Category Archives: Aviation

Dubai Airports has announced that it will reopen Dubai’s International’s Terminal 1 and Concourse D on June 24. The facilities were closed on March 25, 2020 following the partial suspension of operations at DXB as part of the strategy to control the spread of Covid-19. Welcoming the reopening of Terminal 1 as an important step in preparing to accommodate the anticipated growth in travel demand in the coming weeks and months, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports said,  “Dubai’s aviation sector has been at the forefront of a global campaign to restore vital international air services with the opening of quarantine-free travel corridors between the UAE and multiple countries around the world. This move signals our confidence that the outlook for the rest of the year and beyond is one of optimism, as well as being a clear indication of Dubai’s intent to lead the aviation industry in its efforts to enable social and economic recovery of the world. This reopening is a collaborative effort of the many stakeholders involved in the operation of the world’s largest international airport and we are delighted to be able to make this important step towards the restoration of full airport operations.” The reopening of the facilities will enable the gradual return of 40 plus international carriers that are currently operating at Terminals 2 and 3 back to their home terminal at DXB. Dubai Airports has advised passengers to confirm their terminal of departure and arrival with their airline prior to coming to the airport as the transition will be managed in several stages, with the plan for the relocation to be completed by the end of June. …

Emirates airline announced it will launch a four times weekly service between Florida’s second largest city, Miami, and Dubai, from 22 July, 2021, expanding its US network to 12 destinations. The new service will provide Emirates’ global travellers with another access point into Florida after Orlando (effective July), serving the Southern Florida area while offering convenient connections for travellers headed towards the Middle East, West Asia, and Indian Ocean via Dubai. With the addition of Miami, Emirates will now serve the US with over 70 weekly flights, offering over 26,000 seats across 12 gateways including Boston, Chicago, New York (JFK and Newark), Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC and Orlando. A cultural mecca, famous for its proprietary take on nightlife, art, music, architecture and cuisine, the City of Miami is one of America’s most exciting destinations. As travel demand and consumer confidence continues to grow with all the multi-faceted health measures in place, the new route will cater to Emirates’ leisure and business travellers, boosting tourism and trade opportunities both inbound and outbound. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive said, “Launching a non-stop service to Miami at this time signals our confidence in travel recovery as countries progress on their vaccination programmes and implement protocols for the safe resumption of flight and travel activity, particularly in the US and the UAE. It also underscores our strong commitment to the US market which Emirates now serves with over 70 weekly flights across 12 gateways. “There is a clear demand for this service from both leisure and business travellers and we anticipate that our new route will be warmly received across our …

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) has renewed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification. Created by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), IOSA is an accredited international evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. The biennial audit was conducted by a specialized international team accredited by IATA that reviews the safety and quality of airline operational processes. The audit included a review of the effectiveness of SAUDIA’s documentation of its safety procedures as well as an evaluation of the operational quality requirements and their practical application on the ground. In addition, the audit team went on scheduled flights, conducted field audits on all procedures followed during the flights, and ensured the safety and quality of operational processes besides studying the detailed operations across various relevant divisions, and it included eight sectors and operational locations: safety and quality systems, flight operations, flight dispatch, aircraft engineering and maintenance, cabin operations, ground operations, cargo operations, and aviation security. Captain Ibrahim S. Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, expressed his pride at SAUDIA’s success in passing the audit with excellence as well as on the positive observations of IATA regarding the accuracy of the safety procedures and operational quality at SAUDIA. He said that safety procedures are part of SAUDIA’s daily operational processes and that this recognition is not the first and will not be the last, as the national air carrier has received numerous commendations from international air transport organizations. “SAUDIA applies and prioritizes strict internal procedures for the safety and quality of its operations. Passing the audit at this advanced level and receiving the best safety and operational quality reports have been made possible by the efforts of …

