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Volume 6, Issue 14, April 9, 2008 |
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The shopping and dining zones at Changi Airport’s (SIN) new Terminal 3 are now officially open, with more than 60 food, beverage and retail shopping outlets. They are located in two dedicated areas: one called the B2 Mall at T3, which is on the Basement 2 level of the seven-story terminal, and one called 3-Top, which is on levels 3 and 4. Many of the dining establishments are open 24 hours, and the shops stay open until 11 p.m.
While some of the shops and restaurants are satellites of brands already operating at the airport, some are new to Changi, including the Body Shop; the Chocolate Factory; Blush, a multi-brand lingerie outlet; and House of Feng Shui; plus Artisans d’Angkor, the first Cambodian retail shop in Singapore, as well as a dry cleaner and a supermarket.
There are 21 new drinking and dining establishments, including Harry’s Bar on the Level 4 viewing gallery, multiple premium-coffee outlets, various Asian fine-dining venues and several delicatessens.
For travelers who shop in T3’s retail stores during the month of April there’s also a potential bonus. If you spend at least $60 in a single outlet ($30, if you charge to Visa), you are entered in a drawing for one of 30 all-expenses-paid trips to the Beijing Olympics. 
US Airways has re-launched its transatlantic business class, Envoy, which is available on all flights from Philadelphia (PHL) and Charlotte (CLT) to the airline’s 20 European destinations. Envoy travelers will now encounter new menus with a choice of three entrees, served on demand; brunch on all departures before mid-afternoon; nearly-lie-flat seats on Boeing 767s; and more personalized service.
Air France has begun a trial of inflight mobile-phone voice calling on all its Airbus A318s operating within Europe. Passengers can make and receive calls using their normal mobile phone carriers (roaming charges apply); currently up to six passengers at once can use the service. This extends the trial begun in December that allows passengers to use their smartphones for text messaging and emails.
Turkish Airlines has become the latest member of Star Alliances, adding 31 new destinations to the alliance. The 75-year-old airline will during the course of the year add 11 more destinations and 22 more aircraft to its system. Turkish Miles & Smiles members can now collect and redeem mileage on any Star Alliance Carrier.
Two new announcements from American Airlines both have to do with what you pay for, and how. Through the month of April, the airline is conducting buy-on-board food tests in economy class. For flights of three or more hours departing before 10 a.m., passengers can buy a $5 breakfast of cereal, milk, fruit and a granola bar. After 10 a.m., travelers can pay $4 for a snack of crackers, cheese, raisins and mixed nuts. On transcontinental and Hawaii flights, the airline is offering a $10 trial with an option of sandwiches and chips. American has also added a payment option to its online booking system where you can now pay for tickets directly from your checking account.
Airlines continue to add or change fees to help offset the soaring cost of fuel. The latest, from Northwest, is a move that may make more business travelers pay higher fares: It has increased the minimum-stay requirement on many of its domestic coach fares from two nights to three nights.
EVA Air has become the latest airline to change its baggage limits. As of April 15, economy passengers can have two pieces of checked baggage, neither of which can weigh more than 50 pounds. Premium Economy and elite travelers are allowed two pieces weighing up to 61 pounds each, while Laurel business-class flyers can have two pieces of up to 70 pounds each. Additionally, Laurel passengers and Evergreen Club diamond, gold and silver members traveling in any class of service can bring a third piece for free as long as it weighs 50 pounds or less.
Caffit
35 Emek Refaim St.
Jerusalem, Israel
tel 972 2 563 5284
Jerusalem’s Caffit is the quintessential Israeli café. The oldest establishment on Jerusalem’s trendy Emek Refaim Street in the area known as the German Colony– now packed with close to 50 restaurants from elegant dining to “entrecote on a roll” – the vegetarian Caffit serves up fresh pasta, fish and veggie burgers in an upscale urban environment.
