Category Archives: Aviation

Air India Express has announced new direct flights from Bengaluru to three major Middle East destinations: Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Services to Jeddah will begin on 26 October, followed by Riyadh and Kuwait on 27 October 2025, strengthening links between South India and the Gulf region. The new routes cater to Indian expatriates, business travellers, families, and pilgrims travelling for Umrah, providing convenient and time-saving options. Inaugural fares start at Rs 13,500 (505 SAR) for Bengaluru-Riyadh, Rs 19,500 (570 SAR) for Bengaluru-Jeddah, and Rs 13,600 (27 KWD) for Bengaluru-Kuwait. Passengers from cities including Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tiruchirappalli can connect to these Middle East destinations via Bengaluru. This expansion reinforces Air India Express’ growing footprint in the Gulf, complementing its existing services to Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Jeddah, Kuwait, and Riyadh, and highlights the airline’s commitment to enhancing trade, travel, and cultural connectivity between South India and the Middle East.  

Air India Express has unveiled a limited-time offer allowing passengers to enjoy 10kg excess baggage for only AED 1, providing exceptional value for travellers this season. The special offer can be availed exclusively during the booking flow and cannot be added once the ticket is issued, encouraging passengers to plan ahead and secure their savings early. Valid for sale until 31st October 2025 and for travel up to 30th November 2025, this initiative reinforces Air India Express’s commitment to offering affordable and passenger-friendly options, especially for guests travelling with additional luggage. Agents are encouraged to highlight this offer to customers seeking great value on their upcoming trips between the UAE and India, and to remind them that the AED 1 baggage add-on must be selected during the booking process. With this move, Air India Express continues to strengthen its appeal among cost-conscious travellers, delivering smart savings and convenience through its dynamic offers.

flynas has announced the launch of a new route connecting Jeddah and Moscow, starting 23 December 2025, in collaboration with the Saudi Tourism Authority and the Air Connectivity Program. The move aligns with flynas’ growth and expansion plan and supports the Kingdom’s strategic objectives in tourism and aviation. The airline will operate three weekly flights between King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah) and Vnukovo International Airport (Moscow), expanding reliable travel links between Saudi Arabia and Russia. This follows flynas’ successful launch of scheduled flights between Moscow and Riyadh in August, marking a continued commitment to enhancing international connectivity. The new route forms part of flynas’ “We Connect the World to the Kingdom” initiative, supporting the National Civil Aviation Strategy, which aims to connect Saudi Arabia with 250 international destinations, accommodate 330 million passengers, and host 150 million tourists annually by 2030. The expansion also complements the Pilgrims Experience Program (PEP), facilitating smoother access to the Two Holy Mosques and enriching the travel experience for visitors. With this addition, flynas strengthens its position as a key driver of Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector, providing convenient, reliable, and strategically aligned international travel options for passengers and tourists alike.

Etihad Airways launched its new daily flights to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, connecting Zayed International Airport (AUH) with Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD). The inaugural flights operated at full capacity in both directions, reflecting the strong demand for travel between the two capitals. The service marks Etihad’s debut into Ethiopia, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation hubs. The launch also coincides with the formal activation of Etihad’s landmark Joint Venture with Ethiopian Airlines, announced earlier this year, which enhances collaboration between the two flag carriers and expands seamless travel options between Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Under the new Joint Venture, Etihad and Ethiopian Airlines will coordinate schedules and jointly develop routes, offering guests more choice and convenience while strengthening trade, tourism and cultural links between both regions. The agreement also paves the way for broader cooperation in areas including loyalty programmes, training and cargo, underscoring the airlines’ shared commitment to deliver a smoother, more connected travel experience for guests. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said “The launch of our daily flights to Addis Ababa creates a bridge between two regions with expanding connections and growing economic relations. It also marks the formal start of our landmark Joint Venture with Ethiopian Airlines, a partnership that will redefine connectivity between Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Together, we are creating more opportunities for trade, tourism and collaboration, while giving our guests access to an even broader network through our respective hubs in Abu Dhabi and Addis Ababa.” Through the Joint Venture, Etihad guests can now reach more than 55 destinations across 33 African countries via Ethiopian’s hub in Addis Ababa, while Ethiopian Airlines customers …

