Category Archives: Aviation

SAUDIA and Virgin Atlantic have signed a codeshare agreement effective June 2024 to provide a range of benefits to SAUDIA’s guests and Virgin Atlantic’s passengers, enriching their travel experience and expanding route networks for both airlines to serve the tourism and business sectors. The codeshare agreement offers a range of benefits for travelers on both airlines. Guests will enjoy a smooth and hassle-free travel experience with the ability to book connecting flights on both SAUDIA and Virgin Atlantic under a single ticket. This simplifies the booking process and ensures seamless baggage handling to their destination. Additionally, frequent flyers can leverage their existing membership benefits and accrue mileage towards status upgrades on both airlines. Notably, SAUDIA’s AlFursan members can specifically earn and redeem miles on Virgin Atlantic flights. Under this new codeshare agreement, SAUDIA guests will be able to seamlessly travel from Jeddah and Riyadh to ten destinations across the United States and the Caribbean Islands via Heathrow and Manchester airports in the United Kingdom utilizing Virgin Atlantic’s extensive flight network. Furthermore, the Virgin Atlantic passengers traveling from the United States will be able to conveniently book flights via London Heathrow and Manchester airports, connecting them to SAUDIA’s services in Jeddah and Riyadh.

Emirates and Condor have signed a reciprocal codeshare partnership that will start from October 2024, subject to government approvals. The new agreement will offer seamless connections and expanded choices for Emirates customers connecting on Condor-operated flights via Germany to popular destinations in Majorca and the Canary Islands as well as international points in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The expanded partnership will see Condor place their marketing code “DE” on Emirates-operated flights beyond Dubai to some of the most attractive global tourism hotspots, offering new travel options for Condor customers to many unique destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The codeshare activation coincides with Condor’s Berlin-Dubai route launch this October. The agreement was signed by Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Peter Gerber, CEO of Condor, at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai. The signing ceremony was also attended by members of each airline’s executive management teams. Adnan Kazim commented: “We are pleased to further strengthen our partnership with Condor, one of the most popular leisure airlines in Germany, to offer their customers greater access and strong connection opportunities to unique destinations in our network, complemented by Emirates’ signature in-flight service and hospitality throughout their journey from Dubai. Emirates currently has commercial cooperation agreements in place with 161 interline, codeshare and intermodal partners expanding its network reach to over 1650 cities.” Peter Gerber, said: “To partner up with Emirates, one of the world’s leading airlines, is an important strategic milestone for Condor and our customers. We are happy to offer seamless and even better connectivity by intensifying our existing interline partnership to a codeshare. Our guests will …

Oman Air and SalamAir leadership met recently to mark the launch of the airlines’ latest codeshare partnership, which offers passengers an expanded range of travel options within the Sultanate of Oman and beyond. During the meeting, the airlines discussed their future prospects as national carriers and their common commitment to supporting the country’s tourism goals as part of Oman’s 2040 Vison. Con Korfiatis, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air, said, “We are excited about this expanded codeshare partnership between Oman Air and SalamAir and the strengthening of our collaboration. This latest development enables us to jointly offer even more choice and schedule options, which both benefits our customers and serves the broader tourism ambitions of the country.” “We are thrilled to further strengthen our partnership with Oman Air,” said Adrian Hamilton-Manns, Chief Executive Officer of SalamAir. “This extended codeshare agreement reflects our shared commitment to providing passengers with unparalleled travel options and superior service. Together, we eagerly anticipate aligning ourselves with the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology’s sentiments and the overarching vision of Oman 2040; thus, reinforcing our commitment to driving excellence in the aviation sector and promoting Oman as a premier travel destination.” During the first phase, effective 4 July 2024, passengers can book their travel on a selection of SalamAir’s routes connecting to Oman Air’s network, with more destinations to be added post successful implementation.

