Category Archives: Aviation

The second day of the Future Aviation Forum 2024 witnessed the signing of 102 memoranda of understanding (MoUs), agreements, and deals, with a total value exceeding SAR75 billion. Held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, organized by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Riyadh. The forum exceeded expectations, as the agreements encompassed various sectors of civil aviation, such as aviation services, aircraft purchase orders, cargo and logistics services, advanced air mobility, human resources development, information technology, maintenance, repair, and overhaul. The forum continued its proceedings for the second consecutive day with the participation of over 30 ministers, 77 leaders of civil aviation authorities, CEOs of airlines worldwide, and 7,000 aviation industry experts and leaders from more than 120 countries. It focused on human capabilities, the future of the sector, collaboration opportunities, civil aviation organization networks, sustainability, innovation, technology, and business opportunities within the sector. The forum saw the GACA launching the first edition of the Kingdom’s aviation sector report, which highlighted the civil aviation sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s economy, amounting to $53 billion and providing 958,000 jobs across various regions. The GACA also hosted the first aviation investment exhibition aimed at facilitating investment in the Saudi aviation sector, with a focus on the advanced air mobility pavilion being among the exhibition’s prominent pavilions. “The Future Aviation Forum has achieved remarkable success by bringing together aviation industry leaders and experts from around the world to discuss the future of civil aviation and develop innovative solutions to its key challenges,” said Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of GACA Board of Directors, Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. …

As of September 2024, flynas to become the only KSA airline serving the major 4 airports in the UAE. flynas announced a massive expansion plan in the UAE  adding Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) in Dubai to its network operated from flynas’ main bases in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah. The routes operated between the two countries will be increased from 4 routes currently to 9 routes, allowing for an exceptional expansion to more than 20 daily flights. Bander Almohanna, Managing Director and CEO of flynas, said: “We are delighted to enhance air connectivity between KSA and UAE, which reflects flynas’ commitment to move further in its growth and expansion plan under the slogan (We Connect The World With the Kingdom), offering new routes to the visitors between the two countries”. Almohanna added: “We take advantage of our operational excellence and doubling our fleet size in less than two years to keep up our remarkable growth to best cater to the growing low-cost travel market in the region, in line with our growth and expansion plans, and in parallel with 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 and the objectives of the Pilgrims Experience Program (PEP) to facilitate access to the Two Holy Mosques”. With the latest expansion, the UAE market will be served with flights from the four flynas operation bases around the Kingdom. Operating flights currently to Dubai International Airport from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah, the leading LCC will add flights to Al Maktoum International Airport …

Victor announced its commitment to delivering its pioneering climate action strategy in the MENA region. Together with partner Neste, the world’s leading producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), the sector leader is committed to transforming the business aviation landscape in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, by leveraging its learnings from nearly two years’ success in offering SAF directly to private jet flyers worldwide. Focusing on a continued campaign of education and awareness, Victor aims to shift the needle on two core metrics: driving an uplift in voluntary SAF demand from the region’s business aviation flyers and encouraging the adoption of its SAF blueprint by other business and commercial aviation companies across MENA. Having recently relocated its headquarters to Abu Dhabi from the UK, Victor is deepening its commitment to the region and reinforcing its strategic focus on climate action within the MENA markets. The company will build on the success of its ‘Pay Here, Use There’ model, allowing members to purchase Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ for every private jet booking – regardless of departure airport. The key learnings from Victor customer behaviour have been encouraging: 1 in 5 private aircraft charterers are willing to pay an additional c.4,500 AED for SAF per booking, providing an average carbon emission reduction of 1.5 tonnes. The average amount of Jet-A fossil fuel Victor customers choose to replace with SAF is 30% per booking. Victor’s aim in 2024 is for at least 1 in 5 MENA customers to buy SAF for their jet charter bookings. This voluntary solution and the SAF purchases it is enabling, is helping to establish a critical new sustainable aviation fuel supply chain, which is necessary …

Emirates and Avianca launched a new codeshare partnership which allows Emirates and Avianca customers to enjoy seamless connectivity on select routes. Emirates customers flying from Emirates’ network via Madrid, Barcelona or London Heathrow, can fly direct to three points in Colombia and enjoy seamless connectivity, in addition to other travel benefits that introduce more convenience. Codeshare flights include Madrid to Bogotá, Medellin or Cali; Barcelona to Bogotá; and London Heathrow to Bogotá. Tickets can be booked immediately on emirates.com, avianca.com, the Emirates and Avianca Apps, contact centres or via both online and offline travel agents, with codeshare flights starting from 4 June. Avianca will place its code on routes operated by Emirates, between Barcelona, Madrid or London Heathrow and Dubai. The Colombian carrier’s customers will fly on Emirates-operated widebody aircraft while enjoying premium dining, lie-flat seats in premium cabins in addition to an abundance of content on Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system, featuring more than 6,500 channels of movies, shows, music and more, including in Spanish. Customers of both airlines will enjoy the convenience of seamless connectivity, hassle-free booking of itineraries on both airlines on a single ticket while reaping the benefit of securing competitive fares, and a single baggage policy checked through to the final destination. Adnan Kazim, Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates said: “We are delighted to establish a codeshare partnership with Colombia’s largest carrier, Avianca to provide seamless connections on select routes to customers of both airlines. The codeshare agreement will enable us to expand our reach and allow our customers to use our services and fly to additional popular points in Colombia.” We are also pleased to offer Avianca’s customers connections through points in Spain …

