Category Archives: Aviation

Turkish Airlines has resumed flights from the United Arab Emirates. As the airline that flies to more countries than any other airline in the world, flag carrier recommenced its operations from Dubai, scheduling seven flights per week with wide body aircrafts. Operations from Abu Dhabi will be resumed starting from January 2 with four weekly flights as well. Turkish Airlines will connect passengers via Istanbul Airport to more than 200 international flights, while providing its passengers peace of mind and safe travel experience with new precautions in place. Having worked with government officials and relevant national and international authorities, the flag carrier airline has implemented a number of stringent health and safety measures, adopting policies and strict mandates to deliver the world-class service the airline is renowned for. All passengers, including Turkish Airline staff, are required to wear a mask at all times, while a ‘Hygiene Kit’ (consisting of a mask, a hand sanitizer and an antiseptic tissue) will be provided to passengers on board. “Hygiene Expert” cabin crews appointed in flights will be in charge of lavatory disinfection and enforcement of all on-board hygiene and social distancing measures. During the flights, cabin air is constantly cleaned by hospital-standard HEPA filter, and the air is completely renewed about every 3 minutes. To help ease the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on passengers, Turkish Airlines offers flexible options for customers booking new flights. Travelers can now change tickets bought until March 31, 2021 for another flight taking place by December 31, 2021. Alternatively, customers can change their ticket to an open ticket for use on another date. Passengers can also make unlimited changes for tickets booked between these dates with no …

Etihad Airways has expanded its business with the launch of charter and special flight services. Fully customisable, business and leisure guests can choose from a variety of flight options including a dedicated passenger service, cargo only flight or a combined passenger and cargo package. Alex Featherstone, Vice President Network Planning & Alliances, Etihad Airways, said, “While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the commercial aviation industry, charter flights provide a convenient alternative to travel, providing customers with the flexibility to choose the departure time, destination and routing.” This year, Etihad has flown over 500 charters including passenger, government and humanitarian flights. Over 3.8M tonnes of cargo has been transported for the government of Abu Dhabi as part of the national aid programme using charter services. Etihad Wellness, the airline’s health and safety programme, ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained on charters flights at every stage of the customer journey. This includes specially trained Wellness Ambassadors, a first in the industry, who have been introduced by the airline to provide essential travel health information and care on the ground and on every flight. As part of the Etihad Wellness programme, global COVID-19 insurance cover is included for all passengers travelling with Etihad. Etihad also charters flights for sports teams including a last-minute flight for Manchester City Football Club in 2019 to help them continue the Asia pre-season tour after they faced a delay on their initial journey.

Pegasus Airlines UAE made an announcement for all trade partners of their latest regulations. They announced that all passengers travelling to Turkey from international destinations between 30th December 2020 to 01st March 2021, are required to produce a negative PCR test made within 72 hours before arrival. Passengers who fail to fulfill this requirement will not be accepted on the flight.This applies to all persons including children aged 6 years and above at the time of entering Turkey.Passengers who do not submit the negative PCR test to the official authorities upon arrival at the border gate, will have to undergo mandatory quarantine for a period of 7 days at the declared address of residence  in Turkey (home, hotel, etc). The above requirement of negative PCR test shall be applicable to all transit and transfer passengers as well.

Emirates has announced several key movements and rotations to its commercial team, both in its Dubai hub and across key markets in the Far East, West Asia and Africa. The changes place five seasoned Emirati commercial managers in key positions across the Emirates network to support its commercial strategies as the airline responds to shifting market dynamics and navigates the complex challenges posed by the global pandemic. The rotations also demonstrate the depth of UAE National talent within the global commercial team, due in large part to the exposure they are given across the airline’s network. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “As Emirates works through the complexities of this challenging period, we are sharpening our focus further and placing extremely capable leaders with diverse experiences to help drive commercial initiatives that stimulate demand and maximise revenue opportunities and margin performance. I am also proud of our UAE Nationals, who are well-placed to support the commercial organisation at this critical time, as we continue to build sustained momentum, restore our network foothold, and ramp up our operations to position the airline for a strong recovery.”

