Category Archives: Aviation

Effective December 15, 2018 to January 13, 2019, Etihad Airways will increase its frequency from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, from three to four daily services, to meet peak demand in the festive season. The flights will be operated by a two-class Boeing 787-9 featuring 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart seats. James Harrison, General Manager for Etihad Airways in the United Kingdom and Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to announce more flights to London over the festive period. This is a busy time for local guests travelling between both capitals and the extra service will allow more choice and flexibility in their travel.” In addition to the seasonal increase of service to London, Etihad Airways has also recently announced seasonal frequency increases and aircraft upgrades on a number of key routes to meet increased demand over the peak winter period. This includes additional capacity to Bahrain, Belgrade, Cairo, Istanbul, Medina and Kuwait.

flydubai has announced that it will operate flights to select destinations from Dubai World Central (DWC) in order to provide more travel options to passengers during the southern runway refurbishment project previously announced by Dubai Airports. The refurbishment project is scheduled to take place between April 16 and May 30, 2019. flydubai will operate flights to 39 destinations from DWC during the period of the refurbishment project to ensure minimum disruption to passengers’ travel plans. During this period, flights to 10 of these destinations will also be available from DXB. Flights to all other flydubai destinations will continue to operate from Dubai International (DXB). Following the completion of the runway enhancement project, flydubai will resume its flights to these 39 destinations from Dubai International (DXB). The list includes Addis Ababa (ADD), Cochin (COK), Isfahan (IFN), Faisalabad (LYP), Istanbul (SAW), Abha (AHB), Delhi (DEL), Jeddah (JED), Chennai (MAA), Sialkot (SKT), Ahmedabad (AMD), Dammam (DMM), Kabul (KBL), Muscat (MCT), Shiraz (SYZ), Amman (AMM), Gassim (ELQ), Karachi (KHI), Medina (MED), Ta’if (TIF), Bahrain (BAH), Jizan (GIZ), Khartoum (KRT), Mashad (MHD), Thiruvananthapuram (TRV), Beirut (BEY), Ha’il (HAS), Kuwait (KWI), Multan (MUX), Tabuk (TUU), Mumbai (BOM), Alexandria (HBE), Lucknow (LKO), Najaf (NJF), Colombo (CMB), Hyderabad (HYD), Lar (LRR), Riyadh (RUH).

Oman Air has lent its support to the Ministry of Tourism, Oman, by hosting a Omani-themed workshop aimed at promoting the Sultanate’s tourism stakeholders, to celebrate the upcoming Moscow service in October. The event, which was held last week in Moscow, provided an opportunity to introduce Oman Air to the Russian market as well as showcased the unique hospitality and culture of Oman. Over 200 tour operators attended the event, with delegates from Oman Air. In addition to Oman Air, Ministry of Tourism, Oman, was joined by key hotel partners, including Anantara, Kempinski, Shangri-La and Crowne Plaza Muscat. With the launch of the new Moscow service, Oman Air is pleased that travellers from Russia will now be able to take advantage of convenient and seamless global travel to destinations within the extensive network. The new daily service to Moscow Domodedovo Airport will be operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with an estimated flight time of 5 hours and 55 minutes, offering 12 seats in business class and 150 in economy class. Flight WY181 will depart Muscat daily at 14.55 hours, arriving to Moscow at 19.55 hours (local time). The return flight WY182 will depart Moscow at 00.20 hours, arriving at new passenger terminal at Muscat International Airport, at 06.55 hours.

Turkish Airlines has implemented two new projects enabling business class passengers to choose their meals before the flight via “Meal selection before flight” service. With this service, applicable to the several intercontinental destinations departing from Istanbul, business-class passengers can view the meal details and visuals of the main dishes and make their choices on the webpage or mobile application. They can make their choices within the period starting from 1 week before their flight date until the last 48 hours. Turkish Airlines passengers who fly from Istanbul to Atlanta, Bangkok, Beijing, Bogotá, Boston, Cape Town, Chicago, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Havana, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Houston, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles, Manila,  Miami, Montreal, New York, Phuket, Port Louis, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington DC, Caracas, Panama City, Madagascar, Durban, Maputo, and Buenos Aires can take advantage of this service. Besides, the airlines’ “Dine on demand service” will be available in all intercontinental night flights departing from and landing on Istanbul.

In order to explore new horizons and reach out to new markets, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has begun its roadshow on September 24 to Far East Asian markets in collaboration with Emirates airline. These events, which will run till September 28, mark the Authority’s entry into the Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean markets for the first time. Underscoring its commitment to enhancing the efficiencies in the tourism sector through partnerships and collaborative efforts, the Authority has started holding meetings which will take place during these five days with various public and private entities, officials and agencies aimed at building long-lasting relationships with them. The Authority is keen to win new markets in the Far East region in line with its strategic efforts to attract more visitors by showcasing exceptional tourism offers during the roadshow, including key benefits and a wide array of tourism products in Sharjah. HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, said, “We are working on a clear plan and strategy in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member, Supreme Council and Ruler, Sharjah, to promote the tourism sector and make Sharjah a leading family destination in the world. Considering all the stakeholders in the public and private sectors and following the framework set forth in Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, the tourism sector in the emirate has been able to hold a distinguished position on the global tourism map and has become a major engine of comprehensive development today, paving the way to new touristic key markets.”

