Category Archives: Aviation

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced the launch of the much awaited second edition of the Global Investment in Aviation Summit 2020, which will be held on 27-29 January under the theme “Enabling Global Aviation Growth through Fund Raising and Key Partnerships”. The mega event will bring together more than 200 investors and 1,200 delegates including the world’s top leaders in the aviation sector. It will also see participants from selected government officials, aviation organizations, finance & insurance companies, aviation asset owners, aircraft operators & logistic service providers and legal consultants. The summit presents the most crucial projects and investment opportunities in the international civil aviation sector, which are the perfect window for entrepreneurs and specialists to explore the main opportunities and investment strategies. The aviation sector within the UAE continues to achieve remarkable growth rates in passenger traffic, accompanied by development & growth in infrastructure, technical equipment and quality of services provided. HE Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said, “The aviation industry is one of the cornerstones of the country’s economic development. The national agenda for 2021 aims for UAE to be the world’s first in the quality of the air transport infrastructure, thus enhancing the position that the UAE occupies in this sector. It plays an important role in supporting and sustaining the national economy, and contributes to marketing investment opportunities and directing them towards the best possible way, as well as attracting the most important international companies to the local markets.”  

Turkish Airlines and Kuwait Airways announced a new strategic partnership, which saw Kuwait national carrier’s code added to Turkish Airlines flights, and Turkey’s national carrier’s code added to Kuwait Airways flights operated between Kuwait and Istanbul/Sabiha Gokcen Airports. The Bilateral Codeshare Partnership will commence from August 1, 2019. Turkish Airlines and Kuwait Airways’ cooperation is further strengthened by signing the renewed ‘Special Prorate Agreement’ in May 2019. The signing ceremony of this codeshare agreement took place on July 9, 2019 at Turkish Airlines Headquarters in Istanbul, and was attended by Bilal Ekşi, General Manager of Turkish Airlines, and Yousef Al-Jassem Al-Saqer, Chairman of Kuwait Airways, along with respective delegation from both airlines. Turkish Airlines General Manager, Bilal Ekşi, said he is pleased with the new codeshare agreement signed with Kuwait Airways and added that the agreement would not only contribute to the carrier’s existing commercial relations with Kuwait Airways but also offer alternative connections between Turkey and Kuwait for Turkish Airlines passengers. “Istanbul is the natural and historical connection point between Asia and Europe. With its brilliant performance over the last 16 years, Turkish Airlines holds the title of the airline that flies to the highest number of countries in the world with 124 countries. The opening of our new home base, Istanbul Airport will further contribute and create new opportunities for our airline and I firmly believe that this codeshare agreement will support promoting the cultural and commercial relations between Istanbul and Kuwait,” Ekşi added.  

The Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), Air Arabia, inaugurated its direct flight between Kuala Lumpur and Sharjah. The seven-hour flight between the two cities is the first direct flight by a low-cost carrier connecting Malaysia with the UAE and GCC. The inaugural flight landed at KL International Airport at 08:50am local time. Flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays depart Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 03:35 hours local time arriving Sharjah International Airport at 06:50 hours local time. The return flights depart Sharjah International Airport at 14:55 hours local time arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 02:25 hours local time. Flights operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays depart KLIA at 09:55 hours local time arriving at Sharjah International Airport at 13:10 hours local time. The return flights depart Sharjah International Airport at 21:20 hours local time arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 08:50 hours local time. Commenting on the inaugural launch of the route, Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said, “We are delighted to be the first low cost airline to connect Kuala Lumpur with the UAE and GCC. We are confident this new service linking the two cities will further strengthen the trade and tourism ties between both nations.” According to YB Datuk Mohamadin Ketapi, Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia, “This year, our target is to have 337,100 tourists from West Asia region, and I believe that the establishment of Air Arabia’s Sharjah-Kuala Lumpur route will certainly help with increasing tourist arrivals from this region. The flight couldn’t have come at a better time as we are also aggressively promoting Malaysia in the run-up to our Visit …

