Category Archives: Aviation

Dubai International Airport has said that it expects to see more than 1.1 million travellers between July 5-8 as the summer holidays kick in. In order to handle over one million passengers, departments across the airport began preparations many weeks ago, learning from previous years and a wealth of experience. Eugene Barry, EVP Commercial, Dubai Airports said, “We are about to face the busiest days of the year here at Dubai International. It is predicted that June28 is going to be the first of our busy days during the summer holiday. The weekend of July 5-8  is anticipated to be a busier time as the majority of local schools are breaking up for the summer. We expect during those few days to welcome over 1.1m travellers.” Talking of the specific changes being implemented in the passenger facing areas Essa Al Shamsi, VP Terminal Operations, Dubai Airports said, “Preparations within the airport for the upcoming peak have been ongoing for the past couple of weeks. The entire operations team has been working closely with all our service partners to ensure a seamless journey for customers, from the moment they arrive at DXB to the moment they leave. For those travelling in the next few days, we would advise passengers to get to the airport early and encourage them to use the latest technologies we recently added, like the Smart Gates, to expedite their journey.”

Priority Pass has announced that members can now access more than 1200 lounges, dining and spa experiences globally. The expansion of its offering follows another strong year of growth which has led to Priority Pass now being welcomed at locations in over 500 cities and 143 countries. Priority Pass has added 141 new lounges from June 2017 to June 2018, to cater to increased demand from travelers for a premium experience at airports. Alongside the additions to the traditional lounge portfolio, Priority Pass has introduced 34 new dining, spa and relaxation experiences that can be accessed in the same way as lounges, broadening the choice for Members while at the airport. Priyanka Lakhani, Commercial Director, Middle East, Africa and India at Collinson, the operator of Priority Pass, said: “In the last year we’ve added some exciting choices to the Priority Pass portfolio, increasing the global footprint of the program to more than 1200 experiences around the world. New and exclusive partnerships with lounge, dining and spa providers demonstrate our commitment to providing our Members with more options that cater for their individual needs at airports while also broadening our airport coverage. As the needs of travelers continue to evolve, we’re constantly striving to further improve and develop the Priority Pass offering, providing our Members with access to the very best possible experiences each time they travel.” Priority Pass has seen significant growth around the world with forty-eight new lounges added across Europe, the Middle East and Africa..

With its offering of transit visas on arrival, flight updates via social media, efficient and innovative passenger processing systems and an upgraded, stronger Wi-Fi service to ensure great connectivity, Enriching Tourist Experience is at the heart of all initiatives at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) this summer. “Abu Dhabi Airports prioritises passenger safety above all else. We have worked hard to add the element of utmost convenience to this, to ensure that all passengers passing through Abu Dhabi International Airport have a truly world class experience,” said Abdul Majeed Al Khoori, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports.  “We are indebted to the support of all our stakeholders and partners in making this possible and for contributing to our collective success,” he added. In collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways and the General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs – Abu Dhabi, a new transit visa counter has been set up inside AUH to grant both transit and arriving passengers visas to Abu Dhabi within 30 minutes. The new service is located at the Terminal 3 transit area at AUH and facilitates activation of the new four-day or 96-hour transit visa for all nationalities travelling through the airport, and inclusive of all of other types of transit visas available. This is in support of Abu Dhabi’s ongoing efforts to attract more visitors to the capital. With the introduction of the new BizTweet service, incoming and outgoing passengers to AUH can receive real time flight updates to their Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Turkish Airlines’ Turkish Cargo has inked a partnership agreement with ZTO and Pal Air . According to the agreement, a new joint venture will be established in Hong Kong which will provide a range of logistic services. The partnership was sealed and signed by Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, M İlker Aycı, ZTO Express Chairman Mei Song LAI and PAL Air Ltd. Vice-Chairman Vivian Lau. “Today, I feel privileged to welcome you all for the signing ceremony of a great partnership agreement between the biggest brands of China and Turkey. As Turkish Airlines, ZTO Express and PAL Air Ltd., we are announcing the signing of MoU to build a Joint Venture company to operate as a Global Express/ Courier company mainly focusing on Global E-commerce market with full door to door services. We are now delighted to make this strategic move into Global Express business together with the strong partnership of ZTO, the best and largest Express company from China and our long term cross border forwarding partner PAL Air Ltd. from Hong Kong. The Joint Venture, after reaching quickly to fully functional and operational levels, is expected to take place within the world’s largest integrators. In 5 years’ time it will generate over 2 billion USD of revenue,” said Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines.

