The French capital becomes the third major city to enjoy the Etihad A380 experience after London and New York. 

Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive officer, Etihad Airways, said: “As a city celebrated for its style and ambiance, Paris is the perfect destination for our iconic A380 aircraft. This enhancement reflects our commitment to delivering award-winning comfort and service across all cabin classes. 

"The introduction of the A380 on the Abu Dhabi – Paris route enriches both leisure and corporate travel. It underscores Etihad's commitment to facilitating business connections and travel to Abu Dhabi and beyond. Our state-of-the-art cabins and bespoke amenities ensure that business travellers can work, relax, and arrive refreshed. Features like The Lobby lounge and Business Studios create an ideal environment for productivity and comfort. By enhancing the travel experience with greater connectivity and luxury, we make business trips more accessible and enjoyable, connecting travellers to Abu Dhabi’s dynamic economy and rich cultural landscape with the premium service Etihad is known for."

This move is part of a two-year plan to revolutionise the travel industry by embracing digital innovations. In collaboration with global professional services firm Accenture, Saudia's Travel Companion is set to change how travellers interact with the airline and redefine the standards of digital travel.

The Travel Companion offers personalised and tailored solutions to meet individual preferences and needs, providing search results from trusted and authenticated sources and utilises image-supported responses. The platform is intended to be a comprehensive, one-stop solution that allows users to book concierge services such as hotels, transportation, restaurants, activities, and attractions, eliminating the need to switch between multiple platforms. Additionally, it establishes seamless connections with transportation platforms and various train companies, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted journey.

In the next stages, Saudia will introduce additional features, such as voice command and digital payment solutions. Through an always-on Travel Companion accessible via a telecom e-SIM card enabled by Saudia, users can enjoy global access without relying on other internet providers. Furthermore, users can purchase data packages for additional applications, ensuring continuous access to the platform's services.

Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group said: "We are thrilled to introduce the Travel Companion, a game-changer in the airline industry that will revolutionise the digital travel experience. This platform, resulting from our ongoing collaboration with Accenture, signifies our forward-looking approach to providing guests with unparalleled convenience and flexibility.”

The trial will be conducted for customers travelling between the Delhi-Goa sector from May 1, 2024, for a period of three months. 

The airline has upgraded its app to provide options to watch popular blockbuster movies, TV shows, access moving maps, games, as well as tune into a wide range of music genres, while cruising at 30,000ft. 

To enjoy the trial service on this sector, customers can use the IndiGo app to stream over 200 hours of content across formats and genres which includes carefully selected Indian and Hollywood movies, shows and all-time popular songs.  Additionally, children can enjoy a fun treasure hunt game using the moving map feature during the journey. To avoid interferences with aircraft electronics, this service will be enabled only after aircraft reaches cruising altitude. The service will be fully rolled out post successful trial phase. 

"At IndiGo, we understand that travel is not just about reaching the destination, but also enjoying the journey. Keeping in mind the evolving expectations of the digital savvy Indian travellers, we have added this new feature as an extension of our mobile app to offer, as a trial, a diverse range of entertainment options to our customers. We remain committed to delivering an exceptional mobile app to our customers through thoughtful initiatives, while continuing to provide affordable, hassle-free, and on-time travel experiences across our extensive network.” said Neetan Chopra, chief digital & information officer, IndiGo.

The chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, Elena Sorlini, said: “We are delighted to welcome British Airways to Zayed International Airport. Their daily schedule is expected to improve connectivity and stimulate travel and business.” Visitors may experience the dynamic capital of the United Arab Emirates like never before at our brand-new, award-winning, state-of-the-art terminal, where they will be welcomed with the best kind of Emirati hospitality.”

The A380 features The Residence, the three-room suite in the sky. 

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: "We're thrilled to introduce our A380 experience to New York, confident that our guests will relish the exceptional onboard journey. Whether travelling in Economy, Business, First Class, or our luxurious three-room suite, The Residence, passengers can expect unparalleled service from our award-winning crew. 

“We want to ensure guests arrive in the Big Apple feeling refreshed and at ease. This commitment is crucial for all our travellers, not least our corporate clients who rely on us for business travel, and we have timed our A380 services, so customers arrive in New York or Abu Dhabi in time to make good use of the business day, or for their onward connections. 

“Introducing the A380 to the popular New York route aligns with our strategy to meet increasing customer demand and expand our network. It comes just three weeks after we launched our new route to Boston, our fourth US gateway, underlining our commitment to serving and growing the North American market.”

Executive Aviation showed robust delivery growth, soaring from eight to 18 jets during the period.

The number of deliveries was the highest 1Q of the last 8 years, and more than doubled YoY. Meanwhile, for Commercial Aviation, deliveries were flat YoY at 7 aircraft.

Embraer delivered 12% of the total number of aircraft implied by the mid-point of the current year guidance for both Executive and Commercial Aviation (25 out of 206).

The company has developed, and it is currently implementing, a plan to mitigate its business seasonality. The Production Levelling plan main objective is to have a stable production pace throughout the calendar year in the near to medium-term future.

The company’s backlog increased US$2.4 billion or 13% sequentially to US$21.1 billion in 1Q24, compared to a total backlog of US$18.7 billion in 4Q23. The biggest increase happened in Commercial Aviation (US$2.3 billion or 26%) while the smallest one was in Defense & Security (-US$0.1 billion or –4%).

Executive Aviation kept its sales momentum with sustained demand across its entire product portfolio and strong customer acceptance, in both retail and fleet markets.

The number of deliveries increased 83% YoY in the light jets segment, and more than tripled in the medium jets one compared to 1Q23. Consequently, Executive Aviation ended with a US$4.6 billion backlog in 1Q24, for a US$ 300 million sequential increase.

In Defence and Security, the first C-390 Millennium of the Hungarian Air Force successfully completed its maiden flight. The aircraft is now undergoing a mission systems integration test campaign, ahead of its entry into service.

Another important milestone in the quarter was the first Embraer Defense Day in the United States; an event during which the C-390 Millennium and the A-29 Super Tucano were showcased to government authorities, military officials, prospects, and partners at our facilities in Melbourne, Florida.

The C-390 selection by some countries in the EMEA and APAC regions has not yet been incorporated into the backlog, which represents a significant source of upside potential for the coming quarters. The Defense & Security backlog reached US$2.4 billion (-4% QoQ) in 1Q24.

Services & Support continues to be one of the main drivers of Embraer’s growth through a combination of operational excellence, customer experience, and innovative solutions. The business unit backlog finished the period sequentially flat at US$ 3.1 billion in 1Q24.

Commercial Aviation posted a US$11.1 billion backlog, or US$2.3 billion higher than in 4Q23. The highlight of the quarter was the deal with American Airlines for 90 E175s, with purchase rights for another 43 additional jets, to meet domestic demand in the United States. Also, Embraer delivered one E195-E2 to Azorra, which will fly under the Royal Jordanian flag.

The inaugural flight is scheduled as of June 16, 2024, expanding the airline's European destinations to 24.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said: “We are truly excited to further grow our presence in the European market with yet another new destination. This development is in harmony with our strategic intent to bridge Africa with the globe while fostering commerce and tourism within the continent. We have finalised our preparations to start delivering a gratifying journey experience to our patrons on this route.”

These direct routes will boost domestic and international connectivity from the capital city of Tamil Nadu. Connectivity to Bangkok and Durgapur from Chennai will provide business and leisure travellers with increased flight options and facilitate economic growth in the region. 

Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo, said: “We are pleased to announce the launch of direct flights between Chennai and Durgapur, as well as the resumption of direct flights between Chennai and Bangkok. The enhanced accessibility and connectivity provided by these flights will not only strengthen regional and international connectivity but also create new trade & tourism opportunities. With these flights IndiGo operates 69 direct flights to Thailand from 7 cities in India. As India’s leading carrier, we continue to deliver on our promise of affordable, on-time, courteous, and hassle-free travel experience across an unparalleled network.”