Aviation
- The news you choose »
- Login to Add to Watchlist
Emirates profit up 165% in six months
Emirates airline has 165% increase in net profits during the first six months ending in 30th September 2009. The airline group has made Dhs752m compared to Dhs284m net profits for the same period in 2008. The airline has reported carrying over 13 million passengers and over 700,000 tonnes of cargo during the period.
Etihad inks codeshare deal with UK's Flybe
Etihad Airways has inked a new codeshare agreement with UK-based airline, Flybe. Etihad will place its two-letter 'EY' code on a number of services operated by Flybe between Paris, Frankfurt and Manchester and 35 regional airports within the UK, while Flybe will place its 'BE' code on Etihad's flights between the same three destinations and its Abu Dhabi home base. This agreement will give Etihad customers access to several regional airports in the UK, including Southampton, Birmingham and Belfast.
Saudia to buy 58 Airbus planes
Khaled Al-Molhem, director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines has said that the national carrier has signed a SR10bn contract with Airbus to buy 58 aircraft with advanced facilities, including A320s, A321s and A330s, Arab News has reported. 'We intend to modernise our fleet by purchasing the most advanced planes available in the world,' Al-Molhem said.
Wataniya adds Jeddah service
Kuwait National Airways (Wataniya) has announced the addition of a new daily service to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from November 1. The airline will provide First Class and Premium Economy Class seats to business and leisure travellers between Kuwait and Jeddah, Wataniya said in a statement.
Emirates expands Asia Pacific operations
Emirates Airline has announced plans to expand its footprint in Asia/Pacific from December 2009 by introducing a fourth daily service to Bangkok, a third daily service to Sydney, two additional flights to Manila and one additional service to Jakarta. The airline will add a total of 17 weekly flights between December 2009 and January 2010, representing a 13% growth in seat capacity. After the increase, Emirates Asia Pacific operation will go up to 187 weekly flights.
Etihad to fly to Hyderabad
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has announced the launch of a new route to its latest destination in India, the city of Hyderabad. Etihad is the first airline to operate flights between Abu Dhabi and the state capital of Andhra Pradesh. Initially operating four flights a week, Etihad will increase to daily from the start of 2010. Etihad now flies to seven Indian destinations including the cities of New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. In total the airline now operates 42 flights to India each week.
Flydubai to launch service to Azerbaijan
Low-cost airline Flydubai has announced that it will expand its network into the former Soviet Union for the first time on Friday, November 20, when it commences flights to the Azeri capital, Baku. Flydubai's CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, adds a new dimension to flydubai's network. 'Baku is our first route into Asia and a prime opportunity because of its rapid expansion as a business and tourism centre. There is currently only one other airline operating direct flights between Dubai and Baku so we anticipate strong demand for our service.' One-way fares to Baku from Dubai will cost from Dhs300, which includes all taxes and one piece of hand baggage weighing up to 10kg.
Abu Dhabi sees 7.5% passenger rise
Abu Dhabi International Airport has recorded 7.5% passenger growth in the last three quarters compared to the same period last year. Passenger traffic figures also showed a 6.8% increase for the month of September alone, compared to the same month of 2008.
Royal Jordanian inks IT deal with Amadeus
Jordan's national carrier, Royal Jordanian, has signed a 10-year IT partnership with Amadeus Gulf to adopt its Altéa Customer Management and e-commerce suite of solutions. The new solution will enable RJ to manage all reservations, inventory and departure control.
Sharjah airport traffic up 8% rise
Sharjah International Airport has reported an 8% rise in traffic in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period a year ago. Roughly 4.24 million passengers passed through the airporst in the first three quarters of '09, while the number of flights rose to a record 45,022 from 44,086 flights in 2008. The volume of cargo handled at the airport had reached 373,745 tons, with air cargo showing a slight increase to 35,646 tons during the period, the airport said.
French firm wins Iraq airport contract
Iraq's transport ministry has awarded Aeroports de Paris, a France-based airport operator, a $42.5m contract to work on plans for a new international airport in Baghdad, Reuters has reported. The new airport, which will be built between the three provinces of Kerbala, Najaf and Hilla, is scheduled to be ready within three to five years, with an initial capacity of five million passengers per year and eventual capacity of 35 million per year, the ministry said.
Lebanon may sell stake in MEA airline
Lebanon's central bank governor has said the country may sell a 25% stake in its national carrier, Middle East Airlines, in an initial public offering, Reuters has reported. Riad Salameh said the proposed sale would have to be done after the end of the current economic slowdown and when a new Lebanese government approves the IPO plans and the listing of shares on the Beirut bourse.
Cathay Pacific to launch service to Jeddah
Cathay Pacific Airways, the flag carrier of Hong Kong, has announced the launch of a new route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The four-times-weekly service, which is to operate through Dubai on the way to and from Hong Kong, will be operated by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft in a two-class configuration. The carrier launched its service to Riyadh in 2001 and the number of flights per week was recently increased from five times a week to daily.
Airbus considers delaying A380 deliveries
Airbus has said that one or two of the superjumbo A380s scheduled for delivery this year may be pushed back to January 2010, Reuters has reported. Client financing remains difficult and it would take time for the business environment to return to normal, the France-based firm said. "Everything will depend on airlines' capacity to take these planes at the end of the year," Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Bregier said. Airbus has to date delivered seven of the 13 A380s scheduled for this year.
Qatar Airways wants revised A380 delivery schedule
Akbar al-Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, has said that in view of the airline's "performance requirements", the carrier has sought a revised schedule for the delivery of Airbus A380 aircraft, Gulf Times has reported. However, Qatar Airways will take delivery of the "contractually committed aircraft," he said. "We have placed orders for five Airbus A380s. These are firm orders and we have not gone for any other option," al-Baker said. The airline originally planned to start taking delivery of the double-decker A380 once the new airport in Doha was completed.
It looks like you are using a Mac - check out our 
Web Feeds