Emergency team at +61 3 8888 8955 or e-mail emergency@appointmentgroup.

Written on 24^th January 2018

More flights to Tokyo with Iberia

Starting next October, Iberia will be flying five times a week between Madrid and Tokyo. The two additional flights scheduled between Madrid and Tokyo every week from next 20th October are now on sale.

Written on 24^th January 2018

Singapore Airlines to launch Melbourne-Wellington services and daily flights to Canberra

Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced that it will introduce a new service that will connect Singapore and Melbourne to New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. The new service will be introduced as part of a restructuring of existing Singapore-Canberra-Wellington flights, which will see the Canberra-Wellington flights de-linked and Canberra served on a daily basis, up from the existing four times per week.