Emirates and flynas signed an expanded two-way interline partnership with plans to open up connections and more travel choices for flynas customers via Dubai. Emirates’ current interline with flynas provides its customers with enhanced connectivity via its four gateways – Riyadh, Jeddah, Medinah and Dammam – to over 15 domestic points in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also includes the convenience of single ticket itineraries with onwards booking and baggage transfers. The MoU was signed at ATM by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Bander Almohanna, Group CEO & Managing Director of flynas, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, and flynas chairman Ayed Al Jeaid, along with other senior representatives from both airlines. With the expansion of the interline to a bilateral arrangement, flynas customers can connect across any of Emirates’ gateways in the Kingdom to a select roster of onward destinations on the airline’s network in the Far East, West Asia & Indian Ocean and Europe, via Dubai. Bander Almohanna, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director in flynas said: “With the expansion of the interline to a bilateral arrangement, flynas travelers can connect to a select roster of Emirates’ onward destinations on the airline’s network in the Far East, West Asia & Indian Ocean and Europe, via Dubai. We are quite pleased to offer more choices to our customers through Emirates’ wide network. Once the expanded interline partnership is activated, customers will be able to book their travel on the flynas website, through online travel agencies as well as with local travel agents.” Once the expanded interline partnership is activated, …

His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, stressed the importance of collaboration between stakeholders from the tourism and aviation sectors to drive economic growth and create seamless travel experiences. Speaking at the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh, the minister highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to leverage new air connections to boost inbound tourism and accelerate sector growth. “Gathering here at the Future Aviation Forum, it is important to emphasize the intersecting relationship between tourism and aviation. Ensuring the strategic expansion and sustainability of air routes is critical for our tourism goals,” said Minister Al-Khateeb during his keynote speech titled “Sky High Tourism – Unlocking Destinations and Cultural Exchange Now and in the Future.” In the past two years, Saudi Arabia’s air connectivity network expanded greatly, with Saudi airports adding 28 new routes from international destinations. In the first four months of 2024 alone, airlines from key markets in Europe and East Asia have initiated direct flights to the Kingdom. These airlines include China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Air China, ITA Airways, and Eurowings. With visitors from 66 countries now benefiting from the Saudi eVisa, the Kingdom’s tourism market has been on an upward trajectory in recent years. Recognized as the second fastest-growing tourism market globally in 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed 107 million tourists, with 27.4 million of these being international arrivals. Tourism currently represents 4% of GDP in the Kingdom– with a target of 10% GDP contribution by 2030. Aiming to attract 150 million tourists by that year – of which 70 million will be international arrivals – global airlines and tour operators will play a key role in this development. Minister Al-Khateeb added, “This growth is a …

SAUDIA signed an agreement with AEGEAN to expand their codeshare. The agreement will  enable guests of both airlines to reach new destinations. Through AEGEAN, guests can reach 47 countries at 156 destinations, such as Zagreb in Croatia and Tirana in Albania, as well as Santorini and Rhodes in Greece. Guests of AEGEAN will also benefit from access to domestic destinations in conjunction with the tourism movement witnessed in various regions of the Kingdom. The agreement adds numerous benefits for SAUDIA’s guests as well as AEGEAN passengers, including the expansion and growth of the flight network. Additionally, it includes transit visa services, which can be issued through digital channels by SAUDIA in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing guests from around the world to stopover for up to 96 hours. The agreement was signed during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) held at the Dubai World Trade Center by the Chief Commercial Officer of SAUDIA, Arved Von Zur Muehlen and Network Planning and Airline Partnerships Director AEGEAN, Yannis Rasoglou, by which SAUDIA’s guests and AEGEAN’s passengers will benefit from a wide range of privileges, starting with reservations and ticket issuance, in addition to fast and smooth transfers between flights with a single ticket. Moreover, they will enjoy the convenience of checking in their luggage to their final destination and benefiting from a reciprocal rewards program where miles can be collected to upgrade membership. Arved Von Zur Muehlen, the Chief Commercial Officer of Saudia, said: “This new codeshare agreement with AEGEAN is a significant step forward in expanding our network and offering a wider range of travel options. Not only will Saudia’s guests enjoy seamless connections to exciting new destinations, but they will …

