Analysis Aviation Gulf’s thriving private jet industry uncowed by eco concerns The Gulf’s private aviation industry is buoyant as executives, ruling family members and other wealthy individuals use its services to travel across the region and beyond. In the first half of 2023, there were 7,300 private flights to or from Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub, which is part of Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). […] November 14, 2023
Dubai Airshow Aviation Flydubai announces $11bn wide-body Dreamliner deal Low-cost carrier Flydubai has announced the biggest change in its 15-year existence, with an order for 30 wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Flydubai’s chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said on Monday that the $11 billion order “signals a new chapter for the airline”. The airline is best known for its fleet of narrow-body […] November 13, 2023
Dubai Airshow Aviation Supersonic a future option as Riyadh Air builds fleet Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new flagship airline which is set to start flying in 2025, is still in talks with Boeing over further orders for wide and narrow-bodied aircraft. “We’re in continued negotiation with manufacturers about aircraft,” chief operating officer Peter Bellew said on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow on Monday. “We’ve ordered 39 […] November 13, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Aviation Gulf’s low-cost carriers fuel demand for smaller aircraft The number of single-aisle aircraft in the Middle East is expected to more than double in the next 20 years on the back of a predicted rapid expansion for low-cost carriers and short-haul networks. By 2042, nearly half of the planes operating in the region will be single-aisle jets, according to a commercial market outlook […] November 13, 2023
Transport Emirates 777X deal to kick-start Dubai Airshow Middle East carriers look set to order tens of billions of dollars of long-haul jets at the opening of the Dubai Airshow on Monday, as Emirates renews confidence in the delayed Boeing 777X while facing new competition from rivals like Turkish Airlines. Hosts Emirates and low-cost cousin flydubai are expected to stamp their mark early […] November 13, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Aviation Saudi Arabia and UAE drive air travel recovery Flight bookings to Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the last quarter of this year are up by as much as 70 percent on pre-pandemic levels, new figures reveal. Data compiled exclusively for AGBI by the travel intelligence company ForwardKeys shows that as of early October, Saudi Arabia led the region for growth in seat […] November 13, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Aviation Aviation in struggle to reach net zero targets Gulf commercial airlines have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 by switching to sustainable aviation fuels, adopting new technologies and buying carbon offsets, among other measures. But they face challenges in doing so. The aviation industry hopes measures such as these will enable it to realise two seemingly conflicting ambitions: doubling the volume […] November 12, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Aviation Gulf’s beloved Airbus A380 makes its return to the skies The world’s biggest passenger jet, the double-decker Airbus A380, is back in favour after high operating costs forced many airlines to curtail or cancel its use. The post-pandemic surge in international travel and a shortage of large, fuel-efficient aircraft have combined to reignite demand for the thirsty superjumbo, at least for now. And nowhere are […] November 12, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Aviation Riyadh Air positions Saudi as major player in Gulf aviation Gulf airlines are bracing for an escalating challenge from Saudi Arabia’s new global carrier Riyadh Air, which is scheduled for take-off in 2025. The highly hyped airline, whose launch was first revealed by the kingdom in March, is targeting 100 destinations in its first five years. This is a scale of ambition likely to reshape […] November 12, 2023
DUBAI AIRSHOW Transport Turkish Airlines in talks with Airbus for 355 jets Turkish Airlines (THY) has held talks with European airline manufacturer Airbus on a potential order of 355 new aircraft, state-run Anadolu news agency said. During the meeting in Istanbul, executives from Turkish Airlines discussed buying 75 wide-body A350-900, 15 wide-body A350-1000 aircraft, 250 narrow-body A321neo aircraft and five A350F cargo aircraft, in addition to 10 […] November 12, 2023