In order to celebrate Emirates airline’s 25 years of service to Oman, the airline will deploy a one off A 380 flight to Muscat on July 1. This special flight re-affirms the newly opened airport infrastructure to handle A380 operations. The new passenger terminal at Oman International Airport recently opened its doors in March 2018. The Emirates A380 service will operate as EK 862 and EK 863, departing Dubai at 0825hrs and arriving in Muscat at 0935hrs. The flight will depart Muscat at 1205hrs arriving in Dubai at 1310hrs on the same day. Khalid Bel Jaflah, Divisional Vice President Commercial Operations UAE and Oman, Emirates said, “We are proud to fly the first scheduled A380 service to Muscat as Emirates marks a significant milestone of 25 years of service to the Sultanate of Oman. It is a very important destination for us in the region and we maintain our strong commitment to the country. We look forward to showcasing our innovative products and stylish amenities on-board this iconic aircraft to our trade partners and travel industry stakeholders in Oman.” David Wilson, Chief Operations Officer, Oman Airports said, “On behalf of Muscat International Airport, we thank Emirates Airline and express our appreciation for the upcoming historic arrival of a scheduled A380 service to the Sultanate of Oman. The arrival of the aircraft will be a valuable initiative which will highlight our new international airport terminal and we look forward to celebrating our long standing commitment with Emirates Airline.”

Rotana has signed two new hotel management agreements to further strengthen the company’s presence in its home region and expand its footprint into Europe. Marking its latest offering in Dubai’s thriving hospitality market, Rotana is now officially managing Cayan Tower, the ninth tallest residential high-rise building in the world, under its ‘The Residences by Rotana’ brand. In addition, the company will operate Bosmal Arjaan by Rotana in Bosnia and Herzegovina to make its foray into Southeast Europe. Situated on a prime location in the Dubai Marina district, the Cayan Tower features 490 and 7 retails spanning 73 floors of the award-winning skyscraper. The awe-inspiring architectural wonder with a dynamic twisting shape spirals in a smooth curve by an astonishing 90 degrees to give every apartment a stunning view of the Arabian Sea or Dubai Marina. The property brings Rotana’s existing portfolio of properties in Dubai to 14. Strategically located at the Bosmal City Centre complex in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital city, Sarajevo, Bosmal Arjaan by Rotana will be the second tallest residential tower in the Balkans region when it opens by the end of 2018. Managed under the ‘Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana’ brand, the property will feature 130 two and three-bedroom units, in addition to a gymnasium, two indoor pools, a sauna, a Turkish bath, and multiple treatment rooms. With the opening of the elegant and contemporary hotel, Rotana will increase its portfolio under “Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana” brand to 3,143 rooms.

Abu Dhabi Airport has announced the opening of Aerotel’s new airport transit sleeping facility at the Abu Dhabi International Airport. The latest addition marks the airport’s second facility that is operated by Aerotel of Plaza Premium Group. Open 24 hours a day, the hotel offers flexible hourly booking slots which gives easy access for transit passengers seeking a quick power rest. Its offers include a 2-hour day package between 09:00 to 20:00 and a 4-hour night package available from 20:00 to 9:00. Aerotel can also be found in Terminal 1, which presents 38 spacious rooms divided into three categories: solo room, double plus and double squared that is ideal for solo to family travelers respectively. Saoud Al Shamsi, Acting Chief Commercial Officer (ACCO) of Abu Dhabi Airports said, “Abu Dhabi Airports’ utmost priority is to ensure a convenient, seamless journey for passengers travelling through the Abu Dhabi International Airport. With more than 20 million people transiting through the airport, the establishment of Aerotel’s new hotel facility cements Abu Dhabi Airports’ position in providing world-class solutions to best accommodate such demand. We look forward to strengthening our efforts with Plaza Premium Group and the rest of our partners to continuously create innovative airport services that redefines travel experiences with Abu Dhabi International Airport.”

