Category Archives: Aviation

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi to start direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Baku in Azerbaijan from 13th September 2023. The direct flights will connect Abu Dhabi International Airport to Heydar Aliyev International Airport with a frequency of three flights per week.     Schedule to Baku, effective September 13, 2023 (all times local): Flight Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Frequency 3L 730 Abu Dhabi 10:10 Baku 13:15 Airbus 320 Wednesday/Friday/Sunday 3L 731 Baku 14:15 Abu Dhabi 17:15 Airbus 320 Wednesday/Friday/Sunday               Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: “We are excited to start our direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Baku, a city which offers a unique blend of Europe and Asia. Baku is a significant route in our expansion plans from UAE’s capital and reinforces our commitment to providing our customers with more choices, convenience, and enhanced connectivity, while supporting both countries’ aviation sector and tourism industry”. Air Arabia Abu Dhabi continues to enhance global connectivity to and from the capital of the UAE, serving a total of 32 destinations directly from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Air Arabia operates a total fleet of 68 Airbus A320 and A321 neo-LR aircraft, the most modern and best-selling single aisle aircraft in the world. The cabin configuration across Air Arabia’s fleet provides added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitch of any economy cabin. The aircraft is equipped with ‘SkyTime’, a free in-flight streaming service that will allow passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices. Customers can also enjoy a variety of delicacies between snacks, meals, and sandwiches from the on-board ‘SkyCafe’ menu at affordable prices. The …

Emirates and Philippine Airlines (PAL) have signed an interline agreement to boost connectivity for passengers of both air carriers to new points on each other’s networks via Manila and Dubai, using a single ticket and one baggage policy. Now in effect, the reciprocal interline partnership provides Emirates’ passengers access to 19 Philippine domestic destinations operated by Philippine Airlines, including Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Cotabato, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo and more, as well as two Asian regional points via Manila. Philippine Airlines’ passengers also benefit from access to Emirates’ global network and seamlessly connect to 21 cities operated by Emirates beyond Dubai to European destinations such as London, Rome, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Paris and Kuwait, as well as to Jeddah and other points in the Middle East , Africa and India. Travel itineraries can be booked on emirates.com, philippineairlines.com, the Emirates and PAL mobile apps, or via both online and offline travel agents. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer commented: “The Philippines is one of our strongest consumer markets and we’re pleased to sign a new interline agreement with the country’s flag carrier. The partnership with Philippine Airlines will help open new links for trade and tourism that will drive more inbound traffic into the market, and expand Emirates’ footprint in East Asia. We look forward to serving our partner airline’s customers with additional travel choices to Emirates destinations across the Middle East, Europe as well as the Americas, and to expanding our cooperation with plans to include additional points via Cebu in the coming months.” Bud Britanico, Philippine Airlines Vice President for Sales commented:  “We are happy to embark on this new interline partnership with Emirates that expands the choices available …

Qatar Airways has launched a new brand campaign in collaboration with world-renowned Indian actress, Deepika Padukone. The campaign launch is the culmination of the airline’s endeavour to redefine Qatar Airways Premium experience, particularly through showcasing the world-class Qsuite along with the unparalleled surroundings of The Orchard, which are core to Hamad International Airport’s expansion. The timeless acoustic track ‘Ain’t Nobody’ accompanies the campaign that connects Padukone’s journey with Qatar Airways to a new level of luxury and elegance. She encapsulates the premium experience available to customers of Qatar Airways, transiting through the best airport in the world, Hamad International Airport. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “At Qatar Airways, we constantly strive for excellence. This collaboration brings together refinement and grace, and Deepika showcases beautifully on how Qatar Airways offers award-winning premium experiences both in the sky and on the ground to its customers. Deepika is an obvious choice as she has the right global appeal and charisma for our brand. We are truly delighted to have Deepika on board Qatar Airways as our Global Brand Ambassador.”

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is ramping up operations to meet high demand and expanding its modern, sustainable fleet. With nine state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft, the airline is driving ambitious growth into new territories with must-see destinations for adventure lovers carrying the flag of ultra-low-cost travel. Set to launch this summer, the national airline is commencing operations to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and the relaunch of popular routes to Larnaca, Santorini and Sohag, Egypt. Tickets are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app with fares starting as low as AED 179*. The additional aircraft will enable Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to enhance frequencies and offer tourists and residents hassle-free, affordable travel in both the UAE and throughout multiple continents to the very best destinations. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has a plethora of year-round travel opportunities with culturally rich destinations including vibrant cities and natural paradises. On top of the new destinations, the new aircraft will enable Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to increase the ultra-low-cost-travel footprint in the current network with increased presence on Abu Dhabi – Tirana, Yerevan, Baku, Alexandria, Kutaisi, Athens, Almaty, Astana, Sarajevo, Ankara, Tashkent and Samarkand. Bishkek, the financial centre of Kyrgyzstan, is a modern, cosmopolitan city with colourful bazaars. Located at the foothills of the Tien Shan mountain range, Bishkek is an eclectic mix of Kyrgyz culture and Soviet architecture with must-see attractions including the State Historical Museum and Ala-Too Square. Adventurous travellers can enjoy the beautiful sites in the nearby countryside with the unmissable mountains at Ala-Archa National Park and pristine valleys. Well-known for its palm-tree seafront, Larnaca is truly authentic and offers a plethora of tourist sites with laidback crowds. The port city has …

