United arab emirates

Travel and aviation section discontinued

From 26.2.08 articles will no longer be published in the travel and aviation section / RSS feed. Similar articles can now been found at: http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Aviation/ http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Tourism_and_Hospitality/

RAK Airways buys 4 Boeings

Boeing and RAK Airways inked today a deal of four 737-800s with purchase rights for two additional 737s, worth approximately $300m at list prices. The aircrafts are the first Next-Generation 737 family to fly in the UAE.

Oman Air rebrands

Oman Air has launched a new logo as part of its rebranding and restructuring plans. The airline also expects its aircraft orders will be delivered on schedule, reported Gulf News. Oman Air has placed orders for six Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft on lease from Aviation Lease and Finance Company and expects delivery by 2014. The airline targets Kuala Lumpur, Frankfurt, Damascus, Sana'a, and Kozhikode in India as well as Bangalore as new destinations.

Etihad may order 100 planes

Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan said the carrier plans to order between 50 to 100 planes from Airbus and Boeing, reported Bloomberg. Etihad expects to receive the planes between 2013 and 2020. The orders will probably include A380 superjumbos.

Airport projects in GCC worth $43bn

Airport developments in Gulf countries are valued at more than $43bn, according to organizers at the forthcoming Airport Show in Dubai. The UAE accounts for roughly half of the Gulf's ongoing airport projects, including the $10bn Al Maktoum International Airport project in Jebel Ali and the $6.8bn expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport, reported Gulf News.

ADV: Capture the moment. Share the story.

See a shot you want? Grab your Nokia N76 and capture it instantly without even having to open the device. Choose from the 2.0 megapixel camera or up to 15 frames per second video camera. Dedicated keys let you easily capture, zoom and review pictures on the large 2.4" display. Edit it on the go or transfer it to a compatible PC and get creative with Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition. Share it by MMS or email, upload it to Flickr or simply print it.

Etihad flies to Beijing

Etihad Airways has launched its flight to Beijing, its eighth destination to the Asia-Pacific region. Etihad's flights to Beijing will operate every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with EY888 departing from Abu Dhabi at 11.45pm and arriving in the Chinese capital at 11.30am the next day.

DJ jailed in Dubai airport

Radio 1 DJ Grooverider has been jailed for four years in Dubai for possession of cannabis, reported the press association. The 40-year-old - real name Raymond Bingham was arrested at the city's airport after flying in for a nightclub gig .Customs officials found 2.16 grams of cannabis in his luggage.

Air Arabia's Kozhikode service starts soon

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, said that it will launch service to the South Indian city of Kozhikode beginning February 26, reported Gulf News. Flights will initially operate three times per week between Kozhikode, the third largest city in Kerala, and Air Arabia's hub in Sharjah. By the end of May the service will be expanded to six per week. Air Arabia is the first airline in the Middle East to commence operations to Kozhikode.

Emirates finances Boeing 777s

Emirates has raised $253m to finance two new Boeing 777 aircraft, the airline said, reported Gulf News. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER, were delivered last month. Emirates, already operating one of the largest 777 fleets in commercial aviation, has 53 Boeing 777s yet to be delivered comprising six 777-200LRs, eight 777-200LR freighters and 39 777-300ERs. The new aircraft will be deployed on the airline's long-haul services such as to Houston and Sao Paulo.

Etihad plans 30% traffic rise in 2008

Abu-Dhabi based Etihad Airways plans to fly 30% more passengers this year as it starts more routes and expands its fleet, reported Bloomberg. CEO James Hogan said in an interview with the news agency that the airline will carry 6 million passengers this year, up from more than 4.6 million passengers in 2007. The carrier expects to increase the fleet to 51 planes by 2012 from 37 it had last year, Hogan said.

Mubadala to invest 'billions' in Asia aerospace

Mubadala Development Company, an investment company owned by the Abu Dhabi government, has announced plans to invest 'billions of dollars' in Asia's aviation industry, reported Bloomberg citing an interview with Mubadala CEO Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi. The company will invest in companies that provide parts and maintenance to Boeing and Airbus, Al Muhairi said, adding that the 'shift of the center of gravity in the aerospace industry is moving ever eastward'.