In line with the directives of Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority, Oman Air will suspend all international passenger flights to and from Muscat for a period of one week. Domestic and cargo flights will continue operating as per the schedule. For rebookings, guests holding Oman Air flight reservations can contact our Call Centre or Oman Air representatives in their respective countries. For further updates on the flight operations and services, please refer to our website and official social media channels.

Etihad Airways will resume passenger flights from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to Istanbul, Turkey. The service will operate with an initial twice weekly flight using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, featuring Business and Economy cabins. Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Sales and Cargo, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “As Etihad gradually returns more destinations to its global network, the airline is looking forward to the resumption of scheduled services to Istanbul. As the network continues to be built back up, Etihad ensures a secure and hygienic flying environment across the entire guest journey. Over the last few months, the airline has seized every opportunity to improve processes, including the introduction of free PCR testing for guests departing the UAE and free COVID-19 insurance for all passengers globally.” Guests travelling on Etihad Airways flights will be required to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test result received within 96 hours prior to departure from Abu Dhabi, or from their departure airport if they are transferring from other cities via Abu Dhabi.In the UAE, guests travelling to all Etihad Airways destinations can make use of a free testing service between 48 to 96 hours prior to departure with Life Medical Diagnostic Center (Life Dx). Travellers flying First or Business will also have the option of selecting tests at their home. The quick and easy process can be booked directly with Life Dx.

Etihad Airways flights continue to operate, however as the airline follows UAE and international government and regulatory authority directives, selected destinations have introduced travel restrictions. Detailed information on the current restrictions is available at Etihad Travel Updates. Guests are requested to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport. The new global travel restrictions are currently impacting travel across India, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UK.  

Due to the wake of another mutation of the Covid 19 virus Middle East nations have decided to close their borders with immediate effect. All international flights are cancelled, due to the closure of Saudi Arabian, Kuwaiti and Omani borders. Customers connecting on flights bound for these destinations will not be accepted at origin. We regret any inconvenience caused. Affected customers should contact their travel agent or contact centre for rebooking options. To receive update notifications, customers are requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking.

Etihad Airways announced that all guests flying from the United Kingdom from December 24, 2020 to present a negative PCR test within 72 hours validity of their flight departure time. Etihad is the only airline in the world requiring 100% of its passengers to show a negative PCR test before travelling and again on arrival into Abu Dhabi, ensuring peace of mind for all on board. PCR tests must be conducted at a government accredited medical facility. Suggested facilities can be found at etihad.com. As many COVID-19 PCR test certificates do not currently show the date and time the test was taken, guests are required to show evidence of this at check-in, for example by presenting their appointment confirmation. Children under 12 and people with severe and moderate disabilities are exempt from COVID-19 PCR testing. Etihad Wellness, the airline’s health and safety programme, ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey. This includes specially trained Wellness Ambassadors, a first in the industry, who have been introduced by the airline to provide essential travel health information and care on the ground and on every flight. As part of the Etihad Wellness programme, global COVID-19 insurance cover is included for all passengers travelling with Etihad.

Emirates has announced that it will be operating its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft on the Dubai – Sao Paulo route between 9 and 30 January 2021. The Emirates A380 will be deployed four times weekly to Sao Paulo in response to the summer season increase in demand for travel to and from Brazil.This will be the first time that the iconic aircraft returns to South America since the suspension of passenger flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Emirates resumed passenger flights to Sao Paulo in August 2020 on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Customers travelling to and from Brazil on Emirates in January 2021 can once again look forward to enjoying the unparalleled Emirates A380 experience with its spacious and comfortable cabins and the unmissable signature products and services on the A380, including the iconic A380 Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, reintroduced with additional health and safety measures. In early November, Emirates also reinstated its signature dining service across all classes while observing strict hygiene protocols. Customers can now savour multi-course meals and choose from a complimentary selection of beverages including wine and beer, as well as juices and soft drinks. Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment, ice, continues to add new content every month, and currently features a catalogue with over 4,500 channels. Brazilian customers travelling to much desired holiday destinations including the Maldives can stop over at Dubai to experience the city’s wide range of world-class experiences from sun-soaked beaches and heritage activities to world class hospitality and leisure facilities. Brazilian nationals can obtain a free visa on arrival at Dubai. In 2019, Dubai welcomed 16.7 million visitors and hosted over hundreds of global meetings and exhibitions, as …