Category Archives: Aviation

Jazeera Airways inaugurated its new sales office in Riyadh recently. Operating in KSA since 2007, the airline currently flies to six destinations including Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Hail, and Taif. With 105 flights a week, Jazeera Airways serves 4000 passengers covering leisure and family visitors, religious pilgrims, and expatriate workers. Rohit Ramachandran, Chief Executive Officer, Jazeera Airways highlighted: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important market for us and we are very pleased to open our new sales office in the city of Riyadh. As we grow our presence in the country, we continue to stay focused on offering affordable fares and convenient connections while maintaining the highest levels of safety. We greatly value our relationships with the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) as well as our local travel trade partners, and take this opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude for their ongoing cooperation and support over the years. We look forward to continuing our efforts to deliver the best to our partners and passengers, while steadily contributing to Saudi’s growing aviation industry.” Listed in the Best Workplaces in Asia list for 2023, Jazeera Airways has more than 50% Saudi nationals recruited into its local operations to support the government’s ongoing Saudization efforts. Established in 2004, Jazeera Airways and is the first airline to be listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. With a market cap of more than $1 billion, it serves nearly 5 million passengers across a network of 64 destinations in the Middle East, Central and South Asia, Africa, and Europe, with a fleet of 23 aircraft. Jazeera also owns and operates its own terminal, Jazeera Terminal 5, at Kuwait International Airport.

International SOS underscored the necessity to implement enhanced risk management strategies for travellers and organisations, amid the increasing international travel. While global travel regained momentum despite significant fluctuations throughout 2023, the evolving landscape raises concerns about the growing complexity of risks that both travellers and organisations need to navigate. International SOS data revealed a 59% increase in international travel and 48.4% increase in domestic travel during October 2023, as compared to the beginning of the year.1 These findings align with a recent report from The International Air Transport Association (IATA), emphasising the resurgence of global travel. According to IATA, global air traffic reached 97.3% of pre-COVID levels at the end of 2023.2 With the holiday season quickly approaching, IATA anticipates that this trend will continue into the New Year, despite economic and political uncertainties in parts of the world. For instance, the Middle East region anticipates to witness a substantial uptick in air passenger traffic, indicating a promising trajectory for 2024. Additionally, the industry forecasts indicate that the volume will reach 105% of 2019 levels, facilitating travel of around 429 million passengers. Michael Rogers, Chief Security Analyst at International SOS said: “The resurgence in global travel comes at a time in which the travel security landscape is increasingly being complicated by geopolitical events, natural disasters and other developments. More and more organisations are finding comprehensive risk mitigation strategies for their mobile workforce to be of upmost importance. Today, more than ever, travellers need to remain informed of prevailing risks and attendant mitigation measures. Beyond geopolitical issues and natural disasters, emerging diseases, social unrest and evolving crime dynamics require that travellers practice vigilance. Across a series of concurrent and overlapping crises, …

Travelport and easyJet, announced they have signed a new content distribution agreement that will bring more enriched easyJet content to all of Travelport’s agency customers – now including OTAs for the first time. The multi-year deal confirms that travel retailers using Travelport+ will have access to all easyJet fare types and bundles that the airline has made available to distribution partners, including ancillaries, without any agency channel restrictions. The addition of easyJet’s Standard Plus fare bundles (including seat selection and large cabin bag) and Essential fare bundles (including seat selection and checked bag) which complement the existing fares of Standard, Business Inclusive and Flexi, will significantly enrich the options available for both business and leisure travelers. Agents using Travelport+ will be able to shop and compare easyJet’s products all in one place, so they can easily upsell and personalize offers for their travelers. Travelport’s enhanced servicing capabilities also ensure agents can seamlessly manage easyJet bookings, including modifications and exchanges. “We’re bringing more easyJet content to Travelport+ so that travel retailers across the globe can create more personalized offers and provide superior service to our customers,” said Dominic Tucker, Senior Distribution Manager at easyJet. “Our partnership with Travelport helps us deliver more choice and connectivity to the market so that travelers flying easyJet can easily customize their experience and add-on extras when they book in any channel, whether they are traveling for leisure, business, or both.” “This new deal means that Travelport-connected agencies can access easyJet’s dynamic offers effortlessly, so they can book the best options for travelers based on their needs and preferences,” said David Gomes, Head of Regional Air Partners, EMEA at Travelport. “By opening up easyJet content to …

