This week, new partnerships, route expansions, and innovative services launch for the Middle Eastern aviation industry. flynas, Etihad and Wizz Air have released new flight routes, while major airlines like Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic enter strategic collaborations. Meanwhile, Emirates and flydubai enhance their passenger experience in distinct ways. 

flynas adds new connectivity between UAE and KSA

Leading Middle East LCC, flynas has launched three new destinations and five additional routes between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, solidifying its position as the largest carrier connecting the two regions. The airline now operates flights to four major UAE airports, including Al Maktoum, Zayed, Sharjah, and Dubai International. This expansion brings the total to 20 daily flights across nine direct routes from cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Madinah. This growth aligns with Flynas’ broader expansion plans under Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to reach 250 international destinations

New airline payment accessibility with IATA and Outpayce

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has partnered with Outpayce to enhance airline payment options. Through this collaboration, airlines can now facilitate account-to-account payments through Outpayce’s Xchange Payments Platform (XPP), which is considered a faster, more secure alternative to traditional methods. The move aims to reduce transaction costs and processing times while increasing payment security. IATA’s Director of Financial Settlement Operations, Juan Antonio Rodriguez, said, “Through Outpayce, airlines using XPP can begin to accept IATA Pay while still benefiting from XPP’s powerful orchestration, analytics and reporting capabilities.”

This collaboration reflects a growing industry trend towards digitisation and more streamlined financial solutions, allowing airlines to improve cash flow management and offer more payment flexibility to passengers across the globe.

Turkish Airlines’ new NDC

Turkish Airlines has partnered with major content aggregators, including Travelfusion, Theta, Verteil, Nuua, and Mystifly, to enhance the booking experience for travel agencies through its TKCONNECT platform. This collaboration enables agents to access exclusive deals, create customised itineraries, and enjoy a more seamless, efficient booking process. By leveraging NDC technology, the airline enhances its distribution capabilities, allowing it to stay competitive in the digital age, improving how its services are sold and ultimately boosting revenue by attracting a wider range of customers.

Meanwhile, starting 18 December, Turkish Airlines will commence four weekly flights from Istanbul to Santiago, Chile via Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Virgin Atlantic and Riyadh Air join forces

Marking a significant move to enhance connectivity between Europe and the Middle East, Virgin Atlantic has signed a strategic agreement with upcoming airline Riyadh Air (2025). The partnership will focus on route codesharing, allowing passengers from both airlines to access a broader network of destinations with seamless connectivity. This collaboration aligns with Riyadh Air’s ambitious growth plans after launching agreements with Delta, Saudia, Turkish Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. It will also increase Virgin Atlantic’s footprint in the Middle East from 30 March 2025. 

Wizz Air’s long-haul expansion

Wizz Air has launched its first-ever long-haul route connecting Abu Dhabi to Milan with its new Airbus A321XLR. Seating 239, this long-range aircraft, known for its fuel efficiency and extended flight range, enables the budget carrier to extend its low-cost model to longer international routes. Pricing is up to 70% lower than other carriers, with tickets starting at Dh429. This new service reflects Wizz Air’s growing ambition to tap into the long-haul market, offering budget-conscious travellers affordable options for distant destinations. The route will start 2 June 2025.

Meanwhile, the airline has also unveiled plans for its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, arriving in February 2025. At a London event, CEO József Váradi shared the airline’s strategy for the extended-range planes, including longer routes from London-Gatwick Airport, reported Aerotime. The first A321XLR service will launch on March 31, 2025, with a daily flight from London to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marking the start of Wizz Air’s expanded route network.

Etihad Airways expands to Warsaw and Prague

Etihad Airways has announced new direct routes to Warsaw, Poland, and Prague, Czechia, set to launch in June 2025. These flights will operate four times a week using Boeing 787 Dreamliners, offering direct connectivity between Abu Dhabi and the two European capitals for the first time.

Flights include 262 Economy Class and 28 Business Class seats appealing to both business and leisure travellers with two flights per day to each city offering more flexibility. The move complements Etihad’s existing European network and reflects the airline’s goal to cater to increased demand for flights between the Middle East and Europe.

Emirates’ new signature scents

Emirates has unveiled its new, exclusive onboard fragrances in partnership with luxury organic brand VOYA. These signature scents are designed to enhance passenger sensory experience in Emirates’ premium cabins. The Eau de Toilette range will feature male and female fragrances and will be available for use in First Class and Business Class washrooms, adding to the existing VOYA products which include body wash, cleanser, moisuriser, shampoo, conditioner, and hand cream.  

Thousands of 50ml bottles of the Emirates’-VOYA fragrance will be commissioned to be stocked on more than 400 flights per day. By collaborating with a brand known for its organic and sustainable products, Emirates reinforces its focus on providing a luxurious, eco-friendly travel experience.

Flydubai launches Kish Island service, partners with Sri Lankan

flydubai has introduced a new route to Kish Island in Iran, a move aimed at tapping into the growing tourism potential of the destination. Known for its beaches, shopping, and free-trade zone, Kish Island is expected to attract leisure travellers from the UAE and beyond. The first flight has taken place successfully, with the Dubai-Kish route coming into effect shortly with four flights per week. flydubai’s new service will offer passengers an affordable, convenient option to visit this Persian Gulf island, opening new tourism and economic opportunities for the region.

The Dubai-based carrier has also announced an interline agreement with SriLankan Airlines commencing 9 September, providing passengers with more travel opportunities between the UAE, Sri Lanka and across the carriers’ networks.

Air Arabia to resume flights between Sharjah and Vienna

Air Arabia is set to relaunch direct flights from Vienna to Sharjah, UAE, on 20 December 2024. The airline will operate four weekly flights using an Airbus A320, marking the resumption of a service that was temporarily halted due to the pandemic. This reinstated route will once again provide passengers with a convenient and affordable travel option between the two cities. Flights will depart from Sharjah on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and from Vienna on the same days.