Category Archives: Aviation

Dubai Airports welcomed the resumption of scheduled operations by foreign carriers at Dubai International (DXB). A total of 13 international airlines resumed scheduled flights this week as Dubai opened its skies and arms to tourists effective July 7. Airlines resuming operations at DXB include Air Blue, Air France, Cebu Pacific, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Gulf Air, KLM, Lufthansa, Mahan Air, Middle East Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Royal Jordanian with more expected to join later. In addition to foreign carriers, DXB-based Emirates airline and flydubai have boosted their schedules. “We have ensured everything is in place to welcome airlines from around the world back to Dubai as a growing number of bilateral agreements between countries conclude to facilitate the opening of borders and the gradual return of traffic,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. “Our ability to resume passenger operations has been enabled by the significant and early steps the UAE government took to tackle the threat of the spread of the virus, together with the robust health and safety measures in place at DXB, and the excellent advanced healthcare services available here in Dubai. We remain in close discussions with government officials and airlines to support the resumption of additional services as approvals are granted in the weeks and months ahead. The message is that we are ready to welcome visitors back to Dubai and we will do our utmost to take care of them whilst they are here” As services resume passengers are being advised to always confirm their terminal of departure and arrival with their airline prior to coming to the airport as some carriers may have temporarily changed terminals.

Etihad Airways has announced a codeshare agreement with Abu Dhabi’s first low-cost airline, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi. Etihad will place its ‘EY’ code on Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi to the Egyptian city of Alexandria on July 14, followed by the Nile city of Sohag the next day. The new agreement enables guests to book Etihad flights in conjunction with Air Arabia Abu Dhabi services, connecting its global route network beyond the UAE capital to new airline’s routes. Etihad plans to add further codeshare destinations to the partnership scope as more Air Arabia Abu Dhabi destinations are announced in the coming weeks. Air Arabia Abu Dhabi was formed following an agreement by Etihad Airways and Air Arabia to establish an independent joint venture company that will operate as a low-cost passenger airline with Abu Dhabi International Airport as its hub. The airline will start its operations with two Airbus A320 aircraft based at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

flydubai has begun welcoming tourists to Dubai following the lifting of flight restrictions that were put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 8, flydubai flight FZ 728 from Kiev’s Boryspil International Airport (KBP) arrived at Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB) at 21:45. Onboard the flight were 07 Business Class passengers and 159 Economy Class passengers who were welcomed on arrival from representatives from the airline, Dubai Airports, Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) and other key stakeholders. Amongst the passengers were 25 tourists who chose Dubai as their first holiday destination. Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer of flydubai, said, “As more airports around our network begin to lift flight restrictions, we look forward to seeing our network grow to 66 destinations over the summer period. We have been hard at work to redesign our passenger journey in order to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19. These efforts are aligned to the stringent public health and safety measures that are in place to ensure that visitors feel safe when they arrive in Dubai.” Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said, “The overall destination experience is our top-most priority, and together with flydubai, are ensuring that the health and safety of visitors is present at every step of the travel process. As Dubai continues to feature as a must-visit destination, we want to assure our visitors that the city is safe and we are very excited to welcome international visitors back.” “All of the staff at Dubai Airports have been eagerly awaiting the restart of operations of our home-based airlines and therefore it is a welcome milestone to see people coming back …

Rwanda’s airports will reopen for scheduled commercial flight operations on August 1, 2020 stated the Ministry of Infrastructure in an official statement released. To ensure the safety and health of passengers, crews and staff, airport operations will adhere to guidelines developed by the ministry of health and recommendations of the ICAO Council on aviation recovery taskforce. All passengers including those in transit will be required to show proof of a COVID -19 PCR negative test from a certified laboratory taken within 72 hours of arriving in Rwanda. For passengers entering Rwanda, a second PCR test will be conducted upon arrival with results delivered within 24 hours during which time they will remain in designated hotels at own cost.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will take wings on July 14, 2020 with direct flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Alexandria and Sohag in Egypt. The inaugural flight will take off from Abu Dhabi to Alexandria on July 14 followed by flights to Sohag the next day. Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will start its operations with two Airbus A320 aircraft based in Abu Dhabi International Airport offering the same value-added product and services provided by Air Arabia across its hubs. The customer journey has also been upgraded adhering to all local and international guidelines set in place to ensure safety protocols and health measures are always met. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “This joint venture between Etihad and Air Arabia will offer greater convenience and direct access to the UAE’s thriving capital for new markets worldwide, beginning with two key Egyptian routes, and expanding in time. Abu Dhabi has earned itself an exceptional reputation for business and leisure travel alike, and we look forward to seeing the emirate continue to prosper as the current global situation improves and markets begin to reopen.” Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said, “While the global aviation sector continues to witness unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19 pandemic, this step is a testament to the strength of the UAE aviation sector and our commitment to its long-term prospects”. He continued, “Egypt is a key travel market and the launch of the first flights reflects our focus on supporting commercial and trade ties between both nations while providing our customers with a new value-for-money option to travel between both countries. Abu Dhabi is a major travel and tourism hub and …

