Category Archives: Aviation

According to Oman News Agency, Salalah Airport succeeded in restoring its pre-Covid-19 pandemic activity, as it saw rapid growth in air traffic during this year’s Khareef Dhofar (monsoon) season. The airport achieved 29% rise in number of flights and 34.4% growth in number of passengers, compared to the corresponding period in 2022. In July and August 2023, air traffic at Salalah Airport exceeded the figures of 2019 and 2022. In July 2023, the airport received a total of 1,424 flights, compared to 1,125 flights in July 2022. In August 2023, the airport registered a total of 1,744 flights, compared to 1,330 flights in August 2022. Air traffic before the pandemic stood at 1,362 flights in July 2019 and 1,620 flights in August 2019.

As part of its continuous endeavour to provide the best services to its valued customers and to facilitate communication with them, Kuwait Airways has inaugurated its new Sales Office located at the Assima Mall. The office timings for client services are from Sunday to Thursday from 12:30 PM to 7:30 PM, and from 1:30 PM to 8:30 PM during Fridays and Saturdays, where the office is expected to provide services to more than 100 customers a day. The opening of this office will be followed by opening of the company’s Sales Offices in the Al Kout Mall.  The company will also be aiming to open a branch in the Jahra region soon. On the sidelines of the inauguration of the new office, Kuwait Airways organized the Customer Day initiative, which includes an initiative devised to closely identify the requirements of its customers, with the participation of the Executive Management and headed by Kuwait Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Maen Razouqi. This initiative, which was recently organized by the company at the opening of the Sabah Al-Salem branch, mainly aims to provide a tangible and unique experience for decision-makers from the Executive Management, to work side by side with the employees of the company’s various departments, and will include receiving customers at the Assima branch, coinciding with the opening of the Sales Office. This will provide them with valuable experience to closely identify the needs of the largest customer base in Kuwait, follow up on their requests to evaluate their experience and strive towards reaching the best levels of service in accordance with the highest international standards. Kuwait Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Maen Razouqi stated, “Kuwait Airways is pleased to …

Emirates, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Association of South African Travel Agents (ASATA) have launched online training courses for new travel professionals to help them develop and build stronger skillsets, as well as enhance understanding around the industry’s key principles to support the wider travel and tourism sector. Using the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism’s already established Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) online platform, travel professionals in South Africa have free access to various online courses and training resources to help them develop the essential skills required to enter the industry or expand their abilities, improve their knowledge around industry systems and processes, ultimately helping them to maximise their career potential and employability. Courses start with the fundamentals: understanding the role of a travel agent, gaining familiarity with key industry terminology, understanding different procedures in relation to travel bookings, from the initial quotation stage through to the time of travel. Participants will explore the types of enquiries and proposals common within the industry, alongside developing the skills and knowledge required to prepare quotations, book supplier products and services and process travel related documentation. The rich, interactive content delivered in the courses contextually use Dubai as the primary market example when explaining the skills and terms associated with the travel industry value chain. Emirates’ products and services are also utilised to simulate and explain the airline retailing journey and the fundamentals of distribution systems for travel agents. In addition to acquiring valuable industry knowledge, professionals gain extensive insight into Dubai as a destination, already a popular city for South Africans, as well as Emirates products and services. Upon completion of the courses, participating travel professionals will …

Red Sea Global, The Red Sea and Amaala signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) and daa International, the operator of Red Sea International (RSI) airport, that will see SAUDIA become the first airline to operate in and out of the Red Sea International airport (RSI). RSI is on track to open this year along with the first three resorts at The Red Sea destination. Initially it will open for domestic flights to and from Riyadh and later Jeddah, before expanding to handle international flights from 2024. “In 2016, His Royal Highness, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, set out a vision for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A vision for a thriving country, one that was recognized as a global hub, where people from all around the world would come to experience the best of Saudi culture, hospitality and nature,” said John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global. “When the first commercial flight lands at Red Sea International, it won’t just be a point of personal pride for Red Sea Global. It will be a milestone moment for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in making that vision a reality. It is fitting, therefore, that the Kingdom’s flag carrier, SAUDIA, will be first to operate from our destination,” said John Pagano, Group CEO, Red Sea Global.” The agreement will see SAUDIA commence regular scheduled services to and from RSI. It also provides a framework for the three organizations to undertake joint research on the use of Lower Carbon Aviation Fuel (LCAF) and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at Red Sea International Airport. The use of electric vertical take-off and landing jets (eVTOL) to reduce emissions from air travel to …

