Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates announced that its highly sought-after Premium Economy offering will be introduced to two more points in its network, São Paolo from 19 November and Tokyo Narita from 20 December. São Paolo will become the airline’s fifth point in its North and South American network where flights will operate with the new cabin class, while Tokyo Narita will become the second gateway in Emirates’ Far East network which offers its latest cabin product, featuring extra legroom, premium features and amenities.  As the airline’s retrofit programme picks up pace and the product extends to more routes on its network, São Paolo will become the 13th city where Emirates will operate its newly retrofitted flagship A380 aircraft, while the number of points offering Premium Economy will grow to 14 with the addition of Tokyo Narita. Besides featuring the new Premium Economy seats, the enhanced aircraft that will operate on the routes also boast refreshed interiors that provide an elevated experience throughout the other cabins, with a new look and feel. Seats can be booked immediately via emirates.com, Emirates sales offices and travel agencies. From 19 November, travellers flying between Dubai and São Paolo can book Emirates’ Premium Economy seats on EK261/262, which will initially be available three times weekly, scaling up to daily flights in December. Premium Economy on flights EK318/319, to and from Tokyo Narita, will launch as a daily offering from 20 December.

Red Sea Global (RSG) celebrated the first flight to its Red Sea International Airport (RSI), which touched down on the new runway. Departing from King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh each Thursday and Saturday, The SAUDIA flight, which takes under two hours, marks the start of a new twice-weekly service. The flights return to Riyadh later the same day. “We promised to make The Red Sea a place where people from all around the world would come to experience the best of Saudi culture, hospitality, and nature. Now, with the first flight touching down at Red Sea International Airport, and our first resorts receiving bookings, Saudi Arabia’s position on the global tourism map is all but secured,” said John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global. The flights depart RUH each Thursday at 10.50am, before departing again to the Kingdom’s capital from RSI at 13:35pm. A second service departs RUH every Saturday at 12.50pm, with the return flight for RUH departing at 15:35pm. Positioned within an eight-hour flight from 85 percent of the world’s population, RSI will grow to welcome international flights from next year as additional phase one resorts open their doors. Red Sea International Airport is operated by daa International, which has supported Red Sea Global with design validation and commissioning of RSI since 2020. With the arrival of RSI’s first commercial flight, daa International’s operational responsibility commences.

flynas announced launching direct flights to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa from Riyadh and Jeddah as of October 9, in line with flynas plans to further expanding its network in the African market, and within the the growth and expansion plan launched by flynas early last year under the slogan “We Connect the World to the Kingdom,” and in parrel with the National Civil Aviation Strategy to reach 330 million passengers and 100 million tourists, and to increase the number of international destinations connected to the Kingdom to more than 250 destinations by 2030, and to achieve the objectives of the Pilgrims Experience Program to provide an easier access to the Holy Mosques. The leading LCC will operate the new route from Riyadh as of October 9 with three weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, And Fridays. And from Jeddah starting from October 10 with three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, connecting Saudi and Ethiopia with six direct weekly flights. This will reinforce the travel destinations to Africa offered by flynas to the pilgrims and visitors between the two countries. The leading LCC connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations, with more than 1,500 weekly flights. Passengers traveling with flynas can book their flights through all flynas booking channels: www.flynas.com, the flynas app, the call centre (920001234), or travel agents.  

A recent report from the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), stated that over 50% of private jet flights are for groups. Private Jet Charter Service Market Research indicates the demand for group private jet charters increased by 27% from 2019 to 2021. According to industry statistics, the demand for larger private jets, capable of accommodating 10 or more passengers, has surged by nearly 30% over the last five years. This trend highlights the changing preferences of travellers who are increasingly seeking the camaraderie and exclusivity of group travel without the hassles of commercial flights. This tracks with data from Klasjet which reported an increase in group size for charter bookings in 2023, compared to the previous year. ‘We are certainly seeing not only a rise in group bookings but an increase in the size of these groups. “Traditionally the reserve of sports teams and entertainment stars. Private  charter is becoming a luxury that discerning group travellers see value in, particularly in light of airline disruption in recent years,” says Justinas Bulka CEO of Klasjet

Wizz Air announced an exciting promotion with 20 percent off selected flights to and from Saudi Arabia. The promotion applies for bookings made from 18 September 00:01 to 19 September 23:59 GST and for travel dates until on or before 14 December 2023*, providing customers affordable, hassle-free travel opportunities. The promotion has been launched as part of Wizz Air’s celebrations for Saudi National Day as well as marking one year of operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The reduced fares are on sale on wizzair.com and the WIZZ mobile app, available in the Arabic language. Robert Carey, President of Wizz Air, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the Saudi National Day and one year of operations in the Kingdom by launching a special promotion for 80,000 tickets at 20% off.

