Category Archives: Aviation

Turkish Airlines and Icelandair announced the expansion of their existing codeshare partnership  marking a significant step in strengthening connectivity between two key regions at the crossroads of continents and oceans. Since the beginning of their partnership in June 2023, the two flag carriers have cooperated under a codeshare agreement to offer passengers more seamless travel options. Building on this foundation, Icelandair will introduce direct flights between Reykjavik and İstanbul, starting 5 September 2025, operating twice weekly during the winter season. These new flights will be incorporated into the scope of the agreement, allowing Turkish Airlines to put its marketing code on Icelandair’s operations. In return, Icelandair will place its marketing code on select Turkish Airlines flights beyond Istanbul, covering destinations across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. This extended integration connects Icelandair’s transatlantic network with Turkish Airlines’ global reach across multiple continents, creating new opportunities for both business and leisure travel. Commenting on the expansion of the partnership, Turkish Airlines CEO, Mr. Bilal Ekşi stated: “This cooperation goes beyond a commercial partnership. It represents a strategic alignment between two trusted carriers. By launching direct flights between Reykjavik and Istanbul and integrating our networks, we are opening the door to new traffic flows and connectivity options between Iceland, Türkiye and beyond.” Bogi Nils Bogason, Icelandair CEO, also commented: “Building on the partnership with Turkish Airlines will offer travelers even greater connectivity and seamless travel options across our combined networks. The expansion of our codeshare partnership to multiple destinations in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, reflects our shared commitment to service excellence, building a stronger global network and unlocking new opportunities for growth.” This enhanced cooperation is expected to boost tourism and …

Air Arabia announced the expansion of its existing service between Sharjah and Maldives to twice daily non-stop flights starting 27 October 2025. The increase in frequency comes after a year from operating the service between Sharjah International Airport and Velana International Airport in Malé will now offer customers greater convenience and flexibility to explore the tropical paradise of the Maldives. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, stated, “We are glad to further strengthen our presence in the Maldives with this increased frequency, offering travellers even greater connectivity and flexibility. The step to double our flights reflects the growing demand for air travel to this popular destination. We remain committed to providing our customers with reliable, affordable, and value-driven air travel, while expanding our network to meet the evolving needs of our passengers.” Air Arabia operates a fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, the most modern and best-selling single aisle aircraft in the world. The cabin configuration across the fleet provides added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitch compared to any economy cabin. The aircraft is also equipped with ‘SkyTime’, a free in-flight streaming service that allows passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices. Customers can also enjoy a variety of delicacies between snacks, meals, and sandwiches from the on-board ‘SkyCafe’ menu at affordable prices. Customers can now book their direct flights from Sharjah to the Maldives by visiting Air Arabia’s website, by calling the call centre, or through travel agencies.

Turkish Airlines and TAP Air Portugal announced that they are expanding their existing codeshare partnership. As part of the recently expanded agreement announced during the IATA Annual General Meeting held in New Delhi, both carriers will now provide their guests with a broader range of seamless travel options beyond their current global networks. Brazil, Morocco, Qatar, and Mauritius are new and exciting destinations entering the scope of cooperation. Additionally, Dalaman and Bodrum, Türkiye’s prominent summer destinations, have also been added to the agreement, further augmenting travel options between Türkiye and Portugal, enhancing access to sought-after leisure destinations. Commenting on the agreement, Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Ekşi stated: “We are pleased to further strengthen our long-standing partnership with TAP Air Portugal. Enhanced scope of the new arrangement offers greater flexibility and a wider range of travel options, while contributing to the development of commercial and tourism relations between our countries. We look forward to continuing this valuable collaboration in the years ahead.” TAP Air Portugal CEO Luís Rodrigues also commented: “Because of our network structure we need to find intelligent ways to connect us to the east. Cooperating with great partners is our way forward to do that. This will provide our global passengers and our Portuguese community with increased options to visit new and exciting places using our Turkish Airlines partner.” This enriched cooperation not only enhances the network presence of both carriers but also fosters increased tourism and business traffic between Türkiye and Portugal, as well as to key destinations across South America, Africa and the Middle East.

