This marks a re-establishment of direct air connectivity between the two countries after a 12-year hiatus. The historic flight took place on April 26, with the return journey from Freetown on April 27, coinciding with Sierra Leone's Independence Day.

The inaugural flight carrying members of the United Kingdom’s Sierra Leonean diaspora, along with other international guests, restored a vital air link. The last time the two destinations were connected with direct flights was in 2012.

“It is a true honour to have operated the historic London Gatwick to Freetown flight on behalf of Air Sierra Leone. It took months of hard work to set this connection up, and we are looking forward to operating this much-needed route during the summer and winter season,” said Alastair Willson, CEO of Ascend Airways. 

Ascend Airways is a UK-registered airline, which has an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and Type B Operating License from the UK CAA. In 2023, it was acquired by Ireland-headquartered Avia Solutions Group, which operates a fleet of 221 aircraft on 6 continents.

Ascend Airways will operate three weekly services for Air Sierra Leone commencing on June 16. This new route reconnects Sierra Leone with the UK, opening vital opportunities for tourism, business, and economic development between the two countries.

The partnership between Air Sierra Leone and the UK-registered Ascend Airways promises a high level of safety and adherence to strict regulations. All flights on this route will be operated utilising Ascend Airways-trained cockpit and cabin crew. Ascend Airways is also responsible for all maintenance procedures of the aircraft operating the Gatwick-Freetown flights.

This move builds on Air India’s recent shift to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (from Narita) on 31 March 2025, which reduced travel time to Tokyo Station to approximately 30 minutes. The daily flights, operated with Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, provide passengers with faster access to central Tokyo, as Haneda Airport is just 18 km from downtown Tokyo.

“Expanding our Delhi-Tokyo Haneda service to daily flights reflects Air India’s commitment to meeting the rising demand for travel between India and Japan,” said Nipun Aggarwal, chief commercial officer, Air India. “This daily service, combined with our deepened codeshare partnership with All Nippon Airways, makes it easier for our guests to explore Japan and connect conveniently to other destinations in the country beyond Tokyo.”

The delegation met with His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Emirates Airline & Group in the presence of Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer. The Jamaican delegation was led by The Honourable Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica to discuss ways to support the island’s tourism industry.  

The delegation explored opportunities to increase inbound tourism flows through enhanced connectivity from the UAE into Jamaica via the airline’s codeshare partners.

The launch follows the successful arrival of China Eastern’s inaugural MU237 flight from Shanghai to Abu Dhabi on 28 April, which was celebrated with a welcome ceremony at Zayed International Airport. The service starts with four weekly frequencies and will increase to a daily frequency starting 12 September 2025, further boosting connectivity between the UAE and China.

The two airlines have also signed a new agreement between their respective loyalty programmes. Starting 1 June 2025, members of Etihad Guest and Eastern Miles programmes can earn and redeem miles across both airlines' global networks — unlocking greater value and seamless travel experiences for loyalty members.

The Etihad Airways – China Eastern Airlines JV, initially announced in June 2024, now becomes operational, offering seamless connectivity and a stronger combined network. This JV signifies the long-standing ties between the UAE and China by offering expanded travel options and seamless travel experiences for passengers travelling between major Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi’an, and Kunming, and key cities in the UAE and across the Middle East and Africa regions.

Arik De, chief revenue and commercial officer of Etihad Airways, said: "The official launch of our Joint Venture with China Eastern is a major leap forward—not just for our two airlines, but for the future of both the UAE and China. By combining our networks and aligning our loyalty programmes, we’re not only expanding choice and connectivity for our guests, but also setting the foundation for a new era of cooperation, innovation, and shared success across our markets."

Wan Qingchao, executive vice president of China Eastern, stated: "The launch of the Shanghai-Abu Dhabi route and the implementation of the joint business cooperation with Etihad Airways are key achievements in advancing our shared vision under the Belt and Road Initiative. Backed by a modern Zayed International Airport, we will further enhance our transit capabilities and improve travel convenience for passengers."      

The partnership is the first Joint Venture between a Middle Eastern airline and a Chinese airline, setting a precedent for future bilateral aviation agreements. Both airlines will continue to align in areas including codeshare flights, joint marketing initiatives, and customer experience enhancements.

The new China Eastern flight currently operates four times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays), with a one-way flight duration of approximately 9 hours and 20 minutes.

At the centre of the experience is Sama, the world’s first AI digital human cabin crew — now equipped to understand Arabic dialects and respond fluently in Modern Standard Arabic, allowing travellers across the Arab world to interact with her naturally.

