Category Archives: Aviation

Gulf Air started its services to the Italian city of Milan. The maiden flight left Bahrain International Airport on June 01 inaugurating the airline’s direct and indirect operations to Italy’s second largest city. On this occasion, the national carrier held a celebratory lunch in Milan which was attended by numerous VIPs that included H.E. Ambassador of Bahrain to Italy Dr. Nasser Al Balooshi, H.E. Ms. Paola Amadei Ambassador of Italy to Bahrain, Mr. Andrea Tucci Head of Business Development Aviation at SEA – Milan Airport; among other dignitaries that attended the event. The luncheon also included trade and travel representatives and members of the media. Gulf Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi commented “Milan is one of the EU’s and the world’s major financial and business centres. From finance to fashion, from designer automobiles to discerning music, from architecture to art; the city of Milan is undeniably one of the most popular destinations in Europe attracting millions of visitors every year. By launching services to Milan we are not only opening new doors of trade and tourism opportunities this city offers to the people and businesses of Bahrain and the region; but also bringing new commercial and other opportunities to Bahrain, the gateway of the Arabian Gulf and beyond.” Captain AlAlawi also thanked the attendees for their support of the expansion of Gulf Air in Italy, appreciating their efforts in launching the new route. Milan is the capital of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. An international and cosmopolitan city, the city remains one of Europe’s main transportation and industrial hubs, and Milan is one of the most important centres for business in the …

To mark the United Nation’s Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day, and the vital role these enterprises play in post-pandemic recovery, Emirates is empowering MSMEs to seek growth opportunities with an attractive incentive for new members who enrol into the Emirates Business Rewards programme. Eligible businesses around the world who sign up for a first-time account anytime from 25 June to 10 July 2022, will receive a joining bonus of 10,000 Emirates Business Reward Points – the equivalent of one Economy Class return ticket between most destinations in the Middle East, Africa/WAIO and Dubai, a city that offers world-leading support programmes and infrastructure for entrepreneurs and SMEs. Emirates’ offer aims to support MSMEs and recognise the integral part they play in sustainable development, and the global economy and communities. There are currently more than 30000 micro, small and medium sized businesses participating in the Emirates Business Rewards programme, taking advantage of a wealth of benefits including easy enrolment, accessible earning and redemptions, and flexibility and upgrade opportunities – even on last minute bookings. With a goal of ‘making business travel seamless’, Emirates Business Rewards enables organisations to earn points on business travel, which can be spent on future flights and upgrades on any Emirates flight, in any class, subject to availability. Organisations are eligible to earn points whenever their employees or guest travellers fly on Emirates, which can then be spent on dynamic reward flights and upgrades. Individuals can also earn Skywards Miles on the same flight if they are an Emirates Skywards member. There’s no limit to how many employees can join the programme and no minimum spend is needed. Emirates Business Rewards is free to join and …

With the significant demand for air travel during Hajj, Emirates is deploying extra flights to ensure more connectivity for the scores of pilgrims making their way to the Holy City of Makkah. Emirates will be operating special flights to Jeddah and Medina during the upcoming Hajj season to carry pilgrims for this special period. Emirates will be deploying 31 additional flights to Jeddah and double daily flights to Medina from 23 June to 20 July to help transport pilgrims to carry out one of the key pillars of Islam. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has greatly expanded its Hajj participation this year to nearly a million pilgrims. This year, Emirates has seen strong demand for Hajj travel from Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Turkey, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malaysia, the UK, US, UAE and Algeria. The special services are available to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa. Pilgrims must also be under the age of 65, hold a valid vaccination certificate with a vaccine authorised by the Saudi Ministry of Health, and must also carry a negative PCR test done within 72 hours of departure. Given the significance of the once-in-a-lifetime Hajj experience, the airline’s teams have been working hard to ensure that every detail of the pilgrim’s experience is aligned with the tenets of their faith. On the ground in Dubai, Emirates has a special Hajj airport team to help manage check-in, transfers, and helping to facilitate a seamless and convenient on ground experience for Hajj pilgrims. Emirates has also set up dedicated check-in and transfer counters for Hajj passengers transiting in Dubai. For Hajj travellers having a longer layover …

Etihad Airways will resume direct passenger flights between Abu Dhabi and Beijing from 29 June 2022, becoming the first regular direct international passenger flight to recommence for Beijing, under the latest mandate of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council. The airline will operate a weekly flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world.   Inaugural flight schedule (all times local):   Flight  Departure  Time  Arrival  Time  Aircraft  Date  EY 888 (Inaugural flight) Abu Dhabi 18:00 Beijing 05:25+1 Boeing 787-9 Wednesday 29 June EY 889 (Inaugural flight) Beijing 02:10 Abu Dhabi 07:10 Boeing 787-9 Friday 1 July   Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo at Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Etihad Airways is delighted about the resumption of passenger services between Abu Dhabi and Beijing, our second service to resume to China. China has always been an important strategic market for Etihad and the resumption of direct flights between the two capital cities will further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the United Arab Emirates.” Etihad Airways scheduled service from Abu Dhabi to Shanghai resumed in July 2020 to meet the huge demand of passengers travelling between the UAE and China. Those wishing to book are advised to visit Etihad.com to view their options, and to remain informed on the relevant entry regulations at their end destination. Flights are also available for booking through the mobile app, by calling the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 600 555 666 (UAE) or +86 400 8822 050 (Mainland China), or through a local or online travel agency. Important information: All passengers travelling on Etihad between Abu Dhabi and China must …

Qatar Airways and Airlink have signed a comprehensive codeshare agreement to offer travellers more choices, enhanced services and greater connectivity between 45 destinations in 13 countries across southern Africa and the rest of the world. This new codeshare agreement means travellers can enjoy the simplicity of purchasing connecting flights on both airlines using a single reservation with seamless ticketing, check-in, boarding and baggage-check experience, during the entire journey The partnership will enable customers to book attractive offers from southern Africa to popular destinations in the U.S. such as New York and Dallas, cities in Europe such as London, Copenhagen and Barcelona, and points across Asia like Manila, Jakarta and Cebu. The agreement also increases Qatar Airways’ footprint in southern Africa, with improved access to destinations such as Ggeberha (Port Elizabeth) Hoedspruit, Skukuza, George in South Africa and beyond to Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr Akbar al Baker said: “Expanding our network with Airlink gives our customers more choice of destinations and flights, that we hope will contribute to the rapid recovery of travel, which plays such an important role in southern African economies.” “We have boosted our presence in the African market by adding eight new destinations since the start of the pandemic and fostering partnerships such as this dynamic agreement with Airlink which will greatly enhance our offering to our customers and support travel and trade.” Qatar Airways was the only airline to launch new services in southern Africa after the pandemic, starting operations to Luanda, Harare and Lusaka last year. It resumes operations to Windhoek this month, providing another connection to Airlink’s extensive regional network via eight gateways in …

As travellers begin flying for the summer holidays, Etihad Airways is expanding its quick self-service bag drop facilities at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The service provides a faster check-in experience and can accommodate a greater number of guests who will then be able to skip the queues. Once checked-in online, the self-service facilities allow travellers to seamlessly retrieve their booking, print the bag-tag and process their bags in less than two minutes. John Wright, VP Network, Airports & Cargo Operations, Etihad Airways, said: “With the removal of many travel restrictions, Etihad is expecting the number of travellers to soar for the summer holidays. To make the airport experience seamless for our guests, Etihad is offering more self-service options at Abu Dhabi International Airport where they can skip the longer queues by first checking-in online and completing the extremely popular verified-to-fly process.” Covid related travel restrictions have been completely removed for travellers flying to Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Egypt, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Oman, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK. The airline is preparing to welcome large volumes of passengers at Abu Dhabi International Airport between 30 June and 15 July 2022 advising travellers to follow the below tips. Etihad Airways travel tips   Get Verified to Fly and check-in online: For destinations with travel restrictions, travellers should visit ‘Manage my booking’ on etihad.com to upload their Covid travel documents. Approval will be shared by email giving passengers confidence that all required documents are in place. Approved passengers can check-in online and obtain their boarding card, then use fast-track ‘Verified to Fly’ desks at the airport, or the self-service facilities. Early check-in at Skypark: Effective from 30 June till 31 July, guests will …

Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) flights between Baku and Dubai are receiving a full revamp. Due to an increase in passenger travel demand between Dubai and Baku, and to satisfy high level service needs, Azerbaijan Airlines has opted to operate their advanced fleet for the booming route. The Baku based airline operates daily flights to Dubai, which will now be serviced by their more advanced wide body Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and Boeing 767-300/300ER aircraft; resulting in a significant upgrade in both seating numbers and inflight services compared to the narrow body aircraft which was previously operating the route. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has a capacity of approximately 210 passengers in three cabin classes, and the Boeing 767-300/300ER has a capacity of 198 passengers. Daily flights from Dubai to Baku will depart at 13:10 and arrive at 16:10 in Baku. Daily flights from Baku to Dubai will depart at 09:00 and arrive at 11:55 in Dubai. Dubai is one of the most popular destinations in the Azerbaijan Airlines route network, with thousands of tourists from Azerbaijan visiting Dubai and the UAE annually. The use of these wide body aircrafts in this market is due to the emerging importance of the Dubai and UAE market for Azerbaijan not only as a holiday destination, but also as a transit route for tourists from around the Gulf States using Dubai as a transit hub to then visit Azerbaijan, as well as Baku as a transit hub for traveling to Europe and the countries of the region. UAE residents enjoy a one-month visa on arrival when visiting Azerbaijan, which has been a major factor in attracting an increasing number of visitors from the UAE. “The demand for …

