Category Archives: Aviation

Etihad Airways which has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and halving its 2019 emission levels by 2035, is one of only nine airlines globally to complete stage 2 of the assessment. Etihad Airways has successfully completed IATA Environmental Assessment stage 2 and received accreditation in four key operational areas: facilities management, flight operations, Etihad technical division, Etihad Catering Services. The IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme is a blueprint for airlines to achieve sustainability in all air and ground operations. It is an evaluation system designed to independently assess and improve the environmental management of an airline. Stage 2 represents the highest level of IEnvA compliance and requires an airline to demonstrate ongoing environmental performance improvement. Mariam Al Qubaisi, Head of Sustainability and Excellence Division, Etihad Airways, said: “Our world is becoming more environmentally conscious by the day. Etihad is proud to play a major part in reducing the carbon impact of the aviation industry, in the UAE and around the world. We have recorded many great achievements, from our first ecoFlight from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane in 2019, to the recent launch of our Sustainability-focused loyalty programme, Conscious Choices, to reward guests for making sustainable choices when they travel and in their everyday life.” Over the last two years, despite the challenges of Covid-19, Etihad has introduced significant CO2 reduction initiatives under its Greenliner sustainability programme. This includes adopting thousands of mangroves, using sustainable fuels, reducing contrails, flying optimised flight paths, operating electric vehicles and working with partners who share its vision for cleaner skies.

Gulf Air announces that it has added an additional daily flight from London Heathrow to Bahrain on March 16, 17, 21 and 22 to operate three daily services during the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend taking place on March 18 – 20. Gulf Air currently operates double daily flights to London Heathrow, a direct route that has been part of the airlines network since 1970 and these additional special flights will take off from London Heathrow at 1510 local and land in the Bahrain at 0050 local, and the flight from Bahrain will take off at 0830 local and land in London Heathrow at 1255 local. Passengers with a valid Formula One ticket and flying on Gulf Air flights to Bahrain from London Heathrow during this period will receive free lounge access at London Heathrow and at Bahrain International Airport. On this occasion, Captain Waleed Abdulhameed AlAlawi, Gulf Air’s Acting Chief Executive Officer commented: “The demand for attendance to the season opener has definitely been significant and we are excited to welcome our global visitors to the Kingdom of Bahrain to witness the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix race. The race has always been an important global event for the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air and our partners the Bahrain International Circuit and adding an extra flight with our Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to match the demand for the race as spectator prepare their visits to attend.” On behalf of the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority, Dr Nasser Qaedi, Chief Executive Officer commented: “2022 is proving to be an exciting year for tourism in Bahrain and the great reception we have been receiving from international travelers …

Oman Air announced that its award-winning First and Business Class Lounge at Muscat International Airport has been awarded ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems Standards, which certifies that the Management System has been fully audited and found to be in accordance with the provision of First and Business Class Lounge services for Oman Air customers. Delivering an exceptional customer experience remains a priority for Oman Air, and that priority extends to the airline’s First and Business Class Lounge at its hub in Muscat. Luxuriously appointed and presenting a decisively Omani-themed ambience, the lounge offers Oman Air’s First and Business class passengers welcome respite from airport crowds and features among others our attentive service and care, a diverse buffet offering, elevated à la carte dining, and an exclusive spa with a variety of treatments. Last year, the lounge was awarded Skytrax’s Five-Star COVID-19 Safety Rating for implementing appropriate coronavirus protection measures, both in terms of product and service standards, while ensuring optimal passenger health and safety at all times. “We’re delighted that our First and Business Class Lounge has been granted ISO 9001:2015 certification, said Mr. Saleem Amanulla Abdulhussain, Senior Vice President of Service Delivery at Oman Air. “Our guests travelling from Muscat deserve an exceptional lounge experience in terms of the quality of product and the high level of service they receive. Enhancing the customer experience for our First and Business class passengers in Muscat is a promise we continue to uphold, and one that reflects the excellent management systems and standards throughout the lounge. The ISO certification is an attestation of the well-defined measures in place which guide our operational practices so that we consistently live up to our …

