Category Archives: Aviation

Etihad Airways is reporting significant growth in travel demand between Italy and Abu Dhabi. Etihad to increase frequencies to triple-daily flights between Milan Malpensa Airport and Abu Dhabi, and double-daily flights from Rome Fiumicino Airport. The uplift is supporting Abu Dhabi’s tourism ambitions and reinforcing broader commercial and cultural links between Italy and the UAE. Jurriaan Stelder, SVP Network, Alliances and Industry Affairs, Etihad Airways, said: “The consistent growth we’re seeing from the Italian market highlights Abu Dhabi’s appeal as both a destination and global hub. Italian travellers are responding well to our offering, with steady demand across both leisure and business segments. This connectivity is strengthening tourism and supporting deeper ties across trade, culture and investment.” Italy has emerged as one of Etihad’s fastest-growing European markets, with travel between Italy and Abu Dhabi increasing by 76% compared to 2023. This reflects the growing appeal of the UAE capital as a destination for Italian visitors. This sustained demand has prompted Etihad to increase frequencies to triple-daily flights between Milan Malpensa Airport and Abu Dhabi, and double-daily flights from Rome Fiumicino Airport, providing Italian travellers with convenient options to visit Abu Dhabi. The third daily frequency on Milan will be operated by Etihad’s new Airbus A321LR, offering a premium experience that includes a dedicated First class cabin, fully lie-flat Business seats, high-speed Wi-Fi, and an enhanced onboard dining service. This aircraft brings Etihad’s signature long-haul comfort to short- and medium haul travel, further elevating the travel experience for Italian guests. From November, Etihad will be offering more than 10,000 weekly seats between Italy and Abu Dhabi per direction, representing an 80% capacity increase compared to November 2023. The number of premium …

Sabre Corporation signed a global distribution agreement with Riyadh Air. This strategic partnership positions Sabre as the first global distribution partner to collaborate with Riyadh Air, building on an already strong IT partnership and further solidifying Sabre’s role as a key enabler of the airline’s retailing and distribution strategy. The collaboration will enable Riyadh Air to utilize Sabre’s advanced technology solutions, including its multi-source approach to content distribution, which seamlessly integrates both New Distribution Capabilities (NDC) and traditional content to advance its retailing and distribution strategy. This partnership enables Riyadh Air to deliver dynamic, personalized travel offers, reaching a global network of travel agents, corporate buyers, and customers. By tapping into Sabre’s extensive global marketplace, Riyadh Air gains access to powerful tools for driving efficiency, increasing market reach, and providing customers with tailored, real-time travel experiences. “Sabre is well-positioned to support Riyadh Air’s retailing and distribution strategies,” said Alessandro Ciancimino, Vice President, Airline Distribution, EMEA, Sabre Travel Solutions. “Through our multi-source content approach, which integrates NDC alongside traditional content, we can deliver personalized and scalable solutions that align with Riyadh Air’s ambitious growth plans. Our strategy ensures seamless access to the most relevant content, helping Riyadh Air to modernize the travel experience and meet the evolving expectations of today’s travelers.” Since its launch, Riyadh Air has been at the forefront of innovation in aviation, aiming to become the first native digital airline in the world. This partnership underscores Riyadh Air’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences through advanced technology and seamless retailing strategies. “Collaborating with Sabre is a pivotal step in our mission to redefine travel retailing and distribution,” said Vincent Coste, Chief Commercial Officer, Riyadh Air. “Sabre’s extensive global reach …

