07/21/2012 Saturday Briefing Archive (1.6 MB PDF)

July 21, 2012
A MESSAGE FROM RICHARD R. KELLEY TO OUR OUTRIGGER ‘OHANA
Chris Adams Named
Outrigger Laguna Phuket
General Manager
World’s Best Airlines
... NOT Coming
to Hawai‘i!
I join Human Resources in welcoming
Chris Adams to the Outrigger ‘ohana as
General Manager of the Outrigger Laguna
Phuket Resort and Villas.
Chris joins us from Northern Thailand,
where he was most recently General Manager
of Anantara Golden Triangle, a boutique
resort set on 160 acres that adjoins a sanctuary
housing 27 elephants – a real draw-card for
his guests! During Chris’ leadership, the
hotel was certified by “Green Globe” for
environmental sustainability and garnered
several prestigious awards, including “Best
Chris Adams
Resort in Thailand” by World Travel Awards,
the Hospitality Asia Platinum Award® (HAPA) “Service Excellence” award for
Thailand and the HAPA Top 10 Resorts in Asia award.
Chris began his career as an apprentice chef with Southern Pacific Hotels
in his native New Zealand. He passed the City & Guilds of London culinary
qualifications and worked through the kitchen ranks in New Zealand and
Australia to become an Executive Chef in 1998. As Executive Chef of the
Heritage Hotel in Christchurch, he led his team to win the Corban’s Wine &
Food Award and the NZ Beef & Lamb Award. In 2000, Chris was Executive
Chef with Intercontinental Hotels in Fiji, and it was there that his Front of
House experience began and the road to becoming a General Manager realized.
During the next few years, Chris gained valuable senior management experience
in the Asia Pacific region, including Vanuatu, Vietnam and Thailand. In 2007
as Executive Assistant Manager of InterContinental’s Crowne Plaza in Shanghai,
China, he was responsible for 350 employees. During his tenure, the Crowne
Plaza was voted one of the top 10 business hotels in China and was IHG’s
number-one hotel for guest satisfaction in the Asia Pacific region. In 2009, an
opportunity arose to open a 60-seat modern Asian restaurant in the beautiful
Vanuatu Islands. Following its successful launch, Chris joined Anantara Hotels
and Resorts, initially as Executive Assistant Manager in Koh Samui before
moving to Chiang Rai as General Manager of Anantara Golden Triangle.
In his spare time Chris enjoys keeping fit through gym and cardio
workouts, watching rugby, dining out and travelling.
We are excited to have Chris on board and are confident that under
his leadership the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas will find
continued success. Welcome to the Outrigger ‘ohana, Chris!
Last Sunday, the huge biennial Farnsworth
International Air Show wrapped up in England
with the media, airlines and the traveling
public getting a glimpse of what is coming in
the future through exhibits, demonstrations
and presentations. Of the many news articles
spawned by the show, the stories that most
caught my attention were the ones on the
SKYTRAX awards for the world’s best airline
services. Not a single U.S. or European carrier
made the list of the World’s 10 Best Airlines. I
believe that has huge implications for Hawai‘i.
SKYTRAX is a UK-based airline quality
rating service that gathers information from
over 18 million business and leisure travelers
from more than 100 countries who fly on more
than 200 airlines. It evaluates airline service
levels and equipment using 38 key performance
indicators – www.worldairlineawards.com.
According to SKYTRAX, the World’s Best
Airlines are:
1. Qatar Airways
2. Asiana Airlines
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. ANA All Nippon Airways
6. Etihad Airways
7. Turkish Airlines
8. Emirates
9. Thai Airways
10. Malaysia Airlines
This was the second year in a row that Qatar
Airways has earned this top award. I have met
its CEO, Akbar Al Baker, and although I have
not seen him for several years, I do remember
how passionately he spoke about making his
airline one of the best in the world.
By William Visser
By Dr. Richard Kelley
Continued on page 6
Saturday Briefing
Page 1
August 1:
Ruben S.
Velasco,
Feng Na
Li Leong,
Nenita
Nerveza,
David
Formby, Bruce Warring, Libera Kawalia and
Salayawa Tuione.
