Category Archives: Aviation

Turkish Airlines has expanded its Southern Europe network with the addition of Seville, one of Spain’s most prominent tourism hubs. With this launch, Seville becomes the airline’s sixth destination in Spain, joining Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga, and Bilbao. Starting 17 September 2025, Turkish Airlines began to operate daily flights between İstanbul Airport and Seville Airport, providing passengers with more travel options and enhancing regional connectivity. The new route aims to strengthen tourism and business ties between Turkey and Spain. Known as the heart of Andalusia, Seville is celebrated for its rich heritage, stunning architecture, and renowned Andalusian cuisine. Its cultural significance, stretching from ancient times to the Umayyad civilisation, makes it a prime destination for travellers seeking history, culture, and gastronomy. Commenting on the launch, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Ahmet Bolat, said: “We are delighted to offer our passengers a new travel option with the launch of our Seville flights. Through our strategically located homebase in İstanbul, we will continue bridging cultures and continents worldwide, while creating new opportunities for tourism and business.” The new Seville flights further strengthen Turkish Airlines’ commitment to expanding its global network and connecting passengers to key destinations across Europe and beyond.

Emirates has officially unveiled its fully retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft in South Africa, marking a regional first with the introduction of its highly praised Premium Economy cabin. Now flying to both Cape Town and Johannesburg, the upgraded aircraft reflects Emirates’ continued commitment to delivering world-class travel experiences and strengthening ties with South Africa as it celebrates 30 years of service in the country. Key aviation and tourism leaders, including officials from Wesgro and the South African Civil Aviation Authority, joined Emirates for a guided tour of the aircraft. The refreshed Boeing 777 features four revamped cabin classes: First Class Suites, a redesigned Business Class with a 1-2-1 layout, the all-new Premium Economy, and enhanced Economy Class. The Premium Economy cabin, making its African debut, offers luxurious touches including wide leather seats, generous legroom, footrests, 13.3-inch screens, and exclusive inflight amenities—delivering a Business Class-like experience at accessible fares. This rollout is part of Emirates’ ambitious $5 billion retrofit program, one of the largest in aviation history, aiming to upgrade 219 aircraft. With 67 aircraft already completed, the initiative underscores Emirates’ goal to elevate comfort, design, and service standards across its global fleet.

Air Arabia will increase its flight frequency between Sharjah and Phuket to three flights per day starting 15 December 2025. The expansion comes in response to strong and growing demand for travel to Phuket, one of Thailand’s most popular holiday destinations. The additional flights aim to provide passengers with greater flexibility and convenience while reinforcing Air Arabia’s presence in the Thai market. In addition to Phuket, Air Arabia also operates non-stop flights from Sharjah to Bangkok and Krabi, strengthening its network coverage across Thailand. The increased connectivity supports both tourism and business travel between the UAE and Thailand. Air Arabia operates a fleet of 83 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, offering value-added services such as SkyTime, its in-flight streaming platform, and SkyCafe, the onboard menu. Passengers can also benefit from the airline’s Air Rewards loyalty program. Tickets for the expanded Sharjah–Phuket flights are now available for booking via Air Arabia’s website, call centre, or travel agencies, providing travellers more options for convenient and affordable connections between the UAE and Thailand.

Etihad Airways announced direct flights to Damascus, Syria, starting June 2026. The new route meets growing demand from travellers in the UAE and GCC seeking convenient access to the historic Syrian capital, while also offering Syrians direct connections to Abu Dhabi. Service to Damascus will operate four times a week on Etihad’s Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring eight Business seats and 150 Economy seats, combining comfort, convenience, and the airline’s renowned hospitality. Passengers can also benefit from seamless onward connections through Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport to destinations across Etihad’s global network. The new flights strengthen social and cultural ties between the UAE and Syria, providing greater connectivity for families, communities, and travellers across the region. Damascus marks the 28th new destination announced by Etihad in the past year, as the airline continues its rapid expansion. Passenger numbers have grown over 80% compared to 2022, with the airline on track to reach 38 million passengers annually by 2030.  

Oman Air, recorded its busiest khareef season to date, flying over 200,000 passengers to Salalah between June and August 2025—a 15% increase, when compared to 2024. This milestone highlights growing demand and the airline’s strategic focus on supporting Omani tourism while providing reliable domestic connectivity. The airline expanded its operational capacity with up to 14 daily flights and the deployment of widebody aircraft, increasing seat availability by up to 75% on peak routes. Oman Air maintained its fixed national fare program, with over 70% of passengers taking advantage of the OMR 54 return fare, making the route accessible and attractive for a wide range of travellers. For travel partners and agencies, the surge in traffic represents enhanced opportunities for packaged tours, group bookings, and MICE operations. Oman Air also reinforced its market presence through sponsorship of the Khareef Dhofar Festival, in collaboration with Dhofar Municipality, further positioning the airline as a key enabler for destination promotion and cultural tourism. The airline’s strong operational performance, coupled with route expansion and strategic partnerships, underscores Oman Air’s role as a critical partner for travel trade stakeholders, providing scalable capacity and facilitating growth in inbound and domestic tourism.

