“We are pleased to connect our Sudanese brothers and sisters from Port Sudan to Addis Ababa, and to the rest of the world using our extensive global network,” said Mesfin Tasew, Group 

 CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. “By introducing daily flights to Port Sudan, we are bridging cultures and economies. This expansion is a testament to our unwavering dedication to serve our continent and its people, driving progress and prosperity through the skies.”

This route is one of many offerings that will leverage the Airbus A321XLR’s extended range and efficiency, revolutionising intercontinental travel and making it more accessible than ever before. With fares starting from only USD 116.99, Wizz Air continues to deliver on its promise of making air travel affordable for all. 

“The Airbus A321XLR is the most cost-efficient aircraft of its class and, given the enhanced range capability, it enables Wizz Air to connect the furthest destinations in its network and further expand it, connecting cultures and continents. We’re excited to unlock unbeatable fares for our customers on the newly announced route to London, while offering the most sustainable option for flying," commented Andras Rado Head of Communications and Government affairs during a press conference in Jeddah. “We are already flying several 5-6 hour long ultra-low-cost routes with great satisfaction to our customers, and the XLR will extend our outstanding value proposition to 7–8-hour long flights.” 

“We are excited about the Wizz Air announcement on launching a direct route from London Gatwick to Jeddah Airport utilising the new Airbus A321 XLR (extra long range) aircraft. This new aircraft type marks a new era of ultra-low fare travel on long-haul routes.”

This allows the introduction of more travel opportunities between the UAE, Sri Lanka and beyond on select routes on the carriers’ networks.

This interline agreement will offer flydubai passengers access to 16 destinations on SriLankan’s robust network spanning Southern and East Asia, the Middle East and Australia – including Melbourne, Seoul, Singapore and Tokyo.

In addition, the interline will enable passengers travelling with SriLankan Airlines to connect via Dubai’s aviation hub to more than 30 destinations that flydubai operates to in Africa, Central Asia, Central and Southeast Europe as well as the Middle East. This includes unique holiday destinations such as Bucharest, Krakow, Mombasa, Naples, Tashkent and Zanzibar.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive officer at flydubai, said: “we’re excited about our new interline agreement with SriLankan Airlines that will further strengthen trade and tourism relations between the UAE and Sri Lanka. Since the start of operations to Sri Lanka in 2010, we have seen consistent demand for travel between our two countries over the years. Dubai remains an important thriving aviation hub and through these interline agreements, this will open up new horizons for our passengers, giving them more options to explore the world with ease.”

Starting from 2 June 2025, Etihad will launch four weekly flights to both Warsaw and Prague, providing business and leisure travellers with convenient access to these vibrant European capitals. This milestone expansion is part of Etihad’s ongoing efforts to diversify its European network. 

These routes will be operated by Etihad’s modern Boeing 787 Dreamliner, ensuring the highest level of comfort with 28 Business Class and 262 Economy Class seats available on every flight.

Antonoaldo Neves, chief executive officer of Etihad Airways, said: “We are proud to introduce Warsaw and Prague as our newest destinations, reflecting our commitment to expanding into new and exciting markets. These routes not only enrich our network but also offer a great opportunity to strengthen ties with these countries and attract more visitors to Abu Dhabi. We see this as a key part of our growth strategy, helping to drive tourism and support the UAE’s vision for the future."

Adnan Kazim, deputy president and chief commercial officer, said, “Madagascar is a new and exciting destination on our vast global network, unlocking a world of natural wonders, rare and diverse wildlife, and a rich, vibrant culture. As the Malagasy government continues to grow its tourism industry with the aim to attract one million tourists by 2028, we proudly support this vision by enhancing connectivity and premium travel options to encourage more international travellers to discover the island.”

Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, added: “In just four months, through shared determination and hard work, we have successfully launched this long-awaited inaugural flight between Dubai and Antananarivo with Emirates. This is a historic moment for Madagascar, and I am convinced that it will act as a catalyst and a true lever for tourism and economic development in our country. Madagascar opens its skies to Emirates, and through Emirates, Madagascar opens itself to the world. Together, let's continue to dream, build, and grow for the good of our nation.”

Honouring its shared love for rugby with over 62,000 enthusiastic spectators, Emirates flew the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft over Emirates Airline Park, just before kick-off of the much-anticipated Springboks vs All Blacks test match. Flying at an altitude of just 500 feet above the ground, the iconic Emirates double-decker aircraft saluted rugby and aviation fans, in its latest signature livery.

The Emirates A380 took off from O.R. Tambo International Airport at 16:00, travelling at a speed of 140 kts, reaching the stadium at 16:58, timed to follow South Africa and New Zealand’s national anthems.

UAE National Captain Mubarak Al Mheiri, A380 Deputy Chief Pilot commanded the flight, joined by Captain Khalid Binsultan and Captain Abdalla Al Hammadi, both Technical Pilots for the Airbus A380 and Captain Richard Fiess, A380 Captain. Captain Mubarak has flown with Emirates for 19 years and has completed over 7,200 hours in the cockpit of the iconic A380. He has commanded similar flypasts for Emirates, including UAE National Day celebrations for the past four years and headlining the commercial aircraft flypast formation at the 2023 Dubai Air Show. He also participated in the iconic flight promoting Expo 2020, which saw an A380 fly around an Emirates Cabin Crew at the very top of the Burj Khalifa; the unprecedented formation flight with the Jetman team back in 2015; and with the Red Arrows in 2022.

Afzal Parambil, country manager of Southern Africa, Emirates said: “This record-setting flypast is a powerful display of our unwavering commitment to South Africa. It represents not just an achievement of technical excellence, but encapsulates our ongoing partnership with key stakeholders in South Africa, including the Civil Aviation Authority, O.R. Tambo International Airport, Emirates Lions and, of course, the strong relationship we’ve built with our customers and travel partners here over the years. For almost three decades, we’ve unlocked an array of choices for our customers, by offering an outstanding on-ground and in-flight experience coupled with seamless global connectivity, and we’re not slowing down now. We look forward to the next 30 years, and beyond, of serving South Africa and spotlighting its many attractions to the world.”

Jaffna is IndiGo's second destination in Sri Lanka after Colombo and marks the 34th international and 122nd overall destination in its rapidly expanding 6E network. 

Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said: "We are pleased to announce the commencement of our operations to Jaffna, our latest destination in Sri Lanka. This short but a significant flight is a strategic addition, which is poised to further enhance trade and tourism between India and Sri Lanka. The new daily direct flights from Chennai to Jaffna promises a shorter travel time of just 75 minutes, reflecting our unwavering commitment to providing superior connectivity and a diverse range of destinations. At IndiGo we remain dedicated to delivering on our promise of affordable, on-time, courteous & hassle-free travel experience across an unparalleled network.”

This has enabled an average of over 61,000 passengers to seamlessly connect on the shared networks of Emirates and its partners every week.

By forging new partnerships and deepening existing ones across the transport ecosystem, the airline is delivering an array of additional travel choices alongside 31 codeshare, 118 interline and 13 rail and helicopter services partners. Having 162 partners in over 100 countries means an expanded network reach with more and better connections for travellers, seamless single ticket itineraries, enhanced baggage transfers, frequent flyer benefits, lounge access, and other advantages to ensure a smooth travel experience at every touchpoint.

For customers of partner airlines flying on Emirates, popular destinations are even closer through Emirates’ robust network over 140 destinations and frictionless connectivity offered at DXB, complemented by industry leading experiences on the ground and in the skies, all easily within reach. 

In the last year, Emirates launched 16 new partnerships which include codeshares with Avianca and Batik Air Malaysia and the airline also finalised and implemented interline arrangements with KAM Air, Sri Lankan Airlines, Condor, Flynas, Viva Aerobus, Sun Express, Maldivian, Siberia Airlines and Kenya Airways. 

From plane to train, Emirates customers are now one ticket away from fast connections to cities across Europe through codeshare partnerships with Trenitalia, Spanish Rail Renfe, Austrian Rail OBB and Swedish Rail SJ. The airline was also the first full-service carrier to enter into an innovative interline partnership with BLADE, an urban air-mobility company to provide Emirates customers with helicopter flights between Nice and Monaco on a single ticket.

Adnan Kazim, deputy president and chief commercial officer Emirates Airline said: “In the last year, we’ve doubled down on our strategy of deepening our global presence and expanding our footprint across six continents by forging new partnerships with like-minded airlines, rail partners and air mobility operators to provide a huge choice of onwards destinations, connectivity options and seamless ‘last mile’ access for travellers like never before. While organic growth will always at the heart of our plans, we’ll continue to leverage the strength of our partners’ complementary networks as part of our commitment to help our customers reach every corner of the globe in the easiest way possible. World-class connectivity keeps economies strong and resilient, and our partnership growth ambitions align with Dubai’s D33 strategy to make our home and hub the most connected city in the world, attracting business, tourism, and investment from all over the globe.” 

This follows confirmation by the Botswana and South African regulatory authorities that all of the necessary approvals are in place to allow Airlink to serve the route.

“We appreciate both governments’ aeronautical regulatory bodies for resolving the matter, so that Airlink can do what it does best, which is connecting people and markets by providing reliable and convenient flights with great service.   We have reinstated the flights in the global reservations system, which lets customers make reservations for flights on the route,” said Airlink CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster.

“Gaborone and Cape Town are important destinations for business and leisure travel and we have seen rising interest and demand from local and international long haul customers, for an Airlink direct service between the two cities,” he added.  

Saudia will commence flights to Phuket on December 2, 2024, offering 12 weekly round trips from Riyadh and Jeddah combined.