 

Offering a digital experience built around familiarity and cultural nuance, the Arabic-speaking version of Sama is now available across Qatar Airways’ digital platforms, including the airline’s award-winning mobile application and its immersive web experience, QVerse. This newly introduced feature reaffirms Qatar Airways’ commitment to serving passengers with a personalised and regionally relevant approach.

 

The ORCHARD in the QVerse also made its debut at ATM 2025 with a hyper-realistic virtual recreation of the iconic indoor garden at Hamad International Airport. Visitors walked beneath the trees, explored the tranquil space, and experienced the calm, nature-inspired environment that awaits them at the multi-award-winning airport. The fully immersive experience allowed attendees to preview part of their journey in vivid detail, making the unfamiliar feel familiar — long before their departure.

 

Qatar Airways also showcased Qsuite Next Gen, the latest iteration of its award-winning patented Qsuite business class.

 

Complementing the Qsuite Next Gen was the airline’s multi-sensory pod — an enclosed experience that engaged guests through visuals, audio, scent, and motion, bringing the Qsuite atmosphere to life in a fully immersive format.

 

Qatar Airways Group chief executive officer, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “We, at Qatar Airways, are proud to return to ATM with industry innovations that reflect the diversity and spirit of our region. Sama, the industry’s first AI powered cabin crew can now connect with millions of Arabic speaking passengers through various dialects — offering travellers across the Arab world a more intuitive and personal way to communicate with us. The ORCHARD in VR, Qsuite Next Gen, and our multi-sensory pod are all part of how Qatar Airways is shaping a future of travel that is not only digital, but also deeply human.

 

“Our focus on fostering a thriving future for the travel industry also extends to our new B2B partnerships with the Visit Maldives and Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism to promote leading global leisure destinations.”

 

On the sidelines of ATM Dubai 2025, Qatar Airways signed new MoUs with Visit Maldives and Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism to boost visitor arrivals via the multiple-award-winning Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, and explore new opportunities for tourism promotion through various leisure channels in key markets.

In line with the airline’s growth strategy and this year’s ATM theme, Qatar Airways also confirmed increased flights to several key destinations for the peak summer season:

Dar Es Salaam and Kilimanjaro

Entebbe

Tokyo Narita

Maputo–Durban

Larnaca

Trabzon

Sharjah

Manchester

Madrid

Lisbon

London Heathrow

Both airlines said they had a ‘shared goal’ of offering more convenient schedules and improved services to the traveling public.

Emirates and PAL agreed to consider the possibility of a reciprocal code sharing agreement on flights between the Philippines and Dubai, and on select routes beyond the gateways of each partner airline.

A code sharing partnership could potentially give travellers better connectivity to new and exciting destinations beyond each airline’s own network, with the convenience of a single ticket, one competitive fare and one baggage policy for their entire journey.

Both carriers will also explore opportunities to enhance their cargo interline cooperation; exchange best practices in ground handling, catering, maintenance and technical trainings; and organise joint familiarisation trips for key media and trade stakeholders.

Starting from 16 June 2025, Philippine Airlines will offer daily nonstop flights between Manila and Doha. Qatar Airways will codeshare on the seven weekly flights operated by Philippine Airlines in the first phase of this strategic cooperation.

Qatar Airways chief commercial officer, Thierry Antinori, said: “At Qatar Airways, we continue to explore opportunities that strengthen our connectivity across the world, and our latest partnership with Philippine Airlines is a testament to this commitment. This strategic cooperation also aims to deepen the socio-economic ties between the Qatari and Filipino communities. We are proud of the new codeshare flights and look forward to delivering increased benefits to global travellers.”

The MoU was signed at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, reflecting a step forward in strengthening cooperation between the two carriers.

Kuwait Airways Chairman, Captain Abdulmohsen Salem Al-Fagaan, said: “Kuwait Airways is pleased to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Emirates Airline, one of the largest and leading airlines in the regional and global aviation industry and to develop commercial agreements and bilateral partnerships between the two parties. We also welcome Emirates as an important strategic partner for Kuwait Airways, as this agreement will support commercial operations to and from the State of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.”

Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ deputy president chief commercial officer Emirates Airline said: “We are pleased to partner with Kuwait Airways and hope to develop our interline agreement to give Kuwait Airways customers enhanced choices and convenient schedules to Dubai, and beyond to other cities in our extensive network. We look forward to enhancing customer benefits together with Kuwait Airways as we strengthen our relationship in the coming months.”

RAM will operate two weekly flights using Boeing 737 aircraft.