Category Archives: Aviation

Etihad Airways has launched its dedicated sustainability-focused corporate rewards programme, designed to facilitate and deliver corporate partner sustainability goals through carbon offsetting, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) investments and green surcharge fares. Corporate Conscious Choices is designed specifically for organisations committed to reducing emissions and operating sustainably, with rewards and incentives designed to proactively support pro-environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and employee behaviour. The programme provides benefits across four core sustainability pillars: SAF Investment, Green Surcharges, Corporate Conscious Miles and Carbon Offsets. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “Sustainability has been at the top of Etihad’s agenda as the most significant long-term priority of our business for a long time now; but it is more than just a business priority. It’s a social responsibility, as the influence organisations have on society as leaders, helping consumers make sustainable choices in their everyday lives, is a duty and obligation of doing business. “We have put a lot of focus on what governments and regulators should be doing to battle climate change, but the fact is we need corporates’ help and there is an equal responsibility for corporates to do what they can to reduce their own carbon footprint, while leading by example to help consumers to live more sustainably. “All corporates and organisations need transportation, whether it’s for travel or their supply chain. Our aim with the launch of Corporate Conscious Choices is to recognise those corporations that take the most sustainable actions through rewards and recognition.” The programme has already resonated among corporates, with a number of leading global organisations partnering with Etihad to launch the programme, including CWT, one of the largest business travel management companies …

The Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) and Air Arabia Group, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator revealed the visual brand identity of ‘Fly Arna’, Armenia’s national airline to be launched by their joint venture company.  The brand name ‘Arna’ is derived from company’s official name ‘Armenian National Airlines’ with ‘AR’ taken from Armenian, ‘N’ from National and ‘A’ from Airlines. Chosen following a public competition, the name ‘Fly Arna’ was identified to be most inclusive and reflective of the spirit of the joint venture company to transform the aviation sector of the country. With its colours inspired by the Armenia flag, the ‘Fly Arna’ logo and brand identity was designed to reflect the young, modern and a value-driven national airline that strive to become the most accessible and sensible choice for air travel in Armenia and beyond. Its brand values are Ambition – to motivate to build and grow the airline; Persistence – to build services that deliver real and tangible value to customers; and Innovation – to inspire creative solutions that helps keep a competitive edge while remaining practical and efficient. Inspired by the logo and the brand ethos, ‘Fly Arna’ aircraft livery reflects clarity and a forward-looking airline that is always on the move, with the letter “A” creatively displayed at the aircraft tail. The bright outlook in the brand identity will also be reflected through the aircraft interior, staff uniforms and across all customer touchpoints. David Papazian, CEO of ANIF, said: “Fly Arna’s brand identity is truly reflective of the inspiring spirit and ethos of Armenia. This is highlighted by the involvement of the public in deciding the name to …

The world’s first all-electric motorsport series, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, is set to return to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia later this month for the start of its eighth season and, as the Official Airline Partner of the all-electric street racing series, Saudia is launching a new campaign to connect fans around with world with the sport they love. The Take Your Seat campaign features exciting new Formula E content, the chance to win the ultimate international race hospitality experience, and the opportunity to redeem new loyalty benefits and better rates for travel to Championship races in iconic world cities with Saudia and its SkyTeam Airline Alliance. The new campaign is intended to bring Saudia’s partnership with Formula E to life by providing a platform for fans to enjoy shared experiences both at races and at home. A new digital hub for the partnership has been launched at https://takeyourseat.saudia.com where fans can purchase tickets to the race and download a stunning augmented reality application exploring this season’s Formula E racing cars in 3D, enter a competition to win a VIP trip to an E-Prix of their choice, and have the chance to sign up to the Saudia loyalty program ALFURSAN to receive up to 5000 reward miles. Saudia Group Chief Marketing Officer, Khaled Tash is excited for the launch of a new chapter of Saudia’s ten-year partnership with Formula E: “Season 8 marks a new milestone for our landmark partnership with Formula E, and with the world starting to open up, this new campaign allows Saudia to provide the best support for race fans – namely to connect them physically and virtually with this thrilling race series. …

