Reaffirming its commitment to Nigeria, Etihad Airways has announced two additional weekly flights on the popular Abu Dhabi–Lagos route, taking it to a daily service. The new Tuesday and Thursday services will start on May 1, 2018. The route will continue to be operated by a two-class Airbus A330, with 22 Business Class seats and 240 in Economy. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Executive Vice President Commercial, Etihad Airways, said: “Nigeria is an important market for Etihad and our home of Abu Dhabi. Since launching the Lagos route in July 2012, Etihad has carried almost 600,000 passengers between our hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport and the commercial heart of Nigeria. It is pleased to be able to support the high demand for our service by soon operating the route on a daily basis.” Guests travelling to Lagos on Etihad Airways will experience the airline’s award-winning service by multinational cabin crew and onboard nannies, extensive inflight entertainment selections and a choice of complimentary international meals and beverages. Depending on the class of travel, passengers can enjoy a generous baggage allowance of two bags of up to 23 kg each in Economy Class and up to 32 kg each in Business Class.
Read More »Emirates to launch non-stop Dubai-Newark flights from June 1
Emirates is set to launch a new non-stop service between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Dubai from June 1, 2018, adding to its existing daily flight which operates with a stop in Athens, Greece. The new non-stop service will be operated with an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, offering eight suites in First Class, 42 seats in Business, 306 in Economy Class, and 19 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity. Flight EK223 will depart Dubai at 03:00 am and arrive in Newark at 09:00 am. The return flight EK224 departs Newark at 11:50 am, arriving in Dubai at 08: 20am on the following day. This new timing complements the existing Emirates service, as it provides travellers with a new option of a morning arrival in Newark, and a morning departure. Emirates’ non-stop service to Newark will offer travellers in northern New Jersey enhanced global connectivity, particularly those heading to Africa, the Far East and the Indian sub-continent. This is a boon for ethnic communities such as the nearly 700,000 Indian Americans residing in the greater New York area, who will have one-stop access to nine Indian cities on Emirates’ global network.
Read More »flydubai adds Aqaba and Thessaloniki to its network
The latest destinations added to flydubai’s network are Thessaloniki in Greece and Aqaba in Jordan, starting June 2018. Flights to Thessaloniki will operate thrice a week starting from June 15, while flights to Aqaba will operate four times a week from June 16. Commenting on the launch, Ghaith Al Ghaith Chief Executive Officer, flydubai, said, “With the addition of Aqaba and Thessaloniki to our network, we increase the number of underserved markets served by flydubai with direct flights from the UAE to 71 destinations. We are committed to create free flows of trade and tourism, and strengthen direct air links with the UAE.” flydubai earlier announced the launch of several new routes for 2018 including Tivat, Krakow, Dubrovnik, Catania, Kutaisi, Qabala and Batumi from March onwards. This brings the number of destinations served by the carrier in Eastern and Southern Europe to 27, Caucasus and Central Asia to 11 and GCC and Middle East to 30.
Read More »Royal Jordanian to fly to Copenhagen from June 3
Royal Jordanian (RJ) is set to launch a new direct service to Copenhagen as of June 3, 2018. The three weekly flights will give RJ a strong presence in the Scandinavian market. This addition is in line with RJ’s turnaround plan that includes continuous assessment of the route network to enhance traffic to Jordan and improve connectivity via the base, Amman. The new route will attract more tourists to Jordan, facilitate travel for businessmen, and enhance trade between Jordan and the Scandinavian market. Royal Jordanian will operate three weekly flights with Airbus 320 family planes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The plane departs Queen Alia International Airport, Amman at 10:45, and arrives at Copenhagen International Airport at 14:30. Return flights depart Copenhagen Airport at 15:25 and arrive at QAIA at 21:00. Stefan Pichler, President/CEO, RJ said, “RJ will continue to review its network and look for new markets to enhance traffic and connect Jordan to the world, in line with our vision to become the airline of choice in the Middle East and the Levant.”
Read More »Air Arabia to launch flights to Izmir, Turkey from June 27
Air Arabia will add two flights per week to Izmir making it the fifth destination in Turkey from June 27, 2018. It will become the first airline to connect UAE and Izmir with a direct flight. Izmir joins Istanbul, Antalya, Bodrum and Trabzon as the carrier’s fifth destination in the country. The flight will operate twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, departing Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) at 21:05 hours, and arriving the next day at Izmir’s Adnan Menderes International Airport (ADB) at 00:50 hours local time. The return flight will depart Izmir at 01:30 hours, landing in Sharjah at 06:50 hours local time. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia said, “Turkey is a country with a true epitome of a cultural crossroad, and holds history that is as tangible and accessible as any of its modern-day attractions. We are pleased to announce Izmir as our fifth destination in Turkey. This new flight to Izmir is an exciting destination for residents in the UAE and GCC to visit just in time for the summer holidays.”
