Category Archives: Aviation

SAUDIA signed an agreement with Tibah Airports to expand operational activities to and from Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina. The agreement comes within Saudia’s efforts to enhance its operational capabilities, increase operational movement, and connect Medina with many capitals and cities worldwide, contributing to doubling the visitor rate, especially with the developmental and enriching projects taking place in Medina. This step aligns with Saudia’s ongoing transformation and expansion plan with many aircraft scheduled for delivery in the coming years. Furthermore, it underscores Saudia’s commitment to delivering best class services that elevate both ground and air travel experiences, in line with the latest advancements in the aviation sector. The agreement was signed by His Excellency the Director General of Saudia Group, Engr. Ibrahim Al Omar, and the Chairman of Tibah Airports Operation Co, Dr. Ibrahim Alrajhi. His Excellency Engr. Ibrahim Al Omar said: “This agreement is an extension of Saudia’s contributions and initiatives aimed at achieving the targets of Saudi Vision 2030, especially those related to hosting 30 million pilgrims by 2030. It also contributes to achieving the objectives of the Saudi Aviation Strategy to boost air connectivity to over 250 destinations. This agreement will help us expand on our services by providing greater air connectivity between Madinah and many destinations within and beyond Saudi Arabia.” Dr. Ibrahim Alrajhi stated, “We are delighted to welcome Saudia’s decision to expand its operation in Medina Airport. This strategic move will not only strengthen the airport’s position as a gateway to the holy city of Medina but also enhance the overall travel experience for pilgrims from around the world. The expansion of Saudia’s operations at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport will …

Emirates has signed MoUs with Icelandair and travel technology and ticketing specialist GO7 to develop deeper commercial cooperation. The move comes as the airlines look to leverage each other’s networks, in addition to using modern tools for more efficient combined air and rail ticket connections. Both the MoUs will set the framework to establish potential codeshare cooperations across the networks of each respective airline in addition to expanding intermodal programmes offered by virtual interlines across the Emirates network. Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “We are pleased to deepen our partnerships with Icelandair and GO7. Their networks and intermodal capabilities complement our European presence, providing an array of connections for our customers to simplify their journeys. Together, we will open up new travel opportunities, and more choice for customers wishing to travel across Europe. We believe that these partnerships will bring real benefits to our customers and business, and we’re taking positive steps towards further strengthening our relationships in the future.” GO7 Emirates has partnered with travel technology and ticketing specialist GO7 to work on a holistic airline distribution approach, enabling Emirates to offer combined interline and rail tickets to worldwide destinations through Emirates’ direct and indirect channels, outside of the traditional booking ecosystem. Peer Winter, Chief Distribution Officer, GO7 said: We’re committed to providing airlines with innovative technology-led solutions that give them more control. We are delighted to sign this MoU with Emirates, building upon our successful history together. With Emirates already offering multimodal network connections through the GDS, including Rail & Fly via W2 by GO7, our new agreement takes it further. This partnership will provide a holistic approach to Airline Distribution for Emirates, …

Riyadh Air announced it has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative that promotes responsible business practices and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In a letter to António Guterres UN Secretary General, Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas officially committed Riyadh Air to implementing the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact. As active participants of the UNGC, Riyadh Air will adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies in areas such as human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption and report on progress on these efforts regularly. As part of its aim to support the advancement of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) working alongside partners and stakeholders to drive progress towards these goals by 2030. Riyadh Air will also publish its first Sustainability Report in advance of its maiden in mid-2025. Tony Douglas CEO Riyadh Air said, At Riyadh Air, we are conscious of our environmental impact and committed to actively contributing to the Kingdom’s sustainability goals, adopting world-class practices and leading our industry in integrating ESG into every area of our business. Our modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and GeNX 1B engine are widely acknowledged for their improved environmental impact considerations, and more broadly ESG strategies are front and center to every aspect of how Riyadh Air operates. We pledge to take no shortcuts and sustainability will run throughout the airline, from flight and ground operations to the office culture, to transportation and even to Riyadh Air employees at home. As a start-up airline this a golden opportunity to do the right thing in the right way, from Day 1 continued Douglas. Launched in July 2000 the UNGC is a voluntary UN agreement …