Iraq signs $5bn deal for 46 aircraft

State-run Iraqi Airways has agreed to buy 40 new aircraft from US plane maker Boeing and six from Canada's Bombardier in a deal worth up to $5bn, reported Reuters. An earlier government statement had said Iraq would buy the 40 Boeing jets and had agreed an option for 10 more. The Boeing jets are due for delivery in 2015, and the Canadian aircraft are due this year and in 2009, according to Bangeen Riqani, deputy minister of transport. No details on the type of aircraft were immediately available.

Baku, Amman direct flights discussed

Elman Arasly, Azerbaijan's ambassador to Jordan and simultaneously to Iraq, said that a delegation of Royal Jordan, national air company of Jordan - Azerbaijan and Jordan - has arrived in Baku to discuss technical issues of opening direct air flights communicating two countries. During the visit the guests will meet with the leadership of the national air company Azerbaijan Airlines and other officials. The new air flight Amman-Baku will start operating in early April. Initially, the direct air flights will be operated twice a week. In case it is profitable, the sides will discuss raising the number of flights. At the initial stage, the flights will be operated by the air planes of Royal Jordan, while in the future, additional flights will be operated by AZAL.

Oman Air increases operational capacity

Oman Air, the national carrier of Oman, increased its operational capacity on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on a temporary basis by operating the Airbus 310 instead of B737, according to Hassan bin Talib Al Lawatia, Oman Air's country manager for Oman, reported Times of Oman. This decision was taken due to increase in demand by visitors from different regions in Oman as well as abroad who wished to visit the Sultanate for a relaxed holiday and to witness the Muscat Festival 2008.

Indian carrier to increase seats on Gulf flights

Air India Express is increasing the number of seats by 2,220 per week on its flights to the Middle East from the three airports in Kerala, reported Hindustan Times. As a result, the total number of weekly flights from Kerala will go up from 64 to 76. The airline operates to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Muscat, Doha and Bahrain from Kerala. It will soon be launching flights to Dammam in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as well.

Etihad codeshare benefits Saudi travelers

Etihad Airways is to provide Saudi-based air travellers with greater access to its expanding global network, following the signing of a new codeshare agreement with Saudi Arabian Airlines on flights between Dammam and Abu Dhabi.The deal, which came into effect on 15 February, will also see Etihad introduce four new flights between Abu Dhabi and Dammam. The agreement increases the number of weekly return flights between Abu Dhabi and Dammam from nine to 13 and comes as Etihad and Saudi Arabian Airlines seek to strengthen their relationship.

Traffic increases in Kuwait airport

Kuwait International Airport marked an increase in passenger, aircraft and air cargo traffic during January 2008, with an increase in passenger traffic by 1% as the number of passengers rose from 559,148 passengers in January 2007 to 567408 passengers January 2008. The number of commercial arrivals and departures in January 2008 rose by 8 per cent to reach 4,940 flights compared with 4,593 during the same period in 2007. As for air cargo volumes, the imported and exported freight in January 2008 increased by 10 per cent compared to January 2007.

Saudi strengthens international aviation links

Saudi Arabia is strengthening its aviation links with different countries. This will go to meet the needs of the growing traffic, encourage bilateral tourism and business and commerce, and Haj and Umra traffic, reported Khaleej Times. Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia plan to establish direct air flights between the two countries, and India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to enhance the existing traffic entitlement of 8,500 seats per week to 20,000 seats per week. The initiative has been taken by Azerbaijan, and the required information has been provided by Azerbaijan's embassy in Riyadh to Saudi Arabia.

Bahrain finalises AirAsia's 20%

AirAsia X has sold 20% of its equity for MYR250m, reported Bahrain Tribune. Bahrain-based Manara Consortium and Japan-based Orix Corp. has paid 10% each and both will receive 16.7 million newly issued common shares of AirAsia X or 10% of the carrier's equity. AirAsia X is Malaysia's long haul low cost carrier.

Local destinations

Travelling to Middle East

United arab emirates