Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ deputy president and chief commercial officer said, “The Lagos-Dubai service has traditionally been popular with customers in Nigeria and we hope to reconnect leisure and business travellers to Dubai and onwards to our network of over 140 destinations.  We thank the Nigerian government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this route and we look forward to welcoming passengers back onboard.”

The service will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER.

Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus has launched a new route between Istanbul, and the Slovakian capital, Bratislava.

The new direct service between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Bratislava Airport will operate twice weekly as of 15 May 2024. 

Emre Pekesen, Sales and Network Planning Group Director of Pegasus Airlines said: “We are delighted to be launching a scheduled service connecting Bratislava and Slovakia with the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul, marking our 100th international route, with flights operating twice a week between Bratislava Airport and our hub, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Pegasus Airlines is proud to connect the two countries with a scheduled direct service, offering a unique experience to all who travel with us. We are also looking forward to launching flights between Bratislava and Antalya from 18 May 2024 for the summer season. We would also like to thank the management of Bratislava Airport for their exceptional cooperation."

This follows its fleet maintenance and recovery plan and in order to better respond to market needs and its business strategy.

The route, which has two flights a day, will be operated by two Boeing 777- 300ER.

This service was previously carried out using an aircraft from the HiFly airline, on a wet lease basis, due to the maintenance of TAAG's international fleet, namely the Boeing 777-300ER model.

‘We would like to thank HiFly for their collaboration during the term of this agreement, which has ensured the reinforcement of our operation and the smooth running of a priority route for TAAG. The Luanda-Lisbon service plays an important role at various levels, from economic dynamisation to social cohesion, and this solution represented a commitment, together with HiFly, to guarantee a reliable and efficient service for our passengers,’ said Nelson de Oliveira, TAAG CEO.

Since 2022, BLADE has been offering scheduled helicopter flights between Nice and Monaco, operated by Monacair, providing unparalleled convenience and luxury to travellers. The collaboration between Emirates and BLADE has been made possible through a Special Prorate Agreement (SPA) between Emirates and W2 and W2’s global ticketing platform offered by GO7.

This innovative system enables Emirates passengers to seamlessly traverse between Dubai and Monaco/Nice, completing their journeys with a single Emirates interline ticket, including Blade segments marketed under GO7’s W2 marketing carrier code. This signifies a strategic move towards enhancing Emirates' global connectivity and passenger experience.

The integrated approach between GO7 and Emirates enhances the airline's offerings across direct and indirect channels. Leveraging scalable settlement procedures via IATA Clearing House with W2 by GO7 ensures seamless processes. This collaboration empowers Emirates to expand its global reach without independently operating all routes, simplifying settlement procedures through IATA with no procedural changes. Passengers now benefit significantly from this partnership, enjoying long-term cost savings, personalised travel experiences, and a streamlined journey from start to finish, among the benefits passengers can enjoy. The partnership is live and ready for passengers to experience firsthand. 

Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ deputy president and chief commercial officer, said: “We’re pleased to enhance our partnership with GO7, Blade and Monacair to offer our customers a swift seven-minute helicopter ride between Nice and Monaco. Emirates has been serving Nice with world-class services for more than 30 years and we look forward to raising the bar even higher with seamless door-to-door travel experiences.  We remain committed to the French Riviera and look forward to flying our customers better in the air and on-ground.”

Remi Bouysset, chief executive officer, BLADE Europe, said: “We are delighted to offer Emirates passengers the ability to fly from Dubai into Monaco with a seamless connection from their Emirates flight directly to a BLADE helicopter to Monaco. They will enjoy the best views of the French Riviera while skipping an hour and a half of traffic. With the time they save, they will have plenty of time to enjoy our Monaco BLADE Lounge upon their arrival or one of our Nice lounges upon their return.” 

Peer Winter, chief distribution officer, GO7, added: “We are excited to embark on this journey with Emirates, Monacair, and BLADE. Our commitment to enhancing global connectivity and passenger experience remains steadfast through this partnership. By leveraging our cutting-edge ticketing platform, we continue to provide passengers worldwide with unparalleled convenience.

The airline’s inaugural flights to the island of Sal will begin at the start of the winter 2024-25 season from Lisbon Airport (LIS) and Porto Airport (OPO). Sal will become the farthest point south and the farthest point west in the LCC’s network.

Both routes will be served using Airbus A320 aircraft.

Etihad will operate flights to Bali four times a week all year-round on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, said: "As the first and only airline providing connectivity to Deoghar, we are pleased to announce direct flights between Bengaluru & Deoghar. This will not only provide customers with access to the unexplored beauty of Jharkhand's holy city, but will also offer enhanced accessibility, increased flight options, and improved connectivity for students and employment-seekers travelling across the region. As India's premier airline, we remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver an affordable, punctual, courteous, and hassle-free travel experience."

Pegasus is launching an exciting new route between Istanbul and the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.

Flights are scheduled for twice a week, departing on Thursdays and Sundays from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Edinburgh Airport at 11.40 local time and on the same days at 15.30 local time from Edinburgh Airport to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport. The flights will be year-round on A320/A321neo aircraft.

Onur Dedeköylü, Pegasus Airlines' chief commercial officer (CCO), added: “We are delighted to be launching new regular scheduled flights connecting Istanbul and Edinburgh as the summer season starts.  Pegasus Airlines is proud to connect such vibrant and popular destinations, offering a unique experience to all who fly with us.”

The return to the Scottish capital will complement the airline’s current A380 daily flight to Glasgow and offer customers 14 weekly flights to/from the country.

The Dubai to Edinburgh route will be served utilising the Emirates A350-900 aircraft.

Over 1.2 million seats have been allocated through optimal investment in its fleet of more than 150 aircraft, distinguished by operational efficiency and quality services. This initiative is in line with the directives of Saudi leadership, supported by collaboration with various entities involved in serving Hajj pilgrims.

The operational period for the national flag carrier during Hajj Season 2024, encompassing both inbound and outbound stages, spans 74 days starting from May 9th. Saudia Group has proactively formed specialised teams distributed among performance monitoring, terminal operations, follow-up, and coordination with other sectors. Additionally, operational resources have been allocated across the lounges of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, and an emergency plan has been developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, numerous virtual simulations have been conducted across both Jeddah and Madinah international airports.

Saudia Group will welcome Hajj pilgrims through five domestic airports, including Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Yanbu, with more than 11,000 frontline employees and aircraft maintenance technicians, ensuring smooth flow of movement at the airports as well as operational efficiency. Additionally, 120,000 pilgrims will be served through the “Makkah Route” initiative which is designed to streamline the immigration process for pilgrims to Makkah. Saudia will also continue its “Luggage First” service, and 270,000 bags will be handled as well as 240,000 Zamzam bottles.

Amer Al Khushail, CEO of Saudia Hajj and Umrah, said: "The national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia is honored to continue its pivotal role in serving pilgrims, ensuring their spiritual journey is enriched in line with the objectives of Vision 2030. Each year, we integrate the efforts across all sectors as we strive to enhance pilgrims’ satisfaction by implementing initiatives that streamline arrival procedures and airport check-in processes.”

"In preparation for the Hajj season, Saudia is committed to signing agreements with government delegations and travel agents, to ensure providing appropriate seat capacity for markets with high demand across over a hundred destinations in four continents. We offer seamless bookings through Saudia’s offices and online channels, we have also designed awareness campaigns regarding luggage acceptance criteria." added Al Khashil.