Category Archives: Aviation

Emirates announced that it will be restarting services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 11 September and St Petersburg from 8 October 2021. The resumption of these services build on Emirates’ growing global footprint, the continued lifting of entry restrictions as well as demand recovery across the airline’s network. Dubai continues to top the must-see destination list for Russian holidaymakers, providing a great combination of warm weather, world-class hotels for every budget, shopping and an unparalleled set of new attractions that encourage repeat visits. From 8 October, flights between Dubai and St Petersburg will operate four times a week, and the airline will increase its services to daily flights from 21 October. All flights will operate on the Boeing 777-300ER in a three class configuration. Emirates flight EK 173 and 174 will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while EK 175 and 176 will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturday and Sundays. EK 173 departs Dubai at 0910hrs, arriving at St Petersburg Pulkovo Airport at 1415hrs. EK 174 leaves St Petersburg at 1645hrs, arriving back in Dubai at 2345hrs local time. EK 175 takes off from Dubai at 1545hrs, arriving in St Petersburg at 2050hrs and EK176 leaves Pulkovo Airport at 2315hrs, landing in Dubai at 0615hrs the next day. From Saturday, 11 September, Emirates will begin operating 24 weekly flights to Saudi Arabia, including daily flights to the capital Riyadh, daily A380 flights to Jeddah, daily flights to Dammam and three weekly flights to Medina. Flights to Riyadh will increase to double daily from 16 September, and plans are underway to boost frequencies across the other gateways by the end of September. To Riyadh, Emirates will operate EK 2817 daily, …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s inaugural flight to Manama, Bahrain commenced departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and arriving in Bahrain International Airport (BAH). The new route will strengthen connectivity within the GCC by providing an alternative and ultra-low fare travel option for passengers between the two Gulf countries. The first flight to Bahrain closely follows the recent announcement made by the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee removing the need to quarantine for all vaccinated travellers arriving into Abu Dhabi from all international destinations, effective on Sunday, 5 September 2021. This welcome announcement indicates a positive outlook for the travel and tourism industry in Abu Dhabi. Since launching at the start of the year, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has announced a wide range of exciting routes to and from the UAE capital. These include Athens, Alexandria, Bahrain, Belgrade, Odesa, Sarajevo, Tirana and a number of others (see full list of routes here), with demand expected to increase following the change in travel guidelines. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: “Today is an important milestone for us at Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and we are pleased to mark the occasion alongside our partners – Abu Dhabi Airport Company (ADAC) and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). The addition of the Abu Dhabi-Manama route provides a low-fare travel option for those wishing to fly the popular Gulf travel route. This new destination is the first route to be added to our flying roster since this week’s update to the travel guidelines regarding vaccinated passengers – it is an exciting moment for us all!” Shareef Al Hashmi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, commented: “Today is another …

In a recognition ceremony held at the Training Centre Auditorium at Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority, 71 Oman Air volunteers were recognized for their commitment to community wellbeing as part of the Ministry of Health’s National Vaccination Campaign at the Oman Conference and Exhibition Centre. On hand to personally thank volunteers and hand out certificates of appreciation was Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Air Chief Executive Officer, accompanied by Hilal Al Siyabi, Oman Air Senior Vice President – People, who led the initiative, as well as other senior executives. “Oman Air has a social responsibility to the communities in which we operate,” said Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi. “I’m delighted and immensely proud of the overwhelming response of Oman Air staff in the National Vaccination Campaign at OCEC. They have shown, through their dedication in the last three months, compassion and consideration toward fellow citizens in an overarching objective to protect public health. That Oman has been able to diminish the spread of COVID-19 is due to the many volunteers who continue to make an impact, every day.” In addition, the Kingdom’s vaccination campaign continues to gather pace. A total of 38,455,901 people in the country have so far been inoculated against COVID-19, including 1,609,631 who are classified as elderly. More than 63 percent of the population have received a first dose, and just over 45 percent have received both doses. At the current rate of vaccination, 70 percent of the population is expected to have completed both doses by the beginning of November.

Emirates announced that it will be expanding its operations in and out of South Africa, boosting its schedule to 28 weekly flights by October. This is the airline’s largest weekly schedule to South Africa since the start of the pandemic, which aims to bring more competitive choices for customers wishing to visit Dubai, and through Dubai to the airline’s network of over 120 global destinations. The ramp up of operations will see double daily flights to Johannesburg, including the introduction of Emirates’ iconic A380 on one of the daily flights, in addition to daily services to both Cape Town and Durban. The new frequencies and capacity increases across all of the airline’s gateways in South Africa are effective from 31 October 2021. From 1 January 2022, Emirates will serve Johannesburg with double daily A380 services. The airline’s flagship and customer favourite will offer South African passengers the best experience in the sky with signature features like First Class private suites, luxurious Shower Spa, the ever-popular Onboard Lounge, in addition to spacious seating in Economy and Premium Economy Class cabins* featuring the industry’s largest seatback screens for customers to enjoy over 4,500 channels of on-demand entertainment on ice. Emirates’ flight schedule expansion comes in response to a surge in customer demand to Dubai as tourist visas have opened up for all nationalities, in addition to the easing of restrictions across some destinations that now allow quarantine-free entry for South Africans. Emirates is also firmly committed to supporting the recovery of South Africa’s tourism industry through facilitating enhanced connectivity for international visitors into the country. Dubai has long been one of the most popular holiday getaways for South African travellers, and remains …

​Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) presented various models of the latest next-generation aircraft seats in both business and economy classes which will be included in the airline’s upcoming new Airbus A321XLR aircraft deliveries. During the two-day event held at the SAUDIA Club at the airline’s headquarters in Jeddah, guests from the Al Fursan loyalty program along with media representatives, were invited to experience and share their views and votes for their preferred models. The votes will be grouped with the decision of stakeholders which will eventually be taken into consideration for choosing the final seat on the new aircraft. During the seat selection event, the Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, engaged with a number of guests at the event and heard their input and comments with regards to current onboard products and services. The seat manufacturers featured in the event included Thompson Aero Seating, Safran Seats, Stelia, Collins Aerospace, Geven, Haeco, and Recaro. The models presented include a new business-class suite featuring a 180 degrees fully-flatbed seat with sliding doors. Some of the presented suites also include a 24-inch HD screen. The spacious economy class seats come fully equipped with the latest amenities, together with storage areas and 13-inch seat-back entertainment screens. Captain Ibrahim S.  Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, stated that the main goal of providing high-quality products is to provide comfort and industry-leading ergonomic features. Koshy indicated that the first of Saudi Arabian Airlines’ Airbus A321XLR aircraft is expected to arrive in 2024. SAUDIA has ordered a total of 15 Airbus A321XLR, which will serve regional, European, and Asian routes. Captain Koshy further asserted that the company is forging ahead with several customer-focused development …

VistaJet further expands its comprehensive VistaPet program, as the number of animals onboard soars 86% over the last two years and global pet ownership continues to rise. Safety, security and the wellbeing of clients are fundamental for all at VistaJet. In addition to the unparalleled training with the British Butler Institute, Norland College and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, as well as being the first in private aviation to have in-house MedAire instructors, VistaJet’s team of over 200 Cabin Hostesses now has tuition in all segments of pet first aid to ensure safety for all in-flight and that loyal companions receive the same leading service as their owners.   The extensive training program includes: Pet CPR procedures from checking circulation, identifying location of the heart and optimum ratio of compressions to breath; Recognizing warning signs of chocking and the best maneuvers for the situation; Vital signs such as heart rate, varying pulse locations, body temperature, and mucous membrane and capillary refill time to check for circulation and levels of oxygen in the bloodstream; Understanding indications of poisoning from ingested or topical, spider or insect bites, and the best treatment for each; And to better understand behaviors, crew members also learn how to read body language, whether that be a friendly dog holding its ears up and a loosely wagging tail; a fearful dog with ears back and tail tucked; recognizing the difference between a rapidly twitching tail and a friendly wag; or the unpredictability of cats, gaining clues from their eyes, ears and whiskers.   Matteo Atti, EVP Marketing & Innovation at VistaJet said: “The fast increase in pet adoptions is paired with a habit of having pets as …

Air France has announced new winter seasonal flights that will operate directly between Muscat (Sultanate of Oman) and Paris (France), starting on 24th October 2021 and continuing through the season until 27th March 2022. The new service will link the two capital cities and operate three-times per week (Tuesday, Friday and Sunday) with a B787-9 Dreamliner offering a choice of three classes of travel – Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. Muscat-Paris direct – AF 657  Muscat – Paris Charles de Gaulle departs 0900am arrives 1520pm  and AF 656  Paris Charles de Gaulle – Muscat departs 2100pm arrives 0610am (following day). France is an important source of visitors to Oman with the last pre-pandemic statistics (2019) highlighting 68,000 annual visitors to the Sultanate. The new service will connect Oman to Paris and other destinations in France, as well as to the Air France global network of 200 destinations across Europe and the Americas, through onward flights with Air France and SkyTeam Alliance partner airlines. Air France and KLM offer 41 weekly flights* from various cities in the Middle East to the airline’s two hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol, connecting passengers to the global network of destinations in Europe, Canada and the Americas. For Air France customers traveling from Muscat to Paris Charles de Gaulle, the Boeing 787 provides a number of assets. They will enjoy a real cocoon in the sky in the Business cabin and even more comfort in Premium Economy and Economy with: on-board WiFi adapted to customers’ needs and expectations; windows that are approximately 30% larger than on similar aircraft; improved air pressure and humidity levels for greater travel comfort; 20% less fuel consumption than previous …

Oman Air has signed a strategic agreement with tripsnstay to enhance its offering of local and international package holidays. The agreement follows the recent announcement of Oman’s easing of travel restrictions and reopening to vaccinated travellers with a negative PCR test result effective from 1 September 2021. Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, CEO of Oman Air said, “Both Oman Air and Oman Air Holidays play an essential role in Oman’s tourism ecosystem. Connecting guests from international markets to custom holiday packages and tailored stays in Oman is part of our tourism reboot strategy for the country as it reopens to vaccinated travellers. Our strategic agreement with tripsnstay enhances our already expansive inventory of hotels and ancillary products with real-time pricing and product availability. It equally provides locals in Oman with access to competitive flight and hotel packages in destinations across Oman Air’s network.” Pankaj Khimji, Director Khimji Ramdas adds,” This partnership is of great pride to the Khimji Ramdas group. Being our national carrier Oman Air and Oman Air holidays is representative of our country’s progress and expansion. Oman has been one of the most sought-after fresh destinations in the past years and through this collaboration we can bring Oman further to the forefront.”

Air Lakson Group and Air Arabia Group announced their decision to form of a joint venture to launch “Fly Jinnah”, Pakistan’s new airline. The proposed JV will see the establishment of a low-cost passenger airline serving domestic and international routes from Pakistan. “Fly Jinnah” will serve the strategic vision of Pakistan’s travel and tourism sector and contribute to the country’s economic growth and job creation, while providing Pakistanis with reliable and value for money air travel. Iqbal Ali Lakhani, Chairman of Lakson Group, said: “We are excited to partner with Air Arabia in launching Pakistan’s new low-cost carrier. “Fly Jinnah” will serve Pakistan’s travel and tourism sector and will play a constructive role in contributing to the nation’s economic growth.” He added: “This partnership also reflects our commitment to support the development of Pakistan’s air transport sector while providing the citizens and visitors of the country with a new option of value for money air travel.  Air Arabia enjoys a track-record of reliable and efficient operations, and we look forward to working closely towards launching and developing the new airline.” Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia, said: “We are delighted at Air Arabia Group to partner with Lakson Group on this joint venture to launch Pakistan’s new low-cost carrier. We are confident that “Fly Jinnah” will add value to the air transport sector of Pakistan and directly contribute to the local economy through job creation and the development of travel and tourism sector. We thank Lakson Group and the Government of Pakistan for their trust and we look forward to working hand in hand to develop the new airline, which will serve as a new value-for-money …

Etihad Airways is prepared for a boost in travel to and from Abu Dhabi following the government’s announcement to remove the quarantine requirement for all vaccinated travellers arriving from abroad. Fully vaccinated travellers (with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization) can arrive from all international destinations without the need to quarantine. All travellers will require a PCR test within 48 hours of departure, a test on arrival and retesting on select days depending on the country they have travelled from. Unvaccinated travellers, however, should follow the rules according to the destination they are arriving from. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad, commented: “The news is perfectly timed to begin welcoming the world back to Abu Dhabi. We expect a huge surge in demand from tourists and visiting friends and relatives from around the world. This will also give UAE residents greater flexibility and peace of mind when travelling globally. “The emirate has delivered one of the world’s best public health programmes to protect the population with an extremely high vaccination rate, and smart technologically-driven solutions such as the Al Hosn app to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.   “This is a huge step forward as the UAE prepares to host the EXPO 2020, the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and many more global events over the coming months. “Etihad is currently operating to 65 passenger destinations with one of the world’s youngest and most sustainable fleets. We look forward to welcoming our guests to Abu Dhabi with Etihad to enjoy this world-class destination – an emirate and capital city we’re so proud to call our home.” Flying with Etihad is supported by the …