The RoyalJet Group – the Abu Dhabi owned and operated award winning global leader in premium private aviation –  has again expanded its growing fleet with the acquisition of yet another Boeing Business Jet. The purchase transaction was completed recently and this pristine, low time aircraft is currently undergoing technological and communications upgrades in Basel, Switzerland.  It is expected to enter into service with RoyalJet and be available for charter globally in April 2022. Rob DiCastri, CEO at RoyalJet said:  “Despite the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic, demand in the past 6 months has exceeded supply in our sector of the aviation industry and in our region.  The overall health of the global private jet market has now been strong for an extended period of time, and growth is expected to continue.” “Fleet expansion, renewal and upgrade are integral elements of our ongoing customer experience transformation, allowing us to continue to provide an even more exceptional experience to our guests,” he added. This Boeing Business Jet boasts 23 passenger VVIP interior with a forward crew rest area for long journeys, an aft private master bedroom with private lavatory and shower, and a mid-cabin open plan VVIP lounge.  It has been finished with state of the art materials and a custom configuration designed for functionality and maximum comfort and can sleep up to 12 in VVIP lie-flat seats and its queen sized bed. It has also been previously upgraded with special soundproofing to reduce in-flight noise levels, along with a low cabin altitude modification, special humidifiers and a HEPA filtration system, all designed to optimize health and comfort, leaving passengers more relaxed and fresher upon reaching their destination. To further …

Emirates has signed a new agreement with Amadeus, extending their partnership to offer the travel trade community more flexibility, choice, and future capabilities. From 1 February 2022, all trade partners on Amadeus will be able to access Emirates’ content free of surcharge. The new agreement will also see Emirates’ NDC (new distribution capability) content integrated into the Amadeus Travel Platform, with NDC content being made available to travel sellers over the course of 2022. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “We are pleased to refresh our partnership with Amadeus. This is another step forward in our goal to empower our trade partners in delivering even better customer experiences. In today’s environment, and particularly as the industry rebuilds post pandemic, everyone in the travel services chain will benefit from flexible models of engagement, multiple means to access to dynamic rich content, and the ability to offer differentiated products and services.” Decius Valmorbida, President, Travel, Amadeus, said, “This renewal is another major milestone in our distribution strategy and our ongoing retailing journey. With this new agreement with Emirates, we start 2022 building on the momentum made over the years to support modern retailing and once more demonstrating our commitment to continue offering through the Amadeus Travel Platform more travel content globally and at scale.” Catering to a dynamic marketplace, Emirates aims to provide its trade partners with a choice of connection options and differentiated products and benefits across channels, including via its own NDC-enabled direct connect platform, Emirates Gateway.

Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, and talabat, the region’s leading food, and q-commerce delivery platform, are expanding their partnership with the Etihad Guest ‘Miles on the Go’ programme to include carbon offsetting until December 2023. The original agreement was signed in September 2021 and allowed Etihad Guest members to earn and redeem miles when ordering food, groceries, and other essentials on the talabat platform in the UAE. Today, Etihad Guest members can also contribute to the Conscious Choices sustainability initiative recently launched by the airline. In partnership with CarbonClick, the project will offset each ride made by a talabat rider through the Miles on the Go programme, helping to contribute to the overall effort by the airline to offset its carbon footprint, making it the first in the world to reward its guests for adopting more sustainable practices. Kim Hardaker, Director Loyalty and Partnerships, Etihad Airways, said: “We are very proud of our Conscious Choices initiative and our venture with talabat through the Miles on the Go programme is an example of our constant strive to find new and innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint. This partnership enhances our commitment and that of our guests towards making a positive impact to a more sustainable future.” Onur Elgun, Vice President of Strategy at talabat, added: “As a company, we are stepping up our efforts to contribute to a more sustainable future focusing on offsetting and reducing our carbon footprint. Therefore, the timing of this couldn’t be better, and it’s an opportunity to positively contribute to projects that create clean energy, a key driver in reducing global carbon emissions”. “We’re very proud to continue expanding our partnership with …

Oman Air announced that it has been granted ‘Airline Retailing Maturity status’ under IATA’s ARM Index Program. The certification recognizes that Oman Air uses Shop/Order capabilities compliant with the standard Enhanced and Simplified Distribution message schema, version 18.2 and the ARM index Capabilities Verification Guidance. Commenting on the certification, Mr. Umesh Chhiber, Senior Vice President Revenue Management, Pricing and Distribution at Oman Air, said “Receiving this status is a proud moment for Oman Air as we now join the first few airlines to have attained the ARM Index certification. Airline retailing has been one of the biggest industry disruptors in recent years and Oman Air is working towards developing additional enhanced retailing capabilities on our NDC channel. These new capabilities, once developed and verified by IATA, will be published in our ARM Index Registry.” Oman Air’s new strategy is focused on becoming an omni-channel airline that gives its customers the freedom to choose when and how they interact with the airline. “As a customer-centric airline, Oman Air is committed to providing greater freedom of choice to our customers,” Mr. Chhiber added, “This is irrespective of whether or not they choose traditional GDS distribution channels, OTAs, aggregators or the cost-optimal NDC Channel, which will help Oman Air reduce its distribution costs significantly. I commend IATA and other airlines who alongside Oman Air are fully committed to the NDC journey by offering more freedom of choice to the customer.”

