Category Archives: Aviation

Etihad Airways is set to embark on a major digital transformation following the signing of a landmark multi-year deal with Amadeus. As part of the deal, Etihad Airways will implement the full Amadeus Altéa PSS suite, including web booking, revenue management and merchandising, data management and passenger servicing solutions. These technology products will be customised for Etihad over the coming years and will improve the experience of guests, staff, travel agents, Etihad Guest members, and corporate customers. Etihad’s guests will see new web and mobile channels powered by Amadeus Digital Experience suite, offering the simplest user experience possible to purchase flight tickets and manage bookings. Advanced retailing capabilities will be developed collaboratively using machine learning to provide guests with bespoke offerings and personalise their travel experience. To modernise retailing capabilities across sales channels, Etihad has also signed for Amadeus Altéa NDC (New Distribution Capability) and will work with Amadeus to distribute personalised travel offers to guests. Etihad will make its full range of NDC offers available to Amadeus travel sellers, allowing agents to see the features of Etihad’s award-winning product more transparently and the ancillaries that can be bought. The airline will, in addition, implement the Altéa Departure Control Customer Management component of the suite, providing guests with real-time, personalised alerts of offers, services, and flight changes. The system will offer a higher level of service customisation and provide guests with a faster and simpler check-in process, which is more important than ever as travel rebuilds. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad, says: “The aviation industry is going through a digital revolution, and Etihad Airways is committed to staying at the forefront of that change. With Amadeus as a …

Experience Emirates’ fully-enclosed Gamechanger First Class Suites, explore the airline’s signature A380 Onboard Lounge, or check out the cabin around your own seat in row 77 from the comfort of your home, with the airline’s award-winning and industry-leading virtual reality (VR) experiences. Available on emirates.com to anyone with an internet connection, via the Emirates app, and now on the Oculus Store for Oculus Rift users, Emirates has taken the next step in its ambition to reach and engage audiences around the world with cutting-edge VR technology. Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand, said: “Emirates aims to provide innovative and outstanding customer experiences whether onboard, on the ground, or in the digital space. In 2018, we were the world’s first airline to introduce advanced web VR technology on our digital platforms, offering our customers an immersive opportunity to learn about the fantastic Emirates experience that awaited them before they stepped on board. We’ve continued to invest and develop that experience, and today we are delighted to be the first airline to launch a fully-fledged Oculus VR app. “This initiative expands our global reach and ability to engage with our audiences across digital platforms. It is also particularly relevant right now, as many people have not travelled for a while due to the pandemic, and are seeking inspiration and researching and rediscovering their flight options.” Created in partnership with technology company Renacen, Emirates’ customers can navigate through Economy, Business and First Class cabins, explore their seats, as well as the iconic Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa on the Emirates A380 using navigational hotspots. Emirates is working on an updated version featuring its Premium Economy cabin and …

To cater to its ever-expanding network, SalamAir, Sultanate’s fastest-growing value-for-money airline, has taken delivery of its first A321neo aircraft. The efficient A321neo delivers high levels of passenger comfort while expanding seating capacity through optimised use of cabin space. The A321neo will complement SalamAir’s fleet of six A320neo. With the induction of the A321neo, SalamAir has become the first airline in the country to introduce the aircraft to its fleet. The aircraft’s extra range capability of eight hours meets the ambitious plans of the airline. SalamAir can now connect Muscat and Salalah further to Europe, Far East, and African new destinations. The new fleet mix will enable SalamAir to diversify its portfolio and support the Sultanate of Oman’s tourism industry vision. Masirah, the name of the new aircraft, offers a new “all inclusive” fare class. The premium class cabin is a response to the passengers’ desire of having bundled inclusive services that cater to their travel needs.  The seating capacity of the new aircraft will be 212 seats equipped with USB ports, HEPA air filtration system and leather seats. The next generation A321 aircraft developed by Airbus has a new engine option (NEO). To elevate the passenger experience, it offers additional seating capacity while allowing augmented use of cabin space. A redesigned cabin door configuration and supplementary exit limits lifts the comfort quotient of the aircraft. Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir, said: “We are pleased to introduce the newest A321neo aircraft into our fleet as we continue to expand our network. The induction of the A321neo aircraft marks another step towards meeting the needs of international, regional, and domestic passengers in the perpetually growing aviation market. The employment of this aircraft to …

