Category Archives: Aviation

Red Sea Global (RSG), the multi-project developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations, Amaala and The Red Sea, announced on Thursday the signing of a sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli Football Club. The agreement was signed in Jeddah in the presence of Eng. Ahmed Ghazi Darwish, Chief Administrative Officer and official spokesperson for Red Sea Global, and Mr. Tariq Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer of Al-Ahli FC Investment Company. A number of senior executives from Red Sea Global as well as members of the club’s board of directors were also in attendance. Red Sea Global becomes the Platinum Sponsor of the club’s first team. The agreement means Red Sea Global’s logo will be displayed on the players’ jerseys during all local and global competitions, in addition to other commercial and marketing advantages and privileges. “This sponsorship stems from the sense of social responsibility adopted by RSG, and our interest in promoting various initiatives in relation to sports. It runs in parallel with our commitment to people and planet, which directly and positively reflects on the quality of life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and contributes to creating and building a healthy society,” said Engineer Ahmed Darwish. Engineer Darwish noted that RSG will be an active partner in shaping the present and future of Saudi Arabia, by contributing to enhancing the sustainability of the sports sector. Al-Ahli Football Club represents a long history in Saudi sports and has a great fan base that will be a key element in the success of this partnership. Mr. Tariq Khalifa expressed his delight in associating the name of Saudi Al-Ahli FC with Red Sea Global, the company in charge of developing …

A new chapter in travel has arrived on the global stage with the world class, digitally-led airline Riyadh Air, making its international debut at the 54th bi-annual Paris Air Show. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner adorned with Riyadh Air’s unique livery touched down after a remarkable fly-over the city of Riyadh for its first official reveal on Monday 12th June. The disruptive new airline from Saudi Arabia will fly to more than 100 destinations, and reach 100 million visitors by 2030, making Riyadh City a hub for global travel and encouraging visits to the Kingdom for business and leisure. The airline will bring a new level of attention to detail to guest experience and has technology that will raise the bar for the industry. The brand identity captures the heritage of the Kingdom whilst being modern and forward thinking with the global campaign launched in early June was featured with the tagline of ‘The Future Takes Flight’. The aircraft is on static display at the air show, allowing visitors to view the unique indigo aircraft livery up close being one of two aircraft liveries that Riyadh Air will introduce to the world. The main brand lavender color is symbolic of the welcoming and hospitable nature of the people in the Kingdom, as well as being a natural plant that carpets Saudi Arabia during spring, while the rear of the aircraft design captures the movement of canopy tents in the desert. Riyadh City is rapidly becoming a major player in global business and the rapid Saudi economic growth, which is targeted to be in the top 10 globally by 2030, is outperforming other major economies. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has many developing tourist sites, such …

As travellers begin flying for the summer holidays, Etihad Airways is prepared to welcome more than 4 million passengers at Abu Dhabi International Airport between 20 June and 30 September 2023 and advises guests to follow below tips. A high volume of travellers will be joining locally in Abu Dhabi, with the remainder connecting from across Etihad’s extensive network of 66 destinations, including new summer routes to Lisbon, Malaga and Mykonos which launched over the weekend. Etihad’s upgraded online check-in allows guests to complete passport and visa checks prior to reaching the airport. The Auto Doc Check feature ensures guests have met all relevant travel and visa requirements for a hassle-free airport experience. In addition, the airline’s self-service bag drop facility provides a quicker and more efficient check-in process, accommodating a greater number of guests and minimising queue times. Once checked-in online, the self-service facilities allow travellers to seamlessly retrieve their booking, print the bag-tag and process their bags in less than two minutes. Shaeb Al Najjar, General Manager Hub Operations, Etihad Airways, said “In addition to hosting guests as they fly into their summer holidays, we are also looking to welcome pilgrims, whether they are starting their journey from the UAE or connecting from other destinations across our extensive network. Thanks to Etihad’s award-winning cabin crew, family-friendly offerings, and cabin propositions, guests can expect the best possible travel experiences. By also embracing cutting-edge technologies, we can deliver a more seamless and personalised experience for our guests.” During peak times, Economy check-in for non-US flights opens four hours before departure and closes one hour before departure. Business and First check-in closes 45 minutes before departure. For US flights check-in closes …

