Aviation Emirates resumes Tokyo flights as UAE and Japan deepen ties Emirates said on Thursday it will resume flights to Tokyo-Haneda airport from April 2, after a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Dubai’s flag carrier said the service will be operated by one of its Boeing 777 Game Changer aircraft, with the outbound flight EK312 departing Dubai at 07.50 and arriving in Haneda at […] January 12, 2023
Aviation Airlines lift China international flight capacity as border opens Airlines have boosted January international seat capacity to and from China by 9.5 percent over the last week as they ramp up flights after its border opening, according to aviation data provider Cirium, though flights remain at a fraction of pre-pandemic levels. Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd added more than 52,000 seats as its […] January 9, 2023
Aviation Tunisian government to sell its 24% stake in Nouvelair Tunisia’s state-owned investment company, Al Karama Holding, plans to sell its shares in Nouvelair and Nouvelair Handling this month, according to national press agency Tunis Afrique Presse. The move comes as the Tunisian government attempts to raise 656 million dinar ($210.2 million) through privatisation and the sale of companies confiscated from establishment figures after the […] January 3, 2023
EXCLUSIVE Aviation Gulf airlines will collaborate more in 2023, says Emirates chief The Middle East aviation industry is perfectly positioned to launch greater collaboration among its leading players, according to Emirates president Sir Tim Clark. Middle East carriers are expected to post a loss of $1.1 billion in 2022, and a profit of $268 million in 2023 as per a report from the International Air Transport Association. […] December 28, 2022
Opinion Aviation Gulf aviation will continue to grow despite global challenges Emirates and Gulf aviation in general can expect a year of growth as Qatar builds on the World Cup and Saudi Arabia drives its tourism December 28, 2022
Transport UAE clears way for flying taxis with latest world-first regulation The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority has issued the world’s first national vertiport regulation taking a further step towards the introduction of flying taxis. The regulation covers the design and operation of vertiports – areas of land, water, or structures used for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. It is expected to be released in […] December 28, 2022
Aviation Dubai airport expects nearly 2m passengers during holiday season Dubai International (DXB) will remain “exceptionally busy” over the remainder of the holiday season and well into the New Year, with nearly two million passengers expected to pass through the airport, state-owned WAM news agency reported. DXB’s average daily passenger numbers have risen almost back to pre-pandemic levels on the back of a strong recovery […] December 28, 2022
Aviation Dubai Aerospace Enterprise signs $800m unsecured term financings Global aviation services company Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Ltd has signed a new senior unsecured term financings for a total of $800 million. The term financings have a weighted average maturity of 5.5 years in two transactions and were each underwritten by a “leading bank in the region”, according to a statement on Tuesday. Firoz […] December 27, 2022
Transport Israeli startup makes inroads with personal flying vehicle An Israeli-made electric vehicle designed to fly commuters on short trips far above streets overcrowded with cars has made its maiden unmanned flight, a milestone the developer says will help it reach the market in the next two years. The test-phase voyage may not look out of the ordinary at first given the huge progress […] December 22, 2022
Analysis Aviation Private jet demand to Doha soars despite World Cup price hikes Private jet operators have reported a massive surge in demand for flights to Doha during the World Cup, despite the rise in operating costs caused by the high number of aircraft flying in and out of the Qatari capital. “So far, the World Cup has been an incredibly exciting — albeit intensely busy time — […] December 14, 2022
Analysis Aviation Flight searches to Qatar soar from South Korea and Australia Searches for travel to Qatar from nations competing in the World Cup surged in November as fans raced to reserve last-minute flights and accommodation in the tournament’s host country. Enquiries for Qatar on travel aggregator website Wego from internet users in South Korea were up 168 percent in November versus the same period of 2021, […] December 7, 2022
Exclusive Transport Dubai’s first passenger drones to fly in 2024 A senior Dubai sheikh has signed a deal with a Hungarian aviation firm to manufacture passenger drones in the UAE, with the first aircraft due to roll off the production line in early 2024. Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum’s RAM Investment Ltd will partner with Jakabszállás-based Genevation Aircraft Ltd to build the drones as […] December 1, 2022
Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 Saudi plans to create global ‘aerotropolis’ with new airport Saudi Arabia has drawn up a masterplan for King Salman International Airport, a major transport hub expected to span 57 sq km and boost annual passenger numbers from the current 29 million to 120 million by 2030. The new airport in the kingdom’s capital city Riyadh is intended to be one of the largest in […] November 29, 2022
Aviation Dubai Airports ups 2022 annual passenger forecast to 64.3m Dubai Airports has increased its annual forecast for passenger traffic at Dubai International (DXB) to 64.3 million following its strong performance in the third quarter and the prospects of a stronger surge in the offing in the final three months of 2022, the UAE state-owned WAM news agency reported. Average monthly traffic exceeded the six-million […] November 23, 2022
Opinion Aviation Fly the environment-friendly skies Middle East airlines have led the way in showing how Gulf economies can diversify. Now they have to become pioneers of net-zero aviation too November 21, 2022
Aviation Qatar airport’s final expansion phase to start in early 2023 The final phase of Hamad International Airport (HIA) expansion will start early next year, Qatar Tribune newspaper reported, citing Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker. The expansion will increase the airport’s annual capacity to up to 75 million passengers. Phase A of HIA’s expansion plans is now ready for the much-anticipated FIFA World […] November 13, 2022
Aviation Emirates confirms order of five new Boeing jets worth $1.7bn Dubai-based Emirates has announced a firm order for five new Boeing 777-200LR freighter aircraft worth over $1.7 billion at list prices. Two units will be delivered in 2024, while the remaining three units in 2025, the airline said in a statement. The agreement takes the airline’s total order book to 200 wide-body aircraft. Sheikh Ahmed […] November 8, 2022
Aviation Qatar Airways wins UK court battle with aircraft seat maker A British court has ruled in favour of Qatar Airways in a dispute between the Gulf carrier and an Italian aircraft seat manufacturer. Sezze-based Optimares had sued Qatar Airways after the airline terminated a contract to buy made-to-order business and economy class seats for some of the Doha-based airline’s Boeing and Airbus aircraft. But a […] October 25, 2022
Aviation Etihad names new CEO as airline confirms Tony Douglas exit Etihad Aviation Group named Antonoaldo Neves its new CEO today after confirming the departure of Tony Douglas, who is understood to be taking the helm at a new airline in Saudi Arabia. Neves was announced as group CEO while Douglas will serve during his transition period as an advisor to the board of ADQ Aviation […] October 19, 2022
Analysis Aviation Flight bookings soar as Gulf benefits from Qatar 2022 fever Flight bookings to Qatar from the UAE and 31 countries competing in the FIFA World Cup are currently 10 times the volume of pre-pandemic levels, according to new data. The latest analysis by UK-based ForwardKeys shows that the UAE will perform most strongly during the Qatar 2022 World Cup period in November and December, where […] October 11, 2022
Aviation Irish firm bags $266m operations contract for Saudi Red Sea airport The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) has appointed Dublin-based daa International as the operator of Red Sea International, which will be the region’s first carbon-neutral airport. The developer of mega projects – Red Sea Project and Amaala – signed a SAR 1 billion ($266 million) deal with the Irish company for operations and general maintenance […] October 11, 2022
Tourism Sales of one-way tickets to Dubai double as Russians flee call-up The number of Russians booking one-way tickets to Dubai doubled in a week after President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilisation to fight in Ukraine, flight data has revealed. Putin’s television address on September 21 prompted a spike in demand and web searches for flights out of the country. Travel analytics firm ForwardKeys has found […] October 4, 2022