flyadeal has taken another step to widen its distribution strategy by going live on the Amadeus booking platform giving travel agents access to the airline’s growing network of flights. Beginning with the domestic market – home to almost 4,000 travel agents accredited to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – flyadeal will implement a phased rollout of the reservation tool to the trade in more countries over the next few months. When agents search for a particular route, the Amadeus GDS now displays flyadeal among the operating airlines. As a digital first airline, connecting with a global distribution system (GDS) is a significant strategic move since flyadeal launched its first flight in September 2017. flyadeal now operates over 200 daily scheduled services from bases in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to more than 30 destinations across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and South Asia with a fleet of 42 Airbus A320 aircraft. Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “Signing up with Amadeus is a historic step for flyadeal. GDS connection expands distribution of our inventory of flights and fares, and offers the wider travel agency community with instant access, convenience and booking capability through their desktop terminals. “Having scaled our operations over the years, building a strong domestic network of flights and increasingly moving into international operations, our business has evolved into more partnerships, including travel agencies which we see as a vital part of our growth story to complement our own direct booking channels.” Rogier van Enk, flyadeal Chief Commercial and Customer Experience Officer, added: “As we start off in our home market of Saudi Arabia, the Amadeus booking tool will be …

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, a PIF company, revealed two significant milestones as it announces a landmark on its journey towards its 2025 debut, firstly, the commencement of its first daily flights to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) on 26 October designed to ensure unparalleled readiness and operational excellence as it creates world-class travel experiences. Riyadh Air also unveiled Sfeer, its groundbreaking loyalty offering, which will provide exclusive benefits to its early Founding Members and showcase the future direction for dynamic airline loyalty programs. Beginning 26 October  Riyadh Air will commence daily launch flights from Riyadh to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) aboard its designated Boeing 787-9 technical spare aircraft, “Jamila”. These carefully sequenced flights, initially on sale to select groups and Riyadh Air employees, are a critical phase in ensuring unparalleled operational readiness ahead of receiving the first aircraft deliveries from Boeing, while utilizing Riyadh Air’s recently awarded slot at London Heathrow (LHR). Flights will depart Riyadh at 0315 (RX401) with an early morning arrival time into London Heathrow at 0730, the return flights depart London at 0930 (RX402), arriving back to Riyadh at 1915 (all times local). This important phase of Pathway to Perfect will see flights to Dubai added soon after, transparently demonstrating Riyadh Air’s rigorous commitment to operational excellence. Through a thorough assessment program of these initial launch flights on Jamila, the airline is building operational strength for a smooth, reliable, and world-class premium travel experience, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s dedication to the highest standards of quality. Further exciting new routes are set to be announced in the coming weeks for winter 2025 and summer 2026. “This isn’t just a launch; it’s a tangible realization of a …

Emirates will add six weekly flights to its London Heathrow schedule from 26 October 2025. The boosted schedule for the winter season follows record growth and demand, providing more convenience and departure time choices for travellers journeying to and from London Heathrow, and is well-timed to serve the year-end travel peak. Emirates already flies six times a day to and from London Heathrow, and all flights are served by its flagship Airbus A380. The additional flights will operate on all days except for Fridays during the winter period with the airline’s Boeing 777-300ER, offering over 350 seats each way in a three-class configuration split between First, Business, and Economy. Strategically timed overnight departures from London Heathrow to Dubai provide convenient onward connections to destinations like Durban, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Jakarta. Flights to London Heathrow offer well-timed connectivity for travellers coming from cities across West Asia like Ahmedabad, Lahore, Maldives, Hyderabad and Chennai, Beijing and Shanghai in the Chinese mainland as well as several points within the Middle East including Bahrain, Dammam and Riyadh. Flight EK41 will depart Dubai on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 13:40hrs, arriving in London Heathrow at 17:40hrs*. The return flight, EK42, departs London Heathrow at 22:35hrs on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, arriving in Dubai at 09:35hrs the next day. The return flight, EK42, departs London Heathrow at 21:20hrs on Tuesday and Saturday, arriving in Dubai at 08:20hrs the next day. On Thursdays, EK41 will depart Dubai at 12:55hrs, arriving in London Heathrow at 16:55hrs. The return flight, EK42, departs from London Heathrow at 21:20hrs, arriving in Dubai at 08:20hrs the next day. All times are local. For more …

