Category Archives: Aviation

Etihad Airways and Tunisair signed a codeshare agreement strengthening air links between North Africa and Abu Dhabi and supporting growing demand for travel, tourism, and business between the two regions. Travellers can book flights between Abu Dhabi and Tunis under either airline’s code on Etihad-operated services. The partnership creates a streamlined booking experience with a single ticket, one check-in, and bags transferred automatically to final destinations. The agreement covers Etihad’s three weekly flights on the Abu Dhabi–Tunis route, which launched 1 November 2025. Flights operate using Etihad’s Airbus A321LR, featuring the airline’s signature hospitality across three cabin with 2 First Suites, 14 Business and 144 Economy seats. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “Partnering with Tunisair brings Abu Dhabi closer to travellers across North Africa. We’re seeing strong interest from the region in what Abu Dhabi offers – from business opportunities and trade links to tourism and family connections. This codeshare gives Tunisair’s customers access to our service and product, making Abu Dhabi an easier destination to reach.”  Halima Ibrahim Khouaja, Chief Executive Officer at Tunisair, said: “Through this partnership, we are opening new travel opportunities for our customers by connecting the Maghreb and Africa to the Gulf. Abu Dhabi is a strategic market for Tunisair, and our collaboration with Etihad further expands the range of connections available to passengers across our network. This agreement strengthens the air bridge between our regions and underscores Tunisair’s role as a key player in regional connectivity. “  With more than 75 years of expertise, Tunisair has long been a leading carrier, serving not only the Tunisian market but also key destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America, where it …

flydubai was honoured as the ‘Fastest Growing Airline Partner to Malaysia’ at the 8th edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2025. From its home in Dubai, flydubai has steadily built a dynamic network spanning more than 135 destinations, operated by a modern fleet of 97 aircraft. Since launching operations in June 2009, the airline has remained focused on removing barriers to travel, enabling the free flow of trade and tourism, and strengthening global connectivity. Through its ever-expanding network, flydubai continues to bridge markets and bring cultures closer together.

Kuwait Airways launched operations to its new destination of Sphinx in the Arab Republic of Egypt, commencing 15 January 2026, with three weekly flights operating on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. This new destination offers travellers a unique tourism experience, combining Egypt’s ancient heritage with the distinguished travel experience on board the national carrier. Kuwait Airways Acting Chief Executive Officer, Captain Abdulwahab Ibrahim Al-Shatti stated, “Kuwait Airways is pleased to announce the launch of its newest destination, Sphinx city, which represents an important addition to KAC’s route network. This destination offers an exceptional opportunity for travellers wishing to explore its civilization, given the airport’s proximity to the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum.” Al-Shatti added that the launch of operations to the destination of Sphinx, at the beginning of 2026 highlights Kuwait Airways’ commitment to meeting the expectations of its customers by providing a comfortable and flexible travel experience, whether for tourism, business, or education. He emphasized the company’s focus on delivering quality services and ensuring all means of comfort for passengers. He pointed out that this step reflects the national carrier’s dedication to expanding its international flight network and providing diverse travel options that support the aspirations of travellers and provides them with varied options on their preferred carrier, Kuwait Airways. Al-Shatti emphasized that the new destination represents the beginning of a series of expansions aimed at enhancing Kuwait Airways’ services and meeting the needs of its valued passengers, through the highest standards of onboard entertainment, diverse in-flight programs, varied menu options, and the professionalism of the company’s crew in providing exceptional services to passengers. Al-Shatti concluded by emphasizing Kuwait Airways’ commitment to providing its valued passengers with comprehensive services …

The special offer allows guests to pre-book 5 kg/10 kg extra baggage at attractive rates for travel from the Middle East to India. Air India Express, India’s first international value carrier, announces a special limited-period offer for guests travelling from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to India, allowing them to pre-book 5 kg or 10 kg additional baggage at attractive discounts. This offer is open for bookings made till 31st January 2026 for travel between 16th January and 10th March 2026, and can be made on the airline’s award- winning website, www.airindiaexpress.com, mobile app and on all major booking channels and is subject to availability. Guests travelling from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to India can purchase additional check-in baggage for only BHD 0.2, KWD 0.2, OMR 0.2, QAR 2, SAR 2, and AED 2 respectively in lots of 5kg and 10kg. The offer is available across all fares including Xpress Value, Xpress Lite, Xpress Flex, and Xpress Biz. The offer is only valid during booking flow. The airline already offers a minimum 30 kg baggage allowance on these sectors across fare types except on Xpress Lite, the airline’s exclusive zero check-in baggage fare. With the option to purchase an additional 10 kg through this offer, guests can now travel with up to 40 kg check-in baggage, making it easier to carry gifts, essentials, and personal belongings when visiting family and friends.

