Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates has announced it will increase services to popular holiday destinations, Maldives and Seychelles, ahead of the Easter break. Starting March 28, the airline will offer customers 28 weekly flights to Male, and seven weekly flights to Mahe. The added services will meet market demand and offer customers greater flexibility, choice and connectivity while planning their travels this Easter holiday. Emirates currently offers customers 24 weekly flights to the Maldives, utilising a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Starting from 28 March until 18 April, the airline will ramp up services to 28 flights a week – offering customers enhanced connectivity to the popular Indian Ocean destination, via Dubai. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, Emirates sales offices, or via travel agents. Experience world-class spa resorts, pristine beaches and explore stunning marine life in one of the world’s best diving destinations. All travellers to the Maldives, excluding Maldives citizens, must present a negative COVID‑19 PCR test result, conducted within 96 hours prior to departure. Travellers are also requested to complete the online Immigration and Health self‑declaration form within 24 hours prior to arrival. Starting from 28 March until 30 October 2021, Emirates’ flights from Dubai to Mahe will increase from five-times-a-week to seven-times-a-week, utilising a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The announcement comes as the island-nation is set to re-open its borders for international travellers with no vaccination or quarantine requirements, starting 25 March. All travellers will still be required to present a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to departure. Visitors to Seychelles will enjoy the island-nation’s lush, tropical forests, picturesque beaches and diverse marine life. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, Emirates sales offices, or via travel agents.

 flydubai announced the start of flights to Tirana, the capital of Albania, and becomes the first UAE-based airline to offer direct flights on this route. The airline will operate two flights a week between Dubai International (DXB) and Tirana International Airport (TIA) from March 28. Commenting on the announcement, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said, “as countries within our flying radius lift travel restrictions, we continue to look for new opportunities to connect previously underserved markets to Dubai.  We are pleased to be the first UAE-based airline to operate direct flights between Dubai and Tirana.” His Excellency Ermal Dredha, Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the United Arab Emirates, said, “The start of direct flights between Dubai and Tirana provides a more convenient travel option for Albanian citizens living in the UAE and for the many visitors who choose to visit our country for leisure, business or as a connection hub. This new bridge will enable more people to discover the beauty of Albania in the heart of the Balkan and Mediterranean region. Albania also offers excellent cuisine and a range of tourist attractions at an affordable price. Albanians are very well-known for their warm hospitality, making visitors from the UAE as well as the GCC feel at home.” Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said, “flights to Tirana are available for booking from today on flydubai.com and through our travel partners. With a flying time from Dubai of less than six hours, Tirana is centrally located in Southeastern Europe with easy access to beautiful coastlines and mountains along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea. We look forward to welcoming our passengers …

Abu Dhabi Airports has launched the region’s first PCR testing laboratory within an airport. The new state of the art RT-PCR lab offers fast COVID-19 testing within the Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to facilitate the resumption of air travel and assist with quarantine tracking procedures.  Designed to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of travellers and staff at Abu Dhabi International Airport, the new Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing process is free for arriving passengers and is one of the fastest in the world, with results available in approximately 90 minutes and the capacity to test more than 20,000 travellers and staff per day. Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “Through partnering with Pure Health and Tamouh Healthcare, Abu Dhabi International Airport is now able to offer travellers state-of-the-art rapid testing services delivered by a dedicated laboratory facility. The introduction of the RT-PCR COVID-19 testing is a milestone achievement in our ongoing efforts to facilitate the safe resumption of international air travel and support the recovery of the aviation industry.” “The fact that this is the first airport in the region to contain its own dedicated PCR testing laboratory is testament to our commitment at Abu Dhabi Airports to continuously innovate and look for new ways to deliver a safe, smooth and seamless travel experience for all our passengers. The new fast testing facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport, developed in partnership with many of our stakeholders, will not only enable passengers to confidently travel to Abu Dhabi, but significantly enhance the efficiency of our operations while supporting global efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19,” added Al Hashmi.

Air Seychelles has introduced weekly direct flights from Dubai World Central Airport (DWC) to Seychelles between March 27 and May 29, 2021, starting from USD 343 (AED1,259). As the first country to welcome inoculated travellers from around the world, Seychelles is a safe and travel-worthy holiday destination with strict measures in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Indian Ocean archipelago has announced that it will reopen for all international tourists from March 25, by when 70% of its population will have been vaccinated. The seasonal service will operate from the DWC Jetex Private Terminal, renowned for its top-of-the-line experience and unrivaled personalized customer service. The flights, scheduled for eight weeks, will depart Dubai every Saturday morning, arriving in Seychelles around midday, conveniently timed to provide travellers the opportunity to experience the panoramic views of the unparalleled beauty of the Seychelles unique mountains and coastline prior to landing. The return flights from Seychelles International Airport to DWC will operate on Friday afternoons, thus providing travellers a full seven days and six nights in Seychelles. All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, must present a negative PCR test upon arrival taken a maximum of 72 hours prior, as well as complete the mandatory Health Travel Authorization at seychelles.govtas.com prior to departure from Dubai. Travellers will not be required to quarantine on arrival, however, must follow the existing health regulations, including wearing face masks in public and social distancing. The flights will be operated by the airlines’ Airbus A320neo aircraft featuring 12 Business Class and 156 Economy Class seats, as well as a modern inflight entertainment platform allowing free wireless downloads of movies, TV shows, and music on travellers’ personal devices. Economy …

Etihad Airways has extended its COVID-19 global wellness insurance cover until 30 September 2021. Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Sales & Cargo, Etihad Airways, said, “Extending Etihad’s COVID-19 global wellness insurance reinforces the effectiveness of Etihad Wellness, the airline’s health, and hygiene programme. It’s an added benefit automatically provided to all guests – no exceptions. “As Etihad continues to gradually expand its services to up to 60 destinations this spring, the airline wants to instill confidence to travel and hopes this additional cover will reassure guests Etihad is doing everything it can to keep them safe and protected.” Guests who are diagnosed with COVID-19 during their trip won’t have to worry about medical expenses or quarantine costs when they fly with Etihad.

