Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates has exclusively partnered with VFS Global to introduce a pre-approved visa on arrival facility for Indian passport holders who have booked their travel with the airline. Fulfilled by Dubai Visa Processing Centre* (DVPC) and issued as a 14-day single entry visa, the new initiative will enable Emirates customers to skip queues when arriving in Dubai, simplifying their arrival formalities by breezing through customs before heading out to visit the city. Emirates customers can book their flights through emirates.com or through their preferred travel agent.  After retrieving their booking through ‘Manage an existing booking’ on emirates.com, customers should click on the ‘apply for a UAE visa’ link. They will be redirected to the online UAE Visa application site powered by VFS Global Services, which sets out the requirements, terms and conditions to facilitate the visa application process. For additional information visit https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/before-you-fly/visa-passport-information/uae-visa-information/ The service is exclusively available to Indian passport holders who have a valid six-month visa for the US, US Green Card, EU Residency, or UK Residency. The issuance of visas remains at the absolute discretion of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs. Dubai remains a first-choice destination Indian travellers, with an array of attractions and accommodation options that meet every taste, age and budget.  It’s also home to a vibrant Indian community that frequently welcomes family and friends from India and around the world. According to Dubai Tourism statistics, Dubai welcomed 2 million overnight visitors from India between January to October 2023. Emirates currently serves nine destinations in India with 167 weekly flights, connecting travellers to Dubai and onwards to a global network of more than 140 destinations. The airline’s network in India includes Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, …

Emirates has announced expanding its world-class Chauffer-drive service in Hong Kong, to now include the airline’s Business Class passengers arriving to and departing from Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) starting from 1 February 2024. Through this complimentary service for Emirates’ First and now Business Class customers, the airline further elevates its offering for its premium travellers in Hong Kong with a convenient, door-to-door journey on the road that compliments the airline’s exceptional inflight experience and unique products. Emirates’ premium travellers can choose from a range of vehicles for their journey to and from Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), guaranteeing both a luxurious and comfortable transport experience including Mercedes Benz S-Class or BMW Full Electric i7 models. The complimentary CDS service also entails unlimited radius coverage with the exception of restricted areas such as Lantau Island, Ma Wan, Discovery Bay, Park Island, Huang Guang Control Point, and Shenzhen Bay Port are not included in the CDS coverage. Upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), passengers will be guided by CDS Staff stationed at Arrival Hall to their designated vehicles. Departing passengers must meet the minimum pick-up time requirement of 3 hours prior to their flight departure. Emirates’ CDS can be booked at least 12 hours prior to departure through the “Manage My Booking” option on www.emirates.com, Emirates’ call centres or through travel agents. Emirates is the number one provider for complimentary Chauffeur Drive service, as the airline operates in more than 70 cities worldwide, which is more than any other airline. With the expansion of the service, Emirates will further expand its exclusive offerings for Hong Kong premium travellers with a personalised CDS experience that provides a sense of comfort and …

Emirates has become the first international airline to join The Solent Cluster, a UK initiative focused on low carbon investments established to reduce CO2 emissions from industry, transport and households in the South Coast of England. The Solent Cluster is a cross-sector collaboration of international organisations, including manufacturers and engineering companies, regional businesses and industries, leading logistics and infrastructure operators and academic institutions. Emirates joins over 100 members as part of the Cluster, alongside founding members the Solent Partners (previously the Solent LEP), global energy provider ExxonMobil and University of Southampton. The founding members have each shared details of their vision for the Solent and how it could secure existing jobs and produce low-carbon fuels for a variety of sectors, including aviation. Sustainable aviation fuel potential The Solent Cluster has the potential to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant with an estimated fuel production capacity of 200,000 tonnes (200 kt) per year. If approved, the plant could start operating in 2032. Jet fuel produced by the SAF plant could avoid emissions of 563 kilotons of CO2 per year by producing fuel with 70% less emissions than fossil kerosene. Existing pipeline networks can supply the SAF from the plant to major airports served by Emirates such as Heathrow and Gatwick. Emirates’ long-term aspiration to secure UK-produced SAF with The Solent Cluster is in addition to several SAF initiatives the airline has announced over the last year. It follows Emirates’ A380 and Boeing 777 demonstration flights using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel in 2023. Emirates has expanded its partnership with Neste for the supply of SAF in 2024 and 2025 for its operations in Amsterdam and Singapore. The airline also uplifted SAF for the …

