Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates announced plans to introduce its newly retrofitted Boeing 777s to two more cities – Zurich and Riyadh from 1 October 2024*. The airline will also layer on refurbished B777s to Geneva and Brussels operations, making them the first two cities in the airline’s network to sport refreshed B777 cabins on all flights. The airline aims to offer customers more of its highly acclaimed Premium Economy product and newly configured Business Class cabin on the Boeing 777 in the coming weeks and months. Emirates’ enhanced B777s will operate as follows: To Zurich, Emirates will operate its retrofitted Boeing 777 on EK 85 and EK 86 starting from 1 October 2024*. Emirates’ enhanced Boeing 777 featuring its latest cabins will also land in Riyadh for the first time, as EK 819 and EK 820 from 1 October 2024*. This will be the first debut of Emirates’ Premium Economy in the Middle East/GCC. From 22 September 2024*, Geneva will become the first city in the Emirates network to offer Premium Economy seats and newly refreshed Business Class cabins on all flights, with the introduction of the retrofitted B777 on EK 89 and EK 90. From 9 October 2024*, Emirates will operate its second retrofitted B777 to Brussels on EK 181 and EK 182 six times weekly. With an expanded list of cities served by both the refurbished Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft, Emirates is providing customers more choice and a better experience in the skies across every cabin class. The airline plans to serve 28 cities with Premium Economy by the end of this year. So far, 25 aircraft have been retrofitted, with 17 more aircraft to undergo a facelift by December 2024. The …

flydubai touched down in Basel becoming the first national carrier from the UAE to operate direct flights from Dubai. This marks the start of the carrier’s four-times weekly service to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL) from Dubai International (DXB). The inaugural flight touched down at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL) and was met with a traditional water cannon salute. Senior airport officials welcomed the delegation led by Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai. With the start of flights to Basel, flydubai has grown its network in Europe to 29 destinations including Budapest, Catania, Krakow, Milan-Bergamo, Prague, Salzburg and Zagreb. Speaking at the press conference, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “at flydubai, we are committed to opening up underserved destinations and creating free flows of trade and tourism and we are pleased to add Basel to our network in Europe. EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg serves Switzerland, France and Germany, making it an important hub for travel, trade and tourism in the tri-border region that will benefit our customers from the UAE and beyond.” “We also look forward to welcoming more travellers from Europe to Dubai and beyond on the flydubai network. Through Dubai’s aviation hub, passengers travelling from Basel can enjoy convenient connections to holiday destinations including Kenya, the Maldives, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand,” added Efendi. Located on the banks of the river Rhine, Basel is renowned as Switzerland’s cultural capital and features interesting museums and historic and modern architecture and serves as a gateway to the verdant landscapes of the Swiss countryside. Situated on the borders of northwest Switzerland, the Alsace historical region in France and Baden-Württemberg in Germany, EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg serves as a unique …

Etihad Airways announced it will start flying its A380 double-decker to Singapore (SIN) from 1 February, 2025 . The Asian-Pacific powerhouse becomes the fourth major city to enjoy the Etihad A380 experience in addition to London and New York, as well as Paris which will be served by the A380 from 1 November. It means Etihad will have its sixth A380 in operation by the start of 2025. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “We are thrilled to announce that our iconic A380 aircraft will begin serving the Singapore route early next year. This aircraft provides our business and leisure travellers with an exceptional flying experience and seamless connections to our Middle East, European, and North American networks. It highlights Etihad’s dedication to optimising travel to Abu Dhabi and beyond, ensuring more convenience and comfort for our guests. We will have our sixth A380 online next year as we build our capacity further to cater for the travel needs of our guests.” The A380 brings a special touch to air travel. Economy passengers enjoy a warm welcome with comfortable seating arrangements, including 68 seats offering four inches more legroom and 337 Smart seats featuring Etihad’s innovative fixed-wing headrests and large pillows. On the upper deck, Business Studios™ feature 70 private spots, complemented by The Lobby lounge area. Each Business Studio is equipped with premium amenities designed with Armani/Casa and Wi Fi connectivity, ensuring a productive and luxurious travel experience. First Apartments are luxurious with nine private spaces, designer tableware, leather chairs, and a large ottoman-bed. First-class guests also receive personal amenities and can enjoy an exclusive shower room.  

