Category Archives: Aviation

Qatar Airways, the Global Partner and Official Airline of F1®, in partnership with Qatar Airways Holidays, announced today the launch of its exclusive travel packages for the upcoming F1® races this season. The travel packages allow fans to be up-close to high-octane action, and exclusively enjoy unique experiences including pit lane walks, guided track tours, and special events with select F1® drivers. Fans have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to purchase an array of flexible packages for all of the 2023 F1® race destinations, including the forthcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix and Qatar Airways Gran Premio del Made in Italy e Dell’Emilia-Romagna. In addition, the airline’s Privilege Club members can also earn Avios points – the world’s leading loyalty rewards currency, based on the total value of these Ultimate F1® Fan Travel Packages. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are thrilled to introduce our F1® Travel Packages to motorsports fans around the world. We have worked hard to create these affordable packages that offer unbeatable value. The Formula 1® Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix packages offer fans the additional experience to attend the superlative Geneva International Motor Show that is taking place in Qatar from 5-14 October. The access to the most highly anticipated auto show of the year makes the Qatar Grand Prix Travel Package a guaranteed unforgettable experience and the most affordable travel package for fans.” From start to end of their journey, the packages are designed for fans to enjoy a seamless motorsport extravaganza, with the inclusion of return flights, hotel accommodations, F1® Paddock Club or Grandstand race tickets, and much more. Motorsport enthusiasts planning to attend the Formula …

Emirates’ iconic flagship A380 landed at Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, signalling a better way to fly between Dubai and Casablanca, as well as increasing travel demand in and out of Morocco. Passengers onboard the first A380 to Morocco were in for an extra tinge of excitement as the superjumbo was dressed in a special livery marked for the occasion. The aircraft sported the Museum of the Future Livery, Dubai’s newest definitive marvel, architectural icon and centre for pioneering concepts and ideas. The daily A380 service replaces the existing Boeing 777-300ER aircraft currently used between Dubai and Casablanca. Emirates flight EK 751 takes off from Dubai International Airport at 07:30hrs and lands in in Casablanca at 11:55hrs. EK 752 departs Casablanca at 1445hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0115hrs the next day. The aircraft was received by Khalfan Al Salami, Country Manager, Morocco, along with a host of dignitaries including Alasri Al Dhaheri, the UAE ambassador of Morocco, Omar Abdulrahman Al Tunaiji, UAE Consul General of Morocco, Alarby Bin Ebrahim, Public relations Manager, and Abdalhaq Mazrour, Airport Director, Morocco. Emirates has been flying to Morocco for 21 years and the return of A380 services underscores its long-standing commitment to the country, boosting inbound traffic and supporting the tourism recovery of the country. Casablanca continues to be a popular leisure destination on the Emirates’ net, and the upgrade of services to an A380 will provide travellers more opportunities to connect to the Moroccan capital, as well as provide customers more connectivity to Dubai and beyond to cities through  Emirates’ extensive global network. Passengers travelling on the first A380 are coming from the Middle East, South and South East Asia, South Africa, …

Qatar Airways flights to Birmingham, England will resume on 6 July 2023, operating daily throughout the summer season. The flight will be operated with the Boeing 787-8 with 254 seats: 22 Business Class and 232 Economy Class seats. This resumption will come at an opportune time for travellers attending the British Grand Prix taking place on 9 July 2023 at the legendary Silverstone circuit. Birmingham, one of the UK’s most significant industrial and commercial cities, is known for its number of well-preserved, unusual historical attractions. The city is also the national centre of the silversmith profession making the Jewellery Quarter, which produces 40 per cent of the UK’s Jewellery, a truly spectacular area to experience. Birmingham is also home to the Bullring, one of the largest shopping centres in Europe, making it one of the top three shopping destinations in the UK. The city is also home the largest event space in the UK, the National Exhibition Centre, attracting thousands of visitors throughout the year. The City of Birmingham is centrally located with 90 per cent of the UK being reachable within four hours, and is conveniently located only one hour away from the Silverstone circuit, where fans can take advantage of the new Qatar Airways route to join in the racing festivities. With its affiliation to F1, Birmingham is home to some of the world’s most recognised motorsport racing teams; making the resumption of Qatar Airways’ daily services to the ‘Motorsport Valley’ arrive in a timely manner. Qatar Airways Holidays is also offering one-of-a-kind travel packages which include flights, hotels, premium seats at the race, gourmet hospitality, Paddock Club™ Pit Lane Walk and an exclusive event with appearances by …

With summer approaching, Oman Air announced the expansion of its flight offerings to Turkey. In response to the growing demand for travel to this popular destination, the airline has re-launched its popular Trabzon route and is increasing the frequency of its flights to Istanbul, providing guests with more options and flexibility during the peak season. As of June, holiday-goers can choose from twice daily flights to Istanbul as well as daily flights to Trabzon, at convenient timings. Whether travellers are seeking to explore the cultural and historic sites of Istanbul or soak up the breathtaking landscapes of Trabzon, the airline is committed to delivering a seamless and enjoyable travel experience. With the new flight options, guests can plan an unforgettable trip to Turkey with ease. Guests travelling to Turkey should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. Those wishing to enhance their stay can also book a customised Turkey holiday package through Oman Air Holidays by visiting holidays.omanair.com.

To establish direct air connectivity with one of the world’s popular destinations, Oman’s SalamAir announced the introduction of a direct flight between Muscat and Kuala Lumpur with two flights per week beginning on July 3, 2023. Flights from Muscat to Kuala Lumpur are scheduled for Monday and Friday. The route serves both sides’ high demand for leisure and business tourism. Kuala Lumpur, SalamAir’s first destination in Malaysia, marks the airline’s further expansion into Southeast Asia. For people living in Oman and those wanting to take connecting flights, it’s a convenient non-stop flight to Southeast Asian country for leisure, shopping, or business purposes. Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir, said, “The new service marks another milestone in our network expansion strategy. We are delighted to launch flights between Muscat and Kuala Lumpur, providing our customers with a perfect value-for-money product that allows them to be flexible, save on airfare with our competitive pricing, and add services they prefer. The flights will boost tourism, economic relations, business opportunities, and student movements between Oman and Malaysia and serve the overall Oman 2040 vision of supporting the inbound tourism sector as one of the main contributors to the national GDP of the Sultanate of Oman.  We are committed to connecting more destinations along new sectors to establish a strong pan-international presence.” The journey between Muscat and Kuala Lumpur will take about seven hours. With the high demand for unique tourist destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, SalamAir looks forward to welcoming customers onboard these new flights soon. Air tickets for this route and other flights of SalamAir can be purchased on the official website of the airline www.salamair.com, mobile app, call center, as well as …

Following the recently expanded air services agreement between the UAE and Canada, Etihad Airways has announced it will increase flights to Toronto. On 30 May, Etihad Airways will introduce an additional weekly flight between Abu Dhabi and Toronto, on top of its current six-per-week flight schedule, to offer travellers a daily connection. “Etihad is thrilled to begin flying daily between Abu Dhabi and Toronto, which has been one of our busiest routes in 2023 as a result of the rapid recovery and continued growth in travel demand between the UAE and Canada,” said Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer at Etihad Airways. “Our daily service will provide business and leisure travellers, the Canadian diaspora and the large body of students from the UAE enrolled in Canada’s world-class universities with a convenient flight option every day of the week. “We thank the government and civil aviation authorities for laying the groundwork for us to strengthen the air links between our two countries, which are essential for tourism, trade and bilateral relations.” Etihad will this year mark 18 years since it began serving Toronto in October 2005.  The carrier has an interline agreement with WestJet and a codeshare with Air Canada which allow guests to benefit from seamless connectivity in Toronto to more than 15 destinations. Dynamic and cosmopolitan, Toronto is the largest city in Canada and a must-visit destination for its diverse culture, stunning architecture and exciting food scene. Visitors can explore its iconic landmarks such as the CN Tower – one of more than 80 skyscrapers in the city – along with the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Abu Dhabi is a world-class tourism destination and offers …

SAUDIA announced that it will significantly increase the number of flights to major global destinations. This comes as part of its objectives to bring the world to the Kingdom and strengthen the airlines’ international presence. The expansion offers convenient connections and more flexibilities for SAUDIA’s guests. SAUDIA CEO, Captain Ibrahim Koshy commented on the international network expansion: “We are pleased to offer our guests more flights to Europe’s most important cities. The increase in frequency also means greater connectivity to our growing network and the opportunity to welcome more visitors to the Kingdom.” By mid-year, SAUDIA will be operating 56 weekly services internationally to and from 14 destinations. The uplift in capacity provides SAUDIA guests with even more access globally, as well as bolstering trade and business opportunities.   Bangkok – From 26 March, SAUDIA will be introducing 3 additional flights to Bangkok from Jeddah. As a result, SAUDIA will be serving Bangkok a total of 10 flights a week with daily services from Jeddah and 3 flights per week from Riyadh. Seoul – From 26 March, SAUDIA will be introducing non-stop flights to Seoul from both Jeddah and Riyadh. As a result, SAUDIA will be connecting Seoul with 4 flights a week with 2 non-stop flights a week from Jeddah and 2 non-stop flights a week from Riyadh. Guangzhou – From 26 March, SAUDIA will be serving Guangzhou from Jeddah three times a week. The company will also introduce two new weekly flights from Riyadh. Kuala Lumpur – From 26 March, SAUDIA will be adding three services a week between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur. The extra services will boost SAUDIA’s presence at Kuala Lumpur to 24 flights per week, …