flyadeal scored an unprecedented 12 months of consistent operational punctuality topping the 2025 On-Time Performance (OTP) charts among low-cost carriers in the Middle East and North Africa. In full year data recorded by Cirium – the globally renowned independent aviation analytics company – flyadeal’s OTP averaged 86.54 per cent for arriving flights and 89.79 per cent for departures. Furthermore, the airline secured a near 100 per cent flight completion rate (99.84 per cent) – meaning the number of cancellations were minimal. The figures are based on 69,971 scheduled flights operated by flyadeal between January and December 2025. OTP measures flight punctuality within 15 minutes of scheduled departures and arrivals. During 2025, flyadeal also earned another record-breaking first, being acknowledged as the world’s most punctual airline – whether low-cost or full-service – in June, one of the carrier’s busiest months flying Hajj pilgrims to the Kingdom. Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “This is an outstanding achievement that demonstrates great consistency and operational efficiency of the highest standards every month throughout 2025. As flyadeal continued to induct new aircraft into the fleet, launch new routes and handle complexity around Hajj and Umrah movements, we remained focused on delivering punctuality. “We pride ourselves on running an optimum and effective flying schedule that is safe and reliable, reflected by the hard work that Team flyadeal across the business puts into our operations 24/7. Deserved credit also goes to flyadeal’s wide-ranging ecosystem, including airport partners, core to building, maintaining and preserving schedule integrity in good and challenging times.” Greenway acknowledged as “astounding” the performance of flyadeal’s sister airline Saudia, which Cirium ranked Number 2 in punctuality among full-service global airlines for the second consecutive year. He …

Emirates will launch a daily flight between Helsinki and Dubai from 1 October 2026, expanding its footprint in the Nordics. The new service introduces the only year-round, direct link between Finland and the UAE, and unlocking expanded opportunities for both international leisure and corporate travellers. The service will operate with Emirates’ newest aircraft type, the A350, bringing its latest products and highly acclaimed Premium Economy cabin to Finland, from the inaugural flight. Emirates flight EK167 will depart Dubai at 08:45hrs*, arriving in Helsinki at 14:55hrs*; the return flight, EK168 will depart Helsinki at 16:45*, landing in Dubai at 00:20* the following day. The flight schedule has been optimised to ensure smooth onwards connections, offering convenient access to and from key destinations across East and Southeast Asia such as Bangkok, Phuket, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, and Taipei; comprehensive connectivity across West Asia and popular Indian Ocean points; African destinations including Cairo, Cape Town and Johannesburg; major hubs across the Middle East and GCC including Damman, Riyadh, Muscat and Kuwait City; and all five Australian cities on Emirates’ network, as well as connections from Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said, “The Dubai-Helsinki route is an exciting expansion on our global network. There is already strong demand between Helsinki and Dubai, with travellers connecting through our other Nordic gateways, so introducing direct, year-round connectivity is a natural next step, making the flight seamless and non-stop, while introducing more premium travel options to market. In addition to better serving current demand, we see potential to attract travellers who may have previously opted for alternative …

flyadeal has introduced a raft of customer experience enhancements focused on convenience and flexibility with highlights including 7kg free carry-on baggage on its most basic fare bundle, ‘fly’. The value-added hand baggage incentive recognises the need for passengers who purchase the low-cost carrier’s most popular low fare packages, to take more essentials onboard when planning their travels. The new benefit applies to all flyadeal domestic flights across Saudia Arabia and international services operated by the Kingdom’s fast-growing airline from bases in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah. In addition, flyadeal is relaunching other ancillary products to enhance customer awareness of its three tier fare bundle products – ‘fly, fly+ and flyMax. These include free date changes for ‘fly’ and fly+ bookings within two hours of making a reservation, and a small service fee for travel plan amendments up to 90 minutes before departure. And for those passengers purchasing flyadeal’s highest tier flyMax fares, benefits include unlimted complimentary flight changes up to 90 minutes before departure, and full refund on cancellations up to three days before a flight. Abdullah Adel Alahmadi, flyadeal Senior Ancillary and Loyalty Manager said: “These changes and awareness notifications are being implemented based on continuous consumer surveys and feedback on ways to improve the customer experience. “By offering 7kg free carry-on on our most basic bundle, passengers can travel with confidence of being able to avail the lowest fares knowing they can carry more essentials onboard. We also realise passengers sometimes need greater understanding of our benefits being more flexible, helping them make decision-making much easier, and taking the stress out of travel planning.” flyadeal operates scheduled flights to more than 30 domestic and international seasonal and year-round destinations in the Middle East, Europe, …

