Category Archives: Aviation

flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, announced the start of its three-times-weekly service to Sohag International Airport (HMB) from 25 July. The flights to and from Sohag will operate via a short stop in Sharm El Sheikh. This will bring the number of points flydubai operates to in Egypt to three including Alexandria Borg El Arab International Airport (HBE) and Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (SSH). Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said: “Egypt is a very important market for flydubai and has a very special place in our journey. Alexandria was among the first routes we operated to in 2009. We are very pleased to see our presence in Egypt grow and we would like to thank the authorities for their ongoing support. flydubai is committed to supporting the tourism and trade links between our two countries. We look forward to the start of operations to Sohag which is going to be very popular among our passengers from the UAE and the region.” Sohag is one the important governorates of Upper Egypt with a capital city that holds the same name. The city and the government of Sohag have a long history in ancient Egypt and is home to a number of monuments, monasteries and museums. Commenting on the announcement, Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent) at flydubai, said: “with demand for travel returning we are focused on enabling our passengers to travel with ease to more places around the flydubai network. Sohag is another exciting destination for our passengers to visit whether to go back home to see friends and family or to explore the many historic attractions in the …

Air India Express announced the addition of a new destination Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The carrier Air India Express effective 15 July 2021 will connect Jeddah with Kozhikode and Lucknow. The service is scheduled to be operational with our fleet of Boeing 737 aircrafts. Departure from Jeddah to Kozhikode will be at 11:00 local time and arrival at 19:20 local time on Thursday and Saturday. Departure from Jeddah to Lucknow will be at 1120 local time and arrival at 19:30 local time on Friday and Sunday. Current Schedule valid till 18 July 2021 Jeddah – Kozhikode flight IX1398 departs 11:00 and arrives 19:20 on Thursday and Saturday. The flight connecting Jeddah – Lucknow flight IX1198 departs 11:20 and arrives 19:30 on Friday and Sunday.

Emirates has announced it will restart passenger services to Mauritius this summer with two weekly flights from 15 July, as the island-nation gradually re-opens its borders to international tourists. To serve market demand, the airline has also announced it will deploy its iconic Emirates A380 aircraft to Mauritius starting 1 August. Fully vaccinated travellers can enjoy a relaxing and safe getaway in a list of pre-approved COVID-19 safe resorts across the island. Emirates’ flights to Mauritius will operate on Thursdays and Saturdays. Starting from 15 July, the route will be served utilising a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, and from 1 August, utilising the Emirates A380 aircraft. Emirates flight EK 701 will depart Dubai 2:35hrs and arrive in Mauritius at 9:10hrs local time. The return flight will operate on Fridays and Sundays. Emirates flight EK 704 will depart Mauritius at 23:10hrs and arrive in Dubai at 5:45hrs local time, the following day. Emirates flights to Mauritius can be booked on emirates.com, via travel agents or Emirates Sales Office. The Emirates A380 experience remains a favourite amongst travellers for its spacious and comfortable cabins and the airline will continue to expand its deployment in line with the gradual return in demand. Emirates currently operates the A380 to New York JFK, Los Angeles, Washington D.C, Toronto, Paris, Munich, Vienna, Frankfurt, Moscow, Amman, Cairo, and Guangzhou. From white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and luscious landscapes – Mauritius remains one the most popular holiday destinations, attracting travellers across the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. Emirates passengers can also enjoy other Indian Ocean destinations, as the airline offers 28 weekly flights to Maldives and seven weekly flights to Seychelles. Travellers can also book with Emirates …

