ON THURSDAY, May 28, 2009, Mr. Gary Bekker send 4 emails to Palau lone representative to Oceania Zonal Chess Championship Roberto Hernandez, confirming his round trip airfare from Manila to Sydney and from Sydney to Coolangatta. The email says:
Dear Roberto:
Due to delays in finalizing your booking, your flight was a little more expensive than originally planned (around US$700 instead of US$600), but this has now been booked and paid for. Please confirm that you are able to get to Manila on your own to catch this flight.
I will make the Sydney to Coolangatta booking for you as well.
This is an electronic booking so you just need to present your booking number and passport.
You may like to get your local travel agent to print a copy of the ticket if you prefer.
Warmest regards,
Gary Bekker
Tel. (03)8562-0092
Mobile: 0418-142-258
email: gbekker@capitaltransport.com.au
Within 2 minutes, another email was sent by Mr. Bekker entitled "Your Booking Confirmation -- B6YDEJ" with a total fare of $711.80.
Hernandez will leave Manila on Thursday, June 18 at 9:00 am and will arrive in Sydney at 19:10. On his way back from Sydney to Manila on Monday, June 29 at 11:05am to 17:30pm.
In less than an hour, Mr. Bekker emailed again:
Dear Roberto,
I have now booked your Virgin Blue flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast (Coolangatta) as well. You will need to transfer to the Sydney domestic terminal (from international) and check in to your Virgin Blue flight DJ 545 to the Gold Coast as soon as you land in Sydney.
For the return trip to Sydney I have booked a 7:00 am departure on DJ 504, rather than the 6:00am flight and you will arrive in Sydney at 8:30 am, well in time to check-in and catch your flight to Manila.
Again, you will need to transfer from the domestic terminal to the international terminal in Sydney.
I am looking forward to seeing you at the Oceania Zonal next month.
Warmest regards,
Gary
Eleven minutes after that, the 4th email says:
"Your Virgin Blue Itinerary for Mr. R Hernandez-W5FBCN"
Hi Gary,
Thank you for choosing to travel with Virgin Blue. Your reservation number is W5FBCN.
Virgin Blue is a ticketless airline, therefore you don't need a ticket to travel with us.
All you need to do is present photo ID and the attached itinerary. It's that easy! etc. etc...
A day earlier, Mr. Jan Berglund emailed Hernandez that says:
Dear Mr. Hernandez,
I took notice of Gary's writing below and checked some web pages, because my understanding, when discussing this zonal tournament at Dresden Olympiad was, that full board was included as usual. This is what I came up with.
On the web page http://www.gardinderchess.com/oceaniazonal/outriggerresort.htm it says: "Room includes breakfast".
Also, 2.5 in the FIDE Handbook, section "01. Recommendations for Organization of Top-level Tournaments" http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook?id=15&view=category says: "Organizers should keep in mind that players prefer to receive daily sums of money for their meals rather than full board at the hotel", which indicates that full board should be provided.
In 2.1 it says: "The rooms of the players must be comfortable and quiet single rooms". I believe I read somewhere that your were going to share double occupancy.
These rules are made to give everyone a chance to take part. Players from developing or poor countries should not be excluded from participation for financial reasons.
If the organizer saves money on the room is one thing, and could be a fair negotiation, but to take away the food for the players is a financial issue.
So, full board should be provided or compensated for.
Good luck with the tournament.
Jan
PS
The price given on Virgin Blue Airlines below is the same as I can find in Europe. So, the best thing would be that Gary provides those tickets. I also checked the price going by Greyhound bus. It was about the same as the flight price. But then, such a coach trip would take you a full long day.
This is in response to Hernandez email to Gary that says:
Dear Gary,
I went to West Travel Agency yesterday and Ms. Yupha Ongrung helped me get a quotation for Sydney-Coolangatta trip. She said I cannot book it in Palau. It should be booked in Australia. The airline is Virgin Blue Airlines.
Could you please book it for me? Is it true that food is not included in the accommodation? Even breakfast?
At Fiji, Dr. Virgilio de Asa offered accommodation that includes breakfast only.
If so, I need to bring some extra cash for food.
Till here and best wishes. God bless you always.
Roberto
Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 13 & 15
Volume 18
June 01-07, 2009
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