Category Archives: Aviation

Australia is a key and highly valued market in the global network of Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, with the three largest cities, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane all served daily. In response to the country’s devastating bushfires, Etihad Airways will waive flight change fees for Australian residents affected by this ongoing national emergency. The waivers will apply for travel to or from Australia. UAE-based Australians, or those in Australia seeking changes to their Etihad flights as a result of the fire emergency, should contact Etihad Guest Services in the UAE. In addition to passenger fee waivers, the airline will also work in partnership with Emirates Red Crescent to raise funds within the UAE to help support bushfire relief. As part of its international workforce, Etihad is the proud employer of more than 300 Australian nationals outside Australia, who, with their families, number more than 1,000. Most reside in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, where the airline is based.  In total, some 16,000 Australian nationals live and work in the UAE.

Emirates is all set to showcase its latest flagship Airbus A380 to visitors and spectators on January 15, 2020 at the Kuwait Aviation Show 2020. Visitors to the show will be able to tour the popular double-decker’s signature interiors and experience its industry trendsetting products across all three classes, including Emirates’ latest generation Onboard Lounge. Always a popular draw for aviation enthusiasts, industry visitors and the general public, Emirates’ latest generation Airbus A380 will be decorated in blue livery, representing the ‘mobility’ theme of Expo 2020, and spreading awareness about the world’s greatest show which will be hosted for the first time in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asian region. Expo 2020 Dubai will be held between October 20, 2020 and April 10, 2021. Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East & Central Asia for Emirates said, “The Expo 2020 ‘mobility’ themed Emirates A380 being showcased during the Aviation Show demonstrates our long-standing commitment and contribution to Kuwait’s air transport sector, which is investing in development projects and progressively positioning itself for future growth. It also highlights the importance of air connectivity and mobility as a facilitator of trade, tourism and strong relations between Kuwait and the UAE.” Emirates has been serving Kuwait for 30 years, and today operates to the country’s capital with 6 daily flights, providing business and leisure travellers with choice and connectivity to over 150 global destinations. The airline also operates its latest world-class products to Kuwait, including its latest Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with the ‘Game Changer’ First Class suites. Anticipated to be popular with aviation enthusiasts as well as the general public, the Emirates A380 will feature 14 …

Turkish Airlines added Xi’an, the Chinese city with three thousand years of history, to its flight network on December 30, 2019. Xi’an became the flag carrier’s fourth destination in Mainland China and the 318th destination in the world. The flights will be operated three times a week with Airbus A330 aircrafts. Starting its flights to People’s Republic of China back in 1999 with Beijing as its destination, Turkish Airlines reinforced its strong position in Asia with the Xi’an flights. With this new addition, global carrier’s flight network encompassed the entirety of the historical Silk Road that started in Xi’an and ended in Venice. During the ceremony of the inaugural flight Bilal Ekşi, Turkish Airlines General Manager, stated, “We will carry our guests to 126 countries from Xi’an, one of the most significant historical capitals while transferring the historical Silk Road to above clouds with our cargo operations. Our new flights will also contribute to the tourist numbers coming to our country with the increasing attention from Chinese tourists to tourism centres of Turkey.” Turkish Airlines passengers travelling to Xi’an, one of the oldest civilizations of the world, will have the opportunity to explore the numerous cultural heritages along with the historical fabric of the three thousand years old city. Serving as the capital of 13 different dynasties during the history of China, the region’s most popular destination is the Terracotta Army, which draws over two million tourists annually.