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is offering free private airport transfers to and from Dubai for guests travelling in Economy to select destinations. Tickets must be booked by 11 August for travel by 30 September 2021. Travellers will also earn double Etihad Guest Miles on their flight too. Guests travelling to Dubai do not need to quarantine on arrival and can travel easily from Abu Dhabi International Airport, using Etihad’s complimentary transfer services to Dubai. During the promotion, guests travelling in Economy can use the free private car service direct to their home, hotel, or preferred destination in the emirate of Dubai. Fatma Al Mehairi, Vice President Sales UAE, Etihad Airways, said: “With Dubai just an easy one hour drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, we’re committed to making travel as easy as possible for guests travelling to and from Dubai this summer. The Etihad Wellness programme also means guests can travel with Etihad with complete peace of mind.” Guests travelling in Etihad’s Business and First cabins continue to have complimentary access to the Etihad Chauffeur service, regardless of their travel destination. In line with the Etihad Wellness programme, the driver will be wearing face masks and disposable gloves, and all vehicles are sanitised after every trip too. The free private airport transfer service is available for all guests travelling between Dubai and one of the following destinations: Amsterdam, Athens, Bangkok, Barcelona, Brussels, Casablanca, Chicago, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, London, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Manila, Melbourne, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Mykonos, Paris, Phuket, Rabat, Rome, New York, Santorini, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, or Zurich. In order to make travel as easy as possible, …

flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, continues to grow its network in Europe and will see Naples in Italy and Salzburg in Austria join its network later this month. The carrier will start its four-weekly service to Salzburg International Airport (SZG) from 15 July and resumes its operations to Naples Airport (NAP) from 31 July 2021. Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said: “we are excited to connect Salzburg to the UAE with direct airlinks for the first time which will also offer passengers from the neighbouring region a more comfortable and convenient travel option. We continue to grow our operations in Europe and with the resumption of flights to Naples flydubai is able to offer greater choice this summer. We are seeing steady growth in passenger traffic as more countries ease travel restrictions. We will continue to grow our network in the months ahead.” Flights to Naples will be operated within the quarantine-free travel corridor that has recently been established between Italy and the UAE enabling passengers to travel between the two countries with less restrictions. Passengers need to present a negative COVID-19 test result at check-in taken no more than 48 hours before departure from the UAE. On arrival in Italy, all passengers over the age of two years will be required to take a rapid antigen test. holidays by flydubai offers affordable travel packages for both destinations, with packages to Naples starting at AED 2,369 and to Salzburg starting at AED 2,769.  Package prices are for economy class return flights and accommodation for three nights per person based on two adults sharing a room including breakfast. Travellers can customise their travel packages and add optional extras such as …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has announced its latest route to Baku, Azerbaijan starting on 14th of August 2021. The launch of the new route will see the airline now fly to 29 destinations. Azerbaijan is currently on Abu Dhabi’s green country list meaning that travellers will not be required to quarantine upon arrival or when returning back to the UAE’s capital. The flight to Baku will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Tickets are on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app (also available in Arabic), with fares starting as low as AED 179*. The new route to the capital city of Azerbaijan opens up yet another opportunity for travellers to explore amazing destinations from Abu Dhabi or reconnect with friends and family. Baku is positioned on the coast of the beautiful Caspian Sea and is the most southern point of Azerbaijan. Located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, the city’s heritage, leisure and architecture is the perfect blend of multiple cultures making it a true sight to be seen, experience and enjoy. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said, “We are once again adding a new and exciting destination to our route network. Baku is a city like no other with a unique fusion of cultures offering a wide variety for everyone, from hospitality, history to F&B. As restrictions across the world start to ease, we continue to provide more travel options for those with a desire to travel – we look forward to seeing you on board soon!” Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has the youngest fleet composed of four brand new state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft, offering the …

Egypt has added 28 new countries to its list of nationalities able to obtain a tourism visa electronically as part of the country’s efforts to drive more visitors to the country. The country now permits 74 nationalities to obtain tourism e-visas. Ghada Shalaby, Vice Minister for Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Affairs, said that the latest update will contribute to encouraging many tourists of different nationalities to visit Egypt. She explains that the online e-visa portal supports 8 languages. The portal also answers many tourist inquiries and features secure electronic payment. An Egyptian tourist e-visa costs US$25 for one entry or US$60 for multiple entries. The visa is issued in a maximum of 7 days. The Vice Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Affairs said that the new additions to the list are expected to have a positive impact on increasing tourist numbers in Egypt.