Riyadh Air fully committed to sustainable aviation practices launched the first in a fleet of electric coaches for employee transport. These efforts reflect the carrier’s firm commitment to adopt all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals having signed up to the UN Global Compact earlier in 2024. Launched in partnership with National Transportation Solutions Company, “NTSC,” a division of the Petromin Corporation and TAM-Europe, a provider of digital solutions to enable sustainable public transport. The fleet of electric buses will facilitate the convenient and eco-friendly daily commute of Riyadh Air staff and aircrew across the Saudi capital as part of an effort to lower the airline’s environmental footprint. The launch of the state-of-the-art fleet was attended by Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air; Mr. Kalyana Sivagnanam, Group CEO of Petromin Corporations; and Gary B. Flom, CEO of Petromin National Transportation Solutions Company. Every effort we make to champion sustainable practices counts in our collective fight against climate change, said Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air. Sustainability is embedded in our DNA and we will reflect this across all Riyadh Air’s operations, from managing fuel efficiency in the sky to reducing carbon emissions on the ground. Investing in electric coaches is just one early initiative we can introduce to offset our environmental footprint as we demonstrate we will be a leader in helping achieve the aviation industry’s global net-zero agenda. Mr. Kalyana Sivagnanam, the Group CEO of Petromin Corporation, voiced his pride in the strategic partnership with Riyadh Air and stated: We are proud to have this partnership for sustainable mobility with Riyadh Air and contribute to their efforts to reach sustainability goals. This is a remarkable airline with environmental responsibility embedded …

Reinforcing its commitment to enhancing the travel experience, Oman Air has resumed three seasonal routes for winter; Zurich (starting 5 October), Malé (starting 27 October) and Moscow (starting 29 October). With fares starting from just OMR 88 one-way, it’s the perfect time for travelers to start planning their winter getaway. With direct flights from Muscat to over 40 destinations across Europe, the Far East, Indian Subcontinent, Africa and Middle East, and more frequencies than any other airline, guests can enjoy unmatched choice and convenience. Oman Air is also looking into increasing frequencies on its most popular routes, which will be announced soon. Gearing up for the peak winter season, the airline offers an exciting range of travel experiences for the whole family, from the sun-soaked shores of the Maldives to the snow-capped slopes of Switzerland and the cultural and historical riches of Russia, as well as many more. Whether traveling for business or leisure, guests can take advantage of affordable fares, seamless connectivity and award-winning service.

It was confirmed that Etihad Airways will resume flights to Nairobi, Kenya, starting 15 December 2024, with seats now on sale. The airline will fly four-times a week nonstop between Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport (AUH) and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). Lena Havia, Etihad’s Vice-President Network and Scheduling, said: “We are pleased to resume flights between Abu Dhabi and Nairobi this winter. We are grateful to the Kenyan and UAE authorities for the authorization to resume flights and thank our passengers eager to use this popular route for their patience.”

SAUDIA retained its position as the global leader in July, with an OTP of 88.15% according to Cirium’s latest report. It further stated that  the CrowdStrike outage had less impact in the Middle East and Africa region. Affected airlines and airports were able to quickly resolve the situation and return to normal operations by using an alternative system for the check-in processes. King Khalid International Airport (RUH) secured the third-place position in the Global Airports category with an OTP of 83.27%.

