Category Archives: Aviation

Etihad Airways, in partnership with Armani/Casa, announced a new collaboration to deliver an unparalleled premium travel experience, setting an elevated new benchmark for the aviation industry. Launching onboard in December 2022, the partnership creates a unique vision for Etihad’s premium offering, exclusively designed with celebrated designer Giorgio Armani. The Etihad and Armani/Casa collaboration introduces ‘The Constellation Collection’, inspired by the stars. Offering a ‘beyond Business’ experience for Etihad’s guests, the range is embellished with a unique geometric pattern that subtly adorns the collection. The collection includes a new dining service featuring ceramics, glassware, cutlery and serving ware, as well as premium textiles for a completely luxurious inflight experience. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad, said: “Today we unveil a completely new and elevated way to fly with Etihad Airways—an experience defined by our Emirati heritage yet shaped by a clear vision for our future. Known globally for its Italian luxury and elegance, Armani/Casa is the ideal brand partner to create an unparalleled level of bespoke service and refinement for our guests.” Redefining Business class travel The dining service features refined silhouettes with elevated contemporary finishes, mixed materials and embossed patterns. The use of multiple textures represents the cultural diversity of the UAE. The colour palette reflects the surroundings of Abu Dhabi; dark green inspired by the region’s date palm trees, aquamarine representing the beauty of the mangroves and slate to symbolise the modernity of the iconic Abu Dhabi skyline. The signature cutlery is elegantly tactile with patterned handles bringing the unmistakable Armani/Casa experience directly to the guest. The collection is designed in line with the airline’s commitment to sustainability. Durable, high-quality material and innovative designs have reduced equipment weight …

Qatar Airways Privilege Club has signed a global strategic agreement with Visa, world’s leader in digital payments, part of a new 10-year exclusive partnership. This latest collaboration enables Privilege Club to enhance and expand its portfolio of co-branded payment initiatives with key financial partners across key markets worldwide. With the strength of Visa’s global platform and digital-first approach, the partnership will unveil new products to further augment Qatar Airways Privilege Club’s ambitions. The roll-out of the Visa co-branded payment cards means members can look forward to enjoying several new features, such as complimentary worldwide airport lounge access, travel insurance, premium concierge service and much more. Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori, said: “We are excited to announce our latest partnership with Visa, a leader in the global payments industry. Visa connects our Privilege Club members to the world through their vast relationships and new opportunities for co-branded payment cards. “This strategic collaboration is the latest development in our mission to provide an unmatched loyalty programme with the greatest offerings available, complementing other recent initiatives like the adoption of Avios as the new reward currency, refreshing the digital experience and enhancements in products like Cash + Avios.” Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for GCC at Visa, said: “Visa works closely with leading airline partners to deliver innovative and rewarding co-brand products that enhance the travel experience for our cardholder passengers. We are delighted to sign an exclusive long-term agreement with Qatar Airways to create experiences that serve Qatar Airways Privilege Club members’ travel and lifestyle interests. Our cardholders will soon be able to enjoy new payment products and benefits, while enjoying convenient and secure payments …

Emirates’ Taipei-Dubai route is scheduled to go daily from 6 November, following the conclusion of Taiwan’s reopening plan with the termination of its mandatory COVID-19 quarantine restrictions for arrivals. Operated by a Boeing 777 aircraft, Emirates’ flight EK366 from Dubai departs at 02:50hrs and arrives in Taipei at 14:45hrs. The return flight EK367 from Taipei departs at 22:45hrs and arrives in Dubai at 4:35hrs the next day. All times are local. The additional frequencies will provide Emirates’ passengers increased connectivity and options to and from Taiwan, to help meet the air travel needs for both business and leisure. Travellers who are eligible can travel to Taiwan visa-free, and all inbound passengers are advised to undergo a 7-day self-health monitoring. Travellers are encouraged to check the latest entry requirements. Emirates commenced non-stop daily flights to Taipei in 2014, operated by a Boeing 777 aircraft. The Dubai-Taipei route was later upgraded with a daily two-class A380 service in 2016. The airline has established a solid partnership with the market which is underpinned by its contributions to the local community and air cargo transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The return of Emirates’ operations to Taipei from the current 4 weekly to daily flights demonstrates the airline’s commitment to aid the market’s travel and tourism recovery, and help drive inbound traffic by connecting travellers from over 130 destinations in its global network to the cosmopolitan city. Travellers flying with Emirates can enjoy the best experience in the sky with an unmatched culinary experience, regionally inspired multi-course menus developed by a team of award-winning chefs complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can sit back and relax with more than 5,000 channels of …

