Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates announced that the flights to South Africa will remain suspended until March 10 2021, in line with recent government directives that restrict the entry of travellers originating from South Africa, into the UAE. They reiterated that customers holding tickets with final destinations in South Africa will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin. Emirates’ regrets any inconvenience caused. Affected customers should contact their travel agent or Emirates contact centre for rebooking options. To receive update notifications, customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking. Emirates remains committed to serving our customers in South Africa, and look forward to resuming passenger services when conditions allow. They stated that they continue to work closely with all relevant authorities in this regard, and will endeavour to provide their customers with as much support and notice as possible.

Emirates announced that in line with government directives, passenger services from Nigeria (Lagos and Abuja) to Dubai are temporarily suspended until February 28, 2021.Customers from both Abuja and Lagos will not be accepted for travel prior to or including this date. Passengers who have been to or connected through Nigeria in the last 14 days are not allowed entry into the UAE (whether terminating in or connecting through Dubai). Emirates flights from Dubai to Lagos and Abuja will continue to operate as per the normal schedule.   We regret the inconvenience caused. Affected customers should contact their booking agent or contact the Emirates Call Centre for rebooking. In order to receive update notifications, customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking. In another announcement by Emirates stated Flights to Sao Paulo: Emirates will resume passenger services from Dubai to Sao Paulo with flight EK 261 on 11 Feb 2021. Customers with Sao Paulo as their destination will be accepted for travel from this date. However, Flights from Sao Paulo: Passenger services from Sao Paulo to Dubai will remain suspended until 28 Feb 2021. Customers from Sao Paulo will not be accepted for travel prior to this date. Emirates regret the inconvenience caused. Affected customers should contact their booking agent or contact the Emirates Call Centre for rebooking.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has confirmed the start of its route from Abu Dhabi to Alexandria, Egypt on February 22. The connection between Abu Dhabi and Alexandria provides an ultra-low fare travel option for tourists and residents in both UAE and Egypt. Tickets are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app, now also available in Arabic language, with fares starting as low as AED 179. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: “Alexandria is an exciting destination steeped in history located on Mediterranean waters. The UAE and Egypt provide a popular travel corridor for residents and tourists in the region, and we are committed to providing options that are more viable and affordable for travellers. We look forward to seeing you on board our aircraft soon.” Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt and a major economic hub for both tourism and industry. The city extends 40 km along the northern coast of Egypt situated by the Mediterranean Sea. The destination is well known for its antiquity as the site of the Pharos, the great lighthouse, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world as well as the ruins of the Temple of Serapis, as well as the Serapion, which was part of the legendary library at Alexandria. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has the youngest fleet composed of four brand new Airbus A321neo aircraft, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprint. The airline has also introduced a new era of sanitized travel across its network, with enhanced hygiene measures to ensure the health and safety of passengers and crew.  Click here to view Wizz Air’s new health and …

As part of the trial project, SimplyGo is partnering with technology provider SITA. SITA’s advanced technology platforms and experience in border management, airport, and airline operations were crucial in distributing the SimplyGo platform across continents. For the first time, a small group of air travelers flying from Germany and Estonia to the United Arab Emirates has tested the health data platform and app SimplyGo in a live environment. Peter Bauer, founder of SimplyGo, said, “The trial demonstrated that SimplyGo technology supports travelers and airlines in adhering to health requirements and secure systems. The app is extremely simple for travelers to use. Just a few clicks and users securely store their COVID-19 test or vaccination information, making it accessible for airlines and border officials. There’s no paperwork or bar code at the check-in needed, all data is managed securely and highly protected from fraud. This trial is the first step in rolling out SimplyGo, to help restore confidence in air travel and to ensure a safer and more efficient air travel for all.” Jeremy Springall, Vice-President SITA AT BORDERS, said, “As the technology provider for the air transport industry we are working closely with governments, industry bodies, and border organizations globally to mitigate health risks of travel during the pandemic. SITA’s Health Protect ecosystem enables interoperability and acts as a bridge between health passport schemes, airlines, airports, and governments. It comprises a suite of solutions, including SITA Health ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization), SITA APP, and SITA Flex for in-airport passenger flow monitoring. Selecting the right combination of products and integrating with a health pass system like SimplyGo, ensures governments are aware of who is intending to travel and their health status. …

Emirates announced that on the directives by the governments of the State of Kuwait and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, temporary restrictions are in place as follows: for State of Kuwait – Emirates will not accept non‑Kuwaiti national passengers on flights from Dubai to Kuwait, from 7 to 20 February 2021. Customers holding tickets with Kuwait as a final destination will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin. Exemptions are first‑degree relatives of Kuwaitis, domestic workers travelling with Kuwaiti sponsors, and domestic workers registered on Belsalamah platform. For Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Emirates will not accept non‑Saudi national passengers on flights from Dubai to Saudi Arabia, until further notice. Customers holding tickets with final destinations in Saudi Arabia will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin. Exemptions are Diplomatic passport holders and Health Practitioners and their families. They regret the inconvenience caused, and affected customers should contact their booking agent or Emirates call centre for rebooking options. To receive update notifications, customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking.