RwandAir’s new Flight Pass takes off with Optiontown enabling savvy travellers to enjoy savings offered by Flight Pass. RwandAir customers could now save from their ticket purchases thanks to a new partnership with Optiontown. The new offering enables customers to conveniently pre-purchase RwandAir flights at the best available price and decide when they want to travel at a later date. To find out more or to book the RwandAir Flight Pass, visit rwandair.optiontown.com Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir said, “The linkup with Optiontown could offer substantial savings for our clients following the launch of our RwandAir Flight Pass. Our customers will be able to enjoy a new world of flexible flights and cheaper tickets thanks to the launch of this new product in partnership with Optiontown.” Sachin Goel, Founder & CEO, Optiontown said, “Optiontown which is a pioneer in developing innovative travel options is excited to partner with RwandAir to launch our flagship product Flight Pass, which enables passengers to save on travel costs and makes flight planning and booking extremely easy and convenient. We’re confident the launch will increase customer loyalty for RwandAir and enhance the booking experience with the leading African airline.”

Etihad Airways will operate its popular seasonal routes from Abu Dhabi to Alexandria, Egypt, and Salalah, Oman, between June 25 to September 15, 2020. Due to the success of the routes in 2019, the period of operation has been extended by three weeks and a new fifth weekly service introduced on both routes on Fridays, complementing existing departures on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Both flights will be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft. With the addition of these seasonal destinations, the airline will operate a total of 33 flights per week to Egypt, 28 flights to Cairo and five to Alexandria. The airline will operate a total of 26 flights per week to Oman with 21 weekly flights to Muscat and five to Salalah. The historical city of Alexandria, the second-largest in Egypt, is known for its rich history and beautiful Mediterranean coastline. Salalah, known for its natural beauty and culture, is popular during summer months for its unique khareef, or green season. Flight EY 660 will depart from Abu Dhabi at 13:55 pm and arrive in Alexandria at 15:40 pm, the flight will operate five days a week (Tuesday, Thurday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Flights EY 661 will depart Alexandria at 16:35 pm Abu Dhabi at 22:25 pm, the flight will operate five days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday).

SriLankan Airlines and Gulf Air have entered into a codeshare partnership with effect from December 18, 2019, significantly enhancing the travel options of their respective valued customers. Under this agreement, SriLankan Airlines will place its ‘UL’ code on Gulf Air’s flights from Bahrain to Colombo, the Greek capital Athens and Larnaca in Cyprus. Gulf Air will in turn place its ‘GF’ code on SriLankan Airlines’ flights from Colombo to Bahrain. Vipula Gunatilleka, Chief Executive Officer, SriLankan Airlines Group added, “We are pleased to enter into this codeshare agreement with Gulf Air. It is part of our strategy to create and strengthen partnerships with airlines of global reputation in terms of quality, service and reliability and we have no doubt that our valued passengers will enjoy their travel with Gulf Air.” Krešimir Kučko, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Air, said, “We are happy to sign with SriLankan Airlines and increase number of direct flights between the Kingdom of Bahrain and Sri Lanka. With our strong network in the Europe and North Africa, SriLankan Airlines can now offer more destinations to their passengers through our flights with one stop in our fast and efficient hub, Bahrain International Airport.” The codeshare agreement followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two airlines and is also intended to further strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two nations of Sri Lanka and Bahrain.

Cebu Pacific (CEB) joins the International Air Transportation Association (IATA), the trade association for the global airline industry. CEB is IATA’s largest member among Philippine carriers, comprising 44 per cent of total domestic passenger volume and 46 per cent of total domestic cargo, based on data from the Philippines’ Civil Aeronautics Board. IATA leads and serves the airline industry representing over 290 member-airlines from 117 countries, representing 82 per cent of global air traffic. Cebu Pacific achieved full compliance with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), joining a registry of 437 carriers worldwide that have strictly complied with an internationally-recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. Cebu Pacific was named the ‘Most Improved Airline’ for 2020 by airline safety and product review website airlineratings.com, citing the carrier’s commitment to ‘expand its global footprint using new generation fuel-efficient aircraft.’