The Emirates Accessible & Inclusive Travel Hub has been cleverly designed so that it can be seamlessly and swiftly updated with new information and improvements, as accessible travel requirements continue to evolve. In the design and build of the hub, Emirates utilised inclusive research methods including engaging a diverse range of users including those with disabilities, in the usability studies. Emirates new Accessible & Inclusive Travel Hub on the flagship Emirates.com, is designed to contain all the information needed for accessible and inclusive travel, featuring accessibility-friendly navigation that allows customers to find information easily and explore the many ways that Emirates can provide travel assistance and support. Emirates’ Accessible & Inclusive Travel Hub will continue to evolve and grow to meet customer needs. Aiming to reduce anxiety before travelling, the Accessible & Inclusive Travel Hub spent a year in development, resulting in a design that features a seamless visual style and thoughtful and user-friendly navigation options. To provide consistent, inclusive experiences, the website is built on a token-based architecture to enable seamless updates and simplified customization. Even the colour palette is rigorously tested for contrast compliance to support clarity and readability, and designs are tested with assistive technologies such as screen readers, voice control, and keyboard navigation. Customers can choose to view and explore sections by disability; including Mobility Assistance, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment and Hidden Disabilities. If preferred, customers can search by looking at specific parts of the journey, which have been clearly arranged – Before your flight, Departure from Dubai, Onboard your flight, Connecting in Dubai and Arriving in Dubai. A third option allows customers to browse by specific needs, including Book Special Assistance, Prepare for travel with …

From September, Almaty–Jeddah flights resumed twice weekly, while Shymkent–Jeddah services started to operate once a week. Late October will see the return of Almaty–Medina flights twice weekly and Shymkent–Medina once weekly. Air Astana is set to expand its international network this autumn, increasing connectivity to key destinations in the Middle East and Asia. The airline is resuming several flights and boosting frequencies to popular tourist and business hubs, responding to growing travel demand.  New services will also connect Aktau to Jeddah and Medina on alternating biweekly schedules, with Astana–Jeddah and Astana–Medina flights following the same pattern. In Asia, Air Astana will resume Almaty–Male flights to the Maldives three times a week, increasing to five weekly during peak holidays. Almaty–Phu Quoc flights in Vietnam will operate five times per week, becoming daily in December, while Astana–Phu Quoc services run three times weekly. The airline is also increasing flights to Dubai, from seven to 12 per week from Almaty and seven to 10 from Astana. Thailand-bound services are expanding as well, with Almaty–Bangkok and Almaty–Phuket flights both rising to seven per week. All flights will be operated using Airbus A320neo and A321LR aircraft, ensuring modern, comfortable travel.  

Etihad Airways launched direct flights connecting Abu Dhabi with Phnom Penh, Cambodia, marking a significant expansion of the airline’s global network. The new service aims to bring travellers closer to the rich cultural heritage and ancient history of Southeast Asia, offering a seamless and comfortable travel experience. The addition of Phnom Penh to Etihad’s route map reflects the airline’s commitment to connecting the UAE with emerging destinations across the region. Passengers can now enjoy direct access to Cambodia’s capital, a city known for its historic temples, vibrant markets, and thriving cultural scene. Etihad has emphasised that the new route has been designed with passenger comfort in mind, promising a smooth journey from departure to arrival. “We are thrilled to welcome travelers on board as we connect Abu Dhabi with Phnom Penh,” said an Etihad spokesperson. “This new route is part of our ongoing strategy to enhance connectivity and make travel easier and more enjoyable for our guests.” The launch comes as global air travel continues to rebound, and Etihad strengthens its position as a leading airline linking the Middle East to Asia. The service is expected to boost tourism and business ties between the UAE and Cambodia