Top 3
A record 1.08m passengers for QAIA
Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) handled 1,081,573 passengers in August 2025, marking a 12.2% YoY increase, and the highest traffic ever recorded in a single month at the airport.
Operational highlights for August 2025 also included:
- Aircraft movements (ACM): 8,380 (+11.5% vs August 2024)
- Cargo volumes: 6,683 tonnes (-0.1% vs August 2024)
Year-to-date (January-August 2025):
- Total passengers: 6,467,788 (+6.6%)
- ACM: 52,303 (+3.2%)
- Cargo: 45,265 tonnes (-13%)
The record passenger traffic was driven by strong summer demand and the return of expatriates for holidays, underlining QAIA’s role as Jordan’s primary international gateway despite regional challenges.
Culinary apprenticeships are coming to Emirates Flight Catering
Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC), in partnership with the Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), has launched its first Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Programme to train new talent for Dubai’s hospitality sector.
The programme began on 1 September 2025 with 15 apprentices from six nationalities. It combines classroom learning with hands-on training in EKFC kitchens. Graduates will earn a globally recognised Certificate III in Culinary Arts, endorsed by the UAE Ministry of Education.
The initiative supports EKFC’s growth plans linked to Dubai International Airport expansion and Dubai World Central, while helping address skills shortages in the wider culinary and hospitality industries.
Etihad Airways gets prestigious five stars
Etihad Airways has been recognised as a Five-Star Global Airline by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) for 2026, based on verified passenger feedback. Following Etihad’s commitment to Emirati hospitality and service, the announcement was made on 11 September at the APEX/IFSA Awards Ceremony in Long Beach, California.
Ratings were compiled from nearly one million flights across 600 airlines worldwide and independently certified by an external auditing company.
Noteworthy
- flydubai starts four Dubai-Nairobi flights per week from 15 October and will increase Mombasa flights to daily from 1 October, bringing Kenya to 11 weekly services. It also launched twice-weekly Dubai-Lasi, Romania flights, and will ramp Bucharest to triple-daily, totalling 21 UAE-Romania flights per week.
- Air Arabia will boost Sharjah-Phuket to three daily services from 26 October to meet surging Thai leisure demand.
- Turkish Airlines has launched daily Istanbul-Seville flights from 17 September using Boeing 737-8s. This is the airline’s sixth destination in Spain and a sub-5-hour hop each way.
- Riyadh Air plans summer 2026 launches to five Indian gateways; Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, subject to traffic rights, slots and regulatory approvals.
- Plaza Premium Group has opened a new Regional HQ in Riyadh, its second EMEA base, to oversee lounges, hotels, meet and greet, fast track and concierge services across the Middle East and Africa after 10 years in Saudi Arabia.
- Etihad will return to Damascus with a four-weekly service starting June 2026. This will be its first Syria flights in 14 years as regional demand grows.
- EgyptAir Cargo delivered its first live-bee (yes, actual bees) shipment to Saudi Arabia, flying colonies from Cairo to Al Baha on a wide-body with full cold-chain protocols and specialised handling.
- Qatar Airways will launch three weekly flights to The Red Sea from 21 October, its 12th KSA destination, opening smoother links from Asia and Europe to the giga-project resorts.
- Emirates are running an Oktoberfest programme on Germany routes and in lounges from 20 September to 5 October 2025, featuring Bavarian-themed menus and treats across all cabins and the A380 Onboard Lounge.
