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Aviation

Aviation news from the Middle East. All the important stories, exclusive interviews, plus authoritative opinion and analysis

Joby Aviation's CEO JoeBen Bevirt (2nd left) at the signing of a multilateral agreement with the three Abu Dhabi government departments

Abu Dhabi signs multiple deals to launch air taxi services in 2025

A commute from Abu Dhabi to Dubai could take only 30 minutes next year, with the introduction of air taxi services significantly slashing travel time between the emirates. The electric aircraft manufacturer Joby Aviation signed agreements this week with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport, Department of Economic Development and Department of Culture and […]

Zayed International airport's air traffic controllers have guided planes carrying at total of 6.8 million passengers in the first three months of the year

London and India dominate airport traffic in Abu Dhabi

London and Indian cities dominated traffic at Abu Dhabi’s airports during the first quarter with year-on-year visitor numbers up by more than a third. Close to 7 million passengers passed through the emirate’s five airports in the first three months of the year. Zayed International airport, formerly known as Abu Dhabi International airport, welcomed 6.8 […]

An Emirates Boeing 777-300R. The Morocco facility will convert passenger planes to cargo

Boeing plane conversion facility to be built in Casablanca

A production facility is to be set up in Morocco to convert Boeing 777-300ER passenger jets into freighters. Stratos Industries will build three wide-body aircraft hangars at the Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca as part of a deal between US-based companies Kansas Modification Center (KMC) and Integrated Aerospace Alliance (IAA). KMC will convert up […]

Alstom's upgraded passenger transit system will help reduce emissions at King Abdulaziz International Airport

Alstom to upgrade driverless transit system at Jeddah airport

French train maker Alstom will upgrade the automated and driverless passenger transit system at King Abdulaziz International Airport, as the Jeddah airport aims to receive 114 million passengers by 2030. As part of the contract, Alstom will design, engineer, supply, integrate, test and commission a complete system upgrade of its Innovia automated people mover (APM) at the airport’s terminal […]

A man wades through a flooded street in Dubai. Some areas of the UAE received more than a year's worth of rain in one day Video length: 03:08

UAE president orders review after flooding

The UAE’s president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has ordered an urgent review of the country’s infrastructure after historic levels of rainfall brought the Gulf state to a standstill, with some areas seeing more than a year’s worth of rain in one day. The president has contacted authorities “to quickly work on studying the […]

Visitor numbers to Lebanon for the first 10 months of 2023 were up 21% on 2022 but there is currently 'no significant traffic' from the West

Beirut airport arrivals drop as Westerners stay away

The daily arrival rate at Lebanon’s only functioning international airport is down by 4 percent year on year in the first quarter of this year, according to Marwan Haber, the head of Middle East Airline’s (MEA) commercial division. Speaking at the Horeca hospitality conference in Beirut on Tuesday Haber said 95 percent of arrivals were […]

The Turkish Airlines deal with Rolls-Royce and Airbus will be announced later this month

Turkish Airlines nears $20bn deal with Airbus and Rolls-Royce

State-backed Turkish Airlines is expected to sign an agreement with UK’s Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc and European planemaker Airbus to manufacture $20 billion worth of aircraft components locally. The deal will be announced in Istanbul later this month, Bloomberg reported, quoting Turkish officials who were aware of the agreement. Last December the Turkish national carrier announced […]

The number of international passengers at DXB reached nearly 87 million in 2023, rising 32% from the previous year

DXB remains world’s busiest international airport

Dubai International (DXB) has maintained its status as the world’s busiest international airport, beating London and Amsterdam, the Airports Council International (ACI), an association of world airports, said in a new report. DXB has secured the top place for the 10th consecutive year, with the number of international passengers reaching nearly 87 million in 2023, […]

Passengers at Beijing Capital International Airport. Air China will fly from the airport to Riyadh three times a week.

