Category Archives: Aviation

Etihad Airways will be introducing two exciting routes this year, connecting Abu Dhabi to Copenhagen in Denmark and Düsseldorf in Germany. Launching 1 October, the flights will provide business travellers and holidaymakers in the UAE and these key European cities with convenient travel options to and from Abu Dhabi, with four weekly flights to Copenhagen and three weekly flights to Düsseldorf. The flights will be operated using state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, offering one of the most comfortable experiences in the sky with 28 seats in Business and 262 in Economy. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “We are thrilled to start flying to Denmark for the first time and to expand our network in Germany to our third city, providing guests with more holiday options and easier access between Abu Dhabi and Europe. Our new flights will take off for the winter season — the perfect time for guests to escape the cold and enjoy Abu Dhabi’s beautiful beaches, world-class entertainment and rich heritage — and also ideal for travellers choosing to experience the unique allure of Europe in the winter. With our network expanding to 66 cities, there are even more must-see destinations to plan your next great adventure with Etihad Airways.” Visitors flying to Europe can look forward to discovering Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Scandinavia, famous for its colourful canals, café culture and attractions including Tivoli Gardens, the oldest amusement park in the world. Previously served by Etihad, Düsseldorf is being relaunched and will be the airline’s third city in Germany after Frankfurt and Munich, both currently served with daily flights. The city lies …

Emirates will ramp up its operations in China ahead of the New Lunar Year and in response to strong travel demand, boosting connectivity to its gateways; Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing as the country reopens its borders and eases its COVID-related entry restrictions. Shanghai – service resumption from 20 January 2023 with twice weekly service, gradually increasing to daily service from 1 March 2023. Emirates will resume passenger services to Shanghai starting with two weekly flights operated by an Airbus A380 aircraft from 20 January 2023, with EK302 departing from Dubai to Shanghai non-stop and EK303 making a short stop in Bangkok before returning to Dubai. This service will ramp up in frequency to four weekly flights operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from 02 February 2023. During this period, Emirates’ flight EK302 will depart Dubai at 03:45hrs and arrive in Shanghai at 15:40hrs. The return flight EK303 will depart Shanghai at 17:40hrs and arrive in Bangkok at 21:45hrs before taking off from the Thai capital at 23:20hrs and arriving in Dubai at 03:20hrs the next day.* Emirates will further boost its Dubai-Shanghai route from 1 March 2023 with a daily non-stop service. Emirates’ flight EK304 will depart Dubai at 09:15hrs and arrive in Shanghai at 21:05hrs. The return flight EK303 will leave Shanghai at 23:00hrs and arrive in Dubai at 05:20hrs the next day.* Guangzhou – daily nonstop from 1 February 2023. Emirates currently operates a non-stop flight from Dubai to Guangzhou as EK362, and a return flight from Guangzhou to Dubai via Bangkok as EK363, four times a week. Starting from 1 February 2023, the airline will increase services between Dubai and Guangzhou with EK362/EK363 operating as daily …

Emirates will resume its services to Tokyo-Haneda starting from 2 April 2023, building back its Japanese network and providing even more choice and flexibility for travellers to one of the region’s top economies and destinations. Operated by one of Emirates’ latest Boeing 777 “Game Changer” aircraft, flight EK312 will depart Dubai at 07:50hrs, and arrive in Haneda at 22:35hrs. The return flight EK313 will depart Haneda at 00:05hrs, and arrive in Dubai at 06:20hrs. All times are local.* The resumption underscores Emirates’ continued support to Japan’s post-pandemic travel and tourism revival, serving the surging demand for international travel and increasing inbound traffic from key markets across its global network. Emirates’ return to Haneda will further boost the airline’s operations in the market, alongside its daily A380 service to Tokyo-Narita and a daily Boeing 777 service to Osaka. Since the route’s launch in 2013, and until the pandemic hit, Haneda has always been one of the key points on Emirates’ network for trade and tourism. The airline remains committed to supporting Japan’s accelerated growth and recovery and has recently celebrated 20 milestone years of operations to Osaka – the country’ second largest metropolitan city after Tokyo. Emirates also offers passengers access to 26 additional domestic cities in Japan and 10 regional points via Tokyo and Osaka, through its codeshare partnership with Japan Airlines. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via travel agents. Travellers are also encouraged to check the latest entry requirements.   With the addition of Tokyo-Haneda, Emirates takes its global network up to 141 points across 6 continents, including 10 cargo-only destinations. Emirates currently operates its latest Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with its ‘Game Changer’ …