Oman Air hosted a trade event in Dubai, bringing together key travel agents and industry partners to share updates on its latest product offerings and strategic developments. The session, led by Brajesh Kumar, Regional Manager – Sales (GCC & MEA), provided agents with an overview of Oman Air’s expanding global network and its milestone entry into the oneworld alliance, which offers guests seamless access to more than 900 destinations worldwide and enhanced benefits across partner airlines. In addition to the alliance, Oman Air shared key company updates including the launch of new European routes to Rome and Amsterdam, the introduction of double-daily flights to London, and its recognition as an APEX WORLD CLASS™ airline for excellence in guest experience. The airline also highlighted its efforts during Dhofar’s Khareef season – an enduring favourite among GCC citizens and residents – while promoting Oman’s year-round appeal through its stopover programme and new Oman Air Holidays platform. The presentation also touched on Oman Air’s cutting-edge NDC product, which empowers partners to offer seamless, dynamic and tailored travel experiences. The event underscored Oman Air’s dedication to its travel agent partners in the UAE, recognising their vital role in the airline’s commercial success. By fostering direct communication and providing comprehensive product knowledge, Oman Air aims to equip its partners with the tools needed to effectively sell the airline’s premium and value-driven offerings to their clients. Oman Air operates across the GCC region with 04 daily fights between Dubai and Muscat.

British Airways is boosting connectivity between the Middle East and the UK with additional flights from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow starting this October, continuing through summer 2026. From 27 October 2025, the airline will operate a daily service from Bahrain, more than doubling its weekly flights and adding over 9,000 seats. This expansion offers passengers increased flexibility for business, family, or leisure trips to the UK and beyond. In Saudi Arabia, British Airways will run 12 weekly flights from Riyadh this winter, rising to 14 per week from summer 2026. Jeddah will see five flights per week in summer 2026, up from four, enhancing options for travelers across the Kingdom. Abu Dhabi will also benefit from a daily service to London starting winter 2025, providing greater convenience and travel choice. The expanded schedule is aimed at meeting growing demand in the region while ensuring seamless onward connections via London Heathrow to over 200 destinations worldwide. Tickets for the additional flights are now available on ba.com, giving customers the opportunity to plan ahead for upcoming travel.

flynas in collaboration with Riyadh Airports Company (RAC), launched a new self-bag drop facility at King Khalid International Airport, marking a major step in enhancing passenger convenience and digital services. The automated service, now fully operational at Terminal 1, enables passengers to check in their baggage independently, without staff assistance. The process takes less than 20 seconds per bag, significantly reducing waiting times at check-in counters while ensuring a faster, smoother start to the travel experience. This initiative reflects flynas’ commitment to digital transformation and aligns with RAC’s strategy to deliver innovative solutions that improve airport efficiency and passenger flow. By introducing self-bag drop technology, both partners aim to increase passenger throughput, minimise congestion, and improve overall operational efficiency at the airport. In addition to saving passengers valuable time, the system optimizes terminal space, contributing to a more seamless and modernized airport environment. The move underscores flynas’ role in driving smart travel solutions and RAC’s dedication to positioning Riyadh among the leading digitally advanced airports in the region.

Jazeera Airways will relaunch direct flights to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, with a twice-weekly service starting 2 October 2025. The new routes expand the airline’s presence in the UAE, complementing its existing service to Dubai, and strengthen connectivity across the Gulf region. The relaunch aims to support trade, tourism, and mobility between Kuwait and the Emirates, offering passengers more convenient options for business and leisure travel. By enhancing regional connectivity, Jazeera Airways reinforces its commitment to providing efficient, value-driven travel solutions while facilitating stronger commercial and cultural ties between the two countries. Passengers can expect seamless travel experiences, with schedules designed to accommodate both short business trips and extended leisure stays. The airline’s renewed focus on the UAE market underscores its strategy to enhance regional networks and deliver high-quality services tailored to customer needs. With these new routes, Jazeera Airways positions itself as a key player in Gulf aviation, fostering closer connections and supporting the region’s growing demand for reliable air travel.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi announced the launch of non-stop flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Assiut in Egypt, starting 4 November 2025. The new service will operate twice weekly, every Tuesday and Friday, offering passengers a convenient and affordable option between Zayed International Airport and Assiut International Airport. With the addition of Assiut, the airline now connects Abu Dhabi to three Egyptian cities- Cairo, Alexandria, and Assiut, strengthening ties and boosting connectivity between the UAE and Egypt. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are pleased to launch our newest service to Assiut, extending our reach into Upper Egypt directly from the UAE capital. This addition strengthens our network between the UAE and Egypt, offering customers more convenient and affordable options to travel between the two countries.” Air Arabia Abu Dhabi currently operates a modern fleet of 12 Airbus A320 aircraft, serving more than 30 destinations from Abu Dhabi. The airline is set to further expand its fleet and routes before the end of the year, enhancing connectivity and travel options. Passengers can enjoy value-added services such as free in-flight streaming with SkyTime, affordable catering through SkyCafe, and benefits from Air Rewards, the airline’s loyalty program. Tickets are available via Air Arabia’s website, call centre, and travel agencies.