Emirates’ Economy Class customers can now enjoy even more personal space and privacy onboard with the ability to purchase up to three empty adjoining seats on their flight. These seats will be offered to all Economy Class customers holding a confirmed booking. Customers will not be able to pre-book empty seats, as these are subject to availability. Empty seats will only be offered for purchase at the airport check-in counter prior to flight departure, and costs range from AED 200 to AED 600 (US$ 55 to US$ 165) per empty seat, plus applicable taxes depending on flight sector. Emirates has introduced this new seat product on the back of customer feedback, addressing the needs of a range of customers seeking extra privacy and space while still flying in Economy Class. This includes couples who wish to have the entire row to themselves (maximum of three seats in the same row), parents travelling with in-lap infants, or those who simply want the added assurance of more space while travelling during pandemic times.  

During the pandemic Cebu Pacific has been tirelessly working to ensure the confidence of the travellers. Speaking to TravTalk ME Alex Reyes – Vice President for Commercial at Cebu Pacific shared, “proving further its unyielding commitment to provide ease of travel for passengers amidst the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, CEB has been operating 20 per cent of its pre-COVID domestic network as of February 2021, operating flights to 28 Philippine destinations—of which, six destinations are already open for non-essential or leisure travel. As of this date, the airline has already restored flights to 86 per cent of our domestic destinations. Frequencies may be less than before, but it is also important to note that we are now providing access to more local destinations. We remain keen to make travel easier by providing flexibility in hopes of restoring passenger confidence in air travel.” CEB has remained unswerving in its mandate to provide the highest level of aviation service for passengers and tourists, even amidst the hurdles of the pandemic. We continue to implement a multi-layered approach to safety, in accordance with global aviation standards. These include daily extensive cleaning and disinfection protocols for all aircraft and facilities, antigen testing before duty for all frontliners and crew members, and contactless flight procedures. These are all in accordance with global best practices and the highest safety standards. Aircraft are equipped with hospital-grade HEPA air filters, which make the inflight transmission of COVID-19 low or virtually non-existent. We have also ensured that cargo operations have remained active to ensure the transport of goods isn’t hampered. In terms of new products Reyes reiterated, “One the new undertakings CEB has introduced in order to restore …

Omeir Travel has strengthened its long-term relationship with Amadeus by extending its partnership. Since 2003, Amadeus has accompanied Omeir Travel in its digital transformation and the development of integrated travel services for consumers in the UAE and from around the world. This continued collaboration comes as Omeir Travel plans expansion into more B2B and retail outlets in the UAE. The latest engagement also includes the development of an Omeir Travel one-stop-shop mobile app that meets customers’ hotel and flight needs and is expected to be introduced to the UAE market very soon. Abdulla Bin Omeir, CEO at Omeir Travel Agency, said, “With the travel sector constantly evolving, our business must stay agile to not only keep up, but to stay ahead. Our partnership with Amadeus has allowed us to do this with resounding success. It makes me very pleased to extend our relationship once more. Our ambition is to provide customers with tailored services and a superior experience, which Amadeus helps make possible.” Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, Managing Director of Amadeus Gulf, noted, “ We are pleased to see the role our technology has played in the growth, digitisation, and optimisation of Omeir Travel during our ongoing collaboration that spans nearly two decades. We will continue to support them with our worldwide experience and leading technology-based solutions as the business enter an exciting new stage of expansion.”

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has launched an automated refund process that handles cash conversion refund requests within just one week, offering travellers an easy way to manage their bookings. The automated process means that for passengers whose flights have been cancelled, based on the option selected by the customer, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will automatically refund 120% of the original fare in airline credit, or provide passengers with the option to receive a 100% cash refund to their original payment method or provide the chance to rebook for free. Passengers can easily request a refund, with just one click in their Wizz Air Abu Dhabi account at wizzair.com or by following the link received via email. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said, “We are committed to offering our customers the best experience when travelling with Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, which is why we have invested heavily in automating our refund process and are proud to be able to handle cash refund requests within just seven days. We are continuing to invest in new technologies across our business to make travelling with Wizz Air Abu Dhabi an exceptionally smooth and seamless experience.”

flydubai announced the launch of flights to Cluj-Napoca in Romania. The airline will operate twice-weekly flights between Dubai International (DXB) and Avram Iancu International Airport Cluj (CLJ) starting from 20 March 2021. flydubai operates a double daily service between Dubai International (DXB) and Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport (OTP). With the start of flights to Cluj-Napoca in March, the carrier will serve the Romanian market with a total of 16 weekly flights. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said, “We first started operating to Bucharest with four flights a week in 2012. Since then, flydubai has more than tripled its operations to the market as demand has grown for commercial and cargo traffic between Romania and the UAE. We are excited to offer more options for convenient direct air links to the market with the start of our flights to Cluj-Napoca and we look forward to further stimulating travel and trade flows in both directions.” Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, added, “flydubai’s new service will offer more than 3.5 million people, living within a few hours drive from the airport, the convenience of direct airlinks to Dubai. There is also the opportunity for passengers to connect travel beyond on our network to popular destinations like Colombo, Malé and Zanzibar. The twice-weekly service will also benefit the Romanian expatriate population in the UAE to travel home more easily.”