Etihad Airways has announced the launch of new seasonal flights to Malaga in Spain, to meet strong customer demand from across the UAE and GCC for flights to the province of Andalucía. Three weekly flights will operate via the Moroccan capital, Rabat, from June 26 to September 13, 2020. Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “Malaga has been on our wish-list for some time and we are tremendously pleased to announce summer season services to the Costa del Sol, a region which for decades has been popular with travellers from across the United Arab Emirates. This will be the only service between the UAE and the main gateway to Andalucía. Together with Madrid and Barcelona, Malaga will be Etihad’s third destination in Spain, further boosting our successful operations to the Iberian Peninsula.” Etihad Airways’ three-class version of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner features 8 private first suites, 28 business studios and 190 economy smart seats. The introduction of the aircraft will also provide new belly-hold cargo capacity between southern Spain and Abu Dhabi, and beyond to destinations on Etihad’s global route network. The number of visitors from the UAE to Spain has been rising rapidly, thanks in part to a successful Schengen visa waiver programme introduced for UAE nationals in 2015.

Etihad Airways and Kuwait Airways have signed a codeshare partnership on selected services on bookings effective December 22, 2019, for travel from January 5, 2020. Subject to regulatory approvals, Etihad will place its ‘EY’ code on Kuwait Airways operated flights from Abu Dhabi to Kuwait, Najaf and Dhaka. In turn, Kuwait Airways will place its ‘KU’ code on Etihad flights from Kuwait to Abu Dhabi, Belgrade, Casablanca, Rabat, Khartoum, Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi, Male in the Maldives, and Mahe in the Seychelles. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “The joint network and product advantages of our codeshare collaboration with Kuwait Airways will create tangible benefits for our customers, building on the strong relationship between our two nations, while providing greater convenience and superior in-flight service and hospitality. Additionally, it gives Etihad unprecedented access to important markets not served by Etihad, particularly to Iraq and Bangladesh, where we have significant point-to-point and transfer traffic, and complements our existing services to cities such as Istanbul, enabling us to now offer flights to the city’s secondary gateway.” Kamel Al-Awadhi, Chief Executive Officer of Kuwait Airways, said, “This new partnership will bring enhanced connectivity and increased convenience to our customers, who can expect the same level of impeccable service that they receive from our airline when they travel on codeshare flights to and from Kuwait to Abu Dhabi and beyond. The agreement will support Kuwait Airways and Etihad operations between our two capital cities and provide more travel options beyond both gateways. The codeshare partnership will give customers the simplicity of purchasing connecting flights on both airlines using one reservation, guaranteeing a seamless experience throughout their entire journey. Passengers and travel …

Etihad Airways has announced its “Etihad Airways” mobile application on the HUAWEI AppGallery enabling 390 million global monthly active users in more than 170 countries and regions to manage their journeys with even greater ease via the app. The Etihad Airways mobile app is simple and user-friendly, enabling comprehensive trip management functionalities by taking full advantage of the latest innovations in mobile technology. Guests can now organise their journeys via the app, including booking flights, checking-in for flights, securing a mobile boarding pass, checking flight status, or viewing their Etihad Guest miles balance. The addition to the HUAWEI AppGallery is a step forward in Etihad Airways Digital Guest Innovation strategy to enable a convenient, personalised digital travel experience and marks the first step in a new partnership between Etihad Airways and HUAWEI AppGallery. Etihad Airways and HUAWEI AppGallery will jointly explore more possibilities in this digital collaboration. For a start, Etihad’s mobile application will also be integrated into HMS ecosystem, delivering an even better user experience for Etihad Airways users on HUAWEI and HONOR devices. Robin Kamark, Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “By launching this mobile app, we will be the first MENA carrier to launch a mobile app in the HUAWEI AppGallery, further solidifying its commitment to the China market and Chinese guests.” “The United Arab Emirates has gradually become one of the preferred places for Chinese outbound travel. The cooperation between Etihad Airways and HUAWEI AppGallery will be a big step attempt, since we aim to build the bridge between the best local content and our global users,” comments Adam Xiao, Managing Director of HUAWEI Mobile Services MEA, Consumer Business Group.