MAR-APR 2013 ISSUE 152

DRAGONAPR 2014 ISSUE 157

A magazine for staff and friends of Dragonair

A Big ‘Thank You’KA’s recent successes and staff achievements celebrated in style

Tell Us What You ThinkTake part in the Group’s People Survey 2014

Mobile Tech Expands ScopeRecruitment next focus for ground-breaking apps

Penang PearlLaunch of new destination celebrated

Message from CEO01 Dragonews Issue 157

Message

CEOfrom

We have just gone through one of the busiest times of the year, as Hongkongers took advantage of the Easter public holidays to enjoy a few days abroad. I’d like to thank all frontline staff for their hard work during the busy Easter operations to ensure that everything ran smoothly.

The Group announced its 2013 annual results on 12 March and it was encouraging to see an increase in attributable profit compared to the previous year, mainly driven by a stronger passenger performance. However, the profit margin showed only a small increase against 2012. To push profit margins higher will require a more concerted effort to reduce costs and increase productivity.

The challenges of high fuel prices, weak cargo markets and ever-increasing competition remain; but our range of new developments in 2014 will enable us to stay competitive in the market.

Regarding our fleet, the first aircraft installed with the new First Class seat entered service in late February. We have also just taken delivery of an A321 aircraft, B-HTJ, which has a two-class cabin configuration. It arrived in Hong Kong from Xiamen at the end of March and commenced service on 1 April. Another A321, B-HTK, is scheduled to join our fleet by October.

Another exciting piece of news is we are launching services to two of the world’s top island destinations! The Dragonair service to Penang began on 30 March with 10 weekly

flights; while flights to Bali will commence on 27 April, and will operate twice a week. We will also be adding four more flights a week to our Beijing service from this summer to cater to the growing demand.

KA is justly acclaimed for its inflight catering, so I’m sure that our loyal customers will be thrilled by the new menu offerings on selected flights. These include the afternoon tea set and the savoury delights created in collaboration with two famous Hong Kong restaurants – Hugo’s of the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, and the famed Cantonese eatery Xin Dau Ji.

I was honoured to attend the inaugural ceremony for the 2014 Dragonair Aviation Certificate Programme on 14 March. The programme continues to attract plenty of attention from high-calibre young people who are eager to learn more about the aviation industry. I wish our 33 finalists the very best for the coming few months, and would like to take this opportunity to thank all our industry partners for their participation. My sincere appreciation also goes to all our pilot mentors for their time and commitment to youth development in Hong Kong.

None of the exciting things happening in Dragonair would be possible without the great work of our amazing KA teams. The Thank You Dinner in March provided a chance for me and the rest of the KA management to express our gratitude. Over 600 members of staff attended, and everyone enjoyed a great night with wonderful singing, dancing and magic performances – it’s truly astonishing to see how talented our staff are!

Congratulations once again to the award recipients for their outstanding achievements, and a big “thank you” to the Organising Committee for putting the event together.

Last but not least, I take this opportunity to urge all of you to participate in the upcoming Cathay Pacific and Dragonair People Survey 2014. This will be the first time for all Dragonair staff to take part in the People Survey launched by the Group. Your view is important in helping determine the future direction of the company, so please keep an eye out for the survey launch and take time to give us your feedback.

Patrick YeungCEO

Performance Index

Produced by the Corporate Communication Division. We welcome staff feedback and news for Dragonews. Email: kaccd.common@dragonair.com

Passengers carried

Passenger load factor

Available seat km (ASKs) (‘000)

Freight carried (tonnes)

Cargo load factor

Available tonne km (ATKs) (‘000)

Feb 14

2,381,020

81.9% 10,021,121

101,295

59.3%

1,878,299

Vs Feb 13

1.8%

1.1pt3.0%

-2.4%

-1.8pt

0.8%

Traffic/capacity (KA + CX)

60%50%40%30%

20%

MAR-14FEB-14

On-time performance

68.82%

36.03% 34.36%

within 15 mins

on-the-dot

65.31%

70%

JAN-14

68.53%

34.28%

News 02

Dragonair Joins People Survey 2014

Be a part of the future direction of the airline: take part in the survey!