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi celebrating its one-year anniversary announced their new services to Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan), Yerevan (Armenia), and Krasnodar (Russia) from February 2022. Travellers of all ages and backgrounds can fly on the expanding Wizz Air Abu Dhabi network, enjoying a range of attractive destinations both in the UAE and abroad. To thank customers who have chosen to fly with Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, 50 free return tickets will be made available to winners of a competition on social media. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi trip in the comments on the Wizz Air Abu Dhabi birthday post starting from the 15th of January on the airline Facebook or Instagram and the winners will be randomly selected within 7 days. Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, commented: “We are delighted to offer a one-time 20 per cent promotion and encourage adventurous travellers to explore our expanding route network. We thank all our customers in the past year and look forward to rewarding 50 lucky winners of our social media competition. We are ambitious and want to continue expanding our network to encourage tourism with affordable packages for all, and delighted to be announcing an additional three new routes. After a challenging and uncertain period, we look forward to connecting people to create great memories. We are also proud to have been the latest UAE national airline to launch, creating an exciting new travel segment for the UAE and wider region.” According to GlobalData’s Q3 2021 Global Consumer survey, 53 percent of respondents said affordability was the biggest influencing factor when choosing a holiday, while 51 percent said that accessibility was the most important. Consequently, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi …

Qatar Airways is boosting its service to Nigeria with the launch of four weekly flights to Kano (KAN) on 02 March 2022, and three weekly flights to Port Harcourt (PHC) on 03 March 2022, both operating via the Nigerian capital, Abuja. The airline currently operates two daily flights to Lagos and four times a week to Abuja, which will expand to a daily service in March. Kano and Port Harcourt will become the seventh and eight new African gateways launched by Qatar Airways since the start of the pandemic. Both routes will be served by the state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner, featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 in Economy Class. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “The airline was one of the few to keep operating to many African destinations throughout the pandemic and, as restrictions are lifted, is continuing to expand its network on the continent. As home to the largest economy and population in the region, we see tremendous growth potential for travel and trade in Nigeria. It is a key market and an important part of our African growth strategy; the expansion of our presence across two new gateways is a testament to our continuous commitment to Nigeria. “We anticipate good reciprocal demand between Port Harcourt, UK, USA and destinations across Asia. For Kano we see the opportunity to grow traffic to and from markets such as KSA and India, as well as strong cargo prospects.” As travel restrictions ease, Qatar Airways is restoring its services to all its African destinations. When Kano and Port Harcourt flights start operating, the airline will provide 188 weekly flights to 28 destinations in …

Royal Jordanian has launched its innovative and dynamic corporate program Fly High in line with its five-year turnaround plan, which aims, among others, to become the preferred airline in the Levant by offering bespoke products and delivering a consistent customer experience. The Fly High program targets different corporate sizes: large-, medium- and small-sized enterprises, non-profitable organizations and family businesses, both in Jordan and abroad. It is reworked to offer simple, efficient and budget-friendly deals to fit different business travel requirements. RJ’s Chief Commercial Officer Karime Makhlouf said: “Stemming from RJ’s plan for the next five years to be a customer champion, we are now working on launching innovative solutions and enhanced digital services, among which the newly launched Fly High. With this program, the companies will receive a substantial cost-friendly and budget saving service for high-volume travel, without any commitment.”   Fly High, he added, has two programs: Tiara, which is designed to offer fare discounts to companies that already have organized travel programs and travel budgets, while also being able to keep their preferred travel management company, and Lionize, which offers benefits such as extra luggage, flexibility in changing the ticket booking date, more flexible ticket refund policy, and many more. Furthermore, Corporate Card holders can use the lounges and business-class check-in counters around the world.  