Further building on its commitment to provide customers expanded access to its route network, Emirates has announced that it will be upgrading its services to Sydney to an all-A380 operation. With all three of Emirates’ slots already in use at Sydney airport, the airline is able to commit nearly 2,000 extra weekly seats with the upgrade to its double-decker aircraft on its third daily flight, starting 4 November 2023. The Emirates A380 service, set in a three class configuration offering 489 seats, will replace the Boeing 777-300ER currently being deployed on EK 416 and 417. Each return flight adds more than 260 extra daily seats and more connection opportunities to and from Dubai, and  global access to popular onwards destinations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The third A380 service will complement the two other Sydney A380 four-class services, which both offer Emirates’ latest Premium Economy cabin. Emirates currently operates 63 weekly services to Australia, offering close to 56,000 seats to and from its four major gateways. Melbourne and Sydney operate three times daily, Brisbane is served with double daily flights, and the airline also operates its flagship A380 daily to Perth. Emirates has also reintroduced services from Melbourne to Singapore, in addition to connecting Sydney with Christchurch, offering travellers the only A380 experience across the Trans-Tasman. The introduction of the Emirates Airbus A350 in the summer of 2024 will facilitate further expansion of the airline’s global network by allowing its fleet to grow and freeing up more of Emirates’ long-range aircraft to serve points like Adelaide. The airline is in close discussions with Adelaide Airport to recommence nonstop services as part of its commitment to reconnect travellers from …

Qatar Airways announced a new codeshare partnership with Xiamen Airlines, the first Chinese airline to operate passenger nonstop flights from Mainland China to Qatar. Under the cooperation agreement, Xiamen Airlines will launch daily flights between Beijing’s Daxing International Airport and Hamad International Airport with its modern and state-of-the art Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The flights, which will commence on 20 October 2023, arrive in Doha at 22:45 and leave at 02:00 providing passengers optimal connections to key markets in Qatar Airways’ leading global network beyond Doha, in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. In addition to the flights from Beijing, Xiamen Airlines will also launch two weekly flights from Xiamen, the special economic zone of Fujian Sheng province, to Doha. The flights commence on 31 October 2023 and offer the same seamless connectivity to Qatar Airways’ network as the Beijing flights, arriving to Doha from Xiamen at 05:00 and departing in the evening at 19:30. Qatar Airways will codeshare on these new flights, which will greatly enhance its presence in Mainland China, that comprises 6 destinations with a total of 31 weekly flights operated by Qatar Airways followed by double daily flights to Hong Kong. As part of the new agreement, Xiamen Airlines will place its marketing code on Qatar Airways flights to and from Beijing. Xiamen Airlines was founded in 1984 and is a member of the SkyTeam Alliance. The Five-Star airline has a reputation for its high service standards and operational excellence, offering customers a dense network of 105 destinations in China and around the world. The new direct services from Beijing to Doha will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 that features a two-class configuration for 287 passengers, …

The Emirates Group and Microsoft have joined forces to train, mentor and transform high-potential UAE Nationals to become future leaders. The curated, high-impact programme is designed around Microsoft’s technology courses, including digital transformation and driving business impact with AI, as well as the development of soft and leadership skills. The shared vision is to educate and inspire these future leaders of the Emirates Group as well as to carve out a clear career roadmap based on their business and cultural transformation. With over 120 hours of classroom workshops within a hybrid setting, the programme is underpinned by mentorship led by Microsoft’s leadership team in the UAE, as well as an opportunity for participants to meet and learn from senior leaders at Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond, USA. Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said: “We value our historical collaboration with Microsoft, and we are delighted to extend it to opportunities for our future leaders to develop their careers and gain wider knowledge. We cherish our common vision centred on developing and empowering our people for a better future, and we rely on their potential and contribution to benefit our businesses and communities. This new initiative is a first step, and we look forward to strengthening our collaboration to support our Emiratisation strategy.” Speaking on the occasion, Naim Yazbeck, General Manager of Microsoft UAE, said: “The rapid pace of digital transformation across key industries, such as the aviation sector in the UAE, means that it is more important than ever for young professionals to hone the digital skills they need to succeed in the workforce of tomorrow. We are excited to collaborate with the Emirates Group on this new programme to …