Turkish Airlines hosted the Turkish Airlines Corporate Club Conference on September 17-18 in Istanbul, in partnership with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). The conference was an annual international event where industry leaders came together and discussed the future of business travel. The event saw 900 participants from 71 countries and the programme featured leading names in the industry, including Mike Walsh as a keynote speaker, CEO, Tomorrow, and best-selling author of the book “Futuretainment”. The theme of the conference was “Building for the Future”, featuring M İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines, along with Aaron Heslehurst, Television Presenter, BBC as moderator. Turkey has undergone a huge transition over recent years in developing its economy and infrastructure. To set one example in this regard, the Istanbul New Airport – a state-of-the-art facility, to be opened on October 29, will be the largest airport in the world by 2023. The much-anticipated opening of the new airport will position Istanbul as the ‘Hub of the World’, and will see 200 million passengers per year on final completion. Turkish Airlines’ expansion has increased demand for this world-class facility, which will help the national flag carrier’s goals of 120 million passengers and a fleet of 500 aircraft by 2023. Talking about the event, Aycı said, “Building on the recent economic success of our airline, 2018 is a highly significant year for the future of Turkish Airlines with the opening of Istanbul new airport in October. As the new home of Turkish Airlines, this will allow us for greater capacity and increased network, allowing corporate travellers streamlined and innovative services and state-of-the-art lounge facilities.”

Etihad Airways has unveiled its series of activities to celebrate the leadership and people of Saudi Arabia on the 88th National Day of the Kingdom. To mark the occasion on September 23, the airline’s flagship Year of Zayed-branded A380 will be deployed on EY311 and EY312, between Abu Dhabi and Jeddah. Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Senior Vice President Government & International Affairs said, “In recognition of the special bond between two countries and the increasing importance of the Saudi market to the airline, we are delighted to host this exciting programme. Over the coming months, Etihad will continue to strengthen this relationship and announce new partnerships with key Saudi Arabian organisations that will add greater value to our guests.” Etihad recently announced sponsorship of Riyadh-based Al Nassr FC, and players from the football club have recorded a special video which will be broadcast on the National Day. The airline commissioned Emirati poet, Ahmed Al Zarounei, to write a unique prose to symbolise the friendship and bond between the two countries. The 380-word Arabic poem, inspired by the A380, was transcribed on digital screens at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The gesture was captured on film and will be broadcast across Etihad’s social media channels. Guests travelling between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia will receive themed chocolates and greeting cards on the National Day. All guests visiting Etihad’s lounge in Abu Dhabi will be treated to a selection of Saudi Arabian themed cuisine. The airline is also offering special fares from Saudi Arabia during the National Day celebration period.

Emirates will operate a special one-off A380 service on September 23 to Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), in celebratory participation of the country’s 88th National Day. Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Centre, said, “The UAE enjoys a strong relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through fraternal ties and constructive cooperation, as well as a shared vision for the future. Bringing the Emirates A380 is a fitting way to support the National Day celebrations, and for customers in Riyadh to try the superior A380 product. King Khalid International Airport is also well-equipped to handle the A380 and we are working closely with the civil aviation authorities to ensure the one-off operation is successful.” The Emirates A380 service will touchdown at King Khalid International Airport on September 23 as EK 813 and EK 814, departing from Dubai at 1500hrs and arriving in Riyadh at 1550hrs. The flight will then depart from Riyadh at 1850hrs, arriving in Dubai at 2140hrs.

The UN Migration Agency (IOM) and Turkish Airlines have signed a long-term partnership agreement for the promotion of safe, orderly and regular migration. The deal has been signed between General William Swing, Director IOM and M İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines. The cooperation will focus on the organisation’s migration application (MigApp), which leverages the widespread use of telecommunications technology to provide practical information about services available to the migrants globally. “The agreement opens a whole range of possibilities for cooperation both in terms of Turkish Airlines’ commitment to social responsibility and our own commitments to migrants and refugees. It will allow us to do a lot in terms of informing migrants, promoting their rights and training to sensitise airline officials to smuggling and trafficking — one of the heinous crimes of our times.” Swing said. Commenting on the partnership, Aycı said, “As the national flag carrier of Turkey, we are glad to strengthen our collaboration with IOM. Through this agreement, we see a way to promote the idea of living together in peace and travelling freely and legally as envisioned under the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.”

Dubai Airports has finalised an agreement with Hard Rock International and their regional franchise partners that will see the former launch its first Hard Rock Cafe, opening early November in DXB’s Concourse B. The new location will feature a licensed restaurant, grab and go food, live entertainment, rock memorabilia and a Rock Shop loaded with its world-famous merchandise. Hard Rock Cafe will be located in Terminal 3 B Gates, adding to DXB’s remarkable array of leisure and entertainment offerings, which include over 100 eating options for passengers, catering to all tastes and budgets. Hard Rock International is one of the world’s most globally recognised brands, famous for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, memorable dining experiences and live music performances which will complement Dubai Airports’ musicDXB programme. Eugene Barry, Executive Vice President Commercial, Dubai Airports, said, “We’re thrilled to add Hard Rock Cafe to our DXB playlist. It is the perfect fit at an airport that is already world-renowned for its F&B, retail and music. Hard Rock Cafe sets the standard when it comes to combining great food and music and is a vital component of our strategy to create an airport experience that is second to none.” Anibal Fernandez Lorden, Vice President, Franchise Operations and Development of Hard Rock International, said, “Hard Rock has been looking forward to opening its second location in Dubai after many successful years of operating in this iconic city.”  “We could not have asked for a better location to provide travellers with great memories of one of the world’s top dining and entertainment brands.”