Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates will introduce an additional daily flight from Dubai to Brussels from 29 October 2017, providing a double-daily service to customers on the route. The new scheduled flight is to meet the growing demand for travel on the route – Emirates has carried over half a million passengers between Dubai and the Belgian capital since launching operations on 5 September 2014. Further, this second daily flight, offering additional cargo capacity in the belly hold of the wide-body Boeing 777-300ER, will enhance trade links between Brussels and Dubai, transporting pharmaceuticals, perishables such as chocolates, and automotive parts from Belgium to the UAE and beyond. With the launch of the new flight, inbound tourism is also expected to receive a significant boost, creating an anticipated 50,000 more tourist arrivals.

Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways have all been cleared to allow customers to bring electronic devices, including laptops, tablets and e-readers, on flights from the Middle East into the United States. The ban on electronic devices that was implemented on ME flights travelling to the United States since March 25, 2017 ended on July 5, 2017.

Air Arabia recently launched a direct flight to another destination in Turkey — its historic port city Trabzon. The flight is scheduled to operate on five days a weekly — Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the flight departs from Sharjah International Airport at 21:45 and arrives at Trabzon International Airport at 00:20 local time the next day. The return service departs from Trabzon at 01:00, landing in Sharjah at 05:15 local time. On Tuesdays, the flight departs from Sharjah at 13:15 and arrives at Trabzon at 15:50; then the return flights from Trabzon are scheduled to take off at 16:30 and land in Sharjah at 20:45. Finally, the flights on Sundays are scheduled to depart from Sharjah at 16:35 and land in Trabzon at 19:10, and then the return flights are to take off at 19:50 from Trabzon and arrive at Sharjah at 00:05 the next day.

Emirates’ inaugural double-decker A380 service from Dubai to Nice recently landed at Nice Cote d’Azur International Airport, marking officially the replacement of Boeing 777-300ER used on this route with A380. The flight timings will remain unchanged. The passengers of the premium class in the A380 will get flat-bed seats as well as the Emirates Onboard Lounge to have a completely relaxed and enjoyable ride. First-class passengers can unwind in their very own private suite and leave all their travelling stress behind in the Emirates A380 Shower Spa.

Emirates recently launched a new daily service from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon. Badr Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Far East, was on board the inaugural flight on 1st July. Upon arrival, the aircraft was greeted in Phnom Penh by a traditional water cannon salute. Going per the local times, flights to Phnom Penh will depart daily from Dubai International Airport at 09:15 local time and arrive at Yangon at 17:25. It will then depart from Yangon at 18:55 and arrive at Phnom Penh International Airport at 21:25. On the return segment, flight EK389 will leave Phnom Penh at 23:10 and arrive at Yangon at 00:40. It will then set off for Dubai‎ at 02:10, arriving there at 05:40.

With a traditional water salute, Dubai Airports recently welcomed Badr Airlines’ inaugural flight from the capital city of Sudan, Khartoum, to Dubai International Airport Terminal 2. Badr Airlines has launched three weekly flights between Khartoum and Dubai, enhancing convenience as well as choice for the thousands of passengers travelling between the two destinations. Besides chartered VIP flights and humanitarian aid missions, Badr Airlines, formerly known as Sarit Airlines, also provides air services for passenger and cargo.

From June to September 2017, flydubai will be providing services to Batumi in Georgia, Qabala in Azerbaijan and Tivat in Montenegro, increasing its network to 93 destinations in 44 countries. Since 2015, flydubai has added 18 new destinations to its network, showing a remarkable rate of growth. “At flydubai, we remain committed to providing our passengers with a variety of destinations to travel to, especially during the summer season,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai. “The decision to launch our seasonal routes to complement our existing network is a direct response to customer feedback and we hope our passengers enjoy what these hidden gems have to offer,” he added.

This summer, to adjust the growing number of holiday makers on their flights, Etihad has increased the frequency of their flights as well as the capacity of their vessels flying between Abu Dhabi and their key markets, such as Amman, Beirut, Cairo, Casablanca and Rabat. There will be a fourth new daily flight to Damman, second new daily flight to Amman, four new flights a week to Beirut with the introduction of Boeing 787, a fifth flight to Cairo, one extra flight to Rabat and an aircraft upgrade to Airbus A340 for Casablanca.

Air Arabia has increased services to Armenia’s Yerevan to four times a week as it is fast proving to be a popular holiday destination for GCC families, especially Indian citizens living in the Gulf, thanks to the latest visa-on-arrival policy that the country implemented earlier this year. Yerevan appeals to a wide spectrum of holiday goers, from thrill seeking adventurers to those looking for more family-orientated trips. Flying to Yerevan from Sharjah, Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier, commenced operations to Armenia in 2013. The journey time is approximately three hours and the route is being served by an Airbus A320.

Travelex has partnered with Heathrow to provide a convenient way for VAT refund to the travellers reclaiming their tax when leaving the UK. Customers flying from Heathrow Terminal 5 can now book appointments for a fast, efficient VAT refund process at a time convenient to them. The VAT Refund by Appointment service offers one-to-one consultations at a screened desk within the VAT refund appointment office, with no waiting time – all appointments at a fixed time arranged in advance; meet-and-greet welcome at the door; help with form filling, if needed; English, Arabic and Chinese speaking hosts (subject to availability) and personal reminder by phone 24 hours before the appointed time (where possible). John Rayment, UK Commercial Director, Travelex, explains, “Tax-free shopping is one of the great benefits of coming to the UK. But we recognise that our customer’s time is precious. This new, exclusive experience will ensure customers can complete their VAT Refund in a relaxed environment, with the assurance that it will be completed in a timely fashion.”