Category Archives: Aviation

Seychelles islands will be more accessible for travellers from the Saudi Arabia as FlyNAS announced direct flights from Jeddah to Mahé starting July 1. FlyNAS will commence its nonstop flights operating three times a week from Jeddah, with fast connections to or from Riyadh and Dammam. Operating on Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays, the 5 hr40 minute flight will be operated on and brand new A320 Neo aircraft with a capacity of 174 seats. The new flights, which will make travelling to Seychelles easier for residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was initiated in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, alongside the Seychelles Tourism Board and the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority.  Accessible as never before, and with no visas required from any nationality, Seychelles, land of diversity and discovery is a great place to spend quality time and to reconnect with nature. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest outbound market in the Middle East and with many in the Kingdom looking to go overseas after the opening of borders, the Seychelles Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism Mr Sylvestre Radegonde said, “The destination has recorded approximately some 300 Saudi Arabian since January 2021. With the arrival of FlyNAS to our shores, the Ministry of Tourism is looking forward to see an increase in the number of visitors from the Saudi Arabian Region. The three weekly flights to Seychelles from Jeddah represent another great opportunity for our destination, as not only will Seychelles be accessible directly to Saudi Arabian nationals but also the expatriates living in the Kingdom. Speaking about the upcoming arrival of FlyNAS to its shores, Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive, Sherin Francis, …

flydubai has announced the resumption of its operations to Naples in Italy. The three weekly flights to Naples International Airport (NAP) will commence on 01 July and offer passengers from the UAE more options for travel this summer. From 02 June, a quarantine-free travel corridor has been established between Italy and the UAE enabling passengers to travel between the two countries with less restrictions. A negative COVID-19 test result will be required 48 hours before departure from the UAE. On arrival in Italy, all passengers over the age of two years will be required to take a rapid antigen test. The safe travel corridor with Italy is the latest in a series of agreements signed by the UAE including those with Bahrain, Greece and Serbia. Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said, “we are pleased to see more countries opening up for safe tourism and is a step in the right direction to speed up recovery and boost travel this summer. This is a good sign that confidence in travel is returning and the efforts taken by stakeholders in the tourism industry to safeguard every step of the journey will benefit our passengers. We look forward to restarting our flights to Naples, a much-anticipated destination on the flydubainetwork.” Commenting on the announcement, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai said, “we are excited to offer our passengers convenient travel options to some of the most popular holiday spots in Europe including Mykonos and Santorini. Naples is another popular destination for the summer and a great starting point to discover the beauty of the Amalfi coast. flydubai has made these European destinations more accessible for passengers …

Emirates has announced it will resume three weekly services to Malta via Larnaca, Cyprus, from 14 July 2021, further expanding its European network to 34 destinations, and offering customers worldwide more travel choices and enhanced connectivity via Dubai.  With a successful vaccination programme and an overall decrease in daily COVID-19 cases in the country, Malta has officially welcomed UAE tourists back to the Maltese Islands on 1st June. Known for its beautiful beaches and diverse archaeological sites, customers travelling from the UAE can now enjoy quarantine-free travel to one of the most exciting Mediterranean destinations. Flights to/from Malta will operate three times weekly through the airline’s existing Larnaca service on its two-class Boeing 777-300ER, offering 42 lie-flat seats in Business and 386 ergonomically designed seats in Economy class. Emirates flight EK 109 will depart Dubai (DXB) every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 0800hrs, arriving in Larnaca(LCA) at 1110hrs. The flight will leave Larnaca at 1220hrs, arriving in Malta (MLA) at 1405hrs. The return flight, EK 110 leaves Malta at 1535hrs, arriving in Larnaca at 1900hrs. The flight will leave Larnaca at 2010hrs, arriving 0105hrs arriving in Dubai the next day. Emirates customers also have seamless access to European cities via the airline’s codeshare agreement with Air Malta. As more international destinations begin easing their entry restrictions, Emirates will expand its services to provide more choice and convenience for customers who can now plan travel to more than 30 cities in 20 countries across the Emirates network that have opened their doors for tourism and business, quarantine free. Emirates will now operate over 280 weekly flights in July from Dubai to cities in Europe, the US, Middle East, Africa, and other …

Emirates will be accepting eligible travellers to the UK on flights to London; Heathrow from 8 June, and to Birmingham starting from 15 June 2021. However, travel restrictions remain in place, and customers are advised to check the latest UK entry requirements.

Customers can now book their direct flights between Sharjah and Vienna 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.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has announced an exciting list of new destinations in time for the summer. Amongst the new destinations include the idyllic Greek islands of Mykonos, Rhodes and Crete. Flights to Mykonos will start on 07 July, Crete on 09 July and Rhodes on 12 July. The route to Mykonos will be operated twice per week on Wednesdays and Sundays. Rhodes will operate on Mondays and Fridays, which is also the same for Crete. Tickets will go on sale for Mykonos, Rhodes and Crete on 7 June 2021 on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app (also available in Arabic), with fares starting as low as AED 179 for all flights*. The new Greek destinations offer travellers a myriad of experiences, white sandy and secluded beaches, crystal clear waters, buzzing nightlife, and a wealth of historical sites and ancient treasures to discover. The announcement comes as the UAE has established a travel corridor for Greece and brings Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s flight network to a total of 29 destinations. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said, “As the summer holidays are fast approaching, we’re thrilled to announce our latest destinations to the stunning Greek islands of Mykonos, Rhodes and Crete. These new routes follow the recent announcements of the UAE establishing a travel corridor with Greece which is a great step for the travel industry and tourists, as travellers seek a safe travel experience and new adventure this summer. We anticipate the new routes to be a welcome addition to our flight roster as they offer an ideal summer getaway.”