For the first time, all Dragonair staff will be invited to take part in the People Survey launched by the Cathay Pacific Group.

This organisational survey assesses how well day-to-day operations are aligned with the Group’s strategic goals, and whether employees are engaged.

It is part of a commitment to take a longer-term and more consistent view of how decisions are made concerning CX and KA strategy and implementation.

Staff from across the entire CX Group – Hong Kong and outport crew, pilots, ground staff and back office staff, as well as staff of Asia Miles – will be participating in the group-wide survey to give their opinions.

The survey launched by the Group is available in 11 languages – English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Italian, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia and Vietnamese.

CEO Patrick Yeung welcomes the inclusion of Dragonair in the CX and KA People Survey 2014 and issues a call to action: “This is the first time for KA staff based in Hong Kong, as well as everyone in the Group, to join the engagement survey. We need everyone’s participation so that we can shape the future together.”

He also assures staff that the entire process is completely confidential; data will be collected and managed by an independent survey company.

The process, which starts on 7 May, will be carried out online: staff will receive an email inviting them to participate, which will explain what the survey is about and instructions for how to log in. The survey is open for colleagues to complete until 20 May.

General managers and department heads will be presented with the results of the survey in September. They will be encouraged to share the report with their teams.

Decisions will then be taken, informed by the results, about where the focus should be and over what time frame.

Penang LaunchA traditional water cannon salute welcomed KA691 into Penang on 30 March, marking the commencement of the service to the Malaysian island destination.

CEO Patrick Yeung was joined by General Manager Southeast Asia Wilson Yam, Country Manager Malaysia & Brunei Melody Keung, and Manager Penang Clement Lau to host a dinner for the crew and Penang team that night.

Another ceremony was held the following morning to mark KA’s first departure out of Penang, officiated by Patrick and Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang.

Commenting on the new service, Marketing & Sales Admin Officer Ee Lyn Ong said: “The KA Penang team is outgoing, warm, friendly and supportive. We strive to provide an exceptional level of service to our customers, passengers and trade partners.”

Colleague Khuan Chin Tan, Airport Services Officer, said the new service highlighted the popularity of Penang: “It is a destination worth travelling to, and we wish to serve passengers even better in future,” he said.

Dragonair commences flights to the beautiful Malaysian island

The first KA flight to Penang is welcomed by CEO Patrick Yeung and the Penang team.

Cover Story03 Dragonews Issue 157

The Thank You Dinner, which took place on 4 March, was a great success. Everyone entered into the spirit of the event and embraced the “Oscars Night” theme. The evening was brought alive by the elegant dresses, dapper suits and dazzling lights. Plenty took the opportunity to step into the limelight and have their photos taken at the signing board and photo booths.

On entering the ballroom, the thudding beats of the music and the twirling dancers announced the start of the event.

The Thank You Dinner was hugely successful, as staff gathered to celebrate achievements and teamwork in style

KA Chairman Ivan Chu expressed his gratitude for the team’s magnificent effort in 2013, and led the management team in a toast. As dinner was served to a background of live singing, the senior management team surprised the crowd by giving out souvenirs from inflight food carts!

After a jaw-dropping magic show, CEO Patrick Yeung offered his heartfelt thanks to the entire company: “Thank you so much for being part of the Dragonair family. Welcome to all our new joiners, and great to see you

again to our old timers!”

This was followed by the ISD Honour Roll, as well as Fun Awards to commemorate significant team achievements. But the festivities didn’t stop there – a fierce

WhatsApp photo competition commenced as groups rushed to take creative selfies! After more vocal performances, the atmosphere transformed from excitement to anticipation as the lucky prizes were drawn.