Emirates will launch flights to Madagascar from 3 September 2024, offering more choice and connectivity for travellers, and driving inbound leisure and business travel to the country. The four-weekly flights between Dubai (DXB) and Antananarivo (TNR), will operate via a linked service with the Seychelles. Boosting international travel to and from Madagascar, the flight times have been scheduled to optimise connections to and from key points in Europe, the Far East, West Asia and the Middle East/GCC. EK707 will depart from Dubai to the Seychelles at 0855hrs, arriving in Mahe at 1335hrs*, and will continue on to Antananarivo to land at 1650hrs. The return flight EK708 departs Antananarivo at 1835hrs, landing in Mahe at 2220hrs. The flight then takes off from Mahe at 2350hrs to Dubai, landing at 0420hrs the next day. Flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Travellers wanting to combine two holidays in one also have the option to conveniently fly between the Seychelles and Madagascar in style and comfort. Tourism is a key pillar in Madagascar’s economy, contributing to the creation of thousands of employment opportunities that support the country’s goal to serve one million tourists by 2028. Emirates’ new route will provide connectivity from over 140 points in its global network, supporting the Ministry of Tourism’s strategy to diversify target markets and introduce international travellers to the island’s many natural attractions. Emirates is also in discussion with Air Madagascar to offer further global connectivity to promote tourism and trade. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said, “Madagascar has historically been underserved, despite growing appetite from travellers for authentic ecotourism experiences. Emirates understands the importance of offering customers efficient connectivity and premium …

Riyadh Air  signed a strategic cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EGYPTAIR to offer guests of both airlines a wide range of exclusive benefits when traveling between Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other key destinations, at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on June 4, 2024, in Dubai. This strategic partnership further strengthens ties between the two nations and their respective markets, while unlocking new travel options for airline guests. Together, Riyadh Air and EGYPTAIR aim to develop a partnership that allows guests a greater choice when traveling between Riyadh and Cairo, while also offering connectivity to a range of other domestic and international destinations across the Middle East and Africa. Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air: “The signing of this Strategic Cooperation MoU with EGYPTAIR is an exciting achievement for Riyadh Air and brings many positive benefits for our guests. As a close neighboring country to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt is a market where we anticipate significant traffic both to and from Riyadh and Cairo, so it’s critically important that we work closely together to further drive demand. “The partnership will offer our guests much more choice between Riyadh and Cairo plus a wider range of destinations. There will be benefits between both airline’s loyalty programs and numerous other advantages and rewards that we look forward to sharing with our guests.” Eng. Yehia Zakaria, EGYPTAIR Group Chairman: This cooperation marks a new chapter in EGYPTAIR’s partnership as we embark on a collaboration with Riyadh Air. This exciting development signifies our commitment to expand our network and offering our passengers unique travel experiences. I am confident that this partnership with Riyadh Air will not only …

At a special press briefing with Ahmet Bolat – Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee – Turkish Airlines, shared that 4.5million passengers travelled onboard Turkish Airlines from the Middle East to Turkiye last year. He reiterated that this year they hope to increase this number by working with the travel trade in a special programme that they are planning and to showcase some of the new attractions which are culturally and historically significant. Another important fact that he mentioned was that there were more bookings on business class seats which shows the rise of luxury travellers from this region.

Etihad Airways and China Eastern Airlines announced the signing of a Joint Venture (JV) to cement the strategic partnership between the two airlines. This historic milestone, signed at Etihad Airways’ headquarters in Abu Dhabi, marks the first commercial JV between a Middle Eastern airline and a Chinese airline. The Etihad Airways – China Eastern Airlines JV will allow the airlines to jointly develop and grow the routes between UAE and China, resulting in a stronger combined network. This JV signifies a commitment to offering expanded travel options and seamless travel experiences for passengers travelling between major Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Xi’an, and Kunming, and key cities in the UAE and across the Middle East and Africa regions. Etihad and China Eastern Airlines will implement the joint venture cooperation in early 2025 when both teams secure all necessary regulatory clearances. Additionally, both airlines will introduce full reciprocity to their existing frequent flyer programmes in the final quarter of 2024, allowing passengers to seamlessly earn points and redeem rewards when flying with either airline. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, emphasized the significance of the partnership. He said: “This JV marks a significant milestone in our partnership with China Eastern. The JV will allow Etihad and China Eastern to offer travelers enhanced travel options and exceptional value. We are confident the JV will unlock a new era of travel opportunities, while also boosting the economic growth of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.” His Excellency Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, lauded the agreement as a landmark achievement, stating: “This Joint Venture signifies a deep commitment to strengthening the bonds between the UAE and China, while fostering …