Travelport announced several new supplier connections are delivering more content to travel retailers on Travelport+. Travelport’s new and expanded agreements with Booking.com and Hertz will now bring more options for accommodation rates and car rentals to retailers using Travelport+, and Travelport-connected agencies will also gain access to more options from Air France-KLM and Lufthansa Group NDC content at the end of 2022. “This is the fourth chapter in our delivery of Travelport+, where we’re giving agents access to more supplier options and fueling their ability to sell more air, hotel, and car offers as we broaden and expand our content catalog,” said Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer at Travelport. “This update also helps our supplier partners reach even more of the right customers, with the ability to tailor products to drive sales through the indirect retail channel. As with everything we build, with the end traveler in mind, more options mean a more relevant customer experience.” More Air Content As the demand for travel surges, Travelport is ensuring that travel retailers have more options readily available for their customers by providing even more content to help ensure everyone gets the best possible retailing experience. Air France-KLM NDC content is being introduced on Travelport+, and Travelport will also be starting the rollout of Lufthansa Group NDC content in 2022. Travelport is also adding three new airlines to the platform – Congo Airways, FlyGTA and US-Bangla Airlines, along with 11 new ancillaries, and four more airlines now offer Branded Fares. More Hotel Choices Travelport’s new partnership with Booking.com unlocks a new range of rates across 140,000 hotel properties accessible through the Travelport+ platform, and will grow to over one million properties in …

Emirates’ flagship A380 made a landmark touchdown at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, marking the first commercial flight to the South Indian city’s airport of the world’s largest passenger aircraft. The special service from Dubai to Bengaluru, operating as EK562 and greeted with a procession of follow-me vehicles, arrived ahead of the launch of scheduled A380 services which will commence on 30 October. Emirates flight EK562 took off yesterday from Dubai International Airport at 10:00 am and landed in Bengaluru at 15:40 pm local time, and was welcomed by Kempegowda International Airport, in the presence of aviation fans, media and special guests representing the aviation and travel industries and diplomatic missions, amongst others. At the welcome reception in Bengaluru, the flight carrying 224 passengers was greeted by S.T. Somashekar Gowda, Minister of Cooperation, Government of Karnataka; H.E. Dr Ahmed Abdel Rahman AlBanna, Ambassador of the UAE to India; Hari Marar, MD & CEO of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL); and Mohammed Sarhan, Emirates’ Vice President – India and Nepal. Emirates executives onboard included Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer and Ahmed Khoory, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations – West Asia and Indian Ocean. Celebrating the joint milestone for Emirates and the airport, a VIP delegation of guests onboard the A380 service included: GMJ Thampy, Chairman & MD at Riya Travels; Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO at EFS Facilities Services Group; Mohamed Al Rais, Deputy Managing Director at Al Rais Travel; Aubrey Heldt, General Manager at Kanoo Travel; Sachin Gadoya, Co-Founder & CEO at Musafir; Sai Rattan, Manager at SNTTA; Prakash Punjabi, Manager at Travel Centre; Noura Al Marzouqi, Head, Booking & Visitors services section at ADNOC; and Azza Al Remeithi, Supervisor, Booking …

Emirates, the largest international airline, is upgrading capacity on its Narita-Dubai route with the deployment of its flagship A380 from 15 November, as Japan scraps the daily arrival cap, and lifts the COVID-19 testing and self-quarantine protocols for inbound travel. Following the Japanese government’s announcement last month to ease the entry restrictions, Emirates has seen a spike in bookings for flights to its gateways – Narita and Osaka. Emirates’ flight EK318 from Dubai will depart at 2:55hrs and arrive in Narita at 17:20hrs. The return flight EK319 from Narita will depart at 22:30hrs and arrive in Dubai at 5:30hrs the following day. All times are local. The reintroduction of the Emirates A380 to Narita also underscores the airline’s long-standing commitment to Japan’s tourism and travel sector. By providing more capacity, the airline aims to serve the pent-up demand for travel into Japan along with providing choice and flexibility for travellers through its daily service to Osaka EK316/317, operated by the Boeing 777. This year, Emirates is celebrating two decades of successful operations to Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. Emirates was the first airline to establish air connectivity between Japan and the UAE, as well as the rest of the Arabian Gulf countries back in 2002. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the airline continued to contribute to the local community by transporting essential air cargo between Japan and other global markets, which also helped to maintain the trade links that were needed during the unprecedented times via its Dubai hub. Leisure travellers from over 60 countries can now travel to Japan visa-free and without guided tours. However, travellers must still check the entry requirements. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the …