Another dynamic dance led into the Oscars Dress Awards, where top management handed out trophies to those with the most stunning outfits. The floor then opened up to guests and management alike singing their hearts out to the live band. The crowd cheered on, before breaking into some very creative moves on the dance floor. The grand prize drawing wrapped up the exhilarating evening, as Patrick ended proceedings with a final note of appreciation.

KA’s Oscars Night Dazzles

(Top) (from left) Flying Training Manager A320 Jon Toller, General Manager Operations Captain Peter Sanderson, Chairman Ivan Chu, CEO Patrick Yeung and Director People Nick Rhodes relax at the dinner.(Bottom) Patrick surprises the staff by giving out souvenirs.

04Cover Story

(Clockwise from left) CEO Patrick Yeung thanks staff for their hard work in 2013 at the Thank You Dinner; KA colleagues dress up and pose under the spotlight; Flight Attendant Edsel Chiu (right) performs a number of flawless magic tricks.

View the highlights of the Thank You Dinner

application statuses; a platform for the recruitment team to manage screening, write-in and walk-in interviews, selection and onboard workflows; and a corresponding reporting tool to provide timely updates to the management team.

General Manager Inflight Services Andy Wong says: “It is not uncommon for airlines to launch apps for their customers, but I think KA is one of the first to introduce apps for staff. The apps are good tools for staff communication and engagement. We have future plans to extend the apps to inflight use in order to improve the service delivery flow and the travel experience for our passengers.”

Dhaka Celebrations

News05 Dragonews Issue 157

On 6 March, Dragonair celebrated 25 years of its Dhaka service with a gala dinner hosted by CEO Patrick Yeung, with the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, His Excellency Li Jun, as guest of honour.

Bangladesh was one of Dragonair’s earliest destinations outside of Mainland China. The service started in February 1989 with a weekly flight between Dhaka and Hong Kong

Gala dinner marks 25th anniversary of service to Bangladesh

using a single-aisle, narrow-body aircraft, catering mainly to businessmen travelling to Hong Kong and the Mainland. In 2000, the airline introduced a twice-weekly service to cater to both passenger and cargo demand that rose with an increase in export volumes in and out of Bangladesh. Frequencies between Dhaka and Hong Kong grew to the current six weekly flights in 2006. The service is now operated by Dragonair’s A330

aircraft with Business and Economy Class cabins.

Until 10 years ago, all staff in Dhaka were from ground service agents. Since then the number of KA-employed staff has grown to around 15. To accommodate the increased numbers, operations shifted to a larger office in 2007. The Dhaka freighter service was introduced in 2008.

On the MoveKA’s mobile digital strategy has become a key element in crew engagement – another app will be rolled out soon for cabin crew recruitment

While many airlines have developed apps targeted at passengers, Dragonair is a pioneer in launching apps for staff use. Designed to give colleagues easy access to the latest information about KA anytime and anywhere on mobile devices, these have proved to be astonishingly popular – almost 90 percent of cabin crew are using i-KA, for example.

This mobile digital strategy focuses on crew engagement and two-way communication delivered in a fun and user-friendly way.

KA has achieved a number of crew-focused app milestones, including being the first to launch a Putonghua self-learning mobile app for cabin crew in 2012. The i-KA and Grooming apps were released in mid-2013. Categories in i-KA include Breaking News, News, Newsletters, Media, Events, Useful Documents, Inflight Sales Tools, and New Destination Tool, which includes weather forecasts and a currency converter. i-KA is updated with new features from time to time according to the needs of the cabin crew.

The Grooming app includes grooming guidelines, sharing personal pictures with other crew, monitoring personal fitness with a BMI calculator and in-built walking meter, as well as healthy menus and tips on grooming and beauty.

The apps were developed by ISD together with external apps developers; ISD Strategic Planning & Crew Communication teams are responsible for i-KA, while the ISD Training team looks after the Putonghua and Grooming apps. It took approximately six months from planning to the launching of each app.