Read More »flyadeal adds Abha to its growing network
flyadeal is set to add Abha to its growing network route, starting February 1. Abha will be the airline’s fifth destination from Jeddah and third from Riyadh, after having launched flights to Dammam, Qassim and Jazan in its first three months of commencing operations. The new destination is made possible with the arrival of the fifth brand new A320 aircraft, Al-Kawkab (The Star). The airline will connect Abha to both Jeddah and Riyadh, with two daily flights between the cities, offering convenient schedules in both morning and evening. His Excellency Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Chairman, flyadeal, said, “With the opening of the Abha route, we connect travellers point to point within the Kingdom with a new low fare service, and in the months ahead, we look forward to even further expansion both domestically and internationally.” Abha, a mountainous region with year-round pleasant weather, is a popular holiday destination. By connecting the heart of the Asir Province with the Kingdom’s two largest cities, flyadeal’s new routes will allow customers to explore the national heritage and wonderful scenery in Abha.
Read More »Emirates inks deal for 36 A380s worth $16 billion
Emirates announced a US$ 16 billion (AED 58.7 billion) deal for 36 additional Airbus A380 aircraft, with 20 firm orders and 16 options. Emirates’ A380 fleet operates both GE and Rolls-Royce engines, and the airline is evaluating engine options for its latest A380 order. The additional Airbus A380s will be delivered to Emirates from 2020 onwards. Together with the airline’s 101-strong A380 fleet and its current order backlog for 41 aircraft, this new order brings Emirates’ commitment to the A380 programme to 178 aircraft, worth over US$ 60 billion. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, said, “This deal reflects Emirates’ confidence in shaping the future and its commitment to advancing Dubai’s vision to grow further as a world-class destination and aviation hub.” His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group signed the MOU with John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft at the airline’s headquarters in Dubai.
Read More »Royal Jordanian implements new security measures for US-bound flights
Royal Jordanian (RJ) is set to implement additional security measures for US-bound flights from January 18. The measures- which include security interviews with every passenger at check-in or boarding gates- are applicable on all international airlines operating direct flights to the US, and include all nationalities flying to the US, with no exception. While they were required in October 26, 2017, the US authorities granted all airlines the option of delaying the implementation process for a limited period of time. RJ passengers are still required to be at the airport three hours prior to their scheduled US-bound flights, to avoid delays and allow more time for the implementation of new security procedures. RJ currently operates 11 weekly flights to the US, namely, five to Chicago, four to New York and two to Detroit, with a connection in Montreal.
Read More »Turkish Airlines ends 2017 on a successful note
Turkish Airlines has performed well beyond expectations in 2017. The number of passengers in 2017 compared to previous year was increased by 9.3 per cent and the flag carrier carried 68.6 millions passengers. Compared to the previous year, the load factor reached 79.1 per cent by increasing 4.7 points. The carrier has reached the highest December load factor rate with 79.5 per cent in December 2017. M. İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines, had given the first signal of the carrier’s proven success at the end of 2017 in January 2017. He said, “We believe that 2017 will be much better year than 2016. We made our plans and savings accordingly. We are analysing the conditions of our home country, our region, our industry, the developments and trends in aviation and tourism sector. I believe Turkish Airlines will complete the year with increased power, brand value and market share once again’’. In December, cargo/mail volume increased by 18.4 per cent, compared to December 2016. In December, Load Factor increased for all regions. Middle East, North America and Africa showed visible growth among other regions with 7,1 points, 6.8 points and 5.6 points increase, respectively. During January-December, increase in demand and total number of passengers were 7.9 per cent and 9.3 per cent, respectively, over the same period of last year.
Read More »Emirates to resume flights to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport
Emirates is set to resume its flights between Dubai and Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport, starting June 8, 2018. The resumption of services on the route will allow customers two destination options when travelling to Istanbul. The flight will be operated five times a week by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER in a three-class cabin configuration, with eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 310 spacious seats in Economy Class. Together with Emirates’ other service to Istanbul, the airline will offer 16 flights, catering to both tourism and business traffic. The aircraft allows for an increase in cargo capacity to Istanbul, with a weekly total of 100 tonnes, making Emirates the only airline operating a scheduled service with a wide-body aircraft at Sabiha Gokcen Airport. Emirates flight EK119 will depart Dubai at 10:00hrs and arrive in Istanbul at 13:45hrs. The return flight EK120 will leave Istanbul at 15:35 hrs and arrive in Dubai at 21:00 hrs. The new timing allows customers from Istanbul to seamlessly connect to Emirates’ flights at Dubai International Airport to popular destinations like Bangkok, Shanghai, Seoul, and cities across Australia.
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