Emirates and SriLankan Airlines signed a reciprocal interline agreement to boost connectivity for passengers of both airlines. The partnership will enable access to new points on each other’s networks via Colombo and Dubai, utilising a single ticket and enjoying the convenience of baggage transfers. Tickets are now on sale for travel effective immediately as the interline partnership unlocks 15 regional destinations operated by SriLankan Airlines via Colombo, for Emirates’ passengers to choose from. The interline network includes two new Indian destinations, Madurai and Tiruchirapally, in addition to Gan Island in the Maldives, for customers to travel seamlessly on a single ticket while enjoying the convenience of a generous baggage policy and hassle-free baggage check-through to the final destination. Far East and South Asian destinations also include Cochin, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Malé, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, Guangzhou, Seoul and Tokyo. SriLankan Airlines’ passengers are also set to benefit from access to Emirates’ global network and connect to 15 cities operated by Emirates beyond Dubai. The interline network includes points across the Middle East, Africa, Russia and the US. SriLankan’s customers will enjoy a premium travel experience and partnership benefits while flying on Emirates to Bahrain, Amman, Dammam, Medina, Cairo, Muscat, Nairobi, Moscow, Tel Aviv, and a host of US cities including New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Franciso, Chicago, Boston and Houston.* Travel itineraries can be booked immediately on emirates.com, srilankan.com and preferred online and offline travel agencies. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “We are pleased to activate an interline partnership with SriLankan and provide our customers with more choice and access to additional destinations to suit their travel plans. This partnership enables customers to seamlessly fly to …

In honour of Saudi National Day, IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced a partnership with ALFURSAN to launch a limited time offer allowing IHG One Rewards and ALFURSAN members to earn triple ALFURSAN Reward Miles when booking a stay at any IHG Hotels & Resorts property worldwide.* The exclusive offer enables guests to earn three times the number of base miles that they would normally receive on a room night rate and eligible charges at InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Regent® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo®, HUALUXE® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations®, Holiday Inn Resort®, EVEN® Hotels, voco® Hotels, Vignette™ Collection, Atwell Suites™, avid® Hotels, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas, and The Venetian® Macao. Some Six Senses® Hotels, Resorts & Spas and Iberostar Beachfront Resorts properties are also included in the promotion. The ‘3X Miles’ offer is valid for registrations and hotel bookings made from 14 September to 14 October 2023 at any of the listed IHG Hotels & Resorts destinations worldwide. IHG One Rewards – the global loyalty program from IHG Hotels & Resorts – is designed to give members more value, enhanced benefits, and the flexibility to choose to be rewarded in their own way. Loyalty members can access IHG’s world of 18 brands and more than 6,000 hotels all in the palm of their hands through its all-new mobile app. ALFURSAN has over 7.5 million members worldwide. Through its frequent flyer programme, travellers can access an extensive range of benefits, including flight redemptions, flight upgrades, partner offers, no expiration on miles, and more. Register and book a stay …

In its latest campaign, Air India announced that it flies 79 times a week between the UAE and India. Apart from that a special promotional fare of AED 1430 (T’s & C’s apply)  on business class between the UAE and India on their latest dreamliner jets is the second campaign this week. There are several options travellers can pick from earning double frequent points to enjoying special fares on the UAE – India route. With its latest strategies Air India will continue its timeless hospitality with seamless connectivity and immersive experiences to all its passengers.  

Emirates and Maldivian have announced an interline partnership, enabling Emirates customers to access 16 popular holiday destinations in the Maldives beyond Malé. The agreement successfully follows on from last year’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two airlines, to explore opportunities for mutual cooperation. The interline agreement will create more options for Emirates customers when travelling to the Maldivian archipelago, utilising both carriers’ services and networks on a single ticket while also enhancing the customer experience throughout the journey. Customers travelling to exotic island destinations in the Maldives will now be able to reap the benefit of flying into more popular holiday spots after connecting easily and seamlessly from Velana International Airport in the North Malé atoll. Emirates passengers will link to Maldivian’s services to reach a choice of domestic points for their island getaway. From 15 September, travel itineraries can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates mobile app, or preferred travel agents, for flights effective immediately. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “We are delighted to establish a partnership with Maldivian, to expand our reach into more points in the Maldives. By partnering with the Maldivian flag carrier, we are able to offer customers smooth connections when flying to a wide choice of islands within the country via Malé. By extending this added-value benefit, our customers from across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Americas can plan their journey to the Maldives with the convenience of booking flights on a single ticket to reach their final destination.” Ibrahim Hamdhan Mohamed, General Manager – Commercial at Maldivian added: “We are excited to embark on this journey with Emirates, a global aviation leader. This partnership would enable …

According to Oman News Agency, Salalah Airport succeeded in restoring its pre-Covid-19 pandemic activity, as it saw rapid growth in air traffic during this year’s Khareef Dhofar (monsoon) season. The airport achieved 29% rise in number of flights and 34.4% growth in number of passengers, compared to the corresponding period in 2022. In July and August 2023, air traffic at Salalah Airport exceeded the figures of 2019 and 2022. In July 2023, the airport received a total of 1,424 flights, compared to 1,125 flights in July 2022. In August 2023, the airport registered a total of 1,744 flights, compared to 1,330 flights in August 2022. Air traffic before the pandemic stood at 1,362 flights in July 2019 and 1,620 flights in August 2019.