flynas launched a training program for its cabin crew and ground services employees on the best ways to care for passengers with autism spectrum disorder in cooperation with the Saudi Autistic Society, the first training workshops were held in Riyadh during the 3rd week of January 2024. Waleed Ahmed, the corporate communication director and the spokesperson at flynas expounded that the program held in Prince Nasser bin Abdulaziz Autism Center, included theoretical education and practical training by specialists and consultants from the Saudi Autistic Society for the members of the air hospitality crews and ground service employees at flynas, aiming to learn the best methods for dealing with passengers with autism and learning about strategies for effective communication and interaction with them. The program also included introducing participants to the characteristics of autism and how to interact with them, as well as training on providing a comfortable and supportive environment for passengers with autism, focusing on improving their travel experience, as part of the company’s social responsibility programs and its commitment to adopting initiatives with sustainable impact on society. The Saudi Autistic Society is the largest specialized association in the Kingdom accredited by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. It was established in 2003 to include its services throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide support, assistance and appropriate care and contribute to the integration of beneficiaries with autism spectrum disorder as well as community awareness. And contributing to the early detection of beneficiaries with autism spectrum disorder, through Prince Nasser bin Abdulaziz Autism Center in Riyadh, Prince Turki bin Nasser Autism Center in Jazan, and the daycare centers in Mecca and the Eastern Province.

flynas celebrated launching direct flights from Jeddah to two destinations in two continents within a couple of days, adding Mumbai, in India, and Asmara, in Eritrea, to its ever-expanding network of international destinations, in parallel with the objectives of the Pilgrims Experience Program (PEP) to facilitate access to the Two Holy Mosques and the National Civil Aviation Strategy to enable national air carriers to contribute to connecting KSA with 250 International destinations and to accommodate 330 million passengers and to host 100 million tourists yearly by 2030. Representatives from flynas and Jeddah Airports Company (JEDCO) attended the ceremony held at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to celebrate the launching of direct flights from Jeddah to Mumbai, the financial center and the most populous city of India in South Asia and to Asmara, the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, located on the Horn of Africa. As of Monday, January 15, flynas started operating two weekly direct flights to Mumbai on Mondays and Wednesdays and to Asmara on Wednesday, January 17, with two weekly direct flights on Wednesdays and Sundays. flynas connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations with more than 1500 weekly flights and has flown more than 60 million passengers since its launch in 2007, with the aim to reach 165 domestic and international destinations, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030. The success of flynas was recognized with many international awards, including Skytrax International Award as the 4th Best LCC worldwide and the Best Low-cost Airline in the Middle East in 2023 for the sixth time in a row. Meanwhile, flynas won the Best Low-cost Airline Award in the Middle East from …

Etihad Airways is meeting customer demand by adding more flights to key destinations across the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. The latest increase means the airline now offers almost 27% per cent more weekly departures than last summer. The airline is increasing flights to Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Amman in Jordan, Beirut in Lebanon, as well as Colombo in Sri Lanka, and Kolkata and Bangalore in India. The enhancements are part of Etihad’s ambitious expansion of flights and frequencies to further boost Abu Dhabi’s global reach offering more flexible travel options for its guests. Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De said: “These latest flight increases aligned with our seamless and practical connections at Abu Dhabi and our growing global network offer our guests more opportunities to fly where they want to at a time that suits them. “It also makes it easier to enjoy a fantastic visit or stopover in Abu Dhabi as an integral part of their journey.” Destinations Change Total Frequency Start Date Jeddah +7 per week 28 per week 15 March 2024 Riyadh +7 per week 28 per week 15 March 2024 Amman +4 per week 11 per week 15 June 2024 Beirut +2 per week 7 per week 15 June 2024 Colombo +4 per week 17 per week 15 June 2024 Kolkata +1 per week 8 per week 15 June 2024 Bangalore +3 per week 17 per week 15 June 2024 Already announced Kozhikode New route 7 per week 1 January 2024 Thiruvananthapuram New route 7 per week 1 January 2024 Boston New route 4 per week 31 March 2024 Nairobi New route 7 per week 1 May 2024 Colombo +3 …

202 students from 24 UAE schools made a splash at Emirates Aviation University’s seventh Water Rocket Competition, held in collaboration with Boeing. Students in grades 11 and 12 from schools across the UAE built rockets using materials at hand. Each year, the challenge for participants is to launch water rockets at a 45-degree angle, powered solely by water and air pressure. Students design creative nose cones and fins for enhanced impact protection. During the competition they also learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle. This year, teams had two hours to complete the task and were given two attempts to launch their rockets. Professor Ahmad Al Ali, Vice Chancellor of Emirates Aviation University, said: “Emirates Aviation University is committed to innovating and fostering creativity in young minds. Our annual Water Rocket Competition is not just exciting for the student community, it’s also an opportunity to bring in the best and brightest young minds of the country together, challenge them, and encourage them to think about STEM careers. Watching students brainstorm, collaborate, and construct these rockets is an eye-opening experience every year. We hope they are inspired to become leaders in science and engineering. We thank Boeing for their support and for making this challenge a success once again.” Kuljit Ghata-Aura, Boeing President in the Middle East, Türkiye, Africa, and Central Asia, added: “From launching the Arab world’s first uncrewed mission to Mars to signing the Artemis Accords, the UAE is rapidly emerging as a leader in space exploration. At Boeing, we have been part of every major U.S. endeavor to escape Earth’s gravity. We are excited to continue to partner with Emirates Aviation University to inspire a new generation of …