Oman Air Holidays has signed a partnership agreement with CONNECT, a subsidiary of Oman’s SABCO Group, becoming exclusive travel partner for all CONNECT events on the 2022 calendar. As the Sultanate of Oman’s leading provider of inbound and outbound flight and holiday packages, Oman Air Holidays will offer event delegates, exhibitors and visitors a variety of exclusive accommodation and tour packages, comprising flight tickets, transfers, excursions and bespoke itineraries and add-ons. “The 2022 MICE season in Oman is shaping up to be a busy one, and we’re delighted to partner with CONNECT to facilitate and enhance the offering of exclusive hotel and tour packages available to everyone attending exhibitions this year,” said Mundher Al Shaikhani, Senior Manager at Oman Air Holidays. “With five large-scale exhibitions already confirmed on CONNECT’s 2022 calendar, Oman Air Holidays has assembled customizable packages offering bespoke add-ons and itineraries for those wanting to explore Muscat and other regions in the Sultanate during their stay.” Commenting on the partnership, Sayyid Khalid bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Chairman of CONNECT and SABCO Group, said “CONNECT are proud to be partnering with the Sultanate of Oman’s national carrier and tour operator, Oman Air Holidays. This partnership is borne through the shared ambition to position the Sultanate as a world class hub for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibition (MICE) industry, an industry that has a fundamental role to play in stimulating in-country trade and investment, and in achieving the Oman 2040 Vision. Additionally, international exhibitors, delegates and visitors who attend CONNECT’s market leading events will now have the opportunity to experience Oman Air’s multiple award winning services, and through Oman Air Holidays’ extensive network of hotels, transportation services …

From biometric-based checks, self-boarding and real-time bag-tracking to digitalized air traffic management, airports have kept up competing by continuously adopting cutting-edge technologies for a completely frictionless travelling experience.  Having insights into the newest technology helps remain at the cutting edge of the airport business, now highly competitive post-pandemic. Innovative technologies and products are providing a wider degree of agility and flexibility for the airports as the number of passengers are gradually increasing and they prefer completion of their baggage handling operations outside the airports. Digital queuing and biometric has been viewed as a priority to be implemented to modernize every component of the journey at airports which are expected to allocate up to six per cent of their revenues each year to spend on Information Technology until 2024 on transformative projects and infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving operational efficiency and preparing themselves to handle passengers whose numbers will reach 8.2 billion in 2037 and 20.9 billion by 2040. A diverse range of technologically advance and innovative products will be displayed at the Airport Show 2022. The world’s largest airport industry B2B platform, organized by Reed Exhibitions Middle East, will provide insights into the investments planned by the world’s airports until 2040. The 21st edition will be held from May 17 to 19 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, and Patron of Airport Show, said: “The Airport Show has provided over the past two decades products and services to create most advanced aviation facilities in the world.” Airports are being increasingly becoming destinations …

Etihad Airways has launched its dedicated sustainability-focused corporate rewards programme, designed to facilitate and deliver corporate partner sustainability goals through carbon offsetting, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) investments and green surcharge fares. Corporate Conscious Choices is designed specifically for organisations committed to reducing emissions and operating sustainably, with rewards and incentives designed to proactively support pro-environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and employee behaviour. The programme provides benefits across four core sustainability pillars: SAF Investment, Green Surcharges, Corporate Conscious Miles and Carbon Offsets. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Sustainability has been at the top of Etihad’s agenda as the most significant long-term priority of our business for a long time now; but it is more than just a business priority. It’s a social responsibility, as the influence organisations have on society as leaders, helping consumers make sustainable choices in their everyday lives, is a duty and obligation of doing business. “We have put a lot of focus on what governments and regulators should be doing to battle climate change, but the fact is we need corporates’ help and there is an equal responsibility for corporates to do what they can to reduce their own carbon footprint, while leading by example to help consumers to live more sustainably. “All corporates and organisations need transportation, whether it’s for travel or their supply chain. Our aim with the launch of Corporate Conscious Choices is to recognise those corporations that take the most sustainable actions through rewards and recognition.” The programme has already resonated among corporates, with a number of leading global organisations partnering with Etihad to launch the programme, including CWT, one of the largest business travel management companies …