Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates has confirmed that it will be commencing daily services to Tel Aviv from 23 June 2022. Emirates will operate its three-class Boeing 777-300ER on the route, featuring eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “We look forward to finally welcoming customers onboard our flights to and from Tel Aviv this summer, and offer them substantial connectivity to and through our Dubai hub as COVID travel restrictions continue to ease around the world and more borders open up. In addition to unlocking tremendous pent-up demand, Emirates’ debut into Israel will mean more choice for travellers as they return to the skies, and more opportunities for businesses to visit Dubai and beyond to our far-reaching network of almost 130 destinations, alongside our signature hospitality and award-winning onboard experience.” He added: “Emirates is committed to creating new opportunities for business and tourism, and strengthening the bilateral ties between the UAE and Israel. We are confident that our new services will have a positive impact on enhancing Israel’s connectivity to a wealth of global destinations, and we thank the UAE and Israeli authorities for their ongoing support in making this service possible.” The first flight taking off on 23 June will operate as EK931, leaving at 15:50hrs, and arriving at Ben Gurion Airport at 18:00hrs local time. The return flight EK 932 will depart Tel Aviv at 19:55hrs, arriving in Dubai at 23:59hrs (local time). Flight schedules have been timed to provide convenient access to Dubai, and optimum connection opportunities to popular holiday destinations like Thailand, India, Philippines, the Maldives, Sri Lanka …

Qatar Airways is to resume flights to London Gatwick Airport from 5 June, 2022. The multi-award winning airline will operate a daily service from Gatwick to Doha using a state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an environmentally advanced aircraft. It consumes 20 per cent less fuel and its carbon dioxide emissions are 20 per cent lower than other similar aircraft. With the addition of daily flights to London Gatwick, passengers can now enjoy seamless connectivity to almost 150 destinations across the airline’s extensive global network via the best airport in the world, Hamad International Airport, connecting with popular destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia. The resumption of the London Gatwick service complements recently launched flights to Doha from Gatwick by Qatar Airways’ Joint Business partner British Airways, meaning the airlines can now jointly offer more options between London and Doha and beyond, earning Avios frequent flyer points as they go. UK customers will now have access to four gateways including five-times daily services from London Heathrow, 18-times weekly from Manchester and four-times weekly from Edinburgh rising to daily from 2 June. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Our commitment to the UK market has been unwavering and we operated continuously and reliably throughout the pandemic, so I am pleased we can resume our popular service to London Gatwick. We offer excellent connectivity to and from the UK, providing travellers with more choice and convenience. “This year is very special for us, not least as it is the 25th anniversary of the start of our flights to …

Gulf Air has started its countdown to be the title sponsor of the most important sporting event in the Kingdom – the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2022, which will take place between 18-20 March 2022. Gulf Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Captain Waleed Al Alawi, said: “We have always been extremely proud to be the long title sponsors of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The success of this event is a testament to the commitment and efforts of our leadership and the Bahraini people as a whole. As the world begins to open up again, we are delighted to welcome fans from all over our network and beyond once again to Bahrain as the race continues to prove to be a firm global favourite; garnering our global recognition as a business and tourism destination in the Gulf as well as the home of motorsport in the region.” Gulf Air has been the title sponsor of the Bahrain Grand Prix since it made history in April 2004 as the first Formula 1 Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East. Since then, the airline has been instrumental in the success of the event and the benefits it has brought to Bahrain’s economy. Gulf Air is a proud ambassador for Bahrain and takes its role in supporting the Kingdom’s diversification in areas such as tourism very seriously.

Wizz Air announced three new routes that will connect Italy with Greece. Starting from June, passengers can travel from the international airports of Rome Fiumicino, Bari Karol Wojtyla International Airport and Naples International Airport to Skiathos, the majestic island in the northwestern Aegean sea. These new routes mark an important seasonal start for Wizz Air, which landed for the first time in Italy in 2004, and which today has a fleet of 150 aircraft, operates from 25 Italian airports in Italy, including 7 bases. Paulina Gosk, Corporate Communication Manager of Wizz Air, said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates Wizz Air’s commitment to offer more travel opportunities to Italian passengers. Italy is an important market for us that needs new possibilities and on which we have focused a lot of efforts. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board with great service to the beautiful island of Skiathos in Greece as we strive to become Europe’s greenest choice for air travel.”