Etihad Airways has announced the launch of flights to Luxembourg, marking a historic milestone as the first airline from the Middle East to serve the country. When services commence on 29 October 2026, Etihad will also become the only airline offering nonstop flights between Luxembourg and Abu Dhabi, creating a new direct air link between two important European and Middle Eastern centres. The new route reflects growing demand from travellers across Luxembourg, the Benelux region, France and Germany for direct access to Abu Dhabi. Services will operate to Luxembourg Airport (LUX), providing guests with direct access to the beautiful emirate of Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s vibrant capital and a gateway to Arabian culture, world-class hospitality, and year-round sunshine. Flights will operate three times weekly using Etihad’s state-of-the-art A321LR, offering guests the most premium direct travel option between Luxembourg and the UAE. The A321LR features the airline’s acclaimed three-class cabin, including First Suites and lie-flat Business seats all with direct aisle access, delivering elevated comfort, privacy and Etihad’s renowned hospitality throughout. Next-generation Economy seats feature generous legroom, 4K touchscreen TVs and Bluetooth pairing; all complemented by high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the aircraft. The route will enhance connectivity for both business and leisure travellers, while further strengthening economic and cultural ties between the EU and the UAE. With Luxembourg also serving as a gateway market for neighbouring France, Germany and Belgium, the new service strengthens Etihad’s presence across these broader European markets. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “We are delighted to announce this landmark route, made possible by the launch of the A321LR last year. This incredible aircraft brings our guests a truly premium experience while allowing us to cater …

Emirates will continue rolling out its retrofitted Boeing 777 and new A350 aircraft to key destinations across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia, bringing Premium Economy and its latest onboard products to more cities across its network. The airline will deploy its A350 on new daily services to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town, adding an extra frequency and offering customers greater connectivity alongside an elevated onboard experience. Additional frequencies to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town will complement existing schedules and provide much-needed capacity to meet the anticipated surge in summer travel demand. Customers can look forward to Emirates’ award-winning Premium Economy experience, complete with extra legroom and added amenities, elevated dining, and more. The airline will deploy its Premium Economy retrofitted A380, Boeing 777 and A350 aircraft with the latest cabin interiors on more than 84 routes by 1 July, underscoring its focus on delivering a premium and consistent experience across its network. From 1 June, a second daily service will be introduced between Dubai and Copenhagen; a third daily service between Dubai and Phuket and a third daily to/from Cape Town will come into effect from 1 July. All three services will be operated with the airline’s latest A350 aircraft, featuring its award-winning Premium Economy, in addition to the latest Business and Economy Class cabins. From 1 June, Emirates’ flight EK153 will depart Dubai to Copenhagen at 14:50hrs, arriving at 19:45hrs. The return flight, EK154, will depart Copenhagen at 21:35hrs, arriving in Dubai at 5:55hrs the following day.** The new service is optimally timed to provide seamless connections from Copenhagen to popular destinations via Dubai, to East Asia including, Bangkok, Bali, Manila, Tokyo Haneda and Phuket …

flyadeal is launching five routes from Madinah, its newest operational base in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The introduction of scheduled flights to Sabiha Gökçen in Istanbul and four domestic cities of Abha, Al Hofuf, Jazan and Tabuk, takes the number of flyadeal destinations from Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport up from three to eight. Until now, flyadeal had served Dammam, Riyadh and the Egyptian capital Cairo from the Holy city. The capacity hike represents a 40 per cent increase in the number of flyadeal operated flights out of Madinah to 88 a week, giving customers greater travel options. Two aircraft are now permanently positioned at the airport, which joins flyadeal’s three other operational bases of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. To mark the expansion, airport officials joined flyadeal management led by Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Rogier van Enk, for a fanfare of engaging activities celebrating with passengers. Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’ve steadily built capacity from Madinah, but this expansion of five new routes at the beginning of the year is a statement of intent from flyadeal to develop Madinah into one of our key operational bases. “Having aircraft positioned in Madinah gives us the flexibility to quickly upgrade with more frequencies or add routes to a schedule which will continue to be built up giving our customers more choices and convenience of direct flights to travel within the Kingdom and beyond. Madinah was a natural addition as a base given its prominence as the second holiest city in the Islamic world and key gateway for pilgrims.” The expanded schedule supplements flyadeal’s dedicated year-round Umrah flights from several countries direct to Madinah, north of the Saudi port …