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United Arab Emirates aviation news

Jetex debuts Rolls Royce Phantom FBO shuttle service

Jetex officially announces the newest fleet of airport shuttle vehicles for its DWC (Dubai World Central) based Fixed Base Operator (FBO). The previous Rolls Royce Ghost fleet will be upgraded to Three Black Rolls Royce Phantoms, making Jetex the first company to provide an exclusively Rolls Royce Phantom airport shuttle service in the world. The Rolls Royce Phantom fleet was chosen to signify the...

Dubai business jet operator sees growth in slowing regional economy

DC Aviation Al Futtaim to increase fleet by two in 2016. Dubai-based business jet operator DC Aviation Al Futtaim believes it can cut its losses to break even this year against a backdrop of a softening regional economy. The operator plans to add two aircraft in 2016, increasing its managed fleet to six, General Manager Holger Ostheimer told Gulf News by phone this week. Ostheimer...

UAE aviation authority gives drone warning

Drone enthusiasts are being urged to practice their hobby only in accredited clubs for safety and security reasons. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said that "light air sports" enthusiasts must only operate their drones in clubs that have been approved by the authority, according to the state news agency Wam.  The announcement is part of a new campaign organised by...

Emirates SkyCargo wins International Air Cargo Carrier of the Year award in India

Emirates SkyCargo has been named International Air Cargo Carrier of the Year at the Economic Times Logistics' Awards in India. Organised by The Economic Times, India's largest financial daily and the world's second largest financial daily after The Wall Street Journal, the awards aim to recognise excellence in logistics that can set benchmarks for the respective industries in India....

DAE sees 30-35 aircraft deals in 2016, mostly from Iran

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), one of the few Gulf aircraft leasing firms, expects to add 30-35 planes to its current portfolio of 97 with significant demand seen coming from Iran, the company’s chief executive said on Sunday. Iran, which has emerged from years of sanctions that prevented it from legitimately buying aircraft, agreed with European manufacturers last month to purchase up...

Flight Support Group ASM Expands In India and Beyond

Flight support specialist Aviation Services Management (ASM) is expanding with a move into a new headquarters at Dubai International Airport. The company now employs a team of 45 people and expects this to grow to 60 during the course of 2016. In addition to its Dubai base, it also has offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Goa (in India), as well as in Sri Lanka, the UK, Kenya and Italy. ASM,...

Emirates brand value grows 17% to reach US$7.7 billion

Emirates has come out on top again as the world's most valuable airline brand, according to the 2016 Brand Finance Global 500 report, which was released yesterday. The airline’s brand value grew 17% over last year to reach US$ 7.7 billion. For the fifth year running, the airline has steadily risen up in the global ranking of the world’s top brands to be placed at #171, 47 places...

Etihad to open ‘spectacular’ new first class lounge at Abu Dhabi airport

Etihad Airways said it will open a “spectacular” new first class lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport in May, as it continues to evolve its offering for premium travellers. The lounge will be located at Terminal 3 and will be for the exclusive use of First Class guests, Etihad Guest Platinum and Etihad Airways Partners Platinum guests, and those staying in The Residence onboard...

Dubai International Airport retains position as world’s busiest

Dubai International kept its position as the world’s busiest airport for international passengers for the second year, after traffic exceeded 78 million in 2015. Aided by 100 airlines that connect the airport to 240 destinations around the world, the airport traffic increased by 10.7 per cent in 2015 over the 70.4 million recorded in 2014. In December alone, passenger numbers reached 7...

Passenger numbers at Abu Dhabi airport up 17% on the year

Passenger numbers at Abu Dhabi International Airport rose ­by 17.2 per cent in 2015, with more than 23 million travellers passing through its terminals during the past year. Much of the increase was thanks to the concurrent growth of Etihad Airways which carried 17.4 million passengers in 2015, up 18.4 per cent on the previous year. The airline was responsible for nearly three-quart...

The non-stop service to Auckland will be operated by a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft

Emirates announced that it will start its first non-stop service from Dubai to Auckland on 1 March 2016, bringing many of its 38 European destinations and cities within just one-stop range of New Zealand through direct connections in Dubai. The new service will be in addition to the award-winning airline’s existing flights, meaning that Emirates will then have five services daily into New...

Emirates to receive 21 new Airbus A380s and 16 Boeing 777s worth $14.5bn

Emirates, the world’s biggest long-haul airline, plans to add 37 new planes to its fleet in the fiscal year beginning April as it expands operations in Asia with new destinations. The airline will receive 21 Airbus A380 superjumbos and 16 Boeing 777s in the year ending March 2017, chief commercial officer Thierry Antinori said on Wednesday in Singapore. The aircraft are worth $14.5 billio...