Emirates and Garuda Indonesia announce the launch of their codeshare partnership. The new partnership allows customers of the world’s largest international airline, based in Dubai, and Indonesia’s national carrier, to enjoy seamless connectivity on routes across the Americas, Middle East, Africa and Europe. Under the new codeshare partnership forged, customers will be able to enjoy seamless connectivity on 16 routes, including popular European destinations, in addition to other travel benefits that will introduce additional levels of convenience. Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by both airlines in November of last year, regulatory approvals have been secured to operate routes that are included under the codeshare partnership. Tickets can be booked immediately on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents, with codeshare flights open from 16 March. Tickets can also be secured via Garuda’s side through garuda-indonesia.com, the Fly Garuda app, contact center at +62 804 1 807 807 or + 6221 2351 9999, as well as travel agents. Garuda Indonesia will place its code on routes operated by Emirates, between Jakarta and Dubai, in addition to onwards flights to Paris, London Heathrow, Manchester, Milan and Barcelona from Emirates’ hub. Emirates will place its code on Garuda Indonesia operated flights on ten routes via two of its hubs, both Jakarta and Denpasar. Emirates passengers are able to travel to seven additional domestic points in Indonesia, beyond Jakarta and Bali, and enjoy the convenience of seamless booking, easy connections, one baggage policy and baggage-check through to the final destination. Domestic points which Emirates customers can travel to include Denpasar, Surabaya, Makassar, Balikpapan, Manado, Medan, Padang and Solo from Jakarta, while, from Denpasar, customers can fly …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has launched an exciting new route from Abu Dhabi to Mattala, Sri Lanka. The new destination provides affordable, hassle-free travel for tourists and residents in both the UAE and Sri Lanka with unique travel opportunities and a convenient WIZZ flight schedule on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tickets are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app with fares starting as low as AED 179 *. The airline introduces a new segment of travel by adding its first destination to South Asia which will allow customers from across the broader Wizz Air network to travel via Abu Dhabi to the exotic destination of Sri Lanka. Mattala, nestled in pristine natural beauty, enjoys a tropical climate with easy access to neighbouring wildlife. Ideally located with easy access to Sri Lanka’s most famous tourist attractions, including stunning coastlines and abundant nature, adventurous travellers can sample the best of the famed attractions. CNN voted Sri Lanka one of the best destinations to visit in 2020 and Mattala is the gateway to the island’s ancient, beautifully complex civilization with over 2,000 years of history. Michael Berlouis, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, said: “Sri Lanka is an exciting destination that has everything; beautiful beaches, a diverse cultural heritage, historical sites dating back 1000s of years and even a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is truly a must-see travel destination.  We are proud to be providing our customers ever more convenient, affordable opportunities for relaxation and adventure and look forward to seeing you on board our aircraft to the island paradise soon.” Hon. D. V. Chanaka, State Minister of Aviation and Export Zones Development, said: “It is indeed …

After signing a CFM56-7B support contract by the hour in 2016 with AFI KLM E&M, Oman Air is expanding its relationship with the MRO to perform shop visits on 9 additional engines. In order to be able to take care of these visits scheduled over the whole year 2022, AFI KLM E&M has adapted its production schedule to free up slots and take these engines into account. As a result of their established cooperation, Oman Air has developed a fruitful relationship with AFI KLM E&M and is familiar with the level of service delivered by the MRO Group, as well as its ability to deliver on its performance and TAT commitments. Beyond the trusting relationship between the two groups, AFI KLM E&M has developed a commercially and technically competitive solution to outperform its competitors at the finish line. AFI KLM E&M has also worked to ensure that the workscope meets Oman Air’s operational requirements, including deadlines, by adapting its production schedule to accommodate the engines on time. According to Captain Nasser Al Salmi, Oman Air’s Chief Operating Officer, “the quality and reliability of the services offered by AFI KLM E&M, as well as the professionalism and availability of their teams, have given our company complete satisfaction. All this know-how is once again expressed in their response to our request to take charge of these nine new engines, and AFI KLM E&M is the natural choice for us.” Pierre Teboul, SVP Commercial at AFI KLM E&M, commented: “It is always a source of pride and satisfaction to have a long-standing customer like Oman Air renew its trust in us. It illustrates the ability of our teams to develop mutually beneficial relationships …