Third Chinese airline to launch flights to Saudi Arabia

Air China is set to begin flights to Riyadh in May, becoming the third Chinese airline to establish a route to Saudi Arabia. It joins China Southern and Eastern Airlines in connecting China with the kingdom.  Air China’s Airbus A330-300 will serve the Beijing-Riyadh route three times a week. The expansion in capacity between the […]

Ras El-Hekma international airport will support Egypt's new metropolis, located 350 km northwest of Cairo

Egypt allocates land for airport at ADQ’s metropolis

The Egyptian government has allocated two plots of land for the development of Ras El-Hekma international airport by UAE sovereign wealth fund ADQ. The land plots in Matrouh, a governorate in the north-west of Egypt, were handed over to the country’s civil aviation ministry, Ahram Online newspaper reported. The airport development is part of the […]

Oman Airports expects a delayed recovery compared to other GCC countries due to Oman Air’s ongoing transformation

Oman Airports profit up 45% in 2023 on higher revenue

The combined net profit of Oman Airports surged 45 percent to OR18.5 million ($48 million) in 2023, compared to almost OR13 million in 2022. Consolidated revenue increased by 39 percent year on year to OR150 million last year, as subsidiaries reported higher income. Oman Airports Management Company generated over OR124 million, Oman Ground Handling contributed […]

The increase in flights from the UAE to Saudi Arabia was driven by growing demand from Umrah performers

UAE airlines increased Saudi flights during Ramadan

Weekly flights from the UAE and Saudi Arabia rose 13 percent to 383 in March, compared to 338 in February. The increase was driven by growing demand from Umrah performers during the last 10 days of Ramadan, which started last month, state-run Wam news agency reported, quoting the General Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) statistics. Flydubai […]

Ryanair Morocco

Morocco denies subsidising Ryanair domestic flights

Morocco’s Ministry of Tourism has denied claims that it is subsidising the Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair’s expansion across the country. Ryanair will open domestic flights throughout Morocco from the summer as part of its $1.4 billion investment in the North African country. It had been reported that the Moroccan National Tourism Office would be providing […]

Travelers at Beijing Daxing International Airport. China Southern Airlines (CZ) is making its debut in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia and China strengthen ties with extra flights

Saudi Arabia is strengthening its ties with China with the launch of new passenger and cargo flights between the two countries. Beginning on April 16, China Southern Airlines (CZ) will operate four commercial passenger flights and three cargo flights connecting Beijing Daxing and Riyadh, according to a report on the Saudi Press Agency website. This […]

Investcorp Corsair will be the lead financial sponsor of the project to develop JFK Airport's terminal 6

Investcorp to invest in $4.2bn JFK terminal 6 overhaul

Investcorp Capital, an alternative investment company listed on the Abu Dhabi bourse, will help fund the $4.2 billion redevelopment of terminal 6 at New York’s JFK International Airport. The investment will flow through Investcorp Corsair Infrastructure Partners, a joint venture formed with New York-headquartered Corsair Capital. The investment amount was not disclosed. The venture is […]

Aircraft, Airliner, Airplane

UAE carriers expand reach to 603 global destinations

UAE carriers were serving 603 destinations worldwide by the first quarter of 2024, compared to 586 at the close of 2023. The three percent increase reflects the rebound in the aviation sector and a surge in travel demand, state-run Wam news agency reported, quoting data released by the national carriers. Air Arabia leads with 215 […]

Passengers queue to check in at Antalya airport, Turkey's second busiest

Turkey secures more funds for Antalya airport expansion

An additional $463 million financing has been secured to help upgrade and expand Turkey’s second busiest airport, Antalya.  Antalya served more than 35 million passengers in 2023 which went some way towards Turkey recording record tourism receipts. The first phase of development will include the expansion of Terminal 2 and the construction of new general […]

Oman Air revenue people boarding aircraft

Revenue up at Oman Air but pressure still on, say experts

Oman Air has posted increased revenues for the past year but the sultanate’s flag carrier still faces difficult times ahead, aviation industry experts say. The heavily indebted airline launched a restructuring process last August in an attempt to balance the books within the next four years.  Oman Air’s net losses in 2023 fell by 36 […]