50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United Arab Emirates aviation news

Avinode Marketplace to list Etihad Airways' The Residence

Avinode has welcomed its first private aviation space on a commercial airline, Etihad Airways' The Residence to the Avinode Marketplace. The Residence, available on the A380 fleet, will be sold through Chapman Freeborn and listed on the Avinode Marketplace for an initial six-month period.   The listing will show scheduled flights where The Residence is available, as a potential e...

Emirates announces three new A380 superjumbo routes for 2016

Emirates said it would deploy its Airbus A380 to more destinations across its network in 2016. The Dubai carrier said Birmingham (BHX), Prague (PRG) and Taipei (TPE) have been added to its list of A380 destinations. It means Emirates is the only airline to operate a scheduled A380 service from each of these destinations. Emirates’ daily Birmingham flight will be up-gauged to an A380 be...

Airbus mulls A380 revamp ‘in cold blood’ as Emirates pushes case

Airbus Group said it’s still pondering whether to upgrade the A380 superjumbo to help end a sales drought, with production rates for the double-decker set to dip below 30 planes this year as output is slowed to help manage a dwindling backlog. Chief executive Tom Enders said that commercial-aircraft head Fabrice Bregier is “working on the business case” for an A380 revamp with...

Al Ain Air Championship opens

Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) has announced the full programme of aerobatic activities for the Ain Air Championship 2015, taking place from 17-19 December. At a press conference at the Al Ain International Airport was attended by Sultan Al Dhaheri, acting executive director of tourism sector at TCA Abu Dhabi and alongside the captains of the participating teams inclu...

Etihad Partnership Aims at Bespoke Digital Travel Technology

Etihad Airways has announced a new strategic agreement with Information Technology consultants Cognizant to transform its digital platforms and improve the passenger experience throughout the journey with personalized product offerings and services. The three-year, multi-million dollar deal, will have Cognizant take over the management of Etihad Airways’ existing web applications and...

Emirates to add two more Chinese destinations in 2016

Emirates will start flying to two new cities in China as the Dubai carrier taps rising demand for travel in the world’s most populous country. From May next year, Emirates will start flying four times a week to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou. The airline already flies to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou on the mainland. Yinchuan, the capital of Ning xia, is west of the Yellow River and east of...

Emirates emblazons Airbus A380 with Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid teammates

The world is used to seeing Cristiano Ronaldo fly down the wing for Spanish footballing giants Real Madrid. But now he’ll flying at a rather higher altitude - this time on the side of an Emirates Airbus A380. The Dubai carrier, which sponsors Real as well as a number of other top European clubs, has unveiled a new decal on the world’s largest passenger plane. The A380 has been...

UAE to Miami business class with British Airways – review

With no Middle East airlines flying direct to Miami, British Airways has stepped in with a new route from the UAE to the Florida city via London Heathrow. Travelling with a Club World business class ticket on the leg from London to Miami, the relaxation began in BA’s Heathrow lounge with a complimentary massage followed by a light snack – a classic British breakfast sandwich. On...

Etihad raises more than Dh1m for charitable causes

Etihad Airways has raised more than Dh1 million for charitable causes in Yemen and Kenya. The national airline raised approximately Dh1 million to support the Yemen: We Care campaign and has helped renovate two schools in Kenya as part of the company’s annual charity fund-raising, in cooperation with Emirates Red Crescent. “As the UAE’s national airline, we are pleased to r...

Etihad Airways Wins "World's Leading Airline" Award for Seventh Consecutive Year

Etihad Airways has crowned a momentous 2015 by collecting the coveted "World's Leading Airline" award for the seventh consecutive year at the annual World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2015. Last night's red-carpet event was held before an audience of the industry's leading luminaries and international media at the exclusive Mazagan Beach & Golf Resor...

On a trip to somewhere far, far away

On an Emirates flight to somewhere far, far away passengers will soon be able to watch the first six Star Wars films back-to-back. The airline is adding all six films, including the original trilogy A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and the later release prequels to its in flight entertainment systems next month. The original t...

Challenges Remain for Airline Industry Despite Bright Outlook

The airline industry looks forward to improved performance in 2016 on the back of a projected higher global GDP growth and lower oil prices, although some markets may slow down because of huge depreciation of their currencies against the rising dollar.  Recently, the International Air Transport Association, the global body of some 250 major airlines, announced its airline industry out...