Sabre Corporation announced a new strategic partnership with Bangladesh’s national flag carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines (Biman). Under the new agreement, Biman will adopt the SabreSonic Passenger Service System (PSS) to power digital transformation, drive revenue growth and improve the passenger experience. Biman has also selected a further set of Sabre solutions as well as renewing its global distribution agreement with Sabre to help meet the demands of modern-day travellers, ensure availability across all points of sale, maximize customer acquisition, leverage its loyalty program and stimulate demand as industry recovery gains momentum. “We’re thrilled to embark on a new relationship with Sabre during this critical time for the travel industry,” said Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal, Managing Director and CEO, Biman. “It is more important now than ever that we have agile and advanced solutions to empower us to improve operational efficiencies, boost revenue as we move into recovery, and to create a differentiated brand experience in the competitive Bangladeshi market and beyond. We look forward to flying our nation’s bi-coloured flag domestically, regionally and internationally as borders re-open, with support from Sabre’s robust technology.” The Sabre Commercial Platform, the platform within which SabreSonic PSS is housed, is positioned to help empower airlines to drive revenue maximization and a differentiated brand experience. It meets airlines where they are and takes them where they want to go through flexible, open, and intelligent technology, delivering end-to-end personalized retailing from commercial optimization through order fulfilment; enabling enhanced travel experiences for the airline’s customers and helping the airline to increase revenue opportunities. SabreSonic PSS is designed to automate and streamline sales and reservations processes, helping airlines maximize revenue opportunities, save costs, enhance inventory revenue optimization, …

Etihad Airways has upgraded its innovative Verified to Fly service to offer a more streamlined and personalised service through its website, etihad.com. This upgrade makes the process quicker and easier for Etihad’s guests to ensure they have all the required COVID-related documents before leaving for the airport. Seven days ahead of travel, all guests will receive a personalised email informing them of the documents required for their destination. These travel documents can now be uploaded directly to the ‘Manage my Booking’ page of etihad.com, up to 72 hours before departure. The new website functionality replaces the email upload system which was launched by the airline in May 2021. The new upload process guides travellers through the process of uploading and shows the specific documents needed to get verified for their chosen destination. Once uploaded, the documents will be checked and guests will receive an email confirming they have met all requirements for their flight. Additionally, travellers can check the status of their submission at any time by logging onto Manage my Booking at etihad.com. As a result, they can begin their journey with complete peace of mind and will also benefit from a significantly faster check-in at the airport. John Wright, Vice President Airports and Network Operations, Etihad Airways, said: “Etihad’s hugely popular Verified to Fly service has been used by more than 110k guests already and has now been further improved and streamlined. The service has significantly reduced airport check-in times, and provided much-needed reassurance to our guests that they have already met all Covid-19 travel requirements before they reach the airport.” Etihad requires 100% of its passengers to show a negative PCR test to protect the inflight environment, which …

Emirates announced that it will be restarting services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 11 September and St Petersburg from 8 October 2021. The resumption of these services build on Emirates’ growing global footprint, the continued lifting of entry restrictions as well as demand recovery across the airline’s network. Dubai continues to top the must-see destination list for Russian holidaymakers, providing a great combination of warm weather, world-class hotels for every budget, shopping and an unparalleled set of new attractions that encourage repeat visits. From 8 October, flights between Dubai and St Petersburg will operate four times a week, and the airline will increase its services to daily flights from 21 October. All flights will operate on the Boeing 777-300ER in a three class configuration. Emirates flight EK 173 and 174 will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while EK 175 and 176 will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturday and Sundays. EK 173 departs Dubai at 0910hrs, arriving at St Petersburg Pulkovo Airport at 1415hrs. EK 174 leaves St Petersburg at 1645hrs, arriving back in Dubai at 2345hrs local time. EK 175 takes off from Dubai at 1545hrs, arriving in St Petersburg at 2050hrs and EK176 leaves Pulkovo Airport at 2315hrs, landing in Dubai at 0615hrs the next day. From Saturday, 11 September, Emirates will begin operating 24 weekly flights to Saudi Arabia, including daily flights to the capital Riyadh, daily A380 flights to Jeddah, daily flights to Dammam and three weekly flights to Medina. Flights to Riyadh will increase to double daily from 16 September, and plans are underway to boost frequencies across the other gateways by the end of September. To Riyadh, Emirates will operate EK 2817 daily, …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s inaugural flight to Manama, Bahrain commenced departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and arriving in Bahrain International Airport (BAH). The new route will strengthen connectivity within the GCC by providing an alternative and ultra-low fare travel option for passengers between the two Gulf countries. The first flight to Bahrain closely follows the recent announcement made by the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee removing the need to quarantine for all vaccinated travellers arriving into Abu Dhabi from all international destinations, effective on Sunday, 5 September 2021. This welcome announcement indicates a positive outlook for the travel and tourism industry in Abu Dhabi. Since launching at the start of the year, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has announced a wide range of exciting routes to and from the UAE capital. These include Athens, Alexandria, Bahrain, Belgrade, Odesa, Sarajevo, Tirana and a number of others (see full list of routes here), with demand expected to increase following the change in travel guidelines. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: “Today is an important milestone for us at Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and we are pleased to mark the occasion alongside our partners – Abu Dhabi Airport Company (ADAC) and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). The addition of the Abu Dhabi-Manama route provides a low-fare travel option for those wishing to fly the popular Gulf travel route. This new destination is the first route to be added to our flying roster since this week’s update to the travel guidelines regarding vaccinated passengers – it is an exciting moment for us all!” Shareef Al Hashmi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, commented: “Today is another …