Emirates reinforces its commitment to South Korea by ramping up its operations in Seoul with three additional weekly flights starting 19 February 2024.The new flights will operate as EK324/ EK325 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Operated by a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, Emirates’ flight EK324 will depart Dubai at 0445hrs, landing in Seoul Incheon International Airport at 1805hrs. The return flight EK325 will depart Seoul at 2200hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0315hrs the following day. Emirates’ additional services will increase the capacity on flights between Dubai and Seoul by more than 1,000 additional seats per week, helping to alleviate the suppressed demand for international travel to one of the most popular East Asian destinations and supporting South Korea’s inbound and outbound tourism. The airline’s ramped-up operations will further serve the need for adding more flights between UAE and Korea, in line with the strong bilateral relations between the two nations. Through the three weekly Boeing 777 flights, Emirates will provide 45 tonnes of additional cargo capacity between Dubai and Seoul, boosting the trade and economic ties between South Korea and the UAE as well as through Dubai and beyond to more global destinations in Emirates’ network, further contributing to Korea’s economy and facilitating convenient air connectivity for the Republic’s imports and exports. Emirates launched services to Seoul in 2005 and currently operates a daily Airbus A380 service from Dubai. With the additional services, the airline will serve Seoul with 10 weekly flights operated by a mix of its signature Airbus A380 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, guaranteeing more flexibility and choice for its customers to and from Dubai, as well as beyond to its global network of over 130 destinations.Travellers flying with …

flyadeal celebrates carrying 25 million passengers aboard its modern fleet of 32 aircraft in a remarkable accomplishment affirming its ongoing excellence in the low cost aviation sector. In its relatively short history, flyadeal has embarked on an exceptional journey of evolution, making this significant milestone a symbol of its steadfast commitment to providing exceptional service and meeting the needs of all flyadeal travellers. Mr. Abdulrahman Ajabnoor, Chief Financial Officer flyadeal, commented on this achievement saying, “We are proud of our journey so far, and we are proud to have achieved this historic accomplishment. This is a turning point for us, and it was made possible by our dedication to our customers and travellers who have chosen flyadeal to be their carrier and partner. We promise to continue to deliver safe and exceptional travel experiences.” He added, “In celebrating this achievement, we express our gratitude to our loyal customers who have been the foundation and driving force behind our accomplishments. Furthermore, we are extremely thankful to our dedicated team, who have worked diligently to achieve this success. Their unwavering commitment will undoubtedly lead to many more success’s for flyadeal.” Travellers can always rely on flyadeal to fly for less with seamless flight experiences to their favorite destinations within the Kingdom and around the world.

Etihad Airways has kicked off 2024 by introducing two new services. Daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Kozhikode (CCJ) and Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) in the Kerala region of India commenced on New Year’s Day. These non-stop services to each destination bring the total number of Indian gateways served by Etihad to 10, underscoring the airline’s commitment to providing easy access to its expanding global network for guests travelling to and from the Subcontinent. Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad, said: “We have established a fantastic group of non-stop routes between India and Abu Dhabi, providing customers with easier access to our growing network without transiting through one of the main Indian hub airports. “Seamless and practical connections at Abu Dhabi ensure that our guests can easily access destinations across the GCC, Europe – including our four daily services to London – and North America. Moreover, they have the opportunity to enjoy a fantastic stopover in Abu Dhabi as an integral part of their journey.” The introduction of this service enhances accessibility to the picturesque countryside and beaches that Kerala is renowned for, creating increased inbound tourism to the region. Additionally, it streamlines travel for professionals visiting the burgeoning business hubs in the area. In 2023, the airline reintroduced services to Kolkata, a vital Indian gateway connecting Eastern India to global destinations. Furthermore, the airline has increased the frequencies of flights to Mumbai and Delhi, two of its most popular routes, from two per day to an impressive four flights per day. For 2024 Etihad has already announced new flights to Boston, USA starting on 31 March, to Nairobi, Kenya on 01 May, and its exciting summer schedule includes an inaugural non-stop service to Nice, …

Qatar Airways announces its 2024 network expansion with exciting new destinations as well as resumptions, bookable ahead of the New Year. In terms of network increases, there will be seven weekly flights from Doha to Venice and Hamburg. Venice effective 12 June 2024 and Hamburg effective 01 July 2024. Travellers can start planning their 2024 summer travels with the resumption of Venice, Italy in June, followed by the exciting new destination of Hamburg, Germany in July. These gateways will act as a vehicle for increased economic and tourism activity as they connect to Qatar Airways’ award-winning network of over 170 destinations. Venice is expected to see high demand from destinations such as Japan, China and Australia while Hamburg will serve as a gateway to South Africa, Thailand and the Philippines. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer commented: “As this year comes to an end, we are delighted to present our passengers with new and exciting travel opportunities for the year 2024. Starting with our resumption to Venice and an inaugural flight to Hamburg, Qatar Airways and its hub, Hamad International Airport, continues to position itself on the global map as a leading gateway for international travel and connectivity. We look forward to seeing our passengers uncover new experiences and resume flying to their favourite destinations.” Travellers looking to spend the 2024 summer in Europe have more choice than ever and can now spend sunny days by the river in Hamburg and enjoy gelato while cruising the canals of Venice. The announcements come on the back of recent expansion to the Qatar Airways winter schedule which includes increased flight frequencies to key leisure destinations, including Amsterdam, Bangkok, …