Adding another exclusive partnership to its growing portfolio, Oman Air has signed a new agreement that allows members of its frequent flyer programme, Sindbad, to use their Miles to shop at Muscat Duty Free’s online store. With over a thousand lifestyle products ranging from cutting-edge gadgets to confectionary, luxury fragrances and accessories, and easy pick-up on the way through Muscat International Airport, it’s the perfect excuse for members to treat themselves or even gift someone they love. Mundher Al Shaikhani, Acting Vice President – Marketing, at Oman Air, said, “We’re thrilled to have partnerships with some of the best and most popular lifestyle brands, providing our loyal members with opportunities to use their hard-earned Miles in whole new ways. As Sindbad continues to evolve, we are finding new and unique ways to make their travel more rewarding every time they fly.” Renat Rozpravka, Chief Executive Officer of Muscat Duty Free, added, “We seek to further enhance the world-class offering in Oman, focusing on delivering high-quality products and an enjoyable shopping experience for passengers travelling through Muscat International Airport. We are thrilled to offer this new benefit to our valued members and look forward to seeing how they take advantage of it.” The new agreement means members can pay with their Sindbad Miles when shopping at the Muscat Duty Free online store and pick up their order when departing from or arriving at Muscat International Airport. Alternatively, they can nominate another person to collect it on their behalf. Meanwhile, members can also earn Miles when shopping in-store, benefiting from a rate of 1 Sindbad Mile per 1 Omani Rial spent at Departures, and 2 Sindbad Miles per 1 Omani Rial spent …

Within the framework of Kuwait Airways’ continuous endeavours to provide the best services and solutions to its valued customers, the company announced the launching of the Electronic Boarding Passes, as a new service enabling customers to check-in and complete their travel procedures on Kuwait Airways’ website or the electronic application for more than 22 selected stations, for those arriving to Kuwait. Speaking on the launch of this new service, the Chairman of Kuwait Airways, Captain Ali Al-Dukhan stated, “Kuwait Airways is committed to its tireless efforts to introduce the latest services that will enable passengers to save time and facilitate the completion of their travel procedures. The launch of the Electronic Boarding Pass is part of the Blue Bird’s efforts to implement its strategic objectives towards digital transformation, which is in line with the best standards and solutions in the aviation sector, and to provide distinguished services for passengers travelling on the National Carrier of the State of Kuwait. This is in addition to the recent launch of various other new services during the National Holidays, such as the Home Check-in Service and the Limousine Service for Royal and First Class passengers”. Al-Dukhan added, “Customers can check-in through the Kuwait Airways website or the electronic application, select their preferred seat, complete their reservation procedures, and then obtain the barcode for their flight. Passengers without any luggage can proceed directly to the passport control, show the barcode and head to the boarding gate, without the requirements of proceeding to the check-in counter to check their baggage allowance.” Al-Dukhan continued by saying, “As for passengers carrying baggage, they can complete their travel procedures either through the self-baggage weighing device according to its …

The world’s leading aerospace event, Dubai Airshow has grown immensely in significance and influence over the years, highlighted by the success of the November 2021 edition, which saw more than USD 74 billion worth of deals announced during the mega event. It welcomed more than 104,000 attendees and witnessed a 50% increase in trade visitors, which included global senior executives from 148 countries. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, the 18th edition of Dubai Airshow is set to take place from 13-17 November 2023 at Dubai World Central (DWC), Dubai Airshow Site. The event is supported by key aviation industry stakeholders including Dubai Airports, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), the UAE Ministry of Defence, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) and the UAE Space Agency. With 2023 announced by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the ‘Year of Sustainability’, the latest edition will focus on showcasing the sustainability initiatives and technologies from government entities and the wider aerospace industry, further reinforcing the UAE’s unwavering commitment to promoting sustainable circularity ahead of COP28 summit in Dubai. Across the country, industry players continue to invest in new projects and initiatives such as Emirates operating its first demo flight powered with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Dubai Airports implementing efficiencies and innovative solutions to limit its environmental impact. Significant growth is also expected within aerial mobility, with Dubai pledging to launch flying taxis in 2026, advancements in electric and hybrid eVTOL’s and the DCAA publishing the world’s first national regulations related to vertiports. His Highness Sheikh …