A new recruitment app, which will be launched soon, is designed to provide a new recruitment experience for aspiring cabin crew, and streamline the work flow and reduce the paperwork for the ISD Recruitment Team in handling interviewees’ applications and other materials. It will provide an application platform for candidates to apply and view their

The Dhaka team celebrates the outport’s silver anniversary along with CEO Patrick Yeung and VIP guests.

News 06

The beautiful and culturally rich island of Bali is set to become Dragonair’s latest new destination when a twice-weekly service to Denpasar commences on 27 April 2014. This brings the number of destinations to have been launched or resumed by the airline since April 2012 to 15, and is notable for being the first KA destination in Indonesia.

The service will be operated by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft in a two-class configuration, featuring the airline’s new Business Class and Economy Class cabins together with its brand new on-demand inflight entertainment system, StudioKA.

Bali High!KA provides more choice for passengers with the addition of flights to one of the world’s most popular leisure destinations

Opportunities Take Flight33 young people are welcomed to the latest Dragonair Aviation Certificate Programme

An inaugural ceremony was held on 14 March to mark the launch of the ninth edition of the Dragonair Aviation Certificate Programme (DACP), jointly organised by Dragonair and the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps.

The DACP is an integral part of the Dragonair Youth Aviation Academy, and provides young Hongkongers with the opportunity to experience and learn about aviation through training sessions, mentorship with KA pilots and visits to various KA departments and aviation-related organisations over an intensive nine-month period.

Guest of Honour at the ceremony was Director-General of Civil Aviation Norman Lo. Also officiating were CEO Patrick Yeung, General Manager Operations Captain Peter Sanderson and Hong Kong Air Cadets Corps Commanding Officer Group Captain Lee Kwok-wing.

A total of 33 young people – the highest intake ever – are taking part in the 2014 programme, chosen after a stringent selection process from more than 400 applications. Of the DACP alumni, 40 percent have already begun careers in various aviation disciplines.

Dream Come True

Amy Tsang took part in the DACP in 2009 – and it set her on a path to a career as a pilot. She is now a Junior First Officer at Dragonair.

Sharing her experience with the 2014 intake, she said: “I have always been very interested in aviation and wanted to know more about the industry. DACP is definitely a great programme for youngsters to gain insights into many aviation-related departments and companies.”

Amy’s most memorable activity on the course was the jump-seat ride alongside her mentor: “That was my first time in a real cockpit, where I could observe the daily operation of an airline pilot! It was a really inspiring experience and boosted my determination to become a pilot.”

Another DACP alumnus, from 2010, is Connie Tang, who now works in Air Traffic Control. She appreciated the feedback and insight she received from her mentor captain. Her jump-seat experience had an extra edge – it took place in the middle of a typhoon. “The cockpit crew were calm throughout the turnaround flight during the bad weather; we

Cathay Pacific currently operates a daily service between Hong Kong and Bali, and together, the two airlines will operate a total of nine weekly flights on the Denpasar route.

Commenting on the new service, CEO Patrick Yeung says: “We are very excited about launching flights to Denpasar and being able to further expand our presence in Asia. This new service will provide customers with greater choice and convenience at the same time as bolstering Hong Kong’s position as one of the world’s leading aviation hubs.”

had to land in high turbulence,” she said. “But the plane landed safely and everyone on board got home safe and sound. I will never forget that experience.”

Her mentor gave her a valuable piece of advice that she’d like to pass on to the new participants: “He said, ‘always strengthen your network because you will never know who and what will help you in your future’.”

(Left) Connie Tang and (right) Amy Tsang, alumni of the DACP, think the programme is very memorable and helps them achieve their dreams.

07 News Dragonews Issue 157

Changes to the staff travel scheme, involving new fares and boarding procedures for staff travel, are being brought in gradually.