Jazeera Airways announced the launch of direct flights to a third destination in Uzbekistan: Samarkand. The airline will operate twice a week, connecting travelers from Kuwait to this historic city, while offering a convenient route for Uzbek travelers to the Middle East region and beyond. In 2021, Jazeera Airways was the first to connect Kuwait to Uzbekistan with direct flights to the capital city of Tashkent, twice a week. Last year, Jazeera also started flying to the third largest city in the country, Namangan. Rohit Ramachandran, CEO, Jazeera Airways, said: “We have been steadily developing our presence in Central Asia and Uzbekistan has been a particular success for us with continuing growth opportunities. We are pleased to be adding Samarkand to our network in the region. To date Samarkand has limited direct international flight connections and we are hoping that our direct flights from Kuwait will make the city more accessible for both inbound and outbound passengers.” Situated on the Great Silk Road, Samarkand has a unique geographic presence and also features on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It comprises of one of a kind architectural landmarks, scientific and art influences as well as artisan workshops. Operations on this new route will commence from 1st March 2023. Flight Schedule Flight Number Frequency From To Departure (Local Time) Arrival (Local Time) J9 0681 Wednesday, Sunday KWI SKD 05:10 10:20 J9 0682 Wednesday, Sunday SKD KWI 11:35 13:15

Sabre Corporation  and Royal Jordanian Airlines announced the renewal and expansion of a long-term distribution and technology agreement to continue to distribute the carrier’s content through Sabre’s global distribution system (GDS) and to utilize Sabre’s leading technology to achieve its strategic goals. Under the expanded agreement, Royal Jordanian will continue distributing its content to the large network of travel agents and corporations worldwide connected to Sabre’s GDS. Furthermore, the airline will be deploying a set of Sabre leading technology including Sabre’s Dynamic availability and Fares Manager and Fares Optimizer. The adoption of these products can help Royal Jordanian Airlines move toward a more flexible and modern environment, while supporting its growth. “We have ambitious plans to double our fleet and operations within the coming 3-5 years and to position Royal Jordanian as the carrier of choice connecting Jordan and Levant with the world,” said Karim Makhlouf, chief commercial officer, Royal Jordanian.  “Our extended technology partnership with Sabre will help us deploy the most robust and advanced technology to enable our growth plans, help us drive profitability and improve our efficiency while staying on top of today’s ever-changing airline landscape. We are excited to continue partnering with Sabre at this exciting time.” Dynamic Availability empowers airlines to gain better control of their pricing position by leveraging shopping data, automating fare changes, and enabling dynamic pricing capabilities to generate recommendations that help drive incremental revenue opportunities. Fares Manager and Fares Optimizer, on the other hand, brings integrated end-to-end automation and intelligence to airline pricing to increase analyst productivity and improve revenue opportunities. “As a key building block for personalized retailing, our dynamic pricing engine enables airlines to optimize availability at scale and …

Continuing its ambitious and dynamic strategy of fleet and network expansion, Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, has unveiled its summer schedule for 2023. The schedule specifies significant frequency increases on existing routes, and the addition of four destinations—representing a 60% increase in the number of flights from its hub in Muscat compared to the previous year. This will provide the market with approximately 60,000 more seats weekly across its network and provide greater convenience and connectivity for Oman Air guests. The four additional destinations being introduced for the summer schedule are: four-weekly flights from Muscat to Chittagong (from March end); four-weekly flights from Muscat to Maldives (from June end); twelve-weekly flights from Muscat to Lucknow and five-weekly flights between Muscat and Thiruvananthapuram (from August). Due to popular demand, the new summer schedule will see frequency increases to the following regions:     Far East Indian Sub-Continent Europe GCC Daily flights to Phuket (from March end, wide-body) Double-daily flights to Mumbai (from March end, wide-body) Daily flights to Moscow (from March end, wide-body) Double-daily flights to Kuwait (from June) Ten-weekly flights to Kuala Lumpur (from June) Double-daily flights to Chennai (from March end) Six-weekly flights to Paris (from March end) Five-daily flights to Salalah (from July)   Double-daily flights to Cochin (from March end) Daily flights to Trabzon (from March end)     Double-daily flights to Kozhikode (from March end) Double-daily flights to Istanbul (from June)     Double-daily flights to Hyderabad (from March end)       Daily flights to Dhaka (from March end, wide-body)     The expanded network and schedule for 2023 demonstrates Oman Air’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the economy of …

