Top 3 Headlines
Qatar Airways resumes routes and expands network to Bogotá and Caracas
The airline has announced it will resume flights to Helsinki and Tokyo Haneda from 15 July 2026, initially operating four weekly services before increasing both routes to daily flights from 1 August. In the Middle East, Qatar Airways has also resumed its twice daily flights to Abu Dhabi, expanding its UAE network alongside Sharjah and Dubai, while restoring services to Bahrain, Damascus, Kozhikode, Baghdad, Basra and Erbil.
Further strengthening its Americas expansion, the carrier will launch new services to Bogotá and Caracas from 22 July 2026, becoming the first Gulf airline to operate flights to Venezuela and the first Middle Eastern carrier to serve both capitals. The two weekly flights will increase Qatar Airways’ Americas network to 16 destinations.
Riyadh Air launches Saudi Cabin Crew training program ahead of 2027 operations
Riyadh Air has launched the “Nawat Cabin Crew Program” which aims to recruit thousands of Saudi nationals in August 2026with successful candidates undertaking an eight-month training course developed in partnership with the Bunyan for Training Company in Riyadh. Training will cover safety procedures, technical skills, hospitality and language proficiency ahead of joining the airline in 2027.
This is in line with Riyadh Air’s broader “Nawat” talent development strategy which also includes cadet pilot, graduate and aircraft engineering programmes aimed at increasing aviation sector localisation and creating more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs across the Kingdom.
Gulf Air launches first Starlink-enabled flight
Gulf Air has launched its first Starlink-equipped flight, joining Emirates as one of the first airlines in the region to introduce SpaceX’s high-speed satellite internet connectivity onboard.
The Bahrain national carrier said passengers can now access complimentary ultra-fast Wi-Fi across all cabin classes, supporting streaming, gaming, video calls and cloud-based applications throughout the journey.
Noteworthy
- flynas will add Rome, Munich and Budapest to its summer 2026 network, with three weekly direct flights from Riyadh starting 24 June. The airline will also resume seasonal services to Podgorica and the Maldives as part of a 25-destination summer programme across Europe, Africa and Asia.
- EgyptAir updated its customer notice for cancelled flights to and from Kuwait, with instructions covering affected services up to 15 May 2026.
- flydubai will launch direct flights to Benghazi from 17 June, becoming the first UAE carrier to connect Dubai with the Libyan city. The route expands flydubai’s East and North Africa network to 13 destinations.
- flyadeal will expand its summer 2026 network with first-time services to Milan and Prague, alongside returning seasonal routes to Trabzon, Sarajevo and Sharm El Sheikh. The programme includes nearly 900 flights across 12 seasonal routes from four Saudi cities.
- Air Arabia has reported a net profit of AED278 million (US$76 million) for the first quarter of 2026, down 22% (YoY) as regional conflict and airspace closures impacted operations across the carrier’s network. Despite the disruption, the average seat load factor increased to 86%, reflecting continued demand across its network.
- Jazeera Airways has hosted the first Kuwait Tourism Forum 2026, bringing aviation, hospitality and tourism stakeholders together to discuss inbound tourism growth. The airline also signed an MoU with the Kuwait Hotel Owners Association to support tourism development.
- Kuwait Airways is gradually increasing Terminal 4 operations as part of a phased return to normal schedules. The airline has also added daily London flights ahead of Eid Al Adha demand.