IBM announced their collaboration with Riyadh Air, the digital-native airline currently scheduled to commence operations in early 2025, to revolutionize the airline’s travel experiences. The airline plans to introduce next-generation, channel-fluid guest and traveler interactions, tapping into IBM Consulting’s open ecosystem of business partners and deep industry expertise spanning strategy, experience design, technology and operations. Today, IBM hosted a signing ceremony, announcing the collaboration at the 3rd edition of LEAP 2024, the international technology conference held annually in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; in the presence of Tony Douglas (Chief Executive Officer, Riyadh Air) and Arvind Krishna (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, IBM) and executive management from both entities. “We’re on a mission to shape the future of air travel at Riyadh Air,” said Tony Douglas, CEO at Riyadh Air. “By teaming up with IBM, we’re pushing the boundaries of innovation to create a transformed passenger experience that is more seamless, personalized and sustainable. From AI-powered check-in systems to immersive in-flight entertainment, we’re leveraging the latest technologies to make air travel more enjoyable and accessible for everyone.” Committed to delivering unique, intelligent and hyper-personalized guest journeys, Riyadh Air will harness IBM Consulting’s expertise across generative AI, experience orchestration, marketing and customer engagement platforms, mobile, web and in-flight applications. All of these capabilities will be accelerated through the proven, collaborative engagement model of IBM Garage, to help craft guest experiences that are culturally enriching across the travel journey, on ground or in the air. “We’re excited to extend our collaboration with Riyadh Air, working together to revolutionize the way people experience travel,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO at IBM. “We will combine user-friendly design, cutting-edge technology, and a shared commitment …

musafir.com announced its recent partnership with Fly Egypt, appointing musafir.com as the General Sales Agent (GSA) for Fly Egypt in the UAE. This strategic collaboration aims to enhance Fly Egypt’s market presence and sales across the UAE travel network while offering the lowest fare for Sharjah to Cairo return flights in the country. Under the agreement, musafir.com has established a dedicated reservation and ticketing sales office for Fly Egypt in Sharjah, located at their Rolla branch. This office will cater exclusively to Fly Egypt customers, offering seamless booking experiences and personalized services. “This appointment aligns perfectly with our strategic goals and vision,” said Raheesh Babu, COO,musafir.com. “We are committed to increasing sales and distribution for Fly Egypt in the UAE, thereby expanding its market reach and enhancing customer satisfaction.” “We at FlyEgypt are delighted to partner with musafir.com, a leading travel agency in the UAE. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission of making travel to Egypt more accessible and convenient for everyone, this appointment will significantly strengthen our presence in the region and allow us to offer even more value to travelers flying between Sharjah and Cairo.” said Ashraf Osman, Chief Commercial Officer, FlyEgypt. “Through musafir.com’s extensive network and expertise, we look forward to providing a seamless booking experience and unmatched affordability on this popular route. We are confident that this partnership will be a win-win for both FlyEgypt and musafir.com, ultimately creating a more convenient and enjoyable travel experience for our customers.” Osman added. Initially, musafir.com responsibilities as Fly Egypt’s GSA will focus on the Sharjah-Cairo-Sharjah route, offering direct flights at the most competitive rates in the UAE market. With flights operating three times a week on Fridays, Saturdays, …

Emirates will bring back its daily Phnom Penh service starting from 1 May via Singapore, boosting the airline’s Southeast Asian connectivity to/from Dubai, and linking two trade and leisure centres in the region. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer commented: “The resumption of our Phnom Penh services demonstrates our commitment to strengthening our Southeast Asian network, as we continue to create more opportunities for travellers to explore diverse and culturally rich destinations, and help businesses and exporters of all sizes establish stronger trade connections. We thank the Cambodian and Singaporean authorities for their support in establishing this new route. We look forward to re-introducing our customers to yet another vibrant destination on our network as they explore the world.” The service will be operated with a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Emirates’ flight EK348 will depart Dubai at 0230hrs and arrives in Singapore at 1405hrs. The flight will then depart Singapore at 1535hrs arriving in Phnom Penh at 1635hrs. Emirates’ return flight EK349 will leave Phnom Penh at 2050hrs and arrives in Singapore at 2350hrs. The flight will then depart Singapore at 0140hrs the next day arriving in Dubai at 0455hrs. All times are local. Phnom Penh’s linked schedule with Singapore is conveniently timed, providing optimal connecting opportunities to and from multiple cities in France, UK, Germany, Switzerland and the United States. Through this additional connection, Emirates will serve Singapore with four daily flights starting from 1 May. Emirates SkyCargo will also offer cargo bellyhold capacity on the Boeing 777-300ER of more than 300 tonnes per week in and out of Phnom Penh. Main commodities exported from Phnom Penh includes textiles, pharmaceuticals, and other high-value commodities. The new Emirates …

