Due to the wake of another mutation of the Covid 19 virus Middle East nations have decided to close their borders with immediate effect. All international flights are cancelled, due to the closure of Saudi Arabian, Kuwaiti and Omani borders. Customers connecting on flights bound for these destinations will not be accepted at origin. We regret any inconvenience caused. Affected customers should contact their travel agent or contact centre for rebooking options. To receive update notifications, customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking.

Etihad Airways announced that all guests flying from the United Kingdom from December 24, 2020 to present a negative PCR test within 72 hours validity of their flight departure time. Etihad is the only airline in the world requiring 100% of its passengers to show a negative PCR test before travelling and again on arrival into Abu Dhabi, ensuring peace of mind for all on board. PCR tests must be conducted at a government accredited medical facility. Suggested facilities can be found at etihad.com. As many COVID-19 PCR test certificates do not currently show the date and time the test was taken, guests are required to show evidence of this at check-in, for example by presenting their appointment confirmation. Children under 12 and people with severe and moderate disabilities are exempt from COVID-19 PCR testing. Etihad Wellness, the airline’s health and safety programme, ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey. This includes specially trained Wellness Ambassadors, a first in the industry, who have been introduced by the airline to provide essential travel health information and care on the ground and on every flight. As part of the Etihad Wellness programme, global COVID-19 insurance cover is included for all passengers travelling with Etihad.

Emirates has announced that it will be operating its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft on the Dubai – Sao Paulo route between 9 and 30 January 2021. The Emirates A380 will be deployed four times weekly to Sao Paulo in response to the summer season increase in demand for travel to and from Brazil.This will be the first time that the iconic aircraft returns to South America since the suspension of passenger flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Emirates resumed passenger flights to Sao Paulo in August 2020 on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Customers travelling to and from Brazil on Emirates in January 2021 can once again look forward to enjoying the unparalleled Emirates A380 experience with its spacious and comfortable cabins and the unmissable signature products and services on the A380, including the iconic A380 Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, reintroduced with additional health and safety measures. In early November, Emirates also reinstated its signature dining service across all classes while observing strict hygiene protocols. Customers can now savour multi-course meals and choose from a complimentary selection of beverages including wine and beer, as well as juices and soft drinks. Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment, ice, continues to add new content every month, and currently features a catalogue with over 4,500 channels. Brazilian customers travelling to much desired holiday destinations including the Maldives can stop over at Dubai to experience the city’s wide range of world-class experiences from sun-soaked beaches and heritage activities to world class hospitality and leisure facilities. Brazilian nationals can obtain a free visa on arrival at Dubai. In 2019, Dubai welcomed 16.7 million visitors and hosted over hundreds of global meetings and exhibitions, as …

International Air Transport Association (IATA) unveiled key design elements of the IATA Travel Pass. IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app to help travelers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information. “Testing is the immediate solution to safely re-open borders and re-connect people. And eventually this is likely to transition to vaccination requirements. In either case, a secure system to manage COVID-19 testing or vaccination information is critical. The IATA Travel Pass is a solution that both travelers and governments can trust. And it is being built with data security, convenience and verification as top priorities,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “We are building the IATA Travel Pass with one aim—to help reconnect our world safely. IATA has brought advancements in global standards like e-ticketing and mobile boarding passes to consumers in all parts of the world. This unique capability demonstrates that we can work with industry and governments to re-shape travel processes based on global standards. We are confident that we can deliver a complete solution with IATA Travel Pass. And we are building the IATA Travel Pass so that other solutions serving the same industry re-opening goal can also benefit from it. We want airlines to have a competitive marketplace with the widest range of options that meet their specific needs,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security.

DIFC has launched Winter Vibes at Gate Avenue, inviting the DIFC and wider Dubai community to enjoy winter nights from the heart of the DIFC. An outdoor activation featuring weekly music, movie and comedy nights, the series of month-long events further cements the Centre’s position as a one-stop entertainment destination for Dubai’s arts and culture enthusiasts. Running from December 10, 2020 to January 8, 2021, Winter Vibes will be held in Gate Avenue, Promenade level, Zone A. A seasonal celebration of live music and al-fresco dining, Jazz Garden gives guests a chance to enjoy live performances by some of the world’s best jazz artists every Thursday and Friday from December 10 2020 to 8 January 2021. Tickets can be purchased in advance on Platinum List for AED 180. This amount is redeemable at an array of delectable food and drink at Gate Avenue’s restaurants and culinary institutions, providing a culturally exquisite and enjoyable evening under the stars. On Thursday 17 and Friday 18 December 2020, music enthusiasts can prepare to be enchanted by the beats of Roy Young. Ronald Baker will take the stage the following weekend on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 December 2020 for the greatest Jazz and Blues Christmas experience. Monique Thomas, a multi-faceted singer that blends jazz, soul, gospel and pop, performs live on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day on Thursday 31 December 2020 and Friday 1 January 2021. Finally, Fabi Medina will close the Jazz Garden on a high on the January 7-8, 2021, bringing a new flavour to vocal jazz with a pinch of pop and a touch of soul. Doors open at 7PM and the event ends at 11:30PM. DIFC’s Gate …

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced the addition of Riyadh to its regional network of destinations. KLM will operate a direct flight from Amsterdam to the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has also announced adjustments to the wider schedule of flights in the Gulf to integrate Riyadh into the network, for the convenience of customers. The first service operating to Riyadh will start on January 11th. Riyadh becomes KLM’s second destination in Saudi Arabia, where it has operated services for more than 70 years. The airline already serves Dammam in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom, where the first KLM flight operated on 21 April 1950. Yeshwant Pawar, General Manager for the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, Iran & Pakistan at Air France KLM, commented: “Adding Riyadh as a new destination in the key region of the Gulf and adjusting our current schedule strengthens KLM’s network in the Middle East.”