Etihad Airways will launch seasonal flights to Greece’s most popular islands, Mykonos and Santorini, and the famous southern Spanish city of Malaga in Andalusia. Mykonos will operate between 8 July and 11 September 2021 and Santorini between 9 July and 12 September 2021. Both destinations will benefit from a twice weekly direct service on an Airbus A320. With a safe travel corridor established between the UAE and Greece, fully vaccinated individuals now have more opportunities to enjoy quarantine free travel. Travellers can enjoy Mykonos’ Mediterranean cuisine or admire Santorini’s unique architecture. Just over four hours from Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s new flights to the Greek islands complement the airline’s existing service to Athens. As Spain prepares to reopen to international vaccinated travellers from 7 June 2021, Etihad will launch new flights to Malaga, twice a week, between 9 July and 15 September 2021. Flights to Malaga will operate using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offering Economy Space and Neighbour-free seating options. The new service will provide greater choice and convenience for leisure travellers between the UAE and Spain, with Etihad now serving three destinations between the two countries – Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga. For Etihad Guest Members wanting to redeem their well-earned miles, Mykonos, Santorini and Malaga are ideal destinations. Members have access to best value seats with their miles, plus countless hotel and car partners to suit their travel needs. As border restrictions ease and safe travel corridors are implemented, Etihad continues to broaden its network by adding services and frequencies across key markets. Today’s announcement on the Greek Islands and Malaga follows the recent resumption of services to Athens, Casablanca, Nairobi, Phuket, Rabat and Seychelles. To simplify the travel experience …

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has confirmed that travelers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 from low-risk countries will be allowed to fly direct to the popular holiday destination without having to quarantine from July 1. Visitors will only need to stay in the area they landed for seven days before they can visit other destinations in the country. Air Arabia is offering its customers a competitive fare to Phuket, starting from AED 1799 return per value fare booking. Located in the south of Thailand, Phuket is the largest and one of the most fun of all islands. Phuket has it all: diverse entertainment options, top-class shopping venues and some of the most gorgeous beaches. Customers can now book their direct flights between Sharjah and Phuket 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.

dnata and Singapore Airlines are expanding their long-standing partnership in the UAE. Following more than 45 years of successful cooperation in Dubai, dnata Representation Services, part of the dnata Travel Group, has been selected to provide a comprehensive range of sales, marketing and contact centre services to Singapore’s flag carrier as its general sales agent (GSA) in the Northern Emirates. The expanded partnership will see the team at dnata Representation Services act as the essential link between Singapore Airlines and local trade, supporting its commercial operations beyond Dubai, to extend across Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Umm al-Quwain. dnata Representation Services’ vast network, broad marketing, sales and operational expertise, and extensive experience in airline representation will help the carrier enhance its market presence in the UAE amidst a highly competitive business environment. dnata also provides reliable and safe ramp and cargo handling services to Singapore Airlines at Dubai International Airport (DXB). The airline reinstated flights between Dubai and Singapore in January, using one of the newest aircraft in their fleet – the Airbus A350-900. Rashid AlAwadhi, Vice President, dnata Travel Group – Regional, said, “We are proud to be the representation services partner of choice for Singapore Airlines in the UAE. The expansion of our partnership is a testament to our excellent cooperation and outstanding results in Dubai over the past four decades. Our experienced team will work hard to ensure that Singapore Airlines achieves its business objectives and delivers on its growth plans in the country. We continue to go the extra mile to provide best-in-class services for our customers in the region and beyond.” Ryan Yeoh, General Manager Gulf and Middle East, Singapore Airlines, commented, “Singapore Airlines …

Oman Air has launched seasonal service between Muscat and Tbilisi, Georgia, with 2 weekly direct flights (Wednesdays and Sundays), operated with Boeing 737 aircraft. Flights will operate from 16 June 2021 to 16 September 2021, subject to government approvals. The Wednesday flight from Muscat will depart at 20:15 and arrive in Tbilisi at 00:15. The flight from Tbilisi will depart Thursday at 01:15 and arrive in Muscat at 05:00. The Sunday flight from Muscat will depart at 03:30 and arrive in Tbilisi at 07:30. The flight from Tbilisi will depart at 08:55 and arrive in Muscat at 12:40. Oman Air will maintain its comprehensive safety program throughout all elements of the travel journey to ensure that guests fly confidently. Masks are required when guests are onboard the aircraft and in Oman’s airports. Distancing is maintained while guests board and exit the aircraft, which are carefully cleaned after each flight and at the end of every day. Cabin crew all wear a full set of personal protective equipment, meal service has been modified to further ensure safety, and a number of other measures have been implemented to ensure that the airline’s guests and crew are safe at all times. Guests who are planning to travel to Muscat should visit the Civil Aviation Authority website, caa.gov.om, to ensure they are prepared to comply with requirements to enter the Sultanate. Guests travelling to Tbilisi, Georgia should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country.