MUSCAT: More than 100 airport managers from across Oman Air’s network gathered in Muscat for a three-day conference organised by Oman Air to discuss results, plans and projected targets. The theme of the conference: Airport Operations Transformation Journey, A Flight to Success, reflected appropriately the realities of airline business and the need to adapt to the new operating environment and to embrace new technology. Hosted by Saleem Amanulla, senior vice president, Ground Operations at Oman Air, the conference saw presentations from members of Oman Air’s senior management team. Speakers at the conference emphasised the importance of customer service, effective communications…
Author: holidayweekly
KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines have announced extra flights to Saudi Arabia for Umrah pilgrims. The national carrier started extra flights from 10th May, which will continue till 23rd May to facilitate intending pilgrims from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. The PIA spokesperson said the airline is increasing the number of flights considering rise in demand of flights for Saudi Arabia. Every year in Ramzan, thousands of Pakistanis visit Mecca and Madina for Umrah and the rush to the holy cities increases in the last 10 days of the month.
DOHA: Qatar Airways will launch flights to Rabat, Morocco on May 29th.Services to the Moroccan capital will be served by a Boeing 787 three times a week. In addition, the carrier has revealed its joint business agreement with Royal Air Maroc will expand to meet increased consumer demand for flights to Morocco. In addition to launching Rabat via Marrakech, Qatar Airways will also now offer daily flights to Casablanca, providing seamless connectivity for passengers who wish to explore the country’s many vibrant cities. Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of…
Marriott, the world’s largest hotel company with more than 7,000 hotels around the world, is officially getting into the homesharing business with the launch of Homes & Villas by Marriott International in 100 destinations. A year after it began conducting a homesharing pilot, the 91-year-old hotel group appears convinced it can compete with travel disruptors Airbnb, HomeAway, and others in the space. As Marriott did with its pilot, it’s enabling its loyalty members to earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points when they book and stay in these 2,000-plus homes. What started in 2018 as a small pilot with just a…
ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, continues to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by implementing fuel saving initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability. Following a number of improvements aimed at enhancing operational fleet efficiencies, Etihad Airways reduced 148,000 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2018. The savings are equivalent to approximately 1,236 flights between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona or the removal of over 10,200 cars from the road. Last year, the airlines B777-200s were retired in favour of the most fuel efficient commercial aircraft in operation, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, due to its lightweight composite structure.…
ATHENS: Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura submitted her letter of resignation to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras last week. She resigned to win a seat in the European Parliament. Elena Kountoura was seen as one of the most active and outspoken tourism ministers in the world. She closely worked with Jamaica Minister Ed Bartlett and former UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai on the board for the Global Tourism Resilient Center. In the letter of resignation, she warmly thanked the prime minister for the trust he has shown in her. “These European elections are very critical for Europe’s course and Greece’s voice must…
KARACHI: An Internationally-renowned Pakistani artist, peace worker and philanthropist Jimmy Engineer whose brilliant work has won him more awards than any other Pakistani artist including a Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Civil Award) for Art from the Government of Pakistan in 2005, last week he was also awarded ‘The 13th Habib Jalib Peace Award’ at the Arts Council. Mr. Engineer thanked the award committee for bestowing the honour on him. He said the late Jalib was the people’s poet. All his life he struggled for the rights of the masses. People too loved him. This he saw firsthand when once Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan took…
WRITTEN BY CH FAISAL MAHMOOD The holy month of Ramzaan has set in and the vast majority of Pakistanis have started availing the bounties of God’s mercies by fasting and by sharing their advantages with their disadvantaged neighbors and social service organisations. Take the city of Karachi. Like all other cities and towns in the country, visitors new to it are struck by the spreads of Aftaari meals on makeshift hospitality tables placed at major crossroads, bus stands and at shopping centres. As the time approaches for breaking the day-long fasts, these offerings are readied for anyone and everyone to…
KARACHI: 7-member British Backpacker Society (BBS) team after spending a couple of days in Federal Capital reached Karachi last week. This is the same British Backpacker Society which ranked Pakistan the number one travel destination in the world last year. Pakistan was chosen in the top spot because it was home to some of the world’s friendliest and most hospitable people and offers some of the world’s most beautiful mountain scenery. The six backpackers spoke at an event titled ‘Realising Pakistan’s international tourism potential: why and how’, at the Institute of Business Administration’s city campus, organised by the Trade and…
COLUMBO: SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka and a member of the prestigious oneworld alliance, has announced the appointment of Joshua Bustos as its Chief Commercial Officer and Shaminda Samaraweera as its Chief Financial Officer. Bustos is an internationally-experienced senior level airline executive with over 20 years of experience. He previously held several key positions in leading organisations including American Airlines. He was on the network sounding board and revenue management advisory board at Star Alliance during his tenure at South African Airways. Samaraweera holds more than 15 years of senior-level corporate experience in many industries including telecommunications,…