To align with the IATA ZED industry standard, where fares are adjusted on a yearly basis, new staff travel fares came into effect on 1 April. Increases had been capped for the past seven years, but now it is time to catch up with the current industry standard. However, the adjustments will be introduced over the coming two-year period.

Fares will increase from an average US$4 for Economy Class and US$25 for Business

Class, while the KA and CX 10 percent fuel surcharge for staff travel will be reduced to 3 percent and be incorporated into the airfare in line with the ZED standard. The second fare adjustment will be made in April 2015, with a similar increase anticipated.

The new check-in system, Altéa Customer Management, will allow KA and CX to act on feedback regarding a lack of transparency in boarding acceptance, especially when flights are critical. In preparation for the new system, which will be launched from June 2014, and to ensure transparency in the boarding

Staff Travel ChangesGreater transparency and fare increases in line with IATA ZED

New Season, New ProductsSpringtime has brought with it a range of new products that enhance the passenger experience and strengthen the Dragonair brand

New First Class seats, new First Class catering and new restaurant collaborations: spring 2014 has seen a wave of enhancements to onboard operations. This is all part of the ongoing improvements at Dragonair, which not only bring new destinations online, but also strengthen product offerings and boost the overall customer experience.

First Class seat retrofit

The first A330 incorporating the new First Class seats entered into service on 21 February, operating on the Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei and Kaohsiung routes. A second entered service on 27 March and others will follow in April, May, July and August. The retrofit project will be completed by the third quarter of 2014.

Tea-time in First Class

Inflight dining is being revamped to offer a premium experience for passengers travelling in First Class.

The introduction of an Afternoon Tea set offers First Class passengers a lighter alternative to a substantial hot entrée. The tea set provides a variety of sweet and savoury snacks, served on a two-tiered stand with hot items on the top and cold items on the bottom, including scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. The service began on 16 March on flights Hong Kong-Beijing and Shanghai Pudong/Hongqiao.

acceptance procedure, in the event that the flight does not have enough seats for all staff travellers, priority will be given to staff with the longest period of service, irrespective of ticket class.

Dragonair recognises that travel benefits are valued by staff, and management will continue to review the staff travel offering and to explore improvements for KA staff. For feedback and enquiries, please send your comments to staff.travel@dragonair.com.

Fine-dining partnerships

Since 16 April, new menus created in collaboration with two top restaurants in Hong Kong are being served on flights from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai. First and Business Class passengers can choose from a range of exquisite dishes created in partnership with Hugo’s, a fine-dining restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui, known for its authentic European dishes such as peppered beef tenderloin, seasonal vegetables and pepper sauce. Furthermore, passengers in all classes travelling from Hong Kong to Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Kunming, Ningbo and Fukuoka can indulge in the menu from the reputable local restaurant Xin Dau Ji. Famous for home-style Cantonese cuisine, Xin Dau Ji brings classic dishes to Dragonair, such as deep-fried cod fish with sweet corn sauce.

08News

This will be a busy year for PSS Phase 2, with Altéa Customer Management (CM) being implemented in ports between June and December. And with that comes a lot of preparation work.

From a system perspective, CM needs to be “switched on” and checks done to ensure it works as expected, both by itself and when communicating with the other systems and applications, such as Altéa Reservations and Online Check-in.

Training for PSS Phase 2 is the largest such exercise in the history of KA and CX, with more than 17,000 staff needing some form of training. This has already kicked off with eLearning at Taipei airport, and activities will be staggered across several months.

Besides training, a number of activities are taking place across the business, such as staff briefings on what the implementation of CM means for different areas. And prior to implementation, ports will rehearse the steps they need to undertake the day they start using CM.

A pilot will run from 23 June to 4 July, with seven ports moving across to CM. Among them are the KA ports of Bengaluru and Wuhan. All these ports were chosen as a solid representation of KA and CX and ports across the world, and will help

PSS PreparationsTwo KA ports among seven chosen for pilot run

With the continuing growth in popularity of social media, it is imperative that Dragonair engages its fans and potential customers through the most commonly used social networks, such as Facebook and Weibo. It is encouraging to see that KA’s activities on

On Top of the Social Media GameRecognition from Weibo, gearing up for increased visibility

social media are being recognised for the quality of both content and engagement.

