Singapore Airlines (SIA) will collaborate with four organisations to bump up its technological capabilities. The airline on Monday unveiled partnerships with the National University of Singapore (NUS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Economic Development Board (EDB) and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), under SIA's digital innovation blueprint. Representatives from the four organisations as well as the airline marked the launch of the partnerships at a ceremony at the Singapore Airlines Training Centre. The partnerships' focus is to build capabilities to increase efficiency through digital technology as well as to develop new business opportunities. One of the key agreements signed was the Master Research Collaboration Agreement with A*STAR to identify and develop applied research partnership opportunities. It includes research fields in areas such as data analytics, Internet of Things, and virtual and augmented reality to boost the efficiency of maintenance processes. Its goal is to develop smart solutions that help lower maintenance costs, decrease aircraft delays, and aid the airline in enhancing service standards.<br/>
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Air China will start flying from Chengdu to Bangkok to cater to Chinese tourists visiting the kingdom. The flagship carrier's maiden direct flight from the capital of the Sichuan province to Bangkok will be on Feb 12. The Thai capital is among top destinations for Chinese travellers, the airline said. The Bangkok-Chengdu route is already offered by several full-service and low-cost airlines, including Thai Airways International, Thai AirAsia, China Southern and Thai Lion Air.<br/>
Travellers who booked flights with Air New Zealand have been told their bookings won't be honoured – because the airline sold the fares too cheaply. On Tuesday, US time, fares for travel from cities in the United States to New Zealand were mistakenly made available through third-party websites and travel agents for about 10% of their intended value. This meant that some one-way fares were available for travel from the United States, to New Zealand for about US$100. Legally, in New Zealand, consumers cannot force companies to sell them goods or services at a price that was accidentally set too low. An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said it apologised for the error. "These fares were available at that price as a result of a genuine human error in the data entry process. They have been cancelled and customers will receive a full refund from their travel agent. The US Department of Transport regulates flights to and from the United States, and we are following their guidance on mistake fares. She said the loading of "mistake fares" was an occasional issue for all carriers given the manual processes involved. "In addition to full refunds any legitimate out-of-pocket expenses that the customers may have incurred will also be reimbursed."<br/>