Emirates will resume services to Nigeria from 1 October 2024, operating a daily service between Lagos and Dubai, and offering customers more choice and connectivity from Nigeria’s largest city to, and through, Dubai. The service will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER. EK783 will depart Dubai at 0945hrs, arriving in Lagos at 1520hrs; the return flight EK784 will leave Lagos at 1730hrs and arrives in Dubai at 0510hrs the next day. Tickets can be booked now on emirates.com or via travel agents. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said, “We are excited to resume our services to Nigeria. The Lagos-Dubai service has traditionally been popular with customers in Nigeria and we hope to reconnect leisure and business travellers to Dubai and onwards to our network of over 140 destinations. We thank the Nigerian government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this route and we look forward to welcoming passengers back onboard.” With the resumption of operations to Nigeria, Emirates operates to 19 gateways in Africa with 157 flights per week from Dubai, with further reach to an additional 130 regional points in Africa through its codeshare and interline partnerships with South African Airways, Airlink, Royal Air Maroc, Tunis Air, among others. As a major economic hub in Africa, Nigeria and the UAE have built strong bilateral trade relations over the years, headlined by Lagos as the nation’s commercial centre. With the resumption of daily passenger flights, the airline’s cargo arm, Emirates SkyCargo, will further bolster the trade relationship by offering more than 300 tonnes of bellyhold cargo capacity, in and out of Lagos every week. Emirates SkyCargo will support Nigerian businesses by exporting their goods via its …

Air Cairo announced Almosafer as their exclusive general sales agent (GSA) in Saudi Arabia. This highlights the importance of KSA as a primary market for Air Cairo, as both parties will work together to meet the needs of travellers from the Kingdom. Air Cairo selected Almosafer for its strong market presence and esteemed reputation in Saudi Arabia. Almosafer will play a key role in boosting Air Cairo’s sales across the Kingdom, by leveraging its extensive customer base to offer promotional deals and on-ground activities, while utilizing the strength of Almosafer’s businesses, such as “Discover Saudi,” its destination management company, and “Mawasim,” its Hajj & Umrah tour operator. Air Cairo offers greater connectivity and convenience through its fleet of well-maintained aircrafts. The airline has been expanding its network since its inception in 2003. With the recent addition of a more modern Airbus fleet, the airline reinforces its dedication to providing world-class comfort and convenience. As a leading airline in the region, it is focused on offering safe travel and ensuring greater connectivity and accessibility to its valued passengers. Pilot Ahmed Shannan, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Air Cairo Airlines, said about the partnership “We are delighted to collaborate with Almosafer to offer our services to a broad spectrum of travelers from Saudi Arabia and beyond. We are confident that Almosafer’s expertise and credibility in the region will enable us to broaden our reach and offer cost-effective travel options to all.” Muzzammil Ahussain, CEO of Almosafer, emphasized the significance of this collaboration, stating, “We are excited to welcome Air Cairo among our esteemed partners. We are confident that this collaboration will enhance the travel sector in the region and offer greater …

Saudia signed an agreement with Kenya Airways to expand the connectivity of both airlines and maximize benefits for their guests. The agreement incorporates a wide-range of benefits, including booking and ticket issuance, as well as seamless transfers between flights with a single ticket. Guests will also be able to check-in their luggage to their destination and benefit from a reciprocal rewards program that enhances and rewards guests. Guests can also benefit from transit visas that can be issued through Saudia’s digital channels in cooperation with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs allowing them to stopover for up to 96 hours. The agreement will allow guests to easily reach different regions of the Kingdom to enjoy the climatic diversity, as well as the variety of activities and events that highlight the Kingdom’s historical heritage and legacy, as well as to perform the Umrah and Hajj, and visit the Holy sites. Additionally, guests will be able to reach new destinations such as Accra in Ghana, Bamako in Mali, Bujumbura in Burundi, Lusaka in Zambia and Mombasa in Kenya, among others. The agreement was signed by Saudia’s Chief Commercial Officer Arved Von Zur Muehlen and Kenya Airways’ Regional General Manager- India & Middle East, Albert Abwoga. Saudia is committed activate codeshare agreements as one way to achieving its objective to connect the world to the Kingdom, coupled with qualitative initiatives to enhance the travel experience through both ground and air services and products, in addition to aligning with the initiatives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy by increasing air connectivity to more than 250 destinations by 2030, and keeping pace with the targets of the Saudi Ministry of Tourism of reaching 150 million visits …