Middle East & North Africa

Free zones are now present in more than 80 percent of states in the world, including emerging countries, and comprise nearly 30 percent of global trade.

Saudi Arabia will participate in the Dubai Airshow in November this year.

Hamad International Airport (HIA) is set to participate in the Passenger Terminal Expo 2019 (PTE), the world’s leading international airport conference and exhibition, taking place in London on 26, 27, and 28 March 2019.

AMAC Aerospace has said that a new Head of State Gulftstream G650 project is ahead of schedule completed. The company also added that new maintenance contracts have been awarded to the headquarters in Switzerland for Boeings 737, A318 and a B747.

The sub brand of Turkish Airlines, AnadoluJet, is adding Erbil, Iraq, to its network after its previous flights to TRNC -Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Alpha Aviation Academy (AAA), a Middle East pilot training provider, is to partner with international flight training provider Airways Aviation.

Joramco has announced the addition of the A320neo to its FAA approval after adding this capability to the EASA approval last month.

Gulf Air and Etihad Airways have signed a codeshare partnership for travel commencing with the summer schedule.

Etihad Airways and Elenium, a provider of automation technology solutions, will together demonstrate how a newly developed voice activated self-service kiosk, bag drop and boarding gate facility will revolutionise the travel experience by taking facial recognition technology to new heights.

Oman Air has been recognised as the cleanest and quietest carrier in contributing to the reduction of the noise footprint at UK’s Heathrow Airport, as per the Fly Quiet and Green chart published by LHR airport authorities.

The UAE Space Agency has announced details of the new 813 satellite, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as a gift from the UAE to the Arab countries.

Qatar Airways is celebrating the arrival of its 250th aircraft, an Airbus A350-900 from Toulouse, France, the latest addition to the group’s growing fleet of passenger, Cargo and executive aircraft.

Turkish Airlines has become the first airline to use the brand new insurance-backed aircraft financing product “Balthazar” combined with French lease, with the financing of its A321 NEO aircraft arranged by BNP Paribas.

The Airport Show - being held 29 April to 1 May at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center (DICEC) - will be providing a new dedicated area for small companies to showcase their innovative solutions, called the Airport Innovation Hub, which is being supported by a Smart Airports Innovation Trail.

Gulf Air was recently awarded as the Fastest Growing Airline in the Middle East region at the 19th Airline Marketing Workshop organised by Athens International Airport in the Greek capital.

NEXUS, a Middle East aviation service provider, has won a mandate to manage a Gulfstream G650 for an undisclosed Middle East client.

Flynas has announced the launch of six new destinations for the summer of 2019 to international cities including Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vienna in Austria, Trabzon in Turkey, Batumi and Tbilisi in Georgia, and Baku in Azerbaijan.

Dr Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency and George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company (TSC), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today that outlines cooperation across a range of areas including plans to bring Virgin Galactic spaceflights to the UAE for education, science and technology research, as well as potential space tourism flights in the future.

The UAE Space Agency Advisory Committee met twice during the Global Space Congress 2019, which took place in Abu Dhabi, from 19 March to 21 March.

Spatial, a provider of cabin crew training simulators, has been selected by Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT) to manufacture a world’s first B777X Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainer (CEET).

Etihad Airways has successfully implemented the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) recommendations for flight tracking ahead of the General Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA’s) proposed deadline of 1 June 2019.

Panasonic Avionics has announced Tom Eskola as regional vice president and general manager for the Middle East, Central and Southern Asia and Africa (MECSAA) region.

Emirates is looking for Lebanese candidates to join its cabin crew team. The Dubai-based airline is holding two Cabin Crew recruitment open days at Beirut and Jounieh.

Gulf Air has achieved its best February results in five years with the highest seat load factor for February since 2014.

Etihad Airways is welcoming golfers to Abu Dhabi’s renowned courses, allowing them to bring their golf clubs free-of-charge, enhancing the city’s sporting credentials and improving the experience of every golfer who touches down in the capital.