From new flights connecting the Middle East with Paris, Sydney, Amsterdam, and London to innovative check-in services, smart gates, and a new plane delivery, the industry continues to expand its global reach and enhance the passenger experience. Here’s the latest:

Turkish Airlines flying out of Sydney, Australia 

Starting from 5 December, Turkish Airlines has officially announced its inaugural flights from Sydney, connecting Australia’s largest city to over 300 destinations worldwide. Building on its three flights per week from Melbourne, the new route will operate four times per week from Sydney to Istanbul via Kulala Lumpur. The airline’s strategic expansion aims to cater to increasing connectivity demand from the Middle East for both business and leisure travellers.

Direct flights to Doha and Bahrain with flynas

Saudi low-cost carrier flynas is set to expand its international operations with new direct flights to Bahrain and Doha. From 10 September, these routes will enhance connectivity for travellers between Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours, meeting rising demand for short-haul travel. flynas will operate three weekly flights to Bahrain International Airport from Madinah Airport, and two weekly flights from Madinah to Doha. 

Etihad’s Summer Schedule looking hot for 2025

Etihad Airways is has announced a major increase in services to services for it’s Summer 2025 schedule. The UAE National carrier will offer year-round double-daily flights between Abu Dhabi and a number of European destinations including Paris, Milan, Rome, Manchester, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Barcelona, and Madrid. It will also add 5 weekly services to Malaga and Copenhagen. A number of other destinations will also see a bump – Sydney and Dubli both move up to 10 x weekly. Casablanca and Bali will move to Daily . 

Riyadh Air’s test flights to Jeddah begin

As part of its Air Operator Certifcate (AOC) process, Riyadh Air has commenced non-commercial test flights between Riyadh and Jeddah, marking a significant step in establishing its operations. The airline aims to connect major Saudi cities, fostering greater domestic travel and tourism starting in 2025. The test flights will help evaluate operational readiness and prepare for the passenger experience, ensuring a smooth launch of regular services in the near future.

Emirates goes back to future with Aviation Future Week, plus continuing retrofit roll-out

Emirates will also host the first-ever Aviation Future Week in collaboration with the Museum of the Future from 15 – 17 October 2024. The focus is on innovative developments in the aviation industry at the inaugural event. 

Emirates also confirmed their retrofitted 777’s will be servicing 6 cities across the States, including Chicago, Boston, Dallas – Fort Worth and Seattle. Newark (via Athens) and Miami (onwards to Bogota) will also receive the refreshed products. These services will be rolled out starting from next month.

Separately, the Airline will also start receiving several new Airbus A350 aircraft by the end of 2024, with the first being delivered this October. As Emirates grow its fleet it is also investing $3 billion into its ongoing retrofitting program of more than 190 aircraft with the aim to bolster the airline’s capacity to meet increasing passenger demand.

Qatar Airways expands in Saudi and Amsterdam

Qatar Airways has resumed flights to Abha, Saudi Arabia, offering two weekly services to Abha International Airport from 2 January 2025. Flights to Abha will be the 11th destination Qatar Airways flies to within Saudi Arabia, increasing its connectivity in the region. The airline currently services; Yanbu, Tabuk, Taif, Qassim, Medina, Jeddah, Dammam, NEOM, and AlUla. 

To accommodate increased demand during winter season Qatar Airways is also adding four additional weekly flights from Amsterdam to Doha from 12 November 2024 – 29 March 2025. As well as expanding its operations from two weekly to four weekly flights to NEOM in time for the winter season. 

Smart gates at NEOM

NEOM Bay Airport is introducing advanced smart gates at its airport, aimed at streamlining the current process for passengers. These innovative gates utilise cutting-edge technology to enhance security and efficiency, allowing for faster processing times. Passengers will be able to use self-service kiosks to scan their own biometric data helping to improve the experience and decrease wait times. This project is a collaboration between the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the General Directorate of Passports.

Wizz Air launches Gatwick to Jeddah flights 

From 31 March 2025, Wizz Air is launching a new direct route from Gatwick to Jeddah, expanding its international network. This service will facilitate travel between the UK and Saudi Arabia, catering to leisure and business travellers with flights operating every day. The route is expected to use the Airbus A321XLR which is cost-effective and accessible meaning flights will start at around $116.99 according to the Wizz Air app. 

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s home check-in service

Partnering with Morafiq, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has introduced a service allowing travellers to check in from the comfort of their homes, eliminating the need for long queues at the airport. Through the service, passengers can collect their boarding pass and check in their luggage from home, streamlining the travel process and providing a hassle-free start to their journey. The service can be booked via Air Arabia’s website or the Morafiq App and once checked-in, a Morafiq representative will arrive at the traveller’s home to provide the boarding passes and collect their luggage.