Category Archives: Aviation

As the new year dawned, Turkish Airlines has introduced a brand new line-up of inflight toys for the young travellers onboard. As from January 2018, the airline will completely revamp its selection of inflight toys now made from natural materials. The stuffed toys are created from cotton and the wooden parts are manufactured according to the sustainability rules set by the Forest Stewardship Council. This is in line with the airline’s recognition of the harmful effects of plastic on both children and the environment. The airline is committed to ensuring that every aspect of its operation is consistent with its goal of sustainable development. The new toys provide children aged between 3 and 12 with additional inflight entertainment while simultaneously introducing them to the concept of endangered species. Through play, Turkish Airlines, in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund of Turkey, hopes to instill an appreciation of animal protection among children—those who will inherit the world and will be responsible for its care. The global carrier has worked with the toy industry to develop items that promote sustainability while simultaneously increasing wildlife awareness for its youngest guests.

Emirates and flydubai announced their latest codeshare flights planned to Krakow in Poland from April 8 and Catania in Italy from June 13. The partnership initially began with codeshare flights to 29 cities, and this has quickly expanded to meet demand as customers realise the benefits of increased flight frequencies, expanded access to global destinations on a single ticket, and more. For bookings under the codeshare, Emirates passengers will receive complimentary meals and the Emirates checked baggage allowance on flights operated by flydubai in Business and Economy class. Under the partnership, passengers will benefit from a reduced minimum connection time of 120 minutes between Emirates’ home in Terminal 3 and flydubai’s in Terminal 2. Emirates Skywards members earn Skywards miles and Skywards Tier Miles on codeshare flights as per the existing Skywards programme. In addition to the Emirates free checked baggage allowance, Skywards Premium members can also enjoy their extra checked baggage allowances of 20 kg (Platinum members) 16 kg (Gold members) and 12 kg (Silver members) on codeshare flights operated by flydubai. Skywards Silver, Gold and Platinum members travelling on codeshare flights can access flydubai’s Business check-in counters and receive priority tags.

Royal Jordanian (RJ) expanded its codeshare agreements with Turkish Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, giving its guests the option to travel to more destinations with competitive fares and more convenience. The expansion of the codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines, which has been in place since 2015, added three new cities to RJ passengers’ list of potential destinations- Milan, Sofia and Sarajevo, which are sold in connection with RJ’s Amman-Istanbul flights. The codeshare expansion agreement with Malaysia Airlines, signed in 2010, gives RJ passengers access to four new destinations- Langkawi, Penang, Sydney and Melbourne, all sold in connection with RJ’s Kuala Lumpur flight. RJ has 15 codeshare agreements with global airlines, including with one world carriers and with international airlines. Stefan Pichler, President/CEO, Royal Jordanian said, “Codeshare agreements with global airlines are in line with RJ’s turnaround plan and endeavour to offer an improved passenger experience and enhance competitiveness at regional and global levels.” “Having flexible connections will no doubt increase traffic on RJ’s network,” he said, assuring that RJ will continue to partner with other airlines, through various commercial activities.

Qabala will be the second destination in Azerbaijan to be served by Air Arabia from June 27, 2018. Air Arabia currently serves Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan with daily flights. The flight will operate three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, departing Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) at 13:00 hours and arriving at Qabala International Airport (GBB) at 16:10 hours local time. The return flight will depart Qabala at 17:15 hours, landing in Sharjah at 19:50 hours local time. Featuring a moderate climate and a mountainous landscape, Qabala is a destination of choice for travellers looking to spend their summer closer to nature. The city caters to all, offering everything from entertainment at amusement parks to guided walks, through the heart of its untouched forest lands.  Air Arabia currently operates flights to 133 routes across the globe from five hubs located in the Middle East and North Africa.

Etihad Guest and Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, have given 11 lucky members of Etihad Guest a New Year gift of one million Etihad Guest Miles each in a Miles Millionaire competition. Members of the airline’s loyalty programme who registered for the promotion and booked a flight with Etihad Airways using their Visa card before October 21, had the chance to win one of 11 one million Etihad Guest Miles prizes. Yasser al Yousef, Managing Director, Etihad Guest, congratulated the Miles Millionaire winners at a presentation ceremony at Etihad Airways’ head office in Abu Dhabi. He said, “We are delighted to have our members win these miles – giving them the opportunity to live the high life with Etihad Guest and Visa.” One million miles can buy a host of products, including seven Etihad Airways flights with a friend; or four iPhone 7s, four Go-Pros, four sets of Bose headphones or 87 grams of gold. Etihad Guest Miles can be used to purchase flights, upgrades and thousands of products from the online Reward Shop.

