Tag Archives: North Africa

Etihad Airways continues to reinforce its position as a leader in global aviation, expanding strategic partnerships that connect world-class airlines to Abu Dhabi and broaden travel opportunities for millions of visitors. With over 40 codeshare partners in its network, Etihad connects travellers to more than 100 destinations across its own network and over 300 destinations through its partners, positioning Abu Dhabi as one of the most accessible cities in the world. Recent collaborations with leading carriers include strategic partnerships with Ethiopian Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air Europa, alongside codeshare agreements with Air Seychelles, Akasa Air, TAP Air Portugal and Sky Express, underscoring Etihad’s central role in attracting major international airlines to the UAE capital. “Etihad is proud to be at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s growing global footprint,” said Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways. “Every partnership we build strengthens the connectivity, choice and experience for our guests, while positioning Abu Dhabi as a key world destination. Through our strategic partnerships, we have brought major international airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Air Seychelles, Air Europa and Akasa Air to Abu Dhabi. “These partnerships are not only expanding access to critical markets such as China, North America, Africa and Europe, they are also contributing directly to the growth of Abu Dhabi’s tourism, affirming the city’s role as a hub for innovation, tourism and global business.” Etihad’s award-winning loyalty programme now features partnerships with 25 airlines, the most of any non-allied carrier. This extensive network offers frequent flyers greater flexibility, convenience and value, enabling guests to earn and redeem rewards effortlessly across hundreds of global destinations. As more carriers choose Abu Dhabi as a launchpad for …

Dubai-based international incentives provider, the ENTERTAINER, and Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa, announced a partnership that gives Wego users access to exclusive offers across the dining, leisure, entertainment and beauty sectors. Travellers using Wego’s offers on the metasearch engine’s iOS and Android Apps will now gain access to hundreds of 2-for-1 ENTERTAINER offers. These offers, cherry-picked for their relevance to the MENA traveller, can be redeemed across a number of global locations via the Wego App. Members can benefit from these offers at select lifestyle business outlets in the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UK, Singapore, Malaysia and Bali. Donna Benton, Founder, the ENTERTAINER, said, “Our partnership with Wego only further highlights what we believe in – appealing to all digital travellers. We want to ensure that they experience some of the best restaurants, spas and leisure activities, stress-free and at great value”. Mamoun Hmedan, Managing Director—Middle East, North Africa and India, Wego said, “This partnership is in line with our constant endeavour to give users, from around the world, the best travel shopping experience. Adding the ENTERTAINER bouquet of offers to the Wego offers regular selection of curated discounts and deals whilst reaffirming Wego’s commitment towards deepening its bond and engagement with existing users. Today, these users can avail great offers even when on holiday, rather than just securing bargains on flights and accommodation (which are booked pre-trip). Since Wego is the MENA region’s top travel App, we believe that it is best positioned to act as the natural distribution partner for the ENTERTAINER.” Tony Marshall, Head of Travel, the ENTERTAINER added, “We’re proud to be increasing the …

The State Government of Victoria is celebrating 20 years of trade and tourism ties with the Middle East region. The Australian state set up its Victorian Government Business Office (VGBO) in 1997 to forge and strengthen trade and investment ties with the region, which two decades later has seen Victoria’s annual exports to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region grow to AUD$ 2.49 billion (US$ 1.85 billion). Tourism and aviation links between Victoria and the region have also multiplied over the years, with Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways all flying daily to Melbourne. Emirates Airline has had a long-term relationship with Melbourne, having sponsored the famous Collingwood Football Club and the Emirates Melbourne Cup, the flagships among a portfolio of key partnerships in the state. Etihad Airways also has a strong connection with Melbourne, which is home to Australia’s Etihad Stadium, and has seen the UAE’s national carrier become the lead sponsor of Melbourne City Football Club.

Air Arabia introduces SITA’s next-generation passenger management system to extract even greater efficiency across its operations. Air Arabia carried close to 8-million passengers in 2015, serving 101 destinations spread across the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and Europe from five hubs in the UAE, Egypt, Morocco and Jordan. SITA’s latest passenger service system will help the airline better manage the boarding of passengers across all destinations while streamlining the turnaround of the airline’s aircraft. Through the Horizon Passenger Management and Distribution portfolio, SITA will provide the airline with its latest departure control and weight and balance systems. Horizon Weight & Balance will increase fuel savings for the airline by providing full load planning capabilities, including a graphical user interface framework, for all the functionalities required to load and dispatch an aircraft. This includes all legally required documentation for both airlines and ground handlers. SITA’s Horizon  Departure Control Services (DCS) is a fully integrated multi-host system for automated check-in, boarding and load planning and has been used to check in more than 167 million passengers worldwide.