Air Arabia announced the addition of fourteen shuttle flights daily from Sharjah International Airport to Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar starting from November 21, 2022 until December 18, 2022. The shuttle flights are only eligible for ticket holders of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and will operate alongside Air Arabia’s three daily scheduled flights to Doha. Passengers on board the shuttle flights will be entitled to 10Kg of hand baggage each. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 ticket holders must register for a Hayya card through their official website in order to be able to enter Qatar, access the stadiums as well as get free transportation to and from the stadiums using the Doha metro directly from Hamad International Airport. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, commented: “We are pleased to announce Air Arabia’s shuttle flights between Sharjah and Doha during the FIFA World Cup 2022, which will provide fans with easy, reliable, and timely access in and out of Doha to enjoy the matches and return right after.” Air Arabia urges all travelers to plan their trips cautiously, taking into account arriving in Doha at least four hours before the match, and departing four hours after. FIFA World Cup ticket holders can now book the high-frequency November shuttle flights between Sharjah and Doha by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies. Other customers can continue to benefit from the current and ongoing three daily flights between Sharjah and Doha.

dnata Travel reveals that Thailand is the most popular destination for UAE travellers for summer holidays in 2022. Experts at the UAE-based travel brand are recording a 185% increase in the total number of travel bookings made for summer 2022 so far compared to the same time period in 2021. A total 64% of hotel bookings are for international properties, while 34% represent UAE staycations across the country. The top ten destinations for UAE travellers to book a holiday package, including flights and hotels, with dnata Travel at the time of publishing, are: Thailand, Maldives, Turkey, Mauritius, UK, Indonesia, Italy, USA, Spain and France, respectively. Flight-only leisure travel bookings are also proving popular to visit friends and relatives, with top destinations including India, Egypt, Philippines, Turkey, and the UK, most concentrated during the time of the anticipated Eid al-Adha break in July. Meerah Ketait, Head of Retail and Leisure UAE at dnata Travel, commented: “The top five holiday destinations for UAE travellers in 2022 have typically made up our top locations for international travel bookings pre-pandemic. With more locations opening up to travellers this year and with eased restrictions, we have witnessed our 2021 summer holiday hotspots the Maldives and Turkey joined once again by ever-popular destinations Thailand, Mauritius and the UK. “Thailand has risen quickly to become the top-choice international holiday destination for UAE travellers in summer 2022 since it reopened for tourism. Alongside the world-class resorts, experiences, food and abundance of natural attractions that the country has to offer, cost-effective holiday offers across its cities and islands are extremely popular.” The top locations of choice for UAE travellers to Thailand this summer with dnata Travel are Bangkok, Phuket …

Wizz Air is launching exciting new routes from Dammam, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to Rome, Vienna and Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi route will be operated by Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, Wizz Air’s joint venture airline with ADQ. Launching in September 2022, the new destinations are the first step towards a growing presence in KSA which will provide for the first time truly affordable, hassle-free, point to point travel for tourists and residents in the Kingdom, Europe and the UAE, strengthening global connectivity. The new routes by Wizz Air introduce a new era of travel to the Residents of KSA by unlocking affordable travel opportunities and giving them access to WIZZ’s incredibly low fares. Tickets for all routes are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airline’s mobile app, with fares starting from 24.99€.* Last month Wizz Air signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Investment for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supported by the Saudi National Air Connectivity Programme (a Ministry of Tourism initiative) to support the development of the Saudi Tourism Sector. The MoU reflects a shared vision between the parties on the potential Wizz Air could bring to the Kingdom to stimulate tourist demand, thereby making a significant contribution to Saudi Arabia’s planned growth. The new destinations support the growing Saudi Arabian tourism sector, aligning with the Vision 2030 programme, a strategic and ambitious vision to triple passenger traffic in the Kingdom by 2030. The ultra-low-cost routes will boost the burgeoning tourism industry and significantly increase connectivity for residents in Europe and the region, with key strategic government partners collaborating to add to the Saudi aviation ecosystem. Robert Carey, President of Wizz Air, …