SITA is partnering the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to create new offsite passenger processing solutions that would provide airline passengers with a fresh experience of checking themselves and their luggage in from almost any location – even before they arrive at the airport. By providing SUTD with access to its SITA Flex solution, SUTD researchers will now have the necessary technology to turn their current physical, digital, and experiential off-airport designs into workable prototypes. When fully integrated and completed, passenger processing procedures – passport scanning, luggage weighing, and printing of luggage tags and boarding passes – which are usually done at airports, will be available offsite using these prototypes. In fact, tourists could experience a reimagined processing procedure right at their hotel room door, with their luggage being sent to the airport in advance. This will eliminate the need for them to leave their luggage with the hotel concierge should their flight depart hours after checking out of the hotel. They can simply carry on with their activities and head straight to the airport just an hour, instead of the usual two hours, before their flight departs – luggage free. The SUTD-SITA off-airport processing project kicked off in March this year and will run for a year. As the hardware and service design requirements are ironed out and the solution takes shape, the off-airport concept will be tested for seamless integration and optimal performance with various SITA partners, including airlines, airports and ground handlers. Singapore-based Sumesh Patel, SITA’s President for the Asia Pacific region, is upbeat about the tie-up. “This exciting partnership underscores our proactive stance when it comes to developing pioneering innovative solutions to take the air …

Emirates has started its highly-anticipated services to the Colombian capital of Bogotá, expanding the airline’s South American network to four destinations and reaching 19 points across the Americas. The daily service, via Miami, is operated with a Boeing 777 aircraft, which will offer premium passenger services on its daily services to Bogotá. Emirates also became the first airline to offer First Class services on the popular route between Miami and Bogotá. The launch of services to Emirates’ latest destination was celebrated at gate A14 at El Dorado International Airport upon arrival of EK213 from Miami, which was welcomed by traditional Colombian dancers. A cake-cutting ceremony and symbolic gift exchange commemorated the occasion in the presence of a delegation of VIPs including His Excellency Luis Miguel Merlano Hoyos, Colombian Ambassador to the UAE; His Excellency Mohamed Alshamsi, UAE Ambassador to Colombia: Sergio Paris Mendoza, Director General of Aeronáutica Civil de Colombia; and Natali Leal, OPAIN General Manager. Emirates executives who were onboard the flight and led the ceremony upon arrival included Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ Executive Vice President Passenger Sales and Country Management and Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations – Americas. Emirates’ senior executive delegation was also accompanied by international media, who flew from Dubai and Miami, and were joined at the airport event by Scott Lantz, Area Manager Mexico and Colombia as well as Colombian Vice Ministers, Ambassadors, and other distinguished guests. Following the welcome ceremony between the airline and airport officials, Emirates showcased its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration* to dignitaries, government representatives, media, guests and members of the travel trade industry. The aircraft features eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in …

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), Emirates, and Airbus have joined forces to deliver a Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) program for the Airbus A350 type rating, as Emirates prepares for the delivery of its fleet of 65 A350s from mid-2024. An initial cohort of 256 pilots will be trained as part of the new course at Emirates’ Training college in Dubai starting from July 2024. The joint work combines the respective expertise of the three organizations. IATA will focus on program design using its published guidance for CBTA. Airbus will contribute knowledge of the aircraft along with its own CBTA experience. Emirates will use its CBTA training and operational experience. This collaboration will create and deliver the first A350 type rating training in full alignment with the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for CBTA training and with the best practices contained in the IATA CBTA Guide for Flight Crew Training. “Combining the expertise of Emirates, Airbus and IATA to design and deliver A350 type rating training is a unique opportunity. Our joint aim is to fully utilize the benefits of CBTA to qualify the pilots on the A350 in the most efficient and effective way possible. And by doing it together all three organizations will also gain valuable experience that can strengthen their other training activities,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s SVP for Operations, Safety and Security. “Emirates uses cutting-edge training programs so our pilots are among the most competent flight crew in the world. The tailored CBTA program for the A350 supports the integration of 65 new A350 aircraft, with 1,000 pilots set to complete the A350 Type Rating course. This commitment enhances passenger safety and comfort, …