August 2: Bruce Hehn, Eduardo Cadavona,
Shannon J. Carey, Virginia A. Trinidad,
Ivamere Matavesi, Mataiasi Kuridua, Apisai
Bavadra and Frank Amed.
August 3: Alberto J. Yanit, Sheila L. GerbigHussey, Ramel A. Bagasol, Shyla T.L.
Uyesato, Kamolrat Kulsati, William Davis,
Rose Mathiot, Isoa Vatuniqere, Vasemaca
Babakogaloa and Wayan Sukerta.
August 4: Kathryn A. Foley, Alex B. Dela Cruz,
Kristina P. Hanson, Joey Y. Fukuoka, Evelyn
Rabanal Dellosa, Claudette L. Maitland, Martha
Murphy, Phattharawadi Luaseang, Edwin
Alisasis, Mosese Cabeivanua and Savitri Asih.
Employment Opportunities
If you are interested in the positions listed below and meet the
qualifications, you may apply online. Please go to WWW.OUTRIGGER.
COM, click on ABOUT OUTRIGGER, then EMPLOYMENT. We
only accept online applications for the open-listed positions from internal
candidates. If you have any questions, please call Chad Teramae at (808)
921-6989. Application deadline for the following positions is July 27, 2012.
Guest Service Representative (Full-Time)
Japanese speaking required. A minimum of one year customer service and
cashiering experience required, hospitality industry preferred. Must have basic
computer skills and ability to type 30 wpm. Must also be a team player with
excellent communication skills and able to work any day and shift.
Guest Service Representative (Full-Time)
A minimum of one year customer service and cashiering experience required,
hospitality industry preferred. Must have basic computer skills and ability to
type 30 wpm. Must also be a team player with excellent communication
skills and able to work any day and shift.
Housekeeper I (On Call)
Must be able to work well with others, follow instructions and communicate
in English. The ability to work flexible days and shifts is required. Experience
in cleaning and servicing guest rooms and/or public areas preferred.
August 5: Tara L. Desantiago, Pamela S.M.
Niesz, Yongxian Liang, Vishal Gounder, Sireli
Tuitoga and Brooke Te Huia.
August 6: Elvira Lacar Maluyo, Nga A.
Prieto, Kok Leong Shiu, Xiaofeng Huang,
Junior Saico, Vutaieli Mataluvu, Isikeli
Ralulu and Putra Widnyana.
August 7: John K. Wong, Roberta N.
Kinoshita, Wendy Lin Ko, Jo-Ann S.
Yonamine and Shelley Flynn.
Saturday Briefing is published
by and for employees of
Outrigger Enterprises Group (OEG)
Editor-In-Chief: Richard Kelley
Senior Editor: Kathy Foley
Supervising Editor: Pila Hanson
Proofing Assistant: Char Luning
Contributing Writers: Employees of OEG
Visit us online at:
www.saturdaybriefing.outrigger.com
Submissions to Kathy Foley
at kathysb@outrigger.com,
via interoffice mail to OEH/HR,
or by phone at (808) 921-6957.
© 2012 Outrigger Hotels Hawaii
Saturday Briefing
Page 2
An Equal Opportunity Employer
Political Fundraisers
By OHHPAC
If you are interested in attending the below fundraiser, please e-mail
Kathy Foley at kathysb@outrigger.com or call 921-6957. Mahalo!
Representative Mark Takai
District 33: Pearlridge, ‘Aiea Heights and Hālawa Heights
Tuesday, July 24 • 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Waimalu Elementary • 98-825 Moanalua Road
Aloha, Demy
With heavy hearts, we bid a fond Aloha
to Demy Tamayo, who passed away on July 12.
Demy was hired as a Housekeeper at the OHANA
Hobron in 1989. In 2003 she transferred to the
OHANA Waikiki West and worked in various
positions in Housekeeping until her passing.
Mass is today at 8 a.m., Saint Anthony’s
Church in Kalihi.
Our deepest condolences to her family
and friends.
Flavors of the Reef
“Sharing Who We Are and Where We Come From”
By Luana Maitland
The annual Flavors of the Reef event took place on Friday,
July 13, at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach (ORF), and as
is custom, employees were the stars. The event began with
guests making cultural crafts and sampling authentic fare
from Spain, China, Japan, Philippines, Portugal and Hawai‘i.
The highlight, of course, was the Employee Talent
Show. Master of Ceremony Matt Sproat announced the first
performance of Taiko by Cara Sawai (Banquets). A traditional
Oli and Hula Kahiko by Teresa Shepherd (Accounting) and
Bruce Tauanuu (Maintenance) followed. Also showcased
were performances of traditional Filipino Folk Dancing and
Song; a Chinese Sword Dance and Song; and Kawehi Gill
and Teddy Naputo from Kani Ka Pila Grille who sang “Price
Tag” and “Rhythm of Love.” A wonderful addition to the
program was a Tahitian dance performed by Nia Memoore
(Serenity Spa) and ‘Ukulele performance by Sami Ramos
(Waikiki Christmas Store). The Talent Show concluded
with a Fire Knife Dance performed by Bruce Tauanuu and
our very own General Manager Bill Comstock. What a
treat it was for both guests and employees! Great job, Bill!
Mahalo to the ORF ‘ohana for your authentic cuisine
and performances; to Kaipo Ho (HR) and Ester Angeles
(Outrigger Regency on Beachwalk/RBW) for joining the
Reef Choir in singing “Beyond the Reef;” to Walter Tolentino
and the RBW ‘ohana (our Ke ‘Ano Wa‘a ‘ohana); and to
the ORF Alaka‘i team for coordinating a wonderful event.
More photos on page 4
Saturday Briefing
Page 3
Flavors of the Reef
Continued from page 3
Saturday Briefing
Page 4
Two Reasons to Celebrate
By Patcharee Chanantho (Khun Paew)
The Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas team
was pleased to welcome Mr. Christopher Adams on his
first day on board as General Manager of the Resort.
The welcome party was also combined with his birthday
celebrated with the hosts.
Khun Chris spent his first day meeting our hosts and
sharing his experiences. Welcome and Happy Birthday, Chris!
Outrigger Kiahuna
Management Cleans Up
Maluhia Tree Tunnel
By Marianne Thesken
The Tunnel of Trees that line Maluhia Road form a lush
corridor serving as the gateway to Kōloa and Po‘ipū. Every
year, the Po‘ipū Beach Resort Association sponsors a clean up
to coincide with the preparation for Kōloa Plantation Days.
Several Kiahuna managers rolled up their sleeves and pitched
in to pick up trash and debris along the famous road.
The Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas Hosts
welcome new General Manager Khun Chris
Chris Gampon, Dennis Bonilla, Tim Blum,
Marianne Thesken and Gana Maheshwaran
roll up their sleeves for a good cause
Two reasons to celebrate - Welcome and Happy Birthday, Khun Chris!
Now that’s clean!
Saturday Briefing
Page 5
World’s Best Airlines ... NOT Coming to Hawai‘i!
Continued from page 1
Dr. Kelley and Akbar Al Baker talked about
airline service at Vilamoura in 2003
After writing last week’s article for
Saturday Briefing, which focused on the
challenges of sitting for hours in the
economy-class sections of most U.S.
airliners, I was particularly interested in
discovering which airline offers the best
economy seats.
According to SKYTRAX, the
World’s Best Economy Class Airline
Seats are found on:
1. Asiana Airlines
2. Qatar Airways
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Garuda Indonesia
5. Korean Air
6. Thai Airways
7. Air China
8. Malaysia Airlines
9. South African Airways
10. ANA All Nippon Airways
All but one of these top airlines
are from the Middle East or Asia, and
since Asia is the place from which more
and more of Hawai‘i’s visitors will be
coming in the future, I wonder if we can
expect to see more of the world’s Top
Ten Airlines landing at HNL (Honolulu
International Airport) anytime soon.
Currently, only two on the Top
Ten list, ANA and Korean Air, serve
Hawai‘i, although others have in the
past. I believe many of these top airlines
would like to serve Hawai‘i and would
do so if they were allowed to freely carry
passengers between Honolulu and major
cities in the continental U.S.
Unfortunately, under federal
“cabotage” laws and regulations, only
U.S. airlines have the right to pick up
a passenger in Hawai‘i and take him or
her to another U.S. destination – or
Saturday Briefing
Page 6
Akbar Al Baker receives award for Qatar Airways
as World’s Best Airline in 2012
to pick up passengers on the mainland
and fly them to Hawai‘i. (See sidebar
on cabotage.)
Hawai‘i has the potential to be a
mid-Pacific airline hub served by every
one of the SKYTRAX Top Ten airlines,
but our country’s cabotage restrictions
limit their access to passengers and
discourage most foreign carriers from
investing the resources needed to develop
routes that include Hawai‘i, using their
best and latest equipment and offering
top service levels to our island state. The
reason: most of them can’t find enough
passengers willing to fly from their home
countries only to Hawai‘i, where they
would currently have to “dead-end” and
return home. But if they could pick up
U.S. domestic passengers here and fly on
to a mainland city, that would make the
Hawai‘i route profitable.
There is no question in my mind
that the exclusion of foreign airline
competition from routes between the
continental U.S. and Hawai‘i has been
a factor in the decline in the quality
of service provided by U.S. carriers on
domestic routes.
Tourism Lecturer Ravi Ravinder,
commenting on a SKYTRAX awards
article in the July 13, 2012, issue of
Global Travel Industry News, wrote, “The
reason for poor service levels in the U.S.
may simply be due to complacency –
there was no attempt by full-service
airlines to value-add and distinctly
brand their airline.” (www.eturbonews.
com/30165/airline-shift-continues)
Think about the automobile industry.
Remember the Yugo, an automobile that
was briefly imported to the U.S. in the
1980s? It was manufactured in Yugoslavia
by a government-owned corporation
with no competition. Author Jason Vuic
described the details in The Rise and Fall of
the Worst Car in History.
In the U.S., competition from
automobiles made in England, France,
Italy, Germany, Japan and Korea has
forced General Motors, Ford and Chrysler
to consistently improve their products.
Much like the Yugo, the U.S.
airlines are being protected from foreign
competition. If SKYTRAX’S Top Ten
were allowed to fly American passengers
on U.S. domestic routes, you can bet there
would be a big improvement in service on
competing U.S. carriers almost overnight.
Maybe some day that will happen,
and American, Delta, United, Alaska
and Hawaiian airlines will be competing
head to head with Singapore Airlines,
Cathay Pacific, Air China, etc. not only
in carrying passengers from foreign
countries to Hawai‘i but also from
Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco
and other U.S. gateways.
If that day comes, I can assure you
there will be a lot more legroom in
economy, the seats will be more than
17 inches wide, and breakfast will be
more than a warmed-over bun in a
brown paper bag.
Cabotage
The term used to describe the right to
carry passengers and/or goods by air, land or
sea between two points within a country is
“cabotage” – derived from the French word
“caboter,” to sail along a coast, and ultimately from
the Spanish word for cape, “cabo.” Traditionally,
most countries have reserved the right to provide
domestic transportation to their own carriers –
typically ocean shipping companies and airlines,
but also trucking and bus companies.
The much-discussed Jones Act is a
long-standing American cabotage law that
keeps foreign ships from carrying goods and
passengers between any two U.S. points – e.g.,
California and Hawai‘i – reserving that right to
generally more expensive U.S.-flag carriers, i.e.,
companies owned by Americans, with ships
crewed by Americans, built in America (true for
ships, but not airplanes!), and subject to all U.S.
laws on labor, environmental protection, etc. –
all of which explain their higher cost.
In the airline industry, cabotage rules
mean that even though a foreign airline such
as Japan Airlines can fly passengers from Tokyo
to Honolulu and from Tokyo to Los Angeles, it
cannot pick up passengers in Honolulu and carry
them to Los Angeles.