Emirates and ITA Airways  inked an MoU for the expansion of their existing interline into a full codeshare partnership. Once activated, the codeshare will boost travel options and connection choices for customers travelling between Dubai, Italy and beyond. The MoU signed will establish the foundations to strengthen the partnership between both airlines, creating one-stop connections to popular cities across Italy and wider Europe with ITA Airways, and opening up simpler and faster journeys to the Emirates network from Dubai with the best routes, schedules and connections. Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “Enhancing our partnerships and boosting our presence in key regions such as Europe is an integral part of our commercial strategy, and underscores our commitment to providing customers flexibility through our partners’ complementary networks. Working closely with ITA Airways will strengthen our footprint across exciting cities in Italy, and key points in Europe. We look forward to fully activate our partnership with ITA Airways in the coming months and providing unrivalled access to both of our growing networks.” Antonino Turicchi, Chairman of ITA Airways said: “We are pleased to sign this codeshare partnership with Emirates today. This MoU further enhances ITA Airways’ commercial strategy of growth and opens up a privileged access route to all passengers who will benefit the connectivity via Rome Fiumicino and Dubai. This agreement marks the Company’s 35th codeshare partnership, an excellent result we have achieved in just over two years.” Under the planned codeshare, Emirates’ customers will be able to smoothly travel to a number of domestic cities in Italy from the airline’s gateway in Rome, including popular tourist destinations like Florence, Genoa, Palermo, Trieste, among others. Customers will …

Reinforcing Dubai’s status as a hub for cruise tourism, Emirates has renewed its partnership with TUI Cruises for the upcoming two cruise seasons. The renewed partnership with TUI Cruises was signed to underscore the airline’s commitment to working with like-minded partners to offer seamless travel experiences, both in the air and on the ground through its dedicated cruise terminal check-in areas and with the collaborative support of its partners in Dubai. Emirates will closely work with TUI Cruises to offer dedicated flight options that closely align with upcoming cruise schedules, ensuring a smooth transition from air to sea for its customers. The airline will also explore enhanced transportation solutions between Dubai International (DXB) and Port Rashid, leverage insights to improve services on the ground, and provide dedicated support teams for cruise passengers. Currently, the port’s Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal, the world’s largest single covered cruise terminal facility, is capable of handling 14,000 passengers a day. In addition to coordinated operations and exploring marketing synergies, the partnership will focus on developing exclusive luxury packages and experiences that showcase the best of Dubai and the region’s TUI Cruise programmes. The MoU with TUI Cruises was signed by Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline; and Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises. Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “Emirates is proud to play a vital role in supporting Dubai’s status as one of the world’s best cruise destinations. This is a result of many years of work to build a maritime infrastructure that is second to none, outstanding tourist attractions and landmarks, and unparalleled air connectivity coupled with streamlined on ground customs and handling facilities …

Emirates signed a Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) to boost inbound tourism in the airline’s European network. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Operations commented: “We’re pleased to partner with the Greek National Tourism Organisation and we look forward to working closely with them to boost visitation to each respective country. The agreement is a testament of our commitment to the Greek market, where we have progressively grown our connectivity and presence, and we’re confident that our collaborative efforts will encourage travellers to visit the beautiful sights and attractions the country has to offer.” Emirates has pledged its commitment to support Greece’s travel and tourism industry by boosting traffic from top inbound markets including the US, the UAE, Australia, India and China, to Greece through the exploration of joint marketing activities and campaigns. The airline will look at ways to support the country’s efforts to build more awareness of Greece as a brand, in line with the GNTO’s 2024 vision and objectives. The new agreement underscores Emirates’ long-term business objectives for the market as it continues to serve the already robust international travel demand to Greece. The Mou was signed by Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe and Dimitris Fragakis, GNTO’s Secretary General. Also present during the ceremony was Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer. Dimitris Fragakis commented: “We are delighted to announce a strategic partnership between the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) and Emirates. Emirates, with its global reach and reputation for excellence, is the perfect ally in expanding our presence in key source markets and connecting with audiences who appreciate the richness of Greece’s …

Emirates has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tourism Ireland to boost inbound tourism to Ireland through the airline’s global network of more than 140 destinations. The MoU with Tourism Ireland was signed today by David Boyce, Head of Emerging Markets, Middle East and Asia Tourism Ireland and Volker Greiner, Emirates Vice President North & Central Europe. Under the collaboration, Emirates and Tourism Ireland will seek to explore joint advertising campaigns to boost visitor traffic to Ireland from key strategic markets across the Emirates network including Australia, the UAE and New Zealand. “Through our new partnership with Tourism Ireland, we aim to play an active role in promoting tourism growth to the island of Ireland. With our strong network and track-record of working with partners through trade and consumer initiatives, we’re well placed to support Ireland’s tourism ambitions. Ireland is one of the most attractive gateways in our European network due to its cultural highlights and world-renowned heritage sites, and we will continue to offer seamless connectivity for travellers from across our network to visit the popular destination,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer. David Boyce, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Emerging Markets, said: “As an island destination, we know there’s a proven direct correlation between access and growth in visitor numbers. We look forward to continued close co-operation with Emirates, as we seek to maximise opportunities to grow tourism from the Middle East and beyond.” Since the inaugural Dublin-Dubai flight in January 2012, Emirates has carried more than 3 million passengers on what has grown to become one of the airline’s most successful routes. The airline currently serves the Irish capital with a double daily flight, utilising …