Singapore Airlines (SIA) KrisConnect program, Travelport, a leading technology company serving the global travel industry and SIA have welcomed on board their first passengers whose tickets were booked using NDC technology. Star Cruise Travel Services, one of Travelport’s partner agencies for the implementation of NDC capability, made the NDC bookings through Smartpoint, Travelport’s agency desktop solution. The passengers took international flights, arriving into Singapore Changi Airport in early November 2020. “This is an important milestone for our industry and our partnership with Singapore Airlines as they work to leverage IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC),” said Kyle Moore, Head of Customer Strategy at Travelport. “We are grateful to our partner agencies for working with us as we bring this new technology to our customers.” “Singapore Airlines is pleased to be working closely with Travelport on our KrisConnect program. By leveraging new technology, SIA and our partners can better meet the evolving expectations of our customers. Expectations about how, where and when they can access information, their ability to quickly and efficiently execute desired actions, and the demand for greater personalization, are all influenced by their experience with companies beyond the travel sector. The KrisConnect Program, and the technology upon which it sits, is key to meeting those expectations, and SIA is pleased to be leading the change in Asia. This milestone achievement with Travelport is critical in ensuring the program’s success.” said Bryan Koh, Divisional Vice President E-Commerce and Distribution, Singapore Airlines. “NDC Booking is made easy via Travelport Smartpoint. We are now able to access more content and offers, all in a single workflow, maintaining our efficiency.” Said Lynn Ong, Assistant Vice President, Star Cruise Travel Services. ATPI International Board …

Emirates has announced it will resume daily flights to Istanbul from today. In tandem with the gradual return of travel confidence and demand, Emirates continues to rebuild its network while offering customers a safe and enjoyable travel experience. Strict health and hygiene measures have been implemented across all of Emirates’ touchpoints, even as the airline brings back its signature products and services onboard and on ground. The addition of Istanbul expands Emirates’ European network to 31 destinations, enabling customers to safely and easily connect to destinations across its wide global network with one convenient stop in Dubai. Emirates flight EK 121 will depart Dubai at 14:20 hrs, arriving in Istanbul at 18:20 hrs. The return flight, EK 122, will depart Istanbul at 20:05hrs, arriving in Dubai at 01:20 hrs the following day. Flights to/from Istanbul will operate once daily by the Boeing 777- 300ER. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, Emirates sales offices, via travel agents as well as online travel agents. Dubai is open for international business and leisure visitors. From sun-soaked beaches and heritage activities to world class hospitality and leisure facilities, Dubai offers a variety of world-class experiences. It was one of the world’s first cities to obtain Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) – which endorses Dubai’s comprehensive and effective measures to ensure guest health and safety.

flydubai announced attractive fares to select destinations from Dubai. As more destinations continue to rejoin the flydubai network, the carrier is opening a world of opportunities for its passengers to explore. The end of the year can mean reuniting with friends and loved ones. With fares starting from as little as AED 995 available for booking until 28 December 2020, the carrier offers passengers more options to plan their holidays. Alexandria, Amman, Beirut, Belgrade, Bucharest, Grozny, Istanbul, Kyiv, Malé, Sarajevo, Sofia and Zanzibar are just a handful of the popular destinations that that the carrier has resumed flights to and are included in this offer. Terms and conditions apply. Bid to Upgrade to Business – This new service from flydubai offers passengers the opportunity to bid for an upgrade to Business Class before their next flight. Multi-risk travel insurance – For flights booked on or after 01 December 2020, at no additional cost, flydubai is offering its passengers multi-risk travel insurance, including COVID-19 cover, for additional peace of mind when flying.

With weather creating a perfect symphony for holidaymakers, now is the time to savour Oman’s beauty and discover its hidden gems – from high desert to coastal campouts – with a staycation at Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel. The iconic 5-star hotel has introduced exciting staycation packages, exclusively for GCC residents, inviting guests to unwind in its luxurious facility and make the most of the weekend at its scenic property. Guests availing the weekend staycation package can pamper themselves and enjoy benefits ranging from dining and spa to entertainment and more, while celebrating the beautiful outdoors season. The Staycation offer includes one night stay, dinner & breakfast with complimentary upgrade to the next room category, VIP amenity on arrival and Muscat International airport pick up for only OMR 55 net, for two adults and two kids below the age of 12 years. This offer is valid until the end of January 2021. Panos Panagis, General Manager & District Director Oman said, “With Oman relaxing visa requirements for tourists from over 100 countries, we are looking forward to the new season with a host of exciting offers. We are committed to creating memorable experiences for our guests and have tailored our new staycation package to ensure the best of luxury and nature, exclusively for our GCC guests. Oman is a beautiful country to escape the hustle and bustle of the big cities and welcomes it’s visitors with otherworldly natural wonders, including the ‘Grand Canyon of Arabia’ and a number of water-filled oasis that are perfect for a hike or a swim.”