Top 3 Headlines
Emirates Premium Economy to reach 99 destinations by Q4 2026
Emirates has detailed how it plans to scale Premium Economy across its widebody fleet and network, tying the rollout to aircraft retrofit milestones (including a reconfigured high-density A380 coming 14 April) and targeted route deployments through 2026. This is an important competitive signal for premium-yield positioning out of DXB. In the Middle East, Emirates will be offering Premium Economy across its five-weekly flights to Basra from 1 May.
DXB forecasts 99.5m passengers in 2026
After its record performance of 95.2m passengers in 2025, Dubai Airports expects DXB to approach the 100m passenger mark this year, showing continued capacity needs and the strategic momentum behind the Al Maktoum International (DWC) expansion programme. The largest markets for the airport are still Britain, Saudi, and India, while Italy, Egypt, and China have all recorded double-digit growth in the last 12 months.
1/16 Airbus A350-900 for EgyptAir
EgyptAir has received the first of its A350-900s, which are part of a 16-aircraft order, marking a significant fleet modernisation step that supports longer-haul network ambitions from Cairo and raises the bar on product and fleet competitiveness in North Africa and beyond. The aircraft have two-class configurations with 30 Business Class suites with direct aisle access and 310 Economy Seats.
Noteworthy
- Etihad reported 2.2m passengers in January 2026 (up 29% YoY), signalling continued demand momentum out of Abu Dhabi alongside a year-on-year load factor improvement. This is a useful context for tracking AUH capacity and competitive share versus neighbouring hubs.
- Emirates has signed an interline agreement with China’s Loong Air expanding Emirates’ beyond-gateway access, simplifying through-ticketing and baggage. This is an incremental but meaningful connectivity play for China flows via Dubai.
- The UAE’s GCAA and Ministry of Defence signed for phase four of the Airspace Restructuring Project, aimed at upgrading air traffic management and increasing route capacity, an enabling move for airport and airline growth plans.
- AirAsia X announced a London relaunch using Bahrain as a hub, signalling an attempted low-cost long-haul connectivity play that could stimulate new flows through BAH. It also adds a fresh competitive angle for Gulf hubs on certain price-sensitive segments.
- General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) granted AirX Charter authorisation to operate domestic on-demand private flights in Saudi Arabia, expanding customer choice in business/private aviation and aligning with Saudi’s broader aviation market development objectives. It also confirmed Riyadh will host the 2026 Future Aviation Forum 20-22 April this year.
- Turkish Airlines disclosed plans to start scheduled services to Urumqi (subject to conditions), strengthening its China network optionality and adding another long-haul growth marker for IST connectivity strategy.
- Flyadeal has marked the first anniversary of Pakistan flights with an awards dinner in Karachi. The airline which now operates 18 non-stop flights per week across five destinations in Pakistan, showed its appreciation for both teams, and the fast growth of the service over the last year.