dnata has opened a new airport lounge at Dubai International (DXB) to enhance young flyers’ travel experience. The newest dnata facility has been designed and launched exclusively for unaccompanied minors, whose safety, security and comfort are ensured by dnata’s specially trained team at the airport. In 2018 the dnata team assisted 8,000 unaccompanied minors at Dubai International (DXB), 27 per cent more, than five years ago. Located at Terminal 1, the lounge is tastefully decorated in vibrant colours. It is equipped with games and entertainment screens to keep the young guests occupied throughout the day. The lounge is open 24 hours and manned by experienced, multilingual staff. dnata employs over 70 dedicated agents who work closely with airline representatives to ensure unaccompanied minors are in safe hands, reach departure gates on time and receive priority boarding. dnata has seen these services become increasingly popular in the UAE in recent years. Steve Allen, Divisional Senior Vice President, UAE Airport Operations, dnata, said, “We have earned the trust of thousands of parents with our safe and reliable services for unaccompanied minors over the past years. We are delighted to add more value to our offering and further enhance young passengers’ travel experience by opening our new lounge, which has been specifically designed to meet the needs and taste of children of all ages.”

Emirates has launched its new four times weekly service to Porto, its second destination in Portugal. The new service provides travellers from across Emirates’ global network with a direct flight to the popular city in the north of the country. The inaugural flight, EK197, touched down at the city’s international airport on July 2,  marking the start of the airline’s first service to northern Portugal. The Emirates Boeing 777-200LR, in a two-class cabin configuration featuring Emirates’ newest Business Class and Economy Class seats and interiors, was welcomed by Porto Airport with a water cannon salute. Speaking at an event at the airport to celebrate the new service, Thierry Aucoc, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe, Russian Federation and Latin America, Emirates, said, “Travellers in northern Portugal will now have a convenient and direct flight option to our Dubai hub, from where they can seamlessly access Emirates’ global network, particularly to destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.” Also speaking at the event, José Luís Arnaut, Chairman of the Board, ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, said, “Emirates’ investment in this route is the result of joint efforts between the airline, ANA as well as tourism and Northern Region stakeholder teams. We are therefore excited by this new service, as it shows the region’s development and attractiveness as both a business and leisure destination.” The flight will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and depart Dubai as EK197 at 09:15 hrs and arrive in Porto at 14:30 hrs. The return flight, EK198, will depart Porto at 17:35 hrs and land in Dubai at 04:15 hrs the next morning.

Etihad Airways celebrated the deployment of the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner on its daily scheduled services to Shanghai by hosting a spectacular ‘Abu Dhabi Night’ reception. The occasion was attended by leading figures from the UAE and local government officials, diplomats, corporate partners, members of the travel industry and social influencers from the two countries. Robin Kamark, Etihad Aviation Group Chief Commercial Officer, said, “Since the launch of our flights between Shanghai and Abu Dhabi in 2012, we have witnessed huge growth in China’s outbound tourism market and experienced strong demand from both business and leisure travellers. We are delighted to now deploy the larger 787-10 Dreamliner on this popular route, a decision which reflects the importance of Shanghai and China to Etihad Airways.” H.E. Dr. Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to China, said, “The aviation sector makes an invaluable contribution of 13 per cent of the UAE’s GDP and as such is one of the most valuable aspects of the UAE-China relationship. Our country has become an important strategic trading partner for China’s overseas investment, positioned as it is at the crossroads of continents. The UAE sits at a crucial pivot point of the international arc of the Belt and Road Initiative, and we are working with the Chinese government to capitalise on this geostrategic benefit, as the natural gateway to Africa and the wider Middle East.”

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) welcomed three weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Salalah, the popular holiday destination on the south coast of Oman. The inaugural flight operated by the Omani airline, Salam Air, commenced on July 2 and will continue running until September 7, 2019 allowing travellers from the UAE to visit Salalah conveniently and at affordable rates. Speaking of the seasonal arrangement, Chief Commercial Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, Maarten De Groof, commented, “Salalah is an ever popular destination for those in the UAE seeking a cooler and nature-driven destination during the summer months. With Salam Air, travellers looking to visit the Omani destination will be able to take advantage of three weekly cost-effective flights. We also look forward to welcoming travellers from the south of Oman to the city of Abu Dhabi, and sharing with them the wide range of cultural, entertainment and retail destinations the city has to offer.” Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of Salam Air said, “Salalah is proving to be an extremely popular destination, with GCC residents in particular keen to escape the summer heat. Our new Abu Dhabi to Salalah flight operating three times a week will be a boon to UAE residents looking for the perfect staycation this summer, especially as Khareef season is now upon us.” Outbound flights will depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the flights will depart Abu Dhabi International Airport at 21:35 Local Time (LT), landing in Salalah International Airport (SLL) at 23:25 LT. Return flights will depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, leaving Salalah International Airport at 19:00 LT and landing in Abu Dhabi International Airport at 20:50 LT.