Dragonair won the title of “Weibo Star 2013 – Top 10 Most Influential Hong Kong Corporation” at an award ceremony held

by Sina Weibo Hong Kong recently. The airline was recognised for its efforts in strengthening and influencing communication through its engaging content on Weibo – a top social media platform among the Chinese community, which had more than 536 million global users at the end of 2013. Currently, around 4,500 local organisations are Weibo account holders.

KA’s Weibo account was opened in January 2010 and has attracted more than 122,000 fans to date with posts about the airline’s latest activities, promotions and operational updates.

To align the Group’s communication platform, KA’s award-winning Weibo account became a CX/KA co-branded account on 2 April. The latest messages, including an introduction to both airlines, along with details of their networks, destinations and product promotions, have been disseminated to reach out to a wider Chinese audience and increase both airlines’ visibility in social media.

provide valuable insight. The remaining ports will move to CM in five batches, starting with Shanghai Pudong on 11 August and finishing with Jeju and Okinawa on 11 December.

Staff in Taipei participate in the eLearning training.

Marketing Manager – Advertising Julianna Ng receives the “Weibo Star 2013 – Top 10 Most Influential Hong Kong Corporation” award on behalf of Dragonair.

i-KA is a very good app. From it, I can get crew notices and related updates in timely manner.

Kazaf Kwok, Flight Attendanti-KA is a very comprehensive app. I like its saving function, which enables me to read crew notices and other important information offline inside the cabin. It’d be even better to have a ‘Technical Q&A’ function to help us solve technical problems with the app.

Connie Yung, Chief Purser

The Inflight Sales function of i-KA is particularly useful – it helps me trace the record of products easily. The Putonghua app is good, too, but I’d suggest more languages to be included, especially Japanese and Korean.

Billy Au, Flight Attendant

STAFF Movements

PROMOTION (From top left to bottom right)Jordan Chan Junior First Officer, Henry Ho Junior First Officer, Ricky Lau Captain, Karl Yam First Officer

Dragonews Issue 157KA PEOPLE09

VOXPop

The ISD apps are actually a very good initiative in protecting the environment as we are saving paper when passing on notifications. I think the “Breaking News” function is very useful and informative for us, too.

Prudence Yeung, Flight Purser

What’s your view of the KA mobile apps for cabin crew?

SENIOR PURSER PROMOTION(Back row from left) Carmen Wong, Linda Lee, Matthew Chan, Calum Yeung, Rebecca Sy, Anthea Chong, Janice Ling, Gigi Li, Cynthia Chan, Judith Chan, Zoe Lai, Iris Tsang (Instructor), Monica Feng (Instructor)

A147 GRADUATION A148 GRADUATION

FLIGHT PURSER PROMOTION(Back row from left) Ophelia Lau, Winnie Yeung, Frankie Hui, Tracy Lai, Michelle Ng, Emily Cheung, Janet Chong, Sylvia Cheung, Carie Leung, Mavis Li, Carrie Chan, Joyce Cho, Ivy Lip, Venice Chow, Jumas Cheung

10Around the Network

CCU Driving AppealDragonair was one of the key sponsors of the Statesman Vintage & Classic Car Rally 2014 held on 19 January at the Command Sports Stadium in Kolkata. Vintage and classic cars from all over the country, belonging to maharajas, industrialists and connoisseurs alike, participated in this extravaganza. The Kolkata rally is considered one of the best and biggest of such events. The audience consisted of high-net-worth professionals from army high command and the elite of Kolkata society to well informed collectors as well as novice enthusiasts. They were all out to enjoy the spectacle of elegant Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Mercedes as well as cute Baby Austins and Morris Minors. This year a total of 175 cars participated, making it the biggest event of this category in India. The KA sales team spent the sunny winter Sunday enjoying the event and connecting with the very classy audience.

