Middle East & North Africa

UAE cargo operator Maximus Air Cargo has today announced a significant expansion to its fleet.

The UAE's major defence MRO provider has a new key shareholder.

Boeing has confirmed that the delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner will now take place in the third quarter of this year.

Qatar Airways today announced capacity increases to an array of destinations across its global network to be phased in from March 1.

Bahrain is to get a new state-of-the-art FBO for general and business aviation which the country's airport operating company says will be one of the largest in the MENA region.

Budapest Airport welcomed its first Middle Eastern scheduled carrier this week.

Royal Jet has appointed Qurum Business Group (QBG) as the Oman General Sales Agent (GSA) for all its private charter and medical evacuation services.

Airbus has increased the average list price of its aircraft by 4.4 per cent. The increment applies for all new aircraft from the beginning of January 2011, apart from the A380, for which the increase is 8.4 per cent.

European manufacturer Airbus today announced a 51% market share of orders for aircraft over 100 seats and an increase in production for the ninth year in a row.

Ayla Aviation Academy, in collaboration with Experience It INC Canada and Origin Group Bahrain, will be holding a three day workshop on “Leadership In A Complex Environment” on February 20-22-2011 at The Radisson Blu Tala Bay Resort Aqaba, Jordan.

The UAE is currently hosting a five-day workshop on the use and application of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), the first of its kind in the Middle East.

Over the next five years, Hawker Beechcraft expects sales growth outside of North America to continue to outpace sales growth within North America, the company said.

The latest version of the Airbus A320 - the A320 Neo - is a no-brainer according to Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers, John Leahy.

Iran's oldest private airline, Mahan Air, has continued to grow in terms of passengers, revenues and fleet despite sanctions on the country.

North African operators are continuing to use Tunis Carthage this morning but European airlines are cancelling flights from the capital's main airport following the state of emergency declared after the overthrow of the government yesterday

Gulf Air has started its service to Isfahan in the Islamic Republic of Iran - the airline's 46th destination and the first in 2011.

The Middle East is to be served by the SkyTeam global alliance following an agreement signed yesterday with Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Quebec's court of appeal yesterday summarily dismissed appeals by Iraq government against Kuwait Airways' (KAC) successful legal campaign over the theft of its aircraft during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

Etihad Airways has reported a 29.2 per cent rise in revenues in 2010 to US$ 2,951 million (2009: US$ 2,285 million), significantly outpacing its capacity growth, which saw available seat kilometres (ASKs) rise 19.5 per cent to 45.1 billion (2009: 37.8 billion).

Turkish Technic has signed a C Check maintenance services agreement for two base maintenance C checks on Boeing B737-400 withTailwind Airlines. Maintenance works will be carried at Turkish Technic's facilities in Istanbul, Turkey during January 2011.

Turkey's first medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV known as the Anka has made its first test flight.

Etihad has extended its wet lease contracts for two A300-600RF aircraft with Maximus Air Cargo until August next year.

Etihad Airways has appointed Jumana Jihad Amleh as the airline's new Country Manager for Jordan.

The death toll from yesterday's Iran Air Boeing 727 crash has risen to 77.

Yemenia today announced that the airline is to migrate its passenger management and distribution to air transport IT specialist, SITA, to manage its expected 10% annual growth in passenger numbers.