Category Archives: Aviation

Sri Lankan Airlines have launched a new ‘Corporate Policy on the Carriage of Fauna & Flora on board Sri Lankan Aircraft’ to strengthen its numerous initiatives on species smuggling. The policy reaffirms Sri Lankan’s resolve to follow established international conservation practices, including a total ban on transporting of wild game hunting trophies and any part of a species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); ban on transporting non-human primates destined for laboratories or laboratory suppliers; and the strict adherence to national regulations and applicable best practices in relation to proper documentation and approvals of regulatory authorities. Captain Suren Ratwatte, CEO of SriLankan Airlines, said, “We believe that the launch of this policy will send a strong message to species smugglers, that we will not tolerate any activities that are unethical or endanger the survival of any species. It is important that we as a National Airline, reaffirm our commitment to conservation and strengthen our policies and procedures.” Pradeepa Kekulawala, Convener of SriLankan Airlines’ Green Initiatives and Head of Human Resources, said, “Our new Corporate Policy was formulated after much research on global trends in conservation, and a resolve to stay in the forefront of the anti-smuggling campaign for which we have gained a sound reputation over the last decade.”

Abu Dhabi Airports has announced that it will be taking part in the 142nd IATA Slots Conference in Vancouver, Canada to open and enhance links within the aviation industry. The company will be joining Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture & Tourism (DCT) and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Set to run from the June 19-21 , IATA Slots Conference is a semi-annual forum that attracts over 1,200 delegates across 75 exhibitors and sponsors, representing 230 airlines, and 75 schedules-facilitated and fully-coordinated airports. The conference provides a comprehensive platform for the allocation of slots among IATA and non-IATA airlines worldwide at fully-coordinated airports and to reach a concord on the schedule adjustments based on the airport capacity limitations. Abu Dhabi Airports’ participation comes as part of its initiative to engage with potential airline partners with comprehensive plans to operate from the Abu Dhabi International Airport or the Al Ain International Airport, and to further discuss expansion opportunities among current airline partners operating in the two airports respectively. Commenting on the announcement, Saoud Al Shamsi, the Acting CCO of Abu Dhabi Airports said, “The IATA Slots Conference serves the key purpose of gathering the world’s aviation community to form strategic partnerships and explore new market opportunities which will in turn promote the country’s travel and tourism industry extensively. We are constantly developing experiential and technological advancements for Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al Ain International Airport to reinforce both airports’ position as key aviation and travel hubs in the region”.

Etihad Airways has announced the introduction of a new scheduled service linking Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, Spain, effective from November 21, 2018. The route will initially be operated five times a week by a two-class Airbus A330-200 before becoming a daily operation from  March 31, 2019. Barcelona will become the second city in Spain served by Etihad Airways, complementing the airline’s existing daily service to the capital Madrid. The new route will provide business and leisure travellers with convenient timings to travel between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, also providing seamless onward connections through Abu Dhabi to major cities in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Korea and Australia. Peter Baumgartner, Chief Executive Officer Etihad Airways, said,“As one of the largest unserved markets from our Abu Dhabi base, Barcelona – a hub of culture, commerce, tourism, education, fashion and science, has witnessed a significant increase in travel demand from the emirate, and from across our wider network. We are now delighted to announce the first direct link between these two important global hubs. We are confident it will prove very popular with UAE and Barcelona-based customers, allowing us to extend our acclaimed inflight service, hospitality and flair to this vibrant Mediterranean city, and to build on the flourishing cultural and commercial ties between the UAE and Spain.”