With the commencement of the Hajj season and upcoming Eid Al Adha celebrations, Emirates is layering on additional flights to key regional destinations to meet significant travel demand during this special period. As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lifts all Hajj travel restrictions for the first time in three years, Emirates has deployed additional flights for pilgrims to embark on their journey to and from the Holy City of Makkah. Ten flights have been added to and from Jeddah. All flights will be operated on Boeing 777 aircraft dedicated for Hajj pilgrims until 7 July. The Hajj flights to Jeddah will run in parallel to Emirates’ existing schedule to the Kingdom and are open to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa and, if above the age of 12, have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Medina will also be served with daily flights during this time. This year, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah anticipates 2.6 million pilgrims, reaching pre-pandemic numbers and the additional flights aim to help seamlessly carry pilgrims. Emirates has already seen strong bookings for Hajj travel from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Senegal, the Ivory Coast, Mauritius and South Africa. Gearing up for a busy travel period for Eid Al Adha, Emirates has deployed an additional 34 flights to popular destinations across the region. With an estimated 78,000 people from across the region expected to travel with Emirates during the Eid Al Adha six-day break, the additional flights will facilitate passengers traveling home to celebrate with their family and friends. For passengers traveling to the Levant, Emirates has added ten flights to Amman from 21 to 30 June, and ten additional flights to Beirut from 20 to …

SalamAir announces the introduction of new non-stop flights connecting Salalah and Bahrain during the much-anticipated Khareef season. Commencing July 5th, this strategic initiative aims to cater to the growing demand from travellers seeking a seamless travel experience between these two popular destinations. SalamAir’s CEO, Captain Mohamed Ahmed, said, “We are proud to announce the launch of a new non-stop flight route between Salalah and Bahrain during the Khareef season in response to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s direction to the concerned authorities to provide direct subsidies on fuel prices at Salalah Airport, equivalent to fuel prices at Muscat International Airport.” Captain Mohamed Ahmed added, “The introduction of non-stop flights between Salalah and Bahrain supports the growing inbound tourism sector and contributes to the realization of Oman’s ambitious Vision 2040.”

With the summer travelling season coming up, Air Arabia presents multiple options to facilitate smooth travel for its passengers during the expected rush at departure airports, especially with the low-cost carrier offering access to various destinations for the Eid break and summer months with a plethora of added benefits. To avoid long queues at the airport, passengers can utilise the online check-in service which allows you to conveniently check-in from the comfort of your home or office. Customers are required to fill in their reservation number, name, flight date, and numbers 36 hours prior to departure time. Enjoy convenience and flexibility by dropping off luggage within 24 hours up until 8 hours prior to flight departure at one of Air Arabia’s six City Check-in facilities located in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Al Ain. Travelers can also collect their boarding passes at the facility, allowing them the opportunity to proceed directly to their flight upon arrival at the airport. Holidaymakers are advised to ensure they arrive three hours before departure, providing them with ample time at the airport. Travellers also need to be at their designated gates 45 minutes before take-off.

Travelport and Royal Jordanian Airlines announced they have renewed the distribution and operator agreements to deepen their decades-long relationship. Under the agreements, Royal Jordanian Airline will continue to provide the widest range of products and ancillaries to Travelport-connected agencies worldwide, along with the highest level of service to its customers. Travelport will support the airline’s technological transformation by ensuring its robust product offering is delivered to agents through Travelport’s innovative, modern retailing platform, Travelport+. Furthermore, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Travelport have renewed the operator agreement for Royal Jordanian Airlines’ distribution of Travelport+ to agencies in Jordan. “Throughout our decades-long partnership, we have been impressed with the cooperation and adaptability that Travelport has demonstrated as a partner. They have a firm grasp of our business requirements and have worked closely with us to meet our commercial goals, helping us further elevate our positioning as the airline of choice for the entire Levant region. We are eager to work closely with Travelport on our global network expansion, strengthening our relationship with Travelport and having direct access to the world-class travel marketplace, in line with our ambitious, comprehensive growth strategy for the coming years,” said Karim Makhlouf, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Jordanian.  “In addition, the 25-year partnership between Royal Jordanian Airlines and Travelport is reinforced with our renewed operator agreement, which will enable us to cement our position as the leader in sales distribution and support for agents in Jordan”, he added. “The distribution agreement renewal with Royal Jordanian Airlines is evidence of their trust in the long-established partnership with Travelport,” said David Gomes, Head of Commercial, Air Partners EMEA at Travelport. “We are thrilled to have renewed our agreement with Royal …