CCU Movie Time

As part of its CSR activity the Kolkata team treated 450 children, along with staff from Calcutta Rescue, to a movie screening. The team booked the entire Priya cinema hall and organised buses to pick the kids up and drop them back to their respective schools. Krrish 3 was the movie screened and it was apparent from the whistles, squeals and claps that the children enjoyed this Bollywood superhero sci-fi film. It was a Sunday well spent – not just for the youngsters but the CCU team, too.

BJS Farewell, Dong!

Manager Northern China Winnie Tong and department heads hosted a farewell party in February for Assistant Cargo Manager Dong Xiao Guang. After 10 years with the airline, Dong started his new life in Canada in March. Meanwhile, Ken Huang, Cargo Pricing Specialist in the Central Cargo Team in Shanghai, has been assigned to take up the role temporarily for a six-month period.

CKG Heartfelt Party

Manager Chongqing Peonie Lo hosted a double-celebration for Valentine’s Day and Yuanxiao (Chinese Valentine’s day) with the team on 14 February.

WUHHands On Baking

The Wuhan team enjoyed a baking workshop in February where they got the opportunity to make airplane-shaped cookies that they then shared at a Spring Dinner.

Entertaining TimeWNZAround 40 guests from Wenzhou’s top-performing passenger and cargo agents were treated to a ceremony and party in early March – and they really enjoyed the entertainment! General Manager China Dane Cheng, Manager Eastern China Mandy Wu, Manager Marketing & Sales China Kinto Chan, Manager Cargo China Aaron Chan, Marketing & Sales Manager Eastern China Jenny He and Corporate Sales Manager Amy Wang were among those attending the dinner.

The Shanghai team hosted its top agency dinner at the Peninsula Shanghai to say “thank you” to cargo agents for their support. There was

plenty to celebrate as SHA was the largest outport cargo port in terms of revenue within the entire system in 2013. Attending the event were Director Cargo James Woodrow, General Manager Cargo Sales & Marketing Mark Sutch, General Manager China Dane Cheng, Manager Cargo China Aaron Chan and Manager Eastern China Mandy Wu, along with the SHA and China Central cargo teams.

Plenty to CelebrateSHA

11 KA PEOPLE Dragonews Issue 157

When colleagues say that Edsel Chiu is ‘up to his tricks again’, they are not being critical – but full of anticipation for his next magic show!

Magical Talent

Edsel (second from left) enjoys performing magic tricks at Dragonair events, such as the recent Thank You Dinner.

Edsel got his love of magic from his dad (left).

Staff in Hong Kong who attended the Dragonair Thank You Dinner in March were wowed by a jaw-dropping magic show from Flight Attendant Edsel Chiu. He is, indeed, a very accomplished magician and has appeared on television and won a number of awards.

Edsel says that it was his father who motivated his interest in magic. “When I was a kid, he played tricks with some old-fashioned and low-tech magic equipment. But it enthralled me and inspired my love of magic,” he notes.

“I started performing magic when I was six years old. However, it was not until I was studying in Year 9 in the US that I started to do magic seriously – I saw my friend performing magic and it happened to be the trick I learned when I was small. I showed him how to play it and this attracted attention from passers-by. I received applause from them and I thought I should pick up my interest. Then I successfully enrolled in the Magic Castle Junior Programme.”

The Magic Castle is a private club based in Los Angeles devoted to the magical arts. It runs a Junior Programme that allows young magicians to develop their own particular magical interests through exposure to leading professionals in the field. Edsel’s “big break” came when he got accepted on the programme.

“I only had a few days to prepare for the audition and I was so excited when I received the acceptance letter,” he recounts. “I was second runner-up when I took part in a Magic Castle Junior Programme competition for the very first time. I was actually the champion the following year but it gave me a stronger feeling when I won the second runner-up because it was my first time to enter a competition.”

His first television appearances were in 2005, when he appeared on the Voice of America and TVB USA, and has more recently been featured on CCTV and ICN. He’s won a number of awards to go with the Magic Castle’s Junior Magician of the Year in 2008, including bronze at the World Magic Close-up Competition in Las Vegas, and he finished in the Top 10 of “Step on the Stage of ATV CNY Show” just last year.

Edsel enjoys taking part in KA events and sharing his passion for magic with his colleagues. He also performs at wedding and parties, and wishes to refine his skills.

View Edsel’s magic performance

KA PEOPLE 12

COOL

PHUKETTop travel tips from Chief Purser Tolmira Talpo Kwan, who recently enjoyed a 12-day break on this beautiful Thai island

LANDINGS

Share your travel tips to win a holiday!Simply send your special sightseeing, eating and shopping tips on any KA destination to kaccd.common@dragonair.com. You’ll receive a HK$1,000 Cathay Pacific Holidays coupon if your story is selected for the next issue – remember, the more offbeat the better! For details, please refer to Dragonet.

lifetime. Tiger Kingdom is located at Kathu.

The Go-kart track is next door to Tiger Kingdom; we did 15 laps for THB 850 (HK$200), together in one kart.

Siam Safari does a great job of striking a balance between fun and education. We really enjoyed the elephant trek and lessons of Thai tradition including cultivating rice, the many uses of coconuts and rubber making. The elephant show was entertaining and we loved being able to get up close to take photos with them; the elephants are well treated. It is located at Chalong.

For couples, I highly recommend you join a Thai cooking class together. The chefs provide their insight into fresh, local food and give you plenty of tips. Ask your hotel for recommended classes.

New hotels open regularly and they are usually willing to provide an industry rate and room upgrades if possible to airline staff in order to attract future business, so let them know that you work for Dragonair when you send an email enquiry.

Phuket has something for everyone, whether you look for sun and sea, a romantic holiday, excitement or a child-friendly break.

Paradise Beach is small, white-sand beach on the headland south of Patong Bay. This beach is safe for swimming throughout the year. At the rocky end of the beach, you can snorkel or feed many different types of fish. There is an all-day restaurant on the beach serving seafood and light meals.

Tiger Kingdom is an unforgettable experience. It is a well-managed attraction and has only been open for one year. There are 41 tigers in total. I recommend that you go early – around 9am – in order to be on time to feed the baby tigers. I opted for a Take All package for THB 3500 (around HK$840), inclusive of a professional photographer, but the Big & Smallest package for THB 1400 (HK$330) is good enough. There are three tigers in each cage for you to cuddle, and only children are allowed into the cubs’ enclosures. I am sure

my son will remember this for his

Know Your Airline!Which beautiful island will become the latest KA destination on 27 April?1.

2. What sporting activity can you enjoy next to Phuket’s Tiger Kingdom?

3. In what year did Edsel Chiu become Magic Castle’s Junior Magician of the Year?

4. Name one of the two new restaurants currently collaborating with KA.

Email kaccd.comm@dragonair.com with the correct answers before 19 May and you get the chance to win a wonderful prize! All answers can be found in this issue of Dragonews. Open to staff with Dragonair email accounts only.

Win a Fabulous Prize!This truly is a “fabulous” prize – the winner will enjoy a stay for two in one of the “Fabulous” rooms at the chic W Hotel in Taipei! This stylish property sits right in the heart of the happening Xinyi district – home to Taipei 101 and packed with fashionable malls, entertainment hotspots and delectable dining. Though, given W Hotel’s own amazing eating and drinking spots, not to mention pool, gym and spa, you may prefer to stay on site!

Congratulations to

Chief Purser Pauline Mak

for winning the prize in the

last issue!

The winner gets a

one-night stay for two

in a Fabulous Room at

the W Hotel, Taipei.

This offer is valid until

31 August 2014.