CHINATOWN PROMISES A VARIETY OF PALATABLE DELIGHTS AS ISLANDWIDE DELICACIES CONVENE AT FOOD STREET

A total of 18 hawker kiosks and 12 restaurants will set up operations on Chinatown’s Smith Street by the last quarter of this year. This is the result of a stringent and rigorous selection process by a panel of experts to choose Singapore’s best for Smith Street’s Food Street. Equally important is the big comeback of the streetside hawker stalls when Food Street opens for operations in a few months’ time.

Food Street is part of the Chinatown Experience Guide Plan, a multi-agency effort spearheaded by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and supported by the Chinatown Business Association (CBA), a non-profit organisation which has been actively involved in the conceptualisation of Food Street. The Smith Street project is steered by a Street Market Committee, which also comprises the Ministry of Environment.

With Food Street comes the best of local fare served and enjoyed the way it used to be on the streets of Chinatown. Perennial favourites that will draw the crowds include Ah Balling, Barbecue Seafood, Char Kway Teow, Chinese Roast, Minced Pork Noodles, Mutton Soup, Ngoh Hiang, Popiah, Porridge, Prawn Noodle Soup, Rojak, Satay, Steamed Rice, Traditional Desserts, Wanton Noodle, Yong Tau Foo and Chee Cheong Fun. The 18 out-door kiosks will be managed by the CBA, which will also oversee two Central Kitchens from which food will be prepared and raw ingredients, cooking utensils and cutlery, stored.

New restaurants have also been selected to take up shop units on Food Street. Among these is the reputable “Tai Tong Restaurant”, which will be revived under the new name of “Da Dong Restaurant”. This is the result of ex-proprietor, Mr Leong Siew Kwai, joining hands with restaurateurs of Spring Court Restaurant, Boon Lay Garden Restaurant, Hillman Restaurant and Fatty Weng Restaurant to bring back this traditional Da Dong name, notable for its Cantonese cuisine.

The new restaurants will join the existing Smith Street pioneers, which include Soup Restaurant, Gorkhar Grill and Chinese Theatre Circle.

Mr Edmund Chua, the STB’s Deputy Director for Thematic Development said, “We are very thrilled with the good response from the public and the F&B industry which reaffirms their support and confidence in our dream for Food Street to become a haven for all food-loving Singaporeans and visitors. We are especially excited that the legacy of the former “Tai Tong” will be revived, adding to Food Street’s already attractive list of F&B offerings.”

In March this year, the STB had invited interested parties to apply for the food kiosks and shop units. The exercise, which closed on 23 March, saw an overwhelming response of 175 applications, 134 of which were for hawker kiosks and 41 for restaurant shop spaces. A selection panel of 13 culinary experts, food critics, representatives from F&B associations, the CBA, the Kreta Ayer Citizen’s Consultative Committee, the STB, and Mrs Juliet David, the Culinary Consultant for the project, shortisted the operators based on stringent criteria such as the track record and reputation of the operators, the historical linkage to Chinatown, the food and operating concept proposed, and, most importantly, the quality of food.

"To ensure objectivity, the panel went on food-tasting trips around the island to test-taste the applicants’ food. We also interviewed those shortlisted to ascertain their commitment to this project,” said Mrs Juliet David.

This approach was preferred to the tender system as the latter will often result in the highest bidder winning, and not necessarily meet the objectives of securing the best mix and quality of food.

Chinatown Business Association’s Chairman Mr Koh Tian Seng said, “We are positive that with the return of these food operators and open-air dining, there will be spill over benefits to other businesses in Chinatown. The vibrancy and activities that are going to return to Smith Street initially and the rest of Chinatown eventually, will certainly bring back the hustle and bustle of the past.”