In a recognition ceremony held at the Training Centre Auditorium at Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority, 71 Oman Air volunteers were recognized for their commitment to community wellbeing as part of the Ministry of Health’s National Vaccination Campaign at the Oman Conference and Exhibition Centre. On hand to personally thank volunteers and hand out certificates of appreciation was Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Air Chief Executive Officer, accompanied by Hilal Al Siyabi, Oman Air Senior Vice President – People, who led the initiative, as well as other senior executives. “Oman Air has a social responsibility to the communities in which we operate,” said Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi. “I’m delighted and immensely proud of the overwhelming response of Oman Air staff in the National Vaccination Campaign at OCEC. They have shown, through their dedication in the last three months, compassion and consideration toward fellow citizens in an overarching objective to protect public health. That Oman has been able to diminish the spread of COVID-19 is due to the many volunteers who continue to make an impact, every day.” In addition, the Kingdom’s vaccination campaign continues to gather pace. A total of 38,455,901 people in the country have so far been inoculated against COVID-19, including 1,609,631 who are classified as elderly. More than 63 percent of the population have received a first dose, and just over 45 percent have received both doses. At the current rate of vaccination, 70 percent of the population is expected to have completed both doses by the beginning of November.

Emirates announced that it will be expanding its operations in and out of South Africa, boosting its schedule to 28 weekly flights by October. This is the airline’s largest weekly schedule to South Africa since the start of the pandemic, which aims to bring more competitive choices for customers wishing to visit Dubai, and through Dubai to the airline’s network of over 120 global destinations. The ramp up of operations will see double daily flights to Johannesburg, including the introduction of Emirates’ iconic A380 on one of the daily flights, in addition to daily services to both Cape Town and Durban. The new frequencies and capacity increases across all of the airline’s gateways in South Africa are effective from 31 October 2021. From 1 January 2022, Emirates will serve Johannesburg with double daily A380 services. The airline’s flagship and customer favourite will offer South African passengers the best experience in the sky with signature features like First Class private suites, luxurious Shower Spa, the ever-popular Onboard Lounge, in addition to spacious seating in Economy and Premium Economy Class cabins* featuring the industry’s largest seatback screens for customers to enjoy over 4,500 channels of on-demand entertainment on ice. Emirates’ flight schedule expansion comes in response to a surge in customer demand to Dubai as tourist visas have opened up for all nationalities, in addition to the easing of restrictions across some destinations that now allow quarantine-free entry for South Africans. Emirates is also firmly committed to supporting the recovery of South Africa’s tourism industry through facilitating enhanced connectivity for international visitors into the country. Dubai has long been one of the most popular holiday getaways for South African travellers, and remains …

​Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) presented various models of the latest next-generation aircraft seats in both business and economy classes which will be included in the airline’s upcoming new Airbus A321XLR aircraft deliveries. During the two-day event held at the SAUDIA Club at the airline’s headquarters in Jeddah, guests from the Al Fursan loyalty program along with media representatives, were invited to experience and share their views and votes for their preferred models. The votes will be grouped with the decision of stakeholders which will eventually be taken into consideration for choosing the final seat on the new aircraft. During the seat selection event, the Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, engaged with a number of guests at the event and heard their input and comments with regards to current onboard products and services. The seat manufacturers featured in the event included Thompson Aero Seating, Safran Seats, Stelia, Collins Aerospace, Geven, Haeco, and Recaro. The models presented include a new business-class suite featuring a 180 degrees fully-flatbed seat with sliding doors. Some of the presented suites also include a 24-inch HD screen. The spacious economy class seats come fully equipped with the latest amenities, together with storage areas and 13-inch seat-back entertainment screens. Captain Ibrahim S.  Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, stated that the main goal of providing high-quality products is to provide comfort and industry-leading ergonomic features. Koshy indicated that the first of Saudi Arabian Airlines’ Airbus A321XLR aircraft is expected to arrive in 2024. SAUDIA has ordered a total of 15 Airbus A321XLR, which will serve regional, European, and Asian routes. Captain Koshy further asserted that the company is forging ahead with several customer-focused development …