Qatar Airways is now the Official Airline Partner of BWT Alpine F1 Team as part of a multi-year agreement and will be working together to promote the Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023. The partnership comes after the announcement of Qatar Airways’ Official Airline and Global Partner with Formula 1®(F1®) earlier this year. The partnership will include specialised branding on the driver helmets and caps for the Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023, along with various events held during the race weekend featuring the BWT Alpine F1 Team and Qatar Airways executives, cabin crew and the public. The airline partnership with BWT Alpine F1 Team showcases the airline’s continued commitment to promoting and expanding motorsport, both within Qatar and globally. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are proud to be partnering with the BWT Alpine F1 Team on a multi-year partnership to help us promote the Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023 and to deliver the best quality experiences for our passengers, customers, and fans who will be attending the Formula 1® race. Both of our organisations are committed to precision engineering and excellence to make the greatest technological advancements in our fields and to drive the most environmentally sustainable outcomes for our respective industries. We look forward to hosting the Formula 1® community at the Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023 and wish the BWT Alpine F1 Team all the best for the remainder of the season.” David Gendry, Vice President, Alpine Sponsoring, Partnerships and Communications, said: “We are proud to team up with Qatar Airways, an incredible global airline that has such high standards. Both Alpine and Qatar Airways share the …

Beond Airline in Saudi Arabia has selected Almosafer as the exclusive general sales agent (GSA) in Saudi Arabia. Almosafer will lead Beond’s sales, promotions and ground staff activities in Saudi Arabia through its dedicated service solution Almosafer Business, leveraging the large customer base across Almosafer’s businesses including the consumer segment, Discover Saudi, the destination management company,and Mawasim, the Hajj and Umrah tour operator. Under the agreement, Almosafer Business will handle the reservations, transactions and administration relating to general sales for Beond. Beond’s fleet is comprised of an all-premium cabin configuration that delivers maximum comfort, elegance and style. It plans to operate a non-stop route between Riyadh and Malé. The newly launched airline has set out to capitalise on the ever-increasing demand for travel from KSA to the archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which as a destination has seen a steady influx of visitors from the Saudi market, especially in the luxury segment. Tero Taskila, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Beond, said: “Beond is pleased to be represented by Almosafer in Saudi Arabia. They have the standards, experience and consumer trust necessary to offer Beond’s premium leisure experience to discerning customers in the Saudi market.” Muzzammil Ahussain, Chief Executive Officer of Almosafer, said: “The Maldives is a very popular destination for Saudi travellers and a very important market for our company. At a time where travellers are increasingly looking for exclusive and meaningful experiences, we are delivering on our commitment to our customers and partners by offering a wide range of products and services that cater to their needs. We look forward to working with Beond to provide our customers with premium experiences.” This year, there has been increasingly strong …

Air Astana launched a new direct air services from Almaty to Tel Aviv. The new flight is scheduled to operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays using Airbus A321LR aircraft. The outbound service from Almaty has a flight time of 6 hours 45 minutes, with the return flight from Tel Aviv taking 5 hours and 50 minutes. The cost of a round-trip Economy ticket starts from US$603 and Business Class ticket starts from US$1438. Israeli citizens can stay in Kazakhstan visa-free for up to 30 days. This new route is destined to strengthen business, trade, cultural and tourism links between the two countries. Almaty, nestled at the foothills of the majestic Tien Shan mountains, is the largest city in Kazakhstan and beckons international travelers with its unique blend of culture, nature, and history. Almaty’s cultural tapestry is a testament to its diverse heritage, where Eastern and Western influences converge. Visitors can immerse themselves in the city’s vibrant arts scene, explore captivating museums, and indulge in the flavors of Central Asian cuisine. Nature enthusiasts will be captivated by the city’s proximity to pristine mountain landscapes, offering opportunities for hiking, skiing, and breathtaking vistas.