Qatar Airways welcomes Abidjan to its global network as its debut flight to the largest city in Côte d’Ivoire landed at Felix Houphouet Boigny International Airport today. With three weekly flights, the service between Doha and Abidjan via Accra will be operated by the airline’s state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class, along with capacity of up to 15 tonnes of cargo. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, said: “Launching flights to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – our fourth new destination in Africa since the start of the pandemic, after having recently launched Abuja in Nigeria; Accra in Ghana; and Luanda in Angola is a significant step in our African growth. This is testament to our commitment to the African continent where we now operate over 100 weekly flights to 25 destinations in 18 countries via our home and hub, Hamad International Airport.” He added, “At Qatar Airways, being there for our passengers, trade partners and corporate customers has been our major focus since the start of the pandemic. We thank the government of Côte d’Ivoire for their support to launch these flights, and we look forward to working closely with our partners here to grow this route and support the recovery of tourism and trade in this region. As global travel recovers in 2021, we look forward to further expanding our network and offering more connections to and from Africa.” The launch of Abidjan also supports increased demand for trade between Côte d’Ivoire and destinations on the Qatar Airways network such as Paris, Beirut and many points in the Indian subcontinent. With up to 15 tonnes of …

flydubai has announced the start of daily flights to Warsaw (WAW) from 30 September. Warsaw will become flydubai’s second destination in Poland after Krakow (KRK) which currently operates with a twice weekly service. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we have been flying to Krakow in Poland since 2018 and by adding Warsaw to our network we are providing our passengers with more options for travel to and from Poland. We look forward to creating travel and trade flows with our daily service.” Warsaw is Poland’s capital and is famed for its eye-catching architecture, green outdoor spaces and a wide variety of cafes and restaurants. Located on the Vistula River, Warsaw is a great option for those looking for a historical city break. Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “we are pleased to see our network in Europe grow further with the start of operations to Warsaw. With daily flights to Warsaw, and more countries lifting restrictions on international travel, passengers will have the opportunity to explore more destinations on the flydubainetwork.” With international travel restrictions gradually easing, flydubaihas grown its network to over 90 destinations including several seasonal summer routes such as Batumi in Georgia, Bodrum and Trabzon in Turkey, Mykonos and Santorini in Greece, Naples in Italy, Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt and Tivat in Montenegro. flydubai’s network offers passengers the chance to explore a range of cities rich in culture, heritage and activities such as Baku, Bucharest, Budapest, Istanbul, Ljubljana, Tbilisi, Tirana and Yerevan. In addition to the city breaks, flydubai also offers flights to some of the best beaches and tropical hotspots in the world including the …

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has announced the introduction of a new service to Trabzon in Turkey with direct flights from Abu Dhabi starting on July 13, 2021. The new service offers greater connectivity and value-for-money options making it easier and more convenient for customers to travel between the two countries. Resting on the bank of the Black sea, Trabzon is a city filled with historical significance. Featuring a unique coastal backdrop, this picturesque city is known for its mystical architecture and bazaars. The new service represents the 14th route for Air Arabia Abu Dhabi since the launch of the carrier’s service from Abu Dhabi International Airport on July 14, 2020. Customers can now book their direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Trabzon by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies. Ensuring the highest standards of safety at every step of the journey by following all health and safety protocols, Air Arabia has also added to the convenience and confidence of passengers by introducing free COVID-19 insurance coverage. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers.  

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has announced the introduction of a new service to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina with direct flights from Abu Dhabi starting on July 12th, 2021. Abu Dhabi has evolved as a strong hub that connects passengers from the capital to other destinations by offering highly competitive prices, through the launch of Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, a joint venture between Air Arabia and Etihad Airways. The new service represents the 11 route for Air Arabia Abu Dhabi since the launch of the carrier’s service from Abu Dhabi International Airport in Q3 2020. Sarajevo’s booming tourism sector provides a wide range of cultural attractions, shops, restaurants and cafes that will welcome international visitors. The scenic landscape that surrounds the city ensures amazing adventure holiday experiences. Customers can now book their direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Sarajevo by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre, or through travel agencies. Ensuring the highest standards of safety at every step of the journey by following all health and safety protocols, Air Arabia has also added to the convenience and confidence of passengers by introducing free COVID-19 insurance coverage. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers.