flynas announced the launch of four direct weekly flights between Dammam and Hail, starting January 4, 2024. The launch announcement of the new flights comes days after flynas’ announcement of launching many domestic and international new routes and destinations during the last two weeks. It included the launch of direct flights from Jeddah to Brussels, the capital of Belgium, and the European Union in cooperation with the Air Connectivity Program (ACP), and direct flights to Bahrain from Riyadh and Jeddah, in addition to the launch of flynas operations base at Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, with the launch of six destinations from Madinah, as part of flynas’ strategy for expansion and growth within its plan that it launched under the slogan “We connect the world to the Kingdom.” The operational capacity of flynas has doubled in the current period due to the upscaling of its fleet size by more than 100% in less than two years, as the company signed an agreement with Airbus last June to purchase 30 new A320neo aircraft as part of a purchase order for 120 Airbus aircraft and the approval to increase orders for new aircraft to 250. flynas connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations with more than 1500 weekly flights and has flown more than 60 million passengers since its launch in 2007, aiming to reach 165 domestic and international destinations, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030. Passengers traveling with flynas can book their flights through all flynas booking channels: www.flynas.com, the flynas app, the call centre (920001234), or travel agents.  

The national airline operated more than 15,000 flights, carrying three million passengers, with more than 1.5 million point-to-point passengers to Abu Dhabi in 2023. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi continues to play a key role in supporting innovation, resilience and integration of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors to share the Emirate with the world and enrich lives. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi announced its outstanding operational results for 2023. The joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings PLC, enjoyed a record-breaking year, more than doubling both the number of operated flights and passengers carried, with a completion rate of 99.6%. The airline supports the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism’s target to reach 24 million visitors for 2023, and promote the Emirate as a year-round tourism destination that offers exciting, inspiring and restorative experiences that visitors can discover at their own pace.Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is also supporting the development of the UAE’s tourism sector, in line with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, and further strengthening the position of the UAE as one of the best destinations in the world for tourism. Wizz Air is constantly developing the UAE network and currently flies to a total of 40 destinations in 27 different countries from Abu Dhabi, sharing the love of travel to culturally rich destinations, including vibrant cities and hidden-gem resorts. The airline has proudly introduced a new segment of travel in the UAE in line with the country’s socio-economic vision with recent exciting expansions into Central Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and Europe allowing for convenient, self-connecting travel across the wider Wizz Air network via the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The airline solidified its position as …

Emirates’ Lounge at Dusseldorf Airport has reopened after a seven-week refurbishment. The exclusive 700 square meter lounge area welcomes Emirates’ passengers with completely new, cream-colored leather seats, new furniture and carpets as well as new lighting and kitchen equipment. With the capacity to accommodate 115 guests, Emirates’ Lounge is the single largest airline lounge at Dusseldorf Airport and one of the largest Emirates Lounges in continental Europe. The newly designed facilities in Düsseldorf conclude a comprehensive investment made by the airline in Germany – within the past five months, Emirates’ airport lounges in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich have also been modernized. “We are constantly looking for ways to further enhance the travel experience for our valued customers both in the air and on ground, Emirates’ exclusive airport lounges are an integral part of our ‘Fly better’ brand promise. The investment in the refurbishment of all lounges demonstrates our commitment to our passengers and to our airport partners in Germany.” says Volker Greiner, Emirates Vice President North & Central Europe. Emirates’ lounge at Düsseldorf Airport opens daily three hours before the departure of flights EK56 and EK58, offering a wide selection of hot and cold dishes that change monthly from the renowned caterer DO & CO, including numerous vegan options, a free bar service and private shower rooms. Access to the lounges is available to all Emirates First Class and Business Class passengers as well as Skywards members with Platinum or Gold status traveling in Economy Class. Access is also available for a fee. The airline’s lounge at Düsseldorf Airport was officially opened in May 2009 as the 20th Emirates Lounge worldwide. Emirates has been flying from Düsseldorf since 2001 and its …