ISLAMABAD: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Thursday issued new SOPs for domestic and international flights effective from August 20 to August 31. The CAA director air transport issued notification of new SOPs which will apply equally to all chartered flights, including private jets. All the operational airport managers of the country are responsible for the implementation of the new SOPs in aircraft. The aircraft will be disinfected in accordance with the procedures prescribed by PCAA at each station before passenger boarding and disinfection standard shall also be mandatory prior to embarkation from a foreign airport for flight to Pakistan.…
Author: holidayweekly
WASHINGTON: The U.S. and China are stepping back from their sometimes-tense aviation standoff by allowing more flights between the two countries. The U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) ruled that Chinese carriers currently serving the U.S. can double their weekly flights from four to eight. This follows on the heels of the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) last week ruling that U.S. airlines now flying to China could double their weekly frequencies from two to four flights. With the backdrop of increasing trade and political tensions between the two superpowers, this small step toward normalization is welcome. United Airlines and Delta…
JAKARTA: The Indonesian government is still considering whether to give Bali the green light to reopen to international visitors in September. The travel ban on foreigners that the central government has set since April to curb the spread of coronavirus is likely not to be revoked by then, although the Bali administration has made known that the island is ready to receive international tourists from September 11. Reopening the country to international tourists is a “very positive” move, but the government is seeking the right timing to do that, said state-owned enterprises minister Erick Thohir, who is also chairman of…
NEW YORK American Airlines will stop flying to 15 cities in October as it downsizes its network and prepares to furlough or lay off workers and when the CARES Act requirements on air service expire. The CARES Act mandated that airlines taking federal funds must continue to operate to all the cities in their networks as of March this year. The Transportation Department (DOT) has granted a number of exemptions to the rule: If, for example, a city was served by a number of airlines or if service to a nearby airport sufficed to ensure the population had access to…
AUSTRALIA: Yet another sign of how uncontrolled the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. is came from Australian carrier Qantas. CEO Alan Joyce said the company likely won’t resume its U.S. routes until the end of 2021, and only if an effective vaccine or therapeutic is found to control the spread of the disease. Qantas shut down its international operation early on, as Australia imposed strict travel restrictions to contain the virus. The carrier operated dozens of repatriation flights to bring Australians back from China, Japan, and the U.S. But Joyce believes the international network won’t restart until about July of…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has sacked several senior officials including security commanders over corruption in major tourism projects, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Those dismissed by royal decree include the governors of the Red Sea coastal cities of Umluj and Al-Wajh, the head of border security and other local commanders, as well as officials from the Interior Ministry. They are under investigation for facilitating encroachment on government lands that are part of tourism projects under development along the Red Sea coast in the historic city of AlUla and the mountain resort of Abha. The violations had a “great impact on…
BEIJING: Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) has introduced a contactless experience for its passengers, in what SITA has called its most extensive biometric deployment to date. BCIA joins the many airports around the world, including Singapore’s Changi Airport, which are undergoing digital makeovers to create touch-free experiences in a bid to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Biometrics and contactless technologies mean passengers can now glide through the Beijing Capital International airport in an entirely touch-free experience As the busiest airport in China and the second busiest in the world, BCIA has completely automated the entire passenger journey using SITA…
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has accorded approval to the launching of the historic Steam Safari Train service to boost tourism in the province. [huge_it_slider id=”568″] Secretary Sports, Tourism and Culture Department Abid Majeed while giving details said that under the project, the steam safari train would chug on two rail routes to take tourists and passengers to the two historical destinations. He said that on one route, the steam safari will take tourists and passengers from Peshawar to Attock Khurd while on the other route it will take tourists from the provincial capital to the historic archeological…
The cost of the restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is there for all to see. Between January and May, the sudden and rapid fall in tourist arrivals cost an estimated $320 billion. That’s three times greater than the impact of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 on our sector – and this is just for the first five months of the year. The re-opening of borders to tourism is a welcome relief to millions who depend on our sector. But this alone is not enough, especially in view of recent announcements and measures which seem further…
MANAMA: Bahrain has lifted the compulsory 10-day quarantine for all incoming passengers who report negative, following their test upon arrival in Bahrain and being informed of the result. This decision is one of the key steps announced by the Government Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, Health, a Bahrain news Agency report said. The decisions follow consideration of a Covid-19 periodic revision report submitted by the National Medical Task Force for Combatting the Coronavirus (Covid-19), headed by HE Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed…