ISTANBUL: Turkey plans to resume flights with around 40 countries in June and has reached preliminary agreements for reciprocal air travel with 15 countries, Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said on Thursday, June 4. Turkey largely sealed off its borders as part of measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Domestic flights resumed on Monday to some provinces as Ankara eased restrictions after a significant drop in infection rates. Karaismailoglu said flights would resume in five stages in June, adding Turkey was in talks with 92 countries on resuming flights in a safe manner. “We believe that we have left behind an…
Author: holidayweekly
MUSCAT: Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, is meeting or exceeding the highest fleet-maintenance standards in preparation of its return to scheduled service, the airline said. In line with long-established quality-assurance measures and aircraft manufacturers’ recommended procedures, a comprehensive programme is in place to ensure that aircraft are properly maintained during the storage period. Rigorous programmes are in place to ensure that all aircraft systems were properly prepared for storage and are correctly maintained until they return to service. As maintenance workers address these needs, thorough, detailed plans are in place to ensure their personal safety.…
WASHINGTON: The U.S. government moved Wednesday, June 3, to bar mainland Chinese airlines from serving the United States, requiring them to stop service no later than June 16, the latest in a series of back-and-forth regulatory actions between the countries. It is a highly unusual move for the 21st century, when many countries have liberalized aviation treaties, allowing airlines to serve almost any long-haul routes they want, with limited interference. But the U.S. and China haven’t materially updated their aviation agreement for the new era, so the market remains more tightly controlled than others. In this case, it is easy…
Written by Ch. Faisal Mahmood PIA Aircraft Accident Investigation Board after taking over the crash site started the investigation. The search for the plane’s cockpit voice recorder is over now and the most important object for the detailed investigation have been recovered and in this way the collecting of all-important evidences has been completed. The 11-member team from commercial aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the maker of unfortunate plane A320 jet, also arrived in Karachi and collected all possible evidences, made videos and photographs of the incident place to have free and fair investigation of the incident.The team appeared to be very…
KUWAIT: Jazeera Airways has announced that it is offering 50,000 free round-trip tickets to frontline heroes fighting the Covid-19 pandemic in Kuwait. The initiative follows a pledge by the airline to support efforts made by the Government of Kuwait. Jazeera Airways had placed its assets and human capital at the disposal of the Government, supporting repatriation efforts as well as converting its Park & Fly facility into the first drive-through Covid-19 testing center in the country. Announcing the initiative, Jazeera Airways Chairman, Marwan Boodai, said: “We are honored to follow the directive of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad…
PARIS: The Cafe de Flore in Paris, once a favourite drinking hole of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, spread its tables along the pavement, in front of the neighboring book store, and reopened on Tuesday, June 2 for the first time in 11 weeks. [huge_it_slider id=”552″] Locals could once again enjoy a morning espresso, albeit only at tables spaced a metre apart, as the government allowed cafes and restaurants to open outdoor terraces, lifted travel curbs within France and permitted sunbathing on beaches. “We’re back at home,” said one regular, Rachel, at the cafe in the French capital’s chic…
RIYADH: Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) resumed its trips on May 31, with the first passenger train trip starting from Riyadh to Dammam, through Abqaiq and Hofuf stations carrying 143 passengers on board, and the second trip from Dammam to Riyadh with 118 passengers, said a report. SRO stations began receiving passengers with a series of precautionary measures including measuring the temperature, checking wearing of masks and physical distancing to ensure the safety of passengers inside trains and at stations, said a report. The tickets are being sold to the customers through its website (www.sro.org.sa) and its electronic application (SRO). The…
MANAMA: Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has confirmed resumption of operations out of Pakistan starting from May 31 with direct flights starting from Islamabad International Airport to Bahrain International Airport. Flights from other cities in Pakistan will be added in the coming days, the airline said. In compliance with the Civil Aviation Authority in Pakistan, flights will only operate with passengers out of Pakistan, it said. Due to the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, Gulf Air temporarily suspended all flights to its seven destinations in Pakistan (Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot and Peshawar) in compliance with the order…
TOKOYO: Japan has lifted a state of emergency and is preparing to begin a phased relaunch of the domestic tourism sector. The nationwide state of emergency has been in place for seven weeks. However, new cases of Covid-19 are steadily declining, with officials hoping to reopen sections of the economy. Tokyo and Hokkaido were among the last prefectures to see the restrictions lift, as a staggered approach was conducted throughout Japan.The first phase will see schools, gyms, libraries and galleries reopen, while restaurants will be allowed to stay open longer. Shinkansen services run by JR will continue to operate to…
WASHINGTON: At two previous companies, new United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby developed a reputation for bluntness, often favoring honest answers over diplomatic ones. Last week speaking at his first public forum since taking over last week from Oscar Munoz, Kirby showed he wouldn’t drop the act just because he now leads a Fortune 100 company. In a 50-minute discussion at the Bernstein 36th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, Kirby shared his opinions on several issues he’s confronting, including onboard safety, a lack of demand, and mounting debt. United capitalized on U.S. bankruptcy law in 2002, reorganizing ahead of its merger with…