Category Archives: Aviation

Flights to Dubai from Almaty will increase from seven to twelve per week, and from Astana from six to ten per week. There will also be charter flights from both Almaty and Astana to Doha in Qatar once a week. Air Astana switched to a Winter Schedule on 29th October 2023, with the resumption of services from Almaty and Astana on seasonal routes and increases in frequencies to popular destinations in the Gulf and Asia. During the Winter Schedule , Air Astana will operate five flights per week on the Almaty-Maldives route, as well as four charter flights per week on the Almaty-Sri Lanka route. Flights from Almaty to Bangkok will increase from three to seven per week, whilst flights from Almaty to Phuket will increase from four to eleven per week. Kazakhstan citizens can travel to Thailand visa free until the end of February 2024. On the Almaty-Delhi route, the number of flights will increase to eleven per week and on the Almaty-Jeddah route, three per week.

Air Canada has inaugurated its new four-times weekly non-stop service between Dubai International (DXB) and its hub at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), marking the airline’s first-ever non-stop flight between the two iconic, global destinations and the only non-stop service connecting the Middle East and Western Canada. The new route complements Air Canada’s daily year-round service between Dubai and Toronto. The new service between Dubai and Vancouver will be operated with state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 aircraft, accommodating 298 passengers, with a choice of three classes of service: Economy, Premium Economy, and Air Canada Signature Class, which offers customers superior comfort and convenience in an exclusive cabin, with spacious lie-flat seating, personalized service, fine cuisine, extra baggage allowance and access to priority airport services. All flights are timed to optimize connections with Air Canada’s extensive North American network and the vast network of Emirates beyond Dubai. Seats are available for booking at aircanada.com, via the Air Canada App, Air Canada’s Contact Centres and travel agencies. “We are excited to now offer not one, but two routes from the most populous city in the UAE to our Canadian hubs in Vancouver and Toronto,” said Mary-Jane Lorette, Air Canada’s Vice President of International Affairs, Network and Partnerships. “Our new Dubai-Vancouver flights will complement Air Canada’s daily service between Toronto and Dubai, broadening our presence in fast-growing international markets in the Indian subcontinent and Middle East regions. Air Canada’s recent move to Dubai International Terminal 3 underscores the significance of our strategic partnership with Emirates and the importance of our flights between the UAE and Canada, providing connections to over 200 destinations across the Air Canada and Emirates networks, with the added benefit of travelling on …

Having served over 150 million passengers and operating flights to a vast network of more than 190 routes from seven strategic hubs, Air Arabia Group, the Middle East & North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier operator, enters its milestone 20th year of operations as it continues to solidify its position as a pioneer and market leader in the aviation industry. Marking this special milestone, Air Arabia has introduced a new addition to its distinctive livery, a unique 20th-anniversary emblem, that celebrates the airline’s two decades of excellence and serves as a testament to the remarkable journey that Air Arabia has undertaken, fueled by the dedication and hard work of its staff members. Commenting on the low-cost carrier’s momentous journey since 2003, Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: “For two decades now, Air Arabia has demonstrated its leadership position by transforming the way air travel is perceived in the MENA region. Air Arabia’s successful trajectory as a driving force behind connecting people, cultures, and economies, has since brought change to the industry, and has grown the market for affordable air travel”. Since introducing low-cost air travel to the MENA region 20 years ago, Air Arabia has strengthened its market position by offering greater travel options for customers and providing high quality services at affordable fares. Commencing operations on October 28, 2003, with just two aircraft servicing five routes, the airline has grown into a multi-billion-dollar group offering travel and tourism services across the globe. Today, the Air Arabia Group has a multi-brand portfolio spanning across aviation, hospitality, tourism, information technology, flight operations, ground handling, catering and MRO. Air Arabia now operates from multiple hubs spread …

Sharjah Airport received Air Cairo airline’s first flight, which started operating its scheduled flights to and from Sharjah Airport. This strategic move comes to reinforce the network of destinations in line with the surging demand for passenger and cargo flights and address passengers’ requirements efficiently and with high quality. The Egyptian carrier will operate six flights weekly with Airbus A320 aircraft, which includes four flights to and from Cairo International Airport on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. It will also have one weekly flight to and from Sohag International Airport on Saturdays and one weekly flight to and from Assiut International Airport on Tuesdays. The new destinations are a valuable addition to the existing network, which reflects the relentless efforts of the Sharjah Airport Authority to improve the airport’s position as a preferred hub for air transport and widen its network of international destinations. The move will contribute significantly to raising the status of Sharjah as an economic and tourist hub on the global level.  