According to RateHawk, the top 10 outbound destinations for the entire summer include Turkey, Italy, France, Thailand, Spain, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, and the United States. The average transaction value for accommodation bookings is $1551, with an average stay of five nights. Although Indonesia didn’t enter the top 10 most-booked outbound destinations, it has become one of the fastest-growing travel choices, showing a remarkable two-fold increase in bookings year-over-year, according to RateHawk. Traditionally, over half (53%) of these bookings are located in Bali, particularly in popular areas such as Ubud, Kuta, and Munduk. The visa-free policy and strong air connections with the GCC region, including a newly launched Saudia flight from Jeddah to Bali, continue to boost tourism to this tropical island. European destinations, with top choices in cultural capitals such as London, Paris, Milan, Munich, and Barcelona, remain a traditional favorite among GCC travelers seeking to escape the summer heat. The steady growth of tourism to Europe continues, driven by improved connectivity through the launch of new direct routes to popular destinations, including Saudia’s flight to Venice and Flydubai’s flights to various Greek resorts, such as Corfu, Santorini, and Mykonos. Thailand, another favourite Asian destination among GCC travelers, continues to show steady growth of 48% from last year, especially in areas like Bangkok and Phuket. Travelers heading to Asia typically choose longer stays, often up to one week in just one hotel. Serkan Ozbay, Regional Director in the Middle East region, commented: “Summer season in the GCC region traditionally has two spikes in travel demand. The first peak aligns with the Eid Al-Adha holidays, which this year fall between 5 June and 9 June, with Dubai as …

Etihad Airways has released its latest traffic statistics for May 2025, highlighting continued expansion and customer demand. The airline carried 1.7 million passengers in May, representing a 19% increase compared to the same month last year. This continued growth reflects the airline’s strategic expansion and strong market positioning. Passenger load factor climbed to 87%, up from 84% in May 2024, reinforcing Etihad’s ability to optimise capacity while maintaining high demand. Etihad’s operating fleet now stands at 100 aircraft, supporting its growing network and service enhancements. In the first five months of 2025, 8.4 million travellers have flown with Etihad, a 17% rise from the same period in 2024, with the airline maintaining an impressive 87% average passenger load factor. Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad Airways CEO, said: “We saw a pleasing continued growth in our momentum, with May’s passenger numbers growing by 19% year-on-year, underlining our position as the fastest-growing Middle East airline. Our year-to-date results show more than 8 million customers have flown with us in 2025, and our rolling 12-month figure now stands at almost 20 million, a testament to the trust placed in Etihad’s service. “We reached an exciting milestone in May as our fleet number reached the 100 mark. As we continue expanding our route network and growing our fleet in the coming months, our focus remains on delivering a seamless and exceptional customer experience.”

Emirates and Bahamasair have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an interline partnership benefitting customers travelling to The Bahamas. The partnership enables Emirates to expand its reach in the Caribbean, allowing customers to utilise the services of The Bahamas’ national flag carrier from Florida to one of three destinations on the island country. Under the unilateral agreement, customers traveling on Emirates to Miami or Orlando will be able to connect to Bahamasair flights to Nassau, Freeport or San Salvador, with the added convenience of booking itineraries with both airlines on a single ticket. Additionally, Emirates’ customers will enjoy generous baggage allowance when flying on Bahamasair to the three destinations. Commenting on the new interline partnership, Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said: “We are pleased to establish an interline partnership with Bahamasair to expand our reach to new and exciting destinations and offer travel options for our customers planning journeys to the Caribbean nation. The interline partnership offers customers the convenience of connecting in Florida for travel onwards to points across the islands of The Bahamas, while enjoying competitive fare pricing, the convenience of booking the entire journey on a single ticket and a generous baggage policy.” “This partnership also supports our agreement with The Bahamas’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote the Caribbean destination across our network.” As part of the MoU, both carriers will also explore opportunities to enhance their cargo interline cooperation and potential partnerships under their frequent flyer programmes. Bahamasair Managing Director, Tracy Cooper said: “This partnership significantly elevates Bahamasair’s global profile and opens access to invaluable expertise and new markets. By aligning with one of the world’s most respected airlines, we strengthen our capabilities and …