15below has partnered with Etihad Airways to upgrade the airline’s communication system to address the ever-changing travel requirements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 15below platform links directly to Etihad’s reservations system, allowing the airline to automatically communicate with its passengers using personalised, real-time data from the booking. With all the information they need on hand, customers are promised a smooth, stress-free travel experience without unnecessary delays, queues, and human interaction at the airport. Talking about the partnership, 15below’s CEO Nicholas Key said, “A lack of relevant information has always been a huge contributor to the stress that many associate with travel, so at a time when the rules are constantly changing, effective communication is absolutely key to passenger wellness. The work that we have done with Etihad gives the passenger much greater control, promoting a smooth, risk-free travel experience where currently there is more to think about than ever before.” Frank Meyer, Chief Digital Officer, Etihad Aviation Group said, “Etihad is a global player in driving digital transformation within the aviation industry. As travel restrictions ease, it’s our responsibility to pursue innovative solutions that will enhance the travel experience for our guests. Ensuring wellness is part of the redefined customer journey has become an integral part of our business and our partnership with 15below has been instrumental in making this a reality.” Research by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows that 72% of travellers want to be kept up to date on their mobile device throughout their journey and three in five want real-time updates during disruption. Acknowledging that a passenger’s experience starts during the booking process and ends when they arrive at their destination, Etihad’s partnership with …

Dubai International (DXB) further bolstered its connectivity to the subcontinent with the launch of the US-Bangla Airlines flights between the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka and Dubai. The inaugural flight from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport arrived at DXB’s Terminal 2 at 2240 hours on Monday with 140 passengers. The airline will operate daily flights between the two destinations on a 164-seat capacity Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The Dhaka-Dubai route recorded a traffic of 850,000 passengers in 2019.

Thales has successfully delivered the phase 1 of the new Bahrain International Airport as part of this important modernization project. Built in two phases, the Bahrain International Airport expansion covers 210,000 square meters, quadrupling the size of the existing terminal and increasing its capacity to 14 million passengers a year. The project is in an important step in achieving Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 and aims to cement Bahrain’s reputation as a leading aviation hub in the region. Through centralizing the management of Airport operations, Bahrain International Airport is guaranteed a high level of business continuity and traffic flow within the airport. This will also lead to reduced waiting times while ensuring the best possible safety conditions, improving passenger experience and increasing infrastructure performance. Thales solutions also enable the production of relevant performance indicators (KPIs) to inform decision-makers in real time and make the organization more efficient. “We have ensured that Bahrain International Airport has been equipped with the latest smart and innovative solutions. This guarantees optimum protection for passengers, staff and facilities, and meets the demand for enhanced security at the new airport by Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications and Bahrain Airport Company. Thales’s strength in innovation and digital technologies perfectly positions the group to become a preferred partner for aerospace, transportation and public security, the pillars of Bahrain’s smart city ambition,” Alain Correia, Managing Director, Thales Bahrain.

Emirates’ self-check-in and bag drop kiosks at Dubai International (DXB), which made its debut in September last year, have now gone touchless further enhancing the smart contactless journey for passengers travelling from Dubai. The 32 self-service bag drop machines and 16 check-in kiosks can be controlled completely by personal mobile devices without touching the screens; providing a safe and convenient airport experience. The kiosks allow customers to check-in, receive their boarding pass, choose seats on board, and drop off their bags. New services have also been added to allow passengers to make payments for ancillary purchases, such as additional baggage allowance, directly at the kiosks. The self check-in kiosks, placed at the Economy check-in area in Terminal 3, complement the desks manned by Emirates check-in agents to reduce waiting time for customers during peak periods and improve the experience in Dubai. The service is now available to customers travelling to all destinations except to the US, Canada, China, India and Hong Kong due to additional requirements from these destinations. More kiosks are planned for the First and Business Class check-in area. Emirates has spared no effort in creating a smart contactless journey for its customers. Travellers can also choose to use its integrated biometric path to breeze through DXB. Utilising the latest facial biometric technology, Emirates passengers check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, enter the Emirates Lounge, and board their flights, simply by strolling through the airport. The smart contactless experience continues on board with digital menus available on the Emirates app allowing customers to browse the menus on their personal devices both online and offline; as well as on Emirates’ Wi-Fi portal without needing to purchase a …

flydubai announced the launch of flights to Minsk, the capital of Belarus. The airline will operate three flights a week between Dubai International (DXB) and Minsk National Airport (MSQ) starting from 20 February 2021. flydubai will be the first Dubai-based carrier to offer direct flights on this route.With the addition of Minsk, flydubai will grow its network to more than 70 destinations. The airline has been steadily increasing its operations and has recently announced the start of flights to a number of destinations including Colombo, Doha, Istanbul and the Maldives as well as new routes such as Grozny, Malta, Salzburg and Tel Aviv. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “Minsk is a new destination to join our network and highlights our commitment to open previously underserved markets.  We now operate flights to 72 destinations, more than 40 of which did not previously have direct air links to Dubai or were not served by a UAE national carrier from Dubai.” Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, added,  “flydubai offers passengers convenient connections and an opportunity to travel to 155 destinations through Dubai’s international travel hub.  We offer convenient and reliable travel services to our passengers whether they choose to travel in Business Class or Economy Class. All our passengers can expect a comfortable onboard travel experience. We look forward to welcoming our first passengers on our flights to Minsk.”