The glassed-in city-street café is hip and modern with lots of dark wood. A large outdoor patio is perfect for enjoying a warm evening (with heat lamps for the not-so-warm nights). When we visited last week, the café was already packed at 7 p.m. (we got the last indoor table); by the time we left around 9, there was a line waiting to get in.
I ordered sweet potato ravioli, which was generously dusted with pine nuts – it was delicious, the large flat ravioli just the right tenderness and the sweet potato offset nicely by the light cream sauce.
My companion ordered the baked salmon with chopped peanuts on a bed of spinach and a cream sauce. The salmon was a little dry and crusty on the outside, but what at first seemed to be too much cream sauce over the spinach turned out to be just enough to moisten the crust, and the result was mostly delightful.
The portions at Caffit are generous and we weren’t sure if we had room for dessert, but when the waiter brought over the dessert tray, it was hard to resist. Various homemade chocolate confections were on display; we chose to split an artistic creation called the Gaya, a layered concoction of sponge cake, chocolate mousse and white chocolate mousse with a dark chocolate coating. It melted in our mouths.
The wait staff at Caffit is attentive but seemed a little overwhelmed by the throng of patrons. Unlike in some restaurants where diners are often handed the check too early and pushed out the door, at Caffit you can linger as long as you want; indeed, getting our bill took a bit of aggressive hand-waving.
The bill for two, including a couple of glasses of wine, came to $56. If you’re looking for an authentic Israeli café with a modern décor and rich menu, you can’t go wrong at this long-standing establishment.
Score: ••••• Brian Blum
EVA Air launched its Los Angeles (LAX) – Taipei (TPE) via Osaka (KIX) service last week, the first nonstops from LAX to KIX, and to celebrate, is offering special inaugural fares, if you buy quickly. You have until April 15 to buy the tickets and travel must be completed by May 15. The roundtrip fare is $540; tickets must be purchased at least three days before departure and there is a minimum six-day stay. Add $50 to depart on Friday or Saturday.
AutoEurope is giving free upgrades in multiple car classes for spring and summer travel in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy and Spain, if you reserve early. Dates and categories vary by country; for Belgium, Germany and Spain you must prepay by April 30, for Ireland May 19, for Italy June 15 and for Israel June 30. The dates for which the upgrades are available also vary.
The JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa is offering culinary vacations and spa specials. The Thai Delights Experience, with a four-night minimum, includes deluxe accommodations, airport transfers by limousine, daily breakfast, a full day at the hotel’s Ginja restaurant cooking school, and a 60-minute massage for two, with discounts on additional cooking classes, starting at $1,067. The Radiant Experience Spa Escape has a three-night minimum, includes accommodations, transfers and breakfasts, and also includes a two-hour Javanese Lulur ritual treatment for two, starting at $614.
Book by April 15 to take advantage of South African Airway’s Great Escape to the Cape sale between New York (JFK) and Cape Town (CPT). The round-trip economy sale fare is $1,112 including all taxes and surcharges, for departures between June 1 and June 30 and a three-day minimum stay.
British Airways is holding two short-term fare sales if you buy your tickets this week. You have until April 13 to qualify for the Club World business class fare sale, good for travel from June 1 to Aug. 31 from all of the airline’s U.S. gateways. Sample round-trip fares are $2,258 New York (JFK) – London (LHR), $3,158 Los Angeles (LAX) – London, $2,578 Chicago (ORD)-London.
And if you can buy tickets by tomorrow (April 10), there’s a sale on economy tickets that throws in a hotel or car rental bonus. Fares start at $378 round-trip (JFK-LHR) and are available from the airline’s U.S. gateways to multiple cities in Europe; ticket purchase includes a voucher good for a $50 discount on a hotel or car rental booked through the airline. Other sample fares include $504 Washington (IAD) – Frankfurt (FRA), $738 San Francisco (SFO) – Rome (FCO). Seven-day advance purchase is required, and travel must be completed by May 25.