Emirates airline will introduce regular scheduled commercial Airbus A380 services to Osaka at Kansai International Airport in Japan on October 28, 2018, serving two of three Japanese getaways. The deployment of the double-decker aircraft represents a capacity increase of 38 per cent and means that travellers will enjoy the comfort of an A380 to and from two Japanese gateways, as the flagship aircraft already operates daily from Narita International Airport. The A380 will replace the 777-300ER aircraft currently operating on the EK316/EK317 service to and from Osaka. The Emirates’ Airbus A380 aircraft serving the Dubai-Osaka route will offer a total of 489 seats in a three-class configuration, with 399 spacious seats in Economy Class, 76 fully flat-bed seats in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites. Emirates flights to and from Japan cater to the needs of Japanese travellers with Japanese-speaking cabin crew on board. Emirates award-winning entertainment system, ice, offers up to 3,500 channels of audio and visual entertainment, including live TV and more than 100 channels of Japanese content, movies, TV shows and music. Emirates customers can enjoy a generous baggage allowance, with 50kg for First Class, 40kg for Business Class and up to 35kg for Economy Class passengers. First Class customers on Emirates flights to and from Japan can experience traditional Kaiseki (multi-course meal) cuisine and Business Class customers have the option of a traditional bento box. Emirates is the first Middle Eastern airline to serve Kaiseki-inspired meals on board.

Giving customers even more reasons to explore Dubai and the UAE, ‘My Emirates Pass’ turns the Emirates boarding pass into an exclusive membership card, giving travellers exclusive offers and discounts within the UAE. Emirates customers flying to or through Dubai between June 1 and August 31, 2018 can take advantage of a range of offers at some of Dubai’s best known hotspots by simply showing their boarding pass and a valid form of identification. The pass gives customers exclusive offers at over 250 locations including world-class restaurants. Special privileges are also available on a range of leisure activities including visits to thrilling theme parks or luxury spas across the city. For the first time, retail outlets have also been added to the mix giving special discounts at select fashion and fitness brands. “My Emirates Pass is the best way to explore Emirates’ hub Dubai and the rest of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai has a growing list of new attractions and world-class facilities, giving visitors something new to explore whether it’s their first time or a return trip,” says Mohammad Al Hashimi, Vice President, Commercial Products Dubai—Emirates. The destination offers year-round sunshine, world-class shopping and restaurants, stunning beaches and iconic buildings. Visitors to Dubai can use My Emirates Pass to enjoy world-class attractions.

Dnata has announced that it is expanding its partnership with EgyptAir in Dubai to provide the airline with premium cargo handling services from its best-in-class facility at Dubai World Central (DWC). EgyptAir will initially operate one cargo flight a week between Dubai and Cairo using an Airbus A300F aircraft. Dnata has been providing ground handling services to EgyptAir at Dubai International Airport since 2005. The expansion of the partnership underlines the attraction of Dubai as an air cargo hub and the demand for Dnata’s reliable and quality services and dedicated team. Including EgyptAir , Dnata’s cargo operations serve over 120 airlines at 43 airports handling over 3 million tonnes of cargo a year. Bernd Struck, Senior Vice President, UAE Cargo & DWC Airline Services for dnata, said, “Delivering service and operational excellence to our customers has been the core of our business for decades. DWC is designed to support logistics well into the future and we are excited to welcome EgyptAir to be part of this journey with us.”

Emirates Skywards has revamped its family, offering to provide a richer, more rewarding programme called ‘My Family’. Family members can now pool up to 100 per cent of Skywards miles earned on Emirates flights, allowing them to redeem rewards faster than before. Each member can pool up to 100 per cent of their miles earned on Emirates flights and the nominated contribution of miles from each member can be adjusted at any time. Emirates Skywards has a global membership of 20 million and all members are eligible to join ‘My Family’. Each account can have up to 8 family members including a nominated Family Head. “We’re always working to enhance our offerings to ensure our members are given greater value, choice and flexibility at every touchpoint across the Emirates Skywards programme. The new enriched ‘My Family’ programme will provide our members with a better, more intuitive customer experience, allowing them to consolidate up to 100 per cent of Skywards Miles earned on Emirates to reap faster rewards as well as tailor the proposition to meet their travel needs,” said Nejib Ben Khedher, Senior Vice President, Emirates Skywards. The new Emirates Skywards ‘My Family’ programme complements the airline’s exceptional family offering both on board and on the ground. In flight, young travellers can look forward to special toys, activity packs, child-friendly meals and dedicated kids’ content on ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system. On the ground, Emirates provides a dedicated family check-in area and complimentary strollers in Dubai and priority boarding for families across all airports.

Emirates has announced that it will introduce the first scheduled commercial Airbus A380 service to Hamburg on October 29. To commemorate the inaugural arrival in Hamburg, the A380 will be deployed on the morning service (EK059/EK060), while from 30 October the A380 will be regularly deployed on the afternoon service (EK061/EK062).  The deployment of the iconic double decker aircraft will represent a capacity increase of over 22 per cent on the route, the airlines said in a statement. With a total of 6,090 weekly seats in each direction, Emirates will offer business and leisure travellers from the North of Germany an even greater choice of travel options to Dubai and to over 150 destinations beyond, highlighting Hamburg’s importance as part of the airline’s global network. Emirates’ Airbus A380 aircraft serving the Dubai-Hamburg route will offer high levels of comfort and high quality service: a total of 516 seats in a three-class configuration, with 426 spacious seats in Economy on the main deck, 76 fully flat bed seats in Business and 14 First Class Private Suites on the upper deck. The Emirates A380 is renowned for its First Class Shower Spas as well as the Onboard Lounge for First and Business Class passengers, arguably the most popular social spot at 40,000 feet. Passengers in all classes enjoy free Wi-Fi to stay in touch with family and friends and Emirates’ multi-award winning ‘ice’ inflight entertainment with up to 3,500 channels of movies, TV programmes, music and podcasts on the industry’s biggest personal screens in each class of travel.

Etihad Cargo has launched its first humanitarian freighter missions as part of the Etihad’s extensive Year of Zayed programme, which will take place throughout 2018. The specially branded Year of Zayed Boeing 777 freighter aircraft departed Abu Dhabi – first to Almaty in Kazakhstan and then to Hyderabad in India – carrying special provisions to be distributed to those in need during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The humanitarian missions are taking place throughout the year in collaboration with the Khalifa Foundation, the Red Crescent, and His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian & Scientific Foundation. These missions represent the Year of Zayed theme of respect, one of the four key themes of Etihad’s Year of Zayed activation plan. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are pleased to have commenced our first Year of Zayed humanitarian operations with our cargo aircraft which is crossing the globe to deliver vital items to help people most in need. The humanitarian missions embody the spirit and values of the UAE’s founding father, HH Sheikh Zayed, and we are proud to play a small role in carrying forward his legacy and supporting people in need from around the globe.”

Emirates has commenced its signature Ramadan service for customers during the holy month. Emirates’ Ramadan service consists of specially crafted iftar meals on board, relevant programming on its ice inflight entertainment system, and the distribution of dates and water on the ground for those breaking their fast. The airlines provides iftar boxes with a nutritional meal for customers breaking their fast on board. The boxes have been redesigned this year by local homeware specialists Silsal Design House. The designs are inspired by the Middle East, its people, places and culture. Silsal has also created bespoke Emirates Arabic Coffee Cups available at the Emirates Official Stores. The iftar boxes provide a nutritious meal for customers to break their fast and includes couscous salad & grilled chicken or moudardara & roasted chicken, sandwiches, spinach fatayer or tomato and onion fatayer, assorted sweets, dates, laban and water. The boxes have been designed for customers to take away if they wish. The menus will be refreshed mid-Ramadan. These special meals will be available to passengers across all cabin classes on select Emirates flights that coincide with iftar times. This includes flights to and from the Gulf region as well as flights catering to Umrah groups travelling to Jeddah and Medina during the month of Ramadan. During the holy month, cold meals will be served in lieu of a hot one on all flights to Jeddah and Medina, including Umrah day flights. Emirates utilises a unique tool to calculate the correct timings for imsak (the time to commence fasting) and iftar while in-flight.