Saudi Ground Services announced that its digital transformation with SAP is boosting the aviation sector’s USD 37 billion contribution to GDP. Saudi Vision 2030 is rapidly developing international business and tourism connections, underpinned by the aviation sector, which supports 594,000 jobs and USD 37 billion to GDP in the Kingdom, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As the Kingdom’s aviation market grows, Saudi Ground Services, which serves 670,000 flights per year for more than 90 airlines and 100 million passengers, needed to operate in real-time. Saudi Ground Services implemented the S/4HANA real-time business suite and Success Factors human experience management suite for over 12,000 employees. Now, Saudi Ground Services has access to customised airline invoices, integrated flight schedules to automate sales orders, as well as localised payroll solutions. “The Saudi Ground Services Company is asserting its market position within Saudi Arabia, in 2020 and beyond, through operational excellence capabilities,” said Capt. Fahd Cynndy, CEO, Saudi Ground Services. “Technology is positioned as a core enabler moving forward our strategy, and SAP facilitated the transformation journey by automating human resources processes, flight data, sales orders, sourcing and contracting for over 200 tenders per year.” Saudi Ground Services is also embracing its customer centric approach through augmented reality and mobility solutions, on-flight live services, strategic sourcing, automated financial postings, and predictive analytics. Remarking on the success, Saudi Ground Services has won an SAP MENA Quality Award, which recognise the region’s top digital transformation initiatives, in the “Business Transformation” category. “Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector is evolving with traveller demands, technology advancements, and global growth,” said Taha Al Madani, Head of Customer Office, SAP Middle East North. “Saudi Ground Services shows how aviation …

General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) revealed the number of travellers and flights across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s airports, after the issuance of the approval for resumption of domestic flights, started on Sunday May 31, 2020, through national air carriers. The recorded official statistics issued by GACA here today, indicated that the number of travellers who passed through the Kingdom’s airports, during the period from May 31 to June 30, has exceeded 756,644 passengers, departed through 9,558 flights from the Kingdom’s airports. GACA has gradually resumed domestic flights, with the aim of ensuring a safe travel journeys through the Kingdom’s airports. All necessary preventive and health measures have been taken, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the relevant government agencies, at airport facilities. GACA is working in coordination with airports, air carriers and operators in the sector to meet the local market demand. Meanwhile, GACA revealed the arrival of more than 55,000 men and women on board of Saudi Arabian Airlines fleet, since April 5 with the participation of a number of government agencies.

Wizz Air and Abu Dhabi Airport celebrated the arrival of Wizz Air’s first scheduled Wizz Air Hungary flight to Abu Dhabi International Airport. Marking a great milestone in Wizz Air’s history and further strengthening of Abu Dhabi’s connectivity and accessibility as a destination of choice for business and leisure travel, the first Budapest-Abu Dhabi flight landed in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on July 1, 2020. The inaugural Wizz Air route from Bucharest will be followed in September by flights from Sofia, Katowice and Cluj-Napoca. With these services, Wizz Air will connect these exciting European cities with Abu Dhabi and will provide countless opportunities for travellers to visit the exciting Emirate of Abu Dhabi and discover its rich array of cultural, historic, culinary and entertainment-oriented tourist attractions. George Michalopoulos, Chief Commercial Officer of Wizz Air said, “Our new sanitising protocols will give our customers the confidence that they can safely rely on Wizz Air’s ultra-low fares to visit Abu Dhabi on board one of the world’s greenest fleet. Wizz Air’s ultra-low fares and route network will contribute to the further growth of Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector.” Khalil Lamrabet, Senior Vice President of Aviation Development at Abu Dhabi Airports said, “The arrival of Wizz Air is a testament to the strength of the Abu Dhabi market and a reflection of the success of our investments in transforming Abu Dhabi International Airport into a strategically positioned global hub for airlines from across the world.” “Abu Dhabi Airports has implemented comprehensive health and safety measures across its facilities and is committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all passengers and employees. As commercial flights resume and the international aviation …

Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) announced the completion of the second phase of AlUla’s airport development project, a key component of its strategy to position the city as a major tourism destination and logistics hub. Encompassing the renovation of the airport’s main terminal building and the expansion of the apron to add 6 Code C and larger 4 Code E Aircraft Stands – an additional 150,000 metre square of taxiways with 2 additional connections to the runway – the second phase of the development project increases the airport’s annual capacity from 100,000 to 400,000 passengers. The completed Airside Works (Aprons & Taxiways) can facilitate the 15,000 aircraft movements per year required to serve the over 2,000,000 visitors to AlUla in 2035 and beyond. The development project also included the construction of a VIP lounge terminal, built using local materials and reflecting the picturesque AlUla environment, its rich heritage and includes a range of other amenities to improve passenger experience. The completion of the second phase of the airport development project is in line with RCU’s aim to continue reopen the area in readiness to receive visitors in October. Adil Jamil, Head of Infrastructure Development and Asset Management, RCU commented, “Vital infrastructure projects such as this provide the foundations for RCU’s sustainable growth strategy. The airport is continuing to create a range of employment opportunities for local residents as it emerges as a logistical hub catering to the northwest of the Kingdom.” In cooperation with Saudi Arabian Airlines, the Royal Commission for AlUla has also facilitated the resumption of flights from Riyadh to AlUla. Four flights currently run each week and it is expected that flights to AlUla from Jeddah and …

“The sterilisation programmes, safety protocols and regulations guiding airports and airlines have made it all possible for the country and Dubai, one of the world’s leading tourist destinations and hub to reopen for visitors,” said Timothy Njihia – Country Manager U.A.E – RwandAir. “As an aviation and Tourism stakeholder, this is a key milestone that signals a safe return of tourism (visitors). The re-opening also coincides with Dubai Summer Surprises 2020 a return to business and finally the elusive revenues that were lost since the cessation of flights on the 25th March. What is important are the safety protocols and precautions in place and the continuous monitoring as this is what led to informed decisions on the resumption of key sectors of business and flights. One cannot underscore the importance of tourism for Dubai and the reassuring messages that have been continuously communicated. They have been very encouraging and a big boost!” “I personally cannot wait for the July 7, 2020 to welcome incoming visitors who will come to experience the diverse attractions, as well as being amongst the first of Dubai’s residents to travel overseas whilst observing the strict new rules for safety. As an airline, we look forward to resuming our daily passenger flights to Dubai at the earliest opportunity and being a contributor and driver to Dubai’s tourism,” he concluded.