Egypt and Qatar have agreed to resume diplomatic relations, the Egyptian foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The move follows an agreement between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt earlier this month to end their boycott of Qatar – which began in 2017 over allegations it supported terrorism, …
Read More »Coronavirus emergency to be declared in US
U.S. President Donald Trump will declare a national emergency over the fast-spreading coronavirus on Friday, opening the door to more federal aid to combat a disease that has infected 138,000 people worldwide and left more than 5,000 dead. Trump, who some experts criticized for being slow to respond to the …
Read More »Flydubai inaugural flight lands in Helsinki
Flydubai has inaugurated its new daily service to Helsinki, Finland, becoming the first national carrier for the UAE to offer direct flights from Dubai. Dubai-based carrier offers year-round direct flights to Finland. The new route is code-shared with Emirates and gives passengers access to more than 200 destinations worldwide on …
Read More »Off-duty pilot threatens to down aircraft with missile in Dubai
An air hostess claimed that she feared for her life, as she recounted in court on Wednesday, how an off-duty pilot got drunk and threatened to have the aircraft downed by an Iraqi missile. The Emirati off-duty pilot had earlier showed up in the Dubai Court of First Instance where …
Read More »Airlines start pre-emptive hedging over 2020 deadline
Airlines are starting to hedge against the risk that fuel prices could be driven higher by rules targeting another industry’s environmental performance. Brent crude for 2020 rallied in the third-quarter, a period in which spot prices fell, as some carriers began seeking protection against higher fuel costs caused by rules …
Read More »Dubai Airports to offer incentives to airlines to operate from Al Maktoum International Airport
With closure of one of the runways at Dubai International Airport next summer, operator Dubai Airports is getting ready to offer incentives to global carriers to shift some capacity to Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC) during the 45-day period. Dubai Airports said in February it plans …
Read More »Airlines warned over possible Syria strikes
Pan-European air traffic control agency Eurocontrol on Tuesday warned airlines to exercise caution in the eastern Mediterranean due to the possible launch of air strikes into Syria in next 72 hours. Eurocontrol said that air-to-ground and/or cruise missiles could be used within that period and there was a possibility of …
Read More »10th Emirates Airline Festival of Literature kicks off
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature kicked off its 10th anniversary celebrations on Thursday at the Cultural and Scientific Association, Al Mamzar, presenting Zaki Nussaibah, Minister of State, with this year’s Festival Personality Award. Each year, the Emirates Literature Foundation’s Board of Trustees recognises the major contribution of an individual …
Read More »Tunisia bans UAE Emirates airline from landing in Tunis
Tunisia has banned Emirates airline from landing in the capital Tunis after a number of Tunisian women were prevented from boarding its flights. The move comes amid widespread anger in Tunisia, with rights groups condemning “racist and discriminatory” measures. The transport ministry said the measure would stay in place until …
Read More »Flydubai finalises order for 175 Boeing 737 MAX planes
Flydubai and Boeing on Friday finalised the order for 175 Boeing aircraft, making it the largest single-aisle order in the history of the Middle East. The deal, including options for an additional 50 aircraft, is valued at up to $27 billion at current list prices, and follows order announcement made …
Read More »China does another policy U-turn and THAAD-linked South Korean stocks aren’t taking it well
The millions of Chinese nationals who travel across the world carry enormous clout. Investors in South Korea just got another painful reminder. Stocks in South Korea sensitive to developments with neighbor China fell Wednesday, lagging the benchmark Kospi index, which was mostly flat at 11:25 a.m. HK/SIN. Those so-called THAAD-related …
Read More »Huge hurdles remain for Mideast airlines despite profits doubling
While 2018 will see the Middle East airlines doubling their net profits to $600 million (up from the $300 million this year), big challenges still remain for the region’s carriers, warns IATA’s chief economist Brian Pearce. Releasing its financial outlook on Tuesday in Geneva, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) …
Read More »Emirates offers 96-hour UAE visa for Bangladeshis
Dubai-based Emirates airline, in a special offer, is offering a complimentary 96-hour UAE visa to all economy-class passengers travelling from Dhaka to destinations in Africa, Canada, Europe or US. Passengers booking a business- or first-class service will also get a two-night stay at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, along with …
Read More »Cyberattack Hits Ukraine Then Spreads Internationally
Computer systems from Ukraine to the United States were struck on Tuesday in an international cyberattack that was similar to a recent assault that crippled tens of thousands of machines worldwide. In Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, A.T.M.s stopped working. About 80 miles away, workers were forced to manually monitor …
Read More »Airlines divided over flying Iraq after MH17 crash
Source: Financial Times A split has emerged between airlines about whether it is safe to fly over war-torn Iraq, after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was downed in Ukraine. British Airways and Etihad Airways are among those continuing to fly passenger jets over Iraq, while Air France and Virgin Atlantic have …
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