Oman Air cancels operations to Islamabad, Lahore, Colombo and Chittagong. Three destinations will be operated on a seasonal basis: Trabzon during the summer season, and Zurich and Malé during winter. New route of Sialkot will be added on. The airline will also be reducing frequencies to certain markets while increasing capacity to two current destinations (Lucknow and Thiruvananthapuram). In addition, three destinations will be operated on a seasonal basis: Trabzon during the summer season, and Zurich and Malé during winter. As part of its ongoing transformation, which aims to improve the company’s overall financial performance and fortify its position in an increasingly competitive market, Oman Air has announced several strategic changes to its network. Oman Air has also introduced measures to optimize its schedule, starting this summer. To better cater to the Omani market and serve key flows in and out of Oman, flight times have been revised for several of its destinations, with emphasis on more favourable slots to offer greater convenience for direct passengers and maximise connection windows. Meanwhile, the airline is continuously evaluating its strategy to adapt to changing market dynamics and identify additional opportunities. Maintaining alignment with government stakeholders including the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman Air remains committed to the economic and social objectives of Oman’s 2040 Vision.

The Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in Saudi Arabia initiative, developed by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), is an ambitious roadmap to make the Saudi air transport sector the safest and most developed in the Middle East region. This includes a wide range of innovative solutions ranging from small unmanned aircraft to aircraft with vertical take-off and landing. These technologies will be able to provide safe, sound, sustainable and faster means of transport for people and goods, characterized by high technical capabilities that contribute to alleviating congestion on the roads and facilitating easy access to remote areas in the country, and thus contributing to achieving overall economic and social development. Capt. Sulaiman Al-Muhaymedi, executive vice president of GACA for aviation safety and environmental sustainability, said the AAM initiative in Saudi Arabia includes the steps that must be taken to draw a comprehensive road map that places AAM at the forefront of the aviation industry. The AAM is transforming the future of the transportation sector, offering innovative solutions, from small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. He stated that these developments contribute to revolutionizing the movement of passengers, transportation of goods, emergency response, medical evacuation, and disaster relief. He drew attention to environmental sustainability, in addition to the initiative’s inclusion of the foundations for building a successful system for advanced air transport. Al-Muhaymedi indicated that tests were conducted in the Kingdom that included diverse terrain and multiple climatic conditions, which resulted in positive results that can be achieved in various transportation sectors thanks to reliance on advanced air transport, such as reducing traffic congestion and road accidents, as well as contributing to the Kingdom’s achievement of …

Emirates announced it will ramp up its operations in Australia by upgrading its second daily flight EK430/431 between Dubai and Brisbane to an A380 starting from 1 October, along with adding a second daily service between Dubai and Perth operated by a Boeing 777-300ER starting from 1 December.  From 1 October, Emirates’ second A380 flight EK430 to Brisbane will depart Dubai at 0230hrs, arriving in Brisbane at 2220hrs. Emirates’ return flight EK431 will depart Brisbane at 0155hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1005hrs. All times are local. The additional flight to Perth will be operated by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER. Starting from 1 December, Emirates flight EK424 will depart from Dubai at 0915hrs and arrives in Perth at 0005hrs the following day. Emirates’ return flight EK425 will depart from Perth at 0600hrs and arrives in Dubai at 1310hrs. All times are local. Barry Brown, Divisional Vice President Australasia at Emirates, commented: “We’re pleased to offer more choice and opportunities for Australians traveling from Brisbane and Perth through the ramp up of our operations. It’s a demonstration of the importance of both gateways for tourism and trade, and Emirates’ commitment to ensure convenient schedules and comfortable connections to and through Dubai. Whether it’s the advantage of seamless afternoon connections from Dubai to a wealth of destinations across Europe on the second Perth flight, or a full A380 experience to and from Brisbane to close to 50 cities served by our flagship, we’re creating access to diverse opportunities for business, leisure, culture, and more. “The ramp up is also a testament to our commitment in enhancing global connectivity to our Australian gateways and supporting tourism and trade growth opportunities.”  Gert-Jan de Graaff, Brisbane …