Cathay Pacific has redesigned its Economy fares offering Middle East customers greater choice and flexibility when booking flights. The airline has developed new and simple-to-understand Light, Essential and Flex fares that are tailored to customers’ travel needs and will be introduced to customers travelling from Dubai starting 11 January 2022. Each fare brand offers more control and extensive benefits, from enhanced baggage allowances to flexible rebooking and upgrade options. Additionally, the consistent and clearly defined attributes associated with each fare type provides more visibility for customers on what they are purchasing, helping them choose the fare that suits them best. Cathay Pacific will also progressively introduce the redesigned Economy fares across the network in phases. Light fares enable customers to enjoy great value when they have confirmed travel plans and are travelling light. One piece of checked-in luggage is included and customers can always pay for additional luggage and other benefits like seat pre-selection after their booking is made. Essential fares offer the perfect balance of everything customers need, such as an extra piece of luggage, seat pre-selection and the option to upgrade using Asia Miles. This fare type is ideal for those travelling with family, heading for a longer trip or simply seeking more comfort and convenience. Flex fares give customers maximum flexibility for their next business trip or holiday, with full control over their travel plans as and when changes are needed. Greater convenience and peace of mind is assured. Cathay Pacific’s Area Manager, Middle East, Vishnu Rajendran said, “We understand our customers’ travel preferences have changed over time and that no two journeys are the same.  Our aim has always been to develop and provide offerings that …

Iraqi Airways has taken delivery of its first out of five A220-300 aircraft from Mirabel, Canada. Upon entry into service, Iraqi Airways will become one of the first airlines to operate the A220 in the Middle East region. With the A220, Iraqi Airways will benefit from the aircraft’s exceptional technical, economic and environmental performance. Iraqi Airways’ A220-300 features a modern and highly comfortable dual-class cabin that seats 132 passengers; 12 in business class and 120 in economy class. The state of the art aircraft will play an integral part of Iraqi Airways fleet renewal and modernization plan. The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines. Featuring a 50% reduced noise footprint and up to 25% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, as well as around 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards, the A220 is a great aircraft for regional as well as long distance routes operations. As of the end of November 2021, over 180 A220s had been delivered to 13 operators, from  Asia, North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East – proving the great versatility of Airbus’ new generation single-aisle family member.  

Royal Jordanian and Tamatem Inc., a Jordanian based leading mobile games publisher in the region, sealed a contract to launch in-flight games on RJ flights, aiming to enhance passengers’ experience onboard. RJ Vice Chairman/CEO Samer Majali and Tamatem founder/CEO Hussam Hammo signed the agreement, whereby Tamatem will integrate several games on RJ’s wireless inflight entertainment system – SkyConnect, and set up arcade machines, tablets, and charging stations in the Crown Lounge at Queen Alia International Airport. Majali expressed satisfaction with such partnerships, through which RJ both exercises its corporate social responsibility by lending support to pioneering Jordanian companies as well as takes part in the scalability of innovative Jordanian companies.

In line with group’s efforts to ease the restrictions imposed following the pandemic, Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), has resumed its City Check-in services in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman. Air Arabia’s City Check-ins was established in 2012 to provide passengers added convenience and flexibility by enabling them to drop off their bags at a location near them and collect their boarding pass before traveling with Air Arabia. The City Check-in service allows passengers to select seats and receive their boarding passes and baggage claim tags. They can then immediately proceed to the flight upon arrival at the airport. Located at Sharjah, Safeer Mall, and at Air Arabia Sales Shop in Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman, the three centres will operate seven days a week, from 9AM to 9PM, with a break from 11AM to 2PM on Fridays for prayers. The centres will accept baggage from 24 up to eight hours before departure, which is then transported straight to the Sharjah International Airport. Ensuring the highest standards of safety at every step of the journey by following all health and safety protocols, Air Arabia has also added to the convenience and confidence of passengers by introducing free COVID-19 insurance coverage. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers.