MAKKAH: Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques gave glad tidings to the faithful, with his reassuring words: “Days would come (soon) when worshipers return to the Two Holy Mosques.” [huge_it_slider id=”540″] In a video, transmitted by various media outlets and posted on official social media accounts, Sheikh Al-Sudais said: “Days (will come) when the sorrow will be driven away from the Islamic Ummah and we return to the Two Holy Mosques for tawaf (circumambulation around the Holy Kaa’ba), sa’i (the ritual of hastening between the hills of Safa and…
Author: holidayweekly
KARACHI: Recently TAAP wrote a letter to CEO PIA and expressed its dismay and reservation about the changed policy of PIA whereby travel agents are not allowed to sell PIA tickets. In this difficult time when travel agents of Pakistan were looking towards national institutions for support, this new policy created more economic worries for them. In the letter TAAP congratulated CEO PIA for winning the case and taking charge of the national carrier once more. The Chairman TAAP wrote, “With you at the helm, we had started to see a turnaround in PIA’s fortunes. Sadly, due to the ongoing…
DOHA: Qatar Airways is still operating flights to 35 cities around the world including London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Sydney, helping thousands of passengers get home safely. “We are still operating flights to 35 destinations around the world while upholding the safety and security of our passengers and employees at all times,” the airline said on Twitter. The airline also cautioned passengers that schedules may change at short notice as government around the world are imposing various restrictions on entry. It also urged travelers to check the entry restrictions of their destination country before travelling. “Please be advised that, due to…
DOHA: This is pretty unbelievable, on 30th April two Qatar Airways aircraft parked next to one another at Doha Hamad International Airport collided due to strong winds. The planes in question were an Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-8. At the time of the incident there was a storm, with winds gusting from 19 knots to 61 knots (or 22 to 70 mph). The two planes were parked next to one another with quite a bit of space between them. Over the course of about a minute, the 787 turned 90 degrees and then started moving towards the A350, before finally…
AZERBAIJAN: The Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), together with the State Tourism Agency (STA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in cooperation with Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AQTA), has announced the launch of an innovative program called Sahman (Sanitation and Hygiene Methods and Norms). “Sahman,” meaning “immaculateness” in Azerbaijani, is a nationwide campaign set to transform Azerbaijan’s existing health, safety and hygiene standards. Supported by the UNWTO, it also reaffirms the country’s commitment towards providing a world-class tourism destination for its citizens and future visitors alike in the post-pandemic world. ATB is finalising talks with international firm…
Norwegian Cruise Line has pushed back its potential return to operations into June. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed it was extending the suspension of all sailings across its fleet through to June 30th Services across its brands – which also include Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises – are tentatively pencilled in to resume on July 1st. Norwegian Cruise Line had initially scrapped all sailings before May 11th. The company said it would continue to work with the US Centres for Disease Control & Prevention, the federal government and global public health authorities to take “all…
KARACHI: The United States Department of Transportation has granted permission to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate direct services to the US, the airline’s spokesman Abdullah Hafeez confirmed on Thursday, April 30. According to details, US Department of Transportation has issued a letter in response to request of CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik. Owing to thousands of citizens being stranded across the globe in the wake of the pandemic, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has for the first time in history been granted the permission to operate direct flights to the US, without having to stop for a security…
Germany might be easing some COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, but the government tamped down any hopes in the tourism sector that it might relax holiday guidance when it extended its warning against worldwide travel until June 14 on Wednesday. The decision came days after neighbouring Austria – which has suggested a staggered resumption of tourism, initially allowing German visitors in – lifted coronavirus quarantines at three of its top ski resorts last week. “We are not so far with fighting the virus and the development of the pandemic that we can recommend carefree travel,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told journalists.…
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has put the services of the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) under the “Essential Services” act with immediate effect for the next six months. According to a notification issued by the ministry of interior, the federal government considered employment in the PIACL as essential for the maintenance of smooth functioning of flight operations of the airline, public safety and welfare of the people. Therefore, all classes of employment in the PIACL have been declared “Essential Services” under Sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Pakistan Essential Services (Mainte-nance) Act, 1952, for a period of six…
PARIS: The planemaker Airbus has warned that the aviation industry could take as long as five years to recover to the levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic. The Airbus Chief Executive, Guillaume Faury, warned on Wednesday, April 29, that it could take “three to five years” for passengers to be as willing to fly as before the crisis. Faury said: “We are now in the midst of the gravest crisis the aerospace industry has ever known.” The pandemic has plunged the airline industry into chaos, with passenger flight revenues all but wiped out. During the first three months of the…