Top 3 Headlines
Saudia soars with top service and new connectivity, offers heavily discounted fares
Saudia is cementing its position as a global aviation leader, having been named “Best in Class for Service-Guest Experience” by the prestigious APEX World Class Airlines 2025 awards. At the same time, the airline is significantly strengthening its network across Southeast Asia, introducing more direct connections and increasing capacity to key destinations in response to record passenger demand.
Adding to the momentum, the carrier has rolled out a limited-time sale offering up to 50% off international flights, a strategic move to reward loyalty, attract new travellers, and stimulate inbound and outbound traffic ahead of the busy winter season. Sale ends 31 August.
Emirates to boost London services and upgrade fleet to four cities
Emirates is set to boost its London services with a fourth daily flight to London Gatwick, from 8 February 2026, aboard their Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The flight brings Emirates’ total London services to 12 flights across three airports: Gatwick, Heathrow, and Stansted. With this expansion, Emirates’ UK operations will increase to 140 weekly flights, providing more departure time choices and flexibility for customers traveling to and from Dubai.
Meanwhile, the carrier is also upgrading its fleet to four cities – Amman, Mumbai, Muscat, and Bahrain, with next-gen Airbus A350s and retrofitted A380s and 777s featuring Premium Economy, starting from October and December, boosting its premium offerings on over 635 weekly flights.
Royal Jordanian connects directly to Mumbai
Royal Jordanian Airlines has launched a direct flight between Mumbai and Amman, strengthening cultural and tourism ties between India and Jordan. The new route will operate four times a week, offering passengers convenient travel options and boosting tourism and business exchanges between the two countries.
The launch of this direct flight is expected to enhance the travel experience for passengers and promote cultural exchange between India and Jordan. Royal Jordanian’s expanded network will provide more opportunities for tourists, business travelers, and those visiting friends and family to explore the rich history, culture, and natural beauty of Jordan.
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Noteworthy:
- Qatar Airways is seeking to appeal a court ruling that could hold it liable for invasive strip searches of five Australian women at Doha’s Hamad International Airport in 2020, arguing that the Montreal Convention shields it from liability.
- Oman Air has launched a 3-day sale for flights from Oman across the GCC for travel between 27 September and 30 November. Prices started from OMR29, sales ends on 28 August.
- Oman has expanded its air connectivity with Fly Baghdad’s new route to Salalah Airport, boosting tourism and trade opportunities between Oman and Iraq, particularly during the Khareef season.
- EgyptAir will transition its JFK operations to the New Terminal One in 2026, offering daily nonstop service and joining other major airlines like Qatar Airways at the state-of-the-art terminal.
- Flynas is resuming direct flights between Jeddah and Kuwait starting 1 November, with three weekly flights, increasing its total weekly flights between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to 10.
- Flyadeal is set to launch weekly flights from Islamabad to Dammam. The airline’s entry into the Islamabad market is expected to increase travel options and potentially drive down prices. The carrier will also operate a Riyadh-Sarajevo-Tirana-Riyadh triangle route in September with 50-minute stops in Sarajevo and Tirana, before suspending Riyadh-Sarajevo flights for winter.
- Etihad Airways is offering a flash sale with up to 30% off flights to several destinations, including Addis Ababa, Algiers, Atlanta, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Kazan, Krabi, Medan, Phnom Penh, and Tunis. The sale ends on 28 August, with travel to be completed between 1 September and 31 December.
- SalamAir has also released their “Breaking Fares” sale with one-way tickets starting from AED190 to 13 destinations across the Middle East and South Asia, with the sale ending on 28 August.
- RoyalJet has appointed Mohammed Bin Mahfoodh Alardhi as its new Chairman of the Board of Directors, leveraging his extensive experience as a seasoned business leader and Executive Chairman of Investcorp.
- Abu Dhabi Airports has appointed Carsten Nørland as its new Chief Commercial Officer, bringing in expertise to drive commercial strategy, revenue growth, and customer-centric initiatives across its five airports.