Smith Street is currently undergoing a S$1 million construction to convert it to Food Street. When operational in a few months’ time, there will be an outdoor eating area for 300 persons.


https://www.asiatraveltips.com/travelnews2001/1August2001Singapore.htm


Air Canada Announces Job and Fleet Reductions, Enhanced Profitability Initiatives

Actions in Keeping with Job Commitments



Air Canada outlined today an aggressive action plan to further cut costs, generate new revenues and modify business processes in response to the economic downturn and changing market conditions in the airline industry.

"While we saw the economic downturn coming and adjusted our business plan last December, we warned earlier this year that if economic conditions worsened we would need to take further action. The ongoing and increased severity of the current economy's impact on the North American airline industry demands an increasingly decisive and aggressive action plan to improve our performance in the shortest possible time span," said Robert Milton, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are taking the necessary steps to redefine the way we do business in this difficult environment and respond to changing customer travel trends and preferences," he stated.

"The measures we are taking are designed to generate new revenues, maintain our competitive position in all markets we serve, while lowering our costs through a smaller but more efficient fleet.

"We will continue to measure every action we take against its ultimate contribution to the bottom line and the impact on our customers. In the process, we will maintain our North American industry-leading service standards. We are aligning our business plan to changing market conditions while offering the value-added products and features our customers tell us they are willing to pay for.

"The impact of the initiatives underway will take some time to take full effect. Currently we expect we will break even on a net income basis in the third quarter, while the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of next year will be unprofitable. However, as we go through this ongoing exercise of evolving into a leaner, more efficient airline, our goal is to return to profitability in 2002," he said.

WORKFORCE REDUCTIONS IN TWO PHASES - JOB COMMITMENTS KEPT Management Wage Reduction Program Implemented

As a result of the fleet reductions and other business process changes outlined below, Air Canada will progressively reduce its workforce by a further 4,000 employees while fully complying with collective agreements and job commitments relating to the acquisition of Canadian Airlines. The layoffs announced today are in addition to the voluntary workforce reduction of 3,500 by year-end 2001 announced last December.

"Air Canada, like all global airlines, continues to experience the impact of a weak economy resulting in greatly reduced business travel, and of high jet fuel prices. Our labour costs going forward must be aligned with our reduced fleet size and reflect a more cost-efficient operation. While the decision to lay off staff is never an easy one, we must become a leaner, more efficient airline, while still maintaining industry-leading customer service," said Mr. Milton.

"Job reductions will be achieved in a manner that respects our collective agreements and both the letter and - even more importantly - the spirit of the commitments made at the time of the Air Canada-Canadian Airlines integration. These layoffs are attributable to the dramatic fall-off in business experienced in the second quarter and not as a result of integrating Air Canada and Canadian Airlines. According to the Air Transport Association, the decline in unit revenues in the North American industry during the quarter was greater than has occurred in the past twenty years," he stated.

Job reductions will take place in two phases: employees who were in place prior to December 23, 1999 will be protected until the March 2002 expiry of Air Canada's two-year job commitment. Approximately 1,800 employees, hired after December 23, 1999 and therefore not covered by the job commitment, will be laid off effective November 22, 2001. The balance of the 2,200 surplus jobs will be progressively eliminated. Those covered by the commitment will be laid off or terminated starting in April 2002. As a result, by the end of 2002, Air Canada's workforce will be reduced by approximately 7,500 from January 2001 levels.

In addition to these job reductions, Air Canada may also offer employees a range of surplus job mitigation programs including voluntary separation incentives, leaves of absence, job-sharing, part-time work and other flexible work programs.

In addition, a five per cent wage reduction program for executive management and a 3.5 per cent reduction for all management employees will be implemented effective September 1, 2001. President and CEO Robert Milton has elected to take a ten per cent wage reduction effective on the same date. As well, the company will be approaching its unions to discuss further cost reduction and productivity improvement opportunities.

The workforce reductions and management wage reduction program announced today, excluding voluntary job mitigation programs, will result in annual labour cost savings of $135 million.

ACCELERATED FLEET REALIGNMENT AND RENEWAL PROGRAM

The airline will reduce its fleet and accelerate the move towards more fuel-efficient aircraft, resulting in a younger overall fleet. At year-end 2001, Air Canada's mainline operating fleet will consist of 243 aircraft with an average age of 11 years.