Etihad Guest has partnered with Air Arabia’s loyalty programme AirRewards, to allow members of both schemes to benefit from reciprocal points and miles transfers. These could be spent on flights with Etihad and Air Arabia, holidays, shopping and more. Kim Hardaker, Head of Loyalty & Partnerships, Etihad Airways, said, “This partnership will provide both Etihad Guest and AirRewards with the opportunity to significantly broaden the travel reach, rewards and programme benefits for our respective members. The collaboration is designed to both engage with new customers, while further improving the benefits for our existing loyalty members.” When transferring miles, Etihad Guest members will now receive 1 AirReward Point for every 2 Etihad Guest Miles. AirRewards can be transferred to Etihad Guest Miles at the conversion rate of 2 AirRewards Points for every 1 Etihad Guest Mile. In response to the pandemic, both airline’s loyalty programmes have implemented initiatives to protect member benefits and further engage with their loyal communities. Etihad Guest ensured that no member had their status downgraded by gifting monthly bonus Tier Miles, offering double Tier Miles promotions, reinstating expired miles and removing the GuestSeat change fee.

Emirates will resume flights from Dubai to Nice from 2 July and Lyon from 9 July, initially offering 4 flights a week to each city. The move is in line with France easing its entry requirements for visitors, starting tomorrow, 9 June. The lifting of entry restrictions will enable travellers based in the UAE to visit France without the need for quarantine. Emirates customers in the UAE are eligible for quarantine-free entry into France if they have completed the two week period after taking both doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech or AstraZeneca vaccine. In addition, fully vaccinated customers must also hold a negative COVID-19 PCR-RT valid for 72 hours prior to departure, or a Rapid Antigen test result no more than 48 hours old. For more details on entry requirements to France, customers can check the travel requirements page on emirates.com. Emirates will serve both Nice and Lyon with its modern and comfortable widebody Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Emirates flight EK077 will depart Dubai to Nice on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays, at 0845hrs, arriving at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport at 1340hrs. The return flight, EK078, will depart Nice at 1555hrs arriving in Dubai at 0010hrs the next day. Emirates flight EK081 will depart Dubai to Lyon on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays, at 1435hrs, arriving at Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport at 1930hrs. The return flight, EK082, will depart Lyon at 2145hrs arriving in Dubai at 0605hrs the next day. Emirates currently operates 14 weekly flights to/from Paris, flying its customer favourite and flagship A380, fitted with its latest premium economy product and refreshed products across every cabin. As more international destinations begin easing their entry restrictions, Emirates will expand its services to …

flydubai has announced the start of flights to Budapest and Ljubljana. The carrier will operate three weekly flights to Ljubljana from 24 September and four weekly flights to Budapest from 30 September. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said, “As demand for travel continues to increase, Budapest and Ljubljana are welcome additions to our growing network. With more countries lifting restrictions on international travel, we look forward to providing passengers with more options for travel this year following the launch of our wide range of summer destinations.” Budapest is known to be a popular leisure destination offering visitors a combination of impressive architecture with numerous museums, galleries, and its famous thermal baths. Situated on both banks of the Danube river, the Hungarian capital can be explored by boat, bus, bike or by foot. Ljubljana is a young, vibrant city and is known as one of the greenest capitals in Europe. The banks of the Ljubljanica River flow along the city centre where cafes set up terrace seating, inviting pedestrians for a break during their city walks. Ljubljana also has many museums and cultural attractions to explore along with great dining options. Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai said, “We are pleased to see our network in Europe grow further with the start of operations to Budapest and Ljubljana. These destinations have much to offer and give travellers the chance to explore new places that will help stimulate flows of travel and tourism, particularly after a time when our customers haven’t been able to travel as much as they would have liked. Passengers travelling from these destinations will also have the opportunity to explore …