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June 9 - The Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) is looking into meeting the increasing demand from Gulf tourists, particularly Dubai, and is stepping up efforts in this regard, said Director of Information and Public Relations, KAC, Naser Al-Oteibi, on Tuesday. Oteibi pointed out that the company will develop its services keeping in mind the resources available.
Barcelona, SPAIN – Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines, achieved yet another milestone yesterday as it launched daily flights between Doha and Barcelona – its 90th destination. With the touchdown of flight QR067 in Barcelona, where the aircraft was welcomed by a dramatic water salute and met by senior airport officials and local dignitaries, the airline reinforced its position as the…
June 8 - Moroccan based airline Royal Air Maroc had to make an emergency landing on Sunday soon after it took off from Amsterdam Schiphol airport after an engine problem, said the Dutch air control service. “Royal Air Maroc which had a problem with one of its two engines after taking off, turned around back to Schiphol and landed safely," said the airport’s spokeswoman Marjolein Weiting, adding that she did not…
June 8 - Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) has announced an extra charge of SR15 on local tickets issued by travel agencies as well as the airline. "Tickets issued electronically will be free of charge but tickets for domestic flights issued by travel agencies or SAA offices will have an issuance charge of SR15," said an official of the airline, adding that all international airlines are bringing changes to their…
June 7 - An Emirates flight flying from Dubai to Karachi was forced to turn back as Cyclone Phet battered the Pakistani port city, causing flooding in low lying areas and leaving about half the city without power. An airline spokesman said “Emirates flight EK606, travelling from Dubai to Karachi, had to return to the emirate after it was unable to land in Karachi due to adverse weather conditions caused by…
June 7 - Luxury air travel has slowed down significantly because of the global recession, and carriers are making extra efforts to lure clients back. Many people sitting at the front of the plane have only paid for the back of the plane and been upgraded, experts say, and internet savvy travelers do their bargain hunting online. “Luxury air travel has essentially been grounded. One of the first prerequisites to…
June 7 - The latest round of British Airways (BA) strikes this week means a loss of £7 million (Dh37.2m) for the airline per day, it was learnt on Monday. In fact, the airline has recorded a 5.8 percent drop in passenger loads from the Middle East region in its financial year-to-date, which begins April. The airline carried a 66.9 percent load for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region in April-May 2010, down…
June 7 - A 66-year-old German man died on an Emirates flight en route from Dubai to Bangkok on Saturday. As a result, the plane had to be diverted to New Dehli’s IGI Airport, said the airline on Sunday. The pilot of flight number EK375 declared an emergency after the man stopped breathing. The plane landed at IGI airport at around 12.50pm, where medical crew were waiting and the man was declared dead on…
June 7 - National carrier Oman Air celebrated it recently launched flights to Lahore and Islamabad in a grand ceremony. The event was held at Serena Hotel in Islamabad and at the Pearl Continental Lahore. Peter Hill, Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said, "I am very pleased to finally be able to open this route officially. Lahore and Islamabad represents our 36th and 37th destinations respectively, and…
June 7 - Emirates Airline received its 10th Airbus A380, worth $346 million on Sunday, making this the seventh plane delivered by the Airbus so far this year. Airbus plans to deliver at least 20 A380s this year. Emirates has placed orders worth $55 billion in orders with Airbus and Boeing and announced in May that it would take delivery of seven A380s and one Boeing 777 in 2010 to 2011.
June 6 - A number of airlines are competing aggressively to be the first to land at the new Al Maktoum International Airport, as the countdown to launch of Dubai’s second international airport begins. The new airport, which will eventually be the world’s biggest airport, is set to open with skeleton shifts of operational crews by June 15th then after three weeks of operation, on June 27 there will be flights and…
June 6 - Sharjah based budget carrier Air Arabia has announced it will start flights to Najaf, Iraq from June 8th. Flight service to Najaf, Air Arabia’s first destination in Iraq, will operate twice a week. Including the new Najaf destination, Air Arabia now operates 64 routes from three hubs in the UAE, Morocco, and Egypt, where service began on June 1. Air Arabia flights between Sharjah and Najaf will…
June 4 - Dubai’s budget carrier Flydubai launched its flights to Lucknow, India, yesterday. FZ433 took off on time from Dubai International Airport's Terminal 2 at 2030hrs last night, arriving at Lucknow Airport at 0150hrs local time this morning. The airline’s CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, who was on board the inaugural flight, said: "After much anticipation, we are thrilled to make our first entry into India…
June 4 - Etihad Airways on Thursday signed a new codeshare agreement with Hungarian carrier, Malev Airlines. The deal will be implemented from September 2010 and will provide travelers in Hungary access to the airline’s network spread across 61 destinations. Under the deal, Etihad will place its two-letter 'EY' code on services operated by Malev between Budapest and Athens, Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt and…
June 4 - Budget carrier Al Masria Universal Airlines, Egypt, has been given landing rights at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport under the Kingdom's open-air policy. The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) gave landing rights to the airline and daily flights will operate between Alexandria and Jeddah. The airline's first flight arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday. The plane, carrying 164 passengers,…
June 4 - Oman Air temporarily cancelled its flights WY 627 and WY 635 to Ras al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi in order to use the aircraft for evacuation of Masirah Island residents in light of the cyclone Phet. 'This is a national cause and Oman Air stands by its commitment to the national cause. The passengers stranded due to this cancellation will be put on the immediate available flights, or will be provided…
June 4 - There will soon be a third low-cost airline in UAE after approvals are given to it for take-off, said Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) yesterday. The director did not mention the name of the airline or the investors seeking the license. More details, he said, would come in a month Dubai’s first budget airline, Flydubai celebrated its first…
June 3 - Kuwaiti airline Wataniya Airways launched a service to Vienna on Wednesday. The service will operate three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, said an airline official. Vienna is the carrier’s 11th destination and its second European destination launched since the airline began operations in January 2009.