dnata is partnering with Virgin Atlantic to support the airline’s highly anticipated return to Dubai this winter. dnata Representation Services has been selected to provide a comprehensive range of services to the airline as its general sales agent (GSA) in the UAE. The partnership establishes UAE-based infrastructure for local sales, marketing and distribution support, providing a full range of travel services for Virgin customers flying to and from Dubai. dnata’s services will support the airline as it gears up to resume flights between London Heathrow (LHR) and Dubai International (DXB) this month. Flights are now available for customers to book, and will operate from 30 October 2023 through to March 2024 with a four-times weekly seasonal service. Simon Woodford, Vice President Global Air Services at dnata Travel Group, said: “dnata Representation Services previously served as Virgin Atlantic’s GSA in the UAE, and we are delighted to be working with this dynamic airline as it makes its exciting return to Dubai. Our experienced team will work hard to support Virgin Atlantic in achieving its business objectives and growth plans, as the UAE continues to prove a top destination of choice for UK travellers.” Liezl Gericke, Head of International at Virgin Atlantic, commented: “We’ve long wanted to return to Dubai when the time was right, and we know our customers will be over the moon with the reintroduction of this popular route. Nothing sets our hearts soaring like a new destination or reintroducing an old favourite. We look forward to welcoming our customers back on board, whether travelling for business or leisure or heading back to the United Kingdom to reconnect with friends and family.” The new service is set to offer …

Travelport and Air India announced that they have extended and expanded their multi-year distribution agreement to include New Distribution Capability (NDC) content and servicing. The agreement further expands the collaboration between Travelport and Air India, confirming the future delivery of a complete NDC solution which will provide Travelport’s global network of travel agencies the ability to easily search, shop and service Air India’s product offerings. “Our valued partnership with Travelport is an important part of our growth and technology strategy as we prepare to deliver a complete solution that makes it easy for agents to access and service Air India’s content and offers,” said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer at Air India. “Travelport+ will elevate our technology investment and the future roll out of NDC-sourced content, so that together, we can ensure agents and travellers have a seamless, modern retailing experience.” Travelport and Air India remain committed to providing travel agencies worldwide with more choices and a fast, easy way to search and book the best options that meet travellers’ needs. This renewed agreement between Travelport and Air India ensures that Travelport subscribers continue to have simplified access to Air India’s extensive network of destinations, which will continue to expand and evolve. “Our expanded agreement with Air India positions Travelport and our operator partner ITQ to continue driving modern travel retailing as the leading travel technology partner of choice for travel agencies in India,” said Damian Hickey, Global Head of Airline Partners at Travelport. “As part of Air India’s future technology strategy, our collaboration on NDC will be complemented by the superior retailing and merchandizing solutions available in Travelport+, which ultimately make it easier for agents to operate …

Qatar Airways Group confirmed that Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer has been appointed as the new Group Chief Executive for Qatar Airways. After 27 years of remarkable service, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive – His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, will be stepping down from his current position as Group Chief Executive effective 5 November 2023. Under H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker’s leadership, Qatar Airways has grown to become one of the most recognisable and trusted brands globally, synonymous with customer service quality and the highest of standards. The national carrier of the State of Qatar has achieved an unprecedented seven-times win of the “World’s Best Airline” award, and its state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport, which is under its management and operation, has also been recognised as the “World’s Best Airport”. The Qatar Airways Group’s contribution to helping deliver the best ever FIFA World Cup showcased to the world its capability, commitment to excellence, and its passion for bringing the world together.  