Etihad Airways has announced a new European destination this summer with the introduction of flights to the French city of Nice from 15 June. The twice-weekly service will operate on Wednesdays and Sundays between Abu Dhabi and Nice Côte d’Azur Airport on a modern Boeing 787 aircraft, one of the most fuel efficient aircraft in the world. Situated on the southeastern coast of France, Nice is renowned for its famous waterfront, with a scenic seven-kilometre walkway known as the ‘Promenade des Anglais’. The city was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021. “As one of the most popular destinations on the French Riviera, Etihad Airways is delighted to add Nice to its summer network in 2022,” said Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo. “This is the first time Etihad will be operating flights to Nice and Etihad is confident it will appeal to a broad range of leisure travellers looking to satisfy their wanderlust this summer.” Nice is the fifth summer route to be announced by Etihad Airways for 2022 after Crete, Malaga, Santorini and Zanzibar, all set to to launch in mid-June.  

Emirates has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau recently at the Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai. The agreement reaffirms the airline’s commitment to Sri Lanka and outlines mutually beneficial initiatives that will help revive the country’s trade and tourism industry. The MoU was signed by Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean, and Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. The agreement was signed in the presence of H.E. Malraj De Silva, Ambassador Sri Lanka Embassy, Hon Prasanna Ranatunga, Minister of Tourism Sri Lanka, Hon D.V. Chanaka, State Minister Sri Lanka Aviation, and Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer. Ahmed Khoory, SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean at Emirates, said: “Sri Lanka remains a very key market in Emirates’ global network and the agreement signed today underscores our unwavering commitment to the country.  We launched operations to Colombo more than 35 years ago, and our partnership continues to grow from strength to strength. We look forward to exploring mutually beneficial initiatives that will help revive the nation’s trade and tourism sectors, and provide Emirates with an opportunity to serve market demand.” Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said: ‘Sri Lanka is a beautiful island destination and strategic partners such as Emirates is key to drive Sri Lanka’s travel and tourism industry. Therefore this partnership is vital for us to explore and capitalise opportunities that emerge and to open up     beautiful avenues to establish brand awareness and perceived quality in the global tourism market. Thus we are excited about the partnership and also grateful for all the support Emirates has extended us during the three decades of …

flydubai celebrated its inaugural service to AlUla on 02 March, becoming the first national carrier of the UAE to operate flights from Dubai. Yesterday’s inaugural flight arrived at AlUla International Airport (ULH) and was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute, marking the start of a twice-weekly service. On board the inaugural flight was a senior delegation led by Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, members of the Royal Commission for AlUla, as well as representatives from the UAE media. The delegation was invited to a welcome reception which was followed by a press conference. Speaking at the press conference, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “we are delighted to see the first flydubai flight land in AlUla today and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the authorities and the Royal Commission for AlUla for their support. The launch of operations to AlUla reflects our commitment to strengthening the cultural, trade and tourism ties between the UAE and Saudi Arabia and opening up new markets to more passengers.” Phillip J. Jones, Chief Destination Management and Marketing Officer at The Royal Commission for AlUla, said: “As AlUla continues to attract more visitors from around the globe, we are thrilled to have flydubai offer year-round direct flights from Dubai. The new twice-weekly flights will facilitate not only the movement of visitors from the important UAE market, but from throughout flydubai’s extensive international network into AlUla.  There is no other destination that equals AlUla for fascinating ancient history, heritage and culture combined with high-end luxury settings and experiences – and now increasingly more easily accessible for both leisure and business visitors. We still have five …