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Pegasus Airlines launched a reward programme partnership where Wyndham Rewards members can now convert their points into Pegasus BolPoints. Once converted, points can be exchanged for Pegasus flights, seat selection, extra baggage, or even transferred to other BolBol members. Point transfer options start as low as 6,000 Wyndham Rewards points for 1,200 Pegasus BolPoints, with no limit on the number of transfers. “At Wyndham, our mission is to make hotel travel possible for all. Travel isn’t just about where you stay, it’s about how you get there, too. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Pegasus Airlines to bring even more value to Wyndham Rewards members. Whether you’re flying across Türkiye, Europe or the Middle East, Wyndham Rewards members now have access to benefits including discounted flights, upgraded seating, extra baggage and in-flight meals across 151 travel routes, making every part of the journey rewarding.” Dimitris Manikis, President, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts EMEA “We are making travel even more rewarding for our passengers. Our first loyalty partnership with a hotel group and first points conversion programme is with Wyndham, the largest international hotel brand in Türkiye. With this collaboration, we’re giving our passengers more ways to benefit from their journeys, by connecting them with trusted places to stay and making the most of their travel experience beyond the flight.” Güliz Öztürk, CEO, Pegasus Airlines. To celebrate the launch, members of Wyndham Rewards and BolBol will soon have the chance to earn triple Wyndham Rewards points from eligible stays at Wyndham hotels across EMEA from July to September 2025. This exclusive offer enables members to earn more, travel further and get rewarded. To take advantage Wyndham Rewards members …

Etihad has further increased its flight frequencies to Karachi, Pakistan, with tickets now on sale. This expansion is part of the airline’s ongoing commitment to provide guests with more travel options and enhanced connectivity. From 01 October, 2025, Etihad will start flying four times a day on the Abu Dhabi – Karachi route, providing a total of 28 weekly nonstop services to Pakistan’s economic hub. The enhanced flight frequencies and optimized departure and arrival times are carefully designed to provide guests with maximum convenience and seamless connectivity across Etihad’s expanding global network, including the UAE, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and North America. This expansion increases the total number of weekly flights to Pakistan to 60, reinforcing Etihad’s commitment to the region. It follows closely on the announcement of new flights to Peshawar, set to commence on 29 September, further strengthening air links between Pakistan and Abu Dhabi.

In a move to further enhance the travel experience for its Filipino passengers, Emirates will be introducing a new coach service exclusively for Economy Class customers flying to and from Clark International Airport (CRK). The complimentary service will connect Trinoma in Quezon City with Clark International Airport in Pampanga, offering a convenient and seamless transit option. The coach service will be available to Emirates passengers holding a valid flight ticket and traveling between Clark and Trinoma, with pickup and drop-off points located at the New Genesis P2P Trinoma Bus Terminal (code: TRP) and at Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga. The service will be offered exclusively to Economy Class passengers booked on an Emirates flight. To be eligible for the coach service, passengers must hold an Emirates-issued ticket with the ticket number beginning with 176. Travelers must also have a confirmed coach booking at least 48 hours in advance, as those without prior reservation or a valid Emirates ticket will not be allowed to board. When buying flight tickets on emirates.com, customers must specify Trinoma (TRP) as the departure or arrival city to ensure that their booking on the bus is included on their flight ticket. For flight tickets purchased through an Emirates office or travel agent, customers should request the agent to include the Trinoma (TRP) bus on the ticket before issuing the ticket. Other terms and conditions apply. This initiative is part of Emirates’ ongoing commitment to improving accessibility while elevating the travel experience for its Filipino customers, particularly those based in Metro Manila and nearby areas. Through this offering, Emirates aims to make flying from the airport more convenient and stress-free. To learn more about Emirates, or to …

Etihad and Ethiopian Airlines activated their codeshare agreement, strengthening connectivity between Africa and Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. This bilateral partnership enhances global travel opportunities for guests, with seats available to book now. Ethiopian will start services from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) to Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi (AUH) on 15 July, and Etihad Airways introducing daily flights to Addis Ababa starting 8 October. This is the first step ahead of implementation of the groundbreaking Joint Venture agreed between Etihad and Ethiopian in March 2025 unlocking greater travel opportunities for passengers across both networks. The codeshare lets guests simplify their journeys by making a single booking with one check-in process at the start and the added convenience of having their baggage transferred to their final destination. Arik De, Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer said: “By leveraging our combined networks, we are unlocking seamless travel opportunities between Africa and Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. Easy connections via Abu Dhabi and Addis Ababa, will enhance flexibility, boosting trade and tourism, and delivering unparalleled travel experiences to guests of both airlines.” Under this partnership, Etihad passengers will gain access to Ethiopian Airlines’ extensive African network, with connections via Addis Ababa to 55 destinations across 33 countries, including Entebbe, Kinshasa, Kigali, Lusaka, Harare and Victoria Falls expanding their travel options across the continent. At the same time, Ethiopian Airlines passengers can book itineraries connecting to Etihad-operated flights through Abu Dhabi, with onward service to 20 key destinations across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East including Sydney, Krabi, Colombo and Phnom Penh. As part of its commitment to Africa’s growing demand for air travel, Etihad is significantly expanding its network in …