Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. stake (n.) [steyk] – a financial
share, interest or involvement in a business
Example: ABC Company is selling its stake in one of the major food
processing companies in the country.
2. aviation (n.) [ey-vee-ey-shuhn, av-ee-] –
the design, manufacture, use,
or operation of aircraft
Example: Competition of airline companies
strengthens the aviation industry.
3. budget (adj.) [buhj-it] – cheap and
priced at a reasonable value
Example: Budget trips are suitable for people who do not want to
spend too much.
4. route (n.) [root, rout] – a path taken to travel from
one place to another
Example: The company driver takes the same route from office to the bank.
5. fleet (n.) [fleet] - a
large group of vehicle working or managed as a unit, usually by a commercial
enterprise
Example: The city's fleet of government cars runs on alternative fuels.
Article
Read the text below.
Read the text below.
In 2013, Australian carrier Qantas and China Eastern Airlines will
launch Jetstar Hong Kong, a new low-cost Asian airline.
The Qantas Group had previous talks with
Malaysian Airlines over a partnership Asian airline, but the deal did not
push through.
Now, Qantas is looking forward to working
closely with partner China Eastern Airlines. The two major airline companies will
each have an equal stake on the
new budget airline.
Jetstar Hong Kong will be an expansion of
Qantas’s budget brand, Jetstar, which already flies domestic Australian and
Asian routes. Jetstar plans to further take advantage of
the fast-growing aviation market
in Asia by flying short distance routes
in China, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia.
According to Jetstar’s Chief Executive Bruce
Buchanan, the budget airline especially aims to enter Greater China’s travel
market, which only has a few low-cost carriers. The Greater China region
produces 300 million passengers a year, the number of which is expected to
increase to 450 million by 2015 as Chinese middle-class spending rises.
Buchanan says Jetstar Hong Kong’s fares will
be half the price of other full-service airlines and will increase travel
demand, because travelers can go on “more trips, more often”.
The announcement of the new Hong Kong-based
airline has good timing. John Lee, chief executive of the Tourism and
Transport Forum based in Australia, said that the number of Chinese people travelling
internationally is growing fast.
Jetstar Hong Kong will first open with a fleet of three Airbus A320s, but the
airline plans to increase its airplanes to 18 by 2015.
|
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Would
you say Qantas’s decision to start budget airlines is a good one? Why or why
not?
·
What
are the possible disadvantages of taking a budget airline?
Discussion B
·
What
are the things you consider in choosing an airline? Please explain further
·
Do
you think more people would be encouraged to travel with affordable fares? Why
or why not?