Central boost for Eastern fruit

Fresh fruit picked from orchards will be sent to 94 branches nationwide for sale at discounted prices. Buyers who bring bags made of cloth will receive souvenirs. 

Cebu Pacific airline offers free seats

Philippines low-cost airline Cebu Pacific is offering more than 100,000 free seats for international routes, including Bangkok, from June 9 to December 31.

Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing, said: "This is our biggest seat sale to date. This is to further stimulate domestic and international travel in spite of rising fuel costs. We hope the public will take advantage of this promotion."

The airfare is free, but passengers need to pay for taxes as well as fuel and insurance surcharges, which are non-refundable.

Etihad code-shares with Yemen Airways

Effective next month, Etihad Airways customers will have access to Yemen Airways flights between Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen Airways operates a fleet of 18 aircraft and flies to 30 destinations within the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Europe and Asia.

Etihad has seven other code-share agreements, with Saudi Arabia Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Philippine Airlines, Middle East Airlines and UK-based carrier, bmi.

Grant Thornton posts 25% growth

Grant Thornton International showed fast growth last year with a 25-per-cent annualised increase in revenue to US$3.5 billion (Bt112 billion), the company said yesterday.

Its member firm in Thailand continued to grow despite some uncertainty clouding the economic and political outlook last year. Its unit in Vietnam saw 60 per cent growth.