With a target to attract over six million international visitors a year by 2030, Qatar Tourism (QT) has partnered with Kazunion, one of Kazakhstan’s largest tour operators, to operate four commercial charter flights a week from two cities in Kazakhstan (Almaty and Astana) to Qatar via FlyArystan from January to March 2023. Kazakhstan is one of 15 target markets identified by Qatar Tourism as a primary source for tourists looking to relax, rejuvenate and soak in Qatar’s vibrant culture. The commercial charter flights from Kazakhstan to Qatar are part of a travel package deal formed by Kazunion which include flights and beach side accommodation for travellers looking to explore Doha’s rich arts, culture, and retail offerings. Celebrating this key milestone, Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “We are delighted to partner with Kazunion to launch Qatar’s first commercial charter flights to and from Kazakhstan. Our agreement will help sustain the growth of Qatar’s tourism sector by promoting the country as a family-friendly, cosmopolitan, and culturally rich destination for travellers from Kazakhstan.” Qatar Tourism’s 2030 strategy aims to increase the number of visitors to Qatar by threefold, increase spending by 3 to 4 times, and grow the GDP contribution of the tourism sector to 12% by 2030. Kazunion is actively promoting these travel packages among its business-to-consumer and business-to-business targets using various advertising channels across digital, broadcast, cinemas, billboards, and professional events that gather the country’s travel agents. Founded in 2009, Kazunion currently has six offices in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. In Kazakhstan, the tour operator has four offices located in Astana, Almaty, Aktau and Aktobe. Kazunion also has a wide network of partners, with 5,000 agencies in …

flydubai announced the resumption of flights to Shymkent International Airport (CIT) from 28 February with a twice-weekly service. With the start of flights to Shymkent, flydubai grows its network in Kazakhstan to three destinations including Almaty and the capital, Astana. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai, said: “Kazakhstan has long been an important market since we first launched operations to Almaty in 2014. In 2022 we carried almost 300,000 passengers between the UAE and Kazakhstan, an increased figure of 145% compared to 2019, and we look forward to strengthening trade and cultural relations with the start of flights to Shymkent.” The UAE and Kazakhstan have a long history of trade relations in which they cooperate together in several economic sectors including mining, agriculture, oil and gas, and construction. Commenting on the start of flights, Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations and E-commerce at flydubai, said: “we are excited to see our network grow in Kazakhstan with Shymkent as our third destination which will serve a total frequency of 22 weekly flights. This frequency will increase to 26 weekly flights from February and will offer our customers in Kazakhstan more convenient and reliable options to explore the UAE and beyond.” After Almaty and Astana, Shymkent is the third largest city in Kazakhstan and is a major cultural centre that features bustling bazaars, ancient architecture and natural scenery.flydubai expands its network in the Central Asian region to ten points, providing passengers from the UAE and the region with more options for travel. This includes Almaty, Ashgabat, Astana, Bishkek, Dushanbe, Namangan, Osh, Samarkand, Shymkent and Tashkent.  

Emirates will offer passengers yet another opportunity to ‘fly better’, with new high-speed, inflight broadband powered by Inmarsat’s GX Aviation, onboard 50 new Airbus A350 aircraft – scheduled to enter service in 2024. The new agreement will significantly improve the passenger experience with enhanced connectivity and greater global coverage, even on flights over the Arctic. The Airbus A350s will be the first Emirates aircraft to take advantage of Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite network, which powers the world’s first and only globally available broadband network, ensuring passengers can enjoy uninterrupted global connectivity, no matter their destination, including the North Pole. The advanced high-speed capabilities of the broadband will enable Emirates passengers to stay connected with family and friends, browse the internet, and enjoy social media, all from the comfort of their seat. The GX network that will power the Emirates inflight broadband currently consists of five Ka-band satellites and will be further enhanced with the addition of seven more satellite payloads as part of Inmarsat’s fully funded technology roadmap. This includes two Inmarsat-6s, the most sophisticated commercial communications satellites ever built, both of which are scheduled to enter service in 2023. These will be followed by three additional satellites in geostationary orbit – adding speed, capacity, and resilience – and two in highly elliptical orbit, to enable the world’s only commercial mobile broadband service for aircraft flying in higher elevations and across the Arctic, such as routes between the Middle East and North America. Adel al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said “Delivering a world-class onboard experience has always been paramount to Emirates and we understand the importance of being connected during flights. Over the years, we have worked closely …

‎In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, British Airways Executive Club and IndusInd Bank,  announced their partnership, to introduce the unique multi-branded credit card, with two leading international airlines powered by Visa. The multi-branded credit card is slated to be launched and made available to consumers in the first quarter of the financial year 2023 – 2024. Through this proposition, members will soon be able to collect Avios, the rewards currency for British Airways Executive Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club, by signing up and choosing their preferred loyalty programme. This credit card will be available in the Infinite variant of Visa, and will offer best-in-class rewards and benefits to elevate the travel experience of customers. Stacked with multiple attractive benefits suiting the requirements of frequent travellers, at the time of application, this credit card will give customers the flexibility to choose their preferred airline loyalty programme and select their preferred travel destination to collect maximum Avios and enjoy a host of other benefits. Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori, said: “Today Qatar Airways Privilege Club takes another step forward in providing our members with the best offerings in the industry, introducing a first-of-its-kind Visa multi-branded credit card, in India with IndusInd Bank. “When adopting Avios as our rewards currency, we promised members that new and exciting opportunities would come, this collaboration with oneworld® partner British Airways is another manifestation of this. We look forward to seeing our members in India availing the extensive benefits of this new partnership, which is designed to enhance their future travels.” Oliver Currell, Head of Financial Partnerships, IAG Loyalty, said: “We are delighted to launch the new British Airways and Qatar Airways …