Emirates and Batik Air Malaysia announced a codeshare agreement, allowing Emirates’ customers to access 5 domestic Malaysian cities and 3 regional South East Asia points operated by Batik Air via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The Minister of Transport Malaysia, YB Tuan Anthony Loke, graced the launch and lauded the strategic partnership between Emirates and Batik Air, emphasising the numerous opportunities it offers to travellers worldwide. “We are pleased with the partnership, which has the potential to strengthen Malaysia’s role as a prime gateway to the region. We hope to see an increase in KLIA traffic, especially to facilitate connectivity to regional destinations.” The enhanced cooperation was introduced by Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (Far East) and Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy, Group Strategic Director of Batik Air. Also present at the launch event were Anand Lakshminarayanan Emirates’ Senior Vice President Revenue Optimisation and Airline Partnerships and Saeed Mubarak, Emirates’ Country Manager in Malaysia. In line with the agreement, Emirates will place its code on Batik Air-operated flights to Penang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi, Johor Bahru, Denpasar, Jakarta and Singapore, offering customers a seamless travel experience as they connect to new destinations using a single ticket, and convenient baggage policy. Emirates’ customers will also have the option to stopover in Kuala Lumpur before proceeding to their final destinations. The airline will further gain access to eight additional destinations operated by Batik Air via Kuala Lumpur for interline transfers. Orhan Abbas commented on this partnership: “Malaysia is an important market in our Far East network and we’re pleased to offer increased connectivity and more options for our customers to new and exciting destinations. Through this partnership, we’ll further expand …

Working with local schools, autism groups and key stakeholders, Emirates and Dubai International Airport (DXB) are focused on improving the travel experience for neurodivergent passengers, facilitating ‘travel rehearsals’ where children can practice their journey through the airport and onboard aircraft, as well as working directly with families to delight superfans like Humza, age 11, on his first flight with Emirates. Humza Dabab recently flew from Melbourne to Dubai with his mother and two siblings and was treated to a VIP experience from Emirates – his favourite airline. This was his first flight with Emirates, though his parents advised he is already very familiar with all facets of Emirates through his own studies – from the aircraft itself, to the inflight entertainment ice, the cabin crew uniform and the safety video. Humza bought his own safety belt to simulate and act out the safety advisory, to which he has memorised all the words, and has a collection of Emirates aircraft models to practice the take-off and landing experience. Humza’s mother Lamees said ‘The plane is Humza’s happy place. The destination is not even the most exciting part of the journey, I can wholeheartedly say it is the plane ride itself. He is so excited to be finally travelling with Emirates.’   Humza is autistic and being on time is a crucial requirement for his particular needs. The potential of running late or missing the flight would cause significant anxiety which must be alleviated in advance. Emirates and Dubai International Airport employees are trained and prepared for these requests and can facilitate priority boarding for neurodivergent passengers, referred to as People of Determination in the UAE, as well as offering a support …

Saudia Group announced its participation at the upcoming Dubai Airshow 2023, held at Al Maktoum International Airport Dubai from November 13th to 17th. The Group will take over the largest pavilion at the event marking its first international presence following the recent rebrand, which signifies a new era for the group. Through this participation, Saudia Group reinforces its position as a prominent global aviation leader, underpinned by its ever-expanding capabilities and an array of enhanced services and products dedicated to catering to the needs of the MENA region across the aviation industry spectrum, encompassing manufacturing and comprehensive training. Visitors and aviation enthusiasts can expect a world-class experience at the Saudia Group’s interactive pavilion, where it will showcase its industry-leading aviation services and solutions that ultimately contribute to the realization of Vision 2030. This includes demonstrating the Group’s efforts around the localization of services in the Kingdom, as well as Saudia Group’s plans to capitalize on its Jeddah Hub. The Group will also highlight its latest digital transformation services and introduce the world to an AI ChatGPT, named ‘Saudia,’ a groundbreaking innovation in customer service. The Group is set to display two aircraft that visitors will have the opportunity to explore; a Saudia Boeing 787-10 featuring the new brand livery and a flyadeal Airbus 320neo. The B787-10 aircraft will showcase Saudia’s latest amenity kits and offer food samples that reflect the essence of the rebrand. The pavilion will also feature the latest innovations by Saudia Groups’ other rebranded Strategic Business Units (SBUs) including, Saudia Technic, formerly known as Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI), Saudia Academy, formerly known as Prince Sultan Aviation Academy (PSAA), Saudia Private, formerly known as Saudia Private Aviation …