Turkish Airlines flying to the most countries in the world, has added Moroni which is the capital city of Comoros Union to its network on June 18. Moroni flights of the flag carrier will be operated three times per week and it will be in connection with Seychelles flights. Comoros Union is consist of three big island which named The Big Comoros , Anjuan and Moholi . Following the addition of Moroni , Turkish Airlines now reaches 122 countries with 304 destinations worldwide ; 53 of which are in Africa. Comoros was named as moon islands by Arabic mariners and also named perfume islands by European countries because of being plenty various scented plant as honeysuckle,orchid and gardenia. Agriculture sector is the biggest share of country economy and the climate of the Comoros is tropical. Moroni flight time schedules are Monday, Wednesday, Saturday (IST) 01:40 and (HAH)13:30 and Monday, Wednesday, Saturday (HAH) 16:40 (IST) 04:10 +1. Introductory round trip fares are available from Istanbul to Moroni starting at 973 US Dollars (including taxes and fees).

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) has earned an accreditation level of ‘reduction’ from the Abu Dhabi International Airport (ACI’s) Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. The programme provides a unique common framework and tools for active carbon management at airports, covering operational activities that contribute most to carbon emissions. In 2011, AUH was the first airport in the Middle East and North Africa region to be ACI Airport Carbon Accredited in the “mapping” level, and the achievement of an accreditation level of ‘reduction’ recognizes Abu Dhabi Airports’ continued commitment to helping fight climate change through the management of its carbon dioxide emissions. This year, having fulfilled the requirements of the ‘mapping’ accreditation level during the previous six years, Abu Dhabi Airports initiated its seventh application to the program by providing evidence of its effective carbon management procedures, target setting, and by demonstrating that a reduction in Abu Dhabi International Airport’s carbon emissions had occurred through an analysis of consecutive years of emissions data. Abdul Majeed Al Khoori, Acting CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports said, “We are proud to be a leading airport operator in the region and to be doing our part in addressing aviation’s impact on climate change. The achievement of an accreditation level of ‘reduction’ is a milestone for us and recognizes our commitment and success in applying comprehensive carbon management in the capital’s airport. Environmental responsibility is something we take very seriously at Abu Dhabi Airports, as we work to develop a sustainable future for aviation and effectively manage the environmental impacts of our operations across our five airports in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.”

Passengers travelling through Dubai International (DXB) can now virtually explore Dubai and experience the wide array of offerings available, as a new, technologically-advanced digital installation has been set up in Terminal 3, Concourse A, that creates and sends to passengers a tailor-made two-day Dubai itinerary based on the passengers’ interests and preferred experiences via email. Launched by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), in collaboration with Dubai Airports and Emirates Airline, the activation, titled ‘MyDubai Experience’ in reference to the emirate’s hugely successful local advocacy movement, is designed to provide a futuristic and innovative way for travellers to discover and learn more about the city without setting foot outside the airport. The ultimate goal is to inspire the millions of transit passengers passing through DXB to revisit Dubai in the near future by showing them everything they can experience during a holiday in the city. Located in one of the busiest parts of the terminal and measuring an impressive 6 metres in height and 4 metres in diameter, the new installation comprises state-of-the-art LED tiles positioned to create five 360-degree rings, each exhibiting a variety of photographic, video, social media and user-generated content that has been carefully curated to draw the attention of passers-by and optimally showcase the Dubai proposition. The rings can either work together to produce a single large visual, or operate independently to create a collage depicting a multitude of different Dubai experiences and offerings.