The first Emirates Boeing 777 with a nose-to-tail cabin refresh sporting a new look has rolled into service, as it prepares to take off to Geneva this afternoon as EK 83. The aircraft took a total of 37 days for a complete revamp and will be entering service four days ahead of its officially announced deployment schedule. Watch this timelapse video offering a glimpse into how the first Emirates 777 cabins were gutted, fitted and refurbished by the airline’s seasoned in-house engineering team. Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Emirates continues to carry out our commitment to deliver an unmatchable onboard experience with the introduction of our latest Boeing 777 with new signature interiors, raising the industry benchmark when it comes to premium travel. Our latest Business Class cabin offers customers a sense of exclusivity and privacy, complemented by our best-in-class suite of onboard products. The addition of our popular Premium Economy cabin, rated one of the best in the industry, injects modern sophistication to the flying experience and is carefully designed for more comfort. With more Boeing 777s and A380s refreshed to sport our latest generation onboard products, customers can consistently have the very best experiences in the sky across both aircraft types.” The Emirates Boeing 777 entered refurbishment in early July, with a planned reconfiguration of the aircraft to make way for a new Premium Economy cabin consisting of 24 seats set in three rows in a 2-4-2 abreast layout. The cream leather seats, accentuated by wood panel finishings across the cabin, offer enhanced comfort with a 38-inch pitch, 19.5-inch-wide seats that recline 8 inches providing more space for stretching and relaxing, in addition to 6-way adjustable headrests. …

Air India Express launched its virtual interline platform enabling users to book flights from India and the Middle East to 60 destinations. Scoot joins in as the inaugural partner on this platform. Air India Express has become the first Indian airline to launch a Virtual Interline platform, offering flyers a wider range of booking options. Starting their flight search from the airline’s website, airindiexpress.com, users can connect to the new platform, enabling them to book connecting flights where one leg of the journey is operated by Air India Express and the other leg by the partner airline. Developed in collaboration with leading travel solutions technology company Dohop, the Virtual Interline platform “AIX Connect” enhances the connectivity of Air India Express’s network by enabling travellers to book self-connect itineraries between flights of Air India Express and those of the partner airline. Singapore-based airline, Scoot, joins as the inaugural partner, enabling users to book flights from India and the Middle East to 60 destinations across Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India Express, said, “As Air India Express strengthens its footprint across domestic and international markets, we are strategically leveraging virtual interline partnerships to unlock new destinations with seamless connectivity to the East and West. We welcome Scoot as our first airline partner on this platform and look forward to onboarding more airlines, which will be instrumental in expanding the network further to cater to the growing outbound travel demand from India, while simultaneously enhancing inbound tourism by attracting international travellers to our vibrant nation.” “We are honoured to be Air India Express’ inaugural interline partner on …

Wio Bank and Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, have announced a new partnership introducing a first-of-its-kind offering that allows Wio Personal customers to earn Etihad Guest Miles for every AED deposited into their Saving Spaces. This innovative programme refines traditional banking rewards, as it is the first time a bank has offered miles without linking them to a payment card. The partnership underlines Wio’s commitment to enhancing customer banking experience through innovative offerings and solutions, including rewards that combine saving money with real-life benefits. Under the programme, for every 1 AED deposited in a 12-month fixed Saving Space, customers earn 1 Etihad Guest Mile. This one-to-one ratio offers unprecedented value in the banking and travel sectors. Moreover, customers can stay miles ahead on their savings, as the miles are credited to their Etihad Guest account within days of opening the fixed deposit. This benefit allows for immediate travel planning, a feature unmatched in the current market. Commenting on the partnership, Jayesh Patel, Chief Executive Officer of Wio Bank PJSC, said: “Our partnership with Etihad Airways is a pivotal step in our mission to redefine banking in ways that are new to the market and deliver immediate extra value to our customers when looking at savings and rewards. By allowing customers to earn miles directly through their deposits, we’re not just encouraging savings – we’re enabling financial independence and turning dreams of travel into tangible realities. At Wio, we continue to seek out the best partnerships, offerings and rewards that benefit our customers.” Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “Innovative new partnerships have always been at the heart of the Etihad Guest programme, and we’re proud …