Etihad Airways is expanding its European network this summer with the introduction of a new direct service between Abu Dhabi and Lisbon, effective from 2 July 2023. The airline will be connecting Abu Dhabi to Portugal’s capital city right in time for the summer holidays, with three weekly flights scheduled to be operated on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays. “We’re excited to introduce flights to Portugal for the first time and provide our guests with convenient travel options to one of the most popular summer destinations for 2023,” said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways. “As one of the oldest cities in Western Europe, the coastal city of Lisbon is a great entry-point to exploring the rest of the country, with perfect beaches, historic castles, fantastic nightlife and a warm and welcoming people. “Our new direct connection will enhance the trade and tourism ties between the UAE and Portugal, and we are grateful for the support of the Portuguese authorities in establishing our new air link.” As well as introducing flights to Lisbon, Etihad Airways will be returning to Málaga on the Spanish Costa del Sol and the popular Greek island of Mykonos this summer. Etihad Airways will be flying to Málaga twice-per-week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, from 18 June 2023. Lying on a wide bay with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and one of the most visited coastal cities in Spain, Málaga is famous for its miles-long sandy beaches, culture and food. Travellers can also look forward to Etihad Airways launching flights to Mykonos, lying in the deep blue waters of the Aegean sea, with twice-per-week services on Mondays and Fridays from 16 June 2023. With world-class …

Kuwait Airways sponsored the eighth annual international conference titled ‘Practical Solutions for Dyslexia & ‏Dyscalculia, as an official airline of the event, organized by the Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences – KALD during the period from 10-12 February 2023, in the presence of numerous attendees consisting of specialists and experts in the field. ​ The Director of Corporate Communication and Public Relations department at Kuwait Airways, Mr. Khalid Al-Bustan stated, “Kuwait Airways is honoured to participate as an official airline in the eighth international conference on Dyslexia & ‏Dyscalculia. This comes within the framework of its relentless endeavour to support and encourage such important and significant initiatives that aim to educate and enlighten the community about the problems faced by learners with dyslexia.” Al-Bustan added, “Kuwait Airways is keen to implement its social responsibility programs and policies, as the Blue Bird is an integral part of Kuwait’s society and is committed to its role towards initiatives directed towards social responsibility and to contribute to the advancement of these humanitarian programs.” Al-Bustan added that Kuwait Airways considers social responsibility as one of its most important responsibilities and is committed to these objectives that create a lasting impression on the society thereby contributing to improving the lives of others. Al-Bustan concluded his statement by extending his sincere appreciation to those in charge of the Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences for their relentless efforts in achieving their objectives and was hopeful that these initiatives would continue for the benefit of all. In this regard, the Kuwaiti Association for Learning Differences honoured Kuwait Airways’ representative, Mr. Hamad Al-Hmaimeedi for the company’s role in sponsoring the conference.

Oman’s aviation industry has reached a landmark moment with the announcement of Oman Air pilot Maha Al Balushi as the first female Omani Captain. Al Balushi officially received her new rank during a ceremony recently held at the Oman Air’s headquarters in Muscat, the latest in a string of firsts she has achieved over her decade-long career with the airline. Al Balushi said, “My dream has always been to become a Captain. It hasn’t been easy but thanks to the support I have around me, from my family to my training team and the airline, I have accomplished what I set out to do. It is an honour to hold this role and I hope that I will inspire other Omani women to choose such a rewarding career in the skies.” Captain Moosa Al Shidhani, Senior Vice President Flight Operations at Oman Air, added, “We are thrilled to have Ms. Al Balushi as our first female Omani Captain, and we believe this is just the beginning of great things to come. This is not just a milestone for our airline but for Oman’s aviation industry, and we are honoured to play a leading role in its progress by continuing to nurture Omani talent in all areas of our operations.” Maha Al Balushi has been with Oman Air since 2010, after graduating from the cadet programme at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia, the only woman who was enrolled in the programme at the time. Ms. Al Balushi also made waves when she became Oman’s first female First Officer in 2013. Oman Air continues to pursue a proactive policy of recognising talented and qualified women and supporting them …