DUBAI: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has welcomed the signing of the ‘solidarity and stability’ agreement that will see Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt open their air, land and sea borders with Qatar. The agreement paves the way for commercial airlines to resume regional connectivity, which will shorten flight times and provide essential air links to families and businesses across the region. “The reopening of airspace with Qatar by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Egypt is welcome news for the region, passengers and the aviation industry during these very difficult times. It will permit the resumption…
Author: holidayweekly
Several major cruise lines have announced that they will continue to pause their operations until later in 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions continue to limit cruise trips. Liners including Carnival Cruises, Holland America, Princess Cruises, and P&O have all announced further cancellations and suspensions in recent days, with most extending to May and June but some as far as September 2021. While MSC and Costa are planning to resume sailing in Europe later in January, it remains to be seen whether this will go ahead with much of the continent still in lockdown. The announcement of…
ALULA: Saudi Arabia and its regional allies have agreed to end a crippling three-year blockade of Qatar in a breakthrough deal signed by the Gulf states’ leaders. The accord on “solidarity and stability” was ratified at a summit in the Saudi desert city of AlUla, where Qatar’s ruling emir was greeted with an embrace by the kingdom’s crown prince. The ancient city, in Saudi Arabia’s northwestern Medina region, was once an important crossroads on the vast incense trade route which spanned from the Mediterranean to India and northern Africa. Its population is now little more than 5,000, but the Saudi…
MUSCAT: Flag carrier Oman Air will welcome guests from 103 countries who can travel to the country without a visa. The Royal Oman Police recently announced the plan, which eases travel requirements for guests who spend up to 10 days in the sultanate. Guests are required to have a confirmed hotel reservation, health insurance, and a return ticket. The new programme applies to citizens of countries throughout the world including European nations such as Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy and many more. Citizens of Turkey, Japan, Brazil, Russia, China, Egypt, Jordan and a number of other countries around the world…
WASHINGTON: Kuwait’s foreign ministry on Monday, January 4, announced that Saudi Arabia and Qatar have agreed to open airspace, land and sea border in the first steps toward ending the three-year-old Gulf dispute. “We’ve had a breakthrough in the Gulf Cooperation Council rift,” said a senior Trump administration official. Kuwait’s foreign minister, in a televised comment, also said that Saudi Arabia will reopen its airspace and land and sea border to Qatar as of Monday. The development is the latest in a series of Middle East deals sought by Washington, the others involving Israel and Arab states – aimed at…
SIALKOT: Chairman SIAL Mian Naeem Javed has said that the management of Sialkot International Airport has taken full care of the needs and regulations of its passengers and airlines during the Corona epidemic and has taken all possible steps for them. We are now fully prepared to provide better facilities to passengers on flights that cannot land at other airports during fog season. He expressed these views while talking to representatives of airlines at the SIAL Secretariat. Vice Chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal Shaheen, Airport Manager Nisar Ahmed and other officials were also present on the occasion. Chairman SIAL Mian Naeem…
SINGPORE: Just two days before Christmas, the government of Singapore banned short-term visitors and transit passengers who had recently been in the UK. The decision, made effective at 11:59 Singapore Standard Time on Wednesday, December 23rd, left thousands of travelers stranded abroad, with limited options for getting home. Now, Singapore Airlines is reporting that it has received government approval to carry passengers from London Heathrow onwards to Sydney and Auckland via its Singapore Changi hub. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Singapore has lifted a ban on travelers transiting through Changi Airport from the UK. This comes just over a…
NEW YORK: American Airlines flew a Boeing 737 Max with paying passengers from Miami to New York on Tuesday, December 29, the plane’s first commercial flight in U.S. skies since it was grounded after two deadly crashes. American flight 718 carried 87 passengers on the 172-seat plane, and the return flight from LaGuardia Airport to Miami International Airport held 151 passengers, according to an airline spokeswoman. Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration approved changes that Boeing made to an automated flight-control system implicated in crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people in all. In both crashes, the system…
LAHORE: Vice Chancellor PU, Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar visited COTHM Garden Town campus on Tuesday, December 22, 2020. Expressing pleasure over the collaborative efforts by COTHM and University of the Punjab, Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar stated that it is an honor for both the institutions, as it allows them to stay in constant touch with the youth of the nation. He added, “What matters in the end is how you benefit others through your knowledge.” The Vice chancellor also visited the facility and appreciated the state-of-the-art campus of COTHM. He then interacted with students and faculty. Team COTHM interviewed him…
DUBAI: Travel is expected to reach another peak at the end of this week for Emirates, as the airline expects yet another busy period. A high volume of travellers will be making their way to Emirates’ dedicated Terminal 3 facilities on 2nd and 3rd January 2021, to depart Dubai, in addition to a rush of inbound traffic into the city. Across both days, over 70,000 passengers will be departing and arriving on Emirates flights. During the winter season, Dubai remains a popular destination for Pakistani families who visit the vibrant, cosmopolitan city to enjoy an eclectic mix of offerings including…