Starting July 1, 2025, IndiGo will commence operations from Mumbai to Almaty, followed by flights to Tashkent from August 01, 2025, and to Tbilisi from August 02, 2025. The airline will operate four weekly flights to both Tashkent and Almaty, and three weekly flights to Tbilisi, significantly enhancing connectivity between India and the growing markets of Central Asia.

The new routes are set to boost tourism, trade, and people-to-people ties, while offering customers more travel options across the region. IndiGo had launched flights to these cities from Delhi in 2023, and this move marks another step in the airline’s commitment to expanding its international footprint and meeting the rising demand for international travel. 

Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said: "Building on the success of our Delhi – Central Asia routes, we are extremely pleased to announce direct flights to Almaty, Tashkent and Tbilisi from Mumbai, reinforcing our commitment to connecting India to the world. These routes will further enhance accessibility to these culturally rich destinations, fostering global connections and enriching tourism. At IndiGo, we anticipate the ever-evolving passenger needs and strive to offer seamless, direct, and reliable travel options.”

The bilateral partnership enhances global travel opportunities for guests, with seats available to book now. Ethiopian will start services from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) to Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi (AUH) on 15 July, and Etihad Airways introducing daily flights to Addis Ababa starting 8 October.

This is the first step ahead of implementation of the groundbreaking Joint Venture agreed between Etihad and Ethiopian in March 2025 unlocking greater travel opportunities for passengers across both networks.

The codeshare lets guests simplify their journeys by making a single booking with one check-in process at the start and the added convenience of having their baggage transferred to their final destination.

Arik De, Etihad’s chief revenue and commercial officer said: “By leveraging our combined networks, we are unlocking seamless travel opportunities between Africa and Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. Easy connections via Abu Dhabi and Addis Ababa, will enhance flexibility, boosting trade and tourism, and delivering unparalleled travel experiences to guests of both airlines."

Under this partnership, Etihad passengers will gain access to Ethiopian Airlines' extensive African network, with connections via Addis Ababa to 55 destinations across 33 countries, including Entebbe, Kinshasa, Kigali, Lusaka, Harare and Victoria Falls expanding their travel options across the continent.

At the same time, Ethiopian Airlines passengers can book itineraries connecting to Etihad-operated flights through Abu Dhabi, with onward service to 20 key destinations across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East including Sydney, Krabi, Colombo and Phnom Penh.

Anticipated commodities from Milan, include fashion and pharmaceuticals, as well as general cargo.

The current weekly freighter connecting Dubai World Central (DWC), Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) and Zaragoza Airport (ZAZ), will now receive an additional stop in Beirut (BEY) before returning to Dubai, enhancing connectivity to the Levant. Serving as a feeder gateway to and from Western European markets, Maastricht is one of the region’s busiest cargo hubs, particularly for general cargo and pharmaceuticals, both of which Emirates SkyCargo expects to transport to Beirut in large volumes. Likewise, Zaragoza Airport boasts excellent road and rail connectivity with Spain’s main economic and industrial, and handles significant volumes of fashion and apparel, which will now move to Beirut more directly.

Badr Abbas, divisional senior vice president, Emirates SkyCargo said: “Harnessing the power and connectivity of Emirates’ global network, a fleet over 260 passenger and freighter aircraft, and a multi-vertical portfolio of specialist logistics solutions, we have the scale and flexibility to keep trade flowing, even in the face of market instability. 

“As we receive our new Boeing 777 freighters, we are deploying them quickly and strategically to serve the unwavering demand across our network. Whether by layering on frequencies or adding new route stops, we will continue to evolve our operations, schedule and network in line with global trade patterns, to ensure we provide an unbeatable service to our customers.” 

Emirates SkyCargo freighters serve more destinations in Europe than any other region on its vast global network, including two cargo-only destinations, and is complemented by passenger operations to 40 destinations. The high-frequency flight scheduled, comprised of 45 freighter flights and 545 passenger flights every week, ensures that goods from Europe move seamlessly and at speed across the globe. 

In the last financial year, Emirates SkyCargo uplifted an average of 6,900 tonnes from Europe every week, strengthening international trade lanes with the movement of pharmaceuticals from Denmark and Belgium, perishables such as fresh salmon from Norway and whisky from Glasgow, valuables from Geneva, automotive shipments from Frankfurt and, of course, general cargo from every destination. 43% of the volume was transported to the UAE and Middle East, and a further 32% was carried to the Far East and Australasia, highlighting Emirates SkyCargo’s vital role as a bridge between European manufacturers, traders and exporters with businesses all over the world.

Since launching the Addis Ababa–Kigali route in 1975, the airline has played a pivotal role in strengthening diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties between Ethiopia and Rwanda, while serving as a vital link connecting the two nations and beyond.

Group CEO Mesfin Tasew Bekele, said: “We are excited to reach such a milestone. Over 50 years of service to Kigali, we have expanded both our passenger and cargo operations, with increased frequencies for the benefit of our customers. This marks another demonstration of Ethiopian Airlines' commitment to serving the people of Africa.”

Ethiopian Airlines operates 21 weekly passenger flights and three dedicated cargo services to Kigali, offering seamless connections to its extensive global network of over 145 destinations across five continents.

Effective 07 July 2025, Air India will add:

A sixth daily flight between Delhi and Kathmandu, increasing frequency from 35x weekly to 42x weekly.

A second daily flight between Delhi and Colombo, doubling frequency on the route from 7x weekly to 14x weekly.

A third daily flight between Mumbai and Bangkok, increasing frequency from 13x weekly to 18x weekly.

The expansion leads to the addition of over 7,000 seats deployed to and from Bangkok, Colombo, and Kathmandu.

The deployment of the third A350 is part of the airline’s ‘Fly Better’ promise to further enhance the overall travel experience and modernise its fleet.

The three-class aircraft features 32 Business Class lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 21 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 layout, and 259 Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 layout. The aircraft offers faster Wi-Fi, cinematic viewing experience of its award-winning entertainment system – ice, higher ceilings, wider aisles, quieter cabins, and enhanced cabin lighting.

The A350 currently serves several destinations across the airline’s short and medium haul network, including Amman, Kuwait, Edinburgh, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Colombo, and Tunis. By the end of 2025, Emirates plans to serve 17 cities worldwide with its new A350 fleet.

On Monday 2 June, the airline operated its inaugural flight to the Czech capital Prague, one of 16 new destinations the airline will add this year. On 3 June, the airline touched down in Warsaw for the first time.

"Our new Prague and Warsaw services open doors to countless possibilities," said Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive officer at Etihad Airways. "These new routes create a bridge between two remarkable regions, connecting travellers from the Middle East to the heart of Central Europe, while offering seamless connections via Abu Dhabi to destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Australia.”

“We are pleased to inaugurate our non-stop service between Abu Dhabi and Almaty, a route that underscores our commitment to expanding affordable travel options across key international destinations directly from the UAE capital,” said Adel Al Ali, Group chief executive officer of Air Arabia. “This launch offers passengers the opportunity to explore the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of one of Central Asia’s most vibrant cities, while also providing travellers from Kazakhstan with seamless access to the dynamic capital of the UAE.”

Elena Sorlini, managing director and chief executive officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said: " The launch of Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s direct service to Almaty marks a valuable addition to our growing network at Zayed International Airport. This new connection enhances travel options for our passengers and reflects our ongoing efforts to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a key global hub. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this route will have in promoting tourism, cultural exchange, and economic collaboration between the UAE and Kazakhstan.”

With the launch of this new route, Air India becomes the only carrier to operate non-stop flights between India and the Philippines, offering seamless connectivity through its Delhi hub and boosting tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Air India’s service to Manila will operate five days a week using the airline’s Airbus A321neo aircraft.

The Philippines recently introduced visa-free entry for Indian tourists for up to 14 days, significantly enhancing accessibility for Indians eager to visit the white-sand beaches of Boracay, the stunning landscapes of Palawan, the historical landmarks in Cebu, and more.

Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer & managing director, Air India, said: “The introduction of our Delhi-Manila route is a yet another step in our mission to connect India with more of the world, non-stop. As outbound travel from India grows at an unprecedented pace, with Indian tourists ranking among the highest spenders globally, the new entry rules for Indian tourists are a shot in the arm to boost tourism to the Philippines. We are happy to facilitate new opportunities for cultural exchange and economic collaboration between the two nations, while bringing the new Air India to more travellers around the world.”

This collaboration builds on the successful launch of Thai's daily flights from Bangkok to Istanbul on 1 December 2023 along with Turkish Airlines’ extensive flight network.

Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Ahmet Bolat, said: “We are glad to enhance the existing cooperation between Turkish Airlines and THAI, as it marks a significant milestone to further develop the tourism potential between Türkiye and Thailand. This collaboration will provide seamless travel experiences, expand connectivity between the two regions and offer guests more options through both airlines’ network.”