Reinforcing its commitment to supporting domestic tourism, Oman Air has announced a significant increase in capacity for the upcoming Khareef Dhofar. Starting 1 July 2025, the airline will offer up to 12 flights per day between Muscat and Salalah, providing guests with greater flexibility and convenience to experience the unique natural beauty of Southern Oman during this special time of year. To meet growing demand, Oman Air has also added 70,000 additional seats on the Muscat-Salalah route through to the end of the year – an increase of 16% compared to the same period in 2024. As part of its commitment to accessible and affordable domestic travel, Oman Air’s fixed national fare will continue to be available across the expanded schedule, with Omani citizens offered return fares at a flat OMR 54 between 1st July and 5th September. There is no limit to the number of national fares allocated, however guests are encouraged to book early to secure their preferred travel dates. Bookings can be made via www.omanair.com. Please note that the national fare is available exclusively to guests booking from within Oman – guests are advised to ensure their location settings are enabled and select the ‘Omani national’ button. ID verification will be required at the airport.

flyadeal is expanding its regional network this summer to cover Istanbul’s secondary airport Sabiha Gökçen and Alexandria, the airline’s fourth destination in Egypt. Saudi Arabia’s fast growing low-cost airline will launch daily scheduled flights between Riyadh and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport located on the Asian side of Istanbul on 29 May. These will complement flyadeal’s popular services from both the Saudi capital and Jeddah to the primary Istanbul Airport on the city’s European side. Beginning  2 June the historical port city of Alexandria will be served four-times-a-week from Jeddah. With the addition of Alexandria, flyadeal strengthens operations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt – its largest international market – to 69 weekly frequencies covering Cairo, Sohag and seasonal flights to Sharm El Sheikh from Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah and Dammam.

Etihad Airways and China Eastern Airlines have officially launched their landmark Joint Venture (JV). The Etihad Airways – China Eastern Airlines JV, initially announced in June 2024, now becomes operational, offering seamless connectivity and a stronger combined network. This JV signifies the long-standing ties between the UAE and China by offering expanded travel options and seamless travel experiences for passengers travelling between major Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an, and Kunming, and key cities in the UAE and across the Middle East and Africa regions. The launch follows the successful arrival of China Eastern’s inaugural MU237 flight from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi last week, which was celebrated with a welcome ceremony at Zayed International Airport. The service starts with four weekly frequencies and will increase to a daily frequency starting 12 September 2025, further boosting connectivity between the UAE and China. Building upon the launch of the Joint Venture, the two airlines have also signed a new agreement between their respective loyalty programmes at the Arabian Travel Market on 29 April. Starting 1 June 2025, members of Etihad Guest and Eastern Miles programmes can earn and redeem miles across both airlines’ global networks — unlocking greater value and seamless travel experiences for loyalty members. Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “The official launch of our Joint Venture with China Eastern is a major leap forward—not just for our two airlines, but for the future of both the UAE and China. By combining our networks and aligning our loyalty programmes, we’re not only expanding choice and connectivity for our guests, but also setting the foundation for a new era of cooperation, innovation, and shared success …

Riyadh Air and Verteil Technologies announced a strategic partnership that will see Verteil become the launch NDC (New Distribution Capability) aggregator, marking a major milestone in Riyadh Air’s offer and order-based digital distribution journey. Through this collaboration, travel sellers across the globe will gain seamless access to Riyadh Air’s NDC content via Verteil’s industry-leading platform, Verteil Direct Connect (VDC), reinforcing a shared commitment to innovation and excellence in airline retailing. With this partnership, Riyadh Air NDC content will be accessible to travel sellers globally as it rolls out a modern and efficient distribution strategy that prioritises transparency, personalisation, and direct connectivity. Verteil’s proven expertise in deploying scalable NDC solutions for leading airlines ensures that travel sellers can access a full suite of content and functionalities, including real-time availability, rich fare options, ancillary services, and instant ticketing across multiple points of sale. Vincent Coste, Chief Commercial Officer, Riyadh Air, said: “Riyadh Air aims to set a new global standard for airline connectivity and innovation. Partnering with Verteil at this early stage allows us to ensure a strong foundation for modern distribution technology that is both future-ready and aligned with our digital-first strategy.” Jerrin Jos, Founder and CEO of Verteil Technologies, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Riyadh Air as their launch NDC aggregator. This partnership reinforces our shared commitment to modernising airline distribution, facilitating true retailing and enabling global travel sellers with direct access to richer content and better customer experiences.” Verteil’s robust integration and flexible deployment capabilities make it easier for travel sellers – whether OTAs, TMCs, or Consolidators – to adopt NDC without heavy technical or operational burdens. As Riyadh Air prepares to launch its inaugural flights, this …