Passenger traffic at the Dubai International Airport (DXB) reached 6,953,596 in November compared to 6,581,805 recorded in the corresponding month in 2016, an increase of 5.6 per cent, as per a latest report. Year to date, passenger numbers at DXB have risen 5.8 per cent to 80,387,442 compared to 75,947,899 recorded during the same period in 2016. This upward trend in passenger traffic has been continuing during the past year at Dubai Airports. Once again, the most significant contribution to passenger numbers came from the Indian Subcontinent and Western Europe. The two regions were up 7.5 per cent and 8 per cent respectively, and more than 1.5 million passengers travelled through DXB from each region in November. These figures were reflected in the top cities, where London (310,551) and Mumbai (217,279) were the highest. For the first time in four months, Saudi Arabia (534,906) climbed to the second spot in terms of passenger numbers by country, moving in front of the UK (507,796). India (999,625) remained the top destination country for Dubai International. November’s flight movement figures at DXB totalled 33,421 down 3.7 per cent on 2016, however the average number of passengers per flight during the month remained high at 215, up 7.3 per cent year on year.

Emirates airline will operate a special A380 flight to Kuwait for UAE supporters to attend the finals of the Arabian Gulf Cup, as announced by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates. The UAE team will face Oman in the final match which is set to be held this Friday on January 5. Details of the special flight will be made available as soon as possible.

Etihad Aviation Group announced a year-long programme of activities and humanitarian initiatives to mark 2018 as the Year of Zayed. Etihad Airways inaugurated its Year of Zayed activities recently by holding a flag-raising ceremony attended by employees. UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan declared 2018 the Year of Zayed, a nationwide initiative, which will highlight the UAE founding father’s unparalleled role in establishing the UAE Federation, and his local, regional and international achievements as well as his values and principles. Khaled Al Mehairbi, General Manager, Etihad Airport Ground Services, said, “We are tremendously proud of the rapid growth of Abu Dhabi and the union. All the people of the UAE will always remain the most important element of our nation’s development. This was our father Sheikh Zayed’s main objective and vision. This year is a momentous one as we honour his achievements and celebrate his legacy in Abu Dhabi and around the world.” In support of the national initiative, and to reaffirm its commitment to the UAE, Etihad has launched a strategy based on the government’s four Year of Zayed pillars- wisdom, respect, sustainability and human development.

Emirates extended its popular ‘My Emirates Pass’ programme to customers flying to or through Dubai between January 1 and March 31, 2018. The programme gives Emirates’ customers exclusive offers and discounts across the city by turning the Emirates boarding pass into an exclusive membership card. Customers can take advantage of a range of offers at some of Dubai’s best known hotspots by simply showing their Emirates boarding pass and a valid form of identification. ‘My Emirates Pass’ has also expanded the programme with more partners – customers can now enjoy special discounts at over 250 world class restaurants and hotel dining outlets in Dubai. Exclusive offers are also available on a range of leisure activities including visits to championship golf courses, theme parks or luxury spas across the city. “This year, we’ve doubled the number of partners in the programme to give our customers more options and even better value on their visit. Whether it’s your first time in Dubai or a return trip, there is always something new to explore,” says Mohammad Al Hashimi, Vice President, Commercial Products Dubai, Emirates airline.

Emirates will share the legacy of the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to a global audience in 2018 through its inflight magazine, Open Skies. The magazine will mark the ‘Year of Zayed’ throughout 2018 by featuring the achievements of HH Sheikh Zayed through a host of classic images and stories in honour of his memory. The magazine will dedicate pages to highlight his role in establishing the Federation as well as his local, regional and international successes. In addition, each article will also tell readers how they can explore the region and see HH Sheikh Zayed’s vision come to life. Emirates has also adorned its aircraft with a bespoke livery of the late HH Sheikh Zayed. 10 Emirates aircraft – five Airbus A380s and five Boeing 777-300ERs – will carry the special livery and travel across the Emirates network throughout 2018. The unique livery is the first time Emirates has featured a customised decal of a public figure.