The first Emirates A380 to be completely refurbished under the airline’s US$ 2 billion retrofit program has been deployed on the Dubai-London Heathrow service, operating as EK003. Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Customers will notice the difference the moment they step onboard – the spacious A380 will look and feel even more impressive and comfortable. With our latest interiors and products, this newly refurbished aircraft elevates our inflight experience in all classes of travel, and enables us to offer more Premium Economy seats to meet customer demand. I’m particularly proud that this refurbishment work was designed, conducted and completed inhouse at our facilities in Dubai, to the highest standards of quality and safety. It reflects the world-class aviation capabilities and infrastructure that exists within Emirates, and here in the UAE.” The fully refreshed A380 features Emirates’ latest products and interiors across all cabins, including 56 Premium Economy class seats on the main deck, and new colour palettes evident in the carpeting and wall panels. On the upper deck, First and Business Class seats sport Emirates’ latest cream-coloured leather upholstery and lighter-toned wood finishing, similar to the airline’s ‘game changer’ product. Emirates’ signature ghaf tree motif also features prominently throughout the interiors, including hand-stencilled panels in the First Class Shower Spa. The next Emirates A380 aircraft lined up for its make-over is A6-EUW, and work is expected to be completed by the end of this month. As the program progresses, engineers will work simultaneously on 2 aircraft. This means that one aircraft in the fleet will be withdrawn from service every eight days and transferred to Emirates Engineering facilities. By 2024, all 67 A380s assigned for refurbishment will have …

Cathay Pacific welcomes the Hong Kong SAR Government’s latest measures to facilitate quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, as well as the lifting of transit restrictions, effective 8 January 2023. In light of today’s announcement, Cathay Pacific will more than double its flights into the Chinese Mainland, operating 61 return flights per week between Hong Kong and 13 Mainland cities from 14 January 2023. This compares to the 27 flights per week from Hong Kong to the Mainland, and 50 flights per week from the Mainland to Hong Kong that the airline is currently operating. Cathay Pacific is working actively to resume and add more flights progressively between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in the coming weeks, with the aim of operating over 100 return flights per week by March 2023. Vishnu Rajendran, Area Manager, Middle East for Cathay Pacific said, “The new year has welcomed us with positive developments. We have always had strong connections into the Chinese Mainland and are delighted to more than double our frequency. With the Chinese Mainland lifting its quarantine and transit requirements, we anticipate the demand to travel further grow particularly with the upcoming Chinese New Year. The increase in operations will provide travellers, particularly from the business and trade segment with more options and accessibility to travel.” From 8 January 2023, Cathay Pacific will increase its flights between Hong Kong and Beijing to 10 pairs per week, and between Hong Kong and Shanghai (Pudong) to 21 pairs per week. The airline is also resuming flights to Guangzhou with five return flights per week. Meanwhile, from 14 January 2023 the airline will increase its flights between Hong Kong and …

Etihad Airways is boosting its flights to Bangkok, Thailand by doubling its frequency. From 26 March 2023, the airline will fly twice a day on the Abu Dhabi – Bangkok route, providing a total of 14 weekly nonstop services to Bangkok Airport (BKK). The flights will offer Etihad’s award-winning service and comfort across both Business and Economy Class cabins. Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “With our convenient morning departure from Abu Dhabi, our second Bangkok flight has optimised timings for those UAE residents wishing to have a break in Thailand. Moreover, the return departure from Bangkok allows for those Thai residents to arrive in Abu Dhabi in the morning to have a head-start in exploring what the city has to offer in terms of business and pleasure. It further reaffirms our commitment to bringing more guests to enjoy Abu Dhabi.” Bangkok is a world-renowned destination in its own right as well as being the gateway to travel throughout Thailand and further across South East Asia for millions of visitors every year. The new frequency will make it even more convenient for people connecting to flights to and from Thailand through Etihad’s growing global route network. Etihad Airways has just been rated third in the list of Top 20 Safest Airlines 2023 compiled by AirlineRatings, the highest placed carrier in the Middle East. Flight schedule for Abu Dhabi – Bangkok service, effective 26 March 2023: Flt Desg Dept Arp Dept Time Arvl Arp Arrv Time Freq   EY  402 AUH 22:50 BKK 08:20 Daily   EY  403 BKK 20:15 AUH 23:30 Daily   EY  404 AUH 10:30 BKK 20:00 Daily   EY  405 BKK 02:25 AUH 06:00 Daily …