Accelerated Withdrawal of Aircraft

Twelve wide-body aircraft will be withdrawn from service by spring 2002. Nine Boeing 767 aircraft (six Boeing 767-300s and three Boeing 767-200s) will have been withdrawn by the end of 2001 to offset fleet growth as a result of new aircraft deliveries. Four of the nine Boeing 767 aircraft have already been removed from service, one Boeing 747-400 aircraft will be returned to the lessors in the first quarter of 2002 and two Airbus 340-300 aircraft will be returned to the lessors in February and May 2002.

Aircraft Renewal Program

Air Canada will take delivery of 28 new Airbus narrow-body aircraft between August 2001 and May 2003, including twelve new A321s, thirteen A319s and three A320s. Thirteen new wide-body aircraft have been or will be added to the fleet between the second quarter, 2001 and the second quarter, 2003, including four Boeing 767-300s and nine Airbus aircraft (two A340-500s, three A340-600s and four A330-300s).

Phase-out of Certain Fleet Types

Twenty of Air Canada's 43 Boeing 737-200 aircraft are now planned to be moved by year-end 2002 to the recently announced low fare airline. Initially, ten 737s will be withdrawn from service by the end of October 2001 with the remainder of the Boeing 737 fleet to be phased out by year end 2002. This fleet standardization will result in cost savings on flight operations and aircraft maintenance and support.

In addition, Air Canada Regional's Fokker-28 fleet of 19 aircraft will be phased out by year-end 2002. The replacement of these and other Air Canada Regional aircraft will occur following new collective agreements with the unions involved.

ENHANCED PROFITABILITY INITIATIVES

Air Canada recently intensified efforts to control costs and maximize profitability with an aggressive program spanning all operational areas within the company. The program includes reduced flying as well as the reconfiguration of aircraft to add more economy seating by reducing the number of business class seats. New cost-effective technological innovations are also underway.

Following is an overview of these initiatives:

Capacity Reduction for 2002

The airline will reduce capacity for 2002 by approximately two per cent from current 2001 levels through reduced flying. The additional fleet reductions along with the reconfiguration of aircraft to add economy class capacity (see Fleet Reconfiguration below) will result in a smaller, more efficient fleet and reduce costs significantly.

Fleet Reconfiguration

Air Canada is reconfiguring certain aircraft types to compete more effectively in current market conditions. While seat pitch will remain at Canadian industry-leading levels, the number of business class seats will be reduced and the number of economy class seats will be increased. Almost 1,200 or 5.2 per cent additional seats will be added to the reconfigured aircraft fleet.

These 1,200 seats replace the equivalent capacity of twelve Boeing 737- 200s with virtually no incremental operating costs.

E-Powering Air Canada Customers

Air Canada will move ahead aggressively to expand online distribution and e-ticketing in order to reduce distribution costs. The airline will enhance customer service through the implementation of new self-service products and leading-edge travel industry solutions that build on the award-winning Express Check-In kiosks. Web technology will expand to introduce new products for customers and discounted rates for users of the new services.

New Customers

An agreement with its pilots reached on July 20, 2001 will enable Air Canada to move forward later this year with the launch of a new low fare airline, to compete in the fastest-growing segment of the North American airline market.

In addition, new marketing programs are under development to focus on growing or evolving market segments, including: small and medium-sized business; seniors; last minute short-stay travel, and group and convention travel.

"The current economic downturn is hurting every major full service international airline," said Mr. Milton, "but the decisive actions we are taking are about more than just weathering this cycle. They are about fundamentally re-engineering a stronger, more efficient, flexible and resilient Air Canada. When the economic environment improves - and I have full confidence that it will - Air Canada will be well positioned with tremendous uability to leverage improved revenues into strong profitability."

The airline will make a number of major announcements on exciting new initiatives and customer service innovations in the coming weeks.