Etihad Airways touched down for the first time in Lisbon, marking the launch of regular services between Abu Dhabi and the Portuguese capital. The inaugural flight, EY63, was celebrated at Abu Dhabi Airport before take-off with His Excellency Fernando d’Orey de Brito e Cunha Figueirinhas, Ambassador of the Republic of Portugal to the UAE and Chris Hedlin, Etihad’s Vice President Network Planning. On arrival in Lisbon, Etihad’s captains waved UAE and Portuguese flags from the cockpit to celebrate the new air link. The new service will be operated on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays using a state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, offering 28 seats in Business and 262 seats in Economy, entertainment systems, in-seat power, and in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity. Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “As we continue to expand our global network, we’re thrilled to be flying for the first time to Lisbon. We look forward to welcoming guests to visit the historic city of Lisbon while also connecting the people of Portugal with the UAE and destinations across the Middle East, Asia and Australia.” Initially announced as a seasonal route, Etihad Airways has extended the service through to the winter season to make it a year-round operation, as a result of strong travel demand. To celebrate the first flight, guests on board were offered special menu items including custard tarts, a traditional Portuguese delicacy. All guests were treated to gifts including luxury chocolates by Emirati brand Mirzam in Business class and a unique commemorative luggage tag for guests in Economy. Lisbon was recently voted as the “Leading City Break Destination” and “Leading Seaside Metropolitan Destination” at the 2022 European edition of the World Travel Awards, proving its …

Emirates recommends passengers take time to plan their travel journey this June and July, as departure numbers peak significantly just before Eid al Adha on 24 June, and again on the 1 July as many families set off on summer holidays. With more than 80,000 passengers expected to depart Dubai on busy days – Emirates advises passengers to arrive to the airport up to 3 hours before a flight, take note of their boarding time to ensure they reach the departure gate on time, and take advantage of multiple check-in and baggage drop options to reduce time at the airport. Passengers are encouraged to download the Emirates app on their mobile phone and are reminded that when departing from Dubai – boarding passes are now issued in digital format on the app, or by email when passengers check in online via Emirates.com. Both options allow customers to book and change flights, download a digital boarding pass for most destinations, check what meals will be served onboard, book a chauffeur drive service and even pre-select and plan movies to watch via ice inflight entertainment. Online check in and app check in are both open 48 hours ahead of flight departure time. To save time, Emirates passengers can drop off luggage at the airport the night before travel at no charge. Passengers who are departing from Dubai can check-in early and drop off their bags 24 hours before departure, or 12 hours before departure if flying to the US or Tel Aviv. Then closer to departure time, they can arrive to the airport and proceed directly to immigration. For a slick start to summer travels, passengers can try the brand-new City Check‑in …

Jazeera Airways joined the Egypt Civil Aviation Authority announce the launch of direct flights from Kuwait International Airport to Sphinx International Airport. Jazeera is flying from Kuwait to Sphinx and back four times a week. The Sphinx airport which serves the city of Giza, is located close to the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. Other tourist destinations, including the upcoming Grand Egyptian Museum and world class shopping centers will also be easily accessible from the airport. This helps put Giza on the map not only as a historic city, but also a shopping destination. The airport is an hour away from downtown Cairo and close to the Greater Cairo districts of 6 October and Sheikh Zayed, as well as the governorates of Fayoum and Beni Suef. All of this makes it ideally situated for tourists flying in from Kuwait and vice versa. The press conference was also attended by Pilot Amr El Sharkawy, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, Pilot Ahmed Mansour, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Airports Company, Dr. Nayef Al Tayyar, First Secretary, Embassy of Kuwait, Omar Islam Shalaby, President of Imperial Travel Center and Rohit Ramachandran, Chief Executive Officer, Jazeera Airways. Speaking at the press conference El Sharkawy said: “This comes within the framework of the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s plan to develop and revitalize air and tourism traffic to and from Egyptian Airports and attract the attention of many International Airlines to continue exploring new destinations.” This is the seventh destination Jazeera Airways will fly to in Egypt including Alexandria, Assiut, Cairo, Luxor, Suhag and Sharm El Sheikh. With direct flights from Kuwait and network connections from other destinations in …