Air India and Air India Express have announced the appointment of dnata Representation Services as their General Sales Agent (GSA) and Representative Agency (RA), respectively, in the UAE. The agreement, formally signed at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 in Dubai, reflects the Air India group’s continued focus on enhancing reach and customer engagement in the strategically important UAE market. Under this partnership, dnata Representation Services will provide comprehensive sales, marketing, and distribution support to both carriers across the UAE, excluding Abu Dhabi and Al Ain for Air India. This localised approach will improve accessibility for travellers and trade partners while supporting the Air India group’s broader growth plans in the region. Air India operates 82x weekly flights from the UAE to India, while Air India Express connects five cities—Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah—with over 240x weekly flights from the UAE. The UAE represents the single-largest international market for Air India Express and remains one of the most significant global markets, serving millions of Indian expatriates and other travellers. Kaizad Postwalla, Head of International Sales – GMEA & North America, Air India, said, “The UAE is a key market in our international network. We are pleased to partner with dnata Travel Group, whose deep understanding of the region and proven track record in travel services will help us better connect with customers, drive demand, and enhance service delivery in the market.” Dr. Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India Express, added, “Our collaboration with dnata Travel Group marks another step in expanding our commercial presence in the region. As our network and fleet grow, this partnership will help us stay closer to our customers and …

Visit Qatar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with flynas Airways to boost travel between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Under the agreement, the two parties will cooperate to explore opportunities to operate additional flights between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with hosting major events and tournaments, including the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™. The partnership will also focus on launching joint marketing campaigns aimed at promoting Qatar as a destination for visitors from the Saudi Arabian market. This agreement reinforces the solid foundation of cooperation between Visit Qatar and flynas, especially in the areas of enhancing air connectivity and implementing joint promotional campaigns during peak travel seasons. Through this partnership, both parties will continue to provide seamless travel experiences and enhance tourism between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The signing ceremony was attended by Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al Mawlawi, CEO of Visit Qatar, along with senior Visit Qatar officials, while flynas was represented by Mr. Stéphane Majer, Chief Commercial Officer, and Mr. Abdulelah Al Eidi, Vice President of Sales.

The new partnership between Emirates and Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) explore and implement promotional activities and offer bespoke packages for tour operators and the wider travel trade in key markets. Emirates and SCTDA will also explore opportunities to create unique products and packages marketed directly to Emirates’ customers via ‘Dubai Experience’ on the airline’s website. This is in addition to advertising and cross promotional marketing campaigns, familiarisation programmes for travel trade and media, as well as promotional competitions aimed to encourage visits to Sharjah as part of their overall UAE holiday.

Qatar Tourism and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) unveiled a strategic partnership designed to strengthen regional tourism ties through a new twin-centre holiday offering. This initiative enables travellers to seamlessly combine Doha and Abu Dhabi into a single, multi-city itinerary, making it easier than ever to explore both destinations in one trip. At the heart of this collaboration are Qatar Airways Holidays and Etihad Holidays operated by Capital Holidays, part of ADNEC group, who will jointly curate customised travel packages. Each will draw from a selection of hotels and experiences to design integrated itineraries that capture the essence of both destinations. These packages will be promoted to tour operators across key markets in Europe and North America. The initiative underscores a shared vision to broaden the region’s tourism offerings, tap into new source markets, and position the Gulf as a cohesive, world-class travel destination. By streamlining travel between Qatar and the UAE, the twin-centre packages provide visitors with a richer array of cultural, leisure, and hospitality experiences. This collaboration not only enhances international visibility for both Qatar and Abu Dhabi but also stimulates cross-border tourism and economic growth.