Emirates is giving travellers to and from Oman more choice, comfort and luxury with the first arrivals of its double daily A380 services to Muscat.  Flights EK 862 and EK 864 were each welcomed with water cannon salutes upon arrival, ushering in the new services to Oman’s capital, Muscat. Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Centre, said, “The incredibly popular Emirates A380 has arrived in Oman and we are pleased to give our customers travelling between Muscat and Dubai the opportunity to experience the iconic products and services on this aircraft.” Sheikh Ayman Bin Ahmed Al Hosni, CEO of Oman Airports, said, “We at Oman Airports are proud of Muscat International Airport which has become the embodiment of the hospitality and warmth of the Sultanate of Oman.” The Muscat A380 flights will fly approximately 340 kms each way, making them the shortest A380 flights in the world. That is also shorter than the internal wiring of the A380, which when stretched from end-to-end reaches a distance of over 500 kms. The double daily A380 operations underscore Muscat International Airport’s modern infrastructure and readiness to handle aircraft operations. The twice daily A380 services operate on EK 862/863 and EK 864/865. EK862 departs Dubai at 08: 25 hrs, arriving in Muscat at 09:40 hrs. The return flight, EK 863, departs Muscat at 11:15 hrs, arriving in Dubai in the afternoon at 12:25 hrs. Emirates’ late afternoon flight EK 864 departs Dubai at 16:10 hrs and arrives in Muscat at 17:25 hrs. EK 865 departs Muscat at 19:05 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 20:15 hrs. Along with the A380 services, EK 866/867, the early morning flight, is operated with …

The occasion was marked in style with a spectacular ‘Abu Dhabi Night’ evening reception at The Shilla, Seoul’s most iconic landmark hotel. Effective July 1, 2019, Etihad Airways will operate the Airbus A380 on its daily service linking Abu Dhabi and Seoul. With the introduction of the A380, the South Korean capital’s Incheon airport now joins London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, New York JFK and Sydney as the top destinations served by the airline’s award-winning aircraft. Robin Kamark, Aviation Group Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad, said, “We are delighted to include Seoul as one of our most important destinations on the Etihad network with the increased capacity and flagship flying experience only the A380 can provide. The move will guarantee product consistency and more convenient travel options for more customers travelling to and from Korea, ensuring they experience the ultimate flying experience.” Etihad Airways launched its Abu Dhabi to Seoul service in December 2010 and upgraded the daily flights to its state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on August 1, 2018 in order to further meet the demands for a more comfortable and personalised travel experience. Etihad Airways operates extensive codeshare partnerships with both Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, providing enhanced connections between Australasia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.

The first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight will depart from the new home of Turkish Airlines, Istanbul Airport, to Antalya on July 8, and its first international flight will be from Istanbul to Denpasar (Bali) on July 17, one of the new routes to be added to the network for 2019, thereafter from Dubai in September. Following those, it will continue to carry passengers on a number of medium and long-haul exotic routes through the summer. They include routes into London, Dubai, Washington DC, New York, Atlanta, Mexico City, Cancun, Bali, Amsterdam, Delhi, Panama City, and Bogota. By the end of August 2019, six 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will be operational and servicing international routes, heralding the start of a new chapter in the growth of Turkish Airlines’ young and modern fleet. “Turkish Airlines has been committed to continuously expanding its range of services on and off-ground as it grows in reach and flies to more international destinations than any other carrier in the world. With this goal in mind, we’re thrilled to reach new horizons with the addition of the 787-9 Dreamliner to our fleet flying from our new home, Istanbul Airport,” said İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines. “The aircraft’s advanced technology, fuel efficiency, and passenger-centric cabin design will all help us remain the first choice for travellers and provide our loyal flyers across the globe with a best-in-class experience for years to come.” “Turkish Airlines’ growth has been remarkable in recent years, both in expanding flight options and supporting Turkey’s aviation industry. We are honoured that Turkish Airlines is embarking on its next chapter of expansion with the 787 Dreamliner,” said Ihssane Mounir, …