The aviation industry in the Middle East never sleeps, and our local carriers have been busy. Here’s what you might have missed.
Refurbished routes for 777 announced
Emirates has announced the first destinations to be served by its newly refurbished Boeing 777 aircraft. The airline will introduce the refreshed aeroplanes to Brussels (from 11 September), Geneva (from 11 August), and Tokyo Haneda (from 1 September).
The retrofit program is part of a $2 billion investment, includes upgrading 81 777s across all cabins. Within this program, Emirates will be adding the popular Premium Economy class. The refreshed interiors feature new colour palettes and enhanced comfort.
It’s Emirates First Class for 101-Year-Old centenarian
101-year-old seasoned traveller Rachida Smati doesn’t look a day over 88 as she boards a flight to Algiers with Emirates on 1 July. After visiting family and friends in Dubai, Emirates celebrated Rachida’s milestone as she returned home by upgrading her to First-Class. They welcomed her to the First-Class lounge and fast-tracker her through the airport, greeting her with a a dedicated team as she boarded.
Encouraging stopovers in Dubai with free luxe stays
To entice travellers to explore Dubai, Emirates is offering complimentary stays at the luxury 5-star JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai. The offer is valid for passengers stopping over in Dubai for more than 24 hrs and travelling between July 4, 2024, and September 15, 2024.
Passengers who purchase an Emirates First Class or Business Class return ticket will enjoy a complimentary two-night stay at the JW Marriott. Passengers who book in Premium Economy or Economy can enjoy a one-night stay.
*For full terms and conditions, check out Emirates’ announcement here
10 million member milestone for Etihad Guest
Etihad Guest, Etihad Airways’ loyalty program, has celebrated its 10 millionth member. Marking a significant milestone in its growth and popularity, Managing Director of Etihad Guest, Mark Potter, announced exactly how the 10 millionth member would be rewarded. He said, “we are going to upgrade them to Platinum status immediately. This is a tier set aside for the programme’s most frequent flyers, requiring 125,000 Tier Miles to attain.”
A few days before this achievement, Etihad launched its inaugural flight to Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia, marking its fourth destination in KSA. The new route operates four times per week, enhancing connectivity between Al Qassim and the global network via Abu Dhabi.
Qatar Airways touches down in Hamburg
Qatar Airways has launched its fifth destination in Germany with daily flights to Hamburg from Doha starting July 1, 2024. This new route follows the airline’s existing services to Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, and Dusseldorf. It strengthens its presence in the German market and caters to a 62% growth in 2023 in outbound passengers from Germany. This route is also predicted to offer 11% growth in Hamburg’s cargo sector due to the economic and trade relationships between Germany, Asia, and the Middle East.
DXB smart airport to increase capacity to 120 million
Dubai Airports has unveiled ambitious expansion plans to increase Dubai International Airport’s (DXB) capacity to 120 million passengers annually. The project includes transforming DXB into a fully smart airport with enhanced passenger flow, seamless check-ins, and automated security checks. Additionally, Al Maktoum International Airport will be developed as the airport of the future, with significant investments in infrastructure to meet growing air travel demand. These upgrades aim to maintain Dubai’s status as a global aviation hub and improve the overall passenger experience.
flydubai recognised for growth as it continues to expand
Recognising its contributions and impressive growth in the aviation industry, flydubai has been honoured with the “Outstanding Sector Leadership and Growth” award at the MEA Business Achievement Awards 2024. The Dubai-based carrier has welcomed over 100 million passengers since it established in 2009. It is responsible for opening more than 90 routes that didn’t originally have direct links to the UAE or Dubai.
flydubai is not slowing down anytime soon, with its latest announcement introducing direct flights to two new destinations in Iran. Starting September 7, flights to Kish Island will commence, followed by the launch of services to Kerman on September 9.
IndiGo announces 42 new flights per week to Saudi
In an effort to cater to growing demand for travel between India and the Middle East, Indian carrier, IndiGo is launching additional daily non-stop flights. The routes between Mumbai and Jeddah will start from 15 August to give travellers more options and greater flexibility. The hope is that the 42 flights per week will also boost trade and tourism to both regions.
Saudia named Most Improved Airline 2024
Saudia has been recognised as the “World’s Most Improved Airline” for the third time at the 2024 Skytrax World Airline Awards. This accolade reflects Saudia’s significant efforts to enhance its services and customer experience over the past year. Based on a customer satisfaction survey of 375 airlines from around the world, and feedback collected over several months, Saudia demonstrated unrivalled progress in rankings compared to others. Alongside this award, Saudia also ranked top for the Best Economy Class Airline Catering.
flynas cabin crew to learn sign language
The first initiative of its kind in Saudi Arabia, flynas is getting their cabin crew trained in sign languageas part of the airline’s commitment to adopting initiatives with a sustainable impact on society. The program focuses on proficiency in using sign language and will cover all stages of a flight experience from welcoming, checking in, boarding, in-flight catering, safety procedures, and bidding farewell upon arrival. The program comes after the success of a similar program implemented by flynas at the beginning of 2024 to train ground service staff and cabin crew on the best ways to deal with travelers with autism.
