RIYADH: One of the largest annual gatherings on the planet, Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca, will be off-limits to most the world’s Muslims this year due to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic. After weeks of speculation and just before the official pilgrimage is scheduled to begin in late July, Saudi Arabia announced that it will not cancel the hajj but rather severely limit attendance to the sacred gathering only to some Muslims currently residing in the country. The Saudi announcement sent shock waves of sadness and disappointment across the Muslim world, upending the plans of millions of believers…
Author: holidayweekly
RAWALPINDI: Emirates, which has been operating flights from Pakistan to Dubai, has announced that it has temporarily suspended all passenger services from the country. A spokesperson for the airline said in a press release on Tuesday night, June 23: “We regret to temporarily suspend passenger services from Pakistan, from 24 June 04:00 Pakistan LT, until early next week.” “In the meantime, Emirates will continue to operate repatriation flights into Pakistan as per the announced schedule, and continue to operate cargo services that support the trade and movement of goods between Pakistan, UAE and our global network,” said the airline. Its…
DUBAI: Dubai will allow foreign nationals holding residency visas issued in Dubai to return to the emirate starting June 22 and international tourists will be welcomed from July 7, the UAE emirate’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management has announced. Citizens and residents will be permitted to travel overseas from June 23 provided the destination countries agree to receive them. The new decisions are supported by protocols and preventive measures aimed at safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all passengers travelling into or out of Dubai Airports. The new air travel protocols for Dubai citizens, residents and visitors was…
KARACHI: flydubai with great joy and enthusiasm is celebrating its 10-year anniversary of operating in Pakistan. It was early morning of June 21, 2010 When flydubai, Dubai’s first low cost airline, launched its 20th destination and landed at Jinnah International Airport Karachi. The people of Pakistan have entrusted them with immense support and trust over the years and hopefully flydubai will continue to exceed the expectations and provide excellent services to Pakistan as they have been doing so in the past. The airline started in 2009 with the aim to take the people to more places, more often. Prior to…
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has emphasized the need to expedite the process of reforms and restructuring of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to save billions of rupees of the national exchequer. Chairing a meeting about reforms in the PIA, he said taking out national institutions of losses, and making them active and stable was an important part of the present government’s agenda. The PM said there was a need to expedite the reforms process in government institutions as the people had to bear the burden of their billions of rupees’ losses. The prime minster said that by making the national…
Message By Mr. Sudhir Sreedharan Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent and Africa) flydubai June 21st – marked a significant milestone in the history of flydubai as we celebrate 10th anniversary of our operation to Pakistan with 1st flight landing in Karachi 10 years ago on this auspicious day. Our journey has been exciting, with many twists and turns but always with the same end goal in mind – to provide the best possible service and support to our travel trade partners and to our customers. Our dedication to service and support has propelled us from a very…
DUBAI: Emirates has announced it will offer scheduled flights for travellers in 10 more cities: Colombo (from June 20), Sialkot (June 24), Istanbul (from June 25); Auckland, Beirut, Brussels, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (all from July 1); and Barcelona and Washington DC (all from July 15). Emirates’ flights from Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Pakistan, will only carry outbound passengers to the UAE and onward destinations. This will take the total number of Emirates destinations on offer for travellers to 40, providing more options for customers who wish to return home or those travelling for essential purposes. Adnan Kazim,…
KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority has issued a notice for the resumption of flights, according to which air operations have been resumed across Pakistan apart from Gwadar and Turbat airports. A spokesman for the Aviation Division said that the air operation would be resumed from 12.Am the night of Saturday , June 20 , after which all foreign passenger and charter flights have been allowed to resume operations in Pakistan. The CAA will issue special working hours to operate flights in Pakistan keeping in view the health of the passengers in the flights. SOPs will have to be implemented on…
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has hinted at lowering air freight rates for export of mangoes to Manchester, London and Frankfurt once the national carrier gets confirmed volume, frequency of flights and schedule spelled out. PIA CEO Air Marshal (Retd) Arshad Malik held a meeting at the airline’s head office with the delegation of Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants (PFVA), led by its Patron-in-Chief Waheed Ahmed on Tuesday. The national carrier would now quote a relatively lower air freight cost per kg to the mango export consignments compared to foreign players like Emirates and Qatar Airways, Malik…
ANKARA: The ministry of culture and tourism in Turkey has announced a safe tourism certification programme, launched to coincide with the start of the 2020 summer season. Run in partnership with the ministry of foreign affairs, the programme covers a broad range of safety measures. The certificate validates the execution of high levels of health and hygiene requirements at airline companies, airports (and other transport stations) and accommodation outlets, as well as food and beverage facilities. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, minister of culture and tourism, Turkey, said: “Turkey has been a role model for the world during the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks…