Emirates’ flagship A380 made a landmark touchdown at Christchurch Airport, marking the resumption of its daily service from Dubai to Christchurch via Sydney after more than three years. The special service was greeted by a crowd of spectators at the Christchurch Airport boundary, who watched as the iconic aircraft taxied through a ceremonial water canon salute, before parking in view of trade, media, and VIP guests at the international terminal. Outbound EK412 left Dubai at 10:15 local time, stopping briefly in Sydney before arriving in Christchurch at 13:55 hours the next day, New Zealand time. On board the first flight back to Christchurch, Barry Brown, Divisional Vice President Australasia, Emirates, said: “Seeing the water cannon salute after we touched down in the first Emirates A380 flight in more than three years is a reminder of how special the aircraft is to Christchurch, since its first arrival in 2016. The significance of the occasion was also clear on the faces of the other passengers on board, who understood what this service means for Christchurch and connecting it to the world.” “Not only has Christchurch again become the smallest city on Emirates’ A380 network, but New Zealand is now the first country on our network to exclusively carry our four cabin A380 and our best product yet. The phenomenal customer response from the moment tickets went on sale, both in and out of Christchurch, speak to a city in high demand.” Phil Mauger Christchurch Mayor said: “The return of the Emirates A380 service is a great boost for Christchurch and the wider South Island. It shows we’re open for business and welcoming travellers after several years of Covid restrictions. I wish the …

United Airlines has launched a new nonstop daily service between its New York/Newark hub and Dubai International (DXB). United is the only U.S. airline to offer non-stop flights between Dubai and the United States, flying to more destinations in the Middle East than any other U.S. airline. The new service marks United’s return to Dubai, which the airline previously served up until 2016. The launch of the new service is part of United’s historic commercial agreement with Emirates, announced in 2022, enhancing each airline’s network and giving customers easier access to hundreds of destinations within the United States and around the world. Customers from the U.S. flying to Dubai can travel onwards with Emirates or its sister airline flydubai to more than 100 different cities, providing more options to connect across the Middle East than ever before, whilst customers flying from Dubai to New York can take advantage of onward connections with United to over 80 destinations across the Americas. The agreement between United and Emirates also provides loyalty programme members of both airlines additional opportunities for more rewards: United MileagePlusSM members flying on United’s Newark/New York to Dubai flight can earn and redeem miles when connecting beyond to select Emirates destinations in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, whilst Emirates Skywards members will be able to earn miles when they travel on United operated flights. Customers booked to fly in United PolarisSM can also take advantage of access to Emirates lounges when travelling on, or connecting to and from, United’s new Dubai service. “At United, we’re committed to expanding and enhancing our network to give our customers the best access to destinations around the world – all while …

After most of the multi-billion dollar airport construction projects were put on the back burner or temporarily curtailed over the past three years, operators and investors have been racing down the tarmac as the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions are expected to account for 58 per cent of the global air passenger demand in 2040. The CAPA – Centre for Aviation, one of the world’s most trusted sources of aviation market intelligence, says there have been 425 major construction projects at existing airports, with US$450.7 billion in total committed expenditure globally, each of which is at various stages, from preparatory to about to conclude, along with 225 new airport projects and airport investor numbers swelling to 1074, including 258 airport operator groups or consortiums. Its database has region-wise listed the total numbers of the airport project and the volume of investment include 155 in Middle East worth US$209.4 billion. The Middle East region, positioned at the strategic crossroads of major economies of Asia, Africa and Europe, has transformed into a major international hub and continues to be an inspirational growth story. With over 110 airports, this is already among the fastest growing in the world, accounting for 170 million of the global traffic. Airports in the Middle East will need to invest US$151 billion in capacity expansion as the global air passenger demand is expected to increase more than two-fold in 2040. “This necessitates an investment totaling US$2.4 trillion for Middle East and Asia-Pacific airports until 2040 to accommodate this growth,” the Airport Council International said.  The ACI forecasts close to 19.7 billion passengers are expected to traverse the world’s airports by 2040 and the Middle East airports will handle …

Etihad Airways touched down in Kolkata as the airline made its much-anticipated return to the city. With a total of seven weekly nonstop services, the airline will once again connect India’s financial capital, Kolkata, with the world through Abu Dhabi. The first flight on the new service, EY256, departed Abu Dhabi with a full load of passengers at 1:50pm local time on 26 March and touched down at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport last night at 8:10pm local time. Upon arrival in Kolkata, passengers were welcomed with a cake cutting ceremony and a celebration attended by Etihad and Kolkata Airport Executives. The return flight, EY257, departed Kolkata at 9:05pm local time on 26 March, landing in Abu Dhabi shortly after midnight. Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer, said, Etihad Airways, said: “Riding on the resurgence of outbound travel from India, we’re delighted to resume daily flights to Kolkata, a key cultural and commercial hub in the Indian subcontinent. Re-establishing this vital air link with East India will support the growing demand from travelers in and around the region, offering them easy access to Abu Dhabi and connectivity to our global network alongside a world-class flying experience. We have been very impressed with our initial demand, which reaffirms our strategy to return to this key market.” The flights will be operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft, offering Etihad’s award-winning service to guests in 8 seats in Business Class and 150 in Economy, convenient flight timings to the UAE’s capital city and seamless connections to destinations across the airline’s growing global network of 67 destinations. From dune bashing in the desert to relaxing on its pristine beaches, soaking up rich UAE heritage …

As GCC travellers get ready for their post Ramadan and summer travel, Great Britain is among the strongest outbound holiday destinations year-after-year. With a 365-day calendar of global festivals and events, 2023 is set for another GREAT year of celebrations. From the coronation of King Charles III, to Liverpool hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, here is VisitBritain’s Top 10 events not to be missed. The Coronation of King Charles III, London – 6 & 8 May 2023 The coronation of Charles III is an extraordinary event that will be steeped in tradition and historical significance. The grandeur of Westminster Abbey will provide the perfect backdrop for this momentous occasion, as the Archbishop of Canterbury leads a service that represents the diversity of the United Kingdom’s faiths and communities. This shorter and more inclusive coronation will be a true reflection of the nation’s current economic circumstances and the King’s wishes. Witnessing the crowning of Camilla as Queen Consort will be a unique and unforgettable experience. Come to London and be a part of history in the making, as the city comes alive to celebrate this momentous event with a bank holiday on Monday 8 May. Eurovision Song Contest 2023, Liverpool – 13 May 2023 Liverpool will host the 2023 Eurovision Song Content on behalf of 2022’s winners, Ukraine. The international talent show brings together the best, quirkiest and most colourful acts from around Europe and further afield. And while the Grand Finale is on Saturday 13 May, there are actually nine shows taking place in front of a live audience, meaning more opportunities to slip on your dancing shoes and eyeball the action. RHS Chelsea Flower Show, London – 23 – 27 May 2023 …

IHG® Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Arabella Group to develop three new hotels in Egypt between 2023 and 2026. The hotels — InterContinental North Coast Direction White, voco Cairo Arabella Plaza Cairo, and Crowne Plaza Cairo Arabella Clubhouse — will see IHG add over 500 keys to its Egypt portfolio in response to the growing demand for luxury resorts and premium hospitality options in the North African country. The agreement strengthens IHG’s presence in the luxury and premium sectors in the region as well as underlines the appeal of its high-end hospitality offering among owners and guests alike. The new-build hotel projects, currently under construction, are set to open in notable areas of Egypt. The incoming new voco Cairo Arabella Plaza is scheduled to open its doors in July 2023, with the Crowne Plaza Cairo Arabella Clubhouse slated for a January 2026 opening and the InterContinental North Coast Direction White for a September 2026 launch. Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, India, Middle East & Africa, IHG, commented: “Egypt offers a wealth of opportunity for the hospitality industry today with New Cairo and other attractive, high-end destinations attracting more visitors to the nation. The signing of three new hotels alongside Arabella Group will support the growth we are witnessing in the country by offering new and compelling luxury and premium hospitality experiences to satisfy the most discerning of travelers.” Mohamed Amin El Dokhmesy, president of Arabella Group added: “We are pleased to partner with IHG Hotels & Resorts to expand the footprint of three of its leading brands — InterContinental, voco and Crowne Plaza, in Egypt. IHG has delivered first class hospitality experiences to guests worldwide and in …

Oman Air has increased the frequency of flights to Moscow as part of its summer schedule. Offering maximum comfort and convenience to its guests, the airline will be flying daily using its popular Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft. The non-stop flight from Muscat will depart at 15:35 and arrive in Moscow at 20:55, while the return sector will depart from Moscow at 23:20 and arrive in Muscat at 06:30. Guests travelling to Muscat or Moscow should ensure they are aware of official requirements to enter or transit through the country. Those wishing to enhance their stay can also book a customised Moscow holiday package through Oman Air Holidays by visiting holidays.omanair.com. To book a flight or for more information, visit omanair.com.

SAUDIA launched its first direct flight to Dar es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania, days after announcing the Group’s operational plans to fly to 25 new international destinations in three continents around the world. This announcement is part of SAUDIA’s strategic plans of bringing the world to the Kingdom, while making optimal use of the new aircraft that will be added to SAUDIA’s operations. The inaugural SAUDIA flight SV 463,from Jeddah to Dar es Salaam departed this morning at 1:15 AM from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the departure gate to commemorate this occasions and souvenirs were distributed to the departing guests. A celebration took place at the Alfursan International Lounge in the presence of the Consul General of the Republic of Tanzania in Jeddah, Mr. Habibu Awesi Mohamed and the Chief Commercial Officer of SAUDIA, Mr. Arved Nikolaus Von Zur Muhlen, as well as representatives from the government authorities operating at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. SAUDIA’s Airbus A320 landed at Julius Nyerere International Airport at 6:15 AM and was greeted with a water salute. Meanwhile, another celebration was held at Julius Nyerere International Airport to mark the departure of the first flight, SV 462, from Dar es Salaam to Jeddah in the presence of the Minister of Work and Transport in Tanzania, MHE. Prof. Makame Mnyaa Mbarawa, the Saudi Deputy Ambassador for Tanzania, Mr. Fahad Alharbi, the Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania in Riyadh, H.E. Ali Jabir Mwadini, and SAUDIA Tanzania Manager, H.E. Mr. Khalid Alharbi. Mr. Arved Muhlen stated: “The expansion of SAUDIA’s operations and the launch of new direct flights to Dar es Salaam …

Flyadeal is continuing its aggressive expansion with the announcement of 12 additional European and regional destinations this summer. Gearing up for the upcoming summer peak holiday season, flyadeal is introducing a combined 49 scheduled flights a week from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to eight countries — Egypt, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Bosnia, Montenegro, Georgia And Azerbaijan — representing a 127% increase in seasonal capacity on the same summer period last year. The new routes, to be operated by a modern fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft, will boost flyadeal’s international presence to 18 destinations — up from six currently — supplementing a strong domestic network of 17 cities across Saudi Arabia. The Greek island cities of Rhodes and Heraklion will be served for the first time by flyadeal, as will Bosnia’s capital of Sarajevo, Cyprus’s coastal city of Larnaca and port town of Tivat in Montenegro. flyadeal’s presence in Turkey will be significantly increased with four resort cities of Izmir, Antalya, Bodrum and Trabzon joining existing services to Istanbul, and seasonal flights will return from both Riyadh and Jeddah to the popular Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh. Baku and Tbilisi, capital cities of Azerbaijan and Georgia respectively, will be served from three Saudi gateways of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Con Korfiatis, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “This summer’s expansion represents flyadeal’s highest seasonal capacity increase since we launched the airline just over five years ago. With new direct scheduled services from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, we look forward to spreading our wings to popular European destinations, including four additional points in Turkey, and a return to Sharm el Sheikh for Saudi travellers and expatriates looking for beach and cultural breaks during …

Travelport announced the launch of Smartpoint Cloud on Travelport+. As the only modern retailing platform built for agencies, Travelport+ will now deliver a more intuitive and efficient way for travel agents to sell and service travel, all while increasing sales of higher-value services for suppliers. Through Smartpoint Cloud, agents will be able to easily search, filter, find and create tailored packages to suit every customer type, including fully customizable hotel and flight search options and NDC offers. “Travel agents are the true retailers of our industry, and launching Smartpoint Cloud on Travelport+ will help our partners to deliver more value to both their clients and suppliers,” said Tom Kershaw, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Travelport. “Like any good tech innovation, these tools are simple to use and tackle key challenges faced by the travel advisor community. Smartpoint Cloud will further personalize agent workflows, help drive more revenue, and most importantly, impress customers.” Built with the insight that agencies need to train and onboard new agents, the graphical user interface (GUI) on Travelport+ is designed to provide a more user-friendly, simpler experience that speeds up agent workflow. Agents who prefer to work in a traditional (cryptic) interface have the flexibility to do so. Smartpoint Cloud’s retailing storefront helps agents understand offers and make more informed decisions within the robust offerings of air, hotel, car, and rail content available. It provides better criteria to allow easy comparisons from any source, including both NDC and traditional air content side by side. Smartpoint Cloud also helps provide more transparency on offers, enabling agents to have the relevant information for comparison shopping at their fingertips. Additionally, the newly expanded Trip Quote capabilities integrate both …