Etihad Airways has launched its first-ever scheduled flights linking Abu Dhabi and Guangzhou. The inaugural flight, EY868, departed Abu Dhabi last night after a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by representatives from the Chinese Embassy to the UAE, Abu Dhabi Airports Company, Miral Asset Management and Etihad Aviation Group. The flight touched down at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport this morning at 10:25 (local time), making Etihad the first international airline to operate long-haul passenger services to the top three Chinese gateways – Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou – since the start of the pandemic. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “We have been tremendously excited about the launch of this service. Guangzhou is actually the latest destination to be opened in China by Etihad since the launch of the Abu Dhabi–Shanghai route back in 2012. It will continue to help build a solid air bridge for commerce and cultural exchanges between China and the UAE. “We are very grateful for the support from both governments, business partners and our Etihad team, as our new service to Guangzhou will not only further address the huge demand for passenger travel between the UAE and China, building on the formidable people and business ties between the two markets, but also support the increasing consolidation and strengthening of Etihad’s presence in China and the global aviation industry. It also reinforces the airline’s commitment to serving the Chinese market.” To highlight Guangzhou’s reputation as “the spiritual home of Cantonese cuisine”, and to appreciate the cultural diversity within Etihad’s in-house hospitality team, the event offered a tapestry of cuisines, consisting of several signature dim sum and Arabic-style canapés jointly created by Etihad Airways Chef Murray …

As part of its tireless efforts to provide the best services to its valued customers, Kuwait Airways continues its preparations for the biggest and most prominent event, the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, where the Blue Bird will operate direct, daily match day shuttle services for fans to attend the matches and return on the same day to their homeland, giving fans an exceptional travel experience. In this regard, Kuwait Airways Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Maen Razouqi stated, “Kuwait Airways participation in this global event is an excellent opportunity to highlight our distinguished services to our customers. Our preparations for this event commenced in October 2021 and we launched our first promotional and marketing campaign in February 2022. In addition, we signed an agreement with Qatar Airways in May 2022, enabling Kuwait Airways to carry fans on a daily basis to attend the World Cup matches in Doha, and are fully prepared to meet the travel requirements of customers. Kuwait Airways will operate 13 daily flights from the start of the World Cup, which would gradually reduce as the participating teams progress to the finals, with the frequency in the number of flights depending on the extent of requirements of the customers.” Razouqi added, “Kuwait Airways will provide exceptional travel packages to its customers through KAC’s Holidays Office which include match tickets and KAC flight tickets, at prices starting from 200 Kuwaiti Dinars, depending on the respective classes on the flights and the different categories within the stadium. In addition, Kuwait Airways provides complete assurance to its customers about booking flight tickets and tickets for the matches, as we are certified to distribute match tickets in the State of …

Kuwait Airways announced the commencement of its first flight, KU409, to the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Sunday, 2 October 2022. Operations to Kuala Lumpur includes two flights per week on Sundays and Wednesdays, during the month of October, followed by three flights per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from the month of November onwards. On this occasion, Kuwait Airways Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Maen Razouqi, stated, “Kuwait Airways is pleased to launch its first commercial flights to the city of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, which is one of our most important new destinations with its touristic prominence and rich diverse culture. Moreover, Kuala Lumpur also distinguishes itself as a suitable destination for holidays and is considered the cultural, financial, and economic hub of Malaysia and the Far East. We will be using the Airbus A330, which is environmentally friendly, and suitable for medium to long-haul destinations, with its unique features for the 8-hour flight from Kuwait to Kuala Lumpur.” Razouqi added, “The launch of Kuala Lumpur destination comes as part of the companys strategy to expand its network to various destinations and locations, linking Kuwait to the world with an excellent reach, and meeting the requirements of the local, regional, and global aviation market. In addition, the Blue Bird constantly strives to meet the requirements of its valued customers by operating to new and diverse destinations and providing them with better travel options. Launching this destination will also contribute to the development of business, tourism, trade, and economic activity, in addition to the movement of passengers and cargo.” Razouqi added, “Kuwait Airways is keen to serve its customers to the fullest, in line with …

Emirates has announced new appointments to its commercial team in the Middle East, Far East, West Asia and Europe, to support the airline’s efforts in rebuilding its global network amidst the increase in travel demand and the easing of restrictions. This latest move will see 11 seasoned UAE Nationals positioned in vital markets where they will lead the airline’s commercial operations and bring their skills and experience to drive growth and develop new strategies. In addition, they will be responsible for strengthening Emirates’ partnerships and footprint in their assigned markets. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates commented: “As we accelerate our operations recovery and channel our collective energies towards rebuilding the aviation ecosystem, it’s imperative that we create opportunities for our talented managers to utilise their capabilities, experiences and leadership skills to the fullest. The commercial outstation program is in line with the strategy advocated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, that reaffirms our commitment to nurturing Emiratis by providing them opportunities to advance their careers and eventually become future leaders. I’m proud of our UAE Nationals who support our business and represent the airline in some of its most strategic markets, and look forward to seeing the new team create innovative prospects into their new roles.” Effective 1st November, the following changes will occur in the Emirates Commercial team: Thani Al Ansari: currently Manager Kuwait and Iraq, will become Manager Ireland Khalid Al Zarooni: currently Manager Greece and Albania, will become Manager Kuwait and Iraq Ibrahim Ghanim: currently Manager Egypt and Libya, will become Manager Greece and Albania Abdalla Al Zamani: currently Manager Indonesia, will become Manager …