Emirates Holidays customers visiting Dubai who want to jump straight into their long-awaited stay, and Dubai residents seeking to expedite their return journey for stress-free travel can now upgrade their airport experience and have their arrivals and departures taken care of with newly introduced packages. With one more thing taken off their plate, Emirates Holidays customers can enjoy a fast-tracked and safe airport experience that offers little queuing and more privacy and peace of mind as they are supported through every step of their holiday break. With Airport Ease, Emirates Holidays customers can take advantage of an introductory package offer that ensures they are well-looked after starting from AED 499* for a complete arrivals experience. The package, valid for two people and up to four bags, includes an effortless end-to-end experience with Meet & Greet prior to reaching immigration, fast-track and a personalised escort through the arrivals hall, and Emirates’ signature Chauffer Drive service in a BMW 5 Series for onwards transport to their hotel or home. Emirates Holidays will also do the legwork on baggage handling and collection, in addition to a convenient baggage delivery option to any address in Dubai. With Airport Ease +, convenience and efficiency are taken to the next level for the whole arrivals and departures experience, starting from AED 1,199**. The tailor made airport experience, valid for two people and up to four bags, includes dedicated Meet & Greet at the customer’s arrival gate, one-to-one escort and dedicated fast-track at immigration and security, Emirates’ BMW Series 5 Chauffeur Drive service to and from the airport and baggage collection and convenient delivery (upon request) to the customer’s address in Dubai. Upon departure with Airport Ease …

Etihad Airways has extended its ‘Verified To Fly’ travel document initiative, enabling travellers to validate their Covid-19 travel documents before arriving at the airport, to routes across its global network.  Available for the vast majority of Etihad flights, to use the Verified to Fly service passengers sign-up by visiting Manage my Booking and following the simple instructions to upload and submit their travel documents. Guests will receive confirmation once their documents have been approved in line with government requirements and can travel to the airport with confidence and peace of mind, knowing they have met all essential requirements before their flight. With the formalities out of the way, verified travellers enjoy fast track check-in at the airport through the dedicated Verified to Fly desk for a quicker and smoother experience. Early trials showed that Verified to Fly Guests saw their processing times at the check-in desk almost halved and the average queuing time for all Guests reduced – helping expedite journeys and maintain social distancing at the airport. Launched at the start of June, Verified to Fly has proven a successful tool helping people return to travel, providing passengers with confidence they have the necessary documents to meet government Covid-related travel rules to be allowed to fly. A key benefit of Etihad’s Verified to Fly programme is passengers are only sharing their data with the airline itself, with no third-party involvement. John Wright, Vice President Global Airports and Network Operations, Etihad Airways, said, “Verified to Fly has proven hugely popular with our guests, as they get a fast track experience when checking in at the airport if using Verified to Fly. Removing guess work from the process, guests also value …

Emirates has re-opened its dedicated First Class Lounge at Dubai International (DXB’s) Concourse B to serve the growing volume of premium customers travelling from and through Emirates’ hub, as more markets around the world ease restrictions and put in place protocols that enable international travel. Emirates will also continue to operate its Business Class Lounge in Concourse B which has been opened since July 2020 for First and Business Class travellers as well as eligible Skywards members. With comprehensive bio-safety protocols in place, customers can enjoy a full complement of trademark services located within the Emirates First Class Lounge, such as: a complimentary facial treatment at the Timeless Spa, complimentary services at Shoeshine by Mr Cobbler, four fine champagne vintages at the dedicated Moet and Chandon bar, special offers at luxury wine and spirits retailer Le Clos, and limited-edition tea blends with Dilmah Tea. The re-opened Emirates First Class Lounge also features refreshed and spacious seating in the dining, rest, and social areas. In addition to a generous selection of fine wines, spirits, and cocktails, Emirates First Class customers can enjoy an entirely new menu with over 55 individual dishes painstakingly created by chefs at Emirates Flight Catering. Reflecting the latest food trends and customer feedback, Emirates’ latest First Class Lounge menu offers a dedicated selection of delicious vegan, gluten-free and other healthy options, in addition to culinary highlights such as: char-grilled wagyu burger, 72-hour braised beef short ribs, foie gras terrine, Black Angus tenderloin, and a traditional Emirati breakfast. Catering to customers flying in from different time zones, the Lounge offers all-day breakfast and lunch options, round the clock. A generous selection of refreshing ice creams and mocktails are …